Sakura no Eda
Chapter 3
For the next day and a half, their relationship was blissfully peaceful and close, though neither made much comment about it. However, they had little time to wonder exactly what to call it. The next day, a messenger arrived from the Fujiwara. Byakuya was not surprised. At first he tried to hide it from Rukia, but one of the servants betrayed him, and she rushed to his room, where he was currently writing a reply. She looked grave.
"What does it say?" she asked.
Byakuya sighed. "It does not concern you."
She immediately sat down at the table across from him with a determined expression. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he very nearly smiled at the look on her face.
Byakuya closed his eyes in thought. "Their son has woven them a fiction, and they believe it. I was writing a reply to say that if they continue to believe such nonsense, I will solve the matter in the old way, and kill one of their family in a duel."
"Nii-sama," Rukia said darkly. "What did he say?"
Against his will, Byakuya gripped his brush until his fingernails took off a thin layer of wood. He tried to get control of his anger, so it was not visible. "You have no need to know."
Rukia blinked, and then understanding passed over her face. She glanced away. "How could I think he was nice?"
"It strains the mind," Byakuya answered, barely concealing his petulance.
She took a moment to think, and then nodded to herself. "Nii-sama. Allow me to go."
His eyes widened. Then he closed them again, and went back to writing his letter. "Ridiculous. Their main cause for anger was his extensive injury, and that was my doing. Additionally, anyone who insults a member of my house insults me. There is…"
He looked up as he briefly lost sight of Rukia. When he looked down, he saw her bowed as far forward as she could while still sitting, with her fists widely spread apart and holding her weight on the ground. Her head was almost touching the tatami mats.
"Byakuya onii-sama," she said, loudly and with an official tone of voice. "Please allow me to reclaim something which was stolen from me. And please be my second, if I should fall."
Byakuya's eyes were wide. It was all he could do to keep from snapping his brush in two. This sort of request, he could never deny unless he had good reason. This time, he did not. If she had been his brother, instead of his sister, he would not have hesitated. Quite the contrary, he would have been moved. He realized then that it was more than reclaiming her honor; she also wanted to settle the score with that good-for-nothing. With that, he slowly set down his brush and closed his eyes for a moment.
"You have a right to reclaim what is yours," he said, slowly. "But I will go with you. I will intercede if any foul play is involved."
Rukia looked up at him with a relieved smile. However, Byakuya just felt uneasy. Was Rukia experienced enough for a duel?
As he expected, it did indeed come the that. The Fujiwara insisted that their son had done nothing without Rukia's consent, and that she had lied to save herself from her brother. Any time afterward that those words popped up in Byakuya's head, he had a terrible time restraining himself from irrational violence.
They met at the Fujiwara estate. Ryouma had been briefly let out of prison to witness the duel. Two 9th division officers were also present to watch him. His face was quite something, still covered with bandages, though unlike before it now had returned to a basically human shape. As the captain of the 13th division, to which both Rukia and Ryouma belonged, as well as being nobility himself, Ukitake Taichou was called in to officiate. Byakuya found it extremely gratifying the way the normally innocuous Ukitake looked at Ryouma with utter contempt. He came to the front of the Fujiwara garden, where the duel was to be held.
"Who will champion the Kuchiki?" Ukitake asked.
Rukia stepped forward. "I. And Kuchiki Byakuya will be my second."
Byakuya stood behind her feeling a little proud. He assumed it was his influence that had made Rukia speak so well.
"And who will champion the Fujiwara?" Byakuya may have imagined a lowering of Ukitake's tone.
"I." To the disbelief of everyone on the Kuchiki side (Byakuya was including Ukitake here), the one to say this had been Ryouma himself. "My father will be my second."
Ukitake seemed taken aback for a moment, and then he considered. "Now wait, Fujiwara," Ukitake said, kindly. "You're still injured. There's no shame in having someone else champion for you. You could get seriously hurt."
"My honor has already been seriously hurt," said Ryouma, though to Byakuya's eye he seemed to be blushing in shame. "I intend to fight to reclaim it."
"It is impossible to reclaim that which does not exist," Byakuya said coolly.
Ryouma glared hatefully at him. His father looked very offended. Byakuya could care less; they might be noble, but the Fujiwara were a far cry from being among the Four Noble Families. He could afford to offend them. He glanced down to see Rukia with a sad smile beside him, though the expression soon faded.
"If you're certain," Ukitake said hesitantly. Then he gestured for the two of them to enter a large, square area, at either side of which were their seconds. The other spectators of the Fujiwara were told to step back. Then Ukitake created a kidou barrier around the square.
"We now meet to settle the conflict between the Kuchiki and the Fujiwara. By mutual agreement, the duel will be to first blood. The right to kill or put forth demands lies with the victor. When you are ready, you may begin."
