Loud and Clear

by aishuu


Yoruichi used to tease him by saying that he'd come into the world screaming, and hadn't shut up since. Byakuya, due to his impetuous, temperamental nature, never failed to rise to the bait.

"It's from having to put up with all of them," he snarled. "They're so set in their ways, they don't see how utterly idiotic they are. Someone has to tell them that!"

That made her laugh, a sound which was honest and open. "You'll understand one day, Byakuya-bou," she said, ruffling his long hair playfully and taking the chance to steal his hair tie as usual, before darting away using flash steps.

He took off after her, knowing he wasn't going to catch her, but it was better than doing nothing. "I'm going to kill you, demon cat!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "I'll teach you to leave my hair alone!"

"I'm just trying to make sure you make the most of your pretty looks!" she returned playfully.

As he cursed her out using language a noble really shouldn't admit to knowing, she slowed her down just enough to avoid going past his skill level. She liked the way he yelled, the honesty he spoke with... and the wonderful color of red his face turned when he was enraged.

She led him over the roof, and onto one of Soul Society's many dividing walls. Yoruichi loved it when he chased her, feeling light-hearted and playful. With her duties as both captain and leader of the secret mobile corps, it wasn't often she had the chance to just enjoy herself. Byakuya never failed to amuse her.

Someday, he would grow into a fine soldier, likely a captain-class shinigami. She wondered what he would be like, when his youth was tempered with restraint, and he became an adult. She knew the Kuchiki Clan was waiting for that day with eagerness, but she had mixed feelings.

"You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to catch me, Byakuya-bou!" she called over her shoulder, before reversing her flash steps to lead him back toward his home.


One hundred years later, after he healed from the first battle with Aizen, she met him at the Kuchiki compound again. Yoruichi joined him for tea, which they shared without speaking, and couldn't help wondering if her leaving had anything to do with how serious he'd become. Most of all, she wondered about his silence. This wasn't the Byakuya she'd known; but he'd gone and proved her earlier point that he did understand what his elders had wanted of him.

The thought made her melancholy. She missed the hotheaded child he'd been.

Thankfully, the ordeal was over quickly, and she rose to leave. On her way out the door, she ventured a hand to ruffle his hair, knowing it was likely to result in an attack. To her shock, he didn't dodge from the display of affection.

"Too bad you don't have a hair tie for me to steal," she said, grinning crookedly. "I would've liked to see how your flash steps have improved."

"I guess we'll have to use yours instead," he replied in a monotone, before he kicked into a flash step.

She blinked, and her long hair cascaded down into her face.