Prompt: Day 22, Surprise
Five years into their marriage and a year after Ichigo was made Lieutenant of Squad Thirteen, Rukia and Ichigo disappeared for three days.
"What do you mean Rukia and Ichigo aren't here?" Renji demanded, as Sentarou watched him calmly. "When will they be back?"
Sentarou just shrugged. "I'm not sure, Lieutenant Abarai. They left me in charge of the Thirteenth until they return. I can take whatever paperwork you wanted to give them."
Renji frowned, making the tattoos on his head twitch, but handed over the packet. "Tell them that I'm looking for them." He stepped into shunpo before the Third Seat could reply.
Sentaro took the paperwork back inside and grinned to himself. "Akuri, see that all hell butterflies and other messengers arriving for the captain or lieutenant are sent to me," he called. There was a sound of acknowledgement from one of the officer's desks, and he nodded in satisfaction.
"You're sure no one will miss us?" Rukia asked as she and Ichigo landed in a small clearing in the North Rukongai.
Ichigo hummed under his breath. "Well they might miss us, but I left Sentarou with strict instructions not to let anyone bother you unless the fate of the world is at stake," he said and slid his hand into hers. "You need the break, Captain." The word had a lilt of teasing in it, but he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.
"Mmn, you've said that a few times now," Rukia murmured when he pulled away, and her violet eyes locked with his. "Why?"
At that, Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "You don't think I haven't noticed how tired you are lately?" he asked. "Now come on, let me show you where we're staying."
Where they were staying turned out to be a small guest house on the shore of a sparkling lake. There were a few other buildings scattered along the shore but there were no other Shinigami or citizens of Rukongai in view as Ichigo led her into the pretty, traditional-looking building.
Inside there was a little kitchenette and table, separated by a screen from an enormous, luxurious-looking bed. And it was quiet. Rukia leaned into Ichigo and teased, "Is this your way of saying that we don't have sex enough?" She squeaked as Ichigo lifted her into his arms.
"It's my way of saying you need a break. Although if you want more than sleep, I wouldn't say no," he murmured, and captured her lips with his. "We can go swimming if you want," he said when they'd stopped kissing and their foreheads were touching. "The kitchen is stocked but there's a restaurant nearby."
"We didn't bring any clothes," Rukia protested, but Ichigo just laughed and gently dropped her onto the bed.
"I brought some things over early this morning."
"You…you planned all this?"
Ichigo's lips curved into a soft smile and he sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Yeah. You okay with that?"
Rukia pulled him down next to her by way of an answer, and for a long time the only conversation they exchanged were soft gasps and lovers' words.
Later that evening Rukia dressed in a pretty purple cotton yukata while Ichigo donned a similar garment in dark green. "So where is this restaurant?" Rukia asked as they walked to the doorway. She slipped on a pair of sandals and watched as Ichigo did the same.
"It's on the other side of the lake," he responded and held the door open for her. "I think there are two, actually – a noodle place and a high-end sushi restaurant…"
Rukia hummed and walked down the three steps from their little guest house and onto the shore of the lake. "That sounds lovely."
They walked arm in arm around the lake as the sun set over the world and reflected shades of orange and red onto the surface of the water. "Sushi or noodles?" Ichigo asked as they neared a pair of wooden buildings. There were lanterns hung outside, casting soft light onto the pathways, and here and there people in cotton yukata walked along the banks of the lake. "I bet it's sushi, it's your favorite."
But Rukia cleared her throat and an uneasy expression flitted across her face before she smiled up at him brightly and said, "Actually, I'd love to have noodles tonight."
Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at her, but just led her past the first restaurant. "Sure," he said, and smiled down at her. They stepped into the doorway of the restaurant and took off their sandals.
"Please, this way," the kimono-clad hostess offered with a little bow. They followed her to a table and soon had menus in their hands.
"Oh, they have a lot of options here," Rukia murmured. "How did you find out about this place, anyway? Is it a resort?"
Ichigo tipped his menu down so that he could look at her. "Your brother told me about it, actually."
