Tenpou\'s Distraction

“You’re hired.”

Tenpou sighed as he said the words. He couldn’t deny it anymore. He was too immersed in his military planning to even try to keep his office in some sort of order. His private rooms were even worse. Clothing littered the floor of his bedroom and who knew the last time his bed had been made or even when the sheets had been changed.

“If you would like, I can change into more suitable clothes and get to work today. Would after lunch be alright with you?” Chizuru was wearing her best kimono, a midnight blue color with whooping cranes on it. She had plenty of work clothes back in her tiny room.

“Yes, that would suffice. I usually eat something here, so I will be here when you come back.” Tenpou looked at Goku, who had been standing quietly next to Chizuru. His little hand still had a grip on her kimono. “Would you like me to fix you some lunch, too, Goku?

Goku was torn. He wanted to stay with his Ten-chan, but he didn’t want to leave his new friend either. If he stayed here, he would get something to eat and Goku never passed up a chance to eat. But, if he was allowed to go with Chizuru, he would be going on a new adventure and that sounded like fun, too. Chizuru took the decision out of Goku’s hands.

“How about this…Goku, would you like to come with me to get something to eat? I have to go to the kitchens and let them know I won’t be working there anymore. I know they would be willing to let you eat all the leftovers from lunch.” She leaned down to whisper in his ear. “And I know where they keep the ice cream. I can make you a giant sundae, with chocolate syrup, bananas, nuts and all the whipped cream you want.” She smiled at Goku. His golden eyes glazed over as he thought about all the food he could eat and the giant sundae for dessert.

Goku threw his arms around Chizuru’s waist, almost knocking her over in his excitement. “Yes, yes, yes!” He let go of her and went to Tenpou. “It’s ok to go with Chizuru, right Ten-chan? I promise to behave and use my manners, just like you’ve been teaching me.” His eyes begged for Tenpou to say yes.

Tenpou ruffled Goku’s already messy hair. “Of course, Goku. You don’t need my permission. And I’m sure if Konzen was here, he would give you permission to go.” Goku gave Tenpou a brief hug and raced back to Chizuru’s side. She took his little hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

The pair left Tenpou’s office. Tenpou smiled. Chizuru seemed nice. Tenpou thought she was probably a lot like her friend, Kai. Quiet, a little shy until you get to know her, and very ladylike. Just the kind of help he needed. One that wouldn’t be a distraction. Tenpou turned his thoughts from Chizuru and went back to his battle planning.

Chizuru and Goku made their way to the kitchens. The lunch rush was over and the staff was relaxing, eating their lunch in the main dining hall. They had a few hours before they needed to get ready for dinner. Chizuru searched the hall for her boss. She couldn’t wait to tell him she had a better job. She wouldn’t miss this place.

“Goku, I need you to wait here for a few minutes while I find someone. When I’m done talking to him, I’ll get you something to eat.” Goku sat down at one of the long tables where the soldiers sat. Most of the single soldiers ate in the dining hall at least twice a day. Married soldiers could eat here, but they usually chose to eat with their families in their apartments.

Chizuru went to look for her boss. Goku could feel the eyes of the kitchen workers on him. They were staring at him and talking quietly to each other. Goku hated this. When he was with Konzen, other people just ignored his presence. But when he was alone, people stared or talked behind their hands to each other. He wasn’t stupid. He knew people either thought he should be banished from heaven or worse, killed. But, he had friends who liked him. Konzen, Tenpou, Kenren, Kai and now his new friend, Chizuru.

Chizuru returned from the kitchens, carrying two plates loaded with food. Her boss wasn’t pleased with the fact she was quitting, but Chizuru didn’t care. Chizuru was out of the hot kitchens and starting a job she was sure she would like. She put the plates down in front of Goku and noticed the strange look on his face. He almost looked like he was going to cry.

She touched his arm. “What’s wrong?” He gave her a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was hiding something. “Did someone say something to you? Did they hurt you?” Chizuru looked around the dining hall, her eyes fierce. She made friends here but if they hurt this child, she would never forgive them. “Goku, answer me. What happened while I was gone?” She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but it was no use. One of these people either did or said something to hurt Goku.

