Chapter: Winter Days Full Of Love

Shalan's Say: Fun fluffy chapter…I love fluff… maybe some minor heat later on… but it's their good long time together since I can remember… NO REVIEWS NO UPDATES! I won't post the next chapter until you guys give me some more reviews… it's not that hard to say, HEY SHALAN! UPDATE NOW!

&

November 24, 2008

ESPN Network Broadcast

"…It would appear that the magic of Ichigo Kurosaki really is in the air. As the Chiefs led the way through the entire game in yardage, passing and defense. There is no stopping this Kansas City offense not with Colonel Custer at its head yelling charge at the drop of a hat… nope, not a single team has any hope now that number 13 is back in play…"

&

"You look so manly there…" she giggled against his pectoral as he curled his arm around her back and shoulder.

"I just am manly…" he set the remote down. "Now how long have you been sleeping in my bed without giving me a single kiss?" He leaned down and let their lips brush.

"Don't Ichigo…" her hand found his sternum and pushed him away.

"Still shy?" He leaned back against his pillow and she rested her cheek against his breast, wrapping an arm across his abdomen.

"A little…" she muttered as the dim morning light attempted to stretch her fingers through the curtains of his modern Kansas City ranch house.

"So what are we going to do today Miss Kuchiki?"

"Why don't we just stay in bed?" She pressed her face into his chest and he let out a rumble o a laugh.

"That wouldn't make our stalkers very happy…" he motioned his hand towards the window where just outside the mass of reporters would be standing within minutes.

"It would make me happy…" she whispered.

"Why not go to the City Market?"

"The City Market?"

"Yeah it's this big gathering of farmers and things like that… they sell their wares there and we get fresh produce…" Ichigo pursed his lips. "I'll cook you dinner…" She opened one eye.

"You'll cook me dinner to come shopping with you? Shouldn't this be the other way around?" His fingers tangled their way through her thick black hair.

"I will cook you dinner tonight…" he pressed his lips to her neck, nipping the skin lightly and she pushed him away. His eyes met hers and for a moment both their looks softened. He pressed his forehead against hers, letting their noses brush before planting a tender kiss against her lips. It lasted only a second but to her it felt like an hour, her body tingling from head to foot.

"You can cook me dinner tonight…" she whispered, her hand stroking the side of his face slowly.

"Do you love me yet Rukia Kuchiki?" His deep amber eyes searched her cerulean for an answer.

"I don't have an answer for you Ichigo Kurosaki…" Her azure eyes filled with mixed emotion as he lifted his own hands and cupped her face gently.

"That's good…" their lips met again in a lingering kiss that, to them, was not too long nor too short, nor was it too sensual nor did it mean nothing… to them it was a perfect kiss for the moment, a kiss that spoke of dreams and wishes and precious moments neither wanted to lose. Because whether they believed it or not they both knew they were slowly falling for each other.

&

His laugh echoed in her ears even after he had stopped. It was the first time he had ever laughed that hard in her presence. Though she suspected that it was worth it to see him smile about something other than just dirty jokes and making her mad. In fact… as she looked over at him in the car next to her she came to realize something… he looked different somehow, as if he were relaxed.

It was a side of him she had never seen, the easy going, playful and beautifully less egocentric side that apparently only came out when he wasn't playing football.

"You seem more… comfortable…" she rested her head against the headrest of the Volvo S60. He turned his head towards her for a moment, his face was set in a relaxed smile, a comfortable tilt of his mouth that made her want to grin.

"I am I think…" He replied. "I haven't felt quite like this since I was in college… it seems like ever since then all I've been doing is running around like a chicken with my head cut off…" It was at that point that she began to wonder things about him. Where had he come from? She realized she had never heard his home town, much less anything about his family, nor had he ever mentioned anything about school or friends or favorite anything…

"Ichigo… may I ask you a question?"

"Other than the one you just asked? Sure."

"Do you like anything other than football? Like a favorite color or movie or something?"

"Are you getting curious about me Rukia Kuchiki?" He turned his head towards her again as they sped down the highway.

"You going to tell me anything?" She kept her gaze on the road ahead of them but soon found herself looking at him.

"My favorite color is yellow. My favorite actor is Al Pacino and as a matter of fact I like anything Shakespearian…" He seemed thoughtful. "You know my dad always used to tell me that I couldn't be in sports if I didn't keep my grades up so I worked my butt off at homework…" he chuckled. "I'm quite proud of the fact that I received my doctorate you know I went to medical school?"

