Blue Skies
This is an entry for the IchiRuki FC Valentine Contest at Bleach Asylum. Yay.
Title: Blue Skies
Rating: M (language and lime I was forced to write)
Pairing: IchiRuki
Theme: Rukia got the best idea for Valentine! But is that really a good idea?
Summary: Rukia sets out to have the perfect valentine date for her and Ichigo. But will the chaos that usually ensues with these two allow for her plans to succeed?
Rukia felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she and Ichigo quickened their pace while running through the streets. The rain poured mercilessly, drenching their clothes completely. Rukia was able to keep somewhat dry due to Ichigo covering them with his large coat. He cursed several times, but she paid him no heed. She clutched onto her own clothing tightly as her eyes remained downcast.
'This wasn't how things were supposed to end like' she thought bitterly as she clutched the soaked basket in her hand. ' Maybe they just weren't cut out for these kinds of things. That was probably it.'
Everything had just gone wrong today.
x.X.x
Ichigo grumbled at the foot of the stairs as he waited impatiently for Rukia. She had been up in his sister's room for nearly an hour with no sign of being ready. She was the one who demanded he be ready by now or face her wrath, but now she was taking her time. He shoved his hands into his pocket and leaned against the wall as he shouted her name again.
On getting no response again, he shook his head in defeat and walked into the kitchen to find Yuzu preparing lunch. Her eyes followed his movement as he sat down at the table muttering. She smiled sympathetically as his brow furrowed in annoyance.
"Rukia-nee still isn't ready?" she asked as she checked the food once more before turning her attention again to her brother. "What are you guys planning to do today, anyways?"
Ichigo shook his head and leaned against his chair, turning slightly to see if the midget was coming down the stairs. "I don't know. Rukia said she wanted to do something today and she wouldn't tell me what. Just that I need to be ready by now."
Yuzu smiled softly as she watched her brother shift uncomfortably in his seat and craning his neck from time to time to look at the stairs. "Why don't I go see if she is ready then?"
Ichigo turned to his sister and smiled. "Yeah, thanks, Yuzu."
The young girl ran past him and up the stairs as he followed quietly, waiting again by the stairs.
x.X.x.
Rukia's head turned towards the door when Ichigo's incessant hollering had finally stopped. He was being so impatient and it only was two hours since she started getting ready. Wasn't that how long it usually took for them to get ready? She stopped answering him after the first two calls and smiled victoriously when he stopped. She returned to looking at the mirror, placing the necklace around her neck and admiring it one last time before she sighed heavily. She always did feel odd trying to dress up, but today was a special occasion and Ichigo had agreed to go along with her plans.
Her attention was turned suddenly to Yuzu coming in to enquire about her, and knew she had better move or hell would break loose.
x.X.x
It was only a few minutes later that Ichigo heard the sound of footsteps approaching the stairs and the muffled voice of Rukia and Yuzu. He turned his attention to the foot of the steps, ready to argue with Rukia over ignoring his calls and taking so long when he felt his breath still.
Rukia was watching him nervously as she played with a piece of her simple, yet beautiful teal blue winter dress. Her hair was tied to the side by a golden flower pin, and she wore the necklace he had given her last year. It suited her. He smiled as she made a face at him to hide her nervousness and made her way down the stairs.
Yuzu made her way to the kitchen as Rukia walked over to Ichigo. “Well, how do I look?” she asked.
“Uh…” Ichigo’s eyebrows furrowed, trying to find an appropriate way to say just how beautiful she looked. He could feel his cheeks slightly burning, surprised that she could still make him react this way even after all this time he had known her. He was about to answer, but suddenly noticed the peeking faces of his sister and his father, who was grinning at him. He gulped and turned to an expectant Rukia.
"You…you look nice. We should get going, shouldn't we?" he muttered, looking sideways at his family still watching.
It was very hard to read her face at that moment, but Ichigo could feel the room temperature plummet unusually low. It was almost as if she was struggling to keep smiling, but Ichigo had always had a hard time telling how she felt unless she smacked it into him. “Ah…thanks. Yeah, we should or we will be late. Yeah.” As she made her way to get the basket and her coat, Ichigo noticed his sisters shaking their head at him while his father was sobbing in the corner by his wife’s portrait.
‘What is their problem?’ Ichigo frowned as he made his way to the door, only to have it slammed on his face. He heard Karin snicker from the side as he opened the door to find Rukia beginning to walk out without looking at him. “Oye…Ukia…wait…” he yelled as he clutched his bruised nose. He scowled even more when his father stuck his head out, sobbing. “Don’t forget to make a man out of him, Rukia-chan!”
x.X.x
Rukia's eyes widened when she saw the large gathering that had taken over nearly the entire park. It seemed as if the entire town of Karakura decided to spend the day there.
“Looks like everyone had the same idea,” Ichigo muttered, looking around to see if there were any places available to sit. Rukia crossed her arm, a look of determination steeled in her eyes. He knew that look, and knew it was pointless to argue.
“Well, we will just have to find the perfect spot,” she answered, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him across the crowd. Ichigo struggled to keep up with her, and almost crashed into a few people as he made his way past them.
It took nearly half an hour and Ichigo complaining for them to finally pick a spot that was up to Rukia’s standards. It was a bit more secluded then the rest of the park, perched at the edge on a hill and overlooking the rest of the karakura town. Rukia grinned at her perfect choice while Ichigo grumbled as he put the blanket on the ground, nursing the few bruises Rukia had given him on the way.
As she began setting up the food, Ichigo turned his attention to the sky. “You know, Rukia, the weather is getting worse. Are you sure this is a good idea to be out here?”
Rukia shook her hand dismissively as she shifted a couple of containers in the basket while searching for a particular item. “Of course. The weatherman your family always watches said it was going to be a perfect day for outdoor activities.”
