The Dark

The Dark
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to the awesome Kubo Tite; I’m merely borrowing his characters.
A/N: This is a Byakuya/Rukia fic, which may seem like incest and if it disturbs you better not read. This is my first adult fanfic, please be gentle.

The Kuchiki lord sighed and looked at his garden from the terrace, darkness had shrouded his favorite haven, the feeble light from the lamps placed by servants along the paths was barely enough to see. However he did not mind the dark, it provided a perfect privacy to mull over his confused thoughts. He could not sleep and instead of tossing and turning on his futon he decided to take a walk despite of the advice of the healers who wanted him to rest, the wound had been terrible, the zanpakuto had pierced his body to come out at the other side. It was almost completely healed now thanks their efforts but Byakuya didn’t care enough to take their kind request into consideration.

It was only at night, when free of his uniform, Kenseikan and scarf that he felt like an ordinary man, plagued by troubles of ordinary people. She would be leaving tomorrow and they had not yet spoken, all these years of silence could not be broken by a mere confession and many more secrets lay between the two of them. He had been unable to sleep for the last few nights because every time he lay his head on his pillow, memories came rushing back: the frail body beneath him, the silky thighs parting to welcome him, and the hot silky tightness, dripping wet for him. His body craved for a woman, not just any woman but for her… The cold night air helped to soothe his mind and body and he could not go to her, not after all that had happened.

It always had been the deepest and darkest secret between the two of them. He had never intended for it to happen when he had taken her in, as he had vowed but her resemblance to his dead love wreaked chaos in his mind. The first time he had approached her was surprising to him as much to her. They were alone and she was talking about trivial things about her day at work but he had not been listening, instead he had been staring at her lips and mouth. Those familiar lips that he had kissed so many times, and that sweet mouth which had explored every inch of his body, tempting and torturing him in so many ways. It had to be her. He had approached her and kissed her on the mouth. She had been shocked initially but responded quickly, allowing him access to her mouth and letting her tongue play with his. He broke apart abruptly, and she moaned in protest but he was ashamed of what he had been thinking. He left the room and before leaving his last look clearly asked her not to mention this to anyone.

The next day they both pretended that nothing had happened and resumed their stiff formal communication but at night he was plagued by the kiss. She tasted the same and responded in the same way. He avoided for several weeks after that but that memory robbed him of sleep; a chance for respite almost every night. Then one night when he could take in no longer, he had gotten up and walked to her room. He knocked softly and she answered surprised,
“ Byakuya-ni-…” she began but could not end her sentence as his mouth came crashing down on hers. He kissed her deeply and passionately, exploring her mouth with his tongue, she wrapped her arms around his neck but due to her short stature he had to lift her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He made for her futon. “The door…” she managed to croak out. Nodding he held her with one hand and used the free one to close and lock the door.

He paused again, putting her down and untying the sash that closed her yukata and removing her undergarments. The discarded kimono lay at her feet and he feasted his eyes on her naked body which was slightly different than in his memories: smaller bust and waist, her legs were longer and shapelier but her porcelain skin still had the same translucent glow and her eyes were hazed with passion and desire. Hisana was back and he had to have her. He carried her to the futon and gently laid her down. Disrobing himself he then lay with her, giving in to his madness and pain. He made love to her several times that night, pouring in all the frustration and passion pent up in the long lonely nights. He used his hands and mouth to explore and taste every inch of her, he reveled in her moans of pleasure, the way she raked and dug her fingernails in his back to plead for more. As they both laid there panting and spent, exhaustion claiming them both, he whispered in her ear: “I love you, Hisana…” and fell asleep, not noticing her sad smile and eyes glazed with tears.

He woke early the next morning with the tiny woman curled up in his arms. She looked younger and frailer and he immediately felt guilty but he remembered that she had not pushed him away but on the contrary… Shame welled up anyway when he saw the kiss bruised lips and trail of angry red marks on her delicate neck and chest. He rose from the futon without awaking her, gathered his clothes, dressed and left silently for his own room. He did not know how to face her after this but they continued going on as if nothing had happened, a tacit unspoken agreement between them. He hopelessly tried fighting the temptation to return to her room but it was stronger than him. When he could not bear the empty futon in his room, his steps automatically led him to her and she would always welcome him in the warmth of her bed.

During the day they were cool, distant and aloof and within the dark and amid silk sheets they were lovers. They rarely ever talked, preferring to use their bodies to communicate. Nobody in the family or among their friends knew about their night trysts, there were some murmurs among the servants but nobody ever dared to say anything aloud. Her near execution had toppled the delicate balance between them and he did not know what to say to her, and she was leaving tomorrow. Under the weight of his responsibilities as a noble he had acted like a fool, torn by his two promises. It was only in the end, when he had nearly lost her that he realized his stupidity. If it had not been for the two brats, she would have been dead. As he saw the attachment the two had for her, the shame and guilt he had about the true nature of their relationship surfaced again. He had imprisoned in his misery and opportunities to live life and fall in love were passing her by.

All these years she had probably welcomed his attentions out of duty, it would be better to let things remains as they were now, the distance between them intact both during the day and at night. He had grown attached to her after all this time and wanted her to be happy.

Suddenly the object of his musings appeared in front of him. It seemed to him that she only grew lovelier each time he saw her. Her silky jet black hair lay as a halo around her pretty pale face.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised, “you’re leaving early tomorrow, better get some sleep.”
She almost looked frightened but she somehow gathered her courage and spoke out “I want to tell you something”
“Go ahead, I’m listening”
“Not here, somewhere more private”, he merely nodded and was about to suggest going to his office when she took his hand and started leading him back to the house. He could only follow.

To his surprise, she led him straight to her room, ushered him in, and closed and locked the door behind her. His heart has racing, the room held many memories of their feverish encounters and he rarely ever entered it except to….. He had not been here since months. She gently pushed him down her futon in a sitting position and straddled his lap, and kissed him. He immediately responded, running a hand through her hair and the other snaking down her back. When they finally broke away, she smiled and whispered; “I missed you”. He smiled back; there never had been a need for words between them. Later as they lay there spent in each others arms, he whispered the words he had said on the first night they had spent together: “I love you, Rukia”. His companion smiled as she fell asleep, they will have a lot of conversations like that one when she came back.