THIS MARRIED LIFE

CHAPTER EIGHT: Memories

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Author's Notes: Until November 16th, my updates will be slow due to final exams and assignments but thanks for sticking with this.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of Bleach, anime or manga.

"Ichigo-taichou and Rukia-san are married now?" Hinamori smiled, she knew it would happen one day for the two. "How did it happen?"

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted when Ichigo and Rukia came trotting into the room.

"Oi, Hinamori, what's this? I woke up this morning and found out that my vice-captain was hospitalized. What happened? How did you loose your memory?" asked Ichigo with a straight face. Rukia stared at him as though he were the dumbest person on the face of Seireitai.

"I…uh…" Hinamori was lost for words.

"Ichigo you idiot, when someone looses memory, they obviously won't remember what happened!" Rukia barked at Ichigo, as though the loudness will get the words through his head. Ichigo turned to his wife and came back with an even more brash answer.

Hinamori looked over at Hitsugaya. A vein was popping out of his head.

"Oi, you two!" He shouted at the bickering couple, "You don't just barge into a sick room and make a racket!"

Hinamori laughed softly - the whole thing was quite amusing to her. Hitsugaya, Ichigo and Rukia stopped and turned their heads to look at her. Their expressions softened at the sound of her gentle laughter. Hitsugaya regained his usual calm demeanour and folded his arms.

"Well, since Rukia is here," he started, "she can tell you how she and Ichigo came to be married." Ichigo's face became a tad red.

"Well," he said shakily as he scratched his head, "I have captain duties so I'll come by and see you later. Bye!" He gave Rukia a quick squeeze on the shoulder, and then he was off.

Hitsugaya took this chance to leave too, seeing as how he didn't really want to stay behind to hear a love story. He got up and was about to squeeze Hinamori's hand out of habit but quickly remembered and caught himself. He cleared his throat.

"I have to go too," he said without a hint of the hundred emotions burning inside of him. He nodded a "see you later" to Rukia and Hinamori and left the room.

"Congratulations Kuchiki-san," Hinamori chirped, and then her lips curled in a small frown, "though I am about a hundred and fifty years late." Rukia's brow furrowed at the formal address. That's right; Hinamori and I were just acquaintances all those years back, and Ichigo had just recently been appointed fifth division captain. She smiled politely and clasped her hands; trying to seem as friendly as possible – she could never do it really well.

"Just call me Rukia," she said in an overly high and sugar coated way.

"Kuchiki-san," Hinamori shrunk back at the glare Rukia was giving her, she smiled weakly, "I mean Rukia-san…" Hinamori bit back her words. She felt comfortable asking Hitsugaya how Rukia and Ichigo got married but she didn't really know Rukia so asking Rukia herself seemed a little…intrusive. She shook her head gently, "nothing, thank you for coming here and visiting me."

Rukia let out an exasperated sigh, and dropped all pretences.

"Don't be so polite with me," she said, "we've been friends for over a hundred years." She popped herself on Hinamori's bed and looked at her friend.

"So," she started in a light-hearted manner, "you wanted to know how Ichigo and I got married?" A sheepish expression crossed Hinamori's face as she gave a small nod.

"Well," how to start? "As you know, Ichigo was appointed temporary captain of the fifth division after Aizen's betrayal. It happened shortly after the defeat of Aizen. By that time, I had already realised that I liked him."

/ It was the day before Ichigo had to return to the living world again. Soul Society had been shaken by Aizen's attacks, and there were still many pieces that needed to be picked up, but peace and hope had been restored. Now all that remained to be rebuilt was trust, along with the politics, and the buildings.

Ichigo and Rukia laid sprawled across the tatami matted floor in the 'living room' of his temporary quarters in Seireitai, both staring at the ceiling in comfortable silence, both lost in thoughts about the past few weeks, and also about the future.

"I was just thinking," Ichigo started in a serious tone, breaking the silence, "that I'll be back here real soon since the people of Soul Society just can't seem to handle things by themselves." Rukia shot upright and scowled angrily at the smirk on Ichigo's face. He just loved firing her up like this.

"It's not like these kinds of things happen all the time," she shot back, crossing her arms angrily, "and with the Central 46 decimated, everything was made harder."

"Well, the system wasn't so great anyway if it was so easy to kill off the Central 46," Ichigo replied with a yawn. A vein popped out of Rukia's head and her clenched fist shook in frustration and anger.

"Bakamono!"

Ichigo closed his eyes and smiled to himself as he listened to Rukia rant on about deception, manipulation and what not. He stretched his arms, and then he brought them down behind his head, using his arms as a make-shift pillow as he enjoyed her loud and forceful voice. Since he was going home the next day, he might as well just sit back and enjoy it because who knew when the next time he would see her will be.

