Hey, sorry for my recent slow updates. I'll hopefully get to work on future chapters over winter break, so even when I am busy I can update. Anyways on to some good news...we reached over a 100 reviews! (This might not be a big deal to some, but for me its fantastic!) Yay~ Its all thanks to you awesome reviewers, so thanks for your support!
Chapter 12 A situation
"When are you planning to get off the phone, you're keeping up anyone who's sleeping in the building." Byakuya said with a slightly irked expression.
"Ah sorry…it's just that I was on the phone with Ichigo and then something happened with him and Rukia." Renji explained.
"Mmmnn…Ichigo! That tickles!" Renji and Byakuya heard Rukia say through the phone. They immediately went into deadly auras mode.
"Where does that filthy brat live?" Byakuya asked with a dead serious expression.
"I'll lead the way." Renji replied, wearing a similar expression.
-\/ \/-\/ \/-\/ \/-
"Ichigo! G-Get off me! It tickles!" Rukia tried to hold back laughter. Ichigo and Rukia got tangled up and fell down together, with Ichigo landing on top of Rukia, his hair tickling her neck.
"I-I'm trying! Stop moving so much!" Ichigo replied, as he lifted his face off her stomach. Rukia couldn't stop laughing, with her cheeks flushed. "You're really ticklish." Ichigo observed, still lying on top of her.
"No it's not that…" Rukia said through spouts of laughter. "Pfftt…i-its…it's your face! You have such a stupid look on your face!" Rukia chuckled. This pissed Ichigo off.
"Oh, so you think my face is funny?!" Ichigo grumbled.
"No, not funny, it's stupid!" Rukia smirked.
"So that how it is huh?!" Ichigo had an evil grin. He started tickling her stomach, and she burst out laughing.
"I-Ichigo! S-Stop it!" Rukia begged, and tried to worm away from underneath Ichigo. She was almost free, until Ichigo grabbed her by the waist, and wouldn't let go. "Ichigo! Let go of me!"
"Never!" Ichigo replied, clearly enjoying having the upper hand. He hugged her close to him with one arm and with other poking her stomach, which made Rukia almost tear up from laughter.
-\/ \/-\/ \/-\/ \/-
Ishida and Orihime decided that Ichigo and Rukia have probably finished talking out their problems, so they decided to head downstairs to rejoin the other two. Ishida got downstairs first and saw Ichigo and Rukia laughing and being very, very close. "Well looks like they're back to normal…or maybe even closer than normal." Ishida figured to himself, and then remembered Orihime, and that she'll probably be upset about this. Orihime was coming down the stairs right at that moment and Ishida panicked. "I-Inoue-san! How about we go back upstairs? It looks like they haven't sorted out their problems yet!"
"Really? But how come I can hear laughter?" Orihime asked.
"Oh that's the T.V." Ishida lied.
"Really? But Ishida-kun I can see the T.V. from here and it looks like it's off." Orihime pointed out.
"Ah w-well…that's…" Ishida said in a flustered manner, as he tried to come up with another excuse.
"Well then let's go Ishida-kun." Orihime smiled and tried to pass Ishida into the living room. Before he could think of anything else, Ishida grabbed Orihime and pulled her into his arms.
"Please…don't go Inoue-san." Ishida whispered softly into her ear. Orihime was too stunned to move or say anything. She just stood there, her heart was racing. She couldn't see or hear anything else; all she could do was feel Ishida's warm, gentle embrace as pink stained her cheeks. Suddenly the door burst open and Ishida quickly let go and she was thrust back into the real world again. The people who were at the door were staring at them. It was Renji and Byakuya.
"Ishida? Inoue? What're you guys doing here?" Renji asked.
"We could say the same about you." Ishida replied.
"We just have to take care of some business…ah there they are!" Renji pointed to the living room, and he and Byakuya proceeded to march in, right towards Ichigo and Rukia. Ichigo still had his arms wrapped around Rukia's waist, and Rukia had one hand on Ichigo's face trying to push him away, while the other was holding onto the collar of his completely unbuttoned shirt, revealing his unbelievable toned chest. The both had flushed cheeks, and were panting hard from all the laughing that they did. Of course Byakuya, Renji, and Orihime didn't know this. Orihime and Renji had looks of shock, while Byakuya had a look of…well he appeared to have his usual just annoyed expression, however he was emitting waves of rage and fury. Ichigo and Rukia finally realized everyone watching and separated quickly.
"Uh hey…when did you guys get here?" Ichigo asked, awkwardly as he buttoned up his shirt.
"N-nii-sama! What brings you here?" Rukia asked, embarrassed to appear in this kind of situation in front of her older brother again.
"Inoue-san, how about we check on that soup in the kitchen?" Ishida suggested, seeing the obviously awkward situation.
"Huh? Oh...ok!" Orihime agreed and followed Ishida into the kitchen. After they left, Byakuya and Renji walked right up to Ichigo and Rukia.
"You…this is the second time I've caught you in this type of a situation with Rukia." Byakuya said.
