Music Inspiration: Two Steps from Hell- "Cassette Skyline"


Life Revelations with a Dash of Coffee Madness


Byakuya was not amused to find himself in the gardens of the Kuchiki family estate, particularly the one by his home. What had that woman done to him? Had she rendered him unconscious and returned him there? No, he would have a recollection of that. Was she playing with illusions? Had Ruka fallen for this? He was more irritated than anything else and tried to find the woman but he saw her in neither direction. All he spotted was a little girl, not much older than a toddler, dressed in white with wavy raven-hair and large silver-blue eyes. Her free hair flowed through the air as she smacked a wooden dummy with a small wooden sword. Who was she? Why was she on his property? Had someone left a child unattended in his gardens? His annoyance at unwanted guests shifted to defense at careless parents leaving a small child alone.

She did mention showing your child, Senbonzakura butted in to add his opinion to witness the scene that confounded his wielder. Byakuya was not keen on losing control of his surroundings but he gave away nothing, simply observing the area. Was he supposed to believe all of this? That the little girl was his? He would not be careless to leave his child alone! His zanpakutō was more optimistic about her identity and proposed, Would approaching the child break the spell? She didn't allow you to interact with the Ruka from that other reality.

Being a small child, the girl's strikes were sloppy but quick as her energy went into hitting it with glee. He had never seen such a happy little child, especially a Kuchiki one, and the idea that she could be his did bring him a shred of pride. Being an only child, he was not accustomed to small children and he had not been blessed with one during his marriage. Despite not being around them, he admitted that the little girl was rather adorable. Her curious gaze lifted away from the dummy to his, stirring a giddy smile to her lips, and caused his heart rate to rise instantly. Her miniature but delicate features greatly resembled his and he managed to ask softly, "Who are you, little one?"

She lost her interest in the practice dummy, tossing her practice sword aside, and skittered away to the porch of his home. Despite her tiny size, she cleared the porch steps in seconds with a triumphant call for her father. She jumped into two familiar arms wearing white gloves and he saw himself picking her up with a small smile of amusement. He looked the same, just how far away was this supposed future? As the little girl was picked up, the newcomer turned away quickly to return inside the home while echoes of 'daddy' filled the air. If he was the father, who was her mother? Was it Ruka or some other unknown noble?

Frankly, I expected to see your son, Senbonzakura stated bluntly to lighten the mood and broke Byakuya's mesmerized gaze away. It was a figment of the imagination, nothing more. His partner didn't help at all by buying into it and added in, But she is rather cute. Can I name her?

You're not naming my children, he pointed out flatly because his future children deserved better. He highly doubted he would have four but if it somehow happened to become true in a thousand years, he would let his partner have a choice in the name book.

The door to the gardens opened again, revealing a young woman in shinigami attire that matched the features of the little girl of seconds prior. Was that her? The question was somewhat answered when a mirror image of himself accompanied her but this version changed very little. Hmm, Ruka might be right about him only changing in hairstyle and attire every few decades. Her uniform, however, bore a strong similarity to his with a wider white obi over her waist, black tekken gloves similar to his grandfather, and hakama that ended at the calf with light boots on her feet. Her shoulder-length raven was pinned on one side with a butterfly clip, similar to his own kenseikan, with a familiar blue scarf sweeping over her shoulders. That scarf-

"Don't forget your lunch!"

The sharp voice of a young man pierced the air before a pink flamingo-decorated lunch bag was hurled through the doorway. The young woman quickly caught it with a cheeky smile that reminded Byakuya eerily of Ruka before her features melted into his classic stoicism. He had never parented anyone or anything in his life, save for Rukia as his sister, but watching the young woman walk at his side sent a sense of pride through him. Her uniform was impeccable like her appearance, her expression neutral but more approachable than his with a warmer edge, and noticed she carried double zanpakutō at her left waist side. A rarity. He caught sight of a lieutenant's badge pinned to her left chest, keeping the blue scarf in place while the rest trailed over her shoulders. She carried herself like a Kuchiki, his features heavily seen in her appearance now more than in childhood. Still, he couldn't help but ponder over Ruka being her mother.

The suspense is killing you, isn't it?, Senbonzakura asked with amusement to the sudden revelation of his child. His wielder had gone from rejecting such a future to reluctantly enjoying it. The fact that Ruka's name kept floating around in their shared space only delighted him to keep pestering him.

Byakuya sighed mentally to his immaturity and chastised, Would you-

He halted immediately when the gardens became a dimly-lit wasteland with scarce trees surrounding the eerie landscape. Where were they? The moon hovered overhead to illuminate the land but even then, it was fighting a losing battle. He soon received an answer when Hollow shrieks filled the silent night sky that was void of any wildlife noises. Hollows could turn the night into a dark abyss, swallowing light to fuel their terror upon innocent souls. Several Gillians stomped through the field in their aimless but relentless quest for sustenance with smaller Adjuchas filtering out between the towering Gillians.

In front of the charging force, the same shinigami stood with a stoic expression that betrayed none of her inner emotions. Her dainty hands flew to the sheathed katanas on her side to remove them from their leather sheaths, calling out their release, "Rise, Tengoku no Gadian."

Her right hand wielded a sleeker chisa katana that remained essentially the same with its diamond-shaped deep red hilt, reminding Byakuya of his own unchanged zanpakutō. In her left, however, a smaller wakizashi with a lotus-shaped azure hilt stuck close to her body as a defensive weapon. He had only seen dual swords twice within the Gotei Forces and one of them was Kyōraku Shunsui. Was this his great-niece or an illusionary coincidence? Ruka wielded a double-bladed staff but this petite shinigami held distinctively different swords. There was no connection between them like Captain Ukitake, Captain Hisagi, or Ruka's.

The young shinigami surprised him by raising her katana and pointing the blade towards the ground. Had she taken her release form from him? Senbonzakura cheered from his inner world to passing off his own traits to another soul. Was he allowed to name a favorite child now? Releasing the sword, she used her energy to guide it skyward with the blade angled towards the oncoming force. Sweeping her hand in an arc, the zanpakutō transformed from its bladed form into flash of light. Instantly, a row of at least a dozen glowing orange-red swords appeared in a horizontal column to match her sweeping motion before she swung her hand forward to unleash her attack. Each sword landed in a ranged attack to embed into the earth with a few striking the Adjuchas.

Byakuya admitted it was a fair tactic and wondered if her zanpakutō was still in development for its shikai. Maybe her weapon was mainly in physical strength like division eleven? If so, why had his precious child taken after that barbaric division? The thought of a brute force zanpakutō was put on a backburner when the swords combusted into an explosion that rocked the earth and set everything in its path ablaze. Never mind- he approved of his potential child that held an elemental-based ability.

"Her abilities will reflect yours" the oracle commented serenely to the petite shinigami that betrayed her size in strength. She was delicate and elegant but her attacks were accurate and destructive, similar to her father. Byakuya did his best to ignore the remark, trying not to appear surprised by her sudden reappearance, and she advised him carefully, "She will be tested for much of her life and will need your guidance."

I have never been prouder to see a mini-you, Senbonzakura boasted with dramatic pride to her attack strength and seeing another ranged fighter. Her abilities were elemental in nature but there was a flair of her father in her shikai. While he guided a storm of blades, she unleashed swords of combustible fire. Now that he thought about it, he pointed out another similarity in her attack, She's the mixture of you and Ruka's nature to blow up stuff! Look at her!

She's not a mini-me, he disagreed tightly to avoid believing this gibberish and tried not to be impressed by the young shinigami. How was he not supposed to approve of capable children like that? He assumed she was showing him the rosy version of a future rather than one where his child embarrassed him.

If that's your daughter, I can only imagine your son, Senbonzakura cheered with delight to adding stronger souls to his family. If they were weak, he would be ashamed! Of course, that was impossible given his power and his wielder's lineage. With his patience being on a shorter leash, he began to pester his partner, Ask for more visions!

Byakuya spotted the shinigami activating her shikai again to destroy several hollows to eradicate the first line of foot soldiers. Despite her best efforts, they kept coming and she frowned deeply at the conundrum of facing them alone. A stream of green burst forth from above to support her explosive shikai and created a physical boundary to separate both combatants. The lone shinigami backed away from the area to regather her strength and Byakuya's eyes widened slightly at what he saw next.

He had seen Hitsugaya's special ability to form an ice dragon but to see an eagle of green luminescence descend from the sky was something else. He expected the being to attack his descendant but it dropped down gracefully with its sheer size to engulf the field in a green glow, fading away in its decimation of the field. Any hollows caught in its eerie green radiance disintegrated within seconds as the effect lingered in the target area. He noticed another shinigami woman join the shorter one- a brunette with gloved hands and close-fitting attire reminiscent of the west.

"I figured you might require assistance" the newcomer grinned impishly in physical similarity to his best friend as clear safety glasses covered her bright silver eyes. He should have been surprised by this reveal but he wasn't. Ruka had always been creative in science and it wasn't farfetched that her children would carry that spark. The young brunette was almost an exact replica of Ruka, apart from having more height, darker brown hair, and silver eyes.

"When a Kuchiki does, they will ask" the raven-haired noble replied calmly despite the tense situation on her hands. She was trying to stand tall against the outmatching number of enemies and Byakuya commended her for that one. The screams of hollows filled the air once more and she quickly restated, "And this one certainly does."

"I'll never abandon you" the brunette promised firmly with a small nod and the other smiled faintly. Together, the two faced the oncoming Hollows together but it did not appear to be an easy fight.

Ruka mentioned a supposed daughter, is that her?, he thought with curiosity to the stranger that lent a hand to his supposed daughter. The smaller noble clearly took after him but this newcomer matched Ruka entirely. Were they friends? If so, did that mean that Ruka was part of someone's else life? That her home was shared with another man? Quietly, he ruminated over that dreadful possibility, Her family will be branched to another's . . . which means she can't be the mother of . . . I mean, good, that's . . . impressive for a lady from nobility.

Then why does it hurt you to imagine that possibility?, Senbonzakura asked plainly without teasing or any smartass undertones to frustrate him further. He wanted his wielder to truly think about that for a moment. Giving him five seconds, he decided that was enough time before pointing out smartly, They're meant to be our babies! Look at them and tell me you don't want Ruka mothering them? With your looks and her brains, they would control Soul Society! They will show everyone who's boss and people will rue the day they crossed them!

Byakuya ignored the possibility of such a family and wondered who would consider tying themselves legally to him. Not only that but bear his children? Was it for prestige? Financial stability? Family obligation? He pushed aside the idea of loving someone and the oracle surprised him by stating, "Your elders broke you apart from her once, will you let it happen again?"

Her bright blue eyes flashed in his mind as they failed to change with time.

Ruka.

"Why don't we greet your future home?" the oracle proposed to pull him away from that upcoming battle to a happier moment of his life. If she could show him that the future wasn't full of doom and gloom, he could move on from lingering guilt. Similar to Ruka, he carried enough emotional baggage to fill a house.

Byakuya found himself back at the estate in the main hall of his home, noticing a few differences in the minimalist layout. The furniture had changed to contain metallic accents (the chairs in particular), modern light fixtures filled the room, and modern glass windows were now installed. Had he authorized that? Had Rukia sneaked in Kurosaki to redecorate? Did the Women's Association decide to ruin his home as well? Or was it Ruka's innocent meddling? Who else would-

He didn't wonder much about that when he noticed an alternate version of himself walk into the main foyer. The mimic was so close he could have reached out and touched him! What kind of sorcery had he fallen into? His shinigami attire remained essentially the same except for the haori sporting a different folded collar with gold accents and a fabric rope closed it at the chest, matching similarly to his attire as head of clan. The delicate white feathers that dangled from it were an interesting take as well, reminding him of his attire as head of the clan. His hair had returned to its old length from before but he kept the current style of the kenseikan. There was more change in clothing style for him than anything physical, leaving him curious as to how much time had passed.

His parallel copy's lips thinned into a line when two shinigami latched onto his arms on either side with the call of 'dad' echoing in ridiculous repeated synchrony. He didn't even earn a respectful 'father'? Who had failed in teaching his children proper honorifics? The brunette from earlier popped into view on his left side as she clung tightly to his arm with wide silver eyes, trying to earn pity with an attached pout. The clear goggles were gone and her braided hair was loose in curly waves at the shoulder, a small mint silk kerchief tied to her neck with a side knot. Was she really his and not some other noble's? Her facial similarity to Ruka was uncanny to the point you didn't need to ask for her mother. Her eyes, however, were a softer reflection of his own upon second inspection. Had she been his child all along as well? Were these the daughters Ruka had mentioned? Were they really his?

On the other side, a young man around his height that greatly resembled him tried the same tactic as he wore a snugly fit shinigami uniform that resembled the second division. Like himself, their gloves were an exact match and a silver-white scarf lined his neck. The physical similarities were eerily exact with his short raven hair and jawline matching his but his blue eyes reminded him of his father and Ruka. The young man broke the silence as he tugged on his elder's arm and declared with woe, "Take us with you! Aren't the Kuchiki supposed to stick together?"

Did I really raise these rambunctious children? Should I ask for paternity?, he asked with dismay to their blatant display of emotions in comparison to himself. He would never teach his children to behave like this! At least not without reasonable motive. Gazing at the two youngsters that treated his older self like a stuffed animal, he came to a stark realization, Who am I kidding? The boy resembles me down to the last cell.

Byakuya was surprised this copy allowed anyone to touch him in such a way and watched the other man state with deathly calm over his shoulder, "You're in charge while we're away."

From behind, the petite raven-haired shinigami from earlier surfaced while she followed the trio at a leisurely pace. Byakuya couldn't help but notice his children had an affinity for scarves as one wore blue, the other white, and another mint. Unlike the other two, she appeared to hold more self-control. Was she the oldest of the children? Was his son not the eldest? Did his heir turn out to be a woman?! Her pale eyes brightened with pride to the transfer of authority and she flicked a thumb to her chest to smile widely, "All right, I'm your gal."

The faces of the two shinigami fell before pinning the captain with accusation, "Mom's going too?"

"Of course, I am" a new voice surfaced and Ruka emerged from the closest hallway with a fat Chappy backpack strung over her shoulder. No, not the Ruka he knew. Just like his future copy, this was an older version but not physically. If anything, she appeared the same age as the supposed children. Was this really what awaited them? Was she truly meant to be a part of his life in such a way? Would he be capable of allowing it? Or was this just a sham of a fabricated illusion?

Her uniform no longer resembled the ninth division with her sleeves reaching her elbows (oddly reminiscent of his style) and her black fingerless gloves extending to her upper arms. The top of her shikahushō was opened down the center like her uncle but it revealed a white lace blouse that granted her an elegant edge with a round collar concealing her neck. It was more conservative than her current outfit and her long hair was clipped back at the crown by golden barrettes. She was gracefully beautiful and carried a more confident light than the woman he knew currently. Was she really his wife? He noticed a dainty gold ring on her left hand when she adjusted her backpack and smiled at the group, "You'll be fine, my little terrors. I have to gather data on this new location to forward to the science heads so I might as well join your father."

"It's their secret second honeymoon!" the young man declared with an indignant gasp, jabbing a finger between the two with emphasis. His sisters proceeded to swat him by the shoulders for bringing up such images while the couple shared a look of dismay. In a split second, the frown on his face disappeared before calling out with a cheeky smile of expectation, "Am I about to get a baby sibling? Can I babysit?"

Ruka's eyes widened into saucers and his older double was quick to negate firmly, "No."

The young man finally released his hold to free his father and waved a hand to tell his sisters with a dry tone, "Never mind, they're finally abandoning us to assume new identities."

Ruka dashed forward to swat the young man over the head, causing him to wince with a humorous pout, and she chastised gently, "Enough paranoia theories. You're starting to sound like Captain Abarai."

