A/N: Okay, I think I've finally written enough 686 canon-compliant fics. Now I just want to focus on the beautiful relationship that is IchiRuki. Hope you guys enjoy this angsty one-shot about the pairing that I love the most aka the pairing that should've ended up together :')
Ichigo and Rukia sit next to each other on the bleachers, elbows touching.
It's Rukia's second day back in Karakura, and Karin had invited her to her soccer game. The seats are dirty and crowded, but everyone seems to be having a good time. Rukia steals a glance at Ichigo as he holds the popcorn bag toward Yuzu.
Rukia hasn't seen him in months, and she notices that he has grown a bit since the last time they exchanged goodbyes.
Have his shoulders always been this broad? And when did he get so tall?
Embarrassed, she quickly averts her gaze when he turns to face her. "Want some?" he asks, gesturing to the paper bag in his hands.
Rukia takes a handful of popcorn and thanks him. Just as she's about to eat, half of the crowd get up on their feet and cheer wildly. Ichigo stands up as well and hollers the loudest. Once she realizes that Karin had scored a point for her team, Rukia jumps up excitedly and cheers with everyone else.
When they finally settle down, Rukia turns to Ichigo and says, "Karin's pretty amazing isn't she?"
He grins. "Yeah, she is."
Somethings stirs in her heart when she sees his proud expression. She is reminded of how much he loves his sisters, and the thought warms her. Rukia smiles to herself as she tries to resume her focus on the match.
Soccer is exciting enough, but Rukia is distracted.
The Ichigo beside her hums with new energy. He looks uncharacteristically bright as he laughs along with Yuzu. His expressions are boyish and endearing, and she remembers just how young he is.
She decides that likes seeing this side of Ichigo. This is how a seventeen year old boy should live his life—going to sport events, hanging out with family. Ichigo does not do enough of these things, and she blames herself for it.
Even though he tells her again and again that he is grateful for their meeting, she can't help but feel responsible for all the blood he has shed in the time they have known each other.
(Still, her heart clenches at the idea of not meeting Ichigo. She wonders when she has grown to be so selfish).
After the game, Karin and Yuzu mingle with their friends to celebrate the win. Rukia has to drag Ichigo away from the group of freshmen because he starts to stare daggers at the tall, pretty boy who stands a little too close to Karin.
"Jeez Ichigo, give her some space," Rukia chides as they begin to head home.
"I'll give her space once that boy gives her space," he replies almost immediately.
She tries to hold back a laugh. "You are just the same as you've always been."
He rolls his eyes. "And you're just as condescending as I remember."
"Only to those who deserve it," she says teasingly.
Rukia is always surprised by how quickly they fall back into an easy rhythm. Although she is bursting with questions, she wants to enjoy this quiet moment alone with him.
The sun starts to set, tinting the sky a warm, rose tone. The familiarity of this scene makes Rukia ache with something akin to nostalgia. It seems like a lifetime ago when she and Ichigo would walk home together after school. Sometimes they'd discuss hollow matters, and other times they'd saunter in a comfortable silence. Whenever they were alone together, she was always, always hyper-aware of his presence.
This time, it's no different. What is different, though, is the slightly quickened pace of her heartbeat. She holds a small hand over her chest as if to calm its erratic thumping, but her efforts are in vain.
Ichigo's expression is hard to read when she peers up at him. The bright sun rays bathe him in a wash of gold. Under the harsh light, he appears distant and untouchable.
"What is it?" he suddenly asks.
Rukia blinks. "Huh?"
"You're staring." He almost looks embarrassed.
She immediately crosses her arms, erecting a barrier between the two of them. Now she wonders if he had really been oblivious to her staring earlier today. "No—I was just—"
"Are you cold?" Ichigo cuts her off, scanning her posture. His concern is genuine. Before she can even say anything, he removes his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders. "Here."
The gesture is stiff, but Rukia's face flushes anyway. "I don't need it," she protests.
"Just take it, okay?" He turns the other way as he says this.
