As always, Bleach belongs to Kubo.

Two and a half months later…

"You've been a beacon of sunshine recently, Kuchiki-taicho."

Byakuya blinked and turned to face the voice. "Sotaicho?"

Shunsui Kyoraku smiled congenially at the Kuchiki heir and gave the younger man a pat on the back. "I've just noticed your radiant disposition and had to comment on it. Your positivity is absolutely contagious." It wasn't too noticeable, but Kyoraku simply had to inquire. Byakuya's countenance was as prim and proper as his pedigree required of him, but he had a tranquil glow to him.

Byakuya had exited the meeting after messaging Renji further instructions for the day, leaving the Division's menial tasks to him as he went about his business. He was planning on making a trip to the Manor to get some work done and assuage the concerns of his family for shirking his duties in the recent days as well. He was moments away from disappearing in a flash before he was approached by Kyoraku, whose expression clearly showed that Byakuya couldn't evade this conversation.

If Byakuya hadn't known the man since he was an infant, he would have never entertained this conversation at all. But he had been in a good mood lately though. Waking up in the arms of a gorgeous woman who he was taken with was quite the stress relief, and she seemed more and more receptive to his small acts of intimacy each and every day. He could now kiss Rangiku without startling her and she's even started to reciprocate and initiate on rare occasions as well; that was a major victory in his book. There was much that was worth celebrating about.

He had even delved into the forbidden realm of flirting with her; Byakuya learned quite early that although Rangiku greatly appreciated compliments from him, she genuinely enjoyed flirtatious banter as well. She found his initial prudish fumbling of honeyed words endearing and even encouraged him to continue. On one rare occasion, he even managed to get a blush out of her.

Overall, he had to admit that he was quite delighted with life now.

"Tell me your secret, how did you do it? Did you find a new hobby, or maybe you've found comfort in the arms of a cute girl?" Kyoraku teased him. 'Cute girl' wasn't the proper phrase to describe Rangiku Matsumoto. 'Gorgeous Lady' or 'Ethereal Goddess' were more accurate descriptions.

Byakuya's expression didn't betray anything; he simply shut his eyes and waited a moment before responding. "I've simply made a few lifestyle changes, nothing worth a lengthy explanation about." He responded dryly before pining his mentor with a reproachful look to hopefully end the conversation right where it was. Whatever he and Rangiku did in the privacy of their own home was exactly that. Private.

There were no laws discouraging the fraternization of captains and their subordinates, so Byakuya was not obligated under any oath to disclose anything. Yet, it was quite frowned upon for captains to seek out their subordinates. Some would see it as his way of taking advantage of a 'weaker' individual who could not deny him. Others would assume that Rangiku was trying to sleep her way to a captainship. He knew the dynamic of his current association with Rangiku would undoubtedly change once the public became aware and he had no idea how she would handle it. Maintaining anonymity for now was the best course of action.

"Courtesans?" Kenpachi Zaraki happened to be walking by and overheard the conversation, deciding to add his two cents. "Didn't know someone of your own ilk indulged." He grinned at the shorter man, who glared back at him with visible distaste.

"Now, Zaraki-taicho." Kyoraku's tone was chiding as he interjected himself into the terse conversation. "Not everyone wishes to satisfy their carnal interests in such a way." Kenpachi ignored Kyoraku and squinted suspiciously at Byakuya.

"Not even once…? Your wife died like what—sixty years ago now? You haven't gotten any since then?"

"That is none of your concern."

"No wonder you're so miserable…" Kenpachi chuckled to himself as he left in the wrong direction. Kyoraku smiled at Byakuya despite the previous conversation and the nobleman couldn't help but sigh. Byakuya hadn't enjoyed the sensual touch of a woman for too long now. Rangiku was finally warming up to the idea of intimacy with him and he refused to mess that up over something so trivial.

"She's a beauty, you sure know how to pick them, Byakuya-kun." Kyoraku commented quietly once he was sure that no one was within earshot. "Rangiku-chan is one hell of a woman. You're a lucky guy."

Byakuya's eyes widened in considerable shock and it felt as if time had just stopped. "How?" he thought to himself as he felt his blood run cold.

Kyoraku yawned into the back of his hand and craned his neck to work out a crick. Opening his eye again, he saw the image of a terribly perturbed Byakuya and he held up a placating hand.

"Hey, it's just an observation. I'm obviously not going to run around screaming from the mountain tops that you're with her, come on now." He gave the younger man a lazy smile and tipped his hat back.

