Supernova

By Willow Athena

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters, but Rien and this story are definitely mine

Author's note: Happy New Year! I was on holiday, so that's why there were no updates but, I did leave you guys with a squeal worthy Christmas present. I wanted some advice from you guys: I changed the rating of the last chapter to M for obvious reasons, but I wonder if I'm supposed to change the rating of the whole story to M – if I do, then some poor reader who starts reading this story thinking it's M will be really frustrated in anticipation of M-worthy stuff for 29 chapters, and every slightly younger reader will miss out on good angsty stuff because they think it's M-rated. Any suggestions? And I hate when stories say M for later chapters – I think it gives too much away. I think the reader should live in hopeful anticipation when reading, and should not know whether the two characters will ever get together. Yes, I love to be tortured, at least then I care.

Warning: Rating for this chapter and every chapter after this is changed to M, to be safe, so if you're not whatever age this site says then stop reading now.

CHAPTER 31 – Always Be Mine

She woke up with a startle, with the too hot sun beating down on her – only then realizing where she was. His breathing was still constant and shallow as she lay on his shoulder, her leg slightly draped across his thighs and her body moulded around his – he had thankfully not been woken up by her sudden jerk. Their still naked bodies somehow lay covered by Byakuya's haori – she stifled a chuckle at the irony. She did not want to wake him, half afraid he would disappear, or even worse, regret everything.

The sun was too hot for it to be early, she would be late for breakfast and morning training with Jyuushiro. The thought of his face when he found out about this stabbed at her heart.

I need to leave…now!

She tried to slink away but found his grasp was iron clad. He was obviously just pretending to be asleep. This sudden nervousness crept up within her. She should say something, but she didn't know what was appropriate. Her hand had frozen on his chest, and now that she knew he was awake, she didn't know where to put it, and thought about removing it all together.

"Good morning, Rien," he softly said, and she would have sworn she could hear the smile in his voice, but she didn't look up to make sure.

"Oh, um…good morning…Byakuya," she nervously stuttered out, finally lifting herself up to look up at him. He smiled his perfect smile at her again and she wanted to melt. She doubted she would ever get used to how beautiful he looked when he did that.

She stood up, and he let her. She walked around looking for her clothes, though she could not remember where they were all scattered. Most of her clothes stood out in stark contrast to the soft white sand, but she was having trouble locating her training outfit.

He watched her walk up and down picking up both their articles of clothing. She probably didn't even realize she was prancing around naked. Her sun-kissed skin was beautifully golden, glowing in the morning rays and asking to be touched, kissed, caressed…

"You're beautiful," he whispered as he snaked his arms around her from behind and kissed her shoulder. He felt her initially freeze once she realised she was naked, and then melt against him as he kissed her shoulder, and then her neck, and then her ear. She turned around inside his arms to face him, a pile of their clothes in her arms between them.

"You're one to talk," she sighed and rested her head against his chest. A deep blush crept up her cheeks as she realised he was wearing nothing but his left sock, and she was completely naked. She had been so worried about being late for training, she hadn't even realised she should have covered up, and now inside his arms, there was nowhere to run.

"It's a shame really…," he said as his fingers ran gently along the curves of her body, only to have her freeze and hold their clothes up to cover what little she could, "now everytime I see you, this is all I will remember – you…beautiful and naked," he whispered as he took the clothes from her and cast them aside again before he bent down to kiss her. God, how he loved this feeling, like his heart was running away from him and towards her. He never wanted this to end.

She pulled away before he could deepen the kiss anymore. He was surprised, she had never pulled away before, and she wouldn't look up at him. She loved him so much, but now that he was right in front of her willing to love her back, she didn't know what to do. She had never even allowed herself the fantasy of him returning her love, and now she knew she was acting too closed off, but everything hadn't even sunk in yet.

"We're going to be late," she said as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and held onto him for dear life, like he was going to pull away. He wouldn't. He sighed, wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head. This was his fault, and he knew it.

