A/N: Chapter seven!! Sorry for the delay of Chapter six folks, it just kept saying "400 bad request!" If this Chapter comes out late I'm sorry for that too. There's nothing I hate more than being late!!
TriAngled Love
Chapter Seven: Fake smiles
--
Rukia woke up and saw that Ichigo was out of bed. She put on a new set of clothes and combed her hair. She fed Raikou and left the room. Downstairs she saw Yume, Renji, Ichigo and Uryuu trying to prepare breakfast. Rukia laughed at Ichigo fighting with Renji on how to break eggs open properly. Uryuu was mixing pancake batter and Yume was setting the table. Rukia said a soft hi, and nobody seemed to notice.
"HI!" She yelled. They looked up from their work and said hi as well. Rukia laughed once more and walked towards them.
Uryuu smiled as she went up to him and asked if she could be of any help. Uryuu just shook his head and said it was fine. Yume dragged Rukia to the table and told her to set up the plates in a certain order. Rukia just pretended to pay attention.
Pretty soon the table was set and they were ready to have their breakfast, Ichigo and Renji dove in and put lots of food onto their plates.
"So Rukia, you have school tomorrow right?" Uryuu asked as he cut a piece of his pancake off.
"Yeah, why?" She sipped her coffee.
"I'll be going to your school for the time being." Uryuu said. Renji and Ichigo choked on whatever they were eating.
"I thought you were only staying for Rukia's party!" Ichigo said.
"This doesn't concern you Kurosaki. And my father told me to stay a while to get to know my bride to be." He put the piece of food into his mouth.
"You're seriously getting married?" Ichigo asked again.
"For the fourth time, yes, Kurosaki." He clenched his fist.
"Why would you want to marry a midget like her? She's so stubborn and stuck up-"
"And she never listens to what you say, also she thinks she's all high and mighty." Yume interrupted Ichigo. Rukia glared at Ichigo then at Yume.
"What the hell was that for?" Rukia asked.
"And she can't draw. I remember in kinder school, she drew a red pineapple thingy and an orange strawberry shaped thing." Ichigo put another piece of toast into his mouth.
"What did you say about my drawing?" Rukia's vein pulsed.
"I didn't say anything about your drawings, I said you were horrible at drawing." Ichigo sipped his coffee. Renji punched Ichigo's face, and at the same time a butter knife barely missed Ichigo's face. The group looked over at the flaming short girl and her burst of anger.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Ichigo asked.
"No, I'm trying to wound you." Rukia said sarcastically, she got up with a fake smile and left the room.
"Why the hell are you like that Ichigo?" Renji tsked and followed Rukia. Yume giggled and Uryuu continued eating.
"That's so you Ichigo." Yume muttered.
--
Rukia sat on her bed and patted Raikou gently on the head; Raikou was the only one who could calm her down when she was angry. She hummed a tune and looked out of the window. Outside, the trees were bare and there was a cold wind that ruffled them. It was almost the end of fall, and she was surprised how cold it suddenly turned. Renji opened the door slowly and smiled at the girl sitting on the bed. He sat down beside her and she still didn't look at him. He sighed.
"Rukia-" Renji started.
"It's getting cold isn't it? To think that snow… is so beautiful… yet can kill you." She said. "Although… winter is my favourite season, look! It's snowing! He loved the snow…"
"Who's he?" Renji could feel the envy starting to rise.
"Never mind… What were you trying to say?" Rukia said.
"Rukia, never mind what I was going say before, this is what I wan to say now. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to let Ichigo and I know what's ailing you or making you happy, because if you don't tell us, it will only make you hurt inside. So tell us, or if not, tell me. Now, who is this 'he'?" Rukia looked up at her boyfriend, the person she supposedly loved, but she noticed that she never got the same funny feeling that she got around Ichigo, which was strange, because she was convinced that Renji was the right person for her.
"Okay, I will open up. When Yume talked about the 'third time' I told her that we crossed the line twice." Rukia's eyes pierced Renji's thoughts. Renji gulped.
"Rukia- Why would you?" He asked.
"Because she was bragging about her and Ichigo crossing the line once! And it was pissing me off." Rukia stroked her rabbit's fur.
"So, I see now. This was the whole reason you dated me?" Renji scratched the back of his head. "Hey, I'm cool with that. But, I can't just date you because you told a lie. Rukia, you know how I hate liars."
Rukia continued looking down at Raikou and patting him.
