AN: I've got exams coming up, so it might be neglected for just under a week. Apologies. Here's another chapter. Enjoy!
3. Jolt!
When their hands had brushed, Hisana had jumped as if she had received an electric shock. She was both pleased and surprised by his hand touching hers. It was a complete accident; she had dropped a chopstick and gone to retrieve it, and so had he. He was much faster and more graceful than she. His hand had swooped and took it with two fingers while her hand had jerked forward in the hope of catching it and brushed his hand. She'd jerked her hand back like he was a hot plate, blushing.
His hand had been nothing like she expected. Byakuya always had a veneer of coldness he stood behind. Part of her mind imagined his touch to be cool and unaffected, like he appeared to be. So when his warm fingers touched hers, Hisana had been decidedly surprised. The imagining had fallen away. Each day, bit by bit, her imagined Byakuya – the parts of him that had not been revealed to her, so she filled them in with her mind – was being peeled away and replaced with reality.
So far reality hadn't disappointed her.
He wasn't cold-blooded, he was warm and real.
"Here," he had said, smoothly handing her back the chopstick without touching her again. Hisana had been a little disappointed, but she hadn't the courage to purposely reach out and touch him.
"Thank you, Kuchiki-sama," she replied, head bowed.
And before she knew it, she felt his warm hand gently tilt her chin so their eyes met.
"I had hoped we were more familiar than that of a master and servant," he'd told her bluntly. He was a conundrum; there were times where he had the sort of candour only nobility could really get away with, yet could weave his words so you never guessed his true feelings. He was beginning to stand, probably to call a servant to take their food away.
"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama."
She couldn't help the formality of her words, but perhaps her actions could reach him. Hisana swallowed nervously. She had to act before he went away and her courage guttered out.
Her hand shot out just like when she'd tried to catch the chopstick and grabbed Byakuya's hand. He looked at her with surprise, almost seeming to wonder what her intentions were. Uncertainly, she gave his hand a squeeze and looked at him, trying to show him how she felt since her words let her down.
With a shadow of a smile he gave her hand a slight squeeze back and placed a ghost of a kiss on her fingertips before leaving to summon a servant.
Her heart had never beaten so fast.