You asked for it, I wrote it. It's not very good, and the end is cheesy, but it's done. Read it and weep, for whichever reason you like.

I don't own the characters or any other recognisable feature from Bleach; I've just stolen the characters and am making them dance the little Anjita dance of fanfic romance.

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Morning Musings.

By La Anjita

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Ichigo kept his eyes on his cupboard door a few moments longer, chuckling, before closing them and leaning back into his pillow, still smiling. He hadn't laughed like that in a good week or two, what with the whole issue with the Bounto and the resulting battles. Heh, he wasn't even aware that Kuchiki Rukia could actually make a sound like that. Or, indeed, feel any inclination to touch him as she had been doing.

Ichigo sighed, reaching up to scratch his neck where Rukia's small fingers had travelled. He was really quite sensitive, especially around his neck. His father had always told him that Ichigo inherited this particular sensitivity from his mother. She had been, he'd been told, a woman with a remarkably fine-tuned sense of touch. It had made her very ticklish, as it did to Ichigo. His younger sisters had always enjoyed exploiting this fact and reducing their elder brother to a twitching, giggling pile on the floor. That is to say, they enjoyed it until he grew up some and became "mean", in Yuzu's words. It was only his family, though, that knew of Ichigo's little weakness…well, and Rukia, after tonight. Ichigo grinned slightly to himself; he had slept well and had been woken in quite a…pleasant…manner. As a result he was feeling rather relaxed. And so he should be, he mused as the warm haze of sleep faded; it wasn't him who ended up embarrassed as a result of his inherent sensitivity. Indeed, he was rather interested in seeing Rukia's…disposition…in the morning, considering that she'd been caught fondling her roommate in the dead of night.

He blushed at his own use of phrasing; she hadn't been 'fondling' him, exactly. It had been nice, though, the feel of cool fingers on his skin, feather light. Ichigo smiled again and opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. It was Saturday tomorrow, or today to be technical, and thus there was no pressing need to be up early. He didn't have anything planned either, his main intent was to stay in his room and finish his homework; he had most of it done already. Sighing, Ichigo closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Rukia woke later, unaware that she'd fallen asleep in the first place. Last night had been so embarrassing! She didn't know what had come over her. Honestly! Groping Kurosaki Ichigo! What had she been thinking? There was a part of her, however, that thought the humiliation was worth the experience. He wouldn't tell anyone after all, if she knew him, and she'd gotten to touch him so intimately. Ooh, but how could she possibly face him? There was no school today and thus no talkative group of girls to hide within.

Rukia gave herself mental slap. What are you talking about, Kuchiki Rukia? You're a Shinigami, a damn good one too, and you're worried about a little high school girl embarrassment? Really!

Steeling herself, Rukia pulled the cupboard door open a sliver, peeking hesitantly through the crack.

The room was empty.

Frowning, and slightly nervous that Ichigo may be pulling some prank; Rukia pulled the door open fully and slid out of the small space. She stood in the middle of the room. His bed was made and the pyjama bottoms he'd been wearing last night were sitting in the washbin. She blushed as she saw them, reminded of her actions last night.

He won't let me live it down. He won't tell anyone but he'll never leave it be.

Rukia sighed at the thought, resigned to the fate of being constantly humiliated. She cocked her head at a clattering sound from below her. She reached out with her senses and recognised the orange-haired Shinigami's reiatsu immediately. There was no trace of any of the other Kurosakis in the house. She stood still a moment, letting the feel of Ichigo's reiatsu wash over her; it was such an amazingly huge force, with immense strength swirling fiercely within it. And yet, it didn't hurt her senses a bit; it was warm, as if it recognised her. It showed his tender nature, so often masked by bravado and false severity.

'Hey Rukia! You gonna stand there cuddling my reiatsu all day?' His mocking voice jolted her out of her musings. She blushed again and growled, stomping downstairs towards where Ichigo's voice had come from. He was in the kitchen, stirring a pan of something. Rukia sniffed.

'Ramen?'

'Mmmhmm. You hungry?' He looked over his shoulder at her. Rukia knew exactly what he was going to say next. She headed him off.

'For ramen, yes thank you,' she said, emphasising her hunger for noodles – only – with a pointed look. He just smirked and turned back to the bubbling noodles. Rukia scowled and slumped into a chair…which she had to climb out of two seconds later when Ichigo asked her to fetch some bowls. When she next sat down, it was to a steaming bowl of noodles. Ichigo waved his chopsticks at her.

'Eat up.'

She nodded grumpily and picked up her own chopsticks.

'Thank you for the food,' she said, and dug in.

Silence reigned for a time as the two set about slurping up their noodles.

Rukia paused, looking up at Ichigo. 'Since when do you cook? I didn't know you could.'

