A/N: Happy birthday, Rukia!
~ / ~ / ~ / ~
Rain. That's all that was in view in the cold night. The black clouds billowed like smoke and thunder shook the concrete. Ichigo ran through town as the rain kept hammering him. His clothes were drenched and clinging to his body as his bright orange hair dripped into his eyes, blurring his vision. He ran across the road, freezing, but not feeling the cold numb his muscles. He was so overcome with grief that he didn't see the car that was barreling down the road.
"Shit!" He stopped dead in his tracks as the headlights blinded him, his brain screaming for him to move. He heard the squeal of the breaks protest against the wet pavement and in the next second the impact hit. It sent Ichigo sprawling backward. The back of his head smacked against the cement causing the wind to be knocked out of him. Black spots enveloped his vision and he could feel blood pooling underneath him.
So this is the end, he thought. The rain finally won my inner battle. Ichigo reluctantly closed his eyes, accepting his death as the rain continued to drown him relentlessly.
King, you sure are weak. All this over her death?
Ichigo ignored the unwanted voice and drifted off, into the quiet abyss of nothing.
~ / ~ / ~ / ~
"Ichigo!" I shouted, bolting upright on the bed and clutching the comforter with white knuckles. Gasping for air, the nightmare of Ichigo dying was too much to bear. My heart pounded harmfully against my chest as I tried to steady my breathing and wiped my clammy forehead with the back of my hand. It was fine, I told herself. It was only a dream. But still…it seemed so real.
Regaining some composure, I pulled back the blanket and slowly got out of bed. I headed out of the room, still trying to wrap my mind around the image. I shuddered.
My feet soon touched the cold grass of the Kuchiki garden and I stopped under one of the cherry blossom trees. Walking around in the night air to calm my thoughts, I made a drastic decision. I would just pay him a quick visit in the World of the Living. If he was asleep I would just check to make sure he was fine and then leave unnoticed. If he was awake…
I didn't want to think where that would lead. Just seeing his face would have me running into his arms. Ichigo would obviously like me in his embrace but that was not how a Kuchiki behaved. I had to be strong, look him in the eye with my unreadable mask and tell him to wait just a while longer. This mission would only last a few more days. At the end of the week, I would be his.
Smiling slightly at the thought, I ran back to the Manor, quiet enough not to disturb Nii-sama. Sliding open my door, I changed into my shihakusho and grabbed my Zanpakuto. Just as I was fastening Sode No Shirayuki around my waist, the distant sound of footsteps echoed outside.
Nii-sama, I realized. Taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders, I slid back open the door and met Byakuya's cold gray eyes.
"Rukia."
"Nii-sama, I'm sorry for waking you. I would like to inform you that I will be paying the Living World a quick visit…if that's okay with you?" I didn't want it to come out as a question, but when his gaze hardened in the middle of my sentence, I lost my adrenaline.
"You're visiting Kurosaki," he stated.
"Yes, Nii-sama."
To my utter surprise, Byakuya regarded me with a neutral expression and gave a curt nod before turning around and walking in the direction he came. I let out a soft breath that I didn't know I was holding and walked the opposite way.
~ / ~ / ~ / ~
Arriving, I saw that his bedroom light was on even though it was close to four in the morning. Knowing Ichigo, it wasn't particularly odd. Maybe he also had a nightmare?
I jumped up to his window and saw his hunched back to me as he was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. I gave a tentative knock and Ichigo suddenly jumped to his feet and spun to face the window. His eyes widened as he saw my face.
"Rukia! Where were you?" he demanded as he opened the window.
"Ichigo, calm down," I answered, sliding through onto the bed. I sat down and looked up at his anxious eyes. "What do you mean 'where was I'?"
"I mean, you just disappeared!" he tried to shout quietly so his younger sisters wouldn't wake as he stood in front of me.
"No, I didn't," I reasoned, "I left you a note."
"Yeah, but I didn't get a chance to read it, Kon ate it!"
"What? Why? I actually had a masterpiece of pictures on that!"
A tight smile appeared on Ichigo's face. "He was upset."
"So he ate it?"
"He's weird."
"I guess it can't be helped."
Ichigo stared at me a second more before smiling and shaking his head. He settled on the bed next to me. "Rukia…" he stared into my eyes and I couldn't help but hold my breath. Did he miss me that much? Ichigo was known to be quite stubborn and mask his feelings, but here he was, inches away from my face.
Like two magnets being drawn together, I leaned in slightly and Ichigo slowly brought up his hand to cup my cheek. His amber eyes flitted down to my lips and he leaned in even further.
He's going to kiss me, I realized and when we were millimeters away from touching, the unthinkable happened.
~ / ~ / ~ / ~
A/N: Trying my luck with another story! Since Collapsed is becoming quite popular I figured to continue my streak and just write more. Since this plot is in its early stage, I don't quite have a full summary yet. I'm not even sure what's going to happen or how it's going to end. Mainly I write whatever comes to mind and go from there. The plot will depend on you; the readers!
Review what you would like to see or happen! Thanks! With that said; REVIEW ;)
