"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
The whole gang was already at the Kurosaki residence, cheering as they celebrated their Christmas together.
After taking a quick swing of champagne, Matsumoto raised her hands in the air and screamed, "PRESENT TIME!"
"Yay!" Mai cheered. She ran towards the Christmas tree and started to dig around the presents, searching for whichever one had her name on it. Isshin soon joined in on the fun, and before anyone knew it, Renji, Keigo, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Urahara joined as well, acting like a group of six year olds.
"This one's mine!"
"Hey, how come yours is much bigger than mine?"
"Wait! That has my name on it, not yours!"
"Rangiku! Give that back to me!"
"Let's trade presents!"
"I got a lot this year!"
Ichigo watched on as his family and friends littered the floor with wrapping paper and ribbons as they opened their presents.
Mai finally opened one of her presents and squealed with joy. "IT'S CHAPPY!"
At those words Ichigo couldn't help but cringe. He looked over at Rukia and started to glare upon seeing her happy expression.
"Mama, look!" she showed Rukia her doll, "Santa got me the Chappy doll we've been wanting!"
"Why, yes, you're right!" Rukia responded with the fake, highschool tone, "You must have been a good girl this year to get the present that you wanted!"
"Hehe, it's because papa came back and made Mai really happy!" she exclaimed.
Ichigo's frown disappeared and he scooped up his daughter to hug her tightly. "Do you really mean that?"
"Of course!"
"How kawaii!" Isshin jumped on Ichigo's back and started his fake waterworks, "My granddaughter is so sweet! That is why grandpa decided to buy you this big doll house!" he shoved a big box in front of Mai who shrieked with utter delight.
Takeshi cringed upon hearing his sister. "Damn it, Mai, why do you have to scream so loud?"
"Because Mai is happy!" she exclaimed.
Takeshi snorted as he opened his present. His eyes immediately widen as his mouth opened into a huge smile. "THANK YOU OTOUSAN!" he screamed, jumping on his father.
Ichigo grinned as he hugged him back.
Rukia leaned over to see exactly what it was that Ichigo bought that was making Takeshi squeal like a little girl (just like Mai). She smiled as she noticed the DS Lite that was tightly clutched in Takeshi's hand. He's been asking for one for several months.
"Rukia-chan! Daddy got you a little present too!" Isshin tossed her a large, white boxed that was tied with a red ribbon.
Rukia awkwardly smiled at him and undid the ribbon. She was hoping this year he hadn't bought her anything stupid like the last few years when she got some lingerie even though she didn't have any use for them. He would just wink and tell her to hold onto it until Ichigo came back… which reminded her to look for it later that night.
"Kuchiki-san! Me and the girls also bought something that might go well with Kurosaki-san's present!" Matsumoto called out, stopping Rukia from opening the present further.
Rukia raised a brow. "And how would you know that?"
Tatsuki came over and wrapped an arm around Rukia's shoulder. "Because we met him while shopping for your present."
Before Rukia could comment, Matsumoto and Hinamori came up and dropped two boxes on her lap. They both winked at her.
Orihime whispered into her ear, "You shouldn't open those here. Wait until you and Kurosaki-kun are alone."
Rukia sighed, nodding her head as she placed the boxes on the ground, next to the couch. From what she's heard so far, she knew very well what was in there: more dirty lingerie and possibly some toys.
Ichigo had been watching and listening the entire time, thus he was grinning as he sat next to Rukia on the couch. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. "I'm guessing those boxes are for the both of us?"
Rukia gave him a half-hearted glare before getting off the couch and going towards the kitchen.
"AH! IT'S MY FAVORITE WRESTLER!"
Ichigo looked up to see his father hugging the life out of his two grandkids after opening his present. Apparently the two got him exactly what he wanted.
"ICHIGOO!" Keigo jumped into the air, plunging himself towards his friend.
Ichigo quickly acted by slamming his fist against his friend's face. "After all these years you still haven't changed, Keigo."
The nose-bleeding Keigo twitched on the ground, unconscious.
Mizuiro walked over to Ichigo, stepping on his friend at the same time. "Sorry Asano-kun," he said looking down, before handing Ichigo a present. "Here. This is a little something from me."
"Um, thanks," Ichigo took the present and examined it with one eyebrow raised.
Mizuiro chuckled. "Don't worry, Asano-kun took no part in selecting the gift."
Keigo suddenly jumped up and whined "Why are you still talking to me formally?"
Ichigo just watched on as Keigo shook Mizuiro by the collar. Suddenly he felt a giant hand land on his shoulder. The orange head turned around to see Chad standing next to him.
"Your present," the giant simply stated as he handed Ichigo a small box and walked away to pull Keigo away from Mizuiro.
Ichigo looked at Chad and to his present before shrugging it off. He stacked his gifts next to Rukia's boxes, feeling it would be safer to open them secretly and not in front of his kids.
Suddenly the front door was heard opening.
"Taicho! Why do we have to leave?" Matsumoto whined.
Hitsugaya was by the door, putting his coat on, with a frowning Matsumoto by his side. "I just told you," he angrily replied, "Zakari-taicho just found another piece of evidence in the case we've been trying to solve for the past five years. We have to go in now before they take it to the examiner's office."
Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichik were suddenly in front of the young taicho.
"Are you serious?" Renji asked.
Hitsugaya rubbed his forehead with his forefinger and thumb. "For the thousandth time, 'yes!' Now hurry up and let's go!" he shouted, then turned around and nodded at Ichigo, "I'll see you later Kurosaki."
Ichigo nodded back and closed the door behind his five friends who took off in a hurry to their office.
