So here is Chap. 2! Enjoy, R&R, no flaming!

I read all your comments! Thanks so much for the support!

A correction for chapter 1, it was a typo when I said Rukia was 5 ft. 7 in., I meant to put 5ft. exactly. I know that she is between 4ft. 7 in – 4ft. 11 in. but to make it a little more realistic and for the height distance between her and Ichigo to NOT be that big…even though it is, We´ll make her an inch taller. XD Anyways please review! I love to see what you guys have to say! :D

See you in a few days!

Chapter 2 – Crescento

Music fills every empty void that man himself creates, nothing else; unless that something is another human's physical, sincere love. Her fingers worked, each brush stroke fell on the canvas soft and airy, like caressing your lover`s cheek after a night of fulfillment. Rukia's violet eyes worked over the large canvas like a man over a woman`s curves, biting her lip she stared at the shape that was taking form and sighed. Nothing was coming out right.

Ukitake-sensei looked at the canvas, this girl could be great but something was off. Since she graced him with her presence two years ago, Rukia never reached her peak. It seemed as if she was stuck in an ever repeating moment in her life. He knew that, SHE knew that but the solution to that everlasting problem seemed so far off in the horizon that she hadn´t bothered to look for an answer. In Ukitake's perverse mind, she need to get laid and, just to put it out there, this was very much true. Yet what Ukitake didn´t know is that Rukia just didn´t want to fall in love, have a relationship or even have any sort of physical contact with another human being. Unless he could find her a suitable male human, she was only digging, the hole she was stuck in, deeper.

She looked behind her and stared back at her teacher, yet her eyes where empty –like most days-, yet he saw a small spark of confusion in her eyes, as if she had met someone or witness something but he just couldn´t put his finger on it. Turning his back to her, the teacher walked off looking at other students' work. Rukia's eyes gazed out of the window, the lake looked like the ocean, specifically the Pacific Ocean. The last one was very near her heart, growing up in a small fishing island off the south east coast of Japan, she had grown accustomed to the chilly breeze and sun bleached hair. Now living in the States, the only city that reminded her of the hot summers and down to the bone cold winter was Chicago, this place has become her home since…since that moment when life had actually made sense, but all of that was gone now, stripped from her life.

The soft beat and electronic sounds filled her ears, it was loud enough to block out the noise of brush meeting canvas, the repeating sound of tapping that the rain made against the window and, especially, her own thoughts. Closing her eyes, a sudden image popped into her conscious, orange hair and brown eyes. Opening them she jerked straight, surprise and confusion painting over her soft features. Looking at the canvas she grabbed a fine tip brush and dipped into a bottle of black ink, grazing the surface she began gliding the brush, drawing; stroke by stroke, fine lines. Turning again towards the window, she wondered what he was doing.

Ooooooooo::::ooooooooO

-Fuck! - Laying the pencil down, Ichigo looked at the piece of paper, no way in hell what this happening, his eyes moved over the notebook paper. Being a Literature major, writing seemed like second nature to him, but today something was in the back of his mind, bothering him, making him write something completely deviating from his original idea. Ichigo took the paper in both hands and raised it over his head, falling back on his chair, he read over the lines.

Oh sweet! Come to me,

Make me a fool of thy heart,

Glaze me with the finest gold,

I will surrender to your will. (…)

HE was NOT a romantic, far from it. Yet today, after Ishida and Renji had left, his mind filled with itself with nonsense, in other words or, to be specific one word, love. Having left that for the imbeciles, like Renji –poor guy he just could catch a break-, Ichigo liked to appreciate life, nature, and some other bori- (cough) interesting subjects when writing poetry. Throwing the piece of paper onto the floor, he closed his eyes, sighing Ichigo stood up from his bed and walked over to the window, the rain just didn´t seem to stop, his heart filled with sadness, despair. –No!- he yelled inside of his head and shook his face side to side, as if to get rid of the emotions, emotions that made him weak, feelings that he did not want to feel right now.

