Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters. I have no time to make plans to conquer the world, but until then, I can't own Bleach! :(
+--Red Moon Winter--+
+---
"Never its mysteries are exposed, to the weak human eye unclosed…"
- Dreamland
…+
The atmosphere sat cold, so unnatural as the many emotionless filled faces stared at each other waiting for one or the other to speak, but no one giving in on the satisfaction. The plain clock that sat right above the large oak door ticked softly against the quiet backdrop, with each single breath it continued to grow more quieter and more still. The man that sat in the middle of the table got a smirk on his face, his bright green eyes glowing under the luminescent lights in the room and he ran a hand thru his long straight white hair.
"Gentlemen, there's no need to become suspicious." His tone was soft, angelic and completely in harmony.
"What's that supposed to mean, Ryo?" The man on his left, asked in a very thick accented tone. "Do you think we have come here for jokes?"
The man named Ryo said nothing, simply keeping the smirk painted on his face--it was easy to deceive so many in this world. No feeling could replace the adrenaline rush, to paint a lie into someone else's eyes seemed far too easy to do--it was a placid feeling.
"Think what you like gentlemen, but this is how I deal with my own business." His tone was the same, but there was always an existing danger that hid beneath his words. "I'm a powerful man that gets what he needs, therefore, I await for any of you to oppose me."
All the men that sat on the large meeting room stirred on their chairs, none daring to stand up against the greatest man in the underground business. He was dangerous, vicious and very ambitious when it came to holding power and money. Though, as much of a respected figure that he was, the choices that were oftentimes made were completely unexpected; especially the one of having his only son take over the branch of business in the United States once he was out of college.
No one ever said it was easy to handle the young master, not one that was just as ruthless as his father, but was very much different. A cold-yet-kind hearted kid, young and brilliant in the world he would become in the future, but handling a very dirty business? No one had expected that choice to come so soon, not when the young child wasn't even ready to handle the cold and ruthless world of the underground business that was far more dirtier compare to politics.
"We must abide to your choice, Ryo." The man on the right stood up, bowing at him. "Good afternoon men, and hope you're not making a mistake Ryo."
He smiled. "Never, but thank you for the concern Edvard."
+…
+--Fire and Ice--+
"No, I don't like that colour." Momo tossed away the lilac cloth that had been given to her.
"Hinamori-sama, we have been with this choosing since last week." Inoue Orihime complained, tucking a piece of her fiery orange hair colour behind her ear. "Ishida-sensei is not going to be pleased to hear that he has to come on a very important date just so he can make you your wedding dress."
The fiery orange haired woman was sure about disturbing the fashion designer, after all, the day that which the girl before her wanted him to come was also the day that was his wedding anniversary. No one ever disturbed the great Ishida Uryuu out of his wedding anniversary, well there had been the exception for Kuchiki Rukia only a few years ago.
"I don't give a damn, even if his mother or father were dying that day." Momo shrieked as she threw another pile of textiles at the pile that was forming at the side of the bed. "Besides, I'm much more important unlike the rest of the world."
Orihime looked downwards at the floor and glared, trying to hold back many comments towards the very spoiled princess that kept on saying rather nasty things about people. Hearing such spiteful words being spoken like that, so lightly and sounding almost playful was rather crude from her--no wonder people didn't like her very much despite the fact that the media portrayed her like the most nicest person in the world. Lies!
"Jeez, what crawled up your ass and died Momo?" Abarai Renji stepped inside the room, holding his head high as always while fixing up his suit.
"Shove off, jackass." Momo jumped to her feet and raced to the bathroom. Slam.
"She's going to pull that door off its hinges, it didn't even do anything." He shook his head, turning to the woman that was ready to blow up at any second. "What's gotten you all worked up, Inoue?"
Orihime sighed but was still shaking up a bit, she stood up and started gathering all the textiles off the floor and folding them neatly back to the large bag that she had brought.
"I can't do this with her being all bitchy all the time." She muttered, trying hard not to rip apart the bag in her hands. "Anyways, how's Tatsuki doing lately?"