"Where did they all go?" Mai pouted from her seat on the couch.
Isshin gasped and quickly hugged his granddaughter. "Why is my little angel sad? Granddaddy will make things better for you by allowing you to cry on my bosoms—"
"Get away from her!" Karin kicked her father away from her niece. "I don't want you to influence her anymore more than you already have. It's annoying as it is for me and Rukia-neesan that she adopted your 'jumpy' attitude."
"Karin is so mean!" Isshin overdramatically cried, "Mai-chan! Hug your granddaddy and make the pain go away!"
Mai looked at Isshin and gave him the exact replica of Rukia's sweet, fake, smile. "No," she sternly said.
The next moment Isshin was sitting at a corner, depressed.
Karin patted Mai on the head. "Good girl."
Ichigo was sitting on his bed when Rukia walked in after taking a shower.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked as she ruffled her wet hair with a towel.
Ichigo doesn't say anything, but pulls her into his arms once she was close enough. He hugged her tightly, taking in a big whiff of her shampoo'd hair.
Rukia snuggled closer, feeling content in his arms. She looked outside the window and smiled upon seeing the snow.
Everyone had left a few hours after the five detectives left the Kurosaki house. And the other residents of this house were already asleep… except for Isshin who was probably drinking away at Urahara's store.
Suddenly, Rukia feels Ichigo pushing her away as he leaned towards the window. "What are you doing?" she asks as he opens the window.
"Let's go to the roof," he simply stated.
The next moment Rukia was climbing onto the roof with Ichigo. She felt cold as the winter breeze passes by her, but Ichigo quickly wraps her in the coat he grabbed before coming to the roof.
"Why are we out here, Ichigo?" Rukia asked.
Ichigo looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I just remembered we haven't been up here since our last Christmas together. So I thought it'd be nice to be reminded of our past by coming up here."
Rukia raised a delicate brow at him. "For some reason I feel like there is more to it than just that."
Ichigo looks at her and chuckles. "Man, you know how to read right through me." He stood up straight, both hands on either side of Rukia's shoulder. He took in several deep breathes and it was then Rukia noticed his hands were trembling.
She reached out and gently placed her hand on top of his. "Ichigo, are you okay?"
Ichigo looked up and gave her a small smile. Then, he did the most unimaginable thing.
Kurosaki Ichigo went down on one knee.
Rukia could've sworn she lost the ability to breathe because her heart was pounding a thousand miles per hour as she looked into the eyes of the man in front of her.
Ichigo reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small black box, all the while keeping his eyes glued onto Rukia's violet ones.
"Kuchiki Rukia," Ichigo began, "You and I have known each other for around ten years and every one of those days were an adventure. We bickered a lot, you kicked my shin to the point of insanity, you make fun of my hair, I make fun of your height, we constantly glare at each other; our whole life now depends on annoying the hell out each other. But…" Ichigo pauses for a second to take in a deep breath before starting again, "…But I know I wouldn't want it any other way."
During the time he was talking, Rukia was smiling wide enough to rip her lips.
Ichigo placed his free hand on top of the black box and slowly opened it.
Rukia's eyes widen into plates upon seeing the ring. It was a white-gold band with pebble-like diamonds encircling it. And in the middle held a huge diamond that was sparkling from the moon's light.
Ichigo cleared his throat and looked back up. "Will you marry me?"
Rukia's smile was able to widen even more with tears threatening to fall. "Yes…" she whispered, then more loudly, "Yes!"
Ichigo let out the breath he's been holding as he smiles back at her. He quickly takes the ring out of the box and slides it into her left ring-finger.
As soon as Ichigo stood up, Rukia jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ichigo hugged her tightly, slightly twirling her in the air.
When Ichigo finally set Rukia down, he lifted her head and lowered himself to press his lips against hers. Rukia immediately opened up, allowing Ichigo the full access to her mouth. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him as much as she could and he hugs her tightly around the waist.
Seconds passed and it soon became minutes. Neither of them released each other for a long time as they poured their very feelings out to each other through the kiss.
Finally, with much reluctance, Ichigo released her lips and the two sucked in the much needed air. But when their eyes met they couldn't help but smile.
"Are you sure you're ready to handle me for a lifetime?" Rukia teased.
Ichigo lightly bumped his forehead against hers. "I'm ready to take it on for an eternity."
Rukia let out a small giggle. "Then it looks like I'll have to reward you with a little something special tonight."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
Rukia winked at him. "Your father and the girls got me a very naughty Santa outfit."
Ichigo grinned at her. "Then why don't we go back to my room and try on that outfit." He grabbed her hand and was walking towards the edge when Rukia yanked him to a halt. He stopped and looked back. "What?"
Rukia smiled at him. A real one. Not the fake kind that she does to piss him off, but a sweet, loving smile that expressed her happiness.
The next few words that escaped her lips took Ichigo by complete surprise.
"I love you," she whispered.
Ichigo's eyes widen and he was still for a second before smiling. He stood straight in front of her and brushed his lips gently against hers. "I love you too."
Their lips immediately touched and this time more deeply and passionately. It was then that the two noticed that this was the very first time they've ever said those words to each other. Sure they held these feelings for a long time and knew it existed in each other, but never was it said out loud.
But that didn't matter anymore since they were going to say it to each other forever.
A/N: AAAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ichigo FINALLY proposed to Rukia! sorry for making you guys wait so long for such a special moment like this. hehe, I really enjoyed writing this chapter.
If you read my A/N at the top of the this page, did you notice a possible hint for later chapters? Well, if not then you'll have to wait a few more chapters. And starting next chapter I will no longer drag the story but go straight to the point. Read and see what I mean.
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