127Verse: 'Half-Canon'.
She'd passed out somewhere within the forests of Hanging Dog.
Shimizu Hisana knew it was most likely exhaustion that had done her in. She'd wandered the endless streets of the Rukon District for several consecutive days, searching for her missing baby sister. It had been years since she had abandoned her sibling, and to this day, she was still trying to undo what she had done.
While she required little sustenance owing to the negligible level of spiritual energy within her body, she was still capable of feeling fatigued. Her bare feet were covered in bloodied scratches and abrasions from walking on the rough, grimy ground—no one wore sandals in the slums of Hanging Dog, because no one could afford them—and she had sprained her right ankle when she'd accidentally fallen down earlier, causing it to swell into an ugly shade of crimson. The pain was bad, but still bearable.
Eventually, she'd stumbled into the forest.
Her head had begun to spin, the tall trees blurring around her, and the next thing she knew, her vision had gone black.
When she opened her eyes again, she realised she was lying on the undergrowth, the effulgent golden rays of the setting sun flooding the dirty greenery of the forest. Vaguely, she wondered how long she had been unconscious.
Hisana turned her head tiredly, too weary to try to get up from her supine position, and stiffened when she spotted someone standing with his back facing her.
The amber glow of the sunset illuminated the stranger's long windflower silk scarf, which flickered in the soft breeze. Hisana sat up, her exposed feet brushing against the matted grass, ferns and fallen twigs on the forest floor, and stared.
He was a Shinigami. She could tell that from the ebony robes he was wearing.
Hisana knew enough about the Shinigami—that they were officers of the law and that they lived in Seireitei. She also knew that their duties included battling Hollows and protecting Soul Society.
Ah. It made sense now as to why a Shinigami had arrived in Hanging Dog. There had been a strange surge in deaths here lately, and many suspected that a Hollow was lurking in Hanging Dog and killing off innocent souls.
A Shinigami must had been dispatched here to investigate.
Hisana looked down at herself and inhaled a laboured breath when she realised that the throbbing pain in her skinny ankle was gone. The swelling had gone down; in fact, the redness of her skin had completely vanished, almost as if she had never been injured in the first place.
Her jaw dropped, and her large violet eyes darted in shock to the Shinigami standing before her. Had he healed her with his Kidō?
She wondered what had gone through his mind upon coming across a collapsed, unconscious woman in the woods. He could have chosen to ignore her and leave, but instead, this mysterious Shinigami had healed her swollen ankle instead.
"Um, excuse me," Hisana piped up timidly. "Thank you for helping me."
He turned his head, and she found her heartbeat quickening when slate grey eyes pierced her violet ones. His face was unreadable; she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Still, Hisana admired his aristocratic features—his long lashes, high cheekbones and sensuously curved lips were extremely pleasing to the eye.
She was very grateful that he had healed her. If he hadn't, she would have to put up with her wound for a long time, since her body had an irritating tendency to take ages to recover on its own.
Hastily, Hisana stuck her hand into the sleeve of her tattered brown robe, and fished out a coin. It was all the money that she had at the moment.
"Here," she said gently, holding out the coin towards the Shinigami.
He arched a dark brow wordlessly at it.
"It's to thank you for helping me," Hisana said, flushing slightly. "It's all I have to offer you."
The Shinigami continued staring at her, and she felt increasingly disquieted at his silence.
"You can, er, buy yourself something," she went on, then bit her lip.
Did she have to state the obvious?
To her dismay, the Shinigami turned without saying anything and began to walk away.
Hisana got to her feet clumsily, and hurried after him.
"Please, if you won't take my money, at least let me thank you in some other way," she blurted. "You're here because of the Hollow, right?"
The male stilled, and he glanced at her sharply through narrowed eyes.
"I saw it last night," Hisana said softly. "I was hiding behind a bush not far from here. Do you want me to show you where it was?"
She still recalled the terror she'd experienced yesterday, her pulse racing and her palms clammy as she'd curled herself into a tiny ball behind the dense foliage, praying fervently that the hideous Hollow would not notice her.
