A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews!
This chapter is dedicated to one of the nicest people ever!
RinUtari this chapter is for you.
Rukia shut her apartment door, after bidding Ichigo farewell. She just stood there, letting her forehead rest against the cool wood of the door. She was such an idiot…
"I love…um…loved…you"
"Friends…aren't supposed to fight"
"Why didn't you come for me?"
"TAKE ME AWAY FROM…him"
Her eyes went wide as she played over what was said, she had slipped when she said that. Rukia felt tears sliding down her cheeks now, when she started crying she didn't know. Her tears soon joined the gasps of air and before Rukia knew it she was on her knees, hands covering her face and crying.
"I l…ove…I…love…you-u, Ichi-Ichigo" She sobbed quietly, she hated herself for being this weak. For allowing herself to cry, but even if she felt weak afterwards she hated bottling her emotions and her fist weakly hit the wooden floor as she repeated the phrase over and over again.
"I loved you!" he yelled back, a vein pulsing in his head.
"Ichigo…Ichigo…I…love, Ichigo!" Rukia cried softly, her small form shaking as more tears fell from her eyes and landed on the floor.
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Ichigo stood outside her door, how long he was standing there was something he didn't know nor care. He could hear her, crying…tears that she wouldn't show in front of him. Tears that were because of him, and that was enough to make his stomach twist and heart clench.
He tried to hear what she was saying, but it was broken in sobs. Ichigo lifted one hand and placed it against the wood, he wanted so badly to open the door and comfort her. One thing still bugged his mind, in Rukias' fury she said she wanted to be taken away from someone.
'Who could he be? Her brother? Some shinigami? Did Aizen come back from the dead?!' Questions racked Ichigos' brain and he had a feeling he would get zero sleep tonight. It seemed that all Rukia did to him was give him the power to fight and protect, she sacrificed herself for him…and he sacrificed his for hers. It wasn't fair!
How the hell is he supposed to protect her from getting hurt when he's the damn thing that's causing her so much pain!
Ichigo wanted to punch the wall in frustration, he didn't of course. So Ichigo just stood there and listened to his friends' broken sobs. If being her friend was the only thing Ichigo could do right now, then fine. He would live with just being her friend, even if it bothered him to the tenth degree.
Ichigo could no longer hear Rukias' silent tears…
So he slowly walked down the hall and headed for home…
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Rukia retreated to her bedroom, Ichigo did a fine job of hiding his spirit energy but whenever he was mad it would flare up. She knew that he was at the other side of her door; she would never let him see her cry…or hear her.
Rukia pulled out a small book from underneath her pillow; Orihime got it for her on her 17th birthday. Rukia let her fingers glide over the cover…it was smooth and had a bright orange Chappy on the cover. Rukia turned to a random page, the entry made her smile.
June 20
9pm
Ichigo and I went out for ice cream! I got strawberry and I wish I had one of those camera things because Ichigos' face was SO PRICELESS. He was so red! I could not stop laughing, when he argued with me about getting strawberry I just licked my ice cream happily and said…
"I love strawberries"
He blushed again and didn't talk to me the whole walk home! I knew he forgave me though because just a little while ago he stopped me in the hallway…and well…did what Ichigo does best, oh my I'm blushing while writing this. He kissed me.
It's not like we haven't kissed before but its just like…I can't explain it…the kiss just holds so much. Ah well, Ichigo keeps bugging me to turn off the light so that's all for now.
Rukia was a bright red when she finished reading, this little book thing always made her happy because it held memories of the good days when her and Ichigo…Rukia pushed the thought out of her head. She could most likely sleep for another hour or so until she had to be on shinigami duty. Rukia sighed and pulled out a Chappy stuffed animal.
"Rukia-Chan, I have missed you so!" Said the animal…why in the world did she have to get the annoying Chappy thing anyway?
"Cough it up" Rukia said sternly holding out her hand. The doll obeyed and spit out the green-blue ball, Rukia smiled…that's why she got the Chappy soul candy, it was nothing like Kon. Rukia smirked, "I wonder if Ichigo kept Kon? Or left him to the mercy of his sisters"
Rukia was soon in her shinigami form and Chappy stood in Rukias' body.
"What happened?" Chappy asked Rukia while wiping the dried tears on her cheeks.
"Nothing, now Chappy try to act normal OK?" Rukia smoothed out her kimono and half smiled at Chappy, who still stared at Rukia in disbelief.
"Rukia-san…you were crying? Why? Why? Why?" Chappy persisted, grabbing onto the sleeve of Rukias' kimono and tugging it vigorously.
"My tears were silent, unnoticed, and therefore a burden to no one. Drop the subject" Rukia said coldly, Chappy dropped her sleeve and looked down sadly.
"See you later!" Chappy said with a large smile, Rukia only rolled her eyes and jumped out her window…she really wanted a hollow to show up.
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"ICHIGOOOO!" A flying kick slammed into the young mans face.