Ichigo raised his brow and looked up, seeing the clouds beginning to turn a darker shade of grey, and the wind beginning to pick up. “Rukia…”
She looked up at him, and he felt the words drown in his mouth. “Uh…the food looks good.”
He felt his heart quicken when she smiled at him, and sighed. If this made her happy, he supposed he could go along with it for a while. He watched as she continued to shuffle around the food, her nose crinkled in concentration. He let out a small chuckle as her attention turned to him, looking at him with confusion.
He drew closer to her, grinning. "You look very beautiful today, Rukia."
She blinked as he pointed to his bruised nose. "I got the message."
Rukia stilled as his lips traced against her. Since when had Ichigo become so intuitive about how she was feeling? Even a broken nose never registered anything to him in the few months they had been together. But here he was, with an unusual cheshire grin as he teased he, his lips just barely touching hers. Her eyes narrowed as she grabbed his collar, yanking him closer. Though she could not see it, she knew he was still grinning. She wanted to pummel him, but such affection from him was rare, so she gave in and deepened the kiss. One of his hands tangled in her hair as he drew her closer, while the other was wrapped around her.
"NNNNEEEEE-SSAANNNNN!!"
Rukia's eyes snapped open as they quickly broke their kiss, staring at the basket they had brought. A big plushie animal's head was sticking out, tearings coming down his face.
"KON?!" Rukia and Ichigo snarled in unison.
The plushie sobbed before pointing an accusing paw at Ichigo. "I knew I could never trust you with my poor innocent Nee-san. You...you..."
He squealed when Ichigo's hand shot out and grabbed his head. "You..." Ichigo growled as he stood up, searching around for an appropriate place to get rid of him.
Rukia watched as he began walking down the hill with Kon screaming. "Ichigo...wha..?!" Her eyes widened as Ichigo chucked the annoying plushie across the park.
He returned and sat down in annoyance. "Annoying thing. I don't think we can ever get rid of him."
Rukia smiled and ruffled his hair. He smirked and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. "Now then, where were we?" he mused.
"This looks like a good spot!"
Ichigo and Rukia stared at one another in shock before turning their head to where the strange voice was coming from. A few feet away, a more elderly couple were walking around with their own things, searching for a spot.
Rukia felt herself groan inwardly when they chose that very spot nearby to have their own picnic. Ichigo sighed as well and shook his head. "I guess...we will have to wait on that one."
"Yeah..." Rukia muttered, her eyes narrowing at the couple who remained completely oblvious to the fact that they were there.
In an attempt to distract her, his attention was drawn to the basket, which was filled to the brim. “Oye, Rukia, where did all that food come from?”
She looked at him questioningly and then at the food. “I made it. Why?”
He blinked in surprise. “You…you made this?”
Rukia huffed indignitely as she crossed her arm. “Of course I did. We Kuchikis are known to excel in culinary.” She grinned smugly.
Ichigo smirked and rolled his eyes. "Sure sure."
Rukia stuck her tongue at him and began pulling out the food when suddenly a small beeping sound began to emit from Ichigo. Rukia looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Ichigo...is that your shinigami badge..."
Ichigo nodded, completely oblivious to her glare. "I figured in case there were any hollows, we would need to get going."
Rukia took a deep breath and folded her arms. "You didn't have to worry. I told you already that they were going to send another shinigami to take care of this area today so that we could get a day off. He will take care of it, okay?"
Ichigo frowned and stared at the badge, which continued to beep. It was nearly five minutes, and the thing was still going off.
"Rukia..." he muttered, Rukia gritted her teeth and nodded in defeat. "I know...lets go..." she muttered as she watched with annoyance at the couple nearby them who felt that there was no difference between public and private affairs.
'Remind me to pick another spot when this is done,' she thought ruefully.
x.X.x
The fight was taking longer then usual. Rukia took deep jagged breaths as Ichigo took over, delivering the final blow to the hollow. She winced slightly from the pain on the right side of her abdomen and the cut on her right cheek, but chose to ignore it as she watched his fight closely to make certain everything was taken care of. She couldn't believe she had allowed herself to get injured by being so distracted by other things. She did not know why, but a sense of annoyance overwhelmed her at that moment, which did not help when the shinigami who was supposed to be on duty that day appeared right next to her.
Her eyes turned coldly to him, watching as he scratched his chin lazily and survey the scene. “Oh, looks like you two got him. Why did you go through all the trouble anyways? I would have taken care of it.”
Ichigo had grinned smugly as he finished off the hollow, congratulating himself on another perfect battle. His victory however was short lived when his attention was suddenly drawn to the muffled screams of someone behind him. He turned to find Rukia fuming as she waited for him and a very beaten up shinigami next to her. He gulped when her eyes opened, staring daggers at him before turning and walking back to where their picnic spot was.
As Ichigo made his way past the shinigami, he scowled. “What the hell happened?” he muttered as he watched Rukia’s retreating form.
The shinigami shook his head and whimpered. Ichigo sighed, running after Rukia.
He finally made his way to her, but still had to keep his quick strides to match hers. He knew he was asking for an early death by saying anything to her, but he had to know what was bothering her. “Oye, you okay, Rukia? What happened back there?”
“Nothing. I’m fine, Ichigo.”
He frowned slightly, stopping her. "No, it's not fine. You are hurt, and that was one of the weakest hollows we have fought. What is going on?"
Rukia shook her head, tired. "I said its nothing, Ichigo. Lets go." Her tone made it clear that she did not want to discuss this anymore and Ichigo knew to shut his mouth immediately. He chose instead to just follow her quietly, hoping to find a way to make amends for whatever happened later that day.
He stopped suddenly when he felt the cold trickle of water hit his face. He looked up, as more droplets began falling on his face. He noticed Rukia had stilled as well. The drizzle started only a moment later.
"No..." he heard her mutter as she looked over at him.
