Forfeit

Rain

Fandom: Bleach

Pairing: ByaYoru

Warning: Too sad… why am I so depressing?

Disclaimer: don't own Bleach, Rights to Tite Kubo.

A/N: I've been getting a lot of positive feedback on my ByaYoru fics and they're one of my Ultimate-OTPs!! So I decided one more can't hurt, this is like 'I Don't Cry's little sister, it explains the little engagement confrontation, I hope it's just as good and the ending isn't utter poop like the other. Also I'm listening to 'I'll follow you into the dark' by Death Cab by Cutie, possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever. Enjoy and REVIEW!!

Yoruichi and Byakuya walked arm and arm through the Seirietei, the sky was an ominous gray but the rain never broke through. There weren't many people outside due to the cold weather but neither of them cared, Yoruichi snuggled warmly nest to Byakuya who was flashing a rare smile. The continued as they ascended to the large white prison tower, climbing a large flight of steps to the large bridge they visited so many times before. They stood together, leaning on the railing as they stared out over the Seirietei; everything was so quiet, so orderly, and so beautiful.

"Bya-bo, do you ever miss our youth, before we became full-fledged Soul Reapers?" Yoruichi questioned him, though her gaze never strayed from the community below them.

Byakuya let out a soft chuckle, surprising Yoruichi, "no, the only thing I actually enjoyed about training was being around you, and you're still here with me so what's there to miss?"

Yoruichi blushed at his blunt yet flattering statement, "really? You don't miss the never-ending stamina, or the playful nature we had because we where so young and naïve?"

Byakuya continued to stare out at the buildings that seemed to stretch out forever, "well Yoru, being introspective today are we?"

Yoruichi smiled at the sight of a small Momo scuttling towards Aizen's quarters, no doubt about to ask him for his treasured advice, "aren't I always introspective? Or are you hinting that I'm an oblivious idiot?"

Byakuya turned to her, staring blankly, "I would never think of you that way Yoruichi, you're the most intelligence and powerful women I've ever met and I don't see any even existent reason to say such a thing."

Yoruichi turned, smirking as she crossed her arms over her chest, "oh really Kuchiki-kun, and why would you say that?"

Byakuya stepped forward clasping her hands in his, "because I love you Shihoun-sama."

Yoruichi stood frozen, he had never told her that before, a mischievous grin broke across her face, "Oh but Bya-Bya, but I'm afraid I can't love a man who can't even catch me in a simple game of tag."

Byakuya smiled, "Oh but on the contrary, I have a way of catching you know," 'this was it, now or never' he thought as he bent down on one knee, which he felt slightly uncomfortable because Kuchiki Byakuya bowed to no one, except… "Yoruichi Shihoun, will you marry me?"

Yoruichi froze, not knowing what to do, he had proposed, proposed. He hadn't so much as introduced her to his parents and he was proposing marriage to her?! Yoruichi had so much emotion in her she couldn't even register them all; fear, anger, surprise, uncertainty. "Is this a joke?" Yoruichi stammered feeling the anger pool in her stomach.

"What? No Yoru-kun, why would I be joking?" Byakuya felt himself panic though he didn't let his outer façade show it.

Yoruichi clenched her fists, "you hide me from your family and colleagues, saying 'they won't understand what we share', you hide your emotions from me even though I can easily read them, and I don't want to be 'Yoruichi, the "perfect Kuchiki wife".

Byakuya gripped her hand, forcing the ring on her finger in one fluid motion, "Yoruichi, I want to change that, this ring signifies my devotion to making you happy, and only you happy."

Yoruichi growled now, "how could you believe a hunk of gold a useless gem make things better between us?!" She ripped off the ring dashing it to the ground, "well Kuchiki-sempai, you still haven't caught me yet!"

She stepped forward, slapping him hard across his face, "tag, you're it!" She hissed flash-stepping as fast as she could as far as she could.

Byakuya stood on the large bridge, staring at the discarded ring on the ground as cool rain broke through the clouds and pummeled him until he shivered slightly. He picked up the ring, slipping it in his pocket, his mask never cracking once.

--

Yoruichi made it to the gate to the human world in record time falling through the portal into the basement of the Urahara shop. She stumbled almost drunkenly to the colossal ladder and ascended it, reaching the basement door and banging it desperately, "Kisuke, Kisuke please open this Kisuke!"

A few moments passed until Kisuke Urahara opened the basement door, smiling widely until he saw Yoruichi's desperate face. "Yoru-Yoru what's wrong?" he questioned helping her out of the basement and up the stairs to his warm kitchen.

