A/N: I love Bleach especially Ichigo and Rukia, I haven't wrote a Bleach story in a while so it feels pretty great to be writing one again:) Oh! and as for time zone, this story is set after Xuction, before the Thousand Year Blood War.
I'm pretty sure well all know, but just for kicks (I do not own Bleach, Tite Kubo does!) Anyways! On with the story!
~ One Dance ~
It was about twelve o' clock in the afternoon lunchtime for the students who attended Karakura High School. And surprisingly Ichigo and his friends were actually taking the time to sit and eat lunch, instead of running off to go battle some form of evil like they all notoriously did.
In fact, it was a true miracle in itself that they all at some point didn't just get kicked out of school, due to their many "bathroom emergencies" and sudden sprints out of the classroom.
"Mmm! This is even better than I expected it to be!" Orihime said with a wide smile her whole face lighting up in joy, as she continued to eat her mysterious homemade bento box. The whole thing covered in what appeared to be some form of tuna covered with...honey?
"Urgh...No offence Orihime but I really don't see how you can stand to eat that." Uryu said his face scrunching up in slight disgust at her food, as he adjusted his glasses.
"What do you mean?! It's good! I'll prove it, here Rukia try some!" Orihime said in a determined tone as she looked over at Rukia hopefully.
Rukia stopping her small conversation with Ichigo as she looked over at Orihime's out stretched hand, trying her best to think of a way not to hurt her friends feelings.
"You know I would Orihime, but I'm so stuffed after finishing my food! Though I'm sure Ichigo would love to!" Rukia said with a light laugh as she then suddenly stuffed the weird mixture of food into a unsuspecting Ichigo's mouth.
"Mhmphm! *cough* What the hell Rukia!? *cough* Are you trying to freakin' make me choke to death!?" Ichigo roared angrily at the petite dark haired girl, who was now laughing.
"Ichigo, you really shouldn't raise your voice like that at a woman its unattractive~" Rukia chimed pressing her hands dramatically against her face.
"Wha-Urghh! Who cares!? And your not even suppose to be here! You don't even go to this school anymore!" Ichigo said in his well known flustered manner, though his tone this time slightly angering her.
"Idiot! I can go wherever I want to! You should be happy that I'm here!" Rukia said knocking Ichigo over the head.
"Ugh, hey Ichigo not to interrupt but are you going to the school dance tonight?" Chad said suddenly speaking up, causing Rukia and Ichigo to stop their bickering.
"Dance? There's a school dance tonight?" Ichigo asked questioningly, totally forgetting that Kakkakura High even had school dances.
After all it had been so long that he had even been to a dance, let alone a school dance.
"Yeah, it's-uh tonight at nine.." Orihime said her cheeks turning a unnoticeable light shade of red as she looked over at Ichigo.
"A High School dance? I've read about those, We all should go tonight it sounds fun, right Ichigo?" Rukia said with an excited look in her eyes.
"I think I'll have to pass on that one, besides isn't it like special occasion formal?." Ichigo questioned, already not feeling keen on the idea of having to wear some kind of fancy attire.
"Yes! But that's what makes it fun!" Orihime said positively, obviously looking forward to it.
"Yeah I'm passing on that, besides I'm busy anyway. Are you going Uryu?" Ichigo asked as he finished his lunch.
"Actually Orihime already had convinced me earlier in the day. I mean after all we are in High School only once." Uryu said with obvious embarrassment at being swayed so easily but the cheerful orange haired girl.
"Awe man! Don't tell me its same with you Chad!" Ichigo said looking over at Chad for some much needed back up. Chad like usual was being fairly quiet listening to the conversation rather than starting one, looked over towards Ichigo with a slight shrug.
"Sorry Ichigo." Chad said, causing Ichigo to let out a groan as the school bell then rung loudly, letting everyone know that it was time for the last period of the day.
"Hey Rukia, since your going to the dance later did you want to come with me after school dress shopping?" Orihime suggested happily with a smile.
