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A Shadow of What Was	By : katami Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 49594 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Author's Notes: Chapters are coming a little slower as other obligations demand more of my time (I am currently proofing a med school application for my brother, reading a novel for a friend, trying to write a story for YaoiCon, and trying to do a story I promised another friend). *shakes head*

Acmarache, Byakuya is the least of Rukia's worries. *grin* Fear the Quincy for they are all moody bastards.

Erin, Ichigo hasn't forgiven Ulquiorra, but he is smart enough to realize that channeling his anger towards a more realistic target (Aizen) will be better for him in the long run. And yes, one of your shots struck gold - Ichigo and Kisuke will be sparring. No comment on the winner though.

Irana, can you really see Byakuya happily discussing his relationship with anyone? I count his and Ichigo's talk as going well simply because no blood was spilled.

Zorathenne, thank you. And being a rabid fangirl myself, I know all too well about the refresh button.

* * *

"Kuchiki fukutaichou?" cried Tatsuki, hardly recognizing the fukutaichou of the Fifth. She was in her gigai and dressed in sleek black shift dress. She looked stylish and sophisticated, the dress accenting her delicate frame and bringing out the pallor of her skin. Coupled with her dark hair it made the hints of blue in her eyes all the more striking.

"Arisawa-san," murmured Rukia, giving the other woman a nod. Tatsuki had been one of the casualties of the war. She had become a Shinigami on crossing over and had just completed her training, being assigned to the Tenth. The younger woman hadn't been seated yet, but Rukia expected her to make fourth or fifth seat by the time she was done. She would never have a captain's power, but she was smart and determined.

"Kuchiki-san," murmured a deep, smooth voice that made Rukia turn and drew a faint smile to her lips. Ishida Ryuuken was dressed in dark slacks and a dark blue shirt that brought out the color of his eyes. The moonlight glimmered in his hair, turning it almost silver, and a cigarette was in his hand. The Quincy looked confident, successful, and handsome and Rukia could read the amusement in the faint twist of his lips.

"Ishida-san," she purred, taking his arm as he offered it, enjoying the shocked look on Arisawa-san's face. Most of the base probably knew about Ishida's visit to her office, although not the outcome of that visit. The Quincy and Kurosaki had been found wandering the base four days before. Kurosaki had been shown to his son's office, but Ishida had demanded to speak to her and apparently the junior Shinigami had certain conditioned responses to orders from Quincy - they obeyed them.

"You look quite enchanting, Kuchiki-san," murmured the Quincy, his eyes full of mirth and Rukia couldn't help the smirk that pulled at her lips. She had never been challenged to a date before, but that was exactly what the elder Quincy had done four days ago. It was delightfully novel and yet, something so much like what Uryuu would do that she couldn't help but be amused.

"Thank you, Ishida-san. Shall we go?" she asked, unable to keep the twinkle from her eyes.

They walked off, both delighting in the puzzlement they could feel radiating off Arisawa. "I think we surprised your underling," murmured Ryuuken.

"I believe you're right. This might almost be worth it for the shock value alone," she mused, earning a speculative look from the Quincy that made her think she had just gone up a notch in his estimation. They walked in silence and Rukia found herself studying the Quincy. He was proud and dignified, subtle in his moods with a wickedly cutting wit that she was just beginning to grasp. There was so much of Uryuu in him, or perhaps it was more accurate to say she recognized a great deal of Ryuuken in his son.

"You share a great many traits with him, you know?" she murmured, smiling softly as Ryuuken turned to stare at her.

"Who?" he asked, seemingly baffled, the moonlight glimmering off his glasses. Surprise made him look years younger and reminded her of how he had looked when he slept. Underneath all the vitriol Ishida Ryuuken was a very handsome man, she realized.

"Uryuu. You two share a great many mannerisms."

"A fact that is hardly surprising considering we were raised by the same man. Tell me, Kuchiki...,"

"Rukia. My name is Rukia," she murmured, suddenly the formality between them seemed odd. She had watched this man sleep and spoken with him of things she had never told another soul.

"Ryuuken," he offered stiffly, clearly a little embarrassed. It brought to mind the teenager he must have been once, young and hesitant with the opposite sex.

"Where did a Shinigami vice captain learn to drink? According to Isshin the Eleventh is the only division requiring officers to be able to meet a drink quota," he murmured.

"How does a Quincy who professes to hate Shinigami end up knowing so much about them and associating so often with one?" she countered.

A pale brow rose in contemplative amusement. "Your question for mine?" he offered, giving her a bland smirk.

Rukia couldn't help the soft snort of laughter that escaped. There was something endlessly fascinating about the Quincy, Uryuu had a touch of it, but Ryuuken seemed to have gotten the full measure. "Renji and I drink together sometimes. He trained with the Eleventh so I learned to keep up with him."

