Chapter 254: A sleep without a worry
(Ryoto's pov)
Yoruichi left, and I was standing alone in the same place for about 15 minutes, looking at where the gate to the living world was. It could have gone better, but what happened won't un-happen. I'll need to live with the consequences of my decision like I always did.
I hate the consequences of my own actions. Can't I do something that won't have an outcome that will hurt me in the ass in the future?
I miss times when most of my worries were only my emotional well-being, my grades, and maybe getting away alive from Lala's dad that one time. Now, on the other hand, I need to think about events that will happen about a hundred years in the future while keeping an eye on Mr. Plan himself, so he doesn't mess with someone wrong (my family) because I know that he already saw my children in action years ago, but still, he didn't do anything.
He didn't even approach them, which is strange in itself. Either he is not as interested, or... he is doing something behind my back, which would be worrying. Do I need to have a talk with my children? After all, better safe than sorry, but it will need to wait a few days. If and only if my worries were justified, then our talk could turn into an argument as Aizen is very persuasive, charismatic, and knows how to turn people against each other.
In that case... I'll need to have a talk with Aizen instead. Better that he would have his eyes on me than my children.
But now I should get back. I was gone for about 20 hours without telling anyone.
---
Returning home, I was welcomed by Rin and Isane, and I explained the situation, which Rin didn't take that well.
"What the hell does she think she has done!? Does she realize what happens when she leaves!!?"
Her words pierced right through me. Rin... it hurts.
"Rin, I'm sorry..." My head lowered, which alarmed my lover.
"Why would you need to apologize? It's not like you knew what she was up to."
And yet another arrow pierced me, and so another explanation was in order.
---
After I explained everything, this time more thoroughly this time, it was met with silence. No one knew what to say until Isane spoke up after walking up to me and forced my head to rest on her breasts and started caressing my hair.
"It must have been hard for you."
... I wasn't expecting this. To be honest, I was expecting a slap or a punch, but not... this.
Isane then signaled to Rin to go inside our home as she planned to take me somewhere. Rin understood that it would be for the better for Isane to talk with me. While all of my lovers were mothers, Isane was the most motherly. Probably because she is the oldest, not that I'll ever tell her that.
Rin mellowed down with age. While she was mostly expressionless and formal around people even before we transferred to this world, it was mostly a facade to not embarrass Saki in front of others. Rin was very easy to anger if you pushed her wrong buttons. Kinda like me, but what I want to say is that this situation pushed these buttons.
Rin was very loyal to Saki. To a stupid degree, even. It reminded me of how Soi Fon was devoted to Yoruichi. It's possible that she saw her younger self in her to some extent, and seeing Yoruichi 'betray' her like that made her blood boil, not to mention 'abandoning' our family.
Of course, these thoughts were before I explained the details, but Rin still needed some time to digest everything I had said. It's a lot to swallow.
At the same time, I was being led to Isane. Where was she dragging me?
I don't know.
---
We walked for a while in the direction of Squad 4.
"We haven't had much alone time as of late, just the two of us, haven't we, Ryoto."
Isane suddenly spoke without slowing down even a bit, not that she was walking fast anyway.
"Now that you mentioned it, you are right. I'm busy with avoiding my captain duties, training our kids, planning the future to some extent, and looking into Ukitake's illness. In my free time, we spend time together as we, unfortunately, don't have much of it. Should I skip more work, Isane?"
At my question, Isane giggled.
"If you do that, Rin will lecture you again. She hates like paperwork as much as you, so please, give her a break."
"I disagree. Rin has masochistic tendencies. When she says no, she means yes. I think we discovered that together a long time ago."
I was, of course, implying our night adventures, and I got the reaction that I was looking for. A face flushed red. How I enjoy teasing my partners.
Isane didn't comment on what I said and cleared her throat a few times by coughing.
"We are going off-topic. What I want to say is that you haven't had much time to relax."
That genuinely surprised me. I didn't have time to relax? It's true that I had a lot less free time than I used to for a few decades now, but it's not like I was working 24/7. Also, my time with family and adult times with my lovers was relaxing, so I didn't know what she was talking about, and it showed on my face.
Isane, seeing my confusion started explaining.
"Ryoto, how do you usually relax?"
I started carefully thinking about the answer.
When I have free time, I try to prepare myself for the future. Training, planning, and so on. Otherwise, I spent time with our kids, although it was thinned out as of late, and it was replaced with more training. Not by myself, but I was training my children more as they were constantly asking me to spar with them.
Oh, I remember. I had something I used to do when I was bored.
"I used to take enthusiastic walks, but I needed to stop doing that."
"And why is that?" She asked, not being ready for what was coming next.
"Whenever I took one, something terrible happened. A few times, someone tried to kill me. It was fun, but they are at pause until some of the other issues are solved."
"I... see." Just as expected, she was flabbergasted.
"Don't worry about small details. I enjoy life as it, is minus some... inconveniences." I reassured my lovely and practically personal nurse.
As we were talking, we arrived at our destination. It was the 4th Squad barracks, but it was used exclusively by the captain and vice-captain. It had a veranda and a view of the garden. It was where Isane lived before moving with me.
Isane sat down and patted her thighs a few times, and I was not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, so without questioning her reasons, I laid my head and felt paradise.
As I was enjoying the soft feeling under my head, I could feel Isane's hand going through my hair as she softly spoke.
"You know, you are really reliable. With you at my side I don't need to worry about anything major, but I feel like I grew a bit dependent on you. Not only me, but Rin and Yoruichi as well, not to mention our children, and you want to live up to our expectations, at least to some extent. You aren't perfect, and you make mistakes, but you don't show this side of yourself too often. Today, it reminded me how much responsibility you are carrying."
Each of Isane's words was gentle, and with every sentence, I could feel my eyelids getting heavier.
"That's why just for today, relax. I can guess that you haven't slept since yesterday, so just rest without worrying about anything. You earned at least that. For being a wonderful captain. For being a wonderful father. And for being a wonderful husband."
With these last words, Isane lowered her head, giving me a soft yet passionate kiss on the lips as my consciousness was slipping away into dreamland, and for the first time in some time, I slept without any worries clouding my mind.
(E/D: Isane is quite flexible, huh?)
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END
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