A/N: Thank you to all those who have read, reviews, follows and favorite this story. I am very humbled that you all are enjoying it as much as I am writing it. I have to thank Kuchiki Isabel for giving this a look over. For any grammar/spelling errors that I have overlooked, I apologize in advance.
Warning: AU - Cannon divergence; Characters may be slightly OOC since this takes place before the manga and anime.

' ' denotes thoughts by the character.
Italics denotes dreaming

Disclaimer: Bleach concept and characters belong to Kubo Tite. The story is mine. This is for pure entertainment and no money is made from this.

Chapter 3 – Introspection Part 1

The sun was setting over Seireitei as Byakuya left the Gotei 13 heading home. The Kuchiki manor was not too far, but it wasn't close either. It's not like he could not shunpo home; that wasn't it. He just wanted to take a leisure stroll to clear his thoughts before reaching home. And boy did he have lots to muddle through. He couldn't count how many times he lost his train of thoughts for the rest of the day after he left Ukitake's office.

Ever since Rukia had left Ukitake's office, Byakuya could not help thinking about the sensual gasp and soft moan that escaped her lips before she high tailed out of the room. At first he thought it was just his imagination. However, Kuchiki Byakuya does not fantasize or divulge in carnal pleasures of the flesh, especially since he lost his late wife, Hisana, just over 3 years ago. When he took a vow of celibacy, he does not recall. But the truth of the matter is, he's been celibate since Hisana died. Whether it was on conscious or unconsciously he was not sure.

What he was sure of was the fact that Rukia's little sensual display shook something inside of him. She had awakened a need in him that he hasn't had in a long time. One he never thought he had missed…until today.

Rukia was slowly dragging her feet back to the Kuchiki manor. She was not looking forward to having dinner with Byakuya after the fiasco this afternoon. She didn't go to the 4th Division as Ukitake taichō "suggested." Rukia disappeared to the ladies' room to take care of her "little" problem.

She did try to figure a way to shut the damn thing off, but it was futile. Whatever Kaien did or had devised, it was sophisticated and was well designed that even she didn't know where the on and off switch was located. After spending almost an hour fumbling with the panties, she had no choice but to wear them again. The good thing was it had turned itself off 10 minutes after she left Ukitake taichō's office. She didn't think she could have handled any more stimuli in her lower body before she would have succumbed to lust and need.

She dared not think of the ramifications of that happening in front of her precious taichō and the current leader of the Kuchiki clan. 'How embarrassing,' she thought with a sigh. She was a bit piss at Kaien-dono for instigating her slightly wanton behavior in front of all of them.

'I wonder I could pass it off as nothing happened,' she ponders as she sees the gate of the Kuchiki manor. 'After all, no one knows about the vibrating panties, other than Kaien-dono.'

Stopping just in front of the gates to pause and compose herself, she took one deep breath before walking through the gates that were opened by the guards inside. 'Here goes nothing,' she mentally prepared herself as she walked through the gates and to the chastisement that she knew waited for her inside her home.

Byakuya was coming back from paying his respect to his late wife when he felt Rukia's reiatsu. 'She's home,' he told himself sounding like he was waiting for his spouse to come home for reasons unknown. 'Should I ask her about what happened earlier? Or should I wait and see if she will bring it up?' he furrows his brows in contemplation. 'Highly unlikely that she would approach the subject since we hardly say more than five words to each other,' he mused.

Byakuya paused and gazed out into the garden for a moment hoping that the peace and tranquility of the garden would ease his racing mind and heart. He's had a difficult afternoon focusing on his duties after leaving the 13th Division. And he's never been so affected by something or someone that he would not be able to concentrate on the task at hand. He let out a sigh as he attempted to breathe calmly and focus on nothing by the serenity around him. However, his thoughts of Rukia would not disappear.

It was a fact that when he first saw her, she so much resembled Hisana, that he almost called her that. If it wasn't for the fact of his promise to his dying wife's wish to adopt her baby sister, Byakuya would not have looked for Rukia and adopted her into the Kuchiki clan as his sister. In the beginning, he avoided seeing her as much as possible; barely even acknowledging her much less spoke to her for more than a minute. Seeing her made him think of his lost and he often had wish is was Rukia that had died and not Hisana.

