Music Inspiration: M83- "Midnight City"


The Bottomless Pit


At their second bar of the night, Byakuya was mesmerized by the unbelievable speed of Ruka's hands over her appetizers and asked hesitantly, "How are you still eating?"

"I have a ravenous appetite" she replied cheekily with a perky smile as she bit down on a piece of popcorn chicken. Ryo had taken their small group to bar that served drinks and food while music blared to keep an upbeat ambiance. Byakuya wasn't a fan of the music at all but kept to Ruka's side once she nabbed a seat at the bar. Meanwhile, their group found a booth large enough right across from the bar which meant they could supervise (ahem, spy) the other two. For Byakuya, sitting at the bar kept him away from their senseless chatter and any snarky comments. For Ruka, it kept her within reach of ordering endless food and Byakuya was baffled to the stack of piled plates she had picked clean.

"You're the size of a child" he pointed out dryly to her petite size and her capability to eat plates designed for more than one person. Ruka glared at the insult since she had heard her share of jabs since childhood. Did her appetite hurt anyone when she paid for her meals? Not putting up with his sass, she returned the embarrassment by grabbing his left arm to chomp down on the same abused wrist, "Ow!"

Ryo cackled from his seat in the center of the booth when he saw her bite his cousin while he pinched her nose to release her hold. Alcohol had never been their friend and he'd use it in advantage to bring the two closer. Taking another shot of hard liquor, he grinned with delight to their fussing, "Watching them is entertainment enough."

"That and I think they dropped their guard" Nanao commented flatly since the two had diverged from their group upon entering the bar to mingle on their own. Despite Ruka would say otherwise, it had always been that way between them. Byakuya would portray indifference while Ruka would excuse herself, fussing if anyone pointed it out.

Byakuya surprised the group by retorting back with cold calculation, "I never drop my guard."

"Even at a bar, he's intense" Rangiku sighed to the rigid nature of the captain while her smaller friend was happily drinking away. She shuddered in her seat to living a miserable life of neutrality and stoicism, finding no joy in such a thing. How could anyone stand it?

Rangiku and Ryo had already downed their share of drinks with Hale and Ruka following them closely behind. Nanao and Byakuya were the only ones that rarely partook in it but the sixth captain began stealing Ruka's drinks to prevent her from becoming drunk. However, this only led her to sitting at the bar counter and ordering more appetizers to continue her eating frenzy.

His gray eyes dulled when an arm snaked over his shoulders from the brunette and she smiled goofily to dismiss, "Nah, he's the bestest!"

She can either bite me to oblivion or be ridiculously sweet when drunk, he thought with amusement to her drunken quirks and silently appreciated the hug. She wasn't the type to become mean or pick a fight from inebriation, becoming sillier and peppier in nature. It was almost childlike and innocent until her canines bit down on the closest limb within reach.

He was quick to grab his petite friend when she almost slipped off the stool from leaning her entire weight on him. She chuckled drunkenly to the quick catch and winked mischievously to his speed, causing him to sigh. On the bright side, she could not escape his sight with her quick steps now. Ruka clung to him like a life preserver as he failed to budge from her side, appreciating his presence. Despite he was indifferent on the outside, he was glad that she preferred his company above all others present.

At a table situated diagonally from the group in the booth, Renji prodded his own drinking group to agree, "How is this not entertaining?"

Being off-duty, Shūhei had no say on his lieutenant's behavior as she kept eating and drinking beside the other captain. That night, everyone was a civilian in shinigami clothing. Izuru shook his head to Renji's laidback nature and lack of a filter against officers with more seniority. Not wanting to find his friend stuffed in a trashcan somewhere later that night, he warned, "Careful, just because we're off-duty, it doesn't mean he can't beat the crap out of you."

"Doubtful, he can't risk a bad image" Renji shot back confidently because his ex-captain held a tight rein on upholding the law. His noble background also restricted him from acting anything less than cordial in public. Being in a public bar, his spotless regal image was already hitting the limit.

Keeping a firm grip on Ruka's shoulders, Byakuya turned around to pin the redhead with a stern glare before stating sharply, "You'd be surprised to what I can risk under the right conditions."

"Oooooh- muhahaha" Ruka began to laugh evilly to his words to strike fear into their hearts but her dramatics were cut short. Coughing from a suddenly parched throat, she chugged the last remainders of her fruity drink before ordering hastily, "My throat got dry- more alcohol, please!"

It did not help Byakuya at all that other shinigami had decided to visit this bar for their alcoholic needs. Was this the popular bar of the Prime Gotei forces? Having his ex-lieutenant within a short distance with his friend group and his cousin's group was a recipe for embarrassing disaster. Rukia had messaged him that she'd join them there but he missed the memo that her shinigami friends would be there too. He had an image to upkeep in a place like this and nobody was helping him with it-

"Let's have you drink some water" Rukia intervened gently as she set down several cups of water in front of the brunette, who smiled gleefully. Despite being the younger one, she could not help but pinch Ruka's rosy cheek to stir a goofier smile. The lieutenant said nothing as she fell to Rukia's cute prodding, letting her have her way, and her shorter friend compromised, "Then you can have more drinks."

"Only because it helps my hydration" she agreed peppily and obeyed her friend by drinking one of the cups. Byakuya took this time to seize her drink to let all the water cups surround her reach. When she became drunk, her vision narrowed into a tunnel that picked up the closest items so he kept her drink in his grip. The dimly lit bar also assisted him in avoiding the detection of her stolen drinks, which he'd placed off to the right side.

He nodded to his sister with gratitude for her helping hand and Rukia chuckled to where they found themselves, "Still can't believe we're at a bar together."

"This is likely not the strangest event of our lives" he muttered with disappointment because each year brought some form of mayhem for them. Thankfully, it wasn't anything that threatened either of their lives like ten years prior. Ruka's snickering caused him to frown since she was a little imp of disaster herself and she had just returned that year.

Rukia mulled over his words because she wanted to keep a happier disposition towards the future and stated, "I'd like to think the strangest stuff is behind us."

"Agreed" he relented for her sake because he hadn't been the greatest brother for most of their relationship. He would do his best to provide a safe and happy life for her, even if he might not agree with some of her decisions. Being a young spirit, he expected her to make mistakes but he'd be there to make sure they were simple fires to put out.

"Aw, you guys are adorable" Ruka gushed sweetly to the sibling bonding since she lacked that opportunity. She would have loved to have a sister or brother to share her life with to remember her parents. Unfortunately, luck was not with her. Fate dealt her a different hand by leaving her with cousins only and she sighed softly to lament, "I wish I had a sibling."

Byakuya bit back an exasperated sigh when she was handed a new drink by the bartender and she began sipping it. Was his glower power no longer working? Great, now he was using her words to describe his expressions. Glancing at her previous drink in his hand, he placed it to the side and nudged one of the water glasses closer to her. He was one step behind to keep her mind clear and pushed her plate of appetizers closer, motioning for her to eat. Reminding her of their own bond, he pointed out simply, "You have me."

She sliced her pork barbecue slider in half with a knife to offer it to him and he accepted it. Reluctant to admit it, they were rather tasty despite being a foreign food. It figured she would be the one to push him out of his shell when it came to trying new things. He held back a sigh when she decided to hug him again but at least she dove for his arm this time. She was happy to hear his loyalty to her, even when she drove him up a wall and appreciated that kindness.

