A/N: Takes places the night after those hellish 17 months have coem to an end.

This was insanity.

Seriously. How did his family sleep through this noise?

More importantly, how was her brother now? She really hoped he didn't wake the captain up. His room was two rooms over from hers, so it wasn't likely, but that didn't mean it was impossible.

She sighed. No matter how much he snored, how angry she got, she wouldn't be able to wake him. Ichigo had worked his ass off today; he'd earned a good night's sleep.

But, she reasoned, should it really come at the cost of her own?

She sat up, lifting her pillow over her head, ready to strike. Ichigo sucked in an ear-splitting breath, and pushed the blankets back, apparently a bit warm. Then she saw the 'X' that crossed his chest now. It had interested her earlier, until he'd... distracted her; she'd never known a shinigami whose uniform was literally painted on... but was it?

Curiousity renewed, Rukia lowered the pillow, gently pushing the blanket a little further off him. As softly a she could, she brushed her finger along the lines between the black and his skin. It did appear to be attached to him.

"Ah'm sleepin', Midget," the male muttered in his sleep.

"If only I could say the same," she muttered, so not done with him.

Reaching under the blanket, she carefully pulled his arm out into the air. His hand instinctively wrapped itself around hers; she couldn't help a smile.

The little flecks of black on his hand appeared attached as well; as if something fluid had poured and left to harden between each joint. As well with his lower arm.

"Ok, what the hell are ya doing?" he mumbled, drowsily opening his eyes.

"Amusing myself," she replied, willing away the embarrassment. "Someone was snoring to the high heavens."

"I have told you repeatedly you just have to push me to my stomach; something you're usually more than willing to do even when I'm wide awake. What's the issue tonight?"

Rukia silently cursed how smart he was getting. "N-Nothing."

"Uh-huh." He sat up, yawning. "Come on, what's with the exam? Not that I'm complaining, but all I've felt for the past ten minutes is your fingers all over my upper body."

"I-I was curious," she admitted, losing the battle with the warmth on her cheeks.

"About what?" he asked. "These? he added, holding up an arm.

"What of it?" she snapped, growing darker.

He chuckled, gave her a kiss, and rolled over unto his side to go back to sleep. "You're adorable, Rukia."

"That's it? You're just going to sleep?"

"Unless there's a reason I shouldn't," he replied, looking back at her.

"Just... you don't care I'm messing with those?"

"Rukia, you should know by now I don't care about how or why you're touching me as long as you're touching me."

"...Pervert," she flushed.

"You love it," he grinned, giving her another kiss. She latched on to this one, weaving her fingers into his hair and pulling his head even closer to hers.

"Mmm, suddenly I'm glad you woke me up."

"Are you?" she asked. "I'm going to sleep. Night!" she smiled, and turned over to her side.

"Oh, no you don't," he rebuttled, pulling her back over to him.

Rukia let out a small fit of laughter when he pulled her back into his arms, half-heartedly struggling to get away. His left arm pinned her against him, the right wandered down between her legs.

"Ohhh, not fair," she moaned, feeling not only his fingeres being to work inside her, but him hardening against her.

"How so?" his husky tone whispered in her ear. "I think I'm being very nice."

"Buh... oh..."

"Damn, Rukia; are you really ready already?"

"Pervert...," she flushed.

"You love every second," he growled, gripping her tighter, pushing his fingers in deeper.

Through her blearly violet eyes, her gaze flicked upward. His eyes hadn't changed. Yet. Wait. The hazel was lighter... He thrust himself inside her, breaking her thoughts to the single one of the pleasure that now coursed through her. "Ichigo...," she moaned.

"That ain't my name."

Her head spun around. Those eyes were as she'd left them, that yellow-hazel. "Wait... both of you?"

A small smile. "...Sorta."

"Huh." She returned the grin, and closed her mouth around his, turning to face him, but not letting him out of her. He returned with another sharp thrust. he tried to call out, but he masked it with a kiss. "So good," she gasped.

"'Course," he replied.

She arched an eyebrow at him; that other part of him was awfully cocky. He needed to be put in line. She pushed him down; surprised laced his eyes, but also... intrigue?

Excellent.

She pressed her hips to his hard, nails gripping and digging into his chest. He bit his lips to keep his voice down, fisting the sheets. "Playin' dirty," he accused.

"Oh, just be a good boy and come for me."

His eyebrow arched. "Oh, you're payin' for that," he said, easily flipping their positions. After pushing her down to all fours, he mercilessly thrust inside her again.

Rukia barely pulled a fistful of blanket over her mouth before she cried out.

"She likes that?" he asked, giving her behind a smack.

"Ah! Harder," she moaned.

"Really now?" he asked, leaning over her and now the one pulling her hips to his. "How close are you?"

"Oh, soon," she managed to reply.

"Well, don't hold back on my account."

"Oh, yes! Oh-" she held the blanket to her face again as she came feeling his warm cum fill her as she did so. Exhausted, she fell over onto her side, turning her head to the male when she heard him chuckle. His eyes were back to their original chocolate brown. "I should kill you where you sit, sticking that psycho on me."

"Hey, he was still had a pretty damn tight leash. And you weren't complaining at the time."

"The principle still stands."

"Aw, come here," he said, holding her depite her weak attempts at pushing him away. "I'll ask first next time, ok?"

She looked away.

"I promise."

Her eyes darted over to his. "Dammit," she cussed. Those brown eyes got her every time.

"Forgive me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Back to sleep?"

"I'm awake now. What time is it?"

"The sun's just coming up," she noted, looking out the window. "That's about six am to you. Come on, just get comfortable, pull up the blanket, dig your big, dumb head into the pillow, wrap your arms around me... See? There, I bet you don't wanna go anywhere."

"You're right, this is nice."

"And we did go so long without it."

"Yeah... I'm sorry about that."

"You can't apologise for what wasn't your fault."

"But it was."

"How could losing your shinigami power be your fault?"

Ichigo swallowed hard. "...I knew it would happen."

Rukia pushed away just enough to be able to look up at him. "What?"

"Using that last ability... Tenza Zangetsu warned me... I just had to beat him..."

"Stuck under a rock."

"Huh?"

"Stuck under a rock. No matter what you did, you were screwed."

He cracked a smile. "Yeah, pretty much."

"You still shouldn't blame yourself," she said, settling against him again.

"Why not?"

"You take everything so seriously," she sighed. "Shut up and go to sleep."

Ichigo chuckled, pulling her tighter. "Yes, 'Mam."