Chapter 25: That first kiss.
Sigh so… that was my first love scene. Hope it wasn't too graphic for you. And thank you guys for the reviews! I'm loving what you have to say! And I hope that the last few chapters have answered some questions for you.
Rukia doubted she had ever slept so soundly in all her life. Lying next to Ichigo as the morning slipped by into noon, curled into his strong, warm chest like a small child. She had been awake for an hour now, staring at him while stroking his face, listening to the rain tapping on her window outside. She didn't know when the storm had rolled in, but it was the sound of the sudden downpour on the glass that broke her of her rest. The fear of thunder and lightning was what kept her awake.
She allowed a tender smile to come over her when she saw his eyes fluttering under their lids, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming. About his mother? The woman he had spoken so highly of. Of herself? About the wonderful night they had shared. It was a nice dream was all she could tell, because his face seemed so placid. The hard brow he usually had had softened, leaving behind only small lines where his face always frowned. His mouth was slightly open, just enough to see his teeth on his lower lip. He breathed so softly, like a baby. His hair was longer than she expected because he always had it spiked up. But now that he had been wet with sweat, his brilliant orange hair fell in wavy strands onto his eyes and cheeks.
Strategically placed hair… Rukia thought to herself. That's what Renji called it, anyway; when a male sets his hair just right, so it falls just so around his eyes and face. Rukia knew, though, that this time was not deliberate. He was sexy on accident, blessed with a natural incredible beauty that made him all the more attractive.
Ichigo flinched, cringing just a bit in his sleep, his brow tightening again. Rukia frowned and sat up on one elbow, watching him suddenly start to writhe.
Was it a nightmare?
Than she saw his arm twitch, and she followed the quaking limb up to his side. His skin was twitching strangely, like a horse's flanks when a fly lands on it. He was in pain, and it was serious. Rukia sat up all the way and turned in the bed so she was leaning against the headboard. She pulled a blanket over her naked legs than reached over to Ichigo, gently picking up his head and laying it on her lap.
That tender breathing was gone and was replaced by shuddering. The pain he could never escape had ravaged his peaceful sleep. Rukia's heart broke.
"Shh, shh, shh…" She gently cooed as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Relax, baby. Don't force it down."
She sure as hell knew than 75 of pain is mental, but she also knew that she didn't imagine the hurt that came when she had broken her leg. Pain is something that cannot be ignored, but it can be controlled. Give it attention, than it will hurt, but if you occupy your mind with something else than it does seem to go down a bit.
"Listen to my voice, Ichigo. Can you hear me? Concentrate on the feel of my hands on your scalp, rather than the ache in your side. Remember what we did last night, instead of on how your rib came to be broken. Just relax. Yeah, that's right."
Ichigo started to relax, a long breath easing out of him as his body stopped shaking. Rukia had to smile when she felt him nestle into her lap, finding bliss in the knowledge that he sought her even in his sleep. She put her head back against the headboard, a heavy sigh relaxing her body. She tilted her head to the side and stared out the window at the light gray storm running down the glass. The sound was calming, a feeling she wasn't accustomed to when it came to storms. Of course, it hadn't thundered at all since she woke up.
She smiled to herself, finding an easy peace as the gentle rhythm of the rain lulled her to sleep.
Mr. Ryuu looked up from the snow bank of papers on his desk when the door to his office opened without warning. He was starting to get very frustrated because this would be the tenth time he'd be interrupted from his work today, and he slapped the paper he had in his had down on the small empty spot on his desk. When he saw who walked in through the door, he just sighed and picked up the paper again.
"Hi, son." He mumbled.
Aizen strode in as pretty as he pleased, letting the door wing open into the wall before closing it with a loud thud. Mr. Ryuu jumped from the impact, than shot an angry look up at his kin.
"Afternoon, father," Aizen said as he walked up to his dad's desk and took a seat in one of the chairs set in front of it. After he got situated in a lazy position, he said with a smirk, "I have news."
