Title: World of Their Own

Word Count: 11,600+

Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia

Genre: Romance

Rating: Teen

Summary: Watching Rukia fight was like watching a ballerina dance; the gracefulness, the discipline, the agility. Ichigo didn't think he ever saw something so beautiful. They would take turns fighting hollows and sometimes they would fight the hollow together- jumping over each other, spinning side by side, and Ichigo couldn't get the image out of his head that they were actually dancing together.

A/N: I've written a few Bleach Fics before but this one tops them all. I've wanted to do this for a while and I'm very proud of this. So enjoy!

…

She had done it again. She took a blow that was meant for him. Ichigo watched the wall of ice collapse, the hollow incased in it collapsing as well and dissolving into oblivion. Rukia's pure white zanpakuto was calmly at her side even as red-red blood began to pool at her feet.

Her back was to him and she turned her head so that her amethyst-colored eyes locked with Ichigo's amber colored ones. "Idiot," she said, "you're too slow."

Time seemed to stop, and then as if in slow motion, Rukia's legs gave out and she started to fall. Ichigo caught her just before she hit the hard pavement of the street below. A street lamp was above them giving Ichigo enough light to see the pain on her face and the blood drenching her shihakusho.

"Rukia!"

"I'm fine. Don't shout like that…"

"You're not fine! You're bleeding! Come here!" He grabbed her so that one of his arms was under her knees and the other cradling her back. With her head against his chest, he squeezed her to him preparing to flash step for help. "Hold on!"

Inoue wasn't far. The auburn-head must have felt the large reiatsu of the hollow and Rukia's rapidly decreasing one. She was already halfway to their location from her house and Ichigo meet her before she started the other half of her trip.

"Inoue!" he shouted, fear in his voice and shining through his eyes. He could feel Rukia's blood drip between his fingers. "Help! Rukia's hurt!"

Inoue was dressed in her pajamas. The light, pink-colored clothing not durable enough to stand the early winter air but she didn't seem to care. Her long hair was windblown and her cheeks were red from the run. "What happened?" Inoue asked, worriedly. Her large, gray eyes watching as Ichigo gently placed Rukia on the pavement between them.

Rukia's eyes were closed and she looked to be struggling for a breath. Hurriedly, Inoue placed her hands over Rukia's prone form and an orange light expanded until it surround her and began to heal the wounds.

"She…" Ichigo began, "She…the hollow." Ichigo's fists tightened. "She protected me again." His voice broke at the end and Inoue couldn't help but stare at Ichigo's crestfallen expression. She didn't like that expression at all. She put more energy into healing Rukia; her chest raising and falling much more easily and her eyes straining to open.

"She's going to be okay, Kurosaki-kun." Inoue spoke, a smile spreading on her face.

Ichigo nodded his head, not quite trusting his voice, as relief flooded his senses. It only took a couple of minutes and Rukia was sitting up. Her short raven hair, that touched the edge of her jaw line, was being blown all around her face by the wind, but Ichigo could still see that the color was returning to her cheeks.

She turned to face Ichigo and he refused to meet her eyes.

"Ichigo," she said, her words strong, "look at me." Still Ichigo refused. Rukia laid her hand on top of Ichigo's arm and Inoue couldn't help but feel out of place all of a sudden. "Look at me," Rukia repeated.

Ichigo finally meet her eyes and Inoue's discomfort grew. It seemed as though the two of them entered a world of their own.

"Wipe that pathetic look off your face. I'm fine, see?"

Ichigo shook his head, moving unconsciously closer to her. "You got seriously injured. It's all my fault. If Inoue wasn't here…" Rukia opened her mouth but Ichigo didn't let her speak. "You're always protecting me…" Ichigo moved away from her. "It's my fault."

Rukia scoffed. "Moron," she said, cringing slightly at the soreness of her muscles as she stood up. "Don't say that. You know it's not true."

"Kuchiki-san!" Inoue cried, her hands in front of her in case Rukia lost her balance. "You shouldn't move too soon."

"It's okay, Inoue-san. Thank you for healing me."

Inoue blushed at Rukia's sincere tone. "No problem. I'm just glad I could help."

Rukia turned toward Ichigo. "You should walk Inoue home, Ichigo. It's not safe for a young woman at this hour of night."

Inoue waved her hands in the air quickly. "No, no! That-"

"I'm not having you walk home alone, Inoue." Rukia said, sounding oddly reparative. It reminded Inoue on how old-fashioned Rukia was at times.

Ichigo turned to fully face Rukia and Inoue couldn't see his face. "Rukia, I'm not leaving you. You are still-"

Rukia dismissed him. "I'm practically back to full-strength, Ichigo. Walk with Inoue. I'll see you back home."

Ichigo's frown deepened and Inoue sensed an argument coming on. But thankfully before that could happen she saw a figure approach in the distance. Inoue smiled in relief when she recognized the figure as Ishida. "Ishida-kun!" she yelled, a hand high up in the air.

Ichigo and Rukia turned toward the newcomer with mild interest. Ishida came close enough so that they could see him push his glasses further up his nose as he peered at the three of them with an eyebrow raised. "I sensed a huge hollow and then Kuchiki-san's reiatsu decrease. Are you okay, Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia smiled with reassurance. "I'm fine, Ishida. Thanks to Inoue, that is."

Inoue blushed again at the praise and the blush deepened when Ishida added his own praise. "Ah, Ishida-kun?" Inoue began to ask, glancing at Rukia and Ichigo briefly. "Can you walk me home?"

"Of course," Ishida replied automatically.

Inoue smiled and quickly turned toward Rukia and Ichigo and bowed. "I'm glad I could help you, Kuchiki-san and thank you for worrying, but Ishida-kun can take me home. You should go with Kurosaki-kun and get some rest. I'll see you both tomorrow. Goodbye Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-kun."

"Thank you, Inoue." Rukia replied, nodding her head, Ichigo mimicking the movement, as they watched Inoue and Ishida walk away together.

After the pair rounded the corner, Rukia smoothly turned around and began the long walk toward Ichigo's home. Ichigo silently agreed, the two of them walking side by side. After a couple of minutes, where Ichigo was trying not to stare at Rukia's limping form, he gave a loud sigh and gingerly stepped in front of Rukia and kneeled down before her, offering her his back.

"Get on," He said, it coming out hushed and demanding.

Rukia narrowed her eyes with annoyance. "There's no need for that, Ichigo. Have you forgotten that Inoue has healed me? Not to mention that I'm a lieutenant now and that-"

"Rukia. Shut up and get on my back. At the rate you're walking it will take years for us to get home. Just…get on." Ichigo's anger quickly left him and he resolutely looked away. He was still kneeling and Rukia gave a resigned sigh.

Ichigo easily carried her weight and after a moment of perfect awareness, on Ichigo's part, he began to walk and then quickly jumped up and on top of a building.

"I've forgotten about this." Rukia said, sounding nostalgic with a smile on her lips.

