Hiii

Happy Holidays, darlings!

Sorry in advance for any errors.

Mwah

Chapter 6

It was the dead of the night and Rukia was sitting on the hard ground, bleeding and exhausted. This was not how she had expected things to go. Earlier, on the case with Kurosaki, she had received a crucial tip. She had almost bailed on the case to prepare, but that would have been too suspicious. As it were, Kurosaki had picked up on her anxiousness. If anyone at the station found out what she was up to, she would be kicked out of the force immediately and possibly arrested. She knew involving Renji was risky, but she had no choice. It would be worse if someone she didn't know found her here. She just had to hope that he would believe whatever lie she told.

While she waited for him, she peeled back her t-shirt to examine the wound. In the dim light of an old lamppost, she studied the shallow slice across the left side of her abdomen. It could have been worse. Luckily, she had noticed the knife just in time to draw back and lessen the blow. She pressed her gloved hand back onto the cut, trying to suppress the blood flow. She rested her head on the wall behind her and tried to pinpoint where it all went to hell. In all the time she had been doing this, this was the first time she had been injured so badly. Usually, it was small cuts and bruises; a torn muscle from time to time.
But she supposed it was worth it-she got the information she wanted.

Finally, she saw a car approaching.
Thank God!
However, Rukia was stunned when she made out the figure running toward her.
'Kuchiki? Are you alright? Shit, you're bleeding. What the fuck happened?' He had crouched to her level, his brow furrowed with concern.
'Kurosaki? What are you doing here? Did-did Renji send you?'
'No, you called me,' he said as he took in her wounded state.
'No, I called Renji…' she though back. She was sure she called Renji. Although, it was possible…Kurosaki had called her earlier to say that victim's ID bore no fingerprints.
Fuck.
'Doesn't matter, we have to get to a hospital,' Kurosaki said. He moved to carry her, but she batted his hands away.
'I'll walk,' she said stubbornly. She managed to push herself of the floor, gritting her teeth in pain. She took one slow step. Then another before Kurosaki picked her up, bridal style.
'Put me down! I can walk,' she protested as he covered the short distance to his car.
'Sure you can,' he sarcastically.
He placed her in the passenger seat, and quickly took the wheel.
'No hospitals,' she told him as he drove.
'Are you kidding me? You bleeding!'
As he made to turn into the road leading to Karakura General Hospital, she reached out and yanked the wheel toward her, making the car swerve violently.
'What the hell, Kuchiki?!' he exclaimed, regaining control of the vehicle.
'No hospitals!' she repeated. 'Just take me to my apartment. Please.'

She recited her address then closed her eyes against the pain and exhaustion. When she opened her eyes again, she expected to see the steps that lend to her home. But instead, they were parked in an underground lot.
'This isn't my apartment,' she told Kurosaki, as he opened the passenger door.
'No, it's mine. It's closer than yours,' he said, and took her in his arms again, pushing the door closed with his leg.
'Put me down! I'll walk!' she demanded.
Kurosaki didn't even respond. He just tightened his hold on her, and carried her to the elevator. Without letting her down, he hit the button for the fifth floor. Silence filled the small space. Rukia wasn't surprised that Kurosaki hadn't listened to her. She couldn't believe that she had called him, instead of Renji. Kurosaki definitely wouldn't believe any excuse she gave him. What would be worse was if he told the captain. She would have to worry about that later. Right now, her focus was ignoring the strong urge she had to rest her head on his shoulder. It didn't help that he only set down to fish his keys from his pocket. Even then, he kept a steadying arm around her. Once he unlocked the door, he picked her up again and took her to what she assumed was his bedroom. He gently put her down on the bed, reached into a cabinet and pulled out a hefty first aid kit and placed it beside her
'I'll be right back,' he told her. As soon as he left, she stood up quickly.
Bad idea, she though, as she winced in pain. As much as she wanted to sit, she didn't want her blood on Kurosaki's things. She turned to survey the mattress. Still clean, thank goodness.
Rukia then took a look around.
Kurosaki's room, like the rest of his apartment, was neatly organized. Only the bed remained messy, the duvet thrown aside. She spied a stack of books on the bedside table. She hadn't pegged him as a reader. In front of the stack was a digital clock that read 1:37am. She hadn't realized that was the time.
She had disturbed him from his sleep and he had come rushing when she called.
This realization made her feel strange, nervous almost.

