Yandel, dominusalthus, WhiteSheWolf17, Rndd, Black Mice, purplepam (Rukia has long raven hair), Avalon360, Taiski, annia9semi, scottusa1, mcoyne, thank you for your reviews! :)

New chap is out! Enjoy!

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Operation dealing the nobility part 3

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From the last chapter: "Back atyour home…not mine. Here, in the Kuchiki manor we are must act in conformity with our etiquettes. Don't forget Ichigo, now we are both nobles and we—"

Ichigo rolled his eyes with boredom as another "The Kuchiki's are the most noble among the nobles" episode was about to begin. He left the room while she was still talking, too passionately to actually notice his absence. By the time she would the end of her speech, he'd probably be already asleep…in this own room.

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"Pssst!"

Rukia, half asleep already, heard him, but she didn't want to answer him, since he left her earlier, while she was right in the middle of wonderful speech regarding the greatness of the Kuchiki name.

"Pssst!"

No, she was decided to ignore him.

"Pssst!"

"What is it now, Ichigo?" she asked with a whispered, annoyed voice.

"It's not Ichigo!" a voice answered from the porch and she instantly got up as she recognized...

"Renji!" she hissed with a scolded voice. "What are you doing here?!" but the moment she approached him and noticed the worried expression on his face, she calmed down.

"I needed to see you," he said.

"Did something happen?" she asked worried.

"Well that's what I was hoping you could tell me."

She frowned confused but a second later she understood that he must be here because of the wedding rumors.

"Is it true, Rukia? That you… and Ichigo…"

She opened her mouth a couple of times, but no word came out. Somehow she founded difficult to admit in front of Renji that in less than two months she will be Ms. Kurosaki. She didn't know why, she just couldn't.

"But why, Rukia?" he asked as he took her silence as positive answer. "I mean you and Ichigo… you never were… or were you?"

"NO!" she intently replied and Renji's face suddenly enlightened.

"So I knew it!" he hissed. "There's no love in this marriage!"

Here again, she didn't answer. She didn't know why. She just couldn't.

"Then what's the catch? Why are you two getting married?"

She gasped.

"Renji, it's complicated… please don't ask why…" she answered with a low voice.

"But I am asking you, Rukia! Because I am worried about you! I mean, two weeks ago we were having fun and we were dirking and now out of nowhere the whole Seireitei it's gossiping about your wedding with Ichigo! Rukia we know each other since we were children…you never hid things away from me"

And those words let her without any reply. He was right. She couldn't lie or hide things from him. Renji was her only true and close friend, of course, apart from Ichigo…but Ichigo was different. She took a deep breath and came next to him on the porch.

"Listen Renji, I will tell you, but you have to swear to me that you won't blow a word to anybody! If you do, my life will be doomed!"

And after she said that, she began to tell him the whole story, starting from the day Byakuya invited Ichigo to lunch and told them about the Council decision. When she finished, Renji frowned slightly disappointed:

"I admit Taicho's relatives are crazy… but Taicho is a smart person, why would he choose Ichigo?"

Rukia looked into his eyes with a guilty expression.

"Actually, Nii-sama thought of you as well…before Ichigo accepted."

Renji's eyes widened with an enthused sparkle in them, making him look like an ecstatic puppy.

"He did? Well that's a great then!"

Rukia frowned confused.

"That means that you can marry me, Rukia!" he explained.

Her eyes widened worried.

"I mean think about it, Rukia. You don't want to marry Ichigo, right?"

She didn't answer, but as he was too enthused he didn't notice that.

"And this marriage will be only for appearances. Think about it Rukia, we know each other since we are children. We lived together before, so it won't be a problem to do it again!"

"Renji…there's no need. I mean, it's ok that I'm marrying Ichigo. Moreover the invitations had been already sent."

"So now you want to marry Ichigo?" he said displeased.

She opened her mouth, but she found herself speechless.

"Kami!" he hissed. "You do want to marry him!"

"I didn't say that!" she riposted.

"Then why don't you marry me? I mean obviously I can manage Taicho better than him and I know how to perform the tea ceremony since Taicho dragged me with him a couple of times before."

She smiled amused with the image of her bother and her childhood friend having tea together, but then she turned to Renji with a serious expression:

"Well Renji, I really appreciate it… but Ichigo is not that bad as it seems… I'm sure he will eventually get along with Nii-sama and he will also learn how to prepare tea…"

Renji frowned.

"So now you're taking his side!" he stated intrigued.

"I didn't say that!" she defended herself.

