Work Text:
According to the prompt: Imagine Person A is a death god(dess)/shinigami/grim reaper who is tasked with taking Person B’s soul, but has fallen in love with them.
Genres: Romance, Attempt at Humour, Attempt at Angst
Person A: Kagura
Person B: Okita Sougo
Kagura had the hardest job on the world. To be able to do this job she needed a hard mask. No she wasn't a garbage man, or a plumber, she isn't a janitor either. She does jobs lower then those. She took lives. And you may be thinking wait is she a gangster? Does she work for the mafia? No she's doesn't. But I can assure you that she would rather be a member of the mafia then what she is now. Kagura was a soul reaper. Yup you read it correctly. But she is called different things by many different people. But mostly pip squeak, monster, glutton (though she shares that title with all of the seventh squad), and many more.
Kagura hated her bosses too. Her's does nothing but laze around all day while reading shonnen jump. The captain from her original squad wasn't any better. He was a brother with a massive sister complex (she honestly feels bad for his vice captain). The captain of the squad 2 was some teachers pet to the head captain and has a strange obsession with crows. The third, fifth, and sixth were run by wannabe bad boys and laughs-a-lot weirdos. To be frankly honest the only slightly normal squad was the fourth. They were run by violent women who need to learn how to hide a crush (mostly on her permed boss). Especially the blond vice-captain.
All in all Kagura was very happy to have been assigned a mission to the living world and away from the author's very bad parody of Bleach. The summary of the file she got was that in a months time she will be taking the life of a 18 year old boy with a lung infection at a small, but very nice, hospital. In fact she was headed to that hospital right now.
Finally finding the the window of the second floor corner room she sat down in a nearby tree and observed an empty room. She took out her file of the boy and read that he will be arriving later tonight in the emergency. So like she picked up through training with her captain she leaned against the trunk of the tree and slept.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
She woke up in about time to see light shine in the room and a boy underneath the covers. So Kagura closed the distance between the boy and her. She willed herself to float through the window and stared at her next target. He had pale skin, though that was because he just got out of the emergency, she could tell that it was normally slightly tan. His hair reminded her of the head captain but shorter than the head by a long shot. It framed his face quite nicely. He had a strong build for a sick patient. She couldn't see the colour of his eyes but could already tell he was a favourite of the ladies. He kind of reminded her of her brother. He looked nice but she could already feel a deadly vibe coming from him (no pun intended). She found a spot on the window sill and got comfortable and waited to drift of to sleep.
And she did.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
Kagura woke up to something poking her face. Still half asleep she muttered for Gin-chan to let her
sleep five more minutes. She got a reply that woke her up immediately, "Eh? I don't know who Silver-chan is, but I think I'm a bit more golden myself."
Kagura quickly got up and took a look at her attacker. It was the sick boy up and out of his bed. She asked how he could see her. Because normal humans aren't supposed to see her. The answer he gave didn't satisfy her, "I don't know kid. By the way what's with the get up? You live in Edo or something? Normally ghosts where normal clothes. Also what's up with the scythe? They have ghosts with weapons now?"
Kagura yelled that she wasn't a kid and that she was probably ten or fifteen times older than him. She explained that she was a Soul Reaper, and that she does own modern clothes. What she was wearing was a uniform and had to be worn.
Kagura noticed that he had dark red eyes. Like the colour of her scythe when she cleans it after battle. Or when she injures someone during training and has to clean the blood afterwards. She didn't notice herself starring into them until the boy said, "I know I'm a lady killer but Id rather not have a flat chested pig drool about me."
Kagura yelled that she was still a growing girl and that it takes time grow for a soul reaper. "Ya whatever," said the boy, "When are you going to take my soul?"
Classified information was all he got. Or hoped to get at least. "Well since I'm gonna be here awhile, why doesn't the employed ghost tell me stories about work? I mean not that I care but people at the bars always talk about how hard their jobs are so I just started to wonder how hard your job is."
At that moment a crack formed on her mask.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
She did tell him stories of her past job the first week. Only to be interrupted by busty girls caked in make up. Most of them could probably be models for all she knew. That's when the crack began to repair itself.
Kagura noticed many things in her time with the Okita Sougo. That was his name, in return she told him to call her Kagura. He didn't though, he called her China. In return she called him Sadist. To be honest she didn't like him one bit. But the off handed remark that seemed to show a different side to him. Those reopened the cracks in her mask.
Another thing she learned where that he kept only two people close to him. A man who reminded her of a gorilla and a person who smelled of nicotine and mayonnaise. She was never formally introduced to the gorilla but she did have a small unlikely chat with the man called Hijikata Toushiro.