"Ichigo?" Rukia had finished rambling to find a sleeping Ichigo, "Oi, Ichigo!"

He let out a grunt of acknowledgement.

"Did you even hear a word I just said?" she asked with a frown. Ichigo turned on his side with his back facing her.

"Geeze," she muttered. She got on all fours and leaned over him to observe his face. Her frown deepened, "the guy really fell asleep on me." He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping; nothing like the rude, loudmouthed idiot he is when he's awake. A warm feeling washed over her, and her eyes softened.

Rukia sat back and hugged her knees. I wonder what happens after tomorrow. She thought despondently, the heavy weight returning to her chest. The kind of weight that always appears whenever he's about to leave or whenever he's far away from her.

"Nobody knows what will happen after tomorrow," his voice cut through the silence and startled her out of her thoughts.

"Ichigo!" His back was still facing her. I must have said it out loud, she thought, mentally slapping herself for her carelessness. Ichigo slowly sat up and faced her.

"Tomorrow I'll go back to the other world," he said, folding his arms across his broad chest, "what happens after that, nobody knows." Just tell her you like her damnit. Ichigo pushed the inner voice away stubbornly.

A feeling of reluctance filled the room.

"You could stay," suggested Rukia, knowing full well that he couldn't possibly do so.

"You could come with," Ichigo suggested, his tone lacked emotion and showed none of the hope that he was trying so hard to repress inside of him. Rukia's spirits pummelled down deeper.

"I can't do that," she replied sadly. They lived in different worlds; and in his world, she would be next to immortal compared to him.

There was a long moment of silence. Finally Ichigo sighed and laid back down. Rukia crawled over to him and leaned over him once more.

"Oi," she started, "are you going to be lying there all night?" Rukia thought for a moment, if that's so then I might as well use this time to catch up on some manga.

Ichigo opened his eyes and blinked, Rukia's large eyes were staring down at him. The two blinked at each other for a while. A strand of stray hair fell to her face. Without thinking, Ichigo reached out and brushed the hair away from her face, tucking it neatly behind her ear. His hand trailed down to her cheek and he caressed it softly. Their eyes met each others. Ichigo rolled to change their positions so that Rukia was the one lying on the floor now, with her head resting comfortably on his arm. Ichigo lowered his head towards hers. Rukia looked up at him and closed her eyes. Their lips met for the first time, and a jolt of electricity ran through them. The second time their lips met, the kiss was deeper, and longer.

They broke off for air, and for the longest moment, they stared at each other. Rukia turned a bright shade of red, causing Ichigo to quickly withdraw as he realised what they had just done. The both of them jumped backwards into a sitting position, laughing awkwardly at each other. Ichigo scratched his head. Their eyes bounced off the walls of the room, occasionally catching each other's eye, causing them to laugh uncomfortably to each other before looking elsewhere.

"Oh my! Look at the time," Rukia exclaimed in her patented high, 'friendly' voice – the tone she usually took when she was talking to fellow students in the living world. "Nii-sama isn't going to be happy if I come home too late so I better get going."

"You know, that might have worked better if there wasn't actually a clock or a watch or something that tells us it's only eight o'clock in the room," Ichigo pointed out, the usual scowl returning to his face. Rukia stopped mid-step towards the door and sweat-dropped. She turned and grinned sheepishly at him.

Ichigo stood up and walked towards her.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Rukia asked cautiously.

"Seeing if it was a fluke," Ichigo replied brashly, pulling her into him and taking her lips again. A torrent of sensations flowed through them, and they were reluctant to end the kiss even though oxygen, or lack of it, was becoming a big problem.

"We have a big problem," Rukia stated breathlessly.

"No kidding."

"So how did you solve it?" Hinamori asked curiously, she was too into the story to be shy to ask any questions now. Rukia smiled.

"Nii-sama came up with the solution, believe it or not," Rukia replied.

"Kuchiki-taichou?" Hinamori asked, surprised and baffled. Kuchiki-taichou!

Rukia nodded. "Since Ichigo is a shinigami already, he could choose between living here in Soul Society and going back to the living world. If he came here, then Kon can take over his body in the living world. Ever since he became a shinigami, his human body became the equivalent of a shinigami's gigai. Ichigo decided to spend ten more years with his family in the living world before coming to Soul Society permanently."

"But what about his family?" Hinamori asked.

"Well, since dad was originally a shinigami, the body he is in is actually a gigai – sort of like Ichigo, except that it ages. In these cases, the shinigami returns to Soul Society after they 'die'; which is when their gigai can no longer be used. So dad lives in Seireitai now, he became a member of the newly found council." Rukia explained.

