It never easy to say goodbye. He knew this. That's why he held on tightly to his lover, for
what would happen soon.
"Don't go. Please." he whispered in a broken voice. The arms around him tightened.
"I'm so sorry Ichi." Byakuya looked down at the substitute shinigami, watched as tears leaked from him caramel brown eyes. His own blurry with unshed tears.
This would be the last time he saw his partner, his lover, his pride.
"I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to disappear. It's not fair." Ichigo clutched the front of Byakuya's shihakasho. A calm hand brushed through the shinigami's vibratant orange hair. Then he smiled. A small genuine, but sad smile, before pressing a branding kiss onto ichigo's lips. He pulled back and his heart broke when Ichigo crumbled to the ground.
Ichigo looked up at Byakuya his throat clenching with the sobs that racked through him.
Quietly, in a whisper that he barley heard it he said.
"It's never really goodbye." Ichigo breath caught in his throat as Byakuya slowly disappeared.
Ichigo sat there staring at the spot where Byakuya once stood. Closing his eyes as he could no longer feel his presence.
"No, it's not. Is it Byakuya?"
