.

.

Trust in me

Within the dawns that visit

Our separate skies

Will you trust in me?

Inside of dreams, we can meet

Time and time again, right?

...

...

[Shadow of Love; Olivia Lufkin]

...

...

...

Life had never been the kindest to Ichigo. He had accepted that long ago- that he would often have to fight and climb for what he wanted- but even then, there were just certain things that he thought, oh, but this- this is meant to be. This is destined.

She was his destiny.

The war was lost- well, the world all of humanity had survived, so to most people, it wasn't. But to him, it was- what with his great enemy's promise to "come back when he was at his happiest, and crush him". He didn't know what to make of that, though Ichigo had never been the one to sleep on a valid enemy's threat.

To him, it kind of sounded like a wounded animal lashing out, as a last resort.

Rukia felt differently. When she heard about it, she knew it wasn't a typical taunt said by someone trying to act like a cartoon super villain.

He was serious.

Everyone had left that day, but only few knew what had been spoken of. And while Ichigo seemed to not realize what the one and only solution could be to avoid the end of the world and everyone they ever cared about..

Well, Rukia had always been quicker than him at figuring things out.

She paced her room in the manor, unable to sleep or think, she could barely eat. She had to do it, to save him. Save them all. There was no other solution. He wanted them all to be miserable... especially Ichigo. The thought made her heart ache in an awful, weighted way.

Her mind reflected back to the days and nights they had spent together in the royal realm, just the two of them, as they were being trained by Ichibei-san. By day, they trained and fought and struggled together, her working on her bankai and him working with his very different Zangetsu.

But by night... her eyes sank shut, part in sorrow and part in as she remembered the weird, almost eerie sense of loneliness she had felt there. Ichigo had felt it too, something that she knew even without him admitting it out loud, from the first time she had heard him knock at her room door at 11:00 at night.

Nothing happened at first. It was very innocent. At least, that's what Rukia told herself. He was just seeking her company because they were all alone up in the heavens by themselves, the only other people being servants, and Ichibei-san himself, who would disappear on acount of having duties to fulfill once training completed each day.

He would visit her late at night, tip-toeing to her room (as if there was someone to catch him), and they would talk quietly and simply take in each other's presence- something they had barely had time to do these past few years.

Then, the last week before they all left for battle, things shifted. It was different from before. He would still sneak to her room between 11 and 12, knocking only once to let her know he was there. Rukia opened the door herself, and the simple look into each other's eyes in that moment said more then they could have ever verbalized, though they tried. And when Ichigo's fingertips reached up to graze over her face, she barely whispered his name before he kissed her.

Oh.

She made him weak.

She made him strong.

The gentle softness in his approach caught her off guard, and now, in hindsight, she could only be thankful that they were truly able to be alone together in that moment, as she couldn't explain how or why or what was happening after that first kiss, and the bedroom door was locked.

He stayed with her that name, filling her from head to toe with all of his desires and all of his love for her, his body curled closely to her, as if any bit of distance would simply be wasteful. They slept until dawn, where he snuck away to return to his room.

He visited the next night, and the next after that, and each time she greeted him at the door as beautifully as the last, soft robe hanging off her small, lithe body and her short dark hair damp from the bath.

But that was then, and this was now- and unfortunately, it seemed like Ichigo was both her destiny and her curse. Something she desired more than any other person in the world... and the only way to keep him safe was to stay away from him, forever.

She picked up the phone and scrolled her phone book, finding the contact she needed to speak to. Rukia's eyes welled with tears as she held the phone to her ear, hoping her voice would not sound watery over the phone.

"Renji. I need your help.. please."

Everyone thought Renji Abarai was stupid.

He could tell. And sure, he knew he'd never be the smartest guy in the room, and mayyyyyybe the crazy eyebrow tattoos that he now, in hindsight, might admit to regret getting, made his appearance look... not the most intelligent of men.

But he wasn't a straight-up idiot. At least, not so much as certain other people were.

And that was why, when his phone lit up with a call from Rukia on a normal wednesday evening, he dropped whatever he was doing and went to see her.

He arrived at the Kuchiki manor within 20 minutes of hanging up with her. One of the manor servants greeted him, and led him to her room.

"Rukia," he called out as he lightly knocked on the door with his knuckles, "It's me."

She opened it a moment later, her arm reaching out and grabbing his, pulling him inside quickly. He stumbled into the spacious room, a confused look on his face as she closed the sliding door behind him.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

She slowly turned back to face him, and the look on her face told him everything he needed to know. Renji reached out a hand to her shoulder, wanting her to know that he was very much there to listen. "Rukia, what is it?"

She looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

"It's about the war... and Ichigo."

Renji paused. "What about it?"

The girl's indigo eyes regarded him without a blink. "Renji, please... you know what he said before he left, don't pretend-"

"Who said?"

"Ywach!" Rukia almost shrieked, immediately stopping and closing her eyes as a means to make herself calm down. Renji shook his head in disbelief.

"Rukia. You can't think he really meant what he said."

"You really think so?" her tone now dripped with furious sarcasm, a reminder to Renji to tread lightly, "Does he look like the type to trash talk for fun? Really, Renji?"

"Well.." the red-haired man moved into the room, leaning on the back of her desk, "What does Ichigo think about it? He must have thought something right?"

She grew silent now, wringing her fingers anxiously. "I can't talk to him about this."

"Why the hell not!"

"Because!" Rukia's voice came almost in a shout before suddenly dropping to an almost-whisper, "...He'll never agree to it."

"To what?"

She grew silent again. Renji's stare was becoming unbearable. "Rukia, what?"

She turned completely away from him, her hand gripping her arm tightly, "..to stop seeing me."

Renji Abarai was not an idiot.

"Oh."

"That's why..." her voice trailed off as she looked away.

Renji stared at the girl's back, unable to see where she was going with this. "...What do you want to do?"

He all but sprang up from his reclining position when he noticed her frame tremble slightly. "Oi, Rukia!"

"Something is going to happen to him!" She cried, and as Renji crossed the room over to her, she reached out and gripped the front of his haori, looking up at him with tears running down her small face. "He's going to come back for us all, and it will be my fault, I can't let that happen-"

"Rukia..." Renji's voice held disbelief and worry and he put his hand on the top of her head "Rukia, I swear, nothing is going to happen to you. Please don't cry, I'll look after you, I swear."

Her soft weeping echoed in the room, and Renji could only hold her gently as he swallowed the lump in his own throat, wondering why on earth after all this time, Rukia had to suffer once again.

"Tell me what you need. I'll help you no matter what."