Lieutenant's Mayhem

by Mystic Blade

Ruka Kyōraku was happy as the third seat of the seventh squad but once Komamura transfers her as a lieutenant for ninth squad, she finds out it's not all it's cracked up to be when madness and mayhem follow her path. Still, there's a division to rebuild to return the old splendor of the Gotei 13 and shake the foundations of Soul Society itself. (AU, a decade after the Winter War).

48. Soul Society Matchmaker

Music Inspiration: Two Steps From Hell- "Cassette Skyline" and Florence + The Machine- "Cosmic Love"

A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes
I screamed aloud as it tore through them
And now it's left me blind

The stars, the moon
They have all been blown out
You've left me in the dark
No dawn, no day
I'm always in this twilight
In the shadow of your heart

And in the dark
I can hear your heartbeat
I tried to find the sound
But then it stopped
And I was in the darkness
So darkness I became

The stars, the moon
They have all been blown out
You've left me in the dark
No dawn, no day
I'm always in this twilight
In the shadow of your heart

I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map
And knew that somehow I could find my way back
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too
So I stayed in the darkness with you

---

Soul Society Matchmaker!

---

Ruka's teeth crunched over the thin round galette waffle that she'd doused in syrup. Just as she swallowed the crispy waffle, her left hand reached for a rectangular brussels waffle. As the crumbly waffle melted in her mouth, she topped the new soft waffle with fresh strawberries. Before she could shovel that one into her mouth, a hand stopped her as Captain De Voss laughed, "Easy, Kyōraku. You have all day and it only takes minutes to get terrible indigestion."

"When did you become a parent?" she questioned skeptically at having to stop her gorging for patience during the first meal of the day. When she ate breakfast, it was her heaviest meal so she could survive whatever insanity awaited her at work.

With her housing the Northeast Gotei captains in her home, Captain Ryker offered a Belgian breakfast and she seized on the chance for free waffles. The commute would be terrible heading away from the Gotei, where no civilian resident wandered, but they woke early enough to enjoy their breakfast and drink enough coffee to not be zombified. Ruka placed the waffle down with a reluctant pout and he advised confidently, "Besides, the liege waffle is better suited for fruits than a brussels."

She trusted his judgment on anything waffle-related only and told him, "Good call on the place, I see why it's called Waffle Kingdom."

Her appetite reignited every morning with the hunger of a panda and she bit into another crunchy decadent syrup-splattered waffle. While she bit into the soft inside, her eyes narrowed at seeing a drink in his right hand and her eyes dulled instantly. One would think that a night out with her uncle Shunsui would leave one terribly hung over but nope. She fought the urge to sigh in disappointment to ask flatly, "Are you drinking this early?"

"It's jenever with vanilla liqueur" he reasoned simply with a charming grin that failed to convince her.

This time, the sigh broke through at his inability to acknowledge his bad habit and she muttered, "How your liver never fails is beyond me."

"The beauty of genetics" he told her brazenly at inheriting a strong liver that failed to intoxicate him into unconsciousness when he drank. He could not say the same for his friends but it did help him meet his hero, Captain Kyōraku. Ruka could not push him out the door fast enough once her movie night ended but the two headed off who knows where to drink. In the morning, she found him strewn facedown on her porch and tried to drag him inside before dumping a bucket of water over him. Otherwise, her swans would begin pecking him as a trespasser.

"Doesn't excuse you from being crazy though" she pointed out matter-of-factly because even when he was sober, he still managed to create chaos.

He scoffed at the absurd accusation and pointed his half-full glass at her to demand, "Name one instance!"

"You wrote I will eat your children in red ink on the walls of the Southwest Gotei" she answered dryly to the most recent antic that almost got him kicked out of there. She had many more episodes to showcase his volatile personality whenever alcohol was involved. While her uncle managed to keep a breezy attitude with the world around him, Ryker was fueled by the power of alcohol to create mayhem.

"A lapse in inebriated judgment?" he suggested half-heartedly because he had zero memory of that trip after one too many visits to the bars. He had been a happy honeybee trailing after delicious drinks and beautiful people, caring less about anything else. Ruka had also been on that trip since it was a collaborative meet and decided to spend her day by the artificial beaches. Given that all visitors were lodged in one area, she was witness to his drunken spray painting. Her aunt was quick to send orders to have him clean everything before banning him from future trips abroad. Now, he was back on tour with a warning attached and he emphasized helplessly, "Those women were drop dead gorgeous, Ruka!"

He held out his cup to share his drink and she declined swiftly with a shake of the head and answered flatly, "Thanks, but I've seen what happens to people who drink with you. They either end up lost halfway across the globe, arrested, or in your bed- sometimes all three."

"Guilty but none can deny they didn't have fun with me" he insisted proudly at his capacity for mayhem and seducing people. Ruka refrained from rolling her eyes but thanked the Soul King her uncle Shunsui didn't decide to pin her with him based on his drinking and killing skills. Uncle Takashi likely had a hand in thwarting his brother's secret matchmaking. Her dull gaze widened into embarrassment when he proposed with a disarming smile, "Interested?"

"I'm good with just a food buddy" she declined sharply to draw their boundaries in the friendzone only. She was not going to date eccentric men or those for a penchant for destruction again – mainly because she held explosive tendencies on her own. The world did not need more mayhem from her offspring or trouble with the law. Her heart was currently thudding for an old flame and she narrowed her eyes to point out, "I'm also afraid I'd end up naked in Rukongai somewhere."

Ryker grinned mischievously to where his conquests wound up but he tried to leave them in safe spots. Now, if they walked off in a huff – that was on them. The Kyōraku were an old and bountiful family but Ruka was not following the tradition by leaving a trail of lovers that her predecessors were known for. He could not help but chide her about her hermit life and teased with a smirk, "I guess we all can't be Ostberg in your bed. . .or have you finally moved onto the highborn lord? I can't picture Ryo's cousin with a face other than stiff and formal in bed. He appears immune to the throes of passion."

Ruka almost spit out her drink, choking on the remnants as she quickly swallowed most of the iced coffee. She knew the man was an instigator with gossip that reached his ears but she didn't expect that. Nor for it to affect her so much. She winced when the dirty part of her mind blasted the image of being naked in said noble's arms. Damn it all. Why was it becoming difficult to shrug off such comments nowadays? This only caused the captain to smirk like a cat with the canary in its mouth and Ruka dissuaded, "No! For the last time, Ostberg is my colleague and there aren't any highborn princes in this either! Where are all of you getting this gossip?!"

"You two never break eye contact when talking" he replied evenly to the unnerving closeness between the two, highly doubting the relationship was platonic. Like Ryo, he was not the type to become attached to one person. Unlike the Kuchiki nobles, he was blunt in cutting ties after the passion fizzled out. He frowned at the blatant respect between the two and chastised, "It's eerie and foreign to me. . . that and Ryo's a huge blabbermouth."

"I knew it" Ruka sighed despondently, biting into the corner of a waffle, and mentally adding another name to the 'give no secrets to' list. Nanao had been her number one but clearly, there was another rising star.

"You are not a Kyōraku" Ryker stated dismally in disappointment, shaking his head at Ruka's skittish nature with romance. He originally and wrongfully assumed it was a self-confidence issue but his petite friend held trust issues, along with a reserved nature in romance. If his sharp and refined colleague couldn't keep her transfixed, he doubted anyone would. There was no question noble families spit out strong children and her family did not pick weak partners. Their roots ran deep into the foundations of the Gotei 13 and he pointed out, "Your kind sees a romantic opportunity and they conquer it before they're bested. Your grandfather was supposed to marry a Shihoin until he met your grandmother and voila, he switched brides. Your uncle managed to win over the commander, a woman who can freeze the entire Seireitei if she willed it. Your uncle Shunsui is literally the party king and has been my idol for four hundred years. Your father-"

"All right, I get it" she interjected with burning cheeks at her family's past entanglements and current spouses. None of her family members were shy about boasting how they won over their suitors, including her grandmother. She highly doubted she would be wrestling or fighting someone bare-handed for affection. That was more of a squad eleven trait.

"Apparently not, otherwise, someone would be in your bedchambers" Ryker snorted derisively at her squeamish nature on dating. Ruka seized the moment by stealing his strawberry jam coated waffle to eat it herself, earning an offended scoff. She preferred to take advantage of scientific advancement, much like the other science heads, rather than procreation. Much like her uncle Shunsui, her focus was always on serving the balance of the realms. He waved an indignant finger as he offered his own advice to seize her prize, "Abort whatever stupid plan Ryo has set in your mind and take what you desire . . . without breaking the law, of course. . . or do it, what the hell do I care?"

If she ever needed a friend that held no censure and couldn't die of liver intoxication, it was him. Rangiku was a close second. There were times she questioned if he was a secret illegitimate Kyōraku by how much he ingested without barfing. So far, her cousins were much like their alcohol tolerant ancestors while she struggled to catch up. Her blue eyes dulled again at his careless nature about survival and she told him, "You are worse than Ryo and Rangiku combined."

The dark-haired captain grinned at the comparison to the charming officers and gloated, "Don't worry, they'll be in my bedroom by the end of the week."

"Please stop trying to bang my friends" she dissuaded with a protesting frown at his shameless flirting, which was worse than the other two. Ryo and Rangiku were warmhearted individuals when it came to casual dating while Ryker was a cold-hearted lizard that left as quickly as he dove in for his prey. Despite the numerous angry texts, calls, stalkers, and rocks hurled through his office window, he never changed his ways. She was still holding out for the day someone bashed him with karma or he became a lovesick puppy. He was not intimidated at all by her requested, his crazy confident smirk still plastered on, and she exclaimed, "You've banged most of the Gotei forces, man!"

He was ready to fire off a defense for his paramour philandering, but his energy deflated when he pondered aloud, "I . . . hmm, I should really get tested."

"You think?" Ruka muttered dryly to his lack of awareness on medical care, given how many times he ended up in the ward in a week. She pinched the bridge of her nose to hold back on laughing at his disclosure, glad to have another soul to be brutally blunt with. It was a fun privilege to have her western friends there to release her reservation, much like her uncle Shunsui when he traveled south, and she asked, "How do you know about my family?"

Ryker's blue eyes almost rolled into the back of his head before he admitted with a scoff, "My mother is a terrible gossip newsletter reader. It goes well with her daily gin and tonic."

"I thought your family being raging alcoholics was a joke that Rinaldi spouted" she blurted with laughter this time and he shrugged nonchalantly at his mother's pastime. They all had crazy family dynamics in Soul Society and Ruka could not pinpoint one without drama attached. Maybe Hitsugaya's makeshift family with Hinamori in Rukongai?

"We're high-functioning alcoholics, thank you" he corrected snippily with an amused smirk since he survived rounds of strong drinks and poison that would likely kill his colleagues. The only ones he couldn't best yet were Captains Blaise and Kyōraku but he was slowly pacing himself to reach their insanity level. He finished the remainder of his drink before slamming the glass on the table to declare, "Besides, I hold your uncle as my mentor which reminds me", he leaned over the table to whisper secretly, "might I have dinner with you both at some point?"

"You can be such a fanboy sometimes" she snorted with amusement and reached over to flick the center of his forehead. She would not be making the mistake of touching his hair without having it covered in sticky pomade. Her friends were always welcome for dinner and her uncle would not disagree to drinks with them. He would likely gain information from them through the drinking contests but she had nothing to hide from her family. Nodding with agreement, she smiled warmly, "Bring the others and we'll have dinner at my place."

"Sweet" he grinned excitedly at a Kyōraku dinner while Ruka hoped he didn't regret what he wished for. Their conversation paused when the bill was handed to them and Ryker handed the waitress the money before Ruka could reach for her Chappy wallet. Since he offered to bring her to the best waffle place in Soul Society, he was not letting her spend a single kan. Besides, he would be a lousy friend if he didn't reciprocate her kindness in letting him stay at her place. Just as the waitress was about to leave, he spoke suavely with a charming smile, "Keep the change and I left my number on the receipt in case you're interested in drinks."

Ruka's face deadpanned to his lack of heeding his own words from earlier and she glanced at the young woman to state bluntly, "You'll bang, okay?"

The young waitress blushed madly before dashing away to close their check.

"Damn it, Ruka! Just because you have no game with Kuchiki doesn't mean you pull mine!" he whined with frustration at having a potential conquest seized from him by Ruka of all people. He was used to Ryo, Adrian, or one of the Sheppard twins from the west stealing his game since his own colleagues were bashful turtles. Well, maybe not Blaise because nobody dared to ask the man about his private life. His blue eyes narrowed with accusation at his little friend and he pouted indignantly, "You just lost me a fantastic bosom."

"Shut up . . . yeah, that actually was" Ruka snapped back before faltering on her stance when sizing up the attractiveness of the woman. Like her uncle, she did not mind judging the allure of both genders when aiding friends as a wingwoman. She was unaware of how each person preferred their romantic entanglements and decided to throw her friend a bone. Sitting up, she wiped her hands with a napkin to declare confidently at the new plan, "Fine, I'll pretend to be your sister and apologize for my comments while setting the stage for you."

"Thank you" he replied happily for receiving a helping hand this early in the morning and he wagged his eyebrows to offer his own aid, "Feel free to use me in any way to make your lord jealous."

"I'm good" she reiterated to shoot down yet another offer because humiliation on both sides was the last thing she wanted. Byakuya was already on edge with Hale, who was doing his best to create the first hologram to hide behind for the rest of his stay. She did not need him to set his targets on yet another shinigami but unlike her passive scientific friend, Ryker did not back down from a challenge. Ruka smiled impishly at his suggestion to chide gently, "Besides, I'm afraid he'd try to maim you like Hale."

"And that doesn't turn on a lightbulb that he wants to sleep with you?" he sighed dramatically and raised his hands to pray that sense would be knocked into the pair. Now he understood why Ryo was failing terribly in this mission to pin the two nobles together. Even he and his team picked up on the unspoken tension between the two on the first day there. He ran his fingers through his raven hair, combing it back to control the urge to smack her silly, and told her, "By the Soul King, you're worse than virgins! Besides, who says I can't kill him for sullying our honor in our sham love affair?"

"He's the one that wields the storm of blades that makes minced meat out of people" she reminded him carefully on his zanpakutō ability in case he assumed his bankai was one to easily thwart. Byakuya wielded a dangerous power that could decimate multiple enemies in minutes and leave them piles of shredded goo if he willed it. The man should never be taken lightly by anyone.

His half-lidded gaze opened widely at realizing he was dealing with the pink terror of the east and muttered, "Oh . . . fuck, what did I get into?"

Ruka smirked slyly at his worried expression to relieve him with a joke, "What haven't you gotten into?"

"That's the Kyōraku I've been waiting for!" he exclaimed perkily at finally reaching the mischievous side of the reluctant swan and the two fist-bumped. Leaving the table to end their breakfast, they left the restaurant . . . but not before Ruka clinched her friend a new date.

---

Ruka eventually made her way to lunch with a blend of her friends with the hope that everyone would get along seemingly well. Or at least tried before leaving minimal wounds. Shuhei invited the visiting captains to eat with his team while his regular friends decided to tag along once they heard free lunch was involved. Given that he often did the same with Renji whenever the two traveled around Soul Society, he couldn't say no to him or Izuru. With the eastern influence of the Gotei 13, he decided a casual Japanese restaurant would do fine for their hefty group.

Claudia lowered her soup bowl, stopping her loud slurping, and glanced at the distracted Derek to question, "What do you keep checking your phone for? Are you waiting for a package or something?"

The blond captain closed his phone screen after seeing zero messages and returned to poking his food with a fork. He attempted using chopsticks and failed miserably, hiding no shame when he asked for his regular utensils. His pale blue eyes betrayed worry when he admitted to both groups, "I sent my brother to check out a disturbance over Düsseldorf in the human world. I'm still waiting on an update."

Before anyone could offer kind advice, Ryker waved his chopstick in the air before stating offhandedly, "Worst case scenario is that his cover was blown and now his broken battered corpse is either spiritual star stuff or hollow food."

When everyone at the table glared at him, except for the wide-eyed and horrified Derek, he justified his excuse, "What? I said worst case! Worst, jeez."

"Would it kill you to have tact?" Ryo chastised with annoyance to his sociopathic tendencies, even among his brethren. He might have crazy coworkers but he didn't doubt they would jump to his aid when needed or say cruel things. There was a line between playful sarcasm and harmful insults, the latter which he didn't tread into with anyone. True, he came from a family that fired off critiquing words like candy but he did not follow that trend.

Everyone relaxed when more platters of food were delivered to cut the conversation short. Hale and Blaise reassured their distraught friend that his brother was likely fine and simply taking longer to achieve his mission objective. Shuhei and his team were silently sharing side-eye glances of unease but Ryo waved a hand to dismiss any problems. Each Gotei held their morally vague captains and the northeast thankfully only had one, which was more than enough.

Ruka chuckled awkwardly to the sudden spike in tension, purposely pushing the new sushi platters towards each group. Renji, Izuru, Noriko, and Keiji looked to Shuhei for the next move to keep the figurative waters calm. He would keep the peace for both sides for the sake of stability and nobody accidentally stabbing one another. Motioning to the foreign captains, he encouraged them to continue eating with a friendly smile, "Enjoy your sushi, guys."

Please eat and don't break out into a brawl, he thought desperately at the potential ticking time bombs if anything wrong was said. He had not been trained to be a diplomatic liaison like Ruka and maneuvered through this get-together with what little diplomatic experience he held. At first, he worried the foreigners and his colleagues would clash but now he worried about an internal fight between the other team.

"I don't know if I can eat after what he said" Derek spoke uncertainly, drawing his gaze away from the delicious colorful food. What if his squad needed him and he was out having lunch? Not to mention, far away from his home base. He couldn't enjoy himself, especially after Ryker's callous remark.

"If you don't, we'll just eat it ourselves" Blaise warned him about wasting food because there were many mouths to feed at the table. Leftovers could always be taken home, if there were any left. Worrying over nothing would only leave his colleague stressed and hungry in the long run. He emphasized it by stabbing a sushi piece with his chopstick before devouring it in one bite.

Renji liked the rough tumble edge of the foreigners, reminding him of his time back in the eleventh squad, and told the older captain with a grin, "I like the way you think."

"Gotta keep the kids sharp" he spoke warmly about his younger colleagues, earning a grin from Claudia and a scoff from Ryker. Derek still appeared as confused as ever until Hale decided to grab another sushi piece for himself, snapping the blonde out of his daze.

"Away, you hungry beasts" he joked gently to eat his portion of the meal, nodding silently in thanks to the silver-haired captain. Blaise promised his commander he would bring them back safe and sound, hoping he could avoid a new gash or two from their roughhousing. Derek was the greenest captain on their roster so he kept a closer eye on him to keep him focused.

"What's this green paste?" Ryker asked with curiosity to the vibrant color sitting on the platter. He was not shy from trying new things and accepted any challenges, no matter how treacherous. With that careless bravery in mind, he dipped his round piece of sushi in the paste and asked aloud, "Is it sweet? Salty? Prep me here, people."

