Ichigo x Rukia

Always Been You

"When do you have to go back to Soul Society?"

"Tonight."  Rukia answered. They heard a knock on the door. Ichigo got up to answer it

"Renji? What are you doing here?" Renji wasn't in a gigai. He moved Ichigo out of the way.

"Oi Rukia lets go."

"Go where?" Ichigo asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm taking her to Soul Society." He responded.

"What? No your not. I am!" He looked over at Rukia. "Rukia?"

"Renji told me he was going to pick me up." She said to Ichigo. "Your kinda early though." Renji scoffed and mumbled something that went along the lines of: you just wanna stay here longer. Rukia reached into her pocket for her gikongan, but it wasn't there.

"Hmm? You need your gikongan?" Ichigo asked.

"I think I left it in your room."

"You can use my substitute badge if you want."

"No it's ok." She said and ran upstairs. Ichigo and Renji sat on the couch waiting for her quietly. They knew they both had a silent competition with Rukia, yet they couldn't tell who was winning. The two always felt and assumed it would be the other who'd win. Renji sighed loudly and broke the silence.

"When are you going to tell her you like her?" He asked. This caught Ichigo by surprise.

"W-what, do you mean?" Ichigo stuttered.

"You know what I mean." Ichigo shook his head no and looked down sadly.

"How could I? You do know she likes you, not me."

"That's not true. Hurry up and tell her."

"Don't you see? I can't. She's just going to say no."

"So your just a coward then, eh? Afraid of rejection."

"Shut up! Your the one who's a coward. She'll say yes to you, so get it over with!" Renji got up, then Ichigo.

"Your such an idiot!" Renji yelled. They both looked at each other angrily.

"Stop saying things that are obviously not true! I don't want a hear it. Especially from you!" Renji gritted his teeth.

"Don't you realize that she's in love with you?!" Ichigo's eyes widened. It was the first time he's ever seen Renji being so serious outside of battle. Renji grabbed Ichigo by the collar. "The way she looks at you says everything! She's always with you! She's always talking about you! Dammit! Every time we're doing something, she's got a whole story to tell! Ichigo this, Ichigo that! She's always getting in trouble with you! Always wants to be with you!" Ichigo was speechless. He swatted Renji's arm away.

"Get the hell off me." He said. Ichigo's heart was beating fast.

"Ichigo... It's always been you." They sat back on the couch quietly once again. In a short moment, Rukia came running down in her spirit form.

"I found it!" She said smiling widely with her gikongan in her hand. Her smile made Ichigo do the same. Ichigo and Renji got up. Renji went outside to wait for her and Ichigo made his way to Rukia, still smiling.

"Took you long enough." He teased. Rukia nudged him.

"Somehow, it got under your bed." Ichigo walked Rukia outside.

"When are you coming back?" He asked.

"Probably in a week." She said upset. "But I can convince Captain Ukitake to make it shorter." She said. Rukia walked alongside Renji. Ichigo and Renji exchanged glances. Ichigo simply saying thanks, and Renji nodding. When Rukia comes back to the World of the Living, they would both have a closer relationship.

Fin.