VI. Calling You


I woke up this morning feeling like jelly.

Literally.

Something smelled like it was burning and I lazily sat up from my uncomfortable position on the couch. Rukia was in front of me with her back to me.

She was sitting with her knees up and her butt on the armrest of the couch. I couldn't exactly tell what the heck she was doing, but she was somewhat hunched over and holding something like a brush in her right hand.

"Ichigo, if you even move this couch just a little bit and mess up my nail polish I'm going to kill you." Rukia growled, still hunched over and not bothering to turn to face me.

Wait a minute, Rukia, painting her toenails? That never happened.

I moved on the couch anyway causing her to teeter a bit. "What's burning?"

"You if you don't quit moving. Now stop." Came her angry reply.

Even though I felt like cooked spaghetti I tried to lift my body and then fall back down, causing the couch to shift a little. It kind of worked. Sort of.

Rukia ended up standing on the armrest, wobbly, holding her foot and nail polish in one hand.

I'm sure if she could she would've kicked me if it weren't for the fact that both her feet were in use.

"Damn it Ichigo, what the hell did I say?" Rukia was wearing a nice fitting skirt that had frills along the bottom of it and stopped just above her knee, and a light purple blouse.

She looked as if she was gonna go on a date, but that rarely ever happened unless she was with me. Most of the time whenever someone asked Rukia out she'd say no because she always guessed what kind of personality they had.

Her hair was sloppily pulled back in a ponytail but only so her hair wouldn't get in her face at the moment.

"Again Rukia, what the hell is burning?" I repeated.

Rukia jumped off the armrest and landed with one foot onto the floor, walking to the stove and turning it off. "Nothing."

I growled at her under my breath.

She hopped on one foot over to the couch and ordered me to get off.

"No." I said.

"Get off or else you'll find nail polish on your eyes."

"No."

-

I ended up with purple nail polish on my eyelids.

To try and make Rukia happier, I painted her toenails for her.

"So where are you going shorty?" I asked, trying to sound casual and not too pushy.

She looked up at me and glared. "None of your business Strawberry."

"Hey look, I'm the one painting your toenails aren't I?" I said, as I did another toe carefully. "I should at least know why I'm doing this."

Rukia seemed as though she were contemplating on what to say, and then flat out said, "No."

I blew hot air through my nose. "That seems to be used a lot today."

She gave a small sigh and barely audibly whispered, "I know."

It was more like she mouthed it.

"What was that? I can't read lips you know." I said, raising my eyebrow at her.

"Nothing ya dork."

I scowled. "I am not a vulgar slang word for penis."

Rukia couldn't help but give a muffled laugh.

"Okay Ichigo, I'll be back by eight thirty." Rukia peeped her head out of the tiny opening of the door. "Later Strawberry."

I gave a small smile as Rukia shut the door. "Bye Midget."

It's only been about two hours without Rukia.

That's fine.

Two hours isn't that long.

…. I guess.

Just a week ago Rukia caught me with a very pretty girl named Mai. I wasn't sure if Rukia was angry with me for it though.

I… it's just…something about Rukia seemed kind of sad after that incident.

And the only reason I was making out with some chick on Rukia's couch was because um… let's just say a man has his needs.

Or no, a man needs his needs. And I needed them.

And I couldn't take them out on Rukia, she'd just beat me up and get angry with me.

So don't blame me, blame my manly needs.

Luckily though, after the incident, things didn't get awkward between us. In a way she was still the same, but like I said, she seemed sadder.

Clearly, being who I am, I couldn't figure out the reason.

My possible reasons were:

1. She didn't want to come home and clean the cushions.

2. She was on her period.

3. She had a bad day.

4. She was jealous of Mai's boobs.

5. She was angry with me for making out on her couch with Mai.

I stretched out on the couch and yawned. There was nothing to do without Rukia around. Urgh, why couldn't I take her out to eat somewhere?

Loudly, I groaned and got up off the couch to go out and find Rukia.

Going outside I almost froze my ass off so I went back in and grabbed my coat.

