Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its character.

Setting: Alternate Universe.

Title: Words so Sweetly

Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
-C. S. Lewis

With a smooth curve of his wheels, Hitsugaya Toushiro parks his pearl white Lincoln. Pressing the STOP button, he tosses his car keys in his alligator leather bag. Taking a deep breath he opens his car door and his leather shoes make contact with the cement of the multi-story parking lot. Thump. He closes his door, Cluck the door locks, and Hitsugaya heads to the apartment complex's entrance. Fishing out a slick card from his black slack, he slips the card on the scanner and the glass door opens to let him in. Pushing the up button, Hitsugaya taps his feet on the marbled floor and brings his left wrist to check the time; 11:43. "Dang it…" he curses under his breath.

Bling. Taking a step inside the elevator, without even looking he presses 18 and turns around his heel as the door closes. Snaking his head in his lightly tousled white hair, he lets out another sigh and drops his hand beside his leg.

Bling. Taking a step outside the elevator, he stands in front of a garnished metal door. Sliding the cover of a little box above the knob, he crunches 5 digits and opens the door.

Cluck. Vrrr. The doors closes and automatically locks itself. Taking his shoes off, the first Hitsugaya smells as he enters home is a smell of their dinner: chicken alfredo pasta with garlic bread and a glass of Black Stone Cabernet for him and a glass of Black Box Pinot Grigio for her. Slipping on his comfortable slippers he walks to his study room, drops his brief case beside the desk, throws his blazer on the office chair, and immediately walks out towards the kitchen/dining hall. Walking through the narrow hall decorated with framed artworks and pictures every now and then, his finger tugs on his black and green striped tie and loosens it. Stopping in front of the darkly lit dining room, he notices the food left un touched and the candle about to burn out.

With a little more rushed foot steps, Hitsugaya walks past the dining room and he once again curses underneath his breath as he realized something missing: the Johnny Walker Black Label. Stopping in front of the living room he finds the light turned off and the TV turned on, its volume barely audible. Stepping inside the fashionably furnished living room, the white haired man walks towards the crème white leather sofa where a raven haired woman sat. Standing behind her, he realizes she's been staring at the city view from the wide window which stretched about the whole wall. Like a scene only seen in the so-called movies, the view the window provided was nothing short from amazing; the cars like a meteor shower, the rooms like stars thousand light year's away, and the moon the mother that gives birth to night. On the other hand, the turquoise satin curtains, which should have been covering the said window, was left on the side seemingly forgotten.

He was about to open his mouth to question but she beat him to it.

"Welcome back, dinner's on the table."

She said it in such nonchalant voice that if one did not take a moment to scrutinize her words, one would never hear the trace of anger so magnificently weaved in.

"How many glasses?" he asks, his voice coming out in a exhausted sigh.

"That would be none of your concern, Mr. Hitsugaya." she says as she brings a whiskey glass half empty to the air as if cheering.

"Kuchiki…" he warns in a growling voice.

"It's been a long day, I think I'll retire for the night…" she says as she sets the cup on the glass table and stands up.

"Kuchiki…" he says once again.

Nonetheless, she walks out of the living room never meeting his following gaze nor acknowldeging his warnings.

Click. The door opens to a guest room. Cluck. The door closes from a guest room.

Click. The door opens to his study room. Thump. The door closes to his study room.

Forgetting about the cold dinner still on the dinner table, Hitsugaya sits on his office chair and leans backwards. Closing his eyes, the emerald eyed man tries to relax his already exhausted body…, a minute passes and he rests his head on his hand propped up by the arm of his chair.

Massaging his temple, Hitsugaya opens his eyes and stares at the vanilla file. With a sigh he leans toward the desk and grabs the folder and opens it up with one hand, the other still massaging his throbbing head. Standing up from the chair, he leaves the room and goes inside the lifeless dining room. Looking at the still untouched dinner, Hitsugaya swiftly passes by the table and goes inside the kitchen. Grabbing the electronic tea kettle, the white haired man goes to the sink and pours the kettle half empty. Then, after turning on the kettle, Hitsugaya walks to a cabin and randomly chooses a tea bag… Kuchiki wouldn't allow any coffee in their house because she found it too "unhealthy." Closing the cabin, he sees the tea bag he grabbed and lets out a small chuckle: jasmine. Going to another cabin, Hitsugaya brings out a mug and once again chuckles: rabbits. Swiftly opening the tea bag and discarding the packaging, Hitsugaya places the tea bag in the mug and pours the steaming hot water. Taking the mug by its handle Hitsugaya walks back to his study room. Click. Cluck. After setting the mug in front of their wedding picture, he gets comfortable in his office chair. Resting his left hand on the desk, his right hand swiftly picks up the slick black pen and twirls it on his fingers before he starts working on the papers in front of him.

