Reconnecting (2/?)
Title: Reconnecting
Author: Ragna (afteriwake)
Pairing: Ishida & Rukia friendship that will eventually turn into Ishida/Rukia
Rating: PG
Spoilers (if applicable): Originally I had spoilers up to chapter 438, but now I'm going to say it went AU at chapter 454, after Tsukishima's plot has started to be revealed.
Warnings (if applicable): None.
Summary: It took his death for them to be friends again, and more.
Authors Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I touched this fic. But my goal is to finish as many of my WIPs as I can this month, and I just had a burst of ideas for this one. Hope you all enjoy!
---
The four days went by at a decent rate. Byakuya came in and talked to him for a little bit, offering him the use of the manor's library to keep him occupied until Rukia returned. He also warned him not to do anything improper or he would be tossed out like unwanted trash. After he left Ishida smiled a bit at that. Even after three years it seemed as though Byakuya's number one concern was his sister and her well being.
He did spend hours in the library, simply reading. Byakuya had an immense library, full of many interesting books, not just from Soul Society but from the human world as well. He chuckled slightly to himself when he found the small stack of shojo manga on one of the tables. That was obviously Rukia's section of the library, and he found himself spending more time there.
He also wandered around the grounds of the manor. It was a peaceful place, a good place to rest and think about his plans. He had some idea of how Soul Society worked. When Rukia had come back with Renji and the others to combat the Arrancar they had talked. It had always been nice to talk to her. It was one thing he had greatly missed in the three years she had been gone. There were other things as well, but it was nice to have someone to talk to who understood everything that had happened and was not hung up on one aspect or another.
Now that he was in Soul Society, his plans for his life had been dashed. No more university for him. No family, not that he talked to his father much. No friends, except for Rukia and perhaps Renji. In fact, word had been sent to the manor that Renji was looking forward to renewing their friendship. While they had never been particularly close, or at least not as close as Renji had been to Ichigo, it was nice to have someone else welcome him there. But that still left him at a loss as for what to do with the rest of his afterlife. He sorely wished Rukia would come back.
It was on the evening of the fourth day that there was a knock at his room. He opened the door and saw Rukia standing there, a huge bag on the ground beside her. “I brought some of your things,” she said. “Inoue-kun went and picked out what you might want the most.”
“I shall have to send her my thanks,” he said, picking the heavy bag up.
“Don't you want to see what she sent first?” she asked.
“Whatever it is she picked, it was probably important. She'd been over to my home enough to know.”
“I thought she and Ichigo...” she said, trailing off.
He chuckled slightly. “They are. But she and I remained close friends, after everything. When he was busy saving Karakura Town and she was having a particularly bad night she would go to my apartment and we would stay up and talk until Kurosaki came to collect her.”
“Yes, she mentioned she still has nightmares.”
“Not just of Hueco Mundo, but of Tsukishima,” he said with a sigh. “Hopefully Arisawa-san will be able to take my place. She knows about everything that happened, even if she didn't live through it. It may not be the same, but hopefully it will help.”
“Sado-kun was there for your funeral,” she said. “He came back from Mexico. He asked me to give you something.” She reached around her neck, and then pulled up a cord. On it was a Mexican coin. “He said it had always given him luck. He thought you could use it here.”
She offered him the necklace and he took it, fingering the coin lightly before clenching his first around it. “I shall have to thank him, too,” he said quietly.
She looked around. “I see that nii-sama got you a bed,” she said with a smile. She went over and sat on it, running her hand on the blanket.
“He told me that this room was mine until I decided to leave, and you would want me to be comfortable. I always preferred a bed to a mat.”
“I will thank him for that,” she replied. He brought the bad over to the bed and set it on top. He opened it and began to rummage through it, pulling things out. Rukia watched as picture after picture came out. He paused when he saw an old black and white photograph of a lovely woman. “She's beautiful.”
“That's my mother,” he said softly, tracing the outline of her face on the glass with his finger. “She left when I was young to travel to Kyoto, to attend a lecture. The train she was on derailed and she died. I was only seven. And then my grandfather died shortly after that.” He picked up a photo he'd set down and showed it to her. “This was the last photograph my mother took, of the two of us. She was a skilled photographer.”
“It's a very nice photograph,” she said with a smile. She set it down carefully and picked up another one. “Is this from your graduation? Inoue-kun had the same picture. I saw it when I visited her apartment.”
He nodded. “One of Kurosaki's sisters took it. She gave all of us a copy before we all drifted apart.”
“You're actually smiling,” she said with a slight laugh. “I thought you would always have a serious look on your face.”
“Inoue-kun told me a good joke right before the picture was taken,” he replied. “I never got most of her jokes but that one, it was a good joke.” He pulled more items out of the bag, included carefully folded white clothing. “My Quincy uniform.”
“Did you wear it again after Hueco Mundo?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No, not very often. Most of the time when I fought Hollows I did so in regular clothes, until Kurosaki got new powers. And then I only fought Hollows if they interfered with my life. Kurosaki was happy to take care of the problem again when he was able.” He set it to the side and pulled out a small box, opening it up and looking at the threads and needles with a smile before closing it and setting it down.
