Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!
Alright, here's the seventh chapter! I hope you enjoy it very much. I am soooo sorry to keep you waiting (again) but yeah...SORRY again! I dunno what else to say. Oh! Thank you for your kind reviews! They mean a lot. Haha!
Enjoy!
Wheel of the World
Chapter Seven: Flower on the Precipice
Icy eyes widened, unblinking, never moving from the scene in front of him.
"Hitsu...gaya..."
Rukia's scared voice was the only thing he could concentrate on, the only thing that was absorbing him. That, and the widening of her frightened eyes, her stiff stance at the mercy of the hollow behind her. Hitsugaya felt a rage that was unlike him and a protectiveness that he felt with only his closest friends. He popped the Soul Candy into his mouth and his gigai jumped away, while his shinigami form posed, ready for a fight, ready to protect this valuable asset to the Soul Society.
Despite being scared out of her wits, Rukia watched in awe as the change happened. She had never seen anything like that in her life, and it was quite amazing to her. The shinigami version of the short boy seemed to be pulled from his gigai body in a swift motion due to the candy he had popped in his mouth. Rukia was so dumbfounded by it, she almost forgot about the deadly hollow standing so close to her.
Hitsugaya's eyes scanned the situation. The hollow was hungry, obviously, and would probably by cocky enough to think that he could attack him before finishing off Rukia. The white haired shinigami had no such plans. He smirked and drew his sword, "Hyorinmaru!"
Immediately, Rukia felt an extremely cold chill envelop her and the surrounding area as the ice zanpakutou was drawn by its equally icy wielder. She could even see where her breath misted in the air in front of her. Goosebumps formed on her pale skin.
The hollow chuckled, "Mm, it's been a while since I've smelled a soul as delectable as yours." He reached out a bony finger and stroked her cheek gently, but the point of the skeletal appendage made a scratch down her porcelain face.
Rukia winced as she felt the red liquid trickle down her cheek and stain the collar of her school uniform.
Hitsugaya flashed Hyorinmaru and jumped toward the hollow. In mid air, the hollow addressed him, "Well, I see you're not going to make this easy." He scoffed, clearly underestimating the shinigami's strength. He then focused the eyeless sockets of his mask to Rukia, "I'll deal with you later."
And with a swift movement, the hollow smacked Rukia so hard that she flew across the street, slamming into the hard wall of a building. "AH!" She cried out in pain as her back connected with the concrete. Blood flowed from many open gashes and wounds on the Kuchiki's body, staining the building and the sidewalk with the crimson fluid.
"Kuchiki!" Hitsugaya bellowed, shocked and disappointed that he couldn't have done anything. He was still in the air, barrelling toward the hollow. His icy gaze was lit up, it seems, by thousands of flames, "You're dead, hollow!"
Before his sword could give the first strike, Matsumoto appeared in a flash of shunpo, "Taichou, what happened?"
"Get Kuchiki out of here!"
The strawberry blonde looked puzzled, "What?"
"The hollow injured Rukia!" Hitsugaya didn't seem to notice that he said the girl's first name, "She's losing too much blood; we need to get her out of here and to Hinamori. Now!"
Matsumoto looked at him with understanding eyes, "Yes, taichou."
And, unlike him, she did notice that he called her by her first name.
The female shinigami did only two shunpo, taking her over to where the bloody Kuchiki lay. Her eyes scanned the extent of her wounds. A terrible gash, about the length of her back, was open and soaking everything with blood. Her legs and arms were tattered with cuts and scrapes. The cut on her cheek was dripping blood at a steady pace. Yet, Rukia still was conscious, looking at Hitsugaya, but her eyes cut to Matsumoto when she suddenly appeared. "Matsu...moto..." She managed to say before coughing up what looked like more blood.
The busty woman lifted Rukia's lithe frame into her arms and bolted.
"Matsu...moto..." Rukia trailed off.
"Yes, Rukia?" Matsumoto didn't meat Rukia's concerned, weak eyes as she shunpoed.
"Don't leave Hitsugaya...by...himself..." She pleaded, looking at her with a look Matsumoto could only identify with guilt. "It...was my...fault..."
"What?"
"I...thought I sensed something...but...I didn't...say anything...and..." Rukia could barely get her words out, "...and I let...this happen."
