A/N: Oh gosh, how long has it been since I last wrote for this fandom? Four years? I kid you not, I was reading through my old fics and I was just... cringing. Anyhow! So I got back into Bleach a couple months ago, though it wasn't a few nights ago did I think of some stupid normal!AU plot to which I'm hoping I'd actually get to finish this time, all the while for you guys to enjoy! I'm not going to reveal the exact plot of this fic of mine, but I assure you... there'll be a few surprises here and there as familiar characters come into view. For now, have this introductory chapter that was wonderfully beta'd by an amazing person who I was lucky enough to converse with last week! Thank you, Adi, for giving me the honour to have you as my beta reader!
And as always, I do not own Bleach nor its characters. Only thing that I did create is the storyline of this fic. So...
Everything Was Fine The Way It Was
It was during one of the mid-spring days when she had first caught a glimpse of such hair; a loose thought of its vibrancy running around and about her mind the instant she took notice of it through the lens of her camera.
It was a strange sight at first, having to take a moment to pause as her wide eyes followed the walking man across the crowd-filled path of the park. Out of everyone there, it was to no surprise that he had been the one to catch her attention.
Seriously though, what was with that hair?
With a purse of her lips and a low whistle released through, the photographer fixed her bent posture and stood with an aura of a noble seeping out of her as she allowed the camera held in hand to gradually fall to her side. There was a furrow in between her brows, one that made her seem to be lost in thought if a bystander were to take a second of a glance towards her.
But no, she was not lost in thought... yet.
She was merely on the surface of thinking.
It was then when a zephyr flew by, pulling her out of the depths of her wonders that she had unknowingly found herself in, all due to a single appearance of the orange coloured hair (seriously, it was so orange to the extent where she began to question the possibility of its natural existence - if it was even natural in the first place). And upon returning to the face of reality, a sigh took its time on leaving her and somehow, her chest became noticeably lighter than it had been several seconds before.
Funny, she never even took note of the fact that there was a heavy weight within in the first place.
"All right," Two words were whispered beneath her breath as the viewfinder was met with an eye of purple once again, "one more shot."
Was he going to be late?
Definitely not, for a doctor of his reputation should never aim to be late to a very important meeting. And with that said, he still had five minutes on the clock to get to the restaurant.
A good five minutes to get there without any hazardous incidents or any other situation that would force him to walk in the midst of it all, apologise, and then explain why in the world he hadn't made it on time.
So with that kept in mind, long legs strode through the park to which he had sort of wished wasn't so crowded. Though despite such want, it had been the way closest to his destination, so small sacrifices were in order for the sake of his dignity and perhaps even sanity.
Kids came running by with a loud fit of giggles and laughter alongside taunts and warnings leaving their throats and lungs without much care for those around them. Then there were also other individuals like him who seemed to have been in a rush, a few muttering sharp toned words into the phones that they held against their ear as a sense of intimidation was conveyed through the serious looks on their faces and the clicks of their footwear against the pavement.
And if he had suddenly gained the point of view of an outsider, he'd also know that he was definitely one of them with that old, mean scowl plastered on his own strong features and the same clicking of shoes. Only thing differentiating him with the rest of these busy bees was the hair that stood on top of his head in all sorts of corners and angles. However, it was quite an amazement on how he still managed to pull off the professional look and it was no secret to those who knew him that in spite of the natural colour, the man still caught some form of attraction from... well, others.
A few of them unwanted, but that goes unsaid unless desperation was bound to explode right in front of them.
Several more steps taken and it wasn't long until he saw the huge familiar signage of the restaurant's label, one that was reflecting the light of the sun rather brightly. And even from the distance he was quickly closing, large windows gave a perfect view of its well-designed interior that had actually matched the walls of its exterior as well.
If he was one to give ratings on the appearances of locations, he'd definitely describe the restaurant as aesthetically pleasing.
The food, on the other hand? Unsurprisingly, the courses in the menu all tasted exquisite and expensive in reflection of the standards that the restaurant's architectural design brought; their tastes kept in memory for future referencing.
Anyhow, as he continued on with the rush to get through those doors across the wide road, a vibration was felt through the fabric of his pants' pocket. Without hesitancy, the phone was swiftly pulled out, only to find the notification of a message staring right back at him. If it were any other time, he would reply to the question sent, but what was the use of doing such when he was all ready less than twenty metres away?
Then out of nowhere, a shout and a pull on the open pocket of his flowing blazer had him moving back rather uncharacteristically. It was then when his attention snapped up, a car speeding across right in front of him with barely two inches of a distance. There was a sharp intake of breath as it happened, his world slowing down right there and then.
If he were in a movie, it would have been like one of those scenes captured in an exaggerated close up and special slowing effects.
Eyes blinked, yet all nerves were paralysed as of that moment. His thoughts moved towards the patients that he had handled and treated due to incidents that were all too similar to the one he would've been in if he had simply moved along - heck, if no one had pulled him back in the unforgettable timely manner.
A quiet curse was heard from him, and suddenly, the secured grasp of two arms around his waist tightened. He glanced down at the feeling, taking note of the small hands; one in comparison with the camera that it held against him. The warmth meeting with his back began to spread too, and after judging whether it was a face or a cheek that he could feel, he calculated that the person who had unexpectedly saved his life was... a kid?
