Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Odalisque ❯ Chapter 36 ( Chapter 36 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any Bleach affiliates.

 

 

 

 

Odalisque

 

Chapter 36

 

The phone on her desk began to ring but Rukia ignored it. The shrill, piercing, cry hurled itself against her ears and she grimaced. Its petulance would have annoyed Rukia in any other circumstance.

 

But right now… it made her nervous.

 

“You know who it is,” she muttered to herself, her hand poised over the arm of the phone. “Don't seem too eager. He can wait a few more rings.”

 

Can you?

 

Her fingertips lightly brushed the top part of it and she shuddered lightly before looking over at the clock. It was only a little after two thirty. That alone let her know that it was most likely her pseudo-boyfriend on the line. She bit her lip and frowned. Still… if he had left with Inoue around twelve thirty... she swallowed and frowned again.

 

How far away did she live again?

 

She shook her head violently to shove out any unwanted thoughts. On the fourth ring, she lowered her hand enough to grip the phone and slowly slid it off of the cradle.

 

“Rukia Kuchiki speaking,” she said in a softly confident voice.

 

“Thank fucking God!”

 

A smile curled onto her face and a warm feeling fell into the pit of her stomach, “Hello Ichigo,” she said, not even trying to keep the grin out of her voice.

 

“You have no idea what I've been through in the past two hours!” He groaned, Rukia listened a bit more and thought she heard a radio in the background. A car beeped distantly as well, confirming her suspicions.

 

“Are you driving?” She demanded, leaning back in her chair and frowning, “Because driving when you're agitated and talking on the phone is just going to get you killed.”

 

“Thank you for the concern,” he spat out bitterly. “But right now I think I'd welcome death, or at least a new car.”

 

“Really?” She rolled her eyes, “You're going to go as far as that? Ichigo, she sat in your car, she didn't have sex in it.”

 

She'd better not. Or else someone is not going to see the light of day tomorrow.

 

Rukia could have hit herself in the head for that comment her brain dredged up. She knew that Ichigo would never touch Inoue like that. That just… well, it went against the laws of nature.

 

“Please don't put that imagery in my head. The only one who can have sex in my car is you…” he paused for a moment and Rukia raised an eyebrow. There was a slight pause before Ichigo grunted. “With me participating, of course,” he added gruffly and she had to bite back a chuckle, it was as if he had been reading her mind.

 

“I'd gladly acquiesce,” she grinned, “However, right now I am still at work and you are in your car going… somewhere.” She tried not to sound like that thought bothered her.

 

“I'm coming back to the office,” he stated bluntly and Rukia could have sworn that she heard a rather angry horn beeping in the background.

 

She frowned, “What? Why?”

 

“Because,” he grunted and Rukia heard tires squealing, “Aizen gave me the rest of the day off. I'm not taking it without you.”

 

Her heart started thudding wildly inside of her ribcage and she had to fight to swallow just so she wouldn't squeak on the phone. “But Mr. Aizen didn't give me the day off, just you.”

 

“So? I said I'm not taking it without you. We're part of a team, aren't we? If one part is gone then the other should be too. If Mr. Aizen wants to give me the day off he should give it to you too just so you don't sit there doing all of my work.”

 

“I do all of your work anyway,” Rukia told him in amusement. He snarled through the phone and she laughed. “Just kidding Ichigo… I could either kiss or kick you right now,” Rukia said, a wicked grin growing on her face.

 

“I'd prefer the former,” he sighed and she heard his car come to a squeaky stop. “The way I see it we can go do whatever the hell we want right now. Alright, I'm in the underground parking lot. Come out right now.”

 

“I don't know,” Rukia mused, teasing him purposefully but acting like it was the most serious thing in the world. “Leaving work early just doesn't seem right to me.”

 

“Rukia…” he growled.

 

She had to fight back a hilarious laugh but continued nonetheless, “I mean, consider the example we'd be setting for our other coworkers if they knew. The office policy strictly prohibits interoffice relationships.”

 

“We don't work for the same companies,” Ichigo pointed out, “As of right now, you work for Gotei Corp. and I work for Suigetsu Inc. We're not violating anything. And as for coworkers finding out, unless you told anyone then we should be safe.”

 

Her heart started to soar when she noticed that he hadn't refuted the fact that they were in a relationship.

