Chapter 6: Telephone
My chest flutters so nicely every time I look at the number of reviews. Just five chapters, and Telephone already has 110! After a rocky start with Strawberry Meets Death, it really, reallyyyyy makes me smile idiotically and tear up at all the support a smaller story receives. So many of you have been with me from the start, and I thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've never written so creatively and freely until I stumbled upon the world of fanfiction- thanks for sharing the experience with me :)
I gave Ichigo and Rukia's relationship a small kick in the last chapter, but in this one, it's as big of a kick if not bigger. December is coming, so Telephone needs to tie up soon (As always, I have NO idea where it's going.) cause Strawberry Meets Death resumes immediately after my finals! So, I hope you enjoy the pace picking up :)
No major notes in this chapter- simply enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any brand/copyrighted names used in this story. They will always be italicized. I do not own any songs mentioned, or any characters/concepts from Bleach.
"Hurry up, midget!" Ichigo kicked around small pebbles in the parking lot, Rukia some rows of parking spaces behind, a heavy frown on her lips; "I walk as fast as I want to, idiot!"
"It's because of your heels, isn't it!" Ichigo eyed her closed-toed heels, running up her legs to find her glare, the petite shinigami stomping to a stubborn halt, arms crossed over her cocked hips, her large messenger bag threatening to slide off her shoulder; "I can run in these, Kurosaki. It's my stupid bag, with all those new books and stupid packets!"
Huffing, Rukia glanced down at her bag she couldn't even close all the way, shifting the strap on her shoulder, cussing the hell out of it before looking back up to keep walking, jumping at the chest she nearly ran into.
"What the hell-!" "Here-."
Ichigo's hand closed around the strap on her shoulder, easily lifting the weight off, slinging it over his own with his bag; without a word, Ichigo turned back towards the car, Rukia following behind him before she easily caught up to his side.
"Thanks, Ichigo… for coming today, making things better…."
Ichigo glanced at her, his features soft, his hand reaching up to run through his hair, smirking.
"Ah, Rukia… you know I'll always come to you rescue- no matter how much you hate it."
A small fist punched his arm, the male hardly feeling it, laughing at her weak glare; they reached the TSX soon enough, their bags thrown into the trunk, Ichigo taking the driver's seat.
"Are the girls out already, Rukia?"
Sliding into the passenger's seat, Rukia glanced at the car's clock, frowning at the small, black rectangle where she usually saw green digits; "Turn on the car to see the time- hey!"
Rukia clutched onto his arm reaching over her, his warm hand slipping under her shirt, brushed against her skin, grabbing her iPhone nestled against her hip beneath the hem of her fitted jeans; sitting back into his seat, smirking at the faint blush across Rukia's skin, Ichigo slid the lock aside, showing her the time on her cell- "Ten until five- they out?"
A smaller hand swiped her phone from his grasp, Rukia leaning on the console between their seats, her eyes set on him; "You couldn't just start the car?"
Ichigo leaned onto the console as she had, his face close to hers, staring intently.
"But then how would've I made a move on you?"
He wasn't sure how he felt about the fact Rukia hardly lasted shocked at all, her eyes flashing a playful hue of purple, her reiatsu steadying itself, curious; "What are we getting ourselves into, Ichigo?"
Amber eyes narrowed as he gazed back and forth between her eyes, trying to read his own eyes in his reflection within violet hues.
"…I don't know."
A devious grin suddenly came onto her, Ichigo frowning at her.
"Typical- when do you ever know, Straw-ber-reh? Hm?"
Ichigo fixed a glare onto her, muttering beneath his breath, pulling away from her to fasten his seat belt, starting the car as Rukia fastened her own, tugging on it to rest comfortably between her modest breats; "And yes, the girls should be outside by the time we get there."
"Ah." Slinging his arm on the back of her seat, Ichigo looked over his shoulder as he backed out, Rukia connecting her iPhone to the auxiliary, selecting 'shuffle' as Ichigo straightened out the car, moving into drive.
From: Tatsuki-chan
Hey Orihime… saw Ichigo back home today. Know anything about that?
