Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Author's note: For those of you who don't remember the end of "Save This For Kuchiki", there were some promotions besides Rukia's:
- Yumichika is captain of the 3rd division
- Renji is captain of the 9th division
- Hanataro was promoted from 7th to 6th seat in the 4th division
Also, for those of you who don't remember, "Save This For Kuchiki" mentions that Kotsubaki Sentaro is a recovered alcoholic.
-njx
Also, in case you're wondering, it seems that the site has started filtering out the triple-asterisk section breaks I've typically been using. I've switched to something else, so hopefully the new section breaks won't get filtered out. -njx
The music began, and Kira Izuru took a deep breath as he adjusted with his obi out of nervousness. It was now or never.
-:-
His ears twitched as he could hear the subtle notes of the flute surface over the violin, the cello harmonize with the alto notes of the saxophone, and the harpist match the fifth-tones of the piano. Komamura Saijin believed in the inspirational qualities of music, and he was impressed with the band's exquisite blend of bass and treble melodies. It gave him courage as he acknowledged the transformative power of celebration amongst those who so often danced against the blades of enemies rather than the smiles of loved ones.
Saijin remembered the message that the bride had sent him with his obi; advice that she had told him not too long ago: "Just be yourself." Indeed, it had been a touching quote; and he felt at peace. Pausing to celebrate his own tranquility that was often so shrouded by the nebulous world around him, he savored the zen-like effect the music had on his soul. Satisfied that he had achieved unity with his own self-confidence, Komamura set out to find himself some company for the remainder of his cherished student's gallant affair.
-:-
"Hey Taicho! You wanna dance?"
"Sorry, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya shrugged. "I promised Hinamori the first dance."
"Aw, Taicho!"
"Give it up, Matsumoto. There are a thousand guys here who wanna dance with you. Hinamori will never forgive me if I break my promise."
In truth, Hitsugaya Toshiro wanted to dance with Hinamori of his own volition. He was proud of her, of how beautiful Momo was today. Today, it was like the way old things were: when he was a nobody, and she was the big-shot shinigami he loved. It hadn't been that way since Toshiro became 10th division captain. Until that point, Hinamori had always been considered the genius: a young girl who rose to a vice captain's seat with an impressive reputation for mastery in both offensive branches of kido.
He made his way quickly over to where she was standing.
-:-
Kira was crestfallen when he saw Hinamori accept Hitsugaya's offer to dance. The first dance was the most important; it was called the King and Queen's Waltz. It was customary (but not required) for one to sit with their first dance partner at the wedding. In other words, he was out of luck.
Izuru's despair was returning when he felt a small tug on the sleeve of his kimono. "Hm?" He turned to see a young black-haired girl with a flower in her hair; she was wearing pink. "Oh - you must be Kurosaki-chan," he offered. "Can I help you?"
"Me? Nah," she answered. "But you should wipe that silly frown off your face. Momo-san told me she made Hitsugaya-kun promise her the first dance. He's her only family, you know. They grew up together."
Izuru looked at her funny. "Family?"
"Yeah, you know, little brother?"
Izuru felt relief trickle in - followed by suspicion. "Wait a minute - and just why are you telling me this?"
Karin smiled. "Sorry, us women have trade secrets."
-:-
"Momo, I'm really proud. You look beautiful."
"Aw, you're so cute, Shiro-chan!"
He stifled a bristly response. As much as it was Kuchiki's day, Momo had the once-in-a-lifetime honor of being a bridesmaid in a Four Houses wedding; and she deserved to be a princess for a while. He reminded himself that for at least one day, she could go back to her role as being his big sister; including the right to call him by a cutesy nickname that he hated. "Yeah, yeah."
"Hey Toshiro, when we're done, can you do me a favor?"
"Hm?" he mused, trying not to bump into the couple next to them.
"I think you should ask Karin-chan to dance."
"What! You mean Kurosaki's little sister?"
"Mm-hmm."
"But she's just a kid!"
"C'mon, Toshiro-kun! If you don't, she's going to be the only bridesmaid without anyone to dance with. If anyone else asked her, it would be creepy."
He glared at her. "I am not twelve," he said through gritted teeth.
"She thinks you're cute."
To her surprise, his response wasn't harsh at all. "...I am not cute."
"Excuse me, handsome."
He sighed and looked over his shoulder at the black-haired girl with the flower in her hair. He had to admit she was a hottie. "Fine. But I'm only doing this as a favor."
"Aw, admit it, you want to!"