Reluctantly, she tugs the jacket closer so that it sits more comfortably on her body. Ichigo's boy-smells waft from the fabric—a mix of cinnamon, sweat, and something musky. She has never seen him in this jacket before, but it feels soft and well worn. When she glances up at Ichigo again, he's looking straight ahead.
They are both unsettled by the awkward tension that blooms between them.
Ichigo is the first to break the silence. "Anyway," he folds his arms behind his head, still not meeting her eyes, "You don't plan on staying at my place again, do you?"
"Of course I do. Your father says that I am welcome any time."
He groans, but he isn't truly mad. "You do realize that you're taking advantage of my idiot father's good will?"
She glares at him. "His idiot son should speak of his generous father with more respect."
"Whatever. Just don't eat my food."
Rukia sticks her tongue out at him, but she feels something swell inside her chest. She misses Yuzu's cooking and Karin's sharp commentary. But most of all, she misses being able to know for certain that Ichigo is safe and alive with just a knock on his door.
The peaceful days don't last once Ichigo loses control over his inner hollow again.
After Kisuke and Yoruichi manage to subdue Ichigo and shatter his hollow form, Tessai carries him back to the Kurosaki clinic and leaves him in Rukia's care.
Rukia puts him to bed and climbs into his closet. She wants to stay close in case his wounds reopen.
She draws her knees up against her chest. How could she have been so reckless? Earlier, she put herself as well as the others in danger by running toward Ichigo like that. Lieutenants do not act on their emotions. They especially do not try to restrain the object of danger with their bare hands. Rukia winces at the recollection of her actions. She holds the back of her hand against her mouth and sighs in frustration.
"Rukia?" The sudden knock startles her.
She tries to compose herself. "What is it?"
Ichigo slides open the door without asking for permission. It's too dark to see his face, but she knows exactly the kind of expression he's wearing. It's the one he puts on when he feels like he should shoulder the blame for everything. She hates that look the most.
Ichigo hesitates to speak. He gently reaches out and touches her bruised shoulder. "I did this to you, didn't I?"
His fingers feel hot against her skin. She shrinks away from him. Ignoring his question, she asks, "How much do you remember?"
H"All I remember is seeing your face after I regained consciousness...before I lost it again."
Rukia lets out a breath. She's relieved that she doesn't have to explain her actions to him, but she feels a heaviness weighing down on her chest. She wants to tell him that everything will be okay, but she doesn't know this for sure.
"Rukia…" he starts to say, "If I ever lose control like that again, I want you to—"'
She interrupts him by clamping a hand over his mouth. "Don't say it. I will personally send you to the Soul Society right now if you do."
He takes her hand and pries it off his face. "Well you'd be granting my request anyway then," Ichigo simpers.
Rukia glances at her hand in his. She can only focus on how warm his skin feels against hers. When he doesn't let go, she pulls it back into her lap. "It's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
"You fool," she says sharply. "Even if everyone decides that you're better off dead along with your inner hollow, I'll find a way to protect you. So don't ask me to do something so ridiculous ever again."
Instead of responding, Ichigo looks straight into Rukia's eyes. She's nervous under his gaze. He speaks in a feather-light, yet urgent tone. "Rukia...if you say things like that, I'm not sure if I'll be able to—"
"Ichi-nii!"
Ichigo jumps back in surprise. The lights flicker on. He squints at the short figure standing in front of him. "Yuzu?"
"Where have you been all day? I was so worried about you!" She doesn't see Rukia.
"Yuzu, I'm fine. Go back to sleep."
His sister gives him a suspicious look, but doesn't prod any further. "You better come up with a good explanation tomorrow!" she scolds before leaving his room.
Rukia feels her heart pound. You're not sure if you'll be able to what?
Early next morning, Rukia heads downstairs to the kitchen. She pauses at the doorway when she sees Ichigo standing over the counter. He's wearing a white tee shirt and sweatpants.
He doesn't see her yet, so she stays where she is, observing him. His tall, toned figure is outlined by the sunrays streaming in behind him.
