Kurosaki-san
Date Written: 7-27-06
Date Uploaded: 8-01-06
Last Editing: 7-31-06
Rating: G
Spoiler Warnings: Ep. 8/9 (Ch. 23ish? I don't remember.)
Author: April
Additional Notes: This one took forever… I wrote it in an hour or so, then I spent about three days editing it cause he was out of character and she was too angsty and there was too much fluff and… argh. I think I like the way it turned out, anyway.
P.S.: Yay, cookie!
.x.x.x.x.
June the seventeenth. The day that lived in notoriety. The day she'd died. Ichigo had thought to go home with the rest of his family, but the sunset from the hill cast long, lonely shadows that made him feel so empty that going back to his loudmouthed father was the last thing he wanted to do.
It might have seemed more depressing to stay in the lonesome, silent cemetery, but he needed some time to be alone. He felt all the more relief that Rukia had promised to keep out of his hair for the day. He wasn't even sure where she'd gotten off to, but he hadn't seen her since the previous night.
Even in the mid-afternoon, the sky was dark. The air was heavy with moisture, he was just praying it wouldn't come down before he'd finished his business here, whatever that was.
He'd left his mother's headstone to wander for a while, but he felt himself inexplicably drawn back. He took the long way, so as to avoid being spotted. When he returned, just out of sight, he heard the first words.
"Good afternoon, Kurosaki-san." They were soft and unsure, but undeniably serious. He looked out from his hiding place slowly.
…
Rukia put a hand to the cool smoothness of the headstone. It had taken her a while to get up enough confidence to speak. It was like standing in front of a human being… a rather imposing human being. Rukia wondered how strong this woman must have been, to leave her very imprint in reality after she'd passed away seven years ago.
Of course, Ichigo's descriptions painted a much gentler portrait of the woman. She figured that either Kurosaki Masaki was looking out for her little boy or she herself was being far too paranoid for her own good.
Ichigo certainly thought the world of his mother. She could now recognize, at least in some small part, how he felt. She inhaled sharply and looked back at the grave.
"Kurosaki-san, I know we haven't met before. I apologize. I thought… Ichigo would rather be alone with you." She stopped to think. Last year… in the rain… He had fought for his honor… for his mother's honor. And he had fought well. "You really did… raise him well. But I'm sure you knew that." She rambled a bit, wringing a modest bouquet of flowers in her small hands.
…
He was eavesdropping on a very private conversation and as much as he knew it, he had to hear. What business did Rukia have with his mother? She'd rarely even brought the topic up after last year's fiasco. He sat silently behind a tree, trying to picture how it should have gone.
Kurosaki Masaki would nod understandingly and smile at Rukia. In his mind, the two would have gotten along perfectly. Rukia could be polite and cordial if she put her mind to it. But Masaki would love her either way, faking nice or all out annoying, bossy and dramatic. The two would talk and laugh and swap embarrassing stories about him doing stupid things.
He rolled his eyes as if that was just what they were doing now. He could hear it now: Mom, you're embarrassing me! Then it was gone, leaving him feeling strangely empty. Rukia began again.
…
"We really depend on him. He protects your family and… all of us. He's gotten so much stronger. Arisawa-san can't even touch him anymore." She laughed, but it sounded almost sad. Ichigo cringed out of her sight, remembering the days Tatsuki could floor him in seconds. He was glad that at least in that sense, she wasn't profaning him in front of his mother.
The wind shifted away, carrying the next words with it.
"But that isn't what I came to talk to you about. Well… it is about Ichigo. I haven't told anyone yet, but I think you should know." She fidgeted uncomfortably, looking at the grave. She knelt in front of it.
…
Her words were too quiet for Ichigo to pick up and her face had turned away, but he could just see the slightest quiver in her arm. When she stopped again and backed away, she finally looked calm. And there was a smile on her face.
He'd never seen that smile on Rukia before. It was real, honest, with no pretense of impressing anyone. It seemed to soften the lines that had been recently betraying her exhaustion and it made her blue eyes dance. Ichigo gulped harder than he really had a right to. It was Rukia… Rukia.
…
"I just… thank you, Kurosaki-san. For letting me know him. I promise I'll take care of him." She smiled, genuinely this time. She placed the flowers (which Ichigo realized looked suspiciously like those from a neighbor's garden) on the ground in front of the grave and walked away, down the path.
He trailed behind her, just out of sight for a while. If she knew he'd been spying on her… well, there were parts of his body that he still needed for a while. After a few minutes, she settled into an easier step, and her lips moved to a song in her head.
"Yo, Rukia!" Ichigo stepped out from behind a tree. She looked startled at first, but she relaxed enough to acknowledge him.
"I thought you went home." She said hesitantly.
He didn't respond, but joined her in walking back down the hill. "She'd like you."
"Who, Ichigo?" She played dumb, worried he'd somehow heard. He glanced at her soberly and she took the hint. "Why do you say that?"
Because I do, stupid. He shrugged noncommittally.
"I think she'd be proud of you." Rukia was refusing to look at him. All of a sudden, her shoes had become the most interesting thing in the world to her.
"Maybe." He softened slightly. Something possessed him to touch her shoulder. "Tha-"
Unfortunately, Rukia was caught off guard and ended up punching him in a panic. After all, since when did Ichigo touch people? She managed an apology through her laughter.
But, still…
He'd actually… willingly… touched her. He was warming up to her, at least a little more. Rukia turned one last time to the cemetery with a smile as Ichigo stood up with a few favorite 'nicknames' for her.
"Thank you, Kurosaki-san."