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chapter ii
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There is an uneasiness about her.
Rukia walks the corridors of the manor like a cat, mapping out the hallways in her mind, taking each step with the upmost caution as if she were stepping around shattered glass.
There is a part of Rukia that thinks that she won't last long here, that Ginrei-sama would tire of her and send her back where she came from. In all honesty it wouldn't surprise her, life had dealt Rukia an abundance of bad cards what's one more to add to her collection.
There is a song in her heart, buried underneath layers of shimmering fantasies and dreams, that warns her one day she will leave the Kuchiki manor.
Rukia stares out into the gardens, the lush forestry resembling a beautiful watercolor painting, only real on paper. A frown pulls at the edges of her lips as she relishes the sweet air that brushes her inky locks from her shoulders.
From afar Ginrei watches the newest addition to the Kuchiki estate, a feeling of concern edges it's way into the center of his thoughts.
Rukia is a unique child, The old man thinks, her heart is so terribly big, she has so much love to give and she does so without a single speck of hesitation or fear. Rukia has this unexplainable presence, this way about her that makes you want to love her endlessly.
Despite this all, there is a sadness to her. There is a weight on her shoulders and Ginrei wonders if the burdens she carries will ever be lifted.
He takes a step forward, joining her with a gentle nod, "Good morning Rukia"
She turns to look at him with a smile bright and blinding on her delicate face, "Good morning Ginrei-sama"
"I have something for you" Ginrei reaches in his robes
"Ginrei-sama!" Rukia begins to protest, "You've already given me enough!"
Ginrei smiles slightly and hands Rukia a book, she looks down at the novel with curiosity swelling in her liquid violet eyes, "This is a collection of old folktales that I found in my study, perhaps you would enjoy reading it"
Rukia trails her fingers down its leather spine, feeling the smooth material beneath her fingertips as she traces the golden inscribed title.
"It was Byakuya's favorite book until he swore that he was too old for folktales and things of that nature" Ginrei reminisces with a smile, "See how the edges are worn, he used to bury his nose inside this book all the time. Rereading the stories until he had the memorized. I gave it to him when he was around you're age"
"Thank you Ginrei-sama" Rukia bows, book tucked safely beneath her arm.
"You're welcome Rukia" Ginrei nods before turning away, Rukia watches him go with a whisper of happiness in her heart. However as she looks down at the beautiful novel once more, Rukia feels the bitter swell of uncertainty.
How could she tell Ginrei-sama that she didn't know how to read?
It is far too embarrassing and shameful to admit aloud, especially since Ginrei seemed so pleased to give her the book. Rukia opens it, eyes scanning the pages praying for any inkling, any clue to tell her what the words say.
In the Rukongai, there was no need to learn how to read nor were there anyone around to teach an orphan the skill. Rukia had been to busy fighting for a blanket, or some clean water to try to learn.
Now Rukia was in a place where surely everyone knew how to read. Yet again, she felt the stirrings of loneliness crawl through her bloodstream. No matter how hard she tried, she would never be like anyone else in the Seireitei.
There was too much fire in her blood for it.
However, Rukia presses the book to her chest tightly, that didn't mean she shouldn't try.
-8-
"Oi Byakuya!"
Byakuya turns his head to the sound of his own name, brows furrowed and jaw clenched when he sees Rukia trotting toward him with a smile so large he can spot it from across the garden.
Despite Ginrei's scoldings not do, Byakuya rolls his eyes.
She plops down next to him with an unrecognizable gleam shimmering in her eyes, she scoots closer to him and Byakuya finds himself shying away with one thin brow lifted, "What do you want?"
"I'm just enjoying your company" Rukia replies with a grin
"No really" Byakuya blinks, unamused, "What you want?"
"Well" Rukia shifts, toying with a loose thread on her yukata, "I need a favor"
"No"
Rukia's mouth falls opens, "You don't even know what I'm going to ask you"
Byakuya turns to stare at Rukia, who in turns juts out her bottom lip and bats her eyelashes, "What are you doing?"
"Trying to convince you" Rukia holds her pouty expression, "Is it working?"
