Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
I hope everyone liked the first chapter! I put a ton of effort into it. Now, time for the second chapter! Hope ya like it and please review at the end. ^_^
Thank you to everyone who reviewed/fav'ed, it means a lot to me!
I'll and to update sooner than I've been doing in the past cause...well...it was pretty bad lol =P Anyway, I hope you like it!
Two
Clasp
Three Months Later
In the Human World...
"Strawberry! Come on! Hurry up! I can't wait around forever you know!" Rukia yells to the door while pounding on it furiously. She does this for another second, before Ichigo finally steps out of his house frowning as usual.
The day was warm and bright. October had caused the wind to come out from hiding, but the sun was still shining down on the town which caused it to be the most beautiful days in a long time. You could tell that summer had come and gone, but it was on days like this that everyone wished that they could just skip school and hang around.
But of course, life couldn't stop just because it was a nice day outside...
"Dammit Rukia. Can't ya shut up for a second?" He questions annoyed. Rukia throws him a glare.
"Well...if you'd hurry up..." She trails off while securing her bag over her shoulder.
Months have passed and Ichigo and Rukia became fast friends. They were always together, in school and out of it. They almost did everything together. It seemed as though they were already boyfriend and girlfriend. It was no surprise to Daisuke that they were already best friends though,he knew from the beginning that they clicked. It was as if God Himself used everything he had to make them for each other. It was too bad that they couldn't see it themselves.
Rukia had already had the devastating meeting with Ichigo's dad. Even thinking about it made her go red in face. It wasn't pleasant, but it was all too embarrassing. Both Ichigo and Rukia's cheeks were stained for a good two weeks.
"Oh! Look! My son has finally brought home a girl!" He said as he opened the door. Ichigo frowned and Rukia looked away.
"Shut up Dad," Ichigo muttered as he punched him the face. "She's just here to work on a freakin' project." Ichigo started to walk up the stairs followed by a pink Rukia.
"Don't forget about what I said about protection my son!" Isshin yelled from downstairs as he sprang up. Ichigo turned red in the face and then threw a glare at his dad.
"Shut. Up." He hissed slamming the door to his room after Rukia walked in.
They looked at each other in silence for a moment. Rukia couldn't take the quiet that surrounded them and finally cleared her throat and set her schoolbag down. She sat on his bed as if she lived here for years.
"Wh-Who said you could sit there!" Ichigo said angrily and Rukia shrugged.
"Why? Something wrong Strawberry?" She asked innocently.
"That's right son, get her!" Ichigo heard Isshin say through the door. He open the door and swiftly kicked his father in the face. "Nice...aim..." He muttered as he fell to the ground.
"Why the hell was I stuck with you?" Ichigo asked as he closed the door again.
Meanwhile, Rukia hopped off of the bed and walked toward the closet. She slowly opened the door and felt the familiar wood beneath her fingertips. When she finally got the door opened all the way and saw the futon, she swore she saw herself sleeping. Rukia jumped back like the closet had burned her.
"What the hell happened to you?" Ichigo asks jamming his hands into his pockets. Rukia ignored him and continued to stare intently at the empty closet.
Rukia raised one perfect midnight black brow at the closet curiously. There was something about this closet that made something in her flutter. It felt special to Rukia, she could tell, but this was the first time she had ever stepped foot into his house. How could it feel special to her? How could she feel like she had some kind of memories because of this small seemingly insignificant place?
She walked slowly back to it and peaked inside of it again. She could vaguely hear Ichigo's protesting, but she blocked it out. She looked around the small closet and found a tiny Chappy the Bunny picture on the wall. She pulled it off and turned to face Ichigo.
"What is this?" She asked.
"The hell? That's not mine, it has to be yours idiot!" Ichigo said before he could stop himself.
They just stared at each other, confused and shocked.
"What?" Rukia questioned not really sure of what was happening. Her mind was working on overtime. So meany thoughts had entered her brain at the same time and she struggled voice one of them. Ichigo awkwardly cleared his throat before answering.
"I meant...it's probably Yuzu's..." He corrected himself ignoring the slight nostalgic feeling he had deep within his gut.
"Yuzu's...?" Rukia questioned again and Ichigo nodded.
"Yeah. She probably stuck it in there when she was a baby." He said crossing his arms over his chest. "We...uh...better get started."
"Ah...yeah..."
