The usual but still major thanks to PerennialLurker for beta-reading this and for the feedback she gave me. Grateful and heartfelt thanks and hugs to those who reviewed. You have no idea how excited I get when I receive a review. This is one of my favorite chapters in the fic so far, although the title bugs me slightly because it reminds me of Ulquiorra (sorry, was not a fan of the guy). Oh well. I hope you like it as much as I do.
Chapter 4
Heart to heart
Hitsugaya sat on a bench in a vacant park right outside the school, wondering what to do next. He accomplished everything he set out to do today in the human world: Ichigo and his friends were excused for their missed time and the town was secure. He knew Soul Society would want to keep a team down there, but he was not sure if he would remain its leader. The lack of communication and decision-making was bothering him. He understood things were hectic with the war's end and all, but they needed to keep some semblance of order.
As if on cue, his communicator beeped. He flipped it open and answered, "Hitsugaya." He listened and then nodded a couple times. "Right. I understand. Have a gate ready in two minutes." He hung up and then punched a few buttons. He pressed the phone back to his ear and waited patiently. "Abarai?" he said after a few moments.
"Yo, captain."
"I've been called back to Soul Society. I don't know what they're planning, but until we receive further orders you're in charge. Understood?"
There was a pause and then, "Yes, sir. Leave it to me."
"Good." Hitsugaya shut his phone and leaned back on the bench. I have no idea what's going on. I don't know what the status is on the commander-general or the injured or anything. He shook his head. What a mess things are.
A leadership breakdown was to be expected, with Yamamoto still comatose. Unohana and Kyouraku were in charge, for now, but Hitsugaya feared problems would arise. Conflicts, how far to stretch their authority, post-war clean up… the list was endless. A small, selfish part of him hoped he would be staying in the human world. At least I'd stay relatively sane here.
At the same time, he still wanted to return to Soul Society. Two vice-captains he held dear were still hospitalized. One aggravated him on a daily basis, and the other was distant as of late because of emotional and psychological issues. That didn't change how he felt about them, though. They were two of only a handful of people he sincerely cared about, and he wanted to be nearby while they recovered. I don't know what to do. He rested his head in his hands, his mind wandering off in a thousand different directions. I guess what comes, comes.
A moment later, a senkaimon gate opened up next to him. He glanced around, and when he was sure no one was looking or even in the vicinity, began to walk towards it. All I can hope for now is that I do the right thing when the time comes: for Soul Society, for my squad, for Matsumoto and my friends, and… for me. The war's aftermath will change a lot of things. He walked through the gate, and glanced behind him before the doors shut. Let us hope that those changes will be for the better.
Rukia wasn't sure if she would be welcomed. She had, after all, left rather abruptly with no explanation. Standing nervously in front of the Kurosaki Clinic, she searched for Ichigo's reiatsu. It was coming in her direction but it was still a little ways off. Swallowing, she gathered her courage and knocked on the door.
Yuzu opened the door and began to say, "Hello" until she saw who it was. She quieted and her eyes widened. "Oh, Rukia-chan!" She turned around. "Daddy! Look who's here!" she called to her father.
Isshin appeared in the doorway in seconds and beamed. "Rukia-chan! We were so worried! Come in, come in!" With a tug on her hand, he pulled her in before she could get a word in edge-wise.
"M-my apologies, uncle. Something came up and I-"
Isshin waved his hand. "No need to explain! Yuzu, my dear! Fix up something for our dear Rukia-chan! She must be famished!"
Rukia tried to protest, but Yuzu was already off to the kitchen, and moments later, the sound of pots clanging together could be heard. She chuckled nervously. "Uh, uncle, I'm fine, really."
"Consider it a welcome home snack! And don't worry: your cot and everything is still in place!"
She bowed her head. "Thank you. I really am sorry if my absence caused any problems."
Isshin shook his head stubbornly. "Nah. We all just figured you went after my idiot son. By the way, since it seems you went to school today, do you know where he's at?"
She raised her head and blinked. "Um… he was talking to Inoue the last time I saw him. He might have walked her home."
Just as she said this, Karin came into the room. Rukia knew she heard what she said, because the dark-haired girl paused, and her eyes widened. "Inoue? You mean Inoue Orihime? He walked her home?"
Isshin's mouth dropped dramatically. "He… he… he walked a girl home!" He ran to Masaki's poster and sprawled himself over it. "Our son has finally become enamored with a woman, Masaki! It's a miracle!"
Rukia winced as Isshin sobbed into the poster, crying in jubilation. Ichigo's going to kill me for this.
Karin rolled her eyes. "Stupid old man. Still, I'm surprised. He actually walked her home? I mean, he's walked Tatsuki home before, but they were just friends."
Rukia set her books down on the table and smiled wryly. "He is friends with Inoue. She's been through a lot lately, so I think we're all just trying to be there for her right now." She smoothed out her skirt. "I guess that was just his way of showing it."
Karin nodded, slouching into a table chair. "Try telling that to him." She waved a hand idly at her father, who was still in happy hysterics all over Masaki's poster.
The side door slammed opened and Ichigo walked in. He greeted Yuzu, still in the kitchen working on Rukia's snack. He stopped in his tracks, which were intended for his room when he heard his father carrying on about something. Scowl in place, he entered the living room. "What the hell, Dad?"
Isshin spun around, and his face brightened and his tears dried instantly. "My son! I have heard the joyous news! The sweet bells of love have finally rung for you! Tell me! What's she like? When do we get to meet her?"
