I don't own Bleach. I don't own the song, "Mercy."
Title: Mercy
Rating: T (for sexual references)
Summary: On his birthday, Ichigo's friends convince him to go to a stripper bar. There he meets Kuchiki Rukia … has she's dancing on the pole in front him.
A/N: In honor of Ichigo's birthday, I decided to start my AU oneshot series! Each chapter will be a totally different story and will have a song to go along … well, most of them. Anyway, this one is named after the song, "Mercy" by Duffy. This is for you, Miki! Enjoy the oneshot!
"You never get out of the house!" whined Keigo, clutching onto a very irritated Ichigo's arm. "Come on, it's your twenty-second birthday!" the man continued. "Last year you could have gone to a stripper bar and you didn't! You went to work instead!"
Ichigo kept walking, hoping the pervert, who considered himself Ichigo's friend, would finally let go. He looked like a homeless man begging for food. Too bad Keigo would likely choose strippers over food any day.
The man persisted that the birthday boy needed to go with him and the other guys tonight … how he convinced tight-ass Ishida Uryuu, Ichigo would never know. Abarai Renji on the other hand, was just about as bad as Keigo; he probably already had a cake order with a girl to jump out of it.
"Ichiiiiiigo!" the man whimpered. "Please? You're never going to get a wife if you sit around your house and play with your files and eat ho-ho's! Unless … you know, if they're the REAL ho—"
"Okay, if I go with you, will you stop pestering me!?" Ichigo yelled, pushing the man off of him. People passed him on the sidewalk and gave them strange looks. Ichigo sighed. The brown-haired man giggled. He still couldn't believe that he even knew a man who giggled. It seemed so … girly. Girls giggled about boys and new clothes and gossip but men … men chuckled or laughed. They never giggled.
And here Keigo was, surprising him as always. "What time?" Ichigo sighed, running a hand through the tufts of orange locks. He briefly thanked God that they were now standing in front of his apartment building. The less time he spent with Keigo, the less amount of time that he wanted to kill him.
"We'll come by around eight!" Keigo replied excitedly. "We're going to hit Bleach … the hottest dancing joint in Karakura." He paused, smiling … his eyes picturing whatever he was planning on doing later that, Ichigo guess. "Ichigo, my friend, you'll lose yourself tonight. Just wait."
Adjusting the low rising corset she was wearing, Rukia grunted. Four bobby pins were sticking out of her mouth; pulling one out, she pinned her hair back, so it was an elaborate tangle on the top of her head.
After making sure her hair looked perfect for the next sleazebag she would have to have sex with tonight, she picked up a can of perfume and sprayed it over her body: the fishnet hose, the pink frilly skirt that cut off mid-thigh, and the soft pink corset. She smelled like cherries and cream.
She looked hot … like a million bucks.
Well, two-fifty a night.
"Rukia!" a voice called for her. Taking one last glance in the mirror, she walked out of the poster-covered, costume-filled dressing room and out to the bar. "Rukia, there you are!" greeted a familiar voice.
Matsumoto, the head dancer, ran up to her, her huge blessing bouncing. They were barely concealed beneath the low-cut white shirt and brown cape that hung around her shoulders. Her thighs were barely concealed from the devouring men beneath the cut off skirt she was wearing.
Looking up to her face, Rukia saw an eye patch. "It's themed night?" Rukia asked. "Why didn't you tell me! I thought it was just another night! Damn it now I have to change …"
Turning around, Rukia was going to head back to the dressing room, when Matsumoto yelped a 'no!' Rukia turned around and glared. "Why not?" the raven-haired woman asked.
Matsumoto grabbed Rukia's wrists and continued her explanation. "Because a birthday boy is coming tonight," the strawberry-blonde explained quickly, stealing glances at the entrance at the corner of the building. "He's turning twenty-two and his friend said he's probably only been laid a couple of times in his life."
"And what does this have to do with me?"
