A/N: This is for the 'Whispers of Love' contest going on at the IchiRuki FC on Bleach Asylum; Enjoy!:)
The night was glimmering with the colorful lights decorating every house and tree in sight; festive wreaths hung on front doors and lampposts alike. Everything from the asphalt, the wooden benches, the various parked cars and the leafless trees was covered in light blankets of glistening snow. Carolers and jingle bells filled the scenery with jolly background music.
The whole world looked like a sparkling snow globe on this most special of nights.
Yes, it was that time of year; Christmas Eve.
Fresh snow was falling gently, giving the precious gift of a rare and beautiful White Christmas to the residents of Karakura.
The beauty of the night was lost outside the frosted window of one particular house.
The scene inside was rather different, but still held a cozy air to it.
A fireplace was alight with warm flames, casting an orange glow on the stockings and wreaths hanging on the living room. In the corner of the room stood a pine tree, not too large in size, but proud and magnificent in all its glory of glinting lights and glittering ornaments.
On the couch before the candid fire, sat the slim figure of a raven-haired woman; her folded legs were covered by a thick blanket and her hands clutched a half-drunk glass of warm milk. Despite the charming beauty of the winter night, the girl's focus was entirely on the object before her: an open laptop.
Her uniquely violet eyes gleamed with laughter as she tried to keep her smirk from growing into a full-blown grin.
"You're an idiot." she spoke up, the humor in her voice evident.
Another voice scoffed. "Like you don't tell me that enough." it said in what was probably supposed to be a gruff tone, but the smile hidden behind it shone through as hard to miss as a firetruck.
"Someone needs to remind you every once in a while; while you're on the other side of the world." She allowed the grin to spread. "Otherwise, you might forget and get too full of yourself."
"Look who's talking." the male scoffed, humor still dancing in his eyes.
For a moment, the two people allowed their mirth to fade into contentment and their faces eased into smiles as they looked at each other warmly.
"Hey Rukia," Ichigo started. Said girl kept her eyes locked on the screen of the computer. "Is it cold over there?" he asked suddenly.
Rukia's smile faltered and faded ever so slightly. She took a moment to glance out through her frosted window, and saw the miniscule mountains of pure white powder lining the edges.
"Yeah; it's snowing." she said, looking back down at the amber eyes that stared up at her from the laptop.
"A white Christmas in Karakura?" Ichigo's eyes widened. "Crap…Haven't seen one of those since I was a kid…"
"…Too bad you missed it." Rukia said softly, her eyes wandering to the fireplace.
Ichigo's eyes softened. "Yeah…"
They were quiet for a moment. Rukia didn't look at him as she waited for the fresh wave of emotion that swept through her to pass.
It had been eight months since she had last seen him…physically that is. Her chest ached with longing for the warm body that she missed so much next to hers. But she shouldn't think of that. Not right then.
Once her feelings were under control again and she trusted herself not to tear up like a whiny girlfriend, she looked back at her boyfriend on the screen. She found him scowling as he fumbled with the wrapper of some sort of chocolate.
"What's this? The great Ichigo Kurosaki having trouble unwrapping a lowly piece of candy? Someone alert the media."
The orange-haired man took his eyes off the candy and glared at her through the screen. "Shut up." he ordered, then went back to the problem at hand.
Rukia laughed as he finally lost his patience and ripped the wrapper to shreds -but not before she caught a glance of the symbol printed on the blue material. "Airport snacks?" she questioned aloud. "How old is that thing?" she stared in disgust as he nonchalantly popped the whole brown square into his mouth and chewed happily.
Ichigo shrugged. "Don't care." he said through a mouthful of chocolate.
"You're so gross."
"And you're a germ freak." he countered easily, his face gaining a playful boyish look. "Guess that makes us a perfect match."
Despite his joking manner, Rukia felt a warmth fill her chest at his words.
'I wish you could say that to my face, Idiot…'
The crackling of the fire filled the momentary silence. Each was lost in their thoughts for a while.
"Oh!" Rukia exclaimed suddenly, setting down her glass of milk on the coffee table and unexpectedly getting up from her spot on the couch.
"Oi! Where are you going?" Ichigo called as he watched her form disappear from the view of the camera.
He waited for a few minutes, staring at the Christmas tree in the corner before she came back.
When she did, she was grinning widely and holding something behind her back.
Ichigo moved like he was trying to look behind her, which was of course, impossible. After cursing the limited capacities of a webcam, he settled for asking. "What is that?"
Rukia's smile widened and her violet eyes gleamed. "Your present."
He grimaced. "You're going to just show me my present? Isn't that against some kind of Christmas rule? Don't I get to unwrap it?"
