Chapter 15: Suddenly I See
~Rukia~
Waking up next to Ichigo was nothing new.
They've been platonic bed mates since the night he first introduced her to Don Corleone and the cinematic masterpiece about the iconic Sicilian Mafioso. They hadn't been that close then- though to be fair between his tendency to scowl first, make friends later and her trademark Kuchiki ice mask, it's safe to say that neither of them was in the running for Miss Congeniality.
Still she remembered that night as the night that things fell into place, it laid down the foundation of their friendship. It was the first memory she had of them spending time together on an activity that wasn't strictly academic based and outside the company of their circle of mutual friends, and the night she came to understand just how much a nerd Ichigo secretly was underneath his so-called cool guy persona.
Of course that being said, he can still be a jerk and before she could nod off to the rolling credits, he actually shook her awake just to make her swear that she wouldn't tell another living soul about the movie night or about the fact that he has a complete DVD set of the Godfather Saga including the director's cut and commentary because he has an "image" to uphold.
Cue the dramatic eye roll.
Waking up next to Ichigo naked though was definitely an experience.
XXX
Rukia squinted at the harsh light of the morning- groaning low in protest before she was tugged close to lie on her side and pulled into a human wall- solid and firm, all supple muscles and sun-kissed skin, warm skin but even warmer touches, unyieldingly hiding her from the Sun's glare while she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Goosebumps rose from where his fingers had brushed, drummed, and now stilled, finding a home at the base of her spine and she instinctively shifted her weight so his arm could drape more comfortably across her middle.
She smiled, gently cradling his face in her hands and pressed butterfly kisses on his lips as she scooted closer towards him.
His whole being radiated warmth and her heart was doing silly little somersaults in her chest with each passing second as her eyes held his.
Ba-thump!
Ba-thump!
Ba-thump!
XXX
Years ago if someone told her that she would eventually fall in love and end up falling into bed with her best friend, she would take one good look at them, sigh as Ran manages to somehow brain-wash another poor soul and turn them into supporters of her so-called Ichiruki campaign, declare them a lost cause and move on.
People were forever poking their noses into her business, speculating about her relationship with the orange-haired doctor by virtue of her being a Kuchiki and the two of them being practically joined at the hip, can apparently share just one look across the room and instinctively know what the other wants or is about to do.
Over the years she had learned to ignore those knowing looks thrown at their direction whenever she leaned a little too close to him, learned to ignore the amused smirks whenever she's in a room, and Ichigo seemed to only have eyes for her, so no matter how far the topic or subject of the conversation veered, he always found himself talking to her.
People see what they want to see and she had given up on the idea of changing their minds years ago. She's content to let them talk while maintaining her nakama -hood with her best friend because she loved nothing more than using her actions and the fact that nothing ever progressed beyond friendship between her and Ichigo, to prove the world wrong.
Until now that is.
Rukia laughed.
She had never thought she would be so happy to be proven wrong. This gorgeous, beautiful man was hers. Ichigo loves her and she would be a bigger fool than she had ever imagined herself to be if she didn't hold on- hold on to him until the skies bled into the sea, until star fires burn out and dull, until the inevitable swallows them all.
Under the covers, she tangled their limbs together, sinking deeper into his hold until their hips were pressed against each other and she could hear his heart beating strongly in time to hers. Her fingers traced circles and silly patterns over and over again- like her brain couldn't process anything beyond the fact that he was here, right next to her- over any patch of skin she could reach on him- on the shoulder blade, his very lickable biceps, and toned chest.
She curled her toes and sighed in response to his hardening length pressed against her thigh. Something within her throbbed and ached- wanted him inside her again, to fill her out and make her sigh in mindless contentment.
But they were in no hurry.
Right now, she simply wanted to be held, to be reminded that she was loved, cared for and so hopelessly soft for him.
She tilted her head upwards as she searched for his face- smiling as sleepy eyes blinked owlishly at the man peering down at her. Playfully booping him on the nose, she was left a giggling mess when he caught her finger between his teeth and made a show of sucking on the digit, mock-biting before releasing it with a loud 'plop' from his lips.
