Hello! This was born about two years ago and I have been spending my time trying to continue it but I can't, so I present to you a one-shot that may or may not become a longer story. Please read and review to you heart's content!
Summary: It may be less than a love story but this meeting will last a life-time.
Desclaimer: I say it as plainly as I can: I don't own Bleach.
Apologizes: Spelling, grammar and sentence structure are off. I'm sure all you grammar-nazis out there will love me ;)
Enjoy!
Milde
Seasonal Infinity
The melody was beautiful. The chords blended together like a stream to a river. The sound travelled in the autumn forest. The sun filtered through the leaves making the forest glow in gold and the wind swirled the fallen leaves as if they were vis-à-vis. Red sneakers rustled the withered, brown grass. The girl adjusted her scarlet beanie on her black hair. The wind tried to engage her short locks to its play making the inky tips bend. She followed the piano's soothing melody deeper in to the golden forest.
Between the trees Karin could see a big, Gothic mansion. She was curious by nature and without a second thought she approached the house. Its light brown stone walls felt cold to the touch and glass paintings were out of her reach. She bent down to look inside from the small windows just above the ground. Even thought the room was dim she could make out wooden barrels piled on top of each other. As Karin was observing the mansion the music had stopped, but almost immediately after another, more sorrowful, piece began that woke the girl from her revere.
The music seemed to flow behind the manor. Karin quickly rounded the house and came to a dead garden. She could imagine the huge garden in summer when the flowers were in bloom and the pound was free from leaf sailors. Her gaze swept across the orchard and stopped to a white grand piano under the yellow elms and red oaks. A boy, no older than she, sat behind the piano. In the ground near his feet was a pair of dark blue mittens that matched his black pilot jacket. Karin watched hypnotized as his hands glided on the keys. She was fascinated by the control the long fingers had over the big instrument. His white hair reflected the yellowish glow of the trees. Karin studied the boy's face. His eyes were closed and his white brows were frowning; he was expressing himself with the tune.
Suddenly the pace of the music quickened and the pressure in which he hit the notes got stronger. Karin's heart started beating faster. The sound the instrument produced seemed to be so full of pain and sadness that her heart ached. She knew that pain. She leaned to the cold wall and balled her bare hands to two shaking fists. She took deep breaths to calm herself and tried to sidetrack her thoughts by wondering what color his eyes were.
The boy stopped and the last chord ringed through the air, flying free around them. He seemed to be somewhere else than in this world at that moment. This was her chance to talk to him and make sure that she wasn't seeing things like she had as a child.
"That…that was beautiful," Karin said unsure how to begin a conversation with a stranger. The boy jumped on his chair opening his eyes startled. She was amazed by the uncommon teal color in his eyes.
"I was walking in the woods over there," Karin pointed haphazardly towards the forest:" when I heard you play."
The boy hadn't moved at all, he just sat on the stool and stared at the black and white keys. He seemed frozen to the spot. She was about to continue her story when he started to play again. Annoyed Karin walked over to him and sat next to him on the wooden stool. The song's tempo became faster and even thought the melody was light and playful Karin couldn't help but to hear the fear and panic underneath the perkiness. She grabbed the lid and shut the piano. The boy had just enough time to pull his fingers out of the way. He turned to look at her frowning.
"I'm sorry but I don't like to be interrupted," she smiled at him brightly:"I guess you're not very good at this. Umm…okay, let's start with names; I'm Kurosaki Karin."
"Hitsugaya Toushiro. Why are you here, when clearly you're not supposed to?" Despite his rude tone of voice Karin's smile didn't falter. She was curious, stubborn person and once she found something interesting she wouldn't just walk away from it.
"Just, you know…walking around. Am I a bother?" Hitsugaya didn't say a thing but the answer was clear to Karin. He opened the lid and started to play again.
"Why so scared?" The piano let out an awful cry as Hitsugaya's hands missed the right chords. He started the piece over from the beginning.
Karin was kicking herself in her head. How stupid can one get? Then again, how was she supposed to know what was a taboo. Her eyes followed a falling leaf and suddenly she felt cold. Her hands were numb form the cool weather and she tried to blow a breath of warm air into them. Abruptly Hitsugaya stopped playing and bent down to the ground. He handed his mittens to Karin mumbling a quiet:"here".
"So you're not completely heartless are you?" Karin tried to tease him: "But seriously, thanks," she smiled warmly the blue mittens in her hands. They were a lot larger than her hands, but warm and soft. Maybe she should try again.
"You know I really think you play amazingly. Do you play here often?" Karin glanced at the boy and noticed that he was slowly relaxing next to her.
"Who knows…" He said avoiding the question. Karin hummed to him, happy for some reason.
This boy was interesting with his passive facial expression and his fear towards another human being. Karin had a big grin on her face as she sat there, next to her new acquaintance, taking in the harmony the surrounding nature and the music created.
The forest continued its glow and the wind spun the colorful leaves around the pair. The sun casted its rays to the garden making the dust shine like a million little stars. Autumn, the most beautiful funereal there will ever be.