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Chapter 12
From Your Eyes
After realizing that the two had linked hands for a time, Miyako snapped out of her daze and pulled away, trying to not seem awkward. Noticing her actions, Byakuya kept his eyes on herf and studied her features.
"Is something the matter?"
Keeping a straight face, she smiled at him as she fiddled with her hair.
"No...nothing at all!"
She turned away to hide her blushing face, her mind lost in her thoughts. Byakuya's eyes stayed focused on her for a moment longer as he noted her behavior.
Now with their friendship repaired, the two nobles sat in silence for a moment. Miyako then remembered that she was snacking before her and Byakuya made their friendship pact. Before returning to eating her riceball, she grabbed another one out of the beige wicker basket.
"You haven't had dinner yet, have you? I'm sure that you're hungry. Would you like one?" she offered.
Byakuya looked over to the simple snack in disgust. It was disgustingly...simple. It was nothing like the gourmet meals that were hand crafted fresh daily for him.
"No thank you. I don't eat such simple foods. I'll eat when I return to the manor."
"Aww, don't be like that. Yes it's simple, but they're delicious! My favorite is one stuffed with salmon topped with sesame seeds! They're perfect for a busy person!"
"What has made you fancy such simple commoner foods?"
"Well they sell them at the academy and Yoruichi brings them for me sometimes when she visits from the World of the Living, so I've come to love them! Plus, I love salmon, so this is the perfect snack for me!"
"Hmm…" he pondered, "but it's so...simple and unrefined, especially for a refined palate that the both of us possess. I'm sure that you've consumed your fair share of gourmet meals."
She offered him one again to him; she wasn't willing to give up easily.
"Yes that's true, but don't be such a snob!"
Byakuya was tempted to quickly retaliate against her name calling, but he quickly shut down when he saw that she sported a content smile.
"You'll come to find out that it's always the simple things in life that brings you joy."
Looking at the simple snack, he hesitated for a moment before taking it from her. When she resumed eating, he followed behind her. After taking a bite, he realized that she was right; the simple things are the things that bring you joy, especially when it's spicy salmon with a hint of salt.
From that point on, the two enjoyed each other's company and the tranquil nature that surrounded them for a little while longer. Quickly, the artificial sky turned from twilight to night.
"I'm sure that it's late now. I'll be heading to the manor now."
Miyako was a little somber about his upcoming departure, but she understood the circumstances.
"I understand." she replied quietly. "I had the atmosphere set to twilight here when you had arrived, so I'm sure that it's much later outside."
Byakuya had stood up first and offered a hand to Miyako to help her up. She hesitated for a moment, but she was glad that it was too dark for Byakuya to notice her blush. Grabbing his strong hand, he helped to lift her up.
"Thank you." she replied quietly.
Byakuya was amused; she was never this meek and quiet at work. He secretly found it endearing.
"Do you need assistance with cleaning your picnic area?"
"No, I'm fine. But thank you." she replied before bowing. "Have a good night! I'll see you in the morning."
Byakuya nodded. "Goodnight."
Miyako waved as he made his leave, basking in the remnant of the time that they had just shared, her hand still warm from their contact. When she felt his reiatsu leave the area, she was quick to clean up, store everything and set the atmosphere to follow the natural flow of time before heading to bed. She succumbed to sleep's spell as soon as her head had hit the firm pillow. For the first time in a month, she slept like a baby.
The next morning, Miyako stirred awake and awaited her vision to clear. Looking around, she observed that she wasn't at home, nor in her dorm room. Sitting up slowly, she let out a relaxed yawn and rubbed her eyes; her mind was a blur. Soon, she remembered that she had spent the night in her hidden compound. Not only did she do that...she made a friend last night. A blush had risen on her tan cheeks.
'Byakuya…'
The thought of him brought peace; she was relieved that the past was behind them and they were on good terms.
A content smile stayed put on her face. Not wasting more time, she lifted the covers off of her and started to get ready for another day. After freshening up and getting dressed, it was time to comb her hair. Looking in a drawer for a brush, she found a long, red ribbon at the back of the drawer. She laughed when she realized what it was.
'Boy was he mad when I snatched this out of his hair! I forgot that I held on to this...'
Reminiscing on her fond memory, she decided that his ribbon would compliment her shinigami robe. After tying it in, she checked herself in the mirror before smiling.
'Perfect.'
Grabbing her zanpakuto, she headed for the Sixth Division, looking forward to start the day and of course, seeing her friend.
