Chapter Seven
Etsu sat in her room staring down at the ornate comb that Byakuya had gifted her. She didn't know whether he had tried to buy her off or if he genuinely meant his apology and had bought her a peace offering, either way, she felt conflicted about the gift and had hid it in her vanity table drawer out of sight.
Hisao had insisted that he stay the night seeing as he had come all that way to see them, he may have been innocent in his intentions, but he had no idea, what this was doing to his Granddaughter.
Byakuya had been placed in the Heron suite directly opposite the parlour room in front of her room, the steady yet relaxing beat of his reiatsu driving her mad as she rested her head on the wooden door post. Her hands ached to touch him, she wanted him to explain what he meant by affections; did he truly have feelings for her? Or did he mean it platonically?
"What do I do?" She sighed, sitting on her futon.
"He can't possibly mean what he said. He can't. It's not possible."
Her head was beginning to throb, running her fingers through her hair, she groaned as she felt the bobby pins tangled in nasty snarls. Tears streaming as she pulled the first pin out. Ringing for her handmaiden Kimiko, she stood up and slid the door open to the parlour. Kimiko answered, bowing low, her button nose touching the floor, "Yes my lady?"
"Kimiko, Mother has butchered my hair, bring some tea, this is going to take a while."
The girl sat up, her brown eyes rising to the midnight blue birds nest on top of Etsu head.
"Wow…I mean yes, lady Etsu."
Kimiko bowed again and dashed off towards the kitchen as Etsu picked up a bottle of camellia oil and slid the doors open facing the garden, it was a warm night but the cool breeze was refreshing.
Sitting just inside the house, she sat listening to the wind playing its tune through the willow branches in the garden, her hands working on teasing the tightly bobby pins out of her hair. Spring was her favourite time of year, when the garden was at its most beautiful, flowers, trees and scrubs all budding at interval times, the anticipation of the unique colours and hues of each plant filled her with peace; when she heard the soft rumble of the door being opened then shut.
"Kimiko, from this day forward, Mother is banned from messing with my hair," She grumbled, removing the last of the bobby pins and began running her oily hands through the snarls of her hair.
"Look at this! I have fought many battles and not once has my hair been out of place, Mom touches it once and I look like I've fought a Menos Grande and lost."
"I am quite certain you would look worse if you fought such an opponent," Byakuya said.
Etsu jumped as she turn around to see Byakuya standing in the doorway of his rented room.
"I apologise for startling you my lady, I heard the commotion and thought I would investigate, I did not realise you were still awake."
Byakuya was dressed in a dark green silk yukata, his pale skin looking radiant against the deep fabric. His raven hair carefully brushed and looking like streams of ink falling from the crown of his head. Etsu panicked as her hands flew up to her hair; yep, still a bird's nest. She cursed her mother for leaving her with such a catastrophe.
"No need to apologise Taicho, I'm just doing my hair then I'll be out of your way." She squeaked, trying and failing to yank the comb through her hair.
Byakuya watched her for a moment or two before striding over and kneeling behind her. Taking the comb from her hand, he set about untangling the knots and tangles in Etsu's hair. Etsu stiffened, not knowing what to do or say.
"You are just going to hurt yourself," He said, as he effortlessly glided through her hair.
"I used to do this a lot for Hisana, this takes patience."
Of course he did, Byakuya and Hisana's marriage was more like carer and patient; Etsu chewed her sleeve as her Captain work tirelessly on her hair, she felt guilty, he was a guest, if her mother came in now, she would collapse with shock.
"When Hisana was ill, which was more often than not, her hair would become matted from laying in bed for so long…" Byakuya said, running the comb freely through her hair.
"Taicho, my maid Kimiko will be back any minute, she can do this, you are a guest…" She started.
"But I've finished now." He replied, putting the comb down.
Her eyes wide, she ran her fingers through her hair as she turned to face him, her hair hadn't been that soft in a while.
"You...how? This would have taken hours." She stuttered.
Byakuya rose a shoulder, completely unmoved by her response.
"Like I said, patience." He rose to his feet and glided back his room, bowing his head, he shut the door.
Etsu stared after him, her fingers running through her silky locks aimlessly, Kimoko knocked the door a second after Byakuya retired to his room.
