Melody, a bleach fanfic

Title: Melody

Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Series: Bleach

Pairing: Hichi Ichi, Hichigo x Ichigo, Shiro x Ichigo

Rating: T

Warning: Major OOC.

Summary: When Ichigo's hollow discovers his own inner world, he gained the human emotions he would've had. But what happens when Ichigo finds out? And why does his king make him feel so...weird.

I was so close...so close to killing king, I could feel it. The feeling of freedom, that tempting, beautiful feeling.

But I was weak, so, so unbelievably weak. Don't think it wasn't painful, having a weapon stabbed though your stomach. I was in so much pain I didn't have time to be upset with myself.

I am a hollow, but I still feel pain.

All I remember is...black.

For once in my miserable life, no, existence, it wasn't white.

You see, some people are afraid of black, but black is nothing. Spend you life in white...that hauntingly gorgeous color; and you will be eternally afraid. It's so bright, it's blinding.

So painfully bright...

You know I've always been here king. Always watching and waiting. For that right moment to strike, whispering threats and lies into your ear as you slept.

That darkness, that sweet, sweet darkness.

It was a place in your mind I hadn't been before, it intrigued me.

I didn't belong there. For some reason, I was there.

It was quiet, a calm quiet, but still sad. Unlike the maddening screaming silence I had only known.

I didn't feel like myself, like I was different, there was not more screaming in my head. I laughed for a moment; my voice didn't sound like that of a madman, more of...a sad man. No more screaming for blood, or killing.

I had felt something foreign to me at that moment...fear.

I felt fear, this aching feeling of not understanding. It was killing me.

But another sound besides my worried voice softly rang out. I spun around to see behind me a, what was it called? A...piano? A black grand piano was behind me. A soft melody emanating from it. The ivory keys playing themselves into a soft sad song.

This sound, it was called music right? King had listened to it before, but nothing like this.

This was soft, slow and had no words; unlike the loud music he oft played. (1)

I had noticed my fear had calmed down.

It was then I had begun to look closely at the piano. It seemed as though there was a spotlight on it. Sitting proudly atop it was a large stack of sheet music on its stand, a pair of white gloves, similar to theatrical ones. Leaning against one of the legs was a wooden instrument, a violin he had recalled from memories. The chestnut colored bow leaning against the instrument.

He sat down on the piano bench with a sigh. He looked at himself in the glow of the. His white shihaksho replaced by black skinny jeans and a long-sleeve black tee-shirt, I wore no shoes or socks, just what I have told you.

My grey skin and white hair had remained, but my eyes had changed. I was very frail. The inky black that had stained them, was gone...all I saw in my reflection was a golden iris.

I felt confused...and still frightened by the changes.

The music had become unsure as invisible hands played the piano. The notes were quick at times and there were pauses in-between measures. I looked up at it with questioning eyes.

There were things I had never experience, this sort of pain...wasn't physical.

I had never felt like this before.

Then an epiphany stuck my senses. This is...emotion. This is human...natural...

It was...unexplainable. I had always wondered what feelings well, felt like.

It was like explaining music to a deaf man, or colors to a blind man. (2)

I pretended to not want such petty things, they made humans weak. But a part of me wanted to feel...the freedom to feel things.

Above all, I wanted to be wanted.

All of these feelings had hit so fast all at once. This crippling sadness; and pain. It knocked the breath out of me.

I felt something wet on my face, tears. They were so warm. I felt my face get red as more tears began to stream. I heard my still but less echo-like voice crack through pained sobs. I cried for what felt like days.

Until it grew quiet, only the sad melody filled the void.

Days past as I learned more about my emotions.

One fascinated me, this light and airy feeling, happiness, which I had grown to feel a majority of the time. A calm smile played my face, as I formed words to the melodies that would pour out of the piano.

The violin could play itself as well, and the music always fit my mood. (3)

In truth, they were my friends.

Every time I slip on those gloves, I can play the instruments. Write music, create feeling.