"Do you now?" Mr. Ryuu didn't bother to sound amused, not even looking up from his work when Aizen spoke.
"Yes. There are only four positions left for the Dance World Cup—"
" 'Sat so?"
"Yeah. And the competitions getting harder."
Mr. Ryuu sighed, exasperated. "Son, I appreciate you taking the initiative to keep tabs on the competition but I think Tsushima can hold its own."
Aizen got a smug look on his face, the same one he always wore when he knew something that the other didn't. Mr. Ryuu glanced up at his son when he heard no reply and double took when he saw his conceited grin.
"What?" he grumbled.
Aizen folded his hands together across his chest and leaned back in his chair, making the thing squeak. "There's a new studio in town, Dad. One that I'm sure you're familiar with…"
" If you're referring to Rukia's old place, I already know. I was the one who put it up for sale. Or have you forgotten?"
"No, I haven't… do you know who bought it?"
Mr. Ryuu paused. Come to think of it, he really didn't know. But it was a thing in the past, so why should he care?
"Should I?"
Aizen shrugged. "I suppose you would… considering whose now it's occupants."
"Get to the point, please, son. I have work to do."
Aizen smirked again, that creepy handsome face contouring into what looked like a goblin. "Kisuke Urahara."
"What, the retired choir director? Hardly a threat."
"And Shihouin Yoruichi…"
"And?"
"I hear they've hired a few new dancers. A duo that have given a few people a run for their money already."
Mr. Ryuu raised an eyebrow, almost seeming interested. "If I haven't heard anything, than they can't be that illustrious."
"I humbly beg to differ, father."
Mr. Ryuu felt his blood boil. His son's attitude was becoming most taxing, but he had become an expert at going under cover into dance studios, gaining information on dancers and their styles, making it easy for Mr. Ryuu to come back at them with something ten times better. Even if Aizen was a pain in the ass, he was crucial asset to his business. And when he came with information, it was wise to sit back and listen, no matter how much it pained him to do it.
Mr. Ryuu sighed heavily and put the paper back down on his desk. He sat back his chair and glared at his son from across the way. "Alright, my boy…I'm listening."
Aizen smirked again.
Rukia heard the soft hum of something in her ear, like a warm breeze down the side of her face. The sound managed to mesh with her dream somehow, at first just being background noise like the wind or a whisper. The more the dream went on, the louder the strangely welcoming hum became. Soon, the park where she was sitting dissolved like a drop in crystal water, and that harmonious sound covered her like a blanket fresh from the dryer. All went black in her mind, but she was still trapped between that strange place of being half in the dream world, and half in the real world. She decided to focus harder, to lock down on that -- whatever it was—and somehow bring herself closer to it. She could feel herself stir in bed, yet she knew she was still asleep. She turned her subconscious head in the direction the sound was coming from. At first, all she could hear was muffled somethings that almost sounded like words, until she forced all her concentration into it.
"…Peace will come to you in time… and I will say this lullaby."
Rukia felt herself frown. It was a song? She must still be dreaming, because that voice was too perfect, to beautiful to be real. But the more she listened to it, the more she felt herself slipping out of her sleep.
"…I would stay here by your side… and if you wake before I'm gone, remember this sweet lullaby…"
She began to panic… she didn't want this wonderful song to leave, because she knew that she would forget it the second she opened her eyes. She forced herself to stay relaxed, to shove back the gripping hands of the real world trying to pull her out of the only heavenly reprieve she had! But the more she focused on that indescribably wonderful voice, the more the real world fell upon her. And yet… the sound was getting louder…
She felt her legs under the blankets, her face in the pillow, and her arm in front of her face. She was on her side, and she could feel something warm against her back. Something was on her scalp, moving with gentle stroking motions. Was someone rubbing her head? Then she felt something move over her, the great presence was strangely comforting. She heard something hiss, like the soft sound of someone breathing in. She felt the brush of soft skin, like lips, on her ear, and than she wanted to melt. Because that wonderful voice sang into her ear.