"Well, you're going to show him a good time, of course! I want you to wear this costume because it looks the best on you. Honey, you look like a million bucks wrapped up in pink lingerie."
Or two-fifty a night, Rukia thought bitterly.
"Oh fine," she waved Matsumoto's hands off. "I'm still getting paid, right?"
"Of course," the woman laughed. "His friend already paid … double. You better do a good job. Of course, from the look of some of the men who walk out of your room, you seem to earn all of your money …"
Rukia grinned. "I'll do it. Do I need to do anything else for this birthday boy?"
Matsumoto smiled sweetly. "Well, his friend wanted you to sing too."
The moment Ichigo walked into the bar, his face was immediately bright red. Following behind his friends, his arms crossed, and a pout on his face, Ichigo saw women … with barely obscured blessings and thighs showing. No wonder Keigo liked this place so much. It was full of his two favorite things in the world: boobs and butts.
He groaned. Why was he here again? It was his birthday, wasn't it? Shouldn't he decide where he wanted to spend it? Didn't he get decide whether or not he wanted to get laid tonight?
He went even more crimson at that thought.
"Hey Ichigo! Over here! I got a table all ready for you!" Keigo shouted, waving his arms dramatically, over the blasting music and resounding crowd. Ichigo nodded and jogged towards his friend who were right by the … stage with all the — poles. Eight poles. He gulped.
Upon reaching the table, all the lights went down except for the random flashing disco balls and black lights. Renji and Keigo pushed him up to the chair closest to the stage. Ichigo sat back and crossed his arms. There was no way that some girl was going to get the best of him, he figured. He was going to get through the night, have a drink, and go home alone.
That was when the eight sections of the ceiling opened and eight women slid down on the poles. It was quite an entrance, Ichigo had to admit. Balling his fists up, he tried not to blush like a little freshman with a crush on the senior.
Suddenly pop music started to play then, a steady beat rumbled throughout the building; the floors were shaking the music was so loud.
He looked around to find all the men — and some women — dancing up by the stage. "Alright!" someone yelled to his left. He saw a woman with extremely large breasts holding a microphone. "Tonight, is a very special someone's birthday!"
Ichigo was horrified. He looked back to his friends who were smirking at him. His eyes turned livid as his face went to an even deeper shade of scarlet. Ishida nodded back to the stage and Ichigo turned back around, suddenly hating those three men even more.
"And for this special someone's birthday," the woman talking before had looked directly at Ichigo. "Will get a special performance form the magnificent, the graceful, the lovely"— she pointed to the pole in front of Ichigo — "Rukia Kuchiki!" It was at that point he realized, unlike all the other poles, his was unoccupied.
Then, the lights when down completely. There was a lone spotlight and it shone on the pole. A woman with raven-colored hair slid down and in front of Ichigo. Ichigo's breath hitched. She was wearing a very tight corset which barely covered her … blessings … and the frilly skirt she was wearing didn't even touch her knees. Her eyes were violet. She was smiling like she had something to hide.
She looked … bad. Ichigo gulped for a second time.
The music picked up. It sounded older, like something you would hear during the 1930's. Then, seven more spotlights were on the other women in the bar.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Everyone besides Rukia Kuchiki was singing. She was still leaning on the pole, smiling sweetly at him. Never before had Ichigo had such an urge to … touch a woman.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
That thought scared him. For one thing, it meant he was spending way too much time with Keigo and Renji, the biggest perverts he knew (there was his father too … but Ichigo avoided that house as much as possible).
Another thing was that there must be something different about her. He had never been much of a womanizer let alone taken action. He never thought such a relationship would be worth it.
Of course, he usually met girls at college or at the café he worked at, not dancing on the pole in front of him. Speaking of which …
I love you
But I gotta stay true
The girl dancing was singing as well in front of him threw herself down to her knees and squeezed her arms together. Ichigo swallowed loudly. She was making him sweat.
No girl had ever made him sweat before.
