This is a revamp of one of my first one-shots, so if it seems familiar, it's because the old one is on my profile. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!
Normalcy is such an awkward term. In all aspects, I am normal. I'm just a girl in a school, trying to earn an education so I can live comfortably when I'm older. I like puppies and always groan when I have to do homework. I watch movies like everyone else, dabble in a bit of anime, and always sigh when the guy kisses the girl.
But what normal girl falls head over heels for a man with arms of pure power? What normal girl knows that this man kills monsters for a living and still lets her heart lead her in his direction? What normal girl accepted his pastime and never asked questions or became afraid of him?
And what normal person can see monsters where no others can? What normal person sees her classmates fighting the monsters? And what normal person remembers someone who apparently never existed?
Rukia was missing and I remembered her. I seemed to be the only one. When I had come to school that day and asked about the empty seat, no one had remembered her. At all. Except for one other.
"Hey Rei, where's Rukia?" I blinked and whipped my head toward the voice, seeing Orihime's concerned face.
"You remember her too?"
"You remember her?!" She asked back, surprised. We pointed at one another, looked around, then let our hands drop.
"I don't know Orihime. Everyone has forgotten her except for us. I don't understand."
"It isn't normal," Orihime muttered. Coming from her that said a lot. With the strange things she drew or even ate, saying something was out of the ordinary was earth shattering to me. "I'll find out where she is. I'll be back." With that she darted over to her long time friend, Ichigo.
Yet as I looked I saw defeat on his face, mirrored by the boy behind him, Chad. For the two of them to look so broken, something was not right and it had to be about Rukia. Normally their determination would catapult them straight into the problem, always managing to fix it, and then return all smiles and glory. Today was not a normal day. The teacher finally came into the room and we all sat, some of us with gloomy faces as we each pondered our own thoughts.
After school I had caught up with Orihime, barely managing to catch the girl before she darted out of school. I held the sleeve of her shirt in one hand and bent over, panting with exertion of running a dead sprint for so long.
"Where?" I managed to ask.
"She's been taken," Orihime said, her voice unusually somber. "I can't tell you all of it, but Ichigo and Chad are going to get her back."
"Don't have to," I stated. "As long as she's safe for now, I know Chad and Ichigo will go and get her. It's what they do." Those two boys had gone through so much pain it had transformed them into the ultimate protectors. Mess with their friends and you will pay. No one dared to cross the duo and I believed in them wholeheartedly.
"Rei," she trailed off and looked at me. "Do you believe in the afterlife?" I blinked and stood at the unexpected question.
"Of course. With the things I've seen, I have to." Orihime looked around at all the people milling around the courtyard and she dragged me outside the school and began to walk in the direction of our houses. We were in the same general direction from the school and walked together sometimes, so it was a normal enough occurance.
"What things have you seen?"
"Monsters with white masks. Men in black uniforms killing them. Strange things." I waited for the customary 'You're insane' but Orihime just nibbled on her lip.
"You can see them too?"
"You have to be kidding me, I'm not the only one?" Relief was instantaneous and I nearly collapsed to the ground.
"You must have been scared," she said softly. I blinked at her insight.
"Terrified is a better word for it," I quipped sarcastically.
"They are called hollows," she began. "And they eat human souls."
"I know." I said nothing else but the two words carried the weight of the horrors I had seen. Orihime reached down and took my hand in hers.
"The people in black are called Shinigami and they are the ones who kill the hollows to protect us. When you see them, they will not hurt you. They live to protect the humans." I nodded. It made sense.
"So Ichigo is a soul reaper." She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. I grinned. "You can't expect him to fight right outside the school and me not see it. Honestly." She began to laugh too and we both dissolved into peals of laughter we both desperately needed.
"Yes, he is. He is going to rescue Rukia from some bad people. She helped us and now she's paying for it."
"Then he'll rescue her," I told the girl and squeezed her hand. I had the ultimate faith in Ichigo and Chad. They would rescue her.
"Dammit," Ichigo swore under his breath. His cell phone was going off, alerting him to the presence of a hollow. He didn't have time for this shit right now, he was tired and irritated, and his mind still on Rukia.
"What is it?" Chad asked him.
