Marred and With Stints of Petals

By: WhisperedSilvers

Prompt: "I thought you forgot about me."

Summary: It had been far too long. —Ichigo/Rukia. Drabble.

It comes as a shock when he sees her, with short dark hair and those big, big eyes of her's—that's more like gems because they glitter—just so Rukia. She's wearing that stupid blue dress that looks more like a T-shirt than an actual dress, which really didn't matter because she's Rukia, and she's so goddamn short that it didn't matter what she wore, it still would be too big and too obnoxious.

"Ichigo." She greets him with warm eyes and a hint of a smirk.

And the picture is so nostalgic that he feels a grip on his heart, it chokes him subtly, only for a moment, because it's been so long since he's seen her, not with that damn choker around her neck—choke her. And she isn't weak and feeble—she's pulsing with energy and quiet confidence. She isn't in trouble, and she isn't going to die—because she's too fucking stubborn to die.

The venomous, cold, absolutely insensitive reply leaves his lips with his consent, "Thought you forgot about me."

Rukia flinches back in shock, and Ichigo internally curses himself for his stupidity. She shouldn't be surprised—it has been six months, and she hasn't left the Soul Society since then. But the hurt and incredulity that flashes in those big, big, purple-lilac orbs of hers makes him want to wince—idiot.

"Well," She starts off and her tone is cool—she's always cool, he reminds himself, "I had to fill up reiatsu reserves—you know, after the drainage, and after a certain moron took more than three-quarters of mine."

It was an insult; he ignores it, feeling slightly guilty, "Right. What are you doing here?"

Her eyebrow ticks and Ichigo is glad. He can deal with an angry Rukia—calm and cool Rukia is harder and more stronger to deal with, "Is that what you ask after I save your sorry ass?"

"I didn't ask you to save me!"

"Well, I'm hardly one to stand by and watch someone get hurt!"

His eyes are hotter than embers, "I know."

He can see her swallow, because she remembers what he's talking about. He's talking about the first time he met her, how she didn't care for her own safety, how she recklessly, bravely threw herself in front of him to keep him safe—his family safe, and that's something he could never pay back.

"Are you okay?" She asks suddenly.

Ichigo answers immediately, "Yeah, I'm fine," He pauses, something nearly choking his lungs, he is dreading when he asks, "Are you okay?"

Rukia scoffs, that confident smile back on her face, "You forget whom you're talking to."

He rolls taupe orbs, and snorts, "That should be my line."

Rukia smiles that smile of hers and he can't tell what she's thinking. Because that's Rukia, she'll smile that smile of hers and no one will know just what's going in her mind, but its those big eyes of hers that give him the power to read her like a book.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Nope."

He releases a strangled gasp, his jaw dropping slightly and his eyes are wide with disbelief, he doesn't bother to acknowledge Uryu, Chad or even Orihime in the back—all of his attention is on the small women in front of him and he can't even fathom a appropriate response.

Rukia laughs, "Of course I know what's going, you idiot!" She waves a hand in front of her face with distinguished grin, "You should've seen your face!"

He is visibly relieved; it shows on his face, the smoothness of his forehead and the cooling of his topaz eyes, "Dammit Rukia."

She smiles again—

Gods, he missed her—not that he'd ever admit, out loud anyway.

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