It was December already , and to many dismay Christmas was coming a lot faster then planned. Nether Ichigo or Byakuya new whether or not to get the other something let alone if they did what. It's what Ichigo always hated about this time of year ,don't get her wrong she loves Christmas . But buying gifts is challenging when you don't know what to buy. And knowing Byakuya he would just shun anything she bought him . But Christmas for Byakuya was a different story , he never really cared about what he bought some one it was normally just expensive with no real thought put into it .
It was going to be a hectic Christmas for both of them. Thankfully a savior in green showed up on there door step
"Rukia!" Ichigo gasped throwing the door open . The shorter girl was dressed in dark blue jeans that hugged her legs and military green jacket .
" Hey." She smiled up at her giving a small wave . Rukia seemed nervous just standing there . Russeling behind her earned Ichigo's attention as a tall Red head wandered up the drive way.
"Oi Renji!" He joined Rukia , giving Ichigo a lazy grin . " You guys can come in I'm sure Byakuya will be happy to see you . Or half of you." Playfully winking at Renji , she knew he got the point .
She lead both of them into there house letting them toss there coat and boot's aside .
"Yo!Byakuya!." She could basically hear Rukia cringing at the sound of her addressing her 'Nii-sama' so poorly. The man emerged from the down stairs office at the end of the hall .
"Nii-sama!" Rukia did her Typical bow routine .
"Rukia." Tipping his head a bit in return . "Abari ."
"So what's with the drop by?" Questioning The pair Ichigo led them into the living room , too the sofas .
"Well Captain Commander sent us here for the winter holidays . Did he not tell you ?" A moment of Tension broke through the room at Rukia's Question
"He did." Sipping tea from a cup Byakuya sat down . "I must have forgotten to tell you Kurosaki." She knew he hadn't forgotten . He just didn't tell her .
" Douche." Was all She had to say .
After a very long lecture from Rukia about how it was inappropriate to call some one of the noblest standard a douche . They planned where the two could sleep , Byakuya being to stubborn to let them share a room agreed on Rukia in the living room , and Renji in the lounge .
Both Renji and Byakuya had disappeared somewhere leaving the two girls alone.
"So Have you gotten your Christmas gifts yet?" Rukia asked .
"No, I honestly have no idea what to get anyone."
"Well , we should go today if you put it off to long Ichigo you will be left with sucky gifts ." She didn't get to reply , Rukia was already on her feet slipping into her Jacket. " Nii-sama ." She called out . "Me and Ichigo will be back soon." Sliding to her feet too , Ichigo Dredging made her way to the door putting on boots and a coat head out with the raven haired girl.
Driving across town . They where both contemplating gift ideas for Renji and Byakuya . Renji was the easy one .
Ends up Rukia already had a gift for Her Nii-sama but was clueless what to get their red headed buffoon of a friend .
"I've got it!" Rukia exclaimed scaring Ichigo half to death , causing her to nearly t-bone an on coming car.
"Never , I repeat never do that again! We nearly crashed midget ."
"There was this book Nii-sama really liked it's really old though , but he borrowed it from a public library a few years back and has never found a copy since . It's his favourite but he doesn't have it . You can get him that !" Pausing she continued "And." Whacking Ichigo upside the head with a map she's picked up of all the local shops . " That's for calling me a midget."
Rubbing her temple she grumbled something about short people , and captive bred monsters . She couldn't deny though , the book idea was good , and probably the only the only idea there was.
But to there dismay it took going to fourteen book shops to find one book.
"Rukia , I swear if this place doesn't have it I'll get him socks ." A bell dinged when the walked in , announcing the new customers .
The store it's self had a messed look to it , the shelves where over stuffed and books where lying on the floor . It was all cramped together making it difficult to move through the store.
An old man with a half crazy look emerged from somewhere in the back , his orange and white socks greatly distracting through his sandals .
"Ah two lovely ladies , you must be lost no one as beautiful as you two ever comes into my store." Adjusting his glasses he smiled . "So how can I help you two?"
"We're looking for a book."
