Thanks for the favs: ArinaMaron/ ChocoLava / TheSchizophrenic / WhiteEagle0 / chxu0303 / golden-eyedwolf 842 / manusxmachina / shirayukideathberry / tjklutey. And to the new followers of this fic too.
Disclaimer: Kubo owns Bleach. Credits to my cousin Ninya.
*This chapter is dedicated to Gooeystar83 for requesting HitsuKarin.*
Chapter Nine: ''Love is Pretty Terrifying. It can either make you really happy or rip you to shreds."
"You look like a pocket-sized Venus."
"That's a little bit better than the pin-up girl compliment I got earlier so I'll take it," Rukia told Karin with a grin as she gave her a quick hug. She had just shown up at the private rooftop bar lounge they rented for the night in the most expensive hotel in town.
"You sure know how to sex it up," Nelliel said dryly, appearing behind her sister.
Rukia laughed and stepped aside to let them through the door. "Yes, well, the girls seemed to have mixed up tonight as my honeymoon and forced me to wear this on the threat of tickling and spiders."
"The virgin needs to be initiated before her wedding night and the first step is to make her aware of just how hot and sexy she is!" Yoruichi bellowed from the hot tub where she was already sprawled with a bunch of the girls from Urahara's, all clad in bikinis and clinking cocktail glasses with each other.
Her cheeks burned with mortification as the sisters turned to her with identical looks of surprise.
"You're a virgin?"
"My brother restrained himself?"
Rukia glowered at the girls in the hot tub and then looked at the sisters who were staring at her like she'd sprouted two horns and a third breast. "Yes, I'm a virgin. I decided to sell my virginity to the highest bidder - your brother - and offer it on my wedding night. Satisfied?"
Karin smiled. "I'm actually not surprise."
Even Nelliel, who had arrived looking like she hated the world, gave a reluctant nod. "You're not at all what I expected, Rukia."
"I get that a lot. Now, go get changed into your swimsuits and join us at the pool. Yoruichi-san arranged for karaoke and we're doing it while half-submerged in water. Yes. Silly, I know, but I didn't plan this so don't look at me."
"I'll go change," Karin announced. "I hope you have something strong in your bar because I'm going to need it tonight."
Nelliel eyed her in irritation. "We talked about this. You're not drinking, Karin."
"You said coming here was a good idea to distract myself and I'm doing just that."
"We'll all get into trouble with Dad if he finds out any of us went drinking because we're not legally allowed yet. Especially you."
Karin thrust her chin up stubbornly. "I'm already in trouble with him. I might as well earn all my colors and be the black sheep among his children. One of us has to do it. We're all too damn perfect."
Rukia watched the sisters' exchange in silent interest. Obviously, there was a lot of tension going on between the two. Karin was being a lot more outspoken than usual. Reading between the lines, she figured it had something to do with Karin's love affair with the famous lawyer Toshiro Hitsugaya.
"Hey, Karin. Inoue wanted your opinion on the thesis draft she outlined," she blurted out, putting an arm around the younger sister and steering her toward the food bar where Inoue was talking with Isane. Both girls were sporting bikinis. And before she could protest, Rukia turned on her heel and headed for Nelliel who was scowling at her cellphone.
"Nel, come on. I'll show you the change room." She grabbed her by the elbow with no warning and dragged her to the small hall that led to the shower and change room. "I want to see what you're wearing. I need swimsuit ideas for my honeymoon trip with Ichigo."
Nelliel eyed her warily. "I don't think you need help in that department. That set you have on will have his blood running hot."
Rukia turned to the wall-sized mirror to check herself out.
It was quite a sexy number.
The top was red with white polka dots and small ruffles outlining the inner edges of the triangles that covered her modest cups. The tiny bottom was bright red and cut high enough to show a good lower half of her bum, only subtly made decent by the small, lightly ruffled skirt that wrapped around it from the waistband down. The design definitely played up her curves and the cut of the waistband was kind to her flat abdomen.
"I can't believe you're still a virgin." Nelliel's bemused comment drew her attention back to her. She was sitting on a plush armchair, unstrapping her high-heeled sandals. "Who comes out of high school nowadays without having lost it?"
Rukia gave her a meaningful look. "Those who didn't feel like giving it away. Many of the guys in high school were selfish, immature jerks who would screw a post if it had the appropriate receptacle. I just couldn't deal with that."
Nelliel laughed. "I have a feeling the restraint was all on your side now. I'm just amazed that Ichigo is marrying a girl he couldn't sleep with first considering he's slept with dozens of women all these years without taking any of them to the altar."
