~Chapter Twenty-Three- The True Will of the Heart~

AN:

Ah, the most IchiRuki chapter in this whole story has finally arrived. *Grins wearily*

My day [Saturday] can only be described as one word: Shitty. It's not my damn fault that I cram for projects. Jeez. [Parents can be real downers sometimes, eh?]

Well, I hope that writing this will brighten up my day. Hopefully. *Cracks knuckles and neck*

Okay… uh… what song… AHA! I really random yet beautiful song, I think… 'The Only Exception' by Paramore. The song melts my heart, because it's like a painful yet beautiful song coming from the heart. Play it when Rukia (Obviously) reaches Ichigo.

"And that was the day the I promised

I'd never sing of love,

If it does not exist.

But darling…

You, are, the only exception."

Okays, time for some fluff. Bring it ON!

Just Outside The Kobayashi Manor

Rukia's POV

I ran and ran until I was out of that horrible house. I ran until I couldn't breathe.

When I finally reached the gate leading outside, I saw just who I hoped to see.

"Orihime!"

She turned to face me. She looked very pretty.

"Rukia!" Orihime exclaimed, her eyes filled with concern. "Kurosaki-kun-!"

I cut her off. "Yes," I whispered. "I know. What direction did he go in?"

She pointed to the direction of the Senkaimon. "He went back to the Senkaimon, I just know it." She paused, nervously shifting. "Rukia, he looked really heartbroken. Promise me you'll make him happy, okay?"

I looked at her in disbelief. "But Orihime… you love him too…"

Orihime smiled at me wearily and shook her head. "I can't say the feeling is mutual, Rukia. Ichigo only has eyes for you and he will never think about me as much as he thinks of you."

I felt her sorrow crush me a little. "Orihime…"

"Go." She whispered, wiping away a tear from her eye and smiling. "Just go and get to him."

I smiled and quickly embraced her. When I let go of her, I started running.

I ran. I ran until I felt my heart pump less and less blood.

I love you, Rukia.

My heart was broken, but made whole. I needed to get to him, now.

I needed to tell him the truth.

When I think about it now, I remember how much he's done for me. How much he's taught me, unknowingly, to both me and him.

I smiled and cried at the same time. Love breaks me.

The faces around me faded as if they were just blurs. I felt that there was only one person I needed right now.

Ichigo. I wanted to be in his warm arms. I wanted to feel his warm breath on my cheeks, smell him, and let go everything I once knew just to be with him.

Suddenly, I bumped into something.

No. It was a someone. Someone taller than me.

"…Renji?"

Renji smiled down at me and shook his head. "That's the Rukia I know and love."

I couldn't believe it. "What are you doing here? I mean, you didn't show at the wedding and-"

Renji put a finger up to my lips and shushed me. "I'm here to help."

He offered me a ride on his back. I happily obliged.

"…Renji…" I whispered. "Why are you doing this? I mean… you… love me, and you're helping me get to Ichigo."

Renji smiled and quietly ran a hand through his hair. "I realized that I just wanted you to be happy, and that douche bag Takeo wasn't going to make that happen. Kurosaki isn't bad for a stupid substitute shinigami, so I won't even ask why you fell for him."

I smiled and quietly hugged Renji a little tighter. "I may love Ichigo, but you do know that you'll always be my best friend, right?'

Renji tapped my forehead with his knuckle. "I know, duh!"

I grinned and messed up his hair.

When he finally dropped me off at the hill by the Senkaimon, I turned to face him.

"Oh gods, Renji. Are you crying?!"

"No," Renji murmured, wiping his right eye. "My eye is itchy, that's all."

I smiled and tiptoed, kissing him on the forehead. "I wish you luck, Abarai."

He blushed furiously and messed up my hair. "What the hell happened to you, Kuchiki? The old you would've kicked me in the nuts and told me to break a leg."

I smiled and stuck my tongue out at him. "Are you saying you don't like the new me?"

"No. I really like the new you," Renji replied. "But tell Tatsuki I'll be coming back for her, okay?"

I laughed. "Ah, so you were Mr. Pinapple-head. Consider it done."

So I ran off to get to the Senkaimon on that note.

When I got there, I realized stupidly that I needed Captain level clearance.

W.W.I.D: What would Ichigo do…?

It turns out I didn't need to follow the words I started to live by recently.

Someone had the Senkaimon activated. I turned around, confused.

I smiled when I saw who it was.

"Matsumoto?"

Matsumoto smiled and me. "Kuchiki," She replied. "Your travel awaits."

