A/N This story would be set in the month-long training period Orihime undertook with Rukia in the Seireitei after Orihime has been told by Urahara Kisuke that she will not be fighting against Aizen and the Arrancar.
Jealousy
"Jealousy is the fear of comparison."
- Max Frisch
Kuchiki Rukia had never understood the meaning of jealousy.
From her days in the Rukongai and slums of Inuzuri, she had never envied the rich or the inhabitants of the wealthier districts, only thinking and strategizing about how to get her next meal to dull the constant ache of hunger in her belly. Unlike Renji or the other orphan children at the makeshift shelter, she never spat bitter comments about the spoiled offspring of ministers or shinigami. If there was ever a stirring of feeling within her when she saw children with parents, whether or not they were in a loving relationship, she was convinced that it was more wonder than jealousy.
When she was adopted into the Kuchiki clan, and faced with the contrast between the ever-flowing abundance of three solid meals a day and the coldness and malicious whispers behind her backs of the Clan members, she had not been jealous, merely accepting. She never gave thought to her longing gazes on Renji or the other rank and file unseated Shinigamis as they rushed out of the classrooms with no thoughts to additional lessons on etiquette and propriety.
She was certainly not jealous, but in Wonder, when she met Kurosaki Ichigo and the rest of his nakama. The Human World took on an almost surreal sheen when she was taken by the hand – literally – by Inoue Orihime and introduced to the mundane, everyday routine of school, homework, and friendly girl chat. Rukia had never been asked before to simply be herself, never simply accepted as a friend rather than being asked, flattered or pandered to by those who wish to take advantage of her connections to the name, Kuchiki. Thus, over time, she became, in her own way, fond of the pretty human.
So when Orihime had confessed that she was jealous of Rukia, of Rukia's closeness to 'Kurosaki-kun', Rukia had been baffled. Orihime had gone on to reassure her that their friendship between the two girls no matter what would not be affected, that in her own time, she would eventually let go of her love for Ichigo "no matter how painful it is, because Kuchiki-san you can make him smile and relax when no one else can."
Rukia had halted Orihime's confession, pressing – in vain – that despite the understanding between her and Ichigo, forged from the bond of fighting Hollows and sharing reiatsu, their relationship was not love. When Orihime proved relentless in justifying what she considered attraction between the two of them, "Kuchiki-san, you don't need to be afraid to admit you like Kurosaki-kun because you fear hurting my feelings. He was never mine to begin with…so he cannot be mine to lose.", Rukia tried to divert her human friend to explain the feeling of jealousy instead.
She was certain that Orihime had been humoring her when the topic changed -something about the unreadable emotion in the other girl's eyes suggested this. However, Orihime obliged, and soon Rukia was herself distracted by descriptions of Jealousy as "the same colour as the little green men", before Orihime unexpectedly inserted a Shakespeare quotation from the play they were studying in English class.
"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on. … 'Tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself. "
Even this little solemn reference had not been warning enough to Rukia. But now, now as she sits at the dining table in the Kuchiki manor, she is sure, absolutely certain that the feeling she is experiencing right now is Jealousy – in all its greenness and bitterness that Orihime had hinted at, but never fully spelled out for her to spare her discomfort.
Because the person that Rukia suddenly finds herself Jealous of is the same person who introduced the meaning of Jealousy to her – Inoue Orihime.
She is Jealous of Orihime for an accomplishment the young female human has achieved on her first try that Rukia, for fifty years, had not been able to accomplish.
Orihime had made someone laugh. And not just anyone…
… she had made Kuchiki Byakuya laugh.
Her nii-sama.
Rukia ponders on how it all started.
The two girls had finished their training session on the thirteenth division grounds, and had stopped by the sixth division along the way, to see if its Captain was free to return back to the manor with them. They were both confronted at the entrance by Kuchiki Byakuya's furious reiatsu.
The anger was not directed at them, but at a certain supercilious speaker, dressed in beaver pelt despite the balmy evening weather, standing in front of the Captain's desk.
"I'll expect to see you hold your word on this, Kuchiki-taichou. This, after all, would impact your standing with The Merchants' Guild, which none of the Clan ought to suffer from," the man had sniffed imperiously.
Rukia recognized him as her fourth uncle, who had once referred to her disparagingly as "the gold-digger from Rukongai" who shares the same face as Byakuya's late wife, Hisana-sama. That had been the one time her nii-sama had explicitly come to her defence, ruthlessly cutting down the oily tone, which had suggested a more fuller relationship between her and Byakuya than one of brother and sister.
