*Author's note*
I just wanted to apologize to you all for taking so long to bring this out. I think I rewrote this three times before i was satisfied, plus I had computer issues. The next chapter will come out much sooner!

Rukia laid on the couch, staring at the ceiling as she waited for Chrome to get home. The last few days were pretty busy for the both of them, the number of Hollows had been increasing since Tuesday, keeping Rukia busy for the most part. Between Chrome's school work and her job, the young girl was running herself ragged trying to do well in both parts. Hopefully today would be a bit more relaxing. She sat up when the sound of keys jingling caught her ear and shot off the couch when Chrome entered the door.

"I'm home…" The girl gasped mid yawn to see Rukia standing there. "Oh! Oh my gosh..." Chrome sighed in relief as she closed the door behind her. Rukia scratched the back of her head, feeling a bit stupid.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. How was school?" She asked, walking over and taking Chromes bag.

"It was okay. Not much happened today, so it was kind of slow." Chrome took off her shoes and walked in the main room, sitting on the couch. "So… I know we talked about it yesterday, but did you still want to get a yukata?" She asked quietly.

"Of course I do. Do you not want to anymore?" Rukia took her bag and set it on the counter and turned to Chrome. She shrugged in response.

"Well… I don't know… I'm sure most people will be wearing them, I know some of my friends will be. But… I don't know… I-I'm afraid that If I do buy one, I… I won't look very good in it…" She spoke softly and sadly. Rukia sat down next to her, shaking her head.

"Chrome, don't be silly. It's your choice, but if you want my opinion, I say get one. You deserve a little something for yourself." Besides, I think you would look gorgeous in one." She smiled and pat Chromes cheek, which was quickly turning red. "Okay, if you want to go, then go get ready. Even if you don't buy one, I'd still like to get one, and I would certainly like your opinion." She stood up and pulled Chrome up, who seemed to be in a bit of a daze. "Chrome? Hello?"

"O-okay…" She smiled at Rukia before heading toward the bathroom. "Thank you." She spoke happily before closing the door behind her. Rukia smiled and sat back down, crossing her legs. She was glad that Chrome understood her words, as they were true. She truly did believe Chrome would look nice in a yukata. Rukia herself had never worn them, she always wore a kimono during festivals and what not, but purchasing one of those here was out of the question.

Rukia looked up, escaping from her thoughts as Chrome left the bathroom and walked into her bedroom, still in her uniform. She appeared to be in a cheerier mood from when she came in.

"I'm ready to go." She called from her bedroom before coming out with her small purse. "Where is the store? And how much do you think it will cost?"She asked, looking through her wallet as Rukia folded her arms.

"Hmm. I'm not sure. It shouldn't cost too much more that what you bought the other day. But I can cover what you don't have in case you fall short."

"Are… are you sure?" Chrome looked up from her bag, startled.

"Well of course. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. Like I said, you deserve something nice." Rukia smiled and hopped off the couch. "Let's go. I remember seeing the store in the shopping mall we went to the other day." Chrome nodded and smiled, following her outside.

"That's good, we can take the bus there then." She said as she locked the door behind her. The duo walked over to the nearest bus stop, and Chrome pulled out her bus pass.

By the time the bus came, Rukia was sitting on the bench, slightly annoyed. Chrome was sitting next to her, tapping her fingers on her knee. Rukia shot up when the bus drove up and stopped in front of the bench, grunting in annoyance. Chrome grabbed her purse and followed her, swiping her pass to let them on and led Rukia to a couple of seats.

"Sorry, I said we'd take the bus, but I forgot about the schedule." Chrome muttered, scratching her head. Rukia shook her head, giving Chrome a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it. It's still quicker than if we had walked." She leaned forward, putting her hand on her cheek and looking out the window as the bus set off. Rukia started to draw on the glass using the condensation she made by breathing on the glass. She was in the middle of drawing little rabbit heads, letting out the occasional hot breath of air to keep it fogged. Rukia jumped, feeling Chrome's weight suddenly press against her. The girl jumped at the sudden contact, looking at Chrome in alarm.