Ichigo and Rukia finally make it to school as the first bell rings. Students start flurrying around them in the hallways, trying to make it to their classrooms in time. Ichigo and Rukia still walk at their normal pace though knowing that they wouldn't be late. Even if they were, why would it matter?
In Soul Society...
Daisuke sits underneath a tree with one hand behind his head as he lazily chews on a piece of hay. His other hand is twirling the hay while his eyes are closed peacefully just enjoying the sun and his day off. Everyday, it seemed like he checked on Rukia and Ichigo less and less and before he knew it, he was only checking on them once everyday. He just had to give them their memories back, and then he would've kept his promise.
"Let's go get lunch." He can hear Natsu's voice telling him. He cracks one eye open annoyed and turns his head. "Come Dai! Please?" She begs.
"Don't call me Dai." He says coolly. Natsu huffs and places her hands on her hips.
"When did you become such a meanie?"
"If I say yes, will ya stop buggin' me?" Daisuke asks turning his head back towards her. He looks at Natsu's annoyed face and he can't help but grin. "Is that a yes or a no Natsu?" He asks her.
"Fine." She mutters pulling him up.
They both start to walk towards a tiny local café that they both love. Daisuke walks relaxed with his hands under his head while Natsu walks with an oomph in her step. Her bright hair swings relentlessly with each step she takes.
"So...how is your little mission going?" Natsu asks and Daisuke hardly glances at her and shrugs. "You're not gonna answer the question?" Daisuke shakes his head and she frowns. "Why?"
"What the hell is the point? Yer just gonna make some smart-ass comment and then ramble on and on about how I shouldn't be doin' it."
"No I won't!" Natsu replies annoyed. "It just so happens that I'm actually interested."
Daisuke raises an eyebrow at her, "really?"
She gives him a single nod. "Yes. Because if you get caught, who am I going to bother? I have to make sure that no one finds out. I gotta protect you." She says with a bright smile and then skips along in front of Daisuke. "Come on Dai! You're so slow and I'm hunnnnnngry!"
Natsu races on ahead, but Daisuke stays back walking in his leisurely pace. He shakes his head and grins a little, She's so weird.
Just as Daisuke enters the café, Natsu has already claimed a table and is swinging her legs as she looks at the menu. Daisuke goes and sits in front of her as he runs his fingers in his hair. He eyes Natsu.
"What the hell're you doin'?"
Natsu looks up from the menu and blinks innocently, "picking out what I want."
"Don't ya always get the same damned thing?" He asks her and she shrugs.
"I want to change it up a bit. Why? Got a problem?" Natsu asks jokingly with a smile and Daisuke rolls his eyes.
The waiter comes by and asks for their order. Natsu is still going over the menu as Daisuke orders his food. After another minute, he sighs and looks at the waiter.
"One plate of sushi with extra soy sauce." He tells the waiter and the waiter walks away after placing the drinks on the table that Natsu had already ordered before.
"How did you know I wanted that? Can you read minds?" Natsu's eyes widen at the possibility and then she snickers.
"You always get the sushi, you idiot." Daisuke says and Natsu smiles and rests her chin on her folded hands looking at Daisuke who is obliviously sipping his drink.
After lunch, Natsu says goodbye to Daisuke quickly before sauntering off. She walks quickly down the division heading for her room.
It's a quiet day in Soul Society. Since Aizen's defeat, everyone has been able to sit back and relax for a while. The sun seemed to shine brighter and the air was a bit more refreshing. Natsu couldn't help but breathe it in as she walked and hummed along.
"Oh! Hiya Renji!" Natsu calls when she sees him walking out of his room.
Renji turns back and gives her a little wave as Natsu runs up to him. Renji has been sadder since Rukia's death. He wishes that he could've had a chance to say goodbye. As Natsu approaches the red-head, she notices the somber look on his face and her smile falls a little.
"Today...is the day isn't it?" She asks him and Renji nods.
"Yeah. I'm just headin' over to the grave. You wanna come?" He asks her and Natsu nods and they both start walking in silence.
Natsu didn't really know Rukia. They weren't ever friends. They met by chance and would smile. She met Ichigo too, but they really weren't friends either. Yet, it was still sad when she died because when anybody dies, it's sad. It doesn't matter if Natsu knew Rukia or not, she still felt sad when she heard about her death.
When they get there, Natsu notices the fresh flowers on the gave and the small Chappy the Bunny doll that rests against the tombstone. Natsu looks away as Renji says, "Hey Rukia."