Ryuuken sighed. "The more I learn of that man, the more I wonder what my son was thinking. As to your question, Isshin and I are old friends, we attended medical school together and often fought together in our youth - or my youth, I suppose, since my grandfather was not even a infant in Isshin's youth. I stood at his wedding though and even delivered his son. Between him and Kisuke, I was once very well informed about the workings of Soul Society."

"You delivered Ichigo?" demanded Rukia, stopping dead in her tracks and staring up at the Quincy.

Ryuuken smirked, a snort of laughter coming from him. "Yes. Masaki's water broke while we were shopping together and, unlike most first born, Ichigo was in no mood to wait. It was almost worth appearing in a news clip to see Isshin's face the first time he held his son. I don't think I've ever seen him so panicked." The mischievous twinkle in his eyes made Rukia smile, and there was a happiness around the older Quincy that she suspected was rarely seen.

"There's a news clip?" she asked.

"I can try to dig it up for you after dinner...,"

"Maybe with a little Glenn Livet?" purred Rukia, drawing a small chuckle from the Quincy. "You should smile more," she told him softly, one hand reaching up to ghost against his cheek before she remembered herself and jerked it back, a blush rising on her cheeks. Ryuuken was staring at her like she was something new and potentially dangerous.

"I've had very little reason to smile in recent years," murmured Ryuuken, turning and moving again. Rukia caught up to him quickly, sensing the carefully controlled hurt in him. Her hand brushed his and she seized his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she laced their fingers together.

Ryuuken stared down at their joined hands, then at her face before the corners of his lips quirked up for a moment. "You are a most remarkable young woman, Kuchiki Rukia."

"And you are, without a doubt, the single most difficult man I have ever meet, Ishida Ryuuken," she countered, earning a smile and another soft laugh from the Quincy.

Ryuuken lead her to a tiny little Italian restaurant at the edge of town, that she had never even heard of. It was tucked away and looked quaint, but hardly the sort of place one took a date, especially a first date - even if it really wasn't a date, but a drinking challenge with food. "I know it doesn't look like much, but the food is exquisite," murmured Ryuuken, opening the door and ushering her inside. Rukia sniffed cautiously at the air and was delighted with the scents that wafted back to her - tomatoes, basil, and garlic.

"How in the world did you ever find this place?" she asked as they were seated by a cute, freckle-faced girl of about sixteen.

"Yoruichi found it on one of her wanderings. She mentioned it to Kisuke, who told Isshin and me about it. The great-grandmother immigrated here after the war and started the restaurant. It's the only place to get authentic Italian food outside of Tokyo," murmured Ryuuken, perusing the menu with the air of a man who had done so a thousand times before.

"Yoruichi-san? How in the world...?"

"I believe it was an attempt to avoid poker night. Let us just say that strip poker and that feline are a very bad combination. Although watching Isshin try to kill her for taking his boxers was quite amusing."

Rukia nearly fell from her chair laughing and Ryuuken was chuckling at the memory. "I can see I need to invite you to the Third's poker night. It's not as wild as the Eleventh's, but Nii-sama won't let me got to that after Renji walked me home in nothing more than a bandana."

"Your brother is clearly a very wise man," he murmured, earning a giggle. "Am I to take it you immerged unscathed?"

Rukia gave him an innocent wide-eyed smile that made Ryuuken snort. "I did lose my shoes and a sock," she admitted with a grin. "What would you recommend?" she asked as a waiter came to take their order, an older boy who spent most of his time watching the girl who had seated them.

"Everything is good. Isshin is fond of the lasagna and I enjoy the octopus. Kisuke liked the eggplant and Yoruichi swears by their cream sauces. I'll have the Parmigiana di Paste e Melanzane Grigliate and whatever wine Marcel insists we have to try," purred Ryuuken and Rukia nodded that she would have the same.

They sat in the little restaurant talking until closing, drinking wine and trading stories. It had been fun, realized Rukia as she and Ryuuken stepped into the cool night air. She shivered faintly at the first bite of the cold and Ryuuken wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. He was warm and solid around her and she couldn't help but lean a little closer.

"This was most enjoyable," she said quietly.

"It was," agreed Ryuuken. "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed an evening so thoroughly. I'd actually like to do this again if you'd find it agreeable." She could hear the subtle question in the statement and paused to stare up at the Quincy. Her fingers caressed his cheek and Ryuuken smiled faintly at her.

"I'd like that," she whispered. Blue eyes held hers as warm lips brushed the corner of her mouth in the faintest of kisses.
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A Shadow of What Was