"Are you alright? Why are you leaning against me?" She asked, lowering her hand. Chrome didn't move, but Rukia was actually a little glad. The contact was nice.

"I was just watching you." She said quietly. "I-I'll move if you want…" Rukia quickly shook her head, taking a deep breath.

"No… I… its fine… I just thought you passed out or something…" She quickly lied, silently cursing herself for thinking of such a stupid one. Chrome blushed and shook her head, a small giggle escaping her lips.

"No, I'm alright." She reassured Rukia with a smile. "Your drawing is cute, are they rabbits?" She asked, shifting slightly. Rukia nodded, her cheeks turning a gentle pink as Chrome talked.

"R-right…" She turned back to the window, she couldn't look at Chrome. Not right now. Something was off. She eventually did look back at the girl, who had closed her eye, breathing quietly on Rukia's neck as she napped. Rukia bristled and looked away, she looked too cute when she was calm, and even cuter when sleeping. She shook her head quickly, this was an odd train of thought, it was best to stop now.

The bus stopped again, making Rukia look up. She nudged Chrome, pointing out the window. "Hey, is that the mall?" She asked. Chrome opened her eye and shook her head.

"No, it's the next one." She explained quietly, shifting against Rukia, who bristled again. Chrome leaned over her and blew on the glass, revealing the drawing Rukia did. "Your rabbits are cute." She commented with a small smile. Rukia blushed and smiled, simply nodding in response. "Do you draw often?" Chrome asked.

"Yes, I do. It's just a little hobby is all…" She muttered. Chrome made a silent 'oh' with her mouth and sat up when the bus stopped. "Oh, are we here?" Rukia asked. Chrome nodded in response, holding her hand out for Rukia.

"Come on, we should get off before the doors close." She urged, taking Rukia's hand and gently pulling her off the seat. They hurried to the front, where Chrome muttered a quick 'thank you' to the driver and got off, looking around for the mall entrance. As Chrome led the way, Rukia glanced at their hands, which were still connected. It was odd, the last time they held hands this long was the day they got their hair cut, and that was a while ago. It was weird, Rukia didn't hold hands with anybody, but with Chrome she didn't mind.

'I can't believe that I already feel so comfortable around her, strange as it may sound.' She thought, looking around for the store that sold kimonos and yukatas. Rukia looked up at Chrome again and extended her pace so they were walking side by side. When she saw Chromes face, she couldn't see her eye, but she noticed the girl's cheeks were flushed more than usual. Maybe she had noticed they were still holding hands, or saw someone she knew and just didn't want to let go.

Eventually, Chrome found the store, making a small impressed noise as she led Rukia to it.

"I think this is it." Chrome spoke up, jumping a bit when Rukia suddenly snatched her hand away. "E-er… Let's look around…" She muttered. To Rukia, she sounded upset. But when she leaned forward to see her face, the girl gave her a small smile. "I hope we can find something." She said, opening the door. Rukia quickly nodded and walked in with her. The two split up, looking around the store. Rukia went to a section and started looking through the various designs, while Chrome was stopped by a sales representative, who quickly picked up on the fact that Chrome had no idea what she was doing. While Rukia searched through the various designs, Chrome was getting help with her size. Rukia searched through some designs, perking up at a very simple, yet pretty light blue dress with white floral patterns decorating it. She picked up the one in her size and looked around for a dressing room. After a minute of glancing around, she found something that might look good on Chrome. After looking around, she noticed Chrome still talking with the saleswoman. The girl seemed a bit nervous, not being comfortable with the questions being asked by the saleswoman. Rukia waved her over, holding up the garment.

