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A Martial God, A Destructive God, A Misfortune God.
And now…. The definite laughingstock of the Three Realms. Long forgotten after descending 800 years ago. Somehow, fate was enjoying toying with him and now, he has ascended again.
"Why the fuck did he ascend again?!"
He would like to know as well!
Kurosaki Ichigo glared at the crowd who were waiting at the doors of the Heavenly Realm, wanting to take a glimpse of the one who caused such a ruckus around them. The Heavens shook quite literally when he ascended, and destroyed so many buildings in the process.
The crowd immediately looked displeased when they realized that the person who ascended was him, the former prince of the Kingdom of Seireitei. He completely understood, though. He ascended for the third time. They were sure that he'd be gone for good. It was baffling, unheard of. Who the hell expected that?
He's definitely the first one to achieve that.
Ichigo didn't want this either, if he's being honest. He was simply and peacefully sipping his bland cup of tea on a bench in the middle of a poor village and one moment led to another, he had already stepped foot in the Heavenly Realm. He didn't want this at all. Wandering for 800 years does things, after all. It changes someone. For better or worse was up to the person in question.
Clad in simple white robes that looked cheap and very worn, Ichigo stepped forward towards the crowd of other Heavenly Officials. They backed away with their faces contorted to surprise, disgust, confusion. It wasn't surprising to see such reactions but it still irked the newly ascended god.
He tousled his already messy orange hair and glared at them, "What?"
They all looked at each other before slowly backing away and leaving the small crowd. Hah, the Upper Court was as annoying as usual. Ichigo huffed and continued to walk with fake confidence, the group of people were naturally parting for him so he could walk past them.
Ichigo wished that he could wipe those nobles' faces on the floor.
He started walking towards a long, elegant bridge. The Heavenly Realm was the same as it was hundreds of years ago. Perhaps there were a few new palaces built here and there but he couldn't spare some care for those small details. What matters was that he wanted to find a way to leave this damned place already.
Heaven, a paradise? Truly a joke!
He stopped at the middle of the bridge when a woman approached him with an elegant and strict aura as she walked. She held herself with pride, the kind that was actually justifiable once he realized who she was. Her hair was simple and clean, held by a long braid right in front of her. She had a small smile on her face as she held a scroll in her hand.
"Your Highness," she greeted once they stood face to face. "Welcome back."
Ichigo visibly winced at the title, "I'm not a prince anymore, Unohana-san."
Unohana Retsu, number one Civil Goddess and who helps everyone in terms of missions and information. Any questions can be run through her and you'll most likely get an information or two.
"You're still a god that deserves respect," she replied lightly with a smile. Her voice was laced with sincerity that Ichigo almost felt touched by it.
So there were actually a few people who still respected him in some way.
"Right," he ended up replying awkwardly. He didn't know how to respond to that without degrading himself even further.
Unohana gestured towards the end of the bridge, "Follow me, Your Highness." She turned around and her fine green robes swished in the air as she started walking.
Ichigo silently followed as she talked, "Your Highness, I know that you have just arrived but your ascension made… quite the ruckus."
"What did I do this time?"
She pointed to her right, showing the debris of what's left of a building, "Due to the strong tremors, the palace of the God of the Southwest fell." She then pointed to her left, showing another poor state of a building, "As well as the Southeast."
Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows. He literally just arrived a few moments ago and suddenly, he's drowning in debt! What kind of shit luck does he have?! Then, he felt something constricting on his ankle. Right. He forgot that he asked for his fortune to be sealed when he descended for the second time.
With a defeated sigh, the god asked, "How much do I owe?"
When he heard the amount of merits, which was something that could be gained from worshippers, he just wanted to jump off of Heaven and let himself be descended for the fucking third time.
"It would probably take me a millenia to completely pay that," Ichigo grumbled in total defeat.
Unohana stopped at the end of the bridge which made the other stop as well. She looked at him with a gentle smile, "I'm sure you can do it, Your Highness. You basically did the impossible right now."
Ascending three times. What a record. If he ever descends one more time, would he be able to ascend a fourth time? Probably not.
"Right," he muttered and averted his gaze to his right. Even at the end of the bridge, he could clearly see the brokedown palace, and he silently winced at the sight. He most likely owes an apology to whoever the gods were.
"Well," Ichigo looked at Unohana with a raised brow, shifting the topic. "Does the old man want to see me right now?"
Unohana shook her head, "Yamamoto-sama is busy with some business in the north right now. He said he'll welcome you once he gets back."
Ichigo's eyebrows twitched. It was like the Heavenly Emperor, Yamamoto Genryuusai, didn't plan to release his cursed shackles just yet. He could feel those things burning his skin that were hidden in bandages around his neck and left ankle, as if to remind him of his sins.
Without a shred of spiritual powers and fortune, he still felt like a very unfortunate man with a flimsy title of a god stuck on his face like glue. It was slightly unnerving but alas, he'd rather avoid talking to the old man as much as he can until he can't hide from him forever.
He rubbed his temples and sighed, "I think I'll return down to the Human Realm."
Unohana looked shocked, "Why, Your Highness? The Emperor has built a palace that was similar to your place in the past."
That's what Ichigo has feared, to be living in an empty palace that was a replica of the dark times he experienced before. As much as a place would give you comfort and will not give you back pains, he'd rather not stay there.
He didn't want to tell Unohana about that, though.
"And hear the people's ridicules?" Ichigo scoffed. He doesn't really care what others think of him now but it's still irritating to hear from time to time. "I'm sure the other officials would rather see me down there than join them here."
Unohana frowned, disagreeing, "Your… previous attendants that you brought to the Middle Court have ascended to the Upper Court, Your Highness. I believe they'll be happy to see you."
The prince froze at this. So, they have ascended while he was out wandering alone in the Human Realm for 800 years. He's not upset; rather, he was quite proud of them. They worked hard and definitely earned their positions now but the way they parted all those years ago does not warrant any friendship now. Not when he couldn't look them in the eye.
"I doubt that," Ichigo muttered but shook his head. "Regardless, I'm going down to the Human Realm. I won't stay here."
Unohana gave him a look. As if demanding what on earth could be a sufficient reason for him to extend his suffering by sleeping at random places. It's not like he's happy here since he'd rather busk and collect items in the Human Realm than sticking around and faking smiles with the other officials. That's more tiring than anything.
"I have to build a shrine for myself," Ichigo shrugged, uncaring. "I can't pay the Gods of the Southeast and Southwest if I don't start collecting right now."
If she were a lesser woman, Unohana might've looked fully mortified at the idea that a god would build their own shrine. It was unheard of. Usually, the believers would do that for the god but…
"Unohana-san, I don't have any followers," he reminded her as if he read her mind. "And I'm sure no one remembers me. I have to do something myself, yeah?"
A few beats too long, Unohana finally nodded, "Of course, Your Highness. I take it you remember the password to the public communication array in case you need help? Mine is also open for you."
"Yes," Ichigo replied. "Thank you, Unohana-san." He turned around to exit the Heavens once again but stopped when he heard the woman calling out to him again.
"Your Highness," she said. "Since you'll be staying in the Human Realm, I need to warn you about the Four Calamities."
"Four Calamites?" Ichigo frowned. He does travel around but has never kept up with anything related to the heavens.
Unohana nodded, "They are the four strongest ghosts in the whole realm namely Shinso, Kyoka Suigetsu, Benihime, and the strongest of them all, Senbonzakura."
The prince's hand twitched at the mention of Kyoka Suigetsu as the memories of a burning kingdom flashed in his mind. He could feel his jaw clenched tightly, anger, sadness, fear, and hatred seeping in his old bones yet again.
"They are all Supreme, the highest level kind of ghosts," she explained further. "We don't know their origins when they were human nor do we know their real names. The best we know is that they must be avoided at all costs."
She sighed as she noticed how tense he was, "I know you're well acquainted with Kyoka Suigetsu, Your Highness. But I assure you, Yamamoto-sama killed him all those years ago."
Ichigo stiffly nodded.
He then asked, "How is Senbonzakura the strongest of them all?" He didn't think there was such a thing such as hierarchy in the Ghost Realm.
This time, Unohana was the one who looked tense. She cleared her throat as she briefly eyed their surroundings to see if there were others, "Be mindful when you mention him, Your Highness. He… He has defeated 30 heavenly officials all at once in the past. Even now, the heavens are still weary at the mention of him."
