Bad Intentions

Chapter 1

The moonlight filled the room with white light, outlining two bodies standing near one wall. The larger of the two pushed the smaller one up against it, lifting her chin to capture her mouth in a searing, hot kiss. The moonlight played softly on his Kenseikan as he lifted her up, hoisting her right above his hardness. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his body tight. He pushed her harder into the wall, lifting the corners of his lips when he heard her moan loudly. She lifted her hands, pulling off the Kenseikan and letting it drop noisily to the floor. Whether it broke or not didn't matter to them, neither one of them would have cared. She let her fingers tangle in his hair, feeling their silkiness as she grabbed a bunch of hair and pulled downwards, feeling satisfied when he groaned. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue past her lips into her mouth, slowly moving it over the roof of her mouth and her teeth. She responded

with another deep moan, entangling his tongue with her own, pushing past it to reach his lips and explore his own mouth in return. He slid his hands upwards from her thighs to slowly open the sash infront and untie her robe. He then moved his hands upward, slowly pulling the robe off her shoulders, feeling as much skin in the process. He suddenly cupped one breast, pleased to here her gasp. He slowly edged his lips down towards her neck, kissing her jawline, giving tiny love bites till he reached her collarbone, all the while stroking her nipple with his thumb, circling around it and squeezing it. She bit her lip at the pleasure she felt, her moans not quite successfully being silenced by doing so. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders, her hips starting to move impatiently. "God Rukia, stop moving like that," he growled. He placed his hands on her hips to stop her movements. She bent down to lick his ear, over his earlobe, into the hole leading to his ear canal, creating tingling sensations down his spine. Then she whispered huskily, "I can't help it, nii-sama. It feels so good." She started to move against his hips again. "Don't call meRukia, stop, or I won't be able to go slow," he gasped. She gave hot, fiery kisses down his neck, snaking her way to his collarbone, setting his skin on fire. He was quickly losing all sense he had. "Then don't," she simply said, sliding her hands down his back, pushing the robe off at the same time. "Byakuya," she whispered his name, her lips moving on his collarbone. Byakuya headed towards Rukia's bed while she continued her ministrations on his neck. When they reached her bed, she slowly slid down, making sure her whole body brushed besides his before she sat on the bed. Byakuya groaned and looked at her. Her eyes were twinkling with mischief, knowing full-well what she had done to him. "Evil woman," he choked out before pushing her backwards and swiftly falling on top of her, crushing his mouth with hers. He didn't hold back, letting his desire control him. He tore open her robe, she doing the same to his and they connected again, skin against skin, continuing to wildly kiss each other. He was the first one to break contact, moving downwards, sliding his hands over her skin, feeling every contour and curve, stopping at her breasts, rubbing their hardened peaks with his fingers. His mouth making a trail of hot, open mouth kisses as he followed the path his hands had made. Rukia gasped out loud when his mouth had reached one nipple, her hands instinctively reaching for his hair. He was torturing her with his mouth and his tongue, biting and licking her breast. Flicking her nipple with his tongue, making her go out of her mind with pure bliss. "Stop torturing me Byakuya!" she cried out. He just looked up at her from his position with a devilish glint in his eyes and covered her nipple with his mouth, closing down hard around the nub, licking at it with his tongue. Rukia gasped again, groaning

indelicately this time. The bastard was probably doing it for torturing him before, but it hadn't been as bad as this. She arched her back, craving for more of it, digging her nails into his scalp, all the while moaning helplessly. He gave what she wanted and then some, moving to her other breast and repeating the same sweet torture. She itched to do the same to him, make him feel helpless to her, be her slave, but she couldn't. This was his game and he was winning. Byakuya freed one hand and moved even down, over her stomach, over her abdomen, till he reached that soft flesh between her thighs. Rukia gasped even harder. He smiled against her breast and slowly inserted a finger inside. "Byakuya!" he heard her choke out, but he silenced all protests with another bite on her nipple. She cried out helplessly, her moans driving him wild. He pushed his finger in deeper, marveling at how ready she was. Then he retreated. Then he plunged in again, inserting another finger. His fingers moving in a rhythm that she copied by moving her hips. His desire fueled to newer heights. He didn't know how longer he could hold on playing this game, trying to torture her, it seemed to be affecting him more. "Please stop, ByaAH!" Rukia's felt her sanity snapping, "I can't stand waiting anymore!" He couldn't agree more. A few seconds more and he would have lost it. He moved to postion himself so he could enter her when Rukia did something surprising, she pushed him sideways to land beside her and jumped on top of him with suprising agility. He was going to protest when she silenced him by kissing him at the same moment when she came onto him with so much force it stole his breath away. She smiled against his lips, "Payback." Then pure ecstasy unlike nothing else washed over them, hitting at them with an unbelievable force. He tightly wrapped his arms around Rukia and called out her name at the same moment she cried out his. Then Rukia woke up.
Chapter 2 "so I challenged Ikkaku to a match this Wednesday, nothing big, just whoever knocks out the other opponent first wins, and I'm going to win!" Renji exclaimed with unmasked pride. "So, are going to come?...Oi! Rukia!" Rukia snapped out of her thoughts to listen to what Renji was talking about. She gave him a ,"Oh that's very good Renji!" and retreated back into her own thoughts, making sure to nod her head occasionally and smile while Renji continued with his monologue. "and before you know it, I'll be able to defeat Captain Kuchiki aswell! That'll show Byakuya who the monkey is," he grumbled. Rukia's thoughts shattered again on hearing nii-sama's name, giving way to recall her recent dream. The events in her dream replayed for the thousandth time and Rukia felt her face grow hot, again. Renji frowned and put his hand on Rukia's forehead, asking with concern, "Rukia, are you feeling okay? You look like you have a fever or something. Your face is all red."

Rukia thanked whoever was up there that they had made Renji as oblivious as he was and pushed aside his hand, taking up the defensive. "Of course there's nothing wrong with me, I just feel a little hot from practice." She quickly jumped to her feet and walked away before Renji could figure out she was actually blushing, "stop being my mother Weird Brows!" and she stalked off. Renji looked at Rukia's receding back with confusion, "well what the hell isWAIT! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU CALL ME!?" but she had already vanished. Rukia flash-stepped her way to the forest near the sixth squad head quarters and entered inside. She continued to quietly walk till she had stopped at a particular place. It was her most favourite place where she usually would practice with her soul slayer. It was a wide clearing with beautiful sakura trees surrounding it like a fence. The high branches had criss-crossed their way above Rukia's head to form a roof of sorts. Sakura petals would continually fall down from their high positions all year round, but would amazingly never finish. It was like winter, only permanent and pink. It had this magical feel to it and it was the only place where she could think clearly. Whenever she was lonely or sad, or just needed to practice, she would come here. It was her personal heaven. The only disadvantage about the place was that it was very near to the sixth squad building; though this had never been a problem. Rukia had used the long route today, avoiding all possible places where her brother usually visited, which weren't that many, nii-sama usually spent the whole day in his office doing paper work. Sitting under one large Sakura tree, she allowed herself to think about her dream. It had been the first time she had ever dreamed about making love. Usually, her dreams had been about Kaien and hollows; Kaien dying and Rukia battling with hollows. Would she even dream about nii-sama, he would be his usual cold, distant self. But her adoptive brother in last night's dream had been anything but that. Having sex with him aside, she had never dreamt of him smiling before. Rukia felt her face grow hot again as she recalled how his lips had felt against hers. The dream had been so real. So real that Rukia swore she had woken up by her actual moans. When she woke up, she was ready to bet her life that nii-sama was still there in her room, laying beside her in her bed. When she saw that he wasn't there, she realized what had happened and had instantly felt horribly mortified. No, not by the fact that he wasn't there, but that she had dreamt of him in such a sick and twisted way. But it had felt so right...so good. The feel of his skin as they had made love under the moonlight, her hands in his silky hair that had felt like crushed silk as she had kissed him with a passion she hadn't known she had. Rukia swore that she had even been able to smell his scent, that of musk. She could even remember how she had shivered when he had given small love bites down her neck. She shivered now. And his eyes! Always so cold and distant but had been so dark and full of lust and passion Urgh! What the hell was she thinking! Rukia clamped her hands over her ears, hoping the images would vanish. When had she become so perverted? And the last part! Jumping on him at the last moment. That didn't sound like something she would do! And dropping his Kenseikan like it was nothing! He was nii-sama for God's sake! The man who had graciously adopted her into his prestigious noble clan. The man who she had always considered a

brother, even though they were not related by blood. The man who she hoped she could even half be like, attain even half the power he had, hold even half the status he held in soul society. He was her role model. It was a known fact throughout soul society that Kuchiki Byakuya was 'handsome.' No, handsome wasn't the right word, freakin-mind blowing-drop dead-gorgeous was more like it. Practically every female, and maybe some males, above the age of two hundred must have had a crush on him at some point. He had wealth, power and status along with good looks. He was the most popular captain among the 13 Squads, he belonged to the Kuchiki clan, one of the four noble clans. It was also a known fact that Kuchiki Byakuya was already taken. He had first been taken by Hisana and now, after her death, by his job as a captain. He had neither the time nor the inclination to flirt or commit with anyone. His frosty and aloof attitude towards people helped his goal to keep them at bay. Still, most of them would pass those qualities as characteristics that made him sexy and alluring. His unattainable status made him all the more desirable. All things considered, you would have to be crazy not to fall for him. Rukia must be crazy because she had never felt that way about her brother. She held a deep admiration and respect for him and nothing more. The amount of power and status he had had always intimidated her a bit, that along with his cold attitude towards her. His ability to look at her like she wasn't at all important had first scared her. But after he had rescued her from Aizen, nearly killing himself in the process, she realized that he wasn't all that heartless and her respect for him grew even more. She stopped feeling so intimidated by him and could actually look him straight in the eye. Their almost non-existent conversations during breakfast and dinner lengthened a bit. Rukia even tried to joke a bit around him, even though he would always look at her with utmost seriousness in return. She didn't know why she had that dream and blamed it on working too much. Lately, she had been training extra hard. Captain Ukitake had told her that if she worked hard enough, she could become a lieutenant in the 13th squad. She had always been powerful enough to get a ranked seat, but nii-sama had straight-out told her that she would never get one as their missions were too dangerous. He personally made sure about that. She wanted to become lieutenant real bad, she hated feeling like she was the weak link, weaker than Ganju, even weaker than Hanataroushe felt pathetic. Now she had a chance to prove her worth so like hell she wasn't gonna take it! The only problem was nii-sama. Lately she had been thinking up ways to break the news to him, but all those scenes would end in him quietly dismissing her with a round 'no.' "Yep, it's definitely stress," Rukia thought with a satisfied nod. "I've been thinking about him too much, so that's why I had that dream." She had probably wanted to dream of how niisama would be if he were actually kind and that dream had been the result of it. Rukia laughed at the lame attempt, she should have dreamed of her brother in a Chappy the Bunny costumejumping around going pwon pwon.

Rukia laughed again; her mood considerably lightened and got to work. She took out her soul slayer and practiced some moves. Soon her mind was so occupied in fighting that she forgot about everything elseespecially him. Chapter 3 Byakuya sat by his desk and worked on the last pile of papers from the head office. He could tell it was late but that didn't stop him from working. He hardly ever slept anyway, so sitting at his desk for a few extra hours wasn't going to hurt him. He had just finished signing off some papers for Captain Hitsugaya when his back suddenly stiffened. He could feel a reiatsu behind him but didn't reach for his Senbonzakura. Suddenly, he felt two small hands on his back; slowly inching their way up towards his shoulders. He closed his eyes, relaxing a little, his heart speeding up by the second. "What are you doing, nii-sama?" Rukia whispered next to his ear. "I've been lonely the whole day without you," he felt her lips pouting. "Bya" She nibbled his earlobe. "kuya," he whispered back, drowning in the sensations. "Hn?" she inquired, her hands were slowly reaching down his robe, opening it as she started to kiss his jawline. "Don't call me nii-sama, Rukia," Byakuya answered, tugging Rukia by one of her hands that had reached his abdomen, her fingers moving lightly over skin; causing his muscles to tighten. She just laughed huskily at that and continued moving her other hand downwards. Byakuya lifted his arm to grasp her from behind her head and pulled her down. He turned around in his chair just when Rukia fell on his lap and brought her lips closer to his, planning to do to her what he had being wanting to do all day. "Captain Kuchiki? Permission to enter?" a voice came from outside the office door. Byakuya snapped out of his daydream, irk etched on his otherwise calm features, annoyed at whoever had disturbed him. He permitted the bastard to come in. It was Renji. Honestly, the man always seemed to bother Byakuya at the worst possible moments. "I need those papers for Captain Ukitake," said Renji. Byakuya handed them over and stood up from his chair, walking towards the door. "I am done for today, Renji. I am heading back to the Kuchiki Household." "Understood sir." Renji bowed his head as Byakuya walked out of the room. Byakuya stepped out of the sixth squad building, breathing in the fresh, afternoon air. He was glad he hadn't had that much paperwork for today, staying too long in that office did things to his head. Byakuya took another deep breath after thinking about his latest daydream. Latest, meaning it had not been his first. He had been having a lot of Rukia-thoughts. Lately, they just never seemed to stop. Whenever he would step into his office, there she would be, standing right in front of him, ready to push him against the wall and kiss him senseless. If he

would be sitting by his desk, she would appear on his desk in front of him, lying on top of his paperwork, looking at him with those lustful eyes while she would pull him closer by his scarf. She was a constant distraction. Even if he just sat there doing nothing to avoid thinking of Rukia, she would just appear anyway either on his lap or behind his chair, ready to close down on his mouth with hers and kiss him with so much passion it literally took his breath away. The dream would continue as he would return the kiss with as much passion as her's, slanting his mouth over her mouth, moving his tongue past her lips, till she would moan with pleasure Byakuya sighed. He never used to sigh before. He never used to dream about Rukia that way before as well. He didn't know when he had started to lust after his adopted sister. Maybe it had started the first time he had laid eyes on her, in the Shinigami Academy. He had spotted her in the hallway, looking outside the window. Even though she had grown up in the Rukongai, she had the dignity and grace of a noble. Her posture had reeked of nobility. The way she had stood there looking out at all the people below her, back straight, shoulders squared, chin high. No, maybe he hadn't wanted her then; he had still been hurting over Hisana's death. Maybe it had been admiration. When he had seen her by the window, for an instant he had seen Hisana, but that image had vanished he moment it had appeared. No doubt they both looked alike but there were tiny differences between them. But most of all, Rukia had spirit. She was vibrant, she always glowed and she was so full of life. No one could mistake her for her sister, they were opposites, like day and night. Byakuya had resented Rukia during his time with Hisana, it had been because of her that Hisana had never been truly happy, always feeling guilty for leaving her sister behind. No matter how much Byakuya would say that it had not been her fault, she would never listen. Byakuya blamed Rukia for his wife's death, even though he knew it wasn't true. He wouldn't have even continued to search for Rukia if Hisana had not asked him that he take care of her as a dying wish. Whatever resentment he had carried for Rukia had died after meeting her. He liked Rukia's company and her energy. Though it was annoying at times it was always refreshing. Her jokes were odd; he hardly ever got them and her fascination with a certain Chappy was strange. But she was always so happy; people automatically liked her. Her animated personality was so addictive. Adopting Rukia into the Kuchiki clan had at first been a problem; many clan members had opposed him, saying that another girl from the Rukongai would mar their status. But soon their complaints had died down. Rukia had a natural grace that even nobles had troubling attaining after years of practice, she was kind and generous. Her reiatsu was immense, something all Kuchiki people naturally possessed by birth. People who had opposed their clan, calling them cold now admired them. Even the Kuchiki elders had to admit that bringing Rukia into their family had been Byakuya's best idea. Byakuya stopped walking when he suddenly felt Rukia's reiatsu. It was coming from the forest near the sixth squad building. He could see a beam of white light being emitted from somewhere in the forest and heading straight up to the sky, small ice particles glittering brightly under the sunlight. Of all the soul slayers besides his own, Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki was the most beautiful sword he had ever laid eyes on. He slowly walked up to the entrance leading to the forest, carefully masking his own reiatsu. Three people had gathered there,