"Hey, come over here I found one that I think would look great on you." She called, smiling at the look of relief in Chromes' eye. She excused herself and went over, smiling. '"Look, I found this, I think you'll like it." She gestured to a black yukata, decorated with dark purple lines and a red obi. "There's also… this one." She pulled out a light purple one that faded near the top and was decorated with white floral patterns and came with a pink obi. "So? What do you think?" Rukia asked with a smile. She could tell by the look in Chromes eye that she was at least interested in them. "If you can, why don't you try them on?" Chrome nodded and took the yukatas, looking for the saleswoman who took her to the back to try them on. Rukia waited near the one she had picked out, not sure if she should purchase it. She decided to take the light blue one and waited for Chrome, who had gone into the dressing room. She could overhear the lady teaching Chrome how to properly put on a yukata and tie an obi, much to the girl's embarrassment. Rukia couldn't help but smile and enter another room, putting on the one she picked out. She came out a few minutes later, pleased with her appearance. She stood near the wall, waiting for Chrome to come out. The curtain rustled a minute later, the saleswoman coming out and presenting Chrome, who had put on the light purple yukata. Her cheeks were a light pink as Rukia looked at her. "Wow... Chrome. You look amazing." Rukia smiled warmly, looking her over. She really did look beautiful, but Rukia almost forgot she as wearing her own yukata. "Oh, right. What do you think of this one?" She slowly turned around, showing Chrome the entire outfit. Chrome blushed even darker and looked down, stuttering something quietly. Rukia tilted her head. "I'm sorry?" The saleswoman couldn't help but smile as Chrome struggled to find the words. She cleared her throat and finally looked up.

"I-I… T-thank you… A-and… you… l-look…" She coughed nervously, her cheeks as pink as the obi around her waist. "I... Y-you look r-really nice in that too!" She sputtered, whirling around and going back into the dressing room, her face red at this point. Rukia simply blinked in response, watching her disappear in a puff of embarrassment.

"Er… T-thank you Chrome…" She glanced at the saleswoman, who was still smiling as Rukia went into her own dressing room to change. 'That was… awkward.' She thought to herself as she looked herself over in the mirror. Did she really look that good? Or did Chrome just see something she didn't? Rukia had to admit, it did look good on her. She sighed and took it off, thinking about the one Chrome had put on. It fit her perfectly, and she looked absolutely adorable in it. She smiled to herself, hoping that Chrome thought so as well. Maybe she was just embarrassed by the compliment. After returning to her street clothes, Rukia left the room and sat in a chair, waiting for Chrome to come out. She glanced at the saleswoman, who still had her polite smile and returned it in kind. "I think we're going to get them." Rukia said, glancing at the price tag for a second. Luckily it wasn't very expensive. The woman nodded and left, going to the register to wait for them. Chrome came out of the dressing room a few minutes later, to Rukia she still looked embarrassed about what she said.

"I-I'm ready…" Chrome muttered quietly, quietly shifting the yukata in her hands. Rukia sat up, eyeing her carefully.

"Do you want it? Like I said before, I'll pay for it." She said with a smile, standing up and picking up her own. "I insist." Chrome nodded shyly and held the purple yukata out to her, too flustered to argue. "Alright, I'll go get these." Rukia stood up and took the outfit, placing a hand on Chrome's shoulder as she passed her. "I'll get you when I'm done." As she walked to the counter with the saleswoman, she thought about tomorrow and how much fun it would be to attend a festival in the World of the Living. Judging on Chromes' attitude about the place, it must be her first time attending one as well. She got a two pairs of get a to go with them and placed the items on the counter. The saleswoman smiled at her, ringing the items up.

"Did you find everything you were looking for?" She asked happily. Rukia nodded with a smile, getting her purse out.

"Yes, thank you for your help." She said, taking out some money.

"So where are you and your girlfriend going with these? The city festival?" She asked as she bagged the items. Rukia slammed the money on the counter, blushing darkly at the question.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, we are going, but we aren't a couple!" She snatched the change away, her voice getting defensive. "We're just friends! A-and we haven't even known each other that long!" She looked down in embarrassment, not really believing her own words. She had just bought a yukata for Chrome, and she didn't normally do that. The woman nodded, the smile fading from her face as she looked at Rukia, bowing her head in apology.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume." She said calmly. "You two have fun at the festival, alright?" Rukia nodded in response, her cheeks still dusted with a pink hue.

"T-thank you…" She went over to Chrome, who was wandering the store. "Let's… let's go." Rukia held up the bag and the dresses, which were protected with a sheet of plastic, but unfolded as to not wrinkle them. Rukia looked over Chrome over for a second. It looked like she calmed down over her little fluster earlier and was now smiling at Rukia.

