Chapter 13: Telephone

...I spent an hour putting in ANs and editing as much as I could, putting in the break lines... and as I clicked 'save'... "You must be logged in to access this page."

What. The. Fuck? Not a single change was saved... I feel like crying. Anyways, I know I suck; work and school, up until today, has been seven days a week. I now have six days a week- joy. Having been bedridden since Thursday, I took the chance to pull a chapter out of my ass for you all- because you've been reviewing despite my lack of updates, and been messaging me, hoping that I am well and alive, and wishing me luck... you're all the best medicine for this little sickie :) I appreciate you all, for your support with and without updates, your support in and out of fanfiction...

Thank you. Thank you all, and I hope this chapter is enough, and that I don't leave you again for too long. This chapter may be off since I'm off, haha, but hopefully it's okay...

So, without more complaining and whining; here's Chapter 13 of Telephone! 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.

Tsuki / Taiyo = Moon / Sun

Sapporo = Japanese beer brand

To: Kuchiki Rukia

Hurry up, midget.

To: Kuchiki Rukia

You're too damn slow!

To: Kuchiki Rukia

This is why we don't do nice things.

Amber eyes looked up at the clock as her reiatsu surged violently from within the bedroom, a smirk pulling at Ichigo's lips; two minutes is really two hours somewhere, right?

"I'm going to ram my heels up your ass, Kurosaki!"

Apparently not there, in their apartment. Leaning back into the couch, Ichigo sighed as he pocketed his phone, letting his head fall back as he yelled back to Rukia-

"If you can even reach my ass, Kuchiki!"

The door was torn open in seconds, Rukia leaning out with a menacing glare, the muscles of her exposed shoulders and collar tense with obvious irritation, snapping at him with a threatening flare of reiatsu; "Stand up and I'll show you I can!"

Holding back a laugh, certain she'd tear him apart for even thinking of laughing, Ichigo straightened up and moved up onto his feet, coming at her despite the promise of pain her violet eyes held, his tall, lean form in black shirt and pants standing before her beneath the door frame.

Ichigo reached out to hold onto either side of the frame, leaning in as eyes roamed up her petite being from her toes, following her long legs up to where a light, beige dress reached enough of her thighs, flowing loose and hugging her curves where needed, a scrunched hem at its top the only reason it held just above her breasts.

She was beautiful, and he was determined to keep that sappy fact to himself; "This little spat of ours could have been avoided, you know, had you not kicked me out of the damn bathroom."

Rukia made to snap again, cut off by a sloppy aim to her mouth, Ichigo laughing as he nipped at her lips, Rukia conflicted between punching his teeth out or returning the odd affection-

"Not like you still need to keep 'certain assets' hidden from me through that glass door-."

His laughter as she punched him against the firm muscles of his abdomen only angered his petite death god even further, Rukia shoving him away as she threw out any threats she could, nursing her aching knuckles before settling to kick Ichigo instead, her abuse never ceasing his cocky laughter.

"Kiss my ass, Strawberry!"

He kept close to her side through the busy streets of their city, just a step's time behind her, her heeled steps joined silently by his; walking by the golden hues from the street lamps and humble shops, amber and violet eyes caught them at different depths.

Coming closer to a crowd waiting to cross the busy street, men and women about them, teens rushing along on skateboards and scooters, Rukia's shoulders were encircled by a single arm, her smaller frame held close to Ichigo's side.

Stepping up onto the opposite curb, his arm around Rukia until they moved ahead of the crowds, Ichigo dropped his hold around her, stepping away only enough to allow his arm rest back between them, the material of his ironed sleeves brushing against her blazer. A bright light catching his attention from the general golden glow about them in the chilled night, Ichigo looked over at her, Rukia smiling down into her iPhone; "Already bored with me, are you?"

Rolling her eyes, Rukia bumped her arm against him, coming to a slow as he turned to face her, looking down at the screen between them.

"Your sister…."

Rukia-chan! I finally figured out how to send messages to your phone. Karin owes me ice cream now, HA! Anyways, what are you up to?

