Oppressive, dense, and oozing with the despair of the Damned; that was the atmosphere of the place Ichigo has called his home for longer than he had bothered to keep track of. It surrounded him, wrapped around his limbs and weighed down on his shoulders. With each breath he took, he could taste the bitterness of the sins the Condemned had committed. The cries for mercy and forgiveness drifted in the air, creating the constant background noise he couldn't sleep without anymore.
Zangetsu's blades laid perched on his knees, the smaller blade on top of the larger one. The warm lighting reflected with crystal clarity of the thoroughly cleaned zanpakutō, adding a nice shine to the pair of ebony black weapons. Ichigo let his fingers brush against the handles, the grey stones of his bracelet clicking against the blunt side of the main blade. Zangetsu answered his touch with a pulse of appreciation, making the two glow a gentle purple.
Soft footfalls broke through the ambient sound, gradually growing louder as they neared. Fabric brushes against fabric, shifting and folding as the wearer sat down.
'Finally found a volunteer?' Ichigo asked.
'My apologies for the wait', the voice of an unfamiliar young man replied. 'I had a streak of unwilling Sinners before I finally found this one'.
Ichigo opened an eye, glancing at the person seated beside him. It was a young man, as he had guessed. The most prominent feature being the burn mark on his face. Brown met pools of white and a wave of information flashed through his mind.
Name: Yamaoka Saburo.
Age: 26.
Cause of Death: Snapped neck after falling from stairs.
Sins: Murder and Betrayal.
Time Served: 97 days.
'Eh, only three months? That's young,' Ichigo noted.
'It surprised me, as well. The older ones I spoke to were much more reluctant to let me use their form'. The man shrugged, 'I suppose I just had bad luck'.
Are they lying to me? Ichigo gave them a deadpan look, 'Hell-'
'I speak the truth', Hell stated. Yet, contrary to their words, they couldn't maintain eye contact for long. 'I merely… left out the fact I only started looking ten minutes ago'.
At the confession, Ichigo's expression softened. 'Thank you, Hell'.
Hell shook their head, 'No, thank you, Kurosaki Ichigo'. They looked up again, the smile they wore not quite reaching their eyes. 'Well, then. You have waited long enough for this moment. Are you ready?'
'As ready as I'll ever be'.
'Then go'.
More prompting Ichigo did not need. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Inhaling the warm, dry air that glided down his air pipe as smoothly as sand. He held on to it, shifting his awareness inside. He was faintly aware of hands manipulating his body to lay down before his sense of touch faded. He released the breath he held, throwing himself completely into his Mindscape. When he inhaled, it was fresh air that filled his lungs. The scent of lush green, warm winds and fresh grass whirled around him. He opened his eyes, taking in the familiar sight of a blue sky with fluffy clouds.
'Took you long enough'.
Ichigo turned towards the voice, finding his zanpakutō-spirit sitting on the ledge of the roof. The tails of his Bankai coat were spread out behind him over the concrete floor, his hair loose and flowing freely, reaching just below his shoulder blades.
'Hell had some trouble finding a volunteer', Ichigo said, rising to his feet. He dusted off his trousers, then stretched his back. 'Or rather, they don't want me to go so they waited until the very last moment to start looking'. A satisfying "pop" had him sigh and lower his arms back down.
'As long as they won't go back on their word', Tensa Zangetsu said.
'They won't', Ichigo waved off, eying the locks of dark brown and snow white that cascaded down the spirit's back. His lips pulled to one side, a soft hum brewing in his throat. After a moment of consideration, he approached his zanpakutō. On his way, he gathered some ambient particles in his right hand, shaping them into a comb.
Tensa hummed as skilled hands tended to his unruly tresses. He had made an attempt to tie them earlier, however… The spirit straightened his back a bit, ignoring his wielder's actions and focussing back on his task.
'Still cleaning?' Ichigo asked, noticing the blade on the spirit's lap.
'I had to do something to pass the time', Tensa replied. 'And I had already cleaned my Shikai'.
Peeping over the spirit's shoulder, Ichigo watched how Tensa cleaned his weapon form. Black-nailed fingers were hidden under a thick, grey cloth; moving it along the blade's length to wipe away the layer of powder.
A sharp hiss disrupted their peace. Tensa flipped the blade, revealing a thin line in the crème-coloured dust. Grumbling, the spirit reached for the talcum bottle and reapplied the powder on the area.
