[A/N: Sorry for the lateness! Happy Memorial Day!]
Chapter Nine: Bunnies in the Closet
"You're just as bad as your father, making people upset and making them want to destroy the planet and now I can't even sleep in my own house," Mom complained as she settled into the Briefs' compound the next morning. The compound was still under construction since the attack on Saturday, but by now things being destroyed by giant monsters was something everyone had gotten used to.
"Everyone is pretty sure this is all my fault somehow, but to be perfectly honest I'm still ready to pin all this blame on dad," I said. "Or Bardock. I still don't think I trust him."
"He's harmless, but I understand why you're suspicious," Mom said. "And you're staying safe?"
I nodded. "West City is crawling with Soul Reapers now and since I'm staying with Shiori near Karakura Town there's even more there, so I'll be fine. And you'll be fine too since there isn't much Spirit Energy to be given off here."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Mom asked.
"I'm sure. They'll need me in Karakura Town if anything bad happens since none of them can fight off the hybrids without one of us," I said. "And besides Trunks still hates my guts."
Mom sighed. "You're so much like your father, always looking out for other people even though it terrifies me."
"Well I made sure you got taken care of first didn't I?" I asked. "I may scare you, but I do love you."
"And Ichigo is making sure you're safe too?" Mom asked.
I nodded. "Yeah. He's pretty good at that, not that I need much saving these days."
She pulled me over and kissed my forehand.
Trunks knocked on the frame and leaned in.
"Hey, Kairi, Ichigo is here," he said.
"Go to school," Mom said. "Stay safe. And I will see you and Ichigo for dinner tonight?"
"Yes you will," I said. I picked up my school bag and walked out of the room and downstairs with Trunks.
"So can I ask why he walked all the from Karakura to the other side of West City just to walk you all the way back to school?" Trunks asked.
"Are you asking because you're curious or because you're just being obnoxious?" I asked.
"I just don't get why he would go through all the trouble," Trunks said.
"Because he likes me, obviously," I said. "You used to go out of your way for me."
"But—."
"But now you know what a lying, cheating, soul sucking harpie I am," I said.
"I was going to say that you don't need a babysitter anymore, but your answer is good too," he said.
I nodded. "Hilarious. I'll see you later. Stay out of trouble," I said. I walked outside and saw Ichigo standing on the sidewalk in front of the house.
"Try not to ruin anyone's life," he said. I waved him off and walked up to Ichigo. He smiled when he saw me and he leaned down and kissed me.
"Hey there," I said. "I thought the whole gang was coming."
"Nah. I just sent them with Kurama and Yukina," he said.
"Wanted to have me all to yourself?" I asked.
"Yeah, since it's never going to happen with every Soul Reaper in existence here," he said. "I'm still sorry about Renji yesterday."
"Don't worry about it," I said. "I'm sure I'll eventually stop feeling humiliated once I learn to repress it."
"I'm glad you can repress it. Renji probably isn't going to let me forget it," Ichigo said.
"Well, it wasn't the worst experience of my life," I said. "I was really enjoying myself until we were interrupted." I pushed myself up onto my toes, and kissed him. "Although I am going to fail my math test today. Unless the only question they ask me on the test is what the formula is that you need to find the area of a scalene triangle is."
"What is that formula called, Kairi?" Ichigo asked.
"Herrings formula?" I asked.
"You are going to fail math," he said. "It's my fault. I distracted you."
"I let you distract me and I was going to fail anyway," I said. "I'm just an unmotivated slacker and if I can't apply minimal effort when doing it then it usually doesn't get done. There are exceptions to that, obviously, but math isn't one of them."
888
"I just don't understand why I need to know how to find the area of a scalene triangle anyway. Do scalene triangles even exist in nature and if they do am I even going to need to find the area of one if I come across it?" I asked.
Orihime shrugged next to me. It was last period and we were in art class, one of the few classes I was doing well in.
"I think they say that architects and engineers really need that kind of math," Orihime said.
"Do I look like a future architect or engineer? I'm probably under qualified for fast food," I said.
"Don't put yourself down like that," Orihime said. "You just have to try harder every once in a while. Once you pass math and finish 10th grade and eventually high school, it'll all be behind you."
"And then what? College?" I asked.
"Why not?" Orihime asked.
Well, for starters I hate school. Secondly I don't have good enough grades and my disciplinary record is horrifying and even if I wanted to go to college they would never let me in," I said. "Are you going to college?" She nodded. "Of course you are. All of you will—Chad, Uryu, and Ichigo. And you'll all become doctors and lawyers and business executives. And I will be living with my parents with naught but my abilities as a superior physical being which are only useful if you're fighting monsters, but not practical in every day life. And I was always okay with that."
