Chapter 2: Attraction
"Senbonzakura…we call this feeling…attraction."
"Attraction, you say?" said Senbonzakura, leaning forward and tilting his head slightly, making their lips meet again, "This feeling of wanting to touch you, to…make my lips touch yours that way…the feeling in my stomach…and in my heart, all of this is…attraction?"
"That," Byakuya said softly, "and more. Because attraction is a connection between people, it means that in addition to you wanting to touch me and me wanting to return those touches, each of us wants to be touched by the other. Remember that to use our power, I must connect by touching my zanpakutou a certain way, by focusing my mind and by having a clear purpose in my heart. In much the same way, for us to share an attraction, our hearts must connect, so that we desire it, our minds must be together in purpose so that we act upon it, and our bodies must touch in ways that cause pleasure. Like this…"
The samurai caught his breath in surprise as Byakuya's hands captured his face, pulling him into a longer, firmer kiss, that made him close his eyes and forget to breathe.
"Kissing is one way to cause pleasure."
Byakuya's eyes met his warmly and pale fingertips touched his lips, coaxing them apart. Then the shinigami's mouth returned to his, this time, partially opened. He gasped as the noble's hot, insistent tongue pushed into his mouth and slid along the length of his. Senbonzakura gasped into his mouth, then pulled away, staring down at his hardening member.
"Oh…oh…" he panted, catching his breath and staring, "What is this?"
The very faint smile Byakuya gave him left him even more breathless.
"Touching and kissing will cause our bodies to become aroused," the noble explained, "and when that happens, if two people decide to become lovers, they agree to give these touches to, and accept them from, only each other. Once they become lovers, they will engage in something called lovemaking…but we are just exploring each other."
"You will not engage in lovemaking with me?" the samurai asked, looking disappointed.
Byakuya gave him another fleeting smile.
"We have not made any agreements…and even if we had, this is no place for such things."
"Why not?" asked Senbonzakura, still staring down at his erection.
"Because lovemaking is done in private. To make love, we would both remove our clothing and join our bodies in a way that would create very intense pleasure. We would likely make noises we wouldn't want overheard. And our bodies would grow sweaty…and our hair would be tumbled from the ways we would move around…"
"Master," Senbonzakura whispered in a deeper, coarser voice, "Is it possible for a voice to cause pleasure, because your words make me feel more aroused. And I'm sweating as though I had been fighting."
"Voices can cause pleasure, as can scents and touches, but what you body craves is to be touched."
"It begins to become uncomfortable," the samurai complained.
"That is because you have not sated your body's desire for pleasure."
"Can we do that here?" Senbonzakura said pleadingly.
Byakuya gazed into his lovely, longing features, wavering…
"Please, Master, I begin to feel a kind of agony!"
The noble's lips tightened and his expression became stern.
"I am not unwilling…as long as you do not make any loud noises."
"Very well, I will attempt to be quiet."
"If you are not, I will stop immediately…not out of anger, but because others are not intended to see these kinds of exchanges. They are private."
Byakuya leaned forward and lowered the samurai slowly onto his back. Senbonzakura lifted his head and watched with interest as Byakuya leaned over him, first kissing him on the mouth several times, then slowly moving down his body, placing warm kisses all of the way…tracing the line of his finely carved jaw, brushing them down the long, slender throat, nipping at an earlobe and tasting the shell of an ear, then running a line of hungrier kisses down the length of a collarbone, lightly tasting an erect, pink nipple. He glanced up in time to see the samurai blushing furiously and biting his lips to keep from moaning.
"You must breathe," he instructed Senbonzakura calmly, "breathe, but be quiet."
He kissed his way down the muscular abdomen, almost smiling at the impatient heaving of his chest.
"Master," he whispered very softly, "It feels wonderful!"
Now Byakuya smiled.
