As always, Bleach belongs to Kubo.
Rangiku stood in front of the bathroom mirror and carefully scrutinized her whole look, twirling around and checking all of her angles. She mussed up her hair a bit to make it bounce, spritzed a couple puffs of perfume in the air before twirling herself through it, and brushed her teeth twice before she decided that it was finally time to grace Byakuya with her presence. It had been about a week and a half since they had kissed each—since Rangiku agreed to spend a few nights with Byakuya and she currently felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
She was about to reach for the doorknob leading to the bedroom before she paused right in her tracks, suddenly doubting the measures that she had just put herself through to simply sleep beside her best friend. Rangiku spared another glance at the mirror before smiling evilly to herself—if there was one thing that she knew, it was the fact that he would like what he saw no matter how unnecessary it was. Maybe she would think about why she felt the need to do this some other time, but she had a sleepy rich boy to attend to.
Meanwhile, Byakuya yawned deeply into the back of his hand and stretched before glancing at the clock on the wall. His eyebrows furrowed together as he read the time, Rangiku had been in the bathroom for over forty-five minutes now and he was growing impatient. He couldn't for the life of him fathom why women took so long in the bathroom. His nighttime routine was completed in less than twenty minutes and even he was going at a slower pace than usual.
Reclining against the headboard of the bed, he decided to rest his eyes for several moments and wait for her to finish instead. He reasoned that sleeping in traditional sleeping garments would warrant an annoyed response from Rangiku, so he decided to only don a set of sleeping pants that Rukia had brought back from the World of the Living as a present several months ago.
Hearing the door open with a loud whoosh, Byakuya felt his heart begin to speed up. It was finally time—he had been waiting for this for what felt like decades. The chance to properly spend a perfect night with this gorgeous woman and hopefully make this a routine activity was finally here at last.
Byakuya opened his eyes and was prepared to ask her if she was ready, yet he felt his jaw drop, his eyes widen, and his heart practically attempt to thud its way from his chest.
"Oh …" he found himself stammering aloud as his seemingly flawless countenance decided to fail him.
Rangiku smirked in satisfaction at his reaction as she posed in the doorway. "You like what you see? Sexy, right?"
She was wearing a red silk and lace nightgown that fell to her mid-thigh and was held up by spaghetti straps; a sexy looking piece of lingerie that she had purchased from the World of the Living ages ago and didn't have a reason to wear it until now. It looked as if he enjoyed seeing her in her human nightwear quite a bit, Byakuya wasn't even hiding the fact that he was openly ogling at her and she couldn't help but feel gratified by that; it was apparent that she made the right decision to wear something a little sexy for him. He might be a captain and a nobleman to boot, but he was still a man. She was finally in her element now, and she was assuredly going to take advantage of it and rile him up a bit for fun.
He felt like a lecherous schoolboy as he took in the unbelievably enticing sight in front of him. Byakuya had never seen female sleeping garments of this sort before, and Rangiku's made a striking first impression on him. The silk clung to her curves like a sleeve and shimmered as she moved, and he could not draw his eyes away from her. The lace was patterned beautifully about her bosom and dipped in the middle to accentuate her cleavage as well as lining the sides of her gown all the way to the hem.
"Did she wear these garments to please me?" Byakuya thought to himself as he tried to regain some semblance of calm. The word 'modest' was not a common adjective used to describe Rangiku Matsumoto at all—yet this sight was so…enticing. The thought of her wearing this just for him made a rush of heat flow through his veins. He didn't consider himself to be particularly territorial, but he hated the thought of another man having the opportunity to see her in such a sensual form of dress. If anything, this only solidified his resolve even more—Rangiku would not have any desire to be with any other man after this night, Byakuya would see to that.
"Mm, he must really be comfortable around me to not wear a shirt." Rangiku mused as she eyed Byakuya's toned form furtively. It was plain to see that he did not slack off on his training since the end of the last war and she wasn't complaining at all; each and every inch of his toned upper body was taught with ridges of firm muscles underneath flawless, alabaster skin. His six pack abs flexed slightly as he sat up and she eyed his V-cut that disappeared into his sleeping pants. She couldn't help but lick her lips as she committed this sight to memory, a sight that thousands of female Shinigami wished to experience.
