Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ The Aftermath ❯ Faces ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Ichigo wore a constant scowl, a type of face that is between hate and annoyed. It was always there. Rukia wore two constant faces, a smile and a glare. Both were used for different places, the smile in front of new people and regular humans, and the glare which was used mainly on Ichigo. One or the other, they were always there. Each of them knew the other's faces were only a mask. Rukia knew that Ichigo's real face was stained with tears, and Ichigo knew that Rukia's real face was also. So, they picked fights with eachother. This may seem unusual to some, but it was a way to inspire a new face, an angry one, but a new one. They hoped that it would make the other less sad, more angry, but less sad. Though sometimes, they would make eachother sad, and always at the same time. Whenever Rukia left to go back to Soul Society on business, Ichigo was sad and missed her, while Rukia missed Ichigo. They never said they missed eachother, but instead they fought as soon as they saw eachother. It was strange, but it was them.

Rukia turned these thoughts over in her mind. She knew that she missed Ichigo when she left, because she was herself, but she knew that Ichigo missed her because whenever she came back, his face went through two stages, suprise, happiness, and then it returned to normal. She thought it was interesting. He would smile when he saw her return. That meant that through all the fighting and all the insults, his angry face was only a mask, because when they fought, he was actually smiling. It was the same for her too, she was always smiling when they fought. It didn't make sense though. Why would they be happy when they fought. It sounded like being a masochist, and she knew she wasn't that, and she sure as hell hoped Ichigo wasn't. Then what were they? She decided that was something to ask Ichigo, the modern world might have a term for it. She slowly turned her head from the magazine she was reading, well, not reading, more of looking at while she thought. As Ichigo entered her vision, she saw that he was, what looked to be, sleeping. Being the considerate person she was, she tried to get his attention without waking him, if he was asleep.

"Ichigo...?" She asked quietly. He turned his head and opened his eyes to her. Good, he wasn't asleep, that meant a fight wouldn't start.

"What?" He grunted. His scowl began to form on his face. Rukia ignored it though, it was just how he chose to look, nothing serious.

"I have a question." She said as she turned her whole body to face him. He sighed and sat up slowly. His scowl was somewhat real now.

"And it would be?" He asked as he ran his hand through his hair. Rukia knew what that gesture meant, either confusion or anticipation of torture, and he sure as hell wasn't confused. She was slightly offended, did he hate her questions that much? She stored that question away to ask at a later time.

"What do you call it when people fight most of the time, but are actually good, close friends?" She asked while chosing her words carefully. She didn't exactly want him knowing that she was talking about their relationship.

"Masochism?" Ichigo asked hopefully. Their were two thoughts that came to mind, and he wanted to get the unlikely one over with.

"Wrong type of relationship idiot!" Rukia snapped as her cheeks turned a faint pink. She did not have any relationship like that with Ichigo.

"Who are you calling an idiot, midget!" Ichigo snapped back.

"Just answer the damned question!" Rukia ordered. They could fight later, now was not the time.

"Alright, geez...I think you mean a love-hate relationship." Ichigo answered thoughtfully. He didn't know any other words to describe what Rukia wanted to know.

"Explain." Rukia demanded while trying not to use her holier-than-thou attitude. It was a habit that she was trying to kick.

"What's to explain, the name says it, love-hate, two people that love eachother, who look like they hate eachother." Ichigo said, slightly annoyed. Rukia suddenly turned very pale. She was ghost-white, no pun intended. "Rukia?" Ichigo asked, slightly concerned. He got up and kneeled down in front of her, trying to see what was wrong. Just then she snapped back to reality and looked at him. The blood immediately rushed to her face and she fell backwards, away from him. "Rukia, are you okay?" Ichigo asked again.

"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine..." Rukia stuttered. Did Ichigo just describe their relationship with the word love? That was a major impossibillity.

"Are you sure, you look like you have a fever or something." Ichigo said as he began to lean towards her. Rukia immediately stood up and backed out of the room.

"I'm f-fine, r-really, I a-am..." She said before leaving the room. Ichigo stared after her. What had gotten into her?

Rukia's face used to be tear-stained and mask by a glare and smile, but now it was a smile. Ichigo's face used to be tear-stained and masked by a scowl, but now it was a smile. Both faces changed and began to show more and more of themselves everyday. Ichigo frowned less, and Rukia showed her true smile more. Both were changing for the better, and they had eachother to thank.

Rukia ran these thoughts through her head one more time before smiling to herself. It would take a lot of time for her to admit aloud that she had anything near love for Ichigo, and the same went for him, but they had a lot of time, and new faces to share with eachother when they finally did.