36: A Rose By Any Other Name

"Our true identity is to love without fear and insecurity. Our higher potential finds us when we set our course in that direction. The power of love and compassion transforms insecurity."

-Doc Childre

Byakuya had seen Kagome back inside and then left the family to enjoy their time together for the holiday, it wasn't really something he understood or cared much for. He instead was eyeing the pretty silk scarf that he had purchased for her on a whim. He'd managed to pick it up from his help without her noticing or expecting anything.

Feeling the fabric between his fingers as he eyed the horizon, the lack of stars was much different than soul society. It wasn't as if he hadn't been to the mortal realm on occasion in the past but he had let himself get tied to it in a way that the soul reapers were to strictly avoid. While there was a glaring blindness to the world of the living the edge of that pain was painted in beautiful tones.

It wasn't even that he wanted to stay, he still much preferred the serenity of his estate to the loud rumble of the streets and glaring of the neon lights. He had let himself get tied to the girl that had saved him several weeks before…the splendor she seemed to see in everything was coloring his own eyes.

"Feels as if it's been much longer. It wasn't so long ago that she found me in that ally…" He thought idly as he let his dark eyes fall back down to the black dragon pattern worked into the coloring of the fabric. "The girl is too selfless, willing to give up her life here to protect the ones around her."

"You were willing to pass her off to that demon to protect her…despite the repercussions your clan and your family would feel by your absence." The feminine voice made him raise a brow and glance to his side at the hourglass figured woman settled beside him, stretching her arms out in a catlike way.

"To what do I owe this visitation?" His expression didn't change, he considered his sword's physical incarnation neutrally. "It has been years."

"You are a fool lately, ignoring your pride and letting yourself fall apart." She replied with open honesty, settling a leg in his lap and leaning back to search for stars in the cloudy sky. However fruitless the search would end up being. "If the whole of soul society stands against you, you must still stand. I do not like being put aside for petty politics."

She was a magnificent creature, a perfect sculpture of a woman with a simple pink dress that only helped to define her curves. Yet, there was a predatory nature that lurked below her lovely mask, one that used to make Byakuya nervous in his youth.

"Don't make me repeat myself." He eyed his sword's perky antics with some measure of agitation but remained mostly calm. Her ability to get a rise out of him had ceased years before. "There have been many issues with politics in the past. You didn't appear when Rukia was in danger, why now?"

"You decided your own course then." She answered as she pulled long hair behind her, lounging backward and giving up her search of the sky to consider Byakuya with her forest green gaze. "Now you flounder like you did when you were a child. You ask others to make your decisions for you. It's bothersome."

"It's not my decision to make." Byakuya explained to her, looking back toward the sky himself when she met his eyes.

"Isn't it? You don't want to leave her, so protect her. Did you learn nothing when we fought Zangetsu?" She giggled, her voice sounding like notes of music. "Or must things be beaten into you further? You don't consider me weaker than that demon do you?"

"No." Byakuya replied honestly, despite what he'd seen with the 12th squad captain he didn't doubt he would stand up far better. "There is much that holds my hand, you are aware of that. I have never considered nor called you weak."

"Then you need to be stronger." She sat back up, running a hand through his dark hair and smiling at him. "You aren't a fool Byakuya…and we are strong, stronger than any of the fools that would stand against us. Open your eyes and look at what you are holding. It seems much like a necklace to me."

Byakuya turned his head at the implication toward Senbonzakura's incarnation but found it gone. She had left him to consider the impact of her words. It was frustrating the way she did that every now and again but he did consider his 'gift' to Kagome in a new light.

"It was much like when I was shopping with Hisana wasn't it?" He started to fold the scarf in his lap as he considered. "She had the same fascinated expression on her face when she was looking at this as Hisana did back then…"

Byakuya settled the scarf in it's box and closed it, eyeing the package as if he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with it. "Is Senbonzakura right? Kagome does bring out parts of me I thought long forgotten or lost with Hisana. I'm not sure what I feel exactly…but I know I don't want to just hand her over to someone else to protect her."

"Hey." Kagome's voice interrupted his thoughts, she was smiling at him from near the door. "I realized you wandered off while we were talking and opening gifts. I'm sure Souta keeps things loud enough that you just wanted to get away but it is getting cold. Shouldn't you follow your own advice and come inside?"

"You do enjoy using my own words against me." He commented, lifting the box and holding it toward her. "Here, this is the right thing to do isn't it?"

The box was a simple black but it had a pretty silver bow on it's lid. Though the gesture made Kagome blink in surprise as she reached for the present. "Wow, I didn't think you'd get me anything…you didn't have to."

"Open it." he nodded toward her, not sure of what to say.

"Hold on. I need to get something." She dropped the box back in his lap and dashed off, leaving the captain to blink after her curiously.