"Rukia, this was all a lie?" He looked at the girl whom he loved and got up with a heavy sigh. He left the room and slowly closed the door.
Rukia gasped for air, she was holding her breath the entire time. Tears flowed down her face.
"I lost him Raikou, I lost him." She sobbed quietly. "I'm such an idiot."
--
Renji walked down the hall his stomach twisted and his heart breaking. He trusted Rukia so much, and now that they were an item, it wasn't real. He hated fake things, fake love. He learned that from his father. Then all the memories came flooding back.
Flashback.
Little Renji pushed the door to his parents' room open and grinned. He jumped into the bed and his parents shuffled awake. They smiled at their little boy and hugged him tight. He snuggled in the middle of them and now he was the centre of the parents.
He shook his father awake and his father Kiyen turned over and smiled.
"Hi." The smell of alcohol blew on Renji's face, and he wrinkled his nose. He patted him on the head and laughed. "How about I teach how to play baseball today after work?"
"Yes!" Renji grinned.
"Well, got to go get ready." He kissed his son's forehead and his wife's lips.
Renji went to school and came back home eagerly. He sat on the couch with his baseball glove and ball beside him. Keys rattled at the door and his dad came through, drunk.
"Daddy!" He jumped up and ran to him arms outstretched. His father slapped him away and Renji fell back, tears flowed down his face.
"What do you want you little brat?" He scowled. Renji cried louder. His father slapped him across his face.
"Kiyen! Don't hit him!" Rin held her son in her arms.
"Ah! Shut up!" He walked away and slammed the door of his room.
"Renji, Renji honey, are you okay? Don't cry mommy is right here." She held her son close and his tears soaked her shirt.
"Daddy… he- he- promised! He wanted to play with me mommy!" He sobbed.
"Shh… shh… daddy loves you honey. We both love you, he's just busy." She said.
"Daddy promised. Mommy he lied. Isn't lying bad?" Renji wiped his eyes and sniffed. His cheek was red from the slaps.
"Yes honey, lying is bad. Don't you ever lie, always be truthful. I love you Renji." She said.
"Are you lying mommy?" He asked, as she held him close.
"Never about this."
"I love you too mom." He clutched the sides of her shirt.
End of Flashback.
A tear flowed down Renji's face. He quickly wiped it away and took a deep breath in. No crying, not now, he needed to fix something. He turned sharply and headed for Rukia's room. He hesitantly put his hand on the doorknob when he heard voices. He peeked in and saw Ichigo and Rukia talking, he listened in.
"Rukia, what's up?"
"Nothing you moron."
"No shit Rukia, I saw you crying, just tell me."
"I don't want to frikken tell you."
Ichigo sighed and got up, Renji saw him come towards the door.
Renji leaned against the wall and Ichigo walked out, hands in his pocket. Renji walked in and saw Rukia looking down at her rabbit and tears fell from her eyes. He stood before her and Rukia looked up. She looked so sad, and yet, Renji just wanted to do what he came to do. He put his hands on her shoulders. Raikou hopped away in surprise.
"Rukia… I can't do this. Fake love, I can't Rukia… it's over." He gulped the tears away. Rukia looked up at Renji, she smiled sadly.
"Finally, the lies… all gone." She smiled a bit brighter, and pushed Renji's arms away slowly.
Renji stood there.
"It was the only way to let go… Rukia. I'm not for you, Ichigo is. You have to see that." Renji muttered to himself.
She dashed down the hall and bumped into none other than Ichigo. She looked up with surprise and so did Ichigo. Her tears continued to flow down as they gazed at each other. Ichigo, feeling an instinct to stop her from crying, hugged her, as if all her troubles would go away. Rukia gasped quietly, surprised at his action. Her eyes softened and she put her arms around him, another person who could calm her down at times like these, not always, but sometimes.
--
Uryuu looked out the window as the snow slowly fell from the sky. Orihime knocked at the door and smiled as she entered the room. Uryuu smiled back as she sat beside him near the fire. She gazed at the fire for a while, taking in it's warmth. Finally she spoke.
"Uryuu… you're getting married to Kuchiki-san right?"
"Yes." He said. "But not for a while, why?"
"Uryuu… we met at thirteen right?" Uryuu nodded. "And since then we've been friends…"
"Go on."
"Uryuu… I… I hope what I say won't affect anything between us." She paused. "I love you Uryuu." Tears flowed down her face. "I know it won't change anything but… I planned to be with until my days end… but I guess it won't ever be, huh?" She put a fake smile on. Uryuu sat there, silent, and for the first time didn't know what to say. Orihime wiped her tears away and sniffed.
