Impertinent Little Brat

Chapter 7: Sweet oblivion

The sky was light blue and clear above their heads, and the whether warm and pleasant whilst they rode at walking pace across the hills. It wasn't often that Rukia had the opportunity to ride, and she didn't really care for it. As a shinigami she usually just flashstepped when she was in a hurry. But that morning Akihiko had asked her to join him, and after the conversation she had managed to overhear the night before she had agreed.

Glancing sideways at the man riding beside her she studied his delicate face, wondering what sort of schemes he was weaving at that very moment. "In that case it will be my pleasure…" the words he had uttered the night before rang through her mind, and again she shuddered involuntarily.

It was because of those words that she had come along on the ride with him, because although the words made her feel fearful they also made it clear that the man was going to pursue her company no matter what. And since he was obviously set on getting information out of her, she had thought that perhaps she could return the favour.

But so far he had hardly spoken to her at all.

She had an advantage at least, since she knew about his plans, and Akihiko, despite all of his finesse and grace, thought of her as nothing more than an illiterate gutter rat. He'd never think that she'd be scheming right along with him.

It brought her mind to her other questions such as; what information was it that he thought that he could pry out of her?

The most obvious assumption would be that he and his sister were the ones behind what happened to Nii-sama; they had the most to gain from him being made vulnerable after all. Once, not long after her near-execution, her brother and she had been sitting in one of the many salons in the Kuchiki house. It had been evening she recalled, and a warm breeze had blown in from the open windows.

For some reason she couldn't remember she had asked about the twins.

Byakuya had not answered her at first, merely looking out of the window thoughtfully while he sipped his tea. When she had nearly given up hope of receiving an answer he had raised his deep voice and spoken.

"It was a bitter miscalculation on my grandfather's part that set it all into motion. He made the mistake of thinking that it would be satisfactory for him to have more than one child. I presume he had hopes and trust that things would remain steady within the clan despite this."

She remembered that a small, somehow bitter smile had touched his moonlit features then, and she had been surprised as her brother so rarely smiled. Even in bitterness.

Not wanting to disturb the gentle air of trust that had risen between them she had not spoken but had only waited for him to continue.

"Of course when the time came my cousin did not prove to be quite so gracious. In the end he had little other choice than to watch me gain the title. My marriage to your sister only cemented his failure to gain the title for himself."

He had paused then, and had frowned as if an unbidden thought had forced itself into his mind. She remembered wondering if it had something to do with her sister. At the time she had been nearly certain of it, but now she wasn't so sure anymore. She knew there were many things that her brother didn't share with her, either because he simply wasn't much for sharing or because he wanted her to remain away from the scheming inner core of the Kuchiki household.

"When my parents died I was still very young. My cousin asked my grandfather to "spare" me the grave responsibilities of becoming the heir at such a young age. He said that it would be better if he, as he was the elder male, took on the burden. My grandfather refused naturally. "

Again that small smile had tugged on his lips, a smile somewhere between bitterness and fondness.

Perhaps, she thought now, he would have been happier to not have to be the head of house? She would never have thought such a thing previously, but after meeting her brother as he had once been she couldn't help but think that perhaps he would've been happier had his grandfather granted Akihiko to have become heir in Byakuya's stead. He had changed so much from whom he had been; a child that somewhat reminded her of Renji in some ways; prone to anger when crossed, but with a stubborn, unrelenting core.

"Do you know what my name means, Rukia?" she remembered the question her brother had asked her because it had caught her off guard. It had seemed so random.

"No." she had admitted.

"It means white." Her brother had answered, glancing her way. "It's a rather unassuming and simple name in many ways. My uncle, a man we do not speak of by name, may have had greater plans for his children as Akihiko holds the meaning Bright prince. "

He hadn't said anything more after that, but she had caught the drift. What he had really meant was 'My uncle had planned for his children to gain the title, and his children continue the saga.' It had been a warning to be wary of them, and she had been ever since. Not that she had been on particularly good terms with either one of them before either.

"Rukia-chan."

Looking towards the voice she saw Akihiko looking at her. She scolded her features, not wanting to give any of her thoughts away to the man. She wasn't certain how well she achieved it; she had never been too good at hiding her emotions. How her brother managed to suppress his so entirely she'd never understand.

"Yes, Akihiko-sama?" she replied, and was relieved to find that her voice didn't shake despite her inner turmoil.

"Is there something troubling you? You look rather deep in thought." The man asked casually, even managing to sneak in a lustre of concern in his tone.

"It's nothing, Akihiko-sama, just some Gotei business."

"Ah, of course." The man nodded, giving her a gentle and understanding look. "There must be much to do after the last incident."

