A/N: I'm back! Serious Ichigo/ Rukia fluff in this chapter! I'm still haven't come up with an actual plot for this fic but I'll just see where this takes me. Btw The tavern they're traveling to is more like a castle than a tavern but it still has the same style as a tavern of any noble would. I might switch between saying tavern and castle as the story goes on but keep in mind that it's the same thing in my fanfic. Like the one in Inuyasha: Castle Beyond the Looking Glass. Okay, let's see if you guys can figure out the mysterious yet familiar character in this chappy.
I Do, Stranger
Chapter 2: There's Hope For Us Yet
"Now this is much better. Fresh air is always the best cure for anxiety as sister always told me. I'll make it to the tavern on my own. Two days will be cake for me...Gah! I shouldn't have said that! I'm making myself hungry here! I was foolish enough to travel on my own without any money! Ichigo's foolishness is rubbing off on me!" she cried, holding her head in her hands.
She kept walking even long after her felt rough and terribly sore. She splashed in some nearby puddles, twirling around until she felt dizzy and she fell back onto the grass. Rukia spread her arms and legs wide as if she were making a snow angel. She blinked up at the sky, taking in her surroundings. The pollen from the daffodils, and daisies wafted to her as clear as day.
There was maple-syrup dripping onto the trunks of nearby trees. Red earth was warm, and moist to the soul. It was something she saw everyday but she had failed to noticed the beauty of it all 'till now. Rukia turned her head, and found a dandelion swaying gently against the breeze. She watched as it brushed against her nose, and then swirled around as if dancing. She plucked it, careful not to spill any of the seeds.
She stared at it intently. They say that if you could blow off each, and every seed on the flower, your deepest wish will come true. Closing her eyes, Rukia softly whispered the wish to herself. Without further adieu, she blew as hard as she could and watched the white seeds flutter around in the air rapidly, twirling through the trees and flowers. She picked herself up, warily and continued on her solitary journey to her new home.
Rukia wasn't sure how long she had traveled since the sun was now high above the sky. It was starting to get really hard for her to stand her growling stomach. She should've at least packed something if she was going to leave Ichigo.
'The fool is probably half-way there by now,' she thought sourly. 'With any luck, maybe he'll land himself in a ditch full of thorns.'
Outwardly, she grinned evilly at this all to pleasant thought of such an event happening to Ichigo.
"Leave us alone! We don't carry any money with us, really!"
Rukia halted her steps, startled to suddenly hear this. Where was it coming from? She searched around her, seeing a dirt road ahead of her and a steep hillside on her right. She crawled over to it, and peeked downward. She squinted but she still couldn't see anything. There was a muffled scream coming right from below, and quickly rising on all fours for a closer look, Rukia could see quick images of flesh scurrying below the canopy of clovered trees. Rukia sat down, sliding onto her feet of the dewy grass. She leaned forward and gravity-defy jumped into a tree from below.
She saw four people running up ahead, not too far from her. She jumped from tree to tree, her reiatsu burning silently around her.
"Please! Just stop!" cried a voice.
"What do those jerks think they're doing?" whispered Rukia.
She jumped down to the ground, and landed in a crouching position. Rukia reached out for her zanpakutou, realizing she had left it behind. She ran ahead at top speed and landed in a clearing, back to both girls.
"What? Two humans? Is that what all the commotion was about? Oh well, I can handle you guys wiithout the use of my zanpakutou."
"Mind your own business, girly. We came to collect our investment."
Rukia quirked an eyebrow at this. "Oh really?"
"Yeah, so step aside and let us finish our business."
"I don't think so."
"Step aside now if you know what's good for you!" one of them barked.
Rukia held her arm in front of the girl and her sister in defiance, showing them she would lend them her protection.
"As if I could leave them here with the likes of you," she muttered coldly.
She flashed unforgiving eyes towards them and postioned her hand over her in arm in front of her body.
"Kidoh Spell Number 33 Blue Fire!" she shouted, shooting sparks at them.
They backed away, hitting their clothes which were now lit with Rukia's fire.
"Shit! You really are a death god!!"
"That was a warning just now so if you don't back off, I might just have to finish you off mysefl."
The younger one appeared nervous all of a sudden, fiddling with the hilt of the sword in his hands. The older bandit stood his ground and held out his katana.
Rukia quirked an eyebrow at this. "Is that a challenge...?"
