"Nobility's Fall"- Chapter 2: Return
Disclaimer: Not mine. Credit goes to Tite Kubo. The plot of this story is mine, however.
Rating: For now, T.
Pairing: Byakuya/Rukia
Warnings/Spoilers: Only if you aren’t up to date with the manga/anime.
Chapter Summary: Rukia says farewell to her friends and returns home.
---
“Don't be dismayed at goodbyes, a farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” - Richard Bach
---
Rukia caught her breath, “Renji, who told me to come back to Soul Society?”
He sighed, “Captain Byakuya Kuchiki.”
For a brief moment, it was like the world stood utterly motionless on its axis. Even Kisuke had seemed to stop fanning himself. The man with all the answers now stood completely silent.
Someone needed to pinch her; and quickly.
Finally, someone did. Broke the silence, anyways.
“Which one is he?” Jinta asked, his voice sounding rather harsh in the otherwise somber room.
And the temporary chokehold that Rukia’s adopted brother’s name cast was broken. Everyone seemed to come to their senses at that exact moment.
Renji scratched at the back of his head; Kisuke glanced from side to side from behind his ever-present fan; Jinta waited patiently; and Rukia simply breathed.
“Hello? Why is it that whenever I ask a question everyone ignores it, but when moocher gets a few crumby phone calls we all break for updates?”
…
“You guys are more useless than Ururu!”
“Alright, calm down already! Sheesh…” Renji grumbled, stretching a bit.
“It’s not that hard of a question, mooch. It’s some dude’s name. You tell me who it is and that’s it. Or do you need to go take a nap before then; to prepare yourself?”
Renji’s small eyes narrowed in on Jinta’s, anger flashing over the russet irises before he swallowed it back down, “You’re lucky I’m leavin’.”
“Yeah, I’ll thank the heavens later. So? Who is it?”
“My brother,” Rukia answered him promptly, not wishing to relive another bout between those two.
“I didn’t know you have a brother, shorty.”
Her brows twitched together as he insulted her small stature, “He’s my adopted brother.”
“Ah…so he’s a captain?”
“I’m surprised you don’t already know who he is, Jinta. Captain Kuchiki is rather famous among the Gotei thirteen,” Kisuke remarked in that sing-song way of his.
Even Rukia seemed a little surprised by that remark. She knew her brother was well known, but famous? Certainly he wasn’t…all that popular. How could he be? He never gave anyone the time of day. Sentences usually were composed of two or less words. ‘That’s fine’; ‘yes’; ‘no’; ‘very well’; etc.
“-Quite the enigma, Master Kuchiki is. Heir to one of the noble clans. Proud captain. Skilled bankai user. One of, if not the best, flash step masters. And just in all that he does. Isn’t that right, Rukia?” Urahara questioned softly, gray eyes studying her with supreme interest.
“I uh…I…don’t know,” She answered truthfully, feeling rather foolish that she had no answer to really give. Here she was, a person who shared his mansion with him, and yet she hadn’t the slightest idea about the man himself.
Again, the room fell silent.
“Sounds like a royal pain, if ya ask me,” Jinta mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, “Orderin’ people around when he ain’t got the right.”
Rukia and Renji automatically locked eyes and suppressed the urge to smile. Jinta was a mouthy thing sometimes, but he certainly could get the gist of a situation remarkably quick.
“Well, better get ready Rukia. I’m headin’ out.”
“A-already?”
“You heard him,” Renji yawned, grabbing a few items from a shelf. ‘Those aren’t free ya know!’ Jinta chimed in from the background, “He’s waiting for me on the other side of the Senkaimon. I need to move out immediately.”
She swallowed. She still needed to get a few things, “Do you think it’ll be alright if I come a bit later?”
He childhood friend raised one of his tattooed brows and shook his head, “Last time you said something like that, you never came back.”
Rukia put a hand to her small hip and look put off, “I’m going to come, Renji. I just need to get a few things together before I do. I can’t just leave my stuff here. Kon will have it shred to pieces by the time I get back. Not to mention Ichigo might just throw it out into the street and let nature take its course.”
The lieutenant smirked, “He would do that.”
“I know, he’s just like you!” She snidely offered, peaking from underneath dark lashes to get a good view of his face. Shocked. Just what she had been going for.
“I’m nothing like that bastard!” Renji yelled, his hand fisting in front of his face, “He’s worthless!”
“Hmm, look who’s talkin’,” Jinta breathed.
“YOU SHUT IT!”
“Now, now. Jinta, be nice to our guests. I do agree with Rukia, however. She should be allowed to collect her things. Rest assured, I will make sure she makes the journey back to the Soul Society promptly.”
Abarai sighed, staring at Kisuke, then Rukia. He wasn’t going to win this argument, was he?
