Body Shock

Disclaimer: Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite. I write a non-profit fanfiction and try to think of witty things to say.

A.N: Thanks again for reviews. The story isn't finished yet...did some of you think it was? Here's a quick update to make up for the lateness of the last few. Enjoy reading it.

This story is based on the anime.

Ichigo turned his face once again to the sky as he sat on the roof, feeling the sun warm him as it always did. Everything seemed so bright today. Or was that because he had gotten together with Rukia last night? Even his lunch was more tasty than usual. He chewed thoughtfully and reached for his drink carton, taking a long sip. It had been difficult to avoid looking at Rukia as they sat next to each other in class. But when they were both supposed to be studying their textbooks, out of the corner of his eye he had seen her slight smile. Life was good, that was for sure.

"Wasn't Kuchiki-san looking extra cheerful today?" Keigo smiled happily.

Ichigo turned his attention back to the group. "Was she?"

"Yeah. She's always cheerful but today she seemed even more so."

Ichigo hid his smile. "Really."

"What's your fixation with Kuchiki-san, anyway?" Mizuiro asked Keigo.

At once, Keigo flushed a bright red and jerked away from Mizuiro. "I don't have a fixation! Besides," he returned to normal, still smiling but a little softer this time. "She's so elegant. She's out of my league anyway."

Mizuiro smiled good-naturedly and took a sip of his own drink. "Most girls are out of your league."

"WHAT?! What's that supposed to mean?!"

Ichigo snorted with amusement and went back to looking at the clouds.

Chad looked over at his friend. It made him glad to see that Ichigo was happy. Well, as he had told himself, it was none of his concern, really. As long as Ichigo was happy and as long as Chad could help, then he would.

"Hey, you gonna eat that?" Keigo leaned over, reaching for the remnants of Chad's lunch.

Chad snatched it up quickly before Keigo could get his hands on it, causing Keigo to wail.

"You're so cruel!"

"It's fried fish! You know, with strawberry jam for dipping! I think that the combination of gentle savoury tastes with the sweet sharpness of the jam makes for a wonderful fusion of flavours." Orihime took a large bite of the questionable dish and chewed happily.

Tatsuki shook her head, not bothering to comment this time.

"Would anyone like some?" Orihime offered it around the group. Most of the girls shook their heads and declined politely. "What about you, Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia smiled shyly and reached forwards. "I think I will, just this once."

Everyone turned to stare at Rukia as she accepted the small bit of fish with the red jam splattered on the end. They all watched as she popped it into her mouth and chewed, smiling all the while.

"You...don't have to prove anything, you know," Tatsuki remarked doubtfully.

Rukia swallowed and surprised the group by saying that it was delicious.

"Ah! Yay! Somebody else has great taste like me!" Orihime clapped her hands.

Rukia smiled at the girl. It seemed that everything was just going so well today. The quick kiss she had exchanged with Ichigo before coming into school, sitting next to him in class and watching him out of the corner of her eye...It was all so wonderful. She had this small feeling inside her like she had bubbles in her chest. It made her feel airy and light.

They weren't going to walk home together but later on, Ichigo had said that they could sit in his room and just hang out. When she had asked him about getting Orihime, Chad and Ishida to take care of hollows again, he had shook his head and said that if they got orders, then they got orders. Rukia had agreed. They couldn't always rely on the three to take care of things.

She was looking forward to it. Ichigo had said something about strawberry pudding. She liked strawberries.

"Ishida-kun!"

Ishida jumped at the mention of his name, dropping the pin he was holding. He thought that the sewing club room was supposed to be quiet? That was one of the reasons he was in here so often.

"I'm so sorry!" Orihime ran forward to pick up the small metal object and accidentally bumped heads with Ishida, who had also bent down to pick it up. Ishida's glasses got knocked off and fell to the floor also.

"It's...ok, Inoue-san." Ishida accepted the pin she handed him and waited for her to hand him his glasses.

"Ah! Ishida-kun looks funny without his glasses. Don't you think, Kuchiki-san?"

Ishida turned around. He hadn't realised that Rukia was also in the room. His vision was slightly blurry but Rukia was unmistakeable.

