Quick author notes:
I bring you a collaborative project between myself and my amazing friend Geishaaa! :D
Where we tell the exact same story from two different peoples' perspectives, my story is set from Rukias perspective and Gieshaaa's is set from Toshiros.
In order to get the full story you'll have to read both and we encourage you to have them both open and reading through them both at the same time so you can see what each character is thinking ;)
We will be updating our stories at the exact same time. This was SO much fun to work on and something we've been meaning to do for months. Sorry to all our Yaoi fan lovers out there but this is a Rukia and Tosh story!
Few things we changed from canon:
Rukia and Renji were NOT present for Toshiros matured bankai
Rukia achieved bankai to save Byakuya (for once – instead of being a useless damsel in distress again)
This is set after the Quincy War but Jushiro Ukitake is still alive
Rating will change eventually to M in future.
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Please enjoy and don't forget to go and follow and read 'Mind of an Ice Prince' too by Geishaaa
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Squad four of all places, it had to be squad four? Rukia would never openly voice her discontent at the fact she had to walk from her squad all the way over in thirteen to squad four. No wonder Ukitake was always so ill, she thought to herself, having to walk this distance in his condition. She knew he was soon going to be retiring and it was only a matter of time before the announcement was made to the rest of the divisions. She had been told early, as lieutenant of Squad Thirteen she'd be taking over management once he retired to rest and he had been training her for that task. It was hard work, the paperwork for the squad was stacked high and since her third seat Kotetsu had been promoted to lieutenant of squad four it meant even more work for her to do by herself.
She readjusted her lieutenant badge on her arm as she made her way into the squad four barracks, sending hell butterflies was not an appropriate way to get the message out about an SWA meeting. She wondered how Head Captain Kyoraku would feel about them being misused and sighed when she realised that he probably didn't care. The whole of the Seireitei had become a lot more relaxed after the Quincy war and they were nursing themselves back to health, normally Head Captain Yamomoto would have had a more stern approach but the Seireitei seemed to be flourishing under the relaxed atmosphere that Head Captain Kyoraku brought.
She pushed open a door and knew she had the right place when the next thing she knew she was being engulfed into Rangikus warm bust.
'Rukia, so glad you could come!' she giggled and Rukia was rescued by the two Kotetsu sisters who obviously didn't need another casualty lying in the beds of squad four.
'Hello Rangiku,' Rukia chuckled as she thanked the sisters with a smile. The two girls had grown a lot closer with all their time spent in the world of the living together and so she would often call Rangiku by her first name. 'So why are we having this meeting?' she asked as she glanced around the room. It had been a while since the SWA had time for a meeting mostly they were all busy trying to keep up to date with the work of their own squads especially since they were a few Captains down still.
'Well, I decided things were a bit too boring recently,' as if to add to this statement Rangiku flopped down on one of the couches and threw her head back as if she were falling asleep. 'So I asked Nanao to hold a meeting to see if we couldn't come up with something fun to do.'
'Yoruichi is here?' Rukia smiled pleasantly at the tall woman who was standing against the wall, her tanned skin looking exquisite against the vast paleness of the newly painted background.
'Yes, I thought I'd come along and help you girls out, Rangiku sounded very convincing with her lack of fun.' The women gave Rangiku an appraising look and the strawberry woman sighed.
'As Vice President I am open to suggestions about what we can do to liven things up around here.' Rangiku said as she leaned back against the couch. Rangiku had been promoted to Vice President the moment that Nanao was promoted to President. Rukia had been fine with the decision together they were a power duo and while Rangiku was the life and soul of the party Nanao kept her grounded so usually things were never taken too far… usually.
'Is your Captain okay with this meeting?' Rukia asked, knowing fine well how Captain Hitsugaya often blew his top the moment Rangiku slipped out from under his nose – which seemed to happen quite a lot.
'Well he'll have to be, that's why we're having it here in squad four, he is less likely to look for me here. I think he'll check squad six first since Captain Kuchiki gave us permission to have our meetings there.'
'You don't think he'll think to look here because of the fact both the Captain and Lieutenant of Squad Four are in the SWA now too?' Rukia asked but she waved a hand at her and chuckled to herself.
'Let's stop talking about my Captain and start talking about what we could- OH! Rukia you're a genius!' Rangiku squealed her spiritual pressure spiking and fluctuating as she leapt to her feet her baby blue eyes bright and alluring and unbelievably dangerous. Rukia did not like that look in her eyes and she almost cowered away from the busty lieutenant for fear of another hug.
'That's exactly what we could do to make things more fun around here!'
'What? Report you to your Captain?' Rukia was beyond confused, she hadn't said anything to merit such a response from the older woman.
'No, no, I mean, setting my Captain up with someone!' as soon as the words left her mouth there was a collective moan and girlish giggles from the group.