Their son defied her parenting by shaking his head, crossing his arms, and raising his chin proudly. Yes, there was no denying that child was of his bloodline. He had acted quite similarly in his youth and it was clearly reflected there, along with Ruka's sarcasm- an unwelcome combination. What had he and Ruka created?! His counterpart mimicked the crossed arms before narrowing his eyes at the nearest window to mutter dryly, "If we did, our retirement payments would be for nothing-"

"Byakuya!" Ruka interjected to silence his sass, struggling not to smile, and Byakuya saw that humorous chiding between them hadn't ended. The thought of having her permanently at his side wasn't repulsive or embarrassing but it did bring guilt out of respect for Hisana. He expected to have a family with her, not the one who broke his heart, but it was clear that Ruka was willing to marry him. He could see the affection in her eyes as she hugged each of the three children and told the eldest one, "Keep the others out of trouble."

The brunette laughed evilly to that remark and Byakuya seriously wondered what kind of children she had given him. The Kyōraku were charmers and full of humor while the Kuchiki were serene and proper. That was a tough mixture to pass onto children. Her petite sister narrowed her blue-silver eyes for the jab before looking to their mother to hesitate slightly, "Okay, I'm kind of your gal?"

His counterpart was quick to nip any shenanigans in the bud by shooting a firm glare at his son and daughter to lecture, "Don't do anything stupid or embarrass our family. Obey your sister or I will destroy all of your technology upon our return."

His son flashed an innocent smile to the threat before suggesting with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes, "You need to find another person, father dearest."

The petite shinigami shoved aside her taller siblings with an offended frown to their heckling before nodding to her parents to affirm, "I can handle them."

Her siblings laughed aloud to her determined expression and Byakuya almost pitied the poor girl. She was not graced with the tall heights of their families and it reminded him of the current Ruka that would bite if insulted. If his temper had passed onto her, along with Ruka's, she was a little bomb set to detonate. Seriously, what kind of catastrophic beings had they created? Her brother drove the insult further by ruffling her neatly combed hair, pulling her into an unwilling hug, and chided with an impish grin, "Famous last words."

Byakuya finally relented at the protective edge that rose towards the eldest girl. She resembled him greatly but there were traits of Ruka in her, which spurred that sentiment. His older self barely batted an eye before pulling out his phone from a pocket inside the lining of his uniform and informed the family, "I am calling Koji."

His daughter's expression turned from annoyance to disappointment to not being deemed strong enough to handle the two. Waving her hands to change her father's mind, she objected hastily, "Wait, no-"

"Are you available to help your sister babysit your siblings?" his counterpart asked carefully when he heard the recipient pick up the phone on the other line. Byakuya felt his heartbeat escalate in one second flat at realizing there were more children than the ones before him. How did Ruka manage to birth more than two and fail to age with time? How had he managed to survive raising that number? If the children's clinginess was any indication, he had done a decent job. Still, how did he allow more than two children to come into his life? Did his opinions change? Was he that smitten that he had gotten careless? Had he really put four children through the Shino Academy and not endured injury?

The resurfacing name of Koji only served to stamp the likelihood of their eldest son earning it. It was an unresolved mystery that eluded him as to why she ended their relationship when both had been ready to move forward. Was this an illusion or what could have been if they hadn't ended their relationship? Despite his reservation at believing any of it, seeing the gathered family was not an unwelcome sight for him as he originally expected. He was lightly amused to the fatherly concern in him when his double frowned on the phone and stated dryly, "Yes, I'm very aware they are no longer children. Can you assist or not?"

"Sure, I'm in the kitchen" a deep voice replied easily with amused calm and Byakuya watched his doppelganger end the call to take a deep breath. Yes, the children clearly took after Ruka by the furrowed brow of restraint on his face.

Within seconds, another young man appeared through the opposite hallway while he devoured a Seaweed Ambassador taiyaki. Unlike his other son that was a carbon copy, the newcomer took after the Kyōraku with dark brown hair pulled into a high ponytail and blue eyes reminiscent of Ruka. This was their Koji. His wardrobe was also part of the military forces as the dark fabric hugged his lean frame but he wore leather boots similar to Ruka. The Kuchiki family scarf was draped diagonally across his torso to hang over his left shoulder, signifying his status as eldest. Byakuya approved of the young man's style immediately. His counterpart pointed at the young man's snack in question and demanded tightly, "How? You were not in the manor a minute ago."

The brunette laughed softly to the interrogation and motioned to himself with hand to remind, "Dad, I'm a soul capable of interdimensional travel with a single snap of my fingers. You haven't noticed the rice storage dwindling this winter?"

"I assumed your mother was hoarding food for the poor" he replied flatly to the animated characters of the children and they laughed behind their hands.

"Hey! Although, I do respect you said nothing if I did" she complained to being pinned as the culprit and gently jabbed her husband's left side. He swatted her small hands away but she grabbed them to intertwine their fingers and restrain him.

Releasing his smallest sister, his raven-haired son latched onto the taller shinigami to preen innocently, "Big brother, can you be so kind and get me a soda from the human world?"

Koji opened a small white portal to his left with a mere flicker of his fingers that displayed a human store shelf stacked with soft drinks. His siblings and mother ooh'ed and aw'ed to the interesting sight into the other realm while his father pinched the bridge of his nose. Reaching into the portal, he withdrew a soda in flashy orange and white stripes, giving it to his ecstatic little brother before closing the portal with a simple wave of the hand. The other noble peered at the can with awe before popping the lid with ease to take a sip, "Orange? That's a new one. I have to ask Aunt Rukia about this new delicious discovery!"

"Don't use your brother for interdimensional travel" their father scolded their random spurt for adventuring on human foods. Both brothers nodded with reluctance to his strict rules on professionalism and the youngest held out his drink to bribe him. That was quickly shot down by a stern reprimanding glare but it was lost when his wife seized the can to take a sip. Throwing his hands in the air, his counterpart exclaimed with concern, "Ruka, we could be fined for inappropriate use of his abilities!"

"I'm certain we'll survive" Ruka responded dryly to his concern and their sons smiled to their defender. Aha! Byakuya decided to award himself a point at seeing her defend and enable the shenanigans. It appeared this version of himself was still reiterating the rules to everyone.

His youngest son scoffed at the possibility and patted his big brother on the shoulder to boast proudly with admiration, "Best babysitter ever . . . not that I need babysitting. We're in the Gotei 13 for Soul King's sake!"

"We can handle the babysitting" his raven-haired daughter assured since the gig had now turned into a two-person job. Her little brother reached over to poke her midsection to elicit an indignant squeak but before she could smack him, their brunette sister pulled her away. Despite being the designated babysitter, she hissed at her little brother with insult and narrowed her eyes to whisper dangerously, "Just you wait until she releases me."

Hearing this, Byakuya was surprised to see him ditch his siblings to latch onto his alternate's arm again to declare desperately, "Don't leave me with her! I'm sorry I called you a frozen lizard-"

He shook his sniveling son away before it turned embarrassing and informed them simply, "Goodbye, children."

"Don't call us unless you're dying or Soul Society is in chaos" Ruka piped up excitedly to follow his lead and raised her phone to indicate the huge silent mode sign on the screen. All their children but their oldest son resembled lost cygnets at watching their parental figures leave the nest. She turned around to wave goodbye with a peppy smile before doting on them one last time, "Mother loves you!"

The doors shut behind the couple with a creak and they exited the estate to begin their new mission. They took a moment to lean against the closed doors immediately with sighs of relief. Byakuya couldn't help but compare them to battle worn shinigami as they slumped against the doors with exhaustion. Ruka raised her hands to the sky with a happy smile while his alternate took a deep breath before stating with disbelief, "We're free!"

"Decades of crying, hair pulling, dirty diapers, tantrums- gone!" she agreed with excitement to the newfound freedom and hugged him by the shoulders with glee.

"Should we assume new identities?" he asked quietly to crack a rare joke but his wife smacked his back for the jab. Not wanting to anger his partner in crime, he grasped her shoulders to assure he wouldn't run off, "I was kidding."

She glanced back at the closed doors to where their children were now lurking about and pouted to muse softly, "They're still my babies. I give them 3 hours before they call."

"You forgot your scarf" he reminded flatly, earning a raspberry from his wife, and offered his two kan on their children's resilience, "I say 1.5 hours."

"I'm not walking back into that battlefield" she objected swiftly to returning to the chaos of hugs and cries. She flicked her husband's nose for the jab and he grabbed her dainty hands into his to lock her in place. With a soft laugh, she pulled him away to walk down the porch to the main road and asked with amusement, "You didn't bring a bag?"

"I figured you'd pack for me or I can buy a new wardrobe at the resort" he remarked simply to his plan of escape but she shook her head as a negative. He pointed to her fat backpack but she pointed to herself before pointing back at it to show it was all hers. His alternate's face deflated into disappointment and he stated grimly, "If I had the chance to redo my life, I'd tell my younger self to run."

"Hey!"

The oracle and Byakuya proceeded to watch the future Ruka fling her backpack at her husband's backside in revenge. Poor Chappy was forgotten as the little brunette chased her partner down the road in a series of yells about prolonged childbirth and throwing him in a pond. The fortune-teller tapped her chin with a sigh of disappointment and muttered, "Hmm, maybe this was the wrong memory to use."

"You think?" Byakuya scolded coldly to watching himself play keep away from the tinier shinigami. Still, it was slightly amusing to see there was affection in that union when Ruka was pulled into a kiss and she proceeded to smack his shoulder before returning it.

A bright white flash stung his vision and the scene changed to the exterior gate of the sixth division. Why was he here? Did she mean to infiltrate the Gotei? Before his fingers finished grasping the hilt of his zanpakutō, the brunette chastised him like a parent, "Put your hand down and listen for once."

Did. . .did we just get scolded?, Senbonzakura asked with disbelief because the oracle appeared around his wielder's age. He was not the type of spirit to ever receive a lecture but more of the one dishing it out via his power. For once, he felt like a small spirit all over again but Byakuya said nothing. He would not stand for that insult and declared madly, Nobody lectures me!

Before Byakuya could retort to maintain his pride, the woman shoved him into a glowing bubble that appeared before them. How was she moving faster than him? Only Shihoin or the older captains owned such skill! Who or what was she? The blinding light surrounding him disappeared and he found himself standing in front of the sixth division headquarters where his office was located. In front of the building, he caught sight of the children he had just seen but they were younger in age. They were no longer young adults but adolescents in appearance. Only three wore their modified shinigami attire while the youngest wore the Shino Academy uniform. The older version of Ruka stood before the quartet in her captain's attire and he took a tentative step forward to hear the conversation.

"Remember, always mind one another and protect each other" she smiled tenderly to each of them to instill what Byakuya assumed were her motherly rules. He couldn't imagine the free-spirited Ruka as a mother but knew she wanted to be one in the future. It was apparent she was a good parent by the bashful smiles and warm eyes of the quartet and he briefly wondered what kind of parent he would be if given the chance. Hopefully, he would do a better job than he did with Rukia. Her blue eyes twinkled with love as she finished with a gentle tone, "I am very proud of your growth but never hesitate to ask for help."

"I don't want to be weak" her raven-haired daughter frowned with distaste to having limitations. Byakuya could see a mirror reflection of himself in her during his youth when he had been climbing through the seated ranks. She was the smallest in height out of her siblings, even her youngest brother, and he wondered if the comment came from physical limitation or skill. Her brow furrowed with determination, crossing her arms to defend her position with a firm voice, "I have to be strong."

"It is not weakness, my child" Ruka corrected with a soft tone but a small smile crossed her lips. Byakuya had seen it on her face when she held onto a morsel of information with good intention. Their eldest daughter was not convinced by her words but her arms uncrossed to rest at her sides. His oldest friend was pleased with the drop in defense and she touched the center of her chest to admit, "As your mother, I will always protect you. I feel each of your souls resonate within me, I always have from the moment you took your first breath, and your reiraku is visible to me in a wink. I will eradicate anyone that dares to hurt you."

"I can't have my mother fighting for me" Koji groaned sheepishly to having one of his parents take over his fights. Byakuya could understand his embarrassment because the oldest child was expected to set an example for their younger siblings. If he had his grandfather fight for him as an adult, he would've transferred out from humiliation. The young man sighed miserably to his mother's infectious smile and pointed out helplessly, "I'll fail at that rate, mom."

"One battle is a simple drop in the pool of many to come in your lifespan" she stated matter-of-factly to remind them of their long existence, especially if they shared two noble bloodlines. Byakuya sympathized with the youngsters because he had looked to his grandfather with the same uncertainty about his skills. With time and practice, however, he had grown into his true abilities and they were still being mastered. Ruka took this time to pick a piece of lint from her eldest daughter's shoulder, brush down stray hairs from her brunette's daughter curly hair, rub off a dirt stain from her youngest's left cheek, and straightened the Kuchiki family scarf over her eldest's shoulder. She was a caring mother in her behavior and it carried into her voice as she doted, "Each of you entered this world fighting and you will leave it that way. You carry a part of me and more importantly, a part of your father. Never feel embarrassed to reach out to me, regardless of how old you become."

Her blue eyes softened to the four and she smiled brightly with pride, "You are my precious babies and I will never lead you astray."

Their youngest son slumped his shoulders to the affection and rubbed his right eye to mumble sheepishly, "Aw, mom, you know how to pull on our heartstrings."

Byakuya reluctantly agreed to her effect with sweet sentimental words because he scarcely escaped it. Whenever she was near tears or hurt, he would hunt down whoever caused it. That reaction was as a friend and he tried not to think what he would do if she were more than that. His thoughts were interrupted when his raven-haired daughter chastised her little brother, "Are you crying?"

"No!" he shot back snippily to hide his slip in character and poked his sister's right side in rebuttal. Koji slipped an arm around his little brother's shoulders to pull him back before their sister retaliated. He ushered his younger siblings into a group hug to shed away the arguments and Ruka happily pulled them to her.

Byakuya's shoulders stiffened when he heard his own familiar voice speak up from the direction of the building, "Why are you all hugging your mother?"

His future copy maintained the elegant attire with his collared haori, the old kenseikan over the left side of his head only, and the altered uniform. He exited the main headquarters of his division with a slightly confused expression to his family. Byakuya sighed with dismay at realizing that the expression would not fade gracefully with time. Instead of being worried over their sniffling children, his future alternate questioned protectively, "Did one of you make her cry?"

"Dad!" they protested in unison with outrage to such a thing and they squeezed Ruka tighter with emphasis. She laughed with delight at their protectiveness and returned the fond hug with a peppy smile.

"We're sharing a heartfelt moment here!" his brunette daughter shot back with a raspberry of defiance and Ruka chuckled to her rebuttal. She shook her head to remind her not to behave that way with her father at work since he was technically her superior. Her child decided to hide against her rather than giving the point to her parents.

Ruka released her quartet before brushing them away with a giddy smile, "Go hug your father, it will melt his frown."

"No, that's not. . ." he sighed with dismay to a public display of affection and Byakuya winced internally at seeing the four shinigami latch onto his older self. Despite they were almost adults, they were rather sentimental. Maybe it was a Kyōraku thing? Instead of nudging them away, his counterpart allowed the hug for a brief moment before reminding them they were at work. Without complaint, the four children obeyed with rapt attention and he asked his family, "What are we discussing?"

"Mom is giving us a pep talk that she'll beat up monsters when we fail" his petite daughter informed flatly to the idea but an amused smile crossed her lips.

"A mother swan protects her cygnets" Ruka affirmed swiftly with a motherly wag of the finger before puffing her chest to declare proudly, "Her flock."

"He'll probably lecture us on failure while we're halfway in a Hollow's mouth" his miniature copy of a son stated sarcastically with crossed arms, hiding behind his mother for safety.

