AN: Due to the nature of this chapter, reader discretion is advised. It's short but there's a lot of Byakuya/Rukia action to keep to from screaming at me to get on with their attraction for each other. No, the aforementioned D-day has not occurred yet, it will soon, but I will see if I can finish this story before then. Otherwise, read and review, my lovely people. I want to thank all of you that have reviewed so far—you know who you are; I would list all of you here but I want to get going with the story because it's just been so long since chapter eight. Enjoy, but please try not to riot.

Dinner that evening, after they departed Rangiku's office, had a slightly tense air to it. Rukia was trying hard to not look fazed by Byakuya's actions with the spoonful of chocolate. She kept her eyes down and her appetite focused on the food in front of her. She tried to ignore warmth in her that was coming from the recesses of her startled heart. Again, she found herself feeling flattered that Byakuya was acting the way he did. At the same time, she felt that showing her true feelings about the development of the way they were now regarding each other was still a bit inappropriate seeing as society saw them as brother and sister/sister-in-law. But being in a room with just him and her in it changed the otherwise familial atmosphere they both felt when out in public.

And, at the moment, they were once again alone together with a low table that they could improvise into a makeshift—abeit hard—bed for them to lust on each other. Rukia felt her breathing almost stop at the thought.

Byakuya was also having conflicting, troubled thoughts about what happened with the spoon, chocolate, and Rukia. At the time, he was tempted to bend down and kiss her deep. But something in his heart told him to not do that just yet. He could practically feel a congratulatory Senbonzakura pounding on his back, proud of his master's approaches. Goodness, they were so forward, so undignified, so not like him but for once in his life he felt free to express his feelings—especially towards Rukia-without having to head society sniped at him. He felt fee in general!

Because, regardless of the fact he was a nobleman characterized as one who took responsibility for his actions, kept his emotions in check, held two high ranks in Seireitei, he was first and for a man. And a man has needs. Since Byakuya was a man, he had needs—foolish or not, and whether or the Kuchiki elders or anyone else in Seireitei liked it not.

Not lifting his face from the attention of the food, he watched Rukia chew on her food, his eyes down, a frown on her fact. Hn…with the stunt he pulled earlier, he must have thrown her mind in a frenzy to have made her take on a facial expression such as what she was wearing now. Maybe doing these types of things to her, acting the way he did, was going to make her lose more hours of sleep. Maybe, he thought she was feeling uncomfortable about their current situation. Maybe she didn't feel the same way he did for her…

"Rukia," he said, causing her to look up startled. "I hope what I did this evening is not bothering you. If it is, say so and I will apologize."

She felt herself groan. She had to admit that she did feel a bit bothered but the feeling with a different type of bothered. A good type…an exciting, hot type of bothered. She liked was he did.

"Not at all," she answered. She blushed hard. She spoke the truth but at the same time revealed subliminal messege. When she realized this, she could hardly breathe. "W-what I mean…" she couldn't even speak! She gulped and felt the heat taking over her body again.

"You liked it," Byakuya said.

"I never said that."

"Yes, but are also not denying that you feel bothered," he returned. "And you never said you didn't like it either."

"But I never said that I-!" Rukia began firmly but was cut off.

"Rukia, do not deny it," Sode no Shirayuki said.

Rukia was about to say something but found that she had backed herself into a corner. She felt agitated now and regretted ever saying anything. Byakuya could see her eyes dart back down to her food, which she resumed eating. This time, a pained look on her face was present. He didn't know what to say now or do now but he felt guilty for having brought up the topic and making her feel the way she did.

Sode no Shirayuki was trying to comfort her mistress. "It's okay, Rukia-sama," she said reassuringly. "Accept how you feel. Not doing so will hurt you more."

"I just feel embarrassed is all," Rukia muttered ruefully.

"What was that, Rukia?" Byakuya asked, looking up at the sound of her voice. "If yo have something to say, then say it."

At that, she looked up, right into Byakuya's eyes, and said, with resolve, "I just feel embarrassed that I liked it." She exhaled determinedly and waited for a reaction.

Byakuya smirked at here. It caught her off-guard to see such an expression on his face, a glint of smug in his grey eyes, which were normally emotionless and withdrawn. His smirk had also charmed her. "I'm glad you liked it," he said, his voice somewhat smug as well.

"I just never thought you of all people would do such a thing," she said.

Byakuya hardened his stare. "Is it because of my stature? The way I act? Believe me, Rukia, I can act differently in ways you can never imagine when granted the chance. I am still himan and I have feelings too—even though I do not show them as often."

Rukia was taken aback by this statement. Who knew Byakuya had this side in him?

"Remember that, Rukia," he said. "Now, if you excuse me, I will be heading to bed. Good night."