Rukia made a face. "Do you really want to discuss your older brother's sex life with me?"
Nel wrinkled her nose. "Not really. I'm just... surprised, that's all, considering things looked hot and heavy between you two in the backseat of his car when you showed up at brunch."
Rukia grinned although she could feel her cheeks warm up. "The hot part was just the summer heat. The heavy part was me crushing the life out of your brother by sitting on him."
Nelliel smiled and shook her head before rising to her now-bare feet and picking up her beach tote. "Hmm. Well, I hope you get to do more... sitting on him on your honeymoon. I'll go change."
Rukia's bachelorette party was actually a real blast throughout the barbecue dinner, the pool-side karaoke and some of the games they played like Pin The Cherry On Top where they all took turns placing the paper cut-out of a cherry on certain body parts of a nearly-nude, life-sized male model covered up in printed swirls of whipped cream in strategic locations.
After the games, they all sat down around the pool ledge and unwrapped the presents the girls brought her. Since they were all decidedly naughty, she was slightly horrified especially when the girls started giving her tips on how to best use the toys and other kinky items which she decided not to name out loud.
The only not-so-fun part of the night was the obvious elephant sitting between the two sisters who avoided looking or speaking at each other. Karin was getting wasted despite Rukia's attempts to water down her drinks when she wasn't looking and Nelliel was starting to look like she was plotting an assassination.
Minutes later Rukia stopped talking with the girls when she heard the raised voices coming out of the change room. They couldn't be by anyone else but the sisters. She hurried to the change room, walking right into the progressing arguing match between Karin and Nelliel.
"Look Karin, I care for you more than you know. And it pains me to see you suffering because of some guy who can't stand his ground and can't love you in return."
"He has his reasons. You know that!"
"Hey, hey!" Rukia loudly chimed in and put herself between them. "What's happening here?"
"Toshirou Hitsugaya's engagement party is today and Karin is going crazy." Nelliel said, shaking her head.
"Stop it Nel-chan. Don't judge me because You of all people, have no idea what's it's like to be in love! You know why? Because no one's good enough for you! No one can do anything right! And you know what Nel-chan? You're going to become your own prediction because you will have no one! You're going to wake up someday, and you'll find yourself old and lonely, and when you do, remember that you did it to yourself!"
Rukia took a good look at Nelliel and saw the pain flash in her eyes. "Nelliel.." She said slowly, wondering how she was going to get to her without letting go of Karin who would most likely make out with the floor without her support.
"I'm fine Rukia. " Nel said stiffly as she squared her shoulders and sniffed back tears. "I'm sorry but I have to go, I hope you enjoy the rest of your party."
Nel was gone in seconds, leaving her muttering at Karin who didn't look like her usual self.
"Karin.."
She said nothing, her misery clear on her face, and Rukia took pity on her. "Karin, do you have any security we can call tonight?"
She shook her head, "No. I haven't had anyone tailing me around since I was sixteen. It's my hard-won victory from Dad."
"Okay, then stay here and let me just tell the other girls we're heading out," she told her gently, touching her knee. "I think we should get you home so you can rest and sleep it off."
She barely nodded and Rukia wasted no time in heading right back out to the pool to talk to Inoue. She assigned to wrap up the party and make sure everyone got driven home safely. Rukia slipped on an oversized, light gray sweatshirt, pulled her hair up into a messy top-knot and was just heading for the change room when she saw Isane coming out."Is Karin still there, holding up in one piece?"
"Karin-chan?" Isane asked. "She stormed off a few minutes ago saying something about going somewhere important."
Her heart sank."No."
"Kuchiki-san, what's wrong?" Isane called out as Rukia dashed toward the door.
"Nothing! Thanks for coming, Isane!" She hollered back at her before slamming the door shut behind. She jumped into the elevator and practically punched the button for the lobby into the panel. After a few minutes she found Karin outside the building leaning on a post. It looks like she was waiting for a cab.
"Karin, time to go home."
"Can't go home yet," Karin said, her voice determine. "Can't be alone."
Rukia sighed. "If you'd like you can stay with me tonight. It's nothing luxurious, mind you, but I doubt that in your condition, you'd care. You're clearly wasted."
"I'm not wasted!" Karin argued. "I am broken-hearted! There's a difference."
Rukia raised her brow at her. "Of course there is. Getting wasted is usually the idiot's solution to being broken-hearted or just being simply broken. People shouldn't get drunk. They should take their heads out of their cups and do something about their situation whether it's to try to fix things or get on with their lives."
