*Drops this here and runs away*
Rukia awoke from one of the best nights of sleep she'd had in a long time on Sunday morning. She felt amazing as she yawned and stretched. She sat up from the soft and silky sheets and opened her eyes to the bright light streaming in from the large window. When her eyes adjusted to the light and she got a good look at the lavish bedroom, she instantly remembered where she was and what had happened the night before.
Oh, god. Did I really spend the night in Ichigo's penthouse?
Well, it could've been worse, she figured. At least she didn't wake up in his bed.
She wondered how long Ichigo wanted her to stay here. Was it even safe to go back to her apartment? She didn't know whether or not the initial threat of the night before would be there until they completed the plan or whether she was safe for the time being. Probably the former, unfortunately.
Still, it wasn't like she could just move in with Ichigo. She admittedly felt a lot safer in his home (a top floor penthouse in a rich part of town was certainly better than a run down apartment in the poorer part of town), but she still didn't want to spend all of her time here. Lord knows what would happen if she and Ichigo spent large amounts of time alone in his home.
Before her mind could dwell further on the question, a delectable smell reached her nose and she instantly perked up.
When was the last time I had pancakes?
Apparently a while, considering how loud her stomach was growling at the smell. She hopped out of the comfortable bed and poked her head out the door of the bedroom. She had to navigate her way back to where she knew the living room and kitchen were because of the amount of rooms in Ichigo's home. Only he would have an apartment so big that you could easily get lost.
When she tentatively stepped foot into the kitchen, she was treated to a rather enjoyable sight, she had to admit.
Ichigo was busy flipping the pancakes she had smelled earlier and which had led her to the kitchen. What was truly enjoyable about the sight was the fact that, since it was his home and he felt comfortable, he had neglected to wear a shirt. Thankfully, he had enough decency to put on a pair of black pajama pants though.
She had never seen him in this state of undress. The closest she had come was when she came to his apartment for dinner the first time and he wasn't wearing a tie and his shirt wasn't tucked in. However, this was much, much different.
God, why does he have to be so attractive?
She really shouldn't be so surprised. Sure, his money was a big draw, but he still wouldn't get all the attention from women if he didn't have some good looks to back the money up. She knew he was good about what he ate and ran pretty frequently to say in shape (in addition to the kind of exercise he liked to indulge in with the women he met at the clubs), so it made sense that he was physically fit.
Despite all this, she couldn't help her widened eyes and gaping mouth as she watched him cook, which was already an attractive quality in and of itself. He still hadn't noticed her come into the kitchen. Because of her small size, she was light enough on her feet to not be noticed. In this situation, it had its advantages. She could indulge in her more feminine desires for a little longer than she would in any normal situation.
She had to remind herself, as she gaped at the chiseled muscles that formed Ichigo's well-defined chest, that it was perfectly normal for her to feel this way about him. What sane woman wouldn't appreciate a sight like the one before her? Sure she had tried to resist the temptation that were Ichigo's admittedly good looks for as long as she had known him, but she would be crazy if she didn't consider him at least a little bit attractive. It wasn't like she wanted him to take her wildly on the counter or anything.
Though she'd be lying if she said that the thought didn't occur to her.
She quickly shook herself from her reverie. She had indulged long enough. Nothing had changed in her attitude toward him. He was still the same arrogant asshole she had always known. She had decided he was attractive a long time ago based on sheer logic. There wasn't any reason to get flustered.
When she walked further into the kitchen, Ichigo seemed to finally realize she was there. He looked from the pancakes currently cooking in the pan and gave her his signature smile.
"Good morning," he said, his voice still groggy from sleep.
"Morning," she replied nonchalantly as she hopped up on one of the barstools facing the stove.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked as his eyes returned to the food he was preparing.
"Yeah, I guess," she answered. Well that was a big understatement.
"I'm glad," he said before he used the spatula to pick up the completed pancake and drop it onto a plate. "I hope you like pancakes. I made a bunch."
