Covenant: Chapter 29 - Desolation

[akuni]

~Chapter 29~

Rukia: *sniffles*

Byakuya: *gives handkerchief*

Music

♫ ‘Desperation’ - Steppenwolf
♫ ‘Here Without You’ - 3 Doors Down

(Two songs for this chapter, for obvious reasons.)

Continue to Chapter 30 - Communion
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Comments

[platedlizard]

Jumping in on this, because I have various versions of a Byakuya/Hisana, Rukia story running around on my harddrive...

It seems many people don't realize the depth of Byakuya's love for Hisana, or give her credit for loving him back just as intently. Granted we don't get to see much of her, but just because she spent years trying to atone for her mistake doesn't make her any less of a loving wife. I think Byakuya would have truly valued finding someone with such a sense of honour.

The one time we see her she says something about how she regretted not returning his love. My personal theory on that was that she simply didn't have the energy or the feeling of self-worth to feel her love for him. I think she did love him, but also I see her as being very obsessed with finding Rukia, to the point where her relationship with him suffers. And he, of course, adores her and becomes increasingly frightened as she wears herself away searching for Rukia. Which of course leads to some issues when he actually finds Rukia, because she looks Hisana, but isn't Hisana, and she 'took her away', so to speak. Byakuya would know feeling that way about Rukia was illogical, but feelings are hardly logical. This would lead into the whole mess where he never looked at her, never seemed to truly get to know her, etc until the SS arc when he received a rather swift lesson in what it means to be a big brother, as well as IMO learning to let Hisana go so he can embrace Rukia...

Eh, speculations, speculations.

[akuni]

I always took that as her personal guilt at spending so much time searching for Rukia, and not truly representative of her actual feelings for Byakuya. I'm sure the relationship did suffer because of her goal, hence her feeling like she hadn't cared enough, but I choose to believe she loved him just as much. :)

Is that story you have in mind ultimately Bya/Ruki, or just Byakuya learning to let go of the Hisana angle and accept Rukia as a sibling?

Speculations are fun. :)

[platedlizard]

I always believed that Hisana cared deeply about Byakuya, she just cared about Rukia more, if that makes sense. Partly out of guilt, and partly out of fear for Rukia's safety, I think.

I think Hisana may have also felt guilty about causing a division between Byakuya and his family, too. She apologizes for causing him more trouble on her death bed, which makes me think there was one hell of a scandal when he married her.

Byakuya learning to let go of the Hisana angle and accept Rukia as a sibling?

That's it exactly. As far as we know he was an only child, so he didn't know anything about being a brother, and then suddenly had this street urchin from the Rukongai thrust upon him. And worst of all, she reminds him of his dead wife. He finds her just a year after Hisana died, so he's still in the grieving process. I can only imagine what he felt.

(as an aside, I don't really like to ship Bya/Ruki. For one thing, I think of them as sibling, so ewww. But also there's the issue that she looks so much like Hisana, and it seems kinda creepy. But that's just me)

[akuni]

Oh it's not just you - Bya/Ruki creeps me out because of the Hisana angle, too, and because I truly think that they could only care for each other as siblings.

I bet Hisana did feel guilty over the fuss the marriage caused. I love the idea that Byakuya accepted the scandal and did whatever it took to marry her... it makes him seem so human, to face so much for love.

(BTW, I'm just prepping tonight's chapter now! :D)

[platedlizard]

I love the idea that Byakuya accepted the scandal and did whatever it took to marry her... it makes him seem so human, to face so much for love.

He did it twice, too. For Hisana and Rukia at Hisana's request, although I suspect that it might not have been such a big scandal the second time around. He must have really cared for Hisana...

(BTW, I'm just prepping tonight's chapter now! :D)

Yippie!