Diclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite. Worship him.

Chie: A IchiRuki one-shot. A little spoiling if you haven't yet read the manga chapter 199. Hope you like it!

The conspiracy

They heard the door open and close. New voices could be heard in the house.

"It seems they arrived", the tall black-haired man said stiffly, setting carefully the teacup he had been holding onto the coffee table.

"I guess you're right", the other man grinned. "Excuse me." The bearded man got up and walked over to the entrance hall.

The other man leaned back on his seat and listened to the voices coming from the entrance hall.

"Welcome home, Ichigoo!"

SLAM

"Shut up, old geezer!"

"Is that a way to speak to your father? You hurt my feelings!"

"Waaaah!!! Get off me, ya – "

"AH! Rukia-chan, welcome home!"

"Oy, Geezer, I can't brea – "

"Thank you, Kurosaki-san."

"Oy..."

"Oh, none of that, Rukia-chan! Just call me dad."

"Anno..."

"GRAAAH!"

"Ichigo! Don't hit your dad! It hurts..."

"WHAT? And what were you doing then, eh?!"

". . . sigh."

The man sitting in the living room shook his head, once again picking up the teacup. These people. So loud and vulgar.

"Oh, Rukia-chan, there's a guest for you!"

"A guest?" a surprised expression took over the female shinigami's face. Who would really come to see her? Who even knew about her living arrangements...?

"Urahara", Ichigo muttered in so low a tone that only Rukia heard.

She glanced at him sharply and gave a tiny nod.

"Perhaps."

"Come on kids! It's rude to keep him waiting!"

Isshin laughed cheerily and dragged the youngsters into the living room.

Whatever they were expecting…

… Well, one couldn't have imagine THAT!

There he was, dressed in an impeccable black suit, calmly sitting on the couch. The last person you would have expected to see in the Kurosaki-household.

Rukia's mouth fell open in surprise. Ichigo took a step back.

Isshin stayed right where he was standing, a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Ni... Nii-sama!" Rukia stammered once she had got back her voice.

"It's been a while… Rukia", he replied in his stoic way.

"YOU! What the hell are YOU doing here?!"

"Ichigo that's impolite!"

"Ouch! Geez, stop hitting me already!"

"Now come along kids", Isshin continued, ignoring Ichigo's complaints. "Sit down, sit down. We've done some talking here with Kuchiki-san."

The mere thought of that caused fear rise inside both Ichigo and Rukia.

Hesitantly they followed Isshin, sitting down onto the sofa as well.

"Now, are you busy in July, hmmmh?"

Isshin gazed at Rukia and Ichigo, still grinning.

Ichigo stole a glance at Rukia's shocked face and then stared at his father.

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you two that I've done some talking with Kuchiki-san over here. And I've always been thinking that summer's the best time of the year to have one's wedding, you know, when I married your mother – "

"Hold on a sec", Ichigo managed to cut through Isshin's stream of words. "What is this nonsense about wedding?"

" – Blue kimono would be pretty on Rukia-chan, wouldn't it? It would suit with her eyes so nicely – "

"HOLD ON! Are you telling me – "

"Well, we already have most of it planned, Kuchiki-san has some beautiful ideas, for the flowers for example..."

Kuchiki Byakuya calmly sipped his tea, his pale blank face not giving any hint of what was going in his head.

Ichigo stared at his babbling father.

"Don't tell me..."

Rukia was just too shocked to stutter a word. She was helplessly looking at the three men in the living room.

"And Yuzu and Karin make just so cute bride's maids! Or does Rukia-chan have friends she's prefer to – "

"Dad..."

"Anyway, the dinner is nearly planned too, I have the menu here somewhere – "

"Dad..."

"Oh I'm just so happy for you two"

"Dad…"

"Yes, my son?"

"What is this whole thing about?"

Ichigo was very proud of himself. He was almost calm. Almost.

"But of course we're planning your and Rukia-chan's wedding, Ichigo!"

"Who said we're getting married?"

"Oh, we decided on that with Kuchiki-san", Isshin said in an off-hand matter.

"Ever thought about asking me about it?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, Ichigo?"

"Well, maybe I do not want – " Ichigo fell silent, feeling two pairs of cold eyes boring into his back.

'Shit', He thought to himself. 'Wrong choice of words.'

And then, for the first time during the whole conversation, Rukia spoke out.

"Are you being serious now, Kurosaki-san, Nii-sama?"

Isshin nodded frantically, the stupid grin back on his face. However, it wasn't him the two shinigamis were staring at in terror. Their eyes were glued on Kuchiki Byakuya's calm form.

WAS THAT A NOD?!

The silence that filled the room after that small but definite nod was so thick that one could have most probably walked on it.

After few more minutes of a total silence, widened eyes, shocked faces and open mouths Isshin could take no more.

The bearded man doubled over as he broke down laughing.

Ichigo's scowl darkened.

Rukia's eyebrow rose.

Byakuya looked as unaffected as always.

Isshin was wiping tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.

"Oh Kami-sama, you should have just seen your faces…"

"You… Were… Kidding… ?" Ichigo's left eye was twitching.

"Naturally", Isshin chuckled. "Though I don't know why Kuchiki-san decided to join in my improvised trick… Oh, it was brilliant. You actually believed it!"

