She's Like the Moon Chapter 16: Byakuya and Akamori: Reprise, a bleach fanfic

Mood: Fed-up. Music: My Name Is, by Eminem. (I've been told that writing your mood down and music and crap is supposed to help. Gwah.) I'm still tired as shit. And in effect this is probably being published late. On a lighter note, I think it would be good to say that if I cared what people thought about my writing I wouldn't get a single word written. Also know I'm not talking to anyone in particular, this is just a nice public service announcement, which is probably a moot point anyway because no one ever reads these A/N things. I don't like to start shit. Eheh, anyway! Boring as I seem, I do have a life, which is another reason for the late publishing. And I have a lot of ranting to do, but it won't be in my author's notes. I'm ranting to the person for whom I wrote the story. IDK, MY BFF SECCABERRY. K THX. Unless you don't know your ass from your elbow, you can probably tell I'm stressed out. Go easy on me.

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She's Like the Moon, an xSilverWingsx fanfic

I need to find you, to tell you I'm sorry.

-Coldplay

Toshiro wiped his forehead of sweat with the back of his hand and heaved a sigh.

He'd expected these soccer tryouts to be effortless, or on a comfortable level at least. The players had been instructed to run three miles, kicking the ball around cones as they went. He had finished in the top seven, but every aching muscle in his body reminded him it hadn't been as easy as he'd anticipated.

The only spectators were Senna and the coaches, who seemed to be annoyed by her presence. She had gotten overexcited several times, picking up the megaphone to cheer for people, not noticing when she hit the head coach with it.

He settled near the fence and retied his shoes. On the backward circuit he'd almost tripped over the laces. That was completely idiotic.

"Toshi," said Senna, who was suddenly kneeling next to him. "You look lethargic to me." Her orange eyes seemed too limited for her curiosity, and he wondered where she had come up with the world lethargic. He could tell she wasn't stupid, but at times she gave the impression of being simple-minded.

Toshiro blinked at her. "I am, Senna," he confirmed, pulling out his water and straightening up to full-height – which barely surpassed her collarbone, "So, where's your brother?" Hideki's absence was a good thing, but he wanted to be sure if the brunette was going to burst in.

"Basketball practice. He left… like ten minutes after you started," she explained, watching as he gulped the water. The bottle contracted in on itself when he reached the bottom. "Want to go get more?" she asked brightly.

Toshiro glanced at the base of the bottle, wanting to make sure there was no water left. When he found none, he agreed. "Yes." Senna, despite her childish demeanor, had a strange warming effect to her. He hoisted his bag up onto his shoulder and followed her across the field, which reflected the gleam of the overhead lighting.

"So," she said inquiringly, "what got you into soccer?"

He thought about the question for a moment. "Well, it was easy for me," he replied simply. It still seemed odd that she was so interested in what he did. A girl with five brothers definitely got her fill of sports-related conversations.

"Oh," Senna said in a fulfilled tone. She tilted her head to the side. "How long have you been playing?"

"Since I was six." The crickets were quiet this evening, to his chagrin. They calmed him, but in early winter they wouldn't be out freezing their asses off.

"Wow, I … no wonder you're so good." She grinned and he blinked several times.

"…Thank you," Toshiro said after what seemed to be an hour. He changed tack at top speed. "What are your hobbies?"

Her happy expression relaxed into a thoughtful one. "Well… I like to climb things. My brothers think it's a good hobby." She glanced back in the direction of the school. "But they're up for anything."

"Even Hideki?" he asked incredulously, feeling a frown settle in.

"Hideki, Takashi, Kazuo, Masaru, Ryouta. They're okay with any hobby just as long as I don't get hurt." Senna rolled her day glow eyes and stopped in front of the drink machine at the end of the field, nestled in between the stands. About ten multicolored drink options stood before them. "What do you want?"

Toshiro sighed. "Water, please." He suddenly remembered his money – back in his duffel bag, of no use whatsoever. He hated borrowing money. She punched in the code for the soda, and he noticed something – a large red mark across the palm of her hand. His next sentence was somewhat hesitant. "When you climb… do you … fall much?" the words had barely escaped.

She picked up the drinks from the slot at the bottom, looking confused when she handed him his water. "Do I fall? Nah." She cracked open her Dr. Pepper with a refreshing fizz and chugged it.

He sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time. This might be hard.

The small girl let the phone sidle back onto the receiver after she dropped it. "Crap."

Ichigo's brown eyes were apprehensive. "What's up with you?" he asked, and oddly enough his tone was a little uneasy. She wouldn't expect that from Ichigo, always unperturbed Ichigo.