"Shut up and watch." she said with finality. Ichigo did as he was told, for once.
He watched with curiosity as Rukia revealed the object in her hands…
It was red. It was lacey. It was small.
It was definitely not meant for a male.
"Rukia what the hell is that thing?"
"I told you, Idiot. Your present." she held it up, held by its ends and stretching it out so he could clearly see the tiny piece of so-called underwear.
"I can't wear that!" he exclaimed, outraged.
Rukia rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "You won't be the one wearing it." Then she winked.
Understanding dawned on Ichigo's face, and almost simultaneously he turned beet red.
Rukia watched in amusement as his amber eyes glazed over and he seemed to loose focus for a moment, his gaze locked on the dainty underwear she was still holding up. After a good minute of enjoying his reaction, she hid the piece back behind her on the couch.
"Earth to Ichigo." she called jokingly.
He shook his head and his eyes focused on her again. "What?"
"I thought I lost you there for a moment." she grinned slyly.
Ichigo scoffed and mumbled something rude, but his cheeks remained pink.
Rukia laughed and they lapsed back into conversation.
They would talk of work, friends, family; the usual.
He would ask how his Dad was behaving, and if his sisters were alright.
She would answer his Dad was the same as ever, and his sisters were okay; that they missed their older brother.
Then he would wonder if Byakuya had already convinced her she was out of her senses and managed to make her move back to the mansion.
She would tell him that not yet, but that he was still trying.
Rukia would ask how he was doing at work. Should she be expecting a brand new Porsche for Christmas this year?
He would reply that he was still the best, and that the company was still begging him to work for them. And he would tell her that she could keep dreaming.
Everything went by like any other conversation. Like every conversation, for the last eight months.
Rukia would never ask if he would be back soon; the answer was always the same. And she could no longer bear to see the apology in his orbs, or her own disappointment.
So, as she always did, she forced away all the ache and longing for another time -she would break and cry herself to sleep clutching his cold pillow later-, and mustered a brave smile for those few precious moments, when they could pretend that beyond that screen they weren't separated by hundreds of miles.
Rukia and Ichigo's laughter at some meaningless words faded slowly into the cozy night, leaving traces of warmth and affection in their eyes.
It had gotten pretty late; the sounds of carolers were no longer heard. There was only the quiet falling of the snow, and the crackling of fire.
A few muffled unintelligible sounds came from Ichigo's side. He looked away for a moment, as if focusing on the sounds, then turned to Rukia with an apologetic look that she knew all-too-well.
"…Rukia-"
"I know." she sighed. She somehow managed a smile. "We'll talk later."
Her smile wasn't fooling Ichigo, but he didn't call her on it. They were both on the same boat anyhow.
After saying their routinely farewells, Rukia reached to click off the camera, but Ichigo's voice stopped her.
"Hey, Rukia?"
"Yeah?" she asked, looking at him and hearing the accursed note of hope breaking her voice.
"Merry Christmas."
Rukia blinked and looked sideways to the clock mounted on a shelf on the wall. Sure enough, it told her it was past midnight already.
Time went by so fast when she was talking with him.
She smiled back at him, gazing into his warm honey eyes for a long time.
"Merry Christmas, Ichigo."
Then the screen went black. She was alone.
Her shoulders slumped and she dejectedly closed her laptop and began to slide off the couch.
Rukia looked at her surroundings, for a moment remembering things how they looked on other, happier nights.
Like Ichigo poking the fireplace in annoyance because he couldn't get a decent flame going; and the time he pushed the heavy couch all over the living room on Rukia's request, as she wanted a change of atmosphere, only to end up liking it on its original place; or him fiddling with a hammer as he attempted to install the shelf on the wall himself -holding the nails in his mouth while refusing any help as Rukia watched with her arms crossed from the spot she stood in now. That last one had led to her nursing his overly large purple thumb.
Everywhere she looked, warm memories stirred from the year she spent living with him.
This was the time Rukia hated; after the video chats, phone calls, emails or any other form of contact…What was left was a bittersweet mixture of longing and nostalgia, and most of all, loneliness.
Tonight was worse. She thought of all the people in the houses all around her, having come home to their happy families. Next door, her neighbor, Mrs. Takahashi, was probably curled up in her bed with Mr. Takahashi at the very moment.
Meanwhile, here was Rukia, with nothing but a cold empty bed waiting for her.
If she could have one Christmas wish, that would be it. To have the one she loved by her side again. Too bad Santa wasn't around to grant her wishes these days. Back in her younger days, her brother would make sure 'Santa' got her every last thing she wanted -he still did-.
