Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Some scenes here were written and owned exclusively by Tite Kubo. I claim no rights to the material. Please do not sue
A/N I was going to make you all wait, but really, haven't you all waited long enough! Thank you so much to the reviewers of book 2, you made it all possible… really! You are all so awesome!
Book two was so much fun to write! Pay attention at the end for a special preview of Book 3. The first chapter should be out later this week. I am not going to make you wait since I pulled Hiatus so close to the end of book 2! Enjoy!
Read and Review Please!
Hearts,
Iyashi
XXXX
Soft flakes of snow drifted slowly through the air and pulled the Seireitei into a quiet dream like state. This type of weather was a near impossibility, but for this of all days it was perfect. Every division was deathly silent as every shinigami watched the white fluff sway and dance in its gentle descent to the snow covered eaves. Something beautiful was happening.
Tiny lights hung from the snow laden branches of the plum trees in the Kuchiki gardens. Their soft glow cut through the falling twilight darkness. A large group of people sat under two pagodas that had been constructed for this one occasion. At the front was a raised platform with a low table, behind which sat a silken clothed Kuchiki Byakuya. The people waited, the snow fell in silence as words would only dirty such an event.
X
"It is not 'Shinigami'. It is 'Kuchiki Rukia'" She told him
He smirked, "I see… I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Let's pray that this doesn't become the last greeting for both of us."
X
He was hurting as he ran, "You're not going to ask anything?"
She felt bad for the young boy running beside her. He did not know exactly how familiar she was with the feeling he had. Rukia thought of Kaien before answering Ichigo, "If I ask, will you answer?"
His brown eyes narrowed at her, they still ran, she continued, "It's your problem, a deep, deep problem. I have no right to know. I don't have a method of stepping into your heart without getting it dirty. So I'll wait. When you want to talk… when you think its okay to talk, talk to me. Until that time, I will wait"
He thought she was perfect. "Yeah." He answered.
X
She wasn't sure how it happened. Death was racing toward her, now he held her under his arm with ease. He was tall and sure. When had he become so powerful?
"I said before that I'll just keep rejecting your opinion. This is the second time… and again I tell you…I'm here to save you, Rukia!" Ichigo stated surely.
Tears of joy slid down her cheeks, "I won't… I won't say thank you, baka!"
He thought she was perfect. "Yeah" He answered.
X
She forced him into a shinigami form. He could not let her know that he was afraid, he could not let her know about the hollow that lived inside of him. But… he was afraid, he did not want to lose control again and see anybody get hurt. He was useless and now Rukia was here to watch him prove it.
She yelled at him, "Is it scary to lose! Is it scary not being able to protect your friends! Or is it… scary to face the hollow inside of you!
'Shit' he thinks. 'She knows'. Rukia, she is finally in front of him again, and she knows that there is a beast inside of him. A part of him trembles.
"If you are afraid of losing, just get stronger. If you are afraid not being able to protect your friends, swear to get stronger so that you may protect them." She shouts at him.
"If you are afraid of the hollow inside of you, crush him! If you don't want to listen to others, then hold your head up and yell those words to yourself!" There was so much passion screaming from her throat with every word.
Ichigo watched the tiny, beautiful, powerful woman. Her next words blew him away…
"That is the kind of man you are in my HEART Ichigo!"
He thought she was perfect. "You're really noisy." He replied.
X
His muscles felt weak after not moving for a month. He pushed his way out of the suffocating circle of his friends and made is way outside.
'I can't sense any spirits' he thought… it was something he had wanted for so long, but now it just felt empty and abnormal.
He heard a foot scrape against cement, he turned around and saw her… he didn't feel her. The comforting rieatsu that was her… was gone.
"This is good-bye, Ichigo." Her voice was so full and soft at the same time.
A childish lump that felt like a sob rose into his throat. He pushed it down. "Seems that way, doesn't it?"
She could tell he was sad. Sadness was pushing at her too, so she teased him until that smile that he always had just for her came back.
"Tell everybody I said 'hi'" He told her.
She could tell that she was vanishing from his world, she replied "sure."
Huge, soft violet eyes stared up at him one last time… it was his last look.
He thought she was perfect. "Good-bye, Rukia." She was gone. "Thank you."
X
A tall shinigami with long vibrant orange hair walked through the snow. Faint pink shone on his high cheek bones as tiny puffs of exhalation could be seen from his lips. As he knelt at the low table as silent as the snow, the crowd of witnesses could only feel awe. How many times had they seen the man overcome unbeatable odds, yet so easily he fell to his knees?
The bond that existed between the once human and the shinigami was something that none of them could truly understand. She had transferred her powers to him through her zanpakuto. No human poem or sonnet could truly capture that type of soul mate.
