Become A Ghost

Become A Ghost, Chapter Nineteen

Kissing Byakuya gave Orihime a renewed sense of purpose in distancing herself from him. It was like a watermark she'd accomplished-- achievement unlocked!-- and now she could dedicate herself to doing what she knew (felt? hoped?) was the right thing. A calmness settled over her, and she was able to enjoy her last few days in the Living World with her friends. She knew Tatsuki and Uryuu were both wondering at the change, knowing it had something to do with Byakuya but not sure how. 

Let 'em wonder, she thought with a secret smile. Those kisses were for her alone. She wasn't sharing them with anyone. 

This meant, of course, that Orihime had to move out of the Kuchiki estate at the earliest possibility. Byakuya was having a 'feast' prepared for her; she could only hope it just meant an especially lavish dinner for just them, Rukia, and Renji and that no one else was invited. She planned on finishing her packing and leaving right after the meal. Spending another of those evenings she loved, in intimate conversation while strolling through the gardens and enjoying their hobbywork, would hurt too much and remind her of what she had to give up. 

And then, after the hobbies and walk... Orihime was pretty sure that if Byakuya made another concerted effort to seduce her, she'd be helpless to resist. Between the long, smoldering glances and just being him, with his subtle humor and the unexpectedly poetic way he sometimes phrased things, everything about him was Kryptonite to her.

She bid farewell to her friends in Karakura Town and stepped through the senkaimon at Urahara's shop feeling pretty strong and good about herself, her plan, and the world in general. Just a few more hours, and it'll all be over. She forbade herself from thinking about what that meant, the finality of it. Not until she was in her own private quarters, everything between Byakuya and her had been severed, and she'd have the luxury of being miserable in solitude.

This commitment was sorely tested within not ten seconds of leaving the senkaimon in one of the many courtyards of the Kuchiki estate, because Byakuya himself was seated on one of the carved stone benches near it, reading the same slim volume of poetry she'd brought for him during their picnic. Having wondered what would have made him leave so suddenly, she'd read through it one afternoon and found the more suggestive tanka within, blushing to realize that he'd likely been affected by their explicit depictions of sex. His dedication to propriety was adorable, she decided.

No more so than the gladness on his face when he looked up from the book, fingertip marking his spot, as she stepped out onto the courtyard's lush grass. With a deep breath, she adjusted the shoulder strap of her duffel bag and soldiered ahead.

"You are earlier than expected," he told her. The tone of his voice told her it was not a complaint.

"I can go back and return in a few hours," she joked. His gaze was soft as it rested on her face, as she knew hers was on his. It's fine, she thought. It's good to be loved. It's better than the alternative. She was going to find a silver lining in everything, from now on. Yes, they couldn't be together, but love-- even thwarted love-- was better than no love at all. 

"That won't be necessary." He held out a hand; she placed hers in it and he tucked it, with great solicitude, in the crook of his elbow to escort her to the house. "On Rukia's advice, I consulted Matsumoto-fukutaichou about what dishes to serve for the feast we will have tonight," he said after a moment. The look he slanted over at her was amused. "She presented a list of many... unusual combinations. I was unsure if she were telling the truth until her captain vouched for them. So several have been prepared, along with a number of more... conventional dishes. I hope you will not be dismayed if you alone partake of those made according to Matsumoto's recommendations."

That was his exquisitely polite way of saying, "ain't no way we're eating that shit". Orihime had to laugh. "I'm used to it," she said. "Besides, that just means there's more for me!"