Reasons

CHAPTER 5


Disclaimer: Still don't own Bleach or any of the sexy characters--if I did, this wouldn't just be a story on AFF.

Warning: This chapter contains yaoi—if you don’t like that, then please don’t read this chapter!
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Waking up with someone wrapped around me was a novel experience. It had been many years since I had shared my bed with another person. Not since Hisana had another person graced my bed overnight. A joy I had never felt coursed through my mind, my heart, my soul. Smiling down at my orange-haired lover, I kissed him gently. "Good morning," I whispered as he stirred and opened one eye.

His arms tightened around me and he nuzzled my chest. "Morning, " he mumbled, his lips brushing against my bare skin. I shivered as a fresh wave of desire flowed between us. Giving in, I pulled him on top of me; his look of surprise quickly fading as I pressed my hips against his. "I want you to make love to me, Ichigo. I want to belong to you."

His look of surprised pleasure swiftly changed to trepidation. "Byakuya...I don't..."

I kissed him again. "This is going to be a true partnership; I will hold nothing back. Neither of us will be the 'dominate' and the other person 'submissive'. I love you, and I want us to share everything and experience every aspect of physical gratification we can hope to achieve between the two of us. I have absolutely no interest in adding another partner or swapping partners. You are all I want; all I will ever need." I paused, letting him see the truth of my declaration. "Please, Ichigo. I need you to make love to me."

A beautiful smile lit up my lover's face. "I love you, Byakuya." He followed that heartfelt declaration with a long kiss that grew rapidly in intensity and passion. His tongue curled around mine before thoroughly exploring my mouth. He pulled away from my lips, trailing his tongue teasingly down the sensitive flesh of my neck. He applied a gentle sucking pressure, marking me, showing his possession. My desire flared.

I kneaded the muscles along his lean hips, cupping his firm buttocks and raising my hips, creating an erotic friction between our arousals. "More, Ichigo..." I moaned in a voice I scarcely recognized as my own.

His strong fingers moved slowly downwards, teasing the skin of my thighs, avoiding touching my aching arousal. "Ichigo....please...touch me..."

He grinned against my abdomen, leaving delicate, barely there kisses as his head dipped lower and lower. I jerked my hips up as his lips brushed against my over-stimulated flesh. A loud groan passed my lips as he traced the end with his tongue, dipping into the leaking slit.

"You taste wonderful," he breathed, moving his mouth further down the straining shaft. I gripped the sheets tightly as he traced along the engorged vein on the underside.

"Please, take me. Make love to me," I pleaded. I was desperate to have him inside me, to appease this burning need to have him possess me.

He kissed me deeply, reaching for the lotion I had left sitting beside the futon. Covering his fingers, he touched me, insinuating one calloused finger inside me. I stiffened; the intrusive digit wasn't painful, it just felt...strange, yet wonderful. "More," I commanded.

I hissed as he added a second finger, stretching my, loosening me. I relaxed my muscles, making it easier for him to stretch me. "One more," he breathed into my ear, licking around the shell of my ear.

Another finger entered; I inhaled, focusing on not stiffening or tightening my muscles. As he gingerly moved them he brushed against that spot. My eyes widened, a soft moan slipped from me. "Ichigo...."

Removing his fingers, he slathered the slick fluid on himself, placing his hardness at my entrance. I wrapped my legs around his trim waist, encircling his neck with my arms. "I love you, Ichigo." Bolstered by my declaration, he eased himself in, moving slowly until he was fully seated within me.

The sensation was indescribable--The throbbing hardness of my lover trapped within the tightness of my virginal passage--I wanted to scream with the extreme pleasure rushing through me. I leaned up, capturing his lips, my seeking tongue forcing its way into his mouth, touching, tasting, battling with his own responsive appendage. Eventually, the need to breathe became paramount. Separating our lips, we gasped, struggling to replenish our oxygen.

"Are you okay? Am I hurting you?" Concern for me underscored his words and shone brightly in his deep dark, passion-filled eyes. "I can stop; we don't have to do this, Byakuya."

I stroked my fingers along his cheek. "You're not hurting me. I don't want you to stop; I want to belong to you. I said that our relationship is an equal partnership; neither of us is dominant. Those weren't empty words, Ichigo. I meant them then, and I mean them now."

