It was a starlit night in mid-May. They had just finished dinner at their favorite restaurant and where now on their way to his families' house. They walked in content silence when Ichigo suddenly stopped and turned to face her. He wore a serious expression but wasn't able to hide a touch of insecurity growing inside him. Rukia watched him closely then looked around. They were just a few meters away from the Kurosaki home, so what was wrong? She turned to him again a little worried about what could be bothering him.

"Do you know what today is?"

She continued to observe his face to find a hint what was going on and frowned rather confused: "Friday?"

Rukia could hear a tiny little sigh coming from him. That didn't seem to be the right answer obviously. What was his point? She shook her head internally.

"Today on this date, ten years ago was the day we first met."

He said that with certain naturalness to his voice, as if everyone in the whole world would know about this particular day.

Ichigo pointed to the left, her eyes followed his gesture: "And this lamppost is the exact place where you gave me your powers… ten years ago."

Rukia was still confused about the purpose of his reminiscent story.

"Why are you telling me all that?" she asked with an amused smile. She had to admit that his action was rather cute.

"Because there's something I want to ask you." He seemed a little uneasy but kept a determined expression.

Rukia didn't really get the reason for him setting up all of this for the sole purpose of asking her a question but she was sure he had one: "Well, then… go for it."

He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, preparing himself.

He drew a little box from his pocket, knelt down on one knee and opened it, inhaling deeply before voicing probably the most important question he was ever going to ask her:

"Kuchiki Rukia… will you marry me?"

It grew silent for a painfully long moment.

Without giving her the chance to possibly answer with a 'no' he continued: "Don't worry, I already talked to Byakuya. He agreed…in the end. I even talked to the clan eldest. They weren't that easy to convince but I'm a Shiba and at least halfway part of a more or less noble family, so they..."

"Yes."

"What?"

He was still too preoccupied with his explanation to comprehend her answer at first but Rukia just had to interrupt him. Although she was impressed how much he must've thought this through it didn't really matter. Her decision would have been the same anyway.

"Yes." she repeated while she looked deep into his eyes, reading him in the way only she was able to and letting him read her – without a single word. It was what other people tended to call one of their magical nonverbal conversations. Caring, understanding, trusting – throughout these past ten years that had never changed.

"Yes." she added one more time after he still didn't seem to make the next move.

"Really?"

It wasn't out of insecurity he just couldn't believe this was truly happening.

"Don't make me say that a fourth time." she chuckled. Her voice was encouraging, sincere and maybe a little lecturing.

He smiled back at her. Some things really never changed and he liked that – although this woman had changed his whole world.

"I love you." he whispered before pulling her into a close embrace.