Title: The Howling
Author: Sanada Sayuri
Summary: Blood can never justify the sins of a Holy War, but when the War reaches Heaven's Gate, difficult choices are made.
Prompt #26: End

Chapter 1: The Hand of Sorrow

"We can't be together anymore."

Byakuya felt his heart stop beating at his lover's words.

"What?" he gasped. Byakuya took a step toward the teen and stopped, hurt, as the teen took a step back, away from him. "Ichigo? Why?"

Byukuya found that he couldn't read the teen, though his face was warm and his voice was even. Ichigo's reryoku, unlike, usual, gave away none of his thoughts or emotions, and his body language was unreadable.

"All you need to know," the teen said, sounding distinctly unlike his normal self, "I cannot love you any more."

Byakuya's eyes widened. "What are you talking about, Ichigo?" he pleaded, "What is wrong?"

"You are a noble and a shinigami Captain," I chigo said, "and I am amortal human. Our remaining lovers could only hurt the both of us."

"Ichigo," Byakuya pleaded, "please! If it was something I did..."

"You did nothing," Ichigo interrupted. "This is simply how it must be."

"Don't leave me!"

"Impossible," the teen's Voice was crisp. "We cannot stay together. Good bye, KuchikiByakuya taicho."

Byakuya could only watch as the teen shunted away. "Ichigo," he whispered as he felt the swell of power that accompanied the activation of the Senkaimon. He stood still at the top of Soukyouku Hill and stared out in the direction of the Senkaimon as the spicy tang of his one-time-lover's reiryouku vanished from his senses.

~*~*~*~

tbc...