Chapter 30 (Shizuko)

"Shizuko…"

I rushed away from my guard's side and to Renji's. He flexed his hands, making a fist before loosening it. He stared at me with wide eyes when I sat beside him.

"Where…am I?"

"Squad Six cells, Lieutenant Abarai," The guard that Byakuya had assigned to follow me everywhere answered. I glared at her and she shuffled out of the room to make herself scarce.

I turned back to Renji, lowering my voice, "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap—Ichigo doesn't pull any punches," He laughed but then fell into a fit of coughs. I helped him sit up, unwilling to pull my hand away from his shoulder even as he stopped coughing, "I'm pretty sure he tried killing me."

"It's only fair—you tried to kill him," I smiled when he cracked that gorgeous, crooked grin. Clearly my throat, I looked away and scanned his bandages, "I can help if you're feeling pain anywhere—"

"I'm fine, really. Just wish I could get out of here," He sighed. He was quiet for the longest time, staring ahead at the cell, "Why are you here? With a guard?"

I shrugged, "It's a long story. I can't leave until Byakuya says, though."

He chuckled, cupping my shoulder, "You really know how to push my captain's buttons."

I smiled, happy to see him making jokes. I was worried what he would be like when he woke, but it was good to see that his spirits were high.

But we both faltered as our eyes met. I felt my heart stutter as his gaze briefly flicked to my lips and then back to my eyes. I shouldn't have felt exhilarated, but I did. Even after so long, I still felt enchanted by Renji Abarai.

"Shizuko," He murmured, leaning closer, "Thank you…for patching me up."

"You're welcome," I breathed and stole a glance at his mouth. His lips were parted and dangerously close to mine. It would be so simple to just…lean forward and meet him halfway—

I moved away and stood up quietly. He cleared his throat and I went to sit on the chair in the corner of his cell.

"I'm sorry," I folded my hands in my lap and focused on them. If I met his darkened gaze, I would throw composure out the window and choose admiring every inch of his gorgeously tattooed body as the replacement. "I shouldn't disrespect the memory of my husband."

He smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but the door opened. Byakuya and my mother walked in, both of their gazes narrowing in irritation when they saw me in Renji's cage.

I stood up and bowed to him quickly, "Lieutenant Abarai. Please recover soon."

"Thank you," He murmured. I could feel his gaze on me as I locked up his cell and turned to follow Byakuya and my mother.

We walked in silence as we made our way to Byakuya's office. I couldn't help but think about what it looked like from the perspective of the Squad Six Shinigami—to watch the three Kuchiki's walking together, all wearing the same grim expression.

With our pale blue gazes, impassive and borderline sullen. Good posture, just like any upstanding noble would have. An air of menace—check for all three of us. The only thing that must have stood out was my blond hair. Save for that, we probably would have passed off as triplets.

When we were sheltered in the privacy of Byakuya's office, he said nothing. He simply took a seat at his desk and folded his hands on the surface in front of him. It was his default image for when he was irritated or angered by something.

"When Byakuya let you tend to his men, I don't think he meant that you could interact with the ones locked up in cells," My mother said with an uncomfortable expression.

I didn't dare smirk, but we all knew from my tone that it was what I wanted to do most, "A little rebellion is good for the soul."

"That charm may have worked for you back when you were a geisha. But now it makes you look thick," Byakuya's tone was levelled. But I met his eyes and saw them blazing brightly. I was suddenly riddled with guilt for taking advantage of my small freedom.

"Forgive me," My gaze never waivered from his. He held it for several seconds before he nodded curtly.

My mother stared at the two of us with a furrowed brow. But in the blink of an eye, she turned to Byakuya and bowed, "Thank you for watching her. I'll be taking her now."

"Where?"

"Back to fulfil her duties," Kumiko said simply.

He wasn't buying it, "We've had enough heroes, Kumiko. Where—"

"Dear, cousin," She grinned crookedly, and I cringed. That look only meant that she was about to say something that I would have to brace myself for, "I know that you like to boss my daughter around. But she's a member of Squad Eleven, which means she goes there when she's needed. But if you want her so badly, send me a transfer paper or a wedding ring—"

His spiritual pressure spiked for a brief moment. I stared at my mother like she had finally lost it, but she wore the widest grin. Despite all that was happening around us, I knew that she took great pride in this moment. She finally got him to lose his cool like he did way back when.

"Let's go, Shizuko," She ushered me out of the office quickly.

We headed out of Squad Six quickly, but not in the direction of Squad Eleven. We were heading towards Sogyoku Hill. I looked at her with wide eyes—was she taking me to Rukia?

"Yoruichi told me everything," She said so quietly that I nearly missed it. Her eyes danced across the skyline, like she was wary of the shadows, "I'm helping her help him."

"Why?"

"Because, believe it or not, I also don't want to lose another person," She muttered under her breath, "That and this is about your father. How much did Yoruichi tell you?"

"Nothing. Just that you were in danger and I needed to stop you…but she ended up telling you anyways."

"She's always one step ahead—I'm sure she realized that she had to include me in on it. Especially when mango boy was close to dying," She smirked when my eyes widened, "Don't worry—I saved him. So I'm in just as much crap as you are."

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"Not right now, no," She said as we reached a weird latch in the side of the hill. She opened it up and I could see a massive, underground chamber like the one in Kisuke's shop. "All you need to know is to avoid the Squad Three or Squad Five Captains at all costs."

"Of course that's all I'll hear though. Are you going to wait ninety years to tell me about this as well?"

She laughed harshly and it sounded like sandpaper to my ears, "No. I won't. But don't forget who you're talking to—I won't have you speaking to me in that tone—"

"Do you blame me?" I exclaimed, following her as she stalked inside. "You hid the truth from me. Do you know how I felt—thinking that my father purposely left me?"

"Yes, actually I do, Shizuko. Because that's what I thought he had done."

"Yes, but he didn't know about me!" I shouted, "You never told him about me. Just like you never told me about him!"

"And I'll regret the way my secrets affected you. I never wanted you to feel unwanted…" Her voice had lowered considerably. "I did my best, Shizuko."

"Your best wasn't good enough, mom," I hissed, "Not if your best included lying to me and letting me believe that my father was an asshole. A criminal."

If I wanted answers then I was in for a sore disappointment. She had zipped up, like she always did when the words or the truth hurt too much. Good, old, Mom—stick and stones couldn't break her bones but words surely fucking did.

"I'll tell you everything you want to know," She turned to the training grounds. Ichigo was below, running around with a man in a cloak, surrounded by thousands of swords. I came to stand by her and she squeezed my hand meaningfully, "But first, we need to help them stop the execution."

I looked at her and sighed, "I'm trusting you to."

It might have been my tired eyes failing me, but I thought her lip trembled for a second. She was stoic as always, but her stance was a little too tense. I could sense that she was close to losing it. She was tired, and I didn't blame her for that.

Yoruichi waved at us. She was a human again—looking exactly as she had in the photos with my father but with longer hair. We started towards where she sat watching Ichigo.

Deciding that it was best to change the topic, I asked, "What was that back in Byakuya's office?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does he want me to transfer for Squad Six?"

She glanced at me with a raised eyebrow, "You're joking, right?" I stared at her because for the life of me, I couldn't tell what she meant. She only chuckled, "Oh, my darling. You'll figure it out soon enough."