Rukia hoped that he didn't notice her nervousness, or the way her hands tightened on the reins of the horse at that. In her chest her heart felt like it was trying to break out. "Which incident are you referring to, Akihiko-sama?"

"Why the whole incident with that captain Aizen of course. It is not everyday that one captain betrays Seireitei, let alone thee at the same time. And in such a horrid manner too."

He sounded truthfully appalled.

Rukia nodded. "It has been difficult, but the Gotei will manage, Akihiko-sama. We will bring the traitors back to face their rightful punishment."

"I do hope so. From what I have heard that new hollow kin can be quite a handful. It would not do to have them destroy Seireitei. What were they called again?"

"Arrancar, Akihiko-sama."

"Really? I was sure I was thinking of another name, but I cannot for the life of me recall what it may have been." The pretty man thought out loud, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Espada?"

"Indeed. That was it. Is there a difference?" he looked at her expectantly, like a curious child. It was rather cute, she thought before she caught herself. It wasn't cute. The man was a viper, despite his seemingly innocent questions there were more behind it. He wouldn't be talking to her so casually if he wasn't trying to… catch her off guard, or gain her trust. Whichever came first no doubt.

"Rukia-chan?"

"Yes," she pushed her thoughts out of the way for the time being, and answered curtly. "The arrancar are a stronger form of an ordinary hollow, and the espada is the name Aizen use for the ten strongest amongst them."

"Interesting. Are they very strong these espada?"

"They are, Akihiko-sama. Few shinigami would be able to stand up to them."

"Well then it is assuring to know that we have our captains. Surely they can stop them if it would come to that."

Rukia could hear a warning bell ringing in her head, the man was fishing for something she was certain. No doubt information about her brother. Deciding to not give him more information than was strictly necessary she answered: "Yes, Akihiko-sama."

"I must admit that some of the fukutaichous behaviour and discipline worries me though, if there are such strong hollows around. I've heard rumours that just yesterday the sixth division's luitenant was running around Seireitei with that ryoka boy. It seems they had lost something. How can you depend on someone like that to defend Seireitei?"

Rukia felt her gut wrench and an icy feeling ran through her when the man's words sunk in, and she had to fight the urge not to shunpo straight to Renji's door. Had that idiot lost her brother?

"Rukia-chan, are you not feeling well? You suddenly look pale." The falsely concerned voice of Akihiko interrupted her thoughts, and she cursed herself for letting her distress show.

"It's nothing, Akihiko-sama," she quickly assured him. "Just the sun and the heat getting the better of me I'm afraid."

"Well then, let us depart. We should get you something to eat and drink," he said, and turned his horse towards the buildings in the valley below. Towards Seireitei.

"What do ya think I'm made of money?" the baboon exclaimed in frustration, gesturing wildly. Much like the monkey he somewhat resembled.

"I assure you that I think no such thing," Byakuya retorted coldly. "It's fairly obvious that you're not, but if you believe that I will wear that you are sorely mistaken." He pointed at the kimono with a feigned look of distaste that made the saleswoman blush in embarrassment.

"What's wrong with it?" Renji snapped, ending his monkey dance abruptly and glaring at him with red eyes. Who had red eyes anyways? Byakuya wondered. It surely couldn't be normal. Perhaps he was the victim of a disease?

"It's ugly." He replied simply. If he kept this act up much longer he was rather certain that he could make the poor saleswoman cry. For some reason a sting of triumph shot through him at that thought. He felt the need to hurt someone regardless of how childish it may be.

"It's not ugly." The baboon growled, sending an apologetic look at the saleswoman.

"Do you honestly think that I would rather depend on your sense of style than my own two eyes?" Byakuya replied nonchalantly. "That is ugly."

It really wasn't so bad. It was a simple kimono, made of simple wool. Ordinarily he wouldn't much have minded wearing it, but… he felt a stifling need to punish someone – anyone – for the pain he felt in his chest. The mere thought of his grandfather only intensified that urge.

"Hey, listen up, brat." Renji growled at his face, obviously trying to be intimidating and failing miserably. "Ya've already dragged me through half of Seireitei, I'm tired and I'm hungry. Ya will get that damn kimono, or ya can walk around naked!"

"Wouldn't you like that, baboon," he sniffed. "A naked boy to ogle, alone in that box you call a home. Isn't there laws against that sort of disreputable thing?"

If he had thought that the baboon's face was red before it turned practically crimson now, and he smirked inwardly at the way the man's mouth worked up an down like a fish's while he tried to get so much as a simple word out. He was too easy.