At that moment, all of Rukia's senses are set alight. The blueberry pancakes he's making are sweet, and she hears a chorus of sparrows chirping from the window. When her eyes settle on Ichigo again, she feels as though her heart might leap out of her chest right then and there. She's so smitten with his casual posture, his stupid orange hair.
Her affection for him hits her so hard that she has to lean against the door frame to steady herself.
Rukia does not want to admit that she is in love with Ichigo, but she doesn't know what else to call it.
Love makes you irrational. It seizes all control and renders you paralyzed. She doesn't know anyone in the right mind who'd want to feel that way.
Someone of the dead should not fall in love with someone of the living.
"Rukia, can you bring Ichigo's lunch to him? He forgot to take it." Yuzu hands Rukia a lunch bag.
Ichigo is the last person that Rukia wants to see right now. She barely spoke a word to him that morning. Still, she can't refuse Yuzu's request.
Rukia smiles brightly and holds up the bag. "Of course Yuzu!"
When Rukia arrives to the school, she has to remind herself to calm down. It's just Ichigo for God's sake. He's so dense that there's no way he would notice her nervous energy.
She makes her way to the rooftop because that's where he typically eats lunch. When she opens the door, she expects to see his usual gang of misfits sitting together in a circle. To her surprise, Ichigo is standing by the rooftop railing with a girl.
Rukia can only see his back, but she knows that it's him by his hair. She recognizes the girl as Himari—another student in his grade. Himari is tall with soft and pretty features. Rukia can't hear what they're saying, but Himari's hands are holding onto Ichigo's wrists. Rukia is surprised, but she knows that she shouldn't be.
Ichigo is strong, and kind, and good-looking. Of course he would have admirers.
Distracted by her thoughts, Rukia accidentally stumbles and drops the lunch bag. Both Ichigo and Himari are alerted to her presence. "I-I'm sorry," Rukia mumbles as she whirls around and swings the door open.
"Rukia, wait!"
Rukia runs down the stairs, cursing herself for being clumsy at the worst moments. She hears loud footsteps chase after her, and she's suddenly pushed against a wall in the stairwell. Ichigo's irritated face stares down at her. He's panting, too.
"Jeez Rukia, I told you to wait." Ichigo releases her arm and takes a step back. "What you saw...wasn't what it looked like." He's scowling now, and he runs a hand through his hair. "Well—I mean, she was asking me out for coffee, but I declined."
Rukia feels her heart thumping inside her chest. She crosses her arms and puts on a straight expression. "Ichigo," she begins with a low voice. "Who you hang out with and what you do with that company is none of my business. You don't have to explain yourself to me."
Ichigo looks away. "I just thought that—maybe—" He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, forget about it. What are you doing here anyway?"
Rukia holds out the lunch bag to him. "You forgot this."
He blinks, then takes the bag. "Oh, um, thanks."
Rukia nods and turns to walk away.
"Rukia, have you ever been in love?"
Rukia starts to cough. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. Once she catches her breath, she asks,"What was that?"
She, Yuzu, and Karin are all tucked into their beds. Yuzu has her flashlight out because she's reading a romance novel of some sort.
"I asked if you've ever fallen in love," Yuzu chirps. She sighs and holds her book against her chest. "If you have, then how did you know it was the real thing?"
Rukia stares at the plastic, glowing stars scattered across the ceiling as she collects her thoughts. She used to think that there was some kind of magic involved to make them glow like that, but Ichigo explained to her how they worked. She almost wishes that he hadn't.
"Sorry Yuzu, I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say that it's just something that you know once you feel it."
Karin shifts and props her head up with her arm. "Jeez Yuzu, you're such a hopeless romantic," she starts. "Love should be easy. Ichigo says that being in love with someone means that you admire their character and that you want to see them all the time. It's not just sparkles and butterflies, you know."
Yuzu sticks her tongue out. "What does Ichigo know? He's too simple."
Rukia doesn't mean to say her thoughts out loud, but they escape her lips anyway, "Ichigo is in love with someone?"