"And oooohhhh… Through darkness, don't you ever stop believing…"
Rukia felt every hair rise on her skin, following the Goosebumps that emerged when the masculine voice rose to a high octave, holding a long, smooth note before going into words again.
"With love alone… with love, you'll find your way… my love…."
The voice filled the air like a chorus in a church, vibrating off the walls and into her lungs, her heart, her very being. That hand that was stroking her hair left for a brief second before coming back on her check. She pushed her cheek into the gentle knuckles that brushed her face with warm tenderness.
"When I return to dry your eyes… I will say this lullaby… yes I will say this lullaby…"
She felt a heavy object around her waist tighten, like an arm was drawing her near. She felt the warmth of whoever was holding her, and she didn't fight at all against the arm pushing her closer to him.
She felt his lips brush her cheek before feeling him shift back to her ear. He ended his song with a long, gentle "Oh", rising and sinking in octaves, running from her ear, into her bloodstream, through her muscles. She let out a sigh as she realized that the dream had become reality, and her heavenly being was on earth waiting for her. She hummed is contentment as she allowed herself to melt into his arms.
"That was wonderful." She mumbled through her grogginess. A blissful smile was on her face, and she kept her eyes closed as her mind replayed the sound of that last note over and over.
"I'm glad you liked it,' said a familiar crystal voice. "It was my mother's song she sang to my sisters every night."
"And you memorized it?" Rukia sounded more touched than actually questioning.
She felt him nod. "My room was right between them both, so heard it like they did."
Rukia opened her eyes for the first time, a frown on her face as she starred out the window. They were silent for a second before Rukia turned over a bit to look at Ichigo over her shoulder. "She never sang to you?"
Ichigo shrugged and smiled. "I was always asleep by the time she got to my room. It's not likes he didn't try."
Rukia and to chuckle to herself as she pictured a young Ichigo K.O on his bed, with his mother looking at him through his door in the hall. She tried to picture his mother, give justice to a woman who could produce such perfection as the son she had made. She never saw a picture of his family, so she didn't know if she had red hair or black hair. The male gene is usually dominant, so maybe she had dark hair and his dad had the fire head. But the beauty of the color and how thick it was was just too naturally perfect to be masculine. The way it always looked so clean and soft, just like a woman's hair.
And she had to be physically gorgeous all around. Alabaster skin to cover a lean, graceful body. Big topaz or blue eyes, with her fire for hair or midnight black. Just picturing her made Rukia smile for joy.
And then she frowned.
His mother was beautiful and so sweet, like a rose not trimmed of its thrones, but born without them. Her children, or at least her son was a product of perfection, a diamond amongst plastic fakes. Fakes like her. He was honest and pure, and she wasn't. He was tall and graceful and protective and sweet. And she wasn't. He shown like a star, and she was the gray storm cloud that hid him from the world. And now, like clouds do in every storm, she wanted to cry endlessly. She didn't of course, because crying never helped anything. And neither was being envious, and she had to frown when she realized she was doing just that.
It was silent as the rain still poured outside, but Rukia spoke out above it all.
"Your mother must have been a beautiful woman, Ichigo…" Rukia said in a low voice.
Ichigo frowned. "Why do you say that?"
Rukia turned slowly and looked at him again, face serious and stern as she looked at his perfection with grateful eyes. "Because she made someone was gorgeous as you."
Ichigo felt his face go lax, every muscle going tenderly soft as her words touched his heart. His eyes shined with joy as he leaned down and kissed Rukia softly.
She sat up to accommodate him better; her naked body an alabaster gray from the stormy clouds outside. Ichigo felt her tremble under his mouth, like she was trying hard not to cry. He took her face in his hands and gently pulled away, keeping his eyes closed as he licked his lips for her flavor and pressed his forehead against hers.
