Time For A Talk

Everything was decided.

It would be difficult, and they didn't know what all to expect...but they'd decided to tell Mia and Shirakawa about everything. Their agreement on marriage, about the baby...

Kaimu let out a breath as he rested his head on the table; he didn't know what to expect... They were going to tell them, knowing no good could ever come from not telling them...

...But they'd waited...a decently long time...

They had their reasons, of course, but...

Weh...

Lakshmi could not sit one bit, she was pacing around the entire room, out of reach of Kaimu and his attempts at snuggles for comfort. She had a bit of her curling hair in her mouth and was worrying it with her lips as she wore a path in the carpet.

They had really waited too long... This was rather a lot to drop on the pair and also a lot to drop on the man's daughter in particular. Masaru might react with joy for them. The woman though...

Well there was a fire extinguisher nearby if needed.

Stop, she couldn't stop and she wasn't sitting there and fidgeting! It was better to be moving at least.

How...what was going on?

Mia had almost attempted to bail on the important talks. She really had. Whatever Kaimu had to tell her had been so serious he had refused to tell her alone. Masaru had to be there and Lakshmi as well. Whatever was going on?

It was weird... She'd left her zanpakuto at the mansion at least, keeping it in their bedroom which she was still getting used to thinking as such.

Standing at the mansion door, she looked oddly petulant for once before glancing over at Masaru and crossing her arms. "...You can open it..."

She... Mia had the worst feelings about this.

Masaru walked with Mia to Lakshmi's mansion, not knowing...a thing about what the two wanted to talk about with them. Mia had told him what she knew, and it was...surprisingly vague. He had expected that her father might have said more to her, but...

He and Lakshmi wanted the both of them there...for a talk?

What was going on...

Once the reached the door, he glanced down to Mia as she spoke, giving a nod as she looked up at him before opening the door.


Kaimu glanced up from his position, head still on the table. He could feel their reiatsu signatures, they were here... How... How were they supposed to start this!?

With the marriage...maybe...

That seemed like a good idea, it would show Mia they were extremely serious about this, and fully planned on keeping them all together. They were thinking of them too with the marriage, of course. If they married, then Mia would have an easier time...

This was stressful... It was like last minute prepping before going on stage or something...

The sense of the pair entering her home only caused Lakshmi to stop pacing around the entire room and instead pace only in a circle near the table. She couldn't even look at Kaimu, it was too stressful and she felt not only headaches but a stomachache in her future.

How would they even start? Would she just show them her stomach? Neither of them had prepared for this... At all... How were they supposed to handle confessions like this!?

At least she had worn her pajamas and long robe. She could feel comfortable in her death by either stress or flames.

Mia was slightly unnerved by how little Kaimu had told her but also worried as well, because he had not only hinted it was important... He also hinted at other things that seemed to be worrisome.

What was bothering him so much that he had to tell her that much but not the problem itself?

She just followed behind Masaru as they entered the house, taking the edge of his sleeve in her hand as she tried to push her pout away. It was hard, but she would be an adult about this as her father was trying to be.

It was obviously important or something...

Masaru stepped inside, easily feeling the others signatures where they were waiting on them as he led Mia to the room. She had taken a hold of his sleeve, but he allowed her to do as such, not minding the action in the slightest.

This was a worrisome situation... They had nothing to go on...

Kaimu swallowed a breath and attempted to compose himself, quickly looking back to Lakshmi and gesturing to his left hand, to his finger before the two would walk in... Trying to signify that was the best place to start...or so he felt.

She was pacing in a circle now... "Lak-tan..." His voice was soft, knowing this was stressing her out...which...was not good. There was no calming this situation though...

Lakshmi caught nothing, her pacing reaching critical levels of speed as she circled her own tail from the pacing. After several moments of that failure to catch any invisible tails, Kaimu's voice reached her and she froze immediately before her eyes turned to watch him.

A hand came up to pull the hair from her lips as she then twirled it around her finger and moved to the table. A seat would be good to have since they were almost here... Though she almost wished for a cloak like Mia's at this point to hide her face.

It almost felt like she was the date asking a father for his hand for his daughter at this point. She would let Kaimu lead the discussions at least for now, so he didn't really have to worry as Lakshmi cowered in her seat.

