Disclaimer: I don't own bleach in any way.

Soulmate Chapter 1

She always wondered how he could be so oblivious to how she felt… it wasn't her fault that she fell in love with him.

Akemi Kuroyuki (Name is supposed to mean: Bright and beautiful black-snow) had been the 3rd seat of the 10th division for around a few decades. She had been in love with her taicho Hitsugaya Toshiro for nearly as long. Not to mention that she was extremely frustrated at how she could fall in love with someone so dense! Also, not to mention the fact that she was STILL unable to get her taicho to call her by her first name even though they had been "friends" for over 50 years. Having taken over the 3rd seat position after the previous seat had died during the final battle against the last of Aizen's forces, she had become the third seat of the 10th division straight out of graduating from Shino Academy after having attended for 1 year, in a way, she was something of a prodigy.

Continuing to work on her fukutaicho's paper work, she tried not to snap her pencil in half from anger at how Hinamori-fukutaicho was kissing her taicho as if she wasn't there. Instead, she stood up and muttered that she going on a walk…not that the couple noticed. Watching him talk and smile with Hinamori – fukutaicho in a way he never did with her hurt her… a lot, Hinamori – fukutaicho was her taicho's girlfriend…not to mention probably soon to be fiancée.

While walking around the division training grounds alone, she tried to think of a happy memory. One that didn't involve Hitsugaya–Taicho because, if she didn't she would surely cry.

-Flashback-

One day, on a mission to the human world, she stumbled upon what humans called a pencil and immediately found that it was much easier and more efficient than using calligraphy brushes. Buying a whole box to show her friends, she purchased them.

The other taicho's had liked these human writing utensils so much that they helped her petition against the soutaicho over how much easier it was to use human world writing utensils to do their horrid paperwork. Quite frankly, she thought that he had a secret fetish for paperwork. Seriously, even his fukutaicho hated it!

-End Flashback-

The memory made her smile, she went back to the office to see Hinamori – fukutaicho gone and her taicho working on paperwork as usual… it was as if nothing had happened. Her taicho didn't look up as she walked in, so she made her way to Matsumoto – fukutaicho's desk. Now her desk, seeing as Matsumoto-san never used it anyway… it had been dubbed as her own desk officially last week…weird, since she had been using it for well over 50 years.

After working on paperwork for a few hours, she decided that she was too tired to do paperwork, even her workaholic taicho had left with Hinamori – fukutaicho an hour earlier. Cursing her own fukutaicho for making do both their paperwork, she stood up and worked out the kinks in her back from sitting so long. On her way out the door to the office, she paused in front of the mirror that Matsumoto – fukutaicho had placed there "so that Akemi- chan and her cute taicho could see how huggable they looked". She studied her reflection carefully, she had light brown hair and light colored skin with sliver grey eyes that changed from blue-to silver-to green with the changes in her reiatsu. Very short, at the height of 4'2, she was the shortest shinigami in the entire gotei thirteen, two inches shorter than her captain… he loved to make fun of her height… Growing up in the 79th district of Kusajishi all her life, she never ate much even though she had a fair amount of reiatsu, she weighed 50 pounds soaking wet. In her own eyes, she was extremely plain and had average if not smaller curves. Akemi wore her shinigami robes normally with an ice blue sash to hold her zampakuto in place on her back, as she was too short to wear her zampakuto on her hip…like her taicho. Having little confidence even though she was fairly powerful, she was sure that her taicho would never see her as anything other than a friend or subordinate… the thought made her chest ache.

Later that night, while lying in bed, she thought of everything she had been through.

Even though she had grown up as a child from rukongai, she was really a noble. She wasn't even supposed to be alive and yet here she was…

She came from two of the 5 great noble houses,

Shihoin

Kuchiki

Shiba (disgraced)

Nakamura

Kuroyuki

Her mother had been one of the last remaining Nakamura's and her father one of the last Kuroyuki's and the heir to the clan name. As is tradition, every 10 generations the first born child of the Kuroyuki clan's heir is to be cast into one of the higher districts of Rukongai to die to let the second born child be the heir to the clan. It was a cruel tradition but her parents went through with it. She had later found out about her heritage after attending a physical during the academy where they had done a blood test to find out her blood type.

Apparently, her parents and her entire clan had been murdered by hollows before they could have another heir… leaving her the sole survivor of both clans and by default the heir to 2 great noble families.

She didn't mourn the death of her so called "family", she honestly understood why they did it but, she still resented their actions. It didn't make up for all the years she spent in pain and hunger, but she couldn't bring herself to hate her parents. With that last thought, she drifted off to sleep.

Getting up early at around 4 o'clock the next day, unable to sleep from nightmares, she decided to get a head start on paperwork, until later when she got a message saying that her taicho had gone on a mission to the human world and that she was in charge… it was going to be a long day. By noon she had finished all the paperwork… including her taicho's and fukutaicho's even though she didn't fill in the signatures... she wasb't authorized to sign them. Just then, her fukutaicho burst into the office making Akemi fall off her chair in surprise. She got back on her chair while rubbing her sore arm.