"…I don't get it…" I murmured all of a sudden. "Did you let Ichigo through the Senkaimon?"

"Well, technically, Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro of the 10th Division clarified Ichigo's entering," Matsumoto grinned, showing me the (obviously stolen) Captain clearance stamp in her hand. "I think that Ichigo got the Captains Clearance to leave from some old captain from the 13th Division named Noburo Shiba. Weird, eh?"

I nodded briskly but headed to the Senkaimon quickly. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Matsumoto."

She smiled at me and waved me off.

I turned to step into the portal.

"Wait!"

I turned to face Matsumoto. "Eh?"

She dug through her cleavage (Which is rumored to be able to hold something as big as a fully sheathed Zanpakutou) and pulled out a cylinder of something. She threw it to me.

"What is this?" I asked her, catching it.

"Something I stole from the World of the Living. Strawberry lip gloss."

I grinned and stuck the cylinder in my kimono. "See you, Matsumoto."

She waved me off, and then I stepped into the portal.

I love you, Ichigo.

--

Karakura Town

Ichigo's POV

Jeez. People in movies make it look so easy.

But really, it's hard to fall in love.

Rukia's all that mattered, but I guess that the ones we love always drifted away and apart from us somehow.

I'm limping right now. I have no idea where to go. I can see a trail of blood leading from where I step.

Wait… that fence…

--

Karakura Town [Actually, the sky OVER Karakura Town]

Rukia's POV

I wasn't going to let myself keep my emotions in any longer.

Once I hit the ground after falling through the Senkaimon, I started running again.

Then I stopped.

"Where the hell could he be going?"

It was really sunny out, as if the world was at peace. Not me.

I panicked and thought hard.

He's injured. Maybe he's gone to home to the clinic to get patched up!

So I ran to the clinic.

I climbed the tree by his window effortlessly and peered through. No one was home.

I dropped to the ground and thought again.

He's sad. Maybe he's gone to the Takahashi Convenience store to sit and think like he always does when we get into fights!

I ran the whole 8 blocks to get to the store. I needed to find him.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Takahashi apologized. "I haven't seen Ichigo lately. In fact, word is that my little orange-haired best customer switched services to a guy named Urahara!"

I bowed and apologized to her, and I was off.

He… needs someone to talk to. Maybe he's gone to visit his mother's grave!

The cemetery Mrs. Kurosaki was buried at was more than a kilometer away. But I ran there.

Only one thought ran through my head. Ichigo Ichigo Ichigo.

I got to Mrs. Kurosaki's grave, about ready to pass out in exhaustion.

Ichigo wasn't there.

I frowned and sat myself next to her grave, depressed.

I looked into the sky and felt the breeze.

Where the hell could Ichigo be?

I sighed. I really wanted someone to talk to.

Without knowing what else to do, I started talking to Masaki Kurosaki's grave.

"I can't find your son, Masaki-san. I don't know where to look anymore."

For some weird reason, I felt as if the breeze responded to me.

Have you thought of what he might be feeling or thinking about?

"I've done that."

Have you considered the fact that he's probably thinking of you? If he was thinking of you, where would he probably go?

The question lingered in the air.

"…I know now." I stood up and smiled, more determined than ever.

There you go, Rukia.

I smiled as the breeze suddenly became stronger. I felt as if all the strength I had lost had been revived tenfold.

Take care of my son, Rukia.

And with that, I was off and running again.

I ran up the steep concrete hill. I ran through the alley where the old guy was always sitting. I jumped the fence and ran through the grassy plains.

I was right.

--

Kyokosou Hill

[Music please.]

Ichigo was sitting on the top of Kyokosou Hill, feeling the breeze in his hair. He was bleeding, but he didn't care anymore.

His heart was bleeding the most.

He felt like nothing was right anymore.

If only I'd told her earlier. Maybe all of this wouldn't have happened.

Suddenly, he felt a soft hand rest on his shoulder.

He turned around.

It was Rukia. She was in a gorgeous white kimono, with a purple bow holding it steady at her waist. A black butterfly print was on the front of her kimono, mysteriously beautiful. But as usual, it was her eyes that hit him inside. It was those eyes alone that could seem to pierce right through him.

"…Rukia?! You mean… you left Takeo? To see me?"

Rukia smiled. "Duh," She whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

She wrapped her arms around him, crying into his bloody shirt.

He didn't know why, but he held her there.

She clutched a clump of his shirt, her other arm around his back up to his neck. He had his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her closer than they had ever been before.

It was then they both realized the True Wills of their Hearts.

Rukia pulled away, flushed from the embrace. But for some reason, she felt bolder than ever.

