Chicken Soup for a Kuchiki's Soul
Summary: When Byakuya is struck down by a stomach bug, poor Rukia has to take care of him. Sibling bonding was supposed to happen over dinner, not over the toilet!
Notes: Hey everyone :) so, this is my second Bleach story, and hopefully it'll turn out to be a (fairly) well-liked story. I plan to turn it into a multi-chaper, so hopefully this goes well!
Warnings: A couple bad words here and there, but that's about it.
And so, now that I'm done going on and on, and if you've even read this, please feel free to continue on to the actual story!
I'm only going to say this once. I DO NOT OWN BLEACH.
Introduction:
Rukia wasn't quite sure how this was in any way as good as Renji was making it sound. For the average shinigami, spending time with the 6th Division's infamous Taichou, Kuchiki Byakuya, would be akin to a year's worth of cleaning duty. Spending time with a sick Kuchiki Byakuya would therefore be regarded as a death sentence.
Even so, according to the division's Lieutenant Abarai Renji, there was no one else in the world more capable of cheering up Kuchiki Taichou when he 'needed it most' than Kuchiki Rukia, Byakuya's adopted sister.
As for Rukia, she was seriously doubting the sanity of her friend.
"Renji, are you crazy, or just being stupider than usual?" she asked furiously, glaring up at the red-headed idiot, who was grinning widely.
"Oh, come on Rukia! You're always saying that Kuchiki Taichou doesn't feel like a brother to you. This could be your big chance to do some Kuchiki bonding!" he explained excitedly. Yes, he did want to help his friend, and yes he did want his Taichou to be happier, but really, he was trying to get out of babysitting himself. And boy, did Rukia know it.
"Renji, you liar! I know you just wanna go out drinking with Matsumoto and hang out with Ichigo!" she accused, hands on her hips. How could Renji even thinkof doing this to her? After all the hell he knew Byakuya had put her through...how could he even think?
Sighing, Renji shook his head. Rukia was working herself up. If she was going to be spending the next couple of days with Kuchiki-Taichou and expect to live, she would need to calm down, and quickly.
"Rukia, you know that isn't true. I'm trying to help you – both of you," he told her as honestly as he could, getting down on one knee so that they were eye-to-eye. Apparently this wasn't the thing to do, as without missing a beat Rukia's small, bony fist connected with his jaw, sending the poor redhead keeling over.
"I'm not doing it, and that's final," she announced firmly, crossing her arms cooly as Renji scrambled up off the floor.
"You bitch! I thought you saved the punches for Kurosaki!" he spluttered indignantly, holding his throbbing jaw. She may be an underweight midget, but damn she hit hard!
"I save them for idiots!" she shot right back, closing her eyes and turning up her nose. Renji – who's face had passed red and was turning some sort of purple colour – jumped up, intent on making sure Rukia would pay.
"I don't care what you say, midget, you're doing it!" he yelled, putting his hand to his sword. A dangerous glint coming into her eye, Rukia grabbed her on zampakuto. She'd said she wouldn't do it. Renji was about to figure out how serious she was.
Thankfully, before the two could run at each other, soft footsteps coming down the hallway announced the entrance of someone who they wouldn't dare fight around – Unohana Retsu, Taichou of the 4th Division. Reflexively Rukia and Renji jumped to a guilty salute as she came around the corner.
"Good morning, Unohana-Taichou!" they chorused together, looking like toddlers caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Nodding at them, Unohana smiled serenely, as usual.
"And good morning to you two, Kuchiki-san, Abarai-Fukutaichou," she returned their greeting. Without looking at each other, Renji and Rukia relaxed visibly. Crisis averted.
"Are you here to check on Taichou?" Renji asked when most of the awkwardness had dissipated. Unohana nodded.
"I am. I must also express my gratitude that you will be supervising Kuchiki-Taichou for me, Rukia-san," Unohana's smile didn't waver, even when Rukia's eyes widened, and a murderous light flashed through them.
"Unohana-Taichou, I must disagree. I do not remember ever volunteering to watch over Nii-sama," Rukia explained cooly, trying to keep calm eye contact with Unohana while sending murderous thoughts at Renji. Damn bastard.
"I realize that, Rukia-san, but when Kuchiki-Taichou's own lieutenant suggested you, and your own Taichou agreed that it would be a good idea, I couldn't help but agree. I hope that you see how good of an idea this is," Unohana said, and something in her face changed. Her smile got sweeter, her eyes softer...
It was inexplicably terrifying.
With a sigh, Rukia closed her eyes. She couldn't argue with Unohana. Firstly, she outranked her, which meant that arguing with her would be extremely disrespectful, and secondly, if Ukitake-Taichou thought it was a good idea...well, he wasn't insane, so Rukia couldn't help but think that she might not be as completely in danger as she's thought.
"Alright, Unohana-Taichou. I will watch over Nii-sama until he is better," she announced, bowing. Next to her, Renji felt his heart start back up, and his forehead stop sweating. For a while, he'd been afraid that Rukia would actually challenge Unohana. Renji didn't want his friend to die, thank you very much.
"W-well, if this is all sorted out, I believe that I'll just be going...," Renji trailed off, trying to run off with as much dignity as he could. Unfortunately (for him) Unohana stopped him with a smile.
"That reminds me, Abarai-Fukutaichou. Zaraki-Taichou is looked for you. I believe he said something about babysitting Yachiru," Unohana smiled sweetly as Renji's face paled.
'No...not that!' he thought, terrified, but still bowed. "Right away, Unohana-Taichou," he muttered, before sulking off, all thoughts of dignity forgotten. When he was gone, Rukia let out a long sigh.
"How long do you expect him to be sick?" she asked the 4th Division Taichou, who blinked understandingly.
"If he takes his medicine regularly, I would expect him to be sick for at least a week," hearing that, Rukia couldn't help but groan.
'A week with Nii-sama...' she thought despairingly. There was no way she would survive that. Lowering her head, she turned and began walking towards her fate. As she passed by Unohana, Rukia was surprised to feel a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, her eyes widened at the sight of the Taichou's smiling face.
"Don't worry, Rukia-san. Everything will turn out just fine," she whispered, before turning and walking away herself. For a few moments, Rukia stared after Unohana, mouth hanging open. Did she really mean it? Did she really think that things would turn out alright? Shaking her head, Rukia let out a snort.
Yeah fucking right.
And so ends the introduction - hopefully, the rest of it will follow quickly! Chapter 1 is already welll on its way, so hopefully no one will have to wait too long. Anyways, I really hope that people like this story enough to review, because really, that's what I use to guage wether I ought to finish a story or not...;)
Well, goodbye for now. We shall meet again, I promise.
StarsAndSparks44