Hello there, the newest chapter to Demons is here! :) I'm in holiday mode so I got to do a bit of writing here and there, much more than in the last few months. :) This is a better record of update time than the previous one of 4-5 months, isn't it? XD
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I really appreciate every single one. It makes me happy as an author to know that you have waited for, and enjoyed the update. :) Thank you for the support and well wishes! TheBlackRose123, L, angel cheesecake, AkuRokuTurkTrainee, ReckoningDay, silverqueen, nasiajet13, aria, seras3791, ownedbyacat, vicky73, loverukia, AyaMikage24, Guest, arlingtonsteward, minsterr, CielDoll, Saiyuri Haruno, iivogelchen, Kuchiki24, YuzurihaNoRyuu, wisable, naru894, LuciL06, Obsessed Dreamer, antiquitywhilst, Fumi Raisin, ANF-Byaruki, Fpix, emily, Azure Elvyner, 1nunna-chan1, pauxd, Lilian Violet, cinecaption, RunSakura, The13thConspiracy, indescribable music, Oicherealtai, Crystal-Clear Hope, 1SuperKawaii, Hikara-Hime, XBloodMageRikaX, zenachi, WinterWolf6134, monster in pocket, XLightningX, andyantopia, TaiTaiFishie, byakuchiki, EmpressMinea, elevensiens, isara-love, Abarai Starsha, PAMILA DE CASTRO, BlackBurningHeart, Sakimi1014, sleeplygirl, JulieBookLover21, Daylite, and Fiamatta Montague.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach or the characters. I own this plot.
WARNING: Angst, and a bit of shocker...? I don't know how to put it without spoiling it for you. Oh, and a slight bit of IchiRuki.
I hope you will enjoy this chapter. :)
"Alright, and we're heading home." Ukitake zipped up the luggage bags on the bed. Rukia moved to take them up but her father stopped her, gesturing to her still-bandaged arms and shoulder. "I can manage." Her father gave her one of his gentle smiles. "No heavy work for the time being, okay?"
Rukia nodded, unable to resist her father's natural smile. She smiled back in response, even though it was a very small one.
"Are you alright?" Ukitake peered at his daughter, detecting the sadness easily in her eyes. "You haven't really smiled… not even with your favourite Chappy candies that Nel brought for you yesterday."
"No… it's nothing." Rukia waved the concerns aside, as she exited the hospital room with her father. "I am just tired."
"You don't have to tell me everything, Rukia." Ukitake smiled as they took the elevator down to the ground floor. "But I just want you to know… that when things end, something much better usually comes out of it."
Rukia looked up in surprise, but her father was only smiling faintly at the elevator door.
"And that I'm around to listen, if you ever need an old pair of ears."
"Arigato, Otousan."
Rukia secretly felt that her father knew what was going on. Maybe not of the events that had happened in the warehouse, but of what had finally happened between her and Byakuya.
It is Byakuya's wish, Rukia. He personally requests for you to forget him, and to forget our kind ever existed. He himself will do so about you…
Renji and Rangiku had effectively disappeared after talking to her on that first day in the hospital, and Rukia wondered if she would ever see them again.
Rukia thought she would have gotten used to the reality in a day. After all, she was already getting back on her feet after breaking up with Byakuya.
But it wasn't like that now. It was different... completely different. Because she had finally come to know the truth about him.
Because he had sneaked into the death-laden ambush, with nothing but a gentle look in his eyes as he came to her in the warehouse. Because he had whispered the apology over and over to her, even though Rukia thought it was her own fault to have been captured as bait. Because he had stood there with anguish in his eyes, as she learned that he wasn't actually who he appeared to be. Because he had kissed another woman… to stop himself from sapping off her energy all the time.
The truth had overturned everything.
But now…
It is Byakuya's wish, Rukia. He personally requests for you to forget him, and to forget our kind ever existed. He himself will do so about you…
Despite this, Rukia had shamefully sent a text message to Byakuya's number, asking if he had recovered from the injuries sustained during the fight. He never replied to the message. The following day, a very nervous Rukia had tried calling his number… only to receive the female operator voice indicating that the number had been terminated.
