Falling Petals

A while back Kazes and I were challenging each other to create various one shots and one of the prompts was Byakuya/Orihime. This pairing was ridiculously hard to work with and in the end I was on page 20 of this and no where near getting them into bed.

Instead I decided to write a one shot that was sort of a future to this. The duel one shots written by Kazes and I were posted some time ago under the title Twin Blossoms. So for those of you who read Twin Blossoms, here is the long awaited story on how the two got together.



Chapter 1


“There is nothing we can do for him. I am sorry.” Unohana said in a low voice as her and her old friend looked back to the man laying in the bed, sweat rolling down his body and his breathing heavily laboured.

“Is there nothing you can think of to help him? To lose him now would be a serious blow to the family with no Heir to take his place.” Ginrei asked her, a hint of real worry for his grandson coming through his noble demeanour.

Unohana frowned as she tried to think of anything they could have forgotten, any technique or test they hadn’t done.

“He is still failing?” Ukitake asked as he joined them.

The look of pain on Ginrei’s face answered the question. It was bad indeed if the elderly noble and past taichou let his emotions slip enough to show. The same pain was quickly mirrored on Ukitake’s face.

“Have you told Rukia-san yet?” Unohana asked her fellow taichou.

“No. She is still in the living world and hasn’t returned from her mission with Ichigo-fukutaichou yet.”

Unohana jolted as if slapped, bringing the two men’s attention to her.

“You thought of something?” Ukitake asked hopefully.

“Indeed. Thank you Jyuushiro. I have thought of one last thing we can try to save Byakuya’s life.”

Ukitake jolted suddenly as he followed her line of thought.

“Do you think it can be done?” He asked hopefully.

“I do not see how it could hurt at this point to try.”

“You have found a way to help my grandson?” Ginrei asked hopefully.

“There is a woman, one Inoue Orihime. She has unique healing capabilities. I do not know if she can cure this, but it might give him more time and ease his pain.” Unohana answered.

“Where might I find this woman?” He asked.

“In the living realm. Rukia-chan must know where she lives.” Ukitake answered.

Ginrei nodded, a determined looked flashing in his ancient eyes. With one last glance at his grandson slowly wasting away; face pinched in agony, breath heavily laboured and body soaked in sweat, he asked Ukitake to recall Rukia so they might find this woman to do what she could.



Orihime sat on her deck looking out over the ocean. Life had change considerably over the last ten years.

Ichigo had joined the Gotie 13 and was now the fukutaichou of the 13th. Rukia was by his side and now apparently holding the 4th seat of the same division.

Ishida was now the owner of a small but very successful clothing line, whose online sales were climbing daily and now stationed in Tokyo. Last she had heard he was going to ask his assistant to marry him.

Chad has returned to Mexico and was apparently a teacher in a small town and had apparently married and had two small children of his own.

As for herself, she found herself in a small costal town where Tatsuki had been transferred after joining the police force. At first the two girls had been living together, but Tatsuki had fallen in love with one of the paramedics from the ambulance service and was living with him now, leaving Orihime alone in the house they had shared for five years.

She wasn’t alone, she had lots of friends around town and she did have two part time jobs, one at the library and one at a convenience store, that more than made up for her need for socializing.


Green eyes and a pale hand that reached for her, an orange boy soaked in blood, her friends laying almost dead around her.


The images continued to come to her even after all these years and tears slipped down her cheeks. A pointless war that had killed so many, all for the whims of a mad man. In fact only three arrancar had survived that she knew of, she had healed all three shortly before they went into hiding and had occasionally seen them over the years, usually Nel.

She smiled as she thought about the green haired woman she had befriended while Ichigo had been fighting Grimmjow, and later Aizen. That friendship had lasted over the years and while it wasn’t common, at the same time it wasn’t uncommon to get four or six visit’s a year from the green haired arrancar.

A solid knock on the door took her by surprise, causing her to jump in surprise and unconsciously test for reiatsu. She didn’t recognize whoever was outside, only that there were four of them and one of them was rather powerful, but old. He felt sort of the way Yamamoto did.