I guessed that she'd be in the city. I remember her mentioning something about this Italian restaurant, but I didn't really pay attention because she was talking about some guy that I didn't want to hear about.

Street lamps and lights inside restaurants brightened up the dark streets and sidewalk that I was walking on. Most of them were decorated with holiday things, like red ribbons and wreaths.

-

Acting like a weird stalker, I looked through every window of every store or restaurant to try and find Rukia.

It wasn't until practically the thirtieth shop window I looked through that I found her sitting with some guy in the Italian restaurant Buca di Beppo.

Something weird and funny feeling hit my chest and I swallowed when I saw them sitting together, talking to each other.

Hesitantly, I opened the door to the restaurant and walked in, the bell at the top of the door ringing.

When I walked into the restaurant no one but the people near the door noticed me. Rukia seemed to be engrossed in her conversation with whomever the hell she was talking to.

And in a way that kind of pissed me off.

"Can I help you?" Asked a young girl that walked up to me out of nowhere.

I looked down and blinked at her.

"Table for one?" She asked.

I turned to look at Rukia who finally spotted me after about thirty seconds; her eyes bugged out and panicked. Embarrassed, she took her menu and covered her face with it, thinking that I didn't see her.

I laughed out loud, causing the girl in front of me to blush and raise her eyebrows.

"C'mon Rukia, you know I saw you, put the stupid menu down." I said, casually walking to her table and away from the girl.

The man who sat across from her asked her something and turned to look at me, gesturing me to come closer.

"What are you doing?" Rukia asked him confused, face red and angry, not turning to me.

She was prettier than what I remember from two hours ago.

"May I ask who you are?" Requested the guy, staring at me.

I blinked at him. "I'm Rukia's bitch." I said bluntly, earning a hard hit from the menu Rukia was holding and a bewildered look from the man who sat across from her.

"N-no he's not!" Rukia stuttered out, her cheeks a dark pink. "H-he just lives with me!"

Something hit my gut and I frowned at her. She was telling the truth though, but it just didn't sound right to me.

I turned to face the guy, putting my elbow on Rukia's head and messing up her hair.

Rukia didn't make a motion to move my arm; she just sat there and blushed, scowling with her hands cupping the sides of her face.

"So who the hell are you?" Came my rude question to the guy in front of her. Rukia growled at me.

"Seiji Nomura." He said, clearing his throat and fixing his tie.

Seiji looked clean and well kept, wearing a somewhat casual suit and a regular tie. He looked extremely professional and fake.

Already I didn't like him…and his hair sucked.

"This is the kinda guy you decided to pick Rukia? I mean yeah, I knew you were gonna go for some fancy guy, but him?" Rukia elbowed me in the stomach, making me bend over and clutch it, groaning.

"Excuse me for a minute, will you Seiji?" Rukia asked him, sitting up and trying to smile and be polite, instead of whoop my ass in front of him and the other people in the restaurant.

I mockingly waved at him and followed Rukia who was walking away quickly.

Once we were near the bathrooms and out of view of from Seiji she hit me in the nose. Or no, more like punched me in the nose.

"What the hell Rukia? That hurt, and my bruise from the last time you hit me just recently finished healing and now you gave me another one!" Instead of hitting me again for yelling at her, she rubbed her temples and shut her eyes.

"Are you trying to ruin this date for me?" She asked angrily.

"So this is a date?" I asked her curiously.

Why the heck would she be on a date with that guy?

Rukia opened her eyes, looked up at me and blinked. "What, no? I said it was a date? Well then no, it's not."

I raised my eyebrow at her. "Are you okay?"

She sighed deeply and leaned into me. "No, I'm not. You're giving me a headache Ichigo."

I smiled and shook my head, leaning down to kiss the side of her eye softly. I've kissed her before, but never on the mouth, that's too personal. She'd kill me if I did that. It's always been on the side of her face, or her eyebrow and neck. "You so sure it's me? Maybe it's the guy you're having dinner with? I mean he doesn't even seem that friendly."

Rukia laughed, making my lips that were on the side of her face to move to the side of her forehead. "He was until you came along idiot."

