Kurosaki Ichigo sat with his feet tucked under his legs, hands flat on his thighs. His palms had grown clammy over the past few minutes and he was feeling a little hot even though summer was on its way to cooling down into the fall season. He was nervous, and with good reason.

Sitting across from him in the expansive room, his opponent calmly combed through paperwork. This man was always in charge of any situation, especially in battle. But today's meeting was not about battle or war as usual—this was about something much more serious.

Earlier that afternoon, Ichigo had been sitting at his desk finishing up a literature essay when a Senkaimon suddenly appeared in the middle of his room. The rice paper doors opened swiftly but no one came out. Curious, the young Shinigami pushed back his chair and walked over to the dimensional gate. As soon as he was facing the white light, three men dressed in dark purple—including a cloth that covered their faces—sprung out and slammed a wooden badge with a skull engraved on it into his chest, expelling his spirit from his body. Dazed, he attempted to fight the three masked ninjas, but one of them knocked him unconscious and dragged him through the gate. When Ichigo woke, he realized exactly where he was and what consequences were sure to come.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," the smooth baritone on the other side of the room broke the tense silence. The man's steely grey eyes lifted, visible between the strands of dark inky bangs. His aura was dense and his tone was as serious as a heart attack.

"Eh, Byakuya," the carrot-top responded with little enthusiasm.

The corner of Kuchiki Byakuya's mouth twitched when the young man used his first name instead of addressing him in the proper manner. Nevertheless, he kept his composure to attend to the matter at hand.

"I have a question that is in need of answering. I highly recommend you think very carefully about what your response might be, for the wrong answer may be the last sentence you will ever utter."

Ichigo swallowed the hard knot that had formed in his throat. He had expected Byakuya to confront him sooner or later, but had hoped it would be later. Being practically kidnapped and taken to Kuchiki Manor was not on his list of how things would go down. Apparently, it wasn't above the noble to stoop to these levels, especially when it involved a member of his family.

"I prefer to dispel rumors that cross through the vines of the Gotei Thirteen," Byakuya paused to take a sip of green tea, "However, when those rumors are confirmed by members of my own division, I can no longer turn my head the other way."

The captain placed his cup down with a light click and fully turned his attention to the young Shinigami across from him. "What are your intentions with my sister, the noble Kuchiki Rukia?"

Blood was pounding through Ichigo's ears and his heart felt like it was going to jump up into his throat. He felt a film of sweat form on his forehead and he suppressed the urge for his cheeks to flush. Rukia had warned him that when Byakuya found out about their budding relationship that started this summer, he was either going to kill him or lecture him about the proper way to court a noble. At this point it looked liked Lord Kuchiki was ready to do both in whichever order he deemed necessary—knowing him, he'd kill first.

"Um, well, uh…" Ichigo stammered to get his answer out. The fierceness in Byakuya's eyes cut through him like he was butter. He may have been more powerful than the Captain of the Sixth Division, but right now he felt like a bug being threatened by the heel of a shoe.

"Icchi!" an overly excited girl's voice interrupted. A whirlwind of short pink hair over brown eyes popped up from one of the floorboards behind Byakuya. Kusajishi Yachiru had nothing but good timing when it came to interrupting meetings that the noble held.

"I thought I felt you come into Bya-kun's house! Ken-chan is going to be so happy to see you!" The young Lieutenant grinned widely and effortlessly jumped out of the tunnel she dug under Kuchiki Manor. The floorboard slammed shut, pushing a gust of wind towards Byakuya's haori.

"He's been sooo bored since the war ended. I know he'll want to fight you right away!" Yachiru bounced towards one of the outer walls and pulled up a hidden door. She cupped her hands over her mouth to amplify her voice and took a deep breath to shout.

"KEN-CHAAAAAN!"

"Uh, sorry Byakuya." Ichigo immediately stood up and darted towards an opposing exit. Looking over his shoulder apologetically, he shouted back, "I promise I'll answer your question soon!"

"I shall hold you to that," Byakuya responded to the empty space where Ichigo was sitting only seconds before. Moments later, a crushing spiritual pressure shook the walls of Kuchiki Manor, and only the Captain remained unaffected by the tremendous reiatsu.

"Oi, Ichigo! I've come for blood!" Zaraki Kenpachi's booming voice echoed in the massive room. He looked around to find Byakuya sitting calmly in front of his shallow desk, quietly finishing the day's paperwork. His wide fox's grin fell into a scowl.

"Sorry, Ken-chan. I guess he ran away when I wasn't looking." Yachiru jumped onto Zaraki's back, holding on to one of his shoulders.

"Fuckin' coward," the Eleventh Division Captain snorted. The bells on the ends of his long spiked hair jingled as his young Lieutenant found a comfortable position. "Come on, Yachiru. Let's find that brat and teach him a lesson."

"Yay, Ken-chan! Fight, Fight!" Yachiru's hand pumped in the air as she chanted.

"Captain Zaraki," Byakuya spoke up as the duo turned to leave.

"Ya, Kuchiki."

"May I ask one favor from you?"

"What," Kenpachi looked back at his fellow captain over his shoulder.

"If you find the boy, do not kill him."

The brow above Zaraki's eye patch rose in curiosity. "Oh? Only if you give me a reason why not to."

