Chapter 8: Telephone

I started this chapter over, like... five times, hahahaha. Bastard- still not 100% happy with it!

I have a bad feeling I am going to take a week to finish this once break starts, before I can start on SMD again... fuuuuuu-! I also have finally updated my profile :3 Heh heh heh

There is a span of flashbacks mixed with present time and texting (when he's on the train). Enjoy! Thank you for all your support :')

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.

To: Inoue Orihime

Heading back today.

The last of his clothes were tossed into his duffle, Ichigo's skin and hair damp from his shower after breakfast with the twins, the household empty of his father's yelling and screaming, Rukia dropping off the sophomores at school.

Zipping up the bag, Ichigo made towards his door with a grip on his towel to keep it from slipping off his hips, a hum of vibrations against his desk's wooden top catching his ear, but ignored either way….

But what if it's Rukia?

Muttering about midget's damn leash on me, Ichigo trudged back into his room, stepping faster when he noticed it was still vibrating, answering it in time- "Midget."

"You still home, Strawberry?"

Ichigo held his Torch between his ear and shoulder, dropping his towel from his waist as he picked up his boxer-briefs from his bed, leaning to slip his legs into them.

"Of course I'm still home. You really think I'd just leave without saying good-bye to you?"

He grabbed his jeans, stumbling a bit as he tried to put his leg through them, cussing under his breath.

"…I need to get used to this. See you in twenty, then- Berry."

Rukia hung up before he could call her anything as annoying, Ichigo tossing his phone onto his bed, pulling up his jeans and leaving them undone. His eyes roamed his room, his clothes he had brought with him packed- be they dirty or clean- and his desk held his messenger, only his Macbook out of his bag.

Pulling out his chair, Ichigo sat down as he lifted his laptop's screen, opening up Mozilla, his cursor on the search box at the top, left corner.

Karakura Community College|

"Strawberry!" Rukia slipped off her flats, closing the front door with her foot. She stood there at the feel of her phone vibrating, grabbing it and sliding the lock aside to a text from Ichigo.

My room

She rolled her violet eyes, tossing her phone onto the couch as she made for the stairs. Coming up to Ichigo's room, she bumped the door further open, coming in to the sound of a screen slammed down, Ichigo standing up from his desk; "…hey."

Rukia looked over Ichigo's bare torso, lifting a brow up at him.

"So lazy that you couldn't just yell?" Walking up to him, she held out a coffee cup from the small café Ichigo had been frequenting all week, his hand closing over hers on the cup as he looked at her, orange bangs barely teasing his brows; "White Mocha?"

"Double shot White Mocha with extra caramel, since you're becoming so sweet, Straw-."

He pulled her in against him, cutting her off with his mouth over hers, Rukia's other drink slipping from her grasp, caught by his other hand before wrapping around her waist, holding her close; clutching onto Ichigo's arm as he turned their bodies, Rukia let her body follow his move towards his desk, lips meeting over and again before her rear met with its edge.

Pulling away from Rukia long enough to nearly drop the drinks onto his desk behind her, Ichigo crouched enough to hook his hands under her thighs, lifting her up onto the desk, pushing her legs apart to move in close, nuzzling her jaw; "I've shown my sweet side plenty of times before this."

Brushing her hair back, Rukia bit her lip at the feel of Ichigo's mouth ghosting over her skin to her throat, moving back up to hover over her lips, meeting her gaze; Rukia remained still, perched up on the desk, her breath coming to her uneasily.

Ichigo frowned lightly as he looked at Rukia, feeling her reiatsu wavering nervously, her body tensing at the feel of his hands on her knees; he took a few steps back from her, keeping his hands on her knees, leveling his eyes with hers.

"I thought you wouldn't go shy on me-?"

"I'm not!" Her firm tone didn't reach her violet gaze, Ichigo's hands grip on her knees tightening, taking a step closer to her; "Really, now? Your damn reiatsu proves otherwise!"

"You're awful at feeling any reiatsu, so what the hell would you know-?"

Rukia gasped at the sudden hold of her jaw, Ichigo back against her between her legs, looking down at her with intense, amber eyes.