The red haired man was caught off in surprised by the sound of his future wife's name, it was still awkward talking about it because it wasn't like Tatsuki was happy with being married so soon.
"She's--the same." Renji bit his lip, turning away from the woman. "Almost due, any day now."
For months now, he had waited for the arrival of the little girl that his future wife was carrying in her stomach, but the baby just didn't want to arrive at all. The wedding was going to be during the fall, so there was no time to rush with any details just yet at the moment.
"I'm glad, well I should get going. Hitsugaya-kun wanted to speak to me at his home, plus I have to deal with other stuff with Kurosaki-san." She said, looking at the clock.
"Which Kurosaki are you talking about?" Renji asked, curious as to know which exact sibling she was talking about. Well, not like anyone really talked to Kurosaki Ichigo much since he was in England.
"Karin-chan, she's doing some change into the small venue downtown for an upcoming event." Orihime informed. "And, I have to deal with being yelled at by Ishida-san for not convincing the Princess on deciding something."
"Don't worry, Uryuu knows all of us--I'm sure he's not going to act that cold." Renji assured his friend. "I'll tell Tatsuki know that I saw you, she's actually being eager to hear where have you been." They chuckled at the same time.
"Hai-hai! Don't worry though, I'll come back from Italy and visit soon." She bowed at him. "It was nice seeing you Abarai-san, take care."
"Same to you, Inoue." He smiled as the woman left carrying a mundane amount of things in her hands.
He stood there in the room alone, briefly trying to recall the reasons why he was here in the first place. Oh, right-- Momo had been pestering him to come and have tea because she wanted to know what Hitsugaya Toushiro did while being away from her eyes. It wasn't like he would honestly tell her a thing, just because he was some detective and could easily make good money out of being a private detective didn't mean that he actually did it. No, serving the public was much more comforting and brought a lot more to him now that he was lead detective at the station, plus, following him actually took much more time.
"Well, are you going to tell me or not?" She entered the room, glaring at him and taking a sip from the cup in her hands.
"Not very nice, but I can't follow him." Renji didn't even bother to sit or anything. "Truthfully, I have a murder case on my hands at the moment; work with the U.S. government to deal with and with my future wife. I don't have time to play childish games anymore Momo, and besides, don't you think he's old enough to fend for himself?"
Momo glared at him rather fiercely, how could people be so unpleasant like that and downright useless in a time in which she wanted them? Toushiro had been acting strange and everything, something that was just completely odd from him and it was like he was hiding something from her. Many of her friends had already stated that she was overreacting over that little matter, but no one could prove anything. It was tiring playing the game, tricks and everything that came with it had become tiring over the past few weeks.
"I want to know what he's up to, and you're not doing your job Renji." She stated, folding her arms across her chest. "There's no need to act like a freaking jackass in front of me, and you know that."
Renji gawked at her for being rather cruel. "I'm a detective to the city, not your personal slave."
"Well, I'm not paying you to sit in a chair all day playing the good cop." She added crossly, a small smile on her lips. "Besides, I made you go up to that post because I know that station. And, didn't you get what you wanted as well?"
His fists clenched, the blood on them rushed off as they turned cold and white under the light of the room. If Hinamori Momo had been born a male, Renji would have his ass right here and now for everything that was coming out of her mouth currently.
"No, I became my own personal helper way before I met you in high school." He didn't know how he was going to deal with her. "You may know a few people here and there, but I'm not your slave or personal dog. And, you obviously don't pay my check at all--so quit acting like you own me."
"I do!" She shrieked, throwing the cup down at the floor. "I own you Abarai Renji, and you're being impolite to me at the moment!"
"You're not my mother either, so excuse me. I have real cases to deal with, not childish games with you." His tone had become exceptionally calm. "Don't call me anymore, not at home because surely Tatsuki will not hesitate to kick your ass like last time, and don't even dare to talk to me anymore."