"But you are, Rukia!" he insisted and her cheeks suddenly turned red. When he noticed that blush, his face suddenly darkened and he bowed his chin.

"I think you like him Rukia…" he stated.

"What?!" she snapped. "No way!"

He smiled bitterly.

"You don't have to hide it, Rukia. And it's ok if that's what you want! But trust me, if he blows this I'll be in the shadows, waiting to take his place!" he concluded.

Her cheek turned even redder and all she could manage to say was, "Thank you!"

"Don't mention it, Rukia. Any friend would have done the same!" he answered and reached his arm putting it around her shoulders. Rukia smiled and returned his embrace, closing her eyes for a second and thinking of how blessed she was to have such carrying friend like him…but then she suddenly opened her eyes as she felt his body becoming tensed.

"Shit!" Renji whispered.

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Ichigo arrived in the room prepared for him, but his mind was still on Rukia's words.

"I really want to make this work".

Was it because she didn't want to disappoint Byakuya? Was it because she didn't want to disappoint herself? Or was it because she actually wanted to be happy next to him? After all, they were about to spend the rest of their lives together.

He put his head on the pillow and then he asked himself: if Rukia is trying so hard to make this work, what was he doing to support her? He remembered she told him that she was nervous about the tomorrow tea ceremony and the meeting he didn't care about it. It's true that Byakuya explained five times how he was suppose to mix those herbals, but the truth was that he didn't even listen to him. That was because he didn't find it important…while Rukia did.

He suddenly got up from the bed. He decided to also make this work, and if the tomorrow tea ceremony was that important, he will spend the rest of the night practicing the ceremonial. He exited the room and walked on the porch heading to Rukia's room. If he was about to learn about tea, the best person about after Byakuya, was her. He kept walking across the porch and when he approached her room he felt relieved to see that the lights were still on. He took another few steps closer, but then he suddenly stopped as any trace of expression disappeared from his face:

Rukia and Renji were on the porch, sharing a very intimate embrace.

"Shit! " he heard Renji whispering and then he saw Rukia turning, with her big eyes widening worried.

"Ichigo!" she hissed.

He didn't say anything.

"It's…It's not what it looks!" she immediately defended herself , pushing Renji away.

"It was just a friendly hug!" Renji confirmed.

Ichigo frowned and then, he finally opened his mouth:

"Well did I say anything? But usually the one who excuses himself is also the one who accuses himself."

"Ichigo, listen to me!" Rukia insisted.

"No, Rukia…" Ichigo replied calmly. "There's no need to excuse yourself. I'm sorry to bother you…I wanted to ask for your help in something but apparently it's not the right moment. Guess I'll see you in the morning! And you, Renji! I'll see you later!"

And after he said that her turned around walked away.

Rukia remained behind looking at him as he was furthering with big rushed steps and when she finally turned to Renji, he whispered to her with a bitter smile, "You must go after him"

"Thank you," was all that she said before she ran after him.

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Make this marriage work?! What marriage?! There was no marriage! It was just an agreement in order to stop her best friend to marry her brother. Just an agreement! Then why did he fell so angry when he saw her in Renji's arms? Why did he care so much? Why was he so disappointed tonight when he was announced that they will sleep in separate rooms tonight?

"Ichigo!"

He turned from the threshold of his room and saw Rukia was running to him.

"Why did you leave? Renji must be waiting for you," he said trying to sound casual.

"No, he's not!" she replied categorically. "Because he has no reason for that! What you saw, was just a friendly hug! He came because he was worried about me getting married so suddenly!"

"I bet he was!" he replied maliciously.

"Ichigo! " she scolded him, "He just wanted to make sure that I'm alright…and I told him that I'm happy to—".

"Rukia!" he interrupted her with a forced laugh. "You don't have to explain yourself in front of me! I mean, I'm not your real husband. Even if we are getting married, our relationship won't change! We will still be best friends!" he said, but as he heard himself speaking those words, he felt a sour taste feeling his mouth.

Rukia bowed her face.

"I see," she said with a low voice.

"I think you should go back to sleep …or to Renji… I mean, I want to get some rest, since tomorrow it's a big tea ceremony day, right?" he added trying to play cheerfully.

She nodded and he entered the room, pulling the sliding door. She saw him turning off the light. She heard him moving into bed but she felt like she couldn't move from that porch.

"You know, Ichigo…even if you are not a real husband… I will try to be a real fiancée," she said and then she slowly walked away.

Ichigo opened his eyes and turned the closed door.

"Real?...What do you mean by real?" he whispered, but no answer came back. Rukia was already in her room.

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Until next time, don't forget to review! :)