"What's changed?" Orihime asked. "Is it because you quit?"
"I guess that's part of the reason, but it's also because of you guys," I said.
"Us?" Orihime asked.
"Yeah. This is like the first time in my life where I'm surrounded by people who aren't idiots or people who I enjoy annoying with my lack of intelligence," I said. "Especially, Ichigo. I'm just not good enough for him am I?"
"Probably not," Orihime answered.
"Wow, that's harsh," I said.
"I was joking," she said.
"Seriously though, if you don't mind being honest, harsh and blunt even, he is too good for me isn't he?" I asked.
Orihime sat there with her pencil against he sketch book, not moving, staring at it. She got like this every once in a while. She was stuck inside her own head like I'd said something mean to her or that she was thinking about something that bothering her her. She'd just get spacey and distant.
"I think that if Ichigo likes you, you shouldn't worry about it," Orihime said. "Because it means he thinks you're good enough."
I nodded. "Thanks."
She nodded and went back to drawing quietly, still inside of her own head.
"Is. . . Is everything okay, Orihime?" I asked.
She nodded, looked back over to me and smiled. "Yeah! I'm totally fine! Just trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight! It's a very arduous task!"
I hadn't seen anyone so desperate to hide what they were really thinking about since I'd met Hiei. But unlike Hiei, Orihime didn't annoy the crap out of me. If she was going through something and didn't want me to bother her about it then I'd just let her have her space.
Still, it wasn't really in my nature to just let things bother my friends.
The bell rang and we packed up our things. Orihime gave me her cheerful goodbye before walking out of the classroom. I followed shortly thereafter and found Ichigo waiting for me outside the door.
"Hey there," Ichigo said.
"Have you ever noticed anything weird about Orihime?" I asked.
"You know her not to be weird?" he asked.
"Like, do you ever talk to her and she seems kind of distant and awkward and that kind of thing?" I asked.
"All the time," he said.
"And you don't you think that's weird?" I asked.
"I think it's weird that you always make random reference to stuff that doesn't make sense, but I let it go," he said. "Orihime's always been like that."
"You don't think there's something bothering her?" I asked.
"I think she's fine. If something was bothering her wouldn't she say something?" Ichigo asked.
"Maybe not," I said.
"Why would she just keep it to herself if something was bugging her?" Ichigo asked.
"Sometimes people just keep it all bottled up inside to seem strong. They don't like to put their problems off on other people. I know I'm guilty of doing that," I said.
"Well if she doesn't want to talk about it let it go. She'll talk when she's ready," Ichigo said.
I walked to Ichigo's house and the trip was thankfully uneventful. Karin and Yuzu were both eating in the kitchen.
"Hey, Kairi! Oh, my gosh! You cut your hair!" Yuzu exclaimed when she saw me.
"Yeah. It was getting out of control," I said. "But now it's getting kind of awkward."
"I like it," Yuzu said.
"Yeah, you don't look like a wild woman anymore," Karin said. "Welcome to civilization."
". . . Thank you?" I said unsurely. It was kind of impossible to tell whether or not Karin was complimenting me or insulting me sometimes. I knew that she didn't hate me, she was probably just being overly cautious of me, making sure that I was actually worthy to date her brother. I remember being really dismissive of Videl she first started coming around with Gohan.
"Oh, dad said he needed your help with something in the clinic," Yuzu said.
Ichigo sighed and I took his bag from him. "I'll just wait upstairs and pretend to do homework."
"Grade A work ethic you've got there," Karin said as Ichigo left to the clinic. "I mean that metaphorically of course."
"You're such a comedian," I said.
"And you're a moron," Karin said.
"Stop fighting you two. You're acting like babies," Yuzu said, frowning at us.
"Sorry," I said walking over to the stairs.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Yuzu asked.
"No, my parents my are actually here so I'm having dinner with them tonight and I'll probably kidnap your brother too if that's okay," I said.
"All right, maybe tomorrow. You haven't stayed here in a while," she said.
"You got it, Yuzu," I said.
"You're not gonna earn brownie points by sucking up to her," Karin said.
"Yeah, but I might get some actual brownies out of the deal," I said.
Yuzu chuckled and Karin rolled her eyes, seeming slightly amused. I was pretty okay with the fact that I had a younger brother and not a younger sister. I was afraid she might turn out like Karin who was just too similar to me for comfort. I wanted to strangle Goten enough of the time as it was.
I walked up to Ichigo's room, stepped out of my shoes and sat on his bed. I pulled out my math book and looked through what my test today had been on. I shook my head. Karin was right—I was a moron. At least when it came to math. Science I was slowly getting the hang of, but math was just not happening.
