Bleach strawberry kiss
Crowned with laurel
Chapter 8
There is a child
Rukia's POV
Ichigo was acting strangely as we were running off towards the hollow. His eyebrows furrowed deeper, like he was thinking. I couldn't make sense of it. He pressed the badge to his chest too quickly that his body just fell limp to the ground and as he leaped into the air he finished off the weak hollow, barely even touching his sword.
He stood for a while as the hollow disintegrated, slowly being purified like all the others.
It was cool that day. And despite the cool air, and despite the fact it was a nice day Ichigo was unhappy, like it hadn't stopped raining for decades. His face looked long as if longing to be in the sky. Orihime looked just as sad as Ichigo. She was that worried about him. I gently clutched to Orihime's hand and she nodded to me in response to this. We all looked to one another; we knew exactly that Ichigo wasn't himself.
The weather was inching its way towards the cold of winter, and we could feel it run up our spines as a harsh wind blew across musing our hair and billowing at our clothing. And the silent winds, that silent wind did nothing more than create a sense that we were alive and slowly disappearing in the world.
Eventually Ichigo turned, smiled to us and tapped my shoulder softly speaking. That smile hurt. We all knew he wasn't himself and it hurt us to know that he wasn't going to share it. But that was Ichigo for you. Caring more about others than himself.
It was a slow walk back to the school, a slow and agonising walk back. Ichigo had picked his body up and gotten back into it, saying nothing as we trundled along. Orihime, Chad and Uryuu had to change along with Ichigo into their school clothes and so I waved to them and strode back to the classroom.
When I turned a corner in the hall as I directed myself along back to the classroom I saw Laurence. She was staring out of the window. Where I wasn't so certain. At the ground perhaps, but yet it looked like she was looking at the sky. It didn't make sense. How could she look as if she was looking at both?
She must have noticed me as she closed her eyes and breathed.
"Is there something wrong Kuchiki Kun?"
She said softly turning around towards me, her eyes childish as she looked into my own dark navy ones. She reminded me of a curious child, learning her ways along into daily life… into the real world filled with life around them… escaping that world of dreams, and childish beliefs. I was confused at first when I suddenly remembered an old man. He was a strong man, powerful and everyone looked up to him. Even my brother Kuchiki. He sat their one day as I remember. I was having a peaceful drink of tea with Byakuya and the man walked in. Byakuya had stood to him and bowed politely. The first I'd ever seen him do. I was expected to be frightened of this man if my brother bowed to him. But I was not. He was kind, gentle, caring and understanding.
"I have five children miss Kuchiki. Did you know that? And I also have grandchildren."
I didn't understand what he was getting at when he spoke to me. But it was impressive to hear his story. And I was mesmerised by this man like I was mesmerised by this girl before me.
"Miss Kuchiki you remind me of my children and grandchildren. You are strong. Strong willed that is."
He raised his hand to me as I recall and placed it on my shoulder. Byakuya had left long ago at this point.
"You have a wonderful family. And a dear brother who loves you very much."
He smiled to me, an age old smile, an experienced smile; a smile that I felt knew everything. I felt like a child again.
"I want you to know something miss Kuchiki."
That smile had faded the last time I had seen him. It was a sad smile at that point. But a meaningful smile that was filled once again with things that I could not explain, feelings that seemed so uncommon to me and was there long, long ago.
"My family is cursed… my youngest… I do hope they are doing well… I want you to know… that if you ever meet the cursed of my family, not to judge them… and to respect them as you respect me."
He turned to me at this point and stood slowly leaving.
"And I want you to know that there is still a child in us all… especially the cursed."
And that was the last I saw of that man. That man rambled on a lot from time to time, but everything made sense strangely. And as I was looking to that girl directly in those brown orbs so very familiar, everything seemed to make sense. My pain was soothed and my confusion, my confusion seemed just a distant memory.
"There is still a child in us all… especially the cursed."
I mumbled. Laurence had heard me I knew she had as I was about to walk away from her. And as I did she grabbed my hand gently. Her eyes were wide with shock her lips parted. I thought for a moment that she was going to ask me what I had said… as if what I said she knew exactly what it meant. Where it came from. But she just smiled to me her eyes softening to inviting warmth.
"And a child in us all we shall keep."
With that she let go of me and walked away back into the classroom leaving me confused. All of my confusion running back like a stream. What did it all mean?
I was so confused I didn't realise Ichigo sneaking up on me.
"What did she say to you? That girl from the bookstore."
He spoke. I looked up to where Laurence had left and I smiled. That accent, those dark eyes so familiar and what she said. Books were truly magical… especially children's books.
"Children's dreams are found anywhere… even books."
I smiled. Looking up to Ichigo I took his hand, gripped it tightly and I spoke once again to his confused expression.
"There is a child in all of us… and a child in us shall we keep."
Was all I mumbled to him and left him there so equally confused as what I was. Everything seemed to be adding up. But it was like algebra. There was no definition that the letter was that exact number. And I believed that the man, that old kind man was that number trying to replace that letter… that letter that was soon to be exposed.
