Title: Clemency Pays
By: CypressArtemis
Summary: He was just a rancher's son. A hardworking man content with a decent, honest days work. Concerned with little else than horses and cattle he suddenly finds himself wondering, as his hand clutches the stained parchment of a wanted poster, how anything so young and gorgeous could be considered so evil.
Chapter 4: Man Of Honor
Shuhei ambled about, shifting aimlessly and chortling silently to himself as grey irises swept the expanse of a certain petite female from head to toe. A snickering like smirk curving his lips upright as his mood altered instantaneously from one of contented relaxation to genuine tomfoolery the very second his eyes locked on her backside.
Leaning sideways and shifting his weight from foot to foot he occasionally jiggled a nearby object in order to appear allegedly busy fixing up something to keep suspicions down for the time being. He was having too much fun observing such a rarity in its whole to ruin it all at once as he placed a book of poetry next to a decorative, though empty, blue vase and returned his undivided attention. "Hey there wifey. What's cooking?"
Rich blue eyes rolled at the comment, more from a sense of misplaced levity than actual annoyance towards the running caper of his. She was already expecting it anyways due to the subtle huffs of laughter she'd managed to catch through strained ears trained upon the male behind her, not to mention the poorly fabricated work ethic. "That jokes getting old Shuhei."
"Old for whom… wifey?" He jeered, grin still plastered proudly upon his face as he continued to watch her with crossed arms. The usual attire he was accustomed to regarding her in was misplaced with a pair of white cotton pants and a rather dark red and oversized shirt, a brightly colored apron with a checkered pattern securely encompassing her slender waist by two tightly wound strands that resembled a bow.
Her hips were currently bare of any weapons and that oh-so-precious hat was missing in action revealing black tresses tied back securely by a thin band, shorter strips sticking out at odd angles framing her face as she shifted meticulously stirring a large pot of bubbling flavored water. Chunks of meat and an assortment of vegetables bobbed about on the surface as they slowly cooked down from a crispy raw to a mushy softness.
He sauntered casually up behind her, stopping short and peering over her slender shoulder in order to get a decent look at what the so called dinner would be for this evening. Puffs of steam whiffed upwards bringing a very inviting aroma with it and as he breathed in a decent amount of the pungency his stomach churned in hunger.
The tip of his tongue darted out to lick at the left side of his upper lip briefly, his right hand raising and inching towards the bubbling pot full of a light brownish stew like concoction. He was mere inches away before he found his hand being smacked down and away. Grey eyes meeting the disapproving purple as she tsk'ed him and waggled her finger like a mother would to an unruly child. "It's not ready yet, besides you'll burn that finger off if you're not careful."
He scoffed as she returned to her work, stirring the mixture in deliberately slow clockwise sweeps before setting the spoon aside on a rickety looking table, that appeared to be quite literally on its last leg. The entire expanse was covered in nicks and deeply imbedded grooved scratches. The varnish was stripping in various places and the thing looked just about ready to topple over should a strong enough wind whip its way towards it.
No doubt it'd end up as firewood soon enough but for now it was Rukia's designated helper. A large butcher knife was resting on it, blood staining dull the once lustrous silver metal. Pieces of rapidly decaying carrots, celery, and other vegetables littered the surface along with small pools of blood and hunks of fat she'd stripped from different animal meat. Not to mention the spices lingering on the edge that no longer held any legible labels. If they weren't peeled off entirely they were scratched out or at the very least missing a nice sized portion of black print.
He picked up the closest jar. The dainty and almost empty transparent glass held some sort of deeply colored orange powder. He stared at if for a long moment, shook it, and finally popped the lid open before maneuvering it cautiously towards his face to situate it beneath his nose. A quick sniff, a confused look, and it was back on the table with a gentle 'thunk' as Rukia continued to ignored his presence for the most part.
Shuhei's incomprehensible stare transferred from her to the stew and back to the table's contents in a matter of seconds. She went through so much work to make a simple meal but he supposed that's what made her so good at it. Were it left to anyone else's devices they'd have thrown everything into the pot whole and hoped for the best, but Rukia was a different story, and if he were to say it was just because she was a girl he'd get clobbered for sure. Didn't stop him from thinking it though. He never saw a man take the time to dice vegetables and mince meat, but that wouldn't make much of a valid argument. In fact there was a high probability he'd get, not only himself, but the entire male gender accused of simple laziness which he for one surely was not.