It is Byakuya's wish, Rukia. He personally requests for you to forget him, and to forget our kind ever existed. He himself will do so about you…
Rukia swallowed the thick feeling in her throat and ignored the heaviness in her heart, as she stepped out of the hospital.
xXxXx
It had been two weeks. Two weeks since he had made the decision to step out of Rukia's life for good.
Byakuya went about his daily life in his usual cool, perfected self. He sat in the office and reviewed hundreds of business deals, he spoke to Ulquiorra on the joint co-operation of both clans over Tokyo. He accompanied Matsumoto to Gin's funeral, which he had the clan arrange in full respect and honour. He came into office very early in the morning and left late at night, rarely speaking to anyone except the occasional requests for more coffee to his secretary, Hisagi.
Byakuya even suggested to Renji that they head to Madam Aiko's, but his assistant surprisingly turned down the idea and took him to a bar for drinks instead. Byakuya was secretly glad because it was a halfhearted pathetic attempt to try and show that he was back to his old self.
He could not bed any woman… not then, not now, and probably not ever. The Incubus figured he could continue like this and starve himself, and then maybe at the point of dying, he would just succumb to survival instincts and have sex with a random woman.
If it was only as easy as it sounds.
xXxXx
"Hey, will you be free for drinks?"
"Yeah, sure!" Rukia spoke, the phone between her right cheek and shoulder. Her hands expertly tied a single bouquet of pink roses with a piece of glittery ribbon. She reached out for the card she had laid out with the flowers, and picked up a red marker.
"Okay then, this evening! Give Otousan some love from me! Byeeee!"
Rukia chuckled at her dormmate Nel's infectious bubby personality, as she reached out and placed the phone down on the counter.
It was the third day after she had been discharged from the hospital, and this was the first day she had opened Amor Florals for business. Rukia looked up as she heard the bell ring above the door, signalling the entrance of a potential customer. She watched as the young boy with a ponytail entered her shop to look at the flowers.
"Er… could I have six of that into a bouquet?" The young boy placed the order for red roses. "And please have this written down…"
Rukia accepted the money for the transaction and assured her customer that the flowers would be delivered soon enough. After the boy had left, Rukia placed the purchase note onto the counter to begin her second job.
The message from the boy to his girlfriend was very heartfelt, but Rukia could only focus on the address where the flowers were to be sent.
It was just three numbers away from the Azaris building.
xXxXx
Byakuya looked up as his office door opened.
"Sensei." The curt acknowledgement was made in the Incubus's usual cold, emotionless voice. Unohana walked up to Byakuya's table before taking the seat opposite him.
"Byakuya, I have a guest in my office I would like you to meet."
Byakuya signed a paper in front of him, and placed it into the black folder. "If I may inquire of the nature of said guest?"
"Not business. I thought you would like getting to meet more Succubi. I have actually arranged for this appointment a few months back, but have had to put it off in light of recent events. She arrived here today, so I thought you'd like to meet her, Byakuya."
"In the middle of office hours, Sensei?" Byakuya looked up, his grey eyes emotionless.
"I thought a little bit of social activities might cut you back from the drinking habit you recently acquired." Unohana smiled back, unaffected.
Byakuya suppressed a sigh and stood up from his seat. "I have just under thirty minutes."
"Oh, you might not be saying that when you meet her, Byakuya." Unohana smiled as she led the Incubus to her office. The pair walked down the walkway together in silence. Finally they reached the office, and Unohana opened the heavy door and allowed Byakuya to walk in first.
"Please come in, Byakuya."
Byakuya immediately detected a small figure sitting at the guest chair. Hearing the voice, the figure turned around for the first time.
Byakuya felt the air leave him as he looked at the Succubus who rose from the couch, so elegantly and proper. Succubus… did they say she was a Succubus? A demon… one of his own kind?
The word immediately caught on his tongue. "Ru…"
Byakuya could only stare at the lovely, familiar face that belonged to this person he did not know. The shoulder-length hair, the entrancing smile, the petite frame. The only difference was the eye colour.
How could it be?
Unohana walked forward to stand next to the Succubus, who bowed politely to Byakuya.
"Please meet Miss Hisana."
Unohana took off her designer glasses as she finished looking over one particular land expansion plan. She reached for the cup of hot green tea on her table and was about to take a sip when her phone rang.
"Unohana Retsu speaking."
