Author's Notes: Set after the Soul Society arc. IchiRuki with a little IshiHime.

The Sound of Happiness

Rukia's laughing.

It's a sound that at first seems odd and out of place, but then he realizes that's only because he's so rarely heard it. And that's a damn depressing thought because laughter is the sound of happiness and it seems like she's had too little of that through all the years of her long existance.

But now Orihime is laughing and setting a wreath of wildflowers on Rukia's head, the makeshift crown slipping down over one violet eye comically. Rukia blinks and then smiles, not the sickenly sweet smile she used to use for school and temporary friends, but a real smile, slow and beautiful. Something in his chest hitches at the sight of it and he shifts uncomfortably on the bench, frowning. Ishida tilts his head at him with a knowing smirk and Ichigo wonders if he could punch him without Inoue noticing.

"You seem very tense, Kurosaki," Ishida says, a superior note in his voice. Ichigo grits his teeth. The bastard is enjoying this! "You aren't worried about Kuchiki-san, are you?"

"Shut up," he growls, folding his arms over his chest. There is no way he's going to admit that taking Rukia to wide open spaces scares the hell out of him. After the events in Soul Society, he feels that she's never safe unless she's right next to him, within the circle of his arms and fingertips. Places with too many people make him nervous, too, his amber eyes searching for black uniforms and bared katanas. Rukia complains about his over protectiveness sometimes, but not very much. Maybe she still feels guilty about him coming to save her or some shit like that but he doesn't care, not as long as it keeps her well within eyesight.

He only feels complete when he holds her.

He might also be surprised that she knows this.

Crawling into his bed late that night after the house quiets, she lets him fold his arms around her, pulling her firmly to his side as he breathes in the scent of her hair, his whole body relaxing for the first time since waking. She knows that one day this fear will leave him and he'll no longer look over her shoulder, but until then, she doesn't think it's so bad that he needs her so much. Not when she can press her cheek against his chest and fit her head under his chin as if they were only two puzzle pieces finally turned the right way. At that moment, the truth is very clear.

She only feels complete when he holds her.

THE END