Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Chapter 14
"Hey, midget…" Ichigo said as he glanced at her brother who was standing directly behind Rukia with distain on his face. "Byakuya." He greeted the man with a scowl. Ichigo's glaze returned back to the violet ones he originally sought. "Can we go somewhere more private to talk?"
Rukia looked over to her brother to see him nod at Ichigo's request. "Sure, Ichigo." She replied as she tried to hide the tremor in her voice. What's to be nervous about Rukia? He's one of your best friends. Just tell him, and get over it with! He'll hound you if you don't tell him the truth, or Renji will tell him. Do you really want to deal with the damn Strawberry and Baboon being over protective even more so than usual? No, you don't.
"Brother, I'll be back shortly." She right before they flash stepped away into the nearest wooded area. What they didn't see was a hint of a smile on Byakuya Kuchiki's face. Ichigo was a few days off from Byakuya's calculation's, but everything was going to plan if the damn substitute would quit being too stubborn for his own good.
Ten minutes of walking through dense forest with the sliver of moonlight peaking through the trees as their guide. The silence between them was crushing. Ichigo had finally had enough. The tension that outlined her body was not helping matters. "Rukia, I know your mad at me for the other day, and I just want to apologize. I shouldn't have blew up at you." He said with a huff. He'd hope this would help calm his favorite midget down, and just maybe get her back to talking to him again. Her silence was a calm, but deadly silence right now.
Rukia kept her eyes forward. She couldn't act like she was joking until the words were out of her mouth. "It's okay, Ichigo. You didn't know what was going on. Although, I am a little disappointed you didn't throw me over your shoulder and carry me out like the cave man that you are." Rukia turned to face Ichigo with a smile that it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Relax, Strawberry! I was just joking."
Ichigo knew she wasn't joking. Rukia was dead serious about not being happy he left her there, but he didn't want to hurt anyone. He knew she understood that at least. So he switched to a safer topic. "Where are you leading me, Rukia?" Her response sent chills down his spine as he saw her evil grin and a light come into her eyes. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"What scared of a lady, Ichigo?" Her grin becoming even wider. Another rogue shiver went down his spine. Damn the woman was terrifying when you got on her bad side. He still had scares from the last time he and Renji played a prank on her. Never again will they be that stupid.
"Midget, you're staring at me like you're planning killing me any second now then stashing my body somewhere out here!" Ichigo gestured towards a thick patch of woods that they just walked past.
Fiery violet eyes met his amber glaze. "If I killed you, why would I make sure that I'm the last person seen with you? I mean really Ichigo! How stupid do you think I am?"
"Well, I... huh..." His panic set in at her evil laughter.
"Ichigo Kurosaki Speechless?" She patted him on the shoulder. "You've been watching one too many horror movies with Karin haven't you?"
Ichigo shook his head in astonishment at her. Rukia was something else entirely.
They resumed their walk before Rukia answered Ichigo previous question. "I'm taking you to one of my favorite places in the Soul Society, you stupid strawberry."
"What's so special about this place? Wait... Are you going to make me climb this really tall tree to get your height fetish in?"
"No!" Rukia yelled at him. She watched Ichigo wince in satisfaction. She couldn't believe the fool would asked her that. "This place is the one of the best locations for training and observing stars at night. I would never have found it without Kaien help. He showed me it a long time ago." She replied with a large smile as she mentioned her old mentor.
"Is it secluded?" He asked as he eyed her suspiciously. Ichigo knew about her relationship with his dead cousin. He also knew that Rukia loved the man. But he didn't know if that love for Kaien was as a friend, brother, or lover.
"Yes it is, which will come in handy." Rukia said with a little laugh.
"Why is that?" Ichigo curiously asked as he tried to keep up with her as he paced increased. You would be surprised how fast the petite soul reaper could move once she was excited.
"For our future shouting match, idiot!"
"Us? A shouting match? Never!" He asked mockingly.
"Laugh all you want to now, but its coming. Besides, my brother probably has cleared a 10-kilometer radius for us. He wouldn't want the Kuchiki name to be tarnished or rumors running around Social Society. I can see it now! Local Heiress Looses Her Icy Cool! Suitors Beware!" Rukia stated matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean suitors beware?" He asked as he scratched his head. Ichigo had no clue what Rukia was talking about nor why the Soul Society would care.
"You're not going to like what I have to tell you." Rukia said as she looked away. "But you deserve an explanation as to why I haven't been to the Real World lately."
"Yeah, you've been avoiding all your friends there not just me."
"But before you I tell you what it is, you have to understand that you can't fix it. My fate is already set in stone."
"Lead the way to this hidden spot, Lieutenant Kuchiki. This better be one hell of an explanation." By the tone of Ichigo's voice, Rukia could tell he was bracing for her news. He already wasn't pleased that he could do nothing to help her.
"Cheer up, Ichigo. We're almost there." She as the moonlight bathed her as they emerged from the cover of the trees. Rukia's body relaxed as soon as they came into the clearing. The way the moonlight danced around her reminded Ichigo of her zanpakuto - beautiful and graceful.