A handsome smirk on his lips, Ichigo swiped the sleek device from her hands, ignoring Rukia's weak protest, violet eyes watching the glow of the screen change on his features as he tapped and swiped at it, his brows furrowing as he muttered angrily, whining about 'fancy, complicated pieces of shit' just barely beneath his breath.

"Ichigo, what are you looking for? Just ask, you-."

"Got it." Wrapping his arm around her waist, Ichigo pulled Rukia up against him as he raised his arm above them, her wide gaze looking up to find her phone tight in his grip, her own small hands gripping his shirt; "What are you-?"

"Shut up and look pretty, midget."

Karin sighed as yet another commercial came up on the screen, her father working silently at the kitchen table behind her, Yuzu's humming at the kitchen sink flowing into the living room with ease; a small beep coming from the laptop on the coffee table, Karin sat up, looking over the couch's back as her movie resumed on screen.

"Yuzu, I think Rukia responded…."

"Coming." Hands wiped on the hand towel beside the sink, Yuzu ruffling her father's hair as she passed him, a small smile from him following her out to the living room, Yuzu circled the couch to sit against it by the low table, Karin's legs pulled up onto the cushions to let Yuzu lean back comfortably.

Maximizing the iChat window, Karin shifting behind her on the couch, Yuzu cocked her chin with slight confusion, her finger gently tapping the trackpad; "She sent… a picture?"

A gasp caught Isshin's attention back at the table, raising his gaze from his papers in time to see Karin lean over her twin, seemingly caught by surprise at whatever they were looking at, her dark eyes looking over at him.

"Dad, come look at the picture!"

Brows high with curiosity, Isshin groaned as he pushed back his chair, standing with difficulty after hours of sitting there, working and reading and signing… "What are my precious girls looking at, hm?"

He came up to the couch's back, leaning over it and looking past Karin, brows heavy as he tried to make out the picture- eyes growing wide as he realized what he was looking at.

"My boy, ha, ha!" Isshin stepped back with a loud, resounding clap of his hands, throwing them out with proud fists as he punched the air, his twin daughters laughing as he had a sudden energy again after hours of work, Isshin striking a dramatic pose to point over at the picture displayed on the screen; "My boy is with my Rukia-chan!"

Shaking her head, leaning her elbows on Yuzu's crown just in front of her as her twin sat on the floor, Karin smiled as she took in the sight again, the picture obviously taken from above by her brother, their eyes bright with golden hues from the lights about them, both smirking knowingly.

"Karin, don't they look great! And look; Rukia-chan is wearing the dress you bought her! I know that's the one!"

Yuzu grinned as she reached up over her head and found Karin's long hair, tugging on her soft locks as she leaned her head back, Karin moving her arms off her crown to circle around Yuzu's neck, grinning down at her; "We definitely need to frame this, Yuzu-chan."

"Hai!"

From: Tatsuki

Hey Keigo, still able to drive up my stuff with that truck?

The vending machine dispensed his juice as he pressed 'reply,' quickly messaging Tatsuki before snapping his phone shut, reaching down for the chilled can.

"Damn nee-san and her monthly shit…." Dropping the can into the grocery bag, Keigo made his way back towards the apartment, his phone ringing shortly in his pocket.

From: Tatsuki

Good. I'll send you the directions by e-mail. Might be later tonight, though. Need Ichigo's place for internet.

Pursing his lips, Keigo closed the message, opening his contact list from his home menu.

Go To: Ic|

'Ichigo' highlighted, Keigo pressed the green key to call, coming to a stop at the corner, shifting his weight as he waited.

"Hey, can't get to the phone right now. Leave a mess-."

Keigo ended the call, starting up a message for Tatsuki.

To: Tatsuki

Didn't know you two were okay again.

Keigo managed to make it to his apartment without much incident, dropping off the bag of snacks in his sister's room, making his way into his own bedroom for some video games.

He still didn't get a reply.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, for two." He stood tall in front of the hostess' station, the young woman clad in a black ensemble neatly writing down his name, looking up with hazel eyes, guessing his wait time to be no longer than twenty. Thanking her, giving her a small smile before turning away, Ichigo made through the people waiting behind him, coming out of the restaurant's warmth to the chilled night.

