Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or anime used in this fanfiction. Enjoy!

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Chapter 1: What a Pleasant Surprise.

The war against the arrancar and shinigami is slowly creeping ever closer. In light of this, I thought it would be a good idea to go back to the soul society and get some information concerning the matter, although the outcome of this was completely unexpected. But let's go back to one week ago, my first stop was gathering with Ukitake, Kyoraku, Byakuya, and SoiFon. They are my closest friends in the soul society and people I can trust. We met at Ukitake's private quarters; being the gentlemen and kind man he is. We sat together in a table, and drank tea and my favorite drink.

"So Yoruichi-san, why did you come?" Ukitake asked me as he poured me milk.

"I came for information concerning the arrancar, anything new?"

Kyoraku shifted. "No, although we haven't been sensing any strange reiatsu's around either, believe me we've been keeping in touch with the technological department monitoring the living world and hueco mundo from what we can and nothing new, it's rather strange though." He sighed and took out a bottle of sake.

SoiFon sighed. "Yoruichi-sama, how is it going over in the living world?"

I sighed and supported myself with my palms to the floor. "Nothing much, Kisuke's been acting rather strange lately since his fight with the arrancar though, I'm not sure what's on his mind."

Ukitake laughed. "Well no one ever knows what's on that guys mind; he must be coming up with something."

I lay down and put my hands behind my head staring at the ceiling. "I see…I guess you're right."

I was wondering about Byakuya though, he hadn't said a word to me since I got here, I wonder what was on his mind…and that's when it happened we got the hell butterfly.

Ukitake received the message. "Oh no…" I jolted up. "What is it?!" Ukitake's sweat dropped. "Well you see, they're going to close the senkai gate for unknown reasons…" I blinked several times. "So what? I could stay a bit longer." He began to twitch. "Well…it's for a week."

I sat frozen for about 5 minutes and then…"WHAT?!" Everyone's eyes widened. "I can't stayhere for one week; I'm not going back to the Shihoin house no way!" I crossed my arms.

Kyoraku smiled. "You can always stay at my place, Yoruichi!" I glared at him. He backed off immediately. "Allow me Yoruichi." Ukitake smiled, but I thought of his health.

"No thanks, I guess I'll stay with." I looked at SoiFon. She grinned. "Of course you can." She was cut off my Byakuya standing up. "Shihoin Yoruichi shall stay in my quarters." He walked out. I sighed. "Alright I guess I can't refuse now. Everyone laughed instead of SoiFon of course ruining her chances of having me around for an entire week.

I couldn't help but wonder why he wanted to stay with me? Plus of course I thought that I'd have that very nostalgic feeling of nobility trapped and restrained staying in his manor. I walked beside Byakuya going to the Kuchiki house, having been absent for quite some time, I was hoping to see the beautiful garden over there that brought me and Byakuya-bo so many memories. I chuckled lightly. He had been walking the entire time with his eyes closed I felt so dead next to this man, yet I was used to the feeling knowing him for a while, but that didn't mean he hadn't changed because boy he sure did from the hot-headed noble brat I once knew.

I walked in front of him turning around with my hands over my back looking into his face curiously like a schoolgirl for at least one sign of life until he opened his eyes looking directly into mine, we both stopped walking briefly, for some reason I felt that the look in his eyes was that of loneliness…before I could read him any longer, he continued his pace. I stood their unmoving I felt like he'd become so distant to me…like we were nothing to each other. I put those thoughts aside, and flash stepped quickly in front of him again.

He paused and breathed a small sigh. "Is there something wrong?" I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?! That's my line for you! Why are you acting so strange towards me? Why did you tell me to stay with you?" I screamed in frustration, if he wouldn't tell me what his problem was, I would get it out of him somehow. He stared at my face for a while. "Do not be concerned, I couldn't possibly let a noble such as you stay with such commoners."

He once again continued his walk. I couldn't believe him. That's what he wanted me for? I grinned. This man never ceases to amaze me, but something told me that those weren't his true intentions with me, this would be fun. I walked behind him the rest of the way wondering of the plans he had in store for me and the ones I had for him. I smirked and we finally got to the Kuchiki House, I smiled warmly. I looked around the place, remembering all the details of the house and everything still smelled of Byakuya, Cherry Blossoms and rainwater and all the memories of my teasing and everything, made me laugh lightly. To tell the truth, I loved that smell.

He stopped right next to me, and looked at my face for a while I could have sworn I saw a small smile creep on his face. I broke the silence. "Do you…still remember all those games of tag we shared?' He closed his eyes. "How could I possibly forget?" I grinned. "You still haven't caught me!" He opened his eyes. "I am well aware of that." I laughed. "Byakuya, let's go to our favorite tree!"