Somehow, his contained fury gave him the habitual urge to scream "MATSUMOTO!" even though she wasn't the particular focus of his ire at the moment. He clenched his jaw to hold it back, and noticed that Kurosaki's sister was giggling at him.
Women, he thought. Sometimes I wonder if it's easier to bargain with the devil.
-:-
Yoruichi grimaced inside as she saw both Soifon and Kisuke approach at the same time. Her embarrassment was proven to be well-founded when they simultaneously asked, "Will you dance with me?"
Ugh, I am so not dealing with this right now. Yoruichi turned into a cat and scampered away.
-:-
Isane stood next to her captain, watching the scene over by her sister. Isane had hoped that Kiyone wouldn't have done anything embarassing, but that outfit of hers was more than a bit risque. Isane was uncomfortable with so many men ogling her little sister.
"Relax, Isane-san," Unohana comforted her, sensing her uneasyness. "There's no harm in dressing up for one day."
"H-h-hai, Taicho," she stuttered. She was always embarrassed when her captain could read her mind. It made Isane feel so simple-minded, like anyone could read her like an open book. It was one of the reasons she had a hard time talking to people - she could never hide anything. It made for a lot of awkward conversations.
Still, she was concerned. Isane herself was painfully shy, but she would happily kick the snot out of anybody who mistreated her sister. Although she rarely fought - not that she was great at it - there was a reason she had a melee-based shikai rather than something more aligned with her healing kido talents. She and Kiyone had appeared in the Rukongai, and Isane had protected her sister until they were both able to graduate from Shinou Academy. Isane may have hated fighting, but she was not one to avoid it when it necessary - and when it came to protecting her only family, Isane was more ferocious than a cornered tiger. More than a few rank-and-file shinigami over the years had ended up with severe injuries because they had underestimated Isane's response to provocation, and despite the fact that Kiyone could now wipe the floor with her older sister in a fight, Isane would still slice a moving train in half if that's what it took to keep Kiyone safe.
Which is why she was so conflicted at the moment. It was one thing if guys were ogling her sister, it was another thing entirely if Kiyone invited it.
"Excuse me, Unohana Taicho. Kotetsu Fukutaicho?"
Isane's worrying was interrupted by a small squeaky voice somewhere near her waist. She looked down to see the 4th division 6th seat, Yamada Hanataro. "Yes?"
Hanataro stiffened as tall as he could and put on the bravest face he could muster. I can do this, he thought. "Will you dance with me?"
"M-m-me?" Isane blushed.
"Y-y-yes." Oh god, she is so beautiful. And tall. She's never gonna say yes.
"S-s-sure," she answered, astonished that anyone had asked her at all.
He took her hand - they were both trembling and nervous - but he led her out onto the dance floor. Unohana Retsu was surprised to see that the normally klutzy Hanataro seemed to be able to waltz, although it was evident he must have only learned recently. Still, he was better than Isane - she didn't seem to know how to dance at all.
Look at them, they're so cute! Unohana thought. This will be such a good thing for Isane-chan. She could use some attention.
Her thoughts were interrupted when her fellow captain, Komamura Saijin, extended out a large hand to her. "May I have the honor of this dance, Unohana-dono?"
So that's why he's been hanging around the infirmary so much lately, she mused. And here I thought I would have to sit by myself this evening. "It would be my pleasure," she answered cheerily, and allowed him to escort her to the dance floor.
-:-
"Ikkaku-san, do you want to dance?"
He looked away. "I only dance before a big fight."
Yumichika sighed. Sitting on the side is not beautiful.
-:-
"Well, Inoue-san, as the last Quincy, I officially have nothing to do with shinigami. Therefore, the only person I can ask to dance is you. Will you accompany me?"
Orihime laughed. "Oh that act is always so clever," she teased, kissing him on the cheek.
He led her off to the dance floor, reminding himself how lucky he was that Kurosaki had fallen in love with a different girl.
-:-
"But Ken-chan!"
"Damnit, Yachiru, I told you a thousand times. I don't dance!"
"Fine," she huffed and bounded off. Where's Captain Weirdo? At least he'll dance with me. Ah! There he is! "C'mon, let's dance!"
Yumichika didn't have a chance to respond as his pink-haired former vice captain towed him onto the dance floor. Oh well, it was better than nothing.
-:-
Ukitake Jushiro was deeply conflicted. He was afraid to ask Kiyone to dance, for fear of the impression he would give her. That was what he told himself, anyway. Deep down, he didn't really care what impression he gave her anymore. The real reason was that he would be positioned perfectly to look right down at her chest, and the temptation terrified him.
