Fanfiction

Series: Bleach

Title: Embrace

The whole ceremony went by too fast, in Rukia's opinion. The ladies-in-waiting – not from the 13 Gotei Squads, but from some distant cousins down in the Kuchiki family tree – descended upon her before the sun rose in order to 'make her presentable'.

After an eternity of hair-pulling and cheek-pinching, she was finally ushered into the ceremony where everything happened at the same time. The presence of Byakuya-nii-sama was strangely comforting. He did not say much or do much, but merely remained beside her, a solid dependable stone amongst the rushing waters.

At the end of the ceremony, Rukia was led away from Byakuya-nii-sama, and she panicked for a moment, but the ladies-in-waiting only led her to an empty, though strangely lavish room, sat her down, removed all the makeup they had painstakingly applied on her face only hours before, dressed her in a pale white night robe and left her alone in the room.

Rukia sat absolutely still, savouring the peace and quiet after all the turmoil before. The images of the ceremony flashed past her mind's eye, and the gravity of what just happened hit her with the force of a rock.

She was married to Byakuya-nii-sama.

She was married to her Nii-sama.

Wait a minute.

"I'm married!" Rukia looked down at herself, and then scrambled to the ceremonial mirror in the room, and peered at her reflection. Upon close inspection, she did not look all that different. A bit pale, her eyes a tad too dilated, most probably from shock, but she was still Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia, adopted of the Kuchiki Family, One of the Four Noble Houses of Soul Society.

No. Not adopted. Married. Married into the Kuchiki Family.

SHE was married to THE Cold and Unfeeling Kuchiki-taichou of the Sixth Squad.

She buried her face in her hands in dismay. What had she done? True, Kaien-dono was long dead, and her infatuation was only an infatuation, but what had she gotten herself into? Rukia eyed the two-person futon at one side of the room warily. She was going to sleep with Byakuya-nii-sama, the most renowned Ice Man in all of Seireitei.

What have I gotten myself into?

Rukia estimated it to be around midnight when Byakuya-nii-sama entered the room. He looked as unruffled as he had been during the ceremony, but Rukia thought she detected a slight stoop in his shoulders.

'He must be tired,' thought Rukia. What should she do? Offer him the bed? Offer him a massage? Offer to get out of the room and let him have his rest?

The third sounded very appealing to Rukia, for some reason.

"You can leave if you want." He seemed to have read her thoughts. Ignoring her, Byakuya shrugged out of his ceremonial robes and threw them into a corner, before sitting down on the futon and began to remove his kenseikan.

"Byakuya-nii-sama –" began Rukia.

"'Nii' is redundant."

Rukia blinked and tried again.

"Byakuya-sama –" This time Rukia paused, not sure if what she was going to say would offend him.

"What is it?"

"Can I help you, that is, with the kenseikan?" the last came out as a whisper.

A silence descended on the room, and Rukia waited breathlessly for his answer.

"That's unnecessary."

"Hai." Rukia mentally berated herself. What was she thinking? He was The Sixth Squad 'Ice Man' Captain, head of the Kuchiki House. Why would someone like him need someone like her to help? How stupid can she get?

"Maybe next time."

Rukia blinked. Had she heard wrongly? Did Nii-sama just said 'maybe next time'?

"What are you doing?" he asked when he was done, staring pointedly at her from his seat near the futon. Rukia blushed. This was the part she knew absolutely nothing about. What should she do now? Go to him? Offer herself? Wait for him?

"Come here." That was phrased as an order, and Rukia scurried to obey. She sat down gingerly beside him, her body tensed. Would he do what Matsumoto-san had said about men? Would he –

She blushed a deeper crimson at that thought.

"Nothing will happen unless you wish it, Rukia. Sleep."

Rukia blinked, as Byakuya proceeded to lie down on his side of the futon, pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes.

Rukia started at him for a while, before doing likewise. Yet, sleep was long in the coming for her. She had been, well, not looking forward to this day, but expecting something at least. This was – nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Timidly, she tugged as lightly as she could on his sleeve, not wanting to wake him if he was already asleep.

"What is it?" Strangely, he sounded wide awake.

Rukia cleared her throat self-consciously, feeling her cheeks warm at the mere thought of it.

"Ano… Nii-sama…"

"'Nii' is redundant."

"Hai. Ano… Byakuya-sama… can you, that is… urm, well, like… just… you know… that is…" she trailed off, and cringed. He was sure to be angry at her for not getting to the point.

"What is it?" His voice was unexpectedly gentle, and when Rukia peeked up at him, he was smiling crookedly. A lop-sided kind of smile that trembled, as if he did not want to smile but could not help it.

That made Rukia feel a little more brave. "That is, ano, you know, I had always imagine that my sister –"

That's a relative safe comparision, Rukia congratulated herself mentally.

"– that at night, she would hug me as we slept and –"

She was completely caught off guard when warm arms encircled her, pulling her to his chest. "Sleep, Rukia," came his voice from above her head, and she felt him cover their bodies with the blanket.

She felt a smile curve her lips, as her eyes closed. "Arigatou, Byakuya-sama."