Ichigo looked baffled. He glanced at Rukia, and she shrugged helplessly.
"Inoue Orihime, of all the girls!" Isshin finally clarified.
His son turned bright red. "Inoue?" A scathing glare was aimed at Rukia before he returned his gaze to his father. "I walked her home, that's it. End of story," he snapped.
"You wouldn't be so embarrassed! Come now, tell Daddy everything."
"No." Ichigo's tone was final. He moved past his father, his face still red.
Rukia raised her brow, arms crossed as Ichigo stormed past her. She sighed lightly. "Oi, wait up, Ichigo!" She walked after him, wondering just how angry he was with her.
Ichigo ignored her as he hurried up the stairs, and Rukia had to jog to keep up with him. When they got to his room, he tried to slam the door shut before she could get in but she blocked it with a well-timed kick. The door bounced back and banged into the wall behind it. She leaned against the doorframe, leg crossed in front of the other. "Hello to you, too."
"What do you want?" he mumbled, opening his closet.
She rolled her eyes, deciding not to smack him for his rudeness and surly attitude. He did have good reason to be mad at her. "Why did you walk Inoue home?" she asked. "You were in quite a hurry to catch up to her after school."
Ichigo didn't answer right away. He pulled out Kon's mod pill, balancing it in the palm of his hand as he glanced around his room. Not finding what he was looking for, he sighed and looked back at Rukia, his dark eyes tinged with annoyance. "None of your business."
Her eyes narrowed for a moment. She refrained from beating him senseless for his attitude once more, but she still wanted an answer.
She suddenly remembered her earlier conversation with Shinji and how she promised to talk to Orihime. She smirked, and resisted the urge to laugh. "Fine. I'll just ask Inoue when I see her tonight." She turned to leave, suppressing her glee that she had backed Ichigo into a corner. Instead, she relaxed her body and kept her face neutral.
"Wait."
She stopped and turned around to watch him. She tilted her head, and her expression urged him to continue.
Conflict played on his face. "Why are you seeing Inoue tonight?" he asked, albeit hesitantly.
The opportunity was too good to pass up. "None of your business," she answered dryly.
She chuckled as he glowered at her, hand clenched at his side. She was enjoying this. She would find out what happened either way, and it had to be something good if Ichigo was going through such trouble to hide it. "Your choice."
He gritted his teeth and yanked at his hair. "Fine. If you must know, I asked her to come see Bad Shield 2 with me in December. It's a movie, and the ticket I got from Mizuiro lets you bring two people. So, I'm bringing her. Happy?"
Her mouth dropped and for a moment, she stared at him in complete shock. She couldn't believe it. Ichigo, her dense, scowling, foul-tempered friend, had a date with Inoue. She thought the sweetness of it all would give her a cavity.
"Oh!" Rukia's eyes went wide and shined brightly as she clapped her hands together. All false fronts and pretenses went out the window as emotion swelled up in her. "You're going on a date with Inoue! That's so cute!"
"It's not a date!" he hissed. "I'm taking her as a friend! And she was the best option available."
The tiny woman snorted. "There were plenty of other people available to go with." She suppressed a smirk, knowing Ichigo would try and downplay the situation as much as he could. Heck, she was sure he honestly believed he wanted to take Orihime as a friend. That much was clear. She also knew that there was more to it. Why else would he have avoided answering her? He's probably not even sure why himself, she thought with an inward chuckle. "You could have asked Shinji, Renji, Ishida, or even myself," she continued, eyebrow cocked in an arch.
Ichigo crossed his arms, his expression clearly saying, 'What are you, nuts?' "It's bad enough Keigo will be acting like a loon. I wasn't going to have Shinji rib me the whole time, or Renji making dumb remarks." He rolled his eyes, and began to walk past her. He was still palming Kon's mod soul pill, and Rukia finally realized that he was looking for the plushie doll Kon typically inhabited. "I can only imagine the look Ishida would give me if I asked, and I don't need you driving me nuts," Ichigo said, peering into Karin and Yuzu's room.
Rukia glared. "Excuse me? I would be enjoyable company!" Her giddiness didn't fade, but irritation leaked through. Though she knew that she would have done everything in her power to annoy him, the remark was still insulting and she certainly wasn't going to stand there and take it.
"That's a load of crap. And don't even try to fly off the handle on me, because it's true," he said before she could counter his remark. "Now, I answered your question. You answer mine." He stepped into the twins' room, and a few moments later, emerged with Kon's plush doll in hand. Before he put the mod soul pill in, however, he fixated his gaze on Rukia. His brow furrowed and it was clear that he was waiting for an answer.
Although miffed that he stole her chance of unleashing her righteous indignation, Rukia placed her annoyance aside and thought over her answer carefully. She didn't like lying to Ichigo, but she was sure that Shinji didn't want him knowing about what he was doing. Not yet, at least. "Girl talk, really. There are a couple of things I want to talk to Inoue about." Vague, but not untrue. She planned on talking to Orihime about more than just the training ground incident. "Just to make sure she's really okay, after what happened," she added softly.
Ichigo paused, training his gaze on Rukia. She met it and crossed her arms, a gesture that quietly dared him to question her. Wisely, he merely nodded and popped the pill into the stuffed lion.
Kon came to life and immediately leaped at Rukia. "Neeeeeeeeee-saaaaaaaan!"
