It's been a week since all the girls at Ichigo's school started to talk about that thing. What was it called, again? Oh, Prom. Rukia had never heard about it before, but it was making her really curious. The girls' excitement was contagious.
'Ichigo.' Called Rukia, opening the closet.
The boy was reading a Naruto manga, lying on his bed. He didn't seem to have paid attention to her.
'Ichigo!' She called again, tossing Kon on Ichigo at the same time.
'Oi! What the hell!' He shouted, finally looking at her.
'Nee-san!! How can you treat me like this?! I forgive you, of course, 'cause we're in love, but next time couldn't you –'
Kon was shut by a kick of Ichigo, who was yelling at Rukia again.
'Are you nuts?! I wasn't doing anything to you! You can't just go throwing things –'
'Oh, relax, ´cause next time you ignore me, I'm not gonna throw anything at you, I'm gonna throw yourself out of the window!'
'Jeez, it's a Saturday morning, what could have possibly made your mood so nasty like that?'
'You, Ichigo, you! As usual! Stop ignoring me, I've already warned you a thousand of times!'
'Stop babbling and shoot it at once! What do you want?'
'Gosh, why do you have to make every tiny little thing so bloody difficult –'
'Can I return to my manga?'
'See?' Rukia sighed, frowning. After a little pause, she continued. 'I wanna go to this Prom thing, at your school.'
'And how is it supposed to have something to do with me?'
'Well… I thought that since it was a pair stuff…'
'Do I need to repeat the question?'
'Damn it, Ichigo! Can't you go with me?!'
'Of course not. I don't like these kind of things.'
'What do you mean? You're not going?'
'Nope.' He said, not even bothering to look at her anymore. He was reading again.
Rukia seemed disappointed. She fell in silence for some seconds and Ichigo thought she had given up that boring subject. He was wrong.
'Fine. Do you have Keigo's number?'
'What do you mean, "do you have Keigo's number"? What for?' He asked, looking up immediately.
'He asked me to go with him, but I refused. How I regret it right now… I gotta call him and check if he is still available.'
'Ha, funny! For a second it sounded as if you were requesting Keigo.' He had returned to his manga, shaking his head slowly, smiling.
'I am. I refused his request, but I've changed my mind. Now I must ask him.'
Ichigo was still smiling. 'Rukia, I know it's great for you to change you mood sometimes and make some jokes, but this joke is going too far. Keigo is the one that's always after girls, not the opposite.'
'Well, maybe this time the opposite is gonna happen.'
He laughed. 'Right, you're gonna ask Keigo out. You're going to the Prom with Keigo.'
Rukia's mobile vibrated.
'Oh, good. Inoue answered my message. Now I've got his number, you jerk. Ha-ha.'
She dialed on her mobile and took it to her ear.
'Good-morning, may I speak to Keigo-kun? It's Ru –'
She wasn't able to finish. Ichigo had already taken the mobile from her and closed it.
'Rukia, you can't be serious!'
'Of course I am! I want to go to the Prom and I'm going with Keigo!'
'Like hell you are!'
'Give me my mobile back!'
'No way. You're not going with him.'
'Why not?!'
'´Cause he's a perverted!'
'No, he's not! He's just a straight guy!'
'Oh, c'mon, he only knows to think about –' He stopped for a second as he just realized what she had said. – 'What, now you're calling me gay?!'
'What if I am?!'
'WHAT? Dare to repeat it and –'
'You're gay.'
'Oh, now you're in really big trouble, midget!'
He grabbed her from the closet, sat down on his bed and put her lying on her stomach upon his lap. Then he slapped her butt.
'WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?! Do you think I'm some stupid misbehaving kid?!'
'You're certainly misbehaving, 'cause it seems like you just can't accept I'm the one who make the rules here. And you may not be a kid, but you have just the size of one. And, yeah, you're stupid too.'
Less than a second later, a really big physical fight started on the floor. After five minutes, they were still kicking and punching each other, and even finding energy enough to shout loudly.
'Baka!'
'Midget!'
'Aho!'
'Dwarf!'
'Assho–' She stopped and narrowed her eyes, menacingly. 'What did you say?'
'I said: DWARF!'
'Take it back right now!' She said, standing up.
'Are you going to the Prom with Keigo?' He was standing up too.
'Yes, I am!'
'So I hope you have fun, dwarf. Just be careful so people won't step on you.'
Next moment he was on the floor again, thanks to Rukia's powerful punch on his face. And he wasn't sure if his jaw were in its right place anymore.
'Why, Ichigo, why? Why do you care? Just tell me why!'
'Excuse me?' He asked, a little dizzy, rubbing his jaw and standing up again.
'Why do you care so much about my company to the Prom?'
"I don't! Who said I do?!' He answered, rather quickly.
Rukia just stared at him.
'I just don't want you to go with Keigo! Probably not even his mother would think it'd be good for you to go with him!' He said at last, proud and relieved for finding this answer.
