Author's Note: This is a collection of one-shots from Moon-chan's little cage of plot hamsters and bunnies. Some maybe related to each other while mostly will be independent plots. The chapter title and/or author's note will tell you! Please enjoy and review!
Bleach: Weddings
Rukia Kuchiki returns to the human world and witnesses the ritual any woman dreams of having, wearing a white dress and walking down the aisle. However, she did not expect it to be like this...
a/n: I edited it, added a few paragraphs. The sequel for this one-shot is entitled 'It is Over'. It is the fourth chapter of this selection.
a/n: Greetings to everyone who has opened this fanfiction. This is my first Bleach fan fiction. I adopted one of my fics to fit my most celebrated Bleach pairing Ichigo X Rukia. I hope you enjoy this! I apologize for any misspellings, typographical errors, grammatical errors, and the like for I am not patient proofreading. Please do review afterwards and tell me what you think about it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the song used in this fic. They belong to their respective owners.
Bleach: Weddings
For any woman, marriage is the most awaited moment in her life. It is the pride of every woman to be able to wear a gown of purest white with a veil of freshest snow; to be able to walk down the long dreaded but most anticipated aisle to the distant altar; to be able to say the sweetest 'I will' to him; to be able to slide the wedding down his finger; to be able to hear the reassuring words of the priest, 'you are now man and wife'; and of course to be able to gently touch his tender lips with hers.
Ah, the beauty of marriages.
Her sapphire orbs scanned the church altar carefully. Though she had spent a lot of time in the human world, it was her first time to be able to attend such a human ritual. So, she wasn't really invited. She was just there for a peek to see how humans perform such rituals. She examined every detail in that structure. The white ribbons spread endlessly in the columns of the place. It was beautiful. She inhaled the scent of flowers. Sunflower, she distinguished the smell. She liked this 'human wedding'
"Kuchiki Rukia?" She was surprised to hear her name. She turned around. She was a shinigami. Humans were not suppose to see shinigamis.
It figured. It was Ishida Uryu, a glasses-wearing Quincy she met a decade ago. Beside him was a tall quiet man with dark skin. He was Chad Yasutora or Sado as he was preferred to be called. They wear both wearing black tuxedos. Rukia bowed to the two.
"Wanna take a seat?" the Quincy asked. "The wedding is about to start."
Finally, the music started playing.
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
Why the heck play that song?
Rukia felt a sudden aching feeling in her heart. She turned her head around to look for something, rather someone. She was not stupid enough not to know what it meant. It was the song played while the bride walked down the aisle. It was suppose to be the most special song for the groom and his bride. (according to the marriage expert, Inoue Orihime) No, it wasn't just any bridal march. It was their song. Not their song, it was his and her song…
She turned her attention to the back of the aisle. There, she stood: the bride. The veil was long and translucent. Rukia could see the orange hair flowing down the bride shoulders. The bride wore green flower ornaments. And her face, there was no mistaking it. Inoue Orihime was the bride.
Rukia Kuchiki's inner self told her that she dare not look to the direction of the altar. She forced herself to stand up and not look at the end of the aisle. And yet she did. She saw him, the unmistakable orange spiky hair. She was glad she was facing his back because she froze at the end of the other end of the aisle as the music told her to stay.
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
Damn that idiot. She whispered to herself. Of all the songs he had to choose, he had to choose that one. Was he trying to irritate her like what he always did? Was he just being an idiot that he had no idea that song was special for Rukia? Was he deliberately playing to hopefully hurt her feelings? Or did he forget about her existence and made that song special for him and the bride? She smiled. She remembered why that song became their song, rather his and her song.
"Ichigo, I like this song." Rukia said bubbly.
"That's good." was all his reply but it was the only song he said that was good.
Ichigo wasn't really quite Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a guy that wrote lots of mushy stuff but Ichigo liked idolized him for some reason. Rukia wasn't actually a Juliet (according to Ichigo). And they really weren't Cupid and Psyche. So when it became them, it happened as casually and as plain and as ever thought. It went some like this.