At seeing him slathering the entire piece in wasabi, Ruka faltered uncertainly to warn him, "Um, uh, you might want to take it easy with that."

"Wasabi is not to be trifled with" Izuru warned carefully to what the naïve captain was about to unleash in his mouth. Wasabi appeared innocent enough but it was not for the food naïve.

"Isn't this practically horseradish?" he shot back stubbornly and continued to bathe his piece in the paste. Everyone at the table from the Gotei 13 stiffened at his lack of awareness and the impending doom awaiting him. He held the supple piece in his chopsticks, jabbing the green-slathered sushi at them, and declared madly, "I'll be damned before a plant beats me."

"Trust me, we've wondered about your origins" Claudia murmured coolly with a side-eyed glare, earning an amused snort from Hale. Ryker defied everyone except their commander and to a lesser extent, Blaise, out of fear to his brute strength. Everyone else was fair pickings after that.

"If anyone's been Hell-bound, it's Kenpachi" Noriko muttered under her breath, taking nimble bites of her rice while watching Ryker with morbid curiosity. Would the man listen to her superiors or fall prey to the paste?

Their insistence that he was doing something wrong only urged him to continue further with his plan. Hale shook his head at the perfect case for reverse psychology and tried to gently dissuade his comrade, "No, that's too much-"

"Nobody but Quinn, my mother, and probably my distiller tell me what to do!" Ryker interjected shrewdly to rebuff the advice before tossing the whole piece into his mouth in rebuttal. The whole table flew silent at his folly and Ryker mumbled incomprehensively while chewing about their silly worrying. How could a simple dish cause problems? It's not like he was eating a poisonous blowfish!

His arrogance in proving them wrong fell short when his taste buds awakened with radiating heat. It spread from his mouth to his throat, nose, and even the top of his forehead from the large amount he ate. His silence was proof enough for both teams that he had second thoughts on his decision, especially when his pale cheeks turned rosy. Shuhei quickly passed the man a glass of water but De Voss refused to take it, his face quickly turning red like a cherry.

"For the love of the Soul King, chew, man!" Ryo ordered him swiftly to get the food moving rather than staying in his mouth. Again, a stubborn glare was his reply as Ryker fought the aromatic strength of the wasabi internally. Seconds later, however, his instinct kicked in and he swallowed his bite.

Keiji was both intrigued and mortified by this display of forced torture, wondering why anyone would do such. He was not as strong as any of the other officers present but he was smart enough to be cautious of new food. He couldn't help but dare the question from the visiting group, "How does his lieutenant survive him?"

Ruka sighed despondently to the unfortunate soul stuck with the Belgian menace and told him, "The same way Nemu survives hers . . . but he smokes a lot of weed to chill before taking on his rants."

"Ha, you should see your faces" Ryker coughed to continue claiming his false victory while everyone either shook their head or grimaced. Blaise tried to hide his embarrassment behind a strong drink, realizing that no place was safe from Ryker's schemes. His face resembled a tomato at this point despite eating his morsel and he grinned to gloat over them, "I feed from your horror."

He reached forward to dip another piece in the wasabi and quickly swallowed it before either Ryo or Hale could stop him. Ruka yanked the platter away from him, effectively removing future stupid moves. She was not going to apologize to her house staff for him sullying or potentially destroying one of her toilets. Ruka slapped his hand when he tried to grab the edge of the dish and chastised him firmly, "Seriously, why are you still eating the wasabi?!"

"It's both painful and addicting" he explained with a wheeze, sitting back in his chair to breathe deeply through his now perfectly clear sinuses. The kick from that paste was appetizing and he wanted more despite the pain he just put his mouth through. He coughed to clear his tingling throat and blinked his watery eyes to manage a condescending laugh, "Plus, I want to make sure I beat all of you guys."

Shuhei balked at his audacity to put his body through such turmoil while Ruka, Ryo, and the other team were not shocked by this. The last thing he wanted was to send the man to medical and face off against Captain Unohana – then hell would really be unleashed. Chuckling awkwardly, he tried to gently dissuade Ryker from gorging himself enough to vomit, "Um, yeah, you're sure showing us with that red face and tears streaming down your face."

"Can anyone strike me to induce short-term amnesia right now?" Hale asked aloud, wincing at his red-faced colleague when Ryker finally accepted the glass of water to chug it down. He wished he did not have the ability to scan someone's vital signs since his heart rate was flying all over the place. Like Shuhei, he really did not want to drag Ryker to medical for self-induced intestinal distress. Still, he attempted one last time, "No takers? I promise not to sue and totally consent to blunt force trauma."

Claudia was the only one ignoring the madness by eating her meal peacefully and muttered dryly, "If we have to suffer, so do you, pal."

"Where are those devices to wipe my memory when I need one?" Renji uttered bluntly at the desire to erase this entire lunch. The food was delicious and he enjoyed spending time with his friends but this was one memory he could live without. Ruka was about to pipe up an offer to get one but her captain shook his head. He was not about to mess around with Renji's memory and screw up his mind if they made an error.

Ryker finally relented and rested his head on the table to regather his strength. That, and actually feel like he was able to breathe. The burning sensation drilling through his nose and head disappeared, finally leaving him in peace. Claudia and Ryo took this chance to smack the back of his head to remind him of winning stupid prizes when playing stupid games.

"Yeah, we gotta talk to Quinn about therapy for him" Blaise told his colleagues at toning down Ryker's cocky nature before he got them in trouble. Frankly, he was surprised his commander released him abroad but she was an optimist at heart. With that said, he picked up a sushi piece to coat it in wasabi and took a bite. When everyone began to yell the same warnings all over again, the silver-haired man simply chowed it down without a change in facial expression. Unlike Ryker, he had no reaction whatsoever.

While his team calmed down instantly, Shuhei blinked with alarm at his resilience before managing to ask hesitantly, "How. . .?"

"When you live a thousand years the way I have, this is nothing" the older captain supplied easily with a nonchalant shrug about his long life. He had seen and done many things younger shinigami had yet to face, taking his aging wisdom in calm stride. He was Commander Quinn's top captain among the others based on his age and experience, for which all the others granted respect. Sweeping his gaze over his fallen friend's form, he advised simply, "You may be able to handle alcohol but food is not your forte."

Ryker had no comeback for the critique, remaining slumped over the table, and groaned miserably with closed eyes and a pitiful pout, "I can't feel my mouth."

"You're banned from our next outings" Derek chastised the older captain for worrying him needlessly and his failure to acknowledge his own shortcomings.

"No, I've finally been allowed abroad!" he protested weakly before fanning his mouth, smacking his lips together to keep them moist. This was his first chance to travel in years and he beat himself up mentally for threatening that first taste of freedom. His team shared a look of dismay at his dramatics because he had eaten worse things. Hell, Derek still remembered the man devoured living snails after mistaking them for cooked ones. That had been a pretty good joke of the month until he blew up one of Hale's experiment rooms and temporarily blinded everyone.

Ryo tsked under his breath at him and waved his right hand dismissively to mock, "And look at what you did – horrified the Gotei 13!"

"Eh, more like disturbed us" Noriko answered frankly to the horrors they faced so far and this was not close to the top ten. The other Gotei 13 members agreed unanimously since they had Captain Kurotsuchi's creations running around. He was the one mainly creating the terror when there weren't enemies trying to kill them on a regular basis.

Renji summarized their eccentric lives by shrugging nonchalantly and stating bluntly, "We see a lot of crazy shit here. Takes a lot more than that to scare us."

---

Hale and Ryo gathered the group in a grassy field for their next meeting after giving them a day off to handle the newcomers from the Northeast. He was now handing them off to the final instructors and they had requested the open field specifically for the first lesson. Neither of the two informed the small team of its purpose but Shuhei could not avoid the bleachers off to their right for spectators. He had a foreboding feeling that humiliation was heading their way and he was usually right on those hunches.

"With my exit now upon me, I figured I would bring in your next teachers" Hale declared with a proud smile for his students, bowing to them politely, and bidding them farewell, "It has been a pleasure teaching all of you."

"You gave me homework, man" Ruka accused with misery to the long nights of cracking her brain. She didn't mind a few simple calculations and reflection puzzles but he gave them hours' worth of research. That time could have been spent on her own research instead of chewing on a pencil and wasting an eraser. She waved her hands around to emphasize her frazzled state and exclaimed, "I could've finished like three novels from my book club! Old man Yamamoto doesn't play around with his lists and end questions."

"Learning is a lifelong process" he reasoned easily with a simple shrug of the shoulders since his subordinates were given similar exercises.

"For once, I think he's worse than you" Noriko told her lieutenant on his tendency to pile novels worth of studying to kill any chance of a social life. Her stacks always held coffee stains after numerous nights staying up to complete it and giving up halfway through. Her lieutenant held a knack for paperwork but it was geared more towards accuracy and organization.

Ruka narrowed her eyes to the accusation and denied such a claim, "I'm not that bad, Tanaka."

"Anyway, I usher in your last teachers" Hale continued, deliberately ignoring the insults, before pointing towards the wooden stands. The group jumped back at failing to notice Yoruichi standing in front of it, her presence undetectable to the quartet. The ex-captain traded her old look for a black leather jacket and orange skin-hugging shorts. Behind her, Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake sat in the first row with their respective lieutenants behind them. While Nanao appeared bored with the visit, Rukia was bright-eyed with curiosity.

"Hello, my little kittens" Yoruichi greeted her new guinea pigs for the experiment and waved charmingly at them. All but Ruka experienced a sense of dread at meeting the old captain of the special forces and what horrors awaited them. Her close work with the scientific mastermind like Kisuke did not help but it could have been terribly worse if it was Mayuri. Like her ex-captain, she stuck around in the human world alongside him to be free from Soul Society.

Ruka smiled widely at the group to discourage their wariness and chuckled cheerfully, "At least she didn't call us mice!"

"That doesn't help at all" her captain told her bluntly to her nonchalance against one of the oldest shinigami alive. Every shinigami was smart to fear their predecessors unless they were born a gifted soul, for which he was not. Compared to Ruka and the other nobles assembled there, he was a fish out of water. Frankly, there were times he felt intimidated by the older ones.

Yoruichi motioned to the other captains, whom were more than happy to play spectators, and told the ninth division, "Captain Kyōraku and I decided that the best way to test your current level of collaboration with each other is with a friendly game of dodgeball."

"Dodgeball?" the team echoed together to the random lesson from the trio, blinking awkwardly. A shiver ran down Ruka's spine to signal foreboding humiliation while Shuhei wondered if the universe hated him. Why else would he be involved in such crazy antics for the sake of self-improvement?

Hale and Ryo slowly began creeping away to let Yoruichi handle her new students. They were more than happy to wipe their hands clean of students. The ex-captain grinned slyly at her lesson plan and clapped her hands together to declare, "Now, you guys need to be quick out there in the field and demolish my chosen opponents."

"Isn't dodgeball a game of violence, exclusion, and humiliation?" Noriko questioned uncertainly about the brutal sport from the human realm that had now leaked into theirs. She swore it must have been invented in Hueco Mundo before transferring over to humankind after the videos she'd seen. The eleventh squad was currently trying to use it for initiation as an alternative to trial by combat.

Her smile only widened to show her pearly canines and she answered confidently with an underlying warning, "If you can dodge kido to the face, you can dodge a ball."

Keiji frowned with potential depression at being struck by numerous objects and asked warily, "This won't be like Explosion Land, will it? I still have burn marks."

"We do not speak of Explosion Land" Shuhei shushed sharply about that particular training by Ryo back in the west. It was not the captain's specialty but rather their special forces captain, Sheppard, to keep his subordinates sharp on their feet. Captain Bloom had not been eager to be part of creating a training field that maimed others but the commander ordered him to build it. Shuhei and his team had survived one training session with their clothes smoldering from multiple explosions and several burns.

"Nah, this one's more casual and safer which is why I have audience members" Ryo informed nonchalantly and pointed to the bleachers again where more familiar faces gathered. Ruka and Shuhei deadpanned at seeing Sajin sitting there with his squad and seated members from the ninth division. Great, their own division would witness their premature demise. The embarrassment didn't sting any less when the Northeast crew sat behind the other officers with audacious whistling and clapping to encourage the small group. Ruka's face fell even further when her uncle waved a hand with a perky 'yoo-hoo' attached. The embarrassment doubled when he whipped out a phone to begin recording the event. If he managed to put it on the interweb, she was doomed.

The shame of impending humiliation worsened for the ninth division officers when the third and sixth squad members showed up. Renji and Izuru waved at their less than enthused friend, weakening their perky waving, while Byakuya was mildly apathetic to being there. Ruka sighed under her breath at having her friends and family gathered in one place, sucking down the pit in her stomach to mutter, "My childhood shame is returning like a tsunami."

"So, we were brought here to be humiliated in front of our mentors and colleagues?" Shuhei asked bluntly at the true lesson of the game and took a deep breath to calm his mind. Fretting about it would get him nowhere and he realized some captains were all about tough love rather than kid gloves. He had been through worse in his life and shook his shoulders to take it in stride and spoke aloud, "All right, tell me what horrors I'm in store for."

Ryo kept an innocent smile on his face to avoid killing their hope and assured, "Dodgeball is loads of fun. It will be you four against whoever decided to answer my invitation. I was planning on this huge 'face your biggest fear' deal with a platform and light show . . . but I realized my budget was running low."

"Did you go shopping with the money you got from Yamamoto?" Ruka blurted at his horrid spending habits and would not be surprised if he blew it all within one week. Given that Hale was supposed to have that budget now for their training, she didn't doubt he would somehow siphon it away. The scientist knew how to ration his funding to calculate the desired results of his mission rather than throwing his money at whatever appeared enticing. It took a day to remove the glitter bomb that Ryo left for them when they failed a task.

"A Kuchiki never steals!" he claimed adamantly, crossing his arms indignantly to the slight from his friend. Sure, he might have a terrible grip on saving his monthly paycheck but he would not waste his work budget. Like old man Yamamoto, Commander Sheppard would not hesitate to crush every bone in his body for overstepping his financial allowance. He was not going to be the newest bloodstain decorating her expensive carpet.

For once, Byakuya agreed with his cousin and nodded quietly to state, "He's right, I would disown him immediately if it ever happened."

"Yeah, and it turns out land mines are way more expensive than regular explosives" Ryo pointed out with a disappointed pout at hitting a wall on his plan to create a mine field of his own. If it worked out great for the west, maybe it could be the same there. He wanted to warrant the wow factor in his schemes and make the team the center of attention with his meddling. Unfortunately, his current monetary budget said no so he had to scrap it for Yoruichi's plan.

"So Yoruichi and I decided to pit you against your peers to save money" he finished with a dramatic sigh of lament, earning a side-eye gaze from Yoruichi, and motioned to the other officers, "So, Abarai and Kira will be pitted against their oldest friend and my dear cousin will be Ruka's opponent-"

"I don't remember agreeing to that" Byakuya interjected swiftly at being summoned there against his will for a game. It did not help when Rukia, Shunsui, and Jushiro waved him away to join the others to partake in their crazy plan. Why was he being pushed to interact with others when he would be more than happy to sit down and read a book at the farthest level on the bleachers? Did they think he had nothing better to do?

"You answered the invite" Ryo shot back bluntly to the strategic invites he sent to their friends. If he was going to rope them into their crazy scheme, he had to utilize bonds of friendships to pull them all together for the impending carnage. He already knew Renji and Izuru would help their friend while Byakuya would aid Ruka so he manipulated that. Otherwise, they would not have attended if they didn't care. Hmm, maybe he was a little sadistic when he thought about it.

"Because the ninth division sent it" Byakuya justified with an offended glare for the trick and waved the paper in the air to accuse, "This is false advertising."

Ruka was none too keen to face off against him, given his strength and experience, and blurted frantically, "He'll obliterate me into reishi paste!"

Byakuya only maimed and killed those who were unworthy of existence or a pesky annoyance, reassuring her calmly, "I would never hurt you. . . but I can't guarantee that for the others."

"Kuchiki!" she exclaimed with embarrassment at his brutal honesty, her cheeks tinting pink while he refrained from sighing. His frankness was still brutal as ever and the dull glint in his firm eyes told her he wasn't budging from that stance. She appreciated the concern, which fluttered her poor heart, but did not want her team sacrificed at her expense.

Correcting his words, he managed in a halfhearted tone that failed to convince her, "Fine. . . I will try . . . to try."

Soul King help her team with that pitiful commitment.

"Aw, we're playing against Shuhei?" Izuru complained with disappointment at facing his friend rather than helping him. He was not ready for such a heinous act! He and the others had received the invites through their official mail, expecting a day of relaxed fun rather than repressing humiliation.

"By the way, this is a game of violence and humiliation" Yoruichi smirked with delight at how both sides would fight each other, earning appalled expressions, before perking up to finish sweetly, "but loads of teamwork!"

Ryo pointed behind them to the last participant that he'd roped into the event and told them, "And last but not least, I got Kurosaki-"

Ruka raised her right hand immediately to halt his horror train and spoke up sharply, "Hold up, you're pitting three bankai-level strength captains and one with shikai-level against one bankai-level captain and three with shikai strength? How is that remotely fair?"

Ichigo was none the wiser to what he stepped into, for which he realized was now a common occurrence in Soul Society. Thankfully, he was not the only one with a confused expression when he noticed the other captains and lieutenants with similar gazes. Before he could leave the gathered group to greet Rukia, Renji clamped down on his left arm to yank him back into place. If they were going to play dodgeball unwillingly, Renji wanted heavy hitters.

"What if I give you a captain to even the playing fields?" Yoruichi offered because she wanted a decent fight, not an easy win that would be over fast. If she was going to teach the group, she would also have fun with it. Otherwise, the trip to Soul Society would be a boring bust for her and she needed juicy stories to bestow upon Kisuke. She had no problem throwing others into the lion's den and pointed at Ryo to order, "Okay, Kuchiki, get your ass in there."

He did not expect that sharp turn of events, hoping to be a gleeful spectator rather than a participant, and objected instantly, "What? It'll throw off the numbers!"

Yoruichi sighed with annoyance to the opinion committee and flicked her thumb to a random bystander in the bleachers, "Hinamori, come join your friends!"

"Momo can't handle the cruelty of dodgeball" Izuru declared with alarm at their friend's frailty from the last war. Momo tried to ignore the kind protection of her friends but she needed to stand on her own two feet, even in a game. Being a lieutenant meant she carried great responsibilities and being vulnerable was not one of them.

With that in mind, she parked herself at the end of the line with a firm glint in her eyes to give it her best. Ruka smiled at the rise of gumption in the mild-mannered lieutenant and told the other team, "I think you underestimate her."

Momo smiled widely at the vote of confidence from her fellow colleague and replied cheerfully, "Thank you!"

