Renji's newfound productivity wasn't a fluke: it was now every day that paperwork flew in and out of his inbox when it was usually left to cover his entire desk. Indeed, Byakuya didn't once have to use his usual motivation tactic and remind Renji that even Kurosaki did his paperwork on time—not that Ichigo was a lieutenant anymore. Byakuya would have voiced how impressed he was, but there was another side effect of whatever was…up with Renji that he didn't want to risk promoting as a result: for the first time since his marriage had disintegrated, Renji was singing in the shower. Except Byakuya agreed far more with the whispered assessments he picked up around the squad, which included but were not limited to "caterwauling," "god-awful din," and "I would be in less pain if I stabbed myself." But regrettable singing ability aside, Byakuya knew better than to question Renji's office work, for it only benefited the squad in the end.

You can just admit you're happy for him as a friend, Senbonzakura said one morning during drills.

We're not friends, Byakuya insisted, his eyes lighting up with the Kido spells that flew across the training field toward their targets.

And I'm but a mass of sentient flower petals with a big mouth.

Byakuya almost snorted. You mean you're not?

…Touché.

No matter how he felt about it, however, Renji's dedication to his office work left Byakuya little room to delay his own, which was proving slightly inconvenient as it created less time to do anything else. At the forefront of this "anything else" was getting Tsukiko a birthday gift, as Byakuya's note to himself reminded him whenever he reached into his pocket. But time or not, he didn't know how to make the note reality, for more reasons than one (including the constant stream of paperwork from Renji). Most apparent of them was that he simply didn't know what to get Tsukiko. He understood she had at least some knowledge of heavier music, but that didn't mean she would appreciate a related gift. Moreover, he was her captain, not her friend.

Then get her something as her father, Senbonzakura suggested.

I don't know what to get her in that regard either, Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes when the squad slowed their Kido releases as a light drizzle began to fall. I'm at a loss.

Senbonzakura sighed with a note of impatience. Then save yourself—and me—the trouble of thinking about it and don't get her anything at all. It's not as if you acknowledge the other squad members' birthdays.

"In what way does the weather impact your Kido?" Byakuya shouted into the training field. "Back up to speed!" As the Kido spells picked back up, Byakuya said to Senbonzakura, I'm getting her something, and that is final. But it must balance our relationship.

Oh, now he has no trouble saying it.

Mentally rolling his eyes, Byakuya returned his attention to the field. Relay lines of Shinigami shifted over the grass as the squad member stepped forward to cast their Kido. The field echoed with blasts of power as spells slammed into the targets, which had been treated to absorb the impacts rather than disintegrate under them. From what Byakuya could see from his end of the line, most of the squad was performing to his standards, but he held off from offering direct critique just yet. Besides, his tone-deaf lieutenant was approaching him, shouting the last of a pointer over his shoulder.

"Just pretend you're throwing a grenade at it, that always works for me!" Renji said as he stopped at Byakuya's side.

Keeping his eye on the targets, Byakuya said, "Do you really think you should be the one offering advice for this drill?"

Renji shrugged. "I was asked a question, and I answered it."

"So you hold responsibility for when my training field turns into a crater?"

"A hundred percent," Renji said with a grin. "Speaking of the training field, you and I have had a request for a demo."

Byakuya glanced at him. "Is that so?"

Renji nodded. "One of the rookies asked. I said I'd look into it."

"I think a demonstration might be in order," Byakuya said. "It's been some time since we sparred."

"I'll say." Renji smiled. "I'd like to show off, if I'm being completely honest."

Byakuya crossed his arms at him. "Do you want the chance to show off or to demonstrate your abilities? You can only have one."

Renji shook his head. "Psh, the two are one and the same."

"I disagree."

"You're too caught up in the semantics, Captain." Renji looked at him. "But we're doing it, yeah?"

Byakuya nodded. "We are, though I must say…." He glanced up at the sky and the minute drops falling from it; they hadn't advanced into full rain, but nor had they stopped. "The weather will not be terribly reliable for some time."

Renji scoffed. "Hasn't it been you forcing us through wet drills the last two months?"

Byakuya stood up straighter and looked anywhere but at Renji. "Or perhaps you're not the only one who doesn't want to demonstrate their abilities."

"Ch, why is it that the vanity always comes out—"

"I'm still your captain, Abarai. Do think carefully before you finish that sentence."

Laughing despite the warning, Renji said, "Okay, fine, so we won't schedule it until spring—"

"I said no such thing." Byakuya turned to face him. "What's wrong with the dojo?"

Renji raised an eyebrow. "You really mean to tell me that we can fit not just the whole squad, but Sōō Zabimaru and Senbonzakura Kageyoshi in our tiny-ass dojo without accidentally killing anyone?"

