DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH NOR ANY OBVIOUS TITLES AND REFERENCES... COME ON... I CAN NEVER OWN BLEACH MUCH LESS STAR TREK OR STAR WARS... I'VE ONLY WATCHED THE STAR TREK MOVIE WITH CHRIS PINE... THOUGH I'M GUILTY OF STAR WARS...
Rukia sighed as she massaged her temples furiously. She literally stomped over to her phone and clicked the answering machine one last time before she deleted every single message there for her. She had even considered disconnecting the phone itself, she would only be contacted by her cellphone and that was easier to handle. An ear searing beep resounded in the room and she winced as she heard it. Then it finally began to read her messages one by one.
"You have five messages, message number one."
A beep came again.
"Rukia... Please answer the phone. I need to talk to you... Come on... Just call me back."
Rukia rolled her eyes as she went back to her island of a kitchen and fetched herself some much needed coffee. Never mind that, she needed it with an extra shot of expresso or something. The next message played after the beep just as she had reached the Chappy the Rabbit mug Ichigo had given her on their first date. It was meant to be used after all, that's what Uruhara said.
"I'm begging... Just one call... That's all I need... Just five minutes just to apologize ... I didn't mean to hide it from you... I... Just wanted to stay by your side..."
Rukia shook her head. She had never imagined she would ever hear someone like Kaien beg. Still though, she wasn't really too mad at him but she was a tad but pissed he didn't have the guys to tell her himself. She knew very well he still loved her and ignoring his feelings was indeed plain cruel of her, using this arranged marriage to keep her was unforgivable in her eyes. She couldn't stand it, if you want to take something then you should do so with your own power.
What had happened to the Kaien who told her that on her first case ever.
He amazed her, she had just watched his spectacular prosecution by his side and she fell in love with that dazzling Kaien. She admired him, he was the greatest in her eyes. He taught her many things and he even taught her a thing or two about love. The first thing he had ever taught her was this very line.
"If you want something, you should use your own power to take it. No tricks, no fabrication, it's just you, the defense and the defendant in the court. You want to win, then use your power to win. You want to take your ambition higher, then strive for it with your own hands. That's what it means to be good lawyer. One day, you'll understand and it may not sound like a lot coming from someone like me. I mean, I'm just two years older than you and all but trust me I know. Do you know where the heart is? It's here, it's my fist; my hand. Why? Because this hand has made many connections. This hand shook the hands of my comrades, my friends, my allies and loved ones. Every time I bang this fist against the table or point towards the evidence, the sentiments of those people are with me with every man I convict. I don't know what lawyer you'll end up being but make sure you grab the first opportunity with your own hand."
Rukia laughed to no one but herself. She was attracted to his overflowing charisma, how he was so sure of herself and how he treated her like a person when everybody else had treated her like a Kuchiki. With the exception of Kenpachi Zaraki of course. They became instant frenemies upon introduction. The Rukia Kuchiki she was now would never had fallen for that Kaien Shiba much less the Kaien Shiba now.
Rukia finally heard the beep for the third message.
"Look... All I need is five minutes to make it up to you and I'll make sure you won't regret this."
Rukia took her mug and drank her coffee. Her skills had yet to deteriorate, she could still beat all those girls who worked at what used to be her cafe with ease. She made the uniform look good and the food was always delicious. Hearing Kaien beg was getting tiring but she didn't want to answer him.
She didn't want to hear him and his excuses. It wouldn't have made a difference.
The fourth beep came.
"I know you're there but... I guess it's my fault. Look... I'll just stop, if you ever feel like calling me, I'll always have an open ear..."
Rukia nearly spit out of her coffee. This man was so not Kaien Shiba. Kaien would never say that, where did his pride go? Where was the man she had fallen in love with when she was simply twenty years old, a fresh lawyer. Maybe she would indulge him just a bit.
She was sad to know that the Kaien Shiba she had fallen in love with was long gone. Why didn't she see it? Ever since he had woken up, he didn't feel like Kaien. To think she was going to marry him. She used to dream of marrying him before but now she loathed the idea. It would've been some comfort to her to know she was marrying a man she used to love but he was no longer that man.
