Here you go! Chapter 2 of our lil collection! :)
This lil chapter is dedicated to my muse and beta, Musicgirl1796! I was going to end it after just one chappie but with her encouragement, I got it done! :) This whole chappie was her idea, so this is for you girlie! )
WARNINGS:: Might be slightly OOC and a gender bender (female Ichigo)
PAIRING: Byakuya x Fem Ichigo
DISCLAIMER:: BLEACH and the song (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU do not belong to me! They belong to Tite Kubo and Bryan Adams….but thanks for giving us wonderful stuff to work with!
SET 1 1/2 years after EVERYTIME WE TOUCH ::
Byakuya was sitting in his office, trying to do his daily paperwork, but had a hard time concentrating. His thoughts kept drifting to a certain orange haired woman. He smiled softly as he thought about the last year and half of his life. To the delight of everyone that knew him, he had found love again and they couldn't have been happier for the usual stoic noble. He still couldn't believe that they had married for year already. Their first wedding anniversary was tomorrow, so he was trying to get his work done, because neither of them would be at work for the next few days.
Deep in his thoughts, Byakuya didn't hear the door to his office open. Standing in the doorway, Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her husband. She had seen him in deep concentration before but nothing like this. It was the smile on his face that had her attention. The strawberry couldn't believe how much her life had changed in the last year and a half. But she wouldn't change it at all.
Closing the door softly, she walked over to his desk, sitting down the paperwork that she had brought with her. Wanting to mess with him a bit, she snuck behind him, without him even seeing her. Placing her hands over his eyes, she could feel him jump slightly. Keeping her hands over his eyes, she leaned down, close to his ear, nipping at it softly. "I would give you three guesses, but I think you can figure it out," she whispered softly.
Smiling, he reached around his head and grabbed her arm. Tugging on it gently, he brought her around to his front as he turned in his chair. Once he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of his wife, who sat down in his lap. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Ichigo was currently the Fuku-taichou of the 6th, but had been training with Ukitake-taichou to where she could take over the 5th. Yamamoto-soutaichou wanted to promote her, but at Ichigo's insistence, she wanted to train for the position and Byakuya thought that Jushiro and he were the best to choices. "Well, I did Jushiro a favor and had delivered papers to the 1st and Yamamoto had asked if I would drop these off to you. Anyways, how's your day been?"
"The usual, but..." he trailed off, taking his hand behind her head. With a gentle tug, he brought her face closer to his with a smile. "I miss working with you..." he said as he brought their lips together in a gentle, sweet kiss. Parting from his wife's swollen, red lips, he couldn't help but smile at his wife. He loved Ichigo with every fiber of his being. "Make sure to let Jushiro know that you won't be there tomorrow?"
"Oh, really," she said, raising an eyebrow. "What is going on in that mind of yours, Kuchiki Byakuya?"
"You will just have to wait and find out, Kuchiki Ichigo." After kissing her softly on her lips, he playfully shooed her off his lap, saying he needed to get back to work. "Are you going to make it home for dinner tonight?'
"Yes, I'll be there. Jushiro wants me to leave early since I haven't been feeling well lately." Right after she said that, she got a stern look from her husband. "Before you say anything, that's the reason I'm leaving early. He's making me go see Unohana."
"Okay." Kissing her softly, he walked her over to his office door. "How much longer do you think your training will last?"
"Well, Yamamoto was talking about ending my training with Jushiro the end of this week, and starting my last bit of training with you next week. He thinks after the training with you I'll be ready to take the Taichou position."
"Well, you can accomplish anything, Ichigo. I have faith in you."
"Thanks, 'Kuya. I better get back before he sends your sister looking for me." Kissing him softly on his cheek, she gave him one of her heart-warming smiles. "I'll see you tonight, love." With one last final look, she left her husband to his paperwork.
