((So, I think I'm going to just going to let my other stories besides this and all requested ones take the backseat for a while. I may update the others from time to time but these will get finished first for sure. I have a new request I'm writing. It's Ichigo/Aizen plus other pairings…so if you like that pairing you will see it in the near future. :) But on with the story…enjoy!))


Nel woke in a bit of a daze. She could tell she wasn't in the bed that Renji put her in. Her large hazel eyes looked around with tears starting to form in the corners. The bedroom was simply furnished with a desk, dresser, and a bed. It also had posters and pictures on a couple of the walls. She didn't recognize anything in this room though; however, she did recognize someone's presence as she sensed by the door.

She sobbed even as a young man with bright orange hair entered the room. He looked a bit shocked and panicked at the child. "Nel? What is it?"

"I-Itsygo!" The girl sobbed, and bounding off the bed and into the substiutes arms. "W-where is tis'? Where's Bya and Wenji?" She cried, with streams of tears coming from her eyes and a small stream of snot from her nose.

"Byakuya and Renji are in Soul Society." Ichigo frowned. "Yoruichi-san brought you here to keep you safe."

"B-but Bya says I can stay wit them!"

The substitute sighed and set the arrancar on his bed. "Well, you're stuck with me until they are ready to take you home." He gave a reassured smile. "This is for your own good to, you know. I can protect you from Soutaichou and Aizen here they can't since over there, you're too easy to get to there."

Nel nodded but sniffled as a few more tears fell from her eyes. She didn't want to be here, although she was with Ichigo. She wanted to be with Byakuya and Renji, in soul society. She felt safer there but she knew she could argue with it much if no one was going to listen. She had learned that back home when Ichigo was saving the girl Aizen had taken captive. She frowned, and buried her face in the bed sheets until she heard an exclamation of anger.

"Oi, kid! Get off of me!"

The green-haired girl furrowed her brows as she sat up. She saw the plush doll stand and point to her.

"Don't go laying on me while you are crying and shit!" The lion snapped.

Nel blinked at it and picked it up. She poked at it numorous times until it told her to stop it. It made her giggle and slam the stuffed toy on the bed. "It Twaks!" She giggled again.

"It?" The plush wondered aloud as he grew more annoyed. "Oi! My name is Kon!"

Ichigo just smirked at the two. Serves the little shit right. He can be a comfort to her while try to help Urahara-san. He walked back over to the door. "I'll be back in a bit."

Nel frowned, slamming the lion down again. "Where is Itsygo go-wing?"

"Just to run an errand or two," he scratched his cheek absent-mindedly. "I'll be back though; you can just stay here with Kon. My dad is downstairs too."

Her lips trembled and tears rose to the corners of her eyes again. "B-but take me with you...!"

He gave her a glare and shook his head. "No, I have to go alone but I'll be back."

The little arrancar shook her head again wanting to cry. "Itsygo!" She started to sob.

The orange-haired shinigami frowned deeper. He walked over to his desk and pulled out a large book. "Here, you can read this and I should be back before you know it."

Ichigo gave a small smile as Nel took the book whilst ceasing her tears. He watched as she put Kon on her lap then opened the book, quietly beginning to read. He even figured that she didn't even notice when he left while she was reading.


"Byakuya-sama," The head elder called softly as the clan leader and red-haired shinigami exited the archive for a short break. She walked up to the two as the other elders filed out of the gardens and proceeded to their own homes.

Byakuya turned to her and nodded to her. "What is it?"

"Byakuya-sama, have you any idea of how you will get Mana- and Rukia-san back?"

The clan leader frowned and shook his head. "No, not yet, Renji and I are still looking into it."

"And what of the arrancar I saw Shihoin Yoruichi leave with?"

"We're trying to keep her save from Soutaichou." Renji answered for his taichou.

Kameko shifted her red eyes to the redhead and frowned. "Why does he want her? She looked harmless."

Renji shook his head. "We don't know exactly. But Kurotsuchi wants her for an experiment. Why, I haven't a clue."

The young head elder's eyes lowered as she shook her head sadly. "I see, so you have had yet another betrayal, ne?"

