Author's Note: I'm back! Oh, I've been bitten by the UlquiRuki bug!!! Thanks to yume girl 91, Angste, El Que Lora, Asagiri and Raven's Cauldron for being inspirations…keep being loyal staff to my C2, "Dark Romacia"!!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Bleach © Kubo Tite 2002.
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Guardian Angel
Rukia and Ulquiorra have been the best of friends since they were 5. They get separated, and then glued again when Ulquiorra becomes her neighbor. Byakuya dies, and favors Ulquiorra to take care of Rukia right after his death.
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Rukia, a little, raven-haired, five-year-old girl ran towards the playground. She was dressed in a baby blue dress, which fit her perfectly. She was with her mother and brother, Hisana and Byakuya.
"Mommy!" She called, running towards her beautiful, look-alike mom. "Yes, Rukia-Chan?" Her velvet voice answered.
"Can I play alone? I'm used to playing with other kids by myself." Rukia requested. Byakuya looked at Rukia as if she was crazy. "Huh?" He spoke.
Hisana smiled remorsefully. "Sorry, Rukia, but you might get hurt," Hisana explained. Twelve-year-old Byakuya muttered something like "Puberty comes in different ages," as he thought about Rukia having a crush. Hisana heard what he had said, but decided to save the subject for later.
"There are so many kids there! I promise, I'll be careful!" Rukia raised her right hand, swearing.
Byakuya looked at his mother triumphantly. Hisana sighed. "OK."
Rukia grinned, shouting a 'thank-you' to Hisana and Byakuya, running towards the kids. "Told ya mom, she'd do it." Byakuya smirked.
"Oh, Rukia, don't leave me yet!" Hisana cried as the horrible thought of Rukia getting married hit her. Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "So…" Hisana stopped at her 'Rukia-growing-up' frustration, and looked at Byakuya with a cat-grin pasted on her face.
"Tell me more about that Unohana-Chan you dream of…" Hisana joked. Out of the blue, Byakuya's face turned cherry. "M-mom!" Byakuya squeaked.
Meanwhile, Rukia was running playfully around the playground, kicking her ball. "Ya!" She kicked the ball again, but she hit a speck too hard. The ball landed in front of a boy on a swing. Rukia ran towards the ball and said, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to," She smiled. However, the boy didn't look up. Rukia was slightly irritated. "Um…hey?" She called, remembering the polite manners Hisana had taught her, so she kept her cool. Still, the boy didn't answer.
The boy got the best of Rukia, so she lost control of her temper. "Hey, kid, when someone's apologizing to you, please, at least…" Rukia's words trailed to a halt when the boy looked up.
He had piercing emerald eyes, ebony hair, and pale skin. The noticeable trait that the boy had was the cyan lines from right below his beautiful eyes, fading down to the end of his face. He wore a green hat, which matched his green eyes, white shirt and shorts.
Rukia was dazed. Her temper ran away, so in kid's instinct, "What's your name?"
The boy's lifeless eyes, for a millisecond, had a glint of curiosity in them. "Ulquiorra Schiffer." His voice was music to Rukia's ears – it was soft, sweet as honey…though lonely.
"Hi! Sorry for being rude earlier," Rukia apologized. "I'm Rukia Kuchiki." She placed her ball beside her, and extended her hand. Ulquiorra looked at her hand for a second, then took it. Rukia was surprised that although Ulquiorra's hand was pale, it was warm and comforting. She wished time would stop, so she could hold his hand forever.
"Why are you here, all alone? Where're your parents?" She asked, letting go of his hand and sitting on the other swing beside him. Ulquiorra looked at the ground again, seeming sad. "My father died," Ulquiorra explained, his face unhappy, though not all sad. "…recently."
"O-oh…" Rukia stuttered, feeling guilty for asking. "Don't worry," Ulquiorra suddenly spoke, aware what Rukia feels. "I can budge." For what Rukia thought have been, Ulquiorra's mouth twitch-formed a smile for a second. Rukia grinned contritely. "You…must've gone through a lot of pain…" She said, remembering the cries of her mother when her dad died. She got up, and went in front of Ulquiorra. "Are you sad?" She asked.
Ulquiorra closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as water streamed from his eyes. His expression from lifeless turned pained. He fluttered his eyes open ever so delicately, his eyes now filled with loneliness, pain, unloved, and remorse. Rukia was definitely crying inside at his expression, but she wasn't the one who needed comfort.
"Hush…" Rukia comforted him. He didn't wail, or even whine a little. He just sat there, tears bathing his face, like an adult would. Rukia pulled him into an embrace, her arms circling his waist, and her head resting on his underdeveloped chest. She couldn't resist – she cried. Her tears brought wet stains on Ulquiorra's shirt.