"I do not know what you are talking about. Matsumoto-fukutaicho and I are not involved. Our Divisions have worked together many times in the past and that is the furthest of any interaction that we have ever had." Byakuya replied evenly as he turned his back to the Captain-Commander in an attempt to regain control of the situation. If Kyoraku knew, that simply meant that others knew as well. One of Kyoraku's lieutenants—Ise—was close friends with Rangiku, so could Rangiku have mentioned something to her? That was quite unlikely, Rangiku had complained about her friend's insatiable curiosity and the measures she had to take to avoid confrontation.

Perhaps Rukia had mentioned something—no, not possible. He asked for Rukia's discretion and she would never go against his wishes. Since Renji was unaware, that simply meant that Rukia hadn't said anything at all. Yoruichi was a consistent thorn in his side, yes, but even she had a conscience and knew that he valued his privacy over everything. Her silence was also a near guarantee. Byakuya felt the throb of a headache come on and he almost groaned, thinking about childish gossip was very stressful.

Byakuya was visibly sweating as Kyoraku eyed him and that was all the confirmation that he needed. Kyoraku glanced around quickly to make sure that no one was around before he spoke again. "I guessed correctly then."

"A guess?" Byakuya could not help but question. Kyoraku knew him too long and too well, he knew that playing the fool would accomplish nothing.

"Well, it's no coincidence that you and Rangiku-chan seem to radiate a bunch of happy energy about the place—I simply put two and two together and made four." The Captain-Commander even illustrated the math with his fingers and Byakuya pinched the skin between his eyes for a moment before sighing deeply. "Plus, I'm your boss—of course I know what my little subordinates do with their free time."

"I see."

"You don't seem to be in a good mood right now. What's the matter? Are the both of you having a lovers' quarrel? Rangiku-chan can be a stubborn lady, I'm well aware."

"We are not lovers."Byakuya tried to keep a blank face, but Kyoraku could clearly see that the younger man wished for something more.

Kyoraku squinted in confusion. "Eh? How?"

"We're friends."

"That's…odd."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a man, Byakuya, act like it. You obviously want to be with Rangiku-chan and she's beating around the bush, so you need to step up to the plate and do what needs to be done to get your woman." The older man's expression looked almost disappointed in him.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed at Kyoraku's reprimand. "You make it sound so simple. I dislike the idea of pressuring her into something that she isn't ready for."

There was nothing wrong with being best friends, Byakuya cared for Rangiku enough that titles mattered little. It was simply the fact that he was still unconvinced that she only harbored platonic feelings for him.

Initially, he had chalked it up to him simply being impatient about the progress he was making with her and he resolved to cherish her as a friend first and watch things develop from there. The experience was wonderful and he was relieved that he had the opportunity to get to know her before getting ahead of himself. He thought Rangiku was an amazing woman before and his opinion of her only improved exponentially after an incredible year in her company. She was his best friend and the guiding force that had led to his desire to change his life.

Now that he had slept in the same bed as this woman, shared meals with her, kissed her so sweetly, held her so tenderly in his arms and spent as much of his time outside of work with her as he possibly could, he knew that there was no feasible way that she did not harbor similar feelings for him. No woman would allow a man to take such liberties with her if their feelings weren't mutual. Or if at least there was some growing interest; he didn't expect Rangiku to change her mind suddenly without her spending time debating it with herself, she was such an indecisive woman.

There was no rush either, as far as he was concerned, he would wait until he was sure that she was ready for the next step. That is, if the next step was in the works for them. He tried not to dwell on the possibility of nothing beyond friendship being in play for them.

He noticed that Kyoraku was giving him a triumphant smirk and he scowled in return. "There's nothing humorous about this."

"Oh no, I'm not laughing at you. If anything, I'm just tickled at Rangiku-chan's actions." Kyoraku responded placatingly. "This sounds just like something that she would put a man through to protect herself."

Byakuya still looked confused for a moment before his eyes suddenly narrowed in realization. "Ichimaru."

"Exactly!" Kyoraku clapped his hands. "Heartbreak changes a woman, Byakuya-kun. She isn't keeping you at arm's length because she wants to. She has to for her own peace of mind." The older man shrugged slightly. "Or as a coping mechanism, whichever one.

The loss of his wife still stung at him after all of these years and even with Rangiku's presence in his life, he still felt it. No matter how he would try to ignore the hurt, it was still there after sixty years. He thought back to several instances with Rangiku where she would even admit that several things that he did for her reminded her of Ichimaru and he felt like a fool. The answers were staring him dead in his face and he chalked up her behavior to her playing hard to get.

"What shall I do?" he asked simply.

Kyoraku playfully jabbed him on the shoulder. "Be there for her. Cherish her. Treat her like the queen that you know she is. Be to her what Ichimaru couldn't. These things take time and if I know Rangiku-chan, she's probably beating herself up about hanging you out to dry like this too. She's a smart girl and she knows better, let her figure things out for herself."