"Yeah sure, I'd love to." Rukia said returning Orihimie's smile, though for some reason after taking a quick glance towards Ichigo found herself feeling a bit let down that he would not be there.
Though as she always did, she quickly shoved these confusing feeling towards the back of her head with a small laugh.
"Ta-Da! What do you think Rukia?" Orihime said as she spun in a quick circle wearing a wide smile. As she stepped out of the medium sized dressing room of the dress store and she and Rukia were currently shopping in, wearing a beautiful pink halter dress that went a couple inches lower than her knees.
"Oh wow Orihime that one looks great on you! I think you should get that one." Rukia said with an honest smile.
Orihime really is beautiful, and kind hearted I can see why most boys like her. She obviously really likes Ichigo, I don't understand why Ichigo doesn't like her. Rukia thought to herself getting lost in thought. Not even hearing Orihime calling her name, until she actually reached out and taped her on the shoulder looking a bit concerned.
"Rukia? Are you feeling okay? I found a dress that I think will look good on you." Orihime said handing Rukia a pretty red strapless dress.
"Oh I'm sorry Orihime I was just spacing out, I'll go try this on!" Rukia said as she took the dress and entered the dressing room to change.
"Wow! Rukia you look really pretty!" Orihime said excitedly as Rukia felt herself feeling a bit embarrassed. The red strapless dress that Orihime fit her perfectly hugging to her small curves, her short black hairstyle riveled the red dress making her stand out even more.
"Your right, I really like it." Rukia said as she turned and looked at herself in the dressing room mirror, with a smile. It had been a long time since she had worn such a formal dress and it felt nice.
I wonder what Ichigo would think if he saw me wearing this?...Ugh! No! Rukia don't think like that you and Ichigo are just close friends, always have been always will be nothing more! Rukia thought to herself turning away from her reflection, shaking her head at her thoughts as she then closed the stall door and began changing back.
"Uh..Hey Rukia do you think Ichigo will change his mind and decide to come to the dance tonight?" Orihime asked Rukia looking concerned. After they both had purchased their dresses and were now walking back to their respective homes, or in Rukia's case Ichigo's closet.
"I'm not sure, you know Ichigo he's always so stubborn!" Rukia said with a laugh, trying to make Orihime feel better.
"Yeah, well I'll see you in a few hours at the dance tonight!" Orihime said with a smile.
"Okay see you later Orihime!" Rukia said as they both waved goodbyes to each other and went their separate ways.
A couple hours later, In the Kurosaki household...
"Hey Rukia! If you don't hurry up your going to be late to that dance you so badly want to go to!" Ichigo in a slightly insulting though mostly joking way, as he knocked on the bathroom door.
Feeling quite thankful that his dad, Yuzu, and Karin were out of the house at the moment, since the last thing he wanted to do was have to sit through another one of Rukia's made up sob stories about how she had no where go.
"Okay I'm ready, well what do you think Ichigo?" Rukia said in her normal playful tone, stepping out of the bathroom.
Ichigo felt taken aback as his eyes looked over Rukia, feeling blush spread across his face. She was wearing the red strapless dress that she had bought with Orihime, it reaching a little lower than her knees. The dress itself fitting her a bit snug, showing off the curves that she did have while her short black hair hung loosely.
She looks incredible. Ichigo thought to himself as his eyes met with Rukia's causing them to both blush slightly, as he realized that he had been staring. Though of coarse he didn't tell her that out loud.
"Uh Rukia don't you think thats a bit much for a school dance?" Ichigo asked trying hard not to continue to stare at her and instead find something else to look at.
"No Orihime said it looked just fine, afterall it is a formal dance idiot." Rukia said obviously not fond of Ichigo's comment about how she looked, or at least his audible one that is.
"When does this dance end anyway?" Ichigo asked with a sigh as he and Rukia walked back into his bedroom. Rukia preparing to leave outside of his window as she always did when entering and leaving Ichigo's house.