"It's my sister… she's having a baby." The words felt alien as they escaped her lips. It hadn't been that long ago that on her eleventh birthday, Akamori had been running through the sprinklers, barely even a preteen. And… it was always funny when it worked out this way. Her sister had always said she'd be a virgin forever and die a spinster.

Ichigo blinked, looking off to the side. "Well, it's not surprising."

Rukia glowered at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, nothing, I mean, it's just, Renji and your sister are a little… dicey."

If anything, that was true. Normally she would've carried on the argument but was a little too focused on the current situation to bother with it. "Yeah, sure." Her blue eyes gazed out the window thoughtfully.

"Need a ride?" he looked expectant but weirdly considerate as well.

Rukia looked up, her pale forehead crinkling. "Your BMW's at home… isn't it?"

"Nope, I think my dad brought it up the other day." He shrugged.

"No, thanks. I know Byakuya, he'll send someone," she assured him.

Ichigo scoffed. "Well, of course he will," he muttered, but then his expression relaxed.

"And knowing him, they might keep me home for a day or two. Maybe I'll get to spend time with the baby." She smiled in spite of herself. Being an aunt would be a good thing. Then she noticed Ichigo, who seemed a bit unhappy. She knew it was probably because he'd be stuck with Toshiro…

Ichigo's expression was earnest, his usually aggravated eyebrows relaxed and his lips slightly parted. "Well… I guess that's all right. Good for you." The corner of his mouth eased up a little, and he raised a hand for what seemed to be a casual wave, but lowered it shakily. "Later," he murmured.

"Bye, Ichigo." She smiled at his back. For an unbearable redhead, you're a good friend.

Rukia stood outside at the gate to school, her eyes closed in thought. Akamori was pregnant? She hadn't known… and felt a little deceived to be honest. Her sister's whole life was an open book… at least most of the time. Maybe this proved to be one of those instances where she kept things to herself.

At that moment a dark car pulled up – one that she knew, but seldom saw… Byakuya's car?

He never picks me up. I guess it's a day for odd occurrences, hm?

She walked out to the car silently, making a beeline not to trip over the curb on her way. She grasped the stiff backseat handle and it opened noiselessly. Rukia slid into the car that smelled new, unintentionally meeting her father's eyes in the rearview mirror. She went pink of sheer embarrassment and looked away, fiddling with her seatbelt for a second before she felt the smooth rumble underneath her as they pulled away.

The high school zoomed past her a lot quicker than it had when she'd first arrived.

"Rukia," Byakuya said tonelessly. "How are your studies?"

She blinked. "They're fine," she lied. Having spent so much time outside school already, it was hard to understand even the most fundamental material. Ichigo had been some help, but he did get annoyed with her. "How's work?"

"Satisfactory." The turn signal clicked on as they turned sharply to the first exit. "Your mother told me Toshiro seems content enough as well."

Mom was watching Toshiro? She hadn't seemed to have been paying much attention to him at the station. "He's been in a good mood." Rukia wondered briefly how many times she would have to lie in order to ward off his questions. "How's… what's going on with Akamori?"

"Renji called the house late last night and said someone robbed their house and injured her badly. At that point I assume she went into labor." She heard his tone tighten, but was confused nonetheless.

"But, if she was hurt…"

"Apparently shock induces such things," her father explained, his flinty eyes meeting hers again. "At what point did she tell you about it?"

Rukia balked. "She never—never told me at all," she hastened to inform him, hoping this didn't sound like a lie. Akamori had never alluded to anything like that. "I haven't even seen her since July."

"Ah." He didn't seem convinced. It was very difficult to deceive him, but it was rare for him to be convinced you weren't doing so. "Well, I've been meaning to speak with her at any rate."

At this point Rukia noticed the emptiness of the passenger seat. Worry flared up in her stomach. "Where's Mother?"

"She's with Akamori," he said with the same inflection as before.

"Oh." Of course she was. Duh. "Is Akamori okay?"

"I haven't seen her up to now." They passed under a great number of streetlights, all reflecting sunlight. Rukia smiled at them in spite of herself – Akamori loved sunny days. "By the way, your mother told me she met your friend, Ichigo."

She was shocked by the lack of conflict in his voice. Rukia pinched down a swallow. "She did?"

"Hisana said, 'Ichigo is an extremely kind girl. Excellent for Rukia'. Is this true?"

Realization slowly dawned on the younger Kuchiki child. Her mother had lied for her. Not exactly holy work, but it had worked out fine. Byakuya knowing Ichigo possessed a Y chromosome was one of her most-feared occasions. "Yes, Ichigo… she's very …sound." A funny bubble of suppressed laughter lodged itself in her chest.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, correct?" Byakuya had heard that Isshin Kurosaki had two daughters and a son.

