Hymn for the Weekend
By: Shay Candy
Chapter One
"Drink for me, drink for me, when I was so thirsty. Pour on a symphony. No, I just can't get enough."
I do not own Bleach.
Byakuya Kuchiki was never one to enjoy any sort of social outing. If it wasn't one of the gala's he was forced to attend as the next Head of the Kuchiki family, he wouldn't have been caught dead there. But as soon as Yoruichi had all but threatened his life and he'd heard that Mae Takahashi would be there, he'd decided to attend the University's start of the semester bonfire. Dark washed shorts were pulled on and buttoned before the chosen shirt, a plain white polo, was pulled over his head next. Long, rich black hair was brushed out of his shirt to rest over his shoulders, the eldest Kuchiki pivoting on his socked heel to leave the bedroom as the space grey iPhone 6s Plus was slipped into his back pocket. He was met by his sister, cousin and Yoruichi in the hall; all of them falling into step with him as they made their way down the stairs to the main foyer.
"I'm surprised that you're actually going to go, Brother," Rukia mused, her hands clasped behind her back as she followed the elder Kuchiki down the stairs. "You never go to functions that the University holds. What changed your mind about this one?"
"Mae Takahashi," Senbonzakura snickered, dodging a well-aimed elbow that his elder cousin had thrown towards his face. "And Yoruichi basically threatening to tell the entirety of Shino University about his crush on her. You'd think she threatened to kill him with how fast he'd changed his mind about going."
"Brother, you have a crush on Mae-senpai?" Rukia gushed, wide, violet eyes shimmering with glee at the revelation. She didn't exactly blame her brother. Mae was a beautiful woman with a good head on her shoulders. They also had quite a bit in common. Mae was slated to take over as the Head of her family once her father passed the torch just as Byakuya was for theirs. And they both seemed to get along well enough every time Rukia would catch her brother speaking with the dark-haired female. From what she knew, they were just friends, nothing more. But this news certainly changed everything. It wasn't every day that it was revealed Byakuya Kuchiki had a crush on someone. And Mae Takahashi of people being that person he was crushing on. "You two would make the most adorable of couples if seeing the two of you together when you're having one of your conversations on campus is anything to go by. Not to mention that the two of you have quite a bit in common. You should ask her to dance tonight. She is quite fond of dancing, I've heard."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Rukia," Byakuya grunted, plucking his keys from the key rack before slipping into his tennis shoes that had been placed by the door. He didn't pay them any mind as they whispered behind his back about the obvious crush he had on the Takahashi woman, it was bad enough that Senbonzakura had let it slip and now his sister knew. He'd known Mae for many years, and while he did secretly harbour feelings for her, he would never act on them. At least, that's what he told himself. "Mae and I are just friends. Have been friends for many years. There is no need in complicating matters with things so ridiculous as the crush you believe I have on her. Which I do not."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Byakuya-bo," Yoruichi jabbed, ducking under the raven hair's arm when he made to grab the collar of her shirt for calling him that accursed nickname. "Missed me. You might be fast, Byakuya-bo. But, I've always been much faster~!"
"Shihoin…" Byakuya grumbled before recomposing himself. He wouldn't stoop to her level and give her the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him as she was hoping to do. It's what she lived for, it seemed. Ever since they were children, she'd always managed to get under his skin in some way, shape, form or fashion. And even now, at twenty-five years of age, she kept up her childish antics. "I will not be baited into this petty squabble today, Yoruichi. Which, I assume, you were expecting for me to do. Now come, before we are late for this party that you all are so insistent that I attend."
"Don't try to act like you're not looking forward to this, Byakuya. You're only going because you found out that Mae was going to be at the Back to School bonfire, and you know it," Senbonzakura teased, his grin wide at the look of utter irritancy that crossed his cousin's features. He ducked when the elder Kuchiki moved to grab him. "If you want, I can ask her out for you! It would do you some good to get out and date. Even Gramps says you need a girlfriend. I asked him what he thought about Mae and he approved. He likes her, you know."
"Silence, Senbonzakura," Byakuya grumbled, leading the pack out the door into the heat of the mid-August heat and to his vehicle as they laughed. "You three are insufferable."
They were all in with seatbelts strapped in a matter of seconds before the Kuchiki male started the ignition and pulled out of the driveway of the Kuchiki Mansion. And throughout the entire drive, the three continued to pester him about asking Mae out. Byakuya, at one point, had considered dropping them off and driving away as soon as they got out of the car. But, he knew he'd have to come back and get them when it was over, and he didn't want to have to face his grandfather when Rukia and Senbonzakura inevitably told on him for leaving them.
.hymnfortheweekend.
"Wow, you look great sis," the dark-haired girl said grinning up at her elder sister. The short shorts she wore hugged her hips, showing off her amazing hourglass figure. Her midriff was out, the tattoo of the humming bird she had on her lower left rib on full display. She did look amazing, not that she didn't all the time. But when she'd found out that Byakuya Kuchiki was going to be at the bonfire, the entire outfit she'd had planned for weeks was changed. "Looking to nab yourself a certain man tonight at the party? You know, since you and what's his face didn't work out, what, three years ago? This is literally the longest I've ever seen you single since you've started dating, Mae."
