A/N: Written for the DeviantART IchiRuki club's contest in celebration of Ichigo's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Strawberry! :D

People go to the beach for several reasons: to take a swim in the ocean: to play some beach volleyball; to party all night long; to take romantic walks along the shore at sunset…

And most people can do all these things because they know to protect themselves from the dangers of the beach. One such danger? Forgetting to put on sunscreen, then falling asleep out in the hot sun wearing only swim trunks. You'd have to be one of two things to do something this monumentally stupid:

1. An idiot.
2. Ichigo Kurosaki

And according to the latter's rather bemused girlfriend, Rukia Kuchiki, the two were not mutually exclusive.

"You know, I highly doubt your cracks at my expense are going to make my sunburn go away any faster," Ichigo muttered after awhile.

Rukia frowned as she squirted some more aloe vera onto her hand. Ichigo visibly winced when he felt her touch his stomach and very gently rub the cool substance into his beet red skin.

"Never said it would," Rukia distractedly answered. "It just makes me feel better. I still can't believe you didn't put on sunscreen. What is wrong with you?"

"For the millionth time," Ichigo lifted his head off the pillow, making Rukia push it back down. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. It's not my fault you guys forgot to wake me up. Why didn't youdo anything, Miss. Totally Blameless?"

"I didn't know," Rukia fired back, throwing the aloe vera bottle to the ground in her frustration. "I saw you asleep and figured you'd be alright. Why? BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU'D BE SMART ENOUGH TO HAVE PUT ON SUNSCREEN!"

Knock Knock

The couple ceased glaring at each and turned to the door as it was pushed open. A moment later, Renji walked inside, holding another, much larger bottle of the healing solution. The redhead briefly eyed his fellow Shinigami, taking in their positions and giving an amused smile that made Ichigo want to punch his face in.

"Forgive me for interrupting," he casually stepping inside. "I'm just delivering the new bottle of aloe vera you asked for, Rukia."

The petite girl smiled and took the bottle from her old friend.

"Thanks, Renji, I appreciate it."

Renji's smile became a smirk, which remained even when he turned his gaze away from Rukia and towards the still annoyed Ichigo.

"Don't give me that look," said Renji, clearly baiting. "I didn't mean to interrupt you guy's special alone time."

"Nothing was going to happen and you know it," Ichigo deadpanned. "You expect me to do anything like this?"

Renji ran his eyes up and down Ichigo's red face, neck and torso, his smirk still infuriatingly in place.

"It's not like all of you was burned," Renji's eyes were focused, to Ichigo's immense discomfort, on his swim trunks. "You were wearing those outside after all."

"…get out, Renji."

The redhead shrugged. "I'm just saying,"

"Get. OUT!"

"Fine, fine!" Renji raised his hands for emphasis. "I'll see you later, Rukia."

He gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder before approaching Ichigo's bedside with an evil look in his eye.

"Get well soon, Strawberry," he followed this with a similar pat on Ichigo's (heavier burned) arm. The results were fairly predictable.

"AAAAAAUGH YOU SON OF A BITCH I WILL KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!"

"Good luck with that," Renji shot back while running for the door. "Because I NEVER SLEEP!"

"LIAR!"

SLAM

Ichigo growled and smacked his head back down on the pillow before Rukia had to force him to.

"I hate this vacation," he muttered through grit teeth. "This is the worst birthday I've ever had."

The only reaction he got from his girlfriend was a roll of her eyes.

"And whose fault is that?" She stated more than asked, applying the cream to his shoulder.

Ichigo didn't answer, not wanting to start another argument with the crazy midget he called his girlfriend. He spent the next few minutes just thinking about everything. While he'd expected Rukia to be annoyed when she heard about his little… mishap, he didn't think it would've gotten to her this much.

Last Christmas, a freak accident (no matter how many people said different) had led to him burning down the Christmas tree Rukia and his sisters spent four hours decorating, along with half the presents. She hadn't been nearly as angry then as she was now. Sure, she'd been a lot louder that time, but not quite so… incensed. That was the only word he could think to describe it and he didn't know if even that was completely accurate.

He heard her give a sigh as she moved around the large bed to do his other side. He outright yelped when she touched him this time and couldn't help but notice Rukia's evident scowl as he did so. Her motions sped up for a split second, causing a slight increase in the pain. She seemed to catch herself immediately, her face softened along with her movements.

