A/N: Heyy!
This was originally supposed to be a oneshot. Then it became a twoshot. And then a threeshot. And then a twoshot. And then a threeshot again and finally.
I wrote this on a sudden (and surprisingly violent) whim, which would not leave me alone unless I either wrote it down, or stabbed myself in the brain repetitively with a q-tip until I ceased the ability to function. So here it is. It's a bit different to other things I've posted on this site thus far, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it anyway; especially if you like Starrk and Lilynette. I've wanted to write something about them for a long time. So here it is.
BTW, I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, I just own the italicised lyrics at the start and end of each chapter.

BEcaUsE oF tHe NiGHT sKy

Think.
Before you speak.

It was because of the night sky we found each other.
Because of the lonely…night sky.

She hated nights like this. Lilynette shivered as she pulled a blanket tightly around herself in the semi occupied room. She had been sleeping soundly until the absence of the other's body and warmth had awoken her. Aizen must have called a last-minute meeting again. That would be the only reason Starrk would leave their quarters so late in the night, she figured. It had been happening more and more often lately, and she had grown not too fond of it to say the least.

She sighed. Shouldn't she be happy? Starrk seemed happy enough…shouldn't she share that happiness? She and Starrk were finally surrounded by many like themselves, and yet…she felt lonelier than she had before. Ever since they'd come to this place, she hadn't seen Starrk much; he had Espada duties to tend to. Lilynette failed to see why she couldn't join him. Here she was, prohibited from access to the meeting hall, and prohibited to accompany her Starrk on 'Espada-only' missions. It seemed like she'd been written off as nothing more than a simple fraccion. But her and Starrk's bond ran so much deeper than that, so much deeper than any other bond possibly could. They were a part of each other after all. Weren't they? Sure, on her own she was nothing special…but when she was with Starrk she was complete. He was the other half of her soul, and without him she would be missing a very dear part of herself. Maybe even her very heart or will to persist, and without him she could never stand on her own. Though it pained her to admit it, it seemed to be different for him. As a single unit, his strength was far superior to hers. Lilynette wished she could be stronger…maybe then she could accompany him on his missions. Maybe then she wouldn't feel lonely.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

Starrk yawned as he exited the meeting room. What had Aizen been thinking, suddenly holding an surprise meeting in the middle of the night? Not that Starrk probably wouldn't have been sleeping at any other time of the day, but all the same.

The meeting had been on strictly confidential matters—for Espada ears only—no fraccion, numeros, or other Arrancar in general were allowed in. Starrk sighed, easily ignoring the spontaneous wave of some form of muffled bitterness he'd kept encountering recently. It was probably due to the fact he still wasn't quite used to this place, he guessed.

However, after a couple of weeks in Las Noches, he had discovered Aizen's motives to be somewhat…dark. But he was here now, surrounded by company and at a highly esteemed rank. He had gotten what he had wanted, and what was best for Lilynette. He was therefore in no position to try and question his leaders actions, no matter how much of a growing hunch he had that he and the others were merely pawns in Aizen's ultimate plan. He decided he would avoid thinking like that, and just be happy that he was no longer alone.

He slowly wandered up the pristine corridor toward his dominion, quietly opening the door when he reached it, only to find Lilynette was up anyway.

"Lilynette," he said, crossing the room. "It's late. Why aren't you asleep?"

"I couldn't sleep," she replied.

"Any case, you could at lest pretend to be…"

"Another meeting?" asked Lilynette.

Starrk nodded.

"Man, if my chest could grow a bit every time that guy held a damn meeting, it would be bigger than Halibell's! And Aizen'd have to get me a more decent top at least. Actually come to think of it, Halibell's top is too small for her, so he probably wouldn't get me a new one…I wonder if her top ever properly fit her…gee, maybe her boobs do grow every time Aizen holds a meeting and that's wht it's too small now."