"What? About me being your taxi service?" Ichigo replied, a smile of his own forming. He flash stepped to the next building and after a comfortable stride formed he looked over his shoulder and looked Rukia in the eyes. "I'm sorry. About before…I was distracted."

Rukia raised an eyebrow to show she wasn't surprised. "I suspected. And my suspicions were correct when that hollow had you underneath him ready to strike a death blow."

Ichigo furrowed his brows. "Do you always have to be a smartass about everything, Rukia?" he questioned.

Rukia shrugged and her short raven hair flew away from her face when Ichigo did an extra-long flash step between building tops. "What was on your mind, Ichigo?" She asked, her tone of voice serious and her hands that were on his shoulders flexing.

Ichigo didn't reply. He knew exactly why he was distracted but he wasn't at all ready to say it out loud. He was still trying to sort it out himself.

Taking Ichigo's silence as an answer, Rukia didn't question him further and they arrived at Ichigo's house without another hollow disturbance. Ichigo jumped through the window and let Rukia slide off his back. "Home," Rukia whispered to herself and Ichigo waited for her to turn around before he smiled. A warmth in his chest spreading like wildfire.

Rukia reentered her gigai. The gigai felt restricting and tense. It was during mid-stretch that she noticed that Ichigo had already reentered his body; he was sitting on his bed and was staring at her. The only light in the room was that of the street lamp outside. It spilled in from the window and created a peaceful atmosphere.

"What is it?" Rukia asked. She couldn't stop her cheeks from heating up. There was something different in the way he was looking at her.

Whatever trance Ichigo was in, he quickly snapped out of it and ran a hand through his orange-colored hair. "Nothing. I was just wondering if you were feeling better."

Rukia gave a nod and stretched her arms out before her. "Yeah, I'm just feeling a little sore. It'll be gone by tomorrow." Rukia gestured to the closet. "I'll be spending the night in here, if you don't mind. It's late and I don't want to wake the twins by trying to sneak into their room."

Ichigo tried to hide his smile but he was sure that Rukia saw it anyway. "Alright." He watched as she climbed inside the closet. "Goodnight, Rukia."

"Goodnight, Ichigo," She replied, and closed the closet door.

Ichigo remained sitting on his bed, his eyes every-now-and-then drifting to the closet. What she had said was a lie. She could have easily sneaked back into the twins' room without a problem. But she chose instead to stay.

Ichigo sighed, suddenly feeling tired, and flopped down on his bed. He grabbed the covers and wrapped it around himself and tried not to think about what happened earlier. About Rukia taking the blow that was meant for him.

He groaned into his pillow in defeat and stared at the closed closet door. When he was fighting that hollow he was distracted. The hollow was a powerful one. It had six arms that seemed to be everywhere at once. It was fast and at times it was a blur of a beast. Ichigo knew that he should have been careful, that he should have been concentrating…

Ichigo groaned into his pillow again. Rukia was the reason. She was the reason why he couldn't concentrate fully on the hollow.

For seventeen months Rukia had been gone. And Ichigo thought that he would never see her again. He had lost his abilities. His world changed back into what it was before he had ever met her. He was normal, ordinary. Life was mundane. And, God, how he had hated it. And, God, how he had missed her.

And then, like she always did, when things were their bleakest, she suddenly appeared. She was the embodiment of light that parted the gray clouds and stopped the rain from falling. She stabbed him in the chest with a zanpakuto; a sensation that he had nearly forgotten about. Then power flooded his veins and it was like he was brought back to life, his heart beating fiercely in his ribcage. She had changed his world once again.

She was back. Her hair may be different; and she now wears a lieutenant badge on her arm. But she was Rukia. And she was back.

When Ichigo had been fighting the hollow, she had been standing there. She was just standing there, with her arms folded across her chest and her amethyst-colored eyes staring at him. He never had any problem when Rukia would watch him fight. But now…Her eyes seemed to burn his skin. Before he knew it, that hollow was over him and was ready to deliver a killing blow.

Ichigo rolled onto his back, feeling too pathetic to sleep. He tried to sort out his thoughts but there were too many. During the seventeen mouths of separation Ichigo had lost count of how many times he had did this- Ichigo on his bed and staring at the closed closet door. But now there was one difference. Rukia was inside. With that in mind, he allowed himself to close his eyes and he fell asleep in an instant.

…

Several weeks since then has passed and that awareness that Ichigo had glimpsed has spread and morphed into something else. During the school day, when she sat at the desk to his right, he felt tranquil. When they sat cross-legged on the floor of the school rooftop during lunch, their knees would be slightly touching and he didn't mind when Keigo would talk nonstop about something lame. When they walked home together after school, the silence between them was refreshing.

And then when a hollow would crash into town it was Ichigo's turn to sit back and watch Rukia fight. At the beginning, Ichigo had did all of the fighting because Rukia had lost her powers. But now she was a lieutenant and Ichigo finally realized just how powerful she was. Watching Rukia fight was like watching a ballerina dance; the gracefulness, the discipline, the agility. Ichigo didn't think he ever saw something so beautiful.

They would take turns fighting hollows and sometimes they would fight the hollow together- jumping over each other, spinning side by side, and Ichigo couldn't get the image out of his head that they were actually dancing together. And then they would flash step back home, bickering all the while, and Ichigo would be smiling without realizing it.

It was after the first snow had fallen in Karakura Town that Ichigo was finally able to identify his feelings toward Rukia as love. It was after midnight and Rukia had shaken him awake.

"What is it, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, groggily "Hollow?"

Rukia was already in spirit form and she hushed him and gestured that she was still on her spirit phone. He watched as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line, her expression and posture professional. "Right away. No, no back up is required. Yes. Thank you."

Rukia flipped her phone shut and she looked at Ichigo. "A mission?" He mumbled through a yawn, swinging his legs off to the side of the bed.

"Yeah, it turns out that a group of high-level hollows are about to enter the living world."

"High-level? Where?"

"A few miles outside of Karakura Town, north." She threw his substitute-shinigami badge at him, and he caught it smartly. "Suit up. We need to leave now if we are to make it there on time." She jumped over him and pulled the window open and jumped out in one fluid motion.

Rukia was already out of sight and he cursed under his breath when he heard her call him a slowpoke. "I'll show you who's slow," he grumbled, pressing the badge against his chest and transformed into a Shinigami.

As soon as he jumped outside his window he felt the winter air prickle his skin. If he wasn't fully awake before, he was now. His breath fogged before him as he raced toward Rukia's reiatsu. He caught up with her readily enough. She was running languidly in the snow, no doubt waiting for him, kicking the white frost with her feet and her hands catching some flakes that fell out of the sky.

Ichigo took a moment to view her. Watching as her short, dark hair got dotted with white specks. He watched as she smiled, looking nothing like her age, as the moonlight above bathed her in a brilliance that rivaled any great work of art. She then noticed him. Her violet-colored eyes shined with mirth and her lips were curling up into a challenging smile. "Let's go!"

