Author's Note: Hello everyone, I'm back. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to finishing up the other two ByaRukia fanfictions "When Will You Notice My Secret?" and "Byakuya Throws a Birthday Bash." Personal and emotional problem have arisen and I have too heavy a heart at the moment to continue on. But, do not worry, those two stories are still on my mind even through these hard times and I will finish them. Thank you all for reviewing and favoriting and alerting to my stories. I appreciate it. In honor of Valentine's Day and because I want to repent on not updating those aforementioned stories, I'm doing this ByaRukia Valentine's Day fanfiction. I hope you guys will like it the way you seemed to like my other ByaRukia stories. Please read and leave a review. If you do I shall throw rich chocolate Valentine's Day truffles at you, my lovely readers.
"The Shinigami Women's Assoication meeting will now commence," Nanao proclaimed. She nodded to the group comprised of, at the moment, Nemu, Soi Fon, Kiyone, Isane, Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia all seated at a desk. Standing were Unohana and Yachiru; the latter was standing behind a podium. Nanao cleared her throat and addressed Yachiru, " Please address the day's topic fukutaicho."
"It's almost Valentine's Day! That means a lot of hearts, and chocolate and candy for everyone!" the pink-haired girl exclaimed bubbly-like.
Unohana nodded and added, "This is a good time to increase our treasury. Do any of you have any suggestions on how we may do so?"
"Why don't we just take pictures of the most good-looking men in the Gotei 13 and sell them out?" Rangkiu suggested. "We can attach roses to each of the photos and make quite a bit of money doing that."
"Um…we did that last time, Rangiku-san," Momo corrected, a bit put off.. "The Shinigami Men's Assoication found them and burned them all."
"Why don't we sell edible chocolate roses?" blurted out Rukia. "I mean, it's already tradition that the girls give the guy chocolates, right? Well, what about we get a bit sentimental and make non-green part of the rose chocolate." She went up to the chalkboard behind the podium and drew the rose bulb with white chalk. "We can use white chocolate and food coloring dye and color them. The stem…" She drew the stem, and added a few leaves and very short thorns with white chalk, "…can also be made out of white chocolate and we can dye that green. So, in essence, the whole rose is edible!"
There was a murmur of approval and interest amongst the other women. Rukia felt extremely proud of herself. Most of the time she was out fighting Hollows in the Human world next to Renji and Ichigo in Karakura Town and she was hardly able to participate in the SWA. She was now able to offer her services to the Association.
She continued by saying, "Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho, can you make several dozens of molds?" Nemu nodded.
"Ohh, and we can make out own homemade cares that purchaser can attach to the roses!
Kiyone said excitedly.
Unohana smiled at the stream of ideas coming from her fellow members. "To make this interesting, the purchaser can choose whether or not to put his or her name on the card to say who it is from. So, this will be almost like a secret admirer concept. The purchaser must put who is should be given to, of course. The roses and cards will be delivered on Valentine's Day. Therefore, this means if we begin selling these wonderful things now, the purchasers can either drop off the card immediately after making the purchase and completing the card into a box or the card can be kept a little while more of the purchaser finds the need to…express more, or give more thought to what the card should say." The other ladies giggled.
"Yes, then this means we must make the chocolates the day before the fourteenth of February as to make sure the chocolates do not melt. The deadline to send in the cards will be three o'clock in the afternoon of the thirteenth. That afternoon we will count how many cards there are and, starting immediately after three o'clock, we will make the roses, "Nanao said approvingly.
"Can we peak at the cards that are sent to us?" Rangiku said hopefully.
"That will defeat the purpose of it being secret," Unohana said, frighteningly kindly. "If we find a card addressed to any of us, we are to not open it. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Taicho!" everyone said, sweat dropping and wanting to avoid a blown up headquarters. "Nii-sama would butcher us," Rukia thought wearily. "We are after all having this meeting in his mansion."
"So do we have an unanimous decision on the Super Secret Valentine's Day Cards and Roses?" Nanao said, naming their fundraising event right then and there.
"Yes!" they cheered.
XOXO
"This is going to be great!" Rukia said to herself as she walked to her spacious bedroom to change out of her Shinigami uniform. The meeting had taken place at around five in the afternoon, straight out of working in her squad's offices with Renji and then Ukitake's office. She let out a sigh of content exhaustion when she was in the serenity of her room. Then she laid down on her hot-tub sized soft futon and looked at the ceiling.