"Unohana-sensei?" The Succubus heard the worried yet excited tone of voice of her assistant, Isane.
"What is it, Isane?"
"Sensei, remember your plan about diverting Byakuya's attention from R-Rukia-san?"
Unohana sat back in her seat. "Yes?"
"Because Sensei, you are not going to believe this."
"What, Isane?"
"I was looking through registers of beautiful candidates, and I came across this photo. She is a Succubus borne to a noble family, and is an only child. When she was younger, she almost suffered an assassination in a secret attempt by her uncle to gain rights to the clan. She survived though, and the family has placed her under high protection. Because of that, she grew up in a guarded and conservative environment and is said to be very elegant and well-mannered."
"I see."
"And the exciting part is… she is a spitting image of Rukia-san."
xXxXx
"They found what?" Matsumoto's voice came out shocked.
Kira nodded. Renji stood next to him, his expression serious.
"Exactly the same?" Matsumoto's voice was disbelieving.
Renji nodded, this time. "I saw them going up to Unohana's office. I would have thought that was Rukia, if Unohana-sensei wasn't personally ushering her into the office happily."
"That's so strange." Matsumoto looked out of the glass panes with a thoughtful expression. "And so very sick. They expect Byakuya to take to her easily… just because Hisana looks like Rukia? Like some form of replacement?"
Kira tapped his chin. "I heard that Unohana has already put her name as a very possible future fiancee for Byakuya. She seems absolutely confident that Byakuya will take to Hisana immediately.
Renji's expression remained serious. "Now that you mentioned it, he's already taken to her."
"What?"
"He has left office early for the day, taking her out for an early dinner. And of course Unohana-sensei happily gave him permission to."
Matsumoto shook her head in disbelief.
xXxXx
Rukia took a deep breath as she stood outside the tall building. She stared at the words 'Azaris' formed in metal blocks over the shiny entrance, and felt her heartbeat start to triple. Rukia had delivered the flowers to a happy, surprised girl... and then she had found herself tracing the familiar steps to this building.
Why am I here?
Rukia did not know the exact reason why but she knew she wanted to talk to him.
And whatever for? He already told you to get lost.
Rukia knew Byakuya had already made his decision and she wasn't exactly out to change it, even though there was that little hope in the corner of her heart. She just wanted to talk to him… and apologize.
Taking a deep breath, Rukia walked past the Azaris entrance and directed her steps to the one of the silver elevators.
Rukia nervously clasped her hands in front of her as she rode the elevator to the office floor. It was ironic that this was a route she had taken many times with an excited smile on her face, excited to see her boyfriend for the day.
How things had changed.
As the elevator reached the designated floor, Rukia stepped out onto the carpeted walkway and started toward Byakuya's suite, her heart thundering like a runaway horse in her ribcage.
"How may I help you?"
Rukia stared in bewilderment at the young man sitting at the secretary desk. For a moment, she thought that Byakuya had changed the location of his office, because this person was apparently not his secretary. At least, this was not the same female secretary who usually greeted Rukia with a snobbish look whenever she came to see Byakuya. This was not the same female secretary that Rukia had caught Byakuya kissing.
"Oh, er, I…" Rukia stared at the heavy door behind the secretary's desk and saw the familiar words 'Kuchiki Byakuya' stamped on the shiny plaque across the front. It only added to her bewilderment. "… I was hoping… if I could see Byakuya?"
The man smiled at her, a surprising honest smile on his face. Rukia felt her nervousness ebb away slightly, though just by a little bit. This man looked very approachable and not in the least bit intimidating. "Oh, Mister Kuchiki is currently out. I am Hisagi Shuhei, his secretary. If you would perhaps like to leave a message with me, I can ensure that your visit today will be notified to him as soon as he comes back. I would ask you to wait, but he might be gone for a long time, so that would not be advisable. In fact, he might actually be gone for the day." The man smiled again.
"Oh." Rukia stared at the man again, noting the 69 tattoo on his left cheek. The man's statement sank in by the next second. "You are his secretary?"
The man smiled. "Yes, my name is Hisagi Shuhei."
"Oh." Rukia nodded. "I'm sorry, I was just shocked back then… because I usually meet the other female secretary."
"Oh." Hisagi nodded. "You mean Miko? Mister Kuchiki had her removed from this post some time back. I am his secretary now."
