DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Bleach, no matter how much I want to. If I owned Bleach, this would not be fanfiction, thank you very much. Got that out of the way! HA! You can't sue me!

(Ichigo's POV)

I expected Rukia would confront me about the letter eventually. I just didn't expect it to be so soon.

It was a little bit after dinner and I decided to head upstairs to do my homework. I struggled with a particularly aggravating algebra equation when I felt two thin, warm arms slip around my shoulders.

"You've got some explaining to do," Rukia said in a singsong voice.

I attempted to glare at her, but she could see that I didn't really mean it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said simply. Hopefully if I played dumb then she's shut up. I didn't want to talk about it now.

"Oh, yes you do."

That Goddamn smirk…that was just too much! It looked so cute on her tiny, porcelain face.

She snaked her hand around my waist and gave me an awkward sort of half hug. It was the best she could do while we were in this position.

Rukia grabbed the armrest of the chair and spun it around so I was facing her fully. She was wearing an indigo cotton yukata cinched at the waist. It was really cute on her, the way it draped itself so subtly around her curves.

Her hands rested on her hips, lips still curled up in that smirk.

"Well?" she demanded.

I stood up. Slowly, I put one hand on her cheek. My heart started pounding as I stared into those beautiful eyes, wide open in surprise. I leaned in little by little until my lips just barely brushed against hers. Then, I increased the pressure until I was kissing her.

Some giddy, almost electrifying sensation coursed through me. I took her other cheek in my right hand and pressed us closer together.

Rukia seemed to be shocked at first, and then she started kissing me back, flinging her arms around my neck to pull us even closer. My heart was pounding so fast that I wondered if it was going to beat right out of my chest.

I decided in that moment that I would always want Rukia. I would always need Rukia. She was like some infinitely powerful drug, and I was the hopeless addict. I would never, ever get enough of her.

There was no way I was awake. This was too perfect to be real.

I broke off the kiss when I could no longer put off the action of breathing. I inhaled deeply while Rukia pouted a little bit.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked incredulously.

"I had to breath sometime, Rukia," I replied, taking my hands off her face and wrapping them around her thin waist instead.

She leaded against my shoulder, grinning, as I had never seen her grin before. It was the kind of smile that lit up her whole face and seemed to make the whole world a little brighter. Her light was like a beacon in the darkness. Without it, I would be cold, lost, and very, very lonely.

I buried my head in her hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of lavender and rosewater. It was intoxicating. Just like everything else about her.

I heard Rukia let out a small sigh. Her grip around my neck tightened a bit. It was a sort of possessive, anxious grip; like she was worried that I'd disappear if she ever let go.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She looked down, afraid to meet my eyes.

"…Tell me you love me."

I was just a bit taken aback (HUGE understatement) but I complied.

"I love you," I said somberly. "I love you, I'll always love you, and I'll never love another girl unless it's you."

"Ichigo…" Rukia looked straight in the eye, tears welling up in those amethyst orbs. "Ichigo…do you really mean that?"

I cradled her head in my chest. "Yeah. Every word."

"I just…I just feel like this isn't real. I'm afraid that I'm only asleep, and that at any moment I'm gonna wake up and you won't really be in love with me."

I furrowed my brow as I spoke. "This isn't a dream, Rukia. I thought it might be at first, but…it's not. I promise you that."

Rukia smiled a bit and kissed me again.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The alarm clock read about eleven forty-five in the middle of the night. I just lay down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Rukia was curled up in my arms, fast asleep, wearing the pair of yellow plaid pajamas she'd stolen from my sister.

I could feel her chest rise and fall with every slow, deep breath she took. She looked so peaceful, her mind off in another world.

I didn't want to go to sleep. I just wanted to stay like this for the rest of my life. Just like this. I figured if I had to die right now, I would be happy. Somewhere off in the distance I could hear a wolf (or maybe just a dog) howling. I didn't think anything of it until I heard the sound of shattering glass and screaming people.

"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath.

Rukia groaned in protest as I pushed her off me so I could stand up and head to the window, but she trailed behind me anyway.

A giant (not to mention ugly) hollow was chasing after some people who lived across the street from our hospital.

"Damn it!" I yelled loudly, immediately earning me a punch in the shoulder from Rukia.

"Do you want to wake up your family?" she asked under her breath. "Look, let's just get out there and take care of that thing!"
I just nodded as I threw open the window.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Two hours and fourteen hollows later…

"Damn it!" I yelled again as I was thrown a good fifty feet away, slamming hard against a concrete wall.

Rukia ran over to me wearing the familiar loose black soul reaper uniform with the white sash and sandals.

"Ichigo! Are you alright?" she asked quickly, glancing at me while trying to keep an eye on the hollow.

"Yeah," was my equally quick reply. I stood up gingerly. I wasn't hurt too badly, so I just got a better grip on my zanpachuto and joined back up with Rukia.

"Okay, Rukia, I've got an idea. I'll stay out here and distract this thing while you come up and get it from behind, got it?"

"Yeah."

Rukia ran to get in position as I began phase two of my plan.

"HEY, UGLY!" I cried, "LOOK OVER HERE!"

the creature immediately gave me its undivided attention.

Perfect, I thought, just keep comin' at me.

The hollow raised one of its many limbs to strike me dead.

There was a flash, and the hollow let out a loud shriek. I dropped my zanpachuto to cover my ears.

The hollow shattered into a million points of light before disappearing completely. Rukia stood firmly on the ground, a serious expression on her face.

"That's what you get for screwing with us, ya damn freak show," she said.

I couldn't help what I did next. I threw back my head and laughed, something I hadn't done in a long time.

"What's so funny?" Rukia asked.

"You just look so cute when you're pissed off," I replied around the giggles.

Rukia did her best impression of my scowl, which made me laugh even harder.

It took a while to sneak back into the house, but we managed to get back into my room at around half past three in the morning.

I yawned. "We've been up a long time," I commented.

Rukia looked at me slyly.

"Well, I sure hope you don't mind staying up just a little longer," she breathed in my ear, giving my hips a little squeeze.

I smirked at her and pulled her onto my bed. We immediately sunk into the covers, our lips glued to each other.

Rukia's body felt so warm under my hands. So soft next to my skin.

I would never get enough of her. Ever.

I know that it's cheesy to say I fell in love. I know it sounds like something out of a fairy tale. I know it's really clichéd to talk about true love. Lots of people say true love doesn't exist and write it off as a fantasy- something you only find in children's tales.

Well, maybe those children's tales make more sense than people think.

Next up: Chapter Three! Please review! If you do, I will love you forever! :D