Okay before I start I must point out,that this ismyfirst Bleach fanfiction so please be nice in your reviews, and that it isn't my fault if Ichimaru seems weird...he is normally weird so there's no real point. Also this is a little bit AU-ish...kinda ignoring the whole 'Rukia-getting-taken-back-to-Soul-Society-and-being-put-up-for-Execution' thing...so yeah. Please be nice in ya reviews thanks n.n
-Kiku/Rukia-san
Legend
(…) - thoughts
Italics - Dreams/Flashbacks
- x - - Change of view(not POV, third person view)
Without Her
Chapter One
Nightmares she hated nightmares, she hated them so much. But they kept on haunting her sleep, showing her things she would rather not know about.
Pitch black darkness surrounded her, making her black shinigami robe blend in effortlessly, she was running zanpakutou in her hands but she was running, running from something she couldn't see. Rukia could feel the fear building up in herself, as the empty echoes of her footsteps run inside her ears. (Why…why am I running?) Rukia suddenly stopped, her grip on her zanpakutou panting as the fear continued to build up in her chest. "Stop it Rukia! A Kuchiki doesn't run from their fears, they face them" she shouted at herself sharply turning on her heel in a battle stance. Katana held at the ready, but within moments a cloak of crimson red clouded her vision and a voice entered her ears.
"You can't run forever Kuchiki-san"
"Ah!" Violet optics snapped open as her body jerked upwards, causing her to sit up right and hit her head against the closet door a loud thud echoing throughout the strawberry's room. "Oww" within at least a second the closet door jerked open quickly and Ichigo's head appeared, the usual scowl on his features. Rukia blinked as his frown suddenly changed to a look of concern.
"What is it a Hollow?" he asked blankly, Rukia shook her head which caused him to frown and shake his own head, clearly annoyed. Although it wasn't her fault waking up so suddenly caused her sense of direction to become awol for a moment. Biting her bottom lip, the shinigami brought a hand to Ichigo's head and began to force him out, forgetting his stubborn attitude.
"It's nothing you idiot now go back to bed" she muttered forcing a frown on her features, violet optics watched as an eyebrow twitch (Oh…no…). Suddenly he forced her back, now also inside the closet towering over the raven haired girl. Both seemed to be oblivious to the position they were in, the orange haired shinigami was leaning over her, his hands pinning her own down. Honey brown optics glaring at lavender hued eyes, both their minds taking their dear time to catch up.
"You annoy me sometimes" he mumbled sourly.
"I do my best" Rukia replied sarcastically lacing her voice with venom, suddenly everything went quiet she didn't move as honey brown eyes captured her own, her body froze all logical thoughts escaped her. (N-nani?...what is…what is this feeling?) a yawn could be heard from outside the closet, which caused both of time to be snapped out of each others gaze.
Rukia's eyes were reluctantly pulled away from Ichigo's and went to the open closet door, "Kon…" she whispered the colour draining from her face. As if on cue the lion plushie appeared, blinking a couple of times at the two his mind thinking the worst by default.
"ICHIGO WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO NEE-SAN?" Kon screamed pouncing on the strawberry and clawing him to death, Ichigo merely let go of one of her wrists to pry the plush from his body and throwing him to the other side of the Ichigo's room. And it was at that moment that the raven haired shinigami's mind caught up, (Nani?...What is…Ichigo…doing in here….AAAH) violet optics widened in shock with a sudden burst of strength she pushed a surprised Ichigo off her causing him to hit his head on one of the walls of her small sleeping space.
"What the heck? Rukia!" He snarled as she used her legs to kick him out the rest of the way. If that wasn't enough, Rukia then slammed the closet door, hiding the furious red blush that had crept up on her cheeks. "Idiot" she muttered rubbing her cheeks, gods she was so confused what was that feeling and why on earth was she feeling it when Ichigo was so close to her. Shaking her head the shinigami buried her face into her pillow, slowly but surely falling back to sleep. This time without any nightmares.