But sadly, what she wanted most wasn't something he could give her.
Before she made it to the fireplace to turn it out, she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye. She straightened and walked over to the lit Christmas tree. Underneath its scented green branches, there lay a single box wrapped in festive paper, complete with a golden bow tied by herself.
She picked the box up and sat on the couch with it in her hands. As she looked at the intended gift, she let her thoughts revolve around the person who wouldn't be home to receive it this year.
How long she sat like that, she didn't know. But she was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell ringing.
At first she thought she must be hearing things; who would come so late on Christmas?
But then the doorbell rang again, and she knew it wasn't her imagination.
Ding-dong
'Carolers at this hour? Of all the idiotic-'
Ding-dong
She groaned, choosing to ignore them.
Ding-dong, ding-dong
If she didn't answer, they'd eventually go away.
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong
An artery throbbed on her forehead.
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong!
"I'M COMING!" she snapped, growling as she made it to the front door and pulled it open with unnecessary force with a dangerous scowl already in place for the rude Neanderthals that pestered her at such an ungodly time.
The glare fell into a blank look and she blinked.
There was no one there.
'Maybe I am going crazy…'
She started to step back to close the door -deciding that she better get some sleep-, when she spotted something on the welcome mat. Something square, black and red.
Surprised, Rukia stepped forward onto the porch again and glanced to either side. All she could see in either direction was empty streets covered in white and lit by electric lights. No sign of anyone as far as the eye can see.
Pushing her curiosity aside, she bent down and picked up the object; a small box.
She examined it carefully -it was velvet and richly black, wrapped by a silky red ribbon; it fit easily into her palm-.
Curiosity kept her from going back inside and she quickly undid the ribbon, which fell lightly at her feet. With a tingling sense of anticipation, she opened the little black box.
And gaped at what she saw.
Again, Rukia stepped a little farther out to look in every direction, in search of anyone. And again, she saw no one. Almost afraid, as if she thought it would turn out to be an illusion, she looked back at the object in the box.
A ring.
Slim gold band, gleaming diamond, sparkling in all its glory…
If she didn't know any better, she'd say it was…
'An engagement ring? What the hell? ...Maybe I should lay off the eggnog…'
She turned around, not taking her eyes off the sparkling stone even once, and blindly shut the front door behind her as she stepped into the house.
"You're gonna trip and fall on your face if you don't watch where you're going."
Her head snapped up so fast her neck could have possibly snapped. Suddenly, the engagement ring wasn't so interesting.
"I-Ichi-" she swallowed, trying to gather her bearings and blinking to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Ichigo?"
'I'm dreaming again.'
His smile widened and he stood up from his comfortable place on the couch she had been occupying earlier.
"In the flesh." he grinned at her, a cocky grin that she hadn't seen in so long…
Rukia just stood there, unmoving.
His grin fell and his features became concerned. "Rukia? Are you okay? I'm sorry, I should have just knocked-"
His words were cut off by a whoosh of air as he was tackled with such speed and force that he was sent toppling into the couch. She had moved so fast across the room he hadn't even had time to brace himself.
Ichigo laughed and wrapped his arms around the slim figure currently clutching him like her life depended on it. He ran a hand down her silky raven locks, which he'd missed so much; then rested his cheek on the top of her head.
Neither spoke; words weren't needed -they never were when it came to them-.
Besides, Rukia figured, no words could do any kind of justice to what she was feeling right then. So she continued to mutely crush herself to the man she had ached for so long; she inhaled his familiar scent -which hadn't changed a bit-, and enjoyed the special warmth that he radiated. She felt his hard body melding into hers with an ease that made it seem like they'd never been apart; his strong arms held her securely and silently whispered to her promises of never letting go.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of holding one another, Rukia pulled back just enough to look at his face, supporting herself on her arms, which she placed on either side of him.
His hazel eyes danced in the firelight, looking into hers with burning intensity.
"How?" was all she choked out.
Ichigo held fast onto her arms, as if needing the reassurance of her touch to know she was really there, within his reach.
"The boss gave me an early Christmas present." he smiled playfully. "Looks like America doesn't need me anymore."
Rukia smiled hugely, feeling relief and happiness flood through her so strongly she thought her chest might burst with emotion.
Beneath her, Ichigo mirrored her expression. It was like he was taking his first breath after being underwater for hours. It was perfect.
And then she hit him.
"OW! What the hell was that for?" he winced and was sure his arm would be bruising by morning.
He looked up and met a pair of vivid violet orbs, which shone dangerously. "For not telling me you were coming, fool!"