Byakuya noticed that all of them were men; none from his squad. He quickened his pace and stopped right behind them. As he had figured out, they had come to see her practice. He looked past them to the forest in front of him and caught his breath. She was standing in a wide clearing; Sakura petals were flying everywhere around her like rain. White light from the beam beside her making her look ethereal as she swung her sword around, the white ribbon of the sword fluttering around her in delicate circles. Suddenly the whole clearing froze over, icicles forming all around her as she completed her first dance. The petals continued to fall and Rukia seemed completely oblivious about her small audience as she continued to gracefully swing her sword as though she was dancing with it. Byakuya, on the other hand, was not oblivious of the fact that the men were watching her body more than her sword. He could feel his hands clenching tightly. The bastards began to talk in low whispers, oblivious to certain someone standing behind them, getting angrier by the minute. "Well, wouldya look at her, Rukia sure's one hot babe!" commented bastard number one. "You think she'd go out with me?" asked bastard number two with concern. Bastard number one sarcastically replied, "of course she'd go out with a man as butt-ugly as you, idiot." "Well don't hold any hope on her going out with you," the other bastard shot back. "Who said anything 'bout dating her, I just wantta grab me a piece o' that fine ass." Byakuya was not going to let this bastard live now. The third bastard who hadn't spoken before now chose to do so, "Captain Kuchiki won't let you. He's very protective about his sister." Damn straight he was! He might just spare this one, Byakuya thought. The other two just snickered at that. "Well what he doesn' know won't hurt 'im. Anyway, I've heard she's not a virgin. Who do you think it was?" Byakuya blinked at this. He had wondered about this during his many Rukia-thoughts. So she wasn't one. Byakuya didn't like hearing that one bit. The fact that someone else had had his filthy hands on Rukia didn't settle well with him. He kept his anger in control but lost it when he heard what they said next. "I think it was that ryoka boy, you know the one that beat Captain Kuchikiuh, Kurosaki something." "Ichigo." All three of the shinigami froze upon hearing a deep voice filled with so much rage behind them. They turned around to see Byakuya standing there, his stance rigid, his aura emitting a killer intent. His face was expressionless but his eyes showed his blind fury. Byakuya let his

reiatsu go off full blast. The floor beneath him cracked and the forest wall shook by his power. Probably everybody within a fifty mile radius had felt the pressure of his reiatsu but he didn't care. Seeing those bastards fall to the ground by the sheer force of his power was worth it. He pulled out his Senbonzakura and was about to tear them to bloody shreds when a voice called out to him. "Nii-sama!" Rukia suddenly appeared in front of the three men, shock written all over her face at what her brother had clearly been about to do. One second she was blissfully practicing with her soul slayer and the next second she sensed nii-sama's incredible reiatsu, released at such a frightening level which she knew he only did when planning to kill someone. She rushed off to help her brother if it was needed but was shocked when she saw the three helpless shinigami on the ground, suffocating from his power. She didn't think beyond that and flash-stepped in front of him. Byakuya was even more angered to see her defending those damned bastards who, in his opinion, were not worth saving. He reigned in his reiatsu but did not sheathe his sword "Rukia, you are in my way," he icily said. "But what have these men done that would make you want to kill them?" Rukia asked incredulously. Byakuya silently watched her, knowing full well he couldn't explain his actions which would have seemed foolish even to him if someone else had been doing them. "Whatever reasons I have are not of your concern." Rukia just returned the stare, not moving from her position. The men from behind had slowly gotten up and with one last terrified stare at Byakuya, ran from the two Kuchiki siblings. Rukia was trying hard not to look away, but it was becoming difficult. She was still getting over being intimidated by her brother and last night's dream was making her even more uncomfortable being under his gaze. She bowed down to break eye contact. "I'm sorry, nii-sama! I'll humbly accept my punishment for this," she calmly apologized. "Yes, you will, Rukia," he said in a low voice before vanishing from her sight. Chapter 4 Byakuya went straight back to the manor. Servants awaited his arrival, greeting him in the main hallway. He noticed none of them as he walked past them towards his room with dark footsteps, anger radiating from every step he made. The servants scattered back to their posts after he left, not wanting to get in their master's way. The atmosphere around him felt a bit too forbidding. Byakuya didn't make a sound as he slid open the door to his room and closed it, albeit a little forcefully. He tried hard to repress his anger but he wanted to tear someone up so badly, no, he wanted to tear her up. This was all her fault, he thought menacingly. Everything was her fault. He had made the biggest mistake of his life by adopting her. She was doing it all on purpose. How dare she play with his mind during his every waking hour, make him want her even more whenever she smiled at him or looked at him with adoration in her beautiful,

violet eyes. It had to be a planned act. There was no way someone could be that seductive without knowing what they were doing. And today she had stood up against him to defend those damned, insignificant shinigami who had been crudely disrespecting her. She had not known that, but Byakuya had heard their comments. Nobody did that to a Kuchiki, nobody, without paying for the consequences. Byakuya had only been looking out for her best interests; it was his responsibility as her brother to do so. Byakuya sighed as he fell down upon a chair. He stretched out his legs in front of him to ease his tension. His headache was increasing no matter how much he rubbed his temples. No, that wasn't the truth. They were only pitiful excuses to pacify his ego that he wasn't the wrong one. The truth was that he wasn't as angry with Rukia as he was with himself. His rage was self-directed. No doubt, he had been furious with those bastards for disrespecting Rukia, but he would never have been so angry had it been just another Kuchiki member. Had that been the case, he would have killed the offenders but would have kept his reiatsu in control. Byakuya even doubted whether he would be angry at them for disregarding his clan. As with everyone else in his life; he only felt indifference for the other members of his clan. If the time ever came, he would probably only defend his clan out of responsibility. But they had been ogling Rukia, his Rukia. His anger had only heightened when they mentioned Kurosaki Ichigo's name. That had been the last straw. He hated to admit it but most of his anger had sparked from jealously. Yes, Kuchiki Byakuya was jealous, because a nobody like Kurosaki had probably done all those things to Rukia which he could only dream about and that pissed him to no end. Rukia was his, Byakuya thought furiously, she was meant to be his and only his. Only he was damned allowed to kiss her and hear her moan with pleasure. Only he was allowed to touch her intimately. Not Kurosaki and not anyone else. Byakuya clenched his jaw at his thoughts. It was impossible. Rukia would never be his. How could she, when all she thought of him was 'nii-sama'. He was a brother to her and nothing else. Her eyes never held that dark lust for him, only mild adoration andrespect. He didn't want to be the recipient of those types of emotions. He would trade them in a heartbeat to make her feel exactly what he felt for her. But all that aside, even if he did try to kiss Rukia, she would probably run away crying 'incest' for the next thousand years. Even if Byakuya desperately wanted her he could never do that to her. It was undeniable that he did care for her, even in a brotherly sort of way. No; not out of duty to Hisana's wishes. That obligation had long evaporated. He no longer thought of her as 'Hisana's sister' but as 'Kuchiki Rukia'; an actual part of his family. The day he had realized that was the day he had saved Rukia from Ex-captain Ichimaru's sword. Rukia was like the family he never had, like the sister he never had. He knew that Hisana had wished for that all along and Byakuya was finally able to stop grieving over her death, knowing that he had made her happy. He was never going to forget the short time he

had with Hisana, but he was also going to take a chance at happiness again. The moment he had made that decision, he had felt lighter, as if a big burden had been taken off his chest. So he took a chance at living again. He didn't stop acting impassive and aloof; those were traits that had been drilled into him ever since he was a child. It was unheard of a clan leader smiling and laughing excessively and he didn't think he had it in him anyway, but, he started to take things less seriously. Rukia had helped him lighten up. He found sitting at the table during breakfast and listening to her incessant chatter strangely appealing. He had kept his 'brushing people off and ignoring them' to a minimum, only doing it to people he clearly hated. He even tolerated his clan, though that had only been possible since they had all taken a certain fondness to Rukia. People admired the 'Kuchiki Siblings' even more; they both were strong and beautiful and Rukia's kindness made up for Byakuya's lack of it. 'The dynamic pair' was what he often heard people say when mentioning them and that always reminded him of how proud and honored he was to be her brother. Exactly when had that brotherly love changed to something more intimate? He did not know. All he did know was that he had been looking at her lips a bit too much than he should have. Byakuya felt pathetic; torn between making hot, passionate love to her and breaking all good relations they had with each other and letting her go to have hot, passionate sex with Kurosaki, so that Byakuya could at least get to keep her by his side, even though that meant as brother and sister. He was both pathetic and a coward; choosing neither option and preferring to daydream about her instead. The first dream about Rukia had disgusted him at first and he had blamed it on not being with a woman for more than fifty years but now he just couldn't seem to live without dreaming about her. They were his aphrodisiac, his reward for a long and tiring day. The daydreams had become so frequent but he still couldn't get enough of them. He was truly sick and he bloody well knew it. Sometimes his conscience would come to life; calling him all sorts of low for thinking about Rukia; the girl who truly regarded him as a brother, in such a perverted manner. It would always get to him and he would swear to stop thinking about her like that again. He would then try anything to preoccupy his mind; training, battling or working till he could think of nothing but sleep. But whenever he stopped to rest his thoughts would always drift to her, and before he knew it he would start dreaming again. It was just so enticing to think about her edging towards him with those mesmerizing eyes, hands already at work. It was scarily addictive. And after that he would snap back to reality, wondering where his conscience had gone to, only to have it come back again and chide him for slipping up. His conscience was a hypocritical, old bastard, Byakuya thought, disappearing when it was most needed and reappearing only to reproach him. Byakuya could solve the problem, all he had to do was grab any accommodating female, and god knows there were quite a few who would gladly give themselves to him. But he couldn't do that. First, it was something Byakuya could not do too often. As head of the Kuchiki clan,

captain of the sixth squad and a person who everyone looked upto, he wasn't allowed that luxury. He had to set an example for the rest of soul society. But most importantly, he just couldn't muster an inkling of desire for anyone besides Rukia. Her power over him was that much. Byakuya was in deep shit, he knew it, and he was not getting out of it anytime soon. Chapter 5 Rukia paused outside the door of nii-sama's room, thinking up a good apology or anything that might lighten his mood. Her maid had told her that he was still furious and had told everyone to not disturb him unless Seireitei was under attack. Rukia gulped. He had been positively murderous in the afternoon by the forest and Rukia had gone and done the only thing that would assure that she never become lieutenant; disobey him. He was the head of the Kuchiki clan, the highest authority and she had gone and disobeyed his direct order! During that moment, she had forgotten that no matter how much their sibling relationship had improved, she was still a lowly peasant of the Rukongai and he a noble by birth. Urgh! How could she be so stupid! Perhaps if she were to go down on her knees and beg for his forgiveness, maybe nii-sama would reduce her punishment. He was known to be extremely brutal when it came to punishing people. Usually, he would just kill off the offender. Rukia hoped that wouldn't be the case with her. She might be his adopted sister but experience had taught her that that tiny fact was insignificant when it came to committing a crime. Perhaps if she were to, how had Ichigo put it? Kiss his ass? She stood there contemplating on what she would say when the door to his room suddenly slid open; revealing a chest covered by a white robe. Rukia looked up to see a startled Byakuya looking back. He had taken his Kenseiken off; leaving his hair to freely fall on his face and down his elegant neck. Rukia's breath hitched in her chest. They were so close that she could actually count every eyelash framing his eyes. If she stood on her toes, her lips would actually be an inch away from his own. Rukia blushed furiously and pointedly looked down at the floor, taking a few steps back to give them space. She bowed down; glad the action hid her red face. "I-I'm sorry nii-sama. I came here to receive my punishment." She rattled on, buying time till her face cooled down. "I'm really sorry for disobeying Byakuya nii-sama, it was highly wrong of me to forget my position in this household. It's truly unforgiv-" "Rukia."

"-able, yes Byakuya nii-sama?" her back was beginning to ache but she continued to bow; she would rather dislocate her spinal cord than look at him. "You are pardoned from your punishment," Byakuya replied calmly. Rukia straightened her back so fast it snapped. She winced but ignored the pain to see if he was joking. He wasn't exactly looking at her but his face was completely serious. "What did you say?" "Don't make me repeat it again, you are pardoned from your punishment but from now on will not be if you defy my orders again. You are dismissed" He silently slid the door shut, leaving a shocked Rukia on the other side. Byakuya stood on the other side of his door. He had wanted to walk in the garden; getting some fresh air always cooled him down. But he had opened to door and nearly bumped into the last person he had wanted to see. She had been so damn close that Byakuya had, for a second, forgotten to act impassive. She had mumbled something about punishment which he had not gotten at first; all he could think about was how close she was. I'll thoughts of giving her her punishment flew out of the window and he had pardoned her without realizing it, dismissing her as fast as he could before he would have done something he would have deeply regretted. Thinking about it now, he was relieved he had pardoned her. Rukia hadn't done anything wrong in the first place, infact, if it had not involved them, Byakuya would actually be proud of her for standing up like that. It showed how good her character was. Besides, he probably would have screwed brotherly love aside and demanded she apologize with her body. It was four thirty when Byakuya headed towards the dining room for breakfast. He used to wake up at five and have breakfast with Rukia but recently eating with her had become a problem, so he had altogether stopped that routine and woke up half an hour early instead to avoid running into her. It was annoying but it helped his cause. He reached the dining room but suddenly halted by the door when he saw Rukia sitting quietly by the dining table; her back faced to him. What the hell was she doing this early? Keeping in mind to look blank, he quietly walked towards the other side of the dining table. Rukia jumped when Byakuya came in view. She silently hoped god had given her enough energy to look at him and put on the brightest smile she could muster. "Good morning Byakuya nii-sama!" she bowed down while he took his seat. He only nodded and asked, "Why are you up so early?" Rukia looked back up, purposefully looking at his Kenseikan; looking at his eyes would be impossible. "I just wanted to thank nii-sama for pardoning my punishment, you are truly very kind."

"Don't mention it," he muttered. There was nothing kind about the way he dreamt of her. "Understood. But I still want to show you my gratitude, you've been waking up earlier recently due to work and we haven't had breakfast together in a long time...you know like the way we used to, so, so I thought we could have it today," she finished, still looking at his hair. Work!? God was she oblivious, Byakuya thought. He had been avoiding her only because when she was near him; her most annoying ability of directing his thoughts towards unwanted places would kick in to action. For example, right now, he could think of an even better way for her to show her gratitude and it did not involve eating, well maybe dessert, but that was optional. Byakuya mentally sighed. It couldn't be helped, she had woken up earlier just to have breakfast with him, the least he could do was oblige. "Very well." She looked at his eyes then; he was looking at his food, apparently concentrating very hard on it. She felt easier when he didn't look at her. Rukia wanted to patch up things with her brother. She wanted to stop feeling those strange emotions she had begun to feel since that dream. It wasn't right, she was his sister. The sooner she got over those feelings of hers the better. Rukia served the tea for the both of them and started to chat, or rather monologue, about recent stuff. The conversation had started awkwardly but soon she felt more comfortable. Even nii-sama was beginning to seem a bit more relaxed; he rarely looked up to look at her but that didn't deter Rukia from trying to make him feel better. At least he replied back to a few of the questions Rukia asked. Rukia even tried to joke with him, asking if would bet his scarf on who would win in the Ikkaku versus Renji match this Wednesday. Nii-sama had shockingly replied, "Rukia, betting on such trivial matters is beneath a noblebut, if Abarai Renji looses the match I will remove him from my squad." The fact that he had said it so matter-of-factly made Rukia wonder if he really would do that, her stricken expression told him so. "I'm joking Rukia," he answered in the same monotone voice. Rukia stared at him for five complete seconds before collapsing in a fit of laughter. She tried to sit straight but instead fell backwards off her chair. Byakuya couldn't find what was so funny about what he had aid but when she fell off the chair he rushed by her side to see if she was actually having a fit. "Rukia, are you okay?" He asked, slight concern ruining his impassive features as he bent down in front of her. Rukia just continued to laugh, holding her sides so tightly; fearing they might burst, "...Iaha...okayhaha." Her laughter slowly subsided, "I'm so sorr y for laughing at youhanii-sahahabut that was the first time I heard you make a joke." She looked into his eyes, her violent orbs shining brightly, "you should definitely do that more." Byakuya just stared at her, his gaze intense. Rukia suddenly realized how close they were; their faces were only inches apart. Rukia couldn't help it; she had to look down at his lips.

They were slightly parted and only inches from her own ones. Without realizing it, she licked her bottom lip. Rukia felt a pull from those lips, beckoning her to taste them. To see if they felt as soft as they had been in her dream. Her heart was beating faster and it felt as if her breathing had stopped. She slowly inched forward and swore that she thought Byakuya had moved forward aswell. This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong, THIS IS WRONG! Both of them jumped back simultaneously, hastily getting up on their feet. Rukia quickly bowed down and mumbled something incoherent about being late while she backed away and left the dining room in a rush. Byakuya just stood where he was, looking at the empty doorway where she had departed from. He closed his eyes in frustration and exhaled hard. His conscience was right, what he had wanted to do was wrong. But damnit he didn't like that fact one bit.

