Hi everyone! I just wanted to warn you that although this chapter does not contain lemons, it is again implying certain things to be happening between Ichigo and Rukia ;).

Chapter 11

**Tokyo**

**Ichigo's condo**

After the initial nervousness of the couple they eased up a little. Ichigo showed Rukia around and he had her put her bag of stuff in his room. They sat in the living room as they talked about their week among other things.

"So I was thinking I could show you around today and I could call the group to see if they want to hang out tonight. I'm sure they'll love to see you again." Ichigo said excited to be able to spend time with Rukia.

"Ok, but…have you told them about…us?" Rukia asked a bit unsure. The truth was that she was nervous about how things between her and Ichigo had developed. He had just broken off his three year relationship with his girlfriend, no, ex-girlfriend, to be with her again.

Ichigo easily caught on to what Rukia was thinking. "Not yet but you shouldn't worry about things like that…they already knew I wasn't really happy with Rin even before you came back. Besides, they would never judge us, you should now that!" Ichigo said reassuring her but she still didn't seem too convinced.

"I'll make you a deal. We'll go out to eat something now and if you're still feeling unsure about going out with everyone tonight we'll just hang out with them next weekend if you're able to come." He said with a smile and she nodded in agreement.

Ichigo took her to a small restaurant a few blocks from his place. Although it was small it was very popular and thus it was very crowded. They had the best hot buns around. They were waiting in line when the sky got dark and thunder roared. A few minutes later rain started pouring.

"So much for the plans of our first weekend together." Ichigo said looking out the restaurant's windows with a small frown.

"That's ok we can still have a nice time…unless you want me to go back home already?" She said trying to cheer him up.

"Next!" The person at the counter called.

Ichigo took the order to go and they headed back to his condo. He figured since it was only a few blocks away it shouldn't be that bad of a walk. Unfortunately, it was raining more than expected and by the time they got there they were soaked.

"Nice call Ichigo, now my new clothes are soaked and my boots are all wet!" Rukia teased him as they got back in his condo.

"Sorry, you can go in the shower first and I'll go after you." He said with a little sadness in his tone. Things weren't going as smoothly as he'd want them to go.

Rukia noticed. 'How can he still be such a whip about things like these?' She wondered. He always cared so much to make her (or anyone else) happy and when things went wrong he took it too hard.

"Here are some clean towels, shampoo, and all that stuff…I'll dry your clothes when you're done." He said still with a little dullness in his tone and proceeded to exit the bathroom.

Rukia looked around in awe of the nice bathroom (she hated to admit it but she was a bit nosey). The shower was very nice and ample and had many shower heads. She slowly started taking off the soaked clothes that clung to her now cold body. When she was done she went to turn on the shower but noticed it was a little fancier and different than the one at the Kurosaki household. She wrapped one of the white towels around her body and went to ask Ichigo for help.

"….that's what you do if you want the water to come out from all the shower heads or just the main one, and you press this and that's how you set the temperature." He finished his explanation a little nervously since Rukia was wearing only a towel after all.

Rukia noticed the effect she had on Ichigo. She wanted him to be happy and since she was in a playful mood decided to be a little naughty.

"Thank you!" She said and gave him a hug, "Ichigo, your body is so cold." She said feeling the coolness of his arms and chest.

"Yours is too, now get in the shower!" He said rapidly trying not to stare.

"But that would be very selfish of me…how about we go in together?" She said in an overly innocent tone.

"W-w-what?..." Was the only word that could come out of his mouth. She wasn't about to wait for Ichigo's fluency to come back any time soon. She started taking off the wet long sleeve shirt that was clinging on to his body, accentuating his abs. She then started undoing his belt and the button on his jeans, causing them to pool around his ankles. Ichigo couldn't move or talk. He got a glimpse of Rukia's playful nature last weekend, but he wasn't expecting it to show again so soon…or at such a random time.

She started pouring warm kisses on his cold upper body and running her hands through his chest and arms. She then got in the shower and signaled for him to go in. The steam filled the shower as they continued on what Rukia started…

-some time later—

Rukia walked around inspecting Ichigo's room wearing one of his t-shirts since she didn't have anything else to wear. Ichigo was lying happily in his bed. 'Looks like we'll have to build up his stamina' Rukia thought mischievously.

"So what are we going to do now?" Rukia said as she jumped on his comfortable bed.

"It's still raining out…would you like to just stay in and watch movies?" He asked.