"I love you to Orihime." Uryuu was surprised at his answer and Orihime blinked in surprise. They smiled at each other and Uryuu blushed as Orihime sat closer to him. He pushed his glasses up and she giggled.
"You ought to wear contacts."
"Those things are too fiddly." He laughed.
"Uryuu, are you really going to marry Kuchiki-san?"
"I have no choice Orihime. If there was some way to change it I would… but I can't. I already disobeyed my father."
"Oh, I see…" Her face was expressionless. Uryuu, got up and walked over to the pure white piano, and played a melody. Orihime beamed, for she knew the tune was to her favourite song, This Love, by Angela Aki. She gladly sang along and swayed with the music.
Uryuu thought about how his life had been affected by this one girl. He smiled, for some reason, he felt like she would be with him forever.
--
Rukia sniffed and Ichigo still held her in place, his heart beating madly and his stomach turning and doing flips. That funny feeling again. Ichigo smiled, although he did not know what it was, it felt sort of… nice. Rukia mumbled something from Ichigo's chest.
"Huh?" Ichigo asked.
"You… can let go now." Rukia said, and Ichigo quickly let go of her.
"Oh, sorry." He flushed. Rukia smiled to herself, she felt much, much better. And she realised that her stomach calmed down, but her heart was still pounding.
Rukia put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath in and out. She finally got rid of the guilty feeling, and headed towards her room. Ichigo followed, feeling as if he needed to be with her. Rukia was deep in thought as she walked into her room, she fell on her bed and was caught in surprise when she saw Ichigo towering before her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Spill it, why were you crying?" He plopped down beside her. She got up and sighed, she had no choice but to tell him.
"I won't tell you why the first time… but the second time was because, Renji and I broke up. I wasn't sad that we broke up… it was just… I hurt him… I hurt him so bad. I could see it in his eyes, he was crying inside, I know it." She looked at her feet. Ichigo had an expressionless face on.
"Rukia, Renji liked you a lot… but if he broke up with you… maybe he did what he thought was for the best. And even if you did hurt him you have to understand that time heals all wounds so just give him time. Soon he'll be that annoying jerk who kept hitting me in the face. So don't cry, it fucking pisses both of us the most." He explained. Rukia laughed. "What?"
"You're such a wuss."
"What? I'm no wuss! You were the one crying your eyes out!"
"But that speech! Wuss!!" She doubled over laughing. Ichigo scowled, he tried to make Rukia happy and this is how she thanked her? She was going to get it.
"Watch out, because this wuss might kill you." He slapped Rukia with the pillow over and over again.
"Hey! What! The! HELL!"
She sat up and yelled, she grabbed a nearby pillow and smacked him over the head. She laughed and ran. They chased each other around the room. Rukia suddenly stopped and Ichigo nearly tripped on her.
"Ichigo, why did you just… hug me?" Rukia turned and looked up.
"Because… is this an act?" Rukia's expression stayed the same. "Because… I wanted to stop your crying…" He scratched the back of his head and looked away, a pink tinge coloured his face. Rukia smiled, then laughed.
"You wuss!!" She jumped on him and they fell back. She pushed the pillow onto Ichigo's face and laughed. Ichigo grabbed her arms and pushed, she pushed back, and they arm-wrestled.
"No mercy!" He yelled, his voice muffled from under the pillow, and he pushed her off of him. He sat up, gasping for air and Rukia laughed.
"But, thanks Ichigo… for being there."
"Isn't that what friends do?"
"Since when were you a good friend?"
"Shut it midget."
--
"So Rukia, who was this 'he' you said earlier?" Renji asked.
"What? I don't want to tell you. Especially Ichigo." Rukia said.
"Just tell us you midget, you promised to open up more didn't you?" Ichigo patted Raikou.
"If you stop calling me midget."
"Okay, midget." Ichigo snickered. Rukia's vein pulsed.
FLASHBACK.
A ten-year-old Rukia lay back in front of her fireplace in her comfy cottage home. The cobblestone fireplace warmed her toes, and she smiled in comfort. Hisana sat on the couch reading a book. And her parents were decorating the house. Just then, a boy about four years older than Rukia came through the door. He had spiky black hair and a big grin on. He was covered in snow, and was holding a rope in his hand. Behind him was a pine tree about five feet tall. Rukia jumped up and ran to him.
"Nii-chan!!" She hugged her brother and he laughed.