She drank in the sight of him- the lazy smile playing on his lips, the nervous bob of his Adam's apple as he moved his hand further south, palming the naked flesh of her butt, the way his beautiful eyes whispered good morning to her as he laid on his side, head resting flat on his open palm, fiery locks made even brighter as shafts of sunlight poured in.
Stretching languidly, she yawned before cuddling against him, feeling utterly relaxed and satiated as she breathed- sharp and deep, wanting to commit every single detail of him, from the way the morning light lit the spark in his eyes to the way his scent seemed to cocoon her, to memory.
Home.
She's home.
XXX
Rukia kissed him.
She was a woman drunk on love and he followed her lead as she pulled them both into a dizzy labyrinth of want and need, spiralling further away from coherent speech, lucid thoughts and the need for oxygen as teeth scrapped against skin, marks made on skin were soothed over and lips melded against one another.
She squealed when his wandering hand found her ticklish spots and the two of them grappled on the bed, laughing and giggling in a naked tangle of limbs that she was in no hurry to dislodge herself from. The world could wait or go on without them, Rukia didn't particularly care- she just wanted him.
His stubble pricked her skin and she poked at his side. "You need to shave," she told him primly.
He hummed in response, twirling a lock of her hair absentmindedly as he brought his lips to hers. Her kisses were a drug he was in a habit of getting addicted to. He didn't want to be apart from her- not now, not ever- not when they've final-
Rumour… rumour has it… Rumour…
XXX
Her phone- the bane of his love (and sex) life- rang.
He groaned loudly and painfully as he realized that it was coming from somewhere down the hall. Probably lying somewhere between a ruined Versace dress and his jeans, he mused- and cotton panties - he grinned to himself as he remembered the feel of the material against his fingertips as he rubbed and coaxed at her slit through it- the way liquid heat pooled, how warm her skin had felt under his touch, the way her body jerked when his fingers dipped under the snug band and touched her there, the memory of how wet and eager she had been that it was a miracle they both made it to her bed before they both lost control.
His mind buzzed with the things he did to her after he tugged her panties off, the sight of her juices coating his fingers in a shiny sheen, the taste of it as he brought it to his mouth and licked them clean before delving in for a better taste with his tongue, the memory of the tight squeeze of her vaginal walls as he made her come on his fingers, his tongue, his cock- so thoroughly and savagely that they both regressed to their baser selves- wild, feral and utterly reckless in their pursuit of the high of their pleasure, the way their bodies connected and writhed and made music with each other.
She had his seal of approval, marked, clawed and bitten into the flesh of her tender breasts, her neck, her butt cheeks, with the way she fisted his hair, the hungry sounds she was making, the way her body bucked as she met his wild thrusts and the face she made as she came- mouth open, jaws slack, drool by the side of her mouth.
XXX
"I should go get that," she murmured in her sleep heavy drawl as she made a move to disentangle herself and get up from bed but Ichigo's grip along her waist tightened, pulling her back into his warm embrace and the comforts of the bed instead.
"Stay," he whined, muffling his response in her hair as he held on to her. Memories of last night made him ache and his entire being thrummed with need- in need of her and the feel of her body. She was the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle that mapped the heart and soul of his body and last night showed him that she belonged to him- they belong with each other.
They shouldn't even be wasting their time talking about a stupid phone and debating on whether or not to pick it up, not when she had better things to do.
Like him.
XXX
"Stupid phone doesn't get you. Not this time."
Carefully sliding her hair over one shoulder, he nuzzled his face against her cool skin, blowing hot air against it as he moved them further away from the edge of the bed. He had terrible experiences with her ill-timed phone calls, but unlike his botched first attempt at confession this time he was determined not to be cock-blocked by the infernal device.
She giggled at his antics, at the very possessive hold he had on her middle as he held her down- her back to his front, while he began pressing kisses to the back of her neck, her shoulder blades even- a convincing argument as any to dissuade her from leaving.
Rukia bit down on her lip, trying to reason with her big baby.
"It could be important."
"Don't care."
His muffled response came as he found a particular spot by the side of her neck, right below her ear that never failed to make her breath catch when he nuzzled against it. And it hasn't stopped yet, he found as Rukia's body turned pliant when he latched on to the spot, suckling and pressing ardent kisses alternately until the skin turned red and worried.