Finding Rukia at the bench he had left her at, Ichigo dropped down beside her, the length of their bodies against each other as he swung an arm up on the bench behind her, her shoulder resting comfortably just beneath him.

A perk of being so short, he supposed; "What else have you been reading beside my biology books?"

"I think you left your psychology once. But that one you tend to take with you a lot more…."

They were watching people go in and out of the restaurant, couples walking to and from in front of them, a few individuals walking their dogs passing every now and then. He felt his Torch vibrate in his pocket, ignored as he watched a petite woman walk by with a large Chow.

"It's not as heavy as that damn beast of my bio book. Pain in the ass to carry all that shit."

He looked down as she let out a short laugh, Rukia shaking her head before meeting his gaze; "Thought you'd be able to handle a few books after years of lugging Zangetsu around…. Even Renji struggled a bit with him, holding him while you were beating Urahara with Kon."

He breathed out a laugh as he thought back to one of their last times with their shinigami allies, remembering every squeak from Kon for every hit he landed on Urahara, the others simply laughing at their antics.

"Zangetsu is one thing- I like him. My books, I'd gladly burn to hell once I don't need them…."

"Wait until I finish with them."

Ah, yes; the university awaits her next semester; "So you're serious about biology, then?"

Rukia nodded, shifting her body to face him, a leg tucked underneath her despite the dress, leaning her arm up beside his to rest her head against.

"Well, yeah- I don't see another reasonable way to make a zoo out of your apartment."

"Hey!"

"Ready, Hime?"

Tatsuki checked for her wallet and phone, Inoue turning off the lights to the apartment, the kitchen light the only one on; "Hai… are you sure we can't wait until morning, to go to an internet café? Kurosaki-kun seemed awfully mad at you last time, Tatsuki-chan…."

"I promise to behave… besides, I do want to try and patch things up with him. I don't want to lose my oldest friend just cause of some shinigami…." Tatsuki rolled her eyes, walking out into the hallway.

Inoue found her herself frowning, nevertheless, sighing as she pocketed her cell phone, switching off the kitchen light before the only light they could go by came through the open door. Stepping out with Tatsuki, a small backpack with clothes to change into on their shoulders, the bustier of the pair took care to lock the apartment, Inoue smiling at Tatsuki once they could leave, their footsteps softened by the dull carpet at their feet.

Coming out to the street, Inoue stood aside as Tatsuki waved down a cab, the vehicle pulling over carefully, Inoue first to climb into the back seats.

"Tsuki / Taiyo apartments, please."

"Hai." Pulling out into the street, the cab driver headed south shortly, soon turning to make way back north towards the desired complex.

"Hime, how was your exam, by the way? It was this morning, wasn't it?"

"I think it went well. We had a study session in the morning, so I got most of my last questions answered. There were only two I couldn't answer at all on the exam…."

Tatsuki leaned her elbow against the door, blurs of the late night rushing past the window, her brown eyes on Inoue beside her, playing with her hair.

"Why didn't you get them answered in the review session? Isn't that what it's for?"

Inoue nodded, shrugging lightly; "Well, in our group, none of us had figured it out except Kurosaki-kun… but he didn't make it. He left home late…."

Tatsuki frowned, Inoue looking out her window as they took a turn, recognizing the street they were on, the apartment not far from then.

"Kurosaki-kun… he seemed very different this morning- well, more than these past months living here…."

"What happened now?" Tatsuki waited for Inoue to look back at her, the cab slowing at a red light.

"He seemed… confident. Or maybe more… I don't know, Tatsuki-chan. He just seemed different… he was so handsome in a whole new way."

The cab jerked lightly back into acceleration, Tatsuki running a hand through her hair, sighing; "Oh, Hime. I don't know what we're going to do, to make him realize-."

"We're here, misses." Glancing at Inoue, a forlorn look to her grey eyes, Tatsuki quietly thanked the driver, handing him over some bills, opening her door as did Inoue.

