Old Memories

Lakshmi had her phone ready, ready for the moment her words hit her fiance and destroyed him forever as he started walking once more. He obviously needed time to digest the appointment his daughter might be going through, but the rest of it was easy to understand and accept she felt.

Hitting the record button, Lakshmi got rather good footage of the exact moment Kaimu responded to her words by almost falling flat on his face. In fact his next response was better and Lakshmi laughed, laughed quite hard as he yelled at her before scurrying inside. She hadn't been paying attention to anything but them, but they had entered town and drawn a few looks.

Lakshmi gave them no attention, storing her phone away and following Kaimu's orders to sit outside, plopping herself down on the bench and waiting. If she was smiling quite brightly and looked pleased, much like a cat that ate a canary, well there was much to be said for destroying your loved one's sanity.

Okonomiyaki, dango, takoyaki, meat buns, and the sweet buns... Kaimu made a mental list of everything Lakshmi had said sounded good as he waited to order. He needed to order extra of everything since there were technically three of them eating...

His arms would be full from the bags, he knew but he could carry it!

Perhaps they had a basket he could purchase...hn...

Oh well, it was his time to order...needed to...focus on food...


That'd been...loud.

Here he was just thinking about going to get some sleep in after a long night and now he'd been snapped out of it. Oh well... He'd go and catch some sleep later, he had lunch to eat.

Stepping out of the alleyway he'd used as a shortcut, a tall man looking to physically be in his forties stepped out. Overall...his appearance stuck out. Silver-ish hair that came down past his ears...he was tall...

Hn?

"Lot'sa noise around here...want one, Miss?" Noticing Lakshmi sitting on the bench, not that he knew who she was, the man offered a stick of his dango. What, it was only right of him... He wasn't comin' on to anyone...

Lakshmi was rather busy smiling and enjoying Kaimu's utterly ruined reaction, almost sparkling in her contented pleasure from that loud reaction she'd gotten. In public too~ Kaimu didn't particularly like scenes, though he wasn't adverse to them at times when it suited him.

She couldn't be too flustered, her amusement far too strong.

Hearing a voice nearby though, ice blue eyes glanced up and she blinked before smiling and accepting the stick offered. This man...vaguely looked familiar, though he stood out as much as she did. He was rather handsome for his age and she couldn't help giving him a thoughtful nod. "Oh, why thank you. I apologize, it seems I was the cause of the loudness."

He was very tall, towering over her especially while sitting as she was never very large to begin with. However he'd offered her dango and she was hungry, so she took one off and chewed with more pleased airs.

Oh? So she'd been part of the cause for that?

Despite that little tidbit, the man smiled in return as she accepted the stick of dango from him.

"Aaah, I was curious at what the commotion was about; didn't see any of what happened though. I suppose you raised a few heads? It's quite rare to see someone with such an elegant air about herself."

Saying that, he gave a friendly smile with a chuckle to match.

It was a pain for her to keep looking up, so Lakshmi scooted down the bench and patted the newly made spot for the man. She wouldn't mind some company to speak to, unlike her lover she was rather friendly most of the time. "Here, it will be easier on my neck this way. Haha, you could say that. I was just poking fun at someone quite easy to mess with and they overreacted."

The captain smirked a bit, taking another dango off the stick and enjoying the flavor. Elegant airs? Well she supposed compared to most... her clothes were rather expensive and exotic... And her way of speaking spoke of money. "I suppose I do give off that air, I admit I am rather far from home right now. My name is Lakshmi Fujihana. You are, kind sir?"

Manners were important~

Oh, so he was being offered a seat? Well, he gladly took the woman up on her offer and seated himself, his smile growing some in thanks.

"Messing with someone? Aha, sounds like fun; I suppose they're off somewhere?"

Obviously she was alone now, so he supposed the person she'd been playing with had either left or wandered off somewhere else for now.

Far from home, huh?