"You're being stupid again, Ichigo." She argued as always.
"You're the one being stupid, Rukia." He replied a scream.
"If you can't stand my stupidity why are still here?" she replied with a shout.
"Because I love your stupidity and everything about you. AND FURTHERMORE, THIS IS MY ROOM! YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE GETTING OUT!"
"Excuse me," she growled. "I have been a resident of this room for nearly a year now and I have equal rights for staying in this room and I have the same reasons as yours!"
The thoughts weren't really relevant now. Ichigo Kurosaki was getting married and there was nothing she could to about this. She had to let go of him. No, she never even held him. He never really said the three important words to him and neither did her. So, they never really had that relationship. She had no right to prevent him from marrying Inoue. What bothers her only is that song. She needed the reason why.
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki were not meant to be together. They were like day and life. They were far apart as life is to death. Wait, they were that apart. She was a shinigami and he was just a human. They cannot reciprocate each other's feelings. They cannot be in each other's company. Furthermore, she was a Kuchiki. And it was not for a Kuchuki to need. It was not for a Kuchiki to love. She was bounded by her duty and her name. She cannot and should not fall for the likes of him. However, she just did.
She forced back the tears in her eyes. She forced her steps out of that church. She could not take it any longer. But yet, she couldn't she just stayed her dreading and wanting to know why play the song that touched his and her heart. At least, she knew why she was sent to Karakura town. Her captain, Ukitake, compelled her take rounds and to make sure to pass by the town's church. It bothers her so much. Why play that song?
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you'd bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
She waited patiently but painfully. She listened to the vows of the priest and the 'I will's of the newly weds. She watched the tender kiss of the bride to the groom and the placing of rings on their hands. She watched every single stinging moment while she told herself that she did not love the man, that the man loved Inoue not her, and that she was strong and she should not cry over such petty matters. She observed the cutting of the cake to the throwing of the bouquet and the dance of the bride and groom. She observed forcing her tears back in her eyes. Rukia went to the powder room.
"Kuchiki-san," Inoue happened to retouch her make-up in the powerin room. She was quite surprised to see the shinigami.
"The gown is you." Rukia smiled. She pretended to be happy.
"I'm sorry." Inoue bowed her head as low as she could.
"It's all right." Rukia pretended to have misinterpreted it. "It's all right that you did not invite me. I don't bring a present to anyway."
"I mean," Inoue avoided Rukia eyes. "Kurosa- I mean, Ichigo-kun and you were-"
Rukia cut her off. "Is that a joke? I couldn't even stand him. You are made for each other."
"Really, Kuchiki-san" Inoue sighed a relief. "I thought you hate me for that."
"Where would you get a crazy idea like that?"
Inoue was the one who said 'I love you'. She was the one Ichigo tried to protect. She was the one made him strong. She was the one that made him happy, not Rukia. What did Rukia ever do to Ichigo that made him happy? She always irritated him by asking impertinent questions. She was that one that almost killed him and his family. She had no right over Ichigo's feelings. She just wanted to know one thing. Why play that song?
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She had to confront him, at least to rest her soul. She spotted the orange-haired man go outside. He was alone. No one followed him. Rukia took that chance to ask him.
"Ichigo Kurosaki," She prevented her voice to tremble. She tried to hide the tears forming behind her eyes. She told herself she was strong.
"I expected you'd come." Ichigo let out a half-smile.
"Congratulations." Rukia bowed. "I'm sorry I did not bring a present."
Ichigo shook his head implying that it was all right. He began looking at the stars.
"Listen idiot." Rukia gathered the coldest tone she could find. "I just want to know one thing then I'm out of your life."
"What's that?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow.
"Of all the songs, why play that song?" Rukia gulped back her tears.
"Why?" he gave a sad smile. "because that is the only time I could pretend you were my bride."