"I'm sure it's almost 8, won't people be looking for you as well? Renji at least will be searching for his Taichou soon," she tried to use some sense to distract him from his obvious intentions as he was lifting her chin up. It was going to be really suspicious if they were both late for breakfast. Rumours would spread.

"Very well," he said as he tilted her head back and kissed her cute little nose. Then in nothing but one sock, he distractingly walked back to where they had slept and picked up her training outfit that they had been sleeping on. He had been enjoying her earlier search too much to tell her where it was.

Rien's sand filled hair had to be washed even though she was already late, unless she wanted a dusting of sand to follow her like a shadow all day. The shower was brief but effective, but she didn't even have time for breakfast. She showed up at Jyuushiro's, starving, hair still partially wet, and half and an hour late. As she entered, she found Jyuushiro leisurely sipping a cup of tea on his porch, and looking out onto his magnificent garden.

Rien had wondered if she should say anything about her and Byakuya; technically, she didn't really know where she stood with Byakuya, and he probably wouldn't be too thrilled that she was exposing his humanity…But then again, none of these excuses really mattered, all Rien cared about was the hurt she knew it would cause Jyuushiro once he found out.

Although Rien and Jyuushiro had no understanding between them, no romantic relationship, there was an inexplicable, intangible, intimate connection. They had both struggled against it, but neither could deny its existence.

He would be in pain if he knew.

Rien decided against giving any real explanation for her tardiness. "Jyuu, I'm sorry I'm late, I completely overslept." At least these words were mostly true, she thought.

"Don't worry about it, it's been a beautiful morning. I haven't seen a day as beautiful as this in a long time." His mood was vibrant, warm, cheerful.

His now shirtless form looked Rien up and down in a short white training yukata folded over and tied at the side, and black thigh high boots with wedge heels. The outfit was good for training because the high slits at the sides did not restrict any movement, but the outfit was also very revealing if one were to kick or flip, but just standing like this, only a small segment of her bare thighs showed between the high boots and the hem of the yukata. It had suited Yoruichi's wild exhibitionist nature. He remembered how Yoruichi had caused a stir at the Shinigami Academy when she had worn it to training, but seeing his long-time friend in this outfit had not made him feel this way – his heartbeat accelerated like he was in danger, in danger of what, he wasn't sure. Jyuushiro heard her stomach unexpectedly growl in response, and wondered how long he had been staring.

"Sorry," she said, turning copper.

"How about breakfast?" he offered. She must have dashed out this morning without even eating, he assumed. He wondered where her normal training outfit was and what had brought about this change in her. Yoruichi always knew how to work magic, and not many people were as important to her as her little sister. Perhaps Yoruichi had talked some sense into Rien and she was finally tired of pining for Byakuya.

"But I'm already so late," she protested, but her stomach betrayed her and growled again. She sat down at the table in defeat.

Rien now realised she was famished as Jyuushiro, distractingly shirtless for training now, caught a passing servant and requested that breakfast be brought through. He had sincerely missed Rien while she had been away, and he had also been really worried about her due to this hollow business in the real world. But, he had controlled the urge to run over there and exterminate every hollow that tried to touch her. He would do anything to protect his young Slayer. He had done what Yoruichi had asked, and expunged Seireitei's records of any suspicious hollow activity at the time. It had not been an easy feat, and he sometimes wished he could tell her the lengths he had been going to keep the object of his affection safe.

He wished it was all simple, or that she would at least let him openly care for her. Jyuushiro chuckled as he sat down next to Rien for breakfast. She still seemed oddly nervous about his shirtless appearance, but she was the one who had requested that he treat her no differently than anyone else he had trained, and to tell the truth, he was kind of enjoying her discomfort. He was tired of always being the good guy, and it sometimes paid to be a little naughty.

She smiled at his kindness after breakfast had been brought through, he was always so thoughtful. "Thanks, I just didn't want to delay…"

He uncharacteristically caressed her cheek and then leaned in to kiss her forehead. She froze. Jyuushiro could not control himself this morning, there was something different about Rien, she glowed so radiantly that Jyuushiro could not help but touch her. His movements sent a stabbing pain through Rien's heart, though she could not place why exactly that was. She had been unquestionably clear the other day when he had brought up the subject of a relationship.

