Author's Note: OVER A HUNDRED REVIEWS! OMGOMGOMG I was BLOWN AWAY by the response to last chapter! THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! If that keeps up, I will be a very happy author indeed :D To show my appreciation to everyone, I decided to finish this chapter way ahead of schedule (the fact that I'm on spring break right now helped). As promised, another 10 reviewers will be selected for an additional omake this chapter.

Quite a few of you mentioned that you liked seeing a glimpse of Byakuya's time in the Seireitei in Chapter 7. So here you go—an entire chapter dedicated to Byakuya's time away from Inuzuri! I added more Byakuya-Yoruichi interaction, because their relationship is honestly one of my favorites in Bleach…which you'll probably be able to tell after reading this chapter.

Fanfic Rec: 100 Petals on the Wind by Flower in the River. 59 short drabbles starring Byakuya's relationship with his wife…and one of the only Byakuya/Hisana fics I actually really like. I'm such a hypocrite XD there's SO MUCH I don't like about canon-Hisana (I understand her reasons, I really do, but something about her just rubs me in the wrong way), and then I go and write a Byakuya-Hisana fic myself. *shakes head in despair* But seriously, go check it out. It's really cute and sweet.

Interlude

Two days after Byakuya's return to Seireitei:

"Kuchiki-san." Byakuya turned at the sound of his name, acknowledging the figure standing in the doorway with a nod. "Unohana-taicho," he said neutrally. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if we could have a talk," she answered, stepping inside and taking a seat in front of him. At this, Byakuya straightened, slightly alarmed.

"Is Nakano-san alright?" He asked. Hisana had assured him that Nakano would be fine, and while he trusted her skills, she'd still been recovering from her collapse at the time. It was possible that she'd missed something.

"She'll make a full recovery," Unohana assured him. "In fact, she's due to be cleared for active duty this afternoon. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually."

"Oh?" Byakuya asked, a bit uneasily. What exactly was so important that it warranted a visit from the fourth division captain herself?

"Kuchiki-san," she eyed him seriously. "Answer me honestly. Who treated Nakano-san?" It took every ounce of his training not to let his alarm show on his face.

"She was treated in your division, of course. If I am not mistaken, she is still there. What exactly is this about, taicho?" Byakuya deflected. At this, Unohana's eyes sharpened.

"Please do not insult me, Kuchiki-san. I have been Captain of the Fourth for much longer than you have been alive. I can recognize the work of every Shinigami in my division, and I assure you that Nakano-san was not treated by any of them. Or rather, she was treated by someone else first," Unohana amended.

"I am not sure what you are getting at. Both Nakano-san and I reported in with only minor injuries," Byakuya stated firmly. A faint shadow crossed over Unohana's face and Byakuya manfully resisted the urge to cower under his desk or run away. Hisana, you had better appreciate this, he thought darkly.

"Again, I would thank you not to insult me or my skills by lying to me. Do you really think that I can't recognize puncture wounds when I see them? Whoever healed her did an admirable job of drawing out the poison, I admit. However, although the venom was completely gone there were still signs of the damage it did to the tissue. Likewise, the faint scar caused by the stitches was still visible." At this, Unohana paused and her expression softened.

"I do not mean your friend any harm, Kuchiki-san. I cannot make a detailed assessment of the poison without looking at it personally, but I can make an educated guess as to how it worked. The imagination and innovation required to come up with a technique to treat it, the amount of anatomy knowledge shown, and the precision and skill with which the wound was stitched together…I find myself impressed. I would not have expected anyone below eighth seat to show such capability." Despite himself, Byakuya felt a faint burst of pride for Hisana. Unohana Retsu was not someone who handed out praise lightly, after all.

"I am sorry, Unohana-taicho, but my friend does not wish for her identity to be known." There was really no reason to keep denying Hisana's existence at this point. "I owe her too much to go against her wishes." Unohana stared at him for a long moment.

"Your friend…she is not a Shinigami."

It was not a question. Byakuya willed himself not to react as she smiled slightly.