"Why do you want to cry?" He whispered to her. Rukia bit down on her lip as she felt a lone tear escape. She thanked God that Ichigo's eyes were closed, even though she was sure he already knew. She took a second to collect herself, biting down even harder-until she was sure that she tasted blood, and she shook her head.
"It's just… I don't deserve you at all…" she whispered back.
Ichigo clenched his eyes shut, feeling his heart lurch when he heard how miserable and low she felt. He didn't like seeing her in pain, physical or otherwise. His jaw tightened as he thought of what to say to her.
"Rukia…"
"It's okay, Ichigo…" Rukia softly stopped him. "You don't have to say anything." She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, drawing his warm body to hers.
"Just stay with me. Like this…." She put her face under his chin, listening to the erythematic beat of his strong heart as he relaxed against her. "Like we have an eternity together… like the world can wait for us outside while we hold time in our hands." She traced the smooth curve of his stomach with her index finger, feeling him breath in and out with slow motions. She traced circles around his navel, lost in thought as she let her hands wander around his abdomen.
They were silent for a while, before a thought struck Ichigo. His brow tightened as the though sprouted to his mouth. "You… make it sound like today is the only day we have together."
How Rukia kept secrets from him, she was sure that once she told Ichigo the truth, a day was all she would have with him. If she was lucky. She breathed out, her lids closing in sorrow around her eyes.
"This could be the only day together…." She whispered, too quiet for Ichigo to hear.
Ichigo frowned deeper when he didn't hear a reply, and his heart began to pick up pace as he tried to figure out what she was trying to tell him.
"Rukia…" He took her under the arms and held her tightly, but not roughly, than he gently pulled her away so he could look her in the eyes. He had to hunch a little bit to match height with her. After a second of just looking into her eyes, Ichigo took in a deep breath.
"Can I ask you something?" he began, voice smooth as a ribbon.
When Rukia nodded, he took another breath in and closed his eyes.
"Do you want this? To be with me every day?"
Rukia's eyes got wide and her heart jumped into wild speed. Her adrenaline pumped aggressively in her head, obscuring any thought besides the fanciful possibilities of being with him forever. It was like her love for him suddenly took over her entire her body; her breath running with his, her heart beating to meet his. Her body growing warm, her lips moving on their own. She couldn't stop herself!
"Yes…"
"Would you be happy with me? Even though I can't provide for you as you deserve?"
"Yes…"
"Than will you stay with me? Be mine as my girlfriend?"
"Yes." Rukia didn't bother to stop the smile that spread across her face, so wide she feared it would rip her face in half. Her eyes got teary as she realized her heaven on earth had become even more tangible. The angle who sang to her in her dreams was now hers by choice. By pure loving will, this piece of tranquility offered himself to her. And she was glad to be blessed with such a gift.
She took his hand in hers and brought it to the side of her face, rubbing the side of his knuckles up and down on her cheek. "Consider me yours."
Ichigo smiled just as wildly, his heart swelling until he could feel it through his skin. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the jaw, a soft, sensual brush on the skin that made her giggle. She shied away from the tickle from reflex, and she kept her laughter as Ichigo sta upright again.
"So now that we're official, I don't feel so bad asking you this question." Ichigo said.
Rukia's chuckles slowly died down, but the humor was still there as she replied, "What question?"
Ichigo looked down to his lap, like he was all of a sudden embarrassed. How he could possibly be embarrassed after all they have done with each other, she had no idea.
"Do you remember that first night we met? In my dressing room at school after the talent show?"
Rukia smiled. "How can I forget?"
"Why… did you kiss me?"
Rukia suddenly felt embarrassed as well, taken aback by that question. Well… safe to say that she wasn't expecting that one! She had to give it some thought, because she really didn't know how to put it lightly. Because the reason she did it was so not for something she should say now that they were 'official'.
Rukia grew very serious, well actually it was sad, and she bent her head down to her lap. Ichigo couldn't help but notice how defeated she suddenly looked.