It was funny how for so many years, the Shinigami Women's Association tried and failed every time to capture even one shirtless picture of Byakuya, and now her eyes were feasting upon his godly form and she barely even had to lift a finger.
Their eyes met for a fleeting, yet heated moment and it felt as if a haze overtook the room. The impassioned look in Byakuya's eyes caused Rangiku's bright blue eyes to darken as she slowly approached him with a hip-swaying sashay.
"I should give you a little bedtime show, hmm? Just a little something to dream about when you sleep~." she crooned as she twirled around slowly, swinging her hips in time to a song in her head. "You can look but you can't touch~!" she arched her head back, exposing her creamy neck as her hands caressed her curves seductively. She even bent forward and flipped her short hair flirtatiously, winking at him and blowing kisses. There was nothing wrong with a little teasing, no?
Byakuya watched the exchange hungrily as he scratched at the stubble on his face. He suddenly realized how many men would kill to be in this position. Him, Byakuya Kuchiki, going to bed with the illustrious and magnificent Rangiku Matsumoto. Such a phrase didn't even sound like it could ever be true, yet this was their reality now. The sight was more than appealing to him but having her in his arms was what he ached for the most, so Byakuya settled on his back and held out a hand to her.
"Come to bed, Rangiku-san. Let us go to sleep." He beckoned out to her, his voice husky and his eyes heavily lidded.
Rangiku halted her dance immediately as he spoke and sheepishly crawled in the bed, his voice was like a switch that would have her flustered in seconds. Before she even knew it, she was settled in with a respectable distance between them. The white silken sheets caressed her bare legs as she squirmed around, trying to settle herself in a comfortable position even though the bed was more than large enough for the both of them. She had no idea why it felt as if her heart was about to fly out of her chest. Was she nervous? There was no way. This was the third time that she slept in the same bed as Byakuya and she never felt like this. She felt like a teenager who had just snuck out of her house to sneak over to the badboy's house down the street.
Byakuya flicked the lamp off with a satisfying click and settled himself next to Rangiku; the two of them were now laying on their backs in silence and staring at the ceiling. He waited a moment before drawing the sheets up over their bodies. After a while, Rangiku felt Byakuya shift over to her and wrap a strong arm around her body, snuggling her into his chest. She couldn't help but stiffen at his gentle touch. His warmth was utterly intoxicating and the skin-to-skin contact that they were sharing was making her feel light-headed.
"Relax, I will not harm you. There is nothing for you to be apprehensive about." Byakuya muttered into her hair, feeling the tension she was giving off and trying to keep his own trepidation away. He felt like a hypocrite in that moment. Sure, Rangiku was the first woman he had shared a bed with since his wife, but he was a grown man, for God's sake. Byakuya Kuchiki never felt nervous.
"I know you won't. I can't help it, that's all." Rangiku pouted at him. Having her cheek pressed into Byakuya's chest would make any girl a bit anxious and she was no exception. The man oozed sex appeal without even trying. The slight prickle of his chest hairs tickled her cheek and she had to fight the urge to squirm around even more. She could also feel his apprehension as well, but he was doing an excelling job of hiding it.
"This isn't the first time that we've done this." Byakuya reminded her pointedly. "And I doubt that I am the first man to go to bed with you."
"Technically, this is the first time under normal circumstances." Rangiku responded to him with a tutting tone of voice. "But you are the cutest out of all the guys I've been in bed with before and I think that's worth acknowledging."
A small chuckle made his chest rumble and Rangiku was comforted by the sensation. She stifled a yawn and glanced at the man who was holding her, but his eyes were already closed.
"Such a backhanded compliment, yet I cannot argue with that. I might ask my clan to engrave it on my gravestone, it would be an honor." Byakuya acquiesced with a nod before he pulled her into him further, smiling at the sound of her laugh. Oh, how amazing it felt to have her in his arms—her gentle warmth, her honeyed scent, it was so comforting yet overpowering all at once. A full good night's sleep was finally going to be his and even better with her in his embrace. He felt her shift and turn to face him, and she wrapped an arm around his waist and draped one of her legs over his.
"You want to hear a song? I know a whole bunch of them. It'll put you right to sleep like a baby." Rangiku bragged haughtily. He adjusted himself down a bit, nuzzled his face into her neck and sighed. Rangiku shivered slightly at the sensation of his warm breath on her neck and wiggled around restlessly.