She then disappeared out of his sight again, moving faster than he thought she was capable of. Ichigo felt his heart skip a beat, the simple feeling of discovering something new about her- filled him up with warmth despite the winter night. "Always a surprise," he whispered to himself. He focused his reiatsu to his feet and flash stepped after her.

He arrived just in time to see Rukia engaged in a fight with a hollow that was easily ten times her size. Since they were several miles outside of Karakura Town, the city lights didn't reach them and the land was covered in shadows. Out of those shadows two more monstrous hollows appeared and attacked Ichigo.

These hollows were stronger and quicker than he had anticipated and one of them was able to scrape his arm. In his mind he could hear Rukia's voice, one of the lessons she had taught him in the beginning of his shinigami days becoming clear in his mind. 'Never underestimate your enemy.'

He killed the larger of the two hollows before him and was ready to attack the next one when he noticed that two more hollows appeared and were about to attack Rukia. But she was ready for them. She released her zanpakuto and unleashed her first dance. All three hollows were incased in ice. Two of the three hollows diminished but the third one was able to break through the ice. It gave a loud shriek and charged at Rukia.

Rukia was tackled down. The wind knocked out of her and she watched as the hollow pulled a clawed hand back in order to strike a blow. She held her zanpakuto out in front of her, ready to block it the best she can, but the blow never came. She looked up to see that Ichigo blocked the blow for her and he was grinding his teeth hard from the impact.

From the left, a hollow was coming up fast and Rukia rolled out from under Ichigo and engaged it. She killed it in one blow and watched as Ichigo killed two monstrous hollows in a roll. But it wasn't over yet. Out of the shadows, four high-level hollows appeared; their size nearly doubling the previous hollows.

She heard Ichigo curse under his breath and she muttered a curse of her own. Three hollows charged at her and she was only able to block two, the third one dug a claw into her side and she hissed in pain and flash stepped away in order to get her bearings.

It was the wrong move to make. Before she knew it she was surrounded by six hollows that were lying in wait. And she was much too far away from Ichigo to call for help. She was overwhelmed and she knew she couldn't defend herself against all six of them.

Rukia felt, rather than saw, Ichigo activate his bankai. He raced to her position and took out three of the hollows easily. The other three were able to pounce on Rukia and she was knocked hard into a nearby tree.

"Rukia!" Ichigo called, alarmed when he saw a line of blood trickle down her chin. He tried to focus on the hollow before him but he was too angry. He killed two more but he failed to see the one that sneaked up behind him. The large hollow sank his teeth into Ichigo's shoulder rendering him immobile. Another hollow raked his claws down his leg.

Ichigo spit out a curse and killed the ones on top of him. More were coming out of the shadows and Ichigo felt like he could barely stand. All of a sudden, Rukia's reiatsu exploded. A wave of freezing razor-sharp ice sailed past him and hit the surrounding hollows at full speed. More were already appearing.

All of a sudden a hand gripped his forearm and tugged. "Ichigo!" Rukia yelled, "We need to retreat!"

Ichigo agreed and he let her lead him out of the pit of hollows. The slashes down his leg gave him a sever limp and Rukia pulled his arm over her shoulder and carried the weight off the injured leg. "They're following!" Rukia exclaimed.

They flash stepped away as quickly as they could. They made it back into Karakura Town but on the opposite end of where Ichigo lived. "For the best," Rukia mumbled. "We don't want to lead them back to your family."

"You're right. But then there's nowhere to retreat."

Rukia shook her head, her short raven hair sticking to her forehead from the sweat. "I know a place. But these hollows can't see us entering it."

It took over ten minutes to lose the hollows. Ichigo, all the while losing blood and was on the verge of passing out. Before he knew it they were in an empty warehouse and Rukia was standing over him, concern written on her face.

She pulled back his collar and he groaned in pain. "That hollow took a big bite out of you." Her amethyst eyes traced the large gash and the blood that tainted his neck. "Stand up, Ichigo, there's some stairs on the other side of the warehouse. There's supplies up there to clean your wounds"

Ichigo nodded his head and together they trotted up the stairs. He saw a large cot in the far corner of the room and Rukia gestured toward it. He collapsed onto it, knowing full well that he was staining it with his blood but not caring much. Rukia made her way to the other corner where a large sink with a spray was located. She somehow located a towel and she was drenching it with water. Above the sink she opened a rusty cabinet that screeched loudly and she pulled out a roll of bandages and ointment.

"What is this place?" Ichigo mumbled, a bit surprised that Rukia knew her way around so well. He was starting to feel sleepy again.

"This is a safe house," she replied. She put the supplies down beside the cot and then grabbed a large bowl and filled it up with water. When that was done she grabbed some candles, seemingly out of nowhere, and lit them up for much needed light. She then kneeled down before Ichigo and proceeded to pull his leg forward. He hissed in pain and almost fell onto his back; he had to stop himself by using his forearms.

"Hey, I am injured, you know!" Ichigo yelled, feeling much more awake and somewhat dizzy.

Rukia ignored him. She pushed the bottom of his hakama aside and viewed the large gash on his leg. Using the towel she wiped away as much blood as she can.

Ichigo hissed in pain again. "You are a horrible nurse," he muttered. "You could show a little more care, you know?" His amber colored eyes lifted to see a frown on Rukia's face.

"Idiot," she whispered. She gripped the towel tighter but she moved it much slower around his wound. He watched as she dipped the towel into the bowl of water and squeezed the excess off. The bowl of water turned red and Rukia's eyes were downcast. "You are always so reckless." She whispered.

Ichigo was about to retort angrily but something in her voice stopped him. Instead he just huffed and Rukia went back to cleaning his wound. They were silent, Ichigo openly watching her. Her small hands working light and fast and Ichigo wanting to take back that "horrible nurse" comment. When she stood up to get a fresh bowl of water he decided to ask more about the warehouse they were in.

"This is a safe house, you said?"

Rukia nodded her head, the stray lock of hair in the middle of her forehead being tucked behind her ear absently. "Yes, actually before I began to stay at your house this is where I would sleep."

Ichigo frowned. "What do you mean?"

Rukia returned to kneel before him. She had the new bowl of water and also a small cup that she gave to Ichigo to drink. He took it gladly and gulped it down. "When Shinigami's are sent on a mission in the real world it could last for days, or months, or in some cases even years. It depends on the location and the number of hollows that appear daily."

Ichigo nodded his head in understanding and he observed as she dressed his wound.

"In my case," Rukia continued, "my mission was to last a couple of months. Some Shinigami's prefer to sleep outside, on top of buildings or something like that; but those who don't have these safe houses to enter. There are three in total in this town alone."

"So it's just a place to crash." Ichigo summarized.

Rukia raised an eyebrow and gave a small smile. "It's much more than that, dummy." She moved closer to him and Ichigo suddenly felt self-conscious.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo had unknowingly lowered his voice. She got even closer to him and Ichigo could see blue specks in her eyes.

"You have a big bite taken out of your shoulder, Ichigo." Rukia replied smoothly.