She had no real reason to feel this guilty – they were not together after all.

But for some reason, she continued to feel guilty as their morning training commenced. The guilt was a small insignificant emotion compared to the utter happiness coursing through her veins. Concentrating on training was difficult, but it was all she could do to stop herself from singing the morning away.

Jyuushiro lunged, Rien kicked to defend from his tall attack, but he caught her ankle. Rien winced at the pain in an area she did not expect, her pelvis ached with the flexible stretch she was normally easily capable of…it only then dawned on Rien why that would be. She turned copper from the memory, the wince turning into a blush – it worried Jyuushiro who immediately let go of her ankle.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" His warm caring voice injected guilt into her veins – knowing she would have to now conceal the truth from him.

"Still sore from training yesterday, I guess. Don't worry about it." Rien infused the partially true words with as much sincerity as she could muster.

"Well, it's almost lunch, perhaps we should stop for today. It's such a beautiful day, and I know Byakuya won't let you rest this afternoon. Would you like to stay for lunch?" Jyuushiro joyfully offered. He wanted her to stay, to spend as much time with him as she could, to choose him over Byakuya, even if it was just for lunch this time.

"I promised the Shihouin Elders that I would have lunch there since I've been away for the past few days," she rejected the offer and smiled warmly up at him, and for some unknown reason, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Rien was getting more nervous by the second.

"Next time then," his deep seductive voice whispered against her cheek before he pulled back.

This was going to be tricky, she realised.

Since she had been away, the Shihouin Elders had insisted on having lunch with her today. Why today of all days, Rien cursed her fate. All the Elders were really sweet and caring towards her, like they always were, but all their questions today seemed like a pretext to try to get Rien to slip up and mention some scandalous information about Yoruichi. Rien was too cautious to ever let that happen and too distracted by her own thoughts to give them any detailed replies, but she played the polite princess for their sakes – she owed them a lot after all.

Although Rien knew that she would soon see Byakuya at afternoon training, she could not stop thinking about him and last night, and it caused every second of lunch and then shunko training with Soi Fon to drag by. Soi Fon also appeared distracted during training and interrogated Rien about Yoruichi. This time, Rien gave a little more information, knowing how much Soi Fon genuinely cared for Yoruichi.

Rien could not stop thinking about the night before. It was like all the overwhelming things that happened last night, slowly played themselves out over and over again in her mind, in an endless loop so that she could cognitively process her happiness. Her happiness felt uncontainable.

"You're smiling," Soi Fon accused.

"Am I?" Rien innocently asked. "It's just that it's such a beautiful day," she justified.

"You're right." Soi Fon partially smiled back at her. "Yoruichi used to scold me on days like this and tell me to take a break and enjoy its beauty," she revealed.

"Then allow me to scold you on her behalf," Rien said in a mockingly stern voice, her hand on her hips and her breasts thrust out, like Yoruichi would.

"You look good in her outfit…Fine, no more training," she conceded. "The time away from him has done you good, Rien," Soi Fon added. "Trust Yoruichi to bring a smile to your face when I have spent months failing at it," she sighed.

"I am happy of my own accord. You have been a good friend to me. I just needed time, and that is not something you could give," Rien assured her, pulling the short taichou into a reluctantly returned hug.

"Did I mention that Yoruichi promised to visit more often?" Rien added as she pulled away. This finally elicited a warm smile from the little taichou. Yoruichi should really try to spend more time with Soi Fon, even if she hated being in the Shihouin house with all its demands.

Rien wanted to change out of the little white outfit and into one of her usual long black training outfits. She shunpo'ed to her room. Having been released from training early, she thought she might soak in the bath and wash away her aches from the day's training before Byakuya managed to get there. But when she arrived, she saw Byakuya already there, standing under the sakura tree in the garden outside her bedroom, looking as beautiful as a painting with all the petals floating down around him. She impulsively ran across the garden to him, her happiness carrying her most of the way there, but not all the way. She stopped suddenly, an arm's length away from him.