"What the hell old man! Must you attack me every time I come through the door?" Ichigo rubbed his now sore cheek. Isshin grinned, Ichigo knew that grin…it meant.
"So! Out late with Rukia-Chan? WHEN AM I GETTING GRANDCHILDREN?" He yelled in a sudden outburst, tugging at the hoodie Ichigo was currently wearing. Isshin continued to babble about grandchildren still latched onto Ichigos' sweater as he walked to the kitchen. Rather slowly I might add, because even though he was strong his father weighed like…a thousand pounds in Ichigos' opinion.
"You smell like her!" Isshin suddenly announced and Ichigos' face turned a bright red.
"The hell it's not! I---" He stopped, Rukia had thrown her arms around his waist and was…hugging him? Her arms pinning his arms against his sides, and he wanted to hug her back but he couldn't.
Suddenly the fire in his chest, the rage that filled him was gone he looked down at the raven hair buried in his chest.
"Friends…remember? Friends don't fight like this, Ichigo." Rukia said.
That would explain it…
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo yelled in an effort to keep his cheeks from turning red again.
"Rukia always used to use Yuzus' shampoo. Lilacs, I believe…and knowing Rukia she didn't change!" Isshin stated proudly, like he was glad to know something Ichigo didn't about Rukia. Ichigo couldn't muster up a good comeback for that one…
"Yeah well, so what" Ichigo huffed, finally being able to wrestle his father off him and sit at the table.
"Son, there comes a time in a young mans life--" Isshin began
"NO! Don't even think about it!" Ichigos' face turned the color of a strawberry.
"--The young man has needs…and these needs---"
"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled, throwing a plate at his fathers head. It missed,
"--only a woman can fill these needs and--"
"OH MY GOD! DAD! SHUT UP! I AM NOT HEARING THIS FROM YOU!" Ichigo tried to ignore the sound of Karins' laughter she really was not helping.
"Ichigo, do you want to become sexually active with Rukia?" Isshin suddenly asked out of the blue, Ichigo expected the sex talk…but this was at least ten times worse.
"WHAT!" Ichigo screamed, that was the only response he could say due to the fact that his whole brain was numb. Both the twins fell down in a fit of laughter, while Isshin just sat there grinning and waiting for a better response from his son.
Ichigo banged his head against the table…sometimes he wonders if he was adopted.
Rukia kicked Ichigo in the shin, "Pervert!" She said with a playful twinkle in her eye.
"I didn't mean it like that!" Ichigo defended.
"So what did you mean? Hmm? You just offered to take me out shopping, for underwear Ichigo" Rukia said, a slight tinge of pink on her pale cheeks.
"It was my dads' idea! And its' not like I would come into the store, and watch you try on stuff like that…think logically Rukia!" Ichigo said, his cheeks were red by now…and he knew it.
Rukia smirked, 'shit' Ichigo thought, he knew that smirk…suddenly she reached down and unbuttoned one of the buttons on her school uniform. Oh yeah, he was blushing like mad by now…her hands un did the second one.
"What's wrong Ichigo? You don't want to see what lies underneath your girlfriends' shirt?" Rukia said, her eyes filled with amusement. Ichigo couldn't even speak, how the hell could she do this and only have just a hint of pink on her cheeks? She wasn't even really blushing!
Rukia started laughing hysterically and she re-did the two buttons on her shirt. "You should of seen your face! Priceless!" She said laughing on the floor. Ichigo scowled and tried to rid himself of the blush that seemed stuck to his cheeks.
"I really hate you" he growled out and folded his arms across his chest, looking away from the small shinigami rolling around at his feet.
Ichigo blushed more, he really hated it when he remembered stuff like that, especially at a time like this…
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Rukia sighed, a hollow…a weak one too…maybe it was a bad idea after all…she was distracted…it was a bad idea to go hollow hunting.
"Fucking hollow…" She growled before coughing, blood spit out of her mouth and landed on the parks grass. Rukia quickly jumped backwards, avoiding the hollows' attack. She raised her shirayuki, blocking its' attack once more.
She could feel her wounds, soaking through her shinigami robes and covering her whole left arm in blood. Her eyes glowed a bright blue, "Sode no shirayuki! First dance, white moon" Rukia said spinning her all white zanbaktou, she rushed at the hollow and a circle of ice surrounded it. It climbed up his legs and then covered its whole body, before crash the ice breaks and the hollow is gone.
Rukia sighed, such a small hollow should be no problem for her, and she sheathed her sword and looked at her stomach.
Just moments ago…
"Silly girl" The hollow said, its white mask hiding its' true identity. White…the color of purity and yet this mask showed absolutely no purity at all.
The hollow was a low ranked one, it crawled around on all four legs but its' claws were sharp and could extend. Not to mention it was fast, but Rukia felt like this would be easy…and she got arrogant.