Huh. A ghost defeating so many heavenly officials wasn't an easy feat. It was almost impossible but there were too many surprises today, he supposed. To make the heavens fear him was an achievement.
"Then… are there any signs to know if it's him?"
Ichigo huffed as he threw the sack filled with what other people think as junk over his shoulder, feeling very accomplished. He managed to gather some things that might be proven useful for the shrine that was given to him by the villagers.
A few days after his ascension, he wandered around to see if there were any villages that he could start with. Building a small shrine was a good enough start. Baby steps, he reminded himself. He was surprisingly lucky that he found one the moment he landed from the heavens.
It was a small village named Karakura. It was a farming village with a small number of huts erected up here and there. Everyone knows everyone and they welcomed him warmly as he took an abandoned hut by the hill that was not too far from the main area of the village, and decided to make a shrine out of it. It was near their farming lands, and he took it upon himself to help every now and then.
Right now, though, he was at a neighboring village. It was larger than Karakura but it was homey as well. Oddly enough, he preferred Karakura. He managed to ask for some scraps that the villagers didn't need, and despite his scowling face, he still managed to receive some items with a light pat on his shoulder.
He managed to collect items that filled two sacks. One over his shoulder, and the other was just simply held in his hand. It wasn't that heavy but the bulkiness of the sacks made him look like he was having difficulty in carrying it.
As he walked towards the exit of the village to return to Karakura on foot, an innocent sakura petal flew past by his face, fluttering in the wind gently. One becomes two, and it continues with a small amount of petals floating by. Some even tickled his cheek as it passed by.
Ichigo was mesmerized by the sight. The petals had a pretty pink color to it as if it was in its full bloom. It was a beautiful sight with the colors of the afternoon sky right behind it. He quickly darted his eyes around and there were no trees in sight. It wasn't even the right season yet.
Unohana's words rang in his mind as he watched the gentle sway of the petals.
"The appearance of Senbonzakura is always accompanied by sakura petals. For the innocent, it is a beautiful sight. However, for the enemies, it sharpens like a blade and is very unforgiving. Do be careful, Your Highness."
He tried to look around again and saw no one suspicious. He doesn't even feel any malicious energy coming near him and he simply watches the people of the village marvel at the rare sight of sakura petals around them.
He wanted to grab one of the petals in his large, calloused hand. He had to admit that it was very pretty and it obviously captivated him but alas, he might drop his scraps if he moved without care. It was as if someone was sensing his small distress, someone took the sack in his hand away from him.
Thinking that it was someone trying to steal his sack, he glared in hopes that was enough to scare the 'thief'. What he didn't expect was to be face to face with a youthful teenager the moment he looked. Only a few inches taller than him, Ichigo slightly tilted his head to meet him in the eye.
The young man had a fresh, handsome face. Pale white skin, slate gray eyes and lips tugged slightly upwards. Ichigo doesn't know him yet but he felt that the expression was a bit different or what he simply assumed was different. Inky black hair was tied to a high ponytail and the god noticed that his clothes were fine, especially compared to his own.
What bothered him the most was those eyes. They weren't kind per se, but it held an emotion that he couldn't quite place. It almost looked like relief, admiration, and something else but he brushed the thought away. It had a certain chilling glint to it.
He might've kept his scowl since the youth shrugged, "You looked like you needed help." His voice was smooth, light.
Ichigo's eyebrows twitched. Despite hating the title, he was still a god. His body was immortal and he was stronger than any average human. He tried to keep a blank face as he talked.
"I'm fine," he replied. "I can handle myself." He outstretched his now free hand, quietly telling the youth to return the sack to him.
The youth paid the hand no mind as he threw the sack over his shoulder, "I'll help you carry it."
"You'll accompany me to the next village over? On foot?" Ichigo asked with a raised brow. The clothes the young man wore showed that he must belong to a rich family. Certainly he doesn't like the idea of walking all the way, right?
Also, he doesn't want to entertain anyone at the moment. He wanted to be alone, like he was for 800 years.
The young man looked out the road. The weather wasn't hot and the sun was being forgiving. The road didn't look too bad to walk on. A bit rocky, sure, but it won't hurt unless you trip (Ichigo is damn sure he will at some point).
He looked back at the orange head and nodded, "Why not? I don't mind."
Sighing, Ichigo rubbed at his temple. He could feel a headache incoming. He muttered to himself, "I don't think I have the energy to take care of brats."
"Brat?" A fine brow was raised, amused. "You act like you're way older than me." Those eyes looked at him from head to toe, "You look like you barely hit 20."
Ichigo let out an amused huff, thinking to himself, 'Well fucking hell, I'm over 800 years old.'
He ended up shaking his head, "Complimenting me won't work, kid. Hand me the sack."
The young man gripped on the poor thing a bit tighter, "It's really no bother."
Seeing that the young man won't budge, Ichigo sighed audibly. He might have a chance to part ways with him when they arrive at Karakura, so he ended up nodding his head begrudgingly.
"Fine. You can join."
The young man grinned, it's more like the lips twitched upwards in a victorious way, "Great."
"But first," Ichigo said, fully facing him. "You need to tell me your name."
"My name?"
"Yeah. We'll be walking for more than an hour. I think I want to know the name of my companion, no?"
The young man faced him with a blank look before replying, "Byakuya."
Hm. Seemed real enough. Ichigo extended his now free hand towards the other, "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. You can call me Ichigo."
Byakuya took his hand and the god noticed that it looked human enough. Slightly calloused but still smooth which was surprising for a noble, "Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-san."
Ichigo's eyebrows twitched.
The young man let go and motioned towards the road, "Lead the way."
And so, they walked.
The air between them was awkward at best and suspicious at worst, to the god anyways. Ichigo was both focused on the road and at his companion walking beside him. He sensed no hostility when the young man approached him, although his appearance was sudden. With a face like that, he wouldn't miss it but things can happen.
He pondered deep in his mind. The hand looked human enough, he felt human enough. It was a bit weird that a young noble would be comfortable in a strained situation like right now but maybe he was one of those adventurous types; which was rare in its own right.
What he didn't expect for himself was that he really didn't mind the company. Perhaps, in the deep crevices of his mind, he wanted this. Craved for this. Starved from the centuries worth of isolation. He didn't count his interactions with villagers because it was only between a person and a person who wanted their trash. Brief, sudden. Unimportant. Forgettable.
He knew he should be wary of the young man but self preservation was long gone and he couldn't care less. He could put up a fight if the other really wanted to hurt him but even as they walked further and further away from the village, he was still unharmed.
He decided to let it be.
If he did want to hurt him… Well, he won't mind putting up a fight here and there.
Ichigo's amber eyes still darted between the road and his companion. He had to admit that the youth was very handsome, almost ethereal. He might've looked like a worn out joke compared to him.
He wasn't usually attracted to anyone, not like he was attracted now. He could appreciate beauty when he sees one and the young man, Byakuya, was no exception. He was taught to learn how to avoid sexual advances by women, the worldly pleasures like alcohol and sex because he thought that it was fucking smart to harness his spiritual powers from abstinence.
Ichigo thought that wouldn't be a problem since he didn't want anyone at the moment. Even living for centuries didn't make him sway just a little bit. But this… this young man beside him. He felt dangerous in a different way.
His teacher didn't teach him how to avoid attractive men!
The god wanted to slap himself. Byakuya wasn't even close and he didn't even touch him. Sure, as they were walking, the distance between them was a bit small but still held an air of respect. It was safe but Ichigo suddenly wondered if his poor, old mind and heart finally got tired of being alone.
Due to his incredible luck- or lack thereof, he felt himself trip over a rock. It wasn't even that big. But it was him, so of course he'd trip. It must be the karma after staring at Byakuya for so long as his mind wandered.
He closed his eyes shut, preparing to kiss the floor with pain. He would get a scrape or two but he had experienced worse in the past, so what's a little scratch? He waited for the pain to come to him but it didn't. What he felt was a warm hand gripping on his elbow tightly. It didn't hurt despite its strength.
"Are you alright?"
Ichigo opened his eyes and turned, locking gazes with a worried Byakuya. The young man's face was neutral but the eyes told a different story. If he squinted hard enough, he could see Byakuya's brow creased ever so slightly.