"No, you two are adorable" Rukia laughed to their coziness before speeding off to join Renji's group. Byakuya sputtered to offer a retort to such a thing because he was not the type to draw squeaks or squeals. He was meant to be respected and admired- feared, even- but the brunette attached to his arm wasn't helping that image.

Byakuya frowned heavily to the noble that was his opposite but Ruka simply laughed, biting into her food with her free hand. How was she still hungry? Despite the annoyance marring his features, he could not bring himself to say anything snide. Swallowing her bite, she motioned to the menu laying on the counter to propose, "They have great food here. Get whatever you want, it's on me."

"We ate at the other place" he pointed out after sharing the beef dish which was enough for him. Besides, he wasn't going to do anything later but sleep. That had been enough for him but Ruka was still perusing the menu with a curious smile. He blamed the alcohol entirely.

"It was a shared dish" she reasoned with a scoff because it had been more of an appetizer for her. Her theory of him being cranky due to starvation was gaining momentum. Blinking with excitement to the menu, she sipped her drink and piped up, "We have to build energy."

Confused to what she had in mind, he asked uncertainly, "For what?"

"Good question" she laughed giddily and held out a shrimp tempura with her chopsticks for him to eat. The alcohol had thrown out what little reservation she had, holding no censorship or decorum. Who had time for that at night? Her lips broke into a silly smile as she encouraged brightly, "Try this!"

He tried to fend off her enthusiastic jabs of food at his face, surprised to her sudden drunken dexterity, and hissed, "Ruka, people will think we're doing something."

"You mean eating like normal people?" she pointed out sarcastically while aiming the chopsticks at his mouth with a determined pout. Begrudgingly, he caved to her wishes and leaned forward to eat it quickly. He had not been fed by anyone in public in a long time and his old memory vault flashed images of a younger Ruka doing the same. Back then, however, he had been happy and adored her. Now. . .

His eyes dulled at watching her grab another piece and pretend it was a live shrimp swimming in the air. Hmm, she hadn't changed too much from her silly self. He grabbed her wrist to guide the shrimp into her mouth, leading her to protest with puffy cheeks, "No! My fishy fish!"

Swallowing her bite, she accused mournfully to his deceitful move, "You killed him!"

Rangiku shook her head as she watched the two fight over food and sighed dismally with embarrassment, "He's so awkward it's not even funny. That's not how you romantically feed a lady."

Rukia rose to defend her brother from the opposite table and shot back, "Give him a break, he hasn't dated anyone in half a century."

Rangiku wasn't holding her breath on seeing the two flirt openly because the man was an ice block with conservative decorum. Rukia bet more money on her friend making the first move to break the ice between them but it had to be gradual, given their extensive history. Otherwise, one or both were liable to bolt. The blond shook her head at hearing Ruka fuss over his eating habits and sighed with dismay, "He's really out of the dating game. Is he capable of flirting?"

"I don't even want to know" Nanao replied swiftly because she wanted to stay out of the crossfire if the two caught wind of their schemes. She didn't want to get on either of their bad sides, especially the captain. They were driven to follow the law and maintain order, rarely looking out for their own interests. It was rather sad when she thought about it and murmured softly, "They're definitely more open about it here."

"I think the alcohol is working" Hale remarked to keep positive on the slow progress being made. His friend hadn't placed down any of her drinks and kept ordering more things from the menu. Although the captain was pulling away some of those drinks, he was also partaking in the drinking but not as heavily as Ruka.

Ryo grinned ecstatically to that because he'd paid extra to get the two hooked on alcohol and laughed, "Good, I told the barkeep to give them double the shots. I will literally pay to bring them together."

Nanao realized why her friend's coordination was suddenly sloppy because she had been fine until they entered the place. Despite pacing herself, the brunette kept sliding off her seat if she wasn't careful and hoped she didn't accidentally knock herself over. Sighing with disbelief to the shenanigans of Ryo, she pitied her poor friend, "No wonder she's falling off the stool."

Ruka bumped her right shoulder against Byakuya's as they finished one plate of appetizers and raised her drink to admit modestly, "Despite your external grumpiness, I'm glad you came. I'm having fun with you."

He was surprised by her sentiments since he had gained an overprotective edge with her that night. It hadn't shed the best light on him but she hadn't pushed him away. Her romantic past with another captain fueled that strict vigilance as he kept her within reach. Ruka, however, would not complain to his protective nature and knew it was part of his personality. He had been her protector from childhood against anyone that dared to make her cry and she cherished that dedicated commitment, even as an adult. Part of her enjoyed his fussing as they stuck by one another and she would never forsake him.

Taking a sip from her drink, she winked mischievously and joked with a playful smile, "I didn't think I'd ever get you out the manor in a place like this."

"Is it that strange?" he asked quietly because he was free to wander where he pleased, if it was legal. True, he had rarely accepted any work-related outings or anything outside of his clan work until her arrival so this was new. He would have never attended on his own, especially if it were only Ryo in attendance, and his sister would have had to drag him. When it came to Ruka, however, he hadn't hesitated.

Her twinkling blue eyes met his stormy gaze as she teased nonchalantly about his solitary lifestyle, "High noble lords stick to their routines."

"I'm . . . not averted to this . . . as long you're here" he confessed hesitantly to reveal hints of the inner workings of his mind which brought a smile of delight to her face. Did his opinion really make her happy? His recent behavior was not ideal, given their history, but she had not chastised him. He was lucky to have someone like her by his side. It was hard for him to find a confidante, given his social standing, but she was his most loyal and trustworthy friend.

"Kuchiki, that's the rarest thing I've heard you say" she replied with respect to his disclosure and appreciated that trust. He was a hard one to poke out of his shell but he tried his best with her. His layers were slowly peeling away and she would be there to support him. She would not disappoint that progress and raised her left hand to beckon, "Barkeep, another round!"

Looking down at the counter, he was shocked to find her glasses empty and demanded with alarm, "When did you finish all of that?"

"A lady doesn't tell" she answered cheekily to deny him the truth to her fast hands-on liquor and he frowned. When had she sneaked her drinks away from his careful eye? She was turning into her uncle at this rate!

She clapped happily when a new set of drinks were set before them and her hand flew to grab her glass. Byakuya's hand grasped her right wrist to lock her in place and she pouted to being denied her mind-altering beverage. No, this would not do! Her brow furrowed when she felt the air from his lips brush against her right ear as he proposed privately, "Let's say that we live on an island in a post-apocalyptic world where only you, me, and Abarai survived. If you had to choose one of us to procreate and build a new world with, who would you choose?"

"Those are my options?" she chuckled awkwardly, an unexpected shudder running down her spine, and tried her best to dissipate the sensation. When had he broken anyone's personal space? Why was her body reacting in such a traitorous way? Clearing her throat to fight down a sudden blush on her cheeks, she chastised with a sneaky grin, "You're worse than Ryo with creativity."

True, he wasn't the greatest with hypothetical questions. Still, he expected some approval from his best friend and frowned, "Ruka."

"What? I can complain after being rumored about carrying your spawn" she shot back smartly since she hadn't forgotten the incident at the first restaurant. The low timbre of his voice and the sensation of his breath hiked her heart rate in a way she hadn't experienced in ages. She tried to shake the odd feeling fluttering through her chest away and managed to pry her hand away from his to sip her drink. Her lips widened into a smile at seeing his instant frown to her drinking which led her to tease with a wink, "Pretty sure Abarai wouldn't nag about his widdle idle baby."

