Chapter 20: Telephone
Oh my, over a month since Chapter 19! I'm so sorry :( I guess you can all tell by now I get sick a lot; thank you for all the kind messages you've left me in my inbox, I feel so flattered for your care, and for the last chapter's reviews and ALL the reviews! 19 chapters and Telephone has hit 500 reviews! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I appreciate you all so much...
I hope this chapter makes up for the time, and next chapter will skip ahead to the beginning of Rukia's first semester at the university! I'm creeping closer to the last chapter...
I'll try to keep to this recovery I've found myself in, but I'll also share the many ridiculous drafts of this chapter on my blog. It's been a week of trying to write this, but just couldn't figure it out. I think this one is fine...
Again, thank you; hope you haven't forgotten about Telephone, and please enjoy! 7,344 words without Ans, the longest chapter yet!
Terms/notes you might want to remember as you read:
geta-boshi: "Sandal-Hat"
gikongan: misspelled as gigokan in previous chapters
shakkaho: first offensive kidou
Tsugi no mai, Hakuren: Rukia's second dance
Chikasumi no Tate: Urahara's blood mist shield
1) I changed the facts about Rukia's first gigai
2) Rukia had learned about the orb and her "faulty" gigai from Aizen
3) I did not describe Rukia's shikai as it truly is
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.
He let his hands surrender the ball to gravity, hearing its soft landing not seconds later. He could just imagine the wet blades of grass cradle it gently, staining it green just as the soles of Karin's white sneakers, her feet slipping the first few steps as she ran out from the goal, running to her brother.
They all gasped as she collided into him, his long, strong arms wrapped tightly around her small form, Karin clutching at Ichigo however she could as she hid herself in his engulfing embrace, shoulders shaking as she sobbed, her brother burying his nose into her crown.
"Karin, please don't be mad for all that-."
She shook her head furiously, a small hiccup leaving her as she hugged him tightly, tired eyes peering past her bangs and his arm to the fence; seniors that had been lounging on the bleachers were now staring at them, phones out, Kagine and the boys gaping, Ryuu's shocked gaze locking with hers.
"Karin…." Ichigo buried a hand into her thick hair, resting his jaw to her crown and looking out to the net beyond them, his eyes on the soccer balls caught within; "I'm not going anywhere… but the day we're gone… you're the best for her, just being you…."
Ryuu's gaze broke from hers, the handsome senior bowing his head as he stepped aside, beautiful brown eyes meeting hers instead, Yuzu grasping his arm as she looked out to her siblings, taking a careful step closer to the fence.
"You're the best for her, just being you…."
Karin's eyes clenched shut, one last tear running down her cheek as she pulled Ichigo even closer.
A chilled breeze rushed through them, Yuzu moving her hand to wrap her arm around Ryuu's, her senior sighing lightly as he looked to the field with her.
"You called for me, before I could leave… thank you, Ryuu…."
He turned to her quiet voice with wider eyes, Yuzu looking at him with a small smile beneath glistening eyes brimmed with tears, gently squeezing his arm before stepping away from him. Jumping the short fence, she brushed her hair back, biting her lip as she stepped onto the wet grass of the field.
They all stood in silence, almost hearing every step she took, Ryuu smirking as amber eyes turned from the net onto Yuzu, catching the softening to Ichigo's eyes as he watched her come closer.
"D-did you get that? I think I got the whole thing recorded…."
"I can upload it straight to the internet, I suppose…."
"Do I… do I save it?"
Ryuu looked around him, cell phones in hand, eyes looking up from their screens to him, Kagine and the younger males watching silently. Ryuu looked away from them all, a soft smile pulling at his lips as he looked at his captain, the male he could only remember with a scowling face and harsh yell now holding an arm open to Yuzu, Karin grabbing her hand as Ichigo pulled her in close; "Do whatever you want… they love each other, so Kurosaki Karin could care less after today, what you say about her, or her brother and sister."
Gazes dropped back to their screens, several snaps ringing out as they flipped their phones shut, trackballs clicking as they scrolled down their menus.
Erase
The shop stayed true to her memory, silent and calm on the dirt lot just as she remembered. Pulling at her scarf as she finally moved to walk, Rukia sighed her warm breath out to the cold air, coming up to the tacky welcoming mat by the door, wiping her feet before stepping in.
Looking around, her chest tightened as she smiled, so many memories flooding her mind, various Chappy merchandise beaming up at her; "I haven't been here in so long…."
Rukia nearly choked at the deep voice behind her- "Kuchiki-san?"
She whirled onto the voice, violet eyes wide as she tried not to gape too widely, having to raise her gaze like she always had to with Ichigo to look properly.
"J-Jinta? Is it really you?" The boy stood as tall as Ichigo had when she first met him, his red mane thick and brushed back loosely, cheeks and jaw rid of his boyish structure. He grinned almost proudly, smacking a fist to his chest clad in a black school jacket.