She wanted someone to save her.
The final beep came.
"Rukia... I need to talk to you... Let's meet up okay?"
Rukia's eyes were wide and completely open. She nearly dropped her mug but she managed to save it and the coffee altogether. She placed it on the counter and carefully approached the phone as if it was going to explode. She played the message again but the voice nor the words changed. This was Ichigo's voice.
Rukia held her breath for some reason and dialed his number. Even after all this time, she still had it memorized very well. She dialed it in quick succession and she heard that annoying ceaseless ringing sound. She groaned she waited for him to pick up. He finally did and that was when Rukia had realized that she hadn't been mentally prepared.
"Hello?"
Rukia swallowed heavily. He sounded so great in the morning.
"You called...?"
She heard him pause. She then heard a few odd sounds on the other end, probably him nearly tripping over something. "Oh! R-right... Umm... I wanted to talk to you about something important... So I was wondering if we could meet for some lunch or maybe for dessert?"
She closed her eyes and used all of her willpower not to laugh at him. "Out of curiosity... How did you get my number?"
"Er... I asked Tatsuki to do something about Renji... He spilled it all to her and then she told me." he replied nervously. He would never tell her she always made him a nervous wreck no matter how many months or years they were apart.
Rukia sighed. She was so going to murder Renji the next time she saw him. Never mind murder, that was simply too kind for a Kuchiki. Too kind even for her standards. Castration it is then, she'll have to apologize to Tatsuki. "Where?"
"Where? Oh right... Umm..."
That compulsive brash idiot, she mentally seethed.
"How about Bookend Cafe... I heard they're doing lunch now."
"Eh? Th-that place?" he blurted out.
"Is there a problem? You were the one who called. This better be important because I have an appointment with a soon-to-be death row inmate."
"Yeah... Lunch it is..."
"Bye..."
Then she dropped the phone. She bit her lip before smacking her own head. Why did she use her lawyer tone with him? She made it seem like she was mad at him which wasn't the case. She was ecstatic deep down inside but her Kuchiki reflexes butted in. She truly was a Kuchiki in spirit, a better Kuchiki than all of those fat geezers who call themselves elders. Dying to disown her because she wasn't of noble birth, she was of noble spirit for crying out loud. That was all her brother had ever needed, even his grandfather Ginrei accepted her as a Kuchiki and although she had never met Byakuya's father Sojun, she had heard from Hisana that he treated Hisana as if she was his own daughter.
God, she was cruel.
Speaking to Ichigo that way and purposefully ignoring Kaien.
Well, she was never nice to begin with.
She stopped being nice years ago.
"My God... Maybe I really am like Orihime... If that's the case then I guess I can fully sympathize with her..." she mumbled to herself aimlessly.
She returned to her island of a kitchen and grabbed her Chappy mug full of warm coffee. She grimaced at the thought of drinking cold coffee so she gulped it all down while it was still hot. She couldn't stand cold coffee, iced coffee was a completely different matter. Rukia rested her eyes and sighed softly.
What has the world come to?
"Ichigo Kurosaki... You are one big fucking idiot!" he yelled at himself as he glared at the phone ferociously. His mere glare was enough to break it and tear it to tiny diminutive infinitesimally microscopic pieces.
He literally crashed on his bed and grabbed a pillow just to throw it at the nearby wall. He was such an idiot, he was just do rash. He had finally decided to take back Rukia, it was only now that he realized that he had no battle plan. Ichigo sighed again and began to think like Rukia.
"How would you steal me back?" she would ask in that bossy assertive lawyerly tone of hers.
He laughed through his nose and stared blankly at the ceiling. "I would just take you and kiss you until you agreed you midget..." he scoffed to himself.
Then she would blush and continue to be as stubborn as always. She just wasn't too honest with her feelings, she was Rukia. "Sh-shut up! Okay fine, how would you deal with the cavalry?" she would ask after stuttering, she would stubbornly keep her cross-examining tone:
"They can't hurt us so long as we're under the public eye... I've got connections, they don't control everything." he would answer to her question.
