Next chapter!

Sooner that I've thought.

R & R

- s.

"Yo, Ichigo! You heading to the Taicho's office?"

Ichigo smiled at Renji and nodded. He was due to meet Byakuya in an hour or so but, well, it would do no harm to spend a little extra time with him.

"He's on the training grounds," Renji told Ichigo and explained: "The new recruits checked in today, Taicho wants to test them himself."

"Oi, that's right. He told me that few days ago. Well then, I'll be going. Jana!"

He stepped into shunpo but was again stopped by Renji's voice:

"Hey, wait, Ichigo!"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could talk to Taicho? You know, about me and Rukia," Renji half-whispered, looking cautiously around him to see if no one's listening. "You promised to appease him..."

"Ah, yeah." Ichigo poked Renji's upper arm, remembering how few weeks ago Renji asked him a favour. "You little proposal-thing. Sure, no problem." Ichigo grinned. "Can't wait to see his face. See yaa!"

"Argh, wait up, you idiot. I'm not finished!"

"What else?"

Renji avoided Ichigo's eyes. Now he got shy? Ichigo thought with pang of frustration at his friend's hesitation. He wanted to see Byakuya badly. Wait, was Renji blushing?

"It's just that..." Renji finally said. "You must really try to prepare me a solid ground for when I'm going to ask him. Like, really, really."

"I know," Ichigo said with 'duh' face.

"You see... I can't deal with 'maybe' in this case."

Something in Ichigo's brain finally clicked. His eyes became as big as plates.

"Oh. My. God. Byakuya's going to kill you. I'm not sure if even my charm can do anything in this situation." Suddenly Ichigo started to laugh loudly, much to Renji's rage. "Now, I can't wait to see his face!"

Without another word, Ichigo disappeared in the mist of shunpo. He found Byakuya immediately and chose a high hill nearby the arena to observe his lover's training. He felt he could never see too much of the fighting figure of Byakuya. He moved gracefully and with every stroke of his katana, he amazed Ichigo and the young shinigami more and more.

Ichigo chucked at the terrified soldiers who had been confronted by the captain himself. They were running all over the place looking around and still failing to keep up with Byakuya's pace. Heck, even he had some problems with that sometimes.

Ichigo frowned when he noticed that Byakuya's reiatsu level increased. He instantly knew what was going on and jumped to his legs. But before he could even move, the sea of sakura petals swirled around the training ground. None of them touched any of the shinigamis, of course, but Ichigo still felt it was too much for them.

He sighed and flew right in the middle of Senbonzakura. The petals didn't touch him either but even if they did, it'd be harmless to him.

"Kurosaki." Byakuya sounded irritated. "You're interrupting. Go away."

"Tss, and you are late, Byakuya," Ichigo replied. "Lunch, remember?"

"I am not late. You are early."

Ichigo knew Byakuya was acting like a pain in the ass mostly because of the audience they had. He spun around to see twenty or so men observing and listening carefully but also a bit unsure what to do. He sighed quietly.

"Oi, I'm hungry and they are more that scared of you for one day. Renji can take it over."

"Dismissed," Byakuya ordered and began to walk in the direction of the squad's buildings. Ichigo shook his head at his behaviour and followed shortly after him. His ears caught some of the talking by the soldiers:

"Who is he? How come he talked to the Taicho that way and wasn't murdered?"

"Baka, it's Kurosaki Ichigo."

"That boy? He defeated Aizen? He's younger than me. But I can see now why Taicho didn't attack him on the spot."

"No. I heard people talking, they say Kurosaki Ichigo managed to get into Kuchiki Taicho's bed."

"They are together?" a woman's voice sounded disappointed.

"Hai. I heard..."

"Ichigo."

Ichigo's attention was brought back to his lover. From the look he received, Ichigo figured out Byakuya heard them talking as well. He didn't seem pleased and Ichigo frowned. He thought Byakuya was not embarrassed to be sleeping with him, so why did he cared so much about people talking?

"Hey, I have an idea," he said grabbing Byakuya's hand. "Let's eat outside today. Somewhere we can be alone."

Byakuya apparently liked the idea, because his lips crashed into a small smile.

"Splendid idea, Ichigo. I know a place."

They got the food prepared for them by the servants at the Kuchiki manor. Ichigo followed Byakuya through Seireitei and outside. They passed Rukongai and entered a forest in the outskirts of the city. They went in silence and Ichigo used this time to reconsider how exactly should he ask Byakuya about Renji.

Renji and Rukia were happy together and really wanted to get married. But Rukia was a noble and they needed her brother's content and his help to act in front of the Kuchiki Council. It felt only natural for them to ask Ichigo to convince Rukia's brother; after all, he was the man who had managed to somehow melt the icy wall around him. In their eyes, he could make anything happen. However, even he didn't know how to break the news about the baby to Byakuya, without him killing Renji at least three times before throwing them a wedding party to save his family's name.

"How is your sister?" Byakuya asked suddenly.

His words brought Ichigo back to the more personal matters.

"Good, I suppose. I've seen her with Toshirou some time ago. They became kind-of-friends when he visited Karakura Town several times, so I guess he can take care of her for the time being."