She wasn't angry with me, so that was a good thing. Except, for some reason I felt the need to apologize to her about the Mai and I making out on her couch thing.

I did apologize the day after it happened, but this time, it felt like I was apologizing for a different reason.

"Rukia?" I asked, moving my lips back down to the side of her eye and just staying there, taking in the smell of her ebony hair.

"Hmm?" She inquired, smiling and not moving an inch.

For a moment it was silent, and then I finally, and sincerely, said "Sorry."

Rukia turned to look up at me, removing her head from my lips. "For what?"

I looked up at the ceiling and pretended to be thinking. "Stuff."

We ended up leaving the guy at the restaurant.

Rukia apologized over and over and promised that she'd reschedule their "date".

"You didn't drive here?" She asked me as we started walking,hugging her body and shivering. The idiot only decided to wear a light sweater that was designed for spring, not winter.

"No, is that a problem?" I said roughly, sounding tough.

She raised a slim eyebrow at me and frowned. "Actually that is a problem. A lady as myself is turning into a popsicle and can't stand walking in these heels that make me seem taller than I actually am. So it would've been a good idea to bring your car if you were planning on coming and getting me."

I scowled down at her. "Look Miss Bossy, what if I wasn't planning on coming and getting you?"

Rukia gave a displeased look. "Then why did you come inside the restaurant and get me?"

"I said if, Rukia, and I did because I wanted to."

"Well did you want me to freeze as well?"

"No, I wasn't expecting you to actually wear something that skimpy in winter."

"Skimpy?" Rukia said the word as if it were an STD. "The outfit I am wearing, Ichigo Kurosaki, is not skimpy."

I snorted and looked on ahead. "Then why else are you cold?"

"Why? Because I didn't expect it to be this cold!" Came her immediate, frustrated response.

"Hello Rukia! There's a reason it's called winter! You don't see people walking around in short shorts and skirts now do you?"

Rukia gave a bitter laugh. "Ha, you're girlfriends seem to say otherwise Ichigo!"

"Hey look, they're not my girlfriends and they aren't any of your business!"

Rukia sucked in an angry breath. "None of my business? Excuse me but they seem to be in my apartment quite a lot! And anything that is in my apartment is clearly my business!"

I made an irritated noise and refused to look at her. I wasn't angry with her though; I was actually kind of amused.

It was silent for a moment between us and Rukia sniffed.

"I'm cold Ichigo." She said, sounding like a little kid. "And my feet hurt." She stopped walking and crossed her arms.

I turned back to look at her and she was wiping her nose, her cheeks pink from the chill in the air.

Hot air blew out my mouth, looking like smoke, and I told her to take her shoes off.

Reluctantly, and without question, she did so and I took my coat off, handing it to her and feeling the cold air nip at me.

"C'mon midget, get on." I said, as I lowered myself so she could get on my back.

She got on my back and I could feel the warmth radiating off of her body, sending goose bumps to invade my bare arms.

"Take my shoes." She ordered.

I sighed deeply and took them.

"You try walking and staying in them for more than two hours." Rukia replied tempestuously to my deep sigh, adjusting herself on my back.

I grunted and started walking to our apartment.

"Wait, wait!" She shouted in my ear, causing me to halt and have my ear ringing. "I want Auntie Anne's!"

"What about Starbucks?"

"I got fired from there, now come on, I want some pretzels."

"You got fired? How are we gonna pay the bills? When did this even happen? And why did this happen?"

Rukia slapped my head and told me to keep walking. I did so and she started explaining. "Apparently I was too much of an angry person to work there, and look, that was a part time job dummy. Remember? I still get to walk Sally and Hina, and all the other dogs. And I also just got a part time job as a daycare kindergarten helper. Geez Ichigo, you don't remember me telling you this at all?"

"You're gonna work as a daycare kindergarten helper? Why would you want to work with little kids?" When in holy hell did this happen?

"Because they're extremely adorable and loveable." She said, as she moved her arms from my shoulders to the area near my throat.

My breath hitched and my heart felt like it sped up too much for me to handle.

"Ichigo where are you going? You just walked right past Auntie Anne's." Came Rukia's angry and confused voice behind me.