"I can see that," she said with a laugh as she looked at the mountain of pancakes that had formed on one of the plates.
He put the spatula down and turned off the stove before he set out two plates, one in front of where Rukia currently sat and one right beside her.
"Do you want some coffee?" Ichigo asked her as he grabbed the pot filled to the brim with the hot drink and poured himself a mugful.
"Sure," she answered. Normally she would've preferred tea over coffee, especially after all the time spent working at the coffee shop where she had developed a bit of a distaste for it, but it did smell pretty good and she just couldn't resist.
He nodded and turned around to grab another mug out of the cabinet behind him. When he did, Rukia was treated to the sight of his backside, which was about as good as the front. She couldn't help but stare at the long ridges in his back that went all the way down before they narrowed at his waist and disappeared below his pants. She hated herself for it, but she couldn't control the blush that crept over her cheeks as she got a good look at his ass, fully defined in the pajama pants that hugged every part of his lower body perfectly. She also noticed with an accompanying blush, that his pants were hanging tantalizing low on his hips.
Goddammit. Why do all the jerks have to be so good-looking? This just isn't fair!
Rukia had become so lost in her thoughts as she stared at the wealthy bachelor that she didn't notice when he turned back around and caught her red-handed.
Her eyes immediately snapped from where they had rested on the lower half of his body up to his eyes, which she noticed with a silent groan, were filled with amusement.
His smile turned cocky, a look she was all too familiar with, unfortunately. He knew exactly what she had been doing and it immediately made her blush uncontrollably.
Goddamn that sexy bastard!
She realized, as she watched him smugly pouring her coffee into the mug he had retrieved, that he had probably planned all of this. She had been forced to spend the night in his house, so he had probably taken advantage of the situation by making her a delicious breakfast all the while conveniently forgetting to wear a shirt.
"Like what you see, Rukia?" he asked her with a cocky smile. Her eyes instantly narrowed and she cursed the blush that refused to go away.
"Oh, shut up, Kurosaki. You can't expect me not to stare when you're cooking half-naked," she told him angrily. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of becoming any more flustered than she already was.
"I always cook like this," he told her, feigning innocence.
"You do realize that's a burn hazard, right?" she said as he placed the mug of coffee by her plate, grabbed them both forks, and came around to sit in the bar stool next to hers. She forced herself to not let his close proximity make her any more flustered.
Ichigo chuckled at her as he sat down. "I'll take the risk," he told her with a smirk.
"You're such a jackass," she said under her breath, though she knew he could hear her.
He simply laughed at her response and handed her a fork. "Just eat."
It was silent for a while as the pair ate their breakfast, which Rukia had to admit tasted absolutely amazing (What the hell does he put in these things, they're incredible!), before she took a sip of her coffee and began the conversation she didn't want to have.
"So, what now?" she asked, her voice turning serious. Ichigo turned his head to look at her with eyebrows raised.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I mean with this whole situation. Aizen, Ichimaru, your company. What do we do now?"
Ichigo turned back and looked down at his half-eaten plate of pancakes. He sighed and shook his head. "I honestly have no idea. Uryuu texted me not too long ago and said he was coming over. I have a feeling that we won't have a very pleasant conversation."
Rukia mulled over his words. "Is Orihime coming?" she asked, still concerned about her friend and what she ended up doing the night before. If Ichigo was right, she and Uryuu should be together. Rukia didn't even want to think about the implications of that fact.
"I don't know, maybe. I'm assuming they went home together, but I have no idea if she went back to your apartment or not."
Rukia nodded her head in understanding. He sounded strangely…weary, for whatever reason. Maybe he was beating himself up about her safety more than she realized.
Plus, there was the issue of the gala last night. Uryuu had told her that he and Ichigo had some sort of plan concocted for the night. She was absolutely certain that turning tail and running at the first sign of a threat was not part of the plan. Uryuu was probably coming over to shake some sense into his friend.
