A/n: I own nothing. A welcome back gift/request for Sesshomarufreak based on the omake for ep 142. As usual please R&R her and TheDrunkenWerewolf's stuff.

Zaraki walked through the precipice world next to him, trimming his nails on his nameless sword, projecting absolute boredom in the. Byakuya ignored his undesired companion not deigning to as much as glance his way. Really had the sword-for-personal-grooming schtick ever intimidated anyone? The need to resort to such coarse and barbaric…

"This is fucked," the unsolicited statement cut through blissful silence while Byakuya for his part tried to tune out the pointless ranting. "That kid isn't prepared. Tell me this doesn't piss you off?"

"We have our orders," he allowed no inflection to color his reply, but gods did he get sick of repeating that. They walked for a stretch in silence before the barbarian grabbed his shoulder in a vice-like grip. Halting he spun around sword half drawn ready to fight for his life but, there was no threat. Zaraki's sword was relaxed at his side, relying on reiatsu to shield him—the only Shinigami other than Soitaichou for whom that wasn't laughably arrogant— and only frustration was in his eyes.

"The kid's gonna take it up the ass, Its fucking cowardice and you know it," he snarled. Byakuya closed his eyes briefly as he sheathed his sword, as far as he'd known Zaraki hadn't been in the need-to-know circle as far as the true reason for this 'recall mission' was concerned. Zaraki gave a bitter snort as they moved on.

"Ya' seriously thought that was a secret? Its way too big of a project, that many people are gonna talk. Even if they didn't it hardly takes a high int'lect' he said this in a manner that made it clear he was questioning Byakuya possession of such. "ta figure out what a kid who broke the fuck into soul Society to save someone is gonna do when another of his people is kidnapped."

Byakuya forced himself to walk on calmly, view the situation dispassionately as opposed to through the lens of owing a personal debt to the boy.

"It's what's best for soul society," he replied finally.

"Hypocrite!" Zaraki barked. That wasn't even worth a response, he was many things but followed the same rules he enforced. To a fault perhaps, a voice whispered in the back of his head as he thought back on recent events. A lifetime of politics and assassination attempts gave one some skill in reading people and he could feel the disdain Rukia projected even if she said nothing. It was obvious enough that she hated him and had every right to do so.

Perhaps it was guilt, maybe genuine curiosity or the demon's singular knack for infuriating him, but eventually he did lower himself to respond, "How do you presume that? You consider it hypocrisy to follow orders?"

"I consider it hypocrisy to hide behind 'honor' as ya screw over yer friends an' family," he snarled. Byakuya was surprised; there was an edge to the barbarian's voice that said he was taking this far too personally.

"I have no need for friends and as for family as I told Ukitake-taichou that's no one's concern but the clan's."

"Whateva the fuck ya' say bitch," Zaraki snarled picking up his pace. His hand twitched reflexively for his sword, but let it slide as just Zaraki being Zaraki, he had other concerns. What caught his attention more was the pain that flashed in Zaraki's eyes when he said it. It was fleeting; the type of thing that you only noticed if you were practiced in the art as well, but it was there.

"Why do you care?" he asked lowering his voice so it wouldn't sound like an accusation or insult.

"Ah don't, just think ya a cunt," he replied striding past. Byakuya exhaled through gritted teeth, wondering at the man's singular ability to get on his nerves though remained calm since it was quite obvious that the other was merely lashing out for the sake of it. Immature to be sure, but nothing to draw for mortal combat over. As he watched the other stalk ahead, he thought about the situation and what he knew of the man and it clicked. For someone who'd been alone basically their entirely life family wouldn't have the bitter connotations that it did for himself. It'd be a sort of virtuous ideal something to be protected and coveted the way a poor man coveted gold.

In that context he must seem the ultimate traitor. He could hardly blame the man's anger or distaste though there was nothing that he do about it for the moment. They collected the targets and returned them to Soul Society without any more needless discussion. As they stepped through the gate into Seireitei Renji broke the silence to ask how they'd timed their entrance so well.

A dumb question, which he responded to sarcastically, this appeared to be lost on Renji unfortunately, the mutt was loyal but lacking in anything like mental agility. Zaraki helpfully sold it with a feral 'do you really want to know' grin because well…the truth would have done neither of their images any favors and for both of them image was as much a matter of survival as vanity if not more so.

Had he not had a personal stake in the matter he would have been secretly smug over the fact that he'd found a way to help the boy he was unfortunately indebted to while Zaraki of all people had played the good boy. As it stood he was quite…disdainful to put it mildly, of the fact that despite their obvious desire to the contrary Zaraki had held Ikkaku and Yumi in soul Society. He only found out much later that Soutaichou had specifically requested them for the defense of fake Karakura town.

Even he couldn't miss the irony.