Chapter 6

Rukia didn't remember her bed being so uncomfortable. Her back ached from being hunched over and her cheek was pressed up against something hard, only warmed by her own body heat.

As she drew in a long breath, she opened her eyes into the dark archive vault, seeing that she had fallen asleep at the table they had ordered brought down. She was surrounded by files and papers they had collected, with what remained of their meals filling the rest of the available space. She sat up and stretched before rubbing the blurriness from her eyes, only then seeing that Renji had fallen asleep on the floor beneath the table.

She tiredly smiled as she scooted the chair back and knelt down, crawling beneath the table to sit down next to him and gently shake his shoulder.

"Renji... Hey, Renji... Wake up." She said softly as she dried her cheek from the drool that had spilled from her mouth while she slept.

Renji only grumbled and turned his head the other way, laying on his stomach with his arms serving as his pillow.

"Renji... Time to wake up." Rukia said, again with a gentle shake of his shoulder.

Again, Renji only grumbled and made no attempt to wake up.

Rukia huffed and furrowed her brows as she stared at him, still sleeping soundly with the soft sounds of a barely there snore coming from his throat. She had always thought his ultra soft snores were rather adorable, as they always seemed so innocent and gentle compared to the tower of a man that Renji had grown into.

As much as she wanted to let him sleep, it was time to wake him up, but with his apparent refusal to listen to her gentle alarm, she knew she had to result to her more traditional methods of waking him up.

With a soft clearing of her throat, Rukia leaned back, bracing herself on her hands as she raised a foot and brought her knee to her chest.

Despite being under five feet tall, she was far stronger than her small stature would lead you to believe. Especially when it came to how strong she could kick and the one person who knew that all too well, was the man she was about to assault.

"Wake the hell up, you baka!" Rukia boomed as she shot her foot forward, landing it right against his ribcage.

Renji shot up from the sudden strike to his side, but had forgotten that he was beneath the table. The back of his head smacked into the folding metal hinge with a massive bang that jarred that table hard enough to knock off several files and stacks of papers that all fell to the floor around them as if they were rain.

The pain that erupted in his skull was sharp and hot, whiting out his vision as he immediately grabbed the back of his head and pressed down, sucking in breath after breath to help battle back the heat assaulting his skull.

"Gah! Son of a... Shit! That fucking hurts!" Renji hissed through clenched teeth, holding his head tighter to suppress the pain.

"Oh my gods! Since when do you shoot up like that?" Rukia gasped, suddenly feeling horrible for her chosen method of waking him up.

She rolled forward and scooped him up in her arms, half laying him across her laps while he gripped his own head and groaned from the pain.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow." Renji groaned with his ear against her chest.

"I'm sorry... You never used to jump up like that." Rukia said, holding his head to the front of her shoulder as she softly kissed his hair.

"I do when I'm that tired. By the realms, Rukia. That freaking hurt." Renji growled, finding himself perfectly content to just let her hold him for the time being.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright?" Rukia asked as she loosened her hold on him to allow him to sit up on his own, still having to hunch over because of his height.

"Yeah... Am I bleeding?" Renji asked as he looked at his hand and turned his head away from her so she could take a look.

"No. You're fine." Rukia said as she sifted through his hair to see no blood.

Renji sighed, "What time is it?"

"I don't know. We should gather all the files we collected and clean up." Rukia said, rubbing the back of her neck to loosen the kink that had developed at its base.

"Yeah. I'll compile the file and get it to Captain Ukitake. I'm just hoping this'll work." Renji sighed, crawling out from underneath the table.

Rukia scooted out from the other side and began picking up the spilt papers, "I think it will. Looks like Grimmjow and Neliel have been helping Ichigo and the others for quite some time."

"Lets just hope it's enough to prove that Grimmjow's on our side. I've seen him fight, Rukia... He could break out of that cell anytime he wants and he hasn't. He's playing by the rules." Renji said as he gathered up the files from the floor on the other side of the table.

"I noticed that too. You got all that?" Rukia asked as Renji picked up the thick stack of folders they had collected.

"Yeah. Lets go to the Squad 6 office to get all this together." Renji said as both headed for the door.

Byakuya blew out a heavy sigh as he sifted through the throngs of paperwork that had piled up on his desk. He had hoped that Renji would have done at least some of it while he was gone, but he had soon realized that that was a pipe dream the moment he opened his office door.

