The Dog and the Strawberry

I do not own Bleach.

Whoever said dogs are man's best friends, Ichigo thought angrily, Has it coming.

…

"Oh, Ichigo! This ones cute too!"

The little girl squeal reminded Ichigo of when he brought his sisters to the outside of a pet store and they looked in the window at all the cute animals. Personally, Ichigo didn't care much for animals. They never had any at the clinic, cause it was dangerous for their operatives. His sisters were big on the animals though, and loved dreaming on and on about if they would ever get an animal.

Except this time it wasn't his sisters. It was his violet eyed partner, much more aggressive then Karin and Yuzu. And now, instead of wishing from the outside, they were actually getting one.

Ichigo wondered what it would take to attract a Hollow at this point. Even a whole herd of Menos Grande would be better then this torture.

He sighed as Rukia continued to run all over the animal shelter. After weeks of begs, cries, and punches to the gut, Ichigo gave in and told Rukia they could get a pet. She had wanted one every since Orihime showed off her new pet bunny, though Ichigo put his foot firmly down to that. He didn't want to face the tears if the 'thing' ran away. In a final compromise, the two went to the animal shelter to look for dog.

And they had been there for nearly four hours already.

"Nyah! Can we get this one?" Rukia grinned as she held up a small Chihuahua. However, it bit her on the sleeve, and she dropped it with a yelp.

"Please be careful miss!" the animal shelter attendant cried out, his face turning even redder. He had been 'assisting' Rukia in picking a pet, but Ichigo was sure he would rather be elsewhere the way this was going.

Rukia is so indecisive; Ichigo sighed and shifted the basket of dog accessories she had picked out already. Either she can't stand the dog, or the dog can't stand her! Why can't we just pick one and get out of here? He looked over the shelf of food looking for a good quality of kibble. Finding one, he placed it in the basket as Rukia ran back to look at the Spaniels for the third time again. Every time she narrowed it down to a few, but Ichigo knew she wouldn't make a final decision.

"Miss, don't hold them by the legs!" the attendant once again rescued a dog from the clutches of Rukia and settled it down carefully. "Why don't we just look?" Ichigo groaned again, and picked up the book, Dog Care Even a Monkey Could Do. No doubt they would need it…

"Miss, you wanted a small dog that you can play with right?" Rukia nodded. "Well, lets come this way…" Ichigo continued down the aisle. He would rather she get a Guard dog that could protect her when he was out, but she had protested against it.

You can't cuddle with a large guard dog! She yelled at him, and in the end, he just went with it.

"Oh my gosh, It's so cute!" Yet another squeal caused Ichigo to turn and face his partner. She was cuddling a squared, deep chested dog with a thick, pure white double coat of fur. It had a long tail that waved back and forth, and a wedged face that panted happily at Ichigo.

"That is a Japanese Spitz, a companion dog. It's previous owners brought it in after they moved and could no longer care for her. She's been neutralized and housebroken," the animal keeper nodded at her good choice, wiping his brow. "I believe this type of dog will fit you perfectly." Rukia continued to cuddle it, and surprisingly the dog didn't seem to mind.

"Okay finally," Ichigo sighed, walking to the exit. "Let's get out of here-" He froze. Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

A muscular dog with a big head and white and red spotted fur stood amongst the bulldog's section. It was currently in a fight with another much larger Boxer, Undeterred, it ran at the larger animal and growled viciously as it gutted it in the chest.

Ichigo was immediately at the side of the pen. He didn't like dogs that much, but this one had caught his eye. It was protecting the other smaller bulldogs from the large dog, and fought gut to gut.

"Now that's a real dog," he commented, proudly looking at the bulldog. It growled again, and then ran back to its friends who all yipped excitedly. The attendant took it out of the cage.

"This is an American Bulldog. It's extremely loyal to its owners, but was sadly abandoned when his owners traveled to Japan with it. However, I think it is very protective. He and Boxer over there always get in fights," sighing, the attendant made to place it back in the cage, but Ichigo stopped him.

"Rukia, lets get that dog!" he exclaimed excitedly. She shook her head.

"Now you show interest?" Rukia scoffed. "No way, I want this one!" sticking out the small Spitz, it barked angrily at the bulldog, which growled in return.

"Aww come on Rukia, it's a guard dog!" he empathized on the guard, waving at the dog frantically. "It can protect you when I'm out!"

"Please Ichigo, I can protect myself," she shouted back, her eyes narrowed. The white furred dog did the same. "Besides this is a watchdog, right?" The attendant was shrinking into the background, wishing it were his break so he could leave this argument.

"Well, true, but they prefer to be co-"

"So lil' doggie can watch me!" Rukia ignored the rest of his sentence, and he backed even more slowly away.