He rested his forehead against mine. "I'm very fortunate; there aren't many men who would be so willing to pursue or maintain a relationship like ours." His eyes bore into mine, searching, seeking...for what? Whatever it was, he apparently found it. He smiled, his entire face lighting up. "I love you, Kuchiki Byakuya."

Flexing his hips, he moved slightly, slipping back and pushing forward. The friction was delicious, exciting, teasing. I raised my hips, meeting him as he moved. "More..harder.." I demanded, my fingers clutching the muscles in his upper back.

He complied, pulling almost completely out before slamming back in, hitting that bundle of nerves repeatedly. I released a short scream as he rhythmically stroked that spot each time he thrust deep inside me.

That familiar coiling sensation swirled around my stomach, working rapidly down to my testicles; I could feel it--an intense orgasm, more powerful than any that I've experienced. "Ichigo," I moaned, "please...hurry....I'm not going to be able to hold back much longer..."

His mouth covered mine, his hips flexing faster, plunging deeper and deeper each time. Frantic, I moved my hips up, craving the fulfillment that only Ichigo could give me. Gripping my arms tightly, he stiffened, his release flooding my passage. That was too much for me. My orgasm hit me full-force, my erection trapped between us. The semen spurted, coating both of our abdomens and chests.

Breaking the kiss, I gasped for breath. His head dropped to my shoulder, his chest rising and falling irregularly. "Wow," he sighed. "That was amazing." He pressed a light kiss to my jaw. "Thank you."

I ran my fingers along his back, loving the feel of his skin against mine. "Thank you, Ichigo, for making love to me. Thank you for making my first time so wonderful, so unforgettable."

He eased out of me, moving to lie next to me. As the afterglow faded, reality intruded. The sticky fluid was drying on our bodies. Last night, a shower had sufficed, washing away the sweat and dried semen. Today, I was inclined to soak in my heated pool, allowing the therapeutic qualities to ease the lingering soreness in my hips and my lower back. I know that my lover had to feel the same aching in his muscles.

Rising, I slipped into a clean hakama and a clean black haori. Retrieving an extra set of clothing, I turned to my slightly puzzled love. "I think these should fit you; we are approximately the same size."

Dressed, we headed for my secluded pool, thankfully not meeting any of my servants along the way. I delighted in showing Ichigo the manicured grounds of the Kuchiki estate, taking him across the curved footbridge which crossed the clear flowing stream that supplied the water for my pool.

Following the stream, we arrived at the secluded, private glade. Stripping ourselves free of the confining clothing, we plunged into the perfectly heated water. It was wonderful. I loved the sight of his skin glistening with the crystal water drops. The beads of water trapped within his exotic orange spikes were captivating.

I was a man thoroughly, completely in love. Life was wonderful. Never again would I dread waking up; never again would I force myself to go through the motions of living. Ichigo had pulled me from the shadows back into the sunlight. How could I ever express the drastic impact his love had made on my life?

Realizing that the morning was slipping away, I needed to send word to my fukutaicho that I would not be in until later this afternoon. Rising, I stepped out the water, meeting the curious look on my lover's face. "I need to let Renji know that I won't be in until sometime this afternoon. Bending, I kissed his beckoning lips. "I won't be gone long."

Back at the estate, I sent one servant to the Division 6 headquarters with a letter informing Renji that I had matters to attend to and would come to the office later. I sent a second one to Division 8 headquarters requesting a meeting with Kyouraku and Ukitake this evening.

Realizing that neither Ichigo nor myself had eaten since yesterday morning, I entered the kitchen area gathering an array of fresh fruit and several containers of water. It wasn't gourmet, but it would suffice to stave off our hunger. At least, our hunger for food.

"Nii-sama?"

I whirled, my fingers clenching tightly on the basket of food in my hand. "Rukia? What are you doing here?"

"I was hungry," she offered, her deep blue gaze studying me intensely. "Nii-sama, are you feeling okay?"

I was confused. Why did she think I wasn't feeling well? "I'm fine, Rukia. Why do you ask?"

She pointed at my hair. "Your kenseiken...your're not wearing it. Why? I've never seen you without it." She waited patiently for an answer.

I shrugged nonchalantly, consciously focusing on not touching my hair. "I just didn't feel like wearing it today. In fact, unless I'm fulfilling my duties as a Taicho or head of the Kuchiki clan, I don't intend to wear it."

