Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ ONS and More ❯ An End and a Beginning ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any Bleach affiliates.

 

 

(A/N: I have had this chapter completed for over a week. I was wrong about the availability of internet service at the beach. There was none. I felt so horrid. I am so sorry that I have kept you guys hanging for this long, please accept my deepest apologies and this last chapter.

This is the end of ONS, (maybe… I might do an extended “married” one. I don't know though, I kind of like it where it is.)

I hope everyone likes this chapter. I also want to reinforce: RENJI IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS AND I HATE TURNING HIM INTO THE BAD GUY IN THIS STORY! FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVE RENJI I AM TRULY SORRY, I LOVE HIM TOO, JUST NOT AS MUCH AS ICHIGO, RUKIA, AND BYAKUYA!)

 

 

 

An End and a Beginning

 

 

“Ichigo!” She cried as she saw him collapse onto the floor. Rukia instantly dove for him, her knees hitting the cold marble of the floor and bruising in the process. “Are you alright?”

 

He answered with a grunt but rose to a sitting position anyway, his face was contorted in anger and in pain but he didn't really seem to care, all of his attention was focused on Renji, who was still standing in the threshold, bruised fist raised and fury written in every line of his face.

 

“Bastard.” Ichigo growled furiously as he braced himself and got up from the floor. Rukia grasped his arm and helped him up. He stood slightly crouched over, but to Rukia, he looked ready for a battle.

 

“Likewise,” Renji snarled, “What the hell are you doing here?” He took a step forward and cracked the knuckles on his other hand.

 

Rukia's eyes widened and she looked from Ichigo to Renji. Really, they weren't going to start a fight in her foyer… were they?

 

“I live here,” Ichigo answered sharply, he motioned to the inside of the apartment; Renji's eyes followed his motions and noticed the many definitively masculine possessions scattered around the room. A motorcycle magazine, a signed football, and pictures of a group of doctors standing before a hospital—Ichigo included. Renji's eyes widened at these items and his mouth dropped slightly. He looked frantically from Rukia to Ichigo, his anger growing with each glance.

 

“You do not.” He said stubbornly, he turned to Rukia, “He does not.”

 

Rukia's face contorted in annoyance and she glared at Renji. “He does.”

 

Renji's glare turned into a furious glower, his entire body began to shake and his fists clenched tighter. “Rukia…” he growled through clenched teeth.

 

Ichigo stepped forward and he returned the intimidating glower, “You don't have anything to say to her, just get out.”

 

Renji's fist came fast, this time higher than before. Rukia gasped quickly and tried to shout at Ichigo to get out of the way, but it was too late. To her surprise, however, Ichigo had seen the punch coming and dodged it successfully. Her eyes widened as she saw Ichigo duck slightly to the side and deliver a blow to Renji's stomach, in the exact same place he had been hit.

 

Renji's back hit the door frame and he grunted. Ichigo stepped away and breathed harshly, his stomach still smarting from the initial punch.

 

Rukia couldn't believe this was happening to her. What would her neighbors think? But more importantly, why were they doing this? This was the type of public spectacle that occurred when men fought over bleach-blonde bimbos with million dollar fortunes. Not people like her! Why were these guys doing this? Rukia gulped and told her over-active imagination to calm down. They weren't fighting over her… this was just some stupid male pride thing they had to deal with. But still… it was ridiculous!

 

Renji's death-glare had returned full force and he was beginning to move towards Ichigo when he found a four foot, nine inch, obstruction in his way. He looked down in angered annoyance and found Rukia glaring up at him.

 

“Get out of the way, Rukia. This is between me and this piece of shit.” He snarled, Ichigo was coming closer, his own arms tight with bulging sinew.

 

“You get out of the way, Renji,” she growled, “You can't just come here and expect me to move out of your way so you can break my boyfriends' nose. This is our apartment and you have no right to be here.”

 

Renji's eyes narrowed and he said softly, “You don't have a boyfriend.”

 

Rukia's right eyebrow shot up in a condescending stare, “Oh, I don't do I?”

 

“Kuchiki said he forbade it.”

 

It took a moment for Rukia to figure out which `Kuchiki' Renji was talking about, well, not that she cared at this point anyway. However, the moment her brother's name was mentioned her anger reached its boiling point. Beside her, she could feel Ichigo about to make a comment about the stupid restriction. But oh no, it wasn't Ichigo who was going to give her ex a tongue lashing. Immediately, her fists clenched and her face transformed into a surprising shade of mottled red.

