Ya know, I wonder if Rukia can ride a bike . . .

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or the characters.

Fall Again

Rukia walked back and forth in front of the strange contraption, reaching out every now and then to kick it. Ichigo, who was watching her from the porch, rolled his eyes and sighed, standing from his position and walking over. She looked up at him.

"What is it?" she asked, her eyes wide as she flipped one of the pedals with her hand and watched it spin around and around in circles. Ichigo rolled his eyes again.

"It's a bike."

"Ooooh."

Rukia looked at the bike for a second more before asking,

"What's a bike?"

If there had been any solid objects near, Ichigo would have hit his head against one of them.

"It's a . . . well, you ride around on it. Some people use it for transportation," Ichigo explained, picking up his red bike and sitting on it. "Like this."

And he proceeded to ride around his yard on the bike. Rukia watched in wonder, and the second he jumped off, she grabbed it from him and jumped on it herself, only to fall over immediately. Ichigo had an amused look on his face as he watched her pull herself off of the ground.

"Not funny!" Rukia yelled, scowling as she tried to get on again. When she fell off for the second time, Ichigo laughed outright and she hit him in the head.

Rubbing his sore head, he watched, his eyebrows raising, as Rukia tried the bike again. Only to fail. Smiling, and still rubbing his head, he walked over and took a hold of the bike handles.

"Here, get on, though it might be to big for you, you bring a midget and all."

Ichigo was once again rubbing his sore head as Rukia jumped onto the bike after smacking him. He grumbled under his breth as he straightened it out.

"OK. Put your feet on the pedals, then hold onto the handle bars."

Rukia nodded and placed her hands on top of his on the handles. He blushed a little, but didn't let it show as he showed her how to move along. Soon, she was inching across the ground, Ichigo still holding the handles tightly. When he felt that she could began to move faster, he took his right hand away and only held onto the left as she rode along.

Soon, she lost her balance, and Ichigo, having let the handle go, couldn't keep her upright. They both fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Get off of me, you big idiot," Rukia said, trying to pull herself out from under Ichigo. He quickly untangled himself from her and, looking anywhere but at her, helped her back up.

"Try and keep your balance this time, OK?"

Rukia nodded.

But after about ten more failed attempts, Ichigo sighed and got up onto the bike behind her. She jumped when she felt him sliding onto the seat.

"Ichigo?"

"Shut up. This is the only way I can teach you right."

"Where do I sit?"

"Don't care. On my lap, I guess."

Rukia shrugged and hoisted herself up to sit in his lap. After putting her hands over his on the handle bars, she smiled and leaned back into him as he began peddling along. As they moved fast across the lawn, Ichigo took his hands from the handles and let Rukia take control. She was freaked out as Ichigo wrapped his arms around her thin waist instead, but began to steer the bike across the soft grass. She breathed a sigh of relief as they didn't fall to the ground.

"Good. Think you can do it by yourself, now?" Ichigo asked, his hot breath hitting onto her neck. She quickly shook her head.

"No! Please stay with me," she said, turning around to look at him. Ichigo's eyes went wide, and he tried to scream, but before he could force a word out, they had crashed head on into the tree that Rukia hadn't been paying attention to.

"Baka. . ." Ichigo muttered, pulling himself to his feet. He reached a hand out to Rukia, and she grabbed it. He pulled her to her feet and then picked up the bike.

"Wanna go again?"

Rukia nodded, jumping on after Ichigo as he placed his hands firmly over hers.

"This time, I'll catch you if we fall," he murmured into her ear.

She smiled.

Well, that was cheesy, sweet and sugary at the same time, no? Yes? Maybe? Hmm? I need to go write something sad and drama filled. NOW.

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