Sugar and Spice – Chapter 3
Semi-Sweet Carrot Top
Ichigo was licking his fingers clean after he'd devoured that delectable chocolate mousse Byakuya had made, when the café door jingled. A man with wild, tousled blue hair entered pushing a dolly loaded with what looked like baking supplies. He wore dark blue pants and a zip-up jacket of the same colour. There was a logo on his right breast pocket that read Jeagerjaques Supplies Ltd.
The man was striking and well fit with bright eyes as azure blue as his hair. But his handsome features were sullied as soon as the man opened his mouth.
"Grimmjow, your reliable delivery man is here," he announced cockily his eyes landing on Ichigo. "And I always come on time." He chuckled roguishly.
Byakuya actually groaned, but only loud enough for Ichigo to hear it.
"That would be false advertisement since you are two hours late," Byakuya quipped curtly. "I was told I would be the first delivery today. Maybe it is time I find a new service."
The blue-haired man looked dramatically hurt. "Aww Byakuya, you're always so cruel to me." He eyeballed the café and sighed with relief. "I see the sister isn't around at the moment. Talk about perfect timing! She always yells at me and accuses me of harassing you. Whatever... we need more of this one-on-one time, sweet thing."
Ichigo stood watching the interaction between Byakuya and Grimmjow with raised eyebrows.
The deliveryman rolled the contents around the counter and stacked them on the other end, whistling as he did. When he emptied the dolly, he headed for the entrance to get another load.
"So when are we going to have that tickle fight, Byakuya?" Grimmjow was smirking with utmost bedevilment.
Ichigo was amazed to see the crests of the baker's cheeks turn pink and the nastiest scowl crawl over his handsome face. This delivery guy... what the hell?
"Don't you have a job to do?" Byakuya nearly snarled at the man.
Grimmjow placed an arrogant gaze on Ichigo and explained in his extreme way. "All I want is to rock that man's world, but I'd rock yours too, if you like? Hell, what about one of those French thingies—us three dudes. I dig it." And he didn't stop there. He looked over at the blushing baker. "Damn, Byakuya... this is one cute new assistant you got here." His eyes went to Ichigo. "What's your name, carrot top?"
The assistant bellowed instantly. "My name is Ichigo, not 'carrot top'!"
Disgusted, Byakuya glared daggers at the deliveryman.
"Pfft, you two are no fun," Grimmjow complained sadly as he went outside to his truck.
Byakuya went over to the coffee station and tossed a genmaicha green tea bag into a white café mug with a sigh. "It would seem Grimmjow has forgotten his medication today. Would you like some tea, Ichigo?" he offered pleasantly, filling his cup with hot water, acting like this was an everyday occurrence.
"He takes medication?" Ichigo asked seriously.
"It was a joke." Byakuya replied evenly. He prepared a cup for Ichigo anyways.
It took a few seconds to kick in. This guy made a joke? Ichigo laughed. "No kidding, there's something really wrong with that guy."
"Indeed." Byakuya could not have agreed more and handed Ichigo a hot cup with the tea bag still inside steeping.
Ichigo took the cup with two hands. Ack! It was so hot he set it down on the countertop quickly. "Thanks, Byakuya."
The deliveryman came back with more supplies, still wearing his cocky grin. "Well, this is the last of it." He slapped an invoice on the glass countertop for a signature, and dropped rest of the stuff next to the first pile.
Byakuya took a pen out from the tiny pocket on the left sleeve of his chef coat and scribbled his signature on the invoice.
When Grimmjow came back around, he picked up his copy of the invoice and winked at Byakuya as he gave him his copy. "The offer still stands for that ride in my truck, ya know."
"I'd rather die," Byakuya muttered tersely.
For some reason this only caused Grimmjow to chuckle. "You break my heart." He went to the door and pushed it open and then he turned around. "Till next time, beautiful."
Nonplussed by all of that, Byakuya turned his back and calmly sipped his tea holding the cup with both his hands.
"What an asshole," Ichigo said in disbelief, watching the delivery truck drive away. He picked up his own cup of tea and brought to his lips.
Byakuya scoffed and said with such cold reserve, "I believe that is what Rukia calls a 'horn dog'."
Ichigo spit out a mouthful of tea.