Then again it may just have been yet another skill she'd picked up from the observation and duplication of another's actions. Most of the talents she possessed were learned though nothing more than practiced replications of things she studied other's doing and managed to master through sheer will and determination. Renji and a few of the others learned much the same way as well.
Not Shuhei. He had books in which to learn from and only attempted to achieve the skills of which enticed him. He enjoyed poetry books to such an extent that he began writing his own at a young age and also learned to play the guitar through a book. It had taken a solid year to get decent at it yet once he got a grip on the instrument he found not only himself enjoying the music but others as well.
Every night he'd sit by the fire after dinner and strum the cords in rhythm to a song he'd practiced with the help of sheet music. It was a routine, as routine as the violet eyes of his fellow gang member staring intently at his fingers as he practiced throughout an entire year. Soon enough, to his astonishment, she was plucking out cords and holding notes as well. She was a "learn by doing and observing" sort of person where as he needed instructions written and handy at all times. He was one of the rare few that achieved knowledge better on his own through words and books rather than pictures and teachers. For that he was the black sheep of the gang, though accepted nonetheless.
It was the recollection of Rukia's ability to manage copying him note by note that was so profound in his mind which enabled him to truly take notice of everyone's different learning patterns. From all he's heard about the many outlaws he resides with, hers and Renji's method of learning are the most justifiable and completely understandable. For that he no longer questions it anymore. Simply goes with it and keeps an eye out just for the amusement of seeing what other habits she picks up from them.
A coy little grin appears on his face as grey eyes set in determination flicker between the oblivious girl and black pot. In one fluid motion a muscular arm makes its way around her body. Snagging her around the waist he hoists her up and jerks her lithe form to the side, holding her at an angle in which she is now suspended with her left side parallel to the ground and pressed tight to his right hip he finds helpful in using as leverage to keep her balanced and steady.
A surprised yelp leaves her lips and for a moment she is utterly still and left blinking at nothing in particular with eyes of confused bewilderment, her position and situation slowly seeping into her shocked blank mind. Shuhei smirks in triumph and leans back over, dipping his finger into the broth and yanking it back in record time to avoid a serious burn, his squirming counterpart growling up at him as he slips the finger into his mouth and rolls his tongue over it.
"Shuhei! Put me down right now!" Her demand falls on deaf ears while her persistent struggles only suffice in getting her being crushed harder into his hipbone. "And get your fingers out of there, that's gross! Who knows were they've been."
This catches his attention and for a second he halts staring down at her, mischievous grey eyes locked with the enraged dual colored ones. He slowly slips his pointer finger from his mouth and feels his teeth scrape over the now slightly sensitive patch of skin where the frothing liquid had already caused some irritation.
For a long moment it's silent and Rukia resists the urge to shudder and glance away with embarrassed discomfort. She berates herself for treading directly and carelessly into deep water, a place she should know to avoid by now at all costs.
Living with mostly men for several years she's always been wise on which words and phrases to avoid in their company, because if she's learned anything in all her years and from her sister it's that something seemingly simple and innocent can almost immediately be turned into something quite vulgar in the presence of men if given the chance. And now, judging by the wicked gleam in his eyes, she's given illusions she'd never meant to.
"I can think of a few good places," he stated quite bluntly and had it not been for the amount of desensitization she's had on the topic of sex she would have blushed there on the spot, though no amount of it could dilute all the reactions, both mentally and bodily, he was capable of eliciting. That is what made her weary more than anything. "One in particular I know you'd really enjoy. All you have to do is say the word." A lusty smirk formed on his face and Rukia instantly looked away to regain her composure.
"Don't be disgusting," she stared at a fence post nearby as nervous discomfort started wriggling through her. Shuhei always did have a way with women, whichever he set his eye on is the one he usually got. It must have been all the sweet talking charm and the occasional poetry he'd just happen to slip into casual conversation, similar to the way a fraudulent poker player confidently and skillfully slips an ace into his hand inconspicuously. Sighing she bit the inside of her lip, a small twinge of pain making her forget just how badly she wanted to be free in order to get as far away from him as possible. She released her lip and glanced back at him with the calm façade of the killer she resided herself to being long ago. "Now, put me down."
