Drabble #5
Keyitem: a carousel
Title: Break Time
Wordcount: 290
Authors: Mizu and The Rose Society
Out of the corner of his eyes, Ichigo noticed that Rukia was sitting on one of the horses in the nearby carousel. "Oi," he grunted.
Rukia lifted her eyebrow. "Yes?"
Ichigo pointed at the carousel with his zanpakuto. "Tired? I TOLD YOU—"
A flying object, thrown by his wife, cut Ichigo off. "My ankles are just a little swollen, is all." She gracefully tugged on the sleeves of her shinigami robes. "It is amazing that the perverted shop keeper's fully adjustable gigai even has swollen ankles like my spirit form. I had hoped to have a reprieve while in my gigai."
"Here, let me look at that," Ichigo said gruffly. "But this is all your fault – I told you to stay behind to rest, but would you listen to me, nooo—" He scooped her up in his arms, and placed her on a stationary seat on the carousel. Propping her feet up on his knees, he began to gently knead her sore calves.
Rukia glared at him, her elephant-ankles adding further to her irritation. "Don't make me remind you that you had just as much participation in the making of our child just as much as I did. If anything, you should have swollen ankles too," she said airily, aiming at his ankles with the hilt of her zanpakuto. His legs dodged her attack, but all the same, he never stopped applying gentle pressure to her legs.
"Ichigo?" She sighed, forgetting why she was annoyed with him as his fingers soothingly rubbed sore ankles.
"Mmm?"
"I love you."
He paused in his ministrations to smile at her. "Yeah, I know."
He knew that he loved her too. Swollen ankles, rounded belly, irritated disposition, strange food cravings and all.
To be continued.