"Yes, that's her." She pursed her lips. "Ichigo's… well-mannered. She always wants to make sure I'm not getting into trouble." For a moment Rukia felt she was laying it on a bit too thick. But it was true.

Byakuya just nodded. "I see. You enjoy her company?"

"Mhm." Rukia let herself smile as they pulled in to the hospital, a dark brick building. Her mind veered off Ichigo and back onto her sister, trying very hard to process the fact that she was going to be an aunt shortly. And Renji, a father. She imagined him with a stroller and many other cliché baby things, and cracked another smile. It was difficult to imagine him in that role.

Her father left the car slowly, his movements like music as always. Rukia hopped out and landed inelegantly on the pavement, reeling slightly. She followed him through the hedges surrounding the hospital, all in orderly squares. In a minute she'd be reunited with her sister…

But she saw Renji first, sitting in the waiting room chair, tapping his feet restlessly on the floor and making a lot of noise. His hair was disheveled, but he brightened when he saw them. "Rukia!"

Rukia grinned. "Ren—" and then she remembered her father standing next to her. "Hi, Renji." Darn Byakuya. You're such a wet blanket.

Byakuya's eyes were emotionless. "Hello, Renji."

"Mr. Kuchiki!" Renji said, standing up straight. "I'm really, really sorry about—"

"Sorry?" he cut him off. Rukia felt her body freeze. Crap, Renji! Stop talking so much. "I don't see any need for apology."

It was like everything had died around them. Her hair even felt much rounder than usual. Byakuya, who hated Renji beyond anything in the world for taking the innocence of Akamori, had just been considerate. It was a shame Hisana hadn't been there to see it.

"S-so," Rukia murmured, "do you know anything yet?"

Renji blinked quickly. "I, well, no. I don't, really…" he bit his lip. "If you want, you can call your mom or… she might know," he finished hastily, bowing out of Byakuya's line of vision. "Or we could check out the cafeteria."

She was suddenly ravenous. "Sure!"

Of course she wanted food. Food comforted her. And it was a good thing too, because she had a very high metabolism – okay, fine. All the weight went to her derriere. But there wasn't that much to begin with. She glanced at her father.

"I'm sure you're hungry," he allowed, and she was immediately chasing after Renji down the hall.

The cafeteria proved to be more than satisfactory. Rukia found plate upon plate of Jell-O, cream filled bread tart things, pancakes… the whole place was stocked with sugar, probably because most of its customers needed to stay awake. After purchasing a rather large amount of food, Rukia and Renji plunked down on a nearby bench.

"So," she said as he chewed, "are you excited?"

Renji swallowed his food. "…Well, I didn't… expect this coming on or anything like that… But I guess I can make good things out of it, right?" he was looking at his plate.

"Right!" Rukia smiled, but noticed his woebegone face. "What's wrong? I thought you were excited."

He sighed. "I am. But that's not it, Rukia. When we left, she told me she needed to apologize to someone… a man."

She felt her head go a little void. Akamori had had many boyfriends in the past, but nothing had really come of any of them. And irresponsible as she could be… it didn't seem like she had done anything dangerous. "Well… you can always ask her."

His head shot up. "What?"

"She's upstairs, right? Well. We can go." She gestured toward the exit.

Renji looked at his plate, at her, and then at the exit, then yanked her out the door. "Let's go then!"

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After storming the office to ask where Akamori was staying, Renji dragged Rukia all around the hospital looking for the fifth floor before remembering that it was upstairs and thus the elevator was a key point here.

She asked him another question in the elevator. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

His brown eyes seemed surprised. "I… really don't." It came out like a question.

"What are you hoping for?" she didn't mind what Renji wanted, just as long as he didn't freak out and somehow lead her to a painful death-by-elevator.

Again he was thoughtful, looking at the patterns in the carpet. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter."

"H…hm." She was at a loss for words.

Rukia sighed as the elevator door slid open and the redhead pushed past her immediately, racing out into the hallway. "Where, where where?!" he kept muttering.

"415," Rukia reminded, pointing to the door right in front of his stressed face. Renji heaved another sigh and reached out for the door handle, hesitating for a moment, and then opened it quietly.

A face nearly identical to Rukia's greeted him, but Hisana was smiling. "Hello, my name is Hisana Kuchiki. I'm pleased to meet you." She lowered her little body into a bow.

