After the longest day possible, Rukia climbed her way to Ichigo's window and slid her slender body into his room. Ichigo's not home yet I see she thought. Usually Ichigo was always home before she was. Well, she couldn't really call Ichigo's home her own, because she didn't belong in his world. She was different. Not ordinary different, but different as in she came from another world, yet, she always found herself in his room in which she slumbers. Rukia dropped her school bag on the floor and laid herself on Ichigo's bed. Ichigo wasn't home yet, so she decided to take a short nap.

"Humans can really tire a girl out." she mumbled. It took only a moment before darkness had devoured her into a deep sleep.

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"Damn, what a long day." Ichigo growled. He took his sweet, valuable time, which in his case was a bit of an understatement, as he dragged his long legs down the street until he came to his house.

"Hopefully Pop is working today. I do NOT want to deal with him. God, I'm so fucking exhausted." he cursed. As he walked up to the path way to his front door, it seemed as his prayer was answered. Ichigo slowly entered in the door way and found no one was home. He dropped his bag where he stood and headed solemnly for the kitchen. As he went to the fridge to get a drink he saw a note from Yuzu.

Ichigo, Father, Karin, and I are visiting our grandparents today and for the rest of the weekend. I've prepared meals for the next few days in case you don't want to bother with take-out. They are all in the fridge, labelled, and ready to heat up. If you need anything give us a call. You know the number. Yuzu.

"Someone must really like me up there." he said to himself. He grabbed a juice box from the fridge and headed upstairs. He would love nothing more than to curl up on his bed and fall asleep, but that might not be possible, since he is still a Shinigami. Nothing has really been the same since he met Rukia. Though she was…odd, he didn't complain. In the end, he still has the power to protect those who are important in his life. He came to his door and opened it. He was a about to heave a sigh of relief until he found Rukia, lying peacefully on his bed. He groaned, but remained considerate. He sat on the edge of the bed and shook her lightly.

"Rukia…" He whispered. She stirred. He waited. Nothing. Stubborn as usual he thought. She shook her again just a tiny bit harder.

"Rukia…" He said a little louder. She moaned, then, finally, she woke up. She looked to see who had woken her and saw Ichigo sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Sorry." She yawned.

"It's fine, but I'd like to get some rest. So get off." He said firmly.

"Well aren't you polite."

He noted the sarcasm, but, hell he didn't care. He just wanted to sleep. Rukia sat up and muffled her hair. Ichigo stared at her, noting how cute she was with her hair unkempt. He sighed and stood up.

"Whatever, you can rest here. I'll just go downstairs and sleep on the couch." Ichigo grumbled.

"Idiot, I don't really want to kick you out of your own room. Why don't you just lay beside me?" She asked. He looked at her in utter disbelief. Did she say "lay beside me?" He asked himself. He just stared at her, wishing that she wasn't getting ideas.

"I'm not implying anything, Ichigo. If you're getting ideas, then you might as well sleep on the couch. Who knew you'd be that perverted."

"I'm not perverted, idiot. It's just that…whatever." he retorted.

"The offer is still open, but if you don't want to take it, then goodnight."

"Fine. Yes, okay. I'll take you up on your offer." He replied. Ichigo didn't really like sleeping on the couch anyways. It was always to firm for his taste. He went to the other side of the bed by the window and laid himself on his back, staring at the ceiling. I guess laying on the same bed with Rukia isn't that bad, just as long as we keep our distance. He quickly put his hands behind his head and slowly closed his eyes. He was finally able to relaxed until Rukia spoke.

"Ichigo?"

"Mmm…" he mumbled. Rukia turned her head to face Ichigo. His eyes were still closed, but she knew he was listening. She took a deep breath.

"Do you care about me?" she asked. Ichigo's eyes shot open and he turned his head to face her.

"What?" He had a confused look on his face. He didn't really know what to say.

"Like, am I really important to you?" He looked at her for a moment. He was wondering whether she WAS, no, IS really important to him. Well, of course he thought. Isn't that the reason I saved you? Because you were, no, ARE important to me? He wanted to say that to her straight up, but something else took it's place and he ended up saying:

"Why the sudden curiosity?" he asked gently as he could.

"Well, you risked your life to save me, but I've done nothing in return, or anything for you to do that certain deed. The scars were because of me and this fate that had been entrusted to you was because of me. It seems like I'm taking away your life. I don't want to, and I didn't want to, but it just…I don't know…happened. I…I'm sorry." Tears were starting to welled up in her eyes. She quickly blinked to stop them from falling.

"The hell are you sorry for? It was my decision to save you in the first place, no matter what kind of danger I've gotten myself into." He replied. There was some sort of softness in his voice that seemed to calm Rukia down. It was nice to see Ichigo's soft side on a shitty day. She smiled to herself.

"You really can be an idiot sometimes, but it seems you put others before yourself. Not many people do that." She stated.

"It's because I want to protect those whom I care for and those whom I love."

"Isn't 'care for' and 'love' sort of the same thing though?" she questioned. Ichigo laughed. He removed his hands from behind his head and rested them on his abdomen. He turned his head to face the ceiling.

"Not to me really. 'Care for' is something like friendship, or comrade. 'Love' is a way more deeper relationship." He answered. Rukia couldn't understand the kindness that was flowing into her. It was something she could grasp onto. Of course she cared about Ichigo. A lot. Now from hearing those words, 'care for' has turned into 'love'. Rukia sat up and hugged her knees.

