Long chapter! Enjoy!
Oh, in case anyone doesn't know, reiatsu is spiritual pressure, and I'll stick to Captain Kuchiki instead of Kuchiki-Taicho, kay?
Lunch, as always, was a jovial affair. Jokes and sarcasm (courtesy Karin and Ichigo) seemed to be the main dish. Isshin just wouldn't stop calling Byakuya his second son. Seriously, that man could be as stubborn as a goat, so Ichigo just let him be.
Suddenly, a loud beeping sound resounded across the room. Everybody turned to Byakuya.
"Is someone calling, Byakuya-san?" Karin questioned. Byakuya knew it was the sound of his hollow alarm, so he excused himself. Ichigo got up to follow him.
"They're so lovey-dovey, aren't they?" Yuzu said, forgetting that her brother was not out of earshot yet. Ichigo said nothing. But he couldn't stop his ears from turning red.
"As if Ichi-nii can land someone like Byakuya-san!" Karin scoffed, shaking her head at her twin's stupidity.
Byakuya went up to Ichigo's room, with Ichigo trailing behind.
"Kurosaki Ichigo, take care of this gigai." He abandoned the gigai, and it fell to the floor. Ichigo cringed at seeing Byakuya fall to the floor like a broken puppet. It wasn't the real Byakuya, but it still seemed wrong.
"Wait, what? I'm going too!" Ichigo just realised that Byakuya wasn't about to take him along. He wasn't going to be left behind!
"There is a reason why Soul Society has dispatched us, instead of just leaving it up to you like always."
"What is it? I'm pretty sure I can handle it!"
"I do not have time, I will tell you later." Byakuya took one look at the hollow tracker and flash stepped out of sight.
"Seriously? And what the hell am I supposed to do about this?" Ichigo said exasperatedly. Byakuya's gigai lay there, it's frozen lifeless eyes open. The eyes did not have the same light, but it was still Byakuya, and it was seriously turning Ichigo on. Yeah, he knew it was weird, but it's not like he could help it.
"Should I stuff it in the closet? Nah, I got a feeling Byakuya wouldn't like that..." Ichigo was lost deep in thought, wondering about the possible hiding places where the chances of his family discovering it and getting a heart attack would be less.
Ichigo had finally managed to hide the gigai under his bed. He had felt really bad shoving it under the bed, but heck it had to be done. He closed the door to his room and went down.
"Onii-chan, where'd Byakuya-san go?" Yuzu asked.
"Oh, he had to leave for urgent work" Ichigo said.
"That's funny, we didn't see him leave..." Karin said suspiciously
"I think you weren't paying attention or something" Man, would they ever stop interrogating him?
"Ichi-nii, have you taken Byakuya-san to the beach yet? I think he'd like it!" Karin suggested.
"Yeah, we could all have a family outing!" Yuzu said excitedly.
"Seriously, Yuzu? He's a teenage guy, if he wants to go with his family instead of his friends, something's seriously wrong with him!" Karin just didn't get Yuzu's innocence.
"Karin, I am sitting right here..." Ichigo sweat dropped.
"Son, you should listen to your sister! You can even pick up some chicks at the beach...you really do need some action, you know!"
Ichigo threw a plate at his shameless dad.
"Good idea though, I'll see if he wants to go" He said, even though he knew it would be bad for his heart. The idea of Byakuya in swimming trunks made his nose bleed. Honestly, he was like some twelve year old girl with a crush.
Byakuya flash stepped across the sky, taking care to suppress his reiatsu. He was getting nearer. He could only tell because of the little beeping device in his hand. The hollow's reiatsu was untraceable. It was obviously suppressing it. This hollow was a rather special one, code named Acidwire, and he could eat reiatsu. Literally eat. If he eats your reiatsu, you will never get it back unless the hollow dies. All he has to do is sink his claws in your flesh and your reiatsu solidifies and the hollow eats it. Many shinigami had been stripped of their reiatsu, and they had to spend their remaining lives too weak to use their power. Kurosaki Ichigo was many things, but an expert at controlling reiatsu he was not. And so, Soul Society had decided to send a special team instead of endangering him. Byakuya arrived at the location, and indeed, the hollow, Acidwire, was there, on top of a skyscraper, no doubt searching for tasty wholes to consume. The other shinigami were also there, at a safe distance from the hollow so that it couldn't spot them.
"Captain Kuchiki, you're late!" Matsumoto Rangiku whined. Byakuya ignored her. She was an able lieutenant, but sometimes he wondered how Captain Hitsugaya handled her.
"Come on, stop wasting time, let's hurry up and attack him!" Said Madarame Ikkaku. As expected from the barbarian Kenpachi Zaraki's squad.
"Follow me, we will surround him and attack. First, we attack with kido, then we release our swords if necessary. Renji, you can sit out the first round."
"Captain!" Renji pleaded
"No, Renji, I cannot allow you to blow up the town." Byakuya said calmly and set off towards the hollow, the others following suit.
"Hado # 31, Shakkaho" Byakuya fired the hado. It hit the hollow between the eyes. The hollow was already injured. He was bleeding from various cuts and was slowing down. Yet he didn't give up and kept on trying to attack them. They had already been fighting for an hour, and the hollow was slowing down.
"Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji landed an attack on the hollow.
"I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!" The hollow roared, taking the shinigami by surprise.
"Oh wow, it can talk?" Yumichika said in surprise.
"Well, it is a high-level hollow."
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
"Woah, Captain Kuchiki, at least warn us beforehand!" Rangiku complained, ducking out of the way.
"The fight has been going on for too long." Byakuya said simply.