"But didn't Ichigo-taichou have two sisters?" Hinamori asked. Rukia's eyes dampened with sadness, and she lowered them.

"Karin and Yuzu had the same fate as everyone else who dies. They have probably been reincarnated back into the living world as different people now."

"Gomen," Hinamori apologised softly, "I shouldn't have asked you." Rukia cheered up a little and smiled.

"It's okay," she assured, "they both had fulfilling lives so…" Hinamori sheepishly lowered her eyes. That was when she caught sight of the ring on Rukia's left hand. There were two rings on her fourth finger. There was a plain gold band, but it was the ring below it that caught Hinamori's attention.

"Rukia-san," she asked, "What does the rings mean?"

Rukia was a little surprised by the abrupt change in subject but nonetheless looked down at her rings.

"The diamond ring is an engagement ring. It means that you are betrothed to someone," she explained, "The gold band is a wedding ring. It means that you are married to someone. It's a custom practiced in the living world."

"Betrothed?" Hinamori asked, looking down at her own ring. She looked up at Rukia again with a confused expression, "Ano, why am I wearing an engagement ring? Am I betrothed to someone?"

Rukia was at lost for words. What am I supposed to say? She thought frantically. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when they were interrupted by another visitor.

"Hinamori-chan!" chirped Matsumoto as she walked into the room, "are you feeling better?" Hinamori nodded in response.

"So what have you two girls been talking about?" Matsumoto asked. Rukia glared at her, tiny sweat bead rolled down her head. And I just got out of that, good one Rangiku. Matsumoto tilted her head in confusion at Rukia's glare. Why is she glaring at me?

"I was just asking Rukia why I have an engagement ring on my finger," Hinamori replied. Matsumoto backed away a little, so that's why. Oh crap, I think it's time for me to bail now.

Rukia noticed that Matsumoto was slowly backing towards the door and grinned mischievously.

"Matsumoto-fukutaichou," Rukia called, "why don't you come sit here?" She asked innocently as she gestured at the chair next to the bed. Matsumoto glared at Rukia.

"Oh yes, please sit down Matsumoto-san," offered Hinamori, where did my manners go? Matsumoto smiled weakly and muttered a 'thank you' as sweetly as she could before taking the sit.

"Well," Matsumoto started, "the engagement ring…" Why me!

"It might not be an engagement ring at all!" exclaimed Rukia, "Women like to wear jewellery and rings are…a type of jewellery." Matsumoto shook her head at the lameness of the explanation, but if it worked then that was all it mattered.

"Just jewellery," Hinamori repeated, "but I don't like wearing jewellery so someone important must have given it to me," like Hitsugaya-kun.

Rukia and Matsumoto's smile faltered at the comment. Matsumoto decided to take another turn.

"Putting that aside, Hinamori-chan, is there anyone you like in particular?"

Rukia tuned in fully and looked at Hinamori curiously. Hinamori's cheeks became a light pink.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," Matsumoto said, "do you like anyone in a romantic way?"

Do I like anyone in a romantic way? That's just an understatement, Hinamori scoffed inwardly. She had woken up to find herself to be head over heels in love with her childhood friend. She had yearned for him as soon as her eyes had fluttered open, and when she saw him, a torrent of intense emotions had thrown her.

A hand waved in front of her, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Um, Hinamori?" Matsumoto asked, concerned, "daijoubu?" She looked at her fellow vice-captain and smiled an assuring smile.

"So, do you?" pushed Rukia. Hinamori became flustered at the intense stares the two girls were giving her.

"Ano," she started.

"Yes?" sang the two in unison.

"Did…did something happen between me and Hitsugaya-kun?" She asked.

"Taichou…you like taichou!" asked Matsumoto excitedly, perhaps it's true that the heart has a mind of its own.

Hinamori nodded shyly, her legs slid up and her arms wrapped around them in a tight hug. Rukia and Matsumoto broke out in a grin that expressed both happiness and relief. Hinamori observed their expressions and knew at once that something did happen between them.

"Can you two please tell me what happened?" she asked pleadingly. Or was it just a one-sided love.

Rukia nodded to Matsumoto, who inhaled deeply before continuing.

"The day you were attacked was the day of your Yui-no," she stated straightforwardly, at Hinamori's confused expression, Matsumoto deepened her explanation, "it was the day of your official engagement; yours and taichou's."

Hinamori's mouth dropped opened. She was engaged. She was engaged to Hitsugaya. She looked to Rukia for confirmation, and she burst out in a series of gasps when Rukia nodded an affirmative.

Hinamori fiddled nervously with her ring as she waited somewhat impatiently for Hitsugaya to come and visit her. Engaged to Hitsugaya, the words echoed in her head over and over again, each time eliciting excitement, happiness, and fear. Fear that he no longer wanted her, fear that he decided she wasn't worth all the trouble and pain for him to repeat the last a hundred and fifty or so years.