"Oh." I said, blinking and walking backwards.

"Drop me." She said, waiting for me to let go of her.

Unwillingly, I dropped her down and she walked into the store with no shoes on, and ordered a cinnamon sugar pretzel for herself and an original for me.

I stared at her as she ate parts of her pretzel while walking. She was drowning in my coat, except, part of me thought she was too cute in it and that she should take it off before a guy comes up and talks to her, and part of me was happy to see her in something of mine in public.

She has worn stuff of mine before, but only in the apartment.

"Aren't you gonna eat yours?" Rukia asked me, finishing half of her pretzel and starting to walk slower.

"I'll save it for later." I said, beginning to walk ahead of her.

She shrugged and walked in step with me, still barefoot.

"Do you want warts or something Rukia?

She blinked. "What? Of course not, why would you ask that?" Rukia seemed to be confused as hell, not even looking at her feet.

"You kind of have no shoes or socks on Rukia, and who knows what's been on this concrete, plus you might get hypothermia and lose a toe." For once I actually sounded smart and it made me grin inside.

Rukia raised an eyebrow at me. "Jeez, what got into you Ichigo? Isn't that something I'd normally say?"

"Well you would say it if I did something like what you're doing, but since I don't think I'm that stupid, I wouldn't." I said, sounding knowingly.

Rukia snorted impolitely. "I am not stupid Ichigo!"

I laughed at her and put my arm around her shoulder. "Whatever you say Rukia."

A few weeks ago Rukia went with me to buy Dyno-mite Hooker his new strings, so now he's fixed and all better.

When we got home from our freezing walk outside we decided to play our instruments together. This went on for about half an hour; Rukia kept stopping and laughing, messing up while I just groaned when she stopped.

I finally ate my pretzel afterwards. I gave a fourth of it to Rukia because she kept eyeing it.

"Hey Rukia?" I called to her, finishing my pretzel and sitting on the floor of the kitchen.

She came out of her room wearing a large t-shirt that I bought last year and I wore almost every week, along with long gray sweatpants.

"Yeah?" She said, walking out and putting her hair in a loose ponytail.

For a second I lost what I was going to say and just stared at her. "Uhh…" I looked away from her and looked at the stove, remembering the subject that left my mind. "What was burning this morning?"

Rukia raised her right eyebrow. "Well that was definitely out of nowhere. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged and butt scooted to the fridge, grabbing the plastic container of Coca Cola and drinking it.

Rukia sat down on the cold tile floor, leaning her back on the front of the stove.

I turned around to face her and kept drinking, allowing her to give her reason.

"If you must know Ichigo, I was going to make you breakfast, but I was too distracted and ended up having it burnt."

"Oh." I said, standing up and leaving the plastic bottle on the floor. "Why were too distracted?"

Rukia looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know so badly?"

I folded my arms across my chest and towered over her. "No reason."

"Then I guess I tried to make breakfast for you for no reason." She retorted, grabbing the bottle in front her of and unscrewing the cap.

"Thanks for trying my little peach cobbler."

Rukia blushed and took a swig. "Going to bed so early?"

I nodded and leaned down, giving her a quick kiss on her nose. "That's for the punch to my nose at the restaurant."

OMG! Flying chimpanzees in tutus! I actually put some hardcore gotta get me more fluff in this. Kinda.

Hecky doo's yes man.

So umm, anyway, I was actually planning on posting this on Saturday, but we lost our internet and cable…sadly. But woohoo, we have it back now. Sorry if it wasn't too fantastic. IchiRuki is still the best mannnn. :)

And someone told me I should make the chapters longer, so wah-lah. Longer?

Oh yeah, ohmymonkeyonasticklord! Bleach Fade To Black; Calling Out Your Name came out yesterday! I'm so nerdy that I think I've seen just about every commercial, clip, and everything! for it. Oh how I wish I were in Japan at this moment.

I'll find a way.

Okay, so hopefully some people enjoyed this chapter, and didn't think that I jacked this up a lot. Haha, updates would make me feel like I was on Fantasy Island.

Tell me what you guys thought!