I wrote this for a Valentine's Day contest, so I hope you enjoy. This does contain spoilers up until recent chapters, so please do not read if you haven't read up to chapter 433 or so! I have warned you...
Ichigo Kurosaki could barely sit still.
It had been a long few months, but after training hard and balancing his obligations, Ichigo finally managed to get most of his powers back. He was able to see spirits, he could finally help get rid of Hollows on Karakura, he felt normal. His friends were glad to see him back in action, working together while those in Soul Society seemed to stay out of their business.
Despite his returned powers, Ichigo hadn't seen a Shinigami yet.
He sat on his bed in front of his open window, staring out into the night as if he was expecting someone. A breeze ruffled his hair a bit through the open window, a chill running down his spine.
There was no one in Karakura, no one that he could sense at least.
Ichigo laid back on his comforter, his eyes growing tired. It was 1 AM, he had school in the morning. He should be asleep like a normal teenager.
But he's not normal. Not anymore at least.
Before he knew it, sleep had taken over his system. He didn't notice the cross between reality and his dreams, but the two worlds were no different from one another. He was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he waited, hoped someone not of this world would appear in his bedroom window.
And after a few minutes, someone did. A petite figure, no taller than five feet from what he could tell, landed softly on the window sill, glancing at him. He couldn't see the face, but Ichigo knew it was no threat. It was silent for a moment before a voice spoke up.
"Ichigo, can you see me?"
The voice, soft, yet echoing through the room, belonged to one person. One girl only. And it caused Ichigo to bolt up in bed.
He was fully awake now. And his brown eyes locked on to the window sill, where the figure from his dream was perched. He continued to stare, his mind struggling to form a coherent thought. After what felt like an eternity, his mouth formed words and he heard his voice speak up.
"Rukia?"
The figure's eyes widened in shock, revealing the identity of the voice from a moment before. Rukia Kuchiki, the girl he hadn't seen in almost two years, was sitting in his window, staring at him in wonder. Her appearance was no different from the day they departed, save for a longer hair cut. She bore the Shinigami robes, her zanpaktu-to perched on her hip.
She was no different from the Rukia in his dreams.
The violet haired girl smiled, her eyes closing. "You really can see me," she whispered.
Ichigo quickly grabbed the girl in his arms, pulling her to his chest and nearly crushing her. "You're real. You're really real," he sighed.
The Kuchiki woman blushed, pushing gently to escape Ichigo's arms. "Yo-You're going to smother me," she muttered.
"Oh, right! Sorry," the teen exclaimed, pulling Rukia away from him but keeping her within reaching distance. His hands gripped her shoulders, squeezing gently as he stared into her eyes. After a moment, he grinned and hung his head slightly. "You're real."
"Yes. You already said that," Rukia laughed. Ichigo pulled her into a hug again, this time she wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing him tightly. They remained quiet for a moment before she spoke up. "I've missed you."
"Yeah, same here," the orange haired boy whispered.
Her grip loosened, and he took it as a sign that she wanted to let go. When she pulled away, a dark blush was covering her cheeks. "I-I… I brought something… For you," she stammered, reaching into her robes and pulling out a small box. She held it out to Ichigo, her hand shaking slightly as he grabbed it.
Ichigo blinked for a second before opening Rukia's present. Inside were pieces of chocolates, each shaped like a heart. The box was small, but it fit at least 12 or more pieces. "Chocolates?" he asked.
"W-Well, today is what humans call Valentine's Day," Rukia explained. "And I heard in Soul Society that it is tradition for girls to give boys chocolate. We don't celebrate in our world, but Rangiku was making some chocolate, so I thought I would help her.
"These were left over, and I know you said you like chocolate, so I thought I could bring it to you."
The two teens were quiet, the girl taking Ichigo's silence as disappointment. "I-I'm sorry, I should have know better," she said, reaching for the chocolates.
"What? No, it's fine. I appreciate it," Ichigo stated.
"Y-You do?" Rukia stammered.
"Well, the chocolate's nice. But I don't really see it as a present," he sighed. "I can see you again. That's… That's a better present."
Confusion washed over Rukia, but she soon realized the meaning behind his words. Her blush became darker and she started fidgeting, her hands coming up and flailing. "Y-Y-You," she said. "What?"
Ichigo chuckled, pulling her back into a hug. "You're a better present, Rukia," he laughed, his hand patting her hair. "Welcome back."
The violet haired girl froze, but her lips turned into a smile. "Thanks, Ichigo," she sighed.