As Rukia thought over the situation they had found themselves in, she realized that she had lost her appetite. She pushed back her half-eaten breakfast and got down from the barstool she had been sitting on.
"I think I'm going to go take a shower and change. It's been a long twenty-four hours," she told him.
"Yeah, you should go wash up. My sister has more clothes you can borrow. They're all in that closet we looked at last night," Ichigo said, slightly reluctant to let her go, but understanding what she was feeling.
"Great, I'll go do that," she said as she turned to go find where Ichigo's sister kept her clothes, before she stopped and slowly turned back around. Ichigo watched her as she did this, already staring at her back as she left.
"Ichigo…I just wanted to tell you…," she stopped short of whatever she was going say, probably figuring out how she should use her words in the best way.
Ichigo waited in anticipation. What was she going to say? She looked to be deep in thought and Ichigo wondered whether or not she would reveal anything she had been feeling. He had seen the way she looked at him last night while they danced in his living room. He had noticed how she had decided to trust him and follow him back to his house so she would be safe. He knew she was trying to wrestle the feelings he was sure she was starting to have. She was stubborn, though, as he knew all too well, and would probably keep most of it to herself.
She sighed and looked up to meet his eyes. Her expression was frustratingly unreadable. "Thank you," she told him softly before she turned back around to head to the bedrooms. Ichigo sat in stunned silence as he processed what she had told him. He knew it was more than a thank you for cooking her breakfast and letting her borrow his sister's clothes. There was a lot of meaning behind that thank you, he could definitely tell. He wondered if they'd ever have a time to sit and define the strange relationship they had developed any time soon. He doubted it though, he sadly realized.
Ichigo got up to put the used dishes into his large sink before he walked back to the master bedroom to put some clothes on. Uryuu would probably be here soon.
And, sure enough, within a few minutes Ichigo heard the doorbell ring. He walked to the grand entryway and looked through the peephole, taking extra precautions given what had happened the night before. His best friend was, in fact, standing on the other side, impatiently waiting for the door to open. Ichigo swung the door aside and Uryuu angrily huffed through the entryway.
Ichigo could already tell he was in for a word lashing from his best friend. Truth be told, he had realized it wasn't the smartest idea to let his fear overtake him last night and rush away from the gala after they had everything planned out. Uryuu was no doubt furious with him.
"We need to talk," Uryuu said seriously, his cold voice affirming Ichigo's thoughts.
"Alright, fine," Ichigo relented, knowing he would have to just suck it up and accept whatever his friend had in store for him.
"Is Rukia here?" he asked, taking a quick look around.
"Yeah, she's taking a shower," Ichigo told him. Uryuu raised an eyebrow at that, no doubt wondering what exactly his best friend and the Kuchiki heiress had done the night before.
"Okay, then let's go to your study," he said with an air of finality, before turning and leading the way to Ichigo's grand study.
Once they were both inside, Uryuu closed the door behind them before turning on his friend. Ichigo began to feel like a kid getting reprimanded by a principal.
"What the hell is the matter with you!?" Uryuu exclaimed, practically pouncing on the wealthy man.
Ichigo was slightly taken aback that his friend had jumped right in to accusing him, but he had been expecting to get yelled at.
"Uryuu, I-," Ichigo began, trying to defend himself, but he was swiftly cut off.
"No, you don't get to say anything until I'm done. You messed up, Kurosaki. You messed up big time. You let your emotions make your decisions when I specifically and repeatedly told you to keep your head straight. Do you realize you could've jeopardized our entire plan?"
Ichigo remained silent.
"How could you be so stupid? I realize you have strong feelings for Ms. Kuchiki and you want to protect her, but you forgot what her role in this whole scheme was in the first place. We want Ichimaru to get to her! We want to make her Aizen's target! That's the whole goddamn idea! But at the first sign of an advance, you took her and ran. How the hell are we ever going to get to Aizen if you get too scared to let Rukia perform her role? You're such a goddamn idiot!"