Coming around the cab to stand beside her friend, Inoue popped her lips as she shifted her bag, looking up to the vast reach of the complex.

"Well, this is it, Tatsuki-chan…."

The lean female closed the cab's door, looking up with wide eyes at the immense building, windows glowing with lights from within, people walking along its decorative border of plants and trees, the soft flow of water reaching her ears, though she had yet to find its source; "Orihime… this is Ichigo's apartment?"

"Hai, Tatsuki-chan… Soul Society chose it for him. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's fuckin' enormous, that's what it is!" Tatsuki ignored Orihime's giggle, looking over to one end of the block, finding the building's far reach, following it back to the main entrance and over to its other extreme, gaping as she realized "It's a whole block?"

"Yeah… the parking structure is our whole building, you know! I always think of it whenever I walk up to ours…."

Tatsuki stared heavily at her friend beside her, Inoue smiling as she rocked on the balls of her feet, laughing as she wondered aloud if the their apartment could fit into his living room alone.

"The waitress was not hitting on me, Rukia!"

Ichigo glared as Rukia's teasing smirk grew, her fingers drumming her nude nails against the glass of water she held, her hair grazing the bare skin of her shoulders as she leaned forward, narrowing her gaze on him across the small, intimate table-

"Let's make a bet, Strawberry, before she comes back with our drinks…."

Still glaring at her, Ichigo leaned forward as well, resting his arms on the table before him, hands clasped together; "And what may this bet of yours be?"

Drawing a pattern mindlessly on the condensation of her glass, Rukia gave him a grin much too similar to Yoruichi's, a chill running over Ichigo's arm as he reminded himself not to reach across, just grabbing her from that nape of hers that fitted perfectly against his hand, pulling her over-

"I'm pretty damn sure she'll bring you some Sapporo- definitely black- despite you've yet to show any identification." Sitting back in her seat, legs crossed, Ichigo damning the table for blocking them from sight, Rukia crossed her arms under her modest chest, her deep violet gaze on him; "Let's also add in the napkin placed beneath it- wait, no… on top of it- her number written with blue eyeliner. As for me; she'll have my order wrong."

Nodding slowly, Ichigo ran his tongue over his teeth, smirking as violet eyes followed it.

"Alright, then- what happens if you're right about these intense assumptions of yours? What happens if you're wrong?"

"Let's let the little berry decide what happens if I'm wrong."

Oh hell, it's a trick. "Uh…."

"I can see her horrendous highlights coming this way and she has two orders to leave before she comes over, Ichigo. Hurry up."

Shit. "…another date-?"

"Great; I get to use bakudō on you, and you can't break it loose no matter how easy it may be."

She was met with a heavy, still stare, smirking as she could see past his deep, amber eyes and imagine the desperate attempt to go over the past sixty seconds, trying to decide if he had indeed heard her correctly, debating if he should ask her to repeat herself or not….

Rukia wore a wicked, wicked grin.

Inoue smiled uneasily as they made their way down the hallway, Tatsuki following beside her; coming up to '413,' keys pulled out from her backpack, Inoue checked briefly for Ichigo and Rukia's reiatsu, frowning at the empty feel within the apartment.

"I don't think they're home, Tatsuki-chan…."

She pushed open the door, her greatest friend staying behind out in the hallway, arms crossed as brown eyes stared into the dark apartment through the open door; "…where the hell are they at this hour?"

"Sorry about the wait, Kurosaki-san; needed to make sure I got your drinks right."

Smiling brightly as she balanced the tray up on her manicured fingertips, their brunette waitress with 'horrendous highlights' carefully reached up and grabbed his new water, placing it down by his empty glass, Ichigo glancing over to Rukia sitting silently across from him.

Mouthing 'wait' as the chestnut babbled about a few drops of fresh lemon for his water, Rukia fought back a smile as the waitress reached up to the tray again, her fake plastic fingertips gingerly grasping the next drink, slowly lifting it off the tray as she commented on the crisp folds of his dress shirt- Rukia letting a sly smile sneak past her guard as the unmistakenable gleam of an aluminum can caught the light as it was set down, 'Sapporo' clear in bold, black lettering across its sides, their brunette waitress reaching again for-

Oh! The napkin, flipped over as she placed it on top of the can, smiling prettily as he looked up at her with a small 'thanks,' the young brunette turning to face Rukia; slamming down a cup of green tea.

