Okay, my very first slash fic. By the way, yes, SLASH! Don't like, don't read! I just randomly came up with the idea, and although Xmas isn't one of my favorite holidays, I couldn't think of any other holiday that really involves cookies and family. I'm not sure if Ichigo even celebrates Xmas. Anyway, wish me luck!
Oh, and sorry if Rukia is a bit OOC.
Disclaimer: We doesn't own Bleach! We swears, by the precioussssss!
"Remind me why you dragged me here again?" complained Ishida. "This is utterly pointless."
He was sitting hunched over on a stool in the Kurosaki kitchen, surrounded by Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, Orihime and Tatsuki. Rukia and Orihime were happily mixing who-knows-what into large batches of something that slightly resembled cookie dough. Ichigo and Tatsuki were looking just as bored as Ishida, and Chad was just sitting there, thinking about small, furry animals.
"For once I agree with you, Ishida," said Ichigo with a familiar scowl on his face. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't shut up."
Orihime turned towards the sulky group of non-cookie makers, and announced, "Uryu, Christmas is a time for family and friends. I decided that you should celebrate it with us, since you don't have anyone else to celebrate it with. And Ichigo, you could at least try to get in the spirit! Come on, smile a little!" She tried to push the corners of his mouth up, but was unsuccessful. Ichigo just tightened his lips and frowned more.
"Dream on, Orihime," Tatsuki rolled her eyes, "Ichigo's scowl is a permanent feature on his face. Getting him to smile is like cutting off his nose. Anyway, I'm going to go play a video game with Karin."
As Tatsuki stalked into the other room, Orihime and Rukia gave each other worried glances. This was not going as planned. "Rukia, would you help me with this bag of flour for a minute?" asked Orihime in a purposely airy and cheerful voice, "It's out in the hall."
"Sure Orihime," said Rukia, understanding that they needed to fix some obvious problems immediately. Ichigo looked strangely at their retreating backs. They kept the flour in the high kitchen cabinets. Something was going on…
Out in the hall, Orihime and Rukia were having a hushed discussion. "Ishida and Ichigo won't even look at each other!" Rukia whispered, "They obviously are obsessed with each other and meant to be, but they can't get past their stupid issues!"
"I know." Orihime looked at the ground, thinking. "And I just wanted some cookies. Why did we have to try to get them together with a party?"
"Because," Rukia said fiercely, "He saved my life, so I'm going to save his! Well, really his love life, but whatever. I don't think we can do anything for now – let's just wait and see what happens."
Orihime was happy to get back to baking in any circumstance. "Maybe the Christmas atmosphere will help them realize that they're in love with each other!" she decided cheerfully, "And you never know, cookies can do wondrous things!"
"Riiiiiiiiight," said Rukia skeptically as they re-entered the kitchen. Orihime didn't hear her as she lifted a pan crowded with blobs of …dough… into the oven, humming to herself.
Ichigo poked some of the supposed cookie dough suspiciously, and Ichida rolled his eyes. Showing his obvious disdain, he said, "Well, I'm going to make some edible cookies now, if no one minds." He then walked over to the messy counter and began to mix ingredients.
With no one to be annoyed at, Ichigo was bored out of his mind and not afraid to let the world know. "I'm BORED!" He whined. Ishida plunked some powdered sugar, butter, and food coloring down next to him. "So make some icing. You're so immature."
"God Ishida, at least I'm not all girly like you!" Ichigo retorted, and then stared blankly at the ingredients. "Well, actually speaking of girly…"
"Need some help?" Ishida smirked.
"NO!" Ichigo shouted like a toddler, and then proceeded to dump all the ingredients into the bowl and stir violently, creating a sort of multi-colored tsunami/avalanche/whirlpool.
He was not aware that Ishida was still watching until the Quincy caught up his hand and said, "Idiot! You're doing it all wrong!" He then proceeded to hold Ichigo's hand in his and move it in light, even strokes through the icing, making it fluffier and less clumpy. However, nothing could be done about the color, which was now a muddy gray with streaks of orange.
