Hey there, everyone! It's evenstar lady again, back with this rather short chapter 4! I might move the beautiful chapter 5 back to 6 because I think I might need more space in between, but we will just see about it! :D
I am currently going through some bad times this month and for the next. My laptop crashed, obliterating all data and information (which includes the story vaults for "To Win You Back" and "Demons from My Past"). I had backups but they were the lesser-updated versions. :( I was more bothered about losing other information than my fanfics, for once. So I probably won't be updating till next month, since I have to work harder now without a laptop for my course! :( Gambateh, I guess?
I wasn't supposed to update this at all.. but I thought I should update my FF at least once this April (and since this is just a progression chapter) and not after all the wonderful reviews you guys gave me! Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, they were all very motivating! vicky, you actually used a line from TWYB to threaten me! Genious and thanks! :D snDRA, your English is perfect and thank you so much for reviewing! Thanks to the past chapter reviewers, you guys rock! NIXAMATORIS, snickerslol04, ashy-book-lova, Scarlettsky, ceiyn, Sepsis, 1SuperKawaii, Electra Red, MeoSua, Veronica111111, Yuniee, AlaeaMori, onlyluna, BlackBurningHeart, lifescape, rukiharem, Kichou, Kuchiki Rukia-taichou, sunlightangels, vicky, snDra, Pope Benedict XVI, loveyouso, K.a.., sagittariusleo, Air.K.i.a.r.a., Kaiya Hiraoka, Saij Spellhart, Juliana, Yunagirl22, I'mtheBrideofBYAKUYA, not-gonna-mention-your-name-true-or-otherwise, YuzurihaNoRyuu, , Hajnalmadar, Nikki-4, anon and unwrittenlovenotes. And zenachi for recently jumping on the DFMP wagon (though I don't know if Chapter 3 turned you off or something, heh~)
I dedicate this chapter to Joseph! (though it might not be much) :)
Warnings: Mentions of strong IchiRuki. (if you can make it through this, I guarantee VERY STRONG ByaRuki in the coming chapters) :D I think I don't want to make any OOC warnings anymore, you all should know by now, what with a very different plot and AU setting. ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or their characters. The only things I own are the story plot and dialogues... and Joseph. Lol XD
"Rukia, stop being such a workaholic! Come on, the protein samples can wait!"
Rukia laughed. "You guys go ahead. I will catch you all at the café!"
"You better not be late, or Hiyori will bust your ass for missing out on our girl time!" Nel shook a patronizing finger at her before exiting the laboratory.
Rukia laughed and carefully transferred the sample into a fresh tube. She did not look up when the lab door swung open.
"I swear, I swear I'm coming soon."
"Are you?"
Rukia looked up, and felt a happy smile spread across her face.
"Hey." Ichigo smiled easily at her as he leaned against the freezer door next to her workbench.
"Hey."
"Working hard again, young lady?"
"The usual." Rukia smiled at her protein experiment.
"How's your Dad? Is he okay?"
"He's good," Rukia answered happily. "I think this is a good turnaround. He's never been up and about like this before. I keep telling him to stay down and take things easy but he actually went to work for a full week now! And he's happier than ever! The hospital stay really did do him some good." Rukia beamed at Ichigo.
"That's wonderful. And it's so good to see you happy like this."
Rukia looked up and Ichigo smiled that wonderfully honest smile at her. She felt her cheeks start to warm.
"Uh, thanks."
She heard Ichigo stretch himself next to her. "So want another pair of hands? I might not take an interest in biomedical sciences, but my hands are very good tools, science or not." He reached out to the glove box and snapped on a pair of latex gloves. "I promise not to mess up your experiments, and then we can finish quick and head down for lunch."
Rukia nodded, trying to find her focus as Ichigo stood close next to her. "How about you transfer the samples to fresh tubes and I will add the reagent? Just make sure you whack them back on the ice when you are done, because they have to be kept cold."
"Sure." Ichigo smiled easily at her, and started working on his first tube.
They continued working for the next ten minutes in comfortable silence.
"Hey Rukia?"
"Yes?"