"Well of course ." Giving a heated laugh he gestured around the room .
"The book we're looking for is called Crime and punishment ." Ichigo added.
"Ahh an old one ." Looking over the shelves he tapped his chin. "I'm certain I have a copy of it somewhere around here ." The old man disappeared behind the shelf . The sound of books shuffling and hitting the ground echoed through the store.
"Aha !" He emerged holding an old paperback novel in his hands .
The book was a steal , it was an original version signed by Fyodor Dostoevsky him self .
After purchasing a few more gifts for Renji and Yoruichi they arrived back at the house.
Renji looked pale and was waiting for Rukia to get in . Standing as she walked in he walked over to her .
"I think we should tell him now." He spoke.
" That could end badly Renji , and we both know it." With his words Rukia paled too , and began a nervous habit of biting her lip .
"The longer we wait the harder it will be . I just wanna get what ever punishment I have over with ." Rukia nodded allowing Renji to lead her into the lounge where Byakuya sat his nose in a book. Following behind them was Ichigo she didn't go into the room it self .
"Nii-sama ?" Rukia spoke quietly raising Byakuya's attention .
"Yes Rukia?"
The room was dead silent , as he waited for her to talk.
"I uhm , I'm sorry Nii-sama." A look of confusion passed over Byakuya's face . " I'm pregnant ."
"I'm the father." Renji said slowly waiting for some sort of abuse punishment .
The room fell awkwardly silent .
"I would like to ask your permission for Rukia's hand in marriage." Renji choked out.
Byakuya didn't respond , instead he stood beckoning the tall man to follow him . Doing as he wanted he walked behind him to the basement.
"Land five hits on me and you will be worthy of Rukia's hand ." Rukia and Ichigo trailed behind the pair standing on the side of the mats.
Renji's expression showed how confused he was .
Tossing his watch at Ichigo Byakuya said only three words.
"Fifteen minutes , go." Byakuya stood there normally not moving the taller man new what this meant . He was to make the first move , ever second that tick by was getting further away from his blessing . So Renji swung his fist.
Watching on the side Rukia's hand was nervously clinging to Ichigo's arm ,well Ichigo fiddled with the white silk scarf around her neck.
Byakuya was quick and skilled dodging every hit Renji threw at him , and with every dodge Rukia's grip grew tighter . To there surprise Renji bounced back slamming his leg to Byakuya's ankle , it seemed this was the boost of confidence he needed . Knowing it was possible to hit him .
"One." Byakuya said taking a step back . The next hit belonged to Byakuya it sent a large smack through the room as his fist hit Renji in the ribs .
"Ten minutes." Ichigo called out .
"Renji landed two more hit's on Byakuya before the five minute mark came . When it came down to three minutes He made the hardest hit , slamming his foot across Byakuya's face breaking his nose.
If it wasn't tense before it sure was now
With every hit Ichigo was internally wincing , not because Byakuya's face had blood dripping down it or that both of them where going to be black and blue , but because Rukia's grip tightened every time cutting off the circulation.
"One minute!" Ichigo called looking down at Byakuya's platinum watch in her hands .
As if that was a signal Renji's fist made a clean hit to Byakuya's chest knocking him back a few feet.
Rukia and Ichigo walked forward towards the two .
"You have my blessing." Rukia smiled and checked over Renji for any serious injuries . Only a broken rib.
"Thank you Nii-sama!" Bowing quickly She disappeared up the stairs with Renji at her side .
" You're bleeding." Looking at Byakuya's nose Ichigo noted that it was sitting at a funny angle .
"It's a common effect Kurosaki." Unwrapping her scarf she gently began dabbing at the blood on his face . A noise of protest escaped his lips .
"We need to fix your nose ." Wiping away a bit more blood she placed the scarf in his hand. " Do you trust me to do this?"
Giving a small nod she continued placing two fingers from both hands on his nose.
"You have nice eyes." Confusing him , she used that moment to pop his nose back into place . It would have hurt more if he'd been thinking about it .
He thanked her mentally .