She didn’t feel anything threatening from them, but she definitely picked up a lot of emotional turmoil, especially from the old, powerful one. They were in pain and probably from Soul Society giving the levels, for normal humans had no where near this level of Reiatsu.

She walked over to the door and opened it slowly, noting that three of the four were dressed in very rich kimono’s and the fourth, who appeared to be the leader, was dressed in a modified shinigami uniform.

“Can I help you?” She asked softly.

It was the one dressed like a shinigami and appearing quite old that the pain was radiating from, and she felt that need to help him that always welled up in her when others were in pain, be it physical or emotional.

“I trust by the fact that you can see us you must be Inoue Orihime?” The shinigami asked.

“Yes. I am her.” She answered. “Would you like to come in for some tea?” She asked politely.

“It would please us.” The shinigami answered.

Orihime opened the door the rest of the way and let them in, leading them to the traditional table in her living room before retreating to make some tea. She tossed the idea of adding anything to it for she could feel the pain rolling off of the man, and to a lesser extent the others as well, in waves.

She served her guest and joined them at the table, noticing that by the way they sat and held themselves so stiffly that they had to be nobles, or at least some very important people. She wondered what they could possibly want with her.

“I am sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” She broke the rather uncomfortable silence.

“My apologies. I am Kuchiki Ginrei.” The elderly shinigami gave her a tip of his head.

“Oh, you must be related to Rukia-chan than.” Orihime smiled, than suddenly frowned. “Rukia-chan isn’t hurt or in trouble is she?” She asked quickly.

“No. Rukia is quite alright.” He assured her.

Orihime let out a breath of relief she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

“Oh. Why are you here than?” She asked curiously.

“It is my grandson.” He answered.

It took a moment for it to click.

“You mean Kuchiki-san?” She asked. “Is he hurt?” She asked worried.

“He is dying, and nothing Unohana-taichou has tried seems to be working. She suggested there is something you might be able to do for him, even if it was just to ease his suffering.” Ginrei explained.

“Although I fail to see what a mere commoner, human girl can do.” One of the men sniffed.

Orihime felt her back go ridged at the insult. Ten years ago before her capture by Aizen she might have bowed her head and felt saddened, but now she had seen too much pain and gone through too much to live so lowly.

“I see. If you do not need my help, than I would kindly ask you to leave.” She said coldly, dropping all the polite suffixes for abrupt ones.

The three stiffened in surprise at her daring to speak to them in such a manner as she stood up, turned her back to them, and walked back to the kitchen. She leaned against the counter and listened with half an ear as they frantically whispered to each other.

She felt another reiatsu arrive close by and unconsciously scanned, back stiffening when she realized it was not only Hollow, but one that was badly injured. Cursing she bolted through her living room and out the door, leaving it open as she rushed to where Nel was laying her wounded companion down on the bench at the back of the large garden.

Sandy blond hair was soaked in blood, as was the once white uniform that was more shreds now than clothing.

“Nel-chan.” Orihime came to a stop beside the green haired arrancar, falling to her knees beside the one dying on her bench. “What happened?” She asked.

Nel opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly leaped to the side and deflected the sword swinging for her head with her own. Startled, Orihime looked back to her house where the three nobles stood gapping at her and Ginrei now had his blade crossed with Nel’s.

“Stop it.” Orihime ordered. “This is Nel, a friend.”

“She is a hollow.” Ginrei pointed out.

“So?” Orihime demanded.

There was a gurgling cough and she quickly turned her attention back to the dying arrancar on her bench.

“Soten Kisshun.” She declared, the shield coming up over the wounded arrancar, causing everyone but Nel to jump a bit in surprise.

Ever so slowly his wounds began to heal and his breathing became easier. The four nobles watched in shock as the arrancar was completely healed before them without leaving a single scar to show the damage.

“Thank you, Orihimie-chan.” Nel sighed in relief.

“Of course. Nel-chan.” Orihime smiled. “It’s the least I could do for you after keeping an eye out for me since Tatsuki-chan left.”

