A Good Year for the Roses [CLOSED]

There weren't many times that J. Saionji decided to take a trip to the Ishino Family's residence. He sort of knew his way to that general area, but the moment he stepped inside the grounds, he was lost. If there was a not a sign pointing him where he was going or a guide to show him the way, he'd wander around for quite a while. If he got caught, he'd make up some half-assed excuse as to why he was wandering through a noble Family's grounds. Luckily for him, this time he had a guide to tell him where to go. Even as she tried, Maaya caught him deciding to take a wrong turn every now and then. He knew how to follow someone, he wasn't stupid. He was just dreading this day. The tensions with the Ishino were 'secretly' rising with every attempt on Maaya that they've made and having to wear fancier clothing was a bother! It was less comfortable, stiff, and just not convenient.

And to this event, J wore a dark volet kimono under a black hakama with the Saionji Cloak added in. He kept his hair back, as usual, and still carried his Zanpakutō. If anyone dared ask him to take it off, he'd shoot an intimidating glare and threaten to leave before he did that. Such an act would more than likely insult the family and the two marrying, so it's best if no one chose that. He was lead to the Grand Hall, which he couldn't help but mentally insult and compare to his own Hall. In reality it wasn't bad and beautifully decorated, but it belonged to the Ishino. Right now, he did not like any Ishino that was not Maaya. He had no idea how many people in this room would have prefered her not resist that damn Kidō that Heihachirou had used on her. Just thinking about the amount of traitorous pieces of shit in this room had the ability to push his blood to a boil, but he held off on that.

His attention was caught when Maaya began hugging some woman. It was one that J did not recognize, so he just watched as he was introduced. "Good evening." was all he said, giving a polite nod. The compliment given did not make him flinch, though seeing Maaya blush warmed him a bit. As the two stepped over to Maaya's Father, the self-control he had to keep at the moment was rather extreme. This man and his wife had tried to defile their own daughter, in his home as well. The tone that the bastard had when he saw Maaya made J want to slide his blade along the man's throat. A few violent and gruesome images wandered through J's mind as the man talked. When his Father's name was mentioned, J's attention was brought back. "I am." he said with a nod, "It is a compliment to be compared to him." J should have, but he did not thank this man for the comparison.

"If things keep going the way they are... you might not have to..." J thought rather pleasantly to himself as this bastard spoke of never going to a wedding again. No, he wasn't saying that this man wouldn't be invited to their wedding, which could be assumed, but instead was saying that he was on the ready to kill Nobutada. The thought was rather pleasing. Anyways... apparently J had been asked a question. "I do not have a date for my own wedding. I have yet to get to that point." J explained, waiting a moment as he thought about it, "Though recently, the idea has come out more often. My cousin, Yurina, has decided the after party will be at the Violet Sapphire. And my mother, even with her health declining, is hoping to be there when my brother and myself find the women we've decided to spend our lives with. Which reminds me..." For a moment, J's eyes darkened...

"I must thank you, Lord Ishino... Every woman you had sent prior to Maaya had been a waste of my time, unworthy of anymore than a third cousin in my family..." With a passive aggressive and rather threatening tone, J was enjoying the tension he was intentionally building between him and Maaya's Father, especially in front of the people who could hear. And now his eyes softened and he pulled Maaya in closer. "The fact that you held such a beauty from me is understandable, but next time it would be better if you put your best foot forward first... I'd rather not spend years sifting through trash. Though I do agree that the journey was worth it, especially when in the end I find a treasure worth a thousand times more than anything I searched through previously. And for that, I thank you for the surprise." With a narrow of the eyes, J's stare intensified, as if he had just challenged him.