"Don't compliment the enemy" Byakuya stated coolly to keep her loyalty to their side alone and not the other team. The Kyōraku could be charming and sweet talkers to drop one's guard before dealing a fatal blow. It did not help that the head family had more numbers in the Gotei currently than any other clan. Again, the charm aided the hefty addition of heirs every generation more than any other higher-ranking clans.

They all sharpened at attention when Yoruichi clapped her hands and exclaimed giddily, "Let's go!"

She produced a red ball from behind her back, making several players question where she kept it on her person. Before they could conjure an answer, she chucked it at Ichigo who scrambled to catch it to begin the game. Without thinking, he flung it at the most familiar face and Shuhei deadpanned when he was the first target. Was he being struck for being a captain? Or the leader of the group? Ruka caught the ball in her hands before it struck him, rolling neatly to land on her feet, and spun it on her finger to grin, "I'm going to annihilate the hell out of you guys for that."

The other team paused at the shift in her perky character, suddenly cautious of the competitive edge of her voice. Given that her uncle shifted personalities during combat in a split second, the apple had not fallen far from the tree. Ruka rolled the ball between her hands and Ryo mentioned innocently about his own skills, "Did I forget to mention Commander Sheppard trained us all back home? The woman is brutal on leaving you bloody on the floor."

"Plus, we Kyōraku love to embarrass the hell out of each other" Ruka added in with a mischievous smile to the capabilities of her family line. There was never a get-together where somebody didn't escape embarrassed or inebriated. Her uncle preferred the latter while she was often in the former category. One day, she hoped to have the disarming verbal capabilities of her grandmother since age only made her look innocent.

"That's my girl!" Shunsui cheered loudly as he stood up to wave a decorative paper fan in her direction. Nanao sunk into her seat and raised her left hand to conceal her face from any nearby bystanders. Ruka waved back in proud acknowledgment to have family in her corner while Sajin sighed under his breath, hopeful that she wouldn't cause too much damage. He and Shunsui had two different parenting strategies at play that day. Shunsui swung his fan in an arc over his head, threatening to spill into a war dance, before declaring, "No shame! No mercy! The Kyōraku show no fear! We know no pain! We will crush any-"

He was jerked back down into his seat by Jushiro pulling on his haori and the thirteenth captain reminded him, "You're supposed to be a pacifist."

Byakuya refrained from sighing, narrowing his eyes with irritation, and muttered flatly, "Your family . . . I have no words. Every time."

"Likewise" Ryo agreed with a hearty chuckle at the emotional shift his own family sorely lacked. Maybe this game would release some of his cousin's restrained rage. Remembering the brutality of the game, he ordered everyone on the opposite team with a glare, "Do not strike my face."

"I second that!" Renji quickly motioned to save his face any terrible bruises that would show he suffered defeat by another.

Ruka sent the ball flying in the redhead's direction to wake him up, earning a surprised yelp. Everyone on his team yelled for him to dodge or catch the ball to avoid losing this early on. The loud ruckus of the combined voices was enough for Renji to dodge the swift strike and he decided to stand beside Momo. If there was anyone that wouldn't bite his head off out of the four, it was her. Izuru and Momo snickered to hold back from laughing while Ichigo shook his head with amusement. Meanwhile, Byakuya lost confidence in his team altogether.

He leaned down to grab the ball to take the next strike and zoned in on his target straightaway. Before Ryo could offer a complaint, the ball hurled in his direction with the intent of removing him from the game. A flexible twist allowed him to evade the incoming attack before leaning down to grab the next available ball for his own attack. Byakuya grumbled mentally at failing, remaining stoically calm on the outside, and decided to bide his time. Ordering his team to grab a ball and choose a target, he missed the strike aimed at his chest from Ryo. Oh, so he was aiming for him now? All right, he could play this game.

It was a free-for-all that Yoruichi kept track of with every available ball flying across the field. Ichigo and Byakuya were the most flexible on the field with Shuhei and Ruka being their opposition on the other team. Ryo held his own against his own cousin while Ichigo offered an apology with every strike, worried he'd accidentally hurt one of them. Byakuya ordered his team to focus on one target alone instead of blindly striking, leading Ichigo to ask, "So you're officially team leader now?"

"I am when nobody speaks up" he reasoned sharply since lacking order on the battlefield would only lead to chaos and more casualties. Ichigo had never been under leadership of any kind and remembered Renji's horror stories, hoping half were lies. Clearly, they were not. Byakuya was not the cheerful Ukitake that opted for peace but one that annihilated to fulfill his duties. Renji and Ichigo shared a knowing glance at the man's tenacity, their glance breaking away when a trio of balls flew in their direction.

"Should we have a team name?" Izuru grinned amusingly to lighten the mood as he chucked another ball at Keiji, hoping to strike out the younger officers.

Byakuya was quick to answer their needless query while launching another attack on Ryo, "I will take nothing less than victory."

"All right, Mr. I will take nothing less than victory, can we tone it down?" Ryo demanded when it was abundantly clear that his cousin was focusing on him entirely. Well, at least he would spare the others from further humiliation.

"No" the other noble replied coldly, earning disappointed sighs from both sides at his competitive streak. It was meant to be a friendly game but by the look of it, Yoruichi's intent of collaboration was turning into controlled destruction. Frankly, she was not surprised by the stubborn and rebellious Kuchikis at all. They were brewing storms in their quiet rage until it exploded like a geyser.

Shunsui leaned forward with an excited grin at the game below and told everyone, "Who needs entertainment when you can watch this?"

"Your niece is out there" Nanao reminded flatly that there were painful strikes and potential injuries involved. Shunsui didn't bat an eye at that fact while Jushiro frowned slightly at the near misses. Rukia couldn't help but smile at the family differences since her brother tended to bubble-wrap her until the last decade while Shunsui threw his niece into whatever mayhem was unleashed. When Shunsui offered a silly grin, Nanao sighed with annoyance, "Why do I even bother being surprised anymore?"

"She will be fine, we know it" Sajin offered insight from behind the quartet as he watched the game silently. His ex-lieutenant was more focused on her teammates and dodging rather than attacking. Yoruichi trained countless shinigami and all were aware of the risks attached with any kind of training.

Momo scored the first strike when she used kido to propel the ball and it struck Keiji on the right arm, eliminating him. Everyone paused for a moment as Keiji groaned miserably but he expected it at some point. It was best that he endured a sore arm versus a broken one, quickly exiting the field. Renji was the first to propose aloud with confusion, "We can use kido?"

"Never said you couldn't" Yoruichi replied casually since they weren't humans despite playing one of their games. At this revelation, Byakuya and Ruka fired up their abilities to follow Momo's creativity to fling the ball at their worst Kido users. Renji and Noriko scrambled all over the field to avoid the incoming barrage of balls aiming to eliminate them. Ichigo was surprised that none flew at him and flinched when Byakuya sharply reminded him to attack someone instead of dawdling.

He decided to aim at Ruka since she and Shuhei were using kido to increase speed on their attacks. Dodging to the left, a ball narrowly missed striking her arm and Ruka held off on her attack on poor Renji. One aimed for her midsection from Momo caused her to drop to her knees and she rolled to the side before standing back up. When an entire barrage headed her way, she flipped to the side in a straight line to dodge each one efficiently. Byakuya was both impressed and frustrated at her flexibility, quickly ordering his team, "Why are you throwing them behind her? Cut her off at the start!"

To his dismay, she caught one of the balls before touching the ground. Slipping onto a graceful sideways spin fit for a gymnast, she chucked it straight into his direction. The captain dodged efficiently with ease just as she landed in a crouch to grin slyly, "Got one of my players back."

"But you failed to strike me" he pointed out swiftly since her attack flew past him, never touching him in the slightest.

Her grin only widened, causing his eyes to narrow with each passing second, and she gloated, "Did I?"

Izuru yelped from behind him as the ball finally struck its true target and he groaned painfully, "She hit me on the butt!"

"The developing bruise will make your butt look big and women will swoon, buddy" she soothed with a helpful smile on eliminating him, not wishing him any ill will. Izuru couldn't help but smile at the positivity, finding the lieutenant silly but kind like her uncle. He was eager to leave the field for the safety of the bleachers (purposely ignoring Byakuya's disapproving glare), unlike Keiji who reluctantly returned. He was not looking forward to being swarmed by rubber balls all over again.

"I'm surrounded by dunces" Byakuya grumbled under his breath for being coerced into the game for the sake of his pride. How was he supposed to escape this with a win if his team kept being decimated? Shouldn't a majority of captains best a weaker team? How absurd! Grabbing a nearby ball, he glared at each of his remaining team members and told them bluntly, "You should be better than this. I deserve better than this!"

With that said, he threw the ball with enough force that it struck Noriko on the left leg and practically toppled her over. The poor third seat fell onto the grass just as Ruka grabbed her left arm to help stabilize her. Noriko stood upright despite pain shooting down her leg from the strong impact, refraining from glaring at a superior officer.

"That's the Kuchiki I've been waiting for" Yoruichi cackled happily at witnessing his stubborn streak rise over a friendly game. The man took everything he did seriously with a commitment to win any challenge that presented itself as a threat to his pride. Remembering his antics as an impulsive child, that energy still lingered in him as an adult.

Rukia, who was watching the spirited game with morbid curiosity, told her companions, "Boy, am I glad I did not answer the invite."

Keiji noticed the sixth captain gearing up for another strike and quickly informed Ryo, "Distract him!"

Ryo grabbed a nearby ball to throw it at Byakuya to draw away his attention but he had already launched his attack. It was aimed directly at Ruka this time as she assisted Noriko leaving the field to keep her safe. Just as the lieutenant protected her captain, he dove headfirst to protect and took the shot aimed for her. Unlike Momo's first strike, this one catapulted him away from the two women from the force. Ruka's eyes widened at the unexpected throw, ushering Noriko towards the bleachers and Nanao descended the stairs to help the younger woman.

"Hinamori, kill your friend" Byakuya ordered bluntly to the brunette to utilize the powers he had available from his team. Kurosaki was useless in anything kido related so strength was his value, alongside Renji. All in all, Hinamori was his best asset at the moment because they couldn't outright attack anyone physically.

Her brown eyes widened instantly to the cold order and she blurted with alarm, "What?!"

Rukia buried her face in her hands at seeing her brother take over the field like it was a life or death battle, rather than a game. Couldn't he relax for half an hour with a simple game? Her zanpakutō replied that he was likely seeing this as training so he would not hold back. Meanwhile, Shunsui was cheering on his niece and calling fouls on the other team while Nanao yanked hard on his pink kimono to settle him down.

Ichigo shook his head at Byakuya's lack of restraint and reassured Momo, "He means strike him out."

"Sure, why not?" Byakuya muttered offhandedly as he prepared another attack, narrowing his eyes at the closest target, and stated matter-of-factly, "Whatever gets the job done."

Yoruichi pinched the bridge of her nose at the stoic noble and sighed under her breath, "Didn't assign jobs but okay."

Ruka crouched beside Keiji while he sat up coughing from the attack to raise a kido shield around him. Ryo decided to unleash his restrained Kuchiki rage and grabbed the ball to run forward, launching it at the second strongest kido user on the opposite team. Renji and Ichigo were not fast enough to help Momo when she was focused on removing Shuhei while he tried to cover his team. She tried throwing a ball to deflect the incoming attack but it struck her right side, eliminating her. Byakuya frowned at seeing his own strategy used by Ryo, except his cousin won in taking out his best player.

Ryo took the initiative from his energetic boost to tackle removing the next heavy hitter on Byakuya's team. Shuhei, being the last active member on the team, assisted him in this task while Ruka aided Keiji on standing to get him moving from the active field. Renji was left to assist Ichigo in deflecting the numerous balls thrown in his direction, expecting their team captain to lend a hand. Instead, Byakuya decided to zone in on the vulnerable member on Shuhei's team that was all alone. Before he could send the ball flying, he hesitated when he heard Ruka and Yoruichi yelling at him in unison for the sneaky tactic, "Fuck no, you're not doing that! Who do you think you are? I know you're not trying that! Try it, I double dare you!"

He decided to forfeit that course of action for another tactic.

"Ruthless in gaming" Renji stated aloud to the intense dedication of his ex-captain to succeed at everything. The loud ruckus from both women faltered Byakuya's original intent and he decided to abandon his initial strike to refocus on Ryo instead. The stern glare sent from Yoruichi and the scandalous wailing of Shunsui declaring 'illegal strikes!' was enough to make him second guess himself. The redhead avoided a ball aimed at his head to motion between Ryo and Byakuya to claim, "I am starting to see the family resemblance now."

"I think it might be centuries of repressed rage finally unleashing itself" Ruka answered flatly, none too happy about the sneak attack. He was not going to get his weekly baked treats after that stunt. Once Keiji was safely out of the line of fire, she ran back into the game to make up for the lost time.

"You mean he has more after our battle on Sōkyoku Hill?" Ichigo asked skeptically to the great ends of suppression from the quiet noble. Byakuya had greatly improved from their first interaction, mainly because he stopped trying to kill him repeatedly and was now worthy of being called a friend that protected him. Sure, he was still insulted a bunch but he figured it was the brotherly side of him. Rukia, of course, could now do no wrong.

"This man has so much repression he could create his own black hole" she laughed aloud at his great capacity for self-restraint. Today, however, she was surprised how dedicated he was to a game he originally declined participating in. His sense of pride was also a stubborn trait and she dodged a ball aimed at her from his end. She stuck out her tongue in defiance after almost being struck twice by him when helping others. She shrugged halfheartedly to the depths of his soul and added in, "Theoretically."

With that said, she used an energy kido to propel another ball in her hands with a bit of her own reiatsu towards the blonde. Ichigo was focused on dodging the attacks of Ryo while Shūhei tackled Renji that she was able to break through the defense . . . and Byakuya's sharp eye. He was too slow to throw a ball to knock hers off course and it struck the blonde on the hand, counting as a hit.

"Damn it!" Ichigo exclaimed at his aching hand, silently glad she didn't strike his core like Byakuya did to the others.

Byakuya furrowed his brow at another loss and refrained from throwing the ball at him as well. Why was it so hard to chisel a good team? Clutching it tightly instead, he turned his head away to remark coldly, "Even at losing, you're terrible."

Ichigo had enough of his sass, waving farewell to his poor friends, and shot back heatedly, "You're worse than a soccer mom!"

What the hell is that?, he thought randomly to the strange name and mentally cleared his head from pondering further.

Frankly, Ichigo was relieved to be eliminated and was not taking the game to heart unlike the sixth captain. He left the field instantly with shunpo and reappeared beside Rukia and her group to sit down and relax. Slumping down in his seat, he leaned his head back against the seat and told her, "Remind me to never again open mail from here."

Byakuya's annoyance turned to delighted pride when he finally struck Ryo in the chest. Ryo clutched his chest in shock for being eliminated, even more so by his cousin. He knew Byakuya was targeting him specifically, but he expected a little more time to cause damage. For the first time in his life, Byakuya held no reserve at claiming a win over him and declared, "Yes!"

Ryo kicked the offending ball away from him as he pointed a finger at the captain to claim, "Lucky shot."

"It's still a win" Byakuya stated coolly on eliminating his pesky cousin, allowing him to somewhat have fun in this game.

"Avenge me!" Ryo ordered the last remaining members of his team, raising his arms in the air as he made his dramatic exit to the bleachers. He decided to plop down on the bench behind the Gotei 13 captains and in front of the northeast team to lay down entirely on it. With him and Hale exiting, he could take a nap while hearing all the ruckus from below. It wasn't long before he heard yelling again.

Ruka and Byakuya stared in outraged shock when both Shūhei and Renji took each other out with a strike to the chest. It would have been more acceptable if the two flung it at the other in unison but the two somehow decided that wrestling and hitting each other was a better strategy. When Yoruichi didn't reprimand them for the physical breach and motioned for them to leave the area, Byakuya snapped tightly at the redhead, "The point was not to fail, remember? You had one simple job, Abarai."

"I eliminated him!" Renji disagreed vehemently after trying his best to get a win for his team. Should his sacrifice not be rewarded with a measly compliment instead of a demand? His only folly was not evading quickly enough.

"How could you miss him?" Ruka groaned miserably at losing her captain and being left alone against Byakuya. He was a whole other monster on the field compared to her lukewarm friend and lamented losing her last support.

"You bring me ultimate shame by failing" Byakuya scolded his old lieutenant at his slow reaction time, turning away from him to refocus on the game. Renji couldn't help but feel like a small child being scolded by their parent or older brother.

"It was Abarai, sir!" Ruka whined to her captain with a disappointed frown and quickly raised an apologetic hand at the third captain, "No offense."

"Jeez, you two are getting over the top" Ichigo called out to their ruckus, wondering how the brunette was going to escape unscathed.

Renji grabbed Shuhei by the scruff of his neck to pull him away, earning an embarrassed protest from the man, and declared indignantly, "We can tell when we're not wanted!"

As soon as the two left the area, the duo commenced their dodgeball showdown. With little enemies to take down and plenty of space, the two were harder to pin down as they scrambled to throw as many balls as possible. Yoruichi and the other two captains sighed at their behavior, especially when the two began ignoring her calls to keep it clean when they crossed each other's boundary lines. Looking over her shoulder, she sighed at her two collaborating friends, "They don't change too much through the years, do they?"

"Should we just stop them now?" Nanao asked warily at watching the two running in circles and flinging balls at each other. It would have been hilarious if they were not utilizing their abilities to take the other down. She did not want to have Ruka complaining about her injuries for not conceding to the captain because he held more power to annihilate her. Appealing to Shunsui, she attempted to convince him for Ruka's sake, "It's just one against one."

Sajin agreed with Nanao's point of view, especially when training was involved, and told them, "I agree. Collaboration is no longer possible without the team."

"Nope, gotta declare a victor" Ryo grinned slyly as he sunbathed with his arms crossed behind his head. He doubted Byakuya would injure the brunette but the two weren't shy about physical fights for training. They had already torn up multiple training fields to best the other and waved a hand to dismiss, "Besides, they'll pent out their frustrations out there."

"We'll be at this till nightfall if they don't concede" Ichigo pointed out flatly to the risk of leaving the two with all the time in the world. Ruka would eventually tire and may quit but Byakuya was a relentless machine that would not stop without a win. He had seen the lengths the man would go to for his image and Ichigo did not want to spend the rest of his day there.

"I'm betting on Kuchiki" Renji declared after being his subordinate for many decades and seeing the devastation he left behind. Ruka was fast but so was his captain and he carried greater strength than her – not to mention height and reach.

Shuhei decided to support his lieutenant in this game and countered his friend, "I'm throwing it in for Kyōraku."

"She's a lieutenant" the redhead rebuffed at the petite shinigami besting an experienced captain. Sure, it wasn't a battle but Byakuya took everything seriously.

"Ten kan says she bites him in order to win" Nanao spoke up sarcastically to the tricks of her small but ferocious friend. She was not below using them while Byakuya would never lower himself to such tactics, preferring the sneaky route if needed.

"Deal!" the duo agreed to begin placing bets on the outcome of the game. Rukia and Ichigo decided to stay out of it when the two called out for people to place money in the betting pool. If Renji wanted to lose an hour's paycheck, that was on him.