"So should we go anywhere else, or are we done?" She asked, taking the bag from Rukia.

"Um... Is it alright if we get a snack? I kind of want potato chips." She suggested rather happily. Rukia nodded and smiled back at her without even thinking about it. It was nice, she always felt elated when Chrome smiled. It seemed like the girl could brighten a room just by doing so.

"Sure. Lead the way. Just not too much, you don't want to spoil your dinner." She said. Chrome nodded and walked toward the food court, looking back at Rukia.

"What is for dinner tonight? Are you cooking?" She asked, slowing down a bit to match Rukia's pace.

"Yes I can cook, if you want. What would you like?" She asked, already thinking of what she might need to get on the way back. The duo reached a vending machine, and Chrome went to get a bag out, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Omurice." She replied, rummaging through her purse. "Hm, I need to cash my next check…" She muttered quietly, putting her purse away as she muttered under her breath what she needed to do over the next few days. Rukia looked at her again, it was impressive how mature Chrome was, especially for one so young. It reminded her a bit of Orihime, but something was different. From what Rukia knew, Orihime had faraway family to take care of the basics, but Chrome didn't. Did she really stay on her feet by herself? Rukia was about to ask her a question but the bag had dropped and Chrome smiled happily.

"Ah, here we go." She said happily, holding it up. "Come on, let's share." She nudged Rukia a bit, jolting the girl from her thoughts and led her to a nearby bench. Rukia nodded quietly and sat own next to her, watching as Chrome happily took a bite, making a small noise of amusement. She noticed Rukia staring and blushed, looking down. "O-oh, sorry…" She took another one and held it out in front of Rukia. "W-we are sharing…" She muttered, giving her a small smile. "Here." Rukia blinked and nodded, leaning forward and taking the small chip. Chrome smiled as Rukia hummed in satisfaction. "Good, right?"

"Yes, they really are." Chrome noticed the edge in her voice and looked at her, frowning a bit.

"Um, Rukia? Is something wrong?" She took another potato chip and chewed. As Rukia shook her head, looking down at her hands.

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just wondering something, but I'm…" She frowned mid-sentence. "I'm not sure if it's my place to ask." Chrome stared back at her, as she spoke, a look of confusion on her face.

"Er… well, you can ask your question…" She muttered. It was clear on her face she assumed Rukia was going to ask something invasive.

"Well, you told me about your parents the other day, it got me thinking about you…" Rukia said, fiddling with her hands. "I was just wondering, how do you pay for your apartment? It must be difficult, since you live alone, do you have support from someone else? Or do you really pay for… everything by yourself, working and going to school? I'm only asking, because you seem very busy, and I don't want you to run yourself ragged is all." Rukia sighed and looked back at Chrome, who was looking down, her expression unreadable. Rukia blinked, a little worried she had crossed a line of some sort. "I'm sorry, have I said something wrong?" She jumped when Chrome suddenly placed her hand on hers, looking back up at her with a smile on her face.

"It's… It's really nice to know that you worried about me so much Rukia…" She said happily. "But I'm not alone… I got the place because the manager is friends with Reborn-san. Apparently the Vongola pays the rent…" She whispered the last bit in Rukia's ear. "I just pay for food and stuff, but I'm also putting a bit of money away in case of a rainy day." She explained. Rukia sighed in relief and smiled at her.

"That's great to hear, really. I'm glad you're being so responsible about it as well. I probably said this before, but you are very mature for your age." Rukia picked up a chip and held it out to her. "But take a break every now and then, okay? Don't be afraid to ask for help either." She smiled and held it up to the girls lips with a smile. "And know that I'm here for you too." Chrome blushed in response, taking the food and chewing it happily.

"T-thank you Rukia… Really. I guess that's what the festival is for right? I'm glad you talked me into going." She chewed happily on a few more chips and looked off into the distance. Rukia nodded and reached into the bag.