 

“I don't know Ichigo,” she said monotonously, “Maybe it was that day we had desk sex. You do tend to sound like a howler monkey when you come.”

 

“If you do not get your ass down here in less than ten minutes I will come up and drag you away from that room.”

 

She raised both of her eyebrows at the blatant threat in his voice but fought back a grin. She didn't think she'd ever heard Ichigo's voice get that menacing before. It even made her a bit… well, proud to know that she could make him sound like that. The fact that he could want her so much that he'd threaten to drag her out of an office just so he could take her home and have his way with her was… amazing.

 

“I'll be down in ten.” She assured him with a smile.

 

“Good,” he grumbled, “Because I need you in this car soon. You need to wash away the Inoue aftertaste.”

 

After… taste?

 

“See you soon,” Rukia said, hanging up the phone quickly and grappling for whatever materials she would need for the weekend. She stuffed some papers, her laptop, and a few folders into her bag and hurriedly pulled on her jacket. She turned towards the door and opened it in one swift motion. She turned off the light, crossed over the threshold, and pulled the door shut behind her.

 

A wicked grin came over her features as she made her way out into the corridor. She sort of felt like a spy. She felt like she was sneaking out of an office after stealing valuable company information and going to meet her secret contact for an intimate rendezvous. She held in a chuckle as she clutched the strap of her bag even tighter and quickly made her way down the hallway. As she moved, she looked over towards the secretary's desk and glanced at the woman behind it. To her everlasting surprise, Nemu Kurotsuchi wasn't alone. Uryu Ishida was sitting with her, talking, laughing, and… sweet Jesus… was he blushing? Rukia stopped on her way and craned her neck to look over the small table to see what they were doing.

 

Her jaw tightened so as to keep her from bursting out into giggles. Even from this far away she could see that the two of them were having their very own private stitch n' bitch.

 

“At a desk, no less,” she muttered, ripping her eyes away from the two and moving down the hall towards the elevator. She entered it swiftly and pressed the button before anyone else could board as well. “Although,” she continued, “Ichigo and I did far worse on his desk.”

 

I just hope Uryu Ishida and that Nemu girl is don't start doing it in that desk. That's a bit too public.

 

She watched the indicator lights in the elevator take her down, down, and down even more until the only floor left to go to was the underground parking lot. She quickly stepped out of the elevator doors before they were even fully open and immediately began looking around for a black Benz. She spotted it instantly—seeing as it was parked only ten feet away from her—and grinned. Ichigo turned as she began walking forward and reached over to the passenger side. He pushed the door open with one hand and Rukia slid in fluidly.

 

“Thank God,” Ichigo muttered as she tugged the door closed. The hand that had opened the door had lingered on the seat and was now grappling for the back of her neck.

 

Before Rukia could even start to think of forming some sort of protest Ichigo's lips were prying hers apart and his tongue was delving deep into her mouth. Her toes immediately curled in her shoes, her stomach instantly began quivering, and her hands latched themselves onto the undone collar of his shirt right away.

 

He groaned into her mouth and viciously dragged her tongue into himself. His teeth bit at her lips and his thumb stroked the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. Rukia felt her center start throbbing with familiarly sudden heat and quickly slid her hand up underneath the exposed collar of his shirt. Her nails raked down the warmth of his skin and longed to undo the rest of his buttons.

 

“Ichi—Ichigo,” Rukia murmured, in between his frantic kisses, “We—We're in a car. P-Parking lot… ah!”

 

“Tinted windows,” he growled into her neck and bit a sensitive spot on her clavicle.

 

She gasped into him and instantly curled an arm around his entire neck, her fingers digging into his hair. “God I want you.”

 

“Good,” he panted as he dragged her other hand towards him. “The feeling is mutual.”

 

She whimpered as he continued to shower her neck with kisses. He tugged relentlessly on her second hand while the first proceeded to dig its fingernails into his scalp. After a second of slight confusion, Rukia found where he was pulling her hand. She gasped as she felt his rock-hard erection pressing through his pants and groaned at the thought of him wanting her so much.

 

“Touch me,” he groaned, bringing both hands back to her face and bringing her mouth to his with feverish urgency. Rukia's stunned mind could barely comprehend what was going on but she knew that right now she needed to do what he said. She needed to feel his desire for her. Needed to… and wanted to.