'Rangiku, may I remind you the time we tried to set up Renji and Ichigo? And neither of them had even been gay despite you being so convinced?' Nanao reminded her, throwing her friend a warning glance as Rukia sighed. It had not gone well at all, she'd wanted nothing to do with it but of course being best friends with both boys made her the star performer in Rangikus plan which had ended in disaster and a very upset Orihime.
'Yes but this time it will be different, because I know that my Captain is straight so it has to be a woman.' As Rangiku said it several of the women in the room sat up a little straighter, this didn't go unnoticed by Yoruichi who pursed her lips at the group.
'He's not going to like this-' Rukia muttered to herself scowling at the thought. She hadn't spent much time with him in the world of the living but she knew him well enough to know that Rangikus antics usually pissed him off, regardless of their intent.
'You know he's straight?' Nanao voiced, pushing her glasses up her face as she gazed at her friend.
'Yes I do,' there was a wicked grin spreading across her face as she said it.
'Care to share how you know?' the president asked and Rangiku just chuckled.
'No, regardless of the things I do and say I do actually value my life, but you'll have to take my word for it.' She was smirking and looking dangerous once again, 'he's most certainly straight.'
As she said the word straight Rukia spotted Soi Fon give a glance towards Yoruichi who remained politely oblivious to the younger womans movement. It was no secret how the Captain of Squad Two felt about the older woman.
'That's news to me,' lieutenant Kotetsu put in, 'I mean… when rumours of his bankai started spreading loads of women wanted to ask him out but I think half of the Seireitei thought he was gay.'
'That bankai,' Yoruichi was thoughtful for a moment, 'Rangiku did you see it?'
'No, but I heard about it from others around the Seireitei when it happened.' She seemed proud as punch, her chest swelling – if possible – larger at the thought of her Captain. 'I heard that he looks like he's in his early twenties when Daiguren Hyorinmaru reaches full maturity.'
'I heard he was covered in ice,' Nanao chimed in and there was no mistaking the faint blush across her cheeks as she said it, 'and very attractive.'
'My Captain has always been attractive,' Rangiku scoffed throwing her long strawberry locks over her shoulder. 'It shouldn't have taken a mature bankai for people to realise that.'
Though Rukia wouldn't admit it out loud she did have to agree with the older woman. Toshiro was attractive though not many others saw it because they couldn't see around the fact he was in a rather young looking body. There was something alluring about those giant teal eyes and she had heard other female officers talk about them. It was probably why the tenth division had the highest turnout of female officers. That and the fact that Captain Hitsugaya was well known for his strict rules of diversity and fairness, something not many other divisions (except her own) had.
'Didn't you reach bankai in that last war as well lieutenant Kuchiki?' Captain Kotetsu asked her and Rukia was reminded of her own bankai. It had been quite an achievement for her and one of the main reasons why Captain Ukitake wished for her to take over as Captain once he fully retired. She wasn't sure of her abilities to take such a position yet though.
'Earth to Rukia?' Rangiku snapped a finger in front of her face and she jumped back a little, her hair grazing her shoulders as she did so. She had let it grow out again because Rangiku said she looked like a boy with it short.
'S-sorry, yes I did.'
'Now,' Rangiku was smirking to herself as she walked back into the room of women and sat back down on the couch. 'Who could we set him up with?'
'She'd have to be about his age, appearance wise at least.' Nanao commented and the room agreed.
'It would probably help for compatibility sake if there was a similarity between their zanpakutos,' Yoruichi added innocently.
Rukia thought hard, a similarity between their zanpakutos. So it would need to be an elemental zanpakuto at least, there weren't many of those around.
'You'd not want someone significantly taller than him either, they'd look odd.' Captain Soi Fon added while she pretended not to care, clearly she was trying to impress Yoruichi. As she said this Captain Kotetsu's shoulders slumped a little.
'Someone beautiful and attractive since my Captain is too,' Rangiku added.
'Someone powerful he wouldn't feel the need to protect too much given everything that happened with Momo? He doesn't need another damsel in distress.' Lieutenant Kotetsu added.
Rukia was looking at her feet and thinking hard, who? Who fit that entire bill? She was completely oblivious to all the eyes in the room that were now staring intently at her. She looked up and spotted all the pairs of eyes and the wide grin on Rangikus face and she blanched.
'Wha- NO!' she started waving her arms around animatedly, 'absolutely not!'
'Come now Rukia, you're perfect, you're about his age, you're about his height, you've achieved bankai and you both share an ice element zanpakuto.' Rangiku was beyond elated and her grin only grew the more Rukia flushed at the ludicrous idea.
'Absolutely not, no way, Nii-Sama would never allow me, sorry Rangiku but look somewhere else for your childish fixation.' She scoffed and then Yoruichi sighed contently from the corner.