Like always, Rukia batted him away with her hand, sending him bouncing down the hall and into Ichigo's room. She heard him weakly murmur, "Yes, my Nee-san is home once again!"
"Glad to see he hasn't changed at all," Rukia remarked, glancing behind her at Kon, who was sprawled on the floor in Ichigo's room. "All right. I'm going to change and then head down to the Shouten for awhile before I go and see Inoue." She walked towards the twins' room but paused at the door. "Have fun doing homework," she said to Ichigo with a grin.
"Bite me," he muttered darkly as he headed towards his room.
Kon lifted his head. "Changing? As in, clothes? Nee-san, allow me to assist you!"
He began to get up and made a running dash for the hall. Ichigo kicked him, and sent him back the way he came. Kon began to protest, but Ichigo went inside and slammed the door shut. From then on, Rukia could only hear muted wailing. She shook her head and peered inside the room. "I hope my dresses are still here," she said to herself before entering.
The evening seemed to drag out for Hitsugaya. Although he hoped that his summon to Soul Society meant a decision was made, he was quickly proven wrong. A captains' meeting was scheduled for that evening, but due to conflicting circumstances, the time of it was still unknown or so he was told.
He initially took the time to check up on his squad. His third seat reported all pertinent and necessary information, and Hitsugaya was relieved to hear they were holding up well, especially with Matsumoto's absence. However, it still left him with a lot of free time and little to do. There wasn't even a lot of paperwork to his immense surprise (and in this rare case, annoyance).
The minutes ticked by. The young captain was pacing around in his office, trying to curb his restlessness and get his thoughts organized. His patience with the apparent breakdown in order was wearing thin, and his boredom wasn't helping matters. On top of it all, he wasn't allowed to visit Matsumoto or Hinamori. The fourth squad member he talked to explained that Matsumoto was in the middle of a procedure. That he understood completely. What he didn't understand was why he couldn't see Hinamori. The attendant said she hadn't been told any details, but she knew that Hinamori was unavailable for reasons she could not say.
What the hell? Hitsugaya still couldn't wrap his head around it. Did something happen? Had her condition changed and they weren't sure what to tell him? Whatever the reasoning, he planned on having a word with Unohana. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask her that concerned the two vice-captains. But he had even more questions he wanted to address at the captain's meeting, whenever it was.
At dusk, he heard a sharp knock on his door. "Come in."
The door slid open and kneeling on the floor was a messenger. "Hitsugaya-taichou! The captains' meeting is to begin shortly. Please come as soon as possible."
Finally, Hitsugaya said with an inward sigh. "I will be there. Thank you." He nodded, and the messenger bowed his head before exiting in a flash.
Hitsugaya lifted Hyourinmaru and secured the sword on his back. "Let's get this done and over with." He left his office, quietly stepping through the halls until he was outside. He paused, breathing in the fresh air before he shifted his feet and flash-stepped.
The extra energy and the sheer speed relieved some of his built up tension. The blur of the buildings as he rushed by them made him feel as if he were in a different, separate place, and as odd as the sensation was, it relaxed him.
Within minutes, he was in front of the meeting hall. He smoothed out his robes, and an expression of neutrality masked all his boiling concerns, annoyances, and questions.
The door slid open, and he was greeted to the sight of the rest of the captains already assembled. "Hitsugaya's the last one," Kyouraku commented as the tenth division captain entered and stood in his usual spot next to Mayuri. "So let's begin."
The assembly of captains was not the same as normal. The general-commander was absent and standing in his stead were Kyouraku and Unohana. The rest of the captains were in their normal positions, although the two rows were even more pocketed with gaps due to the shortage of captains.
"Hitsugaya-taichou," Unohana began, "would you report the status in the human world?"
He nodded. "The situation remains stable," he said in a professional, monotone voice, "The residents seem to have no recollection of the events that took place. Those who assisted us in the war are settling back into their lives and they were excused for their missed school time. Other than that, everything is running smoothly. There were also no Hollow or Arrancar sightings."
"Good to hear." Kyouraku pushed his hat back and regarded the rest of the captains. "I realize things have been hectic and a general mess. But between recovering from the battle, checking on Old Yama, and trying to get things organized and running with him gone…" He sighed, and rubbed a hand over his face. "It's been hard, so I'm asking everyone to bear with us for a bit."
"We understand the difficulties, but I think our concern for the moment is our next step," Komamura said.
Unohana clasped her hands in front of her, closing her eyes as she answered, "We need to begin an investigation into finding Ichimaru and Tousen. Along with regaining order and replacing the vacant captain and Central 46 seats, we need to make sure things remain stable in Karakura."
When she rested her gaze on Hitsugaya, he knew exactly what his assignment was going to be. "Would you continue to head a team and remain stationed down there? You did an excellent job before, and you already established ties with our allies and other residents."
Considering the other tasks the Gotei 13 had on their plate, Hitsugaya felt he got the easy end of the deal, although a part of him protested at the idea of leaving Matsumoto and Hinamori behind. "I will do so. Am I keeping the same people on the team as before?"
Kyouraku shook his head. "Not entirely. Abarai-fukutaichou and Kuchiki Rukia will remain down there, and we'll be sending Matsumoto-fukutaichou once she's recovered. However, we're pulling Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa out and replacing them with a vice-captain." Kyouraku suddenly looked guilty, his head bowing slightly and his countenance darkening. Hitsugaya knew it couldn't be good. "We wanted to have fewer people on the team, even if it's only by one without sacrificing too much of the group's strength. So, we thought another vice-captain would be suitable."
