Mr. Posin is an OC.

Chapter Sixteen

Nights and Days…

Orihime put the finishing touches on Rukia's hair.

"You look so pretty," Orihime said admiring her work.

"Yes she certainly does," Rangiku agreed grinning.

"These clothes are so wrong for me," Rukia complained pulling at the clingy material.

"I agree," Yoruichi said and walked towards Orihime's closet, "she's going on a date with him not trying to give him a heart attack."

"You think so," Rangiku asked, "I wouldn't think you would think like that at all Yoruichi."

"None of those clothes will really fit Rukia," Orihime said.

"We could always use the budget of the Shinigami Men's Association," Rangiku suggested.

"While I wouldn't mind shopping; Ichigo will be here pretty soon so she'll just have to improvise," Yoruichi said.

Rangiku joined Yoruichi at the closet flipping through her clothes. Every few seconds Rangiku said, 'oh this is so cute,' and started to try on Orihime's clothes.

Rukia picked out a pale blue sweater from Orihime's closet and put it on. She belted it over the ridiculously tight sapphire colored dress that she had on. Now she looked somewhat normal.

000

Ichigo stood at Orihime's door. He thought about how many times he could have come here calling on Orihime. It only took one time to realize that it wouldn't work. One set up date that he would regret until Orihime confronted him weeks later to tell him.

'I'm letting you go. I don't want to be that girl. Just promise me we can move past this and still be friends.'

She was joking. Looking back he can see that date meant more to her than she let on. He didn't feel that way.

Yoruichi suddenly opened the door.

"We'll are you going to stand out here all night," she asked.

"I was just-

"We're Shinigami; we knew you were there since before you arrived. It's rude to keep a girl waiting like that," she said arms folded leaning on the door way.

"Just what are you all doing here anyway," Ichigo asked.

"Never mind that," Yoruichi said waving him in.

Rukia walked over. She had her hair clipped up. Sophisticated beauty stared up at him.

Rangiku walked past pushing him on the shoulder.

"You look beautiful Rukia," Ichigo said taking the hint, "and these are for you."

Rukia took the flowers from him. They smelled nice and were very colorful. It was the first time she could remember getting flowers from anyone.

"Thank you," Rukia said smiling.

"I'll just go put them in water for you," Rangiku said taking the flowers out of Rukia's hands.

The flowers were a tropical blend. Rangiku immediately thought of having a mixed tropical drink on the beach. That place humans liked to go Hawaii. If only she could go there on vacation she thought sniffing the bouquet.

What are you thinking about Ichigo with these flowers?

"We're going," Ichigo announced and held his hand out to Rukia.

Rukia took it and tried to keep up with his pace. He couldn't get away from them fast enough.

"Have fun you two," Orihime called out waving as she shut the door to her apartment.

Ichigo blocked out Rangiku and Yoruichi's jokes as they moved father from Orihime's apartment.

"Sorry," he said slowing down.

"For what, I'm good so far," Rukia said confused.

"Sorry for practically dragging you out the door like that. It's not very suitable for a date. I just needed to get away from those guys," Ichigo said.

"I understand the feeling," Rukia said.

"All dating really is…it's just spending time with the person you care about. But there is an understanding that you'll only be this close with that one person and they agree," he said.

"I understand. I'm your girlfriend now. It is the same as before except we're closer and we put a label on it," she said.

"This is special because I'd say it was our first real date. Those labels you talk about have certain expectations-

"Let's ignore the label and be what we are and what we've always been. I just want to enjoy wherever you're taking me," she said.

Rukia could care less about the labels they all seemed to prefer. What good were labels if they didn't suit her purpose? They would go out and have fun.

That took the pressure off him. Now he could go back to figuring out more about that brown haired guy from her drama class. But he dropped it focusing instead on their date as they arrived at their destination.

"There is this organization. They are kind of like Shinigami for animals…Chado told me about them," he said.

Ridiculous, Rukia thought.

Ichigo opened the door for her and walked to the counter where he signed them in. The building looked normal enough like any business multi-level office building.

