Me: Well, here we are. Next chapp.
Rukia: Not much to say at 4 in the morning, is there?
Me: Fuck no! EXCEPT...cakes with chocolate, white chocolate, AND raspberries would be AWESOME.
Rukia: (sweatdrop) ...I wish thinking more along the lines of 'Enjoy'.
Me: (shrugs) Oh well. Oh, and i found out FINALLY where Ichigo ended up! He's in the hospital along with Abby, Vivian's sister. It's unclear who won, so my money still remains in the balance. I'M SURE CAKE WOULD CHEER HIM UP!
Rukia: ...AND? WHAT ELSE?
Me: Oh, right, right! ENJOY.
Rukia: Very good.
After having to wait until almost half the bubbles were gone, Peyton finally managed to get everyone out and slip on her clothes in peace.
After an hour-long retelling of the whole Soul Society experience, she was now able to walk home in the snow by herself. It was the middle of the night, it was dead quiet, and it was plain awesome.
Very nearly on Awesomesauce Level.
Ichigo and Matsumoto had passed out before she left, so she really was totally alone. Which was kind of nice, considering she was still a bit annoyed/pissed/slightly embarrassed over the whole Bath Sequence.
But, like the epic girlfriend she was, she didn't leave before kissing the top of his head. So there. He couldn't give her CRAP about lack of attention on her part.
She expected everyone to be asleep at her house, and as she grabbed the key hidden in a flower pot on the porch railing, unlocked the door as slowly and quietly as possible.
So of COURSE as she was feeling all ninja, making absolutely no noise, she tripped over a soccer ball and went flying into the empty present boxes with a Spastic-Mid-Air-NOOOOOO!-Dance.
It wouldn't have been so bad if the boxes hadn't been stacked up against the wall.
Which she hit with her head AND butt.
She never knew plaster was so hard until now.
While she rubbed her head, groaning miserably, she looked up to see a shotgun in her face. "What the- DAD, IT'S ME, PEYTON!" She shrieked, jumping back and ramming her back and head into the wall.
AGAIN.
DAMMIT!
Dad immediately lowered his shotgun with a nervous laugh, and Miya helped her up. "Well, at least we know you were in one piece BEFORE you got home..."
She brushed her off, and Peyton smiled tiredly. "Thanks."
Before Miya could reply, her future stepdaughter was soon tackled by her brother and sister, bombarded with hugs.
"AHHHH, SIS, WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"
"GAH! GET OFF GET OFF, THAT'S MY BIGGEST BRUISE YOU'RE LAYING ON, SETH! LINDSAY, YOU'RE PUTTING A NEW DENT IN MY HEAD!"
They ignored her complaints, hugging her a little longer before yanking her up, talking a mile a minute each the whole while.
"And then we figured out that Orihime had swine flu-"
"And Ms. Ochi's daughter searched EVERY CLASS Tuesday looking for you and Ichigo-"
"Linds, you're interrupting my story!"
"My story's better!"
"Mine's a matter of life and death!"
"Life and death? She got the shot and was totally fine the next day!"
"Yeah, exactly! She's alive, and a little further away from death! Life and death! See?"
"BOTH OF YOU, REST YOUR VOICES!" She shouted, temple throbbing. They shut their mouths and gave her innocent looks, their eyes widened comically.
"...I'm extremely tired. And bruised. And scraped. And about 90% of my limbs feel like spaghetti after being in that hot bath for two hours straight!"
"Wouldn't the water have gotten cold in the bath after a while?" Lindsay pointed out, totally ignoring the whole "I'm fricking INJURED here!" point Peyton was trying to get across.
Peyton shook her head. "Not if Yoruichi's constantly draining a little and filling it up with more scalding-hot water. Now, if you excuse me...I missed y'all very much but I miss sleep more so LET ME GET BACK TO IT!"
She shut the door, stripped to her black undershirt and Spiderman undies, and collapsed onto her bed.
HOURS LATER...
KNOCK-KNOCK.
Peyton simply buried her face further into her pillow. "FOR THE LAST TIME LINDSAY, I AM NOT BUDGING, IT'S A SUNDAY!"
No answer.
Dammit, her and Seth had already tried getting her up and moving twice each. If they only knew what all she had been doing for the past week and a half.
Had it really lasted a week and a half? Well, right now she could believe that, she was so sore and exhausted. THIS was why she hated using too much of her powers. It may be cool, but it came with a hella tiring price.
On the plus side, the next time she had gym and changed in the locker room, the twig-girls would have something to TRULY envy about the Infamous Yankee Chick.
She couldn't help but grin at that wonderful thought.
She felt a lot happier now.
So of COURSE Ichigo hopped onto her bed like an oversized St. Bernard, making her nearly hit the ceiling with a spastic shriek.
"The hell- WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
She blew the hair out of her face after landing almost in the exact same spot she had been laying.
He shrugged, grinning. "I wanted to see my girlfriend, is that a crime?"
