Disclaimer: I'm gonna be honest here… honesty is an important virtue…honesty and me…me and honesty…hmm…nevermind! Any who…I DO NOT own Bleach but someday I will… :3

Rukia sighed as she headed to her spot on the roof for her lunch. She was extremely thirsty. Her mouth was probably more

parched and dry than Huceo Muendo's arid desert. And she had nothing to drink since the Kurosaki residence was now officially and

completely out of her beloved juice. The usual crew was already gathered in a familiar circle on the roof, Keigo telling some stupid

story, Inoue trying to get someone brave enough to try some of her well interesting concoctions for lunch, Ishida pushing his ever-

slipping glasses up the bridge of his nose and being gloomy, ect…and Ichigo…Ichigo, was sitting there smirking without the slightest

sign of concern that the world had just ended! There was no more juice and Rukia was probably going to faint from lack of hydration!

How rude! Rukia shot him a glare as she sat beside him, neatly folding her legs under her petite thin frame, while balancing her lunch in

her hand. He looked up from his own Yuzu-made lunch, and seeing her scowl he scowled back knowing he was about to argue

about another stupid 'problem' Rukia was having.

"What?" he asked annoyed even though he had already guessed the answer.

" What ?! I'm sitting here thirsty, there 's no more juice and you DARE to ask that question?!" She replied furiously.

"And what the heck am I 'sposed to do about it?!" He rolled his eyes "Does it look like I'm the juice fairy or something? Go drink

out of the water fountain!"

Rukia pouted reminding Ichigo of a bratty pre-schooler demanding snacks at snack time. "I don't want to! Water is nothing in

comparison to…"

" WELL STOP YOUR FREAKIN' COMPLAINING AND GET THE FREAKIN' WATER!!!"

" I MIGHT DIE FROM DEHYDRATION!"

" YOU HAVE LEGS!! GET OFF YOUR LAZY BUTT AND WALK TO THE WATER FOUNTAIN!!"

Tasuki groaned, drowning out the twosome as they continued their argument. "There they go again…"

" How predictable indeed." Muttered Ishida. Chad of course grunted his agreement as Miziro shook his head. Orihime, desperately

trying to find a solution for the quarrel, offered her own juice. "Um… Rukia, would you like some of mine?"

Rukia and Ichigo stopped mid-retort and looked over at Inoue, clearly becoming bored with the latest argument and were looking for

something new to fight about. The kindly girl held her juice out to a now smiling Rukia.

"Um thank you Orihime! You are such a great friend. Unlike someo…"

Ichigo slapped Rukia's outstretched hand away from Orihime's juice. They were now ready to start an argument again for that is

clearly the only way the two seem to communicate.

"Oh no ya don't." Ichigo frowned as Rukia glared. " You and I both know that as soon as she hands it to you, you're gonna drink the

whole thing and then Orihime won't have anything to drink!"

" N-uh!" Rukia shot back. Orihime sweat-dropped as the arguments once again started up in all their glory.

"BBRRRRiiiiiNNNGGG!!!"Talk about saved by the bell. The group of assorted shinigamis, quincys, big armed people, and various

other random sidekicks started stuffing trash into overflowing trashbins and began the journey to the next adventure that is high

school. Ichigo and Rukia had forgotten just exactly they were fighting about by now and were walking in silence to their next class

together when they were suddenly reminded by a certain annoying, brown-haired, dunce, with…yeah Keigo.

" Hey Rukia! Still thirsty? I got something called love potion if you want to use I mean drink i…OWWIE!!"

Ichigo's iron fist never wavered as it connected with duface. (hehe ) "Beat it Keigo."

Rukia couldn't help but smile as Keigo crawled away wimpering. Ichigo sighed, causing her to look up at his ever-frowning face,

mouth taut, eyes furrowed as he looked thoughtful. She paused briefly knowing from experience to let him ponder a while in solitude

before interrupting. His brain needed time to power up afterall! XD "Ichigo?" "Hmm?" "I just remembered that…I'm still thirsty."

"Sigh…I know."

Rukia gave him a powerful blow to the stomach, making him double over in pain. (she IS a midget, can't punch his face without

jumpin' too high! XD) "WELL?! Aren't you going to do something about it, huh?!"

"Ugh…" He was still recovering somewhat, she had a friggn' hard punch.

"I'M THIRS.." "I know…" Rukia stared curiously at her strawberry-blonde friend, his tone almost sounded calm. What in the…

Ichigo put his hands behind his spiky head as he started to class. (why aren't they late yet?!) "Look if you're still thirsty you can wait

till after school."

The midget was furious now. "WHAT?! I can't wait that long!! Why do I have to wait?!"

