there's something due any day

[unburden]

Truth be told, Rukia doesn't care overly much for birthdays. It's not the concept that she has a problem with — if anything, it's a nice sentiment to have one day in the year to celebrate oneself and one's birth, to take a step back and reflect upon everything that life has given. But, well — with most things that are meant to mark the passage of time, Rukia just finds herself a touch more hesitant. Time can be cruel, after all. Another year passed can just serve as another reminder of all that's missing, all that's been lost. When it comes to the past, for all that Rukia remembers it in almost excruciating detail, she doesn't always want to sit and give it too much thought.

It's the same force that has her looking after the length of her hair pretty regularly, making sure to keep it trim, avoiding the otherwise inevitable day of looking into the mirror and thinking: when did it get so long?

But in Darrow, there's little else to obsess about. Little else to focus on. In spite of the Hollows that have started turning up to keep Rukia and Ichigo busy, it's still nothing compared to the tumult that both of them knew in their world prior to crossing over planes. So when Rukia remembers Ichigo's approaching birthday, she starts thinking.

He could use a celebration.

She asks for the day off, which is almost a shame, because toy stores see plenty of sales on Saturdays. There are a few stores that she stops by. The music store, for a nice pair of noise-cancelling headphones and a few digital tracks by some indie group. The bakery, for a strawberry cake — an unexpected turn to a housewares store for chopsticks, since apparently the bakery doesn't have any, imagine that — and finally, the nearest ice cream parlor for chocolate ice cream.

And by the time she's set it all out on his kitchen counter, save for the ice cream, Rukia can't help thinking that she'll punch Ichigo if he doesn't like it.

...although she's not quite sure why it matters to her at all.

Comments

[unbridle]

He's expecting Rukia to be at work, because Ichigo's not expecting her to think about his birthday. He's barely thought about it himself, so heavily more important in his life had always been the day of his mother's death, instead. He isn't expecting more than a cursory, awkward sentence or two from Rukia if he gets anything, because well ... expecting would just be cruel. Why should he expect Rukia to acknowledge his birthday? Acknowledge the differences between them?

How someone can live so close as they do but still never live in exactly the same world. Sharing space but not sharing meaning. Especially now, after as far as Rukia remembers, Ichigo's already given her up once.

But hell, they're here, now, so whatever.

He comes in the door silently, locking it behind himself before dropping his bag with a messy thump wherever it lands and leaving his shoes strangely perfectly aligned by the bag. Turning away, he heads into the kitchen.

Only to stare, entirely silent and dumbfounded, by what he finds there.

He honestly can't believe it's for him. But who else could it possibly be for, today?