“Naw, I’m ok. I was just waiting for you. I’m hungry!” He smiled but Chizuru could see he wasn’t telling her the truth. He pulled one of the plates to him and started to eat. “Mmm, this is good! Thanks for bringing me here and feeding me.”

Chizuru watched him for a bit. She wished he trusted her enough to tell her what was wrong. She picked at the food on the second plate, but she wasn’t hungry anymore.

One of the women stood up from the table nearest to them and came over. Her name was Runa. Chizuru never liked this woman. She was much older than Chizuru, maybe in her late 50’s, and she always had a sour expression on her face. Like she had been sucking on lemons. She was judgmental, opinionated and just plain nasty. Runa stared at Goku and her.

“What are you doing with that…thing, Chizuru? You know what it is, don’t you?” She was pointing to Goku.

Chizuru didn’t look at Runa. “I’m eating Runa. Please leave me and my new friend alone. We were talking and you interrupted us.” She could feel Goku scooting away from her. She grabbed him and hugged him next to her. She didn’t care what anyone else thought about her and she wanted to show Goku that she didn’t mind being seen with him.

Runa crossed her arms over her chest. “You know, I am your direct supervisor and I don’t appreciate you talking to me like this. Even though you aren’t at work, you should still show me the respect I deserve.” Chizuru longed to wipe the smug look off of Runa’s face. “I could have you fired.”
“You could, but it would be a wasted effort. I quit today.” Chizuru looked up at Runa and smiled. “I’m working for someone else now.”

“Who in their right mind would hire you?”

“Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui.” Chizuru went back to eating, as if it was no big deal that she was working for one of the most powerful men in the Army.

Runa stared at Chizuru in disbelief. She always thought Chizuru had been full of herself, but to sit here, with the heretic, like she owned the place, was too much for Runa. But, if Chizuru really worked for Field Marshall Tenpou, she was under the protection of one of the most powerful men in heaven. And while Runa may dislike Chizuru, she wasn’t foolish enough to pick a fight with the Field Marshall.

Ignoring Runa, Chizuru turned her attention back to Goku. He had finished his food and was still quiet. She had only met him today, but she sensed that this wasn’t normal for him. She decided to skip the ice cream and take him out of here. She stacked the two plates and shoved them in the direction of Runa. “Take care of these, will you?” She didn’t wait for an answer but took Goku’s hand and left the dining room.

Chizuru was furious. Couldn’t they see he wasn’t dangerous but just a child. Anger made her steps longer and faster and Goku trotted to keep up with her. “It’s ok, ya know. I’m used to being treated like that.” Chizuru stopped suddenly and gathered Goku in her arms. Tears filled her eyes as she thought back on her childhood.

Unloved and unwanted, she was treated like Goku. Her parents died when she was only 2 and she was shuffled from relative to relative. Her father was in the Western Army and when he died in battle, her mother, a healer, took her own life not wanting to live without her beloved. Chizuru had often wondered if she was such a horrible baby, that no one wanted to be with her. Sure, her relatives took care of her basic needs but that was it.

She promised herself that when she became a mother, she would never treat her child the way she had been treated. She gave Goku one last squeeze. “Come on, Tenpou will be expecting us soon and I still have to get changed.” He smiled up at her. “And you can help me get Tenpou organized.”

She took Goku to her tiny room. They had to leave the main palace, for the servant’s rooms were in one large building behind the palace. Her room was tiny. Just a bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a window. It was very similar to the dorms for the single soldiers. Goku thought the room was ugly and plain but he would never tell his new friend that.

Chizuru changed into work clothes, after making Goku face the wall. He might be a child but she didn’t want him to see her nude. She changed into a faded red tunic that fell to her knees, but had slits up the side to her hips. Under that, she had tight black pants made out of stretchy material. She brushed her long ash blonde hair and braided it. The braid fell almost to her waist. She put on her little black flat shoes and she was ready to go.