X
He was powerless and alone. Forsaken by all those whom he had sworn to protect. Tears flowed freely down his face as sobs wracked his mortal body.
A blade pierced his chest for a second time during that hellish night. He turned to see his father and Urahara. Would the betrayal ever end, could he just die already?
"Dad… you too…? That's how it is!" He cried out in his final act of desperation.
"You idiot." Replied his father softly, "You should now be able to see just who is holding that sword."
He blinked through the rain and the tears that held fast to his lashes. Was it…
No…
The lump was rising in his throat again, he wanted to choke and cry out in relief. There she was.
He thought she was perfect. "Rukia!" He sobbed.
X
Something lightly brushed the side of the hand she was using to brace herself upright. Once again turning towards the deathberry she looked down at her own hand. Ichigos large hand was almost touching it, her breath caught in her throat. Slowly his pinky grazed over her skin before hooking around the tiny pinky on her own hand.
"She's not my type." Ichigo's blunt statement broke her from the trance she was under.
A furious blush moved over her cheeks as she curled her tiniest finger to return the gesture. After two years they still had not even moved to the point where they could hold hands. Rukia did not mind it though, this little intimacy tied them together in a way others may not see. What existed between their hearts had always been just between the two of them.
"What is your type, Rukia?" Ichigo's eyes did not open, but his smirk had turned into a light smile.
Whispering to him with a light snort she replied, "baka".
He thought she was perfect… and for once he didn't ruin it by saying something foolish.
X
Rukia stood just in front of him and a bit to the left, he could see the curve of cheek and her pale neck as the wind tickled through her black locks. Ichigo willed himself to be brave and reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. He could feel her tense for a moment under his touch before she turned slightly and rested her heavy violet eyes on him. Rukia gave him one of her slight smiles and it encouraged him to pull her into him for a rough embrace. Her form felt so small and slight against him, leaving him in awe of how powerful the tiny woman was. She wiggled slightly in his arms and he looked down at her. With a slightly annoyed look she pulled her arms out from between them and looped them lazily around his waist.
Just as her head came to rest against his chest so that she could continue to take in the view, she started to speak, "Ichigo, I…"
He thought she was perfect. "I know." He stated, cutting off her words.
X
Pulling the comb through her raven locks, Rukia worked to fix the comb into place. Ichigo turned his head very slightly to watch her out of the corner of his eye.
After a few moments of failed attempts to get her hair to stay, Ichigo reached for the comb in her hands, "Here, let me have it."
As she put the comb in his hands it was her turn to blush. Ichigo leaned over and pulled the comb through her tresses, fixing it snuggly in place. He remained close as he worked her hair into place around it.
As he worked at her hair, she asked, "How do you know how to do this?"
"I have little sisters." He answered nonchalantly.
He pulled back slightly to examine his handy work, but all Rukia could notice was how close he was. His face was only centimeters away from hers and the whole situation felt extremely intimate. This was not an activity between two friends, Rukia realized. Ichigo's eyes fell from her hair to meet her own. A fierce blush stole Rukia's cheeks as he gazed at her. His face was so caring, his eyes warm and fluid, and a light smile was on his full lips.
"Well?" His question pulled her from the in-depth study of his mouth.
"Well, what?" She asked.
Ichigo pulled away and returned to his sitting position looking over the surrounding area, "Do you like it?"
Rukia snorted slightly as she noticed how delicate the situation really was, "Baka, of course I like it!"
"Then we are even, midget." Despite the insult in his voice, he could not help thinking… she was perfect.
X
As she reached to slap him, Ichigo caught her hand in his own. Holding it near his face he turned and studied the small hand that was dwarfed by his. Gently he leaned down and pushed his lips against the back of her knuckles. Rukia could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and for once she was at a loss for words.
When Ichigo pulled back from the light kiss on her hand his heavy lidded brown eyes turned to gaze at her, "Rukia, this is all due to you. Thank you."
"I-Ichigo, I…"
With a full smile he cut her off, "I know."
Scowling Rukia pulled her hand away from him and crossed her arms, "Why do you always cut me off like that?"
A light chuckle escaped his lips as he walked past her on his way to the door. "We don't need to say those words yet, it isn't the time." Opening the door he paused and looked over his shoulder, noticing how perfect she looked here in his new home, "Come on midget, I'll walk you home."
X
Rukia walked out into the view of all the onlookers. A collective gasp was taken at the view of the Kuchiki princess. In this moment they all saw her as Ichigo always had. Pale lavender silk and white fur cascaded around her diminutive form as she made her way to the low table. Soft flakes of snow clung to her raven hair that was only adorned with one modest ivory comb. Violet eyes sparkled over flushed cheeks as she blinked to free her long lashes from the falling snow.
