Author's note: I'll look for a Beta, but for now unBeta'd and mistakes are (unfortunately) all mine. A huge thanks to everyone following/faved this and especially the reviewers! I truly appreciate the wonderful feedback.
Lies and false truths
Isshin barely had time to give his son his customary greeting, when the teenager sprinted past him hot on the tails of his third daughter. He frowned, glancing over at Yuzu, but his daughter simply shrugged.
They had all given up long ago trying to dissect the complex relationship that was Ichigo and Rukia. Yuzu was content to live in blissful ignorance. Karin, couldn't care less and Isshin was hoping it was unresolved sexual tension.
"What the hell, Rukia?!" Ichigo yelled as he pushed the door to his sister's room open.
But the Shinigami ignored him as she yanked her book strap off.
Ichigo glared at her as he swung the door shut behind them. In their crazy partnership misunderstandings weren't that uncommon and usually they were able to scream it out until they came to some sort of conclusion. But it was difficult to come to any conclusion when only one was screaming and the other was being a grade A, bitch.
It was taking everything in him not to grab her by the shoulders and just give her a good shake.
"You almost killed me!" he accused picking off where he'd left off with ease.
Rukia glared at him as she grabbed one foot, slipping off her shoe. In her rage she'd even forgotten to take them off by the door. "It's not my fault you were just standing there!" she snapped, the shoe clutched in her hand.
"What?" Ichigo exclaimed, "I was slaying a Hollow not just standing there!"
Okay, Ichigo would never admit this aloud, but Rukia's accusation wasn't all wrong. He had momentarily, barely a second, stopped as his eyes strayed to the flying figure with the white sword. It had been a bit distracting, especially when you factor in the fact that said figure's hair had been flying around her face like a black halo.
Black Halo? What are you inhaling.
He shoved back his thoughts and his mental tormentor, using indignant anger to try and justify his actions, "I was slaying the Hollow, not just standing there!" he repeated more heatedly. Maybe the more he said it, the less it would feel like a half lie?
Rukia sniffed, "You aren't dead, so what's the problem?" she asked him stiffly.
His eyes narrowed, "The problem is that you were more a liability than help today!" he snapped.
When he said 'liability'-he meant a distraction, but he had yet to learn how to phrase his words under the scrutiny of intense violet orbs.
Rukia's eyes widened comically before she threw the shoe at him, missing him by an inch, "Who are you calling a liability?!" she demanded.
"Hey, are you trying to kill me?!" Ichigo exclaimed while ducking the second flying shoe.
"Obviously not, because you're still standing there!" Rukia snapped, her hands on her hips and a fierce look in her eyes.
And damnit if Ichigo's attention wasn't being diverted by the vision she was presenting. He had to fight the urge to push her against the closed closet doors and kiss her. In a completely platonic manner, a chaste kiss really, nothing crazy or inappropriate involving the use of tongue. A friendship kiss- to seal all the friendly feelings he wanted to share.
But he quickly reigned in the urge, lest Rukia use violence to cure him of his perversions. Her tiny soft fist connecting with his jaw, practically caressing him before the pain sets in. Yup, he was definitely a masochist. Heaving a sigh, he decided a different approach.
"Rukia, what's wrong?" he asked with as much calm as he could master, "You're obviously angry at me and no, it was even before we went after that Hollow."
Rukia folded her arms over her chest, looking away.
"Well?" Ichigo pressed.
She turned back to him, various emotions flickering over her face before she cast her eyes down again.
"It's nothing," she muttered.
"I'm not stupid."
"You have an odd way of showing it," was the snarky comment.
Ichigo glared at her, "Fine, I don't have to deal with this," he said before storming off.
He didn't even know what he'd down wrong to begin with. Everything had seemed fine until she came back from her chat with Inoue. Had something happened? Was he missing something? He grumbled. Ever since Rukia entered his life, he lived in a state of constant confusion.
Half the time he wanted to shake her until her eyes rolled back and other times... it was better not to dwell on other times.
/
After Ichigo stormed out the room, Rukia began pacing her borrowed room. Her feet clad in her socks, she took five steps forward, before spinning on her heels and retracing her steps. Her fingers curled into fists besides her. Moments ago her blood had been pumping with anger, now she felt deflated and silly.
Ichigo had it all wrong, she wasn't angry at him exactly. She was angry at herself and these weird emotions fluctuating inside of her. At first she'd wanted to blame the Gigai, Urahara's suspect mechanics. But even in her soul form she'd been unable to shake them off.
Whatever it was, it was rooted deep within her.
"You Kuchiki Rukia, are the idiot," she mumbled as she flopped on the bed and dug out an exercise book. She needed to do something to distract her mind.
It was only when she'd opened the book that she realised, she never did her own homework. Ichigo would lend her his even though he was annoyed with her, but Rukia wasn't keen on seeing him just yet. She closed the book and fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Unbidden, thoughts of early today began to replay in her mind.
