Author's Note: This story takes place in an Alternate Universe, one of my own design and usage.
I do not own Bleach, any characters associated with it. All such characters are the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. I am simply borrowing them for my own amusement.
This story contains two women involved in a romantic relationship with each other. If this offends you I advise you to press the back button on your browser and choose another story.
Also, I refuse to use English name translations, after all they make no sense and aren't exactly fun.
This is stupid. I mean really stupid. I know how she feels about Valentine's Day, and though I say that I feel the same I don't. It's one of the few times a year that we can afford to be mushy and all sentimental about things, and I hate seeing all those other couples enjoying candies, romantic gestures and stuff. Don't get me wrong it's not like we don't show our love for each other, on more than one occasion Mila-Rose and Sun-Sun have had to demand that we cut it out, and we do, but when we're in the mood we're in the mood and we can't exactly just stop.
But for once I'd like to have a nice and romantic day, hell I'd settle for a night, with Tia', especially on Valentine's Day. Which is why I'm in the kitchen trying to cook something for Tia', namely a shrimp dish, shrimp scampi or something like that, she's the one that normally cooks, according to all three of my roommates I can't cook worth a dime. So, like I said really, this is a really, really, REALLY stupid idea. But by some grace I've managed to avoid burning the kitchen down, though the food is a different story, and I haven't cut myself up too badly either, so I guess things are going alright. The kitchen looks a mess though and I know that Tia' ain't gonna be happy with that, but then again she's never been able to stay too mad at me for long.
As I'm just checking the food, while checking the hastily bandaged cuts on my fingers I hear the door open and a set of keys find their way onto the key hooks by the door. I know it's not Sun-Sun or Mila-Rose, both agreed to give me the apartment for the night, though they couldn't get what I really wanted it for out of me, hell they probably thought I wanted to get the place to myself so me and Halibel could screw each other without having to worry about them complaining. Truth be told I wouldn't mind getting laid tonight, but that wasn't my primary goal.
"Apache? What's that... Oh." Tia' started as she walked into the kitchen and caught sight of what I was doing. Tia' works at the local library branch and with the weather getting colder she was wearing a sweater, and I note with some amusement it's that god awful blue and white shark pattern sweater I got her last year for Christmas, though I have to admit it does contrast nicely with her brown skin, blonde hair, and green eyes. She was wearing some business-y pants, slacks I think, though neither the sweater nor the slacks, their definitely slacks, did any good to hide that gorgeous figure of hers.
"Damn, I was hoping to have the food ready by the time you got home." I said imagining what I must look like in my tanktop and sweats.
"Do I even want to know what possessed you to do this?" she asked crossing her arms and giving me an incredulous look that made me shrink back a little and avert my gaze as a blush crept up my neck.
"I wanted to, y'know, do something romantic for ya. I mean it's Valentine's Day and we don't ever do anything." I answered as Tia' went to inspect the contents of one of her better skillets.
I didn't know if she was surprised, annoyed, angry or what, Tia' has a poker face that no one's ever been able to crack. She reached for the fork I'd been using to stir my little attempt at cooking and scooped out some and raised it to her lips and sampled it.
In that moment all time froze, I was worried that she wouldn't like it, or that she would remind me that she hated these sorts of things, or something else that could be equally unpleasant. And Tia'? She was chewing the food in her mouth slowly, almost deliberately so, before she swallowed and turned to me with a very considering look on her face.
"Well?" I asked crossing my arms and giving her my best impatient look.
Tia' chuckled and walked over to me and pulled me into a kiss, not the fiery, passionate sort that generally leads to clothes everywhere and the two of us a mass of hair, limbs and sweaty, panting bodies. No, this one was one of those tender, 'I love you' kisses that makes me weak in the knees.
"If you'll cook this every, and I do mean EVERY Valentine's Day, I suppose I could change my opinion of this greeting card holiday." Tia' said as she held me with one arm around my waist and looked down into my mismatched eyes.
"Only if you buy me chocolates and do that thing with the thing." I said cheekily.
"I think that's an acceptable trade-off. Now let's get that off of the flame before it burns." Tia' said releasing me and taking my hand gently.
Mental Note: Stupid ideas aren't always so bad.