Chapter 10: don't use bankai when you're drunk.
Before Kyoraku Taichou closed the door to his office behind him, Kuchiki Byakuya show a shadow moved. He assumed it was her, leaving.
The detailed discussion between the two captains ended when Nanao Ise the Fukutaichou of the eight division entered the office holding a pile of paper to be looked at by the captain.
Kuchiki Byakuya stood up to take his leave. Kyoraku looked at his receding figure and called out, "Byakuya, I'm glad new sixth squad recruitment training is running well with the help of the tenth squad Fukutaichou. I'm thinking I should also ask her to take up the job for eight squad, if she's as good as you say she is." He looked at his face when Byakuya turned to look at him, "also it doesn't hurt to have a beautiful woman like Matsumoto Fukutaichou around. She's a delightful drinking companion. I wouldn't be surprized if she turned you into a drinker as well." He let out a loud laughter.
"I have more self-control than that, Kyoraku Taichou." Byakuya said, as solemn as ever.
Kyoraku smiled. An idea played in his head. "Is that a challenge Byakuya boy? I think her company will do you some good. Anyway, how about joining me and Ukitake Taichou for a round of drink tonight. I'll take up on that challenge of getting you drunk" he winked "If your control as strong as you say it is than it shouldn't be a problem. We could also rope Ukitake in on the inter squad cooperation plan you proposed."
Byakuya thought for a minute. "I will think about it."
When he left, Nanao looked at Kyoraku suspiciously. "You don't have any drinking plan with Ukitake Taichou tonight."
"No?" he looked at her. "Well than we should hurry up and make that happen."
"Why?" she pushed her glassed up.
"Because, love in the air Nanao Chan!"
"What does love have to do with any of this?" she seemed irritated.
"Everything Nanao Chan. Everything."
…
They were sitting inside the private room of one of the very few drinking pubs in seireitei, as Kyoraku Shunsui placed one his arm around Kuchiki Byakuya sitting next to him and cheerily offered him another cup.
On the opposite side of the table, Ukitake Taichou seems a little more than tipsy. Byakuya tried talking about the plan he proposed to Kyoraku Taichou earlier, but his words were always drowning in both of their drunken incoherence.
Sake is more expensive here, so Rangiku tends to avoid this place. But sometimes, the other girls like meeting up here, as it has a nicer environment compare to the dirty pub in rukongai. So she didn't hesitate when Nanao asked for a night out. She knows how Nanao works very hard, she barely gets the chance to relax.
So, imagine her shock when from one of the private rooms, captains Ukitake, and Kuchiki came out holding Kyoraku in between them. Nanao jumped up from the table and quickly took the hold of her captain.
"Rangiku san, sorry. I will have to take captain home. Will you be alright?
"Yes yes" Rangiku smiled at her when the initial shock of seeing those soul piercing dark eyes wore off. "I'll be just fine."
Kyoraku looked up from his slouched position, "ah… beautiful Rangiku chan. You're here too! I'm sorry I have to take your drinking companion away. I know how horrible it is to drink by yourself. Oi, Ukitake, Byakuya, keep her company will ya. I'd hate to see her sitting here by herself."
"Don't worry about it Kyoraku Taichou, I'll be fine." I shook my head vigorously.
Ukitake Taichou called out, "Matsumoto Fukutaichou, we'd be honoured if you join us for a drink." He gestured her into the private room.
She hesitated as she watched Kyoraku and Nanao leave. She couldn't help thinking that this might be one of Kyoraku Taichou's games.
Ukitake Taichou poured her a cup as she nervously sat down next to Kuchiki Byakuya, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
"So Kuchiki Taichou, you wanted to talk to me about your plan for inter squad cooperation. Since we have tenth squad's Fukutaichou here, maybe we can ask for her opinion as well." Ukitake started the conversation.
Within the next few minutes, the conversation turned into a heated discussion, well as heated as it can with Kuchiki Byakuya the captain gloomy, present.
Rangiku pointed out the wellbeing's of the squad members while Byakuya argued the increasing intensity, frequency and time of training, emphasising on strictly educating them about the rules. Ukitake was basically agreeing with both of them and smiled a happy tipsy smile from his cuppa sake.
Without realising Byakuya downed a few cups of sake as Ukitake kept refilling his cup as soon as it became empty. No one needed to pour Rangiku anything.
"….that's why I suggest, keeping the morale of the recruits up. What you need more in a battle is the motivation. No matter how much you prepare for it, lack of motivation cannot be made up for by training."
"... but if you're suggesting throwing a sake party every day to motivate them, I fail to see what kind of motivation that may instil on their hearts. Only strict discipline and following the rule could result in an army of men brave enough to stand anything."
Ukitake's eyes jumped from Byakuya's face to Rangiku's face.
