Valentine's Day
A Bleach/Linkin Park Song Fic
Karakura Town, February 12th, Evening:
My insides all turned to ash, so slow
Kurosaki Ichigo looked back, horrorstruck. They laid there, unmoving.
No… His sword slipped out of his hand.
It can't be! He ran towards them, but it was too late.
NO! Ichigo screamed in his head.
And blew away as I collapsed, so cold
His legs couldn't hold his weight anymore at the sight of them both limp and lifeless. Falling on his knees, Ichigo remembered all the memories, the dread of reality chilling his bones.
A boy with frameless glasses and a stern expression and a tall, muscular boy returned to Ichigo's side, the assailant, an Espada, escaped. Ishida's and Chad's faces were also filled with grief and horror. While Chad's hand was fisted in helplessness, and the frustration of survivor's guilt, Ishida was palming his Quincy cross for the same reasons. They tensed as they sensed a familiar reiatsu approaching them.
A black wind took them away, from sight
Renji, clad in his black kimono, appeared behind Ichigo, the motion causing a breeze.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, he whispered, frustrated himself, "Ichigo… we can't just stay here. We need to do something about them."
Ichigo was unresponsive. He just kept staring at those soulless violet eyes, not comprehending why they were lacking their usual mirth or seriousness.
The red-head slowly shifted his glance to her lifeless body with hurt and betrayed eyes, "She promised me…" His memories of her flooding his mind. Brows furrowed, and lips set in a line, Renji hefted the lifeless bodies of his two friends over his shoulder, and disappeared.
And now the darkness over day, that night
Nebulous grey clouds rolled in, shielding away the sun. Heavy rain started falling, and the clear day grew murky and grey. It was as if the world knew the orange-haired boy's pain and was responding to it.
That very night, he stared at his bedroom ceiling, confined to his house by his friends. The stuffed lion beside him cried and cried.
"Nee-san!" Kon whimpered, as a flood of tears came down his plush face.
Ichigo just lay there in his bed, thinking about all the times spent with them. Spent with her.
How did you both leave us like this?
No, why did you leave us like this? Why did you leave me?
And the clouds above move closer
Looking so dissatisfied
Glancing outside he could see that the storm clouds loomed more menacingly, still pouring. Thunder clapped, and lightning struck. It seemed as if the sky was also weeping for his loss.
But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing
The storm raged on, gales billowing outside. So strong was the wind that it blasted open the windows in Ichigo's room.
Ichigo glanced up up to the window, muttering to himself, "Looks like you won't let me feel my anguish in peace." Only for it to be lost in the howling of the wind.
He collapsed onto his bed once more, trying to ignore the storm.
Kurosaki Household, February 13th, Morning:
I used to be my own protection, but not now
Slipping from a dreamless slumber, Ichigo was drawn into his inner world. He stood on the face of a skyscraper, but something was different. The downpour raging outside was somehow also being reflected in his psyche. He looked around for Zangetsu, knowing his zanpakutou disliked the rain.
Instead, before him stood a young man similar enough to him, but not quite exact. The cruel laugh echoed through the white noise of the rain, a discordant and grating sound.
His inner hollow taunted him, "Look at you, oh great King. You used to be so strong! You wanted to be everyone's protector- If you couldn't even protect your heart how did you expect to protect a mountain load of people?"
Cause my path has lost direction, somehow
He always knew what he wanted to do, be a protector. Perhaps the hollow was right. Ichigo was kidding himself if he thought he could protect everyone if he wasn't even able to save two of the most important people in his life. One's death, he still was having a hard time coming to terms with. His resolve seemed so pointless after they were murdered.
A black wind took you away, from sight
And now the darkness over day, that night
The image of Renji taking them away, taking her away, kept playing back in his head. Never did Ichigo hate the robes of the shinigami more, nor their roles.
He'd wanted to scream in anguish at Renji, at the world's unfairness. Ichigo had wanted to tell Renji to stop before he took the two girls away, but no words came out and a dry mouth was all he had felt.
The rage had started to set in then. His two living friends had to hold him back from going after the fucking Espada who'd done this in the first place. He had sworn to himself that he'd destroy all traces of the fucking lowlife hollow. Ichigo, his howls of anguish, and the two boys restraining him were all that were left as the sky grew darker.
Ichigo knew his friends were also just as devastated. Renji loved her just as much as he did. Doubts of whether he'd ever be able to see the two girls again plagued him. Soul Society was vast, and the world of the living, greater still.
WHY DID YOU BOTH LEAVE US LIKE THIS?!
Soul Society, February 14th, Afternoon:
And the clouds above move closer
Looking so dissatisfied
Wherever Ichigo seemed to go, the rain followed him, as if it was mocking the pain. From Karuka Town, to Soul Society, the rain hadn't let up. It had only made sense to honor the victims of a war waged between the court and a megalomaniac by those responsible for the war.
