Title: Butterfly and Bee
Author: Cypres
Beta-Reader: gloaming grove
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
PS: Big Thanks to gloaming grove for her wonderful beta skills. She's THE best =)
- Butterfly and Bee -
The old merchant sat tiredly in the shade under one of the trees. He now felt much too aged to carry jugs of water around, but it's not like he was able to choose between working and dying of starvation. A squeal caught his attention. About ten meters in front of him, a little girl was running after bright flying spots.
"Oy !"
The child turned toward him, revealing two unusual violet-blue eyes and one of the most adorable faces he had ever seen.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm chasing butterflies," she replied, making her way toward his location.
"Aa, they're really pretty, aren't they?" the old man sighed in a smile; kids were all the same, even in the 78th District of Rukongai.
"I am trying to kill them."
"Uh ?" The atypical answer made him gape, in a surprised stance, at the little girl.
"Butterflies are dangerous. They fly from flower to flower, like autumn leaves. They make you think that life is colorful and easy, that you can have a great life with all the ones you love…"
She was now ignoring him to rummage in the wild flowers, her too serious little face searching for her multicolored prey.
"I prefer bees. Bees, when they strike you, they leave you with a burn and, two days after, there're no more."
The black haired child suddenly stopped, and the old man could see the flash of a yellow butterfly's wing in the palm of her hand.
"Unlike the bee which dies quickly after striking you, a butterfly won't die. You're the one dying. 'Cause it's not the same pain that eats you away, in the end…" She ended with a sad finality, her nimble fingers closing around the fragile insect.
Rukia blinked sleepily, her dream still fresh on her mind. It was so long ago that she wasn't even sure if it was real or not. A large and tender hand stroked her dark hair and she snuggled against the warm body under her.
"Go back to sleep, it's too early right now."
She closed her eyes, Ichigo's heartbeats now lulling her like one of the nicest lullabies.
As her little hand was closing around the yellow-winged butterfly, another hand, wrinkled and firm, softly prevented her from crushing her prey.
"But, if you kill all the butterflies, don't you think the bees' sting will be more painful?" He asked, slowly opening her hand to free the insect, which quickly flew away.
"Besides, I'm sure, one day you'll find a butterfly that will stay with you to share its dream."
They both stared at her little palm for a moment, until the sound of hundreds of fine wings resonated around them. In the light of the sunset, dozens of orange-winged butterflies flew toward the blue-purplish sky.
- End -
A.N. Thank you for reading ^^.