Byakuya sat in his office alone early that morning after having already prepared for the day and waiting for Renji and the interns to arrive. He felt refreshed after having a more peaceful sleep than normal. He took a hard look at his pale hand, which still tingled with warmth from the night before. He hadn't felt anything of the sort since he and Hisana were married.
'Hisana…'
Clenching his hand into a fist, he felt guilty. He missed his late wife dearly. Although they had been married a short five years, he cherished everyday that he had with her. After her death, he didn't dare seek love and affection from any other woman, even a friendship was out of the question. No one compared to her, but Miyako popped back into his life.
'Miyako…'
Out of every woman who had thrown themselves at him with an ulterior motive, Miyako was the only one who genuinely tried to be his friend. She even had the ability to make him blush on occasion, especially when she smiled. Hisana had a meek smile, but Miyako's smile was pure, but he did notice a hint of sorrow behind it. He couldn't bring himself to feel anger towards her any longer with a smile like that and the sorrow aspect of it made him want to dig deeper into its meaning.
He sighed; now his heart was in a whirlwind. To have any sort of interest towards another woman made him feel like he was betraying Hisana.
Before he could dwell on his feelings further, he felt her enter the barracks.
He looked to the door when he felt her reiatsu getting closer. She didn't waste much time knocking.
"Captain Kuchiki, may I have a word, please?"
Gathering his thoughts, he prepared himself to greet her.
"Yes, come in."
When she let herself in, she greeted him with a smile, much different from the last time they had met there. Closing the door behind her, she bowed before speaking.
"Good morning Bya- I mean, Captain Kuchiki! I just wanted to thank you for last night."
"Thank me for what, exactly?"
"For everything...I had a great time." she replied with a content smile. Byakuya fought back a blush, but gave a slight smile that didn't go unnoticed by Miyako.
"...You're very welcome."
She was grateful that she received a tiny smile that warmed her heart.
"Well, I don't want to take up any more of your time. I'm sure that you still have to prepare for the day. Excuse me."
Byakuya watched her as she headed for the door. "Wait."
Turning to him, she gave him an inquisitive look. "Yes, Captain Kuchiki?"
Returning to his iconic stoic expression, he cleared his throat and turned to the window behind him.
"Here in my office and outside of work...addressing me as 'Byakuya' when we're alone is fine."
With an even bigger smile, Miyako blushed. "Okay, Byakuya! Then you can call me 'Miyako' or 'Miya' when we're alone, okay? I'll see you soon!"
Letting herself out, Byakuya watched as she disappeared to the other side, her cheerful smile lingering in his mind.
Three weeks quickly flew by since the two established their friendship. Ever since then, they had spent more time together after work, spending most of their free time in Miyako's compound out of the eyes of nosy observers. In the beginning, Byakuya would find himself leaving work earlier than normal, ending his walks by meeting with Miyako. She welcomed him open arms, always happy that he chose to spend time with her. After two weeks of meeting with her, they spent their quality time in Miyako's compound to avoid the prying, gossiping eyes of the public. There, they could be as open as they wanted without fear.
During that time, they took the time to get reacquainted with one another. Miyako discovered that Byakuya wasn't very humorous, no matter how hard he tried. It was also hard to get him to crack a very visible smile, which convinced her that his face was permanently frozen. She did appreciate his willingness to make a joke whenever the mood hit him. He was hard to read at first, but she started to notice the subtle differences in his moods and learned that his feelings were expressed in his eyes. Once she learned that, she felt special and closer to him. No matter what they did together, she enjoyed every moment of it.
Byakuya discovered that Miyako hadn't changed much from the girl he remembered in terms of her silliness. Much to his chagrin, she was determined to make him laugh and put the biggest smile on his face that he ever had. He also noticed that she was different when they were alone as opposed to her behavior at the barracks. She was much more free when they were together and even exuded a different kind of purity that he couldn't quite put his finger on. After learning her behavioral quirks, albeit them being more lively than his, he came to appreciate it. Now what was once an annoyance turned out to be an escape from reality.
He was relieved that he didn't have to maintain his stoic demeanor at all times when they were together. To him, she was a breath of fresh air. Talking and spending time together turned out to be the best medicine for the both of them. Now that they were closer, she found herself smiling more and she looked forward to spending time with him.