"I'm… I'm really not like that…!" Renji eventually managed to choke out, turning to the saleswoman and waving his arms in front of himself in a disarming manner. "He's full of crap, that's all."

The formerly close-to-tears woman gave him a suspicious look, and that was it. Renji grabbed his wrist and forcefully hurried out of the shop.

That. Little. Shit.

Cusses continued to fall from Renji's lips in an acid stream, and he ran without looking back to check on how well the brat managed to keep up while being dragged along through the streets of Seireitei.

After a few hundred meters he figured it was safe enough to stop and he turned towards the wraith furiously.

"What the hell is wrong with ya?" he nearly screamed in the boy's face, causing a few passer-by's to look at them curiously. He quickly lowered his voice, not really feeling like he needed an audience. "Why the hell did ya say that? Do ya want me to go to jail or something?"

"Can't say I'd mind." The boy snapped back, unfazed by his anger. "I'm sure you'd fit right in, baboon."

Renji frowned. The brat was being unusually difficult, before he had been rude but now it seemed like he genuinely wanted to do anything short of skewering him to actually hurt him. To be sure perhaps he ought to hide the knives in the kitchen when he got back home? He sighed heavily.

"Fine. I'm sorry alright? For everything. I was an ass for not telling ya the truth from the beginning, yeah? And I'm fucking sorry for hurting ya, but I can't change that." Slowly he let go of Byakuya's wrist and the boy let it fall to his side limply. His pale face was a mask now, one that Renji had grown accustomed to seeing on his adult self. Emotionless and blank, as if he was looking straight through him rather than at him. "But I gotta stay with ya, even if ya hate my guts. I gotta protect ya."

He got no answer, only that mask of utter blankness stared back at him. He peered at the boy, trying to see the slightest sign that he had been listening, but saw none. He might as well have been looking at a wall. Renji didn't understand him, how could a person be running hot and cold like that and stay sane? One moment they were arguing, the next it was like talking to a wall. He just didn't get it.

Sighing again he said: "Let's get something to eat, I'm starving."

Receiving no answer he took a few steps away from the boy, looking over his shoulder if Byakuya followed. To both his surprise and relief he did. Apparently not even the master of mood swings could turn down a hardy meal.

He led the brat down the street to a restaurant, which after he had checked the prices, he decided should have something that his charge would approve of and still be within his price range.

The meal was eaten in silence, and Renji didn't really feel like breaking the silence either considering the mood of his charge. Glancing across the table he wondered again about the brat's sudden mood swings. Just a few minutes ago he had seemed ready to have Renji hauled off to prison, but now he sat silently, eating his food in that slow, refined manner that Renji could never hope to copy. His face was smooth, revealing none of the thoughts running through the brat's head, and his eyes seemed distant.

As he watched those pretty, pink lips parted and accepted another bite of food, but the motion seemed mechanic, as if he had no urge to eat at all but only did so because he needed to do something.

He wished that he could ask him what was wrong, but he knew that would gain him nothing but scorn and possibly get them into another fight. Damn him, the redhead thought. Damn his whole clan. What was wrong with these nobles? They never talked about anything, as if the idea of sharing their emotions and doubts with another person was something ugly. No wonder his captain was so damned cold, if this was how he had been taught to behave.

A couple of horses passed not far from where they were sitting, and he looked up curiously since it was a rare sight with horses in Seireitei. Only the wealthy nobles had access to horses after all, and many times they preferred to stay off the streets and kept to themselves. He nearly choked on his food when he saw Rukia sitting on top of one of the horses, and as she turned her head she met his gaze. Her eyes widened, and flickered to her brother sitting across from Renji, and she made a small, hurried sign which could only mean "hide!"

Glancing at the other rider he understood why. The uncanny resemblance between the man on the horse and his captain was unmistakable. The man on the horse halted his horse not far from where they sat, and descended elegantly.

Renji looked around quickly for an escape route, but the only way out of the restaurant was through the front where the man would no doubt see them if they tried to leave. When the man began to walk up to the restaurant Renji cursed his luck.

"Get under the table." He hissed to Byakuya, who hadn't so much as glanced at the horses. Slowly the kid looked up from his meal, eyeing Renji as if he'd gone insane.

"Excuse me?" there was no missing the edge of dry annoyance in that voice.

"Hurry up. It's one of yer relatives, coming this way," he prompted and reached across the table to try to force the brat to move.

With easy elegance Byakuya leaned back in his chair, effectively putting himself out of Renji's reach, while he turned his head and looked in the direction of the horses. The moment his eyes fell on the tall, elegant man coming their way a cold expression settled on his delicate features.