Hitsugaya didn't like the way his gut was suddenly clenching. "Who is the vice-captain you're sending down?" he asked, his tone a little harder and urgent than he intended.
Unohana opened her eyes and smiled apologetically. "We're sending Hinamori-fukutaichou."
Back in the human world, Rukia was walking swiftly through the streets of Karakura. The night air was chilly and her dress did little to protect her legs. It was a long walk from the Shouten to Orihime's apartment, and the cold temperatures only made the trek seem longer.
She spotted Orihime's house in the distance. Wanting to get out of the cold as quickly as possible, she sprinted the rest of the distance, even as her all but frozen bones protested in pain. When she arrived at the door, she pounded on it and then waited with her arms crossed.
Within seconds the door opened and Orihime peered out. "Kuchiki-san! I didn't know you were coming over!"
"No. Sorry, Inoue. It was a bit last minute," she lied, smiling despite how much her teeth wanted to chatter from the cold. "If you're too busy, I can easily come over another-"
"Oh, no! Please come in! I was just making some tea." She opened the door wider, allowing Rukia to walk in.
"Thanks, Inoue." Rukia warmed herself up as she kicked off her shoes before walking further inside. "Wow. I don't think I've been over at this new place of yours. Strange, isn't it?"
Orihime shut the door. "A little. We always met at the Shouten or the school," she commented as she smiled at Rukia. "Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, please," Rukia said as she took off her coat. She draped it over the arm of Orihime's couch as her friend hurried into the kitchen. Rukia stalled in the living room, taking the time to look around. She noted a lot of the same furniture from Orihime's old apartment, and the little shrine dedicated to Sora. Her feet seemed to take her there without her willing it. She stood staring at Sora's picture, remembering the night he attacked Orihime and how close that fight came to ending in disaster. It's been months. I think it was sometime in May when it happened and it's almost November now. I can't believe it's been that long.
It was a time when Ichigo relied heavily on Rukia's help, and when he was still yet new to being a shinigami and fighting Hollows. Sado and Inoue were just normal teenagers, and she was estranged from Renji and had no decent relationship with her brother. To most shinigami, a few months hardly meant anything, but to her, those months had changed everything. Yes, a lot has changed. Maybe we're only beginning to understand just how much.
"Kuchiki-san? The tea's ready."
Rukia blinked but immediately shoved her musings aside as she went to fetch her tea from Orihime. "Ah, thank you," she said as she took the cup from her.
Orihime nodded and led her to the dining table, where they sat down with their tea. Rukia took a sip and smiled. "Mmm, this is good. A lot better than the more bitter tea Urahara usually serves."
"Thank you!" Orihime beamed. "I usually like my tea sweet, too." She sipped before setting her cup down. "But you were at Urahara-san's? Did you hear anything about Hitsugaya-taichou?"
Rukia held her tea cup in her hands. She was a little relieved Orihime found something to talk about that could lead to what Rukia wanted to discuss. Normally not afraid to say what was on her mind, Rukia had been a little unsure of how to start. "He called Renji earlier, telling him he was in charge until he had further orders. We haven't heard back yet."
Orihime nodded. She brushed a strand of hair back and briefly closed her eyes as she let her head lean forward. Rukia thought she looked worn out. "I see. I was just wondering if he was coming back or not, so I could set up a room for him and Rangiku-san, if she's coming back." She smiled slightly. "It's been odd without them around. Too quiet."
Something in Orihime's tone, a strain in her voice, alerted Rukia. She would have missed it, had she not been looking or listening for any signs of trouble. "Inoue, are you okay?" she asked quietly. "Have you been all right? I've wanted to ask you that, and it's one of the reasons I came over," she confessed.
"I'm fine!" Orihime insisted, smiling as if to emphasize the point. "I just got used to them being around, and now they're not here."
Rukia frowned slightly. She didn't believe Orihime at all. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something in Orihime's eyes and voice were telling her that something wasn't right. "Inoue."
Orihime bowed her head further, her hands clasped tightly on the table. Rukia scooted towards her until she was sitting next to her and placed her hand on Orihime's. "Look at me," she said softly.
Orihime squeezed her eyes shut for a brief second before they opened and looked at Rukia uneasily. She was holding back tears; Rukia could see it in those brown eyes that looked far too world-weary and sad to belong to a sixteen-year old. "I was okay last night. I slept soundly," Orihime whispered, her voice gravelly and tight from the withheld tears. "I came home from school today and worked on some homework. I was tired, so I took a nap, and…"
Rukia squeezed her hands, knowing all too well what happened next. "You had a nightmare." She nodded to herself when Orihime looked down at the table. "About what, exactly?"
"Kurosaki-kun. When we were on top of the dome."
I was afraid this might happen. Rukia's heart clenched, seeing Orihime look so somber and ashamed. She was keeping too much bottled up, and Rukia was determined to make her let it all out.
"Well, at first, it was flashes of his other fights. Like, when Grimmjow landed hits on him or when Tesla was pounding him to death." It upset her to remember; Rukia could tell by the way Orihime fretted with her hands a little. "Then it went to the dome." Orihime shut her eyes again and bit her lip as she fought to stay composed.