"Would you like some sugar for that tea? Splenda?"

Meeting Ichigo's amused eyes, her male shaking his head at her, a victorious gleam to Rukia's gaze, the older shinigami turned her attention up to the waitress, matching the smile she had given Ichigo perfectly; "No thank you, actually, since I had ordered the mikan chu-hai."

"Oh, really? My, I'm sorry about that… let me change this for you, then." Snapping the drink off the table, the waitress turned back to Ichigo, smiling, waiting for his eyes to move off that woman across the table from him, waiting for his eyes to move onto her.

"Anything else for you, Kurosaki-san?"

He could tell by the look on Rukia's face that the waitress' smile faltered as he kept his eyes on his death god across the table from him, biting down on his lip to fight back the smirk he was yearning to let onto his lips, clearing his throat as he shifted in his seat and tapped the can of beer beside his hand, waiting to speak until violet eyes locked onto his; "No, thank you. That's all for me…."

"…hai. I'll be back with that drink…."

She hesitated before turning away, looking over her shoulder to glare at Rukia, leaving the pair of shinigami behind with Rukia looking after her retreating back, her attention slowly turned back onto Ichigo again.

Sitting in silence for a few moments, gazes locked as silverware clinked about them and couples talked sweetly around them, Rukia and Ichigo simply smirked that smirk of theirs to each other, Ichigo finally caving to pointless curiosity; picking up the napkin, turning it over for both to see, a neat print of digits was set against the white material, the blue pigment dark and smooth like that of expensive eyeliner.

Breathing out a laugh as he shook his head, his orange bangs moving with him, he set the napkin aside, looking up at Rukia biting back amusement; "Well, Kuchiki… that… that was pretty impressive."

Rukia shrugged indifferently, letting out a dramatic, airy sigh.

"What can I say? I'm a Kuchiki; we're pretty damn impressive, Kurosaki." She laughed softly as he shook his head again, leaning back in his chair comfortably, rubbing at his lip as he looked at her.

"So all that…?"

"Mhm, all that was gut instinct…." Leaning back long enough to switch her crossed legs, Rukia scooted her seat in- properly and gracefully- leaning back in with her elbows resting lightly on the table, her chin resting on her clasped hands, looking intently into amber eyes-

"The same instinct that had me going against orders and getting into trouble with you… and the same one that let me let you, start off this thing of ours that humans love to do and scares the hell out of both of us…."

Amber eyes didn't move from her violet ones, Rukia unable to read them with those bangs of his teasing their sight, leaning back so casually and handsomely, Ichigo's leg bouncing at a fast rhythm as he slowly ran her words and their possible results through his 'Will Rukia kill me if I do or say this?' filter.

The hell- she's the one who wants to bind him and keep him bounded as she did… well, he doesn't know what- yet.

"…want to leave this dating bullshit for another night?"

She had that mischievous gleam again in her eyes, feigning a sigh of settlement, shrugging her bare shoulders without care again; "I don't see why not, Kurosaki-san…."

A bill to cover the drinks and tip was slapped down onto the table, Ichigo pushing his chair out before Rukia could even set both heels on the ground, her young male immediately at her side, her blazer held for her in one hand, his other pulling out her chair with ease.

Slender arms slipped into the sleeves of her black blazer, her bare shoulders hidden from wandering eyes of men, Ichigo quickly swiped the beer off the table and took hold of her waist, leading her around their table and towards the front; Ichigo left alone long enough for her to head back and pick up the napkin, tearing it to small pieces, its small pile left on the bill.

Rukia held her head up high as she walked back to Ichigo in deliberate strides with her long, smooth legs, those legs seemingly longer in her black heels and dress, a smirk at her lips as she caught sight of their waitress heading back out towards the table, letting Ichigo claim his hold of her waist again as she came back to him, her male giving her a low laugh.

"You're terrible, Kuchiki."

