Cherry: Apparently, writing depressing ficlets are my way of cooping with Pre-Finals Stress.


The Secret Sits
a bleach fanfic by Cherry

Original story/characters by Tite Kubo


There is always a secret to begin with. And there will always be a secret to keep from. It is this secret that makes the world go round-round-round the Sun, and from tilting too far–so far that it would fall right off it's own axis. Or... so it seems.

They are dancing the most dangerous of dances–the most deadly for sure. And Rangiku wonders when exactly everything will shatter in a flurry of blood-spattered-words; spice-soaked-tears.

He smiles and smiles, the secrets–secret–hide behind his eyes; eyes Rangiku can't see fortheloveof–she's had enough.

The slap is sharper than Shinsou's edge and stings worse than Soifon's-taichou's shikai. He doesn't respond, only stands there, letting the mark swell and ripen. It hangslingershangs in the air, suspended by gossamer-made-webs of secrets\secrets\secretsthatshehates.

...I've had enough...

The White-Crowned-Prince worries too much. He worriesworriesworries about things too old, too long in existence for someone his age. He knows something is wrong, horriblyterriblyterribly wrong–else his Sharp-Eyed-Princess wouldn't frown... she never frowns this much.

He watches her as she sighs, bringing a bottle of dreams to her lips; dreams that can null out the confusion\questions\sorrow\pain\painpainpain. Her eyes droop half-closed, misty like early March mornings, or April afternoons, when the rain's finally abated. He watches and watches and thinks to himself–what is going on?

"But you promised, no more secrets!"

Everything breaks, like Rangiku knew it would.

Words taste like iron and burn on the way out; tears freeze to hailstones on her cheeks and clatter to the floor.

She hasn't seen her Captain like this since... since that brown-eyed-girl had fallen in love with the Evil King and sold her soul to the Devil Himself. She hasn't seen him like this since they told him that Little-Miss-Peach-Girl was never going to be the same–she's never waking up... .ever... She hasn't seen him like this since he soaked Grandma's yukata with apologies and vowed to become stronger; it's not often that he's ever like this.

.ever.

"You promised... promised..." His voice cracks. She cries harder; silent silent tears that shatter the world. Faintly, she realizes that he's crying too.

"Yeah... I know... no more secrets..." She doesn't know what else to say–no. She can't say anything else–no. There is nothing else to be said...yes.

What was she thinking?

What is he thinking?

Ichimaru Gin smiles–a Mona Lisa smile–but slightly bitter, slightly nostalgic, slightly more... human. The White-Crowned-Prince could never have his Sharp-Eyed-Princess because the Grinning-Fox with secrets behind his eyes will always hold her heart.


Cherry: Again, the weird punctuation does serve a purpose. It helps me get the emotions across better.

Review? :]

Comments and Critiques are especially loved.