Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to 2012 :) I hope you all had fun during your holidays! I know it's been a long time since I've updated this story and I'm sorry. I appreciate all the reviews that I've gotten so far, they make me smile. I'm always excited to reply to all of them :D
My Paramour: Chapter 9
When Rukia and her brothers entered the school gates, she automatically branched off and went to the side of Inoue Orihime. She was walking a few steps ahead of them, her long, auburn hair swayed behind her in a messy braid. Rukia slowed her pace down a bit to not make it seem as though she were making an effort to catch up to her.
"Ohayo Inoue-san," Rukia said with a smile.
Orihime turned at the sound of her name and retured the smile, "Ohayo Kuchiki-san!"
Rukia walked up to match her stride. "How was your weekend?"
"It was fun. Oh Kuchiki-san! I'm sorry I couldn't come on Saturday, I had completely forgotten about my previous obligations." Orihime said. She clapped her hands together and bowed her head in apology, "Gomen!"
Rukia held up a hand to cover her laugh, a habit she was learning to pick up from the other girls. "Don't worry about it Inoue-san, I also forgot about my own ingadgements so I wouldn't have been able to go."
They both walked into the school together laughing.
"Maybe we could scedual another date?" Orihime suggested as they walked into the the classroom.
"Hey Orihime, Kuchiki-san! Reschedual what?" Tastuki asked as they aproached the group of girls around Orihime's table.
Rukia shook her head, "Oh nothing Arisawa-san. Just some plans I had of showing Inoue-san a really cool place this past weekend. But she couldn't make it."
Tatsuki only looked at Rukia skeptically but shook it off. Rukia placed her bag down on her desk before coming back to the other girls. She sat quietly while they all talked about their weekends. A few of the girls had apparently gotten together and did homework.
"What about you Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime asked.
Tatsuki, like Rukia, was just comfortably sitting there listening to the girls' banter. "Oh nothing, just practicing for clubs," she said coolly, "we have an inter club competition coming up and those boys are tougher than I thought." She rubbed her head in embarrassment. "But no worries, I'm still the toughest one in there. I think the vise-captain is hinting that when the Captain graduates I'll be his right hand man."
Rukia once again, could not help but smile at how proud Tatsuki sounded when she said that. That pride was a nostalgic feeling.
When the teacher arrived at the door, all the students scurried to their correct seating. Ochi-sensei laughed a bit at the sight, picturing a hoard of mice being found. Rukia sat down at her desk and opened up her lesson book. As the teacher began writing on the board, her back to the class, Rukia took a peak over at the corner where Orihime and her friends sat within close proximity. They all looked so comfortable with each other.
While letting out a heavy sigh, she accidentally knocked her pencil off of the desk. Out of reflex, she caught it swiftly without hesitation. Ochi-sensei was still writing notes on the board. Rukia took this time to turn back and get another glimpse of the girls and found that she wasn't the only one looking. Tatsuki was staring right at her, her eye brows slanted slightly in confusion. Rukia quickly faced the board once more and just wondered why Arisawa-san looked at her in such a way.
Rukia met her brothers outside of the school gates. Toshiro was in his usual mood as his foot tapped the concrete wall while Hanataro just stood there with a smile on his face. Toshiro pushed himself off the gates and they made their way over to her.
"How was school today Kiki-chan?" Hanataro asked.
Rukia smiled to her older brother and replied, "It was fine."
"Nothing happened right?" Toshiro added.
Rukia looked at him, his eyes staring straight at her. "Of course not…"
They walked a bit in silence, their back drop coming down from buildings to residential streets, little corner stores, and small restaurants. Toshiro stopped in front of a modest, beaten down shack. The sign was dusty and the paint was chipping off.
"What is it Aniki?"
"Shuuhei told me before we left that he needed some ingredients to make dinner tonight. He told me to stop by Urahara's on our way back."
Rukia looked up at the old sign and cocked her head to the side. She had been to Urahara's shop maybe once or twice when she was younger but she never remembered it being so broken down. Hanataro seemed to not find a problem with it and gladly entered the shop. Toshiro waited behind for Rukia to go ahead. She didn't at first, just gaped at the poor rotting wood that made up its walls before entering. Toshiro followed close behind.
