A/N: Wrote this a while back, have only just completed it. I've been going through a phase where I can only see original fiction but my fragments keep bugging me. I think this is where they need to be. I think I wrote this with Josh Groban's "My Confession" playing on repeat in my brain.
Disclaimer: Not mine, Kubo-sensei's, and I'm really glad he lets me play with them...for now.
"Confession"
"Who is she?" asks Hatsumomo from her place at her dressing table where she sits carefully brushing the tangles from her long dark hair. She watches for Byakuya's reaction in the mirror, her blue-grey eyes betraying neither displeasure nor disappointment.
Byakuya does not sigh. He lies back and looks up at the ceiling and asks, "Who?"
"The woman with the golden hair," says Hatsumomo.
Ah, so the gossip has reached even here, he thinks. He has been wondering how long it would take for word of his not-at-all secret bankai training sessions with the Tenth Division lieutenant to spread through the Seireitei. Aloud he says, "No one you should concern yourself with."
The sound of Hatsumomo's brushing stills and he turns his head to look at her. She wears nothing but a turquoise yukata, slung low over her shoulders so that he can just see the rose blush of her breasts. She must be aware of it but chooses to ignore it in favour of looking at him and yet there is no trace of anything in her expression. But of course she is not satisfied with this response. She says, "I am concerned. You come to me exhausted, if you come at all. Do you know that she leaves golden hairs on your clothes? That you have begun to smell of her perfume?"
That Byakuya did not know. Who would think that there would be such transfer during a sparring bout? No wonder the Elders have been giving him strange looks.
"She is no one you should concern yourself with," he repeats. And Rangiku is not, not to the Elders or the gossip-mongers or Hatsumomo, one of the most sought-after oiran in the Seireitei. Beautiful, intelligent and kind though the lieutenant may be, the extent of their relationship thus far is limited to zanjutsu lessons and so help him, so it shall remain.
Hatsumomo resumes her brushing but after a moment says, "Your family is concerned."
He is not surprised. Though Rangiku, unlike Hisana, is a captain-class Shinigami, she also originated in the Rukongai, had a long-standing relationship with the traitor Ichimaru Gin, to whom she was not married, and has a reputation for promiscuity and drunkenness. The very idea that she can exist in the same space as their lord must keep the Elders up late at night. Not her, they must say, muttering even in their sleep, not this one, not again.
"She is no one they should concern themselves with either," he replies, lying back to stare at the ceiling again. He should probably be getting up and dressed again. The hour is late and Rukia will worry.
"They would not," says Hatsumomo, and he can feel her gaze on him again, "if you did not give them cause."
He turns his head down to look at her. She stares right back, meeting his gaze, eyes still bearing that carefully blank expression, ever unconcerned, and says, "I am told that she already has a lover, one of the other lieutenants, Hisagi Shuuhei."
If Hisagi Shuuhei is Rangiku's lover he does not act like it, Byakuya has seen him observing their matches from time to time but he never approaches and Rangiku never leaves with him. But then Rangiku is a very secretive person. For all that she pries and prods at everyone else's secrets, Byakuya has never heard her let slip any of hers. This conversation is beginning to bore him. He yawns, stretches and sits up. Then he says, "I shall see you again."
She says nothing in reply as he stands, dresses and leaves.
0o0
"Who is she?" asks Rangiku with that coquette's smile. Her skin glistens with sweat, her hair sticking to her forehead, and her chest heaves with every breath in a manner that is undeniably appealing. She makes no attempt to capitalise on this though, too focused on prying for information.
Byakuya thinks back to Hatsumomo brushing her hair and replies, "No one you should concern yourself with."
The smile becomes a grin and she straightens from her fighting stance to put a hand on her hip and ask, "That important, huh? Are you going to propose? Is Rukia going to get a new sister soon?"
Byakuya straightens as well, though he keeps his attention on fixing his tekkou and says, "If you put this much focus into your training you would probably have mastered your bankai by now."
The grin crumbles into a pout and she protests, "Aw, Captain, don't be like that. This is a good thing. Now all those pesky rumours about you and Renji will go away…at least for a little while, maybe."
For a moment Byakuya is tempted to ask for clarification but it passes quickly. Instead he says, "We are not here to gossip."