"You want to go for miso soup…
Miso soup? Rukia felt her heart grow light with happiness.
… with us later this evening?"
Us. Of course. Rukia had to silently laugh at herself. She looked up.
"Yeah. After evening classes?"
"Yep."
"Okay, I will be there after I have done my usual evening at the flower shop."
"Sounds great!" Ichigo labelled the last tube with a flourish and grinned again at her.
'Why do you smile at me like that? It's a crime, Ichigo… a crime I cannot defend myself against,' Rukia thought with mixed feelings.
"YO, LOVEBIRDS!" The loud voice jolted Rukia from her thoughts, before a bright red crept over her cheeks as the words sunk in.
"Yeah, you just came to spoil the moment. What's up, Shinji?" Ichigo tried to elbow the tall boy with jaw-length hair.
"Not much, but Hiyori's blowing her top down in the cafetaria and has ordered that I personally come to fireman carry Ukitake Rukia down to lunch."
Rukia laughed. "I swear this is the last tube, Shinji."
"Okay, just hurry. We don't want any more contact with her slippers, people."
xXxXx
"Who paid that idiot to teach our English literature class? Man, I could kick his ass and teach the class myself." The shocking blue-haired boy leaned back easily in his chair, the cerulean eyes in his handsome face scanning the cafeteria in an arrogant, laid-back manner.
"Yeah, yeah, you are always the best, aren't you, Grimmjow?" Ichigo took a big bite of his burger.
"Yeah. Or… would you like to fight me to prove otherwise?" Grimmjow leaned forwards in his seat, a dangerously sadistic look coming over his features.
"Stop trying to pick a fight with me all the time."
"You know… no blood, gore or girls makes ol' Peter a boring man."
"Did you just make that up or what?" Rukia muttered as Nel laughed. "You should study English more." She lifted a sushi roll and put it into her mouth.
"My Japanese and English are second to none." Grimmjow smirked and started shoveling fries into his mouth in an obvious attempt to outdo Ichigo.
"Don't work so hard, Rukia," Hiyori fixed a hard stare at Rukia across the table, her pigtails looking almost menacing. "You can treat your course the way some are treating their English language ones." Hiyori gave Grimmjow a dry look.
"Who me?" Nel asked, her eyes mischievous.
"Not you. Just the idiot who sits beside you everyday during class. Why don't you find someone else to sit with?"
"That's because everyone's afraid to mess with our Nel since they think she's Grimmjow's girlfriend," Shinji laughed as Nel blushed slightly.
"So miso soup evening, everyone?"
"Yeah." Ichigo, Rukia, Nel, Grimmjow, Shinji, Hiyori, Orihime, Ishida and Chad nodded.
"And how's your Dad, Rukia?"
"He's really good. The best he's ever been since two years."
"Oh that's wonderful, Ukitake-san!"
Rukia nodded happily. "Thank you."
"You must have had it hard during his hospital admission. But then, you must have done something really good for him to recover!" Shinji smiled.
It happened so fast, all in her subconscious. Rukia's whole body jerked and her hand accidentally pushed her slushie bottle over the table edge.
"Hey!" Ichigo moved away as the bottle hit the floor, splattering green slush everywhere.
"O-Oh, I am so sorry!"
"You alright, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Y-Yeah."
Ichigo smiled. "Since I'm feeling good, I'll get you another slushie." He stood up from the table. "You sure you're okay?"
In her heart, Rukia successfully squashed the dark feelings threatening to come to life.
It has been a week and a half…
She looked up to flash Ichigo a smile.
"It's nothing."
xXxXx
"Hey, we are feeding today, aren't we?" Renji smiled easily as he arranged the folders on the polished black granite table.
Byakuya settled himself elegantly into one of the armchairs in the enormous, empty meeting hall. "I believe so."
"Oh, I forgot to ask you. Had too many duties so it slipped my mind. How was your last diet?" Renji grinned at Byakuya cheekily.
Byakuya slowly lifted his grey eyes to stare ahead. "It was really…
… unexpected."