 

Her hand stroked him through the thickness of his pants and he groaned loudly into her mouth. Christ he felt so good, he tasted so good… this was just him. Ichigo and his carnal desire for her.

 

Is that all it's ever going to be? A reasonable voice in the back of her head sourly mumbled, obviously irritated at being so blatantly ignored. She pushed it aside and told herself that she didn't need to be concerned with things like that. In time, everything would be sorted out, she didn't need answers right now.

 

But you want them.

 

She moved her hand over his entire length and took sadistic delight in watching him shiver under her touch. She always loved how she could make him weak with only a few of her caresses.

 

She sighed into him and allowed her other hand to slip to the back of his neck and play with the tiny strands of orange hair at the nape. His grip on her tightened and tightened until they were fastened together so intensely that Rukia scarcely thought that someone could slide a single piece of paper between them.

 

She moaned and fought the urge to continue kissing him. She didn't know about Ichigo but she wasn't quite prepared to have sex in his car—even if it was to erase all of Inoue's evil essence. Gently, she pulled her hand away from his growing cock and eased her fingers around his persistent hands—one of them now groping her breast and making her want to scream—in order to pull them off.

 

“Stop Ichigo,” she gasped, surprised at how hoarse her voice sounded, even to her ears.

 

“Rukia…” he growled, pressing kisses to her cheeks and trying to escape from the iron-bound prison of her hands.

 

“Take me home,” she whispered into his ear, her voice husky at the thought of spending the weekend with him. “Take me to your home, Ichigo, and you can have me.”

 

He groaned and pressed his forehead against her collarbone. Rukia wound her arms around his exposed neck and back and slowly pulled him into a tight hug. His hands were snaking their way around her waist in a possessive yet thrilling embrace.

 

“My house,” he muttered against her skin, “You naked, me naked, and tons of sex. I'm going to make sure you can't move for a month.”

 

“Sounds perfect,” she said, a slight snicker in her voice, “But just so you know, the not moving for a month thing works both ways.

 

He chuckled darkly, “Yeah right Miss I-Pass-Out-During-Sex.”

 

“Bite me Ichigo Kurosaki.”

 

He raised his head from her shoulder and allowed a wicked smirk to overcome his features, “Gladly Rukia Kuchiki… and you know I'll do it in more places than one.”

 

Rukia pressed a kiss to his lips and nodded as she murmured, “Just shut up and drive, Kurosaki.”

 

He breathed in deeply and tugged his hands away from her until they were resting—rather tightly—on the wheel. He put his car into drive but suddenly shoved the gearshift back into park.

 

“Ichigo,” Rukia groaned, “Don't start groping me again, please. I'd be more than happy to once we were at your apartment but—”

 

“It's not that,” he muttered, twisting his body so that he could reach into the backseat and pull out his briefcase. He brought it into his lap—he immediately hissed when it settled on his erection harder than he had planned—and clicked it open.

 

“Here,” he muttered, tugging out a manila folder and shoving it into her hands.

 

Rukia raised both eyebrows and felt her jaw drop just a smidge. “Ah… you're actually thinking about work at a time like this?”

 

“Aizen needed it,” he muttered, hurriedly finding a pen and unscrewing the cap for her. He shoved it into her hands and motioned to the paper. “It's an order form for new desks, chairs, staplers… shit like that. I just need you to sign it. I told him I'd get it to him by today.”

 

“Oh,” Rukia said, her mind slowly treading from its lustful mindset to the more appropriate business approach. She began to flip through the pages but wrinkled her nose when she realized she was so unfocused that she could barely read it.

 

Ichigo groaned beside her and instantly leaned over, nipping on the sensitive cords of her neck, “Just sign it,” he whispered seductively, brushing her hair away from her ear and blowing hotly on her throat. “It's nothing important.”

 

Rukia wished she could sign it. Her hand was shaking so badly.

 

“S-St-op…” she groaned, “I c-can't hold the p-pen.”

 

He chuckled darkly and continued kissing her neck, “You've held bigger things than this in your hands when you're aroused … just sign it Rukia.”

 

She instantly flipped to the last page and scrawled her name across the paper, her eyes fuzzy with desire.