Chapter 6 Four days had passed and nothing had changed. Rukia still tried her best to be pleasant around nii-sama, but it seemed that he was purposely avoiding her. Whenever she would spot him, he would flash step somewhere else. She didn't mind it that much; being next to him never ended well and even though she had to tell him about the lieutenant post, she didn't mind waiting a few more days till she had a better plan. The breakfast idea had been dropped like a hot potato, she still felt too embarrassed to think about it. My GOD she had tried to kiss him! Her brother! He probably hadn't known what she had been about to do and thanked God her conscience had kicked in before she had made a fool of herself. She shuddered to think what would have happened if she had gone and done it. Nii-sama would have probably killed her with his Senbonzakura for trying to commit incest. But it really wasn't incest, was it? They had no blood relation and-Urgh! Rukia whacked her head hard and shook it. She shouldn't even wonder about things like that! Incest or not her brother was a law-abiding man and would never ever forgive her if she behaved that crudely. So she took the cowards way out and avoided her brother. Unfortunately, four days of ignoring her brother had done nothing to stop those wild thoughts of hers; the ones she couldn't control. She practically dreamt that same dream every night and now she even daydreamed about how kissing him in the dining room that day would have been if she hadn't stopped herself. Four days and she was still disgusted with herself. She hadn't known she had it in her to become so pathetic. She fingered her soul slayer. Time was running out. Captain Ukitake had given her a week to get an answer from Byakuya about being Lieutenant and Rukia was having trouble mustering up the courage to ask him. She had three days left. At this rate, she'll never get the post.

A heavy hand suddenly plopped on her head and started to mess up her hair. "So, what do you plan on giving me for my victory then, huh?" asked Renji as he stood behind her looking down, his upside down face inches from hers. His grin was humongous, stretching till both ears. Rukia punched his chin, receiving an 'OW!' in return. "I just gave it to you," she answered innocently. "Why you" Renji grumbled, ruffling her hair harder than before. Rukia just sat silently on the bench, looking ahead at nothing in particular. Seeing how she wasn't being affected by the hair tangles Renji was making, he stopped and sat down beside her. Renji stopped smiling to look at her carefully. She had been acting like this for some time, lost in her thoughts, the stress clearly evident on her features. "Want to talk about it?" "Huh?" Rukia looked sideways at him. She stared confusedly at him but then smiled after a second, "no, it's nothing, I'm sorry I've been ignoring you Renji, I-I just have a lot of things on my mind." Renji scrunched up his face and jabbed Rukia in the ribs. Rukia gasped. "OW! What did you do that for moron!?" "How many times have I told you to stop apologizing?" Renji stated in a bored voice, resting his arms on the back of the bench, "friends don't do that. God you're so dense!" What! She was dense!? Rukia spluttered, "I'm not dense you idiot!" She jumped off the bench to stand in front of Renji. She jabbed a finger at him. "You're the dense one! You only won against Ikkaku because you got lucky!" Renji grinned like a maniac; he seemed to be enjoying himself, which only annoyed Rukia more. "And for your information, I could easily beat you if I reach Bankai as well!" Rukia fumed. Renji laughed at that, "Bankai!? You!? HahahaRukia, you can be so funny!" "THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" Renji just continued to laugh hysterically. Rukia dealt Renji with another punch, directly in the stomach. He made an 'oof' sound but continued to laugh. "Idiot," she mumbled. Renji stopped laughing, "hey, at least I got your spirits up and." He turned serious all of a sudden. "I was serious about the telling me anything part, Ruk. If it's about the lieutenancy, I'll be glad to talk to Captain Kuchiki for you." Renji thought for a moment and then added, "he doesn't glare at me like I'm dirt that much anymore, seems to be able to bear me now." Rukia just shook her head, smiling all the same. She was so glad she had Renji back as a friend. They had become very distant with each other after Rukia had been adopted but they had thankfully settled all those problems. Renji was her first family; he was like her big brother. Even though she had a family now, he would always be an important part of her life.

"It's okay Renj, I'll talk to nii-sama myself. He would probably call me a coward if anyone else told him for me." Renji gave her shoulder a tight squeeze, "it'll go alright kiddo and-" "Don't call me kiddo." "Shut up, I'm talking here. AND, hey! If you become lieutenant then I'll at least have some decent company during those lame-ass Lieutenant meetings." He scrunched his face, "they're pure torture." Rukia laughed, feeling more optimistic then she had ever felt in these days. She would need it to face Byakuya.

A messenger had been delivered to Rukia right after she had eaten, asking her to see Byakuya as soon as possible. She wondered what the matter was. Her heart was racing with every step she took towards his room. Had she done something wrong? She had eaten all her food, even though she hated soup. She had kept herself clean. She had remembered to walk and not run in the house. Rukia mentally went through all the things she had done that day, panicking all the same. Maybe Renji had done something and nii-sama was going to blame her. Stupid Renji, Rukia thought, I've told him so many times to behave like a human being. Disgraceful ass, he probably went ahead and played with the chemistry set Orihime had given him. Rukia fumed. If she got punished for his crimes she was not going to let him live! Rukia let out a shaky breath. Of course she didn't believe that. Whatever the reason was, she still wasn't prepared to see him just as yet. Rukia reached his door. She lighted tapped it. "Permission to enter, Byakuya nii-sama?" Rukia thanked God her voice wasn't breaking. "Enter." Rukia frowned. Did he sound angry? How the hell would she know, he never expressed his emotions, not by his voice and never by his face. She silently entered. Nii-sama was sitting by his small desk, seated on two big cushions. Rukia was glad to notice that his back was facing her. He was in his night clothes; a white robe. He didn't look at her and continued to write on a piece of shifted her gaze to his room. Out of all of the Kuchiki bedrooms his one was no doubt the finest. Beautiful sakura trees with their petals flying through the wind were handpainted on the walls. He had exquisite furniture, all in dark wood with intricate patterns hand crafted in gold. His bed was different from the other beds in the house. It was bigger and had a canopy made of both silk and something transparent like. Delicate designs were painted on the silk as well. He had a few decoration pieces placed in the room, all of them perfectly matching the mood of it. Everything was beautiful. Rukia had also heard that the bathroom was amazing, all black and

marble, as would fit someone of his status. Even though nii-sama had arranged that Rukia's room be equally grand, it could never match the fineness of his room. Stepping into his room was like stepping into heaven. Or maybe she liked it more because it smelled so much like nii-sama, all spicy. Entering his room always gave her tingly sensations. Rukia avoided looking at his bed too much. She sat quietly a few feet behind Byakuya and bowed her head, "you called for me, Byakuya nii-sama?" He put down his pen and turned to look at her straight in the eye, "Captain Ukitake has told me that you are nominated for lieutenancy." He narrowed his icy eyes, "When were you planning to tell me about this?" Rukia froze. She hadn't wanted to bring up the matter this way, she had even planned to keep it a secret for at least one more day. She panicked, wondering if she would get caught if she lied. No, she was horrible at lying and she wasn't going to get any better in two seconds. She decided to stick to the truth. "I-I was planning to tell you within this week. I'm sorry for not informing you of it sooner it was justI was waiting for the right time," she finished lamely, keeping her head bowed. "No." Rukia looked up "What?" Byakuya looked back at her coldly, "you do not have my permission to become lieutenant." Rukia had known he would say that but felt a spark of anger none the less, "but why niisama?" "Because they are required to do far more dangerous tasks than lower ranked officers," he calmly explained. "But I have gotten stronger!" She could feel her anger rising. It was the first time Rukia had directed her anger at him. It felt strange, but it was his responsibility to protect her, "no Rukia, you are not strong enough." She stood up to tower over him, "but I really want to become lieutenant! I've been practicing so hard only for this!" She was furious now. "I HAVE improved and even Captain Ukitake says that I'm MORE than worthy of becoming a lieutenant!" Byakuya raised his eyebrows at her outburst. "Are you disobeying my order, Rukia?" he silently asked. That made Rukia pause, bringing her back to her senses. She suddenly remembered who she was shouting at and hastily bowed down at the waist. She coolly replied, "I'm sorry for my outburst Byakuya nii-sama, it was highly rude of me, but" she looked at him, her violet

eyes slightly pleading, "if you could at least take the time to see how much I am worthy of this position, perhaps during my practice session, I am sure you will change your mind." He looked at her eyes for a second before slightly looking down. He closed his eyes and turned back towards his paperwork. "You are dismissed," he quietly said. "Understood, nii-sama." Rukia turned and walked out of the room, silently shutting the door behind her. She took a deep breath, lieutenancy gone straight out of her thoughts, her mind thinking about something entirely different. It might have been a trick of light but, just after he had looked at her eyes, had he looked down at her lips? Chapter 7 Byakuya silently walked towards the 13th squad training grounds where Rukia was practicing. He didn't want to go there. He had already told her that becoming a Lieutenant was out of the question and he was not going to change his mind. Unfortunately, so many people had been nagging him since yesterday that he felt forced to make a presence there. Ukitake had informed him of Rukia being a nominee for Lieutenant the day before yesterday. Byakuya had first been furious. He didn't even want Rukia to become a high ranked officer let alone Lieutenant. He had told Ukitake then and there that he would not allow that to happen. Ukitake had honored his decision but had told him to reconsider because Rukia wished for it a lot and that she was more then capable for the job. In fact, it wasn't the first time Ukitake had told him that. Throughout the months he had felt compelled to tell Byakuya about how his sister was improving greatly and how her reiatsu had increased a lot. He even joked about making Rukia his successor if she achieved Bankai. Byakuya hoped that would never happen in his lifetime. Besides, Byakuya didn't need to hear about it from Ukitake, he already knew. He had personally ordered to receive daily reports of Rukia's progress and knew all too well how good she really was. But he would never allow her to face the danger high ranked officers had to face, she was too important to him. Besides Ukitake, a number of people had called upon Byakuya in his office. Those two underlings of Ukitake had come in the morning to request that he reconsider his decision. They continued to sing praises of Rukia. Byakuya had to endure sheer torture as they talked less of Rukia's greatness and fought more amongst themselves over who loved her more. They were nearly shouting from the top of their lungs when Byakuya had both shot them pointed glances and sternly ordered them to never disturb him for something as insignificant as that. Matsumoto, lieutenant of the 10th squad, barged in an hour after that, dragging an annoyed Captain Hitsugaya by the arm. Byakuya sat silently at his desk while she started reprimanding him for denying Rukia her happiness and accusing him of keeping Rukia all to himself.

His eyebrows lifted at that. She was dead on; Byakuya had even denied the large list of suitors that had asked for Rukia's hand in marriage saying that Rukia didn't wish for it just as yet. Of course, he did it without consulting Rukia. Byakuya doubted whether she even knew about her many proposals, or the fact that he was keeping her all to himself. Whatever the case, he was never going to admit that to anyone. "Captain, it's not fair!" Rangiku pouted. "Rukia never has any fun. You should let her date a bit. I bet Captain Hitsugaya would make a lovely boyfriend for her," she happily suggested. Both Byakuya and Hitsugaya choked at that and turned red, but for entirely different reasons. Before Byakuya could show the damned woman her place Hitsugaya began to shout at his lieutenant, shoving her out of the room. "Matsumoto! You go too far!" "But captain, you two would be so cute together," she whined. Byakuya thought he saw Hitsugaya blush more furiously before they both left his office, making a ruckus down the hallway. "Wait till I give you so much paperwork your hands won't be able to lift a bottle of sake!" "But Captain!" The day hadn't finished there, Captain Kyoraku had also come by with his Lieutenant and had said just about the same things Ukitake had said about his compliments were more about her looks. His lieutenant just looked highly agitated while he rambled on about Rukia's 'immeasurable' beauty. Byakuya knew that it he was just trying to please him about Rukia's excess of accomplishments but did he have to talk about how lovely she looked with her soul slayer? And did he have to be so damn poetic about it? Rukia was his for God's sake; the man should keep his mouth shut. But no matter how much he wanted to, Byakuya could not beat the crap out of the annoying captain without looking like a jealous lover. Therefore, he silently listened to whatever the two had to say before politely excusing himself to take a walk outside. Outside had been no better. Practically every person Rukia was friends with had either asked him to reconsider his decision; watch her train and then decide or had indirectly told him what a bastard he was for ruining her happiness because of his stubbornness. He knew Rukia had not put them up to it but by God was his mood getting fouler. At least he hadn't daydreamed of Rukia like he usually did, but that only made his mood worse. By the end of the day he had a head ache the size of a watermelon and was feeling so guilty it practically stabbed at him like daggers. The combination was definitely not pretty and he was beginning to feel like an ass for selfishly keeping Rukia away from her happiness to ensure his own. So here he was, walking towards the training grounds. He knew he would be the perfect bastard and deny Rukia her wish but he had to at least honor her by watching her practice. Byakuya sighed.

Rukia felt miserable. Byakuya wasn't going to come, she thought glumly. He always stuck by to what he said. She was really grateful for what the other shinigami had done for her, even though she hadn't asked them to do it but she knew he would never change his mind. That somehow made her furious. "Rukia," captain Ukitake called from behind, she didn't turn to look at him, fearing her disappointment and rage would become obvious. "You can start by showing me your kidou. How about Byakurai? Without incantation and then with." "Understood," she answered furiously. She widened her stance. Screw him! Rukia seethed inside. She had been working her butt off for months to get here and he won't even come to at least see? Rukia looked straight ahead at the thick wooden board placed in front of her. About twelve other boards were placed behind it at considerable distances. All that Rukia could see was the first board. The number of boards you hit in one go counted your strength. She pictured Byakuya standing there, looking like the condescending bastard that he was. She could practically hear him say, "you are weak, Rukia. You always will be weak, weak...weak..." She raised her index finger and said in a powerful voice, "crash down! BYAKURAI!" A huge burst of white lightening erupted from her finger, shooting straight ahead, blasting a hole through board after board until it stopped after six ones. "Excellent, Rukia!" Renji shouted from behind, "that was freakin' amazing!" Rukia didn't look back and moved to the second row of boards. She barked furiously, "of course it was! I'm not THAT incompetent!" She then raised her hands and chanted the full incantation of the spell in a clear voice, heavy with rage. Again, Byakuya's image appeared instead of the board. "CRASH DOWN! BYAKURAI!" The power that erupted from it was unbelievable. It shot through the boards at lightening speed, smashing the first six into tiny splinters and blasting holes through all the rest. The white lightening kept shooting forward, cutting through the air, till it vanished after a couple of miles. Renji whistled. She heard Ukitake laugh, "well, that didn't come as a shock. Kidou has always been your strong point. We'll test your swordsmanship later, right now show me your flash-uhRukia?" Rukia had vanished the moment he had said flash step.

"What, Captain Ukitake?" a female voice asked calmly close by. Ukitake jumped. Rukia had flash-stepped beside him. "Jesus Rukia!" He exclaimed in shock, grasping the front of his robe tightly. He then laughed and clapped, making Rukia smile. "Impressive as always," he said. Ukitake sighed and looked ahead. "Well, I guess it's all up to him," and pointed his hand to something behind her. Rukia turned in the direction of his finger and froze at who she saw. Her violet eyes widened so much she thought they would pop out soon. He stood there silently looking back at her, his Kenseikan gleaming brightly in the sunlight. All her anger vanished and gave way to shock. She gazed up at him in confusion. "Nii-sama?" "Get ready." Chapter 8 "Get ready," he quickly said before reaching for his sword. He suddenly vanished and Rukia instantly reached for her sword, she had no time to think and acted on instinct. She could vaguely make out his form as he suddenly reappeared in the blink of an eye on her side. Suddenly, their swords clashed. His Senbonzakura against her Sode no shirayuki. Rukia had no idea what nii-sama was thinking but felt she had to fight. She could feel adrenaline rushing through her body, heightening her senses. She rushed to swing her sword again. Their swords continued to clash and gleam under the sunlight, slicing the air when they moved to attack the other. Rukia could handle herself because of her fast-feet work but Byakuya had strength on his side. He seemed to effortlessly block her attacks. Byakuya suddenly flash-stepped towards a clearing ahead with Rukia quickly following him. They reached the spot at the same time. Again, metal hit metal. They both seemed to be dancing with each other, their combined reiatsu causing their robes to flutter about them when their swords connected. Rukia realized something, that battling nii-sama was fun. He was holding back, she had already figured that out from the slow flash-step and the way he was mostly blocking attacks and leaving many openings. He wasn't letting anything show through his face but she knew him too well. So this was a test, huh? He blinked his eyes when she suddenly smiled up at him. Rukia saw him falter and quickly took the chance. Suddenly flash stepping back; she released her soul slayer to its shikai form. The sword gleamed brightly as a long white ribbon appeared on the end of its hilt, fluttering gently under an imaginary wind.