They say, "Time heals all wounds." But for Byakuya, he's still healing. They were only married for 5 years. And while it wasn't the marriage that Byakuya dreamt of, he felt that his love for Hisana would be enough for the both of them. Thinking back on Hisana's last words, "I am very sorry I could never return Byakuya-sama's love. I'm sorry. Being with Byakuya-sama for the past five years was like a dream come true for me, Byakuya-sama," he knew all too well that she never did fall in love with him. He was just a means to an end; the chance for redemption by marrying someone who had the means in assisting her in finding her baby sister.

She had devoted all her waking moments searching for her baby sister in Rukongai when she was not ill and bed ridden. Needless to say, they didn't exactly share many intimate moments. He could count on hand all the times he was able to share a bed with Hisana. And when they did, it was all the more clear to Byakuya that she heart and soul was not there. Her physical body was, but her conscious was somewhere else. And then she would leave after letting him use her body for pleasure. In retrospect, it felt cheap and dirty, but he over looked it because fought tooth and nail to marry her. And damn if Kuchiki Byakuya didn't get his way.

While the fact that Hisana never truly gave her heart to him, he loved her none the less. She was after all, his first love. And they say "you never forget your first love." For Byakuya, those words remain true.

But today, he found himself feeling out of place. His normal routine was disrupted all because he kept thinking about what happened in Ukitake's office. 'Why does it bother me so much? Why am I affected by the sensual gasp and moan that Rukia made?' he questioned himself as he slowly begins to make his way to the dining room to Rukia for dinner.

As soon as Rukia step into the front doors of the manor, she made a beeline to her room. She released a bit of her reiatsu in search of Byakuya to see if the coast was clear. She did not want to run into him so soon upon returning home.

Grabbing a change of clothes, she decided it would be wise to take a quick bath before dinner. And by quick she meant just a rinse; she knew she only had less than 10 minutes before dinner is served. From all the stress and tension of today, she was sure she smells funky. Not to mention she felt sticky and uncomfortable. She just had one slight problem. 'How the hell do I clean the panties and still wear it again when I go meet with Kaien-dono later tonight?' she pondered as she entered the bath area and began undressing.

Without much care, she quickly washed her body with soap and rinsed herself off. She did her best to wash the panties the best she could. She didn't fathom the idea of wearing "used" panties after washing.

As soon as she rinsed her panties off, she towel dried her body and dressed herself in record time. She didn't bother to soak in the bath for she had no time if she planned on using the hairdryer to dry the panties so she could wear it again.

She was proud of herself; she finished in record time with one minute to spare. And in that one minute, she shunpo to the dining room. Heaven forbid if she was late even a second.

Byakuya couldn't help rolling his eyes when he felt her reiatsu spike just a tiny bit as she made her way to the dining room. He knew just by feeling her reiatsu, she shunpo her way here. 'Do I have to tell her how dangerous it is to use shunpo inside the home? She's like a child that I have to tell not to run inside the house.' He shook his head at the thought disapproving Rukia's choice of action.

Upon hearing the shoji door opening, Byakuya's deep voice could be heard saying, "Come on in Rukia. Is it really necessary for you to behave like a child and careless shunpo here? What if you miss calculated and hit someone by accident because the servants or maids can come out from nowhere?"

Rukia quickly apologizes as she enters making way to her usual spot that places her perpendicular to him on his right. Kneeling down on the seat cushion and sitting back on her hind legs, she bows her head in respect and politeness as she says to him, "Konbanwa onii-sama."

"Konbanwa," he says politely back as the shoji doors open again with the servants coming in to serve them dinner.

The servants begin serving the kaiseki ryori, which is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner that is set on individual trays to every member present. The kaiseki menu set differs day to day depending on the chef, the freshest seafood, meat, vegetables and ingredients of the day.

While Byakuya has enjoyed the luxury of eating such a fine meal every day, every time kaiseki is served, Rukia is amazed at the artistic beauty in the food presentation and in the palate of each dish the enhances the total experience. Rukia internally was doing a happy dance because having kaiseki for dinner is always enjoyable to her. Both of them would eat in total silence savoring the food with their eyes from the beauty the chefs create thus causing each dish to be just as tasty as the last one.

Outwardly she kept her composure and showed very little emotions except that her eyes sparkled as the food was properly placed like a piece of art in front of her. Byakuya having been accustomed having kaiseki all of his life, he glanced over to Rukia and noted inwardly how she looks like a kid in a candy store ready.