Without a word, he swung his katana high above him and attempted to slash her but she jumped over him, avoiding the blade completely. She smirked at him as she postioned herself for the fight. No...she would not use her spells for this fight. She had to rely on her own strength to rescue the girls. Rukia glanced quickly over to the sidelines to see that the girls were still with her, standing anxiously around.
"Hey! What're you two still doing here?! Go already!"
"Ano...um..."
"Pay attention!"
Rukia leaped backward, narrowling avoiding the blow. The bandit ran at her full speed with the intent to kill in his dark eyes. Rukia stretched her hand out, hitting his abdomen and weaved to the side. He gasped out, bending over and clutching his stomach. His eyes glazed over with fear as he turned to Rukia who regarded him calmly.
"What...what did you do to me...?"
"I merely hit a vital point. Watch yourself, " she whispered.
The bandit struck his katana at her but Rukia caught it in between her palms and held her ground. He glared at her as he tried pushing it down with all his might. Rukia pushed back, throwing him backward in the process. He caught himself in time, charging at her with his katana. Rukia weaved and bobbed out of his blows until she finally got close enough. She struck his chest before backflipping out of the way.
"What...?"
"The second pressure point. Here is the final vital point I have to hit."
She ran at him, palm out in front of her. The bandit reached her first and managed to cut her cheek. Rukia held her cheek for a moment, surprised he was even able to touch her. She looked down at the blood dripping onto her palm.
"Behind you!" shouted one of the girls.
Rukia ducked swiftly to the ground, kicking her leg out and knocked the bandit off his feet. When Rukia tried to rise to her feet, the bandit stuck his sword down on the hem of her kimono. She gritted her teeth as she glanced back at his wicked demeanor.
'No...I promised myself not to use kidoh on a human.'
She pulled her arms over her face and felt the cold rush of metal collide within her flesh. She screamed in agony as he pulled the katana out of her forearm. Rukia held her arm to her side, blood coming away at her touch. She winced as an unbelievable feeling of pain dominated her body. The bandit smirked down at her fallen form.
"Beat that...death god."
Rukia glared at him with all the strength she could muster. He kneeled down to her level, and placed his hand on her shoulders.
"Now that I take a good look at you, you're not bad looking especially while covered with your own blood. I hope you've learned something from this, wench. Women should learn their place," he whispered into her ear as he played with her hair.
Rukia shuddered at his touch and bowed her head to conceal her pain and disgust.
"Let go of her!" The older girl with the long, green hair and eyes began rushing over to them.
"Stay back!" shouted Rukia. At the sound of the other girl's voice, the bandit had turned his attention to her, leaving him wide open.
Rukia struck her palm over the bandit's eyes and quietly muttered, "The final vital point."
The bandit made a strangled noise as he fell onto his back. Rukia turned sharply to his accomplice and glared menacingly at him.
"You want the same to happen to you?" she threatened.
He took a shaking step backward and slowly shook his head, beads of sweat pouring down his forehead. Using the remainer of her strength, Rukia grasped the older bandit by the back of his kimono and threw him at the other bandit's feet. She watched as he picked the man up and carried him over his shoulder. Rukia sighed, cradling her arm against her torso. The green-haired girl walked closer to her and kneeled beside her.
"You're hurt so badly...and all for our sake," she whispered sadly.
Rukia smiled weakly at them. "You needn't worry. I'm a fast healer. These wounds are nothing."
"Please let us help you. It's the least we can do after you saved us."
Before Rukia could protest, the little pink-haired girl had wrapped her arm around her waist to support her. The green-haired one smiled pleasantly at Rukia as she lifted her arm over her own shoulder. Together, they carried Rukia off in opposite direction of the dirt road from above the hill and towards a village. They entered the hut and helped Rukia settled down into a rocking chair.
"We're late with introductions. My name is Sayuri and that is Keiko over there."
The little girl blinked innocently up at Rukia from her bonnet. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia. I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm indebted to you."
She bent her back to bow but Sayuri stopped her and shook her head, still smiling.
"There's no need for that. A guest is a guest and boy, it's been a while since we've had a guest over."
Rukia inclined her head. "Thank you."
Sayuri turned to Keiko. "Please get some clean bandages for her as well as some rubbing alcohol."
The little girl nodded and rushed off into the back room.
"That's a curious hat she's wearing. Did she get it from the Americas by chance?"
"Eh? Ah...yes. We travel alot and she recieved it as a gift."
"I see. "
"I've been thinking about it and your name, Kuchiki sounds really familiar. Are you from a noble's family?"
