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Rukia had decided to skip school today.
She had returned from Soul Society to visit Ichigo and when he asked if she wanted to come to school she lied and said she was feeling under the weather. Of course this prompted the question from Ichigo of why she even came to the real world, but a smack upside the head quickly shut him up. Ichigo had left a cup of green tea that Yuzu made on his desk along with a note:
"Get better shorty." He also drew something which was....supposed to be Chappy. Or so she thought; he sucked at drawing, and if she was saying that, it was really bad.
She took a sip of the tea and got lost in her thoughts. She wasn't sick...well not that kind of sick anyway. Rukia had been feeling something lately. It was a desperate urge to grab onto Ichigo and to never let him go. She feels depressed whenever she can't see him for a few weeks. Well..those weeks now have turned into days, hell she can't even go a few hours without thinking about him.
Why is this happening now all of a sudden? She thought as she extended her legs on his bed. Well now that she thinks about it, it's been the first time in a long time that there's no overlying doom enveloping the world, no central villain, no overabundance of hollows. Her paperwork in Soul Society has actually lightened up for the first time in forever and she's finding herself with more free time than she knows what to do with. Because of that, she's been spending much more time with Ichigo, which has led her to her current predicament.
Love, she thought, as the word ran circles around her mind.
I love Ichigo?
The thought seemed ludicrous. Ichigo was her best friend, almost like a brother to her. Or so she thought.
I definitely don't have all these thoughts about nii-san though.
She shuddered, she definitely did not want to think about Byakuya and Ichigo in the same vein, never.
As she zoned out on her thoughts she suddenly realized how tired she was and closed her eyes for quick second.
Before she knew it, her slumber was interrupted by the sound of the door to Ichigo's door opening.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Ichigo questioned as he threw his bag over his desk chair.
Rukia's eyes slowly adjusted to the light as she mumbled her response, "B-better...I think."
"How long have you been sick?" he asked as he flipped through his notes for the day.
"A while now."
"Squad 4 not doing their job or anything? I mean they should have medicine for a cold right?"
"Ichigo..."
"Hey, hey, just a simple observation," he said jokingly as he put his hands up.
"Do you ever miss someone? Like a lot...."
Ichigo quickly turned his head around to face Rukia.
"Uh, that;s a weird change of subject. Where did that come from? Did you sneak some weird medicine out of the clinic?" Ichigo said, a puzzled look on his face.
"Answer," she said swiftly.
"I mean...yeah, I guess." The only person he really missed would be her actually, but he doesn't think he's ready to tell her that.
"And you can't stop thinking about them, and you wonder if they're okay, and you want to see them so badly..."
"Love," he stated plainly.
"W-what?!" Rukia shouted as she fell backwards onto the bed.
"What you're talking about is love right? Or at least a crush. It seems pretty easy to see."
Rukia wasn't ready for that to be stated so openly. She wanted to be in denial that was she was really feeling was love. Is love what she even really wants? Does she want her relationship with Ichigo to take that turn?
The sudden tension in the room made Ichigo uncomfortable. He squirmed in his seat as he turned his chair to face Rukia. When he spent time with Ruia it usually involved hunting Hollows, deciphering bad drawings, or just hurling insults at each other. Sure there was a heartfelt moment here and there but he can't remember the last time he had an emotional discussion with her. It looked like that was about to change.
He had to say something, anything, to break the silence.
"Uh is it Renji?" He asked. He saw Rukia blink for what felt like the first time in a minute as she opened her mouth.
"What, no it's not Renji, what does that even mean?!"
Ichigo chuckled, Man Renji is never going to catch a break.
Rukia looked really out of it, so Ichigo decided to go sit down on the bed next to her. "You're in love with someone right? All those feelings you described to me. That's usually what someone feels when they're in love. So who is it?"
Rukia looked him straight in the eye. He was so close to her. But he felt just as far. This is always how it felt with him. He gave her glimpses of what she wanted, of what she needed. She was always afraid to take the plunge that could make her truly happy because she was afraid to lose this fragile almost empty life that she led.
You've faced death countless times Kuchiki Rukia, this should be a piece of cake.
Her mouth wouldn't comply with her thoughts though, as she sat there, dumbfounded.
Ichigo playfully knocked his fist against her head, "Earth to Rukia?"
She suddenly grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
"You."
It took about one minute for Ichigo to process what she said.
"You....as in ME?!" Ichigo yelled as he suddenly jumped off the bed.
Rukia had never seen Ichigo blush that deep shade of red.
"Yes Ichigo, you. I'm...in love with....you." The last word barely audible.
Ichigo looked at the floor. "Oh man....oh...Rukia...Rukia..."
He quietly mumbled her name under his breath as he continued to stare into what felt like an endless abyss. He then started walking around the room, his constant pacing making her nervous.
"You don't....feel the same way..." Rukia whispered, so quietly that only the two of them could hear.
Ichigo suddenly snapped out of his trance and almost ran across the room and looked her straight in the eye as he planted a kiss straight on her lips.
First overtook by shock, Rukia slowly leaned into the kiss, letting her tongue meet with Ichigo's. A whine left her lips as he started to pull away.
As they separated Ichigo looked straight into her eyes.
"I love you Rukia, I love how violet your eyes are, I love how you're so stubborn, I love how you're so intelligent, I love how you're s--"
Rukia knocked him off the bed as a blush completely enveloped her face.
"Y-you can't just say all of that..." she mumbled.
Ichigo chuckled. She hadn't heard him laugh with that much happiness in a long time. Her heart swelled.
"You're cute," he said as he looked up at her.
She stared at him and couldn't help but smile.
"You're such an idiot," she whispered as she moved to the floor to continue where they left off earlier.