"Do I need to tell what to do next?"

Ichigo nodded. "What do I need to do?"

"Lean in, stupid."

She kissed him. This time it was different. It was real.

Love flowed through it this time. For some reason, he could feel it sink into him, as if it suddenly became a part of him through her.

And for an unknown reason, he kissed her back.

The said kisses before were brief and filled with insecurity. Now, they both had nothing to fear.

Kissing is like a haven, a sanctuary where that you fill with love and share with others. It is like an escape from the world, having the person you love the most in front of you, telling you with their lips they feel the same way.

He became bolder. Ichigo's arms tightened and lowered around her waist. Rukia's arms reached up a little higher, pulling him closer.

They were on the ground now. Her on the top, he on the bottom. The whole experience was new to both of them, but strangely enough, there was no longer a need to worry or fear. They both wanted, no, NEEDED, to feel this from each other.

Ichigo felt a part of Rukia was his. Rukia felt that a part of Ichigo belonged to her.

And soon, they broke apart. They lay side by side, but Rukia had her head pressed on Ichigo's chest, and he lay straight as she faced him.

"Ichigo…" Rukia whispered, leaning her head into his chest. She could feel his heartbeat. "Before I met you, I didn't know what love was." She bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I was skeptical that love even existed. But I guess…" She paused, breathing deeply. "You are the only exception, Ichigo."

"You know," Ichigo whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "There is a way to say what you are saying with three simple words."

Rukia laughed and held him tighter. "I love you, Ichigo."

Ichigo felt her warm breath and grinned. All the pain he had felt before had been lifted away and replaced with happiness.

He smiled. "I'm glad you told me, but that was four words."

"Shut up!"

Rukia smiled and smelled him. She loved the way he smelled. She loved the way he talked. She loved him.

"Rukia, you know…" Ichigo whispered, smelling her hair. "You taste like mint, moonlight, vanilla, and strawberries. You really do."

"Whereas, you, Ichigo…" Rukia replied, kissing his chin. "…taste like caramel, sunshine, memories, and stale beer."

They both laughed. They smiled.

"…you know what would make this moment even better?" Ichigo asked, closing his eyes.

"What could possibly make this moment better? This is bliss." Rukia responded, smelling him again. She just couldn't get enough of his scent before. Now, he was hers and she was his.

"It would be better if it was raining."

They laughed again. But as if on cue, Rukia felt something wet hit her nose.

Then several more. Soon, the two were in a freaking downpour, both their white clothes stained with mud.

But neither of them seemed to care.

AN:

Aww! That brightened up my mood lots… [Lol, I wrote a whole page about Ichigo and Rukia kissing. O.o]

…well, just two more chapters to go now. I have them already planned… XC

…OMG. It's almost over already. *Wipes away tears*

…ah. I'm such a sucker for endings. Shit. Whatever.

[P.S: I was heartbroken to see that I only had ONE REVIEW FOR MY NEW STORY 'REACHING OUT'! I was totally CRUSHED! If you don't want to see me sad, PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you thought… pwetty pwease…it's called 'Reaching Out', peoples. It's on my profile, I swear. Please!]

Also, hello there, DemeterChild. I just want to say that it's really cool that you call me Fanatic-sensei. It's cool that someone uses a really high honored honorific with me! *Laughs evilly*

I also want to thank all of my readers since day one [and even beyond]. You guys really got me pushed and going. *Sniffs*

'Specially you, Toushi. Keep those reviews coming!

I loved how just about all of you threatened to kill Takeo at one point. Or asked me if you could kill him. Heh. *Smiles*

Well, I guess that means I'm supposed to attach some funny after story to this. I have to muster up the last of my random juices to do this…

~Ichigo and Rukia… on Toshiko!~ [Part 1]

*my version of Oprah, only cooler. Toshiko's my Japanese name. It means 'clever child'. Heh*

T: So, everyone says you are a pairing, but Tite Kubo neither confirms nor denies it. What are your opinions on that?

I: Isn't it pretty obvious? Tite Kubo's just trying not to hurt IchiHime fans' feelings.

R: Yeah. Haven't you ever watched Fade to Black?

T: Maybe… 8 times. That's two more times than I've watched 'the Hangover'. Anyway, the way you guys made out on Kyokosou Hill was amazing! …but Rukia mentioned you tasted like stale beer, Ichigo. Why?

I: Nothing.

R: Yeah right. I'm not kissing you again if you taste like beer.

*Ichigo looks at Rukia like she killed his dog*

I: Really?

R: No, you dumbass!

[End of Part 1]