A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to my new story, Iridescent! I hope everyone likes it, and I hope you guys like it enough to review! I also want to say to go and check out my other Bleach stories: In the Blink of an Eye, Silent Deadly Love, and Tides of Love. Also check out my new story, The Prince and the Enchantress! Then go and check out my good friend WhiteSheWolf17 and her stories: Collapsed, Before the Dawn, Reality, By Your Side, Last Chance, and Hunted! Also check out Pupcake125 and her story The Stray!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or its characters, or anything like that! Though I do own the plot.
Side Note: If anyone is expecting werewolves in the first chapter, I am sorry to say that they won't be making an appearance until later, so if you really want some werewolf action please wait until further chapters! Maybe chapter two, three, or four depending on how everything goes.
Ichigo's POV
"Renji, shut up! You're going to ruin everything!" came the hushed voice of my best friend.
"Rukia, you're the one that's making noise! So take responsibility and shut up!" came the voice of my other best friend.
I rolled over in my bed and cracked an eye open. Both Renji and Rukia were standing in my bedroom, glaring at each other. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 6:30 in the morning, on a Saturday. With further inspection I noticed a very nice little cake in Rukia's dainty hands.
That's when realization hit me. Today was July fifteenth, my birthday, and that little cake in Rukia's hands will be in my face in exactly five seconds unless I can somehow escape.
Since the three of us were little, we started this tradition of waking up the birthday boy or girl with a cake to the face. I think we were about eight when we first started, and I guess it never stopped. The two people in front of my bed was proof enough.
"Renji, it's my turn to throw it! You did it last year!" Rukia hissed at Renji like a seriously pissed off cat.
"Yeah? So what, I want pay back for what he did last year!" growled Renji, and I tried to remember what exactly I did that pissed off Renji so much.
Then I remembered the ginger incident. Last year on Renji's birthday, I was in charge of buying the cake and the shop keeper had a new flavor—gingersnap. So I thought, what the heck, and bought it.
Everything was running smoothly. I was to throw the cake and Rukia was going to set off one of those confetti rockets. When the time came to throw the cake, I hit him square in the face and he shot right up when Rukia pulled the string that made the confetti shoot out.
You would think that we would have gotten used to the whole cake in the face and all, but every year it's always a surprise.
Rukia and I screamed Happy Birthday and Renji licked the gingersnap flavored frosting and cake that was all over his face and then something happened.
Renji's face starting getting all puffy, and he started sneezing and his lips looked huge. The red head then proceeded to wheeze and get hives all across his skin.
"Ichigo, what did you do to the cake?" Rukia had asked me as we watched Renji.
"I didn't do anything," I had said, then we were running around trying to help Renji.
"Water!" I remembered screaming to Rukia from the kitchen.
"No, forget it! I'm calling 119!" That is when we called and waited for the ambulance to get to Renji's house and we took a trip to the hospital.
Turned out that Renji has a really bad allergy to ginger that none of us knew about. Hell, not even Renji knew about it. While we were sitting in the waiting room, something occurred to me.
Renji was a read-head allergic to ginger. I remember laughing so hard that tears were running down my face. When Rukia asked me what was so funny I told her and she also started laughing uncontrollably.
It wasn't until Renji came out after he was given medication, hives still slightly scattered across his skin that we stopped laughing for a second and started laughing all over again. When we finally explained what we were laughing at, Renji just slapped the both of us on the head and walked out while scratching at his neck.
I think that was the year that we bought him the complete series of that American show with the actress Renji was obsessed with. He forgave us.
"I don't care!" Rukia's sharp whisper brought me back to the present. "Plus Ichigo isn't exactly allergic to chocolate, Renji! If you want revenge, go stab him with a syringe of penicillin or something!" I cringed at Rukia's statement.
I sat up and looked at the two, "Will you guys just throw the cake in my face and get it over with?" That finally shut the two up.
