From this angle, the difference between Kuchiki Rukia and Matsumoto Rangiku looked considerable.
Lying on Rukia's lap might give you the perfect view of the entire sky...
"You're awake."
"Mm." Yuta sat up from Matsumoto Rangiku's lap and asked, "Rukia, what brings you here?"
"Call me Rukia-sensei." Kuchiki Rukia stepped closer to him. "Don't you know? This is Kuchiki family property. I came to inspect it."
"If you're too broke to rent, we could offer you housing free of charge. Think of it as one of the perks from teacher to student."
Yuta laughed lightly. "I think I'm doing fine paying rent."
"If you ever fall on hard times, I'll take care of you then," Rukia replied jokingly.
"Could you support me too? I really envy nobles with endless money." Matsumoto Rangiku wrapped her arms around the smaller Rukia Kuchiki and pulled her into her embrace.
Rukia struggled slightly against her suffocating grip. It was warm and comfortable-just impossible to move or even to properly inhale. "Don't you have work? There are squad quarters to stay in, aren't there?"
Matsumoto Rangiku gritted her teeth. "Since you're here anyway, don't go. Let's stay at Yuta's place tonight and open some wine."
Rukia gave it some thought and nodded. "Alright."
"We'll head out and buy ingredients first," Yuta said as he stood up. "I'll cook for you tonight."
Matsumoto Rangiku immediately perked up. "Really? You're in for a treat-Yuta's cooking is good."
Kuchiki Rukia's eyes brightened slightly too. "In that case, you'll treat me this time, consider it your turn to show appreciation."
All three of them made their way to the nearest shop.
Yuta picked out fresh fish and vegetables. "How about grilled fish tonight?"
"Okay, okay!" Rukia and Rangiku both nodded quickly and followed behind him.
Back at the rental house, they returned to the first floor. Yuta rolled up his sleeves, picked up the kitchen knife, and started on the fish.
[You try to cut fish and learn how to cut fish with a knife.]
In that instant, everything about handling kitchen knives settled into place in his head with clarity.
His movements grew efficient. One toss placed the fish in midair-the blade glinted straight through it in several swipes.
By the time the meat fell back down, its organs had separated cleanly. Even the translucent fish bones had been fully removed and were now laid neatly to one side-intact and as pristine as museum-grade fossils.
Though they had been excited before, Rukia and Rangiku were completely silent as they watched now-mouths open and eyes wide in disbelief.
Rukia stared hard at Yuta's hands. The way he used his knife wasn't normal-it was refined and precise enough to be dangerous in combat. If that technique were used with intent to wound…
Smells started wafting from the kitchen as he moved on to grilling.
"What kind of aroma is this?" Rangiku sniffed deeply with surprise lighting up her face.
Even Rukia looked stunned. She'd eaten countless delicacies as part of the Kuchiki household-but nothing in Seireitei smelled like this before. This was entirely new.
They sat down and waited in silence after that-but each passing second made the craving worse.
Matsumoto Rangiku had trouble sitting upright from anticipation alone. Time slowed unbearably.
Rukia shifted once but caught herself quickly. She clasped her hands on top of her knees and stayed perfectly upright-afraid that if she gave in and moved again she would lose composure entirely.
…
After some time had passed, the grilled fish finally came out-coated with golden sauce that glistened as it steamed on the plate. Both Rukia and Rangiku were inches away from drooling by then.
"Why does this smell so unreal? Yuta-what are you, divine?" Matsumoto Rangiku looked ready to cry just from the scent alone.
Rukia's usual Kuchiki restraint cracked under the pressure. She couldn't take her eyes off the grilled fish now-not when it was right in front of her at last.
Yuta brought out three bottles of wine from his cabinet and placed them down casually. "Honestly, this isn't even my best work. Seireitei's seasoning rules are pretty restrictive-we did what we could though. Now then... let's eat."
"I'm gonna start now!"
"I'm gonna start now!"
Both women dug in without further hesitation, picking up their chopsticks and taking their first bite of fish.
It melted instantly against their tongues-the tenderness overtaken by deeply savory notes from the grilled sauce that followed-and their expressions visibly changed as they chewed through it once… then again without stopping.
Even Rangiku forgot to drink-which said everything anyone needed to know about how good it was.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Compared to this… had she ever actually eaten food before?
"This is what life should be," she whispered under her breath without realizing it.
Yuta only took several bites himself before realizing that most of what he'd cooked had already disappeared-split between two hungry mouths across from him.
"You really… nailed it," Matsumoto Rangiku said through choked sobs. "Yuta, your grilled fish is amazing…"
Kuchiki Rukia clung tightly to Yuta's sleeve and refused to release it. "Yuta-I want grilled fish every day from now on."
He picked up his tea cup with both hands and took a sip calmly. "It's not even that special actually. Someday when we go to the world of the living-I'll show you food way better than this."
They had no idea that one dish would be enough to completely disarm them both.
Afterwards-
"Drink up-we're not done after dinner," Rangiku said brightly as she popped open another bottle of wine.
After several rounds, both women fell into drunken stupors-Kuchiki Rukia knocked out cold and Rangiku slumped over next to her.
Yuta carried Rangiku first and lowered her gently into one of the bedrooms without trouble.
Next came Rukia-it was his first time lifting her. One arm under her legs and another braced under her upper body near her armpit sent a sudden wave of unsteadiness straight into her limp body. She curled unconsciously into him-arms wrapped around his neck-warm breath pressing against his collarbone reeking faintly of sweet alcohol.
Yuta placed her gently on the bed afterwards, then slipped off her shoes and socks before placing her Zanpakutō on its stand nearby. Sode no Shirayuki… It was said to be one of-if not the most beautiful Zanpakutō known.
He turned off the lights, closed the door behind him, then returned to clean up… and sleep.
-
Rukia woke up on time the next morning thanks to habit alone-her internal clock ringing clear as always.
She sat up slowly with one hand against her temple, blinking groggily while wondering-
Where was she again?
Only after rubbing at her bleary eyelids did light finally come back-and memory along with it: she'd stayed at Yuta's house after drinking too much last night.
After washing up quickly and tidying herself as usual, she stepped out into the hallway and knocked gently on Yuta's door-
No response.
She tried again-and when silence answered again-she opened it with one click-
And walked into what she hadn't expected at all.
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