Shuhei's smirk faltered as he was taken aback by the sudden change in demeanor. He wasn't used to being rejected, but Rukia could easily dismiss even the most alluring of men with a calm face and a hand gesture. "Disgusting? How so?" He made a move to lower her to the ground and he caught a glimpse of relief flash in her eyes. He stopped and smirked again feeling a bit superior, and more importantly, assured that a possibility did in fact exist that perhaps in some way his offer wasn't quite as distasteful as she let on. "But more importantly, why? Am I making you," he paused and let his eyes seductively trail her body, slow and deliberate. Watching her squirm just the slightest under the intense predatory gaze, stopping to stare shamelessly at her crotch and silently curse her pants for blocking what would be a glorious view. "Uncomfortable?"
Rukia's eyes widened in a mix of alarmed outrage and excited eagerness as she took note as to just what part of her anatomy his eyes were currently glued to. She gritted her teeth feeling her heart hammer in her chest and her body begin to heat up with unmistakable desire, a purely involuntary and instinctive reaction. Making a low growling noise her eyebrows furrowed as she glared up at him. "You're a pervert!" She declared, a bit more ashamed of herself for responding favorably to his advances than actually being angered by him.
"Nah, I'm simply a man." He couldn't help the broad smile her comment had initiated as he finally made a move to set her down. "And you're a woman, an attractive one that's around all the time."
"So?" Violet eyes narrowed in confusion and she had to ask despite her better judgment. Curiosity had long since taken over and she felt the need to see where he was headed with this.
Finally he allowed her feet to touch the ground and she instantly began moving to right herself as he helped situate her into an upright standing position. Once free of his grip she made a point to put some slight distance between them as she noticed him pause in a brief moment of thought.
He sighed at her cluelessness but more so at the loss of her body heat and weight at his side. "So. I'm just saying it's not only convenient but, well, you can't honestly expect me to believe you're not aware of the stares you get. Whether it be from me or some stranger off the street." He jerked his hand upwards and motioned towards the dirt path leading out of the canyon for emphasis as he stared at her. "You don't think we think about it sometimes? Of taking you? Even Renji does for God's sake." He shook his head and jerked his whole body to the side in frustrated irritation before taken a few steps and stopping.
It was silent between them once again as her mind desperately tried to digest this new information and just how exactly her day had gone from carefree to awkward in such a short amount of time. It was hard to imagine she was actually having this conversation. Of course she wasn't completely oblivious to the sensual stares she received from some of her fellow teammates but not acknowledging them was what kept them all comfortable with one another. It was always just easiest to pretend not to notice.
It was right around the time she had matured from an adolescent preteen and made the transition into her late teens that she began receiving such attention and had a pretty good idea that Shuhei wanted her, even Ashido showed some form of interest still, if just for the simple reasons that he was grateful to her or felt a connection he wasn't sure how to express otherwise. But Renji? She would have never expected him. They grew up together. They met when they were five. Within the confines of her mind it was just wrong on so many levels. "Renji? He's like a brother to me. That's just ridiculous… You men are sick."
Shuhei feigned hurt, making a pouty sort of face he reached up to pound a fist over his heart as she lashed out. "Now now. That's not very nice." A particular memory suddenly wormed its way into his mind making him shudder involuntarily and a quizzical look took over his features. "Is that just pent up frustration directed towards Hisana?"
Rukia's world seemed to come crashing down all at once just at the simple mention of her name. She went completely rigid and silent, her throat burning as she swallowed and her lungs seemingly not working correctly. He would have to bring up her and… that. Her face remained emotionless despite her internal struggle and she cleared her throat. "…This has nothing to do with Hisana."
Shuhei's grey eyes narrowed and remained fixed on her face before falling to her chest. He noticed the irregular rise and fall as he glanced back up. He wouldn't claim to be a genius by any means but he wasn't stupid and she wasn't fooling him. "Is that why, despite the undeniable effects, I'm forbidden from touching you, along with every other man on the planet?"
"I never said that." It was an abrupt growl of a statement and she turned away from him, going back over to the long forgotten soup still bubbling away noisily over the fire. She needed something to do, or at the very least something in which to pretend to be doing. "… I mean, just, never mind."
"Would it really be so horrible? If I do recall correctly you used to have quite the little crush on me didn't you?" His head tilts in reminiscence of a slightly younger Rukia, full of blushes and smiles whenever his eyes happened to maneuver their way in her direction. He could chuckle about just how endearingly cute and innocent he used to find it, that was until of course he unintentionally ruined it.
