Chapter 2: Spectacle
(Big, huge apologies for not getting to shout outs, but I have like five seconds to get this published before being whisked away to a movie with my honey. Hope all of you are having a lovely Valentine's Day! Here's some sweet fluff for you! Love you, Spunky
A soft invasion of sweet, flowery scents, and the fresh smell of dewy grass seeped into Ichigo's consciousness, waking him just as dawn arrived. He laid, warmly snuggled in soft bedding, looking out the open garden doors into the beautiful Kuchiki Manor gardens. As lovely a vision as they were pleasing to the other senses, the calm gardens beckoned him. It wasn't like Ichigo to be out of bed before noon, if it wasn't required, but he heard a quiet footstep on the wooden walkway outside, then Byakuya's deep, tranquil voice.
"I will return for breakfast, and to farewell the last of the wedding guests who stayed over. Renji and his friends will probably sleep late, as they were careless with their drinking. You should make sure that Michio is on hand, and that he is prepared to treat some of them for hangover headaches."
Ichigo covered his mouth and laughed softly. He slipped out of bed and started towards the dressing area. Halfway there, he was met by a young man with short, black hair and friendly green eyes, who was dressed in the uniform of the house staff.
"Good morning, Ichigo-sama," the youth greeted him, "I am Kuchiki Akio. Byakuya-sama has assigned me to assist you this morning."
"To assist me?" Ichigo inquired, smiling at the young man, "I get dressed okay on my own, "You don't need to help."
"Oh, but it is considered a compliment to be assigned a family attendant like me," Akio persisted, "Please, Ichigo-sama…"
Akio paused and peeked out of the dressing area before looking back at Ichigo and continuing.
"It is my first important assignment," he whispered, "I want to do well. Will you please let me assist you in preparing for breakfast?"
"P-preparing for breakfast?"
Akio nodded.
"I will first show you to the bathing chamber, where I will bathe you. Then, we will return here and I will help you dress. I am sorry if it is a bother to you. I know you are more independent and you weren't raised in a noble home, but…"
"Okay," Ichigo chuckled, "But, do you really mean you're going to like…?"
Akio slipped Ichigo's yukata off and dressed him in a simple, white one.
"I will show you to the bathing chamber."
"Eh, I kind of have to go to the bathroom," Ichigo confessed, blushing, "Y-you don't…"
"Oh, no, Ichigo-sama!" Akio laughed, "We only give that much assistance if it is requested or if our master is unable. The bathroom is there."
Akio carefully laid out Ichigo's clothing as the Shiba heir saw to his needs, then stepped out of the bathroom and looked around for him.
"Hey, there's a shower in here," Ichigo noted, "I could just use that."
"But, if you use the shower in here, you won't get to see the bathing chamber," Akio informed him, "It is in the center of the gardens. It is really beautiful. Only honored guests are invited to use it."
Ichigo grinned.
"I'm an honored guest now," he chuckled, "Never thought I'd see the day. Byakuya usually just shoos me off as soon as I don't need to be here."
"Well, you are the savior of Soul Society," Akio reminded him, "And you are a noble heir. Byakuya-sama is only being proper."
"Well," Ichigo sighed, "my dad and some of our family elders have been getting on me to be more proper too. So, I guess I'd better let you take care of me."
"Come this way, Shiba-sama."
"It's Ichigo."
Akio gave him a patient smile.
"House attendants must always use honorifics when addressing a person with high noble status. It is permissible for me to call you Ichigo-sama, but only once you have invited me to do so."
"Then, I invite you to call me Ichigo-sama," Ichigo laughed, "Okay, Akio, lead the way."
Ichigo followed the attendant down the wooden walkway and onto a little trail that led towards the central gardens. He couldn't help but feel quiet and happy inside, surrounded in the bright colors and pleasant scents.
This place is amazing…
"Hey, Akio, can I ask you something?" he inquired as they walked down the trail.
"Of course, Ichigo-sama."
"I noticed that your last name is Kuchiki. Doesn't that mean you're a family member? And, if you are, then why are you a servant? Not to insult you…"
"I'm not insulted," Akio assured him, "All of the personal attendants who serve the leader's main family are also family members. And we are not just considered attendants. All attendants are also capable bodyguards, who protect the leader and his family in their home."
"I didn't know there was danger of invasion," Ichigo joked.
"Most often, there is not," Akio explained, "But, there have been times when an attendant was able to stop an assassination attempt on their leader or family. And sometimes, we encounter people who would abduct the leader's family to ransom them or use them to manipulate the leader."
"Yikes," Ichigo said, shaking his head, "I've never had to deal with any of that, and I'm pretty glad I didn't."
The two young men continued forward and Ichigo bowed his head for a moment in deeper thought.
"Akio," he addressed the attendant, "I was wondering. Were you around here when Hisana was alive?"