It was a new kind of power for me.

My days passing like weeks, months, years maybe; all of which filled with music.

Oh how naïve I truly was.

He was just hearing things right? Nobody listens to classical music nowadays. Twenty-four year olds shouldn't be hearing things. Ichigo needed to study, he had collage work to do, he would never become a doctor sitting around going crazy.

Now that the war was over, he had no need for fighting.

Life was simple now; he had a promising life ahead of him.

He had been hearing these...songs in his head. The current was a very soft violin melody.

It had almost lulled him to sleep.

Why the last time he had heard things in his head, was just before the war, with his holl...ow...no way.

No freaking way.

That soul-eating son of a bitch.

Ichigo quickly put his notes away before going to his dorm room and locking the door.

He sat in a meditative position, focusing on his inner world.

There was a spiral-like falling feeling until he landed standing atop a blue upside-down world. But...he was still in his tee-shirt and jeans, Zangetsu hug around his shoulders.

Everything looked the same, minus a single black building far off. He quickly flash-stepped to it. The building was no different than any other, besides the color. The door on the roof was white. The music was louder here.

"Hollow!"

That single word shattered his world just then. He dropped the violin, which thankfully didn't break. A terrified look was bestowed upon his features.

A single word escaped his lips.

"K-King?"

As soon as he called out for the mongrel, the music stopped.

That was it, it was that idiot.

He pulled open the door and entered, only to find a black abyss.

I shakily picked up the violin, whispering an apology before placing it atop the piano bench.

When I felt a presence behind me.

I turned around to see the face of my captor. Glaring at me.

"You look different." He stated looking criticizing me.

I'm scared.

I'm really scared.

"Y-You! Why are you here!?" I shouted backing up a little.

"What are you trying to do to me Hollow?" He demanded.

"Y-you shouldn't be here! Go away!"

"I asked you a question." He stepped forward, a hand on Zangetsu's hilt.

"I'm not doing anything! Leave!"

I'm terrified.

"Don't lie to me you bastard!" He shouted.

It hurts...this loud noise...it hurts my ears. I hid behind the piano.

"What the hell are you doing, we both know you're not a coward. I can smash that stupid thing with one swing...idiot."

He drew his sword. No...I won't let him, I won't let him hurt my friends!

"NO!!!" I jumped in front of the blade. It stopped.

"Please king! Please! Don't hurt my friends!" I screamed.

I felt my eyes get teary, as I dropped to my knees.

"Please." I sobbed.

I begged. I was in total hysterics.

Ichigo was stunned. I was terrified, crying, and begging. Over a piano.

"What happened to you?"

I looked up. I gave a sad smile

"I can feel, king. I can cry now. Please...they're my friends, just please; please don't take away my happiness!!!"

I tackled him to the floor.

"What the hell! Get off!"

I held him down.

"Please king..." I sobbed. A melody began to play.

He paused, and hesitantly patted my hair.

'It's so soft..." he thought.

"I'm sorry king. I wasn't trying to do anything to you, I was just making music. I was only trying to be happy. I swear." I said quietly picking myself up.

I walked over and sat on my piano bench.

Ichigo followed. He kept staring at my eyes. I looked down.

"You write music?" he asked, filling in the silence.

I gave a nod. He apologized to me, thought I had a hard time figuring out why.

"May I hear some?"

I once again nodded. I'd never preformed for anyone. I slipped on my gloves. I began to play a song on the piano. My hands gracefully against the ivory keys. After about five minutes I concluded.

I glanced at him, my golden eyes depicting my shyness. I felt my cheeks were tainted pink, which was evident on my frail gray skin.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Loveless." I replied.

"Loveless," He repeated.

"Why that?" he asked.

"Loveless, one without love, just like me." I whispered. (4)

He smirked. "At least it's accurate."

"I suppose so..." I whispered. I felt a pull at my heart.

"Unless you want to." I said with a smirk. (A joke? Or not?)

