Disclaimer: Don't own it.
A/N: Aren't these fast updates excellent? This chapter/drabble is a little shorter. Mainly because it has more dialogue.
Inspired by: 'Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson.
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED, ALERTED, ETC.
OOC-ness? My apologies.
Winter Song
Friday, December 9th
Ichigo made a mental note that he needed to invest in a beanie or some type of hat. And soon. It was much colder this morning than it had been yesterday and his ears were surely red from being exposed to the frigid air.
With a sigh, he leaned back against the bench and closed his eyes. Suddenly, soft, slim fingers threaded through his hair lightly, they moved to graze his temples and finally to touch his numb ears. He kept his eyes closed. He knew who it was and he wondered why she was being so intimate and familiar with him and why he was allowing it.
The fingers left him, only to be replaced in a few quick seconds by warm, knitted cotton that smelt of lavender. The fabric slid past his hair and ears and covered his eyes. The hands rested at his cheeks.
"Guess who?" whispered a voice.
He smirked as he lifted the beanie from his eyes and opened them to see her staring down at him.
"Hey."
"Hi."
She smiled back at him.
"Why are you giving me your hat?" Ichigo questioned her.
"I'm not giving it to you; I'm letting you borrow it." she answered, her hands still holding the sides of his face. "Your ears were red and cold. Think of it as returning the favor, for the coffee yesterday."
"What about you?" he asked with obvious concern.
She smirked down at him as she removed her hands from his face and set them on the bench behind his back. He kept his head in its position and stared up at her.
"Worried about me?" she asked him teasingly.
"No." he spat and turned his eyes from her face.
"What about you?"
"My hair will keep my ears warm just fine."
She walked around the bench then, and sat herself beside Ichigo. Yet, again his gaze followed her movement. As they sat side by side, it was now she who had to look up to speak to him.
"So, can I ask the name of the man who is currently wearing my favorite hat, who stalks me and buys me coffee?"
Ichigo scowled down at her. She was enjoying teasing him.
"Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Ichigo? As in strawberry?" she laughed.
"It means 'one who protects'!" Ichigo growled.
"Okay. Sorry Kurosaki-kun!" she said in an overly sweet voice.
A vein in his temple twitched.
"First, don't use such a fake voice with me. And second, it's Ichigo. Just call me Ichigo." he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sure."
"So, do I get to know the name of the bothersome midget I keep seeing around?" he asked, almost copying her sentence word for word.
"Bothersome! And I am not a midget!"
Her small fist connected with the side of his head. Ichigo was in a kind of awe. The girl could throw a punch. Pretty and strong. A nice combination.
"What was that for?"
She huffed.
"It's Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia." She stated. "Stupid Strawberry."
"Rukia."
"Hm?"
"It's nice."
"What is?" Rukia asked.
"Your name." Ichigo replied.
She felt her face begin to grow warm and she took in a deep breath in an attempt to maintain her composure.
A simple 'thanks' was all she could muster.
"It's good to finally know each other's names." he said with a corner of his mouth upturned.
"Yea, it is."
They fell into a companionable silence as they waited for their busses. Rukia inwardly snickered. She wondered if he would ever notice the pink rabbit that was sewn onto her hat.
A/N:
OOC? If they seem too close already, the characters themselves speculate on that later on…
AND PLEASE REVIEW. A simple 'It was good.' suffices. Really.
EDIT: Each chapter now has a day attached to it. Its easier to follow a timeline this way. 2011-2012 calendar is being used.
S.B