SILENT TORTURE

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A/N: Hola. It's been a while now since I've been writing.. This is my second oneshot on IchiRuki.. Hoping that u'll leave as much reviews as you can..!!

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DISCLAIMER: Not mine.

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Ichigo scowled, without a doubt was annoyed with the girl sitting next to him on the couch.

"Why do you have to be so angry at me? What did I do?!" she asked in a tone reminiscent of her pain in the ass big-brother.

She was now getting pissed off. It was obvious that Ichigo was angry and upset with her for whatever the hell she just did. Instead of telling her why—or what made him feel this way, he; the idiot chose to be silent. And scowled for 2 days straight for no reason! Not that he hadn't done that before, but the fact that he was angry at her was just making her feel that she was at fault..

Ichigo was hardly ever to be this angry. Whatever she did or spoke—even when threatened or abused (especially his shin) him, he would just growled, and glared, and looked as though he very much wanted to introduce her to his fists and feet, but then finally scowled and caved in. Even if that thing would probably went through his head for months but then he'll finally get it over with. However, this one was different. Ichigo hadn't spoke to her for 2 days straight—she doubted him to be muted for eating too much curry she cooked him before.

It was so weird. And she was not going to think what ever paranormal reasons of him being such a selfish dumbass to her—not to mention that he even persuade Yuzu and Karin not to say anything as much as Rukia knew that the both twins were innocent and the mastermind was clearly the carrot top. As for the spastic dad, he was just kept silent—which made the SPASTIC word to describe the active father of Ichigo, unsuitable.. It was such a torture; mentally of course. Damn, that thing surely giving her a headache.

Rukia, who was sitting next to him on the couch, had her arms crossed. She kept her head turned away from him, eyes closed.

What is it that bothers him so much?!

Sparing another glance towards the punk, Rukia moped and heaved a long sigh.

xX FLASHBACK Xx

. "Where are you going?" He eyed her apprehensively. She's up to something not good.. He swore he could see the dirty look on her eyes.

Yeah, say anything. Tell him that he was psychic or he even had a sixth sense, third eye, second nose—whatever the hell it was called. He was still thinking that the girlfriend of his was up to something dreadful. He just could feel it. The way she was getting anxious about it—the way she smiled to her ears was enough to make him think that she had something in her mind. Why keeping it a secret from him anyway?

Too bad as in today, his mood was not good that he had to bear all the teacher's blabbering because he was spacing out thinking about what the midget was going to do after school. But something tells him he'd forget about something.

Ah, never mind that.

Ichigo scowled deeper. He eyed the raven-haired girl packing up her stuff swiftly enough to beat his bankai and asked the same question for the second time as the first one didn't seem to register in her stupid brain.

She gave him her roguish grin and walked past him toward the door. "I've got an appointment, remember?"

Ichigo almost choked.

"You what?" He quickly caught her arm and tugged it with such force she almost fell backwards. The next thing he knew, her other hand flew on the double and hit him squarely on the jaw.

"Rukia...you moron---" He said slowly, he was beginning to see red.

The petite fiend shot him a notorious glare. "I've told you before, haven't I?" she spoke with icy calmness.

And to his total disgust, his hand betrayed him and let the nasty incarnate go without anymore obscurity. Rukia went and disappeared from his sight while he was left inside the classroom now burning with wrath.

"Oi Ichigo! I heard Kuchiki-san is going to---"

Kojima Mizuiro wasn't able to finish. The poor guy did not know what hit him when he found his shirt collar tightly grabbed by his orange-headed classmate in one swift movement.

"Where?" Ichigo asked in a deadly stern voice, gritting his teeth. A killing aura of his just made Mizuhiro shivered fearfully upon looking at his shining brown—now red eyes.

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"What are exactly we're doing right now? Are we actually stalking?" Mizuhiro asked Ichigo for the second time since his friend had set off to follow their innocent classmates; Keigo and Rukia go from one place to another. But Ichigo send him away with a roar, cursing under his breath.

Mizuhiro could only heave a sigh. They were inside a fancy restaurant sitting at the far most table, an excellent distance away from the pair who seemed to be having a vibrant banter. Apparently it was just the two of them—which made the already irate Ichigo went almost berserk.

"That's it." He got up. The man was now in his utter disgust. "I'm going." He said before leaving the restaurant with a fume of r age.

xX FLASHBACK ENDED Xx

Orange brows furrowed as one amber-brown eye twitched slightly. With a huff, Ichigo folded his arms across his chest and jerked his chin stubbornly away from the pair of violet eyes that glared curiously at him.

No matter what she said, he was not about to admit that he was jealous..

Because it wasn't. It wasn't.

Obviously, he was not jealous.. At least that's what he said. He just didn't have the mood to talk to anyone—especially the midget, his girlfriend for some time now.

He just can't believe that—she was actually dating that goofball Keigo while she was involved with him. What a bitch.. Or perhaps they actually didn't do anything—it was only a jealous Ichigo, his mind said.

Instead of having a fight they usually had, Ichigo chose to be silent. He preferred to be quiet until she realized her mistake and actually said that she was sorry and made him feel better. A silent torture. And it was about to work for another 2 or 3 days more; if he wasn't so pleased with the result, he's planning.

But NO. She was not going to say sorry. Hell, Rukia didn't even know what the hell that she did wrong. How was she going to say sorry if she didn't even know what the hell was wrong?!