Yoruichi collapsed in a chair gasping painfully from her exhaustingly frantic flash-steps, 'B-Byakuya, h-he-"

Kisuke stopped her abruptly as he stood so quickly his chair toppled over, "what'd he do to you Yoruichi? Did he hurt you? He didn't hit you did he? If he did why I'll beat the bastard into a bloody-"

"No Urahara!" she interjected, "he didn't do any of those things, he just, well he proposed to me."

Kisuke stood dumbfounded, "wait; backtrack, he proposed, like marriage?" Yoruichi nodded sheepishly, "then why the hell are you hear having a nervy spas? You should be happy!"

Yoruichi shook her head, "no, you don't understand, he's ashamed of me, and he won't show his vulnerable side to me."

Kisuke raised in eyebrow so that it disappeared above the brim of his hat, "Yoruichi, that's just how Byakuya is, and he doesn't have a vulnerable side, that's just not how he was raised."

Yoruichi looked away arms crossed, "I still don't believe that, and if he is that cold, I don't want to marry him."

Kisuke scoffed incredulously, "honestly Yoruichi, you're stupid, you make him happy, something he hasn't been in a long time. He's so happy I can actually feel his reitsu pulsing all the way in the human world!"

Yoruichi looked down, guilt washing over her, 'maybe I did overreact a little', she thought to herself.

"I think it's not Byakuya's coldness but rather your stubborn fear." Kisuke stated, tipping his hat back rubbing the back of his neck just noticing the rain outside.

"Kisuke-kun", Yoruichi whispered quietly, "do you think I could possibly stay here for a little bit just to gather myself?"

Kisuke smiled, "of course Yoru-chan, but just remember, an unhappy Byakuya might as well be a dead Byakuya."

Yoruichi's throat went dry as she nodded, "Thank you, Kisuke."

Yoruichi remained in the human world assuming cat form, and soon, 'a little while' turned into a sixty years.

Yoruichi received a hell butterfly, from surprisingly, Byakuya. The black insect landed on her outstretched hand as that voice, his voice flooded her senses. "Yoruichi I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to inform you of my impending wedding scheduled for tonight", his voice stated, completely void of emotion, "I've met a wonderful women named Hisana and I'm very happy." The word 'happy' slightly rising in pitch. "By the time you get this I will most likely be wed, and I sent you this message to disconnect you from me, my life, and…" he paused and she actually heard him gulp, "and my heart." She heard his voice begin to soften and let off a little miniscule amount of emotion; sadness, as he continued talking, "Yoru-chan, I want you to know you would be the one I was marrying if you hadn't left. I'm sorry, I still love you but I'm just a fool I suppose, you're to fast Yoruichi", she heard him slightly choke and sniffle a bit, "I can't catch you."

Yoruichi froze, crushing the butterfly in her fist as she let a few tears slip from her eyes, she sat down on the dusty floor pulling her knees to her chest, and she set her forehead on her knees, shaking as she sobbed. Kisuke watched from the doorway, a grave expression on his face, "Damnit Byakuya, you finally made her happy, something she hasn't been in a long time, and now you took that away, a coward like you couldn't catch Yoruichi."

Byakuya sat on the edge of his and Hisana's bed as he idly stroked her hair, imagining it was Yoruichi, that this pale, raven-haired woman was his beautiful dark-skinned angel. He stood up, walking over to his vast window which showed a dark, starry night on the Seirietei. He looked at the silver wedding band on his finger, he lifted his head to stare at the vast sky as he felt something wet slide down his cheek. He froze, "Yoru", he whispered, "I can never catch you, I… I forfeit." He stared out as rain began to pour outside, "no, I will catch you, or game of tag was just postponed."

He stood at the windowsill as another wet rivulet slid down his cheek, he shook his head at the thought of tears, "no, I just got splashed with rain." He gazed at the window seeing the glass was pulled shut; no rain could've possibly gotten in, "just the rain', he whispered.

A/N: Ahhhhhh, I just got back from cheer and I'm thoroughly exhausted but I sucked it up and finished this. I really hope you liked it! I worked hard, and the cool thing is I was listening to 'I'll follow you into the dark' by Death Cab for Cutie and as soon as I finished writing the song ended. That seems to happen a lot! XD anyways, school's just started and I'm really busy but I'm happy cause there's some HOTT guys at school! Hee hee wish me luck in the bf department! AnyVoo! Hope you enjoyed and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! Please!! Or I'll cry, and so will Hanatarou!