"You're not making any sense." Matsumoto said curtly, worried, "It wasn't your fault. If taichou couldn't sense it, then I doubt - "
"I was talking to Hitsugaya...and it...was a distraction..."
"Rukia, no it wasn't," Matsumoto insisted, looking down at her. She looked so fragile, like a porcelain doll, "And I'm sure Hitsugaya-taichou wouldn't see it as that. So don't you worry. Just concentrate on hanging on until I get you to your house."
Hanging on? Rukia thought, Are my injuries that bad?
She knew she lost a lot of blood. So much so it was staining the blonde shinigami's robes with crimson all across the front and down her legs. She was feeling dizzy and weak, but thanks to the steady aura of Matsumoto's spiritual pressure, she was maintaining consciousness. It seemed to make her feel better, though Rukia couldn't help but feel guilty at her own foolishness. She knew she had sensed something, but...but...
Rukia coughed up blood once more, making Matsumoto curse underneath her breath with a hinge of desperation, "Dammit..."
Suddenly, Matsumoto came to a hault, and it caused Rukia's head to go into a whirl.
"Rukia! What happened to Rukia?"
Ishida...
Matsumoto looked at the Quincy, "Hollow attack. Hitsugaya-taichou is taking care of it right now..." The blonde trailed off, looking from the bundle in her arms up to the bespectacled man. "Ishida...do you think you could take Rukia to her house? Tell Hinamori what happened. She's the most proficient in kido and healing techniques among us. She can help Rukia get better..."
The navy blue orbs of the dark haired man looked with sympathy and pain at the crumpled, bloodied form of Rukia, protectively hugged against Matsumoto's bosom.
"Sure." Ishida said with steely determination. Rukia was hurt, and as far as he was concerned, nothing else mattered than keeping her safe and healing her.
Rukia felt herself being passed from Matsumoto's soft form to Ishida's hard, muscled chest. She realized idly that his arms were much more toned than she had ever given him credit for. Despite herself, she felt heat rush to her cheeks.
And Ishida ran.
The raven haired man held her close to his chest, a little too close, for he felt Rukia wince, "I'm sorry," Ishida said apologetically, biting the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood.
"It's...fine..." Rukia said, smiling weakly. Her jewellike orbs widened marginally, "Don't worry...Uryu..."
His heart stopped. Must've been the blood loss - he was hallucinating for sure. Kuchiki Rukia just called him by his first name for the first time since they became friends.
Memories flooded his subconsciousness. For a moment, he was swept back to the first time they met as kids. Nostalgia pricked him like the thorn of a rose in his side as he felt Rukia's ragged breathing against his ribcage.
"I'm Rukia! Kuchiki Rukia! Why are you by yourself?"
"I...they pick on me..."
"Oi, that's just because they're jealous! You look smart, so that's most likely why!"
"I look...smart?"
"Of course! You're wearing glasses, so you must be pretty smart!"
He laughed, and she joined in.
"If anyone picks on ya, I'll get 'em for ya! Don't you worry! I know karate!"
He smiled and she returned the gesture, "I think I'll be alright. I have ways of defending myself." She had no idea, of course, that his spirit energy was as high as it was.
"But, just in case, wanna be friends? I'm new here and I don't really have many friends..." She was grasping at straws, desperately wanting a friend.
"Sure!" Young Ishida's voice was bright with excitement as he answered.
"What's your name?"
"Ishida Uryu."
"Ishida-kun!"
"Just Ishida, please."
Rukia smiled, the dimples in her cheeks showing, "Hai!"
Ishida smiled back.
"I think we're gonna be great friends, Ishida!"
His navy blue eyes were soft when he answered.
"Yes...me too."
As Ishida ran, he felt the quiet surge of desperation that came whenever Rukia was in trouble or in danger or if anything was harming her in any way, shape, or form. His heart thudded heavily in his chest as he felt Rukia groan and move in to him closer, her pale fingers, caked with blood, grasping onto his white shirt. The shirt that was becoming stained with her blood. He felt himself grow pale with worry as he realized just how badly she was injured and his pace quickened.
"Ishida..."
He cast his eyes downward to meet the crown of her head. Her violet orbs were dark with worry, "Don't look like that...I hate it when you look like that, Ishida."
The Quincy scoffed lightly, jokingly, "Well, I see you're back to calling me Ishida, now."
"Ne? Oh...I'm sorry. The name...slipped."
"Don't apologize. I don't care what you call me." Ishida said, his tone desperate.
