Disclaimer: Everything and anything Beach (that is not Clorox) belongs to Kubo Tite. (Though my mum has a bottle of Bleach, the Clorox.)
A/N: Hiya everybody. Sorry for the delay. I'm kinda not gonna make any excuses coz frankly, who cares anyway (I think no one cares anyway). Here's the second and last part to the 'The Rainiest Day'. Please read, enjoy and leave a review. You guys have no idea how just one review can brighten up my whole day.
The Rainiest Week
Kurosaki Ichigo, hero of the Arrancar War, Saviour of Soul Society and the countless souls that inhabit the living world, Legendary Shinigami that momma hollows tell their baby hollows about to scare them into finishing their souls, and Coolest Shinigami of the Year as voted by the Shinigami Women's Association (not to be confused with the Coldest Shinigami of the Year Award, which has been won by Hitsugaya Toushirou for a century running), was as nervous as hell.
He had all the symptoms.
His hands were clammy, he was sweating bullets, he looked pale, his collar was itchy as hell, a troupe of butterflies had thought it was a good idea to dance the River dance in his stomach and his nerves were shot to hell.
In short, he was not feeling too good.
Renji thought it was hilarious.
He made his opinion clear to anyone present in the tent where the ceremony was to be held; which was everyone invited.
Three seconds later, he joined Kurosaki Isshin in the far corner of the tent, sporting a bloody nose and a couple of loose teeth.
Kurosaki Isshin had been thrown there earlier, bound and gagged after having tried to lunge at Ichigo, envelope him in a suffocating embrace and cry that his son is a big, big man now and then, he would wink and whisper loudly about some "advice" he thought Ichigo would find useful, one too many times.
Ishida Uryuu yelled indignantly at the groom that he would sew the sleeves of his suit to his sides if that's what it takes to stop him from crumpling his suit!
Ichigo thought it was best to comply since he did owe the Quincy for making the tuxedo for him at such short notice though it took some persuading, read; grievous bodily harm, to stop him from embroidering a Quincy design on the back.
The guests, that included most of Soul Society's captains and Ichigo and Rukia's shinigami and non-shinigami friends, ignored the whole transaction since they were quite used to the lot.
Music swelled throughout the garden from speakers covered in plastic to protect them from the rain. The tent flaps were pulled back and everyone, seen and un-seen, looked at the opening as the bride's maids stepped in.
Yuzu and Karin led the way, both dressed in creamy satin, ankle length dresses with roses adorning the hem. They were followed by Tatsuki and Orihime, both dressed in similar dresses as the Kurosaki sisters. The four of them scattered rose petals around them as they walked down the aisle.
Yuzu and Orihime looked radiant while Karin and Tatsuki looked resigned, having been forced into it by their respective sister and best friend.
At least the dresses weren't poufy, thought Karin.
Thank you for small mercies, thought Tatsuki.
A few minutes later, Kuchiki Rukia stepped onto the aisle, arm in arm with her adopted brother, Kuchiki Byakuya.
Ichigo could feel his jaw drop.
Rukia was dressed in a pure white, strapless wedding dress. The hem and the bodice were adorned with sparkling diamonds, on her hair she wore an exquisitely dainty tiara that shone against her raven black hair and she carried a small bouquet of red roses in her hands. Adorning her thin neck was a silver necklace with crescent moon and snowflake shaped pendants, a necklace given to her by Ichigo before the winter war. She was never seen without it.
Rukia looked so small and beautiful. Quite unlike the vice-captain level shinigami who could kill at a moments notice that she really was.
Ichigo silently swore to find each and every other male in the tent that was even looking at her funny and beat the living hell out of them. As soon as he picked up his own mouth from the floor, that is.
Kuchiki Byakuya stared at the orange haired monkey that he was going to give his sister too disapprovingly. Look at him, his mouth hanging open like some un-educated simpleton, that uncouth human!
His hand itched for his zanpakutou which was, unfortunately, locked in an undisclosed safe in an undisclosed location by Rukia who had finally figured out the turmoil in her brother's mind. If only he had his zanpakutou, thought Byakuya. Then the brat would so much orange confetti…. But he didn't and all he had was this one last satisfaction.
As they drew nearer to the altar, Byakuya led his sister to the boy and bowed to her, then, he put his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and said, in an almost inaudible whisper, "If you make her cry, you shall be less than the slivers of paper that are scattered on the floor right now." Then, he smiled.
Ichigo paled but nodded with determination.
Byakuya nodded in return, still smiling.
The smile haunted Ichigo's dreams for quite some time. Especially after the married couple had a spat
The priest cleared his throat, "We are gathered here today…"
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
The dance was a slow one. Rukia laid her head on Ichigo's chest, his arms were around her as they swayed to the music.
His smell seemed to envelope her, calm her. She smiled slightly as she felt his heart beat under her hand.
"Ichigo…" she whispered softly.
"Yeah, Rukia?" his voice rumbled back from above her.
"You promise?"
"Promise what?" he asked, his hand was now stroking her hair. She smiled at the love that she could feel in the small act.
"Promise that you'll protect us?"
"…Us?"
"Ichigo, I'm pregnant."
Rukia could feel the hands around her turn rigid. The soft, calm heart beat under her hand seemed to stutter and then quicken erratically. They stopped swaying to the music and came to a halt in the middle of the dance floor.
Slowly, Rukia raised her head from Ichigo's chest and looked up deep into his brown eyes.
They were wet with tears.
"I will protect you. I will protect our baby. I promise."
Roughly, he enveloped her in a fierce embrace.
Rukia smiled contentedly, one hand resting lightly on her belly.
So…didja like it?
Please review, they are appreciated beyond words. Constructive criticism would also be welcome.
Sadly though, this is the last part to this series. In my defense, I did say that it would only be two-part. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
bleached.to.an.inch.of.my.life+