Inoue softly sighed as she pushed the screen to her Chocolate up, replying to Tatsuki's message, Chad beside her on the café's computer, various students about them, using the other stations.
To: Tatsuki-chan
Well, we were with him yesterday when Kuchiki-san called, and was really upset over her first day of classes at KCC. He barely hung up when he ran off, asking Chad to record the lectures for the rest of the week.
Setting her phone aside, Inoue returned to her notes, frowning at the gap she had, remembering her quick run to the restroom during lecture; "Sado-kun, do you have yesterday's notes for psychology?"
The gentle giant turned from the computer screen, shuffling through his various notes, pulling out the pages Inoue needed.
"These are it, Inoue-san."
"Thank you…." Smiling gently at Chad, Inoue looked through them as he returned to his essay, finding the section she missed, her phone vibrating loudly against the counter top they sat at.
From: Tatsuki-chan
He came all this way on a whim and is skipping the whole week just because she was UPSET? What the hell-!
"Oh, dear…." Inoue pocketed her cell with a frown, turning to Chad again; "Sado-kun, I think I'll head home now. Do you mind if I borrow the notes?"
"Of course not. Do you want me to walk you home?"
Inoue immediately shook her head, patted Chad's large, sculpted arm beside her.
"Oh, no, no, no- I'll be fine. You need to work on your essay, so stay and keep using the computer."
Chad hesitated before he nodded, Inoue gathering her belongings, packing up; checking she had everything, Inoue wrapped her scarf around her neck, waving at Chad before she left.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sado-kun!"
Looking over his shoulder, Chad smiled beneath the mop of loose curls hiding his eyes; "Good-bye, Inoue-san."
Stepping out of the internet café, Inoue made her way home, taking out her cell phone to message Tatsuki back, the sun starting to lower itself in the sky above.
"Hey Ichi-nii, Rukia!" Sliding across the backseats, Karin tugged on Ichigo's orange mane, Yuzu climbing into the back after her; "Ichi-nii! Rukia-chan!"
Their brother grinned at them through the rear-view mirror, Rukia turning in her seat beside him, smiling at the twins settled in the back.
"So, any stud-boyfriends today-?"
"Rukia!" All of his precious females snickered, Ichigo scowling as he pulled into traffic, heading home; "None of you are allowed to even think about a boyfriend until you're thirty!"
Karin peered into over Ichigo's seat, wiggling her eyebrows at him again, catching Ichigo's gaze in the mirror above-
"Then you can't be Rukia's boyfriend, since she's technically only hundred-fifty outside of her gigai-!"
"Hey, stop picking on me-!" "She's right, Ichi-nii!" "Why do you know my real age!"
To: Kuchiki Rukia
Are you done studying, midget?
A small laugh left Rukia, leaning back against her headboard as she replied to Ichigo upstairs in his room, her textbooks and paper surrounding her on the large bed.
From: Kuchiki Rukia
No. How did you finish so quickly?
To: Kuchiki Rukia
I finished what I had already, and Chad can't send me the lectures until the day after he records them.
Rukia hovered her thumb over her screen as she glanced up to her wall blankly, feeling Ichigo's reiatsu move around upstairs, restless.
From: Kuchiki Rukia
Well, I still have a lot to do, so I SADLY can't entertain you. Go do chores or chase some Hollows.
Ichigo groaned with a rough run through his hair, dropping his head back onto his mattress, his pillow lying limp on his floor, his desk covered with his studies; he was bored, but not enough to go looking for Hollows when he didn't need to.
However, he was set on her choice of words to keep him company-
To: Kuchiki Rukia
Would you really *entertain* me?
He laughed at the hitch in her reiatsu, soon feeling it trying to suffocate him from all the way across the house, his Torch vibrating in hand within seconds.
From: Kuchiki Rukia
Leave me alone and let me study!
The television was low in the living room, the evening cartoons Yuzu remembered watching years ago with her siblings on for the night, the sandy-haired female sitting against the couch, the small coffee table pulled up close; closing her binder, Yuzu leaned across the table to grab her history textbook, sitting back with it as Karin came around the couch, sitting down with a sigh.