"Hollows. Let's go." Chad glanced at Ichigo, seeing the anger and frustrations from the loss Ichigo had suffered at the hands of Byakuya.
It was an unlucky hollow that descended to earth this day.
"So Orihime, does Ichigo know how you feel about him yet?" A delightful blush crept onto her checks and she began to wave her hands frantically, her eyes closing in embarrassment. A devlish grin began to slowly creep onto my face at her antics.
"No, no, no, it's not like that we're friends and I don't think of him that way cause we grew up together and he's my friend and he doesn't even look at me that way, because we're just friends-"
"How many times are you gonna say friends?" I asked her with a grin of a cheshire cat.
"Well it's the truth!" she exclaimed as her blush deepened.
"You know Orihime, it's fine to admit it to friends. Sometimes the heart can't help who it chooses, and I'm sure it's that way for you and Ichigo. Never feel ashamed of it." She blinked and started at me for a minute, her face serious and searching.
"You like someone too," she finally spoke after a moment. She may have been flighty and whimsical, but she had her moments of clarity.
"Of course. I was attracted to him from the minute I saw him." A wistful smile spread across my face. "He's beautiful because he's different. When he smiles, my heart stops. I'm happy to simply watch him and be friends with him, because I know he doesn't look at me that way."
"Doesn't it hurt?"
"Some," I admitted. "But without the hurt, I wouldn't know of my feelings for him. That's how I know they're real and not just…hormones. He's strong and caring and always puts himself last. I want to be able to put him first for once. He deserves it."
"Who…is it?" The name blossomed in my mind, made my eyes soften with caring, and my heartbeat increase. The soft gentle smile was one that I allowed for once, and I looked toward the twinkling stars in the night sky.
"Yasutora Sado." Orihime gasped in surprise and I chuckled at her reaction. "When you can admit it aloud, that's when you truly become at peace with the idea. So never feel ashamed of what you feel, Orihime."
"I suppose," she murmured.
At that moment, a pressure slammed into my chest and I wheezed as the breath flew from my body. Orihime looked around frantically before grabbing my wrist and running. I followed as quickly as I could, still trying to manage to breathe. We both knew what this meant, we had both seen them, we both knew what was coming.
"Rei!" She yanked my wrist to the side, pulling me away just in time before the hollow landed, its jaws sunk into the ground where I had just been. Sure, I'd seen the monsters before, but never this close. It lifted its gaze to me, the eyes blood red and feral, wanting the soul it had been denied.
I was utterly terrified. I couldn't scream, couldn't run, I was frozen in spot. It leapt toward me and beside me Orihime lifted her hands to her head. "Hinagiku! Lily! Baigon!" Her hairpins began to glow and still, I could do absolutely nothing but watch in horror and fascination. "Santen Kesshun! I reject!" A golden barrier appeared in front of me and just in time as the hollow slammed into it, howling in defeat. Only then when the hollow fell to the ground did I manage to move my feet, running as fast as I could away. Orihime was right on my heels, watching the hollow behind us.
And of course, the hollow was ultimately faster than us. When Orihime lifted her hands to command the glowing things flying around her, the hollow darted forward and swiped with a massive claw, managing to catch me in the stomach and slam me against the building. Orihime immediately leapt in front of me with her shield intact once again as I went into the fetal position. The pain was unbearable; the hollow had hit me full force with its attack and it was excruciating.
"Oi, hollow!" The hollow looked toward the sky and almost smiled in glee. Ichigo stood on the rooftop in his black uniform. His sword was strapped to his back and his arms were crossed over his chest nonchalantly.
"Shinigami, have you come to play too?"
"You picked the wrong day to come," Ichigo arrogantly stated, pulling the sword from its back.
"Rei, are you all right?" I turned my head to see Chad beside me, his concerned face scanning me for injuries.
"I'll live," I managed to say, earning another spurt of pain from my stomach. I felt Chad's hands on my shoulder as he helped me steady myself.
"I'm sorry, Rei. We should have gotten here sooner."
"S'okay. Take care of the monster."
"This is Ichigo's fight," he replied. I looked up to see Ichigo and the hollow in combat above us, and Ichigo was clearly the best out of the two. He would slice and dart away, not killing the hollow, only injuring it so it.