Despite the looming mountain of paperwork, he felt at ease, calm from having spent yesterday afternoon talking and reminiscing with Captain Ukitake and giving Nyruki a glimpse into his past. He felt relieved that he had opened that door for her, had told her stories about when he was training in the academy and some of the more funny moments, most of which were instigated by Ukitake in his efforts to fill the hole left by his father's passing. They had actually laughed at those moments and Nyruki seemed to enjoy hearing about them, learning about the softer side of the steely captain and head of the Kuchiki clan. It had been an enjoyable afternoon and one that helped to settle him back into the role of captain and his need to focus on getting his paperwork squared away.

Pressing his fingers against his forehead for a moment out of the gentle throb of a developing headache, he reached for his cup of tea and took a sip before finishing up with the current packet in front of him. He quickly signed his name and title on the line below after reading it in its entirety and then set it on top of the growing stack to his right.

But when he reached for the next packet and scanned the top of the first page, he was reminded that he had yet to finish his preparations for the long overdue talk he wanted to have with his Lieutenant. It was time to fill out the paperwork in front of him, so with a fresh dip of his pen, he began to write.

His fluid strokes swept across the pages effortlessly as his mind told his hand which words to write. He found that each one was easy, he didn't have to struggle to think about what words to write. The more he wrote, the less weight he felt hanging on his heart and the more he wrote, the better he felt that he was making the right decision. This had been long overdue and he was angry with himself that he had waited so long. He had been too stubborn, too prideful to admit it. He had been too focused on all the wrong things until getting the sense beaten into him by a teenage boy and with each word that brought him closer to finishing this particular set of paperwork, the more he realized that better late than never wasn't so bad.

With one, last fluid stroke, he finished the last page of the packet just as the office door opened.

"Captain?" Renji gasped, holding the door open for Rukia to step inside, being small enough to walk beneath his arm.

"Nii-Sama! When did you get released?" She yelped as she wasted no time in heading for him, wrapping her arms around his neck before even thinking better of it.

"The day before yesterday. Our release was sudden." Byakuya said, returning the firm embrace as he flipped over the packet so none could see it's words.

"Why didn't you come see us?" Rukia asked as she released him.

"You were busy helping me to keep a promise. It allowed me to focus on a few other things that needed my attention." Byakuya said as he rose from his chair to file what completed paperwork he had.

"We'll go find somewhere else to work, Captain. Sorry to intrude." Renji said, still holding the thick stack in his arms.

"There's no need. Your timing is actually quite pertinent. I need to speak with you, Renji." Byakuya said, hiding the sudden nervous flip in his stomach with a deep breath.

"Oh! I'll take my leave, Nii-Sama." Rukia said quickly.

"Actually, Rukia... I would like it if you stayed. This involves you as well." Byakuya said as he slipped a file into its proper place inside the filing cabinet.

Rukia stood up straighter, "Oh. Um... Alright."

Renji audibly gulped with nerves as he set down the stack of files on his smaller desk. He and Rukia shared a nervous glance, unsure if they needed to start worrying, or not. It was a feeling he and Rukia shared as they waited in the tense silence, waiting for Byakuya to finish filing the papers.

With the last file put into its proper place, Byakuya turned to realize that both were still standing with their shoulders tense.

"Please sit... Both of you." Byakuya said calmly as he went back to his desk and straightened it up so he wasn't looking at them through the towers of paperwork.

Both Renji and Rukia shared another nervous glance before they sat, still rigid and not wanting to move too quickly out of the fear of invoking a wrath.

"Why do you two look so nervous?" Byakuya asked, arcing a brow as he sat down.

"Did we do something wrong, Captain?" Renji asked with another gulp.

Byakuya lightly sighed, "No... This time, it is I whom has wronged you."

"Huh?" Renji stared.

"Renji-" Byakuya sighed, "Let me start by saying this; The work you've done while I've been gone has been exceptional. The squad is in order... for the most part, and you were able to work alongside two other, far more experienced captains with the task that I gave you. I knew I could count on you and for that, I thank you." He said, drawing in a breath to help settle his stomach.

"I-I... I only did what you ordered of me, Captain." Renji said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"You've done more than that, Renji... For far longer than I think you realize." Byakuya said, releasing his held breath.

