Title: No More Words
Series: Bleach
Theme: 28. Silence
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Characters/Pairings: Ichigo, Rukia; Ichigo/Rukia
Rating: PG
Summary: Ichigo attempts to confess to Rukia, not realizing that he confessed a long time ago.
Notes: Written for the Cookie Overlord, who demanded an IchiRuki kiss. One does not disobey the Cookie Overlord if they wish to ever taste gingerbread again in this lifetime.
Staring death in the face several times is nothing compared to gazing down into the eyes of this girl, who could smash his heart with her heel, if it should please her to do so.
Seventeen years old and finally admitting to the girl that he has loved since two years prior, the extent of his feelings for her.
He's fought wars and he's killed. He's run his sword through many a person and smiled as they let out a short scream. He's been mistaken for both friend and foe; and he's betrayed more than his fair share of friends, all for her. This girl with the power to kill with a single smile.
She smiles at him now with that smile, and he can feel his heart beating a funeral march.
This was a bad idea.
A very bad idea.
VERY, VERY BAD.
His hand is sweating in hers. She runs her thumb over his knuckles, and nibbles a little on her lip, a habit she only shows when she's slightly nervous.
"I'll tell you later." He finally gasps out. BAD. BAD. BAD IDEA.
Her eyes fall to the pavement for a moment, before she glances back at him. "You had better say it now, so it won't be awkward for us later." Her tone is brisk and forceful. Her grip on his hand tightens, as if she could force the words out of his mouth.
"So it won't be awkward for us later."
Her words echo through his head.
She doesn't love him back. He should have known. Damn, he's such an idiot to ever believe for a moment that she'd... that she'd. She's never felt for him as he's felt for her.
He bits the inside of his lip. "It doesn't matter." He tries to remove his hand, but her hand is trembling too much. It causes him to pause. "Rukia?" He forces out the name that once slid so easily over his tongue. Her head is downcast and he can no longer see her eyes. "Rukia?"
Her head snaps up, and he's startled to see unshed tears in her eyes. What she says however, startles him even more.
"If you're going to break up with me, you had better do it now before it gets any harder for me."
His jaw drops. "B-break-up with you?!" He all but screeches.
Rukia nods, looking furious. "I should have known something was wrong when you forgot our first year anniversary, but I just shook it off because it was during exams. But I see how it is now. You've found somebody else, who is far more willing to obey your needs than her own and you're leaving me because I'm not ready to go to second base yet." She paused for breath. "And where the hell is second base, anyway? I keep asking and all I get are these really funny looks. Except for that one old man who attempted to touch me in a very inappropriate place, but I showed him why one does not touch a member of the Kuchiki household unless he has her explicit permission. But why should you care? I've only been giving you hints for the last six months and you didn't even notice." The frown on her face deepens, and some of her tears run down her cheeks.
"YOU WERE MOLESTED?!" Is the first thing that gets out of Ichigo's mouth, quickly followed by: "WE WERE GOING OUT?!"
Rukia gives him a funny look. "What else would you call this then?" She raises their tightly clasped hands to his eye level.
It was an almost unconscious habit that he had to hold Rukia's hand or wrist whenever they're walking to school or to the Vizard's stronghold to spar with each other. It's another habit he has to put his arm around her whenever it's raining and they have to share an umbrella. And it all began almost two years ago when they had stumbled out of the gate that led to Hueco Mundo, clinging to each other desperately in an attempt to convince each other that they were indeed alive.
He gapes at her for a long moment.
Rukia ignores him and wipes away rebellious tears. "I won't make this any more awkward for you, Ichigo. Don't worry, I know exactly how these things go." She gives him a wobbly smile, before kissing him on the cheek. "Thanks and goodbye... And remember, we'll always have Paris."
Rather than asking who let her watch that stupid chick flick ("Daddy was only trying to help his beloved son, who must carry on the family line!"), he tightens his grip on her hand, and kisses her on the lips. Sure, it might not have been the greatest kiss in the world (banging your nose against your girlfriend's, never spells romantic), but it stops her from crying and it gets the message across.
They part after a moment.
"That," he says. "I wanted to tell you that." His face is red and his nose hurts.
She smiles, and looks slightly embarrassed. "Took you long enough." This time she kisses him, and his arms curl around her waist.
He really is an idiot at times. He doesn't need to tell her that he loves her in words, he's already shown her a million times through his looks and through the way he holds her hand. And now that he thinks about it, she's been saying "I love you" in the exact same way all of this time.
The kiss breaks off and she smiles at him with that smile that no longer threatens death (if it ever did). His hands are still pressed into her back as he goes to kiss her once more.
"Ichigo, where is second base anyway?"