"This early, it SHOULD BE..."
"Peyton, it's two in the afternoon."
"Yeah, well, it FEELS like two in the morning. So...NEH."
Ichigo smirked proudly. "At least I have bragging rights. According to Lindsay, no one but me's been able to get you THIS awake. I feel so special."
"That's 'cause you ARE special."
He beamed, and she smirked. "You'd HAVE to be special-ed to wake me up, you know I'm not a morning person," she deadpanned.
His temple throbbed. "Ouch, that's cold. And it's not even the morning!"
"It is to ME! I just woke up! Technically speaking, that's the MORNING!"
He plopped his head onto her pillow, right beside hers. "TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, the morning is the time between midnight and noon. If you look it up in the dictionary, that's what it says."
She huffed, making a point of looking at the ceiling. "Yes, well. It doesn't say that in MY dictionary."
"Oh, jeez, this should be good. What does YOURS say?"
"It defines morning as 'The time when Peyton's passed out and should only be disturbed at your own risk. Should be handled like a nuclear bomb, and is prepared to blow the lid off the joint like one'."
He laughed, and she felt the vibration through the pillow. "You left me in a house full of drunkies last night."
She sweatdropped. "Run that by me again?"
"Yeah, it was almost as bad as when Gotei 13 invaded my house...Urahara had a lampshade on his head, Yoruichi was changing in and out of form every five minutes to see who she could catch off guard or turn on, Rukia started up a terrifying game of Chappy Tag...I'm lucky I got out alive."
They both shuddered at what the shop must look like now, and Peyton grinned. "I swear everyone was sober when I left," she said defensively.
"Sure they were."
"They WERE!"
"Who knows, maybe they got drunk off all those damn bubbles Yoruichi made in that bath of yours."
Oh, yeah. The bubbles. She wasn't sure exactly how many bottles they had gone through, but let's just say half of Urahara's shop was a sea of magical soapy bubbles.
Ururu must have had a FUN time cleaning up all that.
Peyton pouted at the ceiling. "Trust me, I think karma got me back for it. I have about ten new bruises from my epic FAILURE last night."
"How'd you manage that?"
"Let's just say I couldn't be stealthy to save my life."
"Well, we already knew THAT."
"Hey, don't make me kick you out!"
She could hear the smug grin in his voice, making her temple throb as he said, "Well, crap, I don't want that. Then I can't wonder where the hell you managed to get some sexy Spiderman underwear."
She turned a little red, and his grin grew. "...It was on sale."
"You sure aren't modest, are you?"
"Well, you already walked in on my bath!"
"But I didn't SEE anything!"
"Yeah, well, you're not seeing much NOW either!"
"...True, true." He turned his head so he was right by her ear. "...Right NOW, anyway."
Peyton pretended that didn't give her tingles. "Yep, that's correct."
He made a little whiny noise of disappointment. "Aw, you're no fun. C'mon, get up."
"No."
"Please?"
"No way."
"I'll fix ya something."
"You SUCK at cooking."
"So do you, but you still eat it!"
"...Well, still! Besides, the kitchen is LINDSAY'S domain. She won't let you anywhere near it."
He sat up and smirked. "Well, she can't stop me. Mark and Miya are out doing wedding stuff, Lindsay mentioned shopping, and Seth went off with Orihime."
Peyton sweatdropped. "Dammit. But of COURSE it's just us, so there's an even SLIMMER chance of getting back to sleep."
Ichigo nodded, hopping off her bed before grabbing her by the waist. "HEY, PUT ME DOWN!"
"You can shout all you want, it's just us, remember?"
"Ichigoooo, the blood's rushing to my head!"
He rolled his eyes, then laughed mischievously. "Fine, in THAT case..." Ichigo then slung her over his shoulder, sack-of-potatoes style, thumping down the stairs.
Peyton just sighed and propped her chin onto her elbows, which she rested on his upper back. "Fine, you win. But at the FIRST sign of smoke, I'm calling 911."
TWO MINUTES LATER...
"Whoa, whoa, not now boy!" Ichigo told the puppy as it almost made him face-plant, nipping at his heels.
Peyton's temple throbbed. "If you drop me, that dog is gonna be the least of your worries."
"Now why would I do that?" He said innocently, plopping her onto the counter effortlessly and peering at her stove.
"Okay, so if these pictures are right, the knob goes THIS WAY for higher heat..." He muttered to himself as he turned one of the burner knobs.
Peyton sweatdropped and shook her head. "This can NOT end well."
"Jeez, trust me, would you?" He said defensively while looking for a skillet rather noisily.
"Do you even know what you're making?"
"Grilled cheese."
"Yay! I actually like that!"
"Why do you think I'm making it?"
"Boredom?"
"...Well, that too."
Peyton smiled and shook her head as she swung her feet, giving the puppy something to play with and paw at.
