It was my third day in the ivory tower. A beam of sunlight came in through the solitary window, and I kneeled in it. I detested the sunlight, and so I chose to suffer. I had failed, in a sense, and so I deserved this pain. My power was sealed away, my zanpakuto had been taken away. I was nothing, and I was trapped here in the Seireitei.
Sighing, I dropped my head and tried to focus. It was no good. I could not feel his spirit from here. The intricate green eye on my left shoulder blade meant nothing here. Ulquiorra was so far away, and all my power had left me. Please. A single tear fell.
It felt like forever since anyone had come. In reality it had been four days. When the doors finally opened, they revealed the substitute shinigami. He was alone. I stood up and faced him. Ichigo Kurosaki. His face had a strange expression. I almost couldn't place it. Remorse. "Don't you dare look at me like that." I stared at him, my face blank. "They're all dead," he admitted quietly. My breath caught for a second, but I refused to falter. Not yet. "Who is 'all'?"
"Aizen, Ulquiorra, Gin, Grimmjow, everyone."
"Well it appears you're fine," it wasn't until I spoke these words that I fell. Dropping to my knees I stared at the cold, white ground. It was a familiar feeling, a comforting one.
"It was you." It was not a question. I closed my eyes and shook my head. He had killed them all. Looking up I found he would not meet my eyes. Coward. I stood up and stepped closer to him. With a swift movement I undid the sash at my waist and slipped the yukata from my shoulders. His eyes were wide, he didn't know what I was doing. Turning slightly I exposed my back to him. "Tell me, is it still there?"
I could hear him take a few steps forward. His hand was warm as it traced whatever was left of the marking. "It's just grey now." He dropped his hand back to his side and I turned around.
"Kill me." I did not care that my yukata was revealing most of my torso at the moment. I had lost all honor the second I had been captured. He stared at me blankly. "What? Why?"
"You took everyone I ever loved away from me. Kill me, now." Tears were welling up in my eyes. His gaze dropped, and I stepped forward, my hand going to his neck. "You bastard, you don't even have the guts to finish me." My grip tightened gently on his soft skin. Brown eyes met mine. "No," his voice was soft. I snapped. Pulling back my hand I gave a swift hit to his solar plexus with the heel of my hand. He was caught off guard and went flying.
My composure broke and I fell to my knees again, this time the tears coursed. He's gone. He's gone. I couldn't control myself. They were all gone. The only people I'd ever cared about, and they were gone. Arms wrapped around me and I flinched away. "Don't touch me," I managed to pant out. My breath was catching, my face was wet with tears. "Just shut up," his voice held a hard edge, but he was gentle. I cried, and then I couldn't breath anymore. "Why?" I whispered, and then passed out, falling into him.