Byakuya removed Miko from her post some time ago? He fired her? When did this happen? Was it… after that incident where she had came to his office?
Rukia stood there for a moment, before she realized the secretary was smiling politely at her again. He reached for a notepad and a pen before offering them to her. "You may write your message here."
Rukia stared at the blank piece of paper, wondering if she should write Byakuya a note or what she would put into it. She was spared the necessity, however, when a sharp voice rang out.
"RUKIA?"
Rukia turned around to see Renji. She started to smile but faltered at the sight of the angry expression on the red-haired demon's face. Before she could say a word, Renji had marched forward and steered her away from Hisagi's desk. "I will be taking her from here, Hisagi."
Hisagi only smiled politely. "Please. It was a pleasure meeting you." The secretary turned back, and dutifully starting typing away.
"What are you doing HERE?" Renji looked as if his eyeballs were about to pop out. The Incubus had dragged Rukia to his office and now he was looking at her angrily.
"I… I came here to see Byakuya."
"I thought…" Renji frowned slightly. "… that we had already relayed Byakuya's message."
"I know. I… just came to apologize to him."
"You shouldn't see him anymore, Rukia. You are supposed to pretend that…" Renji looked about before he finished the sentence in a hissed whisper. "… that we don't exist! It could be troublesome if others found out that you know the truth!"
"No, it is not that!" Rukia hurried to answer. "I just want to see Byakuya, that's it. The secret of your community is safe with me, I swear."
"Why do you want to apologize? Are you trying to patch things up, get back together with him?"
"N-No, I just-"
"Can't you see this is for both your own good?" Renji interjected. The Incubus took a deep breath. "Back when Byakuya was trying so hard, you shut the door on him. And now, you want to patch things up when he has already given up!"
"I…" Rukia felt as if she was cornered. It was true, she had initially rejected Byakuya because of her insecurities on their status difference. When she had finally understood and made her resolve, she had promised him that she would fight. On that morning after the night they had made love in his beachside villa, Rukia had promised him that she would fight for them. And when she had caught him "cheating", all the old insecurities had tore her apart, she had been brokenhearted and broke up with him. And now she had found out that he had only been doing so… for her sake.
"But anyway, Byakuya is out with his girlfriend."
Rukia gasped and her head shot up in shock. Renji looked at the human girl calmly. "Yes, he has found a suitable mate just recently. That was why you couldn't get him in the office, because he was out getting to know her better."
Rukia's brain froze, she could not think. What? Byakuya…? Found a suitable mate?
"Byakuya himself understands the huge distance between the both of you, after the Aizen incident. And as much as he had loved you, he knows it is best for the both of you to forget each other. That is why he is moving on… and Hisana came at the right time." Renji nodded, and crossed his fingers behind his back.
Minus the fact that Hisana looks like your complete double, and that was probably why he asked that Succubus out immediately. Stupid Byakuya. Trying to forget Rukia, my ass.
"H-Hisana?"
Renji nodded again. "Byakuya's soon-to-be fiancee."
xXxXx
"I haven't been to this place before." Hisana smiled at the painted ceiling. "It has a rather beautiful interior. Do you come to Le Chalbens often?" She looked across at her dining companion, only to find him looking at her. Hisana smiled slightly, the intensity of his gaze causing her to blush slightly.
"I come here sometimes," Byakuya replied.
Hisana smiled but their conversation was interrupted by a waiter who appeared at their table with red-and-gold menus. "May I take your orders?"
"I am rather unfamiliar with the food here," Hisana mused. "If Byakuya-sama would like to suggest a favourite…?"
"Perhaps we could take Pavé de Venaison as the main... and substitute the venison for sirloin instead?"
Hisana smiled. "I'm alright with venison. It's one of my favourites."
Byakuya looked up for a full minute before he turned back to the menu. "I see. Well then, we will take the venison." He instructed the waiter who scribbled onto the notepad. "And I will have a Corte 1987." The Incubus turned to his partner. "Do you like orange juice?"
Hisana looked up with a polite but demure expression. "I beg your pardon, Byakuya-sama?"
"Orange juice." Byakuya looked ahead with a placid expression. "Perhaps you'd like orange juice as a drink?"
"Oh no." Hisana smiled. "The wine is fine."
