I am a salty writer.

Created: 19/12/16

Death and Strawberry

by

Raining Sky Guy

Kurosaki Ichigo woke up from his deepest slumber until the date, dressed in a borrowed garb, in the Fourth compound; still half-asleep but there was some urgency in his wake. Like he was searching for someone.

Someone grasped his hands.

"It's alright, Kurosaki-kun."

Tired, Ichigo looked at her. He blinked until he recognized her as Inoue. She was looking at him with firm resolve, her lower lip jutting out. What is? What was she talking about? And why was she alone?

Well… someone was visiting him, he shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

(Still, Ichigo wondered, where was she?)

Next time he woke up, without the same urgency as before, he saw his human friends in a small group around his bed, relieved to see him wake up. Recollection came back to him little by little. The Quincies, the fight, Juha Bach. They had won. He had helped.

"Hey," he had said rubbing his eyes and managing a smile. They crowded closer, Ishida trailing a bit farther. They seemed to be fine, barely injured. "How have you been?"

"Better than you I would say." Tatsuki was the one to declare, arms on her hips scrutinizing him critically before a reluctant smile tugged at her and she swept her hand through his mess of a bed hair with sisterly affection. "Heard about how you saved us again, hero."

Ichigo immediately scowled. "Oi, don't start calling me that. I just did what was necessary." The teen grumbled, feeling the strain of his muscles as they remembered what had happened. He slanted a glance at the subdued Quincy at the back. "And I wasn't the only one to fight. How you holding up, Ishida?"

The kid started briefly, staring at him for a moment. "I am perfectly fine as you can see." He blushed briefly. "Inoue-san healed me to perfect health of course."

"Hehe, it was nothing! I healed you too, Kurosaki-kun, how do you feel?"

Ichigo blinked as the girl got her face in his personal space, but he was distracted. His muscles ached. Inoue's healing, or rather, rejection should have left him feeling renewed. He opened his mouth to say something, but then Ishida hastily cut in.

"Y-you should be the one asking her, Kurosaki. Are you a brute?"

Only after that did Ichigo's eyes stray to the pronounced bags under the healer's eyes, the dryness of her skin and the tired aura overall. He blinked, before offering the nervous girl as much of a reassuring smile he could muster. "My bad, how are you, Inoue? You don't look like you've slept much." In his mind he mused about how many people had she had to heal, and for how long. The thought made him cringe. Well, that and the blow on his head from Tatsuki.

"That is not how you talk to a lady, Ichigo!" She exclaimed like in the old times, making all of them relax if momentarily. Inoue was quick to jump in to try to defend Ichigo or something like that.

"T-Tatsuki-chan, it's alright, yes I've been called several times- ah, but only when it's absolutely necessary, the Shinigami of the Fourth treat me very kindly and-"

"Ichigo… this is all still very new to me but… well, get well soon, we miss you down there." Keigo mumbled quietly; probably unsettled by where exactly he was and everything that had been going on. Mizuiro stepped up then, from his side.

"You are coming back with us, right?" He asked, direct to the point with his serene but stern voice. It made him nostalgic for some reason.

Ichigo briefly wondered how long it had been since he had spoken with them. But then he caught up to the actual meaning of the question. "What? Why wouldn't I?"

Silence then pervaded the small gathering, Keigo and Mizuiro looking at each other uneasily, until a fuming Tatsuki shouted. "Someone has some explaining to do, I'll find him-!"

"That won't be necessary. I believe I know why Kyoraku sought you out." Out of nowhere Urahara Kisuke popped up, startling everyone except for Ishida. He nodded at them as a belated greeting before fully entering the room.

"Urahara! Wait, Kyoraku?" Ichigo said, eyes narrowed wondering what was going on and fearing the worst given that Urahara was involved.

The former captain of the Twelfth drew level with them, shadowed gaze skirting over their expressions. He no longer sported the crude stiches from Benihime as he too had been treated by Inoue, but still he looked drained and a hand hovered over his face as if he had to stifle the urge to scratch.

