Holding Back

Thanks to darisu-chan for the review :3 typing out an original story with a minimum of 30k words is rather draining for my poor brain. About 29000 words to go ;-;

P.S.: I see that I tend to write Ichigo's thoughts more than Rukia's. o.o;

DISCLAIMER: Come to think of it, why wasn't there any Hitsugaya-themed food for sale? D: *shot*

XXX

Prompt 006: Age

"You said you were ten times older than me."

He said it casually as they were wrapping up Christmas presents. That would mean she was about 153 now. Three years since they met, but only the first Christmas they celebrated together (with his family) since the pieces from the Winter War had to be picked up and painfully put back together.

"So what if I am?"

She haphazardly stuck tape all over the box [A/N: Like me v_v;] before Ichigo took it away from her, earning him a "HEY!" and a hit on the head. "You're wasting tape," he said, rubbing the sore spot. "And do you want people to open it or not?"

"Of course I do! I just don't know how to... wrap."

"You could just ask."

"I need to learn it myself," she grumbled.

"Suit yourself. When's your birthday?"

"... soon."

"What, you don't like to grow old?"

The comment resulted in a cushion to the face.

"It's not that! Just... I can't really remember."

She stopped wrapping, gazing at the box before her. How many years was it her brother never celebrated her birthday? Too many to count, she sighed. Wishes were only gotten from the servants who tended to mill around to see if they could get her something. Eventually, they stopped coming, either because she never asked anything of them or, more likely, her brother wanted them to stop 'wasting time'.

He kept quiet. He cleared his throat and said, "Should I beat him again to get the message across?"

"Ichigo," she rolled her eyes, but smiled too, "Don't you think once is enough?"

"Hey, he has to treat you better! If he's slacking, I should go over and knock sense into him."

"You need more sense than him, Ichigo. He's started giving me trinkets these past years."

"Wouldn't a party be better?" he wondered aloud, ignoring her comment.

"He's... a little socially awkward, if you know what I mean..."

He nodded. That icy demeanor would freak out most guests. Still, it would be fun to see him greeting guests, or even have a display of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi whirling around. He doubted his accuracy would be so bad he would accidentally kill the lucky invitees. Or maybe he'd just nick a certain orange-haired 'guest'.

"Ichigo?"

He paled a little. "On second thoughts, I don't think a party would be good."

She gave him a look; what was going on in your head?

"Okay, I'm done! … Rukia, just how many presents are you going to give?"

"This is for nii-sama, Renji, the servants, Inoue, Ishida, Sado, … er, Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, Ururu, Jinta, Hanatarou..."

"Okay, okay, I get it."

He sat there a while. "Geez, I'll help you. They're going to wonder what the hell you gave them which needs to be so secure."

"Shut up! They don't teach this in the academy," she shot at him.

"Yeah, yeah, you learn to chop, burn, whatever."

It was quiet save for the rustle of paper and the tearing of tape. "Why don't we celebrate your approximate 154th birthday?" it slipped out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying.

She smiled at the box before her. "Sure."

"Imagine going to the cake shop and saying, 'I need a birthday cake', 'How old is the birthday person?', '154'. How many candles do you need?"

Instead of a retort he was expecting, she just said wistfully, "Just one. It'll be the first one I celebrate with friends."

They went back to being quiet. He promised himself he would make it as special as it could, for this slight girl who meant so much to him. He wondered how he was going to keep scowling as he imagined the joy on her face when she opened her present, finding a Chappy plushie in that purple and white (and topped off with a red ribbon) package over there.