Finally! An early update as well as a longish chapter!
Anyways, I haven't been getting much of a response to this fic lately and I'm really worried that it's getting boring. Is it?-
Oh, and Booktiger22, your review made my day~ Thank you so much! :3
Byakuya reached the park. It was a relatively huge place, with swings and slides for the kids on one side and benches for people longing for solitude in an isolated corner. It was just what he needed. He sat down on a bench. Something had changed, all right. After Hisana's death, he let no one inside. To say that his heart was enveloped in ice was an understatement; he had encased it in iron. No one was supposed to be let inside. But he, that man, he was different. He was something more, something Byakuya had been unconsciously longing for. That determination with which he had fought to rescue Rukia, who he barely knew, had shocked Byakuya. He had been relentlessly supporting his sister's execution all along, but Kurosaki Ichigo risked his life to save her and made him come to his senses. The iron that surrounded Byakuya's heart? Well, it had rusted and was falling apart.
"Oh, Kuchiki-san!"
Byakuya turned to see Inoue Orihime standing there.
"This park is pretty, isn't it, Kuchiki-san?" She came over and sat next to him.
"Yes, it is a very pleasant place." He wanted solitude. Her presence was hindering his thoughts. But she didn't seem to be going anywhere soon.
"Um, Kuchiki-San, will you mind if I ask you a question?"
"No."
She didn't seem offset by his curt reply.
"Actually...Kuchiki-san, do you like Kurosaki-kun? I mean, not as friends-"
"I understand what you mean. Currently, I am asking myself the same question."
"So you do." Her expression changed. From a happy one, she now bore an expression of a person trying to hide her true sadness.
"I truly do not know."
"You didn't say no, Kuchiki-san. Oh, can I tell you something?" She had successfully contained her sadness and looked as happy as ever.
"Yes, please do." He tried to be kind to her, which was surprising, as earlier, he wouldn't have cared. Yet another way Kurosaki Ichigo had changed him.
"I think he likes you too!"
"What makes you say that?" This girl was adept at hiding her true feelings. He was impressed with her ability to keep on smiling even though he knew she wanted to burst into tears.
"It's the way he looks at you! His eyes soften and...he changes, somehow. You're lucky, Kuchiki-san!"
"I admire your ability, Inoue Orihime." He had to say it. This girl masked her pain with a smile. It was truly very impressive.
"What are you saying, Kuchiki-san?"
"You are hiding your pain." He replied.
"I want to be happy for you and Kurosaki-kun. If I keep on smiling and acting happy, I'll gradually genuinely feel it!"
"You like Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"Kurosaki-kun is unique. He is kind, and he cares for everyone. You can't not like him!" She chirped and smiled fondly. Her love for him was becoming apparent.
"I see." He could come up with nothing more. Making small talk was not his specialty.
"Anyways, Kuchiki-San, where is Kurosaki-kun?" She asked. She seemed to excel a
"He is at home." He stated.
"Don't tell me...did you have a fight?" She questioned. She was visibly worried.
"No, nothing of that sort." He wondered why she was so worried. Shouldn't she be happy if they were having problems, seeing how much she loved Kurosaki Ichigo?
"Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-kun cares, but sometimes he can't show it so well. Hmmm, now that I think of it, I think he's bad at expressing affection!"
"..." This girl was genuine, he could feel it.
"Oh, it's nearly afternoon! Rangiku-San is waiting for me, I gotta go! Nice talking to you, Kuchiki-san! She got up.
"Thank you." Her words hade helped him make up his mind. He was truly grateful to her for that.
She smiled radiantly and left. When she was out of his sight, her vision went blurry. Tears rolled down her cheek as she walked.
"No, I can't cry! I'm gonna be happy for them! Kurosaki-kun deserves someone like Kuchiki-san! They're perfect for each other..." Her voice trailed off and, however much she wanted to be happy, the tears flowed freely.
Ichigo had managed to expel all odours from his room, and gotten rid of the sheets. Now came the most pressing problem- where the heck was Byakuya?! Ichigo was pretty sure he'd left to clear his head, but it was nearly noon now. Ichigo himself had decided what to do long ago how long did that guy need?
"Did he get lost or something?" In his mind he imagined a lost Byakuya trundling down a road in the middle of nowhere.