'A prince of ice and a princess of ice, what a match that would be,' the older woman added and Soi Fon stood at attention her eyes narrowing over to Rukia as the women all shared fond girlish looks with each other. She needed to get out of here, immediately. That's when she felt it. It was familiar and cold, a reiatsu of danger and she turned in time to see the cold frost creeping up the door. Her eyes went wide and she turned her gaze towards Rangiku, how was she not feeling this? The very person they were talking about, was about to-
The door froze instantly and then all eyes were on it, as it literally crumbled away to reveal a livid Captain Hitsugaya. Those beautiful teal eyes were narrowed dangerously and icy waves were crashing off him in rolls to make the other women in the room shudder at the temperature drop.
'Matsumoto,' his voice was laced with ice and Rukia found it difficult to be in his presence right now with the conversation they'd all been having she couldn't help but almost see him in a new light. The ice did not bother her and with her cheeks flushed from the previous conversations she quickly slipped passed the stoic Captain, the brush of his spiritual pressure was enough to send a wave up and down her being. It wasn't cold. It was familiar but incredibly powerful, more powerful than her own. She tried not to dwell on how close she'd gotten to the other ice wielder as she fled from the building.
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It took her a long time to make the trip back to her squad but once she made it back she landed with a huff and allowed herself a chance to catch her breath. She was just outside her office which – unlike most of the other divisions was actually located on the ground very close to the barracks. It was close by to allow Captain Ukitake less distance to travel from his Ugendo Quarters inside the barracks to the office. Now he spent most of his time in the Ugendo Quarters getting ready for his retirement and Rukia had all but taken over the office entirely. She walked into the building that was lined with books and books and towards a plain looking oak desk, the office had an usual shape. It wasn't a regular square it was more of an L shape where the desk was located on the far wall as soon as entered but was facing the door and around the corner was a small living space and bathroom.
She was pretty much living here at the moment herself, sleeping blankets and pillows were laid out on the floor close by the couch. A tea tray sat from that very morning where she was reviewing some stacks of papers while having her morning tea prior to being called to the SWA meeting. She walked back over to them and picked them up to ruffle through them. It seemed that Ukitake had been by and attempted to do some of the paperwork. This made her frown, she could handle it alone and didn't like the thought of him working when he was so ill. Nothing she could say would deter him from slipping into the office when she wasn't around though and she knew it. She sighed.
She knew that her division was doing fine, they were ahead of their paperwork schedule and she shouldn't worry but she couldn't help it. She wanted to make Captain Ukitake proud and her brother too,
'Nii-Sama,' she sighed into the room as she took up her seat. That last war had drawn the two close together in ways she never had experienced before. It seemed whenever she was in trouble he was always right there beside her and when she released her bankai to protect him he didn't voice anything more than that it was a beautiful bankai, but she saw his chest swell with pride. He was proud of her and she wanted to continue to make him proud of her.
She shuffled through the papers and found a couple that required duel signatures, it was a piece of paperwork she hated seeing. She sighed as she sat back down in her chair glancing over it. The names of the deceased soul reapers who would now be re born into the world of the living, they'd all died in battle during the Quincy war. Her eyes travelled up and back down the list of fallen warriors from her own division, the roll call had been made and they also had to report those the bodies of which were never recovered. She pulled a hand down her face and gazed at the teapot, the tea would cold now. Rukia stood up and walked over to the dying fire and poked at it with an iron rod trying to stow some life back into it. There were still hot embers in the centre and she bent down low to toss in some kindling to bring the fire back to life. She was terrible with this, she could freeze things no problem but in her very presence anything hot seemed to die instantly. She scowled at the fire and was just about to give up when someone came by her door. It was the divisions third seat Kotsubaki who spoke.
'Come in Kotsubaki,' she responded politely as he slid open the door and bowed down.
'Lieutenant, the final calls have come in for the deceased, there are no more reports left,' he held out a few more files and with a sigh she invited him inside.
'Come in,' she said as he stood up and brought the paperwork in to sit it on her desk.
'Is there anything else I can do for you Lieutenant Kuchiki?' he asked and she bit the inside of her lip before turning to him.
'Can you help me with this bloody fire?' she asked waving to it and earning a chuckle from the taller man who nodded and came around.
'I'm going to need tea to go through these files,' she said solemnly as she glanced down at the new reports he'd just brought her. It didn't take him long to have the fire going and he pursed his lips as she scowled.
'I have an ice element,' she muttered, 'if you need ice cubes in your water come and see me, if you need a fire going…' she sighed and he chuckled and shook his head.
'It is not a problem Lieutenant, allow me,' he lifted the teapot and went about making tea which put a smile on her face. He always made her tea exactly how she liked it and soon a steaming hot cup was placed in front of her.