"Medical school? Of all things?" Rukia laughed.

"Yeah I know, really? But that's what I went to college for, I thought it would be a good thing whether I played pro or not… but after college I made it big and landed this job…" he paused in his story to shake his head, "now I'm just another jock and it seems that my education gets put behind what I've done on the field…"

"That seems like it would be hard to overcome…" her eyes darkened as he looked over at her.

"But the being famous part was a good thing… it lead me to you," he turned his gaze back to the road.

"Ichigo…" she stopped as they glided into a parking spot. Before she could continue he had parked the car and made his way to her side, opening the door for her. "Thank you."

"So what do you want to eat for date?" He stopped as she stared at him. "D-dinner… date? What in the heck am I thinking about?"

"A date?" She stepped out, her black flat bottom boots were pulled up to her knees over her skinny jeans and the heavy deep blue cable knit sweater she wore reached her mid-thigh, leaving only part of her thigh exposed to the cold air. Her long black hair was pulled back from her face in a curled ponytail and as they walked through the aisles of grocers she noticed Ichigo tugging at the sleek black strands.

"Ichigo…" she caught his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "Relax I'm not going anywhere…"

"Your hair is just fun to play with," his reply came from above her as she paused to pick up a squash.

"You're too cute." She replied and squeezed his hand as she paid for it one handed.

"Are we going to stop at every single grocer in Kansas City?"

"Maybe…"

"It's cold out here."

"But I'm here to keep you warm." She looked up at him and he smiled. She looked cute under her heavy angora beanie, her blue eyes sparkled against her cold flushed face. He knew she was freezing but she wasn't saying anything because she was just that way. For a moment she reminded him of his mother.

"Are you quite finished?" Ichigo sighed as she stepped out from under the covering.

"I am done. So what's for dinner?" He wrapped a warm arm around her waist as they walked and she leaned her head against his bicep, reveling in the heat his body provided to her.

"Not a clue… I'll find something…" He guided her towards the car.

&

By the time they arrived back at the 200 acre plot so much snow had fallen that Rukia was hiding her eyes in her hands as they cruised up the hill towards the ranch style house. It was nearly 9 pm and for a moment she considered yawning. They had been going since nearly 7 in the morning non-stop.

"There's something that I've been meaning to say…" her fingers pulled her boots off as he helped her tug her heavy sweater off.

"Yes?" He stepped out of his boots and walked towards the kitchen, she smiled softly as he pulled off his second layer, a KC Chiefs sweatshirt to expose his white t-shirt.

"I-damn…" she pulled out her phone. "Rukia Kuchiki…"

"Rukia! RUKIA! YOU AREN'T GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!" She hadn't heard Uryu this excited since they learned she had a hit single.

"Well I might, try me." She tugged at the hem of her tight black shirt.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING A NORTH AMERICAN TOUR!" Uryu practically screamed in her ear. "I just got the call, your newest CD will be sent into stores just in time for Christmas and your tour will start in February…"

"Awesome…" Rukia's eyes met Ichigo's and he shrugged. "Can I call you back later?"

"I have to go anyways, I have to call the record company." He hung up on her and she shrugged in return.

"I'm doing a North American tour starting in February." She sighed.

"Is that a long enough break?" He leaned his hip against the counter as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah I guess it is, I mean I don't really have much of a say in it do I?" She pursed her lips and he chuckled.

"I think you do… after all you don't want to kill that beautiful voice of yours…" He cupped her face with one hand.

"You think my voice is beautiful? I thought you said I sounded like a wounded donkey being run over by a semi with a two by four attached to the back of it."

"Did I say that?" He leaned forward.

"Indubitably, word for word…" she smiled as their lips met again. It was another one of those passionless but none the less beautiful kisses. She simply felt comfortable with him. Under his eye she felt beautiful, as beautiful as everyone said she was. With him her heart never stopped pounding in her chest.

"I don't need a stethoscope to hear your heart beat…" his breath washed over her before his mouth met hers again. What was this thing that she was feeling? And why was not telling him tearing her to pieces? Why was it that no matter what she did she couldn't say it? Was it because he didn't want to hear it? She pushed the thoughts to the back of her head as she tangled her fingers through his hair. Who cared? She had the world's hottest man in her arms.

&

Sorry that was a short chapter… longer ones on the run… just wanted to give a good fluffy chapter.

Shalan