"When Kyoraku, the man you spoke with, came to you, he was expecting the worst outcome." He began explaining to them with no further prompting, focusing on the Human teens before turning to the bedridden boy. "Ichigo you're as unpredictable as a cat's mood but every time you sought out to beat a stronger enemy, you would gain such a strength that quickly pushed you over your previous boundaries. What he was worried over was whether your new power up would render you a hazard for lesser beings- I'm sorry, for souls without as much reishi tolerance. That, fortunately does not seem to be a problem."

As Kisuke feared, he saw his pupil's face slowly turn to icy stone. "Why, thank you for your kindly concern. I suppose not informing me of such things is also some courtesy bullshit?"

"Although Kyouraku did act out of his own accord… I was prepared to do the same." Kisuke said mildly, enduring those hardened, weary eyes, on the border of betrayal. Kisuke bowed his head. "We weren't sure how things would hold out. We had no way of knowing in what state you would come out in… Your father knew and he would take care of your sisters, but I rather doubt he would tell your friends. In case you were unable to wake up for a long period of time, we wanted to at least have them warned."

"You could have explained before."

"It was hard. You have quite the tight agenda for a young man. Between saving the world and recovering from said odyssey…" Kisuke said in that same mild tone but Ichigo could swear there was a tremor of regret and he was talking a bit faster as if eager to explain himself. Which, probably wasn't off from the truth, given that the shopkeeper had arrived as soon as possible and began with no further prompting.

"Okay, okay, I get it, shut yer trap." Ichigo said with a hint of a hoarse voice, as always forgiving the other without much thought– he'd never been one to hold a grudge and he wasn't planning on starting now. Even though no one seemed to mind it much and he gave no outward sign of any change, he still bemoaned silently. He was starting to pick up after his hollow, for crying out loud!

But after that, there were no more plans behind his back, he finished reconciling with his friends, about what they had done during the war, how they felt passing over to another world and they finally left Ichigo to rest some more.

At first he was thankful because he was indeed tired, but soon enough Ichigo was already pacing his room in desperation while Chad and Inoue with Mizuiro and Keigo tagging along sometimes, went exploring Seireitei with either Yamada or Renji (Rukia was strangely occupied, they had told him). One day he couldn't take it anymore and he half-limped over to Mizuiro's temporal-resting-quarters and hauled both him and Keigo for an outing. Even in the state he was in he was able to elbow Keigo in the face for making some stupid remark.

When the rest of his friends were aware of this he was chewed out by several people. Even Inoue had approached him after Nanao took time out of her kicking-my-captain-into-doing-his-job routine to scold him. Inoue saw her exit, a pout on her lips before she entered his room. She smiled nervously at his deadpan expression, even as she approached his bed. Ichigo flopped down on his bed.

"What. You're going to scold me too?" He said monotonously, though when there was a little silence he remembered she was a bit more delicate. He grudgingly sat up to look at her. She was biting her lip, but at least when he looked at her she shook her head softly. Good. He had heard the same things out of way too many people now.

"I just… I know it must be very boring for you right now, Kurosaki-kun, but it's just for a little while longer. But just try not to strain yourself before you are discharged, please?"

Ichigo huffed with a wry grin. "Yeah, alright."

Ichigo stared at the haggard figure that had just entered his room. Her hair was haywire and windswept all at once, rings under her glaring eyes and clothes looking like they had been hazardously put on. Ichigo blinked and the shrimp deflated slightly with relief. He blinked again and she was stalking forward.

"Ichigo what is it you think you're doing aren't you too injured to be gallivanting about like some fool you couldn't sit tight until Isane decided to discharge you no you've never been one to just sit down and heal have you, you are an unbelievable fool!"

