Hi Guys,
This is my thank you gift to all my readers that send their best wishes for my surgery. I felt so numb, tired, and sleepy on Thursday after my surgery. When I got home at noon, I ended up sleeping until the sun went down. The funniest part was when I woke up from my surgery. First thing I asked from the nurse was a cup of coffee. Of course she didn't give it to me, and told me I am not allowed to drink or eat anything too hot for a while. Hence the reason I have been drinking room temperature coffee for pass two days. *sigh* I can't wait till I can have my nice hot cup of latte again.
Also, I will like to say thank you to the following readers that reviewed last Chapter. I am so happy that you guys liked their first night together.
Musicgirl1796, blackbubbledancer, High Prince Gasket, BlackBurningHeart, Elcarim-Soberian-1222, alinda arch, tanithhh, hmm, vicky73, ShiraFuneHakuteiken, su kuchiki, silvermercy, RukiaYoukoMaSaHi, tokiko76, TRANSIENTFREEDOM, airi-07, 1SuperKawaii, isara-love, guardmob.
Happy Reading and don't forget to review. I love to hear all your suggestions and comments.
Cheers,
Yunie
"We are all farsighted; we give importance to those things that are far from us, while neglecting the things that are close to us. Only to realize their value later when they are out-of-reach again." said by Kawamura Sachiko in Nana.
Chapter 14
Is this jealousy?
After breakfast, they both walked to work together. Byakuya walked slightly ahead of Rukia as usual; back straight, head held high, and walking graciously like a respectable noble. Everyone that walked passed them greeted the two Kuchiki politely with admiration and approval. Mainly because of their noble status and Byakuya's captain rank. It was not anything abnormal because many people had gotten used to seeing Byakuya walking Rukia to work before he headed to his own division. Also, the entire soul society already heard of their wedding news, thanks to the Elders' quick wedding planning actions. The only different starting today was until the bangle spell was broken; Rukia must work from 6th division's captain office.
"I am not sure if it is appropriate for me to work in your office," Rukia said as her large violet eyes met his board strong back by the shoji door frame of Byakuya's captain office.
"Not like we have a choice," he responded as he opened the doors with his hands in one swift motion.
Think back, ever since her encounter with Byakuya 50 or so years ago at the shinigami academy, her destiny has changed. She was no longer an orphan that lives off the worst part of the street because he was her family. Their first encounter, she could barely look at him directly in the eyes and only gazed silently at his jet black long silky hair. He truly was the coldest and most beautiful man she has ever encountered. However, after years of living as a Kuchiki, she has gotten use to the noble lifestyle and responsibilities that came along with it. She even gotten use to Byakuya's quiet company and could see through his perfectly emotionless masked most of the time. Hence, she learned to talk openly and directly with him; without feeling the awkwardness she had when she moved into the Kuchiki Mansion.
"You can work on this side of the desk," Byakuya said emotionlessly as he lifted the pile of paper that was on the right corner of his desk to the hardwood floor next to his large bookshelf to make room for Rukia to work on.
"Hai," Rukia responded as she kneeled on the floor to sit in Seiza style by the wooden desk, making sure that her legs were underneath her thigh perfectly with her ankles turned outward while the tops of her feet are lowered flat on the floor into a V shape. How many lessons have taken her to learn to sit in this proper sitting posture? She has lost count of the number of lessons she had taken when she first became a noble.
"You don't have to be so formal when we are alone," Byakuya said when he noticed how serious Rukia's expression from the corner of his gorgeous grey eyes.
"But," Rukia said as she looked at his perfect sitting posture. How does he expect her to relax and sit the way she sits when she was alone, when he was sitting so flawlessly beside her?
"I want you to be yourself. You just keep being you, while I keep being me," he stated honestly before picking up his pen to start working on the report on his wooden desk of him.
It would be more uncomfortable for him to see her work in this serious expression; the same expression that she always carried in Kuchiki events. Of course, those events call for serious representation of Kuchiki name, but he always found her cuter when she was being herself.