After Rukia ate lunch and returned to work the front, and the supplies were put away, Byakuya and Ichigo got to have their lunch. It turned out that while Ichigo had been busy with the strawberries and such, Byakuya had prepared some steamed rice and vegetables without his knowing.
It was hard for Ichigo to believe since he was always sort of conscience of where his new boss was or what he was doing. Even though Ichigo was working too, he still found it hard to keep his eyes off the man. So far, he wasn't sure what to think about all of this. He was happy to be working again, happy to be busy. But he knew the only reason he was working here now was because of his instant crush on the raven-haired baker.
However, that crush was now guarded. Byakuya was a stone. He was difficult to read or predict. He barely looked happy, he talked so impersonally—even when he was telling a joke, and he was always looking at him as if he was a dunce.
Moreover, it was possible that Byakuya was a taken man.
Ichigo had to be careful.
As he watched Byakuya dousing his food with hot sauce, he smiled to himself remembering what he'd said to Ishida last night about the cayenne pepper. I knew it! The man had a quirky edge to him that was subtle, but it was there and he seemed to work very hard at protecting it. Ichigo recalled the way he'd grabbed his hands earlier and how tenderly Byakuya studied his fingers with the pad of his thumbs. It seemed as though Byakuya was telling him something different altogether, as if he were flirting with him.
What a total conundrum. What was Byakuya's deal?
Ichigo wasn't about to give up yet. He felt compelled to learn more about this proud chef. Besides, this cooking business was somewhat interesting, he had already learned so many things. Until he found an office job, he'd give his best at this one.
No matter what Byakuya threw at him, he'd prove to the man he wasn't a quitter.
When he looked over at Byakuya, who was leaning with his back against the dishwasher, opposite of where he stood, he caught cool grey eyes watching him. Ichigo quickly looked down at his food. He felt a blush coming on. Gah!
Ichigo started to shovel the food into his mouth.
Byakuya added an extra squirt of hot sauce before he set the bottle aside, amused by his new baking assistant and his tiny blush. It should be illegal to have assistants this adorable, he thought.
"So you have taken schooling to become an accountant?" Byakuya questioned with uncertainty. Somehow, he couldn't picture this young man doing menial office work. He picked up a vegetable gracefully between his chopsticks and moved it to his mouth.
Ichigo looked over, surprised to hear the man speaking to him. "Yeah, I thought it would be a good money-making career. But as I told your sister, I haven't been able to find a position, no one is calling me. I'm lucky I only spent two years in school."
The pastry chef nodded. "Then why did you come to work here? Why not something else...?"
Unable to look Byakuya in the eye, Ichigo flustered a little. "I—I saw the help wanted sign." He lied. I saw you and I just had to come in and talk to you. Maybe get to know you. But you're so confusing and you probably hate me. "I need to pay off my student loan. I needed to get off my ass." He explained most of it honestly.
"I see."
There was silence while both men continued to eat their lunch. When Byakuya was finished, he placed his dish on a rack that would be sent through the dishwasher. He wandered to the fridge and came back out with a slab of buttercream layered vanilla opera cake, setting the tray down on the counter Ichigo was leaning on as he continued to finish his lunch.
From a drawer underneath Byakuya pulled out a large chef knife and began portioning the slab of the multi-layered cake.
When he was done with lunch, Ichigo went over to the dishwasher and cleaned up all the dishes that had accumulated from the day. After that, he wandered back over to Byakuya, still unsure what he should be doing. He watched the man working. Once again, Byakuya was wearing that dedicated look of concentration—the same one Ichigo saw last night as he dusted his pretty pastries with powdered sugar.
The way Byakuya worked, he made this job seem so easy.
"I would like if you came back to work for me tomorrow." Byakuya broke the heavy silence again.
Ichigo nearly gaped. "You would?" he asked surprised. He swallowed thickly.
"I can't promise you that the work will be simple. The hours can be long. We close at seven and the café is closed on Sunday and Monday." Byakuya explained as he wiped the knife off on a towel after each and every cut.
An exciting thrill coursed through Ichigo's veins. "I would really like to come back and work for you then. I'll do my best."
Byakuya remained silent.
"What can I do for you now?" the assistant wondered.
"There are some blocks of fifty-two percent in a bucket on the bottom shelf over there. I would like if you chopped four kilos. Use a bread knife," the chef ordered.
"Fifty-two percent...? You're talking about chocolate, right?"
"I am."
