Ren-sama's Note:

Hi, guys! This is the last chapter of "Sunset in Heaven." Enjoy reading~! ᶺoᶺ

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Chapter 29 – EPILOGUE

Three months later…

Ichigo stepped out of the Fourth Squad barracks with mixed feelings. He remembered Unohana's face as she told him his condition. He couldn't help but sigh.

Byakuya was waiting for him outside the barracks with his usual stoic and cold expression. The man was wearing a formal kimono only set for a noble like him. His hands were crossed over his chest, an action that Ichigo found out the noble usually did when he was tensed. The raven's relaxed form immediately turned attentive when he spotted the younger Taichou across the pathway.

"How's your condition?" The noble immediately asked.

The teen gave him a small smile and shook his head. "The antidote tasted worse than I thought. But it helped in destroying the poisonous elements in my system." There was something in Ichigo's tone that said it wasn't as much of a good news as the noble hoped. Byakuya waited for the next words in utter dread. "She also said… that even if I already took the antidote, the damages done to my organs were already severe. My body cannot go back to the way it was before anymore."

The noble's expression dulled out, mirroring how he felt deep inside him. They were hoping that the antidote Kurotsuchi made could make Ichigo's body return back to normal. The fact that all it did was remove the poison was a little disappointing considering the span of time they had spent in making it.

Ichigo noticed that the noble seemed a little upset about the result. "It's fine, Byakuya. The most important fact here is that my body will not deteriorate even more. Unohana said that given time, it might actually start to slowly heal once again… although it's still a theory."

"You'll still suffer its effect from fatigue and too much use of your reiatsu." Byakuya simply said, indicating there was no actual change in the teen's condition. The only consolation they had was the fact that Ichigo's condition wouldn't get worse anymore. Thank goodness…

Ichigo smiled at his lover before he tiptoed and gave the noble a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry about it too much, Byakuya. I promise not to work myself out to the point where I'll cough up blood again." Somehow, that act combined with those words had managed to calm the raven down, much to Ichigo's satisfaction.

"Let's hurry up or we'll be late." Byakuya simply said before the two of them shunpod over to Seireitei's huge gates. The noble closed his eyes to reminisce the softness of Ichigo's lips on his cheeks. His expression beheld nothing but seriousness and stoicism but his heart had actually almost flown out of his chest from that act alone. The teen rarely did something like that, especially in a place so public. He couldn't help but smile a little. Really, for Ichigo to have that much power over his emotion was something so disbelieving and yet also very incredible…

They passed the gate quietly, having only small talks once in a while. They reached the first District of Rukongai together, trying their best not to get separated in the middle of multitudes of people who had gathered there in order to witness yet another noble wedding – and not any other noble wedding but the noble wedding of the first Female Head of the Kuchiki Clan.

Ichigo and Byakuya went to the almost palace-like structure of the Kuchiki Clan's main manor where almost all the other members lived. They were both received with special attention and reverence, making Ichigo more than self conscious especially when many people bowed down to him too.

Two months ago, Byakuya made a declaration that he was stepping down as the 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan, much to everyone's deep shock and disbelief. Many members of the Kuchiki clan actually questioned him and even dared oppose him, especially when he announced that the next head would be none other than his sister Rukia Kuchiki whom he had given the responsibility only because he deemed her worthy enough to replace him. He had made it clear that she was not chosen because of her position as his sister but because she seemed to be the most suitable candidate for the next Head. Other members of the Kuchiki Clan and even other nobles were in opposition to the announcement, saying a female could not possibly lead a noble family, but Byakuya's decision and resolve remained firm regardless of all the unfavorable reactions and criticisms he received.

This declaration not only shook the noble families and community but also Seireitei. No one expected Byakuya to step down while he was still so young and powerful. He did not step down even when he married his wife and not even when she died. It was altogether puzzling and disbelieving. The ones most surprised, however, were the ones closest to him.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he heard the announcement from below the stage of the Kuchiki palace in the 1st District of Rukongai. Rukia literally froze over when she heard his brother's decision to make her the Head. It was like she was frozen by her own zanpakutou and it took some minutes to wake her up from her shock. Renji too was much too surprised to hear those words. It was really hard to get Rukia's hand in marriage from Byakuya that it actually took him a month to finally have his permission. And now he wanted Rukia to be the Head!? How could he actually marry Rukia if she was the head of the Kuchiki noble clan!?