"Starting up on history now?"
Yuzu flipped to the assigned reading, nodding; "Yeah, I just finished math. Why?"
Karin cut off as footsteps came down the stairs, both gorgeous eyes turned onto Ichigo skipping the last two steps, his cell phone in hand, the tall male in his usual sweats and bare chest. Karin moved to kneel on the couch, looking over its back as her brother moved into the kitchen, drawers opened and rustled about; "Ichi-nii? What are you looking for?"
A sigh left Ichigo within the kitchen, shoving the drawer shut, opening another.
"Do you know the number to the dojo Tatsuki works at?"
Yuzu leaned her head back, calling out to him; "You mean the one by the center? They changed their number; we haven't gotten the new one since we don't get the community newspapers anymore!"
A string of curses left him, the drawer slammed again before he rounded the corner, running a hand through his hair. He was met with Karin's concerned gaze, her questioning look making him frown.
"Any idea when it closes, Karin?"
Leaning over to look behind her brother, Karin checked the clock, straightening out; "Probably in ten minutes. What's wrong?"
Ichigo rubbed at his bare shoulder, looking at his blank screen to his Torch, touching it to reveal several calls to Tatsuki's home, all without answer.
"Inoue can't get a hold of Tatsuki-."
Yuzu stood from the floor, looking at Ichigo intently; "Something happened to Tatsuki-chan?"
Ichigo shook his head, beginning to move towards Rukia's closed bedroom door, looking over his shoulder.
"No- it's Inoue who needs her."
A knock pulled Rukia out of her focus, the petite shinigami straightening up in bed, feeling Ichigo's reiatsu just outside of her door; "It's open!"
Slipping through the door, Ichigo silently stepped in, closing the door behind him, Rukia's gaze on him.
"Ichigo, I told you I'm not done-."
"Inoue is getting kicked out of the apartment." Rukia remained silent as she took his words in, Ichigo frowning, his cell phone vibrating.
From: Inoue Orihime
Any luck Kurosaki-kun?
"W-why is she losing it? What happened?"
Rukia moved off the bed to stand before the tall male, Ichigo rubbing his neck, closing the text message.
"The girl renting the bedroom has a brother, and he made a move on her; she denied him, so now, the asshole is making his sister kick her out. She has until tomorrow night."
Dialing Tatsuki's home again, Ichigo raised his phone to his ear, leaning against her dresser; "She can't get a hold of Tatsuki on her cell, saying it's disconnected, and I don't know the stupid, new number to the dojo."
Rukia shifted her weight on her feet, running a hand through her hair.
"I know you're still upset with Tatsuki, but maybe you should go to her house. You know she doesn't answer the house phone, and with her cell disconnected, how else are you going to find her?"
Hanging up on the call, Ichigo sighed, leaning his head back, his eyes on the ceiling above.
"I shouldn't even-."
"Ichigo." Grasping his arm, Rukia brought his attention down onto her, her violet gaze firm; "That's not like you, and you know that. You care too much for both of them. Just go."
Sighing, Ichigo pushed off the dresser, Rukia holding her ground, Ichigo's socked feet stepping on her baggy flannels, their necks bent and craned back to look at each other standing so close; turning his cell in hand over and over, Ichigo weakly glared, Rukia's hand still on his toned arm, feeling the slight movement of his muscles as he toyed with his phone.
"I'm only doing it 'cause I know you'll screech and kick around if I don't."
A smirk pulled at her lips, tightening her grasp on his arm; "We both know it's because I'm telling you."
Ichigo shrugged, reaching up to bury his hand in her hair, pushing it back to expose her neck, a tug on her hair tilting her head to expose it more; her breath caught in her throat, Rukia kept her gaze on him, Ichigo's kept locked with hers-
"Maybe." Breaking his gaze from her, his amber eyes moved onto her neck, his hand running smoothly from her hair onto her neck, his fingers running over the bruise his teeth had left her, Ichigo looking back at her with a smirk; "I do actually listen to you every once in a while."