"I know you almost died back in Hueco Mundo, because I can feel your damn reiatsu!"

He watched her violet eyes grow wide, moving his hands to cradle her jaw, his thumbs tracing it; "I felt you nearly leave me behind in that damn hell! Don't tell me I can't feel you, Rukia, 'cause I damn well can!"

Ichigo pulled away from her, stepping back from the desk, his hands digging into his wild hair as he looked at her. Rukia could only drop her gaze, her hands on her thighs, digging her nails into the jeans' material hugging them closely, her black tresses falling about her face to hide it from Ichigo's strained gaze. He almost didn't hear her, standing so far from her in the room; "I thought you didn't care, back there…."

Ichigo leaned back against his wall behind him, pulling at his hair, eyes shut tightly.

"I was turning back to find you, but… I don't know why I turned around to fight Ulquiorra…!"

He heard the soft slide of her jeans against the desk before the soft touch of her feet onto the floor, opening his amber eyes onto her, Rukia standing against the desk with her hands on it behind her, looking at him. He couldn't read her eyes from his place across from her, watching Rukia as she slowly started towards him, her hands sliding across the grain of his desk before running off its edge, dropping to her sides.

Rukia came to the tall male until she stood at arm's length from him, brushing her hair back, her stubborn bang falling back into place; "Maybe… you knew I'd make it…."

Ichigo only looked at her, his eyes narrowing at the different look to her eyes, her reiatsu steady and calm as she stood before him, her hands pulling at the sleeves of her sweater hanging off her shoulders.

Reaching out to her, his palm turned up, Ichigo stayed leaning against the wall as she stepped closer, her small hand in his; Rukia was pulled into his bare embrace, hands running the length of her back, her arms looping around his neck to lock her fingers together.

Ichigo ran his hands down her entire back, shamelessly running over every curve, pulling her petite body up against him. He held onto her waist, Rukia breathing with difficulty so close against his bare torso, circling her arms around him, soft fingers grazing his spine to tighten his stomach's muscles, amber eyes looking down into her violet ones.

She breathed in slowly, daring herself to slowly place her hands flat against his back, his hold around her waist firm.

A hand reaching up to grab her chin, Ichigo pressed his lips briefly onto Rukia's, pulling back looking at her, their warm breath teasing each other.

"Still shy, midget?"

The sudden boldness in her violet hues caught his breath, Rukia moving a hand to cradle his jaw and trace it up into his short mane, fisting up what she could of its wild mess, pulling him in to just barely move her lips over his-

"…bite me."

Her back met the wall before she could even realize he had turned their bodies around, Ichigo's lips pressed onto hers, his large hands gently cupping her face and running his thumbs over her cheeks, Rukia's stomach tightening at the feel of his growing arousal against her thigh.

She almost complained when he broke their kiss, violet eyes immediately glaring at him only to fall shut as he leaned back in roughly, nipping at her lips with her hands pulling on his mane; Rukia cussed at the gasp she let slip past her lips at his mouth off hers onto her neck, Ichigo's teeth finding his old mark on her skin, biting down on it for another gasp from his death god; "Ichigo-!"

His tongue soothed Rukia's stinging bruise, Ichigo's larger body pushing against hers, biting down on her neck once more before nipping his way back up to her mouth, Rukia up on her toes to press her lips firmly onto his.

Their struggling breathing heavy through their noses, Ichigo pushed off her lips, brushing her hair aside, caressing her flushed cheek.

"Do you trust me?"

Rukia fought back the urge to roll her eyes, nodding as she smirked at him; "You're just as inexperienced in this as I am, right? Don't see why I wouldn't."

Matching her sly smile, Ichigo leaned in, nipping at her again, pecking at her lips repeatedly before lingering against them, his hand caressing her skin down to her chin and grabbing it; straightening up, hips against hers, Ichigo leaned in close, bumping his jaw against hers.

"Hey, look at me…."

Violet eyes as heavy as his looked up at him, Ichigo moving an arm up onto the wall above her; his hand cupped her jaw with his thumb tracing her bottom lip, parting them. Their gazes locked, Ichigo leaned into her, their lips interlocking gently, Ichigo pulling back slowly.