Byakuya steadied him and Ichigo managed to look away before clearing his throat awkwardly.
"I'm fine," he muttered and looked at him briefly. "Thank you."
"No problem," the youth replied. "Just be careful next time, Kurosaki-san."
Ichigo found his eyebrow twitching again. Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to being called by his surname or with their voices laced with pure, unyielding respect.
They started walking again and this time, Ichigo striked up a conversation.
"So," he started, "What brought you to the village?" He looked at the young man again and saw him looking up, thinking.
"I got kicked out of my home," He looked back at the other. "So, I ran far away from them."
Ichigo blinked. Well, the young man certainly didn't look like he ran away from home and went days without shelter or food. But again, he shrugged it off.
"So, you have nowhere to go?"
A nod, "Nowhere."
Ichigo pursed his lips, "Why are you willing to help a stranger like me?"
"You look nice enough," Byakuya replied with a shrug.
What a childish way to think.
"Didn't your parents teach you not to go with strangers?"
"They don't teach me at all," the other responded nonchalantly. "Besides, Kurosaki-san. Aren't you doing that same thing as well?"
...Touche.
Ichigo shook his head, "Well, I'm an adult. I can handle myself."
Byakuya gave a noncommittal hum, deciding to change topics, "What are these scraps for?"
"To sell, actually," the god said, letting it be. "There are also some things that I could also use to renovate the shrine."
"A shrine?" Byakuya tilted his head slightly, "Who's the god?"
Ichigo stared at him for like a few good seconds, not knowing what to say. Does a young man like Byakuya know who he was? Surely not. Even if there were scrolls that retold his story, he doubted that it would be etched in anyone's mind.
He ended up waving his hand dismissively, "Eh, I'm sure you don't know who the god is. You're too young to know."
"I take that as a challenge," Byakuya responded. He really looked determined.
Ichigo's eyebrow raised, "I'm entirely sure you don't know who the Prince of Seireitei is." Or was.
"Sure I do," Byakuya said as he adjusted the sack on his shoulder. "I believe he's the only god worthy of his status."
The god ignored the comment despite feeling his chest twisting in some way. Now, he was wholly sure that the young man beside him wasn't human. Knowing a prince from 800 years ago was not basic knowledge.
"You know what he looks like?"
The young man nodded, "Yes. Only vaguely, though."
Yeah, he wasn't human. Would that stop him in letting the youth keep him company? No, not really.
Ichigo let out a hum, feeling like he wasn't ready to converse with the man- ghost- or whatever Byakuya really was. They fell into a silence that wasn't exactly fully uncomfortable but it was tolerable enough.
The orange head tried to just keep his eyes on the road so he wouldn't embarrass himself any longer. The youth beside him might think he's just a joke. But, perhaps, that's a good thing if he was a ghost. A supreme rank at that.
Ichigo literally had nothing on his person. No money, no title, nothing. He doesn't know what the ghost wanted from him. Maybe his life but he couldn't recall if he did something to offend Senbonzakura. 800 years of travelling was a long time, after all.
Well, he might find out sooner than later.
The pair arrived in Karakura Village when the sun was setting, coloring the sky beautifully. A few of the farmers who were on their way home greeted Ichigo with wide smiles and a questioning look to his companion.
Even if Ichigo was only there for a few days, it was like they understood each other with Ichigo sending a quiet message with his eyes, saying that he'll introduce the young man the next day. If… Byakuya stayed with him.
Ichigo looked at Byakuya who didn't seem a little bit tired despite their long walk. "Byakuya."
The young man looked at him with a raised brow, "Hm?"
"Do you want to stay for tea?"
Those slate gray eyes widened briefly before he returned his expression to normal. Ichigo didn't know if it was a reaction showing that he was shocked at how forward he was or what.
Finally, Byakuya nodded, "If I'm not intruding on you, then I would love to."
Ichigo nodded, feeling oddly relieved that the young man accepted his proposal. He suddenly wondered if Byakuya was also willing to stay the night…? Again, he almost slapped himself. When was he too nice? Because of his old age? His experience? Perhaps a combination of both.
They made their way towards the hill where the rundown hut was. Ichigo managed to clean the falling debris in some bits and places but it was still in a horrible state.
"Don't mind the crumbling walls," Ichigo said lightly as they entered the semi-clean yard. "I tried my best with the little things I had."
Being a noble might scare the young man off when he saw the poor condition of it, after all.
"It's fine," Byakuya said as he took in the surroundings. "Kind of feels cozy."
Hah. Right. Ichigo thought that they might be looking at a different place at the moment. The hut was more or less livable with a roof tile or two occasionally dropping on the ground with a soft thud, the porch had a hole at the right end, the windows were modestly covered with shredded blue curtains. Barely nice to the eyes.
Ichigo then motioned towards the shrine, "Let's go in." He moved the light blue curtain that was acting as a door for Byakuya to head inside without a problem.
The interior wasn't good either.
He managed to save a table that could be served as an altar. It wasn't rotten so it was still usable. The floor had small holes littered around, some dust still piling up even if he did sweep with a worn out broom a few days ago, and the wall to the left literally had a gaping hole on it. The god didn't know what to cover it with yet.
Ichigo guided them towards another door (without the said door), leading to another room. It was small as the front but it seemed more spacious with the kitchen to its right and a mat to its far left where Ichigo sleeps most of the time. He should get a futon in the future. There was a low table in the center of the mess with two small pillows acting as the seats.
"You can put the sack here," Ichigo dropped his own sack in the corner of the room.
Byakuya looked around with an unreadable look before following his instructions. Ichigo almost felt the urge to ask what the young man was thinking of his rotten home. He saw that Byakuya looked up, seeing the stream of light coming from the hole on the roof.
Ichigo decided to slightly push the other towards the table, "Go sit. I'll boil some water to make tea." He was sure that he had some tea leaves left.
The youth followed without complaint and sat on the poor of an excuse of a pillow. It was still usable for Ichigo so why would he throw it out? Ichigo then focused on making the tea.
Once it was done, he managed to get two cups that were slightly chipped but it could still hold some liquid and brought it to the table along with the teapot. He poured for the two of them before sitting right across from the other.
Byakuya took the cup graciously, "Thank you."
"Sorry if I don't have any food," Ichigo said, feeling guilty, "I didn't expect to host a guest today."
"I'm troubling you so it's no bother." A pause. "What do you eat for your normal meals, though?"
Ichigo's hand that was reaching for his own cup froze. How in the world could he tell that he doesn't actually require to eat but the act of it was always pleasant? He wasn't entirely sure if the young man before him was human or not. It was still quite hard to tell.
"I eat when the villagers bring something here. They're always generous," Ichigo wasn't exactly lying. They were nice. The farmers sometimes brought some of their extra harvest to him.
Byakuya hummed in response as he drank his tea. He had a careful blank expression on his face that even Ichigo had a difficult time reading. The god then took a sip of his own tea. It was a bit bland but his guest didn't seem to mind the taste since he didn't hear a peep of complaint.
Once he set the cup down, Ichigo managed to ask, "Do you have anywhere else to go after this?"
The young man shook his head, "No, not really. I might just wander around."
The next thing the god said made him have the urge to hit himself. "Well, do you want to stay here? For free, of course."
Byakuya seemed taken aback by the offer, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's not exactly mine in the first place."
The youth pondered for a bit before nodding, "I'll take your offer, Kurosaki-san. In exchange for your hospitality, I'm willing to do some chores for you." He looked up at the hole in the ceiling, "And perhaps repair a few things."
Ichigo eyed him yet again, "You know how to do those?" A noble doing chores? How outrageous to think about!
The other nodded firmly before grinning, "Why, yes. I never know when to stay still at home."
They easily agreed that Byakuya would stay at the shrine. To Ichigo, he doesn't actually care how long the young man would stay. In fact, he quietly hoped he wouldn't leave at all.
The god was embarrassed that he didn't have another mat for his guest but Byakuya easily agreed that they would share. He even almost looked excited at the prospect of it. Ichigo was kind of nervous about it, though. He was never in close proximity with someone in a scenario that doesn't involve killing each other.
Ichigo made sure the mat was set and clean before he headed out to the village to see if he could get something that would suffice dinner for two. For two! What a very rare occasion. Byakuya even asked if he could join him but he was a guest for now, he wouldn't let him do something just yet.