Ichigo inwardly cursed. How could he have forgotten about that? Rukia pulled his kimono aside and even though it hurt like hell, the wound sensitive to the fabric, he couldn't help but blush at how intimate everything seemed. They were alone. Her hands were touching his neck and chest. It was the middle of the night and the only constant sound was that of the wind howling outside and striking against the dirty windows of the warehouse. The candlelight was flickering and was casting a low glow around them.

She was so close to him that he could feel her breath fan against his skin. "What do you mean, 'it does much more than that'?" He asked, hoping to fend off the sudden awareness by going back to their previous conversation.

Rukia had moved away to rinse the towel but now she was much closer than before as she began to wipe away the blood from his shoulder and chest. "Remember when I said that we had to lose those hollows first?" She asked, her fingers brushing against his bare chest. Ichigo had to take a moment to process the question because he was watching the way her lips were moving.

"Um…yeah, we ran around for over ten minutes trying to lose those fuckers." Ichigo flinched and released a small painful groan. This wound was much larger and deeper than the one on his leg. Rukia used both her hands to steady him, one on his uninjured shoulder and the other on his knee.

"Sorry, Ichigo," She winced in sympathy. "Try to hold still." She went back to removing the blood and Ichigo tried to ignore the hand that remained on his knee.

Ichigo cleared his throat, rapidly wishing he had more water to drink. "Um, you were saying?"

"That's right. This safe house and all others like it have a barrier surrounding it. It's much like my gigai in a sense. When a shinigami is injured they enter a gigai to heal. The gigai masks their reiatsu so that hollows won't find them when they're most vulnerable."

"Ah," Ichigo sounded, not really interested anymore but wanting Rukia to keep talking. The way she would occasionally look away from cleaning his wound to lock eyes made his skin warm.

"So once we entered this safe house the hollows that were following us lost our trail." She tossed the towel aside and placed her hands together. She mumbled under her breath and Ichigo watched as her hands glowed and the power of her healing reiatsu wash over him "The barriers around the safe houses are not all that strong though." She continued. "It's strong enough to mask our reiatsu but not enough that if they knew we were inside here and they began to attack the barrier it could fall."

"I got it," Ichigo said, feeling much better as Rukia's reiatsu knitted him back together. He saw her breathing pattern change from the exhaustion. "I'm okay now, Rukia. You should save some energy for your own wounds." Without thinking he reached out with one hand and cupped the side of her face that was beginning to turn black and blue. She was already so close and it just felt natural. Her eyes stared into his and Ichigo's awareness of her expanded.

Ichigo couldn't look away; the familiarity, her presence, her scent, everything just seemed to magnify. It was right then, in a moment of perfect clarity, that Ichigo finally understood all those new feelings that have been building up inside of him. He was staring into her eyes and everything just felt right. He thought, and not for the first time or last, that she was beautiful.

The candlelight seemed to dance in the room, the air shifting around them. Ichigo sensed it and he was sure that Rukia did as well. Ichigo's reiatsu spiked and brushed against her, Rukia's own reiatsu responded. Her eyelids lowered and Ichigo could feel her temperature rise through the palm of his hand. The urge to kiss her, to move closer to her, was almost overwhelming. Never had he felt something like this, a feeling so raw that it sped up his heart. He shifted on the cot, his hand moving from her cheek to the back of her neck; his fingers stirring Rukia's short hair and making her shiver.

Ichigo saw Rukia's breath hitch when he tilted his head and leaned forward. His nerves were jumping but he was encouraged when Rukia showed no signs of backing away. He was about to claim her lips, he was about to grab her and pull her close, but the damn shrieking beep of Rukia's cellphone startled them apart.

Rukia jumped back and for a moment they stared at each other in surprise. The cellphone beeped again and Ichigo watched as she fumbled with the device, taking steps back as she did so. Her cheeks and ears were bright red and Ichigo knew that his were as well.

She was reading something on the small screen and Ichigo awkwardly realized that his kimono was left wide open. He pulled it together, covering his freshly healed wound, and he stood up from the cot and flexed his sore muscles.

Rukia's back was to him and he waited until she faced him. "What was the alert about?" he asked, hoping it wasn't another hollow.

Rukia's cheeks were no longer red but she wouldn't meet his eyes for more than a second. "The hollows that were following us have returned to Hueco Mundo. It is safe to return to your house now."

"Ah," Ichigo sounded, scratching his head in awkwardness. "About before-"

"We should hurry back. You should try to get as much sleep as you can. You still have school tomorrow after all." She interrupted, already making her way to the stairway that would lead to the exit.

Ichigo felt his heart clench as he watched her walk away, his throat dry- disabling him from saying anything. They made their way back to Ichigo's home readily enough; Rukia keeping a few paces ahead of Ichigo and Ichigo fighting within himself on whether or not to do or say something. He hadn't yet decided when they jumped through his window but by then Rukia was mumbling a 'goodnight' and left to sleep in the twins room.

Ichigo inwardly groaned in frustration. He sat heavily on his bed, his head in his hands and he cursed his luck. If only that fucking alert didn't go off, he thought. He could feel his heart speed up by just thinking about what would have happened. Not only that…he still wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull her close and validate all his feelings for her. And he knew, just knew that Rukia was feeling something too.

Ichigo didn't even realize he was still in Shinigami form until his real body walked into the room. Ichigo blinked, a random thought entering in his head that this was an out of body experience just to see how pathetic he must look right now.

"Why was Nee-san rushing out of here?" His body asked.

Ichigo blinked and then scowled. "Kon! What the hell are you doing in my body?"

Kon folded his arms across his chest and stuck out his tongue. Ichigo thought that he would never get used to seeing his body and face in such a ridiculous position. "You and Nee-san woke me up! I figured I'll get some shopping done now, since you've been so mean about your body usage."

Ichigo cursed loudly and threw his shinigami badge at Kon. Kon managed to dodge and Ichigo jumped off the bed and tackled him.

"Ahhh," Kon shrieked.

"Shut up and get out of my body!"

Ichigo finally managed to press the badge against Kon. Kon, in pill form, rolled out of Ichigo's mouth. Ichigo held the pill between his forefinger and thumb and smirked. "Let's see what you went shopping for…" he grabbed at the plastic bag that was by the doorway. Teasing Kon always relieved some stress and he was glad to have something to distract him.

"Candy," Ichigo said, tossing the bag of skittles and jolly ranchers onto his desk, every intention on keeping them. The pill managed to escape Ichigo's hand and it bounced toward and inside the stuffed lion that was Kon's default body. It only took a second for the stuffed lion to fumble upward, his stuffed paws and beady black eyes expressing anger.

"Ichigo!" Kon shrieked, enraged. He ran toward Ichigo, intent on taking back the plastic bag of goodies but Ichigo easily held him back with one hand.

"Wait, I'm not done taking a look," Ichigo drawled. The orange-head reached into the bag and took out the next item. "Streamers? What the Hell?"

