Kuchiki Byakuya is cold and confident. (vibrant_display) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-10-11 17:45:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, byakuya kuchiki, rukia kuchiki |
Who: Byakuya & Rukia Kuchiki
What: A little chitchat in Byakuya’s home office about school and business and things, in which Rukia is generally all BLAH about.
When: After the recent internet exchanges between them.
Rating: Low.
Status: Complete!
The Kuchiki manor had that sort of new home smell to it. It hadn’t become familiar enough to be unnoticeable yet, even if everything was now in its place, and the entire home had been dusted and polished and vacuumed. And though it was a beautiful home with marble floors and grand staircases and a ballroom with a wooden floor, it still seemed cold and empty. From Tokyo, Japan to Newport Beach, California...it was like they had moved from one well appointed tomb, into another.
Byakuya tended to have the whole ‘not seen and not heard’ ethic instilled in the staff and bodyguards, so that the entire home was quiet. From one bedroom on the west side of the manor, a person on the east side in the spa could hear a pin drop. With the door closed. It was, literally, that quiet.
After conducting several internet meetings with his banking chairmen and other financial advisers in Tokyo, Byakuya had a servant go fetch Rukia, so that he could go through the task of informing her of her enrollment in school. It was his way of making sure she had a future ahead of her, as well as keeping his promise to Hisana to watch over her. He had failed to help his wife and he would not fail in protecting his sister.
Of course, he had some sort of disconnect between simply coming out and saying that. Instead, he went with what he knew best. Managing everything, and letting actions speak louder than any words could. Or so he believed.
Byakuya sat in his office, behind an expensive antique desk, reading some letters with the same apathetic and listless (anti)expression that his face seemed stuck in, ever since Hisana had gotten sick. He continued reading in what could only be described as a painfully quiet manner, and he waited for Rukia’s arrival.
There were so many things that she didn’t like about this place. The fact that they were in America, the fact that they were in this house. Yeah it smelled, and it felt like if she made a mess then someone was going to come out of the closet and chastise her for it. There were all sorts of things running around in her head, but mostly in the fact that she wasn’t quite happy to be here. Of course she wasn’t unhappy either. It was just one of those things that he forced her to do.
She was eighteen, why was she still listening to him? It was completely crazy, but she felt a sense of responsibility to make sure he didn’t waste away somewhere. So she’d unpacked things to her room and then figured that she’d find her way around. It took her a while to find him, too many rooms.
Rukia stuck her head in. “How are we supposed to find anything in this house?” she complained.
All was quiet for a few seconds before Byakuya spoke. He didn't raise his head. He didn't lift his gaze. His lips moved and his voice was deep, low, and flat. Listening to him was like listening to someone who had read too many stories in the newspaper about death and destruction over the course of many years, and this was just another story that they had been desensitized to.
"You will learn to navigate it, in time." Another pause. "Rukia. Please come in and sit down."
She was eighteen, but his promise to Hisana was one he took seriously. If it was his dying day, then he would not regret having discarded such a promise lightly, and would do his duty as a Kuchiki to be a man of his word, uphold their values, and give her a life where she wouldn't want for anything. That was even if she was fighting against him, tooth and nail, the entire way.
“Yeah if you say so,” she said dismissively but she was already moving forward to go and sit down in one of his chairs. Oh boy, here came the lecture. Sometimes she just wanted to hit him over the head with a frying pan to see if that would change his demeanor. She figured it wouldn’t. He would be just as emotionless as ever. Rukia was sure that he was actually a robot.
She waited for him to start, because clearly starting to bitch at him wasn’t going to get them anywhere. For now. Though she missed her sister dearly, she kind of really couldn’t stand the fact that she just handed Rukia over to be told what to do like she was some kind of evil step-child. Ugh.
There was clearly a whole lot of disconnect going on, although Byakuya was convinced that he was doing what he could to the best of his ability, all of which was as he had been taught, before. But lately he felt like he had been left dealing with a petulant and ungrateful child, and it was his duty to make sure she wasn't going to taint Hisana's memory or last wishes, by letting her foul up as an adult. Not on his watch!
Furthermore, he was also concerned about Rukia, because she was family to him. She was - as painful as it was sometimes - the last living link to Hisana, even if they were as different as day and night. He was going to do all in his power to protect that, even if he was doing a not so splendid job of actually telling Rukia all of these things. But when his wife died, he wasn't quite so inclined to talk about it or much of anything else. And from that time forward, time sort of simply slipped on where one day bled into another, infinitely.
He didn't look up from the letter in his hands, because doing so would be like looking at Hisana's face. Only instead of something he had loved beyond measure, this face would simply mirror hatred and rebelliousness back at him. He clearly had his work cut out for him.
"You wanted to discuss your college courses which I have enrolled you in," he began, his voice the same listless, deep monotone as always. And yes, here comes the speech. "You mentioned being an adult, which infers a measure of responsibility. I have had you enrolled in business classes so that you can take over the family business as an adult, should you be found capable to handle such responsibility. I can not have you help with my work, without the benefit of your learning the rudimentary basics."
He reached for a pen and signed the bottom of the paper, dated it, and placed it aside. It was just another day at the office. He sounded and looked oh so not enthused, even as he reached for another one of the faxes he needed to sign and send back.