When he returned to the shrine after a good hour or two, he saw that Byakuya was sweeping stray leaves off to the side in the front yard. The youth looked up from the ground and grinned.
"Ah, welcome back."
Ichigo stuttered, "I-I'm back." He had never said those words in a long time.
Byakuya set the broom aside and walked towards the entrance to the shrine, parting the curtain for them, "I also made a new batch of tea. I hope you don't mind."
"No, no. Thank you," Ichigo said as he made his way to the kitchen so he could set the sack filled with rice and some vegetables that were cheap for the evening.
Byakuya stepped closer to him and Ichigo's immediate thought was that he still smelled good. "Do you need help?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Ichigo shook his head, "It's alright. You can set the tea while I make something quick, okay?"
"Okay."
Ichigo quickly worked on their dinner, trying to not let his mind wander to dangerous territories. He could really just beat himself up for even thinking a small little thing about it but if he wanted to feel 'normal' with his new companion, he might just start to slowly accept things. (He didn't want to admit that he would readily accept it if it weren't due to his past.)
The god made some rice and stir fry vegetables that may not make themselves full without some meat but it was enough to get through the night. He could give more of his portion to the youth if needed. He put the contents in clean bowls and he was pretty satisfied that it looked edible somewhat.
He set the bowls down on the low table where Byakuya was waiting patiently for him. As Ichigo put the bowl on Byakuya's side, the youth was pouring tea for themselves. Ichigo gave the other chopsticks before they both clasped their hands together, muttering a 'thank you for the food'.
Ichigo quietly watched Byakuya take a bite of some of the stir fry, the youth's face remained unchanged.
Byakuya locked eyes with him and there was a certain glow behind those slate gray eyes, "It's surprisingly good, Kurosaki-san."
"Surprisingly?" Ichigo questioned amusedly, "Did you expect it to be bad?"
"Somewhat," the youth teased. "But you exceeded my expectations."
"Hah. I don't know if I should say thank you or not."
"Take it as a compliment."
The god rolled his eyes before he himself digs into his own creation. The other was right, it wasn't actually half bad. Perhaps the lack of salt kind of ruined it but overall, edible and Ichigo will take such a result.
He sipped the tea that Byakuya made for them and it was a far better batch compared to the one he made just earlier. Ichigo could feel his pride slowly withering down. It might even disappear if Byakuya stayed long.
Once they were done, the youth heavily insisted that he should wash the dishes. Ichigo didn't even have the time to complain when Byakuya already whisked away the utensils they used and started washing.
With a sigh, Ichigo simply got up from his seat and proceeded to busy himself by checking a few more things in the hut, cleaning a bit here and there, and readying some buckets for the holes just in case the rain might pour out while they were sleeping.
Ichigo looked at Byakuya who had his back facing him. He could barely hear the tuneless humming coming from the young man. It was almost funny to think that he seemed content in doing such simple things in life at the moment.
But that's what the god learned in centuries of living. Sometimes, the little things were better than the grand ones. Sadly, he learned it when he was all alone. No family, no friends, and no kingdom.
He snapped out of his thoughts when the young man was wiping the excess water from his hands after he finished washing the dishes. Ichigo looked away and started removing his outer robe to make a very uncomfortable pillow out of it.
"Are you alright?" Ichigo could hear the other's voice approaching closer.
"Yeah," the god replied. "We should sleep soon." He looked back at the youth when he didn't feel awkward anymore, "Are you up to help with Saito-san's farm?"
Byakuya nodded, "Sure. But, ah, Kurosaki-san should show me how things work, first."
That made Ichigo let out an amused huff as he sat down on one side of the mat, "Of course." He then patted the free side of the mat, "Shall we?"
The youth nodded one more time and started to take his own outer robe off. Feeling like he shouldn't see it, Ichigo averted his eyes to his own feet. It was still nice looking and the only thing that fully distracted him was the bandages wrapping his ankle. He felt that Byakuya set his outer robe the same way he did on the mat, he looked back at the said youth as he sat down on the mat with a respectful distance between them.
"Goodnight," the god managed to say as he lay down, facing his back towards the youth.
He heard a soft reply from Byakuya and the shifting of the mat and the soft rustling of clothes. As Ichigo closed his eyes, his only wish was that the youth would be there when he woke up.
Ichigo stirred from his sleep with a groan as he tried to hide his eyes from the ray of sun quietly attacking him. He was having a good sleep and it was ruined by a measly ray. He blinked a few times and adjusted his sight. He noticed that he was facing the side where Byakuya was supposed to be lying on.
He immediately bolted right up when he saw that the space beside him was empty. He looked around and there wasn't any sign of life by the table or even the kitchen. Ichigo had to hold back a disappointed sigh.
So, Byakuya left. Even with the promise to stay, huh.
Ichigo finally had the strength to get up from the mat and wore his outer robe. He rolled up the mat quietly and let it lean on the wall so he could avoid tripping on it within the day.
"Hm, maybe I'll gather some wood for the repairs."
He stretched for a bit before he slowly walked out of the hut, feeling a bit down despite the day just starting. He never knew the brief moment he had with Byakuya impacted him so much.
He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard someone sweeping at the yard. Well, that was unusual. Even the villagers won't exactly approach the shrine without informing him or looking for his presence.
Ichigo avoided a hole before he finally peaked out of the hut. His eyes briefly widened when his gaze landed on the back of the youth he thought that disappeared on him. He was sweeping the leaves yet again with his outer robe tied to his waist, his hair was up in a ponytail, and he had a thin sheen of sweat at the back of his neck.
The god also noticed that there were already a bunch of logs for firewood and wood that looked like they were for repairs. He had to admit, he was pretty dumbfounded at the sight before him. He didn't expect any of these. Not the wood, the cleaning of the yard, and certainly for someone to stay.
Sensing that he was being watched, Byakuya stopped his sweeping and looked back, sweat was slowly trailing down from the side of his forehead to his jaw. The god didn't know why he immediately thought, 'Do ghosts sweat?'
"Kurosaki-san," Byakuya finally faced him with the broom in hand. "Good morning."
"Good morning," Ichigo replied. He figured that he had a dumb look on his face by now.
But the youth didn't seem to mind it as he set the broom aside and walked over to him, "Saito-san visited here an hour ago. He said we could go help this afternoon."
Ichigo blinked a few times, "Ah, is that so?"
"Mn."
"I see…" Well, that couldn't be helped.
Ichigo took a moment before asking,"Why didn't you wake me up, Byakuya? I could've helped you with…" the god gestured around the courtyard. "All of these."
Byakuya shrugged, "It's fine. I didn't mind. I did say that I will pay you with chores, hm?"
"You did," the god muttered back. But he didn't expect to do all of it!
Seeing his discomfort, the young man frowned. "Does that really bother you?"
"Don't worry," Ichigo immediately said. "I'm just not used to people being around me and er, helping me."
Byakuya tilted his head, eyes sparkling with something, "Am I your first?"
In centuries, perhaps yes. Ichigo coughed and averted his eyes when he also thought of something else. "Well, no one was as helpful as you."
That seemed to be a good thing to say since the young man let out a noise that seemed to approve of those words. Ichigo had to hold back a snort of amusement. He didn't dwell on it much since Byakuya spoke up again.
"Maybe Kurosaki-san wants to start with the repairs while I prepare tea and breakfast?"
That… didn't seem to be balanced but- "Yeah, that'll do."
"Great," Byakuya flashed a small smile before gesturing towards the wood, "I gathered something that might be good for the walls and roof. I got some nails as well." He took out a pouch that was filled with the said item.
Ichigo was left stunned. "Where… how did you get this?"
The youth casually shrugged, "I have my ways." He then raised a brow, amused, "What? Don't worry, Kurosaki-san. That wasn't stolen."
Okay, the god didn't think of that but maybe his face was telling otherwise. He shook his head and reassured the other, ushering him back inside the hut so they could start their respective activities.
Ichigo grabbed the wood and a hammer that was already inside the shrine. It was like it was there just for the sake of repairs in the future, which was honestly a good thing since it meant that he didn't need to go to the village and buy a new hammer.
The god then started with the huge, gaping hole at the first room of the hut. It doesn't exactly bother him but now that he has a guest, it might seem off. He dropped the wood carefully on the floor and started working on it.