She waves away his response, saying, "Yes, yes, but how can you expect me to ignore the fact that you are distracted?" He snaps his gaze up at her, stunned, and she continues, "So, spill, who is she?"
Byakuya looks away from her and does not reply. This is a mistake. In an instant she is before him, bending forward to catch his gaze and giving him a clear view down her top in return, mischievous grin firmly in place. "Is she another noble?" A pause, she straightens, folds her arms, putting one under her chin and looks off into the distance, considering. "What am I saying? Of course she's nobility. So high nobility or low?"
Byakuya considers and quickly discards the idea of not responding. Matsumoto Rangiku is relentless when it comes to gossip. No way in hell he's going to give her the truth either so instead he says, "No one you should concern yourself with. I see that you have improved your speed and the force behind your attacks but little else."
He looks back to find her scowling and she says, "Oh, come on. We're practically friends now. I would never tell. Have you ever heard me telling you anything about any of my other friends?"
He wonders since when they had become friends. Then he realises that no, since he has begun training her he has not heard her mention anything of her comrades. Of course that could be due to the fact that he would not have tolerated it.
When she notices that his expression has not changed, she grins and says, "That important, huh? Or is it scandalous? Is she…my goodness, is she another girl from Rukongai?" She finishes with a gasp, a hand over her open mouth, eyes wide. His heart lurches at the how dangerously close she has come to guessing the truth before tripping over something else: mischievousness makes her almost irresistible.
He replies before he can think better of it, "If you beat me today then you will find out."
Her eyes go even wider while he suppresses the urge to smack himself. Of all the stupid things to say. Not that she has a chance of winning, today or any other, but the fact that he actually acquiesced to her was dangerous. It might give her the idea that he would allow her to take liberties with his person and given his current state it will be difficult to resist.
Oblivious to his horror, the sudden torrent of possibilities washing away his concentration, she says, "Okay! Prepare yourself, Captain. I've been practicing."
There is nothing to be done about his misstep now. He nods and readies himself.
0o0
"Who is she?" asks Rukia at dinner.
Byakuya looks up at his sister and she drops her gaze away, face flushed. Still, she soldiers on to say, "The reason you're smiling, Nii-sama."
I was smiling? Byakuya almost asks before settling into the familiar refrain, "No one you should concern yourself with."
Rukia goes wide-eyed and it is then that Byakuya realises his mistake. This is not a response for Rukia. He hastens to clarify, "There is no one, Rukia. Do not allow yourself to be dragged into gossip."
Rukia reddens immediately, so much so that Byakuya is almost regretful of his tone. But then she takes a breath, straightens her spine and says, "I'm sorry, Nii-sama, for letting myself be taken with it but…well, it's just that, I was hoping…"
He turns his gaze to her fully and she reddens further, ducking her head a little. Still she says, "Well, maybe it was silly, but I found myself hoping that maybe you had found someone, after all…I thought when I heard it that this was good, that Nii-sama would have someone in his life again who could be there for him as Lady Hisana had and as I cannot."
She punctuates this speech with a soft, encouraging smile and then quickly looks away. Byakuya is left staring as she nervously stirs her food on the dish before her and tries not to look back at him. Her embarrassment is palpable, the icy chill of her reiatsu skittering away from his like fine snow in the wind. But there is steel there still. She means what she has said. He says, "Rukia."
She starts slightly and turns to look at him. He takes a breath of his own and says, "While I will take your words into consideration, there is no one with whom I am currently involved. There has been a serious misunderstanding regarding the nature of my relationship with the lieutenant of the Tenth Division, but I am merely her bankai instructor and nothing more."
Rukia looks away to her hands in her lap and says, "She is very beautiful."
"Beauty is hardly a mark of character," he replies.
"And kind. In her own way she wants everyone to have a good time," says Rukia.
"Her methods are highly inappropriate most of the time," says Byakuya, thinking of the suggestive manner in which she would approach her captain, the other lieutenants and even Kurosaki Ichigo. It sets a fire in his blood each time he sees her tease them only to stop when he approaches. How badly does he want to snatch her away from them. How desperately does he sometimes wish she would turn her teasing to him.
"She can be very loyal and dependable when the situation requires," says Rukia, looking back at him.
