Author's Note: Hey guys, real sorry it's been such a long time since I last updated this story but I was at a somewhat writer's block. But now it seems to be gone, for the mean time anyways. Please enjoy! Don't forget to review!

"Mother, I have to do this." Your own voice echoing through your head, the memory of sitting with your mother and talking to her about becoming a Shinigami.

"You're so much like your father." Your eyes snapped shut, trying to push back the tears that threatened to spew from your eyes. You had to be strong now, your father was gone and your mother, though she didn't show it, was a mess. She loved him truly, and now with you wanting to follow in his footsteps only days after his death, it certainly took its tole on her.

"I though I might find you out here." The deep voice ran through your ears causing your eyes to snap open and you turned around to look up at your surprise visitor.

"B-Byakuya?" You quickly turned back to take your kimono sleeve and whipped away the tears from your eyes, you certainly did not want Byakuya to see that you were still crying over your father's death. Byakuya stood there, looking away out into your yard until you were finished. Deep down he understood what it was like to lose a father, but he didn't know what you must have went through to actually witness your father's death.

"What do I owe the visit?" You asked, your voice cracking slightly causing you to clear your throat. You turned back around to face him, he looked down at you but ignored the way your face looked, telling him that you had been crying on and off all morning.

"Lady Yuuki had informed my grandfather about your wishes to become a Shinigami." You broke eye contact and looked down at the deck. Your mother must have been a lot more worried than you had suspected if she had went and told the head of the Kuchiki about your wish.

"So, grandfather had sent me here to pay you a visit and see what is going on through that head of yours." Your eyes snapped back up toward him and you couldn't help but glare slightly.

What's running through my head? You thought, Killing that no good bastard that killed my father, that's what's running through my head!

"Nikkiou, this is not something that a royal wishes to become."

"Well, I do Byakuya." Byakuya went silent from the unexpected coldness that rang out in your voice. You had never once acted like this before toward him or anyone else for that matter. It seemed that the situation was a lot worse than what everyone else thought it to be.

"Nikkiou, revenge is not the path that should be followed." Byakuya said, getting down onto his knees in front of you so he was now at eye level.

"You will be consumed by the hate and anger and you will change into someone you're not, someone ugly and cruel just like the rest of this world." Byakuya narrowed his eyes, but he did not glare, instead he seemed to be debating about something. Then slowly his hand came up and was placed on the side of your cheek, causing you to turn your head slightly to look at it. His fingers were no longer soft like they once were, they were calloused and rough, most likely from handing his sword. His fingers glided slightly against your soft complexion and his fingers played softly with your golden locks of hair. You tilted your head to the side slightly as a blush rose to your cheeks, Byakuya had never acted this way with you before and it was very strange.

"And you are far too beautiful to become something like that." Your blush only worsened as your eyes widened. Just as you were getting ready to say something, Byakuya leaned forward and placed his list among yours. Your eyes snapped opened wide from the very unexpected action and you didn't know what to do or how to react so you grabbed both of his arms and held on tightly. But, his lips were so soft as they glided across your own lips. A fire erupted in your belly and soared throughout your whole body and made everything tingle. When he finally pulled away he wore a small blush across his own face, but he was still able to look deeply into your eyes, showing you that he was serious about everything.

You gulped and slowly released his arms allowing him to pull away from you completely. He went back up onto his feet and turned to walk away, but before he left he looked down at you one last time.

"You shouldn't wish to become a Shinigami, when you someone that is willing to protect and care for you." You just sat there dumbfounded and said nothing as he walked away and back into your home. You sat there for a long time, wondering if that had really happened, but if it wasn't for the tingling sensation that lingered on your lips you would have sworn you had dreamed that all up. You cleared your throat, unsure about what to do now. You certainly didn't want to return inside if Byakuya was still here, because now you felt as if things were just going to be awkward around him after what had happened.

But, why did he do that? Why did he kiss you and tell you those things?

You sat there and pondered on it for a while. You were stumped, trying to figure out why Byakuya had acted with you the way he acted. You started to think back all throughout your childhood... and then you noticed it.

"Mother!?" You yelled, climbing to your feet and rushing into the house. The maids quickly ran to your aid only to have you rush past them throughout the house. They shouted for you to stop running or tried to ask you what was wrong, but you ignored them and ran to your mother's sitting room as quickly as your feet could carry you. Without knocking you yelled and threw open the sliding door,

"I'm in an arranged marriage to Byakuya!?" You voice ran out all throughout the room, including into the guest's ears. You blushed wildly, noticing your mother was having tea with Byakuya's grandfather, who was looking wide eyed at you along side your shocked mother. Not only that, but you were correct when you didn't think Byakuya had left the house, he was instead, standing right next to the door and that meant right next to you, who was leaning inside the door like a mad woman.

"Well, it seems that the young Lady Yuuki has finally caught onto things." Ginrei stated, going back to normal and sipping on some freshly brewed tea. Byakuya himself was also quite startled as he looked down at you wide eyed and you looked up at him blushing badly.

"Yes, well, I had been meaning to talk to you about this for a while now." Your mother stated calmly, placing her tea cup down onto the plate and looking over at you.

"You see, you had been in an arranged marriage, well, since the day you were born."