"Fine," smirked Rukia and threw the small cake in my face. I had opened my mouth and a nice portion made its way into my mouth, the yummy chocolate cake melting on my tongue.
"Shanks you guysh," I mumbled through the frosting and cake.
"Happy eighteenth Birthday, Ichigo!" Rukia cheered with a bright smile on her face. Out of the three of us I was the oldest of our group, being one month older than Renji and six months older than Rukia, "So, tell us, how does it feel being an adult?" Rukia asked, her amethyst eyes shining.
I blushed as she stared at me. I silently thanked God for the chocolate frosting covering my face.
"I feel the same, Rukia, it's not like I'm all of a sudden going to change, I'm still me, with added privileges," I smirked at the two, and continued to lick the frosting and cake on my face.
That was when we heard the foot steps that rampaged up the stairs.
All of our eyes widened as we all ran out of the way of my bed. "Happy Birthday, Ichigoooo!" came the voice of my idiotic father as he was seen soaring through my room, foot extended and aimed right where my head would be if I had been sleeping. When he was met with the softness of my pillow and mattress, he turned to where the three of us all stood, my hands still on Rukia's waist from when I grabbed her to move her out of the way of my stupid father.
My dad got that stupid look on his face and then looked at where my hands were, and then started yelling, "Masaki! Our son isn't gay, and it seems that he is putting the moves on our little Rukia-chan! Maybe he will do the dirty and really become a real man! And we can finally have grand-babies!" He got that dreamy look on his face and I blushed at the thought of 'doing the dirty' with Rukia.
"You Pervert!" We all yelled and simultaneously kicked my father out through my window.
I finally let go of Rukia, and it seemed that she didn't even notice that I was holding her in the first place.
"Ichi-nii, Rukia-nee, Renji-nii! Breakfast is ready!" came Yuzu's voice from downstairs.
"All right, let's go!" Renji cheered as we all raced downstairs at the thought of food.
"Happy Birthday, Ichi-nii!" Karin and Yuzu said, though Yuzu said it with much more enthusiasm than Karin did, who was already at the table eating. We took a seat and dug into the food.
There was a sound of a door opening and closing as well as weeping, and then there was my ungrateful father crawling to the huge image of my mother in the living room. "Masaki! Why does Ichigo, our only son, hate me so!" He began crying and hollering until Yuzu called out to him.
"Daddy! Stop taking to mom and come have some breakfast!" In no time Isshin was in the kitchen, covered in dirt, and twigs were poking out of his hair.
"Dad, you're getting the floor dirty you idiot!" Karin scolded.
"Oh, Karin, don't tell me you hate daddy too!" Crocodile tears once again made their way to his face.
"Kurosaki-san, I believe it would be better if you washed up, unless you want to make poor, sweet Yuzu clean up," Rukia reasoned.
"You're right, my third daughter! Have no fear, Yuzu! Daddy won't make his princess clean anything because your stupid brother and his friends kicked him out the window! And before I forget, Rukia-chan, call me daddy!" With that he left to the bathroom to wash up.
"Just another normal day in the Kurosaki household, neh, Ichigo?" Renji said around a mouthful of food.
"Yup," I responded and ate some more of Yuzu's irresistible food. Karin threw a towel at my face and I turned to her with an irritated expression.
"Don't give me that look, Ichi-nii, your face is still covered in chocolate," Karin explained.
I sighed and cleaned my face.
"So, Ichi-nii, tell us, how does it feel being eighteen? Are you excited? Are you, Rukia-nee, and Renji-nii going to have some fun?"
I thought about what Yuzu said. "I actually don't know," I said and ate.
"Come on, Ichi-nii, you're eighteen and you still need someone holding your hand? Just pick a place and go," Karin taunted, causing Rukia and Renji to stiffen a laugh, "Oh, and do me a favor and ask Rukia-nee out already," Karin threw in.
"That's my girl!" My stupid dad exclaimed as he took his seat in the last available spot.
