"It's impossible" said pride. "It's risky" said experience. "It's pointless" said reason. "Give it a try" whispered the heart – Anonymous
Stretching against the silk sheets, Sassi tried to remember a time when she'd been more content, happier, but she couldn't. All her life, she'd been tore down, abused, used, and thrown to the side like garbage. But when she left her grandparents' house, was when she started to find herself. Living in Texas had taught that only she could make herself happy, living in New York City had taught her to stand on her own two feet and take shit from no one. Miami had taught her that crime is everywhere and you aren't going to be able to stop it, just help those affected by it. Chicago had taught her that the big cities weren't going to hide her from her father. Las Vegas had taught her to be distrusting of everyone until proven otherwise. Las Angeles had her taught that not everyone is out to hurt you and Tuscan had taught her how to adapt to anything. But Japan was teaching her that it's okay to love and be happy where you're at.
Smiling softly to herself, she sat up and pulled the sheet around her body. Standing, she pulled the sheet with her, she moved across the hall to Chad's bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she looked the same as she always did, gray eyes almost too big for her face, angular cheekbones which hinted at the gypsy blood in her veins, full lips, small nose, long brown- blonde hair that hung in curls and waves down her back, and a slightly heavy figure. Shaking her head with a grin, she picked Chad's brush up off the counter and after making sure the sheet was tight around her frame; she began to tackle the curly mass on her head.
Chad chuckled softly watching Joshua pounce around in the snow on his red leash. He was such a cute puppy. Hearing a laugh behind him, he turned to see his best friend leaning against the gate to the apartments.
"Hey Chad, What's up?" Ichigo asked as he walked around the gate to meet the gentle giant. "Cute pup."
"Hey Ichigo. His name is Joshua and he's Sassi's." Chad answered, feeling odd using her nickname after spending the night calling her by her name. "What're you doing out and about today?"
Ichigo just shrugged. "Figured I'd swing by and see what you were up to, but seeing as your walking Sassi's dog , I don't think I need to ask do I?" Ichigo stated with a grin. "I went and saw her yesterday by the way, but she ignored me the first time and said maybe 20 words when she finally answered the door"
Chad chuckled. "That sounds like her. She's just dealing with a few inner demons."
Ichigo nodded his head in agreement. "Speaking of, what is her story anyway? All anything any of us can get is a hard time as a kid. Any time anyone asks she just shuts down."
Chad paused for a minute. It wasn't his place to tell Ichigo her story mainly because he didn't know all of it, but he knew that if they were going to help protect her they needed to know her story. So he settled for the half-truth. "Her father was abusive to her growing up. And she never really got past it. But she did get away from it. But now her father is chasing her." The dark-haired man said. When he got no response from his friend he turned to face Ichigo who was growing whiter with rage every passing second.
"What do mean chasing her?" Ichigo asked in a deadly calm voice. Chad winced when he heard Ichigo use that tone. He'd only heard it a few times and knew when he did; his friend was liable to take Zangetsu to anyone who dared to hurt someone the strawberry had taken to considering family.
"Just what I said. You'll have to ask her the complete story because it isn't mine to tell but don't push her. She'll tell you when she's ready. Just watch your back, ok?" Chad stated to his friend, who nodded in return, "Anyway, where's Rukia." When he received no response, he turned to Ichigo who was blushing. "Forget I asked." Chad chuckled. "Just watch out for Byakuya." Giving Ichigo a grin, he turned and headed into the apartment building.
By the time he made it back to his apartment, he found a note on the counter telling him that Sassi had went upstairs to her apartment to take a shower and he was welcome to join her if he hurried. Smiling to himself, he turned and left his apartment, making sure to lock the door, and moved to the third floor, Joshua tucked under his arm. Knowing she would've left the door open for him, he walked in to her apartment. Shutting the door behind him, he placed Joshua on the floor to go explore, he heard the shower running. Throwing the chain, and deadbolt he moved down the hall to her bathroom. Opening the door, steam rolling out into the hallway, he stepped into the sauna and shut the door
"I see you found me." Sassi said as she heard him walk into the bathroom. "Just in time too. The water just warmed up."
