Byakuya is incredibly fun to write. Tell all your friends.
Not mine, not mine, not mine. But if I ever meet a genie or something, Tite Kubo better watch it.
Byakuya held in the annoyance he so wished to display.
Yamamoto-soutaichou had sent him to Living World to round up the various Soul Society regulars the place had acquired, one of whom was his darling sister Rukia. She had been pleased to see him, as always, and he had been pleased to see that she was in good spirits, even after having to stay at that Kurosaki brat's house. Even after having to stay at that Kurosaki brat's house.
Horrified as he had been to learn this fact, he said nothing about it. If he had done so, and had sounded the least bit critical or disapproving, she would have gone all submissive and quiet, and then he would have felt like an ass for weeks after. Not that he would show her any of that remorse. It just wasn't something he did.
But back to the matter at hand… he had seemed far too okay with the whole situation, apparently, because now his darling sister had gone and left him at the orange-haired brat's house. With the orange-haired brat.
Said orange-haired brat was currently sitting on his bed, Byakuya having declined (surely the boy didn't think it an honor to sit on his bed). The room was silent as the grave. But what did they have to talk about? Byakuya couldn't imagine that the br—Ichigo actually had anything in common with him. They were from two completely different universes, in every sense of the meaning. Byakuya found the boy rude and insolent just as much as the boy surely found him cold and anal-retentive (and at least he could admit to his faults gracefully… even if he refused to admit any such thing within five miles of anyone that could hear).
Ichigo stood suddenly, calling Byakuya's attention away from his inner thoughts.
"Uh, I need to go talk to Urahara-san about something… so I'll be right back?"
Byakuya closed his eyes, sighing. "Though it may have escaped your notice, I came into your house without your family being alerted to my presence. I think it would be prudent of me to go with you." He flexed one of his hands, grimacing internally at the unfamiliar feel of being in a gigai.
"Well, it's not like they're not used to weird people just showing up…" Ichigo would much rather have gone alone, obviously, but Byakuya's glare brooked no argument, "…but yeah, you can come too."
They slipped out and shared a very tense walk to Urahara Shôten. Ichigo was in a bad mood, because as far as he was concerned, if Byakuya would just stop being such a stubborn asshole, they could probably manage an actual conversation. And Byakuya continued on his stubborn asshole way, finding nothing of consequence to talk about with this substitute shinigami that had been thrown rather unceremoniously into his circle of consciousness.
As luck would have it, Urahara was out. This news was delivered by a mere slip of a girl, who apologized for the inconvenience and invited them in to wait, as he was supposed to be back soon. Ichigo could have screamed. He left his own house and came here because he was so sick of the overwhelming silence and discomfort Byakuya's presence commanded, but it was back to square one. At least there was tea now.
Ururu served them their drinks and disappeared. The silence resumed. But it was at this precise moment that Yoruichi dashed through the room.
She had been on her way out, but stopped and stuck her head back into the room. Her questions and ensuing curiosity were answered with Ichigo's surprised cry of, "Yoruichi-san!" and Byakuya.
The author understands that 'Byakuya' is not a suitable answer in the scheme of that sentence. It doesn't read right and feels like it's missing something. But as far as Yoruichi was concerned, he was as much an answer all by himself (for one of her questions) as he was when she included that muted look of distaste and timeless irritation in his eyes.
So she registered Ichigo's cry of, "Yoruichi-san!", Byakuya's less than civil feelings, and Byakuya himself. Taking it all in, she came out with, "Byakuyabo!"
Ichigo, somber mood having been broken by Yoruichi's entrance, was now surprised even further by this nickname, and actually snorted into his hand after seeing the look on Byakuya's face. Byakuya, already filling up with rage at that nickname he had so despised in his youth, turned murderous eyes on the boy, but found his view blocked by a familiar set of bosoms.
"What are you doing here? Thought you avoided any and all human world expeditions. Oh, but I guess that sister of yours is running around here, isn't she? Did you come to pick her up? What a sweetie!" Yoruichi babbled on, talking at Byakuya one minute, Ichigo the next, and before they knew it she was gone.
The silence would have continued, but for Byakuya clearing his throat rather forcefully. "That was a nickname that Yoruichi and Yoruichi alone had for me when I was very young. I hated it. I still do, really, but am not addressed as such by any but her. I would like to keep it that way."
"Yeah, no worries. She just likes to tease kids and stuff. She did it to me too."
Byakuya was curious, as much as he wished he wasn't. Being curious was for children and cats, or both, if the states of being coincided. But then, the silence was wearing on him a bit too. And really, it was only polite to attempt small talk. "What was her nickname for you?"
Ichigo's mouth twisted. "She didn't have a nickname for me. It was more the stuff she did."
Byakuya's gaze prompted him to continue, which he did after a moment. Byakuya noted the color seeping into the boy's cheeks.
"When I first met her, it was as a cat, and she sounds male when she's in cat form, you know? So the first time she transformed back, it was a double shock. I mean, not only was she a girl and all, but cats don't wear clothes, so I got an eyeful that I wasn't r—expecting. And I guess my reaction was really funny or something, so flashing me became her favorite thing to do."
Byakuya hadn't actually known that she sounded male when she was cat-shaped, but he acted like he did anyway. Still, Ichigo's story had a familiar (though rather more explicit) feel to it. Then it clicked. How thankful that the source of their mutual ire had jogged his adolescent memories mere moments before.
Ichigo didn't understand Byakuya's reaction. First he looked like he hardly cared, but all of a sudden his eyes were wide, posture more tense than it was normally.
"Uh, something wrong?"
"I know exactly what you mean." Byakuya could hardly believe those words were coming out of his mouth, but he couldn't deny the relief he felt in finding someone else who could understand why that damn Yoruichi pissed him off so much. "She used to call me Byakuyabo and she also took particular pleasure in shoving her breasts in my face as a way of greeting. This was when I was the human equivalent of thirteen."
Ichigo's eyes widened to match Byakuya's. "Wait, really?"
"Yes. Of course, I was too young and too well supervised, I imagine, for her to corrupt me as she has you, but yes." He relaxed a bit, and eyed Ichigo with mild interest.
Ichigo wasn't sure why exactly, but he got the feeling that he and Byakuya were having a "moment" of some sort. There was a hint of camaraderie hanging in the air, dividing the ranks created by disdain and dismissal and making Byakuya seem a lot more approachable, dare anyone say, pleasant.
So when Urahara found them later, accompanied by Rukia no less, both were surprised to find the pair sipping their tea in a damn near companionable silence.
Urahara made a mental note to ask his helpers about it later.
Rukia merely breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that they were able to get along now, which meant no angry questions later. If either of them found out that she had stuck them together simply because it would be funny, she was dead.