The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Ch.8

When Rukia and Hotaru finally found Renji, it was dark and past time to eat. Renji still shied away from Hotaru whenever she got close. She was so incredibly mad at him for stealing her journal that she was going to kill him. Although all she did to him was hit him upside the head… really hard. The three of them went to eat and talk together. Rukia told Renji about Hotaru and Shuuhei kissing and they teased her incessantly about it.

The next few days passed by in a blur. Hotaru and Shuuhei were unable to see each other much less talk to each other. Renji still teased her and Rukia was too busy to do more than hit him upside the head for it.

One day Hotaru and a few others had the day off. She went to find a nice quiet place. She sat beneath a tree not for from the 9th division barracks in a neutral zone. She was half asleep when she heard a guitar being played and a deep voice singing. It was a song she knew well and she started to sing along then when the song stopped and started again she got up and went toward the sound.

What she found amazed her. Shuuhei was playing and singing. She smiled from her hiding place. He certainly could sing and he certainly was cute. She remembered the feel of his lips on hers and smiled some more. Soon she was carried away by the music and started to sing along again. She did not know she sung aloud until the song suddenly stopped. Shuuhei looked at her like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Hotaru smiled at him.

"I didn't know that you could sing so well."

"M…most d don't."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I heard the music and came to investigate. I love that song."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"I'm just now learning it."

"Oh… It doesn't sound like you just started."

"Well… I have heard it before… but I just now started to learn to play it. It's one of my favorites too." He smiled shyly up at me. "You can come join me if you want. That tree isn't the most comfortable."

"Oh really? Am I allowed?"

"Of Course! I invited you. Also I need a little help with the chorus. Will you help me?"

"Of course." Hotaru climbed down from the tree and sat beside Shuuhei. He smiled again and so did she. They sat there and worked on the song all day long. When they noticed that the sun was about to set, Shuuhei's stomach growled. "We should get something to eat," Hotaru said.

"Yeah. I guess I lost track of time. This was fun. We should do it again."

"Yes we should," she said as she stood up. "Where should we go to get something to eat?"

"The Barracks have a kitchen. We could see what's on the menu."

"Sounds good but we couldn't talk there. Maybe we should go to a restaurant."

"Ok." They went to a restaurant and ate and talked. By the time they left it was very late.

"This was so much fun," Hotaru said after Shuuhei escorted her to her barracks. They stood outside staring at each other.

"When can we do this again," Shuuhei asked.

"When do you want to," she said as she stepped closer to him.

"T tomorrow," He said looking at her as she stepped closer and closer. When she stood inches from him he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer.

"Tomorrow we have to work," she whispered as she slid her arms around his neck and pulled his face closer to hers.

"T tth then h how bbout the dday aafter," he stuttered.

She giggled and whispered, "Kiss me." He obeyed. It was slow and uncertain at first but when she pulled his hair a little he let out a moan. Then he deepened the kiss by moving his hands into her hair and sliding his tongue along her lips. She moaned and returned the favor. The kissed turned passionate and steamy with their tongues playing with each other. They parted for air. "Wow," she whispered.

"Uh huh," was all he could manage at the moment. That was unbelievably amazing.

"Can you do that again," she asked him.

"Sure thing." This time the kiss was soft and passionate but soon turned somewhat rough but still very passionate. When someone cleared their throat the jumped apart gasping for breath.

"You two seem happy," Byakuya said with a smile. Hotaru and Shuuhei recovered from the shock of being caught and laughed somewhat uneasy.

"Byakuya? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you, Hotaru but I clearly saw what you two were up to. I hope I am not hindering you but, Hotaru should you be so forward?"

"What?"

"Did you or did you not instigate this behavior?"

"So what if I did? You gonna Punish me?"

"Of course not! I'm going to warn you Shuuhei of her temper and to be careful of where you step."

"I think I handle this on my own. Thank you, Captain Kuchiki," Shuuhei said.

"Oh. So you think you can handle me," Hotaru asked.

"Of course. I'll just kiss you into submission like I did when you wanted to kill Renji for stealing your journal."

"Very clever," Hotaru said as she leaned up to kiss Shuuhei's cheek. He smiled down at her.

Byakuya just laughed which surprised them. "What," he asked.

"You laughed. Since when did you laugh?"

"Since I no longer had to be bound to things I didn't want to be bound to. Like you for instance."

"Hey. What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing my sweet little Hotaru." He patted her on her head like she was a child. She didn't like and he just laughed. "Get some sleep, the both of you," he said as he went home.

"Good night, Hotaru."

"Good night, Shuuhei. Sweet Dreams"

"Of you," he thought as he walked back to his own barracks.