Affected By Death

Chapter 3: Racing Heart

Rukia is pleasantly surprised when she pulls up to the Kurosaki Clinic/home. She thinks it's really nice how they seem like a tight knit family, just from what she's seen between the father and son. They have the type of closeness she always envied in normal families. Two teenage girls come running outside when they see Isshin's car pull up, and they eye Rukia's Nissan with a bit of curiosity, but their concern over their brother comes first.

Rukia stays in her car for a moment studying the two girls who are identical in height, but that's about it. They both have medium length hair, but one has light colored hair, and the other as dark as her father's hair. They're both slim, but one is wearing a dress, and the other is in soccer apparel. The dark haired one is a pretty athletic type and the lighter haired one is pretty in a girlish way.

Rukia takes her time, getting out of her car, to give them time to talk. She's glad she has enough in her suitcase to last her through the next few days. She gets it out of her trunk and throws her purse over her shoulder, before she wheels the suitcase up.

"This is the young woman that saved Ichigo's life." Isshin tells them with too happy a smile pasted on his face.

The girls both give her a warm and friendly smile, Karin nods, and Yuzu bows her head. Rukia bows her head back at both of them.

"I'm Kuchiki Rukia." She tells the teenage girls, and though they know the name sounds familiar, neither of them can pinpoint why.

"I am Kurosaki Yuzu."

"I'm Kurosaki Karin."

"She's spending the night in Ichigo's room. She'll be staying with us awhile," Isshin says. Rukia can't help but blush, because she immediately imagines, still being in Ichigo's room, when he gets back home.

"I'll take you up to his room," Yuzu offers, and Rukia gives her a small smile and nods her head.

Isshin and Karin watch them head in the house, and Isshin smiles hugely, while Karin looks at him suspiciously.

"Does Ichi-ni know about this?" Karin asks with a raised eyebrow, and Isshin grins.

"You might not believe it but he's the one who offered to let her use his room. You should see him Karin, he's completely different around her!" Isshin says in a low conspiratorial voice.

"I'll believe it, when I see it." Karin says, since she knows how her father can blow things out of proportion, without even trying.

Rukia has followed Yuzu into the house and up the stairs. Yuzu leads her to Ichigo's room and Rukia walks into his room and she looks around curiously. It's a small, organized bedroom. What excites her most is the fact that she sees a television and game system hooked up to it.

He plays like me!

"Thank you, Yuzu-chan," Rukia says, and Yuzu backs out of the room, giving Rukia complete privacy in Ichigo's bedroom.

Rukia sets her purse on Ichigo's desk, and leaves her suitcase near the bedroom door. She slowly walks around his room, and studies the books on his shelf.

It appears he's more intellectual than she first realized, she realizes this when she sees Shakespeare on his bookshelf. She runs her finger across his desk and tries to imagine him spending time in here.