On the other hand, a not-so-small crowd of men was gathering close by, waiting to see if she would move even three inches away from him. They were eager to pounce if they had any indication she wasn't taken.
Shunsui bumped into him - most definitely on purpose - knocking his arm into hers. Kiyone smiled awkwardly as he apologized, and fidgeted by tucking a piece of hair behind her ear that had never really gone anywhere to begin with.
Ancestors, give me strength, Jushiro prayed silently. "Kotetsu-san, can I ask you to dance?"
He didn't even hear her say yes. She just grabbed his hand and pulled him out on the dance floor, her smile beaming wide as she pulled up close to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. His heart was pumping in his chest so hard that he was sure Unohana Taicho was going to come over and tell him to lie down, but he had no such luck.
Ukitake put his hands on her slender waist, sending a shiver down his spine as he absentmindedly tucked his thumbs into her belt. The King and Queen's Waltz had just ended, and the music had slid into something softer and slower. As they swayed gently amongst the crowd, Ukitake was too anxious to notice the several hundred jealous looks they were receiving, from both men and women alike. He was trying to maintain himself, but Kiyone was slowly pressing herself into him, and his restraint was weakening.
He could feel her lithe figure slowly craning underneath his hands, and every tiny movement was like being hooked up to a bio-feedback machine. When the pinky on his right hand accidentally grazed her exposed hip for a moment, his whole body seized up, the sexual tension grinding away at his sanity.
"Something wrong, Jushiro-san?" she asked him, her head leaning against his chest. Her voice was not the concerned kind that she used when she had been taking care of him. It was the sultry kind, and it felt like a hammer was banging the inside of his skull.
"N-no, not at all." Wow, I am an absolutely terrible liar, he whined to himself. Her silver-tinted lips were looking particularly enticing at the moment. Now I know why Shunsui gets into so much trouble.
-:-
Kiyone was having way too much fun being mischievous. She silently thanked Matsumoto for the lessons. By the end of the day, she hoped her captain would, at the very least, stop thinking of her as a little kid. If she was lucky, she might even get something tangible for her troubles. 'Cause this corset hurts like a bitch, she thought.
Of course, she was already in his arms for all to see, with her head on his chest. Things couldn't have been better. Even if nothing changed after today, she was at least glad to have this moment. It was worth all the scheming, the money for the outfit, the hours it took to look just right.
-:-
"Ne, Nanao-chan, why won't you dance with me?"
"With all due respect, sir, you have wandering hands." Where is he?
"But Kotetsu-chan is dancing with her captain!" Kyoraku whined.
She spread her fan out and waved at him dismissively. "Yes, but she actually has romantic interest in her captain, sir." Ah, there he is!
"You can dance with me anyway," he suggested, ignoring her retort.
"No thank you, sir. You still have wandering hands. Now if you don't mind, you're scaring away all of the other men I could be dancing with," and she headed off in the direction she had found him. Nanao couldn't take it anymore. If he wasn't going to ask her, she was going to ask him.
"So cruel, Nanao-chan." And she looked so beautiful tonight, too - quite a resemblance to his niece Kirio, actually.
Sigh. If only he hadn't been such a womanizer. It would have been so much easier.
-:-
"Hey Matsumoto," Renji called as he came over. "Can I invite you to dance?"
"Hm? Oh - hi, Renji!" Matsumoto took a sip of her margarita. "Sorry. If my guys aren't short, pale and snowy, I just have to settle for someone tall, dark and handsome. Oh - look!"
Before Renji could even get another word in, Rangiku had grabbed Chad's hand and pulled him onto the dance floor, not even waiting for him to say anything. It was clear she was already a bit tipsy, as she had forgotten to put down her drink as she headed out to dance.
Renji was sullen. Losing Rukia to Ichigo, Matsumoto to Chad... man, I gotta stay away from these real-world dudes. They take all the good women.
At that moment, as if Fate wished to prove Renji's hypothesis correct, Ishida and Inoue passed by him. They both had ridiculously silly smiles plastered on their faces and were dancing in a ludicrously fanciful way. Renji was sure that Four Eyes was showing off his Magical Happy Quincy Dancing Technique Number Seven, the obvious predecessor to his Ancient Lucky Quincy Nighttime Bouncing Activity Technique Number Thirty-Two.
Wonderful. Just wonderful.
Depressed, he saddled up to the bar. "Gin and tonic, and go easy on the tonic."
The bartender handed him his drink a moment later, and Ganju sat down next to him. "You too, eh?"
Renji snorted. "You and me ain't in the same league, pal. Sorry."
"Hey, you think your receding hairline is better than mine?" Ganju retorted with a hurt look.
