"Well, this will be interesting," Sakura said. "I hope Renji and Ichigo get home soon, it's almost four…"
"I don't really think it matters now, does it?" Gin laughed. "Though I really don't think that they will be home quite yet..."
She laughed with him as she checked her phone, "They should have left already…" They cuddled on the couch, his arm around her shoulders. She had the remote one hand and was looking through the TV channels. "There isn't much on today…of course. Is there anything you want to watch?"
"Not really," he shrugged. "Unless ya wanna put in a movie?"
She shrugged too, "Up to you. I don't know what you have, but you've seen my collection so if you want to browse…"
"I might take you up on that offer," he smiled. "I don't have many movies and I don't watch TV much."
"Don't worry," she laughed. "I think I have more than enough movies for the both of us."
He laughed too, "Very true. How 'bout we just head over ta ya apartment an' watch somethin' there? Ya got all the equipment."
"Sure," she chirped and gently tossed the remote on the coffee table before getting up and trotting over to her apartment. "Anything you want to watch?"
"What ya got?" he asked.
"Pull up a patch of carpet and we can look," she laughed as she sat down in front of the open cupboard. They browsed and settled on a one of her favorite Disney movies but when she went to grab it, Gin grabbed her instead.
"But I'd rather keep my eyes on ya than any movie," he whispered as he gently pushed her back onto the carpeted floor and held her wrists gently in one hand, putting them above her head. He kissed her a little roughly, but it still had that loving passion she had gotten to know the night before. His lips trailed down her jaw bone and he left light kisses on her neck. By the time he reached her collarbone she was breathless, and then the phone rang.
"Gin," she giggled as he kissed a ticklish spot. "I need to answer that…"
"Mm, no ya don't," he told her.
"Gin – that could be my dad," she said and turned her head as he tried to kiss her again. "Or Renji or Ichigo."
He grew visibly annoyed as she avoided him again and sighed, "Fine. But not without a kiss."
She smiled and gave him a quick kiss before he let her go and she snatched the phone, "Hello?"
"Sakura; it's Renji. We just got home," her friend yawned. "Come get your freaking furballs and tell Gin his snake's down here. And we were ordered to bring some others here too – they're on their way up."
"Who is it?" she asked nervously.
"Who do you think? He doesn't leave the Gotei often Sakura, whatever you did now – he's fucking pissed."
"Shit," she cursed loudly. "I'll be down in two. Thanks for the warning."
"What is it blossom?" Gin asked as he stood up, the movie in his hand.
"Dad and gramps are on their way up…" she groaned. "Renji and Ichi have my cats and Shinsō – let's go."
He nodded and followed her, "So Yamamoto's here, on a Sunday with work tomorrow?"
"He's pissed," she sighed. "I didn't realize that it would come to this…" She looked up at her lover, "Gin…whatever's happens…I'm sorry…I just wish they could see you like I can."
He cradled her face in his hand and pulled her into a hug, "It'll be okay. No matter what, they can't tear us apart – I won't let it happen; ya too amazin' ta let ya slip away from me. I can't lose ya Sakura…" He pulled back and his bright blue eyes bore into her orange ones, "I love ya – an' ain't nobody gonna change that."
She smiled, tears forming in her eyes, "I love you too Gin. I'm not letting you go either."
He smiled and took her hand in his and walked with her downstairs, past her father and grandfather and into the parking lot. Sakura hugged Renji and Ichigo and took Ryu's cage from the strawberry.
"Thanks guys," she smiled. Renji had the fat cat and Ichigo told Sakura that he'd carry the fluffy one for her. Gin smiled when he pulled Shinsō's cage out of the car and let her out. The white snake happily curled up around his shoulder's and hissed happily when he petted her. She stretched and rubbed her head against Sakura's cheek when Gin got close enough.
"Hello girlie," she giggled. "Miss us?"
Renji and Ichigo exchanged glances before turning and walking into the building. Gin and Sakura were on their heels. Sakura let the men into her apartment and sighed when she found her father and grandfather sitting on the couch. She let the cats out in their designated room and putting their carriers away. Timidly, she closed the door behind her and faced Shunsui and Yamamoto.
"Would you like some tea?" she offered.
Her grandfather stared at her coldly, "Not at the moment."
