Let the uploading madness begin! I typed like with frenzied madness this past weekend. Only got this chap update sorta dealing out several possiblities...

- Zerolr -

Chapter 4 – Sweet Paralyzing Poison

"Quit your job."

"What?" she asked bewildered.

"Quit your job," he repeated plainly. He bent his over head first messing with some cables in the basement of the apartment building they lived in.

"Look, I don't understand how your mind works, but this world does not function without money and right now, I'm the only one earning it."

"There—done!" he dusted his hands and stood up straight, "That place ain't no good for ya, we'll find something else."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"Let's go back up and see, kay?"

She walked into her bleak darkened apartment greeted with no change. Ichimaru entered behind her and flicked on the switch. The room filtered with light, bringing vitality into the apartment. She whirled around to his direction in utter shock.

"You tapped power from someone else's apartment!"

"Don't worry bout it," came the casual reply.

"That's stealing!"

"No, we're just borrowing without asking, besides it's until we can get proper light in this place."

How can she complain—truth was she was tired of being without power—and eating out everyday.

Gin walked to the phone and picked it up. He sat down on the table and dialed a number.

"Who are you calling?"

"A buddy."

Now who would he have contacts with? Who would he consider a friend? Thought Rukia curiously.

"Guess who!" he sang as soon as the other side picked up.

Rukia had her chin propped up on the table with her hands underneath. She sat across from him as she watched Gin with curiosity and slight wonder.

They say that there is a very thin line between great intelligence and complete insanity. And I've come to learn that this man walks along this line like a tight rope walker; each arm dangling on either side. It is a mind brimming with knowledge and skill in just about everything. It has caused him to see the world so differently because of this. See the world as one large constant opportunity.

"Alright then, I will meet you there," he closed the phone carefully as if savoring the moment in which the phone is comfortably placed within the mold of the base. (He fixed the phone because it was wrecked from the last time Rukia threw it.)

"Rukia-chan, I'm leaving real quick."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm coming back," he replied while closing the door behind him.

I feel so weird. I know that I'm being used somehow but I don't want to leave him. The power is back on, he promised to help me, he promised to help me. He's helping me now, right? But I feel sort of paralyzed. Leave my job? How will I find another? It is like poison. A sting—no a bite that's injected me with this venom and slowly, slowly I'm churning, frothing then lulled in a strange twisted feeling of satisfaction. Yes, I feel happy like this.

Rukia curled up in bed; her chappy clock read 11:00 pm, when the door opened and Gin walked in. He brought bags with food and things and once he put them away—he crept into Rukia's room.

He walked right up to where her head rested and he carefully lifted her pillow and slipped something underneath. Rukia groaned slightly, which he found cute and she rolled over. She appeared to be like a sleeping infant her small lips full and tender, her palms closed and clenched into fists.

Curiously enough, Gin traced his fingertips along the long single trail of her bang that fell across her face. It went between her eyes down ending at the tip of her nose. But his fingers continued on to her lips. Realizing what he was doing, he pulled them away.

In truth he had no such interest for her. She possessed the name Kuchiki—the family that for centuries protects a hidden treasure. He planned to use her as far as he needed her, and then throw her away.

End Chapter

Preview

"Relax Hun, I didn't steal anything," Gin replied coolly while eating the scrambled eggs he made with iced tea. Rukia nervously settled into her chair.

"How can I believe you?" she asked noticing that he prepared a plate for her as well.