Author's note: So this update is embarrassingly late. I apologize in advance for any errors, I literally ran my eyes over this before declaring it good to go.

IIII

"I get the impression you're mad at me," Ichigo said using his sword to prop himself up.

Rukia glanced coolly at him over her reports. "How do you figure that?" she asked snidely.

"Aside from that chilling tone?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

She huffed, shuffling the papers in her hands. "I don't need you defending my honour, Ichigo," she said tersely.

That's what she was mad about?! Sometimes Ichigo felt Rukia needed to be angry about something. No doubt it was a purely Rukia thing. What happened to her appreciating his defending of her honour?

"I was defending your honour - that guy needed a lesson in respect," he reminded her, feeling annoyance over the encounter creep up on him all over again.

"You blew a portion of Nii-sama's house," she reminded him with a scowl.

"Which he totally got over!"

Ichigo had no way of knowing this but the fact that he was still in one piece seemed like a pretty good sign to him.

"That doesn't make it okay."

He snorted, grabbing his sword and twirling it by the handle. "Look I'm just doing what you begged me to do," he retorted.

Rukia scowled. "I didn't beg you!"

"It sounded a lot like begging to me," he said with a smirk, never one to miss an opportunity to rile Rukia up. She got away with annoying him way too much as is.

"You just probably couldn't hear me over your inflated ego!"

"No need to get all worked up, Rukia," he said with a condescending smile.

She snorted placing the papers on the desk. She opened her mouth to say something but paused. Her eyes widened as she stared at something over his shoulder. "Ashido?"

"Bless you," Ichigo said.

She stood up looking slightly pale. "I wasn't sneezing, you idiot..." she muttered somewhat distracted.

Eyebrows raised he watched as she made her way around the desk, stopping briefly before running/ stumbling past him. Intrigued by her behaviour, Ichigo followed her with his eyes turning around to see what had grabbed her attention.

To his shock Rukia raced up to some complete random hanging by the door and actually flung her arms around him.

"Huh?" he blinked in disbelief. Rukia never hugged anyone. She certainly didn't race into his arms after a long absence. Not that he was keeping score or anything.

"Rukia..." the guy uttered with a tentative smile.

It was not lost on Ichigo that Rukia was still holding onto the guy as if he might disappear before her eyes.

"Ashido..." she seemed to breathe the word out.

"Ichigo," Ichigo deadpanned.

They seemed to remember he was also in the room as they reluctantly tore apart. Rukia, the infallible shinigami actually looked flustered. "Ichigo this is Ashido," she introduced the maroon hair coloured shinigami. "Don't you remember him?"

The name sounded vaguely familiar and he could've sworn he'd seen him before. But Ichigo was really bad at remembering names.

"Uhm should I?" he asked sheepishly.

The guy, Ashido, smiled. "We briefly met in Huecu Mundo..." he explained as if that would somehow refresh Ichigo's memory.

A lot happened in Hueco Mundo. He couldn't help remember. "Er-r-r-..."

"He saved me in the underground forest," Rukia supplied with an eye roll.

"Oh!" Ichigo exclaimed finally able to place him. "You were that hermit guy!"

"Ichigo!" Rukia admonished.

But Ashido seemed to take no offense. "Yeah that was me," he admitted.

"You're no longer in Hueco Mundo..." Ichigo stated dumbly.

"Yeah, someone said something that really got me thinking," Ashido said his eyes reverting back to Rukia. "That maybe I would be of better use here..."

Ichigo didn't really care for the fondness he saw reflected there. Or Rukia's bashful smile for that matter. She was acting weird even for her standards.

"Right so what are you doing here?" he asked.

Rukia shot him a look which he chose to ignore.

"Right, forgive me I was just so glad to see a familiar face I forgot the other reason I was here," Ashido said with a smile. Ichigo didn't remember him throwing so many smiles back in Hueco Mundo. Ashido retrieved a scroll from his pocket handing it over to Rukia.

She accepted it and slowly opened it. Ichigo watched as her eyes widened before crimson dots appeared on her cheeks.

"No need to tell me what that says I'll just use my mind reading powers," Ichigo said sarcastically.

Rukia ignored him as she glanced up at Ashido. "Is this... this says..."

"Yes, I'm K. Ashido," Ashido said.

Rukia gasped.

"Still using those mind reading powers," Ichigo said loudly.

This time he seemed to garner Rukia's attention. "Ichigo, Ashido is K. Ashido," she said.

"Right I sort of heard that part..." he said dryly.

Rukia sighed. "Ichigo, Ashido is my next suitor."

"What?!"

/

"If it isn't the substitute shinigami!" Renji announced as took a seat beside Ichigo. "In my spare time I reap souls." He added in a poor imitation of Ichigo's voice.

Hardly amused, Ichigo chose to ignore him.

