Part XXXVII: Later Life Renew
"One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:
Again I write it with a second hand,
But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.
Vain man, said she, that doest in vain assay,
A mortal thing so to immortalize,
For I myself shall like to this decay,
And eek my name be wiped out likewise.
Not so, (quod I) let baser things devise
To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse, your virtues rare shall eternize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name.
Where whenas death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew."
-Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet #75
Orihime stood, wringing her long, copper hair between her slender hands. She squeezed the water from her locks, the bottom of her rather unladylike pants soaked from the shallow creek. "Byakuya."
"Orihime." Byakuya replied, approaching her with little regard for the impropriety of her state of undress. She was no longer a child in years, but always in his eyes. Byakuya hesitated before speaking in broken Italian, "We're leaving in the morning."
"So soon?" Orihime asked, straightening up in surprise. She opened her mouth to say more but changed her mind, chewing on her bottom lip uneasily. She stepped out of the creek and nearly leapt onto the vampire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing his lean, cold body in her arms.
"It is not soon." Byakuya reasoned in uneasy Italian. "I have waited."
"Say no more." Orihime murmured, kissing the vampire's pallid cheek. "It breaks my heart."
"I only wanted to say, Good luck." Byakuya said simply, nodding his head as he spoke.
"Thank you." Orihime breathed out, grabbing Byakuya's hands. "You've saved so many shifters. It wasn't your fight…"
Byakuya looked down at the hands clutching his own. Years ago when they first met, she would hardly look at him, let alone touch him. Byakuya smiled, squeezing her hand affectionately. "It has been a privilege to live with your family."
"Don't be silly." Orihime sighed. "You belonged. You're a part of our family too."
"Yes, well," Byakuya released Orihime and took a step back. "Take care of yourself."
"I will. I'm not nearly as much trouble as Daddy thinks I am." Orihime insisted.
"No. Jushiro's right. You're absolutely a walking catastrophe." Byakuya breathed out, cocking his head to the side. "I keep telling Shunsui that you need some ground rules but he's just so damn indulgent. Jushiro sees reason, but it's just so…"
"Ah-ha! It's you!" Orihime hissed, pointing at Byakuya accusingly. "I knew someone was putting ideas into Papa's head! Damn it, Byakuya!"
Byakuya laughed, shaking his head. "I stand by my statement."
"You don't have to go, you know." Orihime said suddenly, smiling sadly.
"Do you really believe that?" Byakuya asked seriously.
"As your friend, yes." Orihime explained. "But as a human, I'm not sure."
"And if you were me?" Byakuya challenged.
"I would make the same decision as you have."
Byakuya nodded, a smile twitching up the corners of his mouth. "Yes. I believe you would."
"I'll miss you." Orihime whispered, stepping forward.
Byakuya took a step back, lifting his hand and smoothing down her copper hair. "Take care of them. One day, sooner than you'll care to believe, you'll be the grown up. They'll need you."
"I will." Orihime agreed, nodding solemnly.
"Goodbye, child." Byakuya murmured, turning around with finality.
"Goodbye, Byakuya." Orihime called after him, grabbing her clothes from the rock beside the creek. "I will miss you, friend."
"I'm honored." Jushiro breathed out, staring down at the object presented to him.
"Take it." Byakuya urged.
"I mustn't." Jushiro whispered. "Don't you… Surely you'll want it with you."
"The Sword of God." Byakuya lowered the sword into Jushiro's capable hands. "I bequeath it to you, Ukitake Jushiro of Edo."
"This sword…" Jushiro replied, his eyes wide with animated incredulity.
"The sword of Attila the Hun." Byakuya answered. "The sword of Count Dracula." Byakuya kneeled beside Jushiro. "I could not imagine leaving this sword to anyone else."
"Thank you." Jushiro said, bowing deeply.
"I hope it serves you well." Byakuya said, his voice suddenly cracking. He hadn't expected the sudden welling emotion as he gave away his one, single earthly possession.
"I will not be making the journey with you." Jushiro explained, allowing Byakuya his moment of grief. "So I wish you well. I wish you peace."
"I heard that Coyote will return tomorrow." Byakuya said with a nod. "Shunsui mentioned that you and Orihime would wait for him here."