"So why did you let him hit you?" Taking the scarf back from his hand she dabbed at the new trickle of blood coming from his nose .
"What do you mean?"
"Byakuya , I know you're a better fighter then that , I mean Renji can't land a single hand on me in a hand on hand fight , you can ." He looked at her with a sort of respect. This girl new him more then he thought. " And if he can't land a hand on me , there is no way he could hit you , let alone hurt you . So why did you let him win?"
"Rukia's child needs a father . And Renji is it ." Maybe Byakuya really did have a heart .
Byakuya turned to walk away .
" You did a good thing Kuchiki ."
She didn't really know why he always sat alone in his office in his free time , but she never questioned it . She didn't have time to with Renji and Rukia here . But still she found something eery about the always closed door to his office . Or his almost unnoticed disappearances in the middle of a group conversation . But he was Byakuya Kuchiki to any body else he didn't need an excuse , but Ichigo was getting sick and tired of his solitude .
She approached the door knocking twice , before entering . The room was a decent size with pale gray walls , a black desk sat at the far end of the room with a plush office chair be hind it . A small arm red chair was located in the corner . And a large window graced the walls illuminating the room.
"What do you need Kurosaki?" Byakuya was sitting behind the desk . It had a single picture frame on it , that was it .
" Why are you always in here?" She asked leaning in the door frame .
"I like the solitude ."
"Solitude is fine , but you have too much of it . You should join a book club or something ." He shook his head at the silly idea of joining a club to talk about a book he read , what he thought of it is his own opinion .
"Is this the only reason you are in here?" Ichigo's looked over the picture on the desk , for a moment she was sure it was Rukia . But the girl in the picture skin was a sickening pale colour , and she looked older and much frailer . But the girl had some sort of radiance to her and a welcoming smile , something you would find in a mother .
"She's beautiful." Motioning to the picture , Byakuya's face saddened a bit . "I know how much you must miss her ."
" Kurosaki this is not something I ." She cut him off.
" I wonder what it would have been like to know you back then." He was confused at her statement , she wasn't acting like normal Ichigo .
"What are you getting at ?" The words came out more angry sounding then he had planned .
"Nothing , it's just she seems like one of the people you can't help but smile when they are around." Shifting her weight she gazed out the window.
"She was ."
"Do you think she likes that you don't smile anymore?" Her words where getting to personal for him , but Ichigo was determined to her Byakuya to talk to her . Even he need's some one to rely on .
"I am not going to talk about this Kuro."Cutting him off again she began to talk.
"Byakuya , I know it hurts to grieve and loose some one you loved. But do you think they would want to see you so alone ?" I almost forgot she lost her mother. He thought meeting her eyes . " Just because some one dies early doesn't mean you should morn them forever , you have to live for them Byakuya . If you don't then every thing they did would go to waste . I know how you rescued Rukia because it was her goal . That was living for her Byakuya."
"Kurosaki you have no reason to care for my personal being . Remove your self from my office ." He was loosing the fight with his emotions and new if she did not leave , hell would break loose.
"Maybe I do care Byakuya, Why? I have no clue . But at least I know how to care and feel for some one !" She didn't quite know why she took all this so personally . Maybe it was because his depression was starting to rub off on her , or she felt more for the noble then she was willing to show.
Byakuya stood from his chair .
"I know how to feel Kurosaki , I am just better at concealing it then you are." They both knew that the other was angry , and that fact urged them on .
"Bull shit." Ichigo watched as Byakuya walked around his desk to stand his ground better. "You wouldn't know if you had a feeling if it stabbed you in the chest."
He didn't know why , but in that moment he was at loss for words . He wanted to prove he wasn't as much as an emotionless bastard as she thought him out to be with out loosing composure . But that would be impossible.
So instead , he kissed her .
A/N
Thought I'd leave you with a little cliff hanger my dearies .
As always I would like to apologize for my spelling and grammar errors . I really do try . But considering how late it is right now a few more may have slipped by.
My creative writing process feed's off your reviews and faves .
Words 2802
~Fred