Disclaimer – I don't own Bleach
Disclaimer # 2- I suck at writing romance, it comes fairly unnaturally to me. I hope that you like it anyway. I hope you are all starting to look forward to book 2!
XXXX – Byakuya's POV
As he slid the door open, he belatedly realized that this was the first time he had ever visited a woman's private quarters. Wondering what it would be like, he let his sight wander around the room. It did not look much different from any of the men's quarters he had been in. The furnishings were sparse with random clothing strung about the floor, there was a zanpakuto impaled through the dining table, and a scantily clad woman holding a cup of sake. His eyes suddenly focused back on on the woman, she wore a simple house robe and with the way she was sitting… it could be considered indecent. Akai leaned forward to plant her elbows on the table and while she thought she was looking intimidating, Byakuya had to struggle to keep his eyes from wandering towards her exposed breastbone.
Her voice sliced through his revelry, "Well, well, if it isn't the king of paperwork, Lord Byakuya."
A strong slender hand ran down her zanpakuto and he wondered if she was trying to be seductive or angry. Knowing this woman, and judging from her darkly sarcastic tone, she was furious.
"Do you plan on always greeting me with such disdain?" Cold and aloof his voice broke from his throat.
Her eyes narrowed, but he noticed there was no red tint in them. Gesturing with irritation towards the ragged looking papers on the table she replied to him, "Do you always plan on launching surprise attacks?"
"I do not know what you speak of. As captains it is our job to maintain the principles for those looking up to us. Such documentation should have been expected." In honesty, he could not see what she was so enraged about.
Flying to her feet she stomped towards him, "What the hell Byakuya? Instead of approaching me and speaking to me about this, you send over two forms? You could have simply asked me how I felt before!"
"I dare not presume anything." Reaching behind him, he slid the door to her apartment shut to afford some privacy. The last thing he needed was anyone to see him here, especially before those documents were signed. It was not only himself he hoped to protect; being that as far as the records show, she was a failed Kuchiki assassin.
"It is insulting to be approached in this manner, Kuchiki." Again, her hand flung towards the abused papers sitting on the table, "If you had something to say, you should have said it!"
"Akai, I had nothing to left to say. If we are to continue a personal relationship it must be reported to first division."
"Relationship?" The word dripped with venom from her mouth, her pitch dropped dangerously low, "And what made you think that I had any interest in a relationship, Kuchiki Byakuya?"
Suddenly he felt very cold, he was not expecting her to take this road, but none the less he was prepared for it. "If that is the situation, Ryuu, please complete the other form and submit it."
Her head dropped and she brought up her fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose, "It's always one way or another with you, isn't it?" Icy blue eyes rose and fixed him sternly in their gaze, "I do not want a relationship with you." Special emphasis was put on the word; he had not realized she was still so opposed to him. He stood and blanked his expression to hide his feelings, but before he could retreat she had moved in closer.
"I am Ryuu Akai, and you have obviously underestimated me, Kuchiki. This is not a relationship! We are comrades! In battle I will watch your back, and you will watch mine. It is not a hope that this will happen, it will be a given. In our service to the Gotei 13 I will uphold your honor at all costs, and you!" Pausing dramatically, she threw her fist with a thump into her chest, "You will uphold mine, without wavering!"
She had now moved in very close, and Byakuya could feel his heart pounding. His eyes were wide with shock as she continued, "if you fail in your duty, it will be my blade to cut you down. If I fail in my duty, I will welcome no other blade than yours to take me."
Hesitating slightly, she lifted her hand and placed it over his heart, "and these things involve a trust that is not available in a relationship. I will never be your princess, but I will never fail as your partner if you can accept these conditions."
Byakuya was stunned. He had treated her as a woman, even though he had been honored that she viewed him as an equal. However, he had not thought to do the same with her. She was his fellow soldier first and foremost, and he had lost sight of that. Quietly he asked, "You will walk beside me?"
Akai crossed her arms under the rise of her breasts and huffed, "I'm not going to walk behind you, and I would have no respect for you if I walked ahead. I will walk beside you, I will fight beside you, and when our duties call for it, I will bleed and die beside you as well."
This is why he had chosen her.
XXXX – Akai's POV
For what seemed like hours, Byakuya simply stared at her. Then without a word he moved to her table, gracefully sat, and poured himself a cup of sake. "Sign the 'Statement of Intent', Akai." It was an order, he had accepted her terms.
Silently she walked behind him to the kitchen and retrieved a second cup and a brush set. She fixed her robe and went to join him at the low table. Giving him a business like look she whipped out her brush set and carefully set her name at the bottom of the stupid form. This man and his paperwork were going to be the death of her. Setting down the brush set she poured herself a cup and looked upon her new partner.
