Warning: There is some citrus here but not a full lemon...if you wanna skip move to the part with the first separation of scenes. Thanks. Merry Christmas.

Chapter Thirteen: Untold Holiday

First time he kissed me, he but only kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith I write; And, ever since, it grew more clean and white.

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Kagome had her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth. Though she often preferred to have baths she occasionally wanted to have the water flowing along and over her. Nothing bad at all about a personal shower.

Brown eyes snapped open when his hands first touched her sides, fingers trailing lines of cool contrast to the steamed water coming from the faucet. She turned with a blush already in place but didn't get a chance to mouth what little protest had come to mind before his lips closed over hers.

The widened gaze was only met with the half-lidded and still somehow intense coal gray of his eyes in return. It was out of character for him to be so aggressive but the surprise was quickly giving way to the arousal he inspired.

She glanced along his muscled body before allowing her own eyes to slide shut, the passionate embrace returned as her arms slid around his form, fingers searching over his body with a eagerness that left a hypocritical blush along her face and neck.

Even after all the time they'd spent together it was a little shocking just how powerfully built the aristocrat was, his entire upper body was so perfect it was difficult to take in. It was as chisled as any roman statue, with arms to match. So often was he in the long sleeved kimono of his station as captain it was easy to forget just how robust someone in his position must be.

If she wasn't so distracted by the way his tongue barely teased her lips she likely would have felt flawed in comparison. Though like any girl, she never gave herself the credit she deserved.

She wasn't a tall girl, as it was he was leaning down to meet her lips, his fingers tracing after the water still running through her hair and along her back. She however wasn't so short in comparison that it was uncomfortable. Her long black hair was soft even in the wetness, easy to caress in the forgotten moisture of the shower. She was as curved as any woman, her figure hourglass with skin easy for him to slide his hands over, something he was taking ample advantage of.

Her chest she was a bit small compared to some but she was well proportioned and given that one of his hands had just flickered along her nipple apparently Byakuya wasn't having issue with them.

The almost ravaging kiss stopped only long enough for him to lift her against the wall for leverage. She gasped against the cold of the tile and was about to protest when his mouth re closed around the recently teased breast. The planned comment turned into more of a muffled squeak as her hands fumbled a split second before tightening on his shoulder and arm. The cold was still there but as kisses trailed along to the side of her that had less attention she wasn't concerned with it.

She slipped a little along the wall and used the moment after he'd let out a small growl, likely of frustration for the sudden movement and began kissing along his neck and ear, she could feel him lifting her and moving, the cool of air after moving away from the water, but didn't stop until she felt the fabric of the bed on her back.

She blinked a moment and wasn't certain if this was the way they should react but when he started kissing her again the hesitation went away, they'd known each other for such a long time, she'd wanted him in this way before...even if it was unfamiliar for her and she was a little embarrassed he was taking so much control it was difficult to feel horribly unexperienced.

Then, it was getting difficult to think much at all.

Perhaps sharing a shower was much better than having one all to herself...

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"This seems a trivial thing to need the attention of the many courts after such a long period of silence." The oldest and first captain of the soul reapers had a tired edge to his voice, though there was wisdom and age. He was one of the few people to which Sestran offered true respect of opinion. Though more and more lately he found himself hesitating on the decisions that were made by the veteran.

"It is perhaps due time that we all spoke to each other then." Sestran replied aptly, glancing over the long open corridor of the usual meeting area for the captains. None shared the space with the two now but he expected that there would be more filing in soon with questions at the rate things were unfolding. "Regardless, if they are targeting people here, it stands to reason that they will move to targeting others in other realms even if they have not begun already."

"You want ranked members to separate during a time of crisis only to deliver messages to the other courts. It is foolish to lessen our ranks now, tradition dictates we at least send less trained members that may be needed in battle." The old man answered calmly. He wasn't used to taking too many orders in recent years. In particular after the events where the central order was murdered. Nonetheless he hadn't forgotten to show proper respect when it was called for.