Ichigo adjusted his combing, slowly moving more and more towards the right. The teeth of the comb slid through the white tresses, staying clear of the tapering horn that adorned the spirit's head. When he passed the remnant of the mask a third time, he undid the comb and placed his fingers against the base.
The hands tending to the blade stilled upon touch, a shiver running down the zanpakutō's back. 'I-Ichigo'.
'It's just to take the edge off', Ichigo promised. His fingers travelled the length of the horn, giving a little tap on the tip before going all the way back. The spirit's shoulders slumped as the tension melted under the gentle touch. A hum brewed in his throat, threatening to morph into a purr. Before it could, the fingers were removed. 'Better?'
'Hmm?' Mismatched eyes blinked open, focus slowly returning as the haze faded from the spirit's mind. 'Oh, uhm…yes. Thank you'.
Satisfied, Ichigo remade the comb and resumed his self-imposed task.
The gentle tugs and untangling of hair helped Tensa regain his bearings. He pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing his inability to hide anything from his wielder. The last thing the spirit wanted was for Ichigo to second guess this decision.
'You worry too much,' Ichigo said, pulling his zanpakutō from his thoughts. 'There is only one thing that could make me regret my decision, remember?'
Tensa sighed, 'I know'.
'Well?' Ichigo asked, changing the comb into a brush. 'Do you second guess my decision?'
The answer was swift, leaving no room for lies. 'No'.
There was a smile in Ichigo's voice, the spirit could tell. 'Then we have nothing to worry about', he said as he began to brush the long tresses.
Tensa found his concern wane at the laid-back manner with which Ichigo had spoken. He was right, there was nothing to worry about. Ichigo had been considering this ever since Ūryū had served his sentence. Each day that had passed from that point on, his desire had only grown.
There may be regrets, but this choice wouldn't be one of them.
The realisation was more comforting than the blissful buzz that still resided in the back of his head. His fingers lost the tension that had ruined his cleaning. Now, completely relaxed and at ease, Tensa turned his attention back to the blade on his lap.
Meanwhile, Ichigo had finished turning the brown and white tresses into silky strands. Dividing the bi-coloured sea into four, he weaved them together. After every braid, he cast a simple, low-level Bakudo. It briefly glowed, showing a thin band holding the hair in place before it became invisible. He worked his way down, alternating the thicker bundles of brown with the thinner white.
'There you go', Ichigo announced, flicking the end result of his work over the spirit's shoulder.
Tensa murmured a soft thanks, more focussed on scrutinising the fruits of his own labour. The white blade shined brightly in the afternoon light, reflecting as clear as a mirror. As he angled the weapon, the spirit caught his wielder's amused countenance over his shoulder.
Faded, grey-ish brown. A far cry from the warm chocolate colour Ichigo had when he was young. It was a constant reminder of all his wielder had gone through. A scar left behind by everything he had seen at a much too young an age.
The spirit wanted to see them shine again.
A grin spread across the zanpakutō's face, 'Wanna go for one more round?'
Something sparked in Ichigo's eyes, his spiritual-pressure swirling as opposed to the lazy pulsing it had done prior. His wielder leaned forward, putting his hands on the spirit's shoulders. 'I was wondering when you would ask'. With a strong push enhanced by a Hadō (#1, Shō), Ichigo send Tensa flying off the ledge. The spirit yelped in surprise, flailing to regain his bearings. Preferably before he breached the canopy.
Ichigo sighed, his own blades materialising in his open hands. He lept off the roof, thrusting his arms forward and bellowing to the heavens, 'BAN-KAI!' Thousands of glass panes shattered, large cracks spreading through the whole skyscraper as he sped towards his spirit, blade brimming with power.
Black met white in a rain of sparks.
Every technique of every race was put to use in their bout. Bakudōs were cast to slow their targets, buying time to prepare Ceros and high-level Hadō. Arrows whistled through the air, piercing Hierro in ankles and wrists to interfere with mobility. Only for all inflicted injuries to be healed with Instant Regeneration.
It was when the sun touched the horizon that it happened.
Ichigo had managed to corner his zanpakutō. Tensa was struggling to break free from the binding spell his wielder had cast (Bakudo #61, Rikujōkōrō). Which proved more difficult than the spirit had thought as Ichigo had spoken the full incantation.