Rukia did not even draw her sword for a few moments, though Ryouma was drawn and ready. Rukia looked at him with what might have been pity. "You were only recently placed. You're not even a seated officer. You cannot hope to defeat a lieutenant."
"It's my right, and my decision," he said, softly. "Draw your swo-"
Before he finished speaking, Rukia passed him with shunpo. She sheathed her sword, though most had not even seen her draw it. At first Ryouma appeared unhurt. Then a small streak of red dripped down over the bandages on his cheek. He looked stunned for several long moments. Then he lowered his head.
"First blood to Kuchiki," Ukitake said loudly, and he lowered the barrier.
"I'm sorry, Ryouma," Rukia said, quietly. "I'm sorry things turned out this way. If your father had fought instead of you, I might have lost."
"Yeah," he scoffed, casting his gaze aside. "Like I didn't know that."
Then Rukia looked at him with a trace of surprise. The same thing that was occurring to Byakuya seemed to be occurring to her as well. The demand had come from the Fujiwara, not from Ryouma specifically. Was it possible he was only performing in this duel to please them? Did he really feel guilty over his actions?
Byakuya closed his eyes and shook his head minimally. He would give no such benefit of the doubt to this scoundrel.
"Kuchiki," said Ukitake, looking relieved although he tried to hide it. "You may put forth your demands."
"That Ryouma serve out his sentence, and that no one ever again speak the lie that he had my permission to do what he did," Rukia said with ease.
Byakuya sighed with satisfaction. Now it should be over.
The Fujiwara looked none too pleased with that, but then again there were two captains present who would very much take exception to any futher unfriendliness. They bowed in acceptance, and the two 9th division officers took Ryouma away. He went quietly.
Ukitake turned to Rukia and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did well, Kuchiki." Then he walked over to Byakuya and addressed him privately. "I'm equally impressed with you, Byakuya, you showed great restraint. If it were me, I'm not confident I could have let him live."
Byakuya covered his slight displeasure at the implication that Ukitake somehow cared more about Rukia than he did. But he merely replied, "Nor would I be, if it happened again."
Ukitake nodded. Then he smiled at Rukia. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kuchiki. I'm very proud of you." And with that he left.
Rukia returned to Byakuya's side and smiled. "Let's go home, Nii-sama."
He nodded.
As they walked, Rukia seemed to want to speak, although she held herself back. He was almost to the point of asking her what it was directly when she said, "Nii-sama…I'm…sorry I said all those things the other night. I hope you didn't feel too uncomfortable."
Byakuya's chest felt tight. Was she saying it had been a mistake? Of course, he could not fault her on her judgment. "It's all right," Byakuya said simply, though inside he was in turmoil.
"And…" Rukia continued softly. "Even if what you did was out of pity…I…thank you." He looked up a little at that. "I was so upset at the time, but you held me even though I was at fault."
Don't say that, he thought to himself.
"If you had not done that, I don't think I would have been able to sleep."
He sighed very slightly. So he was a security blanket.
"Truly. Thank you."
Byakuya let that hang for a time while he was thinking. "You also said that you didn't care who your partner was, since you couldn't find someone as good as me," he said. Rukia looked up at him with a heavy blush. "Do you still feel that way?"
Rukia looked conflicted as she stared at the ground before her, still blushing. "I suppose…I do. Of course, someone may come along who changes my mind," Byakuya's jaw tightened, "but yes, I think I still feel that way."
Byakuya stopped walking. Rukia stopped too in surprise, frowning up at him. He took her by the wrist, and led her into an alley where no one could see. Then he clasped her tight against him. She uttered a peep of surprise, but did not resist. He held her this way for a long time, and was not sure what to say now.
But Rukia's small hands clutched the fabric of his captain's robe. She nuzzled against his chest, causing him to blush. "Nii-sama…" she whispered. "You can refuse, but, if you like…would you kiss me again?"
Byakuya's eyes shot open, his heart pounding. His hands tightened around her. Then he pushed her away slightly. Gently, he brushed her hair from her face. He leaned down, and softly kissed her temple. Then the corner of her eye. Then her cheek. Then the corner of her mouth. Then he took a breath, and softly touched her lips with his.
He felt Rukia's knees weaken and her fingers grip his robes tighter. His cheeks lit up and his chest ached. He kissed her again, holding her cheeks in his hands. His hands were almost large enough in comparison to cover the sides of her head. His fingers wove in her hair. He kissed her more deeply, feeling lost passions slowly rise up within him again. He now found it silly that he had ever compared the two; she was nothing like Hisana. For one thing, she was kissing him in return. Hisana had rarely, if ever, done that. It was causing Byakuya to go weak with affection and desire. Finally, very reluctantly, he drew away.