He kept his lips from slightly curving up into a smile. He is secretly pleased that Rukia enjoys the meal and that it's not just being shoved down with disregard. He's fascinated by the way she eats. He can tell from the etiquette lessons she has become more graceful in handling her chopsticks to capturing just the right amount of food before bring it into her mouth.

When they were almost done with their main course, Rukia suddenly chokes on her last bit of rice that she had just placed into her mouth. Coughing and eyes wide in disbelief she not so gently placed the chopsticks and bowl of rice down. One hand shot out to reach for the warm sake. As she quickly downs the warm liquid, her coughing subdues a bit, but she still felt something lodged in the back of her throat. Coughing again she tries to dislodge it.

Without a second thought, Byakuya is suddenly at her side and firmly patting her back as she coughs hoping it'll ease up and she would stop coughing. He looks at her intently and notices the rosy shade of red that has risen to her cheek. 'Maybe it's from too much sake,' he reasoned.

He feels Rukia's back shiver slightly as he began rubbing small circles on her back as her coughing subsides. Moving closer their bodies just inches away from one another, Byakuya couldn't help be notice the perspiration that form at her temple. As his eyes traveled downward, he also notices a sweat drop falling along her neck down to her slightly exposed shoulder since her yukata was not tighten properly in her haste to arrive on time for dinner.

He continues to watch in fascination as another drop of sweat slowly slides down her neck, to her clavicle and just inside her yukata between her breasts. Byakuya is so mesmerized that he couldn't help but wipe the next drop of sweat as it slides down her clavicle. A soft moan escapes Rukia's lips as Byakuya felt his fingers tingle and burn against her skin.

Rukia's mind wasn't on Byakuya at the moment. Somewhere in her conscious she was vaguely aware that he was there. However, she was too astonished for words at the over stimulus. She shivered again as another sensual moan left her lips. The panties had suddenly started to vibrate and it took all she had to keep still and not shift on her hind legs to rub her already over sensitive sex against the vibrating panties. Sitting on her hind legs didn't help ease the sensation either as another sensual gasp and the erratic breathing quicken causing her body's temperature to rise and the ache between her legs desiring release.

Subconsciously leaning into Byakuya's lingering touch on her clavicle, she inadvertently brushed one of her hands against the insides of his right thigh jolting Byakuya back into reality. He almost knocked Rukia down as he pushed back away from her to maintain some distance between them.

Rukia stiffened as she felt the push, waking her up from her lust induced haze. Keeping her hands on top of her lap as she clenches them into a fist, she looked down and away to her right, not wanting to face Byakuya. If she could die from embarrassment it wouldn't be too soon enough. It's twice she's let herself behave inappropriately in front of him and she could only think that Byakuya now would think the worst of her.

However, had she looked in his direction, she would have noticed that he too was embarrassed and too stun for words at what he just did to Rukia. His level headiness gave way to desire; the longing to touch and feel again the warmth of another that only skin to skin contact can bring.

Finally, after a moment of awkwardness, Byakuya cleared his throat to gain her attention before telling, "If you are done with your dinner, you may retire."

Upon hearing the words, Rukia could only nod. She reached out a hand to grab her chopsticks to finish her meal. However, she was inwardly ashamed of herself and couldn't believe how easily she behaved so wantonly around Byakuya that she really didn't want to eat any more.

Byakuya made his way back to his side of the table and proceeded to finish off his meal, but after only a few bites before he says, "Gochisōsama deshita." This was a proper saying to give when done with a meal. And with that, he quietly left. He didn't wait for her to acknowledge him; he just couldn't be in the same room with her at the moment.

Rukia puts down her chopsticks and releases a deep sigh. "Great. Just great. What the hell have I done," she says softly to no one in the room.

Kaien finished up the last of his fukutaichō duties before he bid Ukitake taichō a good night. He couldn't help but smile as he walked along the streets of Seireitei. He had lots of fun today and Rukia definitely made it that much more enjoyable with her little display in Ukitake taichō's office.

Smirking at his brilliant idea to purchase the vibrating panties for her, he couldn't help but grin all the way home as he could only think about the other things he had brought also purchased just for her tonight.

Stepping into his home, he could already tell that dinner was waiting for him. "Tadaima," he calls out to announce that he's home. He stops to take off his shoes in the foyer before entering into the living room.