Mia held Masaru back as they reached the doorway, her hand tugging on his sleeve as she shook her head and stepped forward. "He's my dad... I should face him head on..."

Maybe...he was breaking up with Lakshmi? Maybe they had some weird love triangle polygamy thing going on? Maybe... aliens? Were they secretly into...weird things??? Mia had no idea what could be going on...

She had no idea what in the world this could be about but it was up to her to face this head on. Gulping, she reached for the handle and opened the door before stepping inside. Least she had dressed somewhat casually, a simple and plain yukata with her hair pulled back in a halfway intricate set of braids to hold it back...

It wasn't war clothes! It was just simple meeting to solve something clothes...

One look at the two at the table though and her bravery failed her. She froze just inside the door, staring in worry.

Kaimu's hand went to Lakshmi's as she sat down, rubbing with his thumb in attempt to sooth her. They both needed soothing...really, but he felt Lakshmi needed it above all.

This was going to be difficult... He would lead the conversation, they were adults...and they needed to handle this like adults.

His eyes went to the door as Mia and Masaru stepped into sight, and Masaru offered a sheepish smile to the two, only sheepish due to uncertainty at the situation as he attempted to walk with Mia to sit down, having stopped for a moment when she had before trying to help give her the courage to get to where they could seat themselves.

"Sorry for...not giving too many details when I asked you about coming, Mia." Kaimu stated, his own smile apologetic but smaller than his usual ones. "There's... a lot to talk about, and...it's important."

Definitely important.

He cleared his throat, a sign of his nervousness as his hand also came up to scratch the side of his chin while the other remained on Lakshmi's hand.

"Remember those things... I said I couldn't tell you about just yet? After...the bubbles... That's what I wanted us to talk about, I was quiet on it because it's not just my secret to keep...and honestly...we weren't ready yet.

As soon as I got home that day...we talked it over, and decided that this all needs to be said..."

Lakshmi gripped Kaimu's hand in return, the tiniest of smiles appearing briefly as his thumb rubbed her hand. That was a bit soothing, though she would immensely prefer to be snuggled up on his lap over anything else. As the pair opened the door, the senior captain found herself freezing in place and barely even breathing as they moved towards the table. Something like shame radiated from her, one hand coming up to pull a bit of hair over her mouth as she didn't even do more than nod in their direction.

She...could not face either of them. Kaimu began and she gave another nod as he spoke of how it was important and cleared his throat... Her fingers spread as she twined hers between Kaimu's for extra support for him at this moment. "I-It is very important... And I apologize for my hesitancy to... To bring this up. It is a bit hard to...to talk about."

It seemed...they were talking about the pregnancy first and with a deep breath Lakshmi looked up and straight into Mia's eyes. "I am carrying your father's child. I suppose...congratulations are in store for you as... the big sister."

Luckily Masaru had been there to push her along and help her to the table, Mia almost having bolted out the door. She sensed an odd air, Lakshmi unable to look at her and Kaimu holding the woman's hand in supreme support. Her mind refused, refused to to go the obvious routes that would be most logical. Kaimu had hinted, hinted so strongly about things that her mind refused to accept anything that could be... could be...what might be...

Mia just stared and tried to smile at them both, Kaimu's sheepish smile only causing more worry as she took a seat. The other woman refused to look at her though and Mia reached out and took Masaru's hand in a tight, bone bending grip of pure fear. "I am just glad you are trusting me..."

Her eyes trained on her father as he cleared his through, obviously worried about something and then began speaking. Mia nodded, accepting his words and waiting... Waiting for him to continue... Lakshmi's voice startled Mia though and she looked over as the woman looked up. Mia's mouth opened in just instinctive reassurance before it snapped shut and her pure horror shone through. Masaru's hand was let go as she slammed them on the table and stood up. "WH-WHAT!?"

A tiny flame burst into life in the center of the table, smoke slowly rising from it...

E...Eh...

Eh...

Eh!?

Horror appeared on Kaimu's own expression as Lakshmi spoke up, talking about the pregnancy first. She... She hadn't noticed his gesture. She hadn't noticed his gesture!?

A sound escaped as Mia reacted to the news, angry...horrified...just what to expect.

"M-M-Mia! Mia! Mia! It's... We were afraid, we were in denial about it for awhile so...so we couldn't say so immediately!" Kaimu quickly attempted to explain.