The younger man looked quite contemplative for a split second before his expression smoothed out to its characteristic impassiveness. According to Kyoraku, he simply had to continue doing what he was doing and that was of no issue. She would always be worth it. "I see. Good day, Kyoraku-sotaicho." He bid the older man goodbye and made to disappear, but the older man called out to him again.

"There's one more thing…"

"Such as what?" Byakuya questioned impatiently. He was already uncomfortable enough with his love life being read out to him like an open book and he was uninterested in being lectured anymore.

"You have to assert your dominance without forcing it too much. Give her an inch and make her want to take a mile, if you catch my drift. Spice things up a little!" Kyoraku winked with his one eye.

"That is not how a man should court a woman." Byakuya replied with a frown.

Kyoraku sighed impatiently. "Look, whatever you're trying to do now is not what a modern lady is looking for. Courting women is archaic— but I'm not telling you to force yourself on her either. Just give her a taste of the forbidden fruit, understand? Let her know what she's missing."

Byakuya nearly sneered at the thought. Everyone knew how Rangiku was almost constantly harassed by men with no tact at all and for him to stoop himself to the same level was unfeasible. She deserved to be treated like a lady and he would continue to do so.

"We almost never see you around here anymore, you wouldn't happen to be…seeing anyone, are you?" Shuhei Hisagi questioned Rangiku casually, although she easily picked up on the waver in his voice. The other members of their drinking group—Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Izuru—leaned forward ever so slightly in anticipation. Rangiku's attendance to their drinking nights had significantly decreased in the past month or so without any explanation and they were curious to see what the sole female of their group was up to. She held up a slim finger, silently commanding them to wait as she finished off her sake.

"Ah!" she panted enthusiastically as she slammed the cup on the table. "Nope, I'm not. I've just been swamped at work—taicho won't let me off the hook for anything nowadays, it sucks. My fault for always skimping on my assignments, I guess." She responded with an exaggerated sigh of sadness. The others nodded, accepting her answer because Hitsugaya-taicho was known for never easing up when it came to work. Rangiku was relieved that she was able to come up with something on the spot so quickly.

Lying to the guys was easy, yet the girls knew that she was with a guy. With who though, was still for the most part unknown. Rukia would give her lingering yet knowing looks at meetings but kept her comments to herself, yet Yoruichi seemed to be constantly smirking at her and even Sui-feng and Nanao seemed to be noticing that something was off. Everyone else was content to mind their own business for now, still under the impression that she was engaged in one of her countless flings that never lasted long. None of the women had approached about their suspicions yet and she hoped that they wouldn't.

Truth be told, nearly every free moment she had was spent with Byakuya. Her weekends used to be spent drinking with the guys, hanging out with the girls or just locked up in her apartment when she was feeling depressed. The past few months with Byakuya in their house were incredible; she would cook for him and he would attempt to help, messing up and frustrating himself over it. When the weather permitted it, they would walk around the garden and just talk about anything that happened to come up.

They would also get comfortable together on the couch, especially since Byakuya spent an outrageous amount of money on one of the first television sets that were produced in the Soul Society, even purchasing a smaller one for her apartment as well. A passing comment from her about wanting to watch one had him immediately setting off towards the 12th Division, demanding their best and largest model for himself.

And at night, he would curl up next to her in bed and gently brush his lips against her forehead, wishing her sweet dreams and peaceful sleep.

In the morning, she would try to wake up before him and attack his cheeks with overly moist pecks that he would pretend to escape from every time.

It was routine, she'd plow her way through the week, looking forward to that first Friday night when she would fall into his arms with a sigh of bliss.

"Sorry I'm late…" Renji Abarai approached their table, looking haggard and worse for wear.

"You look like shit." Ikkaku Madarame observed his friend and laughed at the middle finger the red-haired man pointed at him.

"My captain is running me into the ground." Renji settled into the free seat next to Rangiku and nodded gratefully at the sake that was placed in front of him. "You'd think after marrying Rukia that he'd be nicer to me, you know? I'm his brother-in-law! We're practically family!"

Rangiku smiled at the mention of Byakuya being in one of his moods. He was so adorable when he scowled at everything and everyone, regardless if he cared for them or not. There was nothing that entertained her more than when Byakuya would give her the look and it be completely ineffective. He'd pout about it and she'd always tease him for it.

"The man needs a girlfriend, or at least someone to loosen him up a bit. Can't blame him for being miserable all of the time in spite of that." Izuru Kira commented, and no one noticed how Rangiku froze suddenly in her seat.

Byakuya did have the tendency to be a stick in the mud, but even he knew how to let loose a little. Sometimes he would even indulge Rangiku and play a drinking game with her, always managing to beat her. She reminisced fondly about the time where she begged him to play tag with her in their garden, catching her within his arms each time in a matter of seconds.