Brown eyes opened fully and ever so slowly the arrancar sat up and looked at his healed body before rolling off of the bench and prostrating himself before her.

“Thank you, Inoue-sama. It was not necessary for you to do this for me.”

Orihime shared an embarrassed look with Nel before sighing and firmly ordering Tesla to get up off the ground. He rose to his feet and bowed to her again before turning his eyes to the stunned nobles.

“We should probably leave.” Nel noted, glancing back to Ginrei who, despite the shock of witnessing Orihime’s powers, still had his blade crossed with Nel’s.

“Perhaps you are right.” Orihime gave the nobles by the door a scowl. “Santen Kesshun.” She declared, the triangular shield snapping up between Nel and Ginrei.

Both hollows disappeared in a bang of Sonido, leaving her alone with the Kuchiki nobles.

“I believe you have overstayed your welcome, please leave.” She said coldly, walking past them and slamming the door in their faces.

Marching furiously to the living room she dumped the tea out of her cups and attacked the dishes with a wrath only another woman could understand. It lasted a bit until her anger tampered down and she remembered the pain she had felt in Ginrei’s reiatsu and his own comment that Kuchiki-san was dying.

She paused in her dish washing and bit a lip, wondering what to do. She would never forgive herself is she let Kuchiki-san die when she could have helped him. Too many had suffered due to her inactions in the past.

She could tell the nobles hadn’t left yet, she could feel their reiatsu outside the door. Briefly she reached for the one she knew belonged to Ginrei and sure enough there was still so much pain, as well as anger now but she had the feeling it wasn’t being directed at her.

There was another knock on her door and she briefly toyed with the idea of ignoring it. In fact she did, forcing them to knock a second time. Sighing, she gave up on the dishes and opened the door as calmly as she could, giving them a stare down her nose to see how they liked it.

“Please forgive our rudeness, but as you can imagine it has been a trying time for us. Will you please hear my offer out?” Ginrei asked her with a small bow.

She paused as if thinking about it before nodding her head and letting them in once again. Determined not to be the one with poor manners she once again offered them tea, which this time they declined.

“I ask only that you see to my Grandson and do everything in you capabilities to see to it that he either passes on in peace or at least help him along to produce an Heir before his passing.”

Orihime could definitely do that. Besides it would be unfair not to do everything she could for Kuchiki-san just because his family was a bunch of jerks. She would do it for Rukia’s sake alone.

Orihime knew how much the young woman looked up to her older brother and she would never live it down or be able to look Rukia in the eyes if she could have done something to save her brother’s life and didn’t.

“Very well, I will see what I can do.” She said determinedly.

“Thank you. Please, sign this so we can make sure to pay you back in full for your services and that you are offering your services in free will.” The only woman noble requested.

Orihime sighed the paper without bothering to read it fully for she could feel the urgency coming from Ginrei.

“Kuchiki-san must be in pretty bad shape.” She thought sadly as she left a note on the fridge for Tatsuki and followed the nobles out of her house, making sure to lock it up, and through the double gates to Soul Society.

They came out into a beautiful garden and she looked about in wonder before following Ginrei to the fourth where they were met by Unohana and Isane.

“Inoue-san.” Unohana greeted her with a warm smile.

“Unohana-taichou.” Orihime smiled back, following the woman to Kuchiki-san’s room.

Orihime felt her heart wrench when she saw how pale the noble was, and how thin. Without a word she walked up to his side, calling his name softly. Grey eyes fluttered open briefly to glance at her before they shut again.

Biting her lip she summoned her healing shield, gasping at how much damage there was to his body. She set her jaw and with determination she hadn’t felt in a while started to force his body to heal the damage whatever it was that was ailing him did.

It was like wading through honey. One could continue to move forward, but it took far more energy than if one was to wade through water. After four solid hours his breathing was slightly better and a bit of color had returned to his skin, but he was far from being healed or out of pain.

Isane brought her something to eat and Orihime forced herself to take a break to replenish the reiatsu she had burned through, and burn through it she had. What normally took one unit to heal a cut was taking twelve.

