Disclaimer and Notes: I don't own Bleach, it's out of my hands, and please do not sue, for I'm just a fan
Oh screw the disclaimer. After 13 of them, people should get the message XD
N/A: And here's 14. Just three more to go and then I'm back on track.
Also, I need to whack Shiro later. There's like a bunch of errors littered across chaps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... ETC. GRAH.
To the Wind
Chapter 14
By AdventWing
Not more than a few feet away from him, Tatsuki and Ishida were engaged in a very fierce game of Snakes and Ladders. Ichigo wondered, as he sat by himself, if Chad suspected something after all. He was staring at him rather hard.
…Well the flashy thingy never failed before. One thing about that Soul Society stuff, they made it good. Well, unless you count Kon, of course. Who the hell was retarded enough to make someone like him into a soldier? I mean, if people like him were on the front lines of a battle, you had to wonder at the competency of their enemies.
He didn't know what he was more shocked about; that Rukia may actually want him, or that Tatsuki and Chad had wandered over to them when they did.
Following the 'Rukia may like me' train, he was struck by a new thought: IF she did (which was highly unlikely by the way) exactly when did she start to like him?
And…just why the hell didn't he notice?
After all, she's acted completely the same to him since the night they met. …Well, okay, he had to admit, she was smiling more now. True smiles, not those irritating fake ones she so enjoyed putting on. And she laughed more. And talked more. REAL talk, about her feelings and…
…Wait a minute here…since the night they met…?
He shook his head thoroughly. Let's say, hypothetically, on some level, Rukia liked him.
How dense was he not to notice? All those times he kissed her, maybe, just maybe, she liked it? She didn't think that it was just a 'modern-day' thing?
…It blew his mind.
Oh, he had options.
Option one, do nothing.
Option two, fess up, and throw whatever worries about the future that he had to the freaking wind.
It wouldn't last. She'd have to leave. Her inevitable departure is what's been keeping you from telling her exactly what the hell she does to you in WORDS and not actions.
It was doubts like those that turned his resolve to mush. When exactly did it start to bother him? When exactly did he forget her position in this world?
When did she get a position in mine?
But wait just a minute. How sure was he that he liked her? She could just be…uh… just like him.
Hah. Rukia being hormonal. That's hilarious.
So Ichigo, you kiss her to relieve yourself?
No! No, no, no, no!
"Fuck." He muttered.
He had fallen in love.
--
Ishida hmmmed thoughtfully, almost mockingly, at his opponent. "You may as well give up." He finally said, palming the die eagerly. "As you can see, I'm far too much ahead."
Tatsuki's own glare seemed to intensify to match Ishida's. "He giveth and He taketh."
"Yeah well I'm about to taketh the chocolate cake."
Tatsuki shrugged. "You can try."
Ishida rolled an eight. "Two, four…six…shit."
Tatsuki whooped triumphantly. "Hah! THAT, my sad adversary, is a Snake! Loser!"
Ishida, eye twitching, followed the damn snake down to its tail. Tatsuki was now seven squares ahead.
Chad was interested in their game, and yet figuring out why Ichigo was banging his head against the tree was interesting too.
--
Orihime didn't know exactly how it happened, but it was obvious that Tatsuki and Ishida's affinity level had taken a dip in the time she had been gone.
Which was really bad…because after all, Ishida-kun was a really nice guy and Tatsuki was her friend…and if she didn't like Ishida then….
She frowned thoughtfully. Well, why did she care about what Tatsuki thought about Ishida anyway?
Because Ishida-kun was really nice guy and Tatsuki was her friend and…
"What the…? Where's the chocolate cake?" Rukia asked. She directed a habitual glare at Ichigo, who stared at her for a heartbeat, and then averted his eyes with a frown. His behaviour was like a trigger; what happened next was involuntary. She turned around quickly, trying to focus her gaze somewhere else. It felt alien and clumsy, but she did it anyway. Confused and embarrassed at her reaction, she questioned Ishida and Tatsuki a little rougher than she intended.
Ishida nodded his head to Tatsuki across him. "She has it."