Her brother currently faced the same slimeball with all the poise, elegance, and nobility, which he was famous for. Narrowed eyes were the only indication of his anger and fraying temper, steadfastly kept in check.
"Do not worry on my account, Sakujun. I am fully aware of my duties, … but you, on the other hand…" The listener flared his nostrils, though he kept well quiet. "Settle whatever accounts you have with the women of Kurogarou House, and heed your responsibilities at the jade foundry."
Rukia recognized the name of the notorious prostitute establishment of the red light district. Her eyes mirrored the contempt within her older sibling's. Although the minor noble had slunk away like a dog with his tail between his legs, the foul mood from that confrontation had permeated the atmosphere on the threesome's walk home.
At dinner, Rukia finally ventured to ask her brother what she had wanted to since the end of that encounter.
"Can nothing be done about him, nii-sama? His rudeness towards you is baseless and offensive…"
Byakuya had remained in a stony silence though he did spare her a glance, an acknowledgment of her sisterly care.
"Has Byakuya-san ever considered threatening to turn him into a hat?"
Both Kuchiki siblings turned in surprise towards the third speaker at their table, who had been unusually silent until this point. Still holding her bowl of rice and chopsticks inches away from her lips, Orihime remained oblivious to the incredulous stares she was receiving.
She cheerfully turned towards the Kuchiki head with a shy, mischievous, open smile. "I've noticed that man has such an odd fondness for beaver pelt," she explained. At Byakuya's slightly wide eyes and continued silence, she continued, tapping the chopsticks against her lips in a 'thinking pose'.
"Although I can't help but think he'd make a much better throw-rug. Just imagine, Kuchiki-sama! If the rug gets dirty, you can take it out and beat it!"
In the silence that followed, Rukia's first thought was 'Who knew that Orihime had a slight sadistic sense of humour?' before she heard something odd.
The sound was a cross between a muffled snort and coughing. Both girls turned to see Kuchiki Byakuya set down his rice bowl rather quickly before taking up his chrysanthemum tea. One of his hands discretely passed quickly over his eyes.
A servant had clattered noisily afterwards.
"Is the food alright, Kuchiki-sama? Has it been poorly cooked? Is something not to your liking?"
A recomposed face met the baffled eyes of the attendant. "It has nothing to do with the food," Byakuya intoned, an untraceable tone in his voice.
"But my Lord-"
"Leave it be." A sliver of the coldness and firmness, which was notable of Kuchiki Byakuya has returned.
Throughout all this, Rukia sat in shock.
No one else may have recognized it, even now Orihime seemed curious and surprised considering the tilt of her auburn head as she gazed questioningly at Byakuya, but Rukia was certain.
Her nii-sama had just laughed.
Of course, it would not qualify as a laugh by normal standards, but then normal standards did not take into account, a man who has suffered everyday the loss of a much beloved-wife, and the burdens and stifling customs and expectations as the head of one of the four noble Clans in the Seireitei.
No one else may be aware of the loss of tension, which plagued her elder brother's shoulders like a shroud.
The way the furrow in his brows had lessened.
The half smile and the warmth, which her nii-sama directed towards Inoue now stabbed at Rukia like a dagger in the front.
And she had been so proud to make her nii-sama smile merely a few months back. Rukia thought she had make an immeasurable conquest when she saw the slight upturn at the corner of his lips, and now… what a laughable joke it seems.
By the servants' accounts, who were as full of gossip as any circle of noble women, no one had made Lord Kuchiki laugh since Hisana-sama's death. And now, for Rukia, who adored her nii-sama so, to be bested by a complete stranger to the family…
And it was then that Jealousy had hit Rukia full force with every wave of its overwhelming strength.
It seems now that Orihime has grasped just what she has achieved as a radiant smile spread across her features. It made Rukia's stomach clench to note that the other girl made no additional comment, no further play on her triumph, but returned to her dinner, tucking in with a happy relish under Byakuya's amusement.
How ironic.
Yes, how ironic indeed that Inoue Orihime would be jealous of Kuchiki Rukia's supposed ability to make Kurosaki Ichigo smile, in the same way, that Rukia was jealous of Orihime's ability to make Kuchiki Byakuya laugh.
A/N The quotations about jealousy are from William Shakespeare's wonderful play, Othello. The comment about the beaver hat is taken from the film: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. And the comment about the throw-rug has been taken from the Lion King (Zazu speaks it). :P
Oh, the love for C. and the great jewels of productions that the old Walt Disney accomplished, such a contrast to the newer Disney productions nowadays. *sigh
I do not own Bleach.
As always, I look forward to your reviews and constructive feedback, dear readers.