Family Time
Author Note: Update still feeling sick, but I at least wanna finish this chapter up, and yes for those wondering Rukia and Ichigo are developing/do have feelings for one another.
Lighting flashed over El Castillo, Rukia sat up as Yuzu and Karin stirred slightly. She kissed Yuzu's forehead gently. She was worried, her heart thumping in a way she never knew. Karin's words rang into her mind like a beating drum. {"Ichi...ichi-nii...loves you...I can tell...He feels you are like our okaa-san."} She thought about their mother, who she was, what she was like. Rukia also thought about their connections to the Ishdia's; she knew Ryūken was their uncle and likewise Uryū was their cousin. At that moment the named-glasses teen entered the room. He paused and relaxed upon seeing the small petite shinigami with the two twins.
"I apologize I was checking up on them." He said as he straightened his glasses, Rukia looked up and nodded. "It's fine…" She said as she trailed off, silence covered the room before Uryū spoke again "Do you want some tea?" Rukia nodded, as the two left the room they entered a break room, and a female arrancar presented them some tea, she seemed nervous around Rukia but blushed upon the sight of Uryū. She then left after the two thanked her, Rukia eyed Uryū for a few seconds before she spoke first. "So…how exactly are you related to the Kurosakis..I know their parents died in a car accident and Ichigo was killed by a drunk driver."
Uryū flinched slightly, but quickly recomposed himself, and Rukia felt like she stepped on the wrong foot. Uryū put down his tea cup and sighed before speaking "Their mother is related to my father…how I don't know I know she was the last of her clan…" he looked up and noticed Rukia was following along but looked confused as soon as he said "clan". He sighed and clarified "The Kurosaki's was a clan of quincies, their mother was the last, their father was a shinigami I believe a former Goeti-13 captain." Rukia gasped at that, {"S…s..so that's why.."} "That's why they have high spiritual pressure for a human." Uryū nodded slightly impressed at her percepticon though he didn't show it outwardly.
Rukia also blushed when images of Ichigo popped up in her mind, she shook her head but the blush deepened. Uryū blinked at that and took a sip of his tea "You know my cousin has feelings for you right?" Rukia choked on her tea and spit it out all over him, and coughed "W…w…w..w.. ?!" She stammered. Uryū pulled out a cloth and cleaned his glasses as he also wiped his face. Rukia tried to hide her face {"I'm a shinigami…he is a hollow…but do I love him?"} She then stood up and gripped her Zanpakutō, she bowed towards him before speaking. "Your right…I have feelings for Ichigo..I love him with my whole being and my whole soul…during my time with you guys you treated me more like a family than my adoptive relatives who treated me like a set piece. That's why…I have to stop this."
Ryūken leaned by the door, "You do know the Soul Society will execute you for this?" Rukia and Uryū jumped not expecting him to be there. "H..How long have you been there?!" Uryū demanded as he stood up, Ryūken just shrugged "For an hour or two." Rukia blushed at having her confession be heard, but then recomposed herself. "I'm well aware, but I promised Ichi…" She blushed at the use of the affectionate nickname and coughed into her hand. "I will investigate Aizen…Aizen has been acting weird in the past but nobody has ever brought anything against him. This is wrong on so many levels but now I must stop my brother and captain even if it means I'm gonna be arrested and/or executed." Ryūken nodded and allowed the short shinigami to leave, he watched her run out of the palace.
Back in the world of Living
Jūshirō was struggling against Tatsuki, the female arrancar proved stronger than he anticipated plus his illness was rapidly catching up to him slowing his movements down and forcing him on the defensive. "What's wrong? Slowing down!" Tatsuki taunted, Jūshirō just coughed heavily in response. {"We need reinforcements…I wonder how Captain Kuchiki is holding up…"}. At the same time Byakuya was flung through a power box on top of a nearby building. He could barely move nor stand as Ichigo marched over to him. Ichigo was beyond angry. First, some arrancar sent by Aizen should go up, and now two shinigami captains appeared, he was beyond furious.
He grabbed a broken pipe from off the ground and raised it over Byakuya who was fading in and out of consciousness. He prepared to strike only for a familiar voice to shout "Ichi Nooo!" and someone wrapping their tiny arms around his waist. He blinked and looked down to see Rukia hugging him from behind and crying softly. He dropped the pipe with an audible metallic clang as he was confused. "Please….anata…" Rukia blushed at the affectionate title she had used for Ichigo but it was true she loved him.
Byakuya sat straight up at that, his body ignoring the pain and he stared wide eyed at his adoptive sister. {"Did…she…just…"}. He stared in shock as his sister was hugging and holding the clawed hands of the Vasto lordes who had earlier beaten him to a bloody mashed pulp. Before he could speak Rukia noticed him and ran over to him and confirmed he was okay. She then sat down Indian style and sighed. "I know what you're thinking..nii-sama..But I love Ichigo…I know it's crazy but please stop and listen!" She raised her voice, cutting Byakuya off which surprised him but he remained silent.
"I know I messed up, I'm most likely going to be executed or arrested…." She was cut off by Ichigo roaring and thrashing about violently. Rukia placed a hand on his chest and she eyed his hollow hole as she teared up and stood up and caught both males off guard by kissing Ichigo affectionately on his mask. Rukia parted and sat back down and she noticed her brother was conflicted. She teared up as she already knew her punishment, but she promised and she was going to stick to that promise. "Ichi..can you get Tatsuki and Captain Ukitake? I will stay here with Nii-sama." Ichigo didn't move for a second. He didn't want to leave Rukia alone, he couldn't put his finger on it.