He was glad that the overall silence blanketed their atmosphere, minus the hard thunk of hammer to wood, the quiet boiling of water, the clunking of thrown firewood, and the sound of Byakuya cooking. It felt nice, it really was. Ichigo was still shocked that someone stayed with him and was actually with him. It sent an odd feeling at the pit of his stomach that he couldn't quite place.
He was almost done with the wall when Byakuya called out to him that breakfast was ready. Ichigo was far from tired but the promise of having food and tea made him stop his work and set the hammer down. He briefly looked at his handiwork and was pretty satisfied overall.
Ichigo took one more look before walking to the other room and saw that Byakuya was already placing bowls down. The food wasn't much but it was more than what Ichigo was used to. Rice, vegetables and even fish! There was already a pot of tea at the center of the table.
Byakuya looked back with a smile, "Let's eat."
The god made his way to the table and sat across from Byakuya. He was eyeing the fish with wide eyes. He didn't recall buying anything from last night. He was sure there wasn't any fish. It was cooked nicely and he couldn't wait to dig in.
"I caught it this morning," the youth said, as if hearing the other's thoughts. "There's a river that isn't too far from here."
Ichigo looked up at the young man, "You must have woken up so early to do everything so fast."
Byakuya casually shrugged as he picked up his bowl, "I'm an early riser."
He didn't question it any further.
They fell back into their comfortable silence and started to eat. The god could confidently say that his cooking was so subpar compared to Byakuya's. Now Ichigo had doubts that the young man right in front of him was a noble or not. He, himself, was a noble 800 years ago and he knew for a fact that none of the royalty he got acquainted with knew how to cook even the most basic of things.
Interesting.
Once they were done, they now joined forces with the repair. While Ichigo finished the wall, Byakuya decided to start with the roof. The god joined him once he finished with the wall and he was glad that the sun was a bit forgiving at the moment.
They flowed into an easy conversation while they were on the roof, Ichigo even questioned where Byakuya got the other hammer. Apparently he borrowed it from Saito-san when he informed him earlier.
Ichigo was impressed with how vast the young man's knowledge on many things was. From painting, to sculpting, and even long forgotten stories and poems. He also knew a thing or two about gods and ghosts. (Okay, maybe that was a certain sign the youth wasn't human but alas.)
"So," Ichigo said as he hammered down a nail. "What do you know about Senbonzakura?"
Byakuya paused mid-air to look at his companion with a raised brow, "Why the sudden interest?"
"Curiosity."
"Curiosity can be dangerous," Byakuya said lightly. "But I shall entertain you, Kurosaki-san."
Oh, the god fully knows that curiosity could lead to dangers. He gave a mock bow, "Many thanks to Byakuya's kindness."
The young man rolled his eyes and continued hammering, "There's nothing much to know, really. He's a demon, unforgiving, and cold. He would kill you without mercy. They say a sign of him arriving are sakura petals showering down."
"He'll kill anyone?"
"If he's in a bad mood," the youth replied. "That's not a lot of time."
"But I heard he challenged 30 gods and won."
"They pissed him off."
Ichigo almost thought that Byakuya held in a snort. He now wondered if he pissed Senbonzakura off?
"Hm."
Byakuya stopped his movement to look at the other, "I'm sure you think it's a pretty low reason."
"Ah, well."
"It is," Byakuya said easily. "But at the same time, those 30 gods somehow offended the only person he wouldn't hurt."
Ichigo paused his actions as well and blinked a few times. He didn't know why a memory with 30 gods looking down on him flashed at the back of his mind.
"...Who is that person?"
Byakuya set down his gaze on the roof, "They say it was his lover that got killed in a war. People also say he was a loyal soldier and would kill anyone for his king."
The god felt like there was another speculation so he waited.
A few beats passed and the young man resumed, "One also said it was his one and only god that even until now, he worships him."
Ichigo's breath seemed to hitch at the last idea that people said. It didn't sound real. A Ghost King worshipping a god? That sounded absurd! Even if he was an immortal that saw his fair share of weird encounters, this was just too fake!
"Who is his god?" Ichigo managed to ask, hoping that his voice was even. The memory was still lingering in his mind. It was getting annoying.
"They said that his god was a forgotten prince from long ago," Byakuya replied, his voice steady but his face was unreadable. "But, ah, Kurosaki-san. Those are what people love to spread gossip about so don't believe everything they say."
"Not even yours?"
The young man seemed taken aback by that but then, he chuckled, "Especially mine. I'm not that trustworthy, you know."
There was a strong emotion swirling in those slate gray eyes and Ichigo was dying to know what it meant. What everything meant. His actions, words, his expressions but he didn't have the courage to ask the youth right now.
Ichigo let out a noise of disagreement before refocusing himself with his work. He could still feel Byakuya's eyes were on him but he didn't make any signs of acknowledgement. The youth inaudibly sighed and now, there were two hammers being loud for them.
Few weeks had passed and Ichigo was still in awe that every morning, he could see the young man's back after he woke up from his sleep and the said youth was outside sweeping the leaves.
It had become a routine after they fixed almost the whole shrine some time ago. The walls, roof and floor don't have any holes anymore, the porch wasn't squeaky, Byakuya managed to make a door (a real and functioning door!) while all he did was replace the curtains with better ones.
The two of them built a better table together to have a more stable makeshift altar and while the god was sleeping, Byakuya somehow made a simplistic yet elegant painting of the god of his shrine. He never thought he would get to see a portrait of himself with such beauty again.
Their routine was like this: Ichigo waking up to find Byakuya finishing up most of the chores, eat breakfast with them taking turns in cooking, help with the village's farm, have lunch with them, have the god do his usual scrap collecting (and with Byakuya returning to the shrine), and have dinner.
But recently, they have been having late dinners when Byakuya caught him wielding a measly branch with good precision and strength that Ichigo saw how genuine the youth's amazement was, begging him to teach him the art of the sword.
Of course Ichigo was excited. He was kind of addicted to martial arts and swords alike so it was definitely refreshing to pick it up after so many years again. He was definitely amused whenever they started with their training because it was evident that Byakuya had some skills to start with. He acted clumsy just for Ichigo to correct him.
It was alright, though. Even if he noticed it, he didn't call him out. He actually liked it, if he was being honest. He loved it when he focused on the young man's already beautiful form. It was obvious that Byakuya has held a real sword before. Light on his feet and each strike seemed deadly.
They were training again.
"You really would be better with a saber," Ichigo said as his back leaned on the trunk of the tree.
The two of them were practicing behind the shrine and Ichigo was simply observing Byakuya after he showed him a form. Due to lack of weapons from both parties, they ended up using branches that were good enough for swords.
Byakuya swung the branch, "Is that so, nii-san?"
Ichigo's eyebrow twitched at the way the other addressed him. He ended up calling the god that when Ichigo told him to not call him what he usually does because to him, it felt quite distant. Byakuya refused to call him by his first name so it was either Kurosaki-san or nii-san.
Really, he shouldn't have agreed with the latter.
"Yes," the god pushed himself off the trunk. "A branch doesn't do you justice. Maybe I should buy a wooden sword next time."
"Sounds like a plan."
Ichigo then approached the youth who paused in his stance. It looked just a tiny bit off, clearly intentional. The god didn't know why but he felt a certain warmth of fondness blooming in his chest seeing that 'troubling' look on Byakuya's face whenever he made a 'mistake'.
He then gripped onto Byakuya's wrist gently and adjusted it ever so slightly. It was a small change, really but if this was an excuse that was clearly given to him to hold the young man a bit close then so be it. He could feel the watchful eyes of the younger as he made a few more adjustments on his stance.
After that, Ichigo backed away just a bit, "There. Better."
Byakuya let out a huff, "Many thanks for nii-san's patience."
"Hah, you're flattering me again. Now repeat."
A chuckle escaped the young man's lips, "As you wish."
The two then continued their training for an hour or two until Ichigo decided that they should finally have their dinner. It was already dark out and it's probably best to head back inside for safety since oddly enough, the shrine wasn't too far from a small forest to the east.
They left the branches at their usual spot and made their way back into the shrine. Byakuya managed to get in first since he wanted to cook dinner for them this time even if Ichigo was already objecting behind him.