"Me too. We should probably get back home before it's too late. I might need to go to the store if we're having omurice tonight." Chrome nodded in response, taking the bag with their yukatas in one hand, and Rukia's hand with her free hand, pulling the girl up.

"Let's go, the next bus should be here soon." She said, leading the way out of the mall.

"It better not take so long this time…" Rukia muttered grumpily, following after her.

By the time Rukia and Chrome got back to the apartment, it was starting to get dark. Chrome unlocked the door and they went inside, taking their shoes off.

"I'll start dinner, you go hang those up and do your homework." Rukia called over to Chrome, who had gone into her room.

"Okay!"

Rukia chuckled to herself, that girl really was adorable. She frowned upon looking in the fridge and cupboards, there wasn't enough rice to make omurice for the both of them, and there was no chicken. "Hey Chrome? I'm going to go to the store to pick up some stuff, okay? I'll be back soon!" She put her shoes back on and stepped out the door, not really sure if Chrome had indeed responded. It didn't really matter, hopefully it wouldn't take too long.

Having jogged to the nearby store, Rukia quickly got the items she needed for dinner and headed back home. She noticed along the way a small group of people walking either to or from the festival, which was a bit farther from Chrome's house. Rukia smiled upon noticing that most of them wore yukatas. It made her feel a little better about her own purchase, she was a bit worried that she and Chrome would be the only ones to wear such outfits there. She noticed that some of them were holding odd spheres from their fingers. Rukia frowned, but shrugged after it was safe to cross the street. Maybe they were some kind of prize for a game of sorts. Whatever they were, Rukia wanted to find out what they were, and what else this event offered.

"I'm home!" Rukia called out as she closed the door, raising an eyebrow at what she saw. From the door, all she could see was Chromes legs up in the air, near the wall. "What are you doing?" She asked, taking her shoes off and stepping in. "What kind of position is that?" She asked once more, setting the bags down and folding her arms. Chrome jumped, falling on her back and looking up at her.

"Oh, er… this is an exercise video… I-it's almost done…" She said, sitting upright and pointing at the screen, where there was a small group of people doing the same thing. When Rukia didn't respond, she looked away for a second, fidgeting. "Er… It's like training, but-" Rukia held up her hand, interrupting her.

"I know what those are. It just looked like you were doing something else from the doorway." Chrome blinked, her cheeks turning pink. "Never mind, I was actually wondering if I could join you. I've always found these videos interesting." Rukia sat down next to her and smiled. "Do you mind?" Chrome shook her head, her face brightening at the suggestion.

"S-sure!" She scooted over and pat the spot next to her. "Just start when you're ready." Rukia nodded and did a few basic stretches as Chrome resumed the video. Rukia looked over at her, trying to mimic the postures she did and was surprised to learn how limber and flexible Chrome was. Rukia was having a bit of trouble getting to the exact position, but unlike Chrome Rukia herself wasn't fully relaxed.

"How often do you do this? You're very good at it." Rukia observed while they changed positions. It was only then that Chrome realized she was being watched, and nearly lost her balance as her cheeks flared up in her typical blush. "Sorry, I didn't mean to break your concentration." Rukia hastily added, trying to match the girl's position.

"N-no, it's okay... Um... I've been doing this for a few months. "It's just as relaxing mentally as it is physically. I actually started doing this with Kyoko-chan." She explained, sighing when the video ended a few minutes later.

"Interesting. I've never done these before, but it was actually pretty relaxing." Rukia smiled and stretched when she stood up and looked over at Chrome again."You go freshen up, I can get dinner started. Oh, and hang up the yukatas, we don't want them getting wrinkled." Chrome nodded and headed toward her room, grabbing the hangars that held the garments. Rukia herself went into the kitchen, getting out the rice and the package of chicken that she bought earlier, heating the pan and preparing the mix to cover with the egg. Chrome could be heard leaving her room and going into the bathroom, but Rukia paid her no mind as she cooked. She just hoped it would be good enough, as she had only made omurice once before.

Once Rukia had finished preparing the meal, Rukia got the ketchup and drew a couple of rabbits on top of the egg, one that looked like her and one that looked like Chrome. After nodding in satisfaction, Rukia brought the plates over to the counter and placed the one with her face on it in front of Chrome, who was waiting patiently in a stool. Chrome's single eye widened upon seeing the little drawing.