Rukia nodded. "Y-yes," she replied rather embarassed.
"I'm apart of one as well but it's easier to move around the way I do now so here we are. I adopted Keiko as my sister last year. She's a little shy for her age but she's a sweet child."
Rukia's eyebrows disappeared abover her ebony bangs. Why would she trust a stranger with something so secretive?
"So what's a noble's daughter doing way out here by herself? In her wedding dress no less?" she giggled.
"My so-called husband and I got into an arguement so I too off and told him to meet him at the castle."
"How far is your castle?"
"It's a two day journey but at the rate I'm going..." she trailed off.
"Would you like to spend the night if that's the case?"
"Oh, no! That's okay. I'm sure there's an inn somewhere I could -Oh no! " Rukia groaned.
"What's wrong?" Sayuri asked, panicked.
"I left my money with that baka! I'm the baka!" Rukia smacked herself repeatedly on the forehead. A tiny hand stopped her A twin pair of sapphire eyes peered up at her frm beneath her bonnet.
"Why don't you stay and have lunch with us? I helped make the rice."
Rukia smiled dwn at the sweet pnk-haired powderpuff. Real hard to say 'no' to that.
"I guess a quick bite couldn't hurt. Hold are you, Keiko-san?" she asked, smiling.
"I'll be six soon" she replied quietly but her eyes shown how proud she was of it.
"Six?! Wow, does this mean you have a betrothed yet?"
"Betrothed?"
Keiko looked towards Sayuri for an answer. Sayuri put her hand over her mouth to smother her giggles.
"No, no yet. She will one day though."
Keiko scrunched her face up in confusion. Her face froze all of a sudden and her eyes slowly began dilating.
"What's going on?"
"She's a psychic. Whoever she touches, she can tap into their future."
After a moment, her eyes came back into focus and she blinked.
"Keiko? Honey, what did you see? asked Sayuri, coming over to Keiko's side and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"There's danger. You and one other," she whispered, staring straight into Rukia's eyes.
"What kind of danger?" Rukia was really interested in what would be and leaned in closer to the little girl.
"A battle. Lots of bloodshed. You're going to lose your lover," her voice quaverered.
Rukia's eyes widened at hearing such information.
"Keiko!"
Sayuri wrapped her arms around Keiko's shivering form. Rukia sat there, helpless and unsure of what she should do.
"It's alright...it's alright." She began smoothing Keiko's hair down gently.
"Why don't you go play with Cupcake? Take your mind off things while I prepare lunch."
Keiko nodded, sniffing and excused herself.
"I'm so sorry about that. It seems I've upset her terribly. I should go." Rukia began to rise to despite her wounds but was pushed back down gently by Sayuri.
She kneeled down next to Rukia and began to tending to her forgotten wounds. Rukia winced as the alcohol in came in contact with her flesh.
"Please don't. This happens all the time. I'm afraid it's hardened Keiko somewhat. It's because she's a pyschic that none of the other children will play with her. It's the power she gets from being a hollow. I got her a kitten, hoping to lighten her spirits a bit."
"It must be hard on her to have had to endure for so long."
Sayuri nodded, dabbing at Rukia's arm. "Yes, it is. She's becoming stronger. She'll become stronger than I am one day. I wish she wouldn't try so hard not to cry in front of me. What she doesn't know is that crying replenishes the soul," Sayuri said this as she placed a hand over her heart.
Rukia nodded. "I was just like her once. No family or friends. I could never cry. I told myself I had to be the strong person because life could really be so much crueler."
"How are you doing now?" she asked as she continued wrapping her arm.
"I'm alright. If you exclude my husband."
Sayuri laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Not enjoying the honeymoon, I see."
"Oh, there's not gonna be one! In fact, I'm going to demand we get seperate rooms!"
"What's he like?" Sayuri asked, palms against her cheeks.
"He's stupid, brash, and an egomaniac. Nothing to tell really."
"Is he handsome?"
"Handsome?" Rukia pondered this for a moment. Did she think he was handsome. They had been quarreling so much, she hadn't stopped to notice this herself. His orange hair was exotic but it was clearly faded with split ends. His eyes hard, and brown. There was sorrow lerking behind those eyes of his that didn't seem to belong to him. The most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen. His anger really amused her to no end.
"Nope. Not at all," she decided.
"If it took you that long to answer," she giggled. She cut the end of the bandages, and secured her arm. She then switched to her injured cheek, hands in place.