"Go to sleep." He commanded her under his breath as he squeezed her slightly. How did she expect him to savor the sensation of her body on his if she kept on moving and talking?!
Rangiku pouted at his dismissiveness and busied herself with drawing patterns on his chest with her fingers, and he trembled slightly at her touch. She eventually allowed her fingers to trace their way from his chest and up his neck, all the way to his cheek, holding him still as she pushed her body upwards to kiss him on the forehead. Rangiku's lips lingered on his forehead for a moment before drifting to his stubbled cheek and placing another one there, backing away a moment later. There was something about him that made her act so out of character, it was mind-boggling to even think about. Rangiku wasn't the type of lady to hand out goodnight kisses to just anyone.
"Night." She yawned as she settled in on her back, praying that she fell asleep quickly before she did something outlandish again. Byakuya waited several minutes before he decided to do something out of the box.
"Rangiku-san."
"Yeah?"
"Look at me."
Rangiku turned her head to look at him and his warm breath lingered on her face for a moment before he lightly pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to her mouth. Rangiku's belly fluttered at the sensation of his lips on hers again and reciprocated after a moment, melting into the embrace with a sigh of bliss. She could taste the spicy warmth of his cinnamon flavored toothpaste as they parted for a quick breath before resuming. His kisses were so amazing that she couldn't even fault herself for indulging in him again, was there nothing this man was exceptional at?
He simply could not resist how the moonlight glinted off of her lips and had the insatiable urge to roll her underneath him, devouring her mouth until they were both spent. However, he disliked the idea of pressuring her into something that she did not want, so he was conscientious enough to keep his body weight off of her and hands away from her, giving her any opportunity to move away if she was no longer comfortable. Pleased to feel her reciprocate, he hummed with approval and he thought that he even felt her smile mid-kiss.
A soft hand cradled his cheek as they kissed and Byakuya took this as a cue to deepen their embrace momentarily, wanting to gauge Rangiku's reaction for a next time. She made a soft noise of surprise, yet she did not pull away, and Byakuya took that as a cue to up the ante a bit in the future. The innocent kisses that they shared were beautiful, yes, but even he felt greedy enough to want more.
Byakuya pulled away slowly after a while, satisfied at the proceedings. Rangiku's stunning eyes were lidded heavily as she panted ever so slightly, her lips puckered enticingly to the point where Byakuya couldn't help but kiss her once again briefly, nibbling her bottom lip gently. Rangiku was gaping openly at him and jumped slightly when he touched his forehead to hers for a brief moment. The look in his eyes—so intense and sensual, so unguarded—she was even struggling to breathe in that moment. This man could reduce her to a bumbling mess with just his eyes, it was incredible—he was incredible.
"I wanted to taste your lips one last time before we fell asleep." He explained before he was unceremoniously smacked in the face with a throw pillow. Wrenching the pillow away from his face, Byakuya gave Rangiku a concerned look, fearing that he might have pushed her into a kiss that she didn't truly want. The romantic moment was quickly broken in the blink of an eye.
"Pervert." Rangiku huffed, vainly trying to disguise her smile and gather her wits together. "You have to specify which set of lips, Byakuya. It's rude to keep a gal wondering. I'm not that good at reading between the lines, you know." she crooned flirtatiously and snorted when she felt Byakuya's entire body stiffen.
"What do you—" Byakuya started to inquire before he understood what she was trying to insinuate and frowned slightly at the innuendo. He gave her a reproachful look as she started to laugh heartily, flinging her head back and forth as she swiped at mirthful tears leaking from her eyes. "I'm the pervert? You wound me, Rangiku-san." He said as he tossed the pillow to the bottom of the bed.
"C'mon now, you're not the first pervert that I've taken to bed, but you are easily the sexiest out of all of them." She replied breezily as she tugged the sheets and fluffy duvet up and under her chin. "At least be happy about that."
"It's hot." Byakuya complained as she dug his arms out from under the covers. "I've also made it clear that I am not a pervert, I was raised better than that."
"Hey, quit with the whole high and mighty act. You're a guy and it's natural to throw caution to the wind when you're in the presence of a sexy woman." Rangiku said as she turned her back towards Byakuya and snuggled into spooning with him, almost purring with pleasure at his warmth.
