Strawberry and Shortcake
A/N: This is my first bleach fanfiction - I wanted to do a few drabbles .What should my next one be ? I take requests so don't be afraid to tell me. Do read and review . Criticism appreciated . Muah - Enjoy .
1 - Locked out
Set after the Winter War .
In the context of ever losing his keys the young man had always kept an extra set of them underneath the front door mat. He knew that was ridiculously unsafe but Goat Face insisted on it from when they were kids , since they never knew if Karin might return early from football practice or if Yuzu wanted to come home to study .
Today was the first day Ichigo Kurosaki had forgotten his house keys – Brilliant work on his part. He had a feeling that the evening would go downhill when he discovered that the keys underneath the doormat were missing too. His forehead twitched when he heard the impatiently incessant tapping of Rukia's foot next to him .
"Baka , Have you forgotten the keys again"
"Again ? , When have I ever done this before midget "
"Don't call me a midget. Anyways, what do we do now. "
Ichigo thought for a moment. Karin and Yuzu were at a friend's house for the night, Goat – Face had gone to Urahara's and he wasn't quite sure when his old man would be returning home. God , the man had a knack for disappearing for days at an end and now that Ichigo knew that his father was a shinigami , the man had wasted no time in making himself comfortable at the Urahara Shoten. Not that Ichigo complained, having his father out of his hair for a bit was a little relaxing that he had to admit .
Yet he was digressing. He looked at Rukia and immediately shot down the idea of camping out the night . He knew that she was a lieutenant now, well over his age , but she was Rukia and he wouldn't let her sleep outside, not on his watch. So there was only one thing left to do-
"Let's go to Urahara's we'll get the keys from my old man and come." He said.
"Yeah , we'll have to go fast . It's bound to rain soon" She looked up to the sky , violet eyes wide .
And they were on their way , the walk was a small one , and they made small talk along the way. In less than twenty minutes they reached the store. Ichigo was greeted by a foot in the face , he was used to that by now. Somewhere along the line that had become something he expected from his father. He took the keys and left. As he was leaving he saw Kisuke , and nodded in acknowledgement . He met a pair of calculating eyes behind the bucket hat , nodding at him in response. He couldn't help but wonder what that was all about .
" Got the keys ?" Rukia asked .
"Yeah. Let's go ."
The moment they left the shop and crossed the compound ahead of it , the rain began. Ichigo was never fond of the rain and hurried on. Rukia was surprisingly undeterred by the rain he noticed , and when he questioned her she laughingly replied " My zanpaktou is an ice and snow type, a little rain won't do me any harm . "
Yet Ichigo noted she looked paler than before and enveloped her in the warmth of his jacket. He didn't really know why he did the action, just that he felt like he should have.
" Well you're still cold " he said . " A little warmth won't do you any harm either. " She looked in his eyes , and he hoped she understood the meaning behind his words . He hoped she looked deeper within the words , to accept his warmth , as she had accepted him beneath his scowl .
She nodded and the continued homeward . When they reached home he could see a light pink blush dusting her cheeks clearly in the porch lights and he realised , the day didn't go downhill at all.
The rain in his heart had , after all this time , finally stopped .
Fin
a/n : Do leave a review on your way . See ya , Bye .