"Maybe if you could sit more relax, I can too," Rukia suggested out of the blue as her body turned towards him. Her heart suddenly felt completely overwhelm with kind feelings for him when he told her to be herself.
"This is the only way I know how to sit and I feel completely relax in this position," Byakuya replied truthfully with a sincere expression. He was not lying, he always learned what was the right and proper ways of doing things, and never once had the chance to act inappropriately. Things in his life were always only right or wrong, hence the reason he felt so conflicted after he encountered Rukia.
"And Ichigo always complained that I look serious when I do my homework. He should see your expression right now," Rukia said casually as she observed Byakuya's facial expression from the side. She took a minute to wonder if his serious expression would ever lessen, and what he would look like if he relaxes.
"You and Kurosaki always do human world homework together?" he asked.
Somewhere in his heart, he felt kind of pissed off because of the image of the teenage orange head substitute shinigami doing homework with Rukia alone. 'Why am I feeling so pissed off? Is it jealously? Why am I feeling this way?' he asked himself over and over again, wondered why he cared who she spends her time with.
Since he was a child, he was constantly popular with women. Women have continuously gathered around him, many of them wanted to be his girlfriend or his wife, some even offered to be his mistress. There are numerous of noble families that wanted to introduce their daughter to him, many of them are beautiful like a doll, but he found no interest in any of them. Instead he always found himself enticed and drawn to Rukia, at first he wondered if it was because of her resemblance to Hisana but soon he figured out it was not the case because they are completely different.
"Yes, since I do live in his room when I am stationed there for mission," she answered openly. There was no reason to lie to him, since she refuses to use her Kuchiki allowance, with her little salary that she earns from working as a non-seated shinigami; it would be hard for her to keep up with her Chappy purchases and a place to live. Also, living at Ichigo's place was a far better option than working at Urahara's shop for a place to live during mission.
"You two sleep in the same room?" Byakuya asked in surprise, though he disguised it seamlessly and effortlessly under his well-trained unemotional tone.
"Technically yes, but we don't sleep on the same bed. I sleep in his closet," Rukia answered before turning her attention away from him. If she had paid attention, she could have noticed Byakuya fists tighten on his pen when she said the word yes, and relaxed after she explained that Ichigo and herself slept on different bed. However, she did notice the crystals on the white gold bangle did blink a shade of Jade green for a moment.
She then examined and studied the office in detail. She noticed that his office's decorations were as tasteful and refined as his bedroom at the mansion; simple yet each piece of furniture was beautiful and aesthetic. Although, she has been in this office many times, this may be the first time that she was going to stay for longer than five minutes. Usually she would come by to greet Byakuya before dropping off paper work for Renji; each visit was always less than five minutes for the past 50 years.
"What are you looking at?" he asked directly when he saw her gaze wondered the office curiously from one side to the other.
"Nothing, just I never noticed that your office has this many windows," Rukia commented with an earnest smile as her violet eyes stared out the opened window and felt the warmth of the morning sunlight gleam on her soft creamy white skin.
"I like the fresh air," Byakuya said in a detached tone. He did not know why he said that comment either, usually he would just answer a simple Hn or a nod but some reason he wanted to let her know more about him.
"What is the view from the window?" Rukia questioned. She felt more comfortable now after having this casual and informal conversation with Byakuya; especially since he was actually willing to response with more than one word.
"The garden," Byakuya simply answered as he gaze looked at the raven hair shinigami that stared out the window.
"That is where Renji and I always have lunch," Rukia comment as her large violet eyes met his grey ones intensively.
"I know," Byakuya replied. Although, he had never joined having lunch her and Renji at the barrack. Throughout the years, he had enjoyed watching Rukia having lunch from the window of his office; he really liked observing her carefree smile from afar. The smile that shines brighter than the thousand stars that spread across the starry night.
'He knew? OMG then he must have seen my violent side when I beat up Renji,' she thought in her mind.
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.
.
