A/N: Tomorrow marks the first time I'd posted something in ~ It's been three years since I'd joined this lil' site. And I honestly enjoyed all the time I spent writing/reading fics and reviews and I'm so glad to have met so many interesting people here~ ALL OF YOU ROCK MY SOCKS, INFINTELY! 3 So, so, so, just wanted to post a fic here… simply because! :D
Enjoy, people~
Disclaimer: The standard disclaimer applies.
Chicken Soup for the Sick Soul
"Could you run faster? You're in my way!" he yelled at the petite girl in front of him.
"Shut up!" she nudged him on the ribs, hard.
The freezing rain fell rapidly as Ichigo and Rukia ran back home, using their bags as covers. The rain slammed mercilessly everywhere and Ichigo was starting to feel a bit light-headed. Rukia however seemed fine, except for the irritation to the rain.
No one spoke for a moment. The only sound heard was the falling rain and their heavy footsteps on the now deserted Karakura Streets. No one would be stupid enough to go out from their warm cosy houses to the subzero temperatures of outside.
Of course, Ichigo and Rukia had no choice. They had to stay after school because they were late. Again.
The silence was broken when a loud and familiar screeching of "Hollow! Hollow!" from Ichigo's substitution badge and a small beeping sound from Rukia's phone.
She stopped abruptly, making Ichigo run right into her.
The ebony-haired girl didn't even bother to retort back. Looking intently at the screen of the phone, she pinpointed the hollows' location. With her serious voice, she said to Ichigo, "Ichigo. Hollows, they're near."
"Yeah, I know," Ichigo said in a matter-of-factly way. "This shinigami substitution badge is screeching its head off." Ichigo took the badge and turned into shinigami mode right there. He took a running start to the two hollows where Rukia pointed.
One looked like a huge insect with sharp nails and its movement was swift. The other one was a bit bigger in size with sharp spikes along its spine until its tail. Both had the usual white mask and hole-in-chest trait.
"Shinigami," The insect-like one roared. "You smell really good…! I'm going to eat you fresh!"
"Keh, like I'll let ya." Ichigo charged on the first hollow but it was quick to respond. It evaded Zangetsu by mere inches. The bigger one swung his tail to Ichigo. Ichigo eluded but his right shoulder was grazed on one of the hollow's spikes.
"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled as blood poured out of his shoulder.
Clutching his shoulder, he cursed colorfully. "Shut up, Rukia." Holding Zangetsu tighter, he jumped back at the two hollows. Now and again, he alternated between the hollows. But whenever Ichigo attacked one, the other will strike him.
"Ichigo! Focus on one hollow at a time."
"I know how to do t- ACK!" Ichigo lost his guard and got hit by the swift insect-like one. He was thrown to the concrete wall. Rukia ran to him but before she could do anything, he wiped off the blood at the corner of his mouth then jumped back up and attacked the hollows with Zangetsu again.
"Damn hollows."
After a few minutes of attacking, the bigger one finally disintegrated. And things got easier after that since there was nothing to defend the other as he attacked.
Then as the next one disintegrated, Ichigo was fine with just a few scratches and shallow wounds. None were serious except the one at his shoulder. But that was it, and they were healed by Rukia in a few moments.
Ichigo scowled when he saw his body was totally exposed to the rain. Rukia didn't even bother to put it under a shelter from the rain.
"Rukia! Why is my body under the rain while you were happily sitting under that tree?"
She ignored his question and started running back home.
Again, he used his —now drenched— bag for cover as he caught up with her. The previous light-headedness deteriorated. "Oi Rukia. If I come down with something. It's all your fault."
She ignored the last comment and jogged off further in front.
"Ichigo! Wake UP!"
Rukia stormed into Ichigo's room the next morning, slamming the door in process. She made as much noise as she can on her way beside Ichigo's bed. STOMP…! STOMP…!
"Wake UP, Ichigo! Wake up! Wake up!" She started to violently shake the lump of Ichigo under the blanket.
Well, that worked.
He woke up with a grumble and pushed Rukia off. Not too rough, and not too lightly either. Just enough so that she was a step back from the bed. Then he pulled the blanket over his head. Ichigo felt like he was burning from the inside but his body felt so cold.
Rukia huffed and put her hands on her hips. She shouted, "ICHIGO! Wak—"
"Go away Rukia…" Ichigo's voice was husky and rough.
Her tone softened. Just a little bit though. "Hey Ichigo? You okay?"
"I'm fine," he mumbled.
She went to his side and touched his forehead. "Ichigo…" She frowned at the warmth she felt. "You're sick." He gave her a grunt as a response. His body still ached and his throat burned too much to give a coherent reply.
A sudden concerned feeling came to her. "You need anything, Ichigo?"
