Her Worth

By theangel1710

Ichigo woke up at the feeling of soft, small hands groping feeling their way around his waist. He opened his eyes only to find bundles of raven hair lying against his chest. Normally, he'd cuss and yell at her but the sound of her labored breathing stopped him from doing so. It was very unlike Rukia to show him her weakness especially in the field of tears. Not knowing what to do, he placed his hand on her shoulder praying that she would at least consider saving his shins the pain.

"Rukia? What's wrong? What happened?" he said, sleep still evident in his voice but the concern was definitely there.

As for Rukia, she woke up in the middle of the night gasping, covered in sweat and tears that fell on its own accord.

Blood was covering every inch of the battlefield. Rukia was well in her limits and all she could do was watch in horror as Ichigo tried to protect her from the army of hollows Aizen had made. There were still so many of them left even though it had been nearly a day since the war started.

"Damn it!" cursed Ichigo. His body was battered and broken and yet all these freaking hollows still kept on coming. So many had died because of them and Yamamoto was still fighting Aizen somewhere. "Getsuga Tenshou!" he yelled putting every bit of what he had left to the attack. His mask fell apart and he was barely able to register that he had managed to clear half of the hollows. He limped to where Rukia lay, helpless.

He stared at her.

"See what you do to me? Do you see, huh, midget?!" said Ichigo cold eyes glaring into hers. Rukia stared at him, shocked. He spat the last word like it was meant to be more than an insult; like he wanted to pierce her very soul.

"W-What did you say?" Rukia stammered her voice cracking.

"Why do I even protect someone like you? You're weak! You're not even worth saving for. I wish. . ." Ichigo's eyes nearly turned black. ". . . You never existed."

She woke up then feeling the pain stab her continuously. She knew it was a dream but she couldn't help being hurt.

"You're not even worth saving for!"

She hated feeling weak but she needed to know if he hated her for having to shed the blood and face pains that she could not bear to imagine. She slid out of his closet and for once, swallowing her pride and being selfish, she demanded the comfort she needed that only he can provide.

It was a relief to feel his hand rub comfortingly against her shoulder and the concern she heard clearly in his voice. She responded by getting as close to him as possible.

Ichigo frowned at her response. Never had he seen her fragile and weak. He couldn't even imagine her like this. He couldn't bring himself to shove her or pull away from her.

Or maybe, though he would never admit it, he liked how close she was.

"I-Ichigo. . ." she croaked as she tried getting her breathing under control. "I'm sorry." She said.

Okay, now he was worried. Kuchiki Rukia, the stubborn midget and the proud Kuchiki was apologizing. She was apologizing to him!

"Sorry? Sorry for what? Aside from the shin-kicking and yelling, I don't recall anything that you have to be sorry for." He said trying to lighten up her mood. She was in pain. And it was long since he accepted that whatever her pain was would be his also. He didn't know when several feelings toward her such as protectiveness, lust, and even adoration started making themselves known. He didn't know when he started wanting something more than what they were now.

'Baka, as if she would ever want the same thing I do.' He thought bitterly.

His train of thoughts was cut of when she looked at him. His breath caught. Even when she was this vulnerable, she was so. . .beautiful. Violet eyes pierced his core, her face which was illuminated by the gentle light of the moon blinded him.

She was not beautiful. She was breath-taking. She was more beautiful than his imagination can ever come up with.

Dammit, he couldn't find anything that was not beautiful about her.

When she spoke, her voice was soft, almost pleading.

"Forgive me Ichigo for making you shed blood. . .

"See what you do to me?"

". . .for almost dying because of me. . .

"You're weak!"

". . .for taking away the life you lived before you met me."

"I wish you never existed."

She closed her eyes, her nightmare flashing across her mind. She could feel his eyes burning holes on her face.

"Rukia . . ." he whispered. He could not understand the reason why she would apologize for these things. She buried her face against the crook of his neck. Ichigo felt something wet pour down his neck.

She was crying.

Crying.

"You were hurt, almost killed, because of me! I'm sorry, Ichigo. I understand if you really hate me. You don't have to pretend, Ichigo. Yell at me, slap my face, and hurt me, anything!" said Rukia, losing the will to stop the tears from falling. She felt so guilty for hurting him. It felt like the world was on her shoulders.

"Rukia." He called, trying to make her look at him. She needs to understand that he did not hate her for anything. That she was worth everything. That he was not pretending. "Rukia, look at me."

Why the hell was she so damn stubborn?!