"Who knows?" Karin answers airily.
Rukia lounges on Ichigo's bed as he does his homework. Every once in a while, he'll tap his pen against the wooden desk, or he'll sigh to express his frustration. Suddenly, he leans back against the chair and puts his pen down.
"Okay. That's it. I'm taking a break."
"You've only been working for fifteen minutes," Rukia points out dryly.
"I'm taking a break," he repeats, enunciating each word. Before Rukia can protest, he gets up and collapses face-first onto the space next to her. The bed sinks from his weight. He rolls over so that he's facing the ceiling. Rukia shifts her position when his head brushes her knees.
"You're going to do poorly on your exam again."
"Shut up…" he groans.
"Are you distracted or something?" she asks cautiously.
Ichigo closes his eyes. "I'm always distracted," he scowls.
Rukia tries to sound nonchalant when she speaks again. "It's not 'cause of a girl is it? I heard from Karin that you like someone..." She realizes that her curiosity directly contradicts what she told him in the stairwell. Still, she's not doing anything wrong. She's allowed to ask him about this.
He doesn't move a muscle. There's a long pause before he responds, but eventually he says, "I do like someone."
She bunches up the fabric of her skirt with her hands. It's none of your business. It's none of your business. "Do I know who she is?" she asks anyway, throwing all self-preservation out the window.
Ichigo shifts so that he's facing away from her. He slips his hands under his cheek. "Yeah."
"Who...is it?"
"You." There's almost no hesitation in his response.
Rukia's heart immediately starts to beat faster. She scoots away from him. "You don't have to tell me who it is, but stop joking around," she says seriously. Rukia is used to his teasing, but this is just plain cruel.
"Why do you think I'm joking?"
"Because it's ridiculous." Her words fall like deadweight from her lips.
Ichigo finally sits up and faces her. His expression is tender and vulnerable. Rukia is afraid that she might cry if he does so much as blink. "I like you, Rukia. I mean it."
Rukia takes a deep breath. "No you don't."
"What? I think I know my feelings better than you do." He's frowning now.
"You only think that you like me. You're young. It's all just teenage hormones—you'll get over it soon." She hopes that her voice sounds steady in spite of her trembling hands.
Ichigo narrows his eyes—a mix of hurt and annoyance colours them. "I'm not just going to 'get over it.'" He fixes his gaze on her. "This is already hard enough for me as it is, so please don't dismiss my feelings like that," he murmurs.
Rukia can hardly breathe with him leaning so close to her like this. He touches her forehead to hers, and she has never felt more afraid.
Ichigo? In love with her?
A part of her wants to slap him for being so stupid, but the other part of her wants to wrap her arms around him and say, I'm in love with you too, you big dummy. When she stays silent, Ichigo speaks again.
"If you don't like it, then just turn away…" He begins to tilt his lips toward hers. The next couple of seconds feel like an eternity. When his mouth finally brushes her own, Rukia pushes his chest with so much force that he has to steady himself on the bed.
The tension breaks, and Ichigo is back to his scowling self.
"I said to turn away, not to send me flying into another dimension." He stands up and avoids her gaze. "Look, I'm sorry. It was my fault for touching you without permission. Let's just pretend that it didn't happen, okay?" He gathers his workbooks off the desk and promptly exits the room.
Rukia is left with flushed cheeks and a hummingbird heart.
Ichigo doesn't avoid Rukia, but he doesn't exactly acknowledge her either.
When they are in the same room together, he nods and answers her questions accordingly, but he won't initiate any conversation.
Rukia knows that she doesn't have the right to feel hurt, but she feels hurt anyway. She asks him if he's mad at her, and he just shakes his head and says that he needs some time. "Some time" turns into days and then weeks.
Just when Rukia thinks that she won't be able to take any more of this strained atmosphere, she is told that she's set to return to the Soul Society within a week.
At first, she is relieved by the news. Going back to the Soul Society meant that she could quietly get over her infatuation with Ichigo without having to see his face every day. But after these initial celebratory thoughts, a crushing wave of sadness washes over her.
