Saturday, August 3, 2002
"What do you think Byakuya will do?" Ichigo asked after quite some time had passed. His tone was quiet but sober.
"I'm not sure, and nii-sama is probably doing something already," Rukia considered, "but I don't think it will be anything too drastic."
He turned his head to look at her and found she'd turned on her side and was already facing him. Her expression was calm and self-assured. He turned toward her and let his eyes search in hers at her statement.
She brought a hand up and lightly tapped him on the nose with her index finger. "Just like Soul Society has changed because of you, nii-sama has too . . . not that he would ever admit it. Regardless of what exactly happened you're still a hero and you sacrificed on behalf of everyone else. He respects that. You've also shown you'll go to any lengths to protect me and your character isn't in doubt. He respects that too. He might not always agree with you, but once he understands . . . what's happening . . . he won't move against us." The corners of her mouth ticked up even as her eyes came down a bit. "Even if you are still a rude and uncivilized brute."
He suddenly realized one of the things she'd been trying to warn him about had been Soul Society's politics. "There will be suitors trying to woo you or something, won't there?" he asked. He only vaguely recalled studying things about the way the nobles of the feudal era had conducted themselves. "And there'll be resistance to you spending much time here—" he started to continue.
She brought her finger up to his lips as she had days prior, holding it there. She didn't like to see him so doubtful and brooding. He fell quiet. She smiled a little more at him. "I told you it wouldn't be easy. There will be obstacles. But I can stand up for myself and what I want in my own way, even against nii-sama and the clan. I know he'll stand with me once he understands. And that's assuming he doesn't already. There are also other things at play. We'll make it work, Ichigo. Your role for now is to make sure no one worries about you, right? Then let me protect you and trust me," she said softly. Her finger stayed against his lips. She still remembered his teasing on the way to Disneyland, even if it had been to distract her.
He stared at her for a moment, dumbstruck. Despite everything he'd decided and what he'd declared to her it was still hard to stand back and let others carry burdens, especially his. He'd done it for so long that it was an instinct and it hurt to have to ignore it. He suddenly saw how protective of him she'd been since their reunion, even from the very first day. He'd thought her concern during his hangover and at Space Mountain had really just been their usual antics, but . . . when had she become truly aware of it? Had it been yesterday? He closed his eyes and very lightly brushed his lips against her finger.
She blinked and blushed just a touch, pulling it back in surprise.
"Rukia, you know I trust you," he said, locking eyes with her again. He would find a way to put it all aside and out of mind for her if not for himself, until perhaps he could protect her again in return. But even so . . . he reached out a hand of his own past hers, bringing a finger to rest against the pajama fabric covering her sternum. Her eyes widened a bit and her blush intensified. "In return, trust me to protect your heart," he said without any reservations.
Her pupils contracted at his words and he knew it was the sign of a flare of pain in her. He knew it was something in his word choice or in the way he'd said what he just had.
"Especially against that!" he added immediately, forcing all the resolve he could muster into his own expression.
She didn't look away and her pupils dilated again as she refocused on him. "I trust you too, Ichigo," she said. Her tone was clean.
He held her gaze for long seconds before lifting his hand to her face, stroking one of her cheeks. She closed her eyes and slowly turned her head toward it, doing the same thing to his fingers as he'd done to her one. He flushed a little red and withdrew his hand as she looked back to him, smiling tightly. He found he wanted nothing more than to hold her.
Her expression firmed up into a mildly superior look. "Well I'm glad that's settled, otherwise I'd have to beat you up and file another report. You create enough paperwork for me as it is," she chastised.
He understood and played his part with her. "I am your job, you know," he said after a second in a snippy way, giving her a standoffish look.
"I'm all too aware of that, and there's so much work left to do," she responded, tilting her head in toward him a bit and regarding him with a half-lidded smirk.
They stared each other down for awhile. We . . . really are a difficult pair, Ichigo thought, before moving one of his hands next to one of hers and letting their fingertips touch. She glanced toward the renewed contact before looking back to him. Her ultramarine eyes seemed to soften as her light blush returned. She genuinely smiled.