 

“Do you think I care?” She burst out forcefully. She craned her face to look at a startled Renji and continued to scream. “Do you honestly think I care about it? If I actually cared Ichigo wouldn't be standing next to me. If I cared he wouldn't be sleeping me. If I cared he wouldn't be living with me. And if I cared I wouldn't have fallen in love with him!”

 

She whipped her head around to Ichigo, whose expression had turned from one of anger to one of dumbstruck incredulity. His eyes were wide, his mouth was open and his fists—which had been ready to punch Renji—were limp at his sides.

 

“W-what?” He blubbered confusedly.

 

Rukia glared at him and snarled, rage taking over every remaining function in her body. Her own face—as opposed to those of the two men standing on either side of her—was blazing with fury. She narrowed her eyes at Ichigo, “I love you, okay? Are you alright with that? Do you have a problem with it?” She demanded.

 

Ichigo's dazed face wobbled up and down, then side to side. A choking sound came out of his throat and he croaked, “Yes, okay… with i-it. No… n-no… problems.” He had to fight not to add on “ma'am.”

 

“Good,” Rukia snorted heatedly, she turned her face back to Renji and saw that his cheeks were tomato red. “Do you have a problem with it?” She railed.

 

Renji clenched his fists at his side and he clenched his jaw. “Just wait until your brother hears about this.”

 

“Go ahead,” Rukia dared, “Tell him! See if I care!”

 

With that said, she placed her hand on Renji's muscular chest and pushed him backwards. He fumbled through the door and almost tripped over the threshold but he steadied himself in time. Rukia grabbed the doorknob and rammed the door shut. In an instant she had the locks in place and was turned back to look at the still stunned Ichigo.

 

Her chest was heaving and her face was a beautiful color of heated red. To Ichigo, she had never looked more like a goddess—of war, wisdom, lust, of everything. She was the ultimate representation of feminine power and sexuality. Ichigo gulped and stared into her opaque eyes—never had he seen anyone be so exotic and strong.

 

Rukia put her hands on her hips and tried to control her erratic breathing, it was quite hard, however, with Ichigo staring at her the way he was. Rukia's insides were beginning to curl, she didn't know if it was from fear or nervousness or passion. She only knew that Ichigo was watching her as if he had never really seen her before. It was terrifying her. She wanted nothing more than for him to come to her, sweep her in his arms, and whisper his love for her. But now… now he was just staring at her, his eyes like those of a hungry wolf.

 

He came towards her, his amber orbs blazing. Rukia took at step back until her spine thudded against the oak door. Ichigo lifted his arm until it braced against the wood behind her, boxing her in. Rukia's breathing quickened and her wide eyes stared up into Ichigo's. Quickly, he cupped his other hand at the back of her neck and pulled her into a dark, possessive, and scintillating kiss.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Renji paced outside the apartment building, his feet thudding onto the concrete sidewalk. Angrily, he yanked his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and flipped the screen up. He scanned most of the numbers on his phone and found the one he was only supposed to use if a meteor hit the firm building and destroyed it.

 

Taking a deep breath he called the number.

 

The phone rang only twice before it clicked on.

 

“Yes?” Said the stoic and cold voice on the other end of the line.

 

“Kuchiki?”

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Ichigo pressed his body against Rukia's, her soft and giving form welcoming him into the abyss of pleasure. He could feel her heart beating against his chest: passion—he knew it was passion, and perhaps a bit of fright. Hadn't she said she loved him? Did she want him to say it back?

 

Ichigo pried her lips apart and rammed his tongue into Rukia's mouth, tasting every inch possible. It amazed him how he could feast upon her mouth each day and still be surprised by new and exciting tastes.

 

She was whimpering against his mouth and pressing her breasts into his chest. Ichigo could feel the hardness of her nipples through the thin material of the shirt that she was wearing—his shirt. It made him hard to think of her in his clothes, surrounded by his essence and swathed in his scent. His hand came down from its post on the doorframe and began to run itself over the soft skin of her arm. The other hand reached to her chest and massaged her breast, turning the hard nipple even harder.

