Chapter 7
Even in the early days of December, the winds on Karakura remained to be warm and dry. The island its self seemed to be completely unaffected by the seasons and the course of Mother Nature in general. It was customary for everyone – very few ever really knew anything else. But for Rukia, she was disoriented. She was a little thankful, since she hadn't brought any heavy coats and such, but winter felt more like a summer and autumn hardly even existed. The temperate weather was strange to her.
Sitting there in her school skirt, the day was particularly hot and she couldn't help but fan herself a bit with her workbook. Letting out a small sigh, she was thankful that even after the past few months of her going over to the Kurosaki house, no one knew about it. She was sure that the following Monday after her first visit Ichigo would have called her out and ask questions in public. But to her pleasant surprise, she caught no wind of her at anyone's home.
Instead, she had decided on a routine. She'd go to the Kurosaki house the first Friday of the month (usually a time others were too preoccupied with other plans) and would leave before any of the Kurosaki children came home. She had only tested this plan out once since her first visit, but it seemed to work fine.
"Rukia-chan?"
"Ah?" Rukia was pulled out of her own thoughts, shaking her head to rid the blurriness in her vision.
"You really are a little out of it," Tatsuki laughed. "I asked what you are having for lunch."
"O-oh…" Quickly fishing inside her bag for her wrapped bento, she pulled it out and placed it on Tatsuki's desk. "I think it's the fish balls from last night."
Tatsuki nodded and started eating her own lunch. "Urahara really likes to give you those leftovers huh?"
Rukia only smiled.
"Well of course she has leftovers," Riruka said, pulling up her chair from the side. "Senna-chan always had leftovers too. But now, she just goes to the fourth floor to eat."
Class A students were on the fourth floor, Rukia learned. And for some reason, Class A students seemed to be revere above normal students in all the other classes. The school put them on pedestals almost: taking advanced classes, starting when most were just getting to school, ending after most were in club or had left, No one went up to the fourth floor unless a teacher asked to be seen in their office, only Class A students could run for a student council officer position (unless it was class rep – but even that only went to the top two ranking students of the class), and apparently they also were the ones with the highest chances of making it off Karakura and go to university on the mainland.
"Hmm…" Tatsuki didn't make a comment.
Three low bells rang though out the island. Rukia stood and quickly grabbed her things, carelessly stuffing them into her book bag. Hurriedly, she slung her bag across her shoulder and left, waving a quick goodbye to Tatsuki who had been taking her time.
Walking on the balls of her feet, Rukia knew that it was Friday, and she wanted to get to the Kurosaki house as fast as she could. Making it to the courtyard was always the hardest. The people that swarmed the halls trying to get to clubs were always the hardest to get through. Those in the "go-home-club" tended to remain in the classroom till the mass had died down. But she wanted to leave as soon as she could, and once in the courtyard, things were more or less easier to get through.
"Good afternoon Kuchiki-san," Isshin greeted at the door.
"Good afternoon Kurosaki-ojisan." Rukia stepped into his home and immediately took off her shoes, replacing them with slippers.
"It feels like you're here earlier than usual." Isshin commented.
"Really?" Rukia said awkwardly. Even if this was her third time coming to the Kurosaki house, she made very little interaction with the doctor. "Is ojisan tracking my time record?"
Isshin let out one of his booming thunderous laughs.
"Does it seem like that? Well," he placed his hands on his sides, "I guess it just seems almost like there isn't anything holding you up. Usually my son takes forever to get home, even if he ends half an hour later than most."
Rukia gave a diplomatic smile. "Well, I haven't been given much responsibility since arriving here. I do take my job seriously."
Isshin laughed again.
"I had no disrespect for you Kuchiki-san," he said. "Right, right, you're a Kuchiki. Damn, that brother of yours teaches well."
It took everything in her to not lose face. It was a simple comment, and no deeper meaning.
"Anyway," Isshin sighed, and his head turned, starting to look at nothing in particular. "My girls, you know Yuzu and Karin…?"
Rukia flashed a momentary smile, nodding.