"Fine. Since you don't want to look then listen. I don't hate you. I never did, Rukia!" he said, desperate to stop her tears.

"Baka! How could you not hate me?! I'm stupid, small, and weak! That is me. That is what you had to protect! I'm not worth anything, Ichigo." She looked straight at him. Ichigo had never been so happy to see her violet eyes. It may be full of restrained emotion but at least they were there. "You're throwing your life away because of me."

"Rukia? Shut up. Just shut up. You don't know what you're saying." He said. Rukia stared at him. Ichigo could sense that all this came from a dream. It was, after all, in the middle of the night.

"Did you know that dreams were said to be the opposite? I don't know if all this came from a dream. But this I know and am very sure of. I risked my life, shed my blood, escaped death and saved you because I wanted to. Hell, I'd be happy to embrace Death for you. You are not weak. Though yes, you are small." Rukia glared at him. "But all these are part of the reason why you're worth everything I've gone through. Don't you ever dare to think that I regretted saving you or protecting you. I'd make Kenpachi chase me to the ends of the world or dye my hair black if it meant seeing you happy." He said turning to his side boldly wrapping an arm around her. His other hand wiped her tears. Rukia chuckled at the thought of a black-haired Ichigo.

"You know, for someone with a carry-the-world attitude, you can amazingly lift another's burden. But still, this doesn't change the fact that I'm not exactly worth anything at all. You're stupid to think I'm this worth it." said Rukia. Ichigo closed his eyes. Of all the chances in the world, he didn't imagine that he would have to tell it to her like this.

"If letting you die because you're not worth anything means being smart, then I'd rather be stupid." said Ichigo. He pondered on what he would say next. He needed to make her believe that she was worth everything. He needed to get through that stone-made head of hers.

'You're worth it because you're a friend' or just simply tell her what he wanted so much to tell her? He knew that the second option was best. But he didn't want to risk their friendship. If he tried, would it all end?

'Forget it. This night may be the only night that I get to tell her. Besides someone wouldn't know the taste of the cake if they wouldn't try it first.'

Ichigo sat up, carefully setting Rukia on his lap. Rukia looked confused. Why was he serious all of a sudden? Rukia pulled back, just enough to properly see his face.

Ichigo looked at her. And then he did something she was not expecting. His face softened, not even a trace of what used to be his permanent scowl. And then he smiled. He smiled a real and genuine smile.

"In my world, you are what holds me together. You are the reason of what I am today. You are worth everything. And I know everything has to come to an end. But this," he placed her hand against were his heart was. "I don't think I can ever stop it."

"Stop what?"

It was now or never.

"I will never be able to stop it from loving you." He finished, his heart beating erratically. He couldn't blame it though. It was forced to cage what it really wanted to give. Rukia was shocked. She opened her mouth to speak. But she never had the chance to do so and she didn't want it any other way.

Ichigo's heart and mind stopped all together when he leaned all the way in. He was finally kissing her. She was every bit as soft as he had imagined. They entered a world full of bliss where everything that mattered now was each other. Let go and the other would fall apart, leave and the other would die, die and the other would follow. As Ichigo pinned her down on his bed, kissing her with all the emotion he could pour and her kissing him back. Something clicked in them.

They were one in being, in heart. Ichigo would fight a thousand espada, face cero a hundred times or jump of a cliff flapping his arms if it was for her. Because of her the rain had stopped. Because of her he was able to believe that he can deal with anything. Because of her, he saw some light in the world he once believed was black.

Rukia would heal every wound, erase every scar, guide him through life and stay with him forever if it was for him. Because of him she found a place in the world she once believed that she did not have any place in. Because of him, she learned to love.

Nothing could ever compare to the happiness they felt now as Ichigo nuzzled his face against her hair when he was settled beside her. His arms wrapped protectively around her as Rukia rested peacefully. They were in each other's arms. And that's what really matters.

Rukia accepted that she was a fool for ever thinking he hated her; a fool to believe a stupid dream. He loved her. And she loved him in return.

Some cakes may taste horrible. Some may be sweet. But some were perfect. Ichigo decided that this night was perfect. The moment she kissed back was the moment they became inseparable.

Rukia sighed feeling the weariness of the night take over. She snuggled closer to him as he tightened his arms around her.

"I love you too, baka." was the last thing she remembered saying before letting sleep blanket her. Ichigo smirked.

He may be a baka, but he was her baka. If hating her was the right thing to do, he would rather be wrong.

After all, what would a man not do for love?

~END~

Thank you for reading. Please review. No flames please.