A/N: This was supposed to be another chapter of Seireitei Blind Items but it ended up like this. I didn't want to change it so it became a one-shot.

Ichiruki is definitely my Bleach OTP and some people may argue that nothing ever happened between Kaien and Rukia, that it was one-sided and so on. I don't really think anything happened but I still wrote this because I love drama and I have this headcanon (which is more canon than headcanon) that Rukia got a lot of crap from almost everyone after she was adopted into the Kuchiki family.

Attention! Some characters may be OOC. Enjoy the drama!

Also, a recommendation: Listen to Requiem For The Lost Ones (Bleach OST) before reading this fic. I don't know why, it just kind of fits this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. All rights belong to Kubo.

They Know

They think she can't hear them. They think she doesn't notice how whenever she leaves they will whisper how she's such a whore and a homewrecker, followed by "How dare she try to break up a happy couple? She has absolutely no morals! How was she even accepted by the Kuchiki? Maybe she's sleeping with her so-called brother too, huh?"

"Just saw Lieutenant Shiba passing by. He's so hot!"

"I know, right. Too bad he's married."

"Not like you'd have any chance anyway."

"By the way, you guys know why Kuchiki Rukia is always following him around like a shadow? She's not even a seated officer."

"I don't know. But I heard Lieutenant Shiba insists she attends certain meetings. I also heard he got reeeeeally mad when he learned that Captain Kuchiki talked to the other captains to keep her from getting a higher position."

"Do you think there's something going on between those two? I mean, he's hot and caring, he's Shiba Kaien, can't blame her. But what about him? Do you think they're in love?"

"Maybe she's just pretending and sleeping with him to get something out of it. I wouldn't put it past her. She's from Inuzuri, after all."

"I don't think that's it, I mean, isn't it obvious by the way she looks at him? And how he obviously favors her over the others? They're either both in love or she's in love with him 'cause he's so charming, but the feelings aren't reciprocated."

They think he can't hear them. Always saying how she's his favorite and that he doesn't behave like a noble should. And he wants to chasten himself for being so painfully obvious without even realizing it.

"Lieutenant Shiba is training with Kuchiki, again."

"I'm not surprised. They can deny it as much as they want, but the little princess has a lot of privileges, like private training with the division's lieutenant."

"Pft, she's gonna need a lot of that. Have you seen her swordsmanship skills? Money can buy a lot of things, and they may have bought her way into Gotei 13, but they can't buy talent. And she really lacks it."

"Lieutenant Shiba must be really pissed."

"Pissed? I bet that guy is loving every second of it. He's always kissing Kuchiki's ass and yelling at us for stating facts."

And she knows it's wrong. He's her superior, and to make matters worse he's married. An unmarried noble girl shouldn't have feelings for no other man until her family introduced her to her future husband, who would be the only man she should ever love.

She observed as lay back on the grass and lazily moved his arms so his head rested on them, his eyes focused on the clear blue sky of the Third District of West Rukongai.

"What's wrong, Kuchiki?" he asked, turning his head so he was facing her.

What was wrong? Many things were wrong. She could make a list of all the disastrous scenarios whatever it was they had going on between them could cause.

But at that moment, staring at his blue eyes, feeling all the confidence he passed to her, she just couldn't resist. She didn't want to end this thing they had. She had grown too attached already.

So she simply replied with a small smile, "Nothing's wrong. I just like looking at you, Kaien-dono."

It's one of the few times he actually cares that it's wrong. She's his subordinate. She's the unmarried younger sister of the head of one of the most respected noble houses in Soul Society.

"I've heard rumors lately."

"Rumors?"

"Yes, rumors about that peasant girl Byakuya-sama adopted and that Shiba boy, Kaien. People say that they may be having an affair."

"Well, one can expect anything from lowlife riffraff like her. Can't say I'm surprised about Shiba, too. That family has very low standards."

"Yes, but people. Are. Talking. Do you have any idea how it affects the name of the Kuchiki family? If the marriage with Inuzuri Trash No. 1 made the clan a joke among other noble houses, can you imagine what this scandal with Inuzuri Trash No. 2 could do to the reputation of the family?"

"Does Byakuya-sama know about the rumors?"

"The question is whether he even cares."

A/N: Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!