So I've become obsessed with Bleach over the past year, but I'll admit I'm no expert on the universe. I try to stick with canon as much as possible but I have a lot of OCs that pop up so there's definitely going to be some divergences from the canon. I can't promise consistent updates but I've worked on this story a lot and I love my OCs very much so I'll try my hardest to make it through to the end.
ch 1: rejection
Today was the day - it had to be. Fushido Heiwa had been waiting for this day since she was a child, frolicking in the gardens of her family estate and trying to catch hell butterflies with her tiny hands.
Early that morning, she had caught her grandmother conversing with Tsuzawa Dakao - head of the Tsuzawa clan. They were perusing through the lavender fields surrounding the Fushido manor, appearing to have an intensely serious conversation. Though Tsuzawa-sama's face did nothing to express his feelings of what they discussed, her obaachan's soft smile and fond giggles as she clasped his hands in hers gave Heiwa enough indication.
Tsuzawa Takuya - Heiwa's best friend since childhood and not-so-secret lifelong crush - was going to propose to her.
She knew that he had been planning something ever since he began sending her flowers at work every day. Although her fellow Shinigami would tease her for it, it was well known to all in the Gotei 13 that the Fushido house had been praying for the day that their little Heiwa would finally marry her childhood best friend.
Although love marriages were essentially unheard-of amongst the nobility, the Fushido clan considered themselves blessed by the gods that their heiress was fortunate enough to form a friendship with the heir of the Tsuzawa clan - one of the Four Great Noble Houses in the Soul Society.
It could not have been a better match for the Fushido clan. Dakao's eldest son, Soshi, had died decades ago. Although married, his wife had been unable to conceive and thus returned to her father's house upon her husband's death. The Tsuzawa clan had no use for a barren widow.
Now, the succession of the family lay on the shoulders of Takuya, Dakao's remaining son.
Takuya. Heiwa's sweet, handsome, lovely Takuya.
Though he did not possess the political fortitude of his older brother, Heiwa preferred Takuya's gentle and calm nature. He had been kind to her when no one else was. She was an orphaned heiress, of lower status than he, with an icy exterior that intimidated most who met her. Since the day her parents died, her elders struggled to secure a suitable marriage for her. With every passing year, the likelihood of finding a suitor that could elevate their status lessened, and the elders became desperate.
Then, one day, a very young and reckless Takuya had managed to climb the walls surrounding the Fushido estate with the help of his younger and more reckless sister, Toranami. The siblings had heard rumors of the lavender fields that lay beyond the Fushido walls, so soft and sweet-smelling that it felt like falling into a bed of pillows. They wanted to see if the rumors were true.
That was the first time Heiwa saw Takuya - wild blue hair swaying in the breeze and eyes smoky like charcoal. His brown skin glittered like gold in the fading light.
It was love at first sight - for Heiwa.
From then on, the two were thick as thieves, to the surprise of both their families. Heiwa had never been popular among her peers, so the Fushido elders thanked the gods for the chance meeting that seemed to be the solution to their problems.
Although Heiwa considered herself a more than competent noblewoman, skilled in the art of political manipulation, that was not the reason for her interest in Takuya; it was curiosity. He had never been intimidated by her, and she couldn't figure out why. But she couldn't recall a single instance in which he had been frustrated with her biting wit, bored by her incessant silence, or put-off by her uncaring demeanor. By all accounts, Takuya and Heiwa should not be friends. Yet, there was no one she held more dear in her heart.
That was why she was unable to contain her excitement. For her, marriage with Takuya was about more than elevating her family's social status. For her, it meant a life with her best friend.
She was buzzing with anticipation, practically glowing as she sped past the halls of the 6th Division's barracks. Though she had passed through the same corridors for nearly half a century, on this day, everything felt new. Colors were brighter, sounds were louder, and she felt like she was walking on air - the stack of paperwork in her hands not weighing her down in the slightest.
She hummed as she strode through the barracks to her office, seemingly unaware of her fellow Shinigami watching her with confusion. Was that truly their stone-faced third seat smiling and humming to herself?
"Pst, Abarai-fukutaichō!"
One of the unseated officers waved the red-headed lieutenant over to his desk, speaking in a hushed tone. "What's got Fushido-dono acting so…happy?"
"What are you talking about?" Renji looked over at Heiwa, curled over her desk as she sorted through piles of paperwork. Sure, she was smiling more than usual, but that in itself wasn't a weird thing.