Rukia fastened her red florist apron over her clothes as she placed the black vase of red roses onto her working table. She picked up the pair of clippers and rolled out a clear dainty sheet of flowered wrapping paper. It was after class, and she had came in the shop to take more orders and get them out and running. She was also looking forward to supper with her friends.
Rukia hummed softly to herself as she cut the first three stalks of roses.
Rukia looked at her mobile phone as she heard the familar tinkle of her ringtone.
Private number.
She happily flipped it open. "Hello?" she made the greeting in a sing-song voice.
"Rukia." She did not recognize the voice, though it sounded rather familiar. It was a deep and resonating tone.
A male.
"Yep. Who is this?" She carefully balanced the mobile on her shoulder to her ear as she let her phone go and happily started cutting more rose stalks for the order that day.
"How are you?"
"I'm good. Er, who is this?" Rukia stopped cutting and frowned slightly in confusion.
"That's good. I just called for a while. Goodbye."
"Hey-
The line went dead. Rukia looked at her phone, puzzled.
Who was that?
Byakuya put down his sleek cordless office phone, his other hand clutching his mobile displaying his address book numbers.
Her voice.
She sounded happy and jovial, so different from the girl he had in his arms so many nights before. Byakuya tried to picture how she would look right now. She would be smiling, her eyes shining in happiness. She sounded busy, so she would be doing something which probably required both hands. Cooking, perhaps? He imagined her working over an oven, as she kept her mobile phone between her shoulders and ear as she talked to him. The image fitted perfectly.
Byakuya reached out a long arm and pulled his lower drawer open. He took out his wallet and flipped it open. Her picture smiled back at him behind the clear high-quality plastic.
Rukia.
And in the privacy of his rich office suite, Byakuya smiled for the first time that day.
xXxXx
"Great food! See ya everyone!" Rukia waved and smiled. It was after supper, and her friends were starting to make their way off to their respective destinations. Shinji and Hiyori were helping up a drunken Grimmjow who was shouting obscenities at every lamppost they tottered past. Orihime, Ishida and Chad were going to review some coursework later at the dorms that night.
"You are not coming in tonight?" Nel smiled at Rukia.
"Don't think so, you will have the unit to yourself. I need to take care of Otousan for a bit this time."
"Okay, take care. And tell him I said hi!" Nel waved and ran off to join Orihime and the boys.
"Shall I walk you home?" Rukia looked up at Ichigo's voice.
"No, that's okay. I mean-
"RUKIA-SAN!"
Rukia turned at the familiar voice.
"Hanataro!" The three exchanged cordial greetings before the petite raven-haired girl turn to the orange-haired boy. "You go on ahead, it's already very late and you don't want to be tired for class next day. I can walk with Hanataro, I was thinking about getting some chewies at the store nearby anyway."
"Okay then. Good night, Rukia. Hanataro." Ichigo smiled and headed off down the lane.
Rukia watched him for a bit before falling into step beside Hanataro as they walked back home.
"How are you, Rukia-san?"
"I am good! How are you?"
"Good, good." They stopped outside a convenience store with a bright yellow ATM next to it.
"I will get you the chewies, Rukia-san." Hanataro smiled as he watched Rukia head to the ATM to withdraw some money.
"It's okay. I can get it. I'm supposed to withdraw some money for the shop and grocery expenses anyway." Rukia smiled as she keyed in her PIN.
"Yeah, and maybe you can treat… Rukia-san, what's wrong?" Hanataro hurriedly walked behind her, his face earnest in concern.
For Rukia had fell back slightly from the machine, her eyes fixed on the screen and her cheeks white as if she had just seen a ghost. Hanataro peered over her shoulder worriedly.
"NO WAY!"
xXxXx
Byakuya kissed the woman, pressing down on her. She was not high-pitched but… it all seemed not right. Nothing was right.
He kissed her some more… and those lips were definitely lush and seductive but… no, he did not like them. Instead, he found himself thinking of small, soft ones, pink like the first blush on one's cheek and so unyielding at first before eventually parting to allow him to taste her inside.