He pulled away from her, quickly slipping past her door, Rukia left behind in her room, her soft hand rubbing her neck, the feel of his warm tongue soothing his bite rushing back at her, a smirk pulling at her own lips.
"I-Ichigo!" Tatsuki stepped onto the landing of her apartment, her large duffle slung over her shoulder, their warm breath clashing with the chilled evening air as they stood before each other, Ichigo leaned against the wall alongside her door; "Hey…."
Pulling her thin sweater closer to her body, Tatsuki looked around, crossing her arms tightly around herself before moving her gaze back to Ichigo's behind orange bangs-
"What are you doing here, Ichigo?"
Moving off the wall, his loose, grey sweater hardly keeping him warm, Ichigo reached out his hand to her, his Torch in hand, almost hidden by his sleeve; "Inoue's on hold."
Brown eyes stared widely, taken aback; hesitating just a second or two, Tatsuki stepped closer, grabbing the black phone from his hand.
Turning it over in her hands, Tatsuki swiped her thumb over its screen, Inoue indeed on the line, muted.
With a single tap of the screen, the 'mute' taken off, Tatsuki raised the phone to her ear, her gaze back on Ichigo; "…Inoue?"
"Tatsuki-chan! I'm so happy Kurosaki-kun found you- I've been calling you since around five!"
"Y-yeah, sorry." Turning from Ichigo, Tatsuki walked over to the iron rail running along the landing, grasping it; "My parents forgot to pay the bill, so it's cut off until they get to pay it tomorrow. What's wrong, what did you need me for so badly?"
Ichigo stood in silence, realizing just how loud his phone's volume was, able to hear Inoue clearly from his place.
"I am being kicked out of the apartment, Tatsuki-chan. All the cheap apartments are taken anywhere near the university; I was wondering what to do, if your aunt still rents the one out here?"
Shit. Tatsuki bit her lip, running a hand through her hair, back over the side of her face; "Oh, Hime, she just sold her apartment! I… don't have anyone else who could help you, I have no idea what you could do…."
"Do… do you think I'll have to drop out and move back home?"
Ichigo frowned as he watched Tatsuki's shoulders fall, her whispered response not heard, Inoue's shaken 'alright… I'll talk to you later, Tatsuki-chan' loud and clear.
Hanging up, Tatsuki took a glance out into the dark sky, turning back to Ichigo, her hand holding out his phone to him; "Thanks for coming all the way here, to let me talk to her."
"You're welcome." Taking his cell, Ichigo slipped it into his pocket, his hand kept buried within.
"Let me know what happens if you hear from her first. Answer your damn house phone."
Stepping past her, Ichigo made his way down the set of stairs, Tatsuki standing at the landing above him, watching him leave.
Losing sight of Ichigo's orange mane, Tatsuki frowned heavily thinking back to Inoue, her hands tight around her duffle's strap.
What's going to happen, 'Hime?
To: Kuchiki Rukia
Are you done yet?
A shiver ran over Ichigo as he sat against the hood of Rukia's car outside the coffee shop, its yellow glow from inside flooding onto him, illuminating his orange hair and amber gaze.
From: Kuchiki Rukia
Not even close. I just finished some of the readings.
"Damn it." Pushing off the car, Ichigo stepped into the small shop, the barista smiling at him; "Oh, I remember you! Just this morning you came in."
"I'll be your best customer this week." A soft smile was on Ichigo, very few people inside, the elder male behind the counter laughing.
"I truly believe that. What can I do for you, my boy? Same order?"
Ichigo shook his head, taking out his wallet from his back pocket; "Only the double from this morning- the rest, give me three hot chocolates, instead, loaded with whip cream."
The fridge was pulled open with a hungry growl from Karin's stomach, her brown eyes scanning the shelves inside, a box of cereal in her hand; "Yuzu, do we have any milk hidden somewhere I don't know about?"
Rounding the corner, Yuzu pulled a slip of paper off the front of the large appliance, frowning lightly.
