Hi everyone! This is a new story for me. It's a romantic gothic horror fanfiction inspired by Crimson Peak. This fanfiction will have twist, turns, and unexpected deaths to so prepare yourself! If you are new to my writing, I answer all the reviews or PMs, especially if you sign in and leave one. If you leave a review as a guest, please look after the end of each chapter for your response. If you have any writing tips, I am always happy to hear them to better my writing. Anyway on to the story! Enjoy!

Rated T for descriptions of ghosts, crime scenes, violence, etc.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Crimson Peak.

Prologue

Seireitei, Japan 1880

On a snowy morning, the Kuchikis laid the matriarch of their family into the frozen ground. She had been sick for the past few years, but the harsh winter finally killed the young woman with tuberculous. Friends and family gathered to bid goodbye as they filled the young woman's coffin with white lilies to wish the dearly departed well wishes in the next life.

Unfortunately, fate sometimes played a cruel joke on the ones who had the most to live for. Hisana Kuchiki left behind a loving husband and a young 9-year-old daughter at the time of her demise. Broken hearts were left in her wake, but little did they know that Rukia's life would change forever with her mother's death. Hisana left her daughter one last parting gift – the ability to see ghost.

Three days after Hisana's burial, she appeared to Rukia. An icy hand grazed Rukia's cheek as she saw her mother's white, transparent form in front of her. Cracks were appearing in her skin, and her eyes were hollow. Blood stained the apparition's clothing. Poor little Rukia wanted to scream, but her vocal cords froze when she needed them the most.

She was frozen on the spot. "Little one I do not have long, but I bear a warning." Hearing the calming voice of her mother, Rukia nodded but she was still terrified at the ghastly figure before her. "Beware of the hazel eyes, my love, for they are the ones of doom." Hisana murmured before vanishing.

Rukia stood there in awe looking where the ghastly ghost of her mother once stood. She tried to reason with herself. Why would her mother warn her, especially a 9-year-old, about hazel eyes? Nothing about her so called "warning" made any sense. The only logical answer Rukia could come up with that everything had to be a dream, right? No child in their right mind would see ghosts. Even if they did, who would believe them? Definitely not my father. He would have her committed to an asylum or just ignore her completely since he's been shut away in his study since her mother's passing.

Who else did she have to talk to? Then, Rukia thought about the one person she trusted with all her secrets with – Kaien Shiba. He was also a young 12 year old boy her father tolerated for her sake being that the Shibas and Kuchikis didn't always get along.

A small smile crossed her face as she thought about the older boy. This caused Rukia to glanced towards the clock on the mantle. Kaien should be at home. Didn't he say that his mom had a women's meeting today and that he had to take care of his sister? If that's the case, then Kaien could use an extra hand keeping Kukaku and Ganju in line…

Rukia's quaint smile turned into a broad grin as she ignored the warning in her head. Bad idea or not, Rukia was going to go see Kaien come hell or high water. At least, he'd understand her dilemma! He always believed her no matter what type of crazy story she would tell.

Quietly, Rukia locked her bedroom door and gently opened the window. Glancing down, she gaged the height from the ground to her second story window, then she looked at the tree across from her.

Deciding that the safer option would be jumping onto the tree, Rukia decided to change into a boy's costume. Thankfully, one of her younger male cousins forgot to pack an outfit of his when they had her mother's funeral.

Tucking her hair into a ball cap, Rukia prepared herself to jump. The shoes were loose on her feet, but she thought that she could manage the jump. Besides, no one should recognize her with this disguise on. Heaven forbid if anyone saw a Kuchiki climbing or randomly jumping on a tree. Her father would send her to the English finishing school immediately!

With a leap of faith, the petite girl was able land on the long, outstretched brand and wrap her arm around it for dear life. Once the branch stopped shaking, Rukia carefully climbed her way down, but on the last limb it snapped causing Rukia to land in poof on the ground. She looked around to see if the noise drew anyone's attention.

Still in the clear. Rukia got up and dusted herself off, but she noticed her knee was a little sore from the awkward landing, but she shook it off. On the day that I needed to be stealthy, why did I have to fall? Huh!