"No need to pretend, Kuchiki-san. Anyone who learns healing kido in the Gotei 13 is taught a very specific way of how to treat the body. Even if we don't have verbal incantations, there are still standardized techniques and ways of manipulating and forming healing kido that every healer is taught. Your friend does not follow any of the usual medical practices and procedures, making it very obvious that she did not learn her skills here in the Seireitei."

Unohana paused slightly before continuing. "You are sure that you will not divulge her identity? I merely wish to meet her, as her techniques are…refreshingly unique. I'd like to know how she came about them."

"I will not." Byakuya's voice was firm.

"Very well," Unohana sighed. "I will not push then. However, if she does ever wish to become a Shinigami, please tell her that there will be an opening in the Fourth Division waiting for her."

Four Months Later

Byakuya tilted the music box in his hands back and forth, observing it thoughtfully. It really was a beautifully crafted piece of wood. He'd seen it through the shop window of a well-respected antique store. When opened, it played a slightly melancholy tune—a duet between a piano and a violin. Sweet and pretty…Hisana would have liked it. Smiling wryly, he thought back to the stash of romance novels he'd found hidden in her bedroom during his visit six weeks ago.

"…those are Kaori's," Hisana muttered, turning her head away. The faint flush on her cheeks gave her away. At his disbelieving look, she scowled heavily.

"There's nothing wrong with liking romance novels, okay!" Hisana snapped, her face reddening further.

"I never said there was," he said, trying not to grin and anger her by doing so. For such a tiny person, her punches sure hurt. "I just never took you for someone who would be a fan of…hmm, what was it again? Oh right—'The Samurai's Lost Love'."

"Shut up you," her scowl deepened. "It's surprisingly well-written, alright? Don't judge me."

"It's fine, Hisana. You don't have to justify yourself to me. It's just…aren't those books a little unrealistic?"

She crossed her arms, frowning. "That's exactly why I like them. Because real life doesn't work like that. The characters in these books have the most ridiculous problems and logically should never end up together, but they do anyway. It's…nice to see, even if it's only in fiction. To see these two people go through countless troubles and heartbreak and still get a happy ending in the end."

"Kuchiki-dono?" The voice of the shop owner startled him out of his thoughts. "Is the box to your liking? I have some more in the back room if that one does not suit your tastes."

"That won't be necessary," Byakuya said coolly, "This one will do."

"Of course, Kuchiki-dono, of course. I will get that settled for you right away," the shopkeeper said hastily, dipping into a deep bow. Byakuya bit back a sigh. It was only proper for a commoner to address him so formally of course, but sometimes, just sometimes, it got a bit…tedious. Unbidden, his mind drifted back to his second trip to Inuzuri. Hisana's blatant refusal to tack on a –sama or a –dono to the end of his name had been…unusual, to say the least. Jii-sama would be scandalized, Byakuya thought amusedly. He suddenly had a mental image of his grandfather and Hisana meeting and promptly winced. Maybe not yet.

As the shopkeeper rang up the price, Byakuya made a mental note never to tell Hisana the price of the antique. Last time had been bad enough, and it had only been a box of tea.

Byakuya watched with some worry as all the blood suddenly drained out of Hisana's face. Beside her, Rukia had started choking.

"Wha-what did you say?" Renji sputtered, chin wet after having spewed the tea all over the table. Byakuya eyed his second…student of sorts disdainfully. "Abarai-kun, please control yourself. Your manners are absolutely disgraceful; I have taught you better than this." Renji ignored him completely and Byakuya resigned himself to the fact that his redheaded student would always be an uncultured buffoon.

"I-I don't even see that much money in a year! Hell, even if ya combined the salaries of Kaori-nee-san, Kazuki-nii-san, Mitsuo-nii-san AND Hisana-nee-san, I probably STILL wouldn't see that much money in a year!"

Meanwhile, Rukia had stopped choking and now reached over to poke him on the cheek. Byakuya swatted her hand away irritably. "And what do you think you are doing, Rukia-chan?"

"Just checkin' to make sure you aren't made outta ivory or something. You're certainly pale enough." She seemed rather disappointed that Byakuya was not, in fact, composed of elephant tusk. "Hey Oni-sensei, when you cry, do you cry diamonds? No? How 'bout sapphires then? Or pearls?"

