Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach. Just Shizukesa, Takahiro, Emi and Hina.
'Kisuke-nii.'
'Yoruichi-nee.'
'Tessai-san.'
My eyes fluttered open in a daze as I sat up in a sitting position. The sheets pooled at my waist, my mind in a flurry.
'Another memory.' I sighed. My grey eyes focused into the world around me only to notice I was lying on a cozy hospital bed.
'Where--'
"Shi-CHAN~!!!!"
'Oh, the Kurosaki clinic.' I sweat dropped as Kurosaki-san enveloped me into a bone crushing hug, tears flowing in a stream down his face.
"Shi-chan, you're finally awake. I was so worried when they brought you here. I thought I was going to lose a daughter!" he ranted. I sighed before trying to get him to shut up.
"I'm alright Kurosaki-san, honest. Just a bump on the head." I explained hoping he'd buy it.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Isshin or Tou-sama!" he exclaimed before getting kicked in the head by an angered Karin, wait no, I think she was in a good mood.
"Karin-chan, that's dangerous. Tou-san are you alright?" scolds Yuzu before moving on to help her over-eccentric father.
Karin walked over to me as I was getting out of bed. I looked at her and smiled. She gazed at me with worry clear in her eyes. Like her brother, she showed important emotions mostly in her eyes than her face.
"Daijoubu, Karin-chan?"
"Are you sure you should be moving around?"
"I'm fine, plus I want to make sure Strawberry-kun is ok." Was my answer. She shrugged and led me through the house and to the door with a '15' sign on it. I paused.
"He came home beat up. I'm worried about him." she said. I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. I'll be sure to make him some of my special herbal tea before I leave." I told her. Her face seemed to light up at the idea. Everyone knew that my herbal tea cured anything. I don't even know how, it just does.
I twisted the knob lightly opening the door. I blushed at the scene before me. Ichigo laid unmoving atop his bed in only his boxers and wrapped in bandages. He was looking at the ceiling in deep thought and didn't notice when I knelt by his bedside.
"You shouldn't dwell so much on the past. It wasn't you fault." I told him. He turned his head in my direction so fast he almost gave himself whiplash.
"I wasn't strong enough to protect them. To protect you. If Urahara and Yoruichi hadn't shown up we both would've been..." he trailed leaving the rest to my imagination. I shook my head.
"It wasn't your fault, it was mine. It was my choice to get involved. I don't know if you're aware of this but I would die for you." I trailed.
"I don't ever want you to give up. Even if you don't believe in yourself, I believe in you because..." I blushed closing my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Kesa...chan."
'I have to tell him because I might not get another chance.' I thought my blush growing more prominent.
"...because I love you." I said and then looked down at my hands. There was a tense silence, both us unmoving. I could tell that Ichigo was in shock and awe at my confession. But there was another emotion that was reflected in his brown eyes. Was it...happiness?
After what felt like an eternity Ichigo struggled to sit up. I immediately began to help him into a standing position only to be enveloped into a loving embrace.
"I love you too. I've wanted to tell you for some time but I was afraid you didn't feel the same way." he whispered in my ear.
A minute or 2 later he let go, to my great disappointment, and stumbled over to his desk drawer. He pulled out a small box as he sat back on his bed and held it out to me.
"Here. I think this is yours." Slowly I took the box from his hands opening it to reveal a familiar necklace. I almost cried.
"Where did you find it? I thought I lost it." I questioned gazing at my lost treasure, it was my reminder.
"I found it at the place we first met. I meant to give it to you long ago but knowing I had a piece of you with me made me feel like I could do anything." I smiled at his confession. A sudden idea popped into my mind. Instead of clasping the necklace around my neck I clasped it around his also giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"It's yours now. You hold my heart in your hands, Ichigo, protect it always." I said softly, my hand lingering on the necklace. Ichigo grabbed a hold of my hand and touched his forehead to mine looking me straight in the eye.
"Kesa-chan, will you go out with me?"
The question itself caught me by surprise but just looking at his softened facial expression told me that all was right with the world.
"Hai." I whispered with a soft smile. He smiled as well and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips.
That first kiss meant more to me than life itself.
Unfortunately the Kurosaki household never can have privacy. At least not with Isshin-san around.
"Finally my boy has become a man! He finally got the brains to ask out my daughter. I already have the wedding plans set for---" He ranted but never got the chance to finish as Karin dropkicked him in the head and dragged him out the room. Yuzu apologized for his idiocy before closing the door.