"I assumed that my advance was welcomed when I felt you reciprocate our kiss." Byakuya replied as he immediately wrapped an arm around Rangiku's midsection and held her close to him.
"Obviously, genius." Rangiku rolled her eyes and smirked. "How many times do I have to tell you that you're a good kisser? Probably one of the best that I've ever had, and I've had a lot, thank you."
"Say it again, I enjoy hearing your voice." He requested, pleased to hear that her past experiences with men paled in comparison to what he had to show her.
"Hmm." She huffed playfully. "I don't want your head to get too big, you wouldn't let me hear the end of it."
"What man wouldn't enjoy kissing the sweet lips of a gorgeous woman?" Byakuya questioned his thoughts aloud and felt a brief twinge of panic at his almost reckless declaration.
"I…" Rangiku was caught off guard and she swallowed thickly. "Shut up and sleep." She pouted at him cutely. "Find someone else to stroke your ego."
Byakuya recovered quickly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder and she felt fire flood her veins.
"That is unnecessary." Byakuya informed her with a husky whisper into her ear.
"Really?" Rangiku questioned dramatically as she tried to control her rapid breathing. "And why is that?"
He pressed his lips to her shoulder once again and let them linger on her skin as he debated what to say next. Feeling brave, Byakuya decided to go for it.
"It's simple." Byakuya said as he felt for her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. "I have you."
"Oh. That's nice." Rangiku commented quietly and she felt the urge to slap herself on the forehead. One of the few times where Byakuya willingly opened up to her without her annoying it out of him and she just had to go and say something stupid and insensitive. She released her hand from his and tucked it under her pillow. "Night."
Byakuya traced patterns on Rangiku's upper arm with his thumb as he listened to the sound of her even breathing, lying awake long after she fell asleep. He was still in disbelief that they had reached this stage in their—friendship? Was it still really that? Friends did not normally share a bed and kiss each other good night, especially friends of the opposite sex. He thought back to how he confessed his attraction to Rangiku over a year ago and how he had nearly lost her for good. There was no way that he could chase her away again, he refused to let this woman go. Holding his tongue for now was his best option and he'd have to stick to it. Byakuya simply could not allow himself to slip up again as how he did earlier.
Rangiku whined groggily as she felt Byakuya squeeze her arm. He didn't realize that he had squeezed her and quickly withdrew his hand, muttering an apology under his breath before pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder. Only the thought of her leaving his life again could elicit such a reaction out of him. She eventually shifted out of the spooning position that they were in to lie on her side facing him.
He breathed in the scent of her hair—a tantalizing mixture of both cinnamon and vanilla—and allowed himself to be lulled into a blissful state of peace. With the taste of her sweet lips still lingering on his and emboldening him, Byakuya maneuvered his other arm underneath Rangiku before he turned to lie flat on his back with her clutched on top of him to his side.
This was a very bold move of him and he started to feel the telltale sign of dread when he noticed how Rangiku stiffened against him and stopped breathing. He was about to return her to her spot, but Rangiku relaxed against him and snuggled her face into his neck as her left hand snaked its way up to rest on his chest.
He sighed with relief at her reaction and closed his eyes. This was a significant step up from when Rangiku nearly kicked him off of the bed when he kissed her those weeks ago. Byakuya didn't consider himself to be particularly experienced with women even though he was married and widowed, but he knew how to read someone's body language.
It seemed as if Rangiku was both receptive and troubled by his advances simultaneously and he could not fathom why. She was already a very outspoken woman as it was and would have no issue with telling him off if he did something wrong, but she wouldn't. Byakuya hoped that she wasn't just indulging in him to make her happy, that simply would not do.
She deserved better than that. He deserved better than that.
Gathering this perfect woman closer to his body, Byakuya deeply inhaled her sweet scent and thanked every deity in the universe for this moment before he fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.
Byakuya yawned deeply and swiped at the evidence of sleep in his eyes. Vision now clear, he looked at the woman still nestled under his left arm and felt warmth deep inside. Rangiku's head was rested on his chest and her arm was thrown over his torso. She was still fast asleep, her mouth hung open comically and a slight snore escaped her. One of her legs was also thrown haphazardly over both of his, and the other was almost hanging off of the bed.