---

The game ended in a tie when an hour passed without change and the spectators grew bored from the lack of action. The fallen and sorely defeated were nursing their new bruises in the fourth division while Byakuya and Ruka deadpanned to having star stickers placed on their foreheads. Apparently, her uncle decided that would be an acceptable participation gift for the survivors. Shunsui, on the other hand, walked away with a hefty coin bag to go spend at the nearest bar after calling the tie early on. After decades of watching the two nobles, he and the older captains knew how they behaved in competitive sports.

After everyone dispersed to either join Shunsui's drinking or return home, Ruka and Byakuya headed back in the direction of their divisions. Both sported several grass stains on the hem of their hakama while Ruka's wavy hair became an unkempt mess. Byakuya remained spotless after the game and Ruka objected when he peeled off the purple star off her forehead. She grabbed the sticker back to place it on her left cheek in proud defiance to her reward and told him with a dejected pout, "Let's never play dodgeball again."

"I agree, I am too old for grass stains" he muttered with distaste to his disheveled appearance, abhorring a messy look. He did not wake early to perfect his neat attire and look, only to have all that work toppled in an hour.

Ruka shook her head at his dislike for anything disorderly and pointed out, "You don't even wash your own clothes."

"Neither do you . . . I think" he remarked firmly to their respective estate staff but he was unsure due to her previous traveling lifestyle. As much as she wanted to subdue it, she was a noble.

"Fair point" she conceded with a small frown since she did spend more time in her own home now. All the cobwebs had been cleared and everything cleaned to achieve a lived-in look. She did appreciate the loyal staff that covered for her when she accidentally ruined something and found her a suitable replacement. There were laundry facilities in each division but while Byakuya simply tossed his at his estate staff to do away with the hassle, she gave hers simply for the aromatic fabric softener. In the barracks, only soap was given and ironing starch if needed. She rubbed her gloved wrists before chastising him with a frown, "Don't think you're sliding away easy after those sneaky tactics. No banana muffins for you this week."

"We were training" he reasoned matter-of-factly to his drive to win the challenge and receive her supply of desserts. He would make Ruka a pitiful fighter if he let her get away easily instead of pushing her to the limit. Given that she outlasted her team, she held potential in besting him without the use of a zanpakutō. His sentiment for the brunette also urged him to strike hard to ensure she could survive powerful attacks. He crossed his arms before remarking nonchalantly about his tactics, "I promised not to hurt you, not that I would not attack you."

"That doesn't make sense!" she exclaimed at his double meaning because bruises would be forming on her arms within the next hours. She swore he made up rules as he went along. Byakuya said nothing, carrying on his path back to his barracks while she sighed aloud, "I don't know how I've survived you for 200 years."

"That's great to hear because I have yet another bonding activity just for you two!"

The two flinched instantly when Ryo's voice popped out behind them, leading Ruka to latch onto the captain's haori in alarm. Byakuya's face deadpanned at her reaction and the return of his dreaded cousin. Couldn't he take a walk back to his division without being disrupted? Was it too much to ask to live a simple life for at least a decade? Ruka chuckled awkwardly, quickly releasing him with flushing cheeks for the fluke. Ryo was amused at the flustered appearance of the lieutenant while his cousin looked about ready to murder him through glare power alone.

Ruka dreaded another episode of humiliation and she warned him immediately, "I swear if it's truth or dare-"

"No!" Ryo interjected to childish games because he was at the end of his rope now with his time coming to an end. This time, he enlisted the help of others to tag-team the stubbornness of the duo before him. Rukia and Renji popped up behind him with a reluctant Ichigo trailing behind the two. Ryo strode forward to cut in between the confused shinigami, grasping Ruka's shoulder to usher her forward, "Come along with me and sit down-"

Ruka blinked awkwardly at the wooden chair in the middle of the grassy field, wondering how it got there, and asked warily, "Why is this random chair here?"

Renji approached the two as soon as Ryo broke her away from Byakuya and he whispered, "If you agree to sit and do what I ask, I'll give you a thousand kan."

"We are desperate" Rukia added in with pleading eyes and clasped her hands together. How was she supposed to say no to that face? Rukia played up the cute factor with her hopeful expression, leading Ruka to crack instantly with a miserable groan. Meanwhile, Byakuya was trying to appear uninterested but was mildly curious what they were all whispering about. Rukia grabbed her friend's hands to squeeze them tightly and requested, "Please say yes."

Ruka's blue eyes darted to the last member of their group and Ichigo was quick to wave his hands to clear himself of the mess by stating frankly, "I'm simply tagging along for the ride, I will not do anything that will trigger him to stab me."

"Smartest choice of the day" Byakuya complimented dryly to have him cause less trouble and not involve himself with Ryo. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Renji and Rukia. It took a lot of willpower for Ichigo not to reach down, rip off his shoe, and toss it at him.

Ruka ignored the newest rabble between the two and placed her hands on her hips to question firmly, "Do you promise it's fun for me?"

"Possibly" Ryo answered with a mischievous grin to not give anything away and motioned to the chair. All he needed was for her to sit down and the rest would take care of itself. Ruka was not entirely convinced by this answer and he added in helpfully, "It does include bright lights and confetti."

"Son of a bitch, I'm in!" Ruka agreed excitedly to see vibrant colors, dismaying Byakuya, and sat down on the chair to add in hastily, "As long as it doesn't break the law."

"What are you all discussing-" Byakuya questioned at their hurried whispering and Ruka's exclamations. What was she getting herself into this time? His words cut off when Rukia and Renji grabbed him from either arm with an iron grip. How dare they grab him without consent? His gaze narrowed at the rebellious two before he ordered sharply, "Unhand me!"

Both Ruka and Byakuya disappeared when the group used shunpo to travel elsewhere. Their reappearance brought them to a random garden which the two recognized as part of the Kuchiki estate. They were not the only people there, noticing three more chairs in front of a vibrant neon background in pink, red, and purple serving as a makeshift wall. Byakuya winced internally at the horrid color scheme flashing as they clashed against the gentle pastel colors of the garden. Who dared to construct this monstrosity on his property – wait, Ryo also had unfortunate authority in his area of the land.

Another set of bright white lights erupted to shroud the area in illumination and Ryo exclaimed perkily, "Come forth and join Soul Society Matchmaker!"

"What?!" the two blurted in unison to what they were dragged into, horrified at playing in a matchmaking game. Before Ruka could jump out of the chair, Rukia enacted a weaker hainawa kido spell to keep her bound to it by the yellow energy rope. Ryo took the same opportunity to enact a barrier to keep his cousin encased inside to avoid him using shunpo to escape. Byakuya took this time to glare at Ruka for inadvertently pulling him into this but she simply stuck out her tongue in defiance.

Ruka noticed she was seated beside the other chairs that were also occupied by women. One was recognizable as she smiled awkwardly at the second captain of the Gotei 13 but the other two were new noblewomen she had not met before. They were stunning to her as they dressed in expensive pastel silks and she couldn't help but look down at her own soiled uniform. Not skipping a beat, she grinned innocently and piped up, "Were you dragged against your will too?"

"And our lucky guest for the afternoon is Kuchiki Byakuya, sixth captain of the Gotei 13 and head of the high noble Kuchiki clan" Renji began to get their mini show moving before the two overpowered their binds. Rukia did her best to showcase her brother by pointing everywhere in his direction. Ryo would fiddle around with the lights to make the questionnaire fun while Ichigo questioned his life choices while recording everything on a phone for future media pickup. Byakuya crossed his arms at being the center of attention, glaring heatedly at everyone, while Renji continued to showcase him, "Please excuse the grass stains, the captain just finished a game of mandatory dodgeball. Underneath the grime, he is an honorable, fair, and appealing man for any lady in Soul Society."

Ruka burst into laughter at his presentation and remarked, "Wow, you should be his biographer."

"I'd rather not, thanks" the redhead replied grimly, not envious of anyone that would want that position. He already imagined late nights of editing and harsh critiques of his grammar and prose. Being from a clan enmeshed with history, Byakuya knew his way around books and how they should be written.

The noble in question glanced around his golden barrier and muttered darkly, "Must I do this?"

"Yes" Ryo answered bluntly because he was not doing this with his own ulterior motive only. They came from a prestigious line and with Byakuya being a bachelor for half a century after being widowed, the elders were growing tired of his lack of finding a suitable new partner. He empathized with his cousin's loss and understood that fully overcoming grief took time. Unfortunately, some of their family members were not as kind as they focused on the continuation of their clan rather than the person.

"Then I ask why" Byakuya demanded firmly at their audacity to showcase him like a prize to be won. Yes, he acknowledged that any individuals that entered their family through marriage should be grateful for the social climb but he could care less right now. There was one person he sought but he refused to risk that secret's exposure and have her run off. His time with her was unnecessarily disrupted and he accused them all, "I am an unwilling hostage, completely unaware of this scheme. I need this to be known by all."

"Because the elders are tired of your bachelorhood and will arrange a marriage if you don't participate" Ryo explained bluntly in private to show the hand that was also orchestrating this action. He agreed to step in to intervene but it was with the hope that he could pin his two friends together and not have him run off with someone else. He heavily doubted it after his devotion to Hisana but when his cousin fell for someone, he fell hard enough to earn a concussion. He pointed to his co-conspirators, who only had the best of intentions, and finished, "This is the best we could come up with in four hours to save you from months' worth of blind dates."

"Oh . . . when did they stop fearing me?" Byakuya murmured with annoyance at not intimidating their clan elders anymore. Once he put them all in their place after Rukia's erroneous trial, he no longer heard a peep from them. Why were they trying to heckle him now? They were nothing but old hens at this point with nothing to do in their twilight years.

"Probably when you brought back Ambassador Seaweed" Ichigo answered dryly to the resurrection of his creation that dropped his fear factor dramatically. Ruka and Rukia were the only ones cheering for the caricature while others wondered what the heck spurred its origins. Byakuya's unhappy frown only deepened at that remark because Ambassador Seaweed should not outperform his power of instilling fear.

Renji ignored his quiet sulking to get things moving and motioned to the bright stage, "Now, let's meet our four enchanting contestants that will win a fancy dinner with the captain if he chooses them."

"Must I?" Byakuya questioned snippily because if he didn't participate, everyone would be forced to leave.

Ryo didn't hesitate to remind him why they were here in the first place, "Again, arranged marriage?"

"Fine, carry on" he sighed dismally at having to suffer the droll game and his eyes narrowed at the two familiar faces. Ruka was attempting to physically gnaw through the energy kido but failing miserably while Sui-Feng looked offended at being there. He couldn't help but question why they chose the two among others, "Is that what you asked of Ruka? Why is Sui-Feng here?"

"I'm not a groupie" Ruka pointed out at being lied to about having fun, wiggling against her binds. Why was she the only one being restrained? Did they expect her to put up more of a fight than the captain of the Special Forces? She pulled against the bindings over her legs, groaning against the force, and stated easily, "There's literally hundreds of noble women that would kill me to be here."

"We were short on applicants?" Rukia supplied sheepishly but in reality, she didn't really look far. Their team knew Ruka had to be among the candidates and they utilized files on noblewomen that Ryo's mother had in her possession for the rest. The older Kuchiki decided to tweak the files by choosing decent but not great options for his cousin to get the mental ball rolling.

"For four hours?" Ruka questioned skeptically at their lack of applicants for a date with the most popular man in Soul Society. Apart from being adored by civilians, he also had admirers among the military ranks. A simple flyer on their social forums would have sent flocks running. She nodded towards the main gate of the estate and told them, "Parade him down the street for five seconds and you'll have dozens after him."

The second captain was not keen on being lied to on charity funding, refusing to lower herself for a dating show. Never in a million years would she choose the Kuchiki noble. Nobody in the team had dared to tangle with her like they did with Ruka and let her be. Standing up, she decided to leave and spare her time with something worthwhile. None of the quartet tried to intervene and she told them bluntly, "I agree, I'd never date someone who married a peasant. You told me this was a cat show so I'm taking my leave."

Using shunpo, the second captain left the premises and Renji blinked awkwardly before returning to his gameshow voice, "One down, that kinda makes it easier . . . I think?"

Byakuya made a mental note to scribble down a new execution order for his guards when he returned home. Ruka stopped fighting her binds to call out to the departed captain to defend, "Hey, peasants are cool! They rhyme with pheasants who have little white choker necklaces like a penguin does a tuxedo."

For the first time, Byakuya and Renji shared a perplexed expression at her random blurb. Renji managed to regain his voice first to continue and spoke with amusement, "You're weird . . . kinda like Ambassador Seaweed."

Both Ruka and Byakuya protested in unison without skipping a beat, "He's not weird."

Renji noticed her trying to stand up in the chair to protest further and he ordered, "Sit down, Kyōraku."

She quieted to obey, becoming still in her seat, and she upturned her nose to declare airily, "Only because I'm getting 1,000 kan for charity outta this."

Byakuya perked up at hearing this new tidbit and glared at the brunette to demand, "Wait, you get paid and I don't?"

Renji cut off any chance of his sass by pointing out sharply on the benefit of today's gameshow, "You get a date, you lucky bastard, so let's get started!"

"Do not smoke-bomb your way out of this" Rukia lightly warned the brunette to keep her in place and stop any escape shenanigans. Ruka pouted for humorous pity because the last thing she wanted was to be in dating show with the man of her affections. When she heard bright lights and confetti, she assumed a party. She eyed the petite woman suspiciously but Rukia flicked her forehead and assured with a friendly smile, "Just have fun."

Everyone but Ryo flinched when a loud pop echoed before a rainbow of confetti covered everyone on the field, except Byakuya in his barrier prison. Ruka forgot all about being stuck in a chair unwillingly to grin happily at the bright shades of pink, purple, green, and yellow flying through the air. The neon lights that flickered intermittently only added a flair of dazzle so she decided to have fun like Rukia suggested. It was clear by the deep furrow on Byakuya's forehead that he was not pleased with anyone right now.

"Wow, your family really wants that heir if they went all out for this" she told the Kuchiki members for being allowed to have such a glitzy display on the estate. The elders may want a spouse from the high noble clans but they were apparently still learning that Byakuya made his own decisions now. If he had gone in the opposite spectrum to choose Hisana, a high noble was potentially impossible. If they were trying to improve their image that way, they would learn the hard way that their clan head disagreed. She managed to grasp the falling confetti into her palm, smiling brightly to say, "I must hire the confetti creator for my next bash."

Renji started the game with the first contestant who agreed, a young blonde with bright green eyes. She was dressed in bubblegum pink attire, each layer of her kimono fading into a soft pink. The redhead hoped his ex-captain would find someone interesting and explained, "So, we have contestant number one from the house of Be . . . Bea . . .Be-ass . . . a little help please."

"Beauséjour" she assisted with an amused smile at having her name said terribly incorrect by the shinigami. Ruka liked her personality when there was no ill will in her expression unlike other nobles that berated you.

"Yeah, there's no way I'm not butchering that" Renji remarked dryly to the tongue twister of a name, shaking his head with embarrassment, and continued onwards "This is Elise who likes long walks, playing the violin, and hosting parties. Her family belongs to the high noble Sheppard clan and trains many of their chefs."

Ruka brightened up with a silly grin, pointing to the unamused Byakuya, and pointed out, "Hey, that sounds like you!"

Byakuya was not interested in any of this and Renji introduced the next candidate, "And here we have Ruka."

Her blue eyes widened at having the spotlight on her, quite literally, and glanced up at the overhead lights attached to the backdrop. Damn, Ryo chose a really good designer for this. Sighing under her breath, she muttered helplessly, "Crap."

"From the prestigious Kyōraku clan, second in line to rule" Renji explained the positive attributes of the brunette and Ruka wondered if they swiped it from her grandmother's profile. Each noble house created dossiers of their single members to exchange with others when arranged marriages were needed. Hers was somewhere in her grandparent's study since she did not request to have a spouse picked for her. It would be the last resort if they needed an heir but so far, their clan was good on two heirs while the Kuchiki only had one with zero succession. She tried to hide inside her uniform like a bashful turtle when Renji continued, "Currently a lieutenant in the Gotei 13. She partakes in science, gardens during the day, and owns a flock of murderous swans."

"You did not put that in there!" she balked with burning cheeks about her protective swans that played the double role of estate guards. Snickers echoed through the gardens, driving her further into her introverted shell. Byakuya did not see humor in it because the brunette created efficient protectors, remembering running from them as a child when he wandered too close. Now, they considered him part of the flock and let him be. Ruka averted her gaze to the floor to have her consciousness leave her body temporarily and muttered, "My life is on full display here. Go to the next person!"

Renji had future chances in store to embarrass everyone and moved on to the last contestant. Out of the three women, she was dressed the most finely with lilac and black fabrics that complemented her onyx hair and brown eyes. He introduced her like the prior two, "Last is Li Xiang, heir to her family clan serving the Shihoin by providing their textiles. She likes painting, designing new fashions, and drinking wine like many of our contestants today."

Ruka poked her head back out from the neck of her uniform and piped up eagerly, "All right, have you ladies been to the Mirage-"

"We lost our last contestant so let's begin!" Renji interrupted to get the quiz show moving and find out who his ex-captain decided was worthy of dinner. He was surprisingly curious to see what the end result would be.

"This will be the greatest test of my life" Byakuya murmured dully to what madness awaited him if his sister, cousin, ex-lieutenant, and human friend were in charge. The bright lights and confetti covering the grass were not filling him with confidence that this would be a lackluster and rational pick. His only saving grace was the barrier that prevented him from doing anything outrageous on their behalf.

"For choosing a date?" Ryo questioned skeptically at his dramatics over a simple dinner. He might actually like the person he picked if he gave it a chance.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes before stating bitterly to the challenge ahead, "For surviving with my sanity intact for what you've unleashed."

"Don't be a drama llama" Ruka comforted his needless worrying, even while they were both restrained. Despite not wanting to be a contestant, she wanted him to find someone that would love him again. Whether it was here or a random occurrence, he deserved it in her view. Clearly, his family (at least, the caring members) thought so as well.

The heated glare aimed at Renji smoothed as he turned to her and instructed her firmly, "Stop confusing me with your gibberish."

Not wanting the two to go off on a tangent, Renji began with the first round by requesting, "Tell Lord Kuchiki something unique about yourself."

"I make my own clothes" Li spoke confidently, emphasizing the heavily embroidered sleeves of her attire. Ruka whistled impressively at the beautiful fabric and wagged her eyebrows at Byakuya. He was not astonished by that at all, given his hefty collection of expensive clothes, and wished Ruka was not trying to join their group of friends in finding his next wife.

"I make my own wine" Elise admitted easily with food and drink being her pastime outside the working hours.

Ruka grinned excitedly at that skill, which was sorely needed in her family, and she smiled at the blond to ask, "Have you met my cousin Shin Kyōraku? You would be delightful for him!"