"Okaeri nasai," a woman's voice called out to him from the dining room welcoming home.

Making his way to the dining room, he saw that dinner was laid out and he took his seat waiting for the female to finish bring in the rest of the dinner to join him.\

A beautiful woman walks in with tray and begins placing the dishes on the table. Kaien looks at the display of food. Agedashi tofu, tsukemono in a variety of vegetables, chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), variety of sashimi, miso soup, karei shio-yaki (flat fish in salt) and steam white rice. It was nothing fancy; simplistic and tasty.

"Everything looks really good Miyako," Kaien tells her as he sees her take her seat across from him.

"Thank you Kaien-dono," she replies with a smile.

Clapping their hands together, they both spoke the tradition words before partaking in the delicious meal, "Itadakimasu!"

Both of them digging into their meal; savoring the dishes and enjoying the silence as they were both lost in thoughts of their own. As Kaien silently eats his fish, he takes a couple glances at his wife.

If Kaien had anything to say about his 3rd seat officer, Shiba Miyako, she is a very capable shinigami who would easily be a fukutaichō in no time. The men and women in division respected and admire her. And Kaien knew that if anything ever happened to him, she would step up in his place and help lead the division.

If Miyako wasn't married to Kaien, men would be lining up to court her. Miyako's beauty isn't just her appearance alone; dark color almond shaped eyes with long dark hair which she keeps it tied up with a strand hanging down along each side of her face. To characterized Miyako, Kaien has to say that she is kind, thoughtful, caring, gentle and smart. Any guy would be lucky to have her as his wife, Kaien included.

Kaien often wonders if he had met Miyako independently and not because their marriage had been arranged, would he be one of those men who would have lined up to court her. They have been married for just a little over eight years now and they had not had the desire to have any kids. It was also due to the fact that they married out of pressured from the elders of the Shiba clan. And being from one of the noble houses, there were some laws that the rebellious Kaien could not break.

The head of the Shiba clan, who is also their uncle, Shiba Isshin disappeared while in the human world leaving the clansmen fighting among themselves to name a rightful heir and head of the clan since his uncle wasn't married and left no heirs, pressure was put on Kaien's shoulders to rebuild and restructure the clan before they fall in disarray.

As with all arrange marriages among the nobles, there were only a limited amount of meetings of the arranged pair before the wedding ceremony. There was no dating involved; just a meet and greet.

Maybe that is why Kaien didn't fall in love with Miyako since he felt he was forced to marry her. But if it hadn't been arranged, he would fall in love with Miyako or would he be in love with Rukia like he is now. Truth be told, if he compared Miyako to Rukia, he would still choose Rukia.

Everything Rukia does or says has a way of drawing him in and wanting to be closer to her. Her innocence and her determination was what drew him to her in the first place. And those hypnotic amethyst eyes that looks into his very soul and devour him, keeping him in her trance. And in turn, he wants to keep taking Rukia higher and higher with him as they learn and explore with each other becoming one…someday. 'Someday we can be together,' Kaien says to himself. Though he would have to divorce Miyako first and that might cause a problem within the clan.

Letting out a soft sigh, he continues to eat his dinner. After all, he has plans for tonight. Also, he wanted to bathe and rest up before his midnight rendezvous with Rukia at their secret place for the rest of the night. One that he has been planning and looking forward to for weeks now.

Kaien's soft sigh didn't go unnoticed by Miyako. If anything, Miyako is very perceptive as well as being smart, a formidable shinigami and to a lot of people, quite motherly when it comes to the members of their division, especially those in her squad.

It didn't take long for Miyako to notice the change in Kaien whenever he's around Rukia. While it was true that Kaien didn't hide the fact that took Rukia under his wings and personally spent time outside of regular training schedules to train her, Miyako could see it was more than that.

Maybe it was the way Rukia's eyes adored Kaien and followed him like a stray cat. Or maybe it was the kindness and attention that Kaien gave Rukia that had her eating out the palms of his hands. Whatever it was there was no denying that those two had feelings for each other.

Miyako couldn't fault either one of them for their attraction. It wasn't like her marriage to Kaien was anything related to love. They had an agreement; one that they were able to forge on their wedding night. Instead of consummating the marriage, they sat and discuss for hours the terms of their marriage and came to mutual understanding.

