#for some reason they suddenly need one off girl even when YAMAMATO is on the field in one fight

[firebirdsdaughter]

Like…

… And then the clones defeat themselves? Like. I get what you thought you were doing but. It doesn't really work.

[woodrokiro]

Hollowed (fic) Part Seven

Fandom: Bleach

Pairing: IchiRuki

Summary: They call her a miracle, but he looks at her as if she’s normal. It scares her. Fantasy/Futuristic/Zombie kinda?AU. Read Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six.

He’s quiet on her walk. 

Although the squad of guardsmen flank a radius of ten feet around her (whether that’s by order or fear, she’s never been sure), he tags closely at her side. It’s odd: Renji always stuck with precautionary distance, but it’s not like this boy isn’t aware something’s going on. The way he confronted her about Kiyone, and whether he was safe with her…

She doesn’t know she’s staring at him until he suddenly huffs. “Can you not?”

She raises an eyebrow. “You don’t seem as worried as you were when we were back in the chambers… Being this close to me--”

“For the love of God do not say it like that.” His face becomes red, and he shifts his eyes toward the guards surrounding them, who if they’re listening certainly don’t show it. He becomes red quite often, she’s noticed. 

She wonders if he has rosacea. 

“What other way is there to say it?”

“Just… Nevermind.” He starts to walk ahead of her, and--annoyed--she jogs a little to catch up to him. 

“Need I remind you that you guard me? And anyway, you never answered my question.”

A tick works through his jaw, but he doesn’t say anything. She waits, but eventually takes it as a sign that he won’t answer. She’s used to that: people not answering her questions. Not fully, anyway.

He startles her by suddenly speaking up.

“You’re right. I was assigned as your guard. I don’t really have a choice, being this close to you… You know?” He shrugs, and Rukia’s suddenly awashed with guilt. She is about to answer that she knows, she knows it’s a burden, she knows it’s not his choice but Lord Yamamoto’s, and even though she won’t question her lord’s decisions that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fair that he’s stuck with her and--

“But… I’m gonna trust you. If you say this is fine, that there’s nothing for me to worry about, then I’ll think so too.” He looks over the garden, hard at the walls far beyond it. “And… It’s my job to protect you from… Whatever they’re all worried about, but I’m gonna trust you tell me the basics. It’s okay if you’re not allowed to tell me everything. It’s okay if you don’t want me in your rooms. I’m never gonna force my way into your space, especially since you seem to have so little privacy as it is-- but this is a two-way relationship. I want to know that you’ve got my back, since I’ve got yours. Okay?” 

“...Okay.” 

And it is. She just wishes she could say more, at least something more intelligent. 

She’s finding she’s running out of intelligent things to say to this boy, more often than not.

But before she can say anything more to save face, a familiar form materializes behind a tall rosebush toward them.

---

“Ah! Well, if it isn’t her ladyship.”

A tall man in glasses cuts in front of them, and it’s so sudden that Ichigo reflexively clutches the sheath of his sword. He looks over at Rukia, who seems unfazed and even smiles pleasantly.

“Sir Aizen! What brings you in my path?”

The man tussles his hand through his brown hair and laughs, but for Ichigo it feels as if he’s going through a motion rather than genuine embarrassment. “Oh, you know--just had a bit of time to take a little walk myself before meeting up with Yamamato. Saw you from a distance and thought I’d say a quick hello. I see you have new company?”

“Oh! Yes.” Rukia inclines her head and even bows a little bit toward Ichigo. “Sir Aizen, this is Ichigo Kurosaki, a new member of my Personal Guard. Sir Kurosaki… This is Sousuke Aizen. He acts a special captain envoy for Lord Yamamoto to the Valley. He’s very important to the institution--as important as the military and medical fields, from my humble opinion.”

“You’re too kind, Rukia. I wouldn’t say that my team is up to that par,” he waves his hand dismissively. “We only do what we can: delivering any goods and foods we can to the needier villages, picking out any capable staff when the time comes--although that hasn’t been in awhile, I’m afraid to say. Lord Yamamoto has been quite stingy, and for good reason: we are filled to the brim here as it is. Still, I wish we could do more.” He turns a little more to Ichigo and bows. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I hear your group made quite a stir when you came through. I regret I wasn’t here to see my lord’s face, or that of this one’s older brother for that matter. What village are you from, again?”

