I do not own Bleach or any characters in it.
...
"... I know you will not disappoint, Ms. Kuchiki."
Rukia Kuchiki stands from her kneeling position to face the twelve seated officials. As she reaches for the doorknob to exit the room, she turns her head aside to peer at her adopted older brother, Byakuya, one of the twelve. Byakuya sits emotionless and rather than facing her, he maintains his gaze towards his other associates, failing to acknowledge her. She tears her eyes away from him and from the group, solemnly leaving them behind.
Ichigo rests with his hands behind his head and his legs atop of the seat in front of him, dozing off into his thoughts. He envisions he's far from Karakura Town, on adventures to other worlds, fighting off monsters, greeting new friends and facing new enemies. He's just about to slay this monster with a weird white face with this large meat cleaver until...
"Kurosaki!"
Ichigo stumbles over himself, swinging his legs from off the seat, with his back erect against his own chair and eyes shot open.
"Glad to have you back with us, Mr. Kurosaki." The students in the auditorium snicker. "As I was saying, the meaning behind Shakespeare's words here are..."
Ichigo recedes back to his fantasies once Mr. Oshiro redirects the class back to English Literature.
Fuck. He grumbles to himself, despising the fact that the lecturer learned and retained his name. He learned it after he completed a project earlier in the semester that Mr. Oshiro deemed as "the best analysis he has seen in years". He supposed Mr. Oshiro had higher expectations for him, to which Ichigo gladly did not abide by. Did he even want to be a literature major? Did he even want to go to a university? Did he even know what he wanted out of life? To all those questions, Ichigo could answer honestly that he hadn't a single clue. He has roamed through life, indifferent and purposeless. He wanted more, he couldn't say what, but since he was a kid he could feel this emptiness inside of him that gnawed at him piece by piece. Shoot, he'd reckon he'd waste away one of these days. Maybe not today, may not tomorrow. Maybe not until he saw his precious sisters flourish into maturity and be pulled from his endearing grip.
He peered down to his watch to check the time. 3:45 p.m. Ichigo sighed slightly and adjusted his posture to make him appear involved in what remained of the lecture. Only 30 more minutes and I'm out of here.
"Leave me alone."
"I would leave you alone if just agree to go out with me. You never know, by the end of the night, you might end up lucky." Winks the surly, barbaric man as he nears her.
"I said no," The girl nervously replies guarding herself with her arms in front of her chest. "Please, leave me alone."
"You hear that Niko, the girl is sticking you up? What's with that?" Nags one of the man's companions who stands aside.
"What a stubby bitch. Do you know who you're talking to, doll?" Barks his skinnier other friend.
"Please, stop!" Cries the young blonde woman as she smacks away Niko's grabby hands.
"Hey, if the lady says to stop, I'd recommend you stop." Demands Ichigo as he intervenes on the girl's behalf. Thankfully his curiosity got the better of him and egged him to investigate when he heard a girlish squeal on his way to his train home.
"And who are you, string bean?" Niko stood proud and tall, sharing his muscles as a sign of intimidation. "No one asked you to butt in." He laughed at the sight of Ichigo whom, though a tad taller than he, he did not have the physique of a bodybuilder to which Niko claimed to have. He imagined breaking him in two like a toothpick. "In fact, I should get my boys here to..."
Before Niko could get the chance to finish his statement, Ichigo walks up to him and punches him in the jaw, causing Niko to fall back, holding his jaw, baffled by Ichigo's brute strength. His tongue darts out against his cheek to taste blood. "Get him, you fucks." He gargles his command designated for the two guys next to him who stand motionless and in awe at Ichigo's speed. Once they regain their senses, one of the men dashes at Ichigo, Ichigo dodging his body all the whilst kicking the other in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. At seeing his friend on the floor, the remaining man flips out his switchblade, aiming his stabs at Ichigo's torso. Missing the blade, Ichigo grabs the man's arm, twirling it around to the point of immobilizing it and causing shooting pain. The blade falls to Ichigo's feet to which he grabs. The men whimper at his feet.
"Mess with this girl again and the damage will be worse." Ichigo tosses the blade next to Niko and sternly awaits their reply. But they say nothing, they merely aid each other to their feet and escape Ichigo's wits.
The girl contently sighs and places the back of her hand against her forehead to dab at the sweat beads that had accumulated there. "Thank you so much sir, I can't thank you enough for saving me back there." She bows to him.
He blinks momentarily at her gesture. "Kurosaki Ichigo." He raises his hand out towards her and this time it is her turn to blink. She raises her head up to face him and blushes.