"I was, but I was very small, and not an attendant yet. My mother was Hisana-sama's attendant. My family has been chosen repeatedly to supply attendants for the main family because of our reputation. And a lot of that is because of my mother's service."
"She must really be something," Ichigo surmised.
He felt a little jolt inside at the sad look that came into his attendant's green eyes.
"She was," he said softly, "She passed away before Hisana-sama."
"Really?" Ichigo asked sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Akio. I didn't mean to…"
"It's all right," Akio answered, an edge of pride in his voice, "The greatest thing that a family attendant can do is to die protecting his or her master. There was an attempt on Hisana-sama's life."
"What? Here?" Ichigo asked, looking shocked, "I never heard about that."
"It was well known that the elders didn't approve of Byakuya-sama's marriage to Hisana-sama. But, we all loved her. She was gentle and kind. She and my mother were good friends. And after my mother died protecting her, Hisana-sama said she couldn't bear to let another die for her. She refused to have an attendant. Of course, Byakuya-sama had her carefully watched, but, well…Hisana-sama was sickly from her life in Inuzuri and the healers said that my mother's death was devastating for her. We were all so sad when she passed away, and Byakuya-sama went silent and wouldn't see anyone for almost a week after."
"It must have been horrible," Ichigo said sadly, "But, look, don't tell anyone I asked. I just…heard something and wondered if it could be true. I heard someone say at the wedding that Hisana might have been poisoned. Do you…think that could be true?"
Akio stiffened slightly and bit at his lips, looking around cautiously.
"Ah…no," he answered anxiously, "The healers all said that it was the stresses on her body from the way she lived in Inuzuri."
"You don't look so sure," Ichigo said gently.
Akio shifted uneasily.
"W-well, I shouldn't even be discussing it with you. It's not proper to gossip. I just…feel comfortable with you. You're different than most noble lords, Ichigo-sama."
"I wasn't raised a noble lord," Ichigo chuckled, assuming a more relaxed pose to ease his attendant's discomfort, "And I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious because I heard that, and I had always thought that Hisana's death was because of her life in Inuzuri also."
"I wasn't offended," Akio answered, stopping as they reached the bathing chamber, "I only want to avoid getting in trouble on my first important assignment."
"Don't worry," Ichigo laughed, "I won't get you into trouble."
The two stepped through the doors and into the massive bathing chamber, a lovely, kido reinforced glass building that seemed like an extension of the idyllic gardens outside of it. Ichigo froze for a moment, his eyes taking in the pretty expanses of grass, hedge lined walkways, and the enormous bathing pool that dominated the center of the chamber. The shallows featured a number of bubbling soaking areas on each end, while a large fountain in the middle rained water over eight stony waterfalls.
"Holy…" the Shiba heir breathed, "This is…incredible!"
In the next instant, Ichigo realized that Byakuya stood, naked and waist deep in the hot water, beneath one of the waterfalls, with an attendant who looked similar to Ichigo's own, bathing him.
"Oh, we uh…we should…" he stammered uncertainly, knowing he should look away, but unable to do so."
"It's all right," Akio said reassuringly, "Family and important guests often bathe together. Don't worry. The water is waist deep, once you wade out."
"Y-yeah, uh…"
"Come, Ichigo-sama, it's fine, really." Akio said, smiling aas he removed the Shiba heir's yukata.
Ichigo swallowed hard as he felt Byakuya's dark, curious eyes touch him for a moment, then look away politely.
"Who is that with Byakuya?" Ichigo asked as he looked back at his attendant.
He started at seeing Akio remove his clothes, then place a little wrap around his waist.
"That is my older brother, Torio," Akio replied, "I have another brother, Koji, who is Tetsuya-sama's attendant. But, he is now over at Shima Adobe."
"He went with Tetsuya?"
"Yes. The connections we form with our masters tend to be strong. After all, we are responsible for their comfort and their safety. My brother, Torio, began serving Byakuya-sama when Byakuya-sama was a teen and Torio was a small boy."
"And they've been working together all of this time," Ichigo mused, "They must know each other well. So, would you say that pretty much all of the noble families do this? Have attendants so close to their masters?"
"Some do and some don't," Akio answered, stepping out into the warm water and turning back to face Ichigo.
"My family doesn't really have attendants. I mean, there's a cook and cleaning people, but we mostly just take care of ourselves. We don't have people bathing and guarding us all of the time."
"The Shiba family has always been what the other great clans would call free-spirited."
"Go ahead," Ichigo chuckled, "You can say it. We're troublemakers. I know that."
"You may not choose to follow the same standards as other noble clans," Akio reasoned, but you are all very devoted to the protection of Soul Society. And, after the war we've just been through, everyone is really grateful for that. I don't think anyone is going to bother about you not having attendants or following strict rules."
Akio glanced at the soaking areas, then at the waterfalls.
"Which way would you like to go?" he asked.
"The waterfall, I think," Ichigo decided.