"The time with him is getting few and far between." Jushiro replied. "You know how she loves him so. And even though she's older, Shunsui still cossets her."
"I don't mind." Byakuya said, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't need an audience."
"I will miss you." Jushiro admitted, bowing once more deeply. "It was an honor to fight beside you."
"Yes." Byakuya nodded stiffly. "I feel the same."
"Are you not going to speak to me?" Byakuya asked, his face turned downward in a troubled frown.
"There's nothing I want to say." Renji replied, grabbing the steaming bowl of soup as Orihime handed it to him.
"Ah." Byakuya mouthed, his eyes wide and his lips strained tightly.
"Take it from me." Ichigo advised quietly, cutting his eyes at Renji. "Don't separate after an argument."
"I'm not arguing." Renji barked. "I'm sitting here silently! Even that can be seen as an argument?"
The door of the small house swung open with a creak and Shunsui stepped inside. He kicked his boots off at the doorway and crossed the floor, sitting in the empty space beside Jushiro. He smiled handsomely, taking the next bowl of soup as Orihime served it. "Smells good."
"Rabbit and cabbage soup." Renji breathed out. "Again."
"It's not stew." Ichigo pointed out, spooning some cabbage into his mouth.
"Stew, soup, it's all the same damn thing." Renji groaned.
"Nah. Soup makes ya piss more." Shunsui pointed out, grimacing as Jushiro slapped him across the chest.
"There are no manners! You're all a bunch of animals!" Jushiro complained.
"Sorry, Ukitake-san," Renji chuckled. "But we kinda are."
"Yabbe, yabbe." Shunsui groaned humorously. "That's exactly it! We are, aren't we?"
"Then eat outside." Jushiro warned, pushing his cold feet against Shunsui's back.
"If you guys don't want soup and stew all the time, get to work on an oven." Orihime challenged, stirring her soup with a sour face. "It's hard to feed all of you, ya know."
"There's plenty of clay in the hills…" Shunsui said thoughtfully. "If we could heat it enough to form the bricks…" Shunsui looked at Ichigo pointedly.
"Voila! Bread!" Orihime exclaimed, clapping her hands.
"We can get bread in town." Shunsui groaned in disappointment.
"You never let me go to town!" Orihime snapped.
"It's too dangerous for a young lady." Shunsui said firmly.
"Absolutely." Jushiro added in agreement. "There's no way you could go alone."
"I'm 15, not 4." Orihime complained.
"I'm over two thousand years old." Ichigo said, turning to look at Orihime. "And I still get hassled when I go to the market." Ichigo made a noise of displeasure. "I'd've been killed over a hundred times just going to market if I was a mortal."
"That's because you attract dark matter." Orihime muttered. "I don't."
"Enough." Byakuya announced, rubbing his hands together. "This is not how I plan to spend our last night together."
"Sorry." Orihime gasped, covering her mouth apologetically. "What do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know." Byakuya admitted with a shrug. "Not your teenage woes."
"Do you all remember, a few years back, when we met that shifter with no eyes?" Orihime asked.
"Yeah." Shunsui nodded.
"Ishmael. He was a good enough guy." Renji added.
"Yeah, well, I just now realized that he had to have been blind before he signed his contract… I mean, right?" Orihime pointed out.
"Three years later and you're thinking of it now?" Ichigo scoffed, shaking his head slowly.
"I wonder why his Master didn't give him his eyes…" Byakuya mused, a delighted smile etched across his face. "A blind shifter must've had quite a disadvantage at times."
"I wanna know what a blind shifter wished for in the first place. Here's this guy who can do anything and you don't ask for your sight? Really?" Shunsui snickered.
"It's too late to ask now." Jushiro pointed out.
"Damn. We missed an opportunity." Ichigo groaned. "I have questions, Ishmael."
"That's the most beautiful part of life." Byakuya said softly. "There is always something to wonder about."
"I think about the shifters we've helped all the time." Renji admitted. "Do you think they're okay? Once we removed every piece of the Master, do you think they live out the rest of their days or do you think they've died shortly after?"
"Who knows?" Ichigo replied. "It would be easy enough for the Council to keep track of these things, but honestly, I haven't been in contact with them for over two years now."
