Wow, another update in the same year! I am on a roll! Horray for me! Now, just a heads up; this is only on part of a longer chapter I have to split up. Because I did not want a 7000+ word chapter!
So enjoy!
Chapter 35: Boarish Behavior
"Morning already?" a heavy-eyed Hisana groaned as a bright ray from the morning sun glared in her face. Whether it was it was in the Soul Society or the human realm, the sun would probably be her greatest source of annoyance, right after Byakuya of course. Not ready to begin the day, Hisana closed her eyes as she turned the other way to avoid the pesky beam. As she wrapped her arms around what she thought was a pillow, she noticed that this pillow was moving up and down; almost as if it were breathing. At first, Hisana didn't give it much though as she was still half asleep. But as she became more alert, a terrible realization dawned on her. There was another living being laying in her bed, right next to her. And the only other person who is supposed to be in this room is her fukutaichō, Byakuya Kuchiki.
It can't be. She thought as she ran her hand over its surface while keeping her eyes closed. Surely Byakuya wouldn't be so bold as to actually lay beside her. Not after she specifically told him that she would rather be tortured than share a bed with him. Maybe it was a wild animal that had slipped into their room in the dead of night and made itself cozy beside her bed. She would rather wake up to a smelly boar than to that giant prick. But as her fingers traced the top of the unknown introducer, it was impossible to deny the unmistakable well-toned torso of a man. Oh god no. She quickly pulled her hand away as she sat in bed with her eyes still shut tightly.
"Please," she pled to herself. "Please be some random homeless guy that just happened to wandered into my futon in the middle of the night." As she slowly opened her eyes, the clear image of Byakuya Kuchiki sleeping soundly with his usually kept jet black hair all messy and his sleeping robe open to the point that not only could she see his chest, but also his abs and one of his nipples; thank god that the cover was concealing his lower regions. And there he was, just lying beside her as if was nothing. And judging by the couple strands of long black hair that clung to his robe just below his arm, Hisana must have huddle up next to him sometime during the night. Suddenly her mind went completely blank as if her brain had imploded on itself at the mere thought of not only sharing a bed with her arch frenemy but also cuddling next to him. Mindlessly she calmly pulled off the covers and slowly stood up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe, before letting out an earsplitting screech that not only jolted her partner and probably any neighboring residents wide awake, but also startled a nearby flock of crows that suddenly took to the air in fright.
"Tsumura!" Byakuya jeered as he tried to muffle Hisana's scream. "What on earth had gotten into you!?" Hisana quickly slapped his hand away as she took a few steps backwards.
"That my line!" she cried. "Just what the hell are you doing in my bed, you freak!?" Byakuya silently looked back her for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.
"Well, this is quite unfortunate." He said as he scratched the back of his head. "I was anticipating that you would still be slumbering when I awoke so I could have returned to the floor as to avoid this confrontation. However, it seems that I underestimated your ability to wake up earlier than I."
"You…" Hisana could feel her blood boiling, just thinking about how nonchalantly Byakuya was acting. "Son of a bitch! How dare you sneak into my bed while I'm unconscious! What are you; some type of weird pervert!"
"I thought we made an agreement not fight until we completed this assignment." Byakuya reminded his frantic partner.
"Yeah, unless under special circumstances!" Hisana was quick to reply. "And this would definitely fall under that category!"
"Will you keep your voice down?" Byakuya whispered. "You'll alarm the surrounding humans." No sooner had Byakuya utter those words, then suddenly the doors slid opened.
"Milord and Milady," the manager of the inn said as he rushed into the room while three maids trailing behind. "I heard a terrible cry just now. Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine." Byakuya turned to the humans. "My wife just awoke to the unpleasant sight of a snake coiled next to her. Perhaps an indication that the grounds of this establishment is not as kept as one would like to believe." Byakuya said as he narrowed his glare. Though he was not one to bear false witness, it was better than to tell them the truth; that Tsumura was screaming like an idiot because she woke up to him sleeping in her bed. That would seem like a rather odd reaction for a wife. It was necessary to avoid any more unwarranted embarrassment.
"Oh, my sincerest apologies, Lady Kuchiki!" the little man bowed profusely as his helpers followed his lead. "I will personally see to it that the groundkeeper is severely reprimanded for his obvious negligence."
"Isn't it a bit harsh?" Hisana interrupted the discussion between the two men. "You can't punish a man for the devious nature of a cold blood creature or the snake." Byakuya threw a cold glare at Hisana for that remark. "So please, just leave the poor groundkeeper be."
