Chapter 10
Promise
An uncharacteristically sober Isshin greeted Byakuya. Though the elder Kurosaki acknowledged him, with a slight twitch in his jaw, both men could not quite meet each other's eyes. The noble, even with his usual mask on, was a coiled spring of emotions, waiting to be released. The guilt that was lurking darkly in his heart and mind increased hundredfold as he set foot into the Kurosaki home; Ichigo's haven.
Isshin silently led him to the second floor, to Ichigo's room.
What the noble saw created a lump in his throat. The boy was sitting on his bed, arms wrapped around his knees, back to the wall. There were circles under his eyes, and they were puffy, as if he had just cried. When he saw who his father was with, he turned his head away, whether in shame or anger or probably both. Isshin gently closed the door and left them with nary a word.
"What do you want?" Ichigo asked, as spitefully as he could, but his voice broke, just signaling how much strain he was going through.
Silently, Byakuya approached the bed. Like his sister, he now stood witness to Ichigo's disgrace. And he would have wanted to be the one to comfort him and to assure him everything would be alright. He wanted to take all of the boy's pain as his own. He wanted to hold him tightly against him, to protect him against all who meant him harm. But as he was the one who caused this, he would like to also be the one to end it. He would make amends, whatever it took. For Ichigo.
"Go away." Ichigo nearly screamed as the other man drew closer. He scrambled for the remaining space on his bed as Byakuya made to touch him. Tears escaped his eyes. "Please go away." The boy's voice now was nothing more than a whimper, reminding the noble of just how truly young Ichigo was.
Softly, the noble spoke. "Ichigo… Ichigo, please look at me." He gently drew the boy's face toward him and he could see how his actions had marked this boy. He could not think his broken heart could take anymore. How he could say he loved him when he caused all his grief?
He drew Ichigo closer to him, to wrap his arms around him, as he had longed to do for the past several months. The boy was sobbing harder now, as he fisted the older man's shirt.
"Ichigo, I'm so sorry love. I'm so sorry. It will end, I promise."
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A/N: I really feel that somehow this chapter is lacking. Oh well. Please feel free to give your 2cents on the whole thing, it would highly be appreciated.