Decoy
I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo does.
OOC and cursing are involved.
Chapter 11
"Is it really pink?" Ichigo questioned as he motioned to scoop for another helping of the frozen yogurt.
Today especially had been very humid and boardwalk benches that weren't located under the bright sunlight were seldom at best.
"Well it is strawberry flavored." Rukia stated in a matter-of-factly tone.
He smirked, "I meant your favorite color Midget."
Rukia's hand twitched just a bit before putting the licking the sweet treat that dripped on the pads of her fingers. She relished the cool feeling nonetheless, even if it had only lasted a few seconds.
Ichigo gulped hard but caught himself as soon as Rukia started talking.
"Yeah." Her lips formed a straight smile, "Doesn't it suit me?"
"No, and I don't buy that Chappy is the reason either."
The smile faltered and all Rukia could do to take the heavy feeling off her heart was to take a deep breath. "It isn't." Dark lashes fluttered against her pale cheeks, eventually revealing those familiar purple irises. "Though pink reminds me of ripe cherry blossoms."
Ichigo remained still, his eyes barely meeting hers.
"My sister's disease would always go on remission during the spring months. My happiest moments were of us under a cherry blossom tree." Rukia's lips pouted just a bit from the memory, "In the background I could picture my older brother watching over us too and sometimes the isolated estate we lived in didn't seem so vacant anymore."
"Missing someone doesn't mean that they're gone." The words came automatically as if Ichigo was saying to himself as well.
"Oh really?"
"Well, yeah." In one fluid motion he held her hand inside his and with a genuine smile said, "Breathing unknowingly and easily. Laughing and feeling your heartbeat just a little faster, even if you don't notice it you must know that your sister is still here."
Rukia replied with an incredulous look.
Ichigo smirked a bit wider then looked up towards the sky. "Can you believe this?"
He squinted against the vivid sunlight and at the same time pulled Rukia closer so that their bodies touched. "She doesn't believe us, huh?" He shook his head, "Your sister is saying you two have gone through enough happier memories just to recall the unhappy ones leading to her death. She says she doesn't want you to feel as if you're alone when there's at least one person in this world who sincerely wants to see you happy."
The sunlight engulfing rays blurred Rukia's vision. It reminded her of her sister's warm an bright personality, of Hisana's gentle smile, of Hisana's frail but soft touch against her own small hand as a child.
Her heart ached.
Rukia remained still and her eyes unblinking, "Content." She could feel that familiar lump in her throat as the words came out, "Hisana hardly ever used the term happy."
From this vicinity Ichigo's face had been so close, his hazel eyes even more incredible and his lips curved into a most comforting smile. Rukia held her breath and pondered why the rushing waves and clear blue backdrop didn't seem as distracting, why she couldn't hear those around her complain about the sweltering humidity, and why she felt only Ichigo beside her.
In the past Kaien often distracted her whenever the topic of Hisana came up. She obliged, of course, knowing it had been easier to ignore her true feelings than to explain what she felt deep inside her heart.
So then, how?—
"It's a thin line." Ichigo whispered as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "Being content and being happy can be confused of having the same meaning."
"I guess." At that moment Rukia exhaled as if she'd held her breath for an eternity. Her joints ached as she loosened herself from Ichigo's touch and automatically stood up as she saw Karin and Yuzu approaching with Isshin in tow.
"Dad I can't believe you were able you were able to win that stuffed animal from a crane game." Karin said in a matter-of-factly tone, as she crossed a her arms. "Even more so with just one try."
"Wah!" Isshin balled in a apparent manner, "You have no trust. I told you if it's for my adorable daughter, then I can do ANYTHING!"
Yuzu blushed, "Thanks dad. Although, I would've settled for just a snow cone". Her vision became distracted as she saw Ichigo's hand easily curve against Rukia's hand, taking the empty container of frozen yogurt and throwing it away towards the nearest trash can. "Hey?"
