[ A/N: Hi, and thanks for reading! This is just a short one-shot fic in some unknown continuity where Ichigo and Rukia are being domestic. It was originally written in response to a prompt on Tumblr, and I never wound up posting it here. ]

[ Bleach is copyright to Tite Kubo, Shueisha, et al. I make no claim of ownership of it and this story is intended purely for non-commercial purposes. ]

Rukia clutched at the towel she'd decided she liked the most. "Why wouldn't you just pick the softest one?"

Ichigo was busy looking at the tags of a different one and inspecting the loops. "Because it's probably not going to be the softest anymore after a few washes," he explained.

She squinted. "What kind of sense does that make?"

"These have fabric softener added; the things to look for are that they're well made, heavy, and combed cotton."

After a moment, Rukia blinked, then raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"

"I asked Yuzu." Ichigo pulled his face away from the towel and returned to considering the selection on the shelf. He soon shrugged and gestured with his off hand. "Pick some colors from these."

She considered him suspiciously, but replaced the towel she was holding. She then pointed out her five favorite colors among the selection.

He dutifully pulled them out and put them in their basket before leaning against it. "So what's next?"

Rukia produced a list and consulted it. "We still need bed sheets and pillow cases."

"The most important linens of all," Ichigo murmured, looking sideways. His tone betrayed nothing, but his face gave it all away.

Her gaze shot to him and she frowned, rolling up the list and swatting him on the nose with it. "You're incorrigible."

Ichigo recoiled and rubbed at his nose. "What the hell, I'm not a puppy!"

She gave him a put-out look. "Sometimes I wonder."

They glared at each other for a moment.

Rukia crossed her arms and closed her eyes, tilting her head back imperiously. "And before you start, I already know about thread counts!"

"Yeah? Let me guess, Byakuya doesn't accept anything less than 800-thread Egyptian cotton sateens."

Rukia gave him a look like he was speaking Greek again. "Don't insult nii-sama for caring about the quality of things! And what the heck is 'Egypt?'"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and pushed the cart along the aisle toward the relevant section of the store.

She followed, testily muttering, "You're always looking down on me for not having learned much about the Living World's geography."

"I don't look down on you for it."

Rukia blinked at how mild his tone was.

A beat passed before Ichigo stopped the cart and turned to face her.

She glanced up at him.

Ichigo checked up and down the aisle. He wanted to make sure there were no onlookers or any overly helpful store clerks watching them. Once he was satisfied, he closed distance with her, lifting a hand to cup her chin. He gently tilted her head back so she was really looking up at him.

Rukia stared at his expression. It wasn't that he didn't give her gentle looks in public, but she wasn't used to seeing him look that soft unless they were in private—alone.

He smiled. "I don't."

She studied him only to redden and widen her eyes as he leaned down toward her. She brought a hand up to his chest as if to ward him off, hotly protesting "I—Ichigo—" They were in public and she knew that kind of thing was frowned upon, besides—

He persisted and used his hand to turn her head slightly at the last moment. Their cheeks brushed and his lips wound up next to one of her ears. "It's just that..." He trailed off as he was struck by how warm she was and how good she smelled.

Rukia looked sideways to him in embarrassment, but made no move to pull back.

Ichigo's fingers slid from her chin along her jaw to cup the opposite side of her face. "Sometimes I think about how much there's left for you to see."

Her lids drooped at that. A moment passed before she closed her eyes completely. She dug her fingers into his shirt above his heart and lightly pressed her cheek to his. You... you fool...

He reached his other hand up to gently grasp her wrist.

They stood together for a time, unmoving.

Then Rukia leaned forward, just a little. But he noticed, and it made him smile softly.

When Ichigo finally released her and stood up straight, he looked down at her with one of his more typical smiles.

She regarded him for a moment before flashing a slightly devilish smirk.

"What?"

"We should finish getting these things for the bed." Rukia's tone was rather too proper. She walked past him, taking hold of the shopping cart's handle. She began to push it down the aisle.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, but followed her lead. "You're sure interested all of a sudden."

She didn't skip a beat in replying: "As you said, they're the most important linens of all."

Ichigo blinked. Abruptly blushing at the insinuation, he rubbed the back of his head and looked anywhere but at Rukia as they continued shopping.