I'm going to get right into it, so...
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, if I did I'd totally make Renji quit smoking. It's his only flaw. (You can obviously tell my life revolves around Renji. He's my favorite character next to Rukia, Yoruichi, Kaien, and Soifon )

"Baka..."

"THE HELL YOU CALL ME!?" Ichigo tossed his desk upside down and glared into his classmate's eyes.

"Baka..."

"SAY IT AGAIN, ISHIDA! I FRIGGIN' DARE YA!!!!" The two teenagers were now nose to nose.

Ishida stood up out of his chair and stood in an offensive stance. "Ba!-umph."

Chad had stepped into the scenario; with his left hand, he had stuffed a sandwich into Ishida's mouth. With his right hand, he cupped Ichigo's snarling face.

"Ishida, eat your sandwich. Ichigo, sit down."

The three boys were in the empty classroom, eating their lunch. It had been about two weeks since Renji's death, and twelve days since anybody in Karakura had last seen Rukia.

The reason Ichigo and Ishida had been shouting foolish words down each other had absolutely no good point. They were just trying their best to keep the sound going.

Because that was all they were able to do.

Laughter was always told to be the best medicine when a sad situation had come up, but laughter was too far away right now, and they did their best by just making noise. Any kind of noise, actually. They needed something to fill in the silence, even if it was just some random shouting or foolish words. Anything worked besides silence.

Because, right now, silence felt too close to mourning.

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"Fascinating..." Tatsuki rubbed her thumb against her chin, thinking. "Chicken Pox, you say. I didn't know people still get it. It must be really bad for her to be gone this long."

"Yup, poor Kuchiki-san. I told her to get her vaseline shot.

"Vaccine shot, Orihime."

Having lunch alone underneath a tree, Orihime felt secure. Tatsuki was her best friend, and being alone with her felt nice. And even more, because Tatsuki didn't know so much about Soul Society, she never brought it up, and that was what Orihime needed right now.

"Choco-fish paste for your rice, Tatsuki?" She generously pushed the box into her friends face.

Orihime was still getting used to the fact of Renji not being present. She hadn't known him well. They hardly ever talked. But Renji was always with the crew, tagging along and talking vigorously with Kurosaki-kun. Orihime knew she had taken him for granted, and when he was no longer there, it felt so awkward.

Like the emptiness of the gap when your tooth comes out, she thought in analogy.. It was a silly way to compare the situation, but it felt like exactly that. It would take a long time until she got used to it.

"Eheheheh... no thanks, Orihime. What ever happened to Abarai-san?"

"He got accepted to that school in America."

"Oh."

Saying those words stung. Orihime had never tried to hide a death before. It felt like she had murdered someone, and was hiding the body.

Oh how burdening...

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Under the Sakura tree in the park, she heard the distant bell of the school. Her eyes glittered in excitement. Getting up, she patted the dirt away off her yellow sundress and walked to the middle school, ignoring the loud ringing of her katana phone. She grinned with a combination of colorlessness and insanity. The girl took out a note from her pocket and analyzed it. Finally she spoke, "This must be it."

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"Damn." The captain flipped his phone in as much frustration as he let show. He got up and dialed the number again. Byakuya was leaning against the wall, watching the silver-haired man pace around the room.

"Ukitake, she's not picking up?"

"Not at all. This is serious. I'm not sure what I can do. If Rukia-chan reaches Kurosaki... I'm not sure..." Ukitake's voice faded out and reached for deep thought.

"Call again. If not, I'll handle it."

"How will you?"

Kuchiki looked up at the ceiling for a minute, thinking. "Kisuke is in a few distances from the Kurosaki Medical Center. I'll contact him." As he was about to leave the office, Ukitake's voice caught up with him.

"Byakuya... she's your sister. You must know her most. So I thought I should ask the question to you... do you think she'll stay like this?"

Ukitake then stayed silent, waiting for a reply. He wasn't sure if he had asked his question correctly. He felt a few seconds of relief that Yakut had answered, but as he continued on with his answer, the sicked man felt ashamed that he had opened his mouth.

"Taichou," Byakuya began, "thank you for thinking I'm the one to be asked that question." He turned to his friend.

"But I must tell you, Jushiro. I have no right to answer that question. The people who have known Rukia-chan the most... who can answer that and help her..."

Ukitake's eyes widened. He realized where the answer was going at. He finished the sentence for the 6th division captain.

