It's the end of the week, so it's time for....CHAPTER 7!!! And I really think you're going to like this one. I know I enjoyed writing it.
Shout-outs to all of you who have left reviews. You make me and my inbox happy! I apologize to those of you who I haven't replied to. I try to send a reply to all of your reviews but the schedule's been working me to death. So thank you for your commentaries and for reading. I hope you're enjoying the story.
Before I forget. Last chapter was Rangiku's POV. This chapter were back on Byakushi's brain. And it will be interesting to see what he's thinking.
Disclaimer: All Bleach characters are Kubo-san's property. If they were mine some wicked things would happen.... Lately, I've been picturing a game of poker between the taichos. Who'd have the best poker face? Probably Yachiru would win. Yes, she's not a taicho but, who can say no to her?
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I always rejoiced in silence. It never carried any threat in my eyes, having grown up surrounded by it. There is no complication in it. It's simple to understand once you learn to listen to it.
In the halls of the division silence usually means work, commitment to complete tasks. And I rather liked it that way. After all, I was not the only one working within those halls.
But today is not a day for work. After all the turmoil of the past few days, I realized that wilting away in my office won't do anything to improve my spirits. So I headed for the training grounds, zanpakuto safely hanging by my side, ready to get some much needed training.
I've never doubted my skills, but I'm not one to rest on laurels. Constant training is for any shinigami a pivotal part of development, even for those who have reached the pinnacles I have. And Senbonzakura had been begging me to unsheathe her for a while now, so I felt compelled to meet her wishes.
I walked the white halls of the Seireitei, breathing in the fresh morning air. I had always enjoyed the feeling, especially considering that I walked through empty streets. The Seireitei is a place of peace, but in the early morning one can really sense this. Also, I always found solace in solitude since I don't have to keep any kind of appearance.
I continued walking when I noticed a swirl of pink fabric floating in the wind, turning on a corner. It was Matsumoto Rangiku, walking in my direction.
I'd been surprised by the commitment she'd showed the past few days, but to stumble upon her at these hours of the morning was simply impressive. Even more so if one considers that she did not seem to be in an ethylic state nor did she look like she had left any other place but her own home.
I considered turning in another direction only to avoid the pleasantries, but that would delay my session, having spotted the training grounds just a few blocks away.
I tried to divert my attention somewhere else, but there was only her and me on the aisle so my efforts were wretched. She had locked her eyes on me, quietly calling me to meet her gaze. She succeeded at that.
"Good morning Kuchiki-taicho."
"Matsumoto-fukutaicho."
I thought I would be able to continue on my path having fulfilled the required salutation, but I was wrong. She'd stopped in her tracks, compelling me to respond in the same manner.
"It's a nice morning don't you think?"
"There's no need for this Matsumoto-fukutaicho. We don't have to engage in small talk. You can carry on with your errands."
"I'm sorry taicho, but I only wanted to express my gratitude."
I stood impassive as I always do, concealing my surprise from the blonde shinigami.
"I wanted to personally thank you for your compliment."
"What compliment?" I asked bluntly.
"You don't remember? Oh well… You mentioned something about my fighting skills to my taicho. He was very pleased to hear that, as I was."
"It's not a compliment if it's the truth."
"Well… As I said, I only wanted to thank you for your words taicho. It's always good to know you're doing well."
She drew a smile on her face and right then I was lost. She never seemed to be the subtle kind, but she had found a way to draw my attention without me being able to neither notice nor respond. Keeping my uncaring façade was always easy for me, but she had bashed it with a hammer and little pieces were falling out.
I could only stand there silent, trying to keep the remnants of my mask in their place.
"I'll leave you to your work taicho" she said, playing a slight smirk upon her face.
I felt compelled to talk, to prevent her from walking past me. My hand meant to grab hers, if only to keep her in my company for one more moment.
But I can't. It's not like me to respond to useless emotions, not that this had prevented me in the past. I collected strength from everywhere in my body to keep my hand in its place.
I succeeded, seeing as she had continued in her path.
"Ma…"
I had noticed from the corner of my eye that she had stopped once more, turning on her heel to look at me after hearing me stutter.
"Is there something else, Kuchiki-taicho?"
"I suppose you will be training the division later in the day?"
Knowing the answer to the question was the furthest thing in my mind, considering her response would be obvious. It was not what I meant to say, but I couldn't bring myself to say that. I can't say that.
"Of course Kuchiki-taicho…" She replied, smiling at me once more "…why do you ask?"
"I need a word with you, but I don't have the time for it right now, so—" it was all I could get around to say. Being dumbfounded had rendered my eloquence mute.
"Getting in some training, Kuchiki-taicho?" she said, interrupting my words.
She had discovered my motives, and I was curious as to how she did.