 

“Here,” she gasped, giving him the paper and utilizing all of her will so as not to throw herself at him and take him in the car, “There… j-just drive.”

 

He withdrew his lips from her neck instantly and snickered lightly. She glared at him and knew that sooner or later—probably sooner since they were going to his place to have sex—he was going to pay.

 

Ichigo shoved the gears into drive and screeched towards the exit. On the way out he stopped by the parking attendant and handed the man the manila folder and a fifty dollar bill.

 

“Make sure this gets to Sosuke Aizen, top floor, alright?” He said, his voice giving no room for argument.

 

The man sighed, took both the money and the folder, and waved them through.

 

Ichigo was off like a shot with Rukia sitting beside him.

 

*~*~*

 

They were at his apartment in less than seven minutes. An incredible feat considering the drive was well over fifteen.

 

They took the elevator up from the parking garage. Only when they were actually inside the elevator did Rukia realize how stupid she'd been to think that they wouldn't start making out as soon as the doors closed. But Ichigo still had not gotten any smaller from his time driving—a fact which Rukia was happy to admit was mostly her fault, seeing as how she had continually stroked him as he handled the wheel. It had nearly gotten them killed… twice… but she had enjoyed it way too much to care—and was rather insistent about thrusting her up against the wall and delving a hand into her underwear.

 

“Shit Ichigo,” Rukia groaned breathlessly as she felt his fingers playing with the hemline of her panties. “Anyone could come in right now.”

 

“I'll tell them to get lost,” he assured even as his mouth hungrily sought her breast through her shirt.

 

She instantly curled her hands around him and let a long, airy, moan escape from her throat.

 

“Why does it always feel this good?” She hissed as two of his fingers pushed aside her unwanted underwear and entered her slick passage.

 

“Why does… wh… what?” He gasped, his voice muffled by the cotton of her shirt and the softness of her skin. She didn't know how he had done it, but a few of her buttons were undone, giving Ichigo access to her milky skin.

 

“When you… oh Ichigo… when you t-touch me,” she dug her nails into Ichigo's shoulders and prayed for the type of release that only he could bring. His fingers were swirling around in her slick depths, brushing her clitoris with every undulating motion, swerving in and out over and over again. He moved his fingers back and forth, his thumb toying with her lips and his other hand cupping the underside of her ass, clenching and releasing. This was all too much. She felt like she would not be able to contain herself and longer. She wanted him so badly.

 

She needed him.

 

Her orgasm came in a flurry of emotions and sensations. She must have screamed or something similar because afterwards her throat felt like she had spent the last few hours swallowing sand.

 

But her body… the feeling was incredible. Oh, how was it that Ichigo could make her feel like an erupting volcano every time they were together? How could he make her come like a geyser and scream like a banshee whenever he wanted?

 

He must have given his soul to someone, she mused drowsily as she clung to her lover, it felt like he was moving… or something. He's too good at all of this. It's not possible to be this good.

 

After a few moments resting in the dizzy haze of her afterglow, her body slumped over Ichigo's, Rukia lifted her head from her perch on Ichigo's shoulder and realized that they were no longer in the elevator.

 

“Shit,” she gasped, feeling his fingers toying with the outside of her opening while he pressed her to the wall nearest to the inside of his door.

 

In his apartment.

 

“How di-did you g-get me in your-r ap-partment w-without me no… noticing?” She cursed herself for not being able to speak properly and tried not to scowl. His fingers continued their calmingly relentless pursuit and she moaned against him.

 

He chuckled darkly and tightened his free arm around the waist that was propping her against the wall and his body. His voice was seductive and dark in her ear as he whispered. “You were wrapped around me so tightly I could take one hand off of you to get my keys.”

 

Rukia groaned and cursed him for having such acute verbal skills, a trait which had always semi-annoyed her while in the bedroom. Ichigo always seemed to be able to maintain both his vocabulary and his voice them whenever they were together... while Rukia always lost hers a few seconds in.

 

“Now…” he whispered, gently stroking her in a way which made her entire body feel numb, “what did you mean about this feeling so good?”