"It'll only be a matter of time before Hitsugaya comes and finds you." Jushiro realized.
"Probably." Ichigo agreed, finishing the last few drops from the bottom of his bowl.
"Grimmjow'd be proud." Shunsui teased.
"Oh, well, fuck that." Ichigo growled, tossing his bowl to Orihime without warning. "More please."
"Don't throw." Shunsui chastised, kicking Ichigo.
"Don't kick." Ichigo growled, kicking Shunsui in retribution.
"Alright, children." Byakuya breathed out, sharing a knowing look with Jushiro. "That's enough."
"You don't really plan on leaving me behind with four children, do you?" Jushiro teased.
Byakuya laughed, shaking his head. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear before looking up. "I won't lie. It won't be easy for you."
"I will help you, Daddy." Orihime announced. "I won't be a child for long."
"Shut your mouth!" Jushiro growled. "Don't say such terrible things." Orihime only smiled, stirring the pot of soup.
"I think I'll hunt." Byakuya said, standing abruptly.
"There wasn't much out there," Ichigo warned. "I haven't caught anything but rabbits and voles for a week now."
"Hopefully I'll have better luck." Byakuya said, fulling intending to head into the town rather than hunt for small mammals in the forest.
"Would you like help?" Renji asked, watching Byakuya with interest.
"If you'll come." Byakuya replied.
Renji nodded slowly as he stood, "If you'll have me."
"It went by too fast." Renji said, staring down at his hands, his bare feet curling against the stone. He could taste the blood on his lips; still feel the chill from Byakuya's bare body against his.
Byakuya was flushed with color. Blood still stained his lips, evidence of the large bovine meal he had indulged in less than an hour before. He blinked slowly, processing Renji's words in his yearning brain. "Renji…" Byakuya shook his head, changing his mind.
"Give me your hand." Renji instructed, taking Byakuya's frozen hand in his. He could see the blood pumping beneath the skin. He always looked the most alive after a meal. Renji kissed Byakuya's hand sweetly, his warm lips leaving a patch of color where it touched.
"For a moment." Byakuya replied.
"A moment more is all I need." Renji promised, his voice strained. He pressed a dozen kisses against Byakuya's skin, his own fingers digging into Byakuya's flesh in a needful way.
"Renji, I don't think you should go." Byakuya admitted after a long silence.
"I'm going." Renji insisted flatly.
"There is no need." Byakuya argued. "We can say our goodbyes now."
"I'm going." Renji repeated.
"I wish you wouldn't." Byakuya whispered tightly.
"That makes two of us." Renji retorted.
"Please don't start this." Byakuya pleaded.
"I don't intend to." Renji responded.
"I want you to know," Byakuya began. "That these past five years have been the most enjoyable years of my entire life."
"What do I say to that?" Renji choked.
"You don't have to say anything." Byakuya answered. "It's my turn to speak."
"This isn't personal. This isn't about you and what you have given me…" Byakuya explained, a strange burning in the corner of his eyes. "This time was beautiful. I have never felt so much love. I have never felt so loved and welcome and…" Byakuya's deep voice broke, his heart throbbing unexpectedly in his chest. "I wish I was human."
"If you were human you'd have died long ago." Renji said. "And we'd've never met."
"I wish I died." Byakuya said breathlessly. "So I could be reborn and live at the same time as you."
"Do you think that's what's next?" Renji asked.
"I have no idea." Byakuya admitted, smiling. "I guess I'll find out."
"Should I look for you?" Renji asked, looking at Byakuya out of the corner of his eyes. "Or is your soul connected to someone else?"
Byakuya was silent for perhaps a second too long before responding, "Come find me."
Renji nodded, crushing his hand over Byakuya's. "Yes."
"You're still awake?" Byakuya asked as he squeezed through the narrow space of the door. He brushed against Renji, inhaling his lover's scent deeply.
"Yeah." Ichigo said, turning away from the fireplace as he spoke.
"It's late." Renji said, removing his boots.
"I wasn't sure if ya'll were coming back tonight." Ichigo replied.
"You didn't wait up, didja?" Renji asked, removing his jacket and tossing it over the back of a chair.
"Actually, I did." Ichigo admitted. "I wanted to talk to Byakuya before we leave."
