Vertigo

AN: Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! Its day 7 and it's the last day in Daikanyama. Enjoy :]

Rukia woke up to the sounds and smells of bacon cooking. Yuzu was at the tiny stove in the suite, working her magic. Rukia rose and stretched and padded to the kitchen, her stomach growling in anticipation.

Ichigo and Karin were already up. Karin had a tiny Mona Lisa smile, and Rukia thought she knew the reason for it. Growing up could have such an affect on a young girl and Karin had good reason to feel grown up.

Rukia loved both twins, but she saw so much of herself in Karin. The stubbornness, the sarcasm, the innocence, all traits that she shared with the young woman.

Yuzu was a sweet girl too. Having been in the slums as a child, it was rare for Rukia to see a child who was still so pure and whole. To see a girl like Yuzu who had her innocence and naïve ideas still at her young age, it assured Rukia that the world was still a fairly decent place. Rukia's childhood had been ripped away, and she was ecstatic that it was different for the twins.

A tanned hand broke her train of thought. But its orange haired owner wasn't waving it frantically in front of her face like he usually did to gain her attention.

He had chosen to wrap her fingers inside it instead. She loved holding his hand. The warmth was soft and tranquil. His calloused palm was hardly soft, but it had a charm anyways. He seemed to still be more than half asleep, his hair flattened on the left side, clearly indicated the side of his head that had pressed into the pillow. His feet were bare, and his clothes rumpled. Ichigo looked pretty damned cute when he sleepily awaited his breakfast.

"Here we are!" Yuzu trilled, placing the bacon and some sweet rolls on the table. She tried to serve them all individually, but they would have none of it, making her sit down to help herself.

"I know the next city." Karin revealed, smirking behind her glass of orange juice.

"Do not." her brother taunted.

"Ebisu. We went to Omotesando and Daikanyama. They are both cities in central Tokyo. Ebisu is a city in Central Tokyo. I'd bet anything that we're going there next." Karin announced.

"Twenty." Ichigo said.

"Twenty five," Karin shot back.

"Deal."

"GOOD MORNING CHILDREN!"

Isshin was up apparently. He helped himself to a handful of bacon.

"Thanks for the grub Zuzu. I'm going to check us out in an hour. Hope you're all packed up by then."

It was very easy to get everything back in the cases, but it still took a while. Rukia had gone to take a shower, and so Ichigo packed their stuff back up. It had been easier than he had thought to share a case. He left her blue chappy and drawing pad out, along with his I-pod. Those things seemed to be what they'd need to keep occupied on the car ride.

Rukia stepped out of the shower, and toweled her hair. She grabbed her new purple dress and clean underwear, and dressed quickly. She surveyed herself in the mirror. Why did she have to be so tiny? Short, skinny and small chested. It wasn't fair. But her new dress looked good with her eyes, and it showed a nice bit of leg. She smiled and combed her hair out.

Smiling serenely, she left the small steam filled room. Ichigo was by his bed, folding something into the case. She took a minute to appreciate the lean muscle of his back.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." he replied evenly. He didn't see her, but he could sense her rieatsu, and smell the warm and clean water from her shower.

"Almost done, I see." she sat primly on the edge of the bed to watch him work.

"Yup."

To anyone else the lack of conversation would have been awkward, but it wasn't. Whether they were bickering, sitting in silence, or talking about something deep and profound, it was always so effortless to talk to each other.

"I'm a lighter sleeper than you think." he said, zipping up their suitcase, turning to face her.

"That's just a little vague there."Rukia laughed as he started to drag the luggage to the door. He swiveled to look back at her. Amber met violet.

"Thanks for helping her."

And with that he was out the door. Soon the whole group had hit the road again.

The car ride was fairly short, and luckily uneventful. Isshin pulled to a stop after awhile behind the wheel.

"Come on." Isshin prompted, "Ebisu awaits us."

Ichigo scowled and wordlessly handed Karin her money.

Rukia grinned at his expense. But he couldn't muster enough of a glare to send her.

Not when she wore that dress. She was too cute for her own good.

Without thinking, he leaned over and brushed his lips on her velvety cheek. She looked at him in surprise, her lovely eyes wide.

"Umm…. Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Your family is out of the car. We should follow them." She unbuckled and left the car. He would have been upset that she didn't acknowledge what had just happened but he was feeling too pleased with himself at the moment.

Plus she could walk ahead all she wanted, but he knew her face was pink. Probably a rather becoming shade of pink actually. She'd need a little time to think about this newest development.

But after he caught up to her, and her cutely flushing face, they walked into the lobby hand in hand.

They were solid, no matter where this thing between them went.

AN: R/R please! What did y'all think?:]