"You can make the tea," Byakuya said, tone light. He was teasing but at the same time, the option was indeed open.
Ichigo huffed, "Fine!"
The young man chuckled as he started to prepare the ingredients for their dinner while Ichigo was still mumbling things under his breath as he grabbed the tea leaves from the cabinet. Aside from the grumbling, both fell relatively silent as they did their respective tasks.
Ichigo tried to glance from the teapot to the young man beside him. The god still felt that everything was surreal, that maybe one day he might wake up to an empty mat and no one would be in the yard. No one stayed, not for this long. He was already used to everyone getting tired of him and leaving him to the point that he felt numb about it.
He knew that he would feel devastated when Byakuya leaves and that was dangerous in itself.
As he was glancing, he managed to lock eyes with the other. Ashamed that he was caught staring yet again, Ichigo immediately dropped his gaze on the teapot as if it was the most interesting thing in the world right now.
An amused noise could be heard beside the god which made him look up again.
"What?"
Byakuya chuckled, "Shouldn't I ask you that? You were staring at me."
"I wasn't!" Ichigo replied quickly but the younger man didn't believe it.
"Okay," the young man set his knife down to face him, "Then, why do you look at me as if at any moment, you're expecting that I'm going to leave you?"
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Realizing what he said, his hand flew to his mouth to shut himself up. His eyes were wide as he gaze upon the shocked expression that graced the youth's face. Byakuya's eyes were slightly wide and mouth was agape, probably taken aback by the unexpected response.
They stared at each other for a few more moments, unmoving. It didn't help that nothing could distract them at the moment. The trance stopped when Byakuya took a step closer making Ichigo freeze more at the sudden close proximity.
"Kurosaki-san," Byakuya breathed out, his voice so gentle. His gaze was so intense that Ichigo couldn't look away. "I would never leave you as long as you'll still have me."
"I…" Ichigo didn't exactly know what to say. "I… really don't mind if you stay."
That seemed enough for the younger as he let a small smile creep up on his face. It was so warm and genuine that it made Ichigo feel the weird sensation again.
"Then, as long as you desire my presence, I will always be here for you."
Something told the god that those words didn't mean just staying at the shrine. Whether he wanted to know what Byakuya exactly meant or not, he didn't want to admit it to himself just yet.
"What do you think is Senbonzakura's weakness?"
Byakuya looked to his right and found Ichigo munching on a meat bun that they managed to buy after selling some scraps in another village. They were walking back to Karakura with the sacks on their shoulders since for once, Ichigo let the youth join him.
A fine brow was raised, "Curiosity?"
"Mn."
Byakuya quietly snatched the meat bun in Ichigo's hand which made the latter shout a small 'hey!'. He pointedly ignored this as he took a bite of it, "They say that a ghost's weakness is their ashes. They will never recover if you destroy their ashes."
Ichigo was glaring at the young man and then at the meat bun before gritting, "I know that already. That really doesn't sound like an option considering a Ghost King wouldn't exactly announce its hiding place to the world." A pause. "Are you saying he doesn't have a weakness?"
"His god," Byakuya shrugged and took a bite of the bun again.
"That's not a weakness." It was, really. Seeing how much the ghost will go for his god that if anyone targeted the said god, the ghost might go ballistic. But at the same time, who would dare do such a thing if the end result will be their heads rolling on the floor once Senbonzakura was done with them?
"Yes but who's to say one wouldn't try?"
Ah, point taken.
Ichigo managed to snatch back the bun once more but the young man got it back again with a mocking smirk on his face.
"You know, we have another one, right?"
"I do," the youth replied. "But nii-san's will surely taste better."
Ah, the gall of his words! Ichigo could feel his face slowly heating up whether it was from annoyance or embarrassment, he didn't want to know! He saw the way Byakuya's face lit up just a tad bit more made him want to shake him.
"Stop your teasing," Ichigo grumbled, cheeks already flushed.
"This one doesn't dare tease," Byakuya said. "I am always honest."
But didn't you say to not trust your words?!
"Although, it is surprising that nii-san is intrigued in Senbonzakura," the youth said as he adjusted the sack on his shoulder. "Is he perhaps… interested in fighting him?"
"Of course not," the god replied.
"Then… are you interested?"
Realizing the implication, Ichigo almost tripped on his own feet as he stuttered, "W-What? No! I would never!"
Byakuya paused in his steps and for a brief moment, Ichigo thought a flash of hurt entered the young man's eyes. The teasing lilt on his voice disappeared when he said, "Ah, of course. I'm sure nii-san is not interested in courting death."
Ichigo froze. Byakuya caught him off guard so all he let out were jumbles of words. He didn't mean any of that! He felt his chest churning uncomfortably when all he could see was the unreadable expression on the young man's face. He was so sure who Byakuya was and said that at the moment… He was certain that he hurted him.
"No, that's not it," Ichigo managed to say, glad that his voice didn't crack. "It's just I haven't met him, no? Even with all the rumors… in the end, I'll be the judge of my own opinion about him."
"Ah," Byakuya let out. His dark expression seemed to fade just a little bit. But then, he raised a brow, "Then, does that mean…"
The god's face flushed brightly again, "No! I am supposed to celibate, okay? A friend is enough! A friend!"
Byakuya had to stifle a laugh at the other's reaction, "Pfft. Of course, nii-san. I'm sure that even he wouldn't force you to do something you don't like. Don't worry about it too much."
You know a lot about Senbonzakura. Do you personally know him? Almost left the god's lips but that would mean he was implying that the young man was in a disguise. He knew that if he said that, their domestic and peaceful life would end.
"I hate you," was what he ended up saying. "You're teasing me."
"And I adore you, nii-san. Now, let's go before the sun sets."
"Give me back my bun first."
"Hm. No. Like I said, nii-san's buns taste better."
"Byakuya!"
Two months had passed since Byakuya entered the god's life.
Two months since he felt more at ease than he did in centuries.
He was kind of successful with his shrine in the Karakura village lately. The people in the village, as little as they were, prayed to the shrine whenever they could. It would happen more often when he and Byakuya helped them with their errands, farm, and even exorcising small ghosts.
While that was fulfilling, it was also a good feeling that there were little kids and some women praying to him quietly just because they wanted to. No forced prayers or doing it because of an exchange of labor. It was pure faith. To Ichigo, that made him feel warm.
It wasn't much and it wasn't the same amount when he first ascended with thousands of shrines dedicated to him. But after such a long time, he got someone who believed in him. Who doesn't see him as trash.
That was enough.
Given that most didn't know who he was and what he did in his previous life, he just ended up thinking that it didn't matter anymore. It wouldn't do anyone good with people being stuck in the past. Everyone should learn to move forward and appreciate what they have now.
And what he has now was a rundown shrine in a nice village and a special someone to spend his time with at the time being.
But...
He… He was still uncertain how long Byakuya would stay by his side.
Ichigo tried to shake away that thought as he focused on the farm work he was doing right now in Saito-san's farm. He was with Byakuya who offered to help with the farm and dear heavens, he was faster and more efficient!
People in the village took a liking to the both of them and knew that they were almost inseparable. 'Ichigo-dono' and 'Byakuya-kun' were always the one they called for whenever they needed an extra pair of hands. Byakuya didn't mind the attention but he didn't care about it at all.
The god revels in the fact that the youth was only seeking his approval than anyone else's. That he preferred to just be with Ichigo despite the multiple invitations of tea in the villagers' houses. Byakuya would always coolly reject the offer with a fake smile on his face.
It almost felt like he was special.
Ichigo sighed as he tried to avoid thinking about things like that or else, it would get too much into his head and would be disappointed once he finds out that Byakuya actually had a lover; not like the youth mentioned anything about the topic.
He also noticed that Unohana hadn't tried to contact him in those months and he was quietly grateful for that. Despite his attitude when he ascended, he wasn't exactly prepared to meet the Emperor just yet. Shame and embarrassment still lurked at the back of his mind.
As he stood up straight and stretched his slightly aching back, he noticed a figure from far away running towards their general direction. The person looked small because of the straight distance but he could already sense some sort of distress coming from the person.
He stayed in his position as he waited for the figure to come closer. As it does, the person was clearly panting, robes disheveled and his face was twisted in worry and panic. He then could feel Byakuya's eyes were on him from the other side of the field, silently questioning why he wasn't moving.