Ichigo couldn't help but smile as he remembered Renji shouting his questions out loud two months ago inside a pub in Rukongai. He was almost hopeless to the point where he was actually saying bad things about Byakuya. Ichigo immediately gave him a slight punch on the head for that. And yet, Rukia's first decision as the Head of the Kuchiki clan was to still marry Renji regardless of all the criticisms that she received for marrying someone with a low status in society. It was like with Byakuya and Hisana once again. But this time, Rukia did not hesitate to choose. It's either she would marry Renji and still become the Head of the Kuchiki Clan or she would marry Renji even if they were to ask her to leave. The advisors were much too scared to make her step down too because it would be too humiliating to the Kuchiki noble name if it happened. In the end, they had no choice but to let her just do as she wished.

"Renji was still very much hopeless about everything just two months ago… And now…" Ichigo thought as he and Byakuya sat in their respective chairs.

Rukia wore an elegant robe which befitted the Head of one of the four noble clans. Her eyes were brimming with radiance and her cheeks were flushed as she marched down the aisle gracefully with head held high in confidence. Renji, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of her. He was wearing a neat and stylish kimono suitable to the one his soon-to-be wife was wearing but his face looked in between nervous and nauseous.

Ichigo could almost laugh at him. He knew Renji was nervous about a lot of things. He was worried about his would-be wife's noble lineage, about his clothing which he thought was too simple, his hair which remained unkempt regardless of how much he tried to put wax on it, his voice which he knew would quiver in front of the altar, and about many other things. But he knew Renji was most nervous because it was the most important time of his life. After all… he had loved Rukia since they were kids… It had been his ultimate dream to marry her…

Ichigo remembered those times and felt that it seemed so long ago now. Back then, he still didn't know Byakuya and only learned about him through the mouth of his sister. He disliked Byakuya then. The corner of the teen's lips tugged upward. Who would have thought it was fate that he would be sitting together with Byakuya now as they both watched the wedding unfold before their eyes..?

He only recently learned that Byakuya decided to step down the position as the head because of him. The noble didn't want him to get involved in the chaotic and messy noble world. Byakuya actually wanted to simply pass down the position to Rukia's would-be offspring but he thought against it since it would still be very far in the future before the next head would be ready. He also thought of giving it to Renji since the man would become part of the Kuchiki clan sooner or later anyway. However, giving the position to someone who wasn't originally part of the family still didn't sit well with him, especially since he knew his Fukutaichou would most likely receive harsh bashings and utter hostility.

If it was Rukia, however, he could give the position with eyes closed and still knew that his sister would be able to perform to the high expectations of the noble community. He knew there would be oppositions, skepticisms, and even foul comments, especially since it was the first in history that a female would lead the traditional and rigid world of the Kuchiki clan, but he also knew what his sister was capable of. He would trust Rukia with his life. And thus, he would trust Rukia with their clan's future.

And as the two lovers recited their oath to be together for the rest of their lives, Ichigo felt Byakuya's hand hold his smaller one in the most nonchalant, unnoticeable way. The noble's expression suggested nothing about the intimate gesture as the raven's gray eyes remained in front. Ichigo could only blush in silence at the act but he still squeezed the noble's hand a little in return. It felt soft to his touch but the calluses from holding a sword were still very much prominent. And yet, he liked it just the way it was…

Ichigo then remembered the unfolding relationship between them in the past three months. It took a month of their relationship before they had managed to kiss without blushing too much and getting self-conscious to the point where they would push the other partner away in embarrassment – but mostly it was only him doing all those things. There was even one time when they've had a misunderstanding about Byakuya's feelings. It all started with a simple, innocent question which made Ichigo realize that his feelings for the noble wasn't just a simple admiration or confusion brought upon by the raven's own emotion.

"What was Hisana like?"

It was a question he asked while they were sitting on the porch facing the Kuchiki manor's garden. He was curious then and very much confused because he was still very much unsure about things between them. He was unsure about a lot of things. He wanted to know why Byakuya had liked him even though it was obvious the noble wasn't gay.

Byakuya had looked at him with an unreadable expression then. It made him self-conscious and ashamed.

"Why are you asking?" It was Byakuya's answer and it made him a little uneasy. His chest felt hard and cold for some reason and he hated it. It made him want to make the noble spill out about her even more. He knew it was childish and selfish but he couldn't help it, especially since the time when he saw Byakuya looking at a picture of her. The noble had no choice but to answer when he kept bugging him about her. The noble actually sighed, as if implying it was such a tedious task to explain things.

