Vertigo

AN: Thanks as always for all the wonderful reviews! Ebisu is a neighborhood in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It's near Daikanyama and Hiroo. It has boutiques, vintage stores, patisseries and several other attractions. The Yebisu Garden Place Tower has many restaurants. On the 38th floor, there is a great view of Tokyo. Ebisu also features the Westin Hotel, Sapporo Breweries, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, and many bars and restaurants. Enjoy day 8 of their vacation!

Isshin had checked them into the hotel, and almost immediately called them back out the door. Ichigo remembered how he had picked the city of Omotesando for the girls to shop. It seemed that he had picked this city for himself. The Sapporo Breweries and the classic bars that were on every corner seemed to call to his idiot father. Figures.

That's how they found themselves dropped off at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, with Ichigo left in charge. Goat face had better get his drunk ass home before the hotel locked them out, or Ichigo may just kill him.

On the plus side the Museum was actually interesting. Ichigo had never seen so many pictures in his life. Rukia seemed to take delight in pointing all the pictures out. She had probably never seen anything like it. Her dress fluttered around her as she darted around to look. She nearly knocked other museum goers down in her excitement. Several people glared at her for her over excitement.

Ichigo had never seen anything more beautiful.

Yuzu and Karin were having fun looking around too, but quickly got tired of walking, so they all went to the gift shop. They were all browsing around, looking at various souvenirs when the unthinkable happened.

"Hey beautiful."

Rukia looked up from a rack of t-shirts with the Museum's Logo on it and blinked.

"Hi." she murmured, a little surprised. The young man in front of her was clearly an poser type. Bleached hair that fell sideways into his eyes, and designer sneakers and jeans. She fought the intense urge to roll her eyes.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing in this boring ass museum? I could show you a much better time." He smirked in what he though was a charming way and flipped his hair over his shoulder. She laughed in her mind as it had clearly been expertly straightened and coiffed. What kind of girl would go for a guy that spends more time on her hair than she does? Rukia huffed a little laugh, brushed past him and began to look in another section.

"Hey! I was talking to you bitch!" the dude snarled, his perfect hair swishing angrily as he walked towards her. He didn't see the tall red head at the check out counter snap his head up. He didn't sense any danger, so he marched up to Rukia, and grabbed her tiny wrist. She was about to elbow him, but she had no need to.

Because he had been knocked flat on his ass, his two front teeth on the ground beside him.

"Get the hell outta my girl's face." She had heard Ichigo mad before, but never like this. He grabbed the fallen dude up by the collar, and gave him a shake.

"Your girl?" growled the player. The amount of venom he employed would have been effective if his mouth hadn't have been bleeding so heavily.

"That's right. Don't forget it." He released him with a vicious snarl.

His girl? She was Ichigo's girl? Alright then.

After they got kicked out of the museum, {Ichigo did punch someone out in the gift shop after all} Isshin called them.

"HELLO CHILDREN!" Ichigo twisted his face and held the receiver a bit farther away. His dad was so loud!

"Done getting drunk yet?" Ichigo muttered bitterly.

"Yup! I'll meet you and the girls at the Yebisu Garden Tower on the 38th floor. It's a few blocks away." Isshin laughed joyfully and hung up.

Luckily the walk was short. They walked to the front desk.

"Ichigo?" Rukia gasped, "Where are Yuzu and Karin?"

"They were just behind us!" He turned to the Receptionist in a panicked frenzy.

"Have you seen two little girls?" At that exact moment his phone rang.

"ICHIGO!"

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOAT CHIN? WHERE ARE THE TWINS"

"Look outside boy." Ichigo and Rukia turned to the window just to see Yuzu, Karin and Goat chin drive away. The call was ended seconds later.

"May I help you two?" The woman asked nervously. "Wait did you say your name was Ichigo?"

"Yeah?" He blinked heavily, still fuming.

"Well then your dad has made reservations for you and your girlfriend. This way please." He sweat dropped comically.

Goat face was matchmaking. He should have known. But he wasn't that mad about his dad's idiocy. He was mostly mad about the jackass who tried to harass Rukia.

"At least it's a nice restaurant."Rukia laughed nervously. He frowned at her anxious tone. She did know that he wasn't mad to be alone with her right?

"I'm not mad to be here. I'm just tense." He sat down on the chair with an exhausted grunt.

"It must have been awful to think you had lost the twins." She mused thoughtfully as she sat down across from him. He looked worn out, and her heart went out to him.

"Yeah it was. I'm actually still mad at that guy at the store. Who does he think he is?" He grumbled and looked at his menu.

"Am I really your girl now Ichigo?"

"Yes."He replied evenly. She laughed at his blunt honesty.

"Alright." She looked at her menu, and found his hand under the table.

He squeezed it tight. She winced.

"What's a matter?" He asked, his eyebrows knit in a frown. He dragged her hand up to the table. Her thin wrist had a forming finger shaped bruise, one he knew that he hadn't caused.

He swore under his breath.

"Ichigo..."

"What do you think I'm gonna do? Track him down and kill him?" The idea was very tempting, but murder was still rather illegal, even if for jerks like the prick in the gift shop. He'd settle quite happily to soothe the abused area with his fingers. Rukia flushed immediately. From then on the tension melted.

"What did you buy at the gift shop?" She gestured with her unclaimed hand at the bag at his feet.

"Oh, just a couple of snow-globes. I mean since Karin broke hers. And if I only got her one, it wouldn't be fair..."

"So you got one for Yuzu too." Rukia concluded. He nodded a little shyly.

"That was nice of you."

The rest of the night passed in a blur. Food was ordered and consumed. They bickered and talked just like they always did. But they both knew it was different now.

But that was fine with them

AN: Whoot! They're on a date! *Laughs evilly*