Love Versus Time Chapter 1, 5, 6, and 7
Disclaimer: K. Missouri and Miku Alli do not own Bleach or Code Geass, it is owned by their respective owners.
Title: Love Versus Time
Characters: C.C. and Ichigo Kurosaki
Summary: After Ichigo lost his beloved fiancé, he feels guilty for not saving her, until he meets a girl that changes his life for the better.
Warnings/Themes: Rated T for bad language, character death, partial OOC, etc. Will be rated higher in later chapters for Lemon by K. Missouri.
Note: This is partially canonical to the Multiverse Circle, as two other stories will be lightly used. This is also a eight-chapter story that will be split between K. Missouri and Miku Alli. Chapters 1, 5, 6, and 7 will be posted here. Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 8 will be posted to his account.
Chapter One: A Strawberry Meets A Witch
Ichigo's POV...
'Sometime ago, I was engaged to a simply elegant woman, that like me, was also a lieutenant. Rukia Kuchiki was her name, she had short yet beautiful black hair, speaking of short. She was about a foot shorter than me. Sometimes, we fought like a old married couple, she was serious sometimes, but was full of spirit and joy. Even when it didn't seem like it.
She saved my ass and my family, which was the day I became a substitute shinigami, when she was captured, I saved her from getting executed, for some reason, we were always there to save each other's asses. One day, I realized that I was in love with her and I swallowed my guts and admitted it to her. And that's when I discovered she loved me too. Everybody accepted our love, except for one, but that's not the case.
Then, I finally decided to become an honest man, so I went to my love and asked her a huge question:
"Rukia? May I ask you a question?"
"What is it?" She asked. So, I take her right hand, kneel down and pulled out an engagement ring. Her eyes grew wide and was shocked at what I was gonna ask her.
"Rukia Kuchiki, will you gladly become my wife?"
A tear fell out of her eye, and she cried, "Yes. I do. I'm so happy you finally asked me."
I put the ring on her finger, and we shared a soft and passionate kiss. When everyone discovered our engagement, they were all happy for us, except one. Her brother, Byakuya was among the ones who supported us and gave me his blessing to marry her.
I couldn't believe this was happening, this was all surreal, for the first time, I was truly following what my heart said. I knew that she was that 'one' for me, and I was for her and five months from then, we would be spending the rest of our lives together.
But one day, the 12th and 13th divisions received a notice, that there was suspicious activity going on Hueco Mundo. And they sent the lieutenants of those divisions to investigate. Unfortunately, those two lieutenants was me and Rukia.
After arriving in Hueco Mundo, we found the bodies of dozen other shinigami lying on the cold, dry ground. We didn't understand how this happened, yet we knew that the situation was dangerous. Rukia took my arm and said:
"This seems dangerous, Ichigo. What should we do?"
I placed my hand on her head, stroked her hair and said, "Everything will be okay. Be ready for anything that comes at us."
That's when we heard something moving around somewhere, I was more than ready as I already had my Zanpakuto and was ready to fight. But that's until something jumped out of the sand, and attacked us. Neither me or Rukia could identify who it was because the person was wearing a suit covering their whole body. But it was very clear that it was a woman.
She charged at Rukia, but I stopped her before she could hurt her. I tried to ask this person who he or she was, but cut me off by kicking me dead in the gut, knocking me away. I regained my footing and charged at her, she was strong. I couldn't understand why she was trying to attack Rukia but I knew it wasn't safe for her.
"Rukia, get out of here as fast as you can!" I yelled.
She understood the situation and replied, "Alright, be safe please."
Rukia got away as fast as she could, I was still fighting the person off until she got to a safe place, but that's when we where taken by surprise, as Rukia fled the scene, a dagger was somehow pulled out of the ground, piercing her chest. My eyes grew big in total shock, neither me nor her saw it coming.
I yelled out, "Rukia!"
"It seems it's gonna end for that trash." The woman said.
"You goddamn bitch. I'll kill you!"
I summoned my hollow mask and attacked her, but she was gone in a flash of a second. I looked around for her as Rukia gripped the upper right side of her chest. Not her shoulder. I looked away for that bitch until she comes out, throws me away and maneuvered several trees and pinned me with them.