With that said, Renji walked out of the room and out of the Hinamori estate. Regrettably, he knew well what Hitsugaya Toushiro was doing now that they had suddenly joined the same circle in society--except that the only man that didn't need to know what he was doing was thankfully in Europe. The lies seemed to only continue to grow more as each day went by, and Renji knew well that things wouldn't end up well at all. He sighed, defeated as he shoved himself inside his car--what the hell was he going to do about Hitsugaya Toushiro?
…+
The light danced softly against the small room on the apartment complex, the room was cool and there was no noise. The people from above, below and the sides had already gone off to work--leaving Toushiro to relax in his own room until class would start later in the afternoon. He turned, bumping into a warm body that was sleeping next to him peacefully. Karin had her arm tucked underneath her head, eyes fluttering slightly as she was dreaming, and the other arm was wrapped around her to hide her exposed chest.
Going for drinks the previous night had proved to have been wrong, Toushiro had known that now that they laid in bed naked after spending it having sex almost all night--why had one thing lead to another like always? One minute, he remembered clearly, she had been yelling at him after she had gotten into a fight with a costumer at the venue she worked at; and the next, they were having sex in the parking lot. It was wrong, so wrong indeed, but very good nevertheless.
"Stop staring me idiot." She muttered softly at him. Karin stirred awake and opened her eyes to stare at him, becoming aware that she was actually naked underneath the covers. "Well, damn."
"What?" He asked, looking at her.
"I missed reading a story to my son, that's what." She sat up, not really caring about how she was exposing her body so early in the morning to the man besides her. "I'm going to be a rather bad mother to him, and its because of you."
"Yeah, put the blame on me." He said sarcastically, looking at her still. "I've told you that you could move in to this building, and I can take care of him. Besides, he's our son."
This was the other subject that they oftentimes spent hours arguing about, not like it had been the child's fault in the first place, but there was still some insecurities to be dealing with. Karin didn't want to be seen carrying the son of a powerful man, or soon to be a married man. The scandal would form, people would be shocked and be very disappointed by that. Well, Karin really didn't care at all because it was her life and not the many lives of the aristocratic society, but there was an image that needed to be watched for carefully.
Ruining the Kurosaki last name would bring shame, she hadn't care if it was only for her, but there was her father and older brother that had to live underneath the name. Though, her older brother was the one that mattered the most since he was married to a very powerful family.
"You know I can't, haven't we had this conversation." She muttered, closing her eyes to think. "Yoshiro, use his name please."
"I'm not the one that has to hide it, thank you." He glared at her, putting his arms underneath his head.
"There are reasons why we have to hide, so quit acting like a fucking princess." She threw the covers and got out of the bed. "I can't believe that I came here with you, sleep with you again, and actually wake up with you. I'm definitely insane."
He sat up and stared at her, it wasn't that bad waking up next to her because it was actually comforting knowing that it wasn't Momo. For the past week, since he had met up with Karin at the back of the library in town, there had been many changes in his schedule and the many routines that had manifested themselves since the tender age. There was more time to fool around, everything school related was done on its time, but all the free time had suddenly gained their own perspective.
There were no longer those boring Saturday nights being spent locked up in his apartment, they were now spent outside in diners and other places with Karin. She knew how to have a life, well it wouldn't be really a life because for her it was work. Spending almost all nights handling events at the Hueco Soul club was hard, after all, she still had a home to return to and a child to take care. Toushiro used that excuse to get her to move into the same apartment building, people wouldn't even guess that Yoshiro was his son because there really wasn't much of a resemblence; only that they had the same eyes.
"So, now its my fault?" He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of shorts. "Put the blame on me for everything, well who's fault was it really?"
"Oh, now its mine? I didn't even say it was your fault." She threw him a box of tissues, which he easily dodged. "I don't have to deal with this at all, and you know my answers by heart."
"I didn't ask you to sleep with me, did I?" He glared at her.
"You took my virginity away, don't act like you own me." Karin was rather unreasonable for so many reasons, but she didn't give a damn at the moment.
"Again, you're the one that started it."
"Bastard!"
"Bitch!"
"Quit yelling!" She breathed heavily. "God, why in the hell are we acting like a bunch of high school kids?"
