Affected By Death

Chapter 6:The Unofficial Date

True to his word, Ichigo heads straight up to take a shower once they get inside his house, but Rukia quickly notices as Ichigo heads upstairs, that his father and his sisters are watching a movie in the family room.

Rukia bites her lip nervously since she figures their plan to watch a movie is probably ruined, since his family seems into the one they're already watching. It's certainly not going to feel much like a date if they're watching the movie with his father and sisters.

She wonders if it's better that way, since her heart rate is already up high enough to give her reason for concern. He isn't even in the same room with her, but she's anticipating the next time they'll be alone together, which makes it feel like her stomach is tied in knots. Shaking her head over her own wild emotions, Rukia heads into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, and try to cool her heels a bit.

The most difficult thing to deal with, is the way her entire body reacts to his very presence. The ear kiss had been proof that she's not doing well at maintaining the level of calm needed to keep her wits around this fascinating man.

She is still pondering how to calm herself down around him, when he appears in front of her, with his hair dripping water from his recent shower. Rukia's breath catches in her throat, and she blinks at the sight of him.

"I'll start the popcorn," that's all he says, and he seems as calm as can be, which makes Rukia clench her fist.

Is it really that easy for him to be this calm? Don't I affect him too? Isn't that why he felt the need to kiss me?

Rukia blinks again, and she furrows her eyebrows.

Whoa...did I just almost go into psycho bitch mode? What in the hell is wrong with me!

"I don't know if you noticed, but your family is watching a movie." Rukia points out, and Ichigo shrugs his shoulders as he puts a bag in the microwave.

"That's not the only T.V. in the house." Ichigo says, as he turns his head to the side to smirk at her a little bit.

Rukia's eyes narrow, since she's pretty sure she's been so obvious that even he's noticed how she reacts to his nearness.

"Are you talking about the one in your room, or is there another that you're referring to that I'm unaware of?" Rukia asks him, with a tone of voice he's never heard before.

Every sense in his body is screaming danger at him as she stands up in one smooth motion.

"That's the one I was talking about," Ichigo says, before glancing back at the microwave to check on the progress of the popcorn.

"Okay." Rukia says, grabbing her cup of tea, and heading upstairs ahead of him.

Why did I worry just now? I can't believe I'm actually about to get her alone in my bedroom! This is what I've been thinking about practically since I met her!

Ichigo isn't really sure how to handle the feelings he has for Rukia, since they're not something he's experienced before. He is attracted to her on every level possible and it's his primal reaction that has him unsettled. Even he isn't sure what he's capable of in his current state. He walks slowly into the family room and clears his throat.