"That is just the beginning. Shhh…remember, no sound…"
Senbonzakura bit his lips hard as Byakuya moved down and parted his thighs, then moved his face closer to the fiercely aching part of him that most needed the noble's touch. He barely held onto his composure when a pale hand slid along his thigh and slowly captured and caressed. His eyes wanted to drift closed, but he couldn't let them, because then he might miss what his master was doing, how he was using his hands and his mouth to cause pleasure. He kept them open a crack, watching as Byakuya's pink tongue extended and brought astonishing heat to his lower region. Senbonzakura's breath shortened and he wondered at the sight of fluid leaking. His master's tongue tasted it, nearly making him groan with delight. He bit the inside of his cheek hard, feeling sweat break out on his skin. The noble's eyes met and held his warningly as those seething lips closed around him. The sensation was intoxicating and a sudden moan escaped his lips, making Byakuya stop and stare at him.
"Gomen nasai," he whispered, his mouth dry and his chest heaving, "please Master, don't stop…please…"
He placed a hand over his mouth to stop any further outbursts, then bit back a moan of delight as Byakuya moved up and down, sucking deeply and licking relentlessly. His breath grew even shorter and his head swam with dizziness. He felt something inside his body crest a delicious wave of pleasure, then something hot began to pulse out of him. The noble swallowed several times, then slowly licked at his skin until the last drops were consumed. Byakuya lifted himself and returned to the samurai's mouth, pulling his hand away.
"This is what we taste like together," he whispered, then he fastened his mouth on Senbonzakura's and treated him to a deep, sweltering kiss.
Now Byakuya's taste was blended with another, salty and masculine and not unpleasant at all. He released a sigh of contentment and buried himself in that long, delicious kiss. When it ended, they shared a few more shorter kisses and the samurai felt himself drifting off. But just as he was about to surrender to sleep, something occurred to him.
"Master," he said softly, "Do you wish for me to do this to you now?"
Byakuya let out a soft sigh.
"Perhaps another time. It is time for us to rest. You need to put your things back on, in case someone should come in. You can sleep elsewhere and return to me after you have rested."
The samurai rose and began to dress.
"I am fine," Senbonzakura insisted, "I won't leave you."
"But in this form, you must rest."
"Then I will rest here."
Byakuya sighed and shook his head, then laid down on his back in the place that was still warmed from when the samurai had lain there. Senbonzakura sat in a chair in the corner of the cell, watching Byakuya as he turned and shifted, trying to get comfortable, then closed his eyes.
"Rest well, Master," Senbonzakura said softly.
"You rest as well, Sen," came the sleepy reply.
"Master?"
"Hmmm?"
"I enjoyed being touched by you. I hope you found touching me to be pleasurable too."
"I did. Arigato."
Beneath the mask, Senbonzakura's lips smiled.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Kuchiki Byakuya…where are you now?"
Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself kneeling on the floor of his cell, bound in heavy restraints and drained of his powers. He looked around in dismay.
"What happened?" he whispered.
He looked into the darkness in front of him and saw Kouga's dark silhouette. He didn't have to see his enemy's face to know it was smiling.
"They have done to you what they did to me. You see now, how they are beneath us. We prove again and again that we are powerful, but they do not respect us for our power. They mistrust it…and look for reasons to hate us."
"No…no, that's wrong!"
"What do you mean? You saved them…for I tell you now that I would have gone back to killing them. In the end, I might have killed them all. They are not worthy of living…so simple minded. So unwilling to recognize true greatness. Look how they treat you, Kuchiki Byakuya…you who killed their enemy…you who saved their lives. You are branded a traitor, depleted of power…kept in a cage. They may even kill you. Will you let them?"
"I took actions that may be perceived as wrong. We are a lawful society. I will communicate my reasons and accept their judgment."
"Accept their judgment?" Kouga growled, "Are you mad? They will destroy you. Don't you care? Don't you want to live?"
"I will trust in my fate. I will not despair…"
"You will die, Kuchiki Byakuya. You will die and be no better off than I am."
"No…no, I don't believe that…"
"Because your heart is strong? Because you can communicate with them? All they know is fear…and they will kill you because of it. So rise up and use your powers. Kill them, before they kill you!"
