Previously posted as part of a Multifandom Drabble Collection.
Requester: sakura(underscore)charmed AKA chica de la luna fantasma
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia/Renji
Word/Situation: Uncertain
Mood/Theme: Light/the rain has stopped falling
Approximate Timeline: Soul Society Arc, on the Ryoka's parting for the human world.
Other:
Title: Faded
Author: Winter Ashby (rosweldrmr)
Disclaimer: Bleach © Kubo Tite
Rating: K+
Word Count: 500 - exactly!
Summary: The sky is always faded after a storm. (Rukia & Renji & Ichigo)
Authors Notes: This is an AU of how Rukia could have told Ichigo she wasn't going to go with him. I tried to go for a 'light' mood, but I think I failed miserably. Sorry.
The sky is always faded after a storm, like the rain could wash away the blues and greens of the world.
Rukia sits at a window, her head resting against the cool glass, hands in her lap. She expects to be bothered any second now.
"She's resting!" The unmistakable voice, bathed in too much concern, too much history, never enough time leaks through the screen-paneled door. She smiles, despite herself.
"Then stop yelling! You're gonna wake her up!" Another familiar voice, too new in it's richness, it cuts at the edges where she's not ready yet to admit who he reminds her of.
"Why don't both of you shut up!" She yells, her throat sore, her muscles ache, her heart weighs heavy in her breast. Shrouded in mourning, she blames herself for everything.
The doors slides open, gently. She's greeted with bright orange and red hair against the washed out scenery of Soul Society after a storm.
They look all wrong, too vibrant. She turns away from them, and their expectant faces that she owes too much – can't bring herself to thank them because she's garbage. She's knows she's not worth it, and their admiration, their devotion only serves to drive it home.
Their love twists the blade she holds even deeper.
They are quieter, subdued in her presence. They tip-toe, like she's broken, or will break, or is trying not to, she has no patience for this.
"What do you want?" A cold edge to her voice, she imagines what tomorrow will look like, still faded and stretched, like she's living in a copy of a copy. Funny, she doesn't remember dying.
"We're leaving tomorrow."
She snorts. Not because she means to, or because the pain of losing him, them, is almost too much to take. But because she knew it was coming. She knew it was the end, since the moment she heard he'd come for her.
Lying in a puddle of his own blood, she left to save him.
Everything is backwards with him.
"So go." She says it like it doesn't cut at her insides, tearing jagged pieces of her soul away.
"Rukia!" Renji can still be admonishing.
She closes her eyes and thinks back to when they were younger, burring their friends, trying not to fall in love, because love only ends in heartache. She knew it then as well as she does now.
They are stifling. She can't breathe when they are so close, almost with her, but still kept veiled, out of sight, just behind the screen of paper-thin excuses she lines herself with.
Not good enough. She says to herself, because no one is in her head to stop her.
"You won't come." It's not a question. Ichigo already knows, so instead, it's a statement.
She doesn't need to respond, so she doesn't. Not when Ichigo turns to leave or when Renji growls and turns away.
She doesn't cry when she's alone, not any more, not since the rain has stopped falling.