He gave a dull moan before shaking his head and promptly went back to sleep.
"Yuzu…!"
Rukia went down to the kitchen. She spotted the Kurosaki girl washing the dishes from that morning's breakfast. She looked up from the dishes and to the petite shinigami.
"Rukia-nee." She smiled at her. "Is Onii-chan awake yet?" She asked, her attention back to the dishes.
"That's why I wanted to see you for a while," Rukia said. "Ichigo's got a fever."
Yuzu's eyes widened. Her soapy hand was hovered above her mouth. She could smell the citrus scent from the soap. "Onii-chan's sick?" Rukia nodded. The Kurosaki's facial expression showed worry.
Yuzu ran her soapy hand under the cold water, then snapped her fingers. "Oh, I know! I could make Onii-chan chicken soup! He used to love that."
"Good idea, Yuzu." Yuzu smiled as she took a pot and placed it on the stove. "Umm… Yuzu? Can I make the soup?" Rukia said. It was, after all, her fault.
But she wasn't going to admit it to anyone.
Yuzu smiled and answered, "Sure. I'll tell you what to do."
But even with Yuzu's culinary skills, the cooking class didn't turn out so well.
"Ah, Rukia-nee! Too much salt!"
"How about if I add water?"
"Well… I guess…"
"Should I put this in now? Ah! Oops…! The spoon… fell in."
"Here! I got it out! I'll go and wash it."
"Yuzu… is it supposed to be like that?"
"Aahh! Turn the stove off! Turn it off!"
"…"
"…"
"…It's burned."
"Maybe…maybe we can fix it somehow?"
"Rukia-nee, it's burned."
"…Okay. It is."
"C'mon, Rukia-nee. We'll try again."
The second time was a bit better from the last. At least this time they managed to make an edible chicken soup. (Rukia hardly helped this time) To be honest, it tasted pretty good.
Rukia went upstairs, carrying a bowl of steaming soup and a glass of water. She went in without knocking and closed the door with her foot.
Ichigo was still sleeping.
She placed the tray on the study table and shook Ichigo softly. He gave a tired moan. She frowned. "Wake UP Ichigo!"
"What… the hell, Rukia?" He growled. "I was sleeping…!" Ichigo laid back down on the bed and covered his whole body with the thick blanket.
"Well, now you're awake!" She pulled him up. "I have something that would make you feel better."
Ichigo groaned with fatigue. He gave up. The faster he settled this with Rukia, the faster he could go back to sleep. Even if this action made him felt like his head was going to explode.
Rukia smiled triumphantly. She put a damp wet cloth on his forehead then she took the bowl of soup in her delicate hands after she pulled a chair over to his bedside. Ichigo was back on the bed, eyes half opened. Rukia said almost in a commanding tone, "Eat your soup Ichigo."
"Hate soup," He mumbled, closing his eyes.
"It'll make you fell better. Now eat." She prodded the spoonful of soup to his lips. He clamped it shut. She frowned. His stubbornness was doubled when he's sick.
"I'm… fine." He was lying, it was so obvious. His head was spinning, he felt like he was burning. What he needed now is sleep and rest. But it doesn't look like Rukia is going to leave him alone anytime soon.
"No, you are not fine," She huffed.
Damn. She looks so cute when she's all—
What was he thinking?! He tried to glare at her. But somehow failed, instead he blushed at his subconscious thought.
"Hey, Ichigo? You okay?" She placed her hand on his forehead. And Ichigo's blush grew. But Rukia thought it was just his fever acting up. He looked away to hide his oh-so-obvious blush.
"Oi, Ichigo. You have to eat this!" She grasped his shoulder. "See? You're redder than a strawberry!"
"I said I HATE SO—"
As soon as Ichigo opened his mouth to complain, she shoved the spoon full if steaming hot soup in his mouth and it burned his tongue. "AAH!" He yelled out loud and took the glass of water from the table.
"OI! That's not the way you treat a patient!"
She ignored his yell.
And that's why Rukia isn't in the 4th Division.
Good thing too.
"There… that wasn't so bad was it?" She smirked at him. He glared at her. She fed him some more soup and this time Ichigo cooperated and ate it. "How's the soup?"
It's…fine, He thought.
"Uhmm…" He mumbled.
Rukia clicked her tongue. She'd expected something better then an "Uhmm…" Then again, he was ill.
"Well, you can go back to sleep now… the soup's finished." She pulled the blanket so it reached his chin. He gave a "Hmm," as a response. She took the tray from the study table and headed to the door. But before she could reach the doorknob, he called out, his voice still husky from the sore throat,
"Hey… Rukia…?" She looked back at him, expecting a stupid comment or complaint over something.
But instead he mumbled, "I…like the soup…"
Her lips curved to a smile.
