Kurai 1

"Rukia…" Ichigo Kurosaki whispered in her ear, leaning over from his side of the bed and resting his chin on his beautiful mate's shoulder. "Wakey wakey…"

Rukia Kuchiki let out a gentle sigh and opened her deep, dark eyes. She looked over at Ichigo without moving her head and murmured, "Do we have to go to school today?"

"Yes~"

"…My stomach hurts."

"You're just thirsty. Come on, get up." Ichigo rolled back over and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Rukia groaned and wiggled over to him, placing her head on his lap. "I'm feeling lazy. Can we have breakfast in bed?"

Ichigo sighed and pulled her up onto his lap completely. Rukia rested her head against his shoulder as her wrapped his strong arms around her tiny frame.

"Only a little," Ichigo said, not feeling like arguing.

A slow smile flitted across Rukia's face and she raised her head, letting her lips brush against Ichigo's skin… she opened her mouth a little more, inhaling his smell, then she bit down, letting her fangs slide in easily to the familiar neck…

Ichigo closed his eyes… the bite didn't hurt, it never did, but he felt the familiar dizzy feeling.

"…Rukia."

The small vampire pulled away, but kept her face pushed against where his neck met his shoulder.

"Come on, we'll be late."

"…hm…"

"And you'll just have to stay there longer when we get detention."

Rukia tilted her head enough to look at Ichigo out of the corner of her eye, and then she slid off his lap and walked over to the dresser.

Ichigo watched her… no matter how long they were together (and it was going on 29 years now) he still loved the way she walked. It was graceful, like she was dancing, and captured the essence of nobility she carried so proudly. He remembered it was her walk that first made her catch his eye.

It had been at a gathering of the highest-ranking nobles. The Kuchikis were special quests. Byakuya, the head, and his little sister were well known throughout the Blood Society, so it was a serious privilege when Ichigo had been invited.

There, he saw her talking to another noble, but then she had gotten irritated and walked away, right into Ichigo, then they started talking…

"Ichigo, if I have to get up you do too!"

Ichigo jumped and then got up. He smiled at the lingering memory, and then pushed it out of his mind as he got out his school uniform.

-X-

"Orihime, are you ready now?"

"Yep!"

Orihime bounced down the steps of the house, wearing a light coat. She grinned at Ulquiorra, who wore a black hoodie and gray-and-lighter-gray striped scarf, and then pecked him on the cheek as she took her schoolbag out of his hands. The raven-haired vampire blushed (as he always did) slightly before turning to the door.

"Let's go, then," he said.

Orihime laughed, her gray eyes not missing the look on her mate's face, but she didn't say anything.

The two walked out of the house and started down the street to their bus stop. It was 6:32 in the morning, but the sky was already periwinkle blue and robins had already begun their songs.

"Oh! There's Ichigo and Rukia!" Orihime waved at the two figures walking towards them. Ulquiorra couldn't tell that was who they were, but Orihime's vision was superior even by vampire standards, so he waved too.

The two couples exchanged quick greetings as they met in the middle, at their bus stop.

"Hey, Ichigo! Wow Rukia you look more tired than usual, have you been sleeping ok? Has Ichigo been keeping you up?" Orihime said cheerily.

Rukia laughed. "Yeah, he's been keeping me up…" she looked up at him slyly, making the orange-haired vampire flush.

"RUKIA! I didn't mean it like that! He's just such a night owl—"

"Orihime, I think we should just change the subject," Ulquiorra interrupted quietly.

The blonde sighed. "Yeah…"

"Nice going, Rukia," Ichigo hissed at the short vampire.

"What, I did not know that was not what she meant…" Rukia said with a yawn. "Sorry, 'Hime"

"Oh, it's ok," Orihime laughed as the bus pulled up. Her and Ulquiorra got on first, with the already-bickering Ichigo and Rukia following.

Since the four were seniors, they plopped down into the back seats. Ulquiorra took the window, so Orihime could easily chat with the other students. Ichigo sat down in him and Rukia's seat first, pulling his mate over his lap so she sat with her back against the window and her legs draped over Ichigo's.

"So, I was thinking, we should get together sometime! Like a double date, or we could hang out at me and Ulqui's and invite Toshiro and Uryu!" Orihime continued excitedly.

Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra. "You let her call you 'Ulqui'? Really?"

The raven-haired man shrugged.

"Man you're whipped."

"Weeeeell~?" Whatdaya guys think?"

"That'd be nice, I'd go. Rukia?"

"Sure…"

"Then it's settled! I'll talk to 'Shiro!"

The bus ride continued with small talk. Eventually the two couples ceased to talk with each other, since Rukia wasn't really even in the conversation, and instead spoke quietly to their mates. Or, in Rukia and Ichigo's case, murmured in between gentle kisses.

When they arrived at school, they didn't waste any time talking to people outside- it was quite chilly, and even though they didn't get cold, people would notice that they weren't shivering- and headed right to their classroom.

The class, when all had arrived and the teacher was finished with morning announcements, settled down for the lesson. It droned on, until, finally, the lunch bell rang.

"Well, that was boring," Rukia yawned.

"Of course," Toshiro Hitsugaya agreed, walking up behind the dark-haired vampire and her mate. "I've learned that lesson about 9 times already."

The three met Ulquiorra and Orihime on the roof. They carefully sat in the shade, away from the burning rays of sun.

Rukia quietly pulled out a book and settled on Ichigo's lap. Orihime leaned against Ulquiorra's side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Toshiro plopped down across from the two couples. Behind him, three female juniors stared in awe. He turned and looked at them, making the girls blush. He smiled, and winked, then turned back around as they giggled and squealed.

Rukia, noticing what happened, looked up from her book. "Toshiro, why do you have to tease them?"

The white-haired vampire blinked. "Tease them? What, I might date one…"

"And then suck out as much blood you can before she dies, afterwards removing her memory that it ever happened, and then dump her by saying she 'is not the one.' You've done it the half the girls in town already."

"Well, at least I'm not lying," Toshiro said. "They aren't, just little snacks to hold me over till dinner."

"You are calling your future mate… dinner?" Rukia raised an eyebrow. "If I were 'the one,' I would be insulted."

"Well you're not, so don't worry 'bout it. You have Ichigo."

"Damn straight," the orange-haired vampire muttered.

"Oh, Toshiro, Ulqui and I wanted to know if you wanted to come over sometime. I asked Ichigo and Rukia about it, I just need to talk to Uryu," Orihime piped up.

"You let her call you 'Ulqui'?"

"That's what I said," Ichigo told Toshiro.

"It's so… cutesy."

"Like a dog's nickname."

"Oh, come on Ichigo, I call you Ichi at home!" Rukia suddenly added.

Ichigo blushed, his eyes widening.

"Oh, really now, Ichigo?" Toshiro raised his eyebrows.

"Can it, Shorty."