Sweet Rain

Kuchiki Byakuya's attitude towards the rain is ambivalent at best. He neither fully liked nor fully disliked it.

To be sure, as an adolescent, he would oftentimes grumble about having to practice his bokken indoors instead of outdoors. Being a Kuchiki means one cannot slack in his duties.

But as a nobleman, he learns and understands the necessity of rain. The success of the rice harvests in his lands and in his compounds is dependent on the rain. Too much rain, the rice stalks saturate and rot. Too little, and the green rice shoots do not grow, but yellow and wither. Being a Kuchiki meant accepting your role, your status – to let go of things which you're not meant to hold or obtain.

In this respect, Byakuya did not follow the rules. Marrying Hisana broke him from the typical mould of a proper aristocrat. Yet even on this count he had failed. Despite marrying Hisana, against the wishes of the Council of Elders in the Kuchiki clan, he was soon robbed of what precious little five years of matrimonial happiness by Death.

In the many years following Hisana's death, Byakuya relished the rain. It hid his raw emotions – the hurt, the pain, the bitterness, the tears under its watery veil. Whether the rain was a heavy downpour or a simple light shower – those were the ones Byakuya enjoyed best – the sense of being cleansed, of being washed out from emotions was a price worth paying despite the servants' quiet grumbles of sakura petals stuck to the rock gardens and bridges as a result of the inclement weather.

When Hisana was still alive, the rain was secretly hoped for because it meant locking her by Byakuya's side. When the sun shone, Hisana daily went to the Rukongai districts to search for Rukia. The older sibling would have gladly went out during the rain had Byakuya not put down his foot adamantly that she rest during those wet days to prevent herself from catching cold and ruining her health.

The rain has provided Byakuya with precious memories. Hence, he is rather surprised at Kurosaki Ichigo's sudden outburst during a thunderstorm "I hate the rain!"

The resentment, which Byakuya later learned was associated with the Substitute Shinigami's guilt over losing his mother, was blatantly apparent. More importantly however, Byakuya caught the flinch of the female healer in Kurosaki's group before she turned glum eyes to the grey rumbling cumulonimbus overhead.

"If I were the rain… that binds together the Earth and the sky, who in all eternity will never mingle…would I be able to bind two hearts together?"

"And who was the poet who said that?" Byakuya had asked softly, behind her, startling her, as she sat in a window seat near the gardens, contemplating a soft shower buffeting his sakura orchards.

"Oh Byakuya-san! I did not hear you; you startled me!"

"My apologies."

But he was still curious so he asked again.

"Who wrote that quote about the rain?"

A light blush dusted pretty cheekbones.

"No one did. … Or rather, I made it up. Just a little something I thought up as I was walking home one day."

"Hn. … It's an interesting observation…a poetic one…"

Kami-sama help him. Now he was rambling. And complimenting someone too.

And the rain continued to give Byakuya cherished memories.

It is under the rain that Orihime's Souten Kisshun first healed him.

Under the rain, he had watched her dance and spin in the midst of the water droplets.

Orihime's zanpakutou took on the form of rain. Its very name is Ame.

Byakuya shared his first kiss with Orihime under the rain.

He made love to her under the rain for the first time.

And on some days, Byakuya silently observes that Orihime embodies the rain. Fluidity. Constant movement. Constant dynamism surging forward. A subtle conqueror of everything in its path – eroding stone, nurturing wood, putting out fires and help making flowers grow.

At times, he suspects she even smells like rain. But sweeter. Rain with hisbiscus flowers. Much sweeter. Rain pearling as dew on cherry blossoms.

Sweet rain.

A/N The drizzle outside made me think of our Orihime-chan and her symbolic quote about the rain. :P Please review. As a side observation, it is rather unfortunate that Ichigo dislikes the rain even though he has his reasons. Oh well, many ship IchiHime; I go for ByaHime! ;P

I do not own Bleach. *insert flood of tears X3