"And, what's more, you practically scared poor Orihime half to death. She thought someone was going to kill you and her best friend. She was inconsolable the whole night! I had to sit with her as she played out every scenario in her head of her best friend getting brutally murdered. And now, she's back at their apartment, still scared to death."
Ah, so there was more to Uryuu's anger than just the fact that their plan for the night was ruined. Orihime must've been too scared to want to do anything with Uryuu. Ichigo felt pretty guilty when he realized he essentially cockblocked his friend. He could understand the raven-haired man's frustrations.
But his friend was right. Ichigo had made a mistake. They had been planning on making some contact with one of Aizen's cronies via Rukia, but Ichigo hadn't been expecting Aizen to send Ichimaru. He wanted to trust that Rukia could handle herself and could go along with whatever Aizen had planned, but he just hated willingly turning her over to someone like Gin Ichimaru. The snake-like man's creepy smile and smug look at the gala completely unnerved him and he hated the thought of someone like that talking to Rukia and persuading her to join him. His mind just couldn't take the thought of what Ichimaru could and would do to Rukia. He had to get her away.
Ichigo was starting to feel as though this whole plan wasn't worth it. Aizen had too much power. There was no end to the horrible things he could do to her and right now he just wasn't ready to let her go.
"You need to remember why we're doing this in the first place, Kurosaki. Don't forget about your company. Don't forget about your sisters! You want to protect them and protect your company. Your dad did not work his ass off until the day he died for you to throw away everything over some girl."
Ichigo's face took on a hard glint at that last statement. His eyes narrowed and, for the first time since Uryuu began his rant, he spoke. "Rukia is not just some girl, Ishida," he said harshly.
Uryuu slowly walked up to his friend and looked him straight in the eye. "But is she worth you losing everything?"
Ichigo was left speechless at that question. He realized, as he mulled over his friend's words, that he really didn't know the answer to that question.
Uryuu abruptly ended the conversation and walked back into the living room of Ichigo's penthouse. Ichigo slowly followed after him and was surprised to find Rukia sitting patiently on the couch, dressed in one of Yuzu's outfits with her hair wet from the shower she had taken. Her evening gown from the night before was folded up neatly and her clutch purse and black high heals rested on top.
"Ah, Ms. Kuchiki. I see you're ready to go home," Uryuu addressed. Apparently he had not only planned on giving his friend an earful but also came to take Rukia back to her apartment where Orihime no doubt was.
"Is it safe for me to go back there?" she asked skeptically, remembering Ichigo's words from the night before.
"Yes," Ishida said with confidence. "I have some friends in the police force who have volunteered to keep an eye on it, just in case. You should be fine. In fact, Orihime is there right now. She's very worried about you."
"Yeah, I can imagine. I should probably go to her then," she said, a strange air of uncertainty in her tone.
"Yes, you should. I can drive you back," Uryuu said with finality. Ichigo offered no argument, knowing his friend would jump on him if he tried.
Rukia gathered her things and followed Ichigo's friend to the front door. Uryuu opened it for her and stepped through, expecting her to follow him. Before she did, she stopped and turned back toward Ichigo.
Again, she looked as though she was trying to find the right words to say. Eventually she sighed and said, "Thanks for letting me stay here. I'll see you at work on Monday, I guess."
Ichigo knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was originally going to say something much more meaningful than that.
"Yeah, of course. Stay safe," he said.
She smiled at him. "I will," was all she said before she turned and left, the door closing behind the pair.
Ichigo sighed and went to sit on a nearby couch. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to protect his company and his family, but he also wanted to protect Rukia too. He was finding that it was difficult to do both and that he would have to choose between the two. The rational side of his brain told him the decision was easy. His father's life's work and his two sisters were much more important than Rukia. However, the side of his brain that believed in romance and something much deeper than a superficial attraction, something that had been dormant most of his life as he slept around and breezed through women, was screaming at him that Rukia really and truly was more than just some girl.
The game had gotten very, very dangerous. Ichigo had to make a move, but he was at a loss for what to do.