Disclaimer: I dont own Bleach. This was kind of inspired in a kind of odd, roundabout fashion by the scene from D.Gray man anime with Road Kamelot and Allen Walker. Kind of spoilery for late part of Soul Society arc especially with respect to Byakuya's backstory. Angsty. Rating: T
Finally, it was all over. Not that he had to entertain that many mourners anyway. Certainly not as many as had come to his parents. Then again, they had never really recognised her as a member of the family, despite everything that he had done to change that. And now she was gone.
Strangely, he had felt no grief all day. Only a cold choking unfeeling. An numbness that encased his very soul, froze his heart, left him without emotion or the words to express the lackBecause of this, he was able to complete the necessary rites to ensure that she was reborn into the next world.The rites to install her shrine in the mansion, to ensure that the family would never be able to erase her existence, erase her name from the family tree. Hisana, married to Byakuya. Nothing would change that now. And, nothing would bring her back.
Sakura petals swirled on an invisible breeze in the stillness of the private shrine, in which he now stood. Alone again. Standing, looking in through the locked gates. Looking in on a happier time that he had been banished from.
"Senbonzakura." The name was no more than a breath. Exhaled around the unfamiliar lump in his throat. A lump which threatened to choke him.
Byakuya-sama. A whisper on the wind. A whisper that set slivers of pink dancing. A whisper that again brought back the memories.
"She always found your displays beautiful." The past tense cut like a knife since it cruelly shifted everything that he ever thought was beautiful in his life into something that had come and gone. Though the images were bright with recent memory, they were past and would never return. An oppressive silence set in.
I know. I remember her well.
"Change for me, senbon."
Byakuya. The voice now held a tinge of regret followed by a soft sigh as if the invisible watcher saw the look on his face... There was a surge in reiratsu and a young lady stood before the recently bereaved master of the Kuchiki household. Her liquid eyes were dark and sorrowful, reflecting the grief that he could now afford to show, now that he was alone.
"Oh senbon-hime." Reaching out to the lady he tried to take her into his arms, like when Hisana was still alive. Holding her, he could almost imagine it was his wife again, resting her head on his chest, her hair smelling of sweet sakura, her skin soft and smooth, her arms wrapped around him in a comforting embrace...
"You're cold." In a shower of petals, the moment was gone and he was left holding nothing but air. Fine lines of red threaded their way across his hands before dripping to the floor. But this was nothing compared to the pain inside.
Master, I cannot replace her. You long for the warmth of human. I would that I could give it to you but, I am not. and will never be human. You're hurt, go get yourself cleaned up.
"Why does it have to be this hard, senbon?"
But there was no reply from the swirling shards of pink. Only a soft sigh as they faded slowly to darkness once more.
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