Here we go with another song-fic! I tell ya...IM ADDICTED! LOL! Anyway, heard this song and for some reason it made me think of Byakuya/Ichigo! Anyways ENJOYS!
WARNING:: Male x Male, Yaoi- dont like dont read! :) Also may contain slight cases of OOC!
DISCLAIMER:: I do not own BLEACH or the song MY SACRIFICE. They are owned by Tite Kubo and Creed respectively!
SHOUTOUTS! A huge shout out to my new friend, Lemonsherbet and my beta, Musicgirl! Lemon, thanks for your encouragement and help with the flashback! You help me out alot! Musicgirl, you know how much you mean to mean! Always love having your input and feedback! Thanks for being there! Much love to you both!
Ichigo sat in his bedroom, strumming on his guitar. It had been 3 years since the Winter War and since he also lost his powers. He would be the first to admit that he missed being a Shinigami and being with all the friends that he had made, but at the same time, he was happy to have his normal life back again. One thing that kept him happy was when Rukia, Renji, Rangiku, and his friends from the Soul Society would come and visit; even if they were in gigais.
True, he loved seeing his friends, but there was person that he missed the most. Unbeknownst to anyone, except for Rukia and his family and now his closet friends, he had found love during that time. What he never expected though was to realize that he was gay. He had learned from his mother a long time ago; always expect the unexpected, so when he realized he was gay and in love, he went with it. He just never thought it would be with his best friend's brother. You see, Kurosaki Ichigo, the hero of the Winter War, was in love with Kuchiki Byakuya, the cold, emotionless Taichou of the 6th.
When he finally had gotten the nerve, he finally told the noble how he felt about him. He just never expected to have the noble return his feeling, but to learn that he loved Ichigo too made his heart soar. He loved looking into his lover's slate gray eyes, holding him close, and the small loving gestures that Byakuya would give him just to let him know that he was loved. They were together for at least a year before the whole 'losing his powers' happened.
After the War, he was certain that Byakuya would come visit like the others had, but after what Rukia told him he knew that would never happen. When they were together, the Elders never really approved of them, but since Ichigo was an active Shinigami and Byakuya would go on a war path, they left the couple alone. But after Ichigo lost his powers, that all changed. They had practically refused to let their Clan Head be involved with a human, even if he was the war hero. They had threatened Byakuya to the point to where if they learned he had seen Ichigo; he would lose his clan leadership and Taichou position. Ichigo still remember the last time he saw his lover….
He was standing at the gate of the Kuchiki manor, surrounded by the elders who had forced themselves upon him as his chaperones while at the manor. Scowling, he did the best he could to ignore them as they looked down their noses at him, which was secretly infuriating. So he kept his eyes trained on the sweeping gravel path that led to the manor, a place which had become a haven for Ichigo, and now he was losing it all.
Ah, there he was; the proud noble walking sedately down the path towards them. With a cool glance he nodded to the various elders but said nothing until Byakuya was directly in front of him, close enough for Ichigo to feel the man's warm breath tickling the top of his head. Tilting up his head, Ichigo stared into the swirling eyes of the man that had become his world and found that he could not, would not, say goodbye.
He desperately tried to speak, to say anything at all, but all he could manage was a lone tear tracing down his cheek as he drank in the sight of his lover. Slowly, achingly tender, Byakuya brushed away the tear with his thumb, but the moment was ruined by an elder clearing their throat in an attempt to hurry them up.
With his hand still on Ichigo, the raven-haired man suddenly looked furious and even Ichigo felt a sliver of fear as the other man drew his Zanpakutō. With a loud and clear "Scatter, Senbonzakura", the couple was engulfed in flurry of sakura blossoms, hiding them from the eyes of the elders.
Looking infinitely sad and just as cold, Byakuya whispered softly, "I'm sorry." Then with the utmost care, as if Ichigo would break in his arms, he closed the distance between them as they poured their love, sadness and hurt into their final, heart-breaking kiss. It was over far too soon and Ichigo had to watch helplessly as the gates of the manor were closed to him, perhaps for eternity.
Sometimes, in the dark of night when it all became too much to bear, he could close his eyes and still feel the noble's lips on his, a ghost of a memory of love, tenderness and warmth. Lately though it was becoming harder to remember, three years had taken their toll.
