We Cannot Follow
The day was pleasantly cool, but the gentle breeze had a hint of warmth as it skittered through the town. The scent of sweet air, tinged with the tart industrial scent of a city, tickled noses and was nearly a tangible flavor, it threatened to blossom sweetly on waiting tongues. A blinding blue colored the sky, sparsely decorated with thin white clouds. If one looked up, their eyes would squint at its brightness and lips would twitch upwards at the sight. Bent and flattened blades of deep green grass struggled to reach towards the sky, fighting against the constant stomping from feet of children and adults alike. This place was abuzz with activity, which was expected on this nice day. People were here to enjoy the park.
A young man sat on one of the more secluded benches, bent over a book with a worn navy blue hard cover. He was dressed smartly, a crisp white collared shirt and clean dark pants. Sun shining off of his glasses, blue eyes racing across words and black hair curtaining his sharp face; he appeared for the entire world a diligent student.
"So they left" came a voice not sounding particularly surprised.
It was not a question but Uryu felt the need to reply regardless. "Yes" he said simply, turning a page of his book, he did not look up.
Slightly behind him and to his left stood no one, or so a normal human would believe. Arms crossed and a mild expression on her face Rukia Kuchiki looked into the distance.
She looked decidedly out of place on this bright and sunny day; with her dark shinigami uniform and katana. Along with her midnight hair and shining amethyst eyes she did not belong here. Should not simply be standing in the open sunlight of this realm. The confidence in her stance and aura of belonging challenged the previous fact profusely. In all, the spirit did not belong in any sense, but she was here, but still appropriately separate. Evocative of the different existence she led, always separate, always ethereal. The Quincy did not turn, did not see any of this, but he already knew.
Uryu took a moment to assess the situation. Rukia just decided to appear- as was her tendency to do. He often frequented this area, it was an ideal place to be when a hollow made an appearance, a central location in the town that seemed to be constantly swarmed by the heartless souls. It was doubly important that he be ready now, because the rest of the town's self-proclaimed protectors weren't here. It was no surprise that she had found him here through his spiritual pressure, it was not a coincidence. Quietly, in the privacy of his thoughts, he was slightly surprised that he had not sensed her sooner, but tucked the thought away. Perhaps he had forgotten how to identify her spiritual pressure in their time apart. Or maybe, a part of him thought, it had never become unfamiliar so it did not catch his attention at all.
They both continued their previous activities, he with his book and she with her observance of the horizon. The silence was not uncomfortable; so much as it was blanketing the following words, hiding them. He thought he knew what she would say, and she was simply waiting for the words to string together in her mind. Finally, one of them gently tugged the shroud of silence off.
"You didn't go with them" she commented. The Quincy sighed, pushing up his glasses he straightened from his hunched reading position as to turn and look at her. He expected a mild disapproval; instead he was met with a sober sort of understanding. He blinked, and perhaps sensing his reaction she tilted her head as if to ask why he expected different, and even expressing mild amusement that he would.
The black haired teen fingered a dry page of his still open book, he returned his gaze to the words, but his blue eyes did not move across the page. A gentle breeze played with their hair, the loose fabric of her black uniform fluttered gently, he tightened his grip on the pages of his book so as to not lose his place. The silence was peaceful, but the niggling at the back of his mind would not let him enjoy it.
He opened his mouth to speak, calmly he said. "You won't go" As the words left his mouth he realized how true they were. He turned to look at her again, the grass whispered as she adjusted her stance, it was tenser now.
Her fingers clenched, creasing the black cloth of her sleeves. She did not look at him, her violet orbs were sharp with thought but focused on the distance. After a moment her hands relaxed, her right hand fiddled with the badge that rested on her upper left arm. Ishida's eyes were now drawn to the item he hadn't paid much attention to before. As if realizing that she was supposed to answer her eyes snapped back to the present, they stared at each other for a moment. "For the same reason you didn't go" She says at last, as if sounding slightly confused, long fingers still lingering over the insignia of her lieutenant's badge.
Uryu's jaw tightened for a moment, before loosening in order to form words "Quincy exist to fight hollows" he recited quietly, eyes drifting to the grass. "Shinigami exist to protect humans and to purify hollows" came the equally quiet response. She had returned to gazing at the distance. Just as a tense silence threatened to descend upon the pair the shinigami spoke again.
"Ichigo can take care of himself" Rukia said suddenly, surprising her companion. "So can Inoue and Sado" she says with such confidence that a tightness that has crept into his chest without his consent actually loosens its hold. He can't help the smirk that accompanies his next words "I know" Rukia gifts him with a small relieved smile of her own, as if his agreement set her at ease, it probably has. His blue eyes narrow as a sudden thought occurs to him "What are you doing here, Kuchiki-san?" he wonders, trying to be as polite as possible. For a moment the spirit looks uncomfortable, as if she was caught doing something she oughtn't to have. "As a lieutenant I have more freedoms than I would have otherwise" she mumbles as an explanation. The urge to chuckle comes and passes so he settles for a simple quirk of his lips, a teasing close mouthed smile which she lightly dismisses.
His eyes are drawn to the side where a couple stands and whisper to themselves while looking and gesturing in his general direction. His expressions tightens in irritation, quickly he turns back to his book, but not before he shoots them a glare that sends them on their way. He can feel Rukia's amusement, she doesn't laugh, but she doesn't have to.
"I'm assuming Kurosaki won't be punished for rushing off?" he asks idly, he takes a moment to turn a page of the book he isn't reading. He excludes the air of calm that he so takes pride in but borders on coolness that those who know him have learned to ignore. He asks because he's worried, but words it in a way that seems like he isn't.