"I will not chastise you for sustaining injury to uphold your duties" his older version informed them and Byakuya was pleased to see that he had not reverted to his frigid and callous attitude. He had been improving his bonds and communication skills with others and it was in part to Ruka's continuous egging. Even the division members walking through the courtyard seemed happier. With a fatherly tone that melted into his role as captain, the other man continued, "Your assignments will match your ranks and you are young spirits starting your careers. Your role as nobles is still being chiseled. When you are overwhelmed, your superiors will step in. If they fail, they will cower upon my arrival."

"But you're my superior" his raven-haired daughter pointed out and her father paused slightly to dwell on that. Ruka stifled her laughter when he simply patted their daughter's head in reply, not giving her an actual answer at all.

Ruka chuckled awkwardly when their brunette daughter added in with emphasis, "And you're mine."

"It figures the sons would be left defenseless" the youngest Kuchiki frowned at being left with the morsels and patted his sheathed katana at his waist to sigh, "It's just you and me, buddy."

He whined in complaint when his older brother pulled away his hair tie playfully, letting his dark hair fall free. Byakuya could not deny the uncanny resemblance to his youngest child after remembering how many times Shihoin ruined his hairstyle. Waving the fabric tie to play keep away, the eldest son pointed out, "You're still in school."

"Don't depress me worse than I am!" he exclaimed melodramatically to swipe at his hair tie and his brother handed it over with ease. It was apparent that they held a brotherly bond that made joking playful rather than humiliating, especially since he stuck close to him or Ruka.

Koji's dark blue eyes blinked awkwardly in similarity to Ruka when his father met his gaze to voice with sincerity, "You are my eldest and the one I worry for the most . . . but you are also the one I expect to surpass me in skill one day."

"Geez, Dad, way to make us feel like leftovers" his youngest daughter snapped with disappointment and shot him an insulted glare. Byakuya felt the pride of his personal progress shrivel up and die at seeing the three children glare at his older counterpart. Parents weren't meant to have favorites but he wouldn't have been surprised if one of the two eldest scored that secret position by their appearance.

"I should throw out my zanpakutō and not try at all" his little reishi copy muttered since he was still in the Academy while his siblings were already within the Gotei ranks. Byakuya realized the youngest children were Ruka supporters by the way they clung to her immediately while the latter two stuck by his counterpart. The youngest son jabbed his finger at his father and brother to declare matter-of-factly to the power difference, "I can't beat either of you!"

The second eldest failed to complain about her perception and abilities against her older sibling. She behaved a lot like himself and Byakuya wondered if he had accidentally transfused part of his soul into his child. The Kuchiki heredity was strong in her and she gazed down at her dual zanpakutō to comment dryly, "Eh, they make a good pest deterrer. Also great for roasting food."

"Don't you try to pit my babies against one another" Ruka chastised her husband immediately and darted forward to bundle all of them into a family hug again. Byakuya wondered just how much she would coddle their children if this was her public demeanor. Still, he didn't mind it and preferred a loving mother to an indifferent one. He did not have a mother for very long but his children clearly did and he wanted that bond for them. Great, he was falling into a sham illusion. Ruka grinned playfully against their groans of complaint for the motherly doting and she piped up, "I expect all of you to kick my butt one day, you're my children."

"Mom, you're silly" her youngest laughed to her relaxed and chirpy attitude but it brightened all of them instantly.

His counterpart sighed under his breath to take another shot at his words and explained carefully, "What I mean to say is that bankai comes once in every family generation so there is a one in four chance for you."

"But you're both captain-grade parents from noble lines, doesn't that increase probability?" his youngest daughter questioned with curiosity, pointing to their respective haori. Ruka picked at the sleeves of her haori absentmindedly before laughing nervously to brush off that fact. It was expected for a captain-grade noble to have a child with spiritual capabilities to fill a seated position at the very least. Their daughter raised her gloved hand to count off on her fingers, "My dad's a captain, mom's a captain, grandparents were lieutenants, great-grandpa Ginrei was a captain, great-grandma Hiroko was a lieutenant, I'm still trying to figure out what Grandpa Toshi was, great-uncle Shunsui's a captain though he's pushing on Commander level, great-uncle Takashi's a lieutenant-"

Koji leaned down to quietly whisper to his raven-haired sister with the curious question, "Did she memorize the whole family tree?"

Byakuya realized the tall brunette was definitely the brains of the children, especially when his counterpart stated flatly with veiled amusement, "Don't challenge my speech with math."

"It's my best asset!" she exclaimed proudly with a smile that matched his more than Ruka's. They were each unique children that were proving to be bright and gifted, leaving Byakuya pleased that his descendants carried a more humble demeanor. Nobility was clearly in their appearance but there was substance in their character that defined them as more than that.

Although he was mildly willing to accept this future, the next second threw him aback and he wasn't the only one. His counterpart leaned forward to hug his children in a rare public display, baffling the quartet, and he stated softly, "Each of you will be strong in their own way and I will protect you when you falter. I am your father- nobody will lay a finger on you and live."

He felt a pull to the back of his skull as the scene blacked out in a starburst and he fell forward into the old wasteland from before. Why was he here? Was that blasted woman going to attempt to kill him? He heard a Hollow's cry in close distance and turned around to see the girls as older officers again in that barren wasteland of a field. The brunette unleashed an attack with an iridescent katana against the closest hollow to maintain a boundary of safety. The green luminescence struck the enemy diagonally, disintegrating their form against its glow as it obliterated its bottom half. Her older sister followed with one of her own to strike the rows of swords into the ground to create an explosive boundary to throw the enemy back.

"I think we might need reinforcements" the raven-haired shinigami muttered with distaste to the number stacked against them.

"Already called" her little sister replied with worry in her voice, trying to stay calm alongside her sister. The older shinigami nodded silently to their dilemma but determination didn't waver in her eyes. The brunette's voice lowered, clutching her sword closer to her midsection as she hesitated, "We're on our own-"

The smaller shinigami grasped her quickly by the neckline as a cero shot in their direction, dodging before it struck her little sister. Trying to place distance between them, she took the front position to protect her from harm. Her fingers tightened over her double swords and she raised both in the air to unleash a different offense. Instead of her zanpakutō's elegant swords appearing, fluorescent pink swords formed circular rows around them in a protective shield. They knew that bankai!

The shinigami turned around to find the wielder of the famous zanpakutō and relief flooded their faces at seeing their father. He had come to save them . . . and Byakuya was baffled to his own relief at that. The petite shinigami maintained the air of respect for her superior and nodded with welcome to say evenly, "Captain."

"Daddy!" the younger one exclaimed with gratitude, casting aside formality for her hero, and smiled with relief. She ran to his left side to hug his arm tightly to avoid obstructing his abilities, happy to see him. It was subtle but Byakuya saw his counterpart squeeze her hand before releasing her.

You almost had a heart attack for those girls, didn't you?, his zanpakutō teased at sensing the flicker of concern to their potential harm. He would nag and deny but his heart was running on a different wavelength while watching those children in each scene. Byakuya did his best to ignore the remark because it was simply an honorable trait for a shinigami to cover his subordinates. At least, in the last ten years, he had decided on that.

"Are you all right?" his counterpart asked carefully to survey their injuries with a visual check but all he could see were scuffles and bruises. Both girls nodded quietly to assure him they did not need life-saving measures anytime soon. Ushering the two to stand behind him, he stated simply, "Good."

With that said, he broke down senkei to unleash Senbonzakura across the field to eradicate the Hollows. The sisters peeked over his sides with awe at the power of the zanpakutō and watched the storm of blades swallow their enemies in a wave. The respect was clear on their faces which told Byakuya that their shikai was still being mastered but he admired their tenacity not to flee. It appeared that he had done a good job because they had called for assistance rather than tackling the situation alone, which could have ended in fatal failure.

A new figure flash stepped beside them and Byakuya noticed Ruka's form instantly. She zoned in on her daughters huddling behind their father, instigating the blue glow of her reiatsu. Grasping the sapphire hilt of her zanpakutō, she didn't hesitate to exclaim protectively, "Die, motherfuck-"

"Ruka, they're fine" his counterpart interrupted swiftly to avoid unleashing his wife onto the field of death, grasping the back of her aquamarine sash to stop her momentum. She halted immediately, releasing her grasp on the hilt, and Byakuya frowned slightly at not being able to see her future abilities. Even in the future, she eluded him. His double gazed at the field once more for an enemy sweep before informing her, "I took care of the situation."

"Oh" she muttered to being late to the action but leaned over to embrace her daughters. She clutched them close with an expression of relief and whispered, "Our precious girls."

Instead of complaining to the motherly doting, they returned the hug tightly with happy smiles. His counterpart was yanked at the sleeve by Ruka to console their children but he ordered quietly, "Let's go home where it's safe."

His calm façade twitched with dismay when Rukia appeared on the field a short distance from them. Byakuya was taken aback to see much more physical change in her than himself. Her short bob had lengthened into wavy tresses behind her back that were pinned at the nape with a hair comb to keep it away from her face. Were the women in his family intentionally growing their hair long? Even his daughters carried similar lengths past their shoulders. There was a confident air to her now and he watched her raise her unsealed zanpakutō to declare, "Foul Hollow, I-"

"Rukia, they're fine" his future self interjected with a flatter tone than the one he used for his wife. His daughters were quick to wave to their aunt with sheepish but thankful smiles, to which Ruka happily smothered them into a hug again.

"Oh" she muttered with disappointment to missing a battle and sighed before sealing her weapon.

His face twitched while the young women blushed heavily when several more people flash stepped to their location. Byakuya sympathized with his future self because a call for a helping hand had now yielded a cavalry. He recognized the familiar faces of their adult colleagues since his generation rarely aged now that they reached adulthood but noticed the younger generation of Hitsugaya and Kusajishi's cohorts were now matched similarly to his future children. How much time had passed? Wait, were his children friends with the pink-haired demon? Oh no! There was no way that-

"My precious babies!" a familiar voice wailed dramatically and Byakuya was glad he couldn't feel the embarrassment of his future self when Captain Kyōraku barreled into the field. Before his wife and daughters could scatter, he picked them up like baby chicks to clutch them to his chest. Ruka smiled warmly at her uncle to reassure him that they were fine, ignoring the bone-crushing hug.

The girls, however, were trying their best to disappear and fought in his grip with burning embarrassment, "Uncle Shunsui!"

Byakuya noticed the arrival of his sons, alongside several new faces he had never seen and assumed they were the newest generation of shinigami. He almost felt old for a brief second until realizing that this was the distant future or so, he hoped. When exactly did he become a father? Wait, no, he wasn't falling for this hallucinatory dribble!

"How many people did you call?" his counterpart questioned his daughters, mildly amused when his oldest daughter pretended to play dead weight to be released. Ruka was known to play possum to throw off the enemy or sneak out of boring meetings. His petite wife, however, had now shifted to poking her uncle's face to force her release back to her family. Even Nanao had joined forces with them by rapping the back of his covered head with a fan but it was a futile effort.

Their brunette daughter, who had earned her release after a swift bite to Shunsui's arm, bounded up to her father with a sheepish smile to reveal, "Group chat."

"Group chat forwarded by me" her little brother added in helpfully to expand the request for aid in case nobody answered. He held out his fist for a friendly bump and his sister returned it with a proud smile.

"Everything's under control, the girls are fine" the sixth captain explained carefully, enunciating every word to reach everyone on the field. Nanao took this time to smack her captain's shoulder and Rukia waved away their group of friends with the all-clear signal to vamoose. The children, minus their raven-haired sister, returned to their friend group and Byakuya groaned internally at seeing the grown-up version of Yachiru squeezing his brunette daughter tightly. No! How could this be? His disappointment was cut off when his counterpart informed everyone with a polite tone, "Thank you for your time. . . you can go home now."

Turning to the eight captain, his gray eyes narrowed and he stated evenly, "Captain Kyōraku, release my wife and daughter."

His oldest daughter ran like the wind to reunite with her siblings and Byakuya watched her disappear within the small group. Ruka smacked her uncle's arm with a playful smirk before returning to her husband's side, quietly looping her arm through his right. A soft gaze was shared between them before Ruka released him to head towards the dispersing crowd.

"Who's up for hot chocolate and cookies at our estate?" she offered cheerfully to play the mom card, shedding her shinigami role instantly with a peppy clap of the hands. More than half of the group agreed to the free food at a fancy estate and Shunsui chuckled to the sixth captain's faint frown. Ruka's children raised their hands eagerly, which were promptly followed by two (a young onyx-haired man and brunette woman) that shared the physical traits of his little sister. The older Rukia chuckled to their enthusiasm, wrapping an arm around each of their waists due to her petite height, while Ruka turned to her husband to point out, "I can't let help go empty-handed!"

His senses were obscured again unexpectedly, the field fading to black, and he returned to the dimly lit room once more. Was this reality? Or another illusionary fabrication? The oracle was already sitting at her desk with her hands neatly folded and a sly smile crossed her lips before she spoke, "Still don't believe me?"

"Four? You're telling me I'll have four children?" he snapped tightly to express his frustration to that potential future and hoped Ruka hadn't been deceived by something similar. Had she been shown the same future that he had? Or a similar life with a different man and only her daughters? He refused to listen to the dribble and refuted her claims sharply, "If I even considered it earlier, I certainly do not now."

She was not affected by his words at all, annoying him slightly to his lack of intimidation, and advised him carefully, "They are your hope, pride, joy, and honor to leave behind for future generations. They will guide Soul Society into a new world from all directions and all of it begins with you. . .and their mother. Together, you will be unstoppable."

Byakuya was impressed to see the descendants they could create but was it possible? He and Ruka came from distinguished powerful lines so it was probable that their children would inherit strong abilities. No, he snapped his mind away from believing such a thing and turned away from the oracle to leave with a cold but respectful goodbye. It was such a silly conception that he left the building entirely to brush all of that from his mind, shutting the door with neat but prompt closure.

That little brunette is ours!, Senbonzakura cheered proudly at seeing his progeny and approved of them. Despite his wielder's denial of accepting the children, he sensed subtle relief from him when it came to Ruka's brunette daughter being his rather than the initial disappointment. Those repressed emotions were submerged under ice and Senbonzakura hoped the lieutenant would prod his wielder to shatter that boundary. From his end, he didn't hesitate to tease nonchalantly, Goodness, you didn't hesitate to repopulate the clan. I salute your stamina-

Silence, he ordered instantly to end any sexual jokes to the silly fortune-telling scheme and tried to clear it from his mind. How in the world would he raise four children? Not to mention, the unlikelihood of Ruka being their mother. Nothing would change from what he had been shown and Ruka would remain a friend. There was nothing more to explore there, it had been too many years that. . . no, he was not dwelling on those memories.

But you're thinking about it and not throwing a tantrum, Senbonzakura pointed out calmly to the thought-provoking questions that surfaced in his wielder's mind. Being a part of him, he was able to read through the cascade that erupted at leaving the oracle's building. Byakuya had been adamant about chastising the false psychic for deceiving Ruka but instead, she had managed to rip into old forsaken memories between him and the lieutenant. He was not happy at failing to accomplish his task in its entirety.

Byakuya was not keen on being deemed on having the emotional maturity of a teenager and shot back, I am more dignified than lowering myself to tantrums. It was a parlor trick and nothing more.

They were sharp and witty children, you can't deny that!, he pointed out easily to the friendly nature of the quartet because they clearly respected him. Despite the innocent sibling squabbling and parental defiance, they did not hesitate to listen to their parents. His wielder practically had two miniatures in his image and laughed with amusement, Part of you is already wishing for the eldest two.

