Happiness and Pain
"Dollop"
By Nessie
Rukia didn't much like the cappuccinos Ichigo would stop to get on the way to school during the fall and winter months. Her palate was like a five-year-old's – no coffee, just milkshakes or juice that, despite all his efforts, Ichigo could not train her to poke into herself.
Which meant taking time to do it for her, which mean his cappuccino losing heat, which left him irritated as hell, etc.
The solution to this problem Rukia offered on an ordinary Thursday morning was one Ichigo had to suck in his cheeks to keep from laughing at. "Just order a dollop of whipped cream on top of it."
"I don't like whipped cream," he told her shortly. Mist puffed from her mouth in the icy air. She fisted her gloved hands on her hips and scowled at him.
"It's so both of us are happy," Rukia said as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "The whipped cream will, you know, insulate your coffee. Keep the warmth in."
The look he afforded her was one of utter disbelief. "I really don't think that's gonna—"
But she had already motioned for the barista to add a dollop of whipped cream onto his coffee. Ichigo went along, inwardly mourning for his (in his estimation) ruined cappuccino. "It makes it too sweet," he started to grumble.
It was her turn to laugh, but she made no show of hiding it, inconsiderate little sprite that she was. But, to Ichigo, damnably cute with her cheeks pink from the cold.
"Open my juice, Ichigo."
He sighed, relenting because he knew that if he didn't she would only keep pestering him until he impaled the little box with the straw. He did so quickly, taking his cappuccino and wishing he had stopped the barista from adding the whipped cream.
"Now, pass me your cup." Obediently, he lowered the to-go plastic coffee cup to her level. She attacked it, her tongue swirling over and around the rim of the cup in…interesting ways. Per normal of teenage boys, he felt instantly agonized. Ichigo's eyebrows darted up and didn't come down until she looked up at him, the cream completely gone. "It's not bad at all," Rukia upheld. "Try it!"
"How can I try it," he demanded in annoyance, a little sad that it was all gone, "when you just ate it all?" She gave him his answer by yanking hard on the trailing end of his scarf until he was bent over, and she rose on tiptoe to fuse her lips to his. Traces of sweetness coated her lips, and Ichigo found something definitely likeable about the taste.
"See?" Rukia queried when he straightened, clouds of breath rushing out.
The grin he gave her suggested that he had overcome his suffering, though the way Rukia smile back only increased it tenfold. "Order a bigger dollop tomorrow."