(A/N: Um, new story idea kicked in! Haha! I don't own Bleach or any of the characters...except for Velvet and some other OC's that might be mentioned later...)

Just Like a Stalker

Summer was kicking in full swing. The dry, humid air swept through with the wind and left people feeling uncomfortable and exhausted. The sky was a fascinating blue, no blankets of clouds dared to cover the heavens. Pools were occupied by large numbers of people, and a bustling wave of excitement washed over the people of Karakura Town.

Except for me. I was stuck inside a damn little cafe, where I am currently listening to the blabber of some old lady about how the coffee is not strong enough. I have already shut out half of her voice and focused on everyone outside the walls of the small building.

They were all walking. They were free. And they all smiled. A small boy giggled outside the large cafe window and reached out to touch the picture of a sleeping cat. His mother panicked and yanked him away from the window. She looked up and smiled at me apologetically. I couldn't help but shake my head and watch the two leave.

They were all so damn lucky. They had freedom. They had all I have ever wanted.

"Are you even listening to me?" the old lady barked. I snapped from my daze and turned my attention on the small lady's old, dark beady eyes. I sweat dropped and shook my head. The old lady let out a loud snort.

"Bring me another, and make it ten times stronger!" she ordered. I nodded and scurried off to retrieve her order. I have never liked being demanded and shunted around, but with no one else in mt life to support me, I have had to learn to earn money myself – and since I am only in high school, finding a proper job was impossible. Although, being a waitress isn't exactly my type of thing. It was the only thing that paid, and I needed the money.

Whilst I prepared the old woman's "extra strong coffee with extra cream," I noticed the front door of the building open and in stepped a tall, blonde, skinny man with a hat on his head. I rolled my eyes. The idiot was here to annoy me again. As always.

"Ah," the blonde slurred as he slumped his arms on the counter and watched me eagerly as I prepared the coffee, "long time no see, Velvet."

I sent him a glare, but all he did was smile that famous grin of his.

"Shut up, Hirako," I hissed, "besides, you saw me yesterday."

Hirako Shinji laughed. I've never liked the man. He was creepy, always smiling and cracking jokes. He also loved flirting...he was a one heck of a womanizer. But what I hated the most was the fact that he liked teasing me the most. He was so frustrating, it made me want to rip his hair out!

"Did I?" Shinji asked as his face perked up. A vein popped on my head, but I fought the urge to clobber him over the head. Damn him and his weird way of talking to hell. Oh yes, and damn his perfectly straight teeth too.

Slamming the cup of coffee on the counter in front of him, I growled. Shinji jumped back and quickly made sure I didn't stain his newly dry cleaned, white shirt. I smiled an innocent smile.

"You mind delivering this to the old hag over there?" I asked. Shinji watched me amused with his hazel eyes and then glanced at the old woman.

"Ain't that your job?" Shinji asked me as he turned his attention back to me. I shrugged.

"You do owe me," I stated. Shinji remained silent, watching me intently. Annoyed, I picked up the cup and stomped over to the old woman's table. I set the bitter beverage in front of her, turned on my heel and stomped back to the counter.

"The usual...I guess?" I asked Shinji as I pulled out my notepad and pen. He nodded. Scribbling down his order, I looked up, pen still pressed against paper.

"How do you drink so much coffee, anyway?" I asked. Shinji was now leaning on the counter again.

"I don't drink all o' it," Shinji stated. I quirked an eyebrow.

"Sure, you don't," I mused, "what? Do all the eight coffees you order mysteriously disappear? Or do they stand at home on your collection table, rotting?"

Shinji pulled a face but then quickly formed his famous grin again.

"I do have friends, ya know?"

I rolled my eyes, "Of course, and they are all like you. A bunch of sarcastic jackasses."

Shinji snorted, "Hardly. One is a bitch. The others are just...meh."

I rolled my eyes again and put the order through into the computer. Shinji watched me as I gathered eight take-away cups and place them on the bench.

"Anything else?" I asked. Although, I knew he wasn't going to order anything else with his coffees, it was still my job to ask.

"Nah," Shinji replied, "just your rack."

Another large vein popped on my head, "My boobs aren't for sale, jackass!"

