She's Like the Moon Chapter 5: A Midsummer Night's Dream, a bleach fanfic

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She's Like the Moon, an xSilverWingsx fanfic

I'm looking at you through the glass; don't know how much time has passed. All I know is that it feels like forever, but no one ever tells you that forever feels like home. –Stone Sour

Rukia moaned as the many different vegetables of dinner churned in her already angry tummy. She hadn't eaten anything besides that since the Popsicle this morning, and it had proved to be a horrendous combination. She now lay pathetically on her bed, waiting for the nausea to pass. It was three AM.

Dinner had been a quiet affair that evening. Her mother slept and slept because she was sick, so it was just Rukia and her painfully reserved father, who just sat there and ate with no expression or attempt at conversing with his distant daughter. Akamori was usually the one to shake up the conversation and pull her stoic family out of their near constant emotional funks, but she was no longer here and it couldn't be helped.

The dark haired girl sighed and shifted over onto her back, hoping maybe that would take some pressure off her disturbed stomach. Instead it gave an uncomfortable lurch and its owner moaned, suspicious of her own misfortune. Perhaps Byakuya had been feeling insane and had poured cyanide in her spicy noodles. Hey, anything was possible, because even though he was her father she knew little about him. A spiteful smile spread across Rukia's face as she pictured Byakuya poisoning her dinner. Maybe it would put her out of her misery. Most people had interesting unhappiness, but Rukia's was just boring.

"I need to take… a walk," she decided aloud, beginning to sit up. A pained expression shot across her face as her stomach throbbed mercilessly, and she just full out dropped herself onto the floor. Well, it sure was easier than laying there waiting for a nonexistent savior. As soon as she hit the ground Rukia rose to her feet, shuffling across the room to her flip flops. She still wore her blue silk nightie that only went as low as her upper thighs, but who cared. Hisana sure didn't, and Byakuya was always working at this hour. He left at midnight and came back at noon; twelve hour workday Rukia didn't think she could ever work that hard… maybe if she made seven figures a year like her father.

The walk downstairs was relatively easy. It was the wet, buggy weather that was the hard part. It stung her throat when she breathed in the humid air, but it hurt even more when she bumped into a very tall, bright haired someone who just happened to be standing on the front step.

"AHHH!!" she let out her bloodcurdling scream with frightening fervor, tripping over her own feet and falling back into the front door. As soon as the swirling sunspots had cleared and the birdies flying around her head had gone away, Rukia seethed at the figure in the darkness.

"Ichigo." She snapped, grabbing for his shoulder in the darkness but having trouble achieving her goal. "What're you doing in front of my house?"

"I was on my way to the hill," said his drawling voice with a hint of pleasure. "And I wondered what kind of rich bastard owned this place. I guess it's you." A pleased smile made its way across his lips. "I figured you were loaded, but I didn't think you were this loaded."

"I'm not loaded, my idiot father is. And the fact that you just used the word loaded shows that you've got no manners, Ichigo!" she bit her lip and worked a little harder to regain her balance.

"Oh, wow, I have no manners." Even though Ichigo rolled his eyes, the smile was unmistakable and it plainly shocked Rukia. He was grinning right at her. "What are you doing out at three in the morning?" his brown eyes were alight with true curiosity.

"I went out for a walk, now keep your big orange head out of my business," Rukia replied, shooting a look at Ichigo's hair. The redhead knit his brows and began to descend the porch. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"To the hill. You coming?" he asked, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Moon's nice." Indeed, the large white orb was glowing nicely in the India-ink sky.

"Uh!" Rukia was surprised by this sudden proposition, and stood like an idiot on the top step. "I—I guess so, I mean, if you…" her blue eyes met his.

"Come on then." Ichigo averted his gaze and turned his back on her, walking toward the gate, and Rukia wondered how he had even gotten in. the wrought iron fence seemed even more menacing in the moonlight. She didn't hesitate when Ichigo held it open this time, because she had looked like an idiot then. Ichigo let the gate slam unceremoniously behind them, causing Rukia to cringe inwardly. He had absolutely no regard for… things like that.

It wasn't very long before the two reached a large, grassy field where the sun shined on the already dewy grass. A smattering of trees encircled the green haven.

"Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

"Hn?" Ichigo said, indicating that he was listening faintly as he plopped down on the grass.

"Why'd you go out to see the moon tonight? I mean, I'm not a prying type of person but I was just wondering." There was a silence where Rukia stared at Ichigo, and Ichigo looked up at the luminous moon. It was like there was peace in the world.

