Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Prologue

"3...2...1... Happy New Year!"

The loud pop! of party poppers and happy cheers filled the humble Kurosaki household. Its inhabitants hugged and kissed each other, for the moment forgetting their usual bickering. Champagne glasses were held in toast, even by the teenagers. Isshin reasoned that it's New Years and my precious children deserve to enjoy it too! Rukia had never experienced such a thing before; celebrating the start to a new year. 'Time' was something that was so obvious to her; she and her comrades had plenty of it, on the condition that they didn't die in battle. She took it for granted, she realized.

She also took for granted her life in the human world.

Having been back for the last half a year or so between her lieutenant duties, Rukia has had time to reacquaint herself with her friends and life in the human world, and for the first time she realized just how much she missed it all. The sights, the smells, the sounds — the laughter of children coming home from school, the way the breeze seemed to dance around her on a windy day, the way the sunset blanketed Karakura town at the end of the day — she missed it all so much. Seireitei was her home, of course, but something about the World of the Living made her so...happy. Could it be because of her human friends? Because of finally being part of a "family"? Or could it be because of the scowling teenager making his way towards her?

Ah, his ever present scowl.

And his bright orange hair, his tan skin, his tall, built stature. His voice taking on a low hum whenever he called her name. His body emanating a comforting warmth whenever he stood close to her (but never nearly close enough). The way he laughed and yelled and sometimes cried. She realized, during the agonizing 17 months away from him, that she maybe, slightly, just a little bit — loved him. And as he slowly made his way towards her and she leaned against the wall away from the small crowd surrounding the TV, she began to blush. Maybe he was drunk, but he held a mischievous gaze, never leaving hers, and his body swayed in such a way that was so...attractive. Maybe she was the drunk one.

He stood in front of her now, left arm resting against the wall above her head as his champagne glass touched his soft lips. His gaze never left her, even as he took a sip from his glass.

"Drunk already?"Rukia scoffed, desperately trying to calm her steadily increasing heartbeat.

"Nope. You?"

"No. This human drink isn't enough to do much to me. Now sake — that's a different story."

Ichigo grinned, his scowl softening. Putting his champagne glass on the floor next to their feet, his now free hand redirected itself onto Rukia's waist. Her body froze against her will. Ichigo had never touched her like that before; never so bold, always shying away from such interactions with women. And as his face made its way to the side of her face, lightly nipping at her earlobe, she still stood frozen.

"This is going to be a good year," he spoke softly into her ear.

Rukia's legs trembled beneath her as she watched Ichigo return to his family. She hadn't a clue as to what he meant, but his daring behavior and sensual attitude left her weak in the knees. She didn't fear his declaration; rather, she was left curious, wanting to know. Wanting more.

This is going to be a good year.

.

a/n: My initial plan was to do a series of unrelated oneshots because I've been busy with school but I still have ideas floating in my head. But somehow it morphed into something a little different. This series will be about the year following Rukia's return and the whole Xcution deal. I will be writing one story from each month of the year, so in the end there'll be 12 chapters (plus a prologue and epilogue). The rating will eventually be changed to M when the time comes (get excited!). I figured Rukia's return/the fight with the Fullbringers happened sometime between April~May, so I thought about starting the story then, but I've decided to start it in the beginning of the new year! So just assume nothing big happened during April/May~New Years, lol. I'll try to update as frequently as possible but like I said, I still have school to worry about (only a month left though!). At the moment I have the first chapter finished so once I proofread it I'll post it asap :)