"I hope so as well." J nodded toward the comment about his mother. He was unsure of this man's intentions when his Father was mentioned though. If J remembered right, his Father and Nobutada weren't enemies. They weren't best friends, but J remembered nothing negative being said, which is surprising with the bullshit that has been going on. J's passive aggressive behavior was returned with an equal amount. That first retort was well done, but J was so much quicker minded than this cretin, "I'm glad to know you think so highly of me, Lord Ishino." Nobutada was a worthy adversary in this regard and that only pissed J off more. "Walking carefully is very good advice." J nodded again, staring directly down at this little gremlin that Maaya was forced to call Father. "Maaya has freedom to do what she wishes. I have no problem providing her with anything she wants and needs."

"If she wants her things, she can easily retrieve them, but I have not heard any request for her to return to this place." J then turned to Maaya and with a softened gaze as she spoke. Anyone who knew J would easily see that he cared for her. Luckily, no one here knew him well enough, excluding Maaya. Nobutada's reply to Maaya had J very close to punching the bastard in the gut, but he'd rather not ruin Maaya's day. He took a quite breath and calmed himself down as the old man walked off. "That man..." J muttered angrily, but his expression stayed stoic as Maaya explained his leg, "I see." If J said anything more, it'd just be insulting and that's what he was trying not to do. J was deep in angering thought when Maaya's brother showed up. J was not aware of any hostility between Maaya and her brother, so the first introduction was taken in respect and with a much kinder tone.

Well...  until he implied that Maaya was an idiot. "I rarely allow my picture up on walls, so those who have not meet me are not idiots for not knowing me by name and face... Though the compliment is well received." J took Hayato's hand and gave a firm shake, but said no compliments toward meeting him. J kept an arm firmly around Maaya any time she did not walk away from him. There was a protective feeling he was getting right now. If he let her out of his sight, he felt like something bad was going to befall her, even with that voice in the back of his head telling him to calm the hell down. "Someone like your sister could never be a bother. She has brought a light to the Saionji Manor that has not been there in some time and everyone has come to care for her, including myself." J explained in kind and looked to Maaya, "I do not believe I will be sending her back any time soon, if ever at all."

And the main event finally began. Yes! One step closer to getting the hell out of here and not stabbing one of these dreadful Ishino through the eye. The ceremony was rather beautiful and well-done. J took notes of certain parts. When he decided to marry, he would make sure to one-up any wedding the Ishino put on. Well, maybe. Apparently this was one of the few siblings that Maaya wasn't hated by. "Lady Akio, congratulations." This was the first time J showed any sort of charm  toward anyone this night. He gave a polite bow as well. "And you do not have to worry about Maaya. I have no plans to let her fall into the state she was first in when she arrived at my home." J looked warmly toward Maaya. Looking the woman up and down, J did realize that Maaya had put on a bit of weight, but it was beautiful. In otherwords, she finally filled out that beautiful body the way she was meant to.

"I will take care of her." J looked back to Akio and gave a promising nod. He was going to continue speaking when another grating voice hit his ear. The tone was immediately frustrating and when J turned to see Shiina Ishino there, he had to force up a calm look. There was so much of him that wanted to pull this woman and her husband aside and give them the threat of a life time. In his mind, he backed them both into corners and spoke low and threateningly, "Either of you send someone to harm Maaya in any manner again, I will make sure to humiliate this family to the point of no return, sending you disgusting excuses for nobles down to the muck of ther lower Rukongai. Understood?" A slight chill went up his spine when he thought about how satisfying saying something like that to them. It would be more than they deserved, since death would be the prime punishment for their crimes.

"It seems that happens when people who come into the care of those who are not sabotaging their well-being." If this woman wasn't going to pull any punches, neither was J. If she disrespected Maaya, J too was being disrespected. "I do not remember a law in any noble house saying that a child must ask permission to speak to their parent. It must be something that Ishino have implemented in certain circumstances... or on certain people. Lady Ishino... Which of these have you done toward Maaya and I'd like to know the reason for it? If she's done something wrong or to dishonor your name enough to have to seek permission to speak with the woman who gave her life, I think it's critical that I know of this event, don't you? It'd be highly looked down upon if secrets were being kept, especially since you and your husband, Lord Ishino were the one's who chose to send her. It would sully your name."