Oddly enough, the door didn't squeak when it opened, only dinged as it gently hit a little silver bell on the handle. A man that had appeared to be sleeping beneath his bucket hat was sitting at a counter in the very front; his back slouched into the paper fan that rested on his lap.
"I'm not open," He slurred out. His words were chained together as he recovered from his drunken sleep.
"You practically live out your sorry life on that stool of yours, the time when you're not open will be the day you decide to actually get up and do something," Toshiro scoffed.
Still not moving from his place, a small smirk crept up on the shop keeper's face. "Well if it isn't the Kuchiki Toshiro. You're still as bad tempered as I remember. You know your brother comes in here quite often to get his groceries, but I haven't seen you in a long time."
"Hello Urahara-san," Hanataro greeted politely.
By now his head was tilted up to see past his scruffy hair and sagging hat, "And if it isn't little Hanataro. You know, you were always my favorite. You actually kept your mouth shut unlike your other brothers."
Urahara smiled and fanned himself but stopped when he noticed that between the twins, there stood Rukia, trying to make sense of the conversation. "Who is this?" He feigned surprise, "Well if it isn't the one and only Kuchiki sister! Rukia was it? I don't believe I've seen you since you were in grade seven. Where have you been? How've you been doing?"
The three stood silent, Rukia uncomfortably looking to the side.
"Ah," Urahara nodded his head in understanding, "I see… Well! To commemorate this occasion I'll give you reduction on your purchase."
"Shut up Urahara," Toshiro groaned, "You are such a cheapskate that you would raise the price and do a reduction on that. I'd rather just pay the original price."
Urahara shrugged, "Suit yourselves."
With that, they dispersed. Rukia wasn't actually sure of what they were supposed to be looking for. She realized that she probably should have asked. So instead she wondered about the store. The inside was much larger than what the outside deceived it to be. As well as the interior was not as repulsive as the exterior. The shelves were fairly well kept, a little disorganized, but well kept. She aimlessly searched up and down the aisle for practically nothing.
"The hell… stupid old goat…"
Rukia's head popped up at the sound of someone mumbling. The voice was familiar to her. When she looked up, she saw Ichigo standing with his arms crossed and his face holding an annoyed expression. He extended his arm and was about to grab something when he stopped to check his surroundings. That was when he caught sight of Rukia standing there staring at him.
His face began to turn a slight shad of pink and he turned his head away.
"A-are you trying to steal something?" Rukia accused.
Ichigo looked back at her in horror at the statement and shot back, "What are you talking about midget? I'd never do that!"
This time, it was Rukia's face that was turning a different shade. "Hey! I'm not a midget! And what do you think people would think seeing you being so cautious picking out some…"
As she slowly advanced she was able to see exactly what he was blushing so much about. There on the shelf in front of him were packages of pink pads. Her face took on an entirely different hue of red when she saw this. Her mouth opened agape, too shocked to make a response.
"Don't be thinking anything midget," Ichigo started with a sigh, "it's for my sister… Karin, you met her. She um… just uh…started."
"Why are you getting them?" Rukia shouted.
"Would you not shout it out loud?" He exclaimed while rubbing the back of his head, "It's not like I wanted to anyway. My dad just gave me a message to come to the store and pick some up because, I quote, 'his precious daughter is finally becoming a woman' or something like that." He shifted uncomfortably, "It was worse for Yuzu since she got hers before most of the girls in her grade. Dad couldn't keep his damn mouth shut…"
"Why don't they just tell your mom?" Rukia asked innocently.
Ichigo froze at the question. His eyes hazed over as he looked away. His actions didn't go unnoticed as Rukia's breath caught in her throat.
"I'm sorry…" She said under her breath.
Ichigo peered over at her standing. Her face was emotionless as she reached out to grab a few packs herself.
"How about this," Rukia started, "I'll buy the packs for you, to save you from the humiliation."
She had said it more as a statement rather than a suggestion. Ichigo was speechless at her actions. She looked up at him and smirked, "What? I'm doing it more for Karin. Poor girl had to let a buffoon like you into some girly matters like this. She must really want to pound you and your dad's head right now huh?"