Rukia and I spit out the milk we both convincingly drank while I glared at Karin and Rukia looked down. The rest of them laughed.
"I'm leaving!" I exclaimed and got up from the table and up to my room to change out of my pajamas and into some clothes.
I heard someone following me and I turned around to see Renji.
"You know she's right, you should ask her out, she'll say yes," Renji said as he looked at me. I glared and left him to go put on some clothing.
As I got in my room I threw on the first thing I found and then thought for a second about what Renji said. Would she really say yes? I mean, I have had a crush on Rukia since we started middle school, and I haven't told anyone until I told Renji in high school. And that was four years ago, seeing as how we all graduated last spring.
Renji said that Rukia felt the same way, but what if she changed her mind? What if I ruined one of the only good things I had going for me? I can't stand the thought of Rukia no longer my friend, but the idea of her with some other guy made my blood boil.
Renji was always telling me to go for it, to ask her out, but I can't seem to bring myself to do it. I'm such a wimp. I sighed before leaving my room and walking downstairs to see Rukia and Renji waiting for me to leave.
I finally saw what Rukia was wearing—a light purple colored dress that had sleeves covering her shoulders. Her neckline was swooping and showed her small but nice, assets. I swallowed before walked up to them, grabbing my wallet off the table next to the door and left with my two best friends.
"Make daddy proud and make me some grand-babies!" My dad called out. Rukia and I blushed while Renji laughed.
We stared walking and wondered exactly what we were going to do.
"So do you guys have any idea on what we should do?" I looked up at the summer sun, its warmth beating down on us.
"Well it's your birthday, Ichigo, you find something for us to do," Renji called, his hands on his head, elbows out.
"Well I heard there was a fair in town we could go to," Rukia inquired.
"That seems like fun. What do you think Ichigo?" Renji asked.
"Eh, what the hell, let's go," I smiled.
"Well, Ichigo, it may be your birthday, but I hope you know this means nothing. I will beat you in every single game because I, Renji Abarai, am the strongest, and most attractive of the both of us," Renji boasted.
My temper flared. "Yeah, and yet you still haven't won a single game against me, Pineapple," I told him. I looked to Rukia to see that she was shaking her head, rolling her eyes.
"You guys, will you please control your testosterone levels for one second? Because we all know it doesn't matter who wins, all that matters is that I get the cute stuffed animals!" Renji and I both groaned. Of course Rukia didn't win any of the animals in her room. They are from Renji and I playing multiple games at fairs and our competition forcing us to win every game we could, and in turn, we ended up winning a multitude amount of stuffed bears, rabbits, and lions. Seeing as how Renji and I never wanted them, we simply gave them to Rukia.
Rukia ran off ahead, her child side showing as she ran towards the fair. The fair was closer than I originally thought. We caught up to Rukia and saw that she had already bought herself a large pink cotton candy.
Renji and I stood next to each other. "Really, Rukia? A cotton candy? What would your father say?" Renji scolded.
"I know," I responded, "It is not fitting of a Kuchiki to be eating such undignified food, discard that peasant food immediately, Rukia," I imitated her father's voice as best as I could.
"Oh, you two shut up before I start screaming rape," Rukia threatened, but I saw that smile. She should know by now that we can read her like a book. "Now hurry up! I want to go ride the Ferris wheel!" Renji and I rolled our eyes but followed the pixie sized Rukia to her desired destination.
I won't lie, I was having a great time. The rides were great, the crowds large, and the food intoxicating. Renji and I had a laugh when Rukia wasn't allowed on one of the rides because they thought she was a child, or was too short to go on. It took some convincing, but we finally told the man that Rukia was in fact, seventeen years old, and not ten.
It was another tradition of ours to go on ever single ride we could, and play all the games Rukia forced us into, though Renji and I always did enjoy friendly competition, resulting in Rukia having an ungodly amount of stuffed animals. That in the end she made us carry. Though she personally held the huge bunny I won her. I felt pride that she chose mine over all the other things we won.