My morals got me on my knees
I'm begging please stop playing games
Damn she was … not sexy but beautiful. She wasn't just hot … she was stunning. The way the spotlight hit her made her look angelic and mysterious. Her voice was the same. She sounded like she had a secret and she wouldn't tell anyone until they were close. Physically or emotionally, he wasn't sure.
I don't know what this is
Cause you got me good
just like you knew you would
Rukia stood up again and spun herself around the pole. The man watching her, the birthday boy, was staring at her … he was mystified. He wanted her, she could tell.
Smirking, she crawled over to the edge of the stage and over to him. Sitting in his lap, she snaked her arms around his neck. She was so close to him, she could feel his heartbeat beneath the shirt he was wearing and his hot breath on her neck.
I don't know what you do
but you do it well
"I'm under your spell," she whispered in his ear.
You got me begging you for mercy
why won't you release me
you got me begging you for mercy
why won't you release me
I said release me
Ichigo watched all the women danced simultaneously. They threw their hands up in the hair and then grabbed the pole behind them. The wrapped the legs around it, twirled to the floor.
They then crawled forward — just like what Ichigo's stripper had just done — and jumped back up, trailing their hands up their shins, thighs. Keigo was probably having a ball, was the only thought running through Ichigo's head at that moment.
Now you think that I
will be something on the side
But you got to understand
that I need a man
who can take my hand … yes I do
It was just Rukia singing again. All the other women were singing background. The lights were now flashing to the constant beat of the song.
Ichigo hardly noticed.
I don't know what this is
but you got me good
just like you knew you would
Rukia decided to tease him again. Walking away, she went down the line of her friends, danced a bit with each of them. When she was at the end of the runway, she lifted her pointer finger, pointed to that man — Kurosaki was his name — and curled it back towards herself.
He pointed back to himself, confused.
You got me begging you for mercy
why won't you release me
you got me begging you for mercy
why won't you release me
I said you'd better release yeah, yeah, yeah
Rukia nodded once, puckering her lips a bit. She almost had him. It was like fishing, she thought. When you threw out the right bait, the bigger the fish you will get.
He was new, she could tell.
His friends were pushing him up on the stage. He was yelling at them, but Rukia couldn't really hear what he was saying. Poor boy was probably just shy. She continued singing.
I'm begging you for mercy
yes why won't you release me
I'm begging you for mercy
Once he got up on stage, Rukia's friends pushed him along. He squirmed away from them, like they were infested with something. For once, she felt sorry for him. He probably didn't even want to be here.
Before she knew it, he was thrust before her.
You got me begging
You got me begging
You got me begging
She smiled at him; a true smile, not one of her made up ones. She took his hand; it was warm and strong. He wasn't eager to take her to the back like everyone else.
She started down the side stars with him trailing along behind her.
Mercy, why won't you release me
I'm begging you for mercy
why won't you release me
She went down to the second door on the left and pushed it open. She pulled Kurosaki inside and used his back to close the door. She started kissing his neck, wasting no time.
She was getting paid five hundred dollars for this one. She had to make this good. She had to keep telling herself that it was just like any other night.
Rukia was trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't doing anything.
You got me begging you for mercy
I'm begging you for mercy
I'm begging you for mercy
I'm begging you for mercy
She was kissing him, Ichigo knew. Other than that, he wasn't quite sure about anything. He had been manhandled — literally — up on the stage, was touched by women he would never see again, and then she was grabbing his hand and running off to wherever they were now.
Then, she was kissing his lips. Her lips were soft and warm against his. He couldn't even move he was so nervous. Should he kiss her back? Should he push her off of him? Should he just go through with it?
"What's your problem?" she rasped.
I'm begging you for mercy
Why won't you release me yeah, yeah
break it down
"I-I um …"
"Come on, birthday boy, you've got a beautiful girl throwing herself at you, take advantage of it," she bit his lip and led him back to the bed.
