Broken Arrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or it's characters. They belong to Kubo Tite/Shounen Jump.

Author's Notes: My own take on Ryuuken's feelings towards Masaki. Told from Ryuuken's POV. Inspired by Daughtry's song "Broken Arrows".

Ishida Ryuuken stared at the targets set up for training. While he was a skilled Quincy, he found training himself was a good way to gather his thoughts and process them. Lately, though, only one thing had been on his mind. Rather, one person was on his mind. Kurosaki Masaki. The girl had been with his family for only a short time, but he was drawn to her like she was the sun. Everything about her was so vibrant and seemingly carefree. And he was meant to marry her. Ryuuken knew he could be happy with Masaki. After all, he was falling for her a little more with each day that passed. All he wanted to do was to make her happy, to make her smile. When Masaki smiled, the entire room lit up.

But all Ryuuken seemed to do was make her unhappy. He never seemed to say or do the right thing. He couldn't make her see the things he saw in their future. It made him frustrated. And when he was frustrated, he snapped at just about everyone. 'Somehow, she always sees me when I'm at my worst,' Ryuuken thought as he released arrow after arrow into the targets. It seemed to him that talking to Masaki was much like shooting a target with a broken arrow – completely hopeless.

On the outside, Ishida Ryuuken seemed to care more about the future of the Quincy than his own happiness. And he was for the most part. However, there was a part of him he kept hidden from everyone. The part of him that did want to have a marriage and future based on love rather than on duty. He knew Masaki wanted the same thing – to marry for love, to be happy. It resonated with Ryuuken on a deeper level than anyone would ever know. That was why he had decided to approach Masaki after he cleaned up from training. He would have to be blunt if he wanted to be perfectly clear with Masaki. 'I have to tell her that I love her,' he thought as he got dressed. Ryuuken knew that if he could just say those words to her that everything else would fall into place. If he could just make Masaki see that she was more than a convenient arrangement then surely he stood a real chance with her.

"Young master? Do you need anything?" came a voice at Ryuuken's door just as he finished slipping into his shirt.

"All I need right now, Katagiri, is to find Masaki. I have to speak with her," Ryuuken answered, shrugging off the half-breed Quincy.

"Of course, young master," Katagiri said quietly, watching Ryuuken go with a look of sadness and longing.

Ryuuken stopped walking when he was nearing Masaki, suddenly feeling two strange reiatsu in the area. The white haired young man frowned but picked up the pace. He had to talk to Masaki before she picked up on the activity herself. As he neared her, Ryuuken noticed that Masaki was making her way for the front door. He frowned and called out, "Masaki, wait!"

The fair haired young woman turned around before she could reach the door. "Ryuu-chan?"

"Where… Masaki, you can't go out there!" Ryuuken exclaimed, closing the distance between them. "It's not our place!"

Masaki's eyes widened in shock. "Ryuu-chan, I can't not do anything!"

"Damn it Masaki, you can't go! You need to protect yourself first and stay out of danger!" Ryuuken told her, instantly regretting his choice of words. Why couldn't he have just told her how he really felt? He should have just said that he didn't want to see anything happen to her. If only he had begged her to stay with him because he loved her, maybe she wouldn't be looking at him with so much rage. Again, he couldn't tell her clearly what was in his heart! Again he found himself looking like a horrible person in front of her. "We're not even needed! And if we are, let Katagiri and the others go!"

"Enough, Ryuu-chan! You want me to take care of myself first? Well, for me that means helping someone it's in my ability to help!" Masaki said, her voice filled with all her rage. "I could never forgive myself if someone died because I chose not to help them," she added, her voice softer.

Ryuuken reached out for Masaki's hand. "Please Masaki…"

Masaki just whirled away and ran to the door. She looked over her shoulder as she pulled it open. "I'm not yours to command, Ryuu-chan!"

Ryuuken's hand dropped down to his side as the door slammed shut. All he could do was stare at the door. Everything he had wanted to say had gotten so twisted around that he had forced Masaki out into a dangerous situation. He was reminded yet again of his broken arrow analogy and sighed. He would just have to try again with Masaki when the night was over. But first he had to go after her to make sure she was safe.

"Katagiri," Ryuuken said as he turned from the door, knowing Katagiri would be there like always. "Ready the armour for me."

"As you wish, young master."