The first time Renji saw Rukia, he thought she was a spoiled, immature brat who wouldn't know hardship if it kicked her in the face.
Everyone knew who Yukimura Rukia was. Sister of the famed Angel of Inuzuri. Renji doubted there was a single soul in Inuzuri who didn't recognize her face.
He'd first bumped into her in the marketplace. It was kind of hard to miss her actually, given that she was dressed in a bright pink kimono with matching ribbons in her hair.
"C'mon, Kaori-nee-san!" She cried out, pulling along a bored looking woman. Rukia stopped in front of a vegetable stand and pulled out a bundle of carrots, eying it inquisitively. She then stared up earnestly at the older girl.
"Kaori-nee-san, rabbits like carrots, right? They do in the stories nee-chan tells me."
"They sure do, Rukia-chan," the shopkeeper said warmly. This was the same shopkeeper who'd kicked Renji and his friends out with a broom when they'd merely wanted to look around. "While you're at it, how about some arugula too? Rabbits love that stuff. Be sure not to feed them too much, though." Rukia hesitated for a moment, then nodded decisively. "Alright. I want my pets to be happy, after all."
Pets. Yukimura Rukia had pets. Renji could barely afford half a carrot, and Yukimura Rukia was debating over what food to get her stupid rabbits. Yukimura Rukia's PETS ate better than Renji did. He still couldn't get over that.
Renji turned and walked away, kicking absentmindedly at a rock. As he left, he heard Rukia whisper—loudly—to her 'Kaori-nee-san'.
"That redheaded kid's hair is weird. Why is it shaped like a pineapple?"
Renji's next kick sent the rock skidding halfway down the street.
The second time Renji saw Rukia, he considered that maybe she wasn't actually that bad. Tolerable, at least. Still seemed pretty annoying though.
"C'mon! He's catchin' up!" Naraku—at least that's what Renji thought the guy's name was, they'd only met today—screeched, looking behind him in panic. Indeed, the angry yells of the shopkeeper and the sound of his footsteps were getting louder. Fantastic. Even better, Goto-san was known for being…harsh with thieves. Normally Renji wouldn't have a problem outrunning him, but he hadn't eaten in days (and really, what was the fatty so pissed about anyway, it's not like he got hungry) and his side still hurt from being kicked in the ribs by an angry gang member and…
He tripped.
Naraku glanced at him as he stumbled forward before shaking his head and continuing to run. Before he could get up, Renji felt a large, meaty hand lifting him up by his neck. He choked, the hand tightening around his throat and cutting his air off.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Goto asked mockingly. An ugly sneer crossed his face. "Yet another dirty thieving rat. Waste of air and space, if you ask me. How 'bout I teach ya a lesson, huh? So that you don't go around robbing decent folk." Renji would have retorted something about how Goto, who sold his goods at overpriced rates to anyone he didn't like and spent all his money on drugs was hardly 'decent folk' but despite how shitty his life was, Renji wasn't suicidal. Plus, he was struggling hard enough to breathe as it was. Better to just take the beating and get on with life—Goto was brutal, yes, but he also got bored quickly.
A sadistic grin crossed Goto's face and he drew back his other fist. No one would step in and save him, Renji knew. There were only a handful of decent adults in Inuzuri, and even fewer adults who'd step up for a no-name, penniless thief. Renji closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain.
"Goto-san?" A childish voice asked. "Whatcha doin'?"
Both Renji and Tanaka whirled around to see a small girl looking at them, head cocked curiously to the side. Yukimura Rukia. Renji closed his eyes. Of course it had to be her.
"Ah, Rukia-chan!" Goto's grip on Renji suddenly loosened, although it was still tight enough that Renji couldn't make a run for it. "What are you doin' here?" A trace of nervousness entered his features. "Is your sister around?"
Rukia smiled sweetly. "Nee-chan sent me to get some ingredients for tonight's dinner. She said that you had the best stuff in all of Inuzuri."
Goto relaxed, suddenly all smiles now that he realized Sensei wasn't around. Renji could understand the sentiment. Annoying Yukimura Hisana was right up there on the list of 'stupid things you do not want to do', right behind 'challenging a shinigami to a fight' and before 'going out to the forest alone'. As someone who was rather infamously overprotective of her younger sister, it was understandable that Goto wouldn't want to be caught threatening a kid in front of Rukia with Hisana nearby.