"No, Yuu, I'm not," Mae answered, grey eyes rolling as she put the cap back on her lipgloss. She already knew what the younger Takahashi sister was hinting towards and she would not be baited in. She and Byakuya were merely friends. Nothing more. That didn't mean that he wasn't good to look at. Mae just knew that nothing would come of her pursuing the stoic Kuchiki. He never gave any woman the time of day. "I'm going to a party to have fun, drink a little and take my mind off the stress of all the upcoming projects and stuff that I have to do before I can get my Masters. Why do you ask?"
"Because you changed your whole outfit when you found out that Byakuya was coming to the bonfire," Yuu pointed out. She didn't miss the red that coloured her sister's cheeks at the mention of her "friend". "Trying to get his attention, are you? You could just ask the guy out. Word around the University is he's got the hots for you. Since, other than his sister and Yoruichi Shihoin, you're the only female he gives the time of day. I could ask him out for you if you want me to."
"Yuu, you've lost it," Mae grumbled as she slipped her rose gold iPhone 6s Plus into her back pocket and turned to leave. "We should get going, the bonfire's supposed to start soon."
"What, don't want to miss your boyfriend," Yuu teased, earning an eye roll from her sister. "Don't worry, you've got all night to talk to him. The party doesn't end until two."
"Yuu I swear I will leave you here and you'll have to find some other way to make it to this party if you don't leave me alone," Mae threatened.
"Touché," Yuu snickered, stopping beside her sister to pull on her shoes as well before the two headed out to the eldest's car. "You like the guy, just admit it. It's better for you not to lie to yourself."
"Yuu, I'm giving you three seconds to drop it," Mae blushed, placing the key in the ignition of her Maserati Quattroporte GTS GranSport. The engine roared to life, Mae placing it drive before rounding the driveway and leaving the grounds of the Takahashi mansion. "Yes, for goodness sake, I like Byakuya. He is great to look at. But the boy is not the least bit interested in me or any other woman for that matter. We are friends and we're going to remain friends. End of subject."
"Well at least you admitted you like him," the twenty-one-year-old laughed. "And don't count yourself out so quickly. You never know what could happen. He might surprise you."
"You read far too many romance novels, Yuu," Mae pointed out.
"Forgive me for wanting to see my sister happy, jeez," Yuu said rolling her eyes. Her arms came to rest across her chest as she leaned back in the seat of the car; grey eyes watching the scenery as it passed by. Mae smiled, she knew her sister meant well. But she could be a bit pushy at times, especially when it came to relationships. There was a bit of a laugh that escaped the eldest Takahashi sister causing the other raven hair to glare at her. "What's so funny, Mae?"
"Nothing," Mae answered defensively, eyes on the road. "I just think it's cute that you're so concerned with my love life when you have your own to worry about. Last I checked, I wasn't the only single Takahashi sister. Kaneko has a boyfriend and she's only seventeen. We're twenty-one and twenty-five. We need to step our game up or our baby sister is going to leave us in the dust."
Yuu burst into a fit of laughter, her fingers moving to wipe the tears away from her eyes. Mae did have a point. Both she and her sister were single where as the youngest of the Takahashi sisters was in a two-year relationship and she was only seventeen. "At this rate, she'll get married and have children before the two of us if we don't get it together. But you're the oldest, so you've got to find someone to settle down with before me. Or Mom and Dad are going to go around trying to arrange marriages for you if you wait too, too long."
"Don't even joke like that, Yuu," Mae shuttered. "The last thing I want is our parents picking a husband for me. I'll find someone eventually. Right now, I'm just focused on school. I have to have that master's degree before I can take over as Head of the family. I'm sure someone will come along eventually that will catch my eye."
"Byakuya did already catch your eye," Yuu teased, swatting her sister's hand away that moved to grab her ear. "I'm just saying. You know that he did."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Mae said rolling her eyes at her sister as she continued to drive to the destination the party was supposed to be held at.
.hymnfortheweekend.
Byakuya groaned as he glanced out into the crowd. She wasn't there yet. He'd been looking for Mae ever since he and the others arrived almost an hour prior. Senbonzakura had taken off to find his girlfriend the moment that they'd arrived. Yoruichi and Rukia where somewhere in the crowd dancing. He'd found a place for them to set up the large blanket that had been packed away in his SUV around the bonfire. He relaxed on the blanket that covered the sandy ground; his elbow propped on his knee as knuckles pressed into his cheek. Perhaps she had decided not to come to the bonfire after all and he'd wasted his time coming just to be surrounded by people that irritated him.
He was surprised, however, when someone, despite his dark aura, approached and actually made themselves comfortable beside him. He turned to reprimand this person, to tell them to get lost. But the words froze in his throat when he realized that it was the very woman that he'd been looking for this whole time sitting beside him, smiling. His heart thumped harder, butterflies fluttering around in the pit of his belly. Damn her and looking as beautiful as she was. Damn him for getting so damned tongue tied for no reason. They were friends. It shouldn't be this hard to talk to your friend, right?