He reluctantly backed up, taking a glance from Rukia towards her brother, before vanishing in a quick burst of Sonído. Rukia took a longing glance where Ichigo was and bit on the tip of her finger. She sat down and she knew the look her brother was giving her he was disappointed she lowered her head but she wasn't upset. "You know…nii-sama, Ichigo…and his family treated me more like a family…" She gripped her shihakushō, Byakuya's eyes widened and he felt a tinge of guilt. Rukia prevented him from speaking with a wave of her hand. "Thank you for adopting me…really..but the truth is…I feel like a state piece…Yes I know Ichigo is a hollow, but he didn't have a choice he was killed by a drunk driver…he wanted to protect his sisters so that overpowered his hollow desires…he also became the former God King..of Hueco Mundo."
Byakuya took this all into stride and looked down as shame overtook him. {"Hisana…I..failed you…"}. "R..Rukia…" He said as the pain finally overcame him forcing him to lay down. Rukia looked at her brother, and he bit his lip, choosing his next words carefully. "Hisana…my wife…was your sister…she tried to find you…but she died before she could…." He paused to let this settle in. Rukia's eyes widened and she looked down "Is this…why you adopted me?" Byakuya nodded, and he reached for her and Rukia allowed him to hold her hand. "I…I'm sorry…I was trying to balance everything….I lost myself…I pushed you away…". Rukia shook her head and wiped her tears "It's okay…" She heard the clapping of thunder and saw Ichigo,a not so happy Tatsuki, and a beat up Jūshirō Ukitake.
Rukia jumped up and hugged Ichigo and rubbed her head into his chest. Tatsuki blinked and whistled with a grin. "About time eh midget?" She teased as Rukia buried her head into his chest with a visible blush. Jūshirō blinked in an extreme case of confusion as he looked at his fellow captain who looked like he was struggling to not lose his mind. "Captain…" Rukia, being as she pulled away from Ichigo, while holding his clawed hand. "Err…yess.." Jūshirō blinked as his eyes landed on her holding the hollows hands. "I need to tell you something important I already told Nii-sama." Jūshirō could just nod as everyone took a seat.
Few minutes later
Jūshirō just blinked once or twice, as Rukia sat in Ichigo's lap Tatsuki stood guard by the nighborhing skyscraper wall. Orihime had arrive viva by Descorrer thanks to Starrk, she got to work healing Byakuya and shocked the soul reapers by using her powers, she explained it was due to being exposed to Ichigo's reiatsu after he and Tatsuki saved her from a Hollow at school. Jūshirō blinked and sighed "S…so let me get this clarified Aizen is involved in a plot in which he helped a rival Vasto lordes overthrow Ichigo here." He pointed at Ichigo who looked up at the sound of his name being called. Rukia nodded "Yes…I couldn't believe it at first but considering his weird behavior…and the fact he sent an arrancar here the pieces of the puzzle are falling in place."
Byakuya remained quiet but just listened as Orihime continued healing him. Tatsuki looked around for a few moments and then sniffed the air. "I think that guy escaped…I smelled two other figures appearing." Jūshirō blinked and looked in the direction Tatsuki was sniffing and noted the two reiatsu signatures felt extremely familiar as they vanished. "That felt like Captains Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen…" Rukia's eyes widened and remembered something "I believe I also saw them meeting with Ichigo's rival." When her captain turned to her and gave her a questioning look.
Rukia explained "One of Ichigo's subordinates has an ability to show you his feelings and what he has seen." Jūshirō nodded, and Byakuya sat up slowly with the aid of Orihime, "Thank you…" He said slowly as he bowed his head towards her and she bowed back "No worries, just be careful." She chirped. Byakuya gave a look towards his sister, "What are we gonna do?" he asked his fellow captain who sighed. Jūshirō rubbed his chin. "We could say, Rukia is fine and well and the lack of communication was due to her Denreishinki being broken." Rukia perked up and sheepishly rubbed the back of head, as Tatsuki asked "Denreishinki? What the hell is that?" She sat on the ground with her hand resting on her knee.
Jūshirō pulled out his Denreishinki, Tatsuki made an "o" with her mouth and looked over at Rukia. "Isn't that your flip-phone that I blasted out of your hand?" Rukia nodded as her captain looked at her and blinked "Well..that settles that…" He said with a sweatdrop at not expecting her Denreishinki to actually be broken. Rukia held her head down as her captain placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry we will investigate Aizen, and don't worry about being punished." Ichigo growled slightly, and Rukia elbowed him in his chest. "Be nice…" She huffed and Ichigo rubbed her neck purring slightly.
Byakuya slowly approached the newly minted couple. Ichigo turned to look at the elder Kuchiki and didn't growl but his eyes glowed slightly. Byakuya stopped and kneeled down a short distance away. "Ichigo…" He said slowly, choosing his words. Ichigo perked up as Byakuya continued, "Please protect my sister…I'm not worthy of being her brother." Rukia looked up sadly but understood why his honor had been shattered and it was because of her. Byakuya then spoke to her "Rukia this isn't your fault…this is mine." Rukia hung onto every word and hugged him.
Byakuya allowed her to hug him and then pulled away and ruffled her hair and he and Jūshirō left via a Senkaimon gate. Ichigo held onto her hand and rubbed it with his clawed fingers, the tips capable of retracting at will. Tatsuki whistled and yawned "Can we leave now? Am tired and bored." Ichigo looked up at her and Orihime contacted Starrk to summon another Descorrer and the four left unaware of a mysterious figure watching them from the roof of the nearby building.