A/N: Hoo boy! *blushes* In my defence, I've always considered Byakuya a very passionate man who conceals it very well…except when he does not want to. Besides, have you seen Rangiku?

Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing.

Juu-ichi

How had Byakuya not noticed Rangiku's very long legs before? The powder blue Grecian-style evening gown she wore had a plunging neckline, high slit on the left side and a glittery Swarovski crystal belt. She had accessorised with a pair of silver, strappy heels, a thick white gold and diamond necklace in the form of a snake and small diamond earrings. Her hair was a mass of curls swept to one side of her head, her makeup soft though she insisted, again, on bold red lips, and she smelled as if she had been bathing in Arabian perfumed oils for days. The driver had had to give himself a quick shake when she stepped out of the elevator and then sent up the partition before starting the car. At least he could concentrate; all Byakuya had been thinking about since she first descended the staircase to join him was how it would feel to have those legs wrapped around his waist, heels and all.

There was nothing wrong with sleeping his wife, Tomoe had said. Rangiku was beautiful and she knew it. His wife's confidence accentuated her sexuality even better than her outfits did. If she asked him to, Byakuya was very sure that he would be only mildly troubled in taking her right there and then, driver, waiting photographers and his uncle's "welcoming party" be damned. But Rangiku would never ask so Byakuya distracted himself by thinking about the ordeal to come.

The reporters and the questions and the lingering gazes were expected. This was Byakuya's first public appearance since the attack, though Rangiku had gone out to work the day after grumbling about invalid husbands and needy children. She had been swamped at the entrance to the headquarters and again as she returned to Seireitei. Byakuya had experienced a moment of panic when he realised that they now knew what her car looked like, but it settled once she was safely in the house. Then he vowed that he would get a new car, it was about time anyway. No way was the wife of Kuchiki Byakuya going to drive some crappy old Toyota.

But that was not Byakuya's only concern for the evening.

Sawako would be there, as future acting head of the company it was expected, as well as Matsuko and Kouga. Kouga's campaign was as yet in the early stages, so there was no harm in his being there and especially since some of the guests would be potential financiers. Sawako, on the other hand, hated Byakuya so no doubt she would hate Rangiku too.

Matsuko, through Kouga, had already declared her position. It was unlikely that she would snub Rangiku at the party, at the end of the day, like her or not, his wife was technically a Kuchiki and Kuchiki stuck together. But there were other ways to declare allegiances and Matsuko was well-versed in the art. If things went the way he thought they would, the gossip rags would have material for months.

Rangiku shifted, exposing more leg and Byakuya felt a twitch.

Toshiro had noticed Byakuya staring but instead of the usual scowl, the insolent brat had smirked at him. Well, at least he had until Rangiku pulled her son into her arms, showering him with kisses, crying long, fake tears about missing him, and hoping that he would be good for "poor, dear Granny", and then squeezed him to her breasts, until the boy shook her off, enraged, and declared her the "worst" and "Oedipal". Byakuya had been impressed by the last one, clearly the boy was widely-read, but he could not help feeling a little envious. Though Rangiku had cheerfully snapped a picture of him in his tuxedo "for Facebook and Nanao-chan", she had not otherwise reacted. It was kind of disappointing.

The drive to the hotel that the party was being held at was far too long for Byakuya's liking. Rangiku spent much of that time, chatting with, according to her, Nanao and commenting on how many "likes" Byakuya's picture had gotten. The last count before the car stopped and she had to put her phone away was five thousand. Byakuya was more concerned with the fact that she had chosen a jewelled snake necklace, a viper of all things, which rested its head far too close to the generous curve of her right breast for his liking. Though a number of the upper level managers were married, and some to young, beautiful trophy wives, none were as beautiful as Rangiku.

There was no official red carpet to welcome their arrival at the hotel, but the paparazzi ringed the carpeted foyer anyway. There were a few flashes when Byakuya stepped out, which he ignored, but they grew blinding when he helped Rangiku out after. She froze, momentarily stunned, and he had to tug her hand gently to get her moving again.

"Kuchiki-san! Kuchiki-san, can you look over here please?"

