Chapter 1: Festival

Summary: It's a week after Rukia's birthday and after a fight with Ichigo she flees to the comfort of the Soul Society. What will happen? As with my story 'Reunions' I suggest you listen to the song at the side while reading. Enjoy! Please comment what you think!

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Rukia

After finishing the last of the paperwork for the day I left my office next to Captain Ukitake's and went back to my room to get ready for tonight. I had started doing more of the Captain's work after he started to feel sick again. I reached my room a few minutes later and glanced at the clock.

6:10

Crap. I had less than an hour to get ready for the festival tonight. After rescuing Ichigo and the others from Hueco Mundo the head captain noticed a lowering of moral and decided to have a festival. It was also to celebrate the first cherry blossoms of the year.

As I quickly put on my dress I heard a knock. When I opened it saw Orihime standing there with a dress and a bag that was bulging at the seams.

"Orihime not that I'm not glad to see you but what are you doing here?" I asked perplexed. I would have seen her along with everyone else at the festival.

"I'm here to help you get ready for tonight. I ran into Rangiku who saw you on your way back here and she told me I should help you." she said moving past me and setting her stuff on my bed.

"Okay I guess that's alright." I said closing the door.

"Since your already in your dress we can start your makeup." she said going through her bag.

"Wait what? What do you mean makeup? What's wrong with how I look?" I practically yelled.

"It's just to bring out your features more. Now sit down and I'll do yours." she said motioning for me to sit on the bed. Sighing I reluctantly sat down on the bed as Orihime got to work.

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(Later at the festival)

(Rukia's P.O.V.)

By the time we got to the courtyard where the festival was everyone was already there and it was beginning to get dark. I sucked in my breath at the sight. The Shinigami Women's Association had decorated the courtyard with candles on every table and there were lanterns hanging everywhere sticking to a more classic Victorian theme and it looked amazing. Looking around I saw Karin talking with Captain Hitsugaya who has a bored expression on his face. I'm surprised no ones said anything about the fact that she's wearing her normal clothes instead of a dress. But knowing her she'd just ignore at them.

I smile as I watch as a barely there smile flits across his face at something she says. As I was watching he leaned over and said something that made Karin laugh. I smiled watching them. They look so cute together. I think, laughing inwardly.

"Oh look there's Uryu!" Orihime said grabbing my arm "Let's go say hi."

"I don't really feel like it but you should go over Orihime." I replied

"Ok" she said looking surprised

Once she left I wandered around for an hour or so saying hi to friends I haven't seen in a while. I soon started to get a headache and went in search of a quiet place to sit down. Remembering a nearby clearing I followed the path through the trees bordering the party. I had been looking to this festival for a month but now I just wished it was over. A few minutes later I heard the music start. I figured people would start dancing so I stayed there. For some reason I didn't have the heart to watch all the couples dancing. At last year's party I had danced with Renji to a few songs but this year felt different.

A lot had changed in only a year.

I had met Ichigo and had finally made some friends who would do anything for me. I had seen Serieritii turned on it's head and my brother had stopped ignoring me and treated me as his equal.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear someone come up behind me at first. It was only my years' of stealth training that warned me that someone was there. Turning around I saw Ichigo leaning against a tree in a tux.

"Hey Rukia" he said casually

"Hey Ichigo what's up?"

"I um uh I came to see if you wanted to dance." he said rubbing the back of his neck and holding out his hand. This I knew was something he only did when he was nervous. But why is he nervous? I wondered.

"Why are you asking me to dance Ichigo?" I asked as I started toward him curious.

"Well that's what people do at these things" he said glancing back through the trees where we could still hear the music from the party.

"Ok" I said taking his hand.

"Just so you know Rukia, I don't really know how to dance. I've only been to one school dance and it was only because my dad made me. I didn't even dance, I just ate the food. He said as he led me to the middle of the clearing.

"That's ok, I've seen lots of people dance. It doesn't look too hard. Look you're supposed to put your hands on my waist," I said starting to blush as he did, "And I put mine around your neck. And we just follow the music. As I did so I felt my blush deepen.

Thankfully another song started to play then and we stopped talking as we swayed to the music. As I listened I realized i had never heard this song before but strangely thought was one that I felt described both of us really well.

"I Don't Dance" (Lee Brice)

I'll never settle down,

That's what I always thought

Yeah I was that kind of man, just ask anyone.

I don't dance,

But here I am

Spinning you around and around in circles.

It ain't my style,

But I don't care.

I do anything with you anywhere.

Yes, you've got me in the palm of your hand

'Cause, I don't dance.

Love's never come my way

I've never been this far

'Cause you took these two left feet,

And waltzed away with my heart.

No I don't dance,

But here I am,

Spinning you around and around in circles.