He felt the confusion and frustration beginning to appear on her face as she looked towards their picnic spot. They quickly ran there, hoping that nothing had been ruined. By the time they had arrived there, nearly the entire park had already emptied. Rukia made her way to the basket, seeing it completely soaked now by the rain.
Ichigo quickly took off his coat and covered himself and Rukia as the rain began to descend. "Come on, Rukia. I don't think this is going to let up. We need to get home."
She nodded, and Ichigo frowned at seeing the dejected look on her face as she picked up the basket. He tried to take it from her hand, but she held it tightly and began walking towards the house without him. He cursed inwardly and hurried after her, making certain to keep her dry.
Perhaps it was that he sensed her frustration, but Rukia soon felt his hold on her become tighter as they got closer to the house. She allowed herself to be pulled wherever he went, a lump forming in her throat as she moved the few strands of damp hair off her face.
They ran most of the way, finally arriving home as the sound of thunder rumbled the skies. Rukia shivered slightly from the cold as Ichigo closed the door.
"Sunny day, indeed," she muttered, wrapping her arms around her to warm herself. "That weatherman your family watches doesn't know anything..." she muttered.
He sighed as he threw his coat to the side and looked at her. "Well, no one can ever predict the weather for certain."
"Yeah..." she whispered, running her hands through her disheveled locks of hair. There was silence as Ichigo watched her search through the basket, her eyes weary and a small frown on her features.
His eyes widened when she pulled out a small, red box that was wrapped with ribbons. She handed it to him and shrugged. "Its the chocolates I made for you. I figured giving it to you after, but doesn't matter. I'm very cold so going to go change, okay?"
"Rukia..." he swallowed, but she shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. "It's okay, don't worry about it. You should change as well or you will catch a cold. Looks like your family still isn't home yet, but its getting dark so they should be soon."
He nodded as she turned and ran up the stairs without a word, leaving him staring at the box of chocolate in his hands.
x.X.x
Rukia took the towel from the bathroom and quickly dried her hair. She had changed into an old pair of Yuzu's pajamas, reveling in the warmth of the dry clothing. Ichigo had passed her room at one point, but had not said a word as he closed the door to his room. She blew a few strands of her damp hair out of her face and fell onto the bed, exhausted.
She stared at the ceiling with a slight pout. She didn't know why everything turned out the way it had. It was supposed to be a perfect day...she had worked so hard for it to be so...
Well, it was still to early to give up. Even though their picnic was ruined, she could still spend some time with him. Her attention was suddenly drawn to the loud clattering downstairs and pulled herself up.
His family is probably home.
Ichigo's door was still closed as she made her way down the hallway and stairs. The lights downstairs were off, blanketing the entire floor into darkness. She quickly grabbed onto the wall to make sure she maintained her balance. The electricity was certainly not out and yet she could still hear voices.
Her eyes widened.
Maybe it a burglar...
Rukia contemplated that thought for a moment before shaking her head. No, it couldn't be. Last time she had thought it was a burglar, it had only ended up being Ichigo's father sneaking around during Christmas eve. She bit her lip at the thought of the man having a lump on his head because of her for a week. But what if it wasn't Isshin? She would have certainly heard Ichigo's sisters or Isshin if they had arrived home, and certainly with the lights on.
She stood there for a minute before turning around and walking towards Ichigo's room, knocking on it quietly.
"Ichigo..." she whispered urgently, placing her ear right next to the door to see if she could hear anything. There was no sound coming from there so she turned the knob quietly and peeked in, but found no sign of him.
She walked towards the edge of the stairs again. "Ichigo?" she said quietly, straining her neck to see if she could see who was downstairs. The movement stopped for a moment and then continued again.
Oh this is just silly. I'm a shinigami and a Kuchiki. I shouldn't be getting nervous like this.
Shaking her head, she walked over to the closet and grabbed the baseball bat that Karin had gotten for christmas.
If its a burglar, then this will be needed. If it's Ichigo, this will still be needed for not answering me.
She walked down the stairs cautiously, calling out his name again to see if he would answer, but no response came.
Rukia's eyes narrowed as she grasped the bat. Oh this will definitely come in handy if its Ichigo.
The sound seemed to be coming from the living room, and as she got closer, she noticed it was very dimly lit. Just as she approached the room, a tall lean figure moved from around the corner and stood in front of her.
Never had Kuchiki Rukia drawn out such a piercing scream as she aimed her bat at the intruder.
"OYE, Rukia, STOP!"
Rukia blinked a few times at the sound of Ichigo's voice. "Ichigo...what...why...WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER ME, YOU IDIOT?!"
Ichigo gawked at her before scowling. "I didn't hear you! I was in the other room talking to my dad. He said that they won't be able to be here for a while because of the storm. Why do you have a bat?!"
She breathed deeply, her cheeks turning red from embarassment. "I thought..."
She looked down, refusing to look at him until she heard a soft chuckle. Her eyes turned to his amused grin. Shaking his head, he sighed and took the bat from her hand. "I told you I would always protect you, didn't I?"
Rukia could feel her face burning slightly more as she crossed her arm. " I already told you I can protect myself, you know..."
"Yeah..."
Her eyes met his again, and this time she was unable to stop the grin appearing on her face as well. "Idiot..."
Her head craned towards the room behind him and she frowned again. "Why is the room all dark anyways?"
She turned her attention to Ichigo, surprised that it was his cheeks that were now flushed. Without a word, he took her hand and pulled her towards there. As they entered the room, Rukia's eyes widened.
The room was filled with candles, leaving an almost eerie glow as the walls danced with each flicker of the flames, In the middle of the room, the table had been moved and there was a blanket with the picnic basket in the center of the room and several cushions thrown around.
Rukia's feet went numb as she looked around. "What is this?"
