Okay so I already had this posted, but I edited it and reposted it.
This is just a short one-shot. Technically, its IchiRuki, but it leaves the possibility for other pairings. Read and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach in any way shape or form.
A tall, thin but muscular boy strode away from Rukia, his flaming orange hair visible even from distance. As she watched his receding form, Rukia felt tears pushing at the backs of her eyes. It wasn't that she was sad that Ichigo was leaving, she had always know this day would come, but she needed to tell him something important and she knew that she wouldn't be able to bring herself to. If she couldn't say it now, then she would never be able to have the strength to let it out.
Words pounded in Rukia's head, as if they were pummeling her in an attempt to break free and sail into the open. She held them back though, throat closed, because she was scared that if she let them come out, then they wouldn't sound right and say the right things. She needed to tell him the thoughts that were piling up in her head; she needed to say much, to be able to let go of what she had been hiding inside for so long, but her mind refused to let her. It told her that if she did, she was going to get hurt and that it wasn't worth it. However, her body disagreed and before she could stop herself, two words tumbled out of her mouth.
"Matte, Ichigo!"
He turned towards her, and slowly began stepping back the way he had come. Impatient with his sluggish pace, Rukia ran up to him, desperate to say what she was thinking before she could reconsider and back down. He looked slightly surprised as she raced up to him, but thinking it would be simpler to not question her, he remained silent.
"I have to tell you something. I know that you won't agree with what I have to say, but this is important to me, so please don't interrupt, OK?"
"Yeah, sure."
'God,' Rukia thought. 'I must sound like the biggest babbling idiot in all of Soul Society. Yet Ichigo is still looking at me expectantly, just waiting for me to continue. Really, I don't deserve this sincerity.'
Weather deserved or not, Rukia continued speaking. "Do you remember when we first met? I crept into your bedroom so you kicked me against the wall and called me a brat, yelling at me for lurking. You demanded to know who I was and what I was doing."
Ichigo blinked. "Yeah, I guess that was what happened."
"Then a hollow attacked your sisters, and I was going to kill it, only I had to protect you, so I ended up almost dying. But when I gave you my shinigami powers, you saved us all, even though you didn't know what you were doing." Rukia laughed a sad, quiet laugh.
"I remember all this, but why are you telling me? I thought you said you needed to tell me something important."
"But I am, or at least I'm trying to. Every memory that you are in, I remember clearer than what I did yesterday; no matter how hard I try not to think about them, they still always end up spinning around in my head."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say all this means…" The words caught in Rukia's throat and she choked slightly, not quiet able to force them out. After a long pause, she closed her eyes and spoke, her voice sounding choppy and uneven. "It means that I love you." She squeezed her eyes tighter together, not wanting to meet Ichigo's gaze, not wanting to see the laughter on his face because he thought it was a joke, or the horror on it when he realized she was serious. She braced herself, but nothing happened.
"Rukia," he said. "Open your eyes."
She slowly did, staring up into his deep brown orbs, searching for signs that he was repulsed by her and that he didn't want her love. There was a long pause before he began talking again.
"What were you so afraid of?"
Rukia's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"All this time, you were struggling with just saying three little words. Did you honestly think that I didn't feel the same way about you?"
Heart pounding, Rukia stared up at Ichigo. Was he really saying what she thought he was; did he really just imply that he loved her back? Without thinking, Rukia stood on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck, bringing their bodies closer and bowing his head towards her own. She paused for the briefest second, their faces just inches away, close enough to feel each another's soft breathing, before leaning in and kissing him. At first, he lips were ridged with surprise, but as she went to pull away, he brought her closer and kissed her desperately, his lips moving around hers frantically.
Rukia knew what she had to do, as much as if broke her own heart. Slowly, she pushed Ichigo away, slipping out of his arms to stand separated from him. The confusion on his face was obvious and Rukia knew that she owed him another explanation, this one more painful than the last.
"Listen, Ichigo. I really love you, and this is why I am saying this. What it means to truly love someone is to put your own needs above theirs and to do whatever it takes to keep them happy. And sometimes, you have to do things that might hurt them and that they don't understand to keep them from getting hurt even worse later."
"What are you saying: us being together is going to hurt me far worse than us not being together?"
"Yes. You see I've already lived a life in the Real World and I've died and come here to Soul Society. But you haven't, and if I were to ask you give up everything you have and everything you could have just so you could be with me, that would so selfish."
"But what if we decided just to let me live in the Real World, but we would still be together? Then I could still have everything that you wanted me to have, and we could still be together, at least for part of our lives."
"That is a huge burden that I don't think even you could bear."
"It wouldn't be a burden."
"In the beginning it wouldn't be, but as time moves on you would grow busier and your visits would become more separated. You would start to view seeing me as just another item on a checklist, and not something that you really wanted to do. Our relationship would start to crumble and fall to pieces."
"You're really not going to let me have it any other way are you?"
"It's for the best, Ichigo."
"I don't like how easily you're willing to give up on the idea of being together. This is forever you know: we're never going to be together if you don't let us try."
"Do you remember what you said to me one time? You said that when two souls have a connection, then that bond will never be broken and someday, they will be reunited. So when a soul dies, you're not really losing them, you're just temporarily separated from them."
"So what are you saying? That someday you and I will be together?"
"Maybe the Ichigo and Rukia as we know ourselves won't be able to be together, but someday, in who knows how many years, the essence of our souls will. Our energy, our reiatsu, the material that builds us will one day be united, we will finally be together. That's really all that matters: knowing that despite how much pain you have to face, someday, someone else, another version of you, will be happy."
Ichigo smiled. "Before I go, can I do one more thing?"
Rukia looked up at him. "I suppose."
Leaning down, he kissed her again. But this time it was different; as his lips moved over hers there was no happiness, no pleasure. Yet it was the sweetest kiss, their heartbeats synced and pulsing in unison, breathing in out into one another's souls. The kiss was filled with sadness and pain as it lingered on Rukia's lips far after it was over, a constant reminder of how someday, they would be together.
When they broke away, Ichigo gazed into Rukia's face and began to speak, his words distant but confident. "Someday, I will…" But Rukia lifted a finger to his lips, stopping the words from leaking out. He didn't need to say it; she already knew the promise of someday.
SO! What do you think? Leave a review letting me know! Updates on other stories will be available soon, I hope.