Kon huffed and folded his arms across his small, stuffed chest. "It's for Ishida's birthday party, of course."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Right, just what he needs." He reached into the bag again and this time he pulled out a small stuffed toy, the big head of Chappy the Rabbit on top of a small body. Ichigo lifted an eyebrow, "Into the Chappy craze now?"

"No, you idiot! It's a surprise present for Nee-san!"

Suddenly reminded of Rukia, Ichigo recalled the almost kiss and his stomach lurched. "Don't spoil that midget!" He didn't know why he sounded so angry.

Kon didn't seem to notice and he gave a condescending look, well, as close as a stuffed lion could give a condescending look. "Nee-san is a beautiful princess. She deserves to be spoiled! Since no one else is spoiling her, I will!"

Ichigo felt like choking him. "Shut up! And how did you pay for all this junk anyway?" Kon played dumb and Ichigo hissed. "Next time you steal my money, I'm kicking your ass!" In one smooth movement he grabbed the stuff lion and threw him out the open window. He closed it and proceeded to lock it, ignoring Kon's cries and curses.

The Substitute Shinigami climbed back into his real body; a sensation that was odd, his first breath back inside always feeling effervescent. He sighed, suddenly realizing just how late it was, and he flopped onto his bed carelessly. Automatically his eyes trained on the closed closet and Ichigo felt his chest collapse knowing that she wasn't inside.

He sighed again, feeling like a dejected old man and an eager teenager all at once. On the floor remained the small, stuffed Chappy doll and Ichigo picked it up and tossed it between his two hands, back and forth. "A princess, huh?" The Orange-head muttered, remembering Kon's words. "She does belong to a Noble Family," he mused. "And Byakuya's as close to a fucking prince that I've ever seen."

Ichigo tossed the rabbit high in the air and caught it on the way down. He decided that he will be the one to give Rukia the stuff rabbit. He would do it on the way to school tomorrow. "Only I'm allowed to spoil her." For some reason he needed to say it aloud.

Ichigo yawned and closed his eyes. He fell asleep with his blanket on the floor, his pillow crooked, and the stuffed Chappy doll pressed above his heart.

…

Ichigo overslept. He woke up with a start; his internal alarm clock was going crazy while the one on his desk stayed silent. He almost tripped when he was pulling up his jeans. "Shit!" He cursed. "Where's my shirt?" He grabbed at the first one that smelled clean, seized the book bag that he didn't even open the night before, and jumped out the window. He was reminded of Rukia as he did so and he jumped back through to get the Chappy doll that was still on the bed.

The orange-head was just in time for his third class and he walked to his desk ignoring all the "overslept remarks" and knowing smiles turned his way by his classmates. He sat heavily on his desk and leaned toward Rukia who was sitting next to him. "Why didn't you wake me up?" He hissed.

Rukia didn't even look at him as she replied; her attention presumably on the teacher at the front of the class. "I figured you could use the sleep and it seems I was right."

Ichigo grumbled. "You still shoulda woken me up. Now I missed my first two classes."

Rukia tossed him her notebook smoothly. "Don't be a grouch. I took notes for you."

Ichigo fingered the notebook, a big sticker of Chappy the Rabbit on the cover and Rukia's pristine writing a big contrast. He muttered a thank you and began copying the notes. He tuned out the teachers lecture and even though he knew the notes were important he mostly just skimmed though them- his attention constantly returning on Rukia.

She was sitting like she always did. Her legs crossed under the desk, her arms overlapped on top, and her back and neck straight. He used to make fun of her. He used to snarl at her for making a show of being a model student. But now he realized something. She was just being herself. Her unflawed posture was no show. She was truly a princess, an old fashion gal who was smart and proper.

Ichigo couldn't help but smile because he also knew Rukia's other side. When they were alone, away from the crowding halls of the high school and flocking pedestrians of the city streets- Rukia's street-rat attitude barreled into them like an incoming train. He liked to think that he was the only one who got to hear Rukia's sailor mouth, who got to feel her mean right-hook, and hear the way she made sarcasm into a whole other language.

Everything about her shined and stood apart without even trying. She was one in a million and it took all this time for Ichigo to realize it. His eyes traveled up her form, wondering how her legs seemed so long and appreciating her snow-white skin. Ichigo blushed crimson at his thoughts, feeling perverted and feeling much worse when the almost-kiss from last night entered his head. He blamed those damn candles because the candlelight complimented her and made everything surreal.

He was trying on focus his thoughts on something else, his eyes staring at his desk, when he concluded that it was useless he looked back up to see Rukia staring at him. He couldn't help but blush again and she raised an eyebrow in question. Ichigo hoped he wasn't as transparent as he felt. He cleared his throat and made a show of concentrating on the teacher at the front of the class.

After a moment Rukia looked away and Ichigo sighed in relief, a hand running through his orange hair and his heartbeat going back to normal. Instantly, he knew he was in trouble; he was in deep.

The rest of the school day was spent with Ichigo reading and rereading the same paragraph out of his history book. When the bell rang he looked for Rukia and saw her retreating back already past the school gates. He rushed toward her. Is she trying to ditch me? he thought, feeling kind of pissed.

He matched her pace, slung his bag over his shoulder, and looked sideways at her. "You in a hurry or something?"

She shrugged and continued looking forward. "Not really."

Ichigo wondered if she was feeling awkward about last night. It made his step falter because he didn't know if it was a good or bad sign. Not knowing what else to say, he opened his bag and pulled out the Chappy doll. He figured that giving it to her would break the tension and he was right.

She was still looking forward and Ichigo had to wave the doll obnoxiously in front of her face. Rukia's eyes lit up like fireworks in the night sky. Her lips curled up into a huge smile that made Ichigo's breath catch in his throat. She swiped Chappy out of his hands and squeezed it to her chest.

"Ohhh, the new edition of Chappy!" She squealed with glee. "Is this for me, Ichigo?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, feeling ridiculously shy. "Of course it is, Midget."

He saw Rukia's eyes narrow from the midget comment but she didn't say anything and her smile stayed in place. She squeezed the doll to her chest again. Her chin rested on top and her short hair covered one of the bunny ears, Ichigo wondered if it was healthy to be jealous of a stuffed toy.

"Thank you," She said sincerely, looking him right in the eyes.

Ichigo's earlier thought that he was in deep was just confirmed by the way she looked at him.

"No problem," Ichigo whispered in reply. They walked the rest of the way home in companionable silence, any awkwardness from before gone as the sun shifted in the sky and the wind swirled and followed behind them.

…

It was exactly four days later when another almost-kiss occurred. This time there was no candlelight to blame it on. It didn't occur in the middle of the night in an empty warehouse where everything seemed surreal.

It was on a Saturday. Ichigo remembered hearing Kon ramble on about 'great valleys' or something, when he must of fell asleep because the next thing he knew he was woken up by a heavy basketball landing on his ribcage.

Rukia was standing next to his bed with her hands on her hips.

"What the hell, Rukia!" He complained. The sun was still high up in the sky and it blinded Ichigo who was right by the window. He grumpily pulled the curtain shut and he grabbed the basketball that was in his lap. "What the hell is this?"