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

"She is taking a vacation with her family for the holiday. The captain of the 6th Squadron is with her." Uliquorra explained in his usual lack of an actual tone. "The demon creature and he spoke of passing her off to him but she agreed to stay with Byakuya. She wanted to protect him."

"Young girls and boys." Aizen commented offhandedly as he considered the news he was being delivered by Uliquorra. "Perhaps now would be the best time to finish what Gin started. We should be able to cut him off from the soul society. Uliquorra, get the others and accomplish it."

"All of the Arrancar that remain?" He didn't seem disturbed but had always simply replied to things as they came. "Yammy has a habit of jumping ahead."

"Use him as a distraction for the fellow if you must. If we can cut his Hakusuitosaketsu (his soul sleep and chain link) while they are still damaged from Gin then we should be able to completely separate him from the battle." Aizen explained with a slight shrug, apparently unconcerned with the large Arrancar's fate. "With some of the other captains already in disarray we are moving closer to what we need. Leave three arrancar behind to continue to place spirit beacons around Karakura Town."

"Yes sir." Uliquorra replied. "And the girl when he is finished?"

"Bring her if you can, if it isn't possible then kill her."

Uliquorra bowed before he vanished, a silent show of his deference to his leader.

Aizen meanwhile smiled some at his desert like hideaway, plans coming back together nicely.

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

Kagome picked up her poorly wrapped package and frowned at it.

There was a box of green tea cookies inside but the way she'd ended up getting the paper on it looked more like there was a lopsided ball within the shiny confines and tape.

"I need to be better at stuff like this." Her lips remained curved down as she slowly started back toward the steps. "I bet there is some thing that I'm suppose to be all good at crafts if I'm a noble wife."

She paused at her door, the thought making her feet stop as she realized what she'd said to herself. " No…I'm not going to be his wife really. Well, not if he has anything to say about it. We're just suppose to sort things out and then get me back here to my everyday normal school life."

"That's what I wanted…a normal life…but…" She frowned a little and pulled her door open, slowly heading back down the steps as she considered things. "…I don't want to lose him too. I don't think I could take it."

She smiled a little, though it was bittersweet. "It's not up to me. I just keep falling for guys that don't want me back. He doesn't have to though, I can be happy just liking him for now."

She moved back outside and he was still sitting there on the bench on the front porch, stunning as ever, his grey eyes seeming to be reflecting the clouded sky. "Hey sorry. It's not wrapped that well…"

She held the gift out too him and he accepted it carefully while returning the box to her a second time.

Kagome resisted the urge to giggle when he began to painstakingly take care not to rip anything as he tugged at the dozens of pieces of tape she'd put on to keep the wrapping in place. It was endearing to see he would be so gentle with something she gave him. After watching his battle with the package she turned her eyes to her own pretty box.

She ran her fingers along the sides and lifted the lid very carefully, gasping when she saw the scarf she'd been looking at earlier in the market. She hadn't thought about it much sense her friends had given her a near heart attack but now she felt the smooth fabric with a greater appreciation than before. "Wow…when did you pick it up?"

She blinked at him curiously, she'd been right there the whole time.

He was pleased with himself but just shrugged a little toward her. "I can't tell you all my tricks Kagome. Do you like it?"

"I love it." She nudged him with a wide smile at the question, looking back at the soft white scarf and picking it up to try it on. "It's so thoughtful of you. Thank you Byakuya. I'll always cherish it."

She was smiling like the Cheshire cat as she wrapped it around her neck, getting up to turn around. "Does it suit me?"

It didn't really match the outfit she had on. Jeans and a sweater with a jacket…but the rich silver almost seemed to glow even in the poor lighting with the clouds. Picking up the light around it easily and the black etching just stood out easier.

"I'd say you were more magnificent than the scarf." He commented, then looked away as he realized he was letting himself get too open. It was a little too late though, Kagome had heard him clearly and stopped her playful showing off of the gift to instead stare at the older man with a blush blending with the redness on her cheeks already from the cold.

She was embarrassed for certain, what could she say to such a compliment from Byakuya of all people. It was so straightforward and unlike him, but as he continued to look away without any further reaction she calmed a little and her face softened.

Kagome missed the chance to say what she wanted to say though, spiritual energy erupted around the both of them and she could feel a darkness to it that was similar to the other times when hollows attacked but exponentially stronger than before.

End Chapter

Bah, I wanted this chapter to be longer but that was a good place for me to end it so I can put in some action next time. Silly Arrancar…attacking when they're finally being all sweet to each other. You scrooges, way to ruin Christmas! Jerks! I'm up to 300 reviews which is nifty. Yes I know we don't see Byakuya's sword in the series, but I liked the way I pictured it here.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Motif - Thank you, I think when I get to write more of Kagome and Byakuya with her friends it will be fun filled. I gotta get through some action first.

Nasuki - Sometime I might, there is a lot of plot things that need to happen first.