Without even Ichigo needing to ask, Byakuya went to his side to see what the other was looking at. By then, the poor man was now closer and now both of them could hear him weakly shouting 'Ichigo-dono'!
That sprung the said god into action, leaving the field right away with Byakuya trailing behind. Some villagers and passersby were looking at the man but they didn't dare to come close to ask what had happened to him. To them, they might be powerless about the situation considering that the man immediately went to seek out Ichigo. The pair and the man finally met and they were waiting for the man to speak as he clutched onto his knees to catch his breath.
"Calm down first, Tendou-san," Ichigo spoke gently.
Tendou forced himself to breathe normally and was now standing straight. He still looked worn out and was panicking internally, "Ichigo-dono. Have you seen Ken-chan?"
Ken-chan was the youngest son of Tendou and that fact alone with that question, made Ichigo feel cold.
"Are you saying… he's gone?"
Tendou bit his lip before gritting out, "Sanosuke and Megumi noticed him playing with a bunch of kids earlier by the forest, but lunch was already approaching and he hadn't come back. That doesn't usually happen, Ichigo-dono!"
"Have you asked the kids who were with him?" Byakuya asked from behind the orange head.
Tendou's face twisted in pain, "That… that's exactly the problem. The children didn't look like anyone from the village. No one seemed to recognize them."
The air stilled the moment the man said it. A chill went down the god's spine, immediately narrowing down the possibility of who Ken-chan was exactly playing with. He looked back at Byakuya and he had a certain steely gaze on his face, most likely concluding to the same answer. They briefly held eye contact, having a silent conversation. The god then nodded in understanding.
Ichigo then averted his attention back at Tendou as he tried to put up the calmest smile he could muster up at the moment, "...Tendou-san, I think it's best if Byakuya and I will handle it for now."
"R-Really?"
"Mn," the god nodded. "We'll find your son and bring him back to you, okay? But if you could do us a favor in telling Saito-san that we'll have our work delayed…"
The man nodded eagerly, tears of relief forming at the corner of his eyes, "Of course, of course! I will tell him and I shall do some of the work. Many thanks, Ichigo-dono! May the god of our shrine guide you!"
Ichigo laughed awkwardly as he thought to himself, 'Well, I hope I can guide myself properly.'
The two waited for the man to go to where Saito-san was resting until Byakuya finally spoke up to break the eerie silence.
"Those children were probably ghosts," Byakuya said, his voice oddly hostile.
"That's what I figured," Ichigo sighed. He hoped it wasn't the case but with the youth saying out loud, it was the unfortunate truth.
"We should look for him before it's too late."
Ichigo nodded silently before arranging his already messy robes. He never mentioned or showed to Byakuya that he was kind of a god but he was sure that the young man already had a guess about him but didn't question him. He still doesn't think that it would be comfortable to use Zangetsu in front of him.
Seeing Byakuya's patience wearing thin, the thought of asking the youth to stay behind died in his throat. He knew that Byakuya wasn't mad at him or was actually concerned that a child was abducted by a ghost. Perhaps, it was because it was a ghost that kidnapped the poor child. He couldn't place a finger why he would be, however.
They then broke into a quick pace towards the forest, passing by their shrine. Ichigo was alert, trying to sense if there were any abnormalities around the area and so far, there wasn't. The forest wasn't too big, a bit dark, and one could hear some low noises from different animals. It was big for a young child, though.
Ichigo was glad that it didn't happen at night or else it would've been proven more difficult to find the kid and worst of all, ghosts tend to be more active and vicious at night. The child wouldn't be able to last long at that rate.
The god noticed that Byakuya was having no trouble in keeping up with his pace. Even if he still had the lack of spiritual powers, his abilities were still far from ordinary.
"Don't stray away too far," Ichigo warned. "I can't protect you if you disappear on me."
Byakuya broke out of his sour mood just a bit and looked at the other, "Thank you for your protection, nii-san."
Ichigo both wanted to smack the young man and at the same time, he was relieved that he managed to somehow steer him away from the dark mood he was having.
The two entered the forest by then and the god noticed that Byakuya did listen to him and stayed close but far enough so he could check around the other surroundings that Ichigo might've missed. The farther they went in, the louder the haunted giggles of ghost children could be heard.
They broke into a run when they could finally pinpoint the location of the children. A chill ran down Ichigo's spine when he could hear a muffled sob, guessing that it was Ken-chan. They arrived at some clearing.
It was a bit sunny and they could see in the middle of the clearing a boy hugging himself tightly as he cried with the ghost children floating around him, giggling and scaring him. The ghosts noticed their presence, pausing in their actions.
"Move away from him!" Ichigo said loudly but not harshly. He didn't want the ghosts to be aggressive to fully hurt the boy with them.
But they took it the wrong way. Instead of being hostile towards the child, they started throwing things at them from rocks, branches, leaves. Anything that they could get a hold of around the area. He saw a particular sharp branch being hurled towards Byakuya's direction and before he could think, Ichigo stepped in front of the youth to protect him.
It was probably a dumb idea and he was sure that Byakuya was more than capable to deflect a measly branch but he did promise that he would protect him. So, he grabbed the branch as it came closer and slightly winced when he felt something prickling his palm. He let the offending object drop to the ground and saw a bead of red in the center of his palm.
Of course his luck would betray him by getting injured from a branch. He was sure that the other gods in the Upper Court would laugh at him and the situation at the moment. He didn't dwell much on the thought when he noticed that the ghosts started running- floating away deeper into the forest, leaving the child alone.
He was about to go after them when something warm held his wrist with the injured (is it really injured when it's just a small prick?) palm. Ichigo stopped and saw that Byakuya was holding his wrist with a stormy yet almost unreadable expression.
"Byakuya?" He questioned, "What are you doing? We should go after them."
The youth made no noise of acknowledgement as he silently brought the god's hand up, eyeing the blood already trickling out of the wound. It wasn't a lot or life threatening, so there wasn't much. Was Byakuya sensitive to blood?
Then, a pained expression flashed across the youth's face the more he looked at the hand.
Ichigo tried to pry away from the other's hold, "It's fine, Byakuya. It's just a scratch. I barely feel it."
"It doesn't mean you should get hurt."
Ichigo was taken aback by the youth's words and it was said with such a bitter tone that wasn't exactly directed towards him; it was more like towards himself. He was used to getting hurt and barely had any self preservation, so he would always say that it's fine.
"I'm used to it. No need to fuss about it too much."
Byakuya finally lifted his gaze to Ichigo directly and said softly, "I don't want you to get hurt." He looked… sad. There were swirls of other emotions within those slate gray eyes. For a moment, it was like the youth's thoughts were loud.
'I was here for you, yet you still got hurt. I'm useless.'
Stunned, the god only watched the young man lowering his wrist and slowly letting him go.
"You stay here and watch the boy. I'll go after them."
Without waiting for his reply, Byakuya has already ran towards the direction where the ghosts ran, leaving Ichigo and the child alone in the clearing. Trying to get out of his stupor, Ichigo jogged towards Ken-chan and pulled him close to try and reassure him that he was safe.
"You'll be okay," Ichigo whispered, comforting him and hugging him closer. "We'll take you to your dad soon, okay?"
Ken-chan sniffled as he gripped onto Ichigo tightly, "I-Ichi-nii-san….."
The god's heart twisted when he heard the tremble in the boy's voice and only muttered soft words of reassurance once more. He could sense a more powerful resentful energy lurking in the deep parts of the forest and could now hear cries of torment from the ghost children. Ichigo saw glints of a silver blade in the darkness and he realized something.
He was sure that Byakuya wasn't gentle with them.
A moment or two had passed and Ken-chan had already calmed down, already asleep in Ichigo's arms. He looked up and saw that Byakuya was returning. His eyes immediately searched if there were any injuries and sighed in relief when the youth remained unscathed.
Ichigo stood up with Ken-chan in his arms and walked towards the young man.
"Are you okay?" the god asked.
Byakuya's gaze darted from his hand to his eyes, still wary, "I'm fine. I should be the one asking you that."
"I'm-" He paused, suddenly remembering the way the young man reacted when he said he's fine. "I'll check on it once we bring Ken-chan back to Tendou-san."
