A/N: It's been a while since I updated ANY of my fanfics. I've been plotting other fics on the side, but haven't gotten around to really scribbling or typing anything up. I'm so lazy. Bah

My Shinigami-Friend's Wedding

Chapter 4

Last time in My Shinigami-Friend's Wedding...

"She is a Kuchiki. It's her duty. You know nothing about duty Kurosaki." Byakuya said seriously.

"I don't care if Rukia's a Kuchiki. You can't force her to marry someone she doesn't love." His grip tightened on his sword. "I know about duty, if you've forgotten I'm Captain to a division, I've saved Rukia before. I'll do it again. I have a duty to Rukia. I wouldn't have all this if I hadn't met Rukia."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

xxxxx

"Why do you care so deeply that Rukia is getting married?" Byakuya drolled and began writing in a bored fashion. "I understand your point of view clearly Kurosaki. She is your friend and you do not want to see her forced into a situation that she does not want to be in."

"Damn right I don't." Ichigo interrupted, his hand still gripping his sword tightly.

"She brought you into this world. You're grateful. That's understandable." Byakuya put down his pen and looked up seriously at Ichigo. "Is there nothing more Kurosaki?" He wanted to smile at how angry Ichigo looked. "There is no other reason that you wish for Rukia to cancel her engagement?" Ichigo suddened blanched, then began to redden slightly. He began to frown at the implication.

"Of course not." He wanted to kick himself for being so cowardly. "I just want what's best for Rukia. I want her to be happy"

"Rukia will learn to be happy. She's a Kuchiki. She can always make the best of any situation." Byakuya scoffed. "Your desires for the best for Rukia are hardly enough for me to warrant a break in engagement. If that's all you want please leave. I have a lot of work to do." Ichigo stood there gaping for a moment, torn between his desires to beat the living shit out of Byakuya, admit his.. feelings... for Rukia or just leaving to regroup.. He opted for the latter.

xxxxx

"Brother," Rukia quietly muttered during dinner. Byakuya looked up at Rukia wordlessly. "I heard that Ichigo came to speak to you today?" Her heart beat fiercely against her chest. Obviously things didn't go as badly as they could have. Byakuya was in one piece and she assumed that Ichigo was in one piece some where out there.

"He did." Byakuya quietly placed a piece of food in his mouth.

Sometimes she hated how calm her brother could be"May I ask what he spoke to you about?" Rukia asked nervously.

"In short, he requested that the engagement be broken.. His reason being that he wanted what was best. I denied him of course. I didn't believe that was a proper reason to change everything." Byakuya looked up at Rukia to gauge her reaction. She merely sat picking at her food slightly.

"That was his only reason?" Rukia tried to keep the feelings of hurt to be betrayed in her voice.

"Yes. Do you believe he would have any other reason?"

Rukia shook her head negatively and the pair continued their dinner in silence.

xxxx

After dinner Rukia had gone to her Captain's apartments to look at the menus for the engagement dinner. Momo had come by, bringing Izuru along with her. "This one is my favorite." Izuru said pointing to an item on the list.

"Perfect. That should be great for the 5th course." Rukia said then drew a circle on the menu. "What about for the palate cleanser? Sorbet?"

"Green Apple Wasabi is definitely the way to go." Momo offered with a smile.

A knock disturbed them from their plans. "Come in." Rukia said and looked up to see Ichigo standing in her doorway.

"We'll come back, some other time." Momo offered, pulling Izuru swifting from the room. Izuru almost began to protest, but Momo just yanked on his arm more forcefully.

"Hi." Rukia awkwardly said, a tight smile on her lips, "Would you like something to drink?" She smiled jokingly. "Some sake?" Ichigo shook his head. "How was your mission?"

Ichigo laughed awkwardly. 'So it's gonna be like this now?' "Shitty." He hated making stupid small talk.

"Really? Was it at least somewhat successful?" Rukia fought herself from sighing. 'You coward.' She thought to herself. 'Just tell him that you already talked to Byakuya.'

"Let's stop beating around the bush Rukia. I know you talked to Byakuya." Rukia paled and Ichigo nearly wanted to laugh at the look on her face. "Well, what do you have to say?" He asked curiously.

Rukia's posture straightened and she batted her eyelashes aristocratically at the man. "What's there to say? Your reason wasn't good enough for my brother. I'm getting married. End of story."

Ichigo reddened, why did all the pressure have to be on him. Why did HE have to be the one to stop it? Why didn't she just say something to Byakuya? "Did YOU try talking to your brother?"