Rukia's hands gripped onto his slim, toned muscles along his sides, Ichigo kissing her again, suckling lightly on her lip between his, watching her eyes for any sign of discomfort. Rukia's eyes seemingly daring him to grow bolder, Ichigo pushed his tongue past her lips, both their eyes slipping shut at his soft caress against hers, Rukia's hands pulling him closer.

Inoue stood in line at the small café beside Chad, her chin dropped as she stared at the Chocolate in her hands, the pink cell phone motionless with it screen black.

She ran her thumb over its front, biting her lip as she opened her menu to look at her messages, her archive with no new text messages from Kurosaki-kun, opening her last message to him.

To: Kurosaki-kun

I'm so glad to hear Kurosaki-kun! Around what time will you be back home? I can have dinner ready.

They moved up in line, Inoue brushing her hair behind her ears, her screen dimming.

Maybe I shouldn't have said that...

"Inoue-san, you're up." Looking up from her phone, Inoue moved up to the counter, the brunette barista smiling tightly at her; "Hello- your new usual?"

Inoue frowned at the narrow, analyzing gaze the brunette settled on her, nodding silently, the barista leaving the counter to make her order; taking out her wallet as the brunette came back with her drink, money exchanged hands, Inoue reaching out for her cup- unable to pull back as the brunette held onto it, leaning over the counter at look at Inoue intently.

"May I ask where's Kurosaki-kun this week?"

Inoue glanced away from her, her frown still heavy; "He had something to take care of…."

Letting go of Inoue's drink, the brunette straightened up, winking prettily at the busty female across from her, wiping the counter briefly.

"Let him know I need him to come back and take care of me, will you? Thanks, sweety."

Inoue rushed away without a word, Chad moving up to the register, looking over at Inoue's retreating back moving through the shop, towards the far tables nestled out of sight from the counter.

"What can I get you today, sir?"

Rukia turned from the kitchen table as Ichigo made his way downstairs, his bags dropped by the couch, pulling a hoodie on over his head; watching what little of his muscles were exposed as his arms reached up to move into the sleeves, Rukia leaned back against the table, turning her iPhone in hand, lightly tossing it back and forth between her hands.

"Got everything? Your cell phone? Laptop?"

Patting himself down, Ichigo pulled out his Torch, moving against the table beside her, tapping the screen.

"Huh-I have a text message, didn't even hear it earlier." He didn't see Rukia's eyes roll at him, willing her blush away; "Who is it from?"

Rubbing his neck, closing the message before pocketing his cell, Ichigo looked over at her standing beside him, her gaze moving up onto him.

"Inoue."

Rukia slowly turned her gaze from him, looking into the living room, drumming her fingers on her phone; "Did you give her your room?"

Ichigo frowned at her, scoffing; "Of course not, she's on the-."

He was surprised when she looked at him almost appalled, frowning at him.

"You have her on the couch?"

Ichigo moved off the table, matching her frown; "What, am I supposed to give her my room, even when the fact she's staying there nearly had you killing me?"

"It's the polite and noble thing to do, yes!"

He looked at her, looking about him in mad confusion, gaping back at her.

"That coming from the death god who made me sneak her into my closet every night, instead of sleeping in my sisters' room!" Turning from her, Ichigo paced shortly in front of her, rounding back at her; "Is this a trick, Kuchiki? One of those mind games I've always heard other guys complain about, huh?"

Rukia couldn't help laughing at the agitated male, dropping her face into her hands, pushing them up to run through her hair, looking back at Ichigo.

"Alright, fine. You don't want to give up your room, I won't complain about it…."

He scowled at her, crossing his arms over his chest; "Better not, mid-." Her small foot met his shin, Ichigo cringing at the harsh sting; "Damn it, Rukia!"

"You deserve it." Slipping her iPhone under her jeans' hem beneath her sweater, Rukia moved into the kitchen, grabbing a clean glass from the sink, filling it with water from the filter; "Now hurry up and go already, Berry. You were supposed to be gone already-."

He moved up behind her, hands on her hips, leaning over her to nuzzle her neck through her hair, Rukia's body tensing up against him, but pushing back up into him nonetheless.