Byakuya met his eye in silence.

A moment's pause, and Renji began to guffaw. Byakuya allowed himself the smallest of smiles and returned to observing the squad. However, they both sobered when a large explosion occurred at the opposite end of the Kido line and all other spells ceased accordingly.

"I'm on it," Renji said, though Byakuya followed him to the line. They found not a crater, but a burly, thoroughly charred squad member who'd managed to knock himself out with the force of his failed Kido. At the very least, there were no other casualties.

Renji scratched his head as he looked down at the slightly smoking squad member. "Am I still taking responsibility for this?" he asked.

Byakuya gave him a look.

Renji sighed. "I'll take him to the Fourth…." He bent down to ease the large squad member onto his shoulder, but after a lot of huffing and puffing, the task had proven itself to be a two-person job. With an inconvenienced frown, Renji looked up at Byakuya. "Mind if I take someone with me?"

"If it means you won't damage yourself."

Renji let out a dry laugh and scanned the squad members over his shoulder. "Hokutan, get your ass over here!" he shouted.

"Sir!" Tsukiko answered. She moved past the handful of squad members before her to stand beside her superiors.

As she bent over to help Renji, Byakuya slowly turned to the squad members directly behind them. While he'd learned the hard way what a sexist attitude brought him (i.e., an annoying but very correct brother-in-law), he couldn't help but notice at least three male squad members who not only matched Renji in size, but who he knew for a fact to be physically stronger than Tsukiko. More importantly, they only had to step forward to help, not shove their way through their relay lines.

Byakuya set his gaze back on Tsukiko as she and Renji heaved the unconscious squad member's arms over their shoulders. Tsukiko reached back to pull her hair out from under the squad member's arm, but before she could do it herself, Renji reached over and carefully released her hair from the weight.

Something suddenly growled awake inside Byakuya, something he didn't anticipate or fully understand: a territorial urge to defend.

As if nothing had happened, Renji nodded once at Byakuya before he, Tsukiko, and the squad member disappeared from sight.

As renewed suspicion of the something that was…up joined the deep growling inside him, Byakuya turned to the rest of the squad, who were all watching him in silence. Yes, more questions than answers had cropped up in his mind, but this was one thing he could control. Raising his head just as well as his voice as the drizzling morphed into true rain, Byakuya shouted, "I did not realize my squad was composed of nothing more than distractable buffoons! Return to your drill at once!"

The firing of multiple Kido spells cut off anything he might hear, but not his mental image of the care with which Renji moved Tsukiko's hair.

Against his better judgment, Byakuya let Senbonzakura talk him into asking Tsukiko outright what she wanted for her birthday. However, they never agreed on when he was to ask, so it was gladly that Byakuya delved right into their next lesson without preamble. They didn't use rin this time so Tsukiko could practice initiating contact with her Zanpaku-to, as it was always the spirit that began their interaction.

Even so, it came as no surprise when the training ended and Tsukiko had little to report beyond "a sense of amusement." "It's still too early for you to make a breakthrough," Byakuya told her as they sheathed their swords. "I would be quite shocked otherwise."

Tsukiko sighed. "I know, sir, but my Zanpaku-to is right there." She looked down at her Asauchi. "I can't really feel it yet, but I know that something is happening."

"Right you are," Byakuya conceded, "but more practice silently engaging with your Zanpaku-to is what you need."

"That's easy enough. I don't have a rin of my own."

Byakuya's ears perked right up as he rose from the floor. "Is that so?"

"Yes sir," Tsukiko said. She stood beside him and paused to tie her Asauchi to her obi.

Hardly needing Senbonzakura's encouragement, Byakuya said, "Hokutan, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with my niece the other day, so I understand that your birthday is in a week and a half."

Eyeing him carefully, Tsukiko offered a small, knowing smile as they moved into the hallway. "That is correct, Captain."

Byakuya brought his eyes to hers. "Is there anything in particular you would like?" he asked, purely to maintain his ruse.

Her smile only widening, Tsukiko bowed once to him. "I appreciate that you wish to do something for my birthday, sir," she said, "but you don't have to go through the trouble."

"It is no trouble," Byakuya said as they walked down the hall. "Allow me to do this for you. There is no restriction."

"Restriction or not, Captain, it's too kind an offer."

"I'm not offering." The memory of Renji moving her hair emerged in his mind's eye, and with more than a little sarcasm Byakuya said, "A barrette, perhaps."

Tsukiko laughed politely, and their battle of wills continued all the way to the front courtyard. Still Tsukiko wouldn't budge, and it was with a laugh that she bowed to him and said, "As always, Captain, thank you for the training, and really, don't worry yourself about my birthday."