Rukia ran her fingertips back against his, watching him smile in return as his chocolate eyes mellowed. They let their digits play for some unknown time. She found she wanted to be in his arms again but at the same time stuck by her stance from the previous day. They were both demure in their restraint. Despite that, even little touches and looks said more than almost any words ever could.
Ichigo finally withdrew his hand and closed his eyes for a second. When he met her gaze again it was with a newfound if understated resolve. "Kuchiki Rukia, would you let me take you out to dinner?" he asked. If they were really going to do this, he wanted there to be at least a token effort at normalcy behind it.
"I'd like that, Kurosaki Ichigo," she said.
"How does tomorrow night sound?" he asked, growing more confident.
"Perfectly agreeable," she said, letting her tone become more proper.
"Then it's a date," he replied.
"Yes, it is," she confirmed.
The atmosphere between them lingered for awhile before Ichigo's stomach suddenly growled. He averted his eyes and sighed at the mood being so crudely ruined.
Rukia laughed at him before her stomach did the same thing. She abruptly reddened and likewise looked away. They glanced back at one another abashedly. "Get cleaned up and we'll get something to eat," she offered.
"And I thought I was going to get to use the soaking tub too," he said with chagrin, letting a vague but aggressive expression of disappointment onto his face.
"I told you it was missing something anyway, fool," Rukia reminded him with a look that was at once both cheeky and aloof. She sat up and started to shoo at him. "Go already!" she commanded.
He sat up and scolded back without heat: "I'm not some cat or puppy to be dismissed at your leisure you know!" He glared at her mildly before standing and getting some clothes, going to the bathroom. Rukia didn't press the point and changed into something presentable in the bedroom while he was occupied.
Both wondered at how they had in many ways reversed roles with respect to just after they'd first met. Then it had been Ichigo who protected Rukia and she who'd tried to guide him and help him with his heartaches. They would stand by each other again in the other's previous place, even as things between them had changed with their roles.
After Ichigo finished dressing they briefly discussed where to go. They decided that since he'd gotten to pick where they'd gone on their last night out, Rukia would pick for the date the next day and he would pick where they ate that day. He remembered reading in the hotel guide about a small nearby Thai restaurant called the Rice Terrace. Although neither of them had ever had Thai cuisine before they both agreed to try it for lunch in the spirit of exploration as it was an opportunity not available in Karakura. They could figure out dinner later. They looked outside and checked the weather before going out; it was partially cloudy but it wasn't expected to rain until the next day. They made their way through the hotel and out onto the streets of Tokyo without their recently acquired umbrellas.
Renji was shaken awake by Hanatarō.
"Renji-san, they're moving," he said plaintively.
The crimson-haired Shinigami groaned and sat up. It was just like them to choose to do something when he'd only had two hours of sleep. There was nothing for it. He reached for his soul pager and closed its notifications on their movement, checking the sensor grid that'd been established and the movements of Rukia's own equivalent. Both reported the two were moving at a leisurely pace due west from their hotel. From their speed it was clear they were on foot and from their direction they weren't headed toward a station.
"We'll leave the gigai here," Renji said, getting his Soul Candy dispenser and popping a soul pill into his mouth. Hanatarō followed suit and so they stood in shihakushō opposite their material counterparts. "Stay here and don't cause any trouble," Renji warned the artificial souls.
"We—we won't go anywhere, uho!" said Hanatarō's Blues.
"Can we at least watch TV, nyah?" asked Renji's Ginnosuke.
"Do whatever, just don't leave!" Renji said with irritation. He grabbed up the backpack Hanatarō had previously carried and said "Come on, we'll have to catch up with them," before phasing straight through one of the walls.
Hanatarō followed after, saying "Yes!" before shouting "Ah, Renji-san, I can't use flash steps!"
"Ehhh?" Renji said in disbelief as he looked back to him. He frowned at his own oversight and made up his mind immediately. He grabbed the medic by the wrist and said "Hang on then!" He was soon using flash steps to leap across the roofs toward Ichigo and Rukia's signal, Hanatarō protesting as he tried to maintain some level of sure-footedness without being dragged along or smacked into things.