"No, Karin… we were supposed to get more today, but Rukia's so busy studying, I feel bad asking her to take me. The family grocery near us is closed since they're out of town…."
Huffing, Karin slammed the refrigerator shut, pouting at another growl from her stomach.
"Where the hell is Ichi-nii when you need him-?"
"Here." They jumped at the sound of his voice behind them, Karin nearly dropping the box of cereal, Yuzu laughing as he ruffled her hair, his glare on Karin; "I should let you eat that cereal dry for that."
"Not my fault! You were gone longer than expected- you drive like an old man!"
Rolling his eyes, Ichigo held out the two drinks in hand, another two in his other hand; "Whatever. Have some, you ungrateful brat."
Karin laughed, taking a drink and passing it to Yuzu, grabbing the other one for herself.
"Thanks, Ichi-nii." "Thank you, Ichi-nii!"
Nodding at them, Ichigo swiped the list from Yuzu, promising them milk and food before making his way out of the kitchen, heading towards Rukia's bedroom, her stressed reiatsu easily felt.
Throwing the door open without knocking, Ichigo slipped through, kicking the door closed behind him, Rukia's glare fixed on him as intense as her reiatsu; "Ever heard of knocking, Strawberry?"
"Ever heard of taking a break, midget? You witnessed one on Sunday…."
Ichigo smirked victoriously at the successful relief on Rukia's shoulders, a soft laugh leaving her as she turned away, running a hand through her black tresses; "I don't think getting soaked in this weather would be a good idea…."
"We can always play in the bath tub." An un-lady-like, un-noble snort left Rukia before she could hide her face in her hands, her laughing muffled, Ichigo laughing with her; "Damn, if only I could have recorded that…."
"Oh, shut up!" She leaned back against her headboard, her long legs stretched out over her mess of studies, closing her eyes with a sigh; she felt the bed dip beside her, Ichigo's thigh against hers, her violet eyes opening to meet his, a warm drink pushed against her hands on her lap.
"Is it coffee again?" She took hold of it, Ichigo shaking his head, his orange bangs moving with him; "No, just hot chocolate."
"Thank you." They sat silently, warm drinks filling them, her male shinigami reaching over her legs, leaning on his arm beside her, looking at her; "How much do you have?"
Sighing, Rukia leaned forward, reaching under his arm, grabbing her binder.
"I have three assignments, all to be done by tomorrow."
Setting his drink on her night stand, Ichigo straightened up, grabbing her binder, looking over her assignments scribbled on the sides; "Anything you want me to do?"
"Go keep the girls company." Amber eyes looked up at her, confused, Rukia smiling softly before dropping her gaze onto her binder in Ichigo's lap.
"We usually go out by this time, or cook, or just… just do anything. They're probably bored out of their minds."
Closing her binder, Ichigo tossed it aside; "Actually, they're likely starving by now. I should go to the store like I promised them."
Ichigo gripped her knee before standing, ruffling her hair as he turned, leaving her silently. Placing her drink beside his on her stand against the bed, Rukia curled her legs underneath her, her gaze on her work.
"I can do this… I'm not stupid."
"Settle down, everyone! We'll be picking up where we left off yesterday-!"
Ichigo watched the short, stout lecturer walk about, Rukia sitting silently beside him, the pair having decided on the back of the room for the day; looking over at Rukia, Ichigo frowned at her heavy eyes, a worn hoodie around her slender figure making her seem scrawny.
"Midget… are you alive?" Rukia nodded slowly, sighing, her hands rolling up her homework absentmindedly, her instructor making his way down her aisle towards the back; "Yeah… I just didn't get much sleep, doing all that reading and answering each question at the end of each chapter… I'm so exhausted."
Ichigo kept silent as Rukia caught her instructor's attention as he made to pass by her, his small eyes looking down at her with annoyance-
"Yes, Kushaki?"
"Kuchiki." Rukia felt Ichigo's reiatsu grow, trying to weigh down hers flaring angrily, calming her down as she leveled her tone; "I was wondering if I was supposed to have already turned this in, or if you're-."