"How can you tell?"
"Is the way you're holding your zanpakuto, with want. I can sense you're in need to unsheathe…" - I continued to look at her from the corner of my eye, startled by her response, but I was sure she couldn't tell - "…like all shinigami do from time to time. It's perfectly normal"
I struggled to find a response to her statement, but I failed in my purpose.
"I'll stop by your office after practice…Kuchiki-taicho"
And with that she resumed walking, leaving me with both unspoken words and a lack of them. All I could hear was the echo of her footsteps, disappearing into the morning air.
I decided to continue walking towards the training grounds, with my hand steadily placed on Senbonzakura's hilt.
Her words continued to resound in my head, pounding at it like does a hammer. However, I was able to direct my focus back to my original purpose.
"Chire, Senbonzakura"
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After training, I decided to head home for a much needed bath. I took the rest of the morning off to relax, choosing to return to the office only before lunch.
I don't enjoy having lunch in the Kuchiki mansion as there's always the possibility of other clan members disturbing me with petty problems at this hour. Needless to say that is something I do not appreciate since that's what clan meetings are for, not my lunch time. It's tedious enough that I have to go through hours of their bickering once a week to be bothered to listen to them outside that time frame.
I walked over to my personal dinning room inside the division to see if my food had been delivered from the mansion. I noticed it had not, so I went to my office to check on the state of my affairs.
"Officer, let me know when my food arrives" I warned the officer before entering.
"Yes, Kuchiki-taicho"
When I stepped in I realized everything was as I had left it. The paperwork was neatly piled upon my desk, the window was half opened and no one but me resided inside the office. Business as usual, until I heard…
"Good afternoon, Kuchiki-taicho"
I recognized that voice, as it was not long ago I had heard it last. Still, I refused to believe she was inside my office, waiting for me. She couldn't be expecting Renji since he was still in the human world. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, to see if this vivid hallucination would disappear.
"Kuchiki-taicho?" she repeated. This time I turned to face her, conscious of the fact she was indeed present and not in my head. I maintained my composure and stood in my spot gazing at her.
"How was practice… Kuchiki-taicho?"
"What are you doing in my office fukutaicho?"
"I had sometime before lunch, so I came here" she replied grinning.
"Skipping work?"
"No… More like taking the morning off"
"Did you have a bad night fukutaicho?" I replied, assuming that would be her only reason to put aside her responsibilities. Maybe I was wrong this morning and she had been in fact in a drunken state.
"Not really taicho, I slept like a baby. I took the morning off to practice just like you did. I talked to my taicho and he was fine with it"
So it was an early training for her as well. That would certainly explain why she has improved her skills lately.
"You didn't answer my question fukutaicho. Why are you in my office?"
"You asked me to stop by, remember?"
"Yes, but you said you'd come here after practice"
"Yes I did, and here I am… after practice. Was I not specific enough, Kuchiki-taicho?"
She was playing with me, since it was obvious I meant after her practice with the division and not after her practice. Every single thing she did from the moment she greeted me was meant to mislead me. Everything from the way she grinned, her answers and even the way she pronounced my title, defying and enticing me just to call my attention.
I felt urged to respond, to reprimand her for her lack of respect, but I was helpless. There were no clear faults in her demeanor so I had nothing to accuse her of. She had played her cards so well that she didn't have to resort to calling me by my name to perturb me, not that if she had I would be able to do anything about it.
I was completely disarmed, and she had achieved it with such ease that even I was surprised. She just stood there waiting for my answer as I struggled to find one, being too busy hoping something or someone would interrupt us and break her spell.
"Kuchiki-taicho?" she said softly.
"I'm afraid we can't talk now, Matsumoto-fukutaicho. I was getting ready to leave for lunch. Perhaps you should do the same"
I thought that would be enough to make her leave the office, but she still showed a collected disposition, not at all duped by my response.
"Kuchiki-taicho, Kuchiki Rukia-sama is here to see you" The officer said from the other side of the door, briefly dragging me from my trance.
"Let her in"
I could tell the blonde shinigami was surprised by the presence of my adoptive sister, but she didn't seem disappointed by it, turning quickly to greet Rukia.
"Hi Rukia!"
"Rangi… Oh sorry, Matsumoto-fukutaicho" Rukia replied, clearing her throat at her choice of title.
The blonde smiled softly at Rukia, charmed by her manners "I'll forgive you just this time for calling me by my title. I know you did it because of your brother" she replied, looking at me so quickly I almost missed it.
"Am I late for lunch Nii-sama?" Rukia said, noticing the nerves that played upon my face.
"Not really, when I arrived the food had not been delivered yet"
"I watched the servants enter the division just before I did. The food must be in the dinning room"
"If that's the case then we should eat Rukia" I said, trying to remain calm. I was now relieved to know Matsumoto Rangiku's game would end shortly.