Natsu really wants to tell Renji that Rukia is fine. That she's seen her. That she's with Ichigo and that she's happy. But Natsu knows that she can't. It is against the law to help a human remember their past life and it is against the law to make the humans he or she came into contact with them remember who they were.
She told Daisuke that she'd protect him, but she hates seeing anyone sad. It makes her sad too and Natsu is a happy-go-lucky type person. She looks at the world at the glass-is-half full kind of way and as she crouches down to look at Rukia's tombstone, she looks up at Renji. He has his hands stuffed into his pockets and his eyes are sad as he stares onward.
It makes her think of her own sister. The sister who she loved more than her own life. The sister who died protecting her.
"Natsu! Natsu!" She yelled. "Run! Hurry go!"
"I can't leave you!" Natsu cried as the burning hut fell around them. Natsu's whole body was racked with a cough as she breathed in the fumes of the bright red flames around her. She felt her whole body grow warm and all she wanted to do was sleep.
"You have to! Go! I'll be alright! I'll find you!" Natsu's sister promised her, her eyes pleading with Natsu to leave.
"But-but...Nee-san!"
"GO NATSU!" She commanded.
Natsu stood up shakily and ran as far and as fast as she could. She run out of her burning house, out of the district and out of that place. She ran and ran until she felt her legs give out and she fell to the ground. She heaved and she sobbed. Even though she was young, she knew what had happened. Her Nee-san wasn't coming back. She was dead and now...now Natsu was truly alone.
It just so happened that Natsu became the same thing that killed her sister: a shinigami.
Coming back from her revive, Natsu looks up and tries to blink away the tears that she had repressed for so long. She sees Renji says his final thoughts, his fire-engine red ponytail flailing carelessly in the wind. Renji looks down at Natsu and gives her a tiny smile, not noticing her glistening eyes. Natsu returns the smile wholeheartedly. Renji places his large hand on Natsu's shoulder and squeezes it once before turning and leaving.
Natsu lingers at the grave site a little while longer remembering her own loss.
She thinks about her sister...and then her mind wanders to Daisuke and how he was risking his life for two people that lost each other. Two people who loved each other. Then one question pops into her head: if she had a way to find her sister and help her would she? The answer comes to her right away, of course. But...wasn't that what Daisuke was doing? How come she was so against what he was doing then? Was it because he was putting his life on the line for people he didn't even know too well?
Natsu sighs heavily and stares up at the sky, not sure of what to do anymore.
*-*-*-*-*
"Dammit! What the hell do ya want Natsu? I can't even get some sleep can I?" Daisuke mutters heading over to his door. He opens it swiftly, and as soon as he sees the look on Natsu's face, his anger melts away and he steps back and lets her in. Her face was contorted into something he had forgotten could be on her face. Sadness, fear, pain, confusion. Daisuke didn't know what to do and how to handle any of it. He could almost feel her emotion's emitting off of her like a wave and crashing down right into Daisuke. He was beginning to feel what she was feeling and it made his head spin.
Natsu walks in quietly and sits down on Daisuke's bed while looking down at her feet.
"Oi...Natsu..." Daisuke says standing in front of her, not really sure what to do. He reaches his hand towards her, but drops it back to his side. "Natsu...what's wrong?"
She looks up at him uncertainly. "We're friends right?" She asks. "Best friends?"
"...'Course..." He replies, not really sure where she's going with this.
Natsu furrows her eyebrows, deep in thought, but doesn't say anything.
"Ya wanna tell me what's up?" Daisuke asks. Natsu takes in a big breath.
"Daisuke...I...You...This thing...I went..." Natsu trails off and sighs heavily. She closes her mouth, but then opens it again only to close it. Natsu shakes her head and smiles looking up at Daisuke. "Sorry for bothering you Grumpy-pants. You better not be late for work! I don't wanna have to do all the work again!" She giggles jumping off of the bed.
"He-hey! Natsu! Slow yer ass down! Wait!" Daisuke says, but she's already out the door. He looks onward worriedly. He hates to admit it, but he's worried about Natsu. She's never been like that before.
"What the hell was that?" He mutters to himself.
In the human world...
"The answer to that is one!" Rukia yells at Ichigo as they're sitting in her room doing homework. Ichigo frowns at her.
"I don't think so midget." Ichigo says and Rukia throws her pencil at his face. "No need to get so violent." Ichigo grins and Rukia sticks her tongue out at her. "By the way, we're supposed to be doin' our Science project, not your math homework."