"Ha- been a while you've seen me, huh?"
Rukia gave a soft laugh, shaking her head as she started pulling her jacket off her shoulders, giving Jinta a small grin; "It's been a while, but didn't think you'd grow so much in such little time…."
Jinta shrugged, swinging his arms up to cross them behind his head.
"Good thing, really; Tessai isn't schooling us here anymore. And I'm not the only one in our crazy lot here in Karakura, I'm sure…."
Not at all-. Rukia looked to a familiar snap of a fan further within the shop, mirroring a smirk with a wink, crossing her arms; "Geta-bōshi. I suppose it's nice to see you again, hai?"
Tipping his hat back to reveal handsome hues of grey, Urahara laughed, bowing with a dramatic wave of his hand- "Welcome back, Kuchiki-san."
To: Kuchiki Rukia
Text me when you wake up, midget. I'll probably be back with the girls.
Ichigo rubbed at his neck, frowning down at his Torch, arms on the table in the booth they sat in, Karin and Yuzu washing up in the restroom; "Well, it's definitely saved as sent… I sent it early enough…."
Hell- I wasn't even out of the driveway.
Snapping his screen down into place, Ichigo sighed as he leaned back into the cushioned seat, dropping his hands to his lap as he looked around the large diner and ice cream palor, tapping his phone against his thigh.
He bit his lip, his stomach tightening- did I tire her out that much?
"Ichi-nii!" Ichigo bristled at Yuzu's bright voice, shoving his phone into his pocket, sitting up as he looked up with wide eyes; "H-hai?"
Twin eyebrows perked up curiously at him, the girls slipping into the booth opposite of him, Ichigo relaxing as they settled in.
Karin tugged his large jacket he had thrown on her earlier closer, glaring as their waitress came up and dropped her curious gaze on Karin's chest, red from her stung skin spotted with the smallest specks of blood.
"Af-ternoon. Here are your menus…."
Quietly thanking her, Ichigo cleared his throat as he handed them the menus, reaching up a hand to rub at his neck, ignoring the waitress standing idly by their table; "Ah, she… she stayed home, didn't feel like leaving the house, I guess…."
Nodding, Karin glanced to the waitress, glaring at her once more as she stood there, twirling her pen nervously between brightly manicured fingers.
"If you want to try and flirt with Ichi-nii, you're wasting your damn time."
"Karin!" Ichigo couldn't help laughing a bit, coughing as he quieted down, looking to their shocked waitress.
"Sorry about that, but we're not ready. We'll call when-."
"Are you… are you Kurosaki Ichigo-kun from up north?" Amber eyes narrowed curiously, looking over the lean brunette, seeming so familiar….
"Who's asking?"
Breathing in sharply, the waitress gave a shaken smile, hands gesturing about nervously; "M-my name is Shimizu Rina… my nee-san lives in the city, too…."
Yuzu and Karin watched Ichigo frown, dropping his gaze to a chair beyond the waitress, obvious he was trying to recall anyone by that name he could know, his frown deepening as he shook his head and looked back up to her.
"Gomen-nasai, but I don't know anyone by your family name."
Visibly swallowing a nervous lump, the brunette kept her gaze on his- "My name is pet name of my sister's… her name is Rin, Kurosaki-kun… she is a barista."
Karin frowned as Ichigo's back became rigid, an uncomfortable recognition flashing in his eyes as he looked up at the young woman.
Ichi-nii?
Jinta placed the steaming cup of tea by Rukia's clasped hands, a quiet 'arigato' dismissing him, violet eyes looking across the table into a shadowed gaze.
"Kuchiki-san, what finally brings you to visit this poor, old man?"
Rolling her eyes at him, leaning back on her hands, Rukia sighed as she cocked her head at him, narrowing her eyes suspiciously; "Don't think for a second I'll buy that you actually missed us, Urahara. You never contacted us, either…."
"So harsh, Kuchiki-san!" Snapping his fan open, Urahara fanned himself as he wailed loudly, wiping at supposed tears brimming his eyes.
"I just didn't want to bother you, Kuchiki-san, with your permanent stay in Kurosaki-kun's world, a beautiful, popular senior at school… but to forget me completely? So cruel…."
"Damare, Urahara. I'm sorry we didn't stop by." Pushing off her arms, Rukia sat up straight as she reached for the cup, bringing it to her lips and taking a small, cautious sip; "With the end of threats to this world, and with no more Hollows stepping through- we just, have been caught up with… with changes."
Nodding, Urahara leaned forward, elbows on the wooden top.
"And some of those changes have led you back here, haven't they?"
Her gaze snapped onto his, taking in a deep breath.
"Hai."
Running a hand through her hair, Rukia set her cup aside, resting her arms up on the table as well; "I-Ichigo and I… w-we've started a relationship since late summer, and just some weeks ago, we…."
