Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Just Another Day ❯ Chapter 1

He was the first one to suggest it. So really, she doesn't quite understand how the atmosphere in this beautiful park they were hanging out in suddenly turned depressing and bleak.

 

She huffed out in annoyance and played with the orange-dyed fur of her scarf. Her violet eyes lingered on the soft material of her tan gloves before turning to look at Ichigo again.

His chocolate brown eyes stared ahead, a pensive look that seemed way unnatural for the scowling fifteen year old. She thought he was staring at that swing set for a moment, but realized he was looking beyond that, to the bright red, orange, and yellow leaves of the trees behind the swings.

 

It really was a nice cool autumn day, and when Ichigo had first asked (more like yell, damn bastard) her to go with him to the park, she was secretly thrilled. Being cooped up in his room reading manga all day was starting to rot her brain. She had accepted quickly, and after dressing appropriately left to the park.

 

That was twenty minutes ago. She sighed again and glared at his golden-tan jacket and his bright orange hair before looking away to stare at the squirrels fighting over a nut nearby.

 

`This idiot, he asks me to join him and the first thing he does upon arriving and sitting in this bench is turning all depressed and quiet on me.'

 

She wiped away some dust from her lavender leggings and stretched out her aching leg muscles. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see if Ichigo made any reaction to her movement, and pouted when he remained as still as a statue.

 

Even she was at her limit. After knowing Ichigo for nearly a year, she knew the boy had a hard time talking about what troubled him, and she knew that giving him some space to sort out through everything muffling his brain led to him telling her his problems. Still, it was nearing an hour and he hadn't made a single sound, if it weren't for his breathing she'd had thought he was dead.

 

She abruptly stood from the bench, stunning the orange-haired boy back into the present.

“Look, it's great that you wanted some fresh air and stuff, but I'm bored out of my mind. So I'll leave you here for a bit and I'll be back later Ichigo.” She giggled to herself as she reached for her chappy wallet in her coat pocket. “I saw a cute chappy plushie calling my name at that shop across the street."

 

She was stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist tightly, and a heavy sigh escaping his lips soon after. She turned to give him a wary look. He wasn't looking at her, but at those trees.

 

She was about to yank her hand back, but his words stilled her again. “She used to take us here every year. To stare at the leaves falling, my sisters and I always tried to collect the prettiest one to give to her.”

Rukia's shoulders slumped and she gave the boy sitting in the bench an understanding look. She already knew whom `her' was referring to. Besides the pained look that crossed his face for a moment, she also saw a calming look of nostalgia, and she smiled.

 

She sat back down and stared at the trees with him. Another memory he held dear to him. Her violet eyes watched a small orange leaf slowly drift its way down to the ground.

 

`He'd been sharing his thoughts with me all along.'

 

She couldn't hold it in and lets out a loud laugh that made the boy jump and look at her as if she grew a second head. His expression quickly darkened and he scoffed at her.

 

“Gee, thanks for the support Rukia.”

 

She calmed down and wiped away a stray tear forming at the corner of her eye before responding with a soft smile.

 

“He and I used to collect leaves from the training grounds at the 13th barracks and with his wife's help we'd ambush everyone with the leaves.” Ichigo's eyes widened at the sudden revelation Rukia made about her past. “It was a lot of fun. He made me laugh so much…” A look of peace crossed her face, and the boy wondered why his heart skipped a beat at the look on her face.

 

He shook off the feeling and looked away to hide his warming face. With a grunt he acknowledged her words and remained silent. He knew a little about this other man Rukia had sometimes mentioned, and he was somewhat happy she chose to reveal one of her memories to him as well.

 

They stayed silent for what seemed like hours, the awkward annoying atmosphere from before disappeared and a feeling of comfort and peace had taken its place. Rukia is the first that noticed the sun setting and the noises of the park dwindling down by the second. She smirked as an idea struck her mind and she again abruptly stood from the bench.

Ichigo gave her an annoyed and questioning gaze as she stared down at him with a goofy grin.

 

“Oi, midget. What's wrong?” He asked out of true concern, but was yanked off the bench as a response.

 

Rukia smirked at him and began yanking him roughly towards the swings. “Come on Ichigo! We're over here being nostalgic about long past memories when we should be making new ones!”

 

As they neared the swings, she let out a loud whooping scream and started to laugh again.

 

“I challenge you to a swing race strawberry boy!” Her gloved hand pointed to the swings.

 

“First one to jump the highest and closest to the trees owes the other ice cream!”

 

Ichigo blinked at the shorter woman. His expression was blank for a moment, before he sighed and smirked at the satisfied glint in her eyes.

 

He removed his golden-tan jacket and rubbed his hands together. Rukia removed her own coat and stood next him on the opposite swing.

 

“You're on Rukia! By the way, I like chocolate ice cream.” His smirk turned into a smile as Rukia raised her brow but smiled at his words.

 

“Thanks for letting me know, you should remember that yourself when you're buying me my strawberry Popsicle.”

 

As the sun continued to set, the two figures continued to swing as high as they could laughing as they stopped in midair for a split second before they fell back down to the ground.

 

Ichigo stared at Rukia and Rukia at Ichigo, they smiled at each other again before jumping on the swings to continue, hoping this feeling of who-knows-what between them doesn't end.