She nodded, seemingly accepting my response, yet I sensed she didn't completely believe me. But she had been trained not to question me about my personal life.

"Is there something you wished to ask me, Rukia?" I sensed there was another reason for her lingering in the kitchen, something she wished to ask me.

"Renji told me that Ichigo returned to Seireitei yesterday, but he didn't stay at his apartment. Do you know where he stayed? Did he go to Yoruichi's hidden cave?" She threw the words at me, dancing nervously from one foot to the other.

I studied her, puzzled by her nervousness. "No, Ichigo did not stay at Yoruichi's training area. Actually, he spent the night here."

Her eyes widened. "Here? At the Kuchiki estate?" She turned and headed down towards the guest quarters.

I raced after her. "Rukia. Ichigo is not in the guest quarters." This is not how I intended to inform her of my relationship with Ichigo, but I had no choice. My adopted sister is very stubborn; she would not stop hounding me until I revealed everything.

I drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Ichigo spent the night in my bedroom." I paused, seeing the truth and realization dawn in her large sapphire eyes.

Her fury erupted. "How could you?!!" she screamed at me. "He is my best friend...the one person I could always count on to be there for me, to listen to me. Now you have taken that away from me!! Why?!!!" Tears pouring down her cheeks, she turned and fled, running out of the house. I winced at the slamming of the front door.

Regaining my composure, I returned to my pool, anxious to see Ichigo. I prayed that Rukia had not fled to this area. Sometimes she did so when she was extremely upset. Like now. Espying my lover lying beside the pool, I breathed a sigh of relief. Sneaking up on him, I knelt beside the slumbering man, pressing a gentle kiss to his slightly parted lips. "Wake up, koibito," I whispered, my fingers lightly grazing the firm skin of his well-defined chest.

Brown eyes blinked lazily at me. "Byakuya. What took you so long?" He stretched, his muscles contracting and flexing as he rolled to a sitting position.

I held up the basket. "I brought us some food and water." I paused. "I also ran into Rukia. She heard from Renji that you returned with us yesterday. She questioned me about where you might be staying since you obviously were not at Abarai's."

His eyes narrowed, correctly sensing that there was more to this story. "What did you tell her?"

I hesitated. What if he didn't want her to know? Had I over-stepped my authority? Perhaps he wanted to be the one to tell her. Well, the deed was done and there was no need to worry about that now. I couldn't change what had happened; couldn't take back what had been said. "I told her that you spent the night in the Kuchiki estate....in my room."

“I see. Well, she would have eventually found out, Byakuya.” He placed his fingers under my chin, tilting my head up slightly, forcing me to meet his gaze. To my extreme relief, his eyes were warm, shining with the love he has blessed me with. “I would like to have been the one to break the news, but….”he trailed off, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on my waiting mouth. “What’s done is done. We’ll both have to deal with her wrath and hope that she gets over being pissed at us.”

“Not us,” I corrected. “Me. According to her, you were her best friend and now I have taken you away from her.” A wave of sadness washed over me as I realized that I had once again broken my promise to Hisana. I had not protected her; instead, I hurt her…badly. I hoped that soon we could sit down and talk, without anger.

Sensitive to my mood, Ichigo didn’t talk; he didn’t spout empty platitudes in an effort to make me feel better. He quietly held me, giving me the time I needed to put everything into perspective. Closing my eyes, I calmed down, thoroughly enjoying being comforted by my lover.

I sensed her reaitsu a few seconds in advance of her arrival at the pool. Thankfully. Enough time for Ichigo to slip his hakama on. I sent a sharp glance at him, relaxing a little at the calmness he projected.

Stepping into the glade, she focused her attention on me. Her blue eyes were filled with rage; she was livid. “I was sure that you were just being spiteful! You constantly derided him, you treated him as if he was less than the dirt you walk on…yet here you are telling me that he is your lover? How did that happen, nii-sama? What happened to all that Kuchiki pride, the noble arrogance?”

I was speechless, taken aback by her verbal attack. Before my mind could form a semi-intelligent response, Ichigo jumped to his feet, “What the hell? Rukia, why are you so pissed about me and your brother being lovers? Don’t you think he deserves to be happy?” He was furious; I could see it in the tenseness of his muscles, hear it in the harsh tones of his voice, and sense it in his spiking reaitsu.