Renji was not about to lose his candidates to the Kyōraku family and ordered quickly, "Ruka, name one thing."

"I make my own weapons" she supplied mischievously to her knack in engineering, not shy from sharing her strength. It was not the most lady-like thing to do but it helped the Gotei forces to protect all realms. By the shocked expressions on the women's faces, her remark was the last thing they expected.

Byakuya furrowed his brow at her unique feature to display and asked dryly, "Really?"

"I'm fantastic at what I do" she spoke up confidently at her ingenuity and crossed her arms. She was not a scientific genius like Kisuke or Mayuri but she produced a few good creations so far. Taking risks was all part of being a scientist and damage to herself was better than harming her subordinates. She had fun working in a lab for hours during her free time and told them, "I'm not ashamed to blow up things in the name of science."

"You promised a 30% decrease in yearly explosions" he reminded her sharply on her vows when arriving back home.

Her lips widened into a cocky grin to ruffle his feathers and she pointed out slyly, "The year's not over, is it?"

"It's best not to feed the fire" Rukia suggested to her brother to stop another feud from rising between the two. There was never any harm in them but the two could debate for hours until one won.

"You have to give a point, sir" Renji reminded the noble to keep the game moving and reach the goal of his final choice. He flinched slightly at the death glare sent in his direction for having to make such a decision.

"Must I?" he grumbled irritably at the farce of a game and knew straightaway that Ruka was not the winner of that round. Why was he fascinated by someone that could threaten the Seireitei? They already had two madmen running about and didn't need to add a third. Choosing a rational option, he mumbled with great reluctance, "Fine, contestant number three is my safe choice."

"I'm looking at the number one lady to induct to my family line right about now" Ruka smiled brightly at the friendly blonde who would be perfect for her family line.

Elise blushed faintly at the compliment and opened her mouth to speak, only for Renji to cut her off with the next round, "What kind of presents would you give your partner?"

"Tailored clothing" Li answered easily at having a well-dressed partner rather than a raggedy one. The honor and image of her family were at stake against high nobles so she would not walk away ashamed.

Byakuya was not impressed by that because he had private tailors already at his beck and call and replied, "I have that."

"A portrait" Elise supplied uncertainly, unaware of what the private noble actually liked.

That was even less of an appeal to him and he questioned curtly, "Why would I want to look at myself?"

Ruka's lips widened into a sneaky smirk and she supplied confidently, "Below the waist present?"

Byakuya wondered about that cryptic answer for a moment and blurted, "What does that- oh."

That's what she would offer? Why would she even voice such a thing aloud? Why was he even dwelling over it?! The way she managed to weave into his mind was uncanny, blaming the decades of familiarity. He blamed the entire Kyōraku family for being shameless charming flirts. Her lips widened mischievously when she noted his features smooth over with understanding at her insinuation and she teased gently, "Are you blushing?"

"Silence" he ordered immediately to rid himself of the image of Ruka in a compromising position, chastising himself for such weakness. Senbonzakura was already on alert and devouring figurative popcorn in their soul space to see this play out.

Renji stifled his laughter at their interaction and corrected her, "No sexual innuendo."

Her cheeks puffed outwards to resemble an offended chipmunk and she objected, "But that's half the fun!"

"Nobody gets the point" Byakuya claimed to the unimpressive offers and the improper one from Ruka.

"He's afraid to choose my answer" Ruka remarked brazenly with a charismatic grin, winking at him to push her point across.

"Ruka!" he chastised to get her to behave properly and stop his mind from conjuring provocative poses of her. That was the last thing he needed from her! The affectionate nature of her family was not helping him at all right now. Why couldn't she say these things in private rather than publicly? It would make the situation much easier to bear.

He thanked the Soul King when Renji moved on to the next round by asking them, "What's your fear?"

"Rats" Elise yelped with a shudder to the vermin, rubbing her arms with her hands at their beady eyes.

"Cheap fabrics" Li answered disdainfully to wearing poor weaves for a family of her standing.

"That is so him" Ruka piped up excitedly and wagged her eyebrows again at Byakuya. He couldn't help but wonder why she was trying to help the other side when she was a contestant as well. Wait, did that mean she didn't see him in such a romantic manner? Ever? That deflated his hope for divulging his sentiments soon if she was complicit in helping him find a new partner.

"It is not a fear, it is a fashion choice" Byakuya pointed out sharply to his expensive taste in clothing to whom he only trusted a particular number of tailors. If he dressed in rags for a man of his standing, he would sink his image.

Ruka waved his finicky fashion sense away and answered with a miserable sigh, "A world without science based on chaotic misinformation."

"That's your fear?" Ryo questioned with a wince at the bland answer compared to a visible one. How was he supposed to scare her with that one day?

She crossed her arms huffily before responding airily, "The most logical one."

"That makes you deathly afraid?" he repeated to ensure he couldn't squeeze a different answer from the scientist. Surely, something like a fat spider or a flying bat were worse options than that?

Ruka betrayed nothing on her face, mimicking one of Byakuya's stoic expressions to state, "No person is truly alive when you take away what they love. Besides, I'm not giving my enemies the edge with my true fears. Only a dunce with a deathwish would do that."

Byakuya approved of that logic when comparing all the answers because he could easily fix two of the problems. Fixing a broken society was not easy, given the chaos that sprouted into the winter war, and nodded, "I agree."

Ryo sighed at the consensus between the two nobles and sighed aloud with aggravation, "You two are. . . never mind."

Renji was not giving that mind twister any more time and continued to the next round with a cocky smirk, "How would you pamper your partner after a long day or when they're feeling down?"

"Spa day" Elise piped up happily to relaxing away from the cares of the world but her smile deflated at seeing none sprout on the noble. Come to think of it, did he even smile?

He simply shrugged halfheartedly at the decent answer, not impressed by it, and stated simply, "Acceptable."

"Dinner at one of the top restaurants in town" Li suggested simply, given his apparent taste for a high-end lifestyle.

Byakuya shot that one down instantly with his introverted tendencies by stating, "I prefer isolation."

"Romantic dinner?" she restated to tailor it to his needs, unsure of what the noble desired. There was not much known publicly about his pastimes or personality outside their social circles, taking him at face value. Even now, he was not giving much away about himself.

"Slightly better" he accepted with subdued disappointment to the original choice that was wrong. If someone wanted to court him, they better know a thing or two about him or the door would close faster than a bee to flowers.

Ruka's answers were becoming more daring with each round and he dreaded how she would progress. Ruka, on the other hand, was having fun with this as instructed and unleashed her inner Kyōraku. Her friends knew how outrageous she could become and she decided to give the contestants a run for their money.

Leaning against the back of her chair, she crossed one leg over the other and aimed a charming grin at him to speak with a low tone, "First, I would wine and dine you with your favorite meal and dessert at home. Add your favorite cherry blossom candle and an Ambassador Seaweed plushie to the table. Next, I would massage every tense muscle in your body . . . then mount a subtle but focused invasion below your pants-"

"Ruka!" Renji and Rukia intervened to censor her before it went off-tangent into an R-rated gameshow. Ichigo was having the hardest time keeping the camera straight and trying not to laugh, especially when Byakuya continued frowning.

She threw up her hands in protest to killing her buzz of delight and exclaimed, "You censored my below-the-waist present, what else was I supposed to say?!"

"Something non-sexual!" the redhead shot back matter-of-factly to keep it clean before their voices echoed into the older sections of the estate. Ryo highly doubted their far hearing was good anymore and he was enjoying the discomfort that Ruka burned into his cousin.

She thumped her chest proudly to brush off their lecture and emphasized confidently, "I am a sensual being of desire with my partner like any true Kyōraku-"

"Ruka!" Byakuya silenced her rant before it derailed into inappropriate territory, attempting to keep a lid on it. Although, her plushie gift and aromatherapy were spot on for what he would want when he was feeling miserable. That, or a picture of his worst enemy to shred into a million pieces. After dealing with numerous problems at work, sensory deprivation and meditation did wonders to control his emotions.

"Excuse my caring pampering then" she chastised to remove her passionate care and the perky expression melted into irritation to declare offhandedly, "I'll leave you a frozen TV dinner in the sink for you to heat up that will taste like soggy paper."

"What's wrong with TV dinners?" Renji asked aloud to his friends, who all shook their heads to dissuade him from those future meals.

"Everything" Byakuya retorted bitterly at having her answer switch to a shoddy goop that dared to call itself food. Would that be waiting for him when she became angered with him? He was used to her seeking space since he was similar, but they rarely had fights during their first relationship. If they bickered, it was usually resolved by nighttime. He was unhappy about the sudden change of heart concerning dinner and demanded swiftly, "Why can't you make me a regular dinner?"

"You just rated the romantic dinner as mediocre so why bother?" she argued simply after he declined the second answer from Li. If he wouldn't accept it from her, what chance did she have? Home cooked meals were not easy when it came to the pampered noble.

He could care less about someone he didn't know when Ruka was the one he wanted. Was she offended that he rejected her idea or that he wouldn't accept a private dinner with her? No, he was not going to fall prey to the game without knowing Ruka's intent. He decided to reword his previous statement and told her, "I would at least appreciate the effort of a homecooked meal."

"But you're still not rating it with a worthy payoff for my time" she explained with a half-hearted shrug for feigned interest after all that work. It was not easy to make a three-course meal from scratch, decorate the table with candles, the couch with plushies, and do a head-to-toe massage with energy to spare for the bedroom. If she was putting in that much work, she was getting a good return investment from that relationship.

Elise burst out laughing at their relentless debate and waved her hands at Renji to smile, "I'm out. I yield all my time to her, this girl is on fire."

"No, she's not!" Byakuya interjected swiftly at Ruka entertaining the women with inappropriate banter.

Ruka smiled sweetly at the blonde, appreciating the vote of confidence, and told her, "Thank you, don't listen to him."

"Number three gets the point" Byakuya stated coldly to swipe away Ruka's swaying power to regain control of the situation. Well, as much as he could for a forced game show. Ruka simply snorted at his stubbornness, enjoying his fussing with every passing minute.

"I have a name" Li asserted firmly with offense at having her titles disregarded by the other noble. Byakuya, on the other hand, was indifferent since his social ranking outweighed anyone present. He could say whatever he wanted on his own property; guests be damned.

"Arguing with him is futile" Ruka whispered to the fashionista behind her hands, earning her a stern glare from Byakuya for her shoddy sneak attempt.

Before another boring lecture was unleashed, Renji continued with the next question, "Your partner is in critical condition and must decide to end or continue with life support. What do you do?"

"Continue! He must fight on!" Elise answered immediately with clenched fists to do her best as a spouse and keep him alive. Ruka flicked her thumb in the blonde's direction with a grin of approval which Byakuya deflected with a stony glare.

"Wouldn't it be kinder to end it?" Li supplied frankly to cut the binds of a broken body rather than let them suffer endlessly.

"She's out" Byakuya responded swiftly to slap a zero on the answer because he refused to be extinguished by his own partner. Sure, there was medicine and machinery in charge but his spouse would hold all the cards once he was deemed unconscious and unable to speak.

Renji tried to reason with him before all the answers were given, "Captain-"

"No wife of mine will kill me off!" he interjected coldly to having power over his own self swiped away by another. He was a being accustomed to controlling every aspect of his life, work, and environment with minute changes to prevent disequilibrium. If he was injured in battle, he refused to be extinguished by his spouse rather than an enemy.

"Technically, she's sparing you-" Rukia explained kindly from a different point of view but her brother wasn't hearing it.

Crossing his arms neatly, he pushed his point across by stating grimly, "I refuse to change my mind on that."

"What kind of condition are we talking about here?" Ruka asked curiously to deep dive into the scenario because it could happen to any of her loved ones. The winter war could have been more devastating without the assistance of the human world and there would be a day when the realm would be at risk again. She would do everything in her power to save her family and friends, proposing further, "Lifetime of catatonia, physical impairment, mental impairment, or potential complete recovery?"

Before Renji could supply an answer, she waved a hand dismissively and changed her mind to state confidently, "Nevermind, I'll create a virtual link to his neural pathway to find the problem and fix it before I have to make that decision for him. We'll tackle it together."

"All right, she earns that point" Byakuya conceded for the first time to grant her the win on the round. Her answers had been scandalous thus far but she made sense this time. He needed a partner to bide him time until he could strike or regain full strength rather than cut him down at the first moment of weakness. Years prior, he held a mindset for the latter but time had changed his rigid thinking. Ruka was uncertain whether to cheer for the win and he finished, "I refuse to come back a shell of my former self."

"You give that the point but not my elaborate romantic dinner with a massage?" she questioned his inability to tell that she held his best interest at heart. Frankly, she had gone beyond what she would do for most dates and wondered what knocked his socks off nowadays. Wait, no, she was not feeding into this game and only having fun with it.

Byakuya refused to give away the fact she was besting the other two and chastised firmly, "I value existing more than going hungry for a day."

Ruka's shoulders slumped at his priorities and lack of reaction to his hypothetical frozen meal. He should know by now that she wouldn't let him starve but he did tend to be a picky eater. Raising her nose, she feigned insult by stating, "Ouch. Now you've answered where that TV tray dinner went."

"I am not eating soggy paper" he insisted on the subpar meal she offered after rejecting her original choice, annoyed more at himself for wrecking the alternative. Would she really do that if they courted? The last thing he wanted was to find food thawing in the sink and told her bluntly, "I have chefs at my disposal-"

"Well, I hope they make your favorite banana panna cotta for you" she interjected sarcastically to the baked goods she dropped off during the weekends. It was a recipe given to her by Hiroko and she would not let her grandmother's recipes escape her cold dead hands.

Byakuya knew this as well and his stormy eyes narrowed to the veiled threat, ordering her, "You cannot hold that recipe hostage from me."

"Is anybody else loving this?" Ryo grinned ecstatically at the drama they unleashed between the two. Elise and Ichigo were the only ones who raised their hands in silent agreement to the entertainment. Renji withheld from following their lead, given his host position and the threat of Byakuya shattering the barrier to choke him was enough to quell that risk.

"Moving on!" he refocused the gathered group, interrupting the two feuding nobles shooting glares at each other, and asked, "What can you offer as a prospective partner?"

"Prestige" Elise responded uncertainly after having zero idea what attracted the dark-haired noble. The higher nobility went, the more your family line was scrutinized by the elders. Frankly, she was more than ready to bolt and tell her clan to find an alliance elsewhere.

He was not impressed by that answer at all, given his higher ranking against everyone present, and stated simply, "I already have that."

"Bear a son" Li offered to the next popular choice for continuing high nobility lines. Without an heir, a clan would fall into chaos and cutthroat tactics to find the next leader.

Byakuya was mildly appeased at that answer, uncaring what gender his child was as long as they were healthy, and spoke simply, "Reassuring."

Ruka shrugged half-heartedly and Byakuya believed she had finally settled down until she replied evenly, "Freedom of expression? You can dress as Ambassador Seaweed all you want. Heck, I'll dress up too."

She is killing these answers, Senbonzakura cheered with glee at the landslide she created against the other two. His wielder was stubbornly refusing to admit it but her mischievous answers held truth to them. He was willing to put aside his pride, hoping Byakuya would budge too, and piped up, We must submit.

"Did you peek at these questions?" he questioned tightly at her uncanny knack to weave under his skin with every response. Had someone given her pointers already? Was she a puppet placed to torment him and feigning innocence? She had not left his sight since the start of the dodgeball game so that theory was shaky.

Ruka was amused by his accusation, finding his frustration endearing, and answered, "No! This is all off the top of my head since I was practically kidnapped in front of you. If you're all about offerings, I'll let you be top or pick the starting position on your birthday, deployment, anytime Lieutenant Taro screws up, and weekends–"

"Ruka!" he interjected before she delved into deeper detail on her proposition to woo him. Her widening grin and half-lidded eyes frustrated him further at her insubordination. That, and it made her painfully alluring.

Renji flicked his thumb in her direction for the denial of cheating and asked carefully, "Does this mean she gets the point?"

Elise twirled a lock of hair between her fingers and smiled slyly to preen, "If I was the guest, I would."

Ruka blushed coyly to the compliment because at least someone was being amused by her. She waved daintily at her before turning to the brooding noble and winked at him. Byakuya was not going to give her more points after having his dignity stabbed multiple times and muttered darkly, "I refuse to answer."

"You have to, you're the guest" Ichigo pointed out dryly at his refusal to engage in the point system to end the show quicker.

He snapped his neck away from all of them before speaking with great reluctance, "If I must."

"I don't want a pity point!" Ruka argued to reject the win, crossing her arms to emulate the fussing noble. She wanted a true win for her hijinks and charm, not the sympathetic 'if I have no other choice' point. Despite her silliness, she did have her dignity intact.

Ryo was not accepting her decision and jabbed his finger at her to snap back, "You're taking the pity point!"

Her blue eyes narrowed at the order, refusing to comply against her will, and she exclaimed vehemently, "You're not the boss of me!"

Renji was flabbergasted by the stubborn disposition of the two, especially with Byakuya trying to deflect her answers. Even when Ruka attempted to boost the value of her competition, he refused to budge. It was terrible to see their potential go to waste for years on end and he blurted out, "Are you two blind? How are you not seeing this after two decades? Get out!"

Byakuya was offended at the (true) insinuation and denied tersely, "I don't think-"

The redhead cut off both nobles by pointing towards the nearest exit of the gardens and ordered loudly, "Out! You two are tougher and crazier than Zaraki against a Rubik cube!"

Ruka leaned back in her chair to defy him and pointed out nonchalantly with a sly smile, "He has to pick someone to end the game. Them's the rules."

"Point wise, you are winning" Rukia explained to her, wiping off the smile instantly, and watched her shrink into herself.

"What?!" Byakuya snapped at that realization, suspecting them of lying instantly. He was trying his best not to pick her and somehow, she was still winning? How?!

He hesitated to pick Ruka because rumors would fly off the handle but he was not certain about the other choices. It would be an easier road with less torture if he picked a noble for the forced dinner then cut ties instantly. If he truly found them interesting, he would consider a future date. For now, however, the pouting brunette trying to wiggle out of her seat was his choice rather than the other two nobles sitting neatly in theirs. He decided to go with the contestant that would match and appease his elders, stating curtly, "I will choose guest number three."

Ruka was trying earnestly to avoid any awkward drama but a subtle flutter struck her heart at the same time for not winning the game. Too bad she couldn't drink a potion or punch out her feelings. Both were released from their binds by Ryo when he removed the binding spells and Ruka stood up instantly to pipe up sweetly at Renji, "Since I'm not picked, can I ask you out to dinner?"

Renji's eyes widened in alarm to the surprise, earning wide grins from his friends, and he stammered nervously, "Um, well, sure-"

Byakuya interjected between the two lightning fast before they dared take a single step and ordered firmly, "I rescind my choice. Ruka, pick your dinner place."

The brunette stood up to turn away from the irritated noble, drawing his ire at being ignored, and walked past him. She wasn't going to bend over backward for being second place and shook her head. He made his choice willingly and she was free to pick hers for a friendly evening, disagreeing instantly, "No! I'm not anybody's backup choice. Let's go, Abarai."