"You know, I was surprised to find out that you'd be here tonight," Mae laughed, easily starting the conversation as she flipped her braided ponytail over her shoulder. She flashed him another, teasing smile. "You never go to any function the University holds. What changed your mind about this one?"
You. The thought crossed his mind only briefly and he'd caught himself before he spoke it aloud. The last thing he wanted to do, was embarrass himself in front of Mae Takahashi, of all people. Kuchiki's don't get embarrassed. It was unbecoming for people of their social standard to do so.
"Rukia, quite literally, asked me the exact same thing," Byakuya answered, finally finding his voice again. Get it together Kuchiki, he chided himself. Mae is a friend. You should be able to talk to a friend with ease. "I figured, since it is my final year here before I obtain my master's degree, I would at least attend one event the University holds before graduation. That, and Yoruichi was able to… persuade me to attend tonight's festivities."
"AKA, she blackmailed you into coming," Mae laughed knowingly. "You are a sucker for blackmail, Byakuya, jeez. How do you keep letting her get dirt on you to blackmail you with?"
"She and I grew up together, there is not much that I am able to hide from her," Byakuya answered truthfully, a sour expression on his features. The expression softened a bit as he turned to look at her once more. "Just as it is clearly hard for me to keep anything from you. You are in the same boat with Yoruichi, you are able to read me easily."
"You're not that complicated," Mae teased, nudging him with her elbow. "You're an egotistical jerk with a superiority complex." She noticed the way his eyes widened slightly. "I'm kidding. That's just what people seem to think because they don't know that you're actually a big softy under that hard-outer shell you've got. You should probably try being nicer to people, maybe they wouldn't be so afraid to approach you."
"I am nice to people," Byakuya reprimanded.
"Uh huh, that's why you glare at anyone that comes near you who isn't me, Yoruichi, Senbonzakura or Rukia, right," Mae asked, her head tilted to the side. That same playful grin that he remembered from their childhood curved her lips. She was teasing him, yet again. She always did. "And honestly, only one person is never at the receiving end of that glare, and that's Rukia. Senbonzakura, Yoruichi and I get glared at all the time. Especially Senbonzakura."
"I do not glare at you," the raven hair defended.
"Suuuuuuure you don't, that's why you looked at me the way that you did when I first sat down," Mae countered; her elbow nudging his side. "Don't worry, I'm a big girl. I can take a little glare from you every now and again. I just figured that's your permanent face."
"Very funny."
He fixed her with an exasperated look, completely unamused by her teasing. However, the look did nothing more than send the raven-haired beauty into a fit of laughter; fingers gently pushing away stray hairs that whisked about her face. He couldn't help but notice how her eyes seemed to sparkle when she laughed.
"That," Mae finally spoke when she caught her breath; referring to his earlier expression, "Was exactly what I was referring to. Try smiling some time, it'll reduce the frown lines."
Byakuya blanched, unamused. She always did have a nasty habit of finding any and everything to tease him about any chance that she got. Not that he really minded though. It gave him an excuse to talk to her just a bit longer every time they interacted with one another.
"Hey Byakuya," the raven hair said suddenly as she moved to stand. "Come and dance with me. They're playing one of my favourite songs."
He hesitated for only a moment before taking her offered hand. He stood with little help from her before she pulled him along to the area that had been deemed a dance floor in the middle of the sand. He could feel the base from the speakers shake the ground beneath their feet as she led him into a dance. He gulped discreetly when she placed his hands on her hips, her arms coming to rest over his shoulders. They'd never been in this close proximity of each other. And he was positive if it weren't for the fact that it would be frowned upon by his grandfather, he would have fainted from being that close to her.
He could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo, the smell of flora from her perfume mixed in with it. Such an intoxicating smell it was, his head spinning as they moved with the beat. He didn't want the moment to end. However, his prayers were not answered. The song had changed, and neither of them had made a move to separate until she was, quite literally snatched out of his arms.
Two pairs of grey eyes turned to glare at the person that had snatched Mae away from him. Byakuya recognized the man almost immediately, he'd seen him and heard so many terrible stories about him from Mae. Shinjiro Takanawa stood before them, his arm protectively around Mae's waist who was trying to push him away as he glared at Byakuya, who continued to glare in return.
"The hell are you doing with your hands on my girlfriend, Byakuya Kuchiki."
That was enough to have all eyes on them. Byakuya hated when unnecessary attention was drawn to him. And this guy wasn't going to let this go so easily. It was going to be a confrontation. Byakuya knew it.
He'd do his best to avoid it, but he wasn't sure how well that would work out. The guy looked as if he were ready to commit murder. And had he been anyone other than who he was, Byakuya may have been scared. But he wasn't. Would never be.
He'd opened his mouth to retort, until a resounding slap echoed through the crowd. All eyes turned to the tiny female that had finally broken free of his grasp, her hand poised to land another blow. Byakuya wasn't sure if he should be proud or scared for her. Because the look that Shinjiro shot her sent chills up even his spine.