"Oh, of course." Byakuya murmured in surprise.
"I'll go get some more wood." Renji offered, kicking the dwindling stack of kindling beside the fire.
"You had planned on going. Did you change your mind?" Byakuya asked, sitting in the chair beside the fire.
"No. I'm going." Ichigo assured him. "I, uh, I guess I just wanted some privacy."
"Of course." Byakuya agreed with a nod.
"I know we didn't always see eye to eye," Ichigo began. "But we couldn't have done any of this without you."
"We didn't see eye to eye?" Byakuya asked, arching a brow. "I didn't realize. Did you not like me?"
"No, that's not it, just…" Ichigo sighed heavily. "Are you teasing me?"
"Mostly." Byakuya replied with a smile.
"You're not gonna make it easy on me, are ya?" Ichigo groaned, fighting a smile.
"Never." Byakuya teased.
"I'm sorry that we must part." Ichigo finally said, with much difficulty.
Byakuya nodded. "Please, I must ask a favor."
"Yes?" Ichigo asked curiously.
"Care for him in my stead." Byakuya whispered, his eyes downcast. "You're incredibly strong and clever. He'll need you in the future."
Ichigo nodded, his large eyes blinking rapidly. "Of course."
"I don't think he believes me," Byakuya realized sadly. "But he's the happiest memory I'll leave with."
"I understand what you're doing and why…" Ichigo breathed out. "But I can't help but see it his way."
"That's fine." Byakuya said. "You were with him long before and you'll be with him long after. You have to take his side."
"I'm not taking his side…" Ichigo argued halfheartedly. "I just mean-"
"No. Don't explain yourself." Byakuya insisted. "There's no need."
"You really aren't making this easy on me." Ichigo complained.
"I'm sorry." Byakuya laughed. "Let me go next." Byakuya sobered up. "I am truly proud to be considered your friend. I have enjoyed my time with you and your kind. I wish you well in your future battle. I regret not being able to stay around to help you fight it… but I cannot wait any longer."
"We will need you." Ichigo interjected, suddenly furious at everything.
"You will not." Byakuya insisted gently.
"We can't beat them alone." Ichigo argued.
"Maybe you can't, but you will still fight." Byakuya replied. "And I believe you will destroy your enemies."
"Damn it, Byakuya!" Ichigo nearly shouted.
"The Masters are your oppressors." Byakuya said. "Not mine. This is no longer my fight."
"I know. You're right. I just… I just…" Ichigo trailed off.
"I will miss you." Byakuya said with a nod.
Ichigo nodded in return, "And I will miss you."
"Protect him." Byakuya instructed, his hands gripping the arms of his chair.
"It feels like a strange thing to ask, considering what he is and all." Ichigo reasoned.
"I've fought a Master." Byakuya explained. "To this day I have never quite felt the same." Byakuya turned to look at Ichigo. "Please. Protect him. Care for him."
"I would without you asking." Ichigo pointed out.
"I know." Byakuya agreed. "And you've no idea the peace that gives me."
"You're full of surprises." Ichigo wondered aloud. "I thought our last conversation would go a little differently."
"How so?"
Ichigo paused thoughtfully, "Well, Shunsui and I are taking your life tomorrow. I expected you to ask how or ask to make it less painful…"
"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya scoffed. "Impending death or not, I am me."
"Point taken." Ichigo murmured.
The door opened and Renji stepped into the small cabin with a stack of freshly chopped wood in his arms. He placed the wood on the floor beside the fire before looking over at Byakuya and Ichigo. "Finished?"
"Yes." Byakuya said, standing up from his chair. He looked over at Ichigo and smiled tightly. "Morning is approaching. Get some sleep."
He was sleeping soundly when a bright light flashed into his face. He wriggled in his cot, but the blinding light was persistent as if it had a mind of its own. The sun poured in through the narrow window. Renji blinked awake, feeling the warmth of a body beside him. He panicked, his hand reaching out and grabbing blindly at the person lying in bed with him. He sat up, his hand touching bits and pieces of a body not belonging to Byakuya. "Who… Orihime…"
"They left half an hour ago." Jushiro explained, watching Renji from the chair beside the window. He held Byakuya's sword in his hands, the metal gleaming handsomely. The blinding light that woke him had been reflecting from the blade itself.