Tick. Toc. Tick. Toc. Tick. Toc.

The ticking noise of the small clock in front of him fades in the background and all his focus is now on the document his mind is focusing on.

Click. Cluck. The door opens and closes but the white haired man does not realizes he is no longer in the room alone. A dainty footsteps find their step towards the comfortable auburn leather sofa.

Plump. The owner of the said feet takes a sit and makes herself comfortable. After a moment's rest, her eyes travel from the coffee desk in front of her to the rug beneath. From the Persian rug to the empty wooden floor then to the office desk… from the dark red oak office desk to the lamp situated on top then to the books neatly on the shelves covering the wall. Back to the desk then to the moderately sized propped up frame…. and for a moment her eyes sparkles with a little light; a longing sensation lingers and her mouth forms a ghost of a smile. Finally, her eyes settle on the man she's been with for a seemingly eternal period… six years.

.

.

.

The first year was foreign to both of them. Even though they've been in the same university for the past three years, neither the one or the other saw each other for more than a minute. Although they've heard about each other from the floating words of gossips, that was their first year having a class together. And indeed! ironic it was for them to end up together by the last semester of their university year, for others around them always stated, over and over again, that they were meant to be.

However, as blossoming as their relationship was, it had to stop short.

Each took his and her path and they parted with good memories; good memories that they thought will stay as memories.

The second year was interesting to say the least. Three years since their parting, they met each other in a luxurious corporate building of Kuchiki Corporation. There Hitsugaya found out Rukia Ukitake was actually the kidnapped Kuchiki, the youngest Kuchiki princess who became missing right after the said incident. He also found out that Rukia, now Rukia Kuchiki, was the co-owner of Kuchiki Corporation with her brother Byakuya Kuchiki. Working there, Toushiro and Rukia started their relationship from scratch.

The third year was a comfortable one. Once again relaxed in each other's presence, the two became great friends. In fact they were the invincible duo, whose work exceeded any others and brought the Kuchiki Corporation to its glorious height… with the two working side by side even overwhelming Byakuya Kuchiki seemed possible. By the middle of the year, the two, once again, started seeing each other in more romantic way.

The fourth year Byakuya Kuchiki gave his blessings. Branching out from the Kuchiki Corporation, the two created a sister company: Hitsugaya Corporation. The company quickly received fame and fortune, working at its top performance by the first half of its new business. And that same year, the middle of it to be a little more exact, Hitsugaya proposed and the they were happily engaged until their wedding in early December.

The fifth year was a lovely one. Their love for one another was a force to be reckoned and was a constant envy of the high international society. Each second with one another was precious and blessed. It was nothing short to a miracle that they could balance work and relationship so well.

The sixth year was a bumpy one. Juushiro Ukitake, Rukia's father for most of her teenage and young-adult years, became sick and was forced to be hospitalized to build his weak immune system. Although the melancholy news strengthened the two more closely together, it soon worked its way on separating the two apart. Throughout the year the two always made it up to another and Ukitake also became more stable in health, but they soon found themselves swarmed with work and very little time to spend for one another…

.

.

.

Finding a small break point, Hitsugaya lifts his head from the scattered documents. Stacking the papers into two neat groups, Hitsugaya brings his arms above his head about to give a good stretch only to bring it back down and place them on the desk. He stares at the petite woman gazing into the air seemingly lost in her own world. Not wanting to disturb her, he continues to stare at her. He realizes that's she's become thinner. 'Must be from the stress…' he thinks and unconsciously he scowls, mentally chiding at her for not taking a better care of herself. Yet there she was a week ago, scolding him for not eating enough food nor at the regular time! However, seeing her so peaceful sitting on the sofa… her messy bun showing a glimpse of her enticing skin… so tempting with her guards down, he can't help but to let out a small smile.

Creak. The sound from his chair breaks both of them out of their trance and they are left in the present staring into each other's eyes. Before he could open his mouth, she beats him to it once again….

"I miss the old times Toushiro…" she whispers, her voice barely reaching his ears.

She no longer wears that nostalgic smile. She no longer has her guard down. And it seems she no longer thinks about the now, only the then.

He sighs and cannot help but to break her imploring gaze and rub his tired eyes.

"Ru…" before he can say anything she stands up from the dark auburn leather sofa. The long dark purple night kimono, laced with purple butterfly embroideries, that once reached to her ankle now brushes against the wooden floor.