"I got over it." She snapped, becoming increasingly annoyed the longer the conversation remained in continuance. She wanted nothing more at the moment than for him to drop it and walk away.
His face fell and all at once he became serious. "When, exactly?"
Rukia picked up the spoon to busy herself once more with cooking, briefly looking over her shoulder at him and back again. "What does that matter?" She looked down at her feet, a sickening feeling settling in her that she just couldn't shake. She closed her eyes and stayed facing away, it was better not to look at him.
His jaw clenched at the memory that plagued his current thoughts. "I want to know if it's what bothered you enough to 'get over it' as you put it." No doubt she knew what he was thinking as his stern eyes watched her back tense up in distress.
"Maybe it is, so what." The melancholy whisper barely reached his ears, but unfortunately it managed, making him feel a bit guilty but also somewhat offended as she shifted around before him. "Why don't you and I just go about our business now, pretend this conversation never happened."
"Why?" He asked, ignoring the guilt that for sure would be much more palpable should he be able to bare witness to the look on her face. "We should get this out in the open."
"No, we shouldn't. It doesn't matter anymore. We should drop it and go back to the way things were before you began this… lecherous discussion."
"It matters to me," he insisted, "because you're taking a trivial event from the past and being angry about it."
"I'm not angry," she sighed heavily willing herself to remain calm. "I was, but no more. Besides it shouldn't matter because either way I have no interest in complicating things between us. I'd rather they remain as they are."
He nodded. Despite not wanting to admit it, he could definitely understand her line of thinking and even more so, respect it. Yes, that's right, he did have respect for her. More than he's ever had with anyone before. He sighed and let his eyes drift shut. "And that's your final word on the matter?"
"Yes."
He frowned. Her reply was too instantaneous for his liking. He had wished, or hoped rather, that it would at least take a moment for her to answer him, but to his disappointment it didn't. "Fine, I won't bring it up anymore then."
Finally she turned back around, a subtle but gracious smile on her lips. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He nodded and turned to walk away so he wouldn't have to look at that smile. It seemed the whole idea of being with him was somehow slavery and with the simple statement of not bringing it up he had given her the most precious gift of all, freedom. He frowned, it hurt somewhat to think that, but he stopped and glanced back. A burning in his gut making it essential that he say something long overdue. "But I will say one last thing before we go back to never speaking of this again."
Just like that the smile was gone from her supple lips. "And that would be?"
"I suppose it doesn't mean much, but what happened meant nothing. That goes for Kaien as well." Surprise gnawed at him. He had expected her to look distraught at the mention of him, or rejoiced by the information he figured would lift that plaguing anger and bitter resentment she harbored, but instead she was stoic like it didn't even faze her.
"Well I'll keep that in mind though it doesn't change my decision."
"I didn't expect it to." He admitted, "I just thought you should know that."
"Alright, I appreciate it." She crossed her arms and waited patiently for anything else he felt the need to inform her about.
They stared each other down until finally he couldn't take it anymore and snapped. "It still doesn't change anything for you does it? You won't trust me anymore?"
"I trust you enough Shuhei." The curt reply was enough to make his skin crawl. For a long while now he was completely aware of the fact that she didn't quite trust him the way she used too and though over time they became civil and even friendly once again there was still that nagging in the back of his mind, screaming out that her faith in him had been destroyed.
"I hope so." Was all he could whispered back before walking away towards one of the tents his sleeping quarters resided in, disappointed by the fact that he couldn't feel her eyes on him as he left.
Rukia sat beneath a large billowing maple, her back resting up against the bark as her eyes skimmed over a page of the book currently occupying her hands. Shadows of the leaves overhead decorated the black ink stained white of each sheet. She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly as she enjoyed the peace of being alone and the soothing noises of nature around her. She'd left camp not long after her friends had returned from their various activities and Shuhei decided to emerge from his own solitude in order to converse with the returning outlaws. For one brief and horrifying second their eyes locked and it was enough to send her scurrying for cover before he could plainly read the emotion playing in her eyes.
It was going to take a while longer than a few hours to pretend what was spoken between them never happened and even longer to pretend that he didn't still have an effect on her to some extent. She sighed and shut the book rather harshly, the pages flapping and a noisy 'thunk' erupting with the violent gesture. Looking up she watched Shirayuki's muscular white form prancing joyously around the field, leaping over large logs scattered here and there as the mare galloped around, just as pleased to be away from camp as her rider was. The tack still clinging to her head and back jingling with each leap and bound added another pleasant sound to the surrounding atmosphere.