"No, he'd hide in the human realm out of fear of what I'd do to him" he pointed out grimly to the idea of her bearing the Rukongai's child and shaming her noble lineage. His eyes narrowed with distaste as he watched her run her hands over her abdomen with a silly smile. Was she seriously considering bearing the man's child? What could he possibly offer her? The large amount of food had swollen her abdomen slightly and he sighed to mutter flatly, "You're fondling a food baby."

"My food baby, you'd only frighten and deny his bastard existence" she pouted humorously for pity because he never let her have fun with her imagination. A food baby never hurt anyone. The thought of having her best friend hunt down the poor redheaded captain was hilarious though. Patting her belly full of food, she grinned shamelessly to continue her sham of a make-believe pregnancy and piped up, "I have to protect him from uppity nobles."

He withheld a deeper sigh of bewilderment to her strange creativity, especially while inebriated, and asked simply, "Why is it a 'him'?"

"Our bloodlines are notorious for them. . .and it's my imagination so nyeh!" she pointed out matter-of-factly when firstborn sons were practically a given in both their lines. Byakuya had to reluctantly agree on her valid reasoning because generations had passed on both sides with only male heirs. Ruka would be the first female by birthright in more than five generations while Byakuya briefly wondered the chaos such a thing would cause in his clan. He could only imagine the idea of having a firstborn daughter but Ruka cut into his thoughts as she spoke to her belly, "You will be a great Kyōraku, not a Kuchiki. He would deny creating you to repopulate the world."

"He wouldn't be a- we're not discussing that!" he argued the shameful idea of a baby out of wedlock with her but stopped himself short from entertaining that unfathomable thought. He could already hear his zanpakutō laughing from his mental space which only embarrassed him further. Alcohol and Ruka were not mixing well for him now. Was she intentionally trying to fluster him? Fighting the blush that threatened to creep onto his cheeks, he headed back to the original point, "Answer my hypothetical question."

Leaning against him, she concealed their movements by leaving no space between them. If their friends saw anything suspicious from behind, it would only stir more questions and gossip. He wouldn't let her fall from her seat and supported her weight against him by the shoulder. Raising her right hand, she surprised him by cupping the side of his face to smile widely, "You. It's always you."

His heart skipped several beats to her words and the warmth of her hand brought a rush of blood to his cheeks. He hadn't felt such an awkward feeling in ages and although his natural reaction was to pull away, he didn't budge. Regardless, he was relieved on the answer after hearing either the name of his ex-lieutenant or the foreign captain. His elation to being picked was short-lived when she pinched the apple of his cheek to preen slyly with a sweet tone, "Who else would keep me amused with this grumpy wumpy face?"

His ego deflated as quickly as it had risen, crashing and burning like a hot air balloon. Great. Still, he would seize the win and gloat over it privately. Rubbing her belly with a zesty smile, she declared proudly with glee, "That means my food baby would be the king of the new world! I will raise him alone and be the Queen Mother."

"Why do you keep pushing me out of his nonexistent life?" he questioned defensively to being kicked him out of the hypothetical equation. Was he such a horrible match to repopulate civilization? Were the others more ideal? He blamed the alcohol when he acknowledged a flicker of inadequacy in himself, mainly because they had been romantically linked decades ago. She had ensnared him more strongly than Hisana but ended their relationship when he had been ready to move forward. Remnants from that closed chapter leaked into his words as he pointed out firmly, "I deserve a chance with my hypothetical child."

"Fine, if you insist" she allowed with a small sigh but detected the hints of annoyance filtering through. Was the question meant to be more than hypothetical? No . . . no, that was crazy. The strong alcohol led her emotions to fluctuate but she quickly plugged the hole in her heart that threatened to spill old sentiments. Decades later, she still didn't forgive herself for the painful breakup. Patting her belly, she glanced down with a giddy smile and declared, "See, food baby? He acts tough but he's soft goo on the inside."

Taking a sip from her drink, she smiled goofily while he shook his head to her silly ponderings. Only she could twist his mind and threaten a smile to rise on his lips. His shoulders straightened when she leaned against him with her drink, slumping comfortably to use his arm as a cushion. Raising her head, she met his gaze and commented fondly in a whisper, "I will name him Koji. The family ruler. . .to match his daddy."

He recognized that name from their time together but it had been a playful suggestion back then. To hear it almost a century later. . . he was surprised she remembered. Gazing down at her face, her words at her estate about desiring a family echoed and he assumed that was why the name remained. He wished not to hear the last words but only had himself to blame for presenting that question to her. She had never revealed romantic entanglements to him but learning about her past and seeing her old paramours didn't make him comfortable. Seeing her flirt with Abarai didn't help either! He would be insulted if he let her use that name for a child with another, which was a bitter reality that was becoming more obvious to him.

Kuchiki Koji has a nice ring to it, his zanpakutō butted in unexpectedly to gnaw on his private thoughts. His wielder wouldn't nitpick at something without a reason and he figured their past was a huge factor. Despite he claimed being over their breakup, her recent presence in the past decade said otherwise. Without Hisana, his wielder had been alone for more than half a century and Senbonzakura kept poking him to reach out to Ruka. Your ingestion of alcohol is making it easier for me to breach your mind. I, for one, would vote a million times for you and Ruka to have a noble son-

Byakuya decided to block his zanpakutō to the deepest level in his soul space. He was instigating too many thoughts and drinking in a public place only increased the chance of tarnishing his image. Ruka drew him away from that dark cloud of thought by wrapping her arms around his to lean against him with a content smile. She was a sweet and entertaining woman capable of powerful ideas and he was aware that would draw someone's eye. With time, she would build a life with another and his time with her would fade into memories. He wasn't entirely comfortable with that prospect.

"She's not seriously pregnant, right?" Nanao asked bluntly as she watched the two sit closely together, unable to catch a glimpse of anything else. She had heard the word baby exclaimed from their side but assumed it was either a joke or misheard. Frowning slightly, she sighed about the possibility of a pregnant Ruka, "Otherwise, I'm worried about her drinking."

"Pssh, I'd be the first to know if she was" Rangiku disagreed completely because her petite friend would be more volatile and hurling her stomach contents into the nearest trashcan. Her cheerful and bubbly personality would likely lead her to blurt that announcement to everyone.

Byakuya's mood turned sour when Ryo approached them, interrupting their time, and he proposed with a charming smile, "Let's dance."

The brunette hesitated to that idea due to the warm fuzzy feeling floating through her body from the alcohol. She was one hundred percent certain that her drinking would not allow her to walk straight without assistance. Falling on the floor was not enticing, even if she did want to dance. Ryo was quick to push the unaware Hale towards Ruka to emphasize the pairing and encouraged impishly, "C'mon, you two."

Hale was not one for confrontation as he noticed Byakuya's stern gaze immediately. It was a silent threat that dared him to move towards Ruka under the penalty of death and Ryo slipped between them to grab the brunette. That was as far as he got when Byakuya grasped his wrist to pull him away from her to keep her behind him. He was not going to let her leave in that condition and stated defensively, "She's not going anywhere."

