"All right...all right...settle down people! Oh, and welcome to your first day of Home Economics," the teacher said as Ichigo sat down next to Rukia at a table. Ichigo, of course, was forced into this class by Yuzu.

I need more help in the kitchen...she said...you and Rukia-chan can do it together...she said...damn it!! This suck...a semester of this and I'm dead!!

The teacher then began to talk for a half hour about "the importance of the culinary arts." Ichigo daydreamed through most of it while Rukia tried to take notes, but doodled her "creations" in her notebook instead. Both of the teens' attentions were brought back when the teacher began to talk about something mildly interesting.

"Okay class, now, your first assignment...you have to make a dessert for and about your partner. You'll do it at home so I can see how you use the resources around you and it will be due tomorrow."

The class stared at her for a few seconds before the tsunami of confused teenagers attacked the her.

"Sensei!! Who's my partner?!"

"Dessert? Why dessert?"

"How can the food be about the partner?"

"But...I don't like cooking."

"What- about-"

"WAIT!!" The teacher yelled angrily to quiet her class. The class immediately settled down as she continued.

"1. I picked desserts because their fun to make. 2. Your partner is the person sitting next to you. 3. Your dessert should display something about your partners appearance and personality because I want to see how the message translates into your dish and 4. If you don't like cooking...why did you sign up for my class?!"

Then, the bell rang.

"Ugh, class dismissed!"

Ichigo sat still and slowly turned his head. Rukia was sitting next to him packing up her bag. "Your partner is the person sitting next to you."

I have to make a dessert for Rukia?! What the hell is this??

Rukia looked over to Ichigo, who she noticed was staring at her, and stared back at him for a couple seconds. Then she sighed, breaking their eye contact, got up and started to leave.

"I know what you're thinking," she said as she left, "Just don't make a mud pie you baka!!"

Ichigo sighed as he walked home with a bag of groceries in his hand. He thought of something to make and bought his supplies on the way home from school. But Rukia went straight home in a hurry. He just sighed again and opened the door to his house, surprised to see what was inside.

"Ah, hello Ichigo," Rukia yelled cheerfully from the kitchen as her and Yuzu ran around in their white aprons. Rukia walked over to him with smudges of flour on her smirking face. She bent down, staring at the contents in Ichigo's hand.

"So...what's in the bag?"

Ichigo automatically brought the bag to his chest and backed away quickly, his eyes narrowed.

"What's it to you?"

"You know yours won't be better than mine, Ichigo. I even have Yuzu-chan to help me. You have no chance," she said confidently.

"Oh, yeah, we'll see midget! I'll beat you...I'll beat you without help, too!" he yelled back loudly.

"Nii-san! Don't be mean to Rukia-chan!! And go to your room so you don't peek. We don't need you spoiling our hard work!!"

Ichigo sighed and walked to the steps. He turned to see Rukia taking a knife out of the drawer, her violet eyes staring back at him.

"Remember, I'm good with blades, Ichigo."

He just walked away, trying to hold in his laughter.

Too bad that's a butter knife, you stupid midget!

Ichigo's alarm woke him up and he immediately hit it off before it could wake anyone else up. He sat up in bed, put a shirt on, and walked down stairs in the dark to the kitchen. He turned on the light, sighed impatiently, and got to work.

He doesn't want to be seen cooking or baking ever in his life, especially for a girl. That's why no one will catch him while he bakes at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Ichigo's alarm woke him up, but he did nothing. He laid in his bed like a dead body. He stayed up all night working on his so-called "project" and he knew, so far, that he hated, despised, Home Economics.

He got up, changed and walked down stairs to see that Rukia had left without him so he wouldn't see her project. Competitive brat... He grabbed his tin foiled covered project from the refrigerator and walked to school by himself. He made it right in time for first period, which happened to be Home Economics.

He couldn't keep track of the people doing their projects; his lack of sleep was getting to him. He almost didn't even realize Rukia get up from next to him to present her project. He smirked when she uncovered it. I even predicted this...what an idiot...a Strawberry Short Cake.

"Hello my classmates," she said in her cheery fake voice, "As you know, my partner was Kurosaki-kun and I made him a Strawberry Short Cake."