Hisana finally seemed to have recovered somewhat and pulled Rukia into her lap. "Stop that, Rukia, it's rude. And you," she leveled a fierce glare on Byakuya. "Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT bring me something that expensive again. In fact, it's probably better that you don't bring me anything again. Kami, it's like you're trying to give me a heart attack."

"But did you like them?" He interrupted her rant. The bridge of her nose crinkled in confusion, and Byakuya tried really hard not to find that as endearing as he did.

"Like what? My near-heart attacks? Because I really don't," she said crossly.

"Your gifts. Did you like the books I gave you?" She hesitated and Byakuya had to fight down the smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Well…I mean…that is to say…it's true that they were very helpful. And there was that absolutely fascinating chapter about adapting healing techniques for combat use-" Still sitting on Hisana's lap, Rukia suddenly groaned and smacked her forehead.

"And the tea? You did enjoy it, yes?" Byakuya pressed on.

"Um, it was admittedly very, uh, nice," Hisana said, casting a longing look towards the remainder of her tea in her cup.

"Then I don't see what the problem was. So long as it makes you happy, it's worth every cent," Byakuya finished firmly. Hisana huffed, though Byakuya noticed with satisfaction that her cheeks were slightly pink. "Fine. Just don't bring me something so expensive again, you hear?"

"I promise that I won't spend more than ten percent of my weekly salary on you," he agreed magnanimously, deciding to leave out just how much money he actually earned in a week between his career in the Gotei 13 and being the Kuchiki heir.

"Byakuya-sama!" At hearing the familiar high-pitched voice, Byakuya grimaced and subtly tried to look for an escape route. Finding none, he sighed and braced himself.

"Amano-san," he said monotonously. "I was not expecting to see you here." If he had been, he'd be halfway across the Seireitei by now. Amano Fumiko, the only daughter of the Amano clan head. A medium level noble family, not as prestigious as the Kuchiki clan, but nonetheless known for their fast growing wealth and their influence in the merchant's sector. His grandmother had introduced him to the girl a few days ago and had insisted that they have lunch together. Subtle, his grandmother was not.

It had been one of the most excruciatingly awkward meals of his life…on his side at least. Amano hadn't seemed to notice, chattering away the entire time. By the end of the hour, he'd learned more about Naito Ichiro's affair with Kasada Jun than he'd ever wanted to know. Honestly, he had no idea why she was so happy to see him. He couldn't have been a good conversationalist, having barely said a dozen words the entire time. Money, he mused sardonically, could excuse a lot of faults.

Amano smiled up widely at him. It didn't reach her eyes. "Byakuya-sama, it's so nice to see you again!" She glanced at the music box he was holding. "Oh, that is a lovely piece of art, isn't it? I didn't know you were a fan of music."

"I like to indulge in it from time to time," Byakuya answered stiffly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting scheduled in half an hour. Duty calls, I'm sure you understand." He bowed politely towards her.

"On a weekend, Byakuya-sama?" She pouted. "How dull. You're always so busy—how do you ever get any free time?"

By hiding away in a small house seventy eight districts away, Byakuya thought dryly. Seemingly oblivious to Byakuya's tense state, Amano reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind one ear, shooting a coy smile at him.

"Where is your meeting taking place, Byakuya-sama? Perhaps I can accompany you there?" She asked. Looking around frantically, Byakuya nearly collapsed in relief at the sight of a familiar head of purple hair. It was quite possibly the only time he'd ever been glad to see the were-cat.

"Shihouin-taicho!" He called out, striding over to her. She looked up confused, before her eyes landed on Amano and comprehension lit her features. "How fortuitous. I was just about to head over to the meeting." He sent her a meaningful look.

"Indeed," she said, lips quirking and obviously entertained. "We had better hurry if we don't want to be late, Byakuya-bou."

Too relieved to even scowl at the nickname, Byakuya turned back to Amano and bowed again. "My apologies, Amano-san. Until next time." With pointed look towards Yoruichi, he turned around and began making his way towards the 6th Division. Yoruichi followed him at a much more sedate pace, looking positively amused. As soon as he was out of sight, Byakuya promptly took off at his fastest shunpo.