"I insist, Hokutan," Byakuya said as the guards opened the gates. "I am well aware of your birthday, and it would be discourteous to ignore it."

Tsukiko smiled gently. "Well, if you insist, then perhaps a demonstration with you and Lieutenant Abarai. At least then the entire squad can…."

Byakuya did not hear the rest of what Tsukiko said. A demonstration, she'd said. Between him and Renji.

That's rather coincidental, don't you think? Senbonzakura said, his tone flat. Imagine that, Renji reporting that you'd been requested to spar, and now Tsukiko comes forward—

A rumor, Byakuya said, though he didn't believe himself in the least. There must be a rumor that we will duel, and Tsukiko is acting on it. Nothing more.

Lies. You would know if there was such a rumor. Quite like you know about the reception to the baboon's, ah, singing.

In full agreement, the territorial urge began to snarl inside Byakuya's chest for the second time.

"Captain?" Tsukiko said.

Byakuya broke from his revery and glanced at her, only then realizing a glare was shaping his eyes and mouth. Softening back into apathy, Byakuya stepped toward the open gates. "I'll see what I can do about a demonstration," he said, "though I would rather get you something more personalized."

Tsukiko laughed politely. "I don't dare tell you what to do, sir, but know that I will be happy even if you don't get me anything." She stepped through the gates and into the street, then turned to bow at him once more. "Thank you, Captain Kuchiki."

He nodded once, his eyes scanning her for any clue that might connect her to what was…up. "Until our next training," he said at last.

"Until then," Tsukiko said with a smile. She instantly faded out of view.

A wave of resolution flowed through Byakuya, though he had none himself. Sniff this out and end it, Senbonzakura said.

Enough, Senbonzakura.

You can't ignore this forever.

I said, enough.

As uncomfortable as thinking about Renji made him, Byakuya was even more set on a clear day for their duel than he had been before. Sadly, the month of November was not known for its dry weather, so despite having Tsukiko's direct gift request, Byakuya followed through with buying her a rin for the time being.

And so it was a dark maroon bag with gold tissue paper that Byakuya shielded beneath his haori the morning of Tsukiko's birthday. Exceeding all of November's expectations, the skies overhead were a roiling mass of gray, pouring freezing rain down on everything in sight. The wind offered no consolation as it slapped against wood, cloth, and skin. The usually calm walk from Byakuya's quarters to his office was now treacherous, and it took him nearly twice as long to reach his destination. He still had just enough time when he arrived to set the bag in a desk drawer and catch his breath before drills began.

But as Byakuya blotted the rain from his face with a tissue, a red-haired figure that was not his lieutenant burst into the office without knocking.

"We need to talk," Ichika said, a flustered look set firmly on her face.

"Good morning to you as well, Ichika-chan," Byakuya said. He tossed the tissue into the trash can beside his desk. "You seem perturbed."

"I am," she said. She marched further into the room and rested a none too casual hand on the hilt of her Zanpaku-to. "I leave for Hokkaido today and went to see Tou-sama. He was in his office."

"What is so unusual about a lieutenant being in his office?" Byakuya asked.

Ichika looked at him impatiently. "Since when does Tou-sama get up early enough to do anything before drills?"

Byakuya frowned. "How am I connected to this, Ichika-chan? I need to be on the field myself—"

"He looked happy, Oji-sama, and his office was organized. When I asked what gives he said he 'just felt like a change.'" Her hand was now squeezing the sword hilt. "He wouldn't say anything else, but as someone who sees him every day, tell me, what's wrong with him?"

Byakuya opened his mouth to respond, but he cut himself off. He had at least part of the answer to Ichika's question, but the last thing he needed was to drag her into the matter if there really was something…up between Renji and…and….

Your daughter, Senbonzakura retorted.

Don't, Byakuya told him sharply. Just…don't.

Then when, Byakuya?

Byakuya glanced at Ichika. "I will admit that he's been more cheerful lately," he said. "He's…also been singing in the shower."

Ichika's frowned. "Singing in the shower?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said. "Unfortunate as it is, near no one can stop him—"

"Is he seeing someone?" Ichika said, the words coming out in a rush.

Byakuya sighed. "Ichika, I really must be on the field." He moved toward the door, but Ichika stepped in front of him, her hand still gripping her sword hilt.

"Tell me the truth, Oji-sama," Ichika said over the rain that slapped against the windows. Her eyes narrowed. "What is he doing?"

Byakuya chose his next words carefully. "Ichika-chan," he said, his voice level, "your father is an adult. I understand it must be difficult to watch, but he can and will do as he pleases…. That includes dating." Within my discretion, he added, though only for himself to hear.