"But Rukia, what happens if there's a robber coming in when we're asleep?" Ichigo protested. He really wanted this guard dog instead. "I would feel so much safer at night if this thing is protecting us!"

"You just referred to it as a thing!" Rukia asserted, her hands waving around. Her dog began to shake its paws as well. "Please, we are getting this one!"

"No, the bulldog!"

"My doggie!"

Brown met violet. Neither would give in to the adversary.

"G-Guys?"

…

"Rukia-nee, she's so cute!" Yuzu squealed. Rukia smiled. Her small Spitz was basking in the two human females attention, its head up proudly. She was wearing a Lolita dress that Yuzu had bought for the dog, and Rukia adjusted the sunhat on top of her head.

"Neh, I wanna cuddle you!" Rukia did just that, and Yuzu giggled. Karin sighed at the sight of them two. They were over just to share a dinner with their brother and his partner, but it turned into a whole love fest for the little thing.

Sharing a similar mindset, Ichigo scowled from his post leaning against the doorway to the door. Why did he ever give in?

"Oi, Ichigo, don't look like that," Rukia said in a nonchalant voice as Yuzu hugged her Spitz. "Wanna pet Chappy?"

Everyone froze. Ichigo's eyes were wide open, looking down at Rukia with utmost surprise.

"Did you just…"

"Well of course I called it Chappy!" Rukia scoffed at his stupidity. "That's her name!"

"Should have guessed," Karin point blank stared at the opposing wall full of Chappy Merchandise."

Yip! Yip!

Chappy the dog perked up, its small voice calling out. Ichigo stopped and listened, and he heard a door opening.

"That's just dad bringing the food in," Yuzu confirmed, Ichigo nodded and leaned back once again, but Rukia still stayed alert.

"Wheres…" she started, but then trailed off. At first Ichigo did not comprehend, but then…

"Oh. Shit."

"AHHHHHHHHHH! HELLLPPP!" the high pitch scream of Isshin Kurosaki was humorous, but no was laughing. Everyone was running to separate his butt from the jaw of the American Bulldog, which had latched on quite well. Ichigo ripped it off, but along with a part of his father's pants.

"Gosh, it's just like you to get you're pants ripped off by a dog," Ichigo sighed as Isshin rubbed his butt wincing. The small bulldog walked over to Rukia, his tongue wagging. Rukia smiled down at its cute face, and gave it a small treat.

"Good doggie," Rukia cooed, and it responded with something somewhat sounding like a purr. It then sat next to the Spitz, the two cuddling together.

"Awww… you're dogs are getting more action then the two of you?" Isshin grinned from the couch, forgetting about his pain. He remembered it soon though, plus his bloody noise and forming bruise courtesy of two red faced children of his.

"Though, the dogs are getting along pretty well," Yuzu commented, completely ignoring her father cry of help. "Surprisingly though, but are they together-ish?" She blushed at her question, but Ichigo scoffed at it.

"Nah, more a big bro lil sis type thing," he grunted and turned away. In the end, they just came home with two dogs, much to Ichigo's protest yet Rukia's delight. He had thought the little furry Spitz and his bulldog would just stick with their respective owners, but that was not the case. The male mutt adored Rukia, and would often follow Chappy around. Rukia encouraged it, as she would take the two of them on walks together.

Sure, Ichigo was happy that Rukia was happy, but part of him was sad that she was no longer spending time with him. And then the dog that was suppose to relieve that loneliness that at the side of Rukia.

"Oh come on Ichigo, don't make a face," Rukia pouted at the orange-haired male. She secretly knew of his insecurities, didn't want him feeling that way.

"Come over here." Ichigo complied, unsure of what she was about to do.

Yank! He fell forward as Rukia grabbed his hand.

"Oi! Rukia!" he shrieked, but she placed his hand on something furry. Looking down, he saw the bulldog being petted by him.

"Just pet him," Rukia whispered in his ear. She smiled, and Ichigo did as told.

The bulldog purred under his touch. His fur was surprisingly soft. The dog crawled over to Ichigo and cuddled next to him. Ichigo continued to stroke the small dog; a smile making his was to his face.

"Ichigo, we need to name him!" Rukia broke the silence, and Ichigo sighed, still smiling.

"You can name him if you want," Ichigo felt comfortable petting the animal. Dogs aren't so bad…

"I'm gonna name you…" Rukia pouted, looking down at the animal with narrowed eyes. She was deep in thought, but lit up suddenly.

"Strawberry!"

Woo?

The dog looked up. Ichigo's vein popped.

…

More IchiRuki fluff.

First posted on DeviantArt as prize for the winner Asagi-K-Kurosaki.

Read and Review please.

Note: Dog Care Even a Monkey Could Do is a version of the For Dummies... series in America.

~~~EeLgIrL (^.^)