"Rukia! Help me bring this in!" He tugged at the tree and Rukia helped. Yuki and Reiki laughed.
"Kids, there's no need for this, we have a fake tree." Reiki said.
"But mom! I want a real tree! It smells nice!" The boy said.
"Please! Please!" Rukia begged.
"Alright, but be careful with what you might hit while you're dragging that." Reiki laughed.
"No problem mom!" He dragged it in and Hisana laughed as she watched her younger siblings drag it through he door, leaving trails of snow and green pine needles.
"KAIEN! THE VASE!" She yelled, Rukia quickly turned and dove in to catch it. She sighed in relief and put it back on the stand.
"Oh… sorry!" Kaien grinned.
Rukia followed her brother and put the tree in the far corner beside the fireplace. Rukia grabbed a broom and dustpan and started sweeping the area clean, while Kaien fixed the tree here and there. Hisana walked up to them a big box of decoration in her hands, she set it down and Rukia quickly opened it. She took out a gold wire star with red and blue jewels embedded in it. Kaien took out the Christmas lights and Hisana put the skirt around the bottom of the tree. Reiki delightfully took pictures and Yuki smiled as he watched his family happily decorate the tree Kaien had brought in.
"Where did you find it?" Yuki asked.
"Near the frozen river! It was beautiful when I saw it." He grinned.
"You mustn't ever, ever, go on that river you hear? Even if it looks frozen, it can break easily."
"Yes dad."
Rukia hung the different coloured ornaments all over the tree, she smiled as she stepped back and looked at her work. Her sister put the last bit of tinsel up and pulled Kaien back to see the tree.
"It's so pretty!" Rukia laughed. They nodded and sat back as they watched the lights dance.
A few minutes later Hisana excused herself to study for her entrance exams to university. She patted her sibling's heads and headed to her room. Kaien got up and suggested to Rukia that they should set the table for dinner. That night they ate together happily. Before bed Rukia stared out the window and watched the snow fall gently onto the ground.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Kaien muttered and sat beside Rukia.
"Yeah, so is your girlfriend nii-chan." She giggled.
"Yeah." He laughed in agreement.
"I can't believe you're already taller than me."
"You are only ten!" Kaien laughed.
"I will catch up! And I will be taller than you one day." Rukia grinned.
"Do you want to go sledding tomorrow?"
"Yes!"
"Then go to bed."
"Good night nii-chan."
"Good night."
--
Rukia struggled to get her boots on, she had five layers of clothes on, and it was difficult for her to move. Kaien pulled the sled along with him, and Hisana agreed to watch over them as they played outside. Their father was away in the town to buy some food. They arrived at a high hill and Rukia let her brother go first. He laughed and jumped onto the sled, he zoomed down the hill screaming his lungs off the whole time. Rukia followed and laughed along the way. Hisana smiled and took pictures of her brother and sister as they went down the hill. They went up and down a couple more times decide to go for a faster hill.
The found it, a high, very steep hill right down to the shore of the river. Kaien jumped up and down, yelling that this hill was it.
"Kaien, you're almost fourteen, you should use your brain once in a while. Look at this! It goes right to the edge of the river. If my theory is correct, there won't be enough room for you to slow down!"
"You were studying science weren't you onee-chan?" Kaien asked. Hisana nodded.
"Even though, you still shouldn't go down this hill."
"Onee-chan! Have a little fun once in a while! I bet you if I go down this hill I will come out alright!" And with that he sped down, screaming as he flew.
"KAIEN!" Hisana yelled. He stopped right in front of the river, and got up grinning. He waved his arms back and forth.
"See? I didn't get hurt!" He yelled happily. Rukia laughed and was about to make her way down.
"Rukia don't." Hisana held her back. Kaien came back up and urged his sister to go down with him.
"C'mon! It will be fun!" Kaien said, and Rukia sat in front of her brother on the sled. Before Hisana could stop them they sped away, zooming down with great speed. They hit a small ramp and they flew in the air for a second. Rukia and Kaien cheered.
They neared the riverbank and before they could take action, the sled slid onto the middle of the river. Rukia screamed, Kaien yelled.
"ONEE-CHAN! ROPE!!"
Hisana jumped onto Rukia's sled and slid down to the riverbank. The ice cracked under Rukia's and Kaien's weight. Hisana threw one end of the rope to Kaien who missed it. Hisana flicked the rope and Kaien grabbed it. He instinctively, wrapped the rope around his sister. The ice cracked once more, and broke. They fell into the water and Rukia coughed as she struggled to swim. Kaien knotted the rope underwater and gritted his teeth at the cold river. His clothes were now soaking wet with below zero water. Rukia coughed and spit as she tried to stay afloat.