"Nakamura Aiko." She takes his hand in hers.
"It was nice to meet you, Nakamura-san. If those guys ever give you anymore trouble feel free to reach out to me. Now, if you don't mind, I have a train to catch." He bows his head and begins his way to the station, leaving Aiko to watch him run into the sun.
"Ichi-nii! You're home...and you're filthy!" Yuzu Kurosaki holds her nose and points towards the stairs.
"Haha, yeah sorry about that Yuzu, had a bit of a work out." He laughs lightly as he opens the front door to the Kurosaki home.
"AHHHH!" Runs in the Kurosaki head and patriarch. "My first born son!" Isshin throws himself against his son, but his son dodges his body and steps aside, forcing his father to the ground.
"You old goat. What's the big idea throwing yourself at me?" Snaps an aggravated Ichigo.
"Ah, my son, I must keep you on your toes. Got to make sure your reflexes are up to par." Isshin smiles brightly, holding his thumbs up to his son.
"I'm too fast for you, old man."
"Do you hear that, my endearing wife? Our son thinks he's outgrown his father. Oh the ignorance of youth!" The Kurosaki patriarch presses himself against a giant photo that gleams atop of the dinner table, it is that of their matriarch, Masaki, who passed away when the children were very young. Isshin insisted on speaking to it as if it was indeed, really her, and had no shame in talking to or even kissing it. "My sweet Masaki, now all I pray is that he bring a nice girl home."
"Shut up!" Ichigo chucks his shoe and aims for Isshin's head, where it makes impact with a loud smack.
"Hurry and shower already, Yuzu has been waiting all day to share this new meal she made for you guys." Karin, Yuzu's twin sister, peeps over the couch where she has been watching a soccer match on T.V.
After Ichigo quickly showers, he runs downstairs to find his twin sisters and his father sitting patiently at the dinner table where dinner is served.
Ichigo lays on his bed and continues his daydreams from his previous session. His fantasies cause him to ponder on his life and if he is happy with its course. He thinks of his family, of his teenage sisters and what will become of them and of his own future.
"What about medical school?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, once my time is done here, someone is going to have to take over the family clinic. I would hate to see it go to waste."
"I'm not sure I want to be a doctor."
"You like helping people, don't you?"
Ichigo already had a bit of medical background considering his father was a family practice doctor and he helped plenty of times in their clinic that was housed below their home. Sure, he enjoyed helping those who needed it. He recalled his mother deeming him a protector especially since he now had little sisters to watch over. But he wasn't aware yet if a doctor, being the ultimate protector, was a title he was ready to bear. So he just contented with literature considering it was his favorite subject in high school and he easily excelled in it, making him top of his class.
Ichigo grew bored and weary of pondering on such serious and decisive matters and was eager to continue his persistent daydreaming. Could even be considered as wishing; wishing for a life with more spunk, more adventure, more challenges. As he began to recreate and dissect his fictitious new life, a loud sound resonating in the alleyway behind his home caught his attention.
"What's a cute little Shinigami doing in parts like these?" The masked man turned his head aside from his position crouched down near the window of one of Karakura Town's residences."Don't you got bigger fish to fry?" He grins coyly at Rukia Kuchiki as she draws up one of her pistols towards him.
"I could be asking you the same question, Hollow." Her eyes narrow and she cocks her handgun. "What's your interest in this home?"
"Interest? I'm scooping out the area, thinking of moving here myself. What a quiet, peaceful little town."
"Cut the shit, Hollow, I've been surveying you for the past few days. I see you eyeing and trailing this family."
The Hollow laughs and stands upright, throwing his hands up in the air as a semblance of withdrawal which Rukia makes sure not to take lightly.
"Figures," He chuckles simply and twirls the bottom end of a kunai on his index finger. "Poor, foolish, Shinigami. Walk around like you own the place and every person in it; even the air we are breathing. So entitled. The so called 'anti-heros of Japan', who work for themselves, for their own interests. Tell me why, though, are you all still highly praised by those who recognize you? By the looks of you, you're only a kid. Do yourself a favor, sweetheart, turn in the suit and get your nose out of this war." The Hollow ceases to twirl his kunai and quickly seizes its handle firmly within his grasp. "While you get the chance, that is."
Rukia smirks at the Hollow, retrieving another handgun from her back, joining its pair to aim towards the assassin. "Thanks for the advice, but you didn't answer my question. What's your interest in this simple family?"