"I won it." She hissed back, reaching out for the cake.
"Not yet, you haven't." he said, tugging it out of her reach.
"What? What the heck is going on?" She asked, confused.
Chad tried to pick up a snack, but Tatsuki slapped his hand away. He turned to Rukia with a shrug. "They're dividing the food…" He answered "…And since they're so competitive…" He added the last part below his breath.
Ishida threw his hands into the air. "It hit that rock! Let me roll again."
"…Hey! One roll per turn! ONE!"
Rukia stomped on the dice just before Ishida's hand reached it. "…I want to play," she said coolly.
Ishida stood up slowly, seemingly measuring her worth. "Two or four players," he finally said. "Those are my rules."
Rukia huffed, as she glared at the assortment of goodies designated as the prizes. She tugged at Orihime and Chad, but they backed away, muttering apologies. Orihime knew not to get involved when Tatsuki had THAT look on her face, and Chad quickly excused himself, saying that he was really bad at board games.
Rukia turned to glare at Ichigo meaningfully.
--
"Ichigo, the newb is yours. I have neither the time nor the intention to teach her."
Tatsuki shrugged an apology to her. "No offence, Rukia, but I play to win…and I want that cake."
Rukia nodded at her crisply, understanding that it was nothing personal. After all, she had read that 'all was fair in a food war'.
…Or something like that.
Ichigo eyed all this with a look akin to disgust. Why the hell where they fighting over a cake? There's no way any of them could eat it all alone.
"Okay. Ichigo you're first, roll."
Ichigo sighed resignedly, and rolled the dice. "Hey," He murmured to her as he moved his piece. "You really have no idea how to play, huh?"
Rukia shrugged. "Does it matter?"
"You can't bullshit your way through Monopoly," he answered lightly, their conversation being blessedly ignored by Tatsuki and Ishida.
"Well then teach me."
Ichigo huffed at this. "I allowed you to drag me over here. I don't remember 'teach me how to play Monopoly' in your request."
There was something new in her eyes when she glared at him, a hint of uncertainty, and he didn't quite understand why it was there, or whether it was really that. Maybe it was there before, maybe it wasn't. It was bad enough that he spent half the time wondering about what the hell she was thinking; now there were complications he didn't even want to think about.
Still, when faced with a problem, he wouldn't run away for long…just long enough to adjust.
He sighed, giving in to her determined countenance. "All right Rukia. We'll go one round and then I'll teach you how to buy property."
--
"Hey. Don't buy that." He ordered gruffly, rounds later.
"Why?" She asked, withdrawing her wad of cash from the outstretched hand of Ishida, the banker.
Tatsuki grinned, cat-like. "Buy it. He wants what you're about to get."
Rukia eyed the square her little metal dog was in curiously. What did Ichigo want this place for? It was so expensive. Unless…that was why he wanted it? "I'll take it." She told Ishida.
Ichigo shrugged. "I'll buy it from you." He offered flippantly.
"He needs it baaaad." Tatsuki whispered to Rukia. A warning glare from Ichigo sent her scooting away though.
"How much do you want for it?" He asked.
Rukia eyed the card and the property speculatively. "How much is it worth?"
"That depends on how much you think he has." Ishida added helpfully.
Ichigo didn't have to read the rule book to know that things were going south, and quickly. "There's a limit." He added, glaring at Ishida.
Ishida smirked in response. "Well, maybe there is. Who knows?"
"Five hundred."
Ichigo turned to face Rukia (and her offer) with some difficulty. "Okay wait a minute. Don't listen to them. They're trying to ruin you. This isn't how you do it…help me out here and later—"
"Five hundred."
"Rukia, you're being a…"
She raised her eyebrows, holding the card between two fingers and very aware of the benefits of having something Ichigo wanted.
Ichigo dragged a hand through his hair. This was going to be a long game.
--
He was confused, and he didn't like that. He shifted his glasses higher.
