Soft kitty

Chapter. 8......

........ Tragedy of the second lead......

An eerie evening's breeze swept through the settling town as stillness began its decent into Karakura's night life. Almost ice like, the air battered exposed parts of her skin as if this third world became one in the same with her zanpakuto's; and this was clearly saying a lot since Rukia's shinigami prowess steemed from the mother of Ice herself. But having said that, she intimately knew the whys and how's of this stiffling sensation. That little mystery in of itself it seemed, was no mystery at all.

Barely a few short minutes had expired behind her hastened departure from a place she came to know as home sweet home, but she couldn't lie to herself any further though; thinking and willing her heart into believing the words 'home was where you made it and not where the heart was'. It was a statement that completely opposed the truth that lingered somewhere deep inside. And that truth was as simple as the dimming glow of this evening's sun.

Rukia had crafted her home, her temple like sanctuary with in the Kurosaki's residence, and now her insides felt all tattered an torn, as if packing and leaving through the very doors that had once welcomed her with arms wide open, somehow managed to toss her out on her bare ass after all these years. But that was far from the actual truth wasn't it?.

It was Rukia whom first decided to sever these now broken ties with the one she came to love so many years ago, and ultimately with the home she'd made lasting memories in. But that was it, that crippling factor that weighed at each foot as if shackles had been fastened to both ankles; dragging, lagging her departure as the seconds ticked on by. Leaving Inuzuri hadn't been this depressing as one would have rightfully assume, at least not to this calibre. Although, her intentions weren't those of absolute severance to begin with, but having met with Inoue's smelling face earlier, Rukia's decision had been made subconsciously and without much effort, unfortunately.

There were doubts lingering behind this decisive approach of whether or not it was the rightful thing to do at this saddened juncture, and after giving it much thought from a perspective that befitted Byakuya's skills of deduction, this path she choose some how cemented as appropriate further more. Nii-sama would be proud she figured; a small but heavy thought that barely placated her weary emotions.

"Ruki-nee?"......

Shit, how deeply submerged were she in her own chaotic monologue, to have completely disregard Karin's presence beside her? Then again, the other shinigami had been, not so awkwardly, but quite suspiciously silent as they made their way towards Urahara's shoten.

" Everything okay?"

"Yes, I suppose", Rukia's reply was more than a bit clipped if anyone had noticed, which was saying quite a alot since her's and Karin's relationship ventured into the realm of sibling like love; something she greatly wished her unrequited feelings towards Ichigo did. But, so much for wishful thinking.

"You sure it's cool if I used the Kuchiki's senkaimon?"

Rukia's barely batted an eye at the other's doubtfulness. "You know you're always welcome at the manor right. It might not seem so but, Nii-sama has grown almost fond of you kids over the last few years"...there was a ghosting of a small smile, a barely there gesture on her lips.

" I see" came Karin's only response a few minutes later. Oh, but now her sudden clipped tone caught Rukia's attention, and by a great amount. Turning to face the younger one, her scowl, it began to mimic her brother's identically.

"Is everything alright with you and the captain? I mean usually you would use his keys to enter into Seireitie?".....An honest to god question, and as expected from an onlooker's perspective when it came to matters between Karin and Squad ten's captain. Unfortunately though, and how sad, the petite shinigami of the Kuchiki clan wasn't the only one being pierced by blades of unrequited infatuation.