The young girl crouched down as she snuck along the bushes to the entrance of the mansion. She quietly snuck past two guards, who's attention was now focused on searching for a mysterious sound. Luckily, Kaien wasn't just useful for listening to her stories. He actually taught her a thing or two as well, specifically distraction techniques. The old rock in the bushes got the guards every time!

With the guards distracted, she hopped onto the street and weaved between people until she arrived at the Shiba Mansion.

Slightly apprehensive now, Rukia knocked on the door. All her reservations went out the window when bright, sea green eyes met hers. "Rukia? Why are you dressed like a boy?" Kaien asked. He looked at the bypassers on the street see something, then he turned to her. "Where is Ami?"

Rukia just grinned mischievously at him. "I don't like that look on your face." He told her, which caused her grin to widen ever more. "You better come in before someone recognizes you."

Once she was inside, Kaien engulfed her in a hug. "What are you doing here? You know your dad would kill you if he knew you were here without Ami!" He scolded her. Without saying a word, Rukia felt Kaien flinch. "What's wrong?" The older boy asked.

"Why does something have to be wrong? I simply missed you." Rukia told him as she returned his hug in full force causing him to smile even as he was trying to detangle himself from her.

"For one, you disappeared again by yourself? Second, you don't run away without a reason!" He hissed at her.

Rukia glanced around for Kaien's siblings before she launched into her story. "Where is your brother and sister?"

"They are taking a nap at the moment surprisingly." Kaien replied with a hint of curiosity in his voice. This must indeed be something important if Rukia wants privacy.

"Good. We need to talk then." She stated. A raven eyebrow arched in question. Rukia was forward, but this was a new tone that he's never heard before. It was almost like she was scared or nervous.

He led her to the tea room. Thankful, the maid had just brought afternoon tea, and she always stored an extra cup in the room in case one broke. Kaien poured himself and Rukia some tea while the young girl took a seat on the couch.

He gently sat the tea down before Rukia and took a seat next to her. "Now, tell me what's so important that you…" Kaien noticed a small bloody patch on her knee. "What happened it?" He asked voice filled with concern.

"I… huh… I climbed out of the tree and took a small tumbled." She admitted bashfully. Rukia scolded herself for missing the blood earlier.

"Let me get you some bandages." He stated right before he could get up, Rukia grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I'll deal with that when I get back home. We need to talk, and I don't know how much time I'll have here."

Kaien followed his friend's orders. "Okay, spit it out, Kuchiki."

"I saw my mother today." She told him calmly.

"Rukia, your mother is dead..." He replied. The sea-green eyes looked her over for a sign of concussion.

"I know that Kaien. What I meant was that I saw her ghost." The little boy busted out laughing until realized Rukia never once laughed.

"You're being serious?" Kaien was shocked at her news.

"Dead serious, Kaien. Mom wasn't whole. She was white with marks on her face. Her eyes were hollow, and there was even blood on her clothes from her sickness. Hell, she floated and her skin was like ice when she touched me!"

"She touched you? Uhm, Rukia, are you sure you didn't hit your head?" He asked his petite friend as he tried to come to grips with her news.

"Kaien, her clothes were torn even though we just buried her 3 days ago, and she looked anything but peaceful until she vanished. Do you think I would make something like this up? I know I have an overactive imagination, but this scared the crap out of me." Rukia looked over at her friend. That's when Kaien saw the sincerely in her eyes. He could see her unspoken fear as well.

After a few minutes, Kaien spoke. "So, you see ghost?"

"I think so? This is the first time it's happened." She told him more relaxed now that he accepted her words.

"Does your father know?"

"No. He'd put me in an institution in a heartbeat. Besides, it happened like an hour ago." Wide eyes greeted her. Now, everything made sense to the young man. Rukia's appearance, her sneaking out, her desperateness for them to talk alone. She didn't want anyone to think her insane; yet, he had laughed at her. Kaien knew he had a lot to make up for his lapse in judgement a moment ago.

"Does anyone else know?" He asked carefully.

The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes at the idiotic question. "What do you think? I came straight here because you're my best friend."

"Good. Let's figure this out together." Kaien stated as he wrapped a hand around hers.

Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the past before the real fun begins!