"…You are the total opposite of her. She was a woman with both weak reiatsu and body. She was modest in everything she did and had a very timid personality. "

It wasn't the explanation that Ichigo hated about the whole affair… but Byakuya's expression when he was telling the teen about her. He felt like his whole world was crushing down upon him. He could feel a swell of foreign but hurtful emotion from deep within his heart and his mind felt like it would explode. It hurt a lot…

He realized he was upset… and very much jealous. "Do you still love her?" It was a question he asked with a very quiet voice, as if he was afraid to let the noble hear it.

Byakuya's eyes softened then before he gave Ichigo a really warm and tight embrace. "I do… but not in the same way anymore." It was surprising and at the same time amazing how those simple words had managed to quell the pain in his heart and mind within seconds. Byakuya continued with the same hushed and calm tone. "She used to be my world… but that world has long shattered together with her. I'm living in a different world now. And I'm happy and contented living in it."

"…I can't be like her." He answered out of comparison. He knew that Hisana was the first person that Byakuya loved and he could not erase that. It was awful… that feeling called jealousy… He didn't know he would ever feel something like that from simply seeing Byakuya holding her picture.

"You are not Hisana, Ichigo." Byakuya answered him with a simple sentence. "You don't have to be like her. I love you just the way you are."

Afterwards, Byakuya explained to him that he was actually talking to her picture and finally saying his goodbye. He wanted to at least tell her not to worry about him because he had found a new life with someone whom he cherished and loved deeply. He wanted to ease her mind and finally let her rest in peace because he also wanted to formally move on with his new life… and with his new lover.

That day, both of them had collected many of Hisana's pictures in the manor and put them away in a box. Ichigo was confused at first why they had to do those things. But then Byakuya explained to him. The noble didn't want him thinking that he wasn't as loved as much as Byakuya actually did… Byakuya wanted to give himself to Ichigo and Ichigo alone in the same way as he wanted the teen for himself. And thus, he didn't want the teen having doubts about his feelings anymore.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The banquet for the wedding was held in the Kuchiki's grand manor in the 1st District but there was another celebration afterwards which was held inside Seireitei – in the Kuchiki manor which only Byakuya and Rukia occupied. This time, the visitors were exclusively part of the Gotei 13.

Byakuya was stiff with too much crowding inside his normally solitary mansion but he couldn't do anything about it, especially since he could see that both Ichigo and Rukia were enjoying the not-so-quiet party. Renji looked almost drunk from ecstasy and Rukia kept on blushing from being complimented about her and Renji's newly married life. Ichigo was having small conversations with the other Taichous and he seemed to be in a really good mood.

The noble couldn't help but sigh. He wanted Ichigo of all people to be happy… He almost growled when he saw Kurotsuchi earlier in the marriage ceremony but he refrained himself because he knew it was not the other Taichou's fault. The fault was at Aizen who did the damage on his lover when they fought ages ago. But he was really hoping that they could cure Ichigo… He sighed when he realized it was not the time to think about melancholic things. His sister was having her biggest day and he should be proud of her achievement and congratulate her instead of looking like tomorrow's the end of the world.

"Are you alright?" The raven simply closed his eyes when he heard the question, although inside he almost jumped from surprise. As he opened his gray orbs once more, he turned around and met those worried chocolate eyes looking up at him. Ichigo seemed really worried.

Byakuya had the deep urge the lock the younger Taichou in his embrace but he refrained himself once more because they were in the middle of the crowd. He simply gave Ichigo his rare soft expression before he spoke with his usual monotone voice. "I'm fine. I'm just a little uncomfortable because of all the people here."

Ichigo chuckled at that. He could see that the noble really did look unhappy and that was not fine at all. Only Byakuya could feel uncomfortable while in the middle of a party set for his sister. "Shall we go somewhere else?" He offered as an alternative.

Byakuya stiffly nodded and Ichigo gave him another smile. The two of them congratulated Rukia and Renji and talked to the other Taichous more before they finally slipped away from the crowd and from the house itself.

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"Why did we go here?" Ichigo asked, curiosity all over his face.

They were on top of a cliff overlooking Seireitei. It was already late in the afternoon and the breeze felt nice as it caressed their skin. Multiple stone graves were aligned on both of their sides and they were in the middle of the multitude of stones with engraved names and dates on them. The place was actually a cemetery built inside Seireitei but away from their barracks and usual training place. It was a place set only for the members of the Gotei 13 who met their deaths in the midst of battle. It was a very solitary place – a very solemn and lonely place.

