Hello my lovelies!

Thank you all for being patient with me. I am going to try my best to update this story more frequently!

As always, your wonderful comment keep me motivated.

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Chapter 12

Rukia was exhausted.
It had been a long fucking week. She had closed the suburban murder case-the husband had been charged with homicide and domestic abuse. She had been to court twice this week, thus backlogging her paperwork-which she stayed late to finish. And today she been assigned a new case-a male body fished out of the river, severely bloated and extremely difficult to look at.

When she wasn't at the precinct, she was sleuthing around, trying to find any trace of the Menos. By now, she had gone through most of the old case files, but it she was sure she was wasting her time with that. She was sorely tempted to just check the police database but she wouldn't risk it just yet. So, she had been tailing the Hollows whenever her informant had found their location.

So far, her stalking had yielded no useful information. The hollows seemed to be just runners. If she could just figure out how they received their orders, she would be closer to her target.

And then, in the midst of her double life, she had to contend with her confusing feelings for one Ichigo Kurosaki.

She knew she was attracted to him-stupidly so.
But that wasn't the problem. Attraction was fine; normal even.

However, while they worked very well together, they still argued over most things and that made her want to bash him over the head.
But then sometimes, she would catch him staring her and she would blush like a school girl. Or she'd be standing too close and his ears would go pink.
And then she'd smile because she thought it was cute. Then he'd smile at her-actually smile at her- and it made her heart beat in a way that felt like it was more than just attraction.

And then she would be back to wanting to smack him for making her feel like that.

It was all very confusing.

When she got home that night, she kicked off her shoes and flopped face-down on the couch. She would shower in a minute, she told herself, as she closed her eyes.

But she kept seeing that horribly swollen body behind her eyelids. You would think that after years of this work, of all the putrid things she saw on a regular basis, she would be desensitized to it, but some cases, some corpses-like this one-haunted her.

Still flat on the couch, she stared at the blank TV. She knew she should eat, but just the thought of food made her feel sick.
She wondered if Kurosaki would feel like this. He wasn't with her at the crime scene, and by the time she had returned to the precinct that afternoon, he was gone.

She wondered if he would be working the case with her; wondered whether he'd want to; wondered what type of girl he liked. She imagined that he would prefer someone kind, and soft, and wholesome-someone beautiful like spring.

She sighed, wishing, not for the first time in her life, that she was those things. But fate had never once allowed her to soften her edges.

Suddenly, her front door swung opened.
At the sound, Rukia shot up from the coach only to find Rangiku waltzing in, looking resplendent in an emerald green cocktail dress with matching heels, her hair immaculately styled in big loose curls. She looked like a movie star.

'You look stunning. Where are you going?' she asked her friend. It wasn't uncommon for Rangiku to just barge in, but usually it was just for take-out and gossip in sweatpants.

'WE, my dearest, are going out,' Rangiku said, grabbing Rukia by the arm and leading her to the bathroom.

'Huh? On a Thursday night?'

Rangiku gave her a concerned look, and spoke slowly like she was speaking to a child.

'It's Friday, sweetie. And on Friday nights, hot people like us go out and enjoy ourselves.'

Friday? She was so out of it that she couldn't keep her days straight anymore, it seemed.

'And if you refuse,' Rangiku continued as they stopped at the bathroom door, 'I will create profiles for you on every dating app I can find, and I WILL set up dates for you in the precinct for everyone to see.'

Rangiku then shoved Rukia into the bathroom and said, 'Remember to shave!' as she shut the door.

Even though Rukia wanted nothing more than to just zone out in front of the tv in her favourite pyjamas, she knew Rangiku would do exactly as she threatened, so she showered and shaved as quick as she could.
When she was done, she headed to her room where Rangiku had already laid a dress out on her bed, and was digging around for shoes to match. The dress a pale blue tube number that hemmed at her knees, with a high slit on her right side-she had bought it on a whim a while ago but never had any reason to wear it.

