"Cherry Blossoms"

Byakuya x Orihime

By Eowynd

Disclaimers: those of always well known by all

(*) Spoilers: appear the Zanpakutous in his true form, so those who have not seen the episodes 230 to 240, i.e. the "Zanpakutous arc" would not understand the details

Everything appearing in italics is thoughts or dialogues between the Zanpakutous and carriers

And if there is any mistake it's because I'm not an English native and don't have a beta. The Original version is in Spanish and it's called "Cerezos en Flor"

- ¿What is the prognosis of Byakuya niisama, Unohana taicho? –asked Rukia to the healer

-Your brother has a cold, which was exacerbated by the captain's neglect in not ask for help, which became a mild pneumonia. And if we put together the amount of stress accumulated in his body, plus all the wounds, he has suffered in the last two years, well; it was like a triple attack on him.

- But, Kuchiki taicho it's going to get better ¿right? – asked Renji sitting next to Rukia

- Yes, he will, but only if he eats right, rest in bed for at least ten days, and by that I mean nothing from the squad's work, the mansion's work, nothing, ¿It's that clear?

- Of course Unohana-taicho –said Renji- I'll take care of the squad's work and don't let the captain get anywhere near the squad

-I'll take care of the mansion's work and neither let Byakuya niisama get up or make any kind of work

-I'm glad to hear that, besides I already give Orihime all the instruction to take of Kuchiki taicho –said Unohana taicho making them get very surprised by that

- To Orihime-chan? – Said Renji- but, Why her?

- well, with both of you, working so much, she is the only one that have the time to take care of Kuchiki-sama the way it's supposed to be. Besides, she felt in great debt whit him, for everything that he made for her in this last months, so she volunteered herself to help taking care of your brother, that is, if Rukia-fukutaicho san it's all right with that

- Of course –said Rukia- there's no problem at all with that. I know that Byakuya niisama is in good hands whit her.

-Then, now I retired to the fourth squad. I'll come in a few days for a routine check up. Remember, nothing of work, lots of bed rest and good food. Now if you excuse me –said making a last bow before get up and left the room.

- Well, I better am going to the sixth squad, if I'm going to have to do my work and the taisho's work, its better if I start right now –said Renji also getting up.

- It's true. I'm going to the twelfth squad and tell Ukitake-taicho what was Unohana taicho said, I'm sure he will understand if I make those two help me with the paper work –said Rukia

- Ey, and why don't you tell that idiot that help you?

- Who? Ichigo?

- Why not? After all, he's not doing something useful.

- It's true; beside it could help him to win some good points with niisama

- You are dreaming Rukia. Taicho will let you have a fight with the entire eleven squad on your on, before Ichigo win some "point" with him. In fact, if there was a record of those points, this idiot will be in minus 659624 points. Jajajajajaja –start to laugh Renji till Rukia give him a hit in the ribs with her elbow - ¡EY!

- Didn't you say that you have a lot of work in the squad Renji?

- Ok, I get it, I'm living –said before getting out of the room, while Rukia heard him babble something like "stupid Ichigo" and "wish Senbonzakura show him why people said: Be afraid of the pink"

- I better am going to the squad too –think Rukia before getting out too.

O * O * O * O

- ¿How is my master, Inoue Orihime-san? –asked Senbonzakura appearing in Byakuya's room.

- Good, now that the fever broke, his breathing is much calmer

- ¡what a relieve! I was so worried – replied the sword

- I see that zanpakutou are very close with his master

- I couldn't be any other way; we are part of their souls

- Senbonzakura, May I ask you something?

- Of course Inoue Orihime-san

- It's about a dream I'm being having since a few nights, and you were in it

- That wasn't a dream Inoue Orihime-san

- ¿Not a dream?

- What you see in your dream, its de trip your soul made, so you can return from the darkness to your body. Including the spirit's limbo, where we met for the first time Inoue Orihime-san

- I see. Thank you very much Senbonzakura, and please, just call Orihime-chan

- But… but that will be completely disrespectful from my part.

- Not even if I'm asking you Senbonzakura?

