10. Modern Love
The problem with Rukia, Ichigo thought, was that she believed that chivalry was dead. She would simply not let him play out his subconscious scenarios – stubborn mule. She always has to have her own way, and put him in his place.
He replayed it in his head too often, when he rushed off to the bridge by Shi-Shinro to rescue Ganju and Hanataro. They had gone as far as dragging Rukia out of her cell, only to be blocked by Byakuya.
A part of the scenario played out perfectly. Her head was turned towards him as he descended from the sky, a face full of surprise and unexpected joy. She was beautiful in that moment, his damsel in distress swathed in white. Was she even wringing her hands, trembling in anticipation, whispering his name? It was an ideal tableau for a closet romantic like him.
And then it all crashed down after he found he could not look at her in the eye as he said the fateful words, "I have come here to rescue you."
She did not say anything – nothing at all.
He had to prod her, he just had to demand words and gestures that Rukia was never going to give him without a fight. "What's with the face? I came all the way here to help you! You could at least smile."
He was such a knucklehead. He tacitly forgot that he was rescuing Rukia, who did not want him to follow her, who expressly forbade him to do so. She screamed at him, calling him a fool aside from other rude and unprintable things.
He found himself feeling young and callow as he gazed upon her bowed head.
Ichigo had an epiphany at that moment. It dawned upon him that Rukia's refusal to conform to his secret mental image of the ideal woman was the very thing he loved about her. Rukia always kept him on his toes. It was impossible not to love someone who kept challenging him to evolve. She made him a better version of himself he'd never be without her.
Chivalry wasn't dead. It just had find ways to be more cunning and subtle. Ichigo simply needed to outwit Rukia at the mind games she played with him. He did not need to bend her to his dominance – she only needed to acknowledge their mutual submission to each other.
After that, it would all be a generous surrender.