Hello! Welcome to my new (and first) Bleach fan fiction! Actually, this is for some contest on Gaia, but you know, I might actually like it. Depends we'll see. This is yet another IchiRuki pairing. I won't drown you with sentimental dribble and fluff…yet. Like I said, this is for a contest; I really have no direction for it right now.

Disclaimer: I do not take credit for any person, place, or anything Kubo-sensei came up with in Bleach.

P.S. - In my opening thing, the "skewed images" and box are from that freaky manga Rukia reads. Just so you know. Oh and this contains spoilers if you haven't read/seen the Soul Society Arc.

--

Soft rays of sunlight quietly settled on Rukia as she sat in a field of wild flowers. Beside her, Ichigo laid stretched out, staring at the clouds passing by. Rukia reached out and delicately plucked a crimson flower from the bunch before turning to her companion.

"Ichigo, what is it exactly you want in life?" She asked twirling the flower between her fingers.

Ichigo thought momentarily, letting out a sigh, "You know," he began sitting upright and turning toward Rukia, "all I really want is--" Rukia was about to launch herself at him when everything turned skewed and dark. Suddenly, Ichigo shouted "Your box!"

"No don't open the box!" Rukia shout out as Ichigo stole the box from beside her. "Nooooo!"

--

Rukia bolted upright in her closet bed. Taking deep breaths, she placed a heart on her fluttering chest. What a freaky dream, she thought, I don't like Ichigo. With a sigh, she pulled open the closet door to see the first rays of sunlight carefully drifting through the window.

Ichigo was still asleep, spread out on his bed in a lopsided fashion. One arm was even dangling off the bed. Rukia silently rose from her "room" and walked over to the sleeping boy. He looked so peaceful. Even the furrow in his brow was gone. She was about to wake him up until the demented plush decided to fling himself on her.

"Onee-chan!" Kon cried out launching himself from a dresser, aiming himself at Rukia's breasts. Rukia promptly caught Kon by the head, and threw him across the room. Maybe they shouldn't have found him a new body. The thing was a nuisance.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked as he propped himself up with an elbow. "Is there a hollow attack?" The youth rubbed at his eyes, as he said this. A single eye remaining open the entire time.

"No, I just had a weird dream. If you want to go back to sleep, I can wake you up when it's time to leave." Rukia offered crossing her arms. Even though she wouldn't admit it, she felt sorry for waking him up. After all, it was only five in the morning.

"That sounds good. I told you not to read those freaky mangas. Well, good…whatever this is." With that said and done, Ichigo slumped back onto his bed, consumed by his exhaustion.

Rukia let out a small sigh; she knew being a Shinigami was hard on him. Hopefully, her powers would return soon so he wouldn't have to do it alone. As she thought, she didn't notice herself drifting off to sleep. As she lay slumped up against the wall, Ichigo turned. He couldn't get back to sleep.

With a smile, he grabbed a nearby blanket and got up, placing it over Rukia. She could be such a ditz sometimes. For instance, after he rescued her, she decided to stay in Soul Society, only to come back after three days. Of course, she couldn't just show up and knock on his door. Oh no. He caught her scaling a rope outside his bedroom. What a dork she could be.

--

Rukia grabbed something soft, as she yawned and stretched one arm high into the air. As her vision cleared, she noticed Ichigo's blanket draped across her. Her face erupted into red. She had forgotten to get him up!

"Mornin'!" Ichigo called out shuffling back into the room with a tray of food. He looked around the corner, seeing Rukia banging her head against the wall. "That can't be good for what little sanity you have left." He stated with a chuckle.

"I have more sanity than you will ever possess! Don't talk to your elders like that!" Shesnapped taking the tray from him hastily. In moments, the meal was gone.

"Don't worry about waking me up. I couldn't get back to sleep so I went hollow hunting." He stated foolishly. Rukia cast a death glare upon Ichigo.

"You what?" She stated her brow twitching in anger.

"Went hollow hunting." He said nonchalantly.

Rukia's anger exploded like an atom bomb--good thing no one was in the house. "What would I tell your dad if you got killed! Haven't I told you to wake me up before you do something stupid! Gah! I can't believe you sometimes." Ichigo let out a small chuckle and leaned back onto his mattress.

"I couldn't bring myself to wake you up. You looked so cozy." He stated giving her a warm smile. Rukia once again blushed, but turned away so he couldn't see it.

"I'm getting ready for school. I suggest you do so too." Rukia slammed the door to the closet leaving Ichigo smiling. With a sigh, Ichigo did as he was told, and grabbed his school clothes. Today would be a long one.

Something's very wrong here

Your heart is frozen over

And something's very strange here

You've lost all desire

The comfort we create to prove we're somethin'

But we're starvin'

Screaming in the night 'cause you want answers, from the one

And there's hope again