"Tradition isn't always the best path to take." Sestran answered with a single shake of his golden locks. "You are the one that told me once we must learn to adjust as needed when the enemy acquires it. Not all battles are fought with swords first Captain. I would appreciate it if you would indulge me in this, I cannot show you the message but understand that it is something I feel needs to reach the other realms."

The old man was watching the young prince quietly. Though the words weren't completely accurate, the prince was a little older than the first captain even if he didn't have as much personal experience with things outside of his normal captivity. The fact that anyone of the royal family was moving so freely where they could be attacked was already a very strange aside to the normal state. It was a sign that his father was finally starting to do poorly, something that could even be talked about in the messages he wanted taken to the other courts.

"What does your father say of this?" He knew it was difficult to read Sestran, years of teaching and speaking with the crowed prince had done little to make him easier to deny.

"Father is resting and I hope I will not need to bother him for such a matter." Sestran answered diplomatically. Officially he didn't yet have the power to force the first captain to do as he said, he could force him by a side of will but that would be exceptionally poor etiquette and could later be used as reason that he wasn't fit to be a ruler himself. The games of politics were always ones he knew well enough.

"I will spare some of the ones you requested, but others I feel could be better represented by some of the rest of the squads lieutenants." The old man knew something was going on but if it was as he feared and Sestran's father was finally suffering the effects of too many years he didn't want to witness it himself. The king had always been something unmoving in his world even as he was an unmoving pillar in the eyes of many of the young soul reapers, it wasn't something he wished to see himself until he had too. "Will a slight change suffice?"

Sestran nodded then and the beaming smile he offered the old man made him a little more comfortable in the decision. "Thank you old friend."

The older man nodded, frowning a little despite the warm feelings he got from the princes gratitude, he was all too familiar with the fact that such sensations weren't truly his own.

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The pair was tangled in the sheets, not caring that most of the bedding had been soaked thanks to the quick relocation from the shower, and then had began to dry after the long interlude of activity afterward.

She had an arm wrapped around his chest and her head settled on his shoulder, she was half-asleep and he had his nose on her head, arm around her protectively and stroking the bare skin of her back quietly. He was tired himself, both of them were a bit sore, but he was also hungry, they'd never ended up calling for food and they'd used enough energy that he figured both of them could use some.

He nudged her lightly, voice soft, having it's rare quality of kindness in a whisper. "Kagome, are you hungry?"

"Mmm..." She muttered with a half-groan. "Yeah, I suppose...I don't want to move though."

"I'll call for something." He offered, adjusting her gently and pushing himself up.

"Well I didn't want you to move either." She whined half-heartedly, pulling the sheets around herself as she sat up, failing to straighten her hair. Blushing a little at the way he picked up the phone without any clothes on and started talking. She smiled though and snuck off to the bathroom while he ordered food.

She got herself back in order after fighting with her hair a while and put on pajama's, finding that he'd gotten pants and a shirt on in the meantime as well, though his hair was still down and while the kensaiken he wore as a mark of station did make him regal, she found she also enjoyed the roguish attraction of his hair hanging partly in his face.

They ate in a pleasant silence and Kagome found herself content for the first time in a while despite all the other problems plaguing them. Things all seemed perfectly well in the world, as if she'd finally found the place she belonged despite the strange circumstance that lead her there.

End Chapter

Just for Christmas you get a chapter full of fluff, and a little plot, but mostly fluff. And no cliffhanger cause I figure that I can let Kagome and Byakuya be happy at least for the holidays. Merry Christmas to all my readers!

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Thank all of you for the support and attention!

Sugar0o - You got couplely! Though I think the citrus-ey stuff was as much in good taste as I could make it.

Tsukiei - You caught me, turning him into a peeping tom was so my goal - ;)

Neo-Crystal - There weren't interruptions, just alterations to the show during inappropriate moments?

Miko - Yay such a awesome review! I wish there were more Byakuya/Kagome fictions out there too, I'm totally in love with the pairing (I even commissioned a fanart of them!) Yes Sestran is Crown Prince and I sorta wish I could bite him too ;) Hope I get more awesome reviews in the future.