"Rukia…" he didn't want to keep guessing what the problem was. "Are you alright? You seem angry."

"Of course I'm angry," she answered immediately without looking away from her task. "You realize I arranged this entire trip, right? Your father may have helped pay for it, but I did the planning, I booked the hotel rooms, I was up until three in the morning negotiating to get us put in a room with a nice view, all because I wanted you to have a great 21st birthday."

Rukia paused and clicked her tongue when she noticed the bottle she'd been using had finally run out. She grabbed the one Renji brought and continued, both with her job and her speech.

"I mean, we've been dating for three years now, but there are steps in our relationship that we haven't taken yet. I know that I love you and you love me, that's why I had this great gift in mind for you. I wanted everything to be perfect when I gave it to you," she lowered her hands, closing her eyes and then opening them again. "I guess it was just wishful thinking."

She smiled softly at Ichigo, causing his face to go even redder. He couldn't for the life of him figure out when she started having that effect on him.

"You could still give it to me," he answered, attempting to sound reassuring.

Rukia chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I really can't. Not when you're like this."

The petite Shinigami got up from her seat and went to open her large travel bag. Ichigo was treated to a show of the numerous Chappy merchendise, that she'd insisted on bringing for no reason at all, being thrown around the room while she searched for something.

"I guess I can at least show you," she was saying. "It probably won't make you feel much better, though- a-ha!"

Rukia struck gold and pulled out a thin white box topped with a bow. A little card, no doubt bearing his name, hung off it. Ichigo studied the box, noting it's flat shape and deciding there was likely some sort of clothing inside. She'd given him a leather jacket on his last birthday, maybe it was something like that?

"Technically, this isn't even for you," Rukia continued.

That certainly threw Ichigo for a loop. Not for him? His own birthday present was not for him? If Rukia noticed the confusion written all over his face, she didn't show it. With a small smile, she returned to her original spot next to the bed, box in hand. Ichigo eyed it warily, before turning his gaze to Rukia. She grasped the bow in her hand, ready to life the lid and reveal his present. Or not his present. Wait… what the hell was she talking about just now anyway?

"This is more for me," she elaborated further before pulling the lid off, allowing the started Ichigo a clear view of what was inside. "This is what I was going to wear to bed tonight."

Ichigo's mouth opened a bit. If he could move his arm without intense pain he would be scratching his head right now. What he saw was definitely not what he had been expecting. Not by a long shot.

"Rukia, this box is empty."

"Yes, I know."

Ichigo opened his mouth again. This time he knew exactly what to say as obvious questions entered his mind. But not a syllable left his mouth before he got it. Instead, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped all the way down. Rukia just smiled knowingly and closed the lid.

"It's really too bad," she said solemnly. "I guess we'll just have to wait until your skin heals. I've been planning this for months, but what's another few days to wait, right?"

Ichigo's nose started bleeding.

"By the way, I'm going to sleep in Orihime's room tonight. I don't want to grab you in my sleep and there's no couch in here for me to use instead."

A drop of drool slid out his mouth and down his chin.

"Don't worry, I'll be right next door and your cellphone is right within reach. I left it on speaker, so you can just press the call button if you need me."

A low 'uh' sound emitted from his throat.

"Just try to rest, I'll be back first thing in the morning. Goodnight Ichigo, I love you."

Ichigo's brain finally rebooted itself several seconds later, after Rukia had long since shut the door and walked out of earshot. The substitute Shinigami sat right up in bed, ignorant of the pain.

"H-hey, Rukia!" he sputtered. "RUKIA!"

In his haste, Ichigo got himself tangled in the sheets and managed to roll right off the bed, his burned chest hitting the hard wooden floor with a thud.

Byakuya Kuchiki blinked and looked up, his head darting all different directions and catching the attention of the other Squad Captains present at the meeting.

"Captain Kuchiki, is something wrong?" Captain Hitsugaya queried the much larger man.

"It's strange," the Sixth Division squad captain proclaimed mostly to himself. "For a moment there, I thought I heard a five year old girl screaming in pain."

"I didn't hear anything," Captain Kyoraku shrugged. "You must've imagined it."

"Hm…" Byakuya thought for a moment. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Now, where were we?"