It was a kilometer to the restaurant and Ichigo and Rukia took it side by side, looking at western Roppongi's shops and establishments as they went to see if there was anywhere they wanted to stop again in the future. As they walked, she considered the idea of asking to see a movie the next day but had no idea what was playing or worth watching. They arrived at their destination fifteen minutes later with a final detour off the main road near a large local cemetery.
The restaurant was rather small and intimate, having seating for only two or three dozen people. There were a few other patrons there for what looked like late lunch. They waited to be seated and wound up in the front of the restaurant at a table for two near some of its slatted windows. The windows were open and a refreshing breeze was coming in. They considered their menus.
"Just so you know," Ichigo offered with a glance up at Rukia, "if it tells you something is spicy it probably means it." Although he'd never had Thai he knew that much.
"You should probably be more worried about yourself in that regard," she replied smugly without looking up.
"Eh? Are there spicy food-eating contests or something in the Seireitei? Are you some kind of reigning champion?" he asked just a bit sarcastically.
"No, it's just when we were kids I'd torment Renji by putting spices in his food because he hates anything hot, so I got used to eating it when he'd refuse to do it," she said, looking up to him with a smile that was just a touch wicked.
"You two grew up together?" Ichigo asked, honestly curious. He'd never really known the basis for their friendship and finding out Renji was like Rukia's version of Tatsuki—or vice-versa depending on how one looked at it—was news to him.
"Kind of; we met in Rukongai. It was a long time ago. I'll tell you about it some other time," she said as she looked back to the menu.
Ultimately they got lunch sets, having just barely made the cutoff. Rukia got green curry chicken while Ichigo got red curry chicken. She asked for it hot and he wasn't one to be outdone so he followed suit. Their meals came with white rice and sides; both picked salads, also asking for cold tea. They sat silently for a few seconds.
Rukia looked at Ichigo and studied his face, thinking through the last few things she wanted to say before committing. She'd been contemplating the subject in question to various degrees ever since they'd talked at the Shinjuku I-Land Tower but their new relationship had complicated the matter. Their earlier conversation had finally settled it for her. "Ichigo . . . I'm going to request to be permanently assigned to watch over you until such time as you regain your powers."
He stared at her in silence as a hundred questions immediately ran through his mind. She looked completely serious about it. He remembered her speech to him about her duties on their first day back together. "What about your responsibilities as a fukutaichō?"
She replied "I've given it a lot of thought and I'm not suggesting it lightly. It's not just that I want to be beside you either. The sōtaichō considers you a strategic asset worthy of protection, which is why we searched for you and is why I'm here to begin with. When you return to Karakura you'll still need someone to watch out for you. Kurumadani is . . . not the most competent Shinigami, and everyone else can't be expected to look out for you full-time. Karakura is the responsibility of the 13th Division, I know you best, and someone of at least fukutaichō rank should be on hand considering the number of Hollows that attack there. Sentarō and Kiyone are experienced at keeping the Division running. I don't know if there's some faster way to get your powers back or not, but being around my reiatsu couldn't hurt either."
Ichigo considered her for a bit. If she was so seriously willing to put aside her duty to safeguard him then that coupled with her earlier request to trust her meant that complaining would just be an insult. Plus the truth was that he really liked the idea of her not leaving. After a second he nodded gravely and said "Okay."
She smirked a little. "Just like that, no objections?"
"I'm sure there'll be a lot of details like where you'll be staying and how Byakuya will react to it and all of that but you asked me to trust you and I agreed so that's just how it is," he said irritably, looking off to one side.
Rukia smiled, seeing right through it. "Good," she said, "I think it'll also help with staying here."
He looked back to her in mild confusion.
She exhaled slowly before saying "My mission is to watch over you until I can fully report on what had caused you to disappear. Technically I had the answer to that by Wednesday, and I certainly have it now." She glanced away as if in thought for a second and when her eyes settled upon him again she said "We both have our demons and we both won't open up to anyone other than each other. The real reason for all of this was that no one told you what was going on and you had nobody to talk to. You were lonely."
He felt his jaw clench and found he couldn't look away from her eyes. They had that soft look that was becoming increasingly common.
She leaned forward without breaking eye contact and said lightly "And so was I." She found his eyes taking on that mild look they so often had lately.