She walked a few steps forward to me, and pulled out what looked like her Zanpakuto, she aims at Rukia and began to cut her down, one deep slash after another. Rukia attempted he hold her own and fight, but as she tried to swing at her, she was stabbed straight through her throat, I couldn't believe what like of shit I was witnessing, the woman I loved deeply and dearly, was being killed before my eyes.
I completely lost it, and roared, "YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU'RE DEAD!"
I broke out and charged at her, but she high tailed it out of there before I had the opportunity to get close to her. But even after she had fled the scene, I heard her voice saying:
"Hah, hah! That woman wasn't worth the time you spend on her, it's hard to believe that she's even a lieutenant! So long, carrot trash. Til' next time."
I quickly panicked as I saw her fully drenched in her own blood, not to mention her lungs. I went to her and asked:
"Rukia, please hang on."
"I can't, Ichigo. My wounds are far too serious."
"No! I'll take you back to the Soul Society and-"
She grabbed my arm and said, "No, don't. Just leave me here. I've cheated death one too many times, it's was a matter of time."
"Bullshit! You don't have to die here. You don't have to go out this way!"
Rukia was slowly dying as her eyes were closing quick and her voice was getting weak, but she said with her last breaths, "I'm not worth being saved again, Ichigo. Thank you for caring for me and promise me you'll move on."
"No! Rukia, don't go!"
"I have to, but at least I got to spend my last moments with you. Ichigo..."
And then, Rukia lost her remaining breath, her eyes closed shut and the woman I loved more than anyone, was gone. I tried not to cry, she wanted me to be strong for her. And so I get up, look at the sky and as she wanted, I left her there.
Then, Ichigo wakes up from the memory of that fateful day. He looked at his hands and started having flashbacks, mostly of them with the ones she was also close to, reacting to her death. Although they have moved on like she wanted, Ichigo still couldn't forget.
"Why?" Ichigo said, "Why didn't I die instead of her?"
A still distraught Ichigo tried not to shed a tear, since he knew it would be a sign of weakness. Nearly two and a half months passed since his fiance's death and he has always found himself to be the at fault for not protecting her. But he took one deep breath and went back to bed.
C.C's POV...
I wasn't someone to be emotional. Never was, never will. Of all the things I've seen, after awhile they start to repeat themselves. It's hard to react to something you've been through many times before. But Lelouch, he was a different story all together. After I had given him the geass power, he had a goal, a plan. He gave his life for that goal, that plan, and that was something I probably couldn't forget, ever.
Truth is, I could never forget Lelouch. From when I jumped in front of that bullet to save him that first time, along with giving him geass, I knew there was something about him that was different. He was a person with a purpose.
When I ran in front of him, to stop that bullet from ending his life, I didn't know what that one action would result in. If Lelouch had died that day, the rebellion would have never happened, Britannia would still be in control of most of the world, and I wouldn't have had these feelings bouncing around my brain in an annoying jumble. Buzzing around and making me generally angry, and sad to say the least. The person who gave it all, only to have his legacy, and his name, live in vain.
Most would want to live, and die being the hero. But he, no he didn't care what it took. Just that it happened. He died a demon. I missed that demon. I supported him when he went against Britannia, and all through, I admired him a bit more with each passing thing he did towards his goal.
When my worst memories were shown to him, he understood. He didn't feel sorry, he just understood. His words reverberated around my mind, and made sure I never forgot them. "You're not alone. We are accomplices. If you are a witch, then I will become a warlock."
I remember replying with a simple, "You sure know what to say at the right moment."
He did. Ever since that day, I realized Lelouch vi Britannia wasn't like those in my past.
"C.C!" Lelouch's voice came from the door to his formerly clean room. Currently there was pizza boxes scattered about, as I was sprawled out on the bed, going through another order of pizza.
I turned, pizza in mouth towards him. He looked completely annoyed, and I internally laughed. It was just too fun to make him squirm. Making him wait till I finished the current piece, I then asked, "What?"
"How can you possibly charge over a hundred thousand yen for pizza to a credit card!" he said, fuming slightly.
Sitting up, I grabbed another piece of pizza. "You aren't broke, right?"
He nodded slowly, not really getting where I was going with this.
"Then what's the problem?" I said, taking a bite of pizza with the last word, smiling evilly.