Toushiro shrugged, it was childish indeed, but they were touching subjects like they were literally married. He thought briefly: waking up next to her, arguing with her about small matters, taking care of her, having their son, being a family…it was a dream.
Marrying Momo would only become a personal hell, living everyday with her and dealing with her constant narcissistic complaints--that didn't seem to yield much in life. She only wanted to get married for power, money and everything that came with being with him. Truly, the reasons for marrying her were only because his father had said so--and it couldn't be disobeyed.
Though, he thought as to what would happen once he was married? Risking seeing Karin wasn't a good choice, or having Momo finding out that there was a son already in this world and there was no need for her to have one. Of course, she would go insane and try to have Karin and Yoshiro killed; another difficult choice that Toushiro would have to decide eventually on. Their lives were much more important, even if there was a risk for his.
"What will you do once I get married?" He asked, trying so hard to find an answer to this problem.
Karin stared at him, blanked, uncertain as to what Toushiro would like to hear as an answer. The problem itself wasn't so bad, with society lately, it was perfectly normal that people like them often had affairs. Though, she was aware that Toushiro wouldn't be the type to get married and have affairs--that is if he were to marry her. In truth, she wouldn't come and search for him at all, simply allowing him to get on with his life and never look back at her.
Living freely was the only way out, she didn't want to be the mistress to him as she was at the moment--marriage certainly would change things. Deep inside she had known, there couldn't exist a happiness for her like the rest of the world; even if Toushiro himself wouldn't be happy with Hinamori Momo.
"I don't know, haven't thought that far into--this." She looked away, pulling her black lacy underwear on and picking up her black pencil skirt. "The answer shouldn't be hard to figure out, that's obvious."
Karin kept her back to him, wanting badly to hear the comfort words of him coming up with a brilliant plan. As much as love could give, love could easily take away in a heartbeat; despite knowing that Karin held herself still in each moment spent with him. There didn't exist those sappy love stories, the ones where the hero and the heroine would lead a happily-ever-after life after the climax and resolution; it didn't exist. Toushiro was the hero marrying the unknown character in the background, she was the heroine that would be exiled into the unknown.
"Suppose you're right, much to my distaste." He had walked into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind him. She sighed, the atmosphere had turned against her and it was pulling her deep. How stupid could she be? Expecting the great Hitsugaya Toushiro to solve a problem, what had happen to the genius?
"I'm leaving, don't call me this week." She said, leaning against the door of the bathroom. There was rushing water from the sink, he spit.
"You're leaving?" There was not even a surprised tone to his words, which Karin felt greatly annoyed by.
"Work, besides, I want to go see my son after spending the night with you." Why couldn't he just say it to her? She pushed herself away from the door, and gathered the rest of her things. "See you later." She threw the door open, just as someone was about to knock on it.
The fiery red headed woman stood there, mouth slightly opened while brown eyes widening at sight. A light gasp escaped her red painted lips, surely Karin knew that she was screwed along with Toushiro, it wouldn't end good.
"Ka--Karin--" Inoue Orihime was out of words, something so unusual at the moment. "K-Karin-chan? W-what--who--wait--" She couldn't even comprehend the sight of Karin in front of her.
"Ah, hello." Karin smiled a bit, fixing up the wrinkles on her black blouse.
"Inoue?" Toushiro just had to appear at the right time, wearing the same thing still.
Inoue stared at them in shock, Toushiro wasn't wearing proper clothing and Karin looked like she had a rough night; they couldn't? Wait, they really couldn't possibly be? Again, Inoue stared at the ground and started to say incoherent things to herself--this was surely strange. Putting them together was really odd, surely this couldn't be possibly be happening at the moment.
"I-I…" Her voice trailed away again, finding it really hard to express the confusion she was feeling at the moment.
"Ah, shit!" Toushiro groaned, this wasn't good at all.
No one had the right to know, people didn't know that he was sleeping with Kurosaki Karin, and people didn't need to know. Though, at the moment, he was really hoping that the woman before him would breath because she looked like she might die of asphyxiation.
