...
...
Oh, why'd you have to be so cute
it's impossible to ignore you
Why must you make me laugh so much,
It's bad enough we get along so well...
...
...
...
The sun glinted off the tiny, silvery diamonds currently decorating Rukia's left hand as her wooden sword met Ichika's with a resounding clack! Ichika sighed in exhaustion as she dropped her wooden weapon down and waved a hand, signaling a timeout. Rukia chuckled as the girl hobbled over to the table, taking a drink of water.
"You're such an actress," Rukia teased as she watched her daughter flop into the chair dramatically.
"That's not my fault- sparring with you is even tougher than sparring with dad." Ichika said between desperate gulps of water. "Besides," she set it down and flashed a grin at her mom. "I have been told I got my acting skills from you,"
"Possibly." Rukia said as she took the glass she extended to her.
It was quiet as she took a sip, savoring how nice and cold it was on a hot day of sparring in the sun with an overly energetic teenager.
"That's a pretty ring." Ichika spoke up suddenly in an innocent voice. "Didja boyfriend get it for you?"
Rukia spat the water out in shock, looking at Ichika like she'd just grown an extra head. Said girl burst out howling in laughter, unable to contain herself.
"I-Ichika Abarai-!"
"He did, didn't he?" I knew it!" Ichika cackled, and Rukia blushed furiously as she muttered, "H-He's not my boyfriend.."
"Oh, don't say that mom. You'll break the poor dude's heart," she teased, looking at Rukia with feign sorrow.
"What dude? You are so crazy.."
Ichika pulled the clip from her hair and let it cascade down her back, sighing in relief and running a hand through the red strands. "Well, he must be someone important if he bought you diamonds- that's not exactly a friendly gift after all.."
She extended a hand, and Rukia, still blushing, sighed and dropped her left hand in it. Ichika turned her mother's hand gently, admiring the ring on her first finger.
"It is pretty," she remarked, watching as it twinkled under the sun. "...Is it from Ichigo-ojisan?"
Rukia gaped at her daughter, who only laughed in response, biting her nail. "Ok, I'll take that as a yes?"
"Wha- how do you know that?!" Rukia exclaimed, and Ichika looked at her with an are-you-serious face.
"Come on mom. You talk to him all the time. And you know you're not that good at being sneaky, right? I know you go to the living world, and there's no way he hasn't visited you here, though I've never actually seen him."
She looked at her again, and felt surprised that her mother looked guilty, her face flushed and eyes looking almost... ashamed?
"You don't.." Rukia's voice was hesitant and soft, and Ichika felt even more surprised at how she was wringing her fingers. "You don't mind?"
Ichika blinked. "Mind.. that you're dating?"
Rukia nodded, and the younger girl leaned back in the chair, staring up at the bright, sunny blue sky. "No. I mean... it's been almost five years since you and dad split up... I figured you would at some point... I just want you and dad to be happy."
Rukia was quiet, and Ichika looked back at her again, her expression smug. "Although, I do think you can do a lot better than that irritating Kazui's old man, I mean the guy is practically balding-"
"Ichika!"
Rukia sat quietly at the kitchen table, her eyes half-focused on the book she was reading.
It was a book about different rabbit breeds- something Rukia was usually very interested in- and she'd picked it when she and Ichigo went to the library earlier today. They didn't really have a concept of a public library in soul society, and Rukia found that it would be a beneficial thing to have one. There were countless books on any topic you could want, and she'd gotten lost almost four times in there, being too short for Ichigo to see across the shelves.
But right now she was distracted, too distracted, even for her rabbit book. She kept glancing at Ichigo, who was innocently humming a tune while he made dinner, his back to her as he was dealing with the stove. Rukia's eyes scrolled up and down and up again, roaming over his body- his very lean, well-built body. Very muscular, tall, attractive body... one that she could easily imagine herself being curled around. He was a beautiful as he was handsome, even after all this time, and there was a heaviness to him that made her feel protected around him, though the boyishness still came out in his personality. But when her mind recalled how delicate she felt when he took her by the waist and kissed her that fateful night after the Christmas party... and how secure she felt in his arms during the new years fireworks.. he had that ability to make the world disappear when she was with him.