Blushing fiercely, a smile ghosted over her lips as he remained attentive and had yet to tease, remembering why they trusted him so much….
"Ichigo and I have been 'sleeping together', as they say, and after this morning, I bled quite a lot… and it's hurting quite badly unlike our first night."
Nodding quietly, Urahara raised a hand to flick his hat up a bit, more of his eyes shown.
"…I caught something earlier, something I haven't felt since… oh, perhaps since the end of the war. You separated from your gigai, didn't you?"
Frowning, Rukia nodded, an unconscious move of her hand to her chest followed by Urahara.
"And it hurt, didn't it?"
Rukia tensed at his words, silent before slowly nodding again, her brows heavy; "Hai. I, I had never experienced that. But what does-?"
Urahara stood in one swift motion, his cane pulled from his robes before she could realize, a quick, hard jab into her chest driving a shocked gasp from her, the same painful tear nearly making her scream.
"R-Rin? Ah…."
Shit. An awkward silence grew at the booth, Yuzu and Karin staring curiously at their brother fighting for words; "How… how is she?"
"Oh, she's fine… a bit down lately, with what happened…."
Rina bit her lip as his handsome features flashed a bit harshly, moving her gaze onto Karin, raven-black bangs covering the fluorescent lights from her eyes. She gripped her pen tightly, forcing her gaze back onto Ichigo who had his own on his lap.
"Is that… her?"
She was taken aback by the snort of laughter he gave, shaking his head as he laughed, glancing at Karin's bewildered look before looking back up to her; "If Rukia were here, you would have had a worse snap from her than what Karin gave you. I would have thought that your sister would at least warn you, no?"
Rina's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, unsure if he was growing irritated.
"R-right… um, well, what can I get you to drink?"
Yuzu asked for water, Karin ordering a soda before Rina turned to Ichigo, the slightest of scowls on his lips making her regret saying anything at all to the handsome male she recognized from her sister's blissful sighs and angry rants.
She could see why she was so hooked on this Kurosaki-kun.
"And for you-?"
"Black with two sugars, one cream." Scribbling his drink down on her notepad, Rina excused herself from the table, Yuzu kicking her brother's shin once she moved out of sight.
"Ichi-nii!" "Ow!"
Rukia practically heaved for air as she fell against the boulder, her entire being shaking and trembling, struggling to keep her grip on her zanpaktou as he appeared before her, robes settling down from the speed of his flash step.
Kuso.
"Well, you held up better than I expected you to, Kuchiki-san. How are you feeling?"
Wiping her brow, Rukia gave him a menacing glare, tightening her hand about the hilt of her loyal blade; "What the hell does this have to do with what I came for? Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to even tell you-!"
"You are probably going through what Ichigo did the very first night he stood as a shinigami… probably close to how he felt during his first separation after you were taken…."
Urahara held silent, her attention on him, continuing; "Kurosaki Ichigo is human before anything else. The fact that you are having a painful release, struggling to move and breathe smoothly as you are…."
Rukia's glare gave in to confusion, Urahara swinging his slim blade from his cane's handle.
"Your first gigai, was meant to shelter the Hōgyoku for eternity. It would have been so within little time after you were taken back to Soul Society. As you learned, you were becoming human…."
Violet eyes reflected back in his lenses, Aizen smiling down at her as if the ground weren't stained by blood, his hand wrapped around the red collar, her exhausted, weak body lifted easily off the ground.
"Since that gigai was meant to turn you, Kuchiki-san; had you separated by a gikongan, you would have been able to even though you felt you couldn't, and only feel a slight difference. But now… your gigai was standard issue, of course. I've had no secrets from you since my endangerment to your life, Kuchiki-san."
"W-what are you saying-!"
He held fast to his blade, taking a step forth, his eyes shadowed from her violet hues struck with anxiety and confusion-
"Kuchiki-san… I think your soul had slowly started to bound to your body since your return. I think your 'first time' was truly this morning… I believe you are now human."
Her eyes widened with shock, her breath leaving her when he disappeared from sight in a flash, a haunting whisper passing her-
"Sing, Benihime."
Ichigo rubbed his shin as he pouted childishly, Yuzu and Karin crossing their arms with a heavy stare fixated on him.
"I'm sure I complained once or twice about being nearly stripped every morning by a barista's gaze… or Rukia could have mentioned it, too."
Yuzu lost her heavy stare for a bright, curious look, Ichigo smiling as he remembered big, round eyes and shorter hair just two years ago, his growing beauty of a sister leaning in to whisper over the table; "But what did she mean, 'with what happened'?"
Leaning over as Yuzu did, Ichigo narrowed his amber eyes as he whispered as well-
"But why are we whispering?"
Yuzu smacked his arm, her older siblings laughing; "Fine, don't tell me then. See if I cook for you…."
Ichigo gave her a sly grin, shrugging and picking at his menu, leaning back comfortably into the seat as he caught sight of Rina weaving through the tables with their drinks.