"Kuchiki-san, this way, this way!"

"Can I get a smile, Kuchiki-san?"

None of them were talking to him. Rangiku obliged them but tightened her grip on Byakuya's arm until they were through the door. And once the glass doors had closed behind them, she whispered, "Now I know why you people wear sunglasses all the time. What if I had a medical condition?"

Byakuya chuckled at her.

The party was being held on the second floor ballroom, up a grand staircase in the middle of the lobby. The looks, whispers and flashes followed them all the way. All told, Byakuya thought he had done remarkably well keeping his irritation in check. When the usher blushed at Rangiku's smile, Byakuya merely swept past him with his head straight and did not stomp on the boy's foot like he wanted to. He could still have him dismissed, but that would be childish and Rangiku was certainly not the first or only woman the boy would gape at that night.

A few heads turned as they entered, and then the party that was already in full swing came to an abrupt halt. Rangiku stilled for a moment, and then looked over at Byakuya, a blush painting her cheeks pink. Was she trying to be cute or had she really become shy in all the attention?

Then the applause started. It spread quickly through the room, accompanied by whistles and hoots and Byakuya pulled his wife closer before nodding acknowledgement to the room. Rangiku, in a soft voice uncharacteristic of her, whispered to him, "You're their new hero."

"For the time being," Byakuya whispered back, then raising his hand to quell the applause, said louder, "Friends all, thank you. But please, I just came here for the party."

There was some light laughter and then the music started again. Rangiku stepped away from Byakuya's hold, looked left, then right and said, "I see the bar."

Byakuya pulled back when she tried to step away and said, "We have to greet the hosts first. Come on, I think I see them."

The ballroom took up two floors, its ceiling covered in drapes and helium-filled balloons and strands of gold glitter suspended from the ceiling. Kouga, Matsuko and Sawako stood beside the snack buffet with a few of the other board members and their wives. They all turned as Byakuya approached and so he saw the exact moment that Sawako's gaze fell on Rangiku. Sawako did not say anything, but she stiffened, sucking in a breath and lifted her nose a little higher into the air.

Sawako wore a long, form-fitting black and gold lace Alexander McQueen gown, with cap sleeves and a high neck but open back, gold Christian Louboutin heels and emerald jewellery. Byakuya knew this because he had bought the entire ensemble for her back when he had been trying to make something of their arrangement. That she had decided to wear it on the night she was to meet his wife for the first time was not a good sign.

"Ah, Byakuya-sama, Rangiku-san," greeted Matsuko, smiling. She stepped forward to give air kisses Rangiku's cheeks, though Byakuya did touch his lips to his aunt's powdered cheek.

"Matsuko-san," returned Rangiku, smiling just as cheerily. "Oh, you're glowing! Isn't she, Byakuya?"

His aunt wore a wine-red, halter bandage dress, straps hanging off her shoulders, and a low back. The form-fitting style made her pregnancy obvious, which suggested to Byakuya that it was not as much as a surprise to his uncle as he had made it appear. To his wife's question, Byakuya merely grunted and shifted his gaze to Sawako.

Sawako had stepped forward after Matsuko and when his aunt stepped back, introduced herself to Rangiku. "Fujiwara Sawako, Byakuya-sama's former fiancée and new boss. Nice to meet you."

Rangiku's eyes widened only fractionally before she took the hand extended to her, gave it a firm shake and said, "Oh, I've heard…absolutely nothing about you. Byakuya is such a brat." She threw a mock-glare at him over her shoulder and continued, "I think he must be worried that I would be jealous or something. Silly man. Come on, tell me everything. So you're acting head of the Kuchiki Corporation now? That is quite an accomplishment for someone as young as you look."

Byakuya could not be sure, but it sounded as if his wife had just acknowledged and dismissed Sawako as a threat, as well made a jab at the woman's age, all in the space of a few sentences. But that was absurd, because Rangiku was smiling at Sawako as if the two were going to be great friends.

Sawako, who was cautiously smiling back at Rangiku and answering with short answers when she could, did not appear to have noticed, but Matsuko had and she was not pleased. To distract her, Byakuya stepped forward and said, "You look lovely tonight, Aunt."