"What?!" Renji demanded, jumping from the floor to his feet in seconds. "Why? Why did they leave without me?"
"They headed northeast." Jushiro said quickly as Renji threw open the door, without bothering to dress.
"Am I too late?" Renji asked, jumping over the refuse trench Shunsui had dug out two weeks prior.
"I don't know." Jushiro admitted, leaning heavily against the door frame.
Renji ran hard, his bare feet pounding against the unyielding earth. His breath came out in short bursts, his nostrils flaring, the color draining from his brown cheeks. He dashed through the forest, his eyes closed in deep thought. He had mapped out this forest; he knew it like the back of his hand. He only needed to find them.
He stopped when he reached the edge of the wood. He stepped into the wide, open field, looking around in desperation. Byakuya was there, sitting on the ground, the tall grass trampled down beneath him. Ichigo and Shunsui stood, giving the other man some distance.
"Byakuya!" Renji called out, running toward the vampire.
Byakuya looked up, an easy and natural smile stretching across his face. "Good morning."
"Why?" Renji asked, out of breath. "You left without waking me…"
"I didn't think you needed to be here," Byakuya murmured, reaching his hand out toward Renji. "But I changed my mind once we got here." Byakuya pulled Renji onto the ground beside him. "I'm glad you came."
"I…" Renji gulped for air, his heart pounding in his throat and ears. "Yeah. Of course…"
"The sky is so blue." Byakuya mused, lying back in the grass and using Renji's lap as a pillow. "Today's a good day."
Renji scoffed, his throat constricting tightly. "You may have no heart after all, Byakuya."
"That may be." Byakuya conceded with a slow nod.
"I didn't mean it." Renji groaned, shaking his head. "I just…"
"I know." Byakuya assured him, stroking his hand affectionately.
"I want this to be a dream." Renji said quietly, his eyes downcast. "And I could just wake up and everything would be okay. I don't even dare to wish for more, I just need it to be okay."
"It is okay." Byakuya replied. "You'll be okay."
"But nothing more." Renji returned emotionally.
"Please…" Byakuya pleaded. "Don't equate this decision with selfishness. If I were a man, there would be no cause for a separation. But I am a monster; with no beating heart to love you or true breath to speak your name. There is no warmth in me."
"Your love is warm." Renji exclaimed, holding tightly onto Byakuya.
"Thank you." Byakuya replied, truly appreciative.
"I'll be okay…" Renji surrendered, bowing his head in defeat.
"I know." Byakuya murmured.
"I'll be okay." Renji repeated.
"I'm going to close my eyes now," Byakuya whispered, his lips suddenly pressed against Renji's. They kissed deeply, Renji losing his breath quickly. Byakuya pulled away, his hand on Renji's cheek and his eyes held tightly closed. "Because I want your face to be the last I see."
Byakuya stood, his eyes held firmly shut. He walked slowly, his fingers trailing over the tips of the tall grass. Renji wanted to call out. He wanted to climb to his feet and chase after the other, grab him, bind him to him forever. But he merely watched the vampire stride into the middle of the field.
Ichigo and Shunsui moved silently, making their own paths of ruin through the flaxen grass. They neared Byakuya and Renji turned away. He couldn't bear to witness any more. "Find me." Byakuya said, no more than a whisper. He smiled peacefully, his arms held out at his sides. Still his eyes were closed tightly. "I'll wait."
There was a terrible, searing pain and then there was nothing else. It had been mercifully quick. In the darkness there was sudden, extraordinary light. Byakuya opened his eyes slowly and took a step back in surprise.
Shuren stood in front him, one hand hooked around the horse's bridle and the other extended to him his sword, the Sword of God, in offering. "Boy."
"Shuren?" Byakuya gasped, sure that his eyes were deceiving him. He grabbed his sword, holding the well-balanced steel in his hands.
"Come." Shuren instructed, beckoning Byakuya closer.
"I'm dead." Byakuya breathed out, a strange, but not uncomfortable, hollowness radiating from his body. "You're dead."
"Yes." Shuren nodded. "Come."
"Why… are you here?" Byakuya asked, a sob ripping from his throat.