"Ah, shut it, old man. At least I'm a captain."
"An ugly one," Ganju muttered under his breath.
Renji heard him. "You're not one to talk, buddy."
At that moment, the 4th division vice captain whizzed by, dancing with Yamada Hanataro. Kotetsu Isane had a giant smile on her face and looked gleefully entertained. The normally bumbling Yamada seemed at ease.
Renji buried his face in his hands. To think that Hanataro had someone to dance with while he sat at the bar was too much to handle. "I am officially a loser," he mumbled.
"That makes two of us," Ganju added.
Renji winced as a glass slammed down on the bar, the reverberation rattling his skull. He jerked up.
"Triple scotch, and none of that blended stuff. I want a single malt older than I am," the woman said. Renji eventually recognized it as the shinigami who was going to be promoted into his old 6th division vice captain seat, Banzo Ichihime.
She was wearing an elegant but plain long-sleeved western dress with white high heels, an unusual choice for a woman who was as tall as she was. Her hair, normally bright pink, was died a subtle lavender color instead, and was tied to the side with a white silk ribbon. Ichihime's normal hoop earrings on her exposed ear had been replaced with small diamond studs. She was clearly wearing a lot of makeup, since unlike usual, her complexion was uniform across both sides of her face. Renji realized that she had probably tied her hair over the side to hide her other ear, which she likely wouldn't be able to disguise her blotchy red skin so easily. All dolled up, Ichihime actually looked pretty good.
Renji admired her for a moment. "That's quite a drink for a young lady."
"I don't see you drinking something fruity, Captain Stripes," she retorted bitterly.
"Stray dogs stick to what they find in the gutter," he answered, only half joking.
"And jilted princesses drown themselves in liquor." And then Ichihime began to do just that.
Renji was about to ask what she meant when Ganju jabbed him in the side. He turned to ask him what the hell he was doing when Ganju discreetly whispered in his ear. "Kurosaki's dad ran away three weeks before she was supposed to marry him. Weddings aren't exactly her thing."
Renji was feeling really awkward having Ganju talk about Ichihime while she was right there. "Are you serious?" he whispered.
Ganju nodded. "Ask Rukia about it some time." He then departed abruptly. Ganju had no desire to be around the angry Grand Lady of the Banzo House. He was the only single guy left amongst the Four Houses, and he was pretty sure Banzo Ichihime would rather commit seppuku then be caught anywhere near him.
Ichihime slammed the empty glass down on the bar. "You call that good scotch? Tch. I'll stick with vodka. Make it a double, and throw in some rum for good measure."
When the bartender put the glass down, a hand pulled it out of the way before Ichihime could pick it up. "Hey, you gotta death wish or something?" she snapped at him.
"Oh, give it a rest," Renji answered. "You're too pretty to get sloshed."
She gave him a startled look. Did he just say 'pretty'? Am I hallucinating? Let me check: "Um, hey - uh, maybe you wanna dance or something?"
"Sure," he said, pushing the barstool in behind him. "A stray dog could do much worse than a princess."
"A princess could do much worse than a stray dog," she replied, mockingly patting his head.
Renji laughed out loud. How ironic. Fate sure had an interesting sense of humor.
-:-
Hisagi was drinking his beer, bummed out. Where the hell was she? He kept looking around the room, but it was impossible to find her. Goddamn it, why does everyone have to wear white? It's like a giant sea of cotton balls! How the hell am I supposed to find anyone in this crowd?
"Excuse me, would you like to dance?"
Shuhei turned his head to find a gorgeous, slender woman in front of him. She had long black hair, almond eyes and a sharp chin. A purple scarf adorned her shoulders, and he recognized her as one of the bridesmaids from her pink kimono. He didn't know her name, but with her striking features, he guessed that she must have been Kuchiki Fukutaicho's older sister - he didn't know too much about the Kuchiki family outside of those who were in the Gotei 13. With the same dark hair, it was the most logical conclusion for someone who was clearly an important person in the wedding party.
Hisagi was tempted - really tempted - but he politely declined. "It pains me to say no to such a beautiful woman, but I'm looking for a friend of mine." Really, really pains me, he thought, eyes glimpsing the tight curve of her waist.
"Oh. Sorry, then." The woman folded her fan and tucked it into the sleeve of her kimono.
Shuhei felt awful. He had probably just committed a cardinal sin by turning down a bridesmaid - and a Kuchiki, no less. She clearly looked dejected, and he felt miserable. "Wait - I missed your name?"
She gave him a puzzled look. "Huh?"