Ishida continued to help Ichigo stir, although you'd think he would be competent by now, unaware of the chills that ran up the seated boy's arm and spine everywhere they made contact. He's really good with his hands, thought Ichigo, they're so graceful…eww! Not like that! He reprimanded his sick mind. Must stop thinking about Ishida, must stop thinking…
"Just keep stirring, okay? It shouldn't be too hard for a brain-damaged retard like you," said Ishida, disgusted at Ichigo zoning out. Ichigo rolled his eyes like he didn't care, but he felt very cold as Ishida moved away from him.
Suddenly the kitchen filled with a light smoky haze and the smell of burning anchovies. Orihime had opened the oven door to take out her first batch of cookies, all burnt and shaped like slightly deformed bunnies. Then, just as Rukia was rushing over to coo about her cute little partially edible bunnies, the fire alarm and sprinklers went off.
"AAAGH!" Shouted Ichigo, his hair looking like a bedraggled orange cat was trying to eat his head. He ran towards the console for the fire alarm, yelling all the way. Everyone else ran behind him, trying to figure out what had just happened.
Ichigo tried every setting on the alarm, but none of them worked. Ishida shoved past him to try, but instead Ichigo just smashed the side of the alarm with his fist. The alarm gradually subsided and the sprinklers shut off. Everyone stood there for a minute before Orihime and Rukia started skipping back to the kitchen, yelling "YAY! COOKIES!" Everyone followed reluctantly. No one wanted to actually eat the cookies after smelling them.
Ishida and Ichigo walked at the back. Ishida sniffed. "Kurosaki, you smell like strawberries!" he exclaimed, with unusual enthusiasm.
"And you smell like wet dog," Ichigo replied, still grumpy from being involuntary showered. He walked into the kitchen and Ishida followed, looking a bit put off.
Rukia grinned as she saw them come in, both scowling now and whispered to Orihime, "Sexual tension, don'cha think?" Orihime giggled.
Ishida grabbed his tray of edible cookie dough and slammed it into the oven. Orihime raised her eyebrows at the other boy displaying anger – a very unusual sight. Then he sat down with his back to Ichigo. I don't care what he says, Ishida thought to himself, I don't care about Kurosaki at all! A different part of him asked then, so why are you so angry at him all the time? Why are you always getting into fights with him, hmmm?
Shut up, Ishida told it.
A few minutes later, the timer dinged. Ishida got up to pull his cookies out of the oven, ignoring everyone mouthing pleas for edible food towards him. He swatted Ichigo's hand away from the pan as he walked around the table. "No, Kurosaki. They're too hot – you'll set your mouth on fire."
"Come on Ishida!" Ichigo reached towards the pan again but again the other teenager hit him. "Beg," said Ishida, with a smirk.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "No way," he said.
"Then no cookies." Ishida got up to bring the bowl of icing to the table where the cookies were, but then an idea struck Rukia full in the face. From where she was standing behind Ishida, she hooked her leg around one of his ankles, tripping him and sending him flying towards Ichigo. Ishida and Ichigo fell on the ground together, but not before Ichigo grabbed a cookie and stuck it half way into his mouth.
Ishida lay on top of Ichigo on the ground. Ichigo's face was burning with embarassment at the position they were in. Then, before he knew what he was doing, Ishida leaned down towards Ichigo and bit off half of the cookie that was sticking out of Ichigo's mouth, their lips lightly brushing in the process.
Ichigo didn't know what to think. His face was on fire, but Ishida's cookie-kiss felt good! Ishida swallowed, and licked his lips. "My cookie," he said.
"Your cookie," Ichigo agreed, and lifted his head up towards Ishida's, for their lips to meet again. They didn't care about the roomful of people watching, and this time there wasn't a cookie in the way.
Haha. No one ate any more cookies that night. Anyway, PLEASE review!! I don't reply to flames but live in peace knowing that all flames will be used well (ie for roasting marshmallows).