A/N: Hey folks! Well, I've done it. I'm actually starting another story. Stupid, huh?
Yeah, maybe. I feel horrible for not updating any of my Kenshin fanfictions, but I just need to get back in the mood of Kenshin. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd move on!
Well, let's hope I'm not moving on, just at a stand still.
Anyway, this story doesn't particularly follow a dead set plot. It's simply little drabbles that I think up with Ichigo and Rukia all slapped together in this messy little story called Bookshelf.
Why Bookshelf you ask? Well you never know how many levels a bookshelf can have…or how many stories lie on each shelf.
Clever no? Naw, I didn't think so either. –laughed at myself here-
Anyway, I've rambled on for too long. I shall proceed with my messy drabbles now!
P.S – Any readers that want to give me clever suggestions just might see a chapter about them :3
ONWARD!
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Disclaimer – I do not own Bleach, sadly. Nor do I own Ichi or Ruki. –sighs and plays harmonica again-
Warning – Severe height disadvantages.
First Shelf - Book 1
On Tip Toes
She had been staring at him all day.
He had noticed since second period. Whether she took note that he was aware of her constant gawking, however, he'd yet to discern.
He had brushed it off, though. He was used to the gaping and unrelenting gazes over the years. He had learned soon and had taken into account the fact that his physical appearance was a target for a festival of gossip.
Of course, Ichigo paid little to no attention to those kinds of useless rumors anyway. It did him no good.
But she never stared; she never gossiped; she never questioned; she never judged. It was a part of her personality that he had come to…respect over time. Admire was too strong a word…or perhaps, too truthful; but he was too cowardly to bring that up for question.
No, she seemed quite comfortable being cushioned within the secrets that hummed between the two of them; and he liked that. They were his secrets – and then there was her own. And that was fine; at least until now.
He could tell there was a question pooling in her sapphire gaze; it was a deep color of ominous secrecy like a splash of violet on a colorless plane.
Ichigo was not a liar.
He may have avoided the complete truth from time to time; and was slowly developing as a black belt in the arts of denial.
But he was not a liar.
And in all truth, he was worried; worried about the secrets she was browsing for with her cool gaze.
His anxiety would lessen when he saw her little eyebrows quirk in a puzzled expression. But that was a rare occasion – unfortunately of course.
And so they walked home in silence; the afternoon sun seemed to blaze brighter and overbearingly hot compared to other days.
Ichigo brushed it off as a title wave of the summer season approaching.
Rukia was a quiet girl. She never really spoke out of turn. But as of now, Ichigo affirmed that she should fall into the habit and quickly. At least for the time being; silence was merely a grater on his nerves.
She had stopped and he had just noticed. He could hear his heart beat as he turned to look back at her – not even bothering to ask why she had become still.
"Ichigo-"
She said his name the way she had always said it; an easy snapping roll of the tongue like a cooperative contradiction.
She glanced up at him with that puzzled look again.
"Why…"
Ichigo waited – silent as he thought up ways to avoid her expected 'world crumbling' question.
"Why…are you so much taller than everyone else?"
Ichigo faltered. He stared at her in utter bafflement before quickly recovering his composure; nudging the book case that he held over his shoulder.
"Well maybe you're just a midget."
She glared at him; that glare that had become so familiar.
"Don't be wise, Ichigo. Answer the question!"
Ichigo straightened at her scolding; his anxiety forgotten and perplexity weaseling into its place. Her seriousness about retrieving the answer to the question was odd enough. But her demand of answers for that question itself was just…what did height have to do with anything?
"You're awkward enough in this world as it is. Why make it worse by asking such weird questions. Why so curious now?"
Rukia directed her gaze elsewhere – an action that Ichigo had come to recognize as timidity and an emotion akin to a defensive mousetrap that would spring if you reacted a certain way. Ichigo knew all about that first hand.
"Well…I happened to be on the way home from school, yesterday afternoon when I witnessed a high school couple at some little side vendor. The boy handed the girl some sort of cone shaped object and she smiled so brightly and kissed his cheek…"
She paused a moment, as if trying to take in the essence of Ichigo's silence and discern whether or not that was good or bad. His expression was quizzical and he seemed to be tuned into the story…in some way or another.
So she continued to explain with a clearing of her throat and a palm rested against her chest in reference to herself.
"Now, this girl was probably my height-"
"What, midget sized?"
She delivered an easy open-palmed slap to his head; no words exchanged through the familiar action as if it were a business like routine. Of course, a few sputters and nearly inaudible curses could be heard from Ichigo's pursed lips.
"Now the boy just took a bite of this cream like substance and grinned back at her…if it had been you, she probably would have never reached your face unless you bent down…"
Ichigo's mouth hung open in utter boredom.
"This is what that's all about. Because you saw two lovebirds dueling out their passion for one another…you decided to question my height. Great; got all worked up for nothing." The ending of his sentence was mumbled as he roved over his orange locks on the back of his head; feeling a small thread of sweat at his neck.
"Saying it like that makes me sound like a fool, Ichigo! It isn't something so trivial as that! And what is all this nonsense about being worked up?" Rukia seethed as she held a threatening fist up in her defense; the mousetrap aching to spring.
"Nevermind, just forget about it."
He snuffed as he placed his free hand on his hip while his other hand still gripped the bag, and looked off with an unreadable expression.
"If you're that curious, it's most likely because of the genetic make up of my parents that I received the gene that makes me tall. If that doesn't make sense to you…I'm tall just because I am. End of story. There, I answered your question. Happy?"
Rukia was reluctant to answer, but her silence was expected. Ichigo swiveled on the pavement so that he was facing the other direction and began to walk off; a relaxed-like slouch in his posture as if something heavy had been taken off his shoulders.
"C'mon, let's go."
It took Rukia only a moment to notice Ichigo's change in direction.
"Go where? That's not the way home…"
He waved a hand over his shoulder to reassure her in his own way. Rukia sniffed before she jogged to catch up with him; folding her arms and trying to act rather ruffled by Ichigo's curtness.
"All this talk of ice cream gave me a craving."
This time, Rukia faltered. She gazed up at Ichigo with questioning sapphire eyes.
"…Ice cream?"
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She gave it a testing lick in the beginning and found that she had a new love for this…so called Ice Cream. What was her flavor? Cookies in Cream? She didn't care; it was good and Ichigo paid. He wouldn't have let her pay anyway.
"So this is ice cream. This is what those two were eating."
Ichigo glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he took a boyish mouthful of his Mint Chocolate Chip. He shook his head and kept his thoughts to himself as he twisted the cone in his hand to lick around the dripping edges.
This time, he didn't notice her stare.
Rukia watched as he lifted the treat to his face, then let it drift back down to his side for a moment.
No, she decided, she wouldn't be able to reach Ichigo's cheek unless he bent down. But that didn't matter.
She gave a small grin as she licked the extra mint flavor from her lips to vanquish any evidence; enjoying the new mint flavor.
It didn't matter; she could still secretly reach his unguarded ice cream and take little tastes when he wasn't paying attention.
It was just in her reach; but only when on tip toes.
A/N: Well that's chapter one! On Tip Toes! Now, it's almost midnight, and I was supposed to be off an hour ago, but what the hell:D
I actually really like how this came out. I'm quite proud of it. Ichi and Ruki are so cute sometimes x3
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!
I'm begging you :( Just a little review is all I want!
One itty bitty one!