SNOWFALL.

     SHE REALLY SAID THAT out loud didn’t she! Sayuri can just imagine the talking to Akane and the rest of the SWA would give her if they ever found out about her blunder— except they won’t. Instead, this accident will follow her to her grave, or at least until enough time has passed that no one cares anymore. Maybe she’ll get lucky and Rukia’s pregnancy brain will make it seem like none of this ever happened! It’s time for her to think fast. 

          “Well, you see… I find inhaling helium from balloons to be quite enjoyable!”

     Too fast. Sayuri can feel her body heat rising, her adrenaline beginning to rise as she tries to salvage what’s left of the conversation— things would’ve gone a lot smoother if she had just said it was one of her siblings’ birthdays. Perhaps she was thrown around by a quincy one too many times. 

     her mouth slightly agape as she nods in understanding, ‘ i see. ‘ 

     look, rukia isn’t an all knowing or omnipresent being so of course some things in the human world are just going to be lost on her. regardless, she does trust sayuri! the whole activity surrounding the balloons doesn’t seem sketch or harmful, what’s so bad about sucking in air from balloons anyways?

     RENJI KNOWS JUST HOW serious choosing a lieutenant can be— the success of a division can easily be dictated by how well a captain and their lieutenant synergize with each other. In a way, Rukia’s question makes sense. Who else would be a better candidate for Rukia’s second in command than her talented husband? Renji laughs. 

          “Do you really think your brother would be okay with that?”

     ah, yes, foiled by reality again. whatever will she do? look dejected and neatly round up all of her papers surrounding lieutenant’s candidacy, that’s what. the whole looking downcast thing is played up just like the wanting him to transfer thing, not realistic but dispelling logic for the sake of dramatics every once in a blue moon really can’t hurt, can it?

002.

brain machine is absolutely broke right now so take these condensed modern au rukia tidbits so i can write with my mutuals who can’t fit a sword wielding ghost into their blog:

· rukia is 25, your millennial fave who works at a home decor store owned by jushiro ukitake after having to leave her last job as a corner store cashier.

· rukia has an older sister, hisana, who she was separated from at the age of seven. hisana was adopted by an older couple while rukia bounced home to home until the age of fourteen. they were reunited about two years ago thanks to the latter’s giant law brain and her bigshot lawyer husband, byakuya.

· just like regular verses, rukia can and will be bribed by cute things and is not immune to cute propaganda. she still loves bunnies above all other things cute, she actually has a pet rabbit named bunny! she’s not good at naming things, leave her alone.

@snowseam // (x)

Until then, consider me your confidence.

The touch to her shoulder relaxes her enough, but she’s still slightly fearful. Her world has been shaken to its core; not only has she lost so many friends in this war, but she’s lost her father, the one true pillar in her life. There are other pillars, sure - you don’t build a house on one foundation post, after all. But it’s still shaky even so, just as her breath is when she exhales.

Being strong is hard. She’s a lot stronger than she thinks she is, though - that’s what everyone around her says. It’s funny, it’s been years since the loss, but sometimes it still hits very strong and hard. Paws rub together in uncertainty as Fufu contemplates this, wonders what would Papa say if he was here? Would he say the same things?, thoughts that come without her even realizing. It’s a hard habit to break, but she knows eventually… eventually she can. Eventually, things will be rebuilt, much like society was being. It will be okay again. It will be.

These things just take time.

“Thank you, Captain,” Fufu bows her head, smiling just a touch, “you know, sometimes I think things haven’t changed much, but when I really open my eyes… everything’s different. Not that it’s a bad thing,” she adds quickly, looking up as her ears lay flat to the side in submission, “it’s definitely… it’s.” 