Byakuya did the same, releasing his Senbonzakura. A thousand sakura petals spread out from his swordless hilt, rushing towards her. She widened her stance and stayed rooted to her spot, quickly waiting for the right moment. She timed her move. Just as the petals came ten feet within her radius, she did her first soul dance. A great beam of blinding, white light erupted around her and she quickly flash stepped out of the way. The chilly beam froze all the petals within it's circle, making them fall to the ground and crash. Her soul dances had been weak before, only covering about a ten square radius with it's coldness. Now they froze anything within their twenty foot circle. The ground froze over, forming icicles everywhere and the sky within the white beam began to sparkle. She stood quietly in the icy clearing, her sword still clenched tightly as she tried to regain her breath. She looked at Byakuya, he was silently watching her. Byakuya lowered the hilt of his sword and called back Senbonzakura. Rukia did the same and her soul slayer turned back to normal. She silently waited for his answer. "You have my permission," he calmly said and turned away, flash stepping after a few feet. Rukia looked confusedly at the empty space where nii-sama had stood, wondering what he had said. Only when she saw Captain Ukitake and Renji's faces- that were as shocked as hershad she realized what nii-sama had said. Captain Ukitake smiled, "well congratulations Rukia-san, I'm glad that I'll be able to work with you." Rukia just nodded like an idiot before Renji patted her on the back, hard. "Well, wasn't that interesting?" Renji merrily said. "I honestly could have done better but-OW!" Renji rubbed his stomach. Rukia just laughed. She did it. She became lieutenant.

Byakuya finished off his paperwork. It was nearly dark outside and he was about to head over to the dining room for dinner. He just sat there instead, thinking about a certain raven-haired female. Byakuya had been impressed by her progress; the reports had not done her justice. Her kidou had been powerful, though it might have been more powerful due to her anger. He hadn'y been oblivious to the fact that she had been furious when she thought he hadn't come. She must have pictured him as those boards, he dryly thought. Her flash step was exceptionally good as well. Byakuya had carefully observed her flashstep. She had disappeared on the 'f' and appeared at the 'a' of Ukitake's 'flash,' which was faster then any ordinary shinigami could do. Her sword skills were also impressive; she had skillfully dodged his attacks and made up for her lack of strength with her foot work. Byakuya had held back but only a little.

He hated to admit it, but he had only been looking at her face the entire time, a bit too preoccupied by her expressions. He had been very close to her, so much so that his mind had been beginning to race somewhere else. Then she had smiled at him all of a sudden and he had suddenly lost his focus, giving her that opening. He had to applaud her on doing that. Her final move had been clever, he hadn't thought of that possibility. But then again, he hadn't really been able to string coherent thoughts during the entire time. He finally had seen, first hand, how much Rukia had progressed. She had worked so hard and improved so much for that very purpose. He realized that denying her that wish would have broken her heart and he just could not do that to her. So he let her become lieutenant, he would allow her the happiness of wearing a lieutenant badge. But he still was not going to let her go on any missions, he would secretly make sure of that. She could do paper work for all he cared. Someone knocked on his door. "Nii-sama, permission to enter?" What the hell was she doing here? Byakuya felt his heart race in that very annoying way whenever Rukia was nearby. "Enter." Rukia slid open the door. Nii-sama was sitting by his desk in his night clothes, his Kenseiken off, and was looking at her questioningly. She stood by the doorway and bowed down. "Sorry for disturbing you, nii-sama, but I wanted to thank you for coming to see me practice today, even though you had a busy schedule." She stayed bowed but raised her head to look at him and smile happily, "and thank you so much for permitting me to become lieutenant, nii-sama. I'm extremely grateful for what you have done." Byakuya remained impassive as he regarded her for a second and turned away, "you do not need to thank me. As you had quoted earlier, you are more than worthy for this position." He shuffled the papers on his desk into a neat pile and said coolly, "you are dismissed." When he didn't hear the door slide open he turned around to find Rukia still standing there, biting her lip. He chose to ignore that last detail. "Anything else, Rukia?" Chapter 9 She started to move forward. "well, me and a couple of other people had this small party to celebrate my becoming lieutenant. I-I would have asked you to join but Renji had told me that you had told him to not disturb him for the day," she started babbling. "So I didn't ask you like Renji had told me to but I was handing over treats and all and I had heard a rumor that you liked chocolate, but that could be false since Yachiru-san had been the one who told me, but since you were the one who gave me permission to become lieutenant and all," she stopped to take a breath and continued to babble, her nervousness mounting by the second. She was even wringing her hands. "I wouldn't have become lieutenant if it weren't for you,

nii-sama, so I-I wanted to give you a treat as well, but everyone said not to because you would not accept it, saying you were a-" "Rukia," he calmly said, quieting her confusing monologue. He didn't need to know what people thought of him. He had pretty much figured it out from yesterday. Rukia stopped babbling and stood by Byakuya's desk. She took out a rectangular bar that was red and shiny. It was somewhat thin by one angle and very wide on the top surface, covering Rukia's entire hand and if Byakuya had read correctly, said 'Kit Kat,' whatever that was. "What is that?" He curiously asked, he had never seen anything like it before and wondered what it had to do with Rukia's monologue. "It's chocolate, from the real world," she happily explained, handing it to him. She was glad he hadn't declined it. Nii-sama was looking at the chocolate bar with curiosity mixed with apparent distrust. "It's very tasty," she urged, hoping he would try it now; she really wanted to please nii-sama after what he had done for her. Nii-sama turned the bar around, still looking blank. Realization hit Rukia, "Oh, I forgot! This is your first time eating a Kitkat, isn't it?." She didn't wait for him to answer and walked around his desk to sit beside him. Byakuya instantly forgot about the chocolate in his hand. Rukia was sitting so close to him that they were both on the same large cushion, her bent knees touching his crossed legs. She happily took the object from him and showed how it actually had a shiny cover on it which had to be removed, underneath which chocolate bars were connected to each other. She broke one and took it out. "Oh no! It's melted!" she remarked unhappily. She re wrapped the remaining bars with one hand and placed it on his desk. "I'll have to cool the rest," she said quietly, more to herself than to him, considering what to do with the bar in her hand. "Uh, nii-sama?" Byakuya looked from her lips to her eyes, "?" She lifted the chocolate bar that was slowly melting where her fingers were holding it, "do you want to try it? It tastes even better when it's melted." She looked so expectant Byakuya couldn't deny her her wish. He again looked at the melting bar with distrust. Touch something like that he would not. He bent down a little towards the chocolate, indicating that she would have to continue holding the bar for him. Rukia understood; glad that she might be able to see his reaction when he tried it. She lifted the bar so that he could take a bite. He first took a small bite, chewing slowly. Suddenly, his indifferent mask ebbed away and he looked at her with obvious pleasure.

"What is that crunchy thing in it?" he asked with fascination. Rukia answered while he continued to take bites from the rest of the bar, "it's called a wafer, and it's like a thin crunchy biscuit. You can even get them in cones to carry ice-cream." "Ice-cream?" Byakuya asked curiously within bites. He was having a hard time eating in a dignified manner, the chocolate was amazing. The rumors were right, he loved chocolates. But Soul society chocolates were nothing compared to this 'Kit Kat.' "Yes!" she exclaimed with joy, warming up to the conversation, "they're like frozen milk, all creamy and have so many flavors; vanilla and strawberry, but the best flavor is definitely chocolate." After he had finished the bar, Rukia licked her fingers happily. His eyes immediately caught on the movement. "Sounds nice," he murmured, looking at her lips again. She still had some chocolate on the side of her bottom lip that he desperately wanted to lick off. Rukia noticed his change in tone and paused from licking her last chocolaty finger, looking up at him. Byakuya bent a bit more towards her and grabbed that finger, putting it in his mouth. He slowly licked it, closing his eyes at the same time. Rukia gasped, her body instantly reacting to his tongue. She suddenly realized the mistake of sitting so close to him; her thoughts drifting back to their heated encounter in the dining room. Again she looked down at his lips and again she felt it. That desire so intense it choked her. She suddenly felt like she would die if she didn't taste him now, to find out if his lips were as soft as they had been in her dream That magnetic force pulling her to him was overriding any sensible thought she might have had. She needed to kiss him; she could pay for the consequences later. Rukia inched forward. Byakuya sensed her movement and opened his eyes, letting go of her finger. Rather than let that hand fall to her side she snaked it through his hair at the back of his neck. He moved even closer, closing the gap between their lips. Then the kiss exploded. Rukia wrapped her other hand around his neck as the kiss became urgent. Her mouth slanted over his to get more of his lips. Her heart raced; beating so fast she thought she could hear it. Byakuya wrapped one arm tightly around her body and one on the back of her head, pulling her closer to him. He tilted her head sideways, opening her mouth, kissing her deeper. The kiss in Rukia's dream had been nothing like this. Raw desire surged through her as she bit down on his lower lip, losing all control she had on hearing him groan. She pushed him backwards. He roughly fell on his back with Rukia falling on top of him.

Byakuya weaved his hand in her silky hair and tilted her face even more. He slid out his tongue and roamed it over her lips, licking that spot of chocolate he had noticed earlier. It tasted so good. He slid his tongue past her lips into her mouth. Rukia moaned with wild pleasure. Byakuya felt like grinning; she moaned exactly like the Rukia in his dreams. He moved his tongue inside her mouth, over her teeth, entangling it with her own tongue, tasting more of that unbelievable chocolate. A moan escaped his lips before he could stop himself. Her lips were so soft and so demanding. She was everything Byakuya had imagined her to be; wild and erotic and so unrestrained, matching his passion with her own. His blood pumped louder in his veins, his heart beating erratically. Rukia moaned against his mouth as he moved his hand up and down her spine, massaging her shoulder blades, making her oddly feel as if he were actually kneading her breasts with his hard chest. The sensation aroused her even more. She removed her hands from his hair and slid them downwards towards his chest, itching to remove the piece of clothing. Rukia lowered her lips to his jaw line, half kissing and half licking her way down his neck, finally getting her hand under his robe and splaying it on his chest, using her other hand to keep his robe open. Byakuya's heavy breathing making her yearn for more of him. She licked one of his nipples. "Rukia!" he gasped, his hand on her hair tightening even more. She did it again, this time closing down tightly on it with her lips. Byakuya groaned this time. He felt torn apart. He wanted to both drag her underneath him to get inside of her and stay the way he was, being tortured out of his mind. He chose to stay paralyzed, slave to her erotic torture. He moaned when she moved to his other nipple. "Byakuya-sama?" a voice called out from his room. They both stopped instantly at the sound of the voice, looking at each other, Rukia looking dazed and Byakuya looking pained. Byakuya cleared his voice. "What is it?" he asked, keeping a tight hold on Rukia, panic rising in his chest. "Dinner is getting cold, sir," answered the damned servant. Rukia was slowly snapping out of her haze and Byakuya did not like the look that was appearing on her face. "I'll come in a while," he said in a dismissing tone and looked back at Rukia, hoping the intrusion hadn't changed her mind. Too late, he realized. "OhmyGOD!" Rukia suddenly blurted, tears forming in her eyes, extreme mortification showing in her face. Rukia scampered off of him, pushing away Byakuya's hands that had still been holding on to her tightly. She wobbly stood up. "I'm so sorry nii-sama! Oh my god I'm so sorry!" She was backing away fast, tears beginning to fall down her face.

"No Rukia!" Byakuya ignored the panic in his voice as he sat back up. He desperately wanted it to continue. He felt as if he wouldn't survive if it didn't. She wasn't listening. "I didn't mean toI-I'm so sorry," she cried before she rushed out of the room, leaving the door open behind her. Chapter 10 Rukia's head was killing her. She hadn't been able to sleep or eat properly for days. She wished she could take some sleeping pills from Captain Unohana and just sleep her poor excuse of a life away but she also had Lieutenant duties, and like hell she was going to shirk them. She had worked so hard to get to this position and even nii-sama had Guilt racked her body for the hundredth time. She stopped walking and fell on a nearby bench, holding her head tightly. Her head pounded harder as she remembered that horrible scene in nii-sama's room. What had possessed her to do that? She felt so horrible and disgusted with herself. Kissing him like that! He was her brother Goddammit! When was she going to get that through her head!? Dammit! And seducing him like that, like he was a lover or something. God! What must her brother think of her? He hadn't done anything besides licking her finger and that could have been a brotherly act, right? He had liked the chocolate anyway. It was she who had made the first move, who had pushed him to the floor and kissed him and opened his robe and kissed Ohmygod! Rukia just wanted the ground to swallow her up. She had made a move on a man who only thought of her as a sister. Urgh! Nii-sama would have stopped her right then and there if she hadn't been so persistent, he had probably felt sick to his stomach when she had turned on him like a wanton brainless slut! Slut! You're a slut, Rukia. Slut, slut, slut, slut, slut, slut, SLUT! That crude word repeated itself again and again in her head like a mantra, tormenting her. She knew it, she had reached an all new level of lowness. She had disgraced the clan that had so graciously adopted her. But most of all, she had disappointed nii-sama. The very thought of facing her brother made her want to die, she knew he had wanted to demand an explanation that night for her outlandish behavior and had probably wanted to punish her for what she had done but Rukia couldn't stay in his room and look at him after what she had done, not without dying with embarrassment. So she took the cowardly way out and avoided her brother at all costs. She altogether stopped eating breakfast in the Kuchiki Household and ate boxed lunches at the 13th squad headquarters. She made sure to arrive late during the night to have her dinner and quietly go to sleep.

She stayed clear away from the vicinity of the sixth squad building, which meant not going near her favorite place in the forest. Whenever she would go out she would make sure to detect where her brother's reiatsu was, and would stay as far from it as she could. She no longer trusted her body anymore, it always seemed like it had a mind of its own when it was near him. One day she had slipped and forgotten to check his reiatsu, which resulted in her bumping directly into him when she had turned a corner. She was lucky she hadn't fallen backwards but had gasped, very loudly, when she saw who it was. He had been surprised to see her as well and had just been about to call her name when she had flash-stepped as far away as she could. He hadn't followed her and she was grateful for that. Maybe he was so embarrassed by the incident himself that he just wanted to altogether forget it ever happened. Rukia could work with that. Her oath-taking ceremony had been pure torture. It had been a small one, the 13th squad along with the chief commander and some friends of Rukia had attended it. Some of the Kuchiki elders had come as well since one of their clan members becoming a high-ranked officer was always a victory for them. Renji had come as well, but not alone. His captain had to be present to see his sister become lieutenant, after all, he was the man who had 'made it happen.' Rukia had had to endure her own horrible thoughts as she stood up on the stage, about what nii-sama was thinking as he stood in front of the crowd, looking up at her with that emotionless face. She had mechanically gone through the whole thing, forcing herself to not look at him to see what his expression was. She had felt his eyes on her the entire time, silently demanding to look at him. Rukia had stubbornly kept her line of vision elsewhere. After the ceremony, she had quietly left with an excuse of having a severe headache. Everyone had believed her, blaming it on stress and living with someone a stony as the Kuchiki Head. All in all, she had completely ruined her life by kissing him like that. It was going to remain a thorn in her side, a scar, for the rest of her life. "Stupid dream," Rukia muttered. "Screwed my life so royally. Stupid, stu-" "Kuchiki-san!" Two arms suddenly wrapped themselves around Rukia, making her jump a foot into the air. "Matsumoto-san!" she asked, clutching the front of her robe tightly. The bubbling orange-haired woman shook her head with a smile, "now now Kuchiki-san! We're friends aren't we? You just HAVE to call me Matsumoto chan, or Matsumoto, 'kay?" Rukia smiled weakly in return, "okay, um, Matsumotochan. Then you have to call me Rukia chanor Rukia," she replied back. Matsumoto gave a thumbs up and giggled, "O-kay Rukia. Now let's go!"