Ichigo cocked his head and swallowed his mouthful. 'What made you think I couldn't?'

Rukia shrugged. 'You just don't seem like the culinary type is all.' She caught his smirk and knew it was the wrong thing to say. He shrugged back at her, a mock nonchalant look on his face.

'Well, you don't seem like the touchy-feely type but…' He trailed off, knowing Rukia made the connection. Said gigai-confined Shinigami blushed and scowled again.

'Shut up.'

'Your comebacks suck.'

'I said shut up!'

Ichigo laughed softly and went back to his breakfast, laughing eyes still on her. Rukia resolutely ignored him.

It wasn't long before the two bowls were empty. Ichigo had put them in the sink and headed back upstairs to his room, Rukia trailing behind him.

'Trying to catch me asleep again?'

Rukia fumed silently. Upon entering the other warrior's room, she immediately headed for 'her' cupboard, snatching up a book and leaning against the pillows, focusing all her attention on the words. But it wasn't working. She just couldn't think when she knew the other was there in that stupid, and very likely thoroughly thought out, button-up shirt with the top few buttons undone, silently mocking her as he leaned over his homework.

She groaned softly in frustration and pressed the book to her face.

'Distracted?' She looked up. He was smirking again. This time she actually growled, slamming the book closed. She met his amused gaze.

'Fine! Look, I'm sorry, okay? I disrespected your personal space and privacy and…and touched you without permission. I'm sorry. There! Will you leave me alone now?'

His eyes were confused.

'Sorry?'

And now she was confused as well.

'Yes, I'm sorry for all the reasons I mentioned just now and can't be bothered to repeat. There. Now just…shut up!'

He was still looking confused.

'Why're you sorry?'

Rukia sighed in growing anger; the fates hated her.

'Because I disrespected -'

'Do you see me complaining?'

That made her stop.

'What?'

'Do you see me complaining?' He repeated.

Wha -? Well no, but -?'

'There you are, then.' He went back to his homework. Maths, Rukia mused absently as her brain shut down out of sheer confusion.

'But…you didn't mind?'

He didn't look up. 'I just said that, didn't I?'

She went silent. Ichigo seemed to sense her confusion and turned to face her fully.

'You alright?'

'But…you're so shy around women.'

'Huh?'

Rukia seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts.

'If you didn't mind my…touching…you, then why have you been teasing me all morning?' She glared at him and he raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Then he grinned.

'Because it's too funny to watch you get all steamed up.'

Rukia could practically feel her jaw hitting the floor.

'So…you really didn't mind?' Ichigo was looking at her as if afraid for her sanity.

'Rukia, what -?'

She gathered her thoughts and shot them out in one burst before they had a chance to wander off again.

'How come you didn't mind what I did last night when you're so jumpy around women?'

Understanding seemed to click in Ichigo's head as he made a silent 'oh' with his mouth. Then he shrugged.

''Snot so bad around you.'

Rukia's feminine pride reared its head.

'What do you mean by that?'

'Eh?'

'That I'm not feminine enough?'

'What?'

'You go all red around pretty girls but with me it's okay?'

'Huh?'

The two stared, Rukia in anger and Ichigo in outright confusion. (Heh, clueless boys...no offence to boys, of course.)

'Rukia, I don't…wait…are you calling yourself ugly?'

Rukia roared inwardly in frustration.

''Cause you're not, you know.'

'So what did you mean by what you said earlier?'

'What did I say earlier?'

'Argh! Gods, Kurosaki! What's wrong with you?'

'Me? What's up with you? You're spouting rubbish! 'I'm ugly. I'm not ugly. I draw pandas badly.'' Ichigo paused, then looked suspicious. 'Wait a minute. You're doing one of those stupid girl things, aren't you? When you don't say what you mean and act all clever when I can't figure it out. That's what you're doing, right?'

'I am saying what I mean!'

'Then what are you saying?'

'Why are you so comfortable with me practically groping you last night when you get all embarrassed whenever a scantily clad woman swaggers past?'

Ichigo opened his mouth, but blushed and closed it. His voice was soft and, really, quite sad when next he spoke.

'You haven't figured it out?'

'What?'

Ichigo put his pen down on his desk and stood, walking across the room towards the other reaper of souls. He kneeled down and Rukia had just enough time to gasp in a breath before his lips covered hers. Ichigo deepened the contact, kissing her clumsily for a moment before gathering his bearings. Then he pulled away, slightly short of breath.

Rukia was finding it difficult to breathe altogether. She stared up at him, belated blush blooming (heh, lots of 'b's) on her pale cheeks as he took her chin gently in his large hand.

'I'm too used to thinking about you to be embarrassed,' he said softly.

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Thankies for reading and please review.

--La Anjita