Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Perfection ❯ Perfection ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: Happy New Years! I hope ya'll have a great 2006!

 

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Bleach!

 

~Perfection~

 

Staring out the window, Byakuya sighed to himself.

 

Ever since Rukia's visit to the human world, he'd learned much more than he'd ever cared to know about the various holidays and traditions employed there. Today the people she'd come to care for would be celebrating New Years Day, the end of the past year and the beginning of the new one.

 

He did have much to thank the past year for he decided, glancing over his shoulder, a slight smile curving his lips at the sight of Renji's sleeping form.

 

He certainly slept in the same way that he did everything else.

 

Arms splayed, mouth open, red hair disheveled, flung across both pillows.

 

He certainly doesn't do anything in half measures. When he sets his sights on something, whatever it may be, he pursues it with every ounce of passion he possesses.

 

Which is a considerable amount, he decides, reflecting on Renji's relentless abandon in pursuing his goal of defeating his captain. All the training sessions, sparring, practicing.

 

The time will come, one day not too far off, when he will succeed. I know he will.

 

Turning back to his view of the darkened gardens, Byakuya decided to observe, somewhat, the mortal holiday.

 

Yes, the past year had brought him more to be thankful for than he knew he rightly deserved.

 

He had finally opened up to Rukia, telling her things she should have known many years past, breaking his promise to Hisana. By telling her, he'd laid the groundwork for a closer relationship between the two of them, which was already starting to appear. It lightened his heart and his conscience to be closer to her than they previously could have been.

 

He also appreciated all that he had learned from the ryoka, from Ichigo Kurosaki. He now understood that rules, while there for a reason, were also meant to be questioned when unjust. Byakuya had vowed to himself to never again blindly follow others leadings when he didn't completely believe in their ideals. Deep down he'd never truly thought that his sister had deserved death for what she'd done, had known the punishment had been too harsh by far for the crime committed, but had been bound by vows theretofore unbreakable to follow the rules.

 

He'd been a coward, too scared to protest, too afraid to save her, allowing his fear to prevent him from helping his own family.

 

Hanging his head in the ever present shame he felt at those decisions, he decided to move on and quit castigating himself for events he could not recall, could never relive and which would never be changed.

 

As if that wasn't enough, the past year had also brought him to a new level of happiness with his vice captain. The flame-haired, rough and tumble young shinigami had shown him the deeper meanings to the word love.

 

It was more than the flowers and candy, let's have a drink, crawl into bed sentiment that most would have you believe. It was vastly more than candy hearts and picnics in the sun.

 

It was acceptance. Complete and total acceptance and understanding.

 

After all they'd been through together, all that he had done, Renji had forgiven him. He'd forgiven him and helped him to learn from his mistakes.

 

Love, he'd learned, also meant caring, comforting another person and just being there for them. It didn't always have to be shown physically, although making love to Renji would always be wonderful. It could be as simple as doing special things for your lover just because you wanted to, holding their hand and sitting quietly when they needed support. Both things the likes of which he'd never before experienced even with Hisana.

 

Yes, she'd cared for him; yes, he'd cared for her. But it hadn't been quite the same. In ways they'd been like strangers. Her feeling she needed to subjugate herself to him for what she saw as his saving her. He, trying to convince her that she was his equal, despite her social standing before their marriage. Neither being successful in reaching through the many walls and barriers to the other. So yes, while they had cared for one another, it had not been the deep, all consuming love he now felt with Renji.

 

Walking softly over to stand at the foot of the rumpled bed, his smile grew. Yes. He would follow their traditions and hope for even better things to come his way throughout the new year. But, in all reality, he knew that wish could never come true.

 

You really can't improve upon perfection.

 

A/N: Please Read And Review!