After taking a moment to admire the attempt she answers "No" she replies. Then continues "Conveniently he has not officially been reinstated as a substitute shinigami, and even if he has he doesn't fall under any specific jurisdiction as long as the town of Karakura stays safe" she says smoothly. "Basically" he says slowly, pushing up his glasses he takes the time to look at her "he gets away with it" The shinigami nods, he doesn't imagine the faint underlining of pleased smugness in her expression. "Basically." She agrees. After a moment her expression hardens "and" she adds seriously "something is happening, the enemy he may face may certainly be an enemy of the soul society." Uryu looks at her then nods, taking in the information
"I see" he murmurs, and he does.
Kurosaki had unintentionally volunteered as a scout to test the waters with a potential new enemy. Whatever was affecting Hueco Mundo was probably related to what was happening in the Soul Society. The gotei thirteen would not look kindly on rescuing hollows but they will gladly overlook that in favor of what he may uncover about the new unknown. "Enemy of my enemy is my friend." He mutters lowly, Rukia casts a curious sidelong glance at him but doesn't comment.
Uryu sighs and closes the book and lays it on his lap, his hands rest atop of it. Another topic has been waiting to be discussed, and they both knew it. He would not be sitting here otherwise, and they knew the reason.
"Inoue-san and Sado are humans, Kurosaki is a vizard and I…I am a Quincy" Rukia remains respectfully silent. He looks at his hands, a contemplative look on his face, a shadow of something resembling guilt crosses his features.
Examining his fingers he takes a moment to truly look at them. Long fingers, like a pianist's or violinists; or maybe those of a delicate painter. But upon closer inspection anyone could see the light scars that brushed along his skin; a lightning of skin here, a white line there. A simple handshake would reveal the hard earned calluses' of many battles and brutal training. Skin stretches over bone tightly, blue veins pulse quietly with life beneath the surface. Archer's hands, he decides, Quincy hands.
He pauses and swallows thickly "We can't always fight for the same things" he says finally sounding subdued. Rukia's expression turns solemn. "No we can't" she agrees softly.
It is one of those rare moments when Uryu is fully aware that Rukia is so much older, and it seems, so much wiser than he is. He is contemplating differences so it is hard, so hard, not to notice the ones between them. For a reason he can't explain he thinks of how she hasn't aged, matured and changed yes but not aged. He is supposed to hate shinigami, he does hate them, but he does not -cannot hate this one. Why this, among everything else bothers him he doesn't know, but it adds to the troubled feeling that is poisoning his thoughts.
He could not go with them, could not accompany his comrades and friends on a mission. He doesn't regret his decision. He is a Quincy, but that is not all he is…
"Ishida" she says sharply, her voice cutting through his thoughts. It is a bit of a relief, the distraction from his thoughts, like a gulp of air after being held underwater for too long. He straightens, he had not even realized that he had begun slouching, and cranes his neck to look at her only to find her amethyst eyes fixed on him intensely. Earnestly she says "We may not always fight for the same things, but we will always fight for each other" She paused, as if uncertain, her gaze slides off to the side. "That is what I believe" she finished quietly, eyes half lidded in thought.
Uryu took a moment to stare at her, thoughts whirling in his head and her words loosening the vice around his heart. Taking a deep contemplative breath Uryu grabbed his book gently and carefully put it away in his school bag, after standing and slinging it over his shoulder he turned to his companion.
Since he was standing he stood over her now and had to look down to meet her eyes. He did so briefly and found them glinting with a hidden, but determined, expectation. He looked away to gaze at the horizon that she had been so intent on earlier, but he sensed her eyes on the side of his head. "…I believe that too Kuchiki-san" he murmured firmly, a small upward quirk on his lips and a feeling of relief in his chest.
A/N:
Because Uryu and Rukia need more friendship fics. Their personalities (I think) are just compatible. Rukia is weird in that she can mess around and hit people and yell with people like Renji, or she can be all wise and solemn and noble-ish with people like Byakuya. And of course there is that combination of both with people like Ichigo. And I don't think Uryu has ever done his "I hate shinigami thing" towards Rukia, from what I've seen they get along pretty well.
This fic is supposed to take place after Ichigo and co. leave to hueco mundo, and after Sasakibe's….uh you know. (Don't want to post spoilers) I couldn't help but think Rukia would just drop by to see what's going on in the town, maybe get some info from hat-n-clogs and have a reassuring chat with our favorite Quincy. Also…with the new bad guys revealed to be who they are...I really couldn't help it. I feel as if Ishida's heritage, choices, and overall his view on his personal identity and friendships are going to play an important role in the future. He seemed a little conflicted about not going with the others. Rukia and Uryu are in similar positions here, as a shinigami she can't really go rushing off either. Yet Ichigo and the others seem to understand and not hold it against them. I felt like drawing a bit of a parallel between them and using it as an opportunity to explore on their friendship. I was going for a bit of a "aloof but deep" tone in this one-shot, let me know if I accomplished it!
I actually did something that I rarely (read: never) do with my oneshots. I went back and actually added/rewrote A LOT of things, more than once or twice. I know that's something you should do but I usually don't do this because I feel like I start losing the flow of the story and makes it seem like it's broken up when I suddenly insert things. So I'm apprehensive and proud of this at the same time. I like the changes, I just want to know if it disrupted what I had already written.
I guess, if you want, you can see this as mild UryuXRukia…if you squint, and look at it sideways through a kaleidoscope…it was meant as friendship, but whatever floats your boat!
Oh and if anyone else has read chapter 489 I hope you share my sentiment in that I hope Mayuri gets killed off, just saying. I've never liked him.
Please review, I know that is always on every fic but it really does mean a lot.
I have a feeling a new chapter is going to make this AU soon...that would so happen.