I am tres super massively sorry it's taken me so long to put this chapter up! Please forgive me, work has been insane :( but I have a few days off and sooooo many ideas in the works :D Well, the nutella hits the fan and Renji and Etsu must deal with the Hurricane that is Byakuya Kuchiki. Presenting...

Chapter Eleven

"You're lucky Renji was just sparring with you, if he had been angry he'd have cut through the tendons, severed the subclavian artery leaving you either dead or losing the use of your arm," Unohana said, disinfecting the Etsu's wounds after she had stitched it shut.

"Good news is that this isn't too deep, you won't be able to do any heavy lifting for a week or two, but you should make a full recovery, provided that you rest and avoid unnecessary exertion."

"That shouldn't be too hard, eh princess?" Renji scoffed.

"You could get carried by your servants just as you've always dreamed."

Etsu flipped him the bird as he laughed at her, "Hilarious Abarai."

"Not so fast Abarai San," Unohana said, turning her head toward him.

"If Etsu was angry enough she could have scared you for life."

"Meh," He shrugged.

"Chicks dig scars."

"But not on you." Etsu retorted, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"That was below the belt," He grumbled.

"Especially for you Miss-I'm-going-out-with-my-captain."

"Tell the whole world why don't you." She grumbled, looking over at Unohana.

"I never heard a thing," Unohana said, a smile on her face as she applied tape to the bandage and nodding once at her work.

"I'm just glad that Kuchiki Sama is happy and moving on."

Just as Etsu opened her mouth to say something, two panic stricken squad four officers came stumbling into the medical suite; it took them several minutes before they could make coherent sense.

Etsu and Renji exchanged glances before they felt the ungodly surge of Byakuya's reiatsu. Etsu closed her eyes briefly as Renji let out a curse under his breath. If they could feel his spiritual pressure from here, then to say that Taicho was pissed, would be an understatement.

"From the beginning," Unohana said softly, soothing her officers like a mother would her distraught children.

"C-Captain Kuchiki demanded access to see his officers. Ishimoto got smart and tried to deny him access, but the Captain got angry and his reiatsu made Ishimoto fold like a pack of cards!" One officer cried.

"Is he injured?" She asked.

"No, just faint, we not long just carried him to the infirmary," The shorter officer replied.

"But Captain Kuchiki simply stepped over him and flashstepped in this direction in search of Lieutenant Abarai and Okinawa Sama."

As the officers finished, Byakuya flashstepped into the doorway behind them, the officers cowered under his presence, shrieking in terror as they ran in the opposite direction.

Byakuya took a moment to survey the scene before him, Renji, was sat in the chair next to Etsu, who was sitting upright on the infirmary bed; naked from the waist up. He took one look at Renji and then at her injured shoulder, his jaw set. Etsu drew the sheets up around her ample chest, blushing hard.

"Can we help you?" Unohana asked haughtily, raising an eyebrow.

"I wish to speak with my officers, at once." He said his features set in stone, his eyes hard.

"Of course," Unohana replied, fiddling with Etsu's bandages.

"However, your officers are in my care, their health comes before anything else."

"Oh shit." Renji whispered as he and Etsu exchanged looks again.

Byakuya was furious, both his high ranking officers had, in his eyes, acted recklessly; their reiatsu had been felt right around the barracks, had this been a real fight, they would have put the lower ranking officers in danger.

Etsu was injured, the dark rage that had been building inside him was threatening to erupt and smash Renji through the wall. The fact that he was in here with her didn't help the issue either.

Renji gulped under the titanium glare of his captain. He knew he was in trouble, not just because of the potential damage they could have caused, but because he was the reason Etsu was sitting in a Squad four infirmary bed, semi naked and injured. That and she was totally comfortable to be this naked around him.

But not Byakuya.

Etsu noticed the heavy look Byakuya was giving Renji; she needed to defuse the situation, before Byakuya killed him.

