Title: Trivial Things

Characters: Unohana

Prompt: #001 – Worms

Word Count: 988

Rating: K+

Summary: Some might say the lives of such creatures are insignificant. Retsu disagrees.

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: All characters and settings of Bleach are the property of Kubo Tite.

Trivial Things

The scent of rain had still been heavy in the air when Retsu and Takahiro had ventured out of the estate to play. Puddles were scattered all over the walkways, and the grassy patches squished beneath their feet as they ran. Neither of them cared; they had been confined to the indoors for three days because of the near-incessant storms and were eager for the fresh air that the outside brought.

Retsu growled under her breath as Takahiro escaped her grasp yet again. He was older, taller, and faster than her, and it made games like tag difficult to win. Not that winning was everything, but managing it once in a while was nice. In the face of her brother's physical advantages, Retsu resorted to using her head. She grinned a little; Takahiro might have the physical edge, but she was smarter than him.

Abruptly, she broke off her chase and angled herself to a tiny space between a pair of tall bushes. She sped through easily, small frame barely brushing against them as she passed. Another turn, and she was running toward the cherry blossom tree they always used as their base.

Takahiro burst into her field of vision a few seconds later, his back half turned away from her. Though her legs began to ache, Retsu pushed forward, one arm outstretched in the hopes of catching him before he noticed her presence.

No such luck. Takahiro glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening; he dove instantly, sliding across the muddy ground, and his fingertips touched the bark of the cherry blossom tree. Safe.

Each of them stopped to catch their breath, Retsu bending over and putting her hands on her knees. She glanced at her brother almost mischievously; that was the closest she had ever come to catching him, and she was quite proud of it. Perhaps she would manage to do so before very long.

When she'd gained enough breath to stand, she straightened to see that Takahiro had pulled himself upright, covered head to toe in mud, and leaning up against the tree. But he was not as amused by her tactic as she was, evidently; the annoyed glare he inflicted upon her was proof.

"Cheater," was all he said.

Retsu's brow furrowed indignantly. "What part of what I did was cheating? There isn't a rule that I have to chase you directly." She lifted her chin in a show of seven-year-old noble pride. "The only reason you say so is because I nearly caught you this time. Such poor sportsmanship does not befit a clan heir."

Takahiro rolled his eyes. "Stop talking like that. You sound like an old woman." He crossed his arms and lowered his gaze. But then his eyes widened, and he knelt back down in the muddy grass. "Well, would you look at that?"

Her annoyance faded at his last words, and she blinked, kneeling beside him and thoroughly staining the fine fabric of her yukata. She was about to ask what they were supposed to be looking at, but Takahiro's sudden disgusted sound interrupted her.

"Ugh! What do you think you're doing, stupid?" he asked. "Stand up, already. Okaasama will get mad at you for getting so dirty."

Retsu titled her head, taking in all of the muck coating him; she was rather clean in comparison. "And she won't be angry at you for the same?"

"It's different for boys. She expects me to get dirty."

Having lost interest in the inane conversation, Retsu peered more closely at the ground and finally saw what had caught her brother's attention. A pair of worms writhed upon the wet earth where he had slid, nearly split in half from the rough motion. They still lived, though she imagined that they were in enormous pain. Poor creatures. Perhaps she could help.

She picked one up without hesitation, resting it gently in her palm. The worm continued to writhe, and she used a pair of fingers on her free hand to hold its body together where it had split. Retsu closed her eyes in preparation for her next action; her mother had taught her this technique, though she had not had much occasion to use it.

Takahiro's hand rested on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? What is it you think you can do, anyway?"

Retsu paid him no mind, and began to whisper the incantation that she had committed to memory. A thin stream of power flowed through her, and she concentrated that stream through her fingertips. The glow around her hands was obvious even to her closed eyes, and she could sense the worm's body knitting together due to her efforts.

Smiling, she opened her eyes to confirm what her senses told her, and she let out an exclamation of delight when she saw that she was indeed successful. And it hadn't even been that difficult. Gingerly, she set the first worm down, and it burrowed beneath the ground.

She repeated the process with the other one. Another successful procedure, and her heart swelled with pride. She was actually rather good at this whole healing business.

Takahiro's voice came from above her; he must have stood sometime during her spellcasting. "I see Okaasama has been teaching you a few things. But seriously, Retsu, what's the big deal? They're worms. Why bother?"

Retsu looked up at him and blinked in confusion. "Well, why not? It must have been awful for them, being hurt like that. Why should I let that go on if I can stop it?"

Takahiro didn't seem to have an answer for this. He stared at her blankly for a moment before saying, "Whatever. Just come on, silly." He took hold of her arm and tugged her to her feet. "We ought to get cleaned up before Okaasama sees us."

Retsu shrugged and followed along without resistance. Even a possible scolding from their mother couldn't ruin her day now.