Rukia remembered her description of the fight at the Shouten two days earlier. She could imagine the images Orihime was remembering: seeing Ichigo get his chest blown apart, watching him fall, witnessing Ishida's quick defeat, and then Ichigo rising back up in his new form. Her eyes widened. That Hollow form. Is she…?
"Inoue…"
"I thought I moved past that. But remembering it all over again, it just makes it so clear." Her hand pressed into her forehead. "I'm so horrible," she choked out, and began to lose the battle with her tears as they spilled out, "If it were Abarai-san or Sado-kun or you up there, it wouldn't have happened. You would have fought Ulquiorra off instead of just screaming. I panicked and cried out and then he – he turned into that form just to protect me and I-"
She sobbed, and Rukia immediately pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "Inoue, I would have panicked, too. And if it were me, Sado or Renji up there, we'd be dead. Ulquiorra would have killed any of us easily. As strange as it sounds, you did the right thing." Rukia laughed humorlessly. "Someone had to get Ichigo up off his lazy butt and get him fighting again."
Orihime shook her head. "I wanted to protect him. I trained so I could be strong and fight alongside him. Instead, I was taken and he came after me and protected me. Again." Her body shook, and Rukia held her tighter, trying to soothe her as she patted her back. "I want to help him. I – I wanted to cheer him up and make him strong again and – and help him be himself again.
"Just like… you did," she whispered. "I want to support him and tell him not to worry, that I can handle myself. That's what nakama do." Her head dropped onto Rukia's shoulder. "I failed him, Kuchiki-san."
The next five minutes were excruciating for both girls. Orihime poured out all her pent-up emotions on Rukia's shoulder and Rukia sat with her, wishing there was something she could do to ease Orihime's pain. She knew her friend needed to let it out though, and as she did, Rukia thought over her words, petting Orihime's hair in the meanwhile.
When Orihime finally calmed with only the occasional sniffle was heard, Rukia gently pulled Orihime back. "Inoue, I think you're misunderstanding a few things," she said with a soft smile.
"I am?" Orihime wiped away the leftover tears on her cheeks.
Rukia nodded. "Yes. I know you want to protect Ichigo. But it's hard to. He's so much stronger than the rest of us and since he always wants to protect everyone else, he makes it difficult to shield him." She sighed in annoyance at the thought. "Even if I wanted to protect him, I doubt he'd let me. Don't take it as something you failed to do. Take it as it is: Ichigo being a difficult ass and trying to do all the work." Rukia smoothed Orihime's bangs, which were messed up from her crying on her shoulder. "Don't let that get you down. It's something we all have a problem with. Someday, though, I think you will be able to protect him."
Rukia squeezed Orihime's shoulders affectionately. "Don't you remember what he said? He did that for you. I know it makes you feel bad but, Inoue, it's not like you wanted it to happen. You were in serious danger and so was Ishida. You needed help. Ichigo would have never forgiven himself if he couldn't stand to protect you."
The manner in which he did so and why it even happened were still a mystery, but at the moment, Rukia considered that irrelevant. "Ulquiorra was out of your league. Sure, you could have charged at him but you would have died. What good would that have done?" She eyed Orihime sternly. "You might feel useless about screaming, but it was no more futile than the other option and it got something done, albeit indirectly. That's what counts."
Suddenly, a chuckle escaped her, and she bowed her head to stop from laughing further. "I'm sorry, but it's just so strange that you wished you could do something I do. I mean," she looked back up at Orihime. "You said you wished you could do what I do, like beating up Ichigo and getting his act together. Truth is, Inoue, I wish I could do what you do for him."
She wasn't surprised when Orihime looked at her like she just sprouted horns. "What… I do for him?"
Rukia nodded. "It's more subtle than what I do. Yes, I kick his ass and snap him out of funks but what you do for him is amazing. You do cheer for him. You support him unconditionally. You give him something to fight for and are the one to heal him once he's done. He needs that, you know." She laid a hand on Orihime's cheek. "Not just the healing, I mean, but the purpose. He told me once you're the one who convinced him to come after me when I was arrested. You seem to be able to drive him to do anything, and we all know that idiot needs motivation."
She inhaled deeply, catching her breath and allowing herself a moment to think of how to word what she wanted to say next. "What I think I admire the most is how different he is around you. You bring out this soft side of him I hardly see. I feel like," She paused, placing a finger to her lips, "he's himself, the real him. The punk façade, the tough guy attitude, it drops when you're around. I watch him when he's talking to you and I think to myself, 'There's Ichigo, what he is underneath it all.' I see it and so do the others, I think, and it's great."
She shrugged nonchalantly. "So, yes, I mentor him or give him a push in the right direction but you're his main support, whether either one of you realizes it or not. Besides, you shouldn't have to do everything. Be his support and I'll be his guide. Sound like a deal?"
Orihime nodded. A few more tears trickled out but she was smiling, at least. "Y-yeah. I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san. I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's all right. You needed to get it off your chest, and it was something we needed to clear up." She ruffled Orihime's hair tenderly and grinned. "Just remember, even if you can't always fight by his side, you're the one who keeps him alive and you care a lot about him. That's all he needs."
Orihime giggled when Rukia ruffled her hair. "Thank you, Kuchiki-san, I…" Her smile faltered. "I – I know you're right, but I can't help but wonder how it helps if he doesn't even know. I mean, not that it should matter or anything but maybe – what if -" She laughed nervously, and shook her head. "I'm not sure what I'm trying to say, actually."