"We're late for a SWA meeting!" slurred her fukutaicho who smelt suspiciously like alcohol.

"What!" Akemi cried falling off her chair… again

Matsumoto half carried-half dragged her to Kuroyuki mansion… her mansion… for the SWA meeting.

Akemi asked "Why are we going to my mansion for the meeting again?"

Apparently, her fukutaicho had sobered herself up as this time she spoke in a non-slurred voice.

"Since Kuchiki – taicho put a kido barrier around his mansion, we can't get inside sooo we're using yours" "GOT IT?" Matsumoto said in a frightening voice.

Akemi gulped and said "Yes m'am" for fear of incurring her fukutaicho's wrath.

Suddenly acting bipolar, Matsumoto asked if she was going to the shooting star festival.

Replying, Akemi said "Honestly, I want to go but I don't have anyone to go with sooo I guess I'll just stay home.

Matsumoto then offered for Akemi to attend the festival with the rest of the SWA, Akemi agreed just as the two reached the gates to the mansion where the rest of the SWA awaited.

Soifon-taicho told them that Akemi's guards wouldn't let them through.

Replying, Akemi said "I'll talk to the guards"

After a brief conversation, the group was let into the mansion. Many of them gasped as it was larger than Kuchiki manor. Sighing, Akemi led them downstairs to the basement where she lived… it was modernly furnished with 12 bedrooms, a games room, a movie room, an indoor swimming pool + Jacuzzi, an onsen, a music room, many lounges, a dojo, a training room, a fully furnished kitchen, several studies and a gigantic library. It had taken her several years to have it made after going on her first trip to the human world… with her inheritance she could easily afford it. Even though her mansion/manor had many maids and servants, it was extremely lonely to live in.

-After the meeting-

Akemi was sad to see all her friends leave so as it was extremely lonely living practically by herself. (for that reason, she often stayed in her quarters near the office.)

Knowing that she needed to be in her office early the next morning, Akemi decided to stay in her quarters that night.

It was a bad habit of hers to think before going to sleep. While lying in bed, Akemi realized that she missed Toshiro (she calls him that in her head, she addresses him formally in real life)

"Of course you miss him mistress, you love him" said her zanpakuto Shugo Tenshi (supposed to mean guardian angel)

She admitted "I do"

"Finally you admit that you love him! He's your soulmate for kami's sake" said Shugo Tenshi "You know, that Hinamori will snatch him up before you even make a move" she continued.

Quietly, Akemi said "I know Shugo, but you know why I can't…"

"I know, I know, you can't take away his happiness…but, what about your own happiness?" her zampakuto asked.

"It doesn't matter, as long as Toshiro is happy than I'm happy" Akemi replied while feeling a burning sensation in her chest .

Shugo Tenshi sighed and before she went back to Akemi's inner world, she said "You don't really believe that…"

The day the soutaicho introduced her to her taicho, she fell in love with him.

She didn't know why until she read the Nakamura family history book. Apparently, once every millennia or so, a clan member possessing reiatsu meets their "soulmate guardian", a person who they would love irrevocably forever. They gain powers and angelic like wings to protect themselves just in case their soulmate guardian wasn't around. They would do anything to make their soulmate guardian happy…even die. If their soulmate guardian loves someone else… the soulmate would do anything to keep their soulmate happy… including leaving them. There was something like a bond between the soulmates and if the soulmate's love is unrequited well…. It is a painful process to change into a Daraku Tenshi (fallen angel), it makes one live in extreme pain with an abundance of power…and, unless their soulmate guardian fixes their heart, they will die. She hadn't believed it at first, but… when she grew wings, it became startlingly obvious what she was… from then on she vowed to try and make Toshiro happy. She was lucky, she had yet to turn into a Daraku Tenshi… she suspected it would be soon as the pain in her chest was steadily growing more painful as each day passed.

She missed Toshiro: that was her last thought before she drifted off to the lands of sleep... and nightmares

When she awoke the next morning, she realized that she hadn't bought a kimono for the shooting star festival in three days. Matsumoto seemed to realize that too because, as soon as she finished the paperwork, she was dragged shopping. 6 hours and 97 kimonos later, she had finally found "The One" as Matsumoto said. It was light blue with dark blue stars and dragons on it, many accessories later and you had an exhausted Akemi and her outfit for the festival.

-1 week of missing Toshiro later-

Soon, Akemi realized that her taicho was coming back today and she rushed to the office quickly to make her taicho's favorite tea which she kept warm with a quick kido spell. She started on paperwork and finished all of it by around 3 o'clock… she hadn't stopped since she started at… she looked at the clock on the wall (she had brought it back from the human world) 4:30 that morning. She had been unable to sleep well because she was too excited about seeing Toshiro again.

A few minutes later while Akemi was getting ready to leave, her taicho walked through the door. As soon as she saw him, she jumped on him in a tackle-hug.

"Kuroyuki – san, what are you doing on top of me?"

Thank you for reading this chapter...