Ichigo involuntarily reflected on the fact they'd only really been split up five times after meeting without knowing if or when they'd see each other again: when she'd been taken to Soul Society, when she'd chosen to stay there, when he'd gone to train with the Visored, when the sōtaichō had ordered them not to pursue Inoue, and when he'd lost his powers. Only one of those had seen them both willingly leave the other with anything like happiness; the others were all forced. She was taken away twice, he'd run off once, and in the end they had been wrenched apart. Two images of Rukia disappearing behind the door of a senkaimon and the audio of a third time replayed in his mind. Each hurt and he didn't want to add a fourth. "Yeah," he said quietly, refocusing on her.
She was giving him just the slightest consoling smile, having noticed.
"I . . . don't want to lose you again," he added, not wanting to reiterate what he'd just remembered. She probably already knew.
"I know," she said, "so the sooner we can move to retask the mission to one that keeps that from happening, the better."
He merely nodded.
Before Rukia could say anything else their food was being placed in front of them, bowls steaming. They gave each other a lingering glance before starting to eat, trying their own dishes and then one another's. The flavors were very unique. Ichigo refused to complain about how spicy it was even as he felt he'd perhaps made a mistake.
"Renji-san, is it true you knew Rukia from back then? And that you hate spicy food?" Hanatarō asked quietly.
"Shut up!" Renji whispered harshly. He was tired, trying to pay attention, and irritated that he was a point of humor between his friends.
The medic offered no further commentary and so they continued to lay prone beside one another, watching Rukia and Ichigo. They were on a rooftop across the street and several buildings over. Each had binoculars and had on headphones and mics hooked up to a long-distance listening device that Urahara had handed over. Why the shopkeeper had it had never been addressed and frankly Renji didn't want to know. They could hear what the pair was saying while still talking to one another through the headsets. They listened and watched in silence. They could only really see Ichigo well because of how the two were situated; Rukia had her back to the window.
Their meals were being delivered when Renji said "Well, damn," even as he couldn't help but smile a little. It'd always been obvious to practically everyone else that there was chemistry between Ichigo and Rukia. It seemed they'd at last figured it out, and there were all the interesting problems that would cause . . .
"Renji-san, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with continuing with this," Hanatarō stated.
The pair was discussing how tasty their food was. Ichigo looked like he was starting to break out into a sweat.
"I doubt they'll say anything more revealing than what they already did," Renji muttered.
"I think Rukia-san said it pretty clearly . . . they're not depressed. It does sound like they have some trauma," the medic said, recalling some of the expressions he'd seen on Ichigo, "maybe even deep trauma, but it doesn't sound debilitating and they seem to be working through it together." Hanatarō lowered the binoculars and turned to look at his crimson-haired counterpart. It felt wrong to spy on them if there was nothing to really be done in terms of counseling them. "There's no reason for us to be here."
"That's where you're wrong," Renji said, not looking away, "Even if we can't or don't need to really help them with whatever they're personally dealing with, we still have to help them."
"Eh . . . ? What do you mean?" Hanatarō asked.
Renji watched as Rukia laughed at Ichigo's obvious discomfort. "We have to help her plan succeed," he said. Her reasoning had been sound even if it served her interests and Ichigo's and there was a plan already in motion to get Ichigo his powers back that she didn't know about. It was unclear how long it would take Urahara to do whatever he was doing. He lowered the binoculars as he could still hear the couple in his ears and looked to Hanatarō. "We have to make sure they can keep helping one another."
There was one regard in which all of the quintuple-agent's bosses, including himself, were in agreement: they all had a vested interest in seeing Rukia, Ichigo, or both stable and happy and helping one helped the other. Even Byakuya couldn't disagree; there was no way he hadn't noticed the change in Rukia's demeanor and if being around Ichigo was what it took to make her happy then surely even he would concede. He'd become much more attentive to her after the invasion of Soul Society and especially after the war had ended.
Hanatarō looked back down to the restaurant for a time before nodding in support.
"Let's pack this stuff up. We have to get back to the gigai and rendezvous with these two. Today," Renji said, taking off the headphones and starting to break down the gear. The last thing he heard was Rukia scolding Ichigo on his competitiveness as the latter was holding a mouthful of tea to try and neutralize the spiciness of his food.