The classroom broke out into giggles and snickers but Ichigo ignored them all as he listened to Rukia's words intently. She described her cake. It was a usual Strawberry cake covered in white icing on the sides and the top. The top was completely covered in strawberries with whip cream on it. But he knew there had to be something more to the cake.

"It may look like a usual Strawberry cake...but, just like Kurosaki-kun, there is more to it than what is on the outer layer."

Then she took a knife and cut a piece of cake. Ichigo's brown eyes when he saw the multiple colors in the cake. Confetti?

The cake batter was confetti batter. Light brown cake was infested with green, blue, red, and purple speckles. Even though Ichigo didn't pay attention in this class, he knew that no one used confetti batter.

"Even though the cake is different on the inside than the others, it makes the cake special and..." Rukia took a fork and bit into the cake. She smiled, "It makes it taste so much better than the others because the inside is the best part of everything…and in this case, everyone too."

The room was quiet and shocked as Rukia sat back down into her seat. Ichigo was quiet as well.

"All right, Kurosaki….it's your turn," the teacher said as she beckoned to him.

Ichigo stared at Rukia for a second, who looked away with a red face, and got out of his chair to begin his presentation. As he walked up to the front, a thousand things were flying through his mind.

Just like Kurosaki-kun, there is more to it than what is on the outer layer.

… It makes it taste so much better than the others because the inside is the best part of everything…and in this case, everyone too.

You gave me that inside, Rukia….damn…I better make this pretty damn good.

"Uh…hi," Ichigo began as started his presentation, "My partner was Kuchiki Rukia and…um…I made her a cake."

Rukia giggled with the rest of the class as Ichigo attempt to unwrap his project. He was never good at talking in front of people. I win…Rukia thought victoriously as she smothered her laughter. Her mouth went wide when Ichigo uncovered the cake.

It was an amazing cake. It was covered in chocolate icing and had purple flowers with green leaves on top. The class gaped at the beauty of his cake as Ichigo continued his presentation.

"Well, it has her appearance because…um…her eyes are violet…and so are the flowers on the cake."

Rukia noticed how we called her eyes violet instead of purple as he continued. His words were rough but their meaning was as smooth as the finest silk.

"And well….uh…the inside of it is what her….personality is like…"

He cut open the cake as Rukia's violet eyes as she saw the inside of the cake and one thing went through her mind. Sode no Shirayuki…

The inside of the cake was white….pure white. Ichigo smiled at Rukia's expression. He saw her hand move to her mouth as she tried to hide her amazement. He smirked and continued.

"Even though the cake has dark colors on the outside…the inside is purer than anyone would ever think. And like my partner said….It makes it taste so much better than the others because the inside is the best part of everything…and in this case, everyone too."

The class was silent as he walked back and sat in his seat.

"Uh…all right. On that note…class is dismissed."

Everyone left the class room except Ichigo and Rukia. Rukia walked up to the front of the room and stared at Ichigo's cake. Ichigo walked up behind her.

"You like it?"

"Wow…Ichigo…it's amazing…how did you-?"

"Want to try some?" Ichigo cut her off as he picked up a fork off the table.

Rukia nodded quietly as he broke off a chunk of the cake and, surprisingly, Rukia let Ichigo put it in her mouth. Suddenly, Ichigo bent down and kissed Rukia. Rukia smiled a little a kissed him back. They stayed like that for a second and broke apart.

Ichigo's tongue glided along the top of his mouth.

"You know, I make a pretty good cake," he said, complementing its taste with a grin.

Rukia smiled and walked over to her cake.

"Want to try some of mine?" She said as she held out a fork full of strawberries. Ichigo smiled.

"With pleasure. You know…I think I'm gonna like Home Economics."

Rukia put the fork in his mouth and jumped up on her tippy toes.

"Me too."

This is just something I thought of on a class trip and wrote it out on the bus ride back. I think its cute! Ichigo's such a good baker!! Maybe he'll bake more for her in the future 0.0 lollz Well it wa short and sweet so I hoped you liked it!!

TELL ME WHAT'CHA THINK!!