Rukia nearly stumbled forward when Karin suddenly bolted from her and reached for the cab that just pulled up on the curb to let its passengers out. Rukia dashed after her as Karin practically elbowed her way into the backseat of the cab. Rukia gave the woman Karin just brushed past an apologetic smile as she jumped into the backseat.
"Where are we going?" She demanded at Karin as the taxi pulled out into the street, the sudden motion throwing them back into their seats. Karin groggily gave an address to the driver.
She glanced at Karin, recognizing the address as an upscale high-rise condo. "Is that your place?"
She didn't answer. She turned away instead and curled into herself. Her skin was shiny with perspiration and when she reached out to to her arm, her skin was breaking out in cold sweat.
"Hey," Rukia said softly, brushing Karin's damp hair off her forehead and touching her cheek. "You okay?"
"I don't feel so well," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her belly and closing her eyes. "The motion of the cab... Rukia-chan. I don't -"
And with little warning, she lurched forward and tossed her cookies all over her feet and the taxi floor. The strong, rancid smell of alcohol and stomach acids filled the taxi and Rukia groaned in disbelief just as the driver shrieked in fury.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing -"
"I'm so sorry but just get us to the address and I'll pay you to get it all cleaned up."
The driver was still muttering as he pulled up in front of the twenty-story building and grumpily took the small wad of about six-hundred yen she handed him. She just got Karin out on the sidewalk before the taxi sped away. Rukia looked at her soiled feet and shook off her sweatshirt. Despite it being a summer night, the hour was late and there was a nip in the air that made Rukia shiver slightly but she ignored it.
"Toshirou!" Karin started screaming, swaying toward the entrance of the building. "Toshirou, come out here!"
"You've got to be kidding me," Rukia groaned at the realization of where they were. "Really? Of all friggin' places, you brought us here? Have you lost your mind?"
"I have to see him!" Karin yelled.
"Not like this, you can bet your ass on it!" She snapped, growing increasingly frustrated with her. "I'm not going to let you scandalize everyone in the building at one in the morning and get us both thrown into jail!"
Tears shone brightly in her eyes. "But you said yourself that a person has to do something with her situation—to try to fix things or move on with their lives."
"Well, don't take my advice. Only crazy people do and you're not, are you? So come on, let's get you -"
"No!" Karin protested stubbornly, trying to pull her arm out of her grasp. "I have to see him. He has to decide once and for all whether he wants to be with me or her! If he won't choose then we're through!"
Rukia groaned out loud, exhaling sharply. "For God's sakes, Karin, now is not the time to have an epiphany. Try it first thing tomorrow morning."
"But -"
"That's it! We're taking you home," She declared as sternly as possible, reaching for Karin's bag. "Now, where's your cell? I'm going to have to call Ikkaku-san and have him pick us up because I'm out of cash to pay cab drivers if you decide to toss your cookies all over their floor again."
"No cell," she answered weakly, shaking her head.
"What do you mean no cell?"
"I tossed it in the toilet and flushed it down! I called him and... and I could hear her voice in the background. He was home with her, doing God knows what! I just... I couldn't stand it! That's when Nel-chan walked in on me."
She stared at Karin in disbelief. "Well, we're completely screwed now because I don't have my cell either. I remember you grabbed it from me and I have no idea where it is now."
Ichigo and Isshin-san are going to kill her if anything happens to Karin. She might attend both her wedding and funeral in three days. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and look around the street. Rukia gasped out in relief when she saw a telephone booth at the end of the block, just by a pharmacy that was now closed.
"Karin-chan, come on," She said, pulling her along. "It's time to call reinforcements."
"But -"
"Listen. If you show up like this at Toshirou's door, I won't be surprised if he washes his hands of you. Is this the kind of woman he should leave his fiancée for? One who's completely sauced and reeking of her own vomit?"
Rukia knew it was harsh and she normally wouldn't have said anything like that but she'd let this go on long enough tonight. Karin was going to get them into serious trouble if she didn't pull it together.
To her everlasting relief, her statement seemed to have sobered her up. Karin paled further than she thought possible and nodded slowly, biting her lip. "You're right. I shouldn't have come. I'm... I'm so sorry."
"It's alright," Rukia said with a sigh, tugging her forward again. "We all screw up at some point. Now, come on."
She had no trouble getting her to follow her into the telephone booth. Rukia dug out some change from her pocket and was trying to find enough quarters when someone slammed into the side of the booth. Her arm shot out to grab Karin as two figures loomed over the door. They reeked of weed and alcohol. Her chest tightened in terror but she said nothing.
