Wow…first time ever to write an IchiRuki. Well hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or it's characters. They belong to Kubo Tite.

XXXXXXXXXX

"We can't."

Those words should've broken, shattered even, Ichigo's heart. They should've made him take a step back. But they didn't.

Because they didn't mean a thing when he looked into her violet eyes, "You don't mean that." He stated silently. Rukia winced before looking away.

"You know you don't mean that. You know there is no problem."

"Ichigo."

"You know. You know we can…" He insisted reaching for her hand. She pulled away. She hid her eyes from his view but he could see two trails of tears spill on her cheeks anyway.

"Rukia."

"We can't, Ichigo!" She shot at him. Ichigo flinched at her sharp tone, his eyes wide with surprise but his brows furrowed in confusion. "We can't…even though…" He waited.

"Even though…I care for you too…"

"Then I don't see why we can't. Rukia…" He made a move towards her but she took a step back.

"Can't you see what it'll do to us?" She whispered, Ichigo almost didn't hear it. She looked up and he was instantly reminded of that day when Byakuya had come to take her and injured him, she had looked at him with such pain stricken eyes.

"At any moment we could die. At any moment you could…" She choked back on her words clenching her fists tightly and looking down, her eyes overflowing with tears. Ichigo lifted a hand and placed it under her chin and lifting it so that she could see him.

"I hadn't let myself feel this way towards you because I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to lose you. If we…"

"Then you understand why we can't ever be together."

"No…you see it only made me want to be with you more." Rukia's eyes widened, her brows furrowed in a similar expression to Ichigo's only a moment before. His eyes had softened and there was an emotion there that had her heart racing and her stomach to flutter. Why did he have to look at her like that?

"I can't bear to be without you. It makes me feel empty…lost. I only realized that when you were with me I could be stronger, I could do anything." He stepped closer to her, closing any space between their figures. His expression hardened with resolve, "I won't let you go. If anything tries to tear us apart I will destroy it."

"Ichigo." She shook her head and tried to pull away but Ichigo placed an arm around her waist and held her against him.

"I know you feel the same." He said, almost furiously. "We'll only hurt ourselves more if we keep ourselves away."

"Ichigo, please…I'm not mortal. I'm a shinigami, I've already lived a human life and died, I can't just – mm…"

Ichigo didn't let her finish, he tightened his hold on her and captured her lips with his. The shinigami couldn't fight it, she didn't want to. And even if she did she was no match for him at the moment.

So she did what instinct told her and replied by leaning towards him, letting her hands reach for his neck she wrapped an arm and the other pressed his head towards her.

But when they pulled apart she could only cry some more. Ichigo, confused, said nothing but waited for her to speak.

"Idiot…Ichigo…you are such an idiot…" Ichigo couldn't help but laugh softly. Rukia looked up at him before smiling at him, she wiped her tears and nodded.

"Alright…we'll give it a try."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Please review!

Mido-Ao