No hollows, no bounts, no souls that need proper sending off - Ichigo was free for the day. (He knew that it was Urahara who pulled some strings for other shinigami to cover his territory.) He was grateful for a day free of everything - a day where he didn't have to worry about anything.
In the cemetery, he was able to enjoy solitude. Cemeteries weren't always so depressing. Actually, it was his escape. He lay down on the vast field of grass (free of tombstones and markers and such), enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sun, his forearm covering his eyes from the invasive light.
Ichigo was listening to a happy song playing on his iPod. He felt like the world was spinning, but in a good way - like riding a carousel, only faster and without horses. His eyebrows weren't creased today.
"There you are, Ichigo."
He smiled. "I knew you'd find me."
"Floating like a feather,
Pull me down, I'm stuck in the clouds.
There's no stormy weather
That can stop me from coming to you."
This is a Happy Song- Hale
"Before the truth goes back into hiding,
I want to decide 'cause it's worth deciding
To work on finding something more than this fear. "
Half Life - Duncan Sheik
'What if things were... normal?
What if I couldn't see ghosts? Then I wouldn't need to fight these damned hollows everyday. I can live worrying only about my sisters and my idiot father, school ...and other
normal stuff.'
Ichigo was pretending to be asleep in his room. His back was against the door so that anyone who came in would think that he was in dreamland.
'Then I wouldn't have met you.
It'll be an endless cycle of rain.
You're one expensive sacrifice, Kuchiki.'
"I will say the only words I know
That you'll understand."
Michelle – The Beatles
For a hundred-year-old shinigami, Rukia was pretty dense when it came to Ichigo's feelings about her.
There were clues everywhere yet she did not see – the everyday scenic walk in the park when they can just use a detour to go to school, the special next-to-the-window-seat on the class's seating arrangement (that used to be Ichigo's), his room's window left open during nights when she's in Seireitei, the new rabbit pillow (and blanket and pj's) in her closet, his company when they're out hunting hollows (though they can do it separately)... The list goes on and on...
"Oi, Rukia."
"Hmm?" She looked up from the manga she was reading.
"I love you."
"Un," she replied mindlessly as if Ichigo asked her if she already ate dinner. Noticing that he was still looking at her, she asked, "What?"
He replied with a soft smile. "I said I love you."
"Yeah, whatever," she returned to the manga. She pretended that she did not hear what he just said.
He walked over to his closet (aka Rukia's makeshift room) where she was and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
She could not pretend anymore.
Ichigo then covered himself with a blanket and turned on his side with his back against her. "Good night, Rukia."
She couldn't the strength to say the right words. She could only smile.
On Shuffle
Bleach
written 10-08-08
published 07-22-11