"Taicho, sorry that I was away for the last few days," Renji said genuinely by the wooden shoji door frame with his head bowed as low as he could right after he opened the shoji door because he knew how much Byakuya hated people not show up for work without prior notice. When Renji went to human world to set up the trap to capture Rukia, he had forgotten to get approval for absent from Byakuya because he was not sure how to phase the reason for his absent. After all, he could not tell Byakuya that he needed the days off to capture Rukia so she could not get married.
"It is okay, Rukia told me you were practicing kido with Kurosaki in the living world," Byakuya said in a cold tone. He did not even bother lifting his head up to look at the red head shinigami.
"Thank you Taicho," Renji said respectfully and lifted his head. As soon as he saw Rukia sitting next to his captain, his jaw dropped wide opened and asked directly: "Rukia why are you here?"
"Morning Renji, I see you finally break free," Rukia said with a smirk across her face. She remembered how she bounded Renji and Ichigo with her kido. She has already forgotten that Byakuya was next to her listening to her casual conversation with the red head shinigami.
"Hell no, Urahara san saved us after he saw you left the training round," Renji replied.
"What did Urahara-san asked for return?" Rukia asked. She knew that deceptive cunning merchant could not help unless there was a catch. She could not help but giggled to the image of Renji begging Urahara for help.
"Just one month of housework. Why are you here Rukia? Are you here dropping off more paperwork for me again?" the long crimson hair shinigami asked.
"I will be working here for a while," Rukia replied as she stared at the sparkling crystals on the bangle around her wrist. Truthfully speaking, she does not know when the spell or maybe the curse would be broken. After all, joining in body and soul seems to be really hard to accomplish.
"Why is that?" the lieutenant asked nosily.
"Because she is now bounded to me at all times," the 6th division simply answered. Byakuya was getting pissed off at watching the carefree conversation between his lieutenant and Rukia, and some part of him wanted to say something to stop the scene playing in front of him.
"What do you mean?" Renji questioned loudly.
"Byakuya sama and I are bounded to each other by one meter radius," Rukia answered candidly as she spotted the bangle around her wrist glow an intensive jade green colour.
'Am I jealous?' Byakuya thought. It was a feeling that he had never known before.
"Does that mean…" Renji inquired, demanding an answer as his brown eyes gazed from one Kuchiki to the next.
"Yes, use the same washroom, change clothes together, take shower and bath together, and last but not least, we sleep together on the same bed in my bedroom," Byakuya stated. He knew what he said was out of character, and was acting like a child again. However, he really wanted to let Renji know it was now time to give up on Rukia because she was no longer available.
"Byakuya we haven't taken a bath together," Rukia said firmly.
"Lets' do that tonight," Byakuya suggested as he put down the expensive pen, and saw Rukia face immediately turned into a deeper shade of red.
'He did just say all that,' she wondered to herself.
"That is unacceptable! You two are not even married yet." Renji shouted which broke through Rukia's thoughts.
"When did you become so traditional? Rukia and I are engaged and will be married soon," Byakuya said in a more playful but serious firm tone as he gently placed one hand over Rukia's small hand that was on the desk. His heart smirked to the priceless jealous expression of his lieutenant and he enjoyed watching Rukia's face blushed to his statement.
"They sure are taking their time to bring my work," Rukia said, trying to change the atmosphere in the office but she never moved her hand away from underneath his.
"They should be here soon," Byakuya remarked as removed his hand from hers and his attention turned back to the documents before him.
The 6th division captain still remember the message he received from Ukitake last night right after hearing the news of Rukia moving to work at 6th division because of the bangle spell; that old captain was so happy for their situation and even offered to trade Rukia with Renji if needed. Ukitake even gave Byakuya a lecture about how happiness can be found at a place closer than he thinks.
"Rukia have you two?" Renji asked straightaway.
"Baka, what are you referring to?" Rukia retorted back with her violet eyes narrowed dangerously at her best friend.
