AN: To say I was surprised to find a ton of reviews would be an understatement. Thank you all so much! I'm glad when new people come by and old people return! Cheers! I was a little struck when questioned about not having Hisana as a shinigami. It honestly never crossed my mind and there's no indication of such things in canon. I think it makes it interesting that she was a 'normal' person, but that just my opinion. Anyway, let's get on with it. Thanks again and go chapter seventeen (man, seventeen already?), theme fifteen!

15. Perfect Blue

Byakuya and Hisana were sitting together in a deserted part of the Kuchiki gardens, far away from the house. The area around them was filled with a ridiculous variety of plants, which both pleased and irritated Hisana. But she wasn't looking at the inordinate amount of land Byakuya owned; she was lying on the grass, staring at the drifting clouds in the sky.

"I wish you to be my wife," he told her. It was delivered in a seemingly casual manner, but Hisana knew better by now. She would have hated him and definitely not been lying there if she didn't know what he was like after all this time. He was sitting on the grass beside her, surveying his land with disinterest.

Understanding he was perfectly serious, Hisana began to laugh hysterically.

He stared at her, unsure whether to be affronted or not. He sat silently, waiting for her to say something.

"Huh… oh… my stomach hurts…" Hisana moaned, gripping her tensed stomach. Laughing was always fun until someone got hurt. When she recovered herself, she realised Byakuya was looking at her, his eyes slightly widened with what looked like disbelief.

'Or surprise. Maybe a bit of both,' she surveyed, grinning.

"Byakuya, listen," she said, lying back on the grass, but looking at Byakuya, "if you think I'm marrying someone who proposes like that, then you've got me wrong all this time. You also missed a lot of important verbal checkpoints in our relationship to date that are required to meet a marriage proposal. A rookie mistake." She couldn't help but play with him, but also a part of her knew he genuinely had missed saying some important things to her in their relationship. It was a fact she hadn't forgotten in the least.

'Like actually mentioning he loves me in words. I know he does – every touch, every kiss tells me how he feels – but the times I lie there, wondering… I just want to be sure. Doesn't every girl want to be sure the man they want to marry loves them?'

During the silence when Hisana had stopped speaking, Byakuya had remained still, considering her words. He was aware what she said wasn't meant to be taken completely as truth, yet he didn't discard her words either. Hisana was a lot more truthful than he was.

"Hisana, I know we haven't had the most conventional relationship, but it was something that could not be avoided, given our statuses. But know this: don't doubt what I feel for you is true."

Hisana sighed, languidly waving a dismissive hand.

"There you go again. Tell me, Byakuya, what is it you feel for me that's true? I know it, I feel it, but… I need to hear it. Just once. Then I'll never bother you about it again if you hate talking about these things so much," she said, hating the pleading edge that started to form in her voice. She couldn't help it; it had seemed like she had known Byakuya forever and to not hear such simple words had begun to pain her over time. It was easy to doubt when the man she loved came from such a different world from her.

'Different worlds have different ideas, customs. For all I know, nobles have their own way of functioning that defies common logic – hell they marry random noble people just to keep the blood noble, why not have other crazy notions? Love might not be a factor in the relationship we shared; he might have thought it was something else. To hear those words so I can be sure… it's all I need to take the step he wants.' Hisana hated how her thought ran away with her into a deluge of paranoia.

Byakuya appeared to debate her words before approaching her. Hisana didn't move, waiting to see what he would do.

Slowly, he placed a hand either side of her body and leant closer to her. Hisana's breath caught in her throat for moment. Her eyes widened and she found her breath quickening. With the hint of a smirk, he leaned down and brushed his lips tantalisingly with hers, before pulling back slightly.

"Hisana, you should know by now that I love you. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to marry you," he said huskily, sending a shiver down her spine. It was all she wanted.

"Idiot…" she murmured, "I want to marry you, too. And I love you, Byakuya. Too much, some would say."

"Never…" he whispered, his breath tickling her neck. Her arms wound around him, drawing herself close to his warm body.

The wind drifted over them as they lay lost in one another, ignoring the beautiful scenery around them. The extravagant fauna the Kuchiki house had to offer, the vivid green grass, the fluffy white clouds and the sun… it was gone from their minds.

The last thing Hisana held in her mind before Byakuya filled her thoughts was one image of perfect blue sky.