The couple walked to the lake in the clearing. The full moon gave them a perfect view of the landscape. You could almost see the heart of the Soul Society as the stars in the sky while they also reflected back on top the lake. A soul could find peace here. Ichigo understood why Rukia brought him here. For her big secret, peace was going to be something they both needed.
"It's so beautiful." Ichigo whispered. He wanted to add like you, but he doubted Rukia would be happy with that revelation.
"Now you understand why we came here a lot. Kaien recommended this spot to help with my training, and it worked. Sode No Shirayuki loved communing with me here more than the barracks. An elemental zanpakuto is easier to form a bond with surrounded by nature, so I always came here during the night and the winter. She taught me so much once I understood how to talk to her. Without Kaien, I doubt I would be standing as the lieutenant before you." Rukia said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"My cousin must have been a good man for you to think so highly of him." He replied as he heard the fondness in her voice.
"Kaien and Miyako were the best! It's kind of funny. He was the first person to treat me as a person and respect me for more than the Kuchiki name." Rukia said as she looked out over the lake. "Him and Miyako were older siblings to me. I looked up to them and their relationship in so many ways."
Rukia glazed back out towards the water watching the stars twinkle in the sky. This was the best introduction to her predicament so she slowly began her story to Ichigo. "Did you know that a noble marrying for love is rare? Even rarer, when the two heirs of the great houses goes against their clans' wishes and marry common folk. Then the rest of the nobles are left to deal with their fall out."
Ichigo heard the tone in her voice change. He knew she was talking about herself not just Byakuya and Kaien. "Is this why you haven't been in the human world, and why you were with Shinji? You're being forced to what... date? They do realize that you have a life, right?" He asked as he tried to hold the jealousy out of his voice. Ichigo knew this wouldn't be her choice unless she was being pressured.
"The simplest answer is yes. I couldn't face all of you. I didn't think it was right to burden all my friends with this matchmaking hell the elders are putting me through. As for Shinji, well you should ask him the real reason why we went on the date. It's a lot more complicated than just the elders with him. All you have to do is tell him you talked to me, and he should be an open book. Just promise to kick his ass first for me." She demanded with a blood thirsty smile. Ichigo laughed the little midget was vicious.
"Of course! But if he was so much trouble, Rukia, why didn't you leave with me? You looked really upset with him."
"Now as to why I didn't leave with you that day, Shinji used a bakudo on me to causing me from doing whatever he wanted." Ichigo's smile fell. Rukia shook her head as she continued to explain the circumstances of the date. "I wish you could have heard the shouting and cursing in my head. I wanted to leave with you so bad, but I couldn't do or say anything to indicate that." Rukia simply replied.
She watching Ichigo's face go through five different emotions. Why isn't he yelling? What he's thinking? He's handling this too well. He should be screaming at me.
"Shinji will definitely get his ass beat, and I'll even send pictures to prove I bet him for you." Ichigo grabbed her hand before she could move away from him. "However, I'm more concerned with why the elders are pressuring you to date people when you don't want to?" Determination filled his voice. Rukia needed to spell out her situation for Ichigo to full grasp it. His eyes were filled with confusion. He couldn't understand why Byakuya wasn't stepping in to protect his sister from the clan.
"Whether you like it or not, Ichigo, I'm Byakuya's heir. Unfortunately, if something were to happen to me or Byakuya, then there wouldn't be an heir right now. The clan would descend into chaos trying to decide who was the rightful ruler. Hell, they even had a hard time excepting that he wouldn't remarry to create one. They even had the gall to suggest... well we're not going into that. The point is since they are respecting brother's wish for me to become heir, I must marry and produce the next heir within 5 years if I want to remain a soul reaper. They'd prefer me to stay in the manor and act like a noble lady, but we both know that's not happening. I want to be a captain one day."
"WHAT?" Ichigo yelled at the top of his lungs. "Who the hell do they think they are? You can't marry someone you don't love. Hell, you cant have a kid with someone you don't love! You have your life! Your dreams! I refuse to let you go on these date with all of these dates just to be a pawn of the elders!" He stormed. Rukia winced at his massive amount of spiritual pressure pouring into the land.
"Ichigo… Please understand." Rukia said softly as she tried to calm him down. She placed her other hand over their conjoined hands.
"You don't have to go on these dates." He said firmly, but Rukia thought his words were more like a plea.
Don't make it already harder than what it is on me, Ichigo. I need you in my corner. I need you to be okay with who I marry.
"Ichigo, remember what I told you? It's already set in stone. The only two good things about this whole marriage ordeal is that the elders didn't set an exact time limit – although I expect to get hounded if I have not named a fiancée within a year- and I get to choose the man as long as he is a lieutenant, captain, or a noble."
"But what about your duties as a soul reaper and all of your friends in Karakura Town? Do we not count for anything? How long has this been going on?" His great big amber eyes reflected the depression she felt.
She knew he had a lot of questions, and it killed a part of her to answer them coldly. "Since the night two weeks ago that I was supposed to come visit. Brother told me that day. But don't worry, Ichigo. All the dates, but Shinji's have been nice."