Ichigo led her down a hallway they walked to the back door.

"Now be patient with me," Ichigo said before opening the doorway, "these cute bunnies are rescued bunnies. They were going to be used to test cosmetics…make objects out of and their fur and all sorts of cruel things."

Rukia barely heard him entranced by the sight of all the furry creatures hopping around. She started at the park like enclosure. Green grass land stretched the length of three football fields scattered with trees and a tiny pond.

"Ichigo," she managed to say his name too excited to contain herself.

"The place was going to be closed for today but I managed to pull some strings and get us in," he said.

"I can see them," she asked face pressed to the glass.

"Of course and here, I got you this," Ichigo held out a tiny box.

"What is it," she said opening the box.

It looked like a tiny framed diploma as she emptied the box in her hand.

"You've adopted this one a real live version of Chappy. I've rescued her for you. Now she can live on this farm here all nice and taken care of," he said.

"How do I know which one is Chappy," Rukia asked.

"Geese weren't you listening," Ichigo said rolling his eyes. He couldn't help the grin that spread over his features. To be honest he couldn't control the grin that spread over his features.

"She is that number cage," Ichigo pointed out on the tiny certificate.

"So she's not here," Rukia wondered.

"That's what we're going to do now. We're going to rescue Chappy," Ichigo said leading her away from the bunnies to the veterinarian attendant.

"You can let her free yourself," the attendant said handing over the cage.

The attendant had a name tag that read:

POSIN

He was a rather tall slender elderly man. His long hair white hair was tied back. Ichigo thought the old man looked more like he stepped out of an old black and white Samurai film than an old veterinarian.

Ichigo carried the cage as Mr. Posin opened the door to the sanctuary. Rukia followed the man with Ichigo close behind. Posin reached behind a fence and undid the latch. They followed after him stopping before the second gate.

"You'll want to put these on," Posin said handing over a couple pair of slippers.

They slipped out of their shoes and entered the sanctuary. Mr. Posin gave a brief summary of the rules and let them go with the instruction to ring the bell when they were finished. Ichigo thanked him and carried the cage further into the sanctuary.

"Where should we free her," Ichigo asked.

Rukia looked around, "how about there."

They walked toward the area. A nice shady spot area with a flower garden stretched out before them. The condition of the place was quite amazing.

"They only allow so many bunnies to control the population so Chappy is really lucky," Ichigo said sliding open the cage door.

Rukia reached in holding the bunny. Ichigo felt sure the creature would bounce away from Rukia and take off running.

"Their fur is so soft," she gushed snuggling the bunny.

Ichigo beamed, this silly bunny nonsense really made Rukia happy. He slid a backpack off his shoulder unzipping the contents.

"When did you get a backpack," Rukia wondered.

"Posin is a friend of Chado's; so he held it for me," Ichigo answered spreading out a blanket.

Rukia sat down still cuddling the bunny.

"I'm going to have to let you be free Chappy. I hope you have a wonderful life with the other bunnies," Rukia smiled and set the bunny down.

She watched as the bunny paused as if sniffing the air and looked around.

Ichigo continued taking things out of the backpack and setting them on the blanket.

"We can feed them this," Ichigo said tossing over a zip locked bag of veggies.

"Thank you," Rukia said and launched at him.

Ichigo mock struggled against her hold on him.

"Their veggies not a diamond ring, geese you're easy to impress," he joked.

"This is perfect," she said ignoring him.

He tilted up her face towards him kissing her lips. It was all he could do to convey how he felt about her in this moment.

000

Rukia took the bag of veggies and followed after Chappy. She handed the bunny a carrot and watched as the rabbit nibbled anxiously at the food. Ichigo lay back on the blanket watching as Rukia enjoyed the sanctuary. He couldn't compete with a bunny. It was his idea after all.

The place had many more small animals. The birds got his attention. Their feathers were amazingly colorful.

When Rukia returned she had an empty bag and a defiant pout.

"The food for them is gone," Ichigo said.