"Aah, It's a pleasure; I'm-"

"Tetsui!" Before the man could even introduce himself, his mouth was promptly met with a strong fist as he was struck in the face with no warning, and with enough force to throw him off the bench even.

A pained groan escaped the man as his hand went to his face, his eyes immediately glaring up to his assailant.

Next to Lakshmi now was Kaimu, next to him was a heavy looking carrying basket full of heavy paper bags filled with their food. Kaimu had set it down in favor of punching the man, and at his closeness to Lakshmi, it was impossible for her to miss the rage and hatred in his features.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you?" Immediately Kaimu had jumped to death as a solution; "There any other officers around it'll be easy to explain myself, I'd get off scott free.

The man was a danger to the Rukon, abandoned two shinigami children with unstable powers, endangering districts~"

Obviously, he and Tatsu's power's hadn't been that developed, but...it wasn't like this bastard knew that...

"They are currently getting food, I was ordered to wait outside due to causing the commotion and I think he needed a break." Lakshmi replied, grinning more as the man asked if her friend had wandered off. He was flirting, that much was obvious but he had fed her odango so she did not mind. Besides Kaimu would be back soon and her fun would be over, or she could have more fun with her fiance?

Either way, as the man went to introduce himself Lakshmi stuck the dango stick in her mouth, about to take one off. However before the man could say his name, it was yelled by a very familiar voice though in a rather shocking tone.

Tetsui...? She blinked, the stick in her mouth as she turned to see her love quite pissed beyond reason. If he hadn't screamed that name, she would have assumed he was letting his jealousy run rampant, but instead she was now treated to something much more...sinister.

The food basket was ignored other than a cursory glance, the stick of dango still sitting in her mouth as she stared between the two in pure confusion and utter wonder.

Kaimu had never in all their time reacted to anything like this... AS he continued yelling, a few things clicked for her and she pulled the stick from her mouth. Her voice and demeanor deceptively calm, the woman stayed sitting though her airs had become rather regal. She straightened her back and looked as if a queen on her throne, one eyebrow raised as she looked down at the man.

"Oh, the infamous stepfather I see. How hilarious... Hitting on your stepdaughter-in-law unknowing." Lakshmi made no moves yet, wishing to see how this would play out. Though the man was in no danger of death... She wouldn't allow Kaimu to stain his hands with this, it would be quite bad for them both. Instead she popped an odango into her mouth before reaching for a bun in the bag nearby.

Weren't there astronomical odds against this? And how was someone like this man still alive? It had been centuries... She was more than a bit curious... Though now all her friendliness was gone, replaced by a frigidly icy stare.

S...Step-daugther?

Tetsui's eyes moved from Lakshmi to Kaimu who was still glaring at him with what seemed to be every ounce of rage in his body.

Kaimu... Ah right, the kid; the older one.

"Aaa? Well this was unexpected... Mu-chan already went off and got hitched? What about Tat-gh-!"

Kaimu had moved from the bench, instead choosing to slam his foot into the man's face and slam him back into the dirt.

He didn't deserve to say his name, didn't deserve to say Tatsu's name at all!

He didn't let up on the pressure he was putting on in stepping on the man, not caring.

"Gh-g... Would you-"

"Shut up..." That rage seemed to have quelled, though not really, it was just a more silent and eerie version of it as Kaimu continued to press down.

A part of his foot was on the man's throat, so it wasn't like Tetsui was having an easy time breathing as he struggled to move Kaimu off of him.

Lakshmi did not show an ounce of her shock as the man seemingly recognized Kaimu and spoke, pissing off her lover rather strongly. It had taken ever bit of her training though, keeping even her eyes steady as Kaimu kicked the man back into the dirt. People were starting to pay some attention to the three now though...

Kaimu's rage was...odd for her to see, and a bit... But at the same time, a bit terrifying... He deserved this, the man did, he deserved all that Kaimu was doing to him and all the rage in her love deserved to be thrown at this man... Kai was right after all, this man didn't deserve to even speak Kaimu's loved one's names.