“Urahara-san is going to send along more of your things, like your books,” she replied. “He was arguing with your father over it.”
“If my father had his way he would sell everything and expunge my memory from the world,” he said bitterly. “Was he at my funeral?”
She shook her head slowly. “No, he was not. Ichigo's father made all the arrangements, with Inoue-kun's help. Your father wanted nothing to do with it, from what I understood, and Isshin thought that was unacceptable.” She paused. “Ichigo was going to have words with him over your belongings as I was leaving. He was going to make sure you got them even if he had to beat your father to a pulp.”
A ghost of a smile drifted on his face. “Typical Kurosaki, always looking to start a fight.”
“I put one thing in the bag,” she replied, opening it up and pulling it out. She handed the wrapped package to him. He unwrapped it carefully and saw his glasses. “I know you can see fine without them here, and that you were wearing contacts when you died, but I thought you might want them.”
“Thank you, Rukia,” he said quietly. “Did you know Inoue-kun helped me pick this pair out?”
“I did not know that.”
“I had broken my old pair and I hadn't gotten contacts yet, so she took me shopping to pick out a 'cool' pair of glasses. I humored her and bought these. I don't think I wore them more than a handful of times. I found I liked contacts more once I got used to them.” He set them carefully on the table by his bed. “I appreciate you thinking that I would like them back.”
She put her hand on his arm after he had set them down. He paused and looked at her intently. “I...” she paused. “Have you given any thought as to what you want to do?”
“I have,” he said. “I will not become a shinigmai, but...I had been planning to become a teacher, when I was done with university. I am wondering if there is a chance I can do that here.”
She smiled warmly at him. “Many of the servants here have families. Perhaps you can teach them.”
“I would like that,” he said with a nod.
“Then I will talk to nii-sama tomorrow,” she said with a nod. “I still have three more days before I have to return to work. I would like to spend some time with you, just...I don't know. Catching up.”
“That would be nice,” he replied.
She slid off the bed, then let go of his arm and bowed slightly. “Good night, Uryuu.”
“Good night, Rukia,” he said, bowing back. She hesitated for a moment, then leaned up and kissed his cheek softly before hurrying out of them room. He stared after her at the now closed door and reached over to touch his cheek gently with a sense of bewilderment before returning to the task of going through the items Inoue-kun had packed for him. It was making the ache of leaving the living world less noticeable.
Author: Ragna (afteriwake)
Pairing: Ishida & Rukia friendship that will eventually turn into Ishida/Rukia
Rating: PG
Spoilers (if applicable): Originally I had spoilers up to chapter 438, but now I'm going to say it went AU at chapter 454, after Tsukishima's plot has started to be revealed.
Warnings (if applicable): None.
Summary: It took his death for them to be friends again, and more.
Authors Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I touched this fic. But my goal is to finish as many of my WIPs as I can this month, and I just had a burst of ideas for this one. Hope you all enjoy!
---
The four days went by at a decent rate. Byakuya came in and talked to him for a little bit, offering him the use of the manor's library to keep him occupied until Rukia returned. He also warned him not to do anything improper or he would be tossed out like unwanted trash. After he left Ishida smiled a bit at that. Even after three years it seemed as though Byakuya's number one concern was his sister and her well being.
He did spend hours in the library, simply reading. Byakuya had an immense library, full of many interesting books, not just from Soul Society but from the human world as well. He chuckled slightly to himself when he found the small stack of shojo manga on one of the tables. That was obviously Rukia's section of the library, and he found himself spending more time there.
He also wandered around the grounds of the manor. It was a peaceful place, a good place to rest and think about his plans. He had some idea of how Soul Society worked. When Rukia had come back with Renji and the others to combat the Arrancar they had talked. It had always been nice to talk to her. It was one thing he had greatly missed in the three years she had been gone. There were other things as well, but it was nice to have someone to talk to who understood everything that had happened and was not hung up on one aspect or another.
Now that he was in Soul Society, his plans for his life had been dashed. No more university for him. No family, not that he talked to his father much. No friends, except for Rukia and perhaps Renji. In fact, word had been sent to the manor that Renji was looking forward to renewing their friendship. While they had never been particularly close, or at least not as close as Renji had been to Ichigo, it was nice to have someone else welcome him there. But that still left him at a loss as for what to do with the rest of his afterlife. He sorely wished Rukia would come back.
It was on the evening of the fourth day that there was a knock at his room. He opened the door and saw Rukia standing there, a huge bag on the ground beside her. “I brought some of your things,” she said. “Inoue-kun went and picked out what you might want the most.”
“I shall have to send her my thanks,” he said, picking the heavy bag up.
“Don't you want to see what she sent first?” she asked.
“Whatever it is she picked, it was probably important. She'd been over to my home enough to know.”
“I thought she and Ichigo...” she said, trailing off.