Byakuya simple nodded, before placing the food order. Hisana only looked at him with a politely puzzled expression.
xXxXx
Rukia walked on the street, Renji's last words resounding in her ears.
Byakuya's soon-to-be-fiancee.
She could not really focus on her footsteps in front of her, and the countless people milling around her seemed so unreal. Everything seemed unreal.
Byakuya's soon-to-be-fiancee.
Rukia looked at her hands, they were shaking so violently that she had to clasp them together to stop them from trembling.
Back when Byakuya was trying so hard, you shut the door on him. And now, you want to patch things up when he has already given up…
"HEY, WATCH IT, YOUNG GIRL!"
Rukia jumped back in shock as the lorry driver shouted at her. Lost in thought, she had started to cross the pedestrian crossing without realizing that the pedestrian light was still red.
"Ah… I'm sorry!" Rukia called after the driver as he drove away.
I… should be happy. I'm really happy, I really am. Not bitter, nor sad. Because it turned out that Byakuya had finally found the perfect girl for him. Renji said she's pretty, well-mannered, elegant, and belongs to a wealthy family. Best of all, she's a Succubus.
Rukia started to cross the street as the pedestrian light turned green.
Best of all, she matches him in everything. She will take good care of him, and will never hurt him with pointless insecurities, or even be an inconvenient trouble to him by being kidnapped.
I should be happy. I... am really happy.
Rukia nodded to herself as she slowly unclasped her hands. This time, they did not tremble.
I wish you happiness… Byakuya. I am very sorry. I hope we will both be happy from now on… with you always the happier one.
There were no tears to be shed this time by Rukia. Because both of them had reached the pinnacle of their relationship, and there just wasn't any other way. This was the perfect time to let go, with no hard or bitter feelings whatsoever.
"Rukia!"
Rukia looked up, jolted from her thoughts a second time today. She stared across the street where a tall, orange-haired boy stood in jeans and a white-and-red jacket.
"Where were you coming from?" Ichigo smiled as he strode toward her.
Rukia smiled back. "Nowhere in particular. I was just walking around."
Ichigo chuckled. "I see. Well, miss Rukia, do allow me to walk you home because I was just bored out of my mind with my computer assignment."
Rukia laughed. Both of them looked up at the same time at the glass shop in front of them advertising a new thriller movie at the nearest theater. Rukia remembered... they both loved thriller movies very much.
"Er…" Ichigo laughed. "… you wouldn't want to go to a movie now, would you?" The orange-haired boy hurried to add. "I mean, it's not like a date or something, just a fun evening…
"That would be nice, actually." Rukia smiled at the poster as Ichigo turned to her in surprise. "I haven't watched a movie in ages."
This time, the smile exchanged between the two was a sincere honest one.
xXxXx
"Was that Rukia?"
Renji looked up at the female's voice and sighed. "Yeah."
Matsumoto walked up to her Incubus friend and took the seat opposite him. "Why did she come here for?"
"Why else? She wanted to see Byakuya."
"And you denied her." This time, Matsumoto's look was almost accusatory.
"Hey, don't look at me that way. Besides, Byakuya is not here. He's out getting to know Hisana, remember?"
Matsumoto sighed. "The girl is very brave. You can see how much Rukia loves Byakuya… just by the fact that she goes about as if no secrets had been revealed about him. She doesn't even care that he is a demon."
"I know." Renji looked out the window with conflicted eyes. "I hate hurting her… but maybe this is going to be the best for them in the long run."
"Is it?" Matsumoto asked.
"Sometimes, love isn't enough to fight fate, Rangiku."
A small sad smile appeared on the Succubus's face. "I should know that."
xXxXx
"Thank you for the dinner, Byakuya-sama." Hisana smiled as she exited the car, Byakuya holding the door open for her. "It was very nice."
"Thank you for accompanying me for dinner." He led her to the gates of her mansion, her arm on his. The guards opened the entrance readily.
Hisana smiled. "Em… would you like to come in?"
Something crossed Byakuya's grey eyes but Hisana's smile was soft. "I don't have any intentions behind that invitation… just a cup of fine coffee."
Byakuya bowed his head slightly. "Thank you… but there are other matters I must attend to, in this night."