"Captain, the fault was mine, I challenged Renji to a sparring match, I set the rules and I lost. Renji did nothing but be a good sport." She said, casting her eyes down.

"Hm," He said, his face blank.

"See me in my office when you are finished here."

And with that, Byakuya flashstepped away. Etsu let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding, Renji stretched until his joints popped before letting out a nervous laugh.

"Well he seemed happy," He chuckled.

"What was that about?"

Etsu shrugged, wincing again, "No idea, but I guess I better go and find out."

Unohana offered to help Etsu back into her Shihakusho, but Etsu declined, bowing low to the Squad four Captain.

"Thank you Unohana Sama, we've taken up too much of your time, Renji can help me."
Unohana raised an eyebrow again, silently judging them.

"You have nothing to worry about about Captain," Renji said, standing up.

"I see Okinawa as a sister; we've been drunk and naked around each other too many times for it to be embarrassing."

"Hmm…" She mused.

"That and she ain't my type." He added, nudging her.

"Well right back at you." Etsu sniped, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I see…" Unohana said, that small smile back her on gentle face.

"I believe this explains why your Captain was so angry."

Etsu frowned as Renji helped her into her clothes, "You think the banter between us is the cause for the Captain's actions?"
"Precisely." She said, nodding once.

"Want me to talk to him?" Renji offered, tying the inner ties.

"No, I have to do this." She sighed.

"Taicho needs to know the boundaries."

They thanked Captain Unohana profusely before making their way back to their own barracks in silence.

"We can always go for food another day," Renji finally said.

"I don't think he'll be pleased if you smooth things out then go "Bye honey, I'm off to dinner with the guy you're insecure about!"'

"We could, but I don't want to postpone, Byakuya needs to learn that just because I have guy friends, it doesn't mean I'm sleeping with them."

"Fair enough, good luck teaching that lesson." He shrugged.

They separated at the gate, Renji going off to his bunk and Etsu to Byakuya's office.

"Meet you at the usual place at dusk?" She said.

Renji held up a hand as he walked off.

"Right." Etsu said, taking a deep breath as she took off toward Byakuya's office.

She wasn't going to be bullied or frightened for something as innocent as a sparring match. Okay, blood was shed but none of the opponents had been hurt too badly.

Finally reaching his office, she knocked once and entered without waiting for him to answer, she knew he'd hate that but she was past caring.

"You wanted to see me?" She asked, standing before him.

"You should wait for me to answer before waltzing in here," He said, his back to her.

"Would you treat your grandfather in the same manner?"

"I would actually, but he kind of expects me to barge in." She countered.

The office was immaculate, like the day before had never happened. The picture frame that he had kept on the desk was gone and in place an ornate writing set. He finally turned round to look at Etsu; her cheeks were rosy, her eyes dancing, he understood that look; a good sparring session did that to you. Everything looked brighter; your reflexes felt sharper, you felt in peak condition and the aching muscles in the morning would be worth it.

She looked more beautiful than she had that morning, which consequently, made him feel even angrier.

"Clearly we were disciplined differently." He said sharply, looking at her over his shoulder.

"Clearly." She said sarcastically.

If Byakuya was trying to get a rise out of her, it wasn't going to work, Miyaki, her mother, was the queen of winding her up, more often than not on purpose. What was maddening was that his default setting was to revert back to Captain Mode. Why he couldn't just talk to her like a normal person was anyone's guess.

But Byakuya wasn't a normal person, not really, born a pure soul and never been able to forget it. He had been told all his life that he was special, above all others, not to sully himself with the lower born.

"They were born to serve you; you must teach them this valuable lesson."

But he forgets that she is cut from the same cloth, had the same teachings, her mother never let her forget her lineage, her name, her legacy.

The only difference was that she never let her mother's lofty and out of place teachings get to her. Her family along with the Kuchikis shaped the very Seireitei itself, when she had found her calling as a Shinigami, everyone barring her mother had been thrilled, thought that Hisao's power had been inherited by her. Her late father had been 7th seat in Division 3 under Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi well before Gin Ichimaru became Captain, he had died violently in a battle with a Hollow in the Human World; Etsu had been a teenager when the news had been received.