He shrugged lightly, his face a deep shade of red as he scratched the back of his head. "I figured since you spent so much time on this, we should just have the picnic in here. I was able to salvage some of the food, so we can eat that."
His eyes turned slightly to her, noting the look of surprise on her face. He muttered something before looking away again. "What? I mean, might as well, you know. I'm hungry anyways...so...yeah..."
Rukia bit her lip as she surpressed the giggle that came from seeing him so nervous. She shook her head as he sat down on the ground, motioning her without a word to join him. She walked over and sat next to him as he started pulling things out of the basket.
"You didn't have to, Ichigo." she murmured quietly as he stilled for a moment before shrugging.
"Yeah, well, didn't I say I was hungry. So...why not?"
She continued to look at him with a smile as he turned to her. He returned the smile and handed her the plate. They ate quietly, allowing the rain pounding on the window fill in the awkward silence that ensued between them. Rukia curled up slightly as she continued to play with her food, not feeling hungry anymore.
Ichigo watched her from the corner of his eyes and sighed. He put his plate down and faced her, pulling a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Whats the matter, Rukia?" he asked quietly, surveying her as she swallowed the food that was in her mouth and turning to him.
She shrugged and turned back to her plate. "Nothing. I'm just hungry..."
"Hm..." he said, staring at the nearly full plate she was holding. He gently moved closer and took the plate from her hand. She stared at him questioningly, ready to argue, when he gently took her hands.
"Everything was perfect, Rukia. You don't need to be so hard on yourself because the main thing that matters to me is that I got to be with you today. Thats all that has ever mattered to me, okay?"
Rukia stared at his blazing amber eyes as he dared for her to say otherwise, his features regaining that usual scowl that she was so used to.
She snorted lightly. "Even though we looked like we fell into a lake?"
"Absolutely," he teased. She smirked and pushed him away as she shook her head.
“Okay?” His voice had turned serious again and in such a tone that left no room for argument.
She nodded and his face softened, his hands still closed around her wrist as he pulled her to him. His lips barely traced hers, but it was enough for her body to tremble slightly as she felt his .
She felt his palm cup her cheek and without another word his lips descended on hers, kissing her with such fervor that made it nearly impossible for her to stop the moan that had begun resonating in the back of her throat. His lips were warm, inviting, and terribly addictive as he inched his head to the side to deepen the kiss. It was a mixture of tenderness, love, possessiveness, and a hidden desire that she had never felt as strongly as tonight.
She nearly whimper when his lips parted from hers, but was silenced immediately when his lips began to trail down her jawline. She gasped when she found that somehow, he had managed to get her to lay on the ground as he rested protectively over her. "Oye, Ichigo. What...here??"
“Exactly. Why do you think the cushions are here?” he grinned wickedly as her eyes widened.
“What, pray tell, brought this about?” she gasped as he continued to nibble playfully at her neck, feeling the grin that appeared on his face. "I'm having dessert, of course," he muttered in between kisses. Her eyes narrowed as she realized just how much he was enjoying teasing her like this, but before she could argue, his lips were back on hers.
His lips worked in such a manner that she felt herself give in, allowing his warm tongue to delve into her mouth. Her delicate fingers entangled in his hair, as she completely immersed herself in the kiss. Every breath felt like a struggle as his hands began to explore her form by slowly lifting her shirt and sliding his hand to caress her creamy skin underneath the worn garments.
Her breath hitched when his hand rested below her breast, teasing her by tickling her rib. She wiggled in his arm, trying to stop him as he let out a soft chuckle. Her eyes narrowed at the cocky grin on his face as he affectionately put his forehead next to hers.
"You know, we are going to be in a lot of trouble if your family comes back." she murmered as he tilted his head, watching her curiously.
"Well," he sighed. "We probably would if they had been coming home. But remember I said he called earlier? It was to say that the storm is too strong for them to be driving around in. Probably won't be here until tomorrow morning..." he said quietly. He felt her still in his arms, and he could not help but smile.
"If you aren't ready, Rukia, just tell me," he murmured softly as he stared intently at her. His hand had left her side and was now gently pushing off strands of her hair from her forehead while he waited for her answer. Her eyes met his as she smiled softly, her fingers slowly trailing to the back of his neck. She lifted her head slightly, her lips inching closer to his. "Idiot," she murmured before claiming his lips, pulling him down with her as she placed herself back amongst the several cushions laden on the floor. She felt his lips curve into a smile as his arms encircled her small form, drawing her closer.
She felt his hands slowly descend and begin to pick at the buttons of her shirt. The cool air tickled her exposed skin, but she was far too occupied with Ichigo’s insistent tongue that playfully fought with her hers. She arched slightly when he tugged at the garment, allowing him to pull it off of her. Clothes soon were strewn in a pile nearby as Ichigo's warm hands explored her body without any inhibitions. She blushed deeply, when his sweet lips roamed every inch of her, and felt her breath still when he came inside her. It was not painful, but a very strange feeling at first. Their embrace tightened when he moved and she cried out his name as their warm bodies pressed tightly together.
x.X.x
Rukia stretched lightly underneath the sheet that was now wrapped around her, watching with an amused grin as Ichigo's brow rose when he opened the box of chocolate she had made for him.
"Rukia...what the hell is this?" he muttered as he showed her a glob of chocolate with strange ears.
She shrugged as she closed her eyes. "It's chappy, of course. Why, is there a problem with it?" she asked, her tone causing Ichigo to gulp.
He muttered something before eating it. It was delicious, but because she would be more smug around him, he didn't let her know. He watched as she snuggled closer to him, her eyes heavy with exhaustion from the day. He smiled softly as he pushed a strand of hair away from her face. He carefully lifted her into his arms and made his way up the stairs. She barely stirred as he put her on his bed and laid down next to her. Pulling her closer to him, he buried his face in her beautiful raven locks and smiled as he stroked her bare back softly. It really had been a perfect day...