It was a perfect tie-in to the second thing Rukia wanted to find out. "You mean, how would it affect him if he doesn't know that you care so much," She tilted her head and mentally braced herself for what was to come next, "or that you love him?"
Beneath her hands, Rukia felt Orihime jerk. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open slightly. "How…?"
"Women's intuition." So, her instincts were right, Rukia thought. She smirked as she continued, "You care greatly about everyone, but there was something different with you in regards to Ichigo. And what just happened now, that sort of convinced me."
Orihime went instantly red, and she glanced away shyly. "O-oh… well, um, you're right."
Rukia chuckled. "Don't be so embarrassed!" she chided lightly, "There's nothing wrong or bad about loving someone, granted it's a healthy love." She was genuinely happy for Orihime. Loving someone, she knew, was uplifting even if at times hard. Her only concern was that Ichigo, infamously thick-headed, would never catch on to Orihime's feelings, but that was something they would worry about later.
"You're the second person to know. Well," Orihime laughed nervously, putting a hand on the back of her head. "Third, sort of."
Rukia raised an eyebrow. "Sort of?"
"The first person I told was Rangiku-san. The second person - I did tell him, but he was asleep."
Rukia opened her mouth to respond but closed it quickly. A part of her wasn't sure how to react. To buy time, she suggested, "I think this is going to call for some ice cream before we continue." She stood up on her feet, stretching her hand out to Orihime. "If you have any, that is."
Orihime nodded happily. "Ah, yes I do, actually!" She took Rukia's hand and stood up. "A bowl doesn't sound too bad right now."
Rukia followed her to the freezer. "We'll each have a bowl, and you can tell me all about this little midnight confession of yours." She had a feeling they were going to be eating a lot of ice cream. Between what she was about to be told and the discussion they needed to have, Rukia knew they were in for a long night.
The first sound Matsumoto registered when she woke up was machinery. A machine was beeping and she could faintly hear monitors whirring somewhere in the background.
Then she felt another presence in the room. She concentrated, and recognized the reiatsu belonging to her captain. If she had the energy or strength she would have grinned. She knew her captain cared even if he hardly acted like he did, but that confirmation was always nice to have. Her eyes cracked opened, and she tilted her head to her left, where Hitsugaya sat watching her. "Taichou," she murmured.
"Matsumoto, you should be resting," Hitsugaya scolded. His tone was stern, but his eyes were soft.
She wanted to shake her head but couldn't, and she mentally cursed her lack of energy. "And miss you visiting me? Never," she teased.
"Ha ha," Hitsugaya said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
Matsumoto half smiled, the most she could manage. "I thought you'd be in the human world."
He sighed. "I will be in two days. Tomorrow, I need to go back there quickly and talk to Inoue-san. I hate to ask her to shelter shinigami again, but I don't know where else to go. Kuchiki and Abarai are staying down there again, so they'll more than likely stay where they were."
She inclined her head slightly, her energy-saving version of a nod. "Who else will be down there?"
"You're going to be sent, once you're better. And…" He trailed off and his eyes shifted away from hers.
Uh-oh. Her captain was almost always composed. It took a lot to make him break his composure or to make him upset. Usually it was over something personal. Knowing this and becoming concerned, she frowned and asked, "And who else?"
She watched him, noticing the way his body tensed, and how his hand clenched so tightly, his knuckles turned white. Icy blue eyes met hers. "Hinamori," he answered flatly.
Hinamori? Matsumoto pursed her lips. No wonder he's upset. "Did they say why?"
The captain rested his head in his hands and inhaled deeply before speaking. "Unohana-taichou thinks that Hinamori will recover a lot more easily if she's away from Soul Society, from everything that would remind her of Aizen." His nose unconsciously scrunched at the name. "The work, she explained, would keep Hinamori busy and surrounded by her friends and a new environment, she would feel better."
Rangiku sighed lightly. "Did you try and fight it?"
He glanced away. "Yes, as both the leader of the team and as Hinamori's friend. I tried convincing her that Hinamori should be around things she's familiar with and that she had enough responsibilities here to keep her working, but I was overruled."
Unohana was in charge of Hinamori's health, Rangiku knew, and she had the final say in regards to it. "No surprise." She folded her arms over her chest, inwardly sighing at how tiresome that little task was. "Taichou," she paused, wondering if he would be willing to listen, "can I be frank here?"
Hitsugaya raised his brow. "You're actually asking me that? When did it ever stop you before?"
She scowled at him. "How mean. I'm trying to be a good fukutaichou and respect your feelings and you're teasing me."
It was funny, she thought, how many different emotions could play out on his face all at once. Surprise, annoyance, suspicion… it was amazing what one could read into Hitsugaya when his guard was down. "Fine," he said, "you have permission to be frank."
Smirking in satisfaction, Matsumoto settled herself into her bed. "Thank you," she said, adopting her usual teasing tone. She leaned her head back and allowed her body to slowly relax and reserve what little strength she had. The last thing she needed was to accidentally fall asleep while talking to her captain, especially about something so important. "I understand why you're worried about Hinamori. I am, too. I don't know how she's doing mentally or how stable she'll be. But," She glanced at him and her eyes betrayed some guilt, "I have to agree with Unohana-taichou."
His expression darkened before he closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nostrils. "Why do you say that?" He tried to sound calm but the anger was evident.