I am not!, he refuted instantly to that brief flicker of approval for the eldest children of the four. No matter what the future held, he would be the one deciding his path. He refused to have others twist their ideals and judgments onto him after bearing similar in his youth. His heart had already been through a grinder for one lifetime and he stated somberly, Our past is too complicated-

You can heal your wounds together and rekindle that unexplored path, Senbonzakura suggested to an alternate path that could lead him to a future of his own making. One where he could be happy with a family, whether it was with Ruka or not. Opening one's heart could lead to heartache or joy but it was the ability to brave that risk that would lead his wielder to find another soul to match his. Seeking to stir the figurative pot, he advised, If there is a future where you have a family that cherishes and respects you, I want that for you. As a lord, you require an heir and as a man, a wife who will love you.

The sunlight met his vision and he shut the door behind him with relief to escape the dreadful place. He found Ruka sipping a milk tea drink with a happier disposition than when he had left her. It must have been the sugar content. He suppressed the flutter in his chest at seeing her eyes brighten at him and averted his gaze instantly. Ignoring her random spending, he looked around the empty street to mutter, "Let's go home."

"We came as a group, remember?" she reminded with a smile to avoid splitting up into two groups and forgetting her friends. He was pretty tolerant of insane ploys from their coworkers and wondered what happened. He had taken about fifteen minutes inside that building that she almost worried he had gotten lost. That was practically impossible to do so based on its size, but the oracle was a little unnerving. Peering at him to intentionally meet their gazes, she observed his cautious eyes to ask uncertainly, "You okay, Kuchiki?"

"Of course, but I will excuse myself from this" he replied simply but Ruka grasped his arm to prevent an abrupt leave. His avoidance behavior and desire to leave triggered her concern but she wouldn't pry out of respect. Her fingers felt the tense muscles under the uniform fabric which gave his discomfort away easily to her. What had happened back there?

"Off we go then" she piped up faithfully to follow his lead to ensure he would be fine along the way. Her friends had the power of numbers so she would not worry for them. Besides, she secretly had Nanao's communicator tracking her GPS movements in case anything ever did. Byakuya was rather surprised she was choosing to go with him rather than partake in fun with the others. The same had happened at the bar, which also surprised him, and she smiled softly to joke, "Can't have you walking home or to the Gotei in your gloomy ruminating state. We don't know if a crazy fan decides to hurl themselves at you in broad daylight. I'll text the girls to meet us at the café."

He had no comeback to her silly quip while she grinned with amusement at the idea of kicking butt against delusional fans (not the regular ones). She asked no question about his discomfort, respecting his privacy, and he appreciated that. She held out her half-full cup to offer a sip and wagged her eyebrows to entice, "Rice tea with cinnamon?"

"I've told you many times to stop buying from street vendors" he sighed with dismay to her odd spending habits but appreciated her generosity, offering a faint smile to her silliness. Ruka had always been a kind entity, one that stood in his corner, and he felt lucky in having her. The thoughts of the blasted oracle surfaced to mind, despising that she dared to intertwine Ruka into his private life in such a way. He did not want to risk jeopardizing their tightly knit friendship but the future could easily pull her away into someone else's path. Trying not to dwell on those unwelcome thoughts, he advised her on being careless with her treats, "You're bound to get food poisoning."

"It's only happened twice" she scoffed dismissively because a day of rest, fluids, and cursing the random food stall she had visited would fix it right up. Sure, she might end up back there at some point every century but that was part of life's adventure. What didn't kill her would hopefully make her immune system stronger. Waving a hand that caused him to frown, she justified her actions with ease, "Humans get it all the time and they live just fine. We exist for ages so my chances are great!"

"Only you would be so optimistic" he remarked dryly to her tireless enthusiasm but she had always been curious by nature. While he would be satisfied sitting under a cherry blossom tree to relax, she would be picking its scattered flowers to either study or store them. She preserved the existence of everything she touched to avoid losing any information or meaning to the ages that flew past them. The same care and dedication she granted people, objects, or beings were clearly seen in their supposed children at witnessing her fierceness for protecting the future.

By the Soul King, I pray she didn't leave all our pregnancies to probability, he sighed with dread to the image of the four children in the sixth division's courtyard. She was a woman of science and logic but sometimes, she left certain things to chance. He would burn with embarrassment if all those children were born within a short time span. Most shinigami that agreed to have children would space them within half a century or more due to Gotei responsibilities and their longevity. Senbonzakura laughed in the background of his mind and he shot back, I would not agree to four children! It's insanity.

Starting to believe her, are you?, Senbonzakura chided to the runaround the woman had caused in his mind with her abilities. He kept refusing the proposed future as a silly illusion but he was dwelling on its possibilities. They were sprouting questions which meant he was trying to rationalize it. Senbonzakura couldn't determine which was funnier: his wielder grudgingly accepting the future he didn't ask for or fathering four kids with Ruka.

There were four children! I can't have four!, he blurted with disbelief to the hefty number because the Kuchiki rarely had more than two. One child was to ensure their clan lineage would continue while the second child would be the backup for the title in case anything happened to the heir. The Kyōraku, however, were quite different in childrearing because three were the minimum. Shunsui chose to be childfree, his eldest brother perished, Takashi receive three, and Ruka was the only child before her parents perished. He had been an only child and his father refused to remarry to simply have another child in case anything happened to him. It was a reason Byakuya practiced his skills mercilessly to prove to his clan that he could handle everything thrown his way as the sole heir.

Ruka, however, was a different type of heir in similarity to Shunsui. They both did not want to wield the title of the head of clan, choosing to serve the Gotei forces, but it would fall on their shoulders with time. Despite their nonchalance about life, the two were very observant of their world and only interfered when the need called for it while he entwined his ideals to reflect in both his clan and division. With four children, he could clearly see that there was love rather than duty and he pondered, Ruka has always been an elusive one . . . but she has always wanted a family for as long as I have known her. Did I grant her that wish?

With her looks in that future, I wouldn't be surprised, his zanpakutō stated bluntly to the future Ruka that awaited them. Byakuya was not amused since she had ditched the sleeveless ninth division look for an elegant edge that accentuated the feminine figure she hid. He would not think past that to avoid having his words twisted by his nosy counterpart. Senbonzakura sighed dramatically before demanding the potential he was wasting, You're telling me you wouldn't want her warming your bed at night? What is wrong with you? Get in our soul space so I can beat reason into you!

He decided to end the baseless chatter by snapping tightly, We're not talking about that anymore!

Senbonzakura took a gentler road this time rather than the brash side and reflected, She did appear to be a fabulously loving mother though, it might be why you have a bountiful family.

Yes, I do agree on that, Byakuya relented quietly because they never hesitated in running to her in every scene. Children who loved and respected their parents, along with parents who returned the sentiment, would always be close. Despite his stubborn flame for independence, he was happiest by his parents before their passing and never felt that same emotion return for anyone else. Only his grandfather came close but it bordered more on respect and gratitude for having someone to teach him.

We must aid her transition from the reluctant cygnet to that elegant but ferocious swan, Senbonzakura declared zestfully to imitate a little cygnet that grew more into a predatory bird than a swan. Byakuya was pretty sure swan had webbed feet, not talons. His partner sighed to dismiss his lack of knowledge on birds but the captain agreed on assisting her in achieving her next level in power. With Shunsui wielding dangerous child games and Takashi creating mind-bending mazes that could kill you, Ruka would undoubtedly follow their stead. Senbonzakura was eager for his wielder to have a spouse that could rival him and exclaimed firmly, She must bear our children!

Byakuya cut him off right there immediately and pointed to shrewdly with logic, There is no ours in this when it's my money funding four lives for the next millennium. Not to mention, my energy in raising them- I'm no longer talking about this!

Blocking out his spirit partner, he focused back on the world around him and tried not to smile at watching Ruka tap her cup to get the last drops out. His petite friend could be painfully endearing sometimes. Deciding to take a risky move out of Ruka's playbook on life, he offered quietly, "Should we stop for lunch? Not here."

Her face lit up with excitement to the rare public invite and she grinned ecstatically to agree, "You're inviting me to lunch? I feel so special!"

He refrained from breaking his stoicism with a smile to her infectious expression, watching her fan herself with dramatic surprise. The woman he saw in the future appeared so very different but her personality remained the same. Would Ruka truly become a captain one day? She fought the idea now and wondered what changed her mind when she was so fiercely against it. Was it their children? More experience that pushed her? Her family's expectation in the future? Maybe his subtle heckling? Leaving those thoughts alone, he focused on the present Ruka when she suggested cheerfully, "Let's get Korean barbecue after the café. You can handle their heat and part of me wonders if it's in your blood."

"I'm pretty certain the last four generations of my ancestors were Japanese" he informed flatly to her odd but amusing theories, earning a pout of disillusion from her end. Her idea was not unpleasant at all and he decided to step out of his indifferent shell once more for her sake. It had not been a catastrophic embarrassment at the bars and lunch would be an easy and simple outing. He ignored Senbonzakura's preening when he shouted 'lunch date' in the background and agreed with Ruka, "But yes, we're having that."

Ruka didn't hesitate to grab his hand with her free one, surprising him to the physical contact, and she declared peppily, "I know just the place!"

With that said, she took off in shunpo at top speed and he followed with ease.


Ruka whipped out a mini notepad from an inner pocket in the happi and gazed at her friends to pipe up, "Give me your orders and I'll head to the front."

Their small group managed to gather at the café at a timely manner, much to Byakuya's chagrin. Part of him hoped the women had decided to head elsewhere but Ruka was far too diligent with directions. He also cursed the round table because it meant he had no corner to himself to avoid chitchat. Choosing a seat closest to the window, it was his only hope for solace. Ruka ignored his dry expression to her request because she would regret those words.

Nanao was quick on the order after briefly glancing at the menu, "I'll take the vanilla milkshake with almond milk, lactose-free French vanilla ice cream, fresh berries on top, a teaspoon of honey, and-"

"Whoa, when did you become a milkshake connoisseur?" Ruka interjected hastily to her specific order, baffled by her choice of ingredients. What happened to old fashioned vanilla milkshakes? Those were deliciously yummy despite the plain color! What was this 'free' madness she was spouting?

"You said get whatever you want" the eight-lieutenant shot back to their prior conversation at the oracle's waiting room. Ruka almost expected her to pop out with an audio recording for evidence but silently jotted her order down. Glancing down at the menu, her face fell at realizing Nanao was ordering the extra sides that didn't come with the regular milkshake order. Heaven help her. When had her best friend decided to alter a perfectly normal dessert?!

Ruka sighed under her breath when Nanao added in one last topping for her smoothie, "And mini chocolate chips on top."

"I'll crush you" she muttered under her breath while scribbling down the last bit. Byakuya was mildly amused to her annoyance but showed none of it on his face. He expected this to happen when there was ample variety on a menu while Ruka hoped for simple orders. Obviously, this was not meant to be. She expected too much kindness from her friends while he expected the worst.

"What?" Nanao questioned when she heard the quiet mumble and shot up an eyebrow with emphasis.

"Nothing!" she replied with a pleasantly innocent smile and cheerful tone that defied her internal struggle. After almost two centuries of knowing her, Byakuya knew her anxiety was spiking by the high pitch change in her tone. The brunette turned to the blonde to jot down the next order and smiled brightly, "Rangiku?"

She was eager to fire off her order with a perky smile that quickly torpedoed Ruka's off her face, "The cherry milkshake with non-fat vanilla ice cream with sugar substitute, skim milk, sugar-free caramel syrup, and Maraschino cherries on top- no more than four."

Trying to remember all of it as she jotted it down quickly, she sighed under her breath. Hopefully, the servers wouldn't think she'd gone insane with milkshake power. Turning to Byakuya, her eyes widened comically for sympathy and she pleaded desperately, "Please, save my hands. I beg you."

He came close to cracking a smile at her frustrated expression and simply informed her, "I will take the banana milkshake with low-fat vanilla ice cream, soy milk, sugar-free caramel dripping, and a single hand rotation of whipped cream on top. If it is too much, I will send it back."

Great, no mercy from her childhood friend.

"Honestly, you guys are the pickiest people in creation" she declared sarcastically to her pick in friends and wished she had brought her squad instead. Unfortunately, they were all oddly busy that day and only her captain would have shown interest in a psychic reading. Flipping through the notepad to emphasize her scribbles, she pointed out dramatically, "I'm writing a milkshake memoir here!"

She walked away hastily with her notepad in hand and Byakuya quietly slipped away to keep her company. Otherwise, he would be bored out of his mind and questioning his existence if left with the other two. She waved the notepad at him with outraged dismay in an effort to vent her unspoken emotions and he comforted, "I can order while you gather napkins."

Her blue eyes blinked comically with confusion to the offer and he reasoned with light amusement in his voice, "I'm saving your hands by carrying the drinks. That, and the lengthy orders."

He uttered a faint sigh of misery when her eyes widened with glittery admiration and she declared sweetly, "My bestie."

She's silly. . .but it is frustratingly endearing, he thought to her infectious facial expressions but the petite woman had a way of managing that with every movement. He had expected it to leave her once adolescence ended but her humorous streak failed to extinguish it. Her short height and delicate features didn't help her cuteness factor either! Dread flickered through him and he paused to his own words with stark realization, No, no, do not think that! Stop being a glutton for emotional pain! I refuse to repeat history.

Senbonzakura's laughter filtered through his mind as he teased with delight, Is it finally sinking in? You don't have to bear more heartache but she's flustering your emotions like a storm.

"Wait, did you let me write all that when you could've ordered yourself?" she blurted with dismay and her tone was sharp enough to yank him out of his embarrassing thoughts. Her lips pouted with mock disappointment for being left abandoned with ink and paper- mainly the jotting down part.

"It slipped my mind?" he offered flatly to cover his tracks on accompanying her but she wasn't buying it.

Ruka scoffed indignantly to her captain-grade friend ignoring his environment for a single second and chided, "Nothing slips your mind, I know you too well."

"True on both accounts" he agreed simply to her ability to pierce past his stoicism and crossed his arms as they approached the ordering counter. He tried not to sigh with embarrassment when she grinned widely to scoring a point at their verbal chess but let her have it. The compliment was in his favor and he informed her quietly, "I will buy you a nutritional dessert."

"There's no such thing so get me anything chocolate" she scoffed indignantly to a healthy dessert that would not spike her blood sugar or put weight on her hips. Well, one that tasted spectacular to her taste buds. Nonetheless, she appreciated the kind gesture and smiled brightly, "Thanks, Kuchiki. Order me a regular vanilla milkshake, nothing fancy."

Ruka quickly collected napkins before returning to the round table to boast about the greatness of milkshakes. Byakuya tried his earnest not to react to her peppy demeanor but her wiggling hips and raised arms weren't helping. Turning away from her, he quickly ordered everything and waited in peace for it all to be made. He had agreed to join them on what he believed to be a fruitless and boring visit to a charlatan but instead, he was questioning everything! Was there a future for him with Ruka that brought happiness? Or was he deluding himself based on imagery? There was too much history behind them but she was the only woman left that genuinely cared for him and her friendship never wavered. She had begun picking at his stoic appearance in the last two months with her continuous presence and he felt lousy without her. Their group visit to the bars had tested his limits after discovering more of her hidden past but she had remained at his side only.

I believe that's called love, Senbonzakura butted in to put his thoughts into one blunt word that shattered his mental shield. He tried to protest such a ridiculous sentiment but his spirit partner was on a roll, I'm a part of you and I would have to be blind of all my senses to not be honest with you. Rukia is right about her, she's smart and pretty in a compact size.

Rukia is. . . damn, she is a good judge of character, he sighed mentally because her pick in friends had managed to save the world once or twice. He would not be stubborn and ignore the remarks of his closest companions about Ruka but it was not an easy road to travel. His past with Hisana and his breakup with her were the biggest bumps in that road.