However, what the Elders didn't know was that with Rukia's help, the two lovers kept in contact, even if they didn't talk to each other. Byakuya would send little letters and once in a while, he would send a sakura blossom to him just to let him know that he was thinking about him, and Ichigo would reply to him letting him know he loved him and missed him deeply. Even as much as he wanted Byakuya there with him, there was no way that Ichigo would let him give up everything he worked for. He knew in his heart that he would see Byakuya again someday.
The ringing of his soul phone brought him out of his thoughts. Reaching over, he took his phone from his desk, flipping it open. Not even looking at the caller ID, he already knew who it was. "Hey, Midget, what's up?"
"Not much, but if you call me that again, I'll kick your ass next time I see you," she said. Clearing her throat, she continued. "Anyways, Strawberry, I'm not near the Manor and I have someone that wants to talk to you."
Thinking it was probably Renji, he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay."
A few minutes passed, before a voice came over the phone. "Ichigo…"
Ichigo's heart stopped. He was in disbelief. A voice that he had missed for the last 3 years. "Byakuya…How….Rukia…."
Byakuya chuckled. "Don't worry, Ichigo, we are away from the Manor, and as a matter of fact, the Elders can just deal with it. I've let them run my life entirely too long and Ojii-sama can tell that I'm unhappy." Taking a deep breath, Byakuya got straight to the point of the reason he had Rukia call. "I miss you…"
"I miss you too, 'Kuya," Ichigo whispered, trying to hold his tears back. "Why haven't you sent anything? It's been at least a month since the last time..?"
"…." Byakuya was silent. He never expected Ichigo to ask, but he did know that he owed his strawberry an explanation without telling him the real reason. "Just some major Clan problems, and before you ask….No, the Elders still don't know."
"You know me too well, Kuya….I still I love you deeply."
"Even after 3 years, Ichi…Are you sure you still love me?" the noble asked hesitantly.
"Why would you even ask that, Kuchiki Byakuya?" he said a bit loud sitting up on his bed. "You listen to me, you stoic old man. You are my life, and are the only one that has taken my heart the way you have. You're the last thing I think about before I go to bed and the first thing I think of when I wake up. Every time I picture you it takes my breath away, my heart jumps a beat. My heart is yours, Byakuya. Even after 3 years of not seeing each other, that won't change my feelings or my heart. Like I told you before the final battle….I love you, Kuchiki Byakuya, now, always and for all eternity."
"I love you as well, Kurosaki Ichigo," Byakuya whispered softly. The line went silent for a few moments, then he came back. "I need to go, Ichigo."
"Okay," he said as the line went dead. He just stared at the phone. There had to be something wrong for him to end the call so suddenly and to explain why Byakuya had asked him that. Ichigo just hoped everything was alright.
Laying back on the bed, Ichigo sighed. No matter how hard he tried not to, his thoughts always went back to everything that happened to him when he was a soul reaper. Just thinking about it made him miss it. At least if he still had his powers, he would still be with Byakuya. But now, so much time has passed by and Ichigo didn't feel like he knew Byakuya as much as he used to.
'I wonder why he had to go all the sudden...' Ichigo thought. 'And why would he ask me if it was possible for me to still love him after three years. Is it that...he doesn't love me anymore himself?' Ichigo felt the tears starting to well up. He was so madly in love with Byakuya. Even now. If Byakuya didn't love him back anymore, he would be absolutely devastated.
Trying to shake the feeling, Ichigo got up and walked over to his desk. He sat down in his swivel chair and pulled out a notebook and a pen. He could always rely on writing to express his feelings. His hand started moving as the words just come to him.
After a few minutes, Ichigo laid down the pen and looked over what he wrote. Wiping a tear from his eye, he memorized everything before tucking the notebook back in his drawer. With a heavy sigh, he got up from his desk and flopped back down on his bed. For some reason, he had a feeling that his friends would show up in a few hours, trying once again to get him out of the house.
What he didn't know was how right he was. Inoue, Ishida, Chad, Keigo, Mizuiro, Tatsuki, and a few other had something planned…with the help of a certain red-head and a couple of ravens.
Later on that night, the group of friends walked through the doors of the new teen club, Pulse, dragging a reluctant Ichigo with them. "I told you I didn't want to go, Tatsuki," Ichigo complained.