Whatever he had it was destroying him at an alarming rate and after only twenty minutes to eat and take care of other duties Orihime went back to her task to discover that 5% of what she had healed was already undone.

“How long has he been sick?” Orihime asked.

“46 hours.” Isane answered sadly.

Orihime looked at her in shock.

“46 hours?” She asked just to clarify.

“Yes. We managed to slow the degradation to his body down, but whatever this is it attacked his reiatsu first. We stabilized him briefly but whatever he has attacked the reiatsu we were using to heal him and devoured it. Shortly after his body started to fail.” Isane explained.

Orihime nodded and suddenly switched her focus, ignoring his reiatsu other than to keep it at 1% and focusing on his body only. Suddenly the honey felt more like molasses and she felt herself making progress.

Once more his eyes fluttered opened and Isane let out a pleased gasp and burned herself on the shield when she tried to stop him from sitting up.

“Kuchiki-tiachou, please lay down. You haven’t been feeling well.” Isane begged.

“What is going on?” He asked, falling back to the bed simply because he didn’t have the energy to keep himself up and not because Isane had told him to.

“You have been sick, Kuchiki-san.” Unohana answered as she flowed into the room. “Nothing we tried did anything, however it seems as though Orihime-san has been of some help.

The grey eyes fell upon her and she felt her heart pitter-patter a bit at the intensity behind them.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

He didn’t answer, no doubt too proud to admit he was about as weak as a new born kitten at the moment and probably in a world of pain as well. She could feel it as she forced his body to heal.

“What is wrong with me?” He finally asked, eyes once more closed.

“Something attacked your reiatsu, and shortly after that your body. If not for Inoue-sans timely intervention I fear you would have passed on already.“ Unohana answered sadly.

“I still can’t heal his reiatsu.” Orihime said, biting her lip. “I was trying to heal that as well as his body since I know that when healing a shinigami their reiatsu also helps heal them, but…” She frowned, trying to put what she felt into words.

“Isane-san told me about the problems you were having so I gave up on his Reiatsu other than to keep it there and started on his body. It’s a lot easier now.”

Unohana nodded, indicating she understood what Orihime was trying to say, and a sad frown touched her face.

“Taichou?” Isane asked nervously.

“I will be back in a moment. Please keep up the good work Inoue-san.” Unohana smiled at the woman.

Inoue returned it but she had felt the pain that had sparked through the woman’s reiatsu and still lingered. Unohana knew something and it was not a good thing, whatever it was.

Isane retreated as well with a promise to bring her some tea and a snack to keep her strength up. Orihime nodded and pushed more power through her shield, determined to do what she could.

After another full four hours she had to rest, running out of her own reiatsu and the fact that she had been up all night and the day before. Isane offered to show her to a place she could sleep.

Orihime nodded and followed Isane out and down the hall, sparing a backward glance for the man sleeping peacefully in the bed. He was looking much better physically at least.

Exhausted she stumbled a bit and found herself up against a door, leaning on it for support. The sound of voices from the other side startled her and before she even realized it she was straining to hear what they were saying.




“So there is nothing that can be done?” Ginrei asked Unohana, nursing a mug of strong tea.

“I am afraid not.” She sighed sadly. “Whatever condition he has is destroying his reiatsu, and when it runs out of reiatsu to destroy it attacks his body. Inoue-san can heal his body and even restore a bit of reiatsu, but it is only a temporary fix and he will just degrade quickly again.

“I am sorry my old friend, but I am afraid all she is accomplishing is holding the guillotine above your grandsons neck.”

“But she can restore his body enough to produce an Heir?” Her other guest demanded.

Unohana turned an unpleasant gaze to the other Kuchiki elder, a woman she was sure was Ginrei‘s sister.

“Yes.” She answered honestly, for she could do nothing else. “If you could find a woman willing to do so.”

“That is already covered. How long do you think it will take for Inoue-san to get his body ready?” The Kuchiki woman asked.

“A few days.” Unohana answered with a frown.

“Thank you. You said Inoue-san will be able to keep him stable?” The woman asked.

“I believe so.”