"Man, I gotta go look for him!" He said to himself but then stopped. Byakuya would never allow himself to get lost. Even if he did, he'd just flash step to a high place and locate the Kurosaki Clinic easily as it was not the most inconspicuous of buildings. And anyways, he might just be sitting somewhere alone, thinking, not wanting to be disturbed.
"Yeah, I think I'll go talk to Renji or something." Just as he was leaving the room, he heard a loud thump and turned around to see Renji standing there. He had entered from the window, which he seemed to prefer to the door. Perfect timing.
"Yo, Ichigo! Listen, ya wanna-"
"I fucked Byakuya."
"Oh. That's- WAIT, WHAT? WHEN THE HELL DID YOU DO IT? HOW THE FUCK DID YOU EVEN MANAGE THAT?" Renji went pale and looked like he was going to have a panic attack.
"Oh, I get it, I must be dreaming." Renji said, looking relieved. Apparently the whole situation was proving a little too much for him to digest.
Ichigo punched him soundly on his arm.
"Well, there goes my hopes of this being a dream. How'd you get him to agree to that anyways? Oh, wait, hang on, don't tell me!"
"Why?" Ichigo asked simply, not even bothering to tell him to keep his voice down. The way Renji looked now, Ichigo wouldn't be surprised if he fainted or had a had a heart attack.
"Dude, he's my captain! I don't wanna be all awkward around him!" Renji said, regaining his composure a little.
"Then don't be. It happened last night. We had sex and feel asleep together, but Yuzu was at the door in the morning, so he kinda hurried off."
"The captain ran from your little sister? That's actually pretty funny!" Renji chuckled.
"Yeah, it's not. Now listen. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"You're asking me? How am I supposed to know?"
"Sorry, I forgot that you are the crappiest advisor in Soul Society."
"Shut the hell up! You want advice? Listen! Kuchiki-Taicho is super hard to read, and I don't even know what the hell he's thinking half of the time. So just go with whatever your gut tells you."
"Wow, that really was crap."
"It was perfect and you're too chicken to say so. Now that your problem is solved, come have a drink with us tonight. Both of you. Getting wasted will help!"
"The problem is far from solved, dumbass. And I keep on telling you, I'm underage!"
"Rangiku knows some people, and you look old enough. You should really get drunk, dude."
"I'll see whether Byakuya wants to go or not."
"You're totally whipped."
"Want me to punch your face in? Now leave already, I don't wanna make anyone suspicious."
"Alright, alright, better go work my ass off for Urahara again. And we'll be coming here tonight to pick you up!" Renji jumped out of the window. Ichigo face palmed.
Byakuya was walking towards Ichigo's house. He Almost missed Soul Society now. At least there weren't any crazy women over there who wouldn't stop staring. He failed to understand how these women had nothing better to do than leer like dirty old men.
"Oy, Ichi-nii, Byakuya-san's here!"! Karin yelled.
"Had breakfast?" She asked Byakuya.
"No, I left in a hurry in the morning." He said. It was true, after all.
"Urgent modelling session?" Karin asked sympathetically. "Wait here, I'll call everyone, we can have brunch." He sat down and she left to call Yuzu and their dad at the exact moment Ichigo came down. He took the chair next to Byakuya.
"Hey. I was getting worried." He said lamely.
"I was at the park. Inoue Orihime was there too." He replied.
"Oh, you guys talked?"
"Yes."
Suddenly, awkwardness surrounded the space around them. Both were lost for words. What're you supposed to say to a guy whom you fucked the last night anyways?
Ichigo decided to man up and talk about last night. It had to be done someday, and this awkwardness was really getting to him.
"Uhhhh, it's okay if you don't wanna talk about it, but about last night..." He trailed off uncertainly.
Byakuya looked at him. Their eyes locked, and they both knew what they wanted.
"You know, Byakuya, if you keep on looking like that, I'm gonna kiss you right here and now." Ichigo said it before he could stop himself.
"That is a very bold statement to make, Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya smirked. That man would be the death of him.
"You didn't say no!" Ichigo grinned. If he kept this up it would be troublesome for Byakuya's heart.
"I-" Byakuya was cut off by the arrival of the rest of the family. A happy Yuzu and a grumpy Karin carried the food. Isshin followed. For once, he behaved himself and refrained from jumping at Ichigo, however he still referred to Byakuya as his 'second son'.
Review, pretty please? I'm running a little (okay, a lot) low on confidence here, your honest opinions would really help improve this story