AN: For Alaea Mori
Title: Dearest
Requested Pairing: SzayelxRukia
Rating: T
Summary: You were someone else's prisoner; I am only the Octava. The eighth among the ten. I carry very little weight with our Lord…I knew after a while…I didn't want to let you go."
"Uh huh…vitals seem stable. Heart beat regular…"
The voice was a man's. It came from above her. Shifting her arm she felt the sting of something sharp. Rukia's eyes flew open. Square-framed glasses perched on a small pointed nose and pinkish colored eyes blinked back at her. The man Hmphed and scribbled something on a clipboard.
"Subject seems to have regained full consciousness. No need for further tests at this time." He nodded satisfied and then looked back at her and smiled slightly, "well hello there." The clipboard was lowered in white-gloved hands. "We were afraid you had almost bought it." He said conversationally. Her eyes flickered from his face to the IV in her arm.
"It's just for sedation. We weren't sure of your reaction if and when you awoke. Please do not be alarmed it shall be removed soon." He moved on to the foot of the hospital bed, withdrawing another chart from a pocket built in the footboard. Rukia's gaze followed him; a glance at the heart rate monitor to the left of the IV stand had him frowning.
"Ah! That should not be, my dear. You must keep your heartbeat steady and no frights. It weakens the heart, you know? Fascinating thing…" he sighed thoughtfully, "The heart is. I should one day like to study a real one. But ah…not now…I'm sorry! Have I been rambling on?" Another smile replaced his wistful look, "you must be starved. It can't be easy being fed intravenously for over three weeks. Lumina!" he called, "bring our guest some human food!"
Rukia didn't like that. Our guest. And…three weeks?! Had all that time passed between their parting at the five paths? Her thoughts were interrupted by the Arrancar's approach. He laid his hand on his chest lightly, "I am sure you're wondering who I am, correct?"
She couldn't help but nod slightly.
"Octava Espada, Szayel Aporro-Grantz at your service."
He bowed a little.
"R-Rukia Kuchiki," she said in reply, though only the Gods knew why she bothered being polite to her enemy. He nodded, "Ichimaru told me when he brought you in. LUMINA! ANYTIME NOW?!" He caught her look and grinned sheepishly, "Pardon me. These Fraccion of mine are lazy swine." He excused himself and went to the door; "I'll send someone in right away as soon as I find them."
Rukia sighed in relief the moment the Arrancar had walked out.
1: She had been captured on route to rescuing Orihime.
2: Ichimaru the slime-bag had done it.
3: Somehow…she had ended up in the care of a weird pink-haired Arrancar named Szayel. Pink. Who'd a thunk it?
4: Scratch that. She was probably under observation until they could find further use of her.
What had happened to everybody?
Rukia had no worries about herself. If the situation called for it she'd go down resisting rather then betray her fellow Reapers. But Ichigo and Renji…Chad and Uryu. Where were they? Another thought occurred to her and she immediately leapt up, jerking back down with a soundless cry of pain. Damn IV was still attached.
What if Orihime had been rescued and…"So sorry," the door opened and in bustled the same Arrancar from before. In one hand he had balanced a tray of mildly steaming soup and a plate of crackers. "I had to bring this in myself. Silly me. Lumina was eaten yesterday." Rukia swallowed hard. That was definitely something she hadn't wanted to hear.
Szayel placed the tray atop the bedside stand and wheeled it over. "I'll have to replicate her later," he said lightly. "Replace?" Against her will, Rukia felt a hint of curiosity. He patted the edge of the tray meaning for her to start eating. "Ah so you were listening. That is good. It means your brain is functioning properly and no. Replicate. Duplicate her." Szayel smiled at her frown, "don't worry you'll catch on fast how things work here in Las Noches."
She still didn't like the sound of that.
~*~
The IV was removed the next day. Without it her mobility was improved and a plain white uniform was left at the foot of the bed for her to dress herself. Rukia did just that, despising the fact that she would be seen clothed as one of them if she escaped. It wasn't if it was when. She kept telling herself to keep her spirits up.
Peering cautiously out from the door, she stepped into the narrow corridor. Her sandals echoed loudly announcing her presence as she entered into a larger room arrayed as a scientist's lab. Szayel himself sat on a high stool hovering over a beaker boiling on a wire cage of flame. Without even glancing up, he greeted her cheerfully, "good afternoon, my dear. Welcome to my Laboratory. Please stay where you are while I finish this." As he spoke, the viscous gray fluid had begun bubbling at the edges, withdrawing it from the flame with a pair of steel tongs; he set it aside and set another glass cup containing red fluid on the wire cage.
"Is that…blood?" she couldn't resist asking.
Szayel frowned and shook his head briskly, "oh no! Blood? Definitely no. It's an entirely different compound than that. Well!" Suddenly businesslike he drew a clipboard out from under a pair of glass syringes. "How are you feeling, my dear? No headaches, dizziness, nausea?"
"Um no. None of that, but I—"
"Good. That's excellent to hear." He wrote three checks across the top then paused and looked at her quizzically, "I believe I interrupted you. Was there something you wanted to ask?"