Title: Blue Skies
Rating: M (language and lime I was forced to write)
Pairing: IchiRuki
Theme: Rukia got the best idea for Valentine! But is that really a good idea?
Summary: Rukia sets out to have the perfect valentine date for her and Ichigo. But will the chaos that usually ensues with these two allow for her plans to succeed?
Rukia felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she and Ichigo quickened their pace while running through the streets. The rain poured mercilessly, drenching their clothes completely. Rukia was able to keep somewhat dry due to Ichigo covering them with his large coat. He cursed several times, but she paid him no heed. She clutched onto her own clothing tightly as her eyes remained downcast.
'This wasn't how things were supposed to end like' she thought bitterly as she clutched the soaked basket in her hand. ' Maybe they just weren't cut out for these kinds of things. That was probably it.'
Everything had just gone wrong today.
x.X.x
Ichigo grumbled at the foot of the stairs as he waited impatiently for Rukia. She had been up in his sister's room for nearly an hour with no sign of being ready. She was the one who demanded he be ready by now or face her wrath, but now she was taking her time. He shoved his hands into his pocket and leaned against the wall as he shouted her name again.
On getting no response again, he shook his head in defeat and walked into the kitchen to find Yuzu preparing lunch. Her eyes followed his movement as he sat down at the table muttering. She smiled sympathetically as his brow furrowed in annoyance.
"Rukia-nee still isn't ready?" she asked as she checked the food once more before turning her attention again to her brother. "What are you guys planning to do today, anyways?"
Ichigo shook his head and leaned against his chair, turning slightly to see if the midget was coming down the stairs. "I don't know. Rukia said she wanted to do something today and she wouldn't tell me what. Just that I need to be ready by now."
Yuzu smiled softly as she watched her brother shift uncomfortably in his seat and craning his neck from time to time to look at the stairs. "Why don't I go see if she is ready then?"
Ichigo turned to his sister and smiled. "Yeah, thanks, Yuzu."
The young girl ran past him and up the stairs as he followed quietly, waiting again by the stairs.
x.X.x.
Rukia's head turned towards the door when Ichigo's incessant hollering had finally stopped. He was being so impatient and it only was two hours since she started getting ready. Wasn't that how long it usually took for them to get ready? She stopped answering him after the first two calls and smiled victoriously when he stopped. She returned to looking at the mirror, placing the necklace around her neck and admiring it one last time before she sighed heavily. She always did feel odd trying to dress up, but today was a special occasion and Ichigo had agreed to go along with her plans.
Her attention was turned suddenly to Yuzu coming in to enquire about her, and knew she had better move or hell would break loose.
x.X.x
It was only a few minutes later that Ichigo heard the sound of footsteps approaching the stairs and the muffled voice of Rukia and Yuzu. He turned his attention to the foot of the steps, ready to argue with Rukia over ignoring his calls and taking so long when he felt his breath still.
Rukia was watching him nervously as she played with a piece of her simple, yet beautiful teal blue winter dress. Her hair was tied to the side by a golden flower pin, and she wore the necklace he had given her last year. It suited her. He smiled as she made a face at him to hide her nervousness and made her way down the stairs.
Yuzu made her way to the kitchen as Rukia walked over to Ichigo. “Well, how do I look?” she asked.
“Uh…” Ichigo’s eyebrows furrowed, trying to find an appropriate way to say just how beautiful she looked. He could feel his cheeks slightly burning, surprised that she could still make him react this way even after all this time he had known her. He was about to answer, but suddenly noticed the peeking faces of his sister and his father, who was grinning at him. He gulped and turned to an expectant Rukia.
"You…you look nice. We should get going, shouldn't we?" he muttered, looking sideways at his family still watching.
It was very hard to read her face at that moment, but Ichigo could feel the room temperature plummet unusually low. It was almost as if she was struggling to keep smiling, but Ichigo had always had a hard time telling how she felt unless she smacked it into him. “Ah…thanks. Yeah, we should or we will be late. Yeah.” As she made her way to get the basket and her coat, Ichigo noticed his sisters shaking their head at him while his father was sobbing in the corner by his wife’s portrait.
‘What is their problem?’ Ichigo frowned as he made his way to the door, only to have it slammed on his face. He heard Karin snicker from the side as he opened the door to find Rukia beginning to walk out without looking at him. “Oye…Ukia…wait…” he yelled as he clutched his bruised nose. He scowled even more when his father stuck his head out, sobbing. “Don’t forget to make a man out of him, Rukia-chan!”
x.X.x
Rukia's eyes widened when she saw the large gathering that had taken over nearly the entire park. It seemed as if the entire town of Karakura decided to spend the day there.
“Looks like everyone had the same idea,” Ichigo muttered, looking around to see if there were any places available to sit. Rukia crossed her arm, a look of determination steeled in her eyes. He knew that look, and knew it was pointless to argue.
“Well, we will just have to find the perfect spot,” she answered, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him across the crowd. Ichigo struggled to keep up with her, and almost crashed into a few people as he made his way past them.
It took nearly half an hour and Ichigo complaining for them to finally pick a spot that was up to Rukia’s standards. It was a bit more secluded then the rest of the park, perched at the edge on a hill and overlooking the rest of the karakura town. Rukia grinned at her perfect choice while Ichigo grumbled as he put the blanket on the ground, nursing the few bruises Rukia had given him on the way.
As she began setting up the food, Ichigo turned his attention to the sky. “You know, Rukia, the weather is getting worse. Are you sure this is a good idea to be out here?”
Rukia shook her hand dismissively as she shifted a couple of containers in the basket while searching for a particular item. “Of course. The weatherman your family always watches said it was going to be a perfect day for outdoor activities.”
