One Month Ago

"Riiiiinnnggggg."

Rukia woke up with a start, looking for the source of the sound. Ichigo's alarm clock was ringing, almost as brightly as the sunny morning itself. Sun rays peeking through the blinds, birds chirping, it was a picture perfect morning. Stretching, she yawned and looked at the slumbering strawberry-head lying next to her. Ever since the return from Hueco Mundo, Ichigo insisted on sleeping within an arm's reach of her. Rukia, who played it tough, continued to sleep in Ichigo's closet. Each morning, she would find one Ichigo, sitting inside the closet with dark bags under his eyes, staring at her. Rukia would scream at him for not taking care of himself, and wonder why he was making such a big deal out of such a little thing. The next day…

"What's with you, Ichigo? You weren't like this before. Why are you being so… stubborn?!" Rukia was shouting at the top of her lungs. "It's like your school desk became your bed. Can't you just go to sleep like normal humans do?"

"What do you mean? I'm not being stubborn. You're the stubborn one, midget." Ichigo scoffed. "Its not like you care about anything I do anyway." This last statement was said in an undertone, with a hint of bitterness.

"What did you call me?!" Apparently, she didn't hear this statement.

"You heard me. Unless you're so short that the sound doesn't reach that low to the ground?"

"You're the one to talk, huh? At least I don't look like a deformed walking carrot."

The jesting continued for several minutes until..

:HollowHollow:HollowHollow:

Simultaneously, they change into their shingami forms and rushed out of the house.

"Don't think this is over, Rukia."

"Didn't even cross my mind.

"Well, try to keep up then", Ichigo glanced at her with a challenging look, as he activated shunpo and dashed towards the hollow.

"…" Rukia suddenly stopped in her steps, and her eyes glazed over.

"…Ichigo…"

Lost in her thoughts, she just stood in place until she sensed an enormous spike in Ichigo's reiatsu.

"Ban Kai? Why would he have to use it?" Now worried, she dashed towards the strawberry-head who had a bad habit of getting into trouble.

I know, its kinda short, but im still working on it. reviews