 

“Rukia…” he breathed as he lifted his mouth from hers and began to kiss a sinfully delicious path down her neck.

 

He wanted to show her—needed to show her—how much he loved her.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

“What are you saying Renji?” He asked coldly.

 

“I'm saying that that boy is up there with your sister, they're still seeing one another, they've moved in together and they're probably up in that apartment right now fucking on the floor!” Renji cried—earning him disapproving stares from couples on the street—as his face reddened and he paced the sidewalk with angrier steps.

 

“Why are you telling me this?” He asked.

 

Renji pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it with incredulity; he let out a small yell and put it back to his ear. “Because you're the only one she'll listen to!” He cried.

 

The voice on the other end was silent for a minute, Renji was almost afraid Kuchiki had hung up. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down—it was a strategy he had used in the courtroom many times.

 

“Look, will you just… come down here, try and talk some sense into her? I know you're busy but, seriously, do you really want her to be with this guy?” He asked, using his most coaxing and persuasive voice.

 

There was silence once again.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Rukia's breasts strained against the soft cotton of the tee shirt resting on her shoulders. Ichigo was touching her through the cloth but she wanted him to touch underneath it. Desperately, she clawed at his fingers and brought the down to her thigh, the place where the shirt ended, and shoved them up under the soft material. Ichigo took the hint and roughly smoothed his hand up her side, tickling her ribs, stroking the underside of her breast, and finally tweaking the nipple. She moaned and whimpered as he bit on her pulse-point, one of the weak spots on her body that turned everything into jell-o.

 

He was saying her name now; he was chanting it, against the skin on her neck. His hand was palming her breast while the other went to her hip to side the silk panties from her glistening sex. They dropped to the floor and she kicked them away, her eyes were glazed and staring at the air above her, Ichigo was feasting on her neck and encircling her waist. He pulled her lower body directly against his and she felt his heated erection as it pressed through his boxers.

 

Rukia pulled her hand from his shoulder and ran it down his back, testing the planes, feeling the muscle, caressing the bumps of his spine. She felt down to the waistband of his boxers and tried desperately to pull them down. Ichigo's hands didn't leave her breast or her hip so she had to pull her other hand down, this time massaging his pectorals and his abdomen, until she was able to get a hold on both sides of his only covering. Dropping down only slightly, she managed to tug them to the floor. Ichigo pulled her back up and now pressed his freed erection against her exposed bed or curls.

 

Rukia's breathing was so hard she was afraid she was going to hyperventilate. In her hazed mind she felt Ichigo's lips changed on her neck, they were no longer chanting only her name, but something else, his lips were moving in a different pattern as they kissed, licked, and bit her skin.

 

Rukia wished she knew what he was saying.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

“I will come.” Kuchiki said softly.

 

Renji let out an extremely pent up breath. “Thank you Kuchiki, thank you so much.”

 

“However, let me make one thing clear.” He said. Renji stopped pacing, Kuchiki was using his deadliest voice, one that made murderers beg for their mothers and rapists cry, he didn't even have to see Kuchiki's face to be scared. “I am coming for my own reasons. Under no circumstances will I condone your persistence in reigniting a relationship with my sister.”

 

Renji blanched and tried to find his voice, it was difficult when faced with the venom laced in Kuchiki's tone. “W-Why?” He sputtered.

 

“You, Renji, left my sister for that of a bleach-blonde air-head by the name of Riiko Urasuna. Don't think I don't notice these things. To do so was a grave mistake. To say you deserve Rukia any more than this Ichigo person is a statement of pure fiction.” He answered calmly and coldly.

 

Renji's eyes widened and he swallowed thickly. His answer, however, was immediate. “Even if she can't be with me, she shouldn't be with him.”

 

“We'll see.”

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Ichigo slid the shirt over Rukia's head. She whimpered slightly at the cold wood on her back but all complaints were silenced as Ichigo swept his mouth over hers once again. Their tongues twisted as they fought for dominance in the kiss. Rukia replaced her hands on his shoulders and drove them up his neck, she tightened them in his hair and yanked his head back so she was kissing his chin and his corded neck. Ichigo groaned and she felt the reverberations in his throat. She reveled in the vibrations.

 

She kissed his adams apple and both sides of his neck. Her hands were traveling down so she could press her palms against his rock hard chest. Her naked body pushed against his until she couldn't tell where her skin ended and his began.