Rukia collapsed her weight against him, breathing heavily as he was. Neither one seemed to be able to think of anything to say. So Byakuya merely held her close and kissed her hair again.
"Let's go home," Byakuya said.
He felt Rukia nod against his chest. She briefly wiped her mouth on her sleeve, and then she followed him as he exited the alley. The walk back was almost totally silent, and Byakuya's guilt started bubbling up again. Some of him was still reeling from the feeling of her kiss, but some of him was appalled that it had even occurred to him to do that. Of course, there was the most important thing. Rukia seemed to like it. That made his guilt settle down a little. Still, could he bear to do something that he knew would break Hisana's heart, were she alive?
They ate dinner in silence as well. He headed to his room for the evening, when a tiny hand caught the fabric of his sleeve. He turned with a slight pounding in his heart. Rukia was looking at the floor and blushing.
"Nii-sama…I will understand if you say no, but…will you hold me as I fall asleep again?"
Byakuya swallowed heavily. His resistance crumbled. Slowly, he took Rukia's hand without a word, and led her to his room. Once inside, he wrapped her up tightly in his arms. For a time, he was perfectly content to do only this. And then Rukia shifted, took one of his large hands, and with an enormous blush, she shyly kissed his fingertips.
That was almost too much for him to take. He lifted her into his arms, and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. He felt the tiniest moan against his lips, and to his shame, his body started to react. But he had already decided the moment he opened that door, they would do no more than this today. No matter how much he wanted to, it was too soon for him to fall so far into sin. While he still held her with one arm, he once again laid out his futon. He slipped inside it, letting her lay upon his chest. His heart was so full. Again, even if they had "relations" so to speak, which was rare, Byakuya almost never slept in the same bed as Hisana, for fear of hurting her. But though she was small, Rukia was perfectly healthy, and also a shinigami. She was strong enough to move him if she had to. He felt no fears about her sleeping with him.
However, as he was thinking these things, he failed to notice the drastic change in Rukia's expression. She was staring blankly at his chest with wide eyes, and she was red all the way up to her ears. Byakuya soon realized why. Her leg was pressed in between both of his. His body's reaction would be no mystery to her. He sighed.
"Rukia," he said, firmly. She jumped a little. "Do not think about it. It is nothing."
She blinked in embarrassment and if possible became even redder. "But…Nii-sama…isn't it uncomfortable?"
"Leave it."
Rukia actually looked a little annoyed at that. She bit her lip for a moment in silence, then started to blush again. Byakuya didn't notice at first, but she began to roll her hips very gently against him. As soon as he realized that she was doing that on purpose, his eyes flew open.
"Rukia," he said, angrily. "If you do more than that I will send you out of this room."
She briefly glanced at him, still blushing, and then she parted his shihakushou. She pressed a soft kiss onto his chest. Byakuya's whole body was struck with a wave of heat. His lower half started reacting even stronger, much though he wished it wouldn't. The movements of her hips became more bold, and soon it was just enough to frustrate him, but not enough for him to finish.
Byakuya grabbed her shoulders. "Rukia," he said, in an unforgiving tone. "This isn't funny. If you go further, I won't be able to hold back."
Rukia looked up at him. But her only response to his statement was to kiss his chest again. Byakuya's head fell back in a mix of pleasure and frustration. He could not do this; he knew it was wrong. And yet at this point his body was almost irrational with desire. She was so sweet, and her body so willing.
Finally, the better part of him won out. He growled, picked Rukia up, opened his door with his foot, deposited her on the other side of it and slammed it shut. He stood there for a time, panting. He couldn't believe how close he'd come. His stupid body. He really only wanted to lay beside her.
Even as he thought this, to his own shame, his hand reached down to touch the job that Rukia had left unfinished. He swallowed. Much though he knew it was wrong, at least this was better than doing it with her. He closed his eyes, and imagined the heat of her body against his. He remembered the feel of her lips, and that was nearly enough. He remembered her small breasts pressed against him, and the motion of her hips against his. It did not take long. He gasped and released all he had pent up over the past few days. In exhaustion, he fell to his knees and pressed his free hand to the tatami floor.
This was more than just a mildly troublesome crush now. His attraction for her had become very much physical, and he knew himself well enough to know that his body would not forget once learned. Still…Rukia had been so willing. Why was that? Did she feel pity for him? Perhaps she was trying to repay the debt she had invented for his saving her from Ryouma. But could he afford to admit to himself the other possibility?
He shook his head. No. He had only broken his heart once, and it had almost destroyed him. If he were to entertain false hopes and then have them crushed, he found it unlikely that he would recover this time. Now that things had come to this, he knew there was only one thing he could do; to try to distance himself from Rukia.