The barrage of uninterrupted words had Ichigo unable to do anything but gape at his friend, until he saw her turning red and amusement tugged at his lips. "Rukia," he interrupted her gently, standing up, shushing her protests while extending his arms to grasp her shoulders. "Breathe."

Rukia inhaled so abruptly her knees wavered and Ichigo was already tugging her to sit on the bed. Rukia took in several invigorating breaths before she glared at him again, grumbling softly about, "honestly, making me worry."

"Oi, I'm just a little injured, don't know why y'all scrambling like headless chickens when I-ouch!" Ichigo rubbed at his wounded nose, glaring at his friend.

"You just defeated the strongest man sort-of-alive and even with Inoue's healing you haven't fully recovered from the toll of such a fight." Rukia stated huffily, "why can't you just sit tight and heal like a proper patient?"

"I am bored out of my mind, Rukia." Ichigo allowed himself the groan of frustration as he lied down on the bed, arms extended. "and everyone that visits is either asking how do I feel, or assuring me that I won't have to stay here all that long, over and over again.

"Ichigo. It's alright to take a break. There's no hurry." Rukia said patiently, smiling at him. "It's perhaps frustrating for you that everyone comes here asking the same questions, but given what we have all gone through, I think you have to forgive us."

This effectively had him bolting upright, a concerned frown on his face. "I didn't mean to…" Rukia's smile widened.

"It's alright, just understand where this is all coming from. And don't forget you are so much younger than all of us."

"Oi, with all the babysitting I've done, you can't pull that card on me," Ichigo scowled again.

"Oh, come on, who have you babysat?"

"Renji. Matsumoto. Ikkaku. Zaraki. Yachiru. Neliel. She's technically older than me. Oh yeah, what about Kyouraki-soutaicho. Like, honestly, you'd expect that the highest ranked Shinigami would not need to be looked after like some little kid."

Rukia decided to save her dignity and refused to answer. Ichigo still laughed at her and for that he got smacked on the top of his head. Then the fingers treaded his short hair softly as Rukia looked at him. "It's great to see you doing well. There's no hurry, Ichigo. It's finally over. You can rest. We are fine. And we'll throw a big party and Renji and everyone will probably want to get you drunk and some people will want to spar too, so you better heal enough to handle all that."

Ichigo hummed, not really sure when he had closed his eyes as that warm hand continued to go through his hair in a soothing motion. He relaxed at last.

There was peace.

Everything was alright.

Everything was alright and dandy and getting better. Ichigo had been finally discharged for good, and had been allowed back to Karakura.

As it turned out, war wasn't very good for education and he and his friends had to cram all of their courses in less than a week in time to present their final exams of the year.

Ichigo dropped two places, but did alright all things considered. He had no idea how Ishida and Inoue both kept the top spots. Chad also didn't budge from his average.

Mizuiro and Keigo dropped too, and Ichigo felt a smidge sorry for them –it had all been so sudden for them, the shock surely affected them more than they let on. Even Tatsuki had seen better days despite her already suspecting something supernatural going on.

A new term began and with it came new worries, like beginning to consider a career choice. Seeking out a part-time job, making hardcore study sessions with his friends so at least they'd return to their rightful places in the rankings, and generally just returning to a normal-ish student life.

Normal-ish because Ichigo's life had never been anything remotely like that– and he still had to contend with several ghosts a week (less than before since his friends were spiritually aware, and he could perform soul burials now) and every now and then with a pesky Shinigami sent on a patrol.

But everything was… calm. For once. Ichigo was just getting used to this sense of normalcy, taking back his Human life from where he had had it "on-hold", when an anomaly popped into his life.

An anomaly otherwise known as romance.

"Kurosaki-kun, I really like you. Please go out with me."

He had to admire her guts if anything. Were his first thoughts as he stared at the blushing Inoue. He had learnt about her feelings a while ago (as well as the whole world) and he was pretty sure he had discouraged any sort of relationship. He needed to save the world, there was no such time for that.