Chad grinned as he stripped down and stepped into the shower. "I ran into Ichigo. He wanted to know how you were doing. And he said he saw you yesterday."
"Busted." Sassi grinned as she wet her long hair, causing it to darken from the brown blonde to a dark brown, almost as dark as his. "Yea, he stopped by a few times yesterday. I really wasn't in the mood for company, but after a bit, I was glad he did. He told me how you guys met, at least what I assume is the condensed version of a very interesting story." She said as she gently wrapped a hand around his neck fiddling with chain to his medallion. "You have a great friend in him, you know that?"
Chad looked at her and couldn't but grin. "Yea. He's pretty cool when he wants to be. May I have the water?" Sassi grinned back at him with a blush, and moved to the side as he stepped under the spray, "You know, your hair gets darker when the water hits it. A lot darker." Chad said as he wet his hair.
"I get it from my mother. As I've gotten older my hair has gotten darker as well. By the time I'm forty it'll probably be as dark as yours." She stated matter-of-factly, blatantly refusing to look below his neckline. "I have Indian, Roma, and Russian blood in my veins as well, so I'm kinda screwed in the whole dark hair thing." She shrugged her shoulders.
Chad nodded in understanding. "Ichigo also wanted to know more about you. They all do." Chad said without preamble.
Sassi paused while working shampoo into her hair. "I know. It's just hard. I have spent the past 6 months, keeping people out, to protect myself, and to protect other people. And I'm so afraid that now that I've let you this close, and no, I don't and will never regret it, but that one day my father will show up and hurt you. To hurt me." Sassi said, sliding past Chad again with a blush careful not to brush against his wet form to rinse her hair.
Chad stayed quiet, processing what she said and her actions, as he reached for his soap that she grabbed for him. Was he scared of her father? Absolutely not. But he couldn't tell her why. No, at least, not yet. But he couldn't not give her a response. He washed his body as he thought of a response. He was startled out of his thought when a small hand grabbed the washcloth out of his hand and he was met with a sweet smile and blush across her cheeks.
"Turn and I'll wash your back for you." Sassi whispered. "And I know you'd protect me, Chad. I do. And I know Ichigo and the others would as well. He told me about when you and the gang went against Rukia's family to protect her. I know I need to tell them, but let me do it in my own time. Ok?" She requested in a more normal voice as she scrubbed his back, eventually dropping the rag and scratching very lightly.
"Alright." Chad answered as turned to face her. "So what is on the agenda for today?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her wet body, pulling her form against his. Blushing cherry red, she squirmed lose and grabbed her conditioner off the shelf.
"Behave mister. I'm not done with this mop yet." She answered as she squirted the said conditioner in her hand and lathering it into her hair. "We'll see after we get out of the shower. Alright?"
Chad grinned to himself. He had noticed her trying to be careful and he knew it was because she was just a little embarrassed. If truth be told, he was too, but he loved looking at her body. When she turned to face the wall he got a look at the tattoos on her back. The birds she had mentioned last night were actually swallows and the writing was in cursive. The one in the middle of her back was definitely beautiful and he could just imagine the pain that came with it. Reaching a hand out, he ran his fingers down her spine.
Sassi shivered when she felt his fingers tracing her tattoo, and she knew that was what he was doing. He had expressed a desire to see it last night but they got side tracked by the extracurricular activities. "Yes, to answer the unasked question in your mind, it hurt. But I knew it would and I have a high tolerance for pain." She answered figuring what was running through his mind.
Chad smiled. Turning her to face him, he rested his hands on her waist, before gently lowering himself to his knees in front of her. He raised his head to look up at her questioning face, "What about this?" He asked, running his hands along the jagged scar that ran from the side of breast to her hip.
Sassi sighed. She wondered when he would ask. "My father did that. It was in New York. He found me, and he was drunk when he did. I was working in a bar, and he busted a beer bottle on the corner of one of the tables before…..well it landed me in the hospital, and he in the police station. By the time that Ma and Gramps posted his bail, I had done disappeared from New York. I was afraid it wouldn't heal right or wouldn't heal at all. But it did, and it's finally starting to fade." Her voice had gradually gotten softer so he had to strain to her here. He was beginning to understand why she ran every time her father found her. If she hadn't the man may have well killed her by now.
