Always you

"That's it, Rukia. You know how I feel about you now. Me or him, Rukia? You have to decide."
She'd never seen him like this before. She had always thought that his concern and care for her was because they were good friends. She never thought that he'd liked her that- "loved" he said. But the choice was easy. Rukia knew to whom her heart belonged. Whatever answer she gave…their relationship would forever be changed. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. And said the name of the man she loved.

Ichigo and Rukia stood on a hill from which they could see all of Soul Society. It was late at night, and the stars shone bright-brighter than they ever would in the world of the living. They both still wore their shihakushos- both exhausted, but she had asked him to meet her here, so here he was. And apparently this couldn't wait. He knew what she was going to say. Renji had told him yesterday during their sparring session that he was going to tell Rukia how he feels about her. He had even asked Ichigo what he thought. Secretly, Ichigo thought that Renji could go fuck himself, but instead he told him to go for it. And now Ichigo sorely regretted telling Renji that. Since then he had avoided both Rukia and Renji, and pretty much everyone else. He didn't need to know how happy in love they were. He couldn't be happy for them. He wouldn't be. So, when he received Rukia's request to meet with him, his first thought was to decline, but he knew she would just find him anyway. So now he stood next her, the woman he loved, kicking himself for not making his move, for not fighting for her, for not smashing Renji's face into the ground.

Rukia was quiet, looking out over the hill, arms folded, locks of her ebony lifting in the wind. She was, without doubt, the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, the strongest and bravest too. He hated that Renji was the one who could tell her those things without fear of being kicked in the gut.
"He loves you. A lot," Ichigo said as he turned to her. Her expression remained unchanged.
"He does," was her reply. She still didn't look at him. She was so frustrating. Why couldn't she break his heart already so that he could get on with his life-his miserable life without her.
"Look, Rukia, you don't have to say anything. Renji talked to me about it yesterday. If you called me here to get my approval, then there you have it. I hope the two of you are very happy." He couldn't help the bitterness that seeped into his voice. He turned away then. He couldn't bear to look at her any longer.

"Ichigo, wait."
He paused, his back to her. Then he felt her hand on his arm. He turned toward her, and they were inches apart. She was too close, he needed distance, but his feet wouldn't move. Her eyes, her soul-stealing eyes, had him rooted to the spot.
"If you're gonna tell me that we can still be friends, I swear, Rukia, you may as well just kill me with my own sword."
He hadn't planned on saying that. He didn't even know he felt that way until the words tumbled out of his mouth.
"Ichigo," she started, her hand still on his arm. "This morning Renji confessed his feelings for me."
Ichigo tore his eyes from hers, the grass beneath his feet was suddenly very interesting.
"He then gave me choice. He told me that I had to decide between you and him."
Renji hadn't told him he was going to do that. He couldn't listen to this. Why did she think it was a good idea to even tell him this?

She stopped speaking then. And slowly, hesitantly, her hand slide from his arm to his hand. He picked his head up, his gaze moving between her face and their entwined hands.
"Rukia, what are you doing? Renj-" his voice was rough with emotion. He could barely speak. She stepped toward him, bridging the small distance between them. He held his breath.
She put her other on his chest, right over his heart. He was certain that she could feel it skipping beneath her fingertips. What was she doing?
She took a deep breath, looked him straight in the eyes, never blinking-not even once.
"It's you, Ichigo," she whispered, as if she were scared of the words.

Ichigo thought his legs might actually give way. What was she saying? He blinked furiously, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"What?" his voice, too, was just a whisper. "but Renji…don't you...I don't…I.." he couldn't find his words. Was this real? Was he really picking him over Renji?
"Ichigo Kurosaki, let me make this clear," she said, as if reading his mind, "I don't love Renji. Not like that, anyway."
He just stared at her, like an idiot, for the longest time. She had just picked him over Renji. Ichigo was afraid that his heart might actually beat out of his chest.
"Can you say something, please? Instead of just staring?" she demanded, in typical Rukia fashion.

Ichigo didn't know what to say, so he just dipped his head forward and kissed her. He had imagined this moment so many times, but nothing could prepare him for the reality of it. She pressed into him, leaving no spaces between them. Ichigo pulled back for a second, "Is this real? Do you really..." He rested his forehead on hers, both breathing a little too hard.
Rukia smiled, gently dragging her fingers down his chest. He shivered at her touch. Rukia Kuchiki would be the death of him.
"I could never imagine my life without you, Ichigo. I don't want to."
Ichigo kissed her again. This time, with more need and want, his hands in her hair, his heart in her hands.

That night, Rukia lay in Ichigo's arms. He was asleep, but every time she moved, he pulled her back to him. She looked at his sleeping form and smiled to herself. How could he ever think that she could love Renji? How could he not know, that every time he saved her, every time he taught her a new World of the Living thing, every time he argued with her, how could he not know that he was stealing away pieces of her heart?