He curses at himself for what has become of them. He sees her dainty steps noiselessly carrying her across the room to the varnished double door. Except for the swish of her kimono the air stays seemingly frozen. Her delicate hand brushes on the cold metal knob and a click is heard. And as the door is about to cringe open but all in a split second she is encaged between the door and his warm body.

In frustration she tugs on the door knob hoping to yank it open, but with his hand firmly pushing on the door with his weight against it she decides to give up. She slides her hand away from the knob and bangs it on the surface right beside where his hand was.

Before she could retrieve her hand, his hand grasps it and gives it a firm squeeze. Feeling her hand relax, his face softens. His body makes a decision of his own. His hand traces her arm to her neck; his finger tips brushing and stroking. The rough tip of his fingers brush against her sensitive skin as if drawing an elaborate piece of art… gliding and tracing down from her elegant neck to her shoulder. The gentle kiss from his lips replaces the warmth of his hand and inch by inch, he tastes her skin against his tongue as he receives a sigh of relief from her slightly open lips.

His hands, effortlessly snakes their way around her waist, embraces her, and her weight shifts from her feet to her back as she leans against his well toned chest. Her amethyst orbs becomes misty with haze as her eyelids lightly brush her high cheeks adorned with a light blush; her mind trapped in between dream and reality.

Nuzzling the tip of his nose to the crook of her neck, he intertwines his right hand to hers while his left arm firmly secures around her waist and both their body and hands fill in the empty gaps like meant to be puzzle pieces. Tracing his lips back up, he explores from her neck to her ear and nibbles on the edge of her ear as he brings her hand up to his face. Lifting his face from her intoxicating smell, he kisses the back of her hand. Her hand leaves his, another sigh escapes as she brushes his silky white hair with her delicate hand.

The palm of her hand gently pushes his face back to her neglected neck as his right hand snakes back to her waist and fiddles around with a simple white ribbon that holds her cloth together. Dancing to a waltz created and harmonized by the two, he easily twirls her around her feet. Her face, just barely brushing his collar bone, is serene. His strong arm sweeps her feet off the wooden floor and his eyes stare deeply into her beautiful regalia orbs all the while he carries them to a nearby furniture which happened to be his finely varnished red oak work desk.

He gently sets her down as he brings his lips to hers, his gaze never wavering.

His strong hand pushes aside the obstacles neatly situated on his desk. The pile of papers once stacked high falls and scatters around the room like petals of flowers blown apart by a breeze. Clang. In the air, the scent of abandoned jasmine tea floats as he accidentally knocks the cup and spills its content on his hand. Momentarily, the two freezes in their spot while his tongue continues to lavish her mouth and their eyes gaze into another, lost in their own world. Breaking her mouth apart from his, she takes a gasp of air. Her hair tie, that barely held her hair together, drops to the floor and her hair falls to its place, framing her face making her oh-so delectable to his eyes. However, he can't help but to frown as his emerald orbs become clouded with emotions. From the back of his head, he takes note of how she has been the one to continuously break off from each other's embrace.

This time, he closes his eyes and lets out a sigh, effortlessly breaking their eye contact. He slightly shakes his head as if disapproving her action and his attention shifts to the gentle hum coming from the heater. Brrrrrrrrrrr. Her small snow white hand envelops around his big one and immediately her cool touch merges with his warm one and brings his attention solely on her. She grabs his hand and bring it to her face and her pink tongue darts out of her mouth and licks the liquid off his fingers, tasting the jasmine tea on his hand. He gives a soft gaze at the sight and grabs her face with his once occupied hand smashing his mouth to her's once again. And just like that the two engages in a fierce battle over domination while her back touches the cold surface of the desk with her arms pinned above her head with his hand. He finally shows her his smile. She opens her mouth…

"… Tou…"

She is hushed by his mouth.

"…mph…!"

She is left breathless.

"I love you Rukia,"

She stares into his emerald eyes.

"I have. I am. And I will continue to do so."

She is lost in his presence.

"I love yo…"

He is hushed by her mouth.

"I love you Toushiro."

He stares into her amethyst eyes.

"I have. I am. And I will… forever and ever."

He is left breathless.

"Until death do us apart."

He is lost in her presence.

"Even after death, I will find you." he says, and he crushes his mouth against hers.

All love shifts and changes. I don't know if you can be wholeheartedly in love all the time.
-Julie Andrews

AN: DONE! YES! My first reall ONE SHOT. Hmm, spur of a moment kind of thing. I really enjoyed writing this one. Haven't written anything complete in a long time so I really missed doing this...Anyhow.

Join the HitsuRuki Army. All constructive criticism or comments welcome!

Please. R&R... adieu!