Given Choice [Byakuya x OC]

4

Every time Ora made a mistake on her relationship with Byakuya, she had promised to go to the lake and write on her hidden notebook - that she had been using as a diary for a very long time. For the safety of her secrets, she placed a seal that the diary could only be seen by her and her mother.

With a pencil, she started to write that day's events.

Here I am again, five days after the incident happened, I couldn't come here because lieutenant and household duties together are taking too much of my time. Lord Byakuya is (again) mad at me. I've already written here that he had forbidden me to visit him unless he called for me, but that day was different. Byakuya got injured during a fight with a strong Hollow. Renji assured me that it wasn't a deep wound, but I still insisted on visiting him.

Ora sighed as she paused for a moment to recall what happened. She was so worried about him, she couldn't care less about his rules. She needed to make sure that he was okay.

Entering the fourth squad barracks, she spotted Isane, one of her most loyal friend, and asked to lead her to Byakuya.

Once Ora got into the room, she spotted a sleeping Byakuya in front of her. He had a piece of cloth on his arm, blood was still tainting the bandages. The wound couldn't be that superficial either. She pushed a chair and sat next to him, admiring his sleeping figure. The way that his chest slowly went up and down, the way that his black hair crowned the pillow below it. The way his face looked peaceful.

He groaned in his sleep but didn't wake up. In order to calm him down, Ora held his hand. His hand was bigger than she thought, his fingers were long and thin. She had the urge to entwine her fingers in his, but she wasn't allowed to. Frankly, she wasn't probably allowed to care about him.

"I'm going to always care," She whispered. "Because you're my hero."

In the next morning, Byakuya was feeling better. The wound must have closed while he rested. A reiatsu was inside the room with him, a reiatsu that he had gone used to sense around the mansion. There she was, sleeping soundly on a chair next to him. Her blonde hair covered half of her face, but she was evidently in that rooms for hours, maybe the whole night.

Byakuya then noticed her hand holding his. He retracted his hand as if hers was fire. The warm feeling of her hand didn't leave too easily. There were waves of her reiatsu around his hand, she must have healed him throughout the entire night.

Both surprised and angry, Byakuya got up and left the fourth squad barracks. She was way too dangerous to be around at that moment.

When Ora finally got home, a servant came to her.

"Lord Byakuya wishes you to join him for dinner."

Full of hope, she got dressed neatly for the occasion and walked towards the dining hall, where she spotted not only Byakuya but also Ginrei and her grandfather.

"Ah, Ora." Ginrei Kuchiki started while they were eating. "I'm so thankful to have you around this mansion. The servants couldn't be more motivated to work, the gardens look amazing and all the duties are made on time."

"There's no need to thank me, I'm simply doing what I need to do." She smiled towards the elder.

"But you must take care of your health, overwork isn't a good thing," Genryusai stated. "I don't want you to work to the limit like you always do."

"I'll try to work less hard." Ora looked secretly at Byakuya. He was hearing all of those compliments, with a little bit of faith, he would compliment her too. "I'm just trying to release Byakuya from half of his duties, it must be tiring to do all of these things alone."

Byakuya didn't even react. He just continued to eat his meals as if she hadn't spoken.

"Well, we now have some matters to discuss." Genryusai looked at his granddaughter. "You can go now."

"Certainly, enjoy the rest of the night." Ora bowed to the elders and left the room.

She went back to her room, where she started to polish her zanpakuto. Its name was Sesshoumaru and it was an acid-type of a sword. Its shikai name it's different from its bankai name, but since she hasn't mastered Bankai yet, she prefers to only call it Sesshoumaru.
Ora was polishing her blade when she sensed someone near her room. By the person's reiatsu, she could recognize who he was. Byakuya stood in front of her room and slid the door without her permission, not like it mattered to her.

"Cleaning your sword when you haven't spilled blood is a weak way to act." Byakuya stated.

"I'm not cleaning, I'm sharping the blade." Ora told him.

"Let me just say this once." She could feel his cold eyes on her back. "You do not need to go to the hospital whenever I'm injured. I do not want your pity and I do not wish to have your company unless it's necessary."

"I understand." She replied.

"You can charm the elders, but you cannot charm me." He said. "With those tricks of yours."

With that, she didn't feel his presence anymore. She let out a long sigh before putting her blade inside its sheath.

Why can't he understand that I'm just trying to help him? All I wanted from him was a smile. Is that too much to ask?

Ora placed the pencil inside its case and leaned back of the boat's bottom. The sun was already setting, but she didn't want to leave just yet.

Actually, she was kind of scared of going home. Byakuya already noticed that she goes out whenever she has time to do it, but getting home this late can mean problems.

"It wouldn't hurt to sleep here for the night." The wind blew softly, making the water wave. "I still have that blanket that we used on our picnics, mother." She smiled gently. "I just wished you were here to share it with me."

Ora got home before the servants woke up. There was no sound around the mansion, it was the perfect timing for sneaking into her room - or so she thought.

Right after she landed in the garden in front of her room, a cold feeling of a blade against her neck stopped her to go further. Byakuya's blade was ready to cut her throat if she moved a single inch.

"Such a naughty woman," Byakuya said. "Going out at noon and only return home at dawn. I cannot describe how much disgusted I am right now."

"Why would you be disgusted?" Ora asked him. "You don't even know where I was."

"I couldn't care less, but this household has rules and one of the rules is the curfew."

"I apologize, I'll be more careful." Ora stood in that position as long as Byakuya didn't put his sword aside.

"Those empty words mean nothing." He said bluntly. "I'll let you go this time, but the next, my blade is going to cut your throat, are we clear?"

"Yes, I understand."

Inside the room, alone and sad, Ora did not cry, for as much as she wanted to. That day was her mother's birthday.

"Well, happy birthday to you, mother." She watched the sun rising while Byakuya's words filled her mind.