Song of the Sky
Broken Quill and Scattered Ink
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach in any way.
Summary: Keigo Asano has always been the comedian. He is the sole creator of jokes in his circle of friends. Sometimes he is Ichigo's piñata. Other times, the scapegoat. But whatever he is, he will never be fit to be Rukia's lover. What if he wants to change that?
Author's Notes: I little chapter to celebrate my new pen name. It was Light of 1000 Stars last time.
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"No, it's fine." The raven-haired girl answered back, her voice laced with an over-used tone of sweetness. "Ichigo is coming back, and I'm sure he has a juice box for me."
She gently pushed the juice box Keigo was offering back towards his chest. Keigo Asano, the thin brunette, thought he would die once he felt Rukia Kuchiki's fingers mingling with his. Startled by her warmth, he was lost in a daze as the girl performed the simple action: pushing back his hands that held the tiny juice box, then releasing him as she walked towards the approaching Ichigo.
He watched as though she were an actual goddess at work. The petite young woman walked gracefully over to the orange-headed fifteen-year old, gave him one of those sweet smiles, then held out her hand. Ichigo responded by giving her a scowl and tossing a juice box into her open palm.
A gruff "here," rolled out of Ichigo's mouth afterwards.
Goddess and Devil…Keigo thought absently.
"Thank you, Ichigo!" came Rukia's hyperactive reply. Then, for the slightest moment, Keigo watched as the two locked gazes. Rukia's eyes were hard, bearing holes into Ichigo's. Ichigo stared back, his frown softening.
"Thank you." Rukia repeated, but this time, her voice was much more soft—less hyperactive, but more genuine. Like the perfect song from the heavens.
Song of the sky…
Ichigo, struggling to find the right words, only recomposed by frowning deeply again. "Yeah, whatever just drink it." But as he walked over towards Keigo and the others at the edge of the rooftop, Keigo saw as the usually harsh teen turn back towards the girl, his eyes holding a 'you're welcome'. Rukia smirked at him. Whatever inaudible conversation they had going on, it was a secret. A secret language.
Keigo felt something in his chest break.
"Yo, Keigo, aren't you gonna sit down and eat?" Keigo heard Mizuiro calling him. He watched as Ichigo and Rukia sat down together, closing the wide gaps of the circle of school mates at Keigo's feet. Keigo sat down quickly once he realized he was the last one standing.
"You okay, man?" Mizuiro asked him at his left. Keigo pulled his sandwich out of his bag and bit into it, noticing that the taste of it was bland.
"Yeah." Keigo answered back, uncharacteristically dull. "Just a lot on my mind, I guess."
To that, Mizuiro had to laugh.
"Dude, you never have anything on your mind!"
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It's hard to explain. For him, he was always standing watch. Mizuiro had called him a mountain lion once (which was the most gay statement he had ever heard in his life), waiting for anyone to cross his path.
What exactly were they discussing?
…Girls.
Any fifteen-year-old boy's thoughts, right? Exactly.
So for Keigo Asano, he was a mountain lion, waiting for someone—anyone— to cross his path. He would pounce at the opportunities that crossed him, stupidly flirting with any girl nearby.
But still, his actions could not be comparable to a bold mountain lion's. He could not explain why he did what he does. All he knew was that he did it. He knew that with his crazy antics, no girl would ever appreciate him enough to even send him a second glance. Maybe his miserable attempts at flirting were to liven up his friends lives…to make them laugh. His sole purpose: the comedian of the group.
Other times, half of his heart wished that he would find a girl that would take him seriously. That just maybe…maybe if he kept jumping at opportunities coming his way, one of them may be his lioness.
That is, if he could just be serious with the female population.
But he was afraid. He had to admit that much.
He had no idea what girls wanted, or what it felt like to be in true love with someone. And when he saw the relationship Ichigo and Rukia had, something inside of him began to snap.
I want to love someone...I want to love someone too.
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"Ichigo!"
Keigo ran towards Rukia's voice, his lanky legs wavering a bit from some unknown pressure. The atmosphere began to tense, bringing down a strange weight upon him. He almost forgot how to breathe.
It was when he turned the corner that he saw Rukia, dressed in her grey school uniform, bloodied and dirty. The hem of her jacket was made of teeth—jagged edges that flew carelessly in the wind.
Keigo voice was struggling to cry out. "Kuchiki-san!"
She swiveled her head wildly at his voice calling out to her. Her violets, wide with worry, took a moment to soften upon meeting his brown orbs. The sides of her lips frowned even lower, despite the sudden lift in her spirit Keigo had been able to sense.
"Keigo!" she shouted, much less dainty than the personality she shows in class. "Get out of here! You don't know what's—"
Suddenly, Rukia's voice got caught. She fell to her knees, her eyes widening as she stared at the street below her. Her hands rose up to her neck, clutching invisible hands that seemed to be strangling the life out of her. Her face paled.
Keigo, his heart beating, ran towards her. His usual fear did not drive him away this time. But once he reached her side, something hit him and pushed him away. Keigo uttered out a cry, wondering if it had been Rukia, in an attempt to save him, was the one who had pushed him. But once he looked up, he saw the faint outline of Ichigo's lanky figure and orange spikes. It was as if the reception of his television was bad, and he could only make out Ichigo's body if he squinted.
Stranger still, Ichigo was wearing some old traditional gi and hakama outfit. And a huge sword was in his grip.
What's going on?!
"Get out of here, Keigo!" Keigo clearly heard Ichigo's voice yelling at him. Keigo stood, slowly, undecided of what to do. He watched as Ichigo shouted at some invisible air, then cut the air above Rukia's head. Rukia gasped, able to breathe again, then fell onto the pavement in shock.