He mother had collapsed with grief, locking herself away leaving Etsu to fend for herself to look after Aiko. The servants helped but she had insisted on doing everything herself. When Hisao finally returned, he took over, taking care of his grieving daughter and being the rock Etsu needed in order for her to do her own grieving.

It had only been recently that she could think of her father without feeling too upset or angry. When she had graduated from the Academy, she had wept bitterly that he wasn't there to see her.

"Which one of you cracked the floor tile?" Byakuya asked after reading the file on his desk.

"That would be me." She replied.

"The repairs will come out of your salary." He said, signing the paper.

Nice. She could afford it easily, but the fact that Byakuya had returned to his normal self just Etsu angrier.

"Byakuya," She sighed.

"What is really the matter? Have you forgotten last night? This morning? What you said to me?"

"No...But I was beginning to wonder if you had." He said, huffing.

Etsu strode over to him and poked him hard in the shoulder; Byakuya just looked at her with annoyance.

"This is about Renji being in the same room as me when I was getting stitched up, isn't it?"

She narrowed her eyes as she scrutinised him, a faint blush rising on him cheeks as she stared him down.

"Byakuya Kuchiki, are you jealous?" She cried, raising her eyebrows.

His posture stiffened as she accused him, "I am not."

"I just think it was highly inappropriate for Abarai to be in the same room when you were so indecent."

"So...you are worried that Renji and I have feelings for each other?" She asked, when Byakuya didn't answer, she stood in front of him, she knew he didn't like his personal space being invaded but he needed to hear her out.

"Byakuya," She started, looking up at him.

"There is absolutely nothing going on."

Byakuya looked down at her wounded shoulder and gently untied her hair, his eye twitching as her uneven hair stuck out in different positions.

"I'll kill him," He said, trying to smooth her hair down.

"I'll demote him, banish him then kill him."

"There's no need, it was a fair fight and my hair was collateral. Renji is like a brother, I love him I openly admit that, please don't get angry with him," She replied, batting his hands away.

"That and I got my revenge by temporarily maiming him."

"I saw that," He nodded.

"Very well done."

I will be fine in a week, but please, be nice to Renji, he is as important to me as you are." She said.

That made Byakuya pause, he knew her feelings for him were strong but it never occurred to him that he actually mattered to her. It was pretty naive of him not to have known this.

"Then I will return the platitudes and say that you mean a great deal to me too." He replied, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

She smiled, leaning into his hand, "We're going to be alright, you and me."

"As long as I stop jumping to conclusions." He added.

"You said it." She chuckled, leaning up and kissing him softly.

Byakuya returned the kiss, sighing on her lips as he held her close. He knew he had to work on how he dealt with things, especially around Etsu; there was no way she was going to put up with his sulking.

"Okay, so I'm going to dinner with Renji in a bit, don't get mad, its part of the sparring match, loser buys dinner." She said.

"I'm not mad," Byakuya said, giving her a rare glimpse of a smile.

"Have fun, will you come over when you are finished?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She grinned, kissing his cheek before making her way to the door.

"That looks good on you, you know."

"Pray tell." He replied.

"A smile, it makes you look younger, less severe."

"Well then I will try to do it more often."

"I gotta go change, I'll see you later." She said, dithering before dashing out.

Byakuya sat down heavily in his chair. He had his work cut out with Etsu, life with her was going to be full of misunderstandings, arguments and tears; she was going to drive him insane with her positivity and happiness and sunshine and light. He was getting a migraine just thinking of her bursting through the door at the crack of dawn all optimistic and full of the joys of spring. But maybe that's exactly what he needed, too long had he sat in social solitary confinement of his own making, when Hisana died she took the key to his cell to her grave. Etsu could very well be the one to pick the lock and set him free.

He just needed to let her in.