Thank heaven at least now he could spend some quality time with her.

"Oh well then it was fun," Rukia said.

She crawled over laying her head on his chest.

"Is my heart strong," Ichigo said aloud.

"Thump, thump…I think so," Rukia answered.

"I have to ask you something and I don't know how to ask you this," Ichigo started.

Rukia sat up so fast it was almost comical.

"What are you talking about," she asked.

"It isn't what you think," he said sitting up.

"How do you know what I'm thinking," she said defiantly.

All girls expect that magical proposal someday but this is barely our first date Rukia, Ichigo thought.

"Fine I'll just ask. Earlier when you came back to Karakura town that day Chado and I ditched with Tatsuki…Where did you go and what did you do that day," he asked.

"I came to school, ate lunch with everyone. I talked to-

"Before the meeting," Ichigo asked.

"Oh…I talked to Yoruichi and we had lunch-

"You ate lunch twice," he wondered.

"The food was good…anyhow I met up with an old friend after that and we talked then I came to the meeting, why," Rukia asked.

"I haven't said anything about it but today in your theater class I saw the 'friend' that you were talking to," Ichigo said.

"Oh."

"No not oh. I saw you two together. He touched your cheek and said something to you. The two of you seemed like you knew each other well and he shows up at my school. Besides that you took off and I still don't know-

"I went to the Seireitei. I talked to Captain Ukitake and then I said hello to Hanatarô. Renji talked with me for a good while and Nii-sama was there so I said hello to him as well. Then I came back here," she said.

"That was your emergency," he said.

"I can't tell you the details of what Captain Ukitake said. It is only about a mission nothing more than that…if you want I'll tell you," she said.

"I'm more concerned about this old friend," he said.

She knew it. He didn't even care about the mission or what she went to the Soul Society for; to her that was much more interesting.

"Why didn't you try to introduce yourself when you saw us," she asked.

"Things looked too intimate besides I'm sure I know him," he said.

"That is why you found it so hard to just ask me. Is it jealously," she asked.

"I guess I understand now the way you saw Orihime. This friend of yours is a Shinigami correct," he asked.

"So what Ichigo, what does that matter," she replied.

"He's from your world Rukia, of course it matters. I don't know him at all and I thought we both knew each other's friends quite well. I mean I know him but when we separated in Hueco Mundo you two spent time together. You were worried about him and we didn't even know if he made it," he said.

"Ashido Kano," Rukia said looking out as if recalling something.

"What," Ichigo asked.

"That is his name. Ashido. You never remember names. He is a Shinigami I made a promise to in Hueco Mundo," she said.

"You promised yourself-

"Now who's jumping to conclusions? I made a promise to him to come back for him. He was left alone in Hueco Mundo year after year fighting against the Hollows. All his comrades lost and were eaten by Hollows. He was all that remained. He helped me survive and return to you guys. Because of him I was able to help save Orihime…or at least try to," Rukia said.

Ichigo couldn't find what he wanted to say so he remained silent. Their eyes met.

"There is no reason to be jealous of him. He cares about me I see and I won't deny that but you don't have to win me. There is no competition not with Renji and not with Ashido so put aside your foolish jealousy," she said.

"Easier said than done," Ichigo said laying his head back on the ground, "but I'd like to hear more about this story. I mean how exactly did you manage to keep your promise to him? I'd like to meet and thank the guy responsible for saving you."

"Fool, you make it seem as if I needed to be saved. Didn't I just tell you I went there to save him," she said.

Ichigo said nothing, just smiled at her.

"This is what you couldn't talk about. We would have gone with-

"I know everyone would have come with me to help me keep that promise. The opportunity to go there came up as an assignment. We weren't allowed to contact any of you about it and that was the hard part. The details of what happened…the missing pieces that I can't remember are something that we have to accept sometimes as part of our duty," she said.

"The missing memories bother you and you don't accept them," he said.

"It does but we don't need to talk about this anymore," she said.

He agreed and helped her to her feet. Their date wasn't over yet and he still had time to turn things around from this depressing subject.