J's eyes narrowed as if he had been challenged this time. He had and he was not going to stand for it. If Maaya had not been so close, this might have turned into a rather public display of tension between the noble houses. This woman's words were poison and it took all of J's control not to spout out right insults. He wanted to reveal everything that this woman had done, but the idea of ruining an innocent woman's wedding was horrid. Adding in the fact that Maaya actually liked the woman that was just married made it easier to resist the strong temptations that boiled within his blood right now. He let her talk. He let her reply. He had to control himself and there were certain things that he would say if he opened his mouth and he did not want to do that. He could not and would not embarrass Maaya. This family will be dealt with soon. J wanted to be there when it happened.

And that smile Shiina gave. That smile caused J to tense. He did not tense of fear, but of pure anger. Once the woman finished her little speech, J calmed himself before he spoke. It helped that Maaya moved closer. Right now, he was defending himself, her, and his family. He could not back down. "Only a fool takes little time to rush into such a huge decision..." J finally spoke up and his voice was calmer and even more confident than before, "If Maaya is to be the one I marry, I will do so with one hundred and fifty percent confidence in our love." J's voice raised just a bit to allow those near by to hear. His tone lifted, as if happy about what he was saying. "As you said, Lady Ishino, we operate quite differently. I prefer to take my time to get to know Maaya, to feel a true love, to bond and connect. I want her to be able to fully trust me, but also be able to completely trust her."

"Maaya has proven to be a wonderful woman. Beautiful, kind, intelligent, hard working, strong willed, and patient... especially with me." J looked down to Maaya and ran a finger along her cheek. For the briefest moment, there was a slight twitch of his lips, as if he were almost ready to smile at her. His eyes were focused, but soft. And when he turned back to Shiina, his confidence strengthened. "It is true that it's been six months, but tell me why someone would rush into a commitment that is going to bind them for centuries to come? In truth, I've thought everything positive about your daughter, Maaya. It is an honor to have her at my side. As many know, I've had many women attempt to grasp at my heart, but found all of them lacking in some way... For the first time, with your daughter, I do believe that the word..." He thought for a moment, "Perfection... comes to mind."

"I know you were implying something might be wrong with Maaya, but I assure you... Your decision to send Maaya to me was not wrong. I thank you, Lady Ishino, for the opportunity to get to know your youngest daughter. Any fault is with me. I am very busy, being a Captain and the head of a Family is difficult... But the decision to move further with our relationship is not just mine... It would also be on Maaya. If she chooses me, she will tell me and the same vise versa."

No, Maaya wasn't perfect. She did somethings wrong. She was a little clumsy and forgetful, but that didn't matter. Maaya was her own woman. She did not have to tell J every move she was making, which is why he was not upset, only worried, the night she came back with Yurina. If a vase was broken? Replace it! J didn't toss in million dollar pieces of artwork. If it looked nice and he, his mother, and Kazuo was okay with it, he'd put it up. He didn't care if it was five bucks or a thousand. And unless something held strong memories with him, which random pieces of artwork did not, he did not care if they shattered along the floor. That is why he has maids that he pays to clean up the mess.

"That is her decision and she can choose whether to voice it or not. Confirmation from anyone but Maaya means nothing." J said with intent to insult Shiina. J's opinion of this woman and her husband had fallen so low as of recently that J could not care less about this woman's word. She was a disgrace and unworthy of the noble title. And when Shiina said she'd be reconsidering certain decisions, J's eyes actually widened. It wasn't in shock, but in anger. There was the strongest "How fucking dare you" shining like a dagger ready to stab through this woman's heart. He then stepped between her and Maaya, closer to Shiina and looking threateningly down at Shiina with no hesitation.

"I warn you now, Shiina Ishino." he said in a low whisper to keep Maaya from hearing this, "Another one of your stunts, like with your worthless employee Heihachirou... I will make sure your family falls. The children you love and the one you foolishly neglect for whatever idiotic reason you have chosen... will watch you and your name degrade into nothing. Your life will be over and your rule within the Seireitei will be no more. I've already informed the correct people of your... activities and have been given permission to strike with as much force as possible if there is a moment you take a single step out of line. Understand, you treacherous viper, you will regret any action you take against us."