He was also fun to tease too. Along with his room was also a convenient place to order pizza to day in and day out. But along with this, Lelouch was also Zero. The identity, which in the end, was viewed as someone to trust and admire to the general public. Even though Lelouch wasn't Zero anymore, I still could think back.
Lelouch, well no, Zero was leaning over an electronic map of the area as I was leaning on a wall in the background. Many other black knights were around him, listening to what he said as he pointed out different places. They listened to him, they followed him. Even though he was much younger than they were, even if they didn't know that. But I knew why. He of all people had excellent leadership and strategic skills. Were he got them, I would never know. He dismissed the group and walked over, to me, silence between us for a few seconds.
"So what's today plan of action?" I asked, knowing that Lelouch would probably go himself, so I would be going with him.
"Just some simple raiding for supplies." he replied.
Since the black knights were new, they didn't have many funds, but some raiding Britannia always worked well, to get new knightmares and such.
Lelouch at the controls of a knightmare could hold his own. Though not as good as Suzaku or Kallen, he wasn't bad at all. I watched from the sidelines, as his knightmare was staying stationary giving orders to the rest. After a few minutes or so, his knightmare started heading towards the building I was standing on.
The top hatched opened and Zero called up to me, "C.C, what are doing up there?"
I sighed and called down. "You think all I do when you go off is sit around back at headquarters?"
"Well…"
"Well?"
"But there's knightmares shooting-"
"You have a knightmare. Speaking of it, you should get back in it, and lead your army."
He nodded meekly and closed the hatch, going back to lead, as I stood there with a smirk. I loved being right.
He was the most hated person in the world. 99th Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia, and I, didn't hate him at the slightest. He was probably the person I liked the most, well, there was no probably about it. I trusted him, and that was saying something. He told me that he had to talk to me, and I knew that it wasn't good. Especially how when he told me that, his expression saddened.
It was night at the palace where Lelouch now was staying, and I was waiting on the balcony. The stars were out, and the moon was shining brightly. When Lelouch walked out, my heart skipped a beat. Wait, did I really just think that?
"C.C" he said.
"Lelouch." I replied.
I scolded myself for acting so stupid, why couldn't I just get to the point?
"The night is… Nice.." he said. I couldn't believe it. The demon emperor of Britannia, who has been heartless and cruel to everyone, couldn't just get to the point either?
I couldn't take the tension anymore, I wanted to know what he was so saddened about, and I wanted to know now. "Lelouch!" I said, almost yelling in his face. Well, I was.
His eyes snapped open wide, "Wha-"
"I know whatever you're trying to get yourself to say isn't pleasant, but you have to trust that I can handle it, alright?" I told him, really meaning those words.
"Fine.. But just-"
"No, you're just going to tell me." I said. He nodded, realizing that I wasn't going to settle for anything else.
"C.C, I'm going to die tomorrow." He said, no emotion in those words at all.
"Wha- Why? Can't you prevent-"
"Suzaku is going to run me through in the parade, in view of the entire world."
I understood now. I understood everything. Lelouch was hated, and then, he would..
"Die, C.C. After tomorrow, I won't be alive, but the world will be better. Britannia without me, will fall. The world will be at peace." He told me, and I couldn't believe it.
"Why would you do that? Why would you Lelouch?" I asked him with a desperate tone.
"To help-"
"What about Nunnally?"
"Nunnally will understand."
"What about me?" I asked him. "Why can't you think-" I was cut off by his lips meeting mine, and staying there for a few seconds. He let me go, and I couldn't bring myself to let go of him.
But then he backed up, and said, "Please understand C.C." as he turned around and headed back into the palace.
I can say that was the first time I had cried in many many years.
Now that I think back to then, I can laugh at myself for being so stupid. But then, I can still relate. I remember what it felt like to have someone not all that long ago to trust and depend on still, and it was a great feeling. When it starts fading into the past, it will be better. Or it might not be, how was I to know?
-Soul Society-
The next day, in the Soul Society, Ichigo was slowly doing paperwork while his mind was still focused on his deceased fiance, whenever he heard her name, a sparkling image of her popped in his head, Ichigo's hands turned into fists, he kept them at his hips, and he walked to a nearby wall, and started banging his head on the wall repeatedly.