'Really, Ichika,' she thought to herself suggestively, 'I could do better? I doubt I'd find it even if I cared to look.'
Her eyes settled on the back of his head, and she thought about what Ichika had said, rolling her eyes. He most certainly was not balding, it was just the haircut that didn't suit him... If anything, his hair was getting rather long now- and that was when she voiced out plainly, "Your hair's gotten long."
"Eh?" Ichigo glanced over his shoulder to her, giving a thought to his hair. "Yeah, I guess. I haven't cut it in a while."
"It looks nice."
It was an innocent enough comment, but Rukia found herself fighting a blush when he turned to look at her with raised brows as he said teasingly, "Rukia Kuchiki, complimenting me?"
"I-I was just saying-"
"Uh-huh," he moved from the stove, leaning on the table she sat at on his arms, his hands gripping the edges of the small table, rather close to her. The proximity made her blush harder, and he noted it.
"You're blushing," he murmured, not taking his eyes off of hers. "Why?"
She seemed to turn even redder at the notion if possible, and he tried hard not to show too much of his amusement on his face as he watched her bristle at the statement.
"I'm not blushing." she insisted hotly, growing irate when he snorted in response.
"Yes, you are," he stated matter-of-factly, running the back of his fingers down her cheek. "I can feel it."
She smacked his hand away, earning a laugh from him as she retorted, "I am NOT-"
She paused suddenly, her eyes widening, "...Is something burning?"
"Oh, shit!" Ichigo exclaimed, quickly moving over to the stove and shutting it off. He shoved the window open before checking the pot, sighing in relief at seeing it wasn't ruined.
"Ichigo," Rukia began in a warning tone, "If you have burned my dinner, I will be very upset."
But he merely shook his head in response, smiling slightly as he looked at her with eyes that said far, far too much- like he might just be undressing her with his eyes.
"Well, pardon me, ma'am." he hummed, staring at her with twinkly eyes that made Rukia want to smack him again, as he turned back to the stove to attend to his work.
That stupid blush was back on her face again.
They ate dinner together and talked about their day, Ichigo ranting about how as much as he liked his job, it was stressful at times, and the fact that it was often work-from-home, it meant that he often didn't see anyone for days, aside from Kazui, and it made him feel incredibly lonely, and almost isolated- his father and sisters were busy living their lives, Kazui was busy with his last year of high school and making college plans, Keigo had a business to run and Mizuiro was in an entirely different city now... Chad was apparently applying to vet school now, having saved up money from all of his professional boxing experience. It surprised him, but he supposed it was a good change for his friend..
He didn't even know where Uryu was. That reality always stung a little. Even if they didn't get along the best, he'd always respected him as a friend.. but that was life, he supposed. High school friendships didn't often make it to adulthood.
Rukia listened to him talk about it sadly, knowing Ichigo had not had much time to build any strong friendships in college, he'd simply been too busy studying and working to support his newborn son.
So, it made her heart jump strangely when he casually mentioned how much happier he felt these days, since he got to see her and have her company so often.
Eventually they left through her private senkaimon back to her home, Rukia offhandedly mentioning wanting to take a bath, which Ichigo absentmindedly nodded to, as he was thinking about fixing that one pesky light in her bedroom that was always flickering.
He dragged a ladder from her pool house- another incredibly lavish amenity he was sure Byakuya had something to do with- up to her bedroom, climbing up so he could reach the roof and remove the light bulb that wasn't working before remembering he didn't have a replacement. Climbing back down, he put the bulb on her vanity table as he called out casually, "Rukia, where do you keep your extra light bulbs?"
She didn't respond, and he turned, calling out again, "Rukia?"
"I'm in the bathroom," she called out, and from her tone, Ichigo knew she meant to come in to the bathroom. He walked over, grabbing the pretty rosette doorknob and pulling it open, all but barging in, "Ru-"
He stopped suddenly in realization, blushing, as he held up his hands, "Oh- I- sorry-"
"It's fine, I'm covered with bubbles," she said easily, her voice carrying a hint of teasing, and he lowered his hands cautiously, slowly walking over to her.