He reached over with his other hand and caressed her back, relishing the sensation of her flawless skin and warm silk over his fingertips. Rangiku shifted slightly and snuggled herself closer into his body, sighing gently and tickling his neck with her breath. Byakuya pressed a kiss to her forehead and glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that he had a captain's meeting to attend in a bit over two hours with distaste. Although duty called, he preferred to lay here and bask in the sensation of finally having this woman snug in his arms. He decided to relax against his pillow and close his eyes, savoring this indescribable feeling for as long as he possibly could.
Unknown to Byakuya, Rangiku woke up at the exact moment he did.
She drew herself closer to his body and sighed happily at the warmth and protection she felt radiating from him. This man was a walking furnace of heat and comfort and she simply could not get enough of it. The sensation of him languidly drawing his hand up and down her back was so soothing and tender that it was difficult to even fathom that he was even doing it. A light kiss was pressed to her forehead and Rangiku felt her heart start to thud rapidly against her chest, silently cursing her skittishness for ruining this affectionate moment. She knew that he would notice, so she made the decision to make herself known several moments later.
Lifting her head slowly, she soon found herself face to face with a sleepy Byakuya. His dark eyes lit up for a moment and she noticed how his pupils dilated as he gazed at her. Pale lips curved into the slightest of smiles as he appraised the goddess currently nestled on his chest. He drew her even closer to his side and squeezed her slightly before he spoke.
"You're awake." He commented, his gravely sounding morning voice sent shivers up Rangiku's spine. She nodded enthusiastically at his observation before she responded.
"Good morning to you too, handsome." Rangiku replied with a grin as she rested her chin on his chest. She noticed that his hand was still rubbing her back and made no move to stop his ministrations. They gazed at each other silently for a few seconds before Byakuya broke the stillness.
"I take it that you slept well." Byakuya continued as his eyes swiveled languidly about her face, almost as if he was trying to commit this moment to memory.
Rangiku snaked a hand upwards and caressed his chest reassuringly. "Yeah, and it helps when you have a super adorable guy to help you do it." she replied as she winked at him and she could feel his heart speed up along with hers under her hand.
Byakuya could feel his face heat up at her words and cleared his throat awkwardly. "I…you look beautiful this morning." He found himself saying without thinking after a moment. It seemed as if his early morning grogginess loosened his lips quite a bit. Rangiku blushed cutely at the compliment and decided that the intricate carvings on the headboard of their bed were more enticing to gaze at than his eyes before she responded.
"Ew, no. I just woke up, I haven't even brushed my teeth or combed my hair yet. Don't lie to me. I know that I probably look gross." She pouted her bottom lip at him, suddenly feeling insecure about her appearance. The flattery was welcomed, yes, but he didn't have to shower her with compliments to be nice, even she wouldn't fault him for telling her to clean herself up. She breathed into her hand and sniffed it, wincing at the morning breath she had, and she covered her face with her hands. Byakuya sighed and gently brought her hands back and rested them on his chest.
"No, I could never lie about something like that, Rangiku-san—you are so beautiful." Byakuya repeated, sounding almost entranced by the woman in his embrace. His fingers traced up her spine to rest on the skin that the nightgown left exposed. "You are breathtaking."
She fought back a smile and rested her forehead on his chest before she looked back up at him. The man looked absolutely in awe of her and she felt her heart swell at the sight. Even if Byakuya was laying it on a bit thick, it was still so genuine and sweet.
"You're such a sweetheart, Byakuya—and I guess you're not too hard on the eyes either…" Rangiku cooed as she scooted up his body, held him by the top of his head and peppered his cheek with playful kisses. Byakuya smiled, pleased with how things were proceeding between them. This moment was something out of a dream—waking up to this perfect woman who was showering him with her sweet kisses.
He glanced at the clock again and Rangiku took that as her cue to roll off of him and lay on her side of the bed. "I'm leaving for training soon and I didn't want you to wake up alone." Byakuya said as he sat up on his elbow facing her. She reached forth and stroked his cheek with her knuckles instinctively and he couldn't help but lean his face into her ministrations. Gods above, he loved when she did that.