"Hai," Byakuya spoke quietly. His hand went up to the girl's shoulder. He felt concerned for her. She had just taken over being head elder for her ill father and the clan leader could already see that it was starting to take its toll on her.

She raised her head to look at the man, frowning.

"You look tired." He commented, changing to the subject. "Perhaps you should go rest."

She shook her head and sighed. "No, I have a great deal of work to do yet."

A stern looking expression came to Byakuya's eyes. "You will not be of use much if you exhaust yourself. Go and rest. You can complete work after then."

"B-but Byakuya-sama…!" She stammered, slightly wide-eyed as she tried to object. She looked to the fukutaichou, noticing that he just stood there smirking at her.

"Kameko, do not argue. Just go rest. You can use one of my guest rooms if you wish."

She blinked slowly at him and flushed a light crimson. "B-but-!" She tried to object again.

"Kameko, you may be head elder now but I am clan leader and as clan leader I must look after my clan." A small smirk pulled along his lips. "Go rest."

Her lips tightened into a thin line but she nodded. "I will rest, Byakuya-sama."

"Good," He nodded. His arm dropped back to his side as he looked to Renji and back. "Renji and I will be at the patio for tea then we will be back in the archive."

"Hai, arigatou, Byakuya-sama." She flash stepped away, leaving the men alone on the walkway.

Renji tilted his head to the side. "She's the Head Elder?" He asked looking to Byakuya as he nodded. "She's so young though."

"She is," The noble agreed. "But her father is ill and she was most favored for the position since he was in need of passing on his position. I actually see a lot of her father in her."

Renji frowned thoughtfully. "Oh..I also noticed she isn't like the rest of the elders…more personable than snobbish."

"Yes, and there is a reason for that." Byakuya said, walking down the walkway and to the patio.

"Which is?"

Byakuya sat down and poured the tea as Renji too, sat down. He took his cup and sipped the soothing liquid. "Her mother was a commoner."

Renji's brows rose to his hairline. "But I thought nobles generally didn't like peasants…"

"Most don't care for them but some are not as close-minded." Byakuya said. He sipped his tea before going on. "Kameko's father was one of the oldest and strongest heirs in my father's time. But he never wanted to be clan leader so my grandfather continued to be the head of the clan until I was old enough."

Renji tilted his head to the side, frowning. "But isn't it a great honor to be clan leader?"

Byakuya nodded. "But it is also a great responsibility. He didn't care to have this particular weight on his shoulders so he passed it along."

He turned his head to the gardens, taking in the beautiful scenery. "He instead fell in love with a peasant woman, a woman from one of the lower districts. He never told anyone until they married in secret."

"Why did they get married secretly?" The redhead asked before sipping his tea.

"Back then, before my grandfather could change it, it was forbidden for nobles to marry a commoner. Kameko's father knew that but he and his wife married anyway. He was even prepared to leave the family until his wife, Kameko's mother, was killed right after she gave birth to their daughter by the elders."

A disgusted look came to Renji's face. "Heartless bastards…" He muttered under his breath.

"Many wanted to kill the girl but instead, they told my uncle that if he wished to keep Kameko alive, he would have to stay in the family and be the Head Elder."

"So, I'm guessing he stayed and that's how Kameko-san is still alive and now head elder?"

Byakuya nodded. "But Kameko paid a great deal for her father's defiance. She was always teased and left out by the other children when we were growing up, not even her own grandmother would look at her as her own grandchild because of her mixed blood. It wasn't until Mana and I decided to help her and we all became very close friends. She trained harder than any of us and became well educated out of her own accord; she later became favored by most because of her wits and wisdom from all that she endured. No one except a few no longer held her mixed blood against her as she became of age."

"Sheesh…sounds rough. More rough than what Rukia and I had to deal with. I mean, we were hated by a lot of people in Inuzuri and we had to put up with shit about it even when we came here but to be alienated by your own family?" Renji sighed. "I can't imagine that. I rather have no family than to feel so out of place with them."

Renji bit his lip at the stupidity he felt once he saw the rising sadness in his lover's eyes as he looked to them before it quickly faded away. He very well knew that he would feel out of place if he kept seeing Byakuya. Even the noble himself knew that. But that was the price he would just have to bear to keep the noble in his life.