-Windy City, my ass! More like Rainy city!- as a smirk crossed his lips, another thought started to form in his mind, yet, just then as if Destiny wanted to play him a joke, he saw a red beanie and forest green anorak. But they were soaked, so much so that the vibrant red that he had seen this morning was now crimson; her coat was also dark and soaked with rain water. Through the rain streaked windows, Ichigo swore he could see her shiver. Her skinny form walked faster, her legs trying to dance around the drops of water, but the steps were wobbly; like a tiny dancer learning a new choreography. His gaze narrowed, observing and then she was out of sight, having gone into the building, -Finally- the orange head thought.

Upon closing the door behind her, Rukia shook with cold. Her breathing shallow and her body slouching, loosing strength; lifting her head, Rukia stared at the stairs. The old factory had a lift but it had been broken for three years now and, since she had no knowledge of an existing landlord, no one bothered to fix it. A sigh left her small mouth, dragging her feet; tote bag in tow, she could feel the wetness under her feet, the soles of her old sneakers had surrendered to the nasty and odd weather that was like a plague in the city. Looking up, the stairs looked eternal. –No way in hell am I gonna make it, but I can´t stay here.- Just as she finished the thought, black spots started to fill her eye sight, blinking, trying to erase the small spots, Rukia's world shut down.

His slouching form was nothing but a shadow in the room. Ichigo sat on the couch, having moved there after hearing the door close when she had finally made her way into the building. Though deep in thought, his senses where still sharp and a sudden realization made its way into his mind, Ichigo hadn't heard any type of step like sounds making their way up and then down the hallway. Maybe he should go and check up on her, or maybe she was checking her mail. –Shit! Why do I even care? She doesn`t even like me…but then again she should have already come upstairs.- his brisk change of positions from being seated to suddenly standing up, made an old injury in the back of his left calf hurt, forgetting the pain he made his way towards the door.

The hand on the door knob hesitated, fighting between turning it and just going back to his previous melancholic position. Finally, his hand moved and the door opened, letting cold air into the loft, he shuttered with the cold breeze that touched over his naked arms, having only been wearing a light V-neck shirt and light wash skinny jeans, the chill took over his body. Grabbing his cardigan from the hook beside the door, he pulled it on and then put his feet inside the old Chucks. Ichigo looked at, from side to side, the bare hall; now free of boxes and other household items, it was filled with deadly silence. Stepping out into said hallway, he closed the door behind him; the small thud sound as it closed broke the gray atmosphere.

Ichigo walked past door after door, wondering what was taking her so long. His steps were loud, fast then coming into the foyer he looked around not seeing anyone. –But I saw her… - his though process what caught off as he saw a small figure on the floor, bottles of paint and brushes had rolled on the ground, her dark raven black hair draped over her paper white face, a blue hue played over her soft features. Stepping fast towards her, Ichigo dropped on his knees and lift her, once again noting her slight weight.

"Rukia! Yo, Rukia! Wake up! Come on!" Lightly slapping her cheek, he tried to wake her up, but to no avail. She seemed to be knocked out cold, placing his palm against Rukia's forehead, Ichigo could tell a fever was starting to brew and the red lobster color feverish people seem to have, started to rise up on her overall body. "Damn it! Rukia! You need to wake up!" He exclaimed.

Her eyes slowly lifted open, blurry sight, she saw orange and then a pair of worried eyes staring down at her, "What do you want?" Rukia asked her voice hoarse.

"You were just lying here, are you O.K.?" Ichigo said to her, his words only above a whisper and concerned tainted each word. "I need you to try and get up, or else I'll have to give you a piggy-back ride," a small smirk formed.

Sorry to have to cut it short guys, I´ve been having a huge writer`s block and this is far as I could get, without writing something that I feel would be crappy. Anyways, I hope you like it so far, I`ll try to get chapter 3 up by the next few days :D

Much love! –Luccia. R&R