"Why you - !"

Isshin exited the room quickly, laughing soundly as the raged orange-headed teenager chased after him.

Silence filled the living-room once again as Rukia hesitantly gazed at her older brother.

"Ummm… Nii-sama?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

Kuchiki Byakuya settled his now empty teacup onto the table and turned to face his sister.

"I came to check up how you are doing."

She couldn't hide her amazement. Had she heard quite right?

"To how I...? But why?"

The captain of the sixth division delicately raised his eyebrow.

"If you can't quite remember, I am your older brother as well as your guardian. It is my duty to know how you are doing."

Duty. She might have known it always was about a duty.

"Ahh", she said quietly, "I see."

Rukia averted her eyes.

"So are these mortals treating you right?"

Rukia was a little taken aback by his question.

Feeling someone's eyes on her she raised her gaze slightly, her blue eyes meeting Ichigo, standing quietly in the doorway and listening to their conversation.

"Yes.. They have been very kind to me. I feel that they have accepted me into their family."

"It's true", Ichigo's voice drawled in from the doorway. "My dad's crazy about her and my little sister adore her like an older sister they never had."

The orange-haired shinigami representative walked over to the Kucjiki-siblings and sat down onto the sofa next to Rukia.

"And may I ask, Kurosaki Ichigo, what is exactly your relationship with my younger sister", Byakuya questioned coolly.

Rukia's eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly agape.

"Nii-sama!" she protested meekly. She had be imaging things. Her brother could not have just asked that... The mere thought... impossible!

Ichigo got a little coughing fit.

"Well", Byakuya urged one eyebrow raised.

Ichigo's scowl had deepened and his face was flushed. The young man stole a glance at Rukia before turning to glare at Byakuya.

"I believe that's between me and Rukia."

Byakuya's eye narrowed as Rukia's widened. Her heartbeat seemed to have picked up its space and she was staring at him. Her cheeks were burning.

"As his older brother I demand to know.. even though it is quite obvious." Byakuya's face remained blank.

"What's that supposed to mean?! You aren't concerned, are you? After all it is your duty to check how Rukia's doing.. And she already said she's doing fine here, so you really wouldn't have to ask anymore nosy que – ACK!"

With a loud thump Ichigo fell onto the floor. A smaller and softer thump followed as the shoe, which had hit the orange-haired young man's head causing him to fall from the sofa.

"Leave you alone for a few minutes and already I find you insulting our guest!" Isshin scolded loudly. "I brought you more tea, Kuchiki-san. And I found the cookies Yuzu baked this morning too." Issshin set the tray he carried on the table before Byakuya while Rukia was helping Ichigo up.

"I'm terribly sorry 'bout my son's insolent behaviour. He's sorry. Right, Ichigo?"

"The hell I – OUCH!" Ichigo glared darkly at Rukia. "I'm sorry", he muttered then.

"Apology accepted."

Isshin sat down next to Byakuya and took a careful sip from his teacup.

"I seriously hope that the past incident did not affect on our engagement agreement."

"No, the agreement of the marriage holds firm", Byakuya replied nonchalantly.

"You're kidding again, right? Right…?"

"Now go to play, children. We have important details to discuss here with Kuchiki-san. Also remember not to plan anything for the July!"

With that, the two youngsters were shoved out of the room.

The door closed behind them.

Rukia glanced at Ichigo from the corner of her eye. His face was concerned.

"They're still joking, aren't they?"

"I don't know", Rukia sighed quietly.

"I mean they really couldn't… Could they?"

"I don't know."

Silence fell and Rukia felt deep sadness wrapping around her heart.

Before she realised it, the words had escaped her mouth.

"Would it be.. that unpleasant to you?"

"Huh? What are you talkin' 'bout, Rukia?"

"Would it be that unpleasant to you, Ichigo, to marry me?"

The young man's face flushed.

"Well... Not really.. It's just.."

"It's just what", she asked softly as his voice had died out.

"I don't want to marry anyone because my father told me to."

"I see."

The sadness in her voice startled him. She had tried to cover it but had failed. He watched her. Ichigo could not see Rukia's face for she had turned it away from him and was now intently staring at the wall. He swallowed but the lump in his throat didn't go down.

"But if I am to marry someone just because my father told me to.. I am glad it'd be you."

Rukia's face abruptly turned and their eyes locked for awhile. Her big blue eyes were surprised.

"Thank you", she said then, ever so softly.

Meanwhile back in the living room, Isshin was dancing a wild dance of a victory. Of course he had been listening to the conversation going on behind that door. After all he was Ichigo's father, he had right to do that! or that he at least told to himself.

"You heard that, Byakuya my lad? Excellent. All they really needed was a small prod on the back." Isshin snickered.

The corner of Byakuya's lips twitched.

"Was this all", the sixth division captain asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for your help."

"It was nothing, Isshin. Don't mention it."

Byakuya got up and nodded. Then he walked over to the door. He opened it and regarded them both for awhile.

"We'll see then in the July then, at the very latest", he then said calmly to the pair. "Don't forget that I want white lilies", Byakuya turned to remind Isshin.

"I'll remember, Kuchiki-san. Good bye!"

Byakuya walked away.

"Oy... They're still joking, right?"

"I seriously hope so."

The End