Ichigo blushed furiously. "You perverted stupid music obsessed freak! Who even listens to classical music these days anyway? Nobody likes your damn music Hollow! Why the hell would I love you?! Go choke on a music note!!!" he shouted.

How dare him. How dare he insult my music.

I teared up. "Well fine it was only a joke!!! You don't have to make fun of my music you, you, bastard! Go stab yourself with a needle!" I shouted.

I dragged him to the door, and throwing him back to the blue portion of his soul. I stormed to my bench and began to play Mozart's piano version of Don Giovanni.

Ichigo was dumbfounded. It was just a joke, but it caught him off guard and he just started shouting. He didn't think it would insult him so much. He just kicked him out. And judging by the angry music emanating from the door, his hollow wanted no part in Ichigo Kourosaki.

He stood up knocking on the door.

"Aibou, I didn't mean it! C'mon! You just caught me off guard! I'm sorry! We're buddies aren't we?!"

BAM!!! Ichigo winced at the sound of someone banging on a piano.

The door creaked open to reveal a very rattled looking hollow.

Ichigo noticed that my cheeks were very red, and tears still clung to them. I was out of breath from playing the main song, so I was panting; my hair was sweaty and flattened out. (5)

"Don't you ever call me your partner again, now go fuck off with your boyfriend (Renji lol) or something. But leave me and my music alone. That's the way it should be."

I let a black aura emanate from my being, glaring at him with sheer malice.

I growled, growled!

"Now, leave."

I slammed the door in his face. I ran inside and curled up against the wall. Then I looked at the floor.

And for the first time in years, I wished I wasn't in black. Because it's dreadfully lonely.

And loneliness can be maddening as well.

Ichigo woke up on his bed. His brown eyes were out of focus and he felt like well, crap.

His hollow, could feel now, but why? How is it possible?

"Does he even know himself?" he pondered. (5)

An image of the albino glaring vehemently at him with cold sad eyes flashed through his mind. Those eyes, they just hypnotized him, the mysterious gold, was enchanting.

Then there was the music, he had called the instruments his friends, but why?

And that song, "Loveless", what was that all about? Is he emo or something? He still had the appearance of a ghost.

Not to mention that stupid joke. It freaked him out, yeah. But he still shouldn't have said those awful things.

He might have made final peace with the hollow, but now he doubted he could even talk to the thing.

The thoughts didn't plague him very long though, in about a week he wasn't thinking twice about it.

Such was not the case for the hollow.

The feeling of rejection was very hard on me. And loneliness was not any better.

The violin played the saddest music these days. But that was only because I was sad.

It had been so long since I had spoken to anyone, and it was very awkward to speak to the person whom had killed and imprisoned you. But he truly insulted me.

But I was so happy when he had spoken to me, but the words, no matter how kind, hurt.

But why was I thinking rationally? I'm going insane!

I can imagine him smiling at me, or speaking with me, but my happy little daydreams only forced me farther into insanity.

Contact with anything became an obsessive thing. I sat huddled against my friends giggling, talking with them. I knew king had forgotten about me, I knew he couldn't feel me here.

I wanted a lot of things right now, but above all...

I wanted someone to tell me I was okay.

I wanted to be held in the arms of my captor, to know that I wasn't alone.

I had never thought of it being lonely here, but having another presence in here, made me realize this place is my complete solitude. I loved this place, but it is finally tearing me apart...

Ichigo had just laid down when he felt the falling feeling as if he had been pulled violently into his inner world. It happened so fast, he hit his head on impact, and blacked out.

I was fascinated with king. I was so happy that I could bring him here. I sat on the blue building, feeling emptier than ever. I crawled helplessly over to king. I dragged him into my lap, holding his head to my shoulder.

I started to giggle. The sound of my voice grew more water-logged. Like it had before I had feelings.

I ran my hands though his hair, my bloodshot eyes wide. Tears clung to them, threatening to fall.

"King..." I giggled.