It ain't my style,

But I don't care.

I do anything with you anywhere.

Yes, you've got me in the palm of your hand, girl

'Cause I don't dance.

Ohhh

I don't dance,

But here I am,

Spinning you around and around in circles,

It ain't my style but I don't care,

I do anything with you anywhere.

Yes, you've got me in the palm of your hand, girl

'Cause I don't dance.

Ohhh

As the song continued to play I laid my head on Ichigo's chest and tried to remember when was I first realized I was in love with him. I don't recall there being one exact moment but if i had to i think it was during his fight with Grand Fisher. I remember I had to use every once of self-disipline I had to keep myself from helping him.

I remember that night like it was yesterday. Running through the rain and finding Ichigo fighting the hollow that every shinigami is taught never to take on alone. The panic I felt as I held myself back hoping and praying for Ichigo's safety and the steady noise of the rain that encompassed us.

Blinking to clear my head I turned my attention back to the present just in time to notice the song change. Even so Ichigo kept his hold on me as we continued to dance.

When we stopped we just held each other, him resting his chin on my head and my arms around his waist, as if afraid of what would happen when we let go. When we did break apart I felt like I'd lost a limb I didn't know I needed.

"Look Ichigo" I said pointing up at the stars. All the stars had come out and I could see the constellations. On an impulse I laid down on my back and stared at them. After a moment I saw Ichigo lay down next to me. Glancing over at him I saw that he wasn't looking at the stars but at me. The intensity of his stare made me squirm and I felt myself starting to blush again.

"Earlier you said you hadn't ever danced before even at your school's dance?" I asked to distract him. Thankfully it worked.

He looked up at the stars before answering. "It was before the girls were born. I was about three or so but I remember that my mom used to love to dance and she would pick up and twirl us around. When I got bigger she'd put me on her feet and dance me around our living room." He said all of this with a sad smile on his face.

"So what are you gonna do after you graduate next year?" I asked changing the subject. I know he doesn't talk about his mom much and I felt honored that he trusted me enough to tell me this but I didn't want him to feel sad or guilty anymore.

"I'm not sure," he said with a cough, throwing a glance at me before looking up again, "I honestly hadn't thought that far. I guess I'll go to college and major in business or something."

We talked for a while after that. We talked about almost anything that came to mind. He told me about the day he first taught Karin how to play soccer. He said when she turned eight she started begging him to teach her for until he finally did, as he put it "just to stop her constant questioning".

"She had being doing great on the drills but the first time she went to kick in into the goal," he said smiling at the memory, "she kicked it into the wrong goal."

We both laughed at that. I noticed then how dark it had become. We could still hear noise from the party but I knew it could end up lasting all night long.

"It's getting late, Ichigo, and I need to get some sleep." I say standing up and pulling him up with me.

"Ok let's head back."

When we stop at my room we both stand there awkwardly not knowing what to say.

"Good night Ichigo." I finally say, heading into my room.

"Rukia wait, um would you I mean would you like to hang out sometime , you know, um, like we did tonight?"

Stopping in my tracks I think about what my reply should be. I knew exactly what he was asking, it's not like half of the males in his class hadn't asked me out before. But should I accept? But what about Orihime? She'd be crushed if she knew that Ichigo was asking me out. I don't know if I could do that to anyone especially my best friend.

"I mean it you don't want to that's fine. I just thought you might want to hang out sometime you know, nothing special." Ichigo said sensing my hesitation. He said it was nothing special but could see otherwise.

I glanced over at him. He wasn't looking at me but instead at the floor. He tried to hide it but I could see the start of a blush tint his cheeks. Does me saying yes really mean that much to him? I wondered.

"Ichigo when I last saw you, you were hiding something. What was it?" I ask

He looked up surprised that I remembered that before he pulled something out of the pocket of his tux. "I completely forgot with everything that's been going on but here," he says holding out a silver charm bracelet, "Your birthday's on January 14th isn't it?" I nod surprised that he would remember, much less get me a present.

"I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise. You left before I could explain. Sorry it's late." he finished

Looking up into his warm brown eyes I saw he was telling the truth. It really was just a big misunderstanding. Taking the bracelet I find I don't want to lie to him.

"Yes Ichigo I would love to hang out like this sometime. It's going to have to wait until I come to the human world again though." I say answering his earlier question as I entered my room.

Closing the door I lean there against it looking closer at the bracelet. It had three charms already on it. A heart and a star on either side of a black butterfly. I smile seeing the butterfly. It looks exactly like the one that we soul reapers use to get back to the human world. I decided at that moment that I would only wear it on special occasions.

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Thanks again for reading! Hope you enjoyed it even though it's short!

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-RK out!