He paused on the roof of a building five streets away, Yoruichi stopping right on his heels. A second blur soon followed and Byakuya nearly groaned at the sight of the smaller figure trailing them, dressed in ninja black.

"Oh, Soi-fon!" Yoruichi called out brightly. "Sorry for taking off like that; I was just helping to rescue Byakuya-bou." Soi-fon narrowed her eyes at him.

"Was Kuchiki-san bothering you, Yoruichi-sama?" She asked, hand already twitching towards her zanpakuto. "If you want, I'll take care of him and you can get back to shopping."

"No need, my little bee," Yoruichi laughed. "This is too good to pass up. I think I'm done with shopping for the day. Can you bring my purchases back to the second?"

"Right away, Yoruichi-sama!" Soi-fon said determinedly, before shooting off in a shunpo even Byakuya had trouble following.

"She's getting really good at that," Yoruichi sighed proudly, before reaching out with one hand and snatching the back of Byakuya's shihakusho just as he was about to make his escape. "Nuh-uh, not so fast Byakuya-bou. Explain what I just saw there."

"Not that it is any of your business, but that was Amano-san."

"Amano…owner of the majority of Seireitei's clothing stores, Amano?" She mused. "And I'm guessing yet another one of your love-conquests. She seemed awfully determined to get you alone, Byakuya-bou." Spinning him around, she reached up and pinched his right cheek playfully. "I'm so proud…my little Byakuya, growing up to be such a ladies man!"

Gritting his teeth, Byakuya resisted the urge to release his Shikai on the stupid cat-lady. He wasn't a hundred any more. "Let go of me! Do you have any functional brain cells in that demented mind of yours? Did it look like Amano-san and I were romantically involved?"

"Hmm…maybe not," she said, tapping her index finger against her chin thoughtfully. "But that doesn't explain what you have in your hand."

He blinked, looking down at the music box he'd almost forgotten about.

"It's for me," Byakuya said automatically, pushing down the urge to hide it behind his back like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "I am not allowed to enjoy music now, Shihouin-taicho?"

"Mmm," she eyed him skeptically. "I know that your Shikai takes the form of cherry blossoms, but I've known you for over a century now and you don't seem the type to purchase a music box with flowers engraved on it. Its design is a bit…feminine, even for you. Try again, kid." Once again, Byakuya was unpleasantly reminded of the fact that despite all appearances, Yoruichi was head of the Omnitsukido for a reason.

"One of my cousin's birthdays is coming up," he deflected. It was true after all, and the best lies were lies of omission. Unfortunately, Yoruichi had been the one to teach him that. She smiled indulgently at him and Byakuya resisted the urge to scowl.

"While pretty, it's not quite expensive enough to be given as a gift to any noble, which narrows down the suspect pool considerably. I would have thought maybe the Nakano girl you've been seen with a few times, but she has a boyfriend and I doubt he'd take too kindly to you giving her gifts. Not to mention I'm pretty sure if you were interested in her romantically, you wouldn't be calling each other 'Nakano-san' and 'Kuchiki-dono'. So that rules out Nakano Rin."

Her gaze sharpened. "The interesting thing is, if you did behave differently with a girl, it would be all over Seireitei by now. So that means…how long have you been seeing someone from the Rukongai, Byakuya-kun?"

"That's ridiculous," Byakuya scoffed. Hisana was only a friend…right? Perhaps his closest friend, but not someone he'd ever looked at in that way. For God's sake, they'd only met each other a few times. This wasn't one of those stupid romance novels Hisana liked to read. Ignoring the uneasy feeling in his stomach, he turned back to Yoruichi. "I admit that this is a gift for someone I met outside of the Seireitei. However, you're mistaken in thinking that I have any romantic intentions towards her."

"Then why the present?" Yoruichi asked, eyes narrowed. "That's a bit out of character for you, kid."

"Is it not customary to bring gifts to friends after spending a period of time apart?" Byakuya retorted. "I am only being polite."