"The moon's alright. It's small and it's kinda the underdog hero," he explained, shoving his hands into his pockets. Rukia sank down onto her knees behind Ichigo, who was wearing a white shirt and black cotton pants. The smaller girl nearly hyperventilated when she realized she was still wearing her explicit nightgown. But Ichigo didn't seem to take notice; either that or he didn't care.

"Mmfh," Rukia mumbled quietly, turning her gaze up to the stars. It was amazing in what proportion they were, each only a few inches from the next. It was like… like… Rukia didn't have anything to compare them to. They were like little beacons of hope shining in a sea of despondency. Wow, poetic. Rukia needed to write this stuff down.

She sighed and breathed in the grass's earthy scent, and was met with a secondary smell. It was a mixture of… shaving cream and… yep it was Ichigo. Rukia ran her nose along the bristly blades, pretending to smell them but really smelling Ichigo.

"Can I ask you somethin'?" he said suddenly, surprising Rukia.

"As long as it isn't stupid," Rukia replied, her true colors showing.

"Why do you keep showing up?" Ichigo said roughly, voicing Rukia's most prominent emotion that had surfaced over the past few days.

"Yeah, I was wondering the exact same thing." She bit her lip, playing with a stray blade of grass and turning it over and over again between her hands. Rukia then began to pull it apart, piece by piece.

"Maybe it's doom." Ichigo deadpanned and Rukia bristled.

"Doom? Why won't you say fate?"

"Fate makes it sound all lovey-dovey," he said matter of factly, pressing his lips together and putting a disgusted tone on the words 'lovey-dovey'.

"Mmfh," Rukia said again, cracking her knuckles and letting the blade fall back onto the ground from whence it came. "So like, why did you save my undies again?"

"I think I already told you that," Ichigo pointed out as he dropped flat on his back. "I don't like it when people are messed with. That's honestly the last time I'm gonna say it, and I'm not gonna waste all my time trying to pound it into your thick, octopus shaped skull."

Rukia was suddenly expressionless, but her lips quivered. "Octopus?" wow, Ichigo. Just wow.

"Yeah, your head is all big on top, but then you have like, your ends are shaped like tentacles," Ichigo explained, his eyes roving over Rukia's face. "And you've got big eyes. Do you also spray ink out your butt—"

"SHUT IT!" before she knew it, Rukia had tackled Ichigo, her knees digging into his chest. "You can make fun of my dad all you want, Kurosaki, but never, ever make fun of ME!" she screamed it right in his face. And then Ichigo did something totally unexpected: he busted out laughing. His chest rumbled slightly beneath her kneecaps.

"Okay midget," he said, turning over so as to rest over Rukia's stomach. Rukia's belly did a back flip as he fell on her. "My turn then. Don't come to my house at all hours." She could smell his slightly sweet but otherwise minty breath. He could smell her soft black hair, and she gulped again at her dreadfully short night gown. Ichigo was staring with an amused expression, his amber eyes narrowed and his thin lips curled. Her eyes were large and spacious, their blueness reflecting the earlier tones of the heavens. Her mouth was slack as if she were surprised.

"Don't call me midget." Rukia said after what seemed like an eternity, her stare unwinding at him as she was slightly immobilized by his weight. She didn't like being crushed by Ichigo, but she was a bit relieved that he wasn't as standoffish as she had originally thought he was. Here was a boy who didn't mind her. Who was her friend…?

"Believe me, I'll come up with a better nickname," he crooned mockingly. "Something that'll piss you off…" he looked up at the sky in thought, relieving a little bit of the pressure on Rukia's torso.

"Yeah?" Rukia breathed. "Like what?" she tilted her head to the side with a mischievous smile. "I bet you can't think of anything other than midget."

"Dwarf," Ichigo said immediately, looking like he had discovered the end to world hunger.

"Try again," Rukia said dryly, letting her arms flop bleakly on either side of her body as Ichigo just sat there on top of her, not having any clue how… intimate… that position was. Rukia was amazed by how oblivious he dared to be. His legs curled beneath him on either side of the small girl, making her feel slightly ensnared. He held himself up by his arms, and his hands were on either side of Rukia's head. She smiled in spite of herself at that.

"It'll come to me," Ichigo persisted, rolling back over onto his back and ending his brief physical union with Rukia, who was gasping for air at the moment. "Thanks for comin' out here. I would've been bored as hell if you hadn't."

"Um, no problem," Rukia replied. "And did you have to leech all the air out of my lungs? God Ichigo!" her eyes became cold bluish rocks.