"Honestly," A voice broke through the silence that coated them after the near mishap, one he had assumed belonged to his 'saviour' in perception of the movement behind him, "Don't you think it's a little stupid to look at your phone as you're crossing the street?"
The stranger was definitely reprimanding him and just as he was about to throw something to retort the words of disapproval as they had finally let go of their hold on him, finding out who they were was what stopped his response to the rhetorical question.
He had turned on his heel once the feeling of it came back, prepared to thank the kid and perhaps even say something sarcastic. But what stood before him definitely did not match the image he conjured in his head mere seconds ago.
The supposed kid was a woman no more than four-foot-nine tall.
There was something in her gaze as she stared at him, almost scrutinizing to the extent where he felt as if he was an experiment being observed and noted.
Which was strange in consideration of the fact that he was the doctor who usually did those things, minus the experimentation.
"—Right, thank you," Was all he said, a clearing of his throat following afterwards out of slight embarrassment. After all, it wasn't everyday one was to experience being saved by a woman who was much smaller than you. Or maybe it was because he had been the one to, as she said, use his phone as he crossed the street. And when it was said like that, the idea did actually sound like pure idiocy.
An adjective that may have described him perfectly that instant.
There was the sound of a chuckle from the other, her eyes glancing down at their feet as ease fell upon her gentle smile. He blinked at the sight, blankness distorting his usual organised thoughts for the first time after who knew how long. Then in a gradual motion, purple hues were brought back to those of amber, a twinkle lying within.
"Well, I guess that as long as you've learned your lesson... no need to thank me," A hint of humour had been weaved into her words, sounding ever so casual as if they had conversed before, "just need to be more careful next time, is what I'm saying,"
"Don't worry, I got it. Pretty sure getting hit by a car is the last thing on my bucket list after seeing almost everything that happens to the human body when it gets caught in the accident," His return of the reply was of an equal tone as hers as a corner of his own lips lifted upwards in emphasis of the dimple that deepened into the hollow of his cheek. His hand had also reached for the nape of his neck, which soon moved to the back of his head as he lightly scratched the scalp beneath that orange.
Hang on, wasn't he supposed to be heading somewhere?
A single vibration of his phone and the question was immediately answered.
It's rude to keep your fiancée waiting, Ichigo.
Right, important meeting; family lunch; restaurant.
A glance at the time and the entire concept of having a good five minutes was more than gone much to his dislike. And so, the scowl came back.
From afar, the man's appearance hadn't meant much; all was normal with every feature in their proper places.
At least, that's what she could tell when he first appeared out of nowhere as she attempted to get a nice photograph of the view.
Although the second she got up close (and personal, but that was unintentional, mind you), it entirely became a different story.
He was tall — yes, everyone was taller than her, but he was tall — and if she could dare say so herself, perhaps even handsome.
At that thought, there was a twinge of pain that had crawled its way beneath her skin and into the ways of her heart. There was a moment of a pause, her mouth agape and eyes steady on the familiarity of his amber irises, nose, and lips. Seconds passed and the feeling tugged on the corners of her mind, as if it were calling for a memory that had been long tucked away into a locked chest.
Truth be told, she very much preferred if it could be kept that way.
Words were exchanged and out of the dark she came, a small smile showing itself to push back that demanding emotion she most certainly did not have time for, nor would she ever.
"Don't worry, I got it. Pretty sure getting hit by a car is the last thing on my bucket list after seeing almost everything that happens to the human body when it gets caught in the accident," A return of her own humour and all was light. Albeit small, the smile that he had would have done wonders to an artist's creativity for it certainly did something to her own sense of imagery as a long time photographer.
And yet, he did not seem fit to be a model.
Peddling back to his reply, she immediately began to think of his occupation, taking note of the way he spoke and what was said.
After seeing almost everything that happens to the human body when it gets caught in the accident.
A doctor of some sort, maybe?
"There goes being on time," And away the smile went, but back the scowl came after a comfortable form of silence was broken by what she assumed to be a message. Gesturing to his phone, the almost-killed-but-not-killed stranger let out a final wave, "Thanks for saving my life again. You know, for a woman your size, you're actually pretty strong to have been able to pull me out of the way like that."
A woman of her size?
A woman of her size?
Just who the hell did he think he was referring to?
Sure, she was short, though that certainly did not mean she was small and incapable of doing things that was stereotypically given to those who were bigger than her.
And besides that fact, she was first and foremost a Kuchiki.
"Hey, you can't just say that —" God knows she had all the might to finish her sentence, but the man had turned his back to her and for the other side of the road he went, attention quickly shifting to the device that would have caused his death in the first place.
"If you're going to be rude by crossing the road while I'm talking, at least put your phone away before signing your death warrant, you fool!"
In the end, that had earned her a simple laugh. She certainly hadn't expected him to be listening, but he was and a loud apology was soon heard as the phone went back into his pocket.
Through the double doors of a restaurant she watched him go through, and for the second time within the span of ten minutes, a sigh was released.