"I wait." Shuren replied, thumbing away a tear from Byakuya's cheek. "Now we go."
"Where?" Byakuya questioned, forever insatiably curious.
Shuren smiled, something that was quite rare in life, "To the next."
EPILOGUE
The young man rolled his eyes. Sometimes he was so embarrassed by his peers' stupidity he wanted to claim he wasn't the same species. He leaned forward in his chair, placing his cup of espresso back down on the table. He cleared his throat and licked his lips, trying to find the strength to bite his tongue. He had no such strength. "You're wrong, you know," the man drawled matter-of-factly.
"Huh?" the other young man asked, sitting back in his chair. "What do you mean?"
"First of all, Spain is in Europe. Duh." The young man corrected in annoyance. "That means that Spaniards totally count as European explorers. Second, Egypt is in Africa. Do you seriously think Africa is a country? I pity the poor fool who has to grade your papers…"
"Okay, but, like, who knows that?" the other student asked, making an incredulous face.
"Literally everyone." The young man retorted. He gathered his papers and books and shoved them back into his messenger bag. He took one last drink of his espresso and stood, the chair scraping loudly on the sidewalk.
"Where're you going?" the other students hissed in unison. They began to mutter in dissent as he walked away. "Peer review is 40% of the grade."
"Email me when you've learned the continents." The young man exclaimed, waving dismissively as he walked down the street. It was a particularly cold autumn, soon snow would fall. He tightened his scarf more closely around himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.
It was a short walk back to the university so he slowed his stride. He meandered down the old city streets at a leisurely pace. He stopped outside several shops, peering through the fogged up glass at the unique treasures inside. He wiped the next set of windows with a gloved hand, staring inside at a breathtaking collection of eastern jewelry.
Entranced, he stepped inside the antique shop. The door closed behind him, the bell tinkling, alerting of his arrival. The shop was dusty and smelled wonderfully of books. The young man smiled, pressing his fingers along the spine of an ancient-looking book.
"Hello…" a man's deep voice called from the back of the store. "Welcome."
"Hello." The young man replied, catching a flash of white disappearing behind a row of shelves.
"Is there something I can help you with?" the deep-voiced man asked.
"Ah." The young man replied. "Just looking."
"Let me know if you need help." The man called out.
"How long has this shop been here?" the young man asked, adjusting his heavy bag on his shoulder. "I don't think I've noticed it before."
"A while." The man drawled curiously.
"Huh." The young man replied. "Well, it's a beautiful shop. Do you own it?"
"Yes, my husband and I own it."
"Ah…" the young man murmured, a little surprised and embarrassed. The young man suddenly grew nervous. Where was the man speaking anyway? "Sir, uh, where are you anyway?"
"Over here." The man replied, suddenly visible in the center of the packed shop. He smiled kindly, his long, white hair parted neatly in the center. The white hair was as pure as snow, but the man couldn't be more than forty or so. "Did you need help?"
"No, I…" the young man trailed off, his attention pulled away toward a glinting object in the case beside the owner. "What… what is that?"
"Ah, this?" the white-haired man smiled, his green eyes sparkling in the dimly lit shop. "This is something very special…" The young man approached, as if drawn to the very spot. He leaned over, his black hair cascading over his shoulder. He studied the object with interest, his finger trailing along the wooden detail of the display case. "You've got a full book bag. Do you go to the university?"
"Yes." The young man replied with a nod. "I'm a journalism major, minoring in history."
"Then you'll really love this item." The white haired man sighed. "It has a fascinating history."
"Does it now?" the young man asked, meeting the white-haired man's gaze.
"My husband is really much better at story-telling," the man mused. "Please, would you stay for dinner? He'll be back soon and I know you'd find it all very interesting."
"Well…" the young man hesitated before responding. "Do you live above?"
"Yes. We do." The man explained. "There're six of us. We're a big family."
"If there's room," the young man answered. "I don't see why not."
"Excellent." The owner breathed out in relief. He smiled, his brow arching rather mischievously. "Now, I must ask you a question…"
"Yes, sir?"
The shopkeeper looked absolutely tickled, he pushed one of his keys into the lock on the case and, pulling out the ancient artifact, drawled excitedly, "Have you ever seen such a sword?"
THE END