"As usual things never get boring in the Kurosaki house." I sweat dropped. Ichigo groaned in despair.
"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll continue to be an idiot."
"But isn't that an everyday thing?" I stated more than questioned. He looked at me surprised before laughing.
"You're right, it is."
Hours later after making sure Ichigo drank his herbal tea and gave him a kiss good-bye, I made my way home. I had felt better than I had in a long time and it felt as if nothing could bring me down, well almost nothing.
"What the hell happened to the house?!" I exclaimed shocked. Hina, Emi, and Takahiro stood guiltily amongst the mess trying to look innocent.
"Ano...HE/SHE/THEY DID IT!!" They all chorused at the same time. An anger vein popped up on my head so I closed my eyes and mentally counted to clam myself.
"I don't care who did it. It just better be cleaned by the time I come down for dinner." I said through clinched teeth. They nodded quickly and got to work.
'And their supposed to be powerful Shinigami. They can't even be left alone for too long. And Takahiro...' my thoughts trailed off as I reached my room. It was no use in getting worked up.
'Being retarded is what they do best and they're my family. We stick together no matter what.' I sighed. Just thinking about it was tiring.
'But they still need some work.'
-The Next Day-
The school hours went by uneventfully the next day. Needless to say I wasn't in the greatest of moods. Ichigo was still moping around thinking it was his fault Orihime was injured and Sado was put on bed rest. It made me want to hit him.
I opted to stay and help with the class chores he got stuck with when school let out taking no arguments. I wanted him to hurry up and feel better. Wasn't that what a girlfriend wants for her boyfriend?
"Ichigo, I told you yesterday to stop moping." I said as we cleaned the board. He paused and looked at me.
"I'm not moping, I just feel..."
"Responsible? Yeah, well, most people feel that way when their friends are in trouble and they feel they can't do anything about it. But you, Ichigo, you have strength and courage that fuels others to go beyond their limits, like Sado-kun and Orihime." I explained smiling. He gave one as well.
"Arigatou, Kesa-chan." he said giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before we continued our work, but that was shortly interrupted as the door slid open revealing 5 figures.
"Hey! How ya been, Ichigo?" greeted the tall red-head. His companions, like him, were all wearing the school uniforms but I knew by their reiatsu that they were Shinigami. Ichigo stared at them in disbelief.
"R-Renji! Ikkaku! Yumichika! Rangiku-san! Toshirou!" he exclaimed. The short middle school looking one grew a vein.
"It's Hitsugaya-taichou to you." he corrected annoyed. It made me giggle causing them to look at me.
"Who's this Ichigo? She's kawaii!"asked Rangiku excitedly. She enveloped me in a bone crushing hug.
"Ano...could you put me down?" I requested. She did so without much of an argument.
"I'm Yamamoto Shizukesa, by the way. Strawberry-kun's girlfriend." I introduced. They all greeted me in their own way, some snickering and made jokes about Ichigo on the last part, but luckily they didn't make the connection between my name and their 1st Captain's.
"Why are you guys here?" inquired Ichigo after brief introductions. They looked at me shortly before continuing.
"Orders from above." Toshirou said simple.
"Central 46 or your 1st Taichou?"I asked, the question spilling from my mouth before I could catch myself. They all looked at me shocked then turned to Ichigo accusingly.
"He didn't tell me anything if that's what you're thinking. I just...know these things." I answered their unasked question. This probably only sparked more but they continued with the previous conversation.
"We're to prepare for the coming battle against the Arrancar by entering the living world and joining forces with the Shinigami representative, or so we were told." Explained Renji but only one word confused my Orange-haired boyfriend.
"Arran...who?" I slapped my forehead in shame shaking my head.
"What's wrong with you? You were fighting without knowing who your enemy was?" questioned Renji.
"Yeah, that sounds like Ichigo." I commented off-handedly. Ichigo glared at me.
"Some girlfriend you are." I smirked.
"I just wanted you to know the truth about yourself."
"You probably don't know what an Arran-thingy is either."
"Actually..."I trailed, but decided not to finish. It was a sore subject.
"Baka. It's those guys who tore you up the other day!" said a familiar voice.
We followed the voice to the shadow that stood on the windowsill, arms crossed.
"Rukia!"
"Kuchiki-san?" I repeated questioningly.
'Things are about to get interesting.'