Byakuya was not happy to be argued against because he expected her to clap her hands happily and voice ideas. Instead, she refused him outright and picked someone else. Not just anybody but another captain! This was not how this absurd game show was supposed to go! Wasn't he the one that was supposed to get a date to appease the outdated troglodytes, not both of them?

Renji hated being placed in the center of a silent feud, not to mention avoiding an unwanted romantic triangle, and sighed despondently, "Crap, this is a nightmare and fantasy in one."

He was not looking for a premature demise and thought miserably of the pros and cons, On the one hand, I finally beat him in something but at the same time, what if he does care about her? Also, he can turn me into sashimi.

"You want a free dinner or no?" Ruka questioned to offer the poor soul some comfort through the trauma he endured quizzing them. They had not made it easy and the redhead endured surviving her friend for years as his lieutenant. Plus, she wanted to know how they got the idea for the hilarious game.

Byakuya's gaze clearly read 'do you want to keep existing?' and Renji threw up his hands to give up, blurting aloud, "Forget it, I'm not getting in the middle of this weird pseudo-romance!"

Ruka blushed instantly at the suggestion, which was more of an unrequited affection, and denied, "It's not a pseudo-romance!"

Byakuya said nothing, unaware of what that meant, and tried to feign ignorance. He would not grant it any importance but couldn't help and ponder, What's a pseudo-romance and when did he learn words I don't know?

With Renji cleaning his hands of a future mess, Ruka waved her hand in Byakuya's direction as she walked away to leave. She was not going to stick around for more but would text bomb Renji for her donation promise. That, and get Elise's number to strike up a friendship and potential date for her cousin. Displaying a small shred of her nobility on her way out, she stated matter-of-factly, "I refuse to be second fiddle to anyone. Besides, you must honor your word and respect your pick."

Before he could argue her point, she disappeared with shunpo to leave the gardens. Byakuya frowned at her resistance but was mildly amused by it. A Kyōraku was nonchalant and easygoing by nature but if you threatened them to get moving, they would not hold back or take second place. Renji noticed his lingering gaze and decided to try his luck for the next prize, "If you're going after her, can I get your free dinner?"

His ex-captain did not hesitate to grant all his winnings over and stated dryly, "Enjoy . . . and make sure the elders know I completed this heinous task."

Byakuya needed time to appease them and hoped this was enough to buy him a few weeks. He hated catering to their demands but keeping them distracted and unaware of his private life would work in his favor. He spared a tedious glance at Renji when the other man asked uncertainly, "Am I going with your original choice or am I telling them you're leaving after-"

He disappeared before Renji finished, irking the redhead, and Rukia muttered under her breath at Byakuya's silence, "He makes going on a date like getting his teeth pulled."

"He'd likely prefer the teeth pulling without anesthetic" Ichigo corrected dryly at how quickly he escaped and handed over Rukia's phone containing their evidence. She wouldn't put it past Ryo to upload it to every media platform so she added a quick encryption to avoid having it fall into mischievous hands. Her brother would thank her for saving him from future embarrassment.

Renji clapped his hands to end the wagon ride of embarrassment and told the young nobles, "All right, ladies, thank you for your time and I apologize for his less-than-stellar attitude. I will be wiring the money in the next five minutes."

To avoid incensing the other two clans for failing to nab a high noble into dinner, Ryo soothed with a tired sigh, "We're all going to dinner after this brain freeze. My treat."

Rukia grinned impishly and flicked her thumb toward her cousin to tell them, "He's technically a single Kuchiki too."

Ryo threw up his hands at having karma shoot back at him and ushered everyone to get moving before he ended up in an arranged marriage.

---

Ruka whistled to distract her brain while she cleaned up her guest room in the Kuchiki manor. By clean, she meant to eradicate any semblance of sentimentality that lingered in the room. She needed to sterilize her existence and tossed her cute plushies into an open duffle bag. It was terrible that she accepted every Ambassador Seaweed plushie from him to the point they decorated every corner of her bed in various sizes, outmatching the Chappy rabbits from Rukia. They were ridiculously adorable and cozy to sleep with but lack of comfort would dissuade her from seeking the room as a home away from home. She tossed small picture frames haphazardly into the bag to rehome them in her own estate for safekeeping. Good thing her fish were in the office or she would have to lug around an entire aquarium.

The day had started out embarrassing and gradually derailed into questioning her feelings. It was already hard keeping a tight lid on her sentiment and she hoped pushing Byakuya towards the noblewomen would throw him off her trail. She disliked having to be secretive but could not risk having her heart spill out to him or anyone else. Unfortunately, her grandparents saw straight through her nonchalance and deflection of all those (quite true) claims.

Her grandfather had already attempted a pep talk after she continued to deny her grandmother's insinuation about Byakuya. She had a keen eye despite her age, along with a few other skills, and kept poking her to react but Ruka gradually grew immune to the maternal heckling. It was easier for her to handle the cheerful Hiroko rather than the firmer Toshi, especially when he invited you to the outdoor porch to overlook the man-made lakes and share a cup of tea.

"You've gone down this road before so I trust you to know better now" he advised carefully to keep a straight head on his second successor rather than a naïve one. He intended for his clan to continue thriving long after he was gone and for Ruka to pass on his title to another worthy Kyōraku. Having her linger with unrequited affection would lead them nowhere.

Ruka seized a moment of silence to sip her tea, buying herself some time, and eventually spoke uncertainly, "And if I haven't learned my lesson?"

Honestly, his son and granddaughter were more alike than he gave them credit for. Toshi blamed that trait on his nonchalant wife but their boys were kinder men for it. Shunsui and Masato were the playful ones of the four, leaving Ruka as the last reminder of his deceased son. She inherited her father's sparkling personality which made her easier to read and he smiled faintly at her, "Ruka. All I want is your happiness. You might be smiling at me but your eyes certainly aren't."

She frowned at being discovered, ashamed of disappointing her grandfather. Her heart was a complex matter that became a deeper trench with every interaction with the sixth captain. Ruka was aware he preferred a more outgoing match for her and asked faintly, "Will you disown me if I choose to stay by him? Even if it makes my heart ache?"

"You will always be my grandchild" he assured with a kinder gaze, unwilling to sever their bonds for an error in picking the right spouse. She already held trauma from losing her parents and he would not dare harm that safety net. He doubted the noble she loved would return the deep well of love but would abide by her choice. In an arranged marriage, he could have found someone more suitable to her taste but he consented to let her choose. He placed a hand on top of her head, much like his spouse, and advised her, "It is your choice but be aware I will not be pleased to see you ignored or miserable. I want the best for you and to see you flourish, not wither."

Shaking her head, she groaned miserably for the gloom cloud trying to rain on her parade and muttered, "Damn it, I hate it when gramps is right."

Why couldn't her grandfather be one of those grumpy senile men rather than a calm and wise man? Was it from all the energy her grandmother bathed him in? It would have been far easier to ignore their advice that way! Instead, she pondered on her life choices when she stood alone in a room full of reminders of what-if's. It was easier to conceal them in a duffel bag than keep them out in the open. She was leaving her life as an open book for any nosy staff or residents.

"You stuck yourself in quite the rut this time, old girl" she sighed despondently at her screwed-up love life once her mind settled down long enough to ponder about it. It was so much easier to dive into work and forget about her life outside of her Gotei role. Crossing her arms, she pouted at the pinboard above her bed decorated with silly photos and told herself, "Let's wipe a few mementos away and sterilize this heart-o-rama you have going on."

"Are you talking to yourself?"

She jumped with alarm at having her conversation overheard and not catching the approaching eavesdropper. Her heart hammered even more when she saw Byakuya at the doorway, who eyed her satchel of goodies sticking halfway out. Did he seriously hide his own spiritual pressure at home too? How was she supposed to sneak around that way? The fact she left the door wide open with invitation didn't help her either.

Trying to deflect from the real reason for being there, she turned around with a confident smile to boast, "Yes, it's the best way to ignore my zanpakutō."

"That's not a good thing" he reminded flatly at always keeping their best weapon resonating within one's soul. Given that she was trained in the seventh division, she should know this skill best. There were several zanpakutō spirits that were wild and tenacious for which she happened to carry the latter. Or so, she would have him believe since he'd yet to meet a Kyōraku who could not handle their zanpakutō spirit.

"Eh, I like to rely on my own set of particular skills" she dismissed nonchalantly at the hidden (and stubborn) power of her zanpakutō before grinning slyly, "Skills that-"

"Ruka, your attempt to hide and evade is quite obvious" he interjected with faint amusement at her disarming smile, aware of her distraction ploys. She was hiding something and it wasn't the pile of clothes and plushies in her travel bag. Unless she was trying to run off again but she would be court-martialed for running off abroad and abandoning her post.

Her shoulders slumped at his sharp detection skills, sighing aloud at failing to fool him, and questioned with embarrassment, "Really?"

After years of familiarity, it was hard not to notice her tells when she used humor to hide the truth. It was very similar to Shunsui using every excuse possible to slide out of sticky or bothersome situations until he had no choice. The Kyōraku were conflict avoidant while the Kuchiki were direct in eliminating problems, allowing him to dissect her ploys. He had no problem informing her on how to improve her tactics to continue challenging him, "Your voice and tone gets higher."

"Can't get nothing past you" she muttered with feigned disappointment at failing to fool him. Still, she had to throw him off her trail somehow. Shrugging nonchalantly, she slipped a few morsels of the truth to say, "Fine, I'm taking my laundry home to clean since I'm long overdue. Happy?"

"No, you can easily use the services here" he reasoned matter-of-factly but was aware she took her own clothes home to avoid rumors. Stationary staff and nobles with nothing to do all day could find anything from simple scraps and let their imagination run wild. He couldn't fault her for her suspicions, given his family name, but his home was open to her.

Ruka scoffed scandalously at the offer, refusing to grant more firepower to the gossip mills, and told him bluntly, "And have them gossip about my literal dirty laundry? Never!"

"Ruka" he warned lightly at her silliness and apologized for his behavior in the gardens, "I didn't mean to discard you."

She chuckled softly at the concern which was unneeded since his family was not being pacified about his bachelorhood. Nobody should be pushed into an uncomfortable relationship before they were ready and she would always be his strongest supporter. Regardless of her sentiments for him, she would not intrude into that part of his life. Waving her hands dismissively, she assured him with a faint smile, "You didn't. It was a game and I lost, fair and square. It would be weird if I wanted to win, right?"

He nodded quietly but her answers had been pleasing to hear. She wasn't a selfish or disagreeable partner to have since they'd shared almost a year in a relationship. Even now, he gravitated towards her alone after enduring Hisana's loss and overcoming that pain. His heart and mind had focused his life away from anything remotely romantic for almost a century that he hesitated on opening the door to a new life. He did not want to be rejected by Ruka again but he also didn't want to lose the chance if she was willing.

Ruka crossed her arms and released a tiny shred of her sentiments by admitting nonchalantly, "I confess to acting petty, partly out of annoyance and the rest out of hunger. The wine I will drink at home during the rinse cycle will help tremendously."

"I don't know what the Kyōraku have told you but wine is not food" he stated coolly to the family's fondness for alcohol, being rivaled only by the Shiba family. He was always taken aback by the ridiculously large wine glasses they handed out at every social gathering. There had to be an ulterior motive by serving that insane amount of alcohol which was why he rarely touched his.

"Yet we age so finely" she replied suavely to her hefty family size since they were not a single-child clan. His clan was the one currently running the risk of waning strength if there was no future heir while hers was a growing military unit. She tapped her cheek humorously with wagging eyebrows to point out her luminous skin. Her uncles had been Casanovas since their youth to woo the ladies with their good looks and her father fell into the same boat until meeting her mother. Circling around the noble, she grabbed her bag to make her escape in one piece and bid him farewell, "Well, I have a date with a washing machine and foraging through my uncle's liquor cabinet. Don't leave your date waiting-"

"Don't leave . . . not again" he interjected quickly before she left through the door, reaching out to grab her arm. There was no more biding time for the truth, sensing he was losing her more every day that passed. The ridiculous game served the purpose of aligning them as a match again but he sought her, nobody else. She was taken aback by his forwardness, physically and verbally, pushing him to finally say, "I disappointed you once but I ask that you stay."

She was stunned into place by his sudden disclosure, not to mention close physical presence, and stammered nervously, "Kuchiki-"

"Lay your soul bare to me, Ruka" he whispered gently, his stormy eyes locking onto her bright ones, and loosened the hold on her arm. She did not attempt to dash off so he took that as a positive sign. At least, that is what he told himself to prevent that spark of courage from disappearing. His heart fluttered at divulging the truth to her, the rush of the unknown pressing against his chest, but he was done hiding now. After all the heckling from his family and his own zanpakutō, he took the risk to await her response.

Ruka was shocked at hearing such intimate words and her ears burned instantly at his inquiry. Was he asking what she thought? If so, why now? What had changed? Her gaze turned downcast at their complex past and the last time they addressed it, she was the one left heartbroken. She didn't want to have her heart trampled again and moving abroad to recover from that loss was impossible now. It was a strong dissuader on why she never approached the subject again, deciding not to torture her heart needlessly, and she admitted quietly with a shaky voice, "I-I did . . . and you let me go six years ago. I accepted your decision and stepped aside to move on."

"I'm heading North-" she informed calmly as she closed her travel bag but the words were like a record scratching in Byakuya's head.

"You just finished therapy, it isn't wise" he interrupted swiftly at her haste to depart the healing department of their Gotei. Her hair had already started growing from the shaved area in the back of her head but he could still see staples around the crescent incision where Captain Jarvis and Unohana had operated to decrease the brain swelling. He was certain her right hand wasn't fully healed as well from the splint as she utilized her left. He had transferred her to the Prime to keep her close to home for her recovery and now, she was running off when she couldn't even use both hands? He did not approve of her impulsive decision and questioned sharply, "Are you purposely endangering yourself?"

"No, I just like being able to research up there and I'll be fine" she reassured with a dismissive scoff because the research division was the safest place in the northeast. Nobody wanted to trek all the way up there and potentially freeze. She pointed to her head with a simple shrug and reminded him coolly, "This is part of our job and I won't let it scare me from what I love."

"I'd rather have you safe in your division than watching your head get bashed in by our enemies" he stated bluntly, hoping his words would get through her stubbornness.

Ruka waved her good left hand to brush off the concern, given that Unohana released her with restrictions, and reassured, "I'm sure the Commander will place me on desk duty or overseeing a new project like a garden or something."

He wasn't convinced at all due to her wanderlust and wouldn't be surprised if she sneaked abroad somewhere. Ruka could deny it all she wanted but he knew she was still a wild spirit like her uncle Shunsui. The fact that the Northeast was more lenient to her scientific passion and offroad traveling worried him. She had been allowed to stay abroad with them for less than a year and had almost been killed!

Ruka's smile faltered as it failed to have the desired effect of convincing him and she whispered, "Don't make this harder than it is."

His fingers grazed the side of her head to glide over and cup the base of her head. Ruka flinched involuntarily since the memories of being repeatedly slammed into stone increased that sensitivity. His stormy eyes locked onto the purple bruising around her neck and he admitted softly, "You're not fully healed. I'm not ready to lose you, Ruka."

Her blue gaze softened to the rare words since he was more of a silent obelisk nowadays. He was slowly thawing out of the old mindset of not admitting any emotion so this was a breakthrough for him. She hoped that new trait would continue to blossom while she was gone. Her fingers curled around his forearm to squeeze it supportively and she replied earnestly, "This is our life as shinigami. It can happen at any moment and out of us both, we know you're the stronger one that will outlast this harsh life."

She understood the losses he'd been dealt in his life struck hard blows but she couldn't lie to him. They had chosen their careers to defend Soul Society and she whispered solemnly, "You have to prepare yourself for this one day, Byakuya."

Her left hand rose to cup his cheek gently as the words were hard but truthful to hear. His brows furrowed lightly to the thought of having his oldest friend ripped away suddenly, the last piece of his earliest memories. He had already lost those dear to him, minus his sister. This was why he wanted her to stay within their Gotei rather than gallivant in other places. What if something occurred while he wasn't there? He couldn't protect her. Her thumb grazed his cheek to stroke it in soothing circles and she reminded gently, "I'm not eternal, dear one. Just as I entered your life, I am bound to leave it in time."

He refused to consider that option of not having her exist at all and he disagreed, "We're at peace, it's different compared to war-"

"War never changes and peace is only fleeting, neither can exist without the other" she intervened with a tired smile because the first shinigami would still be there if it were true. They were yet another number in the ranks and their skill and luck would work out in the end. She did not want him to fret over her wellbeing, which is why she opted to wander abroad, and told him, "You persevere and stay strong, no matter where I am or what happens. You're Byakuya Kuchiki, you can survive an apocalypse. I'm always with you, even if I leave this world physically one day."

He hated being the one given the pep talk after decades of watching over her, even if it was from afar now. There was no easy way for her to say that to him but it needed to be ingrained in their psyche. She knew he would be fine in the long run but she managed to get herself caught in sticky situations. His firm gaze betrayed inner confliction as it swept over her face and he requested, "Don't place yourself in that situation again, that's all I ask of you."

He wasn't the type to beg, simply propose, and allowed the second party to either accept or reject the choice. Ruka had always followed him willingly but she loved to roam freely and explore past her limitations. It clashed with his conservative ideals and she shook her head quietly to contradict him, causing his gaze to harden. Before he could add one last word to convince her otherwise, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his. They stood close enough that all she had to do was lean upwards and express her sentimentality.

It was a spur of the moment reaction on her end but she'd seen (and heard) about his meticulous meddling in her care. She appreciated the caring sentiments veiled under laws and policies. Although he hardly spent any time with her while conscious, she still picked up faint traces of his reiatsu lingering in her room when she woke. He was good at concealing his spiritual pressure but years of familiarity and training led her to easily detecting it.

She expected a tugging for separation and a stern lecture on boundaries. Instead, she received a stiff posture that soon slackened under her grasp and light reciprocation of the kiss. Her thumb grazed his cheek while her hand cupped his jaw, angling her head to intensify the pressure against his soft lips. Byakuya reacted naturally out of instinct, surprising even himself as he embraced her close by the nape of her neck to avoid touching the back of her head. He wanted to shield her until she was back to normal but she was stubborn, always had been. He was delighted to pick up a faint groan when she parted her lips and he seized the chance to lure her tongue into a dance. She was more than happy to oblige his invitation with a fond smile, sealing her lips against his. Despite her injuries, she wanted to drown herself in this moment as she yearned to feel him with each of her senses.

When her fingers trailed down his neck in a delicate stroke, he broke off their kiss with a shaky breath. Inhaling her sweet scent and tasting her had opened a door full of memories that threatened to engulf the past of another closed door. The moment he backed away from her, she knew something was amiss. Her probing gaze met his to find uncertainty lurking within his own and she disengaged immediately with disappointment, knowing his heart belonged to another. She wouldn't delve further into that for both their peace of mind, casting aside all those flared emotions to seal them once more, and quickly dismissed, "Don't worry about it."