Ichigo seemed to be struggling, pushing his sword against an unknown force. Rukia was only a few centimeters from his feet. Through gritted teeth, Ichigo shouted: "Idiot, why'd you do that? Rukia, get out of the way!"
"This gigai—" Rukia hoarsed. "…is useless. I can't…move. My throat…is killing me."
"Move it anyway!" Ichigo shouted desperately. "This Hollow is no joke!"
Having no other choice, Keigo watched as Ichigo gave a forceful kick into Rukia's stomach, sending her sliding against the pavement and onto the sidewalk, right beside Keigo.
Keigo stared at her for a moment, with shock registering on her face through wide violets and a slightly open mouth. She suddenly coughed out, her body racking with the action. Her hands clutched her stomach where Ichigo had stuffed his foot in, and she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
"That hurt, Ichigo…" she whispered, knowing perfectly well that Ichigo was too busy fighting to hear her comments on the side of the road.
Keigo looked back at Ichigo.
He is willing to hurt her…to save her. He is willing to risk his life…for her safety.
What am I doing, just sitting here?
"Kuchiki-san," Keigo said in the midst of it all. "You should get some medical help."
"I won't leave Ichigo here alone," Rukia spoke, sitting up. Then, she widened her eyes, only noticing now that Keigo was still here. "Keigo, what are you doing? Why are you still here?"
Keigo blinked twice, then smiled sheepishly as though they were sitting in class—not almost being eaten by an invisible monster.
"I can't just leave you, Kuchiki-san," Keigo answered politely. "What kind of manly man would do that?"
Rukia sent him a small smile. Keigo felt an intimate moment spring up between them, and took the opportunity to stand and give her his hand. She gave him a questioning look, then shook her head.
"I'm not leaving Ichigo." Rukia said firmly, breathing hard as she struggled to stand. She pressed her palms into her knees, panting, but all the while, keeping her gaze on the faded Ichigo's form.
Keigo lowered his gaze shamefully. "I'm his friend, Kuchiki-san, and I know what Ichigo wants." I know what he wants. And I know who he loves.
…And I know that I wish I could be as lucky as him.
Rukia straightened, pressing a hand to her side, where blood never seemed to stop spreading into her clothes. She pressed hard, but was still watching Ichigo fight.
"What is it?" she asked absently, obviously not focusing on Keigo's statement at all. "What does Ichigo want?"
I know what he wants.
"He'd want you to be safe from harm."
I know who he loves.
Rukia held in her breath for a heartbeat, then turned to Keigo. Keigo kept his gaze on the street, then gulped.
"And whatever harm this is, I know that it is probably huge. Means life and death for Ichigo. I know he's fighting with everything he's got, from the looks of it." Keigo looked up, watching as Ichigo wiped the sweat from his brow and leapt into the air, shouting as he brought his huge blade down onto some unseen monster—at least, unseen to Keigo.
"He's doing it to keep innocents safe, isn't he?. Because that's the kind of person he's always has been. So come with me. I'll take you to the clinic. It's what he'd want me to do."
Instead of just sitting here…
Rukia frowned. "If you're such a good friend of Ichigo's, then why can't you understand that I'm staying? I don't want him to die! He needs me! If you're such a great friend, why can't you understand that he can't do this alone?" She was yelling now, all of the anger pouring out of her soul.
Keigo gulped again. I see how much you care for him.
…And I know that I wish I could be as lucky as him.
Keigo had the courage to look up at her again. "I—I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san. I was only trying to help."
"The only one who needs help now is Ichigo." She whispered, her eyes darting with Ichigo's form. She pulled her bloodied hand away from her side, cupping her mouth.
"Ichigo! Aim for the head, moron!"
Ichigo cut the invisible monster again—wait. Keigo's breath caught in his throat. He was beginning to see the monster. It had the shape of a snake, with a horrid pale white mask and large jagged teeth. It was larger than three buses. It was a miracle that Ichigo could take such a beast.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Ichigo shouted, jumping onto the snake's back, only to be thrown off of it in a second. Blood began to appear on patches of his exposed skin. With an irritated growl, he pushed himself off of the ground and ran towards it again, his sword pointing at its neck.
The snake roared, widening its gaping jaws. In a flash, Ichigo jumped to the side and onto its back again. Before the snake could throw him off, this time, Ichigo stabbed deep into his skull, shattering the entire snake like monster.
Rukia smiled contentedly, running towards Ichigo's tired form. Keigo watched as she ran without any hesitation, without any struggle—as if she forgot all of her pains. She stopped a few centimeters in front of the panting Ichigo, placing a palm on his shoulder.
Both were bleeding profusely. Despite that, they smiled at each other. Ichigo leaned onto his huge sword, pulling Rukia's hand away from his shoulder.
"That's where he bit me. Don't touch it," Ichigo hissed. Rukia only smiled wider.
"He wouldn't have been able to bite you if you had just been more careful, idiot."
Ichigo sighed, leaning his head on the hilt of his blade. Rukia wrapped her fingers around the tip of the hilt, her hand an inch above his own. Both clutched the blade together.
"You always get me so worried." Rukia whispered, using her free hand to pull a pebble out of Ichigo's hair. "But you always win at the end. I worry for nothing."
"Then don't be so stupid and doubt me." Ichigo whispered back, head still down. Rukia laughed lightly, ignoring his rudeness. Just happy that he was okay.
"Let's go home."
Keigo watched the two, broken from the circle. They held onto each other's shoulders, limping home together. Ichigo kept his hand on her waist, as the tiny Rukia held him up by his back and chest. They whispered a few more tired words before disappearing down the street—forgetting the boy they had left behind.
Keigo, when he felt ready, walked on home, his eyes clouded with thought.
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Author's Notes: Not sure when I'm going to continue this…I sorta treated it like a one shot but…I still want to keep going. We'll see. Till next time!