"Right." Yoruichi said, clearly unconvinced. "Just tell me this, Byakuya-kun. Is she forcing you into this? Or are you only doing this out of some sense of guilt?" Her reiatsu abruptly cooled, stilling dangerously. "It doesn't matter what information she has over you, you know. Just say the word, and I'll take care of it."

"What? No!" Byakuya yelped, composure briefly slipping. Yoruichi thought that Hisana was blackmailing him? Or manipulating him? "Kami, no. She's one of the most infuriatingly selfless people I've ever met. She'd kill me if she knew how much this thing cost." Or at the very least, throw it at his head. Irrational midget, he thought fondly.

Yoruichi stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head. "Clueless moron," she muttered. "Great, now I feel bad for this girl and I've never even met her."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Byakuya asked, abruptly anxious. "She's not really the type to like attention drawn to her."

"Relax, Byakuya-bou. Share a secret this good? Nah, I'm going to keep this one for myself," she said grinning. "However, in exchange…you tell me about her. I'm curious what kind of girl managed to befriend the Kuchiki heir." Her tone suddenly turned thoughtful. "Say, this wouldn't be the same girl who had you so preoccupied a few months back, would it?"

"Yes it is—although I do not have a so-called 'crush' on her," Byakuya was quick to add. "I'm not going to tell you her name," he said warningly. "The last thing I want is for you to track her down and bother her."

"Aww…but there are so many great stories I could tell her about you!" Yoruichi pouted. "But don't worry kiddo, I won't ask for any specifics. Just general facts. If it makes you feel better, I'm not speaking as Captain of the 2nd Division right now, but as your Yoruichi-ba-san. No Shinigami business, I promise."

"Alright," Byakuya relented. Despite how impossibly frustrating and annoying she could be at times, Shihouin Yoruichi was one of the few people in the Seireitei that he trusted wholeheartedly. If nothing else, he believed that she had his best interests at heart.

"So I met her a little over half a year ago-"

~Fifteen minutes later~

"—and she has this big family too, although I'm fairly convinced most of them dislike me." Dislike probably wasn't a strong enough word. Whenever he was around, Kazuki spent most of his time in plain view sharpening his sword and staring at him meaningfully. Whenever Kaori cooked dinner, his food alternated between overwhelmingly bland and unbearably salty…he'd even tried a bite of Hisana's meal for comparison purposes and hers had been perfectly seasoned. He'd learned not to eat/drink anything Mitsuo handed him period after the first time he caught Mitsuo slipping an unknown powder into his water.

As for Miwa, after the fiasco with Nakano's injury, it was probably for the best that Hisana was the one who always treated him. While always unfailingly polite to him in front of her Shishou, whenever he was injured, Miwa often 'accidentally' handed Hisana the scalpel instead of what she actually asked for along with the most painful disinfectants. As it was, she also tended to mysteriously develop deafness whenever he happened to ask her for something.

The worst, however, were his own students. Whenever he got up in the morning, Renji would rush past him into the bathroom and then refuse to come out for at least half an hour. Both of his students seemed to suddenly become about four times as clumsy whenever he was in the vicinity. Honestly, Byakuya had lost count of the number of times Renji or Rukia would be carrying a heavy object and suddenly 'trip' towards his direction. When Hisana had been…recovering from healing Nakano's injury, Rukia had almost dumped a pot of boiling water on his lap. He'd dodged, of course, and Rukia had received an earful from both Kaori and Mitsuo and a subtle high five from Kazuki later but…he'd never told Hisana about that. If nothing else, at least that one he'd deserved.

"She sounds like a pretty cool girl," Yoruichi commented, a strange smile on her face. "I don't think I've heard you talk this much in years, Byakuya-bou."

Byakuya blinked in surprise, just now noticing how dry his throat was. Nakano-san knew about Hisana, of course, but despite the fact that their relationship had grown closer, she was still his subordinate and he was still her commanding officer. They were friendly, but they weren't…friends. They weren't equals. Yoruichi on the other hand was much closer to his social status and they'd known each other for years. Additionally, despite her position as head of the Shihouin clan, Yoruichi had never really been one for formalities. Hell, she walked around as a male cat half the time and still called him 'Byakuya-bou.' He didn't have to worry about her disapproval.

