Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!
First off! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews!
A/N: This chapter was really difficult to write! It had to be done though because it sets everything up for the rest of the story! So please stick by me! The next chapter will hopefully be coming out sooner, as it is already proving much easier to write!
Warning: Slight OOC!
Japanese Terms:
Aijin: significant other, lover, partner
Yumichika was having a really busy morning in his office in the fifth division. A silver nail file polished an already finely manicured thumb nail, while his pedicured feet were reclined on a designer leather foot stool. There had been so many fools that had questioned his decision to become the vice-captain for Kurosaki Ichigo, but he never told them about the perk package. Kurosaki Taicho let him get away with pretty much anything as long as his work was done, and Yumichika made sure that everything was done… quite beautifully done too!
Like pretty much everyone else in the soul society, he felt the seikaimon gate last night and he knew exactly where his captain was. Kurosaki Taicho was exactly not here at the moment. Yumichika knew the drill and had a soul pager on his desk in case his absent captain decided to touch base. However there was no worry in his mind for the orange haired youth, Ichigo had always been able to take care of himself. If Kurosaki Taicho found himself in a bind that he could not handle, there probably would not be much that Yumichika could anyway, so there was no point in stressing about it.
Then the pager buzzed. With a dramatic sigh and an eye roll, Yumichika answered it, "Hello, Ichi! I've been fielding questions for you all day, so you better have a good reason for taking off."
"That's not the way you should be answering this call fuko-taicho. I'll make this quick, I need you to take care of some things for me before I come back, and Yumichika…"
"Yes, boss?" The pretty boy cheeped into the phone.
"You need to handle it with discretion." Ichigo's voice sounded strained and stressed on the other end of the phone.
"Ugh, Taicho! You know that holding in gossip makes me get split ends!" Yumichika practically twittered back at his captain, but he knew that Kurosaki would pick up his meaning.
"Thank-you, Ayasegawa."
"Don't get all starry eyed on me, Ichi. I will carry out your orders, but you better bring me back something beautiful as payment!"
XXXX
It was definitely a serious request, and it took almost two hours to complete the chore that his Taicho had laid out for him. Ayasegawa was a little pissy that he had to keep this juiciness on the down low. If Matsumoto heard this little tidbit there would be definite theory conversation for hours. As it was, Yumichika was a bit bewildered at the request of Kurosaki Ichigo, and it was one that he never saw coming.
Immediately after getting off the soul pager with Ichigo, Yumichika called a private moving company and escorted them into the captain's private quarters. Everything that appeared to belong to Rukia was to be packed up and delivered to the Kuchiki estate. Ichigo had simply stated that it was to make the break easier for Rukia, and he did not want to be there for it.
"Chicken" Thought Yumichika. He didn't think that his fellow vice-captain would appreciate this at all, but at least by having her things delivered to the Kuchiki house it would not be broadcast all over her division. Still he felt a little bad about sending the poor sweet mover boys into the pit of Kuchiki despair without at least a little pep-talk.
"Now boys, when you get there, be prepared to be treated with complete indifference. The pretty man who lives there hates everything, okay? Also, these crates are to only be accepted by Kuchiki Byakuya or Kuchiki Rukia, is that clear?"
Wide eyed young men simply nodded with a bit of fear as one of them stepped up to take the delivery forms. Seeing the young men off with a dazzling smile and flutter of feather, Ayasegawa wondered if any of them would live past this delivery.
XXXX
The young man was nervous about delivering the three crates to the Kuchiki manor. Sure he had delivered things here before, but usually just to a servant and then he high tailed it out of there. Today he apparently needed a signature from either the lord or the lady of the house. Desperately he wished that the lady Kuchiki Rukia was home. He was not sure who she was, but she had to be better than the famous Kuchiki Taicho of the sixth division. Only in passing had he seen him, it was similar to sighting a ghost as the noble man floated about his business in the seireitei. Rumors of his power and coldness made the boy's blood feel icy in his veins.
A servant answered the door of the house and gave him a bored look, "Er, official delivery for either the lord or the lady of the house… please! Er, thank you?"
