His Happily Ever After

by: Ephemeral Serendipity

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach or any of the characters from Bleach; they belong to Kubo Tite!

It was awfully cold for a summer night, but he didn't notice the chill settling in around him. Why would he, one of the most powerful lords, be affected by a mere thing such as the cold? After all, he was much, much, much more colder… as a person.

The others always kept their distance, fearing his demeaning presence.

He didn't blame them.

He never wanted their company anyways, foolish ones they were, unworthy of his attention.

His cold, grey eyes looked far beyond the city, which was bright with lights. He always thought it was a waste of what they called electricity. He himself preferred the warmth and glow of a candle… not that he needed the warmth or the comforting sensation.

Suddenly, as his eyes hovered over a tall apartment, he felt it.

A soul, crying.

He closed his eyes.

It was time.

In the next minute, the lamppost he was standing on was empty, with nothing but a few sakura petals to signify he was ever there.

Chapter One, Pink or White?

"Pink… or white…? Pink… or white…? Hmmm…" Sato Rukia stared hard at the display cases, ignoring the weird looks from passersby, who found it quite odd for a girl to so blatantly stand in front of the shop. Sighing, she tilted her head to side as she thought to herself. 'Would he prefer pink or white? Should I call him? But what if he figures it out? He can't find out until later… tonight.'

Smacking her forehead in frustration, she growled as she peered even harder (if that was possible) at her two choices, her usually glimmering violet eyes narrowed to slits. The pink was rather frilly for her tastes, but who knew? Maybe he preferred frilly pink things. On the other hand, the white was rather plain, but had cute bows all over it. She let out a deep breath again; how on earth was she going to decide this? She wasn't a guy, so how would she know what he wanted?

Finally, she made up her mind: she would buy them both. Maybe the other would be used in the very, very, very near future… stomping her way in through the door, she pulled out her purple wallet and prepared to spend her monthly savings. 'Oh well… haven't spent any unnecessary money for months, so I guess it's okay… anyways, it's for him so it's worth it… right?'

"Uh, I'd like the two specials that were displayed in the window; one pink, one white, please." Rukia watched the young cashier take out her two requested items and placed them inside a baby-blue gift bag.

"That would be 17.24, please." The petite girl threw down a twenty-dollar bill, murmuring about keeping the change. She took the bag off the counter and made her way outside the mall. As soon as she left, she glanced down at the bag, blushing.

'I can't believe I actually bought these…' She gave a slight shiver before making her way to a clinic that belonged to a rather eccentric man with his three kids.

"Ichigo! Let me in!" Rukia glared at the orange-haired male through the window. She couldn't believe it; Sato Rukia, top female student at Karakura High, was stuck on her classmate's second-floor window. If anyone passed by, she would totally lose her dignity. Temper rising, she banged on the glass again, blushing furiously. "ICHIGO! Don't make me break the window!"

"Aren't you worried about people looking up your skirt?" Kurosaki Ichigo leaned back on his chair, casually flicking his eyes towards the pissed-off girl. "I mean, you are wearing a skirt…"

"I think you should be more worried about your head once I break this window," she threatened, although she did inconspicuously pull her skirt down more, fervently hoping there were no passersby that could see her like this.

The male chuckled and finally strolled over to the window, unlocking it, letting the short black-haired girl tumble in. She landed neatly on his bed, and she sat there, pouting. "Was that really so hard?"

"Maybe. It's fun teasing you, though," he flashed a grin her way, while she flashed her fist, which moments later, found itself in Ichigo's face. "OW! RUKIA!"

"Hmph." Moving back, she flopped down on his bed, and sighed. The orange-haired teen rubbed his nose, his face scrunched up in pain, but his eyes were focused on her.

"Hisana's sick again?" She nodded, her arm draped over her eyes. He sighed as well, and sat down beside her, unsure of what to say. "S-she'll get better. You know she will; she's strong, Rukia, strong enough to keep fighting."

Rukia lifted her arm slightly, and smiled at Ichigo. "I know, Ichigo, I know." He snorted, which won him a kick in the ribs.

"OW!" He sent a death look at her, wincing as he gingerly touched his wound. "What was that for?"

"For being Ichigo." She stared at him seriously, but after a minute, she burst out laughing and threw her arms around him. "Thanks, Ichigo."