Talking about Hisana with someone had been…nice, Byakuya supposed. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her.

"It's hard to believe that I've only known her for a few months," Byakuya agreed. That was the thing with Hisana, though. With her, things just came…naturally. He didn't have to try with her.

"I do have one question however," Yoruichi glanced at him. "If she means so much to you, why let her stay in the Rukongai? It would be easy enough for you to gain her access inside. I'm sure you at least have an idea what life outside the city walls is like—why leave her there?" He blinked in surprise at the question. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it before—of course he had, since the moment she'd held him helpless at sword-point and had set him free instead—and indeed, his primary purpose for returning had been to offer her a place in the Seireitei. A way out that, in the end, she hadn't needed.

"Because she's never needed a hero," he murmured after a moment of contemplation. "And she'd hate me for making her a damsel in distress." Byakuya smiled at Yoruichi's widened eyes. "She's doing just fine—more than fine—where she is. If she ever needed my help, I would offer it in an instant, but until then…she doesn't need me to rescue her."

Another Six Months Later

"Byakuya-bou!" Byakuya resisted the urge to bang his forehead on his desk as Yoruichi charged into the room, eyes bright. You are the heir to the Kuchiki clan, he reminded himself, you have dignity, you have pride…ahh, screw it.

"What do you want?" He groaned. Ever since he'd told Yoruichi about Hisana, the damn cat-woman just wouldn't leave him alone. It was always 'So when are you going to see her again?' or 'Hey, are you ever going to invite her to the Seireitei? Just for a short visit?'. After his last visit, she'd hounded him until he'd finally relented and let her help pick out Hisana's next present.

"So? Did she like the necklace?" Yoruichi asked excitedly. "Come on Byakuya-bou, give me something to work with here. Your first close female friend, outside of…well, me." Additionally, she'd also worked out that Hisana lived somewhere in the outer districts of South Rukongai ("It wasn't exactly that hard. No one likes going all the way out there and you've volunteered for practically every mission in that general direction. Frankly, I'm amazed no one else has worked it out."). Byakuya supposed he should count himself lucky that she hadn't narrowed it down to Inuzuri.

"Well, she took it only slightly worse than the music box," Byakuya said dryly.

"The music box…didn't she give you a hug and thank you for about two minutes before punching you in the face?" Yoruichi asked. Byakuya winced, his right eye throbbing at the memory.

"She apologized after," and healed him as well, though Yoruichi still didn't know about Hisana's healing abilities.

"I'm liking this girl more and more already," Yoruichi said smirking. "So tell me, how'd she react?" It had been a beautiful necklace, simple and elegant—a white gold phoenix wrapped around a teardrop shaped jade pendant of the highest quality; against the shine of the phoenix, the pale translucent green had almost seemed to glow with a subtle brilliance. The entire thing lay suspended on an elegant chain, white gold to match the phoenix. It was lovely, something both he and Yoruichi could agree on…and very obviously expensive.

"Oh, she stormed off, ignored me for two hours before calling me 'hopeless' and smacked me on the head. I caught her wearing it when I left though, so I think she liked it."

Yoruichi laughed delightedly. "She sounds like a complete tsundere, Byakuya-kun. It's adorable." Which, Byakuya supposed, had a grain of truth in it. About the only people Hisana wasn't emotionally awkward around were children and her patients.

"So am I ever going to meet her?" Yoruichi continued. Wonderful, this again. They had repeated this conversation twelve times in the past month.

"As I have already informed you, it is not exactly easy to plan a visit," Byakuya said, his voice cooling a degree. "The travel distance alone is four days using shunpo, and if she entered as my guest, it would attract attention to her that she neither wants nor needs. She would never get a moment's peace. You know that, Shihouin-taicho."

"Mmm, but if she was okay with it?" Yoruichi asked, a speculative look in her eye. "Would you bring her in then?"

"Then I would love to show her around," Byakuya answered. "However, she has never expressed an interest in seeing my home, so this topic is pointless to discuss." His lips turned down a fraction. Most people he came across practically salivated for an opportunity to glimpse the inside of the 'mysterious Kuchiki grounds.' The closest Hisana had come to expressing an interest was saying, "Wait, you have how many ponds on your property? Can you swim in them?" But then again, Hisana could never be accused of being 'most people.'