"Hitsugaya-kun, w-what's the meaning of this? Karin-chan!" Orihime was trying so hard to really think this was just a dream, or more like trying to avoid the reality of it.
"I have to get going, I'll leave it for you to explain." Karin smiled, walking past the woman and off to the elevator.
Toushiro was sure that this wasn't going to end up well, now that Inoue Orihime knew that he was sleeping secretly with Kurosaki Karin. He knew that she wouldn't say a thing, but how would things go about now? There was no way of going back, no way of fixing it because this was wrong--had been since the beginning.
"Come in, I'll have to explain it eventually." He allowed her inside, and shut the door close.
Chapter three! Woot! Okay, so many of you would be wondering what the hell am I doing in this story. Sighs, but not to worry. No, Toushiro isn't a selfish bastard. Karin isn't a whore or a bitch. I still hate Momo, and she's a bitch in this story. Inoue--I'm working with her alright! Renji and Tatsuki--don't like that's too bad. Need to get back with Ichigo and Rukia--they rock. Alright, on with what I'm going to call it the Bleeding Box:
+The time alchemist- Thank you for the comment!
+Whitecloud1- Thank you, but I'm not done with her yet nor is she actually done with Toushiro. I'm working to that.
+Panther X- Thank you very much for the kind words--it helps :D. And, well I'm trying my best to keep their personalities, but I like to play around. Hope that you don't mind, and thank you for the wishes. I really need them lol.
+HOSHItoNORAINU- Thank you, hope you liked this chapter.
+Shizuku700- Ah, thank you. Hope you liked this chapter.
+yonne1104- Aw, you're so kind! Thank you though, really appreciate it. Yes, exams are really important, but they will always suck. I start them again on the 23rd, eek I'm going to die from brain trauma lol. Thanks again!
+Moon Of Jupiter- Ah, yes complicated problems--I'm trying to add more to it lol. Hope that you liked this, and thanks for the review!
+Le Rukia- Ah, thank you for the kind words. I try, though it is hard to keep updating often and checking everything--so my apologies for the many grammar mistakes I make. Sighs, but I'm trying hard :D. Thanks for the review as well!
+.StReEtAnGeL.-I think you're going to make me cry :) Thank you very much for the compliments, but as I always say 'there's always room for improvement'. WatermelonPrincess is amazing herself, she knows that by now I hope or else I'm going to have to send my super special awesome secret ninjas on her--okay not really lol. But I don't mind the long reviews, really. Hope that you like 'The Bridge of Silence' up to date, that's my best story I believe.
+--SORRY FOR THOSE WHO I HAVEN'T NAMED, BUT THANKS FOR THE ALERTS, FAVOURITES, AUTHOR FAVOURITES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.--+
Wow! Lots of people to answer, but I don't mind at all. Keep the reviews coming, they do help on getting work done seeing that usually I'm in low spirits with having tons of bloody homework to complete. Ugh, ugh...still had a bunch over my three day break--so bloody lame. Anyways, that's enough for me to write my damn autobiography--nah--wouldn't want that. Well, so yes Renji does now (for those who weren't quite keen on getting that odd part at the beginning of the chapter), yes Hitsugaya Ryo is an evil man (we all know that he's an evil bastard!), yes I'm also including different scenes (those who already know my work from The Bridge of Silence shouldn't be shocked), Momo is a bitch (wait, I repeated myself), Inoue will not have a love for Ichigo (I'm planning on coming up with something more with her, its time to play nice with her I think), yes Yoshiro is the name of the baby--blah blah blah...damn I have to go to bed in a while! Shit, lots of rubbish to do tomorrow at school. What will Inoue do? Will she tale? Will she keep it a secret? Why didn't Karin say anything? Will she be willing to take up Toushiro's offer? So many things can happen, but that's for the next chapter. Well, I'm going to try to update ASAP, but with the bunch of homework I get--there's no possibilities--exams start up again on the 23rd, so there won't be time to get on the computer and type. Review, no flames or negative comments--get that from professors at school--really badly! Thanks for reading! -bleedingxinxspace