They stayed in that position for a while – a very long while – and then Rukia stood up, wiping her tears. "Are you okay, now?" Rukia asked, smiling.
Ulquiorra stood up, too, and nodded. Rukia evilly grinned. "Now, smile!" Ulquiorra raised a dark, thin, brow. "Please?" Rukia begged with her cute puppy-eyes. Ulquiorra shrugged. He leaned closer to Rukia, in which her face heated. Ulquiorra inwardly smirked, amused at Rukia's reaction. Ulquiorra smiled. Finally.
His smile was so warm, so welcoming, and so sweet. His lips – if you look closely – you'll see that it had a tint of cherry.
Rukia blushed even more. She thought of an excuse to leave the embarrassing position…
"U-um! Mom and Nii-sama are waiting…I better go now!" She said as she fidgeted her arms and bowed. Ulquiorra's expression changed. "You're…leaving me, aren't you?"
Rukia stopped. She lifted her head to face Ulquiorra. Suddenly, her face brightened. "How about coming to my house?"
Ulquiorra didn't have a second thought. "Sure."
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After the day Ulquiorra and Rukia met, Ulquiorra would always visit Rukia. Hours at 3 in the morning were the most common. If Rukia wasn't awake, he would be insisted by Hisana to stay and have breakfast with them. At first, Ulquiorra thought Byakuya was a little scary, since he would scowl at him every time Ulquiorra would try to look at him. And sometimes, Byakuya would glare at him with those cold eyes!
Fortunately now, Byakuya would invite him to play GTA and sometimes read books while listening to Linkin Park and Evanescence, while Hisana and Rukia go out to 'party', as the two females both call.
Five years after they met; it was Christmas. Ten-year-old Rukia stared in wonder at the stars, shimmering playfully while glued to the dark, large sky. "Rukia," a familiar voice called. The mentioned girl turned her head to see who that was.
"Ulquiorra!" She grinned; she tackled Ulquiorra, leaving him pinned on the ground. "R-Rukia…"
"I thought you were going to leave!" She cried, hugging him passionately (and, yes, when I mean passionately, as in really "passionately").
Ulquiorra slowly sat up, patting the sobbing girl's head. "I will…but I decided to come over first." He explained. Rukia stopped crying and looked at him with sad eyes. "You really are going, aren't you?" She asked, standing up.
"I should, even if I don't want to," Ulquiorra stood up, too, bringing his hands to his pockets. "It's for dad's memories, and for my future." He looked down.
Rukia moped, which in Ulquiorra's thought, was the cutest pout she had ever made. "You'd leave us for that?"
"Rukia, give me a break…" He whispered, suddenly pulling Rukia into a romantic embrace – yes, romantic – while burying his face on her soft hair. Rukia was caught off-guard by his actions. "Ulqui-"
"Not a word." Ulquiorra softly said, although to Rukia, it felt like a command. Rukia settled down, though still not hugging him back. "You don't want me to leave, do you?" Ulquiorra said; his velveteen voice enamored Rukia. "Of course not, you j-jerk!" Tears stung Rukia's eyes.
"You want me to stay, right?" Ulquiorra almost reiterated the other question. Rukia retorted, "I…Yes," finally giving in. She cried, yet again, but now tears of confusion, sadness, and animosity.
"Then say what you want to say to me," Ulquiorra favored. He continued, "So at least my memories can stay with you." Rukia gasped. Memories? Yes. The memories she had with Ulquiorra, she wouldn't dare forget. "Ulquiorra…I'll miss you." Rukia whispered, hugging him back. They remembered the first day they met. They were both 5, immature and innocent. Rukia was a lot cuter back then, though he wouldn't say she isn't now. 'Cute' may not be the right word. 'Beautiful' is a lot better.
"You'll come back. You promised," Rukia cried. Ulquiorra's lavender shirt dampened by Rukia's tears, though he didn't mind. "I'll come back, of course." He hesitantly released the hug, leaving a confused Rukia.
"I'll say goodbye now first, so that you have a special Farewell Gift from me," He explained. Rukia smiled; she knew Ulquiorra would do it, though she didn't imagine him to do it in this situation. Ulquiorra mimicked her smile; however the result became more mature, godlier, and more comforting.
"Goodbye, Rukia."
"Ulqui-bro! Hey look, Ulquiorra, I got the new Tekken 6! Come play with me!"
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Um...yay for the first chapter? :P
R&R!!! Guess who said the last line? XD