Ichigo raised his brow and looked up, seeing the clouds beginning to turn a darker shade of grey, and the wind beginning to pick up. “Rukia…”
She looked up at him, and he felt the words drown in his mouth. “Uh…the food looks good.”
He felt his heart quicken when she smiled at him, and sighed. If this made her happy, he supposed he could go along with it for a while. He watched as she continued to shuffle around the food, her nose crinkled in concentration. He let out a small chuckle as her attention turned to him, looking at him with confusion.
He drew closer to her, grinning. "You look very beautiful today, Rukia."
She blinked as he pointed to his bruised nose. "I got the message."
Rukia stilled as his lips traced against her. Since when had Ichigo become so intuitive about how she was feeling? Even a broken nose never registered anything to him in the few months they had been together. But here he was, with an unusual cheshire grin as he teased he, his lips just barely touching hers. Her eyes narrowed as she grabbed his collar, yanking him closer. Though she could not see it, she knew he was still grinning. She wanted to pummel him, but such affection from him was rare, so she gave in and deepened the kiss. One of his hands tangled in her hair as he drew her closer, while the other was wrapped around her.
"NNNNEEEEE-SSAANNNNN!!"
Rukia's eyes snapped open as they quickly broke their kiss, staring at the basket they had brought. A big plushie animal's head was sticking out, tearings coming down his face.
"KON?!" Rukia and Ichigo snarled in unison.
The plushie sobbed before pointing an accusing paw at Ichigo. "I knew I could never trust you with my poor innocent Nee-san. You...you..."
He squealed when Ichigo's hand shot out and grabbed his head. "You..." Ichigo growled as he stood up, searching around for an appropriate place to get rid of him.
Rukia watched as he began walking down the hill with Kon screaming. "Ichigo...wha..?!" Her eyes widened as Ichigo chucked the annoying plushie across the park.
He returned and sat down in annoyance. "Annoying thing. I don't think we can ever get rid of him."
Rukia smiled and ruffled his hair. He smirked and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. "Now then, where were we?" he mused.
"This looks like a good spot!"
Ichigo and Rukia stared at one another in shock before turning their head to where the strange voice was coming from. A few feet away, a more elderly couple were walking around with their own things, searching for a spot.
Rukia felt herself groan inwardly when they chose that very spot nearby to have their own picnic. Ichigo sighed as well and shook his head. "I guess...we will have to wait on that one."
"Yeah..." Rukia muttered, her eyes narrowing at the couple who remained completely oblvious to the fact that they were there.
In an attempt to distract her, his attention was drawn to the basket, which was filled to the brim. “Oye, Rukia, where did all that food come from?”
She looked at him questioningly and then at the food. “I made it. Why?”
He blinked in surprise. “You…you made this?”
Rukia huffed indignitely as she crossed her arm. “Of course I did. We Kuchikis are known to excel in culinary.” She grinned smugly.
Ichigo smirked and rolled his eyes. "Sure sure."
Rukia stuck her tongue at him and began pulling out the food when suddenly a small beeping sound began to emit from Ichigo. Rukia looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Ichigo...is that your shinigami badge..."
Ichigo nodded, completely oblivious to her glare. "I figured in case there were any hollows, we would need to get going."
Rukia took a deep breath and folded her arms. "You didn't have to worry. I told you already that they were going to send another shinigami to take care of this area today so that we could get a day off. He will take care of it, okay?"
Ichigo frowned and stared at the badge, which continued to beep. It was nearly five minutes, and the thing was still going off.
"Rukia..." he muttered, Rukia gritted her teeth and nodded in defeat. "I know...lets go..." she muttered as she watched with annoyance at the couple nearby them who felt that there was no difference between public and private affairs.
'Remind me to pick another spot when this is done,' she thought ruefully.
x.X.x
The fight was taking longer then usual. Rukia took deep jagged breaths as Ichigo took over, delivering the final blow to the hollow. She winced slightly from the pain on the right side of her abdomen and the cut on her right cheek, but chose to ignore it as she watched his fight closely to make certain everything was taken care of. She couldn't believe she had allowed herself to get injured by being so distracted by other things. She did not know why, but a sense of annoyance overwhelmed her at that moment, which did not help when the shinigami who was supposed to be on duty that day appeared right next to her.
Her eyes turned coldly to him, watching as he scratched his chin lazily and survey the scene. “Oh, looks like you two got him. Why did you go through all the trouble anyways? I would have taken care of it.”
Ichigo had grinned smugly as he finished off the hollow, congratulating himself on another perfect battle. His victory however was short lived when his attention was suddenly drawn to the muffled screams of someone behind him. He turned to find Rukia fuming as she waited for him and a very beaten up shinigami next to her. He gulped when her eyes opened, staring daggers at him before turning and walking back to where their picnic spot was.
As Ichigo made his way past the shinigami, he scowled. “What the hell happened?” he muttered as he watched Rukia’s retreating form.
The shinigami shook his head and whimpered. Ichigo sighed, running after Rukia.
He finally made his way to her, but still had to keep his quick strides to match hers. He knew he was asking for an early death by saying anything to her, but he had to know what was bothering her. “Oye, you okay, Rukia? What happened back there?”
“Nothing. I’m fine, Ichigo.”
He frowned slightly, stopping her. "No, it's not fine. You are hurt, and that was one of the weakest hollows we have fought. What is going on?"
Rukia shook her head, tired. "I said its nothing, Ichigo. Lets go." Her tone made it clear that she did not want to discuss this anymore and Ichigo knew to shut his mouth immediately. He chose instead to just follow her quietly, hoping to find a way to make amends for whatever happened later that day.
He stopped suddenly when he felt the cold trickle of water hit his face. He looked up, as more droplets began falling on his face. He noticed Rukia had stilled as well. The drizzle started only a moment later.
"No..." he heard her mutter as she looked over at him.