"Yo, Ichigo, lets go grab something to eat, I'm starved!" Renji explained for the millionth time.
"Renji, you just ate five hot dogs, not even an hour ago," Rukia lectured Renji.
"Yeah, and I don't think I have enough money to pay for more food," I told him.
"Aw, come on you guys, I'll pay!"
That won us over easily enough. "Fine," Rukia and I say in unison.
We ended up weaving through the thickening crowds and to a another burger stand. Renji ordered and then we left to find a seat. We ate peacefully, the sound of laughing, and screams of the people on roller coaster were heard in the air. I looked over to Rukia, her raven hair had a blue-ish tint in the sunset's lighting. While I stared at Rukia, I saw that she was looking at something else.
I turned my head and saw what she saw. There, not even ten feet away was a young couple, around our age. The guy and girl were holding hands, and he was whispering something in the girls ear, and she giggled before kissing her boyfriend.
I looked back to Rukia and wondered what she was thinking while she sipped her soda, and then she looked at me, and blushed, then looked down at the table.
Had Rukia always been like that? Since when did Rukia start looking at couples, then me and blushing? I think Renji saw the same thing I did because he all of a sudden announced that he was going to get some more soda, leaving Rukia and I alone.
I opened my mouth to speak at the same time Rukia did.
"No, you speak first," I told her, a light blush making its way across my cheeks.
"No, it's your birthday, you go first." Crap, she got me there.
"Fine," I took a deep breath before continuing, "Rukia, I know you might not feel the same way, but I just want to get this off my chest. Ireallylikeyou, Rukia!" I looked down and took a bite of my food, my heart pounding. What had I done? Had I just ruined our relationship? Did Rukia not feel the same way? Was everyone wrong and Rukia never really liked me?
"Ichigo, could—could you repeat the last part? I didn't quite catch that," Rukia's voice came in a whisper. I looked up and gazed into her mesmerizing eyes.
"I said, I really like you, Rukia," I repeated in a slower, calmer voice, though my heart still pounded.
I saw Rukia bite her lips and a smile spread across her face. She looked down and at that moment she looked like one of those school girls.
The next think I knew, Rukia was leaning across the table and kissing me on the lips. It was just a tiny and quick peck on the lips but Rukia was the one that just kissed me. Rukia, the girl of my dreams. Well, recent dreams anyway.
A stupid grin made its way across my face. "Well that took you long enough, and will you stop looking at me like that? You look like your dad," Rukia said, though her voice sounded like she was laughing.
"Do not compare me that the idiot!" I scolded but couldn't get that stupid grin off my face.
"So, what does this make us?" Rukia asked, and I thought about it for a second before once again looking boldly into Rukia's eyes.
"Rukia Kuchiki, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" A grin spread across Rukia's face.
"Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I should say yes."
My heart fluttered and I smiled at Rukia. "Watch out, Rukia, now your starting to look like my dad. Am I really already starting to rub off on you?" I teased.
"It's a price one has to pay from being surrounded by someone so stupid so often," she challenged with a dramatic sigh.
At that second, Renji came back with another soda and saw the stupid grins and blushes on our faces before getting a stupid grin on his face and exclaiming loudly, "Finally! I was waiting until one of you asked the other out!"
We both hit Renji, but I could tell Rukia was just as happy as I was.
"Ugh, my dad's going to have a field day with this!" I groaned out.
"Oh well." Rukia said, "Hey, Ichigo, can you go get me an ice cream?" Rukia asked with her large eyes.
I sighed, let the favors begin. "Fine, I'll be right back," I got up, but not before hearing Renji whisper, whipped.
I flipped him off before going out to find an ice cream stand. I walked, my hands in my pockets, and a smile on my face. Today may be one of the best birthdays yet. The weather was perfect, the rides were fun, the food great, and of course Rukia was officially my girlfriend. Today was on its way to being a perfect day, but of course, perfect rarely occurred, and when it did it was always short lived.