He was stirred out of his thoughts when a bell rang and he narrowed his eyes to find their tray of orders ready. Great. He didn't know what was worse- having a conversation with his zanpakutō about love or returning to the group. Grabbing the tray, he inhaled deeply to regain his indifferent façade and walked back to the den of silly harpies with the drinks in hand. He had barely placed the tray of drinks on the table before a flurry of hands swiped the cups and left him with his own drink. Not even a thank you?

Placing the small tray on the empty table next to them, he sat down to sip his drink quietly while Ruka questioned curiously, "So, what did we learn today from the oracle?"

"I'm about to get wined and dined!" Rangiku cheered gleefully to her monthly horoscope and happily sipped her drink. She had been having quite the happiest times recently and it was a shock that it came from a Kuchiki noble. Most were indifferent or silent but Ryo was an anomaly among his own, stirring her own interest in him.

Nanao crossed her arms to keep her reveal deadbolted in her mind and stated sharply, "I'd rather not say."

"Agreed" Byakuya echoed with his sentiments about the ridiculous illusion, still trying to figure out her parlor trick. Ruka had fallen for the same farce but he refused to bend to what had been shown. Despite the image of a happy marriage and children were a dream, it was a farfetched one for him. Their intertwined but broken past made it impossible to believe. While the women were engrossed in conversation, he slipped Ruka's small dessert to her side to keep his promise and avoid attention. Ruka smiled brightly with appreciation, covering her treat with her hands, and his stomach sank when her expression caused a bothersome flutter in his heart.

You're already feeding the future mother of your children, Senbonzakura observed with pride and clapped with approval to his move. Byakuya stewed with annoyance in his seat to having not only the heckling trio but his own zanpakutō hounding him. His spirit partner sighed to his dramatics and pointed out shrewdly, I want your happiness and pride to remain intact. Listen to me or you'll find yourself without a zanpakutō. I can be quite fickle!

"Did it involve my uncle and you in a bed somewhere?" Ruka teased the eight lieutenant, wagging her eyebrows comically with enthusiasm. Her uncle chased after every woman with legs but he drew the line at rude women and vainly enough, those older than him.

Nanao balled up her paper napkin before flinging it at the brunette with exclamation, "No!"

She batted it aside when it landed on her shoulder to dismiss the petty attack and sipped her drink. The vanilla milkshake filled her with cold content to the sweet drink and didn't regret the extra calories. The small dorayaki cake brought a smile to her face, especially to the chocolate cream filling it inside. Her friend hadn't let her down with her free treat and she chuckled softly, "I had kids. Weird, right?"

"How cute" Rangiku complimented with glee since her little friend didn't mind children, seeing as Yachiru often searched for her. Her energy levels were high enough to keep up with children while Rangiku preferred to keep an alcohol bottle closer. Ruka wasn't convinced to being deemed motherhood material and the blond assured, "I can picture you with one. Who was the father?"

"No freaking idea" she answered with a pout, bursting their fantasy bubble as the women clung on with interest. Her own mind was still trying to decipher the riddle because what she had seen was too real to ignore. The question was whether it was truly a positive road to the future or a forked road ready to demolish everything. The mysticism surrounding one's future was a double-edged sword but she couldn't determine whether she wanted to forget it just yet. Waving a hand through the air, she fought to shed light on her mysterious lover and asked, "Can anyone think of a dark-haired guy that's my type? I'm already excluding Captain Hisagi, the entire Omaeda clan, Captain De Voss, Captain Bloom, and definitely Captain Zaraki. No interest whatsoever."

Byakuya sat straight in his seat and focused on nothing in particular on his glass to avoid suspicion. He blamed the charlatan's illusions for making him even dwell on such a possibility with Ruka. Nanao surprised everyone by suggesting casually, "Yamada Hanataro?"

"Hanataro?" Ruka and Byakuya blurted in unison, trying to ignore the other for having the same averted opinion. He was too young and innocent for her taste while Byakuya refused to approve of a man he could kill with his bare hands alone. She needed someone that could protect her and their children! Ahem, her children. The brunette shook her head before laughing with amusement, "I'd break that poor boy."

"You're tiny" Nanao defended to her short stature but flinched when Ruka's eyes narrowed. Uh-oh, she touched one of her sore spots. Offering an awkward laugh to brush aside her comment, she shrugged lightly and reasoned, "I figured I'd add an option that is different for you."

"I don't have sex often but when I do, you better clear a five-mile radius" she grinned cheekily about her bedroom appetite, bursting into laughter with Rangiku. She was a Kyōraku, after all. Nanao blushed instantly to her bold comment while Byakuya tried his best to appear invisible, trying to forget that he and Ruka were involved at one point. The brunette took a sip from her drink before reflecting on Nanao's choice in men, "He is not my type, not in my next two lifetimes. Pass him off to Hinamori. I could tangle with his brother though- he falls into either a night's regret or screw once for the hell of it. Being in the health field, I expect him to be free of germs."

"Ruka, please behave" Byakuya stated flatly to her lack of censorship and hoped she wouldn't delve into her bedroom antics. She had a way of molding to his body with fluid movements that left him breathless and that was without the use of her hands. He stopped himself from opening that memory vault because it was becoming harder to lock with every passing day. Damn it, could he sue an oracle for offering unsolicited advice?!

You can't sue for being handed the truth and having it stir your restrained passion, his zanpakutō stated flatly to his sudden flareup of emotions. Byakuya refused to listen to him and pushed him out of his mind but his spirit partner did not relent. Like himself, Senbonzakura was stubborn to yield. His zanpakutō refused to depart willingly and snapped hastily with suspicion, We must keep an eye on the Yamada. Nobody will seize our little swan.

"I expected you to cheer for once, given your affinity for honorable marriages and such" she chided sarcastically to his rule-abiding personality, uttering a sigh of exasperation to his fussing. He appeared nonplussed to her bickering as he took a quiet sip from his drink, leading her to bat one of the tassels on his haori. A sharp glare was her reply and she leaned back in her seat to point out, "A black hole is more likely to appear and swallow society before I become proper."

"What about the Shiba?" Rangiku suggested offhandedly and Ruka's face brightened up before turning red. The only one she knew personally was Ganju and she was not a fan of having pigs run wild in the house. Hmm, maybe a piglet. She shook her head silently, sinking in her seat comically when Byakuya glared at her for even daring to think it. Was a disgraced noble worse than a Rukongai? He had married one from the poorest district for Soul King's sake! Not to mention, she loved the Shiba clan! She could spend hours talking fireworks! The blonde yanked her out of her mind's tangent with another possibility, "The Sheppard?"

"Oooh, Captain Sheppard" she chuckled impishly with wagging brows to the fine specimen. He was powerful, both in noble circles and the military, and his sister was best friends with her only aunt. However, there was one drawback for her and she blurted nervously, "He's older than my parents though so no. Friend with benefits? Nah. One-night stand? Eh, maybe?"

Why am I hearing this?, Byakuya thought with dismay as awkwardness set in at realizing he was the only male in the group. He could easily kill any of the men mentioned but he might think twice on tackling the brother of a commander who was Special Forces. Not to mention, a man more than twice his age that was captain and held more experience than himself. Great, Rangiku had proposed a decent candidate for Ruka.

Ruka's eyes widened with wonder and she declared with delight, "Oh! Maybe it's a Shihoin! Yoruichi and I can be- no wait, she said I already met him. Damn."

Rangiku cleared her throat for attention and covertly pointed to the sixth captain, who was peering out the window trying to ignore them. Ruka's face reddened immediately to that but unlike the previous blush, it was out of modesty rather than embarrassment. No, that one was impossible. There was a messy history between them and his commitment to his ex-wife put up an automatic wall for her. Although her friendship would always be there, the rise and fall of her sentiment for him was a rollercoaster she didn't want to return to. She had tried a few years back when a flicker of affection dared to rise and it failed catastrophically which is why she took care in their interactions. She shook her head vehemently to the idea before blurting with exasperation, "Who the hell knocked future me up?"

"Ruka."

Byakuya's low but stern warning burst her bubble of wonder over who her sword-swinging hero would be. Hopefully, he would have a gorgeous set of hair or her future children would dislike her. Waving her hands fervently for understanding, she pointed out with a small pout, "What? I could make a miniseries mystery out of it titled 'who fucked-"

"Ruka!" he interjected again with a louder note to silence her vulgar language, not wanting to hear her list of desired paramours. He stuck around instead of leaving since he promised to have lunch with her but questioned that choice. Was he really hearing this? He had never been more mortified in his life, glad that the café was almost empty.

"Based on the future I saw, I should beg the question on 'Who Bedded Kuchiki Byakuya and Lived'" she giggled evilly to the other juicy portion of the future that involved him. His son would carry his physical attributes like a carbon copy while her daughter was the same, minus the silver eyes. Whoever dared to lure the proud but stoic noble into a bed deserved a medal for that insane accomplishment. Whistling scandalously to rile him further, she teased without shame, "That's the question of the century, not to mention a badge of honor. It's practically a suicide mission of seduction."

Nanao snorted her milk into her nose and began coughing wildly to her blunt words. Honestly, she could be worse than her uncle sometimes. She didn't carry the lecherous expressions and spontaneous hugging, striking heavier with precise wording. Grabbing a napkin to cough into to clear her throat, she hoped her lungs would survive the brunch snack. Rangiku grinned slyly to the admission, leaning forward in her seat with bright eyes to purr, "Oh my, what did you see?"

"What did you see?" Byakuya demanded cautiously with a stern gaze burning straight into her, which caused her to raise her hands automatically. Had she witnessed the same illusions that he had been shown? Did she know more than she was revealing? Her relaxed posture and mischievous eyes would not fit one who had witnessed sharing children with him. . . unless she was not deterred by such? No, no, she wouldn't be asking about the father of her children if she had. Or was she trying to gauge his response to that? Great, he was confounding his own mind.

"You can't kill your oldest childhood friend" she protested helplessly with a pout, sinking into her seat to appear smaller. He would never dream of hurting, much less laying a finger on her, but her high-pitch tone amused him. She was not as innocent as she portrayed herself, briefly wondering about any abilities she might be concealing now. Her hands clasped together over her chest for mercy and she squeaked innocently, "I've been ever so loyal to you."

"It would make a great series based on true events" he joked dryly to combat her own silliness and sipped his drink to deal the verbal chess blow. Ruka's eyes narrowed before she mimicked his move and allowed the vanilla to soothe her crushed pride. He cursed her bright eyes for daring to stir a smile on his lips, which he promptly hid behind his cup. Little by little, she was denting a hole in his shield against the world.

You have to let her in or you'll be alone for eternity, Senbonzakura pointed out snippily to the thought of bearing the ages without anyone else to entertain his wielder. He was partial to Ruka because he worried that his own ability to pierce the spiritual veil and communicate with her zanpakutō would cease to exist. The fact that he sought another soul verified that his wielder hoped for the same in the deepest part of his heart. He refused to budge on his new mission and encouraged his wielder, Do not appear painfully detached or it will be our undoing.

"You are brutal with your sarcasm" she shot back with a defeated shake of the head but still held hope for a victory one day. He was becoming more of a sarcastic god than a death god at this rate which was almost hilarious. Still, he did pose a good idea that caused her to blurt perkily with bright eyes, "Should . . . should we pitch a script?"

He was almost inclined to agree until he remembered another of their joint projects, "What about the Adventures of LLP and the Seaweed Ambassador?"

"That too" she grinned eagerly to pitching two projects to show their creative commitment. Who would dare to say no to a man that could demolish an entire business with a flicker of his fingers? Not to mention, was held in high regard by society? Clapping with enthusiasm, she puffed her chest before declaring, "We could break the child and fiction industry!"

"I still vote for the Sexy Adventures of Kyōraku and Kuchiki" Rangiku remarked to keep biting into the juicy gossip that only kept building between the two. Ruka's round face turned cherry red instantly to hearing that title while Byakuya barely flinched with a narrowing of his eyes. The brunette was quick to wave her hands to point out that wasn't what she meant at all while Nanao tried in vain to reach transcendence to the Soul King's realm by closing her eyes. His plans of vengeance were stopped abruptly when she added in, "I'm sure Nanao will vote for the erotic novels too-"

"Shut up!" the accused lieutenant yelped with red ears to being placed in the spotlight. How did she know that? Had Ruka or her captain (more than likely) spilled the beans? Ruka snorted from trying to conceal laughter and coughed to avoid sounding like a piglet.

The change in topic was welcoming to Byakuya and he commented flatly with disapproval, "I never figured Ise for a secretly lewd reader."

"I could say the same with you and cartoons, captain" she stated coolly to combat the underhanded insult but it only stung the recipient. Rangiku saw no fun in that and waved a hand dismissively while Ruka's eyes widened to the trap Nanao had set herself up in.

Before Ruka could jab his side to simmer the inner child demanding vengeance for his childhood toy, he confessed with cold precision, "Your milkshake contains cow milk. They were out of almond."

"Wow, he's on fire today" Rangiku laughed immediately to the brutal comeback for a mere chide. The man was merciless on the battlefield and apparently, it occurred in verbal spars as well. Nanao's grip on her drink tightened as her cheeks flushed red, restraining herself from throwing the glass at him. No, that would likely give him cause to end her existence and she was fond of it right now.

"Your sugar-free substitute actually is sugar" he revealed indifferently to the blonde because he did not forget the insinuation about Ruka. If anything, he should have been more proactive in seeking a stronger retaliation but he wasn't inclined to spare the time against them. He decided something small that wasn't lethal would be enough to deter future insults and he stated matter-of-factly, "Do not insult your superior before visiting an eating establishment where they assist in the ordering process."

"Damn" Ruka sighed with dismay at his quick revenge plots and placed a hand on her forehead. She thought Mayuri was bad with drawn-out revenge plots but Byakuya took revenge to a petty level! Her friends would surely avoid her now after that stunt. She thanked her lucky stars that he didn't somehow manage to add a laxative. This time, she didn't hesitate from poking his left side and scolded firmly, "I can't take you anywhere nice!"

Byakuya's brow furrowed slightly to her comment, his gaze scanning the simple café, and he muttered dryly, "This is nice?"

Ruka grabbed his drink to hold it hostage against hers and his eyes narrowed before threatening her, "Woman, you will release my drink immediately."

"Release it on top of his head" Rangiku whispered sneakily to see the two quarrel because it was a rare sight. They were more prone to muttered bickering like an old couple rather than glass-shattering screams and hurled objects. Ruka had admitted to being in the latter category with a man but never told her who it was. Now, the question burned in her head whether it had been the noble or another unknown paramour. He didn't seem the type that was capable of throwing objects at her, seeing his subtle flickers of sincere concern.

She clutched the glasses to her chest with a dramatic sigh before claiming with horror, "And meet my premature demise before transforming the world? Never!"

Byakuya never questioned how a small woman held such large ideas for the world. He would never burst her bubble of hope but held out his hand to stop her shenanigans and ordered simply, "Give me my drink and stop plotting."

"You two should plot to find a bed somewhere" Rangiku stated frankly without hesitation and Nanao shook her head vehemently to stop her. Did she learn nothing from what happened a minute ago?! Was she seriously walking into the lion's den intentionally? Giving up, she sighed under her breath when Rangiku pointed out, "He's likely your stoic lover-"

"Rangiku!" Ruka interjected with humiliation and handed back her friend's drink to distract him with it. If she bought some time, she could prevent a pink flowery massacre.

"You're the only one capable of taming him" the blonde stated firmly because he only listened to captains older than him and even then, he wouldn't do as they said. He was set in conservative tradition and budging him was like hitting a seki wall. Actually, she was sure she had seen her little friend attempt it and bounce back. Wagging her eyebrows, she grinned cheekily to drive her point across and told her without restraint, "Let him put some custard in your bun tonight."