They both gazed at the name written in bold letters on top of the grave in front of them. Ichigo closed his eyes in remembrance of that tragic night when he lost his hope and his only family member left in Seireitei. Or so he thought… At least until Byakuya told him that Juushirou never really left him… never really left them. It's just that his soul had finally gone back to the living world and had been reincarnated as a living human. It meant that somewhere out there in the living world, a young Juushirou was now playing with his friends… happy and alive…

His gaze transferred towards his right and saw the name Kaien Shiba engraved neatly on another stone grave. A small smile graced his lips as he imagined a young Kaien playing on the street somewhere in the living world. He would be older than Juushirou then… because he was the first to return and be reborn…

It's true that this place was the resting place of all the members of Gotei 13 who died in battle. However, he just couldn't imagine why they were here now. He looked at Byakuya who had yet answered his question. The noble was silently praying in front of Juushirou's grave, his eyes closed and his expression solemn.

"Chichi… I've finally found… a lover…" He couldn't say it out loud because he knew he would blush deeply and it would be even more embarrassing. However, he knew that his chichi would be happy for him. And Kaien too, if he was still here…

"Ukitake-taichou," Ichigo's gaze returned to Byakuya when the latter spoke. "I'm sorry I haven't visited your grave. However, I am here now because I think it is time to tell you." The teen looked surprised when his lover actually took his hand and gave a low bow towards Juushirou's grave. "I am here because I want to get your son's hand for marriage. I have loved him for a long time now. I will always make him happy and I will never make him cry."

The orange-haired Taichou blinked in surprise before he felt his cheeks color up. "B-Byakuya–" He was silenced by a glare directed to him by none other than the noble.

Then Byakuya looked at Juushirou's grave once more and continued. "Although I know it might be impossible at the moment to have a marriage in the same way as my sister did, I assure you that I will never take back my word with you as his father. I will cherish him for as long as I live. I will love him for as long as I live. And I will never leave him."

A soft breeze blew and it felt like it caressed them both.

Ichigo could feel that he was red up to the tips of his ears. But since Byakuya had voiced his words out loud, it was only right to say what he wanted out loud as well. "Chichi, I… I love Byakuya too. So I am here as well… to ask for your blessing." And he bowed as well, knowing the fact that he was blushing. His hand which the noble held was slightly shaking. Or was it actually Byakuya's hand that was slightly trembling..?

Afterwards, both of them stood straight once more and heaved a deep exhale.

"Is this the reason why you didn't want to go here before?" Ichigo asked after a while of silence. His tone was teasing but he looked really happy so it actually seemed like he was simply excited to ask.

Byakuya simply wore his poker face to hide his slight blush. "I did not know how to tell him." Ichigo chuckled at that.

The noble sighed once more and brought out something from his pocket. "I… want you to have this." He then showed Ichigo what he was holding.

The teen blinked when he saw a small velvety red box in Byakuya's hand. He silently took it, his face filled with curiosity, before he opened it slowly. His eyes widened when he realized what it was. He blushed once again and looked at Byakuya who was looking at him with a soft expression. "It's a Kuchiki heirloom…" Ichigo voiced when he remembered Rukia wearing something similar on her wedding gown earlier. It was a silvery-bluish metallic flower symbol of the Kuchiki noble clan.

Byakuya shook his head. "To be precise, it is a brooch that Kuchiki noble women wear from the day of their marriage until their death. However, you don't really have to wear it. I don't want to hurt your pride as a man. I simply want you to have it."

Ichigo's eyes softened. "Thank you, Byakuya." He touched the crest with his fingertip. "It's beautiful."

Byakuya let out a small smile. It was beautiful, he said… He could feel his heart swelling with pride at those words. For Ichigo to say that the brooch was beautiful when it's actually the very thing that would tie him to Byakuya and the Kuchiki clan forever…

The noble's gaze softened a lot when he saw Ichigo innocently trying to put the brooch on his chest, as if he wasn't ashamed in the slightest to wear it. Really… when he first met the teen, he never knew he would develop such deep feelings for Ichigo...

It was surprisingly funny in a way that something like romance would be the end for them. Not to mention, the noble could feel that his love for Ichigo was way more possessive and intense than how he felt for Hisana. His feelings for her were more like fondness and on the caring side. For Ichigo, it was definitely a lot more passionate and incredibly domineering. It was a mix of love, and lust, and affection… He wanted to have Ichigo all to himself… It was a feeling he already got used to having. The one thing preventing him from doing anything forceful was actually the fact that he felt overprotective of the teen too. He wanted to protect Ichigo's happiness above all things. That… that was the reason why he would not do anything that could hurt Ichigo…

Once, he told Ichigo that his feelings for the teen were more of a storm inside his heart – a storm so strong and violent he thought he would lose himself. Ichigo's eyes widened then and the teen blushed terribly, much to his surprise. He really thought Ichigo would get angry at him. And the most puzzling thing about that revelation was the fact that Ichigo actually thanked him. And Ichigo told him his feelings for Byakuya might actually be on the same level… The noble who had always thought his feelings might be suffocating finally realized that it was only normal to feel like that. He wasn't alone in his feelings… He remembered hugging Ichigo tightly then.

