(Genryujin's POV)
I looked at Retsu as she held me, "Retsu...." I said as I heard the low sound of thunder above us
It was about to rain.
She gave me a smile, "Whatever your pain is, I can bear it with you, my love." She said, "I know Katori is your First wife, but I was your first love. You can open up to me."
She caressed my cheek as she looked at me. My entire being began to soften up as I felt her touch. I think it was this whole situation and adding her embrace that made me feel so...vulnerable.
"Retsu..." I said again, "For a thousand years....I tried to forget....I tried to move on. I wanted to start a family with you all....but.....I couldn't...."
The words just came out of my mouth. For the past millennium, everything went by in a flash. Countless of conflicts, countless of enemies, countless of allies, and out of everything that I had gone through, I had my women with me. Retsu and Katori didn't leave my side and as much as I wanted to, I couldn't have Saito by my side either and that is currently eating me from the inside.
I have tried, so many times, to have a child with either of them but nothing worked. I don't know why that was the case, it was suffocating. And I met a random Quincy girl a few years ago and laid with her, impregnating her.
The irony of it all is that she was a Quincy, her kind had done nothing but atrocities to my family. But I had grown past it, I moved on, I was okay with the existing. I reacted a bit harshly but reminded myself that it was okay.
I didn't think much of having sex with Masaki, we shared an intimate moment and left it at that. I never imagined that she would bear my child and for Masaki to name her after my beloved late sister.
It was too much. I don't know what to do.
"It's fine." Retsu said, "We don't need a child for us to know that you love us."
"But..." I said
"Genryujin, your daughter...." She said, "She's a Quincy. I know that's important to you. Just tell me, dear, tell me how you really feel."
I looked past her and into the ground, feeling a drop of water hit my shoulder as the smell of rain hit my nose.
"I....I wanted to forget, Retsu..." I said softly as I adjusted my vision back to her, "I wanted to forget the grief I felt all that time ago. The rage...the pain.....the blood....everything from back then...I wanted to forget it. I moved on....I....."
"I understand love...." She said softly, "You sister, you loved her dearly.....she was.....she was beautiful and kind....gentle.....and strong.....It was a terrible thing, what they did...."
"I...." I said as I felt a knot in my throat, "I've hated myself since that moment.....I couldn't.....I couldn't save her....."
I felt her arms wrap around my neck as she bumped her forehead against mine. I could feel the rain began to drop a bit harder as the sound of it falling was everything I heard aside from her voice.
"Shirahoshi...." Retsu said, "The name of the girl, it obviously brought back memories...."
"It's my fault...I told Masaki about her...." I said while closing my eyes, "I told her about my sister.....I...."
"I understand." She whispered, "You rarely talk about her....it's okay....."
"And this whole thing....with Saito...I..." I stammered, "I'm sorry....."
"Everyone makes their choice, Genryujin...." She said, "It's not your fault."
"It is." I said, "She was....defiled.....all while I enjoyed my time with other women.....and impregnated another....."
"She's not going back." Retsu told me, "You made that apparent. But don't blame yourself for it. It'll only do more harm than good."
"I don't care." I said as I looked at her, "I deserve every pain I get for that.....but...."
She leaned back, "My love, my everything." She said with a smile, "I hate to see you like this."
As we stood there, in the rain, I felt nothing but an empty hole in my chest. Retsu's touch was the only thing that was comforting me. But I didn't deserve her comfort, I didn't deserve her at all.
"Retsu, I don't know what to do." I told her, "D-Do I....do I see her?"
"You should." She nodded, "She has no fault. She deserves to meet her father."
"But what if others find out?" I asked
"You will protect her." She said as she rubbed my arm, "Will you not?"
I nodded, "Yea...."
"Then all is well." She said, "You should remember, Genryujin. You aren't just any other Shinigami. You are Genryujin, The Sword God. It's about time Soul Society remember that."
"You didn't want me to start a war." I told her
"I still don't." She said, "But a war can't start when the opposition is well aware of who they're dealing with; My Husband."
I nodded and slightly smiled, "That's.....that's true." I said
She pulled away from my embrace and grabbed my hand, "Come, love." She said with a smile, "Let us retreat from the rain."
I felt as she pulled me alongside her as she walked away.
"Alright...." I said as I walked behind her, "Retsu...."
"Thank you."
******************************************
"What are you doing here?" Ryuken asked me as we stood on opposite side of the massive gate of his estate, "I explicitly told you not to come to my home!"
I gave him a serious look, "I wish to speak to your Father." I said
He raised his eyebrow, "My Father? Why?" He said, "He's busy. And who is that?"
He gestured at Retsu who stood behind me a couple of paces back, holding an umbrella as it protected her from the rain.
"Don't worry." I said, "You gonna call him or not?"
"No." He said seriously, "Leave this place at once. I don't want to see you again."
"I'm sorry, Ryuken." I said, "If you think you have a choice. Call your Father now."
"Or what?" He said with a scowl
I narrowed my eyes, "I'll calmly walk through this gate and will politely ask you to fuck off." I said, "Now, call your Father."
"You're threatening me?" He said, "You got some ball-"
"Oh for fuck's sake." I said rubbing my temples, "You're such a headache, just call Souken for crying out loud so we can have a discussion about my Daughter!"
"So now you decide to care about-" He started
"Yes! You fucking idiot." I cut him off, "Of course I decide to care about her. What the fuck do you expect? I was cut off from communicating with the Human World all these years, how was I supposed to know? You wanted me to turn around and walk right back to Soul Society and pretend she doesn't exi-Man, I should beat your fucking ass."
"Husband, control yourself." Retsu said
I cleared my throat and took a step back, "Ryuken, call you Father." I said, "Please. This is important."
"I want to meet my daughter."