"I wanted to surprise you!" he defended, remembering how he'd thought of the brilliancy of his plan as he video chatted with Rukia in the train he'd taken a few hours after landing in this side of the world.
"But you, you-" her anger blazed. "You looked like you meant it!" she accused, referring to their latest conversation, in which he'd seemed as pained as she was for not being able to be together…
He smirked. "I told you I was a good actor-OW!" he glared as she smacked him for the second time.
"Ass hole!"
"Bitch!"
"Insensitive bastard!"
"Violent midget!"
Their intense glares flared for a long moment, but they both found that they couldn't stay angry at each other for long.
Rukia, as she kneeled with one leg on either side of Ichigo -still sprawled on the couch from her tackle-, reached up to his face tentatively, her gaze softening.
She let her fingertips touch the soft tufts of vibrant tangerine hair, feeling tingles run down her spine at the familiar feel.
At the same time, Ichigo reached up and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, slowly and softly, as if committing the texture to memory. He held her eyes for a long time.
"I missed you." he said quietly, at last.
Rukia felt the corners of her mouth pulling up and her heart thumping with emotion. "Yeah…Me too."
She started to lean down, feeling her eyelids shut, when she remembered something.
With a jolt, she got off Ichigo, leaving him looking very disappointed, and rushed towards the front door. Near it, was the velvety black box she had dropped in her haste to reach her long-awaited partner.
She picked it up gingerly, and felt someone come up behind her.
Ichigo's warm breath caressed her neck as his arms encircled her from behind, taking the ring from the box.
Rukia turned to face him, her face unreadable.
"Ah…" Ichigo looked away uncomfortably. "I know this is kinda sudden," he scratched the back of his head as he always did when he felt especially self-conscious. "-you don't have to say yes or anything, don't feel pressured if, if-"
She cut him off, putting a shushing finger on his lips. He blinked and she smiled as his cheeks flamed. He looked like a nervous teenage boy.
"Ichigo," she spoke up seriously, containing her amusement. "You talk too much."
"…" he looked at her, his face becoming more flushed, when she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek in a chaste kiss.
She then took the ring from his grasp and slid it onto the third finger on her left hand, not surprised to see it was a perfect fit.
"The answer is 'yes'."
Ichigo looked dazed for a moment, like he wasn't quite sure what had just happened. Then he blinked and his eyebrows scrunched up.
"Wait a minute, I didn't even ask you yet!"
"You were taking too long." Rukia said simply, turning away slightly so he couldn't see her grin.
"I- I was nervous!" he protested.
"Yes, and you're very cute when you are." she gave him a smile. "But I couldn't wait forever."
He scowled. "You're the most arrogant, bossy, stubborn, damnable woman I ever met, you know that?"
"I'm aware." Her mirthful smile was wider now.
Ichigo glared and roughly gripped her wrist -never hard enough to actually hurt her-, and pulled the ring off its place.
Rukia crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes.
"We're doing this my way." Ichigo declared. "I'm the man here!"
She decided to let him have his way, just that once.
"Rukia,"
"Shouldn't you be down on one knee?"
He scowled, but went down to his knee without a word. "Rukia," he started again, only to be held up once more.
"Take my hand, fool!" she held out her left hand for him. He let out a growl and unceremoniously gripped her hand with his calloused, warm fingers.
He opened his mouth to speak, and not a second later Rukia did too, but this time, he beat her to it. "One more word and I'm returning this thing!"
Rukia shut up, despite knowing it was an empty threat.
"Rukia," he said for the last time. "You're one crazy-ass-"
"What kind of-"
"That's it!" Ichigo exclaimed, rising to his feet in exasperation. "I love you, damn it! And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So for God's sake marry me Rukia!"
Rukia blinked, speechless. That was the most unorthodox proposal she had ever heard; and she wouldn't want it any other way.
He half-expected her to say nothing just to torture him a bit; an even less cheery part of him thought she'd yell out 'in your dreams!' and laugh in his face.
But of course, neither of those happened.
Instead, the raven-haired beauty just smiled, her bluish eyes gleaming as well. "Yes."
He felt his chest explode with emotion, and in less than two seconds he had the ring in place and lifted Rukia in his arms, spinning her around once like he was one of those pansy guys in a cheesy romantic movie.
"Put me down, you idiot!" she commanded, but she was laughing too much for it to have any real force.
Ichigo laughed with her, and for a moment they just stood and stared at each other, allowing the happiness of simply being together fill them.
Then Ichigo gazed into her eyes for a long time, before taking one step towards her. Rukia mimicked his action, and within a moment, they closed the distance between them. Ichigo held her face and tilted it up gently. He bent down and slowly, treasuring the moment, allowed his lips to cover hers.
