1Cloud 9
Chapter 2
-From the Sky That Stopped Crying-
By: 7777Melis7777
"Mmm..." he moaned, closing his eyes tight, then slowly opening them.
It was morning, no doubt about that, the room filled with the early morning sun. He closed his eyes again, pressing his head into his pillow...or so he thought, his neck aching some, twisted at a strange angle. He winced slightly, opening his eyes a bit, something purple in view, along with blue and...a collar bone? Just where had he taken a nap?
"Ichigo...?" called a voice softly.
He blinked, looking up some, looking into a pair of vivid blue eyes.
"R-Rukia?" he asked his eyes wide.
She blinked at his confused look.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"You're room fool, where else would we be?" she asked, wondering if he was truly awake or not.
"Bu-But how are you?! I mean...!" he began, trying to form a sentence.
She blinked, looking away some.
"You collapsed shortly after you sent your sister to bed." she explained.
He didn't move yet, still paralyzed by shock.
"You could have-"
She shook her head.
"You were far too tired, I didn't dare move you. Besides, you looked rather comfortable." she teased, smiling at him playfully.
He blinked, looking around some, noting he was resting against her still, his head planted against her shoulder a bit under her chin. He blushed madly, drawing back quickly.
"Well I'm fine now! Yeah! Fit as a fiddle!" he stated his back to her as he sprang to his feet, going on about how he was fully healed and ready to continue the Hollow smack down. She watched him content, sighing and rolling her eyes with a smile.
"Rukia..." he spoke.
"Hmm?"
"You stayed with me all night..." His back was to her.
She blinked, nodding.
"Of course..."
It was silent then for a moment, Ichigo fidgeting with a shirt, while Rukia watched him, holding the hem of her torn dress still, then looking away from him.
"Thanks..."
She looked up to him, his back to her as he stared out the window. She smiled gently with a nod.
"Ichigo!!!" shouted from the hall.
"Holy crap! HIDE!" he shouted, Rukia slipping into the closet, Ichigo slamming into the door of it, slamming it closed as the door to his room opened.
"Ichigo breakfast is ready and...what are you doing?" asked Yuzu dressed and ready for school, looking to her brother who was in a heap at the closet, plastered against the door.
"Nothing Just another clothes avalanche" he assured her.
"You want me to clean it for you when I get home?"
"NO" he shouted, panic washing over him.
"Why not?" she pouted.
"Be...because" he began.
"BE-cause he doesn't want you finding his stash of dirty magazines." sighed Karin in the doorway with her sister.
"That is NOT true! I do NOT have dirty magazines my closet!" he continued. He only had a pretty female Soul Reaper hiding and living in there. This made him blush.
"Heh.." smirked Karin her arms folded over her chest.
"Your face is bright red."
"Thank you for pointing that out! And what happened to knocking before you enter my room!?" he said, still pressed to the closet.
"Anyway, let's go before you're late." she ordered, disappearing into the hall, Yuzu lingering some, then following her sister out, closing the door behind her.
Ichigo collapsed to the floor.
"Ok, let's go." said Rukia, opening the door, swigging her legs out to rest on his back.
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking down at his passed out form on the floor.
"Nothing." he sighed, huffing some when she stepped lightly on his back, prancing to the window.
"Hey, I'm not your step ladder midget!" he shouted on his knees now, rubbing his back.
"And I'm injured too! Don't for get that!" he added, holding his side. He blinked, noting she was dressed in her school uniform.
She sighed.
"And who said they were fit as a fiddle this morning? I recall that to be you." she replied, Ichigo opening his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. He glared at her pursing his lips.
"Exactly" she smirked.
"See you in class." she called, slipping out the window and to the ground below.
"Show off!" he shouted to her out the window, but she was already gone.