Rangiku widened her eyes in pleading. "Because I do think she needs to get out of here. Think about it. The daily grind here, it wears you down. Sure, she could go back to her duties, but she needs time to heal. Before, she was only recovering and trying to get back on her feet. She's still not there, taichou. I think being around just her friends and away from the wear and tear of this place will help her." She sighed. "The best thing for her is to find someone who can understand what she's feeling. I think those kids down there might be a good place to start. And," She glanced away slyly, "I think Orihime would be a big help, actually."
Hitsugaya frowned. "Inoue-san? Why?"
He was answered with a smirk. "Not my place to reveal why, but take this is as a woman giving you advice to help a woman friend of yours; Orihime can sympathize with Hinamori, and with her disposition she might be the one to cheer Hinamori up." When he kept frowning, Rangiku sighed. "Trust me on this one. Not as a fukutaichou but as a woman, okay?"
He held her gaze for another moment but eventually gave in. "All right. I'll concede and bring her along." In a rare moment, he smiled at her. "Thank you, Matsumoto."
Sighing in relief and perhaps even in triumph, she smiled back. "Don't mention it."
Naturally, Rukia pressed for details. She knew Orihime would try and gloss over the facts, just giving her the basics and not going into great length about it out of humility. When Orihime said she went into his room, Rukia asked for her reaction to it, what she initially thought. When Orihime mentioned she tried to kiss Ichigo but didn't, Rukia demanded to know what held her back. It wasn't because she was a gossip or because she was the type that had to know how and why people did or said things in minute detail, but because she wanted an idea of what was going through Orihime's head, to know what she was feeling so she could understand.
"And then I said good-bye. That's the end of it, really." Orihime laughed nervously, a blush tinting her cheeks.
"Oh, Inoue…" Rukia didn't realize there were tears threatening to pour out until she felt them sting the corners of her eyes. "That has to be the sweetest, and saddest, confession I've ever heard. I've read tons of shoujo manga but nothing they had ever came close to that."
Orihime gently stirred her ice cream, now a puddle at the bottom of her bowl, with her spoon. "I didn't even intend to do it. I just wanted to say good-bye, but it all just came up and I – I wanted the chance to tell him. I didn't think I'd ever see him again, at the time."
Rukia closed her eyes briefly. "Sometimes the dearest moments in life are the ones not planned." She shook her head sadly, "I am so sorry."
Orihime was taking a sip of her melted ice cream but froze when Rukia apologized. "For what?"
Rukia opened her eyes and clenched her hands together. "That you had to go through what you did in Hueco Mundo and see what happened to Ichigo. It takes on a different light now that I know how you feel about him." To know the one you loved died twice, one of those times right in front of your eyes… Rukia could hardly comprehend it or how Orihime had endured it. "No wonder you had a nightmare."
Orihime shook her head stubbornly. "He's still my nakama, and I'll be okay. They'll pass in time."
Rukia decided to be just as unbending as her friend. "Maybe, but until then don't feel ashamed and you must call me if you have a particularly bad one or you need an ear." She crossed her arms, and locked her gaze with Orihime's: all signs she had no plans of backing down.
Orihime bowed her head slightly and smiled. "All right, I promise. Thank you, Kuchiki-san."
"That's what nakama do. Now," Rukia stretched her back, mentally noting that she needed to stretch more often. The damn gigai were inflexible and too prone to cramping up. Much like a human body, I suppose. "There's one last thing."
Orihime blinked in surprise but smiled regardless. "What is it?"
"Inoue, um," She scratched her head, "do you remember what happened in the training arena?"
A flash of panic and recognition passed through Orihime's eyes. Rukia noticed it. Yes, something happened. She knows exactly what I'm talking about, too.
Orihime nodded hesitantly. "Yes. But I guess you mean when Kurosaki-kun got upset with the captains?"
"That's exactly what I'm referring to." Rukia looked her square in the eye and said, "Inoue, do you know your reiatsu actually disappeared for a minute when that happened?"
The spoon clattered into the bowl as Orihime dropped it in shock. "What?"
"It's true. The only reason no one panicked was because we could see you were there and were fine." Especially after just rescuing her, Rukia was glad she had been in the same room or she would have fallen apart in terror. "When it happened, you looked sort of…" Rukia swayed from side to side, mimicking the dazed, happy look Orihime had. "…happy."
"Oh." Orihime's cheeks stained red. Her eyes drifted upwards to the ceiling, her hair cascading back. "I was happy."
Tonight was turning out one surprise after another. "You were?"
"It was odd." Orihime rested her eyes on Rukia, smiling to herself. "I was worried, and then he looked at me and I felt calm. I felt warm and fuzzy here," She rubbed a circle on her stomach, "and I wanted to just stay there, feeling all wrapped up and peaceful."
Wrapped up. "Like a blanket" is how Ishida proposed it worked. I guess he was right. "So, that's what happened. Shinji, Urahara, and a few of us noticed it and we were sort of worried."
"I'm so sorry. I thought I was going insane when it happened."
"You weren't. Ichigo used reihei on you." And before Orihime could ask, judging from the blank look of bewilderment in her features, Rukia explained to her what Shinji told them about the technique.
Orihime frowned in concentration when Rukia finished. "That would explain it then. I didn't even think of checking my own reiatsu."
"It wasn't something I would have thought of, either."
Orihime took a sip from her tea. "Does Kurosaki-kun know what happened?"
