Chapter 10: Sakura no Kaiyou (Ocean of Cherry Blossoms)
(Another for the lovely NamineLily's birthday!)
"You're being kinda quiet and mysterious," Ichigo commented as he watched Byakuya change into a lovely, dark blue kimono, decorated with a fall of pink sakura blossoms, I mean, you're pretty quiet in general anyway, but it seems like since we consummated our marriage, you've been especially quiet."
"My apologies," Byakuya said, sliding a hand into his, "I do tend to get caught up in my thoughts a great deal, especially when there is something weighing on my heart."
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, "It's weighing on mine too. I understand. I wish I could take that weight off. But at least we're married now. We have that comfort for as long as I still have my powers. And even when I can't see you anymore, we'll still both have people to help us through, ne? I'll still have my human friends, although it will be weird having all of them be stronger than me."
"And I will have Rukia, Renji and Tetsuya to comfort me," Byakuya added, "We will cope."
"Uh-huh."
Byakuya brushed out his long hair, then gave a surprised inhale as Ichigo stole the brush from his hands and began to brush out the long strands, himself, treasuring the silken strands, then leaning forward to place a light kiss on the tender junction of neck and shoulder.
"You're really beautiful."
"Thank you. I find you very attractive as well."
"I'm not all dressed up like you."
"You are yourself, and that is what I find most beautiful."
Ichigo blushed.
"Thanks."
Byakuya took a breath and examined his reflection in the mirror before nodding briefly in approval and turning away from the mirror.
I think this is the longest I have gone without wearing the kenseiken and ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu.
It feels strange.
"Byakuya, are you all right?"
"I am fine. Come, Ichigo," he answered, opening a family senkaimon.
"Where are we going?"
"Someplace private," Byakuya said cryptically, "Someplace meaningful."
"Oh," said the shinigami substitute, falling in with the noble and studying his handsome profile, "Sounds great."
"I am glad you approve."
They entered the dark environs of the precipice world and moved slowly through, still holding hands and pausing from time to time to steal warming kisses to ward off the chill.
"I've never liked this place," Ichigo said, looking around, "It always seemed like that damned cleaner wanted to come through every time I did."
"It may have been that your great reiatsu seemed to taunt the device. It has been known to happen."
"Well, you have pretty powerful reiatsu," the younger man objected, "Why the hell doesn't it chase you?"
Byakuya smirked.
"Because I know how to suppress my reiatsu when I pass through."
"Right," Ichigo said, smiling ruefully.
He let out a sigh and his eyes fell to looking at the ground.
"Guess that won't a problem anymore."
"Do you want me to taunt the cleaner, so that you will cease wallowing in self-pity?" the noble suggested sedately.
"No!" Ichigo laughed, squeezing his hand, "That's definitely not necessary."
"Good," Byakuya said, scanning the area for the proper exit, then turning them towards it, "That will certainly save us the unnecessary stress of fleeing it."
"Thanks," the younger man huffed with mock sarcasm.
"You are welcome."
They exited the senkaimon and dropped down into a scene so breathtaking that Ichigo froze on the small path they emerged onto, just staring at the lovely sakura trees that lined the soft trail and cast drifting petals serenely onto the gentle breeze.
"Byakuya," Ichigo managed finally, in a very soft voice, "What is this place?"
They moved forward onto the trail and Ichigo could see some kind of large, finely constructed residence ahead of them. The noble remained silent as he led his new spouse forward, smiling and squeezing Ichigo's hand as they reached a gardenlike entry that led to several buildings crafted from dark wood. Everything about the place was quiet and as lovely as the man Ichigo had just married.
"Sakura no Kaiyou," Byakuya explained, once they had reached the place, "This is the finest of our family properties. My father had it built as a peaceful place that he and my mother could go while she was carrying me."
"You mean...?"
"I was born here," Byakuya said softly, "This...was the first home I knew."
"Wow," the shinigami substitute whispered, looking around and taking in the beautiful display of sakura and plum trees, exotic flowers and pretty, splashing koi ponds, "I've never anywhere like this...never. This is...amazing, Byakuya!"
"I am glad you like it," the noble said, slipping an arm around him, "I thought that it would make a perfect place for a short honeymoon. I hope that is all right with you."
"Is it all right with me?" Ichigo repeated, his eyes filling with tears, "Byakuya...that you would share a place so special to you like this is...with me...!"