She continued, "… why don't you get the fact that following rules, and law and sense of propriety has nothing to do with a soldier's emotion in the battle field. We need to focus more on these individual soldiers. We all have our own reasons to fight, do you not agree, Kuchiki Taichou? Tell me what do you fight for when you're faced with an enemy? You're life? You're freedom? You're home? Everyone always fights for something. Individuality of these soldiers are very important. Some fight to survive, some fight to protect. Which one are you?"
"... I follow what orders I've been given. It's my responsibility. "
"Do you know how soulless you sound?" her face was red with irritation and alcohol.
"Following orders don't make one soulless, Matsumoto Fukutaichou." His cheeks were a little flushed too. It seems that alcohol makes him act more of an asshole than usual.
"Your blind obsession with following orders did almost get your sister killed."
The sudden silence in the room helped her realised what she's just said. The look on Kuchiki Byakuya's eyes was something that she could only describe as a mixture anger, guilt and fear.
This time she noticed how his hands clenched into fists and his eyes widened.
A very lengthy silence later Ukitake Taichou cut in, both Byakuya and Rangiku looked at him "… I remember Kuchiki Ginrei (Byakuya's grandfather) once told me something along the line of, Following the law is elemental to building characters. But the most important thing is human beings. Never lose the sight of that. Kuchiki Taichou, Matsumoto has a point, think about it!" he then looked at Rangiku, with his calm voice he slowly pronounced the words he spoke "Matsumoto Fukutaichou, you have so much potential as a shinigami. I wonder if the only reason you're still a Fukutaichou and not a Taichou yet, is because you have stopped taking things seriously." He smiled "you are more than you think are Matsumoto. I know it, Hitsugaya knows it, and even Kuchiki Taichou here knows it. All you need a little discipline and order in your life."
Rangiku felt a blush on her cheeks, resulting from guilt and embarrassment.
"Alright, it's late already. I'll be taking my leave". Ukitake stood up. "Before he close the door to the room, "you children behave, okay? No bankai!" and with the sweetest smile, he disappeared.
It took a while, before Rangiku realised, she's alone in a confined space with Kuchiki Byakuya, who is sitting only an arm length away from her. She immediately became stiff.
"I…" immediately her eyes were on him as he started saying something, "I… regret every minute of not believing my sister. It almost cost me her life" he rested his forehead on his hand, partly hiding his face.
She was astonished to see the expressions of pain that covered his face. Something motherly in her made her want to reach out and pull him into an embrace. She felt extremely guilty at the moment.
"Please… forgive me. Kuchiki Taichou." Her hands clenched into fists as she bowed slightly to apologise. "I should never have said something like that. That was very cruel of me. Please, accept my apology. I… didn't mean to... hurt you."
His eyes were on her. A brief moment later his expressions came back to normal, "You are right Matsumoto Fukutaichou." But there was something softer in his eyes.
"I am?" her widened eyes rested on his dark ones.
"Partly." He looked away. "I still would not approve of throwing parties in the middle of the week. I do not tolerate mindless drunkards."
She smiled. "You didn't seem to mind me."
His looked at her sideways, "I wonder why every time I'm drunk, you're there to take me home?"
Byakuya sat there in silence before opening his mouth. "You don't strike me as any other drunkard. You are a very odd woman Matsumoto Fukutaichou."
She did expect that to come out of his mouth. Again, her face was heating up even after she couldn't be sure whether that was an insult or a compliment.
"What is it so odd about me?" she asked. "I always thought I was normal, like everyone else here." She looked thoughtful for a bit, "I think Hitsugaya Taichou is odder than I am. Do you know he has a secret stash of candy which he never takes advantage of?" She whispered the last sentence. "But I take the liberty to do it on his behalf" she smiled warmly.
There was a smile on his face again for a second.
"What? Did I just see you smiling Kuchiki Taichou?" she gave him a pat on the back. "There you go, it might hurt a little at first, but you'll get used to it."
"Believe it or not, I do know how to smile." His intense stare into her soul continued. She started feeling tingly in her stomach, she ignored that feeling.
"So I've heard! You were a little brat back then weren't ya!" she continued teasing.
"Have you been prying behind me back, Matsumoto Fukutaichou?" his smirk reappeared.
She got caught unprepared. To hide the blush, she looked away and gulped down another cup. "That's… how… absurd! Why would I do that? Don't get cocky, alright. No one in this soul society is more boring than you, Kuchiki Byakuya!"
"Okay" he looked away too. "So, would you explain how you found out about such information regarding me, without asking me?"
"Its… all…"felt her face could boil a tea pot. "You are the one to talk, you kept telling me random things before leaving without explaining them."
He sipped his cup calmly, "I assume you're thinking about the kiss thing?"
She almost spat out the sake.
"You don't remember expressing your disappointment because I didn't kiss you?"
Her mouth dropped. "What… I… did…WHAT!"
He continued sipping his sake. "You're a much more interesting drunkard, Matsumoto Fukutaichou."
…
To be continued