"True, I don't think I can stand if I hop off this thing" she agreed sheepishly to her drinking and grasped the back of his haori for support. Without him by her side, she would either be asleep from drunkenness or slipping continuously from her seat. She didn't want to embarrass herself in public and smiled with appreciation to his vigilant eye.

"You're talking coherently" Ryo pointed out as she sounded articulate as always and snorted at seeing her tucked away behind his cousin. Did he think he'd force her into dancing? Byakuya had always been fiercely protective of her and Ruka happily accepted it. Hale decided to take this opportunity and quietly escaped back to his booth to finish his drink, abandoning Ryo. When it came to safety or death by Senbonzakura, he would flee to safety. Ryo uttered a sigh of dismay to his cowardice and threw up his arms to having no allies in this effort.

"The mind and body are two separate things" Ruka reasoned with a dopey smile as she peeked over Byakuya's shoulder with bright enthusiastic eyes. He was her support beam at that point and like a lazy cat, nestled against him. If she were anyone else, he would've tossed her aside but he promised to keep her safe. The physical contact from her end was also not unwelcome and he released the tight rein on his stoicism to quietly enjoy that. It disappeared a second later when Ruka leaned back in her seat to declare, "I'm gonna sit here and enjoy the food. Fried calamari, please! Oh, and these BBQ skewers! Forget it, give me everything!"

"A-Are you sure?" the bartender stammered to the small woman that was ordering the entire menu. Who could eat multiple dishes?

"Yes! I have a drinking bestie" she smiled proudly and puffed her chest to the challenge of delicious food. Byakuya sighed softly because he wasn't the drinking type at all but bore it for her. He did approve of the food orders since it would prevent her from drinking more and her taste ran similar to his. Although the smells from the bar weren't appealing, the food was a different story.

She swayed in her stool to the music and sipped her drink happily, winking at her partner in crime. Byakuya tried his earnest not to smile but his lips cracked when she nudged her drink in his direction to share her fun. Her attention was solely on him and he preferred it that way, ordering his cousin, "You heard her, now please leave."

"Only because you asked nicely and you're out of your shell" Ryo relented to leave them alone but was glad to see him quietly enjoying himself. His cousin would never be the vocal type but pulling him into social settings would undo some of his rigid reservation. Ruka was the driving force in that goal as a social butterfly and he would benefit from that exposure. Seeing his presence in a public bar was a huge sign that he wasn't averted to socialization like he first assumed.

Byakuya didn't perceive himself behaving differently and pointed out simply, "My behavior is still the same."

"You let her feed and hug you- in public" he replied matter-of-factly and the evidence spoke for itself when she leaned against him once more to ensnare his arm like a life preserver. Byakuya, however, didn't bat an eye to the physical contact as he failed to believe him. Decades of familiarity didn't flick a switch of difference between their dynamics and Ryo muttered, "Good thing it's too dark in here for photos or film for gossip mills."

"She does that with everyone" Byakuya justified to her peppy behavior since she clung to anyone within her personal space. The lack of friends in early childhood led to her fierce loyalty to him and although he mildly complained about her physical affection nowadays, he embraced it as a child. Her demeanor was more caring towards others but that didn't mean there were ulterior motives behind it.

Ryo demonstrated the clear favoritism by snapping his fingers and ordering playfully, "Ruka, feed me some of your drink."

"No way!" she denied swiftly and held her glass closer to her chest with a protective pout. She had to guard the precious mind-altering sugar against potential thieves. To preserve that sweet ambrosia, she sipped her drink with suspicious eyes aimed at the noble.

"Byakuya wants a sip of your drink" he stated flatly to change the person in question and flicked his thumb towards his frowning cousin. Her eyes immediately brightened to the switch in subjects and her restraint on the drink released. She offered the glass without question to him with a perky smile to share her alcoholic wealth and Ryo burst out laughing, "I can't even make this shit up between you two."

Byakuya decided to take a small sip to keep her happy and the drinks weren't entirely lousy at that establishment. With great reluctance, he gave credit to Ryo for his pick in bars. Ruka held her glass happily to see her best friend enjoying himself, even if he did frown at everyone in sight. His mask of indifference didn't affect her and it was her hope that the alcohol would slowly loosen those iron-bound ties.

Ryo tapped the center of her forehead to refocus her attention and offered, "Quick rhetorical question, would you rather spend a night with Hale in a haunted house or Byakuya in a sacred ancient temple?"

"Oh man, that haunted house-" she began excitedly without a second thought but stopped when she noticed her friend's heated glare. What, she couldn't visit a hypothetical haunted house? That was where the fun began! Her lips straightened into a line to his disapproving eyes and she pretended to sound eager, "Running wild in a temple is cool too . . . kinda . . .," her face deflated completely and she muttered, "not really."

"You just can't admit you want her naked on a human beach" Ryo whispered to his cousin to chide him about the brunette to keep nudging him towards disclosure. He hadn't allowed her to leave his side or field of vision to keep her from Hale, which amused him to no end. For a concerned friend, he'd gone into overdrive.

"You're delusional" Byakuya disagreed coldly to deflect that thought immediately, refusing to acknowledge it. Ruka was an innocent entity that should not be sexualized by any man, especially his family. The sensation of her fingers running down his back as she attempted to grab his haori for balance did not help. The lack of physical contact with any other soul for decades threatened to break his shield of indifference from the enticingly soft touches.

Ruka's eyes widened with glee to a new idea as she peeked over his shoulder like a gopher and grinned to blurt, "Let's go to a haunted beach!"

Byakuya was quick to swipe her drink away to begin sobering her and advised with finality, "You've reached your drinking limit."

Her hands swatted at him with protest when he held her glass over her head and she pouted with disappointment, "No, gimme!"

A hot platter of fried calamari was set before the two, along with a trio of sauces, and Ruka instantly forgot about the drink. Preferring the sizzling sounds and aromatic scents emanating from the food, she prioritized the new dish with wide hungry eyes. Who could deny fried food? Ryo and Byakuya stared in shock as she managed to multitask between dipping, eating, and drinking in perfect coordination.

"She's small but I think she's finally building a tolerance" Ryo complimented with approval to her drinking that night, even with his secretly added shots. She usually called it quits after two drinks but held her own this time. Despite most people would run from his cousin and call him a downer, Ruka somehow found true fun at his side. He blamed that camaraderie for her higher intake of alcohol and smiled, "I'm rather proud."

Ruka stopped eating to glance at the charming noble and shooed him away with her free hand. She couldn't eat all of the inbound food by herself, especially when two more plates were added, and chided her friend, "Give me back my bestie, he needs to eat."

With that said, she assembled the dishes between them with napkins by his side to keep him spotless. He would have a meltdown at a single stain while she was rather carefree with sauce all over her face. The dimly lit bar helped to lower her reservations on appearance while he kept a strict eye on his own, regardless of lightning.

"You two are exhausting" Ryo sighed with dismay to their odd codependence that went unnoticed only by the two in question. They had loosened their personal space with each other, which hadn't occurred at their first stop. Back there, they kept their space and shared a dish but that reservation had been tossed now. He thanked the effects of alcohol and the dim lighting in unwinding them, reminding them carefully, "We still have two more places to go to."

"What?" Byakuya questioned with bewilderment to visiting numerous businesses. Were they going on a random tour of the best bars in the Prime Seireitei? Why couldn't they stay in one place and enjoy themselves? How much could one person possibly drink?

