Wow. Sorry guys, I have no idea where my brain is these days. I haven't been updating on my stories of late because I (1) have been too busy with exams and school stuff, (2) have no idea what to write for anything, and finally (3) have been too absorbed in the storyline of the actual Bleach and Naruto manga. Please don't kill me.

First oneshot I've ever written. I was browsing on deviantART, and this fanart of Ichigo and Rukia in the rain caught my eye, by Shabaku. The link will be pasted into my profile shortly. For those who can't be bothered, the artwork is called IchiRuki .:Rain:.

So, getting on with it. I'm going away for three weeks tomorrow, and I'll be frantically writing Crimson Ties content for you. Until then...

On with the show!


Rain


The rain fell, pelting and wet (well, der), as Ichigo and Rukia stood side by side, waiting for the bus to come. They were outside the Karakura shopping centre, after meeting up with the others. Ichigo had curfew due to the onslaught of homework that he wouldn't end up doing anyway, and Rukia had opted to come back with him instead of staying at the shopping centre. Why, he had no idea.

She was looking dry and pristine. There was a lot of difference between their appearances. His green hoodie was pulled up over his head, and his face was stretched into an annoyed look.

The reason for his irritation was the fact that Rukia had an umbrella and was refusing to let him under it.

He really shouldn't be surprised, he knew; Rukia was inconsiderate and incredibly egotistical. But right now? She was just rubbing it in his face.

"You could let me below that umbrella too, you know," he sniped, peering down at her through the sheets of icy water that were now coming down more persistently.

"I know," Rukia quipped, grinning evilly.

Ichigo rolled his eyes; had he been expecting another answer? No.

"Oi, midget."

Rukia's head whipped around so fast Ichigo was positive it would spin right off. He smirked as she glared at him, violet eyes flashing in fury.

"I am NOT a MIDGET!"

Ichigo shook his head, his wet orange hair flopping around his eyes as he chuckled. She was so easy to provoke.

"Ichigo…" Rukia said quietly, still glaring at him with what she thought was a terrifying look in her eyes.

"What, Rukia?"

"I hate you."

"Why? I haven't even done anything to you… yet."

"What? I—! Ichi—! That's… um… pfft."

"Rukia?"

"What?"

"What were you going to say?"

Silence.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Kuchiki."

Rukia spluttered, quickly turning red, her mouth opening and closing and her fists balled as if she would like nothing better than to punch the living daylights out of him.

Ichigo caught her right fist in his left hand as she made to hit whatever part of him she could reach, which wasn't much. As the impact that she had applied went flying out the theoretical window, she fell towards him. The umbrella broke from her loosened fingers as she threw out her hands to catch her fall.

Ichigo caught her easily, pulling her back upwards so their bodies were very, very close together. Rukia was quickly getting soaked to the skin with the loss of her high-and-mighty umbrella, and she wrapped her arms around her torso, watching as her blue sweater darkened with the rain.

"So, you were thinking about…?"

Rukia shook her head so fast that her hair whipped around to slap her in the cheek. "I was not!"

Ichigo snickered at her antics, then leaned closer.

"If you weren't, why such a defensive reaction?"

Rukia froze in her head-shaking, stilled by Ichigo's closeness, her breath catching in her throat as his own breath brushed past her ear, close as they were to each other.

Ichigo looked down at her, admiring the way the blush raced across the pale skin of her petite face, how her violet eyes were flickering around, focusing on anything but him, until they both heard the roar of a large engine coming down the road.

"The bus," Rukia breathed.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Oh, really?

As the bus pulled up in front of them, and as the doors swung open, the bus driver glared down at them.

"Well, come on, kids — why are you just standing there in the rain?"

Rukia was the first to move — shaking her head, she ran to the bus door and leapt inside, paying quickly and heading to the back to sit down, huffing in irritation.

Ichigo sauntered after her, paying for his ticket and then sitting down in the seat in front of Rukia.

Needless to say, it was an awkward trip home.


There we go! I'm satisfied... are you? This was fun to write; I've never gotten inspiration from a fanart before. A lot of people write fanfiction and THEN they do fanart based on the fanfiction, not the other way around. But I thought this was really cool to do.

xoxo

Sharana