She blinked, then glanced at him and said, "Oh, thank you, Byakuya-sama." Her gaze drifted back to Rangiku and she said, "And your wife is…eye-catching. Is that a snake?"

Byakuya looked over at Rangiku and Sawako, still conversing, and drawing the attention of those expecting a confrontation, and said, "Yes…she has an interesting taste in jewellery."

Rangiku was describing something with her hands, and Byakuya saw Sawako's gaze catch on the ring finger of his wife's left hand. She sucked in another breath. Byakuya looked away before she could turn to him. It was not his fault that Sawako's ring was not so flashy. It was Matsuko's idea, as were most things in that ill-fated relationship, that he would give her a simple, understated ring. And besides, all twenty-eight carats on Rangiku's rings were not in the engagement band. That one was only fourteen, with a ten carat main diamond. The other fourteen was on her much simpler wedding band.

He turned back to Matsuko to find her lips pursed, and when she noticed his gaze, she said, "That one is going to cause you all kinds of trouble."

Byakuya held her gaze as he replied, "Yes." And then he smiled.

Eventually, Byakuya managed to separate Sawako and Rangiku long enough to introduce his wife to the other board members, then the upper level managers and their wives. Rangiku greeted each person with the same unreserved delight, complimenting those who greeted Byakuya with a warm smile and those who did not alike. By the time they were finished, Rangiku had even secured dinner party invitations, shopping trips and a tour of their garage of antique cars for them and Toshiro. She had also apparently identified those who were "Team Kouga" and "Team Byakuya"—her words—and promised, with a conspiratorial wink, to work on them until they "saw reason". Byakuya had chuckled at that, and then Rangiku announced that she was going to the bar before she died, and left him.

Byakuya watched her go with a smile on his face, one that he did not notice until Sawako said, "My goodness, don't let anyone see that look on your face or you'll lose the fear of your subordinates."

He turned to her. She had a glass of champagne in one hand and a slight scowl on her face, staring after Rangiku. He said, "I am allowed to look at my wife in any way that I please."

Sawako lifted her gaze to his face and said, "I've never heard anyone say that you looked at me like that."

He said nothing, refusing to take the bait. Her scowl deepened and she said, "Or is it that you like girls who flash a lot of skin now? What happened to you, Byakuya? Having an early midlife crisis? What next? A piercing? A sports car?"

He lifted an eyebrow at her. Her face flushed red but her voice was calm as she said, "That snake around her neck…was that not her old boyfriend's nickname?"

Byakuya had completely forgotten that, not that he could be blamed but that was a shocking oversight. He refrained from glancing at Rangiku and giving Sawako a small victory, and said, "So you have researched her."

She clamped her mouth shut. Byakuya did not smile at her. He gave her a slight bow and turned to seek out Renji.

0o0

If some of Rangiku's fellow detectives could have had access to this bar, the alcohol would have lasted exactly one hour. As it was, mindful of the fact that she did not want to embarrass Byakuya or give Matsuko and Sawako ammunition, especially after the welcome they had received, Rangiku limited herself to three cocktails, two glasses of champagne and one round of shots in between trips to the snack bar. Byakuya did not seem to care if she mingled with the others or not and she decided that she did not want to either. After the third foreign-schooled businessman's ningyo wife implied that Rangiku, rather than she who had married a much older man for his money—for it surely was not his looks—was some kind of streetwalker, Rangiku decided it was better to drink. She really liked this dress after all.

And from the looks that Byakuya had been giving her for most of the night, he really liked it too.

Rangiku was not blind. She had been aware of men's gazes since she started filling out properly at fifteen. Once her underdeveloped body got over the trauma of pushing out a five pound, three ounce baby boy, and then breastfeeding him for nearly two years, it had settled on something that people noticed and a lot of men liked. Byakuya was very good at hiding his interest in practically everything, but there was no hiding his sudden interest in her legs or chest. It was fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

To put it simply, when Rangiku had first agreed to this idea, she had always known that at some point one or the other of them would notice that hey, this person does not look half-bad and maybe, if the other were willing, they could have a little fun. She was already there; she was not going to lie to herself. But with that also came the understanding that in the interest of each others' sanity, they were not going to act on it. In Byakuya's defence, he had not said a word or made a move out of order. It was just that as the night progressed, it looked like he wanted to and goodness knew that Rangiku was going to have trouble stopping herself from letting him.