"I'm not sure I understand." Renji said.

"You have been Rukia's protector for far longer than I have been, and even still, after her adoption into the Kuchiki clan, you continue to do so as if it never happened. In fact, it has been that very dedication that has put you and I at odds with each other in the past." Byakuya said, starting to play with the corner of the flipped over packet of papers.

"Nii-Sama-"

Byakuya silenced her by raising a finger, "Renji, you realized far sooner than I that Rukia's scheduled execution was wrong and I was far too stubborn to admit it. You slowed me down enough to give Ichigo Kurosaki the time he needed to intervene and if you hadn't, things would be far different than they are now. You have just as much a hand in saving Rukia as that damn boy does."

Renji and Rukia glanced at each other as they listened, still filled with nerves.

"That is only part of why I do what I am about do and, Renji, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and my stubbornness for what I've done." Byakuya said.

Both Rukia's and Renji's brows furrowed as they watched Byakuya open a side drawer and pull a small, velvet covered box from inside, stamped in gold with the crest of the Kuchiki clan. He set it down on the desk and slid it towards Renji with long fingers, but he made no move to take and open it. The redhead simply sat and stared at it.

"W-What is it?" Renji asked, finding that his hands had begun to shake from the sheer amount of nerves coursing through his veins.

Byakuya glanced at Rukia, whose eyes had shot wide as she stared at the box. He knew she knew what it was and he placed a single finger to his lips to silently tell her to refrain, upon which she nodded.

"I think it will mean more if you open it yourself." Byakuya said simply.

With another gulp, Renji sighed before reaching out and taking the box from the desk. He studied the Kuchiki crest that was stamped into the black velvet, shining golden against it like some rare creature caught in the light of a nearby fire. He could see his hands trembling from his nerves, but he grasped the top and began to open it.

The moment the box was open, his heart stopped beating in his chest and his lungs refused to take in more breaths. A silver ring sat pinched between the two pillows, forged with the Kuchiki crest and polished to a perfect shine. It was not a gaudy piece, but seemed almost delicate, feminine even, with the shield that surrounded the crest only being large enough to distinguish it from the silver band that wrapped around the finger.

"C-Captain-" Renji tried to speak, but his words caught in his throat as he looked up at his Captain.

"This has been so long overdue, and I am sorry for how long this has taken. I will be honest in saying that I had hoped this would be a more formal event, but perhaps this way is more meaningful." Byakuya said quietly.

"Renji... Do you know what this is?" Rukia asked softly, earning his gaze.

Renji shook his head, simply so that one of them would tell him in their own words.

"So long as you wear that ring, it signifies that you are a trusted familiar of the Kuchiki clan. No longer will my attendant turn you away at the gate. No longer will you be denied access to Kuchiki assets, nor will you be denied entry to noble events that involve the Kuchiki name. Renji... This is an official indoctrination as a Kuchiki familiar." Byakuya explained.

Renji's eyes stung and his throat was closed from the sheer build up of emotion. His hands trembled, but his fingers were still able to grasp the ring from the box and brought it to the ring finger of his right hand. It slipped over his knuckle without trouble and fit perfectly, having been forged specifically for him.

"I-I... I-I don't know what to say." Renji choked out as his shiny brown eyes bounced between Rukia and the ring he now wore.

"There is no need to say anything." Byakuya said softly as he turned to the final page of the packet and slid it towards Renji.

Renji shifted his gaze to the paper in front of him, seeing that this was all for real. The packet was the official paperwork that put his name in line with the Kuchiki, filing him under the already long list of familiars under the clan's charge. He read the words printed and he would not be just another familiar, but categorized as an enforcer, meaning he was charged with the protection of the Kuchiki family.

"C-Captain-... Why? W-Why're you doing this?" He asked, as the shine in his eyes thickened to threatening levels.

Byakuya remained silent as he regarded the redhead, providing a comforting, but soft smile, seeing the trembling in Renji's shoulders and he knew he was fighting with every ounce of willpower he had simply to keep from breaking loose. He knew how Renji regarded himself, how he viewed himself and with a silent chastising of his thoughts, he would drop the singular feather that made the weight too much to bare.

With a gentle sigh, he rose from his chair and headed for the door, knowing full well that he was under their gaze. He reached out for the doorknob, but stopped and glanced back over his shoulder.