"But that's the thing, he's actually been in a better mood for a while now. I bet he just likes messing with me." Renji argued before looking around hastily. He held a hand up to his mouth as if he was whispering. "He even smiles sometimes! Like, I'll catch him staring off into space or out a window all dreamy and stuff, and he just smiles! It's really quick though, like a split second."

"Kuchiki-taicho? Smiling?" Yumichika Ayasegawa clutched a hand to his chest. "I'd pay to see something so beautiful." Rangiku nodded to herself in acknowledgement, Byakuya really had a gorgeous smile. She reminisced to that morning several months ago and sighed to herself longingly; she hadn't seen a smile on him that intense since that day. To have the knowledge that she put that smile on his face, the knowledge that she made him feel such joy made her immeasurably happy. Suddenly remembering where she was, Rangiku was grateful that the focus was still on Renji and no one had caught her daydreaming about Byakuya again.

"It's crazy." Renji agreed. "Rukia doesn't know any more than I do, but she did mention how he's barely around the Manor more than he needs to. He used to be there every single day, but now he's gone nearly every weekend and even a couple weekdays as well. So, he might just be seeing a hot chick on the side and we just don't know!" he grinned into his cup.

Rangiku clutched her fist tightly to prevent her hand from shaking and she laughed. "She's got to be a brave girl to be with him, I bet. He's no summertime fling."

"That's true. I think that any woman who crawls into bed with Kuchiki-taicho deserves a medal. The man's face is scary. The thought of him smiling makes my head hurt." Hisagi agreed.

"He's not that bad." Renji argued. "My daughter gets along with him fine." His eyebrows furrowed suddenly in realization. "He's nicer to my daughter than he is to me…"

"Of course. Ichika is his baby niece, silly. And she's cuter than you are." Rangiku patted him on the back as his forehead hit the table. She had to make the conscientious effort to not argue with Shuhei and what he said about Byakuya. The urge to keep her private life quiet superseded the urge to defend the man who was so special to her, as much as she hated to do it.

"I hope he does find someone to be happy with one day, like getting married again and starting a family." Renji was suddenly serious despite the blush of inebriation on his face. The gang of drinking buddies quieted suddenly and listened to him. "He's been through so much, I don't know how he gets up in the morning."

"You'd think he'd get married again?" Izuru questioned.

Renji shrugged. "He has to at some point and he knows it. Fate of the Kuchiki clan and all that." He sipped at his sake. "Rukia is still his heir and that makes Ichika second-in-line after her—I don't want my kid anywhere near that. I'd cry if she came home with those pointy white things in her hair."

"Well, judging by the fact that he's missing most times and is smiling a lot more, he may have already found his future wife. She just might be his well-kept secret." Yumichika smiled and arched an elegant eyebrow. Rangiku nearly had sake fly out of her nose at his words. Wife?!

"Who knows? You're probably wrong, though. He'd sooner marry the chick and bring her around before hiding her like that. Yet, I can't imagine him hooking up with anyone." Renji shook his long braid of red hair vigorously. "Ugh, gross…"

Rangiku looked quite nonchalant as she listened to her drinking buddies talk, but she was troubled on the inside. She was well aware that Byakuya needed to marry and have a child out of duty, but it seemed as if he had no sense of urgency to do so. He had yet to mention anything to her at all. She hadn't asked, knowing that he had the inclination to close himself up if she tried to get too personal without any warning. Aside from that, she knew nothing about what it was like to be nobility; to have your entire life set for you and have little control over it. In her mind, she was an escape for him to simply get away and live a little.

What was Byakuya really trying to do with her? Rangiku had her share of hookups and flings in the past, way before her and Byakuya became friends, yet the thought of being a notch on Byakuya's belt, just someone just to entertain him until he found himself a wife made her stomach hurt.

"What do you think, Ran?" Hisagi called out to her.

"Huh?"

"What do you think Kuchiki-taicho's up to?"

"Mm." She feigned ignorance as if they didn't wake up together bed on a regular basis, wrapped up in those long and muscled arms of his. "I honestly don't know—has he talked about remarrying at some point?" she asked Renji in an attempt to divert the conversation, but she was genuinely curious.

Renji's eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration for a moment before he spoke again. "Not as far as I know of and he wouldn't tell me anyways, you'd have to ask Rukia. The Elders haven't harassed him about it in years though…"

"That means they've probably given up." Kira supplied, as a minor nobleman he knew how those things worked. "It happens more often than not, although never in such a major clan."

"Looks like your kid may end up being the future Kuchiki-sama after all." Ikkaku snickered at Renji's paled expression.