The youth didn't seem to like the idea much but it was far much better than seeing the god brushing off the injury, so perhaps that was enough.
The walk back to the village was… awkward. With Ichigo 'focusing' on the sleeping child in his arms, he still didn't miss the way Byakuya's mood hadn't lightened up in the slightest. He could feel his gaze from behind and could imagine the frown forming on his handsome face.
The god was touched at the concern, not used to someone giving him such attention anymore, so he didn't know how to react. Maybe he should've reassured the youth better or didn't simply ignored the injury. The latter clearly agitated Byakuya more.
He noticed that the ghost children were really gone and none of the lurking ghosts bothered them, probably afraid of something… or someone. Or maybe they were scared sensing the talismans hidden within his robes. But the simple explanation for their fear was the youth following him from behind.
They then arrived at Tendou's place and the said father was teary eyed as he said strings of gratefulness. The child had already awoken by then and immediately wrapped his tiny arms around his father, telling how scary it was.
With Tendou and Ken promising they would pray fervently to the god in the new shrine, all Ichigo could do was offer a forced smile and a thank you. It wasn't like they were about to change their mind if he said that they shouldn't. Tendou said that it was thanks to the god's guidance that the pair managed to find his son.
Ichigo was sure he had done nothing of the sort, he just went along with it. The villagers won't believe that a god was residing with them and was actually helping them through their errands, building a shrine shamefully for himself, and working at the farm when he wasn't collecting scraps.
It was as unbelievable as a dashing youth accompanying him along the way every time.
Ichigo and Byakuya returned to the shrine with no words exchanged between them but there was a clear understanding about their situation. Once they arrived, Byakuya immediately brought the god to the low table in the other room before finding some medicine.
The god merely looked at his palm. The injury was laughable, really. It was a small wound and barely noticeable, luckily it had stopped bleeding. The trail of blood has dried up by now. It wasn't anything that the both of them should actually fuss about but recalling Byakuya's pained expression didn't let him say a thing. He was afraid to make the youth upset even more.
Ichigo still wondered why the youth reacted like that, as if the said man saw Ichigo get hurt once upon a time. A shiver ran down the god's spine when a memory of something he wanted to forget popped up briefly. No. He couldn't have known that. He was alone at that time and that was the lowest point in his life…
He was snapped out of his thoughts when Byakuya knelt in front of him and gingerly wrapped his long fingers around his wrist. He silently inspected the wound before applying some medicine to it. It stung, just a tiny bit but nothing passed the god's face as it did. Instead, his mind was more focused on the warmth that was surrounding his wrist at the moment.
"You know," Ichigo suddenly said. "There are a lot of things I've seen in my life."
The youth didn't look up but hummed in acknowledgement, "Hm?"
"But I never thought I would get to see a Ghost King applying medicine on a lowly one such as myself."
The careful hand paused mid-air and this time, Byakuya looked up at him. His eyes were glowing with realization and understanding, "Your Royal Highness, the Crowned Prince."
"Senbonzakura."
Both titles sounded so foreign on their tongues, but Ichigo could feel his chest turning in some way when he heard Byakuya addressing him fully with so much respect and… devotion.
"Ah, nii-san is better off calling me Byakuya."
"Byakuya, it is," Ichigo readily agreed. He felt less weird that way. "You shouldn't call me by my title as well."
"I will use it if His Highness referred to himself as a lowly one."
Okay, he should've figured that being mean to himself would make Byakuya feel bitter in some way. He didn't get it, though. Why would the Ghost King, the strongest of them no less, be so bothered by it and take the time to care for him?
Then, the words echoed in his mind.
"One also said it was his one and only god that even until now, he worships him."
"They said that his god was a forgotten prince from long ago."
Ichigo's body didn't know how to react. One part was trying to flush his face a pretty red in embarrassment and the other had a chill, the good kind, running down his spine. He didn't want to assume but he couldn't just ignore the points directed towards the idea.
"Your Highness?"
Noticing that Byakuya was done tending to his injury, Ichigo sighed, "Byakuya… I'm not a prince anymore."
"Your Highness will forever be a prince to me."
That statement… really made the god's heart stutter.
"D-Don't lie," the god said weakly. His heart couldn't take it, not understanding any of the ghost's feelings of devotion, loyalty, and sincerity directed at him and only him.
"I'm not," Byakuya replied fervently. "I would never lie to you."
But I couldn't handle your devotion, Byakuya.
It was evident with Byakuya's words and tone alone. He was devoted to the Crowned Prince and the said prince didn't know what to do with it. It was baffling. He stood up and Byakuya followed, the soft yet steady gaze watching his every movement. The god felt conscious of his actions then.
"So…"
Byakuya raised a brow without uttering a sound, forever patient. Ichigo cleared his throat and gestured towards him, "Is… Is this a puppet?"
A puppet was where the master was far away as they controlled it.
"No," the youth- or was he a millennia old?- replied. "I'm here in the flesh."
So, a disguise it is.
Feeling bold, Ichigo took a step closer towards the other. Byakuya's eyes widened when Ichigo leaned in but their faces were still far away, "Huh, that's interesting." He poked his cheek, "You really must have a lot of energy to make such a good disguise."
Stunned, Byakuya only replied with a "Mn."
Ichigo poked his cheek again and the compliment simply slipped out of his lips, "Handsome."
"Huh?"
The god wanted to slap himself, for real this time. He stuttered as he made some excuses, "A-Ah, it's nothing. You heard nothing."
"So, nii-sama finds me handsome?"
Ichigo blinked a few times before playfully hitting the young man's broad chest, "What the- So you did hear me!"
Byakuya chuckled, "Of course, I always listen to Your Highness."
The god blushed at that.
"Anyways!" Ichigo stepped away and turned his back on him, "Isn't your place worried about you for being gone for a long time?"
Ichigo could imagine the amused grin on the youth's face, "Nonsense. My assistant is perfectly capable of handling things in my stead. Ghost City is fine for now, nii-san."
The god turned back towards him and he gave a look that they both knew what it meant. That there will be a time that Ghost City would indeed need the Ghost King and he would have to return by then.
"Byakuya…"
"Hm?"
"Would you let me see your true form?"
Byakuya seemed surprised at his question but he soon schooled his expression, replacing it with a warm and gentle look in his eyes. Ichigo wanted to writhe under such a tender gaze but he stood his ground as he locked his eyes with the Ghost King.
"All in due time, Your Highness," Byakuya replied. "The next time we meet, I'll be in my true form."
When Ichigo woke up the next day, he was alone yet again on the mat. This time, however, it felt like he was truly alone. He begrudgingly got up from the mat just to confirm his suspicions.
He was… sadly right.
There wasn't the hint of sweeping in the yard or the toneless hum that he grew used to. The yard had been swept clean, the wood cut, and the shrine was clean. Everything was done right before Byakuya left.
The god felt dejected but he knew that they made a silent promise that they'd meet again. Perhaps it would be sooner than later than the god really knew. He looked back at the painting that Byakuya apparently painted for him and his heart grew fond of it.
He planted his hand to his chest since he felt his heart racing once more at the thought of Byakuya. Seriously, what in the three realms was he feeling? His eyebrows furrowed when he felt a foreign object sticking to his chest.
Ichigo looked down when he pulled it and his eyes briefly widened at the sight of it. With the lighting making it glint, it appeared prettier than it already was. It was worn on his person with a simple chain and the thing that glint was…
A diamond ring.
"Byakuya," Ichigo called out as they were roaming around the Ghost City.
"Yes, nii-san?"
"You really have a lot of spare time to tour me around."
Byakuya merely raised a brow, "It's not like I could leave nii-san alone with the ghosts, hm?"
Ichigo paused in his steps and he craned his neck to look up at Byakuya. Curse his stupid height in his stupidly handsome real form!
"Aren't you busy tormenting Heavenly Officials?" the god teased.
"Hm. They do deserve it."
Ichigo chuckled and continued walking. Then, a sudden thought entered his head.
"By the way…"
"Hm?"
"You don't really need to answer but… are your ashes safe?" Ichigo was concerned, knowing that the Heavenly Officials would salivate once they found out where Senbonzakura's ashes were hidden.
"Of course," Byakuya coolly replied as he eyed the diamond ring glinting at the bright lights of the city dangling around the god's neck, "It's in the safest place in the world."