ok, this one definitely requires notes to follow. it's especially for shoujo-chan, who requested a ichi/ruki mistletoe drabble. i have to confess that this was quite a challenge as i'm purely asian and don't celebrate christmas, so i don't really get the whole kissing-under-the-mistletoe tradition.

i actually looked it up on wikipedia, just to get a better grasp of the idea of it all and hit upon some pretty interesting facts. if i got anything wrong, pls don't shoot me. i tried, i really did. Oo

bleach drabble
ichigo, rukia, karin, yuzu
exploring other traditions and customs can sometimes be very enlightening

note : spoilers to the end of the soul society arc, set some time after that again, and nay, i don't own bleach (888 words!)

Uncustomary Customs

Ichigo was walking past the living room towards the kitchen to get a snack. But he paused when Rukia looked up from the manga she had been reading and stared at him in speculation. He just scowled back at her and snapped. "What?"

Ducking back behind the manga, she waved her hand dismissively at him. "Nothing."

Muttering curses under his breath, he continued his path past the sofa she was sprawling on, his strides now fast and furious. The way she had been looking at him was making him uneasy and he knew he should beat a hasty retreat before she followed through whatever she had been contemplating earlier. Especially since she had gotten hold of his latest manga that was decidedly violent in nature.

But he knew he was too late, and that he really shouldn't provoke her in the first place, when he tripped over her strategically placed foot sticking out beside the sofa. He didn't bother to keep the expletives to a low volume now as he fell forward and landed hard.

Though what followed had him stop as his breath was knocked out of him. He twisted around only to find Rukia calmly sitting on him to hold him down, effectively pinning his hands and immobilizing his legs.

"What the-"

"Hold still," she yelled in irritation over his renewed verbal abuse. "I'm just trying out something I read in the manga."

He knew he shouldn't have brought that manga home. "Like how to break my freaking arms? Get off me now!"

"Ichi-nii! Rukia-nee-san!"

Both froze at the cheerful greeting as two shadows fell on them. Rukia and Ichigo looked up only to find Yuzu grinning at them as she dangled a bunch of leaves above their heads. Karin was standing behind her, an evil glint in her eyes as she munched on a cookie. They were back early from their grocery shopping.

"Look! It's a mistletoe! Karin found it right outside and said we should bring it home and hang it somewhere." Yuzu smiled happily down at the couple still entwined like some retarded pretzel.

Ichigo tried to loosen Rukia's hold but to no avail. "That's great, Yuzu. But I'm kind of in a bind right now. Maybe later, I'll put it up for you."

"But we should try it now." Yuzu was looking innocently at him with her big wide eyes while Karin was grinning a big wide grin that was in no way innocent.

Rukia's grip slackened but Ichigo didn't have the presence of mind to take advantage of it. He was too busy processing what his little sister had just said. "Try what?"

"Ichi-nii, it's a Christmas custom. Any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss."

Ichigo stared at his sister in horror as Rukia spluttered in surprise. "No, wait!" Ichigo protested desperately as he eyed the little piece of greenery like a ticking bomb. "We don't celebrate Christmas, Yuzu. And it's already January!!!"

Yuzu's face dropped in disappointment. "But, Ichi-nii..."

Karin shrugged at Ichigo's excuses. "Actually, the origin of this custom may be related more to Norse mythology rather than Christmas. There's a story of Baldur coming back to life because of his mother Frigga, the goddess of love, who removed the mistletoe's poison with her tears. And when Baldur came back to life she kissed everyone who passed underneath the mistletoe out of happiness and gratitude and thus started the custom."

Three pairs of eyes blinked at her in disbelief. Ichigo shook his head in disgust. "You're a geek, Karin."

Karin just smirked and reached for another cookie, all the while still watching her brother and Rukia like two bugs under a magnifying glass.

Ichigo turned to look up at Rukia, only to find her looking back at his sister thoughtfully. When she turned the same look back down at him, his skin suddenly tightened in alarm. "What?"

She nodded her head as if agreeing to something. "Okay, that works for me."

"What!?!?"

Rukia leaned closer to him and whispered so that only he can hear her next words. "Seriously, after all the stupid things you did in Soul Society, I'm glad that you're still alive. Happy, grateful and all that."

And she kissed him lightly right on his surprised lips.

Karin laughed manically at that as she snatched the mistletoe from Yuzu and dropped it on Ichigo's head. It bounced off his hair and landed right in front of his nose.

"Argh!!! You stole my first kiss!" Ichigo wailed after a stunned moment of silence.

"Really, Ichigo, don't be such a schoolgirl." He spluttered indignantly as she shoved herself off him and walked over to the sisters. "So what else did you guys bring back? I'm starving."

The trio walked off to the kitchen and the combined sounds of soft muffled giggling and dual loud manic laughter drifted back to him.

Truly, Kuchiki Rukia got along so well with his weird family. Birds of a feather and all that...

He sat up gingerly with a groan and grabbed at the fallen mistletoe, his face still hot. Gleefully shredding the innocent little spring of mistletoe, he tried to convince himself that their careless kiss was no big deal.

And that he was not blushing like some damn schoolgirl.

end

i know there is a term out there for a drabble like this. crack fic, i think. heheeehhee.