"Come on!" Renji urged, "Hide, dammit."

Byakuya's cold grey eyes turned in his way briefly. "If you believe that I will wallow around on this filthy floor to hide from that traitorous wretch, you're dafter than I first thought, baboon."

"He can't see ya, ya have to hide," Renji snapped. "He's coming this way."

"Don't act like a buffoon. He would never set his foot in this establishment; it's much too common for Akihiko's tastes." Byakuya said nonchalantly, waving away his concerns easily, and discreetly turning his head just enough away from the window to let his dark hair hide his face when Rukia and the tall man passed them.

Renji sat frozen in his seat, tense as a bowstring, and not until they had passed the window did he relax enough to glance their way. Just as Byakuya had said his friend and the man walked past the restaurant, and continued down the street.

He heaved a heavy sigh in relief.

That could've gotten ugly.

He looked over at the kid on the other side of the table. He had set down his food, his slender white hands resting lightly on the tabletop while he gazed off in the direction of where the man had gone. Again that finely crafted mask was back in place and Renji wondered what was running through the kid's mind at that moment. It was obvious that there was no love lost between Byakuya and whoever that relative of his had been.

"So…" he muttered, taking another bite of his own food. "I guess ya know that guy?"

Byakuya didn't answer right away, just continued to look off into the distance. Finally his grey eyes returned to Renji's.

"You shouldn't speak with your mouth full. Haven't anyone ever told you it's rude?"

Renji rolled his eyes; it was obvious that that was the only answer he'd get on the matter. Damn nobles.

"Yer not gonna eat up?" he asked instead, making sure to swallow down his food before speaking.

The boy looked down on his plate, still with that distant look in his eyes. "I'm not hungry."

Byakuya sat down heavily on the lumpy sofa in the baboon's living room, drawing his knees up so he could rest his forehead against them. The redhead had gone outside to get some groceries, leaving him alone in the apartment. Finally.

For the fist time since that afternoon he felt like he could think. The baboon would always disturb his thoughts whenever he was around, the only refuge he had from him was when he retreated to the bedroom, and even then the redhead would constantly check up on him. Perhaps he thought that he was going to run off again, which wasn't such a bad idea if it hadn't been for the fact that he had nowhere to run to.

Akihiko… he had recognised him of course. He hadn't changed much since last he saw him after all since his cousin was older than him. At the most he may have grown a bit, and possibly his hair were longer than he remembered it.

If he was in the main house his sister was no doubt there too, which meant that if they found out about him being this young they'd stop at nothing to steal his title. Just as they had done to his parents. Obviously, now that his grandfather was gone, he was supposed to be the head of house. Briefly he wondered how old he had been the first time he had been named the head of house. How old had he been when his grandfather had died?

Older than now, that was certain. It seemed to be the only thing he was certain of anymore.

He felt a hard knot in his stomach, as if his insides were trying to strangle themselves, and he gasped for breath. At the same time he felt himself break out in cold sweat, and he shivered with cold even as he felt heat pounding in his head. Struggling to his feet he felt dizzy, and he steadied himself against a wall. He forced himself to draw a breath, then another, and another until he felt the dizziness fade and the knot loosen.

Panting he leaned against the wall heavily, hanging his head so that his hair fell over his face.

He needed something to make him forget, if only for a little while. Anything that could ease this pounding of doubts in his head.

Renji hurried back to his apartment. He hadn't wanted to leave the brat alone, especially given his odd mood, but he had had to get groceries or else they'd have nothing to eat, and since Byakuya had promptly refused to go along he had eventually decided to try to make it as quick as possible. He had even bought some new tea and bread, which he was planning to make for the brat to see if that might lighten his mood a bit.

Not the best of plans but it was the only thing he had been able to think of. Food always made him feel better.

Entering the apartment he found it silent, and the door to the bedroom was closed. Byakuya had probably gone in there to be alone for a while, and perhaps he should respect that but he felt a need to check up on him.

Setting the groceries down on the kitchen table he walked up to the bedroom, and knocked.

"Byakuya?"

No answer.

He knocked again, and fought down the urge to break down the door. If that brat had run away again…!

"Byakuya!" he called out again, a bit urgently, and when there was no answer he reached out and opened the door.

The room was dark and the curtains drawn, so it took him some time to adjust his eyes. At first glance he was certain that the room was vacant but then he saw a movement in the corner, right beside the window, and he saw the brat sitting there.

"Byakuya?" he mumbled, frowning and slowly approaching the youngster. The boy didn't look up at him; in fact he hardly seemed to be able to hear him, but just sat there with his head down so his hair hid his face from view. "Hey, ya ok?"