"Such a benevolent woman." The inn keeper said as he clasped his arms around Hisana's. "Very well, but I assure you that this incident will not repeat itself again." He let go of Hisana hand and spun around as he began to walk out the room. The maids followed his lead, with the last one closing the door behind her. As soon as the door slid closed, Hisana walked up to her so-called husband a well-deserved punch to his arm.
"And what was that for?"
"For trying to get an innocent man in trouble, you stupid jerk!" She snapped back. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you!?"
"And what was I supposed to say; that you were screaming like a mad woman because you caught me in bed with you. How well that explanation would have looked, considered that we are supposed to be married. I simply thought out the situation and considered the best solution. You know, the intelligent thing to do. " Just as Hisana was about spout out one of her usual brash responses, she bit her tongue. It had been less than 12 hours since she had declared a truce with Byakuya and here she was, about to cuss out her fukutaichō. She wanted to show Byakuya that she was capable of acting as a reliable partner. So instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in order to calm herself down.
"You know what, it doesn't matter anymore." Hisana folded her arms across her chest, trying her hardest to mature and reasonable. "The issue has be resolve, without anyone getting into serious trouble. So let's just leave it at that and move on with our lives. Alright?" However, Byakuya's mind was focused on something at that moment. Byakuya hadn't noticed that at some time during the incident, Hisana's sleeping robe had slightly come undone from the top. That is until Hisana crossed her arms just below her chest, amplifying her cleavage tenfold, making it terribly noticeable. Even fiber of his being was warning him to look away from such an indecent sight, but it was nearly impossible to redirect his glaze away from the marvelous view. It was like staring at the sun; it something that you shouldn't do, but you just couldn't help it.
"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, BYAKUYA KUCHIKI!" Senbozakura hollered, her enraged cries echoing through the Shinigami's head. HOW DARE YOU OGLE LADY'S CHEST LIKE SOME FILTHY LECHER! I KNOW YOU WERE RAISE BETTER THAN THAT, YOU SCOUNDREL! It wasn't surprise that this behavior would upset his Zanpakutō. She was all about etiquette and grace. And his conduct was definitely neither of the two.
"Tsumura, you may want to adjust your robe." he cleared his throat as he turn around. "It's quite unbecoming for a lady." Hisana looked down at her exposed chest and gave a high pitched shriek as she feverishly scrambled to close her robe.
"You...you pervert!" Hisana cried out, her face completely red. "Were you looking at them!?"
"Of course not." Byakuya lied, unwilling to admit to Hisana that he had found her attractive, even if it was for a brief moment. Hisana eyed the man suspiciously before retreated to the closet. Senbozakura appeared before her master just as the closet door slammed shut. From the looks of it, she was about to give Byakuya either a long sermon about common decency or a slap to the face. And to be honest, Byakuya would much rather have the latter.
"You're a disgrace." His Zanpakutō spirit wrathfully declared, her glare hardened to the point where it seem that she really could shoot daggers from her eyes. "To think that the master of such a sophisticated Zanpakutō as myself would behave in such a deplorable manner. How shameful!" The man stepped out on to the porch, in order to avoid the badgering spirit. But Senbozakura followed close behind, phasing through the door easily. "Why, I have the right mind to give you a well-earned slap across the face! Maybe that will knock some sense into that thick skull of yours!"
"That is enough!" Byakuya replied harshly, unsure whether he had merely thought it or actually spoke it. This morning had already been filled with a great deal of obnoxiousness, and the last thing I want to be lectured by the likes of you!
"Save your grievances for someone who actually cares!" Senbozakura callously retorted. "You were well aware of the consequences as you snuck into that bed last night. And, for the first time since I've known that girl, I understand Tsumura's anger towards you. If anything, I believe that she went far too easy on you. Had you tried the same stunt on me, the punishment I would have dealt would have been far worse than anything she could have given you! But that is beside the point," Senbozakura suddenly disappeared, before reappeared alongside him. Swiftly she grabbed the male Shinigami's ear, pulling on it so fiercely, Byakuya feared it could torn off at any moment. "Mind explaining to me that atrocious behavior of yours just now, you degenerate!"
"Get off!" Byakuya slapped her hand away. You act as if I was the first man to ever stare at a woman's chest! I can guarantee you that is only nature for a healthy normal man to gawk at a woman's feminine features from time to time.
"Yes, but you are no normal man! You are Byakuya Kuchiki; the 28th head of the noble Kuchiki clan and the fukutaichō of the sixth division, soon to the taichō! Surely somewhere along the line, you were taught to treat a woman with nothing less than absolute respect! Instead, here I find you ogling at that girl's obscenity like a hungry dog eying a piece of meat! How absolutely despicable! "
"You dare compare me to an animal, you nuisance!"
