#ginbya

The gentle floral scent and sway of sakura blossoms lost in the breeze fluttered down onto the engawa. Two cups of tea sat on a plate between him and shadows, outside the room of the library of his estate. He felt it then, the cold shiver that curled up one's spine even in the warmth of spring. With a voice like smooth, cold scales, colored with words that bared fangs, he approached.

Gin Ichimaru joined him on the engawa then, bringing the cup of tea to his lips, “Yer early.”

“No, Ichimaru, you are quite late. You made me swear a promise and here I sat well into the morning-” Byakuya began, his frows furrowing but the other waved a hand in nonchalant. Gin pulled out his own book, tucked somewhere into his sleeves and opened it to a page, his nimble fingers careful to not leave a crease or mark along the pages. This was their secret, their rendezvous. Here they sat, tucked away from the Seretei and obligations, lost between pages of books in the Kuchiki library.

“Gotta return this one, almost done.” Even with upturned eyes the slight fall or rise of his smile and arch of his brow told Byakuya the other was reading, finding enjoyment in the poetry. “You may keep them as long as you like. Aizen-taicho has a few of my grandfather's books still,” Byakuya spoke, uncrossing his legs to recross them into a more comfortable position as he turned a page.

“Aww don’t sour the mood with my taicho, Byakuya-kun,” Gin teased, but his words held authority. Aizen was a taboo topic in these moments, even if they began because Aizen would drag his young lieutenant with him to peruse the libraries of the Kuchiki estate. They did not stare at each other then, letting the moment fall away, blowing away into the wind with sakura blossoms and untold truths. He would never comment on it, and Gin would never elaborate on it- whatever that relationship was between him and Aizen.

“She still don’t like me, hm?” Gin curled a hand around his leg, pulling his knee close as he looked behind him, into the dark room of the library past the doorway. The shuffle of soft feet along the floorboards grew fainter as his smile grew wider.

“Don’t tease her, Ichimaru.”

“Whatcha gonna do about it?”

A hint of smile began to curl on his own face, a childish rise to challenge Gin brought out in him. His own reiatsu grew, petals curling against snake skin, a warm spring breeze against a reptilian chill. Yet still, in silence they sat, testing and teasing each other as they turned the pages of the books. Gin yawned after some time, setting the book aside and stretching his arms up, “I better get back to Izuru, I am sure he’s worried.” Byakuya watched as the man stood, holding out the book to him. He took it, their fingers brushing for less than a moment, “I don’t need to check out another Byakuya-kun. Thanks for the offer.”

His brows furrowed momentarily, the confusion evident but Gin smiled down at him with a sense of finality that sent a shiver down his spine. He would not make a remark, he would honor a man's conviction even if it meant these moments would be no more. They did not say goodbye as Gin slithered off back to his division, they did not say anything. Byakuya just turned one more page in the book and his eyes fell upon a poem-

More than I can bear, past the hour of the snake,

The hour of the horse is All the more sad;

Love is like a sheep

Steps to the slaughter…