They ate in silence. After they were finished, Ichigo put his head on Byakuya's knee and closed his eyes. Byakuya brushed his cheek and started to play with Ichigo's hair. For a moment, both of them were silent.

"How was your say at home?" Byakuya asked.

"As usual, I suppose," Ichigo answered. "Dad's still a weirdo. Yuzu tries to keep calm and run the house. Orihime and the also are ok. Only the uni gets more and more complicated. I have to get ready for my exams."

Byakuya hummed something incoherently. He continued to caress Ichigo's skin. The boy smiled with pleasure.

"It's perfect."

"What is?"

"This. Just lying here, doing nothing. There's nothing to worry about. I love such a peaceful time like this."

"I see."

"You are not very talkative today, huh?" Ichigo chuckled.

"You imagine things, Ichigo."

The boy chuckled again and sat straight. Byakuya smiled and didn't complain when Ichigo began kissing him. He could never kiss him too much or too often. Call it hormones.

Finally, after one heavy make-out session, Ichigo felt ready to bring up the problematic topic.

He kissed Byakuya's lips and lingered a bit close to them. He brought his eyes to Byakuya's face and, still only an inch away from his lips, he said:

"Renji wants to ask for Rukia's hand."

Byakuya frowned and pulled back. That would be end of the sweet lovely atmosphere.

"And why do I have the pleasure of hearing this from your lips?"

Ichigo scowled at his tone.

"You exactly know why," he said. "Renji was sure you'd just throw him out."

"And he was right."

"Huh?"

Byakuya stood up and Ichigo followed suit. He watched as Byakuya shook off an invisible dirt of his clothes. His look was full of... anger?

"Hey, you did agree to that, right? I mean, you totally knew about them since... ever. Nothing new here, right? Just formality."

He prayed for his lover to not struggle. Rukia was pregnant, which changed the situation a whole lot. Only a quick wedding would mask the truth. But Byakuya being himself, had to make everything harder.

"This has nothing to do with that. I will not have Renji to enter my family."

Ichigo stood there in shock. Why the hell was Byakuya babbling about? Renji was his lieutenant, a seated officer and a worthy warrior. He fought with Byakuya countless times. He was Rukia's beloved. What else would he want from Rukia's potential husband?

"And why is that?" Ichigo asked wryly.

"You should know very well why. I cannot let a commoner to enter the Kuchiki clan. The council..."

"The council is answering to you, not the other way round. Make them."

"You seem to not understand what I am saying, Kurosaki. I do not want Renji to marry my sister."

"Just because he isn't a noble? For Kami's sake, Byakuya, you should be better than that!"

"Don't you ever dare go there, Kurosaki. What my past is, it is irrelevant."

"And what about me?"

Byakuya raised his perfect eyebrows and Ichigo instantly regretted his words. Nevertheless, he continued:

"You are saying that you would never even consider a marriage with me only because I'm not well-born?"

"You are a noble, Ichigo," Byakuya answered bewildered. "Your father was once the head of Shiba family."

"That is irrelevant. The face is, I'm not rich and posh like you. I'm only a Shinigami who once in a while wins a battle or two. Just like Renji. Only because of that, you would never agree to marry me?"

"Are you implying that you have wanted to marry me?", the visible tone of amusement in his voice was enough to make Ichigo blush.

"Huh? Are you insane, Kuchiki?! I'm only 20. And human. I have better things to worry about than wedding plans. Besides, that's not even the point." Ichigo sighed heavily. "Renji is a fantastic man who deserves Rukia more than any rich dork would ever. If you only could see anything else besides the tip of your nose..."

"Do not cross the line, Kurosaki."

"You know what?" Ichigo suddenly threw in a voice full of anger mixed with frustration. "I'm through! Do whatever you like. But don't be surprised when you discover how much you'd screwed up. Because Renji and Rukia will get married. Sooner or later, but you will have to accept it not to spoil your beloved family's name. And when you realise that, do not seek for me, because I'm done."

Karin was very surprised to see her brother stepping into her room. She and Nitsu were hanging out when they heard a noise and then a curse and finally saw Ichi-nii in the doorway.

"Oi, Karin. Good I could catch you before I leave," Ichigo said.

At first, Karin opened her mouth in disappointment. She hoped that Ichi-nii could stay a couple of days in Seireitei and spend some time with her. Apparently he couldn't do that. But after a moment or so, she noticed the rounded fist and heavy breath which indicated that her brother has just had an argument.

"Is everything all right, Nii-san?" she asked. She wondered what could've made him that angry and... That jerk! "What did he do to you?" She didn't even have to say the Kuchiki name.

Ichigo looked at her and frowned. It was always his brand mark but it also showed when he was lying. Just like now when he smiled and said:

"Everything's fine, Karin. I just have to get back to the World of Living for some time."

But she wasn't that stupid. Karin only raised her eyebrow and waited.

"Fine," Ichigo gave in. "We just had a small argument, that's all. We'll be ok as soon as he pulls his head out of his..." He suddenly stopped realising that Nitsu was still in the room. "We will be fine. He just need to think some things over."

Karin sighed but left it for the time being. From what she has heard from Rukia and others, her brother was more that capable to deal with the insufferable noble.