"Don't antagonise Aizen, Lilynette," said Starrk. "He has given us friends and a place to live," No matter what he might be using us for…"No matter how many meetings he might hold."

"So do Halibell's boobs grow at each meeting?"

"I'm not sure, I don't look."

"Liar."

"You'd have to ask Nnoitra or Barrigan. They'd know."

"What was the meeting about anyway?" asked Lilynette. "How to grow boobs?"

"Seeing as the only Espada who's actually a woman is stacked anyway, I fail to see the point. Unless of course, Szayel wanted to know for one of his 'experiments'. I wouldn't put it past him, actually. He's been known to modify his own body…"

"So what was the meeting about?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Yes you can!"

"No Lilynette, I can't."

"Naw come on Starrk."

"At this point only Espada can know."

"But Starrk! Aren't I also you?"

"Yes Lilynette, but not everyone knows that. If you were to come along to the meetings it would only cause questions from the other Espada. Their fraccions will start wanting to come along, and Aizen wouldn't like the meeting room to become crowded."

"I'm not a fraccion though! Besides, if Aizen's so scared about his precious meeting room being overcrowded, you can just tell me the stuff he says," she looked up at him expectantly.

Starrk sighed.

"Or are you keeping something from me?" Lilynette inquired, looking slightly put out.

"No! No its not that, it's just…I don't know if you'll like it. I don't even know if I like it…"

"What is it, Starrk?"

"Its…there's a war coming, Lilynette," said Starrk, resting on telling half the story.

Lilynette looked taken back. "A war?"

Starrk nodded. "And I'd prefer it if you were to stay here than come along with me."

"What?" demanded Lilynette. "That's stupid Starrk! What if you need to ressurecct?"

"I won't need to ressurecct."

"…So you don't need me?"

"No! That's not what I'm saying. This war is going to be dangerous, and with your level of combat at the moment…"

"I'll get better! I've been training while you've been busy."

"It's not going to work, Lilynette."

"Well maybe if you didn't spend so much time messing around on your Espada business, you could help me train!"

"You're being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable! You're the one who's being unreasonable Starrk, I hardly ever see you anymore!"

"Lilynette…"

"In fact, I miss the old days. At least we were always together then, like we promised."

"I'm sorry," said Starrk. "But things have to be different at the moment. I'm only doing this because I care for you."

"If you cared, you wouldn't leave me alone just for Aizen."

"Would you leave Aizen out of this?"

"How can I?" demanded Lilynette. "Ever since we joined with him he's done nothing for me but take you away. I'm not even allowed to follow you most places."

"Lilynette…think before you speak."

"Has it ever occurred to you that he just might be using us, and everyone else for his own purposes?"

"Lilynette, that's ENOUGH!"

Lilynette looked slightly shocked. Starrk didn't often get angry, but when he did, he was serious.

"What happened to going everywhere…together?" Lilynette asked shakily.

"Lilynette…just go to bed."

"You know what?" said Lilynette, the shaking in her voice gone. "I don't need you anyway, Starrk. I'm gonna train and become an Espada, and then I'll get to go along to all these Espada things myself. I don't need you, Starrk. You're on your own."

And with that, she got up and left the room before Starrk could stop her.

Starrk sighed. Lilynette had been difficult before, but it had been a long time since she had walked away like that. She'd be back within a few hours though, Starrk figured. She always had been. Although…this time felt different to other times. Those last words she had said stung. They shouldn't have, but they did.

She'll be back before morning, Starrk thought.

Having two different souls that were also one in the same, one could often tell something of what the other was feeling. Starrk recognised that over the past few weeks, the seemingly muffled, yet growing form of bitterness must have been what Lilynette had been feeling. Was she really feeling lonely?