"Like hell she will." Renji grumbled as he crossed his arms indignantly. "To be honest, my captain needs a girl in his life. It's been over sixty years since Rukia's sister died and I don't think he's been with anyone as far as I know of. It's absolutely crazy how he's lasted so long being alone." The redhead continued, unnoticing of Rangiku's extended silence.

Yumichika nodded to himself and smiled. "Kuchiki-taicho has taste, naturally. Just look at him—you can tell that he's not in the business of settling for just any woman. Whoever this mystery lady might be, if she exists, has to be the one for him, I'm telling you."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Rangiku listened quietly as Renji and the rest of the guys rambled off conspiracies about Byakuya's love life. It was crazy to know that Byakuya's been alone for so long, it was no wonder why he was so affectionate with her. Just as if he was catching up on lost time. It was crazier to even fathom how Rukia's sister didn't reciprocate his love, that must have broken his heart so badly. Her and Gin were never officially together and there were countless nights that she would cry over him distancing himself from her; Byakuya must have felt a thousand times worse as a husband.

"I think I'm gonna turn in early, guys." Rangiku stretched and exaggerated a yawn. "I can feel a huge stack of paperwork just sitting on my desk in the morning."

"You're leaving?" Hisagi questioned with disappointment. "I can take you back home, if you want."

Rangiku faltered at the implication of Shuhei escorting her back to the house that she shared with Byakuya, and suddenly realized that he was referring to her apartment. No one knew that she and Byakuya own a house together. Hell, no one even knew that she and Byakuya had anything to do with each other. The privacy was nice, yes, but she was growing weary of the questioning looks and inquiries about her love life or lack thereof, allegedly.

"Nah, I'm good—thanks Shuhei." She smiled a dazzling smile at him that had the man grinning in his seat.

Not long after that, she was flash stepping her way home by the rooftops, not wanting anyone to see the troubled expression that was marring her delicate features.

"We need to talk."

Byakuya looked up from the book that he had in his hands and raised a questioning eyebrow. Every man knew that whenever a woman spoke those four words, something terrible was about to happen. Rangiku had decided to spend some time in her own apartment for a while and he decided to drop by at least once before spending the rest of the week at the Manor. As much as he would prefer it, they could not spend too much time in their house together. They would start to be missed.

"There's been some gossip around here about you." She began glibly as she topped off his glass of sake, sitting next to him on the sofa once her task was finished.

"When has there not been any?" he replied with an exasperated sigh as he sipped at the drink. He was young, wealthy, and attractive—being the hot topic of discussion was nothing new. This was something that he ignored under most circumstances. He usually indulged in her when she wanted to chatter about the newest drama that was going throughout the Seireitei, but her reserved countenance clearly showed that this bothered her a bit.

Rangiku nibbled at her lip in the way that made his blood run hot and stared at her hands for a long moment before she spoke again. "Well, I was with the girls a while back and I went out drinking with the guys not too long ago—you know, Renji, Shuhei and the rest—and you were a topic both times."

Byakuya felt himself frown at that. Renji for sure would be getting extra paperwork in the morning. He also needed to seal off the additional hidden entrances that the SWA created, even if they didn't meet in the Manor this time around. Byakuya wasn't sure why he thought that Rangiku's influence would mitigate their trespassing, if anything, it made it much worse. They were consistently in and out of his home and he couldn't even tell when they came in.

"And what, pray tell, were my lieutenant and the rest of your companions discussing about me?"

"Well, the guysthinks that you're sneaking around with a girl and hiding her from the world, and the girls think that I'm—uh—doing the same thing, but with a guy." She blurted out sloppily as she let her hair fan her face, covering her expression. Rangiku decided to omit the segment of the night when the guys claimed that he found his future wife, mostly for her sake rather than his.

"I see." Byakuya replied after a moment before returning to his book. He noticed how his grip on the cover of the book tightened slightly. Imagine being jealous of himself, how humorous.

Rangiku snatched the book from his hands and flung it into the loveseat adjacent from them. "Damn it, Byakuya—don't you get it? They're onto us. It's only a matter of time before people start putting two-and-two together, even if it's completely unobvious now."

A set of dark, elegant eyebrows relaxed in resignation as he folded his hands in his lap. "I've also had an encounter myself with someone who knows too much. This person found us out and I was unable to convince them otherwise."

"Who?" Rangiku got right to the point.

"Kyoraku-sotaicho, and he claimed that he only made a guess." He decided to not mention how Kyoraku encouraged him to make a move on her, he was still debating whether or not it was a stroke of genius or an absolutely foolish idea.

Rangiku paled visibly and held a hand to her chest. "Kyoraku knows about us? Nanao doesn't know and I didn't tell her anything, so I have no idea how—"

Byakuya placed a placating hand on Rangiku's shoulder and interrupted her softly. "This will blow over as any other unsubstantiated rumor. I'd ask that you remain calm and allow things to settle down."