Karin and Isshin turned, suddenly realizing the normalcy in Yuzu's tone. They didn't respond, simply, they chose to use the silence as an indication for her to continue.
"Ni-san, uh, Ichigo…" Yuzu whispered, "He's happy. Genuinely happy, isn't he?"
Isshin nodded, while Karin's lips straightened.
The sweet, high-pitched tone returned. "It makes me happy too!"
"I won't forget you, will I?"
"Is that what you're scared of?"
The wind swept sakura petals inside the vacant room, mixing with the raven-haired child's printed yukata.
But unlike the real one, which had been soft and the perfect shade of pink, the one on her garment had been stitched to replicate the real thing.
The pink petals embroidered down her sleeves and torso was a lie. This was what the little girl thought.
"Of course not."
It was a lie, she thought.
Purple irises stared hazily, half open. Rukia exhaled slowly, hearing Ichigo's easy breathing calmed her racing heart only for a moment. They had fallen asleep on the couch watching some summer themed movie again. The beach house was quiet, with the exception of the monotonous infomercial playing, which only served to exacerbate the unsettling feeling inside Rukia's thoughts.
Truth be told, she hadn't seen that dream for quite a while now. Although this time, it was too crisp, vivid as if the moment had replayed itself exclusively for her.
Rukia's hand clenched in annoyance and impulsively pushed Ichigo's sleeping form off the couch.
Luckily, Ichigo caught himself at the last second. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or angry, well, he figured landing away from the wooden floor was enough to count his blessings. Spending the rest of his vacation with an injured body would have really been bothersome.
"What's up with you?" He turned slightly, though not meeting Rukia's gaze completely. "You've been acting strange since yesterday."
"I'm not acting any different." The raven-haired girl tried to regain control of the situation, which failed miserably by the apparent pink tint of her cheeks. Merely, she didn't expect for Ichigo's response to be so calm.
He extended his reach, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm surprised Byakuya."
The slender man leaned closer, as if the fine restaurant they had chosen for lunch wasn't intimate enough. He adjusted the delicate, metallic frames with an index finger before relishing the bitter taste of the Americano coffee. It was far too early, he surmised, even though the blaring summer sunlight begged to differ.
"I suppose I wanted to make my intentions clear, Ishida—" Cool grey eyes glared. Of course, everyone knew of the Kuchiki bloodline.
"My father told me everything already." The coffee did help. It was warm and inviting, and helped just a bit to wake his taut muscles without physically standing and stretching inside of the overly vacant space surrounding them both. "Although, I did have a question."
Byakuya answered with an arched brow.
"Why, me?"
Ichigo's question intimidated her, even though he probably didn't intend for it to. Rukia's shoulder slumped instinctively. A faint, apathetic smile graced her lips—Sis.
The memory flashed behind her eyes quickly. Rukia desperately wanted to respond back with something cynical, something sarcastic to wipe the innocent look Ichigo presented her with at the moment. No one allowed for it to be talked about before, and now? People expected her to voice her feelings openly?
"No." She stated simply.
Ichigo caught the indifference in Rukia's expression before lifting himself up from the floor. "Right." Impulsively his arms circled her shoulders. The lack of clothing covering that specific area of her body felt warm against his skin. Rukia gasped and stiffened automatically, but didn't make any motions to refuse the sudden absence of space between them.
"You know…" From this position, Ichigo would've been satisfied with drowning his senses with the faint scent of Rukia's strawberry-esqued perfume. "You look really pretty right now." He said in an almost low, whispering tone.
Ichigo's hand tilted Rukia's face just a bit so their gaze met. The girl blushed a soft, pale pink similar to that of her favorite color. He could only bite his tongue at the innocent stare she presented him with.
"And that dress really does flatter you." Ichigo noticed the statement to be muffled, overshadowed by the fervent beating of his heart.
