Don't You Trust Me?

Bleach and its characters do not belong to me.

Fuck! I'm screwed! I'll be dead this time tomorrow!

Number one rule: Don't expose yourself on the job. You must not be discovered.

I ran my fingers through my hair and looked down at the red head in the ground.

I had watched innocent bystanders get killed for stumbling onto scenes before. I hadn't even flinched.

But seeing this girl in danger had brought out a protectiveness I had never felt before.

I looked her over and noticed a few things.

She was my age give or take a few years. She was obviously shaken, fear etched onto her face.

When she fell she had twisted her ankle. She might also have a concussion from hitting her head.

She had my jacket on. She pulled it closer around her. Why, I had no idea.

The most prominent thing I noticed was that she was really, really pretty.

I sighed and reached my hand out to her.

She flinched away.

I was frozen in fear on the ground.

Even if my ankle wasn't hurt, I don't think I would've been able to hurt.

I tried to discern what he was thinking, but it was impossible.

His face was blank of any expression; his eyes were narrowed slits so I couldn't read his emotions.

I was looking at him in fear, but his jacket made me feel safe.

It didn't make a lot of sense, but I pulled it closer around me and breathed in the comforting scent.

As I looked at him more, I realized he was really handsome.

Suddenly he sighed and reached for me.

The memory of those men came to me and I flinched away.

He hesitated and withdrew his hand.

He took a step back and I think he was trying to give me a reassuring look.

I couldn't be sure. His eyes hid so much.

"I'm going to hurt you. I was just going to help you up."

His was voice was quiet and soothing. Definitely trying to reassure me.

My guard was still up though. The whole situation was just too convenient.

"What were you doing out here? There's no way you just randomly found me."

He turned his head and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"Just be glad that I was or you'd be dead by now."

I flinched at the callousness in his voice. It was like he didn't care.

"I am. What were you doing out here though?"

He shook his head.

"It's none of your concern."

I tried to lighten the atmosphere by making a joke.

"If you tell me you'll have to kill me?"

I gave a nervous chuckle and waited for him to smile or laugh or something.

"Something like that."

A spasm of fear went through me.

He was dead serious.

"Who are you?"

I blurted it out without thinking and instantly felt embarrassed.

"I can't tell you that."

I felt like I needed to explain myself.

"I'm sorry, but you understand my curiosity right? You save my life, give me your jacket and slip me money? Oh I still need to pay you back."

I reached into my purse and got out a $20 and handed it towards him.

"Here. Interest for saving my life. It's not really a fair trade, but it's the best I can do. Oh, your jacket too."

I shrugged it off and held it out to him as well.

I was rambling from nervousness. I couldn't help it.

He raised his eyebrows at me. The action made him open his eyes a little bit and I saw glints of sapphire.

"You don't have to pay me back and you can keep the jacket."

I insisted.

"I can't do that. You were kind eno—"

He cut me off. He looked angry.

"Don't misunderstand. Helping you yesterday was just a whim. There was no special reason behind it. And if you would've been killed it would've just made a lot of problems for me. If the situation were different I would've just let them kill you without sparing you a second thought."

I wasn't sure what he meant, but he sounded tortured.

Instead recoiling from him in fear, I wanted to wrap him in my arms and tell him everything would be okay.

I mentally slapped myself for thinking that.

I didn't know this guy at all and he just said he would've watched be killed.

I should be putting as much distance between him and myself as possible.

So why did I want to ask him to stay when he started to walk away?

She would hate me for leaving there alone in that alley.

She probably expected me to help her home, but I couldn't.

She would hate me and that's the way it had to be.

Don't get attached to outsiders. Don't involve them in your world.

Talking to her was enough to sign her death sentence.

So why was keeping a distance and making sure she got home okay?

How come every time she stumbled I had to force myself not to run over to her?

What was the purpose of staring at the apartment building wondering which window belonged to her?

I mentally shook myself and made myself leave.

This interest was temporary. By tomorrow I would forget about her.

He filled my thoughts as I limped home.

I remembered my boss telling me to forget about him.

How right he was. If I was smart I would forget all about him and stay far away.

So why was I worrying about when the next I would see him?

If I would ever see him again.

There was no way for me to get in touch with him. Nor him me.

I fell asleep thinking of sliver hair, blue eyes and a low voice.

"Gin? Are you listening to me?"

It had been a week since I had saved that girl and once again I had found myself thinking about her.

I swiveled my attention to Aizen.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

He sighed and started flipping through the folder in his hand.

"I need you to infiltrate the Seritei Corporation. Specifically the president and his son. I may have you kill the president in the near future, and it would be in our favor if we have his son under our command."

I sat down and took the file from him.

"What do you want with this company?"

He shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

"I could care less about the company. It's the power that will come with it that I want. I want to have power over this city. That's where you and the others come in. You kill for me so I don't have to get my hands dirty and with my power I keep you guys out of detection of the police."

He always reminded us of that when we started to ask questions.

He never gave a straight out answer when I asked what I was doing exactly, but I guess it didn't really matter.

It's not like I would tell anyone the truth if they asked. I couldn't even if I wanted to.

"I understand."

Obedience always placated Aizen.

I pulled out the photos paper clipped to the folder and started flipping through them, getting to know their faces.

The last one was a magazine clipping that made me gasp.

The headline read:

HEIR TO SERETEI CORPORATION, SHUUHEI HISAGI'S NEW SWEET HEART!