Rukia tore her eyes away from the graceful sight of the white horse and leaned her head back against the rough and scraping tree, bark slowly peeling its way down the massive trunk and littering the grass around it. The back brim of her hat collided with the tree pushing it forward and making the front dip farther over her forehead to cover her eyes. For a second all she did was sit there staring at the blackness of the cowhide before she shut her eyes, squeezing her eyelids together tightly until the pressure was so great she could see splotches of colors appearing and fading in the blackness.
She could choke back her emotions and curse Shuhei till hell wouldn't have it anymore, but what little good it would do. For the first time in a long time she had the audacity to actually believe they were getting along and that things would be different this time around. She scoffed. "Foolish, Rukia. Simply foolish."
Grey clouds loomed overhead and slowly slinked their way across the darkening sky, stopping in their path to block the sunlight from reaching the two lone figures below. The impending weather was suddenly very unsettling to the now very still mare. Brown eyes scanned the surroundings as tiny white ears twisted about. She snorted and turned, shaking her mane before trotting over the grass to the hunched female figure slumped against the nearby tree.
Shirayuki stopped at her feet and nickered, her front right hoof pawing at the dirt in impatience before dipping her head to mouth at her pant leg. Rukia's head lifted and she reached up to resituate her hat as she glanced at the black snout nipping her pants and urging her to stand. Her eyes rolled at the horse's behavior but smiled nonetheless. She moved her leg away from the smoky nose and braced herself against the tree, hauling herself to her feet as Shirayuki lifted her head and sidestepped.
Rukia reached out and stroked down the pale neck as she slipped her left foot into the stirrup and pushed her lithe body upwards, swinging her right leg over the mare's back she situated herself comfortably in the saddle and gripped the reins. A loud crack of thunder erupted and the mare whinnied in surprise, the first drops of rain sprinkling down from the sky to patter over the earth and seep into fur and clothing.
"Damn." Rukia cursed and glanced up towards the crying grey sky. Raindrops splashing her face and dripped into her eyes causing her to blink rapidly as another thunderous crack echoed through the meadow. Once again the horse beneath her let out a startled cry and Rukia brushed a hand over her neck. "Shh, it's alright."
Continuing to pat her neck in a form of comfort Rukia looked around for a long moment, trying to decide just where to go. Camp was rather far away and truth be told she wasn't exactly eager to run into a certain black haired male that resided there. Kukaku? No she could have moved again in the time since she last met up with her. Then again there was always, yes that could work.
She nodded to herself and gave Shirayuki's hindquarters a light kick and instantly the horse was moving at a rapid pace, the occasional ruckus of thunder spooking her into galloping faster with each deafening boom. Her hooves pounded relentlessly in the saturated earth, horseshoes kicking up clods of muddy grass in the hurry to get to one destination in particular.
It hadn't taken long to get where they were going what with the mare's brisk pace but all the same both were soaked to the bone, deep blue eyes watched rainwater trickle down from the brim of her hat as she dismounted and stealthily lead the tired horse into the dark barn. It was dry and warm compared to outside and a smile broke out on the woman's lips as she spotted an empty stall just down the line.
Reaching up she grabbed the side of the ebony leather halter and guided her horse into it before stripping it off and pulling away the saddle and drenched blanket beneath. She hung each piece of equipment over the side of the stall to dry and walked out, latching the door shut on her way. It took a few moments of searching but she finally found a dry blanket.
Holding it close she unfolded it and inspected it carefully, reaching up she brushed her hand over the wooly fabric knocking away a few small pieces of lint before she hopped back into the stall and spread it over Shirayuki's back. She smiled at her as the horse tossed her head in an up and downward motion and made soft pleased throaty noises.
Rukia patted her neck and reached her other hand up to her lips, putting her pointer finger to them she shushed her and the mare quieted. "That's a girl."
Leaning in she kissed her white cheek and quickly inspected the stall. A bucket of clean water hung under a spout in the corner next to an empty trough. She frowned and hopped over the wood structure and glanced around before eying a trunk off to the side. Lifting the lid she was greeted with the sight of a grain and oat mixture, a scoop nestled in the large heap.
Taking a large scoop she walked carefully back, her left hand outstretched under the plastic in case anything should spill. Thankfully none did and she reached over and dumped it into the basin, waltzing back over she dumped it back into the trunk and shut it. She could already hear Shirayuki grinding the feed between her teeth and she smiled as she set to one last chore, gathering a nice sized cluster of hay she swiftly dumped that into the stall as well.