Rukia fell down, taking him with her. He landed on top of her; balanced himself on his elbows, trying not to crush her. She ran her fingers up his sides; he was trying so hard to tell her to stop because he didn't want this. He didn't even know her.
She didn't have to give herself to him. It felt wrong to him. She didn't even know him and already she was acting as if they were long-lost lovers. He wanted her to stop. She didn't have to do this.
"Would you like to go on a date with me?" he mumbled. Her lips froze on his. Pulling away from him, their lips were mere centimeters apart.
She licked her lips. "What?" she sounded shocked.
"Um," he blushed. Think of something else to say, you idiot! "Uh … y-you don't have to do this," he fell down beside her. It was then that he finally noticed the well-lit room. It looked like a regular room with a bed, dresser, even a couple of windows. There was another door on the right wall, leading to what was probably a bathroom.
The girl sat up. He followed suit. Looking over to him, she was completely confused. "What do you mean that I don't have to do this?" she asked.
"I mean … you don't even know me … doesn't this feel wrong?"
She smirked. "You're asking a stripper if having sex with a random stranger feels wrong? Birthday Boy, it's my job. If it feels wrong, oh well. I'm getting paid."
"It's Kurosaki Ichigo," the man replied, ignoring her comment.
"Fine, Strawberry then, what's the problem?"
He turned to face her fully. "I just don't feel comfortable with this. I mean, I don't even know you … I feel like we're doing something wrong."
She grinned. "No one's ever cared if they know me, not even my name. They just come in here, get what they want and leave. I knew when I saw the red across your face that it wasn't your idea to come here … well, you were new at least, maybe embarrassed."
Ichigo looked away, blushing. "My friends annoyed me until I said I would come. I was kinda dragged here against my will." Rukia laughed. "No! I'm serious!"
"Were you asking me on a date against your will too?" she smirked. She liked the way he would blush at just about anything she said. It made her feel like she actually knew what she was doing.
"Uh, I uh … no I wasn't."
Standing up, Rukia walked over to her dresser and pulled out a large t-shirt. She slipped it over the scraps of clothing she was wearing. Then, she pulled her arms on the inside and took off the corset and then the skirt and the fishnet.
Ichigo wouldn't look at her.
"Then why did you ask?"
I didn't think that you'd just listen to no. "Because I thought it would be the best way to get you off of me," he replied sarcasm evident in his voice.
Rukia laughed. Walking back over to him, she got under the covers, acting as if she was going to bed. She looked over to him. "So," she said, looking over to him. He got up, feeling as if his presence was no longer needed in the room. He was planned on just slipping out the back before his friends noticed.
He was at the door when he heard her voice again. "Friday at eight?" she asked.
Ichigo froze. What had she just asked him? "Wh-what?" he stuttered.
"Are you going to pick me up on Friday at eight?" she repeated her question from under her covers like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You asked me on a date … I've never met someone who's ever wanted my company before. What's the problem?"
Absolutely nothing. Ichigo chuckled. "Well, then, can I at least ask your name?"
"You didn't hear it?"
"I might have. I was kinda distracted." He nodded to the skimpy outfit still on the floor. She looked over to it and grinned sheepishly.
"Fine, my name is Kuchiki Rukia."
He walked over to her and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Kuchiki Rukia."
"You too, Kurosaki Ichigo." She paused. He started to head towards the door. "Wait! Ichigo … could you sneak out through the window?" He looked confused. "That way I can get some sleep tonight … if any one of the girls sees you leaving my reputation will be ruined … and I'll have to go out there again. And I really need to catch up on some of my reports."
He rolled his eyes, crossing over to where the window was. He opened it swiftly and crawled out, onto a patch of grass right outside the club. "I'll see you around, Kurosaki Ichigo," she said.
"You too, Kuchiki Rukia." And somewhere, in the deep depths of his mind, Ichigo thanked Keigo. This wasn't such a bad birthday after all.