"What do you think?" Byakuya deadpans
Rukia pulls out her book and lays it flat on her lap, she glances up at Byakuya determinedly, "I need you to teach me how to read"
Byakuya blinks, surprise painting his features. He looks down at the book in her lap and reaches for it, Byakuya flips through the pages with a ghost of a smile tugging on his lips, "This was my book"
Rukia nods eagerly, "Ginrei-sama told me that you stopped reading it because you think you're too old for it"
"I am too old for it" Byakuya insists
"Sure" Rukia smiles sarcastically before taking the book from his deft fingers, "So are you gonna help me or what?"
"I'll be no good as a teacher" Byakuya shakes his head, "Ask Ojii-sama for a tutor"
Rukia looks crestfallen, "Oh"
Byakuya senses her dejection and gives a slight sigh, "I can teach you the basics, and then we can go from there"
"Really?" Rukia asks excitedly, Byakuya gives a nod as he grabs the book back, "Thank you Byakuya!"
Byakuya coughs awkwardly before opening the book, "This myth was my Okaa-sama," He murmurs softly, lost in a memory of a mother once alive.
Rukia's eyes stray on Byakuya's face, something twisting at her heart. You know suffering too, don't you Byakuya? Despite having everything you could ever need at your fingertips, you still have broken pieces. I thought that all we have are our differences, but maybe there is more to both of us than I thought.
She leans into Byakuya, gaze locked on the ivory pages, "What's it about?"
"It's a Greek myth from the world of the living" Byakuya replies, "It's the story of Orpheus and Eurydice"
He thumbs at the pages thoughtfully, "It's a tragic tale of lost love"
Rukia frowns, "I don't like sad stories"
"That's because you're just a child" Byakuya explains, "When you're older you learn to appreciate sad stories"
Rukia wrinkles her nose, "Not me, stories with happy endings will always be the best kind for me"
"Come" Byakuya pulls himself up from the ground and offers a hand to Rukia, "Let's go inside, I'll begin teaching you in my study"
Rukia grabs his hand and is effortlessly pulled from the ground, she wipes away any dirt from her yukata, "I'm gonna be the best student ever"
Byakuya turns to her with a smirk pulling on his lips, it's the cruelest Rukia has ever saw him, "Good, because I'm going to be a very strict teacher"
-8-
In the forest, no one can hear you scream.
Her zanpakuto falls from her limp fingers, hitting the ground with a muted thud as she staggers forward. Her long purple hair curtains her face as she bows her head, hot tears spilling down her hollowed cheeks.
"Enough" She mumbles, her voices trembles, "Enough, enough, enough"
She wraps her arms around herself, seeking comfort in her own skin as bones rattle. Has it been months—or possibly years? She couldn't tell anymore, time has become meaningless, her nightmares are the only things that exist now.
Night after night since that fateful day of facing an unknown hollow in a forest in the Rukongai, she had been experiencing violent, vivid nightmares. Most nights, she woke up drenched in sweat, heart hammering at her ribcage, eyes wide, and breath shallow. She couldn't escape the fear that her nighttime terrors ignited in her cells, she couldn't function anymore, couldn't live without the memory of her nightmares painting her mind a black canvas of fear.
"I can't take it anymore" She states aloud, hysteria clinging to her voice, "I can't, I can't, I can't"
"I knew you would come back for me" A low voice echoes around her, wrapping itself around her limbs and squeezing tightly, "Everyone does"
"You did this didn't you?" She cries out, "You put these nightmares in my head!"
A condescending laugh fills her ears, "It is my specialty"
"Make it stop" She demands, covering her ears with her palms, "I need it to stop!"
"I can make it stop" He taunts, he sounds near but so faraway at the same time, "For a price"
She collapses, her knees digging into the soft earth, and she hunches over, "I'll give you anything!"
"So be it" He whispers with a crackle of excitement in his voice, from the black of the forest a hand reaches out. The shinigami doesn't struggle as long, skeletal like fingers wraps around her body and brings her forward.
"Your soul" He inhales deeply, "Smells delicious, I will savor you shinigami"
She doesn't scream, or writhe in his grip, instead she closes her eyes.