"Eh, straw—"
There was no time to think now. Rukia's thoughts fluttered away as Ichigo's lips pressed against hers. Her stomach felt absolutely hollow, while her hands trembled as it grasped Ichigo's shirt to pull his body closer towards her. She tilted her head slightly and as she continued with the motions, their noses touched lightly. Rukia could feel it. The same feeling of selfishness and pleasure of kissing this damn guy.
They separated momentarily and as Rukia's view trailed upwards to Ichigo's masculine shoulders, stout neck and ever-so inviting Adam's apple, and finally nearing one of her most favored aspect: those gentle, cheery hazel eyes.
"Of course not."
Rukia sucked a deep breath before biting her lower lip, and hiding her face on the crook of Ichigo's neck.
"I'm sorry." He heard her murmur before their eyes met again. Before he could even question the intensity of Rukia's statement, her lips had already collided with his and it did very little to strengthen his resolve.
His thumb delicately trailed where her collarbone had protruded, which caused the raven-haired girl to moan stiffly against the kiss. Her mouth parted slightly, releasing a soft whimper. Ichigo disregarded it and continued, trailing down to her chest, which he noticed, was enticingly heaving up and down. Was Rukia actually nervous?
The thought amused him. He decided to test her control. One hand cradled the nape of her neck, supporting as her main form of balance in their current situation. While the other hand continued to follow downwards against the valley of her breasts, flat stomach, and delicious curve of her hips. To his surprise, Rukia's control didn't shatter. Eventually he even distinguished her breathing not developing in an irregular pattern as it had been inside that vacant, rundown ice cream shop a couple of days ago.
This time, Rukia had gone with the motions and, even, embraced his touches. The kiss deepened and before Ichigo knew it their bodies had acted in synchronicity and walked to the plush loveseat they had been sleeping at a little while ago.
Ichigo marveled at the beauty before him, because as Rukia's back hit the couch her hair dispersed, framing her face in the most enchanting way Ichigo could only dream of in his wildest of dreams. He licked his lips unknowingly before easing his body directly on top of hers. The warmth of their skin collided, but this time he motioned for her neck. He had found, from their past experiences, she quite liked that spot to be kissed, licked, and sucked.
Rukia knew as well, so she closed her eyes and waited for the tingling sensations to flood every nerve inside her body. Her breathing eased slightly before she completely held it in. Though to her disappointment, her nerves didn't react like wildfire. Purple irises half opened, primarily focusing on Ichigo's hazel eyes. Within this close vicinity, she noted a softest hue of green nearing the pupil. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"It's not that I don't want to keep going." Damn, that had been the last thing in his mind at the moment. Ichigo sighed sounding nearly exhausted, as he chose to lay his head against the soft cotton dress covering her abdomen. He could drown himself in Rukia's scent and never get tired of it. "I just keep forgetting that we have minimal privacy while we're with my family."
Family? Oh.
They weren't inside the solitude of her apartment. How could she forget that?
Rukia's finger stroked Ichigo florescent hair. It felt soft, untangled within her fingertips.
"Yeah."
Uryuu chose to wear a simple gray shirt and fitted, dark washed Levi jeans on this cloudless, summer afternoon. Mother Nature did nothing to combat the sweltering humidity engulfing the city of Tokyo at the moment. He'd surely welcome a cool breeze right about now. At least then the stray hairs wouldn't stick frustratingly against his temples and the nape of his neck.
It really was too troublesome. Weren't universities, especially Ivy League grade universities, able to send academic information via electronic documentations?
The manila envelope alarmingly felt heavier as the thought passed him by. He stared at it lethargically before continuing the path he had been on and dreading since he woke up this morning.
Uryuu readjusted his glasses before pondering about how the next couple of weeks would turn out. It wasn't as if he had a choice in the mater regardless, but that also didn't mean he couldn't be entertained throughout this whole endeavor.
But first—first, he had to have a conversation with a particular fluorescent, strawberry blonde guy.
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