Every few minutes he'd ask himself, 'And did I really approach Ichigo about relationship problems?' and come up with the same answer — a very tentative 'yeah…I did…'
Ishida was Katobeto's 'Best Student' and he suffered and profited equally from the arrangement. Truth be told, he despised the man. He was too manipulative for his own good, though he did provide them with relatively interesting lessons.
So, naturally, Ishida was honoured when he was called upon to undertake a 'special assignment'.
…Again, naturally, he was sorely tempted to fling a nearby paperweight at the grinning teacher, when he found out what the assignment was. Teacher or not, he disliked sparing idiots who required a beating.
Ironically, despite that he was really the LAST person who'd offer Ichigo his advice, by some plot twist he was also the ONLY person Ichigo could go for advice.
And the last person he thought Ichigo would go to.
Barring that creepy shopkeeper.
Nevertheless, Ichigo had accepted the proverbial hand, and Ishida found himself a little more sincere in offering it.
He really didn't get Ichigo, at all. Ishida suspected that he had a total disregard for things that irritated him, like, oh say…the history between the Quincy and the Shinigami for one?
He really didn't know what to make of this pseudo-friendship he was in. People were always separated into threat or non-threat categories. Ichigo clearly went into the non-threat for now, but who's to say that won't change? Especially since Ishida meant to kill the next Shinigami he saw.
And while he was listing his problems, the cheery auburn-haired girl chatting away to her not so cheery friend was another headache for him.
…God, he was having fun. He'd never thought he'd be doing this, going out with friends like this, chuckling along with jokes. Why, he could get used to this. He could—
"So what'd you tell Katobeto-yarou?"
"…I don't know what you're talking about." The denial came quickly and as a reflex, the inquisitor's voice hadn't even registered in his head yet.
Ichigo's expression read 'Let's not fuck around', and he sat down heavily next to the Quincy.
Bluffing was out of the option list, and, resisting the urge to slouch dejectedly, Ishida realized that it was always possible for your list of problems to grow.
Coming clean was the best…after all he had nothing to hide. "…Nothing, if you'll believe me." He said, trying to focus on calming things, like the coolness he felt in the shadow of the large oak tree they were under. "…Although I'm a little curious. How did you—?"
"How'd I know? Well…of all the people who'd ask me about relationship problems, I never thought one of them would be you." He frowned, suddenly recalling his interrogation of Keigo and Mizuiro. "Oh yeah, and I talked to those two idiots after dinner that night…the girls did a good job of hanging them up."
"So they snitched."
"Naw," Ichigo drawled. "I knew. They just confirmed it."
"Hmm. There I was, convinced that my acting was perfect."
"Perfect? Are you kidding me? Your teeth were gritting together loud enough to wake the dead when you asked."
"Oh really?" Ishida asked, more than a little sarcastically.
Ichigo paused. "No, not really." He finally answered. Which is why I'm here, I guess.
"…I take it you really do have relationship problems now?" Ishida asked. He knew now, that it was really inevitable.
"Well…"
"You do realize that I only told you that because Katobeto asked me to, right? I have absolutely no experience or prowess when it comes to the opposite sex." Ishida then bit into an apple with a shrug. "But for what it's worth, I can listen." He said, tossing another to Ichigo.
--
Orihime hugged Rukia tightly. "It was nice seeing you guys again…just remember that tomorrow is Saturday, then Sunday, and it'll be over."
"Who knows?" Ishida muttered, leaning against the gate as he did.
Orihime tilted her head as his comment, and then clapped her hands together. "Ah…come to think of it, there's a festival at the shrine this weekend!" She grinned. "I'm sure you two get really bored staying cooped up in that house…and we could celebrate! You two are nearly done with the project!"
Tatsuki shifted her weight to her left thoughtfully. "Well, I guess I could go."
"I'll go." Chad added. "And I'll check with Keigo and Mizuiro."
"Wait a minute," Interrupted Ichigo. "We—"
"—are going." Rukia finished helpfully.
Ichigo looked like he was going to protest, but he folded his arms instead while grunting out an affirmative.
"Great!" Tatsuki cheered, slinging the bag they had used for trash over her shoulder. "Most importantly, where do we meet?"
Chad shrugged. "Here."