From the closest, Rangiku pulled out a pair of strappy nude heels and a shiny silver purse that Rukia had forgotten she had.
'We need to leave in the next ten minutes to meet the others, so hurry up. Please.' Rangiku said, then left Rukia to get dressed before she could ask who 'the others' were.

Exactly ten minutes later, Rukia walked out of her room, looking more confident than she felt. She had run a flat iron through her hair, and thrown on some red lipstick and eyeliner. She added a pair of silver dangly earrings and hoped it would be enough to appeased Rangiku's stylish sensibilities.

'You look amazing!' Rangiku squealed, then she added, more seriously, looking at Rukia's arm 'You know, you don't always have to cover that scar up. I think it looks badass.'

'I just don't feel like telling that particular story tonight,' Rukia said, slipping her police badge into her purse.

Rangiku then hugged her tight and said, her voice tender like a mother's, 'One day, I hope you find someone who will help you heal from all the things that you don't tell me about.'

Rukia smiled as her friend excitedly tugged her out the door. Maybe a night out was exactly what she needed.

Rangiku had brought her to a swanky rooftop lounge-the type that had romantic lighting and plush, velvet seating. On a low stage, a gorgeous woman sang about love in a sultry voice, her hips swaying to the music.

'Oh, there they are!' Rangiku exclaimed, pointing to a seating area to right of the stage.

'Shit,' Rukia said, when her eyes landed on wild, orange hair.
She suddenly felt nervous and self-conscious.

'You know,' Rangiku started, 'tonight would be a good night for you two to work out your issues.'

'Would you drop that?' She was already having a hard time reconciling her inclination toward Kurosaki. She didn't need Rangiku adding fuel to that fire.

'Nope,' she said with devilish glee as they walked toward their friends. Rukia counted Chad next to Kurosaki on the long coach, and opposite a coffee table, sat Yumichika and Uryu.

Rukia steeled herself as she neared Kurosaki. He looked devastatingly handsome in a black button-down and black trousers. She tried not to fidget with her clothes when she noticed the way his eyes lingered on her.

'Alright, I told you I'd get her here,' Rangiku told Yumichika who grumbled as he handed her a few notes.

'You brought me here to win a bet?' Rukia turned to her friend, who didn't even bother looking even the slightest bit guilty as she slipped her winnings into her purse

'Well, yes, but you also needed to get out that house and live a little.' Rangiku gently guided Rukia to the seat next to Kurosaki, and then gracefully lounged next to Yumichika. Rukia narrowed her eyes at Rangiku, who mischievously blew her a kiss.

Rukia rolled her eyes and crossed her legs as she leaned back into the couch.

'My my, Rukia,' Yumichika said playfully at the sight of her exposed leg.

Rukia's first instinct was to uncross her legs, but she glanced at Kurosaki and saw that his ears had turned bright pink.

Good! she thought. If she was feeling awkward and nervous, then would have to feel that way too!

'Oh, I invited Orihime and Tatsuki. They wanted to hangout to tonight so I told them to meet us here,' Uryu told the group. Rukia remembered them from Kojima's party.

'The more the merrier,' Rangiku clapped, then beckoned a waiter over. Rangiku took it upon herself to order for everyone, their protests falling on deaf ears when she ordered the strongest drink on the menu.

Their drinks came and Rukia let her sit on the table as the others sipped theirs and scrunched their faces at the taste.

'Ugh, that's awful,' Rangiku said, taking another sip, 'but in a good way.'

Yumichika nodded along, then gulped his drink and signalled to their waiter for two more.

Rukia watched as Rangiku and Yumichika got into a spirited conversation about who had the worst drinking habits. Then her gaze shifted to Uryu and Chad who were chatting across the table.

'So,' Kurosaki said, breaking the awkward silence between them, 'I checked out our new case before I got here. The pictures are gruesome. He must have been in the water for quite some time.'

'It worse than those pictures could ever capture,' she replied, hiding her relief that they were still working together. 'Poor Ashido threw up when he saw the body at the crime scene.'

'Ashido? That kid that's been following you all week?' Kurosaki asked with one eyebrow raised.