"You've got a point there... How about Finance...? There's a reason why I didn't want to involve you. They can ruin you despite your connections." she would reason with him like she had always done so before.
Ichigo ruffled his head in frustration. He was practically talking to himself, he was imagining what Rukia would do. He still didn't have answers, he didn't have much time until lunch. She's probably gonna badger him to no end as if he was a friggin criminal and all. He had already seen her lawyerly tendencies but the moment she took her badge again, that lawyer mode of hers seems to be on nearly 24/7. It was scary really.
Why was he such a coward when it came to women? More particularly, certain short women?
He was supposed to be badass and all, where the hell did that go?
His hand found his lips involuntarily and his little digits slid past the parting between his lips. He shuddered as he remembered their kiss in the elevator. It was most definitely real, the sensations felt to strong be fake. The adrenaline, the passion and the longing all jam packed into one searing hot yet tender kiss. Through that kiss alone, he felt her pain, her sorrow, her loneliness and her overwhelming sense of longing. How he had wanted to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. How he had wanted to tell her how much he loved her and how he would do anything to take her back.
Knowing her though, she wouldn't let him risk his career for her and she would use everything in her power to make sure he was alright. He had already figured out that the reason why Rukia broke up with him was a Kuchiki matter but he didn't have enough in order to understand what really happened.
That was why he called her, she had no reason to hide anything from him anymore because he was getting way to much information. Rukia won't have a choice but to answer him and hopefully, when she does tell him, he would have thought of a solution. It was probably the first time in his life that he felt like he was slowly sinking into the quick sand with no nearby rope to grab onto. With Senna, it was more like a train passing through one single long tunnel. It would be a very dark tunnel but the train would eventually reach the end where the light would be. It was inevitable.
Ichigo closed his eyes and remembered how Senna slowly died. How she looked so healthy before she began to faint more often. Her usual brightness was stolen away, she looked so flaccid and pale. She began to look all skin and bones and with one kiss, she finally died. He didn't cry, he was too empty to cry. Then he had been living for the sake of living. He had done so until three years later, he would meet Rukia.
Rukia had as much if not more spunk than Senna had. His first impression of her was that she was independent, headstrong and she walked to the beat of her own drum just like Senna did but he was wrong. The more he understood Rukia, the more he realized that she was the same as him and not Senna. He and Rukia healed each others' wounds, he finally had something to live for.
He felt so alive again, Rukia saved him. She revived him from the endless abyss he had been sinking himself into. She stopped him from slipping away into the empty oblivion. She gave him a heart, she managed to get the blood pumping, she allowed him to cry. All that hurt, she had given it all to him but it was proof that he was alive and that she was someone he had to fight for. This wasn't because he couldn't save Senna before.
Rukia isn't her replacement.
She's more than that.
Ichigo wasn't making up for anything. He was going to save Rukia because she wants him to and he wants to save her with the whole of his being as well as the whole of his soul. There was no pity, no regret, no nothing actually. He was just a guy and she was just a girl. Nothing more and nothing less.
Rukia is his Ray of Light.
It's his turn to pay back the favor and to save her from the grave of her own making.
"God... Aren't you dense... Does it take months for you to realize that? It's not easy to drop into your dreams so often Ichigo... I've seen a lot of things up here and you two are literally a match made in heaven. Eternal partners as it were, but who am I to talk right Ichigo?"
Ichigo's eyes shot open and he suddenly sat up. A drop of sweat rolled down from his cheek down to his chin.
"S-Senna...?"
As he thought, no response.
"My imagination I guess..." he mumbled to himself.
He forced himself of his bed and began to get ready for his unofficial lunch date with Rukia Kuchiki, anal retentive snow queen and the love of his pathetic friggin life.
Rukia took her headphones off as soon as she saw the familiar place. She stowed away her iPod into the back pocket of her jeans. She clutched her coat even tighter and fixed her scarf, it sure was cold today. She looked around the area and smiled out of nostalgia.
