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How long has it been?
A thousand?
Two?
How long has it been since he's been alone?
"Elder! Elder!"
The sounds of children's voices pulled him from his wandering thoughts and drew his attention down to his side, where two children stood, with wide eyes and even wider smiles.
"Yes?" He answered, his voice old with age as was his body, it ached in places and scars itched.
"Will you join us for tea?!" One asked with bright blue eyes before hissing when they were smacked.
"That's not how you ask, stupid" The other glared with amber eyes and a cut lip, they turned back and cleared their throat "We would wish to request your presence for tea, Elder"
He blinked as he watched the first one smack back and started complaining, "What are you? Ancient? Who even talks like that anymore?"
"It's proper! My mama said that when you talk with Elders, you must remain proper and respectful"
"Your mama's dumb"
"She's not! She follows what Grandmother says! As should you!"
He supposed this was his fault. He changed a lot after the war, relaxed their ways and customs as to not stress the growing generation that followed. A soft smile pulled at his old lips before he reached out and placed a hand on each of their heads.
"I would be honored, shall we sit outside today?"
Both children froze when a hand was placed on their heads, turning their attention to him, they both smiled widely before giving an overly dramatic nod.
"Yes please!" They spoke at once before glancing at each other and giggling.
"Wonderful. Get the table set and I will join you shortly" He waved them off and watched as they ran away, once alone the smile dropped as the scar on his back began to throb, as it always did at this time.
"Were they bothering you again, Father?"
Turning to see the new voice it brought another soft smile to his face, his own daughter dressed in Taichou robes was walking up, sword at her side and scarf wrapped snug around her throat.
"Shizukesa, what brings you to the Kuchiki Manor?"
Shizukesa rolled her eyes before smirking at him, "Can’t I see my own father without being questioned?"
"Of course not." Came the simple answer, "It's wonderful to see you"
The smirk dropped from her face, "How are you doing?"
"I am as well as an Elder can be, I suppose"
"It's today, isn't it? Your anniversary"
"Is it now?" A brief pause as he turned his attention out the window he was standing in front of, "Hm, I suppose it is."
"Do you miss him?"
"Every day"
Shizukesa stepped forward and hugged her father tightly. She knew it was hard for him to be here with her dad, she stepped back and smiled gently. "You didn't answer my question. Were the children bothering you?"
"Of course not. I enjoy their presence" He stated as he slowly stood up, his face twisted at the pain before it settled into his normal blank expression, "Would you like to join us for tea?"
"I would be honored" Shizukesa smiled and linked her arm with her father to assist him outside, just in case he needed it. Once they stepped outside, the twins children ran back up with even brighter smiles.
"Elder! Elder! The pretty-" They bounced on their toes before blinking at the extra person "Oh Grandmother, hello" the two bowed.
Shizukesa laughed and waved them off, "The pretty what?" she questioned, which happened to snap them back to the matter on hand and the blue-eyed child smiled widely while pointing.
"The pretty man said he'll join us for tea!” One spoke quickly while the other shook their head up and down.
"Yeah! He said we can brush his hair too” Before the two turned and took off down the path to where the table was set.
"The pretty man?" Shizukesa echoed as they headed down the same path, he froze when he came over the small hill and saw who was sitting at the table.
Lose long orange hair draped around slim shoulders, a person pressed in white with golden brown eyes and a smile that held secrets.
"Hello Byakuya. It's been awhile"
"Ichigo"
The children looked between the adults as Byakuya sat heavily in the chair across from pretty man, his golden eyes following the elder as he moved “You look well, for an Elder”
“Do not mock me, Shiba” Byakuya bit out as he sat with his back straight and poster perfect “Some of us age”
“Hm” Ichigo hummed before turning his gaze to Shizukesa “Congratulations on becoming a Taichou, it's not an easy task”
“Thank you, Ichigo-Sama. But uh-” Shizukesa hesitated as she glanced at her father, who was reaching for the children and gently guiding them to serve the tea. “-b-by no offense, what are you doing here?”
Byakuya sighed as he picked up the tea, his eyes on the liquid and took a sip, “He's here for me, are you not?” Byakuya glanced up at him, the smile wider and gentle, but it still sent a shiver down his spine.
“For you?” Shizukesa questioned before looking between them, “What do you mean father?” Her attention was pulled back to Ichigo as he thanked the children for the tea that was placed in front of him as he pulled out a tube filled with dark red, almost black liquid.
“You lived a long life, Byakuya. When you're ready” he stated as he reached over the table and sat it down in front of Byakuya’s plate, “I’ll be waiting”
“Waiting for what?!” Shizukesa snapped as she looked between them, she hated that they still had their stupid form of communication; even with her dad gone they still had it. “What are you not telling me”
“Children” Ichigo’s light voice brought the attention back to him, “It seems I misplaced my hairbrush, may I borrow yours?”
“Of course!” the two spoke at the same time before running off giggling, once they were out of sight, Ichigo turned his attention to the soul he helped create.
“Where do you think souls go when they reach their end?” he questioned as his golden eyes held her down, he could see her body tensing and her hand move to her hilt “They become reiatsu and for those who I’ve claim…they return to me and become mine” Ichigo stated as he lifted his hand up and touched his fingers to his chest, his eyes burning bright. “Your father’s physical body might vanish at that time, but he will continue to live in me; as does Renji”
“D-dad?”
