At last, another chapter. I think i'm going to be updating about once a week now since school has started. Ah, college. i love/hate it so. Coming up next, a surprise! Or two...
Thanks to all my loyal readers, and reviewers. You guys make my day!
OOOOOOOOOO
The first thing Ichigo noticed when the door opened was that Rukia had regained all of her usual confidence. Her expression was calm, and she had an uncaring air about her. The second thing he noticed was her dress. For a moment, he thought that it was just an extension of her eyes. The hues matched so well that it could have been. As he moved his gaze to shake the confusion, he took in the entire picture.
A thin satin covered Rukia's creamy skin from chest to the floor. Two tiny straps draped over her shoulders and crossed over her upper back, connecting with the edges bordering her back, and crossing once again near the end of the deep scoop at her lower back. Ichigo swore that every color he'd ever seen in Rukia's eyes was mixed into the dress in harmony. He had to physically force his jaw to stay in place to prevent himself from looking like a loon. Rukia didn't seem to mind the attention though, and did a little twirl to enhance the effect. This was more than confidence. All of the thoughts she'd had since receiving the invitation were washed away. Any dread, fear, or discomfort was gone with her normal clothes. She felt downright empowered. Her mood was enhanced even more when she saw Ichigo all dressed up.
She'd seen it once before. He'd worn somewhat dressy clothes to a funeral sometime last year. But even then, he wasn't really fancy like he was now. The entire outfit, suit and shiny shoes, pulled together flawlessly. Rukia wondered for a brief moment where his tie was, but had her unasked question answered. Ichigo pulled a wiggly scrap of fabric from behind his back and gazed awkwardly to the side. "Please tell me you know how to tie this thing…" Grumpiness melted into his tone, and Rukia could feel a distinct difference in his attitude. Ever since Anju had left, she'd been feeling unusual as well. More like her old self, almost. Like the Rukia she had been before she and Ichigo had gotten into their current relationship. Something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Before she could rein it in, her cockiness shone through. "All nobles know how to tie ties" His sheepish smile had awakened something inside of her, something she hadn't felt for weeks. Was this really how she used to talk? She hardly remembered. Shrugging the feeling off, she grabbed the tie and forcefully twirled the fabric around his neck, allowing a tiny scowl. He swatted her hands away and grabbed at the ends.
"Fine, I can do it myself." But his hands were the one being slapped away now. He attempted to regain control but received a slap on the side of the head.
"Fool. I know you can't do your own tie."
"I quit focusing on you for five minutes and look where you end up!" Anju's voice ran through the pair like a positive current. As soon as she'd finished her statement, Ichigo's hands dropped, his fists becoming gentle hip warmers against Rukia's tiny bones. His scowl disappeared, replaced by concern and confusion. Likewise, Rukia's shoulders relaxed back into place, and she looked at Anju with shame. "What's going on? You both look like you shot someone dead in the street."
Rukia's mouth fell open, but nothing came out. Anju uncrossed her arms and decided that she wasn't getting any answers right now. "Well, just get that tie done. It's time to leave." Rukia nodded in submission, and maneuvered the complicated path of the formal tying process. Her hands ended their expedition with a momentary trek across Ichigo's neck and chest, eventually falling to his hands while Anju rolled her eyes in the background. "Bipolar, much?" she whispered to herself. "Alright, come on." She started off toward the front of the house, but was stopped in her progress by another hell butterfly.
She listened intently, nodded her head, and turned to her companions with a wrinkled nose. "Apparently I have to accompany uncle until we're inside the event. Not everyone knows about me just yet, so my invitation was an extension of uncle's. Ah, well, I'll see you guys there. Get a move on. Don't want to give anyone an actual reason to ridicule you." She waved and shot off toward the north wing of the house.
Rukia turned to Ichigo, questions running through her eyes. "We'll talk about it later," Ichigo assured her. She nodded and led him in the direction of the ball. They traveled in peace until coming upon a friendly face.
"Good evening, captain." Rukia was surprised to see Ukitake up on a roof far from his division.
"Ah, hello you two. On your way to the noble's ball?" The white-haired man stood and dusted his robes off.
"Yes sir. But what are you doing up here?" Rukia looked around but saw no one in the near vicinity.
Ukitake laughed and gave a hearty smile. "Every year Shunsui and I sit up here and watch the fireworks that the noble set off just after sunset. It's become something of a tradition. I believe Amagai is joining us this year as well."
"You didn't tell me there would be fireworks. This might be fun after all." Ichigo scoffed. He decided for himself that the fireworks were probably the best part of the entire event.
"Well, we've got to get going. Enjoy the show, capatain." Rukia bowed and led Ichigo off after he did the same.
OOOOOOOOOO
This has got to be a joke. Ichigo could not bring himself to believe that this was how nobles lived. Every inch of the walls of the ball room were covered in intricately carved bamboo. The floor was a solid slab of some very fancy looking stone, waxed to perfection. Everyone in the room stood with straight backs, chins up, in fabrics that he assumed were top of the line, and more expensive than his house.