"But you said...when we met...to call you Ishida."
She took it too literally. He smiled. "Call me whatever you want."
"...Mr. Sillypants?"
Ishida laughed roughly, the desperation still not leaving him, "Wrong time to joke, Rukia."
"...sorry..."
He cradled her as tight as he could without harming her, and dipped his head to meet the crown of hers. His lips barely brushed the flesh there, where her raven hair met her pale skin, "You never need to apologize..." He whispered, causing involuntary shivers to go down Rukia's spine.
And he ran with her like that, as if holding her like this was what was going to save her, when it really wasn't. It was actually going to be Hinamori's healing techniques. Shinigami healing techniques.
He, a Quincy, was relinquishing control to a bunch of shinigami - he thought the word with venom - to care and protect and heal the girl he cared so much about.
The girl he...loved.
He thought the word fleetingly. He had known he felt that way about Rukia for a very long time, and he didn't need to dwell on it, not when Rukia was so close to...to...
He shook his head, ebony strands flying into his sight just as he turned the corner to arrive at Rukia's house. Finally! He thought with relief as he opened the door to find the three other Soul Reapers in her house, casually talking and eating at the kitchen table. "OI!" He shouted, his voice louder than usual with distress. "Hey! Hinamori, right?" He looked at the bun-wearing girl with worried eyes.
Hinamori spoke up quietly, somewhat intimidated by the intensity of the navy eyed man, "Y-Yes..." But all the hesitance vanished as she laid eyes on the broke Kuchiki in his arms, "Rukia!"
"Yeah," Ishida acknowledged as he stomped into the living room, "Come here, will ya!"
Hinamori, followed by Ichigo and Renji, walked swiftly, following Ishida's almost inhuman grace, "Wh-What happened?"
"Hollow attack." Ishida said callously, looking from the brown eyed girl to her orange and red haired partners. "Matsumoto said you're the most proficient in kido and healing...and she told me to come to you. Can you do it? Can you heal her?" The last question was fueled by the passionate desire to have Rukia back, safe, smiling, and calling him an "idiot" all over again. Her smile...he wanted to see her smile again.
Her skin was ghostly pale; she had lost a lot of blood. His heart thumped unevenly as Hinamori nodded solemnly and approached as Ishida gently put Rukia on the couch. "I can do it." The dark haired girl said with absolute certainty.
She knelt beside Rukia's body as Ishida watched carefully, closely. Hinamori turned Rukia on her stomach gently, and her kind, brown eyes widened at the extent of the damage. She pushed the girl's blood soaked shirt up to her shoulders and then held her hands out, just barely touching the wounds. She closed her eyes, said a command, and a pink light came from the palms of her hands and bathed Rukia's pale back in it's carnation colored light. Hinamori opened her eyes and saw the gash closing. She then moved to her legs and arms, healing the wounds there. She was quiet all during, only the hard breathing of the injured girl could be heard.
Hinamori turned Rukia back over so she could lay on her now-healed back. She pressed the palm of her hand to the long cut on the Kuchiki girl's porcelain cheek and her kido healed it - it was as if there wasn't a wound there in the first place. The only indication that she had been wounded in the first place was the dried blood caked on her skin and clothes.
The slender girl rose from her kneeling position and patted her hands against her uniform skirt before looking at Ishida and smiling gently, "She's fine now, Ishida. No worries." And she smiled brightly.
Ishida stared incredulously, unblinking, at the cheerful girl, who acted as if she did this every day. "Thank...thank you, Hinamori."
"Anytime."
Hinamori then moved from the living room, leaving Ishida alone with the now unconscious girl, healed and laying on the couch.
Ishida took her blood stained hands in his and smiled down at her, "I'm glad you're okay, Rukia."
She stirred slightly, and made a slight groaning noise.
"...Hi...tsugaya..."
He tensed at the name, but then felt warm when the next name uttered was his own.
"...U...ryu..."
"Pathetic."
Hitsugaya scoffed as he slung his sword back into its hilt. The hollow wasn't much of a challenge. Though, he figured his rage at the damn thing for hurting Rukia had helped him defeat it as quickly as he did. He ran a hand through his snowy white hair and groaned as transferred back into the form of his gigai. His icy eyes were hard like turquoise gemstones as he got the image of the thin woman slamming against the wall as hard as she did... He growled at the memory.
"Protective, are we?"