From: Asano-kun

Hey Inoue-san, are you two going to send the e-mail or not? My sister wants the laptop the rest of the night, and I am NOT messing with her to get it back later.

"Tatsuki-chan, Asano-kun wants to know-."

"I can't believe Ichigo lives here." They stood beside the breakfast counter, just before the living room's carpeting cut off the wooden floor of the walkway and dining area, Tatsuki staring wide-eyed up into the high ceiling above them, Inoue smiling softly as she watched Ichigo's childhood friend take it all in.

"And it's clean." Inoue giggled as Tatsuki shook her head with awe, one last sweep of the apartment with her eyes before turning to Inoue, arms crossed as she stared into grey; "Out of all of us, I never imagined Ichigo to be the one in here."

"Really, Tatsuki-chan? I think it fits Kurosaki-kun so well…."

"…okay, yeah, you're right. Anyways, what were you saying, about Keigo?"

"Oh!" Clapping her hands together, Inoue grabbed Tatsuki's arm, waving her Chocolate in front of them; "Asano-kun wanted to know if we were sending him the e-mail tonight."

Looking around, Tatsuki shrugged, looking back at Inoue.

"Well, where's the computer?"

Biting her lip, Inoue moved her glance over to the side, finding Ichigo's closed bedroom door; "…it might be in there?"

The pharmacy hardly had anyone at that hour of the night, mind a few parents browsing the fourth aisle for cough syrup and fever reducers, a couple of older men by the back wall lined with refrigerators, a boyfriend or two picking up tampons and chocolate for a significant, temporarily bitchy other in the third; the people Ichigo was bothered about, though, were the cashiers- the knowing, blushing, perverted cashiers.

But she wanted to use bakudō, damn it!

"I hope you know there's no backing out of this once you let me close my bedroom door, midget." He turned into the second aisle with his hand deep in his pocket and his lone can of beer held in his other hand, Rukia following behind him with her heels clicking with every step, hands in her blazer's pockets as she swung her hips with a smirk; "Funny- I had set the cap on just getting past the front door."

Ichigo whirled back onto her, coming in close to her short frame, his hand leaving his pocket to grasp her jaw; mouth ghosting over hers, his body leaned over her in the empty aisle, Ichigo growled lightly as Rukia pulled at his belt buckle, bumping their pelvises together, Rukia grinning deviously as she looked up into amber.

"What, Strawberry?"

"You know, it takes balls for a new guy at this whole shit to come in here and grab that damn box over there, midget. Help me out, and don't make it difficult to get to the front door to begin with."

Snickering, Rukia slipped away from Ichigo's hold, walking ahead of him with amber eyes on her back, coming to a slow as she made it to the end of the aisle, her body feeling his behind her; "These what we're looking for?"

"Yeah."

"Tatsuki-chan, I have never been inside Kurosaki-kun's bedroom! I can't do it, I can't go in to find-."

"Orihime, we are just getting the laptop, sending an e-mail, and nothing else!" Firm hands gently rubbed at the tense muscles of Inoue's shoulders, Tatsuki trying once again to ease Inoue towards the bedroom door, met with a surprisingly strong resistance, just by Inoue's stance; "Though I do think you should take the opportunity to just look around and see how he-."

"No, no, no!"

Inoue can remember many days and nights in which she stuttered foolishly or trembled before a Hollow, or cried as Ichigo took another hit; but hyperventilating?

There's a first for everything, she supposed, tugging nervously at her long strands of hair, her wide, grey eyes fixated on the closed door before them.

Sneaking into his bedroom was not how she first wanted to see it, however.

"Orihime, calm down; just breathe slowly!" Tatsuki left Inoue's side to pull out a chair from the table, bringing it over for Inoue to fall into, grabbing her shoulders to steady her.

"Hime, if you're worried about him coming home, then just call him and ask when he's coming home. You also have Kuchiki's number, so-."

"I'm sure they're together, Tatsuki-chan." Brown eyes were wide with shock as Inoue forced her words out, giving out a heavy sigh, looking up to his bedroom door; sitting up straight, ignoring Tatsuki's 'Are you alright?,' Inoue reached into her pocket for her phone, opening her contact list and highlighting 'Kurosaki-kun.'

