AN – Just wanting to thank a couple of people for their encouragement after I posted Chaps1-3. AngelaMaeAmatuzio – Big thumbs up for my first review ever and it was even a really positive one so that's awesome! And of course SLYSWN for taking time to review each chapter and give me big warm fuzzies for the rest of the day awwww – lots of beersies for you two.
Chapter 4
Byakuya's brain was hurting. And he knew it wasn't from the punch to the face. In frustration he scowled loudly to himself, but it also happened to be the point where Renji tried to apply a cool gel pack to his cheek making Renji flinch and drop it.
"Give me that." Byakuya growled out. Renji obliged as well as trying to hand him some pain relief.
"Never mind that Renji. I need to head back up and get ready to meet with the new designer."
"Uhh, ok. You sure you don't need em, who knows how hard you fell on your head? Zaraki said he got you good."
"At this moment the only thing bothering my head is your chatter so stay quiet unless it's work-related." Byakuya deadpanned with his eyes shut.
Byakuya didn't need to look at Renji to know he was scowling, and wondering if his voice was affecting Byakuya because he'd been hit in the head.
Byakuya stood and felt a little dizzy again. Renji with all Byakuya's belongings and medical supplies in one arm grabbed Byakuya around the waist with his free arm.
Unsure why he warranted such closeness from everyone today Byakuya turned around to Renji with a death glare. He was not feeling any confusion, nor feeling weak enough to require help, and he definitely knew he was capable of speaking coherently right now compared to when Kurosaki had been holding him.
"Abarai..." Renji froze. "Unless the punch I received from Zaraki turned me into a girl, then I'm certainly capable of walking without your assistance." Renji backed away slowly.
"Hai, yes, I mean no. You're not a girl… It's just…" Renji stopped at the glare Byakuya sent him.
Byakuya turned then, stalking off to the elevator to go to his office with Renji a few steps behind him. He knew Renji was just trying to help. It was his job, but Byakuya was not in the mood. He wasn't so fragile that he'd needed Ichigo or Renji to make such a fuss.
Didn't I even say someone should hit me to stop me thinking stupid thoughts? Byakuya sighed. He really needed to just grow a pair and either admit he has feelings for Ichigo or not. It wasn't such a difficult question. Ichigo's mere presence today had done nothing but cause him to have completely out of character reactions. Maybe I should just talk to him. Fully clothed, no stretching, no whispering in ears, no flirting with men, no heroic acts causing me to lose my mind…
"Kuchiki, Yumichika Asayegawa has arrived and is setting up in the staging room. " Renji's voice sounded from the door.
"Thanks. Get Kurosaki for me. And let Asayegawa know we'll be with him in 5 minutes."
"Hai… although I think Kurosaki may have left for another meeting already."
"Go and check then."
Byakuya had showered and changed and felt calm for the first time today. He'd made a decision and he needed to follow through with it. For now, he needed to focus on finishing the rest of the day with no distractions. Once he'd grasped his course of action for the day it had been easy to calm his anxieties and slight girlish thoughts.
"Yo, Byakuya!" A hand shook his shoulder.
He looked to his right where the tormenter of his mind stood looking down at him with obvious concern on his face. He inwardly growled at being so caught up quietly focusing on his newfound calming technique he'd not even heard Ichigo approach.
"Ok, what the hell Byakuya? You've been spacing too much today. Did you miss your 'special tea' this morning at breakfast or something?" Byakuya saw the concern growing in the chocolate coloured eyes even though Ichigo had the biggest sulky looking scowl on his face. Byakuya also noticed how his heart rate had increased with having Ichigo beside him again. But he focused on the calm he'd had before.
Byakuya sighed. Loudly. Anxious eyes only grew bigger as Ichigo tried to process Byakuya's mood.
"Err special tea what are…? Kurosaki, I apologise if I seem 'odd'. I'm not sure what's the matter but if you are free for the afternoon we have some work to get through. Namely confirming Senbonzakura's shoot tomorrow and right now I have a designer waiting in the staging room to show us some designs. I'd like to feature him in the next issue if he's any good."