"Uryu said that it ends somewhere around 10:30 so its not that long, You really should just go Ichigo." Rukia said as she hoped out of the window in a flash leaving Ichigo alone in his room to consider what she said.
Damn it, I really do hate dressing up... Ichigo thought to himself with a sigh of defeat as he walked over to his closet, not even caring as he stepped on a sleeping Kon on the way there.
The Dance was decorated quite nicely though it was hard to tell with all of the nights off except for a couple of decoratives that lite up the room to the point where you wouldn't be dancing in pitch black darkness. It was already pretty late into the dance as most of the students who attended Katakura High were busy dancing in the middle of the gym floor.
Rukia herself sitting at one of the tables drinking some punch as she took a break from all the dancing that she had been doing with Orihime. Who actually got tired and decided to leave the dance early before it ended, though Rukia getting a strong feeling that the orange haired girl would of stayed if a certain Soul Reaper had shown up.
"Hey I thought the whole reason why you wanted to go to this stupid thing was so that you could dance. Where is everybody else?"
Rukia heard a very familiar voice say, grinning as she turned around to see Ichigo standing behind her. Wearing a formal white button up shirt as well as a loose fitting red tie around his neck.
"Oh uh- Orihime left early and I still haven't seen Uryu or Chad around." Rukia said getting up from her chair, about to suggest they just leave the dance when suddenly a slow song came on causing her to lose her train of thought.
"Ugh..." Rukia began awkwardly not really knowing if Ichigo would want to dance with her or not. As she looked around nervously as everyone in the room automatically began pairing up.
"Come on, you want to dance right?" Ichigo said surprising Rukia as he held out his hand to her. Though with his head slightly turned away from her in hopes that she could not see the blush that was spreading across his face.
"Y-yeah sure" Rukia said a slightly nervous smile spreading across her face as she took Ichigo's hand and allowed him to guide her to where all the couples were dancing.
Rukia had always knew that she was shorter than Ichigo, but dancing with him made it even more obvious. As she rested her hands gently on his shoulders, while Ichigo's hands were safely on her hips. The two of them swaying back and fourth on the crowded dance floor silently, as they both wore obvious blushes on their faces not use to being so close to each other.
"Hey, Ichigo why did you decide to come?" Rukia questioned breaking the silence between them, as their eyes both met.
"I-uh-I got bored and decided that I should at least come and check it out. Since you all wanted me to go so badly." Ichigo said as he glanced about the room, not wanting to admit to Rukia or himself that she in fact was the reason he changed his mind.
"Well I'm glad you did." Rukia thought outloud causing Ichigo to turn and look down at her, with a look of surprise in his eyes.
Though before Rukia could explain and try to cover for herself, the couple in front of them stepped back abruptly knocking Rukia right into Ichigo arms. Their eyes wide as both of their lips crushed into each others in a deep kiss.
Ichigo and Rukia's hearts were beating wildly as they looked at each for only a minute before both of their eyes suddenly closed, not breaking their accidental kiss. Ichigo suddenly winding his arms around Rukia's waist pulling her closer to himself deepening the kiss, while Rukia with a slight smile against his lips wrapped her arms around his neck.
After what seemed like an endless amount of time that went by, the two of them finally pulled apart. Both of them very red in the face as they looked each other in the eyes, Rukia being the first one to speak.
"Ichigo I-"
Though before she could finish her sentences, he pulled her into a hug.
"I'm glad your back Rukia." Ichigo said seriously, as he continued to hug the petite soul reaper who had changed his life.
"I'm glad to be back." Rukia said smiling in agreement.
The two of them standing in the middle of the gym, as the music continued play on into the night.
Phew! this actually took me quite awhile to finish typing! So I do hope that you liked it, as well as please do REVIEW! and favorite:D Compliments, Constructive Criticism, and Suggestions are always welcomed and appreciated~
Thanks again for reading!