Startled by the sudden contact, Ichigo just grinned, hoping she couldn't see the blood rushing to his face. Coughing nervously, he muttered, "So, why are you here again?"

"Oh, right," she let her arms drop and she plopped down onto the bed again, face down. "K-Kuchiki Byakuya's celebrating his birthday... today… at home."

Her friend tensed slightly, before turning around to face her. "Him?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute, before something came to him. "Is that why you spent nearly half of five month's savings last week?"

She threw a look at him. "He's Hisana-nee-san's boyfriend, okay?" She fidgeted nervously for a minute. "I don't like it."

"Like what?"

"Hisana-nee-san going out with him… he seems… okay, I guess, but there's always something I'm not so sure of about him."

"Are you sure it's just not the fact that you want him for yourself?" Ichigo gazed down at her seriously. After being friends for not even half a year, they had bonded quickly, so quickly that it often lead to misunderstandings (especially from Asano Keigo, their annoying classmate). It all started when she transferred to his class, and ended up sitting beside him. Somehow… everything just clicked.

He knew what made her feel down; she knew what made him feel down. Words were never needed, although they occasionally accompanied a whack to the head or a slap across the face (especially in Ichigo's case; he lost count of how many times Rukia raised her hand against him). He knew about her circumstances, although she never did really tell him. He just knew, and that was enough.

She turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. "Me, like Kuchiki Byakuya? Kurosaki Ichigo, have you lost your mind?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I dunno. It seems like you're uncomfortable with him being with Hisana… maybe you have feelings for him, deep down."

Rukia gaped at him in shock. "Me, Sato Rukia, having feelings for THAT man?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Ichigo exhaled and patted his friend on the head. "Just… forget I said anything, okay? Have fun with your sister and Byakuya tonight."

"… you are aware that that sounded a bit… suggestive, right?"

"… I think you're spending too much time with Orihime."

There was a sound of a hand coming down on a certain orange-head.

"RUKIA!"

Rukia didn't notice the couples around her, giggling and showing public displays of affection. Walking back to her apartment, she was thinking back to the time she first met Ichigo, on her very first day in Karakura Town. She was 15 (now, after half a year, 16) at that time, and came to the town during Karakura High's summer vacation. She began classes right after, in September, and immediately got to know Kurosaki Ichigo, who happened to be the one sitting to her left.

They didn't get off at a very good start, she had to admit. Giggling at the memory, she clearly remembered him yelling at her about "manners" and "dignity" and "mental health". Despite their rash beginnings, they had bonded instantly.

She had moved her with her older sister, Hisana, because of the influence of a certain man: Kuchiki Byakuya, Hisana's boyfriend. He lived in the neighboring area, the rich area. He was roughly 22 years old, one year older than Hisana, and was the head of a powerful financial and medical company.

Byakuya had insisted on paying for Hisana's hospital fees and medical bills. He had also insisted that they moved in with him, something Hisana had objected to at first, but after constant persuading, she agreed. Rukia, however, wasn't so sure, intruding on her sister's love life. Byakuya offered her a separate room in the same building when she voiced her concerns.

"B-but, Kuchiki-san…" She was grateful, of course, but there was something about him she didn't trust. "It would be too much trouble; I can find a job and another place…"

"No," his voice was deadly. "I cannot allow the sister of my lover to work at such a young age."

Hisana had agreed, her blue-violet eyes filled with desperation and sadness. "Rukia, really, it's not problem... just live with Byakuya-sama and I."

Byakuya-sama . Another thing that had irked Rukia was the formalness that her older sister addressed her boyfriend with. 'What kind of person allows his girlfriend to call him Byakuya-sama?' She shook her head. "Hisana-nee-san…"

"At the very least, accept Byakuya-sama's kind offer to let you stay in another room; please, Rukia, don't distant yourself from us, not now…" The younger sister couldn't bear to hear Hisana's pleading, and gave in, meekly.

"A-alright…"

Shaking herself back to the present, Rukia looked up at the sky. 'How pretty… so many stars…'

She reached the massive apartment which belonged to Kuchiki Byakuya, and wearily made her way up to the top floors, which were reserved for her and her sister. Byakuya stayed over almost every night, with the rare occasional meeting, where Rukia would walk to her sister's room and comfort her in the lonely space.

