24Don't Get Angry
~In which paranoia does not help.
The first thing she said was. "Don't get angry."
A long, long pause followed after it.
"Excuse me?" Byakuya said softly, raising an eyebrow at his younger sibling.
"Just don't get angry, please," she repeated, her facial expression schooling a blank facade.
Just then, Byakuya decided to think over what on earth could have happened. He knew that in Rukia's eyes he was the well-respectful older brother, the younger Kuchiki would rarely try to pull any sort of stunt knowing it was deliberately upset him. Let alone make him angry.
Rukia had lived with her brother to know well enough when was Byakuya's breaking point. Such a simple thing as failing a mission does not even scratch the surface, it would probably just pass up for the Silent Treatment, but nothing else.
Even when Rukia was sentenced to her death, Byakuya showed no anger of her actions. He just coolly dismissed her.
So what? What on earth has Rukia done to think it would make him angry? Did she vandalize the Kuchiki estate? No, she knew that wouldn't even steam him up. Steal the koi from the pond and sell them off to Shihoin Yoruichi? True Byakuya would be somewhat ruffled if he knew, but certainly not angry. Pull a prank on another Captain? If that was the case, she wouldn't be here. She would be on the brink of light and death with Byakuya flying over to her rescue.
Just what did she do? The last person who ever made Byakuya furious was that Substitute Shini-
Oh no.
Just occasionally would his lieutenant comment on Rukia's and Ichigo's budding little friendship. He decided to ignore the rumours that there was something more behind them, he was sure that he had Rukia be groomed to have better tastes. So he confidently denied to even consider they were true.
Until a few seconds ago.
The mental image of that despicable human with his godforsaken orange hair linking hands with his dear little sister, or heaven forbid them going any further than that...
"Nii-sama, you're getting angry," Rukia noted unhelpfully, feeling a subtle change in the man's spiritual pressure.
"No, I'm not," he said evenly, eyes glued to Rukia's quivering violet orbs.
Rukia furrowed her eyebrows. "R-Right... erm... so, could you hear me out, nii-sama?"
The usually tentative Kuchiki Byakuya had closed off all noises and was focusing very carefully on Rukia's lips, waiting for them to form the cursed name 'I-chi-go.' She got very close to the 'I' part, her teeth showing a little as she made the sound. She also quickly muttered something under her breath, very quickly that Byakuya had almost missed it.
"-about in Renji's office-"
She said 'Ren-ji.'
Of course, how could he leave out the rowdy lieutenant? Renji had been trailing after Rukia's side for decades, childhood on end. Renji could also be a possible candidate to face Senbonzakura's pink wrath of hell. His stare intensified on Rukia's jaw movement- the girl just obliviously gabbled on, dodging round her main point.
She was going on about something which happened a few hours ago.
"-I just finished my morning shift and then Hanatarou came by to..."
The next name slipped from her lips. 'Ha-na-ta-rou.'
It was almost hilarious how unaware Rukia was of the young medic's feelings. His eyes lit up whenever she was mentioned, his smiles grew increasingly nervous and awkward, his shoulders would square and his head would bow shyly. Rukia swept on past the unfortunate shinigami with nothing more than a friendly smile.
Perhaps he finally plucked up the courage to confess and now they were in a relationship?
No. Byakuya absolutely refused to hand over his title as Kuchiki Head to that.
"Nii-sama, I-I think you're getting angry again..."
He glared at her. "Continue," he commanded, pretending she didn't make her statement.
Rukia nodded unsurely and went on spluttering a chain of useless words. "Then Captain Hitsugaya had to help out in the end since it was getting a little out of hand..."
'Hit-tsu-ga-ya.' The fact Byakuya only just tuned in to what his sister was saying was not a good thing. He had no idea what on earth she was on about and how Hitsugaya was related to the mess. Is he too part of the reason why Byakuya could possible be mad?
This was getting admittedly more weird by the second, there had been quite a few wild stories concerning Hitsugaya and his sister that they would make the perfect couple due both of them weilding ice-type zanpakouto.
Never. It was not like Byakuya disliked Hitsugaya Toushiro. He just didn't need this stress and trouble to bother with.
"-but it just got worse so I resorted to go to Captain Kurosutchi..."
No fucking way he would allow a relationship between Rukia and Kurosutchi Mayuri.
"...then I went to Ichigo's house..."
So it was Ichigo.
Byakuya wasted no time. He had built up enough stress and anger to let out, his obvious target being the one who dared to even think about laying a finger on his precious younger sibling- well, they weren't related but close enough.
"Wait, nii-sama!" Rukia protested, but her calls fell on deaf ears. Byakuya had abruptly left in the middle of her talking.
She stared at the thrown-open door for quite some time before reaching inside her sleeve pulling out the once magnificent life-size version of Seaweed Ambassador. Now, it looked nothing more than a shrunken piece of green felt in her hand. However, the once large stain of chocolate milk from Rukia's breakfast with Renji and Hanatarou had disappeared from its face.
Hitsugaya politely helped when Rukia asked him but gave no results. Captain Kurosutchi waved her away telling her he had no time for that 'ugly specimen.'
"...at least Ichigo got it clean."
Seriously, Soul Society was in need of better washing powder.
Very quick one-shot between our favourite Kuchiki duo. It's been a real while since I've last tried writing fanfiction concerning Bleach XD
OOCness + Kuchiki Byakuya + Paranoia = Interesting stuff.
Red out!