During autumn, it would rain colors. The Italian restaurant across the street was still having good business as usual. The pawnshop a few stores away from it looked as shady as always. There was also this small joint that sold one of the best clam chowders in town and there was a small quaint bookstore just a few stores away from where her cafe was. A lot of things stayed the same no matter how much she had changed.
Rukia closed her eyes softly and breathed in deeply before walking towards the familiar door. The new owner commented how he had liked the door and so he kept it that way. She walked inside and found the structure to be the same but the new design made it feel roomier and more sophisticated in a casual way. It was pretty nice so she didn't mind. Rukia approached the counter and decided to order some food to guilt trip Ichigo when he came. She was five minutes early, it was a rule of her brother's to be five minutes early.
"If you are on time then you are late. You are on time if you are at least five minutes early." he said.
She stifled a small chuckle as the girl behind the counter turned around from facing the supply shelf. Her face was smiling but as soon as she saw Rukia, that upward curve opened into one huge gaping hole. Her mouth quivered as she accidentally dropped one of the shakers. Her hand went to her mouth, trembling. Her eyes were wide and her pupils were dilated. After getting through the initial shock she smiled with great joy.
"Ms. Rukia!"
Rukia laughed as she brought her finger to her mouth, telling the girl to he silent. "Shh... Keep it down Kiyone."
Rukia was surprised when the girl was at the brink of tears. "B-but! Ms. Rukia, it's been nine months since the last time we saw each other! It's been too long!" she wailed.
Rukia just smiled as she patted Kiyone on the head and laughed at how she whined. She may be a high school senior now but she still acted like a middle schooler. "I know..."
"All I've seen for nine months was Mr. Ichigo! All he's been eating though was Strawberry Shortcake and Hot Chocolate... For breakfast too. Though he's sane enough to eat it for dessert most of the time." she blurted it all out due to his happy she was.
Rukia's eyes were wide open. "E-excuse me? What about Ichigo...?"
"Oh...? Well, ever since you sold the cafe, he's been coming her almost everyday unless he has a film to shoot or something in his work schedule." Kiyone informed Rukia as if there was nothing wrong with telling her all of this.
Ichigo... He...
Wait, Strawberry Shortcake and Hot Chocolate...?
—!—
"Hey midget, get me an extra large cup of hot chocolate. As well as a slice of strawberry shortcake."
Rukia let her eyebrows slant downward. "Yes sir!" she snapped angrily before stomping on his foot. Painfully. Then she innocently skipped towards the counter to get his order.
Ichigo winced in pain and tried to soothe his aching foot. Then he looked at her in disbelief.
"Serves you right Kurosaki..." Uryu said in amusement.
Ichigo crossed his arms in a fit and took his seat. "What the hell's her problem!"
"She has a name Kurosaki." Uryu reminded him as he too, sat down.
"Uhh... Right. Was it Rui?"
"No..."
"Ru... Rina?"
"Far from it..."
"Rinka!"
"Hell no.
"Rei?"
"Rukia!" Rukia said angrily as she purposely dropped the tray on his fingers without breaking any glassware or spilling any of the hot chocolate.
—!—
"Is that so Kiyone...?" Rukia replied.
"I don't understand why though but ah well..." she sighed.
Rukia chuckled to herself and smiled softly. The memory began to play again and again in her head like a broken record. She hadn't thought about that day for a long time. It felt like it had happened years ago, it was such distant yet happy memory. Returning to the cafe had reminded her why she started it those four years ago. It wasn't because of Hisana.
It was because she had wanted to make people happy, if she couldn't make herself happy then she might as well make others happy. She wanted to see people smile, this cafe was like an escape from reality. This cafe allowed her to meet so many people, the regulars, her friends and more importantly...
This was where she met Ichigo.
She had spent some time saying goodbye to these walls when in the end, she wanted them back sorely. She fought with Ichigo here, she told him she loved him here. So much had happened in this room, what possessed her to throw it all away?
"Ms. Rukia? Are you okay? You're tearing up." Kiyone said softly.
Rukia snapped out of her daze and realized that just the mere nostalgia and regret made her want to cry and take everything back. She didn't even notice she was beginning to cry herself. Rukia quickly wiped away her years and flashed a reassuring smile at Kiyone.
