Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of the characters used in this fic. They all belong to Tite Kubo. I only own any original characters that I choose to include, as well as any original plot ideas.
Walls
A/N: Post-Winter War; pre-Fullbring; "Sometimes, you put walls up, not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." - Unknown
Time and time again, she'd walked straight through him, taking his heart with her. Though she had never quite known it. But, for years, when he'd needed to find it, her face would appear, whether before him or in his mind, and he would know that it was there, sewn to the back of her uniform.
And she had no idea that it belonged to her.
Renji had always known that she cared for him, though not quite in the same way that he did for her. Sometimes, he was certain that he'd forget how long he'd waited. But it never happened. The memory, that of a raven-haired nobleman coming to Inuzuri, had never quite vanished. Why, he could see it as he sat there, quietly ignoring the paperwork that needed to be completed.
It had been a cold day, the coldest of his life. The man had come to their village, having questioned street merchants about the whereabouts of a youth called Rukia. Renji had overheard the questions, and had volunteered to take him to her.
That had been his mistake.
He had then spoken to Rukia, having been very blunt in stating that she was to come with him, to the Seireitei. That, should she choose to, she would take on the name Kuchiki and be well-cared for as his sister.
"You can't go!" Renji had cried, drawing attention to himself. "You can't leave, Rukia! This is your home! Here, with us!"
He had wanted her to stay with him, not to keep her from a better life, but because he had needed her. But she had walked quietly away with the man, looking back only to say goodbye.
At that point, Renji had given up all hope of ever seeing her again.
But, here she was, so many years and trials later, walking into the office to collect the files that had been requested by her captain. The lieutenant's badge on her arm mimicked his own. They were equals in rank, maybe even in valor, but she would always be a head above him.
"You've been slacking again," she said plainly, looking disappointed. "What are we going to do with you, Renji?"
He smiled, rising from the chair to fetch the inked pages. She had used to say that when she caught him stealing. Poorly, at the very least. She'd always been more methodical than himself.
Their hands touched for a moment as he handed the papers to her, both sets of eyes widening a bit.
Rukia didn't pull away as he had expected her to. Rather, she laughed, a light blush coming to her cheeks.
"You know," she said, "I used to think that you'd just end up a slacker. But I'm impressed, Renji. You're much more than you used to be. A good man, for starters."
They were on duty, and it was clearly inappropriate, but he tugged on her wrist, pulling her into his arms. She stood there quietly with him, head resting against his chest.
"You've always been a cut above me," he said. "Even if you did build and lock yourself away in a tower."
Rukia looked up at him, a slight frown on her face. "I didn't lock myself away, Renji. I just... thought it would be best to keep them someplace safe."
She pulled away, the pages tucked under her arm as she walked out, not bothering to look back.
Them. She'd wanted to keep them safe.
The lieutenant smiled, falling back into the chair, satisfied. So she hadn't tried to protect herself with stone walls, after all. She'd been hiding her treasures away.
Her heart and his.