Nanao decided this was a good time to visit the bathroom and pretend she didn't know any of them. In case a murder happened, she could truthfully say she was not a witness. Ruka's face resembled a red fish out of water while Byakuya's twitched between annoyance and trying to feign deafness.

You do love a good dessert, Senbonzakura spoke up confidently to provide positive feedback but it only derailed Byakuya's confidence. The twitch of restraint that was pulling at his face finally gave way and he felt his own cheeks flushing to Rangiku's comment. His zanpakutō was not helpful at all! He did not want to imagine Ruka tasting like a custard bun or eating a custard bun in bed with her- hell, he didn't want to hear the word custard bun after today! Senbonzakura didn't shy away from hitting a strike when he added in innocently, The fact that you imagined those scenarios instantly meant you have thought about it.

Shit.

You do love custard, Monosugoikaze piped up mischievously with a mocking laugh that only reddened Ruka's face. Had he been watching this whole time? Why was he being of no help? What had happened to zanpakutō-wielder trust?! Her zanpakutō was predatory in his humor and he stated frankly, Half the women population dream of this man and you're telling me you'd deny him entrance to your oven-

"I will take my exit" Byakuya spoke up sternly to leave with his pride intact despite feeling it had been shredded into confetti. It was not something he would admit aloud and it stung privately to forfeiting a comeback to the blonde. He was not going to stand around any longer and be slandered over untrue rumors-

"Kuchiki!" Ruka's reluctant sigh cut into his rampant thoughts that were becoming frustrating by the minute. Did she really expect him to stay and hear more of their dribble? No, he had his dignity to keep.

"Don't give me that glare" he scolded firmly because he wouldn't budge to heckling to stay where he didn't feel comfortable. He was fine being kept out of the conversation or making idle chatter but he drew a line at insults. Why wasn't she matching his own fury? Her image was also being tarnished! Her blue eyes silently pleaded with him, her gentle expression simmering his rage to annoyance, and he snapped, "Only you would make me endure this torture."

Hearing the low tone of frustration in his voice, she crossed her arms to question with uncertainty, "Are you throwing an adult tantrum?"

Double shit.

It was clear that his emotions were beginning to slowly leak into his voice and he seized control of neutrality to state coldly, "I will meet you separately at our lunch stop."

"You're going to lunch . . . without us?" Rangiku chuckled with glee to hearing that they had their own plans scheduled. The fact that it was only the two of them, especially with the higher noble, meant it was intimate or they were really blurring the lines between close friendship. Winking at her blushing friend, she nodded with secret understanding, "Oh, I see."

"No, this was planned beforehand" Ruka pointed out hastily to make light of the matter because friends shared meals all the time. Sure, theirs happened to occur a lot- all right, daily- but that didn't mean anything romantic. They had been friends for a very long time and she cherished her friends. Today's café stop was clearly a sign of appreciation to all of them so nobody was being left out! Crossing her arms, she cleared her throat to push down the heat burning her face and she shot back, "Not that I need to explain or - stop looking at me!"

Without another word, Ruka ran off in blind panic which surprised all of them. Byakuya had not expected that sudden reaction from her and watched her tear out the door like a frightened rabbit. Wasn't he the one meant to exit and emphasize his frustration? Nanao managed to exit the bathroom after not hearing destruction in the café and caught sight of her friend running off. Nodding politely to the other two, Byakuya excused himself to promptly follow the brunette to escape the situation as well. This was exactly why he hated socializing!

Still, it assisted in reaching the conclusion that you would not deny Ruka romantically, Senbonzakura reminded with an overly cheerful voice that almost made Byakuya want to throttle him. It wasn't often that it happened. Usually, it was the other way around. He did not want to delve back into painful memories and having his heart torn open again, not to mention risking their friendship, was too much of a cost. Loyal as always, his zanpakutō pointed out with a calmer tone, You can either open your heart to the person you trust most and bear either the hurt of rejection, the joy of acceptance, or completely shut yourself away from being hurt again by anyone. Your sister was almost executed in the latter and we're not even at a century past Hisana's death.

The sunlit sky greeted him outside and he noticed Ruka pacing in a straight line repeatedly, deep in thought. She could delve deeply into her mind that she would forget the outside world, focusing on her tasks alone. Senbonzakura's voice filtered into his thoughts again by stating simply, We will live a long existence and it can be at her side or alone before we fade into memories. I am a part of you and will be your strength when you need it but your soul resonates with hers. Think about that when you're in her vicinity and don't push her away out of vulnerability.

Ruka's pep talk in her soul space was not going as expected with her avian friend. Unlike Senbonzakura that revered and obeyed his master, Monosugoikaze was a wild spirit that held no censor. The white swan waddled around the grassy knoll, betraying his innocent image with a sharp voice, Are we going after the Kuchiki heir again? You had a flicker of remorse with Mayuri when you arrived and you two still hurl shit at each other.

I agree we had a volatile and abusive relationship, she shot back snippily with crossed arms to glare at her spirit partner for dragging out the past. That chapter of her life was closed and completely over unlike the one with the noble. She cursed herself for becoming flustered in the café and blushing like a silly schoolgirl. What must they think of her? A swift peck to her right thigh from her zanpakutō's beak interrupted her thoughts.

Did you forget you kissed Kuchiki five years ago and it failed horribly?, he reminded swiftly to avoid having her make the same mistake again unless she was certain it would turn out differently. He didn't want to find his wielder a crying mess one day after bearing it one too many times. His attitude might sound callous but it sprouted from true concern on her emotional and psychological wellbeing. Sometimes, he had to be the parent out of the two and pointed out, Maintain that platonic border because even you cannot read his mind. He has a lot of baggage in his life and although you wish to soothe that pain away, I refuse to let you trample your own heart. You have to find your own happiness and stop making others happy at your expense.

I'm not, she promised quietly as a lump formed in her throat to hearing the harsh truth. He was a part of her soul and privy to things she didn't have the courage to face or accept. She dived headfirst into her work to avoid her jumbled love life because her focus was to improve the world and preserve the good in it. Deviating from that opened a locked door that she'd deadbolted with seki cement and she insisted, He makes me happy as a friend and that's enough. I won't dare ask for anything more.

But how long will that be sustainable?, he questioned sharply to determine her long-term plans on that idea. Remaining friends with the noble had worked out fine when living abroad due to distance and her time in seventh squad provided intermittent trips. Now, she was stationed there permanently and within the man's vicinity twenty-four hours a day! This was not ideal to him and he waddled close to nip at her hakama this time before lecturing, You will either fade into the background when he remarries or he will be pushed aside when you marry.

He hissed protectively when her brow furrowed, feeling defiance on their connection, and remarked, I can already feel your resistance to the latter and you're already familiar with the first. You and I will bear that pain when it happens and we will carry it for the rest of our lives. The past needs to be buried, Ruka.

She didn't like the foreboding tone at the end and chuckled awkwardly to vent her nerves at that, When did you become an oracle? Are you trying to find me the father of those kids so I forget the past?

We will live a long life and it is better to live it with the one who defines our future rather than the one lingering in the past, he advised carefully to prioritize who would be held more importantly in the end. The thought of releasing her oldest friend to a minimal role in her life was crushing and she wiped her stinging eyes to having that as their end game. Were their memories meant to be nothing? He was intricately entwined in her life and removing those delicate threads to replace it with a different man frightened her. She wasn't capable of trusting another that way and her partner flapped his wings in apology, I don't mean to make you cry-

"Ruka."

The peaceful lake area shattered into dozens of mirror fragments to reveal the outside of the café. A hand grasped her right shoulder and she glanced up at the man in question. She didn't want anyone jeopardizing her dearest friendship! Not even her own heart. Shaking her head to snap out of her little world, she apologized sincerely with an embarrassed sigh, "I'm sorry for their heckling. They don't mean anything, it's harmless sass."

"I'm aware" he muttered listlessly to the baseless gossip but would listen to none of it. His decisions, thoughts, and emotions were his alone. He could care less about them because her looped pacing had become a little too hypnotic. That wasn't the normal peppy Ruka he was used to and wondered if something was wrong.

She wrung her hands nervously out of habit to dismiss any questions and whispered sheepishly, "If spending time with me is torturous-"

"Not with you" he interrupted to chase away that negative thought from her mind. He was speaking out of annoyance towards her friends but also to point out how much he was willing to tolerate on her behalf. She was dear to him and he would partake in outings that made her happy, even if he felt miserable or out of place. However, he wouldn't be a pushover and would bite back if insulted. Frankly, he was impressed with his willpower at lasting through all of it. Squeezing her shoulder to reassure her, he stated sincerely, "I apologize."

"Don't be my friend out of loyalty to a promise" she spoke gingerly as flickers of insecurity ran through her, shedding her peppy demeanor for vulnerability. His friendship was dear to her but she also didn't want him to be annoyed with her. That would be the lousiest friendship ever! Her fingers reached up to squeeze his gloved wrist and she closed her eyes to finish, "Be my friend because you want to be."

"You're the only person whose friendship I seek" he disclosed frankly to keep a tightly knit inner circle and avoid betrayal or having his secrets blurted out. She was his confidante, supporting him when he was right and negating any risky ideas that could backfire. Her words carried weight in his decisions to avoid future problems and he would not be losing that willingly. His zanpakutō was more than ready to obliterate the Yamada brothers and anybody else that treated close to her . . . but that also sprouted from his own heart. His firm gaze met her uncertain one and he pointed out easily, "I could care less about everyone else. I mean, aside from my sister."

The familiar perky smile returned to her face and she took a step back to chuckle nervously, "Good! Great! Let's, uh, do lunch. Yes, lunch! Lunch sounds fabulous!"

She took off north in the direction of the restaurant, leaving a dust trail in her wake. Byakuya stood alone in the street and thought awkwardly about the strange behavior, Did she just leave me behind? She didn't do that half an hour ago!

I think she might like the custard idea, Senbonzakura butted in eagerly to poke his wielder into romantic action. Ruka's zanpakutō was being of no help in the matter and he would take the full credit for this coupling. Despite Lieutenant Matsumoto had flustered his wielder, the zanpakutō agreed slyly, Let's buy her favorite custard bun and see her reaction. It would be best if you ate one yourself at a slow pace and aimed come hither looks to drive the point across. She would have to be blind to refuse you! We could make one of those children tonight!

You are not allowed to talk to me for the rest of today, he ordered tersely to stop his useless romantic babble because Ruka would not be used for such ploys. If he even contemplated that possibility, it would have to be undertaken with great calculation and finesse.

You've doomed us!, Senbonzakura added tersely to being shut away and letting his master handle everything. At his rate, fish in the human realm would evolve to breathe on land!


The oracle was closing shop for the night after bidding her loyal secretary farewell for the evening. Her side gig was open during the weekends when her schedule was lightest and to see the most people on their off days. Most visitors were shinigami, given the prestige of the Gotei 13, while the rest were nobility. Not to exclude Rukongai from her little visits, she would also set up shop for free four times a month to oversee the people living in the districts. Mainly, it was to guide prospective students to join the Academy rather than starve and perish. The pay she earned from her venture in fortune telling went to paying her worker and the rest was scattered to Rukongai to buy food for the hungriest districts.

Hearing the little bell jingle from the waiting room that announced a new customer, a faint smile crossed her lips. She had detected his spiritual energy a short distance away but had expected him to visit at some point. After all, his family members had been dropping by suddenly. Trying to maintain her mysterious aura, her lips broke into a playful grin as she sat down at her desk and interlocked her fingers on top of it. It had unnerved Kuchiki Byakuya so maybe her guest would get a kick out of it. When a flowery pink kimono struck her vision, she greeted warmly, "Kyōraku Shunsui! It's been a while."

"About 30 years" he agreed amicably with a similar smile and raised a sake bottle to offer a round of drinks. The oracle didn't hesitate to open one of her drawers and bring forth her drinking cups to begin the round. She offered him the seat in front of her desk while moving her chair adjacent to the side of it to bridge the distance. The eight captain opened the bottle to pour her a drink before himself and supplied with interest, "My niece mentioned seeing an oracle. When she blurted about trippy illusions and not tarot cards, it had to be you. . . Kyōraku Akina."

"That makes me sound old, I simply go by Akina now" she sighed with dismay, wrinkling her nose to hearing her entire name. It was also the warning sign that she was about to get in trouble by her elders or coworkers. Taking a sip from her drink, she tapped her other fingers on the desk before blurting with curiosity, "Are you sure she's a Kyōraku? She resembles Takashi more than Masato and he's been gone for centuries abroad."

"Pretty sure- she has the good traits father goes on about" he chuckled softly because Ruka resembled Takashi more than himself or her own father. She had a penchant for diplomacy but her father's sarcasm lived on in its disarming manner. His niece was more goal-oriented in the safety of Soul Society while he had a more laidback attitude to maintain balance. He had no ambition for leadership and neither did she, is that why his father had chosen them? If their end goal was stability, he would do his part but he wouldn't love it. His shoulders shook with dismay to raising a child and explained unabashedly, "Having her abroad with Takashi helped tremendously. I am not parenting material. I was lucky to remember she was in my care when I was sober."

Akina nodded quietly when immersing Ruka with her abilities because she had been more open-minded than the sixth captain. While Byakuya focused on maintaining order, Ruka looked to the bigger long-term picture. Together, however, the two would balance each other out and she mused aloud, "Her mind works much differently than her predecessors."

"She's my heir" he agreed with pride to his niece since she managed to get him out of a few binds. While Nanao beat him over the head with a fan or book, Ruka laughed it off and wagged a halfhearted finger to dissuade future behavior. Shaking his head, he whistled with uncertainty before admitting, "My parents see something in us that we ourselves cannot."

She expected the Kyōraku to eventually appoint a clan leader based on merit from the head family rather than birthright. It would be too bold of a move for the great noble clans but her family were exceptional at adaptation. Shunsui would undoubtedly be the one to begin new changes upon ascension and Ruka would learn from her uncle to continue their line. She was the reluctant bird that was more than ready to fly and stated quietly, "I agree, she is capable of bringing great change to our society and she will need allies in her corner. Our family has become quite distinguished but we must fly discreetly under the radar."

Her blue eyes paled, shifting into complete white, as she delved into her own inner world to murmur, "I've spent human lifetimes peering through time exploring the Kyōraku line. Besides you, Ruka and Takeo are rather bright stars on my map."

Shunsui brushed off the sage wisdom, remembering her quotes of advice from his childhood. She didn't help by lending her abilities for free to his mother either. He had heard the same great expectation spiel from old man Yamamoto but still didn't believe any of it! He was not a fighter by nature nor a leader, simply doing what he needed to for the safety of all realms. The oracle snapped out of her trance, blinking to regain her normal eye color, to sigh with disapproval to his nonchalance. He grabbed the sake bottle to refill their cups to forget the pain of responsibility before pointing out, "They're the oldest, it's expected that their abilities mature faster. Why the interest?"

"Protect them" she advised carefully with a firmer tone than the playful one he was accustomed to hearing. Boy, did he miss the days of being a child and only worrying about eating his favorite meals. He knew there was always something important underlying her words and she deliberated, "They will be important players in the war to come."

"Didn't we just have one?" Shunsui sighed tiredly to all the people hellbent on causing chaos. Couldn't he live for one century without someone trying to annihilate all of existence? Seriously, he was starting to wonder if evildoers had created a club of calamity somewhere.

She shook her head solemnly because the Winter War would be a cakewalk compared to what awaited them. The war against Aizen and his henchmen had failed to cause casualties but the upcoming war would decimate their numbers. There was only so much preparation she could undertake and informed, "This is a war that has been in the making before your existence, mine, even Yamamoto's. The conflicts in our pasts have been mere bumps to propel this event within a century. You can ignore my words or embrace them but destiny and time will collide."