Today, the two had retreated to the compound for an afterwork picnic. Since his first visit, Byakuya had grown fond of onigiri and enjoyed eating them with Miyako. Sitting beside the river, they enjoyed hearing the sounds of the nearby waterfall. Miyako's mind trailed back to work, thinking about how Byakuya's fighting style. She found herself mesmerized when she watched him and Renji spar. Seeing how he handled himself while fighting made her fall for him more and more every time she witnessed it.
"I admire you very much, Byakuya." she admitted suddenly, prompting him to quickly cut his eyes over to her. Her sudden confession came as a surprise to him.
"I'm flattered, but why is that if I may ask?"
Miyako took another bite of her onigiri before speaking. "Because you're an expert swordsman. I admire your style of fighting...it's so refined and smooth...elegant and deadly. Mine is quick and sharp...and I have so much more to learn before I'm as skilled as you, Soifon and my sister."
Byakuya couldn't help but smile. When she was surrounded by others, she always sported a smile and exuded a humble self confidence, but when they were alone, he found that she could be very critical of herself at times. He continued to look at her as she quietly ate her snack, her big eyes were lost in self pity.
"It's because you fight like an assassin that you're quick, crafty and decisive in battle. As the princess of the Onmitsukido, it's normal to assume that your fighting style would reflect that. Also, I found your training style to be elegant and sharp."
'Mesmerizing even…' he thought.
She looked up to him, not saying a word.
"Besides, you shouldn't be so critical of yourself. You are an excellent shinigami. You work harder than anyone else."
She blushed at his gracious words and looked away as she played with her ponytail.
"You're too kind...you're just saying that."
"No, I'm telling the truth. I see that you're getting better with every passing day. Your supplemental training is paying off and it shows. That's not my being bias either, because you're my friend."
Miyako stayed silent, her gaze still turned away from his. Although she was elated that he thought so highly of her now, her heart sank when she heard him refer her as a friend. She quietly scolded herself for inappropriate feelings.
'You said that you would settle for being his friend...make sure that it stays that way.'
Byakuya noticed that something was amiss. At times, she would be quiet for an extended amount of time while walking and snacking. She would stare off into the distance with foggy eyes. At first, Byakuya thought that she was in deep thought. But now, it was concerning him, just like the sorrow he detected from her.
"Miyako, are you alright?"
His concern grew at her lack of response. "Miyako?"
She jumped when she heard his call. "Yes?"
"Are you alright? You've been quiet often as of late. Is there something troubling you?"
"Y-yes, I'm alright! I was just thinking how nice it is to hear a compliment from someone such as yourself!"
"I meant every word." He felt better once he saw her smile again. "I believe that you'll be alright. I have no doubt about that."
Staying quiet for a moment, she looked over to him as he finished his green tea. "Well...can I see it?" she asked suddenly.
"See what exactly?"
"Your shikai." she answered quietly.
"You've seen my shikai numerous times."
"I know, but...I'd like to see it...from your eyes."
Byakuya locked eyes with her. Taking in her small, pleasant smile, he found it difficult to turn down her request, especially when he could still see that hint of sorrow.
'Perhaps this will bring her joy.'
"I'll grant your request." he replied as he stood up. Offering his hand to her, he helped her up and they flash stepped to the training ground. Standing side by side, he looked over to her.
"I'll be starting now."
Nodding back, she waited with excitement like a shy child would. Her big eyes and tiny smile was amusing to him. "But before I start, come here." he commanded.
Miyako looked up to him curiously. "Come where?"
Clearly confused, she didn't understand where he was headed with his command.
"Here." he repeated, only to point to a space in front of him. Her eyes widened as her heart trembled. "There?!"
His stoic stare didn't falter. "I didn't stutter," he replied in his serious tone. "You're the one that requested something such as this. Would you like to see my power from my view or not?"
She was sure that her face was beet red and she started to sweat at the thought of being that close to him.
'Calm down, Miyako...it's just a demonstration...it's not like wants to have you close-by in a very intimate way...although that sounds very nice…'
She gasped at her thoughts, causing Byakuya to wonder what she was thinking about this time.
"Miyako, are you alright?" he asked, making her panic a little.
'Dammit Miyako!'
"Y-yes...I'm alright. Don't mind me!"
Before Byakuya had a chance to reply, Miyako had stood in front of him, her back facing him. She was thankful that she could blush openly now.
"Is this where you want me to stand?"
Byakuya looked down on her. "Not exactly."
Her eyes widened again when he wrapped his left arm around her waist and pulled her back towards him. A gasp left her lips when she felt her back against his torso.