A few minutes later Ichigo came through the door. He closed the door behind himself and looked over to me.
"Did Karin really call you a moron?" he asked.
"Yes, but she might have a point," I said. "Besides, Orihime did once tell me that it was good that I was pretty because I wasn't smart."
"I don't think she meant it that way," he said coming and sitting down next to me. "You have no work ethic. You don't try. It's like you pick up little bits and pieces of things you learn and try to work them all in together and it. . . Doesn't work. Especially with math."
". . . My dad does that. It's like he hears words in conversation and doesn't know what they mean but he uses them anyway," I said. "It took us forever to teach him what rhetorical meant and sometimes I still don't think he gets it. Maybe that's just the way the part of my brain that does math works."
"I don't think you're stupid," he said. "I just think you're lazy and that you don't care and that maybe you should, because other people will think you're just some dumb bimbo with a pretty face and I know you're not."
"Well I usually just punch people in the face if they think that way about me, but I understand your concern," I said. "I will ask Uryu to tutor me, and I'll try not to make him flip a table or write on my forehead again."
"How are you going to convince him?" he asked.
"I have this jacket that I really like I wear sometimes and Uryu said he has 'vision' for it, and I was like 'no you're not messing with my jacket' but I guess having him go a little Project Runway on it for a passing grade in math wouldn't be so bad. I'll just never wear that jacket again—or I can give it Karin just to annoy her," I said.
"I couldn't imagine why you don't get along," Ichigo said.
"That was sarcasm?" I asked. He nodded. "Okay, sometimes things just go right over your head. You're a little bit oblivious."
"I've been told that before," he said. "But I don't think I miss anything important."
"You might. You never know," I said. "Come a little closer and I'll tell you something you've missed." Ichigo leaned down and turned his head as if I were actually going to tell him something. "Haha. You're so funny."
He chuckled and turned his head to kiss me. "Couldn't help it." He moved to kiss me again, but stopped short of my lips. I frowned at him and he chuckled again. I moved to kiss him, but he stopped me, putting a finger to my lips.
"I do not approve of this, Shinigami," I said against his finger.
"I don't either, but you're kind of cute when you get all pouty like that," he said.
"You think I'm cute?" I asked playfully.
"Sometimes," he said. "For instance." He quickly pulled his hands from my lips and started tickling my sides. I tried to get away, but he pinned me down against the bed leaving me to lie there, laughing like a child. When he finally stopped tickling me, I just laid there until he leaned down and kissed me.
"Point made. Do not tickle me again or we're going to have some issues," I said.
"Sure, sure," he said dismissively. He leaned down and kissed me again and that's when his closet door opened.
"Ichigo, I was wondering how many Hollows would you say you've come across since Spirit World started the process of closing the tunnel?" Rukia asked. She was sitting in his closet, casually, legs folded, wearing a pink floral print dress.
"Why does that even matter?" Ichigo asked, seeming unfazed by her presence as we both moved to an upright position.
"I'm sorry. Why is Rukia in your closet?" I asked.
"I sleep here when I'm in the World of the Living," Rukia said. She pushed his closet door open and my jaw dropped. There was a pink sleeping mat covered in tiny little bunnies, the rest of the closet was covered in the same bunnies on the walls with a string of lights, all in the shape of the same bunny.
"Who the hell told you could decorate? I specifically told you not to decorate" Ichigo scolded her.
"Wow. . . Bunnies. . ." I said.
"It's Chappy the Rabbit," Rukia said. "He's a very popular character in the Soul Society."
I nodded. I was pretty sure I was done here. "Well you enjoy that. . . I'm gonna head home."
"But you just got here," Ichigo said.
"Yeah, but. . ." I paused and looked over to Rukia.
"Oh, no problem!" Rukia said. She retreated into her closet.
"I know it's weird," he said.
"Never mind the fact that it's extra weird, but this is the second time in as many days where one of your Soul Reaper buddies has caught you in a compromising situation with me," I said. "And one of them is living in your closet."
"It's just Rukia," he said.
"And I'm sure you'd be just as comfortable with it if Yusuke lived in my closet," I said.
Ichigo conceded with a nod. "It's only temporary. She's got nowhere else to go unless you want her."
I sighed. "All right. I know you two are tight after all. You'd probably let Orihime live in your closet if she asked."
"But they're the only two," he said.
"What about me?" I asked.
"Why would I make you sleep in the closet when I've got a perfectly good bed? I don't mind the floor," he said.
"I'm almost positive that we can both fit on this bed," I said.