The man who had once invaded the Seireitei to stop her execution met her eyes and the people got to witness once again something that was monumental. His fierce features had softened into a look of utter adoration, and she returned the look with a small yet intimate smile.
X
He didn't know how he knew, but suddenly he realized this was the moment he had been waiting for. Using the hand that wasn't bracing him he reached over and brushed his fingers gently across her cheek toward her hair. His palms felt weirdly cold but her skin was soft and warm under his touch. Rukia did not flinch away from his touch, she just watched with a guarded look in her eyes. When his fingers reached her hairline near her delicate shell ears he ran his fingers through her hair and leaned in close to her face.
Rukia gasped very quietly as he leaned in close to speak, "Ah, I am glad."
Seven years of companionship, seven years of friendship, seven years together and Ichigo finally felt himself ready to have the courage. He gently lowered his face to hers and pressed his lips against hers. For a moment Ichigo wondered if it was a mistake as Rukia was as unresponsive as a board. Then her lips softened to his, returning the kiss, as he felt a small delicate hand wind its way into his hair.
It was a euphoric release that Ichigo had not been prepared for. Many times he had thought about kissing her, never had he imagined it would be like this though. Her lips parted and before he knew it they were in a heated match of tongue wrestling. The kiss had deepened and he was all but laying on her now as hands wandered and explored new territory.
Just as suddenly as the make-out session started, it ended when Rukia pushed him away to look up at him. Her eyes were wide and a bit of a blush and found its way to her pale cheeks. Ichigo decided that she was the most amazing sight he had ever taken in.
"Ichigo… I need to tell you…"
He silenced her with a quick and chaste kiss before responding, "It's okay, I know."
The demure look that had been on her face disappeared as her brows crashed down in annoyance. Rukia slapped a hand hard into his chest as she yelled, "Why do you always do that?"
Ichigo smiled brightly before pulling away and standing up. He reached out a hand to help her up, for a moment she looked like she was going to slap it away. Instead she sighed gustily and accepted his help by placing her small hand in his.
He walked her back to her division as she chastised him the whole way for being rude, but she didn't let go of his hand until they said goodnight. She was so completely perfect.
X
Ichigo could feel a lump rise in his throat as he reached out without hesitation to grasp her shoulder. Quickly he pulled the diminutive woman onto his futon to clasp her to his chest. He felt Rukia shudder in the circle of his arms as she fought to maintain her stoic posture.
He leaned his head down to whisper into her hair, "Rukia, I'm not gonna tell you it'll all be okay. I'm here though, for whatever you need."
A small sob escaped from her lips as she burrowed closer against him. As she cried herself out, Ichigo softly stroked her hair and hummed lightly in his chest. After many long painful minutes she quieted and her breath slowed. Ichigo hazarded a glance down at her face to find that she had cried herself to sleep. Moving carefully he removed her zanpakuto, arranged her into a comfortable position, and pulled the covers over her. Draping an arm over her, Ichigo moved close so that he was wrapped around her with his nose was buried in her hair. This was not how he imagined their first night spent together, but he could not deny that she felt perfect there. Finally he was given the chance to provide perfect Rukia with shelter from the world.
X
From behind his back he pulled a red cord not unlike the one he used to secure his zanpakuto to his back. He walked over and got down on one knee. Even down on a knee his head was still chin level on her and he smiled with mischief when he noticed.
Rukia noticed the humor in his eyes and stopped him, "If you call me midget while you are proposing, I will knock you into next week."
Ichigo's smile grew wider, "So you're onto me, are you? Well then, what do you say?"
"What do I say?" Rukia huffed, "I do not believe you have asked me anything yet." She crossed her arms defiantly.
"Oh come on, Rukia!" He argued back.
"Ask, baka!" She retorted.
"Fine!" He scowled and looked right into her eyes before yelling, "Marry me, midget!"
Rukia uncrossed her arms and clenched her fists, she watched as he braced himself for her onslaught. She smiled brightly at him, happy that no matter what they remained the same.
"Very well. I don't seem to have any better prospects at the moment anyhow." She answered.
The smile returned to Ichigo's face as he leaned forward and looped the crimson chain around her waist and tied it in a sloppy knot.
Rukia sighed, hating to bring it up, "We still have to get the clans approval."
"Like I have ever cared what they think, approval or not you are Kurosaki Rukia now." His tone was serious as he returned to his feet.
There he was, Ichigo. She wasn't even sure why she bothered to bring it up; Rukia had already known what his reaction would be.
"Ichigo… I…" Rukia started.
She paused, looking down at the floor while waiting for him to cut her off before she finished. Nothing happened. Rukia looked back up at him and saw he was just watching her from half lidded eyes. It was the same look he had on his face when they had said goodbye in the world of the living. His hands were in the pockets of his robe, a light smile on his face as he waited for her to finish.