“Fine. Be there in no more than two hours. We can’t wait around for you. It’s obvious that Byakuya needs to speak with you or he wouldn’t have requested for you to come back. So make it quick.”
“I’m more than aware that he wants a word with me, Renji. Get back to the Soul Society, I’ll meet you shortly.”
“Kind of like you-”
Rukia rounded on Jinta, her eyes sparking with danger, “What did you just say?!”
---
“RUKIA!”
She swiftly stepped to the left, narrowly missing Isshin Kurosaki’s love attack as she walked through the door.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Kurosaki.”
“Call me ‘dad’!”
“…”
“Where have you been, Rukia?! I have been worried sick about you!”
“You never quit, do you?”
The pair turned to see Ichigo shifting through some things in the fridge nonchalantly.
“Your back is wide open!”
Ichigo’s eyes widened as quickly darted out of the fridge and took off to the right, “Back off, old man! Giving me a painful déjà vu,” He grumbled, biting into the apple he had managed to save from the counter.
Rukia glanced up at him and smirked, “It seems Gin Ichimaru left quite the impression on you during your fight.”
“Shut up, small fry.”
Annoyed brown locked with daring violet, “What was what?”
“You heard me. You been over at Hat and Clogs’ this whole time?”
“I can’t stay long,” Rukia murmured, heading for the stairs.
Ichigo glanced at his father, who seemed to be crying to his mother’s large portrait on the wall, before he decided to follow the small soul reaper upstairs.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I have to leave.”
“For the night? Or what?”
She sighed, rolling her eyes at his daftness. Just when she thought he was finally catching on to everything, “No. For a while.”
“To do what?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“Tch,” He grunted, flopping down onto his bed, “Sounds like you know a lot of nothing.”
“Shut up, idiot!” She yelled, kicking him in the side.
His eyes rounded at the pain, but otherwise he remained unharmed, “I don’t understand why you’re leaving.”
“I was requested to come back.”
“By who? It’s not an order. You don’t have to go.”
“By my brother.”
This, as she thought it would, caught his attention instantly, “Byakuya?”
“That would be him.”
“What the hell does he want?”
Rukia grabbed a few things from her space inside the closet and pushed them down into her small backpack, “That’s what I’m going to go see about.”
“Sounds fishy.”
The conversation was going to go nowhere as long as Ichigo felt that way about her brother. And that wasn’t about to change any time soon. So a change of subject was in need, “I need to go say ‘bye’ to Orihime.”
“Orihime?” Ichigo repeated, sitting up like a puppy called to attention.
It really was rather cute.
She nodded, shrugging on her backpack and glancing around the room one last time, “Alright, I’m gonna head off.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Rukia stared at him long and hard, “Why do you need to come with me when I’m the one saying ’bye’?”
The substitute shrugged, looking completely put off; and totally readable.
“There might be hollows.”
Rukia touched her chest and gasped, “Why Ichigo, I’m touched that you care so much about me to escort me to Orihime’s, but I promise you, I can handle a little ole hollow by myself.”
“Shut up.”
“I’ll stop giving you a hard time if you just tell me why you want to come.”
Ichigo glared at her from underneath orange spikes; getting to his feet.
“Just shut up and let’s go. The sooner you leave, the better.”
---
No hollows. As she had suspected. It had been rather quiet around Karakura for a while now. Ever since the fall of Aizen Sousuke and company, the world was rather peaceful. Not completely free of its previous perils, there would always be bad in the world, but it was definitely something to enjoy now. No longer were they afraid of what tomorrow brought. Instead of seeing blood and death; they could rejoice in laughter and sunlight.
And red bean paste. Orihime had been all about the strange food combinations as soon as she returned to the world of the living. And the rest of them had been subjected to it. But they had taken the strange punishment with smiles. They were just thankful that they still could suffer through her strange recipes.
Ichigo especially.
“Ya know-”
“Don’t start.”
She glanced at him from the sides of her eyes as they neared their friend’s home, “What?”
“I know what you’re trying to do.”
“Well I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone. I need to get all my meddling done now.”
“Save it for somebody who cares.”
“The thing is-” Rukia mused, her eyes finding the stars as they strolled the quiet street, “I know that you do care.”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
“I suppose I’m misunderstanding the way you look at her then?”
“I said to shut up.”
“Ichigo-”
His hands fisted inside his pockets as he came to an abrupt halt, “I said to knock it off!” He snapped, dark brown eyes flashing with warning.
Rukia sighed, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at him, “What are you so afraid of? I would think nearly losing her would be all the motivation you need to-”
“I know!”
“Well then what are you-”
“She’s my friend.”
“I’m you’re friend too, Ichigo. And you don’t act that way with me.”
“Because it’s you.”
