…The True Heir…
/Warning/: This chapter contains fluff, a little bit of sadness, and who knows what! All reviews are appreciated.
"Talking."
"thinking."
"Zanpakuto or Hollow talking."
Chapter 2.
Three years has passed and a lot of things have changed...
Ichigo hummed a song while looking at the sky. He could hear Byakuya laugh as he tried to catch a fish from the river.
Three years have passed since Ichigo found Byakuya and he could say that he has finally gained the real family he always wanted. Ichigo sighs at that and smiles.
Being a 13 years old means he has to look after Byakuya, and that was ok with him, after all they still live in the 99th, so that means Ichigo still needs to look over his back all day long to make sure that he and Byakuya are ok.
Thankfully, Byakuya wasn't involved with his missions to get food or water for them. Ichigo really wanted Byakuya to keep his innocent mind forever, but Ichigo knew better. Living in this cruel world can change someone forever, to worst or better Ichigo didn't know how he and Byakuya would change.
"Aniki! Look!"
Ichigo heard Byakuya's joyful voice, and he hummed, looking at Byakuya who happily showed him the fish he has caught. Ichigo smiled at that and stood from his place at the base of a tree, he had been sitting under.
"That is a big one Byakuya-bouya. Are you sure you caught it by yourself?" Ichigo teases Byakuya making Byakuya huff and pout at that.
"You are mean!" Byakuya said as he throws the fish at Ichigo, who catches it with one hand still smirking at Byakuya. "You saw me catch it. So, why are you being mean Aniki!" Byakuya whines at that. He then got out of the river and headed towards Ichigo.
Byakuya, then, happily jumps at Ichigo in a surprise attack, hoping to finally get one on his brother, only for Ichigo to sidestep Byakuya, making the latter squeal as Ichigo held him like a sack of potatoes.
"PUT ME DOWN!." Byakuya said in a whining tone as he starts planning his escape, that only made Ichigo snort and start walking to their home swaying Byakuya back and forth making the young boy whine at his brother.
"You started it Bouya, so don't complain." Ichigo says as he starts humming, making Byakuya pout even more at that.
"So mean." Byakuya said making Ichigo laugh heartily at that.
IXB
Byakuya stares at the shop window in front of him, and sighs softly with a huff. He knows that Ichigo was working hard for the two of them, and he too tried to work only for Ichigo to refuse that. "I don't want to lose you." His brother had said with a sad face. That had made Byakuya sad.
Byakuya knew that his brother has a hurtful past, he knows because sometimes his brother would wake up in the night and cry when he thought that Byakuya was asleep. Because of that Byakuya tried to stop his demands and accept their situation as it is without complaining. But still there are times like this when he wishes that he and his brother could get a real home for them.
Byakuya sighs again as he saw the picture that was on the other side of the window. The picture was of a house surrounded by Sakura trees. What made him smile though, was the happy family who were smiling at each other and laughing.
Somehow it reminded Byakuya of his dead father who always tried to cheer him up when his grandfather burdened him with the family name. Byakuya has forgotten his last name, as well as his father's and everything before these three years he lived with his brother.
Deep down Byakuya thinks it is for the best, after all every time he was with his brother he felt free from expectations, and that by itself made him happy.
"Byakuya!" He heard his brother's worried voice and he winces. He made his brother worry again, Byakuya never wanted to hurt his brother even more, but he knows that he was still a child, so mistakes still happen.
"I AM OVER HERE." He called out to his brother, not a second later his brother stood before him with a scowl making Byakuya scratch his head in a sheepish way. His older brother had used Shunpo to find him, which means that is something about to happen.
Ichigo just sighs and shook his head at his brother, he held Byakuya's hand gently and started walking to get out of the village, Ichigo knew he shouldn't have used Shunpo to find Byakuya. He could have just walked for him, but he couldn't.
Byakuya saw people surrounding a shop and he frowned softly at that, he whined and tugged Ichigo's hand gently so they could see what happened.
"Byakuya, stop." Ichigo huffed softly at that making Byakuya look at him pleadingly with big eyes. However, Ichigo knows better than to fall for Byakuya's deadly puppy eyes, but it was easier said than done.
Byakuya had to hide his smirk as he saw Ichigo crack in front of him, and nodded his head with a sigh, leading Byakuya towards the center of the crowd. "What is going on Aniki?" Byakuya hummed softly as he holds his brother's hand tightly in order to not let go of him.
Ichigo sighs at that and says, "The first ever Shinigami in the 99th has returned to visit this place after 50 years, so you can see how many people are excited to see him."
Byakuya 'oh'-ed at that. "Shinigami like you?" Byakuya asked softly as he looks at his brother sword who was at his back with a smile, Byakuya had promised himself a long time ago that he would be a strong Shinigami like his older brother.
Ichigo looks at Byakuya at that and gives him a soft smile. "Yes, just like me." That made Byakuya's smile become a grin, and he laughs softly.