"You know, I came to talk to Byakuya, and he didn't tell me anything. He asked did I know what was going on with you lately, but he refused to tell me when I told him no."
"He wanted me to tell you." Rukia replied with a sigh. Now, she understood why he let her leave with Ichigo. "So now you know."
"But why do you have to do this Rukia? Why cant they wait for you to fall in love? I still don't understand the urgency for the marriage and heirs now."
"I'm doing what's expected of me. But you and everyone can come visit me! I'll make sure you have soul tickets to give to everyone, especially when its time for the wedding." Rukia said quietly as she tried to hold back tears. She wanted to make this as easy on Ichigo as possible. Her tears would just make him determined to go against Byakuya and the elders. Although, brother would probably help him if it meant freeing me from all this matchmaking crap. He'd have a happy sister again and a normal life without the constant interruption know as Rangiku Masumoto.
"This isn't fair." Ichigo said as he tried to pull Rukia into a hug.
She mentally put up an ice wall to block out Ichigo. Loosing him as a friend would break her heart, but she needed to push him away for this to be successful. She cared about Ichigo a little too much. "You are a substitute soul reaper, Ichigo. You do not have to follow the Soul Society's rules unlike me. I am a Lieutenant of the 13 Court Guard Squad and heir to the Kuchiki Clan. I do what I must." Rukia said with absolute resolve in her voice and eyes.
The stranger staring back at him wasn't the little soul reaper her knew. "Now, you're sounding like Byakuya?" He scoffed at her defiance of his subtle offer to help. He'd freeze hell for the woman in front of him if he had to. "You've broken the rules before, Rukia. When did you start to caring so much form them?" He asked.
Next thing Ichigo knew Rukia kicked his shins laying him out on the grass. "Quit trying to back me into a corner, Ichigo! I have to do this! Get it through your think skull! There is no what you are changing my mind! The clan needs me!" She yelled at him. It sounded like she was trying to partially convenience herself that this was the truth too not just Ichigo.
"You hate the clan because they whispered behind your back. You're doing this for these people. Did you forget all that?" He countered.
"But I love my brother! Whatever makes him happy. He needs me to do this for him. He's already said he's bought me more than enough time. What more can I ask for?" Rukia asked in a quiet, defeated voice.
"You could ask for your freedom, Rukia." Ichigo stared into her eyes even if he ways laying on the ground. When he knew he had her full undivided attention, he kicked her feet out from under her, but she landed on top of a body of solid muscle before she even hit the ground.
Rukia tried to ignore the perfectly toned body under her, but not quit convincing her heart to stop pounding. She chalked it up to being flustered from their argument. Damn him! Why is he making this so hard for me?
"Would you tell them to go to hell for me if I asked you to?" He asked quietly. Rukia met his amber glaze as she laid on his chest.
If there was a good reason, I might would, but I haven't had one yet. "Ichigo, you know I can't do that. Everyone is counting on me." She said with a sad smile as she pushed away from Ichigo.
Rukia felt a drop of rain on her head. The rain matched their mood for neither one wanted to leave the others company, but Rukia knew she had to go. Its was either than or give into her beloved friend's request. Even Renji wasn't brave enough to ask Rukia to defy the elders.
"I have to go, Ichigo, and you need to go home to Karakura Town." Rukia stated as she helped him up.
"What? You have a date this late at night?" He asked shocked by her words.
"No, but I do have morning drills tomorrow with all the new recruits so I need my sleep."
"You have a date tomorrow though, don't you? I can see it on your face. Who is he?" Ichigo asked. Jealousy ran throughout his husky voice causing Rukia to shiver.
"Don't worry, Ichigo. Izuru Kira will treat me well tomorrow night."
Ichigo nodded. "I can't fault you for agreeing to date him. He is a good man."
"He is, but I'm nervous about the date being dreadfully boring. Then I have a dinner date a some stuffy nobles the following day that I am not looking forward too. " Rukia improvised. She didn't know what drove her to tell him these things, but he was hanging on her every word.
"Do I need to come save you from your hell dates, midget?" He asked as he placed a fake smile on his face for her.
"Why would I need you to save me? I'm the Kuchiki Princess and Lieutenant of Squad 13." She stated haughtily as their older banner was back to semi-normal.
"God you are such a bitch sometimes." Rukia jabbed Ichigo in the side.
She turned to leave with one final smile."Take care, Ichigo. I'll see you when I see you." She said to him without looking back.
Thank you for reading all the wonderful people who have been following and reading this story!
What did you think? A little IchiRuki action here. Also I am not hating of Izuru! I promise! You'll see what I have in store for them in the chapter, which will probably be next Wednesday since this is a double chapter in itself. I tried to make it humorous and serious at the same time. I feel like their relationship is sweet one minute and they'll be yelling at each other the next. We all know how overprotective he is with his friends, and he has to be supportive for her now more than ever. This is something neither of them can slash their way out of. But who's going to complain when they have Ichigo, Renji, and Toshiro to lean on? Not me lol.