Slowly, with hands still behind his head, Mr. Scowly turned to face her, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Because if wait, you can have something better than juice."

Her eyes widened with the thought. Something better than juice?! Was it even possible?! But then suspicion took hold of her.

What exactly did that mean? Was he joking? I mean something better than juice? C'mon now, that was silly! And his weird thoughtfulness…

Rukia's thoughts were interrupted.

"ATTA BOY IIIIICCCHHIIIIGOOOOO!!!" It seemed Keigo had returned from the nurse's office…again. "Something better than

juice? Oh I know where you're goin' with this bad boy! Only one thing is better than juice if ya know what I mea… AHHHH!!" And

it seemed Ichigo had successfully shut the daft fool up…again. He looked a little embarrassed. Perplexed, Rukia had no idea what the

two were fighting about. She assumed Ichigo didn't want Keigo to spoil the surprise…whatever it was. She doubted it was better

than juice…but all the same she couldn't help but wonder what was more delicious than juice. But then again…his behavior said

something was definitely up… Then the answer to what the surprise was and what Keigo might have been hinting at hit Rukia like a

punch in the face. Was he going to give her a k…? Was he…!? Isn't he just a friend?! She blushed furiously as she let her suspicions get the better of her. She needed to find out.

The violet-eyed woman was waiting at the agreed meeting place by the gym. Where was he? She was still very thirsty and her

patience to finally figure out what was better than juice was running out. Nothing could be better…could it? Then a figure stepped

soundlessly from around the corner. Ichigo. Rukia gulped. The moment of truth. (DRUMROLL PLEASE!) His eyes were downcast

as he approached her. Every once in a while he glanced at her briefly. Was that…? Yes it was! There was embarrassment and

awkwardness written in small lines on his face. He stopped when he was a respectful distance away. Rukia cocked her head in

confusion. Well?

"Hey…" He said finally looking her in the eyes, all emotion on his face gone like juice when it is within Rukia's grasp.

"I'm waiting." Replied an impatient midget. His hand was moving now, he got closer, she felt something wet on her skin. Rukia gulped

nervously.

"Here." There was something in her hands now, icy cold, and wet too…in a hard metal cylinder? So much for her suspicions.

"Um…thanks Ichigo but this isn't quenching my thirst."

The tall youth rolled his eyes. "Duh you haven't opened it yet. Give it here."

Rukia obeyed, puzzled as she watched observantly. He pulled a small little tad on the top of the cylinder with a sharp pop. A fizzy

sort of sound followed. Ichigo gave the thing back to her. She looked at it in awe. There was now a hole in the top and there was

liquid inside!! "WOW how do they get it in there Ichigo!? Just like the juice!?" All maturity and pride forgotten. Ichigo just smirked.

"Try it already!"

She tentatively put it to her lips, gasping as a bubbling fizzy liquid floated down her throat. Delicious!! It tasted like strawberries!

"What is this stuff!? Maybe it is better than juice! Sweeter even!" She asked excitedly.

"Soda." He said. "And you're right it is sweeter than juice because it's mostly sugar, so don't drink have 'em too often or your teeth

will rot."

She glared at him. Then looked thoughtful. "Hey Ichigo why are you being so nice?"

He looked away pretending to be aloof when she saw the slight flicker of embarrassment in his brown eyes. "Well… you do drink

juice too much so I thought you should try something new… and…" His eyes rested on hers for a moment, something unreadable in

them gleamed. "I kept it suspenseful so that way you would be usin' that tiny brain of yours (He received a punch in the ribcage)and it

would finally be quiet for the rest of the day while you were trying to figure it out!" (He received another blow)

" You BAKA!" She cried angrily throwing her empty soda can at his laughing face. "You set this whole thing up just so I would

SHUT UP?!"

"Yep. Pretty much."

"Iiichiiggoo…" She was actually growling in anger now. "You made me think that you were gonna…" Her cheeks burned, in both

anger and hot embarrassment for thinking about her friend in a different way, a way she was still a little unsure about.

Ichigo seemed to sense what she had been thinking because his cheeks flushed slightly pink. "Think what…midget?"

"MIDGET?!"

And thus began the next fake argument about nothing in particular. And they both knew that the fighting was to make the awkward

emotions that they had yet to sift through, well, pile up into a sand dune or even Huceo Muendo's arid desert, until they felt it was

time to see what was better than soda even…

FIN THE END GO HOME GOOD NITE ADIOS

Hehe:3 Gotta love IchiRuki! My fav part was the whole Keigo returns thing. Yeah I can't spell so please correct me. Even spell check hates me! XD