"You distracted me and what's the rush with getting me out of here?"

Violet eyes looked out the small window in the kitchen, past the small plants on the window sill, into the grey sky laced with the sun's light hidden behind them; "I have errands to take care of for Yuzu…."

"I also have something I need you to do." His hands turned her around to face him, pushing her back against the sink, Rukia looking up him with an arm circled around his waist, Ichigo's hands on her hips; "Drop out of your classes at Community- I checked, and you still have until they close today."

She looked at him with confusion clear within her violet eyes, pulling her hand from his back around his side onto his stomach.

"Drop out? What the hell are you talking about-?"

Ichigo reached up to brush her hair back, running back down to her jaw; "I don't want you there…."

"Take Rukia with you, Ichi-nii."

"…but in the city with me, at the university, instead."

From: Tatsuki-chan

Hey Hime, sorry I didn't answer sooner- I was at the market. What's up?

Inoue sat alone within the large stadium lecture room, the seat Ichigo usually sat in beside her empty, her bag sitting in his place.

To: Tatsuki-chan

Just waiting for my only class today. Kurosaki-kun texted me earlier, that he's coming home today….

From: Tatsuki-chan

Finally- I need to make lunch for my parents, so I'll talk to you later. Let me know if anything happens. Have fun in class!

Glancing at the seat beside her, Inoue frowned lightly, nodding to herself.

Yeah… I'll have fun.

The train sped smoothly within the large city giants, Ichigo leaning his head against the window, ear-buds in place as the faint rays of sun shone through the glass; he was alone in the group of seats facing each other, his laptop idle on the seat beside him, his socked feet stretched out in front of him, hidden beneath the seat across.

"Ichigo, you can't be serious-."

She pushed gently at his firm chest, leaning off the counter as Ichigo stepped back.

"Why can't I be? You hate Community, and I think we're in a bit of a complicated position to be five hours away from each other."

Ichigo's Torch hummed within his pocket, sitting up to grab it, his thumb gently tapping the screen to open his text.

From: Kuchiki Rukia

…I can't reach the top shelf….

He laughed just as they sped under a clearing of the clouds, the sun pouring through the glass to get caught in his orange mane and amber eyes, Ichigo sitting back as he slid the screen up to reply to his petite, short as hell shinigami.

To: Kuchiki Rukia

You shouldn't have kicked me out of the house so quickly. I could have gone with you, short-stuff.

"I can't just leave your sisters and head to some big-shot university because you stuck your tongue down my throat, Ichigo!"

"So what, then- you regret it?"

Rukia dumped the water into the sink, slamming the glass down on the kitchen counter, her hands gesturing with frustration about her, her reiatsu rough at its edge; "I never said I did- I just… I can't leave Karin and Yuzu-."

"Oh, now I feel better about leaving home, Rukia- thanks for being the one to think of them before moving away, not how I just ran off!"

From: Kuchiki Rukia

Yeah, and spend your time making fun of me!

"You know we don't see it like that! Your father is so proud of you, and so are your sisters! They wanted you to go to the city!"

"And they're the ones who also want you over there!"

The clouds came back together, the grey blur of buildings replaced with the green of open fields as he quickly typed back to Rukia.

To: Kuchiki Rukia

I have something else to do now instead of teasing you- verbally teasing you, at least. I would have gotten that can of tomato sauce for you without picking on your height...

Rukia looked at him in surprise, chancing a glimpse at the picture of her and the twins on the fridge, looking back at him, silent.

"They told me when we were waiting for you in the car…."

She dropped her gaze, crossing her arms under her modest chest; "They're crazy like you to think I'm cut for such an education like that of your university…."

"Don't start with the whole 'idiot' thing again, Rukia-!"

"I never finished the Academy, Ichigo! All I know is how to sit straight and kneel properly on some, some over-priced, stuffed pillow and how to execute a Hollow!"

He had been watching a young couple moving to the back of the train car, a small bundle wrapped up in blankets cradled in her arms, when his phone vibrated in his lap, amber eyes back on his Torch.