'Is there anything else I can do for you Lieutenant?' he bowed low and she dismissed him with a small smile. He left and she was once again alone, the cool breezing flowing in through the open window whipped at the fire. While everyone else closed over their windows because they hated a cold room she relished in it. She read through the reports, checking their accuracy and signed them off, she tried to commit every face and every name to her memory. She recognised a few, the younger Shinigami made her throat constrict at the loss, some only just recently having learned the names of their zanpakuto or just recently achieving shikai. They had hopes and dreams and now, now they would be reborn into the world of the living as was the balance of their world.
With a final flourish she signed the last document and finished her tea, gathering the reports up. She still needed her Captains signature too. Though he would not need to proof read them since she had already done so, he'd only have to sign them. She made her way along the frosty path towards the barracks and knocked gently on Captain Ukitake's door to the Ugendo Quarters. There was no answer and she was about to knock again when she heard him call out to her from behind.
'Hello Rukia,' he smiled warmly as she stepped back with a smile.
'Hello Captain,' she greeted him, bowing as low as she could with the stacks of papers in her arms as he opened the door to allow her inside first.
'To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?' he asked as he made his way over to a chair to sit down. She noticed that he was struggling to catch his breath as he did so and she hastily went about getting him a glass of water as soon as she put the papers down.
'Well, I have a few things I need you to sign Captain,' she said handing him the water as a cough slipped by his lips. He nodded to her and thanked her for the water as he glanced down at the reports. His face fell and she sighed beside him. It was not nice paperwork.
'I see,' he muttered as he glanced through the list of deceased names. 'Is this to make their families aware in the Rukon district?'
'Yes sir,' she said and even though she had proof read everything he still took in all the names and faces. He was not like most Captains and he wanted to know who his fallen were, so he could show them proper respect. She knew he wasn't checking her work he only wanted to take his time to make a mental note of their losses.
'Twenty is too many,' he sighed when he was done signing the last page with an eloquent scrawl that she could only day dream to possess.
'I agree,' she muttered as she gathered the paper back up into her arms and turned to face him. 'I will leave you in peace Captain thank you,' she gave him another polite bow but he didn't seem to want to let her go yet.
'Rukia, don't forget to relax and have fun,' his face was serious as he said it. 'Take it from an old dying man, life is too short and you are far too young to carry the burdens that you do. When you told me you were going to the SWA meeting this morning it made me happy, I would like to see you and the other girls of the SWA having more fun together.' He was smiling again and she swallowed thickly, she didn't like being reminded that her Captain was dying. She loved him. Jushiro was a great man and the best Captain in the soul society… other than her brother of course.
'I-I will keep that in mind, thank you sir.' She offered another bow and he sighed.
'Did young Hitsugaya manage to find you all? Perhaps next time I'll give him the same advice I gave you.' He replied as another set of coughs took over his body.
'C-Captain Hitsugaya,' even the name alone was making her feel uneasy as she tried to push the thoughts of the SWA meeting to the back of her mind. If her Captain ever found out the SWA's plans, he'd no doubt join in and if he joined in… she was sure that he'd employ the Head Captain Kyoraku into his plans as well and that was the last thing she needed.
'Yes he was looking for Matsumoto,' he stated after taking another sip of water.
'Oh right, yes he found us, I think he was really angry with Matsumoto,' Rukia offered a small smile, 'the meeting ended at that point.'
'I see,' Captain Ukitake was thoughtful for a while, 'before you go, I was just visited by Captain Kuchiki who gave me this.' He held out a rolled up piece of paper and handed it to her which she took gratefully. 'It is a message from your brother.'
'Thank you, and thank you for the advice Captain, I will heed it, please call on me if you need me or if you wish to just visit.' She offered him a kind smile which he returned and she made her way quickly out of his Quarters and back towards her office. As walked she unrolled the piece of paper, it was a dinner invite at the Kuchiki Manor that evening and she could tell from the way he wrote it that he expected her to be there. She smiled and pocketed the message via an inside pocket of her Shihakusho. She'd never let her brother down.
The teapot was put back over the small fire and another batch was on the go, she really did drink far too much of the stuff but she couldn't help it. She made her way back to her desk and sat down, glancing at her schedule she'd created. She was three weeks ahead of her paperwork and there wasn't a great deal left to do, now all she had left was to go over the reports of potential applicants to division thirteen from the academy. They were not due to start induction and recruitment for another two months but getting a head start would mean she could memorise names and impress them all by being on a first name basis with them when they first showed up. She smiled to herself as the teapot started whistling and she walked over to pull it from its perch over the fire with her naked hand. Since achieving bankai her reiatsu was now so under control she could coat her own hand in it to stop herself getting burned. She did this as she removed the teapot and poured herself another hot cup of tea.
Sitting back down and looking through the forms something new caught her eye. It had obviously just been placed on her desk since her departure and she glanced over to it. It had the Spiritual Arts Academy seal and she opened the letter curiously.
