Title: Red
Author: AppleL0V3R
Beta-reader: Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night
Fandom: Naruto and Bleach
Pairing: Kuchiki, Byakuya and Haruno, Sakura
Rating: T
Type: One-shot – Complete
Summary: He was always so cold that sometimes, she wondered if he had ice in his veins.
Theme: #7 – Bleed Blue
Word Count: 2,375
Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.
Note: for the sake of realism – because as much as we are all in awe of most of the shinigami ages they simply aren't practical here – Byakuya will be one year older than Itachi. In this one-shot that age will be 33 because Sakura is 27.
..:Xx0o0xX:..
Sakura shifted in her bed, not wanting to get up but knew she had to. Kuchiki, Byakuya would chew her out if she was late again. Though technically, the first time hadn't been her fault, it was Naruto and Renji's. But it wasn't like she could play the blame game with the Shinigami Sixth Division Captain, he didn't tolerate nonsense and so she'd gotten a warning. Not fired simply because one doesn't have her position for years and lose it over being slightly tardy once. Besides, she liked her job, well, jobs. She originally went to school for medicine skills so that she could be a doctor of some sort. And she'd kind of ended up with the job. After having others and then getting saddled with more than one responsibility. But that's how Shinigami works. Under the Kuchiki's no one has just one job and there's no such thing as clearance. But that required a lot of explaining, more than it was worth. Rules and regulations, they got tiresome and complicated fast.
So breathing out, the pink haired woman sucked in a deep breath and set a smile on her lips. It'd be another exhausting day she knew because nothing was ever easy so it was best to merely be ready for anything that was thrown at her. Hope for the best, expect the worse, find joy at every opportunity presented. That was how the young but talented Haruno worked. And today especially because she got the feeling today was going to be a rollercoaster ride. Then she got out of bed.
Getting ready required no thought, just motions that her body was already long used to; once she got to work, things were different on a daily basis. This freed up her mind to think about what she'd gotten done the day before and what needed to be accomplished today or in the near future. It didn't even compute into her mind that she hadn't gotten even so much as an early leave or late start in nearly three months. Or that today was actually supposed to be her day off. That was to be expected of those who make it into Shinigami. It's not easy to get there and the real difficulty begins once the feat has been achieved. And the fun part was she had no set schedule, starting when she had to, needed to or wanted to (which ever came first) and leaving when she was finished for the day.
She'd learned to make mental check lists because she didn't have the time to write them down. So the morning one: get up, check. Shower, check. Dress, make-up and accessories, in motion. Breakfast, next. Work related objects to be taken with on the way out, last. Pretty simple. In fact, she could be out the door within a half hour of waking, which was probably why she procrastinated it and sometimes started before she was suppose to.
As she rushed out of her room in the small but adequate and homey apartment she'd had for a long while, she grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the counter and the cup of tea she'd left to brew the night before. Briefcase on her arm, folders tucked under that same arm, tea in the conjoined hand, and apple shoved haphazardly in her mouth she yanked open the car door. She slid in, tossed her belongings in the passenger seat while setting the tea down and turned on the ignition. The pinkette was careful not to spill the hot liquid as she shut her still open door and looked behind her while backing up. She felt the green apple's juice slide down her chin from the corner of her too pink lips drop by drop when she bit to hard, one hand on the wheel and the other hovering at her favorite mug she let the apple fall in her lap. At some point she picked it back up, rubbed the dried trail off her skin and ate her daily apple while she drove. When she hurried up the steps after parking in her space and grabbing her things, she tossed the core in the waste basket with the cup full of tea still untouched.
She didn't drink tea because even if she was the one making it on a daily bases and then some, she simply could not stand the taste. But Captain Byakuya did, to what extent she didn't know. Just that since the first time he'd had her tea, he'd demanded she make at least one cup a day for him from then on. Which was probably the biggest reason why she didn't get a day off, the other being that Shinigami was too prestigious and busy to allow such a thing too often for any of its members. So really, it was all her fault, she gave him the tea and since she's there, he believes she should work. Thus no days off. Not that she minded, she loved her job to the point where work felt like fun, though paperwork was a big time chore no one liked doing.
She strode down the hall on stilettos Ino insisted she wear on a daily basis. The blonde swore that the ability would come in handy one day; she did, after all, do a lot of field work. Sakura however would merely snort or scoff and nod, it was easier to simply agree with the other woman sometimes. Especially when she was obstinate about a matter, like the heels. Said clothing articles gave sharp clicks every time her heel stuck the floor. It wasn't loud; she merely had good hearing though this sound was one that got tuned out more often then not. She hummed a melody she'd known since childhood and wasn't sure where it came from but had never really occurred to her to find out. One hall led to another before she found the door to her office, slipping in only briefly to put her things down before she was once more heading down hallways hot mug still in hand.
Even though her boss didn't seem aware, she'd been bringing him her favorite mug every time she gave him his tea. She always got it back; Kuchiki was a very clean and tidy person, which was why she brought it. The mug actually had a hand made design on it of a nine-tailed fox and brown pup under an in-full-bloom cherry blossom tree and at the same time had a raven and crow side by side in a branch above. It had been specially made by a very good friend of her's, Sai.