"Yes, they have been asking about you. Things like 'when is that foreign girl coming back?' and then my son would reply with 'she's Rukia'." Isshin laughed. "It was too good. Do you and my son know each other? Of course you two go to the same school and the island isn't all too big, but his face when he'd said that-," and he was back in his laughter.
Rukia clenched her fist and bit her lip.
"It reminded me of when he was younger. There was this period of his life where he just had this fire about him that I couldn't quite get. Maybe it was our trips to Seireitei in the summer. You know we'd go there every year before the war?"
"Ojisan," Rukia said forcefully. Her chest was heaving and her head hurt. There was a piercing feeling of her nails biting into her palms. But even she caught herself too late and her eyes widened.
Isshin's smile faded in his shock. He hadn't lived long enough to have seen a Kuchiki raise their voice so desperately. Maybe this was his second clue.
"You're right," Isshin tried to laugh off easily, "you probably want to get this job done. Doesn't winter break start today? Well, then I'll let you get to it."
"Y-yes," Rukia said trying to recover herself. Though her head still throbbed, she did her best to put on a diplomatic smile. "Th-that would be…best."
Isshin nodded once before turning to leave. Rukia was left alone at the front, biting her lower lip. She took a deep breath and tried to will the headache to go away. Her teeth grit and she let out a shutter. Slowly, she was able to make her way to the closet and grab the broom. The first strokes were the hardest. Her hands shook a little, still hung over the words Isshin had been saying. But soon, once she was able to get into a rhythm of "sweep-left…sweep-right", she could tune everything out. She could blur her vision and mindlessly do her work. Her thoughts went blank as she only focused on that "sweep-left…sweep-right" motion, and soon, all too soon, she found she had finished.
With an exception to that room by the stairs that she never touched, she had already gone to the end of the hall. Her grip on the broom loosened as she made her way back down the stairs. Putting the broom back, she was almost about ready to grab her things and leave when she heard a click at the door.
"Rukia-chan!"
Yuzu hadn't even put on her slippers and ran into the house.
"What are you doing here?"
Rukia slowly turned around and gave a soft smile. "Same thing I was doing last time I saw you. I just finished."
Yuzu nodded, a wide grin on her face. "Oh, I see."
"Yuzu put on your slippers." Karin commanded dryly by the door.
"Ah, Karin, don't try and act like you aren't happy to see Rukia-chan too." Yuzu huffed, hands on hip and lips in a pout. "Don't worry Rukia-chan; she's just trying to be cool."
"If I don't reprimand you, then Ich-nii-san will," Karin warned coolly.
Rukia's eyes widened, suddenly feeling a new urgency to leave. Picking up her bag, she made a hasty move towards the door. "I should be going, really."
"R-Rukia-chan," Yuzu called. "Rukia-chan, can't you stay little longer?"
"I'm sorry Yuzu, I-…" She gave an apologetic look, feeling guilty for running away like she was. "I really shouldn't stay much longer."
"Yuzu, you can't force her to stay if she doesn't want to." Karin had put on her slippers and made a beeline for the couch.
"Karin," Yuzu whined.
Rukia found it amusing, their little argument. She smiled and for a moment, saw a flash of an image that she may have long forgotten. It surprised her, and she waited for a moment of dizziness, or headaches. But pleasantly, she was surprised.
There was a click from the door behind her.
"I'm ho-…ome…"
She froze, cringing.
"Ichigo, why'd you stop?"
And Rukia knew that voice too. It was something she hadn't completely brought up to other people, this job she did at the Kurosaki house. In fact, Urahara was the only one who knew, and only because he was there when the offer was made.
"Ah, Kuchiki-chan, what are you doing here?"
Rukia turned around, feeling the need to face the two of them. There were several nights that Senna had come home late due to eating over at the Kurosaki house. But Rukia hadn't thought that she'd find Senna on one of the days she'd be there.
"Hello Senna-chan," Yuzu said. Sometime between Ichigo's arrival and Rukia's hesitance she'd made her way into the kitchen, already cutting a few vegetables.