"Sure, but self-control has never been your strong suit," he said. "I wouldn't want to tempt you."
"Your mere existence is temptation enough, Shinigami," I said. I pushed myself up onto my toes and kissed him. "It's only the presence of prying eyes that keeps me on my leash."
"I noticed," he said.
"And don't point fingers. You obviously don't have much control than I do," I said. I kissed him again. Those familiar pangs of desire started to rise up in me again and I forced myself away from him. "Maybe we can continue this conversation when you don't have a roommate."
"Definitely," he said. I kissed him again.
"Dinner is at six, don't forget," I said. "Goodbye, Rukia."
"Bye, Kairi," Rukia called through the closet.
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I was sitting in my room, reading for biology at my desk. I went to twist through my hair like I usually did, but it fell away from my fingers. I sighed. It wasn't exactly short, but I wasn't used to the length anymore.
"Detective." I looked over to the door and Hiei was standing there.
"Hello," I said turning back to my book. Hiei had been here since Saturday, at the pleading of my aunt who was convinced he was homeless, which was technically true. "What brings you?"
"I thought you were out with your Soul Reaper," he said.
"It got a little crowded over there," I said. "But he's coming for dinner. He should be here soon actually."
"How exciting," he said rolling his eyes.
"Did you know," I started looking at my biology book, "that in the womb we all start off as both male and female which why men have nipples. Also, because of that the clitoris is actually an undeveloped penis."
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"Because you're in my room for no reason," I said. "You're at the mercy of my biology homework."
"Lucky me," he said. "I see you're less irritated with me."
"Hmm?" I asked.
"You haven't said more than hello to me since Saturday," he said.
"Oh. . ." I trailed off remembering our conversation. "I wasn't irritated. I think you just hurt my feelings."
"I hurt your feelings?" he asked.
"I don't think people like hearing that you only used them for their body," I said.
"I wasn't using you," he said. I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Or that wasn't my intent at least."
"Well, you told me my expectations were misplaced. Maybe yours were too," I said.
"I didn't have any," he said.
"I'm sure you weren't expecting to come back and find me with Ichigo. Maybe you thought that I'd be okay with you popping up every once in a while and us just fooling around, having fun, but I don't want that anymore. People get hurt that way. Trunks got hurt that way," I said. "I got hurt that way, obviously."
"And you're happy with how things are with your Shinigami?" he asked.
I nodded. "Quite happy. Tell me, what do you think of him?"
"I think you have a type," he said. "And that I don't like it."
I shrugged. "I suppose you differ from the variety of boys I seem to go for, except for the sword and the combative attitude. Maybe you were just a phase, Hiei." He scoffed. "You're so arrogant. You don't even like me and you're appalled by the thought that I could ever get over you, like you're etched onto my very soul or something, well you are not."
"Clearly," he said.
"Don't be so peeved, Hiei. I mean, I was really mad at you after you left. I almost didn't go out with Ichigo because of you and even though I was angry when you showed back up. . . I still missed you," I said. "And I am glad you're back, even if there's nothing in it for me."
"Nothing in it for you like what?" he asked.
I shrugged as I thought back to our brief encounter in my room that I mistook for the beginnings of a relationship.
"Your emotional support, the way you tease me, your awkward hugs," I said with a sigh. I replayed the night in my head, thinking to myself that of Hiei weren't, well Hiei, he might actually make a semi-decent boyfriend. He was pretty emotionally shallow, and was pretty blunt, but he was honest, and very sincere and could even be considerate of me when no one else was watching. Sure, he could be emotionally distant, but he made up for it in other ways. He was a man of action after all. Words didn't suit him very well, but he could be physically expressive.
And if I could say anything about Hiei it was that he was not short on physical prowess in any respect.
I felt the skin of my face start to burn as I recalled the rest of that evening, and I looked him over standing in my door way—his hands, his mouth. . . his hands.
"What about my hands?" he asked.
"What? Nothing. Nothing at all. Didn't say anything," I said flushing even redder with embarrassment. I was either thinking out loud, or was too distracted to keep my thoughts to myself. I turned back to my book. "You should leave. Ichigo will be here soon. He doesn't really like you."
"Yes, and I'm sure you need to compose yourself," he said.
"I am perfectly composed thank you very much," I lied.
"Don't be angry with me because you're having inappropriate thoughts about someone other than your darling Soul Reaper," Hiei said.
"Get out of my room if you're going to be a jerk," I said.
"I'm not being a jerk, you're just taking me for one because I'm telling the truth and you don't want to hear it," he said.
"Well then get out anyway. You're getting on my nerves," I said.