- Allrigth…. Ino… Orihime-chan

- That's much better, ¿don't you think Senbonzakura? After all, you don't need to be so formal with me, and I'm too young to be called –san

- If that's what you want Orihime-chan, and then you can call me Sen. Orihime-chan if you want I can watch him for a while, so you can rest a little

- All right. Sen, please take care of Kuchiki-sama for a while. I'm going to take a bath. If he awakes, don't let him get up, and make sure he drinks the medicine in his bed table –said while she left the room. Senbonzakura just give her a nod

- Master, please, don't allow Orihime-chan left us, I don't think that neither of us could take it –it was the only thing he could said while changing the wet cloth in Byakuya's forehead

O * O * O * O

- ¡It's humanly impossible that Byakuya made all of this alone! –Exclaimed Ichigo, who was with Rukia and Renji in Byakuya's office, the one next to his bedroom in the mansion, each of them with a pile of papers to read and finish, that to the substitute shinigami seems endless – It's a miracle that he only get sick, this it's enough to kill anyone

-don't complain so much and keep reading you idiot –said Renji who have a stack of papers ready and was now reading something about provisions for the sixth squad - ¿Or do you think that being a captain was easy?

- Well, but there is a lot of captains that that don't do paper work –said Ichigo

- Kyoraku taicho doesn't count Ichigo, because his fukutaicho always make him do the paper work anyway –said Rukia

- And what about Kenpachi? Are you telling me that he does this paper work to?

- I guess that Yumichika will do most of the work and then make it Zaraki-taicho sign it –said Renji- I don't think that no one else in the eleven squad knows how to read anyway. Besides, be happy that you are only looking at the squad's work, that Rukia have taking care of the mansion's work and that de Chiefs of the four noble families have decided to adjourn their meetings till taicho gets better, because if not, we will have three more times the work we already have between hands

- ¡¿Are you telling me, that this is just a third of what's Byakuya made every day?! –Exclaimed surprised – Are you sure that he is human and not a Mayuri's robot like Nemu?

- We already checked that he is human Ichigo –said Renji- so shut up and continue with your work

- What are you trying to say with "We already checked that he is human"? –Said Rukia- you idiots, are very disrespectful with my niisama and then you claim that he treats you poorly

- Anyway, ¿how much is he has to be in bed? –asked Ichigo putting some paper in the finished pile.

- Unohana taicho said that ten days it's the minimum –said Rukia- but, it would be even better if we manage to keep him two full weeks in bed, because Byakuya niisama have lots of stress in his body and since he never take vacation, it would be good if we make him rest, even if we have to tied him to the bed

- I'm not sure why, but I find that woman scarier than Kenpachi –said Ichigo

- My too –commented Renji while taking a paper- ¡wow!

- What happen Renji?

- This papers are from the elders of the Kuchiki clan, and they are sending recommendation letters to the taicho, about possible girlfriends, for he to choose one, even come with portraits –said Renji given some to them

- ¡eh! This is from Yoruichi's family! Shihoin Retsuko… -read Rukia- ¡OH! ¡and she is really beautiful

-This is from some Asamura family –read Ichigo- Asamura Tomoyo… eh! ¡But she is almost a girl! ¡She musn't have more than 14 years old!

- Maybe for the human world, but in Sereitei, for the noble girls, the hunt for a engagement starts when they reach 14 to 16 years old – explicate Renji- beside, it's not like they were going to get married at once, after all, first come the courtship and sometime to know each other

- Eh… Rukia… Do you have ever received this kind of letters? –asked Ichigo, fearing the answer

- the letters, if there is any, go to niisama since he is the clan chief, and then, if he found a good candidate for me, he tells the elders and then me, but till today that's never happen –said the brunette

- Eh? Why not? –asked Ichigo

- Because, even if I have the Kuchiki last name, very few families are willing to forget my birth at the 78 district of Rukongai as an orphan –explained him

- Noble people are idiot! –Exclaimed Renji- let you out just for that!

- And what do we do with this? Throw it away? Or let them to Byakuya so he can check them later? –asked Ichigo

- Well, let's put it aside, and focus in the stuff that is not private or just for niisama to read –said Rukia

- Ey Rukia, What would you think if Byakuya would marry again? Do you think that you get along with you sister in law? –asked Ichigo suddenly

- I don't know. I would love if niisama would marry again, and certainly I expect him to be happy and that my sister in law, was nice to me, but even if not, I would be happy if my niisama was happy. He has suffer so much, that would made him so god to fall in love again

- But, what kind of woman Byakuya like? –said Ichigo, leaving the question in the air

O * O * O * O

- How are you feeling master? –asked Senbonzakura, when he saw him wake up.

- ¿Sen? ¿What are you doing here?

- ¿What I'm doing here? Taking care of you master. You have all of us very worried, you were very sick for a few days

- ¿days? ¿What date is today, Sen?

