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Rukia had been hoping it would be a normal day. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Rukia gave a frustrated sigh, leaning her back on the bench she was sitting on at the park near Ichigo’s house.
No, this was definitely not how she thought today would turn out.
It had started off like any other day since she had returned back. Since Ichigo’s powers were restored. It had been a week now.
A whole week Rukia noticed that something with Ichigo seemed.. off. She did not know how else to put it. She had noticed on more then one occasion how flustered he would get with her at times, each time he would look away; a blush on his cheeks before she would stomp on his foot or poke him in the chest; snapping him out of it.
They bickered as they usually did. How they always had.
Yet even Rukia noticed something seemed different between them. It was not something she had much time to really think about since returning. She had caught up with his family and their friends in the last week, in between fighting hollows with Ichigo, much to his delight.
Things had been going well, even with Ichigo acting off.
Until he had kissed her.
Rukia tapped her foot on the ground, her nails digging into her thigh as she thought back to that moment that had happened only half an hour ago.
They had gotten ready for bed. Rukia ready before him, she had went to lay on his bed and doodle in her sketchbook until he was ready for bed; and then go to her closet to sleep.
She had not expected him to say her name how he did when he entered his bedroom. Curious, she had turned her head to look up at him as he stood in the doorway. Eyebrow raised at the expression on his face, she had gotten up off the bed, placing her sketchbook in her closet before meeting his eyes again. She was worried something was wrong, growing concerned.
Their eyes had stayed locked on one another for what only felt like a second before he quickly took the few steps needed to be in front of her; leaning down and kissing her.
Rukia Kuchiki had never felt more shocked in her life.
She couldn’t tell if she had been more shocked that he had kissed her or the fact that she had kissed him back without hesitation. When he pulled away, looking down at her; she had froze. Violet eyes wide in surprise staring back up at him, before she quickly walked past him and ran out the door.
The raven haired Shinigami had bolted as fast as she could out of the bedroom, almost knocking into Karin as she exited her bedroom. Karin had given her a questioning look, about to ask her what was wrong but by then Rukia had been gone. Running down the stairs and out the front door, before she felt the sob in her throat come out as she kept running; fighting back tears the best she could.
_______
Watching Rukia bolt out his bedroom door, Ichigo realized what he had done may not have been the best moment to do so.
Shit.
It wasn’t something be had planned. He had not thought it through. He couldn’t think when he had entered his bedroom, seeing her laying on his bed in her nightgown, doodling in her sketchbook. Taking in how happy she was in that moment, and how beautiful she looked. How much he had missed her. He had missed her more then any words could ever fully express.
Ichigo could not explain what he had been feeling since he had been reunited with Rukia. Every time he remembered watching her appear back into his view, after she had thrusted the sword through his chest; he felt something in his very soul that he could not ignore.
Their eyes had met, for the first time in seventeen long agonizing months; and Ichigo had known in that moment that he was in love with her, and it shook him to the very core.
He should have known. Considering how much he had missed her the last seventeen months of his miserable life without her. Considering how much he dreamt of her, the first month after their goodbye he had dreamt of her every night. Now matter how hard he tried go about his days and not dwell on thinking about her and the horrible ache in his chest from missing her; it always came back at night. She was a constant in his dreams.
No one knew, but he had completely broke when she had left. After his friends had gone home, he had quickly disappeared back into his room; where he fell to his knees and cried.
Ichigo should have known.
The last week, spending time with her. Bickering with her. Fighting Hollows with her. Sharing moments with her. He could not ignore what he felt. He had tried to. Some moments Rukia would catch him whenever he zoned out (thinking of her) she would snap him out of it and they would continue on as usual.
Like things were normal between them.
Ichigo knew that things were not.
Which is why when he had saw her on his bed, relaxed and happy.. something in him had snapped. He did not realize he had even said her name until she looked over at him before standing up and laying her sketchbook in her closet. He couldn’t breathe, when their eyes met once she had looked up at him. He knew in that moment that there was no more holding back.
Ichigo had kissed her, and to his surprise she had kissed him back. He was expecting her to push him away, slap him over the head or kick him where it would really really hurt.. but instead she had eagerly responded back, without hesitation as she leaned up more as she gripped the front of his shirt in her hands.
When he had pulled away, the look in her violet eyes stole his breath away. It was similar to the last look she had given him when she had faded from his view seventeen months ago. Which he found ironic, because just like that moment from long ago; she had left. Before he could even blink, she was gone.
Ichigo ran to leave his bedroom to run after her, almost running into Karin in the process. His sister gave him an angry look, scowling up at him.
“What the hell did you do, Ichigo?” She asked, anger evident in her tone. Ichigo frowned, looking off behind Karin.
“Something I should have done a long time ago.”
Before his sister could question him further, he ran past her and was out of the house before she could even process what had just happened.
Ichigo stopped running once he hit the sidewalk, it pained him to do so because all he wanted to do was find her as quickly as possible and explain to her. But he knew it was probably best he take his time to find her, and give her the time she needed to think.
_______
Rukia looked up at the moon, as the memory played back in her mind on repeat. How could she not think about it?
She couldn’t ignore what she had been feeling for Ichigo for so long now. Since they had said goodbye seventeen months ago. It became even harder to ignore once they were reunited.
She definitely could not ignore how kissing him made her feel. It had felt right. Perfect.
Life changing.
In that moment Rukia had felt like her heart could burst from her chest, due to the amount of love she felt for him.
