20 things unsaid. Written for the 20 souls lj community. It has not been officially approved yet so hmmm :/
May be a bit inconsistent, being the weirdo I am I can't finish anything so this was written through the course of a year or two, the writing style changes throughout XD
1.
"Renji," a guilty Rukia had said, "Stay away from me."
The red-haired boy could only gape at her, baffled.
"Wha-?"
"I killed someone," the girl had whispered with dry eyes and white fists. Before Renji could say anything, she was gone.
2.
Rukia does not remember being alive but she remembers warmth and a feeling of safety. Fires are warm, rabbits are warm and people are warm. These are the things she focuses on as she fades away in the White Towers.
Much later, after a battle but before a war; she curls her fingers into black robes and drinks up the warmth of his hold quietly. Renji notices nothing and continues to run.
3.
Renji wasn't jealous of Kaien and he most certainly wasn't happy when he died. But he hates Kaien with a passion and will never forgive him for dying.
4.
When she's peeved, Rukia likes slashing trees. But sometimes when there are no trees to slash, she resorts to training with Renji. She knows he lets her win from time to time and she makes sure to hit him extra hard whenever he's going easy. Renji would curse and cough and sometimes blood would gush from his wounds. Then they'll take a rest as she heals him up.
After the adrenalin ebbs away, Rukia would sit with her chin in her bloody hands and feel the fatigue and soreness settle in. Then she'll smile softly, dreamily.
5.
The first time Renji met Sode no Shirakyu, he was very surprised it wasn't a rabbit. Instead it was a temperamental pure white feline that had hissed and swiped at him with sharp claws. Rukia had giggled and stroked the top of its furry head, tangling her fingers into the soft down.
"Isn't it pretty?" she had cooed with sparkling eyes. Renji could only look on wordlessly with horror.
6.
Renji likes to reminisce during his lunch break. Rukia recognizes the look and kicks him hard in the shins.
7.
Rukia likes her brother's hair; it's long, soft and cascade down his shoulder. Renji tried stealing his captain's shampoo once, but to his dismay, it only made his hair spiky.
8.
Even though no one believes him, Renji insists that his tattoos are natural. Not even he's sure why they grow but every time a new mark appears, it glows red hot first before darkening to a charcoal black.
Renji fails to notice that it is the burning sensation on his skin that makes him temporarily forget the dull pain in his chest.
9.
Renji tattoo first appeared on the day Rukia was adopted. Renji did not sleep that night.
10.
Every year Renji and Rukia would meet in front of the markers of their friends. Rukia would bring baskets of food, Renji would bring flowers. The food would be gone by the next day and Rukia would smile slightly because in front of the markers would be empty baskets and thank you notes.
"Ah," Renji would smirk, sensing the reiratsu of not-so-starving kids in the nearby bushes. "Isn't nostalgia a wonderful thing?"
11.
Renji likes Rukia's laugh. It tinkles and plucks on his heartstrings softly, unknowingly. No one can tell because his scowls deepen every time she laughs, but that's only because Renji realizes how little Rukia laughs these days.
12.
Rukia likes Renji's warmth. It surrounds her and slowly the layers build up to form into an unbreakable shield. She can only see it with her eyes closed because with her eyes opened, it's the coldness that'll save her in the end.
13.
The first and last time Rukia got drunk was at the celebration of her 100th birthday. The next day she woke up with no memory and a neck covered with odd red bruises. Ikkaku sniggered every time he saw her and Matsumoto winked widely whenever they passed in the corridors.
Unknown to her, Byakuya had forced Renji into cleaning the sewers for a month.
14.
Surprisingly, she still doesn't realize what happened.
15.
Rukia doesn't like bunnies because they're cute. She likes them because they were the only animal that was too fast for her to catch.
Renji understands because he can still recall the lingering taste of those that weren't fast enough.
16．
Renji has a drawing of a rabbit on his desk. It wears orange sunglasses and a scowl. He thinks no one can identify the emotions in his eyes as he glazes at the picture. Kuchiki Byakuya knows better and sees a familiar sight.
17.
One drenching day in the human world, Rukia noticed as she squinted her eyes, that in the cold and the mesh of raindrops, Ichigo transformed into Renji. It confused her for a second so she walked up to Renji/Ichigo and smacked them hard on the head. The illusion evaporated, revealing a cursing Ichigo rubbing his wound.
She wrote it off as bad connections with her gigai and reminded herself to deliver some bodily harm to Urahara.
18.
Renji is smarter than everyone takes him for. He knows that Rukia sees someone else when she looks at Ichigo because he can recognize the shimmer in her pupils. He does not feel jealous; instead he fights hard to make sure this one doesn't die.
Renji is not smart enough though, to realize that it is not always Kaien that Rukia sees in the human.
19.
Contrary to popular belief, Rukia hates the cold. When she practices with Sode no Shirakyu, she borrows Renji's fur coat.
Contrary to popular belief, Renji hates snakes. But he was only slightly disappointed after he unlocked Zabimaru's bankai.
20.
"Make a wish!" the group echoes as Renji takes in a big breath. He blows out the candles steadily, 5 towering ones to represent 500, and scowls as he closes his eyes to make his wish.
"Sake!!" Matsumoto yells eagerly a moment later as she waves an empty cup around. The excitement explodes and there's cake and sake and presents flying across the room.
The birthday boy slips under the noise and celebration and escapes outside, where the icy cold bites his nose. Here, Rukia waits for him with a neatly wrapped present in her hands.
"Here, idiot," she thrusts the present at him, "Happy birthday." Renji accepts it gingerly.
"What did you wish for?" Rukia asks, as she watches the snowfall and leans against the cold railings.
"Hmp," he snorts and hopes it doesn't sound like "You".
AN: Ah…RenRuki always makes me feel WAFF-y. It was only suppose to be one-sided RenRuki but then…
Only after writing this did I realize Renji's birthday was in August. I didn't want to change it so let's just pretend that there was a freak weather accident that year (think global warming!)
Anyways review! Comments are always appreciated!