Think of the devil, as Rangiku set down her shot glass and turned away from the bar, swearing to herself that she would not have a third round, Byakuya came up to her and asked, "Kuchiki-san, would you do me the honour of taking this next dance with me?"

Rangiku lifted an eyebrow at him, but took the arm he offered and let him lead her out onto the dance floor.

They were playing something slow and boring and as Byakuya began to lead her around the room, Rangiku told him so. He chuckled and she caught the hint of whiskey on his breath. Still, his voice was steady as he said, "Look around. We're practically the youngest people in this room, not counting Matsuko's baby."

Rangiku did look around and whispered, "I knew Sawako was older than you."

Byakuya nodded and said, "Thirty-three. Though her age is not the reason I did not marry her. I broke off the engagement because she and Matsuko tried to push me into it after three months of half-hearted dating. Or maybe I was the only one who was being half-hearted. Hisana had just died a year earlier anyway."

Rangiku's eyes widened but only briefly, and she asked, "She seems more upset than one would expect for such a short relationship."

Byakuya grunted and slid his hand down her back before replying, "We knew each other in Toudai. She had spent a few summers near the estate when I was in high school. She's the daughter of a friend of Matsuko's who was originally meant to marry Matsuko's baby. When that did not work out, my dear aunt turned her over to me."

"That's rather bold of her," said Rangiku, trying to catch a glimpse of the woman. She was very aware of Byakuya's bare palm on the exposed skin of her back but she was determined to ignore it.

"Not really," said Byakuya. "That's generally the way marriages are arranged among families like mine…and even some that aren't. My parents were both dead, so I was technically my aunt's responsibility. But then I married Hisana instead and, well, here we are."

The music seemed to have slowed right down, and at some point, Byakuya had drawn Rangiku even closer. They did not look any different from many of the couples slowly swaying in circles around them, and still Rangiku was hyperaware of others' gazes. Those who were not looking for signs of rift between the Kuchiki, were probably looking for any hint that Byakuya and Rangiku's marriage was a sham. Or not, but she could not help thinking it anyway.

Rangiku wanted to talk about something else. Out of curiosity, she asked, "So, since us cops don't usually have parties this grand, should I expect to stock my wardrobe with more dresses like this?"

Byakuya took the bait, twirling her away from him so that he could get a better look. She went eagerly, laughing, and when he drew her back in, he let his hands rest on the small of her back. She settled hers around his neck and he said, "Yes."

Rangiku's heartbeat sped up a little but she willed it to slow. He was tipsy and playing along. She said, "Good, because you're paying. This thing is worth two months' pay and I have a kid and bills."

He snorted and she blushed and turned her head away. Matsuko and Kouga were sitting together in the corner. He had one hand on her stomach and the other to his lips. Matsuko was looking at him as if he was whispering the secrets of the universe to her. Rangiku looked away from them and asked, "How long have your aunt and uncle been married?"

Byakuya was silent for a moment, apparently thinking, and then said, "Thirty-two years."

Rangiku's eyes widened. She said, "That's longer than you've been alive! She must be in her fifties, and she's having a baby?"

Byakuya nodded and replied, "They both want the child, regardless of the risks. Boy or girl, it will be loved. But a boy would be better, for obvious reasons."

"Gah," said Rangiku, scoffing. "I'd like to point out that Sawako over there is a girl and she's going to be running a multi-national company."

"Yes," Byakuya conceded, nodding again. "But given that most of our board members are actually 'old boys', it is more likely that they will refer any decision she makes to me. And I also happen to be the next-in-line, so it is not too early to start currying favours. Don't give me that look, the higher you climb in society, the more sexist it becomes. You're a female police officer; you know that better than anyone."

"Yes, but doesn't that mean you've technically won?" asked Rangiku.