"Unsubstantiated?" Rangiku repeated incredulously. There was nothing 'unsubstantiated' about them, these rumors were true, weren't they? They kissed and slept in the same bed multiple times a week! She felt a pang in her belly at these thoughts, knowing that they were pushing the envelope a bit too much since that night in the house. She knew indulging in that first kiss with him would turn out to be a bad idea and now her fears were starting to become a reality. Yet, the thought of living without his touch and kisses made her feel lost.

"As individuals in power, being the topic of gossip is far from abnormal. I would advise you to ignore it." The nobleman counseled as he sipped from his cup of sake delicately. "I will handle Kyoraku in due course if he steps out of line."

Rangiku's jaw clenched. "Maybe I don't want to ignore it, Byakuya." She stood to her feet and hovered over the man with her hands on her hips, waiting for him to respond. When he eyed her suspiciously and kept quiet, she decided to take a deep breath and continue. "Has it occurred to you that maybe I'm tired of us hiding behind closed doors?"

Byakuya felt himself rise to his feet and he stared at her with shock. He reached for her reflexively and held her by her shoulders. What did this mean? Does this mean that Rangiku is finally—?

"We're friends." Rangiku stated with a tone of finality in her voice. Byakuya almost felt the crack in his chest at this and steeled his expression into one of indifference. His hands fell to his sides and he clenched his fists tightly, unnoticed by Rangiku. "I don't see why we as friends have to sneak around like this. It would make more sense for us to be seen in public as friends so that these stupid rumors would stop, wouldn't it? We just have to go about this the right way to avoid people freaking out, of course."

Rangiku's logic would make sense if the feeling of being friends was mutual. Byakuya sighed deeply and nodded in submission. He felt this coming. Rangiku Matsumoto was a woman of many qualities and her abhorrence for confrontation was at the top of the list. The woman would prefer to tip toe around the obvious rather than confront it head on. It was quite frustrating, yet Byakuya had no choice but to agree with her, lest he fall into another argument with her about the subject.

"So, I think that we should go out for lunch sometime in the near future. Just a nice spot out in the Seireitei—nothing too expensive since I know how you love to blow cash on me." His blue-eyed angel suggested as she clasped her hands together.

Byakuya smiled warmly at this. Spending time alone with her over a hot meal was a lovely idea, especially for their public debut. Perhaps they could go for a stroll afterwards as well. He needed to think a few date ideas over and suggest them to her at some point. Byakuya suddenly realized that he had never been on a date before. He needed to do a bit of research to ensure that everything went perfectly.

A wave of apprehension washed over him once he realized that the public would finally learn of his involvement, romantic or not, with Rangiku. What would people think? He didn't consider himself to have many friends, just associates and their opinions can and would be disregarded. Yet her friends might judge her into having second thoughts about being with him. Although the circumstances of Rukia's arrest and near execution was a misunderstanding, his involvement left a bad taste in many mouths even after all of those years. He would not be surprised if her friends would convince her that he was trying to manipulate her.

Should he worry?

"I'll invite captain along so that it looks less suspicious, and maybe you can bring Renji?" Rangiku muttered as she thought about how to do things. "Oh! It could be like a joint division lunch, right? We can foster conrobbery—"

"Camaraderie." Byakuya her instantly as he brought his attention back to her, feeling very disappointed that she wanted to share their meal with her boy captain and his foolish brother-in-law.

"—and we can still hang outside of our house! Isn't this such a good idea?" Rangiku clapped happily at her amazing idea.

Byakuya plunked himself down on the couch as gracelessly as he could and glared at the wall opposite him. Rangiku rolled her eyes at his reaction and dropped down next to him, placing her feet in his lap and crossing her arms underneath her bosom.

"At least pretend that you're happy about this, you know I hate it when you sulk." Rangiku complained as she dug her feet into his lap, nudging him around. "C'mon…"

"Then change your mind." He shot back through clenched teeth. "It should only be you and I, anyone else will get in the way." Byakuya had to make a conscientious effort to ignore the long, velvety leg that poked out of the slit of her hakama.

"This is for the best and you know that. I thought that you of all people would get We're not ready to reach that step yet, Byakuya." The blonde beauty replied firmly. He knew by her tone that she would not budge. It was either her way or no way and there was nothing to be done about it. Nevertheless, he turned to her and glared at her with his signature Kuchiki stare, hoping to convince her to see the error of her ways.

"This displeases me."

Rangiku sighed in exasperation before she decided to bring out the big guns. "Pretty please, Byakuya-kun~? For me~?" She sang as she crawled into his lap, straddling him with her knees pressed into his sides.