It was a formal invite to come to the academy on one of her rota days off to perform her bankai in a demonstration for all the students. She raised her eyebrows and continued reading. The demonstration was so that the students could understand that with shikai and bankai physical changes could happen to them. She smiled and lifted her brush to sign it. This would have been incredibly helpful to her when she was training, when she'd achieved bankai the change had been so much for her that she'd almost shattered like ice. It would be good for the students to understand the physical turmoil they may endure with their zanpakuto one day. Once she'd signed it she marked it on her calendar behind her desk, it was for a Saturday that month and she didn't have anything else planned. It wasn't like she had a boyfriend or anything to do stuff with, she sighed to herself as she turned back around. She placed it into her outbox tray and that's when there was another knock at the door.
'Come in,' she offered and the door slid open to reveal an out of breath and panic stricken Lieutenant Kotetsu.
'Lieutenant Kuchiki,' she gasped and instantly Rukia was at attention, her hand already gripping the hilt of her blade. 'I've come to escort you, Ichigo has been arrested.'
'What!' Rukias entire face drained of colour, how the hell… what the hell had the damn strawberry blond done this time?
'He's being held over in squad twelve, Head Captain has called for two senior officers to question him and it was decided given your history that you-'
'Take me to him,' Rukia flew from the room and the young Lieutenant nodded eagerly. She looked exhausted and under stress but she leapt into action straight away and Rukia followed her.
'I don't know the details,' she threw back, the words almost being lost in the wind as they fled towards the twelfth division which – thankfully – was not as far away as the fourth. 'All I know was that a Captain and Lieutenant that knows him well are to help Captain Kurotsuchi in his investigations, apparently Ichigo is not cooperating and we need him too.'
'Shit,' she whispered, she never swore but this called for it. Her mind was working overtime, why would Ichigo be sent straight to the twelfth division? It must have had something to do with his hollowfication. She was sure he had it under control now but why else would he have been arrested and taken to Captain Kurotsuchi of all people.
'Who is the other Captain?' she asked.
'Well, they wanted Captain Ukitake but… given that he's-'
'Ill,' Rukia commented with a nod.
'Yeah…'
'I think I know who the other Captain is,' she said to herself, there was only one other Captain who had spent time with Ichigo in the world of the living, only one other Captain who knew him well enough and it was just her bloody luck that it had to be him.
'Yeah so it was decided that Captain Hitsugaya would come, if we couldn't get you we were to report straight to Renji next.' The lieutenant was gasping now as they finally found themselves outside the research centre of the twelfth division.
'I don't know exactly what room he's being held in,' the lieutenant sighed, 'I have to do a medical examination on him once you're done.'
'That answers my next question,' Rukia sighed, she was about to ask why the lieutenant had come to get her and they hadn't just sent one of her own seated officers. They walked inside the building and Lieutenant Kotetsu turned to the left.
'They said it was a left and straight down towards the end, it's where they keep the high end prisoners.' She sounded so calm and she obviously missed Rukias scowl behind her. Ichigo wasn't a bad guy and she'd prove it, no matter what mess he'd gotten himself into she was going to help him get back out of it. They must have found the right place because just as they were walking down someone called out to them and they both looked up in the direction of Captain Soi Fon who was flanked by both Lieutenant Matsumoto and Captain Hitsugaya. Rukia didn't even look at the other ice Captain, she knew she was being absurd but the meeting from earlier had not left her mind.
'Are you going to make him cooperate?' Soi Fon scowled waving a hand at Rukia.
'I'll do my best,' she stood a little straighter and narrowed her eyes, 'just what exactly did he do?'
'We found him in a right mess, in the middle of dead bodies and he wont tell us what happened, Captain Kurotsuchi has offered to… extract the information himself should you fail.' The Captain of the second division let her mouth twist up into a cruel smile and Rukia scowled.
'We won't.'
'We won't!'
Rukia blinked and turned to look at Captain Hitsugaya for the first time, they'd both said it at the exact same moment. There was a definite frown on his mouth and his brows were furrowed but she couldn't read the look on his face though and tried not to dwell. She took a step forward as Soi Fon opened the door and gestured for them both to go inside. Since she was closer she walked in first with Captain Hitsugaya close behind her and they walked into an empty room. It took Rukia a second before she worked out what was actually happening and she quickly turned back around to stop the woman closing the door but it was too late. The door to the chamber closed and was sealed from the outside as Rukia thudded her fist against it. The stealth force Captain was far too fast for her.
'Fuck,' Rukia hissed before remembering she was in the presence of a Captain and she straightened up and turned to him. He crossed his arms across his chest and those teal eyes seemed to bore into her own as she bit the inside of her lip.
'Clearly you know something that I don't,' his eyes flickered to the door and back again. He was right of course, she did but she didn't really want to tell him. She hesitated for a moment - he had a right to know. Then she was blushing, the colour was creeping across her cheeks before she could stop it and she quickly averted her gaze.
'I was so stupid,' she muttered, 'I should have realised this was a trap.' As if to make matters worse the haunting voice of Rangiku drawled across an intercom system in the chamber.