“And because it’s her. I think you should tell her. Or show her. Or something. Make your move before it’s too late-”
“Eh?”
Rukia smirked, walking again, not caring if he caught up or not. This last bit of information would be enough to send him to the moon and back, “Well from the way Uryu looks at her, you better be quick about it.”
“THAT QUINCY BASTARD?!-”
She smiled. Job well done.
---
Orihime had nearly choked the life out of her with the long and rather…smothering hug she had given her friend before she left.
“You’ll keep in touch, won’t you? I don’t like to wonder. My mind goes crazy places.”
The blush she had received from Ichigo right before she had told them both ‘farewell’ had been priceless.
“Well then maybe your mind can go all those places with Ichigo. He’s going to be bored now that I’m not here to nag him.”
“Oh? Ichigo, you’re going to be lonely?”
“N-no! I’m no-”
“Oh most definitely. So check on him every day ok, Orihime?”
The red head smiled, her eyes closing shut as she flashed her a thumbs up, “Roger that!”
Ichigo had flushed, but the hints of a smile she caught out the corner of her eye told her that, hopefully, things would be different when she did get to come back.
Even Ichigo had nodded to her and gave her that look that told her what he couldn’t say. That he would think of her and wonder how she was/what she was doing. A man of few words and fewer emotions. She had become familiar with them all.
“I’ll see you,” She had told him.
Now she was left with a heavy mind of what could be awaiting her in the Soul Society and an overzealous Kisuke.
“Maybe you broke a family heirloom!”
“I haven’t been to the Soul Society in months, Urahara! I couldn’t have possibly done that.”
“It’s a big estate. Maybe he just know found it.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe he needs you to feed the koi while he’s gone.”
“That’s what the housekeepers are for.”
“Or maybe he-”
“He probably just wants to tell me the nature of his miss-”
“-misses you.”
Rukia froze mid-stride to the Senkaimon doors, turning around slowly to look at the mysterious shop keep.
That little fluctuation of her spiritual pressure was duly noted on his behalf. Miss Kuchiki was a little more lonely in that big manor that she let on.
Missed her? Wouldn’t you have to know someone to miss them? Byakuya made no movements to ever familiarize himself with her world. Nor did she with his. It was an unspoken truce. Almost like an invisible line had been present inside the house since the day she had been adopted.
So how could he ever miss her when he didn’t even know…her?
“Or not. He’s a tough nut to crack,” Kisuke offered quickly, flipping open his fan again to shield the slight upturn of his lips. Rukia Kuchiki was quite an interesting girl to behold. She kept everything hidden behind an exterior of smiles and false bravado while in the eye of the public. But when she was truly exposed…she was a tad fragile. A tempest for certain. She could easily have a temper that would cripple a man. But she was honest. She was good. And she was terribly lonely. Friends filled her heart but how could they ease her pain while she was away and left forgotten behind the walls of the Kuchiki manor?
“Well I suppose I should go.”
“Hmm, yes. It’s almost been two hours. You’re pushing your time.”
She smiled at Kisuke, “I’ll be back to see what new items you have in stock.”
He nodded, tipping his striped bucket hat at her in farewell, “I look forward to it.”
---
“You’re cuttin’ it a little close, aren’t ya?”
Rukia dashed towards the Kuchiki door as fast as her small feet would carry her. Renji’s reminders of her lateness was not something she needed to be bothered with right now.
“The captain has been waitin’ for you.”
“Where. Is. He?” She asked between gasps for air, her smalls thuds being outweighed by the large sounds of his footsteps alongside hers.
“Where do you think? The garden.”
Of course. Byakuya never went out on a mission without first gathering his thoughts and feelings inside the walls of his beautiful garden.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Rukia turned to Renji and touched his forearm, “Take care of yourself, alright? I don’t want to have to come and save you.”
“Psh,” He snorted, rolling his eyes so that he didn’t have to look at her anymore, “I don’t need you to save me. Last time I checked, I was the one who had to help rescue you, remember?”
She grinned, “I do. Still…be careful.”
The slight fall in her tone told him that she was being completely sincere. And the small flutter in his chest was silenced by the sound of the doors to the mansion slamming shut behind her.
---
Rukia did her best to gather her breaths before tip-toeing into the garden.
Just as Renji had said, Byakuya Kuchiki stood in the garden, his head bowed in what would have been mistaken as a prayer; if he prayed. She didn’t think Byakuya a religious man. He seemed far more prone to believe in sheer determination and one’s own abilities than he would a higher power or spiritual guides.
And yet…the serene look on his face as she came to his side was truly something that made people wish for religion. Peace. Absolute peace.
“Brother.”
Slowly, his eyes opened and fell to hers.
“Rukia. Welcome home.”