He rummaged through her fridge like a mad man on a mission. "Cheese, cheese, chheeeeesseeee-"
"Cheese," She stated, pointing at the first drawer to the left in the fridge. He opened it and went through it briefly, then shook his head.
"It's not there."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't!"
"ICHIGO KUROSAKI, if I get off this counter and find them, I swear I'll-"
"FOUND IT!" He exclaimed happily, holding up several slices of Kraft Cheese. Peyton sweatdropped. "...That's what I thought."
He put the skillet on the stove, and she held up a finger. "Oh, and don't forget to take the plastic OFF the cheese slices."
Ichigo gave her a look. "You act like I'm the Cooking Antichrist or something."
"I wouldn't go THAT far! ...How about A Kitchen Fire Waiting To Happen?"
He sweatdropped. "Yeah, 'cause that's just SO much better."
She shrugged, continuing to swing her legs, and the puppy ran to mess with Ichigo some after realizing she was mellow.
"Hey, what's he doin'?" Ichigo asked while dodging the spazzy little dog that dove for his toes.
"Playing. What does it LOOK like he's doing?"
"I dunno, but he kinda reminds me of you," he replied as the dog slipped on its own paw and flipped, landing on its back and flailing around like it was drowning before simply rolling over with an idiotic grin.
Her temple throbbed. "You know JUST what to say..."
He moved to stand in front of her, bracing his hands on each side of her on the counter with that half-smile of his. "I love you."
She nodded, fighting the blush (why did him saying that STILL make her blush?) threatening to rise onto her cheeks. If she blushed, he'd win. "Now that's more like it."
He ignored the dog, still trying to play with him, and kissed the corner of her mouth. She pulled him back as he pulled away. "Hey, wait, no, you missed!"
They laughed and started kissing, but before they could get too into it they heard the skillet hissing.
They exchanged a confused look before turning to see something rather interesting.
The puppy had somehow gotten onto the counter to their far left, and his drool was currently dripping all over the stove as he panted eagerly at them.
They both sweatdropped, and Peyton made a face. "I am NOT eating that."
"Why does this seem so perverted to me? Him just watching us like that..."
They shook their heads slowly in disbelief.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER...
"I promise there's no hair in it, dog or human," he informed Peyton as he plopped a plate of grilled cheese onto the counter beside her designated "Spot".
She was currently getting some Yoplait out of the fridge, and held one up for him to see. "Want one?"
"Sure."
She tossed him one, and he tossed her a spoon before grabbing one for himself. She hopped onto her counter, crossing her legs and peeling the top off the yogurt.
Peyton was very aware that he was watching her every move to see how she reacted to his food, so she took her sweet time savoring a bite or two...of the yogurt.
"Mmmm, so yummy."
"DAMMIT, TRY THE GRILLED CHEESE!"
She laughed and grabbed the plate. "Alright, alright, jeez." Surprisingly, it was pretty edible. Good, even.
He nodded as she swallowed it, pleased, and she grinned. "I'm impressed. No initial feelings of nausea!"
"There won't be any nausea. I told you I could cook!"
"When you try," she amended, taking another bite of both the grilled cheese and the yogurt.
"That's because I used my secret ingredient."
"Which would be..?" She asked suspiciously, hoping it wasn't something disgusting.
"Oh, you know, the same stuff I'm made of. AWESOMESAUCE!"
Her temple throbbed. "That's MY word, Kurosaki!"
"Well, then, I thank you. You're a genius."
"I know!" She replied cheerfully.
He smirked. "Y'know, I just realized something."
"What?"
"Is it really much of a coincidence that your favorite yogurt happens to be Strawberry-flavored?"
Peyton rolled her eyes as he ate some of his own grilled cheese before waggling his eyebrows at her. "What was that you said about it? Wasn't it...'Mmmm, so YUMMY!'?"
"I didn't sound THAT excited about it."
"Well, of course not. That yogurt's NOTHING compared to the real thing."
"You mean actual strawberries?"
"Noooo, and you know it."
She just took a huge bite of her grilled cheese pointedly, making him smirk. "Hmm. I don't think I do."
"Are you saying you need proof?"
She ate the last of her grilled cheese before smirking at him. "Do you even have to ask by now?"
Ichigo grinned and hopped off his spot on the counter, moving to stand in front of her again. But this time, when they started kissing, there wasn't any hissing noises or anything like that to distract them FOR ONCE.
She started tracing little invisible patterns along his arm, and one of his hands gripped the back of her neck. The other was currently running along the side of her thigh.
They ignored the clatter made by either the yogurt or plate sliding into the sink as he pulled her closer, not even sure which item it was. The hand near her thigh ran up to the small of her back, making her shiver a little, and she-
"...No wonder the dog's whining," Seth commented from the doorway, making them bonk heads and jump apart. He and Karin were staring at them with fresh sweatdrops. The dog was laying on the floor and covering its eyes with its paw, whining.
Her and Ichigo's temples throbbed. "DAMMIT!"