.Poke

Poke
(PETs AU)
It was a good morning

The birds were chirping

I was silently yawning

I felt great...

But as I opened my eyes a sudden flash of purple zoomed past my eyes and darted under my bed

Before I had the time to wonder what in all creation just darted into my room like a bullet out of a gun...

....I figured it out

"Ichigo, have you seen Rukia?" Renji asked as he came down the hall and looked into my room

I shook my head with a grunt and he sighed, dashing back down the hall

Techinally

I WAS telling the truth

I hadn't SEEN Rukia

I hadn't SEEN anything at all

I hopped off of my bed and slowly lifted the bed skirt up

And there she was, Rukia Kuchiki, still in her PJs, backed up against the wall under my bed

I lifted an eyebrow and grunted quietly at her

"Shhh!" she demanded of me

I glanced at the open door and closed it with my foot, lowering myself onto my stomach so that we were closer to eye-level

I had already been Rukia's PET for around a year but everytime I thought I had her all figured out she went and did something weird again....

"I'm hiding, don't tell anyone I'm here," she wispered to me

I grunted questionably again and she sighed, glancing at the door and emerging from under my bed

We were both sitting up now

"I.... I just can't let anyone see me today,"

I frowned at her and crossed my arms over my chest in the authoritive way I would every now and then

Her ears slicked back and she stared at me with a hurt face

"You promise not to make fun of me?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at her crazy assumption but I fought the urge and purred re-assuringly, nuzzling her cheek lightly

She sighed lightly and looked at me with her beautifull, purple eyes

"I.... I have a major needle phobia..." she muttered

Then I remembered.... Rukia's birthday was last week... and as I've learned by living in the Kuchiki household for a year

The week after someone's birthday they get their physical exams, it was a surprise to me when my birthday rolled around

Considering that Byakuya, Yoruichi, and Rukia's birthdays had all passed and Renji's came after mine

I growled quietly, wondering how she had gotten past this little issue before

"Well the last time I had to have a shot I was ten, and back then I was only a child and I didn't really have much of a choice, I screamed and cried but there was no way to prevent it,"

My eyebrows raised

Was that normal...?

"But this year Brother wants me to get blood work and a flu shot since the flu is so bad this year...." she mused

So far I wasn't on her side or Byakuya's

I hadn't researched vaccinations so how was I supposed to pick sides?

After all needles didn't bother me

"I mean I faint just SEEING a needle, even if it isn't meant for me...." she muttered

I frowned, about to convince her that it wouldn't be so bad and to go through with it anyway

But she put one of her delicate little hands on my nee and leaned over a little

Her soft, bunny ears were slicked back and her tiny nose twitched slightly in that very bunny-like way

And her eyes seemed to double in size and sparkle with even more cuteness as her bottum lip jetted out and trembeled slightly

"Ichigo, you will protect me.... won't you?"

She said in a quiet, pittifull voice

My brain melted and my primal instinct to keep her safe shot through my veins like adrenaline.... at that point I didn't care who was right or who was wrong....

And later that day I discovered I had been roped into this and was stuck trying to figure out how to convince Byakuya to let Rukia go free....