"Hello Senna-chan," Karin echoed from behind her newspaper.
"Hi girls!" Senna smiled and peered in from behind Ichigo.
Rukia could have taken that moment to leave, slip out, and make her escape. But she was held there under his stare. It was something between a plea and command, but she knew that he was holding back. She felt guilty, but at the same time, it only made her tighten her grip on her bag. She could only feel stomach turn as she tried to shrink herself smaller. A Kuchiki was never to act the smaller man, but in that moment, but around him, she could care less about her teachings.
"What's with the bad atmosphere?" Isshin asked walking in.
"Isn't Yuzu's curry the best?" Isshin asked. Leaning forwards in his chair, he laughed and patted the back of Rukia's chair.
"Tou-san," Yuzu whined. She gave him a stern stare before going back to eating. "W-what do you think about the curry Rukia-chan?"
Rukia wasn't sure how, but shortly after Isshin had arrived back into the main room of the house, he'd convinced – or placidly forced – her to stay for dinner. There was a moment of hesitation in that she had expected Ichigo to put in a small word of insistence, but he didn't, and she had kept room of silence. Perhaps they had taken that as a sign of her willingness and in the next moment, Yuzu seemed to have been ready with the food and Karin had set an extra chair beside their father's.
"It's delicious Yuzu." Rukia complemented.
"It really is good Yuzu," Senna chirped. "It's much better than Urahara's curry, that's for sure!"
Isshin was sent into a fit of booming laughter.
"Anything is better than that man's cooking." Ichigo said mouth full of rice. "How anyone can survive off of that stuff always amazes me."
Ichigo's unusual casualness is what put her on edge the most. He acted like it was only natural that she'd sit down with them to eat a meal. He acted like it wasn't unusual that she was eating his food or that she was sitting this close to him. And that made her the most nervous.
"No one said that he had particularly great cooking. He didn't have much schooling to begin with," Isshin said. It was hard to tell whether he was defending or insulting his friend. Perhaps it was both at the same time.
"No schooling? Can't be, he practically runs an entire industry under everyone's noses!" Ichigo reached for his glass of water.
"Unless he's a super mind," Senna giggled. Lantern eyes shined playfully at him.
"Hmm, well, that too… and things run a little differently in Seishin then here in Ningen." Isshin hummed. "Isn't that right Kuchiki-san?"
She didn't answer.
"Kuchiki-san…?"
It took a while to process that someone had been calling her. She had been lost in a fluttering thought, one that she couldn't quite grasp. There was a feeling of airiness in her stomach for a moment as she tried to recall something that she'd forgotten. But brought back by their calling, she'd jolted up a bit.
"E-excuse me," Rukia said, apologizing. "What was that?"
"Daydreaming a bit there Kuchiki-san? Our talk that dull?" Isshin teased. "Ichigo and Senna-chan here were just wondering how come Kisuke didn't go to school. I'm just thinking back to when I was maybe thirty years younger, in my teens and meeting Kisuke for the first time. I was only an apprentice at that time in the medical ward.
"He was in for an infection in his right toe. Nothing major, but damn," Isshin let out a low chuckle, "that man, I can't count how many times I had to see him in the next five years. He may not look it, but our little dock master has probably gotten every infection, illness, and who-knows-what known to man. I suppose because it took them five years to really see his true talents."
Isshin sighed, lost in an unseen reverie.
"Um… Tou-san, who are 'they'?" Yuzu asked. Her voice had turned whispery, almost scared that she may startle her father.
Isshin smiled, "The generals…"
The way his voice acquired a kind of lightness to it that felt like he was telling a fairytale story, and he'd just gotten to the part where the hero uncovered the treasure.
"But I'm just rambling. Kisuke had originally entered into the military as a test subject of sorts." Isshin chuckled almost sadly.
Everyone looked at him, feeling some sort of sympathy learning this new information about the dock master. But Rukia stared with a kind of empathy.
"He must have been from the Sixty Above…" Rukia whispered.