"Now... Leave... my... sight..." J took a step back to return to Maaya's side, but not once did he break eye contact with Shiina. A moment later, she decided to take her leave and J calmed down, hoping he got that point across. He heard Maaya and her sister sigh and looked back to them both. Following an urge that suddenly came up, J pulled Maaya in close and wrapped his arms around her, placing her head in his chest as he held her. His embrace was firm and protective, but she could probably hear his heart racing. He was just that pissed off. "Lady Akio... Please do not apologize. Tonight is your night to be happy and I apologize that you had to witness such on your wedding day."

J actually bent to a half bow in respect toward Akio. "But I will say this, no matter what happens in the future..." he said with a foreboding tone, "I will aid any sibling that has not treated Maaya in the manner I know for a fact that her Mother and Father have treated her.... Medical help, financial help, advice, a place to stay... If you need it and don't feel comfortable asking for it from the Ishino, do not hesitate to ask the Saionji. You and your husband are always welcome." One hundred percent true, but J wasn't doing that for Akio's sake. That was for Maaya. With what may occur over time with the Ishino, Maaya needed the family that cared for her to not be tossed out or ruined like the rest.

Maaya then brought something to J's attention about what Shiina had said. When Akio confirmed it, J just blinked. So she actually was pregnant? Interesting. The first thing that came to J's mind was "Am I going to be an uncle?", but he mentally smacked himself when he realized that's not exactly how it works. Maaya and him had to be married for that to be a thing. Either way, J nodded, "Congratulations." And then Akio said that Maaya was next. When Maaya looked to J confused, he didn't know whether he even understood. A moment later, it clicked and there was a moment of wide-eyed shock that shined in his eyes. He looked down to Maaya again and stone-faced for a couple of seconds.

"Well... Um..." He actually stumbled over his words for a moment and then cleared his throat, "You've read one-hundred-and-seventy-three books on motherhood, so I assume becoming a Mother is part of your lifetime goals. If there comes a time that we are at that point in our relationship, then a child is to be expected. I will need an heir and it's not often you find the perfect woman to create one with. I am quite blessed in that aspect... So yes, if there are no conceptions between then and now... And Maaya and I have chosen to get married, then she will be the next Ishino to have a child." Sometimes J was a little too logical. Yurina would laugh at that drawn out explanation. Someone showed a shy side...

When it came to the wicked witch of the Seireitei, that scene was done. J had let it be known that he was aware of certain things Shiina had done. She now understood he had the upper hand. Next time, maybe she should hire someone that didn't easily spill every detail of his mission, including his damn employer. Though, Shiina was a stubborn one. She was self-centered, uncaring, cold, and a determined individual. There was a part of J that wondered whether he threw water... or oil... onto the burning flame that threatened to tear down the thread between the Noble Families. This situation was going to get interesting. When the subject on the books came up and Maaya correctly, J didn't even flinch. "Noted." he said and then continued speaking with the modified number.

He felt Maaya grip his shirt tighter and pat the top of her head as she said something. It took a minute, but the words registered in his mind and a few things began clicking for him. He knew he was protective over her, but up until now his mind told him it was just that she was in his home, slept in his bed, and he was responsible for her. Right now, that wasn't it. He actually cared for this woman, which was why he was going to such lengths to protect her and make sure everyone knew he was. And today, he acted in a manner that had every ability to backfire, but did not. If things had gone wrong, he could have really messed up the Saionji reputation. He was just lucky that Shiina didn't do anything to aid herself. Instead, J assumed that she realized how many cards he held and got scared. She may not have acted like that, but something told J that he should watch his and Maaya's back closely.