Matsumoto started dragging Rukia in the opposite direction by the arm. "Uh, Matsumotochan, where are we going?" She was dragging Rukia to the 10th squad building. "Why, where else? To the meeting," she stated incredulously. Rukia couldn't recall a lieutenant's meeting today. "What meeting?" "You'll see," she replied mysteriously. They stopped by a door with a sign haphazardly pasted on it, the word 'Beeware' scribbled messily in red. "Matsumoto-chan, the, uh, spelling is wrong," Rukia said, pointing at the warning. Matsumoto laughed, "Ah that. I guess Yachiru won't be winning any spelling contests anytime soon." She opened the door and led Rukia inside. A couple of women were gathered there; Nanao, Yachiru, Nemu, Isane, Kiyone. Nanao walked towards Rukia and bowed. "Welcome, Kuchiki-san, to our club meeting." Rukia just blinked confusedly. "Thank you for inviting me, but which club meeting exactly?" Nanao pushed back her glasses and was about to answer when Yachiru jumped up on the table beside Rukia. "The Women's Shinigami Club Meeting Rukichiki!" she bubbled with joy. "Rukichiki?" Matsumoto wrapped an arm around Rukia and spoke up, "Well you see, we have these weekly meetings, females only of course. We're inviting you to join! Isn't that fun!?" Rukia had heard of these meetings, but only lieutenants joined, excluding Kiyone because she had mostly been a lieutenant of sorts for Captain Ukitake. Nanao looked exasperated for being interrupted. She spoke up quickly, "I am vice president of the club and Yachiru-chan is president. We would love it if you joined, Kuchiki-san." Kiyone also spoke up from her seat beside Nemu, "It's really cool, we all bring food and have parties and crack jokes about our captians and-" Nanao cleared her voice to silence Kiyone, "and we arrange activities for women and charity funfairs whose money we donate to Rukongai and-" "Drink sake till we drop unconscious!" Matsumoto chimed in merrily. "We do some serious stuff as well though," Nanao persistently added, her eyebrow twitching slightly.

"Aww, come on bookworm!" Matsumoto pouted. "Only Yachiru-chan can call me that, Matsumoto-chan" Rukia felt her mood lift considerably. Soon she was laughing, "okay, okay, I'll join!" She laughed. "Yay! Rukichiki's gonna join!" Yachiru bounced off the table and hugged Rukia by the neck. "Wait! Wait! Yachiru!" Matsumoto said. "She still has to be initiated." "Huh?" Rukia froze, her smile beginning to falter. She didn't like the sound of that. Matsumoto just nodded her head and giggled. She giggled. "Yes, Rukia-san," Isane cut in, "Everyone has to be initiated to become a member. Usually, Matsumoto-chan decides the task." Matsumoto! Matsumoto decides!? Rukia balked a little but gave a small smile, "okay, what do I have to do?" Matsumoto folded her arms and started tapping her bottom lip with her finger, thinking deeply. "Hmm, what should it be? Well, we need more pictures of HISmaybe" "HIS?" Rukia asked. "Hunks In Seireitei," Nanao said matter-of-factly. "I know!" Matsumoto blurted suddenly, inspiration hitting her. "I'm going to give you a camera I bought from the real world, snap a couple of pictures of Captain Kuchiki and you'll be a member!" she said concluded happily. "WHAT!?" "Oh, but nice ones though, "Matsumoto added seriously, "possibly in his night clothes, maybe with his shirt off..." "But I can't do that!" Rukia felt her face beginning to get very hot. "Oh sure you can, it's fairly easy, he's your brother, you live with him." "But why do you need his pictures!?" She mentally slapped herself. Anyone could figure that one out. "Actually, we have some shots of him from before, but they aren't good. We're making a HIS album y'know." "Is there a problem with the task, Kuchiki-san?" Nanao asked curiously. "Matsumoto made me kiss Captain Kyoraku on the cheek. Compared to that your task is fairly easy."

Rukia didn't care about it being easy or not, it was just out of the question! She couldn't even look at nii-sama right now! Yachiru innocently looked up at Rukia, "why are you blushing, Rukichiki?" Rukia became mortified and immediately took up the defensive. "Of course I'm not! I'll do the task, I'll even get some shots of him shirtless! Happy?" Matsumoto just smiled, instantly skipping off in search of her camera. Rukia sighed. How did she get herself into these messes? Chapter 11 Rukia walked towards the sixth building with muted footsteps, wishing she could turn around and run away on every step. Maybe if she did her task very, very quietly, nii-sama might not even notice her. Yeah right, she thought sarcastically. She was supposed to get some stupid documents from Ukitake signed from him. Why? Because that's what lieutenants do, they get papers signed from people they secretly lust about. Rukia hated this, seeing her brother again. She had successfully been avoiding him since that incident. The whole initiation thing Matsumoto had cooked up wasn't even a problem, she could ask Renji to take the pictures. What are friends for, right? But this was definitely a glitch in her perfectly concocted plan of staying clear from her brother. And Ukitake just had to be so damn persistent about it, playing the 'you're the lieutenant' card. If she had known beforehand that seeing people you didn't want to see was a requirement, she would have definitely stayed unseated. But damn, this was so frustrating! She walked through the empty hallways, slowly reaching nii-sama's office. She stopped at his door and stared at the large sign hanging on it with the words '6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya" printed in black. Yeah, black somehow suits my situation, she thought ruefully. Somehow, reading his name made her heart skip a beat. She dreaded doing this, but it was inevitable. She sighed heavily and composed her scattered thoughts. "You can do this," she told herself. Rukia straightened her shoulders and tapped on the door roughly, "13th squad lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia, asking for permission to enter, sir." She hoped her voice had sounded stronger to him than it had to her. Silence Rukia's heart pounded hard against her chest while she waited for him to say something. She hoped against hope that he would tell her to go away. She closed her eyes and silently prayed. "Enter," she heard him finally say.

Damn! Rukia opened the door and quietly entered. He was sitting by his desk, with different papers spread all over it. His pen was capped and lying untouched on some documents but that wasn't as important as the fact that he was looking straight at her, his arms crossed on his desk and his back ramrod straight. She quickly diverted her eyes to the wall behind him. "Captain Ukitake wants you to sign these papers, so I'll leave the-" "I can sign them right now," he promptly said, reaching out his hand. Rukia looked back at him, first at his expressionless eyes and then at his open palm. She grasped the papers in her hand tightly, her knuckles becoming white. She then walked forward; taking small steps till she reached his the end of his desk. Rukia looked back at the wall behind him, reaching out her hand. "Okay," she handed him the papers. But instead of taking them, Byakuya grabbed her wrist and jerked her towards him, his face only inches from her own. Rukia gasped, her hand letting go of the papers as she placed her other hand on his desk to steady herself. "Nii-sam-" "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked in a low voice, his gaze coolly studying her features. "W-What?" Rukia could feel her face getting hot. Her position was awkward. She was practically on his desk with one foot suspended and his proximity wasn't making her any less uncomfortable. "Don't make me repeat myself, Rukia," he said coolly. She noticed how he dragged her name, like he was rolling it over his tongue, tasting it. It made her skin tingle. "I haven't been avoi-" "Do not lie to me," he interrupted icily. Rukia widened her eyes. Byakuya pulled her wrist backwards, placing his other hand on the back of her neck to bring her face even closer till their noses were touching. His breath was hot against her skin. Rukia tried to pull back but his hold was too strong. "Let go of me!" "No, not until you answer my question." He seemed unfazed by their closeness, which only pissed her. "It's none of your business!" she snapped. Byakuya was surprised for a second before he narrowed his eyes, tightening his hold on her wrist, his eyes glinting coldly. "It is my business, Rukia, or have you forgotten what happened that night?"

Rukia blushed furiously but narrowed her eyes as well, perfectly imitating his own expression. "No I haven't," she whispered angrily. Byakuya looked a her intently. "Why did you leave?" He was whispering now, his face slightly tilting, slowly moving his mouth towards hers. His lips parted as he drooped his eyes. Rukia's thoughts rapidly deserted her. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she could hear it. His mouth hovering over hers was making her lose whatever composure she had left. All she could register was his closeness and his scent. She looked down at his lips. "Huh?" She said confusedly, still not being able to tear her eyes from his mouth. Byakuya looked at her eyes then, his slate grey eyes now looking completely black. "Kiss me." Rukia's eyes widened and she abruptly looked up. Then she immediately crashed her mouth down on his, not holding anything back, kissing him passionately without any restrain. Byakuya let go of her wrist and threaded his fingers in her hair, roughly kissing her back. He didn't need to open her mouth to plunge his tongue in, she was already entangling her tongue with his own. Rukia placed her hands on either side of his face, completely forgetting about her awkward position above his desk. She moaned against his mouth. All those days of pent up tension resurfaced, making her need to feel him even more urgent. She tilted her head even more, pressing harder against his lips to gain more access. They broke their connection for a moment so Byakuya could swipe a hasty hand over his desk, throwing whatever he made contact with to the floor. His inkpot crashed down and spilled into the carpet. Papers flew everywhere on the floor. Byakuya heard glass crash but ignored it, grabbing Rukia by the waist and pulling her down on his desk, on top of whatever papers had remained on it. He quickly climbed on top of her and kissed her again, straddling her legs at the same time, his hands hurriedly tugging at her sash. His lips quickly moved downwards, leaving hot, urgent kisses down her neck. Rukia reached for his hair, her clumsy efforts to remove his Kenseiken causing an irritated growl to escape her lips. Byakuya stopped stripping her clothes off to remove it while Rukia moved on to his scarf. He swiftly removed his Kenseiken and dropped it to the ground. The scarf came off next. They instantly reached for the rest of each others clothes. Rukia hastily tugged off his robe from his chest, untying his sash from his waist. Byakuya ripped open her robe, pulling it past her shoulders as he quickly reached for one nipple, enclosing it with his mouth.

Rukia gasped when she felt his tongue dart expertly around it, tightening her grip on his hair, her other hand still working to pull off his clothes. She felt his robe suddenly tear underneath her fingertips. Byakuya reached for her other breast, taking its nipple quickly in his mouth, his tongue repeating the same erotic movements. Rukia gave a loud moan, arching her back all the way, her fingers digging into his back. He continued to work on them, his actions rushed. His hand reached downwards, removing the rest of her clothing, suddenly touching her inner thighs. Rukia groaned at the contact. She hurried to remove his sash and threw it randomly on the floor. Pushing his robe open, she slid it down his shoulders, pushing him roughly aside to get on top of him. He suddenly lost his balance on the desk and fell off it, taking Rukia down with him. They hit the carpet, Rukia on top of Byakuya. Before she could do anything to him, he turned them both around and straddled her again, pinning her hands above her head. He shrugged his remaining clothes off of him and his lips caught hers, kissing her roughly, slanting his mouth over hers. Rukia slipped her hands out of his hold and moved them hurriedly over his hard chest, on his bare shoulders, on the back of his neck, in his silky hair. She entangled her fingers in his hair, tugging at the roots, inciting small moans from him. Byakuya nudged her legs apart. Rukia quickly opened her legs for him to enter. He practically slammed his erection into her, an audible gasp escaping her lips. She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed him tightly, pushing him more inside. He groaned loudly when he felt her tightness. Her nails dug into his skin as she instantly climaxed with him. "Holy! Bya-"she screamed, her breath coming in short gasps. Byakuya held onto her hair tightly as his orgasm came, provoking a loud moan as he shouted her name against her neck. They stayed in that position; hot and sweaty as they held tightly on to each other, both of them catching their breath. Rukia felt that hazy cloud slowly fade from her mind as her breathing became even. She could feel Byakuya's hot breath against her heck, his lips lightly touching her skin, his breathing becoming smooth as well. Rukia could still feel the aftereffects of their rushed sex. Neither of them moved to disentangle themselves. Suddenly a knock sounded on the door hard. She gasped and they both looked at each other. "Abarai Renji, sir," Renji called out from outside the door. "I have the reports from the 11th squad." Rukia suddenly snapped alert when their current condition hit her. Byakuya also came to the same conclusion and quickly disconnected themselves from each other. "Later, Renji," Byakuya called out. He tried to keep Rukia pinned underneath him but she pushed him off, hastily moving to retrieve her clothes. "But sir, they need it to be signed soon."

Rukia froze to look at Byakuya with panic in her eyes before speeding up her efforts to put her clothes on. Her clothes were ripped from the sleeves and side but she ignored it and hastily tied her sash around her waist. "I said later, Renji," Byakuya said in an annoyed voice, motioning for Rukia to wait. She didn't of course. Instead, she quickly gathered the rest of her stuff and opened his window, flash-stepping from the window sill. "Understood, sir," Renji called back before Byakuya heard his footsteps fade away from his door. He sighed in frustration, picking up his clothes from the floor to put them on. He looked at the mess in his office, papers were scattered everywhere. The ones that had still been on his desk were ruined. All of the glass frames he had on his desk were now shattered. His inkpot had cracked open, creating a large black stain on his carpet and on a few other papers. Most of those papers had been important; he was going to get in a lot of trouble for destroying them. He smirked; it had totally been worth it. He could still feel the texture of her skin underneath his fingertips, the scent of her hair, her unbelievable tightness. He hadn't meant for it to be rushed, but he just could not slow himself from instantly taking her. He didn't blame himself. After all, he had been fantasizing about her for so long. And it had felt so wonderful, better than any dream he had ever had. He sat down on his chair with another sigh, this one due to pleasure and supported his chin with a hand, surveying the mess around him with something akin to happiness. His eyes caught on something on the carpet. It was blood. So she was a virgin, he thought. That meant she hadn't had sex with Kurosaki. That meant that he had been her first lover. Byakuya felt so happy he laughed.

The cold water trickled down Rukia's back as she stood under the shower, sponge in hand, staring blankly at the tiled wall in front of her. She suddenly let go of the sponge and placed her palms on the wall, slightly banging her head on the marble. What had she done? She had done the most stupid thing known to this world and had had sex with her brother. Well, technically, adopted brother, but brother all the same. How had she let that happen? She hadn't even known what sex was like till tonight. All she had heard were stories from Matsumoto about the joys of lovemaking. But Rukia had planned to never do it until she had found the right person.

And she did it with her brother! She banged her fists against the marble, the cold shower doing nothing to ease her tension. But Matsumoto was right, it was something unbelievable. She had never; in her entire long life, ever, felt such a desire and pleasure. To feel so consumed by lust and just let it go had felt so wonderful, no it felt mind-blowing. Just thinking about nii-sama's lips on her skin, his hands sliding over her body, his scent overpowering her mind made Rukia tremble with pleasure. It was so wrong but it felt so right. Suddenly, two hands covered her fists and a body pressed against her back. Rukia gasped when she recognized it. "Nii-sama," she said, her heart hammering. "I told you to wait," Byakuya said huskily, his lips next to her ear. Rukia shivered. "You didn't tell me anything," she said in a strained voice. Byakuya smirked and brought the length of his body closer against hers, pressing her against the wall. He bent his neck to give light, feathery kisses down hers, moving his hands slowly down her arms to her sides, over her hips, feeling her slender curves. Rukia placed a hand on the back of his head, feeling his wet hair slip through her fingers as the cold water spilled over them from the shower. She rested her head backwards on his shoulder. He continued to kiss her neck, moving up towards her jaw line, her ear, gently biting her earlobe. She moaned before she could stop herself. "Th-This is wrong," she stammered, but tightening her hold on his wet hair none the less. Byakuya stopped kissing her to get the sponge off the floor. He slid a finger along her spine, sending shivers down the length of her body. "Oh?" he inquired nonchalantly in the same husky voice. He started lathering the sponge with soap and rubbed her back in slow, lazy circles, gradually moving downwards. "Care to say that again?" He asked, moving his free hand down the side over her hip. "Uh I said." Byakuya stroked her inner thighs with the sponge. Rukia gasped loudly, tightening her fists. "Oh god that's good!" Had she actually said that? Rukia really wasn't sure. "Really?" He abruptly turned her around and pushed her back against the wall. "How about this?" He roamed the sponge over her breasts, stroking them with his thumb as well, his mouth on her neck over her collarbone, licking at the water droplets trickling down it. Rukia grasped his neck and shoulder, craning her neck, moaning without any restrain. Her finger trailed circles on his bare shoulder.

"Good," she moaned. He shifted them directly under the shower, kissing her on the mouth, this time being deliberately slow. He took his time savoring the feel of her lips, moving over them agonizingly deliberate. Rukia held onto him blindly, not trusting her legs to support her. She moaned once more when he bit her lower lip down. She didn't hesitate to open her mouth, letting his tongue inside. Byakuya gently slid his tongue inside her mouth, over her teeth, on the roof of her mouth before entangling it with her tongue. She tightened her arms around his neck while he held her around the waist. Rukia gave a small whimper. He was being so slow, so gentle. It was driving her out of her mind. Byakuya lifted her off the ground and turned off the shower. He carried her out of the bathroom, his lips still on top of hers. Water dripped down their bodies as he settled her on her bed. His mouth left hers to travel downwards, leaving open-mouthed fiery kisses along the way, licking at whatever water droplets his tongue could catch at the same time. Rukia held onto his wet hair. Strands fell onto her skin, creating tiny sensations as his head moved downwards. He nudged her legs apart and began to kiss her inner thighs. Rukia gasped at the sudden intimacy. She tried to stop him by tugging on his hair but he kept moving inwards. "No, nii-sama!" she exclaimed. Byakuya placed his hands on her thighs and opened them wider. His finger gently touched her sensitive area. Rukia's breath caught in her throat. "But I hurt you, Rukia. I would not have been so harsh if I had known it had been your first time." "No, no! You didn't hurt me, it hadn't hurt at all!" Rukia quickly said. Byakuya ignored her protests and kissed her at her entrance. Rukia gasped louder, pleasure wracking her entire body at he feel of his lips. He kissed deeper. "No, nonoyes!" She stopped pulling his hair. "Yes, yes, yes!" He took his tongue out and plunged it inside. Rukia groaned loudly, pressing his face closer, urging him to go deeper. She widened her legs even more. Byakuya continued to lick at her walls, tasting her sweet nectar, his tongue making erotic movements inside of her, slipping in and out. His ministrations were driving her crazy, she felt like crying out but could only make out short gasps. "Please, please nii-sa-AH!" She fell back, extreme ecstasy erupting inside of her. She moaned loudly, her climax consuming her. "Byakuya" she whispered before weariness enveloped her.