Her breathing was turning ragged and he loved the effect of the airy, almost breathless quality in her voice as she staved off his advances as best as she could. When his teeth scrapped a little none-too-gently at it, she whimpered and shuddered, instinctively baring her neck to him, offering him more of her. He could mark her whole neck and cover her body with love bites if he wanted to as long as she gets to return the favour.
"Ahhh -" she gritted her teeth, willing her voice to be steady- "It could be Nii-sama."
He growled.
"Then he can fuck off! I don't need to think about him when I'm trying to have sex with his sister."
She quirked an eyebrow at him, suppressing shudders as he shifted his weight and his throbbing cock slid unbearably close to her sex. His fingers crept low to rest on her inner thigh- still stained with the remnants from last night, playing with the dark curls he found there.
She squirmed against his hold, chewing at her bottom lip until it became almost bloodless. She was barely holding it together. He had only to dip his fingers a little lower and he would have realized the extent of his effect on her- already dripping wet and slick beyond belief.
Too much.
XXX
Rukia frowned as she turned to face him, hand on his wrist to still his movements.
"Can we just cuddle for now?"
Last night was … magical. Ichigo was so good to her- so warm, tender and sincere- the way he made her toes curl with every kiss, patches of skin where he had anointed with honeyed lips and sharp teeth, the barely there tremor in his fingers as he unzipped her dress and the hitch in his breath as he bent over to cover her body with his, the path he made with open-mouthed kisses and sharp nips, branching from the corner of her lips to her inner thighs.
His fingers and his lips- she swore she would never look at them the same way again, not after last night with the way he had so thoroughly robbed her of her senses with them and pleasured her, sliding them deep into her and when his length filled her- urghh just thinking about it made her skin tingle and cheeks warm.
She wouldn't trade what happened between them for anything in the world but her body bore bruises and bite marks- a plethora of sunset colours ranging from pink, blue to dark purple that stood out as much as the blue-green veins on her pale skin. The dull ache down there and sore muscles reminded her that all actions have consequences and right now, her physical body was paying the price for last night.
Rukia bit her lip, not wanting to spoil the mood. The last thing she wanted to do was to ruin their experience of their first morning in bed together, not after last night.
Her face turned pink as she struggled to keep herself from fidgeting and to keep a straight face in front of her lover.
"I'm sore," she admitted quietly as she hid her face under the duvet.
"Hey," he followed her, slipping himself under the cover and kissed her on the tip of her nose, "it's okay. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's okay that you don't want to have sex."
Ichigo touched their foreheads together and breathed in. "It's my fault. I should have been more careful with you last night. I was to-"
His bed mate shook her head, silencing him as she placed her fingers to his lips.
"Don't apologize," she whispered, "You were perfect last night. You made me feel so- so so much, so many things. You make me so happy, so good- just so loved and I-"
She wrung her hands; at a lost to put a name to the way he made her feel. She inhaled deeply, "You complete me and I want to do the same for you."
"And you do," he told her, tucking her under his chin and close to his heart, "You complete me, Rukia. If you can put up with me awkwardly fumbling in the dark with one arm looking for a zipper," he bit his lips, hiding his smile, "then I'd say we're even."
Oh right that happened too- she giggled.
"Or like the way you almost lost it when you saw me naked?" she teased and he predictably groaned.
"You're never going to let me live it down, are you?"
She shrugged. "Maybe."
"Or," she offered with a suggestive wink, "Maybe I can be persuaded to forget about it with better performances in the future?"
"Such a tease," he murmured as he kissed her forehead and she allowed herself to relax in his arms.
"I mean it though Rukia," he trailed kisses to cover her face- first her forehead; "We can go slow and find a pace that works for both of us-" followed by kisses on her eyelids and her nose. "Tell me what you want, how you feel-" He kissed her cheeks-
"I'm your best friend before I'm your lover."
XXX
He kissed her lips- so gentle and tender, so full of his love for her, that she wanted to cry.
"So if you want to cuddle and have breakfast in bed then that's what we'll do."
Her lips tremble as she pressed her lips to his- chaste and almost reverent. What did she do to deserve this man?