He swallowed audibly. "Renji Abarai… I…"

Hisana seemed contented. "You can sit down. Or if you want…" she moved the door aside the rest of the way to reveal Akamori, her face slashed and dark with abrasions. But her entire visage lit up when she saw him.

"Renji!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

He stood silently for a moment before cracking a bright smile. "Akamori," he said exhaustedly. Rukia found herself fuzzy inside for some odd reason – okay. She was obviously happy. As Renji walked slowly toward his lover she turned her attention on her mother, talking in a low tone.

"Mother."

"Rukia," she smiled brightly, her pearl-like teeth bright. "You're an aunt!"

The petite girl breathed a sigh of relief and happiness. "Oh, really!?" she found her voice squeaky, even though she had known she'd be an aunt anyway. "That's…"

"Sort of odd, hm?" her mother patted her hand.

Rukia smiled as she watched her mother stride over to small crib and lift a small bundle of blankets from it. Rukia craned her neck to see, but it was difficult… somehow she felt like a little girl trying to see the baby animals at the fair.

"Renji," Hisana said with a wide grin becoming of her face, "someone wants to meet you." She handed the blankets to a shaky Renji. Rukia couldn't take it anymore. She bounced out of her seat and across the room next to Renji, who was staring at the baby with wide eyes.

She was much smaller than most babies, with a patch of reddish hair at the crown of a peach-colored forehead. Her nose and mouth were petite, features of Hisana and Rukia. But the most intriguing thing were her eyes—not the deep blue of Rukia or Hisana, or the brown of her parents. Somehow they were the soft gray of Byakuya's. Her face was somewhat strange – the tan shade of Renji's face mixed with Akamori's chin and cheeks gave off a somewhat compelling combination.

Akamori spoke in a soft tone. "Well, you can't get much more cliché, can you?" she remarked, laying back onto her pillow.

Rukia felt herself giggle, but raised an eyebrow. "What are you naming her?"

Akamori sighed softly, her eyes still closed, and thought a long moment. "I've always liked Chihiro for a girl."

"Chihiro? What about a middle name?" Rukia pushed.

"…Suzumei?" Renji offered, still intent on the child.

"Where did that come from?" Akamori asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"From… I don't know. I think it means sparrow or something." He shrugged, and his eyes were suddenly warm.

Rukia had almost forgotten Hisana was there. "It's a lovely name," she allowed with another bright grin. "Chihiro Suzumei. Well, I'll just leave you two—three— on your own now…" she turned to Rukia. "It's time we left."

She was finding it difficult to contain herself. Not only had she automatically begun to adore the baby, but missed Akamori. The two mixed together were hard to bear, but she nodded. "Right."

Renji watched the door close behind mother and daughter and felt himself smile a little. At least Akamori's mom liked him. He hadn't been expecting that at all –earlier, he'd pictured Hisana just like her husband.

"Renji," Akamori sighed, sounding deeply exhausted. "You okay?"

"I'm good," he allowed, sitting down in the chair next to her. "What about you?" he passed to her Chihiro, who had fallen asleep in his arms.

She surveyed the child for a moment before sighing with a smile, "I'm okay. She looks like you."

"You think so?" he was surprised by that. If anything… and he hated to admit it… she looked a little like Byakuya. Akamori nodded soundly and he mirrored her. "…And, who were you wanting to apologize to?"

She blinked. "What do you mean?"

Despite her injured face, he kept his tone steady. "You were telling me … to tell him you were sorry." Thoughts of the previous night seemed to cut at him as he remembered trying to shake her awake while he waited for the ambulance, or the way things had looked around their bedroom.

To Renji's intense shock, she smiled. "Ah. I meant… well, I was talking about my dad."

He felt odd fluctuations of relief eating away the jealousy he had felt against a supposed other man. "…Yeah?"

"Yep." She raised a brow. "Wait, who did you think I meant?"

He shrugged affably. "It's nothing."

"That's okay." That was the good thing about Akamori. She didn't hover over one thing or another. The dark haired woman glanced down at her sleeping child, the dark circles under her eyes justified by the amount of hard work it must have taken. "…But even though she's not sick, I'm sort of worried … any baby that's two months premature shouldn't do nearly this well."

The red haired man suddenly remembered his daughter's violent birth. "…Well, you shouldn't be so depressed about it. She's okay, right?" he said to cease her worries.

"But who broke in?"

Renji swallowed. "You were the one there, not me… do you remember?"

"Because I was paying so much attention," she said with a winsome smile. There was a sudden soft sound from the baby, and they both looked. But she had just sighed in her sleep. "She's so sweet," Akamori continued. "You know… I'm pretty sure she loves you already."