He looks away and replies, "Those are fine qualities one looks for in a subordinate not a companion. While it would be wonderful to have someone with whom I can leave the affairs of the household and have confidence in their ability to perform them with consideration to taste and tradition, I would point out her predilection for dereliction of paperwork duty."
"But that's paperwork. No one likes to do paperwork," Rukia protests. He cannot see her gaze but he imagines it to be imploring.
He replies, "Nevertheless, as you understand part of running a household is managing the accounts. There is a lot of paperwork involved in that."
"She has never had any trouble getting people organised, certainly not in her division or when we have activities in the SWA. In fact, she always does her share and offers to help the rest of us with ours. She may look like she does not care and that she is completely disorganised but that is far from the truth," says Rukia. She stops, takes a breath and then adds, "But Nii-sama, maybe you're thinking too far ahead. Maybe you should consider first the traits she has that work for you before you consider those of the household. Maybe she will surprise you."
He looks back to her to reply, "I am head of the clan, and any woman I marry would become its lady. I must always consider the clan."
Rukia is silent for a time after this, during which Byakuya resumes his dinner and tries to ignore the rustle of movement at the periphery of his vision that indicates they were observed, and then she says, "But who will consider you?"
0o0
"Who is she?" asks the Elder the moment Byakuya sits down and in an instant he's ready to get up again. He did not come here to be interrogated. He has still made no approach therefore there is no reason for this.
His tone is bland, bored even as he replies, "You tell me. I have been asked this infernal question more times than I can count in the past week and now I find myself wondering just who is this woman that you are all convinced I am with?"
The Elder goes puce but it is another, an aunt, who says, "Matsumoto Rangiku will never be Lady of the Kuchiki."
Byakuya lifts an eye. Beside him Rukia stiffens. To cover it, he says, "It never ceases to amaze me the way that others have decided things I know nothing about. Since when have Matsumoto Rangiku and I become involved in a relationship."
The first speaker scoffs. "Surely our lord does not presume us all senile or blind or unaware of his current association with the lieutenant. You have devoted hours of your precious time to her training but one cannot believe that you spend all of your time thus occupied. While we understand that her position affords her some respectability and allows her to stand in your presence, need we remind you that her background is…less than respectable. If you should choose to continue to cons—"
"You overstep your bounds, cousin," says Byakuya, looking the man directly in the eyes.
The man is in fact an uncle but by marriage alone. At Byakuya's admonishment he clamps his mouth shut and drops his gaze. Byakuya's aunt however, is not thus cowed. She takes up the charge immediately, "That harlot is not worthy of your time or consideration. However, some of us have long come to accept your taste for...inferior things. If you insist on this affair she will be a mistress and nothing more."
"How dare you," says Rukia through clenched teeth.
Byakuya snaps his gaze over to his sister just as the others do, to find her red-faced, teeth bared, hands in fists at her sides. Her fury is palpable and before he can offer a placating word, she continues, "That 'harlot' is a respected, decorated officer of the Gotei Thirteen! She risks her life and limbs daily to keep you and your sneering pack of harpies safe from Hollows that might pass you over for being past due! You should be so lucky to call her lady."
"Lady Rukia…" begins another.
Byakuya cuts across them both, "I will entertain no further discussion of this matter. Is there anything else that you wish to discuss because if there isn't I call this meeting to a close. I am weary and wish to retire."
Silence greets his declaration and after a moment he stands and takes his leave. He barely makes it to the end of the hall before Rukia is at his side and frantic.
"Oh, oh Nii-sama! I am so sorry! I don't know—"
"Rukia," he says, cutting her off. She stops and looks up at him. He looks down at her flushed face with a small smile and says, "It is alright. You merely expressed what I could not. Matsumoto Rangiku should be honoured to have such a friend."
Rukia looks away, embarrassment painting her cheeks, and says, "I just could not let them say those things about her." Then she looks back up again, steel in her gaze, and says, "But Nii-sama, if she is the one you chose then that is all that matters. You would never choose anyone who would not be everything you need or want, regardless of what anyone else thinks. If she is the one, let no one stop you."