E/N: Getting down and dirty on an office desk, who doesn't fantasize about that XD So you finally get a lemon, or lemons...or lemonade. Next: Someone's regretting what they did Chapter 12 Rukia woke up to sunshine blinding her eyes. She squinted blearily at the open window. It looked like it was late afternoon. She groaned, glaring at the cursed window with as much anger she could muster. Her eyes felt so heavy, like someone had filled them with lead. Rukia numbly looked down. It took her five seconds to realize that she was completely naked and only had a thin silk sheet covering her. That seemed strange to her, she always more a nightgown to bed. She looked up at her room; it was a total mess. That's strange, Rukia thought hazily. Did an earthquake hit Seireitei during the night? Rukia confusedly looked at the scattered items, wondering how they got there. Then realization hit her. Shit! So it hadn't been a dream, Rukia thought. Of course it hadn't been one, something as realistic as last night could never be pinned as a fantasy. She and Byakuya had stayed up last night doing, wellunimaginable things to each other. Needless to say, they had been a bit too energetic in their activities. Everything that had been on her dressing table was now on the floor, some of them even broken. Byakuya had pretty much detached all the frames from the walls while he had been slamming Rukia against them; she even had the bruises to prove it. He had been very creative last night. Even thinking about all the things he did to her made her skin tingle. But Rukia had been also been a bit too rough on him. He probably had a few bruises of his own after Rukia had slammed him against her closet. God! She hadn't even known she could be that flexible till last night and she had absolutely no idea where she picked up all those moves from. She had definitely not been acting herself. What had possessed me to act that way? And not once but many, many times. She groaned against her pillows, thinking about his ability to induce multiple orgasms. She was in deep shit now. No, she was deeper than that. So deep, that that place didn't even have a name. How was she going to get past this problem now?

Someone knocked on her door, "Rukia-sama, Byakuya-sama is requesting your presence for breakfast." Rukia shot up, her heart thundering in her chest. What the hell does he want with me? "I'm coming." She got up to get dressed but fell back with a yelp when pain shot through her inner thighs. They had been doing that a lot too, though she hadn't felt any pain at all during it. Matsumoto had not told her about the soreness. She carefully got up and gingerly walked towards her closet, wincing with every step. Great! Not only did I have sex with my brother, but I have ultimately broken myself doing it too! I'll probably die soon due to internal bleeding! Well, it did seem like the perfect punishment, Rukia thought gloomily. But hell, had she known about the pain she would have stayed away from nii-sama. Ha! As if that was possible! She sifted through the few clothes still hanging in her closet-the rest were all crumpled on the floor-and hastily threw them on. She also made a mental note to get her closet fixed, warily looking at it's door. It was hanging a bit too dangerously off its hinges. Mental note; never slam brother against closet in the midst of love-making. Rukia walked towards the dining room at an agonizingly slow pace. She paused by the door, sneaking a peek at nii-sama. He was sitting at the table lazily looking outside; one of his hands supporting his chin and the other on the table as he casually drummed his fingers. He looked so calm and collected, Rukia envied that trait. Just looking at him sent her heart into cardiac arrest. Her gaze instantly went on his lips, down his neck, towards his hands, recalling the many things he had done to her using them. She blushed furiously. "Are you planning to come inside?" Byakuya asked, looking at her calmly. How long had he known I was there? Rukia felt her face get even redder. She bowed her head and meekly walked inside, avoiding looking at his piercing gaze. "Good morning, Byakuya nii-sama," she said timidly, her voice slightly squeaky. She walked to the other side of the dining table, reaching for her chair. "Did you sleep well?" he asked quietly. Rukia froze, her hand on her chair, her heart beating fast. Did he have to bring that up? Couldn't he just let it be? Rukia looked the other way; she could feel her palms sweat. "Y-Yes."

Byakuya sighed. "Rukia," he said her name slowly, Rukia noticed again, with a shiver, how he dragged every syllable of her name. Damnit! Why did he have to do that!? Rukia turned to look at his direction but found his seat empty. She looked around to find him and gasped when she saw him standing right behind her. He silently moved towards her. Rukia took a scared step back, bumping into the table. Byakuya closed the gap between them and trapped her on both sides with his arms. Rukia forced herself to look down. "Look at me, Rukia." Rukia chose to disobey him. She pointedly stared at his soul slayer, which was hanging slightly out of his robes. Think about his soul slayer, pretty soul slayerwait, what is it called? I know this one, why can't I remember it! Damnit! Why can't I rememByakuya bent down to whisper in her ear. "No matter what you think, last night did happen and ignoring it will not make it disappear." He moved even closer, his lips lightly touching her ear. She tried to ignore the tiny shivers travelling down her neck. "I have waited a long time for this, Rukia, and I can no longer deny my feelings for you," he said silently. Rukia blinked at what he said and made the mistake of looking up to question him. His eyes were so dark, practically black. She gulped at their intensity. He moved his lips above hers, hovering above them, not quite making contact but not moving to close the gap. Rukia wanted to kiss him so badly, but somehow couldn't make her body move. She knew he was teasing her by deliberately not kissing her, pulling her strings. God she found it all so unfair, him making her want something that can and should never be hers to begin with. He twisted her emotions so easily without it ever affecting him. She would be angry at that if she wasn't so consumed in wishing he would kiss her. His eyes drooped as he looked at her lips. "You are mine now." He moved to close down on her mouth. Their lips had barely touched when a knock sounded on the door. They instantly broke apart, Rukia pushed his arms aside to quickly move away and settle on her seat. Byakuya let out a frustrated sigh,"I'm coming," he said to who ever was at the door. Rukia purposely looked outside, trying to calm her unsteady breathing. Byakuya gave her one final look. "I have to go to work," he told her. He instantly wondered why he had told her that.

"Understood, nii-sama," she hurriedly said in a composed voice. Damn! He wanted to kill whoever it was at the door for ruining their moment. He walked towards the door when he suddenly stopped, turned around and walked towards Rukia swiftly. Rukia didn't realize what he was about to do until he had grabbed the back of her neck and abruptly turned her face around, connecting his lips with hers, kissing her long and hard. Rukia gasped with surprise before giving in and kissing him back, palming his face with her hands. She tilted it sideways, deepening the kiss. The kiss became heated as Byakuya weaved his fingers in her hair and pulled downwards, lifting her face up. He stroked her jaw line with his thumb as he opened the kiss. Her hands reached down to his neck as she entangled her tongue with his own. An impatient knock sounded on the door again, "Byakuya-sama, you are getting late for work , sir." They hastily broke apart. Rukia looked at him with longing in her eyes before quickly looking away, sifting a shaky hand through her hair as she exhaled heavily. Byakuya stepped back and walked out of the room. "Goodbye, Rukia," he said quietly. "Goodbye, nii-sama." Chapter 13 Byakuya looked past his large piles of paperwork and gazed outside his window. Renji was saying something but his concentration drifted elsewhere, namely towards thoughts of his adopted sister. Last night had beenamazing. She had been so amazing. So good in fact, that if Byakuya had not seen the proof for himself, he seriously would have thought that it had not been her first time. The whole night had been so...alive, so heated. He had been wanting her for so long, dreaming about making love to her during his every waking moment that it had felt so wonderful to finally let go, to touch her without any restrictions or boundaries. His entire life revolved around control; control over his position, his power but most importantly, his emotions. The very idea of him acting on his feelings was unheard of, as the head of the Kuchiki clan and captain of the 6th squad. But last night, he had been able to forget it all. His duty as a Kuchiki or as a captain, even the thought about the consequences of doing what he did with Rukia, none of those things had seemed important. All that had mattered was satisfying his need to touch her, to make her feel what he felt for her.

And touch her he did. Byakuya had been up all night, playing out all his fantasies with her, memorizing each and every inch of her body. He did not stop until he was able to remember every single detail; the feel of her skin next to his, the way her hands would tangle into his hair, her scent and her voice when she would cry out his name unknowingly. He just could not seem to get enough of her, it had been like he had been obsessed with her body. Byakuya wondered how he had been able to refrain from taking her sooner. If he had known beforehand how passionate she could get, he wouldn't have waited so long. She had been so wild, so rough. All those scratches and bruises he had from her meant nothing as compared to the satisfaction he felt from finally having her. Besides, he had to admit that he also had been a bit too rough on her, he made a mental note to watch that. She was just so easy to please and he just loved the way she would moan so erotically when he would touch her. Byakuya unknowingly smiled when he recalled how her moans sounded like. Suddenly, a fountain of water sprayed in front of his sight. He snapped his eyes back at Renji, who was coughing like a maniac, a glass of water tilting haphazardly as he tried to cover his mouth. "What is it Renji?" Renji coughed some more before answering, "Sorry for spraying water, sir. It's justyou smiledso suddenly," he said, his eyes watery but looking shocked. Byakuya wiped the smile he still had on his face and sat straighter. He became impassive all of a sudden, "what reports did you have from Captain Zaraki's squad?" "Oh, you mean last night?" Renji tapped his chin. Byakuya waited impatiently while the redhead tried to remember what he had done to them. He couldn't chastise the man for being careless; Byakuya himself was in a little trouble for ruining a lot of important papers during his short episode with Rukia. But he still thought it was worth it. "I think I put them in the main room, you sounded busy doing something so I-" Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean, Abarai?" he asked coolly. Renji sighed like the answer was obvious. "I mean I thought I heard-" "You thought wrong," Byakuya cut in, pinning him down with an icy stare until he saw the man visibly back down. He got up and walked round the desk. "I am going for a walk; you can finish up the rest of the paperwork."

Renji looked at the two big piles of papers and spluttered, "but Captain! That's humongous!" Byakuya looked at the redhead with obvious disdain, "consider it punishment for slacking on your paperwork duties, Renji." He quietly walked out.

"We'll be having another meeting soon, Rukia," Matsumoto casually said while they walked around the 13th squad building. She quickly looked around and sneakily whispered loudly behind her hand. "Have you done it yet?" Rukia jumped and suddenly halted, looking at Matsumoto with the most guilty expression, "it!? What it!? I don't know what you're talking about! I haven't done it!" She then narrowed her eyes. "How do you know about it anyway?" Rukia asked suspiciously. Matsumoto blinked in confusion. "How do I know? Well duh, I was the one who told you to snap pictures of Captain Kuchiki." Rukia mentally slapped her forehead. Right! The pictures! "Oh those," Rukia said, visibly breathing a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I haven't done that yet." Matsumoto looked shocked, "how could you have not done it yet?" Rukia looked shiftily downwards. "Well, uhyou see, uh, it's sort of difficult. He's, uh, veryperceptive." She didn't think it was necessary to mention that she hadn't even looked at the camera Matsumoto had given her yet let alone take pictures of her brother. The busty woman looked incredulous. "What difficult!? All you have to do is take a couple of shots of him and then run like hell in the opposite direction." She demonstrated by pointing her thumb backwards. "It honestly shouldn't be difficult and I doubt he would kill you for doing it." Rukia smiled a bit. "Well, I'm not so sure about that, Matsumoto." The other woman waved that comment aside, "ah, that. That doesn't count and besides, he did save you in the end." She suddenly narrowed her eyes, taking on a threatening tone. "Now listen, Kuchiki. There are thousands of women ranging from 9 to 900 that all have been promised pictures of that Captain and if they don't get good pictures-"

She pointed to her behind. "-it'll be my ass getting kicked." She then pointed at Rukia with her index finger. "And if my ass gets kicked, your ass might get kicked, since I told the women that you're responsible for the whole thing-nyah!-" Matsumoto put up a hand to stop Rukia from protesting. "-save it. You have no choice." Rukia sighed heavily. "Okay, okay. If you put it that way, I guess I have to do it." "Ah! You're so cool, Rukia," Matsumoto gushed happily and gave Rukia a bear hug. "Thanks for saving my butt, 'cos I really like it the way it is!" Rukia chuckled. "Sure Matsumoto, anything to save your butt." They both resumed their walking and fell quiet; Matsumoto looking happily at the passing scenery and Rukia looking down, deep in thought. The raven-haired female spoke after a while. "Matsumoto?" "...?" "Is it weird to like someone you're related to, but not really related to?" she asked in a low voice. "Huh?" Matsumoto stopped walking to look at Rukia, looking confused. "What sort of a relation is that?" Rukia bit her lip. She glanced back at her friend before looking straight ahead. "Well, you're related to this person, but not by blood. Is it wrong to like that person?" Matsumoto folded her arms and started to tap her bottom lip with her finger. "Well, I guess it's okay, if you're related by blood then-" she paused to look down at her friend. She suddenly grinned evilly, "why Rukia? Don't tell me you have a crush on your brother?" Rukia snapped her face in her direction, surprise evident on her features. "Of course I don't! That would be so weird!" She began to laugh, punching Matsumoto playfully on the arm. "Good one, Matsumoto! Ahaha" Matsumoto looked disbelieving but laughed after a while, "ah, so it's true, you do like him!" Rukia narrowed her eyes, "no I don't. I just told you."

The other woman ignored her. "Ya'know, you were the only one who didn't have a crush on Captain Kuchiki. I mean, even Yachiru and Nemu had crushes on him a long time back, and you know how they are. So, it made me wonder whether you were right in the head. Guess you're okay." "I do not have a crush on him!" Rukia insisted hotly, her cheeks turning red. Matsumoto nodded, "uh-huh, so that's why you're blushing, right?" "I'm not!" "Ah, so we're getting defensive now?" Rukia let out a frustrated sigh and angrily looked away to glare at a nearby tree. After a few seconds she let out another sigh-this one out of resignation-and looked down at her feet. "Rukia?" Matsumoto asked quietly, noticing the sudden change in her friend. Rukia kept looking down. "Is it wrong?" she asked sadly in a small whisper. Matsumoto smiled and draped an arm around her shoulders. "Course it ain't, stupid. It's natural to feel that way for someone. Hell, it's even more natural to feel that way for someone so hot." She then chuckled. "Why? I'm shocked you haven't jumped him yet." Rukia's heart skipped a beat and she shiftily looked elsewhere. "But, he's my brother, Matsumoto." "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but you aren't a real Kuchiki. You were adopted into that family." "I know, but, but, Hisana was his-" "Argh!" Matsumoto smacked Rukia on the head. "OW!" Rukia spluttered, rubbing the area where she had hit her. "That hurt, Matsumoto!" she said furiously. Matsumoto folded her arms, "well, you should listen to yourself. You sound pathetic, Rukia." Rukia paused. "What?" "What 'what?' So what if he's related to you on paper, that doesn't make him biologically related to you. You can't just ignore what you feel for somebody based on that," Matsumoto answered angrily, shaking Rukia slightly by the shoulders at the same time. She suddenly let go to lift up her hands.

"And what sort a lameass excuse is 'but he was married to my sister'? Honey, they had been married only for five years and frankly, I thought it had been an empty marriage from the beginning. What? Do you think it's fair that he should stay in mourning for the rest of his life just because he had been married for five years! Doesn't he deserve a second chance! He's human after all! He also deserves love and happiness!" Rukia frowned at Matsumoto's impassioned speech. "Matsumoto?" Matsumoto sighed heavily and looked at a bird passing by. "It must be sad to live without someone to love," she said quietly. Rukia silently looked back, knowing full well she wasn't talking about her anymore. "Matsumoto" The woman blinked and suddenly turned back at her, smiling widely. "Ah! But most of all, he's hot," she blurted loudly, a bit too loudly. "He would totally make the ultimate boyfriend! He's strong and rich-" Rukia coughed, making 'shushing' noises in between them. "Matsumoto! Not so loud!" The woman ignored her, "-and he's nobility and he's sorta gentle and-" "Shush!" Rukia panicked. She tried to cover up her friend's mouth. "Goddammit! SHUSH!" Matsumoto chuckled and mumbled against Rukia's hands, "-and he's gorgeous and powerful and-" "What the-Be quiet woman!" "And SEXY!" Rukia noticed people beginning to look curiously at them. They all jumped when Matsumoto yelled 'sexy.' "That's it!" Rukia muttered and started to run away from the noisy woman. Matsumoto laughed loudly and called after her. "Oi, get those pictures done soon, 'kay? Have fun with your crush!" she waved happily. Rukia gasped and flash-stepped away from her before she could say anything else.