They made their way back to Tenpou’s apartments, Goku chattering all the way. He had already put the incident in the dining room in the back of his mind. He told Chizuru all about Tenpou, Kenren and Konzen. Tenpou was messy and absent-minded, but treated him like a little brother. Kenren also treated Goku like a little brother, but they argued a lot. Goku liked to beg for piggyback rides from the General. Kenren would tell him no, Goku would pout and Kai would step in and ask Kenren so sweetly to just give him one ride. Kenren would grumble about it but Goku would get his ride. But it was Konzen that Goku talked about the most. He clearly adored the tall man with deep purple eyes and looked at him as a father figure.

The door to Tenpou’s office was open so they went in without knocking. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Tenpou wouldn’t have heard them. He was leaning back in his desk chair, feet on the desk, sound asleep. Goku ran to the drawer where his crayons were located and pulled them out, got some paper and settled himself on the floor. Chizuru took advantage of Tenpou being asleep to study the man.

He was tall, she only came up to his shoulders, and he was so thin. He probably got caught up in his work and forgot to eat. His hair was long in the back but rather wild in the front. Bangs came down almost covering his glasses. His eyes were closed but she remembered they were a deep green. Beautiful, really. He had full lips, that were slightly parted in his sleep. His hands fascinated her. He had long, tapered fingers and currently, they were laced together over his flat belly. He really was a handsome man.

He wasn’t a looker like Konzen, who was almost too beautiful for a man or one like General Kenren, who’s smile spoke of earthy pleasures. This man was gentle but with a core of steel. Chizuru shook her head. At this rate, she would never get started.

She stood in the middle of the room, debating where to start. She gave a little laugh. It really didn’t matter where she started, the whole place needed help. She decided to start with the books.

“Goku?” He looked up from his picture. “Do you know the alphabet?”

Goku shook his head no. “Tenpou is teaching me to count, though.”

“Would you like to learn the letters of the alphabet?” She was currently picking out the books beginning with the letter A. “I know a little song that will help you remember your letters. Would you like to learn it?” She cleared a place on the first shelf. Dust settled around her, almost blending in with her hair. She sneezed.

“Bless you. Tenpou taught me to say that after someone sneezes.” Chizuru sneezed again. “Bless you.”

Chizuru smiled at him as she blew her nose with a small hanky that had been her mothers. She had nothing else from her mother, the rest of the relatives had taken everything, saying it was payment for taking care of her. “How about you just say one big “Bless you” and that will cover the whole day. With this much dust covering these shelves, you’re going to be blessing me all day!” Goku hugged his knees to his chest and nodded. He was giggling and the sound warmed her heart.

Tenpou sighed in his sleep and they both stopped and watched him. He shifted his head to the other side and began to snore softly. Goku giggled again.

“Ok, now let’s teach you the alphabet song. I’ll sing it first so you know how it goes and then we can sing it together. Ready?” She cleared another shelf for the books beginning with A. She started walking all around the office, looking for the books starting with A.

“But, I don’t know what the letters look like.” Goku sounded defeated. He so wanted to learn but the men were so busy with their jobs, they didn’t have much time left over for teaching.

“Don’t worry about that now. Let’s just start with the song and later on, I can teach you what they look like.” She paused and wiped a few stray hairs out of her eyes. “Ok, here we go.”

Tenpou was dreaming. In his dream, a woman and a child were singing. He was confused. He didn’t have a wife or a child, so who was this woman and why was she teaching this child the most annoying song? He had heard this song a long time ago, on one of his visits to the lower world.

“Now I know my Abc’s , next time, won’t you sing with me?” Chizuru finished with a flourish, arms spread wide. Goku clapped and jumped up to hug her. “Are you ready to try it with me, Goku?”

“Not now. I like to hear you sing. Do you know any more songs?” His golden eyes were pleading with her. “Please…anything you know. I just love to hear singing!”

Chizuru thought for a moment. There was another song she knew that used the alphabet. “Well, I do know this one…A, you’re adorable…B, you’re so beautiful…” She did a little dance around the office, being careful not to wake up Tenpou. Although, when she passed his chair, she couldn’t help pushing his bangs out of his eyes. She touched his cheek and was surprised when he rubbed his cheek against her hand. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “C, you’re a cutie filled with charms.”