It was best to leave now and rid her mind of that snafu, along with the taste of his lips lingering on her tongue, and she leaned down to pick up her bag to state, "I'll contact you when I'm back with the Northeast."

"You're still going?" he blurted directly without a second thought, hoping that the small moment would convince her otherwise.

"Yes, it is my duty" she replied quietly as she cleared her tight throat and with a quick nod, left the room. It was easier to shove aside lingering feelings and detach herself by tackling missions abroad. She couldn't fall into that old well of memories or the emotional tie to them. There was too much history behind that to untangle and she would not tread near the injured heart of a widower. It was best to sever herself from the situation entirely.

Byakuya was regretful for betraying Hisana's memory but crestfallen at the same time for having to let Ruka walk away. He didn't know when he would see her again and based on her words, it didn't sound like it would be anytime soon. Why did she always leave him behind? He wanted her at home where he could easily reach her but again, guilt struck in reminder that she wasn't his and he couldn't replace Hisana. Thus, he let her go.

"An action I regretted" he confessed solemnly, drawing a quizzical eye from Ruka, after inadvertently pushing her away. She sought him with affection when she was discharged from the Northeast's medical wing and he rejected her out of guilt for disrespecting Hisana's memory. How could he expect her to wait for him after that kind of rejection? She had every right to move on like Senbonzakura kept reminding him. As the years passed and distance set between them, it was easier to forget his temporary blunder. She was a wandering spirit that he could not catch until she returned home, striking him with that old sentiment, and he explained, "You almost died and brought everything to surface. I refused to tear my heart into shreds again."

His hand cupped her chin to tilt her head upwards, widening her eyes at his touch, and he confessed, "I chose wrong. I was foolish-"

"You were still grieving" she soothed gently to the devastating loss in his life which was not easy to overcome. She would never push him in matters of the heart, understanding that losing a spouse was complicated. There was no streamlined ending for such a trauma and it was a reason why she kept her sentiments silent until that moment in the infirmary. She risked her heart and he declined to follow so she let him go out of respect. His declination allowed her to continue her liaison work abroad to forget everything but now, they were constantly in contact with one another. They would eventually lose each other, either to another or nonexistence, and she dared to ask weakly, "Do I still have a chance to be with you?"

If there was a glimmer of a chance of being with him, she would clutch it tightly. She couldn't risk being stupid with her heart again after ruining their first chance together. When he nodded silently, her heart rate spiked at the revelation with disbelief of the surreal moment. She dropped the bag she held, uncaring about the contents that spilled out when it fell upon the ground. Her fingers shook as she seized the moment to run her fingertips across his cheek with affection to breach that personal space yet again as she had years prior. When he failed to recoil or stop her, her eyes widened in disbelief. She never imagined her dream unfolding into reality and her eyes locked onto his as she clarified, "Really?"

"Yes," he answered quietly, solidifying his hidden sentiment with a simple word that catapulted her heart out of her chest.

Although he verbalized being prepared for a new future, it would be a road to tread cautiously. The baggage he carried was not easy to overcome and courting him as a widower would be much different than a simple bachelor. Her brow furrowed to the main issue of why she kept herself away abroad by pointing out, "You and Hisana-"

"A chapter of my life that is closed" he interjected to clarify that his grieving period was over after decades of reflection. The fact that he sought her repeatedly in the past weeks and became disappointed when she declined his invitations to his home were blatant indicators now. He refused to acknowledge Ryo and her friends were right this whole time. Senbonzakura fluttered around in his soul space with a blatantly satisfied 'I told you so' since he never gave up either.

"A painful one" she whispered gently at the tragic loss because their current situation would not exist if it never occurred.

"Yours was also painful" he reminded grimly at the end of their first relationship which devastated him. He never vocalized those feelings, completely repressing them to avoid facing them for the first year. Her disappearance abroad made the loss easier to bear but harder to reach closure until they reunited years later. His softhearted nature back then forgave her but he accepted they would never rekindle the past. Hisana was a different change of pace with her timid and serene nature, allowing him to fully heal and love again. Now, he was back where he started with Ruka and he admitted quietly, "I will always remember her, but you are still here. I refuse to lose you."

Ruka tried to speak but only a meek squeak escaped her throat, "I . . . I know firsthand how devastated you were with Hisana and I don't want to step anywhere between that safe zone."

"I respect you for protecting me after her passing" he reminded because she took care of most of the funeral arrangements with his family to allow him to mourn properly. Otherwise, his door would have never stopped being knocked on. He understood the loss of her friend and a part of his old self affected her as well but she stood by patiently with a helping hand. She never criticized him for his choices, appreciating her acceptance of Hisana and Rukia when compared to his own family. Time helped to mend the crack in their friendship during that period and he thanked her, "You were most kind to us."

She smiled forlornly for being witness to the crucial moments in his life just as he had been privy to hers. His life had been full of hurdles, stamped upon him by birth, and she pointed out, "You suffered with that all on your own, I simply lent a helping hand. You mean so much to me, not just as my friend but my confidante- you're my rock. I don't think my heart can bear a rejection by you if I can't live up to your expectations."

"You haven't mentioned your own feelings" he emphasized calmly but she could see the shifting light in his eyes, the openness compared to the regret of their last entangle. He was not going to be the only one disclosing his emotions that day and she chuckled awkwardly, blush tinting her cheeks for being struck with attention. This was not how she imagined this dream of a reality unfolding. While he buried his emotions to never let them see the light of day, Ruka concealed hers by bombarding others with a myriad of them to cause confusion. She was skittish by nature with affection, cautious to dive headfirst after losing him, and he spoke knowingly, "You've always been very good at hiding but I need to know."

"I. . .," she couldn't vocalize the humongous wave of emotions and the wall of history those waves crashed upon. There was nothing but love reserved for him after endless decades of familiarity. Actions spoke louder than the words that failed her and she closed the space between them, rising on the tips of her toes, to leap yet again. The last time had earned her a rejection but she risked her heart a second time by kissing him on the lips, cupping his face to feel the warmth of his skin against hers. Warmth and contentment filled her heart the moment her fingertips touched him, his shields collapsing to expose his own.

He returned it wholeheartedly, clutching the back of her head to strengthen her chaste kiss. His heart flooded with relief and happiness that she returned his silent affection instead of continuing the self-torture. She claimed he was a difficult one to decipher but he felt the same with her friendly demeanor towards everyone. He embraced her tightly around the shoulders, angling his head to deliver an open-mouth kiss that she reciprocated instantly. Her fingers grasped the front of his uniform to keep hold as she stood on the tips of her toes, unwilling to release him until he deemed it so. She was still caught in a daze that he was willing to open his heart to her, smiling through their kiss every time he pressed his lips to hers. If only she could repeat this moment forever, she would never tire of it.

"Forgive me, Ruka" he whispered solemnly at that erroneous rejection that set them further back. She smiled tenderly before kissing him on the lips, uttering that there was no need for that. She would wait a thousand years for him if that was the time he needed to heal. Life was full of trials and errors so she would not fret over them as long as he was beside her. He returned the gentle kiss, combing his fingers through her wavy hair, and apologized, "I never meant to hurt you, I . . . I was afraid."

"Of what? Me? I couldn't hurt a fly" she spoke playfully as she poked her chest in emphasis. Not to mention, their height and personality difference pegged her as the passive one. He sent people running in the opposite direction with a glare alone. Smoothing her hands over his chest, she patted his neat attire and smiled encouragingly, "Never fear anyone, no matter what they throw at you."

"I've seen the calamity you create" he humored gently to her power and she played coy by scoffing offhandedly. His estate and office endured numerous instances of her hijinks, even when she claimed innocence. If he wanted to be with her, he had to be honest by admitting his vulnerabilities. He could not risk another breakup but he also abhorred divulging his inner thoughts. It had taken decades to hone his indifference for self-preservation but she toppled it in months, leading him to state quietly, "History might repeat itself and I'd rather be alone than discarded again."

"I wouldn't" she promised earnestly, unwilling to bend to her fears again and lose him permanently.

"You left me once already, Ruka" he reminded her grimly of the other painful period of his past, not having the greatest record when it came to love. She had torn his heart from abroad and the only closure he received was a phone call full of apologies. Her request to stay friends rather than lovers was hard to swallow but he accepted it to avoid losing her completely.

"It. . ." she began hesitantly because it hadn't been her original choice to end their relationship. There was nothing but love for him during that period but their families were always going to lurk in the background. She held no fear of them now but as a young girl finding her footing in the world, the threat to her future and the one she loved was daunting. It was why she supported him when he chose to marry outside their social circles, to fight back against the old patriarchy and make his own decisions. She recoiled from him as that long forgotten period re-emerged and she murmured faintly, "I had my reasons back then, it's not something I'm proud of."

Despite the passage of a century, he still wanted to know why she cut their original ties abruptly and told her grimly, "One's heart doesn't forget either."

There was guilt attached to their breakup and she sighed softly, unlocking the memories of that time. It was time to address it now that they were breaching a potential reunion and she spoke sheepishly, "The time spent with you was the happiest for me-"

She immediately read the 'why the breakup?' question in his eyes since she'd done the short and sweet version back then to prevent hurting him deeply. Breakups were never easy and she opted for a clean slate by calling him rather than speaking face-to-face, aware she would crumble in her resolve to end things. His brow furrowed from the mixed messages, aiming a firm glance at her to come clean, and she sighed with regret, "It's no question your family is picky to a monumental degree and I was a seated member being taught under a 'commoner' captain. They demanded my uncle move me to his division to maintain an 'acceptable' status quo under their eyes. Neither he nor my grandparents were happy to hear it, so they were kindly told to pound sand."

Her hands rose to grasp his shoulders but stopped halfway, quickly remembering they were not eighty years in the past. His hands moved to meet hers but she crossed her arms to self-soothe, embarrassed for the emotional slip. Her gaze also averted from his, ashamed for her past actions, as she continued, "I saw you grow from an adventurous boy into a respectable man and I wasn't going to ruin your success or happiness. I ended our relationship to stop that threat and see you reach your full potential, to keep your honor intact, and maintain your respectable image. You were worthy of that sacrifice despite the hurt it would cause which is why I left immediately to stay abroad for years."

"So, your 'need to explore and experiment with life' and decreasing feelings towards me was a lie?" he asked quietly as he absorbed the truth to that old chapter of his youth. His family had prodded hers without his consent and she had reacted in her own way to protect him. He was upset at both his family's meddling and her inability to communicate the truth to him. She nodded with shame for having to lie to him of all people, especially during a time when he'd been happy, and hurting him willingly. His clan was not a barrel of laughs and the pressure they applied to him as heir to maintain their spotless image was a hard burden to bear. It hadn't been the easiest decision for her back then but it was done with the best of intentions. Byakuya was stuck between chastising her decision and processing the truth of what had happened.

"Sajin always advised me that when you love someone, you do what's right for them and not yourself" she murmured softly because she mulled for days over enacting that choice. Divulging the truth to him would have only earned them more problems and scrutiny. She couldn't risk problems from their personal lives leaking into their work in the Gotei and she saw more potential in him than herself to rise to captaincy. Her sullen gaze returned to his, unsure of what he was thinking behind those stormy eyes, and she spoke earnestly, "I'm proud of you, for becoming a respectable captain, and having a tight rein over your clan. I'm so sorry for betraying your trust and hurting you . . . but I truly loved you."

"I don't appreciate being lied to, least of all by you" he pointed out to let her know that deception was wrong because respect should yield honesty. If he couldn't trust his oldest and closest confidante, who could he trust? What kind of partner hid secrets from their other half? Why did she not trust him enough to tell him the truth? She nodded quietly because that was strike one after their childhood promise. Similar to how he hid every emotion, she hid facts about herself during her times abroad that he felt inclined to know. Now that he had her spilling her heart, he questioned firmly, "Is there anything else you've kept from me?"

"I was dumb enough to voice my case with your clan elders" she admitted sullenly to that extremely private fact and the disappointment from it. He was taken aback because nobody had ever done that at all- it was rare. It was the suitor's side of the family who paid a visit to the potential wife's clan to speak of the upcoming union. Due to her attention to facts and tackling conventional norms, he wasn't surprised she beat him to it. The downside was that she headed straight for his family without alerting him so they could prepare for that interrogation. She fidgeted in place at remembering the nerves eating her that day and she continued sheepishly, "I thought my knack for science would yield respect for both clans with patents for inventions as I worked alongside other teams within Soul Society. The collaboration built from that would help to lead a team – back when I wanted a captaincy, anyway. You would be chiseled into a great leader, one for the history books, since you never failed at anything you set your mind to. I wanted to be factual because I knew emotions would only hinder my success . . . but they refused."

Clearing her throat, she finished lamely with a sour note as she blinked away stinging tears in her eyes, "I was not suitable for you, a great noble clan heir, but I would be just dandy for one of your cousins."

"They were fools" he interjected with irritation for their meddling, even more so with their ignorance. She had gone beyond what any other woman he courted had ever done and he had to respect that, even if she failed to tell him. For her to do such a rare thing meant she hadn't seen him as a brief fling in her life but someone more meaningful – more permanent. She'd loved him, just as he'd loved her. If his elders ever dared to suggest she marry one of his cousins again, particularly Ryo, he would claim bachelorhood and celibacy until his dying day.

"True but influential ones that would've made life miserable for you" she pointed out with disappointment since he had been on the brink of accepting clan leadership at the time. There was absolutely no way she would risk that for him, not after all the work he put into learning that role. She accepted his resentment and anger for severing their ties, which she deduced to no second try for them in her lifespan. Her brow furrowed in restraining the hurt that lingered from that devastating loss, no matter the past decades, and she spoke with regret, "I haven't had the best experience with relationships but you were worth the sacrifice. I promised to always protect you when we entered the Academy and it still stands to this day."

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, averting her gaze once more, and cleared her throat, "Changing the subject before I get more flustered."

She was an anomaly to him nowadays but the mystery pieces behind that were slowly falling into place. She could be physically affectionate in a situation with anybody but when matters of the heart were at stake, she avoided physical contact of any kind. He assumed it was similar to his own experiences when a person received enough emotional damage that they simply shielded themselves at the tiniest fraction of emotion. He rarely uttered compliments or slipped his emotions aloud unless he was alone or with the receiving person. For the longest time, he assumed her old-time affection had not been at his level and he'd been completely wrong. She had done all she could and frankly, he was growing tired of his clan dictating who was worthy for him. What was he, an animal to be bred? No, he was a captain of the Gotei 13 and their clan leader.

She tried to speak but he captured her lips again, earning instant reciprocation. He wanted to chase away every negative thought in her mind and draw her out from that apprehensive shell. She had been doing the same with him upon arriving, unleashing the repressed vault of emotions he unearthed after all that time. Cupping her chin as he broke their kiss, he met her somber gaze and promised, "I will never leave you. I vowed that after we lost our mothers. You must trust me completely, Ruka."

His words had an effect as her furrowed brow smoothed and her fingers wrapped around his wrist. Using his spiritual energy, he released a trickle from his hand to run down her arm to release the tension in her muscles. Her eyes widened slightly to the strong but slow cascade of energy that warmed her skin, surprised at having it shared. You didn't share the passive flow of one's soul with anyone unless they were permanent partners. Between them, it had only been experienced twice in their old relationship and she relaxed at the strong but soothing note. It was a show of vulnerability and trust between unrelated adults as it carried a piece of you. There was another form shared between parents and their babies as the cleaving of one's energy carried an invisible bond for the first year.

"I am ready to move forward" he stated firmly, locking their gazes, and encased her smaller hand within his own. He had batted away and kept them subdued from mischief quite often but this time, he held onto it with different intent. It was time to open the door he hoped to reopen with her and walk through it, whatever may come his way. The flow of his energy dissipated, leaving her with a cozy afterglow that mixed with her own blue shade, and he requested formally, "Would you have dinner with me, Kyōraku Ruka?"

She intertwined her fingers with his to squeeze his hand, her heart somersaulting happily, and whispered, "Yes, I agree with all my heart. A million times."

You did it!, Senbonzakura burst in with pride at finally reaching the breaking point. After weeks of kicking his wielder to realize the truth, it was all over and he could rejoice. This was his hardest mission yet and he told Byakuya, I can finally rest in solace . . . once you two have your date.

What?, he questioned sharply at having him bombard him with questions and endless jabber. While he kept his mouth shut on most matters, Senbonzakura was the opposite. His zanpakutō refused to quiet down on helping him find his other half, even when Byakuya pointed out, She said yes! That has been half the battle.

The next stage of wooing begins! Do not slack off or you will face my infinite wrath!, he shot back matter-of-factly to ensure this dance was carried out successfully. He would not be convinced his wielder earned her heart until marriage occurred and told him, You won a date but you've yet to win the lady. I will not rest until I see that day.

Don't ruin my moment, he stated flatly after everything he endured that day. The silly game left him riddled with grass stains and the game show left him embarrassed from Ruka's heckling. His direct approach with her in private proved to be a win that finally tackled their past and a future together.

Ruka blinked rapidly to dissipate her blurry vision and he noticed her glossy eyes, asking softly, "Are you crying?"

"No, I have an eyelash in my eye" she objected hastily at being caught in her emotional state, awkwardly rubbing the edge of her right eye. He managed to burrow under her skin no matter what he did and having him in close proximity doubled that power. How was she not going to be affected deeply by his words after waiting to hear them for the past decade? His serene gaze failed to calm her and she sighed with defeat to admit shamefully, "Yes, I'm crying! I swear you turn me into a truth serum!"

Unlike himself, Ruka had a knack for bending the truth or hiding it within a morsel of it. It was not meant as a deception but she took it to an extreme that backfired on her and the ones she loved. After learning that he was one of those innocent victims, he could not risk being one again. She could not hide from him anymore and their secrets would be shared together, pushing him to state firmly, "Never lie to me again. We will not have any secrets-"

Before he could say anything, she clutched him tightly around the neck and touched her temple to his to confess gingerly, "Never. I never wanted to let you go. I'm sorry for hurting you like I did and ruining that safety net-"

"You already apologized" he intervened softly as he heard her sniffling against his ear. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his palms flat against her shoulder blades to hug her close. Ruka clung to him tightly after spending decades without him, locking away pieces of herself until now. She could now speak openly with him about everything as a true partner, rather than a friend.

He truly was her only regret in life because she had cut their future short, not him. He had no fault in what happened in the past and she blinked away tears for being granted a second chance. She would not buckle under the strain of being his other half, confident in herself now instead of the uncertain girl that left the Gotei behind. Her fingers grasped the back of his haori with conviction and she whispered tenderly, "Despite the passage of time, I still couldn't let you go."

"Neither could I" he agreed because their core friendship didn't fail after the fallout. He could still depend on her just as he watched over her. She had been in his corner since he was a small boy and had yet to fade, even when they argued. Her time abroad allowed them to fade their shattered romance into a solid friendship again but her return home spiraled his heart into another attempt.