"It's nothing... Let's see how much you've improved." she said.
"The usual Ms. Rukia?"
Rukia laughed. "Yeah... It's an excellent test don't you think?"
Kiyone laughed as she picked up the shaker from the ground and set it aside. "Indeed, it is."
"How does it feel being the senior worker. Is your boss treating you well? How about your coworkers?" Rukia asked.
Kiyone smiled as she brought up her arm reassuringly and rolled up her sleeves. "Thanks to you Ms. Rukia, I have yet to be beaten. My new boss is just fine though I honestly prefer you more and my coworkers can't even hold a candle to me."
Rukia smirked. "Oh? Is that so? Well then, let's see of you can back up your bark." Rukia said before walking over to the table where the usual gang would sit and chill for the afternoon.
God, she missed this place.
This was truly her home.
She glance at her wrist watch again to see how long it had been and he too note about how he was now going to be a minute late. She massaged her temples and sighed, he was the one who asked for this and he was the one who had to be late. This was just brilliant, she wasn't lying when she said she had an appointment with a death-row inmate. That certain inmate was Nnoitra Gilga and she was going to pay him a visit. Although he was on death row already, a lot doubted that his crime was enough to warrant the death penalty. A lot wanted the lifetime sentence for him but she knew the bastard had done more than that. She was going to get a confession for Nel Tu Odelschvank's sake as well as Momo's. She did promise she'd get him the needle.
She was too engulfed in her thoughts that she didn't notice him come to the table. Once she snapped out of her daze, she looked up to find him staring at her. He had been wearing his usual ensemble of shirt, pants and jacket.
Typical Ichigo.
She maintained her flatline mouth. "You're five minutes late." she stated matter-of-factly, raised eyebrow included as usual.
He scowler deeper as he remained standing. There was no way he was going to sit down with her looking at him that way. Still though, it reminded him of the time before all this trouble came. "Sorry... I couldn't find my cellphone so spent some time looking for it. I gave up and walked here, so if you called me then I'm sorry I didn't pick up." he apologized.
Rukia glanced at the jacket he was wearing before bringing out her cellphone and calling his phone that instant. His face was surprised because he didn't know what she was trying to pull off but they eventually heard his ringtone. Ichigo nearly jumped and began to desperately search all of his pockets before finding the phone.
"Oh... Thanks." he said as he ended call for Rukia.
"You always do that. Just sit and get on with what you want to say."
She remembers? She always did scold me for leaving my phone in the pocket of my jacket, that's something hard to forget, he thought casually.
He sat down after telling Kiyone to do his usual. He saw Kiyone nearly burst into laughter and he didn't understand why she did. He just asked for his usual. Her coworkers began to tease Kiyone mercilessly about how the hot guy was taken. They were all too dense to identify the former owner of the cafe they worked in as well as too dense to figure out that the said hot guy was Ichigo Kurosaki.
Ah well, that means they were both careful.
Ichigo had been wearing a hat that covered majority of his hair. His orange hair still stuck out but it looked blond rather than tangerine if you didn't see all of it's orangeness. He was wearing blue contacts as well as wearing his fake pair of glasses. He always wore this disguise whenever he went out, his clothes just changed.
Rukia on the other hand wasn't as easy to spot as Ichigo was. Still though, a person like her was easy to identify if her face was seen full on so she wore a hat like he did but she normally didn't need to do so. Meeting up with Ichigo Kurosaki demanded it.
Kiyone brought their food simultaneously.
"Shortcake and Hot Chocolate again?"
"Cinnamon Roll and Cappucino again?"
They mumbled simultaneously, the flinched when they realized that they had said it together. Rukia quickly looked away and Ichigo lowered his hat so it covered his wary eyes. How awkward.
From the sidelines, Kiyone was laughing. It was like watching two people on their first date. She pretty much understood that they were there for a different matter. Being with them for a while gave her the intuition for things like these. It was fun watching the two squirm rather than bicker for once. Sadly, Momo kept Kiyone posted, Rukia would definitely not be happy about it.