An expensive door slid shut in his face without a response from the servant. Desperately trying to calm the shaking in his knees he waited several long excruciating minutes before the door flew open. What appeared before him made him want to pee a little, and run, really fast. The tall woman seemed to tower over him with wild blonde hair, steel grey eyes, and a long vertical scar running down one side of her face. Hell cat was the first thing that popped into his mind when he saw her, and she did not look happy to see him at all.
Pulling himself together, he asked meekly, "L-Lady Kuchiki?"
Her right hand flew to the hilt of her zanpakuto and she grimaced showing very fang like teeth, "What the hell did you just call me?" Despite the vulgarity of her language her voice was low and controlled, which made it even more frightening.
Somehow his teeth had started chattering, he could not control his shaking anymore. Pitifully he just stood there waiting for her to kill him for whatever he had done wrong.
Just as he thought all was lost, a monotone voice sounded behind the woman, "Ryuu, what is at the door?"
The tall blonde quirked an eyebrow before turning inward, permitting the owner of the voice to see for himself. Coming from the darkness of the house emerged Kuchiki Byakuya to stand next to the woman. Both of them exuded power and authority, they seemed like two warlords left over from the warring era of the living world.
Without making eye contact the noble lord asked, "Why have you come here?"
"D-delivery of Kuchiki household goods, from division five, sir. "
Kuchiki Taicho's eyes widened for a fraction of second before he reached over and quickly signed his name on the form, following the action with one word, "Leave."
Never before had the kid ran so fast. As he was flying towards the gate he heard the remnants of conversation behind him.
"I think you just made him piss himself." Her voice was still low and controlled.
"Curb your tongue, woman." The lord of the house replied.
The frightening sound of the hell cat woman's laughter followed him out of the gate, and haunted him for the remainder of the day.
XXXX
"Akai, do you know why Kurosaki Taicho would have Rukia's belongings delivered here?"
Byakuya's eyes were dark and calculating as he asked her the question. The two had not even left the entry way behind yet when his eyes had slid towards her with his question. Her lover had never seemed fond of the younger captain; then again he was not one to be "fond" with anyone. Shit, to the typical outsider he would not even seem fond of her, his own partner. Yet, that was one of the things she enjoyed about Byakuya. Nothing seemed to shake him and he could keep his emotions collected; most of the time anyway. For now Akai needed to address his question, which meant that Byakuya was about to be very pissed off.
"Kurosaki had been planning a proposal of sorts." She paused and looked at him long enough for Byakuya's eyes to narrow in understanding. "Perhaps that did not go as he had planned."
"The ryoka boy has not approached me on this matter, are you certain you are not mistaken?" The Kuchiki lord's voice was almost venomous.
Ryuu Akai awarded him with a soul withering glare, "Tch! Really Byakuya? Ryoka boy? Kurosaki has long overthrown that endearment." She watched as his nose crinkled ever so slightly in annoyance with her.
A deep sigh escaped Akai as she reached out and lightly brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. Obviously this had shaken him, "I can't say what has really happened, aijin. But… we both know who opened that seikaimon gate and hasn't been back since. Maybe…" For a moment Akai wondered if her suggestion would fall on deaf ears. "Maybe you should talk to your sister."
The gaze that the stoic man gave her was one that he would not typically use, and one that Byakuya would never use with someone else. His eyes were filled with uncertainty and a bit anxiety at the prospect of speaking to his adopted sister about something personal. Those types of conversations were usually avoided at all cost by the noble man.
"It might also by wise to invite her to stay here for awhile, if for nothing else than to keep the gossip controlled." Her voice was low and calm as she desperately hoped that he would take her advice into consideration.
"I will make the arrangements with Ukitake Taicho." With that statement, Byakuya turned from her and made his way toward the exit.
"Of course he can't just ask somebody, always with the fucking protocol!" Akai couldn't help but to shake her head a little with the thought. Hopefully Rukia would see through his parade of arrogance to the truth. Kuchiki Byakuya was concerned.
XXXX
Sigh! There it is! Don't worry; we will see where Rukia and Ichigo are at next chapter. But let's face it, we have to know the reactions of others to this!