Now was the time. Ask. She willed her mouth to open, "is—is Orihime Inoue still held captive?"
The scientist didn't hesitate, "of course. That stoic git Ulquiorra is watching over her." He caught sight of her expression and chuckled, "oh don't think he's like that. He wouldn't harm her unless ordered to. And right now that girl is extremely valuable to Lord Aizen…so uh are you okay?"
She struck out at the nearest row of glassine beakers. Szayel jumped up the moment they hit the floor. "Now wait just a minute—don't touch that!" He squawked as she palmed the slender neck of a glass cup bearing the contents of an emerald green liquid. Rukia raised it above her head, preparing to hurl it down with all her might. Was he afraid of it?
"I'm telling you—don't do that!!!" He sounded desperate.
She watched his face and thought of nothing she could achieve by giving into useless anger. Reluctantly she set the beaker down at the edge of the worktable. Szayel immediately came toward her. She stiffened, expecting a blow to follow. Instead he went past her and gathered up a dustpan and straw broom from somewhere. To her surprise, he began sweeping the floor.
After a moment of standing back, she tapped him to get his attention. Looking away she mumbled, "I'll do that." An apology was going a step too far but to clean up a mess she had caused…
"Oh thank you."
Strangely enough wasn't difficult.
~*~
"No. No permanent damage was sustained. Eh? What's that?"
She heard Szayel conversing in quiet tones with someone who had come to the door. She crept closer along the wall, peering around the edge at the arched doorframe that she realized must lead to the rest of the Palace. The pink-haired Arrancar had his back to her, his lanky form filling the opening. "No…sorry. I must keep her here longer. There's uh—some more tests I need to run. You understand, don't you, Ichimaru?" Szayel gestured pleadingly.
Gin!?
Rukia ducked out of sight. The traitorous ex Captain was one person she had no desire to associate with. But still…she thought, hurrying back to the main lab, didn't Szayel say that it was Gin who had brought her here? And what tests?
She recalled his wistful look when talking about her heart and trembled.
~*~
"Could you hand me that, dear?"
Rukia silently reached for the beaker he pointed to. She had no idea how she had ended up playing assistant in lieu of the Fraccion Lumina who had yet to make an appearance. She figured he hadn't seen fit to replicate her or something. "Thanks," Szayel said absently, his fingers brushing over her hers, made her start suddenly.
Thankfully he didn't seem to notice.
The swirling contents of one container was mixed into another. A glass stick was dipped in and he vigorously stirred melding the two together. After a moment he gazed upon the resulting dark hued liquid of a violet blue color and nodded happily. "Lovely isn't it?" he commented with obvious pride. Rukia wasn't sure what to say.
"It's a perfect fusion of royal blue and deep violet." He glanced at her face, adding lightly, "nearly the same as your eyes. But they are much prettier." She felt her cheeks grow warm and chastised herself for being embarrassed. He was an Arrancar for Gods sakes! Her enemy! Nothing more!
She couldn't keep an irritable tone from her voice, "does it do anything?""Does it do anything?" Szayel echoed then looked thoughtful. "Hmm…I don't know. Do you think it does anything?"
She wanted to hit him.
~*~
"Tell me…why am I here?" Rukia approached his clear Plexiglas desk. He adjusted his glasses and peered up at her from the document he had been studying intently. "What?"
"You heard me. Why am I still here? Why haven't I been brought before Aizen yet?" The last she was secretly relieved hadn't transpired yet. But he didn't need to know that. "Huh. Good question." Szayel set aside the paper and propped his chin on the desk with one hand, "but first may I assume you don't like having freedom of movement here?"
It was her turn to look confused, "what?"
"Let me put it this way. The sooner you are released from my watch the sooner you will be placed in a cell like the Inoue girl. Except in your case I am to hand you over to Ichimaru since he is the one requesting to keep you."
Be given to…Ichimaru? Be under his care…?
He saw a flash of distaste flicker over her expression.
"But why…?" Rukia managed to find her voice, "haven't you done so?"
"Like I told him." He winked at her, "there's still some tests I need to perform. And besides that," he flipped a sheaf of pink hair from his face, "I need an assistant right now to help me with my work."
~*~
She turned over on the narrow hospital bed, drawing the crisp sheets higher over her head. She was trapped. There was no way out of it. The only halfway decent thing about it was that Szayel wasn't as twisted as some of the others. So far he hadn't mentioned her heart not even in passing for that she was grateful and terrified. Afraid of what might be going on beneath that cap of pinkish hair and glasses.
She had to escape, she just didn't know how.
~*~
He closed the door softly. Gently snapping it shut. He laid his palm against the cold wood panel, sighing slightly. Poor girl. Then because it wasn't in his nature to wallow, he turned and briskly strode back to his lab to take up the work he had set aside.
~*~
Something was off. She glanced up from the beaker he was having her stir. He sat on a stool across the room making notes in a clipboard, nodding every so often. For a while they had talked—well he had and she'd listened about the various other Espada. Learning some insightful things in case she ever did run into any of them. But mostly it was quiet. Szayel had lapsed into a silence only punctuated by the soft scratching of his pen on the pad of paper.