Rukia awkwardly took a sip from her Cappuccino, she still refused to look him in the eye. Even if it was blue, she could still feel the burning amber behind the contacts. "So what did you want to talk about."
He looked at her directly, he was using all of his courage now. "You know very well what I want... I want the truth Rukia. You can't lie to me anymore." he said.
She bit her lip and persisted on not looking at him. "What truth?"
"I know you're a bad liar. You always bite your lip or turn steel cold whenever you lie. If I were any other person, I would've have noticed. I know I'm being too forward right now but I need to know... I have too many questions... All unanswered and you're the only one who can give them."
"I-Ichigo... I can't..." she said as she glanced at him.
"You always do this... What are you afraid of? Byakuya can never hurt you and so long as he stays the head, the elders can't even lift a finger on you. I did my research and your brother's been pulling off a few lies."
"I don't know what your talking about."
He sighed as he leaned forward. "There it is again. Talking to me like I'm the defendant you're trying to convict. Knowing you, you have your suspicions."
This time she ended up glaring at him whether she wanted to or not. "Byakuya's my brother. I have no reason to doubt him." she replied coldly.
"You're not helping me."
"And I'm not supposed to be helping you. I shouldn't have come." Rukia stated.
Rukia stood up abruptly and attempted to leave. He didn't try to stop her, he did talk to her even with their backs to each other. "Are you running away Rukia?" he asked.
Okay, that was low. Really low.
He dared to insinuate that she was running away? How dare he, she wasn't the one who cried when she left. He was kneeling on this very floor while weeping like some miserable coward and now he's using that tone with her. Being so friendly after so long.
She literally stomped on the floor as she turned around. Her hands were on her hips and she was so ready to retort the shit out of him but she managed to hold her boiling temper back. She breathed in and out slowly before taking her seat again. "I wasn't... Get straight to the point." she demanded as she crossed her legs. She was visibly pissed.
"Well, these are the facts I know so far. You're going to be president of the Kuchiki corporation next year, just one seat below your brother. You need to marry to do so, you told me that before. The one you're marrying is Kaien Shiba. All Kuchiki related, even Kaien is related because the Shiba clan is being financially supported by the Kuchikis." he stated but he spat on Kaien's name.
Rukia sipped her coffee. "You really did do your research."
"I did, will you answer me now?"
She looked straight at him. "It depends on the question."
He pondered carefully over what he wanted to ask her. "Why did you leave?"
Rukia twitched slightly as she heard the question roll of his tongue. Remembering that day wasn't pleasant, it left a bad taste in her mouth and an even worse feeling in her gut. "I thought it was better to leave."
Ichigo was obviously not pleased with his answer. "Please Rukia... I'm begging you. Tell me the honest truth. You have nothing to be afraid of, I'm too involved now to shut me out." he pleaded.
Rukia sighed softly as she closed her eyes to think for a moment. He eyes then fluttered open and the soft glow of her amethyst eyes returned to her. Momo was right, Zaraki was right and even Renji was right. She had nothing to be afraid of because she had always been above those old geezers. They made her think she was below them and that turned her into a coward.
"Alright... Don't be mad at me okay Ichigo?" she asked, her tone was much more softer. It was the tone she used whenever she was confessing some dark secret to Ichigo.
"I can never be mad at you." he replied, a smile finally surfacing on his lips.
Oh how she loved that smile.
"Hmph... You're never going to change are you?" she asked him softly.
"Never... At least I don't think so."
Her muscles were now relaxed and she seemed less tense now. Her mouth curved upward, forming a soft smile before she spoke to him. "That day I brought you to see Byakuya. He told me the elders wanted me to break up with you. Your reputation as an actor was going to ruin the good image of the Kuchiki clan so they told me to make you go away. How could I? It was just too hard. That party you pulled off for our monthsary made me really happy, it made it all the more harder."
"Rukia..."
"I love that ring you know... I, like you, had wanted to keep it forever but... I couldn't. I hated tearing you apart knowing full well you were going to be so hurt because of me. I hated how your were in so much pain and you didn't know why you deserved such pain. Momo had already told you this but not once in those nine months have you left my thoughts."