Masaru had been...happy a first for them at the news but that was something he was quickly distracted from as Mia reacted. Fire...

Oh no...

His hands went out to one of hers, trying to hold her to keep her at least....somewhat calm about this.

"M-Mia... They...They look like they have more to say...Please...?"

"We...We wanted... We-I... I'm sorry we couldn't tell you immediately, and... I want your help with this...I do! I really, really do!" He wanted her included in this...he knew this was...hard for her...but...but she was important to him... "You're important to me, and I really...really want you involved... There's...so much we're worried about...and..."

His eyes glanced down; aaa, he knew there was to be anger expected, but...now he had to get all of this news out!

This was going well... Lakshmi jolted back in her chair, fear evident on her features as Mia slammed her hands on the desk. F-Fire...

There was a small flame on the table. This was going well.

She let Kaimu explain as she looked down, shame filling her at her weakness. Their denial was the reason this happened... If they had been adult about this, if they had dealt with it in a more mature manner... Than these feelings might have been helped.

As Masaru's words joined Kaimu's, Lakshmi continued her shamed silence. Hopefully the woman would calm down...

Though Kaimu's words made her jolt, he...yes he would... She knew he would and it would hurt him... No, Mia shouldn't be angry at him not at all. It'd hurt the man too much. Her voice stuttered out once again, weak and small. "It's my fault! I was nervous... I was scared to tell anyone. He kept it hidden to help me, he wanted more than anything for you to know and be happy."

It wasn't...entirely true...But if it would help deflect all the anger onto her then she could manage.

Mia barely heard Kaimu's words over the boiling raging, overflowing... fear. Pure fear that filled her. It wasn't anger, even if it was showing itself as such. It was impossible fear. She was being replaced. He had found a nice love to have his children, his real children, children he could raise himself and not just find laying around.

As Masaru's hand settled against hers, she didn't notice it one bit though she was shaking almost imperceptibly. It wasn't from rage... Masaru's words barely effected her either, merely caused her to fall back into the chair where she sat motionless as Kaimu spoke. The words didn't seem to soak in though.

She just stared blankly at the table as the flame grew larger, starting to spread even as Lakshmi spoke and attempted to take some focus off of the man. Her eyes looked up, bleak as she took in the woman who was carrying her replacement and then went back to the table. "...I see. Is there anything else you need?"

Ethdg..g..s

Kaimu's thoughts were a pure jumbled mess as he tried to mediate this, tried to quell the situation as Lakshmi piqued in again. "No, I was afraid too, we both needed the time..."

Mia...

Masaru watched as Mia fell back into her seat, concerned as she...just spoke like that...

Kaimu noticed as well. Had she...heard anything he'd said!? Her words answered...none of it.

"Mia, I mean it... We needed...the time to tell you, but I really...really..." He didn't care if there was a burn risk, he'd deal with it if it happened, and reached forward, trying to take the free hand that Shirakawa didn't have. "We want you involved. We really, really do! I want you to be around for this, I want...

Even though I wasn't able to say anything about it at first! I'm sorry we couldn't, we were in denial... Like I said....but...I mean it! I want you're help with this..."

Masaru looked between the two, and over to Lakshmi; there...probably wasn't an easy way to help her right now. He couldn't just...speak for Mia either on this...even if he wanted to help and say they'd be a part of things...

It was Mia's choice...

"M...Mia..." Kaimu was still speaking, still trying to explain things... "There are other things, but... I want you to hear all of this first... You're my family, just as much as Tatsu, Haruki, and Shiori were...and as much as Lakshmi is... I'm sorry we couldn't...say anything at first... I've already said all this, but... We were afraid...and it was hard for us to accept..."

They all needed to talk about this calmly, but calm wasn't exactly something any of them could feel...

Kaimu refuted her words almost immediately and Lakshmi just hung her head. What...she was useless it seemed in this situation...

Mia's cold tone and words did not help her one bit and the Captain of Fourth merely cowered softly. This...seemed rather bad. How in the world was she supposed to deal with this? What was she supposed to do? This was Kaimu's daughter, she teased her and such but their relationship was one of immense awkwardness. What little bonding they'd achieved over things was now gone it seemed, what little friendship they had built up over their differing loves of that man.

