DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters associated with it. They belong to their respective owners. This storyline, however, does belong to me.
Juud: Sorry it took so long! D:! My internet decided to declare war on me. ;-;
thelovablechelsea: Bad feeling huh:( You may be right. Anyways, here ya go.
WiNdGoDdEsS688: Sorry for the cliffhanger. D: But here's an update for ya!
Thanks, everyone, for your reviews
The House of Kuchiki
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Welcome home, Byakuya-sama." The same old servant that usually greeted him stood in the doorway, bowing. The sun had just started to shine through the windows. "Would you like some breakfast...?"
Byakuya didn't respond. Continuing on down the hall, he entered his bedroom and closed the door behind him. The servant sighed.
A younger girl, also a servant in the estate, approached the older one slowly. "How many days Byakuya-sama been like this?"
The older servant shook his head with a frown. "It'll be a week tomorrow. In any case... it's time for me to change his bandages..." The servant went towards Byakuya's bedroom and knocked on the door before entering.
Byakuya was sitting in the chair closest to the window, watching the sun rise in silence. "Byakuya-sama, would you like me to change your bandages now?"
Byakuya didn't move. The servant slowly approached him and picked up the fresh bandages he had laid out on the bed before Byakuya had returned. "It will get infected if we don't change them, master." Still, no response.
The servant frowned then put the bandages back down. "Summon me when you wish for them to be changed, sir." Byakuya looked over at the servant slowly, then stood up and slowly removed his robe.
Picking up the fresh bandages again, the servant approached him again. "Did you enjoy your walk, Byakuya-sama?"
No response again. Slowly removing the bandages, the servant frowned. The wound didn't seem to be healing at all. "Byakuya-sama... why don't you get this healed by the fourth division?"
Byakuya turned his gaze to look out the window again, still not responding. The servant began putting on the fresh bandages carefully. "You really should eat something, Byakuya-sama."
Byakuya looked at the servant as he finished putting on the bandages. "Kanaye," he said finally, "Do you remember the time I got badly injured as a child?"
Kanaye pondered the idea for a moment, then nodded. "The late mistress gave you a sweet cake to try to make you forget about the pain."
"Do you remember what my father said to her when she asked him to get the fourth division?"
"No, Byakuya-sama. I don't believe I was present for that."
"He said that she was rewarding my foolishness." Byakuya sat back down on the chair. " 'Getting the fourth division to heal is too good for such foolish and rash behavior. If he's going to heal, he'll do it on his own. I care not if he dies.' Back then... I didn't understand."
"This promotion is the sweet cake for getting injured during the mission." Byakuya looked out at the window. "I wasn't concentrating. Then, when the enemy went to attack Unohana, I didn't draw Senbonzakura to block it, but simply jumped in the way." Byakuya looked back at Kanaye. "I'm not going because I got injured thinking about someone instead of the mission."
"The commoner girl?" Kanaye began folding the old bandages. "She made you happy, Byakuya-sama. All of us at the estate noticed it."
Byakuya didn't answer, but looked out the window again. Kanaye began to leave. "Byakuya-sama... I know about the marriage."
Kanaye stepped out of the room, and turned to look at Byakuya again. "Your father didn't marry the woman he was given by the elders."
Byakuya turned his gaze to Kanaye. "While she was still of noble blood, he married your mother out of love. I felt you should know." He bowed and slowly closed the door, leaving Byakuya alone.
Byakuya looked out the window for a moment, then stood up slowly, put on his white off-duty robe, and left the room. Walking down the hall and towards the exit of the manor, he saw the servant who opens and closes the manor entrance start to put down his breakfast to go open the door for him.
Byakuya held his hand up to stop the servant. "Finish your food." Opening the doors himself, he stepped outside.
As he began to leave the estate, he thought back on the meeting with the elders.
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"You think your promotion is an honorable one?" The head elder was glaring down at him.
"Getting injured and getting a reward for it isn't honorable at all. Whether you were saving your friend or not, you were careless."
"It's the commoner girl, she's destroying you. Did you think we wouldn't find out? Foolish boy."
He didn't remember exactly what he had said in response, but Byakuya did remember his injury stinging from being reopened after he had raised his voice.
Another elder spoke up. "You're the representative of the clan, Byakuya. In spending time with that stupid girl, you're ruining our name."
The head elder stood up."Don't let us find out that you're still spending time with her. Leader of the clan or not, you're forbidden from seeing her. You're dismissed."
At this point, Byakuya turned to leave. He opened the door slowly and stepped out.
"And Byakuya. Your marriage is at the end of next month. It's all been arranged with the girl's family. They're honored you want them to be part of the Kuchiki clan."
Byakuya slammed the door behind him.
---
Before he knew it, Byakuya had arrived at his destination. He looked around to see many academy students walking around the courtyards and the halls. Change of classes... Now... If I remember correctly...
He made his way towards the area of the school in which the demon magic courses were taught. Scanning the outdoor classes through the windows, he frowned.
He came up to a classroom at the end of the hall and knocked on the door.
The door opened slowly. "Ah, Kuchiki Byakuya! What a pleasant surprise! We were just talking about you! Come in, come in." The instructor moved out of the way to allow him into the room.
"Everyone, look here. Lieutenant Kuchiki's the one I told you about who doesn't need to use incantations for demon magic. A rare gift to have." She smiled at him. "Congratulations on everything."
Byakuya didn't respond. He looked around the classroom at each of the students one by one.
The girl in the front row, an obvious member of the Byakuya Fan Club, pouted. "Kuchiki-sama! Is it true you're getting married?"
Byakuya shook his head slowly, still not paying very much attention. "Cancelled," he stated simply.
The instructor looked confused. "And why's that?"
"Doesn't matter." His eyes finally landed on her.
The girl in the front row grinned. "Does that mean you're avail--"
"Instructor," Byakuya cut the girl off, staring intently at the dark-haired girl seated near the back. "May I borrow one of your students?"
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I'm really bad at doing this to you guys. ;-; Sorry. Next chapter: Byakuya swallows his pride and begs for forgiveness! ... in his own... Byakuya-ish way... It'll be up tomorrow, hopefully.