But as she noticed his lack of ability to breath properly, it became apparent Kaimu's rage may not spend itself and let the man go. Tetsui may end up dying at this rate, in addition to the possible concussion from the head to ground hit.

That eeriely calm rage would not bode well at all... Lakshmi stood slowly and stepped closer to Kaimu, intending to touch his shoulder and calm him a bit. "Kai, let up. You can not kill this man. Let him breathe..."

He couldn't be allowed to murder him, she could not let him...

Kaimu wasn't paying attention to how many eyes they were drawing, too blinded right now to care or see.

He'd just...he'd left them... Left their mother to fend for herself, raise him and Tatsu alone... He had no excuse, there wasn't any excuse...

His mother had ended up exhausting herself into an early grave. It was his fault... It was all his fault...

!?

Kaimu hadn't noticed Lakshmi approach him, surprised at first. Tetsui's grip and resistance was getting weaker though, and at Lakshmi's touch Kaimu's foot laxed some on the man's throat.

"..." Kaimu wasn't being as vocal as he usually was, but the question was in his eyes despite their still rather cold state. "Why?" Why couldn't he...?

He could get away with it... There weren't even any shinigami officers around...

Still, he had yet to press down and endanger the man after Lakshmi's words.

That pain and hurt, that horrific abandoned hurt... The fact that this man leaving had sent their family into the deepest pits of hell, that they had all died... It could quite literally be put at this man's feet.

The fact that Kaimu's temper held enough to not outright murder the man... Though he had had excuses prepared for this. That was rather terrifying in and of itself...

However at least Kaimu responded to her, she hadn't had to use force... As his cold eyes looked down at her, her own icy ones met his. "There are things I can overlook... I can not murder. Stop, please Kai. I am a shinigami officer, you know this, and one of the few who could hope to take you in."

It hurt her to say that, her voice finally showing some emotion other than attempted calmness, her usual go to when shocked or unable to know what to do. She pleaded softly, knowing what he was thinking as if it was written on his face.

He couldn't get away with it, not with her here. This man had done miserable things... but he wasn't breaking laws and he hadn't attacked either of them.

Lakshmi's words earned a visible reaction from Kaimu; she was a shinigami officer... It...She was bringing it down to that...

His eyes remained on Lakshmi for a moment before shifting down to Tetsui, stunned and wide due to Lakshmi's words before becoming pained, his teeth clamping and his eyes squeezing shut before he stepped back.

Tetsui moved to sit up, coughing as he struggled to catch his breath. His eyes went to Kaimu, noticing the man walking towards the food basket.

"Let's head to the inn, Lakshmi..." His voice seemed...empty overall, nothing like himself as he grabbed the basket by the handle, ignoring Tetsui.

Just pretend he's not there... Just pretend he of all people...wasn't there...

Lakshmi hurt, she hurt so much to have to say that to Kaimu but she had to remind him of who and what she was. He had promised, he'd never force her to choose between duty and love. Never... No matter how he felt about things, he wouldn't...

Some things were acceptable to her, but harming others like this... It went against every instinct and feeling she had. Her duty in this case was clear, even as it tore at her to see the pain on Kaimu's face after the pure shock.

As he turned away and headed for the food basket, Lakshmi gave a shaky and relieved sigh though his tone pained her visibly as he called to her. "Give me a moment..."

She was a doctor, what Kaimu had done the man had deserved but she could not leave him with permanent damage. If he died due to concussion or crushed throat it would be Kaimu on who this fell. on top of that...there was clearly a patient here for her to take care of even if... if some would say he didn't deserve this.

But her oaths and the promises she made to herself held up. She couldn't do that to someone, even someone who deserved it.

Kneeling carefully in the dirt as Tetsui sat up, Lakshmi reached out with a glowing hand. "Allow me to examine you, please."