Not yet. Rukia shook her head. "No, but Sado will be talking to him at some point to see what was going on with him when it happened." This was followed by a heavy sigh. "I wish him luck with that."
A small gong from the clock in the living room resounded into the kitchen. Rukia glanced behind her and was surprised to see the microwave clock read '9 P.M'. "Wow, it got late fast." She rose to her feet. "I better get back to the clinic. I kept you up enough as is."
"We do have school tomorrow," Orihime remembered as she awkwardly got on her feet, nearly stumbling as she walked out of the kitchen.
They met at the door after Rukia grabbed her coat, Orihime beaming as she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Thank you again, Kuchiki-san."
Rukia was about to bid her good-night when a thought struck her. "Rukia."
Orihime blinked. "Huh?"
"If you're not comfortable with that, at least call me Kuchiki or Kuchiki-chan or something." With everything they talked about that night and in light of all she learned about Orihime, Rukia felt that their months-old friendship was past that. "We've known each other a little too long to be stuck in the formal, I think."
A deep emotion stirred in Orihime's eyes. She reached out and took Rukia's hands in hers and squeezed. "Really?"
"Really." Tonight she felt like she had started to fully understand Orihime and perhaps one night, Orihime would come to understand her. There were issues and stories that Rukia felt ready to talk about. But all in good time.
"Okay, Rukia-chan." Orihime suddenly put on a mock stern face. "And in return, you can call me Orihime."
Rukia laughed heartily. "You bet, Orihime. Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she shrugged on her coat.
Orihime nodded. "See you tomorrow at school."
Rukia began to walk out the door, but paused just as she opened it. "Oh, one last thing." Her brow winged up and she smiled slyly. "I heard about your date with him in December."
She could only imagine what was running through Orihime's head as her eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect little "O". "We're just going as friends, though."
What was it with those two and being in denial? "Don't be silly! He specifically wanted to ask you," she stated, purposely leaving out the reason why he did, "and he was in such a hurry after school today to ask you." Eyeing her friend, she cocked her head to the side. "So, are you sure about that?"
To her mild surprise, Orihime nodded. "I'm glad he wanted to ask me, but I'm his friend, that's all. He even told me he thought I'd like a nice night out after what I've gone through."
In that moment, Rukia realized that Orihime and Ichigo had something unexpected in common: when pushed to it, they were excellent at being in denial and not reading the other's feelings. But then, isn't it common to be blind when the person you love is involved? She sighed and smiled weakly. "You can say that, after everything that's happened?" she said.
"What do you mean?"
Rukia shook her head. "You'll see for yourself." She swung open the door, and before Orihime could stop her or ask, she was outside, walking into the quiet darkness.
At 2 A.M, Isshin opened his eyes to a dark room. He frowned at the digital alarm clock on his nightstand, the neon green numbers brightly spelling out 2:00 in the heavy darkness. He climbed out of bed, still unsure as to why he had woken up and quietly made his way downstairs.
He glanced around at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn't sense any reiatsu aside from Rukia and his children's, and he heard no telltale signs of someone trying to break in. He slowly stepped away from the stairs and went to go switch on a light when he heard the distinct sound of wooden sandals clopping outside the back door.
"Kisuke." Isshin sighed, half in annoyance and half in relief, as he hurried towards the back door. He glanced out, and even in the darkness could vaguely make out Urahara's figure. Gently sliding open the door, he raised an eyebrow. "Bit late for a social call."
"I was hoping you might still be awake, but I realize it was a slim chance." Urahara shrugged innocently.
Isshin frowned slightly. "Why are you even awake?"
Urahara glanced to the side. "To be honest, I'm having a bit of a sleepless night. Decided to take a walk to clear my head and I wound up here. I thought you might like an update, anyway."
Odd time to be getting one, Isshin thought, but he supposed it was better than nothing. "All right. Are they training yet?"
Urahara shook his head. "Not yet. They're giving Ichigo some time to catch up on school."
Isshin chuckled. "How thoughtful of them."
"Well, they're in no rush, so why not?"
He nodded and leaned against the door. "I guess. I still wish they all took it more seriously. I haven't seen this form but really, wiping the floor with a high ranking Espada…"
Urahara shrugged. "I have a feeling once they see it that they'll take it more seriously. Until then, all we can do is wait." He twirled his cane and propped his body against the wall of the clinic. "They'd get suspicious if I asked them to hurry it up."
Isshin was all too aware, and he knew Urahara's hands were as tied as his in the matter. "It might only be a matter of time," he said, his voice low. "If they're searching for me and they got wind of that…"
His long-time friend looked at him and frowned in concern. "You've managed to avoid them for twenty years."
"And my luck will run out someday." They would find him, somehow. He knew them too well. Twenty years meant very little to those he once worked with. "Ichigo would be the perfect weapon to use against me."
Urahara winced. Isshin was mildly surprised to see him looked so disconcerted and perhaps even genuinely worried. "Yoruichi-san and I will keep an eye out and an ear to the ground."
"Thanks. The more the merrier." Isshin looked up to the sky and inhaled deeply. He wanted to let Ichigo stand for himself, to be strong without his help. It was why Ichigo still didn't know the truth about him or his past. Against them, however, it was an entirely different matter. He admitted he wasn't the greatest father out there, but no father who loved his son would let him face them down alone. If they did come one day to ruin his life in retribution for what he had done, Isshin swore that he would fight back.