Byakuya saw Ichigo studying him, and seem to accept that for now Byakuya was able to string a sentence together. I can do this Byakuya thought. We just need to talk. Not yell. Not get flustered.
"Ah, sure thing. I had a meeting across town but it was cancelled last minute." Ichigo smiled with relief.
Ichigo headed to the door and held it open for Byakuya. He was surprised Ichigo hadn't tried to poke fun at him about the gym incident but maybe he was expecting to be yelled at instead.
"Ichigo…"
Questioning chocolate orbs regarded uncertain steel grey eyes.
"… Byakuya?" Byakuya saw Ichigo's eyebrow's raise slightly as he waited for him to speak.
"Look, thank you for your concern today… I appreciate it … and you. Soo… thanks."
Byakuya brushed passed Ichigo slightly as he exited his office and strode purposefully to the staging room, not really wanting to give Ichigo a chance to respond or to see the reaction on his face. He realised as he was halfway to the staging room affixing his mask of indifference that he'd not been using it the entire time he'd been talking with Ichigo. Well that's different he thought. He heard Ichigo's footfalls a few steps behind him and hoped that the next hour or so with Asayegawa kept his mind on work and not Ichigo.
It didn't.
"Yumichika?" "Ichigo?"
Once in the room both Yumichika and Ichigo had done a double take and said each other's names in unison.
"Kuchiki Byakuya, Editor-in-chief, a pleasure to finally meet with you." Byakuya extended his hand to the man before him.
"I see you and Kurosaki our Creative Director are acquainted." Yumichika nodded and smiled at his childhood friend.
"Yumi, it's been years." Ichigo moved towards his friend and grasped him in a bear hug that looked to Byakuya like it might crush the tiny frame of the designer.
"Ooof, Ichigo. If you mess up my hair you know I'll be angry. Such unsightly behaviour in front of others." Yumichika chided his old friend.
"Who's going to disallow the Creative Director a hug for an old friend Yumi? I'm so glad to see you!" Ichigo's face was beaming.
"Ermm, our boyfriends are getting upset Ichi…" Yumi whispered subtly to Ichigo.
"Huh?!" Ichigo looked up to see a bald man glaring at him with scrunched up fists which looked quite comical. He let Yumichika go though out of respect and saw Yumichika pointing in Byakuya's direction.
Byakuya had a similar looking expression on his face although instead of scrunched up fists he was clasping his folder so hard his knuckles were turning white as he glared at Ichigo.
"Erm, Byakuya, you ok? Yumichika who is this mystery man you have with you?"
Byakuya couldn't believe his own reactions … again … and cringed as he heard Ichigo disregard him so quickly.
Yumichika quickly introduced his partner of both business and pleasure and laughed off his apparent over-reaction, but not before looking to Byakuya with a knowing smirk.
Byakuya had a lot of business to discuss but needed to refocus his calm self, so he set his hard glare in place and moved to sit across from Asayegawa and Madarame on the couches. He noticed Ichigo spying him as he sat, and gestured for him to take the lead with a slight nod.
"So, I haven't been briefed on your work Yumi, tell me the story behind it." Ichigo sat a beside Byakuya looking to Yumichika with eager interest.
Right now Byakuya was just trying to focus on being calm and concentrating on work. He kept his eyes on the couple across from him and tried to block the picture of Ichigo holding the feminine looking designer out of his mind. It was just a hug between friends. More intense due to absence, but clearly friends. Had they been more at one time? When was Ichigo last in a relationship anyway? Wait, since when do I care? Refocus! He internally reprimanded himself.
"… So the idea behind my line right now, is the "Beauty in Love". I know it's all very sappy but I'm afraid that tends to happen when you fall as hard as I have. Ikkaku is my life, and working with him so closely gives me such inspiration that I can't help but keep creating new pieces. I've bought 12 with me today to give you an idea. I've put the pieces together to represent our journey. The initial attraction, the anxiety over whether he was interested in me, the confusion over my feelings for him, the happiness on our first official date, the intensity and passion building until we finally we came together…"
Byakuya was watching Ichigo who had perched on the edge of his seat being drawn in, listening and watching Yumichika. The designers' eyes were downcast but his body position angled towards Madarame as he retold the journey. Madarame had a hand resting on his partners and was listening intently as well. Byakuya thought they all looked like hopeful romantics, as he frowned on the inside.