 

While her hands were exploring his beautiful body his were reaching down to slide his fingers across her slick wetness. Rukia gasped as his thumb made circles over her clit and his tongue probed her mouth. She loved it when he touched her like this. His mouth was so attentive and his fingers so competent. Nothing was left un-pleasured and no part of her was left unsatisfied.

 

“Ooooh,” she groaned as one of his fingers entered her tight canal. He knew just the right way to stroke her so she would cry, moan, scream, or gasp. She loved him for this. She loved that each time they made love—for it was making love, not fucking, she knew the difference now—everything was so familiar but so new. New and exciting and passionate and mind blowing. She never wanted it to end.

 

Ichigo's fingers left her the moment she was ready to explode. She snapped out of their kiss angrily and was ready to demand for him to finish when his hands gripped her hips, pulled her up against the door, wrapped her legs around his waist, and thrust his throbbing erection inside of her.

 

In the moment he entered her, Rukia could have sworn she heard a breathless oath, followed by the sweet phrase, “I love you.”

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Ten minutes later, a black sports car pulled into a parking spot next to the sidewalk. Renji stared in appreciation at the car, a beautifully expensive piece of German equipment. It was almost as sophisticated as the man behind the wheel.

 

Almost.

 

Byakuya Kuchiki stepped out of the car and smoothed his white tie against his chest. If he noticed the flustered red head standing by the side of the road he gave no sign. Instead, he closed the door to his elegant car and locked it. The thing sounded with a low pitched `beep' and he walked towards the apartment.

 

Renji, slightly offended at not even being acknowledged by the great lawyer—but not actually caring—swallowed dryly and followed him into the complex.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Ichigo slid out of Rukia with ease and she moaned desperately. Her hands clamped over his ears and she yanked his mouth back to hers. Ichigo groaned in response to her aggressive kiss and plunged back inside of her. The door rattled behind her as he repeated his movement again and again. His arms were supporting her as everything behind his closed eyes became white.

 

He loved her. He loved everything about her. Her temper, her sweetness, her laugh, her moan, her body, her eyes, her fingers, her toes, her attitude, and her heart. He loved everything that was Rukia Kuchiki. Ichigo pushed into her and pulled out with maddening and heightening speed. The demon inside of him demanded that he take her and the angel inside of her allowed him to.

 

I love her, Ichigo's mind blazed as he continued this maddening torture. I love her so much I don't ever want to be away from her.

 

Ichigo gasped as he felt his climax approach. Of all the things he loved about her, he especially loved how she gasped and groaned as her inner walls began to clench around his trembling erection. Her kiss became deeper and more violent as she screamed into his mouth. He, in turn, yelled into her as his cum was shot into her welcoming warmth.

 

When his movements ground to a stop and he leaned, gasping, against the door, his heart racing against hers as they placed butterfly kisses on each others faces.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Byakuya Kuchiki stopped on the stairs to inspect and destroy a fleck of dirt that had fallen onto his impeccably white tie.

 

Renji, behind him, wanted to scream.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

With difficulty, Ichigo pulled out of Rukia and allowed her to dress again. Silently, he pulled on his boxers and went searching for a shirt that was discarded during earlier hours of passion.

 

Ichigo was sitting tensely on the couch when Rukia came to sit next to him. He followed her movements with his concentrated eyes and knew she was nervous. He also knew what she was nervous about.

 

Gently, he motioned at the spot beside him, once she was sitting he pulled her close to him and kissed her softly on the silky lips. His heart was pounding inside of his chest as he stared into her trembling, anticipating, liquid eyes. He knew she wanted him to say the words—the right words that would express his feelings for her but… but…

 

Ichigo swallowed thickly, had he ever been this nervous before? He couldn't remember. And even if he ever had been this nervous it had certainly never been this knee-weakening, breath-stealing, toe-curling type of nervousness that she was making him feel right now.

 

“Rukia,” he began, his lips dry as a desert, she turned her adorable face closer to his and blinked slowly, “I—”

 

Bang! Bang! Bang!

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

The two men came to the door and Renji took the initiative to bang forcefully on it.

 

“Renji,” Kuchiki said coldly, “Please, exert some self control.”

 

Renji snarled and pounded again on the door, not caring if he woke up people on the other side of the city.