He felt even more awkward than he did before - no, he felt like an absolute jerk. Not to mention that Kuchiki Fukutaicho would probably chew him out for turning down her sister. "Never mind, I'm sorry. May I still take up your offer? It looks like Ise Fukutaicho isn't here, and it's rude of me to deny a bridesmaid the opportunity to dance." Man, I sound like such a lame-ass moron.
The woman hesitated for a moment, but then gave him an oddly familiar smile. "Oh, Hisagi-san, you're a riot." She then grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the floor.
"Wuh? W-wait... how do you know my name?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck with an incredulous grin, and then shook her head at him. "I sit across from you in the lieutenant's meetings, you dolt."
Holy. Furkin'. Crap. Shuhei had always thought Nanao was attractive, but he didn't know she could pull this off. He never would have suspected it in a million years. "I-I-Ise-san!"
"I can't believe you don't recognize me without my glasses," she remarked, disbelief evident.
Are you freakin' kidding me? Who the hell recognizes you without them! I certainly don't. Hell, I like the glasses. "Well, you look absolutely fantastic, but I guess I always dream about you with them on."
She eyed him, not sure of how she should take that comment, but decided to let it slide. "I'll remember that," she answered innocently. When Nanao saw the gleam in his smile, she winked at him.
-:-
Kotsubaki stood on the sidelines, trying to find someone to dance with when Soifon came over and dejectedly stood a few feet away from him.
If it was anybody but the head of the Omnitsukido, he would have laughed. Her outfit was atrocious - she was wearing a short frilly white skirt with a poofy-sleeved blouse. White cowboy boots were totally out of sync with the rest of her outfit, and she wore something that was halfway between a white vest and a white haori. The braids in her hair that were normally covered in yellow ribbon were instead tied in a knot with a white scarf that looked more like a hand towel than something someone would want to wear. All together, Soifon looked like a teenager who had accidentally crashed into a bleached rag truck. Even Kotsubaki could tell she was a fashion disaster.
"Soifon Taicho," he greeted with a small but respectful bow. The ice in his soda clinked when he moved.
"Kotsubaki San-Seki," she nodded politely, but her voice came out as miserable. She wasn't even looking at him; she just gazed angrily at the floor and grumbled something to herself incoherently.
He knew it would be a good idea to get far away from her, but it would have been rude for him to slink away because he was sure she would notice. So the two of them just stood there; she moping bitterly, and he hoping that she wouldn't beat the crap out of him. Misery loves company, I suppose; Kotsubaki figured, and gulped down his soda like he used to down sake.
Suddenly, Soifon grabbed him by his shirt and started barking in his face. "What, you don't want to ask me to dance! Am I ugly or something!"
"N-n-no! I j-j-just thought you w-w-would have preferred some time to yourse-"
"Shut up and ask me to dance!"
"O-o-kay! Um, l-l-let's dance, then!"
Soifon dragged him by his collar to the dance floor. I'll show her I can be lovable, damnit!
-:-
Hinamori Momo waved cheerily as an enthusiastic Kira Izuru trotted in her direction, his hand extended in an offer to dance. She liked his new old look; he was much cuter this way.
Momo happily took his hand with an excited giggle, and the two of them waltzed onto the center floor.
-:-
Kyoraku couldn't believe it. Hisagi? His Nanao-chan was accusing him of wandering hands, and she goes to dance with a guy who has '69' tattooed on his face!
So cruel.
-:-
Toshiro was secretly glad that he agreed to do Hinamori a favor. He found Karin pleasant company, and she had an aura about her that made her seem older. In particular, he was impressed with her relative maturity and how polite she was. She didn't expect him to behave like a kid her own age.
Until she pinched his butt.
Moments later he was gasping for air inside a storage closet, praying that Matsumoto would never find him. If she did, he would never hear the end of it. Hell, he could lose his haori for being so crass.
Of course, those weren't the only reasons he didn't want to be found. Despite the fact that he was technically decades older than she was, he still had the body of a thirteen-year old human boy. That is to say, having not quite yet finished puberty, it was perfectly normal for Hitsugaya Toshiro to be attracted to girls that appeared to be his own physical age. To him, Kurosaki Karin was about as cute as they come.
He was normally fiercely protective of his inner self, suppressing his childish antics with frozen force. Hitsugaya Toshiro had a reputation to maintain. It was hard enough earning the respect of his division and his fellow captains. At the moment, though, he was making the excuse that it was psychologically healthy for him to nurture his true childish nature for a little while.
