A/N Sorry for the late Update. I planned on updating weekly, but I obviously haven't. I will try being more consistent. As of now all of my current stories are all on Hiatus; I don't plan on going on Hiatus with this one. I also have other fics I'm working...
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Rangiku will stick her nose where it is not needed.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; Tite Kubo does.
It's been a week since their break-up. Rukia had averted every chance of eye contact, any awkward encounters with her ex boyfriend. When asked by friends; she tried her best to avoid all conversation about Abarai. When it came to any formal encounters…she'd simply greet him with a nod.
They were also on a last name basis. Sad to let a break up interfere with a friendship, but the wound was too fresh to jump back to any sort of relationship. Renji had also avoided any conversation of the break-up with his boss and ex girlfriend's brother. Byakuya never truly shipped his employee with his little sister; he only tolerated it. After hearing that they ended their three-year relationship; curiosity filled his noble mind. Had it been mutual? Or had Renji done something dumb and unforgivable. He leaned more to option B.
When Renji and Momo started talking outside of each other's barracks, three weeks after the break up; rumor mills started rolling. Of course the rumor had been greatly exaggerated, considering the fact that Momo and Renji were partners in a mission. A mission Renji had undertaken a few weeks after it ended with Rukia. Rukia had heard of the rumor…the idea of her former love moving on so fast and easy added more pain, but she refused to let her feelings visible to the world.
Rangiku made it her business to get involved in everybody's business. With her job neglected and her captains orders ignored, Rangiku decided to make it her priority to get to the bottom of this whole break up.
She knew the best time to corner Rukia was when she was in her office prepping for another mission to the world of the living. Rukia's escape from the heartbreak was burying herself under the extensive demands and hours of her newly acquired job. Rangiku knew full well that this whole overworking attitude was merely a façade; a façade that deterred any questions about Renji and the break up.
Sitting leisurely on her desk, Rukia began crunching the budget down for her new mission. The clock had become her oppressor. Every tick had become a constant chide to her job. Tick tock tick tock tick tock. The sound of pen to paper meshed with the sound of the clock; a voice whom she was familiar with was now absent and this added to her rising stress. The sound of a knock became a part of the silent chorus.
"Who is it?" Rukia said; her eyes still plastered on the work before her. Despite not looking up, the red hair of Rangiku could not be missed. Rukia looked up with a small smile. It was odd to get a visit from another lieutenant especially one who had a captain like Hitsugaya…
"Hey there Rukia," Rangiku's tone was bouncy and light. Her eyes perused the office checking for any signs of the break up. The walls, which were once covered in frames and pictures of her and Renji, and art, were all taken down. She didn't even try to remove them subtly or try to covertly replace them with picture frames of chappy. She simply just left the wall blank. All that was left was a round white gilded clock.
Her desk covered in papers, also was clear of any pictures. Nothing seemed to connect to Renji. This to anyone who'd ever gone through a break up was understandable because nothing is worst than having little things remind you of someone who occupied a big piece of your heart…
"Hey."
Rangiku pulled herself a chair and faced her trouble minded friend.
"You've been really busy lately, haven't you?" Rangiku said.
"Yes. I actually have another mission I need to plan the budget to, so I…" Rukia looked up to notice Rangiku's focus on the wall behind her. She gave her a quizzical look and continued, "So I have to haste."
"Oh, I came here just to check on you." Rukia rolled her eyes. When would the news of the break up stop shaking the world around her? She wanted it all forgotten. She and Renji have seemingly forgotten it. Well in her case she has ignored it—not completely forgotten…
"Well, I'm fine…" She didn't mean to sound harsh, but the questions of how the break up affected her had become very popular. She wondered if Renji was getting the same questions she was getting, and if so, how did he respond to them? Did he tell them that he was fine and that the break up was an amicable break up (which at this point suggested that it was not amicable) or did he tell them that he was miserable and desperately missing their relationship? Knowing Renji well enough, she knew that he'd ignore any questions connected to the break up, and if prodded enough he'd snap at whatever idiot that thought it was a good idea to touch on such a sensitive subject.