Isshin chuckled. "Yeah… you may not remember Ichigo, but Seireitei wasn't always as fun as you may have perceived it to be. There were some darker sides that you didn't really experience."
Ichigo held his tongue.
"But Kisuke was strong-,"
"You'd have to be." Rukia said bitterly through her teeth. "The eighth division researchers are relentless."
"Yes, as I've heard." Isshin ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his head. "I can't tell you how many people I saw in the medical ward because of them."
There was a silence. And something uncomfortable lingered in the air. Isshin would have blushed; embarrassed that he had to hold back tears. The blurriness in his vision and glassiness that everyone saw, he wiped it away. Rukia sat beside him, her expression hard, as though she were no longer affected by such information.
"What is with all this depressing atmosphere?" Senna piped. Her own voice was quivering. "Do you want some more curry Karin-chan?"
Karin made a small nod and held out her bowl. Senna scooped in some rice and curry and Karin thanked her quietly.
"Senna-chan is right," Isshin's voice came off shaky. But he was able to put on a smile again. "Kuchiki-san, you're bowl is empty, why don't have Ichigo fill it for you?"
Ichigo stood to take her bowl. Again, he was too casual. His expression was calm and once more, he acted like it was only natural that he would refill her bowl. Rukia frowned and immediately stood, grabbing her own bowl.
"I'm sorry," she spoke. Lifting her head, she flashed a forced diplomatic smile. "I think I should be heading back to the inn."
She took her bowl back to the sink in the kitchen.
"A-ah, Rukia-chan, did you not like the food?" Yuzu asked. Her eyes followed Rukia's trail from the kitchen to the front door and she seemed almost pleading with her. The question was asked more out of a way to stall her departure rather than to gain another complement.
"It was delicious," Rukia said softly.
"Th-then I'll make more n-next time you come!" Yuzu smiled.
"That would be great."
Rukia was finished putting on her shoes and about ready to leave when a hand landed on the door handle. Ichigo had somehow ended up standing by her holding her school bag. He looked at her coolly, giving a light smile.
"I'll walk you back."
Rukia felt like she wanted to shrink again. "No Kurosaki-kun, it's fine."
"Oh, yes, Ichigo! Walk her home, the trails look different at night than they do in the day. And Kisuke may throw a fit if we have to pull you out of the seaside." When no one laughed at his joke, Isshin laughed at his own.
Rukia bit her lip, and looked at the table warily. But she sighed, seeing the concerned look in Yuzu's eyes. "I'm not opposing…"
Ichigo's smile seemed to broaden as he opened the door. Letting Rukia out first, she stepped out before he followed along. The night air was still had lingering heat from the day. Patting out her school skirt, she started one pace ahead of Ichigo. As they walked, she felt her heart beat faster and that unnerving ache followed. When they were far enough away from house, she held out her hand and looked away. At first he didn't understand what she was doing and just stared at it. But it soon dawned on him that she wanted her bag, so he handed it to her.
"Thank you," she muttered under an exhaled breath.
And they went back into a standstill of dialogue. Rukia did her best to ignore Ichigo beside her. She pretended as though she didn't notice his occasional glances at her. As their period of silence grew, Rukia grew even more unnerved.
"You aren't saying anything." She stated as they turned off the main road.
Ichigo forced his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "Why? Do you want me to be saying something?"
"You haven't asked for an invitation yet."
Ichigo smirked. Rukia frowned. Again, she didn't like the casualness.
"When I was more aggressive, you just ran away from me." He took one large step so that he was walking in the same plane as her. "So I'm changing tactics. Don't think that I've given up, I just have hope that you'll come around soon."
"You talk as though you knew me," Rukia said, eyes down cast. Urahara's inn was coming into view and unconsciously, their pace began to slow.
"I do know you Rukia," Ichigo said fluidly. "As weird and embarrassing as it sounds, I spent a lot of our time together watching you when we were kids."