"Past your highness' bedtime?" Ryo teased his rigid schedule and strict adherence to a boring routine while he lived the high life with freedom. Sure, he had the high potential to crash and burn but there was excitement in that too. His cousin, however, preferred to keep a low profile and stay out of the spotlight which stamped him with the dreary card.

"I'm a grown man, you dolt" he shot back tightly for the insult because he could go to sleep at any time. The downside was that his usual routine sent him to bed early to wake by sunrise to begin his day. This would cause him to become drowsier throughout the night while Ruka was a night owl and could stay awake till dawn. She had been eating and drinking nonstop for the entire evening so he would taper her intake to avoid having her hurl her stomach halfway home. He was not interested in moving elsewhere that night and pointed out, "Besides, she's eaten enough for three restaurants- ow!"

He flinched to the sudden pinch to his right bicep and found her teeth attached to his haori. Had she seriously bitten him again?! In public? Was Kusajishi infecting people with her bites? The brunette released her hold with a dejected pout to his insult and warned, "Don't make me eat your food."

"Are you aware you bit me or did you think I was food?" he asked with bewilderment to her glossing over to the physical battery. Was she going to acknowledge and apologize for assaulting him?

"Both?" she offered uncertainly because she was reacting out of instinct rather than logic. The alcohol was affecting her mind as it dulled her senses and awareness but heightened her emotion and behavior. She took a sip from her bright pink glass, her eyes locking onto his, and she piped up innocently, "Is that a silk blend? It's tasty."

"We're going home after we're done here" he stated dryly to end their evening before she acted more bizarrely. She was already bordering on the eccentric line but he wanted to keep her image respectful instead of humiliated.

"Psh, says the noble with a bedtime" she scoffed to his warning because she was barely starting her night. Did he think she would call it quits after a few drinks? Please, she was a machine ready to eat, drink, and likely conga dance out of the Seireitei. Byakuya ended her next sip of alcohol when he seized her glass and she protested swiftly, "Kuchiki, no, my ambrosia!"

The group watched him play keep away with Ruka's drink while she shook her fists helplessly. It was only when she hopped off the stool in protest that he tossed the drink over Ryo's head to catch her. The taller noble barely avoided being doused in sticky alcohol, shaking his head like a parent at the two. Her blue eyes blinked widely to neither falling flat on her face, her legs barely wobbling, and to being held securely in Byakuya's arms. She smiled goofily for his cat-like reflexes as he saved her and embraced him in her drunken haze. He'd never let her down!

The drunken hooting aimed their way didn't help at all . . . but he didn't mind the tight embrace.


Byakuya and Ruka headed back to their homes after dropping off Nanao in the eight division. Ryo and Rangiku decided to keep bar-hopping while Hale still had an appetite so they continued their night. Ruka wanted to continue but Byakuya was quick to remind her that she was a lightweight. . .that, and she could barely walk out the bar. He had resorted to carrying her in his arms until she was able to stand on her own while she had drifted in and out of consciousness. Eventually, she regained her ability to walk and think straight as they returned to his estate. He had attempted to divert to hers but she'd pulled him away to head to his. Part of him suspected that she was trying to get rid of him first to return to her friends but he wasn't deceived easily.

"Tonight was fun, even if you cut my night short" Ruka piped up with a delighted smile as she leaned against him to maintain her balance. Her sobriety had returned but she was prone to a few random moments of instability in her posture. He hadn't left her side since exiting the bar and she appreciated the concern, grabbing his left sleeve as a crutch.

"You could barely stand" he pointed out to her drunken state back at the second bar because she had leaned on him for support. No matter how much he chastised her drinking, she had a quick-witted reply to defy him.

She waved her left hand through the air to dismiss the claim and puffed her chest to declare, "Tis but a simple setback."

"I refuse to let you lose your inhibitions" he stated protectively to keep watch over her behavior to make sure she didn't embarrass herself. Despite having her friends there, he didn't trust anyone except himself to keep her safe. On her part, she had stuck to his side all night which made his vigilance easier.

"Why are you behaving like a mother swan?" she questioned to his rigid protectiveness that night, expecting the alcohol to loosen him up a little. It had worked slightly in a public setting but he had reverted back to his old self at home now. They were both adults but he kept prodding her to act high and mighty with noble grace, which wasn't her.

"I want you to keep your reputation high rather than have it plummet" he pointed out to her free-spirited nature to behave on emotional impulse rather than logic. Wasn't she a woman of science? How would drinking liquor bring new ideas instead of inebriated embarrassment? Did she not see the correlation of her behavior to her image? Touching the center of her forehead, he stated matter-of-factly, "Spending time with Rukongai folk will not generate any strengths for you."

"Um, you married a commoner or do you have sudden amnesia?" she supplied gently to his own choices of the past and shrugged on emphasis. Had he forgotten about his own actions? Or was he ignoring them to chastise her? She wasn't about to be held up on a different pedestal than himself when her actions hadn't turned her entire clan against her. It wasn't meant to be a slight but a reminder to not be hypocritical.

He crossed his arms huffily to being reminded of the past and pointed out coldly, "Look at how that turned out."

Ruka smiled faintly as she walked over to place her hands over his arms, the action relaxing his tense muscles. Had her words upset him? She hadn't meant to. Squeezing his forearm to convey her friendly affection, she explained gently, "I'm a big girl now, I can take care of myself, but I appreciate your concern. The one who needs your guidance now is Rukia, not me."

Meeting his firm gaze, her blue eyes didn't leave his as she whispered solemnly, "You have to let me go in order to do that."

He wanted to argue her opinion on that but she was right. They were the same age while Rukia was half of theirs and needed his watchful eye to protect her. Still, he could not simply let Ruka wander off without him by her side. Well, he could . . . he simply did not want to. He was not ready for that part yet after decades of familiarity. During his marriage, he ignored that nagging feeling out of respect for Hisana and lived his life completely apart from hers. The passing decades, however, had gradually changed that. She had been part of his life for far too long to separate from her and he felt bound to her. He couldn't explain it but there was a strong pull that kept him in Ruka's vicinity and he didn't fight it. Now that he knew about her and Östberg, he wasn't letting her run off to the Northeast Gotei anytime soon.

His impassive stare wasn't fading to her request and she sighed dramatically before smiling faintly, "I forget how stubborn you are, you proud crane. Let's get some sleep after tonight's interesting outing."

Before she could leave his property and bite the dust, he grasped her shoulder to keep her from escaping. Damn. Ruka pouted as he stayed one step ahead of her crafty planning and he reasoned, "You drank and we're not in the Gotei. Rest here and return to your barrack at dawn."

She didn't argue since it was a safe idea, even if part of her did want to escape and rejoin her friends. Years of knowing Byakuya, however, told her to listen to him because he had yet to steer her wrong. He had always protected her and held her best interests at heart, nodding in agreement.

"It was a tiny bit though" she attempted to sway him with an innocent pout and pinched her fingers together. Her eyebrows rose in hope that he'd take her word on it but the flat stare aimed at her didn't waver. Boy, he was a tough cookie to crack.

"Ruka, you reach my chest and that 'tiny bit' was at least five drinks" he pointed out about the evening's events with her thirst for alcohol and she snorted. Was she still drunk at this hour? He had taken enough drinks from her that even he felt the lightest effects from alcohol. Aiming a reprimanding glare at her to correct her sass, he lectured, "Ladies don't snort."

