Burnt Orange- The color of the sky at sunset.
A whole week had gone by and Byakuya still wasn't talking to her. He refused to go their training sessions and whenever she went to see him the servants would always tell her "Master Kuchiki" was out. Yoruichi hated being ignored more than anything. But somehow this was different. Kisuke often went days without talking to her but she always blew it off knowing that sooner or later he would forgive her and things would go back to normal. But with Byakuya she didn't have that sort of security and she was frustrated. For some reason the whole situation put her in a bad mood.
"It was just a stupid prank," growled Yoruichi after being turned away from the Kuchiki manor for the third time that week. "Could he really be that sensitive?" Whatever the reason was she was sick and tired of it. Byakuya couldn't avoid her forever and sooner or later she would corner him.
She got her opportunity the very next day. Byakuya was in his last year at the academy so Yoruichi decided to pounce, ahem, catch him when he was dismissed from class. She knew he took the same route home every day having followed him on numerous occasions, all for the sake of annoying him. Sure enough, as soon as his class was let out Byakuya began walking down the road that led to the Kuchiki manor.
"Byakuya!" He jumped nearly a foot in the air and stared wildly around. Yoruichi laughed and jumped out of the tree she had been hiding in. She had made sure to mask her reitsu so that Byakuya wouldn't know she was nearby.
"What the hell Yoru-"
"What the hell is my line," snapped Yoruichi angrily. "What the hell is your problem Byakuya? It was a stupid prank so get over it! It's been a whole week!"
Byakuya just glared at her then continued walking past her. Yoruichi wasn't through with him yet, "That's it? Come on Byakuya you can't tell you're that sensitive! I've done worse things to you!" This probably wasn't the best way to argue her case but Yoruichi was pissed and that wasn't how things were supposed to work between them. Byakuya was the one who was supposed to be pissed, which he was, but she was the one who was supposed carefree and in control.
Byakuya grunted and kept walking. He really didn't want to deal with this right now. Yoruichi of course followed him, "This is getting ridiculous Byakuya. You've been skipping out on our training sessions and that's not acceptable." Silence. "Come on Byakuya! This silent treatment thing is childish." More silence.
Yoruichi sighed, time to get dirty. "I really thought that the next head of the Kuchiki clan was above such petty things as silent treatments. And to think a stupid, little prank could tick him off that much to stoop so low. I'm disappointed in-"
"SHUT UP! What the hell do you know?" he whirled around his fists raised and eyes flashing.
She grinned, relieved, "Oh thank God! I was almost afraid that wouldn't work. Are we back to being friends now?"
Byakuya glowered at her, steam practically coming out of his ears, "NO WE ARE NOT FRIENDS NOW! WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS DEMON-CAT! SO JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
Yoruichi stared at him, at a loss for words. She hadn't really anticipated this. Yeah, she had expected him to be angry but not like this. His words actually stung. She knew that she annoyed Byakuya, infuriated him to no end, but she had always thought they were at least friends. She was speechless…and hurt. Why was she hurt?
"Fine," she murmured indifferently, "Tell your grandfather that your training is complete." Without another word she turned and walked away.
Byakuya stood frozen in place, shocked that those words had actually come out of his mouth. He knew Yoruichi well enough to know that for once, his words had hurt her. And this…unsettled him. He hadn't meant it. He didn't know why he had said those words; it was just that he was so confused.
Slowly he turned and continued walking but now in different direction, not really sure where he would go but he didn't really care. The whole week he had avoided Yoruichi not because he was mad at her, he was always mad at her, but because he couldn't get the incident out of his head and it was driving him crazy. He just couldn't look at her without thinking about the incident. It was so stupid and so embarrassing he wasn't really sure what to do. He closed and shook his head but nothing could dislodge the image of Yoruichi wet and naked. He felt an unfamiliar swoop in his stomach.
"Argh!" he said aloud, "Stupid demon-cat! Even when you're not around you drive me insane!"
He dropped to ground and cradled his head in hands trying to figure out what to do. If he was completely and entirely honest with himself, he knew he did not want to lose Yoruichi as a friend. In fact, she was one of the few friends he had. But lately, something was different between them and it wasn't just the prank. He felt strange around her sometimes and he couldn't understand it.
Byakuya, a voice whispered in his head. It was Senbonzakura. Tell me what's wrong. Your inner world is in turmoil. It's like it has been turned upside down.
Nothing, don't worry about it, lied Byakuya dully.
There was a pause then, is it her again?
Inwardly, Byakuya glared at Senbonzakura, what are you talking about?
Senbonzakura sighed audibly in his head, yeah, it's her again. Maybe if you just accepted that you liked-
"Shut up!" shouted Byakuya aloud, standing up defiantly. A few younger students who had been walking by stopped suddenly, thinking he had been talking to them. Byakuya glared at them unrepentantly. "I wasn't talking to you so keep walking," he told them coldly.
Scared and confused, they scurried past him anxious to be out the young Kuchiki's presence. "Was that Kuchiki-sama?" whispered one of the girls.
"Yeah, apparently he's even stranger than everyone says," whispered one of the boys in return.
Byakuya gritted his teeth but rumors were the least of his worries. He stared at the sky and thought hopelessly of what to do. The sinking sun had painted the sky a vivid, burnt orange. The sight distracted him for a moment from his present troubles and he marveled at the sunset.
It's beautiful, he thought wistfully.
Almost as beautiful as Yoruichi, commented Senbonzakura smugly.
Byakuya mentally glared him, Yoruichi is not beautiful.
Sigh. Byakuya, you can lie to yourself but you can't lie to me.
Annoyed, Byakuya stood up walked slowly back toward the manor. Even his zanpaktou was frustrating him.