She had trained her mind to resist the urge to touch him. It was a conditioned response now. Her body had automatically stopped before she got too close, and now it was too late, and she had wasted her chance to hug him. It would be too awkward if she did it now, she thought.

"I've missed you," she finally choked out, only then looking into his beautiful eyes. She was good with words at least, she consoled herself. She was used to being honest about her feelings.

Byakuya tugged her wrist and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms possessively around her. She slowly lifted her arms and hugged him back, smiling her unshakable smile against his chest and breathing him in.

"I would always have you with me," he revealed, kissing the top of her head, not wanting to allow her to be any further away from him. Maybe Byakuya was better with words, Rien conceded, as his declaration made her melt into him even more. They stood silently in each other's arms for a while. Somehow, this was enough; this was all he needed – her in his arms…forever.

"We shouldn't…won't somebody see?" Rien finally spoke after a long silence, now concerned that a servant or someone might see them, as unlikely as that was. No servant would ever dare to go near their bedrooms if any of them were home, they always waited until they were informed that they could clean or fuss about. The Kuchiki servants were extremely disciplined in that way – probably due to years of being shouted at by Kimiko. His grandmother was really stern and loud, and she did not suffer fools, Rien had found out soon after moving in. Servants were constantly petrified when she was around.

"It's highly unlikely," he reassured her, but finally moved away from her because he could feel how uncomfortable she was becoming. "And I wouldn't care if anyone saw us," he added, lifting her chin up to his face to make his point clear.

"Oh," she swallowed hard. There it was again, she noted, she wanted to lift up and kiss him, but didn't – her body was frozen.

He ran his fingers through her hair, and leaned down to chastely kiss her responsive, waiting lips. It was a small gentle kiss, but the effect it had on him was immeasurable. It made him feel complete in a way he had never before experienced. He didn't need anything else, she was enough – she was everything now.

Making love to her was transcendent. It had felt euphoric to be able to show her the depths of the feelings he had hidden from her, and from himself to some extent. Giving himself permission to trust her enough to place himself in danger and love her, felt indescribable. But his initial assessment had been correct – his love for her was dangerous and uncontrollable in both magnitude and force. There is nothing he would not do to ensure her continued affection.

He chastely kissed her again and felt her confidence grow as her hand ran up his neck and into his hair, trying to hold him in the kiss longer this time. He pulled away slightly as her tongue gently traced his lips. There was nothing he wanted more than to continue, but he was anxious, and there would be enough time for that later. Byakuya wasn't about to let Rien's affectionate nature side-track him when he was on a mission. One of the things he loved about her was her determination – once Rien had made up her mind about something, she was unstoppable. Rien's inexperience made her hesitant, but once she decided something, she was relentless.

He picked her right hand up and placed it against his heart, so she could finally feel the effect she had on him, how his heart had forsaken him for her, how it raced towards her, how its beating echoed her name in his chest.

Ri – en.

He moved her hair affectionately out of her eyes and looked deeply into them, trying to communicate all he felt in just one soul-bearing look.

Always be mine.

"Will you marry me?" he confidently requested, looking deeply into her liquid blue.

"What?" she disbelievingly asked, snapping away from him like a rubber band and placing her right hand over her mouth.

It wasn't the answer he was hoping for, but perhaps she was just surprised. She looked more than surprised, she looked shocked, and maybe even a little panicked. This was the only logical thing to do, Byakuya had reasoned.

"Is this that code of honour thing we talked about a few days ago – where you're obligated to ask me so I can refuse? Okay then, I refuse," she nervously rambled once she had removed her hand from her gaping mouth.

"This is not about any obligation I feel," he replied, a little annoyed at her reaction, and perhaps a little hurt that she had not immediately jumped at the chance to be his wife.

"Will you marry me, Rien?" he repeated his proposal to her even though she was unconsciously backing away from him.