"Simple?" Laughs the Hollow. "Lady, you have no idea." The Hollow dashes towards Rukia, speeding past her spent bullets. He pulls his kunai towards her torso, which she dodges while tossing aside her guns and reaching for her dagger for close range melee. She parries his kunai but is unable to defend herself against the Hollow's speed. He tears out another kunai and rips through her flesh, causing her to snarl and retreat slightly.
"A warning, girl. Take my advice and leave or else I won't be cutting your arm, I'll be cutting your throat." His eyes narrow as they focus on her figure.
"Enough talk." Rukia holds onto her dagger as if she is holding a sword, two-handed, and rushes the assassin. The Hollow smiles and aims for her ivory skin. Rukia successfully blocks his hits and quickly analyzes the Hollow's movements for some sort of pattern in his frenzy of quick strokes. After watching intently and countering the two kunai, Rukia finds an opening in the Hollow's lunges. She takes advantage, ducking under the Hollow's arms and striking him in his abdomen all the while causing him to drop one of his kunai. He grips his bleeding abdomen with his free hand and releases a hardy laugh at her success."I like you girl."
"I'll ask you again, why are you watching this family?"
Rather than replying to Rukia's question, the Hollow pulls his remaining kunai in front of him to defend himself. As he readies himself to, once again, lunge towards the petite Shinigami, a masculine yell perks his ears and his interest.
"What the hell is going on here!?" Cries out a tall, young man with vibrant orange hair drawn out by the loud interaction.
The Hollow's grin grows wide as he watches the young man. "Ah, the star of the show."
"What? What the fuck are you talking about and what's with the skin tight jumpsuit and the mask? Who are you, what are you..." Before the rest of Ichigo Kurosaki's inquiries could be completed, the Hollow charges toward him, displaying his sharp kunai. Rukia, watching the Hollow, jumps to shield the stranger from the Hollow's piercing edge. After fallen from impact with Rukia, Ichigo pulls himself up to face the young woman with the kunai puncturing her stomach. She hobbles over, falling to the ground from the attack.
"See girl, what did I tell you? I warned you." Began the Hollow as he retrieves his other kunai, readying it for the boy. "Poor..." Ichigo does not allow the man to finish his next statement and reflexively grabs Rukia's fallen dagger and plummets it directly into the Hollow's chest. The Hollow goes pale and does not utter a sound, his body slams to the floor where he takes his final breath.
Ichigo watches the man's lifeless body for an additional minute, assuring himself that the man was indeed dead. He tears his attention from the dead body to the raven haired girl with the kunai in her belly. "Wh...where the hell are you trying to go off to?" He snaps as he catches the young woman trying to drag her bleeding body away from the scene.
"What did you go and do that for?" Rukia growls, continuing her attempt to slither away.
"Do what?" Ichigo hovers over her small body. "Help you?"
She scoffs. "More like endanger yourself. I was more than capable of handling it myself."
"No doubt you could. Look, that gash looks pretty bad. You need to see a doctor. I'm going to call an ambulance."
"No, no. No ambulance, no doctor."
"So then you're just going to bleed here?" He sasses back at her, bothered by her lack of concern for herself.
"I'll figure things out." She huffs as she gives her arms a break from her body's dead weight.
"You saved me, it wouldn't be fair if I just left you here to die. So, I'll tell you what, I'm going to pick you up and I'll take you somewhere we can patch you up."
"No hospital? No police?"
"No hospital and no police. You just have to trust me."
"Well, I don't think I can just trust some random stranger off the street." Rukia retorts, stretching her arms for another session of pulling.
Ichigo, bends down, resting on his heels. "Fair enough. Kurosaki Ichigo." He extends out his hand to her.
She takes it. "Kuchiki Rukia."
"Have you killed someone before?" Rukia raises her eyebrow at Ichigo, who rattles amongst medicines and through cabinets in a hospital type building that he has nestled her into.
"Eh? What are you going on about?" He hurriedly replies, not really heeding her question. He scrambles to find wrap bandages, alcohol, and skin adhesion amongst his father's things. "Stay here, I'll be back in a bit. Don't touch anything and don't move. I'll answer your question when I get back." Ichigo leaves Rukia to sneak into the Kurosaki home in search for whiskey in the kitchen. He sighs out of relief when he finds it in the liquor cabinet. He tiptoes out of the family home, heading back to the clinic with the whiskey in hand.
Rukia, holding her breath until Ichigo's return, huffs at the sight of him and spots the bottle within his grasps. She sighs, unenthusiastic but understanding, and reaches out for the whiskey in which, in return, Ichigo hands to her.