Isshin is the first to notice her dejected attitude.
Rukia is sitting in the kitchen when Ichigo's father walks in and says, "You and Ichigo are fighting." He leans against the doorway and crosses his arms.
Although she's startled, Rukia tries to shoot him a beaming smile. "No we're not. Ichigo is probably stressed about his exams, so we don't talk as much these days."
"Hmm," Isshin drawls. "His exams ended a week ago."
Rukia rubs her arm, embarrassed. "We're really not fighting," she says firmly.
"I may be old, but give me some credit. I know a lovers' quarrel when I see one," Isshin says with a slight smile. He's teasing her, and Rukia feels herself blushing.
"We're not lovers," she mutters, this time with less confidence.
"Darlings, sweethearts, whatever it is that you two want to be," he says with a wave of his hand.
Rukia is unsettled by the blunt manner in which Isshin speaks. He isn't afraid of embarrassing her, and she feels small because of it.
Isshin continues in a more serious tone. "Although my son is an idiot, he understands consequences," He walks over to her. "I don't have any practical advice to give to you, but maybe you can try to trust the universe a bit more. Ichigo's powers are a testament to the impossible becoming possible, aren't they?"
At Ichigo's birthday party, Rukia gets very, very drunk.
In the Kurosaki household, a small gathering of Ichigo's friends lounge around the living room table. Ichigo is at the center, and a large vanilla cake sits in front of him. After they sing happy birthday, everyone cheers as he blows out the candles.
Without missing a beat, Keigo scoops a handful of the cake and smears it against Ichigo's face. Ichigo immediately reacts by grabbing his own handful and shoving it down the front of Keigo's shirt.
"Hey! Only the birthday boy is supposed to get cake on him!" Keigo yells indignantly.
Rukia finds this hilariously funny in her drunken state, and she, too, takes a scoop of cake and throws it at Ichigo. Before Ichigo can get his revenge on her, Yuzu threatens him with a cake knife.
Utterly unimpressed by this childish behaviour, Yuzu barks orders at them. "Ichigo, Keigo, go upstairs and wash up," she says in a stern, motherly tone. "And someone please get Rukia a glass of water."
The only other person who is as drunk as Rukia is Renji. "Aye aye Captain," Renji salutes as he gets up to pour Rukia a glass. Instead of water, he pours her another shot of vodka and tries to give it to her.
"Oh no you don't," Karin takes the shot from Renji's unsteady grip as Chad holds him back. Rukia whines when she sees her empty hands.
"Rukia, are you alright?" Uryu asks, concerned.
She flashes him a smile. "Of course!" she exclaims. A pause. "I just really, really need to pee."
Rukia pushes past Uryu and clambers up the stairs. She accidentally crashes into Keigo as she makes her way to the washroom.
"Woah!" Keigo tries to swerve out of her way but they collide and fall onto the floor. When Rukia tries to get back up, she realizes that Keigo's cake-stained shirt has rubbed against her dress.
"Sorry, Rukia! Please forgive meeeeee! You can use the washroom first!"
Rukia tries to reassure him that it's okay, but she can barely form any words with her head pounding so hard. After she finishes her business in the washroom, she heads to Yuzu and Karin's room to find a change of clothes.
When she swings open the door, she finds herself face to face with Ichigo.
He's in the middle of pulling a shirt over his head, and Rukia has to tear her eyes away from his bare torso. She quickly realizes that she is in the wrong room. "Oh! Sorry!" Rukia yelps. She reaches for the doorknob behind her, but Ichigo is already adjusting the shirt over his body.
"It's okay. I'm done," he says curtly.
Just as he's about to leave, Rukia stumbles forward. Before she falls, Ichigo grabs the side of her arms and holds her up. "Hey, are you alright?" he looks at her with wide, worried eyes.
Rukia pulls away from him so that he can't see her blushing face. They have not been alone in a room together in a long time. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." In spite of her words, she almost loses her balance again when she tries to walk.