"Not really," said Byakuya. "Even if my uncle somehow wins, he will still have his hands in the corporation because the board members will discuss decisions with him when they have the time. Sawako is certainly going to consult him. And that's another reason to stop him. If his less-than-scrupulous associates don't destroy us, ordinary corruption will. I have to completely oust him from the company to win."

Rangiku looked around for the woman, found Sawako talking to one of the board members, and asked, "Her too?"

Byakuya exhaled and said, "Yes, her too. I know she's a hard worker and I will be sorry to see her go, but Sawako will not work under me."

"No," said Rangiku, thinking about the way the woman had turned her nose up at her. "She looks like the type that prefers to be on top."

Byakuya's fingers twitched against her back a moment before he asked, "And what do you prefer?"

She stopped moving and looked up at him, waiting for him to continue so that she could confirm she had just imagined her usually stoic husband making an innuendo. Instead, he just stared back. He might have just asked her what her favourite colour was. She ducked her gaze away and started swaying again before replying, with much affectation, "My word, Kuchiki-san, what are you saying? I'm a sweet, traditional girl who would never dream of usurping my husband's authority in the bedroom. No, I lie back and hope that he takes his pleasure quickly so I can get back to the cooking and cleaning."

He laughed and she stopped to watch him do it. Byakuya smiling was a rare thing, but Byakuya outright laughing was like stumbling upon some great lost thing treasure hunters usually cut through jungles and hapless crooks to find. When he stopped he said, "Yes, you certainly do lie, because you don't lie still in your sleep. I could have sworn a king-sized bed would give at least four people enough room and yet someone keeps kicking me in the night."

She gave him a mock glare and said, "I'm a big girl, I can't help it. You should probably buy a bigger bed."

"Yes," he said, his gaze drifting to her mouth. "Or you could do something else with those legs."

As he leaned in to kiss her, Rangiku thought that maybe she should stop him. He had to be intoxicated, she could smell the alcohol on his breath and he was making innuendos. But then, hell, so was she. If he had an issue with it later, she would blame it on the alcohol and feign innocence.

The first time he had kissed her, he had been intentionally aggressive, or so she thought, because they were being watched and he had to make it look like he was about to devour her. They were probably being watched now too, but with all the alcohol flowing, Rangiku doubted anyone really cared. He could be as gentle as he liked, brushing his lips against hers for just a moment before pressing firmer and then pulling her closer to deepen it between one moment and the next. He sucked her lower lip between his teeth and swept his tongue along it before slanting his mouth over to claim her tongue. He tasted of alcohol too, and something spicy that might have been the shrimp. Rangiku felt her knees weaken, even as she felt a familiar heat pooling low in her belly. She tightened her arms around his neck.

And then someone bumped into them, breaking the kiss.

"Oh! Sorry!"

"It's nothing," said Byakuya, without looking over at them. He still had his arms around Rangiku's waist, though she had lowered hers to his arms. As she watched him he licked some of her lipstick off his lips.

"Oh, Kuchiki-sama!" said the person, and this time Byakuya looked away from Rangiku to talk to them. It was one of the minor managers, and Sawako.

Sawako had her lips pursed again and as Rangiku turned to her, said, "This is hardly the place, is it not, Byakuya?"

He glanced at her, then back at Rangiku and took Rangiku's hand. "Indeed," he said. "We have had a wonderful time, but we shall be taking our leave now."

The manager blushed, but Sawako merely nodded, turned to Rangiku and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Kuchiki-san."

"Yes," said Rangiku, with cheer she did not feel, her heart was still racing and her thoughts all over the place. She should not have kissed him again. "We'll do dinner sometime."

Sawako nodded again. Byakuya took Rangiku by the arm and turned and started walking for the door. She did not try to pull away from him, and he did not try to draw her closer. She asked as they went, "Your aunt and uncle, shouldn't we tell them we're leaving?"

"No," said Byakuya at once. "It's better this way. Everyone will think we ran off to finish what we started in there."

Rangiku wanted to ask him if that was what they were really doing but did not. He did not say anything either, and held her hand all the way out of the room. He stopped at the top of the stairs though, to call for the car and Rangiku stepped away from him to look down at the foyer. There were still quite a number of people below.