Even though he was entirely out of his element, Ichigo managed to mimic the attitudes of the nobles around him, and fit in somewhat. Rukia fell into a guise that he'd seen once or twice before. She acted aloof, superior, and entirely in control. She graced around the room, talking to many younger nobles. Every conversation went somewhere along the same lines.
The two would bow, and Rukia would introduce Ichigo to the stranger. The person would talk briefly about the winter war, and the role that Rukia played in it. They'd eye Ichigo, and then pretend to suddenly recognize that he was the Ichigo Kurosaki. If the person was a girl, she'd bat her eyelashes at him. If the person was a boy, he'd act all tough and play his victory off as luck. It didn't matter how many times it happened, Ichigo always became agitated, and would mutter something insulting. Rukia, however, kept her calm, and used her knowledge of the noble world, and its gossip, to get back at whoever had insulted her date. The person would then try to make a rude retort, but would fail when Ichigo reinforced Rukia's statements. One particular conversation stood out in his mind.
"Good evening Rukia. I trust you're having a good time in the real world." A snooty girl around Rukia's age threw her blonde hair over her sharp shoulder, and eyed them both with contempt.
"Oh, hello Urui. Yes, everything in the real world is fine. Saving souls, helping people, learning about life and whatnot. Very important work." Rukia held her head up higher as she answered.
"I see. And you must be Ichigo Kurosaki. I've heard so much about you." She did just like all the others, batting her lashes, giving him a smirk. When he ignored her advances, she added, "What, with your breaking into soul society numerous times, causing uproar, who hasn't heard of you? Such wonderful luck you had in the Winter War. I can't imagine how you managed it." A giggle followed her insult, infuriating Rukia.
"He's just good like that. Far better than that demented brother of yours. I heard about his arrest. Selling orangutans on the black market, eh? Tisk tisk. Such a shame to the family." Rukia shook her head and placed a finger on her chin, pouting her lips slightly.
It was at this point when Ichigo lost track of the conversation. The second Rukia scrunched her lips up, he got terribly distracted. The fact that she was coming to his defense, and being so aggressive, that he could not help but feel a surge of pride, and love. When Urui walked off, he was still staring at Rukia. She met his intense gaze for only a moment.
"Want to dance?" His voice sounded cloudy, but entirely Ichigo-like all the same. Rukia nodded a yes and allowed herself to be led out onto the dance floor. With a strong arm, he pulled Rukia into himself and grabbed her hand. He listened to the music and established a decent rhythm. He managed to meander over toward the edge of the room, taking her away from the other dancers. Once within a few steps of an empty balcony, he swept her up and carried her in dancing position through the door and around the corner, setting her down only once they reached the shadows. She protested only briefly before he caught her lips with his own in a mind bogglingly sweet kiss.
"What was that for?" She didn't mind in the slightest, but wondered where the surge of affection had come from.
"I just felt the need to. You're far more irresistible than you realize, especially when you act like you were in there." He left a tiny kiss on her temple and pulled her in close once more, resuming their dance, though he didn't follow the rhythm of the music playing inside. Ichigo lost track of how long they'd been gone.
A flutter of cloth shook them out of their reverie. In the nearby doorway stood a tall, dark figure, arms crossed. Before they were even able to identify him, a second figure dropped from above. Clad in an elegant green dress that closely matched the color of her zanpactou, Anju stood defensively between her future parents and uncle.
"Ah, there you are, uncle. I heard you were leaving and came to see you off." She smiled innocently, her hands clasped behind her back. Rukia pulled away from Ichigo, trying to lessen the severity of her brother's inevitable anger.
"Indeed. I shall be leaving now." Byakuya paused, and his eyes drifted to Rukia. Accusation and anger fumed on his face, but he decided not to do anything about the situation for the moment. "Rukia, make sure Anju gets home safely. And vice versa…" his last statement was whispered so that only Anju could hear. Hopefully, she would ensure that Kurosaki would act appropriately.
"Goodnight, uncle. See you tomorrow morning!" Anju waved to her uncle's retreating back, a fake smile still plastered on her face. Once she was absolutely sure that he was gone, she turned around and glared at her friends. "Please, for my sanity, try to be more discreet when near uncle. I fear his temper hasn't quite cooled enough to allow for such tirades. Are you two ready to head home?"
"Yeah, I think we've had enough of this nonsense for tonight." Ichigo grabbed Rukia's hand and followed Anju around the side of the building, attempting to avoid any further meetings with the partygoers.
"More like enough for a century. I'd be perfectly happy if I never had to go to one of these things again." Rukia was exhausted, but knew that more needed to be accomplished before she could go to bed. She desperately needed to talk to Ichigo about the story he'd told her earlier. On the way home, she went over in her mind how best to begin such a conversation and what exactly she wanted to say.
This would be interesting.