- Friday 30th

- ¿30th? I slept for the last 5 days? Sen, call my servants, make them prepare my bath and my cloth – starts to cough while trying to get up - Sen, what are you waiting for?

- I have orders of not letting you get up, and that if you try I must keep you in bed, even by the force, and besides you must drink your medicine, and if you don't want to I must force you to do it

- Sen, from who you must receive orders, is from me, ¿who told you to do that? –Byakuya was outraged

- well, from Unohana taicho when we bring her to make a check up on you, from our sister Rukia, then Abarai fukutaicho and last, but no least, Orihime-chan –ended counting Senbonzakura

- ¿What happened Sen?

- well, 5 nights ago I was looking around in the garden when I found Orihime-chan, who couldn't sleep and was walking under de cherry trees, also she was looking like have been crying and then asked me some things, and then I felt that something has happened to you master, and both came to see if you were all right and found you pass out, with a fever and breathing heavily. So Orihime-chan make me bring you to your room, put some pyjamas on, send me for clean water and cloths, and the I went to the fourth squad looking for Unohana taicho to check on you

- She did all that Sen?

- And that's not all master, after Unohana taicho give her recommendation of at least ten days of total bed rest, lots of food, water and medicines, she has been taking care of you all this time, watching for your fever to come down, giving your medicines on time and making sure you were resting like was supposed to be.

- I see –the asked- ¿Where is Orihime now Sen?

- I'm replacing her, because she is taking a bath, and then she was going to eat something, to come back later to take care of you master

- And what's happened with the work at the mansion and the squad?

- our sister Rukia-chan it's taking care of the mansion's work and Abarai fukutaicho together with the orange haired brat are doing the squad's work

- ¿Kurosaki Ichigo is also helping? –this really took him by surprise

-he complains even more than Abarai fukutaicho, but yes, he is also helping with the work

- ¡ah! ¡Kuchiki-sama! –The door opened and Orihime, who came with a peach colored kimono and her hair down- ¡what a relieve! ¡You are awake! You keep us very worried, ¿you know?

- Orihime-chan… -Byakuya wanted to say many things, but in that instant only said – thank you…

- ¿eh? Kuchiki-sama doesn't need to thank me for anything, if anything, I should be the one thanking you for all the politeness and the trouble that I caused you since my arrival here –said sitting at one side of the futon while Senbonzakura was sitting at the other side and in front of here

- But I caused all of you many troubles, especially to you, according to Sen

- ¡No! I mean, it's no trouble at all, it's the least I can do after all what Kuchiki-sama has done for everyone and especially me –she grab a little phial and poured part of the content in a little glass- but for now, you have to take your medicine and then you should eat something to accompany the medication –said while passing the little glass to Byakuya – after all Unohana taicho said you were a little underweight ¡ah! It's True, Unohana taicho said that as soon as you wake up we should call her immediately –she get up very fast and while walking to the door said – I'll go tell Rukia and the others that you have awake, then I'll see that they bring you something to eat and let it know to Unohana taicho so she can come to check you up ¡I'll be back soon! Sen, make sure that Kuchiki-sama drinks the medicine –she close the door and goes away.

- She is like a whirlwind of endless energy –said softly Senbonzakura – master...

- I know what you are going to tell me Sen, you can save yourself –said before drink his medicine – "because I think the same" –ended in his mind

O * O * O * O

- I must remember, that when Orihime-chan become, officially, a member of the gotei 13, to ask her to be part of my squad- said Unohana taicho while putting something in her bag.

- ¿why do you said that Unohana taicho?

- After checking you up Kuchiki taicho, I can testify that the girl has the abilities and the spirit of a healer; you look so much better than in my last visit.

- In your last visit, I was unconscious and with a fever

- That's why I'm saying it, your skin has better colour and it seems that you have also, gained some weight, which is very good.

- When could I be discharged Unohana taicho?

- It's been only five days Kuchiki taicho and my recommendation was at least ten days

- But, it's necessary that I should stay in bed the next five days? Being whit out doing nothing its making me relapse.

- Ah, the problem is that Kuchiki sama is a workaholic, it's seem to me that you should delegate more responsibilities in your subordinates, after all, Abarai fukutaicho it's making a great job in the squad.

- Abarai, can be very efficient when he want; the problem is that he doesn't want very often –said Byakuya- in the meanwhile I'm satisfied with the squad not being in fire

- Oh, I think that Kuchiki taicho doesn't give enough credit to Abarai fukutaicho, in my personal opinion, it's a great lieutenant and very loyal by the way.