Orihime considered that for a moment. "Well, okay. The Shrine is close by here anyway. What do you guys say?"
After the general agreement, and the goodbyes, Rukia quickly found herself alone again with Ichigo. The unease that she felt in his presence was lessened by the presence of their friends, but now that they were alone together it grew heavier and heavier within her.
It felt so alien to her; she wasn't used to unease when she was around Ichigo. She really wanted to stop running away, but now she remembered exactly what she was running from. After all Ichigo's actions towards her did mean that he liked her…in that way. Maybe he felt like she did…. She flushed. She had never considered herself…desirable…but apparently, Ichigo really did want her. It filled her with an unmistakable warmth and resolve…that popped when his voice broke into her thoughts.
"Do you want to go somewhere? For dinner?"
Rukia tried her hardest to slip into their usual pattern. She hoped up onto a low fence with the ease and grace of a gymnast. "We've been eating all afternoon." She replied, scorning his idea lightly. "Besides, it's kind of late."
Ichigo traced her movement with his eyes. The sun hadn't really begun to set yet, but its light had turned gold, and its effect on Rukia was pleasantly distracting. As was the breeze that lifted her skirt just a little bit—
EYES FORWARD, BOY.
He growled low. It was tough keeping sane when she was around. And his actions earlier today should be more than enough to shame him into never looking at her again…hell his actions all week should be enough. But it just fed the fire; made him hungrier for more. And it just wasn't physical, he had begun understanding more things about her, her little quirks and fears, like at dinner last night….
Maybe a side effect of living alone with her. Maybe.
He caught himself. He was staring at her again.
His frequent glances stretched, and embarrassed as he was, he quite was sure that their eyes had met on one or two occasions. He just couldn't figure it out. He moved along the fence, following her silently as she continued the conversation he started.
"Well, you know, we could go take something home. It'd be nice to heat it up later." She continued as she walked forward along the fence.
Ichigo shrugged. "So, anything in mind?"
She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Not really."
"Okay then…that helps."
"Well you're not being particularly helpful yourself." She replied lightly.
"Goes without saying, but neither are you." He retorted.
"Whose suggestion was it that we take some food home?"
Ichigo opened his mouth to reply but snapped it shut again. "…Forget it. Let's just think about it as we go along. There are plenty of food stalls along the way."
His tone carried a little of his frustration to her, and she continued hopping from post to post, dwelling on the promise she made Orihime, and wondering why things had suddenly gone sour so quickly.
For the first time in a long time, they walked the whole way home in uneasy silence.
--
AI-san was at a loss.
When it came to his charges, it was really one thing after another. Rather than the fire of most of their arguments, when they arrived home, he watched as they treated each other like animals finding they had to share the same living quarters.
Which was silly because they had been doing that for a while now.
Rukia called that she claimed the bathroom first, as always.
Ichigo shrugged and flounced onto a couch in front of the TV, without actually turning the TV on, as always.
Everything seemed the same, everything but his charges themselves.
You're having another fight, aren't you Sir? He asked bluntly.
Ichigo jerked slightly, caught himself, and settled his gaze on the blank TV.
Receiving no answer, AI-san continued with his conundrum. I have to ask, Sir, because the qualities that mark your usual arguments are not present. My Emotional Indicators tell me that tension is high.
"Okay, so now what does your programming tell you to do?" He finally asked.
Well, first I would discern the reason for the tension.
Ichigo tapped the edge of his seat thoughtfully.
In other words, sighed AI, What did you do wrong today?
"Hey! Just how do you know it was MY fault?"
--
Plan of action. She needed a plan of action. Every confrontation needed a plan of action. And support. Well…she had Inuoe…sort of…but that didn't count because she wasn't here. So then…she'd have to call for support!
…Damnit. Ichigo was not a Hollow!
No…first, she needed to know why Ichigo never moved to tell her…
Thinking about when they were at the hot springs brought a burst of insight.
He was afraid of intimacy!
And she didn't tell him that she was in love with him because she was afraid. So…maybe he didn't tell her because he was afraid?