"Ow," Rukia muttered, rubbing her backside. That is definitely going to bruise. Stupid Renji, Rukia thought bitterly. After all those years of being a good and caring friend and doing all those favors for him, he wouldn't do this tiny favor for her. Stupid bastard! "Well don't expect me to cheer for you in your next battle! "She shouted at the close door with her stupid friend's name written on it. "Ungrateful dumbass!"

The door suddenly opened to reveal an angry Renji looking down at her, his eyebrow twitching. "Huh? Care to say that one more time, short-fry?" Rukia clenched her fists, "I said you're an ungrateful dumbass," she paused to innocently at him. "But I was wrong." Renji looked a bit happier. "You're an ungrateful dumbass with weird-brows!" He spluttered angrily before bending down till he was at eye-level with Rukia. "Listen you little shrimp. I have got a lot of paperwork to do, compliments from your dear brother. So I'm really sorry but I just cannot find space in my extremely filled schedule to fit 'snapping pictures of nii-sama' in it!" Rukia growled but suddenly changed her expression and pouted, looking teary-eyed. "But Renj, I need those pictures and you're always with him." she whined. "Pwease Wenji! You're so awesome!" Renji looked at her with disgust. "What do you take me for? That face won't work on me anymore Ruk, especially after you've used it on me a thousand times, and I mean a thousand times." Rukia narrowed her eyes, dropping her act. "What the hell would happen to you if you took them!?" Renji rolled his eyes, "well duh, I'd lose my dignityand the contents of my stomach." "Oh please Renji!" Rukia dramatically put her hands together and pleaded. "I'd do anything! I really want to become a member of that club! Goddammit! PLEASE!" "Anything huh?" Renji quietly considered the offer. He looked back at the paperwork on his desk and grinned, looking back at her evilly. "Do all my paperwork." Rukia instantly smiled, "de-" "Na-uh," Renji lifted his hand to make her stop. "I'm not finished yet. Do all of my paperwork from now on, every single one of them," he said with an evil sneer. Rukia continued to smile happily at him for five seconds before unexpectedly whacking him hard on the head. "OF COURSE NOT YOU IDIOT!" Renji growled angrily, "your loss then." Rukia laughed mockingly. "I really doubt it is."

Renji looked glumly towards his paperwork, which had not dwindled at all since his captain had left for a walk. He turned back towards his friend and asked hopefully, "wanna do my paperwork anyway?" Rukia widened her eyes with shock and lifted a hand to her chest. "Really Renji? You'll let me do your paperwork for you. Even after how rude I've been to you. Seriously, that's so nice of you." She smiled happily. "Of course I'll do it. Anything to make an awesome friend like you feel better!" Renji genuinely smiled. "Really?" Rukia smacked him on the head again. "OF COURSE NOT YOU ID-" "Am I disturbing something?" Rukia froze mid-sentence, recognizing the deep tone of voice. Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shi"Byakuya nii-sama," Rukia rushed to say, quickly turning around to bow down at her brother. Renji also bent down to bow at him, "Captain Kuchiki." Nii-sama silently looked from one lieutenant to the other. Rukia sneaked a peak to see if his face gave any indication as to whether he had heard their conversation, but as usual, his features were blank. She silently admonished herself for being so careless in his building. She also silently cursed the red-head beside her for being such an ass. "What business do you have here, Rukia?" he asked silently. Rukia instantly looked up at him. He hadn't made that remark in his signature cold way like he usually did. He sounded like he...cared. Rukia looked away, feeling mortified by the blush she could feel rising to her cheeks. He had said her name in that particular way that made her skin tingle. Dammit! Why is he doing this to me? "N-nothing, nii-sama, I'm done with my task." She shiftily looked at her friend. Renji seemed oblivious of nii-sama's change of tone. God bless him. "Then I'll take you back to your squad headquarters," he silently said, turning around. He waited for Rukia to reach him. Rukia looked blankly back at his back and blinked a couple of times, not moving forward. Renji slightly coughed and shoved her towards his captain with his hand. Rukia finally understood and hurried to reach him.

Byakuya had already started to walk by the time Rukia had reached his side. He turned his face around to look at Renji, disdain evident on his features. "Those documents better be filled by the time I come back, Lieutenant." Renji snapped straight and headed back inside his office. "Understood, sir!" Chapter 14 They quietly walked side by side; Byakuya silently looking straight ahead, his jaw set and gaze hard. Rukia kept looking at the floor. She sneaked a peek at him beneath her lashes, opening her mouth to say something but closed it after a moment, looking elsewhere. He seemed a bit furious for some reason, even though he was just fine a moment ago. Being close to him made her recall her conversation with Matsumoto. Sneaking another peek at him, she silently wondered whether he was lonely. Maybe he really was; he hardly spent any time with anyone. Whenever Rukia was with him he was either quietly working or silently eating his meal. But then again, she hardly spent any time with him. The longest time she could say she spent in his company was whenwhen they spent that night together. Rukia blushed furiously, shaking her head -removing the images from her mind- before quickening her pace to match up to her brother's more larger one. She didn't need to think of that, she was already too confused to understand what was happening between them and didn't need flashbacks to make it any more difficult for her. So what if Byakuya was lonely, how could she possibly help that? Her role in his life waswhat? After everything that had happened between them, what were they now? Rukia opened her mouth once more to voice her thoughts. "Nii-sama, I-" Her words caught in her throat when Byakuya suddenly grabbed hold of her wrist. He quickly swerved to his left, opening a random door at the same time. She could only gasp as he dragged her into what seemed to be an empty office room, with a few open windows situated on the wall opposite the door. The room was bare except for the large desk and chairs placed to their left. Rukia looked away from the desk; it brought too many vivid memories. Byakuya closed the door behind them with one hand, not letting go of Rukia with the other, and pushed her against it, using his free hand to lock the door. Rukia tried to move away from his reach but he trapped her on both sides with his arms. Rukia helplessly looked up, her heart hammering from being so close to him. "N-Niisama" Byakuya looked at her intently, raising a single eyebrow. "I think, that after all that has happened, calling me 'nii-sama' sounds inappropriate. Do you not think so?" "Uh..I" Dammit! Why is it so difficult to say something in front of him? Rukia knew she was blushing, she seemed to always do that in his presence now. She stopped stammering to look down uncomfortably.

"What business did you have with my lieutenant?" Byakuya coolly asked. Rukia's head shot up to look at him. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw clenched tightly. He said nothing as he silently demanded an answer from her. She looked away from him when his intensity became too unbearable. "Iwell, nothing, nii-uhnii" She was having a hard time figuring out what to call him. "Is my name that difficult to pronounce?" he asked icily. Rukia looked down again. "Byakuya-sama," she choked out in a low whisper, blushing all the more furiously. She felt him come closer but kept looking down. He bent down to whisper in her ear, "no honorific, Rukia." Rukia shot her head up again for the second time, looking completely horrified. "I can't say that!" She struggled out of his grasp, without success. "That'sthat-" "Something only lovers can do?" he interjected quietly, making Rukia suck in a breath. She stopped struggling to look at him. He leaned closer till his lips hovered above hers, his breath warm against her face. "I would like it a lot of you would call me by my name, Rukia." He was doing it again; stretching her name like he couldn't part away from it. She couldn't look away from his eyes, their darkness were pulling her in. Her mind was rapidly loosing whatever coherent thoughts it had contained, giving way to jumbled up emotions she couldn't make any sense of. Screw it! She didn't want to anyway. Her logic was slipping; giving way to a desire to touch the man in front of her, to feel his lips and his skin on her. She suddenly felt like she could give up the familiarity of calling him 'brother' to feel what she had felt last night with him. Hell, she felt like she could do anything to be with him once more, even do Renji's paperwork. She unknowingly grasped the front of his robe tightly. Byakuya moved past her lips towards her neck and Rukia stifled the urge to cry out in annoyance. He didn't touch her but spoke in a low voice. "Stop spending time with my lieutenant." Rukia blinked. That was not what she had wanted to hear. "Huh?" Byakuya looked up, his eyes slightly hard. "My lieutenant, Rukia. Abarai Renji? Stop spending so much time with him." She looked at him confusedly, her haziness slowly clearing. "Why?" He narrowed his eyes. "Because you spend too much time with him." "But, he's a very good friend of mine, nii-"

Byakuya banged the door with his fist. "Do not call me that!" he nearly shouted. "Byakuya," Rukia quickly said, a little too intimidated by his outburst. He never banged doors before. She was beginning to feel very foolish for her previous thoughts of kissing him. Now that she could think a little more clearly she realized the impossibility of anything happening between, too many complications would arrive. They weren't living in some fairytale. Matsumoto was wrong, this was all wrong. She needed to get out of here as soon asHer thoughts were interrupted when he pressed his lips against hers. Her mind went haywire. He wasn't kissing her with passion or lust. He was kissing her tenderly. His lips touching hers were soft and light, like he was conveying a hidden emotion to her. Worry, or panic maybe, but what was most prominent was the possessiveness behind it. It stole her breath away. Rukia felt her knees go weak. His kiss seemed to sap all her energy out of her. It wasn't like the kiss they had shared in her bathroom, although that had been just as sweet. The emotion behind this kiss was staggering her. She held onto him blindly, her hands gripping the front of his robe as her knees finally buckled. Byakuya ended it abruptly, removing one hand from the door to place it softly on her cheek. "Can I help it that I want to keep you all to myself," he said in a low whisper, his voice slightly ragged. Rukia's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't look away from his eyes. There was something so solemn about them, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place. He suddenly frowned, looking away towards the window. "What I mean is that, I have been waiting for this for a long, long time," he struggled to find the words. Rukia's heart sped up. "And, now that we can finally be together, I don't want to waste a moment without you." He looked back at her, possessiveness flickering in his eyes. "And I do not like it when you spend time with other men." He paused for a second. "No, 'do not like' is not strong enough. I hate it when you spend time with men besides myself." "B-But, that's something that comes with my job," Rukia uncertainly said, his gaze making her more uncomfortable. Byakuya looked at her for a moment before letting out a frustrated sigh and dropping his head, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Her body stiffened from the contact. He let out another sigh. "Can I help it that you mean too much to me?" Her heart skipped a beat. In all the many years that Rukia had known him, he had never once opened up to her about his feelings. It was just how he was, impassive to the point of being

emotionless. He seemed like a totally different person right now. There was something so helpless and defeated about him. It made her heart squeeze. "I'lltry not to see Renji so much," she whispered. Talking in a normal voice felt too difficult at the moment. "Rukia, the case is not about you being able to see Abarai," he said, raising his head up to look at her. Rukia looked back at him confusedly. "Then what?" "The case is that you are not mine no matter how much I want you to be. I want everyone to know that you are not available. But most of all, I can not accept this secrecy. It's against whatever I have been taught as a person." Rukia widened her eyes, her breathing halted. "What do you want then?" "Marry me," he calmly answered. Rukia felt her jaw drop. She tried to close it a few times, unsuccessfully. Byakuya patiently waited for her to say something. She found her voice. "I can't, nii-" He cut her short by kissing her once more, but not softly this time. His hands dug in her hair as his mouth immediately slanted over hers, the onslaught of his passion pushing all previous thoughts out of her mind. She instantly snaked her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with the same amount of force. His hands fell to her waist and he easily lifted her off the floor. He held on to her tight as she wrapped her legs around him. Byakuya carried her towards the empty desk, his lips never leaving hers. Rukia's hands grabbed fistfuls of his hair, her sudden urgency to get more from him overcoming her previous thoughts on this all being bad for them. She pulled his hair downwards to lift his face, opening his mouth at the same time to deepen the kiss. He easily complied, letting out a small pleasured moan as she slipped her tongue past his lips. She felt an odd sense of dj vu as he put her down on the desk, unwrapping his arms from around her waist to place his hands on either side of her face. But instead of doing what she thought he would, he abruptly pulled his lips away. Rukia let out a frustrated moan, looking at him furiously. His eyes were as dark as she suspected hers were. "Do you not want this?" he huskily asked, trying to steady his breathing. "Are you okay with continuing this in secret? Hiding in empty offices?" It took her some time but Rukia looked away, his words finally getting to her. "But, isn't thiswrong?" she asked in a whisper.

Byakuya bent down to nuzzle against her neck, his mouth just above her collarbone. Rukia closed her eyes, unintentionally craning her neck more towards his lips, reveling in the feeling of them against her skin. "And what is so wrong about this?" She opened her eyes again, blinking a few times to shake the sensations his mouth was making. "This..we're related. Even though it's only on paper, butwell" "It's perfectly okay, Rukia. And I personally think the elders would be thrilled by the prospect of us marrying. I think they have been secretly wishing that for a long time." "But, Hisana, you were married to her!" Rukia froze after she blurted that out, her eyes wide as saucers. She felt Byakuya stiffen against her neck. He slowly straightened to look at her. "Correct, I was married to her," he said with narrow eyes. "What does that have to do with this?" "She was my sister and your wife. I-It doesn't seem rightlike I'm betraying her. And you love her," she mumbled the last part, looking away. Somehow, saying that made her heart feel heavy. Byakuya placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face for her to look at him. "Correction. I loved her. The time I spent with her was short and sweet, and I suspect I never had enough time to fully understand her, but that all happened so long ago, Rukia. What I feel for you is entirely different." "How is it different?" She whispered. Byakuya took a moment to answer. "It is even sweeter." Rukia looked back at him, surprised. "But, I thought, that you thought I was some kind of well, replacement to her, since we look so similar." He narrowed his eyes, suddenly pushing her backwards- albeit a little forcefully- down on the desk. Rukia gasped, her heart beginning to hammer even faster when Byakuya grabbed hold of both her wrists and pinned her down, bending over to glare icily at her. "Replacement? You thought you were, a replacement!?" Rukia stared back at him, speechless. She could feel his reiatsu sparking. "Throughout the night, when I called out to you and not Hisana, you thought it was because you were a replacement!" "I-I" His voice seemed to be rising too.

"Where did you get that idea from!?" his nearly shouted, his eyes looking slightly hurt. "How could you think so low of me!?" "I don't know!" She nearly shouted back. " What other reason is there!? Out of all the women in Seireitei, why me!?" "Because I love you!" Rukia froze. Whatever she had been planning to say flew out of her head. "What?" she asked, slightly stupefied. Byakuya seemed as shocked as she was.

"What?" she asked, slightly stupefied. Byakuya seemed as shocked as she was. He looked back at her with his eyes wide open, uncertainity showing in them. "Iloveyou" Rukia felt like she had trouble breathing. "You what?" she whispered, still not believing what she had heard. He looked away from her, at something placed on the desk beside her left. His brows were furrowed in contemplation. Rukia held her breath while she watched him. He suddenly started to smile, looking back at her with wonder. "I love you," he said, his smile only increasing. "I love you, Rukia," he was grinning now, the conviction in his voice obvious. The sight of his smile knocked that breath she had been holding. "How?" she choked out. It was so clear now. She had a name for that unclear emotion that had been shining in his eyes, the one she couldn't place before. Why didn't she realize it before? Love She gulped. Why did she feel like panicking? "I do not know why, Rukia. But I do know that I love you," Byakuya said, his eyes shining with the same emotion. He seemed like a whole new person. "And that I have been in love with you for quite some time. I just had not known." He loosened his grip on her wrists and helped her sit up, she mutely did so. He cupped her face and stared into her eyes.