"Have some patience Ichigo. I'm almost done." Rukia says retrieving her fallen pencil and going back to work. After another minute, Rukia finishes her homework and her and Ichigo start on their project.
"Okay shortie, how tall did your plant grow?" He asks her while getting up and going over to the window where her potted plant is.
Rukia rushes over to it and stands in front of it like a protective lioness ready to pounce. "Do. Not. Go. Near. It." She hisses at him and Ichigo is taken back.
"Why not..." He trails off as he figures out what had happened and then he breaks into a chuckle. "It didn't grow!" He says grinning fully.
"Hey!" Rukia protests, "my mom just forgot to water it!"
"Sure! Blame your mom! You forgot!" Ichigo's grin spreads and then he calms down and shakes his head. "I should've known. Short girl, short plant." That little comment earned him a swift and painful kick to the shin.
"Shut UP carrot top! It's not like yours did any better!" Rukia shouts furiously back.
"Yeah it did. Mine grew."
"Fu-" Rukia stops mid-curse as the door starts to open. Ame pokes her head in.
"Hey! I'm home and-" She stops and then glances at Ichigo, "who's the boy?" Rukia turns pink at her mother's implications.
"No! No! No! It's nothing like that Mom, he's just a stupid strawberry."
Ame raises an eyebrow, "he doesn't look like a strawberry...well...now he does...his cheeks are all red..."
"Mom!" Rukia says embarrassed. Ame stops and looks away sheepish. After minute, she opens the door fully and then walks in holding her hand out.
"Hi, I'm Ame. Sorry about that."
Ichigo clears his throat, "Ichigo." He replies shaking her hand.
"Well, it's nice to meet to you, Ichigo." Ame turns away from the two embarrassed teens. "Now she's bringing boys home...what's next...?" Ame mutters to herself as she walks out of the door as she closes it behind her.
It's quiet between Ichigo and Rukia until Ichigo coughs and looks down at his watch. "Uhh...I should go. I'll see ya tomorrow shorty." He says and gets up off of the floor and so does Rukia only to kick him in the shin.
"Bye carrot top." She grins and Ichigo glares at her and he leaves her room.
Rukia stand in the middle of her room for a second before yawningly loudly. She decides to take a quick nap before resuming her dreaded homework. Rukia closes the lavender curtains in her room and crawls into bed pulling the covers over herself. She turns onto her side and closes her eyes and slowly drifts off into sleep.
It's raining hard. The grass I'm sitting on is wet and there are mud puddles. Ichigo's head is in my lap. It feels...comfortable though...not awkward. He's...asleep? Unconscious? He's dressed in black with socks and sandals. There's a large sword next to him gripped in his hands. It's black and white. I brush my fingers through his soft spikes.
"Thank you for not dying Ichigo." I mummer to his unconscious form.
Then my hands start to glow green and as if by magic, his cuts and wounds start to slowly close up. And I can only feel one emotion...
Rukia's wakes up breathing hard. There's sweat pouring down her face and she glances at clock. A little past six in the evening. Rukia shakily gets out of bed half expecting Ichigo to be in her room. She walks out of her room trying to calm herself down.
She gets to the living room where Ame is. She's working on a new article and is typing away on her silver laptop. She glances up at her daughter. "Hey sweetie. Took a nap?"
"Ye-yeah." Rukia replies shakily and then clears her throat while getting herself a glass of water.
"Rukia...this boy-"
"Ichigo." She automatically corrects and the mentally slaps herself. Stupid.
Ame looks at Rukia curiously, but nods. "Ichigo. Are you two...dating?" Rukia looks at her mom.
"No." She states simply while her cheeks start turning light pink. Rukia starts to walk back to her room. Ame is quiet for a second before asking,
"Do you want to?"
Rukia stops in her tracks as the dream floods back to her. One emotion she felt...his head on her lap...She just stands there mauling over her feelings. She tells herself that she doesn't. That's it's the most ludicrous assumption her mother has ever made. But she can't help but feel a tiny spark inside of her.
"He's just a friend Mom." Rukia says. "I still have homework to do."
"Rukia! You didn't answer my-!" She hears her daughter close the door to her room, "question..."
In Soul Society...
Natsu sits in front of the large screen watching as Rukia resumes her homework. She has her knees up to her chest as she rests her chin on the tops of her knees. That same annoying questions still run through her mind: if I had a way to find my sister and help her would I? Even if it put my life at rise? Would I help Daisuke and put my life on the line too?