(Ichigo's POV)

"King..." I hear a voice giggle out madly.

"My pretty little king." I felt cold lips on my forehead.

Then I felt hands run through my hair.

My eyes cracked open, only to meet the crazed eyes of my hollow. It was then I realized who was holding me so protectively, and petting my hair so softly. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I pulled away but he only pulled me back close to me.

"Pretty King is not happy to see me?" his voice getting high.

"What? No! Let me go!" I looked at him.

He looked hurt. "I see." He mumbled sadly, letting go.

"What happened to you, you look like crap?"

He did. His hair was frizzed up and in disarray; his clothes were wrinkled; his skin had become a light grey. His eyes...they reverted back. They became that ugly black. His beautiful golden eyes replaced with a revolting yellow.

I cringed looking into them.

"You don't like th' way I look? What's wrong? I haven't changed." His voice was weak.

He didn't know, did he?

"You look like you did when you tried to kill me, you're eyes, they are hidi-" I stopped myself.

He walked over to me getting unusually close.

"They're what king?" he glanced to the side in thought, before looking up again.

"Hid-, hideous?" His eyes welled up with tears.

"Is tha' what ya think about my eyes? About me?" He cocked his head to the side, looking at me with betrayed eyes.

"Am I just, a hideous creature to you? Your pet?" His voice was shaky and stern.

"No, no! Not at all, hollow you're my friend. I don't think that. C'mon don't get mad, don't cry. Hollow is my closest friend right? We know everything about each other."

"You're wrong! You don't know anything about me! You haven't even given me a name! You don't talk to me! Or come to see me, or even look at me."

"That's not true! I look at you!"

"Oh really king, look solidly into my eyes and tell me tha'!"

I tried really hard to prove him wrong, I tried so hard.

"I always look at y-" I couldn't look. I turned to the side.

He took another step forward, putting his face very close to mine. His sad eyes looking deep into mine, and his nose ghosted over mine, I blushed lightly.

He looked so desperate. Then, he put his head against my shoulder, wrapping his arms around my back, as tears streamed down his eyes. He cried into my shoulder.

I was shocked at first but, then I relaxed. I brought a hand to his shoulder; then pulled my arms around him in a hug. I sat against a building, dragging him on top of me, and settling him between my legs.

I ran a hand through his hair, discovering it was matted with sweat, but still soft. I buried my face in his hair. I breathed in his scent.

He smelled like rain.

Then he looked up at me, his confused eyes boring into mine. I smiled warmly at him, wiping away a tear from his cheek.

"Shhh, I'm here for you, its going to be okay, my Shiro. My white, whiter than snow."

The newly dubbed Shiro smiled.

"I waited a long time to hear that. My King."

He leaned forward and gently kissed me.

A peaceful melody rang out across the world.

Three months later.

"Shiro?"

"Yes?" I returned.

"I don't have any plans tonight...wanna play?" Ichigo strolled over to me hugging me from the waist.

"Aren't you sore from the weekend? I don't want to hurt you." I returned. Ichigo blushed.

"It feels good. The music room then?"

"Sure." I said pulling him through the white door before closing it and locking it. My eyes turned gold, the black fading away.

I slipped on my gloves and removed my shirt.

"Let me play you a song king."

End.

Ichigo listens to The Used.

I heard this from the story "Tin Man" I liked it so much I had to use it, I hope you don't mind, if you do I can edit it out.

The instruments play music according to Shiro's mood. He controls them.

Stole it from Yun Kouga's manga "Loveless"

Yes he knows, but he's not telling. So I will:

Even hollows have minds; the music room is made up of what Shiro's inner world would be and the space in Ichigo's world that belongs to Shiro. All of the human emotions that he would have felt if he were human and they possessed him. When Ichigo 'killed' him, he tapped in and awakened that world in his unconscious state.

Should I do a sequel? You decide! Please R&R! I need it to live!!!!! Criticism is graciously accepted if it isn't negative.