"Rei!" Orihime's voice. Right. "Ayame. Shun'o. Soten Kesshun. I reject." A bubble formed around me and immediately I began to feel a tingling in my stomach and back. "This will heal you, Rei. It won't take long." I chanced a look up at Ichigo and managed to catch the final slice of the sword through the hollow mask. When the hollow dissolved into nothing he leapt down to Orihime's side.
"Are you all right?" he asked me.
"I've been better," I muttered. He smiled at the sarcasm in my voice.
"Rei, how long have you been able to see hollows?"
I shrugged, I didn't pay attention. "Maybe a few months? Longer? I don't know."
"Have you been attacked before?"
"This would be the first. It was a lovely experience." Ichigo shook his head as the barrier dissolved from around me.
"For now, one of us will walk you home." I nodded, I'd rather it be that way than just chance it. "Chad, you want to take her?"
"Sure." I stood and began to twist and turn, testing out the muscles. I felt like I had gone through a few soccer games and gotten beaten up, but that was something I was used to. It was manageable with a hot bath and a few Aleeve.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Orihime." I gave her a wave and she winked at me, causing me to roll my eyes. So much for subtle with that one, but it was all right. Chad walked closely beside of me as we continued away from Ichigo and Orihime.
Now I could appreciate that the air was cool, the breeze soft, and the night beautiful. It was a full moon tonight and it bathed everything in a sort of ethereal glow, including the man beside me. I looked up at him to find him looking forward, deep in thought. I let the silence draw on for a few minutes, then gathered the courage to break it. I hadn't been alone with Chad before and I was a bit nervous.
"You know, Orihime told me about Rukia," I stated. He finally tore his gaze away from whatever he was looking at and turned to me. "Whatever happened, I know that it couldn't have been avoided and it was something to do with something supernatural. It's why everyone doesn't remember her. But I told her I knew that you and Ichigo would save her. Both of you." Bravely I touched his arm. "You two can do anything if you put your will into it. I admire it about both of you. Whatever has happened, you need to fix it. I don't like seeing either of you defeated. It's not you and it's not Ichigo."
"She was taken," Chad said softly, not moving his arm from under my soft touch. "She's gone somewhere we can't go yet. We can't save her." I smiled at him.
"You've already given up, Chad. Don't. There has to be someone that can help you. You just need to find them." I looked up at the sky. "If you're trying to get to the other side, there must be a way. The shinigami can get to us, and a door has to open for both sides. You just need to find a way to open the door from this side." I stroked his arm once before letting my hand drop. I wasn't going to push my luck.
"We are working to get there," he said softly.
"Well, if nothing else, I believe in you. I know that you'll be able to save her, because you're strong. You and Ichigo make a team that can't be beaten." I smiled broadly at Chad when I stopped in front of him. "This is my house." It was small but cozy, enough for one person to live without feeling cramped. "Chad, you will find her and you will save her. Cheer up." One more I indulged the need to touch him and touched his arm again. This time when I pulled away, his hand grabbed my wrist and held it gently. I looked up at him and saw roiling emotions. Unsure of what they meant, I let him hold my wrist and smiled at him. In a quick movement he drew me into a hug. I felt heat on my cheeks, which was understandable – I mean, my crush was literally pulling me against his body even if it was just a hug – but I still wrapped my arms around him and pulled him against me tightly. He allowed his head to drop onto the top of mine, his forehead touching the top of my hair.
"Thank you, Rei." It said nothing yet it meant everything to me, to know he had acknowledged me as a friend and has taken what I said to heart. Time narrowed and slowed as my senses took in the feel of his shirt against my skin, the scent of him as I breathed in, and the weight of his arms around my back. My fingers tightened before I could stop them but Chad said nothing as he held me.
"You're welcome, Chad," I replied into his chest. He was so warm and comforting, I didn't want to let go. Here in the circle of his arms I felt safe and protected. Gods what this man did to me.
"Stay safe until we return."
"I will."
With that he let me go slowly, took one long glance at me, and walked off into the darkness. I wanted to run after him, to bury my face into his chest again and inhale his scent, to show him the true extent of the devotion I had for him. I wanted him painfully as the moonlight shone on him, the night around us, and only us. And as he finally melded into the darkness down the road, I felt my heart tumble into territory that had never been explored before.
