AN: Before anything else, I'd like to say my sincerest apologies to everyone who supported this story like Emily. TT n TT I had a vision for this story and I've lost sight of it. It will be very slow but I will try my best to bring this story to its fruition. If you have any comments, suggestions or idea for this story, please do share it. Good, bad or painful - you are welcome to share it with me. Thank you!

It wasn't fair - not in the slightest. You find yourself woken up from a somewhat uneventful but strangely peaceful dream. It didn't come to him often given the memories that occasionally haunt him from his time in the service. But when this kind of sleep does come, its nearly impossible to rise from the comfort of the bed. Grimm, eyes still shut, turned to his side to bury himself deeper in the bed. He opened his eyes to gaze at his bedmate... who wasn't there.

"I'm sure..." He got up partly to scan the other half of the bed but he saw nothing but expensive sheets and fluffy pillows. Panic was clawing its way in. "...I left her right here." The bed was empty.

As he got up, pulling his pants on, dread was beginning to creep in.

/ Could it all have been just a dream? For wanting something so bad, this is punishment. /

Was it even possible his mind provided him with memories of things that never happened just to torture him. He didn't bother to put on a shirt. Clad in yesterday's boxers. His priority one was finding her. Every step he took made his heart heavier and heavier. Reaching every door and opening it to be greeted by nothing forced a crack in his spirit.

His frustration already accumulated. There was no other choice than to bang his fists hard on the nearest surface. This time it happened to be the wooden shoe rack. The decorative crystals and potted plant made a clinking sound as it shook from the impact. A small piece of pinkish paper was shaken out of place and landed on the floor. Grimmjoww knelt down to examine its contents.

The blinding light of the noon sun welcomed Grimmjoww's arrival. It was already near noon time when he woke up so he shouldn't have been surprised. Walking a few steps into the top floor's recreation area, he scanned the glass walled gym to his right and let his eyes wander the pool, the function area until it landed on a slumped figure on a shaded picnic table. After making the first step to the figure, his resolve suddenly wavered. The note simply said, "at the roof." It wasn't an outright invitation.

/ Well, its too late now anyway. /

A few more steps, / but what if she freaks? /

With each step, more questions arise.

/ What if she doesn't? What if that's exactly what she needs? Or even wants! /

/ But what if its not? /

He didn't quite realize that he was already standing in front of the table under the heat of the blazing sun. He just stopped there like an idiot. But remembering his mother's favorite line, "there's no day like today," he moved forward.

Confrontation isn't his thing. Most likely, confrontation isn't a guy thing in general. However if you want to reach something, you have to stretch out your hand. Absentmindedly he moved forward to comb her raven hair but he stopped. It might be too much too soon. So he opted to speak.

"Hey Ruks."

Those boney shoulders visibly stiffened a moment. She looked up at him. Her expression unsure.

/ Where would we go from here? /

"Hey Nii-" The words died in her mouth.

"Can I sit?" He was quick to reply. It was a man's job to ease a woman's discomfort. So his stepfather always said particularly on days his mother went crazy at the mall. That's why men must work hard. He pulled out a chair without waiting for her reply.

"It's too hot to be here, Ruks. Let's go back."

"It's fine." She wasn't looking at him at all. Maybe it was too soon to talk - to be around each other.

"Look..." he began but she cut him off.

"Even until now, I'm still trying to process everything. This is NOT something you bring up out of the blue. You prepare for stuff like this you know. You just can't do THAT." Her tone was starting to get back its usual mirth which brought a small smirk on Grimmjoww's lips.

Before she could continue, he reached out to hold her hand.

"I'm sorry."

From such a simple action, they both felt a jolt. When his large callous paw enveloped her delicate hand, there was silence. A million things were running through their minds. What to do. What to say. What's next.

Taking a deep breath, he took the plunge.

"There isn't a lot to think about, Ruks." He said as calmly as he could. "I'm not asking you to marry me, have ten kids and live happily ever after."

It was a bit callous, truthfully, but he needed to be completely honest. Sugar coating shit wasn't going to cut it; especially not with Rukia.

"All I'm asking," a gentle squeeze to her hand and he making sure to keep eye contact, "is a shot."

Burning icy blues stared at swirling violets.

To Rukia, Grimmjoww is how all older siblings are to their younger siblings - indestructible, infallible and inspiring. Having him as an older brother was especially so given how he has been incredible at everything he set his mind to. He just seemed to breeze by life. Enlisting was, in Rukia's perspective, the single most reckless thing he has ever done. However even in this, he succeeded.

/ And now, he wants me. /

It was a dangerous mixture of excitement and dread. Girls always went for the bad boys because of this rush. Technically they weren't related. There was really nothing to get in the way.

Maybe it was a few seconds or maybe minutes but her silence wasn't much to go by. With the scorching sun beating down on them, beads of sweat made its way down his angular face. Military training has its benefits. He can appear calm and collected while mentally, he was panicking like a recently decapitated chicken. In truth, he wasn't worried about Rukia accepting or not. He was more worried about coming out altogether. Their lives will forever be changed by this. The lives of the people around them would be too. It might be too much too soon after all. Timing can be a bitch.

"I know it's a lot." He looked at the tiny appendage in his palm. The smooth skin, neatly manicured fingers wear a strike contrast to his hardened paw. Enclosing it securely in his hand, he continued, "just give me a day. That's all I need. For just one day, Rukia."

Her breath got caught in her throat. He hasn't called her by her name in a long time. Was it always so enticing; her name that is. Was it always so daunting, when he called her like that. She dared to look at his eyes and the full intensity of his chilling electric blues looked back at her.

"Rukia, be mine."