“Karakura.” Ichigo eyes the man’s surprised expression. He can’t quite put his finger on it, but there’s… Something not right with this guy. 

“Oh! Well, that does sound familiar, but I can’t put a picture to the place--”

“It’s the one that was just decimated.” Ichigo can feel Rukia staring, and he almost feels bad about the way Aizen looks taken aback, but he can’t stop himself. “It’s been awhile since your guys came down the mountain to deliver those ‘goods.’ We could’ve used your help.”

“... Of course.” The older man bows his head sheepishly. “I completely understand, and I’m so sorry for your loss. We try our best to help but… We can’t save everyone. Sacrifices need to be made, every day.” He turns to Rukia and inclines his head, a sad smile on his face. “Rukia, I’m sure I will see you again soon. Our squad always values your input. And Ichigo Kurosaki,” He reaches out his hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

Ichigo shakes his hand, despite his own rage and the fact that this man’s grip seems oddly tight. 

He continues alongside Rukia on their walk, and--thankfully--she says nothing.

---

“What’s up with that Aizen guy?” He nearly can’t contain himself from asking once they’re back in her quarters, alone the minute assisting guards leave. He watches her as she delicately lifts a shawl from a nearby chair, but her face is a blank slate. “Something’s… I don’t know. He was nice, I guess, but something feels… Look, can I at least ask for an answer on this, however watered-down?”

She unfolds the shawl, turns her back to him and lifts it to the light of her window--silk, sheer, with a masterfully rich violet pattern--and he’s just about to call her out for ignoring him again when she clears her throat.

“He’s kind enough. He does more for the outside communities than anyone else on the grounds,” she replies softly. “I’m sure many villages have been grateful for his aid… But. If you hold many people to the light here, you’ll find inconsistencies.” She turns to him, her skin near glowing from the afternoon sun behind her. “My advice is… Leave those here to the tasks they’re given. Trust no one with favors or secrets.” Suddenly, she throws on the shawl, sits by the window and curls up as if to take a nap. 

For the rest of his shift, she doesn’t say a word to him until just before it ends.

“Ichigo…” He can hear the next guard’s steps coming quickly from the annexed hallway, but he focuses his attention on her bowed form. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Of your village.”

He doesn’t have time to thank her before the door opens behind him, but he hopes she knows he did, all the same. 

---

When he goes to his quarters, the only one awake of their group is Yuzu. 

“Yuzu, go to sleep. You get up too early in the kitchens as it is.” He chucks off his shirt, fumbles through his bag for a clean one to sleep in. 

“I wanted to stay up for you. I feel bad, sleeping so early when you get back so late.” Ichigo smiles despite himself at his sister’s kindness, however illogical it may be. He may get home late, but at least he gets to sleep in…

But he misses his sister.

 Ichigo goes through the motions of washing his hair and teeth in the room’s basin. He thinks she may have fallen asleep, when he turns around and finds her propped up on her elbows, looking at him. “What’s she like?”

“Who?”

“You know. The Lady Rukia. She’s a mystery to the kitchens. There’s either whispers that she’s a real life angel come down to Earth”--here, Ichigo resists a heavy scoff--”or a witch. Maybe even a Hollowed in disguise.” 

Ichigo starts to untuck the sheets of his cot. “Yuzu, there’s no such thing as angels or witches.” 

“Forty years ago, they said there were no such things as Hollowed. Anyway, it’s not just kitchen gossip. Chad and Ishida were were saying that their sections don’t know what to make of her, either.”

“Look, she’s not some transcendent being, she’s a girl.” Ichigo tries really, really hard to shut down the image of naked Rukia from just this morning. “I don’t know why they treat her so special. She’s…”

Ichigo shrugs and tells Yuzu to go to sleep already before rolling over in his cot.

He can’t tell his sister what Rukia is, yet. 

--

Maybe it’s the mystery shrouding these walls.

Maybe it’s the shady circumstances of the place. 

Maybe it’s the fact that the girl he protects seems so strong and yet is so damn helpless--

But he dreams of his mother that night, all the same.