"To you, Ichigo, which category do I fit into?" She asked quietly. Ichigo closed his eyes. I guess now is the time to let her know he thought. He smiled, sat up beside her, and rest his hand on her lower back. He put his forehead to the top of her head, since she was a tiny person, and whispered: "Love." Rukia widened her eyes, then smiled to herself. So Ichigo does feel the same. She turned her head to face him. She looked in his eyes and he back at hers. There was a gentleness calling out to her. She leaned in and rested her lips on his, not fully closing the gap. Ichigo carefully laid his hand on her cheek and closed the gap.

The kiss was soft, but passionate. Rukia was happy inside. She broke from the kiss and licked his lips. They had a nice taste to them, like nothing she'd ever witnessed before. Ichigo moaned and brushed his lips against hers. She responded with a moan and stroked her tongue against his. Their lips came together again, but this time with more want. Ichigo started to stoke her cheek with his hand and moved down to her collarbone. She moaned at his touch. She wanted more of him, to be close and one with him. She wanted nothing more than to be with him.

"I love you, Ichigo." She whispered into his lips. He broke the kiss and planted one on her forehead.

"I love you, too." He gave her a warm smile. It was something she had never seen him do. His eyebrows were un-furrowed and kindness had reached his face. Rukia got up off the bed and stood beside it. She motioned for Ichigo to come towards her. He did. He stood next to her and was wondering what in the hell she was trying to do. She looked up at him and removed her bow around her neck. It dropped to the floor. Ichigo was starting to get the idea of what she wanted to do so he stepped forward and started to unbutton her blouse. He slid it off her body and let it fall on the floor. She did the same to his shirt and let it slide off his muscular arms onto the floor. She felt the defined muscles, that always hid beneath his clothing, and felt the scars he had received from Hollows and Soul Society. She smiled then undid his pants and slid them down until they were around his ankles. He lightly kicked them off, quickly undid her skirt and pulled them off of her hips. Rukia slid off her socks and threw them across the floor. Ichigo did the same. Rukia was standing before him in nothing but undergarments that hugged her supple breasts as well as her beautiful hips. He reached around with both hands and unhooked her bra. It slid off her slender arms and he glided his hands over her shoulders to rest on her breasts. She blushed a little, but it didn't matter. She was giving her body to him. His hands left her breasts and slid down her sides to her hips and pulled down her panties. He stood up and caressed her face. She put her hands on his chest and started to kiss it. She kissed his chest, then his abdomen and slid down his boxers, then came back up. Her hands rested on his shoulders as she rose up on her tip toes and kissed him. He responded, but with greater urgency. She moaned into the kiss and stroked Ichigo's back from the burning fire in his lips. Ichigo picked her up and lightly placed her on the bed, while kissing her small lips. He then moved from her lips to her jaw, then to her neck.

"Ichigo…" she moaned. Rukia knew she wanted more. She buried her hands in his hair and rubbed herself against him.

"Make love to me, Ichigo." She whispered.

"Yes." said Ichigo as he fanned Rukia with kisses. He kept kissing her neck and collar bone as he felt every part of her body. He just couldn't get enough of Rukia. She was everything to him, yet he knew that this wasn't her home. He always knew it, but he didn't want to admit it. If this is the last moment he could have, then he would take it. Ichigo lifted himself up to face Rukia and rested his forehead on hers. He positioned himself and slowly eased his partner into her. Rukia's breathing pattern quickened. She started to let out little whimpers until Ichigo paused. Rukia dug her nails into Ichigo's shoulders and moved against him. He could feel that the walls around his partner were a bit tight, so he waited for a moment for her muscles to relax. It didn't take very long for that to happen, so he started to move in and out fairly slowly. Rukia moaned Ichigo's name and letting out cries of pain and pleasure. She rocked her head back into the bed and slowly slid her hands off of Ichigo's shoulders to grasp onto the bed covers. Ichigo quickened his pace a bit and started to breathe heavily.

"Rukia…" He breathed. He could feel the orgasm take over and roll through his body. He came down and started kissing Rukia's neck again. Rukia squeezed the bed covers tight and the moans, and cries, kept coming. She could feel Ichigo filling her up with deep pleasure as he began to cum into her. It was like liquid fire to her body. She could feel that she was just about to reach her peak. She brought up her hand to Ichigo's cheek and started to moan in his ear. He moaned in response and removed his lips from her neck to rest on her lips. She responded with the same gentleness, though it was hard to keep her lips on his when the orgasm kept rolling through her. She screamed Ichigo's name signalling that she had reached her peak, but Ichigo wasn't at that stage yet. He kept going at the pace he had and started sweating. Oh, how the pleasure engulfed him, but he reached his peak fairly quickly than expected. He stopped, breathing breaths that were in pants. Rukia had never experienced anything like this and she was glad it was shared with Ichigo. He pulled out of her and rested beside her, pulling her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and fell into a deep slumber. Ichigo got up out of bed, locked the door, in case his family decided to come home early, and grabbed a blanket from the closet. He would use his own, but he didn't want to wake Rukia. He placed the blanket over top of her and got underneath it himself. He put his arm over her and kissed her forehead.

" 'Night, Rukia." he whispered and he fell asleep while time passed by into the night.

To be continued…