"Oh." Hisana shook her head. "It is alright, Byakuya-sama. Please do not let me keep you from your commitments."
"Arigato." Byakuya bowed once.
Hisana watched as Byakuya turned to head back to his car. The Succubus briefly wondered what was going through his thoughts, if perhaps her company had not been enjoyable for him.
Despite being a Succubus, Hisana did not frequently engaged in promiscuous activities. Her sheltered childhood and adult life had taught her a lot and she did not seek simple pleasures, but she did seek love. Hisana had had only two longtime partners, and her worried parents had finally decided to opt for matchmaking.
Hisana decided she naturally liked Byakuya. He was definitely very handsome, his beauty surpassing that of a normal Incubus. He was also very courteous and smart, and exuded a natural charm and imposing aura altogether. There was also something very melancholic about Byakuya which Hisana could not put her finger on, there was something almost wistful in those beautiful grey eyes. She could only be helplessly drawn to him…
"Hisana."
Hisana looked up quickly, hearing her voice uttered for the first time by Byakuya ever since they had went out for dinner.
"Would you like to have dinner with me in two nights' time?"
Hisana smiled happily. "It would be an honour, Byakuya-sama."
Le Chalbens. Table 212, Sir…
Pavé de Venaison for the main course. Do you take venison?
They are too cute!
You take orange juice, don't you? Something tells me you wouldn't like the wine I ordered.
I... don't drink.
I haven't been to places like this before. … It's really expensive.
Byakuya could see the two figures clearly in that restaurant, almost as if from a dream long ago. He was wearing an office suit, and she a pretty blouse and jeans with sneakers. Her posture had been stiff and she kept glancing around at her surroundings with an awkward expression on her face, she had been so… adorable. She might be in casual wear, but he found her the most beautiful of all the women dining in that restaurant that day. And the best thing was, she did not even know.
She found deers cute, so she did not eat them. She did not drink alcohol. And her small warm body… fitted perfectly against his as they danced to the soft violin music. He almost kissed her, but an interruption caused her to run from him with her beautiful eyes wide in a panic. But before that, he had felt her lean into the kiss… and it was that night that he was finally certain she harboured the same feelings he had for her...
Byakuya closed his eyes as he leaned against the seat of his Porsche, parked outside Hisana's mansion. His fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were bony white.
She was all he could visualize, all he could think about, all he could dream about. And it was ironic… because it was his overwhelming love that finally compelled him to let her go. Rukia.
He never wanted to see Rukia hurt like that ever again, badly bleeding and bruised. He never wanted to see her tied and gagged, her eyes terrified. He never wanted to see her hurt… ever again.
And to be by his side… was forever to be hunted with the potential of being killed or hurt. The more he cherished her, the more he placed her in danger. And finally, Byakuya decided he treasured her life more… compared to his selfish desire to have her with him for always.
The decision had broken him, he had felt dead and bitter with the whole world. He cursed everything and everyone, and his fated identity as an Incubus. He still kept up with the drinking habit, though he kept it carefully under control now so as not to affect his work performance. Just yesterday, he had gone to the clubs and allowed the women there to throw themselves all over him. Everything started to not matter anymore, he didn't feel like getting up in the morning, everything was dull.
And Byakuya realized… this slowly was becoming his life back then, his life before he had gone to Madam Aiko's on that fateful night.
He was slowly going back to the black life he had before he had met Rukia.
xXxXx
There are other matters I must attend to, in this night.
There were screams of terror, of pain… of death. Demons leapt and tore into one another, and the smell of shed blood was thick in the air. It was a massacre of another clan, a clan that had treacherously plotted against the Kuchikis and formed a planned assassination on Byakuya. One of the inner Schiffer spies had caught wind of the plans and informed Ulquiorra, who relayed the information to the Kuchiki heir.
That night itself, the two allied clans of Kuchiki and Schiffer attacked.
Byakuya stood on the roof, silently observing the destruction around him. Ulquiorra was absent from this battle, having gone abroad for a business trip. Byakuya listened to the cries, to the sound of blades on flesh, and to the fire as it tore through the buildings driven by a fast wind.
Leave no one alive. That had been his exact instructions to the warriors before they had set out.
A tiny whimper was heard below the roof where Byakuya was standing on. A young demon child was being dragged forward by one of the warriors. Byakuya jumped down from the roof, easily landing on two feet, upright.