Rukia laughed bitterly. "Of course I did." Rukia hissed. "He told me that when I accepted being a Kuchiki that I accepted the 'possibility' of an arranged marriage. I knew that becoming a Kuchiki didn't come at a price. And I won't disgrace the family by refusing a reasonable request. It may not be reasonable to me, or to you, but to them it is." She looked down at the menu in front of her. "Oh, I have something for you." Rukia got up and pulled open a box on one of her shelves.

It was an envelope.

Ichigo looked at it curiously then looked up at Rukia.

"It's an invitation to our engagement party on Saturday. Please come Ichigo." Rukia pleaded.

Ichigo placed the invitation on the table. "I don't think I'll be able to make it." Ichigo ground out angrily, turning away from the tiny woman. "I have to go visit my family. They haven't seen me in a while."

"Please Ichigo." Rukia nearly begged. "It would mean a lot to me if..."

"It would mean a lot to me if you didn't get married..." Ichigo countered, he refused to look at her. If he looked at her, he wouldn't be able to deny her. Rukia wanted to just slap him up side the head. Why did he have to be so damn stubborn?

"At least think about it Ichigo?" She said in a calm voice. "Don't completely write it off. It's a big deal for both our families." Ichigo grunted in response.

"I have to go." And he left.

xxxx

Ichigo took the long way back to his own apartments. He was in no hurry to get anywhere. Today did NOT go how it was supposed to at all. He was supposed to come back, spend the day with Rukia. They would talk about what had gone on during his mission. Maybe they'd have lunch, she'd kick him in the head at some point. Then he'd go drinking with the guys.

Nope, his day did NOT go well at all.

He was gawked at like some sort of circus freak, found out Rukia was getting married on accident, confronted his lieutenant, confronted Byakuya, then Byakuya basically asked him to confront his feelings, which he couldn't do.. Then he found Rukia, her FIANCE and Momo in Rukia's apartment. Then he got that stupid invitation to Rukia and her fiance's stupid engagement dinner.

Now he's on his way back to his apartments, alone, sober and feeling pretty shitty.

Maybe it could be worse? He didn't even want to think how it could be worse. It was pretty damn bad as it was.

He just couldn't admit why it felt so.. something.. that Rukia was getting married. Ya, it was shitty that Rukia was getting forced into married, but there were feelings. He swore they were mutual feelings too. Rukia had to know that he felt... that he felt some sort of feelings for her. Feelings of.. pleasantness. He thought she had some sort of similar.. feelings for him too. It was supposed to be an unspoken sort of agreement. You don't date or get engaged or anything similar and I don't either. That's how it was supposed to go.. Didn't she know that? Didn't she know she wasn't SUPPOSED to get married because of their mutual.. feelings?

She broke the rules. At least in his eyes she did. Okay, maybe she didn't break any REAL rules.

He was gonna say something about their... feelings. One day. When the time was right. One day. Further down line, maybe even years down the line. Why did they all have to rush him. It wasn't a damn race. He didn't like being FORCED to do anything.

He opened up the door to his apartment. The first time he went on a long mission he had been gone for 2 months. When he came home Rukia had surprised him at his apartment. He didn't know how Rukia found out that he was coming home, but she was in his apartment and even had a small cake waiting for him. It was the middle of the night and somehow she had a strawberry vanilla cake with the words 'Welcome Home Ichigo' written in icing across the top. He nearly hugged her at that moment, but thought better of it. They stayed up until dawn, just talking and laughing until they both fell asleep surrounded by cake crumbs.

That was one of his favorite memories of Rukia. When she got married she wouldn't be able to do that. At least she didn't think that Izuru would be too happy with his wife spending late nights with her male friend.

Ichigo sighed deeply. He just wanted to go to bed.

xxxx

The next day Rukia took a long lunch break to go dress shopping with Rangiku, but things were progressing VERY slowly.

Rukia and Rangiku stood in the dress shop, Rangiku twirling her hair in her hand as Rukia tried on a series of dress, none which Rangiku approved. "Come on Rangiku. Pick one already. I'm getting tired of changing."

Rangiku laughed and got up to talk to the sales attendant. "Can you find me a..." Rangiku began to whisper into the attendant's ear. The attendant nodded as she whispered. "It's a formal affair, try to kind one that keeps her classy."

"What's the occassion ma'am?" The attendant asked Rukia.

"My engagement dinner." Rukia said with a frown.

A/N: Ok, that was chapter 4. It was pretty short.