I had a decision to make.
Save Kisuke or marry Byakuya.
I don't really want to get married anyway. At least this is what I told myself. To be married to Byakuya. I do love him, but no one knew. It was our little secret. Of course at the time, when we liked each other when we were alone but despised each other when we were together, we had no idea what our families were planning for us.
They had decided that we should be married. All of those meetings, those playdates when we were younger, were meant to make us become known to each other. We were ignorant and didn't understand why it was strange, even in the slightest, that a princess and a noble of high class were forced together weekly.
I would come annoy him and he would chase after me taking the bait. I always won and as per our agreement he owed me one favor. I usually had him bring me milk or pick me a flower, but once I kissed him. My first kiss, and his as well, at sixteen years old.
All I meant to do was peck him on the lips, but he leaned in to me and pushed me into the tree behind me. His lips crushed mine and he intertwined our fingers against the tree. I had watched curiously as he abruptly stepped away from me and flash stepped back to his room. I went home that night in complete and utter shock.
He kissed me.
Me.
The demon cat.
We kept playing this little game for two years. I annoy, he chases, I win, we kiss, he runs.
Later, on my eighteenth birthday I got four presents aside from the ones my family got me. Kisuke got me a bracelet. It had cats and tiaras on it. I had to laugh. So I did, and I hugged him. Kisuke mussed up my hair and told me that he would be there for me whenever I needed him.
Kukaku gave me fireworks. She winked at me and told me to use them well. I put them back in the box before my parents came into the room, and hugged her.
Soifon gave me a cake, which to be quite honest I didn't really want to eat. Have you seen her try to cook? But it turned out to be good. I hugged her and she blushed. Funny girl.
The last gift I got was from Byakuya. This was the first gift he had ever gotten me. He wasn't at my Birthday dinner, but he never comes any way. I opened the box and saw a hair ribbon. A red hair ribbon. The red hair ribbon I had taken from him three years ago. There was a note in the box that read:
I got it back from you. It's my turn.
It had no name on it, so the rest of the table thought I had an admirer.
I went to see him that night. I slinked into his room as a cat and took in my surroundings. A beautiful room. Expensive furniture, rich fabrics, all of the things I also had. My eyes graced over his resting form. In sleep he looked young and innocent. A soft smile even played on his lips.
I turned into human form and cupped his face in my hand. His eyes opened quickly, then widened as they saw me. I smirked and waved the ribbon in front of his face. I whispered
"It doesn't count if you don't get it back when your chasing me. But, thanks anyway." I hugged him. His eyes widened even more and he went stock still.
I didn't understand until I realized I was naked. Oops.
After that night we kept meeting. We didn't realize they were watching us. We were captains. We should have known they were there, but we were to preoccupied with each other to notice.
All during this time Kisuke and I would meet in our secret training area. We would train, hang out, and hide from our parents together. We were there for each other and never let the other down.
Then I recommended Kisuke for captain and he made it. Byakuya was upset that I spent so much time with Kisuke. Well, upset isn't a good word for it. He demolished a house with his spiritual pressure on accident just thinking about it. Just recently, Kisuke got into the mess with the other captains and his lieutenant. Tomorrow I have two choices go accept the offer from the Kuchki family my parents told me to take and watch Kisuke die, or save Kisuke and leave behind everyone, and everything important to me.
I can't watch Kisuke die. I love him as my best friend. I know what I need to do, even if it kills me inside.