"Goodnight Shirayuki." She scratched her between the eyes for a moment and turned to leave for the night, ignoring the whinny of a rather deep colored stallion as she closed the barn door.
Ichigo bounded up the stairs, his orange locks plastered to his face and dripping water with every step forwards. He halted just beside a hall closet, prying the door open he reached in and snatched a towel from a nearby shelf before closing it and continuing to his room.
He walked in and kicked the door closed with the heel of his foot as he raised the light blue cloth to his head, rubbing it erratically over his scalp till a good portion of the water had seeped into it. Yanking it away he balled it up and tossed it in the corner, his now partially dry hair sticking up in all directions and looking quite like it usually would in a normal everyday scenario.
He sighed and yanked his shirt off to discard it to the floor before snatching a clean one from his dresser. He slipped it over his head and shoulders, smoothing it out over his torso before diving into one of the drawers in search of a clean pair of pants. Tugging out a grey pair he closed the drawer and dumped them on the bed, pulling the dirt and grass stained pair of work pants off he threw them in the rapidly growing pile of dirty clothes before slipping into the clean pair.
Hopping onto his bed he sat at the top and adjusted his pillow behind his back, leaning into it he stretched his legs out and grabbed a book off the nightstand. Opening to the bookmarked page he yawned and began reading where he'd left off the night before.
A scratching noise at the door filled the room and Ichigo groaned. A loud mew soon followed from the opposing side and he abruptly stood, crossing the room in large strides he ripped the door open and glared down at a fluffy yellow striped cat. "Kon, go sleep in Yuzu's room." He pointed down the hall and Kon purred up at him before darting between his legs and jumping onto the bed.
Ichigo whirled around and growled at the cat as he circled, kneaded his pillow, and finally plopped down in a heap of purring fluff. "Hey! I said go to Yuzu's room damn it."
Kon yawned and stretched as his eyes closed tight, the only given indication that he heard the amber eyed farmer was a subtle ear twitch. Ichigo dropped the book on the dresser and huffed as he slammed the door shut in a rather violent manner. A loud slam echoed through the room as he stalked to the bed, Kon still sleeping peacefully despite the commotion. A sliding noise caught his attention and turned on his heels just in time to witness a rather shocking sight.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Ahh! Holy Shit!" Ichigo gaped and jumped backwards, his right leg colliding with the edge of the bed frame knocking him off balance as he landed with a loud thump on the floor. Stunned and confused he pointed accusingly at none other than the violet eyes outlaw who was currently perched in his closet, a small bundle of clothing appearing to be made up of a coat, hat, and boots was positioned in the corner behind her. "What the hell are you doing in there?"
Rukia smirked and huffed once through her noise, finding amusement in his rather 'graceful' display. She thumbed towards the open window, "Um, it's raining."
Ichigo continued to stare as she said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, not to mention like there was absolutely nothing unusual about finding a stranger taking residence in his closet due to the rain. "I know that! What the hell are you doing in my closet? In my house?" He hollered, still pointing at her and gaping in disbelief.
Rukia's eyes widened briefly before returning to normal as she glanced around the room, worry was quickly seeping its way into her due to how loud he was insisting on being. "Relax Strawberry, you're gonna have a conniption."
"Don't tell me to relax! You break into my house and I'm not supposed to be upset?" He slammed a fist into the floor as he barked at her.
"Well yes, since technically I didn't break in." She pointed out matter-of-factly as she gestured back to his open window, the curtains billowing as the winds swept up and blew through the accessible area. "I told you, you really should lock that window."
Amber orbs glared at her and his jaw clenched, baring his teeth in outrage. "Don't tell me what to do. I'll lock my window when I want to."
Rukia smirked back at his irate expression. "Then don't complain when criminals break in idiot."
"You damn midget. You have some nerve." He growled and pointed to his window. "And get out of my closet already! I didn't invite you over for a sleep over!"
Rukia blinked, smiling to herself as the perfect plan formulated in her head. She suddenly pouted and hugged her upper body, throwing off the normal pitch of her voice to sound more girly and innocent as she stared at him. "You're gonna send me out into the cold rainy night? To freeze to death or get raped on the street by some scary bad man with a knife?"