"I'm sorry I cock-blocked you."
"I love you," he told her in between kisses, "that shouldn't change just because I'm not getting any. And," he scoffed. "You're not cock-blocking me. I'm choosing not to have sex at the moment, in fact let me get you some ibuprofen and a glass of water."
Pressing her front to his chest, her nose nudged against his, as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Her mouth slanted against his, tentatively brushing their lips together.
"I love you," she murmured.
It was adorable the way a goofy smile just lit up on his face at that and the way his ears turned pink. He made a point of clearing his throat loudly and pointedly avoided her gaze as he disentangled himself, mumbling something under his breath about her being weird.
She couldn't hide her smile even if she wanted to as she watched him wander off- unclothed and naked as the day he was born down the hall. The sight of his bare back, the muscles that rippled as he moved- she found it all a little too distracting as she threw herself back onto bed. His voice echoed back to her across the room as she sank deeper within the covers.
Eventually he came back into the bedroom, delivering his promise and as a bonus, dropped her phone into her lap and greeted her with a kiss on the lips.
This morning was simply too perfect to be ruined by work.
"I think I'll have to call Yoruichi and tell her I can't make it to work today."
"Rukia Kuchiki playing hooky?" he teased. "That doesn't sound like the Rukia I know at all."
She grinned unabashed at him, crooking a finger at him to come closer and then whispered into his ear. "It's not hooky if I have a doctor's note to prove otherwise."
Ichigo laughed, peppering her with more kisses much to her delight.
"I guess the real question now is this," hot air fanned her face as he focused his gaze on her swollen lips, "What do you want for breakfast?"
Rukia tugged him back into bed instead, silencing his yelp of surprise with her lips until they're breathless and glowing.
XXX
Later, much later after Ichigo finally served her breakfast in bed, and they both giggled, cuddled, fooled around, and slept to their hearts' content as the day came and went and she couldn't get away with ignoring her real life responsibilities any longer, only then did she deign it appropriate to answer her phone.
She scrolled past the Lenny Face Yoruichi sent her as a reply, rolling her eyes good-naturedly at the few smirking face emoji she received from the rest of the girls. Nii-sama had sent her an inspirational message on Whatsapp to wish her a good productive day. More work messages, pictures from Ran on a Silver Cross pram and possible decoration ideas for a baby shower.
Thus far, nothing out of the ordinary until she saw the missed call from an unknown number.
Beep!
You have ONE new voicemail.
XXX
The voice coming from the other end turned her blood into ice.
"Hi Rukia. Just your friendly ex-fiancé checking in on you. So um… listen we need to talk. Call me back."
XXX
They arranged to meet at a local café, ten maybe fifteen minutes away from her apartment. It was nothing special, practically empty except for the baristas on a Tuesday afternoon and perfect in its anonymity- the two of them out of sight from anyone who knew anything about their privileged statuses and complicated history. She even made Ichigo promise to stay at home because she was adamant that she needed to face this alone.
Just two old friends drinking tea.
And an ocean of awkwardness between them.
XXX
She took a sip from her cup. He looked older- tanner, eyes ever the shade of ocean green- the same yes, but now that they were seated opposite each other, social pleasantries outworn, her initial excitement at seeing him again had passed and all she wanted to know was why- why did he want to see her again, why now.
"So what's on the agenda?"
He grimaced. "Can't old friends just meet up? Don't be so cold, Rukia." His nudge was meant to be playful but to Rukia, it didn't seem that way at all.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"I would hardly call us friends. As you had pointed out in the voicemail, you're my ex-fiancé," she said, "And I thought you made it abundantly clear that you wanted nothing to do with me after our last meeting."
He shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. She clenched her fist- this casual familiarity as though nothing happened between them, as if they hadn't agree not to see each other anymore at their last meeting, as if they were still the inseparable playmates growing up, as if the engagement never happened, as if he never broke her heart and left her behind to clean up the mess.
Rukia took a deep breath and asked again. "Why did you want to see me again Kaien? I thought we agreed that we shouldn't see each other anymore. If not for my sake then at least for your Miyako's sake, you said it yourself, she doesn't need to know what happened between us."
Kaien seemed genuinely surprised, leaning back against his chair as he held his steaming cup.