Ten exhausting days had passed since Chad had disappeared that night. Ten long nights of wondering and worrying, hoping that the next morning I would see the tall man at school, a serene expression on his face, and Rukia by his side.
I made it to school and my heart fell again when I didn't see Chad, Ichigo, Uryuu, or even Orihime in the school yard. I knew they had all gone to the other side to save Rukia. I knew I couldn't help them in any way, but I wanted to know if they were all right. I had to know; they were my friends, for god's sake.
"Hello, my beautiful Rei," I heard from behind me. I sighed, immediately recognizing the voice, and turned. It was Mamoru.
He was a lanky blond that sported style and looks – even I could admit physical beauty – but I was not attracted to him whatsoever. He was too narcisstic, too caring about his image, and was generally a prick to anyone he deemed beneath him. That included Chad, so my tolerance for the man was nil. Somehow, that seemed to make him even more pushy. Maybe it was because a girl actually turned him down or something. I don't know. But he was a serious annoyance and combined with the lack of sleep I had been getting, he was going to get no patience from me today.
"What do you want?" I asked scathingly. A perfect eyebrow rose at my tone but he only smiled at me.
"I want you to go to the school dance with me. Won't you?" Around me hissing whispers flew from ear to ear and I nearly snarled. I didn't want to deal with this right now, I only wanted to see my friends, to see my Chad once again. Not deal with this idiot.
"No, I won't. I've told you I won't and you keep bothering me, so stop. I'm not going to change my mind. Get lost." Unfortunately, my temper seemed to only fuel this obsession to harass me and when I turned to go into the school, he grabbed my wrist. "If you value your hand, you will let me go. Now."
"But Rei, you are the woman I want to go with me. I won't take no for an answer!" Finally reaching my limit I grabbed his thumb and twisted his hand off my wrist, flinging away the hand as if it burned me.
"Read my lips: Fuck. Off." The whispers became louder and more obnoxious and having enough of this situation, I stormed off.
I didn't stop and talk to anyone. I went straight to the classroom, plopped into my desk, and put my face in my hands. I was stressed. I needed to know and there was no way I could find out, but goddamn, I really need to be left in peace right now. I began to massage my temples as I heard other people walking into the room and to their seats.
"Rei!" My head shot up at Orihime's voice and I grinned broadly when the girl ran into the room and stopped at my desk. "We just got back last night. Everything's all right."
"I'm glad," I said, finally relaxing. I looked past her and saw Ichigo and Chad both come into the room. Ichigo was back to his arrogant confidence and Chad looked calm and collected. They had succeeded. "Where's Rukia?" I asked after I smiled at the two boys, turning back to Orihime.
"She chose to stay in the Seretei."
"I see," I mused as I nibbled my bottom lip.
"I love it when you do that, Rei." My whole body tensed, both in anger and irritation. Even Orihime turned to look who it was. "It's really cute. I wonder if you know what you do to me?" Mamoru was leaning against the doorframe, her hair falling in his face in a sort of attractive way, his eyes only on me. It did nothing for me.
Around me the whispers started again and I felt a headache beginning to form.
"Seriously, leave me alone."
"Rei, don't be like that." Mamoru had never bothered me in my classroom before and I had liked it that way. What if him hitting on me ruined whatever chances I had with Chad? What if Chad didn't want to walk home with me anymore? Stupid worries, but worries all the same.
"She said no," Orihime stated, her eyes strangely hard and glinting. This was a moment of clarity for her because as a woman, she could sense the tension radiating from me and most likely knew that Chad was in the room listening to this scene. Bless her for her support.
"She says no now, but she'll come around, I know it." He stopped forward to come a desk length away from me, his eyes intense and fixated on mine. My hand fisted and I was ready to throw the first punch if it would get him to leave me alone. I didn't hide that fact and around me people began to move away at the rare sight of my temper.
"She's going to the dance with Chad, so get lost." The whole class seemed to fall silent at Ichigo's statement. The silence didn't deter Mamoru, who just calmly looked at the orange haired kid.