Ichigo blinked as his mind was completely led astray from his once logical thought process. "What? … You!… I mean!..." He paused in his stammering and waited for his brain to catch up to the situation before he growled back at her, "Don't use that goody two shoes act with me!"
Inside she was beaming as she listened to him stammer, desperately searching his brain for something to say. She knew he was just too chivalrous a man to make a woman go out alone at night when it was so dangerous. His honor simply wouldn't let it happen no matter how irritated he was, and that would be his downfall. She frowned and pivoted her body to the side, giving the illusion that she was shying away from him before continuing. "But I'm just one girl all alone in a strange town. It could happen you know."
"Well, yeah… I mean… Damn it!" He punched his floor again, his resolve crumbling away fast upon the reminder that despite being an outlaw she was still in fact a woman and there were horrible men out there. Despicable men that wouldn't think twice about doing anything that came into their sick and twisted minds. He gritted his teeth as an image of his mother flashed in his mind.
"But if you insist."
He heard her get up and walk to the window and for a moment a surge of panic flooded his entire body followed by undeniable protectiveness, in lightning speed he was off the floor and had a tight grip on her forearm. "Don't go. You're right… you could get hurt."
His sudden movement and agility at which he grabbed her was not only impressive, but shocking as well. Her eyes lowered and stared momentarily at the hand gripping her arm which he released almost immediately, seemingly after he realized he was still holding her. "Oh? So now you want me to stay?" She teased trying to lighten the mood. The newfound seriousness was more than uncomfortable.
Thankfully Ichigo seemed to think the same as he crossed his arms and gave a flustered expression. "What? Hell no! But if something happens to you then it's my fault then isn't it?"
She scoffed. "I never said that."
He shook his head before jabbing back, "You didn't need to. You implied it."
"And that's your concern because?" She moved away from the window and back towards the center of his room, making Ichigo secretly sigh in relief.
"Because… It just it." He was about to walk away but paused. His amber eyes flickered out the open window and he stared at the jail then switched his gaze to the saloon not far down the road. A certain woman with long wavy blonde hair was standing in exceedingly reveling clothing and currently taking the arm of an obviously drunk man, a gun resting on his hip as he grabbed the woman's arm violently and dragged her inside. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and in a quick motion his hands gripped the window and forced it closed. "But you have to be gone early in the morning."
Rukia watched his face for a long moment. The solemn expression that took residence was almost excruciating to witness. She despised it because it meant torment, and it made her think of herself and things she'd long since stashed away in the back of her mind. She wasn't even aware she was glaring at him with deadly intent until she caught her own reflection in the window and quickly shook it away. "Oh yeah, like I'm making any excuses to stay."
He glanced back over his shoulder. "God you are so irritating. Go to bed!"
She huffed and crawled into the closet. "Fine, like I wanna talk to you anyway." And with that she slammed the door shut. Ichigo stood glaring at it before turning to head to his own bed. He hadn't made it two steps before he heard the closet door slide open again and he immediately spun, ready to retaliate against whatever she had coming his way.
But unfortunately taking in the scene in front of him he quickly realized that was not at all possible as a smile quickly broke out over his face followed by a deep chuckle. A pair of glaring violet eyes, belonging to the female desperado, stared menacingly out at him as a ball of orange fluff held by its chest dangled from her right hand. She chucked him out and onto the floor before snarling, "And take you're damn cat!" With great haste the door slid shut and smacked closed before Kon could dart back inside, resulting in the small furry head making contact with the wood door and releasing a mew of distress.
Ichigo's chuckling persisted as Kon pawed at the closet door in desperation, crying out in long drawn out meows until he finally gave up and curled up by the door. Ichigo shook his head and pulled back the blue blanket neatly tucked and covering his bed before slipping under it with a yawn, a small mumble resounding in the room as he closed his eyes to sleep. "Annoying little midget."
Author's Note: As always I hope everyone that read this enjoyed it and thank you for the reviews and favorites on the last chapter. They are all very appreciated and inspiring for me to continue. Sorry this chapter took so long, a family matter kept me from writing for a while but it appears to be resolved now. Also yes there are hints of other Rukia parings but no nothing will come of it if anyone is wondering. It seems more realistic, not to mention fun, to throw in a little sexual tension between a few characters lol.
And on a special note I have a few works in progress that should be up soon. I've updated my profile so anyone interested can go and check out summaries. Anyways review if you like and have a great day readers! :)