chapter i
She is a wild thing.
Byakuya thinks his grandfather has lost his mind in the depths of madness if he thinks that this—he looks her up and down, his critical gaze brushing against the dirt that blackened her feet and the healing scabs that litter her knees and elbows—child would fit into the refined noble house of Kuchiki.
Byakuya steps forward, she steps back. Legs apart in a defensive formation, fists twitching at her sides, liquid violet eyes singing of survival.
He knows that she would beat him senseless if the situation called for it and that doesn't sit well with him for two reasons.
He is a Kuchiki and she is a Rukongai brat, their social standing were painstakingly clear
and
ii. Byakuya has more spiritual pressure in his pinkie than the girl had in her entire body
He purposely fluctuates his reiastu to prove his point, the girl stance falters for a spilt second before she bares her teeth and moves forward—
"Easy Byakuya" Ginrei lays a hand on his grandson's shoulder, he looks to the girl and she swears they are twinkling with amusement, "That is no way to behave in front of our guest"
Her inquisitive eyes flicker back to the boy in front of her, who's lips twitch as he holds back from sulking. He is young, only a boy in his teens parading around to be a man, but she had to admit—begrudgingly so—that there was something about this boy. Perhaps it was the way his robes fell over his lean frame or how he held his shoulders or the aura of pride that followed him around like a friendly shadow.
"Who is she?" Byakuya turns to his grandfather, a spark of confusion clinging to his thunderstorm colored irises
Ginrei looks down at the small girl, who shifts closer to him, her small fingers reaching out and talking hold of his black robes—
A memory:
Rukia looks death in the eye as thunder sings a haunting song above her.
The hollow towers above her, it is a horrible thing with thick gray skin that contrasts with the starkness of it's white mask. One of its multiple limbs seek her out but Rukia—despite her small, seemingly breakable frame—isn't helpless, if she were she would have been dead a long time ago.
She ducks quickly, avoiding the large hand that aims to grab her. Run, her instincts wail at her, there was no point in fighting a battle she could not win.
Her only means of survival was to run to safety—
Rukia looks at the monster once more, hears it's terrible roar filling the sky and becoming one with the claps of thunder.
—Even that seems nearly impossible.
Rukia eyes the forest on her left, the thick tangle of branches and leaves would surely slow the monster down. Without a second thought, Rukia takes off; the raggedy ends of her robes whipping wildly against her pale thighs as she pushes her body to move.
She finds herself inside the dark forest, there is no such thing as light here. It is a place where only blackness lives.
Rukia can hear the ferocious thumping of the beast's footfalls behind her as she quickly maneuvers between the trees. Exhaustion molds her bones in iron and she can feel her speed dwindling the further she runs.
Don't look back, She thinks with an edge of hysteria clinging to the voice in her mind, Don't look back, don't look back, don't look—
Exhaustion is heavy but fear is immovable
Rukia turns her head every so slightly to gauge the distance between herself and the monster when one of it's various hands swipe at her sending her flying into a tree.
She hits the muddy ground with a groan, visions of white stars dancing behind her eyelids as pain echoes through her limbs. Rukia opens her eyes weakly, feeling the taste of copper on her tongue as she looks up to see the monster reaching down to grab her.
So this is death.
Rukia begs her body to move but she is paralyzed
Was it even worth it? All the years of fighting for her life in Hanging Dog, all the mornings she sat watching the sunrise with dreams of better days, all the time she spent trying her best to survive waiting for a sister that would never come back only to die alone.
She doesn't wish for a savior or peace.
Rukia wishes it to be over quickly.
The hand grabs her tightly, picking her up and bringing her to its mouth.
"Bakudō 61: Rikujōkōrō"
Rukia may have not wished for a savior but she got one.
A shinigami appears out of the black, he appears to be old but Rukia feels the tremble of power hiding beneath his calm persona. The monster sees him too and howls in anger, unable to break the six rods of ultra bright yellow light that keeps it captured.
Rukia feels her feet hit the soggy forest ground before she sees the deadly cascade of crimson that erupts from the creature before it dissolves into the air in billon black particles. She turns quickly to see the shinigami behind her, his white haori swaying against his shins as he looks down at her—
and smiles fondly, "I saved Rukia from a hollow during a standard sweep of the Rukongai"
There is understanding and confusion aligning Byakuya's features as he eyes the girl once more, he wants to know why his grandfather went on a mission and came back with an orphaned street rat from the Rukongai but he doesn't ask, knowing he would receive a scolding for such petulant behavior.
"The hollow was after Rukia because of her reiastu" Ginrei strokes his mustache thoughtfully, "Can you feel it Byakuya?"
He can, he can feel the steady hum of reiastu that coats Rukia's being. He initially thought that she didn't have an immense spiritual pressure but he was wrong.
There is something hungry that lurks beneath the surface of Rukia's skin, Byakuya feels it and wonders if a survivor like Rukia would ever cease to be starving.