From: Kuchiki Rukia

…how did you know it's the tomato sauce I can't reach?

He nearly snorted with laughter.

"You studied your pretty little ass off this whole week I was here with you, and you got all your work right!" Ichigo stepped closer to her, his amber gaze set on her violet one; "I've seen you prove yourself to those brainless, asshole instructors of yours, and they don't deserve it!"

Rukia could only look at him silently, Ichigo certain she was trying to argue with him, unable to think of anything; shortening the short space between them, Ichigo moved his hands up onto her arms, gripping them gently as he looked down at her.

"Even if you stay stubborn and don't go to school, and just lay around all day in my apartment, scheming of ways to piss me off- I don't care!"

Ichigo ran his hands up her arms, around her neck into her black tresses, leaning down to bump their foreheads together, looking into violet; "We both know we don't do so well separated… especially on my end…."

To: Kuchiki Rukia

Just knew. What are you and the girls making for dinner?

Rukia clutched onto his sweater's hem, knowing well of every time he meant, remembering when she returned to Ichigo after her rescue, beaten by his own emotions, beaten by the Arrancar and his Hollow. His finger swiped at her bang, pulling her out of her thoughts; "You'll also be a lot more comfortable this time- my closet's a walk-in."

It used to be rare, hearing Rukia's laughter or seeing her smile aside from a smirk similar to his. She still holds back from laughing hysterically at everything, but her ice had definitely melted over the past four years they've spent together, more and more pictures of her beautiful smile with the twins' showing up in their home, Ichigo thinking back to how she had tried to look away from him to hide her laughter.

"I… I can't exactly turn down a walk-in closet to sleep in, can I?"

Ichigo pressed his lips onto hers, grinning against her, Rukia punching his firm abdomen weakly, shaking her head at him; "You orange-haired fool…."

"Look… if you really don't want to go… then I accept that. Think about it, and if you end up in Admissions and Records… let me know."

From: Kuchiki Rukia

We're actually having take out, since Admissions and Records has a tendency to keep us waiting in line hours at a time. What's the difference between butter and margarine?

Inoue sat alone on the couch with the television on low, her eyes on The Food Network, her mind on Winter War's hero who had yet to text her back since morning.

"…I wonder what time he's coming back-."

She turned her eyes onto the door rattling a bit, muffled cussing about useless keys carrying through, her hand blindly patting the cushions for the remote, setting the television on mute; Kurosaki-kun.

"Ho-hold on, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue rushed over to the door, tugging her clothes straight, turning the lock off; she opened the door to Ichigo trying to kick the cream-colored door open, cussing violently as he stumbled forward, his bags and keys in hand; "Inoue!"

"Hi, Ku-rosaki-kun-!"

"What are you doing here?" They stood in an awkward silence, Inoue stuttering with confusion, Ichigo's brow raised up suspiciously; "I… I-I, I mean, didn't you say-?"

"Oh!" Ichigo's eyes went wide as he remembered, waving off my damn stupidity; "Shit, sorry… sorry, Inoue- I… it's been a long day… I'm talking out of my ass."

"…okay." She moved aside as Ichigo pushed through, dropping his bags the breakfast counter of the kitchen, his keys abandoned with them; "Really, Inoue- sorry about that."

Ichigo pulled off his sweater moving into the kitchen, groaning at the collision of his hip against the center island; looking away from the skin he had exposed with his shirt riding up with the sweater, Inoue clapped her hands together, forcing them to stop their trembling.

"How was your week, Kurosaki-kun?"

He looked over from his place at the fridge, filling a glass with water, shrugging; "It was fine… was everything alright here? Sorry I couldn't explain how to work the heater, over the phone."

"It's okay… I had enough of my sheets and blankets with me…."

They didn't have anything else to say- Ichigo gulping down his water as Inoue looked at the fruit ripening in a large bowl beside her. She looked up when he turned on the kitchen sink, rinsing his glass and leaving it on the rack to dry.

Inoue moved into the kitchen, standing at the corner of the marble counter; "I have dinner ready, if you're hungry-?"

"I'm going to crash, actually, for a bit. I mean, if I forgot you were staying here at the apartment-."