"Now you can keep your arms to your side or place them over my arm, whichever makes you comfortable, but the important thing for you to do is to remain as still as possible until I'm finished. Do you understand?"
Taking in the moment, she folded her arms over his. She welcomed the sense of security in his embrace. She relaxed a little in his arms, meditating over her emotions as her body tingled with warmth.
'This feels like a dream…how many times have I dreamt about moments like this?'
Although faint, the scent of sandalwood, patchouli and cinnamon cologne reminded her that him holding her against his rock hard abdomen was most definitely not a dream. It was almost enough to send her over the edge but she kept calm, nodding to his question.
"Yes...I understand."
Not wasting any time, he held up his zanpakuto in front of them and uttered his release. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."
His husky command sent a chill up her spine as the long sword glowed and transformed into the famous sakura blades. Her eyes glistened as they floated around them, noticing how close they were to them.
"Do you see now why I told you to come closer?" he asked. "Senbonzakura is very dangerous outside of its protection zone. It only allows that maximum to be right under three feet. I didn't want you to become injured." he explained, looking down to her.
Feeling at ease, she smiled and nodded. Byakuya continued his demonstration, explaining how his zanpakuto worked, leading up to showing her his bankai and its various forms. Miyako found a new respect and love for her friend. When he was finished, he released her from his grip. Disappointed, she wished that she could've stayed there a little while longer.
"Well? How was it to experience Senbonzakura from my eyes?"
"It was wonderful. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm glad that you think so highly of it. You're too kind."
Sensing what he did there, she smirked. "Haha, very funny. But I'm serious. What you can do is amazing. I hope that I can train hard and be like you someday...even be like my sister someday."
Byakuya frowned. "You needn't worry about trying to become like your sister or myself." Miyako grabbed her zanpakuto and took a hard look at it.
"I know, but...I have such a high standard to live up to, especially now that Yoruichi is gone. She was such a great captain...and here I am, just a student and a trainee. I'm expected to become the next captain and restore the clan's honor. I haven't even achieved bankai yet. I know that I'm close, but I'm still far away from doing so."
His soul trembled at her words; they struck quite the chord. Coming closer, he placed his hand over one of hers. Instantly, she felt comfort from his strong hand.
"You are your own person, and that's all. Miyako Shihouin, not Yoruichi Shihouin. You only need to be Miyako, and no one else. You have to make your own way with your own power. You must be true to yourself."
She looked up to him and got lost in his strong eyes.
"I'm saying this because I wish that I could be true to myself. I'm not as emotionless as everyone thinks that I am. I only do it to not bring shame on myself and the Kuchiki Clan, but since I've been doing it for so long, it's difficult to let go of it all."
Knowing how he used to be as a teenager, she felt bad for him; they were essentially in the same boat. She placed her other hand over his to give him reassurance, squeezing it with gratitude. In that moment, she felt even more connected to him. In her heart of hearts, his feelings and these moments were safe with her.
"Now...may I see it?" he asked.
"See what?"
"Your shikai, of course."
Knowing where he was headed with his request, she smirked at him.
"But you've seen my shikai numerous times."
"Yes, but I'd like to see it again through your eyes. Perhaps I can assist you with helping you achieve bankai if I studied it in depth."
Miyako's eyes widened. "You would help me achieve bankai?"
Byakuya nodded. "I don't see why not. We should start right away."
Giving him a smile of thanks, she released his hand from her embrace and readied herself as he waited.
"Drag them under, Unabara!"
He watched as the sword glowed and formed into the familiar ribbon that flowed around her. Looking at her shikai, she wished that she had an excuse to keep him close as he did with his demonstration.
Keeping her thoughts clean, she demonstrated and explained how Unabara worked. Unabara acted as an extension of her arm, similarly receiving commands mentally like Senbonzakura. She could shorten or extend the length of Unabara when needed. Unabara also had the ability to take the shape of anything that Miyako wished, as she had proved during her spar with Byakuya weeks ago. With its long, deceivingly slow flowing shape, Miyako also showed him the very impressive speed at which she could control it, proving that it could be deadly.
Clapping as he watched her deactivate Unabara, he was impressed.
"It's a marvelous shikai, Miyako."
"Thank you!" she replied with a blush.
Withdrawing his sword again, he challenged her. "Now it's time to figure out where we can start to help you reach bankai."
Smiling, she readied herself and lunged at him. Whenever their swords crossed, he noticed that the remorse that he felt from her had started to transform into joy.