Byakuya felt his heart stop at honorific of endearment that she added to his name and his resolve started to waver. Her lips, slick with gloss were pouted slightly and she batted her eyelashes at him, the temptress. The situation wasn't helped at all once she settled herself in and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tenderly before sitting back on his thighs. She then placed a single finger under his chin and tilted his head to look her directly in the eye.

"You're doing this for me and I'm doing this for you. That's all that matters." She planted a wet smooch on his cheek and hugged him tightly again as she nuzzled her nose against his ear. Byakuya couldn't help but groan under his breath and he returned the embrace almost unconsciously. The battle was lost. This blasted woman could ask him to shunpo through rings of fire blindfolded with his Zanpakuto in his mouth and he wouldn't ask questions until the deed was done. Her weight and warmth felt pleasant against him and he was not in the mood to let her go.

He made the fatal mistake of looking her in her eyes and sighed deeply. "Fine, I will do this to please you." Byakuya relented with a grumble at the fact that he was completely wrapped around Rangiku's finger and there was nothing that he could do about it.

Her baby blue eyes twinkled with gratitude and Byakuya felt his heart flutter at the sight, unsuccessfully fighting the tug of a smile at his lips. This woman's joy meant the world to him. He would do everything in his power to see to it that it never stopped.

"Ahh, you are absolutely perfect, Byakuya." Rangiku sighed as she leaned into him and nestled her head on his shoulder. "Always coming through for me no matter what."

"My life's goal is to please." Byakuya muttered under his breath and Rangiku laughed.

Byakuya's large hands drew circles on her back and she scooted herself closer to him, reveling in the sensations that this intimate position was giving. They embraced each other for what felt like hours before Rangiku sat up, gazing admiringly at him. She still wondered how she was blessed to have a man like him in her life. A man who would bend over backwards for her without even questioning why he did it, no matter what the cost was. His selflessness and unyielding generosity were only two of the many amazing qualities that Byakuya possessed.

Her eyes flickered about his face as he gave her an expressionless look. The left corner of his mouth was quirked downward slightly as he was undoubtedly attempting to decipher what she was thinking about. There was a little freckle at the corner of his right eye and she lifted her hand, grazing her thumb across it before resting her palm on his cheek. His eyelids fluttered as she touched him and he tilted his face further into her hand, humming softly with pleasure at her gentle touch.

Before Rangiku was even aware of what she was doing, her lips were pressed against his.

She let her left hand drift to the nape of his neck, scratching at his hair before she deepened the kiss further, flitting her tongue across his lips before he opened them to allow her in.

Byakuya was drowning in these unfamiliar sensations and he could barely breathe, much less think. This was not one of the usual kisses he had the honor of receiving from her, this was so much more…arousing. The warmth of her soft body pressing insistently into his and her perfumed scent were utterly overwhelming. His hold tightened around her form considerably as he debated with himself on what his next move should be, whether or not he should flip this woman on the couch and worship her, but Rangiku broke the kiss and backed away slowly.

Her lips were reddened and swollen slightly as she flicked a thumb across the corner of his lips, swiping away lingering saliva with a tender caress.

"Bya—" She attempted to speak his name, but he interrupted her with another insistent kiss, pulling her back into him firmly. Rangiku surrendered herself again to these sinful sensations. Their tongues danced with each other fluidly and Byakuya groaned with pleasure as he caressed her back, encouraging their ministrations with ardor.

Rangiku's brain had long since shut off and only worked to remind her to breathe. It wasn't until she felt his hands start to make their way to her backside that her conscious reminded her that this was a terrible idea and she flailed away, scooting towards the other side of the couch. Byakuya blinked at the sudden disengagement of their mouths and opened his mouth to speak, but Rangiku interrupted him.

"What the hell was that?" Rangiku exclaimed as she straightened herself out.

"You started it." Byakuya almost sounded petulant yet his glare softened at Rangiku's worried expression. "I shouldn't have done it."

"No, you're right…I did start it." Rangiku said after a moment of silence.

"Excuse me?" Byakuya was now completely confused. Rangiku just admitted that she did something wrong. In his opinion, there was absolutely nothing wrong with what they had just done and he was eager to continue. He watched as she retreated into herself, almost chastising her inappropriate actions before she took a deep breath and spoke again.

"I'll be back. Just wait a bit." Rangiku nodded curtly before standing and walking from the living room without another word, leaving a still very hot and bothered Byakuya sitting dumbly on the couch without a second thought.

At her best, Rangiku was a gracious woman with a strong personality and big heart. At her worst, unfortunately, Rangiku was a stubborn wench with a mean streak that would put most 11th Division brutes to shame and a terrible temper. Naturally, he and Rangiku shared their occasional disagreements and silent treatments which resolved themselves after they had allowed themselves time to calm down, but he was not in the mood to let her simmer down quite yet.