"So...what's for lunch?" she asked sheepishly.
"You're gonna love it! I made bento with honey tea. I've been slaving all afternoon over it so you'd better like it! " she teased.
Rukia smiled up at her as she let Sayuri dab alcohol onto her cheek. She winced slightly but it didn't hurt as much as before.
"Hey! You with the face!" shouted Ichigo.
He was at a rest stop, seeing a man innocently eating takoyaki. He blinked at seeing the young death god.
"Huh? You mean me?"
"You see anyone else around?"
"Well, no but you called out for someone with a -
"Let's cut to the chase, have you seen a girl pass by here?"
"Why, yes I've seen several girls pass by here," he mocked him.
Ichigo's vein began throbbing dangerously. "She's really overweight with wiry hair. She has a revolting face, you can't miss her."
The man appeared puzzled by Ichigo's oh-so helpful description. "Um...no I don't think I've seen anyone like that pass by."
Ichigo sighed, deciding that maybe her real appearance would help. "Alright, then. She's about 4' 9 with a long strand of hair over her face. She also happens to be wearing a wedding dress."
"Ah, you mean that pretty girl who passed by earlier? I offered her some of my takoyaki but she declined."
"Where'd she go?"
"Oh, I'm guessing you must be the groom then. Trouble in paradise?" he grinned.
Ichigo growled lowly in the back of his throat, making the man shut up and get straight to the point.
"Ah...um I saw her walk straight up ahead and I saw her take a left down a deserted dirt road, said something about traveling to a castle. She was here about fourty minutes ago, you should be able to catch up to her with you death god speed."
"No shit. Thanks." He two-fingered waved him and shot out of there.
"Strange man..." He reached a hand into his lunch pack for another takoyaki stick but his hand only felt the bottom of the box.
"Eh??! He stole my takoyaki!"
"Mm...that was really good, Sayuri-san!"
Sayuri laughed softly. "I'm so glad you liked it."
Rukia then bent down to Keiko's level. "That rice was very delicious."
Keiko blushed in embarassment, playing with the hems on her yellow sleeves. "Ano...um that makes me really happy to hear that."
Rukia smiled sweetly at the little girl, smoothing her hair out. She then stood up. "It's been just great here. I hate to eat and run but I really need to find some place to camp before nightfall."
"A shame you can't stay longer but since you're also a noble, it looks like we'll be seeing eachother in the near future. Please do no forget us because we won't forget you."
Rukia smiled at them, endearingly. "Of course not. I'm so grateful to you both, you took such good care of me."
Sayuri reached over to shake her hand cheerily, Rukia bent down to shake little Keiko's hand. Before she turned to leave, Keiko tugged at Rukia's wedding kimono.
She had her eyes hidden behind her pink bangs, still holding onto her kimono.
"I like you, Rukia-san, so please be careful."
Rukia gasped at the last part but a soft smile overcame her features. She squeezed Keiko's shoulder gently.
"I will. You also have to promise that you'll be a lady the next time we meet up."
Keiko finally looked up at her, her eyes glistening with neverfalling tears. "I don't understand."
"It's alright if you don't. I'll be looking forward to seeing you both."
Rukia cast aside the bamboo-made curtain, and had left their sight.
'The sun is already setting. I could just continue onward for a few hours before nightfall and camp out.'
So that's how it was. She walked as long as she was able, her eyes straying to countryside's scenery. Either way she looked, she could see people working in their fields. A few stopped work to wave at her in which she returned her wave kindly. She hit her arm, forgetting it was the injured one and winced. She had felt a mosquito on her and acted without thinking. She hugged her arm to her body.
'If Ichigo were to see me now, I wonder if he would react with mockery or pity. Most likely chance that he'll respond with the first," she thought bitterly.
'My arm should heal in a few days without him noticing anything wrong with my behavior. He's the last person I want to see me in such a weakened state. It's not as though I should care what he thinks of me either way but...'
She stopped walking as she recalled her sister Hisana's sage old wise words. 'Always hold your head up high and never forget that at the end of every tunnel, a light is waiting.'
Or something like. 'Hisana may have been wise beyond her years but this arranged marriage could never work. Strangers were always meant to stay strangers and nothing else. Even in the world of the Soul Society, just like those bandits, evil truely exists among us because humans and deathgods are all very selfish. There are those of us who only think of ourselves and would never even look twice at someone who looked unworthy. That's exactly how I've felt since Ichigo and I married.'