"Well, that's too bad, Ichigo. You don't need to be sitting around all day moping about. Where's the Ichigo I used to know?" she asked as she let go of his arm when they got to their table.
"…..." Ichigo couldn't think of a response to his best friend. "I…I…" he tried but got quiet.
Tatsuki sighed as she sat down next to him as the other went to go get drinks. "Look, Ichigo, I know you love him and miss him, but I know in my heart that he wouldn't want sit around all day. He would want you to live your life."
Ichigo was about to say something when the others came back with their drinks. Grabbing their drinks from the tray, the group of friends relaxed and enjoying the music.
About 30 minutes of being there, Ichigo watched as a bunch of stagehands went onto the stage and cleared out the drums, guitars, and placed a microphone in the middle.
"Now, it's time to kick this party into high gear!" a voice said as a middle aged man come onto the stage. "Using my daughter's suggestion she gave me when I opened this club, we're gonna have out first ever KARAOKE competition. If you have a song you want everyone to hear or just want to have fun with your friends, don't hesitate to show us what you got! So, any takers on the first performance?"
Keigo looked over at Ichigo expectantly, causing Ichigo's eyes to go wide. But before he knew it, Keigo was raising Ichigo's hand for him and waving it around violently.
"Let go, Keigo! My arm is going to come off!" Ichigo said, pulling his arm out of it's captor's grips. But the announcer already saw Ichigo's hand go up.
"It seems we have our first performer. Come on up, young man," he said motioning to Ichigo.
Ichigo groaned. "I'm gonna kill you, Keigo!" he whispered.
"Oh, please, Kurosaki-kun…sing for us?" Orihime asked.
Taking a deep breath, Ichigo looked at his friends. "Fine, just this once, but if breathe a word of this, I'll get ya when you least expect," he said smirking as he got up from his seat and made his way to the stage.
"So, young man, do you want to sing something from our list or one of your own?" asked man, as he handed the mic to Ichigo.
"Actually, one of my own. It's something I wrote earlier. Just one thing…do you have a guitar I could use?"
"Sure," he replied, stepping behind the curtain grabbing one. Handing it to Ichigo, he smiled. "Okay, son, time to wow us!"
Ichigo smiled with a slight nod as he stepped up to the mic stand, placing it back. "Okay, guess I should start singing. Here a little something I wrote earlier today." As he placed his fingers on the guitar, he glanced up. What he saw made him smile. In the back of the club stood Rukia with a smile on her face. When she smiled like that, he always knew she was up to something. He noticed her head nodding off to the side…but the crowd started to get a bit restless. Thinking back to the lyrics he wrote earlier, he decided to change them around. Strumming the guitar, he lets the words start flowing from him…
Hello my friend, we meet again
It's been awhile, where should we begin?
Feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
Oh, I remember
When you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
We've seen our share of ups and downs
Oh how quickly life can turn around
In an instant
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let's find peace there
When you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
I just want to say hello again
I just want to say hello again
When you are with me I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
Cause when you are with me I am free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice, My sacrifice
I just want to say hello again
I just want to say hello again
My sacrifice.
As he finished the last lyric, the club erupted in applause. Taking the guitar from around his neck, he was actually happy that his friends brought him here. His eyes went huge as he remembered Rukia was there. Looking where he last saw her, his heart skipped a beat. Not because of her, but because of who was standing beside her.
Not thinking it was real, he closed his eyes and then opened them again. Byakuya was in fact standing there with his sister. Without a care in the world, he jumped down from stage and with an assuring nod from his friends, he made his way through the crowd, wanting to get to the one person he wanted most.
Byakuya saw Ichigo coming through the crowd but he didn't know what to do. He wanted nothing more than to kiss his lips like he had been dreaming about for the last 3 years. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked at his sister. "Go to him, Nii-sama. You know you want to."
With a slight nod and small smile to his sister, he did the one thing that he never has before. He simply embraced her. "Thank you, Rukia, for everything." Kissing her softly on her forehead, he smiled at her once more, before going through the crowd, heading to his strawberry.
It seemed like the crowd parted for them because they were soon in front of each other. Neither man could say anything as they looked into each other's eyes. Just like before, they were able to say what they wanted with just their gaze. Reaching his hand out, Byakuya took Ichigo's hand in his, pulling the strawberry flushed against him. With a slight smirk to his lips, he brushed the stray orange hair that fell. "Ichigo.."