Raising her glass she spoke with sincerity, "To the battle ahead Kuchiki". She took a sip of the clear liquid while watching him do the same.
"Behind closed doors there is no reason for you to refer to me so formally." While his face was still perfectly masked she could see a glint in his eyes when he spoke.
Smirking back at him she joked, "Surely you don't expect me to refer to you as 'm-lord'?"
Now she knew she was not imagining the shining humor in his eyes as he deadpanned, "Byakuya will be suitable, however, we will see how you will regard the other title in the morning."
A deep blush rose to her face as she turned back to her saucer, "So you are capable of dirty jokes now, huh?"
Swirling the sake in his own dish, he did not take his eyes off of her, "A Kuchiki lord does not have use for such vulgarities."
"Tch! Always going to be a pompous ass, Byakuya?" Her tone was teasing but soft as she returned her eyes to him. Akai was rather enjoying their banter, he was so much her opposite that she could not predict what he would say next, and the challenge was enticing.
The smile that touched his mouth was almost unnoticeable, "Such unpleasantness is unbecoming from a woman of your appearance."
"Sometimes, I don't know if you are insulting me or complimenting me." She laughed, but there was a tension rising in the room that she could not pin down. Nervously she reached for the bottle of sake, only to have his hand intercept her wrist.
"That is enough sake for this night." Forcefully he tugged her body so that she collided into his chest.
For a moment she lingered, her face buried in his clothing. It smelled of whatever soap he used, maybe it was sandalwood; she had never been good at pinpointing these types of things. In moments like this she felt weak and it bothered her. She was not a weak woman, but this was a strategy that she was unfamiliar with… affection.
Placing her hands against him she pushed herself up so that she could look at his face. It was uncharacteristically warm and caring, and she could not help but to feel slightly frightened, how much easier it would be if he looked blank or angry. She was determined though to not be weak, so she shoved him gently, causing him to fall back onto the floor. Straddling him, she unwound the ties that held his robes in place. His eyes watched her as she pushed the fabric away from the skin on his chest. Many scars lined his torso, and she noticed the large, circular pinkness in the middle of his breast. It was the injury that she had witnessed.
To the right was a thick pink line where a sword had obviously punctured, going straight through his heart. Gently her fingers traced it as her brows knitted together, how did he come by this?
"Ichimaru Gin" his words were a whispered answer to her unspoken question. Sometimes she forgot the magnitude of the war and what sort of toll it took on those involved. Byakuya had fought in that war, and while he came away alive, he was not unscathed.
His hand came up and his index finger traced gently along the line that ran down her face. He was obviously curious and wanted to know about her battle wounds.
Tossing a glance over her shoulder towards her zanpakuto, she answered, "Sensou".
Now both of his hands moved to her face and he cupped both sides of her head. "You are an astonishing woman."
Her eyes widened, it was so very unlike him to say such things. His hair was a pool of darkness surrounding his face, and he looked so prone to her. It was in this moment that she realized that he had given his trust to her, and somehow she had returned the favor. A gentle smile crept over her face as she looked down on his handsome face.
Carefully he pulled her face towards him and met her lips with his own. The kiss was soft and tender, as though he was afraid that she would break. Her heart was pounding in her ears, they were together now. It was a weird sensation for her; the sensation of no longer being alone. As the kiss deepened and became more passionate he sat upright, not breaking away. Gradually he made his way to his feet, scooping her up bridal style with him. Their lips did not part as he continued to ardently kiss her; he moved towards her bedroom.
Breaking away from her, he looked around the small room that she lived in. She watched him and took pleasure in observing the way he took in the scene. With a soft sigh he lowered her to the small futon where she slept every night.
"Byakuya… I… this is a battlefield I am unfamiliar with." As much as she hated to admit it, she was nervous about this.
His eyes flicked quickly to rest on hers, "This is not a battlefield, Akai."
That night, her comrade showed her the true meaning of partnership.
"I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven"
-"Your Guardian Angel" Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
FANART AVAILABLE!
So there is now Ryuu Akai and Byakuya fanart, the problem is, I have NO idea how to post the link! If you log onto to deviantART you should be able to find it under the profile 'iyashi360'
XXXX
Well there it is! Romance! I hope that it did not disappoint. I am not one to write hot sex scenes, it would be horrible and clumsy if I did. Please review and let me know what you think! Only one more chapter before book two! Book two will be all about Ichigo and Rukia, but don't worry, the story as a whole is based around Byakuya and Akai and their life together. We will be seeing them again!