Her hands had started shaking. She did not even notice until she reached for the balustrade and squeezed. Walking out of the ballroom had the effect of dousing her in ice water and all that was left was a sudden, irrational fear. She started when Byakuya said, "Come. The car is ready."

There were only one or two flashes as they descended the stairs and walked out of the hotel to their waiting car, and Rangiku wondered what the headline the next day was going to be. What if someone in there had captured that moment in the ballroom?

Byakuya did not touch her once they were in the car though and on their way back to Seireitei Tower. Instead he spread his arms over the back of the seat and lay his head back. Rangiku tried not to press herself into the door. She was being ridiculous. He was her husband, of course anyone would think that they had left early to go to bed. And she had known that he was slightly drunk when she let him kiss her, so if he expected anything further it was her fault. She had to make it clear to him though, that she did not want that. She did, a lot, but the thought had her cold.

She turned to tell him just that and found his head bent forward, leaning on the door. He had fallen asleep.

0o0

Two hours of pretend sleeping later, Byakuya had had enough and was just about to get out of bed when his phone buzzed on the night table. He picked it up just a moment before the message blanked off: Keep it warm…

He blinked and opened the phone to check the message again. Then his blood ran cold. There was an image attached of him and Rangiku kissing at the party captioned "Keep it warm for me. The Snake." And at the bottom was a doodle of a snake hissing at him.

He stared at the image until the phone went to dark, and then he turned and looked down at Rangiku sleeping beside him. She was genuinely asleep, mouth open slightly, features relaxed, knees pressed to his side. She had also worn her longest pyjamas, a cheap flannel set she had brought along from her apartment that would have been ugly when they were new. Surely she had not purchased that herself?

It was also a little amusing that she thought that it would be a deterrent to his libido or hers. After all, she had not exactly pushed him away. But he had seen her shaking hands.

Byakuya sat up, looking back at the phone again. He had no idea how Ichimaru Gin had gotten access to a phone number, though he was surprised that he had not been informed that the man was awake. He did not care either.

He took up the phone and got off the bed. Rangiku rolled away from him but did not awaken. Byakuya waited a minute to be sure that she was asleep and then turned and walked out of the room. He went down to the living room and stood for a moment before the window.

The blinds had been drawn but the city lights filtered through in muted colours. Byakuya had bought this apartment after Hisana and the debacle with Sawako, not to escape bad memories but to be closer to Rukia and her new school. Most of the bad memories were locked away in a mansion in another, wealthier and quieter part of Tokyo that Rangiku would never like. Besides, taking her and Toshiro there would be the equivalent of running away and there was no way Byakuya was going to do that. No, if it was a fight that Ichimaru Gin and Aizen Sosuke wanted, it was a fight they were going to get.

His phone buzzed again, and when he opened it this time, the message was from one of his assistants, informing him of a hack. They were too late. Gin had already gotten through to them.

Byakuya looked away from the phone to Hisana's shuttered shrine. If Hisana was here she might have an idea on what to do. But if Hisana was here he would not have this dilemma. He would have never met Rangiku and her son. He certainly would have turned around and walked out of the brothel the moment he recognised it for what it was.

He walked over to the shrine but did not open the doors. Before he married Rangiku, Byakuya had regularly consulted Hisana's spirit for guidance. And yes, sometimes it did feel as if she was merely echoing his thoughts, setting him firmly on a course of action he had already decided upon. Other times he just needed her to listen, and would spend hours pouring out the secrets of his soul as he had never quite done while she still lived. But to consult her now…

He did not regret kissing Rangiku. If anything, he regretted the location and audience. The sight of her shaking hands was worrying, yes, but nothing that could not be handled with time. She probably thought too, that he had done it because of their audience.

He turned around and walked back up to the bedroom. Rangiku turned to face him almost as soon as he lay down, though she did not wake. Byakuya listened to her breathing for a moment and said, "Ichimaru Gin is awake. He sent me a message. I think he wants to see you. I will never let him. Things…have changed."

He sought out her hand in the dark and traced the length of a finger before saying, "I think I want to keep you. Will you run away if I try?"