Byakuya just stares at her. She ducks her head, breaking his gaze and says, "I know you said...but I saw you today." At this his eyes widen in alarm but she continues, oblivious, "The way you were looking at her...you would have to be blind to not see..." She lifts her gaze to his again and says, "You should tell her. She knows about the rumours and she laughs them off but if there is a chance that she might be interested..."
She trails off when Byakuya lifts his gaze away from her face. Then he says, "Good night, Rukia."
She sighs and replies, "Good night, Nii-sama."
He does not look back at her as he goes off to bed but he can feel her gaze all the same.
0o0
"Who is she?" asks Rangiku, through the strain of blocking his attack.
"Hmm?" says Byakuya. She has gotten faster, even if she has yet to realise it, and the reiatsu behind her block is considerable. In a matter of weeks she has gone from depending solely on evasion and defensive tactics to attempting offensive ones.
"The woman who has finally caught your eye," she replies, smiling at him. She follows this up with a charge that actually makes him take a step back.
He blocks it still, of course, and then says, "Now tell me, Lieutenant Matsumoto, what makes you think that I shall tell you?"
Her eyes go wide in her astonishment, giving him an opening that he exploits to his full advantage. In a blur of motion he has her disarmed and the point of his blade to her throat. Still, she ignores it entirely to say, "There is someone?" Now her eyebrows ascend to her hairline. Byakuya tries to ignore her expression of genuine shock and then she asks, "Who is she?"
Byakuya removes and re-sheathes his blade before replying, "You would not believe me if I told you. In fact, I am very sure that you would be both confused and displeased."
"I would be...?" asks Rangiku, still wide-eyed. "Is it Nanao, because let me tell you, the person you should worry about is the Captain Commander."
"No, it is not Lieutenant Ise," says Byakuya quietly, looking at her. She is not looking at him though, too busy trying to guess the identity of his supposed paramour. He has spent all day and most of the night before steeling himself for this moment. Whatever her reaction he will not back out now.
"Is she even a shinigami? Though I don't know a lot of non-shinigami nowadays and I can't see myself being upset about anyone who is—oh goodness, is it that human child, Orihime-chan?" she asks, turning her attention back to him.
He lifts an eyebrow at her even as he smiles and then something clicks in her mind because she takes a step back, brow furrowed now and says, "What?"
Byakuya replies, "I told you that you would be confused…I find myself confused as well. Not at my feelings, no, of them I am very sure. What confuses me is how I came to be the last to see them myself. I have been asked many times about the woman who has come to preoccupy my thoughts. Even by you, though I could not have told you because I was...wary of what you would think." He gazes her directly in the eyes as he continues, "I know that you did not invite these feelings but it would be remiss of me not to make you aware of them. Especially as I have become your instructor and even more for the fact that I have made you the subject of gossip for some time now. For all of these things I apologise, Lieutenant Matsumoto, and should this bring our lessons to an end I understand and will not impose my presence on you again."
Rangiku has been staring back at him in silence through this whole speech and now drops her gaze away. He watches the line of her neck, the play of the wind and sunlight in her hair, the flush of her skin from their spar and thinks, maybe he should not have said a word. But he cannot go back to Hatsumomo, or speak to Rukia, or look at his family again without having told her, without knowing her answer. And then she says, "I don't know what to say."
He lifts his gaze to her eyes again and says, "Then don't say anything. It is enough yet that you know."
Her eyes are a rich deep blue that reminds him of the sky in just stares at him. He gives her a formal bow, turns and begins to walk away. And then she says, "I am sorry...I just...I don't think..."
He nods once and she falls silent. But as he makes to take another step she says, "I do not want our lessons to end. I don't care about the gossip. There will always be gossip no matter who the man is." He turns back to look at her and she continues, "I have to admit that I was surprised when you showed up instead of Renji to help me with my training, and I am eternally grateful that you did. And I'm...really surprised to hear this from you, of all the men in the Seireitei. I just...I don't know what to say."
"You have just said quite a lot," says Byakuya. Her blank expression tells that his poor attempt at a joke has fallen flat. He smiles and says, "That is enough for today I think. Take all the time that you need. I shall be here tomorrow at the appointed hour still. Whatever your answer I shall accept it."
She considers this a moment and then nods. Byakuya inclines his head at her one last time then turns and leaves.