And even so, his mind called him a liar because he'd have a bond even stronger than a "relationship". But it surely wasn't romantic. It shouldn't be. Renji had told him in secret he was feeling hopeful with Rukia. He shouldn't interfere.

But if it was not Rukia, Ichigo didn't really picture himself with anyone else. He looked down at fidgety brown eyes, her blush spreading to her ears.

The most bizarre thought then entered his mind.

Can I love her?

She was already head over heels, embarrassingly enough. That was already half of the job.

"Well, sure."

Ichigo is surprised by how physical she got. It didn't go beyond hand holding and hugging at first, but while Ichigo thought it was cute and he would be able to feel something like this, he started getting restless. When they started kissing, there were days in which he would hide away from the world, muting his reiatsu and just changing the planes of existence.

He generally went to Hueco Mundo.

Less people to tattle.

This started becoming a routine they grew used to.

Inoue didn't pry and Ichigo never gave her any explanation when he went missing for the weekends or when he told her he wasn't in the mood for a date. In turn, when they did go out, he would do anything the girl wanted (within common sense).

Something which he still hadn't figured out how to properly fix was Inoue's rather unique cooking. Which had given him from mild nausea to food poisoning.

.

"You should be honest with her," Kisuke told him again as he handed the sick teen some painkillers after he finished puking his stomach's contents.

"I don't want to hear that coming from you," Ichigo jabbed him weakly before huffing. "Oh, believe me. I've tried. But I don't seem to get my message across. Also she's sure to cry. I can't deal with crying people. My sisters notwithstanding."

"So you'd rather continue throwing up? At least get me her recipes, I'm sure we could make use of them for the Kidou corps."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Smartass."

Ichigo was not blind. As Yoruichi had discovered so early into his teenage hood, he could appreciate a, er, well-endowed female body. He could see perks of dating Inoue, he knew why his friends could be jealous of him.

But.

To Ichigo that wasn't what was most important.

It's not to say he found her personality boring, or dull (she was anything but). Or that the conversations he had with her were senseless or forgettable (sometimes).

It was just that…

There was something missing.

For Ichigo she was just a friend.

He kept forgetting they were going out, even being surprised when she initiated contact. And Ichigo had no illusions he'd ever be a competent boyfriend but not even thinking of going out with his girlfriend until his friends pointed it out to him and even then waiting until the girl herself asked for it…

Well wasn't that just plain wrong?

But she didn't seem to mind. And at least he made it up for her by being extra attentive. Even if he ended so tired he tended to flee immediately after.

One thing they did together was hunt hollows. But by together he meant Chad, Ishida, Kon – and thanks to Kisuke, Keigo, Mizuiro and Tatsuki too with special equipment.

Ichigo rubbed at his eyes tiredly as he stared out of his bedroom window, watching the summer rain fall. He felt numb. Nothing was changing. Nothing was new. Nothing was taxing.

He had unread messages from Ikumi. Even though he had gotten much more serious than last time, he still sometimes slacked with his work, but he made up for it. He had bi-weekly fights with hollows, which lasted as long as it took Ichigo to unsheathe his sword, even visiting the ever irritating Kisuke had stopped yielding much of interest as the man had become occupied with his own pet project.

And the rain kept falling.

Ichigo really had no need to call forth even half of his actual power. But he had come to learn that while his Quincy side could just rest and let him carry one, his hollow kept calling him. With every swing of his sword, the thirst grew. With every beat of his heart, something like nostalgia threatened to fall on him.

He was restless.

It had been a long while since he last released his zanpakuto and Zangetsu just wanted a stretch Ichigo was more than happy to give. Since it was something casual, he did not bother going into Kisuke's basement. His reiatsu spiked with excitement as he exited his house deciding to do it at the riverbank.