"You know, there's one thing I've noticed, Byakuya-bou," Yoruichi commented. "Whenever I ask you to bring her over, it's always 'it would be inconvenient for her' or 'I don't want her to have to deal with the attention.' You've never once said that it would be troublesome for you."

"I am more than capable of dealing with any repercussions from my actions," Byakuya answered stiffly.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought of how bringing in an outsider would affect his own reputation. His grandfather would almost certainly disapprove. His grandmother would be furious. And even thinking about the elders' potential reaction made him wince. But somehow, whenever he thought about showing her around the Kuchiki grounds (Would she like the gardens? He'd probably have to keep her from jumping into a pond and trying to pet a fish or something), or showing her around the 13 Court Guard Squads (He'd have to keep her away from Unohana-taicho—the thought of them meeting or Kami forbid, becoming friends terrified him a little), or taking her to his family library (He'd probably have to drag her back out), his family's approval didn't seem to matter so much.

It wasn't like he'd be breaking any rules, Byakuya mused, so he'd be keeping his promise to his parents. And really, it wasn't any of his family's business who he decided to be friends with. Besides, it was only natural that he want to bring her here. She had accepted him into her home without asking any questions, her only condition being that he give Rukia and Renji a few lessons; of course he'd want to repay the favor.

"I can think of more than a few people who would be very unhappy about your actions," Yoruichi said mildly. "Your grandmother for one. That Amano girl—as well as the Fujiwara heiress, the Yamato girl and the Minamoto clan's youngest daughter—would be devastated. Your grandfather might be more accepting, but I don't see him being all that happy either. Not that I don't want to meet your mysterious lady friend—I do—but is associating with this girl really worth all that trouble?"

"I couldn't care less what Amano-san and the others thought. They are of no interest to me," Byakuya said coldly. "My grandmother will eventually learn to accept that I am an adult now, and am capable of making my own decisions. Just because my views differ from hers at times, it does not mean that I do not have the Kuchiki clan's best interests at heart. As for my grandfather…I trust that he would come around in time."

"Hmm, just making sure. Your grandparents would want me to caution you further against making rash decisions but…I can see that you've put a lot of thought into this. I'm proud of you, Byakuya," Yoruichi said softly, putting a hand on his arm affectionately—for once leaving out the childish honorific. "This girl, whoever she is, is lucky to have you gained your loyalty." With that, she left Byakuya to his thoughts. Even after Yoruichi was long gone, Byakuya turned her words over in his head thoughtfully.

It was strange. Something was bothering him about Yoruichi's choice of words—she hadn't said Hisana was lucky to have gained his friendship. No, Yoruichi had used the word loyalty instead. It wouldn't have sounded strange to any commoner, but to a noble…well, Shihouin Yoruichi knew better than anyone that among the aristocracy, loyalty was prized above all else. Loyalty to the clan, loyalty to the 13 Court Guard Squads…it was valued over friendship or even love. It was a small detail, but…Byakuya shook his head, choosing to forget about the matter. Shihouin Yoruichi was a woman of many eccentricities; it probably wouldn't do to dwell upon it too much.

~Another Three Months Later~

Kuchiki Ginrei looked up as his grandson entered his office, handing in his mission reports for the week. Looking down at the top page, he resisted the urge to sigh.

"Another mission request? It's only been a few days since your last one," he said disapprovingly. "And to the 74th district of South Rukongai as well?"

"There are no other officers currently available that are capable of accomplishing this mission on their own," Byakuya replied. "It would be a waste of resources to send an entire team of Shinigami when it would be more efficient to send me."

"If you didn't lead just as many team missions, I would worry about your penchant towards wandering off on your own in the Rukongai for weeks on end," Ginrei commented, voice faintly admonishing.

"The distance alone makes it impractical to send more than one or two Shinigami, especially if they are not accomplished in shunpo. As someone who has trained extensively with Shihouin-taicho herself, I am the reasonable choice to send."