Finally, finally she is at peace.
-8-
Rukia is happily perched on a branch of the tallest tree in the Kuchiki gardens, she leans back against the tree and stretches out her little limbs with a satisfied smile. There was something about climbing trees that made Rukia feel so safe, she was untouchable when she was this high up with the world below her feet.
"Rukia!"
Her eyes slid open and she looks down to see Byakuya underneath the shade of the tree. A mischievous smile curls on her lips as she grabs a large walnut off the branches. She tosses it in her hand experimentally before glancing down at Byakuya once more.
Does she dare?
Rukia throws the walnut, aiming for Byakuya's head and she watches in anticipation as it zips through the air, heading straight for its intended target when—
"What a show off" Rukia scoffs
—Byakuya reaches up with inhuman speed and grabs the nut in his hand right before it was supposed to hit him.
He looks up with a holier-than-thou expression aligning his features, "You'll have to try better than that"
"Don't challenge me" Rukia replies smartly before easily climbing down and landing in front of Byakuya, her feet hitting the ground with soft thump.
Byakuya rolls his eyes—a habit that he's frequented since Rukia's arrival—and leans forward, lessening the distance between the two of them. Rukia's eyes grow wide and she, in response, leans back.
"If you ever try that again" Byakuya whispers dangerously, "I'll end you"
Rukia makes a face, "Try it then"
"Don't challenge me" Byakuya mocks her earlier words, a smirk teasing his lips
Rukia huffs, blowing her bangs away from her face, only for the wisp of hair to fall back right between her eyes again. Sometimes she wanted to hit him in his pretentious, snotty face —although a small, quiet voice inside her politely reminded her that Kuchiki Byakuya was very, very strong and it be horrendously dangerous to try to lay a finger on him.
(Rukia often chooses not to listen to that stupid, doubting voice anyway)
She crosses her arms over her chest and tilts in chin, a whisper of defiance on her soft features, "What do you want for me anyway?"
"Well" Byakuya squares his shoulders, "I was attempting to be civil—
"Oh really?" Rukia interrupts with a quirked brow
Byakuya shoots her a glare, this brat really knew how to push his buttons, "You're the one who tried to attack me"
"By throwing a walnut at you?" Rukia scoffs, "I bet you felt so threatened"
Byakuya sees red, for some ungodly reason Rukia was blessed with the ability to find right words to really piss him off. Despite only knowing each other for little over two weeks, Rukia had tactically memorized every pet peeve Byakuya possessed and chose to utilize them at just the right time to get him especially fired up.
However, Byakuya wasn't one to be taken down by a brat from the 78th.
"You would do well to learn some manners" Byakuya clicks his tongue, "I'm afraid now I can't tell you what Ojii-sama said"
Rukia narrows her eyes, "What did Ginrei-sama say?"
She was met with silence.
"Oi Byakuya" She grabs his arm and pulls, "What did Ginrei-sama say? Was it something about me?"
Again, there were no words that left Byakuya's mouth.
"Byakuya!" Rukia huffs, "You have to tell me what Ginrei-sama said!"
"I apologize" Byakuya turns to her, "Were you saying something to me?"
Rukia's mouth falls open in disbelief, "You can't be serious"
"Then apologize" Byakuya goads her with a devious expression painting his aristocratic features
"For what?" Rukia says incredulously
"For being a brat" Byakuya replies
"I'll apologize for being a brat" Rukia stabs a finger in his direction, "When you apologize for being a snob"
"Fine then" Byakuya shrugs nonchalantly, "I guess you'll never know what Ojii-sama told me to tell you"
Rukia frowns, nose wrinkled, eyes ablaze with annoyance, "Fine!" She throws her hands up in the air in defeat, "I apologize for being a brat, now tell me what Ginrei-sama said!"
