The Reason -ichiruki-

He didn't know where she was. Again.

This had been happening on off for the past week; her dissapearing without a moment's notice. After the third time of her doing it within not even half a week going by, he had started getting used to it. But, it still frustrated him no less.
Getting up from his desk chair; he walked over and got his shoes on. Walking out the door, closing it shut; he sighed.

She was probably at the riverside.
He had found her there last time.

He set down the stairs, going two steps at the time; shouting before he left that he'll be home soon to his family that was somewhere else in the house; probably in his dad's side-clinic. He shut the house door behind him; looked up at the bright cloudless sky before startong his journey down the street to the river.

He wasn't sure why she was acting this way. It's only been a week since the end of the Winter War. The war in which he killed Aizen. He was still in slight shock that Sosuke' Aizen was actually.. dead. That bastard had caused so much pain and death to so many people; he still couldn't believe the fact that he; Ichigo Kurosaki had defeated Aizen. He was shocked still; yet at the same time very much relieved. And oddly satsified.

He had been the one to defeat Aizen, to kill him. Yet, for some reason Rukia was acting distant and strange; for reasons he didn't even know. Her distant self was killing him inside; he couldn't stand seeing this side of Rukia. He decided when he'd find her at the riverside, he'd find out what was causing her to act so strange.

--

Once reaching the riverside, he saw Rukia sitting down close to the rivers water. Picking grass from it's root, letting it float across the water. He slowly crept towards her sitting form, not wanting to startle her. He knew a startled Rukia was not a fun Rukia to deal with. Once reaching her he slid down into a croach beside her looking at her gentle face that hadn't even glanced at him yet, who was still looking out at the river. He sat down next to her, taking a tentative glance at her again, this time her looking down at the bare ground in which she ripped the now sunken grass in.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently; looking down at her hands that she had folded into her lap.

He noticed they were slightly shaking.

She breathed a shaky before saying anything.

"I'm f-" he knew what she was going to say. And that it would be a lie if she said it. He stopped her before she could speak that lie aloud.

"Don't tell me you're fine, Rukia. You're not fine. Somethings wrong, something is bothering you; I know it." he didn't plan saying all that.

Surprised with all he said; and the note of passion he said it in, he sat up a bit straighter; but then relaxed his shoulders some and looked at her again. She was looking straight at him; and her eyes; he had never seen her eyes hold that much emotion. It was hard for him to hold their gaze; without looking away.

Before thinking, he glanced down at her hands which were now placed side by side flat on the ground, as if she were trying to stop herslef from doing something.

That made him think.

"Tell me." he said loud enough for her to hear.

Her hands clenched into the ground; almost as if she was fighting what to say, what to do. Before he could think, he reached out his hand, laying it down upon hers. Slowly her hands unclenched. He flipped her hand over; in a gesture to hold it. She wound her fingers between his, looking down at their hands just as he was doing.

'This is nice.' he thought. Little did he know she was thinking the same thing.

While he was still looking down at their hands intertwined, she spoke.

"You shouldn't have had to do it." she murmered; her head bent down.

'Done what?' he thought.

"Done what?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Before he could blink; she whipped her head up; tears glistening in hers eyes; her hand tightening it's grip on his hand she was holding; her voice powerful and raw when she spoke.

"You shoudn't have had to have done what you did! You shouldn't have had to kill him!!" by now her tears were falling, his heart clenched at the site of her looking so.. broken.

She snapped her hand away from being in his; put her hands back on the ground, clenching her fists around dirt. He could she was trying not to break down.

"Rukia..." he didn't know what to say. He was really speechless.

"I know what it's like to kill, Ichigo. To kill a human being; to take someone's life away. You shoudln't have had to do that." she whispered through tears.

He understood now.

Getting up, onto his feet. He walked the short distance in front of her; leaned down; reaching out to move the hair away from her face so he could really see her. She tried to move away; to avoid his gaze. He wouldn't let her.

Crouching down again; he then leaned forward and took her into his arms. Folding her into him; he started to speak.

"You know why I did it, right? Why I had to do it? I did it to protect everyone." he then spoke close to her ear, his eyes closed.

"I did it to protect you." he felt her short sob, the way she clung onto the back of his shirt with her tiny hands. He opened his eyes; resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"I did it for you, Rukia. And I'd gladly do it again." he gripped his hold around her waist, holding her tighter to him.

"Why?" she asked; looking down at him resting his head on her shoulder.

Untightening one of her hands hold on the back of his shirt she brung it up to his hand which was circled around her waist. She covered her hand over his.

"Why would you do that for me? Why for me?" she whispered low enough for him to barely hear.

Turning his head into the curve of her neck; he breathed in deep. They stayed that way for a minute or two. Then he moved.

Surprising her he slowly lifted his head off her shoulder and from the curve of her neck; finally meeting her in the eyes. He noticed how close they were; could feel her breath mingle with his. He didn't look away from her.

"Because I love you, Rukia." And then he kissed her.

He knew he was crossing a line. A line he had to hold himself back from crossing, so many times before now. He knew crossing this line could ruin everything. Or could fix everything.

When she kissed back Ichigo knew he had done the right thing.

He felt her hands come up to his face, bringing him closer; causing him to kiss her harder. Bringing one hand up from around her wiast he brushed her hair back; then gently laid his hand on her neck; trying at the same time to bring her closer.

He didn't know how she ended up on her back, on the ground. He didn't know how he ended up above her, still kissing her almost sensleless. And by hell he didn't know how or when her hand had crept under his shirt brushing over his chest making it difficult for him not to moan. Expect for what they were feeling, things didn't register intil he pulled away.

He opened his eyes to see her below him; her face flushed and her tears gone.

Her eyes were half-open, he couldn't tell how she was feeling by the expression in her eyes; they looked just about gazed over. He had no idea what to say, to her, to what just happened between them.

So, he was surprised when she suddenly leaned up from her position on the ground beneath him, to kiss him again; this time softly. She pulled back and looked at him, really looked. Both her eyes open; when she said what he couldn't quite believe she was saying.

"I love you too." wrapping her arms around his waist; burying her face in his shirt.

"I really do." he heard her murmer into his shirt.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that; but he knew it was long.

Because by the time they got up, walking home hand and hand; it was night and the moon was out castng a faint glow on them, almost as if to say whoever was up above, approved.