2 hours prior...
"Do you like Kurosaki-kun?!" it came out in a loud blurt, nearly blowing Rukia back from its intensity. Orihime seemed embarrassed her cheeks matching her hair and her large grey eyes glistering under the setting sun.
Later, much later after she'd snuck into Ichigo's closet she'd indentify the feeling she felt that exact moment as akin to staring into a bottomless pit. Her chest suddenly felt too heavy, as if in the presence of someone with a huge raistu. Her throat parched and painful. It was like falling backwards in slow motion. You know the impact was inevitable, but the dread was still suffocating you and rendering you numb. Rukia was drowning, no she was soaring towards a barrier of some sorts.
It felt like for a moment time stood still, holding its breath awaiting her. Rukia knew dread, she'd felt it constantly during her sentence, felt it again as they raced to Hueco Mundo and again as she realised that it wasn't Kaien-dono before her, but a cruel illusion. Yet this was different, it felt like flying and falling. She wanted to turn back time, to before Orihime ever said anything. The despair she'd been lugging around suddenly seemed to pale in comparison.
Had her soul been preparing her for this moment? Had everything that had occurred these past days since she'd read that dreadful epilogue been somehow leading towards this very moment?
"Kuchiki-san?" Orihime's tentative voice broke through her reverie and somehow through sheer will alone, Rukia was able to maintain her smile.
From the looks of it only a short period of time had passed, perhaps not even a minute. How could that be when she'd felt as if she'd lived through a million life times in that moment?
Orihime's eyes were pleading, almost as if begging her to say something. She'd known of course, anyone that had come into contact with the girl except the idiot himself had known. Known that Orihime was in love with Ichigo. It had been obvious from her worry over him, the way she looked at him like he was the sun itself. How she gushed and came alive in his presence. Up until just a few weeks ago it had never bothered Rukia.
Then she'd read that epilogue! Everything seemed to change, her own awareness of Ichigo. The confusing feelings that haunted her. She was still trying to figure it out, yet Orihime was already certain. What did that say about her own feelings?
"Well of course I care about the idiot," Rukia began and forced herself to laugh, before she took Orihime's hands in hers, warm hands of a live breathing soul. "But Ichigo and I are just friends."
And it was true they were friends. It was just Ichigo and Rukia... simple. Only it wasn't simple, not anymore.
Orihime stared at her as if she'd just told her the world wasn't coming to an end. Her eyes began to glister and before Rukia could blink, the girl had her wrapped in a bone crushing embrace, "Oh Kuchiki-san, you don't know how happy that makes me!" she cried into Rukia's hair.
Rukia patted her back, that stupid smile that was hurting her face in place.
And as quickly as the hug had come, Orihime broke it, her smile seeming to light up the sky, "Thank you, thank you Kuchiki-san!" she stared around them, before her face suddenly fell.
"Orihime what's wrong?" Rukia asked her own emotions stifled deep within her gigai.
"What if Kurosaki-kun doesn't feel the same way?" Orihime blurted, her joy seeming to evaporate, "I mean what if he just has friendly feelings?"
Some twisted part of her self had been contemplating those very same questions. Only where she had felt hope, Orihime felt dread. Rukia didn't know the answers to those questions. Ichigo was a complex individual.
But right now Orihime was her friend and though it hurt, she was going to be a good friend to her, "Oh come on Orihime, how could he not care deeply for you?"
Orihime seemed unconvinced so Rukia pushed on, "You're smart and beautiful- in fact, Ichigo would be lucky to have you." She said hoping she sounded as sincere as she wished she felt.
Up until that very moment Rukia had been puzzled by the term often thrown around by the living: 'Something about the truth hurting'. She'd though it was ridiculous and had not wasted time in telling Ichigo when he tried to explain it to her. How could the truth hurt? No lies hurt, the truth didn't.
Ichigo had given her an odd look, "Rukia... there's just some things you know but don't want to hear." He said and refused to delve deeper.
Now she understood all too well. Orihime could be perfect for Ichigo. She would love him with blind devotion. Blink teary eyes when Ichigo refused to see reason. Maybe even wear down the walls he'd erected between him and everyone else.
More importantly Orihime was alive.
"Thank you Kuchiki-san." Orihime said, giving the petite Shinigami another hug.
Rukia wasn't sure who was hugging who for comfort then. She didn't allow herself to dwell on it either.
Harry wound up with Ginny. It didn't matter the strong bond he shared with Hermione, the battles they fought side by side and the love Rukia obviously imagined when she read the first three books.
So it was only fitting that Ichigo wound up with Orihime. Together they'd make a cute couple, have cute orange haired babies that were always smiling. Live in a cute house filled with pink frilly things.
And maybe die of food poisoning from Orihime's cooking.