got it memorized?

Gasping for air, you lowered your own Zanpakuto, accepting your loss for this round. "I think you've just gotten faster."

The two of you stopped for a moment, catching your breath and stretching through the tightness. You wondered what they must feed the members of Squad 6 for Byakuya to grow even faster, stronger still than you could've imagined.

You had begun to return to your fighting stances, rolling out your shoulders as your grip tightened around your hilts, when a familiar voice hollered your way.

"Hey there!" Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of Squad 8 approached you at a languid pace.

You stood at attention. "Captain Kyoraku."

Byakuya acknowledged the Captain's presence, but didn't sheath his blade. Impatient.

"Please," Captain Kyoraku replied as he reached you, "call me Shunsui."

"Sure, Captain." You smiled, eliciting a chuckle from Shunsui and an eye-roll from Byakuya.

"You two fight like you can read each other's minds," he said, eyeing the blades you and Byakuya bore. "Takes a long time to build that understanding between Zanpakuto."

He wasn't wrong, you supposed, as you recalled the time decades ago when you told Byakuya you could read his spiritual pressure like a book. That had annoyed the young lord, but later he admitted he understood what you meant. He felt the same way.

"Her movements are getting sloppy," Byakuya dove in. "Are there no training requirements in Squad 12, Captain?"

You laughed as Shunsui nearly bit his lip in surprise at the Kuchiki heir's boldness.

"I think you're being a bit hard on the girl, Kuchiki." A leader's response if you ever heard it.

"Don't mind him, Captain," you chimed in. "He's just mad that we're tied for this session."

"That statistic is in poor context," Byakuya rebuttled. "You would have to win at least a hundred more times in order to catch up to me."

Shunsui laughed, much in the way an amused elder might.

"I shouldn't be surprised by the way you talk to each other," he said. "Any time I hear about one of you, the other's name comes up. It's like double the trouble."

Your face heated. Even being six squads away from him wasn't enough for your name to stand on its own.

"The way I hear it," Shunsui continued, "the two of you are going to be married."

"No." You furrowed your brow. "That's not true."

"You sure denied it pretty quick." Shunsui watched you curiously, as if he were expecting more of a reaction.

It didn't make any sense. Your mother had told you plenty of times that there was no marrying you off. To you, that meant you could do as you pleased, be your own person for all eternity.

You looked to Byakuya, hoping he would shut down this silly conversation, but your friend, usually the more hot-headed of the two of you, was speechless. He didn't even glance in your direction; he simply held Senbonzakura in one hand, looking at nothing in particular.

"I'm not marrying anyone." You doubled down coolly. "I don't have to."

Shunsui barked a laugh, the sound ringing in your ears for moments on end. You grew impatient with the man.

"I didn't mean to offend, young lady," he said as he caught his breath. "I was just misinformed. You're going to break a lot of hearts with that attitude."

"No offense taken, Captain." You relaxed.

"I'm glad to hear it," Shunsui said.

"And I'm not worried about breaking hearts." You motioned to Byakuya, an air of silliness about you. "The young lord hardly tolerates me as it is. I doubt I'll be finding myself with an abundance of suitors."

"Ha! I get the feeling he's like that with everyone."

"I am tolerant of those who act according to their rank." At last, Byakuya seemed to return to himself, gripping Senbonzakura offensively.

Shunsui raised his hands, meaning to lessen the severity of his playful jab. "I should go before I cause a serious offense." He nodded to both of you before turning away. "It was a pleasure speaking with you."

You said a goodbye polite enough to make up for Byakuya's arrogance as Shunsui departed.

"That was weird," you said, brushing the strange conversation off like dirt on your knees. "If we were betrothed that would be news to me."

You could admit the two of you spent a lot of time together, but you couldn't say much else on the matter. You and Byakuya had your own lives to live, and while you couldn't deny you may have pondered it before, the word "wife" made your blood run cold. You knew the havoc the politics of marriage reaped on your older sister's life, and you had too many dreams to chase, that you were granted the privilege of pursuing, to walk that path.

"We both know that was only a rumor," Byakuya said. One likely spread by a bored noble. After a moment of silence, he made an expression, one that told you he was thinking carefully before he spoke. It was a look that appeared more frequently over the years.

"Tell me," he said slowly, "Do you believe that I dislike you?"

Your skin prickled, and you brushed the sensation off one arm. "I know you don't hate me."

He watched you so intently it grew difficult to maintain eye contact. You broke his gaze, eyes landing on anything but the ones that forced your hand. Even without the pressure of his focus you knew Byakuya was waiting for you to give him a real answer.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell what you think."

Byakuya nodded to himself as if he were expecting you would say that. He certainly wasn't an affectionate person, and although you knew you were friends, you often wondered why. There were days when you bickered more than you got along, but still, you both would appear before the other at any convenience.

"I see," was all he said in response before returning to his fighting stance. You did the same.

Something was different, though. Both of your movements grew heavy as you sparred, like your limbs were detached from the thoughts in your head. You wondered why Byakuya should care how he made you feel. It frustrated you, but you were too tired to think about it more.

Your friend, too, seemed to be holding back. His spiritual pressure was less imposing, edgeless. When the two of you stopped, you couldn't recall who won.

"I have a meeting with my grandfather," Byakuya said blankly. "Clan business."

You nodded wordlessly, sheathing your blade. The mention of his family responsibilities usually flew right over your head as you preferred not to dwell too much on the constraints of nobility.

"Do you like attending to clan business?" You'd never thought to ask before.

He glanced at you from the corner of his eye. "It is my honored duty to support and one day lead my family."

The way he said it made your stomach sink. You knew his role in his family was different than yours, but it was foolish to think it was easy for him.

"I see," you said, an echo of realization.

The sight of his back sent a shiver down your spine, replacing the sweat from earlier as you imagined a white haori draped over his shoulders, the number 6 woven through the heavy threads; kenseikan worn like a leaden crown. Walking for eternity alone save for the duty he was born into.