Rukia then pulled out a silver necklace and showed it to Ichigo. "And as she said, I still wear this thing because it was the first real thing you've ever gotten for me."
"So I left you just like that... I immersed myself into my work so I could forget you... I became cold so I wouldn't have to cry. All of that, I did so the sadness wouldn't crush me. I didn't want to become empty but I did become it anyway... Yesterday... At the wedding... I couldn't take it anymore... I couldn't stand lying to myself knowingly. I snapped and everything else followed..." she said but the last bit sounded a hit strangled.
When she was looking down at the table like this, he knew she was telling the truth. He wasn't thinking clearly when his hand reached out to hold hers. "Ichigo..." she muttered under her breath as she herself tightened her grip on his hand.
"Rukia... There's still time."
She looked up before looking away again. "There isn't any time at all... We went drinking yesterday at my place because all my stuff were there at my apartment... When everyone left, I spoke to my brother. They've been preparing the wedding behind my back."
Ichigo scowled. "That's impossible... It's not like you fitted the dress or tasted the cake or anything like that yet... Did you?"
"There is one dress though... Hisana's dress is the only dress that would ever fit me in this situation. The dress is not the issue, and yes, I've always dreamed of wearing my sister's wedding dress..." Rukia replied, she was still choking over her own words.
"Cake?"
"They're using the same people who made Momo's cake. In other words, they know what cake I already like because since I was the maid of honor, I tasted them all."
"Rukia..."
She smiled but it was a half assed attempt to make everything seem alright. "I really don't mind though... Marrying Kaien. It's something I used to want... Maybe I can learn to feel that want again..." she said in a sigh, sighing was all she had been doing lately.
"I don't want you to."
Rukia looked up and smiled at him for real. "Who said I wanted to either...? Why can't we be just normal people? Why were you born to be an actor? Why was I born to become a Kuchiki? Why can't you just be a boy and I'll just be a girl... It's not fair."
"Maybe we were once... Just a boy and just girl... Maybe some time other than this or maybe there's an alternate dimension or universe or something I don't care but there has to be an Ichigo and Rukia out there, happy with rainbows and shit like that." Ichigo replied to her with a soft chuckle.
"Like hell I want rainbows, ponies and unicorns." Rukia commented dryly.
"Hmph... Sorry my bad. I meant Chappy... Sorry, I seriously meant Chappy." be remarked sarcastically.
She laughed. "Though seriously, just how much Star Trek have you been watching
Spock?" she retorted in the same sarcastic manner.
"I meant that line in an a more romantic divine psychological sense. And I do not watch Star Trek."
She rolled her eyes as before looking at him amusingly. "Fine, my bad. It's Star Wars..."
"Just keep you mouth shut..." he groaned as he consumed all of his Hot Chocolate in one fell swoop.
She laughed at him. "You are so cheesy." she commented absentmindedly.
"Why?"
"Still eating that and drinking that... It's easy to understand why you have that almost everyday." Rukia replied as she rested her head on her propped up elbow.
Rukia closed her eyes for a moment and allowed her whole being to relax. This was her sanctuary, she could be herself in front of Ichigo here. She didn't want to lie to she didn't have to lie anymore. It was like she was on another date with him. It was just like Ichigo to be able to calm her down like this, only he couldn't break down all the mental barriers she had brought up.
"I'm glad..."
Rukia opened her eyes and looked at him. "Glad?"
He laughed through his nose. "I'm glad I could talk to you again like this... I've missed you so much..."
Those words revived the feeling she had when she was stuck in the elevator with Ichigo. That warm feeling was enveloping her chest and spreading to the rest of her body. "Truth be told... I've missed you too Ichigo... So much, I think I might just take your offer."
"Offer? What offer?"
She sighed again. "Idiot... You mentioned how we still had time right?"
He nodded with much anxiety.
"It's going to happen on sixteenth of December... The wedding that is. Right now, it's still midway November... That's around three weeks of time... It's short but... If you want then-"
"Really!"
Rukia winced when he shouted but he quickly fixed himself and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uhh... Yeah... Do you really mean that Rukia...? Do you even understand what you're saying? Have you really thought this through...?"