For nostalgia sake, he let his hollow manifest in horns and markings on his face instead of the usual mask. It felt nice, now that he knew it belonged to him. It was not exactly easy, he could feel that taking this form consumed his energy even if not his reiatsu but he didn't mind, it was like using muscles he was not used to stretching. Zangetsu assured him it was because he had done it cold, if he did it in battle or after a little practice, it wouldn't feel like that. Soon he discovered that an invisible weight was being lifted off his shoulders.

Inoue did not seem to think that way.

With a screech of fright that scared Ichigo, he came face to face with the fear stricken woman.

"Kuro…saki-kun?" She managed to mumble, frantic and quivering.

"Hey, Inoue, it's alright it's me." He had said in his weird double-toned voice even as his enthusiasm waned and a little fear started- no, was rekindled by the same person.

Inoue laughed nervously, trying to shake it off. "A-ah, I didn't know I thought-" Even as her attack spirit hovered around them, an obvious threat.

Ichigo hated feeling weak or letting himself-

He couldn't help but feel as if he'd been slapped, He felt tears wanting to sprout and he didn't decide anything.

He just left.

.

Kisuke had never been one to ask many questions. For that, Ichigo was grateful, he was thinking as he lay apathetically on the underground training hall.

As if to give himself a kick in the balls, Ichigo had arrived at his doorstep with his mask still on, not caring if he scared someone else but to his surprise, Kisuke had just been mildly surprised.

And that was because he hadn't actually expected him to knock.

"Your reiatsu indicated you'd barge right in… Ichigo-kun? Are you quite alright?" The shopkeeper had said to answer the silent question on his once-student. All good humor fled him upon the distress he felt on the hollowed-teen. "Could it be you can't change back?" He asked half-jokingly.

Ichigo had then taken his hollow form off, a bit embarrassed but sort of relieved by Urahara's reaction. He felt further embarrassed as he tried to figure out how to explain to the shopkeeper he needed to hide away for a while but the other beat him to it.

"Well, why don't you head downstairs? You wanted to train, I presume? I'll stay up, I need to finish my tea, but if you want a sparring partner come look for me." He said with a knowing glint in his silver eyes. Ichigo looked away, not sure if to be relieved or concerned the ease the other could read him with.

"Ah, right. Thanks."

That was how Ichigo found himself staring at the fake sky with a scowl. He couldn't believe himself. Why was he hiding in the first place?

Why had it affected him so much?

Why was he so cowardly?

And…

Why was she so frightened by him?

He had spent there long enough that Urahara had decided to tell his friends.

Not his human friends, for some reason.

Ichigo found himself face to face with a scowling shrimp.

"Eh, uh, Rukia…hello…" He managed, looking away from her as he scuttled backwards and tried to correct his slouch. They stared at each other in silence while Ichigo pitifully tried to come up with something to say.

"What is it do you think you're doing?" Were her first words, surprisingly loud in the thick silence. Ichigo stared at her with wide eyes as she stalked closer. "Stop moping around like a kid!" She added with a swift kick to his butt, sending him skywards.

"You brutish woman! We haven't seen each other in months and this is the first thing you decide to do?" Ichigo almost shouted, the words bursting out of his mouth, forgetting all awkwardness in one go. He stared at her indignantly, hands rubbing his behind.

Rukia crossed her arms over her chest sternly. After a moment, her lips curved in a smile. "That's better."

"What?"

Rukia plopped down in front of him, legs and arms crossed. "Looking upset doesn't suit you. You look like an old man that just lost a soccer match."

Ichigo stared at her unimpressed. "Do you even know what soccer is?"

Amethyst eyes bored into his. She tucked her knees under her as she leaned closer to press a slender and warm finger in between his eyebrows. "Last time we saw each other you were looking better. Tired, obviously, but happy. Now your scowl is back. What is bothering you?"

Ichigo gaped at her for a moment, before he could catch himself. He looked away. "Is that why you're here?"

"No. There was a report of an arrancar coming down here."

"Rea-?" Is as far as he got before his face got smashed in by a sandaled foot. He yowled indignantly.

