FINALE – YOU.

We hear thumping as Ichigo makes his way down the stairs.

"What's for dinner?"

Ichigo steps down the last step and turns into the dining room...

My eyes meet with his and he freezes.

"Ru-Ru-"

He stares at me in shock. He can't even say my name.

I stifle a laugh.

"Hey, Ichigo."

I say this casually as I stand up and move closer to him.

He blinks several times, as if he can't process what he is seeing.

I sigh impatiently.

"Well? Say something, fool!"

He is still finding words.

"R-Rukia," he finally manages.

I nod.

"Good. You still remember my name."

His face takes on the normal scowl he wears.

"What do you mean I still remember? How can I forget?"

"Okay! Let's have dinner, then you two can chat!" Isshin announces.

We all sit and eat the dinner Yuzu had prepared.

It was delicious. It had been a while since I last ate Yuzu's cooking.

Ichigo sits stiffly in his seat next to mine.

I wish I can kick him in the shins.

When dinner is over, Ichigo goes up to his bedroom.

I follow without needing permission.

He closes the door after I enter and stands there, leaning on it.

I sit on his bed, cross one leg over the other and look around his room.

"This place hasn't changed at all!"

I act as if this is the first time I've been in his room in the last few months.

"Rukia..."

The window is open and the moon spills light into the dark room. A breeze drifts into the room.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing here?"

I frown.

"Can't I visit?"

"N-no, that's not what I meant."

I am silent for a while.

"I was on a mission."

He looks at me, the concern showing in his eyes.

"You were sent alone?"

I roll my eyes.

"Ichigo, I am perfectly capable of handling several Hollows."

He doesn't say anything. His eyes are on the ground.

"I leave tonight."

He looks up again.

"How long have you been in this world?"

I grimace inwardly.

"Two weeks," I whisper.

"And you never came by."

His voice was soft, almost pained.

"I did, once."

His eyes widened.

"When?"

"About a week ago. You said not to touch you."

"Oh, right."

Silence envelops the room. I am sitting and he is standing.

He peels himself from the door and walks over to me. He sits beside me, for once not complaining that I am sitting on his bed.

"So, how have you been?"

His voice sounds hoarse.

I shrug slowly.

"Something happened, didn't it?"

I look away.

"Rukia.."

Our relationship is deep. Even if one of us doesn't say anything, the other will know that something is up.

"Nii-sama arranged a marriage for me."

I can tell that he is stunned by the revelation.

"What?"

I can't look at him.

"It only lasted about a month. My former husband said he realized that I would never be happy with a marriage to a man I do not love fully."

"What's Byakuya's reaction?"

I growl threateningly at him for being disrespectful to Nii-sama.

"He was not too pleased, even after my husband's explanation. I haven't talked to him for a while."

"Huh."

The quiet came again.

I then remember the pendant in my dress pocket.

I take it out, clutching it tight.

"This was the jewel I used for my wedding."

I open my palm and show the pendant to him.

He sucks in a breath when he sees it, his eyes stretched wide. He picks it up.

"The... charms..."

My lips spread into a small smile.

"Yeah."

He closes his eyes and hands it back to me.

I know he understands the pendant.

I take it back without saying anything and pocket it.

"I missed you, Rukia."

"Me too, baka."

He lets out a hmph and leans back against the headboard of his bed.

We don't say anything for a long time.

I know that I am wasting my time, saying nothing to the boy I love so dear.

But I can't find any words to say.

Finally, I stand and put my hand on his arm that was resting on his raised knee.

"Ichigo."

He looks directly into my eyes.

His brown ones seem to penetrate deep into me.

Suddenly, I am at a loss for words.

"I..."

I sigh.

"I have to go."

Ichigo closes his eyes, frowning.

I start to pull my hand away but he quickly grabs it.

"Thank you."

He stands up, towering over me.

"Thanks for coming."

He smiles, a smile so rarely seen on his face.