'He isn't following me. He's doing his job.'

'Excuse me,' interjected Rangiku, 'Who is Ashido? And why is this the first I am hearing of him?'

'He's Kuchiki's new pet,' Kurosaki teased with an annoying grin.

Rukia punched him on the arm. Hard.

'Ow! I bet you don't treat Ashido this way,' Kurosaki whined as he clutched his bicep.

'Hi, Ichigo,' came a soft, girlish voice. Rukia looked up to see his friend Orihime staring at him, with Tatsuki by her side.

'Oh, hey,' he replied casually.

'Guys, make some room,' Rangiku ordered and everyone scooched down to make space for them.

'Here, sit,' Rukia said and escaped to Rangiku's side. There was no way she was going to sit pressed next to Kurosaki.

Throughout the night, Rukia noticed the way Orihime sidle up against Kurosaki, noticed the way her hand rested on his thigh when she spoke, saw the way she smiled at him-like he was the sun in her galaxy.
She also saw the way he smiled back at Orihime.

With an odd twist in her chest, Rukia slipped away silently.

She headed to the bathroom, and it was empty, thankfully. In front of the large mirror, she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly-just like she had been taught to do back in the Kuchiki mansion. She pulled her lipstick out of her purse and applied a fresh coat. Staring at her reflection, she could help but compare herself to Orihime.

She was beautiful too, she knew-but not like Orihime with her doll-like features and voluptuous shape. Orihime was exactly the type of woman that she assumed Kurosaki liked.

And lucky for him, it was obvious that he was her type too.

It was just as well, Rukia reasoned. If he started dating someone, especially someone as lovely as Orihime, then she would be rid of these feelings.

And her life could go back to normal.

Rukia pushed her shoulders back, the picture of cool confidence once more, and made her back to her friends.

As she neared their seating area, she noticed that only Orihime and Kurosaki remained. She looked around the rooftop and spotted Tatsuki and the guys at the bar, and Rangiku at another table talking to a handsome silver-haired man.

Rukia didn't feel like company anymore, so she found an empty double seat at the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the street.
She sat and crossed her legs comfortably now that no one could stare.
She tilted her head back and stared up at the night sky.

'Hey,' a familiar, deep voice drew her eyes away from the stars.

'Hey,' she replied, blinking up at him.

'What are you doing all the way here?' Kurosaki asked, taking up the space next to her. He turned his body toward hers, propping his elbow on the backrest.

'I didn't want to interrupt,' she told him, looking into his twinkling eyes.

'Oh,' was all he said, as he rested his head in his palm.

'You should get back to her' Rukia said, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears.

'I'd rather stay here with you,' he said, without any hint of humour.

He was serious, she realized.

'Oh,' she echoed, unable to look away from him.

His eyes dropped to her bare leg, then slowly rose up to her mouth.

Rukia couldn't think or breath or move.

His eyes returned to hers and there was a heat in them that wasn't there before. And she was so sure that that same heat reflected in her own gaze.

'Rukia, I-'

'Ichigo?'

The two of them turned slowly, as if looking away from each was a painful thing to do.

Orihime stood before them with confused expression on her face.

Rukia cleared her throat and stood up a little too quickly. She grabbed her pursed and said, 'I'm going to go find Rangiku.'

As she walked away, she ran her fingers through her hair, and took in a shallow breath as the sound of her name in his velvety voice echoed in her mind.

Ichigo knew that if Orihime hadn't interrupted them, he would have kissed her.
And he wouldn't have cared that they were in public, or that their friends and co-workers were close by.
The minute he set eyes on her that night, his heart had stopped completely. The dress she wore was absolutely sinful. It was unfair the way it accentuated her icy beauty; how her bare leg kept catching his attention.

But it was the way that she had looked at him that truly undid him; that made him say her first name out loud.

In quiet of his apartment, Ichigo decided that he would risk it.
The next time he saw her, he would ask her out to a nice dinner where he would tell her how he felt, and then he would kiss her senseless.

And hopefully, it would be the start of something that could last a lifetime.