 

Did moaning to him count as an adequate response, she wondered blearily as she placed kiss after kiss on his strong and straining neck. She knew he was holding back. He was trying to give her a moment to adjust before ravaging her like a beast—not that she minded either way of course. But she smiled into his skin and sighed when his hand began to smooth over the curves of her buttocks.

 

Thank God I chose the thong today, Rukia thought as he gently caressed the smooth skin.

 

“Rukia?”

 

“Hm?” She murmured before fighting to roll her eyes. Oh right, his question. Or, more accurately, her question. She was actually kind of surprised that he was waiting for her to answer. Normally, when he wanted to have her, he took her without a second thought. But now… it was like he really wanted to know just what she was thinking. The thought warmed her body from the tip of her head to the very base of her toes and she loved him for making her feel this fuzzy and warm. She moved upwards to bite his earlobe and grinned into the nibble, feeling her strength—as well as her arousal—growing the longer he allowed her to rest.

 

“What did you mean—?”

 

“About it feeling so good?” Rukia whispered, sending shivers down Ichigo's back—she could feel every one of them as well. She chuckled darkly in a manner that would have made him proud and ran her tongue along the line of his ear. “Ichigo… whenever you touch me, it feels like the first time you ever touched me, spearing me against your kitchen sink, remember?”

 

“Oh yeah,” he groaned, beginning to grind his lower body into hers. She could feel his hardness pressing through his pants and knew that he was just as aroused as she. “But it was the island, not the sink.”

 

“Same difference,” she growled into him, “My point is… in all the time we've been seeing each other,” her voice broke up into pants as his grinding became more intense, “I've never even thought… of doing something differently… or finding someone else. Every single time you… you touch me, Ichigo Kurosaki… it feels like that very first time.”

 

“I can… say…” he panted, his face buried in her neck, licking and biting and kissing feverishly, “The exact… same… thing.”

 

Rukia's heart didn't have time to leap for joy before Ichigo dropped her unceremoniously onto her feet and began tearing at her clothing. She took the hint and immediately began to participate. He leaned down to capture her mouth and together, they resumed their furious oral battle. Her skin burned as it connected with every part of his and she could only assume that his did the same. If the way he was moaning into their kiss was any type of sign.

 

Together, they moved backwards and tumbled onto Ichigo's living room carpet. His body fell first and he caught her as she toppled breathlessly onto him. On one side the fireplace lay cold and empty while on the other the couch sat listlessly, simply waiting to be used. It was not to be now though. Right now they couldn't confine themselves to a couch or a bed. They needed to roll on the floor. They needed to feel all of each others' stretched out bodies. They needed to spread themselves as far as they could possibly go just for the sake of the pleasure of their partner.

 

Rukia rolled on top of him and panted hard. Her body was shaking as it slid against his. He was writhing beneath her. She felt so powerful in this dominant position. His sweating face was tossing from side to side and his hips were jerking upwards, dying to be inside of her. Only a second later, she acquiesced. She drew him so deeply inside of her that she felt nothing but absolute and complete fulfillment. A sharp cry rang through her throat as she took a moment just to soak him in. Her knees were rubbing harshly against the carpet and the next morning she would probably have burns but she didn't care. He felt so good inside of her.

 

The beat of her heart played inside of her chest like some type of music she had forgotten to turn off. Soon it became throbbing and harsh. It resonated inside of her, pulsating in time with her erratic breathing and her burning insides.

 

“Shit yes,” Ichigo groaned, his fingers gripping her hard. “Move Rukia… ugh… move.”

 

Rukia felt her lips curling into a smile and bent down to slide her tongue around his neck. She lightly sucked on his Adam's apple and felt it bob up and down. She groaned happily and jerked up and down on his erection. The way she was angled against his body made sure that his engorged shaft brushed her clit with every motion.

 

“God Ichigo,” she gasped, shaking violently as she felt one of his hands slide up her body and palm her heaving breasts. “You make me feel so good.”

 

He surged upwards and captured her mouth with his. Rukia gasped wildly as her naked chest collided with his. Through his tight muscle and beautiful skin she could feel his heart pounding with the tenacity of a jackhammer. Her own heart increased in tempo and his arms snaked around her body. Rukia's arms were squashed between them as her hands grasped his neck. She felt his pulse inside of his straining and strong neck. She feverishly kissed him as he jerked his hips. His cock pummeled inside of her as she slid up and down. Her body was on fire. Her sensitive nipples were rubbing against his hard chest and her mouth was fighting desperately with his.