Kaimu had walked over towards a wooden pillar that kept a cover up over the entrance of a shop, waiting on Lakshmi wordlessly as she dealt with Tetsui.

His free hand had a harsh grip on the sleeve of his yukata, and it only seemed to become tighter as he heard Lakshmi offer to treat the man. She was a doctor, he knew that...but...

Tetsui, once he'd caught his breath, seemed surprised by the offer, but accepted it wordlessly as he looked away from the two. He'd accept the examination and go on his way as he had been. He'd just been passing through.

Regardless of how the two felt, it was her duty and their either shock or anger was something Lakshmi rode out as she examined and then quickly healed. His wounds and the injuries were fixed quite quickly, a measure of her skill before she backed away and stood up fully once more. Dusting the dirt from her clothes, she looked down at Tetsui and shook her head.

"They are gone, because of you." The pity in her eyes was palpable, aimed solely at this man as he really wasn't deserving of anything else she felt. She turned after speaking and moved to Kaimu's side, reaching up hesitantly to take his arm.

Would he allow her after that? Still, the Inn and food was waiting for them...

Hah...?

Tetsui didn't have much time to question Lakshmi's words as she walked off back over to Kaimu, instead he sat there for a moment and blinked. Gone...

...Well, he hadn't seen 'em in centuries...he felt nothing, if he was meant to...it wasn't there.

Kaimu had remained in place, too caught up in his own thoughts and emotions to notice Lakshmi again. He'd once again been caught by surprise, which had seemed to shock the few unshed tears right out of him before he looked away.

Damn it, he'd gotten too caught up in his thoughts... This wasn't a state Lakshmi should see him in...

Either way, she was allowed to take his arm before he began walking again, ignoring anything he'd previously been feeling, or trying to.

Lakshmi froze for a moment as her touch shocked Kaimu, forcing him to shed a few tears.

Kaimu never cried.

Never.

Lakshmi's hand tightened on his arm, but she had no idea where the inn would be at so she couldn't pull him along to safety. She stayed silent, pretending for now not to have seen his tears though her hand might have given that away. Once they were alone... Then she could...

The man wasn't given another glance as he had been dealt with...

The inn was a bit of a ways down the road, though the walk wasn't too bad, most people were starting to scatter due to it being the time for food, so the streets were less busy and therefore...not much of a crowd to work through.

When they reached the inn, Kaimu walked them to the innkeeper where the room was paid for.

He had been sure to request a room that didn't require steps or stairs to get to, it'd be easier on Lakshmi, despite everything he was still thinking of that.

Once the key was handed over he walked off, leading her towards the room. It was nice and spacey, and had a view to an outdoor garden so it wasn't like they were stuck with a bad view. Once nightfall hit the stars ought to be nice...

The first thing Kaimu did was move towards the wooden table, wordless setting down the basket where he began to set out the food. He'd gotten a lot, more than enough for three, nearly four people even as he got it all set out.

He'd picked up some sake as well, which still remained sitting in the basket.

"Foods still hot." He offered, glancing at it before looking to Lakshmi, and then away towards the garden. He'd lost his appetite...

Lakshmi was beginning to feel exhausted, mostly due to the tension now in Kaimu that she couldn't help but want to whisk away. It was impossible though and she kept up with him as best as possible under the circumstances. There had been a lot of walking and she was tiring lately much easier...

Waiting silently as he ordered their room, a first floor one for her, Lakshmi looked down at the floor the entire time with an unreadable expression before she followed him to the room. It was quite nice, spacious and roomy with a proper view for drinking later...

Even a nice garden view seemed to have no effect on Kaimu though as he silently sat and began taking out all of the food. She stood, not moving an inch even as he spoke...

This wasn't like him, but really who... who could blame him? It... he...had come face to face with that bastard and had all those awful memories dredged up.

