Chapter One – Returning Home
Author's Note: This is my first Bleach fanfiction, so yeah…And, Hisana didn't die growls at Tite Kubo for making Byakuya all alone but, yeah. This takes place right at the beginning of the Soul Society Arc, end of the first one. Where Renji and Byakuya take Rukia back…Thanks Shanny for betaing…
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, I wouldn't have killed off Hisana in the first place. Tite Kubo owns Bleach.
Hisana's favorite time of the year was now – spring time. She had been sick for five years, which, in comparison to her life time – almost immortal, it was, was very short. She aged, but she did not age like humans. For each year she was sick, Kuchiki Byakuya had forced her to stay in the country. She spent another five years with his cousin, because Kuchiki Amaya had insisted. She could not refuse. Fifteen years, she had been gone from him.
Fifteen years was a long time. Hisana was sure that she had not changed, but Byakuya - that was a different story. The only visible difference on Hisana was her hair. From the shoulder length she had set off with, it grew to her middle-back. She was hugging her haori that Byakuya had given to her as a birthday present the first year they were married close to her. Underneath that, she was wearing the traditional Shinigami grab. She had her sword fastened to the side of it, Seishuku Harou.
The woman, Aimi, who was walking next to her, was not providing much conversation. She kept inquiring about Byakuya, and that made Hisana slightly annoyed. Everyone knew about Byakuya, and this woman is no different from all the rest of the women in the First District. Even people in Inuzuri knew about him. Why did she suddenly ask about him? Hisana was already uncomfortable enough, after fifteen years of not seeing her husband.
Hisana sighed, fingering her sword. The first thing she would do was go to his office and tell him that she was back. Having Byakuya as her captain may not have been the wisest move she made, but she would not complain. He was a great captain, and she was still his wife.
"I hope everything works out with you and Kuchiki-sama," Aimi supplied.
"There is nothing to work out," Hisana said curtly. "Byakuya-sama and I are perfectly fine. It was only because my health was failing, that I have been gone for so long."
"Well, he may have found another," Aimi said. Hisana chose not to reply. She walked forward, leaving Aimi behind her. She was focusing on breathing, and she bumped into a certain red-head, who was a lieutenant – Abarai Renji to be exact. He put an arm on her brace her from falling and his eyes opened wide.
"I'm pretty sure I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?" he asked, looking at her. "Aw, forgive my manners. Lieutenant Abarai Renji of the Sixth Squad," he offered, holding out a hand to shake hers. She returned the shake, looking at him. "You look familiar, but I'm sure I haven't seen you around…"
"Hai, you haven't. I've been absent the past fifteen years, but I have kept in training. Kuchiki Hisana, officer of the sixth squad," she said quietly, eyeing him.
"Kuchiki Hisana?" he asked. "You look a lot like Kuchiki Rukia…Are you two sisters?"
"Kuchiki Rukia?" she questioned.
"Hai – Kuchiki-taichou's sister. She was from Inuzuri, and for some reason he adopted her into the family," he said.
"Byakuya-sama," she whispered, before looking up at Renji. "Do you know where Kuchiki-taichou is at the moment?"
"In his office, I believe."
"Arigato, Abarai-kun," she said, before running off in the direction of Byakuya's office. To the closed door, she said: "Kuchiki Hisana, here to see Kuchiki Byakuya."
"Come in, Hisana," Byakuya said. His voice sounded glad; as if happy she was here. Hisana walked in and went into the open arms of Byakuya. She smiled at him, letting him hold her.
"Arigato, a million times, Byakuya-sama, arigato!" she said, looking at him. He smiled down at her, looking at her.
"You are more than welcome, Hisana," he said, placing a light kiss on her lips. "Welcome back home, Hisana. It's been a long time." He kissed her again, before smelling her hair. She smelt like sakura, which was his favorite smell. She put her head in his chest, holding onto him. Her hands were inside the haori, and she was resting her head on his chest.
"It's been too long, Byakuya-sama," she said, smiling up at him. He stroked her hair, before realizing it.