"You can't be serious," she nervously laughed. "Are you?"

"Yes," he evenly replied. Was it so ridiculous to want to marry the person you loved?

"Wow, you're like a sports car, 0 to a 100 in 2.5 seconds," she replied while running her hand through her hair and looking anywhere else but at him. Byakuya guessed at the analogy she was trying to make, and he was not happy.

"How else do you expect us to be able to be together here, in Seireitei?" he argued. Had she bothered to spend any time thinking this through, he wondered. "Have you thought about our families? Getting everyone to agree to this is going to be an arduous process in itself," he added, almost angry by now that she had not realised the reality of the situation.

"So this is about obligation! Don't go putting yourself out by getting our families to agree or anything– my answer is no," she fought back in irritation.

"You're interpreting my words to suit your own motives – that is not what I said! I just honestly outlined reality for you," he condescendingly argued back. She needed to stop being so naive, this was just how things were, and they would not change just because she wished differently.

"If you don't want to marry me, then just say so," he said more calmly. Why did it have to turn out this way? Why didn't she just want to marry him?

She could now see the hurt he was hiding behind all the anger and irritation. She walked slowly over to him and caressed his cheek. "I have always been yours for eternity, but I won't marry you now," she revealed, holding his gaze. "I'm not saying that I don't want to marry you, I'm saying I won't marry you now," she explained. "Please see this from my perspective," she pleaded.

"Perhaps your perspective should merge with reality and see that this is the only way," he countered, his tone as empty as it ever was.

"Where there's a will, there's a way," she brightly stated, leaning closer to him, wanting a kiss.

"Well, until you find that way, there can be no more of this," he threatened, moving away from her, causing a regretful pout to form on her inviting lips.

"You would blackmail me into saying yes?" she chuckled lightly; astonished that he would withhold affection to win a disagreement. This was exactly why they should give themselves time to grow into the relationship first, she thought.

He leaned in suddenly, his cheek brushing past hers. "I would use whatever means necessary to make you mine," he seductively replied in the hollow beneath her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine. He then turned on his heels and walked off.

"You'll cave before I do," she shouted to his retreating back. Surely he couldn't endure being without her for long…she hoped.

She sighed heavily as she returned to her bedroom to soak in the bath. She had obviously left him alone with his thoughts for far too long today, and that practiced mode of concentration was flinging them apart again, but for entirely different reasons this time. Why was he always like this, she wondered. Why did everything have to be a competition or a battle of wills with him? By the end of the argument, that's what he had turned it into – his will against hers.

Byakuya's attention was stolen away from his mountains of paperwork to her beautiful silhouette in his office doorway. Her long black training outfit, this one with a blue lining, flowed beautifully around her just like her long raven hair did, like compressed reiatsu was pushing out from her. He put his brush down as she stepped in and closed the door behind her. He controlled the self-congratulating smirk that threatened to emerge as a result of her presence.

"Who did you say it was that was going to…how did you so eloquently put it earlier – cave first?" he taunted, amused that it had taken only two hours to ensure her compliance. But his position was the right one, so he could not blame her for her logic finally kicking in.

She walked around his desk to his chair, sweetly kissed him on the cheek, and then smiled warmly down at him. "Whatever gave you the impression that I was here to give in?" she playfully asked. If he was in a competitive mood, she had decided that she would be a worthy opponent.

She plopped herself on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Out of reflex he held her against him so she would not slip off and fall to the floor, or worse, hit her head against the desk on her way down. Why did she always have this flagrant disregard for her safety?

"I still won't ma…,"she began to say but was cut off by his lips crushing into hers. His soft lips massaged hers as his eyes slid shut. It made her stomach flip and roll a few times. She wondered if she would ever get used to that feeling, but she doubted it.

"Ssh," he whispered against her lips. His lips momentarily moved past her cheeks to her ear. "Renji will hear through the vent," he explained. Both his hand were occupied and kissing her was the only way to shut her up, he needlessly justified.