However, I couldn't tell the woman held one more card under her sleeve, and she planned on playing it.
"Well I should go eat as well. All the training left me starving…" The blonde replied "I'll drop by after practice, Kuchiki-taicho. Bye Rukia, have a nice meal"
"Rangiku wait!" Rukia mouthed as the fukutaicho walked towards the door.
"Yes Rukia?" she replied, slightly grinning.
"You can join us for lunch. The servants always bring plenty of food. More than enough for the both of us."
"It's fine Rukia, I don't want to impose. I've got a perfectly decent meal waiting for me in the barracks. You guys enjoy your lunch"
It was clear to me that she had done this in purpose. Her choice of words was excellent, her enunciation as well. She knew Rukia would persist, and she added just the exact combination of words to fuel her wishes.
"Matsumoto-fukutaicho I insist. Now, would you be so kind as to grace us with your presence during lunch?"
After such a proper invitation, I couldn't see how she would find a way to dismiss it. Of course she had prompted the invitation, but that doesn't mean she would let her purpose be clear to my sister. She sighed in a clear sign of defeat.
"I guess there's no way I can say no to you, right Rukia?"
"Not a single one Rangiku"
"Ok, I'll join you for lunch, but just as long as Kuchiki-taicho is fine with it"
Rukia turned to look at me, expecting a response. She had cornered my sister, as well as me in the process.
I let out a sigh, a clear sign of surrender "Its okay Rukia, she can eat lunch with us"
"Then it's settled. Shall we?" Rukia beckoned the both of us.
We started walking towards the dinning room. Once we arrived, being a man of good manners I slid the door and held it open so both my sister and her friend could enter.
Rukia stepped in first, looking over at the table to find it fully supplied with food. She was so absorbed in the view that she didn't notice the other woman stop in front of me, once again defying me with her eyes.
"Thank you for inviting me to lunch… Kuchiki-taicho"
And there it was again, that small pause right before saying my name. She knows it gets to me, so she uses it at will only to taunt me.
She was in complete control of her actions, unlike me. After all she knows just how to disarm me, why would she decline the opportunity to do it once more?
"It is our pleasure, Matsumoto-fukutaicho…" I replied, trying hard not to let her know I was glad she had agreed to stay "…You've made my sister happy with your presence, so I thank you for that"
She smiled at me, ever so softly but dangerous at the same time
"Just as long as you're happy. You know, the both of you" She said in a subtle attempt to ease my conscience. Then, she entered the room and joined Rukia.
I felt compelled to smile after such a kind exchange, but found strength within me to contain it, opting to close my eyes for a brief moment, committing this to my memory.
Both women were now sitting seiza in front of the table, waiting for me to join them. I closed the door behind me and proceeded to sit next to my sister.
The three of us were starving, so we dove right into the food, not stopping to make any kind of conversation. I was glad Rukia was right about the quantities of food, since by the time we were done eating there was none on the table. After all, we were all shinigamis with high levels of reiatsu, so the quantities were necessary.
"I'm full Nii-sama, I can't have one more bite" Rukia said, directing her hands to her stomach
"There's no more food to bite on, Rukia" the blonde who sat across the table from me replied.
"I think I'm going to walk back to my division, very slowly" Rukia got up from her position and walked towards the door.
"I'll see you tonight at the clan meeting, Nii-sama"
"Bye Rukia!"
"Bye Rangiku! Thanks for joining us" Rukia spoke, waving goodbye to the other woman in the room as she closed the door.
It took me a moment to realize that we were alone in the room…
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Oooh...cliffie! Sorry about that, but the rest of the conversation will fit better in the next chapter. You'll get it once you read it.
On that note. Updates. Apparently I'm good with keeping my deadlines so I'll venture once again. Chapter 8 up by the end of next week the latest. I got a good idea of whats to come on chapter 8, so now I just got to sit down and write. And like I said, my schedule's been riding me hard. And I should return to the pool next week and soccer as well, so pray for my muse not to get so tired that I can't wirte a complete sentence.
This is the moment when I tackle your kindness and ask you very pleasantly to leave me a review (Insert cute grin here). I want to know your thoughts on this. At the risk of repeating myself I'll remind you: Comments make me happy. The happy me likes writing and obsessing over what to right about, which only benefits the result. So you know what to so :D
P.S: I was proof reading the chapter again before posting and I noticed something that only dirty, chained to the gutter minds like mine could pick up on. I'll give you a hint: it's something that Rangiku tells Byakuya. It's childish but my brain just can't help itself. If you pick up on it let me know. Or if you see something else that fits the profile tell me as well. Much love to all of you.