"Rukia likes to cook a lot now, so I won't starve anytime soon."
"Unless I barricade the kitchen…."
Drinks were set in the center, straws set beside them and her pen out in hand again; giving them a small smile, Rina looked between them all.
"Are you ready to order…?"
The table was quiet again as Inoue and Keigo waved one last time to their friends, watching them cross the street.
Rubbing a hand to her temple, Tatsuki jumped at the loud vibration against the metal top, picking up her phone to look at the screen and pushing back her seat, muttering 'dad' before leaving. Keigo turned his gaze onto Inoue, leaning back in his seat.
"So how long have they been together, Inoue-san?"
Dropping her gaze to her lap, Inoue gave him a small shrug, looking back up only as far as the table.
"I'm not sure when their… when their r-relations-ship started… don't know if it's because she moved in-."
"Nah." Crossing his arms, Keigo furrowed his brows in thought, remembering a few months back best he could; "I think it was the first week of Karakura Community when he came to visit her, right? He told me he wanted her."
Inoue's faint reiatsu gave a lurch, Keigo immediately paling- "Shit; I-I mean, he wanted to, to pursue her."
She forced a tight smile, telling him not to worry. A short silence passed before he spoke up again.
"…how'd you find out?" Watching her carefully, Keigo almost told her to just forget he asked, the faintest of tears growing along her eyes before she wiped them away, breathing in deeply; "I…."
I nearly walked in on them. "I- a barista, at the café we frequent every morning, had a strong interest in Kurosaki-kun… and she confronted Kuchiki-san quite violently, making a scene…."
The very clothes she had seen them in just that morning littered the floor, Rukia's heels and shirt with Ichigo's cotton white and jacket, grey eyes finding jeans and lace by the couch. She felt her throat tighten, shaking her head, the slight scent of that surely engulfing her senses as she stood there, looking about the floor.
Trash caught her eyes, her feet moving before she could stop herself, Inoue moving to the couch, standing over a pile of "c-condoms… they're… they're condoms…."
She stumbled back, hand over her mouth to strangle a cry, hot tears stinging her grey eyes.
Keigo decided to leave it at that, tapping his foot a bit; "Are you still talking to them…?"
"N-not as much… I usually just go to study with Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun… I shouldn't let this affect us like that, should I?"
She definitely felt a bit better, strangely. Looking up at Keigo, she could see he was curious as always, but his honest intention of just getting her to talk, to grow to accept it all….
"Arigato, Asano-kun."
Grinning, Keigo nodded, crossing his arms behind his head; "Anything for you, of course, Inoue-san."
To: Kuchiki Rukia
Midget?
To: Kuchiki Rukia
OI. Are you awake?
"If you got as far as my voicemail, Kurosaki, maybe you should start looking for the largest Chappy around. Go ahead and leave a message-."
Growling, remembering when he first had to do exactly so, Ichigo ended the call and redialed, pacing the length of the modest restroom, a flush echoing throughout.
"-go ahead and leave a message."
A short tone rang out, Ichigo apologizing to the man he nearly ran into by the sinks before shoving himself into a far corner-
"Rukia, I swear you better still be asleep-!"
Black fur bristled as another text from Kurosaki Ichigo came through, the iPhone she laid on vibrating against her.
Yellow eyes followed the flashes of black and green, tail flicking contently-
"Shakkaho!" A red blast was emitted high above, Yoruichi catching a faint glimpse of Urahara retreating and distancing himself to the ground, Rukia's petite form disappearing from sight.
Chuckling as he searched for her reiatsu, Urahara dusted his robes, calling out for the woman; "Impressive, Kuchiki-san! A year since you've even separated and you didn't even need the chant!"
A faint flare of her reiatsu pulled his gaze to the boulders, shifting his stance as grey eyes searched for her.
"When will you dance, Kuchiki-san-?"
He became still, Rukia revealing her reiatsu some feet to his side, slowly turning his gaze onto her; she stood there panting lightly, both hands gripping her hilt, violet eyes darker behind those bangs of hers.
Rukia's foot moved, Urahara's eyes wide as she stepped into flash, the air growing cold.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
The blade cracked and shed to reveal itself as she stormed, the tight threads of her hilt bleeding white as a long ribbon billowed about her, its gleaming tip aimed straight for him-
"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" "Chikasumi no Tate!"
To: Kuchiki Rukia
RUKIA
He had barely shoved the gear into park when he had already thrown his seatbelt aside, throwing open the door and slamming it shut behind him. Ignoring his sisters rushing out behind him, their worried calls on deaf ears, Ichigo nearly stormed the front door, immediately taking to the stairs.
His door slammed aside, Ichigo walked into an empty bedroom.
"Kuchiki-cha-an! Let me out already-!"