Picking up on his brooding mood, Renji tried to lift his spirits. "Hey, it wasn't that bad I'm sure that guy deserved it," he said lightly patting Ichigo's back.

In all honesty Ichigo had forgotten about Shizuki until now.

"He did," Ichigo said darkly.

"What did he say anyway?"

Ichigo shook his head as he leaned back on his hands and stared listlessly at the sky. "Do you know what that guy calls himself?" he asked instead.

Renji shrugged. "Shizuki the Great?" he guessed.

Ichigo scowled trying hard not to grind his teeth. "No," he said with a shake of the head. "He calls himself Shizuki the Deflowerer. In his spare time he deflowers virgins." He all but bit out.

"What an ass," Renji growled his brows furrowed in anger. "You really should have diced him up."

"I was planning to until Rukia showed up," he said.

Renji grunted shaking his head. A companionable silence fell over them as each brooded over their thoughts.

"So Rukia twisted your arm, huh?" Renji asked breaking the silence.

In all the commotion with Shuzuki then Ashido, Ichigo had momentarily forgotten about Renji and Rukia's falling out. Now he felt like a complete heel. Here he was brooding over Rukia's disturbing behaviour while Renji was nursing a broken heart. "Something like that," he replied. "She can be real persuasive."

Renji snorted, "Tell me about it."

Not wanting to be the one to discuss the elephant in the room, Ichigo decided not to ask Renji about what transpired between him and Rukia. He only had Rukia's brief insinuation and Renji's obvious adoration to go on at present.

"You know you don't have to act all clueless," Renji began uncomfortably. "I know Rukia told you."

Ichigo squirmed. "She didn't tell me exactly but it was kind of implied..." he said.

"I feel real stupid I tell you," Renji said with a self depreciating chuckle. "Like a real idiot I went and confessed my feelings... how dumb can one get?"

"I don't think that was dumb."

"Of course you wouldn't - you have an actual winning chance," Renji said snidely.

Ichigo stared at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"Oh come on Ichigo, you and Rukia have this thing going on."

"We don't have a thing," Ichigo denied bewildered.

"You do and everyone knows it... just stop a random shinigami and ask them," Renji suggested.

"I'm not going to go around asking people something stupid!" Ichigo exclaimed. He had no idea where Renji was getting all this but he was obviously misinformed. "If anything Rukia probably has a thing as you call it with Ashino."

"Who?" Renji asked confused.

"Er or was it Ashilo?" Ichigo mused aloud as he absently scratched his head, trying to recall the other man's name.

"The fact that I don't even know who you're talking about says everything."

Renji stood up dusting off imaginary flint from his uniform. He rested his hands on his hips, giving Ichigo a shrewd look. "So you expect me to believe you don't have any feelings for Rukia?" he asked.

"uhm no?" Ichigo responded but even to him it didn't sound all that convincing.

/

Rukia glanced over the variety of kimono options being presented to her. She was having an uncharacteristically difficult time choosing one for dinner. Usually she'd just drag herself in her shinigami uniform without so much as a thought, but they were entertaining Ashido and she didn't want him to see her in her drab uniform.

"The pale lilac, it will enhance your eyes."

Blushing Rukia turned to her brother.

Byakuya gave her a fond look as he stepped into the room. "You seem oddly excited," he remarked.

"Well I... I you see-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Rukia," Byakuya said gently. His arms were folded behind his back as he gave her a curious look. "This Ashido... you like him?" he asked.

Rukia wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. No way could she talk to Nii-sama about boys and not explode into a million mortified pieces. "He's a good shinigami," she managed, feeling all kinds of awkward in that moment.

Her brother arched an eyebrow but didn't comment. "Kurosaki has the potential of one day making captain if he ever learns discipline," he commented.

His words were so out of the blue, Rukia simply blinked at him in surprise. Were they not just discussing Ashido?

"Of course that is many years from now," Byakuya amended.

"Ichigo would make a great captain," Rukia said once she found her voice.

Her brother's expression revealed nothing so she had no way of knowing whether he agreed with her assessment or not. "He is reckless and disrespectful... I find he is an acquired taste to say the least," he said. "One I have yet to acquire apparently..." He added in a dry humorless tone.

Rukia hid her confusion behind a blank expression. Inwardly she wondered where her brother was going with this conversation. He hardly ever spoke of Ichigo and when he did he definitely didn't have anything nice to say.

"But he does has his moments," Byakuya admitted with some reluctance. Again he was giving her that odd penetrating look. "If life has taught me anything is that when it comes to the matters of the heart, love does not discriminate."

Crickets could be heard as Rukia stared back at her brother in astonishment. "What?" she stuttered still trying to piece together the very odd conversation they were having. First Nii-sama praises Ichigo then he starts talking about matters of the heart? Was he ill? Being possessed?

"Pick the lilac it will suit you," Byakuya said calmly. He then gave the attendants a brief nod before making a dignified exit.

Rukia still had no idea what had just transpired.