"You do look different without your glasses," Rukia commented.

Ishida blinked and looked back to see Orihime's smiling face. She was up close to him again, studying him carefully. It was a few seconds before she handed him his glasses back.

"I think Ishida-kun looks better with his glasses."

Ishida swiftly put them back on, fidgeting awkwardly. "What was it you wanted, anyway?"

"We came for Kuchiki-san's shirt. Remember?"

"Oh, right." Ishida got up and reached for his bag.

As Rukia waited for the clean shirt, she went to look out of the window, spotting Ichigo talking with Chad some distance away. It looked like Ichigo was on his way home. Soon enough, she would be following.

"Hey, Chad."

Chad turned to look at Ichigo questioningly.

"I...wanted to say thanks. You know, for earlier. And again for yesterday." Ichigo stood with his bag casually held over his shoulder.

Chad paused for a moment before replying. "No problem."

"We...don't want to tell anyone about it yet. It's not really their business."

"I know." Chad thought for a moment again. "How long has this...?"

"Since last night."

"Oh." Chad nodded understandingly.

There was a silent gap between the two.

"You know," Chad said, standing rigidly, "I'm always behind you whatever you do."

Ichigo nodded solemnly. "I know." He smiled at his friend. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah." Chad turned to leave and started to walk home.

He wasn't going to let them get crushed this time. Ichigo was smiling to himself as he carried the bag with the two strawberry puddings in it. For sure this time they would get eaten. He had made sure to check with Rukia beforehand whether she liked strawberries or not.

He resisted the temptation to whistle a jolly tune as he walked through the door of his house. "I'm back."

"Ichigo!" Isshin popped out from one side. "What's in the bag?"

"Pudding." Ichigo held the bag to him, looking at his father warily.

"Two puddings by the looks of it! Ahh, I see! You're trying to gain your daddy's approval." Isshin stood proudly with a dazzling grin, extending one hand out for an offering. "Well, hand one over and I will name you as my most loved child."

"Nobody would want to be named your most loved child." Karin sipped a glass of juice calmly.

As Isshin rounded on Karin indignantly, Ichigo took the opportunity to slip away. Just as he was dashing up the stairs towards his room, he could hear his dad yelling after him.

"There are two puddings and one of you! Ichigo~! Please be nice to your daddy!"

"I'm a growing boy!" Ichigo yelled back before entering his room and shutting the door behind him.

"Family trouble?" asked Rukia lightly, sitting on Ichigo's bed.

"Just the usual." He dumped the puddings unceremoniously on the table and went to open the window. It was too nice a day...perhaps they should have gone to the park or something. He ran this idea by Rukia.

"The park?"

"You know. Like a proper date."

Rukia shook her head. "There's no need."

"Why not?"

"Let's just stay here."

"Stay here and do what?" Kon sprang up from the side of the bed, making Ichigo jump.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I have a right to be here." Kon stuck his tongue out.

Ichigo clenched his fists. Why was Kon always around? "Are you trying to ruin things?"

"No."

"So go away, then."

"I don't want to."

"I'll make you!" Ichigo moved to snatch up Kon who leapt nimbly out of the way only for Ichigo to wheel round and succeed in grabbing him with one hand. Ichigo stalked over to the window with Kon shrieking all the time.

"Ichigo!"

Rukia's call made Ichigo stop. Even Kon stopped his screaming to look at her.

"If you make any more noise..."

"Onii-chan!" Yuzu's voice came from the hallway. "Onii-chan, are you ok in there?"

Rukia's look simply said 'I told you so'. Ichigo sent her another look: 'yeah, whatever'.

"I'm fine," Ichigo answered his sister.

"I thought I heard screaming?"

"No. No screaming."

"Oh. Ok."

All three of them waited, tense, listening to Yuzu walk back downstairs.

"I'll be quiet," Kon said to Ichigo, his eyes begging. "Please let me stay here! I don't want to go outside! It's scary out there."

"I thought you were big and tough." Ichigo set Kon down on the floor, softening.

"But I belong in your room. Just please...let me stay here with you and Nee-san."