“Very well. Once his body has recovered he can return to the estate and we can proceed.”

“Are you telling me you already have a woman ready?” Unohana asked in disbelief, turning her attention back to Ginrei.

“We do. Although I had hoped we would not have had to stoop to this level.” Ginrei answered with a hint of sadness.

“What have you done?” Unohana asked in growing worry.

“I am sorry, Unohana-taichou, but this is Kuchiki clan business. If you will excuse us, we must return to our estate to see to it that preparation are complete for Byakuya’s return.” The woman sniffed.


“Inoue-san?” Isane’s voice caused Orihime to jump a bit in surprise and she felt sheepish for having spaced out on her escort.

She followed Isane to her room and sat on the bed in thought. No doubt she hadn’t been meant to overhear that conversation. She trusted Unohana very much and if the woman said all she could do is prolong the inevitable, than that was all she could do.

“Maybe I can keep him alive long enough to find a cure.” She thought with forced optimism. “People find cures to things all the time. I am sure that if given time Unohana-taichou could find a way to cure him.” She thought determinedly.

Despite her worries she was bone weary. She hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep until Isane was shaking her awake seven hours later with a bit of panic in her reiatsu. Orihime bolted awake.

“We need you quickly. Kuchiki-taichou has started to regress.” Isane said worriedly.

Orihime was fully awake in a second and was racing down the halls to his room. He was sweating a bit, but otherwise wasn’t nearly as bad off as he was when she first arrived.

She summoned her shield up around him quickly, noticing about ten percent of what she had healed had relapsed already. Unohana-taichou had been right. In about two days his body was almost completely recovered, but it would only last so long and he had very little strength.

He appeared completely healthy from the outside, but in the inside he was still being eaten alive and his reiatsu was non existent. The more reiatsu he gained the faster he seemed to degrade.




It had been two days since her arrival in Soul Society. She wanted to return home to grab some things and let Tatsuki-chan know what was going on, but Ginrei insisted she accompany them to the Kuchiki manor and that someone would be sent to let her friend know where she was and gather some things for her.

Some women came to collect her while Ginrei escorted his grandson home. Orihime sighed and followed the women to the mansion. Once there she was left in the care of a young woman who preceded to lead her through the estate.

She tried to strike up a conversation with her guide, but the girl seemed startled Orihime had even tried to talk to her and stammered that she wasn’t worthy of speaking to her.

Orihime gave up and instead just followed the girl to a room full of women who appeared to be rather elderly. The girl did a floor bow and left her standing there to stare at the women in confusion.

“So this is the girl?” One woman in a blue kimono asked with a raised eyebrow.

“This is her.” The elder from her house nodded.

“Well, let’s get this over with than.” A woman in a black Kimono sighed.

“At least she is pretty.” Blue Kinomi commented. “And her hips are good and broad.”

That last comment made her want to blush slightly in embarrassment and confusion. What did what she looked like or her hips had to do with anything?

“The bath should be ready by now. Come along child, lets make you presentable. It is going to take a bit of work to get you ready in time.” Black Kimono commented.

“Ano……In time for what?” Orihime asked nervously as she let the women prod her along.

“Why, the wedding or course. You did agree to provide us with an Heir if it turned out that Byakuya-san would be unable to recover from his condition and we are not so low as to just have you bear our Heir and leave you to the cold.”

Orihime’s entire body went ridged in shock. He brain processed the message three times and when it all came to the same conclusion that she had not misheard or misunderstood what the woman had said, she whirled about in a fit of fury.

“I did no such thing.” She growled.

“You did my dear. You signed the contract right here of your own free will.” The house woman took out the contract from her sleeve and handed it to her.

Orihime snatched it and read through it a bit more thoroughly, skipping to the part about Heirs. Sure enough it was right there. One little sentence she had missed on her first glance through.

She fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, staring at that ever so innocent sentence and down to her signature, and back again. She had agreed, and judging by the fresh seal beside hers, so had Byakuya.

Her hands trembled and one of the woman snatched the paper as her shaking hands dropped it.