Another boring night of patrolling. Renji frowned leaning on the railing of one of the many towers of the Court of Pure Souls, staring out at the starry night sky boredly, it had been only two days since he was promoted to vice captain of the sixth squad, ironically that very person he had been training to overcome was his captain. Rather ironic when he thought about it, with a sigh he scratched his head pushing off the railing then continue to walk.
"Ah I see they picked a wonderful shinigami for the vice captain position of the sixth squad eh Abarai-fukataichou?" a cheery voice came from behind him.
(Ichimaru…) The vice captain turned around to face the fox faced man who was-as per usual-grinning, something really crept Renji out about this man, he couldn't place what it was but it just made his skin crawl. "Nice night ain't it sir?" he asked almost in a monotone, Gin merely chuckled and jumped down off the railing he had been sitting on. Renji found it odd that all the captains had a habit of coming up to someone without making a sound what so ever, yet he did the same thing sometimes.
"Hai hai, a very nice night indeed. I see you are stuck with patrol Abarai-fukataichou" Gin replied rubbing his head slightly, "What a dull way of spending the night eh?" the third squad captain pointed out with a shake of his head.
"It can't be helped I suppose" Renji managed to reply a little taken back with Gin's whole attitude. Choosing to ignore it the red head shrugged before blinking, "Um what are you doing out here Ichimaru?" he asked impulsively forgetting to add 'taichou' as a sing of respect. The other shinigami merely laughed and shrugged also, a hand being brought to the back of his head to rub it.
"Tonight isn't the sort of night to be cooped up inside Abarai-fukataichou. With that aside I hear you and Kuchiki-san know each other quite well eh?" The mere mention of Rukia caused Renji to jump in surprise, he growled slightly clearly touchy on the subject.
"What about it?"
Ichimaru chuckled lightly running a hand through his hair, "Nothing, just Kuchiki-san has been gone for about three weeks now, one would start to wonder if she was alright" he stated an innocent look plastering itself on his face. Although the ever fox like grin was still on his face, a grin which was sending chills down his spine.
"She can take care of herself. Something is probably holding her up"
"Lets just hope that is all it is eh Abarai-fukataichou" Ichimaru then turned around on his heel and began off, not waiting to hear if the red head shinigami had anything to say.
Renji snorted watching the third squad captain disappear into the night, leaving him alone yet again. All this talk about that raven haired squirt had him thinking about her, "Bah!" the vice captain shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest and snorting. "Why bother even bringing her up? I couldn't care what she does"
(Damn that woman takes forever) Ichigo frowned rubbing his head as he stared at the closet door silently wondering to himself if she was ever going to come out of there. Staring down at the tray containing their breakfast and then back at the closet door, shrugging he went to knock on the closet door only to find himself tumbling backwards seconds later, trying to save the tray from spilling orange juice everywhere.
"What the- Rukia!" he gritted his teeth putting the tray on his desk so it doesn't end up becoming all over his bedroom floor, the raven haired shinigami blinked looking over at the orange haired teen, blinking in confusion.
"What is it Ichigo?" she asked putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head to the right, something in the way she did that sent shivers down his spine. Wait this wasn't right, he was thinking Rukia, Kuchiki Rukia was attractive…the world must be going nuts, yeah that's it. Not in any way possible was Rukia attractive, especially towards him of all people.
"Did you have to come out like that!" Ichigo growled running a hand through his hair, honey brown optics narrowing in annoyance as he watched her quickly slip her socks on. Rukia didn't reply, she merely glared at him and took a piece of toast from his mouth just as he had bitten on it. Smiling in a somewhat childish manner, she quickly gathered her books up and slipped her shoes on, Ichigo watched her silently before his mind registering the fact he was staring…yet again.
What was wrong with him, he had caught himself staring at her three times this week it was getting rather ridiculous, truly ridiculous. The orange haired shinigami was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the window open and a voice gracing his ears, "Ichigo I'm leaving now" spinning around he saw the raven haired girl sitting on the window sill as if waiting for him to say something.
"Yeah…I'll meet you at the corner" he mumbled watching her nod before disappearing out the window. Sometimes he really hated that woman, but sometimes he love her just as much.
Man he was really fucked up.