Ichigo looked at Rukia, who shrugged slightly.

"Fine. But don't disturb us. Or we kick you out of that body and throw you away."

"You actually like reading these things?" Ichigo scrutinized the old horror manga over Rukia's shoulder.

"Yes, I do." Rukia was sitting on the floor with the manga in front of her while Ichigo lay sprawled on his bed on his front. "It makes a refreshing change from real monsters."

"I suppose." Ichigo continued to read for a moment but then surprised Rukia by kissing her on the shoulder. She responded with a laugh and kissed his cheek, reaching it by twisting around with some difficulty.

They were both in high spirits, the puddings finished a while ago. They had been together in Ichigo's room for some time, except for briefly when Ichigo had gone down to eat dinner with his family. He had eaten as quickly as possible though, and brought some food up to Rukia.

Most of the time they had spent talking. Just relaxing together. Ichigo listening to Rukia telling him about studying to become a shinigami and what the classes had been like. In return, Rukia had listened to Ichigo tell her about what it was like for him growing up including meeting his friends for the first time and the trouble that he had gone through trying to lead a normal life.

Kon had kept his promise and was quiet. He mainly sat in the corner, dozing, drifting in and out of consciousness and catching snippets of the conversation. Just being next to Rukia was enough for him. He was hoping that they would forget his existence for the meantime. He had heard the sounds of quiet laughter and exchanging kisses and tried to ignore it. There was nothing he could do, anyway.

A lull in the conversation made Kon get up. He was sick of lying there doing nothing and felt like some fresh air. Perhaps he could just go and sit on the windowsill or something.

He did so, jumping up easily and enjoying the cool breeze, looking out at the scenery. Maybe he was lucky after all. They might not treat him very nicely all of the time, but sometimes they were good to him. At least he had a place to stay and at least he was alive. He drifted into his own thoughts, oblivious to what was going on around him.

Seeing that Kon was distracted, Rukia leaned over and gave Ichigo a proper kiss which he accepted gratefully. She wondered whether having Kon around was going to make things difficult. She wondered whether simply being together was going to make things difficult. She wasn't the entirely optimistic person to think that everything was going to go smoothly; there would definitely be problems ahead. She voiced these concerns to Ichigo.

"Of course there are going to be problems," Ichigo shrugged casually, now leaning on his back and looking at Rukia upside-down. "Things never go smoothly. Like now, we haven't had a single order today. I bet that now I've said that, we're going to get one."

Both of them looked to the table at Rukia's spirit phone for a long while. It stayed silent.

"Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll cope." Ichigo was in a good mood so it was easy for him to be hopeful. "I mean, we got through yesterday, didn't we? You know, with your injury and all."

"Yeah."

"Talking of which, we have made up now, right?"

"Made up?" Rukia frowned, not knowing what he was talking about. "Oh, right." That small fight they had had before the hollow had attacked. "Yeah, we have."

"Good. I don't like you being angry with me, or thinking that I'm shallow."

"Shallow?"

"You know. Lacking depth. You didn't think I was angry at you for something so stupid, right?"

"Something so stupid?" Rukia stared at Ichigo. He had thought their night together was stupid?

Ichigo frowned. Were they even talking about the same thing?

"I was angry with you because you were acting so weird after the night before." Rukia swallowed, not knowing whether to be hurt or not.

Then Ichigo remembered. Kon hadn't told her about the hollow, had he? "You see, Rukia, I was just in a bad mood because...well, there was this hollow. And I didn't kill it. And I didn't want to tell you about it because you would have rushed out to help, and then...well, you wouldn't have had your break."

"A hollow?" Rukia frowned. "There was a hollow? But...that can't be right. The others were taking care of it."

"I ran into one on the way home. It was strong and escaped. I didn't make it back in time for our little night off. Sorry."

"No..." Rukia was still frowning, trying to understand. "No, you did make it back in time."

"No I didn't." Ichigo sat up slowly, looking at Rukia.

"But...we..." Rukia was so confused. Ichigo had said he was fighting a hollow, but he had been with her. That was the night they had..."We...You...But we had sex that night."