It was decided then that they wouldn't have kids unless they both fell in love with each other. Miyako knew there was no way she would fall in love with Kaien. He was too brash and childish at times. But what Kaien was to her was a true friend and a great fukutaichō. He had the ability just like Ukitake taichō to make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed no matter what background they come from.

It wasn't long into their first year of marriage as they had gotten to know each other that Miyako admitted to having a lover. After all, it wasn't like her and Kaien slept in the same bed much less in the same room. They shared a house and were more like a roommate and comrade than husband and wife.

Once they both had finished eating, Miyako clears the dishes away setting them aside to wash later. She brings in a pot of tea so that they can talk. This was all part of their usual routine.

Handing him a cup of tea and a plate of fresh strawberries, he informed him of her plans for tonight.

"I'll be heading out after I've cleaned up. I won't be back tonight. But I will be on time for my patrol shift at 6am," she casually told him as if this wasn't anything new.

Kaien nods as he eats a strawberry. Who is he to judge since he, himself has plans of his own.

"Miyako, I need to tell you something," he tells her calmly yet with a hit of hesitation. 'It's only fair that she knows right? After all, I've known she has a lover for a long time; one that she had before we married,' he reasons with himself.

"Yes, Kaien-dono," she says encouragingly noticing he was struggling with himself. 'Are you going to admit to having an affair with Rukia?' she wonders.

"I…I," he stammers a bit, finding the words that he wants to say out loud a bit difficult. But he tries again knowing that he has to. To make things balanced for them. "I am in love with Rukia."

Miyako interlaces her fingers together before resting them on the table. She lets out a sigh as she replays his words in her head. She wasn't sure what she felt; disbelief, relieved, sad, or happy. She should be happy for Kaien she supposes. After all, it had always been her leaving him to see her lover. All this time while they had the rouse of being married, never once had Kaien had an affair or had any lovers.

She had always found it odd that since they agreed in the beginning they did not love each other and had no intentions of being married to each other, he never once faltered in his vows. Maybe because of that, a small part of her hoped that he had started to have feelings for her.

"I know Kaien-dono," she told him firmly as she gazed into his eyes. "I've seen the way you both look at one another and how both of you seem oddly misplaced without the other." In the end, the truth prevails as much as it hurts. "I have to say, I am a bit jealous of Rukia."

Kaien furrows his brows as his eyes narrow in stern contemplation. 'What in the world? Miyako…jealous? It's not like she has been in love with me. She's had a lover for the past 10 years,' his mind questions and reasons.

Holding up a hand as to make peace with Kaien and as well as asking him to let her finish speaking, she tells him, "I wish that the one person I love would admit that he loves me too."

Miyako decided to take a leisure walk through 13th Division before heading to meet with her lover. In all the years she's been his lover, he had never been serious to admit he's in love with her. Sure, he says he loves her all the time, but it's always in jest and almost always like a joke.

If she was true to her feelings she would have to admit to herself that she was hurt. Hurt that after all this time, Kaien was in love with someone and it wasn't her. Even though she had not earned his love, they were married after all. Despite the fact in all the years they had been married, she was the one who had a lover on the side. By any standards, she was the one who had the adulterous affair. Yet, some part of her wanted Kaien to love her, even if it was just a tiny bit.

They have been married all these years and maybe, just maybe, it was her who had slowly fallen in love with him. She didn't have a clear answer for the way she was feeling, but her emotions were all out of whack. She didn't show how his confession rattled her cage and nearly broke her façade of being the understanding partner. She wanted to kick, scream, hit, or do anything to release whatever disappointment she felt for being second best.

She at least was a good actress, after all one could not possibly maintain an affair for over 10 years without anyone noticing. Now here she is, walking alone by the river that ran through the 13th Division's barracks with no one around, she let her tears flow freely.

As darkness falls over Seireitei, Ukitake Jūshirō taichō found himself unable to concentrate on the stack of paperwork that he had been working on for the last three hours. He was hoping that by doing some work it would keep his mind occupied from thinking back to the incident this afternoon with Rukia.

Jūshirō has almost lived a millennium and he wasn't naïve and oblivious as he appears. He may be laid back, congenial and always the proper gentleman making others forget just how long he's lived and experienced.

