Tadaima! So here's chapter number 3! Hope you like this new 'Hiccup' (I chose to call the chapters hiccups that's how things are going for Ichigo and Rukia). Thankfully I'm not the only one that sees it that way. Anyways IchiRuki all the way and this I don't own Bleach (Come on Kubo! You're killing people with the lack of romance!)

Italics are thoughts
Bold Italics are from Hollow Ichigo

Chapter Three: To Protect, or to Love?

Rukia and Ichigo walked along side each other in a silence that could kill anyone. Rukia would steal glances at Ichigo who seem quite calm.

Damn it! Why the hell does he have to seem so calm right now while I'm freaking out. Tatsuki told us that Ichigo denied doing it, but why do I feel so uneasy about Ichigo's attitude toward things lately? What happened Ichigo?

Ichigo at some point noticed Rukia staring at him and said, "Hey what's wrong? Why're you staring at me like I'm an alien or something?"

Rukia snapped out of her trance and shook her head furiously. "There's nothing wrong!" Rukia then smirked and added, "But I won't deny that you're some kind of alien without a brain."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head with his hand and retorted, "Shut the hell up midget! I was trying to be considerate 'cause you look like something's bugging you."

Rukia's face lightly turned pink and just as she was about to say something a crash of thunder muted her. Ichigo looked up to see small droplets start falling.

"Damn it! I forgot to bring an umbrella," Ichigo cursed under his breath. He felt a tug on his sleeve and something trembling slightly. When Ichigo looked down he saw Rukia with a somewhat scared look on her face and her hand holding his sleeve in a tight fist.

Ichigo grinned and teased, "Oh, so you can fight an Arrancar and you act all high and mighty, but you're scared shitless over some thunder? Really?"

Rukia punched Ichigo in the stomach, letting go of him, and walked ahead of him. "I am not scared of thunder you fool!"

Just then a burst of thunder boomed through the air causing Rukia to almost jump out of her gigai. Ichigo sighed, the rain decided to start pelting them, they were going to get sick if they didn't get out of the rain. Ichigo grabbed Rukia, who was just about paralyzed in fear, and dragged her to the entrance of some fast food place by the hand. Rukia looked down trying desperately to hide the blush that was creeping on her face.

What's wrong with me?

Ichigo shook his head dispelling water everywhere, annoying Rukia to no extent. "What the hell are you doing? You're not a dog for heaven's sake you fool!"

Ichigo could see that Rukia's hands began to shiver, most likely when they got wet from the rain. Ichigo, in response wearing his usual scowl, took off his jacket and dropped it on Rukia's shoulders and said, "Go sit down somewhere while I, at least get some food. It seems like it'll be raining for a while."

Rukia closed her eyes and turned around and said annoyed, "Oh sure. Whatever you want carrot-top!"

A vein popped on Ichigo's forehead as he followed Rukia to an empty table by the window. Rukia sat down and looked up at Ichigo, "I thought you were going to get some food. Decided to follow me like a lost puppy?"

A mischievous smirk played on Rukia's lips. Ichigo, on the other hand, grunted and dropped his bag on the chair opposite of Rukia.

"No, I was just dropping my bag here so that I could carry the food. Don't get your hopes up midget." Ichigo replied as he turned and left Rukia at the table with a slight blush that she didn't get to see. Rukia couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at his answer.

While Ichigo waiting in line a thin slender finger tapped Ichigo's shoulder. He turned his head slightly to see Riruka looking up at him with her head slightly tilted.

She smiled and said, "I knew it was you! It's hard to miss your orange hair."

Ichigo scowled and said a bit harsher than he meant, "What exactly is it that you want Riruka?"

Riruka lightly blushed from being called her first name, but then began to look around before she finally looked back at Ichigo. "How come you're all wet? Oh, and are you alone?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and answered in a-matter-of-fact tone, "If you haven't noticed... it's raining outside and I forgot my umbrella. And why do you care if I'm alone or not?"

Riruka blushed again and stuttered, "W-well it's just that I was w-wondering if you w-wanted to hang out. Y-you know as a treat for the whole fiasco that happened last week."

Riruka's fingers fidgeted nervously while she stood next to Ichigo. As they stepped up to the counter Ichigo took out his wallet and ordered. "Can I have two sodas and two fries," then he turned to Riruka and said, "Maybe some other time? I'm with someone right now."

Riruka's heart sank a little bit. The cashier blushed deeply as Ichigo smiled at her as she gave him his order. Riruka raised an eyebrow and realized that Ichigo caught quite a bit of attention from girls. She felt her heart sank to the floor.

There's no way I could compete with all the girls that like Ichigo... especially that one Rukia girl that I fought last time. They seemed pretty close. Damn it!