"Dude, she's singing," the officer gawked.
Renji snorted with disbelief. But then he looked at her again, straining his ears, and realized the officer was right. She was singing, albeit just under her breath.
What the hell?
As the officers began to whisper amongst themselves, the main doors of the building flew open.
All the Shinigami immediately stood and bowed as their captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, walked into the room.
"Good morning, Kuchiki-taichō!" they recited in unison. The nobleman gave a curt nod and walked towards his office, not uttering a single word. As he passed Heiwa's desk, he paused. Though his face was blank as usual, he spared a glance in her direction.
Heiwa carefully avoided meeting his gaze, instead gazing intently at the floor. Though she did her best to contain her emotion, she knew the flush on her face would not escape her captain's perceptive eyes.
Luckily, Byakuya said nothing and went inside his office. Heiwa let out a little breath she hadn't realized she was holding and sat back in her chair with a thump. She tried to focus on the paperwork before her - it had been days since the Ryoka Invasion and Aizen's betrayal, and there were many mission logs and damage reports she had yet to get through.
She opened up the latest file and, with her favorite pen in hand, read through the report. She only got through half the page when she felt a familiar reiatsu approaching her. She looked up and was met with the sight of her lieutenant, Renji, whose face scrunched up as he stared down at her.
"Can I help you, Abarai-fukutaichō?"
Heiwa usually got along with her lieutenant just fine - it was sort of a requirement for them to have an amicable professional relationship since she was the 6th Division's third seat. Sure, he annoyed her at times, but he was young and rash while she was sophisticated and intelligent. They were bound to clash at times, and his constant attempts at a friendly rivalry were always met with resolute disinterest from Heiwa.
Renji leaned over the desk and narrowed his eyes at her. She instinctively leaned away from him with a scowl. "I'm sorry, do you need something, Renji?"
He was silent for a moment, pursing his lips and squinting. Then he finally backed away with a smug grin. "You just seem very...happy, today."
Heiwa didn't like his tone. "Is it a crime to be happy?"
Renji laughed. "Nope, not at all." He gave her a conspiratorial wink and swaggered away, Heiwa watching with mild irritation. But she quickly shrugged it off. She would not allow anything or anyone to bring her mood down today.
Today was going to be a good day.
~X~
Today was turning out to be a horrible day.
One of their rookies was killed on a mission to the Living World. He had only graduated from the Academy a few months prior. Though it was not uncommon for a Shinigami to meet a less-than-fortunate end, it still pained Heiwa whenever a particularly young officer died in the line of duty.
Now Byakuya was breathing down Renji's neck for a full report, and Renji was breathing down her neck, waiting for her to finish up the preliminary evaluation of the mission. Heiwa was already behind since she'd offered to help some officers with their caseloads. So now she was working on an empty stomach, not to mention she's had a throbbing headache for an hour now.
Renji loomed over her desk, tapping his foot impatiently as he watched her pour over the files. He had one hand on the back of her chair, his index finger tapping in tandem with his foot. The sound was grating Heiwa's ears.
Another minute passed, and he sighed for the umpteenth time. Heiwa's already ice-thin patience snapped.
"Could you please stop?" she barked. Renji's eyebrows shot up at her outburst, but he backed away without a word. She scribbled her signature on the final form so hard the page nearly tore, and she shoved the files into Renji's open arms. "There, that's all of it," she huffed, slumping against her chair with a groan.
Renji gave her a sympathetic look. "You worked through your lunch, right?" She looked at him with dead eyes.
He flinched. "O-kay, why don't you go home?"
"Really?" She nearly jumped out of her chair. Renji shrugged and started walking down the hall.
"Yeah, the day's almost over anyway. The Captain and I got it from here." He looked over his shoulder with a cheeky grin. "Go see your boyfriend."
Heiwa flushed scarlet and choked on air. "I-I don't have a boyfriend!"
"Whatever you say!" Renji sang as he disappeared into the Captain's office. Heiwa stood there for a minute, waiting for the heat in her face to dissipate. She looked at the stack of paperwork still on her desk. There was...a lot.
She pictured Takuya's face, and her heart pounded. She stared at the paperwork.
Hm. Nothing that couldn't wait until tomorrow.
She collected her things and shut off the corner lamp, trying not to skip as she headed out of the office.