Flashback from this morning
"I will stand here with my eyes closed and ear plugged until you are done," Byakuya said as he stood by the toilet. His washroom was too big. Therefore, he could not stand behind the doors while Rukia uses the washroom.
"Promise you won't peak?" Rukia asked innocently.
"I kept my promise last night, didn't I?" he replied in a gentle emotionless tone.
Minutes later, he felt a gentle tap on his back; he opened his grey eyes to see Rukia staring intensely at him directly. It was her signal to tell him it was okay to open his eyes and take out his ear plugs.
"Your turn," Rukia said and she turned around to close her eyes and stuffed the ear plugs in her ears. She was quite surprised at how they both managed to share a washroom together without feeling too much embarrassment.
"Can you please move a few steps to the right? I need to take a shower," she requested as she tried to flatten her raven hair with her fingers.
"Sure," he took a few steps toward his glass shower room and closed his eye again.
"My hair always flies up like a porcupine in the morning," she explained to him.
"I would say you look like a lion more," he commented.
Rukia quickly turned on the water and took a much needed comfortable hot shower. Byakuya's shower was truly one of its kinds; his shower was a large overhead rain shower with lovely lighting coming from inside the head that felt like showering under a large rain cloud. When she turned around, she saw a soaked Byakuya in sleeping kimono standing behind her. Water was trailing down his wet long jet black hair, and well-toned body .She had failed to notice that the water was raining on Byakuya as well.
"Why didn't you tell me that you will get soak too," Rukia asked as she watched the water trailed down Byakuya's body.
"You never asked," Byakuya said in his usual noble tone.
"You should have told me yourself," Rukia said firmly as she moved his body to turn around to face the glass wall.
"What are you doing Rukia?" he questioned her action but still complied.
"I will be facing the other side of the wall, this way both of us can take shower at the same time. It will save us time, considering that we are already late." Rukia said firmly.
"We are late because you refuse to wake up," Byakuya stated. He had never met anyone that could stay in bed after ten wakes up calls.
"What can I say, it was too confortable. Also, this way you won't catch a cold from staying in wet clothes," Rukia whispered as she opened the bottle of shampoo. Truthfully, sleeping beside, more like on top of, Byakuya felt pretty comfortable and cozy.
"Don't you dare turn around," Byakuya stated seriously before he start taking off his soaked sleeping kimono and hung it over the glass wall of the shower room.
"Hai," Rukia responded politely. 'Shouldn't I be more worried than him?' she thought.
"Rukia," he called her name when he felt the shampoo forms from her hair landed on his back. This was the first time, he had to take a shower with someone else, and he really was not use to sharing his personal space.
"Do you want some?" Rukia asked as she extended her hand to her back.
"Want what?" he questioned. He could not believe she just offered to shower together with him and his mind was thinking of something that was a lot naughtier than shampoo.
"Shampoo," she answered as she poked the back of the bottle of shampoo to his board back.
"Why are you giggle?" he asked when he heard snickers from her while holding the one end of the shampoo bottle; she was still holding on to the other end of the bottle.
"Nothing, just I never would have guessed that even your shampoo smelled like Sakura," Rukia responded frankly.
"You don't like the smell?" he asked. He could not deny the fact that he wanted to know more about her as well.
"I love the smell of Sakura, it is so relaxing and romantic," Rukia replied directly.
"You always smelled like wild violet yourself," Byakuya stated.
"Oh that is my natural scent, I was born with it," Rukia answered as rinses the shampoo from her silky raven hair with her large violet eyes closed. At the same moment, Byakuya turned his head as a reaction to her last sentence, and saw her slender creamy naked back.
End of flashback
"Renji will you mind getting back to your desk and start working on your already late report," Byakuya said in an emotionless tone to stop the conversation.
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To Be Continue
Japanese terms used:
Seiza: traditional formal proper way of Japanese style sitting.