While Yamamoto sōtaichō and Unohana Retsu taichō, are the oldest and longest serving members in the Gotei, Kyōraku Shunsui taichō and himself are not far behind them in years and experience. Plus, Shunsui and he have been friends since their cadet days in the Shinō Academy, later becoming peers as instructors not too long after graduating and then having been the first two handpicked by Yamamoto sōtaichō, who was their mentor and instructor, to be the first people who graduated from the Shinō academy to serve as division taichōs within the Gotei.

For Ukitake Jūshirō, he's had a lot of "firsts" in his lifetime. And he thought nothing would catch him off guard or surprise him. Yet today after all the centuries he's lived, Rukia had managed to not only surprise him with her "unusual behavior" but to also make him feel like a man. She unknowingly stirred something inside of him that made him look at her not as a subordinate or Byakuya's sister, but as a desirable woman.

Sighing for the hundredth time this evening, Ukitake hopeless put down his calligraphy brush giving up on the reports he was working on.

"When was the last time I looked at a woman and felt even a hint of desire?" he asks softly to the empty room.

'Far too long,' his conscious answered him back.

Furrowing his brow, Jūshirō notes that it has been centuries since he last dated a woman. And even then, dating was hard for he was often sick and bedridden. Women didn't have much sustainable interest in him after finding out he was not in the best of health and thinking that they would not have a long life together, would end up leaving him. Heck, one woman even questioned if he would be healthy enough to father a child. That hurt a lot back then and now; and maybe one of the reasons why he never tried dating again.

He wasn't naïve and oblivious to not know that he had female admirers, especially ones in his own division. Of course the most obvious was Kotetsu Kiyone, his 5th seat officer. He couldn't help chuckle a bit at how she would fit with Sentarō to do things for him when Kaien or Miyako wasn't around. Truth be told, he felt honor and humble that he could still get admiring looks from the opposite sex. Other than trying to fulfill his shinigami duties, taking care of his seven younger brothers and sisters, and taking care of his health there was not much time for dating.

'Rukia isn't like all the other females. She's special and you know it. There's something about her that can't be seen,' his conscious told him.

Letting out another sigh and feeling restless, Jūshirō decides to take a stroll by the river that runs along his division's barracks hoping the night air would ease his thoughts and tension.

As Jūshirō made his way to the river, he noticed there was a female already there, walking gracefully, yet he could tell just by observing she wasn't happy.

Jūshirō stopped and quietly observe the woman not wanting to disturb her. The moonlight hit her face just at the right angle showing the tears that flowed down her face and making her more decipherable to him. Jūshirō's eyes widen in surprise at seeing the woman was none other than his 3rd seat officer, Shiba Miyako.

'Should I go talk with her or leave her be? I hope nothing is wrong,' Jūshirō thought to himself.

Internally checking to make sure he had masked his reiatsu before he left his quarters, he decided to observe Miyako for a bit longer as he debated whether it would be wise for him to have a talk with her or not if it involves her personal life with his fukutaichō.

They had always been able to separate their married life from their duties. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to keep a married couple in the same division and have one be subordinated of the other. Had Jūshirō not convinced Yamamoto sōtaichō to allow them to stay in the same division, they would have been serving in different divisions as per their laws and codes.

Forgetting his own issues at hand, he stealthily observed and followed Miyako until she reach a very familiar home of his best friend which had him gasping in shock at the realization of where they ended up heading.

Kyōraku Shunsui awoke from his cat nap when he felt Miyako's reiatsu coming closer. Years of experience has trained his senses to be on sharp alert, even when he slept. Though his laid back, womanizing, lazy, non-studious, and alcohol loving nature makes one wonder how he could have become the taichō for 8th Division. He, like his best friend and comrade, Ukitake Jūshirō, had learned to mask more than just their reiatsu. They were strong, experienced and knowledgeable to know there was never a need to remind people why they were taichōs.

Kyōraku Shunsui is quite a handsome man. If he was not such a playboy, his naturally good looks would have attracted more than his fair share of female admires. Only a bit taller than his best friend, Jūshirō, standing at 192 cm (6'3½"), he has high cheekbones, grey colored eyes, long wavy dark brown hair that is always tied in a long ponytail with long bangs that frame the left side of his face, and a light mustache. If he was ever a model posing for GQ magazine, the noticeable display of chest hair on his fine muscular chest would make many women fall in love with him.