It felt like the Gotei itself was in mourning. The entire thirteenth division was present as Kuchiki Rukia was a beloved member of their division. All of the captains and vice-captains and few others were present as well, respecting the Kuchiki Princess who had shown that no matter her status, she was a fighter through and through. The ones that were truly close to Rukia, the ones saddened the most, included Kuchiki Byakuya, Abarai Renji, Matsumoto Rangiku, Hitsugaya Toshiro, Madarame Ikkaku, and Ayasegawa Yumichika, Hanatarou Yamada, who stood solemnly closest to the graves. Even Urahara and Co. were in attendance, forging a bond with the spitfire of a shinigami over her stay in the living world.
Byakuya was unusually showing emotion, looking distraught- he had broken his promise once more. While Renji just stared at the casket, seeming lost in thought.
Around them also stood the ryoka, who had invaded not too long ago, even if their mission seemed pointless at by this time. Ishida Uryuu, Sado Yasutora stood closer to the second grave. The party of five missing an integral part of their team. The cheerful redhead, Inoue Orihime also killed in the ambush, was also being honored as a war hero.
Being killed by hollows, they weren't sure if the two girls could be found again.
Ichigo stood between the two graves, fists clenched, brows drawn together and his perpetual scowl deepened. He had failed his friends, ones he'd sworn to protect.
Again, the clouds seemed to loom together, it was as if they were responding to the grief of those in attendance. The wind started to pick up, and chills traveled down the spines of everyone. Some looked questioningly at Hitsugaya, as he could change the temperature if his emotions were unstable. He just shook his head sadly, conveying that it wasn't him.
And the ground below grew colder
As they put you down inside
After the people said their farewells, they started to put Orihime's casket inside the grave. They started to put in Rukia's casket in her own grave as well, but somehow the ground they stood on grew cold. There were tendrils of frost crawling along the edges of the grave.
This time, it was Hitsugaya. He thought it fitting for the snow princess to have her element gracing her grave.
But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing
The wind grew harsher, never relenting. People started shifting, drawing their robes closer around them, and slowly thinned out as the funeral drew to a close.
Ichigo approached Inoue's grave, once everyone had left. Inoue, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to protect you. I wish…
I just wish I was able to make it there faster.
His face contorted in grief as he approached the next grave.
So now you're gone, and I was wrong
I never knew what it was like, to be alone…
Rukia… I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you and I never should have left you. I'm sorry I stormed out of the house despite your warnings.
His lips stretched into sad smile, and Ichigo looked yearningly at the grave.
I'm sorry I never got to tell you how I felt about you.
I'm sorry I let you down.
If you're there listening, if you can hear me at all…
Let me tell you how I do feel about you.
I love you Rukia. I really love you.
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentine's Day
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentine's Day
It's even Valentine's Day. The irony, huh?
I didn't think you'd leave me like this. I wanted to take you to this beautiful Ice Skating Rink that comes to town. But I guess I'm stuck here alone. Ichigo's inner thoughts echoed.
Karakura Town, February 14th, Evening:
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentines Day
(I used to be my own protection, but not now)
Ichigo walked sullenly through the flooded streets of Karakura town as a shinigami. It was still pouring and he didn't bother shielding himself, the rain drenching his robes and chilling him to the bone. Still filling his mind were thoughts of Rukia. All around him, there seemed to be couples, either trying to escape the rain, or using it as an excuse to draw closer together and keep each other in warm company.
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentines Day
(Cause my mind has lost direction, somehow)
There were couples in the cafés, sharing their drinks, and staring at each other lovingly. In the bus stop shelter there was another couple, kissing, and using the shelter to shield themselves from the rain. Ichigo kept walking on, trying to avoid them. They kept reminding of him and Rukia. If only… He thought. He'd avoided the ice rink as much as possible.
Slowly making his way back home, Ichigo jumped through the window, and slipped back into his body. Yuzu was calling him for dinner, so he went down the stairs. The usually delicious spread seemed tasteless to him, and he was pushing his food around his plate. After eating it for the sake of not hurting Yuzu's feelings, he excused himself, saying that he was full.
"What's wrong with him?" Karin asked.
Yuzu gazed at his retreating back. "He barely ate…"
Isshin, their father popped out of nowhere earning him a punch from Karin. As he lay there on the floor, he told them, "Rukia-chan is dead. Her and the Inoue girl got into a awful accident, and they couldn't be saved."
Karin looked surprised, but put together the truth and grew angry. Yuzu was shocked, and started crying. Both girls lamented the loss of an elder sister they grew to love.
Back in Ichigo's room, he lay there on his bed, with Kon on his stomach. The stuffed animal was trying to hold back his tears. He sat there sniffling, while Ichigo was lost in his thoughts.
Rukia… The orange haired boy thought for the final time this day, I'm sorry.
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentines Day
(I used to be my own protection, but not now)
On a Valentine's Day, on a Valentines Day
(Cause my mind has lost direction, somehow)
A/N: I stumbled on this again and wanted to rewrite it for Valentine's Day. Sorry for killing off the girls.
Also I'm really upset about the ending of Bleach. So I'll probably try to contribute more one shots every now and then.