Riruka noticed how Ichigo didn't walk to his table with her, so she threw him a question that nearly made him choke. "Are you here with your girlfriend or something?"

Still trying to composing himself he looked at Riruka and said, "Sh-she's not my g-girlfriend!"

Riruka stared at Ichigo doubting him and feeling a pinch of jealousy run through her.

"Oh sure."

"We're not like that!"

"Keep telling yourself that even though it seems like you like her a lot."

"Shut the hell up already! We aren't like that!"

Riruka giggled and turned around waving her hand lazily, leaving Ichigo confused and flabbergasted. "Bye then."

Ichigo then composed himself and walked to where Rukia was sitting.

We're not like that, right?

Rukia smiled as she picked up a fry and ate it happily. Ichigo was to deep in thought to pay any attention to his drink or fries. His eyebrows furrowed more and more as he came to realize that he couldn't think about anything at the moment. Rukia saw Ichigo in his on-the-edge thinking mode and leaned over the table, flicking him between his eyebrows as lightly as she could manage.

Ichigo looked at Rukia surprised and said gruffly, "What the hell was that for? Can't you see that I was thinking?"

Rukia shook her head and said looking at her drink in her hands, "You're going to become an old man sooner if you worry so much. Then no one would want to marry you."

An awkward silence engulfed the two when Rukia mentioned Ichigo getting married. Ichigo looked down at his snack and began eating it. Rukia quickly helg her soda tighter and began drinking it, being as she already finished her fries. Then her eyes softened with the thought of Ichigo getting married crossed her mind again.

Yeah. He'll grow older and find someone, and then they'll get married, have kids, and grow old. Over time Ichigo will forget about me and the Soul Society, and I'll be here still. Watching him grow farther away from me as I just stay the same.

Rukia woke up from her thoughts and looked up when she felt a light knock on her head. Ichigo smiled, somewhat sadly, at her and stood up. "It stopped raining so we can go back home now."

Rukia nodded her head inapprehensive to anything, her mind was still confusing her about Ichigo. Rukia hugged Ichigo's jacket around her tighter as she followed Ichigo outside and walked next to him. Suddenly she saw two mothers looking their way and heard their conversation which happened to be about her and Ichigo.

"Oh dear, look at that couple right there!"

"Her boyfriend lent her his jacket, how gentlemanly of him."

"They seem so cute together! Kawaii!"

"Yeah, but somehow they seem a little distant, like something's getting in the way."

Rukia felt her face grow pinker. She looked over at Ichigo hoping that he didn't notice the two women and to her relief he wasn't showing any signs of hearing them. She then inched closer to him, so that their arms were brushing next to each other, in hopes that she would catch some of his body heat.

Why the hell do they seem to be right? Wait a second? If they're right then that means that me and Ichigo are acting like boyfriend and girlfriend! No that can't be right! He was just being nice to me when he gave me his jacket! That doesn't mean that I'm automatically special to him in any way! Right?

Ichigo was also in thought. He was thinking about what Riruka had said. The topic was starting to really piss him off.

Me and Rukia are NOT dating! But does it look like it? Am I just fooling myself? No, Rukia wouldn't think about me like that. I'm the reason that she almost got executed and who knows how many dangerous situations I've gotten her into. Not only that we're always arguing with each other. How in the world could Rukia like me after all that I've put her through?

Ichigo then sighed and stole a glance at Rukia, who's cheeks were a soft pink, wearing his jacket that was way too big for her. He smiled inwardly and wished that they could stay like that forever. Ichigo sighed and scolded himself for wanting more from Rukia than he should. That's when he heard the voice of his hollow say something.

"Stupid King! You're followin' logic an' reason again. How many times do I have to kick yer ass 'til you start usin' instinct?"

Ichigo shook his head lightly making sure that he wouldn't catch Rukia's attention and cause a ruckus.

Idiot. I can't use instinct this time. I can't hold and love her with a sword in my hands, but I can't protect her without holding a sword either. I'm only allowed to choose one... and you know better than anyone that it's impossible for me love... knowing the monster that I truly am inside, the killer I was meant to be.

Thanks so much for reading the thrid Hiccup of this story! I'm so happy that I went over it (because I added some things)! Anyways some things I would like to hint the lucky readers that read the Author Notes: First Hollow Ichigo is going to become one of the main characters (other than Ichigo and Rukia). I was wondering if any of you noticed things in the story that hint what may happen from the first Hiccup til now.

Oh this Hiccup was like the date that was never intended and that they don't even realise! I'll try to update tomorrow! Promise to Review, tell me what you think, and Konbanwa!

Sushi Bear (^.^)