"Ah! Uh…good night, Byakuya nii-sama," she said as he slid open the door. He stopped and, without turning his whole body around, looked back and said, "Sweet dreams," and left. Rukia put down her chopsticks and just put her hand her fluttering heart.

XOXO

The following day was the third to the last before the thirteenth of February. Rukia found herself hard at work trying to finish up her paperwork so that way at the end of the day she was able to make it to the SWA meeting and the women could continue making the roses. The ones that had hardened overnight were carefully taken out of their molds and gently and neatly wrapped in the long clear plastic that Rukia had purchased; afterwards, it was tied at the neck with a ribbon, which was also attached to a card. The work was, yet again, tedious and by the time Rukia left the building night had fallen and she had to shun-po all the way into the dining room where Byakuya was patiently waiting.

"You forgot—"

"I'm sorry!" Rukia said breathlessly, quickly taking her seat. "We were wrapping up the roses today. Kurotsuchi-fukutaichou reported an increase of one hundred fifty more cards. At this rate, I don't know how we'll be able to deliver all of the cards by the end of Valentine's evening."

"Call on the help of others," he suggested before serving himself some spicy roast eel.

"We'll be shun-po'ing all over the place," she murmured.

"If it means finishing the delivering before the evening's events, do so," he said. "You do remember that event, am I correct? The party you organized?"

Rukia groaned aloud in frustration. "Oh, damn, I forgot that too!"

"Rukia, language," Byakuya said, his voice going back to frigid.

"How the hell are we going to decorate the Banquet Hall?" she exclaimed, ignoring him. "That thing is huge!" She gasped, making Byakuya grow wary. "I didn't even go out to buy the decorations! CRAP!"

"Rukia," Byakuya said calmly yet coldly. "Stop worrying. You came home from overworking and you need to relax. You still have tomorrow to work things out. Take things one day at a time."

This didn't work because she kept ranting. "But we have more than a hundred more roses to do tomorrow, there's no telling how many more people will want to buy cards or return them to the drop-box. And we have to do those! Plus, there's wrapping, counting, melting," she ticked off with her fingers, her voice beginning to sound a bit hysterical. "Plus, gathering the decorations and decorating that building!" Rukia was so determined to list the remaining tasks that she didn't notice Byakuya getting up, going over to her, and sitting next to her.

He had turned her around, eliciting a cry from her, so that she could face him, and he had put his right forefinger on her lips. She froze, her mouth slightly open. His eyes were smoldering with determination as he looked at her, both their eyes leveled. Rukia's own sparkling violet eyes were wide with wonder.

Byakuya saw that she had stopped breathing and she was tense so he said in a soothing voice, "Breathe, Rukia, and relax."

"But, I can't," she croaked, softly. "Not—"

"Do not say another word," he said, fighting back a gulp as he felt her soft lips brush against his finger when she spoke; consequently, his throat went dry. "Breathe calmly, Rukia." She inhaled and exhaled like normal, her eyes not leaving his and she realized that his low, handsome voice calmed her indeed. "Relax, Rukia. All will be well. You've a day. Right now, rest and relax." He looked at her expectantly and she nodded.

Byakuya knew that it was time to remove his fingers from her lips but he couldn't. He didn't want to, although it risked putting him in a situation where it wouldn't be only his finger on her lips. With pain he didn't show—at least that's what he thought when in reality Rukia did see a pained disappointment expression on his face—he returned to his side of table and also resumed his eating.

Rukia may have stopped worrying about the tasks still at hand but the lack of a single touch from Byakuya made her squirm a bit. She thought of the idea of panicking again so that he could come to her but thought better of it. This didn't stop her from scowling at her food.

Byakuya saw this and immediately thought she was worrying again. "Rukia," he drawled, about to pick up a pickled cucumber from a bowl using his chopsticks, "did I not tell you to relax? Do not make me come over there again."

"I'd like it if you did, actually," he heard her mutter, making his eyebrows elevate slightly in mid surprise.

'And if I did?' he thought to himself, the question obviously silently addressed to Rukia. 'I wonder what you would want me to do this time to make you relax…and forget about you problems because I know what I would like to do.' He smirked again and meditated on it. The poor girl would never know what took her down.

AN: There you go, my dears. An excess of Byakuya/Rukia fluff. I'll try to get down chapter ten soon. Oh yeah and I haven't apologized for this blunder as of late even though I have been committing it: I'm sorry for all grammar mistakes, and all the words that don't make sense in the sentences. I actually write down my stories, and their chapters before typing them up. So, I'm the person that can type quickly, not looking at the screen sometimes and only the handwritten text in the notebook. Because of this, I tend to make lots of mistakes and I don't proof-read my stuff—which is crap because I want to be an English Composition/Literature professor in the near future. I have to get in the habit of editing. So, I'm sorry *insert "I'm sorry" in different languages here to accommodate my international readers*.Read and review and you will be showered with cinnamon rolls drowning in icing.