The corner of his mouth curled. "You think?" the baby he'd had nightmares about for the past seven months had turned out to be both striking and wonderfully silent.

"Renji…" she said in a very low voice. "You know what I've been thinking about?" the last word faded off into a whisper.

"What?" Yes, he did need a job… and if that was what she meant he'd call her on it.

Her eyelids lowered. "I'll let you guess."

"Oh, come on." Renji bridged the gap between their faces to look her right in the eyes. "You always do that to me. Sometimes I wonder about you."

"How so?" she asked in a murmur.

"No idea." He had just said it for the sake of the moment. "Now, what is it?"

She usually liked to keep him on tenterhooks, but apparently things were different today. Akamori pulled away slightly to refocus on Chihiro, who was still sound asleep. "In the future, I, well, want more," she said mistily, smiling out of the corner of her mouth.

"More what?" despite his intelligence, Renji could be a little dense sometimes.

"More kids," she said, shrugging.

Renji felt his body get slightly eager at the thought of having more kids with her, but somehow a shred of good sense voiced itself. "Akamori, I think it's too—"

"Early?" she said, taking the words right out of his mouth. "That's what I was thinking… so…" she relaxed her facial features and placed her hand under Chihiro's head, so she could sit up without waking the infant. "I'll wait a while."

Renji nodded. He knew automatically that they'd be strapped for cash just by supporting one child. Two would put them in weighty debt. "All right," he said, "when are they letting you out of here?"

She considered it for a moment. "Any time."

"Really." He figured she'd be in for at least another day or two.

"Yep." Akamori grinned.

At that moment, there was a soft knock on the door. It startled them, but Akamori spoke.

"Come in."

Renji, who had been expecting Rukia or at least Hisana, was shocked beyond belief to see Byakuya, closing the door with minimal noise. He felt his throat lock up but also a cool, light hand on his own. Akamori winked out of the corner of her eye, and he sighed.

"Hello, Akamori," Byakuya said formally, but Renji could see the hidden alarm in his cool gray eyes at her appearance, the anger as well. "Are you well?"

"Y…" surprisingly, she was ruffled by the question. Her eyebrows shook a bit. "…Yes."

"I… hello, Mr. Kuchiki," the redhead said, tilting his head down a bit in a bow, kind of like the one Hisana had given him earlier. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Byakuya's dark eyebrows were calmer than usual. He turned back to his older child. "Akamori, I know I have come off as less than benign. As I stood downstairs, there was much time to think about the things I said to you." He exhaled slowly.

When you climb down that lattice, you can forget about ever seeing it again. And if you do come back, I will kill you. They remembered his tone, clear as day. It was no less hurtful in memory but somehow it invigorated.

"Your mother has told me before. It is immature of me, a man in his early fifties, to be so inconsiderate when it was my decision to have children, and I have to see to it that they do well. Renji?"

Having been addressed so quickly, Renji jumped. "Sir?"

Kuchiki continued, "if you wish, please return to work at the firm."

Renji felt ruptures of elation. He'd work again – high in the firm. With a glance at Akamori he realized something. "I'd like that very much," he said.

At that moment, Hisana poked her small head in. "Oh! Hello, dear," she said sweetly, smiling. "I forgot my –"

Her husband held out the purse. "Handbag."

Hisana puckered her lips, apparently having left her things behind for an excuse to burst in. "Well, I'll be waiting in the car."

"No, I'm leaving now." Byakuya glanced at the two one more time before stepping over the threshold. "Good luck to you."

Hisana smiled before closing the door.

Akamori's face was the epitome of shock. "Well, that can't have been real," she stammered, but he could tell she was pleased.

"Why do you think he was being so nice?" Renji asked.

"Well, one thing is… my dad knows a lot. My mom was only sixteen when they met… so I guess it's important to him for us to work out." She shrugged.

"You do know what this means, right Akamori?" he said, voicing the realization he'd had during the conversation with her father.

Akamori was smiling at Chihiro. "What?"

"Now you can have as many kids as you want."

Wow, I finally cranked out a (semi) long one for you guys! I loved writing the IchiRuki parts in this… as well as the HitsuSen, RenMori and a tiny sprig of ByaHisa. But I bet you liked it because I wasn't lagging on length/detail like I have for a while, hmm? Anyhow, it'd be great if you could give me ideas. I'm online most of the time so I could give you my thoughts on your idea posthaste – and I'm very open minded. Thanks so much for reading this, because I'm pretty proud of it. I was in a bitchy mood when I started to write it, so if the mood's off a bit at some points… you understand. Hey, I'm a writer. I've got to be colorful.

Love xSilverWingsx