Lakshmi realized after a few moments that her hands were clenched and she was crying silently, before she took a few steps towards the man. Ignoring all of the food, she knelt in front of him and her hands reached up to his head, attempting to pull him down to her in a hug.

?

Kaimu wasn't sure how to react as Lakshmi ignored the food, instead going to him and pulling him down. There had been some resistance at first due to just...not understanding, but once he realized her intentions he allowed it, letting his face move to rest on her shoulder as his arms weakly grasped on to her.

It seemed after being caught that first time he'd holed his emotions up again. It was just how he dealt with things... He rarely shed tears, let alone in front of another, but they'd escaped anyway earlier...

He needed better control than that...

Lakshmi held onto Kaimu tightly, ignoring his initial resistance as her hand moved to his hair. He finally settled against her, though his hold was weak and he was definitely attempting to cover up all his emotions... She shook her head before leaning it lightly against his and ran her hands through his hair.

"Stop it. You...you are allowed emotions. You can cry, you can be upset... You can hate him so much. Kai..." Her own voice strained, she swallowed a small sob as she held Kaimu to her and refused to let go. "Stop putting that awful mask back in place, it is not fooling me at all."

Not anymore... If he even tried smiling she'd pinch him.

His mask...

Well, damn... She'd read him before he'd even had a chance to try. He'd just been trying to...trying to force himself back into that mask and smile like he was supposed to.

If he didn't smile then this whole trip would be ruined...

But that wasn't true... Lakshmi knew it was fake, it would ruin everything if he did...

His hold tightened somewhat at her words, his hold becoming a bit stronger, a sign that he was struggling. He was struggling, and failing...it was obvious by his body's tenseness...for even his shoulders occasionally shook.

"Be upset if you need to, cry and scream and hate the world... I am right here and I will be right here for you." Lakshmi felt Kaimu's fading resistance to her actions, he had tried and failed to get that stupid mask back up. Not that it would have worked on her anymore really, after that it was obvious that any smiles would be fake.

He wasn't going to be allowed to even try to place it on himself, she wouldn't give him that chance. That his hold tightened a bit told her she had done the right thing and her hands undid his hair tie as she ran her fingers through his auburn locks. "Don't lie to me... not like that."

Seeing that man had truly shaken Kaimu and Lakshmi wanted to hurt him herself... Kai...he needed her here to help him and give him the soothing and love that...that such a trauma needed to help heal.

Kaimu was still struggling to just...let it out, he didn't just...do that... He'd had that mask for so long it was a war with himself to just...be open...let his sorrows just pour out without control.

Tetsui...

It wasn't fair...

Why was he still around...? Why had he lived? Why was he still around when...when Tatsu, and his mother weren't!? They hadn't done anything wrong...

Those thoughts kept hitting him, Tetsui's appearance shaking him more than visiting his old home ever could. His home carried all the good memories...nothing to cry over...just...remember and be happy about...

Tetsui... Tetsui was what carried every bad thing that'd ever come along after he'd left...

His grip was shaky, old scars having obviously been reopened; he couldn't smile it off, couldn't put his mask up... It was all of that that forced the first choked sob out.

Damn it...he wasn't supposed to cry...

Lakshmi waited patiently, worried for Kaimu and how he was holding it all in. It...was quite obvious...painfully so that he was hurting so badly. Why...why did that stupid mask have to hurt him? He'd used it to protect himself for so long that now it just was too strong of an instinct to allow himself to open up?

As Kaimu's hold became shaky, Lakshmi's hold secured and that first sob caused her hold to tighten briefly as her head lightly nuzzled his as best she could.

He'd never, never cried before... Not for her and this was painful to bear. Kaimu had been that hurt by this man... That this man, this time, had been the one to finally snap that stupid mask and shatter it...

A-Ah... She was crying herself, but it was silently... If he knew he'd try to stop and clam up again. He needed this, to let it out.