Rukia jumped out of the way of various attacks, she launched herself into the air and preformed kidou but the hollow did have its' wits…it spun around and the claws all extended at Rukia, she was able to dodge two but the other two cut through her stomach and upper chest. The hollow then flicked its wrist, un-extended its' claws and Rukia went flying into the ground. She used her zanbaktou to hold herself up…
"Fucking hollow"
Rukia began her walk, she could of used flash step (Shunpo) but felt it would be unnecessary and painful to do. She knocked on the door of…
The kurosaki clinic.
"Why hello Rukia-Chan!" Isshin greeted merrily, but then his face went stern when he saw Rukias' condition.
"Don't tell Ichigo, please. I just need these wounds wrapped up before I go and see Orihime" Rukia said softly, she could still feel the blood in her throat and it was seeping out of the corner of her mouth. She could feel them…bitter tears. Why did she have to be so weak now? She wanted to blame Ichigo but couldn't, it wasn't his fault after all.
"Of course…one moment" Isshin said, he walked away and said in the dinning room.
"Yuzu, put the food in the microwave for me. I have an urgent patient" Isshin said before leaving but one small voice piped up and stopped him.
"Is it Rukia-Chan again?" Yuzu asked slowly, she knew when her father asked to put his food away the person was usually Rukia who needed attention.
"What?" Ichigo almost chocked, he looked at Karin then Yuzu then his father who to his astonishment gave Yuzu a nod before walking away again.
"Rukia?" Ichigo asked looking at his sisters, Karin was the first to speak…
"She comes here, whenever she is hurt…and dad wraps her wounds. Now with Orihime back, I would think that she would go and see her, so her wounds must be pretty bad if she had to come and see our old man first" Karin said with a light shrug before looking back down at her magazine.
"Rukia-Chan looks so pretty in her little black outfit" Yuzu said with a dreamy look in her eyes, "I wish I had one" Yuzu added before eating more of her breakfast. Ichigo stared, he looked back and forth from Yuzu to Karin. Why hadn't they told him? Why didn't he ask? Was everyone keeping secrets from him now? Yuzu could see Rukia? Karin too, no doubt and he never bothered to ask them about their gift and if they had been able to master it or gain better control of it!
Ichigo stood up and stormed off to the clinic side of the house, he didn't go in though…he just listened…he would make his entrance at the right moment.
"Rukia, these wounds are pretty bad." Isshin said wrapping up Rukias' mid-section with a white roll of bandage.
"Ah, sorry…I was distracted…" Rukia admitted, kicking her legs back and forth and staring at the floor.
"That's all I can do for now, and Rukia…please be more careful…you know Ichigo would be---"
Rukia cut in "---upset if I were to be hurt…I know." She said with a sigh before jumping off the examination table, Ichigo heard a slight wince escape her lips. Ichigo walked back to the table, seeing as nothing was to gain from listening, Rukia was fine…he didn't need to worry.
Why the hell was he worrying anyway? Ichigo sat back down, Yuzu and Karin were gone and he was until his father came in, saying something about 'recklessness'.
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Rukia used flash step to reach Orihimes' house, which was nice…she enjoyed the feeling of the wind rushing against her face.
"Rukia-san!" Orihime chirped cheerfully when she opened her door, Ishida right behind her. Rukia looked downwards…
"Can you heal me?" Rukia said bashfully, her friend grabbed her arm and dragged her inside. Ishida smiled softly as Orihime healed Rukia while talking about everything. Rukia just smiled and nodded, listening to her friend babble and feeling the warmth spread through her skin as her wounds began to heal.
"Thanks…" Rukia said, Orihime then invited Rukia to dinner which she decided to decline…saying she was tired and would take a rain check.
"Oh Rukia!" Ishida called out, Rukia turned around just as she was about to walk down the steps and Shunpo back home.
"Ichigo called, it was a minute or so before you came…he sounded worried" Ishida said pushing his glasses up more on his nose. 'some things never change' Rukia thought, stifling back a giggle.
"Ah, I'll talk to him later…See you Ishida" Rukia said, turning around and flash stepping back home. She had alot on her mind right now, and really two ichigo fights in one day would NOT be good for her health
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"Rukia-Chan" A cool voice said, rubbing the back of his hand against her cheek. Rukia wanted to scream, but his hand was tight over her mouth.
Tears streamed out from her normally emotionless eyes, he only smiled but she just couldn't remember his face…"Ichigo! Save me! Oh please, I love you…please…save me!" her cries were muffled and the monster played with the one strand of hair she kept in the middle of her face.
"Rukia-Chan…too bad that orange kid doesn't love you anymore huh?" he said coldly, Rukia couldn't stop her tears…and she regretted not telling Ichigo that she loved him before she left. She expected him to bust in and take her away, and it's been months…
She gave up waiting and now…
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A/N: What did you guys think? Hmmm I love reviews! XD
And also the 'him' dude…I'm leaning towards and OC because…it'll be fun that way. I can create a total jerk but for now he is a mystery. I added a bit of humor hehe Isshin is awesome
Muwahah!
-hugs- THANKS FOR READING! I hope you enjoyed as much as I enjoyed writing it.