He expected his attendant to lead him off to one side, but Akio entered the waterfall directly beside Byakuya's and stood, waiting. Byakuya's dark eyes met Ichigo's as the Shiba heir paused for a moment, taking stock.
"Good morning, Ichigo," Byakuya greeted him quietly, "I hope you slept well."
"I slept like a log!" Ichigo confessed.
"I did not expect you would be up so soon after last night's merriment."
"Well, I didn't get as merry as Renji, Hisagi or Rangiku," Ichigo laughed, "I don't really drink."
"But you have only recently come of age," Byakuya noted, "Many young men your age have not learned to temper their use of alcohol, leading to unfortunate and embarrassing incidents. "
"I'll bet that didn't happen to you, huh?" Ichigo said, smiling, "You probably had someone teach you how to do it right, so you wouldn't do something embarrassing."
To his surprise, Byakuya nodded.
"I was carefully groomed to recognize and appreciate respectable libation and to be able to compare their relative assets. I was also carefully educated in when, where and how much to indulge in public and in private."
Ichigo gave a little giggle, flinching slightly as Akio began to bathe him.
"My dad told me where the beer was and reminded me to put another one in if I took one out," he joked.
He looked down at the swirling water for a moment, blushing slightly as he felt Byakuya's eyes touching him.
"There are a lot of things about being noble that just make me feel like a fish out of water. But since my family doesn't take them seriously, they seem to figure I shouldn't either."
"Hmm," Byakuya mused, "I think that, as a leader, you should be deciding what matters most in your leadership. For example, I have focused my leadership, much as my grandfather did, upon improving the example we set for others, both noble and commoner and encouraging understanding and cooperation."
"Is that why you married a commoner?" Ichigo asked.
Immediately, he wanted to take the words back.
"S-sorry, that was rude," he apologized, "I know you loved Hisana."
"I did," Byakuya confessed, "And I still do. Her death has only increased my desire to ease the tensions between classes."
Ichigo frowned.
"I didn't know her dying had anything to do with that, other than the fact that she was ill because of her difficult life in the low Rukongai," he said cautiously.
He spotted easily the slight hesitation before Byakuya answered.
"It was more just a reminder that if there was better understanding and cooperation between us all, there might not need to be a low Rukongai," Byakuya answered quietly.
"Right."
Ichigo tilted his head back and let the water run through the bright ginger strands. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he might have seen Byakuya looking for a bit longer than might be considered proper.
"I don't know what I should focus on," Ichigo sighed, "After the trouble with the quincies, maybe just making things so we don't end up in another war."
Byakuya thought for a moment before answering.
"If you would like to reflect on the subject with someone who has been in that situation, I could assist you, if you wish," he offered.
Ichigo blinked in surprise.
"You wanna help me figure out…?"
"Sometimes, having the perspective of someone with different life experience can be helpful."
"Yeah," Ichigo said thoughtfully, "that sounds like good advice."
He bit his lip gently, considering.
He's probably right about needing to consider another perspective. I don't really have one, since I grew up in the living world. Besides, maybe sitting down with him and talking a little will get him to open up about what happened to his wife.
"Okay, sure," he said, smiling at the look of genuine surprise in Byakuya's dark eyes, "What? Do you think I don't know how out of my element I am?"
Byakuya's head tilted slightly to the side.
"You are usually more free spirited in your thinking and actions, and not so likely to embrace a more conservative viewpoint."
"Well," Ichigo chuckled, "Just because I listen to it, doesn't mean I'll ado what you would do."
"That is true."
"So, when would you want to get together and talk about things?" asked Ichigo.
Byakuya took a little breath.
Perhaps we can combine tasks and also introduce you to proper drinking knowledge and techniques. Would you like to stay for dinner tonight?"
"You want to have dinner with me?"
"If you have nothing else you need to attend to," Byakuya answered.
"I'm free today," Ichigo assured him, "I kept it cleared because I wasn't sure how late I would be up with friends last night."
Byakuya nodded.
"Dinner will be at seven. We can meet in the gardens, as the weather is likely to be good."
"Sounds great."
Akio cleared his throat softly, catching Ichigo's attention.
"Huh?"
"With your permission, sir?" the young man said politely.
"Wh-what?" Ichigo asked, giving him a confused look.
"He is inquiring as to whether he should wash your privates."
"M-my…no!" Ichigo said, inadvertently sharply, a blush roaring over his face, "I…I mean, no thank you. I'll take care of it. Sorry."
"It's fine, Ichigo-sama," Akio apologized, "I am sorry to have flustered you."
"It's okay," Ichigo laughed nervously, "I just didn't know, you know?"
"I understand," Akio assured him, "Would you like me to give you a massage?"
"No, thanks. I'm good," Ichigo chuckled, blushing more brightly as he noticed Torio gently washing Byakuya's submerged nether region.
Oh my god…
"Are you all right, Ichigo?" Byakuya asked.
"Oh, ah, yeah, I'm fine."
What have I gotten myself into?
