It was another boring day at the Academy. Everyday was a boring day since Renji had left. It was exactly what she had wanted at the time. He was always meddling in her affairs. He was always close, but not quite there, distracting her from her goals. His departure was exactly what she had wanted; she'd even played a pivotal part in making it happen, yet… What was this feeling? Regret?

She was late for class, not that it mattered. Ever since she was able to extort a permanent hall pass from the Headmaster she was free to come and go as she pleased. Despite her frequent tardiness she was acing all of her classes. In the few short months since the departure of the troublesome redhead she'd managed to wrest control of the school away from those who had laid claim to it before her. She was the Queen and would remain on her throne so long as she had the means to bribe and blackmail those who wanted the crown for themselves. Sometimes being a Kuchiki, one of the four Noble Families of the Seireitei had its perks. Everything was exactly as she had planned upon arriving at the Academy, everything was as it should be.

Soon Renji would return from his field exorcise in the World of the Living. Soon he would return to school ruin everything she'd worked so hard to attain. Much like her, Renji had the power to destroy, to physically and socially rip any adversary to shreds. Through this ability and the power of her Zanpakuto she was donned the title of the Ice Queen. She was cold-hearted and calculating, a foe the likes of which hadn't been seen in the Academy since Captain Unohana herself roamed the halls. Renji on the other hand had absolutely no finesse; he was sheer power, raw emotion, and brute force. We he arrived back at the Academy he would upset the balance, throw her off of her game and potentially cause her to loose her crown. She couldn't allow him to exploit any weakness. She couldn't allow her peers realize that she was just another student. If she held onto her throne her legacy would not only be immortalized in the halls of the Academy, but it would follow her into the 13 Court Guard Squads, ensuring a seated position. She couldn't allow Renji to take this from her.

Just as the beginnings of a plan to keep Renji at bay were beginning to form in the back of her mind, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her, one arm around her waist, the other over her eyes. A warm and distinctly spicy scent informed her of just who's embrace she was trapped in. She had been so caught up in her scheming that she hadn't detected the all too familiar spiritual pressure rushing up behind her. His hand was uncomfortably warm against her face, the other too low against her hips. She felt a rush of blood in her cheeks. She fought to suppress an emotion that was part fear and part something else entirely.

"Guess who." He purred into her ears.

"Unhand me Renji, or I will cut you down." Her tone was venomous, as it always was when addressing the redhead.

"Did you miss me Rukia? It's been a while since we saw each other last." He whispered, his breath hot against her neck, his lips closer than she wanted. Clearly he wasn't taking her threat seriously. He was stronger than her, much stronger. She could force him off of her from this position. She would have to come up with something else.

"Why would I ever miss you? How could I possibly be pleased at your return? You disgust me Renji Abarai, now get your filthy hands off of me." He did as he was told, but as she turned to face him he moved forward, causing her to step back. She found herself against a wall looking up into his eyes. He was even more handsome than she had remembered. The two stood so close that she could feel the warmth of his body on hers though they weren't quite touching. She suppressed a shiver and stared him down as coldly as she could manage.

"As I recall, my pleasing you was never an issue." He replied with a devilish grin. Rukia felt her heart quicken not at the sight of the grin, but at the thought of what it foretold. He pressed his palm against her stomach. "I think the entire Academy could hear just how much I was pleasing you, or don't you remember? I'd be delighted to remind you." His smile broadened, a dark shadow cast itself over his face. He was sadistic and seductive simultaneously. She must have been masochistic to be turned on by this man. To want him this badly despite her complete and utter loathing of everything he was.

"Your barbaric attempts at seduction nauseate me. And I said unhand me!" She shoved him, but he didn't move an inch. "You were something to use and dispose of Renji, nothing more, nothing less. I no longer have any use for you." Her words didn't seem to faze him. "And as I recall, you were the one who was pleased, for all three minutes." This blow seemed to hit home, because the smile disappeared off of his face. His face grew darker still, his eyes grew menacing. Her heart rate increased further, her heart was beating so hard that she could feel it in her chest.

"Perhaps you really do need to be reminded!" Renji whispered, raising his voice slightly, his voice toeing the line of fury and pleasantry. He dipped his hand down her stomach to the bottom of her skirt. He traced his fingers up her leg and brushed them along her lace panties. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Don't embarrass yourself." Her voice quivered slightly. He drew lazy circles with his fingers, sending sparks of pleasure through her, stirring the fire of her desire. "I need no reminders of your sexual ineptitude. Don't you know what a joke you are Renji Abarai? Don't you know that you're just a toy, and a disappointing one at that?" She was panting now. He was leaning in so close now that their lips were practically touching. His breath was sweet, she wanted him, needed him now.

His mouth smashed into hers with uncomfortable force. She moaned with pleasure his tongue dove into her mouth, meeting her own and stroking it with forceful need and hunger. He tore her panties off and penetrated her with his fingers, she gasped at the sensation. The time for words was over. She knew he was going to take her and he knew that she wanted him to. The two stumbled into a classroom. He lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He laid her down against a desk and began to unbutton her blouse. His rough hands encompassed her bare breasts as he kissed her with deeper intensity. He kissed his way to her cheek, then her chin, down her throat and to her chest.

She squirmed beneath him as his tongue flicked across her nipple. She gasped as he suckled it and his fingers found her opening again. She moaned freely, completely uninhibited. He held such power over her, and she loved it. Loved and hated it. He undid his pants and climbed on top of her. He was inside her now, throbbing with lust for her. Her heart was pounding, she was panting and found herself dizzy with desire. He rammed himself deeper and deeper into her, hard and fast. His deep brown eyes were burning into her blues. The force and tempo of his thrusts climbed and his breathing got heavier. Their moans crescendo'd as they approached climax. Something inside Rukia exploded, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her body. Her skin tingled as though electrified, her mind reeled as if some euphoric drug was coursing through her veins. She trembled beneath her still thrusting partner. She was approaching critical mass. Her body was on fire, every inch of her burning with deliciously sinful sensation.

Renji, rolled over and lay beside her, his hand brushing against hers ever so slightly. Slowly the pleasure subsided, the fire died down and the Ice Queen had returned. She climbed down from the desk, ignoring her lover's piercing gaze. She buttoned up her blouse and tucked it back into her skirt. She found her panties on the floor and tossed them into the waste bin.

"You're in love with me. The sooner you admit it, the happier you'll be." He murmured.

"I am not. This was nothing. You mean nothing to me Renji." She lied as she headed toward the door. She didn't dare look him in the eye as she said it.

"Why are you such a cunt?" He said it with affection, as though if she were anything else he'd be displeased.

"I don't love you Renji." She lied again. "You and I are enemies, enemies with benefits. We always will be." She opened the door and left before he could respond. She hurried down the hall towards her class. He didn't follow her. She wondered what was wrong with her. Why couldn't she say that she loved him? What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he accept the fact that she'd never say those three words? Why couldn't he see that there was no happy ending for them?

She did love him, she could admit it herself, but she loved herself more. She loved being Queen more, and she wouldn't allow herself the distraction. "Enemies with benefits," she said to herself as she entered her classroom and left all thoughts of Renji behind until her next moment of weakness.