"Ph," Ichigo said. "Anyway, you should get home now. I don't want your crazy father coming after me with a knife and a jar of vinegar." He cringed, but Rukia didn't notice as she was still massaging her poor ribs. "Aw, c'mon, it's not that bad so stop exaggerating." He got to his feet, and Rukia noticed how long his legs were.

"You're too big!" Rukia said quietly, but certainly not without emotion. She jumped to her feet. "Why yell at me when it's obviously your fault?!"

"You tackled me first," Ichigo said haughtily, running a hand through his hair as his face twisted into a smug look. "Or did you think I wouldn't try and fight back?"

"That's only because you called me octopus," Rukia said blackly. "This isn't my fault. It's called genetics." As soon as she had finished the word genetics, she heard a single tone ringer and saw a rumbling within Ichigo's pocket.

"What do you want, Abarai?" he said irritably, picking up just after he had gotten a look at the caller ID. "With what?"

Rukia smirked and sat back down onto the ground.

"How much? 50? C'mon, Renji. How stupid do you think I am? I'll take 100, nothing less, got that? Alright, I'll be the—Rukia? Oh, you are? Okay." He mouthed the words, 'Your sister'. Rukia's eyebrows shot up so far that they were hazardously close to disappearing into her hair. She grabbed the phone (which also smelled like Ichigo).

"Akamori?!" her voice was an octave high.

"Hey, kid. How's life?" Akamori drawled, her supple voice coming clearly through the phone.

"Umm, where are you?" Rukia demanded her voice hardening.

"I'm at Renji's. Don't give yourself an aneurism." The elder Kuchiki daughter laughed and Rukia heard a guitar somewhere in the background. "How's Dad?"

"The same."

"He needs to lighten up, he's not getting any younger," Akamori mused aloud. "Anyways, Renji just got off the phone with your friend Ichigo. They're cousins."

Rukia's immune system jolted, realizing that there were people out there who were actually related to Ichigo. "Oh, I didn't know that."

"Yeah, Renji hired Ichigo to help with the house, and I was wondering if you wanna pull your weight or if you wanna be lazy."

"…Fine," Rukia said; there was never any sense in arguing with Akamori. She was extremely stubborn. "I'll be there tomorrow."

"'Kay." The line went dead. Rukia held the phone as it moaned the dial tone, knitting her eyebrows at her sister. Akamori had gotten all the beauty and she acted like a guy all the time. It made absolutely no sense.

"Let's get you home," Ichigo said for the second time, irritation coloring his voice and face. "I'm tired."

"Fine," Rukia snapped.

She walked around the hill once and geared up her legs. She started off slow, jogging at a snail's pace, and before she knew it she was just running, down the sidewalk. Ichigo's distant voice called after her, but she ignored it. It was all about Rukia now. She was running, running, nothing mattered... her feet moved soundlessly on the ground with intense velocity, making all of nature bow to her greatness. The small girl was queen; that is, until she smashed into the iron gates and fell on her behind.

Rukia's lips quivered as her behind throbbed heartlessly, not allowing her one second of release from the pain. She had landed right on the concrete, and she had landed hard. Hearing Ichigo's footsteps in the distance was not even a point of release. She could see the slightest tinge of light in the sky. It must be about five now, thought she as her red haired friend approached.

"You fell right on your ass." He sounded amused, but Rukia wasn't looking at him. She didn't have the energy to open her eyes. "Hey, I'm not gonna sit here and watch you snore. Get on up." She felt Ichigo's hand grab hers and jerk her to her feet; she followed woodenly as he led her through the gate, her neck hurting. "Don't die on me."

"Mhm," Rukia smiled slightly, her eyes still closed as she clenched Ichigo's hand for support. He had relatively thin fingers, very long compared to hers. "Thanks."

"For what, not letting you sleep on the sidewalk? You're welcome," he said snidely, and Rukia almost tripped on the top step of the porch. Everything was a daze, she could see sunspots behind her eyes and birdies around her head again. Before she knew it Ichigo was ushering her into the foyer. She opened her tired eyes to see him, somber and tired; his eyes squinted slightly from the sudden light of the house. Her hand was still crushing his. "Hey, don't break my wrist. I need that."

"Hm," Rukia chuckled quietly, letting go of it at last and suddenly feeling vulnerable.

"Look," Ichigo said. "I'm sick of wondering. Why do you even… why do you shadow me all the time?" his mouth went slack and his gaze inquisitive. Rukia deadpanned, but it eventually turned into a somewhat solemn expression.