"Have I done anything which might offended you, oh mighty Ichigo?!" Rukia folded her arms, mocking him.

"Just shut up." He replied sarcastically.

Ichigo thought he was winning. Sooner or later, the boastful woman would be begging him for sorry. His heart ached. Well, actually he kind of felt pity for her—she tried everything to make him feel better but that; was just not enough. Ichigo wouldn't make it easier this time. It's time to teach her a lesson.

Rukia bit her lips. She knew that violence won't work this time. Well, another plan may well work or else—she'd be everlastingly stuck in this mess; knowing fully how stubborn a certain orange-head would go for some time. Huh. Maybe a little softer method would work. Rukia sighed. She should really try that—although it would hurt her pride of course. In case it worked and she would definitely had another killing weapon whenever he was mad again, or so she thought. It'd better worth it.

"NO. I hate this, seriously. What has gotten into you.." She ambled slowly towards him, close to him; to see that he was directing his scowl out of the window, which the sun seemed to shine very brightly at the moment.. She apparently didn't have the mood to lengthen the fight between them. Rukia chose to spoke nicely and asked him what's wrong.

"Ichigo—please! You're being egotistic!" she whined, her hands slowly touched his, urging him to face her. Kuchiki Rukia was now pleading. She felt disgusted at herself for doing it but desperate times called for desperate measures. God, he was evil, he enjoyed every minute of her pain and she knew it.

"Nothing."

"What nothing?! You haven't spoken to me, ignoring me and all that—was nothing?!" She huffed.

He cut her off with a violent grumble, turning away from her in the process.

"Just shut the hell up, Rukia! It's none of your business anyway!!"

"Fine. It is not my business, it isn't like I belonged here or else.. So, just drop it.." Rukia gave up.

Uh-Oh.

Maybe you're a little too much now Ichigo.

Rukia had done thousands of his favourite cookies just to make him feel better. She chose to ignore the temptation of strawberry-flavoured ice-cream; knowing fully that Ichigo hated that—in his room especially. She had stopped yelling and cursing at him for this few days—stopped abusing his shin as well as his face; just to make him smile again (or perhaps grinned or talked to her only just on one full sentence instead of one word.). Making funny faces, sweet faces and even scary faces—none of them works on Ichigo when he's like that.

She gave up trying to make him feel better. She gave up trying to figure out why—or what had made him so distant from her. She gave up. She got up and turned back to leave when a voice made her stop what she was doing. Ichigo spoke to her—although it was more likely he wasn't finished with his rage yet, but the sound of his tone was actually soft enough to make her feel quite happy. She smirked silently.

"What were you doing with Keigo at the restaurant?" he spoke.

So that's it.. Is it all about that?—Rukia thought.

Fine. He admitted it.

He was jealous. He was so jealous he could eat a cow!

And made this a lesson for the midget—don't mess with a jealous Ichigo.

"We apparently eat—if you actually notice that was the purpose of getting into a restaurant instead of doing something else," Rukia replied sarcastically, not even moving or turning back to face him. She stood still, folding her arms.

"Why with him?" he asked, with full of seriousness. "Why not someone else? Why does it have to be a GUY?"

"Ha-ha. Funny. Haven't I told you that we are to discuss about the science project? And Ishida and Inoue were there too—they were kind of late," She sighed. Rukia turned back to face him. "Why are you so concerned about Keigo after all?"

Ichigo was silent. He looked down. Oh great. Who's at fault now, oh almighty Ichigo?

So much of your jealousy now. Shut up!

"Ichigo—" Rukia called for him. But he seemed not to respond. Shrugged, Rukia was about to leave when he suddenly spoke again.

"I was jealous." he spat as though the words had a nasty taste in his mouth. Ichigo felt disgusted at himself for admitting it.

"Why were you jealous? It's not like Keigo and I have anything to do, right—I mean, that was just ridiculous," Rukia wondered.

Ichigo got up and walked to her. He held her hands, taking a deep breath before finally said it half-mumbling. "It's because--I love you."

Rukia was astounded. She didn't know what to do. All she knew, that the words touched her—deep inside her heart, she was smiling..

She held his face in her hands and smiled. "You know that I am too." She whispered. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her closer. Rukia melted into him, and lost her whole sense of where she was.

"I wouldn't be jealous of such stupid things.." Rukia said playfully, kissing him deeper. He licked her lips and pulled away. "Yeah, right. It's not stupid, okay. It was—emotional."

"It's great to have you back—don't ever do that again or I'll be off to Soul Society for good." Rukia pouted. "I'm sorry—it just happened," Ichigo sighed. "Sorry--" he whispered again before pulling her for another round.

"You know—it was the first time I heard you say that." She smiled; quirking an eyebrow as her hand caressed his cheek. "What?"

"It was the first 'I love you' from you to me," Rukia buried her face in the fabric of his shirt, taking in the scent that she grown to love so much. "I can have the ice-cream now?" she suddenly asked.

Ichigo just rolled his eyes. "Just go, Rukia. Go."

Okay, now the soft method really did work. It would be her unstoppable move that she'll used to his dearest boyfriend when she actually wanted something to please her own desire—or to buy another plushie dolls.. Rukia grinned. Oh God—who was in bad luck this time? Of course it was everyone except for Rukia, strawberry ice-cream cone and her soon-to-be-bought chappy plush.

And the world then filled with laughter again—except when certain someone got kicked in his shin, being punched straight to his jaw and scream painfully, all we heard was laughter and harmony.

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FIN