It was a picture of the president's son eating dinner with a woman.

The red headed woman from a week ago. The one I couldn't get out of my head.

They were looking at the camera.

He looked smug and proud, while she was blushing in what I assumed was embarrassment.

I honed in on where he was holding her hand.

Anger burned through me and it took me by surprise.

I read a line of the article.

"Both parties say this was their first date and that they were just enjoying each other's company, but the sparkle of love is obvious in Shuuhei's eyes. Could she be the one to settle this young business man down?"

Not a chance in hell!

The surge of emotion took me off guard and I dropped the clipping onto Aizen's desk.

Aizen looked at it and looked at me with obvious interest.

"Who is this girl Gin?"

Oh no! Does he know about that night?

In that situation, I was under obligation to kill her so as not to let information leak.

It never even crossed my mind until the next day.

I figured if I never saw her again letting her live would be fine, but honestly, I don't think I could've brought myself to kill her.

Aizen's eyes gleamed as he stared at the clipping.

"I love the way your mind works Gin."

I wasn't sure what he meant so I stayed silent.

"Yes, using this girl to control Hisagi would be very beneficial to us."

I panicked when he said that.

"Yes, that would work, but I think we should leave it as a last resort. After all, you always say not involve citizens in our business."

He stared at me and waited for the assault I would get for defying him.

Instead he nodded.

"Very well. If coercing him shows futile, we will hold the girl hostage. I give you a month. I'll be in touch."

Relieved she was safe for now, I left his office. Once again thinking about her.

I was sitting at my desk in my boss's office staring open mouthed at the article in the magazine.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I had told him going out in public would result in something like this, but he insisted and it was my job to make him happy.

Now my face was plastered all over the freakin city!

"Get over it Rangiku. It's a necessary evil. Once the parties over you can cut all ties with him if that's what you wish."

I glared at my boss and threw a ball of paper at him.

He breathed in slow and I laughed at how annoyed he looked.

"Sorry Boss."

He shook his head.

"Forget about it."

When he said that, I remembered him telling me to forget about the silver haired man.

I had looked all over for him this past week but nothing.

I frequented the coffee shop in hopes of running into him again.

I even asked people in stores and stands on the streets if they knew of a man my age with silver hair.

They said no and told me they would keep a look out.

Every day I asked. Every day nothing.

Even though it was the middle of summer, I wore his jacket every day.

I was sad that his scent was slowly fading.

I had even considered roaming the alley's again in hopes of running into him.

I knew I was being crazy. I was ready to risk my life just so I could meet this strange man again.

You couldn't get any crazier.

Momo walked in and handed me a muffin.

"Good morning."

I took it and nibbled on it.

She walked over to boss' desk and handed him his muffin.

"Thank you Hinamori."

She plopped down on the couch against the wall and started eating her own muffin.

"No problem Shiro."

I held back laughter when he reacted to his nickname.

"Stop calling me that!"

She feigned innocence.

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

She winked at me and I started laughing.

She laughed with me and Boss stood up and stormed across the room.

"You two are so annoying! When I get back, you better be working."

Hinamori smiled at me.

"So how was your date with Shuuhei?"

I groaned and turned away from her.

"You saw it huh?"

She laughed.

"Hun, I think the whole cities seen it."

I rolled my eyes.

"So much for privacy."

She sat down in Toushiros' chair and started spinning around.

"Anything about your silver hero today?"

I shook my head and sighed.

"No. You know if it weren't for his jacket and the fact that he saved me that night, I might think that I imagined him to begin with."

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"Why do you wanna see him again? He sounds like a creeper to me."

I didn't understand the compulsion myself. I wasn't even sure of what I would say.

"Guarantee my sanity? Who knows? I just can't stop thinking about him."

She went to say something but a knock at the door interrupted her.

"Come in."

The door opened and in walked Shuuhei with a bouquet of flowers.

I blushed and walked over to him.

I took them from him and smiled.

"What are these for?"

He grinned.

"For gracing me with your presence the other night and an apology for the article. Your privacy was invaded because of me."

I wasn't used to being treated this way and I wasn't sure what to say.

"Oh. You didn't have to do this. They're beautiful Shuuhei. Thank you."

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and smiled at me.

"Beautiful flowers for a more beautiful woman. I must get back to work. I'm looking forward to the party tomorrow night."

He left me breathless as he left the office.

Momo walked up and examined the flowers.

"I don't even want to know how much these cost him."

I inhaled their sweet scent and grabbed a vase to put them in.

"He probably didn't even blink an eye."

Hinamori eyed me curiously.

"You don't like him do you?"

I shook my head.

He was handsome, smart, and very sweet. Also rich. To most the ideal man, but he didn't just appeal to me.

"Not in that way. And you know how I'm wary about men. It takes me a while to trust them on an emotional level."

She nodded.

"So, hypothetically speaking of course, what if it had been your silver hero that walked through that door with flowers? Would you have trust issues with him?"

I flushed with pleasure but shook my head.

"It would never happen. I'm never going to see him again."

I touched his jacket and I could feel sadness on my face.

"And yes, I would have trust issues with him. He's no different than anyone else."

She looked at me skeptically.

I knew why.

I was trying to convince her as much as I was trying to convince myself.

Uh oh! What's going to happen?

Lots. So keep a look out for the next chapter.

Reviews please. :O)