Bleach: Rukia's Requiem

Chapter 5

They got home very late that night, neither talking about the news Ichigo had learned. Rukia thought it was because Ichigo didn't have anything so say about it, but when she woke up around three in the morning to go to the bathroom, Rukia heard that Ichigo was awake.

She pushed the slide door open just enough for her to see through her one eye.

Ichigo was sitting on his bed, one arm leaning out of the open window. He held the syringe Urahara had given him (just in case Rukia had another glitch) in his one hand and was staring at it intently. She watched with bated breath as he lifted it up and pressed his forehead to it.

"Why?" he asked quietly, obviously not wanting to wake her. Tears started to roll down his face, dripping onto his bare chest, not that Rukia was paying much attention to that, her thoughts were elsewhere...

Two human years ago:

"Here you go, Rukia" Rangiku said as she handed Rukia some sake. She knew she had to stop drinking or else she wouldn't get to bed on time, but she had decided she would enjoy the night to its fullest before she had left for the restaurant after her shift was done.

"Thanks" she said and accepted the drink, taking a sip before looking out over the long table. It was the day before she left on her mission and everyone had decided that they would throw her a goodbye party, even if she was only supposed to be away for two months.

It took her a while to realise that someone was missing from the crowd of people. She got up and slipped from the room, her head spinning a little as she looked for Ichigo. She found him in an empty room, sitting on the ground in front of a window, drinking from his own bottle of sake.

"Ichigo?" she asked, stepping into the room.

"Oh, it's you Rukia" Ichigo said, looking at her for a moment before turning to stare out of the window, the moon's light illuminating his features.

"What're you doing up here? Everyone's down stairs" she continued as she walked across the room and sat down in front of him, also staring out the window at the busy street below. The Soul Society's night life was thriving as usual.

"I felt a little claustrophobic" Ichigo said simply, continuing to look at nothing in particular, as long as it wasn't Rukia.

"Okay Ichigo, what's wrong? You're never like this when there's a party" Rukia said matter-of-factly, reaching out to grab his chin and pulled it in her direction.

Ichigo seemed shocked by her direct contact, well direct contact that didn't involve pain. He almost instantly noticed that she already had too much to drink.

"Don't you think it's a little weird that everyone's celebrating you leaving" Ichigo said finally, his own directness a perfect indicator that he wasn't exactly sober either. Rukia looked at him for a second before bursting out in laughter. Ichigo scowled when she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"Rukia, how much have you had to drink?" Ichigo asked and Rukia looked up at him, cocking her one eyebrow.

"Probably as much as you" she retorted, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well I've had a lot to drink, but the difference is that I can hold my alcohol" Ichigo said, taking a swig straight from the bottle he had picked up.

"O yeah, wanna bet?" Rukia asked, reaching out to grab the bottle from him. Ichigo leaned back just as Rukia leaned forward, keeping the bottle out of her reach.

"Midgets shouldn't have so much to drink" Ichigo said as he used his free arm to hold her back. They fought like this, throwing insults at each other.