- If you like, we can ask for a change between our lieutenants –said Byakuya

- It's very tempting, but I think that Isane has more healer material than Abarai fukutaicho –she said

- Then, Do you give authorization to at least get up of the bed Unohana-taicho?

- Only if you promise not to work, rest a lot, and drink your medicine and that you only gave shorts walks in the mansion

- I promise

- In that case, I'll ask Orihime-chan that watch you and make sure you keep your word and then you can get up Kuchiki taicho

- It's okay, if that the condition, I accept it.

- I'm happy to see that you are willing to follow my instructions, you'll see its for your own good –finished while se get up- now I must get back to my squad, see you soon Kuchiki taicho –said while leaving the room and the captain whit his thoughts

O * O * O * O

- It's true that Byakushi is sick? –asked the little lieutenant of the eleven squad, showing up thru the window of Byakuya's office (the one next to his bedroom) surprising Orihime and the rest that were reading the papers, while Byakuya was checked up for Unohana-taicho

- It's true –said Rukia- he has a mild pneumonia, so now he is resting

- Can I saw him? I miss him…

- It's not a good idea Yachiru-chan, pneumonias are dangerous in little child like you –said Ichigo

- ¡But I want to see Byakushi! –Said frowning- ¡I draw him son pictures! –said showing some papers with some drawings of what look like she and Byakuya playing in a garden

- You really got talent Yachiru-chan –said Orihime grabbing some drawings – this are very pretty

- This is definitely better than Rukia's –said Ichigo, earning a hit in the ribs, from the elbow of the brunette

- Can I give this to Byakushi? –asked again the pink haired girl

- Ey Yachiru, would you like your drawings look even prettier? –asked her Orihime

- And how we could do that?

- Look, go to my room and bring me a brown bag that is there, ¿Okay?

- ¡I'm going! –she said leaving the room very fast

O * O * O * O

- ¡Byakushi! –said the little girl entering the captain room accompany with Orihime

- ¿Kusajiyi-fukutaicho?

- How are you feeling Byakushi? I miss you a lot, so I made you a few drawings –said giving him the papers- ¡and look! ¡Orihime give me some magic inks that paint with colours!

- Besides, Yachiru-chan made all the captains sign it –said Orihime. The Byakuya noted the signatures and get well soon, from all the captains, each one in their own style, but never the less; it was a big work gets them all.

- Thank you a lot Kusajiyi-fukutaicho, this is really pretty –said Byakuya

- How much more are you going to be in bed Byakushi?

- Around three more days

- And when you feel better, Can we go the three of us together to eat candies?

- The three of us? –asked the captain

- You, me and Orihime! Byakushi fool, you can't let your girlfriend alone –that sentence made Orihime redden to the roots of hair and Byakuya went pale as a ghost

- Ya… Yachiru-chan, I think that you didn't understand at all –said Orihime- Kuchiki-taicho-sama is not...

- But, you live in his house, ¿right?

- well, yes...

- And He bought those beautiful kimonos for you ¿right?

- Eh… yes...

- And in Rukia's party he only dances with you, ¿right?

- I guess so…

- And you have been taking care of him all this time, ¿right?

- well, yes...

- And isn't supposed that those things you only do it for your boyfriend –asked while putting a finger over her lips – because Ken-chan said that men do that thing for the woman's they like

- Yachiru fukutaicho –said suddenly Byakuya.

- ¡Yay! This is the first time that Byakushi calls me Yachiru! ¡I'm so happy! –said jumping all over the room

- Would you accompany to eat some candy with me at the garden? Tell Renji that take them from my desk.

- ¡Hai Byakushi! –said leaving the room like a whirlwind

- With that, she will forget for a while that idea –said Byakuya-

- ¡what a relieve! I don't know where she get that –said trying to lighten the ambient- I'm going to check up on her –said walking towards the door

- Orihime-chan…

- Yes, Kuchiki taicho?

- You can call me Byakuya, after everything you have done for me it's the most suitable thing to do – said looking straight in her eyes, making her feel that hers leg would failing her any moment

- But… but…

- don't make me repeat myself Orihime…

- Okay Ku… Byakuya-sama –said leaving the room

- Master…

- What do you want Sen?

- You know that what the little girl said...

- I know Sen… I know… -said while getting up of the futon to go to his private bathroom and get ready to go to the garden

End of Chapter IV

Thanks to: shadowkitten12 and darkangel, for their reviews