She could only nod in agreement with Kaimu, wanting him to... not be alone in his reassurances but not sure she could help at all since her previous attempts had failed miserably. Lakshmi did want Mia involved, but her voice disappeared for now as Kaimu spoke to the woman. At least Masaru was keeping quiet, it helped her stay silent as well as the father and daughter worked through this themselves.

Mia's fear overrode those reminders that Kaimu had told he wanted to tell her something of utmost importance but couldn't at that moment. It just burned in her as the fire on the table faded away, unable to be fed by her anger and her fear was too strong to allow it any more growth.

As Kaimu took her hand, she wouldn't stop him nor would he get burned, but there was no response from her at all. The hand was limp and didn't seem to even feel his touch as she shook lightly. Gone... it was all going to go... All of it. All those happy smiles...

Bits and pieces registered in her mind as she stared at the table, tears spilling over as she cried silently and with no movements on her end. They had been in denial? What...how long had this been going on? She shook her head, more tears spilling as it didn't matter... "That's cruel Kaimu... Telling me you want my help with my replacement..."

He was going to replace her just like her mother did, a new toy or child or anything was more than she was... She'd help him because he asked though and she gave him a nod, it wasn't like she could stop loving him and thus would do whatever he felt would make him happy. "If that's what you want..."

Kaimu waited, and waited...and waited for a response...

...but the response Mia gave wasn't one he wanted to hear. Kaimu...? That struck him with all the force of a punch. H...Her replacement..? She thought...she was being...

"Th...That's not true!" His voice was loud this time, how upset he was to hear her talk like that shining in his tone. "M...Mia... You're not being replaced, nothing of the sort!

Wh...What did I just tell you when those bubbles came!? You're just as important to me, you always will be! Just because... You're not being replaced! I want your help with this because I want you involved as family!"

Didn't... She...

"The only reason I accepted being pardoned was to be with you and Lakshmi! So we could all be together! Don't..."

Masaru's hand had slipped to grasp the fabric of Mia's sleeve, clenching as Kaimu spoke. Mia...wasn't seeing it... and...

Kaimu was at a loss of what else he could say, he was trying to talk more but no words were coming out. Family. Family was the only reason he'd even come back...it was what he put above all else...

...He would never...

Lakshmi felt horror seep up as she heard Mia's words, staring up at the woman in what amounted to just pure confusion after several moments. Didn't...didn't she know!? There was no way Kaimu would ever replace her! Ever!

Confusion was quickly replaced by a welling up of her own temper as Mia's words hurt Kaimu the worst she'd ever seen. His tone, his words and even his inability to speak... Lakshmi let go of Kaimu's hand and stood up quickly, walking around the table to Mia's side. She gave a low and formal bow. "Please forgive me."

And then Lakshmi pulled her hand back and gave the young woman a rather firm slap across the cheek despite her wish to make it a punch. Glaring down, she finally spoke up firmly instead of cowering. "Don't you ever say such things again. He is not and will not replace you! You are his daughter, he loves you more than you can ever imagine it seems! Listen to him and stop throwing a tantrum!"

She was shaking with her own rage now. How...dare she say such a thing and hurt him! Even if...both Masaru and Kaimu would be angry at her now. However she wasn't going to hit the woman again unless she showed more signs of being stubbornly like this. If she had to she would drag her outside and put her training hell to get her to pay attention to her father's words.

How was she supposed to believe that!? How in the hell was she...supposed to believe she wouldn't be replaced even if he felt this way now?! How... was she supposed to trust it!?

There hadn't been enough time for her to build...build more trust... More hope... His voice... Mia heard how hurt he was but couldn't take her words back as more tears fell and fell. He... He was trying to reassure her but Mia wasn't sure if she could be... That fear was too damn strong. Her mother had left her, replaced her and found other things. Her mother had also before that abandoned her...

WHy was he trying to be so nice? Did he...he wanted her involved as family... He thought of her as family... She couldn't ignore his words that much longer, she'd heard them even if her fear hadn't wanted her to... He'd been afraid too... Afraid...

She didn't look up as Lakshmi stood, but she did as the woman bowed and asked for forgiveness. For wha-?! Mia felt a sharp pain across her cheek as Lakshmi's hand slapped her, drawing her from her thoughts as she let out a yelp of shock. Violet eyes stared up as the woman's words seeped in more than Kaimu's had.