"And what else would I compare you to!" she nipped at Byakuya's cheeks. "So I best not catch you acting like a pervert again, do you understand that, Byakuya Kuchiki! And if you want to see under the woman's kimono so much, then you better be ready to be make an honest woman out of her!"
"Away with you, vile woman!" Byakuya ordered as he slapped her hand away, just when the door slid open.
"I could have sworn I heard you arguing with someone just now." Hisana questioned as she stepped outside, fully clothed in a beautiful blue kimono. "Are you alright Byakuya?"
"I'm fine." Byakuya said, trying to regain his composer. But it was almost impossible for him. The parting words of his troublesome had let an unpleasant image within his mind. He couldn't even look at Hisana without thinking about her in a state of undress. So instead, he just walked inside without saying a word to Hisana.
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"Great". Hisana sarcastically said as she traveled through the woods alone. "Byakuya's pissed at me again." It was late afternoon and, just like yesterday, neither of them had spoken much more than a couple of sentences to each other. Breakfast was just as uncomfortable as the day before; Byakuya and Hisana eating in silence as they merely picked at their meals. She had no idea that the incident this morning would have upset Byakuya this much. She was hoping that he would have forgiven her after dropping the subject, but apparently that did nothing. Byakuya had even suggested that they break up to cover more ground; even though, Hisana suspected that the reason was so they wouldn't have to deal with one another for too long.
"Well, that's what happens when you wake up, screaming like some raging lunatic." Her Zanpakutō spirit appeared on top of her head. "So I guess it's safe to say that this is also all your fault."
"Wow, thanks for that." She pinched the tip of Ryu's tail as she pulled him off of her. "You want to twist that dagger a little deeper into my back, you little bastard!"
"Ahh… I'm sorry!" the reptile wiggled around into order to escape the torture. "I didn't mean it!"
"Good." She said as she released her hold, letting the dragon fall to the floor as she continued walking. "I get enough crap from that damn man. I certainly don't need any more from some smartass lizard!" she walked off from her annoying partner. But as much as she hated to agree with that stupid runt of a Zanpakutō, he did have a point. She probably could have handled the situation this morning a lot more smoothly. She certainly didn't help to get the whole inn staff and their surrounding neighbors involved. But instead, she acted like a fool and almost put the mission in jeopardy. But it wasn't as if that had been her intention at the time. It would just too shocking to wake up, lying next to any man, let alone an Adonis like Byakuya. And to add insult to injury, she had accused the poor man of peeking at her chest after causing a sense.
As if Byakuya could be attracted to someone like me. Hisana sighed deeply. Hisana knew that the men in the Seireitei weren't in the slightest bit interested in her. And why would they be? Hisana wasn't a radiant beauty like many of the women in the Soul Society. She didn't have all the lovely curves that men desired, especially with her puny chest size. She didn't have an outgoing and warm personality. And she sure as hell didn't have the luxury of wealth or social standing to make up for her lack of the other categories. In fact, the only two men she interacted with willingly were Byakuya and Kaien Shiba of the 13th division; and even then she constantly avoided the latter. Hisana would probably have to apologize to her fukutaichō for causing him so much grief today. "Well, on the bright side; at least I can stay I shared a bed with someone as handsome as Byakuya Kuchiki." She said as she dug into her kimono top and pulled out a handkerchief full of rice balls. Breakfast had been so awkwardly horrid, that she hadn't gotten a chance to eat once again. Luckily for her, one of the maids had packed her a small lunch of rice balls. As she picked a rice ball up to eat, a small ball of fur crossed her path. Hisana fell to the ground; her face slamming into the dirt below. "Ouch." Hisana lifted her head to see a group of boar piglets devouring all of her cherished rice balls. "HEY!" she cried as she got to her feet. The startled creatures quickly gobbled up the rest of Hisana's food before running off into the brush. "Stupid ass pigs!" Hisana called out as she picked up a rock and chucked it into the woods. She heard a loud squeal echoing through the woods before a large wild boar emerged from the green scenery. A large lump was protruding from its head where the rock had probably struck it.
God damn it. Hisana thought as she slowly backed away, hoping that the boar would flee back into the woods. But the enraged boar kicked up a cloud of dirt before charging towards the Shinigami. Hisana hastily spun around and took off running, with the boar following behind her.