"I wanted to see how you're doing," he said. "I was concerned about you."
Rukia scoffed. Whatever direction he was trying to lead this conversation to, he was being horribly obtuse about it and she hated the sympathy-filled tone he was using on her. Had he truly been concerned for her, he wouldn't have left her alone at the gala after speaking a total of five sentences with her- all one sided affirmations from her and one-lined statements from him.
She was angry and tired- truly tired of playing along, tired of being strung along, tired of just being accommodating and understanding and the sooner she found out what he wanted from her the sooner she can go back to her life without him.
"Okay, then let's talk- let's talk about the engagement, about what happened when you left and ran away from home."
The colour drained from his face as he tried to back track but she was dead set on him answering her questions.
She set her cup on the table firmly, "You were gone for all those years. No notes, no emails- nothing to even give me a hint that you were still alive. And you left without saying anything to me. You can hardly expect me to ignore this and welcome you back like nothing ever happened?"
His next words floored her. "But I left the note, didn't I?" said Kaien, his eyebrows knotted and perplexed, "I told you that I wanted to break off the engagement. You're like a baby sister to me and I can't marry you."
"No," she glared at him, "you left a note for my brother. The note was addressed to the Head of the Kuchiki family. You didn't even think that I was important enough to leave a separate note for?"
She slammed her hands on to the table, ignoring the look of surprise from him. "And I never said anything about it but you knew- you knew that I liked you, yes it was stupid- a very cliché schoolgirl crush, I know but we grew up together. You didn't even have the guts to tell me that you didn't feel the same way to my face?!"
"You said that I was practically family to you but I waited twelve years for you to call, to email or heck to even goddamn write to me, to explain what happened, why you did what you did, why you never told me anything about this. You didn't even try, so you know what," she suddenly smiled, "I kept the engagement because I knew this was the only chance I would ever have," she jabbed her finger into his chest, her tone accusatory and she dared him to even try to interrupt her, "I want you to tell me why."
"Why didn't you tell me anything about this? About the engagement or that you were leaving? You were going to leave your 'baby sister' behind and not even consider dropping her an email about what you were doing, why you did it and why you never told her anything about this. We were best friends," she said, "You should have trusted me."
Her voice broke. "Instead I had to find out from a letter addressed to the Head of the Kuchiki family- my own brother that my fiancé left his family- that I even had one to begin with!"
"I had to find out from the gossip mill that my betrothed was so disgusted by the idea of marrying me that he had to abandon his family! I lost my best friend in the world, to be mocked and ridiculed and shamed. I had to be sent away- away from Kuchiki Manor, away from Japan, to the States alone to avoid bringing further shame to the family name!"
"Do you know what it's like to be whispered about at every party, to be talked about behind your back and outright ignored by the people in our circle?"
The woman continued, "Do you know the things they say about me- silly Rukia couldn't even keep her fiancé happy, the Kuchikis are going to have a spinster on their hands now?- Do you know the amount of sympathy those packs of vultures have for a teenager? Do you know how utterly miserable I was the first year I was here alone?"
She could feel her tears coming and furiously blinked them away. "What the hell did I ever do to you Kaien Shiba to deserve this!"
Her emotional outburst made him speechless.
"I had no idea."
"No of course not, you stupid selfish prick," she chuckled bitterly. Time had a way of screwing with her memories, leaving her with the good ones and replacing most of the bad ones with the ordinary, non-threatening ones like how he takes his tea or how much he hated English Lit and History. So yes, Kaien was a good guy but he was far from a saint. He was selfish to the core- a by-product of his environment, the privileged upbringing he received as the eldest son from an illustrious household and his own arrogance.
"You thought running away solved all the problems. You might be right there- running away took care of all your problems. The rest of us had to put up with the consequences and live with them."
"And what consequences would they be, huh?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Rukia, who is us? All I heard was how you suffered! Well boo-hoo, drama queen! I am sorry you had to go through that shit alone but you can't blame it all on me. Just because you're a victim here- doesn't mean you can blow things out of proportions! I ran away from this once and I refuse."
He glared at her, "I refuse to go back to that life. I like it out there- no rules to follow, no elders to please, no family honour to uphold. Don't you dare try to manipulate me into getting back with you!"
