The standard disclaimers apply
The Sokyoku Hill. In some ways, this was where everything began. Where he'd finally begun to master his true power, where the real enemy had at last revealed himself. Where so much had changed.
Kurosaki Ichigo was not usually one to dwell on the past, save for his mother's death, but that evening found him in a contemplative mood. Gazing up at Soul Society's night sky, his mind wandered back over the many battles he'd fought in the past two years, even as he wondered what the future would hold.
For the first time since his mother's death, he felt almost at peace.
A familiar presence nearby brought a smile to his normally forbidding visage. He wasn't the best at sensing others, but this reiatsu was as familiar to him as his own. "Over here, midget," he said.
Light footsteps approached him from behind. "I know; I could sense your reiatsu from Rukongai," his fiancee said, moving to stand next to him. "And how many times have I told you not to call me that?"
"About as many as I've told you not to call me Strawberry," Ichigo shot back, enjoying the familiar banter. "How did the lieutenants' meeting go?"
"Quite well, as I expected," Kuchiki Rukia said. "Renji of course already knew, and most of the others were pleased by the news. Kurotsuchi didn't really react, but she's hardly normal, and Omaeda threw a fit, saying a Kuchiki should marry another noble. Frankly, I think it was more because he still resents you; he's one of the lieutenants you disabled when you rescued me, the big oaf with the ball-and-chain zanpakuto."
Ichigo snorted. "Okay, now I remember. I punched right through his shikai."
"And that's why he resents you," Rukia said. "He's possibly the most prideful member of the Gotei 13, without Nii-sama's spirit."
"Or his skill; Byakuya gave me a hell of a fight." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "So what happened then?"
A devilish grin crossed Rukia's face. "He was still ranting when Kusajishi and Hinamori kicked him in the shins," she said, giggling. "Kusajishi reminded him that Captain Zaraki likes you, and Hinamori pointed out you're a noble yourself, even if you only found out a few days ago."
Ichigo threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Remind me to thank those two when I get the chance."
"Oh, that's not the best part," Rukia said, her grin widening. "That's when Renji and I told him we have my brother's approval, and if he wanted to take it up with the head of the Kuchiki Clan, he was welcome to try. His face went white enough for a Hollow mask."
No surprise there. Ichigo was, as far as he knew, one of a very few besides the other twelve captains who did not fear Kuchiki Byakuya. A dimwit like this Omaeda was unlikely to do anything that might risk angering the noble captain.
"Your turn, Ichigo," Rukia said. "You had to meet with the captains, Shinigami Special Agent."
Ichigo rolled his eyes again at the cheesy title. Kuna Mashiro's idea, he was certain. It was just like her. "Started off rough, but that wasn't my fault," he added when Rukia gave him a very speaking look. "That freak Kurotsuchi wanted to personally examine Yuzu and Karin after Old Man Yamamoto said they'd have to be checked to see if they inherited Hollows like I did."
Rukia winced. If Ichigo had decided to activate his bankai over that, she wouldn't have blamed him. "I take it he backed off."
"After I told him if he touched my sisters I'd do to him what I did to Ulquiorra," Ichigo confirmed. "He believed me. Unohana and Hirako are going to take care of it."
One the captain of Fourth Division, the other the leader of the Visored and a personal friend of Ichigo. The Kurosaki girls would be in good hands with those two.
"Then the wedding business came up," Ichigo went on. "Kenpachi said it had better be a huge bash. Byakuya promptly went all Noble Kuchiki Head and said he'd cut Kenpachi up and feed him to the koi in the Kuchiki estate if he caused a ruckus."
"That does sound like Nii-sama," Rukia agreed. "He has his pride, and he wants me to be happy. Disrupting our wedding would hinder both goals."
Ichigo couldn't help smirking at the thought of the Kuchiki pride working in his favor for a change. Anything that made Zaraki Kenpachi less likely to challenge him to a duel was something he was in favor of.
"Dad went into one of his wacky modes –I am so not surprised he and Kyoraku were drinking buddies when he was a captain– until I punched him in the face." He chuckled just a bit ruefully. "Toshiro said I could call him by name after that one, said he'd fantasized about doing that for twenty-five years."