Rukia came down the stairs and when she reached the base of the stairs, Isshin suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Rukia-chan!" The petite shinigami jumped slightly at the sudden greeting.
"Yuzu told me Ichigo is sick." He held out a packet that contained a few red colored pills and before she could respond he continued, "Here, you give this to him. The prescription is on the packet."
And with that, he rushed off.
The clinic was full on that Saturday. So Isshin, Karin and Yuzu were quite busy with the patients. She could see Karin bringing some medicine to the clinic. Yuzu rushing from one place to another to treat the patients.
Rukia too had a patient that needed her attention at this moment.
"What number is this?"
Rukia repeated the prescription on the white packet. "Eat after meals. One… or is it two… twelve? Twelve pills each eight hours…? Can't be." The female shinigami couldn't read the number of pills on the packet clearly. Why is the doctor's writing so hard to read?
"Oh. Fine. Three I guess. Two plus one is three," She mumbled to herself before entering Ichigo's room again.
"Ichi-gooo…" She said in a singsong voice.
An annoyed grunt was heard.
Rukia went beside Ichigo's bed and pulled him up to a sitting position. "I have something special for you." She sat at the edge of his bed.
She grinned sweetly. Almost too sweetly, he noticed. But it was still a grin all the same.
He looked in her hand and saw three red coloured pills. Ichigo clamped his mouth shut immediately.
"Eat your medicine, Ichigo."
He shook his head.
"You are such a stubborn idiot!"
"I'm not. I—"
Like that soup, she shoved the three pills on his mouth, choking him in progress. He coughed violently. Then she took the glass of water and forced him to drink. The medicine had an instant effect on him. He felt a bit tipsy for a moment, but brushed it off, thinking it was just a temporary result.
"That wasn't so bad right… Kurosaki-kun?'' She used her schoolgirl voice to annoy him more.
His eye twitched and he glared at her. "I hate y—" Ichigo mumbled but he never did to finish his sentence.
Ichigo passed out on his bed, his head hitting back the pillow.
"Ichigo? Ichigo!" She shook his body roughly. He didn't move. Still shaking him softly, she looked at his face. It was calm and the usual scowl had dissipated. No movement from him. She killed him? "Ichigo!"
Then his eyelids cracked halfway open.
Rukia exhaled a sigh of relief and leaned back on chair. "I'm so glad you're okay." She looked at him. He looked back with an odd look in his amber eyes. It was like he was in a daze. And he was smiling, quite out of character for the orange haired teen.
Especially when he's sick.
She leaned near Ichigo and asked, "Why are you sm—"
She didn't manage to finish her question because Ichigo put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her down for a kiss.
It was a very brief one because she pushed him off, totally surprised. She was as red like a strawberry. "What the— Ichigo?!" Instinctively, she placed her hand on her lips. She never knew how soft his lips were. How perfectly they matched. How… nice that felt.
What a weird way to have their first kiss.
He sits up, almost groggily. "Rukiaaa…" Ichigo drawled and gave a lopsided smile. She gave him a concerned look. He never acted like this. Maybe it was a side effect of the medicine…
He leaned over to her. She leaned back to the chair. They were so close, the tips of their noses touched. Her eyes closed, expecting another kiss. But instead he placed his right hand on her right cheek and pulled her closer.
He whispered into her ear, "Rukia…" Her neck tingled when she felt his hot breath there. His voice was still husky from the sore throat. "You smell like strawberries…" Her eyes snapped open. Her face was as red as a beet.
He looked into her amethyst eyes, grinned and said, "I like strawberries."
She tried to control her blush but failed. Rukia pressed her hand on his forehead and said, "I-Ichigo… You're ill. Get back to your bed." Said Kurosaki smiled and took her hand in his and leaned closer, still smiling. Rukia blushed at the close proximity. "Be-besides, you don't like strawberries…!"
His face was close to her again she moved back a bit. "Maybe… I don't like strawberries…" He cupped her face with his hands then kissed her gently. "I like you Rukia… I like you a lot," He mumbled. He placed his lips on hers again. The kiss went deeper after that and it made Rukia's head spin.
Even in that situation, Rukia's rational sense came back. Don't! He's ill. Don't take advantage of him.
His hands were in her hair, running through her midnight-black locks tenderly. Almost affectionately…
No. No. Don't, Kuchiki. Don't.
But her self-scolding didn't stop her from putting her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
She can't think straight. Damn. Why did he have to be such a fantastic kisser?
But she needed him to get off her. Right now. Then Ichigo's hands went down to her waist and were pulling her towards himself until their bodies banged together and were flush with each other's.
He needs to get off from me. Now. Right now!
The next thing she knew, she punched him. And Ichigo stumbled backwards, his head hit the wall beside his bed.