 

Ichigo's hands were not idle either. One of them quickly flashed up her sweat-coated body and palmed her waiting, tender, breast. The other was curled around her entire body, sliding between her cheeks, and locating the sensual collection of nerves inside of her. He stroked it as his cock pulled inside of her. The combination of his finger and his erection was making her tremble and moan.

 

Ichigo panted hard, “So wet… Rukia.” He felt her walls clamping down upon him and groaned as a fresh wave of her juices fell over him. “How did you get so wet?”

 

Rukia's entire form shuddered violently as she came. Her body felt like it was on fire. Her legs became jelly as she tried to continue her motions. She wanted Ichigo to have the same release she was having.

 

“Y-You,” she choked out, sliding both of her arms around his shoulders. Her face buried itself into his neck and she groaned as she felt herself being thrown into another orgasm. Ichigo Kurosaki was the only man she knew who could bring her two orgasms during one round of sex.

 

But this… this wasn't just sex. This was something more. Something much more. Something she wasn't sure she wanted to recognize right now… not when she felt so safe in his arms. Mentioning this… it could bring forth a type of danger she couldn't deal with. She trembled and felt her throat closing up on her. She inhaled deeply and shook at his spicy and sweaty scent.

 

I love you.

 

She bit her lips so she didn't say it out loud.

 

Ichigo shuddered; his entire body shook against hers as he came. He pushed his face into her neck and tried to muffle his scream of pleasure. Rukia gripped him tightly and wound her hands into his hair. She tightened her fingers and held on as tightly as she could. Her energy waned in the post-coital glow and she groaned when she felt his arms wrap tightly around her body.

 

Without saying another word, Ichigo flopped down onto the carpet, Rukia still clutched in his arms.

 

His fingers threaded through her hair and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

 

Her lids were heavy and her body was numb. She just felt so weak… so warm… so loved.

 

She moaned happily and slowly moved so that Ichigo could slide out of her. He grunted at the loss of the warmth but let out a small, contented, huff, when she came back to lie on his entire body. Her head rested on his chest and she listened to the erratically calming beat.

 

After a few moments he reached over to the couch and pulled off a dejected blanket. She sighed happily as Ichigo draped it over them.

 

“Sleep,” he groaned, his hands tracing patterns over her back.

 

“Hmm,” she nodded. “You too…”

 

“Yeah,” he mumbled.”

 

Rukia sighed and fell asleep on his chest, her mind entirely focused on the beat of his heart.

 

*~*~*

 

When Rukia woke up her body was still pleasantly warm. A low moan escaped from her throat and she slowly moved her leaden hands to her face. Her fingers found her eyes and she gently rubbed them until her sleepiness was only an afterthought in her mind. She blinked twice and took a minute to get her bearings. She sighed and curled her fingers into the softness beneath her. She lifted her head and smiled when she saw that it was not a rough carpet and a tangled blanket underneath of her body, but rather soft and silken sheets and blankets. She grinned and rubbed her face against them, feeling the gentleness; it felt like she was sleeping on feathers.

 

Her naked body slid against the sheets as she stretched slowly and sensually. Another smile curled on her face as she twisted onto her back. The blanket slid off of her skin and her breasts were exposed to the air, her nipples puckering slightly in the cool room. Still unmindful of her surroundings, Rukia closed her eyes, spread her legs, and stretched out all of the kinks underneath of her skin. A happy sigh escaped her throat.

 

“You might want to stop doing that.” A husky voice came from a few feet above her.

 

Rukia didn't even need to open her eyes to know who it was. She smiled gently and continued stretching. “Why?” She demanded, her voice quiet and teasing.

 

A low chuckle came from him and she tilted her head as she heard him come down from his spot on the couch. He leaned his torso over hers and pressed a kiss to the very center of her chest.

 

“Because,” he sighed, moving his face up to hers, “You are too much of a seductress for your own good.”

 

She grinned and kissed his lips as his head came back towards hers.

 

“I have something for you,” he whispered as he played with her mouth.

 

Rukia giggled, “Is it big, smooth, and fits inside of me perfectly?”