"Well, this lieutenant does" she shot back impishly with a daring gleam in her eye and crossed her arms. His eyebrow quirked to her defiance against him and during daytime hours, he would entertain that streak for amusement. The arrival of the late hours stopped that as he put a stop to the fun train and she chuckled, "I never imagined you'd be a total buzzkill. . .but better it turned out that way or we'd be in heaps of trouble all the time."

"You mean burning down buildings?" he reminded quietly but there was a hint of amusement in his tone. They had been rather prone to starting fires in their youth whenever irritated but his grandfather put an end to that at the Academy. Throwing rocks or disguising kido spells as pranks had been the next alternative after that until his immaturity left.

Her impish gaze caught his cool one, her lips breaking into a wild grin to their old days, and she chided, "Kuchiki, you were worse than I was but my thoughts were more on adult drunken chaos. Your ancestors would be making catbutt faces while mine would rejoice."

"I was not worse than you" he muttered flatly to the reminder of the past but she merely kept that grin plastered on. Oh, who was he kidding? He was deluded to think she was worse than him. If anything, she kept him restrained and grounded from doing anything stupid in his teens.

"I had a blast with you though" she admitted giddily to their outing with her friends and hoped he would come out of his shell more often. Although he had started off rigid, he'd relaxed enough to joke somewhat with Ryo which was monumental progress given that the two almost fought days ago. She was proud of his effort to join her and she smiled warmly to add in, "Tonight, I mean. I really did."

"I . . . thank you" he replied awkwardly as he felt out of his element for the first time. He was not the type to spend leisure time outside his home, especially at a bar with civilians. Ruka had taken him out of his comfort zone but having her by his side subsided any discomfort. He had enjoyed the drinks, food, and their conversations- ignoring everything else. He was glad she felt the same way towards him instead of feeling smothered or annoyed. Remembering the reason he attended, he dared to approach the topic, "Ruka, did. . . I mean, you and Östberg. . ."

With the cat out of the bag, she wouldn't lie to him. It had been a mutual decision on their part decades ago and she hadn't regretted it. That was now a closed chapter of history in her life, nothing else. Shrugging lightly, she admitted easily about her old dating life, "In the past. We're adults, working crazy hours, can tolerate each other- why not?"

He wasn't satisfied hearing the confirmation that Ryo so boldly claimed. Part of him hoped that it had been a cruel joke on Ryo's part. Hearing the truth from her only made it worse. Ruka was meant to be a noble lady and she was gallivanting around in bed with a captain. It didn't help that the man originated from another respected clan, wishing for a Rukongai or simple civilian background to complain about because they would never reach his social stature. Ruka wasn't meant to be doing such things but he had no right to have a say in her life. He had a hard time accepting the mere thought of Ruka sharing her bed with another, whispering sweet nothings in their ear, intertwining her fingers with theirs. . .

For the first time, those thoughts left a sour imprint and placed a heaviness on his chest. Why?

It shouldn't have stirred such envious thoughts because she was free to do as she wished and he had no business intervening in that. Still, he was compelled to thwart anyone's efforts to gain her favor to keep their bond intact. He regretted asking now and wished to undo that, preferring to remain blind in the dark. Her romantic life was no concern of his but his mind demanded to know and remove individuals unworthy of her. Frankly, he was going to keep a silent eye on that captain and scrutinize all their training. As much as he hated to admit it, Ryo's decision to be a blabbermouth that night provided insight.

Did the alcohol affect you enough to admit you're jealous of any man that nears her?, Senbonzakura questioned sharply to drill common sense into his wielder to knock him onto the road of happiness. The sooner he admitted those buried feelings, the faster he could stop feeling miserable. Either that or stop someone's premature demise for liking Ruka.

She could see he sought to implore more by his gaze alone but didn't voice it. Out of respect for him, she admitted quietly to the reason behind that decision, "Sometimes, you just need someone to understand your troubles and the nights can be lonely. Being a shinigami. . .it can be a long lonely existence. I'm not strong enough to endure that like you. I need someone to share my stress in this line of work or physically get rid of it."

With her being back home, she didn't need outsiders to help her when she had friends and family there for support. They had always been each other's confidante and he disliked not knowing her concerns while another had been her shoulder to lean on. Why had she chosen another man she had barely known? Were there others? Byakuya Kuchiki was not the type to share or play as a replacement.

"I'm here."

The words left his mouth before he could stop them, his subconscious deciding it didn't seek to hear anymore. The passing years had allowed him to slowly become more open with concerns, primarily emotive ones, but he worried about his chosen words. Despite the passage of time, he still needed a little tact. Embarrassment flooded through him for the first time in decades and her eyes locked onto his at hearing that. What had he done?

Quickly, he smoothed over his slip of the tongue by correcting simply, "To be your friend, I mean."

You drink for one night in a decade and you vomit all your emotions, his zanpakutō sighed with disappointment since he could have used more eloquent words. Did the alcohol ruin his thought process? How were they supposed to impress her by blurting stupid things? Senbonzakura wanted to smack his wielder for acting first instead of thinking and chastised, What happened to your calculation with words? We're supposed to win her over with our graceful finesse!

Ruka wasn't sure how to interpret those words, wary to even dare thinking past a protective stance. She couldn't delve past a platonic stage with their extensive history without placing her heart at risk. Hearing the words, however, comforted her because she shared a lot of her worries with him and wanted his support. He had been her rock for decades and she'd never jeopardize their friendship or respect. She squeezed his shoulder with a soft smile to believe his words on friendship and appreciated his concern, "I know you are. . .silly worrywart."

She grabbed hold of his right arm to steady herself on a small incline as they reached the manor and he stated quietly, "Don't run to him again."

Despite their friendship, he had no say in her private life and she released his arm. He felt rejected as she set up her boundaries against him again and wasn't particularly fond of having to share her with any other man. Unlike him, Ruka had yet to experience marriage and she was open to finding her soul partner in life. She had lost her dearest relationships which dashed her hopes and hearing him deciding her choices disheartened her. Did he not think she could choose someone right for herself? Or that she deserved it? She had lost him as well which had left a scabbing wound and she disagreed with a somber tone, "That is for me to decide but please don't think less of me."

Her request took him aback since he always supported her wishes, even if he disagreed with it. He might offer a contrasting opinion to share his own thoughts but it didn't mean he'd enforce it. His cold tone might deter her initiative to tackle risky ideas but he also didn't want to push her away from being open with him. Quietly, he implored her to divulge her concerns, "I don't, why would you think that?"

"I. . . It's no secret you're the poster boy for nobility while I'm. . .not the ideal one" she murmured softly and blamed the lingering alcohol for surfacing old memories. Apart from his immediate family, everyone else had seen her as unworthy merely by not being part of the four great noble clans. Even though his image had taken a hit after his marriage to Hisana while hers rose, she saw herself as lesser. Her grandmother would chastise her for thinking that way but it was a nagging thought she couldn't alleviate.

"Despite my titles by birth and rank, you're my equal- always" he pointed out to discourage that thinking because neither of their lives had been easy, nor would they be. He could easily see himself as better than others in certain situations but when it came to her, they were balanced. They drew strength from each other to fortify their weak spots and there was no shame in that. She was the only one he trusted with his faults and he wished that she could be more open with him. There were secrets that she held back, even if she didn't vocalize it, and he could only encourage her, "You are worth so much more than you think."