"I can relate to your journey, as will anyone who has been in love." Byakuya practically heard Ichigo's neck spin round with wide eyes at him; he laughed a little as Ichigo shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Byakuya continued on.
"Sadly, my wife Hisana passed away soon after we had married. And our relationship was not ruled by intensity or inflamed passion." He wondered why he had felt the need to share that. He usually never spoke to others of his late wife.
"Yumichika, if you'd please show us your designs so we can see the incorporation." His voice was straight and even, but he could tell Yumichika was apprehensive now.
"It's ok Yumi. They'll love it." Ikkaku patted his partners arm as they walked over to the display. They had two mannequins set up behind the screen and Ikkaku would be dressing them as Yumichika presented them.
Byakuya and Ichigo held a collective breath as Yumichika displayed his first design or the initial attraction piece as he'd coined it.
It didn't disappoint. The dress had a fitted ruched bodice in a dark crimson satin with chiffon off the shoulder sleeves. There was a subtle design on the bodice that looked to have been embroidered in silver and orange thread creating delicate swirls. The bottom half was a fuller playful ruffled handkerchief style around mid-thigh to just above the knee in the front with a slight inch or two drop in the back. Byakuya noted the fire-like appearance as flashes of orange could be seen through the ruffles fabricated into flame like shapes. The fabrics worked well and the tailoring looked to be meticulous.
Byakuya knew he was giving little feedback as he kept nodding to Yumichika to move to the next piece. He could hear him pointing out aspects that were inspired by certain elements, but Byakuya was already impressed.
"So after all that – we have the finale – or the culmination of us!" Yumichika couldn't hide his blush as he looked towards Ikkaku, Byakuya noticed.
It was dramatic yet elegant. The satin burgundy full length A-line gown had hand stitched beading on the unique styled top half of the dress that would have taken days to complete. From the front Byakuya noted two separate inch wide twin straps extended from the heart shaped bust over the shoulders. The design was cut away to reveal the mannequin's midriff about an inch or two under the bust that connected in the middle to reveal a strip across the body just above the waist line. A further cut away section showed off the top of the hips, joining again with the bottom half of the hammered satin dress with more embroidery around the band before dropping gracefully to the floor. As Yumichika turned the mannequin Byakuya noted that the sections that had not been cut away from the front joined beautifully in the back. One fastened at the base of the neck from the straps. The other straps met in the middle of the back in a cross shoulder pattern to join with a section from the bust for support. The final part of the cut away section joint at the curve of the back. The deep burgundy colour choice represented the intensity and the hand crafted beading and styling of the bodice, a mixture of diamantes and onyx colouring indicated the passion.
Byakuya smiled a small smile and stood to shake Yumichika's hand. He noticed Ichigo was grinning at his friend and looked to Ikkaku. Byakuya wondered at the look.
"Yeh alright, you can hug him again." Ikkaku was smiling too even though his tone suggested that Ichigo should be wary.
Byakuya turned away so he didn't have to witness this hug. Less uncomfortable if I don't see it he sighed to himself.
"So, looks like we both approve featuring you in next month's issue. Here's our standard agreement for you to review. Ichigo no doubt has several ideas already on settings. I'll leave you to catch up. Thank you for your time. And congratulations, your line so far is a definite depiction of your journey. Well done." Byakuya extended his hand to Yumichika and Ikkaku.
Yumichika and Ikkaku both extended their hands politely before Byakuya nodded and left the grinning trio, shutting the door with a sigh, but not before he heard his Asayegawa's comment.
"Oh Ichi, you and Byakuya make quite a cute …"
"Nope! Don't say it…" Ichigo interrupted and Byakuya left quickly. He didn't want to hear the rest of that conversation. Eavesdropping was never good if you overheard comments about yourself.