He chuckled slightly. “They are. But she and I remained close friends, after everything. When he was busy saving Karakura Town and she was having a particularly bad night she would go to my apartment and we would stay up and talk until Kurosaki came to collect her.”
“Yes, she mentioned she still has nightmares.”
“Not just of Hueco Mundo, but of Tsukishima,” he said with a sigh. “Hopefully Arisawa-san will be able to take my place. She knows about everything that happened, even if she didn't live through it. It may not be the same, but hopefully it will help.”
“Sado-kun was there for your funeral,” she said. “He came back from Mexico. He asked me to give you something.” She reached around her neck, and then pulled up a cord. On it was a Mexican coin. “He said it had always given him luck. He thought you could use it here.”
She offered him the necklace and he took it, fingering the coin lightly before clenching his first around it. “I shall have to thank him, too,” he said quietly.
She looked around. “I see that nii-sama got you a bed,” she said with a smile. She went over and sat on it, running her hand on the blanket.
“He told me that this room was mine until I decided to leave, and you would want me to be comfortable. I always preferred a bed to a mat.”
“I will thank him for that,” she replied. He brought the bad over to the bed and set it on top. He opened it and began to rummage through it, pulling things out. Rukia watched as picture after picture came out. He paused when he saw an old black and white photograph of a lovely woman. “She's beautiful.”
“That's my mother,” he said softly, tracing the outline of her face on the glass with his finger. “She left when I was young to travel to Kyoto, to attend a lecture. The train she was on derailed and she died. I was only seven. And then my grandfather died shortly after that.” He picked up a photo he'd set down and showed it to her. “This was the last photograph my mother took, of the two of us. She was a skilled photographer.”
“It's a very nice photograph,” she said with a smile. She set it down carefully and picked up another one. “Is this from your graduation? Inoue-kun had the same picture. I saw it when I visited her apartment.”
He nodded. “One of Kurosaki's sisters took it. She gave all of us a copy before we all drifted apart.”
“You're actually smiling,” she said with a slight laugh. “I thought you would always have a serious look on your face.”
“Inoue-kun told me a good joke right before the picture was taken,” he replied. “I never got most of her jokes but that one, it was a good joke.” He pulled more items out of the bag, included carefully folded white clothing. “My Quincy uniform.”
“Did you wear it again after Hueco Mundo?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No, not very often. Most of the time when I fought Hollows I did so in regular clothes, until Kurosaki got new powers. And then I only fought Hollows if they interfered with my life. Kurosaki was happy to take care of the problem again when he was able.” He set it to the side and pulled out a small box, opening it up and looking at the threads and needles with a smile before closing it and setting it down.
“Urahara-san is going to send along more of your things, like your books,” she replied. “He was arguing with your father over it.”
“If my father had his way he would sell everything and expunge my memory from the world,” he said bitterly. “Was he at my funeral?”
She shook her head slowly. “No, he was not. Ichigo's father made all the arrangements, with Inoue-kun's help. Your father wanted nothing to do with it, from what I understood, and Isshin thought that was unacceptable.” She paused. “Ichigo was going to have words with him over your belongings as I was leaving. He was going to make sure you got them even if he had to beat your father to a pulp.”
A ghost of a smile drifted on his face. “Typical Kurosaki, always looking to start a fight.”
“I put one thing in the bag,” she replied, opening it up and pulling it out. She handed the wrapped package to him. He unwrapped it carefully and saw his glasses. “I know you can see fine without them here, and that you were wearing contacts when you died, but I thought you might want them.”
“Thank you, Rukia,” he said quietly. “Did you know Inoue-kun helped me pick this pair out?”
“I did not know that.”
“I had broken my old pair and I hadn't gotten contacts yet, so she took me shopping to pick out a 'cool' pair of glasses. I humored her and bought these. I don't think I wore them more than a handful of times. I found I liked contacts more once I got used to them.” He set them carefully on the table by his bed. “I appreciate you thinking that I would like them back.”
She put her hand on his arm after he had set them down. He paused and looked at her intently. “I...” she paused. “Have you given any thought as to what you want to do?”
“I have,” he said. “I will not become a shinigmai, but...I had been planning to become a teacher, when I was done with university. I am wondering if there is a chance I can do that here.”
She smiled warmly at him. “Many of the servants here have families. Perhaps you can teach them.”
“I would like that,” he said with a nod.
“Then I will talk to nii-sama tomorrow,” she said with a nod. “I still have three more days before I have to return to work. I would like to spend some time with you, just...I don't know. Catching up.”
“That would be nice,” he replied.
She slid off the bed, then let go of his arm and bowed slightly. “Good night, Uryuu.”
“Good night, Rukia,” he said, bowing back. She hesitated for a moment, then leaned up and kissed his cheek softly before hurrying out of them room. He stared after her at the now closed door and reached over to touch his cheek gently with a sense of bewilderment before returning to the task of going through the items Inoue-kun had packed for him. It was making the ache of leaving the living world less noticeable.