Some things need to be told in words…not actions…and Ichigo was never good with words…but apparently very good with actions…
The soap slipped from her hands, and she didn't pick it up. She was feeling a little faint. She shook her head to clear it. She needed a plan. What advantages did she have…?
She felt her cheeks warm up.
"…Seduction!"
Rukia's face went up in flames. "Wha—!?"
Orihime grinned. "Seduction! It's a win-win situation! If he likes you but hasn't made the first move yet, you can let him know it's okay! And if he doesn't know he likes you, you can fix it!"
"Fix—How is this fixing?!"
Orihime nodded sagely. "I understand. You lack technique. I have some websites that—"
Rukia clamped her palm over Orihime's mouth. "HOAH WAIT. LET US NEVER SPEAK OF THIS IDEA AGAIN."
…Okay. Hard as it was, she tried to recall some of the things Kiyone from Division 13talked about.
--
"Hey, let's play a game." She said, plopping down next to him. "I don't feel like sleeping just yet.
Ichigo eyed her carefully. "A game? Aren't you sick of games?" Her cool demeanour was gone, and that put him on edge. She seemed too confident all of a sudden, and it seemed that she was back to her bossy self.
"Not really."
He shifted away slightly, moving closer to the other end of the couch. "What kind of game do you want to play?"
She defeated his efforts to get away by shifting with him. "Cards."
"Cards…you suck at cards."
Rukia shoved him indignantly. "I do not."
He rolled his eyes. "Do you remember the last time we played…?"
"That was a while ago!" She said. "And besides, we're betting on something."
"On what?"
She drummed her fingers lightly on the chair, to still her pounding heart. "If you lose…you do whatever I say for the rest of the weekend. You can't say no to anything I ask of you, and you have to answer truthfully to—" He tried to stand up quickly, but Rukia sat on him quicker. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" She asked irritably.
"Like HELL I'm going to agree to that!" He snapped, squirming under her. She had to admit it was a little harder to hold him down in comparison to this morning. "Who in their right mind would agree to that!"
"I'm not done! And stop squirming!" She held him down until he quit protesting under her. "If you win," she continued, her voice level. "I have to do whatever you say." That stopped him dead in his tracks, and Rukia thought that maybe her plan would work. Cautiously, she let his wrists go, but remained atop his abdomen. "Well?"
"What's to stop me from walking away if I lose?"
"Well, you see last night, I wasn't done with this photo album…so Yuzu lent it to me…"
"…"
"Well, the thing is, if you DO play, and lose, and don't follow through, I'll use the photos." She met his incredulous gaze with a barely-there glare. "At school. Look, I'm not going to force you to play."
"…I don't believe this. You don't really have one of them, do you?" Isshin made a habit of snapping photos at the MOST embarrassing of times.
Rukia frowned at his question. "Well I wouldn't be blackmailing you with it if I didn't."
He shifted underneath her, her presence less than comfortable. "And let's just say that I do play, and win. How the heck do I know you won't just laugh and tell me it was just a game? Or blackmail me anyway?"
She grinned impishly at him, feeling happy that he was considering playing. He tried to harden his glare, but it melted anyway when she leaned to whisper into his ear.
"I'm hurt that you'd think I'd do that." She said. "Don't you think that since I suggested it, I wouldn't mind playing to my own rules?"
He swallowed a lump in his throat as he took in her words, wondering if that meant she didn't mind winning…or losing. He considered saying no for a moment, but she was so freaking distracting up close…and the thought of getting Rukia to do whatever he said…
"…I'll play." He managed roughly.
She backed up slightly, so their faces were inches apart. She smiled at him, and it gave him the impression that she knew something that he didn't want her to know. It was surprisingly…
He frowned.
Seductive.
Nah.
--
Ichigo sat Indian-style on the bed, across Rukia, grabbing at her bag of potato chips as he did. When he turned to toss his towel on a nearby chair, and Rukia took that opportunity to take the bag back. "What are the rules? Did you learn anything new?" He asked as she shuffled the deck. He tried to be casual about things, but only ended up sounding rougher than usual.