"Me, collect the assignments from you all? Please, who do you take me for?"
Ichigo paled at the drop in Rukia's reiatsu, completely hidden from him, her shoulders tense and her voice quiet and low; "…what?"
"Do you honestly think me stupid enough to assign anything to you load of freshmen, just out of high school, and expect to have anything turned in? And to grade all of them- are you mad?"
Small hands tightened abruptly around the helpless sheets of paper she clutched, her eyes glaring up at her instructor; "I… I worked all night, on those… stupid assignments… I finished them, and have them ready to be turned in- are you telling me, I did all that… for nothing?"
The short male scoffed, hitching up his pants.
"What idiot would actually do them? You're in college- you don't have to do anything-."
She couldn't hear him anymore. Rukia staring intently at the hideous being before her, his lips moving slowly as if he spoke to a little child, soon turning away from her, making to keep going along his way.
Rukia felt Ichigo stand with swift movement of his muscles only a shinigami could master, her hand snapping out to grab his wrist reaching over her, making to grab hold of the short, stout man, his amber gaze shooting down at her, confused; "Rukia-?"
"Leave him."
She kept his hold on his wrist, pitying the fool of her instructor, oblivious to the fact she just saved him from Ichigo's temper and rash, raw strength, leaning her head back to look up at him.
"Midget, how the hell do you expect me to just stand down-?"
"but I know you wouldn't…." She held on to him, his glare letting up, and the tension in his muscles giving away; his eyes suddenly moved away from hers, Rukia followed his gaze onto her instructor, his gaze narrowed onto the pair; "Sit down, won't you?"
At times, she wished she could let Ichigo charge forward recklessly.
Water poured slowly out of the faucet, Rukia taking her time to wash over her hands, the restroom empty of others.
She had been in her last class, with Ichigo beside her again, the male working on his own studies, no need for the lectures he sat in.
He doesn't need of anything they have to offer here….
A hum vibrated against her, Rukia cutting off the water, grabbing a paper towel; chucking the paper into the trash can over-flowing with trash, Rukia leaned against the sink, her cell in hand.
You know you've missed twenty minutes worth of your lecture? Did you fall into the toilet and need me to rescue you?
Rukia rolled her eyes, quickly sliding the lock aside, replying to the male across the hall, sitting alone in her lecture.
Bite me.
Her message was sent, Rukia cursing a second too late to cancel it, a groan leaving her as she slumped over the sink, already able to imagine Ichigo's amusement from it.
Son of a-
"There you are, Kuchiki." Rukia looked up into the mirror, finding Ryō standing behind her, her long, luscious hair flowing over her pea-coat, a snide look destroying her beautiful features; "Was wondering where you disappeared to."
Rukia's iPhone vibrated in her hand, her hold tightening around it, Rukia turning around to face Ryō; crossing her arms, Rukia stood as tall as she could without heels, Ryō much taller than her.
"What do you want, Kunieda?"
"Oh, now… just wanted to congratulate you on ruining Kurosaki's life, is all!"
Rukia frowned heavily, Ryō stepping closer, smirking down at Rukia; "Did you go crying to him, about being all alone in a school of idiots? Got him to drop such an admired school and come keep you company at a dump like this?"
The shinigami before her kept quiet, glaring up at her, grasping her phone tightly, another vibration humming; flipping her long hair over her shoulder, Ryō picked at her nails, feigning interest, pouting her lips.
"I thought yesterday was just a quick visit, to ease your whining; but seeing him today again… well, it's heartbreaking, seeing you ruin him like that-."
"Rukia isn't ruining anyone." Both raven-haired women snapped their gaze to the door, Ichigo pushing further through it, his scowl set on Ryō before his attention turned to Rukia, his eyes softened; "The hell you doing, Rukia? C'mon, you've been in here long enough, thought something happened to you…."
"I'm coming…." One last look at the taller beauty, Rukia walked over to Ichigo, ducking slightly beneath his arm holding the door open, Ichigo glancing back up at Ryō standing in the middle of the restroom, looking bitterly at Rukia standing behind Ichigo, her small hand fisted around his hoodie.