Rukia dropped her exhausted body to her knees, Urahara banging childishly on the ice about him. The blood-red shield beside him had yet to crack, Rukia scoffing angrily that it hadn't, the only reason he could move within because her ice moved around the shield erected just barely in time.
He banged again, whining about less oxygen.
Feeling soft fur against her, she looked to her thigh; "Yoruichi-san…."
"Rukia." Climbing onto her lap, Yoruichi settled down comfortably, ears flickering with every bang Urahara gave; "That was quite a fight you gave, for being so long since you last held your blade…."
Nodding as she watched Urahara push his cheek against the ice, Rukia released her blade to sheathe it, hands gently falling to rest on the feline's back. Yoruichi pulled her legs closer in, yellow eyes on the immense ridge of ice in the barren basement.
"Feeling better?"
Sweat and dust covering her skin, robes torn, hands sore and bloodied, Rukia laughed softly as Urahara made faces against the ice, violet hues soft and relaxed; "Hai. I truly, needed this and missed you both."
"We-."
The ceiling door blasted as a blur rushed through to crash down against the ground, debris and dust exploding out, a tall shadow within. Blade already unsheathed as she rushed to her feet, Yoruichi on her shoulder, Rukia stood in stance as Urahara finally quieted down, suddenly crouching into a fetal form-
"Rukia!"
The floors creaked beneath her small feet, damp footsteps following behind her into the room; Yuzu sprawled out on her bed in her large shirt, she turned her brown gaze to Karin, her twin dropping the towel to reveal a body much like hers.
"Did you use the ointment?"
Nodding, Karin leaned for her cotton intimates, slipping them on before straightening, swiping an over-sized shirt off the bed, glancing at her sister; "Help me with the icing, yeah?"
Door left ajar behind them, Karin pulling her shirt on, careful of it rubbing too much against her chest covered in healing cream, they made their way to the kitchen, Yuzu making for the largest of their cabinets as Karin made for the freezer; "Hey, Yuzu…."
Grabbing the slim case of plastic wrap and another of Ziploc, the light brunette walked over to her, tossing the plastic wrap onto the table and taking a bag out, shaking it open and holding it out.
"What?" Ice dropped into the bag, Yuzu watched Karin break apart cubes, the raven sighing as she dropped more in.
"Think Ichi and Rukia are together, now?"
Zipping the bag up and grabbing another, Yuzu puffed at her bangs, looking at Karin with a slight scrunch of her features.
"I don't exactly need to know if they're having sex-."
"I mean in a relationship, Yuzu." Karin shook her head with a small laugh, eyeing her pretty sister; "But seeing as you went there, I guess you already think they are?"
"Having sex?"
"In a relationship!"
Rukia almost cringed at his glare as the dust cleared under his reiatsu, a frowning, angry Ichigo standing there in bankai, ambers nearly brown.
Shit. She supposed it had been hours since he last knew where she was.
"Ichi-."
She gasped as he suddenly stood before her, his large hand easily closed around her wrist to roughly pull her in- "The fuck is the point of having a fuckin' phone, especially when you run off underground where it's fuckin' hard to feel you!"
"Well, they haven't told us anything. Why?"
Yuzu zipped the bag as she walked to the table, Karin sighing as she closed the freezer.
"Because I've been awake the many times he has 'snuck' out of her room in the mornings and just went bankai over her not being home- not the usual between them, Yuzu."
Leaning back against the table, Karin pushed herself up onto it, holding her arm out as Yuzu placed a bag against her arm, her stung skin from the ball burning.
"Ichi-nii has always been protective of her like that, you know that, Karin."
"I thought you were dead somewhere, damnit!"
Keeping her head down, Rukia let the male yell and shout, soon released from his hold as he paced furiously about her, snapping angrily; "What the hell are you doing here anyways? You know the shit that went through my head when I saw your gigai up there-!"
Turning on Rukia's shoulder, Yoruichi stared pointedly at him.
"So nice to know you wouldn't trust her to be safe, knowing she's here with us, Ichigo."
Glaring at the feline, Ichigo ran a rough hand through his mane, Rukia sighing as she hung her head back, closing her eyes to the imitated sky.
"Ichigo-."
"You couldn't send a simple text! 'Hey at Urahara's' would have been enough-!"
"And the sneaking out doesn't support a relationship theory as much as a sex one- ow!"
Rubbing her head, Yuzu pouted at Karin, grabbing the plastic wrap; "So, what? You think they've finally made it official?"
Watching her wrap the bag in place, Karin shrugged, rubbing at her neck.
"But they haven't told us… they wouldn't keep that from us, would they?"
Yuzu shook her head, tearing the plastic before setting the other bag on Karin's thigh, wrapping it as well; "Well they did just get here. Maybe they're waiting to tell us at a right time."
Smirking, Karin ruffled Yuzu's hair, earning a small scowl from her as she leaned back on her hands.