Rukia felt him watching her.
She rested the tip of the glass swizzle stick against the mouth of the container, tilting her head at an angle. He was looking at her. Rukia dipped the stick back into the fluid, stirring it slowly, hearing the slight squeak as he got up and crossed the floor behind her. She tensed, expecting to be struck. Instead, he tapped her shoulder friendlily, "I'll take over now, dear."
Her brow rose and she stepped away compliantly, "why do you call me that?"
Szayel's concentration on the beaker didn't waver, "hmm?"
"Dear. I have a name you know." Surprisingly as she said it she found it hadn't bothered her so much. Silence. She wondered if he was annoyed. Only the clinking of glass-on-glass filled the air then finally satisfied he laid aside the swizzle stick. "Much closer," he muttered, hovering over the contents. She was stymied to notice the violet hue of the liquid.
"It's the same!" she cried at the same time realizing he might not take it the right way. Szayel shook his head slightly, "no, no. It's much closer than before." He said cryptically, carrying away the container to the metal fridge against the other wall.
A little startled, she looked after him perplexed, "closer to what?"
The scientist gleefully chuckled, "just wait and see."
Rukia harrumphed; all that did was raise her curiosity, not satisfy it.
~*~
Sometimes he worked alone at night in the lab. Long after she had retired to her room down the hallway, she would catch the faint grumbling and pacing of his steps. Once in a while she could make out his words. Not black enough. Not right. A pinker shade…more rounded…
Unable to sleep one night she slipped from the hard bed and crept to the door, easing it open. The hallway was dark. Inching out, she followed the faint beam of light to the partially cracked lab doors. The floor was cold against her bare feet, her steps silent as she leaned against the lintel and placed her eye to the opening. A figure in a white lab coat was circling around another, smaller form. Szayel. But who was…
Rukia gasped and too late clapped her hand over her mouth.
It was an effigy of her.
Short pointed tips of black hair grazing slender shoulders over which a modest sheet had been draped hiding the gently curved bosom. One large eye was open revealing a startling violet cornea the color of the liquid from days before…
"Come in," he said, never looking back as she entered frightened.
"Wha—what is that thing?" her voice was quiet, her eyes staring from him to the creation he had so lovingly formed. "You. An almost perfect—but sadly only an imitation model of you." Szayel answered just as quietly. He really was insane. "Why?" she felt she had to ask, "why would you make something this—"
"Ichimaru is coming tomorrow." He interrupted as if he hadn't heard her, "he's done waiting. You are to be taken immediately to his quarters where a cage has been prepared. He told me so himself." Szayel assured her.
A cage?!!She felt numb.
"I suppose you're wondering why I didn't tell you before?"
She nodded faintly.
He sighed and ran his hand through his pink hair, scowling instead of smiling like she had always seen him. "Hollows are souls that have lost their hearts. Arrancars are evolved from them artificially or sometimes," he amended, "naturally."
Rukia was trying to focus on what he was saying.
"How would it be if I said I'd become fond of you overly than what was good for me? The time we've spent together…I tried to think rationally when I was still able to disassociate my company from yours. You were someone else's prisoner; I am only the Octava. The eighth among the ten. I carry very little weight with our Lord…I knew after a while…I didn't want to let you go."
She stared at him uncomprehendingly; this wasn't happening.
"You wonder why I never called you by name? Not once. Dear is the expression humans use to denote fondness or affection, correct?" he waited for her assent. She nodded slowly. Szayel smiled slightly if a little pained and tentatively brushed her cheek. She didn't flinch. He continued, "I wanted a reminder of you…even if it was only a creation of my own design. I suppose you think I'm silly wanting to satisfy my own whims when I can't even protect the real thing?"
She shook her head mutely.
It didn't seem all that strange really. No one had ever called her dear before. Spoken by him it seemed…almost natural. To have never spoken one another's names before…
Looking at him, for some reason she didn't understand why her throat tightened. She lowered her eyes, her chest aching. Szayel frowned again and then lifted her chin up, "I can accept that I'm still your enemy," he said, meeting her eyes, "and I'll never have anything in that heart of yours. But…there is one thing I can do to help you."
It wasn't in her to cry.
The Arrancar was her enemy and nothing could change that.
He would be punished.
Rukia knew. But somewhere inside, deep inside her heart, in a small secret corner she knew she would remember him. He deserved at least that much.
She stepped through the dimensional rip he had created, looking back over her shoulder, "goodbye…Szayel." And ran down the darkened street leaving the white lab in the desolate world behind.
~La Fin~
AN: this is auish in the respect that everyone gets creamed by the Privaron Espada and Gin after seeing her on the surveillance monitor went and…let's just say he wasn't too gentle. Stabbed her with Shinso to keep her quiet. He meant to keep her as a pet and—do I have to explain it? ^^; Thanks for reading—flamers and their flames shall be used to ignite our Samhain bonfire in the backyard—other than that, reviews are always appreciated.