Byakuya kept his normal demeanor on the outside, but on the inside, he couldn't quit smiling. He had to make tomorrow real special for his wife. As he went back to his went back paperwork, he couldn't help the small smile on his face as he quietly came up with a plan to make his wife's day a memorable one.
A few hours later, Ichigo was walking out of the 4th, with a big smile on her face. With the news she just learned, she would make this a memorable anniversary for her husband. Noticing that it was starting to a get bit late, she quickly took off in a hurried shunpo, heading for the Manor.
Later on that night, Ichigo was sitting on in the garden, dressed in a simple purple and orange kimono. After dinner, Byakuya had a few last-minute papers to finish, so Ichigo decided to take a walk in their favorite garden.
She had come to the old Sakura that stood in the middle and now was sitting on the bench that stood underneath it. Taking a deep breath, she loved the fresh air of the Soul Society and everyday she was grateful that she made the decision to move here.
"Ichi-nee," came a soft voice from over her shoulder.
The orange haired woman turned around to see her sister-in-law standing there. She was grateful to the raven haired woman. If it hadn't been for her, she wouldn't have met everyone and she wouldn't have Byakuya in her life. "Hey, Rukes."
"What you doing out here by yourself?" she asked, sitting down next to her. "I thought you would have been with Nii-sama."
"Well he got a few last minute papers that he needed to finish, so I told him to go ahead." Ichigo couldn't keep her hands from laying on her stomach.
'That's the fifth time that I've seen her lay her hands on her stomach' Rukia quietly thought to herself. Remembering a book that she had read in the Real World, she had learned that expectant mothers usually do that to calm themselves. 'If Ichi's pregnant, she would make Nii-sama real happy…Oh I wanna ask, but I think I'll keep it to myself for now, just in case…'
Feeling a pressure on her shoulder, she looked down to see that Ichigo had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Smiling, she was glad to have Ichigo on her life. The orange haired woman brought a life into the Kuchiki Manor that was desperately needed. Shaking her friend gently, she tried waking her up. "Ichi…wake up…Ichigo…" she said, just above a whisper. She knew the girl was a light sleeper when she wasn't in a bed.
Ichigo slowly opened her eyes to see that she had laid her head on Rukia. Sitting up, she rubbed her amber eyes gently. "Sorry about that, Rukia. Guess I'm more tired than I thought."
Rukia smiled as she stood up, extending her hand to her 'sister'. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your room. You know that Nii-sama wouldn't like it you falling asleep out here."
"Yeah, you're right," she answered taking Rukia's hand. Standing up, she slowly stretched her muscles. "Byakuya is a worry wart," she said chuckling. Wrapping her arm around her sister's shoulders, the two Lady Kuchikis walked back into the Manor, laughing about the good times that they had in the Real World.
Once they reached the door that lead to Byakuya and her bedchambers, Rukia hugged her best friend goodnight and headed down the hall to her own room. Ichigo chuckled and then turned to slid the door open. As the door opened, the sight before her totally took her breath away.
Walking into the room, she saw that small, scented candles lining up almost every shelf in the room. The aroma of sweet cherry blossoms lingered in the air. "Oh, Byakuya…." Walking to the bed, she noticed that around the bed and scattered on top were pink and white rose petals, the same kind that they had in their wedding a year ago. Feeling a tear in her eye, she noticed a small box sitting in the middle of the bed. Taking the box in her hand, she opened it to find a small note tucked inside as well. Reading the note brought a smile to her thin, pink lips.
To my beautiful wife
Here is to our first year together
I hope for many more to come with you, my love
Love, Byakuya
Ichigo gently wiped the tear from her eye that started to fall down her cheek. Sitting the note aside, she removed the white tissue paper that covers the bottom part. What was there made her wanna cry even more. Sitting inside was the most beautiful necklace that she had seen. With delicate fingers, she slowly removed it from the box, sitting it aside. Carefully, she admired the details…it was a white gold braided chain necklace with a pendant hanging at the bottom. The pendant is what caught her eyes the most…it seems to be custom made – a couple holding hands, with a stone in the middle of each of them tears came to her eyes again once she realized what the stones were…one was her birthstone for July and the other one was the birthstone for January. There was even a space in between the couple, as it seemed it was left like that for more stones to be added.