This beautiful woman in his dream was singing to him. He wanted to make it last forever. His life was filled with nothing but military strategy. He wanted something more. He reached out for the angel singing to him and pulled her to him. The dream was so real that he could feel the weight of her in his lap. She was so soft and smelled so good.

Chizuru was shocked when Tenpou’s arm reached out for her and dragged her down on his lap. She was sure he was still sleeping or he never would have done something like this. His arms went around her, making her feel protected. She removed his glasses and set them down in the desk. “D, you’re a darling and E, you’re exciting.” She whispered so only Tenpou could hear.

Goku was watching them with a strange look on his face. Ever since he met Ten-chan, he’d never seen him act this way with a woman. In fact, he always said he was too busy to woo a woman.

Chizuru wanted Tenpou to open his eyes so she could see his beautiful green eyes again. She was never this forward with a man before, but something about this man was different. He acted like he didn’t need anybody, but she was sure that was just a front. She brushed the hair out of his eyes again, her touch feather light. He sighed.

His angel was tempting him. She had called him “darling” in her song and he felt the urge to kiss her. He was never one to take a single step without thinking through all the consequences but there was a first time for everything. He kissed his angel.

Chizuru was surprised to feel Tenpou’s lips on hers. They weren’t soft but a little rough, what she would have expected from a man who spent a lot of time of a battlefield. But he knew how to use them. His lips brushed over hers, gently at first and then more insistent. It was her first kiss and she didn’t know what to do. She had heard women talking in the kitchens about kissing and some of the talk really sounded disgusting. Tongues in their mouth, lips grinding against each other. She kept her lips closed but not tightly shut.

It wasn’t good enough for Tenpou. He wanted to taste his angel but she wouldn’t open her mouth. He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped. He took advantage and sealed his mouth over hers. He slipped his tongue between her lips and gently touched her tongue. She shivered and moaned. He captured the sound with his mouth. One of his hands went around to the back of her head, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss.

This was nothing like she expected. The kiss was hot, wet and thoroughly arousing. When she felt his tongue touch hers, the last thing she expected was the shot of desire coursing through her. She cuddled against him and let him take control. Her hands threaded through his hair. It was soft and felt good against her fingers.


“Hey, wait a minute! Are you two in love like Ken-chan and Kai? I thought you didn’t know her Ten-chan.” Goku stood up and pointed at the couple kissing in the chair.

Tenpou stiffened. Now he was hearing Goku in his dream. How the hell did Goku get in his dream? He opened his eyes to see Chizuru sitting on his lap, lips swollen, like she had just been kissed thoroughly. Her brown eyes had a dreamy look to them and she was staring at Tenpou. His eyes widened as he realized that he had been kissing Chizuru and not some nameless angel from his dream. He stood up so fast, he dumped her to the floor. She landed on her bottom, a look of pain on her face.

He stuttered for the right words to say. He should apologize to her but he was still stunned to have woken up with a beautiful woman on his lap. Not only on his lap, but he had been kissing her! This wasn’t like him. He started to speak but no sound came out. He turned, stumbled over some maps laying on the floor and fled from the room.

Chizuru looked at Goku. She was beginning to cry. Goku came over to her and tried to comfort her, but she just cried harder. Goku started to panic. He had no idea what to do with a crying woman. He thought about getting Konzen, but Konzen wasn’t the “cry on my shoulder” type. Kenren was out. Goku didn’t think Kai would like Kenren comforting her friend, no matter how good of friends they were. Kenren mentioned something a long time ago about kissing the tears away. Goku slapped himself on the forehead. Kai! Why didn’t he think of her earlier?

“I’m going to get Kai and I’ll be right back!” Goku was up and out of the room before Chizuru could speak. She started to cry harder. She didn’t want to burden her friend and she certainly didn’t want to tell her she kissed Tenpou. Chizuru waited on the floor where Tenpou had dumped her off of his lap, feeling like nothing but a little ball of misery.