Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
((A/N: The first few chapters of the story are going to mini-chapters leading up to the events to where Bleach starts till the war with Aizen.))
The moon shined brightly over the Kuchiki estate, the manors sakura trees were in full bloom as the wind would wisp around them making their petals do a beautiful dance in the night's sky. Byakuya Kuchiki sat there in the main garden admiring their beauty
"Something the matter cousin? It is rare to find you staring at the petals this late at night." a voice reached out to him. Turning he saw his cousin Yamagata Kuchiki, he was rather tall man, almost as tall as Byakuya himself wearing a pure white Hakama. But aside from most of the Kuchiki family that had black hair, Yamagata had golden brown hair, an appearance that many of the elders hand not taken a shine to.
"You would address your new lord so informally Yamagata?" Byakuya keeping the stoic mask that he would soon become famous for.
"Well…All that will have to change tomorrow since I am going to be your fukutaicho Kuchiki-sama" he said with a small smile as he walked over to him and joined him to admire the sight "So the elders made you my fukutaicho after all? Are they that distrusting of me? That I would fail in my duties?"
Crossing his arms Byakuya turned his gaze to the sky looking at the moon "I suppose cousin, but I for one have faith in you. I've seen the determination in your eyes to be the best since uncle and aunt died…so it's only natural that you will succeed." Yamagata replied sticking his hand out catching a stray petal in his hands.
"I must say this is a first. A family member having faith in my abilities without asking something in return...or do I give you too much credit cousin?" Byakuya let a small smile break through his mask "Oh I ask for nothing in return...I am a Kuchiki as well so there is nothing that I can ask for that I don't already have myself. All I can ask for you to do your best… After the family is sent me off to train with the ancient warriors…I realized I was going to be the sword and shield of this family…so it's my duty to make sure my lord is safe and well."
Byakuya sighed reaching out to catch a petal himself in his hand, another smile broke his mask which made Yamagata smile as well "So I just finished picking up some candy from Ukitake-taicho and he had something interesting to tell me." Byakuya froze and a sudden cloud of doom seemed loom over his head as his face took on a grim expression "And what was it exactly that Ukitake-Taichou tell you?"
Yamagata started to grin like a mad man "That a certain blossom from the Rukon district has caught your eye…What's her name again?" he said tapping his chin thinking "His…Hisana?" Byakuya's facebecame more grim
"So I take it I'm right then?" Nothing came from him. "Well whatever feelings you have for this woman you better steel yourself from the Elders…they will not take too kindly for the new Head of Kuchiki falling in love with a commoner."
He stood quite for a moment opening his palm letting the blossom take flight "If I were to go against the elders and marry this girl would you hate me Yamagata?" He stood there and looked at the nights sky then turning his gaze back to him "You are my cousin and my lord I will respect and follow whatever you ask of me…that is what the old warriors taught me. Respect your lord and do whatever he may ask of you and steel your heart should it be burden. Such a philosophy hasn't been practiced in so long…but I find it fitting now."
Byakuya said nothing a continued his attention to the blossoms "I am going to ask her to marry me tomorrow." After that nothing was spoken between them, he had made his choice and he would follow him and support his decision.