"Hello, pretties," one of them slurred and tilted his head that a shaft of light coming from the street lamp overhead caught his face. It was scruffy and pock-marked, the eyes slightly bloodshot.
"What are the two of you doing out here? Looking for some action?" the shorter figure said, switching the beer bottle he was holding from one hand to another before reaching out to touch her breast. She instinctively swatted his hand away.
"Get away or we'll scream until the whole neighborhood wakes up," Rukia warned in as steady a voice she could manage, her fingers gripping Karin's arms tightly.
The taller guy cackled out a laugh. "I doubt you could if both your mouths are stuffed with something that will please both me and my buddy here. What d'ya say, pretties?"
She narrowed her eyes at them despite the severe pounding of her heart against her ribcage. "I say, f-ck you."
"You're a mouthy bitch." The shorter guy grabbed Rukia by the chin, his fingers digging into her skin as she tried to twist her head away. "If you don't want to give us a good time, how about you give us all your cash and goodies, yeah? Your friend here looks like she's from around here. She must be loaded."
- I really wish she were loaded with more vomit so she can throw up all over you dirtbags. -
"I'll give you my stuff," Karin finally said handing her bag to them just as the bigger guy snatched it away. "Just let us go."
"I want those blings on your ears, missy," the shorter guy said, reaching forward to flick his fingers against the diamond studs Rukia was wearing—another part of her jewelry collection that Ichigo provided.
Suddenly afraid the man was just going to tear them off her ears, she raised her hands and quickly unfastened the earrings. That's when Rukia realized her mistake. The shorter guy sucked in a breath as his hand grabbed her left one and pulled her out of the booth. He raised her hand to the light to further admire the glittering diamond.
"Now, there's a rock," he said to the big guy in a breathy voice. "Think of what that will buy us."
"Loads," The big guy answered in almost childish excitement. "We'll be good for a while."
Rukia bit the inside of her cheek, slyly glancing at Karin who had quietly slipped out of the booth and stood behind her as the two men bent over her hand. She knew it was a huge risk but she suddenly reared her right leg back and swung her shin forward until it came into contact with the man's crotch. He howled in pain and bowed over, dropping his beer bottle to the grassy patch of the sidewalk.
"Karin, run!" Rukia screamed at her as she whipped around to take off.
She yelled out in pain when a thick arm caught her over her rib and sent her slamming against the man's large, burly body. "You're going to pay for that!"
The other one, still groaning and bouncing around in his toes, came over to her and sent a fist straight into her stomach. All of her breath left her in one great whoosh to be replaced shortly by an excruciating pain.
"Rukia-chan!" Karin shouted in horror.
To her disbelief, Karin jumped on the man's back and start kicking, punching wildly at him whilst screaming murder. Rukia however gasped in pain further when her attacker's arm tightened around her crushed midsection, her vision dimming. Since the man's lock on her was practically holding up her entire body, Rukia pushed both her feet up until they were up in the air, forcing all her weight down on her attacker's arms around her midsection and ignoring the vicious pain as she folded up her legs up and stretched them forward on a swinging motion, landing both her feet at the man's chest with enough force to send him sprawling on the ground.
Caught off guard by Rukia's attack, her attacker's hold loosened as he tried to get to his partner and she crouched down and grabbed the beer bottle by its neck, turning around fast and smashing it on the side on his head. She hissed a string of curse words as a couple pieces of sharp glass embedded themselves in her palm as she pushed the man on his back, blood coursing down the side of his face.
Rukia turned around and saw his partner crawling back up on his knees, lunging forward and grabbing one of Karin's ankles. She tried to kick him off but he regained his footing and came up to her, backhanding her on the side of her face.
"Karin!" Rukia started to come after them but her attacker caught the back of her tank top and used it to propel her toward the concrete bench next to the telephone booth. The momentum of his throw flung her against the sharp and hard edge of the bench seat. The rough surface of the concrete path along the sidewalk scraped her knees raw. Her vision was blurry with pain and consciousness threatened to drift away but she took a deep, punishingly painful breath and forced herself back up on her feet, holding her weight against the bench.
Suddenly, there were voices shouting as footsteps thumped on the sidewalk. Through Rukia's spinning vision, she saw a small group of men heading toward them, most of them wearing pajamas, a couple of them carrying baseball bats. She could hear their attackers cuss out loud just as the sound of a police car siren started getting louder.
"Hey, miss. Are you okay?"
The next half hour was a blur.