With a smile, she got up from the bed and walked over to her vanity. Opening her jewelry box (which was her birthday present from Byakuya – he had their initials engraved on it), she carefully placed it in there, closing the lid. Reaching up to orange hair, she started the process of pulling the silver hair pins that held it in a bun.
While she was occupied with her hair, she never noticed the bathroom door opening and her husband of one year leaning against the doorframe. Byakuya couldn't help but admire his wife. She was the most beautiful, independent woman he had ever met. Her spirit and heart is what attracted him to her in the first place. To Byakuya, he was the luckiest guy in the Soul Society to be married to a woman like Kuchiki Ichigo. "Ichigo," he said, just loud enough to catch his wife's attention.
Ichigo jumped when she heard her husband. Even though part of her hair hung over face, she turned to see him leaning against the door. To say that Byakuya was good-looking would be an understatement…Byakuya was FREAKING hot and he was all Ichigo's. Looking him up and down, he was dressed in a pair of midnight blue night pants with no shirt, showing off his perfect toned chest and abdomen. The one thing she always loved is when his hair was free from those annoying kenseikan. She simply loved the way it flowed through her finger. "You know, love, you could help me with these blasted things," she said, indicating the hair pins that still remained in her hair.
Byakuya silently chuckled at his wife's predicament. He walked over to her, turning her around to sit in her chair. Very carefully he removed the last few remaining hair pins from the orange hair that he had grown to love. Once the last pin was out, he took her brush from her, gently brushing through it, untangling it from her attempt to remove them. "You know, Ichigo, you don't have to wear those if you don't want to," he said, massaging her shoulders gently.
"I know, but it shows everyone that I am a Kuchiki now." Ichigo said, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck before planting a soft kiss to his lips.
"Hm...I think I like those things much more now." He said, making Ichigo giggle. "You are the heart of the Kuchiki, Ichigo. The heart of me. Everything about this clan was ice cold before you came along. Not even Rukia could warm up the elders like you did. I thank you, Lady Kuchiki. Thank you for being in my life and making it fun and worth living."
Ichigo looked in his eyes, stunned at the honesty of the words that came out of her husband's mouth. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to top that, she did the only thing that came to mind. With a smile on her face, she brought Byakuya's lips back down to hers, kissing her husband deeply.
Byakuya wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, flushing their bodies together, enjoying the heat that was Ichigo. Nipping at her bottom lip, he silently asked for the permission that he desperately wanted. Once her lips parted, he thrusted his tongue in, tangling it with hers, tasting every crevice of her wonderful mouth. Taking his hands down to her round, firm ass, he cupped it in her hands, slowly lifting her off her feet.
Ichigo gasped in the kiss as she felt her feet leave the ground. When she instinctively wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist, she had suddenly felt something soft and plush under her back. Opening her eyes, she noticed that he had laid her on the bed. Reluctantly parting from his lips, she looked into his passionate, lust, love-filled eyes. "I love you, Kuchiki Byakuya. I can't wait for many more wonderful years with you."
"I love you as well, Kuchiki Ichigo." With that, he leaned down, capturing her lips again.
Ichigo woke up the next morning to the sun shining in through the window. Trying to cover her eyes, she turned over wanting to curl up to Byakuya, but was not surprised not to find him there. "Byakuya?" she said, sitting up in the bed holding the sheet to her chest, remembering their activities from last night that lasted into the early morning hours.
A knock come to their door and it opened slowly to reveal Meiyo, Ichigo's personal maid. Ichigo had become friends with the young woman when she got together with Byakuya and had asked that she be her personal maid. The two of them got along perfectly. "My Lady," she said, bowing slightly to Ichigo.
Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the young woman. "Meiyo, what I have I said…please call me Ichigo."
To Meiyo, Ichigo was like the big sister that she never had. "Of course," she said smiling. "Is there anything that I can get you?"
"Maybe a bath, if you don't mind. By the way, do you know where my husband is?" she asked as she got up from bed, putting on her robe.
"I remember seeing lord Kuchiki heading for his study about an hour or so ago." Meiyo headed for the bathroom to run her Lady's bath. A few moments later, Meiyo appeared from the bathroom, with a towel in her hand. "Your bath is ready, Ichigo, and your breakfast will be waiting on you once you are finished."
Walking over to the young woman, she hugged her gently. "Thank you, Meiyo. You know, there is something that I wanted to ask you. The next time I visit the Real World, I wonder if you would like to come along?" When she saw the shocked look on her face, she held her hand up to stop her before she spoke. "Don't worry. I've already spoken to Lord Byakuya and he says that its fine, so make sure your duties are covered on Friday, because you and I are leaving for a day."
Smiling huge, she hugged Ichigo tightly. "Oh my god, thank you, Lady Ichigo. You are simply the best." Stepping back from the hug, she took her hands in hers. "I'm happy that the Lord found you…the Manor is alive again." With a slight bow, she headed for the door.
Once Ichigo was left alone, she couldn't help but smile. Meiyo reminded her so much of Yuzu and Karin. With that in mind, she headed for the bathroom.
About thirty minutes later, Ichigo emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a simple pink and orange kimono with a green and purple obi. Walking over to her vanity, she quickly brushed out her long orange locks and grabbed a hair tie. Pulling it back in a low ponytail, she headed out of the bedroom, looking for her husband.
As she walked down the hall, heading out to the main foyer, she thought she heard what sounded like some kind of music. Being the curious person she is, she decided to follow the sound till she reach the room that she knew housed the piano that brought them together.
Sliding the door open silently, she was greeted by the sight of her husband sitting at the piano, brushing his fingers across the keys. Not wanting to disturb him, she leaned against the doorframe, just watching.
Byakuya had been sitting at the piano for the last 30 minutes, trying to convince himself to play. Even since Ichigo played for him a year and half ago, he convinced himself that he would do so for her on their first anniversary. What most people didn't know was that at a young age, Byakuya had learned to play, but when he lost his parents and Hisana, he hadn't played since. Now that he was with Ichigo, he felt the need to play….he wanted to express to Ichigo just how much she meant to him and how he would do everything for her. "This is for you, Ichigo," he said to himself.
Taking a deep breath, he started to brush his fingers across the keys, stating the melody to a song that he had heard in the Real World. He was completely oblivious to the pair of amber eyes that watched him from the door. Once he had his fingers playing the song, he started singing to words…
Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way
Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
As Byakuya stopped playing, tears fell from Ichigo's eyes. Byakuya finally sensed her behind him and he got up, smile on his face, and walked over to her, wiping her tears away.
"I love you so much, Byakuya. Thank you for playing that beautiful song for us." Ichigo said.
"Us?" Byakuya asked.
Ichigo had no idea how Byakuya was going to react to the news, but she figured that she might as well say it. "Let's just say that I am happy there is extra room on that necklace you gave me." She watched in joy as Byakuya's eyes went wide and the biggest smile crossed his normally stoic face. He picked her up off the ground and spun her around in a hug. "THIS IS INCREDIBLE, ICHI!" He shouted. "I am so happy! I get to have a little Kuchiki heir." He laughed slightly as he and Ichigo shared this surreal moment. And with that, another chapter of their life was to ensue.
So, what everyone think? Please R&R, would love to know what you think!
I've decided to make a 3rd and final chapter to this lil collection, so I'll e taking ideas for songs in the next one! All I will say is that Byakuya and Ichigo's child makes thier debut in the next chapter, and wants to learn the piano...
UNTIL NEXT TIME!
MUCH LOVE!