"No, you idiot! Urahara-san told me you were looking down and hadn't come out of here in five hours! Of course I would worry! What happened? Is it your family? Your friends?... Did you fight with Inoue?" At that Ichigo's shoulders tensed but he did not deny or admit to anything. Rukia did not push, instead she leaned back down, ready to listen as her friend worked out some words.

"Don't worry about it, really. It's nothing. I, uh… It's not really…It's been tranquil, y'know?" Ichigo said with a little smile. He looked down at his hands. "By the way, Rukia… what do you think about my hollow?"

"What do you mean 'what do I think'? Well, I'm glad you finally got it under control..." Rukia paused, lost in thought, completely missing the way Ichigo's breath hitched and for some reason his chest constrained.

. "No, well, that was at first. But to be honest, after that last fight with Juha Bach, you seemed like you had gained control of your self. It's like, um, oh! It's like learning a zanpakuto's name. You know your sword has it, and it will grant you strength, but you don't know enough to earn it. Don't know enough to control it."

"And suddenly…" Rukia smiled, closing her mouth and letting Ichigo continue. "Suddenly it all makes sense. It's not about control, it's about understanding. And it becomes yet another of your strengths."

"Exactly. So, I'm guessing this is related to you feeling down. What happened, really?"

Ichigo looked away. "Sorry for having worried you guys, it's really nothing… Urahara just jumped the gun."

Rukia stared at him, stern and worried. "How's your life going?"

"Eh, good I guess. You? Has the Gotei 13 settled yet?"

"No, not quite." Rukia shook her head softly, looking meditative, somber. "We did… we did lose a great number of members so… Kyouraku-soutaicho is still new at his job and trying to get things in order."

"And what about you?"

Rukia blinked at him.

"Made you captain yet?"

Rukia opened her mouth, closed it. Opened it again and went slightly red. Ichigo smiled in amusement, before he started counting off his fingers. "Come on, shrimpy, you have a head on your shoulders, people respect you, you got bankai and got just as much experience as the other captains. What's stopping you?"

"I-I'm not prepared for the responsibility!"

Ichigo's smile widened. So they had asked her already. He hid his expression when the flustered woman looked at him suspiciously. Ichigo decided to continue teasing because it simply was fun.

"Maybe there's a height minimum? Now even Toushiro is taller than you."

"Stop it you ruffian! That holds no weight on the decision and Nii-sama- "

"What about Byakuya? Is he babying you again?"

"He seems to be proud but… I'm worried I will only disappoint everyone."

"Rukia…" Ichigo started with concern before he smacked her atop the head unimpressed, "don't give me that bull. Except for the stupid coat and the title, you're already practically a cap. The power, the mental fortitude and the forbidden paperwork. You did Ukitake's when you were under him, you did half of Kaien's on top of that afterwards and you and Renji managed two captain-less divisions. Really, what are you so worried about?"

"When you put it like that, you make me sound like such a fool…" The ice-wielder said with a wry smile, hand going through her black hair.

"Think about my wise words." Ichigo said before he paused. "By the way what does Renji think?"

"Hmm?" Rukia was still ruminating his words before she sighed tiredly. "Well… he seems to have taken it as a personal challenge… again."

"Meaning?"

Rukia sighed. "We had finally reconnected, we were finally hanging out like normal friends, with no regard to title or position but nowadays he spends his time training. He even avoids me some times."

"What an idiot."

"Well, that's just how he is. He seems to think he's unworthy of being with me… you know, I was suddenly adopted into a Noble House, so I guess he still fears…"

"There are far better ways of dealing with that. Like, for one, you could train together."

"That would be nice," Rukia mumbled to herself, trying and failing to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, forgetting once more it now reached her cheeks. Ichigo huffed.

"Why did you cut it?" Seeing how Rukia did not understand, he pointed, "your hair. Why did you cut it?"

Rukia twirled the awry strand between her fingers. "I felt like it. I wanted to change myself… a little, I guess."