The boy stubbornly refused to answer him, merely huddled up in the corner like a caged animal.

Frowning he fell to his knees in front of the brat, and reached out to rouse him, but the boy swatted his hand away. What the heck was up with him now? And then he saw it, the bottle in the boy's hand. He recognised it of course; he had bought the sake after all. Last he saw it; it had been safely tucked away in his kitchen cabinet. Apparently the idiot brat had found it… and had decided to drink it.

He heaved a deep, exasperated sigh.

"Ya shouldn't be drinking this," he muttered, and grabbed a hold of the bottle. Byakuya snarled in response and refused to let go of the bottle that Renji tried to gently dislodge from his fingers. Tugging on the bottle softly, Renji muttered. "Let go."

"You let go." The brat answered stubbornly. "I saw it first."

"The hell ya did. I bought the damn thing, and it's mine. Besides it's not good for kids to drink this stuff, ya know."

"I'm not a… kid." Byakuya replied perpetuity, still not raising his head to look at him.

"Yeah, whatever, it's still not good for ya." He tried again, and snapped the bottle out of the boy's grip. Instantly the boy tried to snatch it back from him and Renji quickly jumped to his feet. "Oh no, ya don't. "

Finally raising his head the boy glared up at him, and perhaps it was his imagination that was playing tricks on him but for a moment Renji thought he could see a glimmer of unshed tears in those usually steely eyes.

"Give it back." The brat demanded angrily, and Renji shook his head.

"Hell no. Ya've gotten enough of this for an evening, kid."

The boy's eyes narrowed dangerously, then he suddenly disappeared, and the next second Renji felt him grab a hold on the bottle. Damn brat! He'd shunpoed in that state?

"Hey!" he protested, trying to tug the bottle away, but finding that the boy's grip wouldn't loosen. "Let go! Ya can't shunpo when yer drunk ya idiot, ya will get sick!"

"Will not." The brat choked out, and struggled to get the bottle back.

"Yeah ya will! I think I know a bit more about that than ya!" he argued back, raising the bottle up until the brat was barely hanging on to it, standing on the tip of his toes.

He wasn't sure but the kid really did look paler than usual, and hoped that he wasn't about to barf all over his bedroom floor. If he did Renji sure as hell wouldn't be the one to wipe it up.

Giving one sharp tug on the bottle, Byakuya's grip slipped off it and he stumbled back and would've fallen had not Renji quickly caught him in his arms. The bottle fell to the floor with a heavy thud, and judging from the soft splash some of the liquor spilled out onto the floor, but Renji ignored it. He had his hands full as it was.

The kid fought against him to get free from the embrace, but Renji held onto him. Even when the brat snarled and tried to punch him, he just ignored it and angrily caught the kid's arms, trapping them against Byakuya's sides with his own arms.

Tight lipped and stubborn he held onto the kid until the slight body in his arms relaxed, panting heavily as his head fell forward heavily, coming to rest on Renji's chest. Looking down on the dark head the redhead hoped it wasn't some sort of late effect on the flashstepping and liquor combo that the kid had pulled, that caused the sudden capitulation. But so far the kid hadn't barfed on him, just continued to pant heavily as if all fight had been drained out of him.

When he felt something hot and wet hit his chest his first thought was that it was barf, but then he realised that if it had been it would've been a whole lot more of it coming. Gazing down at the boy he felt shock. Was the kid crying? Byakuya? Something seemed fundamentally wrong with that. Yet he continued to hold onto the slight form as it trembled in his arms.

"He killed them," the boy murmured against his chest, and drew another shaky breath.

"Who? Who killed who?" Renji asked, gently holding the slim frame against his own, but the boy only shook his head, rubbing his face against Renji's chest as he did so.

"Nothing." It was just a strangled whisper in the dark, but in the silence Renji could hear it clearly. Of course there was something, he wanted to shout. Why the hell else would he get home to find the kid drunk and steadily drinking himself into oblivion? But he bit his tongue and forced himself to relax. There was no use in getting into an argument with him now. It could only end badly.

Instead he slowly reached up and ran his fingers through the soft, black hair of the younger man in what he hoped were a comforting manner. When he felt the other instead tensing up against him he drew back, and tilted the boy's head up so he could meet his gaze.

Those eyes in that pale, beautiful face were so sad, the steely glint softened and forgotten for the moment. The thin marks of tears on the boy's white cheeks glistened in the light from the hallway.

"Alright." He mumbled, and gently wiped away the tear marks with his thumb. "It's alright."

And as he watched a soft sigh escaped the boy's lips, and he relaxed in his arms.

TBC