"She said that? Well, let no one say that your sister doesn't have great taste!" Goto beamed, puffing up proudly. "Of course, I would expect nothing less from Sensei." Renji almost gagged. An almost imperceptible hint of distaste entered Rukia's expression.
"Of course, if you're busy…" She trailed off, looking towards Renji meaningfully. Goto dropped him as if burned, and Renji scrambled to stand up.
"What? No, no, of course not! I was just teaching this brat here a lesson. Forget about him. Right, now I just got a new shipment of flour waiting back at the store that I've been saving especially for your sister. Pure white, none of that grainy stuff. She'll love it, I promise you…" Just before they left, Rukia caught Renji's eye and winked.
Renji flushed, scowling. Great. Now he owed her.
The first time Renji actually met Rukia was two weeks later.
"Hurry, hurry!" He hissed at Tamaki, who'd arrived in the afterlife about two years ago.
"We're gonna get caught," Tamaki wailed.
"If you don't shut the fuck up, we will," Renji growled, looking around nervously. It was three in the morning so no one was around, but even so…
"Hurry up and paint!"
They were in front of Goto's shop. A couple days ago, one of the other kids had come by a can of black paint. Renji's suggestion had been to use it to vandalize Goto's shop after he closed for the night. Since it was his idea, and since Renji was the only one who could draw even halfway decently, everyone had unanimously voted that Renji be the one to do it. Tamaki was voted since he was the only one of them who could write.
"I can't believe we're doing this. Goto's sleeping upstairs—how is he NOT going to wake up from this?"
At that moment, as if to prove his words, the front door creaked. Both Renji and Tamaki froze in fear. Renji was just about to make a run for it when it opened to reveal one familiar figure with short black hair and wide violet eyes.
For a moment, the three kids just stared at each other in shock. Rukia's eyes drifted to the dripping paintbrush in Renji's hand and her lips quirked up.
"Not bad…was it you who drew the four foot tall penis on the wall?" She asked conversationally.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Renji hissed. At his question, Rukia scowled.
"Stupid idiot keeps on hitting on nee-chan…I had to pay him back somehow." She grinned mischievously, waving an empty cage in the air. "Bastard's terrified of mice. Took me forever for me to collect enough, but it'll be so, so, worth it-"
At that moment, an earsplitting shriek shattered the relative silence. Seconds later, thundering footsteps could be heard from inside the house.
"Well, that was sooner than I expected," Rukia muttered. The three of them stared at each other for a second, before bolting. Somehow Rukia and Renji ended up running in the same direction.
"You brats! Set a bunch of vermin free in my house, will you? Vandalize my property? I'll kill you!" Goto shouted, voice hoarse with anger.
"Shit. He's coming closer," Rukia muttered.
"This way." Renji grabbed Rukia's arm and yanked her down a narrow alleyway. After a quick glance backwards to make sure she was still behind him, Renji lead her down three more streets, cutting through yards and behind houses before finally stopping in an abandoned house. Both of them doubled over, breathing hard.
"I—I think we l-lost him," Rukia gasped out. The two of them looked at each other for a second before collapsing into laughter.
"Di-Didja see his face?" Rukia choked out between giggles. Renji had only seen a glimpse of it before he'd turned the corner, but the sight of Goto's face, purpled with anger with veins bulging on his forehead…
"Priceless," Renji agreed, clutching his ribs.
"Thanks, you know. If you weren't there, I'd be dead meat for sure," Rukia said after calming down a bit. "He'd have caught me, and then reported me, and then nee-chan woulda killed me for sneaking out." She paused for a moment, considering Renji speculatively. "You were pretty cool back there—you knew exactly where to hide!" Renji shrugged, unable to keep from smiling. Not that it was that special—you tended to learn where the best escape routes were when your survival depended on your ability to get away—but still, Renji couldn't stop the warm glow of pride from swelling in his chest.
"No problem. You were pretty cool too—that thing with the mice was genius. How did you even get in?"
"Kaori-nee-san taught me. Picking that lock? Easy-peasy." Rukia grinned at him before straightening up and dusting off her yukata. "You know, it's weird. I've seen you around a couple times but I've never officially met you yet." Rukia dipped into a theatrical bow. "Yukimura Rukia, professional prankster and all-around awesome person, at your service."
Renji laughed, still a bit giddy after their recent close call. "Abarai Renji, vandalism artist and sneaky ninja thief of the night. At yours."
It was the start of a beautiful friendship.