The man she once knew looked at her with such rabid eyes and her grip on the cup tightened.
Blame him?
Guilt-tripping him?
Manipulate him?
Was this who she was to him- not his bestie Rukia-chan whom he grew up with but a fiendish manipulative bitch waiting in the shadows, bidding her time so she could snatch him up once he reappeared?
Dear Lord, it was like he didn't even know her at all!
XXX
"So all you left behind was a scorned woman?" she scoffed- all those years of friendship wasted and gone, "You thought wrong; no, you needed to know what everyone- not just me, went through because of your thoughtlessness."
"You took all that money with you when you left," she started, her voice chilling and unforgiving as she dealt the blows, "Was it enough to keep you happy and fed I wonder? Living in style for the next decade or so?"
She took note of his twiddling fingers and laughed. "No wonder you weren't in a hurry to come back!"
He growled at her peals of laughter and told her, "Stop changing the subject, Kuchiki."
"You're right, Shiba. And so I will get on with it," she said, "did you ever stop to think what that money was meant for instead? Do you know how much money is needed to keep a corporation like ours running and do you know how much time it takes to replace those funds?"
The man spluttered but she was in no mood to hear his excuses.
"After you left- or rather after you took the money and ran away- the business couldn't sustain itself. And you don't need me to tell you what happens next, do you?" she chuckled. "Everyone was just waiting, waiting to sink their claws into what remained of Shiba Corporations. They had to sell everything and by everything I meant that if it weren't for Nii-sama, Kukaaku and Ganju might have lost the Estate too."
She watched as his eyes widened in horror but she refused to stop, "But of course that doesn't concern you, does it? Why should it matter if they have a roof over their heads or if any of the household staff even? Prince Kaien got what he wanted. Freedom at its best, don't you think?"
Her words were knives to his heart but she wouldn't stop.
"What a pity Kukaaku couldn't be more like you," she tutted, "She tried to save the company you know. She tried to take over the reins of the company as best as she could. Keep the damage to a minimum for the employees, tried to bring in investors. Too bad no one would even acknowledge her presence in a board meeting. You thought what they said about me was bad," she leaned in to whisper into his ears, "wait till you hear the nicknames they came up for her."
She watched as the information sank in and she twisted the knife- further and deeper in.
"Did you know that Ganju was bullied at school? Did you know that he almost ended up in juvie? Did you know he got kicked out of high school twice? That Kukaaku had to beg the principal to take him back each time? Rememb-"
"SHUT UP!" he pushed his chair back, slamming his fists on to the table but Rukia was far from done.
"What's the matter, Shiba?" she smirked, "Struck a nerve did I? What they had to endure- what we had to go through after you left; was it worth it?"
After what seemed like an eternity, he managed to croak out, "I never knew. They didn't say anything to me."
The woman rolled her eyes, "They are your family. Of course they wouldn't want this on your precious conscience. Besides, I doubt they had any way of contacting you. Have you met either Kukaaku or Ganju yet?"
His shifty eyes and refusal to meet her gaze said it all. She snorted- maybe she should be the one ashamed. She had learnt more about him in the past few minutes than she had ever did in all their years together.
"You're a coward," she told him sharply, "Don't be surprised if Kukaaku would much rather you be dead to her but Ganju- Ganju might take you back. You were his favourite aniki after all," she chided.
Kaien looked at her and for a second she could almost read his mind. He must be shocked at this version of Rukia- sharp-tongued and spiteful to the point of ruthlessness but twelve years can do a lot to a person and she wasn't the same naïve teenager whose world revolved around him anymore.
Or maybe they never really knew each other. Maybe they were just two misfits conveniently lumped together by their families and stuck around for convenience's sake.
Growing apart was inevitable.
In that instant, he suddenly looked smaller- still the man she grew up with but no longer the man of her dreams. He didn't command her undivided attention and she didn't live to seek his approval.
Not anymore.
Older Rukia could sympathize and understand what he had done- a boy barely twenty and already had his whole life planned and plotted for him. His rebellion was born of desperation and perhaps things may have been different had she been older- a true friend instead of a younger sibling.