"Who else would I share it with, but someone I very much love? I have had a few of my staff from Kuchiki Manor come here to attend us while we are here. Rukia, Tetsuya and Renji are providing security for us, so they will be about."
"Security? Why? You think there could be some trouble?"
"No," the noble said, shaking his head, "It is to maintain our privacy and to assure us that we can relax fully and enjoy our time here."
"And so you're not alone all of a sudden if my powers fail and I disappear or something, ne?"
"So that we also have access to care for you, if you are in need," Byakuya corrected him gently.
"Right."
They walked through the main courtyard and were met at the house entry by an old woman who bowed low before them.
"Byakuya-sama, Kurosaki-sama," she greeted them.
"Hey, Matsuko!" Ichigo said, grinning at her, "Good to see you."
"And it is good to see you as well, Kurosaki-sama," she replied, smiling warmly.
"Just call me Ichigo, okay?" the shinigami substitute requested, "It's too weird having a friend be so formal with me."
Matsuko and Byakuya exchanged brief glances and the woman's smile widened.
"Of course, Ichigo-sama," she answered, "Sirs, we will be ready to serve dinner in the gardens in a few minutes."
"Great. I'm starving!" Ichigo announced enthusiastically.
"This is Akio-kun," Matsuko said, indicating a teen boy who had appeared suddenly, "He will assist you in preparing for dinner."
"O-kay," Ichigo replied cheerfully, "Didn't know I needed help washing my hands..."
"He will bathe you and help you dress," Byakuya explained, "My attendant, Torio, will be assisting me."
"Okay," Ichigo said gamely, "Sounds kinda cool."
"It is meant to be an honor for the new spouse of the clan leader," Byakuya explained, turning towards his attendant.
"I really appreciate that," the younger man said sincerely, earning a look of gratitude from Byakuya and widened smiles from the house attendants.
"Come, Ichigo-sama," Akio said, gesturing, "This way, sir."
Byakuya watched silently as Ichigo was led away, then sighed softly and followed his own attendant to his room.
"Welcome home, Byakuya-sama," Torio greeted him, stopping in the dressing area and replacing his clothing with a light yukata.
"Thank you."
Byakuya stood calmly as his clothes were changed, then followed Torio to the large bathing chamber, where Ichigo was already being bathed by his attendant. The younger man greeted him with a kiss, then stood beside him, holding his hand as the attendants continued to bathe them.
"You are taking to this better than I expected," Byakuya commented, "When I had Renji attended at the manor, he reacted rather differently. It was amusing."
"I can imagine," Ichigo chuckled, "But I've been a guest at Kuchiki Manor before, and Rukia explained a lot of things to me, so I get it. It's fine by me. It's part of who you are."
"I am pleased you are so accepting," the clan leader said, tilting his head back to allow his attendant to rinse his hair, "Not everyone is."
"I think there's room in our worlds for different kinds of people," Ichigo said, shaking water droplets out of his hair, "Just because we have different ways of doing things doesn't mean we can't accept others. And actually, I can see why you like this. I felt a little nervous at first, but it feels kinda good to be taken care of like that."
"You aren't yearning too much for the independence of doing everything yourself?"
"Naw, this is good too!" Ichigo laughed, "I don't have to do anything at all, plus, we get to be naked together. Truth is, I like seeing you naked."
Byakuya smiled.
"Then...I shall be naked for you as much as possible while we are here."
"Um..."
"Yes?"
"You're going to just...go around naked in front of everyone?" Ichigo asked uncertainly, "Really?"
"Well, you did say that you like to see me naked, did you not?" Byakuya asked, smirking.
"Y-yeah, but..."
"Of course, if I am naked, then you must be naked as well."
"Ah...?"
"After all, we must be fully relaxed with each other."
"Um, Byakuya?"
Ichigo made a sound of surprise as the noble's arms suddenly embraced him and hot breath tickled his earlobe, making it blush furiously in response.
"I was kidding."
"Oh!" Ichigo said, blushing all over, "Geez! I thought you were serious! I mean, we're naked in front of these guys, so...hah, but you were just joking."
"I will be naked for you in private, as often as you like," Byakuya said easily, "We can start after dinner, if you wish."
"Oh, you'd better not be kidding me about that!" Ichigo laughed.
"I am not," the noble assured him.