"My Lord. This demon is not from the clan, she was here visiting her similar-aged friend. We have disposed of said friend. What do we do with this one?"
The child demon gave another terrified whimper.
Byakuya stared down at the demon. The young demon stared back with her wide brown eyes, so big and filled with dread and fear. Her cheeks was wet with tears as she trembled.
Byakuya reached out… and the sound of bone cracking cut the air. The demon fell back to the ground with a dull thud, eyes wide, dead. The Incubus walked away without so much as another word, and went to wash his hands.
"It is another victory." His red-haired assistant stepped up beside him.
Byakuya nodded.
"Well…" Renji deliberated. "I saw you dealing with the little child demon just now. Was just wondering though, was it necessary?"
Byakuya turned to Renji then. "Are you questioning my actions now, Abarai?"
"Of course not." Renji shook his head. "But well, she wasn't from this clan."
Byakuya cleaned his hands. "My specific order was to leave no one alive when we walk away from this place."
Renji nodded and stared up at the night sky. "I guess." After a second's silence, the red-haired Incubus spoke again."You are changing, Byakuya."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. You are… crueler, and much colder than before. It's like…"
Byakuya's voice was emotionless. "Perhaps, like my old self?"
Renji's eyes widened.
Byakuya turned to Renji with unreadable amethyst eyes. "That is the way it is meant to be… Abarai."
The Kuchiki heir walked off, leaving Renji to stare after him in stunned silence.
xXxXx
"AHHHHHHH!"
Rukia screamed and jerked awake in her bed. She hurriedly reached over and flicked the bedside lamp on and stared at the familiar surroundings of her bedroom, trying to calm her fast-beating heart. She hurriedly wiped the perspiration from her forehead, realizing that her entire body had broken out in a cold sweat.
It was the nightmares… again.
After the warehouse incident, Rukia kept having the nightmares. Sometimes they were of ghostly figures chasing her, sometimes they were of dead people lying in distorted angles. Sometimes… they were of Byakuya drenched in blood and battling other faceless figures in a cold-blooded manner. But most of the time, Rukia found herself lying in a black landscape with blood running like fountain near her feet and bodies piled on each other like a hill.
Tap tap.
Rukia jumped again, but then she realized it was the sound of someone knocking insistently on her bedroom door. The girl straightened her pyjamas and ran to open the door.
"Hey." Rukia stared up into warm amber eyes, which were right now filled with concern. "You alright? I heard you scream."
"Oh, it's nothing." Rukia hurried to paste a reassuring smile on her face. "Just another nightmare. Don't worry, Ichigo."
Ichigo nodded, even though his expression still remained a little worried. "How come Nel doesn't hear anything?" He stared in the direction of Rukia's dorrm mate's bedroom door, which remained close.
Rukia chuckled. "She sleeps through an earthquake. Besides, she has Grimmy in there with her today."
The friends had had a sleepover party over at Rukia's dorm earlier in the day. They had all stayed up and played video games, with bowls of snacks and cans of drinks on the table. It had been a very fun night, and Rukia had laughed so much than she had done in the past weeks. When it was near two in the morning, the boys had decided to sleep in the living room, with Grimmjow trailing Nel into her bedroom. Rukia had her bedroom to herself.
"You want a glass of milk? I saw a carton in the fridge just now." Ichigo cocked his head to one side.
Rukia smiled and stepped out from behind the door. "Okay."
The two took their place at the kitchen table, and Rukia poured double glasses of milk.
"We should do sleepovers like these more commen, they are a riot," Ichigo remarked as he accepted a glass from Rukia.
Rukia nodded happily and took a drink from her own glass.
"It's nice to finally see you laugh so much." Ichigo smiled. "I can't remember the last time I saw your full set of teeth."
Rukia smiled back and drank some more milk. "I'm sorry for being an inconvenience to you all. I'm alright now."
"I'm really happy." Rukia looked up in surprise at Ichigo's words. The orange-haired boy just smiled at her softly. "I really am."
"Arigato… Ichigo." Rukia's smile was honest.
"On the other hand, your last game with Shinji just now was really…" Ichigo chuckled and Rukia looked up angrily.
"It wasn't that bad!"
"Hush, not so loud… you will wake the others up!"