After the elevator dropped her off at the penthouse floor, she made her way to the room Hisana and Byakuya shared. Gritting her teeth and forcing herself to knock on the door, she waited patiently, and the door swung open, revealing a tall, black-haired man, with cold grey eyes.

"H-happy birthday, Kuchiki-san." She bowed slightly, quavering slightly in his presence. This was another thing she disliked about the man. What was with the aura he carried around with him?

"Thank you, Rukia. Hisana's waiting," he said, rather softly, and she looked up, to see her sister smiling and waving at her. Byakuya left Rukia at the door and went over to the frail sister's side, putting an arm around her shoulders and clutching her hand.

Rukia let herself in and took off her shoes, padding across to the couch where Hisana and Byakuya were seated comfortably. She settled down in the single seat and reached into her handbag to fetch something. "Kuchiki-san… I didn't really know what to get you, but I hope you like this."

"Oooh," Hisana peeked into the small, grey bag as Byakuya took it with a nod of thanks. "I never knew you went out shopping. When'd you go?"

"L-last Sunday," replied Rukia, staring at the man who reached into the bag, a bit hesitantly, she observed, and took out a velvet purple box.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at her. "Is this what I think it is?"

"No, it's NOT a wedding ring." Hisana let out a laugh at the sight of her sister's furiously red face. Byakuya let out a rare chuckle as well, before opening the box carefully with his gentle fingers.

"Oooh!" His girlfriend gazed at it, before smiling at her sister. "This is beautiful!"

'Beautiful', he thought, 'is an understatement.' Inside was a glimmering silver and gold watch, that seemed to reflect just the slightest tint of pink; the same shade as sakura petals. The hands and numbers were an elegant shade of dark purple, against a white background. He looked up, and nodded his thanks again at the younger girl, who was raising an eyebrow at her sister.

Rukia caught his tiny motion and just offered a rare and shy smile, before turning back towards her sister. He couldn't help but notice how her eyes were much more expressive than his girlfriend's. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and turned his attention back to the conversation, only to hear Hisana pout. "I said, I didn't want pink OR white!"

Byakuya felt slightly disturbed, uncertain if he was supposed to be there or not.

"Look, they only had pink or white, so I got you both."

"Both? Rukia…"

"I didn't know if he liked frills or bows, so…" Rukia tilted her head at him, rolling her eyes.

He stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Here, just take the bag," the violet-eyed girl tossed a baby-blue bag at her sister, who caught the bag in her lap.

"But… oh! They actually look pretty nice! Thanks, Rukia," Hisana glanced up at her sister and felt her lips curve upwards. "Thanks, I'll definitely use them… tonight."

Byakuya had no idea if the shivers that were crawling up his spine were because of the air conditioner turning on or if it was what Hisana was implying… or both. Feeling like he was really missing out on something, he was about to ask when Rukia stood up.

"I'm going to go study now, Hisana-nee-san, Kuchiki-san. Happy birthday again," she gave them a kind smile, before she winked at them and added, "I hope you enjoy one of them tonight. Good night!" With that, she left, grinning evilly to herself as she left her sister and her boyfriend's room.

When she got outside, she slumped down to the floor, and gripped her hair frantically. 'Was it just me, or was Byakuya more… more… ugh… what was the word…' She bit her lip and looked up, hoping the word would come to her.

After a minute or two, she got up blindly, and made her way to her room just down the hall. She was already done her homework and had showered already, when the word came to her as she rolled around in her comfy bed.

'Ah. Handsome!'

Byakuya, who was cuddling a rather cute but too pink and frilly bunny plushie at the moment, which Hisana had insisted was called, "Chappy", suddenly sneezed.

Author's Notes:

-runs to hide in a little corner-

I hope it wasn't too " all over the place ". ; A ; This idea… came into mind when I wrote the very first sentence of the first chapter. XD I had absolutely no idea it would come to this… but here it is!

At first, the beginning was the prologue, but I decided to combine them as it would make much more sense.

I have the story in mind and how it's all going to go… but I don't know if I should just leave it like this, as an oneshot, or should I expand it? It could stay the way it is, but I have ideas for the future… review and let me know, mmkayy?

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated… so don't forget to click those three fancy words down there. ;D

Much wishes,

ROYALMILKTEA (aka Ephemeral Serendipity)