"I thought I would never see you again, Byakuya…" Ichigo trailed off, playing with his raven locks. Their lips were barely a millimeter apart and they could feel each other's breath. "Kiss me please, Kuya…"
Byakuya genuinely smiled as he crashed their lips together in a kiss that signified two souls reuniting, but most of all, that their love was still there. Caressing Ichigo's lips to the tip of his tongue, the strawberry granted the raven the access that he so desperately wanted. Tasting every cavern of Ichigo's mouth, Byakuya poured out all his feelings and emotions into Ichigo. He wanted him to know just how much he missed his warmth these last 3 years.
Ichigo could feel the love coming from the noble. Just to feel him in his arms again was like a dream, and if it was, he didn't want to wake up. The fear of this being a dream got to Ichigo and a single solitary tear fell from his eye.
Feeling the wetness, Byakuya reluctantly broke the kiss to look into Ichigo's tear-filled eyes. "Ichi, what's wrong?" he asked, wiping the tear away.
Ichigo started to tremble slightly. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?"
"No, Ichigo, you're not. I'm really here." Ichigo smiled softly at him before flinging his arms around his neck. As the two men hugged each other, the club erupted in cheers and applause.
"Let's get out of here," Ichigo whispered as he grabbed Byakuya's hand, pulling him along. The two men headed out of the door, but not before Ichigo stopped next to Rukia. "Thanks for everything, Rukes."
Hugging her best friend, she smiled. "You're welcome, Ichigo. Now go before your friends stop ya."
Ichigo and Byakuya smiled as they walked out of the club, hand-in-hand. Ichigo knew of a certain spot that he had been wanting to show him for some quite some time and figured this was the best time.
After a few minute of walking, they come to the water's edge of the river that ran through town. Ichigo would come here often to think and it helped him out a lot these past 3 years. "Just one question, Kuya. How?...I thought the Elders wouldn't let you come?"
Byakuya lead them over to the bench and had Ichigo sit down next to him. "Actually, the Elders had no choice this time."
"Why?"
"Because I am no longer the Head of the Clan…Rukia is now."
Ichigo's eyes went wide. "Why? How?"
"Very simple." Byakuya turned to where he was no facing Ichigo. "When they tried to force me to take another wife, I told them no because I had already found my soul-mate. But they would not take no for an answer, an after months of nagging, I had finally agree, thinking that I would never be able to see you again. But with Ojii-sama and Rukia's help, I realized that my love for you was stronger than anything. So, I researched the archives and found that I could name my heir if children have not been born. So, I called an Elders meeting and told them of my discovery." Taking a second, Byakuya took a deep breath. "They all assumed that I would name Ginrei, but they were shocked when I named Rukia. They had no choice but to accept it."
"Byakuya….How…Your Taichou position?" Ichigo finally got out.
"Renji is taking care of it."
Now Ichigo was getting suspicious. "Byakuya, are you trying to tell me that…"
"…that I'm here to stay?" Ichigo nodded his head, trying not to get his hope up. Tilting Ichigo's chin up with one slender finger, he looked into the amber eyes of the man that held his heart. "Then the answer is yes, Ichigo."
"Byakuya, I can't let you do that for me…noooo…" Ichigo struggled to say as he tried to get out his arms.
Byakuya held the squirming strawberry still. "Listen to me, Ichigo. My life for the last 3 years have been hell without you in it. Trust me when I say this…you are worth this sacrifice."
Ichigo stopped struggling as he looked into his lover's slate gray eyes and saw that he meant every word to it. "Kuya…I can't….Oh hell…I love you, Kuchiki Byakuya…now, always and for all eternity."
"And I love you as well, Kurosaki Ichigo," he whispered kissing the tip of his nose. "And no matter how you look at it…You are worth the sacrifice…This is my MY SACRIFICE to you, love."
With those words, the two lovers brought their lips together, in a kiss that signified that even true love still existed after so long apart!
OK, peeps, over on my profile is a poll! :) It asks its you all would love a sequel to MY SACRIFICE! Please let me know and any ideas you have for one...you can let me know via pm or in a review! Would love to hear what you all think! :)
As always...PLEASE R&R! :)
Much Love,
Byakuya-sensei! :3 :3