'Somehow I have to find some kind of loophole in our marriage contract. I hear a couple can't divorce until after eight months but even then I would completely disgrace Nii-sama and the entire Kuchiki clan.'
Rukia groaned to herself, seeing as she had run into a dead end with the whole marriage thing. She walked onward, holding her arm numbly to her side. She grinned to herself when she saw a large apple orchard up ahead. Using her mobile hand, she stretched her arm up to snatch up an apple. She smiled, spit-shining it and rubbed it against her dress. She took a hearty bite out of it, and grabbed three more the road.
She continued on her solitary journey to the castle, quietly munching on her apple. 'I wonder...does feeling lonely and being lonely mean the same thing? I'm not saying I miss Ichigo but while I was still with him, there was never a dull moment between us. Too bad he has to have such a rotten attitude. No wonder his father actually got desperate enough to wed him off,' she scoffed, crunching loudly into her apple.
Rukia headed into a clover of trees where she found a clearing big enough for her to rest in. She pulled a log out from the bushes and ate, her eyes searching for heavenward. For what? She didn't know. She dragged took off her slippers for a moment, revealing the feet that Sayuri had taken the liberty of bandaging after seeing her horredous blisters.
'It doesn't feel as though I've repayed them despite saving them. I'll have to make it up to them next time,' she decided.
She heard a loud roar that sent her to her feet. She whipped her head around to face the hollow charging at her. Rukia could see the tree branches come away as the enormous body of the ful-fledged hollow came bounding towards her. She reached her arm over to take out her katana but sighed in exasperation as she remenbered her katana was back with Ichigo. Instead, she positoned her hand over her arm and prepared a kidoh spell as the hollow advanced closer and closer.
"Kidoh Spell, Number 100 Red Fire!" she shouted.
Hot red flashes of fire flew from her finger tips, zapping the hollow instaneously. It growled even louder for its wounds and ran at Rukia in a blind rage. Rukia jumped up over it, arms crossed over head, wind whipping at her hair.
"Kidoh Spell, Number 33 Blue Fire!"
Blue flashes cut at the hollow's sickly flesh, blood spilling out everywhere. It struck its scaly tail out at Rukia's face, and she fell down to earth. Rukia gripped her aching arm, half-wincing, half-crying in pain. She ran on ahead, hoping to lead the hollow off a cliff and far away from the village she had passed an hour ago.
"Kidoh Spell, Number 33 Blue Fire!" She fired spell after spell, not stopping to breath once.
Just as it seemed that she was wearing the hollow down, the game turned the table's on her. Rukia's ankle twisted around, making a sickening sound as Rukia's body suddenly gave way under a sinkhole. Her scream could be heard all around the forest as her body came in contact with the hard ground. She backed away towards the shadows, clinging onto the long roots from the walls of the sinkhole. She could hear the loud, angry steps of the hollow as it approached the area.
'No...I can't...hide my reiatsu. Concentrate,' she urged herself. She slammed her eyes closed, beads of sweat running down her forehead.
She could now see the mask of the hollow as it leered down into the sinkhole. It's slitted eyes searched below, though Rukia wasn't sure whether it could see her in the shadows. Rukia suddenly heard a yell from above, watching a bankai come into view and slice right through the hollow. She could see flashes of black but other than that everthing was a blur. For quite some time, all she could hear from above was incoherent shouting and the sound of a blade running through the hollow's hide. When things finally settled down, Rukia risked looking up. A large shadow figure was blocking the setting sun above her. With one leap, he had landed beside her.
Rukia's eyes widened at seeing Ichigo's ragged form, holding the bloody bankai. He was breathing harshly as he stared at her, hand on the hilt on his bankai.
"Ichigo...w-what're you doing here?" she gasped out.
He regarded her for a moment his bankai rewrapping itself of its own accord. "Baka...what do you think?"
Rukia looked away. "Seriously, what're you doing here? You should be on your way to your castle."
"It's our castle now. And shouldn't I be asking you the same question? Look at you! You're all torn up, baka!"
He had risen to his feet in rage, towering over her small form. Rukia gripped the wall under one hand as she tried to stand and throw something back at him. Her legs gave wave underneath her, hitting the rough earth. She winced, remenbering that her ankle had gotten hurt during the fall. Ichigo's tense shoulders sagged, and his eyes softened at Rukia.
He sighed in exasperation as he bent back down to her level. "Hold your foot out."