Ichigo was knocked out.
Uh-oh.
Rukia's breathing was a bit hard. She didn't know either it was from the kiss she experienced just now or the shock of punching Ichigo. She didn't mean to hit that hard.
"Oh! Ichigo!" She slapped his face lightly for him to gain consciousness. He groaned as he cracked open his eyes. "Ichi…go?"
He pulled his pillow and buried his face in it then covering himself with the blanket. It was like he had forgotten everything that happened just now.
But Rukia still remembered. Her was face so red she looked red as a tomato. No, red as a tomato isn't accurate.
Her face was a tomato when she recalled what happened.
"Kurosaki-san?" Rukia peeped in from the doorframe. Isshin looked up from his paper work and straight to Rukia. They finally settled their morning rush. And was Rukia glad…
He smiled at her. "Rukia-chan! Hi!"
She went inside his office and sat down on one of the chairs. She spoke up again, "Umm… what are the prescription for the medication you gave me just now?"
"Half a tablet. Why Rukia-chan?"
"Half?!" Her mouth went agape and her eyes were wide. It was half and she gave Ichigo three. "W-What will happen if someone overdosed him…?"
"That is strong and fast acting medicine. Maybe get a little tipsy… If you accidentally gave him one its fine." He waved his hand around. "He'll live." Isshin grinned.
"I…" Rukia paused for a moment. "gave him three.."
"Three? Ruki—"
Whatever the doctor wanted to say to Rukia, he was cut off by Yuzu. "Daddy! There's an accident at the intersection! Quick!"
"Rukia-chan. I need you to check up on Ichigo if there's more side effects then just being a bit tipsy. Sorry… I need to go."
With that Isshin and Yuzu dashed off and Rukia went back upstairs. She peeked inside through a small opening of his door. Ichigo was still sleeping. "Ichi…go?" She looked at him, intently.
He still looked like Ichigo. She could see no physical side effects from him. He was fine although his breathing was a bit hard. Rukia sat down on the chair and changed the already warm cloth on forehead to a new cold damp one.
"I like you, Rukia…I like you a lot."
She blushed at the memory and the Kuchiki girl wonders if that's himself or the medicine talking.
She frowned as Ichigo turned over, seeking refuge from the tormenting heat. "You idiot…" She said softly, not wanting for him to wake.
She'd interrupted his sleep at least twice today.
She touched his hand softly. It was cold and clammy, contrasting to his forehead which was burning. She subconsciously caressed his orange hair tenderly. "Do I like you…?" She mumbled to herself softly.
Moments later, his eyes opened halfway and he gave a dull groan. She pulled her hand away from his hair hastily. "Auughh…. My head hurts." Ichigo clutched his throbbing head. "What happened?"
She gave him some water to drink. He drank from it gladly. "Long story." Rukia pushed him back on bed. "Now get some sleep. You're sick. I've been waking you up a lot today." She lightly kissed the top of his warm head. He stiffened a bit but then relaxed down as his eyes felt heavy.
Before he slept, he somehow felt like his headache got a bit better…
The rain fell heavily from the dark sky which occasionally light up from the lightning. The rain slammed against the window harshly and the thunder growled loudly outside…
But in Ichigo's room, things were quiet. Ichigo was sleeping soundly, occasionally tossing and turning. Rukia stayed by his side for a while in silence.
The silence was broken when Rukia's cell made a beeping sound and Ichigo's substitution badge screeched out "Hollow! Hollow!" Rukia checked her cellphone, as Ichigo groaned and lazily puts his hand on the badge.
The Kuchiki noticed this and frowned. "Ichigo. You're sick." She placed her hand on his, trying to make Ichigo change his mind about going outside. "Let Zennosuke handle this."
Ichigo glanced outside. The rain was still heavy and the trees were swaying at the wind. Ignoring the advice, he went out in the rain and ran off to the hollow. Turning to his shinigami-mode, he placed his body so it was exposed to the rain and cold.
Grinning to himself, Ichigo thought, if that was how Rukia treats me when I'm sick… I won't mind being sick for another day or two…
That lovesick fool…
Ok, so I cheated. I didn't write this recently. Found this really, really old piece (I think this was written in 'o7 or something) hidden in the dark corners of my computer—thus the old style of writing (is it?) and kind of an overused plot. (Forgive me!) But since it was complete, I thought I'd just edit the grammar and the likes from the fic, then just straightaway put this in .
But I just had to put something up before my hiatus which'll span up to two-three months (exams, oh hooray…D: ) Fist up, I probably won't be able to reply all your reviews as quick (if I did, then you'd know I'm escaping revision time XD) but I'd read each and every one and I honestly thank ALL OF YOU AWESOME PEOPLE 3
Reviews, constructive criticisms are loved~