There were nine more minutes until the first dance set was over, when he and Karin had to be there to see Kuchiki and Kurosaki came out of the matrimony chamber. That gave him seven more minutes of kissing before he had to go back to being an adult.
Yeah, getting the most out of those seven minutes was definitely the most important reason he didn't want to be found.
-:-
Byakuya was already sitting at a table. He didn't generally care for dancing (it was one of the few things that he was actually terrible at), but he was enjoying a cup of tea and admiring the happy couples out on the dance floor. Of particular interest was Ukitake Jushiro, who seemed to be having a turbulent day. Byakuya had never seen him so skittish. The fact that his melodramatic third-seat was wrapped around him was no doubt the likely cause of his unusual behavior.
Byakuya was suddenly sad, spurred by a taste of his tea. The tea was fine, but it was standard fare. Nothing like the remarkable talents of Kurosaki Yuzu. Although his recollection of the young lady was related to her cooking, he had often thought of the child since he had first met her. There was a certain cheery innocence to the girl, a measure of purity and wholesomeness, that Byakuya actually envied. He himself was slightly amused by the fact that this odd bond he had for her had been formed after meeting her only once.
He didn't tell a soul, but he had already eaten half the box of cookies Kurosaki Karin had brought him. He wasn't sure what those children saw in him to provide him with such a wonderful gift, but he thought about Kurosaki Yuzu with every bite. Byakuya felt a need to make it up to the young chef somehow; although he had no idea how to appease a child with such talents; especially one who knew nothing of the world of the shinigami.
Sorry that Yuzu could not be here, he was saddened further. He would never admit it, but Byakuya had always wished that Hisana had left him children. He would have been a much better man had he been forced to deal with the trials of patience that little ones provide their elders - his initial exchange with Kurosaki Karin's determination left him no doubt of this. Byakuya was sure that had he been forced to do the job his own parents and grandparents had done, he would have been a better brother, too.
Over the past few weeks, he had wondered a lot about things that might have been. If Byakuya had been lucky enough to have children, would they have been as rash, hot-headed, selfish, and rotten as he was? Would they have been as patient, caring, tender, and loving as Hisana? Or as grand, proud, strong, and loyal as Rukia? Would his children have turned out as remarkable as the Kurosaki twin he so often thought of?
Byakuya was amused and then immediately mournful by this last thought. To think that he could raise a child to be as heartwarming and endearing as Kurosaki Yuzu on his own was a fallacy - but he still wished he had been able to try. It had been the greatest tragedy in his life that he did not have more years with Hisana to try.
He had berated himself every single day for years - Byakuya had utterly failed Hisana. He could have dedicated every last ounce of his effort during those five years, hiring private search parties, contacting the underground, spending his off-hours searching himself for the sister that eventually fell into his lap. He should have put his career in the Gotei 13 on hold, so that Hisana could rest and recuperate while he looked for the young girl who bore nearly her exact resemblance. But it had been his own self-centeredness that had been her demise; his own inability to even think of such an idea. He had moved on with his career blindly. It was what tore him every morning, when he arose from his bed; and what crushed him every evening when he sat by her picture - that he had been so wrapped up in himself that he could not have even conceived of asking Hisana if he could do such a thing for her.
And now, because of him, the treasure of his life, Kuchiki Hisana, could not celebrate her sister's wedding; the grand event in the honor of her only flesh and blood. The woman who loved him and respected him despite the fact that he was a demon, the woman who knew him - she wasn't there, because he hadn't been able to save her from herself.
Byakuya sighed. He should not have been brooding like so on such a happy occasion. Despite the fact that he never would have wanted Rukia to fall in love with Kurosaki Ichigo, he respected her wishes, and he was here to celebrate. As challenging as it would be for the bride and groom - Kurosaki Ichigo was not exactly well suited for the life of nobility - Byakuya only wished them his warmest blessings. Although he irritated Byakuya to the point of extremes, Kurosaki Ichigo was ultimately a good man; loyal and dedicated to those he cared about.
In retrospect, despite the groom's rough edges, Byakuya concluded that he would not have wanted Rukia to marry anyone else. Kurosaki Ichigo had done too much for Rukia for him not to deserve her hand in marriage, much the same way Hisana had done too much for Byakuya. On top of that, Byakuya would not have wanted Rukia to marry someone who wouldn't put her first; and if there was anything that Kurosaki Ichigo had done to prove his devotion, it was that he had repeatedly demonstrated that Rukia was even more important to him than his own life. None had ever demonstrated better reason to marry his sister, and Byakuya was therefore pleased that Rukia would be marrying Kurosaki Ichigo.