"Well she hasn't said anything about it."
I snorted. "Like I need to explain myself to you." I played into the lie easily, slipping into the role Ichigo had given me. Okay, what in the world was Ichigo up to? Why would he throw Chad into this?
"Rei, you can do better than Chad. Look at what you can have." Finally pushed to the end of my rope, I slammed my hands on my desk and stood, my eyes spitting fire. Around me everyone jumped and some scrambled away from me. No one had ever seen me this angry and no one knew what I was capable of.
No one talked trash about Chad. No one.
"No, I can't do better than Chad, know why? Because Chad's the best. Whenever I look at you, I just get reminded how much you can't compare to Chad. You have nothing on him and I'll be damned if I sit here and let you make fun of him." I took a step toward Mamoru fully intending to follow through, but hands grabbed both of my arms and pulled me back and into a muscular chest. I instinctively knew it was Chad behind me and I stopped trying to leap at Mamoru, but I couldn't relax the angry tension from my body, even when Chad's fingers caressed across my arms in a soothing gesture.
"She's going with me," he stated simply.
"Damn right I am," I snarled. I heard the whispers around the room, some more explicit than others. Two girls in particular were whispering quite loudly on how Mamoru had the best body and judging by the silence, everyone had heard them. "You think Mamoru looks better without a shirt because you haven't seen Chad." I grinned at them evilly. "If you did, you would know why I don't even look at that idiot with his shirt off." More silence followed and I nodded once, glad to have their attention. "Exactly." I glared at Mamoru, whose own eyes had darkened with some emotion. Something about the stare they gave me had me shuddering with a twinge of fear. "And that's why I'm going with Chad and not this fucking idiot."
"Now that we got that settled, get out." Ichigo stepped up beside his friend and I knew the glare Ichigo was giving Mamoru. The two boys together was a front no one wanted to cross, and Mamoru was no different. He began to back out and as he went to the door, he looked back once, his gaze still dark.
Even in the safety of Chad's arms, I shivered again. We weren't done by a long shot.
I was throwing my books into my locker and trying to ignore the whispers around me. I hadn't been the forefront of this much gossip before and my headache was already fierce and agonizing. People I never knew existed had come to me asking inane questions and each time it got more and more annoying.
When did you start seeing Chad?
You turned down Mamoru? Are you crazy?
Does Chad really have that nice of a body?
Okay, so the last I was semi happy with because maybe the women would leave him alone and not be as cruel, but on the other hand I didn't want them to think about it. He was my crush, dammit. I ran a hand through my hair as I slammed my locker shut.
"Rei." I froze at Mamoru's voice. I was at the end, I was done, I was really really done with this. I had no more tethers keeping my anger back and I allowed it to flood every fiber of my being, filling my muscles as I clenched my fists in preparation.
"Will you just leave me the fuck alone?" My voice rose with the rise of my temper and I made no effort to quiet it.
"I love it when you talk to me like that." His eyes were dark and stormy and that fear began to press back onto my conscious. He was dangerous. Something was telling me he was ultimately dangerous and I needed to get out of here. "It really turns me on," his voice was low and quiet, but terrifying. His eyes bored into mine with something dark, something that made my skin crawl and every womanly instinct go on full alert.
"You're fucking sick."
He moved quicker than I gave him credit for being and fisted a hand in my hair as the other slammed me back into the lockers. He moved his face close to mine, his eyes darkening even more and I just couldn't take it anymore. I kneed him in the balls and when he flinched and curled into himself, I followed with an uppercut to the jaw. When he fell, I fled the scene and the panicked voices. I just ran.
I kept running until two arms caught me and even then I almost flipped over them instead of stopping. Fortunately for me, the arms belonged to a very strong man and he steadied me instead of me falling to the ground. Instead of looking like I usually would, the fear still swamped my senses and I balled my fist in preparation to strike. When I turned, I saw Chad and pulled back at the last minute. However it wasn't necessary. Chad easily caught my punch and cradled my fist at my wince.
"Chad!" His eyes scanned my face and saw the fear. He lowered my hand to my side but kept it in his own, his other arm steadying me as if to keep me in that spot.
"What's wrong?"