"It's called a basketball, I believe."

"I know what it is! I'm asking why you pummeled me with it in my sleep!"

"Don't be so dramatic, Ichigo, it's unbecoming."

Ichigo rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tossed Rukia the basketball blindly. "Says you. Now what's going on?"

"Tatsuki asked me to join her basketball game. She's short one member since someone got injured."

"Is that so," Ichigo drawled, uninterested and wondering just what time it was.

"Yes, so tell me Ichigo- How do you play this game called 'basketball'?"

Ichigo blinked at her. "Wait, you told Tatsuki that you would join but you have no idea how to play basketball?" He didn't let Rukia reply, "Of course, you did." He concluded with a shake of his head.

Rukia glowered at him. "And what does that mean!"

"It means you're an idiot," Ichigo said bluntly, still feeling grumpy since his nap was interrupted. He got a face-full of basketball for that comment. He groaned in pain and he held his nose. "You crazy, midget! You coulda broken my nose!" He narrowly dodged his history book that Rukia snagged off his desk and threw at him. "Stop throwing stuff!"

"Take it back!"

"No!"

Within seconds Ichigo jumped off his bed and he grabbed Rukia's arm that was holding a very sharp paperweight. A small struggle broke out and Ichigo tripped on the basketball and accidently stumbled forward-unintentionally pushing Rukia against the closed closet door, the impact making her lose her grip on the paperweight. She aimed a punch at his jaw that luckily, for Ichigo, didn't connect.

"Take it back!"

Ichigo looked down at her and he had to pin both her wrists to the door in order to stop her from trying to punch him again. "Take what back?" he teased, suddenly feeling giddy, his palms and fingers tingling from the skin contact and being able to feel her pulse.

"For calling me an idiot," Rukia hissed.

Her raven hair was ruffled and her eyes were brilliantly bright, Ichigo felt like he was hit by a sledgehammer. He suddenly realized just how near her he was. Their chests were in danger of brushing against each other with every breath. He began to feel dizzy from their close proximately, the scent of freshly fallen snow filling his nostrils.

Rukia stared up at him. Her anger leaving her eyes when she sensed the change in the atmosphere. She felt Ichigo's grip on her wrists loosen and that he had shifted even closer, the fabric of his shirt touching hers.

"I take it back," Ichigo whispered. He had never been intoxicated before but he was sure that it felt something like this. "You're not an idiot." It's been four sleepless nights. "Far from it, actually." All he's wanted to do, all that he's been able to think about, was to kiss her. "So I take it back," He's been waiting for another moment to rectify that missed opportunity in that candlelit safe house.

He leaned down, holding his breath when his hair and nose touched hers, she closed her eyes and he followed suit. They were a breath apart when Karin's loud voice sliced through the air like a blade.

"Ichi-nii! Yuzu needs groceries for dinner!"

Once again they were startled apart. Rukia ripped her hands from his grip and turned away from him. Ichigo felt like that sledgehammer had hit him again, harder this time. He felt frustration more than embarrassment as he looked at Rukia's turned back. He cursed in his head and he cursed aloud when there was a knock at his door and it was opened by Karin.

His sister's head popped in through the gap. "Did you hear me, Ichi-nii?" Karin blinked when there was no answer forthcoming. Her dark eyes glanced at Rukia and then at Ichigo in curiosity. She smirked in mirth, "I'm not interrupting am I?"

Ichigo didn't even try to deny it, "I heard you. I'll be down in a second."

Karin smirked again before she closed the door and they heard her footsteps going down the stairs. Ichigo rubbed his orange spikes, his frustration still there but embarrassment creeping in.

"Rukia"

"Ichigo"

They had both spoken at the same time and they looked at each other and just as suddenly they began to laugh. Tension, confusion, and everything that was between them, making them both lightheaded with uncontrolled laughter and nervous energy.

When their laughter quieted down they stared at one another; Ichigo wanting to say something but afraid that he would break the spell that had cast itself around the room and that had enveloped them warmly. He had even taken a step toward her, the thought of completing that kiss as tempting as ever. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be because in the next moment Karin's loud voice rang up the stairs and through his bedroom door.

"Fucking hell," Ichigo muttered. He swung his door open; "I'm coming!" he looked at Rukia once more and only groaned dramatically.

Rukia laughed behind her hand and she watched him leave through the door and close it behind him.

What neither of them saw was their mirror reaction of reddening cheeks and speeding hearts, their reiatsu calling and trying to pull them together even as Ichigo walked down the stairs and out of the house.

…

"Why the hell am I here again?" Ichigo droned, the cup of lemonade in his hand already warm.

Inoue's lively smile didn't falter even though Ichigo's frown deepened. "It's Ishida's birthday, Kurosaki-kun!" She clapped her hands together once. "Ishida-kun looks like he's having a great time!"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and looked across the room where Ishida was standing. His face was impassive but Ichigo knew he was annoyed because Keigo was running his mouth nonstop. "Sure," Ichigo replied, unconvincingly. Inoue didn't seem to notice though.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Inoue exclaimed, "I'm going to welcome Tatsuki-chan to the party." She said to Ichigo and then disappeared.

Ichigo mindlessly took a gulp of lemonade and regretted doing so when the warm liquid coated his throat. He looked up from the rim of his cup and stared with disdain at the colorful streamers that hanged from the ceiling of Ishida's home. He remembered when he had first entered Ishida's home- the grandeur and Ishida's superior attitude finally making sense. Ishida was freaking rich! The place was practically a mansion. Now, with the small party crowd, the streamers and balloons, tables full of trays of food- it looked like Party City threw up in the place. His gaze traveled through the crowd, consciously and unconsciously, looking Rukia who had yet to show up.

He saw Kon, who was in his stuffed lion body, jump from table to table- stuffing his little face with the appetizers that Inoue laid out and nobody had gone near. He mused that the odd sight of a walking-talking stuffed animal was becoming commonplace among them.

Around five minutes later, Ichigo becoming increasingly bored, Rukia finally appeared. The plastic cup in his hand about slip out of his grip from the sight of her. She had on a short, too-short, pure white dress that shaped the outline of her body. Even though it was an innocent causal-looking dress, his blood pressure rose and his first reaction was an overreaction- especially when he saw Keigo and many of the others in the party turn her way. His blood seemed to boil in his veins and ring in his ears.

"You look absolutely stunning!" Keigo practically screamed, running towards her with open arms. Luckily, before he was able to reach Rukia, Tatsuki pulled on his collar and held him back.

Rukia was putting on the schoolgirl act, her voice a pitch higher than normal as she gushed at the compliments and wished Ishida a happy birthday. Even Chad complimented her and Chizuru had to also be held back by Tatsuki. Even though Rukia was surround by people and she was smiling- her smile didn't reach her eyes until she spotted Ichigo through the crowd on the other side of the room.

Ichigo felt his breath suspended in his lungs when their eyes locked. The air suddenly steady and the random conversations in the party muffled.