When she arrived at the Fushido estate, a servant was waiting there to greet her. They bowed timidly and informed her a guest was waiting to see her in the gardens. Heiwa's bad mood lifted instantly. "Tell them I will be there in a few minutes."
Using Shunpō, she traveled the length of the manor in an instant to her bedroom. She shrugged off her shihakushō and threw on a simple pale blue kimono. She looked in the mirror and smoothed down the folds with her palms, pleased that her skin didn't look so pale against the fabric. She thought about putting on some makeup, but that might come off like she was trying too hard. She looked younger without it anyway.
Now her hair was a different issue. She didn't have time to wash it, and it looked a bit lifeless. Then, an idea popped into her head. She crossed the room and rummaged through her drawers until she found the ribbon she wanted. She examined it carefully, stroking the silky fabric fondly.
She smiled and used it to tie her long hair back in a loose bun. Its pale blue color matched her kimono and contrasted nicely with her ash brown locks. Staring at herself in the mirror, she pulled a few strands of hair out to frame her face, hoping she'd appear somewhere between messy and put-together. Not trying too hard, but just enough. Her eyes, light grey like clouds in a clear sky, stared back at her. She took a deep breath.
She was ready.
Heiwa made her way to the gardens in the back of the manor. A servant was tending to the rose bushes closest to the house, but no one else was roaming about. Heiwa was relieved - she didn't want to feel the glare of her elders on the back of her head as Takuya proposed to her.
It was quiet. Heiwa liked the quiet. There were not many relatives that lived in the Fushido manor. Her grandmother and the other elders often kept to themselves unless there was family business to attend to. Heiwa quickly got used to the empty halls and echoing silence that permeated the estate after her parents' deaths. Whenever she visited the homes of other nobles, she was surprised by how easily idle chatter and children's laughter could fill an entire house.
The gardens were Heiwa's favorite part of her home - especially the lavender fields. Lavender had been her mother's favorite flower, so her father had planted several fields spanning across their estate as a wedding gift. When Heiwa was a child, she would sit among the flowers and read a book, or lay down as if the flowers were a bed and stare up at the sky. If she closed her eyes, sometimes she could hear her mother laughing and her father calling her name.
"Heiwa-chan!"
Takuya's cheery voice echoed clear across the garden, interrupting her train of thought. He was standing in one of the lavender fields, waving his hands frantically. Heiwa would've laughed if she didn't feel so nervous.
She made her way over to him, trying to avoid stepping on the flowers. It felt like a dream - Takuya standing tall and proud, his pastel blue hair sticking out against the lavender bushes around him. The sun was setting, the last rays of light shining against his back and casting a shadow over his face. As Heiwa approached, his smile grew, and the white of his teeth was a stark contrast against his dark skin.
Once she was within arms reach, Takuya pulled her into a tight hug. He squeezed her torso and easily lifted her, spinning her around effortlessly. Heiwa shrieked in a very unladylike manner, unable to stop the blood from rushing to her face. He set her down with a laugh, ruffling her hair like they were still children.
"Long time no see, Heiwa-chan!" He was grinning, his joy infectious. Heiwa tried very hard to giggle. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"
In truth, they had just seen each other last week. But even a week apart felt too long.
Takuya let out a big, exaggerated sigh and turned to face the sunset. The dark of his eyes lit up with the fading light. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes," Heiwa said softly, focused only on him.
He looked at her from the corner of his eye with a mischievous grin. "So, how are things at the Sixth Division? Kuchiki-taichō treating you well?"
Heiwa chuckled a bit. "Yes, things are fine." Then she thought about the rookie. "We lost an officer today, though."
Takuya turned to her, eyes wide with concern. He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that." Heiwa shrugged. "It is a common occurrence, unfortunately."
Takuya was silent, gazing at the sunset again. He had an oddly somber expression. She wondered if he was thinking of his brother, who had passed away long ago in the same manner.
"Yeah," he echoed.
When he blinked, he was back to normal, eyes sparkling. "Heiwa-chan, I have something important to tell you."
Heiwa froze. Her heart started pounding hard enough she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Her hands were suddenly very sweaty, so she folded them behind her back and tried her best to keep her voice steady.
"Oh?"
