Silently he awakes and gazes upon her as the brightness of the glowing moon shined down. Revealing their nakedness under the night sky hung with stars. Byakuya found himself yet again embraced in Azami's provocative touch but this time it was planned and more discreet.

His eyes gleamed with pleasure as he watched her sleep peacefully and longed to hold her near.

"Why must one's pride get in the way of true happiness?" He thought remembering short hours ago they shared love's embrace.

He decided not to fight his feelings for her any longer and came to the conclusion it was time to let fate take its course.

He lay in the shaded green grass beneath him as the breeze from the wind blew through his long raven black hair. His wind chilled body shivered as goose bumps appeared all over his body causing him to move in close to her.

The feel of her soft skin pressed against his own brought a trembling sensation down his spine. He looked at her curvy physique wanting to ravish it again but the light of the day was upon them and they would soon have to part. He reached out his trembling hand to gently touch her peaceful looking face.

"Azami, wake up the day is drawing near."

She turned over looking unfocused until she saw his bright unblinking eyes staring back at her.

"Already but we had not even started yet." She grabbed the last pint of sake and anticipated topping it off before they left.

"How about it Byakuya? This pint of sake is calling for us to drink its sweet nectar." Azami eyed two cups lying in the grass beside her and picked them up.

Byakuya lovingly smiled gazing back at her, which was something he did only when they were alone together and watched her fill the cups with sake.

"I am sure you will finish it before the sun comes up." He knew she would never let a full pint of sake go to waste even if he no longer wanted to drink.

"Besides…we have plenty of time to continue our casual drink."

It was their code to one another for company followed by booze and sex, but to him it meant much more. He enjoyed their private escapades. It was something he looked forward to every time he saw her.

Byakuya stood to put back on his clothes and stared into the early morning darkness while Azami guzzled down the cups of sweet nectar.

Admiring the view of his manhood long enough to spy his tender loving stare, Azami's face erupted in a luminous smile.

She was flushed by the thought of passion as she continued to smile erotically. "Byakuya, before you leave I would like to show you something."

She flashed a smile slightly moving in adjacent to him as she took a shot of sake.

Byakuya leaned in close curious to see what it was, when Azami placed her hand over his.

Their eyes never leave one another as she caressed his smooth uncovered skin and pressed her lips against his. The taste of sweet nectar poured into his mouth as they continued to passionately kiss.

Byakuya swallowed it down and was amazed to the extent where he could not let go.

Their allure to one another was adored as they embraced in another round of passion. While the first glow of dawn lit the sky shining down on them.

Gazing through the many corridors of multiple walkways the 5th Squad's Lieutenant searched high and low. There was no sign of his Captain causing him to worry. He left her quarter's moments ago where he found it unoccupied and clean. Unlike the way it usually would be, filled with empty sake bottles and mounds of clothes spread all around on the floor.

"Where could she be at a time like this?" He wondered stopping in his tracks.

He had not seen her since the following night and remembered looking at her bed to see it made up as though she did not sleep in it. "How strange, it is not like her to disappear without telling me. I wonder…"

"Lieutenant Tikeno, how are you today?" Captain Ukitate asked interrupting.

"I…umm…oh, nothing." He replied rambling.

The lieutenant was so preoccupied trying to figure out the location of his Captain he was not paying attention to what he asked.

Captain Ukitate looked at him strangely and scowled his face. "Is there something wrong?"

Rubbing his head embarrassed from not noticing the Captain was standing in front of him, the lieutenant laughed.

"Sorry Captain Ukitate, I am fine. I was a little distracted wondering where my Captain was, have you seen her?"

Captain Ukitate looked over at the horizon as the sky glows a mysterious shade of blue. He had the feeling Azami was somewhere near by and not alone.

"I am sure she will resurface eventually."

Curious to why the Captain seemed so sure of himself the lieutenant became suspicious of him.

"By the way Captain Ukitate, what brings you here this morning?"

"I was looking for Captain Kuchiki, have you seen him around?"

He had a feeling Azami's sudden absence was the reason he could not find Byakuya. He notice Byakuya was not seen as much after meetings and when Azami was around he seemed happy though no one would notice unless they were paying attention. He saw a change in them both, yet could not figure out what it was that intrigue him about their unlikely friendship.

The lieutenant frowned at the thought of seeing Byakuya and could careless about his whereabouts. He never took to the noble Captain and hated the way he stared down on others like they were beneath him.

"No, but why would Captain Kuchiki be out here when he normally hangs in his squad or around the Kuchiki Manor?"

Thinking back, the lieutenant did notice Byakuya walking around their squad more than usual but did not think anything of it until now.