"You are...?" Rangiku questioned, her tone laced with skepticism.
"I am." Said Rukia; this time more sure of her answer, "I should, right?"
"No you shouldn't, Rukia"
"How did I know you came here to talk to me about the break up?" Rukia said, changing the subject.
"I thought it wasn't permanent…I thought you guys just needed space?"
"It's more complicated than that now…" Rukia grabbed a pile of paper and tap them on the desk to bring them in an organized alignment. She stuffed them in a small case, and
made her way out the door. With a slight head movement, she gestured Rangiku to follow.
"So we'll talk later?" Rangiku said, sympathetically. Rukia simply shrugged; not muttering a single word. She knew bottling all of this would soon result in an imminent explosion emotions, but the wound was still to fresh to rip the bandage off, give it another week and she'd be back to her old self.
Renji hated not being able to visit Rukia during the day. He now had nothing to do during that hour of the day. Nothing but work. Byakuya still had not questioned him about the break up. Luckily, he didn't care enough about the topic to bring It up yet. He did however get a few looks of curiosity from him. Byakuya never was the nosy type; he never liked looking into the relationship—maybe because he never fully approved it—he basically only tolerated it for Rukia's sake.
Renji had been in his office for now three hours. His wrist propped his face up keeping from falling on the desk. Boredom had forced him to turn the trash can into a basketball hoop. He crumpled up old letters and paperwork into balls and aimed for his target. He'd miss five times. He made a mental note; if he got 20 in he'd finally face the problem at hand…the break up, Rukia, the rumors. So far he'd only got 8 inside the can.
A knock from the door had caused him to miss the next basket. Aggravated by the distraction, Renji responded in an irritated tone, "come in."
It was Rangiku. Renji looked up with a look of surprise. "Rangiku?" Renji attempted at another basket; this time it went in.
"Ugh. What a mess," Rangiku said. She bent down to pick up the crumpled up papers, and stepped back to make a few shots. She didn't miss a single one. Renji grumbled that it was beginners luck.
"Is there a reason behind your visit?" Renji asked. He was less welcoming than Rukia. Rangiku grabbed a seat and propped her legs up to his desk, making herself comfortable. A cord of veins appeared on Renji's temple at Rangiku's leisure attitude in his office. He had work to do, and by her attitude, he could tell she came here to only to talk about trivial matters.
"I'm here to talk about Rukia." That caught his attention immediately. Rangiku noticed his sudden interest, and decided to continue. "She's leaving for another mission. She's working her ass off."
"And…That's always been Rukia's philosophy in life. Work, work, work, and more work. No surprise there." Renji said.
"That's why you two broke up?"
"No—" Renji made another basket, "—and the break up is none of your business."
"I make it my business."
"Well don't"
"Why shouldn't I?" Rangiku challenged. Renji knew getting Rangiku out of his office without an answer would only be possible if he brought out zabimaru for back up. Frankly, he had battled a lot of inner demons today, and the strength was not in him to battle a gossip driven Rangiku.
"You really wanna know, huh?" Renji crumpled up another paper and ready to throw. "I have an idea."
A seductive smile played on the side of Rangiku's lip. She was ready for whatever idea he had.
"For every basket I make I allow you to ask one question." This idea worked well for him since he sucked at this. Therefore he wouldn't have to answer a single question. Rangiku knew this and challenged his ultimatum.
"But you suck," she said. Renji threw a crumpled up a paper at her.
"I have a better idea," Rangiku caught the paper thrown at her and turned to make the basket. She made it. "I throw, and you answer."
I hope you enjoyed it.
Stay tune for the next Chapter!
Shield of Protection
-Rangiku pressures Renji to tell him more about the break up
-Rukia interjects a fight between Ichigo and Uryu about the towns protection
-Rangiku forces some answers out of Renji about the break up
Thank you for reading. :)