Outside the door, Renji Abarai, the lieutenant of the 6th Division, watched him as he tried to get the thought of Rukia out of his mind. Renji knew from the start, that he has blamed himself for her death, and knew if he didn't act soon, something horrible would might happen.
Later that day, Ichigo had a ice pack on his forehead after what he did, until he spots Renji walking towards him.
He chose the friendly thing to do and greeted, "Hey, Renji. Aren't you supposed to be working?"
"No..not at all." he said sarcastically, then motioning Ichigo to drop it. He didn't want to have to actually do his work.
"Okay then, why did you come all the way out here for?"
"Well why were you banging your head against a solid wall? You know no matter how many times you hit it with your head, the wall won't break."
"So, you saw that. Did you?"
"Well yeah, I did."
"Oh..." he trailed off. Not really knowing what to say to Ichigo after that. "You.. You shouldn't blame yourself, you know."
"I know. I just regret not saving her. But that girl," Ichigo answered, he got a image of that woman and looked like his head was gonna explode, "That fucking girl murdered my love and your best friend."
Renji looked down. Rukia had been his friend, ever since those first years in the Rukongai, and had never let anyone down. He couldn't even imagine what Ichigo was feeling. Truth was Renji had been trying to not think about what had happened. "But it wasn't your fault all the same."
"I guess you're right. In truth, would I be able to save her? Take that bitch out and she would be here today? Probably not."
Renji just nodded, "I just hope that bitch is rotting in hell somewhere." He then added.
"I hope so." Ichigo replied, "Anyways, what should we do now?"
"Well if Rangiku were here, she'd try to convince us to drink it of with a hell of a lot of sake." Renji said, "But there's a festival not too far away. Might help get your mind of things.."
Ichigo was intrigued by his idea, like most of them. So he gets up and answered with a smile, "Yeah. That's sounds like a plan. Rather a festival than a strip club, am I right?"
"No kidding." Renji answered, starting to walk in the direction of the festival.
A hour later, Renji had taken Ichigo to the festival to clear his mind, the two had fun, they played games, they pulled some of their usual pranks, and for the first time before Rukia's death, he was happy.
Ichigo looked at him, and said, "Renji, you were right. I finally feel calm. Thanks, man."
"No problem. That was definitely a stress reliever." he said.
Renji's soul phone suddenly started ringing out of nowhere. He muttered a few curses as the annoying repetitive ringtone blared as he fished for it. Flipped it open, and said, "What's-"
He paused, the voice on the phone interrupting him. After a bit longer, Renji hung up the phone."Oh shit... Byakuya's pissed. I haven't been doing my paperwork. Gotta go" Renji called out as he ran away, as he had been threatened by Senbonzakura if he didn't hurry.
Ichigo nearly chuckled a bit as he saw Renji get back to the office, although he's not a single bit threatened by his captain, he goes to find something else to do. However, Ichigo drops his substitute shinigami badge as he almost bolted off. He tried to pick it up, but before he could step over to pick it up, the badge is instead picked up by a young woman with lime green hair, yellow like eyes and a beautiful, slender body.
C.C wasn't one to usually enjoy festivals, but there wasn't much else to do. She had been wandering for awhile, and honestly didn't know where she had wandered to. She was walking aimlessly around the festival until she saw a strange badge with a skull on it. She bent down to pick it up and when she stood up, was faced with an orange haired man who looked like he was about to pick up the badge himself.
She looked at it, and then looked to him, asking, "Is this yours?"
Ichigo anxiously said, "Yeah. Now give it to me."
"Hm..." She said, pondering it for a moment. "Nah. I'll go trade it for pizza or something." she said, bolting off in a direction away from Ichigo, a smirk on her face.
"Hell no!" she shouted back, running and swerving between different booths.
Ichigo grew angry with C.C. and tried to catch her, hollering, "Goddamn it, give it back! I'm not afraid to punch a bitch."
"I'm not afraid to punch an ass." she said, stopping only for a moment to land a punch in his face and then to take off again as he was still stunned from the punch.
Ichigo got wobbly for a second, and chased after her. but then he discovered something lying on the ground. He saw the tag on it and it said, 'Cheese-kun', He chose to take it with him and continued to chase after her.
C.C kept running on, and wondered why it seemed like he wasn't close anymore. But she just assumed he had gotten tired or something, and continued to go full speed ahead. As she kept running, she sees something jumping over her, only for it to be Ichigo with Cheese-kun in his hands.