"Would you like some tea father?"
He shook his head, "No thank you Sakura."
I nodded and picked up the movie lying on the coffee table, right where Gin had left it, and went to put it away.
"Why are you putting that away Sakura?" her grandfather said shortly. "Put it in."
Not hiding her surprise she put Mulan into the player and started the movie. She sat uncomfortably between her relatives, cuddling a pillow when she'd much rather be cuddling with Gin. She sighed and leaned her head against her father's shoulder at the end of the movie, when Mulan returns home and speaks to her father about honor.
The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter.
He looked over at her and patted her hand. Once the movie went off Sakura set the DVD back in its case and offered her father and grandfather dinner. They accepted the offer and Sakura went into the kitchen to start cooking, her father soon joined her.
"It's been a long time since we've cooked together," he smiled weakly as he helped her cut the vegetables. "I'm sorry, about the other night."
"I'd say I'm sorry too, but I'm not." She said, perhaps a little harsher than she intended.
He looked hurt but continued chopping away, "We all just assumed that the Gotei is what you wanted to do."
"Well, you assumed – and you know what happens when you assume. It doesn't matter now…it's too late."
"No, Sakura," he cried softly. "It's not – if you don't want to –"
She cut him off, "It is. Even if I did find something else I would like to do, I haven't had the time to train for it or have the skill. All I've known is the Gotei and all I'll ever know is the Gotei. It's as simple as that. Hand me the carrots please?" He sighed and handed her the chopped carrots and continued to help prepare the meal.
After dinner, Yamamoto finally spoke, "Do you wish to work in another division? My plan was to assign you to the first division, but I have requests from two other divisions."
She blinked, processing what he just said, "Requested…which divisions?"
"Third and fourth," he told her.
"You don't expect an answer right now…do you?" she asked hesitantly.
He smiled slightly and shook his head, "No."
She let out a nervous breath, "Good…because I don't have one."
"I understand," he nodded.
Before she could stop herself she snorted and said, "That's a first."
He gave her a disapproving glare, "Sakura."
"Well, it's true!" she snapped. "You've never pretended to understand and don't start now!"
"I'm paying the rent for this apartment young lady," he warned.
"No, you haven't! I've been paying for it. The money you've been sending has been sent back." She stood up and paced around the room, hands in her pockets.
Shunsui looked between Yamamoto and Sakura, "What I would like to know is what's going on between you and that Ichimaru boy."
Sakura sighed and sat on her desk, peering out of the window to avoid eye contact, "I'm not quite sure myself. But he's wonderful."
"Are you seeing him?" her grandfather asked.
"Not at the moment, he's next door," she said without sarcasm, but she had a sly little smile on her face. "But I know what you mean."
"So, what's the answer?"
She huffed and looked over at them, "I told you, I'm not sure of what it is. If I don't know what it is, how can I tell you what it is?"
Her father sighed and stood up. He looked her in the eye and asked her, very seriously, "Are you sleeping with him?"
"No," she replied. "I'm not."
"Let me rephrase that; did you and Ichimaru have sex last night?" he frowned.
She blushed, "What if we did?"
"Sakura," her grandfather growled. "Yes or no?"
She leaned her head back, "Yeah – so what? I mean, I know I sound like a whore and all, but seriously. There's not much you guys can do. I wanted to, and so did he. We used protection and he took good care of me. I don't even hurt that much."
"I blame myself for this…" Shunsui muttered. "You definitely take after me."
"Yes, yes I do," she laughed and then looked at her grandfather. "Look, so Gin and I spent the night together. It's not an absolutely earth-shattering huge deal."
Her father sighed, "Do you love him?"
She nodded, "Yes. I love him."
"How do you know?" Yamamoto frowned.
"You know how I can sense what kind a person someone is? How I see them in colors?" He nodded and she continued, "After all these years, I have never met another true gray. Gin is a true gray – but something I've been ignoring about when I saw his color. When I saw him as gray, I also saw just a bit of red – like a little string – right here." She tapped her chest, "Right at the heart."
"The red thread of fate?" her dad wondered aloud. She just shrugged.
"It's the only thing I can think of – and it makes a lot of sense. It has to be. Gin and I were made for each other; I love him and he loves me. That's all there is to it – and no one can change that. Not even you."