"Because even a stray dog finds a home eventually."

The training square of the Squad 6 grounds was alive with pairs practicing their new skills that Renji had shown them while their captain was gone. Many were too engrossed in their practicing to notice him walking through, observing their stances and periodically stopping to correct imperfections in their postures. They all seemed to settle back into having their captain around.

He continued to walk and observe until he came to a young pair whom had just arrived to the Squad, fresh from the academy. They were barely into their teens and just as small, but their faces clearly showed their determination to better their skills. The young boy was on the offensive, striking his sparing partner's sword, but his swings were wobbly and a bit timid.

"Tighten your grip on your sword and separate your hands." Byakuya said calmly as he stepped between their halted battle.

He leaned over the small, but awkwardly built teenager and wrapped his hands around his, tightening his grip on his Zanpakutō's handle and pulled his hands apart, which steadied his control of the sword.

"Like this. It allows for better weight control of your blade." Byakuya said, releasing the boy's hands.

"Oh... T-Thank you, Captain. I'm not very good at this." He said, sniffling a bit as he pushed up his glasses.

"You will get more proficient with time." He said as he stepped back to give the pair room to resume.

"Am I doing this right, Captain?" Asked the boy's sparing partner, a small girl with short blonde hair and pale blue eyes.

"Nearly. Widen your hands a bit more. As I showed him." Byakuya said, clasping his hands behind his back.

The girl did as he had said and widened her hands, smiling when she was given a single nod of Byakuya's approval. He continued to watch the pair spar until a wailing scream shot from behind him, causing him to wheel around to inspect what had happened.

A small crowd had suddenly gathered in the center of the grounds that he wasted no time in heading for, easily pushing through the other members into the center where he found the source of the commotion.

A young girl was laying on the ground holding her ankle with blood seeping between her fingers. She had been cut by her partner's sword on accident, which had fully disabled her leg. Her partner was knelt next to her furiously apologizing and his eyes were wide with terror as their Captain knelt down next to her, wrought with worry that he was about to be chastised.

However, that is precisely not what happened as Byakuya reached out and gently coaxed her hands away from her wound.

"Ssh... It's alright. Let me see it." He said calmly as he gently pried her hands away from her leg.

The gash was deep, but smooth, made by a single slice with no hesitation. She would heal quickly, but she needed medical attention right away to stem the flow of blood that poured from the freshly made wound.

"You will heal young one. Just breathe for me. Can you do that?" Byakuya asked kindly as he glanced at her.

The young girl nodded and sniffled hard through her tears, but her wailing calmed.

"E-Excuse me... Captain?" Asked a timid voice from behind him.

Byakuya glanced over his shoulder at the source of the small voice, and it was the timid teenage boy whom he had just helped to improve his grip.

"Yes?" Byakuya asked.

"May I try?" He asked, pushing up his glasses again on his thin nose.

"Please do." Byakuya said as he rose to his feet and stepped aside.

The young teenager stepped into the middle and sheathed his sword before kneeling down at the young girl's leg. He watched the boy hover his hands over the wound as that familiar glow of powder blue emanated from his palms to wash over her leg. Only a breath passed before the wound began to seal itself, healing up far faster than he had seen in some time. The blood stopped, the flesh zipped itself together and just as fast as he had started, the wound was healed, just bloodied.

"I-Is that better?" The boy asked the girl, pushing his glasses up again.

The girl sniffled, but nodded and no longer in pain.

"You are far more skilled with healing Kidō. What is your name?" Byakuya asked, his hands behind his back.

"Um... Y-Yukimaru Sasagawa, Captain." He said as he helped the girl up, again with a push of his glasses.

"Why were you not assigned to Squad 4?" Byakuya asked, motioning with his head for the young boy to walk to with him.

They stepped back through the crowd and began to walk with small steps, skirting around the training square while everyone went back to their training.

"Um... I was scared how that would look." The boy said, almost too quietly for Byakuya to hear.

"I see. Because of Squad 4's reputation with Squad 11, I presume." Byakuya said, glancing down at the much shorter boy.

The boy just nodded.

"I will tell you a secret, Mr. Sasagawa, but you must promise that you didn't hear it from me." Byakuya said, looking straight ahead.

The boy shied into his shoulders, "Um... alright."

"If it wasn't for Squad 4, Squad 11 would have perished long ago."