With his opponent properly tied up, Ichigo took his time to charge a Cero. The energy gathered at his fingertip, growing larger with each passing second. He kept a close watch on the progress Tensa was making in his escape. Once the spirit succeeded, he would be blown away.
But then… their Bankai vanished.
The energy rebelled. 'Shit'. Using both hands, Ichigo attempted to contain the unruly Cero. It seared his palms, the smell of burned skin growing stronger.
'Just let it go, Ichigo', Zangetsu warned. 'If you wait too long it's gonna-'
It exploded.
The world went spinning. Sky and ground alternated as Ichigo gained height, somersaulting backwards uncontrollably. He was faintly aware of Zangetsu calling out to him, sounding genuinely concerned. Strange. Ichigo had been a victim of his own inept handling of Kidō countless times before. There was no reason for the zanpakutō to be as worried as his voice let on.
Ichigo pinched his eyes shut, blocking out the nauseating view as he focussed. Ambient energy heeded his call, forming a platform beneath his feet. It shattered before it could break his momentum, his tumbling continuing its course.
Maybe Zangetsu had a valid reason to be concerned, after all.
Gravity took hold of him and Ichigo's unintentional flight began its descent. The sea of leaves rustled like tidal waves, ready to consume him. He tried again to gain a foothold. The particles listened but weren't strong enough to catch him, leaving him at the mercy of the law of physics.
Well, shit. Ichigo braced himself, activating his Hierro to take the brunt of the impact that would soon wreck the bones in his body.
A loud explosion of sound hit his ears. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him along.
'Gotcha'.
Mind reeling from the abrupt change in momentum, Ichigo blinked. His face was pressed into black fabric, which he recognised as Zangetsu's vest. Angling his head back, he found blue and silver look down at him. The spirit's face was dusted pink, his breathing quick but deep.
'You okay?' Ichigo asked.
Zangetsu scoffed, 'I should be asking you! Why didn't you catch yourself?'
'I tried to', Ichigo said in defence, wrapping his arms around his zanpakutō's neck. 'Just couldn't get my powers to work'.
The spirit hummed, adjusting his quick grip to hold his wielder more comfortably and securely. 'Then…I fear we will have to declare this fight a tie', he said.
Reluctantly, Ichigo had to agree. 'Yeah, looks like it. I don't think-'
His words were stolen from his lips by the view his eyes had fallen upon.
By now, the sun was barely visible on the horizon. The last rays colouring the heavens in red, orange and pink hues that were being chased away by the approaching night. Some of the brighter stars were burning victorious through the setting sun's light. Dozens of small pinpricks scattered in the vast, changing sky.
However, that hadn't been what had taken Ichigo's breath away. No. It was the trees he couldn't tear his eyes from. Trees that had been an unchanging, lush green ever since his zanpakutō had been reforged during the Thousand-Year Blood War. Those trees, their leaves, were ageing. Red, orange, yellow and brown now made up the canopy of the endless forest that was his Mindscape. The sun's fleeting light shone on the vibrant colours, setting the leaves alight in a harmless fire.
'Nothing like how those skyscrapers crumbled, is it?'
Ichigo swallowed hard, 'It's beautiful'.
A breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves and taking a few along for the ride, like ambers from a bonfire.
Abruptly, they dropped from the sky. Ichigo yelped, clinging to the spirit as Zangetsu cursed through clenched teeth. Just before his boots made contact with the moving roof of leaves, they came to an awkward stop.
'I'm sorry, Ichigo. I don't think I can keep us up here for much longer'.
'That's fine, the sun will set soon, anyway', Ichigo said, sounding disappointed.
Zangetsu glanced skyward, seeing the heavens turning darker with each blink of his eyes. More and more stars became visible, scattered across like glitter. 'We could stargaze'.
Tired brown followed the bi-coloured irises up to the sky, 'Yeah…I would like that'.
Looking around, Zangetsu spotted an area where the trees were slightly less cropped together, creating a decent opening in the canopy. At once, he sped over with Shunpo. The fallen leaves crunched beneath their feet as Zangetsu landed on the carpet of warm colours. Ichigo untangled himself, glad to be on solid ground. With both hands free, Zangetsu drew his blades. Giving his wielder a grin, he held them together and flicked his wrists. The steel bent, blurred and melted into one. It stretched, growing long, wide and thin. In the blink of an eye, the two swords had become an intricately designed cloak.
'Show off', Ichigo said half-heartedly, adding an eye-roll for good measure.
