Memories Fade Away
IchigoxSenna
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Bleach: Memories of Nobody and am in no way making profit from this.
The bridge shook, the power of the valley still rumbling across the area. She looked over, her eyes fixating on the bright circle of light in the river, the circle that served as a portal that was slowly bringing the world down.
The red ribbon drifted away in the wind, swirling on and on, far, far away, fading out of existence.
She leapt into the air, her Shinigami robes billowing in the wind. Ichigo followed after her, heart racing.
They stood in the air, directly above the Valley of Screams. The breeze washed over them, tickling at their bodies. Senna let the feeling engulf her. Ichigo turned, his eyes swiveling around.
She looked at him briefly before she grabbed his hand, head down.
"Ichigo…I'm scared."
The orange haired male looked at her smaller figure, eyes filled with worry.
"Senna?"
She locked hands with his, eyes still closed. He could feel the warmth of her touch, traveling from his hands and through his body.
"But…"
Her eyes opened, pale orange orbs fixating on him.
"I won't let it go! A world like this, that's so fun! Where so many people live…"
She trailed off, her hand clenching tighter around his and her voice cracked,
"Where...you live Ichigo!"
She turned away from him, her eyes wandering down to the river below. The wind blew through her hair and the light from the water below danced across her face.
And at that moment he knew. His heart skipped a beat. Thump. Thump.
Slowly Senna let her hand unclench from Ichigo's.
"The blanks are still close to me…" She turned to him, those captivating pale orange orbs wide. A hint of fear. Determination. Love…
"If I use their energy, I know I can return both worlds to normal."
She drifted away, light orange eyes that he had grown to love dancing wildly in the darkness.
"If the world ended you'd disappear too…"
Ichigo froze at this, his eyes fixed on the girl in front of him and his heart raced away...
She whirled around, her soft voice crying out,
"I don't want that to happen!"
Senna began to glow, power pulsing from her body, and Ichigo took a step towards her. His voice was frantic, panic etched into every syllable.
"No, Senna, stop, you've got to-"
The girl looked up, tears flying from her eyes.
"I'd rather sacrifice myself than let you die!"
Those words echoed in his brain. His heart thumped rapidly and he reached a hand out, moving without thinking, running toward Senna.
'Senna…'
He screamed.
"SENNA!"
The world faded.
"Ichigo…I have a favor to ask…"
He walked along the paved road, her body pressed against his back, hands circled around his neck. His hair hung over his cinnamon brown eyes, casting shadows across his face. His muscled arms circled tighter around Senna's legs, adjusting their grip.
He walked slowly, the sound of his shoes clacking against the pavement every few seconds. He stopped, Senna's warm body still pressed against his and he drew in a deep breath.
The graveyard.
Ichigo pushed the door open, his footsteps echoing behind him as he strolled through the entrance.
"I want to check my family grave", she whispered, the soft tone of her voice sending shivers down his body.
"I said they were here yesterday right?"
Her voice became quiet but Ichigo could hear it clearly as she whispered in his ear.
"I was alive once, living in this town. I know it."
He kept walking,
'If only I'd known…'
She continued, her soft voice still playing its melody into Ichigo's senses.
"Like I said, I had parents." Memories played through her mind. "I was alive, so my name must be on the grave too."
He stopped, his eyes still shadowed, lids hanging heavily over the soft brown of irises. 'If only I'd known…'
"Here right?"
Her weary head slipped onto his shoulder and she nodded weakly, opening her bleary eyes.
"Four stones from the end."
Ichigo turned, his body coming to rest in front of a grave.
"Is there a name?"
He went down on one knee and leaned in, his eyes focusing on the dull gray stone and the carefully carved inscriptions on its surface. His eyes were focusing, but his mind was somewhere else.
'Senna…' "I've got something in my eye…is it there?"
He closed his eyes, his posture slumping.
"Yeah…it is."
He lifted himself back up.
"You used to live in this town and you had a family." His grip around her tightened.
Senna opened his eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks. The soft patter of the drops on his shirt let Ichigo know. 'Please...don't cry…'
"I'm so happy!" Her voice choked as she struggled to hold back tears.
Her body began to glow and Ichigo could feel the heat began to diminish, dwindling into cold. He savored it, the feeling of her body, the tone of her voice, her scent, everything. Each movement…each passing moment…with her. He cherished it. He memorized it, storing it away in the back of his mind. He wouldn't forget…wouldn't forget this…wouldn't forget her.
"I feel warm…"
"I'll see you again right?" her shaky voice whispered in his ear.
His heart clenched. 'If only I'd known…'
"Don't be dumb, of course you will."
His eyes watered, a long single tear traveling down his face. He felt her fade. He sunk to his knees. 'If only I'd known...'
He turned to the figure behind him not hearing or caring what she had to say. His mind was bursting and his vision blurring. His heart clenched and his breath was coming slower. Suffocating…the warmth was gone…
"It may only last for a few more seconds, but for now at least, I can still hear her voice."
He shoved his hands down, deep into his pockets and turned away, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness of the graveyard.
'If only I knew…If only I realized…that I loved you…'
-Fin-