Byakuya lowered his calligraphy brush and tilted his head towards the towering captain.

"Because rescinding his right to live is my duty, not yours."

Zaraki's thunderous laughter could be heard throughout the entire manor.

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Ichigo gulped in air to catch his breath, finding asylum in a forest on the other side of Seireitei. He used shunpo the entire way, thankful that even though Yachiru and Zaraki were very fast, neither of them had any sense of direction. With his luck, they'd be lost for hours and he could easily make his way back to the manor without detection—although he had to admit he wasn't in any rush to get back there. He was probably safer fighting the Eleventh Division Captain right now than in the presence the less-than-pleased Head of the Kuchiki Clan.

Sure, he knew how he felt about Rukia but they hadn't begun to classify what their relationship was. Shortly after the Tanabata Festival, Rukia had been called back to Soul Society to perform her duties as a member of the Thirteenth Division. He hadn't seen her in weeks and was certainly not ready to answer any questions about where their relationship stood—least of all to her over-protective brother.

He slowed his feet and found a small creek between the dense trees. He bent down and cupped his hands, thankful for a drink after running from the insane captain. The water touched his fingers and he was momentarily shocked by how cold the creek was for this time of year; but he shrugged it off and brought the liquid up to his lips. Suddenly he let out a small shout of surprise and dropped the chunk of ice in his hands that had been liquid only seconds ago. Hard steel from the blunt end of a blade pressed against his jugular vein.

"I can't believe you are still so terrible at concealing your reiatsu. I could sense you coming miles away."

Thin, feathery ice particles floated around Ichigo as he slowly turned his face to his opponent. He cracked a grin knowing exactly who this commander of ice was. "At least I'm learning. You, on the other hand, still draw the same crappy bunnies."

Kuchiki Rukia shot the carrot-top a death glare and quickly smacked the side of Ichigo's head with the flat end of her unsheathed blade, Sode no Shirayuki. He yelped and rubbed the sore spot with his hand.

The forest grew quiet as the pair stood in each other's presence in silence. The occasional chirp from a bird's call and the bubbling water in the creek were the only sounds that passed in those moments. In the few weeks that Rukia had gone back to Soul Society, Ichigo felt like something was missing in his hum-drum life. Meeting her like this was an unexpected but welcome surprise.

She had obviously been training out here on her own; her porcelain skin was smeared with bits of dirt and a thin bead of sweat trickled down her forehead behind the lone bang that hung down the center of her face. She studied him with her large eyes, sparkling like amethyst in the afternoon sun. The rays that peeked through the dense trees lit her features like a mythical creature. Her raven hair was dark as ever but shimmered as if it was highlighted with a glaze of ice.

She was certainly a sight for sore eyes.

"What?" Rukia tucked her chin down and a flush of pink reached her cheeks. The look Ichigo was giving her suddenly made her stomach turn into butterflies.

"Nothing," the Vizard's grin widened in response. He cleared his throat to change the subject. "So, what are you doing out here?"

"I'd ask you the same question," Rukia's short brows furrowed.

"Heh, you should really be asking your brother that instead."

"He didn't." Her lips thinned.

"Sent three of his lackeys through a gate to come get me."

She shook her head in shame, closing her eyes. Suddenly she let out a smirk and looked up into Ichigo's hazel eyes. "Only three? I told him that he would have needed at least five to bring you down. You must be getting rusty."

"What?!" The carrot-top's nostrils flared as he dropped his jaw in disbelief.

"I'm joking," Rukia crinkled her nose as a mischievous spark crossed over her face. The whispered hush of shunpo didn't even echo as she moved gracefully behind him.

"Or maybe I'm not."

Another motion and she was further away this time, taunting him on for a chase. With a smile, he accepted and the two of them flash-stepped their way between trees and rocks. Over and under branches, Rukia led Ichigo through the secluded forest, drawing him further and further into unfamiliar territory. Just when he thought he was going to get completely lost, the trees opened up into a clearing. Ahead of him on a hill, Rukia stood at the crest looking out into the horizon. He jogged up towards her, his robes brushing against the tall weeds and thick grass. When he got to the top she didn't look over at him, keeping her face towards the outstretched land that lay in the valley below them.

Minutes passed, maybe more, as the two Shinigami stood at the top of that grassy knoll and simply breathed in the cooling air as the sun began to set. Tiny fingers touched Ichigo's calloused hand, then interlaced with his own digits. Surprised, he glanced to his left to find Rukia peering at him with a look on her face that made his stomach do flip-flops.

"What?"

It was his turn to ask.

"Nothing."

Her lips turned up into a soft smile.

Her shoulder leaned into the side of his body and she rested her head on his arm. He felt her free hand gently clasp the folds his kosode, so he brought up his other hand and covered hers with his, pressing it against his chest. In that moment, Ichigo knew exactly how he would answer the question Byakuya asked. But for now, all he wanted was more of this.

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A/N: I got the color of Byakuya's guards clothing from the omake of the Shinigami Women's Association Mission when Nemu and Isane are trying to get pictures of Byakuya. lol, Nemu saying "Butter" instead of "Cheese" cracks me up every time! (Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book: Golden! #161)

Thankies to omgiluffbleachvampires for the quick beta!