Rien had chatted to Renji on his way out of the 6th squad's barracks and on his way to Rukia's office at the 13th squad's barracks, but she wasn't about to tell Byakuya that…and anyway, she enjoyed the intimacy of whispering to each other.

"I thought you didn't care who knew?" she inquired as she tightened her hold on him and whispered into his ear.

"I don't, but I want your choice to be your own, not because people have found out about us and are pressuring you into it," he explained, unconsciously holding her even closer to him, like he had missed her, and he hadn't gotten enough of her earlier.

"I want you to understand my decision, as selfish as it is. Can I not have you all to myself for a while?" she softly asked, letting her lips brush his earlobe as she spoke.

"You could have me for eternity if you would just agree to marry me," he argued, resting his chin on her shoulder and breathing her strawberry-lavender infusion in. She was intoxicating.

"Once we make this about marriage and everyone knows, we will be bombarded with countless people telling us that it is impossible, and they might even be pissed off enough to use this as an excuse to wage that civil war they've been wanting to for centuries," she sighed, leaning her head against his.

"We cannot run away from that," he argued.

"I'm not talking about running, I just want our relationship to be strong enough to withstand that without having it warp what we feel for each other into resentment," she explained.

"I would never allow that to happen," he tried to reassure her.

"After everything we've been through, I just want to enjoy loving you for a while, before our relationship becomes about everyone else," she pleaded while absently playing with his hair, and watching the light bounce off the silky strands between her fingers.

"You want us to forever sneak around?" coldness crept into his tone as he said it.

"Not forever, just for now. And sneaking implies hiding, and I'm not asking you to hide in the dark like we're doing something wrong. Discretion implies protection, so think about it like that – I want to protect our happiness. I just want us to be discrete for a while," she confidently stated, looking into his misty grey eyes now. He did not look happy or convinced in the least. He unwrapped his arms from around her, and she got the message loud and clear. She slid slowly down his lap and stood up.

"I have work to complete, if you would excuse me," he coldly added to drive her even further away. It did not matter what she called it, his pride would not allow him to sneak around like a commoner. It would be a scandal no matter when they revealed their relationship, and it would be better to face things head on rather than try to tip toe around the subject and hope nobody finds out. Byakuya was finally truly, madly, deeply in love, and he did not want to conceal it. He did not want to hide her away, he wanted everyone to know she was his. Eternally his. He was above sneaking around.

"I could not love you more, just remember that," she softly stated and then exited his cold office.

He did not come home for dinner.

Rukia's cheerful presence and incessant questions about Ichigo were somewhat of a distraction at dinner. Rien indulgently smiled at Rukia as she whispered some new secret about something that Renji had said or done that had made her giddy. Rien understood that she was the only person Rukia could confide these things to, so she quietly listened to all of Rukia's happiness.

If she had encountered Rukia earlier in the day, Rukia would have probably commented on her smile and her happy mood, she might have even guessed the reason…but Rien wasn't smiling anymore.

"Do you ever think that you and Renji might be happier if everything was out in the open and Byakuya and the Kuchiki Clan knew? Does having to be discrete get tiresome?" Rien genuinely asked.

"Discretion has its own perks, but sneaking around can be frustrating," Rukia revealed. Rien flinched at the word sneak. "I'm not really all that eager to tell the Kuchiki Clan, but Renji and I both want to be able to tell Nii-sama someday soon. Renji respects him a lot, and I don't want to hurt Nii-sama by him finding out about us in some other way. Deep down, I know Nii-sama would understand even if he over reacted at first, and he would hopefully eventually give us his blessing, even if the Kuchiki Clan protested," Rukia explained. She had obviously given this some thought.

"I'm sure Byakuya would be happy for you guys. He's not always transparent about his feelings, but I know he cares deeply for you both." Rien smiled warmly back at her. "Until you tell him, just don't talk or make out in Renji's office, Byakuya told me he can hear very word through the air vent," Rien suggested.

"Thanks," Rukia smiled at Rien and began blushing. Rukia didn't have the heart to tell Rien that she would never have the courage to kiss Renji with her Nii-sama in the next office.