'Welcome to the looove shack, you two aren't getting out until we see a kiss.' If it were possible, Rukias face went even redder and she groaned bringing her face down into her hands as loose strands of her fringe fell around her face.
'See… a… what?' Captain Hitsugaya didn't sound angry, he just sounded shocked as she removed her face from her hands and gazed up at him. He was staring at the speaker in the corner with a ludicrous expression before he turned to her, 'care to explain Lieutenant?'
'Okay,' she sighed as she gazed around the room, 'I promise I will but first, can we just break out of here?' She walked over to the door, with every intention of freezing it the same way that Captain Hitsugaya had done earlier that day when breaking into the SWA meeting.
'Don't waste your energy, this chamber is made of pure sekkiseki rock, it repels spiritual pressure hence why they'd have stored Kurosaki here if he had done something wrong.' Captain Hitsugaya gazed around the room and stopped when his eyes fell onto a camera in the opposite corner from the one that held the speaker. She followed his gaze and glared menacingly into the lens, if they both froze it then Rangiku would never know what was going on. As if sensing this she came back over the intercom.
'If you freeze the camera Rukia I'll keep you in all night and day.'
'Matsumoto,' Toshiro said, his voice was laced with ice once again. 'If you do not release us this instant, I will chain you to your desk for the next two weeks without a single break, do I make myself clear?'
'Sorry Captain, this is a one way intercom, can't hear what you're saying.'
'That woman,' he turned back to Rukia who stood a little straighter as he sighed. 'So what is going on?'
'The SWA this morning decided that it would be fun to try and play match maker,' she started. 'Rangiku came up with the idea that you'd be the target then there was a whole discussion where she assured us you were straight and then they started trying to pick out matches for you and I was selected as best candidate because of our matching ice elemental zanpakutos and the fact we're about the same height.' She took a deep breath, she hadn't realised she'd said that all in one go. 'I didn't think they'd take any of it seriously,' she frowned. This explanation would have gone a lot better if she could draw her pictures to illustrate it.
'Assured… you I was… straight…' he was muttering and when she glanced over to him his cheeks were flushed and he looked angry for the first time. 'What exactly did she say?'
'She didn't give us any details of how she knew, just that she did.' Rukia shrugged her shoulders a little but she was incredibly curious given the obvious blush on his cheeks. It was unusual, this was the first time she could recall where she'd seen the Captain blush and the colour looked good on him. It made him look – if possible – younger and the contrast to his usual skin tone was nice. She was staring at him and she jumped when she realised and quickly looked away, gritting her teeth to hold back her own embarrassment.
'Okay so, we will wait it out,' Captain Hitsugaya muttered, walking to a back wall and leaning against it. 'They cannot keep us in here forever and eventually the other Captains will come looking for us.' He scowled, 'it's not ideal given the paperwork and the running of the divisions but hopefully it won't last long.'
'I can't wait,' she turned to him with large pleading eyes. 'I am meant to be having dinner with Nii-Sama tonight, I can't let him down.'
Captain Hitsugaya fixed her with a compassionate stare, as if he understood her position or at least was trying too. She knew that during the war the Ice Captain had fought alongside her brother and it had been her brother who had first seen his matured bankai form.
'I am sorry Lieutenant,' and he sounded sincere as he said it, 'I don't have any other ideas.'
She had one. Her eyes flickered to the camera. Did they know? Did they somehow all know that she was expected to be having dinner in Squad 6 that evening? Why else would they expect that they'd actually kiss each other unless there was some sort of thing that required a level of urgency to leave the room? Had the letter from her brother been planned as well? No it couldn't have been, it was in his personal handwriting and she knew it like the skin on the back of her hand. She was sure she was already running late but being called by the Head Captain to speak to Ichigo Kurosaki would have been a far better excuse than being locked in a room as part of a childish prank. She scowled as she continued to glare into the screen of the camera. If she was going to do this she would have to be fast before she had the chance to doubt herself.