"Yes, chef," Ichigo said goofily and went off to find the chocolate.
Byakuya shook his head.
By the end of the day, Ichigo's hands and arms never hurt so much. Ichigo rubbed his thumbs into his own aching palms.
"How are you doing, Ichigo?" Byakuya asked calmly as he took two baked cakes out of the oven. He noticed his new assistant was looking a little worn out.
"I'll live." Ichigo's cinnamon brown eyes shifted over to Byakuya. He watched the man slide a baking sheet on the tall roll rack.
"Give it a week and it will not hurt as much, I assure you." Byakuya told him.
Before he could stop himself, Ichigo teased. "I bet that's what you say to all the guys." He surprised even himself by his raunchy comment, but now, he didn't care as much. He was too tired, sore, and beginning to feel grumpy.
Byakuya's cool gaze lingered on the younger man mysteriously. "Perhaps, to a few," he said with a hint of playfulness.
Immediately, Ichigo felt his cheeks grow red-hot. The man did not just say... He scoffed and busied himself with his sweeping the floor, only now he moved a little faster. Of all the men or women he'd ever met or dated, which wasn't very many, never had one created this kind of effect on him. Never had one person caused him to fluster so fierce. Byakuya was just too sexy for his own damn good. Somehow, Ichigo thought the man knew it with retorts like that.
"I'm all done cleaning up the front. So, how are you guys doing?" Rukia spoke as she came into the kitchen.
Both men were eerily silent. Ichigo swept the floor with a silly look on his face, eyes glued to the floor and Byakuya didn't even notice she'd entered the kitchen.
"Hey! Ignoring someone is rude!" She hollered at them.
"I apologize, Rukia. Is there anything else I need to do before we leave?" Ichigo asked her, unable to look her in the eye yet because his face still felt warm.
She looked over at her brother. "Nii-sama...?"
"No, that should be all," he said and looked at his sister. "Are you already finished the end-of-day reports?"
She nodded, "Yup." Her violet eyes landed on Ichigo. "So, how was your first day? Will you be back tomorrow?"
This time Ichigo smiled. "Yeah, I'm coming back tomorrow, Byakuya already asked me to."
The dark-haired woman smiled back, and then she looked at her brother suspiciously.
"That's great! Then I will put you on the payroll tomorrow morning. Right now, I'm outta here." She laughed and headed for the back room, removing her apron as she went. "Can't stand another minute on my feet," she complained as she disappeared down the hall.
Byakuya showed Ichigo where all the turn-off switches were for the lights and the oven, and then they too, joined Rukia in the office to leave. By the time they got there, Rukia was on her phone talking to her husband, Renji.
She waved absentmindedly at them as she left the room already in her long black coat and tall leather boots, keys jangling from one of her tiny fingers that also held her phone to her ear.
"No you silly boob I said I hated that movie those clowns freak me out. We're watching something else." Rukia's voice faded as she made her way out of the café.
Byakuya and Ichigo silently removed their chef coats until the dark-haired chef saw Ichigo's t-shirt that read 'truth or dare?' on it.
He couldn't stop himself, he chose. "Truth..."
Confused, Ichigo went, "Huh?" Until he saw, Byakuya's eyes were on his shirt. He chuckled roguishly. "If you choose truth then I get to ask you any question and you have to tell the truth."
"Very well, then."
Suddenly put on the spot, Ichigo wondered what he wanted to know about the man. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but Ichigo didn't want this guy to think he was simply here to check him out. Yet again, it was as if Byakuya was baiting him, recklessly asking him for the truth. Should he just come out and tell him he's attracted to him, or should he ask something a little more neutral?
Ichigo felt his palms grow sweaty again. The options were endless.
What did he really want to know? He thought about it, humming and hawing a little until his eyes landed on the pictures on the desk. He figured it out.
"Tell me about those photos on your desk." Ichigo said, pulling his purple hoodie off the hook.
It was clear on Byakuya's face that it wasn't the kind of question he expected Ichigo to ask him. However, he answered directly. "That is a picture of my father and me in front of Kuchiki Enterprises, a brokerage firm where I used to work and is operated by my grandfather and father. It is a family business." Almost sadly, Byakuya glanced at the next photo before he looked back at Ichigo. "The other is of my late wife, Hisana. She is also Rukia's sister. She passed away six years ago."