Once they reached the center of the circle that people have made around the shop, the saw a young man with black Hakama and kimono top with a sword on his side walk out of the shop.
When Byakuya saw him he gasped and fell onto the ground, he felt weak and he was about to pass out. Ichigo saw that and cursed under his breath, Ichigo let his Reiatsu surround Byakuya fast making Byakuya take a huge breath filling up his lungs with air.
Ichigo then sighed in relief as his little brother was able to stand up and look at him with a nod telling him he was ok.
"Are you ok?" A voice said making Ichigo stiff and stand in front of Byakuya in a protective manner, he glares at the man who stood there looking at them and let some of his Reiatsu leak as a threat.
The man raises his hand and smiles softly at them. "It is Ok, I only wanted to make sure the two of you are ok." He then looks at Ichigo and sees a Zanpakuto strapped to his back and he frowns. "Where did you get that sword from, little boy?"
Ichigo growled at that then huffed softly as he felt Byakuya's soft hands stopping him from attacking. "It is mine." He snorted at the man's shocked face.
"Yours?" The man frowned even more, he hadn't heard, anything about children being able to summon their Zanpakuto at this young age other than the Fuku-Taichou of the eleventh.
"Be Careful Ichigo. I don't like the way he looks at you."
Ichigo heard Zangetsu say and narrowed his eyes at that. "Yes, I called his name and he answered." He hummed as he looks at the man up and down, if it came to fight or flight, Ichigo had to make sure that Byakuya would be ok.
"Hey kid." The man said with a hiding smirk that Ichigo had caught. "Would you like me to adopt you?" He said as he looked at Ichigo. He could already imagine what this kid's power could do to raise him in the ranks.
Byakuya frowned at that and glared at the man who want to steal his brother away from him, but before he could say a thing Ichigo said it first.
"Go to hell."
With that Ichigo held Byakuya tightly and Shunpoed away fast, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
IXB.
Eight years had passed this time in an eye blink...
Zangetsu had took it upon himself to teach Ichigo everything about the Shinigami's life...
And Ichigo who taught Byakuya everything Zangetsu taught him...
For the two of them life was good for now...
They were able to survive in this village...
And Byakuya finally awake his Zanpakuto...
Senbonzakura was his name...
Just like Ichigo had expected his little brother to be...
The prince of the Sakura trees...
And in Ichigo's opinion it was the time to leave...
Ichigo looks at the night sky and sighs softly as he looks at his sleeping brother. Ichigo knows it was time to leave this place and find a home like Byakuya had always wanted.
Even if Byakuya didn't tell him what he wished or what was going in his mind, Ichigo have always known what his little brother was thinking of, he wanted to make a happy home for Byakuya, a home that he would be safe in. But he knew that if they stayed here, that won't happen.
But now that Byakuya was 16 and he was 21, Ichigo knew they could survive the world beyond this village, the question that stopped Ichigo was whether Byakuya still holds that dream he wanted or has he thrown it away a long time ago.
"Byakuya." Ichigo whisper softly. Hugging Byakuya from behind making his brother grunt softly and wake up.
"Ichi?" Byakuya murmurs as he sighs at the warmth that he felt coming from his brother in wave. He was now awake, but he frowns softly when he sees the moon still out there shining at them.
"Do you want to leave?" Ichigo sighed softly and hummed as he looked at the moon while still holding Byakuya.
Byakuya frowns at that softly. "What do you mean?" He was confused at what his brother had asked him. Why would he want to leave his brother behind?
Ichigo look at Byakuya's face and laughs softly as he realizes what his brother had been thinking of and smiled at that. "I mean, do you want to leave this village and find a home. A real home."
Byakuya's eyes sparkled at that and he turns in Ichigo's embrace and looks at him, making Ichigo smile softly at that. It seems even with the two of them living in this place, Byakuya never lost his childish ideal and hopes. That actually made Ichigo grin softly and hum happily.
"And where would we find our real home?" Byakuya asked excitedly at the thought of him and his brother finally leaving this place.
Ichigo thought about that for a minute and smile making Byakuya grin. "Seireitei!" Ichigo said making Byakuya hum and cock his head softly with a smile.
"We are going to be Shinigamis?" At that Ichigo nodded, and Byakuya laughed happily, and he started jumping around and cheering.
Ichigo watched in awe as a soft Sakura flower started falling from the sky making Byakuya laugh even more. Ichigo smiled at that as it somehow reminded him of a happy life he may have lived one day.
Byakuya looks at Ichigo smiling happily, and the only thing Ichigo could think of was how lucky he was to have this angel as his family.
Byakuya runs to Ichigo and hugs him tightly making Ichigo groan but smile at that. "We are finally going to have our home, right?" Ichigo nodded at that.
They are finally going home.
So what do you think?
That made me smile and cry!
Read and Review.
And let me knew what you think. I am always open for suggestions.
Nazaki-Sama.