"We're playing with five cards, deck is face up. First person to lead by two games wins, since we're not playing for money. Simple rules." She answered, smoothly shuffling the deck to his incredulous gaze. "It's no fun if the game ends too early right? Highest hand, wins."
"…You played with Tatsuki and Orihime at the Hot Springs didn't you?" He accused flatly.
"Aha. You can see how much better I am, right?" She grinned, dealing out his cards.
"Actually, I figured it out from your lame rules." He said, and then dodged an angry blow. "And don't tell me they changed them for your benefit, they ALWAYS have lame rules."
"It was more fun this way." She muttered tartly.
Ichigo slipped one card into another pile and drew a King of Diamonds. The game had begun, and he had no intention of losing….
Because losing meant that he'd be Rukia's slave. And winning meant that…
Meant that…
He shook his head slightly, and tried to focus on the cards he had at hand. What the hell was he thinking, accepting this bet? So what if he won? He couldn't possibly be thinking of—He nearly dropped his cards—holy shit, he was thinking of…he felt the heat rush down and groaned internally.
He was dead. He was dead. In poker you needed to think with the right head….
He sent a prayer to the new James Bond.
He slipped a glance over his hand of cards. She didn't seem too anxious about winning. Her brow was furled, but she seemed only mildly interested in what was going on….
"Ichigo?" Rukia asked, suddenly.
He frowned, his gaze snapping back to his cards, from her face. "What?"
"Remember that if I win, you absolutely must agree to whatever I tell you."
He scowled, dropping an eight of diamonds, and picking up a three of clubs. "Yeah. We went through this already. Although I don't see what's the point. I'm going to beat you anyway." Damnit, why is she reminding me? Does she have a good hand?
"Just reminding you." She said lightly, amused by his expression. "Don't be an ass. I'd like it if you don't think that you're being forced into anything. After all, I told you that you didn't need to play," She continued, reaching over to snatch back HER bag of chips, as Ichigo hid his cards suspiciously. "And if you win, the conditions apply to me."
He scoffed. "Yeah, yeah…" But he couldn't shake a feeling of anticipation… "I still don't think you'd go through with it."
"Wow. You know what? That means you'll have to trust me." She said sarcastically.
"Cheh," He muttered, arranging his cards in a logical order.
"What do you have?" She asked, a few rounds later.
"…Two pair." He grumbled.
"That's pathetic." She said flatly.
He frowned. "…" He tossed his cards on the bed irritably. "…I suppose you have something better?"
She grinned. "Low Straight. Of Spades."
--
Rukia murmured in thought, as she gazed at her own hand. Throwing this round was looking all the more possible, considering that she was one win ahead. She couldn't continue to stall; she'd get unlucky somehow, the cards never went the way you wanted to sometimes. The problem, though, was that she still wasn't too sure of whether or not she wanted to win. Having such control over Ichigo…or even Ichigo having that much control over her, created a very pleasurable warmth…
What she hoped…was that if Ichigo won, it'd give him the confidence to…well…confess.
She wished the same for herself, should she win.
But damn it, she was freaking stuck. If he won, she couldn't be sure he'd confess, and if she won….
Rukia! What do you think you're doing? Buck up, girl!
She sighed internally. Her inner voice was starting to sound a lot like Orihime.
"All right! What do you have?" He asked.
Rukia picked laid all five cards in front of her. "Full House." She said, showing him a five of Clubs, a five of Hearts, and Jacks of Hearts and Spades and Clubs.
He grinned smugly. "Four-of-kind!"
She shrugged off her defeat, and resisted the urge to glower at his grin. "Fine then, next round?"
--
Good Evening, Katobeto-sensei.
"Evening AI EX. Just dropping by. I was wondering if I could come in?"
I'd alert Sir and Madam to your visit…but they are in the Master Bedroom. Default Protocol indicates that I do not disturb them after the ten o'clock—
Katobeto cocked an eyebrow at this. "Default…I see. I highly doubt they'd be bothered by my visit. Why don't you ask them?"
Well…I agree it is highly unlikely that they'd be copulating…
"Very unlikely indeed." He agreed. "Call them down, and open the door? It's quite a cold night."