"Well, it looks nice on you. And you do look refreshed."

"Refreshed? What is that supposed to mean?" She asked with a soft chuckle. Ichigo decided to indulge her just because.

"Yeah, you did change, the haircut is just a reinforcement. It changed your overall image just a tiny bit, but I guess it allows others to notice." They smiled at each other, confidently. They fell into a soft silence, before Ichigo's scowl returned.

"Well, I guess… I should probably go out already." He said, a little faintly, making Rukia worry again. The carrot top rolled his shoulder blades, already on his feet and ready to go back to his routine. Before Rukia could try to say anything else, he turned his neck to shoot her a rare and brief, toothy grin. "You coming?"

Rukia huffed with a smile dancing on her lips as she hurried after him.

Ichigo felt awkward and exposed and he hated it.

Orihime fidgeted in place, trying to smile. "I'm sorry…. I may have overreacted this time." She said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Ichigo steeled himself to his best ability, managing a smile.

"Ah, it's alright, don't worry about it." He mumbled, noticing but doing nothing when the girl's face dimmed. When she opened her mouth to try and say something, he turned around. "Now that that's solved… I, er, will see you tomorrow."

And he ran away.

She didn't bring it up and neither did he. But Ichigo could not forget, could not forget her fearful eyes, her defensive pose. He had never done her wrong, so why…?

Ichigo then remembered she had been kidnapped and held hostage by hollows.

Why was he so insensitive? She had already accepted she had overreacted, had already made it clear that it was not his fault and here he was, still hung over that.

(And still, a traitorous part of his mind whispered, how was it that she outstretched a hand towards the one who had kidnapped her, had almost killed their friends, in his final moments, yet refuses to even glance at Ichigo?)

And then things went back to how they were. Or, a cheap imitation of that. It kept going on, the day ending with a progressively tired Ichigo.

Until one day, Ichigo had had enough of feeling like a strung violin chord and he called Inoue. He sat her down, ever so mindful, and careful and making sure she was perfectly comfortable. He smiled at her nervously, before he leaned back, shoulders squared and delivered with finality.

"Let's end this."

He saw resignation, heartbreak, pain and even a glimmer of anger in those eyes. But when all Ichigo could think of when she started crying was 'how troublesome', he knew he had done the right thing. For both of them.

She got angry.

And to his annoyance, Ishida too, in turn.

(He had been vaguely aware of the Quincy's feelings, never fully acknowledged, but it had come off as no surprise in the end. He wondered if they would eventually end together.)

And Ichigo…

Ichigo hadn't felt freer.

"You look better," Rukia commented, leaning on the school balcony as Ichigo finished unpacking his meal. He asked her what was up, what she was talking about. "Just, you look better."

"I don't really get it, but thanks, I guess." Ichigo said as he rummaged through his backpack. "Here, brought you a juice box. I hope you remember how to open one." finally making Rukia turn to look at him with a little affronted scowl.

"Of course I know how to do such a measly thing!"

"Oh, really? Let's see you do it."

After struggling with it for about five minutes and after beating up Ichigo after he couldn't stop silently laughing at her, she sat down next to him, looking over the edge. "I heard about your breakup." She said. "I'm sorry to hear about that."

"Oh, well, yeah. That happened."

"May I say something that is completely selfish?"

"Sure?"

"I'm glad."

"What?"

Rukia smiled guiltily. "I'm glad you broke up. It had started to look like… it was doing you no good. For both of you, I'd say."

Ichigo stared forward for such a long while, Rukia regretted her words, sure he had been offended. But then he released a sigh and said, "I think you're right."

"I'm sorry."

"No don't be. It was bound to happen." Ichigo then rubbed the top of his head irritably. "Ugh, forget about it. How about you tell me why is a captain allowed to roam the Human world? Don't you have like captain-y things to do?"