"Hime, what are-?"

"Will… that be all tonight, man?"

"Yes." Shoving a bill across the counter, Ichigo glared at the smirking cashier with shaggy hair and a heavy gaze, his black eyes moving off Ichigo to the side, proceeding to move down- snapped back onto Ichigo as the tall male reached out and pulled Rukia behind him; "Mind hurrying up? Bit of a hurry here, man."

"Alright, alright; just chill…." Brushing his hair back, Hikaru, as noted by his nametag, grabbed the lone blue box off the counter, amber eyes watching his every move, deepening his glare whenever black eyes tried to catch sight of a raven-haired beauty behind him.

"So, this will be…." Turning the box over for the bar code, Hiraku scanned the box, frowning when the scan-gun gave a void tone, cringing as he caught sight of Ichigo's scowl; "Uh, I'll just get someone to-."

Ichigo's hand shot out to grab Hiraku's wrist, keeping him from reaching the inter-com, practically feeling Rukia's sly grin behind him, silent as a rock.

A rock being chucked at his head, at least; "Look… Hiraku-san… just keep the change. I'm pretty damn sure you can have three lunches with it."

"But I can just ask from here-." Hiraku winced as Ichigo's grip tightened, catching sight of Rukia finally stepping out from behind him, picking at an aluminum can in her hands as she wandered off, violet eyes glancing back at Ichigo with an playful swirl of hues.

Hiraku snapped back to attention at Ichigo's voice- "Put the damn things in a bag, and keep the change."

"…hai. Arigato for your generous donation, man- s-sir."

Inoue Orihime

Calling…

Ichigo pulled on Rukia's hand as his screen lit up with the notification, his Torch vibrating in his hand as they stood at the curb, just three blocks to go until they reach the front door.

Moving his gaze from the screen onto Rukia, Ichigo huffed out a warm, cloudy breath against the chilled night, looking back down onto his phone, frowning at the screen; "Did Inoue say exactly how late she'd be tonight?"

"No…." Clutching the lone can of beer, Rukia pulled at her blazer as she moved closer against his body, Ichigo wrapping an arm around her frame, running his reiatsu over her as he tapped his thumb against his screen, bringing it up to his ear with a sigh; "Yo, Inoue…."

"Kurosaki-kun, sorry I'm bothering with a call. I was wondering if you and Kuchiki-san were home?"

"Oh, well, no…we're not home. Do you need us there-?"

"Oh no, Kurosaki-kun; I actually may be staying at my apartment tonight… so there's no need for you to hurry at all."

Rukia's stomach tightened in an erotic tangle of nerves and anxiousness, her hand gripping his shirt's front as he looked down at her, his amber hues a deep, wanting brown as his arm tightened around her, pulling her in closer; "Hontou? Then… let me know if you end up coming back to the apartment for the night."

"I will."

The line was cut, Rukia gasping as Ichigo immediately leaned in to find her lips, her mouth claimed hungrily by his despite the sidewalk they stood in, cars and pedestrians passing by, ignoring them as he ignored they, slowly coaxing Rukia to massage her tongue against his, lips-

"Get a room, hot-shot!"

They grinned wickedly as a car horn blared out, Rukia's small hand keeping a firm grasp of his shirt as she tugged him into a walk, his steps careful of her toes as he kept close to her, Rukia walking backwards before turning around and striding ahead a few steps, hips caught by his hands before he reached out and intertwined their fingers; Ichigo keeping to the side along the busy street with Rukia closest to the different lightening from the windows of shops and homes, she was careful not to shake the can much as they walked side by side, Ichigo holding the plastic bag from the pharmacy securely, his hand tightening gently around hers.

They crossed the street, minutes away from the complex.

Sorry if I missed anything or let sentences run on and on, or made things abrupt... everything is running together in my mind :(

Please let me know how this chapter went. I really, really depend on you all; you're the best medicine for the sickly :') Love you all!

Much love and appreciation, KurosakiLove