Not saying anything about his suspicions of Azami and Byakuya being together. Captain Ukitate smiled at the question and could tell the lieutenant was not too fond of Byakuya.

"I guess I will catch up with him later."

Captain Ukitate sighed as he left the lieutenant who continued to look around for Azami.

Byakuya lay on his back staring up at a picture of quiet serenity.

"You are impossible Azami, how can I leave if you keep tempting me?" Lately he found himself succumbing to her reckless ways.

He gazed back at her seeing the look of satisfaction and tranquilly upon her face. "If we are going to continue seeing each other undisclosed we have to be more discreet than how we have been handling things thus far."

She moved her hands over him to rest upon his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Why must you worry yourself about unimportant things when you can sit back and enjoy the moment? I wish this would never end, it feels good to be free. Sitting back, having a few drinks and then ending it with some astonishing passion."

He admired her way of thinking and found himself letting go of all his frustrations and doubts when he was with her. It was something he had not done since Hisana was alive.

"You are right, I let my fears get in the way of savoring what I have before me." He smiled and placed a kiss upon her forehead.

Not a word was spoken as they continue to embrace one another lying down in the open field. His heart pulsated as he thought of spending his life with her and contemplated telling her how he felt.

"Azami, I …"

The sound of disturbed branches caught their attention interrupting him. They hurried and tried to put back on their clothes as the sound suddenly receded from them.

"I will go check it out."

Swiftly Byakuya approached upon the wavering sound. He looked around scouting the area of thick green wilderness but did not see or feel anyone nearby. He headed back to Azami who stood waiting for his return.

"It seems they slid pass me, a mistake that will never happen again. I should leave before someone does come along and see us."

Glad that no one was lurking around and their secret was not exposed, she smiled as he walked toward her.

"Was there something you wanted to say Byakuya?"

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. Looking into her sparkling brown eyes and passionately kissed her.

"It can wait." He gently caressed her face and then looked around.

"I will be seeing you!" She replied.

A look of fulfillment swept across her face as she watched him leave. She finished off the remaining pint of sake before heading to her quarters.

He hurried back to his squad hoping they did not notice it was him who stumbled on their compromising position. The sight of seeing them together left him wide eyed and puzzled.

"So this is why Captain Kuchiki has been lurking about within our squad and the poor soul from that night." The lieutenant sat down trying to get the image out his mind.

"It really should not be a surprise. She is attractive...but what could they possibly have in common?"

Byakuya was a noble and Azami, a known drunk. It just did not seem right or make sense. No one in their right mind would believe him if he told and knowing his Captain she would beat the crap out of him.

Lieutenant Tikeno needed a drink and found a pint of sake in his Captain's cabinet.

"Here is to uncovering secrets in the most unlikely places." He took a gulp and before he knew it the entire pint was gone.

"Damn!"

The lieutenant shook his head as the image of the two Captains kept popping up.

"I am going to need a whole lot of sake to get this out of my head."

He opened back up the cabinet and took out another pint. He continued to guzzle down the sweet nectar until he felt woozy and looked around seeing everything unfocused.

"So this is what they mean by being shitfaced."

He tried to get up but to no justice he fell back down. Within seconds his head became heavy and fell on the desk.

"Lieutenant Tikeno, I cannot believe what I see before me." The feminine voice yelled out from behind causing his head to throb. She walked in and found him head down wallowing in a puddle of drool.

He slowly lifted his head still high from the sake.

"Hello Captain, I see you are looking radiant. Could it be you have been a naughty girl?" He laughed remembering the candid sight of nakedness he came upon earlier.

Azami became curious and frowned at him as she grabbed his bruised face from lying on the desk. She looked into his half opened blood shot eyes.

"What the hell does that suppose to mean lieutenant?" Azami shouted curiously.

"Oh nothing Captain, I think I should lie down for awhile." He dropped to the floor face down dizzy from the sake.

Azami was entertained as she watched him lay down like a log beneath her.

"It serves you right. You know damn well you cannot hold your liquor. Why the hell would you even bother to try?" She stared down at him and shook her head in pity.

He clumsily turned over and looked up slurring his words. "I dun know you tell me. Since you are sleeping with the… Captain of 6th…" He mumbled before falling fast asleep.

Azami was frozen faced as she stood like a statue. "Oh shit! Did he just say he knew about Byakuya and me? So he was the one!"

She went to the opened cabinet and pulled out a pint of sake.

"Now how are you going to get yourself out of this one Azami?" She thought looking back at her snoring lieutenant.

"I am so fucked!"

Pressing the pint against her lips, Azami took a big gulp and sighed as she sat back in the chair. She smiled at how her lieutenant of all people found out she was involved with someone who she really had nothing in common with except the joy of sharing one another's company.