The rest of the morning went pretty smoothly. Ichigo battled his father down the hall and to the kitchen, downed a quick breakfast consisting of toast and eggs and made his way to school, meeting Chad along the way. The two talked for a while, then headed to class. Ichigo stopped in the doorway, scanning the room and found exactly who he was looking for.
Rukia sat in the desk next to his, her nose buried in a book, a manga actually. It was a romance one about wolves. He had seen the anime on TV not too long ago. He smirked, walking all the way around the room, sneaking up behind her.
"Good morning Ichigo." she sang, though not taking her attention away from her novel.
"How in the-"
She shrugged.
"STRAWBERRY" shouted Keigo, at his friend's side.
"Wha'daya want Keigo?" Ichigo asked, his friend hanging on him.
"Just wanted to say good morning and invite you to lunch!" sang the golden haired male, turning his attention to someone else.
"Of course you'll be there too right Rukia?" he asked, looking more then hopeful.
She lowered her book some, waiting a minute then turned slowly, smiling so sweetly, any boy would have melted, but mostly Keigo.
"Oh, are you sure I won't intrude?" she asked looking innocent.
"Oh, of course not! We can always kick Ichigo out!" offered Keigo, Ichigo backhanding the back of his friend's head.
"Hey, you invited me first!"
"But Miss. Kuchiki will be lonely eating alone! You like eating alone anyway!" argued Keigo. The two continued to banter, Rukia laughing some softly, rasing a hand.
"Oh please don't fight over me!" she cried, her expression worried and sad.
"Anything for you!" stated Keigo, mush in her hands.
"Who said we were fight over you?" asked Ichigo, narrowing his eyes at her. She blinked smiling now as Keigo continued to hit on her.
Class started and as always went pretty fast. Orihime watched Ichigo often, but carried on conversations with Tatsuki as well. Keigo argued with Mizuru, while Chad and Uryu worked quietly on opposite sides of the room. Ichigo was working on some random math questions, glancing at Rukia. Her expression was blanker then usual and her eyes seemed heavy, like they would close any moment. Perhaps staying up late watching over him was a bit hard on her. Ichigo wanted to reach over and ask her what was wrong, but decided against it, especially with all the rumors that were flying around about their over the top super secret relationship. It was embarrassing, but Ichigo always did his best to deal with it, shrugging it off and stating it wasn't true while his counterpart was completely oblivious to it all.
Lunch arrived, everyone exited the class room with record breaking speed.
"Rukia?" called Ichigo. She blinked, looking up at him.
"It's lunch time." he said, tilting his head some.
"You feeling alright?" he asked, mainly because the classroom was empty now.
"Yes, of course." she said, blinking a few times getting to her feet, slipping her book into her bag, sliding it over her shoulder.
"Alright, come on then." he said, heading out the door, Rukia following a few feet behind.
The walk to the school roof was a long one, at least for Rukia. The stairs that she climbed with ease were suddenly endless and it took all she had to push and pull herself up them. Luckily, they were the first two there. The others had probably headed out to buy lunch, but would join them shortly. Ichigo plopped down, resting his back against the wall. Rukia stood a moment looking out into the distance, then joined him.
Their lunch was simple. Pre-made cup o' noodles or Rammed. She had shrimp, he had beef. After a few bites, she pulled out a small juice box and struggled with the straw once more.
"Here." said Ichigo, sighing some as he took the small box form her, pushing the straw into the hole with ease.
"You have to push it from the top." he said, handing it to her, placing her finger on the top of the straw.
"Otherwise it won't break and you'll end up spilling the juice all over you." he continued, Rukia nodding watching him.
"Oh, should I leave?" asked someone from the right. It was Mizuru.
The two froze looking to him.
"Please don't let me ruin your dinner date." he said, smiling sweetly. Ichigo blinked, looking to his hands on Rukia's, blushing wildly, pulling his hands back, quickly grabbing his noodles.
Mizuru sat across from them, the others joining them shortly.
"Oh Miss Rukia, you look lovely as always!" cried Keigo across from her.