Before she'd transferred to the Shinigami sector she'd been in the Shinobi sector and placed in a six-man team consisting of Hatake, Kakashi, Uchiha, Sasuke, Uzumaki, Naruto, Yamato, Sai and herself. Ever since Naruto, Sasuke, and herself had entered the police, they'd continually been placed together with Kakashi as their guiding superior. Eventually they were joined by Yamato and Sai and now the six are like a family, even living in the same complex, though each had their own apartment. Even after their team was split up they remained close finding time for get-togethers whenever feasible. On multiple occasions, they'd even been at each other's work places. Which also meant that they frequently got her in trouble with the Sixth Captain, Naruto mostly especially when he teamed up with Renji.
It took her no time getting to Byakuya's door and without even knocking – which was a bad habit, she knew but hadn't bothered to break it – and walked straight in, smile still in place. "Hello, Cap'n."
He didn't look up as she held out the mug or even reach for it. So rolling her emerald green eyes with amusement at unhealthy his workaholic tendencies she reached out and grabbed his rapidly moving hand. Once she'd caught it he looked up in surprise, obviously she had taken him by surprise. "Haruno." She ignored the warning tone that suggested she let go, instead she was in favor of prying the writing utensil from his grip and replacing it with tea. The fact that he was one of the few who still called her by last name, only most of the rookies who were fearful of her or people who didn't know her very will did that – neither of which he was in titled to – wasn't lost on her.
"Honestly." She muttered, he looked tired enough to sleep for a day – which he probably needed to – and the morning had scarcely begun. Not mention that she'd even greeted him. "Don't you know when to take a break?" She already knew the answer, so she stated it as a rhetorical question instead. "Sleep isn't just good for the body you know, it's required."
Already thin lips pressed into a line as grey eyes pinned her with look of both disapproval and lack of appreciation for her commentary. She was one of the few in all of the divisions of both special force sectors who'd dare to scold Kuchiki, Byakuya. In fact, she found herself doing so for many captains even in the main branch of the police which was the public one. She knew he was powerful, and doing so was idiocy, but someone had to or they forgot some of their responsibilities. Such as self-health. Very important and all the high ranking officials such as Captain Kuchiki seemed to often forget that. "I will rest when I am done, Haruno."
"My name is Sakura." She interjected. She'd been working for him and seeing him on a daily basis for well over three years now. Calling her by surname was far too formal on even first meetings for her taste, he needed to drop it. It irritated her that she had been telling him as such since their third meeting.
His frown deepened and she absently thought to herself that he would have frown lines and grey hair – instead of his long beautiful jet black color – before his mid-thirties. "I know what your name is." His tone was clipped and cool. He was always so cold that sometimes, she wondered if he had ice in his veins. It was impossible not to wonder such a thing when he got so crispy that he could be even colder than Hitsugaya, Toushiro who was born in the far north. A very cold country that usually bred icicles, especially in this profession.
"Then use it. We've had at least one conversation every day for at least three years now, don't you think not doing so is a bit…" she trailed of trying find the right word. He was smart though – understatement of the year by the way – so even if he didn't fill in the blank he'd know what she meant anyway. Besides implying that ones boss was stubborn to the point of idiocy was a good way to get fired – if not then tardiness. Almost any one else would have backed off before then because he was near glowering now. That usually took far longer to happen, but it was the lack of sleep at work.
"Just get to work."
She forced down the urge to smile, showing him she knew she'd won was a bad idea even for her. "Alright. See you later." And so she turned on her heel and headed for the door already categorizing what to do first.
"Wait." She was already had a hand on the handle by that point.
She paused and looked over her shoulder to see an image most didn't get to. Byakuya was leaning back in his black leather business chair, face turned to the left and looking at the scenery outside his window with half-lidded mesmerizing eyes and soft features. Her cup was being held with both hands and his elbows were propped on the arms of the chair. Seeing the Sixth Division leader in such a relaxed pose and with such a far away expression was the same as seeing him vulnerable. "Yes, Captain?" When he turned to her his gaze sharpened and focused as if seeing right into her soul. It almost made her blink, but it did cause a fine tremble. Rarely was she pinned with such an intense gaze.
"Today is your day off, isn't it?"
She wondered if she should be amazed that he knew, but at the same time he was so efficient he probably knew everyone's days off. All the same she merely nodded with a smile upon her features.
"Have lunch with me then."
Whatever she'd been expecting, that was most certainly not it. Her gut feelings were usually not wrong and this morning's had been dead on its mark. All she could do was nod her agreement to go out with him. The fullness of what she was doing taking a backseat to her – for once – numb feeling and blank brain. It'd catch up to her later; overwhelm her until it became so simple once more. By then who knows where she'll be or if this outing even meant what it implicated.
For now her blank brain had strayed slightly, one thought floating in it.
And it wasn't: I'm going out to lunch with my boss: Kuchiki, Byakuya.
Nope.
It was: since he does indeed have a heart – Inner snorted at this, muttering a 'well duh' while the alter ego Sakura had had as a child was at it – does he also have blood in his veins as well? Not blue ice but red blood?