"What?" Ichigo shook his head. "No, by the time I got back, you were asleep. You're talking about last night."

"No, I'm not. I would know."

"You must be. I sent Kon back home to make up some excuse why I wasn't there while I was fighting that hollow, I just didn't want you to get involved. We slept together last night, not the night before that. Last night was our first time, not our second."

There was a long pause between them.

Finally, Rukia swallowed and spoke quietly. "You sent Kon back here to deliver a message?"

"Yeah." Ichigo nodded, looking at Rukia who seemed to have gone pale.

"And he was in your body?"

"Yeah. I had to fight a hollow. I think I was supposed to take him to Urahara, but I got interrupted."

"But he was in your body." Rukia was speaking slowly and didn't quite know what to do.

"Yeah."

"We..." Rukia turned slowly to look towards the window where a plushie was sitting, looking out at the view. "Kon..."

Kon snapped out of his daydreams to hear his name. Things had gone oddly silent. He turned around to look at Rukia sitting staring at him with an expression of shock and Ichigo looking at them both, confused.

"Rukia?" Ichigo looked back and forth between the two.

"Nee-san?" Kon looked at Rukia's wide eyes, open mouth and face completely devoid of colour.

"I'm..." Rukia could feel hot, painful liquid rising within her. She put a hand to her mouth, feeling her stomach heave. "I'm going to be sick." She dashed from the room.

Ichigo sat there for a moment, shocked that Rukia had suddenly run away like that. Him and Kon sat there looking at each other. Rukia had said that they had slept together that night...but that wasn't right. Ichigo knew that they hadn't. And why was she freaking out after asking whether Kon had been in Ichigo's body? He was so confused.

"Ichigo..." Kon spoke softly once he had realised that the game was up.

As Ichigo saw Kon's pathetic expression, he suddenly understood.

Isshin walked up the stairs, humming cheerfully. That tune had been stuck in his head all day.

"Won't you take me to...Funky town..." He sang the words softly, daring to dance a little as he approached the bathroom. He paused when he saw that the door was shut.

Yuzu and Karin were downstairs so Ichigo must be in the bathroom. Isshin knocked smartly. "Ichigo! Are you finished in there?"

There was silence.

"Ichigo?" Isshin frowned and leaned with one ear towards the door, knocking again. "Yuzu and Karin aren't old enough to take up the bathroom all the time yet! And you're a boy! Are you having alone time in there or something? It's all right, son! I'll leave!"

He paused, hearing quiet retching.

"Are you being sick? I told you not to eat both of those puddings!" Isshin shook his head and walked away. Stupid boy. Why didn't he ever listen to his father? One of those puddings should have been his.

"Fuuuu-nky town!" Isshin danced his way back down the stairs.

"You didn't." Ichigo shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't. You couldn't have..."

Kon avoided Ichigo's stare. What should he do? Run for it, probably.

"You didn't." Ichigo swallowed, still trying to get his head around what had been revealed. "There's no way..."

Rukia. Kon had slept with Rukia. In Ichigo's own body.

Ichigo stood up suddenly. "I trusted you, you lying fuck! All you had to do was deliver a message! Make up some excuse so that she could have a night off! Not have sex with her!" He felt that he was going to be sick himself. With a roar, Ichigo dived towards the window where Kon was sitting.

Kon jumped out of the way, reacting on instinct. "Ichigo! Wait! Let me explain!" He jumped on Ichigo's head and sprinted for the other side of the room, landing on the table.

"Explain what, you piece of shit?! EXPLAIN HOW YOU FUCKED HER WHILE IN MY BODY?" Ichigo's face was flushed bright red with fury and not paying attention to the consequences, moved to grab Kon again. Ichigo slammed into the table sending all of the items on it flying while Kon dodged again.

"Please, I didn't mean it to be like that!" Kon ran to the window again. "Please listen, Ichigo!"

"Why should I listen to you?" Ichigo got up slowly, breathing hard. "I don't have to listen to you. You..." He clenched his teeth and his fists. "How could you? No, you could...You..." He was having difficulty speaking, trying to express the shock and horror he was feeling.