The two finished their bathing and returned to the edge of the bathing pool, where their attendants dressed them again in their yukatas and led them to their rooms to change. They met again as their attendants preceded them to where dinner had been laid out and Tetsuya, Renji and Rukia already waited. Made extremely hungry by the trip to the retreat, Ichigo devoured his food heartily, only slightly aware of how his lovely spouse watched him with affectionate, but sad eyes. They finished their meal, then headed out into the tranquil gardens, following a trail up to a lovely rise that boasted a beautiful view of the vibrant moon and overlooked a lake and meadow. Byakuya slipped a hand into his as the two settled down beneath a pretty, blooming plum tree.
"This is spectacular!" Ichigo sighed, squeezing his hand.
"Would it be more so if we disrobed?" Byakuya asked, making the younger man blush again, "You did say you wanted to see me naked."
"Yeah!" Ichigo said, swallowing hard, then moving to help the noble out of his clothes, while shrugging his way out of his own as well.
In moments, the two were completely bared and warmly entangled, kissing passionately as the moon blazed overhead and the plum and sakura blossoms danced on the air all around them.
Ichigo hadn't meant for them to make love right away, but the two found that, under the spell of such a lovely moon and a blanket of brilliant stars, tickled by the falling petals, they couldn't stop themselves. Byakuya started to crawl onto his spouse's lap, but Ichigo put up a staying hand and settled on the noble's lap instead, sighing contentedly as Byakuya carefully prepared him, then the two joined.
"G-gods!" Ichigo gasped, shutting his eyes tightly, "F-feels so good...hot! I need to feel that, Byakuya!"
Byakuya spread his hands out on the younger man's bottom, encouraging his powerful movements and plunging hungrily into his mouth, as though fevered for the taste of him. And he thought to himself that the younger man looked so enchanting that way that he couldn't close his own eyes for a moment, opting instead to keep them slightly open, so that he could see pleasure bring his beloved to the edges of bliss. He disappeared into his own pleasure and was barely aware when Ichigo toppled him and brought him down onto his belly, then invaded him from behind, his thrusts hard and fast. He went still against the noble's back, moaning rapturously as he loosed himself into the still reeling noble.
"You're beautiful...s-so damned beautiful!" Ichigo panted in his ear, collapsing onto his back, then rolling onto his side as the noble did the same. He settled against Byakuya's warm back, rubbing the noble's belly and flushed privates slowly as they recovered.
This is all just too beautiful," Ichigo whispered in his ear, "I'm never going to forget this place and the time we spent here. This means everything to me, Byakuya!"
"To me as well," the noble breathed, squeezing the other man's hand.
They remained entangled and looking up into the skies for several hours, succumbing twice more to their erotic urges before slowly dressing and returning to the house. They fell into bed together, engaging in a barrage of steamy kisses that precipitated another heated joining.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't stop making love to you!" Ichigo panted, invading the noble's body and watching the look of pleasure it caused on the noble's usually tranquil face.
"Do you hear me complaining?" Byakuya asked softly.
"Well, I'm not actually giving you time to object!" the shinigami substitute laughed, "Why? Do you want to object?"
"No," Byakuya assured him, "I am content."
"Just content?" Ichigo said, narrowing his eyes in challenge, "I think I should be making you more than just content."
"I didn't mean..."
Byakuya's voice disappeared into a gasp of intense pleasure as Ichigo's thrusts quickened maddeningly and his hands caressed the noble's piqued genitals relentlessly. He blushed at the sounds he made as Ichigo made love to him, leaving him nearly at the ends of his wits as climax overtook him, making him yield with a gasping cry of completion that left him blushing furiously.
"Sorry, I hope I didn't embarrass you," Ichigo apologized, "I just..."
"I understand," Byakuya assured him, "but...as you have made me feel such pleasure, I feel like I should offer you the same.
He coaxed the younger man down onto his back and commenced a slow, intense seduction that left Ichigo nearly senseless. The two remained locked together for a long time after, feeding each other long, wet kisses.
"I love you!" Ichigo whispered into Byakuya's ear as the noble drifted near sleep, "I'm gonna always love you. And I'm never gonna forget this...not ever. I swear!"
"I will remember you always as well," Byakuya whispered back, "I love you too, Ichigo...and...I have to tell you, I...am..."
He paused, gazing quietly as he realized that Ichigo had begun to snore softly.
"It is probably for the best," he breathed, bringing Ichigo's hand to his abdomen and leaving it there, "That was selfish of me to even think of telling you such a thing. Please forgive me...Ichigo."