Takuya turned away from the sunset, looking down at her. He was so tall, she thought. Then again, she was a petite woman. Most people towered over her. But Takuya's warm smile and kind face made it so that his height was never intimidating. She thought about how she would have to stand on her tip-toes just to reach him for a kiss. The thought made her terribly flustered.
Takuya's eyes roamed over her with tenderness. "Heiwa, you know you are my best friend, right?"
She nodded, a bit too fast. "And you are mine." He grinned, gently taking hold of her hand, his palm nearly enveloping hers.
"There is no one whose opinion I value more than yours." He gazed into her eyes, staring into her soul. She felt so exposed. "There is no one who knows me better than you." She hoped he couldn't feel her hand shaking in his.
"You have always been there for me, offering me advice and help whenever I needed it." He chuckled, adding, "Even if I didn't ask for it." Heiwa let out a tiny, shaky laugh, her mouth dry and throat tight.
"You have been too good to me, Heiwa. I don't know how to repay you for your kindness."
Just ask for my hand in marriage.
She smiled at him. "Your friendship is more than enough."
Takuya laughed, though it strained with a sense of self-consciousness not typical of him. He shook his head and took a deep breath. "I need you to tell me that no matter what, it's going to be okay."
Heiwa was unsure if all proposals went like this, but it was Takuya; she would say yes no matter how he asked. Holding his gaze, she lifted her free hand and clasped it over his. She squeezed gently.
"Takuya, it's going to be okay."
The corner of his mouth twitched, his smile falling. Then, for a moment, his face changed, and he looked at Heiwa with desperate, sad eyes. Then, just as quickly, it disappeared. He kissed the back of her palm. She couldn't breathe.
"Thank you, Heiwa-chan." With that, he released her hands. They fell limp at her side.
Although he was still looking at her, Heiwa felt he didn't see her - as if he were looking through her or just past her.
"I'm going to propose."
Of course, she already knew that. But then again, Takuya didn't know that she knew. Perhaps she should put some effort into looking surprised. She nodded slowly, widening her eyes with fictitious shock. She stared, waiting for him to continue.
When he didn't, she pursed her lips and sighed. "It's not enough to just say it. You have to actually do it."
Takuya snickered. "Yeah, you're right." He plucked a lavender flower from one of the bushes at his side, holding it between his fingers. "But that's the hardest part, isn't it? You're filled with all this doubt. You think, 'what if she says no'?
Heiwa rushed to interject before he could finish the thought. "I wouldn't say no."
He turned to her with a quizzical look as if he had never considered that. "Really?" Heiwa hoped in vain that her face wasn't bright red. She nodded vehemently, "Of course."
He seemed genuinely shocked by her statement. He was quiet for a long moment, and then-
He laughed, a boisterous, over-the-top howling type of laugh. He doubled over; his hands braced on his knees to keep himself upright.
He was laughing at her.
A sharp, needle-thin pain pricked the center of Heiwa's chest, and her heart dropped. She struggled to breathe.
Takuya was oblivious to Heiwa's discomfort. Panting for air, he cackled, "You would - ha! You'd say yes to me? Oh my gods, Heiwa, that's the funniest shit I've ever heard. Could you imagine us, married?! "
Heiwa stood very still as her heart shattered into a million pieces. She could not comprehend what he said. She stared at his mouth, watching his lips as they moved in slow motion but not hearing the words that came out.
"Oh my gods! Haha! That would be like marrying my sister!"
Heiwa paused. "...sister? That is how you think of me?'
Takuya gaped at her, unable to control his gasping laughter. "Of course! We've known each other since we were practically babies. How could I think of you in any other way?"
Heiwa did not know what to say. Part of her refused to accept the truth - that he did not love her as she loved him. That part of her hoped that he was just playing some silly joke on her, trying to get her guard down so he could surprise her with a real proposal.
But he kept laughing, and that small hope died inside of her.
Takuya wiped a tear from his eye and rested a hand on her shoulder for support. "Ha! Thank you for the laugh Heiwa. I was feeling so nervous, but...wow, I needed that. If you, of all people, would say yes to me, then she most certainly will."
"She?" Heiwa repeated numbly.
"Do you know of Wakashi Hiro? He used to be a judge in the Central 46."
"No, I do not know him."
Takuya closed his eyes and tilted his head back, a soft smile on his face. "He has a daughter, Yōto, and oh my gods Heiwa. She is...stunning."
"I see," Heiwa wheezed. She rubbed harshly at her eyes while he wasn't looking.