Rukia laughed, leaning her head on his arm. "I am not surprised to hear he was every bit as insane when he was an active shinigami."
They stood like that for a while in silence, just gazing up at the night sky. It was remarkable, really, how well they fit together despite their vastly different origins and upbringing. How attached to each other they had grown despite their bickering, though Ishida Uryu would probably have said it was obvious, while muttering about the absurdity of it all.
"I finally understand," Rukia murmured. "Why you were never angry that I gave you my powers, and drew you into this world," she explained when he looked at her questioningly. "I wondered for so long, especially when Inoue was kidnapped."
Ichigo said nothing when she paused. This, he sensed, wasn't the time for wisecracking.
"Then I saw you after Aizen was sealed," she said. "How distraught you were, not only at our separation, but because you could no longer protect those important to you. Could no longer fight or even see the most basic Hollow. And then," she pressed a little closer, "you met Ginjo Kugo."
"That was a rough patch," Ichigo acknowledged. "Maybe I was crazy to be taken in by that bunch."
Rukia shook her head quickly. "It wasn't really your fault. You were at possibly your most vulnerable, and Ginjo knew it. But I knew." She smiled a little sadly. "I knew even then that he would never be able to turn you against us."
Ichigo took her hand, squeezed gently. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, midget."
She swatted him lightly with her free hand. "You're welcome, Strawberry." They shared a brief laugh. "It broke my heart, seeing you like that and not being able to do anything about it. I can't begin to tell you how relieved and happy I was, when the Commander-General gave the order to restore your powers."
She didn't need to. Ichigo remembered the look in her eyes when his spiritual perception was restored. And not just Rukia; he remembered the look of satisfaction on Byakuya's face as the noble captain watched him pound Ginjo into the ground.
"And now, after all that insanity, here we are, soon to be husband and wife." Rukia chuckled. "Fate, it seems, has a strange sense of humor."
"I'll say," Ichigo agreed. "Gonna be just about the craziest wedding in the history of the living world or Soul Society. Seriously, every captain and lieutenant, a couple of seated officers here and there, a few retired shinigami, a Quincy, some of my normal classmates let in for the occasion, and a couple of Arrancar. How crazy is that?"
"No crazier than I am to marry you in the first place," Rukia said with a grin. They both laughed again.
It wouldn't be a normal marriage, they both knew that much. But what did it matter? Neither of them was normal to begin with. They would work through whatever issues came their way, and they wouldn't be alone. Not anymore.
"Ichigo," Rukia said quietly. "When we have our first child, if it is a boy, there is a specific name I have in mind, if that's all right."
He had a good idea of it. "Kaien?" Rukia's predecessor as Thirteenth Division lieutenant, and Ichigo's cousin, though he hadn't learned until decades after Shiba Kaien's death.
"Yes."
"That's fine," Ichigo said. He knew what it meant to her. "And if we have a girl, there's one I'd like."
She gave him a knowing look. "Masaki, of course."
He simply nodded. His mother was out there somewhere, in some form, or at least he still thought she was. But even if she wasn't, her memory would live on.
"Well," Rukia said more briskly, "as enjoyable as this is, there are some things I still need to take care of. I'll see you tomorrow."
Ichigo smiled. "Later, then." He bent down and gave her a quick kiss. ". . .I love you, midget."
She smiled back, feeling lighter than she had in a very long time. "I love you, too, you idiot."
They had no idea what the future would bring, but it didn't matter. They would face it head-on, together.
Author's note: I've never done anything in this section (I've had a more ambitious fic in the works for some time, though whether anything will come of it is anyone's guess), but something like this just demanded to be written after the insanity of the latest manga chapter. Even leaving aside my utter loathing for pairing Ichigo and Orihime to begin with, doing so after so much time with no real foreshadowing (the cringe-inducing, sappy "confession" scene doesn't cut it) is fantastically bad writing.
Anyway, I do hope this was at least acceptable. I think I managed to keep them in character, though there is a bit of doubt on the last exchange. Could be worse, I guess. ~D.S.