The Urahara inn was only a few meters away, and she stopped. He stopped with her, looking down, he hadn't ever predicted that she'd turn out to be so small, to look so fragile. All those years, she had always been the one to take the lead; she was always the greater force that pulled all three of them along. But now, she just looked human, standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, hair falling in her face as she slumped her shoulders in.
"How long did we spend together as kids?" She asked.
"A long time," he said simply.
"Of course…" Rukia threw her head back to look at the stars shining above them. In Seireitei, stars were something that they could rarely find. Only on the nights when the bomb siren would go off, and all power immediately shut down. That blaring sound of the bomb siren, it had always reminded her of shrieking children.
Ichigo continued to watch her. He sighed, and took her hand. Despite the warm air, her hand was freezing. She was startled by the action and wide, deep purple eyes shot back him. She tried to pull her hand away, but he gripped onto it tighter. It didn't hurt, but she panicked.
"You might think that I'm acting completely calm and normal about all of this," he loosened his grip, and she didn't pull away. "But honestly, I'm always nervous when you're around. The first time I saw you, I panicked, I fainted. When I saw you a second time, a third time, a fourth time…" his hands began to feel clammy. "I didn't know how to act. And your resistance, it completely threw me off."
Gently, he turned one hand to the sky and put hers onto the wrist, just over his pulse. It was erratic, uneven. She was taken aback, not expecting it to be so spastic.
"I might act cool on the outside, but inside is like this." Ichigo let go of her hand, but she didn't move away. "If I don't act composed now, I think I'd lose it. I'm trying to make myself better, but it's hard to when I feel like I'm going to break at any point."
Rukia stood stiff.
"Do you think that being so obsessed with me makes you any better?"
"What do you-,"
"What do you think you can get out of being with me? What is this aim you're looking for?"
"I want to-,"
"Call me whatever name you used to call me?" Rukia finished for him. "And what good will that do?"
Ichigo didn't have an answer.
Rukia turned her head and sighed. Her hand was still placed on his pulse, it sped.
"Sometimes," she started to make circles along his wrist, absentmindedly grazing the tip of her finger on his skin. "Sometimes, things won't go back to how you want them to be just because you were able to salvage something you thought was once important. Living in the past, what's the use?"
Ichigo saw how her eyes leveled to something of a blackish color. He watched her amuse herself with the patters she created on his skin. As she began to pull away, he impulsively grabbed her hand again. This time, she didn't jump.
"Maybe I might be doing this for no real reason," Ichigo started. "But because I do hold a value in it, I want to keep something."
Rukia looked up to him. She clenched her teeth together and her jaw was beginning to feel sore. In the darkness, she could only see his bright orange hair. His expression, she wanted to say was something of remorse, but perhaps there was a little mixture of sadness and nostalgia.
"Oh! I caught you guys!"
Their hands were at their sides immediately. As Senna came running up, out of breath, she didn't show any signs she had seen what had just happened. She did a jump and skip around them, smiling her usual smile. Lantern eyes glowed bright in the winter darkness.
"I knew if I ran, I'd be able to catch you before you reached the inn," Senna giggled. "Well, I pretty much caught up!"
She pointed to the inn and spun on the balls of her feet. Kicking a few rocks on the ground she turned to look back at the two.
"Well Ichigo, I guess I'll see you some other time?" Senna said.
"Ah, yeah," Ichigo smiled, "I guess so."
He turned back to Rukia and let out a small chuckle. She lifted her eyes at him.
"Goodbye Kurosaki-kun," She said, giving him a diplomatic smile.
He inwardly cringed, but didn't say anything. Instead, he just nodded. Giving a two a fingered salute, he turned to walk away. Hands in his pockets he stepped with an even pace, trying desperately to even out his own heartbeat.
When his silhouette could no longer be seen in the dark, Rukia spun to the sound of Senna calling her.
"C'mon Kuchiki-chan," She waved her over.
Rukia spared one last glance over her shoulder before walked to the inn's entrance. Senna held the door open for her, and she gratefully stepped in. When Senna was finally alone outside, she looked in the direction in which he left. Lantern eyes always looked so sad.
End Chapter 7