She glared at him. "You proposed it. Stop being so indecisive, man up Ichigo..."
He smiled at her. "Such a sudden change of attitude Kuchiki. Nine months ago, you would've absolutely refused even if I did run after you."
She rolled her eyes. "Shove it Kurosaki. Turns out, living without you was harder than I thought so here I am... Here for some last ditch attempt."
"I knew you'd break eventually."
"Says the man who weeped like a baby when I left."
"That doesn't count!"
"It sure as hell does..."
"I don't know how I can stand you... Midget."
She laughed before smiling again. It's been so long since she had been able to smile like this. "Looks like I'm yours for three weeks Ichigo."
"Seems like it."
"But..." she said before an apologetic look appeared on her face. "I'll become a Shiba... Come december, you will lose me inevitably... I have one favor to ask."
He began to frown but he knew how her little head worked. "What is it?"
"Please don't come. I don't know if I can go though with it if I see you there. Even now, I can't defy the Kuchikis... I'll only have power over then once I'm the president but... The clan rules are complicated so... In the end... We still can't be together."
He cupped her chin and lifted her head up. He smiled at her reassuringly. "Keep hoping Rukia... Don't stop believing, there will come a time where issues like these won't matter anymore."
"Ichigo..."
He smirked that famous smirk she loved seeing. "By the way... At the elevator yesterday... You got cut off by that phone call... What were you trying to say?"
Rukia flushed red and looked away. After breathing in deeply, she faced him. "I still love you..."
"I thought so."
She scowled. "You already knew? Why the hell did you make me say it?" he half yelled at him.
"Because it's the truth. I'm glad to know the feeling's mutual Rukia... Because I sure as hell still love you."
Rukia laughed at him again. "I really do love you Ichigo... Surprisingly enough, my feelings haven't wavered..." she said with more conviction.
"And I love you more than you can imagine."
In that cafe, he was just a guy and she was just a girl. Nobody knew them and they were two human beings in love with each other. It didn't matter if they had some momentary happiness, all that mattered was that they would spend those last three weeks together. Kissing couples weren't a new sight in the cafe so nobody paid them any mind when Ichigo and Rukia kissed then and there.
It was a kiss one gives to the one they love after they've been gone for so long.
Kiyone wiped away a tear as she took a picture of them kissing. Kiyone smiled as she sent the photo to the newly married Momo Hitsugaya. Kiyone was still teased by her coworkers about how he was taken. After working with them for nine months, she knew they were trustworthy people.
"Actually... Those two are Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki..." she told them.
The girls were all wide eyed but they promised to Kiyone not to spill.
Are three weeks truly enough?
Only the heavens can tell.
AN: I'm sorry for the delay and here is a new chapter from yours truly. Truth be told, I'm bit worried because maybe Rukia gave in too quickly, maybe it's just me so I await your lovely feedback. Once again, please keep the votes coming since this is just chapter 29.
I really don't have much to say except please Review and please Vote.
I'm sorry for those who don't have an account but want to vote and I won't force you guys to make an account. I'll tell you the advantages of an account though, the PM feature is one so if you have any questions, PM the author. Story Alert is a huge help so whenever a new chapter comes up, your mail will alert you. I abuse Story Alert a lot. There's also Author Alert and the ability to review because some authors have the anonymous reviews feature off.
Lol, I'm endorsing but I'm not forcing you.
Umm so yes, thanks for the Reviews as always.
Greekgeek0- oh lol, the review was submitted twice and that's happened to me before already. Just saying~ is confusion really all that great?
Thanks as always maxslayer10, kaylee, BadassAlec, hinataellis, shnizlefritz, jooboi1594, ghost2113 and sarouel.
So Badass Ichigo will come eventually, I'll bring the Ichigo we all know and love near the super end part.
When I mean badass I mean:
"All your opinions are ignored! I'm rescuing you whether you want me to or not!"
I wonder where we've heard that before? Any true blue(orange&purple) IchiRuki fan would recognize this scene...
Anyhoo~
AkaBaka-chan signing off~