"Mmm." he purred so softly, and Rangiku couldn't help but grin as those expressive gray eyes of his gazed at her from under dark eyelashes. Her hand shifted to his silky black hair and she scratched absentmindedly at his scalp, eliciting another groan of pleasure from him. Byakuya didn't seem like the type of man who enjoyed being touched, but his reaction to her ministrations proved otherwise. He was so sweet.
"You're so considerate." Rangiku gushed as she pinched him playfully on his nose. "You do realize that you don't have to leave now, right? It's still early. Pretty sure you'd much rather stay here with little old me, hmm?" Rangiku teased him when he gave her a look of surprise. This moment felt too good just to allow it to end like this.
"C'mon, lie back down." She outstretched her arms to accept him. "Please? Just for a little while?"
Byakuya stared at her silently for a moment, searching for any sign of a change of heart before he allowed himself to snuggle back into her arms. Several minutes more wouldn't make a difference. Plus, an open invitation such as this was rare from Rangiku and he fully intended on enjoying it while he still could. Warm silk and soft hands caressed his bare skin and his eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head at the intense sensation. Byakuya couldn't believe that he spent the past half century starving himself from a woman's touch. He felt like an absolute fool. The only saving grace was that he waited long enough to be blessed by this blue-eyed angel.
"I knew you'd use that thick head of yours to see reason. Just rest your weary head upon my bosom and forget about life for a bit." Rangiku said as Byakuya settled half of his upper body on top of hers and wrapped his right arm around her. She adjusted herself accordingly and resumed stroking his hair again with one hand and caressing his back with the other as he burrowed his face into her neck. They indulged in each other's comfort for a while silently as Rangiku laced her fingers through Byakuya's hair, relishing in the sensation of silky ebony locks on her fingers.
Times like these were her favorite, enjoying each other in ways that words could not properly express. Cuddled in bed, limbs entangled with each other and neither of them felt any sort of discomfort. It was so natural and pure, almost as if it was meant to be. This intimacy was something that the two of them craved desperately and for them to share it with each other was simply out of this world.
"My head is not thick. I simply reasoned that several more minutes in bed would not result in my tardiness." Byakuya replied stubbornly after an extended silence with a muffled voice. He had to stifle another groan of pleasure before Rangiku learned of his weakness; having his scalp scratched was a guilty pleasure of his that only Yoruichi knew about (against his will) until Rangiku. She tugged at his earlobe playfully and he couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face. Byakuya realized that he never smiled so much in his long life until Rangiku found her way into it.
"Yeah, yeah." Rangiku replied with a dismissive giggle. "Or maybe you just wanted to cuddle with me some more? Admit it!" she goaded him as she jostled their bodies around.
Byakuya lifted his head and placed his face just inches away from hers. "If I say yes, will you be here when I return? Will I be afforded the honor of nestling myself in your arms for another night?" he asked, his voice lowering to just above a whisper as he gazed at her beseechingly.
Rangiku gave him an apologetic look before she diverted her eyes away from his and busied herself with staring at the ceiling, nibbling at her lip. While the prospect would be tempting, it was inadvisable. People would start to notice that she was away and start asking questions. Byakuya sensed her hesitation and knew her answer without her having to express it.
He slowly sat up and reached for her hand, pressing a quick kiss to her fingers before he stood and walked over to open his—their walk-in closet, entering in search for a uniform to wear. Rangiku was slowly moving her possessions into the house bit by bit, claiming that she didn't want to go back and forth for her clothes and makeup all the time. He glanced at her side of the closet and nodded to himself, knowing that she'd eventually try to take over his side at some point. He couldn't wait.
Rangiku giggled at his actions as she leaned over the bed to retrieve her purse, digging around for her bottle of nail polish. She opened the cap and held her left hand out to apply the polish, humming softly to herself as she set about her task. It was a cute, baby pink color that she picked up from the World of the Living and it reminded her of the color of Byakuya's Shikai. Exactly why she bought it.
Byakuya headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day, yet he stuck his head out of the doorway several minutes later with his face covered with shaving cream and holding a razor. He had the look on his face and he looked significantly less intimidating covered with shaving cream. She stifled a snort at the sight and he felt a warm, tingly feeling flow through him at the sound.
"On the duvet?" he questioned dryly, just waiting for the polish to drip on the silken bed cover.