"If you think I could ever run off with anybody else, you're mistaken" she assured as she released him, tracing her fingertips over his shoulders. Her watery eyes smiled at him this time with amusement at his overprotection against other male nobles. There was never a threat that anyone could rival his position in her heart and she spoke warmly, "I can't love them like I love you."

"You love me?" he asked with amusement to her inadvertent blurt, her innocent admission fluttering his heart. It had been many years since he heard those words aimed at him.

"You're dreadfully terrible with making me transparent" she sighed with embarrassment at her inability to hold any secrets from him. He and Sajin were the only ones she couldn't hide anything from while she could skirt around everyone else. She blamed their strong sense of honor that crushed her lingering rebellious nature with guilt. Placing her hands on her hips, she accused with a humorous pout, "I swear you're hypnotic."

She blushed madly when he leaned down to kiss her, latching onto him when he embraced her by the shoulders. Between them, she expected to be the more affectionate partner but the privacy in her room allowed him to express his sentiment. He would never kiss her or hold her hand in public, even during their first courtship, but their sanctuaries were a different story. His lips left hers as he pressed his forehead to hers, whispering faintly against her skin, "You will be the last that I love."

"I need you to be happy, even if it isn't with me" she pointed out because like Hisana, she could perish as well. They were not immortal against grievous injuries, especially in their line of work. He deserved to be happy with the person he loved, whether they worked out or she passed one day. She pouted to carry her message across, running her fingers through the ends of his onyx hair, and stated firmly, "It's nonnegotiable, mister."

"I am happy with you, that's all I need" he assured with a fond smile that couldn't be helped when she kissed him. The sweet taste from whatever lip product she used kept drawing him into another kiss, causing her to chuckle at his enthusiastic nips. He didn't need anybody else after being fortunate to be loved by two women, despite the loss of Hisana, and would quit after Ruka. Losing another partner would leave him distraught and miserable for eternity and he cupped her chin to emphasize, "You belong with me."

"I am yours" she promised with a beaming smile at being chosen by the one she loved. His constant presence in her life was the missing puzzle piece that completed her and she would hold on tightly. She would fight tooth and nail against his family or anybody else that dared to split her from him again. His pain was not worth the pride of his clan anymore, not after witnessing the aftermath. She couldn't wait to explore this new chance with him and committed herself to him alone, "Now and forever."

"As it should be" he agreed quietly at beginning their new relationship, intolerant of any paramours that sought her hand. Casual courting was becoming the norm, given the Gotei's dangerous lifestyle, but he had never been the type to balance multiple partners. He had enough to deal with on a daily basis as it was. Reluctantly, he stepped away from her and pointed towards the closed door, "Should we go have dinner then?"

"I . . . dressed like this?" she squeaked nervously at her dirty uniform, which sported more grass stains than his. If they showed up to a restaurant, the whole place would eye them and scrutinize their appearance from head-to-toe. Dating a Kuchiki was not an easy task and she had to step it up in the wardrobe department to match his elegant style. She refused to be a laughingstock all over again.

His eyes dulled at caring about the opinions of others, given his reputation, and stated bluntly, "I could care less about what we're wearing."

"What happened to your noble pride in appearances?" she questioned skeptically, reaching up to bat the golden tassels on his haori. They had to be smart about dating covertly, not to mention dress appropriately, or they would fail within the week.

"Not if it costs us this chance" he answered firmly at playing into the exhausting games of nobility again. He would not be threatened by anyone on his choice to be with Ruka, even from his own family. He endured it during his time with Hisana, adopting Rukia, and would bear it one more time. Having her slip away was not acceptable and he affirmed with narrowed eyes, "Not again."

She smiled gently at his concern and reached out to grasp his hands to suggest an alternative, "We could eat here too-"

"We are going very far from our families tonight" he interjected tightly after her revelations to keep his family out of his private life. Neither her nor his family would have a say in their courtship again to avoid repeating the same mistake. He wanted nobody but himself and Ruka involved in their relationship. This time, he needed Ruka to be stronger and he would be more vigilant.

Her left eyebrow shot upwards at his intent to leave everyone behind and asked with a mischievous smile, "Color me curious. What exactly are you planning?"

"Not anything like your below-the-waist present," he dissuaded any naughty thinking after the sultry suggestions from the game show. Despite how much he wanted to pin her underneath him, they had to approach this relationship rationally to stay together. He would not fall prey to impulsive thinking after decades of keeping a tight rein on his emotions—at least, not until they had one proper date.

"Can't say it wasn't offered today" she stated with a nonchalant shrug but aimed a charming smile before winking at him. Soul King help him for choosing a Kyōraku out of the numerous clans in existence. For Ruka, it was simple teasing since she would accept what he was willing to give and never press for more. Her heart was still soaring blissfully for the chance to be with him again. She would let him lead their dance this time and told him warmly, "I'm kidding. My family isn't that bad."

Byakuya was not convinced by that claim after earning reprimanding questions from Lord Toshi. Her grandmother was a peach compared to him, mainly because she catered to his tastes despite the million questions. He had no idea what he did to offend the man and stated matter-of-factly, "Your grandfather scowls at me the minute I walk in."

"He's protective" Ruka reasoned easily with a dismissive wave of the hand to let him relax. Her grandparents were privy to the cause of their failed relationship which left her grandfather with a sour note at her rejection. While Lady Hiroko kept the embers alive for a reunion, Lord Toshi wanted to avoid a repeat to spare her the pain. Ruka would continuously remind him that it was the Kuchiki clan elders that iced her out, not Byakuya. He was an entirely innocent party in the aftermath. Ruka would take the risk without hesitation again and reminded him offhandedly, "I am his only granddaughter."

He took another step towards the door and teased gently at her lack of movement, "Are you stalling from nerves?"

Her shoulders slumped at being detected so easily, taking one step to appease him, and she answered frankly, "Partly, yes."

"It will be fine" he assured to settle her poor heart and held out his hand to offer his strength. He would protect her from any scathing remarks, just as he had done with Hisana. It had been a very long time since they had gone to dinner with anyone with romantic intent so they were both in the same boat.

"Kuchiki, if people see this, our secret is out immediately" she pointed out worriedly at being spotted by his own staff and starting the rumor mills. Well, worse than they already were. Venturing outside the estate would double that exposure and she wanted to hold onto the privacy of their new affection for one night. She grasped his hand between both of hers, squeezing tightly with worry, and confessed nervously, "I can't bear to lose you again."

"You won't" he promised because they would behave as they always did once they left his home. Every outing would carry out the image of a friendly meal to upkeep the farce. Only the privacy of their homes would reveal the truth until they progressed far enough where hiding would be useless. He had to reinforce that they could do this together, squeezing her hand, and instructed carefully, "As long as we stay honest and true to each other."

She nodded quietly to trust him on the matter and accepted with a quick nod, "All right, I'll follow your lead as always."

"Just promise me one thing" he spoke up firmly, reaching down to cup her face to meet their gazes. She nodded silently to agree to whatever request he desired, if it was feasible. What did he want from her? She promised to be stronger this time and never harm their trust. Her bright gaze dulled in a second when he spoke firmly with conviction, "Never leave me a TV tray dinner. Even if I invoke your fury, take pity and leave me stale market ramen."

"If I do, we're close to the end" she promised on his apparent most detested meal and leaned in to remind him with a lower tone, "Make sure we never get there."

He was invested in making it work this time and smiled faintly at her amused gaze. Ruka was an easygoing woman by nature but he would not risk insulting her as a partner, especially one that could potentially maim him. His gaze swept down from her face to their tarnished attire and decided to acquiesce to her first concern by declaring, "On second thought, I will change. I refuse to have this be your first memory of me for future reminiscing."

She blinked awkwardly at his concern over their image and laughed softly to ask curiously, "Who am I possibly going to tell about this? And why would we want to?"

"Your friends – enough said" he reasoned flatly at the loose tongue of the Women's Association and their tendency to gossip like clucking hens. Her eyes narrowed at his very valid point but she nodded in agreement, deciding to spin an adorable tale if she ever needed to.

"Byakuya" she whispered gingerly as she grabbed his right hand into hers before leaning up to kiss his cheek with a fond smile, "Thank you for forgiving me. Even if for a night, I would wait a thousand years."

He tugged her close with one short yank, enjoying her petite size as he leaned down to kiss her lips, with his own fond thought, I love you too.

---

Shinigami Extra:

Years later, Ruka would recount her tale to her beloved children when they asked about their origins.

Gone was the short-haired scientist as her long wavy tresses were pulled back at the crown for a polished appearance. The half-sleeved haori lay over the modified sleeveless shihakushō as it cinched at her waist with a turquoise obi. The brunette placed her black-gloved hands on her hips as her chest puffed with success and she grinned confidently to boast, "And that, kids, is how your father asked me out to dinner. I will gladly tell you about your nervous mother on that first date but not what happened after!"

Her four children stared at her awkwardly for the last uncensored bit and Aya was the unabashed child that didn't hesitate to wince with disgusted horror, "Ew. Mom, no! No!"

As the eldest, Koji prayed to the Soul King that he was not an accidental out-of-wedlock baby before silently undergoing rigorous math calculations. While his blue eyes glossed over with math equations, Aya narrowed her own icy shade at being stuck in this family reminiscing. Unlike her elder brother that was happy for family moments, Aya was much like her neutral father. As the youngest child, the raven-haired Satoshi was simply happy to be included and not being forgotten again by his elder siblings. Kasumi was the only one who hated to burst her mother's peppy bubble by pointing out gently, "Um, that's great, mom, but you were supposed to tell us how you met dad."

Ruka's eyes widened at her error as her four children sat with a variety of confounded, bored, awkward, and curious expressions on the couch. Had she gone off topic entirely? She tapped her fingers with embarrassment for the snafu and offered a silly grin to excuse herself, "Whoopsie?"

Aya brushed back a stray lock of raven hair as she stood up gracefully to raise her hand in a reminder to her mother, "I'm supposed to be at work soon so. . .?"

Ruka was not having any of her sass, unimpressed by her child's glower power after facing her husband's stronger force for decades. It was cute that she tried to imitate him for intimidation power while Satoshi tried his best not to when he held more of his father's features. Like Byakuya, Aya kept to a strict work schedule while the rest of her children donned the shikahushō more lazily. Kasumi and Satoshi were treading more onto the Kyōraku side of the family than the Kuchiki, much to her amusement. Her blue eyes narrowed to crush her daughter's defiance in her own home and told her bluntly, "Sit down."

The petite Aya stiffened at the reprimand, doubling down on her justification, and clenched her fists to insist, "But the Soul Society needs me!"

Seriously, she reminded Ruka far too much of her husband in his youth. All she needed to do was pull on the ends of her hair to ruffle her feathers. Shaking her head, she pointed out matter-of-factly on who the top boss of their household was, "No, it needs your father - the captain."

Aya's shoulders slumped at the correction because they both outweighed her in rank. Her siblings kept their amusement hidden since they seldom used work as an excuse to escape. She refrained from sighing when her older brother sunk into the couch with a relieved smile as he muttered under his breath, "Not a shotgun baby."

Ruka ignored her son's random comment, briefly wondering why he assumed such a foolish thing, and continued cheerfully, "Ahem. So, as I said, I met your father-"

Koji decided to interrupt his mother as a plume of white smoke erupted from his end of the couch. The young man disappeared in the cloud and a brown falcon emerged to fly across the room, seeking the nearest window for escape. The remaining children deadpanned when their mother scrambled behind the poor fleeing bird while Ruka yelled vehemently, "Damn it, I hate it when he does that! Get back here!"

This was not the first time the children witnessed their mother chasing after a wild falcon within a section of their home. Koji's abilities were both amusing to his siblings and a nuisance to his parents. Kasumi was the worrywart of her siblings so she was the first to jump off the couch to dissuade Ruka by declaring, "Mom, no! You could hurt him!"

Ruka halted in her steps at the concern but aimed a firm stare at her child before retorting sternly, "No! You think I can hurt a being capable of this and lifting a building above my head?! I made this beautiful child!"

Her husband was right in assuming Aya and Koji carried the strongest potential in spiritual abilities. Both children had complicated births unlike the younger two so that wasn't a coincidence. She gave up the frantic capture when her disguised child found an open window to escape into the gardens. He was brilliant but very quiet like his father in his abilities, leading her to mutter flatly, "I might need a chat with Yoruichi."

Aya seized this opportunity of distraction to attempt her own escape as she slunk away from the couch. Satoshi and Kasumi threw up their hands at being abandoned callously by their older sister but Aya didn't get far. Ruka caught the blue hint of her old scarf in her peripheral vision and turned around swiftly to catch her daughter's feeble breakout. She was not letting another child attain freedom until she finished what she set out to do and demanded, "What did I say? Sit down-"

"You're holding your children hostage, there's kidnapping laws in place!" Aya shot back heatedly at being restrained, looking at her remaining siblings for support. Satoshi decided this was the best time to whistle himself out of existence while Kasumi sunk into the couch, taking sudden interest in her painted nails. Traitors. She crossed her arms huffily to make her last stand alone, ready to bear her mother's ire. Ruka was not surprised in the slightest at her mini-Byakuya sized tantrum.

The two women were interrupted by Byakuya as he entered the room with a firm expression to chastise everyone, "What is all this noise? I can't even hear myself think."

None of the children dared to tangle with their father this early in the morning, obeying him immediately. When he was wearing his Gotei attire, nobody uttered a peep in comparison to his civilian attire where they could attempt it (but still fail miserably). Like Ruka, he allowed his hair to grow out now that he no longer needed to pull it back in a ponytail or have it pulled on by unruly children. With silence finally filling his home once again, he finally remembered, Tell Ruka to buy Spring Fresh scented fabric softener.

"Better" he stated with slight approval at their obedience, earning disappointed pouts from the three at the reprimand. It was when they stopped listening and rebelled that he would consider failure as a parent.

Aya sought her father for support as she wagged an indignant finger at her mother to declare, "Mom was trying to tell a story but horribly diverged elsewhere."

Kasumi didn't really care how things went since Satoshi was the one that started the conversation on the topic in the first place. Out of all four children, Koji spent the most time with their parents in his early years alone. She and Aya were the closest in age so they had to share time to avoid feeling left out. Thankfully, they did not have parents that exhibited blatant favoritism for competition and expected all four to protect one another. The brunette pointed at the open windows to inform their father, "She made Koji fly off seeking sanctuary."

Ruka scoffed dismissively at the claim but she may have extended the story for longer than needed. It wasn't often that she could gather all her children without one being at work, on assignment, or out in the town. While Ruka loved to coddle her children, Byakuya did not hesitate to take off the safety gloves. After all, they were no longer children so he granted them the respect that was earned. He loved his wife dearly but he reminded the three matter-of-factly, "How are you all not aware that I'm the condensed one-minute version while your mother is the creative thousand page novelist?"

"Dad" Aya groaned pitifully at having her intellect questioned but her father simply aimed a 'did I stutter?' expression right back at her. The fiery nature of the eldest daughter fizzled into a smoky trail as she lost the battle against him. She could debate her mother endlessly but while she made leeway with her, her father was an impassable road.

Satoshi ignored his humiliated sister by pushing her out of the way and asked him, "How did you meet mother?"

Byakuya was surprised to hear that spurred the argument of the day and wondered what brought about that curiosity. He and Ruka were tied at the hip since childhood and anyone could easily tell his children that information. Although their first meeting did not equate lifelong love at first sight, their repeated exposure and binds to one another led to it. He kept a straight face at his wife's bright smile as he informed the three, "That's rather easy. She was in my way at a garden party here when we were small children. I made sure she rectified her error and the rest is history."

Ruka's proud smile deflated instantly at his dry tone of retelling their story and she squared her shoulders to exclaim, "What?! You were the one-"

His face betrayed no change in acknowledging any wrong in his actions as a child, irking his wife even further. The children took this as their cue to leave but while the girls exited the house, Satoshi left to make himself popcorn to continue watching the show. Ruka latched onto her husband's haori to shake him for his indifference but failed miserably. Aya breathed in the fresh air of the gardens as she left her odd parents behind, leaning against the porch railing before calling out, "You can come out, Koji, we used diversion tactic one on them."

The easiest way to disengage her parents against her was to have them argue over silly things. They were not the type to infuriate easily and her mother tended to laugh things off while her father simply forgot about useless quarrels. Kasumi jumped back when a falcon's head popped out from above the rafters and shook her head at the glimmering black orbs. She did not want those talons raking her face anytime soon. His feathery head retreated behind the roof before a soft thud echoed from above and her brother landed neatly on the ground below them. His silent nature was more equipped for the special forces but his abilities spoke otherwise.

Koji narrowed his gaze when he only spotted his sisters and he questioned them, "Where's Satoshi?"

Aya said nothing because her little brother decided to fill his stomach rather than seek asylum. That was his choice. Kasumi laughed awkwardly at forgetting him in the process and tapped her chin to offer idly, "Uh. . .our escape required a blood sacrifice?"

Koji expected better from the two since they were at home more often to watch over their youngest brother. He tried to keep them all together but their contrasting personalities made it a battle. It was so much easier when they were children and he lectured them, "Maybe sisters do that, but brothers don't."

Without saying anything else, he ascended the steps to walk straight past them back inside the house. Kasumi sighed despondently at disappointing her brother, leaning against the porch in contemplation to follow him. Aya, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to descend the steps in the opposite direction and stated bluntly, "Well, he's dead."

An uncanny grin spread across her lips as she casually asked with delight, "Shall we go to work?"

The brunette groaned miserably at abandoning her brothers, struck with guilt, and she told her, "We're very bad sisters."

Aya was not shy in admitting she was the coldest of the four, keeping a logical head, and pointed out simply, "Koji's the oldest son so all is fair. Satoshi can be his responsibility."

Unlike her older sister, Kasumi was not about seizing the least risky decision with the most payoff. There were times when emotion would best logic, even for a science nerd like herself. When it came to her family, they would always win. Although she loved Aya, she tried to emulate Koji since he protected them dearly from her earliest memories. The brunette left the porch to retreat inside after her eldest brother while Aya tried one last time to dissuade her suicide mission, "Kasumi, don't you go – aw, damn it!"

Left alone outside, Aya glanced at the empty gardens that would lead her to work once she found one of the roads out of the estate. She could choose a quiet stroll to work and arrive early to hand out orders until her father joined their division. Or, she could stab her own dignity by walking into the hot mess waiting for her inside. This could have all been avoided if Satoshi listened to them and left rather than made himself a snack. Why did that boy always have to listen to his grumbling stomach? Is that why he kept outgrowing her every year?!

"Ah hell, I have a long lifespan anyway" she sighed aloud to nobody in particular before turning around to head back inside. Why was she cursed with siblings instead of being an only child like her mother? It would have been much easier to bid goodbye to her parents without anyone else to depend on. Still, they did make her life interesting and she hated being bored.

---

Thank you for reading!