"Like you're waiting to introduce Naka-face to Rukia- or even better, let Ichi-nii even know you have a boyfriend?"
"I don't want him dead, Karin. I don't know how I'm going to tell Ichi-nii. He can be so explosive sometimes…."
"You had me fuckin' worried, woman!"
Yoruichi continued on Rukia's shoulder as they watched him circle furiously, glancing over at Urahara to see him sitting inside the ice, keeping out of trouble. Sighing with Rukia again, the feline jumped off the petite shinigami, dashing out of sight around boulders as Rukia tried once more-
"Ichigo."
He stood some feet in front of her, amber eyes glaring; "What?"
Brushing her hair back, Rukia let her arm fall to cross them over her chest, looking straight at the male scowling back at her.
"…I'm sorry."
What? Ichigo kept silent as he stood there, catching sight of black trotting past him, watching Yoruichi walk over to Rukia with a sleek iPhone between her teeth, his death god leaning over to pick her up. Grabbing her cell phone from the feline, Rukia slid the screen lock aside, eyes softening as she scrolled through missed calls and text messages, frowning at the voicemail notifications; "I should have called you, Ichigo…."
Sighing heavily with a tug at his messed hair, Ichigo scowled just the same beneath a lighter furrow of his brows, glancing over at the ridge of ice Urahara sat within.
"What were you doing, anyways? Why…."
"Kuchiki-san… I think your soul had slowly started bound to your body since your return. I think your 'first time' was truly this morning… I believe you are now human."
"I-I got… I was restless, and I came to visit, p-picking on Urahara, so we just… sparred."
His brow shot up incredulously, flailing an arm out at the melting ridge of ice cutting across a good span of the basement he trained countless days within-
"That is sparring with you?"
"She was very cruel to me!" Little attention was paid to Urahara moving about again, Yoruichi looking at Ichigo with a smug look within Rukia's arms; "Careful next time you decide to yell so harshly, Ichigo…."
He glared at her, rubbing his neck as Rukia smirked at him.
"…che…."
Dropping his arm, shoulders losing their tension as his reiatsu lifted in weight, Ichigo moved his gaze up into violet, a slight jerk of his head back up towards the shop laced with soft features pulling a small smile on her lips; "C'mon, midget…."
Following him out with Yoruichi in her arms, they left the basement, Urahara smashing his face against the ice as he banged on it, his wails echoing around him-
"Kuchiki-san! Come ba-ack!"
The air was still for a few moments, a muffled 'K-kami-sori, Ben-nihime' barely heard before a cut sliced through the ice cleanly; an explosion hardly enough to hide his horrified screech, shards of ice embedded into the ground and boulders about him, Urahara cringing at the small crystals stinging his skin as he laid sprawled on the ground.
The air sparkling with the crystals, Urahara grunting as he sat up, he shook his head free of iced debris, snapping his fan out.
"My, my, my, how strong you've grown… you've taken in his reiatsu just as Sado-kun and Inoue-san still slightly do…."
"I believe you are now human."
The TSX moved smoothly into the parking space, silent moments later.
Belts undone without words, Ichigo pocketed the keys as Rukia tossed her phone into the center console, her small hand around the door handle when he grabbed her scarf, tugging her close as he leaned over.
His arm moved around her shoulders as he buried his nose into her crown, his shinigami silent and still as he held her, Ichigo pulling away far enough to lean in and press his lips against her temple, violet eyes closing.
He let go of her, Rukia opening her eyes to watch him open his door, stepping out into the cold air outside.
Sighing, Rukia followed him out, pulling her jacket closer around herself as she bumped the car door shut, walking around her car's front to meet him, Ichigo reaching out and taking a hold of her hand.
They stepped through the automatic doors, the bright general store warm inside. Rukia glanced up at him, tugging at his hand.
"How are the girls?"
Leading her down the small aisle, Ichigo rubbed at his neck, walking up to the back counter, shelves of prescriptions lining the wall; "Karin's fine, on the varsity team now. Her and Yuzu are going to be alright…."
A man likely over the age of his father stepped out from a door, smiling softly as he looked at the young pair, clasping his hands over the counter.
"Hello, picking up a prescription?"
Letting go of her hand, Ichigo stepped up to the counter, leaning against it.
"I would actually like to purchase the emergency contraceptive."
The man raised a brow, reaching for keys in his coat; "Has it been over seventy-two hours, young man?"
"No sir, just some hours."
"Ah, very well. Any longer than that, it is still doubtful it could effectively work forty-eight hours more like most believe."
Leaning over to open a case behind the solid counter, the kind man retrieved a slim box, locking up the case again and handing it over the counter, smiling up at Ichigo standing taller than him.
"Here you are, young man. As pretty as your lady is, I hope I don't see you buying diapers for some years to come."
Ichigo laughed as he glanced back at Rukia, the petite woman conflicted between glaring or nodding, blushing nonetheless. Mirroring the man's smile, Ichigo tapped the box on the counter, thanking him for his help.
