A series of drabbles detailing the deaths of major and minor characters of Tite Kubo's Bleach manga.
They are not interelated unless specifically stated as such. Feel free to request characters.
I do not own Bleach or anything related to Bleach. This is a fan story.
-0-
Character: Ukitake Jushiro
Pairings: None
Word Count: 707
A/N: Revised.
The day Jushiro Ukitake died, it was raining.
Kuchiki Rukia noticed this when she woke. It seemed a little strange, since the sky was clear, and only a few clouds were in sight. But it was raining. And it was cold.
Her mind went to her ill captain, and the state he was in. She knew, although he tried to hide it, that he wouldn't last long. She closed her eyes.
The night Kaien had died, Ukitake had been shocked too, but he hid it for her sake. He had explained to her about pride, and fighting. She'd been heartbroken, but she understood. It would take many years, but his words and the lessons would sink in, and teach her to be brave. But the rain always brought back uncomfortable memories, water mixing with the red, washing away the lifeblood spilled from her hands.
Looking up, she sighed. It had been raining then too, she remembered.
Kuchiki Rukia had come to fear the rain, because to her, rain meant death.
-0-
Yamamoto woke that morning, his aged heart feeling heavy. It was strange. The thousands of years he had served as a Shinigami, his heart had grown used to death and sorrow, until he hardly felt any sorrow at all anymore. But this morning, his heart felt heavy with that emotion that had eluded him for years. He was well aware of Jushiro's state. His son, or as good as. His time was running out fast.
He had been proud of the man all his life. He had trained him to be one of the most powerful captains the Soul Society had ever known, despite his illness. He had watch him rise, fall, then rise again. And Jushiro, along with Kyouraku, had stayed with him their entire career, as others died or disappeared. Countless decades of unwavering loyalty and strength.
I am proud of you, my son.
-0-
Kuchiki Byakuya looked out his window. The air was still. No trees were blowing in the wind. There was no bird song. The only things with any motion to it were the clouds, swirling above in the sky.
Byakuya had grown to dislike the older captain for personal reasons. Ukitake was a kind man, but he had broken his beloved sister whom he had tried so hard to protect. He blamed Ukitake for it all, Kaien's death, and Rukia's shattered heart. He often made snarky comments on Ukitake's ability as a captain, questioning him on the number of deaths within the Thirteenth Division that week.
But no matter how rude the words, Ukitake just smiled. "Only a few," he would reply politely. He knew that the younger man blamed him, but he never shot back.
Byakuya sighed, wrapping his robe tighter around him. Yes, perhaps Ukitake was at fault.
But no one deserved to die like this.
-0-
Ise Nanao wasn't surprised when she found the Eight Division headquarters empty. She figured that her captain was out on one of his "strolls". That, or he was with Ukitake-taichou. She sighed, and set down her papers. The world felt heavy today. She looked over towards her window, and noticed her captain's sake jug was still here, completely full.
Nanao ran out the door.
-0-
The day Jyuushiro Ukitake died, two captains were in the Thirteenth Division's Captain's Room.
These captains had seen it all. They had experienced everything that they ever thought they would. They survived through battles, wars, lost friendships and new allies. It didn't seem fair that if they had survived through all that, then why, why, why, why did one of them have to die like this? Victim to a sickness that had plagued his entire life.
That was the way Kyouraku Shunsui felt.
Jyuushiro Ukitake felt differently.
He felt that his life had been more than he could have hoped for. He had the chance to see it all, and he survived it long enough to finally see peace. He knew that he had made mistakes, but without those mistakes, what would life be?
Yes. He was fine. He could leave now.
The day Jyuushiro Ukitake died, two captain's were in that room. Both had their eyes closed.
But only one would ever open them again.