It struck Hisana then, how small she was compared to the Shinigami. The top of her head only reached his chest.
Hisana felt unclean and insignificant standing next to him. She wore a tattered robe and was barefooted, and she was sure there were streaks of dirt on her cheeks. The Shinigami, on the other hand, was dressed in clean, pristine black robes and had an expensive silk scarf curled around his neck.
She swallowed unhappily.
Regardless, there was no point dwelling on this.
Taking his silence as assent, Hisana, after glancing at him to make sure he was following her, made her way further into the forest, her naked feet stepping on cracked twigs and leaves.
"Watch your step," she cautioned him, focusing on the forest floor for any protruding tree root that might trip her over.
Hisana felt a little foolish after her remark, however. He was a Shinigami, after all, which meant he was trained in combat. What were the chances he might lose his footing because of a mere tree root?
Before long, the two of them arrived at a small clearing within a knot of trees, with neither speaking throughout their way here. Hisana had lived in Hanging Dog for so long that she was now accustomed to every inch of its vast forest, having familiarised herself with the many twists and turns here. Others who lived outside of her district might get lost in the forests of Hanging Dog, but not her.
She was about to open her mouth to say something when the trees rustled, and something stepped into the clearing.
Hisana let out a silent scream almost immediately, her heart in her mouth, and she took a step back rapidly.
To her surprise, her Shinigami companion placed a large but slender, long-fingered hand on her thin shoulder, steadying her. She noticed through a terrified haze that he donned fingerless gloves.
Hisana bit her lip and nearly keeled over in relief when she saw that the newcomer was another Shinigami (and not the Hollow as she had automatically assumed). She instantly felt very, very stupid for overreacting.
"Taichō!" the second Shinigami greeted boisterously. "There you are!"
Not all Shinigami looked as regal as her healer, Hisana realised. The newcomer had short brown hair and he wore a pair of flashy sunglasses that looked rather silly on him, though she would never be rude enough to say it out loud. She didn't understand why he wore them, though, especially since the sun was setting and nightfall was approaching. Could he even see properly with his sunglasses on?
"Oh, hello there!" the bespectacled Shinigami exclaimed as he noticed her. "Who's this pretty little thing here?"
"A witness."
Hisana's eyes widened as the Shinigami that had healed her spoke for the first time. His baritone voice was unruffled, rich, and lush.
"A witness?" the bespectacled Shinigami echoed. He eyed her curiously. "You saw the Hollow?"
Hisana nodded meekly. Truthfully, it stung a little that she had been coldly introduced as a mere witness, but then again, what else was she hoping for, exactly?
"When did you see it?" the bespectacled Shinigami asked intently, then caught himself and hastily added, "Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Shirogane Ginjirō. You are...?"
"Shimizu Hisana," she said gently, bowing. As she straightened her back once more, she answered uneasily, "And I saw the Hollow at this very spot yesterday."
"Did you see where it went?" Shirogane pressed on.
"No. It disappeared into the trees, and I didn't dare to pursue it. I apologise."
"Well, either way we're still at a dead end," Shirogane commented grimly. "I can't sense any remains of its spiritual energy here. What shall we do, Taichō?"
Hisana was puzzled. It seemed that the Shinigami that had saved her was a Captain-level Shinigami, which meant he was probably the cream of the crop in Seireitei. Why then, would he be assigned to the Rukon District just to deal with a mere Hollow?
Reading the silent query in her expression, Shirogane grinned at her, and said, "This ain't an average Hollow, Hisana-san. We suspect that this Hollow is able to shapeshift into the form of a regular person, which is how he's avoided detection for so long."
Hisana flushed in embarrassment. She didn't like how Shirogane could decipher her thoughts so easily.
"Well, if that's the case," she said apologetically, "I don't think any of you can catch the Hollow any time soon. It could be hiding anywhere."
Shirogane sighed. "True, that," he conceded. "We'll have to wait around and see. Do you know of any inns around here that we can stay at for the time being?"
Hisana said, slowly, "Actually... You could stay at my place if you'd like."