'I am sorry too Captain,' she turned on her heel and walked straight towards him. At first he didn't look at her but as she drew near those teal eyes turned to her and he frowned. She hoped he didn't notice the blush on her cheeks as he opened his mouth to speak but she grabbed the front of his haori and pulled his shocked face down to meet hers. Their lips met and the effect was almost immediate. Though the room walls repelled spiritual pressure she could feel her own suffocating her like a weight, like she was being closed in from all sides but the weight was pushing her towards Captain Hitsugaya. Then she felt it, the surge in his own reiatsu as it mingled in the very air around them, crackling and tinkling like breaking ice. His lips were smooth and cold, moistened slightly by the fact his mouth had parted a little to speak before she'd done this. She couldn't instantly pull away, partly because she knew the SWA would not let her go without a proper kiss and partly because she was startled and intrigued by what was happening. She gently coaxed his mouth open with her own and he seemed to follow suit, their reiatsu now drawing them together, drawing them into each other as if trying to mould them into one new complete being. She felt gentle hands delicately grasp at her lower back. She hadn't expected him to respond at all but at least he wasn't pulling away. His reiatsu was behaving similarly to her own. She'd never felt anything like it before. She had kissed other guys, it wasn't at all like this was her first kiss but this had never happened with any of them. This was different it was exotic and incredibly addicting. Her body was responding in a way she'd never felt before. As an ice wielder she normally felt cold all the time but she could feel warmth pooling in her stomach and as their mouths moved together and his breath infiltrated her mouth she felt a needy groan aching to be released. She never let it though and instead she quickly pulled back away from him, detaching their lips as she tried not to look at him. She could feel her face flushed as the reiatsu between them shattered, leaving her shuddering with desperation to draw close to him again. She couldn't believe a Captain and a Lieutenant could lose control over their reiatsu like that, it was unheard of surely? She glared at the camera and the intercom sounded.
'You're both free to leave,' it was the voice of an amused Yoruichi and Rukia scowled as she heard the other SWA women cheering and whooping in the background. Just how many of them were watching that scene unfold? She didn't stop to think too much because as soon as a buzzing sound happened and the door was released she strode quickly over to it and pushed it open to escape the room. She didn't even glance back at Captain Hitsugaya, even though every fibre of her being wanted too, she would not give the SWA the satisfaction.
XxXxX
She hadn't thought about what would happen if word got back to her brother about what happened. The SWA had many women who were renowned for their gossiping… well one – Rangiku Matsumoto. She hoped and prayed that because Captain Hitsugaya was her Captain that he'd maybe be able to control that mouth of hers. It was doubtful but the fact Rangiku had been too scared to tell them how she knew he was straight gave her some form of hope.
She was quickly approaching the Kuchiki Manor and she tried to push the thoughts from her mind as one of the servants opened the door to let her in. She was still in her uniform, she'd have liked an opportunity to clean up before coming over alas she did not have the time and hoped he'd understand.
One of the servants led her directly into the dining room where her brother was sat waiting for her. She quickly made her way over and sat down, bowing low to the ground.
'I am sorry Nii-Sama I-'
'It is okay Rukia,' his voice was low and careful, 'I understand your position in your division is critical. I will not scold you for putting your work first.' He was sincere and she nodded her head as she lifted it from her bow. It felt bad to lie to her brother but allowing him to assume an incorrect truth technically wasn't lying was it? She bit her lower lip and didn't meet his gaze as the first course was brought in. They ate mostly in silence which was how they usually ate. It was a comfortable silence. Not one that needed to be filled with words. The food was delicious, the Manor cooks were some of the best in the whole Seireitei but by the end of the main course her brother seemed to sense something was wrong.
'Is there something on your mind?' he asked, his cool calm voice reaching out to her in a way it had done a million times before. Just by adjusting the slight tone of his words and with a careful pitch he had the ability to pull almost any information from her. But she had grown. It was no longer as easy for her to open up and he was an intelligent man who knew this. Though something was bothering her and she wanted to ask about it.
'Nii-Sama,' she started as she finally looked up into his warm chocolate eyes. 'Is it…' she hesitated but his eyes seemed to be encouraging her to continue. 'Is it possible for the reiatsu of two people to… combine?'
'Combine?' he questioned, lowering the cup of tea that he'd just taken a sip from back down to his saucer. 'What do you mean?'
'Well,' she could feel her face grow hot, how was she meant to ask this without fully explaining herself. 'Let's say that two people were… lovers,' she averted her gaze as she said the word, 'could their reiatsu mingle or join? Or is it possible for the reiatsu of two people to pull them toward each other?' She lifted her gaze to meet his own and he seemed to be contemplating her question.
'It is possible,' he finally said after what felt like a lifetime. 'Though I myself have never experienced it, I have heard of others whose zanpakuto with similar properties or components have experienced something like this.' He was silent after this, allowing her to digest his words. It would make sense? After all their zanpakuto were both identical in their element and likely in some of their abilities too. 'Urahara would likely know more about it than I, he was researching it at one point.' He finished and Rukia flinched, she had no intention of asking Urahara about this, she had no intention of asking anyone else about it. It was humiliating enough that the SWA had even managed to make her kiss him in the first place.
'Why do you ask?' he asked the question innocently but she could tell by his eyes he was curious as she glanced back at them.
'I- just wanted to know,' she shuffled on the floor. She did not like openly lying to her brother. It did not suit her well. However the prospect of telling him felt even worse.
'I see,' he left the words hanging in the air as silent invitation that the topic wasn't closed should she wish to ask further questions. She could tell he was trying to figure out what was going on, trying to work it out so he could help her, as he always did.
'How is your division Nii-Sama?' she asked and she knew that he knew she was trying to divert the topic.