She nearly dropped her menu. "Byakuya nii-sama told you?"
He just grinned. "Rukia, we've been married for five years. And I told him that you needed a break." His hand found hers across the table and one finger brushed over her knuckles. "Besides, we didn't get to celebrate our anniversary properly a few months ago."
She blushed but didn't pull her hand from his even when a waitress stopped by their table and bowed.
"Would you like anything to drink this evening?"
Before Ichigo could respond and order sake, Rukia smiled and said brightly, "I would love a pot of green tea." Ichigo shot her a puzzled look but nodded in agreement.
"Tea sounds great."
"And have you decided what you would like to eat this evening?"
Rukia ordered a bowl of ramen with a smile, but when she asked the waitress to leave out the egg, Ichigo stared at her. He stammered out a request for his own bowl of udon and waited until the waitress left before speaking.
"Rukia…are you okay? You love eggs with your ramen."
She blushed. "I'm fine, Ichigo. I just don't want any egg tonight."
"And no sake either." Ichigo's eyebrow arched, and she cleared her throat.
Right, he's the son of a doctor, she thought. "Let's talk about it after dinner, alright? But I'm fine, I promise," she reassured him.
A strange look came over Ichigo's face lasted through dinner, a sort of worried but half-hopeful look that extended to the way his hand kept touching hers and the way he made sure her teacup was filled. After they finished eating, he helped her out of her chair and they walked back along the lake under the light of the waxing moon.
"Well?" Ichigo asked softly when they were alone under the moon and stars. The lake shimmered as they walked along the shore.
"Hm?" Rukia leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Don't 'hm' me, Rukia," Ichigo said, and nudged her head gently with his shoulder.
Rukia stopped and he came to a halt with her. His hand left hers but wrapped around her shoulder instead, and he tugged her so that he could look into her eyes again. She leaned up to kiss him and tugged his free hand down so that it rested against her lower stomach. There was the bare hint of a curve there.
Ichigo's mouth curved into a grin over hers and he tugged her closer. "Yeah?" he asked, and his voice was so soft that tears pricked at her eyes.
"Surprise," Rukia whispered, and her arms wrapped around him. "Captain Kotetsu confirmed it yesterday. It's why I've been so tired."
Ichigo pulled her even closer, as if he could meld them together, and slanted his mouth over hers so softly that she was the one who leaned up for more. "I love you so, so much," he whispered when they parted and just looked into one another's eyes in the moonlight.
"I love you too." A few tears slid from the corners of Rukia's eyes and Ichigo's hands lifted up to brush them away.
"Please don't cry," Ichigo murmured, but she just smiled.
"They're happy tears. I didn't think it was even possible, I was happy to have it be just us for a thousand years, but Ichigo – we're having a child," Rukia said, and though there were more tears tracking silver down her cheeks, she was beaming up at him.
"We are," Ichigo said, voice still hushed with wonder. "But I don't think anything is impossible for us, Rukia." Seized by a sudden urge, he picked her up and spun her gently before bringing her close to him for another kiss.
They walked the rest of the way to their guest house together, and Ichigo insisted on carrying her to bed again. Yukata discarded, they twined together and Ichigo's hand found her belly and covered it protectively.
"We need to tell nii-sama," Rukia said after a while, and his hand on her stomach twitched.
"He'll either be happy for us or a terror," Ichigo said, and let out a short laugh. "He'll make a good uncle though, I bet."
She squirmed closer to him and turned on her side to kiss him. "Renji will too."
Ichigo scowled. "Renji is going to be a terrible influence on this baby."
"He will not!" Rukia gasped when Ichigo tipped her onto her back and began to kiss his way down her neck.
"At least we'll have Yuzu and Karin to balance him out." His teeth nibbled at the join of her neck and shoulder.
"Ichi—"
They didn't talk again for quite some time after that.
Three days later the Captain and Lieutenant of Squad Thirteen returned to their barracks. Sentaro nodded his satisfaction at how well-rested they both looked, and returned to his work. When the news got out a few days later, he grinned and collected his winnings from the Shinigami Women's Association pool.