Sensing both of their gazes on her, she babbled hastily, "But it's a pretty small hut and it's probably nothing like what you're used to! So if you'd prefer not to stay with me, I could just bring you two to an inn—"
"No, I think your place sounds great, if you don't mind us intruding, that is," Shirogane said enthusiastically. "What say you, Taichō?"
The other Shinigami glanced at Hisana for a silent moment. She met his slate grey eyes timidly, feeling her heart pound and her face redden for reasons she could not comprehend.
Finally, he murmured quietly, "Lead the way."
Hisana had never felt more self-conscious as she opened the rickety wooden door of her hut, and allowed both men to pass.
Was she being overly naïve to allow two men into her home? After all, she was a slender and frail woman with no spiritual powers of her own to defend herself should any of the men attack her. Not to mention the two males were both Shinigami, which made them even stronger than an average soul in the Rukon District. If they wanted to murder her, they could get away with it easily, and with minimum effort required.
But if that was the case, it didn't make sense for the Captain to heal her ankle when she had been unconscious. And if either of the Shinigami had wanted her dead, they could have killed her in the relatively deserted forest without anyone witnessing their actions. The same logic remained for the possibility of rape. Again, she doubted that they would want to rape her when there were plenty of whorehouses in Hanging Dog for them to satisfy their sexual needs. The prostitutes there were far more attractive than Hisana was, with their voluptuous figures and beautifully made-up faces. Why would they want to force themselves on a plain girl like herself?
Suppressing a worried sigh, Hisana tried not to let her inner turmoil reflect in her visage as she closed the battered wooden door of her hut behind her.
Her home was tiny and dilapidated, with only a crumbly, miniature table at the side of the room, where a single candle sat on its surface. The dusty stone ground was covered in straw mats.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have any pillows or blankets," Hisana said softly, lighting the candle with a match. The flame lit up the interior of the hut with an almost eerie sepia glow. "I usually just sleep on the mat."
"Goodness," Shirogane remarked sadly as he peered around him. "This is no place for a girl to stay in."
"But all the women in the Rukon District live like this, Shirogane-san," Hisana said, smiling slightly. "I am not an exception."
The Captain-level Shinigami made no comment, but stood where he was, his silver eyes roving his dismal surroundings silently. Somehow, Hisana felt he looked terribly out of place in such a gloomy and decrepit hut. There was a regality in the way he carried himself, as if he belonged to an even higher class than his companion.
"Not the whores," Shirogane scoffed. "The whores in the Rukon District enjoy a better life than the rest of the women out here."
That much was true, Hisana thought. The prostitutes, unlike the rest of the residents in the Rukon District, actually received money from their clients, which in turn allowed for a slightly more luxurious life. The whorehouses were generally less run-down than the residential huts in Hanging Dog.
"All women deserve to be treated with respect, Shirogane-san," Hisana rebuked gently, "regardless of their occupation."
This time, both Shirogane and the Captain were looking at her, the former appearing taken aback and the latter as unfathomable as ever.
Shirogane gave a smile.
"Yes," he agreed, after a few seconds of silence, "I suppose you're right."
Hisana blew out her match once she was sure the candle was lit. Changing the subject, she said ruefully, "I'm sorry, but I don't have food here. If any of you are hungry…"
"I'm not hungry, but I want sake," Shirogane declared. "I'll be going out to get a drink, if that's all right with you."
Hisana bowed. "Of course. Please take care."
"I'll be back soon, Taichō," Shirogane called. "I'll sniff around the town and see if we can get any leads."
Beaming at them, the bespectacled shinigami ambled out of the hut, closing the flimsy wooden door with an audible creak behind him.
It took Hisana a second to comprehend that she was now alone with the Captain-level Shinigami, who quietly lowered himself into a seiza position at a corner of the straw mats.
"Um," she said hesitantly, feeling awkward. "Are you hungry? I can go out and buy some bread for you if you want."
He regarded her intently, then answered in low, rich tones.
"Don't bother."
"Oh." Hisana blinked several times at his blunt rebuttal, then smiled tentatively. "Okay."