"It's your fault…" Rukia whispered back. "… trying to get me angry this late in the night…"
Ichigo chuckled. "Your defeat was epic. You were totally beaten. And the last action of falling down the wall…"
"Was not…" Rukia grouched, resting her head on her arms.
"No, honestly. The tip is to try to get your character up onto the ladder with triple jumps before scaling the wall, or you will definitely lose. If not-"
A soft grunting sound cut him off.
Ichigo stared in surprise at Rukia, who had fallen asleep at the kitchen table with her head on her hands. The orange-haired boy laughed softly, before going over to Rukia and trying to rouse her. When that did not work, Ichigo gently slid his arms around her before lifting the sleeping Rukia up and carried her easily back to her bedroom.
I'm really happy… Rukia.
xXxXx
"Arigato, Byakuya-sama." Hisana spoke softly as they walked along the beautiful arched walkway. It had been after another dinner date, and now they were walking along the gardens of her mansion taking in the night air. Byakuya had accepted Hisana's invitation to come in her house for once, and take a walk in the gardens.
Hisana enjoyed Byakuya's company a lot, even if he appeard very emotionless and unreadable. He answered her questions readily at any moment, and was adept at any form of conversational topic. Then there were his gazes, those intense wordless gazes he often gave her with his misty grey eyes. His eyes penetrated her soul, often making her avert her own eyes with a slight blush as her heart pounded madly. Hisana found herself looking forward to their dinner appointments more and more, and started worrying about her outfit choice before every single one of their meetings.
The Succubus knew she was falling in love with the Kuchiki heir.
There was still the strange wistful aura about the Incubus, but Hisana decided she could live with it. And then, there were also the strange random questions that Byakuya would suddenly ask, such as the question that evening where he had asked her if she loved rabbits.
Still, she remained enamored with the Incubus.
"I believe it should be time for you to rest. It has been a long day," Byakuya spoke as he turned to her.
Hisana did not say anything, even though she wanted to ask him to stay a little longer and keep walking with her like this.
"Good night, and thank you for your company." Byakuya bowed again.
Hisana felt her desperation take a spontaneous surge and she walked up to him. "Arigato for everything, Byakuya-sama." Hisana took a deep breath and gently tiptoed to reach the Incubus to kiss him on the cheek. At the last minute, she softly angled her lips and kissed Byakuya squarely on the mouth.
Hisana hurriedly lowered herself back down, fighting back a blush. She wondered if Byakuya would find such a behaviour as disrespectful or even degrading, as she came from a noble family. He hadn't responsed to the kiss, but he hadn't backed down from it either. Hisana felt her heart pounding loudly in her chest. His lips had been cold, but they did not feel bad... at all.
"Er, I… good night." Hisana bowed low and started to turn back.
"Hisana."
Just his voice uttering her name was enough a command for her to stop, and Hisana did. She turned around to see Byakuya, who was still looking at her.
"Yes… Byakuya-sama?"
"Marry me."
And there you have it, I hope you enjoyed it... even though it might be painful. :) Byakuya and Rukia are still kept apart, and there is the introduction of Hisana :) Please don't throw tomatoes at me, it's really necessary. This chapter serves a lot of purpose actually, to show the difference in their lives after they have stopped seeing each other. And Byakuya is slowly turning back to his old self...
There are some old chapter references here. There is a slight flashback of a scene in Chapter 27 where Isane calls Unohana saying that she found something to distract Byakuya with. Now, the thing to distract him is revealed in this chapter. There is also the Le Chalbens reference, the restaurant Byakuya took Rukia to for their first date... where he also reminisces about in this chapter.
I liked writing the Hisana aspect of this story because in the Bleach storyline, it has always been Hisana being the first one in Byakuya's life and all the stuff about Rukia looking similar. I've always wanted to write a fic where Hisana is the one being compared to Rukia, and I finally get a chance.
But of course, despite Byakuya and Rukia being apart, they are clearly still thinking about each other. With Byakuya constantly trying to mould Hisana into Rukia's personality, and Rukia trying to piece her life back together. But then there is the unexpected marriage proposal...
Please leave a review for me, your thoughts/comments/opinions/suggestions are very valuable for me as feedback, as much as a source for motivation of writing. Thank you. :)