"Because I care," she explained as she reached the foot of the stairs. "Now, you get home. If you fall asleep there's no way I can carry you."

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The next morning dawned clear and early, much to the chagrin of a particularly short girl. Her alarm had buzzed ferociously for two hours before Rukia had eventually thrown it out the window. May it rest in peace, thought Rukia acidly as she changed into a plain white dress and flip flops. Today was the day she was going to help Akamori with the move… which meant she had a lot of running back and forth to do. Sigh. She ran a brush through her hair, which looked strangely round this morning. Huh. Rukia shrugged and opened her bedroom door.

She raced down the stairs, smiling in spite of herself at the memory of what had happened yesterday. She had gone to look at the moon with Ichigo… and then she had fallen unceremoniously on her butt. Ichigo had taken her home afterwards, and he hadn't hesitated to make jokes about it. Well, it was Ichigo after all.

When Rukia went outside, she saw the clear sky rumbling with purplish-black clouds. It sure was raining a lot lately. As the first drop hit her square in the forehead, Rukia picked up her umbrella from its resting place next to a statue of her mother on the porch. Byakuya had had the sculpture made early in their marriage, or so Hisana had said. Rukia had always wondered how young she had been when they'd wed. Hopefully she had been at least twenty.

Rukia wondered how Orihime was doing. She hadn't seen her since Tuesday, and it was Thursday morning now. She opened the bright blue umbrella that was covered in little white stars and strode quietly along, with no real destination. She had been walking for about fifteen minutes when she reached an ice cream stand, bright and flashing in the now dark morning.

"Skittle vanilla," she said, taking a look at the menu.

"You'll like it!" said a little blonde girl with huge blue eyes. "My name's Lilin!" she stuck her tongue out and the slightly lethargic red haired man behind her looked too.

"I'm Rukia," Rukia said good-naturedly as she retrieved her ice cream and put a five dollar bill on the counter. A moment later, a second girl shot up from behind the shelf. She had chin length… wow, pink— hair and big brown eyes.

"Ooh!" she said, a big smile on her face. "A customer! Kenny! Kenn—y!" after a second, an awfully tall and scary looking man with gelled spikes came around the back of the stand.

"You're our first customer in a month," he said with a deep, gravelly tone.

"Why?" as she had her yummy Skittle-covered cone, Rukia wondered how they could possibly have bad business.

"People are scared of Kenny," said the little pink haired girl sadly, gesturing to her friend.

"Oh." Rukia bit her lip and gave 'Kenny' a sympathetic smile as she ate her icy confection. "I'm not scared."

"Heh." He said, giving a wide and somewhat evil looking grin. "You've got guts, kid."

It wasn't Akamori who opened the door. It was a tall man with a red ponytail and tattooed eyebrows. He looked down incredulously.

"I don't buy Girl Scout Cookies," he said matter of factly.

"And I don't sell them," Rukia said with a sarcastic grin. "Where's my sister?" it took a minute, but Renji finally seemed to realize that he had been speaking to the younger Kuchiki daughter.

"Uhm…" he seemed slightly embarrassed, his tanned face darkening more and more. "She's still sleeping right now, I think." Renji deadpanned and looked into the living room, where the sleeping silhouette of Akamori could be seen on the couch. Her hair hung over the side and her face looked peaceful.

"I'll come back later then," Rukia said waspishly.

"Have fun with that." Renji shut the door quietly, his eyebrows arched at the much smaller girl. As soon as it had been closed Rukia made a sour face; the day was truly shot now. Nothing but rain and Skittle-covered ice cream cones had she accomplished. Perhaps she was in some sort of useless funk. Rukia wanted nothing more than to go home and lie in bed.

As the rain dropped rhythmically upon the roof Rukia listened aimlessly as raven strands fell over her deep indigo eyes. Her breathing was slow and steady into her Chappy pillow that Ichigo had sent to her. It smelled of baby powder and citrus, a nice aroma to her lately unchallenged nose. Everything else seemed dull to her.

A soft knock on the door caused one of Rukia's eyes to slide open, but she was still a bit too lazy to get up. "Come in," she said. The hinges creaked slightly as the newcomer made his or her way in, and by the sound of his leather shoes on the carpeting Rukia realized it was her father. "Good afternoon, Father."

"To you as well," Byakuya said as he stood stiffly in the center of the room. "Are you feeling all right?" his grey eyes locked on her.

"F-fine," Rukia stammered, wondering why he would ask such a question. "How is mother?"

"That's what I've been meaning to talk to you about." His stance grew more unyielding by the second. "We had a visit from the doctor yesterday."