He stood up and took several sizeable gulps of sake to give him courage before he ventured into her bedroom.

"You forgot to knock." Byakuya heard her speak from the bathroom. The door was cracked slightly and he could hear her sink running water. Byakuya sat on the corner of the bed and waited a moment before speaking.

"Pardon my manners." He acquiesced as he looked around, having not had a good look around out of having manners for her privacy. Aside from her furniture, the room wasn't splashed with the color pink as he expected. There was no doubt in his mind that Hitsugaya had established rules about how his subordinates managed their lodgings. On her dresser, there were various picture frames arranged in rows. Several of her and Hitsugaya and even more of her, Rukia and the rest of her female friends, yet there was a picture frame that was lying face down away from the rest.

He glanced at the bathroom door and heard that her shower was now running, which obviously meant that she was bathing. Ignoring the slight heat that he felt wash over his body at the thought of her being nude mere feet away from him, he reached over for the picture frame and felt a lump in his throat at what he saw.

It was a photo of her and Ichimaru, linked together by their arms.

Judging by the length of her hair and the absence of her Lieutenant's badge, as well as Ichimaru's lieutenant's badge that was attached to his arm, this photo was taken roughly eighty-five years ago. He would have still been in the Academy at that time.

She was smiling, but it almost looked forced. The man next to her had his trademark smirk on his face and even he looked a bit uncomfortable as well. Deciding not to snoop any longer, he placed it in its original spot and decided to stare at his hands. There was no use in feeling insecure with what he found, he still possessed photos of Hisana himself. She was entitled to retain memories of a deceased love one as was he—but it didn't make him feel any better about it. He couldn't even remember the last time he visited Hisana's shrine and he felt a wave of nausea hit him.

What kind of man was he? To completely neglect the memory of his wife simply due to the fact that another woman was in his life?

He felt sick. His throat was starting to burn and his eyes were stinging, threatening to shed bitter and salty tears that he had kept locked away for the better part of the year. The alcohol wasn't any help either, if anything, it further weakened his self-control.

After an indiscernible amount of time spent staring at the floor, Byakuya then decided to leave without a word to Rangiku, he needed time to calm down. He stood up quickly and made for the door, but Rangiku exited the bathroom at the same moment. Wearing a bath robe and a towel around her head, she walked over to him before he could leave.

"Where are you running off to so quickly?" she questioned before she noticed his almost haunted look. "Byakuya?" Rangiku reached for him and he flinched.

"I was leaving." He informed her before reaching for the doorknob again, but Rangiku slammed it shut, grabbing him by his hand and escorting him to her bed again and setting him down. It was pointless to resist her, so he plunked himself down with defeat, unable to meet her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she queried as she tilted his face to look her in her eyes.

He took one look in those flawless crystal blue eyes of hers and was immediately undone. A single tear ran down his face and he felt her wipe it away with a trembling hand.

"The picture." Byakuya informed her cryptically. "It reminded me of…her."

Rangiku was both startled and concerned at the sudden tears in his eyes yet she immediately knew what he had saw. She always angled that picture of her and Gin a certain way facedown and it was not how she left it before. After staring at the picture for a long moment, she looked at Byakuya again. He had a guilty look on his face and he refused to look at her.

"Oh." She didn't know what to say. If Byakuya expected her to chastise him for snooping, she would not do it.

"My wife…I have been neglectful."

The pit in Rangiku's stomach grew to unfathomable depths. Byakuya rarely disclosed information about his wife and although she encouraged him to talk to her about his thoughts, they both avoided the topic of her. Rangiku constantly compared herself to Hisana and it was frustrating—the woman was dead and this poor, sweet man was alone mourning for years. Instead of dwelling on about that now, she needed to help Byakuya. Thinking about herself in this moment was beyond selfish and she could not allow him to continue beating himself up over something that he had no control over. Seeing that damned picture of her and Gin triggered him and this was the first time that she was at a loss of what to do.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she offered to listen. Rangiku needed to do something, anything.

"No, I should leave." Byakuya attempted to stand to his feet but she held him back.

"I don't want you by yourself tonight." Rangiku informed him as she stood and walked outside the bedroom, returning several moments later with some soap, a washrag, and a towel. "Go ahead and bathe and calm yourself down, and if you're still up to it, we can talk." She plopped the items that she gathered in his arms and waited for him to comply.

Byakuya looked at her blankly and didn't move, tears still welling in his eyes.

Her expression softened considerably and cupped his face in her hands gently before she spoke again.

"Byakuya. Please listen to me."

Hey everyone, it's been a while? After dealing with a few health setbacks and school, it really pushed this chapter back way farther than I intended it to, so I apologize for that. This chapter signifies the start of a new arc in this story, so please hold on tight and be patient!

Thanks for reading and please review!