Another story. Yay. Hallelujah and all that. I know a lot of people have done the whol "what is Ichigo thinking after kicking Ginjou's ass" shit but I wanted to interpret it my own way. Thanks to Disha5 for the idea! This is dedicated to you and everyone who loves the interaction between Ichigo and Rukia. Thanks and please read and review.

NB: Not Ichiruki exactly but could be interpreted that way.

There is something about the two of them, something that echoes the relationship between celestial bodies. How everything in the universe is created in balance, as though to complement and whirl around each other in that cosmic dance that was meant to be, will be and will forever be until the end of time and space as we know it.

He is fire. She is ice.

His spirit burns like a defiant sun with tongues of dark flame as light. Hers is cool and sweet like virgin snow under the first moon.

And yet they are eternally connected and always together. The Black Sun and the White Moon some called them, never truly meant to be apart and forever sharing the same orbit, the same higher space with the other.

But this wasn't what Kurosaki Ichigo was thinking when he finally had a chance to talk with the woman who had changed his life forever. Not exactly.

The Fullbringers were defeated. To Ichigo's chagrin, Ginjou had escaped once they had been released from the game dimesnion and he had made a cowardly escape into the darkness. But Tsukishima, the past-changing trickster was killed by Byakuya in a very very close battle that had almost resulted in the death of the Kuchiki head. Yukio and Riruka were being taken alive as prisoners in Soul Society, to be judged by the Central 46 Council. While Ichigo didn't exactly like the idea, he couldn't well come to terms with the fact that they had betrayed him so utterly. The thought soured him, and he turned away from them to observe Renji gently laying Jackie's body on the ground. From what he had told them, the Fullbringer woman had sacrificed herself to save him from Yukio's collapsing dimension.

"A hero," the red-headed man had said sadly. "She deserves to be laid to rest like one."

Satisfied that Renji would treat Jackie's still body with full respect, Ichigo turned back to look at Byakuya who was being healed by Urahara over where Chad and Orihime still lay in a blessed unconsciousness.

There was a quiet sigh, down by his waist level.

"At least we're all alive."

He looked down, a small smile pulling at his lips and gazed at a shining black head.

"Yeah."

The smile widened slightly as Rukia turned her little face up to look at him, eyes still as fierce and clear as he remembered. The shorter hair while more tomboyish, actually softened the contours of her face and brought out the soft lines and curves in the right places.

"What?' she demanded, evidently irritated by his smile. He shook his head as he gazed down at her but his smile widened still.

It was as if the past year and a half had been a dream. the loneliness, the fear and the utter, crippling helplessness - all just a bad dream. He was no longer just a once-Shinigami, a human who had left his heart behind in the world of Soul Society. He had felt like the identity that was Ichigo had been dissolving in those long months. As if he too was gently sinking into an alien ocean where he was being pulled apart until he no longer existed.

Now that had changed.

He was Kurosaki Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo, Shinigami-daiko and hero of the Winter War.

A sharp pain in his hip area brought him sharply to earth and he doubled over in pain.

"OW! Rukia! Geez!"

"Quit spacing out on me baka!" she yelled, waving Sode no Shirayuki around. He stepped backwards to avoid the white blade, which was still in Shikai form. "It's damned creepy! You're standing there with a lecherous looking grin on your face! How do you think mature woman feels?"

"The next time I see one I'll be sure to ask."

"ARGH! YOU STUPID HUMAN!"

And if the anyone else found the sight of Rukia kicking a protesting Ichigo strange, they didn't say. All of them were used to the antics of these two. Even Ichigo's dad refrained from commenting and only stood there with a strange look on his face, a half-smile and a gentle look in his eyes.

Once Rukia had stopped abusing his legs and hips, Ichigo straightened out and looked down at her, ready to burst forth with a tirade of his own. Their eyes met, blazing amber staring into limpid sapphire and then he felt his annoyance melting away. Her cheeks were flushed and pink with mock rage, and her eyes were sparkling with life, mirrored by the sparkle in his own that he hadn't seen in a long time. The breeze gently blew the strand of dark hair into her pale face.

"Hey Rukia," ichigo said suddenly. Her eyebrow shot up. "Thanks."

To anybody else, the words were simply an expression of mere gratitude for saving his life.

Looking more closely, one could hear the effusive and overflowing happiness and gratitude for so much more.

This was the woman who had changed his world. This was the woman who had driven him to go to the brink of death and back. This was Kuchiki Rukia, the woman who would go where no one else could for him. One of the few people who seemed to understand what he was not saying and respected him as a man. Who trusted him with himself and allowed him to fight his own battles, but would cheerully fight and die with him or for him as necessary.

This was the one person he had missed most while powerless. Good God he'd even missed her ridiculous Chappy obsession.

And sometimes, he'd see something and turn around to comment about it to her - only to realise that nobody was there. And how it had hurt, knowing that he would never see her again.

This was Kuchiki Rukia, and this was whom Kurosaki Ichigo was thanking. Not just for her help, but for being there. Just being there made him feel confident.

"Huh," she sniffed disdainfully. "You're so sentimental. Idiot."

Her eyes said otherwise.

But the smile on her face as she shyly looked up at him, the spreading grin on Ichigo's and the obvious deep connection they shared was evident. It was almost visible, the strands of red Fate that had woven around these two, the bond unbreakable even across dimensions, wrapping around them and joined by the heart. Kokoro they called it. The heart of everything.

"C'mon," Ichigo grinned, hoisting Zangetsu onto his shoulder. "We gotta go. This battle isn't over yet."

And Rukia approved of the strong confident stance, the utter strength that radiated form him. This was the man she respected. The man who had taken on an entire city to save her from execution. The confident grin, the blazing eyes, the sword over his shoulder. And even as Rukia appreciated the change, she hoped that she would never have to see him as she had when they had arrived. Broken, crying and curled up in pain, eyes dull with grief and loss. Her rmind shuddered away from that. Not if she could help it.

A grin curled round her lips and she matched him with a steely look. "Definitely not. Let's go Shinigami-daiko, Kuroskai Ichigo."

And as they walked back across the ground, the sun just breaking with orange fire across the horizon, Ichigo felt light and able. His faithful sword was settled just over his shoulder, the comforting weight like a ballast.

As Zangetsu murmured joyfully into his head, and with his best friend and companion matching him for stride, Ichigo felt more than just able. He felt complete.The missing half of his soul had returned to him.

The Black Sun had risen again and the White Moon resonated with joy in their silent, unacknowledged orbit around each other.