"He won't leave me alone. Please, can we go?" I was beginning to shake as I looked furtively behind me to see if Mamoru was coming for me. "I need to get home, Chad. I need to leave." A finger ghosted over my bruising knuckles in a comforting gesture and I shuddered as the fear peaked.
"Yes." Chad looked over at Ichigo and immediately Ichigo knew something was wrong. He waved to Keigo and came over to Chad's side. When he looked at my face his own darkened.
"There's only one reason for you to be this afraid," he murmured lowly. "What did he do?" Ichigo lifted his eyes to my own and as I looked at him my shaking began to subside. Right now Ichigo looked every inch the death god. His hair was brightened by the afternoon light, his eyes hard and glinting, his stance protective. The raw power I felt from him right now had me relaxing. I knew it was going to be all right with Ichigo. I took a breath and spilled the story.
"He pinned me against the lockers and grabbed my hair to keep me there. I think he was going to kiss me so I panicked. I kneed him in the balls and punched him and ran. I don't want to be here, Ichigo." Ichigo straightened and once again I saw the death god in him rise to protect. He was hardened, a shinigami. Mamoru was nothing to him. He would defend me.
"I'll go take care of the problem. Chad, walk her home and make sure she's all right."
"But what if-" I began. Ichigo waved my protests.
"I live to beat some sense into idiots. Go home, Rei. Relax."
"Come, Rei," Chad urged, pulling me towards the school exit. Dutifully I followed him but kept close to him and looked over my shoulder. I couldn't see Ichigo anymore. "He will be fine. Trust me."
"I know he'll be all right. I just don't want him to get in trouble." I looked back to the school once more before finally looking forward and gave Ichigo my trust to take care of things.
We made it into my house and I opened the door, looking back at Chad. Smiling, I opened the door wider and tilted my head.
"You walked me home, I can at least give you a drink or something." To my surprise he actually smiled and walked inside, taking off his shoes in the foyer. I led him to the door on the right and grabbed us both a dr. pepper. As was customary for me, I jumped onto the counter and sat down.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Chad asked.
"I don't know," I answered honestly. "After what he did at the lockers in plain sight…" I trailed off and ran a hand through my hair. "I just don't know. I'm shaky. I know that much." I was never anything but honest with Chad.
"Has he done this before?"
"No, not at all. Usually he just bothers me about dating him or me going to someplace with him. He has never gotten this bad before." But then again, I hadn't shown temper like I had today. I was a patient person and usually laid back about everything, so it wasn't normal if I let my temper fly.
"Do you want me to walk you to and from school?" I blinked, shocked and delighted at the offer.
I hesitated before answering. "I want to say yes, but I know you live kind of far from me. It would be a huge hassle on you."
"It's not a hassle."
"Then until I get uncreeped out, I'll have to take you up on that offer." I fell quiet for a moment and simply let the silence stretch.
It wasn't uncomfortable at all; Chad was a normally quiet person and that was all right with me. The fact was my crush was in my house drinking a soda with me and all I wanted to do was jump at him, thread my fingers through his thick hair, and fuse his mouth with mine. His presence filled the kitchen and I was hyper aware of the man who was content to lean against the opposite counter from me.
I couldn't help the fact that I was subtly looking at his chest and the muscles I had felt underneath the time we had hugged. I couldn't help thinking what his hair would feel like if it drug across my skin. I couldn't help the fact that I wondered if his lips were as soft as they looked. I couldn't help but want him.
Breaking the silence was my ringtone from my phone. Furrowing my brows in confusion I reached into my jeans and pulled out my phone, quirking an eyebrow when I saw it was Orihime. I deftly flipped the phone open and lifted it to my ear.
"What's up Orihime?"
"Ichigo told me what happened! Are you all right?"
"Mostly," I answered. "Is he all right?"
"He says if everything isn't taken care of, let him know. And yes, I walked home with him so he's all right." I smiled at the thought of the perfect couple walking home in the sunset together. "Is Chad still there with you?"
"Yeah," I answered, aware that he probably could hear snippets of the conversation.
"You go Rei!" Orihime whispered loudly. "I'm so jealous, you can get the guy and even into your house without telling him how you feel!" I also couldn't stop the blush that stained my cheeks at the unsubtle girl on the phone.