He didn't wait long for Miyako to walk into his home as if she has lived here with him for years. And as usual, he just laid there on the futon in his room waiting for her to come to him. He glanced up at the moon through the open shoji door that led out to the garden and thought to himself, 'Her reiatsu is off. Something must have happened.'

Getting up, he sits on the engawa, basking in the calm tranquil night as he heard Miyako approach him. He didn't have to look at her to notice that she was a bit startled to see him sitting up admiring the moon.

"Konbanwa Miyako," he softly greeted her still staring at the night sky.

"Konbanwa Anata," she replied back.

Shunsui can't help but grins at the term of endearment as she calls him "anata" in private. In this way, it's used to mean, beloved, love, honey, dear, or darling. It warms his heart. And she is well aware that his heart had been cold for years before they met and gradually she had moved in replacing the coldness with her warmth.

Miyako sat down next to Shunsui, thighs rubbing up next against each other as she leans her head on his shoulder and placing a hand over his heart. In turn, Shunsui warps an arm around her shoulder, keeping her close to him.

"What's troubling you?" he asks, not one to beat around the bush when it involves the people he cares about.

Inhaling Shunsui's familiar musky scent mixed with sake, she lets out a deep breath before saying, "It's really nothing. Everything is alright now; now that I am here with you."

She cranes her neck upward slight to stare at his profile and knows why she is in love with him. Noticing her staring at him too long, he shifts slightly so he could take a good look at her. Miyako was not anything like his one true love, Yadōmaru Lisa, his former fukutaichō.

While Miyako was always graceful and noble-like in everything she did, Lisa was the opposite. She would spy on them during the taichō's meeting. His mind smiles inwardly at the memory. Although Lisa's personality was stern, detached and secretive demeanor in some ways, she was temperamental and easily irritable. Yet, Lisa and Shunsui were very close; closer than most people knew.

She equally matched him in his sexual desires. More often Lisa would take the lead and he enjoyed watching her do so. He never grew tired of her and she was strong, not only physically, but mentally. She was intelligent, smart and witty; no nonsense kind of gal that kept Shunsui on his toes.

Then fate came and took the wonderful years he had spent with her away from his grasp. She was ordered to be executed by Central 46 for a crime she didn't commit and then she was taken away with former taichōs, Shihōin Yoruichi, Urahara Kisuke, Muguruma Kensei, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, Hirako Shinji and a few fukutaichōs somewhere where they have never been found. It was rumored that they were in the human world, but even with all the talent of the 2nd Division, they were never found. In many ways he was grateful that the 2nd Division never found them otherwise Lisa and all those with her would be executed the moment they are found.

It's been over 80 years since Lisa's been gone and every day he longed to see her again. But 11 years ago he met Hayashi Miyako before she married Kaien. He did not fall for her immediately like he naturally did with Lisa. But Miyako's charm, grace and open-hearted nature gradually drew him in. He could say he love her dearly for everything she's given him, but he has yet to tell her he's in love with her since he did not know if he was in love with her or still holding out that one day he'll be reunited with Lisa.

Letting his finger tips ghost over Miyako's tear stained cheeks, he says quietly to her, "You've been crying." It was said in a calm, stern voice commanding her to tell him what was wrong instead of hiding it from him.

Noticing his lingering fingers along her jaw and his eyes that spoke of concern and distant longing, she leaned up and captured his lips. Her unexpected moved caused Shunsui to slightly part his lips allowing her tongue to invade his mouth willing his tongue to participate with hers in the sensual song and dance.

Miyako wrapped a hand around Shunsui's neck locking him into their passionate kiss. While her other hand wandered into his slightly opened yukata to rake her fingernails against the hairs on his chest eliciting a small groan from her love.

"Mi-Miyako," he tried to speak but she left him no room to talk as her kisses assaulted him. She's rarely initiates the sex between them and for her to do so could only mean one thing. She wants to forget who she is, for she is no longer Hayashi Miyako, but another man's wife.

She kisses him passionately once again before releasing his lips. Leaving kisses along his jaw and neck before he heard her say to him in a sensual voice, "I want you. I need to feel you inside, moving with me and making me yours."

With no resistance, Shunsui's fast hands removed both of their clothing as she kissed and licked along his neck and chest turning him on. There's nothing sexier than a woman telling her man what she wanted and what she need. It was after all, his duty to comfort her.