Ichigo gives her a skeptical look. "How much did you drink?"
"I don't remember," she groans as she holds her head. She staggers over to his bed and starts to unzip her dress.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!"
"I have cake on my dress."
"Well you can't just strip here!" he yells, exasperated. He tosses some clothes at her and leaves the room.
After Rukia clumsily changes out of her sticky dress, she collapses onto his bed's springy surface.
Minutes later, she hears a knock on the door. When she doesn't answer, the door slowly creaks open. Ichigo enters with a cup of water in his hand. He settles into the space beside her on the bed. "Here."
"I dunwannit," she mumbles into his pillow.
"Stop being so stubborn." He nudges her shoulder with the cup. Reluctantly, Rukia sits up and takes the mug. She downs its contents and slams it on his nightstand.
Then, Rukia turns and squints at Ichigo's face. He shifts uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "You know, you're really handsome," she beings to slur. Rukia reaches out and claps both of her palms over his cheeks. "You don't even know how handsome you are."
Ichigo gently takes both her hands off his face. A flush of pink creeps over his skin. "Rukia. You're drunk."
"And you aren't?" she asks with a lightness to her voice.
"I only had a couple of beers," he admits. "Anyway, you're probably done for the night. Get some rest." He stands and starts to pull the covers over her legs, but she takes a hold of his hand.
"Can you stay for a little longer?" she asks. Her voice is soft and inviting.
Ichigo hesitates, but he sits back down. He's surprised when she rests her chin on his shoulder, but he doesn't move away. It's only when Rukia starts to play with the hem of his shirt that he starts to feel uneasy.
"Rukia…" Ichigo gasps when she slips her hands under his shirt. Her cool fingers trace his stomach muscles in small, slow circles.
Somewhere in the back of Rukia's head is a voice that tells her she shouldn't do this, but the alcohol makes her brain swim. She leans in closer and presses her lips against his neck. She tenderly mouths his name into his skin.
Ichigo finally gives in and turns his body to face her. Their noses touch, and Rukia swallows. There are centimeters between their faces and then there is no space at all when he parts his lips against hers.
(There is only so much self-control that a newly eighteen year old boy can exercise after all).
Rukia's head feels light when he wraps his calloused hands around her waist. He kisses her chin, her neck, and her collarbone, setting her skin aflame. A surge of desire guides her hands as she helps him peel his shirt over his head. He kneels over her, and Rukia sinks into the mattress. His kisses are fierce and full of want, but when Rukia reaches for his zipper, he suddenly widens his eyes and jerks away.
Rukia flinches. She tries to refocus her vision.
Ichigo's expression is tender and apologetic. He slowly lifts her hand and presses the back of it against his cheek. He tells her "I'm sorry" over and over again in a gentle voice. "I'm probably going to kick myself for this later, but we're both a little drunk, and I don't think we should make any decisions right now."
Rukia nods and closes her eyes. She wonders how much she'll remember when tomorrow comes.
In the middle of the night, Rukia wakes up to Ichigo's footsteps.
He makes his way toward his bed, and she pretends to be asleep. She tries to steady her breathing when he slips his hand under her head and lifts her in an upright position against his chest. Rukia has no idea what he's doing. Is he going to carry her off of his bed?
She soon realizes that he's only adjusting the pillow beneath her. He slowly lays her head back down and turns to leave.
Without thinking, Rukia reaches out and grabs the hem of his shirt. "Ichigo," she says. He freezes, but doesn't turn around.
"Don't go yet." Her voice is airy. Rukia gets up and grips the back of his shirt with both hands.
Ichigo turns to face her. Her expression is glazed and vulnerable. He exhales when she leans her head against his chest. She doesn't say a word, but he can feel her breathing through the thin fabric of his shirt. The room is so quiet, it's almost as if they're the only ones awake in the entire city.
"Why are you doing this?" he asks, not looking at her.
"Because I like you," she whispers. "I like you so, so much."