"Orihime!" I hissed. He's right over there and oh god what if he can hear this?
"Okay, I'll let you get back to him. Good luck!" She hung up quickly and I sighed.
I could hide the blush until she brought it up. And dammit, I still wanted so badly to kiss him. I snapped the phone shut and stuffed it back into my pocket, willing the blush to go away. And while I was at it, for my eyes to stop finding his lips.
"Apparently Ichigo is fine, like you said he would be, and I was worrying about nothing." I smiled at Chad, who smiled back. My eyes drifted to his lips again and I tore them away to gaze into his eyes. Eye contact. I could do this.
"Mamoru won't bother you again." The light in my eyes dimmed and I looked up to the ceiling.
"He always bothers me, I don't know why. Maybe it's because I keep turning him down."
"Why?"
"Why do I turn him down?" I continued to look up at the ceiling and leaned back into the cabinet behind me. "Easy enough, I don't like him. At all. He's an arrogant asshole who has a horrible personality. Plus now with all this," I gestured into the air, "I now find out he's a creepy fuck that will slam women into lockers in plain sight." I rubbed my hair, feeling the soreness from the yank from earlier. "And that terrifies me." Sighing, I quirked my mouth into a half smile. "I know Ichigo put you on the spot with him, but if you don't want to go to the dance with me, then that's all right. Most people think we're dating anyways, so I'm sorry about that."
"Why are you sorry?"
"You have to deal with all of this drama on top of protecting the world from hollows. That's more stress than you need, Chad. We should be taking care of you by this point."
"It's all right. I can handle it."
"Handle pissy Mamoru or the hollows?" I teased. When he remained silent I spared a glance at him out of the corner of my eye. "What?"
"Is it me you mind going to the dance with?" he asked softly, almost where I couldn't hear him.
I blinked once. Again. My mind still blank, I openly gawked at him.
I literally couldn't wrap my head around the concept of not wanting to go to the dance with Chad. I choked once on laughter. Chad wouldn't find it funny, but the fact that I was waiting for an opportunity like this for years and he thinks I wouldn't go? That was funny to me. I shook my head and regrouped.
"Chad, I want to go to the dance with you as long as it's no trouble. Someone's got to look out for you, you know."
"You want to go to look out for me?" he asked. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and smiled broadly at the man in front of me.
"Of course I do."
Perhaps it was because of the shaky nature Mamoru had put me in or the relief from having Chad back after he'd been missing for ten days, but I was in a very confessing mood. I might as well try because my heart was already in deep territory.
I gathered my courage for what I was going to finally confess. "Well, that's part of it." I smiled. "But if I do, maybe the guy I like will finally start to notice me."
"A guy you like?" His voice was quiet but something ran in the undercurrent of his voice. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell what.
"Yeah. I never even hinted at anything romantic with him, because I know he deserves someone better than me. But maybe it's because I've been too scared to tell him."
"Any man would be lucky to have someone like you." His voice was low and husky and it seared me where it shouldn't.
At that line, my heart began beating ferociously and the female in me began to stir, reading into the statement and flooding me with warmth. Did he mean what he just said, or was I reacting badly? Oh, please mean it, please.
"Not really. I'm just a normal girl, normal grades, normal life. I can barely protect him when he does so much for humans in general."
He was silent for a moment and I heard him move towards me. I knew I was blushing, but forced myself to be brave in the face of the butterflies in my stomach. I met his gaze. He too had a slight blush on his cheeks but his gaze was direct and unflinching.
"Rei?" he asked. A normal name, but with layers of questions buried inside of it. This was the moment I had been waiting for, dreaming of, ever since I had met him. I was ready and wasn't going to back down.
"You know, Chad. I said a lot of things to Mamoru today." I smiled softly but forged on. "I wasn't lying about any of it." I let my feelings for him shine through my eyes and smile, letting it finally be seen for once. And letting him know, being able to show it, was exhilarating.
I watched as he went from confusion to comprehension and I waited for the rejection I thought was coming. Instead, he closed the distance between us, standing between my open legs but not touching me. As if not to spook me, he slowly lifted a hand and hesitantly touched my cheek, his eyes never leaving mine. The touch was soft and hesitant and his eyes questioned me as he let his fingers stroke my cheek in small lines.