"I, uh, I didn't mean it like that." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Shit, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it like I would rather be alone than to not have you in my life. It's just I would not want to feel that way, ya know? I love you but I know your family wouldn't like it…not that I actually care what they think it's just hard to have to feel out of place like that."

The noble nodded silently, sipping his tea, and closing his eyes. "I understand," He said after a while. "It is not easy having and maintaining a relationship such as ours."

He looked down into his tea. "Do you really wish to keep seeing me even if you will feel odd around my family?"

Renji bit at his lips. "Y-yeah. I want to keep what we have here; I just don't wanna feel as if I don't belong, at least not completely."

Byakuya looked up a bit warily. "Do you feel as if you belong with me?"

A wide smile grew upon the redhead's tanned face. "Hai," that was one thing he was sure of. He knew and felt safe with Byakuya, always.

"I am glad." Byakuya said, giving a faint smile. "I want you to tell me if you ever feel differently."

"Okay," Renji chuckled softly. "I doubt I'll ever feel different when I'm with you but I'll be honest with you no matter what."

"I appreciate that and will try to do the same." The noble said. He drained his tea then stood. "Come; let's have a walk in the gardens before we go back to the archive."

The redhead nodded and drank the last of his own tea then joined his lover, walking through the large gardens with his curiosity piqued. He asked many questions about each plant and flower and noticed that Byakuya looked like he even enjoyed explaining it because he was actually smiling. Renji had to wonder how many times he had seen the noble smile in just the past few days. It was probably the most he imagined that he ever smiled so much in his life. Byakuya was always so serious and never looked as happy as he did when they were together, alone like this.

It wasn't until after they watched the sunset and had dinner that they went back to the archive to do more research. It was early morning before Renji finally closed the large book he had and looked over to the noble who was blinking a bit sleepily but never otherwise moved from reading where he sat on the bed.

The redhead smirked, walking over to the noble, and pulling the book gently from his hands.

"I was not finished." Byakuya complained quietly. He reached out to take the book back but Renji only marked the place and tossed it on the table that he previously sat at.

"We can do more tomorrow. But for now we need some sleep."

"But we lost a lot of time by being out in the garden for so long this afternoon." Byakuya objected. "You can rest but I will not until I find something."

"Ah-ah," Renji shook his head. "You're not going to be of much use if you wear yourself down."

He chuckled as the noble colored slightly from having his own words used against him.

Byakuya glared softly at his lover. "Fine, we shall rest and start again after breakfast."

He rose off the bed, ignoring the smirking redhead as he walked past him. They left the archive and walked to the noble's bedroom where they both changed into yukata's then laid down.

Byakuya's head rested on Renji's warm chest as they both looked out the large bay window with the curtains pulled slightly closed. It was just enough to keep the morning sun from shocking them awake but yet enough so they could still see out to the stars and bright full moon that was still out now.

"Renji?" Byakuya said, breaking the long silence.

Renji's hand gently rubbed the noble's back in lazy circles, with his eyes closed. "Hmm?"

"…I would like to tell the elders about us." The noble said quietly.

"I thought we already agreed to that?"

"No," The noble shifted so he could look at the redhead's face. "I mean as soon as possible…like, after we rescue Mana and Rukia…or sooner."

Renji's eyes opened suddenly, looking surprised. "Really?" He asked, not able to hide a smile.

The other nodded. "Hai, I do not want to pressure you about it but I think it is the right thing to do. They may not like it, but at least I will have you."

"You think they'll still give you a hard time about it?" asked Renji, frowning.

Byakuya gave a small shrug. "I know they will not be pleased or even all that accepting but it does not matter, ne?"

Renji nodded. "Yeah, they'll just have to get used to it." He smirked.

Byakuya was not able to fend off his own smirk even as he kissed his lover.

"Indeed," He murmured as they pulled apart for a moment. "When would you like to tell them?"

"Tomorrow," Renji answered, kissing the other man again.

Byakuya smiled against his lover's lips in silent agreement.

Tomorrow… He thought, still smiling.