"Yo..."
Natsu turns and when she sees Daisuke, she jumps up and clasps her hands behind her back and smiles. "Well. Well. Look who didn't sleep until dark." Natsu says with a smile plastered on her face. "Thanks to you Mr. Lazy Ass, I was here doing eevvveerrryyything for you. You owe me ice cream!" She says poking Daisuke's nose and he catches her wrist. "Daisu-"
"You wanna tell me what the hell is wrong?" He asks.
"Nothing's wrong." Natsu says blinking. "I'm fine."
"Don't give me that bullshit Natsu."
Natsu sighs heavily and pulls her wrist away from Daisuke's grasp. "Re-really, Daisuke. Everything is fine." Natsu tries to convince him and Daisuke frowns.
"Natsu! Just stop it!" He growls at her." Drop yer freakin' act! You know I can see right through that!"
Natsu doesn't flinch back or move away or anything. She merely keeps looking at him, her eyes darting back and forth to his. They both stare at each other for a long time before she sighs so softly that Daisuke isn't sure if he really heard it,
"...Look..." She starts, speaking a little above a whisper. Her bright hair blows in the wind and she turns her hands into small fists of frustration at her side. "I don't even really know what's going on with me." She confesses turning away from him. "I want to...support you and I want to be in this with you...but..." She bites her lip. "I don't know."
"Natsu..."
"I...thought about my sister today and I thought about if this were her, would I be doing what you are? And...I know I would! Without hesitating at all!" She turns to Daisuke, her eyes filled with worry. "But! I just can't let anything happen to you Daisuke! I just can't!" She can feel the tears in her eyes. She only cries in front of Daisuke. She only shows her weakness in front of him. Only him...
"Idiot." Daisuke says placing a hand on top of her head and messing with her hair. "I'm gonna be just fine. Why the hell are you wasting yer energy worrin' 'bout me?" He grins. "Ya don't have anythin' to be scared of. I ain't goin' anywhere."
"Bu-but if they find you-!"
"They won't." He promises her, his eyes burning. "And if they do, they'll be thankin' me not killin' me. They won't admit it, but we need both of 'em here."
"Daisuke..."
"Now quit yer cryin'." He says wiping the last of her tears. "Ya gotta get back to work."
Natsu smiles up at her best friend.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"All Shinigamis! Please report to the mess hall! I repeat..."
Daisuke looks up and then turns to Natsu who is looking at him equally confused. "What's freakin' goin' on?" He questions out loud and out of the corner of his eye, he sees Natsu shrug. They both get up and walk towards the mess hall.
It's a large white room with nothing in it besides a stage with chairs on it representing the divisions. When Daisuke and Natsu get there, all the shinigamis are already there. The captains are seated in their respective chairs and Yamamoto is already up at the podium.
"What do you think this is about?" Natsu asks.
"I have no damn idea." He mutters back.
Yamamoto starts speaking after clearing his throat. "Shinigamis! It seems that there is a threat to Soul Society that we must eliminate and this time, we cannot rely on the powers of Kurosaki Ichigo..."
Natsu and Daisuke look at each other, both thinking the same thing...
Back in the human world...
"Hey cupcake." Ichigo says in the morning when he sees Rukia sitting her desk. She turns towards him and gives him an automatic grin.
"Carrot top." Rukia replies and Ichigo sits down next to her and she sees his smirk and her eyes narrow. "What?"
"Got your science report done?" He asks. "Or did you not have anything to write about since your plant only grew about an inch." Rukia's cheeks begin to burn, and she opens her mouth to retaliate, but Ichigo cuts her off. "Oh, it didn't grow an inch." He says as if it's an afterthought and Rukia closes her mouth, feeling satisfied. "It didn't grow at all!"
"YOU DAMN STRAWBERRY!" Rukia explodes while Ichigo tries to suppress his laughter. She smacks him on the back of his head with her textbook and Ichigo angrily rubs the sore spot.
"Hey! Don't hit me! It's not my fault your plan didn't grow!" He yells back at her.
"Oh yes it is!" Rukia says matter-of-factly as she plants her fists on her hips and stands up. "My plant saw your ugly head too much that it died! You killed my plant!"
"The hell?!" Ichigo muttered angrily clenching his own fists as he stands up. "Damn midget..."
Rukia's eyebrow twitches. "I am not a midget Mr. Big Orange Giant!"
Ichigo merely grins back as the school bell rings.
I hope you liked chapter 2!
Please review!