Rien missed him even more as she walked herself to her room after dinner. His absence was the worst torture he could inflict on her. She changed into her black silky shorts and a strappy cotton top to match. She thought about taking another bath to distract herself, but just ended up brushing her teeth for longer than she needed to. She stared at herself in her bathroom mirror for a while, contemplating whether or not she should just cave. But, she finally decided that she had a valid point, and should not make rash decisions because she missed him.

She walked out of the bathroom, turning off the light and stepping into her interleading lounge. She looked around in the dark. She had never used the lounge and it was bare except for a lonely table in the middle of the vast room. She thought about using it now, but decided against writhing in her journal. She didn't want there to be any written evidence of any thoughts she was currently having.

She walked into her bedroom and shut the interleading silkscreen doors , then only realising her rooms were the same as ByaKuya's, just not as large or grand. Well, this used to be his room a long time ago, she remembered. Now Byakuya was in the Imperial wing. The Kuchiki manor needed conveniently located maps like in museums. She would have gone to check if he was in his bedroom, if she could have remembered where exactly that was, but she didn't. It was probably a bad idea anyway.

Rien always left her bedroom door open because the Kuchiki manor could be deafening, and she welcomed the night time sounds and sakura scented breeze. Rien stepped outside her door and looked hopefully around, but he wasn't lurking anywhere, and her heart sunk further. She looked at the sakura tree, where he had proposed, a short distance away, and began cursing to herself as she walked back in and fell into her bed, utterly deflated. It was already midnight by now. What had she expected? He was too stubborn to even consider her perspective.

She retreated under her blue duvet and let out a long sigh. The ending to her day had been the complete opposite of its beginning, and she wished that she could turn back time and return to her blissful ignorance. Being without him now felt worse than it used to. Knowing that he shared her feelings and still chose to be without her, even though they had…well, it just hurt. She tried not to think about it, and to push the thoughts away, but she just tossed around for hours with her eyes closed but no closer to sleep.

Was it too much to ask to have a relationship first? Why did everything always travel at warp speed with him? Did it always have to be all or nothing? If this was a preview of what it would be like to be married to him, then she would refuse to ever marry him! It shouldn't always be his way or the highway. She had worked herself up to being angry by now; anger was easier to handle than despair. She hadn't refused him, why couldn't he just compromise, or at least try to? Why could she never find peace when she fought with him? Their every fight always ended like this – in a constantly restless, sleep deprived night for her. She was going to feel like death warmed up in the morning, and she knew it.

She felt his arm snake around her body and pull her to his bare chest before she had realised he had stealthily gotten under the covers. He laced his fingers with hers as he spooned her securely against him and affectionately kissed the tattoo on the back of her neck, causing a jolt of electricity to tingle down her spine.

"You win," he whispered against her ear.

"I love you too," she softly stated, exhaling some of the tension she had been holding in and allowing his warmth and subtle sakura scent to soothe away some of the pain she had been in.

"I had promised to stop leaving you, and I almost broke that promise today. It won't happen again," he assured her. She noticed the pressure of his head against hers and felt his warm breath against her neck as he snuggled closer, like he couldn't be close enough. She had been too frustrated to cry earlier, but she now felt her silent tears escape into the absorbent pillow.

"I will try my best to stop hurting you like this in the future," he whispered after a long silence as he felt her relax inside his arms.

He loved the way she felt against him, and wanted to savour the strawberry-lavender infusion that only he would ever get the chance to truly enjoy. He began to worry, when she hadn't said anything in a while. Did she forgive him, or was she still mad at him? She hadn't said.