Rukia remembered the police arriving and arresting the pair of thugs who were detained by the guys who lived in the apartment across the street. She and Karin were taken to the hospital in an ambulance after they gave their statements to the police. When they got there, she waited until Karin was sent away to be looked after, as she may have suffered a concussion from the impact when that man backhanded her on the side of her face.
Once she was gone, Rukia pulled a nurse aside to speak with. She told the nurse she only had very basic health insurance that would charge an arm and leg for co-pay for any of the medical exam bills and that since nothing felt seriously broken or injured, she could do with just a little patching up and some rest.
The nurse didn't look convinced about letting her skip the exams but her disheveled look must've helped. She eventually seated her in one of the empty gurneys lined up by the hallway outside of the emergency ward.
"You're going to have to ice those ribs," the nurse said. "I can't tell if they're cracked or just bruised but breathing, talking and eating are going to be difficult in the next few days. You'll have to take some painkillers for that but you'll need prescription for anything stronger than the average over-the-counter stuff."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I'll have to - "
"Rukia!"
They both jumped at the thunderous voice resonating throughout the hallway. She bit her lip to keep her from crying out at the pain that hit her rib area again after bouncing up in her position.
"I got a call from the police about you and Karin getting rushed to the hospital after being attacked by a pair of muggers," he snarled, his hazel eyes dark and flashing. "I drove like a mad man here and rushed to the room filed under Kurosaki, expecting to find you in there with my sister or at least in another private suite. I found out that you're only listed for the ambulance expense and that you've opted out on all medical aid. I swear, Rukia, you will succeed in driving me absolutely insane someday," Ichigo finally said with an exasperated sigh before scooping her into his arms.
Her midsection protested at the sudden move and she shrieked in pain that had Ichigo cursing.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice shaky with fear. "Rukia?"
"It's too late to ask that now, you idiot!" Rukia snapped at him, squeezing her eyes shut and shifting ever so slightly until she could find a comfortable angle again although her antagonized speech just added to the pain.
"You can take her back to the emergency room if you'd like the doctor to examine her," The nurse cautiously said, gesturing Ichigo toward the wide door. "She didn't want medical assistance. I took a risk in patching her up. I hope you can understand that."
Ichigo simply nodded to the nurse and followed her into one of the vacant beds where he gently set her down.
"You're fussing too much, you know?" She said faintly, grateful for the sudden comfort on stretching out on a bed that didn't require her to hold herself up and strain her midsection. "I'm sure I'm fine."
"You're not a medical expert and you occasionally downplay your own suffering so I won't listen to your opinion on this," he said sternly as he stood next to her after the nurse left to get a doctor.
"As if you're any better," Rukia grumbled, closing her eyes. "How's Karin? Is she okay?"
"Don't worry about her now, Ruks," Grimmjow finally spoke up somewhere on the other side of her bed. "She's fine. You have to concentrate on getting better yourself."
"And then we're going to talk about what happened tonight and what possessed the two of you to go walking around town in this late hour - wearing that! " Ichigo started ranting off in a voice straining with bitter fury. "You assured me you didn't need looking after. Now look at you! Do you have any idea what they could've done to you if help didn't come? I can just imagine the - no, I don't want to think about it!"
"I think Kurosaki here is falling into pieces," Grimmjow murmured into her ear, a smile in his voice.
Rukia still kept her eyes shut but she couldn't help smiling back. She attempted to sit up but the movement shifted her sore muscles that she groaned and fell back into the bed.
"Grimmjow, what is it now?" Ichigo demanded. "What did you do to her? Don't distress - "
"You're the one distressing her, Ichigo," Grimmjow said coolly. "Do you think it's helping her having you yell at her ear after the hell she's been through? Why don't you step out for some fresh air and - "
"I'm not leaving her!"
"Then shut up and just stay with her, dammit," Grimmjow snapped and she could hear the scrape of his chair as he got up. "Hold her hand and just keep close. I'm going to go check on Karin."
Once Grimm was gone, their little curtained area became enveloped in silence, the sounds of the hospital still surrounding them but seeming detached somehow. Rukia tentatively felt the warmth and weight of Ichigo's hand as he covered hers, interlacing their fingers together. Her hand instinctively curled around his as he raised it up and pressed it against his lips.
"Rukia," he said, his voice low and gentle this time. He didn't say anything else that she wondered if he was waiting for some kind of response from her.
"Yeah?" She asked softly, slowly opening her eyes.
He was gazing at her, his hazel eyes intense with worry. "I was so scared," he whispered, his eyes closing briefly, his long lashes brushing the skin on the back of her hand which he held.