Bangle's Colour Emotions Chart so far:
Red: pain and hurt
Orange: Anger and Annoyance
Clear: Happy and Joy
Green: Jealousy and Protectiveness
Author's Note:
Since I wrote such a sad chapter 19 for my Dreams story, I decided to give everyone a much carefree and romantic chapter 14 of this story. I would say listening to Azu's Cherish song did help me into this relax mood to finish this chapter.
What do you guys think of the plot so far? I am slowly adding more emotions to Byakuya's character in this story because I always viewed him as a man of little word but with a playful side. As well as showing a more direct and open Rukia in the later chapters.
Musicgirl1796: hehe, we will have to see if Daisuke's plan will work first. That eager old Elder will try everything to get what he wants.
blackbubbledancer: awww… your first night spent with your fiancée sounds sooo cute. I want to know more. I don't even remember my first night with my husband, since been with him for so long. I started dating my husband since I was in high school, so been over 11 years ago.
High Prince Gasket: Good question, Daisuke does not intent to take the child away from them; just he got extremely impatient with Byakuya slow progress of giving the family an heir.
BlackBurningHeart: Byakuya and Rukia are pretty slow with their feeling in this story. Both won't admit that they are falling for one another.
Elcarim-Soberian-1222: Thank you for the review.
alinda arch: If I was Rukia, I would of all for him already, wait.. I have already fallen for Byakuya. Hehe. I would say it is both lucky and poor since he did get to have Rukia sleeping on top of him.
tanithhh: I noticed that recently I started getting new readers for this fanfic, and I am really happy that you enjoyed the story so far. Hopefully, I can continue to build Byakuya and Rukia's relation into a deeper and stronger relationship that won't disappoint anyone.
hmm: You really need to tell me another name that I can call you. Hmm sounds kinda weird and odd. Yup it is only bangle, so it is not a chain or anything. Ok so here are the explanations for the colour glowing bangle. The bangle will glow a different colour depending on the other person's emotions. For example, remember when Byakuya tried to take off the bangle which caused pain on Rukia's body in the beginning of the story? When Rukia felt pain, the crystals on Byakuya's bangle will glow red.
vicky73: LOL, you are such a silly girl. It is nice to see my readers to find last chapter sweet and wonderful. Hehe, I agree Daisuke is kind of foolish to try to push their process faster than needed.
ShiraFuneHakuteiken: oh my, it only took you 1 hour to finish 13 chapters of this story? You are really a fast reader. I am happy that my story is your first ByaRuki fanfic, and it did not make you dislike this couple.
su kuchiki: I rarely found people that listen to the same song as me, so it is this to know that someone is also listening to TaeYang's song. The Wedding dress song was the first song that got me listening to him. I have to say I like many of the songs in the Solar CD. Do you like the "I need a girl" song? I found that song to be pretty sweet, specially the dance version video.
silvermercy: I think your suggestion was great, really have to think of how to interpret it into the story in the later chapter. Since this is a rated T story, I cannot have them go all the way, at least not yet.. and probably in the future, I will have to blur out that part.
RukiaYoukoMaSaHi: Hope this chapter is as satisfying as last one.
tokiko76: Thank you for your review from last chapter. Your bathroom question makes me realize that I needed to add some explanation to the washroom size. =) If you see anything that needs clarification, please let me know. I will love to add it into the story.
TRANSIENTFREEDOM: ^-^ I really don't mind your long ID name. I am happy that you like the story so much that the length does not matter.
airi-07: hehe, I think now you will be imagining a naked Byakuya taking a shower right now, or in soaked kimono… I really debated on rather to add more details in the shower scene.
1SuperKawaii: Thank you for your review. Getting your approval that the scene was good meant a lot to me. Also, I really want to say thank you for your help on my other story. It truly gave me an understanding of what pregnancy is really like. After all, most people only tell people the good side of their pregnancy.
isara-love: I agree, Byakuya and Rukia is not in a hurry, not like the spell will randomly dispelled. =)
guardmob: LOL I think your imagination is too good. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it doesn't contain the lemons that you love so much from the other story.