 

“Afraid not,” he grinned, “But I do have two glasses and a bottle of freshly opened champagne.”

 

Rukia sighed and playfully rolled her eyes, “That'll do too.”

 

“Excellent,” Ichigo murmured as he kissed her chastely. Swiftly, he stretched his body so that he was lying beside her. He reached over to the small table beside the couch and pulled off two glasses of champagne. With delicate movements, Ichigo handed one to Rukia and kept the other for himself. She smiled softly and moved to sit up. Gently, they clinked their glasses together and took sips. The sheet over Rukia's breasts slid down as she moved her arm upwards but she did nothing to rectify the situation.

 

Ichigo's breathing hitched and he groaned, pressing his forearm against his eyes, “And apparently you enjoy playing the seductress.”

 

“Perhaps I do,” Rukia murmured, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his neck. “Don't tell me you're averse to the role.”

 

“Hell no,” he said, finding a way to wrap an arm around her tiny waist. “But right now I wanted to talk to you about something.”

 

Suddenly, the warm, fuzzy, loving feeling in Rukia's stomach dropped away. Her toes and fingers became numb. Her head began to spin—and not from the alcohol. She went stiff immediately in his arms.

 

Oh. God.

 

Was this some sort of goodbye? Was he doing it nicely because he didn't want to hurt her feelings? Was the champagne some sort of commiseration gift?

 

Hey, yeah, sorry I've been fucking you senseless for the past few months, but… ah… I want it to end, got it? Take the champagne as compensations. Hey—what? You knew what this was. Other fish in the sea, babe.

 

Her mind whirled and—while she knew that Ichigo would never actually say something like that because, well, honestly, he'd never call her babe—the fear growing inside of her didn't slow down. Plus, she doubted Ichigo would ever say something as cliché as “there are other fish in the sea.”

 

“You alright?” He asked, pressing his chin down onto her stiff shoulder.

 

“Fine,” Rukia squeaked, downing the champagne in her glass in one swig.

 

She turned her heating cheeks so she couldn't see Ichigo blink at her in confusion. He cleared his throat and motioned to the champagne bottle. “Ah… more?”

 

“Yep.” Her answer was immediate. If he was going to break up with her she was going to be toasted when he did it. Maybe then it wouldn't hurt as much.

 

Ichigo frowned softly at her and refilled her glass from the chilled bottle nearby. He sat slowly against the couch and gently tugged her along. He waited until his legs were on either side of her body and she was fitted snuggly between them. He wound his arm around her waist and loosely allowed his other arm to loll near the floor.

 

Rukia's heart pounded in her chest and she hoped to God that he couldn't feel it. Christ… she shouldn't even be this nervous. She… she… she wasn't nervous. She wasn't nervous at all. This would not be like last time. She would not be hurt. She would not allow herself to be wounded.

 

“How long have we been sleeping together?” He asked, his voice laid back and calm.

 

Rukia swallowed, he was being so suave about all of this. How could he be like this when he was going to break up with her? Was this how he broke up with all of his other women? Having sex with them, giving them champagne, and snuggling with them in front of a lit fireplace—when did he light that? Why didn't I notice right away?—right before he dropped the bomb?

 

“About four months.” She answered squeakily.

 

“And we've known each other for what?” He continued, “About… seven? Eight months?”

 

Rukia felt cold all over her body. It didn't matter that Ichigo was warm and alive behind her or that the fire was crackling and bright in front of her. She just felt so cold.

 

Please don't let me cry. Whatever happens please don't let me cry.

 

“I know that in the beginning, we said that this… ah, arrangement, would be completely no-strings-attached. I thought that was great, you know… but…”

 

But now he knows… I've shown too many signs. He knows how I feel about him. Damn, I knew I should've kept being a bitch to him. Being nice only made him suspect what I was really feeling! Damn it! Why was I so stupid?

 

His arms tightened around her. “But I was thinking…”

 

Rukia breathed in deeply and prepared for the worst. Please don't let me cry.

 

“Rukia…”

 

She shut her eyes.

 

“I'd like to take you on a date.”

 

Her eyes snapped open. Huh?

 

She swiveled in his arms and couldn't help the frown that came to her face. Ichigo was looking away while a light pink color dusted his cheeks. She swallowed and glanced over to the arm that was currently holding his champagne glass. His hand was clenching it so tightly that she thought he might break the stem.