Rukia bit down hard on her lip. "Is she… I mean, how bad is it?"

"It's not bad at all," Byakuya said quietly. "Your mother is to expect a child in January." There was a silence as Rukia's system processed her father's statement. Her mother, Hisana… she was going to have a baby!

"I'm so glad," Rukia said truthfully. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

Her father shook his head. "No." Rukia had known for a long time about his aspiration to have an heir before he got too old. Hisana had said that on the morning of Rukia's birth, Byakuya took a long walk and wouldn't come near the child. Sometimes she felt absurdly guilty for upsetting her father but there really wasn't anything she could do about it.

The tangerine haired teenager slipped a white T-shirt over his head and a pair of boxer shorts. It was about 8 o'clock now, and he hadn't done anything interesting today. At all. He'd mostly sat around and watched television until his father told him he was going to get fat. Ichigo had then kicked said father in the face. After that he had showered and sat around until his clothes didn't seem that comfortable. And now here he was.

Then there was Rukia. Ichigo wondered what the little midget was up to. She was probably harassing some other guy. If she knew any other guys. She probably didn't… other than nerdy ones who could only hang out with girls. Why was he even thinking about these people, the ones that had no lives?

"Ichi-nii?" said a little voice. Ichigo looked to the doorway to see his tiny sister Yuzu, holding a teddy bear that looked vaguely like a lion. "Isn't this yours?"

Ichigo deadpanned, his face ripped through with red. "That. Is. Not. Mine." His sister was only six, but she was so small and short people mistook her for younger. She acted six most of the time, though.

"Yes it is. I asked Daddy and he said that this was yours and his name is Kon…" she looked into the beady brown eyes of said stuffed animal.

"It's not mine, Daddy lied," Ichigo insisted, turning away from his favorite childhood toy. "Now go to bed."

Yuzu looked hurt. "Ichi-nii…" her brown eyes glittered with tears. Ichigo immediately put on a nervous smile and took the bear from his sister.

"See, he's mine!" he said, trying to be happy about it.

"Yeah," Yuzu said. "Night Ichi-nii."

"G'night Yuzu," Ichigo sank onto his bed, staring at the frayed toy as his sister left the room. Kon had been a present from his mother, Masaki. She had said that when she wasn't there, Ichigo needed a buddy to keep him company until she was back again. Ichigo had replied with that grin he had always worn.

The carrot top sighed and turned out his bedroom light that always flickered irritably on and off. He had a feeling that his father had probably attacked him with it one morning and he had forgotten. It wouldn't surprise him. Isshin had absolutely no life, and no friends except for Ryuuken Ishida, a fellow doctor who worked at the hospital uptown. The two had apparently gone to high school together, or so Isshin said.

Night was the time Ichigo thought most. During the day there never seemed to be enough time. It was the first of July and he had done virtually nothing this summer.

Rukia probably hadn't done anything either with that tight ass father watching her every move. Ichigo had seen him a few times around town. He had black hair and cruel grey eyes, making him a favorite among the women who didn't seem to care whether he was married or not. Kuchiki never seemed to notice them staring him down. Ichigo had always rolled his eyes around him; he loathed rich men. They were very inexperienced when it came to life.

But what of his daughter? No matter how short and annoying she was, Rukia seemed fairly level-headed. Whenever Ichigo made a mistake, she was always there to tell him all about it and what he needed to do to fix it… blah blah blah. He never listened. Ichigo had always been too busy getting entertainment out of her irritated face. Seriously, though. Rukia was pretty smart about the ways of life and how to live it. She was okay.

Ichigo needed some sleep desperately. He took sleep aids occasionally because he just couldn't seem to drift off, but they never helped him more than a trifle. His mattress wasn't too soft. So what was the problem here?

There seemed to be something underlying in his mind that he hadn't thought on much, and so far Ichigo hadn't made much progress in finding out what that was.

Aha! Finally finished with that chapter. Sorry about the wait, I was having inspirational issues with it. Ichigo's thinking wasn't too rambly, was it? I was trying to set down some of his key issues. I hope it wasn't too annoying, but if you don't think about your life and the people in it, you're bound to explode eventually (case in point, Momo Hinamori). Hisana being pregnant was an add-on to this; I was hoping to give her and Byakuya their own little storyline within. I was a little too brain-dead for the Akamori/Renji/Ichigo/Rukia move, but it will be soon, I promise you!! I named this chapter for one of Shakespeare's works, seeing as Ichigo has a fondness for the merry playwright. Anyway, I truly, sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review! :D