The party rapidly became interesting and Ichigo didn't mind his cup of warm lemonade and the fact that Kon was trying to start a food fight. He was well aware that he was staring at Rukia, who was still surrounded by his friends and classmates, but he didn't care.

His blood still boiled when he noted Mizuiro's appreciative glances. Without realizing it his hands were clenched and he forced himself to relax. Ichigo crushed his empty plastic cup in the palm of his hand and blindly threw it, unintentionally contributing to Kon's food fight, when Rukia began to make her way toward him.

Without blinking, Rukia dodged a slice of peanut butter-covered apple pie and ducked a cup full of lemonade that went sailing over her head. She made it to his side without a drop falling on her white dress and she playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

"Enjoying the party, Ichigo?" She asked. "I've never been to a birthday party before. Well, not in the real world anyway. Is a food fight customarily?"

Ichigo shook his head, "Not usually. Kon is just being a jackass."

"I see," Rukia replied. Her large violet-colored eyes seemed to take in the room all at once. Ichigo saw her smile when Chad got a face-full of whip creamed covered cake.

A cherry flew past Ichigo's ear and without thinking he grabbed onto Rukia's hand and tugged until she followed. "Where are we going, Ichigo?"

"Away from here," He answered.

Surprisingly, Rukia didn't argue and she let herself be let out the back of Ishida's large home. As soon as he closed the screen door, the sounds of the party-turned-food fight was subdued.

Ishida's backyard was ridiculously picturesque, giant trees to each side of them and benches spread throughout as though it was a park. Ichigo felt like he was in a romance movie.

He cleared his throat, heart already speeding in his chest. "Um,…That dress,…you look beautiful in it." He couldn't believe he just blurted that out.

Rukia looked up at him and gave him a small private smile. "Thank you."

With his heart trying to escape his ribcage, words left his mouth without thinking. "But does it have to be so short. You look like you're advertising."

Rukia narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"You shouldn't wear clothes like that. People are going to get the wrong idea."

Rukia scoffed unladylike. "Excuse me, but didn't you just tell me that I look, and I quote, 'beautiful.'"

Ichigo's blood rang in his ears again. "Yeah, but I'm the only one who can say that. You start wearing clothes like that then everybody-" Ichigo stopped himself in midsentence, realization hitting him hard. It no longer felt like a sledgehammer but more like a train at full speed.

Rukia's cheeks colored slightly but she stood up straighter with confidence. "Is that so? Well, I hate to break it to you, Ichigo, but people had called me beautiful before, and with me wearing more raggedy clothes I may add."

Ichigo huffed, not knowing if he should be annoyed or amused. "Full of yourself, aren't ya?"

Rukia looked sideways at him. "I could say the same for you."

Ichigo ended up grinning because he didn't know what to say to that. They had never really talked like this, flirting and dancing around each other so obviously. Even though it was new, it still felt natural, a natural progress of their relationship.

The backdoor opened and Keigo dashed into their private moment along with the sounds of the party on his heels like a tornado. He looked at the two of them with eyes full of tears. "Ichigo! How dare you take Kuchiki-san aside and take advantage of her!"

Ichigo punched him square in the jaw without a second thought. Keigo hit the floor and Ichigo turned and held out his hand for Rukia and said, "Care to get back to the party?"

She smiled and took his hand. Despite the major food fight going on Rukia never did get a drop on her dress, and Ichigo was simply amazed.

…

The next couple of days passed by like a blur for Ichigo. Their daily bickering had somehow turned into flirtatious banter, knowing looks, and more almost kisses that drove Ichigo crazy. It was during one of their nightly patrols where Ichigo couldn't hold back anymore.

He watched her slice her zanpakuto through the mask of a hollow. She landed gracefully on her feet and sheathed her blade in one fluid motion. She turned toward him, the lieutenant badge on her arm reflecting off the street lamp and her amethyst-colored eyes doing the same. The hollow gave out a dying shriek behind her and disappeared into oblivion.

"Piece of cake," she said, rubbing her hands together in accomplishment.

That skipping of a beat of his heart and the butterflies swarming his stomach was becoming increasingly familiar. She walked to his side casually, her feet kicking up snow and making soft crunching noises.

She exhaled; her breath can be seen floating in front of her because of the winter air. "Should we call it a night, Ichigo?" She asked.

"How about one more patrol around the park?" He said, not wanting the night to end quite yet, he was enjoying the night air and having Rukia all too himself. Lately, it seemed that they were always being interrupted. He hoped that the hollow they just vanquished would stop any other hollows from showing up tonight, but he couldn't be so sure since hollows aren't known for their smarts.

Rukia readily agreed and they began walking. Not five minutes later Rukia's spirit phone began to beep and Ichigo groaned in exasperation. She raised an eyebrow at his reaction and reached for her phone but Ichigo swiped it out of her grip before she got to look at the screen.

Ichigo peered at the screen and read the readings quickly. "It's just a low level hollow across town. It's actually near Chad's apartment. He can get it." He shut off the phone.

"Hey, don't turn off the phone!"

"Either I turn off the phone or I throw it away, your call." Ichigo scowled, tossing the phone back to her to put away.

"What's your problem?" Rukia asked, tucking the silenced phone into her pocket.

"My problem?" Ichigo bellowed, unable to control himself. "What's that fucking phone's problem?" He was waving his hand about like a crazy person. "It seems like every time we have a spare minute together- that phone goes off just to spite me!"

Rukia rolled her eyes. She too had noticed that her phone's been going off more and more lately but it wasn't like it could be helped. "Don't be ridiculous, Ichigo." She reprimanded.

Ichigo took a step toward her and then another so that Rukia was forced to back up into a tree. The roughness of the truck could be felt through her kimono and she looked up at Ichigo in surprise as he trapped her between his extended arms.

"Is it ridiculous to want to be alone with you?" He asked without pretense. Even though he liked their dancing around the subject he was getting tired of the same old waltz. "I don't think I can stand another interruption."

He saw her cheeks redden and Ichigo wondered if she knew how to tango. He could hear the music already. It was the beating of her heart, the beating of his, the wind, the snow that was now falling as if on cue and the way the branches of the tree beside them creaked and swayed. And if Rukia herself was a song she would have been composed by a genius. Her song performed by a one-hundred man orchestra in the grandest theater mankind could build, but it still wouldn't sound right to his ears unless it was intertwined with the song that was playing now- his song, their song.

Feeling sappy, excited, and all kinds of nervous he finally did what he's been dying to do since she came back into his world. He kissed her.

He firmly pressed his lips against hers and he breathed in her fresh scent through his nose. He curled an arm around her slim waist without hesitation and pulled her against him. He felt her hands touch his chest, travel up his arms, and then wrap around his neck. That song that was a low hum before- blared into life; a new verse added that Ichigo had been longing to hear.

Her mouth opened slightly and Ichigo eagerly did the same. He wondered if she knew that this was his first kiss. There was a moment where their lips missed, also where their tongues brushed together accidently and shyly, and where air was neglected- But it was perfect. It was intense enough for Ichigo to feel his fingers tingling and feel his heart thumping to the toes of his feet.