"Why thank you Asano." she said, closing her eyes, resting her hand against her cheek some, blushing.
"Easy Keigo. Ichigo won't like you hitting on his woman." warned Mizuru, nibbling on food from his bento box lunch.
"She's not my woman." Ichigo mumbled, slurping some noodles.
"But you were holding hands." sang Mizuru, Keigo choking some.
"Holding hands?! No way!" he cried, going on about how Ichigo was such a stud.
Ichigo growled, turning from them all, slurping his noodles loudly, annoyed by the blush that spread across his cheeks.
The bell rang shortly after, the group quicky gathering their things, heading back towards the main building.
"Well, see you love birds later." sang Mizuru, skipping off after Keigo.
Ichigo chocked on his drink some.
He coughed wildly for a moment, straggling to catch his breath.
"I'm ok by the way." he mumbled, glowering at Rukia.
"Hmm?" she asked, looking to him confused.
Ichigo fell over anime style.
"Nothing, never mind." he sighed, dusting himself off. He began to descend the stairs, looking back to see Rukia was still standing there.
"Rukia?" he called, turning his body to face her.
"What is it?" he asked, at her side now.
She didn't answer at first, seemed to be lost in thought, then blinked, looking to him. She smiled sweetly.
"Nothing." she said, Ichigo frowning.
"Yeah right. You've been dazed and confused all morning, and now you're gonna tell me its nothing?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
She stared at him, her lips parting to speak, but stopped, looking down some.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, lowering his head some to her.
She raised her head slightly, tilting it some, looking to him.
"Oh, are you worried about me?" she asked, smiling teasily.
Ichigo blinked rapidly, his face bright red, as he turned his back to her.
"No! Of course not! Jeez!" he shouted, trying hard to play his embarrassment off.
"So, yeah, come on, before you're late to class!" he shouted, rushing off now down the stairs.
She watched him smiling, shaking her head some, feeling bad for teasing him so much.
She sighed some, heard the second bell ring, knew she didn't have much time left to get to class. She began to walk, heading for the stairs, she got to the second step from the top when she froze, her phone beeping wildy.
"What?" she said, reaching for it quickly from her shirt pocket. Sure enough it was an order.
"Now of all times..." she sighed, looking around.
Ichigo was gone, the Hollow was near, and with an entire school full of kids, there wasn't a moment to waste. With that said, Rukia was moving, digging in her bag as she descended the stairs.
"Yaaa, what whaaat?!" shouted the small stuffed lion.
"Kon!" she shouted, coming to a stop a t the edge of the stairs.
"Take my bag and sneak it back into my locker." she ordered, turning from him.
"What? Sneak it inside? Why?" he asked puzzled, still half inside her backpack that lay on the ground.
"Because, I have something I need to take care of..." she said, looking out into the distance.
"Rukia?" called Kon, crawling to her some.
But she was gon, in a quick series of shun po, she was gone. Kon stared in disbelief, though was able to catch a glimpse at the cell phone rukia had in her hands right before she ran off.
"Don't tell me...she's planning to fight a Hollow on her own!?" he shouted, panicking now.
He darted for the entrance...but went back for her backpack. Somehow, someway, Kon had to reach Ichigo and soon. The question was how? Surely he would figure something out...
"...Ahhhh...ICHIGOOOO!" he screamed, racing down the halls dragging along the backpack..
Ok, chapter 2 is finally done. Thanks for all of you who read and commented and such Chapter 3 will hopefully be out soon, and it will be all summed up with chapter 4! OH YEAH KOOL AID XD Anyhoo, Chapter 2 was fun to write, except the last part, I had problems there xX'' I promise chapter 3 will have all the action you can think of and abundant Rukia x Ichigo moments! Thank you for reading my fan fic. Please enjoy this chapter and the next If ya get bored, why not check out some of my Shaman King fanfiction??? XD -Melis