--
"What do you have?" Ichigo asked gruffly, at Rukia's equally gruff demeanour.
"Well what do you have?" She challenged back.
"I asked you first!"
She frowned. "Just who came up with the idea of playing?"
He glared at her. "Hey now, don't bring that in! If I call, you show your cards!"
Rukia hmphed softly. "Fine. At the same time?" Gods, she was afraid. She hadn't been playing to win, after all. She was stalling, and of course things couldn't have gone in her favour for long but losing—
Ichigo too, could feel his heart jack-hammering in his chest.
"I've got a Full House!"
"Royal Flush, Diamonds!" Rukia couldn't stop the grin that surfaced as she laid her cards down at the same time as him.
Ichigo stared slack-jawed. "That sucks." He finally managed. "I guess you win," He admitted begrudgingly. "Well whatever. I guess you won the bet too."
I…I guess I did win after all. Rukia laid the cards down, contemplating her 'prize'. It looked like her luck had made the decision for her.
Now, how was she going to go about this?
Although Ichigo hated losing, he usually managed to shrug off defeat easy enough. It was only when he got passionate about a competition; it was then he found defeat hard to swallow. So collecting the cards into a deck, brooding over his loss and the loss of the bet, he didn't feel the mattress tilt slightly, nor notice Rukia as she moved closer to sit directly opposite him.
Okay, to be fair, he did notice when she took the deck from his hands to put it behind him. "I guess you're mine now."
"Yeah, yeah." He muttered embarrassedly, still failing to get the freaking innuendo out of his head.
"I don't think you really mind…do you?"
"Of…Of course I mind." He said roughly, but unconvincingly so. He folded his arms and shrugged. "But you gave me a way out, so…I guess…"
She smiled slyly at him. "So what would you have made me do if you had won?"
Damnit, he just got his flush to die down, and—"Wha…I…"
Rukia's smile widened at his reaction. "Okay. I'm going to try something." She began lightly, leaning away. "Think of it as an experiment. I'm going to try something, and you can't say, or do anything to protest."
Ichigo eyed her warily. "Fine…but if you ask me to do something stupid like...put on a dress or…"
Rukia leaned forward to knock him on the head, but he leaned back. "Why the heck would I ask you to put on a dress? And even if I did, Kami forbid, you'd have to do it!" Her scowl turned pensive. "I think it would be best if you don't talk or move for the next minute."
"Wha—" She quickly clamped a hand to his mouth.
"Did you hear what I said?"
She sighed…this was harder than she had thought. "Think of this as payback." She said softly, removing her hand from his mouth and trailing her fingers across his skin as her hand made its way to the back of his neck. Ichigo swallowed as his heart decided to leap into his throat at her words, and wondered if by payback, she meant all those times he had kissed her without permission…
Good evening Sir, Madame. I hope I'm not intruding.
Rukia had not brushed her lips with his for even a second, her half-lidded eyes suddenly snapping into focus, as Ichigo jumped away at the sound of AI EX's voice.
"I told you not to move." She said, frustrated.
"What is it Alex?" He asked, roughly running a hand through his hair, before gripping it hard, as if to pull whatever he was thinking out of his head.
Katobeto-sensei has paid us a visit.
--
"Why are you here?" Ichigo asked bluntly, and Rukia jammed her heel down on his foot.
"Well, I thought I'd be the first to congratulate you two," he said, as they sat themselves on the couch across him.
Rukia frowned. They couldn't have passed? "Congratulate?" She asked.
They eyed him suspiciously as he dipped his hand into his bag, and when he tossed them something, and Rukia and Ichigo caught it between them.
Ichigo stared, leaning over her before releasing a very stunned "What the fuck?" Rukia was too shocked to comment.
"Congratulations! It's a girl!" He said, pointing a remote at them, and pressing a button that depressed with a satisfying click.
The baby let out a wail in hands of the dumbstruck couple, and surprised, they fumbled with it.
It was then that Katobeto snapped the picture.
Tsuzuku
Names? XD