Tantrum...

"How am I supposed to trust it!? H-How?! She said things... She promised... And she's not here! She found things she wanted more than me... She replaced me..." Mia held her cheek as her lower lip quivered, not even caring that she had been slapped as the words finally spilled out. Slapped... "She got rid of me... because I wasn't convenient anymore..."

At Lakshmi's action, both Kaimu and Masaru had frozen. Shocked. She'd just...gotten up and... Neither could even bring up words to say before Mia spoke up again.

Masaru clenched Mia's sleeve tighter, unsure entirely of what he could...even do in this situation. He didn't know how to mediate this, what to do...

Kaimu let Mia's words sink in before he finally spoke, looking down; he was still hurt, very hurt, but...

"I know... I know we haven't known each other that long...The lack of trust is...understandable..." He muttered. "That... I'm not her though... Mia... You were never just someone to have around for convenience sake... Never.

I've said this all before, but...I'm going to repeat myself...

I was shocked...yes, when we first met...but please...don't ignore what I said when I also said I was happy...

I thought I had lost everything...everyone that'd ever held any importance to me... You saw what that did to me... After that I became some good for nothing rogue that did nothing but fake his smiles...day after day, after day...

Then you showed up.

I wasn't alone... I still had family... That meant...so much to me, so much I can't even describe it...

None of that was a lie... None of it is just going to disappear because another kid comes along. None of it...

I may not have been there...been around when you were young, but damn it if I had known... If I had known..."

...Oh.

Oh...

Lakshmi...had almost forgotten about that. Mia's mother, she had never met her nor heard really much... But that had been a bit more information. So it was like that...was it? Lakshmi stood there feeling miserable for her actions now, even if it had seemed to get her to listen.

As Kaimu spoke the woman moved finally, back to his side as she leaned over him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she settled over top of him a bit and gave him comfort as best she could for now. This is something they needed to work out...

"But...But I...just because..." Mia was incoherent for a moment as she choked up, Kaimu's words effecting her even if she didn't want them to. That fear... That fear was burning but it was also soothed by what Kaimu said and reassured. What he repeated... They never changed, what he said never changed... There were no differences...

He always felt like this... She was always family... And she had been... She had been part of what brought him back. He...Kaimu had never cared about being a shinigami, it was just a means to an end. An end that had been gone for years and years, but now? Now he had her... Her hands moved under the table to grip her kimono, tears leaking as her eyes clenched shut. Masaru was right here and... had seen this awful side of her too...

If he had been there... She wouldn't have been alone... Could she trust that? That she still wouldn't be abandoned by him?

She knew she could, but it was hard to get rid of that overwhelming fear. It just was something that surfaced at times like this... And she'd...just hurt her father so much with that fear. Mia hid in her hair, wanting to run and hide more than anything but her legs were frozen in place...

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm s-sorry..." Mia repeated over and over, sobbing lightly. "I'm the worst... I'm the worst, Papa... I'm still scared... I still am scared you are gonna leave me too... That I'm gonna be alone again..."

The worst... The absolute worst... How... She deserved more than that single slap...

While Lakshmi returned to Kaimu, focusing on comforting him, Masaru attempted to do the same for Mia. His hand moved to rest on her arm as she gripped her kimono, his thumb rubbing slightly.

She was afraid... He understood that, it was... Choosing a side in this wasn't exactly a simple matter though... The two needed to work things out.

Kaimu turned his eyes down after he'd finished talking, shutting them tightly for a moment before opening them again while Mia spoke. It hurt...to see her like this, but there wasn't anything more that he could do other than repeat himself...

He wasn't going...to ever do something like that to her...

He wasn't going to abandon her... He'd never...

"I'm not... I'm not... I'm not like that..." He could say this until he was blue in the face he felt, Mia's fear was severe with this... "If...If I have to...to stop by your division, stop by Shirkawa's, or wherever you are just to...to spring affection on you I will! A...A father's not supposed to care about embarrassing their kid when it's...out of love, right? Aha..."

His tone was shaky, but he meant every word. If he had to show up at her damn office or while she was working and make himself look like an idiot he would! He'd keep it up to the point where it became annoying to her even if he had to...