It ended much too soon when Rukia began to push against his chest. She pushed hard enough to separate them and Ichigo looked down at her in confusion while his lungs took in much needed air. "What is it?" he breathed when Rukia took a step away, he didn't let her go far though because his arm was still wrapped around her waist. "What's wrong?"

Rukia was breathing heavily and her eyes were wet. "No, we can't do this." She didn't sound like the Rukia he knew. "This…This is wrong."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes in uncertainty. The sweet taste that Rukia had left in his mouth turning sour. "What are you saying?"

Rukia pushed against his chest again but Ichigo didn't budge. The snow was falling heavier and the wind was picking up, the streetlamps flickered but neither of them noticed. All Ichigo could hear was their song fading in the distance. All he could see was Rukia's beautiful eyes looking lost.

"I should have stopped this at the beginning. I should never have let it get this far!" Rukia pushed away from him once again but it was a halfhearted attempt. Her voice was broken.

Ichigo felt panic raise up inside and he fought it down. "I don't know what you're going on about… but this…us, it isn't wrong!" he pulled her close, using his strength when she fought against him. "I think I'm in love with you. Hell, Rukia, I think I've been in love with you for a long time." He kissed her again. He didn't feel that words were enough to express just how he felt and he wanted to show her. He wanted to feel her heart beat against his. He wanted to hear their song playing again.

For a moment Rukia responded to the passionate kiss but then she broke completely away from him. She jerked like it physically hurt her to do so. "No!" She covered her mouth with her hand and her body trembled.

Ichigo felt cold. "No?"

"Don't you see, Ichigo?" Rukia's voice was returning to normal but it was laced with grief. "Soul Society would never allow it."

Ichigo's panic and frustration turned into anger. The cold left him and he felt his skin burning. "Soul Society!" He yelled. "Don't tell me that you're stopping this between us because of Soul Society!"

"Ichigo…"

"Fuck that!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Fuck Soul Society. Didn't you hear me before?" Ichigo felt like he swallowed gravel and he sounded like it too. "I love you. And dammit, Rukia, I know you love me too."

She jerked away from him again. "It doesn't matter how we feel about each other!" She looked up at the night sky. She seemed to be searching the stars for answers. "You're alive, Ichigo." Snow dotted her midnight hair. "I died a long, long time ago." The moonlight was blocked by a passing cloud. "A union between us is forbidden." She began to cry. "We live in two separate worlds."

Ichigo's heart broke at the sight of her. She suddenly seemed so fragile and small. He had never seen her cry so openly and he hoped he would never have to see it again. He approached her and she flash stepped away, much like a deer that leaps away at the sound of a branch snapping. One moment she was there and the next she was gone. Gone was the song between them also; the silence stretching and becoming unbearable.

Panic, grief, and anger filled him up. He felt his reiatsu flare but he did nothing to control it. He chased after her. The winter air stung his eyes and his feet were moving way too fast that he had to struggle not to stumble and fall. "Rukia!" he cried. His voice echoed off the buildings and down the street. "Rukia!"

He was afraid that she already left for Soul Society. He was terrified that he will never see her again.

"Rukia!" He jumped from building top to building top, hoping to spot her, following her reiatsu the best he could. Then suddenly his insides froze because he could no longer feel her reiatsu. She was truly gone. Ichigo's eyes ached, his lungs ached, and his arms ached, his heart…everything hurt. He felt like the world became a mighty stranger as he looked out over the snow-covered rooftops.

He clutched his hands and he turned around, he was fully prepared to crash into Urahara's shop and demand to be let into Soul Society- but he remembered something.

"Just maybe," he whispered, hope blooming inside of him.

…

"Seems like I was right," Ichigo's voice was low and it startled Rukia who was sitting on the corner of the cot.

Her head was in her hands and she looked up in surprise. "How did you know I was here?" Rukia demanded, that superior edge she always had in her voice making itself known. Her eyes were red and she sniffed.

Ichigo moved closer to her but he moved slowly because he feared she would run away again. "I didn't. It was a guess and I'm glad I was right." He looked around the safe house, noticing that nothing was different since the last time they were here. "Rukia…"

"No, Ichigo." She stood up abruptly and made a motion to leave.

"You can't just say 'no' and not expect me to react! I need more of a reason!" Ichigo moved in front of her, blocking her way to the staircase.

"I did give you a reason. Soul Society-"

"And I said, fuck Soul Society!" Ichigo didn't want to hear anything more about Soul Society and their ridiculous laws. "This is about you and me!" He got close enough to touch her but he restrained himself. "I told you how I feel about you…are you just going to ignore that?"

Rukia looked away from him, the dark corners of the safe house seeming to close in on them. "And I told you that we are part of two different worlds. We can't-"

"And that's where you're wrong, Rukia!" he risked touching her. He held her hand and felt her tremble. She looked up at him in hesitation. "We are not part of two separate worlds…" Ichigo never thought of himself as a romantic or that he was actually good with words but right now he was speaking from his heart. Words and feelings that had been filling up his soul- finally overflowing and being spoken aloud.

"Once we were part of two separate worlds… but that day that you gave me your Shinigami powers…" He could still feel her zanpakuto plunging into his heart. "You crashed into my world and altered it." He remembered the first time he felt his reiatsu course through his veins like electricity. "And don't say that you ruined or destroyed my world because even with the ups and down it's for the better. I have never felt so alive. I have never felt so powerful, never felt so certain that I can protect the ones I love!"

He desperately needed Rukia to understand. "Everything that I am is because of you." He was still holding her hand and he used his other hand to tilt her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "Don't you see, Rukia?" He smiled and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. "You are my world."

He heard her sob when she rushed to embrace him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she buried her face in his collarbone. Relief made Ichigo sigh in content and he hugged her back fiercely. Her heart beat in rhythm with his and all was right in the world.

She shifted to lean up towards him and she kissed him deeply. She briefly broke the kiss to speak. Her eyes sparkled in happiness and she smiled the most enchanting smile Ichigo's ever seen. "I love you too."

Ichigo dived in for another sweet kiss and Rukia responded fervently, making a silent promise that nothing would break them apart. Consequences that Soul Society and any other force, man or nature, which tries to pull them apart be damned and discarded.

Ichigo didn't know how long they stayed in that safe house, wrapped in one another's arms and sharing the same heart and breath, but he didn't care. Once outside that safe house, the snow had stopped falling and the night air was calm. Their world was prefect and Ichigo knew that they had to work hard to keep it that way. But he was ready. They both were.

"Let's go home," Ichigo stated. His hand was intertwined with Rukia's and she squeezed it in agreement and smiled.

-The End-

A/N: You have no idea how much I wanted to keep writing to maybe put in a Lime but this Fic just seemed way too innocent and fluffy to do it. Later, I just might write a sequel, lemon and all, about their trials on keeping their forbidden relationship.

Thank you for reading!