Despite the riot of her thoughts and emotions in the last three hours, she strangely felt instantly better, the sweet, soft ache somewhere in her chest unrelated to her injuries.
"Me too, Ichigo," Rukia said with a smile. "Me too."
.
.
"I may be doped up but I'm not going home with you to your condo, Ichigo."
"It's either that or I stay at your house," Ichigo said as he draped his jacket over her shoulders an hour later. Rukia was sitting on her bed at the emergency ward after going through a couple of X-rays and tests with the doctor who finally declared that her only real signifcant injuries were a couple of bruised ribs and a sprained wrist.
He'd given her the greenlight to rest at home and a prescription for some of the best painkillers. It had an incredible numbing effect on everything that ached and gave her a floaty feeling that Ichigo was keen to take advantage of in convincing her to stay in his condo. Well, he wasn't convincing her from the sound of their conversation in the last ten minutes. He was commanding her to do it and the weak protests she made were for mere pride only.
"Do you have chicken noodles?" She asked as he stood back and leaned down to slide her rubber flip-flops back on her feet. "The instant cup ones that just need hot water. If you do, I'll go with you. Those are my favorite."
He looked at her with a wry smile. "I'll make sure to stock up. I won't have any tonight, though. Will oatmeal do for now?"
"Okay," Rukia said sleepily, pressing her face against his chest, his hands resting on each side of her hips. "Can we go now, please?"
"Someone escaped her room to see you," Grimmjow's voice came around the corner as he pushed Karin's wheelchair forward. "We have about five minutes before I have to run her back."
Karin was dressed in the same light blue hospital gown which Rukia still wore, her hair pulled back into a low ponytail, her face scrubbed clean and beautiful except for the bruise swelling on her right cheek.
"Karin! Are you okay?" She exclaimed, attempting to slip off the bed but failing when Ichigo easily kept her in place with his hands on her hips.
She smiled weakly at her. "I'll be fine, Rukia-chan. Just a little banged up like you. I don't have a concussion but they're keeping me overnight just for observation because I did get hit pretty hard in the head."
Rukia smiled back at her in relief. "That's good news."
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have gotten so drunk. You and Nel-chan... You were just trying to look after me. I'm so sorry, Rukia-chan. I should've listened to you."'
"It's okay, Karin," She told her softly. "I totally understand why you were in such a dark place. I did what I could to help. I'm just glad we got off lightly."
"Those scumbags wouldn't," Grimmjow said, his handsome face dark with disdain. "Once we're done with them, they won't be walking free for a long time."
She winced inspite of her sense of justice. "Does Isshin-san know?"
"He will tomorrow," Ichigo said, eyeing his sister sternly. "I know you intentionally gave the police my name and number to keep him out of this, Karin, but he needs to know what happened. He won't be happy but he'll understand."
Karin bit her lip, her guilt plain on her face. "I know, Ichi-nii. Thank you for coming and waiting at least tomorrow to tell Dad."
"I called Nel five minutes ago. She'll be here any minute."
Karin grimaced and remembered her nasty conversation with her sister earlier. Nelliel may still be mad and hurting about that but she had a good heart and clearly cared about her sister. She wouldn't be kept away.
"There's someone else you might want to tell, Karin," Ichigo added softly, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "But I'll leave that to you to decide on."
Rukia gave Ichigo a grateful smile, knowing he meant about Toshiro and seeing that he offered his sister no harsh judgement despite his opinion of the matter.
"Alright, time's running out," Grimmjow declared. "I'll take her back to her room and maybe I'll stay with her and Nel ."
"Thanks." Ichigo nodded before gently tilting Karin's chin so she could look up at him. "Sis, call me if you need anything, okay? Anything."
"Thank you, Ichi-nii."
.
.
Half an hour later, Rukia and Ichigo arrived at a magnificent high-rise building she couldn't quite appreciate in her drugged state. All she remembered was him pulling up by the entrance, dropping off his keys to a valet, and scooping her up in his arms. He carefully carried her throughout the whole elevator ride and the short walk to his suite.
Her eyes were drifting close when he laid her on a big, soft bed, tucking some pillows underneath her so she could sit comfortably while he went away with the promise of some hot, comforting oatmeal. Eating, even slurping down food, wasn't easy despite the painkillers but Ichigo patiently held up a spoonful to her mouth each time, waiting without complaint as she took nearly half an hour to finish the small bowl.