"Kunieda-san… I'd appreciate you leaving her alone. You don't want me informing your friends your scholarship was revoked, do you?"
A gasp echoed within the empty restroom, Ryō blushing fiercely, clenching her fists- "Get out!"
Ichigo winked handsomely at her, smirking; "Thanks for understanding. See you in class."
Dropping his arm as he turned from her, the door slowly closed behind him, Ryō left behind in her silent fury.
Coming out into the hall, Rukia tugged on her long sleeves quietly, her cell in hand; feeling Ichigo following behind her, Rukia turned to him, looking up at him through her stray bangs, frowning; "Ichigo… I'm sorry."
"For making me resort to walking into the women's bathroom?"
"No… for what Kunieda-."
"Don't you dare say it, Rukia." Violet eyes widened at his snap, Rukia taking a step back, caught by her arms, pulled back to him; "Ichi-!"
"This isn't like you, damn it!" Ichigo pushed her into another hallway, his hands firm around her slim arms, Rukia's petite body held close without effort as he glared down at her; "What more do I have to do to get you to kick me around again and strut around in that stupid Kuchiki pride I fought against myself back in Soul Society-!"
"Go back to your city, Ichigo!"
She watched confusion over-whelm his amber eyes, his frown losing its will, his grip on her arms loosened; "What?"
"Go back, Ichigo. You have a future to take care of, and you're risking it by being here, in this wretched place instead of your classes! I should have never called you, Ichigo-!"
"You're insulting me, Rukia!" Ichigo shook her by his grip on her arms, eyes a deep brown, Rukia cringing at her bruising skin beneath his hold, brought to the tips of her feet, pulled against his tall body-
"You're insulting me! I came by my own choice and want, I am doing what I have to, to keep up with anything going on back there! I've said it before, I've told you so many fuckin' times-!"
Releasing her arm, shoving his hand into her thick hair to fist and tangle himself around it, pulling on it to lean her head back, Ichigo held Rukia against him, their eyes locked with one another- "I don't care what you say!"
I'll always come for you!"
Ichigo watched Rukia silently sit in the car, the hood of her sweater pulled over her head, few strands of hair showing themselves, her stray bang resting between her violet eyes as always.
Sitting on the vehicle parked in front of the TSX, Ichigo dug his hands into his pockets, the keys to her car in hand, Ichigo waiting for her reiatsu to show itself again, hidden since morning, an even emptier feeling to the air around him since their… argument, in the hall.
He felt like an asshole.
His Torch vibrating in his pocket, Ichigo kept his eyes on his shinigami sitting inside the car, shifting around on the trunk he sat on, pulling out his cell in time to answer; "Hello?"
"Kurosaki-kun?"
"Yeah, Inoue- what's up?" Amber eyes glanced around him shortly, moved back onto Rukia, her own gaze fixed on the dashboard, her petite body curled up in the seat, arms resting on her knees.
"I was wondering if you were busy? If you were anywhere near Tatsuki-chan?"
A hand ran through his hair, Rukia shifting in her seat inside the car, Ichigo silent as her gaze moved onto him, Inoue's quiet voice bringing back his attention; "…Kurosaki-kun?"
"She isn't answering the house phone?"
"We were talking on the phone, but it was cut off, and I haven't been able to get through ever since. I need to give her my information to register me at Karakura Community."
"Karakura? You're dropping out of the university?"
"I have no choice, Kurosaki-kun. I've been looking for apartments and rooms all day- I can't afford any at all, and I can't skip out again like I did today. I can only do that so much before hurting my studies."
I'm going back home."
Rukia sighed within the warm car as Ichigo continued on the phone, his brows furrowing heavily, a frown on his lips.
Grabbing her iPhone she had dropped onto the console between the front seats, Rukia unlocked her screen, opening the text messages she'd gotten in the restroom, both from the handsome idiot sitting outside.
You've been gone too long. Answer in the next five seconds if you don't want me storming that bathroom.
She definitely took longer than five seconds.
