Chapter 6 – Halfway
As the days passed Rukia became more and more suspicious of Gin. He brought back more money; the bills were paid. He was always showering her with attention, words and graces. Always getting her beautiful purses, clothes and accessories—even jewelry to please her. It all seemed too good.
Rukia made sure to keep her foot down, keeping her job and having the freedom to come and go as she pleased. Doing so he also, came and went making countless calls—Rukia noticed it was with different people because he had a different way of speaking to each type of call. She insisted on getting a cell phone for himself—but he refused every time—she knew it was only because it'd be easier to track him down that way.
She pressured him with questions and was snooping through his things. To everything he would always reply with a smile and a witty statement.
One late evening, a summer storm struck. Rukia rested cuddled up on the sofa watching several rented movies, while Gin chatted on the phone in the kitchen, his hands cutting up several vegetables for a stir-fry.
"Oh, no—alright, I'll call ya later, bai-bai!"
"Who was that?"
"Sumbody."
"Who?"
"Sumbody Who."
"Gin," Rukia turned climbing on the sofa to his direction.
"Mmm?" he whirled around and saw her arms were dangling off the back of the sofa. He found that to be incredibly cute. He noticed lots of things in her to be irresistibility cute. Her tiny hands and feet, the large eyes, her bold personality—in his eyes she was a feisty little pixie.
"Why don't you ever say where you go?"
"I always be coming back, Hun. Why do I need to make ya worry bout where I go?"
"Just in case something bad happens, you know?"
"Like what?"
"You know, an accident, you get sick or get in trouble with the police, stuff like that."
Gin threw in the vegetables in the pan and started to cook them with the rice and beef.
"You don need to worry bout that, that has nothing to do with ya. Just do what ya like."
Rukia paused the movie and walked over to him.
"Okay," she began in a slightly agitated tone, "First, you start off sounding demanding, wanting to cut me away from my job, my friends. Then, you change to be completely lenient, on top of giving me free reign—you start buying me all kinds of things—what's going on?"
"Rukia-chan…" he cooed.
"Don't you 'chan' me!"
He leaned over and popped a kiss right over her lips.
"D-don't you do that either!" She sputtered, feeling flustered. She ruffled up and walked off to continue watching her movie.
Later on in the evening, the phone rang Gin picked it up, Sosuke answered on the other line.
"So when are you going to make a move, Ichimaru?"
"Not so much a hello? I don't think I'll do it till you say pretty please…"
"I believe I paid you everything in advance."
"Nah, not really that wasn't everything," he replied casually while he leaned back in bed, " 'sides, I don't have all of my equipment ya promise ya'd get it for me."
"I don't have it—your partner does."
"Where is he?"
"I believe he disappeared when you were taken in."
"Find him for me—I still gotta settle some things…"
"Ichimaru, my patience is running thin."
"Well ya fool me! Ya always look like ya're under control."
"…"
"Ya really can't do nuthin. As a Prof at a university ya can't blow yur oh-so-perfect image eh? So ya want me to do yur dirty work? I'd say ya have to be a bit more patient."
"Very well."
CLICK!
"Fuckin bastard," Gin muttered under his breath.
The light flicked on as he held the phone to find Rukia standing at the doorway.
"I can't sleep. Who are you talking to?"
"Sumbody Who."
Rukia laughed which caused him to smile.
"Gin, what would take for you to open up to me?"
"Your life," came the reply quickly, quite simply.
"For it to be fair—you have to give me yours—all of yours. And I know you're not thinking that way. Gin I want to trust you, but how can I, when you keep acting this way?"
She geared herself expecting the 'In what way?' for a response but instead he remained silent. Within his long fingers he fiddled with the phone, rotating it slowly and tracing his fingertips across the keys. Rukia observed him carefully. She could practically imagine hearing his mind tick as he thought of an answer.
"Can I tell you half way?"
Rukia carefully nodded as she took her seat next to him on the edge of his bed.
"Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?" he asked.
Rukia's eyes wavered as she directed her gaze towards her lap.
"I've been spending them past few weeks phoning and branching my contacts, just to find her."
"Find who?" she asked, not lifting her gaze.
Is there someone special to me? And there is someone special to Gin? It could explain why he's always walking out the door and calling all kinds of people. But that doesn't explain why he's bringing home so much money. That doesn't explain why. That doesn't explain why he buys all those extra little things. It doesn't explain why he insists on cooking all the time. His coos and little compliments, the way he smiles—no, not the usual smile—the smile he has when his eyes widen a bit, when he acts a little serious. OR maybe—maybe it does. Maybe there's no feeling in everything he does.
Is there someone special to me? Ichigo—no—Renji? I've never loved him—damnit am I confusing this with friendship? I've always put my heart in his hands—I've always trusted my life with Renji; he's my closest friend. But Gin… Gin…
Argh! That stupid little thought that's been telling me that possibly—probably there was the chance that Gin would fall in love with me—that he was in love with—
"Matsumoto Rangiku."
Matsumoto? Her. I know her. This is got to be a joke. Ichigo for Orihime and now this?! A cruel, cruel joke. The exact proportional opposite. Wait. Why should I fuckin care? I don't fuckin love this man…
"Ya seem ta know her."
She gasped. She hadn't noticed him slowly sit up and inch his head slowly over her shoulder. Rukia slowly moved her head, shifting her body to face in his direction. Orbs of crimson moved within the small slits of his eyes, catching her motion. He felt the foreign small hand rest at his cheek.
I hate him.
He felt her lips press against his. A small sweet kiss. His fingers slightly twitched at his sides as she parted.
"Yes, I do. Very well," she stood up and walked towards the bedroom door, "Oh, and don't think I hadn't noticed."
He just stared.
"You never told me, who you were talking to. I suppose you still won't plan to tell me." The light flicked off and the door slowly closed behind her.
Gin remained in the dark completely at loss of all sleep.
A kiss. A tiny sampling, seems so incomplete. Bittersweet.
"For it to be fair—you have to give me yours—all of yours. And I know you're not thinking that way. Gin, I want to trust you, but how can I, when you keep acting this way?"
"Ya want my life?" he mused to himself in a miserable chuckle, "Ya'll run and neva come back—ya'll run and neva want me…"
He thought of her kiss, of his tongue intertwining with hers—but that was blocked by the vision of her puffed up cheeks of her cold remarks—her small kicking feet, her laugh, her clever change of personality from completely ruthless to prim, proper nice… He felt his heart race—his twitching fingers grabbed at his arm—suddenly scraping at his skin—the blood seeped from the fingernail cuts. No use, those strange drowning feelings flooded inside him.
Fuck. No. Not her too? No. No. No. No. I'ma fuckin kill her when I'm done with her. I'ma fuckin kill. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. When I'm done with her—kill her. Kill... Kill everyone…
End Chapter
Notes: You know that feeling when you really start to doubt if there really is love? You get a boy friend, you crush on a guy/girl just because. Just because. Yeah you feel that feeling and you hate yourself and you just wonder if you love that person just because he's sweet and kind and your stupid mind calculates that possibly you can like this person. Just because you see him/her and talk to him/her everyday. Yeah…anyways that's what Rukia feels. This chap is kinda confusing so I hope this cleared it up a bit.
Any who, the bridge has been connected! I've made it to the other side get ready. I'm pulling away the curtains with these coming chapters—I hope I've met your expectations!
Preview
She was the one who sent him to the hospital in the first place. Who found out the Gin who nobody knew. Who saw right through the tiny, tiny, cracks of his mask…