Spoilers to chapter 181 of the manga. You've been warned.
I'm back again! This turned out different that from what I expected, and even if I don't like it all that much, (I liked the last one better) I still think it's good enough. So, enjoy.
And thank you all for your lovely reviews!
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Bittersweet
By: Nekare
What To Do
Byakuya won't admit it, but he's worried for his little sister.
It's been a month since the drifters have gone back to the place they came from, and a relatively peaceful atmosphere has settled back on Soul Society. The damage is hard to forget, though, and the entire place is unnaturally quiet, forced smiles on everybody's faces; a silent mourning for the betrayal no one saw coming.
Rukia has been on an un-official vacation for the entire month, killing time with long walks around the Kuchiki state and the shy visits to the Shiba family outside seireitei. The gloomy mood that has infected Soul Society has taken over his sister too, the light no longer shining in her eyes.
Not even Renji has been able to get her out of it, and after an afternoon of talking to her with only a few shallow laughs he goes home with his head down, kicking stones in his way out. Byakuya watches this from his private study, a frown in his face. He sets the brush he's been doing paperwork with back on the table, and goes out of the room in the search of his sister.
He finds her in one of the unused rooms, dust visible with the rays of sunlight that stream through the window. She's staring out of it, absentmindly, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. It scares him, to see his usually vibrant with life little sister consumed into this apathy.
Enough is enough.
"Rukia, is there something you would like to talk about?" His face doesn't show his concern, but it is there, hidden between the lines. He only hopes she will see it.
"No Aniki, there's nothing wrong." She doesn't even turn to look at him as she speaks, eyes still fixed into the puffy clouds above.
When he opens his mouth again, he knows he's going to regret it. "You know Rukia, you can go visit them." He doesn't say 'him'.
She turns hastily to him, eyes wide and as bright as he remembers. "W-what do you mean?" Excitement can be read on her voice, and her eyes are urging him to keep on talking.
"That even if you chose to stay here, that doesn't mean you can't see them again. Actually, Kurosaki has even been made a substitute shinigami, if I'm not mistaken."
She stands up, muscles creaking for the lack of use. "Really? I can go see them?"
"Yes. You can." The squeal that gets out of her mouth is so out of Rukia's character that some surprise shows on his normally stoic face. Rukia hugs him briefly, thanking him silently and forgetting of all protocol that used to build a wall between them; and he suddenly knows he's forgiven for all of his mistakes. Rukia lets him go, smiles up at him and runs out the room. Byakuya stays silent in the dusty room, wondering what exactly had happened. He stares out the window, and looks as his little sister runs through the yard, dressed in a light blue yukata that matches her eyes; and as the robe-clad girl goes out of his sight he sighs.
Rukia smiled, so this can't be a bad thing; but then, he can't help but think he's made a horrible mistake.
Kurosaki may have saved Rukia, but that doesn't mean he likes him as a prospect of brother-in-law.