The door slid open and Hitsugaya walked in, sliding the door shut behind him.

"Hinamori," he greeted. He sat down on the chair next to her bed and fought down the urge to take her hand. "Feeling better?"

Hinamori nodded.

"Rukia-san," she started, "she told me about her and Ichigo."

Hitsugaya noticed that Hinamori was twisting her ring around her finger. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and tried to concentrate on what she was saying.

"They have this custom in the living world where they wear two rings," she continued. Hitsugaya grew hotter by the moment – he needed to get out of here. He stood up abruptly.

"I just remembered that there's something else I have to do," he lied, he turned away and walked towards the door.

"This ring," she continued.

Hitsugaya froze. Hinamori twisted the ring around her finger gently.

"Do you know," she began, looking up at his back, "who gave me this ring?"

Hitsugaya didn't answer, and he made no move to turn to face her. Hinamori persisted nonetheless.

"Rukia-san said that a diamond ring on the fourth finger of the left hand means that the person is betrothed to someone. Did you know that Shiro-chan?"

Hitsugaya remained still and silent.

"Does that mean that I'm betrothed to somebody?" she asked. She bit her lip and looked hopefully at him. "Ne, Hitsugaya-kun."

Hitsugaya closed his eyes. What was he suppose to say? He didn't want to create awkwardness between them by telling her that she was betrothed to him. No, he was willing to wait another century or two, or even the rest of his life, for her to come back to him on her own terms. Besides, there wasn't much he could do about it; he wasn't capable of loving anyone else. He had already gotten to the stage where it was as if he had fallen down a deep pit with no way to climb back out. No, he had fallen too fast, too deep and too hard to ever get out of it.

He slowly opened his eyes and forced the lump down his throat; grateful that his back was facing her. He turned his head to face her.

"The ring is just a piece of jewellery," he told her in a voice void of emotion. Forgive me Hinamori, one day I'll tell you the truth when you are ready. With that, Hitsugaya walked towards the door.

"So that's it huh," Hinamori said softly, "You know, lying for whatever reason is not a great start for a marriage." Hitsugaya froze, his hands was just inches away from the doorknob.

"What?" he whispered, his head snapped back in her direction, "What did you say?" Hinamori slowly got out of bed and walked towards him.

"I know we are engaged," she told him. Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

"What! How did you know?" he asked.

"Matsumoto and Rukia told me," she answered simply. Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed; those two are going to have very short lives.

"You're not obligated to do anything," he told her firmly, "the whole thing can just be disregarded."

"What do you want?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," he replied. Hinamori hesitated for a moment before she spoke.

"I don't remember anything," she told him.

"That's why I said we can disregard it," Hitsugaya reminded her forcefully, even though it pained him to say it. She twisted the ring around her finger gently, and slowly slid it off. Hitsugaya watched as she slid the ring off, the lump at his throat grew larger, and he quickly looked away.

She took his right hand and placed the ring on his palm, and then she closed his fingers around it. He gave her a quizzical look as she clasped his hand with her hands and brought it close to her chest.

"I don't remember anything," she began again, "but I know that I like you."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

"If you think it's worth the effort, and if you still want to, then," she released her hold on his hand and lifted her left hand. Their eyes met, and Hitsugaya's aquamarine eyes bore into hers as though he were trying to figure out whether she was genuine or not, or whether she was just doing this for him.

A smile graced his lips when he finally found the answer, and he pulled her into him. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as it really hit him that he had been so close to loosing her. He quickly lifted her left hand and slowly slid the ring back on her finger.

Hinamori tiptoed and pecked him on the cheek. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"You have a lot to remember," he told her as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

They broke apart a moment later for air, their foreheads still touching.

"That was an intense first kiss," she commented breathlessly.

"Second first kiss," Hitsugaya corrected with a smug smile. Hinamori smiled, and then her face became really red.

"What?" he asked, chuckling softly at her redness. He remembered they had both being like that after their very first kiss. Hinamori backed away slowly, leaving a very baffled Hitsugaya.

"Ano, Shiro-chan," she started shyly, she pushed the tips of her second fingers together as she talked, "how far have we gone, as a couple?"

It took a while for Hitsugaya to realise that she was talking about the 'union' between man and wife. In a split second, she had managed to make his face as red as hers.

"Not as far as that," he answered weakly.

A moment later, Matsumoto and Rukia walked in to find two very red faced shinigamis.

"So, what did you two talk about?"

END OF CHAPTER 8

Okay, the years may be a bit off because I'm not sure how time/years/life occurs in Seireitai. Anyway, please review, no flames.