Rukia's Twelve Days of Christmas

Anime: Bleach

Written By: Ryu-Takehshi

Prologue: 12/13/09

Rukia stared hard at the snowflakes gently falling on the other side of the frosted window pane; like little white spots that lit up the black of night, almost as brightly as the moon. She watched one slowly drift and stick to the window in front of her. Her mouth opened in surprise and her heated breath fogged up the window and instantly melted it away; causing the shinigami girl to smile slightly.

"Snow, huh…?" she thought, "I really like the rain in the world of the living… I wonder if snow here is any different…"

'It's colder…' her mind answered; in the same annoying tone of voice that she would expect from a certain orange-haired boy.

"What're you staring at…?"

Rukia looked up; that voice didn't come from her mind. She turned her attention from the window, only to see the certain orange-haired boy in question giving her an inquisitive look.

"Do they not have snow in the Soul Society?" he remarked as Rukia moved off of his bed and towards the closet.

"Of course there is…" was her only answer.

"Anyway," Ichigo began as he climbed into his bed and Rukia opened the closet door. "You are coming on the trip tomorrow, right?"

"I don't really have much of a choice, do I…?" she shrugged.

"Not a chance…" he smirked as he pulled his blanket over his head.

Rukia rolled her eyes as she checked to make sure her travel bag was completely stocked and ready for tomorrow. Finally, she too, climbed into her small closet bed and slowly drifted to sleep.

Day One: 12/14/09

Come morning, Rukia awoke to a bitter cold and hugged onto her blanket.

"Alright, I get it; it's cold!" she replied to the voice in her mind, forcing herself out of bed.

In mid-yawn, she sleepily slid open the closet door and was about to take a step out when a strong hand pushed back inside and slammed the door in her face.

She was just about to yell something like: "Ichigo, what the hell?!" or "What kind of stupid thing are you trying to do this early in the morning, you idiot?!" But, a voice stopped her; not the voice in her mind, nor Ichigo's. It was Yuzu and Karin's voices that caused Rukia to stop herself from yelling, and gave her a chance to change into her uniform inside the closet as she listened in on their conversation.

"Could you guys hurry up?" Ichigo sighed. "I've gotta get going to school. You guys know I have a trip today!"

Rukia laughed quietly, she could still hear the lingering shake of panic in his voice from hiding her so quickly, which was one of the only upsides (for her) in getting pushed back into the closet every time one of Ichigo's relatives came up.

"We know Ichi-nii," Yuzu's voice answered, "That's why we're asking for dad's present money now. You'll still be on your trip on Christmas Day, right?"

"Besides, you're never around after school, so you probably haven't even gotten around to buying it yet." Karin added.

"Fine, here…" Ichigo muttered. Rukia could hear the reluctance in his voice and the rustling of paper money being taken out of his wallet and handed off to his little sisters.

"Thanks bro!" Karin said happily.

"Have a good trip Ichi-nii!" Yuzu beamed as Rukia heard the twins step out of his room and run down the stairs.

"Alright Rukia, they're gone." Ichigo called.

The door slid open as Rukia stepped out, fully dressed and packed. She straightened out her uniform then, turned and gave Ichigo a stare as cold as the weather outside of the house.

"Thanks for the warning, by the way!" She smiled sarcastically as she opened the window.

"Rukia…" Ichigo began.

She turned towards him, only to get hit in the face with an extremely thick, soft, furry, blue… something.

"Wear a jacket out there, or you might die…" he paused for a moment then, laughed to himself, "again…"

Rukia rolled her eyes as she pulled her arms into the jacket and zipped it up. "There! Are you happy now?" she remarked as she jumped from the window.

"See you at school Ichigo!"

When she was gone, it was Ichigo's turn to roll his eyes as he closed the window.

"Geez… she's just like a little kid!" he muttered as he, himself, began on his way to school.

As he approached the high school grounds, he was welcomed by Rukia's classically smug smile and Renji's annoying remarks; it wasn't exactly the best way to be welcomed to school, but what could he do?

"Man… you're late Ichigo." Renji mocked.

"Yeah well, what do I care?" he shrugged as the three boarded the bus, "Whether I come after you or not doesn't change the fact that we're all ending up in the same place."

"You're not an early morning person, are you?" Renji laughed as he took his seat behind Ichigo and Rukia.

"Are you implying that you are?!" Ichigo asked in disbelief as he stared at the dark bags under his rival's eyes.

"Quiet both of you…" Rukia muttered in an annoyed tone as she rested her head on the window. "Don't make me use any binding spells on either of you."

"What's up with her?" Renji wondered.

Ichigo smiled, "What, Rukia? She's just pissed that I made her put on a jacket this morning."

"Shut up…" Rukia sighed, her eyelids half closed as she stared blankly out at the snowflakes. "I wouldn't have minded the cold anyway. I didn't need a jacket."

"You would've been frozen by the time you made it to school." Ichigo pointed out.

"You really want me to put you in a binding spell, don't you?" she threatened, completely ending the conversation.

By the end of this extremely long drive to a ski resort some towns away, every student slowly, but surely checked into their hotel rooms; and thus ended Rukia's first day.


"And thus ended Rukia's first day…"

Yeah, I didn't know what I was thinking either. I procrastinate a lot, which is why I'm trying to finish a twelve-day fanfic in three days. Well, actually its 12 midnight on the 23rd so I guess that makes it two days. Anyway, to be honest, I don't even know where I'm going with this fanfic so please try and bear with it! See you in the next chapter! ~Ryu-Takehshi