She takes a few swigs at the whiskey. "So was that the first person you've ever killed, Kurosaki?"
"I said it's Ichigo. And yes, yes it was." Ichigo does not dwell on what had transpired only moments ago, rather he preoccupies himself in tending for this mysterious injured woman who risked her life for his. It's...It's as if I lost control of myself. He ponders within himself as he gathers his supplies and rests them next to Rukia on the examining bed. He felt no fear, no doubt, no nothing. He felt nothing though he stole a life from this earth to which he had no right, no power and no authority. Yet, more than anything in that moment, he wanted to protect that young woman. When he had originally spied on the two, he saw the woman held her own, her moves were fluid and precise. She was right, he could admit to himself, that if it were not for him, she probably would've won that fight unscathed. But there was something...something in him that urged him to sprawl into action. Ichigo couldn't say, at the time, whose side he was on whether it be with the woman or the ninja man. He didn't really consider that fact until he got down there and intervened. "Alright, it's time to take a look at this wound. Ready?"
Rukia continued to gulp down her alcohol, her face flushing ever so slightly, and nods. "Sure didn't look like it to me." She grumbles under her breath as she tore apart her suit jacket and bloodied dress shirt. Ichigo lowers the head of the bed to the point that Rukia laid flat against the bed, still guarding the kunai currently piercing her skin. As she alleviated her hold on her wounded abdomen, her face appeared unfazed and uninterested which perked Ichigo's interest. Must be a routine for her. Ichigo dons gloves and breathes deeply into his nose and through his mouth. "Okay Rukia, I'm going to pull this thing out of you and if things go south, I'm rushing you to the hospital whether you like it or not. Just...trust me to save your life like you saved mine."
Rukia quietly stares into the light panels overhead and closes her eyes, feeling vaguely sluggish and groggy.
"Here we go" Breathes Ichigo as he takes ahold of the handle of the kunai and pulls it out of Rukia's body quickly, promptly reaching for the alcohol and rags for the blood. Rukia whimpers at his rapid action but attempts to soothe herself against the pain through breathing exercises and guided imagery. She dotes off into herself, imagining herself in a blossoming field far away from everything, from her duties and the Soul Society. The sun is shining high in a clear blue sky with the wind dancing around her as she stands there, in the middle of the field. She sees her brother, emotionlessly peering down at her. He turns away from her, his eyes tighten into a sliver as he walks away from her. And she is left feeling disgraced and discarded due to her blunder. The wind, no longer dancing, grows cold and the sky loses its pure hues. The sun hides behind grey clouds and she feels alone, so alone. Rukia's eyes shoot open and she remembers she is still in this little clinic, laying still on this bed as this young man worries himself over her.
"You're doing great, Rukia," Ichigo encourages as he pinches the two sides of the cleansed wound together and applies a thin layer of skin glue against the cut. "Doesn't look too deep." He says under his breath. Despite his best efforts, the wound continues to bleed but Ichigo disregards it and awaits for the glue to dry so that he can then apply medical tape to further fortify the closing of the wound. "You still with me?"
"Eh?" Slurs Rukia as she shields her eyes from the glaring lights above her.
"I'll take that as a yes." He murmurs. "You did great, but now I think it's time for you to rest."
She closes her eyes once more, except this time she sees nothing. A plain solid black backdrop in which she succumbs to. "Yeah, yeah." Rukia mutters as she dozes off into the emptiness.
Ichigo smirks at her still body and her steady breaths. He tears away his blood stained shirt and gloves, tossing them into a nearby trash bag in which he predicted he'd need to rid the area of the evidence of this girl being here. As he finished cleaning, he stopped to hover over Rukia and intently watched her sleep. Her hair was to her shoulders, blacker than the midnight sky. Her body frame petite and delicate, not even five feet. Her porcelain skin was no stranger to scars and bruises yet her hands were finely manicured and well kept. The more he considered her, the more he couldn't deny her unembellished beauty and the fire about her. Polished, deadly, and alluring. What a toxic cocktail. Something in him begged to know who she really was, why was she fighting that other guy, and who he was. Something, beyond reasoning and concrete knowledge, was pulling him to her and he wanted to scope out what that force was. What was the connection? Why here? Why near his home and family? Ichigo could not put his finger on it, but something seemed amiss.
Ichigo gently lifts up Rukia, holding her quaint body in his arms, and heads for his room.
Who are you, Rukia?