She couldn’t get married, let alone to someone like Byakuya. She was still human with her whole life ahead of her. She wasn’t ready for children and she sure as hell didn’t want to be related to these stuck up hens.

What would she even do here? Sit about and look pretty when she wasn’t keeping Byakuya alive? Would they demand after the Heir was born to cease healing him and let him pass on? Maybe even take the child away so it could be raised ‘properly?’

“I can’t marry him.” She stammered. “I mean, I hardly even know him, and I don’t love him.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Black Kimono asked with a sniff.

“But, but, but, I am still human. Isn’t that against the rules?”

She thought she remembered Ichigo and Rukia having that problem.

“No, it is just something usually frowned upon. A shinigami giving a human their power is against the rules.” House woman answered. “Now stop acting like a spoiled child and get up.”

Orihime turned a glare to the woman, feeling anger well up inside her.

“Or what?” She couldn’t help but to ask.

The woman looked at her in shock, indignation and than anger following quickly.

“Or I will have to ask the guards for assistance.” House woman snapped. “This here is a legally binding contract and it is within our right to see it carried through. You will see no help from outside sources.”

“Obviously they have never met Ichigo.” Orihime couldn’t help but to think in slight amusement despite the situation.

She remained sitting on the floor however as she frantically thought of a way out of her situation. Maybe she could file for divorce after the wedding? Maybe she would just keep taking her birth control pills until they determined she couldn’t bear a child and boot her from the family, of course that plan would require for her to get her pills from the living world.

The second plan required her to actually still sleep with her husband and the thought was not pleasant. Chewing on her lip she tried to come up with some way to get out of this mess.

She was not coming up with anything. Finally, just as the women were about to order the guards to get her moving she got reluctantly to her feet and let them prod her along to the bath house to begin her preparations.




Outwards he appeared completely normal, inwards he was so weak he was sure a child could beat him. Byakuya let none of this show as he walked beside his Grandfather on the way home.

From what Unohana had told them in a private console before sending him home, he was living on the whim of Orihime’s powers. So far she had been the only one able to keep him alive and even that was temporary.

He could already feel his body weakening and knew that by the end of tomorrow walking would take effort. Whatever disease was assaulting him was persistent. After Unohana had bowed and left his room leaving him alone with his Grandfather he knew something along the lines of this conversation was going to come up.

“Rukia is not fit to lead the family.” Ginrei sighed.

“No she isn’t.” Byakuya admitted.

“We need an Heir, and this time there can be no excuses. Time is now against us.”

Byakuya silently agreed. There were no more excuses he could hide behind. It had been some time since Hisana had passed and he was long past the acceptable time of mourning.

“Than we must contrive to find a suitable woman.” He said by way of agreement.

“It has already been taken care of.” Ginrei handed him the rolled up contract.

Surprised they had managed to find someone fitting to marry him so quickly considering his condition, he took the contract and read it quickly, a feeling of surprise overcoming him, for by the end of the first sentence he knew whose signature he would see on the bottom.

He was not disappointed and he felt a bit of rage well up inside him for he highly doubted this contract had been obtained easily or freely. Still, he quashed the small bud of anger down for he had a feeling it came more from the fact the elders had so violently protested his mirage to Hisana for being a commoner and than, as if to slap him in the face, deliver to him one rather than because he felt Orihime had been tricked into this.

“She gave her wilful consent?” He still asked. “There was no trickery, no misleading?”

“This is as we handed to her.”

Byakuya doubted that. No doubt they had painted a horror tale about how he was dying and she had signed the contract without reading it fully in a state of shock. Still, he had a duty and his hand didn’t even hesitate as his grandfather handed him a brush to sign his own name beside hers and the four witnesses.

It would appear as if he had a wedding to get ready for. He understood the urgency all too well for an Heir to be provided. There was no telling how long Orihime could keep him alive and time was of the essence.

Once they arrived he went straight to the shrine of his ancestors, pausing to stare at the picture of his late wife in brief pain before lighting the first stick of incense and kneeling to ask for their guidance and blessing in the union about to come.



Please let me know what you think thus far and point out any spelling or grammar errors you might find.