I walked with my hands in my pockets, searching for an ice cream stand. It was unusually hard to find one but I finally found an ice cream stand. It was on the outskirts of the fair, and there weren't that many people around, but that didn't bother me, if anything were to happen I could take care of myself.
I found it strange that there was no one in this area of the fair, though. I stopped. I felt eyes on me, lurking somewhere. My body tensed, and the the next thing I know, I'm being jumped by five guys. Normally, I would have been able to take them. Though it was clear this was an ambush, and these were not normal men.
There were four men grabbing me, punching me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me, leaving me no breath to yell at the bastards. While they thought I was down, I threw my fist out and caught one of the guys in the stomach. I took this chance to regain my breath and take a fighting stance. I saw four men surrounding me. Three were also in fighting stances and the fourth guy was hunched over. I looked passed the guy to see a fifth guy leaning against a wall. I took a deep breath and readied myself to fight, "Who the hell are you guys?" I snarled as I circled the men. I felt my muscles tense.
"That is none of your concern, all you need to know, boy, is that you are coming with us," came the calm voice of one of the men. I couldn't see their faces, and I really didn't care.
"Yeah, so be a good little boy and come quietly," snarled the voice of another. I growled, then a fist made its way towards my face. I avoided it, and hit back. There were four of them and one of me. Growing up, I had always been picked on and dragged into fights because of my hair, but Renji always had my back. Though I knew I could take these guys. I swung and kicked, avoiding when I could but they did manage to land hits on me, and they hurt like hell. I had been punched multiple times, but these punches had an unnatural amount of force behind them. This didn't stop me though, I sucked it up and punched back. My lip was bleeding, by vision slightly blurred and ached from the dust that was accumulating. My ribs ached, and I was sure one or two were broken. I was breathing hard and looked at the other guys. They were completely unharmed, like a single blow of mine meant nothing.
"Look at that! The little pup still thinks he can fight!" snarled a man. I growled back, but who was I kidding, we were fighting for what seemed like forever, and these guys seemed like they weren't even breaking a sweat. I was getting tired. Great, I can't even have a normal birthday! I sighed and threw another punch, but one of the guys caught it and pulled it behind my back, and twisted. I pulled back and tried to get out of his hold. But then the others immediately stared surrounding me, holding me down.
"Let go of me you bastards!" I struggled against their hold, but their grips were like iron.
"We would not have had to use force if you had just come quietly," the calm one said. I snarled and kept fighting, I was not going to give up. I remembered, what my mom always said, "Ichigo, as long as there are people you love, then never stop fighting." I fought, not stopping, because my mom was right, as long as I have someone to fight for, I would fight, and I had Karin and Yuzu, and my friends, and my idiot father, and of course Rukia. I would fight for them, so even though my body ached, and I felt like I couldn't keep fighting, I didn't. If I was going to go down, I would go down fighting. They might take me somewhere, and I would fight then, I will fight, because that's what I do. I, Ichigo Kurosaki, am a fighter.
Then it occurred to me. Why was no one helping me? I was never one to ask for help, but wasn't it a little strange to see four men beat on another and no one do anything? It was a damn fair! There were people everywhere, and there was no one willing to help. I guess that was too much to ask for, help.
Finally they all manage to hold me to the ground. The fifth guy walked over to me, bending over me, and quickly pressed my windpipe, momentary rendering me helpless before managing to cover my mouth and nose with a cloth doused in some sweet smelling liquid.
This was pathetic, I should be able to break free! I pulled on the arms that held me in place.
"Do not struggle, Ichigo Kurosaki, you can not avoid your fate." My eyes widen before all I saw was darkness and my last though was a name. Rukia.
A/N: I'm done with the first chapter! And it's a cliffhanger! I'm sorry my fight scene is so crappy, I'm just horrible at that! I'll work on it though! Go show your appreciation to WhiteSheWolf17 for editing this chapter for me! Tell me what you think by reviewing!