He takes a moment to process her words."You idiot. Do you have any idea how miserable I've been these past few weeks?"
"I'm sorry," is all she says.
Rukia presses closer against him. She knows that the two of them can't stay like this forever, but she wants to indulge in his warmth for as long as she can.
On Rukia's last day in Karakura, she leaves early in the morning without telling anyone.
Rukia jogs across the familiar road by the riverbank. She thinks that this path will help her clear her mind. She knows that Ichigo and the others will be upset with her decision, but she can't bear the thought of saying goodbye to them. Not with her unsettled heart.
Rukia does not want to cry at her departure.
Distracted by her train of thought, she doesn't have time to react when something suddenly lands in front of her. The sheer force of the impact creates a shroud of dust, and Rukia has to shield her eyes.
When she opens her them again, her heart jumps at the sight of Ichigo standing in his Shihakusho.
His eyes bore into her skin when he casually draws his Zanpakuto. "I fully intend to fight you if you don't stop and explain yourself," he says firmly.
Rukia raises her eyebrows. A part of her is amused by how serious he is. "Are you threatening a Lieutenant?"
"Yes." His response is unwavering.
She sighs, but she doesn't draw her sword. Instead, she holds out her hands and starts to recite a kido incantation. Before she can utter two words, Ichigo flash-steps toward her and seizes her by the waist. He carries her into the sky, and hops from building to building
"Ichigo, let go of me!" she yells, struggling to get away.
"Only if you promise that you won't use kido," he says. Her attempts at unfastening his grip don't faze him one bit.
"Fine, fine! Just put me down!"
Ichigo finally lands on a rooftop deck, but he doesn't release Rukia. Instead, he wraps his arms around her. Rukia thinks that she should pull away, but she doesn't. "What do you want from me?" she asks coldly.
His eyes are full of hurt. "Tell me that you want to be together." The sincerity in his voice makes her chest constrict.
Rukia inhales. "You know that's not an option."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm dead and you're alive." Her words are razor sharp. "Whatever this is won't end well."
"I'm going to die eventually," Ichigo says.
She flashes him an angry look. "Do not say such things so casually."
Ichigo keeps a steady gaze on her. "But it's true. And when I do, I'll find you in the Soul Society. All I need you to say is that you'll wait for me."
Rukia thinks that she might cry after all. Waiting for Ichigo is not the issue. The length of a human's lifespan is nothing compared to a Shinigami's. Rukia, though, does not want Ichigo to be preoccupied with matters of the afterlife while he is still alive. She wants Ichigo to live his life to the fullest more than anything.
He cannot do so if he hangs onto his love for a dead girl.
"Your memories as a human are not guaranteed when you go to the Soul Society. And even if they are, the officials would not let an ordinary soul enter the Seireitei," she points out.
He doesn't miss a beat with his response. "Your spirit energy is fused with mine. There's no way I'd forget you even if I wanted to." Ichigo says as he takes her hand. "I'll do whatever it takes to find you, even if I have to beat down whoever's in my way."
Rukia looks up at his earnest expression. She's reminded of the time when Ichigo almost got himself killed—multiple times—to stop her execution. His recklessness is a constant.
She feels her resolve wavering. "Please Ichigo. You will meet other women. I don't expect you to—"
He immediately cuts her off. "What do I have to do to convince you that I don't want anyone else?"
And then, it happens: something inside her crumbles and tears start to well up in her eyes. Ichigo's scent overwhelms her. She thinks about all the times that he has rescued her, both from physical danger and emotional stress. This is the man who makes her laugh and cry, who makes her heart swell at the slightest touch. She wonders when she started to see this stubborn boy as more than just an ally. If what Kaien says about hearts is true, then she can't imagine how the love she holds for Ichigo can only be contained in one heart. She does not want to fight her feelings anymore.
"Okay," she whispers.
"Okay what?"
When Rukia looks up at him again, her eyelashes are wet, but she's smiling.
"Okay, I'll wait for you."
Ichigo only holds her tighter.
(Fin)