"Yeah. No problem."

I turn around but he pulls my arm.

And I find myself in his embrace.

I am surprised but the warmth radiating from him is so welcoming.

I bury deeper into his arms, not winding my arms around him.

I don't realize the tears that escape my eyes.

"I'm sorry."

My voice sounds squeaky.

"What are you sorry for?"

His head rests on my head.

He hugs me tighter.

"For not visiting sooner. But I don't want to cause you anymore pain."

I feel his warm breath on my head.

"No. You won't be causing me pain, idiot."

I cry into his shirt, breathing his scent when I can.

"I won't be able to visit regularly."

"As long as you visit, it's good."

"I-I missed you so much, I-Ichigo."

I sob and he rubs my back soothingly.

I can feel his face in my hair, sniffing me.

"I know. Me too."

We just stand in his room, him hugging me and I crying softly.

Finally, I extract myself from him, rubbing my eyes.

"I really have to go now."

He nods. His smile was gentle.

"I'll follow you to Urahara's, I presume?"

I smile, nodding.

"Come on."

He leads the way downstairs.

XXXX

I say goodbye to Ichigo's father and sisters, promising to visit when I next come to this world.

Ichigo and I then leave for Uraharas.

The walk there was only filled with the sound of our feet against the pavement.

When we reach Urahara Shoten, Tessai is waiting at the front of the store.

"Good evening, Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-san."

"'Evening, Tessai."

Ichigo answers for the both of us.

"The boss is waiting."

We walk inside the store as Tessai closes the door behind us.

We go to the underground chamber where Urahara usually opens a Senkaimon.

As we drop down the long ladder, Urahara greets us with a tip of his green-and-white hat.

"Aa, Kuchiki-san! Right on time. Hello, Kurosaki-san!"

"Hey," Ichigo says.

The Senkaimon is directly in front of us, looming over us.

"Are you ready, Kuchiki-san?"

I nod and turn to Ichigo.

"I'll see you soon, Ichigo."

He smiles.

"Yeah, I know."

We smile as the memory of our parting after Ichigo saved me from my execution so long ago came to our minds.

"Ceh. Reversed now, huh?"

I chuckle.

"Yeah."

I turn to Urahara.

"Thanks for the Gigai."

"Anytime, Kuchiki-san."

I look over my shoulder to Ichigo who is standing behind me, smiled at him and parted from the Gigai.

The body slumped to the floor and Ichigo caught it.

He looked at the face of the Gigai, which was identical to mine.

"Urahara. Tell him not to frown too much anymore and ask him to smile a little."

Urahara relayed my message.

Ichigo scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't frown, Rukia," Ichigo says aloud.

I hmphed.

I walk over to him and let my hand brush against his cheek, letting it linger for a while.

Ichigo seemed to feel it, for he raised a hand to lay it over mine.

Except that he touched his own cheek.

He looked a little disappointed but he smiled at the spot I am standing at.

"Go now, Rukia, or Byakuya will get pissed off."

I scoff and turn away.

"Thanks, Urahara. Thank you, Ichigo."

I take a deep breath.

I look over my shoulder one last time before I enter the gateway.

"I love you, tawake."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THIS EVENING, I LOOK BACK ON MEMORIES

AND I TRULY REALIZE THAT

...

I LOVE YOU.

––––––––––––

-END-

A/N: Aa! FIN... Kinda sad, but all things come to an end.

I might have gotten my BLEACH facts wrong here (Senkaimon opening in the underground chamber) but that doesn't matter now.

Hope all of you have enjoyed this fic as much as I did doing it and rereading it. Haha. A HUGE THANK YOU to all the reviewers and the people who had added this fic to their Faves. and Alerts and all you other readers who just read it! Hahaha. But, really, THANK YOU!

The final words above in bold (before the A/N) are the titles of the chapters of this fic? Anyone realized it?

Till my next work. This is L, signing off.

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-chappy?-