When he pulled back, having finally tasted the long-lost elixir that was Rukia to him, he didn't take his eyes off hers and kept his hand on her chin.
"I didn't see any mistletoe, Ichigo." she joked quietly, her face flushed from the kiss as her eyes held his.
Ichigo grinned. "Don't need one."
And faster than he could react, she wrapped her arms around his neck and puled herself up, cutting off his grin as she met his lips forcefully.
Now that they were done testing the waters, there was no restraint in their kiss. Ichigo gripped Rukia's waist with one hand and used the other to grab her thigh and forcefully wrap it around his hip. The heated moment caused them to stumble backwards and suddenly Ichigo had his back slammed into the wall, knocking down some hung photos in the process; but neither seemed to notice. He wasted no time in parting his lips to her, coaxing her to do the same. The moment she did, he entered her mouth, fully allowing himself to enjoy the fresh taste of her.
Ichigo was passionate and forceful, and Rukia basked in the feeling of having him press himself against her. He pushed his tongue in her mouth dominantly, not waiting for her permission. She met him with equal force, shoving back with eager and hot movements. There was nothing slow or deliberate about their actions now. Rukia's fingers found their way into Ichigo's vibrant spikes, keeping one arm wrapped around his neck to support herself up, using their grip to press him more forcefully to herself.
No matter how fast and demanding their kiss was, she wasn't satiated. They had been deprived for eight months; Rukia needed more. She needed him.
They both battled for dominance; sometimes she would gain the upper hand, sometimes he.
Ichigo moved his hand down her waist and around the curve of her ass, sending shivers down her spine. In a quick movement, he hoisted her leg up and she immediately hooked it around his hips, now fully supported by her legs' grip on him and his strong hands' grip on her cheeks. Now Rukia was positioned so that her face was higher than his, and cupped his face with her hands, pulling back for a moment -gasping for breath- to look into his eyes.
His amber orbs burned with a passion that made her shiver. Not removing her hands from his face, she crushed her lips to his once again and resumed the heated kiss. Want, longing and lust poured through their joint bodies, speaking what words could never say.
"Rukia," Ichigo whispered her name against her lips. Rukia felt her need for him increase even more if possible -especially as she felt his own want for her pressing against her from below-.
"I love you," Rukia said in a half-moan as Ichigo broke the kiss and pressed his lips to her exposed neck. As the man pulled her sweater down to expose her creamy shoulder, he began tracing kisses along her collarbone. Rukia moaned and whispered his name in his ear over and over, trying to convey how much she'd missed him -how much she'd missed this.
Just as she began to work on undoing the buttons of his jacket, Ichigo paused his actions and held her wrists in one hand, stopping them as well. Rukia pulled back and looked at him questioningly, disappointment coloring her face.
Ichigo wordlessly pressed a soft, hot kiss onto her cheek, then reached into his back pocket and held up something.
A red and lacey something he'd snatched up from the place she'd carelessly left it on the couch while she wasn't looking. It hung from his finger and he held it between them mockingly.
"I believe you owe me a present." he said in a breathless voice with a lecherous gleam shining in his amber eyes.
Rukia grinned. "We better take this reunion to the bedroom."
No more was said as Ichigo shifted his hold on her, carrying her bridal style on the familiar path to their bedroom. He kicked the door shut and dumped his girlfriend -now fiancé- on the queensized matress. Rukia grinned with expectation and gripped the covers underneath her, not taking her eyes of her fiancé as he began shedding his garments and immediately came over her, one arm on either side of her, caging her underneath him and grinning wickedly.
She didn't mind.
They had lost time to make up for; but deep down, beyond the hunger and need seizing the two of them as their clothing fell in careless heaps on the floor, both rested with the ease of knowing that this time, they had all their lives to make up for that lost time.
Outside, the quiet neighboorhood in Karakura gleamed with fresh snow and dancing lights. It seemed every house was peacefully silent with sleeping families, only occasionally disrupted by a snore of grunt. Plates of cookies and milk waited on tables beside glowing Christmas trees for Saint Nick to enjoy as he arrived. The whole world was a peaceful place on this most special of nights.
And inside one particular house, two souls rested side by side, their warm bodies entwined and pressed tightly together against the cold, content smiles decorating their faces as they fell into a blissful sleep, together at last.
And this time, they both remarked silently, it would be forever.
Perhaps, she mused silently, Santa did grant wishes after all.
THE END
A/N: (early) Merry Christmas everyone! May Santa grant you all your wishes :)