In that case, maybe I should apologise when she comes back. Maybe I can find time to help her train, he thought as he rolled over and fell into an uneasy sleep.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

Lilynette sulked all the way up the hallway, ignoring her growing fatigue and suppressing the urge to shiver in the cold air. Deserts were very cold places in the night, and seeing as it was technically always night in Hueco Mundo, it was never very warm. That idiot Aizen could have at least given her more suitable clothes for the climate. It didn't bother her most of the time though. She was warm blooded after all; she'd warm up after walking around for a bit.

Las Noches was quite a confusing place. With its artificial sunlight, it could be day at any time, as opposed to the eternal night just beyond it's dome in the outside territory. Lilynette had grown used to the nightscape of Hueco Mundo, and was still adjusting to what they called the 'day' of Las Noches. It was only ever day in Las Noches and night in the rest of Hueco Mundo. There was never any in between. Only then did it occur to Lilynette that in the Human World and the Soul Society, there would have to be some sort of transition to get from one to the next. A time for the sun to set and the moon to rise and visa-versa.

I would like to see that one day, she thought. Maybe one day Starrk and I could—no! Not Starrk. Why the heck am I thinking of him?

She angrily continued on up the halls, turning at odd corners. She then thought of the last few moments she was in her and Starrks room and the things she had said.

"I don't need you, Starrk. You're on your own."

Maybe that was a bit harsh…Lilynette thought.

Having two different souls that were also one in the same, one could often tell something of what the other was feeling. When Lilynette had left the room, she had definitely felt something like hurt, and it wasn't her own. Then it hit her. Had she really been so selfish?

Starrk really means well…he's just been…busy lately. I'm the one whose been sitting around being useless, and yet I'm saying all the crap. Starrks right. I should learn to think before I speak, she turned around and began to head back. I'm going to go and apologize to him.

However, she had hardly gone far when she realised the joys of having halls and corridors that all looked exactly the same.

Ah crap…

After a number of minutes of running up and down hallways, and becoming sure that she was now further from her and Starrk's room than she was before, she gave up.

"Hmph! I didn't even want to go back there anyway!" she denied stubbornly, refusing to admit she was lost. Because I don't deserve him right now.

.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::.

Starrk opened his eyes. He'd only been asleep two hours and was already awake. This was not normal. Did it have something to do with Lilynette? Starrk looked across to where Lilynette usually lay, to realise she was still gone.

So I didn't dream that? Ah great…I don't feel like dealing with this at the moment…he turned over and attempted getting back to sleep. But it didn't work. He was wide-awake.

Maybe Lilynette will come back soon…

He waited.

I hope she's not lost…

And waited.

Las Noches is a really big place…

And waited.

Even I could get lost in here…

And waited.

Zomari's cooking dinner night after next…

And waited.

In that case, I think I might skip it. Or go out and find my own dinner.

And waited.

Even Tousen's better at cooking than that guy. And he's blind. He'd get the sugar and the salt mixed up.

And waited.

I hope Lilynette comes back soon…

And waited.

What if she gets in a fight?

And waited.

"Agh, screw this! If I'm gonna stay awake all night, I'll go find Lilynette before she finds trouble."

He quickly got up and left the room, stretching as he went. Despite the fact that the last things Lilynette had said to him may have been abrupt, he was somewhat proud. There sure was determination in that girl. Determination to train and become stronger. However, it was one of the last things that Starrk disagreed with.

"I don't need you. Starrk."

"Sorry to break this to you, kid. But if you want to continue existing, you sure do."

'Cause I sure as hell need you…

A crescent moon in the night sky without any stars must be a very lonely moon
Just like we were…
Before the lonely night sky even saw the two of us

A/N: There's the first part ^.^ I may have the next part up sometime next week. I haven't finished it yet, but it's all planned out and I'll post it once I come back from Melbourne. Were they well enough in character? I know that Starrk would usually be lazier, but when it comes to Lilynette, I think he'd go looking for her, because well…she's his Lilynette. I haven't done anything like this before, so please review if you can, I love reviews! Thanks ^.^
-Kris