She couldn't help but blush to the compliment and blamed it on the alcohol she drank. He was kind in saying that but she rarely felt that way, especially when her work failed to progress. The night sky helped to cover her face as she grabbed his arm for support and suggested quickly, "Let's go before I fall asleep and wake to one of your cranes pecking me."

"It only happened once" he stated reluctantly to that rare incident of finding her asleep in the gardens with the cranes pecking her pockets for food. Thank goodness he'd found her before anyone else after trying to make it to the porch but failed out of exhaustion.

He smiled faintly when she huddled against his arm for warmth and balance again, leading him to tuck her close to his side. She smiled happily for not being shaken off and accepted by her stoic friend, squeezing his arm with pride to the success. Byakuya tried his best not to do or say anything to stick himself into another embarrassing ditch, merely glancing down at her happy face. He was indeed the protective crane over the little swan as they walked together to his home.


Shinigami Extra:

Ruka wiggled in her seat at the bar while music blared to usher in the evening crowd. Byakuya frowned slightly since he was not the greatest fan of noise while Ruka happily swayed while eating French fries doused in a ketchup/mayonnaise blend. The groups of shinigami had gone from mingling at the tables to the bar, further annoying the quiet noble to their proximity. For the most part, they had eaten at least 85% of the food menu and he had convinced her to drink water instead of alcohol.

"Are we any close to the talent show?" Renji asked Shūhei, who muffled an ambiguous answer behind a bite from his beef skewer appetizer. After a busy day of work and a tight budget, the ninth captain was happy to bite into a group order of appetizers.

Ruka had ordered a variety platter of appetizers for her friends to continue their jovial mingling. Ryo supplied the drinks which the men and Rangiku were happy to swipe up. Byakuya was certain more than half the people in attendance would have hangovers or call in sick. The brunette beside him was turned around in her seat as she raised her arms to declare with enthusiasm, "We should have singing and dancing!"

"What about a comedy show?" Byakuya mused nonchalantly since he had dipped his feet in that field years ago. It had not been the best hit but he wasn't deterred. People simply did not understand his style of jokes.

Izuru, Rangiku, and Shūhei immediately froze to that suggestion after witnessing his act firsthand. Izuru, who had been in the middle of drinking, coughed awkwardly in remembrance to that embarrassing night. Renji smacked his back before the poor blonde choked and both men withered under Byakuya's glower power that was aimed at them. Only Rukia appeared enthusiastic with a wide smile but Ryo grasped her shoulder, shaking his head as her elder in warning to the horror she was inviting.

Byakuya knew a slight when he heard it but his glaring was short-lived when Ruka smacked his right bicep. She admired his tenacity to tackle his weak points but being a comedian was not one of them. He had a tendency to be silly and borderline innocent at times but striking it as a laughing factory was not in his future. At least, in her view, but she wouldn't restrain him from following his dreams.

For all that is holy, break his ankle before he tries another set of jokes, her zanpakutō butted in desperately to the horror of hearing dry sarcasm or veiled insults. Ruka chose to ignore him and sipped her water with an innocent smile when Byakuya turned in her direction.

"I said one comment" he pointed out matter-of-factly because his folly at the comedy show spread through the ranks by the next morning. Ruka picked up a fried shrimp tempura to bite into it as she eyed him with skepticism. She had missed the comedy show due to her liaison work and tried not to laugh when he asserted the simple comment that sent shinigami running, "Hello, it's me."

He used his hand to imitate a cell phone since he no longer wore the old kenseikan that he had used as a prop. Ruka finally cracked with giggles of glee to his expression as he pretended to use his hand as a phone instead of an actual one. Ryo and everyone else basically cringed to the lack of humor in the so-called joke. His gray eyes dulled when the joke failed to land in the way he wanted and muttered dryly to justify, "It's simply not the same without the kenseikan."

His eyes widened slightly when Ruka wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pretended the wooden skewer was a microphone to sing aloud,

"Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry"

He tried to get a word in as the group began to laugh at her peppy singing of a solemn song while he was uncomfortable with being held hostage. His pride was slaughtered into a thousand ribbons when she whipped out a pair of pink and yellow heart-shaped sunglasses to place them over her eyes to continue,

"Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry
For breaking your heart."

"It appears it is time for us to go home" he lectured firmly to her lack of restraint to fall into song and almost believed it had left her system. Then again, he had encouraged her to sing to her heart's content a week ago after dinner at his home before the embarrassing roof fire. She spun him like a top with her quirks and made him go back on his words. It confounded him at times!

She batted him away by the shoulder with weak swats before grinning to suggest eagerly, "I have the perfect song for you!"

Her fingers grasped the left edge of her heart-shaped sunglasses before she cleared her throat to sing once more with a dramatically deep voice,

"Can't read my, can't read my
No, they can't read my poker face
She's got me like nobody
Can't read my, can't read my
No, they can't read my poker face
She's got me like nobody"

The group burst into laughter when she closed her eyes to enunciate the first syllables and punched the air with her fists, "Po-po-po-poker face, pa-pa-poker face!"

"I wanna roll with her, a hard pair we will be
A little fightin' is fun when you're with me- I love it!
Killing a Hollow is not the same without a sword
And baby, when it's love, if it's not rough, it isn't fun!

Oh, oh, oh
I'll get her hot, show her what I've got-"

She found herself silenced when he stuffed sashimi in her mouth and she began chewing it with a gleeful smile. Ooh, had she earned a treat for her song? Or was he trying to kill the embarrassment? Either way, food was food!

"Aw man, I was ready for some karaoke" Ryo muttered with disillusion, eager to continue pumping the two with alcohol to see how far their singing would go. Ruka was a peppy and willing recipient while his cousin would require a few more drinks to break his restraint. Raising his hand, he looked over the group for any takers, "Anyone?"

Byakuya grabbed her by the waist to determine whether she could stand on her own and she pouted to protest their leave, "Kuchiki, no."

She sent the group into hysterics when she bit into his shoulder again but it was more of a gnaw as the alcohol dulled her senses. Within seconds, she gave up and slumped her cheek against it to make a cushion for a quick nap. With her sunglasses on, she appeared awake and simply resting against him. For now, he decided the best course of action was to let her sleep and let the alcohol leave her system before walking home.

"Where did she get those silly sunglasses?" Nanao asked with distaste to the flashy color when the overhead lights of the bar struck the shiny rhinestones. Nobody in Soul Society could create such gaudy accessories and wondered if they came from the human realm. She tried to touch them but a single glare of warning from the noble beside Ruka halted her.

"She bought all this food so I gave them as a gift" Renji answered easily, motioning to the multiple platters of food that his friends were devouring. Surprisingly, she hadn't cringed from the pair since he'd tried giving them away to multiple individuals. He had bought them in the human world as a souvenir for the sixth captain but he'd refused. Rukia had cringed and flash stepped away from him for days while Izuru and Shūhei had laughed at him. Shrugging nonchalantly, he was glad she accepted them and informed, "She actually liked them. First time a girl liked my gifts."

The women, minus Nanao, whistled scandalously at hearing that which caused Renji's face to resemble the bright shade of his hair. He hadn't meant for it to sound romantic at all and groaned miserably to his luck, hoping the brunette wouldn't chuck the pair at his head. Instead, she remained slumped against the sixth captain.