"Wow," he breathed, trying to not act like he was lovestruck by the vision of her reclining in the very elaborate white drop-in bathtub, her long dark hair piled up onto her head with a hairclip. She looked like a picture of luxury, almost soft and blurred, like the steam from the water was giving her a soft-focus filter, and he fought to keep his eyes on her face and not roam any lower- fortunately she was covered up to her collarbone by fluffy bubbles.
"Rukia, behaving leisurely? Maybe I should check out the window, see if there are any pigs flying around."
Rukia smiled and rolled her eyes, having known that very odd living world saying for once, "Ha ha, very funny. I hope you don't mind. I just got in here, so I can't get out just yet."
"I don't mind." he replied a little too quickly, and she had a tiny smirk on her face in response.
"Come sit down," she said, waving a hand to the edge of the tub. He moved over and sat down on the cool white tile, and her eyelids sank shut peacefully. Ichigo felt content at how relaxed she was, even with him being right there while she was in the tub. "What were you calling me for?"
"Eh?" he paused, thinking back to what he was doing before getting so distracted. "Oh, light bulbs."
"They're in that hallway closet downstairs." she said softly, and he watched as her elegant fingers lifted bubbles into them, letting them dribble down her arms. He idly noted she was still wearing her ring, even in the bath.
"Oh, okay." he said, not getting a chance to say anything more as she spoke up suddenly again.
"I'm thinking of going away somewhere."
He raised an eyebrow to that sudden comment. "Away? Where to?"
Her eyes opened then, all midnight-blue, hazy and soft. "I don't know... just somewhere."
He watched her gather bubbles into her hands again for a moment. "...You're tired, aren't you."
She looked up at him in surprise, and he nodded.
"Can you tell?"
"I'm looking at you closely enough." he said teasingly, earning a little smile from her. He nodded then, leaning back slightly against the tile.
"Well," Ichigo said, staring up at ceiling in thought, "We could go somewhere, you know. If you want to."
"Oh?"
Her tone sounded more... sly, and it made him look at her. Her pretty reddish lips were curved into a soft little smirk, and he suddenly blushed as she continued her innocent act of gathering bubbles into her small hands.
Was she teasing him?
"Well, yeah- you said you wanted to-" he stammered, "I mean, I'm not lying, I wouldn't mind going with you- but-"
"But-" Rukia interrupted, lifting her hands that held a foamy cloud of bubbles, he could only stare in a tempted allure as she blew the bubbles softly, making them fly in the air like fluffy little clouds in his direction as her gaze met his flirtatiously. "-What?"
Oh she was so teasing him.
He leaned back again, the coolness of the tile feeling more obvious than usual due to how hot he felt in there. He attempted to act casual as he continued, "Well, do you have an idea of where you want to go?"
Rukia sat back, leaning her cheek on her palm. "Mmm, I don't know.. the beach would be nice. But it's still January... and well, we both have work... it was just something I felt."
"Sometimes it's good to go with what your heart is saying." Ichigo said softly, so softly she dared not open her eyes and look at him as he continued. "You've been working your ass off, Rukia. Your division can survive a week or two without you. And if they fall apart... well. You've done your job so well I doubt that's even possible."
She did look up at him then, unable to stop from smiling at his joke. He merely grinned back, and continued his pondering. "We could rent a beach house or something, if you're okay with that. It would be fun. We'd have to wait until summertime, but that just means we'll have time to plan."
"...Ok," she said in a tiny voice, almost shy. "That sounds nice."
"You sure? You sound scared," he teased, and her eyes flew open in indignation as she opened her mouth to speak, only stopping when he suddenly reached over. She froze as he reached to her, catching a water droplet that was rolling down her neck towards her modest cleavage.
Her mouth hung open as he casually swiped it away as he stood up, nodding casually. "Alright. I'll look into it. Anyway, better fix that light bulb before her highness gets out of the bath-"
"Ichi-go!"