'What can I say? I have a tendency for theatrics', the spirit said as he spread his cloak on the grass. Once neatly on the ground, he gestured towards it with a bow. 'Please, take a seat, your Majesty'.
'Oh, please. Not this again', Ichigo groaned. 'Why do you torment me like this?'
'Whatever do you mean?' Zangetsu asked innocently, sneaking a glance with his silver eye.
'You know what I- Are you going to stay like that until I sit down?'
'Maybe'.
With a sigh, Ichigo did as was requested. He plopped down on the cloak, crossing his legs and arms. When his spirit still didn't move, he rolled his eyes again. 'Just sit down'.
'But-'
'Oh, for the love of-' Ichigo adjusted his posture, sitting neatly on his knees. 'As your King, I demand you to sit with me, my loyal horse'. He pointed at the area beside him with authority, 'And cease this foolishness at once'.
Zangetsu covered his mouth with his hand, 'Oh, if the King insists…' A smirk stretched from behind his fingers, '…Then who am I to refuse?' As soon as the last word spilt from his lips, Zangetsu dropped his façade. He dropped unceremoniously next to his wielder, grin only growing at the expression Ichigo wore. He nudged the other with his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows. Ichigo's lips twitched, brown eyes quickly moving elsewhere. However, the damage had been done. A chuckle slipped from his mouth, setting in motion an exchange of giggles that became a full-blown bout of laughter between the two.
It wasn't until the sun had fully vanished behind the horizon that the two regained their composure. Zangetsu wiped a thumb beneath his eyes, his shoulders still shaking with amusement. Ichigo had his face in his hand, doing his best to silence his own chuckles with debatable results.
'That was bad', Ichigo stated. 'It wasn't even funny'.
'Then we must have the most horrid sense of humour', Zangetsu reasoned.
Ichigo snorted at that, causing his spirit to sputter out some more chuckles. With a firm push, Zangetsu found himself prone on his back.
'You are too easily amused', Ichigo indicted.
'It's not my fault you make funny faces'.
'I do not'.
'Noises then'.
'Careful, now', Ichigo warned. 'Your "Getsu" is showing. Zan might get jealous'.
The spirit waved him off, 'They have long since ceased to exist within me separately'.
'They have?'
Bi-coloured eyes observed the other as he elaborated, 'Well…yes. Two beings can only stay merged for so long before they lose their individuality'. Ichigo's shoulders slumped, uh-oh. Zangetsu propped himself up on his elbows, 'You didn't know?'
Ichigo shrugged, 'I never really thought about it. All I knew was that this made you happy'.
'Are you…are you disappointed?' Zangetsu asked. 'Does this change-'
'No', Ichigo cut off. 'Even if I had known this at the time, it wouldn't have changed anything. It's just…' He averted his face with a deep sigh, 'I don't know'.
Oh, Ichigo. Zangetsu nudged his wielder's knee with the back of his hand, 'Hey, it's okay. It's fine'. A non-committal noise was his answer. 'Oi'. He reached over, grabbing the clean-shaved chin and forced brown irises to meet his gaze. 'I mean it. I understand. I'm not mad'. Zangetsu then gave a soft smile, letting go of his wielder's face. 'Now, why don't you lay down? See if you can find those constellations you love so much'.
Ichigo nodded, all too eager to shift his attention elsewhere. They both laid down, aiming their eyes at the vast abyss above them. The sky had darkened, the only remnant of the day that had passed was visible in the west, where the heavens still had a lighter hue of blue. An uncountable amount of little dots of light brightened the otherwise solid night's black, creating many different shapes they had long since found all.
'I found Murciélago', Ichigo said, pointing at a bright star to his high right.
Zangetsu looked over, easily finding the star his wielder had pointed out. A handful of stars stretched in either direction, a few more making a curved line beneath it. 'I see it'. Blindly, he pointed to the right, 'Getabōshi is over there'.
'Why do you always find that one first?' Ichigo asked as he confirmed the spirit's claim.
'I don't know', Zangetsu said. 'It just...catches my eye'. He raised his arm again, pointing lower. 'There is Snow Queen and Kageyoshi'.
'Ice Dragon is to the left of Getabōshi'.
Zangetsu looked over to the large constellation his wielder had pointed out, 'Are you sure? I miss a star'.