"I need to shower," Rukia croaked to him after he set aside the tray. "I need to... I have to wash it all away,
She wasn't sure what she was explaining since she could barely hold her end of the conversation but he looked at her and nodded as if he understood perfectly. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her into a giant bathroom. He set her down on her feet slowly before darting into the shower stall to turn the water on.
"Let me," he said just as she reached up to undo her bun, his fingers combing gently through the knots.
Rukia gasped softly when his hand slipped down from her hair and trailed a narrow path along her exposed spine, his fingers nimbly untying the pair of strings that held her hospital gown together. Even in her woozy state, she was distinctly aware of her nipples hardening beneath the thin fabric as she braced herself against suddenly getting stripped naked before Ichigo. He made no move to push off the gown though. He simply walked up behind her, the heat of his body chasing away the chill from her exposed back, his hand gathering her hair and draping it over one shoulder.
"I'll find you something to wear," he whispered, his lips brushing the side of her neck. "If you need help with anything, I'll be outside. Don't hesitate to call me."
He moved away and quietly closing the door behind him, leaving Rukia alone and shivering not from the cold or remnants of her fear but from the heat that Ichigo's proximity stirred in the deepest, most intimate parts of her.
- It's just for tonight, Rukia. Tonight, you just can't be alone.
Despite her reassurances though, she knew that while she was safe from harm in Ichigo's care, she was in a different kind of peril at the same time—the kind that will bruise and break her heart. Sighing, she shrugged the gown off and stepped into the shower, refusing to look at the mirror until she washed off the grime and memories of tonight's, warm water helped with her aching, exhausted muscles and cleared the fog in her head a little. Rukia couldn't find any regular soap so she poured a dollop of some kind of men's shampoo directly on her head and let the water lather it up to wash down the rest of her body because her one hand was sprained and bound while the other was bandaged from the cuts she got from the beer bottle.
It smelled the way Ichigo did all the time.
Satisfied with how clean she felt, Rukia turned off the water and reached for the thick white towel that hung on the wall, wrapping it around herself.
A soft knock came on the door.
"Come in."
Ichigo stepped halfway through the door, already dressed in a white cotton shirt and dark blue pajamas, pausing to make sure she was covered up although he didn't look away quickly enough to disguise the flare of interest that lit up his eyes when he saw the towel wrapped around her dripping form.
"I found you some underwear in the bags Inoue had delivered here earlier but I couldn't find your regular clothes without going through each bag so you can just use one of my shirts for now," he said, walking in and setting down a folded, plain white shirt on the leather bench tucked in the corner of the massive bathroom. A pair of white lace panties was on top of it.
Her cheeks warmed at the thought of Ichigo rifling through her underwear but she didn't say anything. He walked up to the vanity and pulled open a bottom drawer where he took out a new toothbrush from a set. He slipped it in the slate cup that held a near identical which she assumed was his.
"Come on, let's get you dressed and ready for bed," he said gently, grabbing a smaller towel and wrapping it around her hair, squeezing the water out. "You don't look like you'll last much longer on your feet."
Rukia let him dry her hair, enjoying the soft presses of the towel against her face every now and then.
"It's going to hurt lifting your arms to put a shirt on so I found you a button-up one," he explained, picking up the shirt and undoing each of the button. "You can, um, cover up, if you'd like but I'll have to slip each sleeve through your arm so you don't strain yourself too much, okay?"
"Okay." She slowly extended her left arm and let him slide it through the sleeve while her right clutched the towel tightly in place. She switched and did the same thing with her right arm. He started doing up the top buttons, the oversized fit of the shirt allowing room for the towel to stay wrapped around her body.
"I'll turn around so you can put your panties on," he said, a faint smile curving on one corner of his mouth.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She asked, only managing a weak glare and no heat in her words.
His own smile broadened. "I like taking care of you."
Rukia rolled her eyes. "Just close your eyes, Ichigo. No peeking or I'll kick your balls once I get better."
Ichigo lets out a husky laugh. She let the towel slip down to the floor but bending over to step into her underwear proved more challenging. The muscles in her midsection smarted despite being nearly numb and her sprained wrist couldn't apply much force without some pain.
"Need help?" he asked, his eyes still closed.
"I thought you're an expert at getting panties off, not putting them on," She said wryly as she pulled the underwear all the way up over her bum.
"I'm flexible." He shrugged but kept smiling.
"You can open your eyes now," She said as she straightened, wincing slightly.
"You okay?" he asked when he noticed her expression.
Rukia took a shallow breath. "Yeah. I will be."