"As I said, I will not be defeated!" The hollow transformed. He grew in size, and his claws grew as big as its body.
"You really need a manicure~" Sang Rangiku as she fired another hado at him, further enraging him.
Acidwire roared, and dodged Ikkaku and Yumichika's attacks. His reflexes had become sharper. He lunged at Byakuya, only to get sliced up by Senbonzakura's blades. In a last ditch attempt, he swung his claws towards Renji, who blocked with Zabimaru. Suddenly, he caught Zabimaru with his hand and swung his other hand towards Renji. It happened all too fast for Renji to react, and the hollow cut him. Blood spurted out of Renji's torso, and the others watched in horror as his reiatsu solidified into a glowing golden orb. Byakuya surrounded the hollow with his blades, but it was too late. The hollow had already consumed his reiatsu.
Renji started falling to the ground. Without reiatsu, he would have no power. He'd be able to retain his spirit form, but that was about it. Byakuya flash stepped over and caught him. He placed Renji on a safe place.
"I'm sorry, Captain" Renji was ashamed of himself.
"Don't be. It was our fault for not reacting as well."
"Abarai, hang on, we'll get it back!" Yelled Ikkaku from above.
"Yeah, don't lose hope!" Yumichika said.
"Stay strong!" Rangiku cheered.
Renji smiled weakly. Byakuya left him and rejoined the other shinigami.
"One down, four more left~" Jeered the hollow.
"Not if we can help it. Bakudo #4, Hainawa!" Rangiku was fired up. The hollows hands and feet were bound by tight ropes. The hollow started squirming, and tried to cut his way out. Upon seeing that it was impossible, he stayed still. He would not let himself be defeated, but it would be best to retreat for now
"I will remember this!" The hollow said, and disappeared in a flash.
"Damn it!" Cursed Ikkaku.
"We almost had him!" Yumichika said, evidently disappointed.
"We must kill that hollow in order for Renji to get his power back."
"We definitely will, Captain Kuchiki!"
"My, my, the hollow just disappeared?" Urahara Kisuke asked, waving that annoying fan of his.
"Byakuya-boy, you just let it happen? What were you doing, sucking on a lollipop?" Shihoin Yoruichi put her arm around Byakuya's shoulders.
"Shut up, you demon cat" Byakuya grumbled. The others were delighted to see this side of Byakuya.
"Anyways, everyone will be staying here until they get Abarai's reiatsu, back, right?" Urahara questioned.
"Of course they will, Kisuke! Byakuya-boy, where're you staying?"
"At Kurosaki Ichigo's"
"Awwww, I was kinda hoping that you'd stay here and keep me company~"
"Go to hell, you devil cat."
"Well, atleast I have Renji!"
"What about the others?" Urahara asked.
"Me and Yumichika are staying with Ichigo's classmate and his sister." Ikkaku said, not very pleased. "Crazy bitch she is" he added.
"I'm with Orihime!" Rangiku said. She had absolutely no qualms.
"Well, everyone's settled then! Abarai-san will stay here with us, right?"
"Sure." Renji would like to stay with Ichigo, but that guy would be pissed and besides he really didn't want to be around with he and the captain did all their lovey dovey shit.
"Oh, will Kuchiki-san come too?" Urahara asked Renji.
"You mean Rukia? She says she's busy with lieutenant duties. Personally, I think she's trying to detach herself from Ichigo's closet." Renji replied
"Yes, it is a very dangerous addiction." Byakuya nodded.
"...seriously, Captain?"
"There was a time when she would insist upon sleeping in her room's closet. Those were dark times, Renji." Byakuya said gravely.
Meanwhile in Soul Society, Kuchiki Rukia is suffering from a terrible bout of sneezing.
Byakuya was about to enter through the front door, but he stopped himself in time. He flash stepped up to Kurosaki Ichigo's window and entered the room, scaring the wits out of the room's owner in the process.
"God, Byakuya, you trying to give me a heart attack?" Ichigo was glad to see him back unharmed, but that didn't excuse him from entering his room so suddenly.
"And what's with shinigami entering from my window? You guys have a thing for it or something? And did you defeat the hollow?"
"Before that, Kurosaki Ichigo, I will impose upon you for a few more days." Byakuya said while getting into his gigai, even though he knew Ichigo would gladly let him stay.
"Dude, stay for however long you want to. And will you tell me what happened?" Ichigo was obviously happy, but he maintained his scowl.
"Renji's reiatsu got WHAT? Wow, I knew he was stupid, but to be this dumb..."
"It was actually all of our faults. But we will get his reiatsu back."
"Well, where's that idiot staying now?"
"Urahara Kisuke's place."
"So, you guys have basically nothing to do till that hollow appears, right?"
"Yes"
"Wanna go to the beach, then? And we can visit amusement parks and arcades and other places. I mean, it's fine if you don't want to but the human world has many interesting places"
"That sounds good." Byakuya looked at Ichigo with a fraction of a smile on his beautiful face.
"By the way, remember you were telling me something before lunch when we were interrupted?"
"I cannot seem to remember exactly." Byakuya's lips looked inviting.
"Lemme help" Ichigo pinned Byakuya against the wall and kissed him, his tongue exploring every cavern of Byakuya's mouth. They kissed for what seemed like centuries till they had to break apart for air.
"That certainly refreshed my memory." Byakuya's lips looked red and swollen, and it took every ounce of self control in Ichigo's body not to grab him and kiss him breathless again.
Renji is the sacrificial lamb in this chapter. I mean, I love him and everything, but he was the most appropriate...Tell me what you think, kay? Loved it or hated it, your opinions will be valued! *goes and fangirls over a pic of Byakuya at the beach*