None the wiser, Takuya let out a long, content breath, still facing the sky with his eyes closed. "She is funny and smart and just...amazing." He looked at Heiwa with a wildly happy grin. "I think you'd really like her."
Not a chance in hell, she thought bitterly.
Takuya's smile softened, and he reached for her face. She almost jerked away but forced herself to stay still. He fondly stroked her cheek and tucked the lavender blossom he plucked earlier behind her ear. His touch was so gentle, and it nearly brought her to tears.
"I'm going tonight to visit her father and ask for his permission to marry her."
Heiwa couldn't stand the sincerity in his eyes. She turned her head away and blinked furiously, trying not to cry. Eventually, she whispered, "Do your parents know about this?"
Takuya scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I think so? I mean, you know how my mother is, constantly asking if I'm ready to choose a wife. Then last night, my father was trying to be sly and asked if I planned to use the gardens for any 'festivities' this year - which is his way of asking if there will be a wedding. You should've seen the look on his face when I said yes, it was hilarious."
Ah, so that was why Tsuzawa-sama had come to visit her grandmother that morning. He had assumed Takuya was going to propose to Heiwa.
With forced laughter, she stared at her toes. The soft grass that she usually enjoyed walking through was now irritating as it scratched at the sides of her feet. Takuya kept talking, but it went in one ear and out the other.
After a minute of his rambling, Heiwa could no longer tolerate it. "Takuya," she croaked.
Takuya turned to her expectantly. "Yes?"
She squeezed her eyes shut and bit the inside of her cheek. She was vaguely aware that she was trembling but couldn't seem to stop it. Taking a deep breath, she let her shoulders slump and clenched her jaw.
"Why did you come here?'
Takuya cocked his head. "I just...thought I should tell you. I didn't want my best friend to hear about my engagement from someone else."
She let out a mirthless laugh. "Yes, of course." She tilted her head back and flashed him a rigid smile. "Well, now I know. So what are you still doing here?"
He grinned broadly. "I suppose I should get going. No use in putting it off anymore, right?"
Heiwa snorted. "Right."
Takuya wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. As he pulled away, he kissed the side of her head affectionately. He paused, eyes catching on the sliver of pale blue in her hair. "Oh, is that the ribbon I gave you when-"
"-I left for the Spiritual Arts Academy. Yes." Heiwa fought the urge to tear it out right there and then.
"I didn't even know you still had it," he chuckled. He smoothed down the top of her head and gave her another kiss. "To be honest, I like it better when you wear your hair down. It's been getting really long."
"It has, hasn't it," she murmured. Takuya hummed and kissed her cheek. "Wish me luck," he whispered. Then he turned and walked away.
He didn't look back, didn't see the tears streaming down Heiwa's cheeks and the way her composure crumbled as she stared at the back of his head. Once he was out of sight, she fell to her knees as sobs racked her body, shaking and trembling within the relative safety of the lavender bushes around her.
After what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes, Heiwa heard soft footsteps approaching. When she dared to look up, it was her grandmother, looking down at her with a vacant expression.
Fushido Hotsu was not a kind woman. She had lived too long, seen too many things, and lost too much to hold on to any sense of compassion. But everyone knew that mean old Hotsu had a soft spot for her granddaughter - the only reminder she had left of her son.
So as Hotsu stared down at the teary-eyed and quivering form of her only grandchild, she gathered all remnants of kindness buried deep within her soul, and kneeled next to Heiwa.
Heiwa, who could not recall the last time she cried in front of a living soul, stared at her in disbelief, trying and failing miserably to withhold her sniveling.
Hotsu said nothing, but stretched her thin, frail arms out to her granddaughter. Heiwa blinked, then her face crumpled with pure misery, and she curled into her grandmother's embrace.
"Obaachan," she wailed. Hotsu stroked the back of her head with great care. "Yes, my child?"
Heiwa sniffled, rubbing her face against her grandmother's kimono. "I want to cut my hair."
Hotsu was quiet for a moment.
"...very well, Heiwa."
The lavender bushes swayed gently in the breeze around them, the soft swish of petals brushing against each other the only accompaniment to Heiwa's brokenhearted sobs.
Thank you for giving my story a read! This chapter was very OC-centric, but the canon characters will be showing up a lot more in the upcoming chapters. If you like it please leave a comment, they truly are my source of motivation.