EPILOGUE

"Byakuya, you idiot!!"

Byakuya smiled quietly to himself. He turned. Rukia was making her way over to him.

It had been thirty years. Yet everyday when he woke up and saw her right in his arms, it still felt like the first time he ever held her. Everyday he was still learning new things about her.

She still broke the rules. She even sometimes ran around in the mansion now. Her views often clashed with him over certain things like the importance of life values over upholding the rules. To do what's right. And even worse, she could persuade Byakuya to break them occasionally with her now. The other night, she had even convinced him to leave the Kuchiki mansion in the dead of night to accompany her to the hills out of Seireitei to watch the sun rise. Byakuya had protested then, saying no Kuchiki member should leave the mansion at such an ugodly hour, but instead they had spent a romantic time together in the hills and watched the sun come up with arms around each other.

She still looked so young to him. She still looked so beautiful to him. His heart still fluttered whenever she touched him. He still lost his breath whenever they kissed. He was still madly in love with her.

Rukia stopped in front of him, those beautiful violet eyes Byakuya worshipped glowering.

"Where did you take Sode no Shirayuki?"

Byakuya raised his eyebrows.

He still kept his cool trademark expression, but Rukia knew Byakuya was no longer the old, unfeeling Shinigami captain. Actually, he never was. 'He's just a little… private,' Rukia thought, with a silent giggle. A few days ago, he had practically terrified a pair of unseated officers when he asked them if the load they were transporting to their division was a little too heavy for them. The unlucky (or lucky, Rukia didn't know which) officers had immediately fled in hysterics.

He did not display public shows of affection to Rukia when they were in Shinigami headquarters, instead preferring to use his eyes to communicate. I miss you. I want to be with you, right now. You know I love you. Rukia had learnt to read them all. Occasionally, when they found themselves walking next to each other in the division hallways (when he was just walking around and Rukia hurrying off to report to Captain Ukitake), he would suddenly reach out and take her hand in his causing the officers present there to quickly avert their eyes from the couple. And then Rukia would blush and berate him for such actions.

He was still a little uncertain, a little afraid that Rukia might leave him someday. His heart was open but still a little fragile. Rukia always reminded him she wasn't going to budge from his side, even if he threw her out. He always silenced her with a kiss and told her with tender eyes he would never ever consider even doing so. But he was getting better. 'And it was getting better,' Rukia thought as she placed her hand on the prominent bump in her stomach. 'Because our family is going to get a little bigger.'

But right now she was angry. She focused on Byakuya and he was saying something.

"When was the last time you practiced with your Zanpakutou?"

"I- " Damn it, he knew.

"Last evening." Rukia lowered her head in guilt. 'That Yoji,' she thought.

"And what did you promise me before?"

"Never to train physically with my Zanpakutou until I'm done being pregnant."

Byakuya wanted to laugh, but he maintained his serious expression. Her bluntness and her hard head was still too much for him sometimes.

"And speaking about your Zanpakutou, wouldn't you as its owner sense it if it was indeed in trouble?"

Rukia looked up. Byakuya's eyes twinkled at her.

"That's it! You absolutely did it!! I knew you did it!! You did it last night!! Because I still saw Sode no Shirayuki in the evening. You had someone remove it from the training room while we were in the bedroom! No wonder you-" Rukia was practically popping with rage.

"No wonder I what?" Byakuya cocked his head to one side, and gave her one of his irresistible I'm-so-innocent face. He had been pulling this one on her for a few weeks; he knew how to work his handsome charm on her now and he never did it on anybody else but her.

"No wonder you-," Rukia felt her cheeks heating up. "No wonder you kissed me like that… last night!" She was always blushing in front of him even though they now had a true husband-wife relationship.

"I thought it was just ordinary last night."

"No it wasn't! You kissed me till my lips were all puffy!! Till… till I couldn't think straight and hear Sode no Shirayuki calling to me!!" Rukia was adamant, Byakuya had definitely been so passionate last night. "You did it on purpose!"

"I kissed you till you couldn't think straight?" Byakuya asked in a pleased tone, though his face remained impassive.

Rukia looked away, turning even redder.

"You're just doing this because you're worried about this Kuchiki heir I'm carrying. You and your whole clan," Rukia countered.

"No."

Rukia looked up at him in surprise. His tone was suddenly serious.

"I just don't want you hurt." Byakuya's eyes were earnest and full of love as he gazed at her. Rukia felt her anger diminishing away quickly.

'Thirty years and he can still unwind me this way…'

Byakuya's arms lifted around her, and Rukia automatically relaxed into his embrace. "I don't like to get hurt. And in order not to be so, you cannot get hurt. Because any pain you endure," His hands tightened around Rukia, "any teardrop from your eye, is a stab right here." He took Rukia's hand and placed it right over his chest, where she could feel the steady pounding.

"And who was the one who said he wasn't good with words?" Rukia's voice came out muffled by his robes.

"One has to be humble sometimes."

Rukia snorted into his chest, and Byakuya had to smile.

He pulled back a little and hooked his finger beneath her chin, gently tilting her face up to his.

"Now, how about that kiss that couldn't make you think straight?"

Kawaii?? Lol...I don't know if Rukia can be pregnant because they say only nobles can give birth, but oh well, Byakuya is a noble right? So yeah, just throw that in.. ;) Got the idea of Byakuya taking away her Zanpakutou secretly by watching the Shinigami Cups, I thought Byakuya could be really cunning if he wanted to...lol :)

And so officially ends my first fanfic "Teach me How to Love". Thanks again, everybody!! :)