The boy began to softly chuckle as he went to catch his glasses, but they fell from his nose and bounced off his chest. They would have hit the ground if it hadn't been for Byakuya's far faster, far more precise movements in swooping down to catch them.

"S-Sorry, Captain. T-They're um... always falling off." The boy said as he started to lightly shake.

Byakuya examined the glasses for a moment and saw why, as the nose pads were far too far apart to grip the boy's thin nose.

"Ah... Here is the issue." Byakuya said lowly as he started to adjust the nose pads.

It only took a moment before he realigned the pads and handed them back to the boy, whom hesitated a moment before deciding his need to see overcame the awkwardness he felt in his gut. He slipped his glasses back on, and this time, they stayed where he put them.

"T-Thank you, Captain! That's much better." The boy smiled, but still nervously fidgeted with his hands.

"You're welcome. If you wish it, I will submit the paperwork for a transfer to Squad 4 under Captain Unohana. Is that something you would like?" Byakuya asked, studying the boy's widening eyes from rising excitement.

"I-I um... I really would, Captain." He said, trying to control the obvious glee that spread across his young face.

"Then I will take care of it. In the meantime, you should prepare your things." Byakuya said as he turned to step away.

"Captain?" The boy called, halting Byakuya's retreat.

He stopped and glanced back at the boy over his shoulder.

"I-I don't know what you were doing when you were gone, but the captain who came back... I hope he stays."

The boy ran off before Byakuya could say a thing. All he could do was watch him return to his training, beaming with an excited smile. He watched the girl whom he healed come up and thank the boy with a hug and Byakuya didn't need binoculars to see the boy's cheeks turn bright red with a blush. He lightly smiled as a breeze came out of nowhere, rustling through the trees and fluttering his hair around his neck. The sound had hidden the arrival of another and he hadn't noticed until they voiced up.

"That seems to be the running sentiment." Said Nyruki, having flash stepped into a large, nearby tree that was heavy with large, deep red apples.

"What is?" Byakuya asked with an amused grin stretching across his lips.

Nyruki shrugged, "The new you." She grinned wide as she reached out for a large red apple within her arm's reach.

"New me? And what exactly is this 'new me'?" Byakuya asked, watching her as she swung down from the branch with one hand to land on her feet.

"This... warmer, almost approachable man." Nyruki said with her soft smile as she brought the apple to her nose for a deep inhale.

"I see. I will have to work on that." Byakuya said with the barest of smiles.

Nyruki chuckled, "Butthead."

"Did you just call the 28th head of the Kuchiki clan a 'butthead'?" Byakuya popped a brow, but his smile grew as he glanced over at her.

"Yes... Yes I did." She said without hesitation.

"I see," He smiled down at her as he offered his arm, "Care to join me on a walk?"

Nyruki's smile widened as she threaded her arm through his, still holding the deep red apple whose aroma could be smelt without having to put it to one's nose. They began to slowly walk in the shade of the trees that lined the path and both paid no mind to the others around them that tried to hide their looks of shock.

"So I must inquire; What brings you by this afternoon?" Byakuya asked after a moment, resting a hand on hers.

"I needed to pick up the rest of my things. I would have done it yesterday, but I got kinda distracted." She said, smiling up at him.

"We both did, but I hope it was enjoyable for you." He said, sending a greeting nod to several members of Squad 6 whom were brave enough to walk past them in the other direction.

"It was. I really enjoyed hearing about you growing up, even it was a bit heartbreaking to start off." Nyruki said.

"It was a bit of a rough start, but without Ukitake, it would have been much worse. He is a man who cannot stomach seeing the suffering of others." He said, taking the apple from her hand to take a look at it for himself.

"I know that all too well." Nyruki said as she rested her freed hand on his bicep.

"He saved me from discovering my mother's body, comforted me when I thought all was lost after my father died and then spent the next 180 years just... being there. Don't get me wrong, I love my grandfather and I understood his position as head of the clan and Gotei Captain. I knew he couldn't be there for everything, but whenever he was, and I needed something, he never said no." Byakuya said, still examining the even coloring of the apple.

"What did you do when you were excited about something?" Nyruki asked, looking up into his eyes.

"In what regards?"

"Like... you passed a test and just needed to tell someone about it." Nyruki said, smiling.