He kissed the woman harder, moving his lips fiercely down her neck as she moaned. It was good, this was how it should be. But it was not… not what he wanted somehow. This woman had a smooth neck and obviously perfumed herself well, the scent was alluring. But he found himself... not wanting it. He wanted to run his lips down that thin fair column of hers, feeling her slowly arch her neck back despite her best resistance, and the soft gasp that escaped from her as his tongue flicked out onto her skin. He remembered the scent of her neck. She did not use perfume, yet there was a soothingly familiar floral scent in her skin embodied with the lavender body bath she had immersed herself in, that drove him crazy.
He reached out and harshly massaged the woman's breasts, inciting more moans. This woman had an enormous bosom and fleshy breasts. But yet, what was right would be those small breasts that fitted snugly in his palm and to hear her gasp as he caressed her. To feel the delightful pink pearl pucker up underneath his fingers. To pleasure her.
What was right was to kiss… her.
What was right was to touch… her.
What was right was to make love… to her.
Byakuya groaned in frustration and withdrew his lips and hands from the woman below him.
"What's the matter?" She got up, and looked at him in confusion.
"Get out. I am done."
"Huh?"
"You heard me right."
Byakuya reached for his black night robe and belted it up as the woman got up from the bed, miffed. Without another word, she marched out of the room stark naked and wolf whistles followed her down the corridor, a purposeful act to make Byakuya realize what he was potentially missing.
And he did not even care. The faster she was out of the room, the better.
Byakuya put his hands to his head and leaned back into the soft bed. He closed his eyes as he turned his face to the ceiling.
What was wrong with him? That woman was sexy and voluptuous, he could have done anything with her… and also feed from her human energy force. He had never denied himself like this before. What was wrong?
But as Byakuya lay there on the bed with his eyes closed, the reason quickly became apparent. Became crystal clear.
It wasn't because he did not want to have sex.
It wasn't because that woman wasn't sexy or desirable enough.
It was because it was not what he wanted to be having, or rather... who he wanted to be having.
The images immediately flashed into his mind. He saw himself glistening with sweat as he moved fiercely, going deeper into her as her small hands moved desperately over his own body. He saw her expressive violet eyes, so filled with raw desire for him as she looked up at him. The thought of seeing her wanting him so much made something hot and powerful stir within Byakuya. He heard her call out his name in her throaty voice, felt her small body tremble and move beneath his, powerless to him.
His eyes closed, Byakuya lay there in the bedroom as he felt his entire body throb in desire… for her.
Rukia.
xXxXx
"NO WAY!"
Rukia could not believe her eyes even as she heard Hanataro shout. No. This was impossible. She must have logged into the wrong account.
Because this was impossible.
But there it was… her name, Ukitake Rukia. And her account number.
But it was an impossible amount of savings, despite the leftovers from her past deposit. She had never had this much money in her life, had never even seen this much. But there the digits were on the electronic screen, in her name, her account. The amount in Japanese yen that could be enough to start an enormous business, or go traveling around the world for a few years.
"Rukia-san, I didn't know you were banking in THAT much! How much actually did you earn that night?"
Rukia whirled around to look at Hanataro, her heart pounding. "W-What do you mean?"
"Did you forget, Rukia-san? The night you went out to look for a job for your Otousan's hospital fee? The next morning, you sent me a message asking me for your account number. I naturally assumed you were going to bank in more money from your pay!"
As Hanataro spoke, Rukia whipped out her silver mobile and flipped it open with trembling hands. She opened her outbox and scrolled down to the past 2 weeks timepoint.
The time she did not want to relive ever again…
And then she saw it.
Rukia stared at the message in dumbfounded silence. The message that no finger of hers had typed.
'I forgot my bank account number, could you give it to me again? Some demon must have come over me.'
xXxXx
I hope you liked this chapter! :) It's short but like I said, it is a progressive chapter before the exciting one! I hoped I still made it good enough. :) I hope to see you all soon!
Excited for the next? *wink* The exciting part is coming soon enough. Both Byakuya and Rukia are just unable to run away from each other here, aren't they? :D And this time in my story, she has a much broader range of friends = Shinigami, Espada, Vizards, humans... can't get better than that, right? XD
Do please review and tell me what you think! :D