That last thought nearly gagged him, but he contained himself. To think that Kurosaki Ichigo was now his brother was a bit too much for Byakuya at the moment.
"Byakuya-san," Kuukaku said to him from behind his field of vision. He waited for her to cross in front of him. She was wearing a sleeveless yellow kimono that was relatively low-cut, but fairly modest compared to her usual outfit. Her short arm was decorated in a wreath of yellow flowers that Byakuya believed were carnations, but wasn't sure. Unlike her typical attire, she wore no hat or head covering, opting only for a yellow rose that had been pinned by her hair. He noticed it was a remarkably similar hairstyle to the one that Kurosaki Karin was wearing today; and he noted to himself that he could see the familial resemblance. Kuukaku retained her usual clogs, although her ankles were wrapped in yellow ribbon rather than the white bandages she normally wore.
She can be an attractive woman when she wants to be, he remarked to himself. "Yes, Kuukaku-dono?"
Kuukaku was impressed that he had chosen to use -dono instead of -san with her personal name. Coming from him, it was a great compliment. "Would you like to dance?"
"No," he replied curtly. "But," he added quickly, "I would not mind if you join me for tea."
"You looked like you could use some company," Kuukaku said personably as she took a seat next to him. She thought about it for a minute, and then boldly reached for his hand. He didn't hold hers, but he didn't seem to mind that she had wrapped her palm around the back of his hand, either. He said nothing, so she prompted him. "It was gracious of you to also serve the same wedding feast for the people of Inazuri."
Byakuya chose a carefully worded response. "I believe another Head of House has taught me that perhaps the duties of nobility extend beyond the borders of the Sereitei."
Kuukaku smiled. It was an indirect compliment, but she was flattered nonetheless. She tried to prod him into further conversation. "It is a wonderful event."
"I deserve no credit, as I did not plan it."
"But you paid for most of it."
He said nothing.
Kuukaku quit the banter. It was getting nowhere. Being direct was sometimes the only way. "Hisana-dono would be happy."
She expected him to scowl, but he didn't. Instead, he looked away from her for a moment, but then returned to gazing on the crowd.
Kuukaku was hurting inside. "Byakuya-san," she pleaded. "Please, say something. Anything."
His gut wrenched. Kuukaku always seemed to get inside his head by prying it open with crass indifference to his dignity. Yet she herself had her own dignity that never made her beg. To hear her speak this way to him - true, raw, unfiltered emotion - really struck him.
Byakuya realized then that he was not the only one who wore a mask to hide the pain inside. This was the first time she had really, truly exposed herself to his mercy, and Byakuya immediately felt intensely awkward. She was willing to make herself vulnerable before him, and he couldn't pretend to be indifferent this time. "...Thank you for joining me," he said sincerely, although it came out a bit colder than he wanted it to.
She sighed and squeezed his hand. He gave no response, verbal or otherwise.
Kuukaku was pleased, though, when he broke the silence first. "What do you expect of me, Kuukaku-san?" His voice was equally frustrated and exasperated, but it contained a hint of something more personal.
She took her chance. It was the last one she might ever get. Kuukaku leaned over and whispered quietly into his ear. "To believe what your heart tells you."
Byakuya clenched his jaw tight as he felt her tear fall on his cheek. He rested his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou, hoping to find answers. Senbonzakura, however, was little different than he was; and said nothing.
He was still for a long moment, with his hand still underneath hers but otherwise cut off from her. Finally, she could see his jaw unclench in preparation to speak. "How do you know you will find your answers there?" Byakuya asked, his voice cold and distant.
She scooted closer to him. Byakuya didn't react, but Kuukaku knew better. "Because I know you, Byakuya-san. Hisana-dono fell in love with you for the same reasons that I did."
"How can you say such things?" he was quick to retort. "You know nothing of me."
She laughed out loud, a rambunctious and boisterous laughter that to him seemed completely undignified - but was too real and heartfelt to dismiss as sillyness. "Oh, Byakuya-san. Tell me, did Hisana-dono appreciate your sense of humor?"
He looked at her with a dark, offended brow.
"Please, if Hisana-dono was here, she'd be kicking you in the ass right now and telling you take me home and make wild, passionate love to me."
"She would do no such thing," he grumbled, more than annoyed.
Kuukaku slowly regained control over her overflowing laughter and took a cup of tea from a passing waiter. She took a sip to calm her giggles before addressing him again. "Byakuya-san, let's get married."
If he was a lesser man, he would have spewed his tea right then and there. "Excuse me? I beg your pardon?"