"Ah... I typically went to Ukitake for such things," He lowly laughed, "I remember one time during my first year at the academy when I had managed to perform a high level Hadō spell, with the incantation, of course. I was so excited about it that the moment class was let out, I ran all the way to Squad 13 to show him, but when I got there and tried, I had trouble recreating it. I was so disappointed in myself, but Ukitake took me down to the training grounds and helped me get a better understanding of it. All he ever did was smile and teach me." He explained with a soft smile adorning his lips.

"That's so sweet." Nyruki softly chuckled.

"I do hope that one day, Jūshirō can be a father to children of his own. He is the kind of man that Soul Society needs more of." Byakuya said, drawing in a deep, contented breath as they lazily walked the path.

"I agree wholeheartedly. He's kindness and unconditional love and terrifying power all in one package." She said, taking the apple back to admire its uniform coloring.

"I don't think you quite realize just how powerful a man he is. Both he and Captain Kyōraku are two of the most powerful Shinigami to ever hold the rank of captain. Do you remember the confrontation between Soul Society and Aizen not long ago?" He asked, smiling as Nyruki sunk her teeth into the apple, releasing a torrent of juice that dripped from her chin.

Nyruki hummed her delight at the perfect taste of the apple, swiping away the trail of juice from her chin with the back of her hand while she chewed and shallowed.

"I do. I was distraught when I heard that Papa had gotten so horribly injured." She said, offering the apple up to him.

Byakuya took the fruit and took a chunk for himself, chewing it before continuing his thought.

"That was a cheap shot and not worthy of proving Ukitake's real power." He said with a fading smile.

"I was so happy when I heard that that little weasel was taken care of." Nyruki growled, taking another bite of the apple that he offered her.

"As was I, but at the cost of the Head-Captain's left arm." Byakuya said.

"That whole situation was so intense. Why did you ask if I remembered?" Nyruki asked.

"Because it is a true measurement of their power. Consider this; Captain Kyōraku defeated the Primera Espada with just his Shikai while Ichigo Kurosaki had to become a full Hollow before he could defeat Espada 4." Byakuya said with a pleased smirk.

Nyruki's eyes widened, "Wow... That's incredible."

"It was. Though I did not get to see it for myself, I was not surprised when I heard it. Those two do not use their Bankai without good reason." He said, taking another bite of the apple.

"If that's not a damn good reason, I shutter to think what is." Nyruki feigned her own shutter to make her point.

"I do not wish to think of a situation that would require those two to use their Bankai. I fear that day will be a dark day for the Soul Society should it ever come to pass." He said, handing her back the apple.

Nyruki bit off another large chunk of the apple, but the piece that came off was far too big for her to chew without being less than feminine. She pinched the large piece between her fingers and bit it in half, making it far more manageable for her to chew and offered the other half to Byakuya.

He leaned over and plucked the piece from her fingers, offering her a smile with his eyes as they both chewed and drank down the copious amounts of juice from the ripe piece of fruit.

"Perhaps I should task a few to pluck the tree so it will bare again next Spring. Its branches are far too heavy to sustain another season." He said, dabbing his mouth on his sleeve.

"What're you even gonna do with that many apples?" She asked with another bite.

"Perhaps give them to the barracks kitchen to do with what they will. I might take a few home for myself as well." He said, using a thumb to swipe away a trail of juice from her chin.

"I thought you didn't like sweet. You seem to be enjoying the apple well enough." She said with a returning smile.

"Fruit is fine. It is confections I am not a fan of." Byakuya said.

"Like pies and cakes and candy?" She asked.

Byakuya nodded, "Yes."

"I think I could get you to eat a pie at the very least." Nyruki smirked with another pluck from the apple.

Byakuya's brows lightly furrowed, "Is that so? And how do you plan on doing that if I don't like pie?" He sent her a sidelong glance.

Nyruki's grin turned mischievous, "Banana cream."

"Oh, you vial woman." Byakuya reeled with his mouth slightly agape as he glowered down at her.

"What? Would you try it at least?" Nyruki snickered.

"That is fighting with no honor." Byakuya playfully glared down at her.

"Hardly... It's fighting fire with fire." Nyruki smirked, offering him the apple.

Byakuya plucked the apple from her hand, "Taking my enjoyment of bananas simply to lure me. You are an evil beast." He took a bite.