"Rukia is going to be a shinigami" Ginrei declares suddenly, startling Byakuya from his thoughts, "When she comes of proper age I will allow her to enter the academy, until then she will stay with us in the manor"
"What will she do until then?" Byakuya inquires, he hopes his grandfather doesn't expect him to be some kind of babysitter, that would be unbecoming of a Kuchiki.
"I'm sure Rukia will find something to entertain herself" A smile twitches on the corner of Ginrei's mouth as he casts a sidelong glance at Rukia that makes her lips curl into a mischievous grin. Byakuya wants to roll his eyes, the girl and his grandfather are already thick as thieves…
wonderful.
-8-
Ginrei decides to bestow the wonderful gift of showing Rukia around the Kuchiki estate to Byakuya who accepts the task with well masked reluctance.
"This is the kitchens" Byakuya slides open the door and presents the room bustling with activity to Rukia who gapes at the scene with wide eyes. "Whenever you are hungry come here or ask a servant to prepare a dish for you"
"Whenever I'm hungry?" Rukia repeats full of astonishment, the prospect of never going hungry again—or at least never stealing food from a vendors cart sends a smile as bright as the sun on her mouth. Rukia could hardly wait to stuff herself full with the assortment of food that was promised.
Byakuya's eyes stray on her for a moment, he suddenly feels very guilty for being so aloof towards this child who has never known anything but struggle. "Come" He shuts the door and proceeds to walk down the corridor with Rukia by his side.
"Are you going to become a shinigami too?" Rukia suddenly asks, this child was full of question and a curiosity that would never be sated.
"Yes" Byakuya nods, pride laden on his tongue, "I will become a shinigami like my grandfather and father before me"
"Wow" Rukia muses, tapping her chin, "Are we going to go to the academy together?"
"No" Byakuya answers quickly, "This January I will enter the academy"
"Really?" Rukia blinks, "But you're not that much older than me"
"Yes I am" Byakuya replies indignantly, squaring his shoulders
Rukia looks apprehensive, "If you say so…"
"If we were humans you'd be six years old and I would be thirteen" Byakuya says
"Okay then" Rukia shrugs, realizing there was no point in arguing with him. Byakuya was definitely a child of pride, trying to prove a point with him was a mere waste of breath. "Oi, Byakuya…
"It's Byakuya-sama to you" He corrects her
"Byakuya…sama?" Rukia pauses before bursting out in a fit of laughter, she bends at the waist holding her stomach as she giggles, "You are such a…such a…snob!"
Byakuya's mouth falls open and his brow twitches in annoyance, "Excuse me?"
Rukia's laughter dies down as she straightens up, amusement glitters in her eyes like starlight, "I mean you no offense Byakuya-sama"
"You are mocking me" Byakuya feels his quick temper coil and rise, this brat is really…
"Me?" Rukia lays her palm flat against her chest, "I would never mock you Byakuya-sama"
Byakuya's eyes narrow as he steps forward, hands tightening to fists at his sides and he opens his mouth to say something biting when he realizes Rukia was merely pushing his buttons in attempt to get a rise out of him.
It was working frustratingly well.
"It appears that you are trying to make me angry" Byakuya grits out, if this brat is looking for a fight then a fight she would receive.
Rukia clasps her hands behind her back and blinks up at him innocently, jutting her bottom lip out, "Is it working?"
Byakuya steps forward, shoulders up, gray eyes aflame with irritation and he raises his hand—
Rukia feels a slight crawl of apprehension travel down her spine, He wouldn't hit me would he?
—And flicks her forehead, Rukia lets out a yelp of surprise and scrubs at the throbbing mark between her eyebrows to will the slight sting of pain away
"You big dumb jerk!" Rukia exclaims
A smirk curls on Byakuya's mouth as he crosses his arms, "You injure my pride, no one has called me a big dumb jerk before"
Rukia throws her leg back and gives Byakuya a swift kick to the shin, watching in satisfaction as Byakuya's jaw unhinges in shock and he bends down to nurse the blooming bruise on his leg, "You must be brave to lay a hand on the heir to the Kuchiki Clan!"
"You must be brave to lay a hand on me, Rukia from Hanging Dog!" Rukia replies haughtily
"That's not something you should be proud of" Byakuya shoots back with a sneer
"I'll show you something to be proud of!" Rukia calls back, raising her tiny fists in the air
Ginrei watches the two from afar, a look of exasperation aligning his features. He has never seen a child with such fire, he supposes Rukia never had a chance to be soft before, to let down her guard without the threat of a fight looming above her.
There are things we always carry with us, there are habits that we learn that we never let go of.
What we learn as children is the decisions we make as we grow older.
He looks to his grandson, a small smile laced with fondness curling on his lip. Byakuya has always had a short temper but he has never seen him become so unhinged before. It was equally parts humorous and surprising to see his grandson engage in a battle of wills with a child half his age.
For a moment, Ginrei looks at Rukia and thinks that he found her for a reason.
May he daresay it was destiny?
Perhaps, Ginrei thinks with a twinkle in his eye, perhaps he found Rukia for Byakuya.
author: all abroad this trash train whoo whoo