Clouded

Words: 913

Rating: PG? Minor language

Spoilers: Er, I suppose only very vaguely for the SS/Arrancar arcs. Mainly just that Aizen is evil. Heh.

Author's Note: Woo, hopefully I'm finally getting back into the swing of writing. This is a combination of two story ideas, but I figured I may as well stick them together.

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Clouds slowed everything down, Rukia had decided. They hung in the sky, in much the same way that a brick couldn't, pressing down on the shadows of houses and silent people. It was as if all the people in the world were too afraid to make a noise, for fear of disturbing the suppressive quiet.

She yawned slightly, leaned her arms on the windowsill and rested her head upon them, peering out at the night. The pitiless darkness offered no comfort, so she closed her eyes and settled her forehead against the cool glass of the window.

Months of endless searching for Aizen and his followers was beginning to take its toll. Her body was finding it difficult to keep up with the training she was putting it through, and the sickening feeling in her gut that told her she should soon be returning to Soul Society had returned.

'I can't take much more of this.' She opened her eyes, inhaling sharply as a chill crept through her body. The misted glass window caught her eye, and she blinked at the imprint her forehead had left there.

Slowly, carefully, she raised a finger and began to trace the outline of a heart. It was crude, it was childish, but she smiled all the same.

The creak of the door caused her to start, and she twisted her head to glance at Ichigo as he paused in the doorway. He frowned. "What are you doing in here? Yuzu and Karin will be wondering where you are."

"So?" She turned back to face the darkness. "It was quiet in here. Was."

"That's not my problem." He dropped onto his chair and swung it gently to face her. "You should be sleeping, anyway. It's late."

"I know." She replied quietly. "I'm trying to think. So if you wouldn't mind, please leave."

He snorted and raised an eyebrow. "This is my room, remember? You leave." But she made no attempt to get up.

Ichigo felt the tension rise between them. "Oi, Rukia. What's wrong with you? You've been cranky lately."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not."

"Go away. I'm busy."

"Don't look very busy to me."

"Ichigo!" She threw a warning glance over her shoulder. "Just leave it! I'm not in the mood for your antics."

One glance was all it took for Ichigo to catch a glimpse of the torn look in her eyes. He slipped quietly onto the bed next to her. "Just tell me, Rukia. What's your problem, anyway?"

Her head snapped round. "What's my problem?" She hissed. "You are my problem! Leave me alone to my thoughts!"

"You idiot, of course I'm not gonna do that." He gripped her arms. "This is one time where you can't fake it hard enough to make it look like you're okay. There's too much shit that you're not talking to anyone about. You've been there for me; at least let me listen."

"Just leave me alone!" She pushed him back roughly. "I have too much to focus on right now without you getting in the way! We're not getting any closer to Aizen, I'm sick and tired of this endless training, and I don't know what to do right now! I've always known what to do, but right now I don't!"

"That's because you're not supposed to know what to do all the time! If you did, there'd be nothing left to learn. You can't be in control all the time. Let someone else take care of it for once."

"You don't understand!" Her shoulders trembled with fury. "I need to! Soul Society is getting restless with no new information, and my head is on the line if I don't find something. I can't sleep, I'm not getting any stronger, I'm doing nothing just sitting here, and I don't know how to deal with that! Do not tell me to calm down! I cannot take anymore of this!"

A slow smile spread across Ichigo's face, but he kept his gaze fixed on her shaking, furious eyes. "You're not doing too well, are you?" He said quietly.

Her breath hitched in her throat. "No." It came out as barely a whisper.

And then his arms were around her, pulling her roughly to him, pressing her head to his shoulder, his cheek next to hers and his voice soft in her ears. "Everything is gonna be alright." He smoothed her hair out, the way he used to do when Yuzu got upset. "You idiot. Let someone else do the worrying. I'm looking after your heart, Rukia, so put a little faith in me. Everything is gonna be alright. I'll take care of it." And you.

Rukia nodded into him and gripped his shoulders tightly, her face burning with the shame of such an outburst. She brushed a hand across her eyes and pulled back from him, glancing away awkwardly. Her gaze settled on the window, and she noted with dismay that the heart she had drawn in the fog had disappeared.

"I…I drew a heart here," she mumbled, focusing on the glass, on anything, to keep her mind off the fact that he had just held her. "But it's gone."

Ichigo stared at her for a moment. "No it's not." He leant towards the window and blew softly on it, grinning as the small heart became visible again. He drew another heart, this one rougher and a bit out of shape, so that it overlapped Rukia's.

"Your heart's not gone. You just let other things get in the way of you seeing it."

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Author's Note: This one was done because Ichi does have a semi-intelligent/caring side to him. It's just usually very, very hidden. Yes, there are Hitchhiker's Guide and Dashboard Confessional references in there. I take no credit for them.

Anyway, please review if you liked it! Or if you didn't.