 

Apparently I'm not the only one's who's a bit tense.

 

She smiled gently and allowed one of her hands to come up and rest on his chest, directly over his heart. It was pounding right now. Just like hers.

 

The panic immediately faded from her body, leaving her with Ichigo and his beautiful warmth.

 

“Really?” She murmured, still only half-believing that this was happening.

 

His cheeks became redder and he brought his head down to look at her. “Well… yeah, and I mean a date like… not just sex-buddies having a bite to eat. I-I mean like a real date. Like… I pick you up and you're all dressed up and we have snooty waiters giving us wine lists and… and we go out to places where we won't have to hide the fact that we like each other.” He looked down at her with penetrating eyes. “Because, you know, the merger is going to be done soon. We won't be partners after that. We can date officially, you and me, we don't have to… pretend.”

 

Pretend? Rukia's mind gasped as her eyes bore holes into his. Pretend we don't have the same feelings for one another? Is that what he means?

 

Then she remembered…

 

Date officially.

 

“You… want me to be your girlfriend.” She said in an embarrassingly breathless voice.

 

He blushed even harder, “You don't have to act so surprised. I mean… Rukia, I think we fit together well, and no, I don't mean just sexually. Although you have to admit, the sex is awesome.”

 

“Um yes,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the entire world. She swallowed the rest of her champagne in one gulp and set the glass gently down on the table beside her.

 

Ichigo also swallowed the rest of his—although he seemed to do it more out of nerves than anything else. Rukia just wanted to get hers out of the way.

 

“So,” he choked, his eyes nervously dancing with hers. “Is that a yes?”

 

He's nervous… oh this is so cute.

 

Rukia reached over him and plucked the glass from his hands, tossing it impatiently onto the soft carpet without bothering to see if it broke or anything. His eyes followed where it rolled before looking before him and staring blankly at Rukia.

 

She stood on her knees and cupped his face between her hands. A soft smile came over her face and, at the sight of it, Ichigo's own terse expression relaxed.

 

“That's a yes,” she said clearly, so there was no miscommunication between the two of them, “I would love to go out with you, Ichigo Kurosaki. On a real date.”

 

“Thank God,” he breathed, curling his arms around her.

 

“Although,” she murmured, running her lips up and down his neck, he shuddered at the action even though his body stiffened slightly at her words. “You do know that it's against female policy to have sex at the end of a first date, right?”

 

He groaned and shook his head, his nose wrinkling into her skin. “You're trying to kill me, aren't you?”

“Well, if you can technically die from having an enormously huge libido twenty four seven, then maybe.”

 

“How many dates do we have to go on before I can touch you again?” He demanded, pulling her mouth away from his neck and staring at her with a disgruntled frown.

 

Rukia's eyebrows shot up and she shook her head, “Touch me? Well of course you can touch me.”

 

He looked at her with suspicious eyes, “Do you mean holding your arm and pulling out chairs and stuff like that?” He scoffed, “Because I meant something completely different.”

 

“I never said that heavy petting was forbidden,” she reasoned stiffly, fighting to keep her face still. “I just said that sex wasn't allowed.”

 

“Until when?”

 

Rukia heaved a sarcastic and exasperated sigh while running her fingers through Ichigo's soft hair. “Oh well… since we do have standing precedent, I'd say… at least the second date.”

 

Ichigo's smirk fell into place and he tugged her body tightly against his, “I think I can manage that. So long as we have one date right after the next.”

 

“Done,” Rukia grinned, “Now I say we celebrate the way we do best.”

 

“My little seductress,” he said, smiling as she brought her mouth to his, silently rejoicing at his possessive term.

 

There they lay, their passion overflowing on the carpet, the fire roaring in the hearth, and their moans captured by one another's mouths. They were at peace, both of their hearts swelling with happiness.

 

They could never have expected what was to come.

 

 

 

 

(A/N: Oh… sweetness.

 

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed for this story! Over 400!!! This is freakin' unprecedented! Wootwoot! You're really making me happy! :D This so awesome!

 

Sorry for the short chapter but… let's just say… the next chapter is… ah, heavier. In more ways than one. So I'll apologize in advance… Sorry.

 

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!)