Shinji snickered. Oh, he always did this to me. He enjoyed making my life hell. I ignored the urge to punch his straight teeth straight out of his mouth and focused on making the coffee instead. The cafe was less busy this time of day, but there were still enough people around to give you a headache – especially if one of them was annoying the hell out of you.

"That will be ¥2240," I said nonchalantly as I held out my hand to retrieve the money from the perverted jackass and get him out of my face. Shinji smirked.

"Put it on da tab," he stated. My eyebrow twitched.

"You've been saying that for the past two years, jackass," I snapped, "and you still haven't paid back a single cent!"

Shinji shrugged, "I will, eventually."

"When? When you're dead?" I asked. Shinji grinned.

"Yeah."

"You better die tomorrow."

Shinji smirked, and then strolled out of the cafe. I watched him leave in annoyance. How the hell does he get home while juggling a tray with four coffees in each hand?

I looked down at the counter, praying that Shinji dropped the money. He didn't.

My boss is going to kill me. A slow, agonizing death. Oh joy.

I opened the glass door and let it slam behind me. I was almost fired! FIRED! Thanks to that perverted jerk who keeps on stealing eight cups of coffee! I let out a frustrated yell, which caused everyone in the street to look at me as if I was some kind of stalker. I glared at a group of men who were gaping at me and straightened my jacket.

Might as well get home and finish some homework. Just as I was about to step away from the cafe, it started raining. No, not raining – pouring.

"What the hell?" I snapped as I looked up at the sky. I swear the sky was clear just a second ago, and now it was covered by a large, dark blanket of clouds. My eyebrow twitched. I knew I should have brought my umbrella today. Annoyed, I started power walking in the direction where I lived. I've never liked the rain, it ruins my day. I prefer the heat, where I can do basically anything I want – except ice skating.

When I finally arrived home, I was greeted by silence, a foul stench and junk lying all over the floor. My apartment wasn't always in the best of living conditions. Yeah, sue me. I'm a girl who lives in a pig sty. But, with my busy schedule, I don't have time to clean. I slammed the door shut behind me, and pushed my way through clothes and other random junk. I cracked a window to let in some fresh air, popped a microwave meal in the microwave and changed into a set of dry clothes. Minutes later, I was sitting on the floor, my legs neatly tucked under my kotatsu table and piles of homework spread before me.

Homework is a bitch. I've never liked it, and probably never will. I hate studying too, which obviously explains why I'm repeating this year again.

Okay, that's a lie. I'm not repeating this year, because I hate studying. I had a real good reason for missing half of the year the previous time. But, that's another story.

Dammit, I've tried to read this question three time already! I just can't seem to find the energy to focus. Taking one last bite of my microwave meal, I collapsed unto my back and looked up at the ceiling.

A sudden idea popped in my head. I sat up and grinned at myself. I am such a genius! I stood up, threw my half-eaten microwave meal in the bin and pulled on the first pair of shoes I could find. I unfortunately had to wear an odd pair of socks since I couldn't find any matching ones. I grabbed my umbrella (that has a hole in it) as well as my keys and closed the door behind me.

If Hirako Shinji thinks he can get away from my clutches. He was dead wrong.

But, finding him was easier said than done. I am now sitting on a park bench in the middle of town, soaking wet and pissed off. I've always known he doesn't live in the my neighborhood (where the cafe was) because I would have seen him more often that way. But, when you live in the biggest city in the world – it's should have been bloody obvious to me that I wouldn't find him as easily as I have hoped.

He wasn't present at any of the "pick up" areas either. And he calls himself a womanizer! Sheesh. Of course, I haven't checked the Red Light District – but I'm a woman, they will kick me out before I can say "whore."

Yeah, I pretty much just wasted my night. I could have finished my homework! Well, if I fail it's not my fault, it will be Hirako's fault. He frustrates me to a point where I can't even concentrate! Just wait until I get my hands on him. Not even his mother will be able to recognize him after I am done with him.

"Excuse me, Miss?" a voice snapped me from my fantasies of giving Shinji the pain he deserves. I looked up into a pair of golden eyes. I blinked, trying to see if I was dreaming. Does this guy...have pink hair? He was tall, and huge. He is what I would call the opposite of Shinji, who was so skinny it's not funny. I laughed nervously.

"May I help you?" I asked. The man smiled. His smile was very gentle, even for such a huge guy. Wait a minute...this is like in the manga! The big, intimidating guys are always the sweet, loving and gentle ones!