"Are all... dead?"

Byakuya kept quiet, and then continued on walking. "I'm calling Urahara."

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Ichigo breathed in the cherry blossoms as he walked pass them. Strolling through the Sakuras gave him the genuine feeling of serenity he hadn't felt for a long time. It was peaceful, but too quiet for him, so he had his Kana-S on and had one earphone pocketed in his ear. It was on so loud he almost didn't hear her voice.

"I missed you..."

Ichigo's eyes dilated and he turned his head sharply. "R..Rukia..."

It was her. It was Rukia. Ichigo smiled and watched the as the wind had slowly swayed her hair and dress.

"I can't believe it." he said quietly. The shinigami grinned and tucked one side of her hair behind her ear.

"You should." She said. There was a distance between them, but Rukia broke it when she started running to Ichigo, and hugged him tightly. Ichigo, without any hesitation, embraced her.

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"Nee...NEE-SAN!!" Kon's mouth dropped to the floor as Ichigo opened the door to his room and let Rukia in. "NEE-SAN! I missed you so much!! Do you know how horrible this stupid boy's been treating me without you?!? I missed you and your relaxing valleys!!" Kon attempted his infamous valley plunge, but stopped in midair.

"N-Nee-san? This is the exact distance where you're supposed to kick me..." Rukia laughed and grabbed a paw of Kon's, shaking it lightly.

"Hehe, It's nice to see you too, Kon." She walked away toward Ichigo, still leaving Kon suspended in the air. The plushie whispered in a shocked voice, "This must be some new level of sarcasm..." and then dropped to the floor.

Ichigo smiled at Rukia, and Rukia smiled back. The tiny girl tilted her head and observed, "You look different. You're smiling more."

The boy leaned against his desk with his arms folded loosely., "I'm just glad that you're here. You just couldn't believe how awkward the week had been without you..and..."

Ichigo looked up at Rukia's face, concerned if he had hit an emotional nerve by saying so. He first felt at ease when Rukia didn't seem affected, but there was also something in her expression that puzzled him so much. It happened to be a look she had never given him before. She was smiling at him, but it wasn't one of those friendship smiles, it seemed...

deeper.

And although Ichigo liked it, he felt awkward. Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Damn it, Rukia. I think you did something to me." He joked and laughed nervously. The look was still in Rukia's smile.

"I happen to do that a lot." she teased.

Ichigo then realized where he had seen it before.

The human expression Ichigo had just seen in Rukia was the face of girl classmates in his Junior High. He had seen many girls give him that look; the girls who giggled a lot and constantly asked Ichigo what he was doing the following night. And although Rukia was less girly and was the least person to ever giggle...

Ichigo had matched her expression and concluded Rukia was... adoring him.

And of course, Ichigo, who had a problem of thinking out loud, accidentally poured his thoughts into dialog..

"You look like you're in love, Rukia." he let out. Ichigo's body tensed when he heard what he was saying. And he felt amazingly stupid. Damn it, he thought.

Rukia's smile flushed out of her face, and instead was replaced by surprise and wonder. As Rukia began to blush, she unlatched the eye contact she had with him and looked around. She found Kon on the floor, again with his jaws dropped onto the floor.

"Nee...san..."

Rukia turned away from Ichigo, but turned back just as quickly and placed her hands on his chest. Ichigo tightened his body and uncurled his hands, but leaving them in total confusion of where to put them. Rukia looked down but found her way to Ichigo's eyes. "I'm sorry I took so long to realize it."

Did she really say that? This couldn't be happening. But just in case it was, he decided to make the best of it.

"Kon, get out of the room."

Rukia smiled and pressed her lips with Ichigo's, who returned the kiss much more passionately.

So this was what Rukia tasted like, Ichigo thought.

She tasted amazing.

He felt his arms wrap around her waist, and Rukia's hands had climbed up and grasped his orange hair, a corner of Ichigo's mouth smirked, and deepened the kiss even more. Rukia responded by parting her lips.

When they finally separated, they were gasping for air, and Ichigo breathed out, "I love you, Rukia." There was a smirk on Ichigo's face; and he was sure it wouldn't get off his face anytime soon. But that was before she had said,

"I love you too, Renji."

I didn't notice how painful it is to actually write a multi-chapter. Teehee, it feels weird. Third chapter is coming up, hopefully I'll update faster. Thank you! Also Happy Valentine's Day!