100 shots of RukiHime: Love is Love

Love was a concept not fully understood by humanity as they claim. In the month of June where the demand of equal marriage rights was prominent in the 1960s, Rukia and Orihime were having a fun fieldtrip in Karakura town. People of two opposing sides were fighting. One for keeping marriage between a man and a woman, the other side demanding equal marriage rights for everyone. Rukia was shocked to see such sides roaring around. "It really makes no sense, Kuchiki-san. There's no true definition saying marriage is between one man and one women and people who're like that make me question of them having a life. Let people love who they want to love."

"This issue was prominent throughout the ages of human life according to the texts I've read in the squad 12 research facility. This is still an issue? Humans fail to realize that true love comes from falling in love with a person, not a kind of person."

"What to do? I guess some people really can't take the truth. Reminded me of the time Ichigo told me to keep his relationship with with his foster twin Shiro."

"What, Inoue?"

"Nothing...it's best not to tell what happened to Shiro-kun in middleschool and highschool."

"What happened, Inoue? Don't worry. My lips are sealed."

The two went around an alley, where no one saw them. "He was...assaulted by an upper classman girl. Took him up to senior year to tell us cause they broke his vocal chords when he was getting assaulted the second time as a freshman."

"What did he ever do? They?"

"The assaulter had accomplices."

As expected. Even assholes have done deeds in groups. Hasn't changed one bit. Orihime continued. "He lost so much pride, he refused to even speak when his vocal chords were working few months later. He often came back to the house injured during those days."

"Why did they always hurt him?"

"Because...he's gay."

"What?"

"Sh...I know. It was the stupidest reason to hurt someone like that. He was able to stand up to most of the guys he fought. But there was more. His eyes, hair, and skin were also why he was targeted. Even from middleschool. And...it was mostly the girls that tormented him. It made his gynophobia even worse. Girls had always took advantage of him, playing with his hair and using him as an art canvas. One girl even abducted him to use his back to be painted for an art project! He always told them to stop but they wouldn't listen. Tatsuki always smacked him for not fighting back. But when she knew about his gynophobia problem, she even became soft like me." Believe me. Seeing Tatsuki like a soft person was rare."

"Poor guy!"

"During freshman year when he tried to open up to Kurosaki-kun to keep him being gay a secret, some kid was hearing them and it spread around the whole school. Everyone except us made fun of him! It was so bad, Kurosaki-san had to chain the brothers together so Shiro wouldn't get hurt anymore from the girls! Ever since that attempted suicide that day!"

"Why?"

"He couldn't take it. Sure, physical pain suppressed overtime. But, the mental pain kept hurting him. Assistant Coach Abarai saved him from killing himself. The moment he took Shirogetsu back to the Kurosaki clinic, Ichigo was asking him questions which only caused Shiro to run up the room and put a pillow on himself to block any noise to be heard outside the room."

"What happened?"

"From what Kurosaki-kun told me, Shiro's snow white skin was almost completely tainted with body paint of 'nomal' skin tone, long flowing hair was cut to Kurosaki-kun's size but a bit longer at the back and dyed completely black. The moment he saw his reflection at the window, he was crying silently even when Kurosaki-kun embraced him. He said this, 'It's okay. Abarai told me about it. He's going to file a report and expel those assholes for doing that to you. It's okay.' Shiro's head was over Kurosaki-kun's shoulder. Shiro has only cried like that during gradeschool. Kurosaki-kun seeing his brother broken like that was...I can't describe it."

Rukia's fists were turning white as Shiro's skin. She couldn't believe her ears. "Those a-"

"Shh, Kuchiki-san."

"This was all because of his looks and orientation? Unforgivable who-"

"Whores. I know, Kuchiki-san. I never expected this to happen to him here. I expected America to be like that since only few states allow same sex marriage."

"Don't even tell me about that place! They can't even follow the words of the people who put the foundation to that country!"

"Not to mention using religion as a weapon when it's against their Bill of Rights!"

"So much for 'land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE'."

"Not to mention 'with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL'."

"And they wonder why some of the school kids either just stand up or sit down during the pledge?"

"Rukia, Inoue!"

They turned to see Orihime's school friend. "Why are you two talking in an alley?"

The two girls stood up, dusting the dirt off their dresses and shoes. "Nothing much, Ishida. We were talking about how people are making an issue about something that shouldn't be one."

"You mean about equal marriage rights?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah..."

"Did you..."

"It's alright." We turned to see Shiro speaking. He was fine now. Skin tone is back to his color. Same with his hair. Not as long as it was when first seen but it's three fourths the way there. He continued, "I mean...they are in a relationship. She doesn't have ta keep it a secret, right?" He said, hands in his pocket. "Ya can always fix injuries to the best of capability," he said, looking at his healed wrists. "But, ya can't fix idiocy. There's always gonna be assholes in reality. We just... 'ave ta deal with 'em."

"Shiro's right. We are still living in a society as narrow-minded as the generation of our grandparents. It's up to us, as open-minded people, to open the minds of others around, especially when the new generation kids are brainwashed by narrow minded ideals."

"Whoa, Chad. Neva' knew ya had it in ya."

"I don't really talk much until I need to. Such topics like such are important so it's worth putting my yen in this."

"What do you suppose we do?" Orihime asked. "I mean, should we make stuff o-"

"That's our only option now, unless they start taking away our freedom to live as well," Ishida said, pushing his glasses back up. "It's starting to be a tad more tolerant of 'queers' like us. We just got to keep moving with our efforts. Even if it means the generation of tomorrow looking down at us for making a big deal out of something that existed during the creation of life itself."

"Well put, Ishida," Chad said. "Couldn't have said it any better."

Ichigo shrugged as he spoke. "Like four eyes said, why make a big deal? We're still people with organs, skeleton and a beating heart. Assholes need to consider that there is more than meets the eye. My favorite one from watching that western film, 'freedom is the right of all sentinental beings.' Even I figured that out from watching the movie."

"Transformers, right, Kurosaki?"

"Yep, four eyes."

"The parade starts tomorrow. What should we plan ta do? I'm thinkin' paint."

"Body or-"

"Both. Pride colors ta be precise."

"Can't wait."

The group went their ways planning for their contribution to the parade. Since there's no school for the time, preparation got even better.