He felt the confusion and frustration beginning to appear on her face as she looked towards their picnic spot. They quickly ran there, hoping that nothing had been ruined. By the time they had arrived there, nearly the entire park had already emptied. Rukia made her way to the basket, seeing it completely soaked now by the rain.
Ichigo quickly took off his coat and covered himself and Rukia as the rain began to descend. "Come on, Rukia. I don't think this is going to let up. We need to get home."
She nodded, and Ichigo frowned at seeing the dejected look on her face as she picked up the basket. He tried to take it from her hand, but she held it tightly and began walking towards the house without him. He cursed inwardly and hurried after her, making certain to keep her dry.
Perhaps it was that he sensed her frustration, but Rukia soon felt his hold on her become tighter as they got closer to the house. She allowed herself to be pulled wherever he went, a lump forming in her throat as she moved the few strands of damp hair off her face.
They ran most of the way, finally arriving home as the sound of thunder rumbled the skies. Rukia shivered slightly from the cold as Ichigo closed the door.
"Sunny day, indeed," she muttered, wrapping her arms around her to warm herself. "That weatherman your family watches doesn't know anything..." she muttered.
He sighed as he threw his coat to the side and looked at her. "Well, no one can ever predict the weather for certain."
"Yeah..." she whispered, running her hands through her disheveled locks of hair. There was silence as Ichigo watched her search through the basket, her eyes weary and a small frown on her features.
His eyes widened when she pulled out a small, red box that was wrapped with ribbons. She handed it to him and shrugged. "Its the chocolates I made for you. I figured giving it to you after, but doesn't matter. I'm very cold so going to go change, okay?"
"Rukia..." he swallowed, but she shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. "It's okay, don't worry about it. You should change as well or you will catch a cold. Looks like your family still isn't home yet, but its getting dark so they should be soon."
He nodded as she turned and ran up the stairs without a word, leaving him staring at the box of chocolate in his hands.
x.X.x
Rukia took the towel from the bathroom and quickly dried her hair. She had changed into an old pair of Yuzu's pajamas, reveling in the warmth of the dry clothing. Ichigo had passed her room at one point, but had not said a word as he closed the door to his room. She blew a few strands of her damp hair out of her face and fell onto the bed, exhausted.
She stared at the ceiling with a slight pout. She didn't know why everything turned out the way it had. It was supposed to be a perfect day...she had worked so hard for it to be so...
Well, it was still to early to give up. Even though their picnic was ruined, she could still spend some time with him. Her attention was suddenly drawn to the loud clattering downstairs and pulled herself up.
His family is probably home.
Ichigo's door was still closed as she made her way down the hallway and stairs. The lights downstairs were off, blanketing the entire floor into darkness. She quickly grabbed onto the wall to make sure she maintained her balance. The electricity was certainly not out and yet she could still hear voices.
Her eyes widened.
Maybe it a burglar...
Rukia contemplated that thought for a moment before shaking her head. No, it couldn't be. Last time she had thought it was a burglar, it had only ended up being Ichigo's father sneaking around during Christmas eve. She bit her lip at the thought of the man having a lump on his head because of her for a week. But what if it wasn't Isshin? She would have certainly heard Ichigo's sisters or Isshin if they had arrived home, and certainly with the lights on.
She stood there for a minute before turning around and walking towards Ichigo's room, knocking on it quietly.
"Ichigo..." she whispered urgently, placing her ear right next to the door to see if she could hear anything. There was no sound coming from there so she turned the knob quietly and peeked in, but found no sign of him.
She walked towards the edge of the stairs again. "Ichigo?" she said quietly, straining her neck to see if she could see who was downstairs. The movement stopped for a moment and then continued again.
Oh this is just silly. I'm a shinigami and a Kuchiki. I shouldn't be getting nervous like this.
Shaking her head, she walked over to the closet and grabbed the baseball bat that Karin had gotten for christmas.
If its a burglar, then this will be needed. If it's Ichigo, this will still be needed for not answering me.
She walked down the stairs cautiously, calling out his name again to see if he would answer, but no response came.
Rukia's eyes narrowed as she grasped the bat. Oh this will definitely come in handy if its Ichigo.
The sound seemed to be coming from the living room, and as she got closer, she noticed it was very dimly lit. Just as she approached the room, a tall lean figure moved from around the corner and stood in front of her.
Never had Kuchiki Rukia drawn out such a piercing scream as she aimed her bat at the intruder.
"OYE, Rukia, STOP!"
Rukia blinked a few times at the sound of Ichigo's voice. "Ichigo...what...why...WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER ME, YOU IDIOT?!"
Ichigo gawked at her before scowling. "I didn't hear you! I was in the other room talking to my dad. He said that they won't be able to be here for a while because of the storm. Why do you have a bat?!"
She breathed deeply, her cheeks turning red from embarassment. "I thought..."
She looked down, refusing to look at him until she heard a soft chuckle. Her eyes turned to his amused grin. Shaking his head, he sighed and took the bat from her hand. "I told you I would always protect you, didn't I?"
Rukia could feel her face burning slightly more as she crossed her arm. " I already told you I can protect myself, you know..."
"Yeah..."
Her eyes met his again, and this time she was unable to stop the grin appearing on her face as well. "Idiot..."
Her head craned towards the room behind him and she frowned again. "Why is the room all dark anyways?"
She turned her attention to Ichigo, surprised that it was his cheeks that were now flushed. Without a word, he took her hand and pulled her towards there. As they entered the room, Rukia's eyes widened.
The room was filled with candles, leaving an almost eerie glow as the walls danced with each flicker of the flames, In the middle of the room, the table had been moved and there was a blanket with the picnic basket in the center of the room and several cushions thrown around.
Rukia's feet went numb as she looked around. "What is this?"