"It was… for a very selfish reason, Ichigo. But I think you deserve to hear it despite what I think. " She licked her lips and situated herself so she was sitting comfortably in front of Ichigo, but she kept her face down. "Remember how I told you that I was previously engaged?" She flicked her eyes up to see what kind of a reaction she would get from him. He was smooth and calm, his face unreadable above his understanding expression. She looked back down and continued, "Well… you look very much like him, Ichigo. Almost exactly. All you'd have to do is grow her hair out just a bit more, dye it black, bulk out, and turn your eyes blue, than you'll look exactly like him. And when you dance, it's with just as much passion and grace as Kaien. When I saw you that night…" she had to pause to regain composure as she felt her tears start to well up. "You took my breath away because it was like he was alive again. Like that accident never happened…. I kissed you because I knew that that would tell me for sure that you were you and he was him. Because despite how similar you appear your kiss, feel, act, and taste… are so different. It was my selfish reason to put it behind me and remind myself that he is gone now… and that I had to move on. I'm sorry I used you like that… I tend to do that a lot to you, don't I?"
Ichigo shrugged, "I haven't noticed… or really cared, actually. In case you don't remember, I kissed you back."
Rukia got a smug smirk as she cocked her head and asked playfully, "Oh? And why did you?"
Ichigo let a sexy grin stretch his face. "Because you're so damn hot."
They shared a laugh as Rukia slapped him on the arm and called him a 'player'.
The laughing only lasted for a second before Ichigo looked at the clock on the wall and went blank. Rukia noticed after a few seconds that she was laughing by herself, and when she looked at Ichigo's face, she got scared.
"What?"
"Oh…shit…"
"What?"
Ichigo pointed to the clock. "We have an hour to get ready for practice!"
Rukia shot upright and screeched, "Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh My God! Oh crap, oh crap!" They both shot out of the bed at the same time, laughing at each other as they scrambled out of the tangled net of blankets tied around their legs and ankles, shoving each other out of the way so thye could get to the shower first.
Ichigo tripped on a pillow and caught himself on the wall by the open bathroom door, causing Rukia to laugh too hard to actually get anywhere. After she regained a bit of composure, she made a break for it, but Ichigo grabbed her by the wrist and held her back. She tried to pull away but didn't succeed, so she decided to drag him behind her. It was hard for the first few steps because they were on the carpet, but once they were both on the tile, she had him sliding across it on his heals. She made it to the very large shower with four heads and whipped open the door with her free hand, still laughing hysterically with her new boyfriend. She managed to get inside so she turned and pretended to slam Ichigo's hand in the door. He freaked out before it actually hit him, and with a yelp he let go. They both stumbled back, Ichigo catching himself before he tipped over and Rukia slamming against the wall. Ichigo managed to gain composure first, so he made a break for the shower door. He ran inside and shut the door, locking her inside with him.
Not wanting to give up the surprise fight, Rukia put her hands on the shower controllers and turned the water on super hot. Ichigo was standing right in the middle of all four showerheads when the hot spray hit him at all sides. With a yelp he jumped towards Rukia and twisted the cold on. She laughed with him and shoved his hand away, turning the shower all the way cold this time.
"Damn it, woman! I'm too fat to get away form the water!" Ichigo laughed as he fought with slippery wet hands for the knobs.
"And I'm skinny enough to not get hit at all!" Rukia said with her tongue out, swiping his hand away. Ichigo grabbed her hands and she fought him helplessly against his strength as he dragged her under the freezing spray. She let out a gasp and then a shriek as the ice ran all over her body, her laughter sucked out by the sudden shock of the temperature. Ichigo openly laughed only to slip on the tile. He fell straight down, taking Rukia with him. She landed on top of him and he landed in the corner, neck in a strange position. He grunted from the impact but laughed when he heard Rukia delighted on top of him.
"Oh, Ichigo, are you alright?" She held his head in her hands.
Ichigo went cross-eyed. "Y-yeah. I just need to go over and puke chunks of my brain into a bush. I'll be fine after that."