The man smiled as he watched them walk away back down the aisle, Rukia's small frame wrapped protectively in Ichigo's arm beside him, the box in Ichigo's grasp.
"Kurosaki Ichigo… last time I saw you, your mother was buying you a piece of candy…."
He pocketed his keys, turning back into the office behind him.
Twin eyes looked up as the door opened, Isshin stepping through with a wide grin, shoving the door shut with his foot; "Surprise, surprise!"
Muting the television as Yuzu closed her textbook, Karin turned over on the couch, careful of the bags now full of water instead, slowly warming over time.
"You're home early? What happened?"
Dropping his briefcase as he kicked off his shoes, Isshin moved further into the living room, his youngest looking up at him.
"It was a good today, slow with nothing major, in-patients doing well. Told them to call me instead if they need me, ordered some food before I left."
Yuzu scrunched her nose, tossing her pen onto the coffee table littered with her school work.
"Take-out? What's wrong with my cooking?"
Karin smiled as Isshin ruffled Yuzu's hair, sitting down on the couch beside his older daughter, sighing as he relaxed into the cushions, the television remaining silent; "Nothing at all, just thought we could all use a lazy evening, no? I haven't had one in a while. How was school?"
Looking to Karin after Yuzu's exaggerated imitation of a gagging goat, Isshin frowned at the plastic wrap, catching sight of her bruised ankle.
"How were tryouts?"
Shrugging, changing the channel as the television kept muted, Karin leaned against the armrest, looking bored sitting there.
"They were alright. Made varsity much to the boys' horror."
Isshin looked between his daughters, turning back to Karin, still frowning at what used to be bags of ice wrapped tightly against her arm and thigh; "You got all that just from tryouts-?"
Karin pressed mute again for sound.
"Oh, no. That was Ichi-nii; he went and beat some sense into me before we started. I can tell why he was captain of the team, how fast and hard those soccer balls came at me and hit."
Yuzu shook her head with a small laugh as Isshin blared out a resounding "What!"
Sneezing into the crook of his elbow, Ichigo shook his head clear, slowing as he found the shelves of condoms, Rukia still muttering about absurd assumptions of diapers and parasitical infants.
He bit back a laugh, smacking her hip with the contraceptive to turn her eyes onto him.
"Same as before?"
She raised a thin, neat brow, her gaze flickering between him and the boxes.
"What the hell do I have to do with that decision-?"
Rukia scowled as he smacked the box on her crown, amber eyes narrowed onto her; "Because I really doubt it'd ever really be uncomfortable for me- but you? Remember you're like a thousand times smaller than me-."
He cussed at the sharp punch she gave his ribs, violet eyes burning into him as he was hunched down in huffs for breath, Rukia crossing her arms as she looked to the various boxes and packets beside them, tapping her foot lightly.
The noises he was driving out of her where like no other she'd given him, Rukia's hand grasping tightly onto his arm beside her, her other holding on desperately to his headboard, his bed creaking with every move they made; pushing into her over and over, lifting her hips to penetrate deeper, Ichigo huffed with every thrust he gave her, biting down painfully on his lip as she moaned, trying not to release himself with her slick walls around his bare arousal-
"Then don't get any of them."
Ichigo threw her a ridiculous stare, waving the box in hand in front of the condoms; "Nani? What was wrong with what we were using? This is six thousand yen for one pill! I'm not paying that shit every time!"
Rukia gave a lazy 'meh' as she looked over them, scratching at her jaw with Ichigo's waiting gaze on her, brushing her bang aside, the lock of hair falling back between her eyes.
"That price once a month wouldn't hurt-."
The glare he had on her practically burned her alive, Rukia fighting desperately to keep her features steady, caving and raising a hand to hide her sly smile as if she were simply in thought, knowing he wasn't buying any of it.
Scowling at her, Ichigo snatched the familiar box off the shelf, making to storm past her towards the front, stopped by her small hand grasping his thermal sweater beneath his open jacket, glancing down into violet eyes-
"I really liked this morning."
The plates and cups were set, Karin walking over with their short vase with chopsticks and silver-ware, Isshin helping Yuzu carry bowls and plates of food over to the center behind her.
They heard the front door push open, keys dropped into the small bowl by the door; "Yo!"
"Kitchen, Ichi-nii!"
Rounding the corner, Ichigo found his sisters picking up the last of the food, Karin mid-warning when a fist already collided against his jaw- "Fuck!"
"The hell you going around for, beating on my daughter, idiot!"
"Fuck, wow, thanks Karin!" Rubbing at his jaw, he swatted his father away, growling as he continued trying to pull at his orange mane, Karin rolling her eyes as she walked past them; "Dad, I told you exactly what happened already, leave Ichi alone."
"Never! How dare he-!"
