Sprouting Flower (Byakuya Kuchiki Love Story!)

Chapter 23

Tsuyoi P.O.V.

I set the cup onto my lap, holding it so that it won't fall. For a minute we stared in silence at the party that was happening in front of us. I gave myself a soft smile because...even though I was forced into this kimono...this is a really good memory...coming back into the world of the living, even though it pains me...I brought the cup to my lips taking a small sip. What is in the past is the past. I told myself. A image of blood and knives flashed through my mind. I gripped the cup even tighter, telling myself to be calm. I'll find her...soon.
"Oh ho! What are you two-hic doin there-hic," Kisuke wobbled towards us. With a cup of sake in his hand, and trying his best not to topple over us, as he approached closer. I narrowed my eyes. Byakuya hadn't changed his look though.
"Not getting drunk like SOMEONE," I said giving him a look, then glanced away.
"Aw don't be like that Tsuyoi-hic, the party's just begun!" He hobbled back to the picnic cooler that they had packed and pulled out a gigantic speaker. My eyes widened in question, wondering how would he fit a huge speaker in the cooler!? And WHY in the cooler...won't it die? Byakuya must have seen the way I looked as Kisuke placed the speaker down.
"Kisuke has his ways of making the impossible," He said formally. I glanced at him and then back to Kisuke who was busy blasting music. So far he was dancing with Yoruichi, Jinta and Ururu, somehow my captain was pulled into dancing by Rangiku. Tessai was busy looking for good music to dance to. Even though the speaker was there...there was no electronic that was being played. I'm pretty sure I had a question mark painted on my forehead. Then Kisuke started hollering something out that I couldn't understand. But the next second I knew what he was saying. He reached into his pocket and grabbed what looked like...sand? He threw it to the ground, and the place he threw it, there was fire!
"Oh my god!" I said standing up, hoping that he didn't try to burn down this place. I heard a chuckle come from beside me. I turned to see Byakuya who was smirking at Kisuke. I watched closer that the fire was on the ground but...there was no burn spot...at least from where I stood. I saw from the corner of my eye that Byakuya stood up to stand next to me. My eyes laid on his hair ornaments.
"Is something troubling you?" He asked me after taking notice that I was staring at him aimlessly.
"It's just..." I reached my hand up, clipping away the hair ornaments. "I sorta wanna see how you look like without these on," I reached for the side of his face releasing the rest of the hair clips. "Is all," I finished putting my hands down to my side. From what I could see his three strands of bangs, they were surprisingly NOT clumped together but...just together as if they were brushed together somehow. He looked from my hands and stared into my eyes. For a second I thought that I was going to get lost, and hypnotized in his eyes. I felt my breath caught in my throat, as the wind gently blew pass us, his hair softly lifted, but soon fell back after the wind died down again.
His expression didn't look so mad, but it didn't let down it's guard either. It was...serious, but not enough to scare somebody away. Finally catching my breath. I noticed that one of his bangs were blown the wrong way from the wind. I moved it right to it's place. As my hand was still placed on his hair, his hand softly gripped mine, as he lowered it. I felt my eyes grow big in shock at how warm his hand was. He looked at me with such...a soft gaze...one I never seen him use...ever, judging from what his subordinates tell me about him.
"Would you like to dance," He asked me looking at me with that soft gaze. I for a second dropped my gaze from his, thinking about it. I smiled softly back at him. Putting his hair ornaments in my kimono pocket. I said,
"Sure..." He led my hand down to the little dance party that Kisuke made with the others. At first I didn't really know HOW to dance to upbeat music in this because I was in a kimono O_O so I just went with whatever Byakuya did, since he was supposed to lead. Soon afterwards a slow song came on. Honestly I was relieved because I felt a bit embarrassed to only dancing with upbeat music. But the only slow dance that I knew how to do was sorta bring him into a hug and just go in a circle. But it wasn't happening with Byakuya. He put his arm around my waist, and with his free hand, lead me into a slow waltz. I was a bit...stunned...on how he knew how to dance but hey...he's pretty old (-_-), he probably had a lifetime to know how to dance.
"How old are you?" I asked without thinking. I saw him raise an eyebrow at me.
"I am 242 years old," he replied cooly closing his eyes and moving along to the peaceful music that was being played. "In your case, I'd be 24," He opened his eyes to look into mine. I felt a bit taken back now that I was once again staring into his gray eyes. I abruptly dropped my hands from the posture he had me in.
"I'm sorry," I said turning around, so that my back was facing him. "I...got to go," I peered at him from my shoulder, so that the side of my face faced him. I walked away quickly, and crossing paths with Kisuke.
"I'll meet you guys at the house," I walked away quickly not expecting an answer. No...please...I don't want to fall in love with him...I ran turning a corner, I like how we are when we're working together but this...I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block away the real world from me...is too much. I broke into a even faster run, never stopping until I got to the house. The door wasn't locked so I walked inside straight ahead. But I was so tired from running, and the stress of me thinking to much, I collapsed onto my bed. Falling asleep throughout the whole night without waking up even once.