Maybe then he wouldn't have to run away, put all those he cared about through this torture.
But those were merely 'ifs' and she could spend her whole life talking about, thinking about them but it wouldn't change what had already happened. Even if she could understand his motives and forgive his actions, they could never go back to the way things were ever again.
They've both had too much growing up and bad habits to ever fall back into the missing gaps left behind all those years ago. After today, they would go back to the way they had been for the past twelve years- not siblings, not friends- just someone they happened to grow up with, friends who grew apart and eventually became strangers who will pass each other by on the street someday and wouldn't feel bad about not stopping to say hello.
XXX
"I am sorry," he said, "But that's what I'm here for today- this meeting is about me making amends. I want to arrange an omiai bet-"
Rukia held out her hand to stop him mid-sentence. "How exactly is an omiai supposed to help?"
"But don't you see Rukia? It solves all of our problems! I have an estranged younger cousin, you're still fabulously single. You guys get married, you get a husband, the elders from both houses get their precious alliance and get off my back, I get to go home and introduce Miyako to everyone!"
He clasped his hands tight. "Everybody WINS!"
She gave him a sardonic smile. "Just like that huh? Sorry Rukia, you didn't get your intended Shiba but hey! here's an estranged cousin as consolation prize. Have him instead!"
She pressed the fingernails into her palms so hard that she thought they would bleed.
"You selfish ignorant cur!" she hissed, "You never learn, do you Kaien? It's always about you. Prince Kaien has spoken so we must bend to his magnanimous decisions?"
She snorted.
"Well newsflash, not this time! Just because I accepted the annulment of our engagement doesn't mean you get to pick the man for me to marry. I accept you breaking off the engagement but I don't forgive you. Did it ever occur to you that I might have someone waiting for me too? That I don't want whatever cousin you have arranged as your pitiful stand in? That I can actually be happy? That I'm not some stupid 16th century scorned woman who got left behind and died of a broken heart from unrequited love?"
She pushed her chair back noisily as she got off her chair.
"The elders not accepting your marriage with Miyako is not my problem though I suspect it has more to do with the fact that there's a clause in her inheritance contract that prohibits her husband's family from sinking their claws into her inheritance that's really the issue here," she sneered at him, "I wash my hands clean off of you and your problems."
Ichigo was right. She never should have agreed to meet Kaien.
She was looking for closure, not to be reminded that she had been reminiscing about her childhood memories through a set of heavily-filtered lenses and her childhood hero was a selfish, arrogant prick!
"I wasn't the one who broke it off so be a man and finish what you started or die trying."
She pursed her lips- she should have known better. "I'm leaving."
"Wait-" Kaien's hand shot out and grabbed at her wrist, and she snapped, turned to him and growled.
"Let go of me right now Shiba!"
He sighed. "Look Rukia, just hear me ou-"
"Hey asshole!"
XXX
Surprised, both scions turned their heads to the direction of the newcomer. Kaien loosened his grip in that instant. His knotted eyebrows and confused expression said it all as he regarded the man who could have been his twin if not for the strange hair colour and a wounded arm in cast.
Then, realization dawned.
"You're Ich-"
The rest of his words sadly were muffled by the crunch of Ichigo's fist against his nose. Kaien dropped like a rock and that sparked a riot within the tiny shop.
Someone in the background screamed something about ringing the police and Rukia was shocked to say the least.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Ichigo?" she asked, looking down at the crumpled form of her ex-fiancé, groaning pitifully and nursing a bleeding nose that looked, for all intents and purposes to be broken, and Ichigo- her lover, her best friend, standing with his chest heaving and pink knuckles.
Ichigo shouldn't even be here. She was torn- should she help Kaien but what about the barista on the phone with the police- did she want Ichigo to be arrested?
"No time," he muttered as he grabbed hold of her wrist and started pulling her towards the exit, "Let's get out of here now!"
XXX
They ran- fleeing the scene like they were being chased by an angry mob with pitchforks and neither stopped for breath until they were safe behind closed doors- triple locked, with both of their weights thrown behind it for their peace of mind.
Rukia clutched at her sides, panting at the intense workout. She was running in heels- she was lucky she didn't break her leg doing this!
