Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or any of the characters in this fiction, except for Hiza Batto.

This fiction happens before the show even starts, so Ichigo will not be in it, though I may change my mind, later! It happens before Byakuya meets Hisana, and most of the things in the anime/manga will not happen. Other than that, here's chapter 1!

It was an early spring day, and the start of her fiftieth year in the 11th squad. She was the vice captain, now, serving under Zaraki Kenpachi. She was walking out of the Eleventh squad main house, to go to her office, when she saw him, wearing a spectacular white scarf over his uniform, the sixth squad vice captain's badge fastened tightly to his arm.

"Oi! Misuta!" she called to the strange man, his long, black hair clipped back to stay out of his eyes. She waved at him, beckoning for him to come over and speak to her. She hadn't been vice captain for long, so she hadn't the slightest who the vice captain of any of the squads were. She supposed she could have waited for the next vice captain's meeting to learn his name, but she was curious.

As he crossed over to her, she noticed that his eyes were dark, seemingly onyx black. The clips in his hair were silver, and as he reached her she noticed his eyes didn't just look onyx, they were a dark purple. She leaned forwards when he reached her and examined the scarf, wondering what it was made of.

"Ohayou Gosaimasu! Sonmei desuka?" She smiled and looked at him for a moment then looked down, a bit embarrassed. Wait, why was she getting embarrassed, she didn't even know him, she just wanted to meet one of the other vice captains.

"Watashi no namae wa Kuchiki Byakuya." He looked at her, a little annoyed. She should have waited until the next vice captain's meeting, but I guess she just wanted to meet one of the other vice captains before the meeting, so she at least knew someone.

"You're Byakuya Kuchiki-sama! Watashi wa Batto Hiza desu!" She smiled a moment then bowed slightly, showing her respect to the noble in front of her. "Sumimasen! I had no idea you were a noble when I called you over."

"It's okay, you didn't know." He smiled a moment, and she blinked. Did he just… smile? She wasn't dreaming, he'd actually smiled, a noble had smiled at her!

"Well… You probably have work to do, don't you? I know I do, I just wanted to meet someone!" She smiled and bowed once more. "Ja ne, Kuchiki-sama! I'm sure we will see each other again!" With that, she walked slowly towards her office, not wanting to look bad to the noble.

"Ja ne, Hiza." He smirked, even though he was a noble, he wanted someone to treat him normal. She had done that until she had found out he was a noble. With that, he turned and walked to his office, to do the paper work that was no doubt piled on his desk.

A few years later, they had become the best of friends, and before she knew it, she was falling in love with Byakuya. She would smile more, when she was around him. Normally, she was quite serious, unless she was in the human world, in her Gigai. But she wasn't, and she would laugh, and he would laugh with her. The only thing she didn't know was that he was falling in love with her, too.

Today, she was walking to the Kuchiki mansion, to meet Byakuya when a voice called from behind her.

"Where are you off to, shoui Batto?"

She turned around and as quickly as she realized who it was, said, "To get Kuchiki-sama, Ichimaru-teichou." She gave a slight bow to the captain of the third squad and smiled to herself.

"Ah, mustn't be late, then. He's a noble, after all!" He was always smiling, and then he turned and walked away.

She ran a couple minutes, and then walked the rest of the way, she would be on time.

When she got to the Kuchiki mansion, she gave her hair a little comb through with her fingers, and knocked on the shoji door. After a few moments she heard footstep coming towards the other side of the door, and then it slid open, to a smiling Byakuya.

"Ohayou, Hiza-chan." He smiled and laughed a moment, she looked so proud when she showed up at his door. Perhaps she was just trying to look good in case one of the elders happened to answer the door.

"Ohayou Gosaimasu, Kuchiki-sama," she smiled a bit and then beckoned for him to follow her. She had a surprise planned for him today. "Soukou, this way!" And she led him down towards a small open field in a forest. It was early summer, and she had known him for 3 years, and she wanted him to stay with her forever.

The clearing was small, but beautiful, with a small pond in the centre, and she kicked off her sandals, and pulled off her socks. Once done that, she dipped her feet in the cool water. She looked back at Byakuya, and beckoned for him to have a seat in the grass next to her.

"This is a nice place you found, Hiza." He smiled, and looked at her, the leaned over and took her hand. She hadn't been expecting this, and blushed a little, the looked into his eyes. There was something there, but she couldn't quite place it, cause she hadn't seen it in his eyes ever before.

Before she knew it, he was leaning in closer to her and he pressed his lips to hers. She sat there, eyes wide for a moment before she realized what was happening. She closed her eyes and softly kissed him back. It was him, who broke the kiss, but she kept a firm grip on his hand and leaned over into his chest. He was warm, and she knew it. He seemed so cold when they were at work, but when they were alone, he seemed so sweet.

"W-why did you do that, Byakuya?" She blinked, but she couldn't take it back. She had called him by his first name. She had never done that before. She blushed.

"Did you not want me to?" He looked down at her and smiled. "But to answer your question, I wanted to, that's why."

She stared at him for a long moment, finally realizing what it was she had seen in his eyes. It had been love, pure and deep love. "I never said that." She smiled. "Actually, if you didn't, I may have." She blushed a bit, but it was true, she loved him, and wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.

She looked up in the sky and sighed. The sun was already at noon height. They had work to do. "C'mon, Byakuya, I'm sure teichou wouldn't appreciate it if you skipped work altogether today."

Well, that's it for chapter 1! I hope you like it! Please review!

Always yours,

Fox