"What?" Shunsui blurted with surprise, almost spilling his drink. Frowning to the sweet ambrosia that had been lost to the desk, he sipped the rest before it fell elsewhere.

Swallowing her drink in one gulp, the oracle set the cold porcelain on the table before meeting his confused gaze to reveal, "This time, you will play the leadership role while the young generations will battle in the chaos. It will be on a scale that hasn't been seen since the breach to the Soul King's Palace."

He dreaded hearing any mention of that battle after watching numerous subordinates and his own relatives perish. The next clan leader had been lost and Ruka was orphaned in an instant. He refused to bear such a thing again and witness it with his remaining family, stating firmly, "I lost half of my siblings and friends there, how-"

"Prepare for the same catastrophe and losses" she interjected indifferently because only planning, not emotions, would yield results. Luck had been on their side with Captain-Commander incinerating everything on the north side while Captain Quinn encased the palace in a dome of ice to protect it, using the Kido Forces to bind protective spells to buy time. The Gotei Forces throughout Soul Society had changed faces within the last two centuries and she encouraged, "Your generation has matured their abilities but you must guide the current one. Kurosaki Ichigo must be allowed to enter the Gotei ranks, old enemies must be looked to as allies, and Ruka's line must bridge with Kuchiki Byakuya."

He threw up his hands to the thought of ordering the free-spirited Ruka into an arranged marriage. Not to mention, forging alliances with forgotten enemies and escaping old man Yamamoto's wrath! That was not an easy walk in the park, even for him, and he shot back, "Not only would the Quincy shoot me to resemble a colander but Ruka will sooner kill me for forcing her-"

"Do you really believe you'd have to arrange a marriage between those two?" she laughed merrily on a brighter note because showing the noble had gone better than anticipated. She had expected a tantrum or two, along with a demand to escape, but he lingered behind. Not that she gave him much choice. He had not thrown a fuss about Ruka being his destined spouse and she smiled warmly, "Time heals many wounds and you must protect this realm like uncle Toshi wants. A state of equilibrium maintains the delicate thread of life and death. Your ascension is on the horizon and securing Ruka's future will ensure our line continues. Our line must always continue, Shunsui."

"She'd be a Kuchiki" he pointed out because sharing their clan head with another would be tricky. Ruka would have to take the Kuchiki name and discarding her maiden name would leave the Kyōraku wondering. Would she be looking out for the wellness of the Kuchiki clan or the Kyōraku? Shunsui, however, would have a few tricks up his sleeve to help his niece when the time came.

"We need one heir, she will have more than enough to spare" she reassured to the plentiful family the two would create, quite reminiscent of Shunsui's generation. Each would carry their own unique gifts and bring potential to change Soul Society for the better. Their parents would be their strongest support system and that dedication would pay off in the upcoming war. None would escape without scars, just like Shunsui back then, and she advised him, "Ruka and Byakuya will underestimate their powers so keep a vigilant eye on them. They both descend from powerful lines and their own bloodline will create a fusion to resemble a smidge of the First. Their firstborn will create a new category class, especially when you take both Ruka's and Byakuya's core abilities to mix them."

That was a surprise to hear for him since only his father and Akina showed a fraction of those ancient talents. Their family was gifted with a few interesting quirks that they kept secret within the clan, among other things. Souls were a bundle of condensed energy and they had existed before zanpakutō recognition so it was only natural for other traits to flourish during the first days of existence for survival. The oracle leaned back in her seat to grin excitedly to regale, "Those abilities haven't been seen in millennia! Does Ruka know the origins of Soul Society?"

"Eh. . .the storybook version?" he supplied cheekily to evade the question entirely. An intricate story had been concocted to seal the truth about the beginning of time and the Soul King. Only the heads of the great noble clans knew about it and a select few entrusted with that trust- namely the Zero Squad. That, and their little branch of the family.

"When you ascend as Head, she must know the truth of our family" she requested with a firm tone and a parental expression that caused him to groan. It was easy to forget she was centuries older than him and hated being the baby relative. She flicked his straw hat to chastise his playfulness and he waved her away, placing a hand over his accessory to protect it. She jabbed a finger at him to emphasize the importance of it by reminding, "Our clan must always survive to protect the realms. It is His will that we must carry out."

"When did the Soul King let you gallivant around the place?" Shunsui questioned with suspicion since the dimension of the Royal Palace and its occupants rarely visited Soul Society. Similar to the Kido Corps, there were no family or sentimental ties to avoid conflict with their duty to the Soul King. If they dropped by, it usually meant chaos was surrounding them. His cousin tended to loophole the rules or carried out solo missions, quite similarly to Ruka, and he asked flatly, "Should I expect them to knock down my door soon?"

"I'm here for a smidge of surveillance and intervention" she grinned innocently to her secret meddling, but it was all done to maintain balance and carry out her boss's orders. The Royal Guard would not interfere unless ordered and even then, she would return without question. Her allegiance and life was bound to the Soul King, not her family of birth. Still, it did not mean that her boss would have no interest if it meant attaining balance and she stated vaguely, "That's all I will say. Ichibei's got my back and I love being shot into the sky for a fun return home."

Shunsui chuckled at her peppy personality which remained undaunted by time, similar to her appearance. Despite her innocent fortune-telling gig, he was curious to why she revealed her abilities to Ruka. The brunette was currently at home trying to debunk it on a chalkboard and failing horribly which gave him time to visit his elder. Curious about their little chat, which he had not been told about by the frazzled brunette, he asked, "So, is Ruka providing me with five great-nieces to carry on our name?"

"Five?!" she blurted with shock to that many daughters because the small brunette had been alarmed by two alone. She had not approached the full picture in her case because the Kuchiki noble was the harder nut to crack. If the two dared to share notes, they might find too many similarities and connect the dots to their bound future. That would be catastrophic for them but the Kuchiki heir was either too embarrassed or shocked to let it slip to Ruka. She would be a gentle ripple in their thought pool and let destiny handle the rest. When the eight-captain laughed aloud to her aghast expression, she joined him in volume and chided gently, "Oh, you're trying to give the Kuchiki elders a massive coronary."

He tapped his nose in amusement before answering with a grin, "That and nieces, we need more variety."

"You'll get two since you're asking the important questions" she assured with muffled laughter to his preference for female leadership. His mother had not been a dainty lady by running into bloody battlefields and standing up to stubborn nobles. Hiroko had been born to a low-caste noble house and by luck or destiny, her path had crossed Lord Toshi's. Their solid marriage of different social tiers paved the way when their youngest married an Elysian, which shocked high society. Now, their work of building an equal world could finally begin with their descendants.

"Huh, so a couple heart attacks" Shunsui muttered halfheartedly to decimating the old turtles that lingered on in the Kuchiki estate. Despite Byakuya's stoicism, he was changing the aristocracy of his clan to fit the modern world and it would draw Ruka. She would not be the type to marry a conservative noble that saw prestigious clans besting the Rukongai or having heavier sway in the matters of society. His previous marriage showed there was a chance for change and she would build from that with their descendants. Together, the two could revitalize and reform nobility with those seeds of thought passing onto their children. The idea of the hard-faced noble raising a rabble of energetic children was hard to imagine and he grinned, "I can't wait to see Kuchiki's face. Should I take bets on whether he'll faint, crack that mask for a smile, or still have zero response like a coma patient?"

His glee was short-lived when she added in with a helpful smile, "You'll also have great-nephews."

"Now why'd you have to go and spoil my fun?" he sighed dramatically with woe to adding more men into a family that didn't need anymore. Even the Kuchiki didn't need it! Why was Ruka going to do this to him?!

"They're quite sweet, actually" she reassured to his dismay of more nephews but it didn't convince the captain at all. The Kuchiki were not a clan that he would call cute or sweet in the slightest. Maybe the Shihoin but that was only because Yoruichi would climb onto his shoulders in cat form to slumber there. All he received from Byakuya were tantrums while Sojun kept his little brother in check from not landing in jail after a prank. She tapped her fingers together with her own glee while thinking about the approaching future, One of those unborn souls is waiting for me to teach him.

Shunsui shook his head because he couldn't imagine the stoic noble and his peppy niece creating normal happy children. He could see it from Ruka's personality but any children from Byakuya's end sprouted Rukia's round face into mind. Would he be receiving little Rukias?! That wasn't too bad when he thought about it! Jushiro loved his new lieutenant and Ruka was close to her like a sister already. He couldn't help but ask one last time in case of fortune-telling errors, "You're sure the father is Kuchiki Byakuya? He'll die raising four children, he can barely survive Yachiru."

She shot him a dry look because it wasn't every day a noble of his caliber barged into her office for upsetting a friend. It was doubtful he would have done the same for the other women if they left in similar circumstances. Slapping her hand on the table, she pointed out confidently, "Of course he is, I had to reveal them to him for a push to overcome the lingering guilt in his life. He would kill or maim anyone unworthy that dared to butt in but is faced with his own indecision to act."

"You're sure that it won't terrify him into surgical sterilization?" he suggested dryly because it would petrify him to hear that four children would be running around. Most likely because they would be supervised horribly and he liked to leave windows open. He would have liked to witness the noble's expression and wondered if he was running calculations in his head similar to Ruka. Clothing, food, furniture, schooling, and toys for the next century for four children would put their math skills to work.

"It will send him on a road of questions which will lead to revelations" she stated easily to get their minds running on securing their future rather than lingering in unasked questions. While Ruka had been eager to know who her spouse would be, her partner was resistant. Time would tell for the two but her job was done for the day. Serving herself one last drink, she met his gaze to murmur softly, "They should be happy before chaos envelops them."

The value of time was a concept of varying degrees throughout the realms of existence. For humans, a century would be their precious lifespan while shinigami would see it as a brief period of growth. For her, it flew by in a blink's eye but she had drops of information to give throughout the current century. Her time with Ruka had concluded for now and she would share another drink with her cousin in twenty years. They hardly aged at all but their powers were a different matter, leading her to say, "I will be seeing you in the trenches and we will shed our passive stance for offense. We must do whatever it takes to defeat it."

He released a sigh to facing another battle, wishing for peace to last longer, and muttered flatly, "Calamitous intent, huh?"

"It is an evil that threatens existence- doesn't it always?" she answered solemnly because there was always a threat to the balance of the world. Sure, there would be a few hiccups that the shinigami would correct. However, when there was a risk to the flow of time- that was a huge problem. Catastrophes occurred every few millennia and it just happened to fall into her lap. Releasing a small sigh, she advised her cousin, "You will want to save everyone . . . but you cannot. Not your friends, not your subordinates, not your family."


Shinigami Extra:

A week later, Ruka sat with blushing cheeks in a waiting room with other well-dressed individuals. In her hands, she held a binder with the scripts she hoped to pitch for radio or picture broadcast. Her eyes were glued to the black binder in her lap while she tried her best to avoid looking at anyone. It wasn't out of social anxiety or keeping a secret on her work but-

"Why are you dressed as Lumpy Lavender Princess?"

Byakuya's blunt low tone brought both relief and further embarrassment to her hammering heart. Seeing her partner in crime, her eyes widened as she looked up to find him in his regular shinigami attire. She had informed him of their appointment time but he had arrived half an hour earlier to stay punctual and plan for any tough questions. However, he had not expected to see her wearing a lavender costume that covered her entirely so he was unaware of her facial expression- apart from the trademark frown on the costume's face. While the Seaweed Ambassador carried a cocky and sassy expression, her alternate creation had a bored expression with a frowny face. Ruka had joked that they swapped their own expressions on the cartoons which led him to spill water on the table on accident while she drew. While his creation carried a rope diadem on his head, hers had a trio of stars arranged in a circlet.

"I promised you the scripts and to be here on time" she pointed out hastily and burned with embarrassment despite her covered face. The air conditioning system wasn't helping her stay cool in the outfit either and hoped she didn't faint from heatstroke. She could read the unasked question of why in his stormy eyes and hung her head with shame to confess, "I visited the café for a milkshake and didn't realize my table was actually wobbly and it fell all over my uniform. I didn't have a change of clothes except for the prop costume and was left no choice! I couldn't tarnish our honor with a shabby uniform. I did, however, earn a coupon for a free milkshake!"

Byakuya awkwardly glanced at the other people in the room that were now paying attention to their conversation. Her costume was not lost on anyone in the room and the pastel purple shade didn't help. Ruka pressed the binder against her forehead in a vain effort to hide her embarrassment while her drama-loving zanpakutō praised that they were getting exposure for their show that way. The sixth captain wasn't one for earning attention without commanding it and snapped tightly to the room, "May I help you?"

He scattered all the onlookers back to their own scripts and lowered Ruka's binder before stating, "Stay here."

Ruka groaned miserably when he left right out the door and wondered if he had abandoned her for caving to a delicious milkshake. She had earned her pre-interview treat! Well, if she was already dressed like this, she'd better give it her all when the time came as a solo presenter. Praying to the Soul King to either have her succeed or cause a random emergency in the middle of the interview to avoid solitary humiliation, her brain was ready to call it quits. Why had she agreed to pitch the script? She was going to be laughed out of the building-

Her gaze snapped back to the door when it opened again and she almost fell out of her chair to the sight. While she had been wallowing in self-pity, Byakuya had switched into a life-size Seaweed Ambassador costume to match hers. Was she dreaming? Unable to pinch herself, she slammed her elbow into the chair's arm rest and painfully agreed to reality. Had he done this for her or to convey cohesion with the script? Either way, her heart fluttered happily to her hero of the day! Despite being covered from head to toe, her eyes were wide with appreciation and Byakuya faltered when he heard sniffling from inside Ruka's costume.

Patting the head of the Lumpy Lavender Princess costume, he sighed with apathy, "I never thought this was possible but I can't bear to see a grown cartoon cry."

Her cheeks grew warm to his unexpected action, baffled but grateful for it. He had come back for her, just like he promised. Her heart hammered happily in her chest for being deemed highly by him. It was such a girlish reaction that she cursed herself for it but she couldn't help it. Her heart had not beat like that for a man in such a long time. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

Shit, welcome back to crushing on your true love, her zanpakutō cackled to the happy erratic beats of her heart while she felt devastated by the revival of that old flame. Extreme care had been taken to avoid returning to her happiest days and simply continue with life as if it had not happened. Her spirit partner would not be forgetting about their previous conversation and he scoffed, Didn't take very long. I gave it a year but you beat it in six months.

Shut up, I have more important matters than that!, she shot back defensively to his accusation to hide the fact that she was. Why couldn't she keep a tight lid on that platonic-romantic boundary? Maybe she could have his unofficial fan club slap her silly for finding him attractive in that sense. Focusing on work made life, particularly her heart, easy to bear the decades but Byakuya had not quit in bringing her back home.

Her zanpakutō, however, did not stop his momentum and pointed out shrewdly, More important than getting laid for the first time in half a century?

I choose to create, not procreate, she stated matter-of-factly after repeating it one too many times to nosy old nobles. Being from a prestigious family did not mean she would birth a child to be gawked at and fulfill clan prophecies. Her worth would be measured by her skill and intellect, not for having functioning ovaries.

I never said to sleep with him for procreation, he scoffed sarcastically to demolish her reason for not chasing the noble romantically. Her rebuttals had worked splendidly for the past few decades since distance kept the two apart but rekindling their tight friendship in person had only worsened Ruka's denial. He figured Mayuri would keep her occupied since their intellect had drawn the two but the man had clearly shifted into sketchy unethical stuff rather than improving. The noble, however, failed to break his loyalty to her and pursued her as frequently as she did him. Monosugoikaze was getting too old for this game and advised bluntly, Do what you need to do and get him out of your system . . . or finally stick with him and give me cygnets!

You are a terribly shrewd zanpakutō sometimes, she muttered flatly with burning embarrassment because wearing the costume wasn't helping her profuse sweating. At the least, she could hide her mortification from Byakuya.