"Perhaps, but just imagine the fame I would garnish by getting you to eat a piece of pie." Nyruki snickered.

"Oh, I see. You simply wish fame. Than I shall never attempt to eat anything you offer me." Byakuya added his low, throaty laugh to hers as he offered her the nearly completely gone apple.

Nyruki took the final bite without taking the core from his hand, smiling with delight while she chewed the last piece. Another trail of juice slipped from between her lips, streaking down her chin where it was captured by Byakuya's knuckle and brought it to his own lips to lap up the last bit.

"Tis a shame... And here I was about to ask you out on a date." Nyruki said with an exaggerated shrug.

"A date? Is that not my duty to ask you?" He asked, arcing a brow as they continued to walk with the apple core still in his hand.

Nyruki shrugged, "Doesn't really matter now. I already asked." She winked up at him, still softly smiling.

"That you did. Does this mean you have something in mind?" Byakuya asked, returning her smile as the shade gave way to sun.

"Nope. Not a clue." She giggled.

"Then how am I to take you on this date without an idea of where to go, or what to do?" Byakuya asked, enjoying their walk and light hearted conversation.

"I'll leave that up to you, but... I have a request." She said, gripping his arm with both her hands.

"Alright. What is this request?" He asked, regarding her with soft eyes.

"Wherever we go, whatever we do, is nothing that you and Hisana have already done." Nyruki said, offering him a sweet smile.

"Oh? And why is that?" He asked.

"Because the things you've done with Hisana are yours; They're between you and her. Whatever we do, will be ours; Between you and I." She said, leaning into his side as they walked.

"I see. You wish to make our own memories." He said softly.

Nyruki nodded, "I do. The time you had with Hisana is special and deserves to be kept as such. Whatever we do will be special for us."

"You don't wish to replace her, you wish to succeed her." He said with a growing smile.

"Exactly. She is just as much a part of you as Rukia is and I can't very well ask you to get rid of either one of them. That wouldn't be right of me, nor fair to you." She said, resting her cheek against his arm.

"Alright," His smile grew for a moment, "Then, Nyruki, would you care to join me for dinner tonight at a restaurant in the Seireitei?" He asked, looking over to her and ignoring his squad that had begun to stare even more as they walked.

"You never took Hisana to dinner?" Nyruki asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Not out to dinner. We always ate at my estate. Of course, back then, I was... far more stern and old fashioned than I am now." Byakuya admitted as he looked up from her to see that many of the Squad 6 members had stopped just to watch. They immediately scattered.

"Remind me to thank Ichigo for that ass whopping he laid down." Nyruki chuckled as Byakuya glared hard.

"Nyruki-"

"What? It's true. He softened up that thick head of yours." She shrugged and smiled.

Byakuya lowly laughed in his throat as they reached the training square that had nearly entirely emptied of those whom were using it. Only a few pairs remained to continued practicing as the front door to the main barracks building opened to allow Rukia and Renji to step out into the sun.

"Here's the paperwork, Captain. Sorry it took so long." Renji said as he held out the packet in his hand.

"It's no trouble, Renji. I imagine you needed a few moments." Byakuya said, taking the packet.

"I did, but I'm good now." Renji bowed.

"Good. I'll take these back to the manor and have them archived. Congratulations." Byakuya said.

"Thanks, Captain."

Their conversation would have continued if the front gate hadn't groaned, drawing their attention as a hooded messenger stepped through. Nyruki unwound her arm from Byakuya's as the messenger approached and dropped to a knee in a deep bow.

"Captain Kuchiki, I bring a message from Head-Captain Yamamoto." Said the messenger, never looking up from the sunbaked dirt.

"What is it?" Byakuya asked.

"All involved with you and Nyruki Sawada's disappearance are to report to the Head-Captain's office this evening. That includes Lieutenant Abarai, Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyōraku and all whom returned with you, including the two Arrancar." The messenger said.

"Understood." Byakuya said as the lighthearted expression that had colored his face vanished.

The messenger immediately stood and left without even looking up from the ground, tucking his hands into his sleeves as he headed for the large wooden gate.

They all watched him leave until the gate closed once more before they regarded each other, all with looks of uncertainty.

"Think Central 46 reached a decision, Captain?" Renji asked quietly.

"It's possible," He glanced down at Nyruki, "It would appear that our date requires a raincheck."