"Yeah! And there's always someone buttoning up their shirt when we catch you! It's almost exactly the same!" Renji shouted and pointed a finger at them.
"Renji, I'll handle this." Byakuya told the red head.
"Right! Sorry sir!" Renji apologized and stood still.
"N-Nii-sama! It's not what it looks like, you see…we weren't…I mean Ichigo was just…" Rukia tried to explain.
"Look, we were just playing around." Ichigo said.
"Yeah…but what games were you playing?! Huh?!" Renji pretty much spat in Ichigo's face.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?!" Ichigo shouted right back. "And where's your collar huh dog boy?! Weren't you being house trained by him?!" Ichigo shouted and pointed to Byakuya.
"Huh?!" Rukia gasped. "That's what you were saying on the phone?!"
"That wasn't…I mean…" Renji stammered.
"Renji, didn't I tell you to let me handle this." Byakuya said.
"Right…sorry sir." Renji replied.
"Wow…he's really got you on a tight leash huh?" Ichigo observed. Renji clenched his teeth, but restrained himself from punching the smug grin right off Ichigo's face.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," Byakuya started, "You have been assessed as an unsuitable pure blood partner for Rukia. Rukia, you will return home at once." Byakuya stated.
"N-Nii-sama! I mean no disrespect, but on what grounds can you make such a decision?" Rukia asked. "It was decided that I would remain as Ichigo's dhampir partner until a suitable permanent partner is found." She explained.
"Then I will find an appropriate replacement tomorrow." Byakuya replied.
"But Nii-sama…"
"Are you defying me?" Byakuya asked. "It appears that being around this filthy brat has done more damage than I had thought."
"Hey! What's your deal?" Ichigo said angrily. "How can you decide whether our partnership is bad or not?!"
"It appears that the two of you are involved in a relationship that is closer than that of pure blood and dhampir partners." Byakuya explained.
"Of course it is! We're friends too!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Don't you mean friends with benefits?" Renji cut in.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?!" Ichigo glared at the red head.
"As Rukia should already know, vampire partnerships are meant to be strictly platonic." Byakuya said.
"Nii-sama I assure you, Ichigo and my relationship is strictly platonic." Rukia replied. A slight stab went through Ichigo's heart. Ichigo found that it hurt that she thought of their relationship as strictly platonic. But obviously he couldn't say that out loud, and end up looking like a fool, so he decided to pretend he agreed with her.
"Yeah, we don't like each other like that…we're just friends." Ichigo lied. Rukia looked at Ichigo in slight surprise, but quickly turned back to Byakuya and nodded in agreement. "So there's nothing to worry about, okay?"
"It's simply foolish to depend on your word alone. However for tonight I will give in, Renji, let's go." Byakuya stated.
"Huh? Really?" Renji asked, astonished that Byakuya would just let it go so easily.
"Yes, besides, we have some other affairs to attend to, don't we?" Byakuya said to Renji, and started leaving.
"O-other affairs?" Renji blinked, having no idea what the dark haired man was talking about.
"Oh! Is Byakuya gonna teach you some new tricks when you get back Renji?" Ichigo joked. "Maybe how to fetch? Or play dead?"
"Shut up!" Renji grumbled and left.
-\/ \/-\/ \/-\/ \/-
"Well at least that's sorted out…" Rukia sighed. "I'm glad we convinced Nii-sama…you know about our relationship."
"Yeah…" Ichigo agreed uncomfortably. "I…I can't believe he thought we had…I mean that we liked each other like that."
"Y-Yeah…I wonder where Nii-sama got that from…" Rukia forced some laughter, as if the whole idea of it was so ridiculous.
"Ha ha…yeah, it's so stupid." Ichigo tried to laugh along, but ended up chuckling awkwardly.
"So out of the realms of possibility, that it's just…"
"Yeah…" The both were silent for a while. "No! This is bad! Now she'll think I don't and will never think of her that way! But what am I supposed to say...?" Ichigo thought to himself.
"Great…now he's going to think I'll never like him as more than a friend! Now I'll never be able to tell him my real feelings…wait! I was actually planning on confessing?! But if he doesn't feel the same way…it'll be so awkward…it'll probably be too weird to hang out like we normally do...then we'll stop being friends and that's even worse!" Rukia panicked as she thought to herself.
"Uh—." Ichigo and Rukia both said at the same time.
"Ah sorry, you go first." Rukia said.
"Uh well…I was just going to say that you know before, when I kiss—." Ichigo was interrupted when Orihime came back into the room.
"Ano…Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san, the soup is done. Eh? Where are Abarai-kun and that other man?" The auburn haired girl asked.
"Uh they left…" Ichigo replied, a bit distracted, since obviously, he was going to say something important to Rukia. "Rukia, I…" Ichigo tried to say, but noticed Orihime standing there, which made it awkward.
"It's ok, tell me later." Rukia said, noticing his discomfort. Ichigo nodded and they followed Orihime into the kitchen for some hot soup.