'Nee-san!! Why all that fuss about it?! I'd gladly go with you!' Kon was jumping towards Rukia's breasts, happily.
Ichigo got him just before he touched her and tossed him against the wall.
'Shut up, Kon! You a plush animal, stupid! Besides, you might be even worse than Keigo!'
'At least I'm not gay, like you!'
Ichigo was about to reach Kon and destroy him when he got distracted by Rukia, who was getting her forgotten cell phone on the floor.
'Alright.' She said.
'What?'
'I'm not going with Keigo.'
'Great.' Ichigo said, still frowning, but sounding thankful.
However, she was dialing again.
'I hope Renji will have time to come next Saturday.'
'WHAT?!' Ichigo shouted, his voice alarmed once more.
'Oh, God. That's my line. What now?'
'You're not considering going with that freak, are you?'
'He's not a freak! And I'm not considering, I am sure!'
'I won't let you.'
'Because…?'
'Because!'
Rukia sighed, tired of all this pointless fight.
'Okay, Ichigo, let's just pretend for a moment that you are my boss. With whom must I go?'
She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at him, waiting for his reply.
Then she had to fight a laugher, because it was just hilarious watching him suddenly so undeniably lost.
'Well… You could… Maybe… If… You should… I'd say… But you…'
'Do you ever plan to answer me? 'Cause I don't have all day, I have to find a company.'
'OKAY! OKAY! Drop it! I'll go with you! Satisfied?!'
'Not even close. Ask me.'
'What?!'
'Ask. Me.'
He made a "Hunph!", crossed his arms and turned his back on her.
Rukia rolled her eyes. He was so childish.
Some seconds later, he turned to her again.
'Okay.' He sighed. 'Okay.' He scratched his head. 'Uh…' He was looking anywhere but her eyes. 'Rukia. Do you…' Stopped again.
Rukia rolled her eyes once more and sighed loudly, not bothering to hide her impatience.
'Uh… Okay!' He closed his eyes for a second. When he reopened them, he was looking straight back at her. 'Would you please go to the Prom with me, Kuchiki Rukia?'
Rukia analyzed him. Then she smiled.
'Sure, Kurosaki-kun.' She said, in a sweet voice.
Ichigo made a disgusted face.
'Please, don't ever do it again.'
Rukia laughed.
'Okay, I was just playing along with you formality. But I thought you liked it when Inoue calls you.'
'Nah, of course I don't like it, I'm just used to it. But when you say it like that… You sound exactly like her. You're not her, though. And your voice is not sweet. And even if you said it with you normal voice… I don't like you calling me by my surname.'
Rukia smiled again.
'And you like me just the way I am, right?'
Ichigo blushed, surprised, at first. But then he smiled too.
'Yeeeah… I kinda do.'
Now was Rukia's time to blush, as she looked down smiling even more, timidly.
Then she walked towards him, still looking down. When she got just in front of him, she looked up, made a fake angry noise and pretended to strangle him.
'You. Drive me. Crazy.'
He laughed.
'Believe me, you drive me even crazier.'
As he said that, he put his hands on her waist. But quickly got them inside his pockets, after realizing what he were doing.
'So… Do you really think I'm a dwarf?' She asked teasingly.
'Nah… You're just…'
She raised her eyebrows. Ichigo smiled.
'Just girly short.'
Rukia smiled, blushing again. What was happening to her? She's never been a shy girl.
'Ichigo.'
'Humn?'
'I think…'
'What?'
'I think that what really matters… Is that I'm tall enough to… Be able… To reach your…' Instead of finishing the sentence, she stood on her tiptoes and put her hands around his neck, softly. When her lips reached his, she closed her eyes, kissing him gently. He returned his hands to her waist.
About just five seconds later, Rukia pushed him hesitatingly, interrupting their kiss.
She was pink and surprised at her attitude. Wasn't she thinking she was acting rather shyly a minute before?
Ichigo wasn't any less embarrassed. If his memory wasn't playing tricks on him, weren't they fighting just a while ago? How did they end up kissing each other?
Rukia was the first that managed to say something.
'I… Uh…' She swallowed air. 'I… I gotta buy something at Urahara's Shop. It's important. And, you know, on Saturdays they always go training underground after lunch, so I gotta be fast.' She said, still blushed.
'Okay.' He coughed, blushed too.
She walked towards the window, but before she could jump, Ichigo said:
'Uh, Rukia…'
'Yeah?'
'I… I completely and utterly agree with you this time.' He said, fighting against his natural stubbornness and sudden nervousness.
Rukia frowned, confused.
'About what?' But then she remembered what she had crazily said before she had crazily kissed him. 'Oh. Uh… Good.' She paused. 'Great, actually.' She couldn't resist and smiled at him.
He smiled at her too.
They weren't totally revealing their feelings, but it was definitely a start.
And then she jumped.
THE END
Sooo… Did you like it?? Didn't?? Whether you did or didn't, please, leave reviews, pleeeeease…!!!
Oh, and I do not own "Bleach"! ¬¬