Ichigo turned his head back, scanning the sky. Zangetsu was right. One of the stars that made the tail of the Ice Dragon wasn't there. 'Weird, I could have sworn it was there', Ichigo said. 'But it still counts, doesn't it?'
The spirit hummed, 'Most of the constellation is intact, it counts'. He then raised both arms, pointing in different directions with a smug grin. 'Found Sphinx and Bumblebee!'
'Wait, seriously?!' Ichigo sat up in disbelief, eyes scouring the sky, finding the two constellations exactly where Zangetsu said they were. Albeit with a few stars missing.
'That makes five for me and two for you, Ichigo~'.
'I didn't know we were keeping score'.
Zangetsu folded his arms behind his head, 'We are now'.
With a huff, Ichigo laid back down and set his gaze towards the heavens once more. He blinked, there were noticeably fewer stars in the sky. And- there! That one just vanished before his very eyes! What in the world is going on? It's almost like…oh. His features softened, I guess that makes sense. He pointed at a handful of stars, 'Found the Demented Butterfly'.
Zangetsu connected the stars into the vague shape of Aizen's Chrysalis form, counting each prick of light as he did. His countenance morphed as he came up short, the same realisation his wielder had dawning on him.
'There is Yasutora', Ichigo said. 'And I see-'
'- Shun Rika'.
Ichigo turned towards his spirit, following the arm to where it pointed. Sure enough, the constellation was there. The six-pointed flower sign still had all of its stars, shining brightly down at him. He let out a deep breath, seeing the hairpins the sign was shaped after in his mind's eye.
God, he missed her so much.
He suddenly didn't want to stargaze anymore.
'I wonder what our next life will be', Ichigo mused.
'As long as it is peaceful, I don't really care', Zangetsu answered. 'No more fighting Hollows while you are only fifteen'.
'What about sixteen?' Ichigo offered, only to get backhanded on the chest. 'I'm joking! I'm joking!'
'And I am serious. Until you die and go to Shin'ō Academy, I don't want you fighting anything spiritual, you hear me?'
'I hear you, I do, truly', Ichigo assured. 'It does sound kinda nice. To actually be able to live a normal life without knowledge of spirits and Hollows'.
'You deserve that'.
'But I wouldn't complain if I learned about it during my life, just... not when I am fifteen'. When Zangetsu glared at him again, Ichigo quickly explained. 'I mean, if it means I get to meet you sooner, it would be worth it'.
The scowl softened, 'I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the same'. Black nails traced Ichigo's jaw, 'If it means I could act as your zanpakutō a few years earlier, there would be no price I wouldn't be willing to pay for that privilege'.
'Who says you will be my zanpakutō?' Ichigo said, taking the hand on his cheek in his own. 'Maybe I will be your zanpakutō. Ever think about that?'
'I have amused the idea, yes', Zangetsu admitted, allowing his wielder to play with his fingers. A smirk stretched across his face, 'Then I would finally be King'.
'Or Queen', Ichigo said. 'We could be a girl'.
'Female, male, who cares', Zangetsu waved off. 'We will be strong, regardless of what - or who - we will be'.
'We will have to be. We can't let our potential younger siblings get hurt now, can we?'
'Maybe we won't have any siblings. Or only an older one'.
Ichigo scrunched up his face, letting go of Zangetsu's hand. 'I don't want to be an only child. I liked having sisters'.
'What about... one older and one younger?'
'Yes, that would be perfect. One to protect me and one for me to protect'.
Zangetsu scoffed, giving his wielder a light nudge. 'Like you wouldn't try to protect an older sibling'.
'Well, what can I say? It's who I am'.
'Much to my joy and dismay', Zangetsu said with an overly dramatic sigh.
Now it was Ichigo's turn to give the spirit a push, 'You are just as bad, you know'.
'And from whom do you think I've got it?' A black-nailed finger poked Ichigo chest in the chest, 'Someone has to look after you'.
'I know'. It was with a smile that Ichigo took hold of the offending hand, keeping it to his chest. 'I hope I wasn't too much trouble'.
'Trouble doesn't begin to describe it. I've had both my hands full with you! Always throwing yourself into the fire, not caring about your own well-being'. Mismatched irises found warm brown, a smile on the spirit's lips. 'Nevertheless, I couldn't be more proud. I am truly blessed to have been made part of your soul'.
'Don't sell yourself short', Ichigo huffed, crossing his arms. 'If I didn't have you, I wouldn't have lived long enough to make you proud'.