"Matsumoto!"
"Who else?"
Matsumoto walked forward, smiling in a strange manner as she approached her shorter captain. Hitsugaya looked at her as if she was missing something. She didn't elaborate on Rukia's condition, so he quickly said, "Kuchiki! Where is she?"
"I gave her to Ishida to take to Hinamori. I wanted to help you, taichou, but I got here and you were just so absorbed in the fight...and it was over too quick for me to actually get into it anyway..."
"Is she okay?"
The strawberry blonde laughed lazily as she ran a hand through her thick hair, "I'm guessing so. Ishida took off like the hounds of Hades were on his heels."
Understandable. Hitsugaya thought. He would've done the exact same thing if he was in Ishida's shoes.
"So, let's go check on her, ne?"
"Yeah." Hitsuagaya agreed, breaking into a run.
The two arrived minutes later, being slower in their human forms than they would have liked.
Hitsugaya practically busted down the door, and looked from side to side in the Kuchiki's house. His eyes wandered around the rooms in front of him, then he saw Hinamori's smiling face, looking down at him, "I knew you'd be here soon." She said proudly, looking at the icy taichou. "Rukia's in the den, on the couch. Sleeping. Ishida's gone out to get some groceries to make dinner."
"Ah, alright."
Hitsugaya pushed past Hinamori, uninterested in whatever she was about to say. He realized he didn't care unless it involved Rukia's condition. Or her getting better. He padded along the house slowly, carefully, as if to not disturb Rukia while she slept.
Matsumoto let him go, feeling like she should give him a moment or two alone with the exhausted raven haired girl.
The white haired shinigami crouched beside Rukia's still body, caked in blood still. The sight sent a chill of fear through him - she was too still, too pale...all that blood. His eyes searched, and found that her chest was moving up and down slowly, indicating that she was still breathing. He also saw the faint pulse of her spirit energy around her form. He immediately relaxed. She was alive.
Her eyes were closed peacefully, the dark lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. The raven locks of her hair were splayed out along the pillows of the couch, being propped up by a large white one that was no doubt gotten from her bedroom. Her hands were relaxed. One was laying over her flat stomach, the other was up beside her face. Her lips were parted slightly, a few specks of dried blood clinging to them, and she breathed in and out slowly, but steadily.
She's going to be alright.
That thought alone was enough to send Hitsugaya into a comfortable place. His eyes softened as he heard her groan softly. Not in pain, but in contentment in getting some rest.
The rage boiled through him again.
He would kill whatever thing harmed her. Rip it to pieces, then set fire to whatever was left. Not caring. Without remorse. If anything so much as touched her in the wrong way. If she was in danger of getting hurt or in a serious condition like she was just a few minutes ago, he would protect her without a second thought.
Shaking his head, he removed the thought of her being hurt from his mind. She was safe now. That was all that mattered. She was safe and his mission to train her and develop her powers wasn't in vain at all.
He bit his bottom lip as he heard Rukia whimper slightly.
"...no..."
He blinked slightly, and looked at Rukia in wonder. What's going on?
"...don't get hurt, Hitsu..."
Turquoise eyes widened. How could she possibly be worrying about him when it was her life that was in danger?
Stupid, selfless, little human.
In contradiction to his thoughts, he gently reached out and wiped the sweat from her brow.
"...be safe..."
He chuckled at her skewered view of things. She was the one who wasn't safe, and he was the one with the power, the strength, the intelligence, to protect her. She shouldn't be worrying about his safety. Not at all.
He heard her words repeated in his head - be safe.
A smile crossed his lips.
"Same to you, Kuchiki."
With that, he reached out and pushed a stray lock of hair away from her tired features.
"Same to you."
End Chapter Seven.
WOW! I finished two chapters in the same day! Chapter fifteen for Play My Song and then chapter seven for good old Wheel of the World! I'm shocked! I thought I would never get around to updating this one, but I've been reading a lot of great Bleach fanfics and they have just gotten rid of the writer's block I had for this chapter.
Please forgive me for holding out this chapter for so long! I really have been stuck, not knowing how it was going to turn out, with it and now...well, here it is! So please review! I will do my best to get out chapter eight as soon as I can. Being a senior in high school is no walk in the park. Haha. Busy, busy, busy.
Anyway, thanks so much for clicking on my little HitsuRuki fic and reading! It means a lot.
Arigato!