She turned serious. "I will never take Hisana-dono's place, nor do I want to. She was a special woman who is deserving of every praise and honor you have ever given her, and then some. By your own admission, the five years you were married were the happiest days of your life. And you're afraid. Afraid that I'll make you happy, and that you'll forget about how much she meant to you."
His entire body was frozen, unflinching; save for a single tear that began to form in Byakuya's eye - but even that ultimately refused to move.
Kuukaku persisted. "There's room in that heart of yours for me to stand in her shadow. I will never let you forget the happiness she brought you. I love the man - the man, not the prince -- who is shaped by those memories, and so help me, I'll kill you myself if you ever forget her. All I want to do is add to that happiness; give you more of it. Even if I only make you half as happy as she did, for even only one day, I would die a fulfilled woman. Please, Byakuya-san ---- let me stand in Hisana's shadow. Let me love you, too."
He squirmed uncomfortably. His voice cracked, and when he whispered "But I don't love you," it came out with no conviction whatsoever.
She humored his pitiful lie. "But I know you will," she whispered reassuringly.
Byakuya was quiet. Kuukaku took the cup of tea from his free hand, and poured her own tea into it. She then poured half of the mixed tea back into her cup and drank it, giving him the other mixture.
He gave her a puzzled look, so Kuukaku explained. "Lives are like tea, Byakuya-san. Sometimes, they taste better when they are filled with the flavors of another."
Hesitatingly, with the single frozen tear finally cascading down his face, he lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip. To his soul-shocking surprise, it instantly reminded him of the incredible tastes of Kurosaki Yuzu's amazingly flavorful concoctions. He even allowed himself to appear childish for a moment, since he could not help but finish the cup without stopping to pause. Resting the cup on the table, he stared into the eyes of the Shiba Head of House.
Kuukaku leaned over and kissed him. This time, though, he kissed back.
-:-
Banzo Tanabi was disgusted. Do the other Heads of House have no dignity? One of them was quite literally an animal, and the other two were snogging over in the corner. Pitiful. Thankfully, the cursed dance set was finally coming to an end, and it would be time for that dirt-born orphan to open the gates to the oh-so-happy couple.
What rubbish, he thought. Despicable. This entire affair is a sham. To think that a human could claim themselves to be part of the Four Houses was absurdity. To be descended from a disgraced Head of House was even worse; did anyone really think that this gave him the right to marry into such honor? If it hadn't been the fact that they had outnumbered him three-to-one, and that the other Heads of Houses were inextricably tied up with this horrid-haired vaizard, such a thing would never have happened. Well, then, there is nothing left but the tried and true methods of assassination.
With that, the major general of the Kido Corps invoked the dark arts of forbidden kido, stopping time.
The Kuukaku/Byakuya scene in this chapter is quite possibly my most favorite passage in this entire story. I just find it so touching. I should note that the "mixed tea" idea is based off a Jewish ritual related to wedding meals. PM me if you're curious and I'll be happy to explain further.
Reviews, please! C'mon, you gotta tell me your three favorite parts. There was a lot of goodness in this chapter, I know y'all got something to say - so say it!
Heh heh, what a cliffhanger, eh? I know you're salivating already. Next chapter: THE EPIC CLIMAX IS HERE! IT WILL BE HARDCORE! PANSIES GO ELSEWHERE!
~~Crossover Cup!~~
Today's special guest: Van Hohenheim, from Full Metal Alchemist!
VH: That scene between Byakuya and Kuukaku reminds me of my late wife, Tricia.
Nathan (nods): It wouldn't surprise me if she helped you find yourself on many occasion.
VH (sighs): You are all too correct. But, if you don't mind me switching topics, Banzo Tanabi figured out how to stop time?
Nathan: I don't know that he "figured it out" - he's not the first shinigami to do so. Tessai did it in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc.
VH: Do you think he could teach me this alchemical technique?
Nathan: I don't think kido and alchemy are the same, but even so, it's probably not a good idea to share that knowledge too much.
VH (contemplative): Hmm, I suppose you're right.
Nathan: I'm sure Tessai would be happy to teach you how to make good bento boxes, though.
VH: Really? I love Japanese food!
Nathan: I know, doesn't everybody? I could totally go for some sushi right now.
Kurosaki Yuzu (popping in): Did someone ask for sushi?
VH: Wow, this is fantastic! Now I know why Byakuya thinks of you so often.
Yuzu: Van Hohenheim likes my cooking! Hurray!
Nathan: What about me? Can't I get some?
Yuzu: Sorry. I can only make food for the Fan Fiction world. You're from the real world, sorry.
Nathan: Aw, shucks.