"Onee-chan! Pull Rukia out now! Quickly!" Hisana quickly agreed and pulled Rukia to the shore. Rukia moved her arms and swam to the shore. Kaien swam behind her, trying to ignore the cold that hit his face. Hisana pulled Rukia up from the river and untied the rope, she told Rukia to start walking home, but Rukia stayed, afraid that she would leave her siblings behind. Hisana helped Kaien out of the river, and a cold wind blew. Rukia and Kaien shivered at the same time, Hisana told them to keep moving so the cold wouldn't freeze them. She put her arms around them as they walked to the cottage door.
They ran in and sat in front of the fire, still shivering. Kaien told Rukia to take the wet clothes off, and Rukia obliged. Soon they were in their robes and they were still shivering.
"R –Rukia… I'm s –so sorry." Kaien muttered.
"That's o –okay nii-chan. I had lots of fun." She smiled.
Rukia sneezed, so did Kaien. Hisana felt their foreheads and saw that they were burning hot, she quickly told them to go to bed.
--
Rukia woke up the next day refreshed, although she still had a cold and Kaien sneezed. Rukia asked Kaien if he could get up and go outside. Kaien nodded, although Hisana told him not to. They played in the snow making snowmen and snow angels, when Kaien fainted. Rukia called for her mother, and she came out in alarm, to see her daughter crying beside an unconscious brother. Yuki carried Kaien in.
"Mm…" Kaien's eyes opened and he saw his family and a doctor in front of him. "Mr… Kurosaki?"
"Shh Kaien, you need your sleep."
"What happened? Why is it so cold?" He shivered, despite the layers of blankets on top of him. Isshin frowned and asked the parents to step aside for a talk.
"Nii-chan… are you okay?" Rukia asked.
"I'm fine Rukia, don't worry." He smiled.
"It's your birthday soon… and you'll be turning fourteen!"
"Don't worry, I'll get better by then." He muttered, and fell asleep. Rukia started crying.
"Onee-chan… does he really have the flu?" She asked.
"Yeah, Okaasan told me… and Mr. Kurosaki said that his fever will only get worse if he keeps feeling cold. He vomited last night you know." She said. Rukia's tears flowed down faster. "Don't worry, Rukia, we both know that your brother is strong, and he will get through this." She hugged her little sister.
Kaien slept through most of the night, and Reiki checked his temperature constantly, and it turned out that his fever was only getting worse. Kaien stirred in his sleep, a light shone on him in the distance and he squinted. He opened his eyes and the light shone brighter and brighter. Everything turned white.
Rukia walked to her brother's bed.
"Nii-chan, Okaasan said that you were getting better, but you haven't woken up in two days… please get better." She sighed. Isshin came in and checked Isshin's pulse, slowly put Kaien's hand down and put the blanket over him. Rukia gasped, and tears fell from her eyes.
Nii-chan… nii-chan!" She yelled.
"Rukia… Rukia… shh, calm down." Hisana took her sister away.
"Nii-chan is just sleeping onee-chan! He will wake up!" She muttered and sobbed. Reiki and Yuki kissed their son's forehead and Hisana cried. Rukia sat there, unable to take it all in… she lost nii-chan… and on the day before his birthday too.
She instinctively looked out the window, and it was snowing, it had been snowing the whole time Kaien was sick. She should have figured out why. Kaien loved the snow… and outside, she could his figure running around happily and throwing snow in the air. She smiled at the thought but was hurting inside. She turned and saw Kaien standing there and smiling, he said a quick good-bye and a big grin. He told her it was okay and he waved goodbye as he disappeared. Rukia only cried more, her heart could not accept the fact that he was dead… all because of the beautiful snow and ice… the snow and ice that he loved so dearly.
--
A/N: WOOW, LOONG CHAPTER! I was typing and I noticed… OH MY! Eight pages long! (: Hope you liked it… a little sad though. And the Renji, Rukia ends… thus the Ichigo, Rukia begins! It's strange how they only lasted 2-3 chapters, I wanted it to last a bit longer, but it was sickening me. :9 hahah. Please review, I would appreciate it very much thank you. Okay and I know, Kaien is probably and sort of Hisana's age, Hehe, well see yah! And review!!