"I know what I'm doing, stop being such a mom." Rangiku sighed in exasperation as she finished off her left hand and started on the right one. She finished the right hand without fanfare and blew on all of her fingernails for good measure before doing her toenails. Byakuya watched her after he finished dressing in the bathroom and approached once she had finished.
"I must leave now, so I will see you again soon. Take care." He commented as he sat down beside her and hugged her. Byakuya squeezed her tightly in his arms for good measure and stood to finally leave, but Rangiku stopped him for a moment.
She tugged at his shihakusho sleeve. "I'll let you know when I can sneak away and come back here another time, 'kay? I promise." She cocked her head to the side and grinned genuinely at him, and there was nothing that Byakuya wanted to see more than that. Rangiku tugged at him again and leaned forward to peck a chaste kiss on his cheek, savoring the blush on his face at her actions.
"Have a good day and don't forget about me!" she winked playfully at him.
Byakuya nodded at her and left promptly, smiling softly at the thought of coming home to her again.
"You seem happier recently; your aura is…lighter, if that's the right word to use." Isane Kotetsu observed Rangiku as the buxom blonde was thumbing through a magazine.
"Oh really? That's nice to know." Rangiku replied absentmindedly between bites of some snacks from the World of the Living that Yoruichi had brought over. The Shinigami Women's Association was currently meeting at the 13th Division as it was Rukia's turn to host. The women were sprawled about the ground, lounging on various mats and pillows in a conference room. Rangiku was looking forward to free food, gossip, and sake to wash away her workday stressors. It had been two days since that amazing night with Byakuya and she felt absolutely great.
"Well, are you sleeping with someone, Matsumoto? And with who?" Sui-feng asked what everyone else was thinking quite bluntly.
A potato chip immediately lodged itself in Rangiku's windpipe at this and she was thumped on the back several times by one of her SWA counterparts. Rangiku failed to notice Rukia's doe-eyed expression or Yoruichi's lecherous grin before she responded.
"No! Can't I be in a good mood without having sex?" she demanded after recovering.
Nanao Ise pushed her glasses up her nose, looking up from her notes about the meeting. "You could be, we just believe otherwise. It's a simple yes or no question."
"It's a legitimate yes or no question. A lady doesn't glow like you are unless she's getting bounced off the ceiling, preferably several times a day." Yoruichi Shihoin piped up helpfully, amber eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Byakuya refused to comment on the status of whatever he had going on with Rangiku, so this was the perfect opportunity to find some interesting bits of information out. Anyone could easily tell that Rangiku was glowing with happiness, making the already beautiful woman look absolutely radiant. That idiot Byakuya-bo must be doing something right for once.
"Well, I'm not." Rangiku replied resolutely as she served herself some sake. "I've just had a good week, that's all. My captain isn't overworking me to the bone and I'm eating free food, who wouldn't be in a great mood about that?" She was also spending her free time in the arms of one of, if not the hottest man in the Seireitei and kissing him here and there, but that was a fact that could be kept to herself for now.
"I don't see why it's such a problem to admit to. We all have needs and someone besides Kuchiki here deserves to get some." Sui-feng gave Rangiku an appraising look. Rukia had the decency to look sheepish and hoped her expression didn't betray anything that she already knew. She had been to Kuchiki Manor more frequently now than she had in the past several months, and Nii-sama was there half as much as he used to. Seeing as how Renji told her that Byakuya was only at the 6th Division during work hours, that only meant one thing. Rangiku.
"Can't admit to something that isn't happening." Rangiku hummed tonelessly as she sipped her sake. She had to make the conscientious effort to not allow herself to appear too flustered.
Yoruichi approached her and looked her dead in her eyes. "You are a godawful liar, Rangiku. Who is he?"
"Who's who?"
"Your boyfriend, or whoever you are sleeping with." Nanao answered flatly. Rangiku looked nonplussed and busied herself with fussing with her hair, so Nanao continued. "We're waiting, Rangiku…"
"It could be a girl…" Rangiku replied pointedly.
"If it was, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You definitely would have mentioned that already." Momo commented, and Rangiku felt the urge to throw something at her. The buxom blonde turned her nose up haughtily and remained silent, ignoring the stares of the other women in the room. What she was up to was no one's business, yet the fact that they had caught on so quickly was proof that she was starting to slip up. In the past, she was more cautious when it came to her whereabouts, but it was starting to become gossip that Rangiku sometimes ran off without leaving a trace, leaving her apartment empty and her friends wondering what she was up to.
