Hello! I'm so glad that you're liking this so far! This makes me as a writer very happy. Just so you know from here on, the chapters are going to get longer. I have a tendancy to multi-write between several stories to avoid getting writer's block, but for this past weekend I've been writing only on this. Now the words are getting harder to spit out of my mind and get on paper… BUT!

I am saved by my muse… music. This entire chapter is written completely under the influence of music. Same for my future chapters. Compare this to my prior chapters. And I hope you like! Thanks for reading!

-Zerolr-

Chapter 7 – Peeking Through the Cracks

Can't I do it? Yea, it'd be real nice. Go an rip out this thing people call 'heart'. Rip it out my fucken chest—an burn it on a stake. Cuz I hate it—won't lemme think.

"Gin, I called Matsumoto," Rukia replied casually as she retrieved the car keys from the rack against the kitchen wall.

"I set up a meeting with her today at that plaza square—do you know where that is?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'm off to work. Take care."

"Bai-bai, Rukia-chan."

"Alright, I'll see you in the afternoon."

The door closed behind her as she walked off. He remained sitting peacefully, sitting at the kitchen table. His left hand held a glass of water. In the utter silence of the house, only a single tapping, a single rapping was heard. That sound of crystal colliding with wood. That glass of water resting within the long fingers. Lifting the cup, he brought down the bottom edge to the wooden surface.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Matsumoto

Tap.

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.

Tap.

Rangiku

Tap.

He knew her since they were kids. She lived next door. Yes, she did. She held him that one time when he ran into her house. Running away from the beatings his father gave him. That same day when he came back, he was beaten again—

Tap.

"Never show your face, Luve," his mother would purr, "When yur father beats you, lock yourself inside your room. Hide yur scars. Hide everything, much the way yur face hides the color of yur eyes. My beautiful child.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

My dear, dear, child.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

That horrid look. That look of fear. Of absolute terror.

"So it was you, Gin. You're the one who's been doing this. Oh God, Oh God."

"Yeah, Rukia wanted to meet with me today."

"Where are you?"

"Oh, at the plaza."

"Hmm, that's strange. She didn't tell you where she lives? I could tell you. But that's good. She doesn't talk to Orihime anymore. Actually, I hardly see her anymore. She tells me everything's alright, but I'm worried, I don't know."

"Oh don't worry about it. I'm sure she just wants to walk around a bit, instead of staying at her place, besides I have a lot I need to tell her anyways."

"I guess. Thanks. Matsu, please don't tell her about us."

Matsumoto blinked.

"Why?"

"I feel it might make her feel uncomfortable."

"Ooh. I know what you mean. Don't worry, I'll cheer her up, you'll see."

"Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too."

Matsumoto closed her cell and sighed.

Time passed and flew. The people came and went. And Rangiku waited. Waited. Waited and waited. She looked at the time on her phone.

She promised to meet me three hours ago. What happened?

Renji had told her about the day she tried to kiss him. How she was uncontrollably shaking. He's been talking about her ever since. Of course she's not the person to get jealous. And she wasn't. She was just worried about her behavior. When people break down openly it's when they're completely broken inside. It's when they just can't take it anymore.

That scared her.

It scared her so much.

She believed that anyone with a worry with sadness should cry it out to the world. Forget about what others think—just say it. Because when you break down inside it drags your mind down with it…

She opened her cell phone. She decided to call Renji and ask him for Rukia's home address.

"I don't care if I spend all day. I'm going to help her," she muttered.

Halfway into dialing the number she, felt a sudden chill. Matsumoto's head jerked up. It wasn't the wind.

The passerbys moved about. A group of school girls cutting class rushed to get to the sweets café nearby. She stood staring at them, as soon as they moved, as they passed, she saw him.

A tall man, in a long black jacket in the middle of the summer. Faded blue jeans and smiling. Smiling with that smile.

Her clear eyes shook.

Yeah that look. That look of fear.