She then stopped. "Give. Me. Cheese-kun." she said, her tone as cold and deadly as ice.
Ichigo looked down at the stuffed toy and said, "So this is yours? Then good luck trying to sew him back together." Ichigo draws his Zanpakuto and points it at the toy.
"You fucking bastard!" She screamed, launching herself at the orange-haired shinigami. Which probably wasn't smart seeing that he was taller, and most likely stronger than her.
Ichigo backed away from her, causing her to nearly fall. Luckily, she managed to stay on her feet, "Give me back my badge and you'll get your stuffed... Whatever this thing is back."
"Yeah right!" she screamed again, trying to grab Cheese-kun from Ichigo. But he backs away again and takes it out of her reach.
She then tried a different approach to get Cheese-kun back from Ichigo. Suddenly her eyes got larger and she was reduced to a puppy dog pout. "Can I please have Cheese-kun back?" she said, overly cheesy-like.
Ichigo was not sure if he should actually buy this attempt, so he told her, "If you want this back, place the badge on the ground."
She grumbled and gave him a look even more evil than before. She crouched down, not taking her eyes off him for a second. she set the badge on the ground, but not before saying, "Now give me Cheese-kun."
Ichigo was a fair man, so after he crouched down and picked up his badge, he handed her Cheese-kun to her and they both crouch back up. She hugged Cheese-kun and looked away, mumbling incoherent things to the stuffed toy. Basically she was ignoring Ichigo completely.
Ichigo took the chance to apologize to her and said, "Um, sorry for all that. I didn't entirely know if it was yours or not. Forgiveness, maybe?" Ichigo took out his right hand and placed it in front of C.C.
She gave him a blank look and hugged Cheese-kun tighter. Ichigo started getting mad, but he quickly calmed down. He then continued, "Okay sorry for threatening to cut you're Cheese-kun into bits. I was just irritated because you tried to pawn off my badge."
She held out Cheese-kun in front of his face, saying, "Say sorry to Cheese-kun."
"Uh. Sorry, Cheese-kun." He went for it's arms and shook it. C.C looked content with that and pulled back Cheese-kun, not really knowing what to say now.
"Uh.. Hi. I'm.. C.C." she told him, still hugging Cheese-kun of course. Then for some reason, Ichigo started laughing out of nowhere.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she snapped.
"It's just funny that we met like this. I mean, damn."
"Damn what. You threatened my Cheese-kun! That's what."
"I meant was, I was down and gloomy until my friend brought me here. And all this happens; you know, I've met certain people in very bad ways but this might be the wackiest."
"I've had wackier..." she mumbled distantly.
"You know, do you wanna hang out for a while? Maybe get to know each other better?" Ichigo proposed.
She thought it over for a second, and then had an idea. She didn't seem to have any money, but him, he seemed to have some. "Will you buy me some pizza?" she asked.
"Yeah, why not. Better eat to forget about this wild ass shit."
"Yay!" C.C said, jumping a bit. She hadn't had pizza in awhile, and now she was getting it for free.
Now the evening, Ichigo and C.C. got more acquainted after meeting for the first time in a unusual way. Ichigo kindly bought the green-haired girl some pizza, to make up for what he tried to do. The two were walking in the streets when C.C. noticed something similar about Ichigo...His voice. Though not as demanding, she could tell it just sounded so similar to Lelouch. Like Lelouch if he hadn't always been so formal.
"Um.. Ichigo.." she started saying, thinking he might know Lelouch or something. But then she trailed off, thinking the thought was stupid to say the least.
"Yeah, what is it, C.C?" Ichigo asked her.
"Oh... it's nothing. Really." she said, trying to get Lelouch out of her head. But for some reason, now that she had recognized the similarity, she just couldn't shake the thought.
"Come on. You can tell me, can you?"
"It's really nothing." she said, trying to drop the subject. He wouldn't understand, not at all.
"Well, I guess you won't tell me about that bird-like tattoo on your forehead?"
She quickly attempted to cover it with her bangs, as she wondered, had it really been showing the whole time? "Oh, that's nothing either."
"Uh, bullshit. I saw it completely when that breeze came along earlier."