"You're crazy, you know that?" she shoved at him weakly. She felt like she was going to die with how fast her heart was beating, "I told you to stay at home!"
Next to her, Ichigo sat on the wooden floor- his back to the door, sweaty and an absolute mess with his windswept hair and red face.
"Like hell I was!" he growled, "I wasn't going to just sit back and watch you endanger yourself. Damn it, Rukia! What if he drugs you or kidnaps you or tries to do something to you?"
Rukia tried to keep her emotions at bay. She should be angry at him, she reminded herself- angry that Ichigo broke his promise but the things he said, the way he expressed his love and his concern for her- she didn't think anyone could love her as deeply as him and sometimes she just didn't know what to make of her emotions when she's with him.
She sank to her knees, joining him on the floor unceremoniously.
Rukia looked up to see him eying her with concern.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. That idiot- how could he still be worried about her when he should be looking after himself?
"I'm fine. But are you?"
She reached for his hand, noting the faint discolouration on the knuckles and frowned.
"How could you be so reckless? You shouldn't have punched him," she whispered. "He's not worth it and you could have injured your hands-" she looked at his wounded arm.
She would never forgive herself if she ruined his future- if he hurt those life-saving surgeon hands because of her.
She kissed his bruised knuckles. They need ice.
"I'm not worth you ruini-"
"Like hell you're not!" Ichigo would never let anyone talk bad about Rukia Kuchiki- not even if it was the woman herself- "You're worth everything to me! Fuck Rukia-" he ran a hand through his hair- "You're everything to me and we both know the bastard started it. He can't just grab you like that! Shouldn't be allowed to keep that hand if he can't keep it to himself," he grumbled darkly.
Her throat felt tight and her tongue heavy. There were so many things she wanted to tell him- so many things that she didn't have the words for.
He's too good- too good for her.
This man who was willing to risk everything for her, who believed in her and trusted her, who called her his everything- he's the missing part to her.
He completed her.
When she's with him she realized; she didn't want to be a Kuchiki. Why would she when she can just be Rukia- Ichigo's Rukia, a woman in love and in turn, loved.
"Come here," he murmured as he hugged her to his chest, "Did you find the closure you're looking for?"
"Kinda," she muttered. She leaned into his touch, melting into his arm as she breathed. "This whole thing with Kaien just reminded me how much of a selfish prick he can be. Did you know he was trying to broker an arranged marriage for me with his cousin? The nerve of that man to think that he can just show up and run my life, decide who I marry."
Rukia made a face. "He's worse than Nii-sama. What the hell did I see in him?"
"I'm going to assume the question is rhetorical," he quipped.
She swatted him playfully. "Don't be an ass."
He chuckled. He wanted to lay the world at her feet, to give her the very best of him, and spend the rest of their lives together- making her laugh till she cried and protect her- always, from herself, from the world.
"C-Can I tell you something?" he asked, still holding her and cradling her to his chest, "I was worried about you- about what Kaien could do to you- I was so scared that he would win you back and you'd go running back to him."
He hid his face in the crook of her shoulder.
"And you'll leave me."
Rukia scoffed. As if!
"No one is going to steal me away from you, you idiot! You're not getting rid of me that easily. Not after you called me 'your everything', made me breakfast in bed and punched the living daylights out of someone in a misguided attempt to 'defend my honour'- which is stupid by the way because I can take care of myself but I appreciate the gesture nonetheless."
She nuzzled her nose against his face, pressing kisses to him- soft and slow, the truest reflection of her love for him that sank deeper than words ever could.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
XXX
She leaned back from him, flashing him an impish grin. "You're a keeper, Ichigo Kurosaki. I think I'll stick around."
"Good," he touched their foreheads together, lips curved into a smile- an expression that she mimicked as she threw her arms around him and brushed her lips against his.
She inhaled and exhaled- sharply, unsteadily. She finally found the words to an idea that she had been warming up to for a while now.
Here goes nothing.
XXX
"Ichigo, let's go on a date."
Hese's corner:
Edited.
I know we can't all have a guy like Ichigo *le sigh* so here have some fluff about our adorable dorks instead.
P.S. I'm sure we all know who Kaien's estranged cousin is.