"And I know that you do something to me, Rukia. When I am in your presence, I feel better, happier. When I think of you, I do not feel so lonely." "I've been changing; I am not the same person as I was before." He gave a small smile; it made Rukia's heart miss a beat. "And it is only because of you. Only you could do that to me." He looked back at her for a while, probably searching for something in her expression. He then closed his eyes, his smile slipping off like he failed to find what he had wanted. Rukia couldn't think straight, his confession was ringing in her ears, only much louder. She swallowed painfully. Byakuya forlornly sighed, letting go of her face to wrap his arms gently around her. Rukia stiffly let him, her arms rigid and still on her sides. He rested his chin on top of her head. "But most importantly, I know that the feeling that I get when I am with you, I do not want to lose that. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Rukia. You make me feel aliveonly you." His voice was barely a whisper. "But I can understand if you can not accept my feelings, I will not force you into choosing me. And I will neither hold it against you if you prefer someone likeRenji," he choked the last word out. "Butbut, I would have made you very happy, that I know." He kissed the top of her head, pausing to smell the scent of her hair for a few seconds. He slowly unwrapped his arms from around her, stepping back to look at her one last time. Rukia stared back at him silently. She wondered what her expression looked like when Byakuya quietly turned around and walked towards the office door without another backward glance. She vaguely remembered wanting to call out to him as he unlocked the office door, she wondered why she hadn't. She quietly lifted a hand to her face. She wondered when the tears had fallen out. Chapter 15 "It's kinda surprising that you reconsidered helping me, Ruk," Renji said while glancing momentarily at another piece of paper. He quickly signed it and threw it on top of a large pile of paperwork. "So, what're you up to now? Whatever it is, I'm not gonna do it." Rukia gave Renji a brief smile, handing him another pile of papers she had gone through. "Don't worry, Renj. I'm not planning anything. I just had some free time on my hands." Renji cast a glance at her before continuing to sign the set of papers she had given him. "How sweet of you. But wouldn't it have been much easier if we had done this in my office." He waved a hand towards the scenery surrounding them. "Why'd we have to sit in a freakin' forest?"

Rukia innocently looked around. "I see no harm in enjoying nature so you shouldn't either. Besides, we hardly spend time together outside of our jobs. These need to be read." She handed him another pile of papers. Renji grumbled. "We're working right now you know." "Ah, that's an insignificant detail." She waved his comment aside. "It was the only way to drag your butt out here." Renji didn't comment on that, he dutifully continued reading. Rukia turned to look straight ahead in to the trees, the file in her hands forgotten. They were sitting outside in her favorite place; the forest right next to the 6th squad headquarters. As usual, the Sakura trees were in constant bloom; their branches neverendingly showering petals onto the ground. Renji swiped at the petals that had fallen on the papers he was reading with an air of disgust. He hated flowers, especially ones that dropped petals on places where they weren't needed. She had not meant to go to Renji after her episode with Byakuya, not after she had told him she wouldn't do so. But somehow, she felt like she couldn't bear to be alone, she needed to be in the company of a familiar face. And Renji had been close by, so she had dragged him out to her favorite spot. He didn't like the forest as much as she did, though. Rukia still loved the place. Even with another person sitting right beside her, the magical feeling she got when she sat there didn't diminish. She still managed to calm down there, the bound up nerves in her body relaxing as she sat under the cherry blossom trees. Cherry blossom trees. They reminded her of Byakuya. Rukia exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping. She had not been expecting that. Not expecting him to confess his love to her. It had been so unforeseen that Rukia had failed to say anything at all. Maybe she should have said something then, anything to make Byakuya feel better. Confessing to someonethat couldn't be easy, could it? But what could she have said? The weight of his emotions, on top of his sudden confession, had rendered her completely shocked. He loves me. Loves me more than Hisana or anybody. Loves me so much that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. She couldn't wrap her head around it. She had been under the impression that his sudden interest in her had clearly sprouted from missing her dead sister. That night with him had beenbeyond anything she could imagine. But she hadn't thought it had meant anything to him. What should she do? Byakuya, the iciest man known to Seireiteiwas in love with her. So am I in love with him too?

Rukia frowned as she considered the question. She was thrown out of her thoughts when a heavy file hit her face. "OW! Dammit Renji!" Renji looked at her exasperatedly. "Do you wanna help me or don't you?" Rukia rubbed her nose where the file had struck. "Well hitting me won't help you." "Uhuh, fine, let's take a break right now," he said, cupping his chin while he intently looked at her. "Why don't you tell me what's really happening here?" Rukia looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Nothing of course, we're doing paperwork." "Rukia, I may act like an idiot but I'm not really one." He regarded her before continuing. "Now I know something has been troubling you. Don't know what exactly but it's starting to piss me off. S'how about you start from the beginning?" "Honestly Renji," she shuffled the papers in her hand, looking amused. "I'm glad and all for the sudden interest in my life but there really isn't a problem." He silently stared at her, a single eyebrow raised. The forced smile on Rukia's face was beginning to hurt. "Who are you avoiding?" Rukia blinked. "N-No one." "Is it my frigid ass-of-a-captain?" Rukia narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare call Byakuya that in front of me, Renji!" she said with venom in her voice. Renji's eyes widened. "He's more honorable then you'll ever be. In fact, don't you dare call Byakuya anything bad, whether in my presence or not!" She huffed and looked away from him. Renji sat there speechless for a moment. "So it is about Captain Kuchiki, then?" Rukia snapped her face back at him. "I" she tried to continue speaking but failed to find words to deny it. Looking down hopelessly, she sighed. She didn't feel like keeping up the act any longer. "Somehow, I knew that would be the case," he said with a shrug. He laid down on his side on the grass and propped up his head with his arm. "So what, did you guys break up?" Rukia gasped and looked at him, surprised. "What would give you that idea?" Renji rolled his eyes classic Renji-style. "Tch, it's not that difficult to piece together, Ruk. You've been avoiding the sixth squad building, you practically perk up when you hear Captain Kuchiki's name, not to mention you're going around calling him Byakuya," he grinned. "I know, I'm a genius, right?" Rukia furrowed her brows. "I've been calling him Byakuya?"

Renji frowned like her not agreeing on his being a genius had offended him. "Yeah, like just now." How could she have not noticed that? When had she started calling him Byakuya instead of nii-sama? She couldn't place her finger on the exact time but somehow, it felt so natural to call him by his name. Nii-sama sounded sounusual now. She tested saying his name again. "Byakuya." It felt so perfect, like it had been made just for her to say it. It gave her tingly sensations to use his name. "Not to mention the make-out session you guys had in his office," Renji unknowingly added, talking quietly to himself. He froze when he realized who was listening. Rukia froze as well. "What?" Renji grimaced, "oops, he told me to not mention it." "WHAT!?" Rukia shouted, reaching out to grab him by the front of his robe, mortification showing on every inch of her face. She started to shake him, hard. "What the hell are you talking about!?" "Dammit Rukia, leggo. It ain't a big deal. Though I should say I was pretty shocked. I mean, I didn't know you were like that. And with Captain Kuchiki!" Renji looked torn between being shocked and being disgusted. "I mean, him of all people. I never would have guessed you preferred guys like him." Rukia's cheeks were turning redder by the minute. "What the hell are you implying, Renji?" Renji sighed and spoke to her like he was conversing with a toddler. "About-you-doing-itwith-my-captain." Rukia let go of his robe like it had burned her, turning around to hide her flaming cheeks. "That's n-not true." Renji burst out laughing. "Oh really? Then all those sounds I heard were-" "Please stop, Renji," Rukia begged. He paused to look at her, all the humor wiped off from his face. He sighed, turning to lie on his back. He looked up to stare at the branches criss-crossing above them like a hatched roof. "Rukia, you do know that you can always tell me anything, no matter what it is. That's what friends are for." Rukia turned to look at Renji; he was still gazing at the sky. Rukia knew how emotional moments made him feel uncomfortable. She looked up as well, the flower petals falling on her face. She swallowed the huge lump building up in her throat..

"He told me he loves me." She felt Renji stiffen but resisted the urge to see his expression. When he didn't say anything she continued. "And he wants to marry me." Rukia looked at Renji; he was sitting up now and looking back at her. "What should I do, Renj?" Renji hunched his back, propping his chin with one hand. He said nothing for a few moments while he plucked out blades of grass. He suddenly spoke, "do you love him?" Rukia tensed, mentally asking herself the same question again for the hundredth time. She came back with the same answer. "I don't know." Renji stopped to look at her. "You don't know?" She looked at him, slightly anguished. "I really don't know. I don't know if what I'm feeling is love." "How would you describe it?" Rukia thought about it for one moment, looking far ahead into the trees. "It's likewhen I think about him it's the only thing I can think of. When I'm with himit's like I'm only aware of himhe, he's always in my thoughts, even when I'm sleeping." "He makes my heart beat fast, very fastand, and I always blush in front of him for some weird reason and whenever he's near me, he makes my blood-" "Alright! Alright!" Renji abruptly cut her short, signaling her to stop. "Let's not go into those details." Rukia blushed, glad that he had stopped her from continuing. "Well, the way I see it," Renji continued loudly after clearing his throat. "You definitely are in love with him. Yep, pretty much sounds like it." He nodded to himself. Rukia looked incredulous. "But, how could it happen so quickly!?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Heck if I know, never been in love as it is. But that's what you're feeling." Rukia looked away, frowning again. Renji frowned. "What is it now?" He heard her mumble something like, "but it's Byakuya." "Yeah," he rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. From all the guys in Seireitei who asked for your hand you chose him, what effing luck." She startled at that. "My hand? What about it?"

Renji's eyes widened. He then smacked his forehead. "Shit! Oops, sorry. Just forget about that, okay?" "O-okay." She focused on her previous problem, bending her knees to hug them. "But honestly Renji, what do you think?" "About you and Kuchiki?" "Y-Yeah." "Hmm," he considered the question. "I guess I was pretty shocked when I found out. I mean, I've never been a fan of him, and I had thought you never liked staying at that place. Whenever I'd see you with them you'd look so stiff." "Although you became much happier after the whole Aizen thing, and you guys, Captain Kuchiki and you, even started talking more. But I never would have guessed that you both would fall for each other." He had the same surprised expression. "I'd always thought Seireitei would burn or something before anything even close to that happened. Get what I mean?" "So what, you're saying that a relationship with him is so out of the question? Is it because we're related?" He shook his head. "I'm not saying that. I'm just saying I never would have expected something like that happening." "Is it because he's my brother?" She persisted with that statement. Renji gave a wry smile. "Personally, you two have never acted like siblings, more like strangers living in the same houseermanoruhmansion thingy." He shook his head. "Anyway, I guess I can proudly say that I've been more of a family to you than he ever was. But more importantly, that shit doesn't matter. He's not really related to you and you can't help who you fall in love with, right?" Rukia looked at him, her expression dumbfounded. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her mouth was agape. Renji looked worried. "What'd I say?" Rukia suddenly threw her arms out, jumping towards him and toppling him backwards. She wrapped her arms around his neck tight, laughing loudly in his ear. "Eh? What the-" "Thank you so much!" She burst out happily, hugging him tighter. Renji coughed, trying to loosen her stranglehold. "Uh, yeah. I know I'm a genius," he rasped. "I love you, Renji!"

"Ahaha, okay," he smiled. "Glad to hear it. Care to let go of my throat?" Rukia jumped back, shooting up and quickly dusting her shinigami robes. "You going somewhere?" She smiled brilliantly down at him, "I've got someone I have to meet right now." She dashed off towards the forest entrance. Renji watched her run until she flash-stepped out of his sight. He then sighed, turning back to his paperwork to glare at it. "If she loved me she would've finished this for me."

Byakuya turned another page, focusing on the words printed on it. He sighed and then closed the book, losing interest in it immediately. He placed it on his lap and rested his head on the back of the armchair. He looked indifferently around the room he was in. He hardly ever visited the Kuchiki library, mainly because he had no time to spare, but also because he had already read every book this room had in it. He had been practically forced to read every single one of them since he had learned the alphabets. The Library was fairly large, with dozens of shelves lining three of the four walls, along with double sided bookshelves placed strategically in the middle. Needless to say, there were over thousands of books, and he had read all of them. It hadn't taken that long since having a large lifespan as a spirit helped as well. Most of them were recordings of Soul Society's history and one of the Kuchiki family's duty was to record all the events that had or would ever happen. He remembered how he used to hate reading about history. He hated it even now, but it came with his duty of being the Kuchiki Head. He turned his head left to look outside the window. The sun was setting, splashes of pink and orange coloring the sky. Any other day it would have looked beautiful to him, but today it hurt his eyes and all he wanted was for the sky to look grey and lifeless. Just like how he felt. He felt his heart squeeze painfully again. He lifted a hand to cover his eyes, hoping it would ease the ache. So this is how it feels like to be rejected. It was an awful feeling. If Byakuya had known any better he would have tried to avoid falling in love. But that seemed impossible. He had not even known that he was in love with Rukia until he had blurted it out. Now that he knew what his feelings for her were, it just seemed strange how he had not noticed it sooner. As far as he could tell, he must have been in love with her for a long time, or at least must have been slowly falling in love with her without knowing it.

She was just so incredibly wonderful, Byakuya couldn't even express in words what he felt for her. Not falling in love with her was just out of the question. He doubted anyone would have resisted doing so if they were in his place. Everything he had told her in the office had been true, she really did mean too much to him. He really did want her all to himself and he really did want to be with her forever. It may have seemed too sudden after realizing his feelings for her, but it just felt so right. This feeling he had for her, it was so incredibly strong it even shocked him. Never in his entire life had he felt this way for anyone. The word 'soul-mate' came to his mind whenever he thought of he. it was like she was destined to be his. He felt like he could sacrifice anything for her happiness; his noble status, his Captaincy, everything. He could even sacrifice his own happiness. Byakuya closed his eyes tight; he needed something to numb the pain. He used to scorn those people who resorted to alcohol, but he could honestly say he understood why drinking seemed like an attractive option at times like this. He was seriously deciding on whether he should follow suit as well. He instinctively sensed Rukia's reiatsu approaching the manor; she had a distinct type of aura that he could easily sense no matter what. He knew she was probably coming home for dinner, or to collect something and then head back, or to just head off to bed. Anything besides coming to see him, but he still couldn't stop his heartbeat from racing. Was it always going to be like this? Was he always going to have this large gash in his heart? He really could not fathom how time would be able to heal a wound like his. Rukia's reiatsu was unmistakably strong, meaning she was either angry or extremely happy. Well if rejecting him made her that happy, he would do it all again, even if it would hurt him. At least he was the one making her happy and not someone else. She seemed to be walking in Byakuya's direction. He hated that that fact created a tiny flicker of hope in him. He knew she was not coming specifically to see him, not after what had happened. But after rejecting him could she not have stayed away, did she honestly not know what she was doing to him? Dammit! Was he always going to be so pathetic? Pitifully hoping she would change her mind, even after she had wounded his pride by rejecting him. He wished he had done things differently, taken things slower. Maybe then Rukia would have reacted in a good way. He tried to forget the sight of her crying when he had confessed to her. His heart contracted painfully again. I really should have been patient with her, I should not have blurted my feelings for her, given her time to- what is she doing? Byakuya was completely transfixed with what Rukia seemed to be doing. She had passed by the library door and had abruptly turned, walking backwards to stop at it. Byakuya silently

considered the option of screwing his dignity aside and going out there himself to demand she give him another chance. Anything to get rid of the pain. The door to the library suddenly slid open and Rukia peeked in. She glanced inside the dim room and spotted Byakuya sitting on one of the armchairs. Her heart began to pound faster as she stepped inside and slid the door shut behind her. He was silently looking at her approaching, his expression curious. He didn't say anything as Rukia stopped in front of him. He waited for her to say something. She looked at the floor, trying to form the words she wanted to say. She looked back at him. "II" Byakuya stayed silent, his heart beating uncontrollably fast. She took another step forward till her legs were touching his own. She opened her mouth to say something but then snapped it shut. Instead she bent down to cup his face and kissed him softly on the lips. She leaned back to look into his eyes, her own shining brightly. Her cheeks were flaming red. Byakuya just stared back at her, completely frozen. She smiled a wobbly smile. "I love you too," she said breathlessly. His eyes widened. "And I also want to spend the rest of my life with you. If I'm not too late, that is." His breath caught in his throat. "Will you marry me, Byakuya?" She looked at him hesitantly, waiting for an answer. Byakuya slowly unfroze, a smile beginning to form. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her forward, moving the book on his lap aside. "Well, what would you be willing to do for a yes?" he asked in a low voice. Rukia placed a knee on either side of his legs, moving her hands down his neck. He held her tight with one arm as he untied the strap holding her soul slayer. She looked down at him, her eyes turning darker as she took in his expression. "Anything" "Oh?" He pulled her down and began to give small, feathery kisses down her throat. Rukia instinctively craned her neck, giving him more access. "Tell me you love me once more." Rukia turned to look at him; he was intensely looking back at her. She smiled slyly and bent to whisper slowly in his ear. "I love you." She felt him shiver and bit his ear lobe before moving to place kisses on his jaw, slowly reaching his lips.

"I love you," she said again. Byakuya's grip around her waist tightened. She stopped before touching his lips and looked into his eyes. "And I'll always love you." "Good," he said huskily, pulling her lower lip down with is teeth. "Then I say yes."

THE END