'It is functioning fully, I am lucky that both myself and Renji made full recoveries from the Quincy War, the division is doing very well with the two of us in charge.' He took another sip of his tea, clearly allowing the conversation from earlier to slip away into the background. She smiled at the thought. Renji was one of her very best friends. At one point her brother had confronted her on their relationship. It had been an awkward conversation. He'd practically been asking questions in a way that she had told him that she was still pure despite the times she'd stayed over with Ichigo and Renji. It wasn't appropriate for a noble woman to be staying over with men who were not their husbands and who had no title. She deflated for a few moments, that was another reason why her and Hitsugaya would never work. He was not a nobleman and she'd need her brothers permission as the head of the Kuchiki house for any relationship to blossom otherwise it would end in heartbreak. It was nothing but a childish dream created by the women of SWA and that's all it would remain and she wasn't sure if she was elated or a little upset at the thought.
They'd slipped back into a comfortable silence again for the final course. Rukia smiled when she saw them bring out two plates of daifuku, it was her favourite when she first came into the Kuchiki Manor. She looked up to see her brother watching her closely, probably enjoying her reaction judging by the small smile that tugged at the edges of his lips. It was rare for anyone to see him smile, he was a very serious and intense person but when they were alone he would let his walls down a little.
'Thank you Nii-Sama,' she smiled gratefully at him as she took her chop sticks and pulled the first little cake into her mouth.
'It is your favourite I thought it would be appropriate to have on the menu this evening.' He spoke fondly, and she felt like she was being transported back to a much younger era, before the wars, before even Ichigo where Byakuya was trying to help her settle into her new life in the Seireitei. They finished the meal in silence and a servant came in carrying a tray with two scrolls on it.
'Captain Kuchiki, these just arrived for you and for Lieutenant Kuchiki.' The servant waited for him to remove his before walking over to Rukia. Confused Rukia took the scroll and watched as the servant bowed low and was dismissed. She unrolled her scroll a few seconds after Byakuya did his and read. It was a formal invitation for a Captains meeting on Monday. Her purple eyes travelled down the scroll, it was to announce formally Captain Ukitake's retirement. She sighed and rolled the scroll back up placing it inside her robes beside her brothers' invitation to the meal they had just finished.
'Are you prepared to take over the division?' her brother asked her in his cool crisp voice.
'I have already been running it for the last couple of months since the war.' She smiled warmly at him and she watched as his chest swelled again, she loved it when he did that.
As she prepared to leave Byakuya put his haori back on and prepared to escort her. She was sure she would not fall prey to anything bad on the walk back to her division but he refused to let her walk alone at night.
'It is not proper,' he'd say, 'to let a lady walk alone at night.'
That was just a cover up, Rukia thought. He obviously just wanted to spend as much time with her as he could and even though they enjoyed most of the walk in silence she was appreciative of his quiet companionship. As they drew close to her division gates he slowed his pace and she instantly fell into line with him as he turned to face her.
'Rukia,' he started his voice still low and tender. 'Should you ever need to speak with me about anything,' he applied emphasis on the word, 'you need only send word and I will be at your side in an instant. I know that being a noble can be difficult at times and there may be things you do not necessarily wish to discuss with your brother. But I'd like you to know that I am here, and I will listen should you ever need me. Not every conversation we need to have needs to require a formality, when it is just you and I we may relax and speak more openly.' She was taken aback by this declaration, clearly he was still wishing her to open up about what she had questioned him about earlier.
'Thank you Nii-Sama,' she bowed her head low as she digested this. She could trust him of course but she was worried that he'd maybe raise the topic to Captain Hitsugaya at a Captains meeting or something. She flinched; no she did not need that to happen. She rose from her bow to gaze into her brothers caring eyes. 'I promise I will come to you when I am ready to talk.'
She had chosen her words carefully, he knew now that there was something on her mind and his suspicions were confirmed but he also knew that she needed time herself before she was ready to open up about it.
'Of course Rukia, please, have a pleasant evening.' He offered her a polite bow in return before making his way back in the direction of his division. She watched him walk until he was out of sight, her mind reeling from everything that had happened in just one single day. Now that she was away from her brothers company her mind wandered back to Captain Hitsugaya. She would have to see him at that meeting on Monday as it seemed both the Lieutenants and Captains were to be present. She sighed, she'd been hoping to just comfortably ignore him for a few months until this all blew over but now it seemed she'd be forced to see him while carrying out the difficult challenge of running the division alone and watching out for any further antics or plans set up by the SWA. She sighed again and closed over the door to the office where she was spending her nights. Right now all she wanted to do was to crawl into bed and curl up like a snowball under the covers.
XxXxX
Whooooot! I hope you guys enjoyed this!
Please review and please go and read Geishaaa's 'Mind of an Ice Prince' and don't forget to leave her a review too =D
MOSCO OUT!