As the nurses wheeled the Sadist off to his room after a heated story telling session with yelling of profanities, insults, and the latest gossip of the relationship between her boss and his harem of women. The man later known as Hijikata Toshirou looked In her direction and threw a stick he found on the ground towards her. Acting on instinct she caught it and cursed under her breath. How could she have done such a foolish mistake. "Hey soul reaper I can't see or hear you, but I can sense you're there," said the man who reeked of mayonnaise, "I need to ask you something."
Kagura wrote on the dirt; continue
"If you know the permed a**hole, Sakata, could you tell them that I'm still waiting for my mayonnaise."
Now Kagura was confused. How did this person know her boss. That lazy sugar addict hadn't been on a job for years. The only thing she knew about her boss was that he didn't like human world jobs. She wrote; How do you know him?
"Awhile back he took the soul of my girlfriend," Hijikata spoke sadly, "back then I could see him and his agitating smile. Maybe I've lost my touch."
Kagura replied; When was this?
"Five years ago plus two weeks. If you're wondering how I know Sougo is because my girlfriend, Okita Mitsuba, was his sister. She couldn't see him though so it's weird that her brother could sense you, much less see you. Anyway take care of Sougo for now the doctors say he only has three weeks left. Oh and tell your boss I said congrats on the promotion."
With that he left leaving Kagura with more questions then answers. Now that she thought about it her boss became her boss four years ago. He was a captain for a year before before she came so she doesn't know much about him. She'll have to ask him when he comes back.
The thought of having to take another siblings' life chipped a piece of mask.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
The second week she was there she let her guard down. When he asked about her past she spilled. Said that her and her brother were some of the few reapers with memories. Growing up in the slums with foster parents. Then finding out they had an aptitude for becoming reapers after their foster mami died.
Of course in return he told her about his school life and his family. How the 'Hiji-bastard' was supposed to be his brother in law. And how the gorilla was like the father he never had. He mentioned that he was on his way to being a police officer when he got the same infection that killed his sister.
She found out that he wanted to live.
A chunk of the mask blew off.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
The third week her heart was doing one of two things:
—A flip flop kind of dance whenever the Sadist gave her compliments in the form of insults. Normally disguised as a 'Wow flat chested pigs can look presentable' or 'Thanks for tricking the nurses for me'.
—Twisting itself whenever pretty girls of nurses tried to flirt with him. For that problem she when to Hijikata. When she told him he looked at her with knowing eyes and said 'Good luck reaping his soul'
She decided to fix her mask and make it solid and stronger.
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
The fourth and final week came. She suddenly felt dreaded to reap him. Like a huge weight fell on her shoulders and she couldn't get it off. She never felt like this before. And somehow the Sadist caught her. "Hey China girl your face is looking uglier that usual, what's up?"
Kagura replied with a, It's none of your business and asked if he wanted to die by a reap or another method. She gave him a book to choose from saying that it was a payment for keeping her company.
With that she fortified her mask
_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_•~•_
Today was the day. She avoided him all week to stay with Hijikata and talk to him. That and playing tricks on the nurses. When she went to his room there was a note to meet him at the roof top. So up Kagura went through the ceilings and up to the roof top.
She saw him standing there out of his wheelchair that he normally sat on and looked at the garden the hospital had. As if sensing her presence he turned around with the book in hand and walked over to her. "If I ever do see my sister I wouldn't want her to see a scar on my body with the scythe that you have. Nor do I want a bullet through the head by an umbrella so I'll do the one thing I wanted to do for awhile now." a sad smile on his face. More like a smirk that lacked confidence. She couldn't tell.
Kagura was so confused at the moment. She didn't even know what was happening until she felt chapped but soft lips on hers. Then his soul left his body and went to the Soul Society. She didn't even feel the strong shell of her mask drop to the the floor with his body. Kagura's legs gave out as she fell in front of the body of the person she soon realized she loved. It hit her like a brick. Cross that out. It hit her like a train was running at full speed while a plane was crashing on top of her. She didn't notice the nurses and doctors taking his body away. Her tears stained the concrete of the roof. As she now knew what Hijikata's vague warning meant. And why her boss hated human work jobs.
"Crap, I need a new mask. Stupid Sadist broke mine."
—•–•-•-•–•—
Kagura had the hardest job on the world. It requires the toughest of masks. No she wasn't a garbage man, or a plumber, she isn't a janitor either. But I can assure you that she would rather be a criminal. Kagura was a soul reaper. She is called different things by many different people. Mostly shinigami, death god, bringer of bad luck, pip squeak, monster, glutton, flat chested pig, China girl, and many more.
But now she knew that even the toughest masks couldn't help her with that.