But judging from how this guy dressed, I had a feeling he was part of the Mafia. Don't ask me why. I just...have this odd feeling.

"Hachi!" another male voice yelled from nowhere. For some reason, it sounded oddly familiar, "It's over here!"

The big, pink haired dude glanced in the direction where the voice came from and then back at me. A serious expression quickly faded away when he looked me in the eye and smiled.

Then, a wild shake vibrated through the earth. I yelped and fell off the bench, landing on my arm in an awkward position. The big guy quickly came to my aid by pulling me up with his large hand and running away from the scene. My eyes widened as another roar echoed through the area.

"An earthquake?" I asked in between my gasps. My arm was throbbing wildly. I looked up into the big guy's -apparently called Hachi- golden eyes. How can someone so big be so fast? I struggled in his grasp.

"Let me go!" I ordered, but the man shook his head.

"It's dangerous back there," he told me, his voice was gentle but urgent.

"But...your friend is back there!" I objected. Hachi smiled.

"He'll be fine," Hachi reassured me, "now, go to sleep."

And so, everything went black.

When I came to, I was on a park bench...again. I sat up and scanned my surroundings. It was dark, the moon was sitting in the sky above me and the park was deserted. I narrowed my eyes. How did I get here? I kicked my legs over the bench and stood to my feet. Pain shot through my arm and I winced.

Now, how was I supposed to make coffee and write with a sore arm? Great, just great. Annoyed, I started to stomp my way home. I had no idea what happened, and the man named Hachi was long gone. But, if that was an earthquake – I will be damned.

As I made my way home, I realized that people were carrying on with their lives as if nothing happened – or well, the few that were on the streets, anyway. If there was an earthquake, wouldn't there have been bigger response to it? I frowned as I studied the area. Everything was so peaceful. Too peaceful, almost.

I resisted the urge to approach a strange looking man and ask him about the earthquake and headed straight for home. I was tired, and my arm needed some kind of medical aid.

When I finally reached my apartment, I opened the door and stumbled in. I shuddered from the foul smell and switched on the light of the kitchen. I really need to get my room cleaned.

"Welcome home, Velvet," a familiar voice slurred. I snapped around in an instant and came face to face with my number one enemy. My eyes widened as I watched the blonde stood up from where he was leaning against the wall and approached me with his hands in his pockets.

"How the hell did you get in?" I hissed. Hirako Shinji grinned.

"The door," he stated as he pointed at the front door. I glared at the door, as if trying to give it a warning for letting someone bad "in." Sighing, I turned to face Shinji's annoying brown eyes again. He seemed so calm, just standing there in my apartment with his usual annoying grin.

"This is trespassing," I stated. Shinji shrugged and glanced around the kitchen.

"You don't know how to clean, do ya?" he asked sarcastically. I glared at him and opened one of the cupboards where I kept the first aid kit. It wasn't there.

"It's in the one on da left," Shinji stated as he opened the fridge. I glared at him again and opened the cupboard, and sure enough there the first aid kit sat.

"What the hell?" I shrieked as I turned around to face Shinji as he took a large gulp -straight out of the carton- of milk.

"What?" he asked bluntly.

"How do you know where I keep my stuff? Wait, how do you even know where I live?" I asked. Shinji remained silent, but didn't break the strange gaze he was giving me. "Don't give me the silent treatment, jackass. Who the hell are you?"

Shinji smirked and closed the fridge door behind him with his foot. I looked down at his feet. At least he had the decency to take of his shoes when he came in. But...

"Why the hell are you wearing my slippers?" I hissed. No wonder they were missing when I came in earlier. He shrugged.

"My feet are cold," he moaned. I sighed and collapsed unto the floor.

"You have some serious explaining to do," I stated. Shinji shrugged and knelt down before me, his face only inches away from mine.

"I don't have ta explain anything," he said slowly in a low whisper. I gritted my teeth.

"Fine," I hissed, "I'll just tell the police you're a stalker."

Shinji snarled, but realization hit him and he started laughing. Yes, laughing. He was laughing so loud, I am sure the neighbors were all awake by now. Shinji calmed down after awhile and looked me in the eye.

"You won't say that," he whispered without using slang, "because, you won't remember."

I frowned, but before I could ask him what the hell he was talking about, the world went black.