When he came back, with a large bowl of water and some towels, she was still standing at the foot of his bed. He had now changed from the blood-stained t-shirt, to a grey tank top, his joggers riding low on his hips.
Rukia suddenly felt faint. She blamed it on the blood loss.
'Would you please lie down?' he said, tiredly, as he pulled out things from the first aid kit.
'I'm fine,' she said, 'And I can take of this myself.'
He gave her a disproving look, 'I don't think so, Kuchiki."
'Kurosaki-' she began, taking a step toward him. 'Aaah' she double over in pain, her hand clutching her side.
'Hey…,' Kurosaki said, his hands coming to support her.
'I'm fine, I'm fine,' she breathed through the pain, 'Just give me the needle.'
'Hell no. And we have to clean the wound first-which would be easier to do if would lie down.'
She imagined laying down on Kurosaki's bed, with him hovering over her abdomen.
Absolutely not!
'It would be easier if I did it myself,'
Kurosaki sighed, 'Would you just let me help you? Is that really such a difficult thing for you to do?'
He almost sounded hurt. But he was right. It was difficult for her to accept help. She had been doing things alone for so long that when someone was finally offering help, she didn't know what to do with it.
When she didn't respond, Kurosaki settled himself of the edge of the bed.
'I need you to lift your shirt.'
Begrudgingly, she did as she was told, stepping between his knees so that he could have better reach.
Silently, Kurosaki began wiping the blood away with warm water, one hand on her lower back to steady her. His hand was warm on her skin. Her heart thudded in her chest.
Its blood loss, she reminded herself.
'Are you sure don't want to lie down?' he asked again as he readied the needle and surgical thread. 'There's no anaesthesia, so it's really going to hurt…'
'I'm fine. I've been through worse.'
He gave her a look that was hard to place. It unsettled her, more than his hand on her bare skin did. She broke away from his gaze, instead looking up at the ceiling. Kurosaki bent closer as he made the first stitch.
'You can breathe, you know,' he told her. She hadn't even realized she was holding her breath.

As Kurosaki stitched her up, she got a good look at the top his head. His outrageous hair colour never failed to make her smile. Right now, though, she wanted to run her fingers through it, just to see if was as soft as it looked.
Blood loss!
She tore her gaze away, instead focusing on the way the muscles in his arm flexed as he worked.
She then noticed a thick scar on the back of his shoulder, peeping through his tank top.
'What's that scar on your shoulder?' she asked him.
'Oh, that happened in Hueco Mundo,' he said, his breath tickling her skin. Her grip on her shirt tightened.
'What happened?'
'One of the guys was pissed they had put me second in charge, so he stabbed me. It tore as we fought.'
'You never mentioned that in any of your stories'
'You were listening to those?'
'Maybe. How come you left this part out?'
'Everyone always wants to hear the good things. No one cares about the setbacks'
'It must have been difficult,'
'It..it was...'

Before she could respond, he said 'Done,' securing tape on the gauze over the stitches.
'Thank you,' she said awkwardly. She needed some space away from him. She didn't like the thoughts currently occupying her tired brain.
'Can I use your bathroom?'
'Sure.' He said, getting up to help her.
'I'm fine,' she said, and hurried away as quick as her wound allow.

Kurosaki's bathroom was pristine. There wasn't even a water mark on the mirror. Once she had closed the door behind her, she pulled of her shirt, and tossed in the sink. She pulled of her gloves too. She hadn't even realized she still had it on. She had a face mask too, she remembered. It must have fallen off somewhere.
Shit.
There was nothing she could do about that now. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair stuck out in all directions, and there were streaks off dried blood on her brow. She didn't even want to know what she smelled like to Kurosaki.
She ran the tap, watching the red run off the black clothes. She took her t-shirt and rinses it until the water squeezed out clear. She then used it to wipe the sweat and blood of her body. When she felt and looked a bit cleaner, she realized that she had nothing to wear. Like an idiot she was standing in his bathroom in her bra and pants. She cursed herself. Should she ask him for something to wear? Should she wear the wet, torn shirt? Should she just escape out the window? She would have done that if she wasn't so exhausted. She perched herself on the edge on the tub, contemplating what to do. At least the cut didn't hurt as much now that it was clean and bound.
There was a knock at the door. Then Kurosaki spoke,
'Er hey,' he sounded nervous. 'You can change into this...if you want.'
She opened the door just enough for her arm to fit through and grab what Kurosaki had for her.
'I don't have pants that will fit you…
'That's okay. This is fine.' She closed the door quickly.
She held up the garment he gave her-a large black t-shirt with a white rose printed on the front. She held it to her body. It would have to do.
As she slowly slipped out of her boots, Kurosaki spoke again.
'You should stay here tonight.'