"O-oh my gosh, is that you?" She giggled and looked up at Rukia with a smile on her face. "That's so cute!" After looking at the one with her own face on it, she spoke up again as Rukia got two glasses of water. "You really are a talented artist, Rukia." Upon hearing that, Rukia's face brightened considerably, a wide smile growing.

"Really?" Chrome nodded, a bit confused,, but she was unaware that she was one of the few people who openly admired Rukia's art. "W-well I hope you enjoy it!" She set the glasses down and joined Chrome at the other side of the counter, eating happily. Chrome chuckled to herself and joined in, nodding after the first bite.

"This is pretty good." She commented between bites. Halfway through the meal, she stopped, fiddling with her fork and a few pieces of chicken on the plate. Rukia looked over at her and leaned on the counter, about to open her mouth when Chrome suddenly spoke up. "Um, so what do you want to do after dinner?" The question caught Rukia off guard, she didn't even consider it. She sat in silence for a minute, hey never did anything the last few days, as Rukia was on patrol. By the time she got back, Chrome was in bed. But tonight there was nothing out there.

"Oh!" Chrome jumped when Rukia spoke up suddenly, but kept her gaze locked on her. "That movie we were watching a few days ago, er... Harry Potter. Do you have the sequel? Maybe we could watch that together?" The movie intrigued Rukia, being part of a world full of magic so different from their own world seemed really interesting.

"Sure, we can do that." Chrome smiled and stood up, going to the main room to set it up. Rukia gathered their plates and utensils, washing them out in the sink as Chrome turned on the television. Rukia could hear her rummage through things and pick out the video she requested. Rukia finished their dishes and put them back in the cupboard, hopping over the back of the couch and taking a seat. Chrome looked back at her, an eyebrow raised.
"Sorry." Rukia looked down sheepishly, "I just wanted to try that..."

"It's okay." Chrome laughed a little and sat down next to her, pressing play on the remote. "I just didn't think you would think to do that."

Rukia frowned and settled in, watching the movie. She made careful note as to not get too close to Chrome, she didn't want the girl getting the wrong idea, and she felt like they were being a bit too intimate for two people who had known each other only a week. Despite telling herself this over and over, she felt a small tug in her chest, she did miss the nights when they laid together on the couch as they watched the other movies and television. It made her feel closer to Chrome, and she knew it made Chrome's stress melt away, the signs were everywhere. Glancing over at her, Rukia wondered if she felt the same way, but Chrome's face showed nothing but interest in the movie. Rukia shook her head and tried to concentrate on it as well, but her thoughts drifted back to Chrome at least twice more.

The movie ended some time later, and by the end, Rukia was once more absorbed in the world of Harry Potter. Chrome excused herself and got ready for bed after changing it back to the local channels, while Rukia prepared the couch so she could turn in for the night. After a thorough check of her phone, there were no unusual reiatsu activities in the area, so that was good.

Rukia was laying on the couch when Chrome came back out, turning the lights out and getting a glass of water. "Well, good night Rukia." She stood in place as Rukia sat up and smiled at her.

"Goodnight Chrome. If I'm not here when you wake up, I hope you have a good day at school. And don't forget about the festival." Chrome nodded, but didn't make a move for her room, she looked down, embarrassed, almost as if she wanted to say something else. She opened her mouth a bit, but quickly clamped it shut and whirled around, briskly walking back to her room. Rukia frowned, did she want to stay up a bit more? She had done that Wednesday night as well, but Rukia didn't think anything of it then. Did Chrome want to sleep with her? It had happened on accident, and Rukia let Chrome sleep with her when she was too tired to move, but that's what they were, accidents. 'Right?' Rukia rubbed her temples and fell back on the couch, trying to get it out of her head. Once more, she was reading too much into it, and she just wanted to sleep. She rolled on her side, and after grabbing her pillow, falling asleep, having the oddest dream about her and people from her life, including Chrome, attending Hogwarts.