Returning Home

Finally, Ichigo had finished his training with the Visords. Those hollowfied jerks could be so annoying, but they were useful nonetheless.

Ichigo hadn't completely mastered hollowfication yet; he could only maintain it for three seconds. Hiyori gave him a lot of trouble for that, but it didn't help in any way. Ichigo just wanted to sit back and relax: that inner-hollow business took a lot out of a guy. Even the Visords admitted his case was especially bad compared to what they had gone through. Kensei was the only one who came close to being as hard to suppress as Ichigo. Anyways, Ichigo no longer had to worry about that hollow getting in his way anymore, so he was going to relax and enjoy his success.

Ichigo didn't have the time to return home yet, so he went over to Chad's place and spent the night. He changed into his uniform the next morning, and went to school just like he had never been absent. Due his past adventures with the Seretei and the Bounts, Ichigo's teacher was used to him being absent for long periods of time. She made no attempt to question him, because it was no use. Ichigo either "had been on vacation" or "injured in some serious way." Ichigo picked up the notes from Tatsuki, pounded Keigo to the floor a few times, bought lunch, but something was different: Rukia wasn't there. Had she returned to the Seretei while he had been gone? He hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye. He asked around, but no one knew where she was. Everyone seemed to recall her existence, which was a good sign that she hadn't wiped any of their memories. There had probably been an increase in hollows since he had gone off the map. The day went on as normal, and when school ended Ichigo returned home.

He walked in the door, and the first thing that happened was that Ishiin Kurosaki went plummeting through the air towards Ichigo. Ichigo easily dodged, and watched his father rolled out the door. Ichigo closed the door and locked Ishiin out of the house. Ichigo proceeded to his room and then collapsed face-first onto his bed. It was strange, but there seemed to be some resistance under the covers.

"I-Ichigo…is that you?" a faint voice said from under the covers.

Ichigo opened his eyes; Rukia's amethyst gaze met his own.

"Rukia? Why are you in my bed?" Ichigo yelled.

"I took to sleeping in your bed ever since you disappeared."

"I mean why are you in my bed right now, idiot?"

"I had a horribly cold when I woke up this morning, so I stayed home and slept."

"In my bed?"

"You weren't here to object, so you have no right to complain."

"Fair enough."

"Ichigo… can you get off of me now?"

Ichigo suddenly realized that he was lying flat on top of Rukia. Despite the covers, there legs were crossed through one another's, and their chests were perfectly pressed against each other. Ichigo got up quickly, nearly falling off his bed. He looked out the window to hide his embarrassment from Rukia. Rukia sat up in the bed, and to make matters worse for Ichigo, Rukia had unbuttoned her shirt while she slept. Ichigo could see her body, and he could not contain his own urges. He stared until his face had become as red as a strawberry. When Rukia noticed what was bothering him, she avoided his gaze. Rukia buttoned her shirt, looked back at Ichigo.

"Having problems containing yourself?" Rukia asked patronizingly.

"What! No, I, I just wanted to-" Ichigo muttered.

"To look a little longer."

"No! Stop insinuating that I am the one thinking dirty thoughts here!"

"So I am the one staring at you, then!"

"Not right now, maybe, but when I'm not paying attention you are."

"Excuse me? I am not that interested in you, because you are definitely not that interesting!"

"We're talking about frame not disposition."

"Fine, I admit your frame isn't that bad, but you could try to be a little happier."

"You could try to be a little less… suggestive."

"So we both agree that each other's bodies are great to look at?"

"Well, yea that has been established. So what?"

"So we both have something the other likes, and that's something we can build on."

"Build on? When did this become a relationship discussion?"

"It didn't, I was talking about a better friendship. Although, now that you mention it, were you considering a relationship as an option?"

"…Not in the past."

"That's a lie if I ever heard one."

"Okay, so maybe I thought about it sometimes, but never enough to confront you about it."

"Why not? The experiences that you must have thought about were probably shared experiences. I would have felt the same way."

"Do you feel the same way now?"

"Yes I do."

"Ironic that we discovered it by arguing. I guess that the will of the heart."

"The heart will work against the mind to attain what a person really wants."

"The heart is right: I want you Rukia."