"Crap! Crap! Crap!" she cried in between each rapid breath she took. She tried lose the raging beast by running downhill, but the beast was dead set on taking its attacker down. As if her luck couldn't get any worse, the stilt of her scandal torn apart causing the girl to plummeting down into a small ravine full of murky water. The boar looked down at the Shinigami and gave a loud satisfied snore before retreated. Hisana sat up in the mud, trying to wipe away what little she could from her face, but her blue kimono was just as filthy as the rest if her body. Mud and twigs clung to her skin and hair, making her look worse than a vagrant. She tried to climb out of the ravine, but the mud-covered banks were too slippery, sending her tumbling back down.
"You god damn hunk of pork!" she cursed at the swine as she rushed at the edge again, desperately grasping onto the clumps of dirt, only to slip back down. "I swear the moment I get out off of here, I'm gonna hunt you down and roast your sorry ass for dinner!"
"Tsumura?" she looked upward to see Byakuya looking down at her front the edge. "I should have guess it was you causing all that commotion just a while ago. Honestly, I cannot leave you alone for even a brief second without you stirring up some sort of trouble."
"It wasn't my fault this time!" she called out. "That stupid monster boar just started chasing me out of nowhere!"
"You fight hollows on a regular basics, and you find a simple wild boar to be a greater threat." Byakuya retorted, angering Hisana more than she already was.
"How about you save the damn lecture for later and me out of this freakin' puddle of mud!" suddenly remembering the truce, she stopped herself before insulting Byakuya anymore. "I'm sorry about that. It's just been a long day." She said as she exhaled. Being the bigger person was completely overrated. She couldn't wait to get back to the Soul Society and resume her usual animosity towards Byakuya. "Could you please just get me out of here?"
"Of course," Byakuya kneeled down and extended his hand towards her. "Grab hold." But just as Hisana had grasped on to Byakuya's hand, they both heard the loud cry of a boar. Moments later, the same boar that had pursued Hisana earlier rammed himself into the unsuspecting man, pushing Byakuya over the edge and sending him crashing into Hisana below.
"Despicable swine!" Byakuya muttered to himself as he attempted to push himself. "Are you alright, Tsumura?" he turned to his partner, who was underneath him only to be met with a look of complete and utter mortification mortared upon her face. "Tsumura," he leaned in closed to her, worried that Perhaps he had wounded her when he fell on top of her. "What's wrong? Are you injured?" he then realized that his left hand had landed on top of something that was particularly soft and squishy. His traveled downwards to the most hideous of all sights imaginable. For in his left hand, he firmly held Hisana's right breast. Now the most rational choice at that moment would have been to immediately remove his hand away from her body and ask for forgiveness. But instead, against his better judgement, he just kept his hand here for what seem like an eternity before giving her a squeeze! Why he did such a stupid thing, Byakuya couldn't understand himself. Perhaps the fall had given him a slight concussion and he was incapable of making logical decisions at the moment. Or it could be that he wanted to see if this was real and not just a horrible nightmare. Or maybe, deep within his subconscious, he was extremely curious and just couldn't help himself. Whatever the reason was, one thing was certain; Hisana did not appreciate the gesture in the slightest bit. She narrowed her glare as her face grew a fierce red. She quickly rose her hand up.
"GET THE HELL OFF ME, YOU GODDAMN PIG!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she delivered a slap to Byakuya's gorgeous face. The sheer force of the blow was powerful enough to knock him into the mud around them. As Byakuya picked himself from the mud, he noticed that Hisana had already withdrew to the far end of the ravine.
"Tsumura, I can explain" Byakuya started his way towards her, but Hisana held her hand up in order to stop him.
"Come any closer and I'll give you another slap!" she cried as she turned away. "And next time, I'll be sure to bash your face into a boulder!" seeing that there was no reasoning with her in this state, Byakuya gave up and silently retreated to the farthest end of the shallow chasm. As he gazed towards the end of the ravine, he could the faint steps of the boar as it circled around the top. Most likely, it was waiting for another chance to attack them. It would probably would be best for them to stay down here until nightfall. Surely by then the boar would grow tired of waiting and just leave them be. However, by staying out late at night, they did run the risk of encountering the hollow. Though, considering the fact that he had done nothing but make a complete ass of himself today, Byakuya didn't mind that possibility.
A/N: I hope I didn't make Byakuya too OOC in this chapter. I really tired my hardest to imagine how Byakuya would have reacted in a situation like this. I figured he would be absolutely horrified!
And FYI: I am well aware that the word boorish on the title is misspelled. It was a pathetic attempt at word play, you know because this chapter has a boar and Byakuya was acting very boorish, and I apologize for being so lame.