This will be my second independent oneshot up. I know, I know, but chillax, I'm not abandoning any of my stories. I'm still working on Undecided but I'm on a mini-hiatus for a while. It's because of exams and don't blame me for it, blame the three projects I have to do before the end of May and the two-week mid-year exam that's coming up.

So sorry if updates are slow as hell.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I recently bought bleach (as in the bleach bleach) though. So that doesn't count.

Enjoy.

"Just believe in me, will you, Rukia?" he said to her, his warm, amber eyes gleaming. He was bloody, battered and bruised but he acted as if he had had the most fun time ever. Rukia fought back stupid tears that were blurring her view. She refused to look at him, refused to show her vulnerable side.

"Fucking idiot." She mumbled. It was all she could afford to do actually. She didn't want to make him worry, didn't want to see him hurt anymore than he already was. "Ichigo," she muttered, choking back tears. "I hate you."

Surprise flickered through his face. His amber eyes widened slightly, his mouth formed into a small 'o' and Zangetsu, realising that it was about to fall off from his grip, sealed itself behind him. "Why's that?" he asked.

"Because you're an idiot." She mumbled. Ichigo could have laughed if not for the seriousness of Rukia's posture. She was shaking all over. He dropped beside her, ignoring the pouring rain that was soaking them to the bone.

"I know I am." He muttered and draped one arm over his knee, crouching in front of her. Rukia was slumped to the ground, her shoulders shaking, and her breaths short and gasping. She ignored him. "But you can't do anything about it."

Rukia whipped her head up and immediately started cursing him. "Fool!" she cried loudly over the thunder. "You could have killed yourself. How can I possibly believe in someone like you?" she asked, trying to push him to the ground. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Rukia. You're blowing things way out of proportion. So you had to wait, just for a little while... so what? Besides, I'm back, aren't I?" he asked.

"Just barely making it. You could have been..."

"Killed? Seriously? Don't you trust me at all?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia shook her head; raindrops trapped in her midnight hair fell off, making silent splashes. "I don't."

"Well that sucks. The only one I wanted to trust me with all her heart doesn't even believe in me to do this menial task. Ah, Rukia, I don't think I'm the idiot here..." Ichigo said wryly. Rukia glared at him.

"I'm no idiot."

"Then believe in me." Ichigo said, as if it was the answer to her statement.

"How can I?"

"Easy," he said and took her hand gently but firmly and placed it on his chest. "Like this." He said, laying his rough strong hand atop of her small soft one and pressed it to his chest. "It's really simple."

Rukia looked down, refusing to meet his eye. She refused to believe in someone like him; careless, brash, abrasive, rude, irritating, a risk-taker to the extreme, stubborn and hard-headed. How the hell could you believe in someone like that? How could you expect to put your faith in someone like him? She told him just that. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Well don't knock it till you've tried it, midget. I've been telling you to trust me."

"I do." She mumbled. "I just don't believe in you." She clarified. Ichigo's eyebrows rose.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you're YOU!" she exasperated. "I don't need any more reasons. Look at you! You're bloody; you have scratches and bruise marks all over. I told you to wait. Wait, damn it! And you left without a word, without a plan." She scolded. Ichigo winced. Hearing Rukia lecturing him about his shinigami duties were one thing, but to hear her speaking like this as if he had done a very terrible thing made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Well it was late, Rukia. I couldn't afford to wait anymore." He said, cutting her short of her sentence.

"For God's sake, you tawake, there were fifteen hundred Hollows charging up on that area! Were you blind? Or were you just stupid?"

"I wasn't blind." He said, gripping her hand that was on his chest. She slipped away from it and placed one finger back forcefully, jabbing him and making him wince in pain. He hadn't mentioned that there was a fairly large bruise over there.

Her eyes were livid and she was furious. Couldn't he see that she was plainly worrying about him? Hitsugaya taichou and Renji had come right after he left and assured her everything would be fine. She merely ignored them and continued to mutter curses. If Ichigo ever got back....

"Right, you were just stupid." She said, jabbing him once more. "You fucking worry about me when I wanted to fight, but why can't I do the same without you constantly telling me to shut up and stay put? Why can't I order you to not fight and stay behind the lines much like you did to me?" she asked, jabbing him multiple times. The pain was unbearable to him but he let her continue. "I was a shinigami way before you were. I knew more than you. I still know more than you. So why won't you let me worry about you?"

"Because all I want you to do is to believe in me, you idiot." Ichigo said, gripping her hand firmly. He kept it in his hand, refusing to let go when she tugged at it forcefully.

"Well I don't want to." She said fiercely.

"You're going to have to." He said and scowled at her. "You know you have to. Trust isn't enough." He muttered and then slowly but swiftly planted a small kiss on her lips.

Before Rukia could pull away and smack him upside down, he straightened his back and let her hand go.

It fell limp beside her and gobsmacked, she met his amber eyes. She could feel his smugness radiating off of him. He had just made her shut up. He made her shut up...

Rukia looked down to the ground and messily rubbed away the locks of hair stuck to her pale face. She pushed her hair back and then shook her head. "Idiot." She mumbled.

Ichigo snorted. "You're starting to repeat yourself, midget." He said and leaned onto her. "Like I said," he said and patted her wet head. "Believe in me."

He took her hand, ignoring her stubbornness and in the rain, soaked and bloody wet, he went home with her, hands linked and bodies close.

How was that? Lame? Totally out of the loop? Ah, well, I don't really mind as long as you review your opinions. Anyways, I came up with this after hearing 'Believe' from Staind. I heard it, got inspiration, put it on loop for about four times and wrote this little thing. So yes, yes, it's rushed and all messed up but I just wanted to get it over with before my mojo runs out. Hee hee.

Drop a review telling me how this little oneshot went.

Much appreciated.

-Leedakay-