 

“Damn it Rukia!” He screamed, “Open up! Open the damn door! I'm not going away! I'm not leaving! Open. The. Damn. Door!”

 

The door swung open and two people glared out from behind it. For a few moments, that was all anyone could do, simply glare.

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

Ichigo had opened the door, Rukia stood beside him, now donning a pair of shorts she had found on the floor. She had been worried about indecency and made Ichigo put his shorts back on as well. He had snarled and complied, knowing that her brother was probably on the other side of the door along with the red haired prick. Not that he really cared about her brother's opinion of him anymore; it was more for Rukia's benefit that anyone else's.

 

He hated Renji now. Truly hated him. Sure, he had felt a deep dislike of him for what he did to Rukia—aka: tossing her aside like a used tissue—but now, tonight, he decided that he truly hated the man. Not because he punched his stomach—he had gotten what he deserved for that—but because he had interrupted him at the very moment he was going to tell Rukia that he loved her. Damn him. Damn him and her brother. Damn anyone who tried to keep them apart.

 

Now he was staring directly into the face of evil, so to speak. At least, that what he saw when he stared at Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai: Satan incarnate and his spawn.

 

“Brother.” Rukia said beside him. There was no fear in her voice, only steely determination. Ichigo was proud of her. That was another thing he loved about her. Come to think about it, he was actually raking up quite a list.

 

“Rukia.” He answered, his face and his freezing eyes didn't move.

 

There was silence, neither one of them bothered to acknowledge Ichigo or Renji, for now it was a simple confrontation between siblings. The silence stretched on until one of them decided to look away. Rukia's eyes left her brother's face first, only instead of looking at the floor; she looked over at Ichigo and slipped her hand into his.

 

It seemed that Renji, after only three minutes of silence, couldn't take it anymore. “Rukia!” He burst out loudly, “Look, come to your senses! You really think that this… this… thing is right for you? Are you serious?”

 

Ichigo's hand tightened in hers and she could tell he was growing angry.

 

She glared at Renji, her thumb stroking Ichigo's fingers to try and calm him—if only a little bit. She saw her brother's eyes flicker down to their hands and wrinkle his nose slightly. She turned back to Renji and raised an eyebrow. “I don't think that's your decision to make.”

 

“Like hell it isn't!” He yelled, waving his arms around like a madman.

 

Rukia glared at him and shook her head, “Well it isn't you stupid oaf.”

 

Renji's scowl became deadly and he turned towards Byakuya Kuchiki then back to Rukia Kuchiki. “Your brother told you to stay away from him, he told you to stop messing around with this piece of trash.” He snarled.

 

Rukia looked over to her brother and then back to Renji. She sidled closer to Ichigo and felt her arm brush against his. Ichigo was growing angrier by the second. There were only so many insults a guy could take before punching someone in the nose. Byakuya was not saying a word, he simply looked aver at Ichigo and then back to Rukia, as if examining them in some sort of medical experiment.

 

Renji was looking at his colleague with expecting eyes, he desperately wanted Kuchiki to say something. Truth be told, he wanted him to say anything that would separate the lovers standing in front of them.

 

Time ticked by as everyone stood in uncomfortable silence. After a minute or two, Byakuya Kuchiki looked to Rukia and said in a chilly voice, “I told you, Rukia not to see this boy again. You disobeyed me.”

 

Rukia blinked at her brother. “I know.” She said calmly, “I followed my own feelings… instead of yours. I'm happy, Brother, and I believe that you should be happy for me too.”

 

Renji snorted and added nastily, “Feelings… yeah, right. Meaning you couldn't keep your damn legs closed.”

 

Rukia's eyes widened, Byakuya's head snapped towards Renji, his eyes narrowed into deadly slits, and Ichigo's face turned beet red. In an instant, Renji's nose was broken, his back was against the wall, and the wind had been punched out of his stomach.

 

Ichigo let his bloodied fist fall to his side and reached with the other hand to grab the front of Renji's navy blue suit. His expression filled with wild fury, he brought Renji's face close to his and snarled, “Don't you ever, ever, ever say anything like that to Rukia. She's got more class and sophistication than you ever will.”

 

Byakuya Kuchiki glared down at Renji and dusted off his right hand, a tad sore from being pummeled into Renji's stomach. “Even I am surprised at your crassness Renji. I thought you were better than that.”