"Maybe I-I accidentally got paint there.. H-how am I supposed to know?" she stuttered out.
"Right." Ichigo sarcastically said, "And I'm a orange-haired serial killer with a big ass sword."
She looked at the sword across his back, it was huge to say the least. she wondered how he even lifted the thing. "You never know..." she said.
"Well, geass got nothing on this...heh heh." he said, She was majorly confused, did he know about Geass? She wondered. but her previously shocked expression was still there of course. Then, Ichigo heard his phone ring. He answered it and started talking, then some yelling was heard. He hung up the phone. C.C was even more confused, and she asked:
"Who was that? Why was there someone yelling at you?"
"Oh, it was my boss. He's angry at me for leaving again and he wants me to come back now."
"Your boss? Where do you work? Why at any job would you need that?" she asked, pointing to the sword on his back.
"If you tell me about that tattoo, then I'll answer you."
She decided the best thing to do in this situation would be, to make a pretty convincing lie about it. "It's just a tattoo I got a couple years ago. It's pretty stupid." she told him, hoping to herself that, that explanation was believable enough. Since she didn't feel like explaining geass anytime soon.
"Ah. I don't think it's stupid," Ichigo told her, "I think it's beautiful. It suits you very well."
She looked away from Ichigo, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. But she was grateful for one thing, he had fallen for the whole tattoo thing. Ichigo looked at his watch and discovered the time, he looked at C.C and told her:
"Hey, I have to get home. But we can meet up or talk if you want to?"
"Uh.. sure." she replied, knowing she'd probably get lost before anything. Since she still had absolutely no clue where she currently was. But Ichigo noticed she was making a unusual face, so the curious Ichigo asked her:
"Do you have no place to stay tonight?"
"Not really.." she admitted. "I actually don't know where I am.."
Brainstorming, Ichigo came up with a idea, "Why don't you just come home with me tonight? I promise I won't do anything to you."
"Do you have pizza?" She asked him, obviously this was a major priority to her.
"I can make good pizza, if not great. Don't know. However, one of my friends sent like a thousand pizza's and sent them to my house. Hope that's what you want."
Her eyes lit up at the mention of how much pizza that might actually be and she asked quickly, "Where do you live?"
"Follow me." He said, she willingly followed, the mention of pizza and somewhere to sleep was enough to convince her.
A little while later, he and C.C were at his new house, it was quite large enough for around five people, but there was only one bedroom. Ichigo wanted C.C to be comfortable and he pointed her to the kitchen, inside there was over 800 hot pizza boxes in there.
Walking into the kitchen she grabbed as many boxes as she could carry and plopped down onto the nearest couch. She wondered where Ichigo got all this money for this stuff though.. She really did. But she didn't think about it much anymore when she started the task of wolfing down pizza and all Ichigo could do was smile while the green-haired girl ate as much pizza as her body let her, he waked upstairs and told her:
"I'm gonna get my bed ready for you to sleep. Come upstairs when you're ready."
She did just that, 20 minutes and a large pile of boxes later, she came upstairs, drowsy and full of pizza. Ichigo called out to her, "Hey, if you want, I have some clothes you can put on. This will be able to fit you, of course."
She opened the door into the room, and walked in, drowsy. But the first thing anyone notice, was the simple fact she wasn't wearing any clothes at all. Ichigo turned around after making the bed and saw a naked C.C, walking towards Ichigo and the bed. As fast as he could, Ichigo backed away from C.C and yelled:
"What the hell! Why the fuck aren't wearing any clothes?"
She mumbled something incoherent as the climbed into the bed. The closest thing to saying, she forgot. Under his sheets, he wondered if he should crawl into bed with her, sleep on the couch, or sleep with her being as careful as ever. He ran straight downstairs to the couch, but saw nothing but pizza boxes covering the whole couch.
So he returned upstairs, he chose not to get into the sheets with her and just laid there with her instead.
She didn't know either she was asleep or awake at this point. But she did notice Ichigo on the bed. "Lelouch, you know you sleep on the floor." she mumbled. Not really noticing what she was saying.
Ichigo didn't feel irritated by what she said, instead a warm smile fell onto his face and said, "Good night, C.C."
She fell asleep, not saying anything else after that. However, Ichigo switch sides away from her and said, "I'll take that as a good night."
End of Chapter One