Her hands reached down to finish buttoning the shirt up but Ichigo grasped her wrists, moving them away. He widened the gap of the shirt and she opened up her mouth to protest but whatever she had to say died in her throat when his fingers slipped under the shirt and carefully traced the area where she was injured.
"I want to see." He swallowed hard and gently tugged the shirt up, revealing her thighs, underwear and belly.
Rukia made no move to stop him as he revealed the still-red bruises that formed a clustered band just below her breasts. Some were a darker red and tinged with purple. The hand that was touching her skin curled into a fist as Ichigo stiffened, barely restraining his anger.
"I wish... I wish I could've been there," he said hoarsely, his jaw clenching.
She pushed his hand away and let the shirt's hem fall. "I'm glad you weren't because I'd hate to have to explain to your father why I'm bailing you out of jail."
His expression softened with a smile. "No matter what happens, the light in you just never goes out, does it?"
His comment tugged at something inside of her but she masked it with a shrug. "Self-sustaining inner sunshine. I should patent this and get rich."
He laughed and brushed a lock of hair off her cheek. "No. I want to keep it all to myself."
- And will I burn brighter or eventually die out? -
Before they could say more, he swept her up in his arms again and carried her to the bed, pulling the covers over her bare legs and tucking them under her chin.
"I'll sleep in the couch," he said, grabbing a spare pillow and pointing to the long, plush sofa that extended along the length of his glass wall where she could already spy the soft pastel glow of the dawn outside.
"No, stay here," Rukia said, surprising herself but quickly realizing that she meant it. "The bed's big enough."
He hesitated for all of five seconds before he tossed the pillow back on the bed and slipped under the covers, turning to face her. He reached up and turned the lamps off, shrouding the room in shadows.
"Thank you for taking care of me," Rukia said as her eyes drifted close, feeling his fingers gently comb through her slightly damp hair. "It's been so long I've forgotten how it feels like."
"You're going to have to get used to it now," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll do it all the time."
Rukia smiled and snuggled up closer to him, drawn to the warmth and protection of his body. After a long stretch of silence, he said, "Thank you, Rukia."
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for what you did for Karin," he explained. "She told me what happened and what you did for her."
Rukia bit her lip. "She's in love, Ichigo, with a man she can't have. A man who belongs to someone else. It's destroying her."
"Love is pretty terrifying," he murmured, slowly slipping an arm over her hip, careful not to touch anywhere she was injured. "To have someone hold that much power over you. They can either make you really happy or rip you to shreds."
"It sounds scary if you put it that way," She agreed before letting out a big, long yawn.
The sound of Ichigo's voice, the motion of his fingers through her hair, and the protective arm he had over her hips made for a perfect combination that lulled her deeper into sleep.
"Will you do it?" She heard him asking. "Even if it's scary, will you do it?"
"If he's worth it, I will," Rukia mumbled absently. "Will you?"
"If she's worth it, I will."
"You can still cancel the wedding, you know?" She murmured. "I'll understand. I want you to be happy."
"Canceling the wedding isn't going to make me happy."
"If she owns your heart, Ichigo, you have to choose her or live a life of regret with someone else. Choose her."
She felt Ichigo's lips brush her cheek as her last conscious thought seeped out of her mind. The last thing she remembered was him whispering, "I am choosing her, Rukia."
Me: Aww.. I love the last part. Sorry about Karin, well we really haven't seen her getting drunk either in the manga or the anime. But in this fic she's 18 so I guess its okay for her to try getting drunk once in a while. :) Just a reminder though, HitsuKarin is just a side story.
x
Thank You guys for your reviews last chapter. I was having bad day but your reviews lighten up my mood. You guys are awesome!
Check out your PM's inbox for my replies.
Guest: My apologies, I will try to make them more in character. Thank you for your suggestions. :)
Guest: Thanks. Yes they are. :)
Guest: You do have a point about Rukia. No worries, our portrayal of Rukia's character won't be like that. :) I do appreciate you sharing your real thoughts.
Cc: Haha. Me too! :P
Nolly: Hi! Everytime a new reader comes in, it excites me. Thank you so much for the wonderful review. *blushes* Your words are very encouraging. I know exactly what you feel, I'd read a lot of IchiRuki fics as well that are incomplete and completely abandoned by their authors for some reason. I can't promise anything, since we really don't know what's going to happen in the near future right? But for now, We'll do our best (I personally will) not to disappoint you readers. *winks*
Sara1991: You're welcome. Glad you liked it. :)
Guest: Sorry for the long wait. I hope this chapter covers it? :)
Guest: Aww, thanks for waiting. What do you think about this chap?