Shoving his father off, Ichigo smacked his head, grabbing a fistful of Isshin's black hair to yell at him; "I'll take Rukia and leave right now if you don't stop, old man!"
Karin and Yuzu looked back at him as Isshin immediately jumped away, Yuzu wiping her hands dry by the sink with a smirk identical to Karin's.
"So, you were over-reacting again, weren't you?"
Pulling a chair at the table as Isshin and Karin sat down with him, Ichigo muttered beneath his breath, his sister laughing, Yuzu coming to sit down beside her sister.
"Where is Rukia, anyways-?"
"I was putting away something I bought, sorry about any fuss your brother gave." Ichigo gave Rukia a weak glare as she took the seat to his side as she always did, the older shinigami thanking Isshin as he motioned for her cup, pouring steaming tea into it.
Talking lightly amongst themselves, food served onto plates and choices passed around, they settled into dinner, Ichigo's hand coming to rest on Rukia's thigh as they ate, Isshin recalling a bizarre emergency from the morning.
Glancing around their small table with a smile, Yuzu glanced at her brother by their father's right, amber eyes gentle despite the constant smacking and yelling the household's males had between themselves, brown eyes confused as she noticed Ichigo pick up a piece of meat, their long, beige chopsticks held in his left hand.
Huh.
Scratching at her knee, Yuzu watched him easily handle them, but knew he naturally used his right hand, moving her gaze onto Rukia beside him, eating contently, Yuzu's attention pulled back as he moved his right arm up to rest on the table, the table engrossed as Isshin gave details.
She was going to let it go after moments of watching him, her brother still using his left hand, when his right arm moved off the table, resting at his side.
Yuzu stared, eyes growing wide when it dawned on her; "Ichi-nii…."
Amber eyes turned up onto her from behind his teasing bangs, the rest of their family's gazes on them.
"Yeah?"
Yuzu moved her eyes down to where she believed she'd find his hand beyond the table's wooden top, biting her lips.
"Are… are you and Rukia together now?"
Their father choked on his rice as Ichigo's eyes grew wide, Rukia's violet gaze matching his, Karin slapping a hand over her mouth to keep from spitting out her drink.
He looked over at Rukia, his petite death god gesturing at his other side, Ichigo's gaze moving onto his chopsticks in his left hand.
Ah. Looking down between them, his hand resting comfortably on her thigh, Ichigo looked back up to his family, finding them silent and still, Yuzu sitting there, waiting.
"Ichi-nii?"
Biting his lip, his thumb rubbed at Rukia's skin, feeling her hand move onto his, amber looking over to meet violet.
"Yeah. Yeah, we are."
Seconds passed before rice and meat and vegetables flew into the air at Isshin's jump from his seat, his family shouting over his cheerful blabbering as they ducked, the plate clanging to floor beyond them; "Masaki, it's finally happened-!"
"Sit down, you old fart!" "I knew it! I fuckin' knew it!"
Yuzu laughed as she pulled broccoli out of her hair, smiling as she met Rukia's gaze across the table, Ichigo yelling at his father to quiet down as Karin tried pulling him down into his seat.
"I'm so happy, Rukia…."
Rukia couldn't hide her smile, beaming back at the young, growing woman, reaching across to grasp her hand, violet hues bright; "So am I, Yuzu…."
"I demand grand-children!"
Rolling his eyes, Ichigo turned to Rukia beside him, turning his hand over off her thigh to grasp hers tightly, tugging on it to turn her gaze onto him.
"Oi."
Shaking out his hair of rice, Ichigo locked his eyes with hers, chancing a glance up into her hair, carrots and peas caught in her raven tresses, looking back down into her eyes; "Don't say you weren't warned…."
Reaching up to pull more rice from his hair, Rukia tossed the few grains at him, his family quieting down as they watched them with big smiles.
"I think I fit in with these antics more than you do, Kurosaki."
Ichigo laughed as he reached around and tangled a hand in her hair, pulling her over and smashing his lips to her temple, Isshin pulling out an iPhone from his pocket and unlocking it, ignoring questions as he practically threw himself over the table and aimed, a bright flash going off before Rukia pushed Ichigo off her with a laugh.
Settling back down, looking at the screen with a wide grin, Isshin sighed as he set the picture for the background, his children staring curiously at the new phone in hand.
"Not bad for my first photo on this. Oh and I left yours on top of your books in the living room, girls…."
Karin slapped the table, Yuzu's hands over her mouth to muffle a squeal- "Holy crap, dad!"
They were gone in a blur, their excited shouts in the living room as the older shinigami remained seated, Isshin smiling softly as he handed Ichigo the phone, Rukia leaning against his shoulder to look at the screen he held between them.
She grinned at the photo, Ichigo smiling against her as she scrunched up her pretty features in fake disgust, her right eye open and bright, enough of his handsome amber hues shown as he looked at her.
She liked the food caught in their hair.
:D Hehe
Much love, KurosakiLove!