Rukia then gave him a bratty grin. "Yeah, I'm skiving! On paper it's a perimeter check and maintaining a strong relationship with allies –meaning saying hi to you and your friends."

"You have been corrupted-ow!" Ichigo was already expecting the blow but still it came, hitting the top of his head rather softly. He opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, but decided against it. He looked down at his lap for a moment, "thank you."

"We're not forgetting you, Ichigo. What happened last time, it was a series of bad timing and mistakes on our part. But it's not happening again. You are a very important person for us." Rukia immediately pinpointed where he was coming from and what he had been fearing ever since he was discharged. "Our visits may not be very frequent, and we can't visit you all together, more so because we need to reestablish the Gotei 13, but we will try our best. Oh! Actually, I'm able to be here because Renji is subbing for me, so it's like a vacation from paperwork!"

"Quite the captain you make." Ichigo teased, but intercepted her fist and inquired. "By the way, you haven't been slacking off with your training right? Feeling up for a spar?"

"Don't expect Kuchiki-taicho to go easy on you!" Rukia replied rather haughtily and Ichigo replied by using her head as support for getting up.

"Let's go, shrimp."

Kisuke had been endearingly amused at seeing the power duo again, bickering heatedly with each other over whether bankai was allowed which descended into petty arguments before getting down to business about half an hour afterwards,

Kuchiki had been awfully diplomatic to him, which felt nice every once in a while, especially since it made him know he was actually welcome in Soul Society again (it was one thing to be told that in the midst of a war, and another one being treated so familiarly by a captain even if said captain was only just recently appointed).

"Captaincy surely suits you, Kuchiki-san, no, rather, Kuchiki-taicho."

Rukia shifted in her seat awkwardly. "Thank you, Urahara-san. I can only expect to be able to honor the position."

Ichigo looked at her, a rare proud smile on his face. When they finished with the last pleasantries, Ichigo bade Urahara goodbye and the both of them returned to his home.

.

Halfway to it, Rukia slowed down to a stop, Ichigo only gave two steps more before he turned, confused for a split second. "Rukia…?"

She cast a worried glance at the darkening sky. "I'd love to stay and dine with your family again but…"

"You need to go."

Rukia smiled a bit contritely. "Disadvantages of being a captain I'm afraid."

"Oh, don't worry. It's okay. Yuzu would probably have given you my portion of dinner, so. Better for me." Ichigo joked, his words coming a bit haltingly. He rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what else to say. Rukia saved him from the problem by stepping into his space, pulling his hands down.

"Ichigo!" She exclaimed, startling him. "I'll be gone shortly, to make sure my squad didn't go under while Renji tended to it, but I will come back, also you better visit us as well! You are still our number one substitute Shinigami! So this is not goodbye! I won't let you ever say goodbye to me again!" She exclaimed her fierce violet eyes reflecting the setting sun. Ichigo was left speechless, which only managed to change her stern expression into utter fondness. "Until next time, Ichigo."

Without thinking, Ichigo pulled her by their joined hands and he engulfed her in a hug just as fierce as Rukia's words had been. The woman was momentarily surprised but she returned the gesture with the same intensity. It lasted probably three heartbeats and they were both smiling when they pulled apart. "My time to visit then. I'll see when I'm free."

"You better." Rukia said before drawing out Sode no Shirayuki to open the gates to Soul Society. She waved childishly as she was engulfed by the closing doors.

And she was gone.

Ichigo rubbed the kinks out of his neck, trying not to think of the lingering warmth and with his shoulders set, he headed home.

He felt lighter.

Continuará

I will be forever salty Ichiruki did not become canon. Really.

So, this is how I imagine things would have gone if circumstances had gone the direction Kubo had hinted the whole manga except for the last few chapters. I don't envision Ichigo, the adrenaline-junkie just settling down because someone has a crush on him. I would rant, but I am sleep deprived and about to sleep and have shit ton of things to do tmr.

Oh! This story is prolly going to be 2 or 3 chapters long at most.