"I have tea and a hot comb, my Lady," Kimiko said, shuffling in, looking up she frowned as she observed her mistress's stunned complexion.
"Did someone do your hair already?"
"Trust me, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you." She said, taking a big sip of the tea Kimiko had served her.
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Etsu stayed at the manor for a week before she decided she had been in hiding for long enough. As usual, Aiko had cried when she told her family that she was going back to her duties.
"Aiko, I can't fight hollows from home." She said, stroking her sister's hair.
"But you are leaving me again!" She cried, burying her face in Etsu's shoulder.
Etsu looked at her mother helplessly as she patted her softly. Misaki put her tea bowl down and cleared her throat.
"Aiko, come here,"
Sniffing and hiccuping, Aiko obeyed her mother and knelt before her. Misaki looked down at her youngest daughter and smiling softly at her, offering her a handkerchief.
"Dry your eyes child, you are making Etsu sad, she looks after you, does she not?"
Aiko nodded, "Umhm."
"Well, how can she look after you if hollows and monsters are running around the street? She has to make sure they don't get in and that we are kept safe." She continued.
"Like grandfather did?" She asked, looking up at her with her big olive eyes.
"Exactly, tell you what, we can go for picnics when it's warmer, we can even go to the Spring Festival if you like." She said.
Aiko gave a watery smile, drying her tears as she hiccuped loudly, "Can we get shaved ice?"
"Of course," She laughed, stretching her arms out.
"But not too much, we don't want to spoil your pretty teeth."
Etsu mouthed a thank you as Misaki held Aiko as she finished hiccuping, only to start sucking on her thumb. Misaki gave her a reassuring smile, squeezing her hand before she left.
Going back to work felt good. The recruits and officers greeted her warmly as she passed through the gates of the barracks, the guards on duty nodding with approval. Etsu made her way to the mess hall to grab some tea, she highly doubted Renji had done any paperwork since she left and needed the bitter boost from the cheap but cheerful tea. Walking into the office was a shock, there behind the desk was Renji, brush in mouth as he read through the reports.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" She blinked.
"Lieutenant Renji Abarai, doing paperwork? I should take leave more often."
"If you have any respect for me, you will not." Renji grumbled, dropping the folder as he stood up.
"The Captain has been unbearable."
"How so?" She asked, handing him the extra cup.
"He walks solemnly, he broods when he is standing alone, he speaks so sharply to the officers that they flinch when he talks! It's like he pulled out Senbonzakura and performed Bankai on them or somethin'." Renji replied, sipping the tea before pulling a face.
"I don't know how you drink this stuff, Zaraki's piss tastes better than this."
"Well, you would know," Etsu smirked, raising an eyebrow as Renji threw the brush at her.
Catching it perfectly, she stuck her tongue out at him, "So, Byakuya has been acting his normal self since I've been gone?"
"No, he's worse, Etsu, he is miserable. I cannot, will not sit in a room with him if he is gonna just mope like some teenager." He huffed.
"Well, I'm back now, so we can deal with him together." She smiled, sipping the tea.
"Nope, screw that, he can prevent the misery by coming out and saying how he feels about you." Renji said, shaking his head.
"We both know he won't, so you may as well, give up on that idea."
Renji frowned. The pair were infuriating, they were miserable without each other yet weren't prepared to meet the other half way and make a go of things.
"You two need your heads banging together, Byakuya needs to open up more and you Etsu," Renji jabbed his finger at her chest.
"Me? What did I do?" She exclaimed.
"It's what you're not doing that's pissing me off," He said.
"All this Byakuya is the one that has to do the running is bullshit and you know it! You want him, tell him! Don't sit there like some prissy noble expecting things to fall in your lap. You of all people know you can't sit around waiting for good things to happen to you."
Blinking up at the brow furrowed shinigami, Etsu jumped up and hugged him; she knew he was right, she had been using the excuse that he had to be the one to ask her out was nonsense. When the time was right she would proposition him herself.
"But what do I say?" She asked, letting him go.
"I dunno, how you feel?" Renji shrugged.
"Or you could just kiss him and see how that goes."
"Yeah, I'm not that crazy," She chuckled.
"That and he'd probably see it as an injury to his person."
"True dat…" He replied with a grin.
"But don't tell me it wouldn't be worth it."