"I need a sincere apology"
"You're asking too much"
"I guess you'll never know then"
Rukia paused before bowing, "I sincerely apologize for being a brat, I hope Byakuya-sama will find it in his cold, dead heart to forgive me"
"I'm not quite keen on the last part, but I'll excuse it this time" Byakuya replies
"Okay, you got your stupid apology now tell me what Ginrei-sama told you" Rukia demands
"Ojii-sama told me—very urgently I might add" Byakuya waits a few seconds to build up the suspense, "…That dinner will be served shortly"
Rukia's eyes grow wide, and she throws up a fist in anger, "Damn you Kuchiki Byakuya!"
-8-
Kuchiki Soujun—after weeks of being on a long expedition in the Rukongai forest—was able to return home for a brief moment before he is to return to Squad Six's barracks and complete the necessary paperwork.
To his upmost surprise, he learns that his father Kuchiki Ginrei—the most disciplined, prudent man who has graced the face of the Soul Society—has brought in an orphan from the 78th district.
To say it was out of character would be an understatement.
Soujun casts a glance over Rukia's direction, watching as she struggles to maintain proper posture whilst fiddling with her chopsticks at the same time. She nudges Byakuya with her elbow and shoots him a look of distress. With a sigh, his son shows his smaller companion how to properly hold the chopsticks while keeping his back ramrod straight.
Soujun watches the innocent interaction with a smile playing on his lips.
"Soujun" Ginrei addresses his son in his low baritone, "How was your expedition?"
"It went well Otou-sama" Soujun replies gently, "It was many of our new members' first hollow expedition, they performed quite admirably"
Ginrei nods, "Indeed"
"There is also reports of a dangerous hollow with special abilities terrorizing the forests" Soujun adds solemnly, "Last night it took it's first shinigami victim"
"What special abilities does this hollow possess?" Ginrei inquires
"We're not quite sure" Soujun replies after taking a sip of his tea, "It somehow has the capability to lure victims to death without any signs of struggle"
"I see" Ginrei squares his shoulders, "I'm sure I will receive more information tomorrow at the captain's meeting"
Soujun nods in agreement before resuming his meal, Rukia looks down as well after eavesdropping on their entire conversation, feeling embarrassed for listening on such a formal conversation.
It is strange, Rukia thinks, three generations of pure Kuchiki nobility and one orphan from Hanging Dog all sitting together enjoying dinner together.
She glances up at Soujun once more before averting her gaze to Byakuya who was tucking into his udon.
Byakuya was everything and nothing like his father.
Soujun looks like he has never risen his voice in anger once in his life, he had the expression of a man who would never be cross or feel the hot burn of anger in his throat. Byakuya once told her that Soujun fell ill often, and looking at him now Rukia believes it.
His son, however, was his opposite in that sense. Byakuya held fire in his heart and a thirst to be perfect that was almost overwhelming (although he'd never show it). There was something about Byakuya that was magnetic like you had to be somebody in order to be in his presence, like you had to be worthy to stand at his side. Byakuya held his shoulders high, and tilted his chin ever higher. Sometimes Rukia felt as if she were a mere inconvenience in his life, like as soon as he could, he would himself of her forever.
It was a frightening thought, but Rukia chose not to ponder heavily upon it.
Physically, Byakuya was entirely his father's son. The two of them shared the same long face, straight aristocratic nose, strong jawline. Byakuya's hair was longer, adding youthfulness into his chiseled features whilst Soujun's hair was cropped short just passed his jaw, defining the sharpness of his cheeks.
And there were their eyes.
Soujun's gray irises looks like the sky after a light drizzle, light blue with a gray sheen hiding the vividness of the blue underneath. They were gentle, there was a perpetual gleam of kindness twinkling in them. And Byakuya, Byakuya had eyes like a thunderstorm, dark gray eyes that flashed with danger and pride, eyes of a man who is strong and willful and so painfully rooted in his beliefs.
If Rukia had a mother, she would warn Rukia about men with eyes like that.
Because men who had eyes of thunderstorms were men who could tear you apart.
author: y'all are truly the loves of my life, thank you so much for reading and review the last chapter. I'm sorry not much happened in this chapter but i'm trying to start the groundwork for the rest of the story. I promise the next chapter will be more eventful and cute (*wink wink cough byaruki moment cough cough*)