I smiled at him even as my blood thundered in my own ears and twisted my face to press a chaste kiss to the inside of his palm. His eyes flared and he put his entire hand on my face, his fingers moving to play with my hair then stroke my cheek. I put my hand over his own and nuzzled his palm, the blush deepening at my bold actions. Now it was my turn to touch him.
I lifted my free hand and placed it on his chest, my eyes watching his reaction. He leaned closer and placed his forehead against my own, his body now brushing against me in various places. Taking this as a assent I lifted my hand and let my fingertips ghost up his neck and letting them finally go where they always had wanted to go: his thick, sexy hair. I threaded my fingers into it and smiled broadly.
"I always wanted to play with your hair," I admitted softly as if my words would break the spell.
He said nothing but he let his eyes close as I massaged his scalp softly. Now, I dared to push more boundaries. I touched my nose to his and his eyes flew open to gaze into my mischevious ones. I quickly darted in and planted a chaste kiss to his nose. He blinked in surprise but smiled at the sound of my laughter. His smile was warm and inviting as he stepped forward the last few inches, pushing his body against my own. I could hardly stop the moan that fell from my lips as much as I could have stopped my hand from gripping his back to anchor him to me.
His hand slid into my hair and tilted my head upwards as he dipped his lips to kiss mine. At the touch I gasped at the sensation of his lips against my own. His lips were soft but firm and his hand gentle as he held me to him. My hands fisted into his shirt as an explosion of feelings erupted inside my heart, spilling to every nerve ending of my body. I literally was tingling. He pulled back from the brief contact and I opened my eyes enough to see him watching my reaction. Whatever he saw it must have been good because he dipped back down with more firmness but this time, his lips moved against mine. I shuddered and let out a soft whimper; I had been thinking of this moment for years and for it to actually happen? I reacted the only way I could.
He finally pulled away and I buried my face into the crook of his neck and nuzzled, my hold keeping him near me as my body continued to process the fact that the kiss had happened and it wasn't a dream.
"I'm not dreaming, am I?" I jokingly asked to break the silence.
He laughed and kissed the side of my own neck and I shivered in response. He repeated the action and my fingers clenched in response.
"Maybe I'm dreaming," he murmured, his lips caressing my neck as he spoke softly.
I softly trailed my lips over his neck, letting my tongue barely touch his skin before kissing away that sensation. His whole body tensed as he groaned in pleasure. The sound sent heat spiraling through me and I did it again, wanting to hear that sound again. His hand tightened in my hair but instead of the hair pulling causing fear, it caused only pleasure.
"Only if you dream about me," I murmured.
In response he kissed me again, this time neither of us blushing and each accepting and giving. It was much easier the second time but in no way were the feelings less intense. His lips moved against mine leisurely, taking his time with only little hesitance. I knew he was inexperienced with women and personal contact, but I wasn't much better. Still. The man was fucking lethal even if he didn't truly know what he was doing.
"And what if I have?" he asked quietly, his lips inches from mine. I leaned forward and nuzzled my cheek against his, smiling when his hand came to cup my other cheek and keep me against him. Quietly I spoke to him.
"I'd say…then you have to take me to the dance as something other than a friend." This was the boldest I had ever been but I would rather take the leap than never know.
"Then we will go as a couple," he answered simply.
Elated I let out a quick laugh and moved, holding his face with my hands and kissing him on the lips. At my broad smile his own widened and deepened and now I knew that he did care for me all along. Once more, I drew him to me and kissed him deeply, pouring all of my feelings into the kiss, trying to tell him without words how much he meant to me.
Chad meant the world to me; he made me feel happy and always safe in the circle of his arms. I knew he would protect me from anything whether it be human or hollow. The strength that set him apart from the normal people made him shine brighter in my eyes. His independent nature had him fighting through hardships alone, working behind the scenes. He risked his life to defend everyone and never asked for anything for himself. He was always there for his friends and fought until he couldn't move anymore. Chad was anything but a normal man and I loved him for it.
Chad, from now on, I get to take care of you.