"Rien?" he softly called, but she did not respond. He was holding her quite tightly but still couldn't feel her breathe. He unlaced their fingers and loosened his hold, to a soft protesting moan as she tuned within his arms to face him and unconsciously tried to pull herself closer to his chest to maximise contact. She sighed contently against his chest and smiled. He watched her happy slumber, just as she had the night before when he had cradled her naked body to his. The memory made more than just his emotions stir. He ran his fingertips along the curve of her body, letting them rest on her hip. She suddenly shifted and moved her left leg across his thighs to get more comfortable. He had never slept like this with someone before, the bed was usually equally divided, he had his side and Hisana had hers, well unless… He usually liked his space, but this was better. He didn't need space from Rien, he always wanted her closer, as close as he could get, as close as she would allow. He sincerely wished she would just agree and marry him, but her point had also been valid.

He had thought about Hisana a lot today. He remembered how difficult the battle to accept Hisana into the Kuchiki Clan had been, and how hard he had fought to protect her from the full wrath of it. Rien had her own clan to worry about and would not be able to be protected, as much as he would like to. Rien was strong, and obviously stubborn enough to handle the pressure, so her refusal of his proposal had perplexed him. What Byakuya had dearly wanted was to be in a marriage where he would feel completely fulfilled, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that a reality.

He felt this slight tinge of guilt about being happy with Rien now, but he knew it was unnecessary. Hisana had always wanted him to be happy, even at the very end, and she knew she could never be the reason no matter how much he had hoped she would be at the time. He doubted Hisana would approve of Rien though, they were complete opposites. If Hisana could have chosen for him, he would have no doubt ended up with someone like Isane or Hinamori – someone unassuming, caring, and sweet to take care of him, definitely not the stubborn, wilful, passionate girl that could inspire as much hate as she did love at times.

Rien's hand moved absently across his chest, down his abdomen and rested on the far side of his waist. He wanted to kiss every little finger on that hand, and vowed he one day would. He thought she was adorable when she slept, and was glad she felt so secure in his arms that it induced this hyper relaxation, resulting in a deep dead-like sleep. He assessed that he could probably completely undress her before she even woke up, but pushed the thought aside – it was too mischievous. She had been late this morning because he had tried to wake her from her dead-like sleep for an hour with no luck, and when she finally woke up, she had pretended like she hadn't. In truth, he hadn't really tried his hardest to wake her. He would do anything to keep her in his arms, even be late.

It would have been uncomfortable to hold any other person this close in the spring warmth, but she was forever cold to the touch and clung to his bare chest to siphon heat. He lifted his head to catch a glimpse of her clock once he noticed his eyes becoming heavy. It was already 3am. They only had three hours until they had to get up for a new day.

This day and all the days that followed would be different, he silently promised her as she slept. This day had taught him that he loved her first, and everything else came second. Everything only seemed to have meaning in relation to her. He loved watching her sleep. He sighed, something he didn't normally allow himself to do, no matter how much he wanted to. He just loved her, it was as simple as that.

"Ashiteru," he whispered to her, bending down and gently kissing her smiling lips.

God, I love her! He helplessly thought as he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him.

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoyed this instalment. My characterisation of Byakuya is that he will continue to be as he always was, but when he allows himself to fall, he really falls hard. I think he's a really passionate, caring person underneath the cold façade, like he was when he was younger, but now that he's grown up, he's gotten good at hiding it and compartmentalising himself because he's been hurt and he doesn't want to let anyone in. I personally didn't think it was OOC of him to be like he was in this chapter, he's still the same person but now he has different goals that he wants to achieve. I like that he tries to be playfully seductive with her sometimes, like they're in a normal relationship. Some people may think him proposing to her was sudden, but if you think about how he was raised and the setting of the conservative Soul Society, I felt that it must only seem natural to him to show his affection in that way…and he's a little possessive, as the chapter title suggests.

If I don't put this here, I just know someone is going to comment that Byakuya didn't present her with a ring when he proposed, but I researched this, and in the era and culture of Soul Society, they don't wear rings to signify an engagement or marriage. A thank you to all the readers who said they loved Rien, or who said Rien and Byakuya were the best fanfic couple. What I wouldn't give to see this story in Bleach.

Please REVIEW and tell me what you thought of the story and if you have any suggestions or comments about my portrayal of Byakuya in love.

~Willow~