He laughed with glee at the comment because he didn't tiptoe around anything. He was the uncensored side of Ruka that wasn't innocently playful and shot back, Of course I am, I'm a part of you. Besides, you're the one sprouting sexy thoughts about Kuchiki.

Shut up!, she ordered swiftly to silence his prattle about the sudden flame that had risen in her heart. She had tried to stomp it out many times but it would only lie dormant, resurfacing every so often when she visited the Seireitei. Now, she was stuck there indefinitely! Her best hope was gaining experience for five years and departing again to live abroad to escape those sentiments. The downside was knowing that leaving would disappoint Byakuya and she wanted to avoid such a blow to their friendship.

The future, however, would have to wait. For now, they had a task to complete and she would demolish everyone in her wake. With him by her side, she could do anything!

"Let's go kick all their asses!" she piped up confidently, his presence comforting hers, and raised an arm into the air. The embarrassment she felt at sitting alone inside her costume faded away at having her cartoon partner.

"Language . . . but yes" he lectured to remind her not to appear as anything but a cordial noble. He wouldn't let her run off in humiliation and would wear the costume for her sake. Besides, it might help their script and it wouldn't hurt anyone to try.

Years later, their silly caricatures would ring popular with children . . . specifically, their children . . .

Ruka leaned against the open doorway leading to the favorite foyer of the Kuchiki family. Her fingers fiddled with the ends of her curled hair as it lay over her left shoulder. She smiled fondly to her husband, who sat on a fabric couch, while he quietly perused through the numerous brochures their children had hurled at him for their adventure options for their yearly vacation. Just like his work at the Gotei 13, he gave the same dedication to make the most of their time throughout Soul Society. They would not, however, be journeying to the human realm to river raft over dangerous rapids. That brochure had been burnt and thrown in an empty metal trashcan.

She knocked on the wooden wall to draw his attention and smiled with amusement to inform, "They're so ready for this year's family trip that it's not even funny."

Byakuya was aware of how excited their children could be to explore their world, especially now that his youngest could walk steadily. They would experience new sights and sounds while also spending time with both parents who would be free from their responsibilities. Calling over her shoulder, she invited their tiny miniatures, "Show your father, my little ones."

He failed at holding back a smile when their children wandered out wearing their new handmade sleepwear. He and Ruka had acquired the right fabric to complement their three children during one of their lunch breaks. She took the lead in sewing everything while he had sketched out the design for each child. Koji wore a Seaweed Ambassador yukata in pale green while their daughters wore identical Lumpy Lavender Princess attire in royal purple. Ruka didn't want her little Aya and Kasumi breaking out into a competitive streak but to treat each other kindly. With that in mind, Byakuya had sketched similar attire with minimal differences in the sleeve length and obi. Now that they were old enough to walk and run, the couple didn't have to worry about carrying sleepy infants or crying tantrums. Unfortunately, that meant wasting more energy chasing after them.

His toddler broke away to skitter over to him giddily, showing him the LLP icons splattered all over the fabric. Each one held a different cartoonish expression and Kasumi grinned toothily to her new clothes. Ruka spoiled her children but it came from a good heart and she gifted items that would last. The yukata could be used throughout the year but if they enjoyed the designs, she could sew jinbei for them for the summer months. Byakuya combed back Kasumi's loose hair, stirring a laugh from her, and spoke softly, "Your mother chose well and you're as cute as a button."

His youngest reminded him greatly of Ruka and her silver eyes shined, a bubbly personality encased behind them. Aya was exactly like him most of the time and watched her approach them to show their mother had sewed their names onto the attire. She was proud to read off Kuchiki Aya to her father, running her little fingers over the violet stitching. She was not about to be left out of the loop either, eyeing her father with sharp blue eyes, and he doted gently, "You as well, my dear child."

He picked up the girls to settle them beside him on the couch, smiling when they hugged him in unison. If only they behaved the same when traveling but they were a mess of squeals and eager to explore on fast feet. Koji stuck beside his mother and Ruka smiled at her oldest when he asked uncertainly, "I'm not trading this for my plushie, am I? I will bargain for it, mother!"

"No, this is to add to your collection" she chuckled fondly at his determination to keep his toys since he loved the caricature from day one. They came out too much like their father but he had not helped by decorating their bedding with the cartoons from the moment they were born. Koji was pleased with the news and she ushered him onward with a cheeky smile, "Go show your father before he's overcome by the LLP girls."

Similar to the girls, his yukata held Seaweed Ambassador caricatures in pine green color to contrast the pale green. It complemented his dark brown hair but competed against his deep blue eyes as he smiled at his father. Byakuya couldn't help but envy the adorable attire, especially when his son turned around to show him the caricature covering the entire backside in its classic pose. Damn, his wife was good at creating cute things for their children.

"You bring honor to the Seaweed Ambassador" he complimented his son for approving their design, patting his head while his girls complained that LLP was cute too. Each of his daughters grabbed his hands for competitive attention to defend their fondness for LLP, earning a smile from him. The two combined a lot of energy together and they pouted comically when Koji stuck his tongue out at the girls. There would be no competition among the children and he stated calmly, "All of you have my approval."

Ruka chuckled because they all wanted to bask in his fatherly affection and quickly reminded them, "All right, father saw your new nightclothes but now it's time for bed."

"But I haven't finished packing" Koji pointed out because he couldn't afford to leave his favorite clothes behind. That is, once he figured out which ones they were. He was excited that his parents allowed him to pack on his own for the first time but Ruka and Byakuya would oversee the final suitcase. Last thing they needed were five pairs of outer layers and no undergarments.

"Me too" the girls chorused in unison and looked to their father with large eyes beckoning pity. That, and an extra hour to stay up late.

Byakuya, however, wasn't buying it at all and reminded carefully with a faint smile, "You still have a week, now off to bed."

All three complained since they just put on the clothes for the mini fashion show but their father failed to fall prey to their cuteness. Ruka walked over with a motherly smile to pry off their daughters from his side and kissed each of their cheeks. Setting them back down on the floor, she returned the same affection to her eldest and doted sweetly, "I love each and every one of you."

Leaning down, she hugged her beloved children before having her husband do the same. Their frowns decreased somewhat to the parental reassurance from their father since the three idolized him already. Ruka patted their heads to usher them onwards and Byakuya advised softly, "Get ready for bed, your mother and I will be in shortly to read your bedtime stories."

"Not play the new Seaweed Ambassador game?" Koji asked with disappointment in missing out on the awaited game of the year. He and his father had been tracking its release obsessively and it had finally been delivered! Were they not going to play for a few minutes as a treat?

"It arrived?" he asked with eager surprise before clearing his throat to subdue that flare of sudden emotion. He had never been a man that enjoyed games but Ruka and the children quickly shifted that sentiment. When the popularity of his caricature rose with children, Ruka encouraged a child-friendly adventure game where any child could create their character and travel with the Seaweed Ambassador on a quest. It had been a hit when the couple pitched it and their own children helped design some of the characters. Ruka tried not to laugh at his reaction and he straightened his posture to remind calmly, "I mean, tomorrow is another day. You must be patient."

Their children pouted with disillusion to not creating their characters for the game but obeyed their parents. They eyed him with skepticism because he could easily swipe their new game but he promised to play first thing in the morning. Koji grabbed the hands of his little sisters to lead them to their shared room first before heading off to his. The couple watched the little trio leave and were amused when Kasumi glanced back to wave at them, prompting them to return it. Ruka turned to gaze at her partner in crime and smiled bashfully, "I think we finally have the toddler years down, Byakuya. Just look at our babies."

Indeed, his children were happy and safe- everything he sought from the moment he asked Ruka to marry him. She was his only ideal choice and she had been more than happy to accept. It wasn't his hand alone that raised three wonderful children so far and he reminded gently, "You chose me, Ruka. I'd never disappoint you or our children."

He groaned in protest when Ruka's body collided with his as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Kneeling on the couch, she placed her chin on his right shoulder while leaning against him. Hugging her husband with a broad smile, he returned it in the privacy of their home by wrapping one arm around her waist. She had a tendency to plop down beside him or latch onto him from behind but he enjoyed the affection, even when he feigned a frown. Kissing her temple, she smiled with success and returned a fond peck to his cheek before asking impishly, "You want a Seaweed Ambassador yukata too, don't you?"

"Of course, I do, Ruka, it would be foolish not to" he replied earnestly without hesitation and she burst into quiet laughter. They had expected their first merchandise designs for children to be a failure but they made a decent job of it. Their children certainly enjoyed it. Despite the years, he carried a secret spark of his inner child and he stated matter-of-factly, "I'm also playing that game so I don't appear lost tomorrow."

Ruka's eyebrow quirked before she shot him a dry stare and he promised with a small reluctant sigh, "I will go to sleep at a proper time."

"No, if you think you're playing that game without me, you'll be sleeping on the couch" she warned swiftly to letting him have all the fun and released him from her grip. He was a calm and level-headed man but when she jabbed him in the ribs with playful pokes, he laughed to her silliness. Ruka's own laughter overpowered his and she hopped off the couch to remind him with a wink, "Time for bed, m'lord."

The couple walked to their eldest son's room to find it empty, stirring their curiosity. Using the power of elimination, they headed to their daughters' room with the expectation of seeing them all gathered there. The surprise was apparent on Byakuya's face when it was also empty and the couple bolted for their bedroom. When it came to their children, they would destroy anything in their path to reach them.

Happy giggles settled their spark of anxiety when they found the three children in their futon bed. Ruka entered the room with a knowing smirk to their playfulness while Byakuya questioned, "What is this?"

"We know you have the game so we'll be here till it's time to play" Koji declared confidently to their hidden planning and emphasized his determination by curling under the covers. Ruka was amused to their end goal to play but knew it was mainly Koji behind it. He was the biggest fan, besides Byakuya, of the Seaweed Ambassador but like father, like son.

"Slumber party!" Aya and Kasumi giggled in unison before smoothing down their mother's pillow to their liking. Ruka remembered the days of sleeping beside her children but they were quite independent in nature to have a room. Still, there were still days when the trio snuck into their room to sleep between them. Usually, it was during the cold season and stormy nights.

He was ready to shuffle them off to their respective rooms but his wife settled at the left edge of the bed to pull up the covers. It figured she would soften to their protest but he didn't expect her to cave instantly. She was more than happy to sneak into her warm bedding after a day of working and snuggled against her youngest daughter. Kasumi laughed to the motherly doting and Byakuya sighed to losing his number one supporter, "Ruka."

"Their army of cuteness is hard to deny and I'm tired" she sighed contently, melting against her soft bedding, and motioned for her children to settle into bed. They obeyed their mother with happy smiles and she drew the blankets over her little ones to keep them safe and warm. Wrapping them into one tight hug, she smiled widely to dote on them one last time, "I am quite lucky to be your mother."

Kasumi giggled to her mother's ticklish fingers on her belly and she wriggled against her brother. Koji groaned to falling victim to his playful mother and his energetic sister, pinned between both. Aya held out her arms with wiggling fingers to beckon the last member of their family.

"Wouldn't your beds be more comfortable?" he attempted to sway his children and reclaim his bed, but they replied with scoffs and protesting no's. Hmm, they were turning out more like him than Ruka.

Byakuya realized his children were becoming sharper by thwarting his secret plan to play before bedtime. Settling into his bed, he adjusted the covers to his chest and Aya latched on with a happy smile. Koji kept hold of Kasumi in the center since she had shuffled over to Aya which left Ruka to huddle against her eldest. Byakuya smiled to their growing family nestled between them, meeting his wife's amused gaze across the bed. He had hoped to spend one night with her in private but their children were rambunctious with their impending vacation. Their youngsters were indeed adorable to refuse sleeping alone that night and his priority was their happiness and safety. He set aside his stoicism and pride when it came to the three, grateful to the opportunity to be their father, and smiled fondly when Aya hugged him tightly.

He wouldn't change a single thing about his life, treasuring each moment with his family. Brushing his hand over their three heads, he spoke softly, "Sleep well, my children."

With that said, he clicked off the Seaweed Ambassador lamp that he had convinced Ruka to keep in their room. His phone, which lay on a small night table, buzzed beside him and he reached into the darkness with his right hand after Aya ensnared his left. He left the gadget on for any sudden emergencies as a captain but his eyes dulled to seeing a text covered in silly heart emojis. His gaze flickered to the recipient and saw the personal nickname, My Ruka, of his wife.

Meet me in my old room once they're asleep. We can sneak out to play one round and I can get laid.

He couldn't believe where her mind dwelled while having all of their children in bed. Well, he had tried shooing them out too. Once they were on vacation, their alone time would dwindle down to nonexistence. He was quick to type back his decision for the night: It will never be one round and you know it.

Ruka giggled when her phone buzzed inside her bedding and dimmed the light before unlocking the screen. He still managed to flutter her heart like they were a new dating couple. Koji wasted no time in falling asleep to wake early for his free day of playing that game while Kasumi twitched, shifting to find a good position. Aya was already snoring against her father, amusing Byakuya to her sudden energy drop. Ruka smirked to seeing his nickname, Captain Husband, on her screen and opened the text to fiddle with the keys to type back: The game or getting laid? Let's make it exciting- you get laid with every win in a boss fight.

You are twisting my words . . . this is how we ended up having three children, he scribbled back with a mix of dismayed amusement to her flirtatious nature. It was never apparent at work to keep their roles separate but at home, she unlocked those doors to bathe him in her affection. It was not surprising that she cracked his calm façade at home without trying nowadays.

I don't remember a video game making me drop my panties for you, my fine onyx-haired lord, she wrote back with a grin to tease her husband about his quirks and ridiculously good looks. It was their silent way to keep their affection private and she had been meticulously quick with encrypting to password-proof and fingerprint-proof his phone when they began dating to avoid having it fall into the wrong hands. She added a variety of heart, winking, kissy, and smiley emojis to carry her message across.

He shook his head to the bombardment of affectionate symbols and watched her pearly smile glint against the lamp's glow. Deciding to tease his wife with vague words, he typed back to her: I do have one request.

You want to wear your Seaweed Ambassador costume?, she texted back with a winking emoji face and he tried not to blush when she waved at him with a charming wag of her eyebrows. Another message popped up and he smiled at seeing exactly why he had married the sweet brunette. Ruka's innocent but meaningful message could be carried out in different situations, Or do you want me to wear it?

"Mommy, daddy, what are you doing?" Kasumi's innocent voice piped up at noticing the glowing screens of their phones. While her siblings were quietly asleep, she was trying her best to join them. Her parents, however, were not helping with the background light.

Ruka concealed her phone quickly and exclaimed nervously at being caught, "Nothing!"

"Gotei business, my dear" Byakuya stated calmly to keep their flirty texting secret and simply turned down the lighting on his phone to its minimum. Ruka, however, had quickly ducked under the covers to avoid discovery. Setting the gadget aside, he clutched his little daughters close to settle down beside them.


A/N: Byakuya makes me write too many long chapters but it's due. That, and the daily stress of life. Besides, their kids are ridiculously adorable- even as young adults. Still, we finally reached the 'oh, crap' moment with Ruka and Byakuya which will continue to be prodded next chapter when Ruka unveils her private tech project for him. Rangiku and Byakuya stole the humor cake in this chapter though and her egging Ruka on finally cracked the poor thing. Senbonzakura is becoming my favorite zanpakuto with his immature but brotherly heckling.

Thank you to the new alerts and my last reviewer:

Cia-Scarlett: And thank you for the review! Byakuya is someone that I figure plans out everything in his head to avoid any mistakes and constantly assesses the situation before acting. At the same time, there's also guilt from moving on from the first marriage and accepting that the grieving is over. He and Ruka are very much like the birds described and they will build their nest- unfortunately, everyone will be watching them like wildlife conservationists.