She turned on her heal and began walking to the counter. When she got there she knocked a few times on the counter to wake up the sleeping Urahara. He shot up at the sound, finally revealing his sleep drunk eyes. Rukia put down the pads with confidence. Urahara let out a heavy sigh before checking the prices on the back of the packages. He told her the price and she looked in her bag for the exact amount.
"Thank you Kuchiki-san," He said as she gave him the money. "By the way…" He added in a lower tone, "I never had the chance to give my condolences."
Her eyes shot up at his words and quickly softened her gaze. "Yah…"
"Rukia?" She heard Toshiro pipe up, "What are you doing?"
Immediately she returned to an erect posture and faced her brothers. She played it off as though nothing was out of ordinary. "I just had to you know…" As she spoke, she held up the package of pads in her hand.
"Kiki-chan," Hanataro sighed, "You didn't buy them with your own money did you? Toshiro and I have enough money."
"Oi old man!" Toshiro shouted, "Give my sister her money back!"
Rukia was quick to hold her Aniki from taking any steps closer to the poor shopkeeper who was watching the scene from under his bucket hat.
"Aniki, it's fine," Rukia mumbled under her breath, "Let's just go."
With that she was able to pull her brothers out of the shop. Urahara tried to stop them but decided against it. He would allow them to not pay this once. But just as he was about to lean back and relax again, he noticed that a certain orange haired boy opened his door and walked out; heading in the same direction as his former customers. Motivation took over as he reached for a phone from beneath the counter. Dialing a few numbers it began to ring a few times. In the middle of the third ring, the receiver picked up.
"Hello, Isshin? You would not guess what I had the pleasure of seeing today," Urahara said rather enthusiastically.
After much insisting, Rukia was able to carry the pack of pads on her own. As they walked, Ichigo was not far behind. When Toshiro noticed this little fact, he swirled around with down turned lips.
"Stop following us Kurosaki," He warned.
Ichigo only held up his hands in surrender, "No need to be suspicious Toshiro. I live this way too remember?"
Toshiro face was slightly flushed from a mixture of embarrassment and anger, "Just stay that far away Kurosaki."
Ichigo didn't reply and they all just kept walking. As they approached they're houses, Ichigo branched off to his own home. He opened the front gate and walked up the concrete path, hands shoved in his front pockets. Taking out his key, Rukia's pace slowed. When he entered, he set down his bag so that he could cup his hands around his mouth.
"Karin!" He shouted, "Come down here!"
"Ichi-nii today is not the day to be telling me what to do!" She shouted back from her room upstairs.
Ichigo sighed and shouted again, "Just do it Karin!"
Karin walked down, the air seeming to steam around her. "What?"
Rukia was at a full halt. Toshiro and Hanataro turned around, taking notice that she was no longer moving. They followed her eyes and found the scene of Ichigo and his younger sister bickering at their front door.
"Oi Karin!" Rukia called out. The two siblings turned simultaneously to look at her.
She pulled back her arm and threw the package of pads. They swirled through the air, landing with a thud into Karin's hands. Ichigo gave smug smirk as Karin stood dumbfounded. She looked up and caught sight of Rukia waving at her.
"Next time ask me to get them for you," She said.
Unexpectedly, Karin felt a smile tug on her lips. "Thank you Kuchiki-san."
Rukia nodded and turned to leave. Karin stood there watching her as her silhouette walked off. With a strong intake of breath, Karin sprinted, leaving the pads with Ichigo. She quickly caught up with Rukia and her brothers, tapping her on the shoulder.
"Ah, Kuchiki-san," Karin began with a blush, "Next time I see you, could I call you Rukia-nee-san?"
Rukia was silent at first, eyes open wide. Her iris shimmered in the light of the setting sun as she gave Karin a small yet warm smile. Seeing the determination and strength behind Karin's innocent face gave a nostalgic feeling.
"Of course," She replied.
End Chapter 9
Was that worth waiting for? I'm sorry if it wasn't. If it was, please leave a review :) I hope you enjoyed and I'll update as fast as I can!