Byakuya, however, determined that Ruka wouldn't be accepting any more gifts and grabbed the petite lieutenant into both arms. Lifting her up out of her seat, she wiggled weakly in his grip to whine with demand, "I want a strawberry margarita."

"You'll get a strawberry shortcake if you behave" he compromised dryly because alcohol was the last thing she needed. She was already half-asleep in his arms and he would not risk her safety.

"Nnnhh- okay" she began to complain with a groan before finally agreeing to the sweet cake.

"Don't leave, it's not even midnight" Rangiku pouted with complaint to their abrupt leave to continue the festive mood. Her friend could simply nap or chug water until sobriety returned since he wouldn't let her out of his sight. She approached the two to poke Ruka's right side to elicit a protest but the brunette turned away to curl against his chest. The blonde sighed softly with disappointment to earning nothing and teased her friend, "Your liver has betrayed me."

"We are leaving, enjoy your night" he stated simply to avoid any setbacks from escaping and walked away from the bar with Ruka. He ignored the pleas to stay longer since Ruka was half-asleep and he wanted to wake on time for his next shift in the morning. His sister waved in farewell but he allowed her to stay and would expect her at home before breakfast. If she didn't stay in contact that she would be late, he'd go overdrive into brotherly protection with her as well.

The cold air of night and silence soothed him instantly instead of the warm and noisy bar. The lack of crowds in the street suited him fine to avoid appearing like a kidnapper with Ruka. The brunette noticed the change in sound and shifted in his arms before declaring with alarm, "Kuchiki, I've gone blind!"

"You're wearing sunglasses" he pointed out evenly to avoid letting amusement filter into his tone. Had she forgotten about them?

She chuckled awkwardly for the lapse in judgment before raising them on top of her head. Despite his face was the epitome of calm, she could see a flicker of humor in his stormy gaze. Noticing the twinkling stars around him, she blinked with confusion before murmuring, "Oh. . . are we floating in space?"

Byakuya had no answer to that and tried to push back the flabbergasted smile that threatened to rise at her curious tone. How would they even wander through space? No, he was not pondering that. She was becoming better at breaking his shields and he stated firmly, "We're going home."

"Aw, nuts" she muttered dismally to ending her night and lowered her sunglasses back onto her nose. If her night was over, she'd enjoy the last flickers of energy. Raising a hand into the air, she pointed in the direction he was walking and called out, "Onwards! The Seaweed Ambassador must return Chappy's envoy to her manor- princess style."

He was beginning to suspect she would drive him insane by midnight.


A/N: Byakuya's overdrive protection over Ruka cracks me up but he's realizing she's single and eligible to be swept away by any other man. Senbonzakura's nudging for introspection is mostly being ignored while Byakuya holds onto the past. Ruka, on the other hand, is a chipmunk with alcohol and threw caution to the wind with her personal space. I had to bring back the failed comedy skit of Byakuya and break her into song with Renji's funky heart sunglasses. The next chapter will have them visiting the acclaimed Oracle which will leave both parties hilariously frustrated.

Thank you to my readers and last chapter reviewers!

Bloodshot 2.0: So far, so good. We had a huge surge of patients after Labor Day in my city but it dropped again, thankfully.

Arrancar113: They are definitely on their way to stepping into it, albeit reluctantly. For Byakuya, he has to close his chapter on Hisana in order to move on while Ruka has to overcome her fear of losing him again. The upcoming chapters will be bringing them closer together and once they start dating, wedding chimes won't be far (along with a crying Koji). I love Rangiku, her perky personality (despite her life tragedies) barely dent her and she definitely needs some lovin' from someone. I can already see Byakuya's mind explode if he hears about Rukia and Ichigo and Ryo and Rangiku at the same time, haha. I'm debating on revealing IchiRuki during Ruka's pregnancy or after Koji's born to prevent the poor boy's massacre since Byakuya's daddy radar will be growing. Don't get me started on Byakuya and Mayuri, lol.

Cia-Scarlett: Thank you for enjoying the story! Ruka definitely started out as an anxious ball of mayhem but the people around her encourage her efforts, especially Byakuya. She's flourishing in her new rank and once she's romantically involved with Byakuya, he will be her strength to continue her road to maximize her potential. Not to mention, her family. I'm glad you enjoy the future glimpses, their kids will be a trip with their parents' blend of personalities. We'll be seeing more of them in the Oracle chapter next time. The relationship between Byakuya and Ruka will be interesting, given their contrasting personalities but they draw from each other's strengths. They also really need to let go of the past to move forward.

Next Chapter Excerpt:

"You're taking us to a psychic?" Ruka asked with complete perplexity to Rangiku's outing and tugged a reluctant Byakuya by his left sleeve. The sixth captain glared at everything in sight until another yank seized his attention to the small woman. She had never been to a fortune teller, leaving it to her uncle Shunsui to make future guesses during parties, and wondered how the process worked.

Byakuya wasn't interested in any of it, believing those kinds of people were charlatans because he made his own path. Otherwise, where the hell were they when he was in his youth wondering about his future life? Nanao ignored the puzzled faces of the nobles behind her and shrugged at the blond because she'd never participated in such either.

Rangiku waved a hand through the air to vouch for her psychic and reasoned enthusiastically, "She's good since she's been able to tell my horoscope and the captain's accurately for years!"

"This sounds like a parlor trick" Byakuya commented dryly as his day plummeted into the negative fun zone and Rangiku glared with insult to his claim. He had never had fun in an outing that included the blond lieutenant as she sought strange adventures while he preferred quiet outings that didn't bring surprises. Unfortunately, he didn't have a say in today's activities and he'd promised Ruka to be more outgoing (no matter how much he disagreed). Crossing his arms, he denied the validity of such people and claimed, "Anyone with sound logic can create a horoscope."

Rangiku scoffed to his skepticism because he was ruled by hard logic and Byakuya pointed out coolly, "Today is Libra's day to search for that piece of knowledge she's been waiting for all week. With Mercury in retrograde, your romantic options increase while the Virgo moon decreases the probability of striking money so be careful of your spending."

The blond blinked her large eyes in disbelief to what she'd just heard from the quiet noble and he stated simply, "I made that up."

"That. . .was strangely eloquent" Nanao remarked with surprise to how easily he crafted the fake horoscope. The sixth captain was serene and quiet, rarely speaking unless he needed to. With Ruka prodding him in their daily meetings, Rangiku was seeing what her friend kept insisting was the real lord.

Rangiku narrowed her eyes at him to weed out the truth and questioned matter-of-factly, "That's what my daily horoscope said, are you sure you're not in the email newsletter?"

"Quite sure" he replied tediously to what he had fallen into and debated whether to pretend to trip to break an ankle. He was willing to risk such an embarrassment on his image if it let him slide out of the cackling hen house. It wasn't that painfully boring just yet but he always expected the worst.

"Sounds like crazy oracle lady wants her midyear bonus" Ruka chimed in with a cheeky grin and the two childhood friends shared a knowing look. Well, at least he had another soul on his side that wasn't easily gullible. Rangiku hushed her skepticism with a stomp in the middle of her walk and the brunette pointed out, "I base my future choices on logic and scientific evidence, not mysticism."


Thank you for reading!