Her hands tightening their hold around each other, biting her lip; he didn't say 'with me.'

"-then I think I should sleep a bit. Go ahead and eat without me, Inoue."

Ichigo moved past her to round onto the breakfast counter, grabbing his bags, a vibration humming from his pocket; she turned as he dug out his phone, a handsome grin on his lips before he even opened the text message, walking towards his room without another word to her.

His door closing behind him, Inoue looked away from it, moving into the kitchen, putting back one of the plates she'd set by the stove, ready to serve.

From: Kuchiki Rukia

Your father is bawling and sobbing and crying and cursing you to hell.

Ichigo dropped his bags onto his desk, leaning on it as he replied with a slide of his screen up.

To: Kuchiki Rukia

He'll forgive me once he turns perverted.

He stepped out of his shoes to kick them under his bed, unfastening his belt, his jeans undone as his phone vibrated again.

From: Kuchiki Rukia

What the hell am I going to do now, with my time?

Ichigo dropped his shirt into his hamper, rubbing his neck as he pressed the green symbol to send calls, counting the number of times the dial tone droned on, the line soon picked up.

"It's not eight, yet."

"I don't care." Sliding the door to his closet open, he moved through it, frowning at the lack of clothes hung and folded in it, the need to do laundry obvious; "Anyways, I called to suggest you start thinking about what you're bringing."

"…when exactly am I leaving, anyways?"

"All of my classes are canceled on Wednesday next week, so I can take the railway early and just drive up with you." Ichigo walked out of his closet, moving into his bathroom to turn the shower on, letting the water heat up.

"Or we can save money and skip you coming down here, and I can drive up myself, Berry."

"I'm stealing you away from my sisters, midget, even though they want me to- the least I can do is use every chance to visit them."

Ichigo dropped his jeans to pool at his feet, kicking them aside, Rukia's voice dragging out lazily on the line; "True… are you actually in the bathroom while talking to me!"

His Torch switched ears, grey boxer-briefs meeting his jeans by his open bathroom door.

"I'm just naked- not like I'm pissing or anything." He was sure Rukia could practically hear the smirk he had, his mirror fogging up from the steam, Ichigo's finger drawing pointless patterns on it.

"You're taking a shower again? What the hell did you do on your way there to be dirty enough for a second shower?"

"Nothing; just tired, and it is a known fact, Kuchiki, that you sleep better after a warm shower." Opening the stall's glass door, he felt the water, its hot temperature to his liking as he smirked mischievously, his voice giving it away even though she couldn't see him; "Want a picture midget?"

"No thanks- use your phone's video to record it for me, instead."

He didn't know why the lid of his toilet was closed, but he had never been grateful before, seeing his Torch drop from his hand's grasp onto it, bouncing to the tile floor instead of a watery death, Ichigo's cussing loud enough for Rukia to hear before she hung up laughing.

"Damn it, Rukia-!"

Inoue's hands slowly moved the pot under the water at the sink, her long, burnt-orange hair in a loose braid; grey eyes looked up at Ichigo's door opening, the male walking out in sweats and a bare torso, Inoue angry at the blush she held even though she had seen him shirtless before-

But it was always in battle….

"R-rest well… Kurosaki-kun?" His jump was small but obvious, wide amber eyes looking at her, his toned arms immediately crossing mindlessly over his chest; "Oh, yeah, I did, Inoue."

She nodded at him, hesitantly looking away from him, Ichigo scratching at his head uncomfortably.

"I'll… be in my room, I guess." Inoue glanced at him, grey eyes flickering over his bare abdomen over her blushing skin; "…okay."

"Yeah- night, Inoue!" Ichigo grabbed a fruit from the bowl by the kitchen's front, heading back into his room, Inoue grimacing at the firm slam of his door.

I still can't even keep a conversation going with him…. She jumped at her phone vibrating loudly against the counter, picking up her Chocolate with a sigh.

From: Tatsuki-chan

Is he home yet? How is everything?

Inoue's gaze dropped, her grip on her phone tightening.

To: Tatsuki-chan

I don't think he feels at home with me around.

:)

Much love, KurosakiLove~