“Shiba” Byakuya snapped as he sat his cup down harshly, he glared as Ichigo just gave him that damn smirk he hated, ugh it made his skin crawl.
“I see I’ve overstayed my welcome. Fair enough” Ichigo stood up, his tea untouched as he stepped away “Whenever you’re ready, I await” Ichigo stated before he gave another smirk over his shoulder and was gone in the next blink.
Byakuya sank back against his chair, all his energy suddenly gone. Rubbing his face, he glanced at the tube standing on the table, before he sighed deeply “Fucking Shiba”
It’s been weeks since Ichigo showed his face in the Kuchiki Manor and yet Byakuya couldn’t get his words out of his head, they pledged him and caused his sleepless nights to double and even triple on some awful days.
I await
return to me and become mine
You lived a long life, Byakuya
Why couldn’t he get them out? Why was he finding himself latching onto the words? Glancing down at the tube in his hand, he rocked it back and forth and watched as the liquid splashed inside the vile. He knew it was his blood, did he honestly expect him to just drink it?
When you're ready
as does Renji
Renji
Now that he thought about it, when Renji was found under the tree….he had blood at the corner of his mouth, he just assumed it was old age that got his husband, but perhaps it was Ichigo. The orange headed King did always have troubles leaving things alone, even more so when he liked something; before Byakuya could really think about it, he already had the lid off and was tilting his head back.
He wanted to be with his husband.
Even if that meant that he finally gave into Ichigo and became his.
Byakuya shivered at the silky feeling of the too-cold liquid running down his throat before he leaned back in his chair, making himself comfortable but not before wiping his face; he couldn’t let Shizukesa seeing him in such a state. He smiled to himself as he thought back to how he pulled her into a hug and held on tightly the last time she left.
It seemed his body had already known his choice and he was finally acknowledging it; he slowly opened his eyes when he heard shifting around him and found Ichigo standing in front of him.
“Took you long enough” Ichigo rose a hand and offered a gentle smile. Ichigo stepped forward and leaned down to his level, he reached out and cupped his withered cheek, Byakuya inhaled at how….warm his hand was, and the gentle smell of warmth that rolled off him.
“You can sleep now. It’s okay”
The first thing Byakuya noticed as he started coming too was that he was laying in a bed, opening his eyes he looked around confused, he was sure he was consumed. Slowly Byakuya got up, mindful of his old bones, but as he stood up he noticed he had no pain.
No pain, no itching, no soreness.
More confused than ever, he continued out of the room, already checking he was dressed, and down the hall; he felt his eyebrows draw together as he knew the halls of Las Noches. What was happening?! Finding the door at the end of the hallway, he opened it without a second thought and blinked as he found Ichigo standing on a balcony waiting for him.
“Renji wasn’t joking. You do like to sleep in”
“You better have a good explanation-” Byakuya’s words drifted off when he heard his younger voice, he stared at Ichigo a loss for words, he numbly watched as Ichigo reached out and took his hand; Byakuya was shocked once more at how warm his hand was, it was like he was living again.
Ichigo didn’t say anything as he gently pulled him forward, once Byakuya’s eyes adjusted to the lighting he was taken aback by what he saw; the sky was still the same bright blue as all those years ago and the sands vast but down below there were scattered houses and other buildings….no….it would be more appropriate to call it a village.
There was a village inside Las Noches.
“Welcome home”
“How?”
“How?” Ichigo asked with a laugh, his smile wide and relaxed, a vast difference from the last time he was here, “It’s my kingdom. I can change things as I please” Ichigo turned to him and reached up before he tucked a strain of black hair behind Byakuya’s ear, “This is your afterlife. I made this for everyone I care for” Ichigo stated as he got a sadden look on his face “I’ll outlive everyone, and you know I don’t like to let things go”
Byakuya blinked in shock as Ichigo spoke, when the King looked up it hit him that Ichigo was no longer the teenager that defied him when they first met; no, Ichigo was now a King whose lived for over a thousand years. He’s outlived his father and his siblings, and what of his children? He was sure that Ichigo had probably outlived them as well.
Ichigo’s eyes shifted over after they turned back to him, and he smiled widely. “Come. Everyone’s waiting for you” Ichigo stepped back and while still holding Byakuya’s hand pulled him back through the door and down the hallway, Byakuya could only follow in confusion as they turned down a different hallway he hadn’t noticed before.
Byakuya didn’t speak as he followed after the King, there were so many questions going through his head. Mainly, he didn’t understand why Ichigo’s hand was so damn warm when he was always so cold; they were halfway down the set of stairs when he voiced his question. Ichigo smiled over his shoulder.
“You drank my blood” Ichigo stated once they reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked him in the eye “You've become part of me.....a hollow. You won’t age, and you won’t die” Ichigo glanced away as he placed his hand on the door, “It’s a curse. One that you accepted when you opened the lid, but you’re not alone”
Ichigo opened the door and guided Byakuya outside, once his vision returned from the sudden light he could only stare at other souls and Shinigami’s that were waiting for him and in front of them all was Renji. Byakuya didn’t even register that he moved before he was running across the sand and had taken Renji in his arms and held him close, Renji was holding onto him just as tight as everyone cheered around them.
He would kick Ichigo’s ass later for trick him into becoming a hollow.
But for now….
He was home.
He was home.