She wondered how he could look so unaffected and almost serene while sitting on one of her straw mats, his lashes casting exotic shadows across his smooth skin.
"May I know your name?" Hisana asked shyly, sitting down, too, on her straw mat. She was startled to realise that she still did not know his identity.
He gazed at her, then spoke abruptly. "How did you injure your ankle?"
Hisana stared at him in bemusement. She had not been expecting him to ask her that, of all things.
"I fell," she laughed, with a light-heartedness she did not really feel. "Again, I'd like to thank you for helping me."
The male did not speak.
"I hope," Hisana said uncertainly, "that Shirogane-san will be all right. Hanging Dog is usually much more dangerous at night."
The Captain watched her wordlessly.
His hair was longer than hers, she observed. An irrational part of her longed to dip her dainty fingers into his raven mane, and to feel the silken strands against her skin...
It was then when she registered the cold air of the night seeping through the gaps in the walls of her hut, and Hisana found herself shivering. Her frayed brown robe served as little protection against the harsh elements of the night.
"I am so sorry," she said regretfully to the Shinigami. She drew the lit candle closer towards him. "You must be cold. I'm afraid I don't have a blanket for you." Letting out a sigh, she added, "Perhaps I should have arranged for the both of you to stay in an inn, after all. I think it might be warmer there. I'm really sorry to put you through this."
"And yet," he observed evenly, "you yourself suffer every night."
"Oh, but I'm used to this," Hisana said gently.
"What makes you think, then, that a Shinigami is not used to hardship?" he inquired emotionlessly.
Hisana started. "I didn't mean to offend you," she said beseechingly. "I am not saying that you are unaccustomed to hardship. What I mean is, even if you are used to it, it would still be better to avoid suffering from the cold."
"The same can be said for yourself, then."
Hisana was momentarily speechless.
Before she could find something to say in response to his words, however, he gracefully pulled his windflower silk scarf away from the dignified column of his neck and carelessly tossed the unravelling, lengthy material towards her with deft, fluid movements.
She caught it clumsily, her body stiff with shock. The silk was soft in her hands, and wonderfully warm, probably from the remnants of the male's own body heat.
The girl had to fight back the childish urge to bury her face in the light windflower silk.
"Why—?" Hisana's lips parted and trembled in astonishment.
"I don't want it," he said matter-of-factly, and his sooty lashes fanned out against his cheekbones as he closed his eyes disinterestedly.
"But—but I am your host, so how can I possibly—"
His lashes lifted and he silenced her with a piercing, level look. She scrunched her lips together apprehensively.
And yet, Hisana could detect a warmth blossoming within her chest that had absolutely nothing to do with his scarf.
Her healer... was truly a kind-hearted person.
Mustering up her courage, Hisana shuffled over to where the Shinigami sat, and, on a completely reckless whim, gently bundled the windflower silk scarf around both of them. The scarf was long enough for her to wind it around their necks multiple times. Hisana had never been this close to a man before, and the sensation was dizzying. She could feel his warmth enveloping her slight frame, his spiritual pressure cloaking both of them comfortably.
He turned his raven head towards her slowly and she saw then that his grey eyes had widened a fraction at her ministrations, but she forced herself to ignore his visible surprise, and instead smiled at him.
She whispered, "Thank you."
:tbc:
A/N:
This fic will consist of drabbles between Byakuya and Hisana. Some of it will be set in random AUs that I created myself, and others will be set in the canonical universe of Bleach. This first chapter is my interpretation of how Hisana first met Byakuya in the Bleach universe that we all know. The following chapters will contain a steady continuation to the events of the first chapter, but they will not necessarily be published in a chronological order.
UPDATE
If you really, really wish to read this in sequence, the basic order of the chapters would very loosely be:
[7 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 2 - 6 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 12 - 13 - 16 - 17 - 4 - 11 - 14 - 15 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 30 - 31- 34 - 32 - 33 - 35 - 36 - 29 - 24 - 28]
This order will be updated as / if I continue to write new chapters.