Stricken, Ichigo immediately lowered his head. "Oh, I'm sorry," he murmured, now feeling like a jerk for asking.
Byakuya hung up his chef whites and plucked his leather jacket off the back of the chair, shrugging it on over his shoulders. Then, he picked up a hidden motorcycle helmet that Ichigo hadn't noticed from under the desk. "It is not your fault, it was I who chose 'truth' after all," he replied.
There was a moment of weakness in Byakuya's voice. A tone Ichigo hadn't heard from the man once since he met him. And it was all it took. At that moment, he knew—he knew that there was an extraordinary person under the mask that he wore. And Ichigo was determined to get a peek underneath it.
"You may leave now," Byakuya told his new employee, his cool tone and manner back in place. "I'll just be a few minutes."
Ichigo nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for everything, Kuchiki Byakuya." He headed for the door and turned around. "See you tomorrow morning. Have a nice night."
The pastry chef simply stared at Ichigo for a moment. What a puzzling person. Ichigo had used his full name with all the proper etiquette he could have asked for. "Yes, tomorrow. Do not forget the notebook," he reminded. "There will be much to learn."
"Oh, I won't." Ichigo replied with a grin. "You can count on me."
A/N: It's so great to get some positive feedback on this story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Teehee... Grimmjow the pervy delivery man. Yup, I used him from my other one-shot fic called Going Down? and same with the use of Byakuya's family business, Kuchiki Enterprises. It was fun for me to do that. Also, Grimmjow's character here is totally inspired by a real-life delivery man I know-he's a freaking perv! Not as bad as Grimmjow mind you, but *rolls eyes* he's ridiculous! lol! And yes, I LOVE the idea of Byakuya on a motorcycle XD! I'm a wretched fangirl, I know *sweatdrop*
I hope you continue to enjoy! What's up with this site and making all my stuff Italic? Grr. Sorry if there are any large chunks of text in Italic. I fix it when I catch it.
Reviewers: Thank you to anyone that added this fic to your favs or follow or alerts. Like all my fic postings I like to reply back with my updated chapters.
Paradise Eden: Oh! You're comments are very inspiring. Thank you so much. I really wanted to try something different for Bya/Ichi, even if it scares me a little to post it. So happy you're liking it so far.
setsunai: Oh yesh for Bya/Ichi lemons lol! I decided to have Ishida be Ichigo's good friend in this fic. There isn't confusion though, there won't be any Ishida/Ichigo, I'm sorry if that's bad news for you. However, you've definitely picked up on Ishida's behaviour. He's closet bi-curious, he just can't admit it yet. Hehe. I'm going to help him out -maybe- somewhere down the fic. I'm still plotting that idea out. Thanks very much for leaving a comment.
heriyandi kurosaki: Cooking is my life lol! Cakes are very yummy indeed. Thank you for your comments and I'm happy you're enjoying the story.
imastrawberryIchigo: Hehe! Your review made me giggle! Aww, I don't write for the reviews but it is nice to see what people think. Yeah... Byakuya is a bit pervy in this fic and so is Ichigo. Yesh! That's so cool that you can imagine Bya as a chef! That makes me happy! *hugs* Thanks so much for your comments hun.
Usamimi chan:U-chan! It's delights me so to know I have you laughing. YAY! I know, right. Bya and chocolate mousse-eating Ichigo. It makes my nosebleed, too! That is why it MUST be written. Just so you know, that whole lemon juice tip is true *winks* hehe. Never be sorry for long reviews because you're sharing awesome thoughts and I love that. Sometimes I feel like I'm the rambling fool but apparently I'm not alone lol! *teases* OMGOSH! I love that you think that Byakuya thinks Ichi is cute even in Bleach. You are a true fangirl *luvs* I think you're right, too. Or maybe I'm seeing things that only I believe is there...hmm. I dun care! I'll take it! Both are sinfully gorgeous. Thanks so much hun for leaving such tasty comments.
ctofi1: I may be Canadian but I don't speak much French except for when it comes to cooking terms and names. C'est la vie. lol! *goes to the translator* OH! thanks so much for favouriting hun! I'm so happy you like the story. Merci!
WhiteEnsigma: Haha, well I do believe Renji can be a real pervert. I also think Byakuya and Ichigo can be as well lol! Mentally frustrated cute Bleach boys are funs! HAHA! Thanks for your comments!