I suddenly remembered a certain cherry blossom tree in the gardens I took his arm and walked over there. His face didn't change all he did was follow behind me like a puppy. I let go of his arm when we got to the gardens and breathed in the scent of the air, beautiful. The cherry blossom tree was standing proudly before us, letting its graceful petals fall around us showering us as if glad to see us both together again, like old times.

I smiled and turned around too Byakuya who was only staring at me the entire time, he then looked at a branch on the tree. I looked in the same direction. "Oh, I see. You remembered the branch I'd always sit on to watch you train huh?" He didn't say a word so I walked over to a small plot behind the tree where several purple Chinese bellflowers were planted. He walked and stood behind me. I crouched down and plucked a flower. I smelled breathing in its enticing aroma and turned around facing Byakuya. I smiled sweetly and walked towards him and took his hand intertwining mine with his and in between us the flower. He stared at our hands.

I leaned into him and whispered in his ear. "It's your favorite flower, Byakuya-bo." I tried letting go of his hand, but he didn't let me pull back. My eyes widened a bit and then he finally let go, he stared right into my eyes and the air blew around us waving our hair in the wind with my semi-widened eyes. He felt so warm for some reason when I held his hand. I was snapped out of my small trance when he spoke. "Let us go inside, the sun is beginning to set."

I nodded and slowly followed behind him into his home. Guess what? I was greeted by several of his servants.

"Shihouin-sama! It's such an honor to see you grace us with your presence once again!" Byakuya's most loyal servant bowed to me then smiled. I knew I wasn't going to bother asking them to call me Yoruichi, considering they can be just as stubborn as me with the whole nobility thing. "It's nice to see you too." He bowed once more and my sweat dropped. I could have sworn I heard a small chuckle from Byakuya's mouth. I stared at him for a while trying to read his thoughts, until I was interrupted once again by his servant.

"Is there anything you require from me, Kuchiki-dono?" He nodded and walked towards him, motioning him to stand. He stopped at the man's side, and said to me. "Wait here for a moment." I nodded as they walked off to a room.

I waited there sitting down on the floor Indian style with my head against the wall staring at the ceiling. To my dismay, nothing interesting was up there. I yawned it was getting late, I was still waiting out here, I wanted a bath, and I still had no idea where the hell I was going to stay! I stood up and slumped my shoulders. It has been an hour since he told me to wait here. I looked around the hall noticing no one was around…I sneered. Time to explore! I walked for what seemed hours around his huge manor and found some very boring places…until I came to a special one.

I slid open the door, only to find my little Byakuya kneeling on a small futon in front of a pedestal with a picture of a woman, I knew her…Hisana his past wife. I stared at his back facing the shrine and instinctively kneeled on the futon next to him and prayed. We both sat in silence for a while longer, and then he opened his eyes slowly getting up and taking one last look at the woman's picture.

"Goodnight, Hisana." He slowly shut the shrine door closing his eyes and turned towards me as I stared at him. He opened his mouth to speak. "Did I not ask you to wait for me? You never listen do you?" He walked past me as I got up from the futon. "No I did not, I've always been the rebellious type. You of all people should know that rather well, Byakuya…I thought it was courteous to pray with you to Hisana." I sneered as he stopped at the door for a minute thinking.

"Let us go to your quarters." He walked out and I walked with him down the corridor. He motioned me to come in a room all the way down the hall, and it was next to his. I thought how predictable he wanted to keep an eye on me. He walked in to the closet and opened it revealing some of my old attire back from when I was at the Shihouin clan. He seemed prepared for my arrival. I sighed and dropped my shoulders. He handed me a dark night dress. "Seeing as you are staying at a noble house, you will dress like one. Be tolerant of it for now." I took it and frowned. He then walked to the door.

"I will be next door, please notify me if you need anything." He walked out closing the door. I stared at the door for a while then looked back at the clothes and sighed. This would be a long week. Later that night, I lay down in the bathtub staring at the ceiling my mind drifting back into the past. I got out of the bath after what seemed like hours and I sat down in front of the mirror brushing my wet hair wearing one of my old dark blue night dresses. I then sat on the windowsill staring at the moon for the rest of the night. I could not help it and frankly I did not know why.

But my thoughts kept drifting back to the look in Byakuya's eyes when he held my hand, his warmth that feeling of being safe and right with him. I kept thinking about it throughout the night, and fell asleep on the windowsill. Little did I know that a certain noble captain had picked me up, and slept in my bed to keep me company? He had been acting strange and I kept uttering his name in my sleep holding him close to me my dreams clouded with thoughts of him. Yes…he still smelled like cherry blossoms and rainwater.

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AN: Next chapter is a bit more intimate and it's rather cute seeing Byakuya will be the one teasing Yoruichi in his own special way. XD Anyway stay tuned and please remember to review! I love feedback!