Ichika held her tongue but a second before shaking her head and near shouting, "You should've told me."

"Ichika—"

"He's going to get himself hurt. I can't let him do this."

"That's hardly fair to your father—"

"Life's not fair!"

"You're also not responsible for his decisions," Byakuya said, letting a slip of authority color his tone. "You are entitled to your opinions—"

"You don't think I know that?" Ichika said, her brow furrowing. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were—"

"Then don't treat me like I am!" She shook her head. "Just—forget I said anything. I'll handle it myself." She turned and fled his office.

"Ichika," Byakuya called. He sped after her, but it was hardly difficult to follow her: she'd stopped before Renji's office, her hand firmly gripping the door handle as if she froze just after touching it.

Slowing his pace, Byakuya stopped beside her. "Ichika—" he began.

"Quiet," she whispered, pointing with her free hand at the door.

Narrowing his eyes at her, Byakuya glanced at the closed door but indeed quieted when he heard two muffled voices filtering out into the hallway. The first had to be Renji's, low as it was, but there was something…nervous about his tone. Tender, even. But regardless of Renji's tone, something he said triggered a familiar, feminine laugh from whoever was in there with him.

The growling, territorial urge was suddenly back in Byakuya's chest.

It was Tsukiko.

And I suppose this is just another coincidence? Senbonzakura said, his tone now biting.

Ignoring the growling's agreement, Byakuya glanced down at Ichika. She defiantly met his gaze as she renewed her grip on the door handle.

"Ichika…" Byakuya said, not knowing whether he was encouraging or warning her.

"I can't let him do this," she said. She was shaking again. "I…I just fucking can't."

She slammed her hand down on the handle and shoved the door open.

Indeed, Renji's office was unusually clear. Only his desk was unorderly, its surface covered not in paperwork but torn wrapping paper. A sword-cleaning kit, seemingly just unwrapped, sat among the scraps.

But no matter what the office looked like or what was on Renji's desk, Byakuya was more concerned with Renji himself and the way his hands were on Tsukiko's hips. The way her arms were laced around his neck.

The way their faces were so close that no excuse in existence could disguise it.

I'll kill him, Senbonzakura sneered, gladly filling in the silence of Byakuya's shock. I'll kill him so fast he won't even see it coming. How dare he!

"Y…you're fucking kidding me," Ichika said, her words at last forcing Renji and Tsukiko apart like a cleaver to bone. "Of…of all the…fucking…people?" Her hands lashed out before her, but she clenched them into fists before they pulled her further into the room.

"Ichika, stop," Renji said, holding out a hand to her. "Just…oh, hell…." He dropped his hand as he met Byakuya's gaze.

Shaking just as hard as Ichika but for a very different reason, Tsukiko looked to Byakuya as well but cringed away. "C-Captain, I'm sorry—" she said.

"Come out of this office, Hokutan," Byakuya said, his voice dangerously low.

"Y-yeah, just so I can beat her ass!" Ichika shouted, her anger starting to solidify.

Byakuya glared at her. "You will do no such thing."

"I'd like to see you try and stop me—"

"Ichika, shut up!" Renji hissed. He took Tsukiko's hand and gently but firmly pulled her toward the door, eyeing Ichika and her threats the entire time. In the tensest of trade-offs, he pushed Tsukiko into the hall before grabbing Ichika's shoulders and leading her into his office.

"You have no idea what the hell you're doing!" Ichika shouted, attempting to jerk herself out of Renji's grip.

"You best not close that door, Abarai," Byakuya said, pinning Renji under his gaze.

Swallowing hard but never once letting go of his daughter, Renji shook his head. "Please, Captain," he said. "I will accept any punishment, but we have a ticking timebomb here—"

"And why the hell do you think that is!" Ichika shouted. "You're ruining your life with this bitch—!"

"Please, Captain Kuchiki," Renji said, his eyes flooding with desperation.

Sure, let Ichika have at him but not me! Senbonzakura shouted, near harmonizing with the renewed snarling of that territorial urge. Let me shut him up, Byakuya! Who knows what he's done to Tsukiko—

"You have drills in five minutes," Byakuya said, grabbing the door handle. As soon as he slammed the door closed, Ichika's shouts grew into cracked screams.

Forcing down the rage around and within him, Byakuya looked at Tsukiko, at her wide eyes and heaving chest. "On the field, Hokutan," he said. "Now."

Nodding slowly, Tsukiko nearly ran for the exit, Byakuya just paces behind her. Once they were outside, the howling wind replaced Ichika's screaming in their ears.