-\/ \/-\/ \/-\/ \/-
"Byakuya-dono, may I ask you something?" Renji asked, as he and Byakuya were walking home.
"What is it Renji?" Byakuya asked, as he adjusted his precious scarf around his neck.
"How come you gave in so easily? I mean, it's kind of obvious something is going on between them…" Renji pointed out.
"I never said I had given up." Byakuya said, causing Renji to give him a questioning glance.
"Ok…and another question, what were those other affairs we had to attend to?"
"Those affairs, well you will see, and so will they." Byakuya said, with an almost sinister expression.
"They? You mean Ichigo and Rukia?!" Renji gasped. Byakuya didn't respond, and merely gave Renji a very slight, menacing smirk.
-\/ \/-\/ \/-\/ \/-
"Mmmhh this soup is actually pretty good." Ichigo commented, as he slurped up the last drops from his bowl. The four of them were sitting at Ichigo's dining table, drinking the soup that Rukia had made.
"Of course it is!" Rukia said with a haughty laugh.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get so excited idiot, it's not that great." Ichigo sighed.
"Oh really? Then how come you've already had three bowls full?" Rukia questioned.
"Well that's…that's just because I haven't eaten anything in a long time!" Ichigo retorted. "I was so desperate I could have eaten anything!"
"R-really? If you're still hungry Kurosaki-kun…you could have some of the chicken and candy cane curry I made!" Orihime exclaimed and showed them a bowl of a strange pink liquid with white swirls in it and unidentified red and blue chunks floating around.
"Oh…uh sorry Inoue, but I uh drank a lot of Rukia's soup, so I'm kind of full, so I'll pass." Ichigo explained, while trying to avoid even looking at the horrid concoction Orihime had cooked up.
"Oh…ok." Orihime said, feeling a bit rejected.
"So…uh thanks Ishida. For you know…saving me before, from dying on my own front porch." Ichigo said.
"It wasn't me Kurosaki." Ishida replied.
"Huh? But I thought you…phoned Rukia?"
"No, well yes. When you left I decided to follow you, but I phoned Kuchiki-san first to see if she knew what was wrong with you and ended up phoning Inoue-san instead. After I told Inoue-san about what happened, I went to your house to see Kuchiki-san had already taken care of you." Ishida explained. Ichigo was surprised to hear this…even after all that stuff he said to her, she still came back…she still helped him. Ichigo found that he was angry with himself that he ended up depending on Rukia again, but also found himself happy that she cared that much about him. He looked at Rukia, who looked away quickly, clearing her throat. About an hour later, the rain began to subside, and Ishida and Orihime decided to head home. They were at the Kurosaki's porch, saying their goodbyes.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay overnight?" Rukia asked. "The weather is still harsh."
"No, it's ok Kuchiki-san! It'll be fine, since we have rain coats and umbrellas!" Orihime assured her. "Bye Kuchiki-san! Bye Kurosaki-kun!" She waved at them and they waved back. At that she and Ishida, who gave a goodbye nod, left. Ichigo and Rukia watched them leave, and then went back inside.
"Well that's that…" Ichigo sighed and stretched his arms, while yawning. "By the way, how come I feel fine now? I haven't had blood to drink since we went to Urahara's shop?"
"I gave you some O- after I brought you inside. Clearly you were blood-deprived." Rukia replied. Ichigo looked down in silence, while clenching his fist. He felt even more useless after hearing that. Once again…he was helped. He was suddenly met with the impact of Rukia's foot in his stomach.
"Oww! Ugh what the hell was that for?!" Ichigo shouted, while clutching his stomach.
"There's no point feeling weak and pathetic about whatever idiotic things you did." Rukia said, with a serious expression. Ichigo glanced at her. "If you don't want other people to worry about you and save you, then you just have to make sure you don't do something so foolish again."
"Fine…but you better not disappear like that again." Ichigo smirked. "Why do you think I was out there in the first place?"
"Ichigo…" Rukia stared. "But you…"
"Whatever stupid things I say…don't go away like that again, Rukia…please." Ichigo said, looking straight into Rukia's eyes, his voice more quiet and gentle now. Rukia looked at Ichigo for a minute, into his eyes. He looked so sincere…and so vulnerable. It was a side of Ichigo, she rarely saw.
"Ichigo…" Rukia started, "You baka!" Ichigo was startled by her sudden words. "…I'm not going anywhere." She said, and looked up at him with a warm smile. He smiled back, feeling relieved and ecstatic at the same time. He didn't know what to say, and then finally thought of the only thing he could.
"Rukia…thanks."
A/N
Sorry for the cheesiness in that last part, but I do think that Ichigo and Rukia occasionally have scenes like this…you know where Ichigo says some overly corny dramatic thing, instead of just out right saying "I love you!" to Rukia. And Is it just me or did I make Byakuya sound like a villain? Hehe...oh and my next update will be probably in two weeks since that's my break. Until then...Bye chi~