She glanced at Rukia, who quickly looked away, started to whistle and fiddle with a stray string on her captain's haori. Did Byakuya tell his sister about them? Was there anything to even speak about?
Her gaze drifted to Yoruichi, who was smiling knowingly. If there was someone who Byakuya would definitely not spill the beans to, it was Yoruichi. Chances are that she forced something out of him already and that she was now just going out of her way to be nosy. Rangiku couldn't even feel annoyed at the purple haired woman because she'd do the exact same thing.
"Well…" Rangiku began and flinched slightly when everyone started to crowd her closely. "I'm single. Pinky promise. You all would be the first ones to know, I swear!" It wasn't a lie at all, she was single and had been single for ages now. She just had the propensity to not act like it.
She held out a pinky and smiled gayly, much to the chagrin of the other women who groaned aloud. Eventually, everyone drifted off to resume whatever they were doing—mostly drinking and gossiping—and Rangiku was left alone to her own thoughts. She picked up her discarded magazine and stretched out on her stomach, flipping through the pages and not seeing a single outfit that she was looking at.
Rangiku brushed her fingers across her mouth, recalling the kisses that she and Byakuya had shared and shivered at the sensations that flowed through her body. That man embodied perfection and it was still unbelievable that only she could bring out such passionate actions from him. It was only she who could melt the iceberg that surrounded his outer persona and give him the chance to express who he truly was as a man.
Byakuya drew emotions out of her that she never thought she would be blessed enough to experience again, and it was both exhilarating and frightening all at once. She woke up in his arms and he held her close to him, telling her over and over again that she was beautiful even when she thought otherwise. The way that he looked at her never failed to give her chills, even if she was sitting around doing nothing at all.
It was as if she was the only other person in his world and no one else mattered except her.
Intimacy was something that she rarely ever had the chance to indulge in, especially in the past twenty years or so. Fling after fling and hookup after hookup did nothing for her but make her feel empty and miss Gin even more.
She had no regrets about making that promise to Byakuya to spend nights in bed with him; the elated look on his face and the glint of joy in his usually dead looking eyes made her heart flutter with happiness.
Goosebumps prickled across her flesh as her mind once again drifted to the taste of Byakuya's lips and the comforting warmth of being in his strong arms. Gods, there must be something wrong with that man to make her feel so…weird. She thought that the proverbial sparks that someone felt when they touched someone special was just a myth, but Byakuya proved it otherwise to great effect. Electrifying was an elementary way of describing Byakuya's touch and Rangiku craved for it even more against her better judgment.
Ignoring the heat that she felt bloom on her cheeks, she seized her bottle of sake and hope that she can blame it on the alcohol instead.
It should be a crime for a man to be this perfect.
To top it all off, Byakuya wanted to spend a second straight night with her and she declined even though she really wanted to. He was like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden; the smallest bite would rope you right in and the temptation would keep swiping at you if you kept trying to resist it. She was confident that indulging in him wouldn't cause her to get cast out into the wilderness, dooming the fruits of her womb to a lifetime of sin and suffering, but the guilt of it all still felt the same.
Rangiku had his admiration, affections, and she felt happy with him, but this guilt—it was gnawing at her and she could not fathom why she felt this way. She had never led Byakuya astray or lied to him and they barely even argued—so why did she feel as if she was doing Byakuya wrong?
As Rangiku sat alone, struggling with her thoughts, a pair of violet eyes observed her from across the room.
Hey everyone, it's been a while, hasn't it? This chapter was originally supposed to be posted the Saturday after thanksgiving, but my initial chapter of this story was deleted from my computer and I didn't have a backup, so a lot of this was mostly written from memory. Also, I was super pissed that it was gone and didn't touch my laptop for several days.
Even after I rewrote this chapter, which only took me several days, I was so stuck on the fact that this wasn't as good as the original and literally spent two weeks just glaring at it, refusing to post it because I thought it was crappy.
All of that coupled with my final exams pushed this update back nearly a month. Not my proudest work and certainly not my best chapter, but I simply had to produce something. I should have chapter 8 posted sometime in early to mid-January. Either way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Thanks for reading and please review!