Forever With You

Eleven

"They kicked you out, didn't they?"
"Yeah."
Takeda-sensei tsked, and looked both disappointed and angry. "Do you mind telling me when...?"
"I was suffering a bad bout of morning sickness. My cousins figured it out, and within days I was out. A friend let me stay with them while I figured out what to do next."
"And have you?"
"Not beyond coming here. Sorry, sensei."
"It's okay."
He was silent for a while, and Hitoka finished her meal while she waited. Almost mindlessly, he gathered up her dishes, took them to the sink and washed them. Then, he went to a drawer, pulled out some paper and a pen, and began writing.
"Sensei?"
"I know someone who'll be able to help. I don't know if you remember him or not, but he was also a former student of mine. Kei Tsukishima." He looked up at her questioningly.
She shook her head. "Doesn't ring a bell."
"Ah, well. Anyway, this letter will introduce you to them, and I'm giving you a reference for any job they might have for you."
"Thank you, sensei."
"You may stay here for as long as you need to, alright? However, I don't know how long they'll be there..." he was thinking, talking, and writing all at once, so she was confused rather quickly.
"Sensei?"
"Yes, Yacchan?"
"I'm sorry, but 'they?' And where is 'there'?"
"Terribly sorry!" He apologized quickly. " 'They' are Prince Kuroo and Prince Tsukishima."
"What?! But I can't..."
"I'll withdraw all your money from the savings account I opened for you, and it should be enough for a first-class ticket, plus expenses. You'll go there when you're ready."
"But sensei...!"
He came around to her, placing what he'd written in a large envelope, and then giving it to her.
"Hand this to them, Yacchan. I assume you're close to your due date, yes?"
"Yes, but..."
"They'll take care of you." When she tried to protest again, he shushed her, crouched down, and looked her squarely in the eyes. "Life has been throwing everything it can at you, testing you, making you stronger. It may not feel like it right now, but this is an opportunity for you to start over. A new life, if you will. One for you, and your child."
"Sensei, I..."
He shook his head. "I'll get your room ready. You need to warm up properly, and I'm willing to bet you need a decent night's sleep."

"Taichi?"
"Yes, your grace?"

Eita paced the main room in his suite, dressed formally for Tetsu's birthday dinner. Yacchan finally shooed him out of the nursery, claiming she was "absolutely, perfectly fine, thank you very much, and you should go spend time with Prince Kuroo." She was laughing as she ushered him through the door, and they spent at least another five minutes saying see ya later, both unwilling to say goodbye.

"I need you to access our archives, specifically genealogical records."
Taichi nodded. "I assume I'll be looking up information for your lady friend?"
"Yeah. But I only want to know the family tree."
"Okay, but, Semi? Shouldn't you ask her?"
"I got the overwhelming feeling that she wants nothing to do with the surviving members of her family. That as far as she's concerned, she and her daughter are all that's left."
"Ah."
"I just want to confirm a few things."
"Alright. I'll need her family name."
"Yachi. Her name is Hitoka Yachi, and you might be able to narrow down the search if you start around the year we were sent away during the outbreak."
"I'll do what I can."
"Thank you."
"Does this mean I don't have to go as your aide to the dinner?"
Eita laughed til he almost cried. "I knew you'd ask that! Yes, you get the night free from your duties. Just look up that information for me. I'll take Kenjiro."
Taichi muttered. "Oh, he'll love that! You might not, though..."

At that same moment, the subject of their current conversation walked into the room. Taichi snickered, wrote down a few notes, and then left to go start his assignment. Eita rolled his eyes, and then faced Kenjiro.

"It's your turn to be my aide at dinner," he said unceremoniously.
Kenjiro looked like he'd been hit over the head, but was quick to recover.
"Alright, your grace. I'll go get changed."
"You do that. Oh, and Kenjiro?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Let's keep the pomp and circumstance to a bare minimum, alright?"