 

Renji grasped his broken nose—which was now bleeding profusely—and garbled, “Bud yoou shaid tath shee coulbn't seeeh im if her nambe was schtill Koochiki!” He cried.

 

Rukia—her face still red—took this to mean “But you said that she couldn't see him if her name was still Kuchiki.” She was about to retort that her last name didn't matter when Ichigo started yelling.

 

“You self-absorbed bastard. Her name's not going to be Kuchiki for much longer,” his face was still only inches away from Renji's. He snarled at him once more before pushing his face away and standing up.

 

Rukia crossed her arms across her chest and glowered at Ichigo. Byakuya was still staring at them, his knuckles were still slightly pink from its contact with Renji's stomach, and he was still not saying a word.

 

“What are you talking about?” Rukia asked, growing rather angry at Ichigo. He wasn't making any sense. What did he mean she wasn't going to be a Kuchiki much longer?

 

“What I'm talking about,” Ichigo said tensely as he turned and glared at Rukia, “Is that from this point on you and I are engaged. You're my fiancée and I am yours and in a couple of weeks or months or years or however long you want you'll be going by the name of Rukia Kurosaki.” His glower intensified, “Do you have a problem with that? I love you, damn it and I'm not letting some red headed punk ex-boyfriend or your crazy brother get in the way. I want to marry you and that's what I'm going to do, got it?”

 

Rukia's eyes widened, her arms fell lifelessly to her sides, and her mouth dropped until she was gaping like a fish. Her heart was beating so fast she was afraid she was going to go into cardiac arrest. Did he really just—did he truly just—

 

He came close to her and grabbed one of her arms, squeezing it gently just above the elbow. She looked up at him with an astonished gaze and swallowed thickly. Above her, Ichigo smiled charmingly—even though his eyes were still angry and his cheeks were still pink—and kissed her chastely on the cheek, “Got it?” He asked in a softer voice.

 

It took her another minute to speak but she nodded and answered, “Got it.” Her voice was dry and she felt dangerously close to crying—whether out of joy or panic she had no idea.

 

Rukia's stomach twisted and suddenly she burst out laughing. The charming grin and half-angry wrecked expression vanished from Ichigo's features and he smiled a true, happy, and loving smile. In less than a second Rukia leaped into Ichigo's arms and hooked her own around his neck. Immediately, he was twirling her around, her feet off the ground, and her laughter filling his ears.

 

On the ground, Renji was yelling hoarsely as he tried to get everyone's attention and tried to stop the bleeding in his nose at the same time.

 

Ichigo stopped twirling her and set her down lightly on her feet, only he did not let go of her. Still grinning, he looked over at his future brother-in-law and his eyes grew steely.

 

Byakuya was silent, his eyes appraising the situation. He shook his head lightly and they both tensed. However, instead of reprimanding them or even trying to pry them apart, he simply sighed and began to walk towards the stairs.

 

Ichigo and Rukia watched him in confusion. They both thought they heard him mutter, “You two took far too long to figure it out. Hisana and I were married in two months. Idiots.”

 

Rukia watched her brother until he turned at the end of the hall and disappeared down the stairs. In a rush, Renji called after him, blubbered and cursed a bit more at his broken nose, got up, and gave the couple one more dirty look before hurrying down the hall after Byakuya Kuchiki.

 

Once they were both gone, she turned back to Ichigo and smiled into his eyes. “So… you're sure you want to marry me?”

 

Ichigo kissed both sides of her mouth, followed by the center. His kisses were chaste but echoed with a growing hunger. “Are you sure you want to marry me?” He chuckled. He tried to sound nonchalant but Rukia knew he was nervous. “I did kind of force the proposal on you.”

 

“`Forced' is too delicate a word. But still, you're the one who asked.” She retorted. She kissed him gently then giggled. “And the answer is yes, I do want to marry you.”

 

“Good,” he said, “Because I want to marry you.”

 

“Excellent.” Rukia kissed him hungrily and then pulled back, slightly breathless. “Kami, I'm so glad we met at that stupid bar.”

 

Ichigo kissed her back and murmured, “Our lovely one night stand grew into this.”

 

Rukia smiled and whispered, “You mean… our ONS.”