"I don't need your help!" she hissed. She tried once again standing on her feet, but she slipped off the wall.
Ichigo stuck his arm out and let her fall against it. He glanced down at her with an 'oh really?' look in his eyes. Rukia's cheeks flushed in embarassment at this. He clamped his hands down on her shoulders, and forced her back down.
"Hold your foot out," he ordered.
Rukia moved her foot away from him stubbornly. "It's fine, " she ground out.
"Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that but the sooner someone looks at it, the faster it'll heal. Hold your foot," he said more gently this time.
After looking at him for a long moment, she moved her foot closer to his knee. Ichigo placed his thumb and forefinger under her ankle, turning it left and right.
"Well...it's not broken. Just fractured I think. We'll have a professional look at it when we get to the inn."
'Together?' she pondered incredulously.
"Well of course together, baka. You think I came all the way out here to slay hollows for my own enjoyment?"
"H-how did you-
"I've advanced far enough in my demon magic that I'm capable of hearing other people's thoughts."
He began tearing at the hem of his hakama to make strips for bandages. He smoothed them out on his lap before wrapping them around Rukia's ankle as gentlly as he could.
Rukia's cheeks flushed in admiration. "Y-you're kind of good at this, aren't you?"
He looked up at her cherry face. "Huh? Oh, yeah. After Karin and Yuzu kept getting all sorts of cuts and bruises from playing, I asked our clan healer to teach me."
"Your sisters...? Those were the two little girls at the wedding, right? I never got to meet them."
"You will. You guys have alot in common."
"Ehh? We do?"
"Well for one, you're both pains in the ass. Second; you're always getting hurt. Third; I'm always gonna be there to bandage you up."
Rukia's eyes widened. 'Wha? He can't really mean that last part. That's sounds so un-Ichigo.'
"I have a nice side too, ya know. You're just too stubborn," he pointed.
"What the- You read my mind again?!"
"That and you're just so easy too read...darling," he whispered into her ear.
Rukia pulled her head away from him. "Bastard."
"Oh stop," he said smiling as though complimented. He smirked at her before turning his back and crouching down.
"...What?"
"You're awfully slow, aren'tcha? Get on, baka! I don't have all day!"
"Urusai! I'm going, sheesh!" She crept onto his back and before she was settled in properly, Ichigo had already taken flight.
"Oi! What the hell, Ichigo?! What the hell?!" she screeched.
Ichigo was laughing non-stop at her reaction, his hands slipping behind her knees to support her.
"Relax. Dad would have my head if I ever let you fall."
"Whatever," she muttered, sitting erect and refusing to lean on his shoulders.
"Will you quit being so stubborn and lay your head down?! I don't care either way but this might be a longer ride than I thought. Anyway, I promised my driver to make it to inn."
He grabbed the back of Rukia's head with his hand and forced her head down on his shoulder despite her protest. She finally gave in and buried her face in his back, gripping his shoulders tightly.
'It'll never work...strangers oughtta remain strangers. Why should I cooperate with this guy and be a submissive wife? I'll hang myself before that.'
'Mind if I watch?'
She was surprised when she could hear Ichigo's voice inside her head. He turned to look at her over his shoulder, grin in place.
"Will you quit that?"
"Why? I love watching your get freaked."
"There are just somethings I don't want you knowing."
"Like what?" he smirked.
"Okay, now you're just being perverted."
He shrugged. "If it's something you don't want me to hear, that's all I can suspect."
"I'm so sure," she said sarcastically. "Anyway, just don't do it anymore."
"Why should I? It's fun for at least one of us."
"Because we're married now honey, and you're behavior is very unfaithful."
"If I don't use it, how would I know whether you're being 'unfaithful' to me with that tomatoe-haired freak?"
Rukia rolled her eyes. "Not that again. Will you get over it? He's my childhood friend for crying out loud! Just give me my space and I'll give you yours. Is that alright?"
"Fine. Sounds good to me."
They flew together in silence for a while until Ichigo finally broke the silence.
"So...? Wanna tell me how you got all those injuries?"
Rukia sighed. "It's kind of a long story."
"I've got all the time in the world for you."
Rukia thought for a moment, deciding that he was being serious. "Alright...where to begin...?"
A/N: Whew! Done! I hope you liked it because I really enjoyed typing this particular chapter. As time goes on, it'll slowly start turning into a drama. So did any of you figure out the mysterious yet familiar character? If not, reread it. I left clues for you if you squint. Please R/R.