Saying its better is still hard, almost impossible, so she finds a way around the words. “It’s a lot nicer than it could be.” Succinct, to the point, just like the breath she takes. “And I think it’s something I can take pride in. Just like you,” her ears lift and she smiles wider at Rukia now, eyes partially squinted in happiness. “I’d be happiest to consider you my new confidence, Ruki- I mean, Captain.”

     she listens well and smiles back at her, freely at that. well who knew this whole being a captain and guiding subordinates thing would be so easy? that... is in fact a joke. even in spite of that, it’s not like fufu is making any of it difficult or ever has. there’s ample thankfulness in place for it. 

      ‘ don’t mention it, ‘ it really wouldn’t be rukia if she couldn’t smoothly accept a meaningful bit of gratitude, would it? ‘ i don’t much mind you just calling me by name at times if it makes you more comfortable. ‘ they were on a name basis even before rukia’s string of promotions, after all. it’s not a courtesy she’s going to openly extend to everyone but the gesture is there for her to further realign their familiarity with each other. something to keep them grounded in a small way in terms of remembrance of the air of their division before changes came crashing down.

      the hand at fufu’s shoulder reaches out to slide the door open to the designated meeting place of the women’s association. ‘ i leave the door open while i straighten up, ‘ she explains while walking in, gesturing fufu to do the same as well. ‘ lieutenant ise tends to show early before the other members. ‘ it’s quaint, she thinks. regardless of how the cushions, chairs, tables, and whatever else brought in and out of the room end up, it still has a charm to it. 

❛ yes, well…!  ❜ mugen clicks her tongue, steepling her fingers together before her shoulders drop and she lets out a bit of a winded sigh. it was new to her, the feeling of compassion and warmth that otherwise felt vacant throughout the years since the ryoka had first stepped foot into the seireitei what feels like millennia ago. rukia was right in her assumption to think that the warden had stayed behind to wait for the captain’s arrival, as she very well had, but there was another part of her that stayed simply because of how… out of place she had felt the entire duration of the meeting. it was easy to interact with all these women individually, especially as she had communicated with and about them many times in the past, but the overstimulation of all of them at once talking amongst one another in a habitat she’s not used to? mugen felt a bit out of her depth. rukia was late, constantly busy with the affairs of family and occupation, and while mugen had been relieved of one of those burdens, she felt an almost silent kinship for the newly coronated captain and took it upon herself to try one more time at making… a friend. 

❛ ayumu had been telling me she was hungry, and i took it upon myself to bring my portable grill for the meeting, needless to say, i forget i’m a rare breed who eats more than my fair share, ❜ mugen starts, shifting as she makes room for the woman and eagerly pats the soft cushion for her to sit, donning her trademark mischevious smile.  ❛ who am i to deny a working mother a phenomenal lunch? ❜

The truth was she knew that Akane had recently been promoted to a second-in-command station, and ayumu herself had risen to the rank of a fourth seat, and had been coping with her own issues. everyone was doing their own thing, pursuing things and growing, mugen… stagnated, as she always had, and she simply didn’t have to guts to speak on how it made her second guess her worth every now and then. 

❛ im sure they’re around, their loss on missing out on extra helpings. i trust your day has been well, not counting the chaos of leadership and motherhood? ❜

    the mention of extra helpings makes her tun her head. well. if she’s offering! really, who is rukia to turn down such a kind gift in the form of food? ripping and running from her home to her barracks to the academy, then back to the barracks? absolutely exhausting and to indulge is absolutely a rarity for her regardless of the culture around it as a noble. not only that, but she really feels as if she owes mugen. missing the meeting and missing out on a chance to properly interact with her in the aforementioned setting is panning out to be quite the regret so really, the lunch is a for a good cause.

    ‘ this is all quite generous miss aikuchi, i’m very appreciative. ‘ before taking the seat offered she slides the door open about halfway, she’d much rather not have her conference room along with their clothes and belongings smelling like smoke. even the act of her sitting down looks delicate and graceful as casual as it is, her hands folded neatly in her lap as a very touching, thankful smile is given in understanding of her explanation. ‘ my day has been well, the chaos you mentioned keeps it lively above all else. ‘