It was a little over a week before Valentine's Day and she was anticipating it. She loved holidays and Valentine's Day was her second favorite, the first being Christmas. She loved the traditions that came along with it…the love in the air warmed her heart. Rukia could help but quirk a smile at the ceiling.
She and her adoptive, non-blood related brother Byakuya had come a long way from when they first started. Such iciness, such disturbing, suffocating silence she experienced during those prior fifty years. But that was a long dead past and all she could see was a bright present. Byakuya and she now made light conversation during meals and when they were taking their evening tea together overlooking his favorite. He even offered to train with her sometime in helping her achieve her bankai. And after every intense three hour training session—of course, when there was no work to be done—he would smile warmly at her and briefly praise her for her work. Then, there was that time during the most recent cherry blossom viewing at their manor.
She reflected on the viewing that occurred last spring, in which Ichigo and company were invited by Byakuya himself in thanks to the victory against Aizen.
Enter Flashback
Rukia had worn a royal purple spring kimono to the viewing. The guests were scattered around the gorgeous cherry blossom trees that decorated the Kuchiki manor's courtyard. She was standing under one of the breathtaking trees, loving the way the blossoms fluttered down to the ground. "Rukia," came Byakuya's deep voice.
"Nii-sama," she said, turning around and looking at him with a sparkle in her eyes that made Byakuya's heart surge forward somewhat. "The blossoms are beautiful this time of the year again, don't you think? It's as if they are celebrating out victory."
"Indeed," Byakuya returned. He surveyed Rukia's clothes and inwardly told himself that she looked evermore so beautiful with each passing year. He mouth had a mind of its own, however, because he blurted out, "Rukia, you grow more beautiful with every year that passes."
"Byakuya-sama!" Senbonzakura said, startled. Byakuya had just processed in his mind what he said before he blinked. Then he said, in a curt way, "If you excuse me, Rukia." He had turned on his heel and briskly walked away. Rukia stood rooted to the spot, her mouth slight ajar at the compliement, her eyes wide with surprise.
"The impossible happened," she gulped in her mind. "Nii-sama just complimented me. He told me I looked…I was..b-beau…" She could hardly believe her ears, which had turned red along with the rest of her face.
End Flashback
Now, in the present, Rukia couldn't help but blush and smile at the memory. A knock was head just the n and she had to let her goofy grin go away. "Who is it?"
One of her dressing maids addressed her. "Kuchiki-sama requests your presence. It is dinner time."
"Oh!" Rukia cried, bolting upright and made a mad dash for her closet. She chose a royal blue yukata that had white and pale blue dots of snow on it. She hurriedly threw it on and sprinted to the dining room and barged in without knocking first.
"Rukia…" came Byakuya's drawl of disapproval.
"Sorry, Nii-sama, I lost track of time!" Rukia said, scurrying to her place at the table. She sat across from him and the servants came out bearing dishes of food. She helped herself to a bit of everything and began to slowly eat.
After a moment's pass, Byakuya spoke up. "How was your day, Rukia?"
She swallowed her rice and replied. "It was well, Nii-sama. Renji and I trained a bit, using only kido techniques and not our zanpakutou. Renji is getting better with his kid. How was your day, Nii-sama?"
Before Byakuya could bite into his salmon sashimi in his chopsticks he answered, "It was also well. I understand that you had a meeting with the Shinigami Women's Association?" Rukia's mouth was full of salmon so she simply nodded.
"What was it about this time?" he asked before eating the salmon.
Rukia pursed her lips. "Well, Valentine's Day is coming up and to fundraise we decided to sell cards and edible chocolate roses. These can be addressed to anybody and on Valentine's Day, we will distribute them."
"I see. And I take it those cards have contents that will not be looked at when they are to be distributed?" Byakuya asked.
"Y-yes, Nii-sama," Rukia stammered, struggling to swallow her smoked unagi and rice.
'Hn…"
AN: I hope everyone liked this chapter. It's a bit informative, if I do say so myself. I have to lay some type of basis for all of you. Well, I hope you all will continue reading on. Please leave a review!