"All I ever do back in soul society is work all day so staying in and being lazy sounds perfect. Although we have to go to the store and get some snacks, I checked your cabinets and they're full of boring stuff!" She said.

"So you just look grown up on the outside but you're still the same annoying Rukia on the inside!" Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Don't get so cocky and remember your place Ichigo! You're so rusty from not having shinigami duties anymore that I could probably beat you before you even realize that I did!" She said with an evil laugh pointing a finger at him.

He gently tackled her on the bed and they played around until Rukia brought up going to get snacks again.

The couple went to the store and got a few snacks. Ichigo wanted to get a box of chocolate chip cookies but Rukia decided to get a cookie mix instead and make the cookies herself.

Rukia and Ichigo were sitting on the couch watching a horror movie –per Rukia's request-.

*beep*beep*

"Oh! The cookies are done!" Rukia said and ran to the kitchen.

Ichigo looked over from the couch and watched as Rukia took the freshly baked cookies out of the oven. There she was in his kitchen, wearing his shirt, and making him chocolate chip cookies. Seeing her like that got him thinking about the future. How would everything work out with her being a fuku-taichou in soul society and him having a career as a teacher in his world? Eventually one of them would have to be the one to give up their world for the other. Ichigo smiled because he already knew the answer to his questions. He would give up anything to be with her.

She made her way back to the living room to place the bowl of cookies on the table by the couch and went back to the kitchen to get them both glasses of milk.

"Thank you." Ichigo said with a big smile on his face.

"You're welcome." She smiled back and gave him a small kiss on the lips. She was happy to see him relaxed.

They continued to watch the horror movie and eat their cookies. After Rukia's movie was over it was Ichigo's turn to pick one out. He put it in and went to make some popcorn while Rukia inspected the bookshelf. She noticed a small velvet box next to some books. She went to grab it and was about to open it when Ichigo yelled from the kitchen.

"R-r-rukia!" he said slightly nervous.

It was too late. She opened the small box and saw the diamond ring. Her eyes went wide open in shock.

"Ichigo…this…you were going to marry Rin?" She said surprised.

"I didn't…I mean obviously I didn't…" He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to hide anything from Rukia and decided to just be honest, "I was going to propose last weekend. I had already told my dad and sisters which is why I went to Karakura. They told me to invite her over for dinner so I could do it then…but then we met again and I couldn't bring myself to do it anymore." He said. His brown eyes full of remorse.

"So if it wasn't because we happened to meet you would have been willing to marry and spend the rest of your life with someone whom you knew you didn't love?" Rukia said disappointed of the orange haired man. She looked deeply into his brown eyes. Although she knew she loved him she couldn't be around him at the moment.

She put the velvet box back on the bookshelf, left the living room and headed to Ichigo's bedroom. Ichigo was going to give her some space but then he heard rummaging and zipper noises. She was packing her stuff.

"Rukia what are you doing? You don't have to leave!" He said with desperation in his voice.

"I know I don't have to but I need to." She said as calm as she possibly could.

"It's raining out and it's late…just stay over tonight and you can leave early in the morning if you'd like…" He pleaded.

"Ichigo stop. I'm not a child that you constantly need to protect, remember? I'm putting my things away so that if it's ok with you I can leave them here…along with my gigai." She said.

He looked at her unwilling to accept the turn of events. He loved her and only wanted to be with her, but at the same time he knew she needed some space and she was powerful enough to protect herself, especially in her shinigami form. He nodded in agreement.

She exited her gigai and put everything in the hallway closet.

"I'll try to come next weekend but you obviously know I can't guarantee it." She was about to leave when she felt Ichigo's warm hand on hers. She looked up to see him.

"Rukia, I won't make up any excuses for my past, it is something I can't change. The only thing I want you to know and to never forget is that I love you and I always will." He said with sad eyes.

Her eyes started getting watery. She already knew that but she needed time to digest these things. She knew things in soul society where different than things in the world of the living. For all she knew she would have ended up with Kain in a few more years as well.

She reached up and caressed his cheek. She then lifted her head up and grazed her lips on his.

"I love you too…goodbye, Ichigo." She said and shunpoed away.

Hi everyone! So this chapter has a bit of angst since Rukia and Ichigo had their first argument :(. I was sad writing this but they need these sorts of things to grow-up!

Hope you guys liked the chapter, review and let me know! =D