'I wouldn't have been me without you', Zangetsu said, using a single finger to turn his wielder's head to face him again. 'You are the one who made me, forged me. Made it possible for them to become who they were always supposed to be'. Zangetsu's voice became double layered, a baritone mixed with a what higher tone. 'Thank you'.
Ichigo stilled, staring at those bi-coloured eyes in shock. His vision blurred and he closed his eyes, rubbing his palm into his left. 'D-damnit, Zangetsu'.
A hand cupped his face, the thumb gently caressing Ichigo's flushed cheek. The tip nicked the bottom of his eye, wiping away the water that had gathered. 'Sorry'.
His wielder sniffed, wiping the remaining wetness with his sleeve. 'B-but how do you envision our next life? What would be the perfect situation?'
'I would be your zanpakutō again, no question about that', Zangetsu stated. 'You would be the... middle child of a happy couple, yes'.
Ichigo hummed, 'Yeah, that sounds good. What else? Still Japanese?'
'European would be fun. Would be different than the island-life you know, wouldn't it?' Zangetsu mused. 'I heard Scandinavia is a good place to live, the countries there generally score quite well in welfare and education; crime also is quite low'.
'Scandinavia it is then', Ichigo said. 'Would be nice to not get beat up for just walking down the street'.
Zangetsu nodded, 'Exactly'.
'Occupation?'
'That's a difficult one. I don't know what our interests would be in that life'. Zangetsu said, smoothing out the three-day stubble with his free hand. 'But something with low risks and with decent pay and work hours'.
'Work hours don't matter if I like the job', Ichigo said. 'A forester?'
'I said: low risks! A forester's job can be dangerous! Think of wild animals, fires and criminals'.
'Every job has risks, Zangetsu. I could fall down the stairs and break my neck at an office job', Ichigo pointed out.
'Then work at an office with no stairs', Zangetsu muttered. Ichigo pretended he didn't hear it.
'What about a teacher or apothecary?' Ichigo suggested. 'Those are relatively safe, aren't they?'
'Which of those has your preference?'
'Hmmm... teacher, I think', Ichigo said. 'I had fun being a Kendo instructor. So, teaching is something I know I would enjoy'.
'Teacher it will be, then'.
'This next life starts to sound pretty good', Ichigo admitted. He opened his mouth to speak more, only for his words to get eaten by a yawn.
'Tired?'
Ichigo shrugged, 'A little. I'll be fine'. He blinked slowly a few times. 'So, tell me more'.
'You will find a partner', Zangetsu stated with conviction. 'By chance, your eyes will meet on a bus. Then, fate will make you cross paths again at a... museum! You will take an interest in one of the works and they'll come up and explain it, as it is their favourite piece'.
Ichigo snorted, 'From what romance novel did you get that?'
'I believe it was a movie', Zangetsu said, waving a hand. 'Anyway, you will get married a few years later. Maybe have some kids or adopt?' He eyed his wielder, who offered a single-shoulder shrug. 'Both! You will do both'.
'Sounds perfect to me'. Ichigo snuggled a bit closer, relaxing completely in the spirit's hold. 'What about after? When we pass away?'
'You will be konso-ed and go to the respective afterlife that Scandinavia falls under', Zangetsu said simply. 'There, you will discover your absolutely normal amount of spiritual-pressure and go to the academy. You will have Shikai before you graduate and Bankai a short two decades later'.
Another yawn left Ichigo's lips. 'And I will do Jinzen every week to talk with you, minimum'.
Orange and grey tresses were gently moved away from half-mast eyes. 'I can't wait to meet you again. Under proper conditions'.
'To do right by you from day one', Ichigo mumbled into the spirit's chest.
With a watery smile did Zangetsu tighten his hold on his wielder. One hand went up from behind to bury its fingers into short hair, pressing the head into the space beneath his chin. 'You can sleep if you're tired. I will be waiting for you'.
'Hmmm, kay~'. Ichigo relaxed, his breathing slowing. With his last breath, he managed to say three more words. 'I love you'. His senses faded, but he could still feel lips press on his head.
'I love you, too'.
#
END
Bleach © Tite Kube
Beta'd by Cyber dragonarmy
#
When did you realise what was going on? Did I manage to make you feel? And, no. I did have this story written (mostly) before the Hell one-shot came out, honest. Scout's honour. Anyway, love and constructive criticism is always appreciated!