—:—:—…Previously…—:—:—
Rukia didn't say anything. Ichigo wondered, for a moment, if maybe he'd gone too far, scared her. But then she raised her hand, brushing it over Ichigo's fingers before rubbing her eyes.
"Ichigo…"
Ichigo decided to take a chance. He took a step forward, raising his other arm and wrapping both arms around Rukia, drawing her against his chest. He took a minute to marvel at how perfectly Rukia seemed to fit in his arms — as if they'd been made just for her — and then she bowed her head and let the tears fall. They slipped down her cheeks, each drop falling against Ichigo's arm.
With each tear that fell, Ichigo silently promised that never again would Rukia cry. He would protect her.
Forever.
Shadow of the Day — VII
—:—Thursday, March 20th, 2008 – 8:37 a.m. —:—
Ichigo skipped school that day for the first time in his life. He was sure that action would come back to haunt him — and all too soon. But he didn't care, right then. He didn't want to leave Rukia. Even the thought of it was too much to bear, at that moment.
His delinquent action didn't go unnoticed by Rukia, of course. "Don't you have school?" She asked as she came back downstairs — she'd gone up to her room to get dressed. Ichigo shrugged.
"Skipping one day isn't going to kill me." Rukia frowned and opened her mouth to protest. Ichigo switched tracks quickly. "Do you want me to go? 'Cause I will if—"
"No!" Rukia said quickly. "I mean…I just don't want you to get in trouble, that's all."
Ichigo chuckled. "I'm not too worried about it. I've never missed a day of school in my life, so I doubt they'll call my father — and even if they do, I don't think he'll care if I skip. He's pretty easy-going."
Ichigo found the cereal for Rukia, who grumbled something about her siblings having no respect for the blind as she dug out a couple of bowls. Ichigo watched, amazed, as she navigated easily around the kitchen, never once even coming close to walking into anything. Obviously she had long ago memorized the layout of the kitchen — but it was still amazing, the way she moved with absolute ease, so comfortable, so sure of herself.
Ichigo couldn't help but wonder how long it had taken her to become this comfortable.
"What's it like?" Ichigo asked quietly as he watched Rukia make her way around the kitchen. She didn't answer at first.
"It's…normal." She said finally, her voice hesitant. "For me, anyway. I've never known any other life — I've always lived in darkness. I lost my sight before I even knew what it was, so that was never an issue."
"And…not being able to go into the sun…?"
Rukia pushed her cereal around in the bowl, considering her answer for a minute. "That was…a little harder. I always felt like a burden to my family. My parents never really knew how to treat me — I wasn't like my brother or sister, I was new territory. They tried so hard, but they never knew. Nii-sama and Nee-san didn't really know either. Nii-sama tried to avoid me as much as he could. Nee-san…was the only one who ever really made an effort. She spent time with me, and told me about her day, she helped me with the work my tutors gave me…she tried. She was the only one who ever did."
Ichigo tried to imagine what it was like to not be close to his family. As much as his father drove him nuts sometimes, he loved him — mostly. And he loved his sisters too, more than anything. Maybe he sometimes felt like an outcast in his family, but he knew he wasn't. He always had a place in his house.
He couldn't imagine being an outcast and knowing it.
"It's not as bad as I'm sure you're thinking." Ichigo just stared at Rukia. God, could she read minds or something? "Maybe I'm just used to it, I don't know. My brother was never really the warm and fuzzy type anyways — or that's what Nee-san says. And my parents…I don't know. I didn't know them. I lived with them for twelve years and I never knew them."
Rukia fiddled with her spoon as she finished speaking. She was sure Ichigo didn't really care about her sob story. She felt bad for making him listen. It had just been so long…too long since anyone had listened to her…
Ring-Ring
Rukia was glad when the phone rang. She jumped quickly, banging her knee against the table-leg. Cursing under her breath she limped over to the phone, yanking it off the hook. "Hello?" She grumbled.
"Morning grumpy." A cheerful voice teased. Rukia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"What's up, Nee-san?" She asked with a sigh. She loved Hisana, she really did. But the woman was too damn cheerful in the morning.
"Reminding you that you have a doctor's appointment tonight." Rukia winced. Hisana correctly interpreted her silence. "You forgot." It wasn't a question.
"Yes." Rukia kept her answer short, remembering that Ichigo was sitting right behind her. Hisana chuckled. "Don't you have a class to go to?"
"In a minute, yes. But I figured you'd forget about your appointment, and you can't be bothered to drag yourself out of bed before I leave—"
"You leave at seven. What normal person is up at seven?"
"When did you become normal again?"
"Oh that's just low, Nee-san."
Hisana laughed. "Just don't forget. I'm going to be late tonight, I have a night class, Byakuya's picking you up around seven — try to be ready."
"Time, time, time." Rukia sighed. "It's sad the way you people are all trapped by time."
"We can't all be privileged enough to live in your world, Rukia. Seven. Don't forget."
"Go to class." Rukia sighed.
"Yes ma'am. Talk to you later." Rukia was glad when Hisana finally hung up.
"Something wrong?" Ichigo asked as Rukia put the phone back on it's cradle. She shrugged.
"Nothing important. Just my sister being…well, my sister."
It was, without a doubt, the most enjoyable day Rukia'd had in a long time. The only time she ever had company at home was during school holidays. And Hisana was rarely good company — especially not when she was studying, and tried to use Rukia has a study subject.
But Ichigo…he talked to her, listened to her, and seemed to actually enjoy being around her. It was like another night in the park, with just the two of them hanging out at the swings, talking. But it was different, too. When they were at the park, it felt like stolen time — like they were hiding, waiting for some grand master to catch up with them, to take away what they had.