He shrugged lightly, his face a deep shade of red as he scratched the back of his head. "I figured since you spent so much time on this, we should just have the picnic in here. I was able to salvage some of the food, so we can eat that."
His eyes turned slightly to her, noting the look of surprise on her face. He muttered something before looking away again. "What? I mean, might as well, you know. I'm hungry anyways...so...yeah..."
Rukia bit her lip as she surpressed the giggle that came from seeing him so nervous. She shook her head as he sat down on the ground, motioning her without a word to join him. She walked over and sat next to him as he started pulling things out of the basket.
"You didn't have to, Ichigo." she murmured quietly as he stilled for a moment before shrugging.
"Yeah, well, didn't I say I was hungry. So...why not?"
She continued to look at him with a smile as he turned to her. He returned the smile and handed her the plate. They ate quietly, allowing the rain pounding on the window fill in the awkward silence that ensued between them. Rukia curled up slightly as she continued to play with her food, not feeling hungry anymore.
Ichigo watched her from the corner of his eyes and sighed. He put his plate down and faced her, pulling a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Whats the matter, Rukia?" he asked quietly, surveying her as she swallowed the food that was in her mouth and turning to him.
She shrugged and turned back to her plate. "Nothing. I'm just hungry..."
"Hm..." he said, staring at the nearly full plate she was holding. He gently moved closer and took the plate from her hand. She stared at him questioningly, ready to argue, when he gently took her hands.
"Everything was perfect, Rukia. You don't need to be so hard on yourself because the main thing that matters to me is that I got to be with you today. Thats all that has ever mattered to me, okay?"
Rukia stared at his blazing amber eyes as he dared for her to say otherwise, his features regaining that usual scowl that she was so used to.
She snorted lightly. "Even though we looked like we fell into a lake?"
"Absolutely," he teased. She smirked and pushed him away as she shook her head.
“Okay?” His voice had turned serious again and in such a tone that left no room for argument.
She nodded and his face softened, his hands still closed around her wrist as he pulled her to him. His lips barely traced hers, but it was enough for her body to tremble slightly as she felt his .
She felt his palm cup her cheek and without another word his lips descended on hers, kissing her with such fervor that made it nearly impossible for her to stop the moan that had begun resonating in the back of her throat. His lips were warm, inviting, and terribly addictive as he inched his head to the side to deepen the kiss. It was a mixture of tenderness, love, possessiveness, and a hidden desire that she had never felt as strongly as tonight.
She nearly whimper when his lips parted from hers, but was silenced immediately when his lips began to trail down her jawline. She gasped when she found that somehow, he had managed to get her to lay on the ground as he rested protectively over her. "Oye, Ichigo. What...here??"
“Exactly. Why do you think the cushions are here?” he grinned wickedly as her eyes widened.
“What, pray tell, brought this about?” she gasped as he continued to nibble playfully at her neck, feeling the grin that appeared on his face. "I'm having dessert, of course," he muttered in between kisses. Her eyes narrowed as she realized just how much he was enjoying teasing her like this, but before she could argue, his lips were back on hers.
His lips worked in such a manner that she felt herself give in, allowing his warm tongue to delve into her mouth. Her delicate fingers entangled in his hair, as she completely immersed herself in the kiss. Every breath felt like a struggle as his hands began to explore her form by slowly lifting her shirt and sliding his hand to caress her creamy skin underneath the worn garments.
Her breath hitched when his hand rested below her breast, teasing her by tickling her rib. She wiggled in his arm, trying to stop him as he let out a soft chuckle. Her eyes narrowed at the cocky grin on his face as he affectionately put his forehead next to hers.
"You know, we are going to be in a lot of trouble if your family comes back." she murmered as he tilted his head, watching her curiously.
"Well," he sighed. "We probably would if they had been coming home. But remember I said he called earlier? It was to say that the storm is too strong for them to be driving around in. Probably won't be here until tomorrow morning..." he said quietly. He felt her still in his arms, and he could not help but smile.
"If you aren't ready, Rukia, just tell me," he murmured softly as he stared intently at her. His hand had left her side and was now gently pushing off strands of her hair from her forehead while he waited for her answer. Her eyes met his as she smiled softly, her fingers slowly trailing to the back of his neck. She lifted her head slightly, her lips inching closer to his. "Idiot," she murmured before claiming his lips, pulling him down with her as she placed herself back amongst the several cushions laden on the floor. She felt his lips curve into a smile as his arms encircled her small form, drawing her closer.
She felt his hands slowly descend and begin to pick at the buttons of her shirt. The cool air tickled her exposed skin, but she was far too occupied with Ichigo’s insistent tongue that playfully fought with her hers. She arched slightly when he tugged at the garment, allowing him to pull it off of her. Clothes soon were strewn in a pile nearby as Ichigo's warm hands explored her body without any inhibitions. She blushed deeply, when his sweet lips roamed every inch of her, and felt her breath still when he came inside her. It was not painful, but a very strange feeling at first. Their embrace tightened when he moved and she cried out his name as their warm bodies pressed tightly together.
x.X.x
Rukia stretched lightly underneath the sheet that was now wrapped around her, watching with an amused grin as Ichigo's brow rose when he opened the box of chocolate she had made for him.
"Rukia...what the hell is this?" he muttered as he showed her a glob of chocolate with strange ears.
She shrugged as she closed her eyes. "It's chappy, of course. Why, is there a problem with it?" she asked, her tone causing Ichigo to gulp.
He muttered something before eating it. It was delicious, but because she would be more smug around him, he didn't let her know. He watched as she snuggled closer to him, her eyes heavy with exhaustion from the day. He smiled softly as he pushed a strand of hair away from her face. He carefully lifted her into his arms and made his way up the stairs. She barely stirred as he put her on his bed and laid down next to her. Pulling her closer to him, he buried his face in her beautiful raven locks and smiled as he stroked her bare back softly. It really had been a perfect day...