Author's Note: Here is the first chapter for Bona Fide! It's not a prologue, but a short introductory/first chapter! I was really hesitating whether I should start this story while I was writing Bond, but I was just so excited to write this story. The plot is a bit mysterious and I got to admit, it's really intriguing because it's ByaRuki romance! I hope you all feel the same way!

All chapter titles are in latin! Kudos to those of you who know the meaning!

Enjoy~

Summary: After coming home from abandoning school, Rukia realizes her brother's hate towards her. Is it because of her decisions, her lover, or just herself in general? When truth unravels, Rukia is unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. AU.

Rating: M for language. AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I do own this story!

Chapter 1: Odisti

It was just like any other day; there was nothing too exciting. With Rukia dropping out of school she didn't have much to do. Sometimes she regretted her choice, but not for the reasons other people thought. She didn't give a flying poop about school or education. She didn't want to sound conceited but it was the truth: she had the talent, and that was all she needed to be a designer. The last time she checked, she didn't need politics, mathematics, or science. But obviously her family didn't think that way.

Her elder sister, Hisana, claimed she was very 'disappointed', though everyone knew she didn't mind as much. Hisana had also dropped out of school, but not by choice. After all, it was only high school. Rukia willingly dropped out of college which was clearly different in Hisana's opinion. Luckily for Rukia, her sister wasn't the big problem. If anyone it would be her father and mother who were even more disappointed. They threatened her by saying they would force her back to school, and always nagged her about how she was such a disgrace, blah, blah, blah. Rukia never listened. The only person she used listened to was her brother.

Byakuya.

To Rukia, he used to be her idol. He was the one she looked up to during her early childhood. If anyone was truly disappointed in her, it was Byakuya. He now neglected her as a younger sister, and acted as if he no longer cared for her. It wasn't as if he used to care in the past, but this was different. He wouldn't speak to her, and no chance did he even take a glance at her. It was as if he had erased her from his life. All this drama over such a little thing. Was it so wrong for Rukia to chase her dreams? Was it so terrible that she just didn't need to go to school? Why did everyone go against her? Rukia really didn't understand, but what she knew was that her own brother despised her.

He hated her and Rukia knew there was nothing she could do to change his mind. No one could persuade Kuchiki Byakuya when he had his mind set. Not even Rukia, his little sister.

In Rukia's opinion, Byakuya had changed enormously since they were children. He used to hold her hand and take her to school. He would always kiss her on the forehead before she went to sleep. He always used to hold her tight in his arms after Grandfather's scolding. But that was over a decade ago when Rukia was nine. Everything began to change when Byakuya was in his second year of middle school. He stopped touching her, looking at her, or talking to her. Anything that involved them interacting with each other, he stopped. He was so distant from her that she forgot who he was. It was as if he was no longer her brother; only a stranger. But, now it was worse. He had left their parents' house the morning after Rukia came home from abandoning school with her lover. According to her mother, he was so cross with her that he claimed he would never see her again. Byakuya had gone from protecting her to abandoning her. But none of that mattered to Rukia now. Though her dear brother was now forever gone and out of her reach, she had an important person in her life who took away all her thoughts of any kind of sadness.

All Rukia wanted to do now was lay down and cuddle with that person. Cuddle with the man she knew she was destined to be with. The angry looking man with the ridiculous hair. The one she loved. Her fiance.

Kurosaki Ichigo.

"They're still nagging you about it?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. They won't stop," Rukia sighed into her phone, her wet hair dangling on the edge of her bed.

"You want me to come over?"

"I wish you could, but if you did my family would go insane," Rukia continued to watch her ceiling, fidgeting around her bed to get comfortable.

"I'll take my chances. Be there in five."

And with that, the phone line went dead. Rukia couldn't help but build a smile on her face. Ichigo was always like this. So daring, and sweet. Back then when they first met she didn't think of him like this. She used to think Ichigo was a hard headed dumbass who never listened to others, a scowling dick face, a moron, an imbecile, and a foolish strawberry. It had been over two years since their first meeting, and Rukia's opinion of him had not changed, except for the fact she loved him.

The day he proposed to her was the most enchanting night of her life. It wasn't the typical story where the man went down on one knee. No never. Ichigo would never think to do that. Instead, what he did was throw the ring case at her from the second floor. It happened about three months ago when they recently moved into an apartment near their school. One morning, they had a silly argument about how they should organize the kitchen which resulted with Rukia stomping out the door. Later that night, Ichigo watched Rukia slowly walking towards the building with a much more calm aura. Before she left his view, he quickly threw the ring case towards her head from the balcony. Rukia was shocked at first, but replied by putting the ring on her finger and chucking the empty box at her fiance's face. That was a moment Rukia knew she would treasure all her life. She couldn't have asked for a better memory.

It wasn't until a few minutes later when Rukia was forced to snap out of her thoughts. Her phone was vibrating and she noticed the sound it made. She had received a text. She quickly opened her phone and began reading.

I'm here.

Rukia looked out her window and noticed a patch of orange outside. She quickly opened the door to her balcony and looked down to see her fiance waving at her. She smiled at him and motioned for him to stay put for a moment. She decided she should change into other clothes beside the bath robe she was currently wearing. After putting on a pair of jeans and a sweater she looked towards the door which lead to the rest of her house. "I'm sorry, mom, dad," she thought to herself before jumping out of her balcony and into her lover's arms.

"Shit. Did you gain weight?" Ichigo grunted, scrunching his face into a deeper scowl. Rukia pinched his arm and jumped out of his warm and gentle hold.

"Shut up. Let's go before someone sees us," Rukia hoarsely whispered to Ichigo who stood behind her as she began running towards her shiny, navy car. "I don't want to get caught like last time," she told Ichigo who sat beside her in the passenger seat. Once she got comfortable in her car, she hurriedly turned on the engine and drove away from her parents' house.

"You sure you want to do this again?" Ichigo asked her, watching her through his peripheral vision.

"Why wouldn't I?" Rukia questioned back as her voice still held a rushed tone. Ichigo must have noticed her uneasiness and decided not to pry into her family business, since he stopped talking. Rukia also decided it to end the conversation there.

Rukia sat in the car in silence and only paid attention to the road, until Ichigo spoke again. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," Rukia answered shortly, obviously in the mood for silence, and it seemed Ichigo understood that.

He said nothing during the two hour car ride towards a hotel in a city far from their home city, Karakura. He didn't want to make Rukia feel annoyed or uncomfortable, so he thought it would be best to rest for the night so they could continue their journey the next morning with ease. Rukia knew this, and was very grateful towards him.

She knew her decisions for leaving college was not a mistake. She knew it was not disgraceful for wanting to follow her dreams. She knew that if it was her against the world, Ichigo would be by her side, protecting her from everything and everyone that would bring her harm. She knew he wouldn't leave her like the others who had left her all those years ago.

So this is the first chapter. I hope you all liked it!

If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to message me!

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to review!

-Yue