Once their clothes discarded and strewn about them, Miyako pushes Shunsui prone on the engawa as she kiss, licks and nips his nipples as a hand wraps his growing member, giving him several pumps before she hovers her sex above him to take it all in. Releasing her lips from Shunsui's chest, sitting straight up and posed herself as she lowers herself in one swift motion onto his harden cock.

"Hugh," he grunted at the surprise of being encased in her heat so quickly. She was wet, but not as wet as he would have liked. He would have brought her pleasure first before taking her, but tonight it was about how she wanted it, how she felt and what she needed. She didn't wait for both of them to adjust to each other before he felt her hips sensually moving on top of him.

She was overwhelmed with sensations. The feel of Shunsui's hot shaft inside her caused her muscles to grip him tightly not wanting to let go. She couldn't help but moan and pant as she steadily moved herself up and down on top of him building up the fire that was slowly churning in the pit of her stomach.

He could feel her slowly getting wet by the seconds as the small uncomfortable friction lessen a bit against her muscles rubbing his cock. Reaching up, he grasp her breasts, kneading them, alternating between pinching and flicking her hardening nipples as she rode him like a cowgirl. Sitting up, he gripped her hips tightly keeping the rhythm she started as he toyed with her breast in his mouth.

"Shoo-n-sui," she sensually moaned his name as her hips wantonly moved against him wanting to reach her release. The pace and the roughness which she set made her cry out in pain and pleasure. She wanted to fuck not to be made loved to, at least not at this round.

Sitting up, he gripped her hips tightly keeping the rhythm she set as he toyed with her breast in between his lips. He bit on her peak as he felt her muscles contracting and constricting him signaling that she was on the edge of her climax. She let out another sensual moan as she threw her head back, pushing her breast against his face as she thrust down while he thrust upwards to meet her as she stops suddenly and then shivers as she climax and cries out his name.

Shunsui stops his moments as he waits for her orgasm to subside. He watches her as her body relaxes in his arms; her body glistens in the moonlight from the layer of sweat due to their little tryst, and the euphoric expression on her face told him how much she needed it.

Now, he will show her just how much he needs her. With her still in his arms, he gently lays her down on her back, releasing his arms from behind her as he hovers over her and engages her in a passionate kiss.

Breaking the kiss as the need for air was more urgent, he reaches under her thigh, bringing them up against his hips as he pulls out from inside of her and enters her completely again in one hard thrust. They both moaned at the riveting sensation.

He sets a slower pace, wanting to savor the feel of being inside of her and wanting to build up the fire inside of her again. He wanted to make her feel there was nothing else better in the world except for them and the sensations connecting them as they become one.

He wasn't just fucking her into oblivion; he was drilling in to her in abandonment with unrestrained emotions. He showered her with lust, desire, need, frustration, hurt, hate and love all packaged into one tight ball of energy threatening to burst.

She writhe underneath him as he continued thrusting inside of her each time feeling like he went a bit further into her womb. It was a heady feeling. She raked her nails down his back as he gave her several hard thrusts. She felt her insides ache. She couldn't help but buck her hips wildly against him needing to feel the post orgasmic high again.

"Nngh….Shun….nngh….Shun...sui…..more….please," she unbashfully chanted over and over again.

Grunting in pleasure at her state of unashamed pleasure, he thrusts got harder and faster as he took them to their pinnacle. He could feel her muscles beginning to clenching him. He could feel his cock thicken and pulse a tale tell sigh of his eminent release.

Leaning down, he took one of her nipples in his mouth, lavished it with his tongue before biting down a bit harshly as he thrust hard releasing his seeds into her. Feeling the pain and his hot seeds being released inside of her, she climaxed again only this time she screamed his name loud enough to wake up the neighbors. He thrusts a few more times as he finishes sending streams of his seed into her filling her womb.

Completely spent, Shunsui collapses on top of her but still mindful not to crush her. She kept her arms wrapped around him, clinging to him as they gradually come down from their post coital high. They lay together underneath the pale moonlight on the engawa, not moving as they both bask in each other's warmth.

Unbeknown to them, they were openly exposed to a pair of green eyes who observed them in shock. His body and mind was too frozen to move. He had witness the entire scene. When he came to senses, he shunpo away. The sudden shift of his reiatsu, though very miniscule, was felt by Shunsui just briefly as his entire being drifted off into slumber.