She knew she was completely in love with him.
Then why did she run from him?
Laying a hand on her forehead, she gave another sigh before sniffing. She refused to cry anymore. She knew she should be happy. He had kissed her, which meant he must be feeling the same things she'd been feeling lately.
She wondered for how long.
She also wondered how they would get through this.
Looking back up at the moon again, Rukia knew in her heart why she had ran.
Rukia Kuchiki is scared shitless.
She had blocked out her heart for decades. Ever since Kaien Shiba’s death. Then she had met Ichigo Kurosaki and her whole life had been shifted off its axis and before she had known it she was overwhelmingly in love with him. It made her heart race. It made her chest hurt. It made her want to scream, to laugh, to cry.
Then he had kissed her.
She may have ran from him afterwards, but she knew she could not run away from her love for him. Rukia knew with the look he had given her before she bolted out the door, that he loved her. He loved her so much, and it frightened her.
Rukia gave a small laugh before another sob escaped her, a hand going to her mouth as she smiled through her tears because in that moment she realized something very important.
Rukia Kuchiki was scared of his love for her, but more then anything else, It brought her soul so much joy.
______
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Ichigo slowly walked over to her, sitting beside her on the bench; making sure not to be too close to her.
It was silent for a moment before Ichigo sighed, looking over at her before looking up at the full moon.
“I’m sorry. I.. didn’t plan on doing that.”
Rukia couldn’t help but give a small smile before snorting at his words. It had been very obvious to her that he did not plan on doing that. The shocked expression on his face after he had kissed her had been a dead giveaway.
“I just..” she raised an eyebrow, looking over as he placed his elbows on his knees; before putting his face in his hands. It was silent for a long moment, but then he lifted his head up and turned to look at her. Their eyes met, and she knew.
“You drive me crazy, Rukia.” He broke their gaze as he gave a frustrated sigh, leaning his back on the bench before looking back up at the moon. She continued watching him, waiting for him to explain.
“Ever since I met you.. you’ve always been an incredibly selfless person. Hell, you risked your life to save mine the first night we met. You’ve risked everything for me. You’ve almost gotten yourself killed on multiple occasions, just so you could save me. It drives me fucking crazy.”
Rukia’s mouth drops open, eyes wide staring at him before she sitting up straighter and scowled. What the hell was he trying to say?
Before she could reply beck, he turned towards her, a hand going to one of her knees. A sign of silent comfort. She looked at his hand, before looking back up at him and she stilled at the expression on his face.
“It’s one of the many reasons why I love you.”
Ichigo smiled at her then, a genuine smile that reached his eyes as he scooted himself a bit closer to her. She didn’t know what to say.
“There are so many reasons. I love how passionate you are about being a Shinigami. I love how you protect everyone, no matter the risk. Even though it terrifies me to think that one day it may be the cause of you being gone forever."
He reached his other hand out then, laying a hand over her heart. She watched him stare at his hand for a long moment before their eyes met again. A chill ran down her spine.
“I love that you’re loyal to your friends and to your comrades. I love that you care so deeply for others, even if it hurts you to do so at times. Because I know you, Rukia. I know when you’re scared.”
Rukia wants to cry at his words. He knew her down to her very soul, he always had. Seventeen months had passed by and yet he seemed to still know her better then she even knew herself at times. She knew then that he understood why she had ran.
“It’s okay to be scared. You may not be among the living, but you have a soul.” He took his hand off her knee, gently taking one of her hands in his before placing it over his heart.
“I have a soul too. Souls can not help what they feel. It’s not a bad thing. I know what I feel in my heart is not a bad thing.”
Rukia trembled as he spoke, his hand laying over hers as she felt his heart beat under her hand.
“It’s not bad that I’m scared?” she whispered out, afraid to look up at him. He gave a small laugh, his hand over her heart going to her shoulder.
“It’s normal, Rukia. I.. didn’t expect this to happen. You’ve always been important to me. The most important person to me. When I saw you again a week ago, after seventeen months of not being able to.. I knew I felt love for you. I knew in that moment that I’m in love with you. It terrifies me a little, to be honest.”
Her head snapped up then when she heard him mention love. She knew he had felt things, had known since he had kissed her.
“You’re in love with me?”
Rukia watched as he blushed, turning his head to the side a little so she wouldn’t see his face turning red.
“I thought it was obvious.” He muttered, before hesitantly meeting her violet eyes again. She couldn’t stop herself as she leaned forward, forehead resting beside where their hands were intertwined now on his chest. He brought his other arm over her shoulders as he held her to him.
“Was it obvious that I love you?”
The question was said softly, he barely heard her as her face was pressed against his shirt.
“No- wait; you do?”
Rukia slowly pulled away then, a coy smile on her face as she watched his blush spread across his face.
“Of course I do, fool.”
It was him this time that was surprised, when she leaned up to kiss him; a hand going to his face as he kissed her back. In this moment, she knew the joy she felt was stronger then her fear of love.
Because her love for Ichigo was more beautiful then anything else.
Ever since they had met, it had always been the two of them. Side by side. As best friends. As comrades. Soul partners, really.
He had saved her so many times, she had lost count. He had went up against all of Soul Society in order to save her life.
As Rukia slowly pulled away from their kiss, smiling up at him as he looked at her in complete adoration; she knew no matter what it would always be them up against the world.
Rukia Kuchiki was definitely not afraid of that.