"And this?" He asked running his fingers down her leg over an old scar, nearly faded from her skin. Sassi grinned at that one. "Believe it not, my older brother caused that one. Completely by accident mind you, but none the less. We were playing down by the river that runs by our town, when he dared me to climb this fence that had barbwire at the top. Needless to say, it didn't end to well." She laughed.
Chad chuckled at that one.
Sassi smiled when she heard him laugh. "How'd you get this one?" she asked running her hands down an old scar on his left arm that was horizontal across his bicep.
"Believe it or not, bicycle." Chad answered with a grin, as he rose back to his feet in front of Sassi. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her against him before pressing her against the wall behind her.
Sassi gasped when she felt him lift from the tub floor, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. When she felt him press her against the wall behind her she yelped, before arching into him. "Chad! That's cold!" She reprimanded him, "And what do you think you're doing?"
Chad smirked at her before leaning down and kissing her neck. "Breakfast." Was all he said with a light blush staining his cheeks.
Climbing out of the shower, Sassi grumbled under her breath about men and overactive libido's, but it was with a silly smile on her face so Chad knew she wasn't serious. Grabbing one of the towels off the counter, he started to dry off as he watched her in the mirror begin towel drying most of her hair. She had already wrapped the extra towel she had brought around herself. With water droplets still on her skin and wet hair, and a sexy smile on her face Chad thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"What?" She asked, as she saw him watching her.
"You're beautiful." He answered truthfully, pulling her against him, before kissing her soundly.
Sassi felt tears prick her eyes at his declaration and kissed back with everything she had. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she burrowed her fingers into his curly wet hair. This man was truly the man she always wanted but never thought she'd find or deserve. Pulling away from him, she looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you."
Chad smiled back before gently releasing her. Stepping around her, he moved into the hall to check on Joshua. Glancing down he saw the puppy laying in front of the door. Josh wagged his tail when he saw Chad, jumping to all fours and yipping. Sassi giggled softly behind him. "Did he use the bathroom while you guys were outside?" She asked as she stepped behind him to move to her bedroom Joshua following her, yipping. Chad nodded when she turned back to him. "Good. Then house breaking him shouldn't be too hard." She said as she dropped the towel from around her body. Blushing Chad began looking for the clothes he knew she grabbed for him. Spying them on her bed, he moved to get dressed.
"Hey Chad," Sassi said after a moment.
Turning to face her, Chad saw she had pulled on a pair of light wash jeans, pink and black lace bra covering her ample chest and was rummaging for a shirt in one of her totes. "What do you guys normally do for Thanksgiving and Christmas?" Sassi asked without looking up at him.
"Depends." He answered pulling on the white long sleeve she had grabbed for him out of his closet. "I really don't know this year since our group keeps growing." Sassi looked up at him, pausing in her rummaging; and he could see the question in her eyes. "Well when we were 15 it was just Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Uryuu and Myself. Now we have the twins, a few friends who always manage to turn up during the holidays, and the original group who each have significant others so who knows this year."
Sassi had blushed when he said significant others. "Is that what we are?" she asked looking down, her voice soft. She wanted it to be true but she didn't want to push either. Feeling warm fingers under her chin, she lifted her face to stare at the man in front of her.
"Yes Sassi. You are my significant other. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Chad told her cupping her cheek. Giving him a brilliant smile, she lunged at him and kissed him for all she was worth. Smiling into the kiss and after, Chad set her back and pulled her box of shirts to him. Finding a white long sleeve similar to his, he handed to her before grabbing the tote that had her winter jackets in it, he rummaged until he found the pink and camo vest that he knew her mother had got her last year. Turning to face her, Chad found her with a smirk on her face the white shirt pulled on.
"You know, I can dress myself?" Sassi asked as she pulled the vest to herself, before standing and making her way to the bathroom to finish getting ready
Chuckling, at her retreating form, Chad looked around her bedroom before grabbing her snow boots out of her closet, and moving to the living room. Joshua was over investigating the windows, so Chad moved to sit on the chase lounge. He knew what he was going to do for the holidays for her. He just needed a little help from the guys.