Disclaimer: I own Lila Bunko and Sasuki 'Kime' Kuchiki. That is all... for now.
The Hardest Thing
Chapter 8
Don't Do It
Taking Ichigo's advice, they waited half-an-hour before going into the washroom. Rukia took Sasuki by the hand to get her cleaned up. Ichigo suggested that they take some of Yuzu's old clothes from when she was little, they had given all or most of Karin's away. So now they were both in the washroom, talking, with the exception of Rukia cleaning Sasuki.
"Rukia?" Sasuki asked, at last breaking the silence that had begun ten minutes ago. Rukia had finished cleaning her up and turned as she got dressed in her new clothes.
"Yes?" she asked a little curiously.
"Why do you live here?" Sasuki asked. "Don't you have your own home?"
Rukia flinched slightly. "I do ... but ... it's far away. So when I came here I stayed with my friend Ichigo."
"Oh...I see..." Sasuki said. "He seems very nice. He's funny."
Rukia chuckled slightly. "Yes, he is." Rukia said. "Now, would you like something to eat?"
Sasuki nodded. "Do you guys have rice?"
"I think we can manage that," Rukia offered her hand to Sasuki, who took it and the entered the kitchen. Rukia found some rice and began cooking it. While she waited for it to be done, they both sat at the kitchen table, side by side. Rukia was beginning to see many similarities between her and Sasuki. She just had to be her baby girl... she just HAD to be! If she wasn't... then there was no way she could be alive anymore...
"Rukia?" Sasuki asked quietly as she noticed a tear sliding down her cheek. "Are you alright?"
"Hm?" Rukia looked over at Sasuki, smiling a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh ... alright then," Sasuki replied.
"So..." a few minutes of silence passed between them once again. "Would you like to tell me what happened?" Rukia asked.
"At the orphanage?" Sasuki asked, and Rukia nodded silently.
"Well..."
All was silent once again, and Rukia thought at once Sasuki didn't trust her in telling her what happened. But then she began speaking, much to Rukia's shock.
She was just glad Ichigo was out, she didn't want him overhearing this.
"Well... there are three bullies at the orphanage," Sasuki explained. "One's tall and skinny, one's medium height and fat, the last is small but very tough. All of them have brawn but not brains. Anyways ... they picked me as their top target for bullying just because I was brought into the orphanage on the day I was born."
"That's horrible," Rukia whispered, and Sasuki nodded. "I know... but I live through it..."
"Do the owners of the orphanage know about it?"
Sasuki nodded. "They don't care ... but Lila does..."
"Who's Lila?" Rukia asked.
"She's my stepmother," Sasuki replied, making Rukia's eyes widen. "But... you're at the orphanage?"
"That's only because Lila, or oka-san, desn't have a home of her own," Sasuki replied. "She took me in the day I was brought to the orphange. She's taken very good care of me. She's wanted a child ever since she could remember because she couldn't carry them. Anyway ... today ... after classes, I was cornered by them all ..." she trailed off slightly, expecting a reaction from Rukia, but all she got in return was clenched teeth. "They called me names and beat me..." she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek. Rukia noticed this and lifted Sasuki up gently, placing her in her lap. "So that's why you wanted to stay with me..."
Sasuki nodded. "Yes... but Lila would miss me ... and I don't want to hurt her by staying with someone else after she's taken such good care of me... she has no one else... no man wants her because she can't bear children... that's what she told me..."
"That's not true," Rukia said. "She'll find someone. Not every man is like that, Sasuki. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Sasuki smiled. The rice was finally ready, so Rukia set two plates out on the table and got utensils and drinks. They then both began eating in silence. Sasuki sat beside Rukia, feeling a lot more comfortable and warm towards her now that she had told her about the bullies. Except their names, which were Jake, Michael, and Sam. But other than that...
When they were both done eating, Rukia put the dishes in the sink and Sasuki took a glance at the clock. It was nearing five o' clock in the afternoon. "I had better be getting back to the orphanage. Lila must be worried about me."
Rukia nodded reluctantly. "Would you ... like me to walk you back home?"
Sasuki looked over at Rukia and nodded. "Thank you, Rukia."
Rukia merely smiled. "Anytime."
Lila Bunko was extremely worried. Sasuki had gone for her annual walk around the town, and she usually took about an hour or two. But she had been gone for five hours. Five hours! She was beginning to get frantic, and was about to call the police, if it hadn't been for a knock at her door at the orphanage about ten minutes later.
She rushed over to open the door and sighed when she saw Sasuki. "Where on Earth have you been?" she asked. "I was worried sick. You were gone five hours! FIVE!"
"I'm sorry, oka-san, but I met my friend again and she invited me over to her house for some lunch," Sasuki replied. "I guess I lost track of time is all. I'm sorry I worried you."
Lila merely sighed and hugged her tightly. "Please call me next time if you plan to stay at a friend's."
Sasuki merely nodded. She adored this woman. She was her idol. She had long, flowing redish orange hair that went past down her waist. She had dark brown eyes and white, pale skin. She had a tattoo of a red rose on her left arm for whatever reason Sasuki didn't know. Perhaps she got it when she was younger and had her parents money... but she was a goddess in Sasuki's opinion. Completely beautiful. Excluding the fact that she couldn't have children. Actually, Lila had told Sasuki she did have a child, a baby boy at one point, ten years ago, and she had given him up for adoption on the day that he was born because she couldn't afford to look after him, and she was scared that she might lose him. So she gave him away...
"Alright then," Lila said, breaking the silence between them. "Where did you get your clothes?"
Rukia stayed behind, peeking in through the window of the orphanage at Lila and Sasuki's room, which was on the first floor. She was met with a breathtaking sight. Why wouldn't anyone want this woman? She was beautiful... at least in Rukia's opinion. Reddish orange hair that flew past her waist, dark brown eyes, pale skin ... and was that a rose tattoo on her left arm?
She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Ichigo, you scared me. Don't do that."
Ichigo merely chuckled. "Sorry about that. Anyway, who's that in the room with Sasuki?"
"That's her stepmother, Lila."
"...Rukia..."
"I'm fine, Ichigo," Rukia replied, giving him a fake smile. "I see that she adores her, and would rather live with her than with her own mother." With a powerful stride of her legs, she ran off into the city.
"Rukia, wait!" Ichigo yelled. "Are you crazy?! You could get yourself..." he paused. "Oh no! Rukia, don't!"
Ichigo came to the sudden realization that because Rukia knew Sasuki adored Lila, that she wouldn't want to know who her biological mother was... that must have been a stab to the heart... and now...
...Rukia Kuchiki was going to kill herself.
"Rukia, don't do this!" Ichigo stated as he finally found her. She was leaning against a tree, holding a knife to her wrist. "Please...don't. ...I love you."
A/N: Nyah!! Was that a cliffhanger or what? Plus, I expect over 50 reviews before I update this again!! Who knows, maybe an even LONGER chapter will be in the works. REVIEW!!