Scrolling to center the message before his warning, she breathed in deeply, trying to hold back a small smile-
You've caught me in one of those rare moods in which I actually listen to you. Chomp, chomp midget.
The line was cut as Rukia opened the passenger door, her reiatsu slowly revealing itself, Ichigo's cell pocketed as he slid off the strange car, watching Rukia walk up to him; "Hey."
"Hi, Berry."
Grabbing onto her waist, wordlessly pushing her back onto the hood of her car, Ichigo slid his hands down to hook his hands under her thighs, hoisting her up onto the TSX.
Settled between her legs, yet to be punched or skinned alive, her reiatsu full and bare for him to indulge in, Ichigo grasped her arms he was certain he'd bruised, gently rubbing them.
"What got you to come out of there?"
Closing her eyes, Rukia dropped her head against his firm chest, inhaling his scent she had missed for five, long months, dreading the days she'll find herself missing it again; "The fact you let me sit in there alone, time to calm down, instead of provoking me into slowly killing you."
His chest rumbled with laughter, Rukia pulling away after one last breath of his scent, her iPhone in hand, her thumb sliding the lock aside; "And, the fact you can be such a dork sometimes…."
His text on her screen, Ichigo rolled his eyes at it, grabbing her phone; not bothering to reach for her cell, Rukia leaned back on her arms, her legs pressed against Ichigo's hips, his hands resting on her knees, Rukia's gaze on him; "Who had you looking so worried on the phone?"
"Ah, that was… it was Inoue. She was thinking of dropping out of the university, coming here…."
Rukia sat up, frowning, shaking her head; "No, no; Inoue's no idiot, she can't resort to this!"
Ichigo stared at her curiously, his thumb running over the iPhone he held hostage, biting his lip.
"…is that what you think you are, being here?"
He could feel Rukia's reiatsu falter, his petite shinigami's breath caught in her throat before she calmly breathed out, sitting up straight; "…yes."
Scruffing his shoe against the ground, Ichigo ran his hands along her legs, his eyes downcast onto hers.
"I… I think you're wrong. A school doesn't define you. If, where you find yourself matters, then consider the fact you're still here in Karakura, in my home, with my two sisters who probably love you more than me- and my insane, crazy and… proud father…."
Rukia wanted to kick him, the same way she wanted to kick him as she hung from the Sōkyoku and he came before her, the same way she wanted to kick him whenever he opened his soul to her; she kept still, however, enjoying the feel of his hands gently running over her legs without thought.
Chad walked silently beside Inoue, her various bags slung over his strong shoulders, three of her boxes easily carried in his arms; checking on the tall, silent male beside her, still apologizing to him despite his assurance he was fine, Inoue carried her school bag and her box of personal, sentimental belongings, her pink bear peeking out of the flaps- "Thank you, Sado-kun, for helping me."
"You're welcome. I couldn't let you carry everything over on your own."
Inoue smiled gently, the neat, gorgeous apartment building in view-
"Don't know what I'd do without you and Kurosaki-kun, Sado-kun. I'd be on my way to Karakura Community by Friday morning if it weren't for Kurosaki-kun! And I'd have to make maybe eight trips just to move everything without your help!"
They came up to the building's front, quietly entering the lobby in the late night, stepping into the elevator together.
The '4' illuminated until they reached the floor, a faint ring opened the doors for them, the pair stepping out, making their way down the wide, dimly lit hallway.
Walking up to the familiar cream-colored door, Chad set down the boxes, taking out the single key ring, opening the door to the dark, quiet apartment; before picking the boxes back up, Chad turned to Inoue, holding out the key; "Here you are, Inoue-san. It's the only extra key Ichigo has, so be careful."
Inoue nodded with promise, taking the silver key from Chad, the tall male crouching down to gather up the boxes, Inoue glancing at the key in hand before curling her hand around it, Chad walking into Ichigo's apartment.
"I'll be careful…." Breathing deeply, Inoue stepped into the lit apartment, gently closing the door behind her.
What will become of us?
:D
Much love, KurosakiLove