"Right," Ginrei eyed Byakuya shrewdly. "And am I to also assume that this latest request for a long-term mission has nothing to do with the meeting you have next week with Fujimoto-san?" Byakuya stiffened and Ginrei sighed somewhat exasperatedly.

"You know that your grandmother only has your best interests at heart, Byakuya. And Fujimoto-san is a pleasant young woman—it would not hurt for you to get to know her better."

"Fujimoto-san is…nice enough," Byakuya spoke haltingly. "However, I simply cannot see her in the way that obaa-sama wishes me to. I believe that it would be unfair to both myself and Fujimoto-san to pretend otherwise." Ginrei's expression softened slightly.

"It is not a commitment, grandson, simply a way for you so socialize more with women your own age. Do not look upon your grandmother's actions too harshly, Byakuya. She simply wants to have some grandchildren to dote on in the future. As do I." Despite himself, Byakuya felt his face warming and Ginrei chuckled lightly. "But if you are really so averse to another meeting with Fujimoto-san, I will approve this mission and have a talk with your grandmother about easing up a little. However, answer me honestly. Is there truly no girl who has caught your attention? You are young still and you still have time, but is there really no one who you would not mind taking as a companion? I know that arranged marriages are common in our clan, but I would rather you end up in a match that would make you happy."

For a moment, sparkling blue-violet eyes and a warm smile flashed across his mind. Frustrated, Byakuya pushed the image away roughly and turned to look his grandfather in the eye.

"There is no one," he stated firmly. "May I be dismissed, taicho?"

"Wait a moment, Byakuya. There is something else I'd like to speak to you about," Ginrei said, tone abruptly turning serious. Byakuya paused.

"Is something the matter, taicho?" He asked his grandfather warily. Ginrei smiled slightly, shaking his head. "Not at all, Byakuya. And I have told you, you may call me grandfather here when we are alone."

"Very well, jii-sama," Byakuya acknowledged with a nod. "What was it you wanted to discuss?"

"Take a seat," the elderly head of the Kuchiki Clan motioned with one hand towards the chair in front of him, then poured a cup of tea and handed it to Byakuya.

"You have been serving in this division for almost three decades now," Ginrei began as Byakuya accepted the tea with a faint sound of gratitude. "And you have always been an exemplary example of what a Sixth Division officer should be. These past few months especially, you have taken it upon yourself to accept some of the most challenging missions that have come through, and have managed to complete them with minimal injuries." Looking down at his tea contemplatively, he missed the uncomfortable look that briefly crossed Byakuya's face. "I have been thinking…you are still young, not even a century and a half old yet, but you have shown admirable responsibility and competency for someone of your age. I think…yes, it is about time that I gained a new lieutenant. Your father's old seat has gone empty for long enough, don't you agree?"

At this, Byakuya stilled, unable to prevent the shock from showing on his face. "Jii-sama," he breathed out, "you don't mean…what about Shirogane-san?" At this, Byakuya's grandfather chuckled.

"Shirogane Ginjirou may be my third seat, but he is also getting on in years. I had discussed the matter with him several months back and he adamantly insisted that you were better suited for the position." Ginrei stood up, walking over to Byakuya's side and placed a reassuring hand on to Byakuya's shoulder. "You have done me proud, both as a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and as my grandson. I could not have asked for more," he stated fondly.

"Then, Jii-sama…I would be honored to accept the position," Byakuya stated solemnly, inwardly touched. He stood up and dipped into a low bow.

"No need to bow before me, grandson," Ginrei said gently. There was a brief pause. "You've grown up into a fine man. Your parents would be proud if they could see you here today, Byakuya. Never doubt that."

Author's Note: Be honest, how many of you actually read these? I mean, you don't have to, they're basically me clearing up some parts of the chapter that may be confusing, and I'll foreshadow future chapters in them. It would be nice though, to know that people actually read my rambles. I get that I can't always explain what a character is feeling/thinking in the chapter, so if a character is acting confusing/their characterization seems erratic, I try to explain further in my author's note.

Anyway, I hope I managed to clear up Byakuya's feelings a bit better with this chapter. What did you think of his relationship with Yoruichi? And his grandfather?