"And if I say no?" Hiei said.
"Then I might I have something to say about it."
Ichigo stepped in to the frame and looked down at Hiei. They glared at each other for a moment, before, Hiei turned away with a scoff.
"Yes, I suppose you would be one to protest," Hiei said.
"And yet I see you're still here," Ichigo said.
"So, I am," Hiei replied.
"I really don't want to have a problem with you, Hiei, and right now I feel like we might have a problem," Ichigo said.
"A problem?" Hiei scoffed.
"She told you to leave, now leave, before I make you leave," Ichigo said.
"Ichigo," I started. The last thing I wanted to see was the two of them fighting.
Hiei scoffed one last time before he stepped out of my doorway allowing Ichigo to pass. He stepped into my room and closed the door behind himself.
"What's his problem?" Ichigo asked.
"Harassing me is one of his favorite past times. You just got caught in the crossfire I think," I said.
"Anyway, your parents aren't here yet so I thought I'd just come wait here with you," he said.
"I always enjoy your company," I said closing my textbook. I got to my feet and walked over to where he was standing by the door. "I think I most enjoy your company when there isn't an audience."
"Yeah, I'm sorry about the past few days. And I wanted to make it up to you," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white, cardboard jewelry box. "It was Rukia's idea. She said you seemed pretty irritated and that I should get you something."
He handed me the box and I lifted the lid from it. There was a small necklace inside—a basic silver chain with a steel, red capital "I" dangling from it. I lifted it out the box and examined it.
"Aww, Ichigo," I started.
"Hey don't get all cutesy on me," he said.
"I wasn't. I was going to ask why you didn't get me something useful like chicken wings," I said. He frowned at me as pushed myself on my toes and kissed him. "Thank you. But I wasn't mad anymore. A little annoyed maybe, but totally over it."
"I figured, but whatever. Peer pressure," he said.
"Here," I handed him the necklace and turned my back to him. "Put it on."
"You're so needy," he said, jokingly as I moved my hair out of the way. He swung the necklace around the front of me and I winced at the feel of the cool steel against my skin. "Are you okay?"
"It's just cold," I said as he rested his hands on my shoulders. "Your hands are warm though." I let my hair fall back down, but Ichigo immediately brushed it out of the way. He then leaned down and kissed me just behind my ear. A chill rolled down my spine.
"Still cold?" he asked.
I chuckled. "Not cold."
He continued to kiss me, moving further and further down my neck until he reached my shoulder.
"Ichigo," I started to protest, but I was pretty bad at that. I was better at giving in, just letting it go. That was more fun anyway.
I turned around to face him and pulled his lips down to mine, draping my arms around his neck. It was always difficult to stay like this while vertical, given our eight inch height difference, but Ichigo remedied this quickly. He grabbed me by my hips and lifted me up from the ground. He turned us around and held me firmly against my bedroom door. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waists and my fingers curled around his shoulder.
Ichigo ran a hand through my hair. I pulled my lips from his and moved to kiss across his jaw and down his neck. He groaned slightly, tightening the grasp he had on my hip.
"Kairi," he breathed. I brought our lips together and again and his lips moved against mine hungrily. But then he pulled away, pausing to leave a few fleeting kisses my lips. "Your parents are coming over."
"Right," I said. I kissed him again.
"We should probably stop," he said kissing me again.
"I know," I said pulling his lips back to mine, "but I really don't want to."
He started to pull away again, and I dropped my head against his chest in an effort to control myself. I unhooked my legs from around him and he lowered me to the floor.
I walked away from him and went back to sit on my desk, bypassing my chair.
"Your hair is kind of. . ." Ichigo motioned that it was messy. I looked back into my mirror and saw that it was a little wild between the door and his hands.
I picked up my brush and started running it through my hair.
"So. . .I don't have to worry about Hiei do I?" Ichigo asked.
"Hiei's a jerk, but he's harmless," I said.
"You're always bickering and when I met him I wanted to hit him. I still want to," he said.
"Well, I'm sure he feels the same about you," I said. "I know he does. I think he feels that way about everyone."
"Not about you," Ichigo said.
"I'm sure he does," I said.
"Just not for the same reason he wants to hit everyone else," Ichigo said.
"And what reason would that be?" I asked.
"I think he just likes you," Ichigo said.
"Well I like you so if he does like me he's shit out of luck," I said.
"Good to hear," he said.
"Have I adequately reassured you?" I asked.
"It was never you that I was worried about. Just him," Ichigo said.
"Well, of you're worried about him then you have to take it up with him," I said. "Look like you two need to have a conversation."
Ichigo scoffed. "When hell freezes over."