"You've grown out your hair, Hisana," he whispered in her ear, making her shiver. "I don't know which one I like better – this, or your old one."
"So you don't hate it?" she questioned. He chuckled, before shaking his head.
"It's impossible for me to hate any part of you," he said, smiling. She smiled, looking up at him.
"Byakuya-sama, I missed you so much. If you ever force me to do that again, I will refuse, even if it costs me my life. I can't stay away from you for that long again," she said, hiding her eyes in his chest. He nodded, keeping her close.
"I promise to never force you to," Byakuya said, kissing her head. She sighed, holding onto him.
"You have work to do, Byakuya-sama, and I'm keeping you from it," she said, pulling away from the embrace. He nodded, before going to sit down. She looked at him, before nodding. "I'm going to the house, Byakuya-sama. I will see you tonight."
She quickly exited the office and walked away. She felt foolish for thinking Byakuya wouldn't love her and she was trying her hardest at the moment to force herself to relax. She sighed, walking the little ways to the Kuchiki clan house. She walked into her old room, and she sighed, looking around at everything in her room. It was exactly as she remembered it, and right outside her room was the vast garden.
The sheets were exactly as she preferred it, and her Shinigami garb was still in the closet. There was a small table in the middle of it, where she would usually practice her drawings. She was not exceptional at it, but she was good at it. She didn't have a lot of time to practice it, between Shinigami jobs she had to do. For today, Byakuya was letting her off the job, since she had just come back.
She missed this life. No, that was not it. She missed the memories of Byakuya and she had. There was laughter and there was sadness. She tried not to remember the saddest memory she had – her miscarriage. She had only got pregnant once, and she lost it. After that, she had fallen ill. She remembered lying in the garden, watching Byakuya think. He would come over to her and lay down next to her, before telling her how beautiful she was. She would smile, and he would kiss her deeply.
Hisana sighed, touching everything she could lay her hands on. She could sense that Byakuya spent a lot of time here, and it made her feel good, even after fifteen years. He used to say that his room was fit for him, but her room was the best. She smiled, tracing one of her favorite drawings. It had been done two years into their marriage. Byakuya was bent over a pile of papers, his pen still in hand. However, he faced towards the artist, a small smile on his lips. He seemed to want to say something, but it looked as if he had been silenced.
Byakuya had that one framed, much to her displeasure. It was not good enough to be framed, although it was a very good piece of artwork. But it was not that good. He would not listen, and he had it framed anyway.
Just then, a servant entered the room.
"Kuchiki-sama is not to be in right away tonight. He told me to tell you that he has to do something in the real world, and that he should be back before midnight. He also told all the servants you are not to wait for him, and you are to eat and take your bath like you would usually. He said that he did not want you to stay up, and if you did, he would be most unhappy," the young boy said, bowing.
"Arigato," she said quietly. "Please have the cooks prepare my food now, I wish to retire early. My travel has, somewhat, worn me out."
The servant nodded and scurried away. She waited, watching the moon. She wished Byakuya would be here, with her, right now, but there was nothing she could do about it. He had to be a captain, but right now she wanted her husband.
The servant entered and told her that her food was ready, and she went to the dining room, where she sat in seiza. She looked at the food, eating it slowly. She watched the patterns on the wall dance, due to the lanterns in the room. She finished her food quickly and she went to get her bath.
She got undressed with the unneeded help of her servants and quickly stepped into the warm water, which had jasmine scents in it. It was exactly as she preferred it, and for that, she thanked Byakuya. Of course, it would still be slightly difficult to get back into her old life of Shinigami, and the wife of the 28th Kuchiki Head. She would fall back into it, and she knew she would love it.
When her servant came in she bent her head forward and let her wash it. When she was done with that, she stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. Aimi grabbed her sleeping outfit, which was a white kimono, and it was very simple, which fitted her perfectly.
"Arigato," she said softly, before walking over to her futon. She pulled back the kakebuton and moufo, before slipping down into her bed. She snuggled into it, and closed her eyes, in hope of sleep.