"Aren't you going to interrupt me?" She asked.
"No."
"Baka." It was her turn to blush now. There had been a thousand times she had been ready to say the words, but he had always stopped her. They didn't need the words she understood now.
Nevertheless she was on course now, "You are an idiot, but… I love you."
A wide grin spread across his face as he pulled his hands from his pockets and wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her off the floor so they were face to face. Inside her mind Rukia thanked him for brushing his teeth before doing this.
He thought she was perfect. "Well, you are a midget, but… I love you." Ichigo said gently.
X
In the swirling snow, ten months after they announced their engagement, Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo were married. The head of the Kuchiki house, Kuchiki Byakuya tied the red string about their wrists and poured the sake for them to share. Even though few knew the fine details, every shinigami knew the epic story of their love. A love that was born through battle, grew in strife, and triumphed over war and desperation. Those who had a chance to sit in the gentle twilight storm would forever recall the moment as the most breathtaking symbol of undying love they had ever seen.
XXXX
The reception was a happening party as anyone who could get an invitation found themselves up to their ears in some of the finest sake money could buy. Although the evening was cold the great dining hall of the Kuchiki manor was open to the garden and people flowed back and forth drinking and nibbling on simple snacks.
Ichigo and Rukia stood and accepted the well wishes of their guests with blushing modesty that made them an endearing newlywed couple. Finally another couple approached them after many of the guests had gotten lost in their own drinking and storytelling.
Ryuu wore a simple navy kimono that matched Byakuya's extremely tailored look. In her arms she held a small infant with raven hair that had a tiny tuft of red that fell over his forehead. Rukia reached out to brush a bit of snow from the baby's cheek and smiled at the slate grey eyes that greeted her. Anyone who would argue that the child did not belong to her older brother had either not seen the infant, or was blind.
Ryuu cocked a half smile and said, "I'm not sure whether I should be congratulating Rukia for getting rid of the Kuchiki name, or apologizing to Ichigo for accepting it."
"Ah," replied Ichigo with a smirk of his own, "and perhaps one day you will learn that the world is not division eleven."
Byakuya looped an arm around the tall woman's lower back and added, "That is not something I would gamble on, Kurosaki."
Ichigo smiled a bit wider at his new brother in law, "I do not picture you as somebody who would gamble on much of anything, Byakuya."
"Perhaps you should not be spending so much time picturing me, Ichigo." The noble quirked.
For a moment only silence existed as Ichigo and Rukia stared wide eyed at the stoic noble. His stone face had not changed, but it had honestly sounded as if the man had not only made a joke, but referred to Ichigo in the familiar.
The infant broke the silence with a soft whimper. Ryuu snorted and turned toward her partner, "It seems as though even Tatsuhirou finds his father's humor dry and insufferable."
Byakuya stifled a small cough in his sleeve before recomposing himself. He then shocked everyone in the group by bowing to the new couple. From his robes he removed a small box that he handed to Ichigo.
Rukia's eyes lit up as Ichigo removed the lid from the offered gift.
"It is my hope you will accept this as a token of this family." The captain of the sixth division stated coolly.
As Rukia rushed her fingers to touch the kenseikan that was in the box she gushed, "Do you want me to help you clip it in, Ichigo?"
"Oh, fuck no." He responded.
FIN
XXXX
PLEASE R&R
XXXX
Short preview of "Hell's Handbasket: Book 3"
Yoruichi's hand trembled lightly as she gazed at Ichigo with eyes that were uncharacteristically wide and worried.
"Something happened, I came back from a trip to the Soul Society and everything was quiet."
"That is unusual" Ichigo responded with a bit of a joking smirk.
Mocha lids covered her golden eyes as she heaved a ragged sigh. Ichigo suddenly became worried, this was obviously not a joke, and the next words were not going to make him laugh. The were cat reached over and grabbed the saucer of sake out of his hands and shot it swiftly back.
"I need your help Ichigo, there was an accident of some sort. Kisuke is missing." Her voice was almost a whisper.
Despite his inebriation, Ichigo fell serious, "Are you sure he is missing, Yoruichi? Doesn't he do weird experiments like this all the time?"
The shaking woman brought a long fingered hand up to cover her mouth as she stifled what sounded like a sob. Ichigo reached out and grabbed her shoulders in his hands.
"Yoruichi?" He asked.
"Ichigo… I think he opened a portal. Only his gigi was still there, and Benehime. He would never leave her behind… and… and… Ichigo…"
He shook her lightly and looked closely in her eyes, "What is it Yoruichi?"
"I'm sorry, Ichigo. Karin is dead."
XXXX