"Yeah. You never used it, anyway." Rukia shook her head and wrinkled her nose like he was a lost cause.
Ichigo frowned but smirked, "Oh jeez, thanks so much!" And then the hilarity started again.
The freezing shower soaked them to the bone in no time, and soon their laughter was replaced by trembling. Ichigo looked at Rukia with concentration, almost like he was looking at a wonderful work of art. Rukia starred back at him, her teeth clattering together but other then that, unmoving. He drew a hand up to her face and ran his thumbs under her eye, studying her deeper.
Rukia noticed something in his face, a lone, wanting expression. When he sighed and let his hand fall onto his belly, she reached up and touched his trembling lips.
"You had a nightmare last night, didn't you?" she asked. Ichigo kissed her finger once, twice, and then situated his head so his cheek rested in her palm.
"I always do."
Rukia stayed serious. "…Tell me what you dreamt."
Ichigo paused, his jaw tightening than shifting beneath his skin. "It was just about my mom. Nothing to talk about that hasn't already been discussed."
Rukia took the hint, but her curiosity was starting to get the best of her again. "Can I ask you something else?" she lightly pressed.
Ichigo looked up at the shower raining down on them, flinching when a few drops got into his eyes. He looked back down, a calm expression on his face. "Shoot."
Rukia scooted closer so she was almost lying on top of him, and she placed her hand on his chest as she thought of how to word her question.
"What did your mom look like?"
When Ichigo failed to hide a grimace, Rukia felt horrible for even bringing up the subject. She shook her head at herself and bit her lip.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry into such sensitive business. You don't have to tell me anything—"
"No, no. If we're going to be doing this right, we need to know everything about each other. I'm not hurt by your question, it just… I'm worried my memory won't give her any justice."
Rukia chewed her lip, looked away for a second as she thought about how to make it easier. "Do you have a picture of her?"
Ichigo shook his head. "No—well, not on me, anyway. I have one family photo at home that I could bring to you."
Rukia suddenly got exited and she bounced a little as she replied, "Maybe I could come over to your house later, instead! I would love to see where you live."
Ichigo felt a knot form in his throat when those words left her. He grew hot even under the cold shower at the thought of Rukia walking into his run down, ghetto apartment room. Her clean feet on his stained, brown carpet. Her healthy lungs breathing in God knows what kind of bacteria from the rotting ceiling and the all-around crappy calking around the kitchen. Just her being in that neighborhood! Ichigo let out a silent gasp as he imagined her frail, small body walking around such a horrible place, even with him beside her. It would be like putting a porcelain doll in the dog toy's box. He gulped aloud.
"I- I don't think that's such a good idea, Rukia—"
Rukia scoffed playfully and swatted her hand at him. "Nuh-uh! Telling all was your idea, so you stick to it, you little cheater!"
Ichigo tried to smile, but was unsuccessful. "Rukia. Where I live… it's… not exactly the best of places."
Rukia sat up like a child, cocking her head to the side like a little puppy. "So? I still wanna see it."
"But it's dirty.."
"Everything gets dirty sometimes."
"And Old…"
"So? This house was built in the early 1900's."
"And ghetto!"
Rukia shrugged. "I didn't grow up in the nicest place at first, either, Ichigo. Did you forget that I was raised by an eighteen year-old boy for a good portion of my life? Well, actually… all of my life."
Ichigo breathed out loudly, exasperated but not put out by her attitude. "There is no changing your mind once it's made up, is there?"
Rukia sucked in her bottom lip and looked away, as if thinking about it. She than shook her head vigorously. "Nope!"
Ichigo rolled his eyes and went limp with defeat on the shower floor. Rukia laughed aloud, a chime in the wind, and she leaned over him and kissed his cheek.
"Oh, but that's why you love me, right?"
Ichigo's eyes shifted to her and he had a dark smirk. "Let's just say I love you enough to accept your quirks."
Rukia slapped his chest. "Oh har, har."