J really had no reply when it came to naming a child. If Maaya didn't want to name it Akio, then they woul-... Wait... J had to clear his train of thought. The two of them hadn't even been confirmed as a couple. Speaking about marraige and kis when you haven't even gotten that far is foolish. He had no problem putting on a show to protect Maaya; She was worth it. The rest of the night he acted the same way. To all of her siblings, he made sure they understood that she wasn't coming back here unless she actually wanted to. He would keep her around. And when he met the head chef, J was surprised this was someone Maaya really wanted him to meet. Apparently they were close, which caused J to give the man a certain offer. He received a "My contract is up in two months", so he tried to sweeten the deal. The answer was repeated and J understood what that meant, nodded, and left with Maaya.

Finally the party was over and they were home! J could not wait until he got out of these damn clothes! He did not rush, but he was loving the idea of his room right now. Before they got there, Maaya asked to speak with him and he went along with her to a sitting room to talk. There was something off. Maaya was bothered and he could tell. "What's wrong?" he asked calmly once they arrived. She mentioned the scar. That damn scar. When she stopped speaking, J sat down and stared out over the garden. He didn't answer for a while. He didn't know how to do that. Thoughts were whirling around in his head on how he should answer this. He did not want to do anything that would hurt her.

"It angers me..." he said as his hand clenched the chairs armrest tightly, "Scars do not make someone, especially you, undesirable. They are reminders of the troubles we've faced and overcome. You went through a horrifying and dangerous experience. You fought off an adjuchas at a lower power level than most. You protected two of your friends and survived a devastating blow. You've proven that you're getting stronger with every day goes by... but..." He hesitated for a moment. This was the first time he was going to be open with her in this way, "It reminds me that I wasn't there. I should be able to protect you... I need to be able to protect you. Mistakes like this... where you were hurt that badly... They should not happen!" J stood up and punched a near by wall, causing it to crack. He looked out to the garden and crossed his arms, keeping his back to her. "I should have been there."

When J went to cross his arms and suddenly wasn't able to, he looked down to Maaya. Though it wasn't shown, he was surprised. She had never acted so boldly. Feeling her soft lips on his hard hand, he couldn't help but just stare at her. The entire time she spoke, he just stared. His eyes focused on hers, but with a softness that even he didn't realize was there. He listened to that nervous voice speak and could only think about how cute this woman was. She explained that night with the adjuchas in a way that he was not expecting. "She wants... to protect me?" he thought, a little confused on the meaning behind that. He definitely had strength and skill on her, so maybe she meant that in a different way? Was there some other form of protection he needed? J did not understand, but it warmed his heart either way. And then she placed his hand over her chest. He could feel her heart beat.

"Yes..." he said in a low tone. He was hiding his own nervousness by not fully letting his voice be heard. She did not release his hand, which made him a little more nervous. This was a feeling he really was not used to at all. She began stuttering again. It was so cute when she did that, though he did wish she wasn't so scared of him. He didn't understand the feelings behind being nervous to talk to someone or worried about their response, so her stuttering made him feel like he was scaring her and he didn't like that. It's one of the reasons why he was so concentrated on protecting her. If she knew he wasn't going to hurt her, then she wouldn't be scared. And when she said those final words, J's eyes widened. He stared directly at her, but she buried her face into his shirt. J had been taken off guard, so to keep his balance, he did take half a step back and quickly wrapped his arms around her.

"She... chooses me..." J thought. Originally, the thought didn't matter much to him, but when he heard those words, something felt different. There was much more meaning behind them than when a woman would be tossed at him to see if they were worth his time. Was it love? Did Maaya actually feel love for him? Part of him wanted to know, he wanted to ask. He had never heard those words from someone who meant them in the way his Mother meant toward his Father, and that is what J wanted. Even Yurina and Ryuzo had a love that J admired. Seeing those couples were a big reason as to why he was so damn picky. It really was possible for someone to find that type of love. "Maaya..." J finally spoke up and reached down to lift her chin until she looked at him. And for the first time, J leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Maaya's lips before giving a soft smile, "I choose you too."