"No…"
"Break the restraints…free yourself…"
"No…"
"You have to…or you will die, like me…just like me…you are just like me…Byakuya…"
"NO!"
"Master?"
Byakuya felt Senbonzakura's arms wrap around him and pull him close. A door clanked open and a guard stepped into the cellblock, turning on the lights and looking into the cell where the samurai sat with his arms protectively set around his master.
"Is…everything all right, Kuchiki taichou?" he asked, solemnly, "I heard a yell…"
"It was nothing," Byakuya said softly, not looking up at Senbonzakura, "It was only a dream."
The guard looked down at him with something resembling sympathy.
"Can I…bring you some tea…Kuchiki taichou?" he asked in a kind voice, "You look a bit unnerved. It might help."
"I think he is right, Master," Senbonzakura said quietly.
Byakuya sighed and nodded silently. The guard left briefly and returned with a cup of hot tea that he passed through the bars to Senbonzakura, who then handed it to Byakuya.
"Arigato," Byakuya whispered, taking a sip.
"No problem," the guard answered.
The man started to leave the cellblock, but stopped at the door and turned back.
"Just so you know…" he said, looking at Byakuya, "There are some people who know what you did…who had grandmothers, grandfathers, other relatives who were killed by Kuchiki Kouga. Sir, not everyone has forgotten, despite the records being erased…"
Byakuya gazed up at him gratefully and nodded, watching as he turned away and closed the door behind him.
"You see, Master," said Senbonzakura, "Even though his existence was made to disappear from the records, there are still ones who were affected who will not condemn you."
The samurai watched him sip at his tea for a moment.
"Do you want to tell me about your dream?" he asked finally.
"It was nothing," said Byakuya, "just my insecurities."
"You said his name…before you woke."
Byakuya sighed and settled into Senbonzakura's embrace.
"He…said I would be branded a traitor…that I would be killed, because of those who fear my power…who hate me for it. Sen, those were his fears, not mine. Why did I feel fear in my own heart when he said these things to me?"
"It is as you said, Master, it was just a dream…and your reactions were part of that. You are not at all like him…and your fate will be different because of it."
Byakuya nodded silently and continued to relax against the other's body.
"Even if it is not," Byakuya said softly, "my honor is safe. The Kuchiki clan, at least, will remember the truth of it."
"And they will not be alone," Senbonzakura added.
"Then I am content. As long as my family and friends know the truth, I will not despair. I will trust in my fate…"
"That is good," the samurai said, stroking his hair.
Byakuya rested his face against the mask and closed his eyes. In moments, he was asleep.
XXXXXXXXXX
Senbonzakura nudged Byakuya out of sleep and slid to his feet as the cell door opened and a guard detail appeared.
"Kuchiki taichou," said the guard captain, "we will take you to prepare for your trial."
He nodded wordlessly and followed them out of the cellblock. He was led to a private room and allowed to bathe and dress in his full uniform, which had been sent by courier from Kuchiki Manor. He was then taken to another room and given breakfast, and was allowed to visit briefly with Rukia, Renji and several of the Kuchiki elders. Each reassured him that he was expected to be treated with respect and lenience. But even as they said the words, he could feel the hesitance, the uncertainty. In truth, no one really knew what would happen until he stood before the councilors of Central 46.
Finally, the guards brought him to his feet and led him down the long hallway to the Central 46 chambers. He couldn't help but remember when he had been in this same room and the councilors of the time had deliberated about Rukia's fate…
Of course…that time, I was seeing an illusion. Rukia's sentence was not truly the ruling of those councilors. I must trust that these people charged with deciding my fate will endeavor to know the whole of the truth before making their decision. I must trust in their commitment to making rulings that reflect our laws. And whatever the outcome, I will not disgrace my family…
But his heart quivered softly in his chest as the councilors took their seats and he was led forward. He stood in the center of the room, with the comforting presence of Senbonzakura at his right shoulder, looking up into the sea of solemn faces as the head councilor brought down his gavel and the trial began.