Both of them heard the door open and close. They looked to see Rukia leaning against it as if to steady herself. She was pale and looked ill. But she raised her head to look at Ichigo. She didn't look at Kon.

"Rukia..." Ichigo addressed her, trying desperately calm down. He took a few deep breaths. "How did this...even happen? Did he come onto you? He did, didn't he? That fucking bastard tried it on with you and didn't give you a chance to resist!" Ichigo couldn't keep calm. He lunged for Kon and successfully caught him this time.

Rukia bowed her head, her hair falling to cover her face.

"Gotcha." Ichigo's expression was terrifying. One hand was wrapped around Kon's neck. His grip was so strong that Kon could only flail in mid air and squeak what sounded like begging for Ichigo to listen to what he had to say. Of course, Ichigo was having none of it. "I'm not putting up with you anymore." He shoved his hand into Kon's mouth, rooting around for the small green pill. When he felt it, he pulled it out and threw the empty plushie roughly to the floor.

In-between his finger and thumb was a small green sphere. Ichigo walked over to his desk and started to look for the heaviest thing he could find. He was going to crush that little pill and make sure that Kon never got into any body again. Clearly he couldn't be trusted. He didn't deserve the right to occupy a body if he was going to abuse that right.

"Ichigo..."

He paused, hearing Rukia call him.

"He didn't come onto me. I came onto him. Thinking that it was you."

Ichigo stared at the little green ball on the table, lying there perfectly still.

"I thought that because it was our night off...That we would..."

It was so shiny. Smooth and round. Smaller than a pea and more solid. A light spring green. One edge of it was catching the light.

"I thought that he was you."

So strange. If he looked closely, perhaps he could even see his own reflection. Even though it was miniscule.

"Ichigo...I..."

"We were tricked." Ichigo finally spoke, still keeping his eyes on the little ball, wondering whether Kon could hear any of this. "We were tricked."

"It wasn't just his fault. I should have known." Rukia wanted Ichigo to turn around, to look at her and then forgive her. Both of them would punish Kon.

"Why are you defending him? So it was your fault too?"

The silence that followed this was deafening until Rukia said, "Yes. I suppose it was."

"Don't say that." Ichigo placed his hands on the table, steadying himself. "Don't say that." He thought back to last night and the way they had been so close together and had fallen asleep side by side. The way that he had been inside her and the way that they had held so tightly to each other. Had that all been a lie? He looked down at his body and closed his eyes, pained. How could Rukia not have known that it wasn't Ichigo in his body? This was all too confusing. He couldn't take it but his mouth formed the next question before he could stop. "Did you like it?"

"What?"

"You did, didn't you?"

"Ichigo..."

Ichigo stood up straight. He took a deep breath and walked towards the window.

"Ichigo, please..." Rukia moved to go towards him.

"Don't come near me." Ichigo held out a hand to stop her and Rukia stopped short, eyes wide. "Don't touch me."

He climbed up onto the window and dropped out. Rukia quickly went to the window to see him running down the street. When he disappeared from sight, she stepped back from the window, eyes still open wide. Her legs weren't working. She could have sworn that she didn't have legs as she fell to her knees. She couldn't feel them. No, she couldn't feel anything. Oh, wait, she could. A funny prickling across the bridge of her nose. Something hot and wet streaming from her eyes. The sensation of choking. She couldn't see. It was all blurry. Were those her legs she was looking down at? No, she wasn't looking down at them anymore. She felt a dull ache in her arm, though. And now everything was sideways and the floor was pressing against her cheek.

Sobbing, she forced herself to get up. She stumbled to the desk where the little green pill was and picked it up. She dropped it but bent to retrieve it and get the plushie that was still on the floor. She popped the pill into the plushie's mouth and dropped it again. As it hit the floor, the plushie came to life.

Kon said nothing as Rukia looked away from him and walked shakily towards the cupboard.

"I don't want to see you," Rukia said her voice cracking. "I don't care where you go. Just get out of here." She slid open the cupboard door and climbed inside, slamming it shut behind her.

As Kon stood in the middle of the room, he could hear Rukia's crying muffled by the doors.

He walked to the window dejectedly and climbed outside.