But here, in the safety of her house, Rukia felt as if maybe, just maybe, it was okay for them be together.
Rukia wondered how long it would be before that feeling was taken away.
4:35 p.m.
Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets, looking up at the sky. The entire day had just been like…a dream.
Ichigo very much wished he never had to wake up.
"I have…things to do tonight." Rukia said as Ichigo prepared to leave. He heard a hesitant tone in her voice. "I don't think I'll be done in time to meet you."
Ichigo couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. It was selfish, he knew, to want more time with Rukia, on top of the time he'd already gotten that day. Still…
If he was being honest with himself, he'd admit that he never wanted his time with Rukia to end. He wanted to see every day, all the time, no interruptions, no worries. He wanted to be with her.
He shook off the feelings. He wasn't good at being honest with himself.
"Will you come tomorrow night?"
Rukia smiled and nodded slowly. "Without a doubt."
Ichigo couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. He was glad Rukia couldn't see him. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Rukia's smile widened. "Yeah. See you."
Ichigo felt as if he were walking on air. It seemed wrong, so very wrong, for him to be happy. It was stolen happiness, he knew that. But in that moment, he didn't care.
"Hellooooo Ichigooooooooooo!"
Ichigo ducked automatically. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw a blur of white and red and yellow as his father flew by him, crashing into a wall. "Jeez," the orange-haired teen muttered as he straightened up, running a hand through his hair. "Most people say 'welcome home' but not you, oh no, that would be too easy…"
He sighed as he started up the stairs, only to be ambushed by his Yuzu halfway there. "Hi Ichi-nii!" The girl chirped as she came out of her room. "I have a question."
Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets, a little weary. Yuzu always had the best intentions, but her questions could sometimes be a little awkward. "What's up, Yuzu?"
"Well, Daddy told us that you have a new friend," Ichigo cursed internally, "and he said that we should invite her over for supper one night, so how 'bout it? Will you ask your new friend to come over?"
Stupid, stupid Isshin. Ichigo was going to murder the man. "I…don't know Yuzu, we'll see." Ichigo said finally, turning to head to his room.
"Aw, please?" Yuzu pouted as she bounced forward to keep pace with her brother. "I want to meet to Ichi-nii's new friend, I bet she's really nice! Please, Ichi-nii?"
Yeah. Isshin was definitely going to die. "I…we'll see Yuzu, okay? I have…homework to do, call me when supper's ready."
And with that he gratefully escaped to his room.
9:55 p.m.
Rukia sighed, folding her arms over the porch railing and putting her chin on her arms, turning her sightless eyes to the sky, replaying for herself the description Hisana had given her millions of times before.
A thousand little dots, kind of like Braille, all white and all set against black. They're all bright and they twinkle, like the sky is looking down on you, watching over you.
Rukia closed her eyes, sighing, as the door behind her opened, disturbing her peace. "Look at you out here, all contemplative and such." Hisana said, and Rukia imagined she was smiling. "Whatcha doing?"
"Thinking." Rukia muttered. She heard the chair next to her scrape against the wooden porch as Hisana sat down. "And before you ask, no, I won't tell you what I'm thinking about. I don't need a therapy session tonight."
Hisana laughed. "I wasn't planning on giving you one, unless that's what you want…"
"No." Rukia said firmly. "All right don't even think it. I just want to be left alone to my thoughts with no interferences from the future Dr. Kuchiki, thank you very much."
"Fair enough." Hisana said, not sounding at all put off by her sister's attitude. "How was your doctor's appointment?"
"Same." Rukia muttered, rubbing her hand over the spot where they'd drawn blood. She hated having blood drawn. "Not going to die anytime soon, anyways."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Hisana's voice was low, obviously concerned.
"I said I don't want a therapy session." Rukia snapped. Hisana was silent for a minute.
"Well when my little sister makes it sound like it's bad that's she not going to die…yeah, I tend to be concerned. It's not about being a therapist, it's about being a concerned sibling. A very concerned sibling. Or am I not allowed to be that now?"
Hisana's voice took on a bitter note in the end. Rukia sighed, not bothering to answer. "Come on Ru-chan. Penny for your thoughts."
"Don't call me that." Rukia shivered at the sound of her childhood baby name. Hisana laughed a little. "I just…I don't know. Have you ever thought maybe some things are just too good to be true?"
Hisana picked up instantly on what Rukia was saying. "The boy you were meeting in the park?"
"Yeah, him. We um…we made up…talked things out. He knows."
Hisana didn't say anything for a long time. "You…told him?" She asked finally, her voice colored with shock. Rukia nodded slowly. "That's…wow, Rukia…that's great—"
"Not sure what's so great about it, but all right." Rukia muttered. "Anyways he's just so…so okay with it, and I don't understand, I never knew it was possible for anyone to…to accept—"
"That's because you've never tried." Hisana broke in quietly. "You've always just assumed that people don't like you…that they'll think you're a freak…you've never let anyone in before, Rukia. So for this…for you to give yourself up to this boy…to trust him enough to tell him…it's a big thing, sweetie."
Rukia shook her head slowly. "It isn't right, Nee-san. No one should be able to accept this. Mom and Dad didn't. You and Nii-sama don't. And he just…he shouldn't."
Silence. Then the sound of a chair scraping against the wood sounded as Hisana stood up, wrapping her arms tightly around Rukia's shoulders. "I accept you, Rukia." She whispered. "You're my sister, and I love you, and I accept everything that comes with you — flaws and all. Don't ever think otherwise."
Rukia bit her lip, unsure of what to say to that. Finally she settled for saying nothing at all.
Author's Note: Well…I liked it. But what did you think? Review, please, and let me know? — Sam