She rapidly clutched her purse and stood perfectly still.

"What are you doing here?" she asked expertly concealing any hint of nervousness.

"So mean, I missed ya."

"You, need help," she pushed him.

"I got help," he grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go."

He pulled her close his lips barely touching her ear. Rangiku, dug her free hand within her purse grabbing her switch blade.

"I luve you, I luve you," he said in a whisper.

She hesitated.

The grip on her wrist loosened.

"You hate me that much?"

The hand that held the blade immediately slipped from her fingers within the confinement of her purse.

He sensed my intentions?

"Question is—woulda do it?" he asked curiously.

"No, I'm not like you."

"Everybody has some dirty things they don like ta show."

"Not everybody kills people for a living—you're lucky I haven't told that part to anybody," her voice was low, "What happened to Rukia?"

"What are you talking about?"

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"Don't play dumb. She was supposed to meet me here—wait. She works at that hospital…" her voice trailed off.

"Come with me Rangiku."

"Where is Rukia?"

"I'm different."

"Where is Rukia?"

"Rangiku."

"Where is Rukia?"

"…"

"Where is Rukia?"

"At the hospital. She's working."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing."

Her cell phone rang, she took it out of her purse just to see who it was. Renji.

Gin snatched it. He recognized it. Rukia talked about him. She told him that he was currently seeing someone.

"Give it to me," she hissed.

The phone rang again.

"Gin."

He flipped it open.

"Today is the last day you will ever see her again."

She snatched it.

He closed the call before she could take it.

"What did you do that for?!"

"Just joking. Wha? Can't take a joke?" he teased. The playfulness in his voice increased.

"Gin don't hurt him," she pleaded.

" I won't do nuthin, I promise. I promise. Ran, they lemme go from the hospital, I'm not the same as before, ya know?"

Her eyes widened a bit. Really? Is this true?

"Gin…" she trailed off to say but the sound of a car distracted her. Looking towards the street, she saw Renji's car.

Oh.

She looked back at Gin but he wasn't there. Rangiku looked left and right, not spotting him anywhere. Renji ran out to meet her.

"Matsu!" he embraced her and then parted. He held on to her shoulders, "I didn't think I'd find you here." His worried eyes skimmed her face for a response.

"Don't worry about the phone call, Renji. It was a prank pulled by an old friend."

"Where is he?"

"He just left."

Renji let go of her shoulders and hung his head.

"Sorry to say—that didn't feel like a prank."

"It's okay, relax, I need to know where Rukia lives."

He looked at her.

"What? You didn't meet with her?"

Later on that day, Rukia was drinking coffee at a doughnut shop during her lunch break. When someone walked up and sat in the same small table across from her.

He was a young man. Blonde with a nervous expression over his face, lips turned down in a frown. He carried a man bag slung over his shoulder. Settling more into his seat he directed his gaze towards her.

"Kuchiki Rukia, correct?"

She nodded. Who the heck what this guy?

"Kira Izuru, I've been meaning to speak with you."

"Obviously, you've been following me ever since I got out of my car."

His eyes widened from shock and wavered. He dropped his gaze towards the table.

"Sumimasen. I didn't mean to make you nervous."

"That's alright. I'm used to it already."

He gasped. A very small gasp and nodded slightly in understanding.

Why does he look so apologetic?

"It's because you're with him right?"

Now he got her attention. She leaned closer to him, "You know Gin?" she whispered.

To this he nodded meekly.

"Is he out of the hospital?"

"Yeah, for a while know—don't you know? You're the one he's been calling, right?"

He shook his head.

"But I know he's looking for me. I have his things."

End Chapter

Preview

"You arranged to meet with Matsu, but you left her waiting. She stood for nearly three hours, ya know?"

"Matsu? Matsumoto? How did you know about that?"

Renji's lips thinned, realizing that his nickname for her slipped.

"She's your girlfriend, right? Wow, small world," she mused.