I stood, stepping behind my lover and wrapped my arms around his taut abdomen. “Calm down,” I whispered in his ear. He covered my hands with his, leaning back slightly against me as I focused on my angry little sister.

“Rukia, I refuse to defend myself against your accusations. True, I did deride him, as I have done all humans. As a shinigami, I considered myself superior to mortals. As a Kuchiki, I was raised to believe I was superior to humans and other shinigami. But Ichigo isn’t an ordinary human—he’s half shinigami. His father is Kurosaki Isshin.” I hated this; explaining myself is something I’ve seldom had to do. Most people do not question me, because I am the Kuchiki clan leader and 6th squad taicho.

My koibito wasn’t finished. “Dammit Rukia!! Why can’t I be your friend and be your brother’s lover at the same time? Why should I have to choose between the two of you?”

She pointed her finger at me. “Because he will make sure you don’t have time for me. He will insist that you spend all your free time with him.”

That statement further incensed my fiery lover. “Do you think I’m that freakin’ brainless? Do you believe that I would ever allow anyone, even Byakuya, to control my life, tell me who I can be friends with, tell me where I can go and where I can’t go, tell me what I can and can’t do? Fuck! You should know me better than that! In the two months that you spent in the real world, you spent most of that time with me….hell, you even slept in my closet! Did I ever once allow anyone, even my sisters or my dad, tell me what to do?”

Her blue eyes flashed. "Okay, prove it. Come hang out with me and Renji tonight."

He glanced at me, his expressive brown eyes troubled. It wasn't fair of my sister to force him to choose. I kept my face impassive, not letting him see the uncertainty swirling within me. I held my breath and waited to see what Ichigo would do. How would he handle this dilemma?

He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Rukia, if you had asked earlier, I would have said yes. But Byakuya and I already have plans for tonight."

A fresh torrent of tears flowed down her pale cheeks. "I hate you both!!," she screamed, turning and fleeing swiftly across the grounds of the estate.

I watched her leave, before turning to face him. "Are you going after her?"

He reached for my hand, our fingers twining around each other. "No. She needs some time to think." He brushed my hair back, his fingers lingering, smoothing the tangled tresses. "And we need to tell Renji before she does."

Grabbing tightly to his hand, I led the way, flash-stepping to the Division 6 offices. Breathless, we entered the door, thankful to find no sign of Rukia. "Fukutaicho," I called, wondering where my flame-haired assistant had disappeared to.

"Taicho? I didn't expect to see you until later today. Did you get your business taken care of?" Renji threw out the question as he entered the waiting area from his private office. He seemed stunned to see Ichigo with me.

"Ichigo? What are you doing here? And with Kuchiki Taicho?" His gaze passed between us. "Are you looking for Rukia? She was here earlier looking for you." He paused to catch his breath. "Did she find you?"

My lover exchanged glances with me. "Yeah, she found me." He paused, his eyes turning to me briefly before focusing on Abarai. "With Byakuya."

Renji burst into laughter. "Whoa!! I bet that pissed her off--she'd hate for you and Taicho to become friends. You're the only friend she has that doesn't have ties to her brother. You are the only person who has the balls to stand up to Kuchiki Taicho. The only person who can claim to have defeated him in battle."

His brown eyes locked onto my grey orbs. I nodded almost imperceptibly, giving him tacit permission to reveal our relationship if he chooses.

"Renji, there's something I need to tell you. Something you need to hear from me...I want to tell you before Rukia does."

The spike-haired shinigami sobered, his eyes narrowed. "What is it Ichigo? What does Rukia know that sends you and Taicho out here together to tell me first?"

Ichigo glanced back at me.

"Dammit! Quit staring at him and answer the question!" Renji snapped, impatient with Ichigo's hesitation.

My lover's temper flared. "Renji! Don't fuckin' yell at me! Byakuya and I -- we're lovers. That's what Rukia found out. That is what she's coming here to tell you."

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Okay! Another chapter done--so, how do you think Renji is going to react to that relationship?

I hope to have the next chapter proofed and edited in a few days--hope you like it and will continue to follow my drabbles.

Thanks for reading--please review! Arigato!!