"Byakuya, is it really okay for me to have this?" Byakuya was forced out of his musing when he heard his lover's question. He looked at Ichigo and saw the teen still holding the brooch. It seemed Ichigo wasn't able to pin it on his kimono and had already given up on trying.

"Of course. Don't even think for a second that you can give it back to me." Byakuya voiced sternly before he took out another thing from his pocket. "It will help a lot." He said as he showed it to the teen.

Ichigo blinked at the thing his lover was holding before he chuckled. "You should've given that to me right from the start."

The noble couldn't help but smile at that. "You didn't ask." He took the brooch then and attached it to the chain-like necklace he just showed Ichigo. There was no pendant so the brooch itself acted as the adornment. It even looked like it was meant to be there in the first place.

Byakuya then walked behind Ichigo and put the necklace on the younger male. His eyes softened when he saw how the pendant-like brooch of the Kuchiki noble clan fitted his lover like it was meant to be worn by Ichigo all along.

"It suits you." He commented quietly, watching in fascination how the pendant made Ichigo look even more gorgeous.

Ichigo blushed a little at the compliment before he grinned shyly. "Thanks." He then turned around to fully look at his lover and gave Byakuya a chaste kiss on the lips. "That's… well… my return gift… sort of…"

Byakuya closed his eyes and smirked. "That's it?"

Ichigo immediately blushed and scowled.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ichigo sighed in contentment as he sipped a little from the cup he was holding. He wore a plain black kimono as he sat by the porch of the Kuchiki back garden. He and Byakuya were both watching the crescent moon in peace and quiet. The noble too wore only a simple dark-blue kimono, removed of his usual stern aura and kenseikan. The noble's cup was already empty by his side.

The marriage celebration had ended about four hours ago and Rukia was most likely together with Renji in the latter's house. Although Renji was a little embarrassed to let the Kuchiki clan know about his humble background in Rukongai, he was still a man with high pride and dignity. He didn't want to simply sponge off the noble's wealth and live in the Kuchiki mansion together with Byakuya. He wanted to prove to the Kuchiki clan that he could live happily without having to rely on Rukia's power and wealth. And thus, he simply refused to live in the Kuchiki manor.

Rukia almost rolled her eyes at that while muttering 'man's pride.' And yet she still agreed to live with him in his house in Seireitei.

Byakuya inwardly approved of his Fukutaichou's decision and resolve. Although he would never voice it out loud, he was silently glad that it was Renji whom Rukia got married to.

"What are you thinking?" Byakuya's cool voice brought Ichigo back to the present and made the teen look sideways at his lover.

"Rukia and Renji." The orange-haired teen answered immediately with fondness.

Byakuya smiled to that. He was thinking about the exact same thing. His gray orbs then darted towards the brooch dangling on Ichigo's neck. It was simply astounding to look at, especially while the teen wore it.

Ichigo blinked in surprise when Byakuya moved gently towards him and gave him a full kiss on the lips. He immediately blushed at the act but he still managed to put his emptied cup down and wound his arms around Byakuya's neck, pulling the raven closer.

When they parted for the much needed air, both males had a slight tinge of red on their cheeks.

"I love you, Byakuya…" Ichigo whispered as he let himself be carried towards the noble's master bedroom.

The corner of Byakuya's lips curled upward. "I know. You've already told me at least a thousand times before." And yet his voice sounded really pleased.

Ichigo chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll let you hear it for a thousand times more."

The noble's gray orbs darkened a lot as he smirked. "Don't forget those words."

And the door to the bedroom closed behind them.

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.FIN.

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Ren-sama's Note:

I hope you enjoyed reading this fict up until the end. I sincerely thank all the people who supported this fict and continued to follow it even though the updates were very slow. Once again, thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! Until the next time~! ᶺoᶺ

P.S. Sorry to disappoint those who expect some sexy ByaIchi goodness. I'll admit I originally wanted to put more of that in this chapter… But the ending turned out that way for some reason and I don't want to ruin it by trying to prolong the chapter anymore.