"I also realize you like art and that is why I have seen to it that you are enrolled in several art courses, to hone your already natural talent." So says the guy who doodles what he considers to be finely crafted advertising mascots during his net meetings. No one can see what he's doing and he kept all of the better drawings carefully hidden, for future use. "Someday, you may wish to acquire an art gallery. With a business background, you will have the ability to do so by convincing investors you know how to wisely manage and best use their money. They feel that they reap the financial rewards, by helping you, and have a return on their investment. You are also able to display your artwork to a broader audience. There are several applications that you are failing to notice, which may be of potential worth."
He signed another paper, dated it, and then waited to hear what her rebuttal was.
This whole thing was completely ridiculous, and they both knew it. She wondered if her sister would actually tell her that she couldn’t do what she wanted because it was the ‘family’ way. Rukia didn’t say anything for a while, because she didn’t want to lash out at him. Well she did, but she knew that it wouldn’t really go anywhere. The whole thing just made her want to scream from the roof.
“I get that you mean well, even though you have the warmth of a cold fish but I’m trying to tell you.. I don’t want to do business. I don’t want to run business. I don’t want your business. I’m sorry that my sister died, and that you didn’t have any kids. I know that she wanted you to look after me, but the point is, is that I get to decide what kind of life I want. I get to decide what job I have. I don’t want it, and you can do all of these things but if you force me then I’ll just go somewhere else.”
And leave him in his giant mansion. Alone. “I like to draw, but that doesn’t mean I want to be an artist. I actually was considering medicine, and that’s what I want. You keep talking about responsibility, but I was forced into this. No one asked what I wanted. I didn’t give my permission. And you’re not going to get it.”
Inwardly he wanted to sigh, of the long-suffering variety. Outwardly, he did nothing of the sort. He had learned long ago to keep his emotions reined in and under control. The problem was that it had only gotten worse with his wife's passing.
"If I wanted, I could have adopted a child that was not headstrong, nor as obstinate, as you are," he stated, with the same lack of expression or inflection as before. "But that is not the way of things. When I married your sister, you became family to me from that point, forward. Not at any point, after. I will honor your sister's last wish. If you choose to discard what has been offered to you, that is your choice. It is not mine."
Never once did he look up at her. However, he did make one concession.
"If it is your desire to study medicine, then you will finish rudimentary business classes. Once that is complete, then you may pursue a medical degree. You must, at the very least, understand someday what the board members are talking about."
And then she could go play doctor all she wanted.
Her choice? That was the damn nicest thing he’d said all day long. She was almost ready to actually be excited, until he brought down his ultimatum. Ugh. Business was the worst. Who wanted to sit in a room with a bunch of stuffy men that acted like him and didn’t know how to have any fun. Rukia groaned outwardly and then leaned down so that she could beat her head against the desk. What part of ‘i hate business, shove it up your backside’ did no one seem to get?
“Fine, but when I completely mess everything up and there is no possible way that you will put all of this into my hands, because I’ll surely bankrupt everything, then maybe I’ll say I told you so.” She’d even do a silly little dance. Oh yes she would.
“But you’ve got a deal.”
Oh, when her face met the desk, then Byakuya looked down at her with some measure of regret that showed only in his eyes, and then it was gone again. It was probably the first time he had openly looked at her in at least a week, if not two weeks. In private, he checked in on her when there was no danger of her noticing he was doing that overprotective big-brother hovering thing, but he didn't go around advertising that.
He looked down at the paper in his hands, not really even reading the words, and hearing his own voice like it was coming from someone else, entirely.
"You will not bankrupt the holdings. I will see to it there are safety measures in place, to prevent that. You will be expected to know the basics. That is the provision to our new agreement."
There was a very long and painful pause in which a few seconds seem to stretch on for hours. He finally asked, "Is your room to your liking."
Rukia didn’t notice at all. He was sly, that one. She thought he pretty much hated her, and she supposed she knew why. It was still a pain in the ass. She sighed, but didn’t say anything. Apparently her silence meant agreement. As much of an agreement as they could arrange. “No, it’s not. But you don’t really care what I want so whatever. I’m going out.” She couldn’t stay in this place on more minute.
It figured, but Byakuya was good at hiding what he thought behind a mask of indifference. It was what he was taught and what was expected of him. Deep down, he knew it was unfair to expect that of Rukia also, but he had the board of directors and extended family with lesser lineage breathing down the back of his neck, and he knew that none of their sons were capable of running things, at all. It was why he essentially pulled a 'screw you all' maneuver and was set to give it all to Rukia.
"Very well. I was about to dismiss you." A pause and then he spoke again, before she could get up and leave the room. "If the room isn't to your liking, choose another. There are seven more to choose from. And try to be home no later than one a.m."
He considered that to be a long enough time for a cut-off to be home by. If she wasn't back by then, he would send out the ninjas family bodyguards. That are trained like ninjas...oh hell with it, they were trained to take names and kick ass, and were there to make sure no harm came to either of them. And he'll probably have a tail on her, anyway.
He put a lot of things on her shoulders, and she didn’t know why he thought she would be better at it when it was clear that the whole thing bored her and she couldn’t care less. Those other people could probably do a way better job at whatever it was that the company did. She didn’t even know to be honest. She didn’t want to know. It was depressing.
Rukia shook her head a little, “No that’s not it. This place is uh.. just too big.” She shrugged some and then got up to her feet since she was probably dismissed now. Wow. One a.m. How big of him. She was kind of surprised. “Yes sir.” Then she turned to go without even saying good bye.
There were a lot of things on both of their shoulders, but Byakuya had never been one to shirk either family, duty, or responsibilities, and so he expected the same of others. He also didn't say goodbye, even if he did glance up as she was leaving. Then it was right back to signing papers in a painfully quiet room again.