This is part two to a three part series. Part one was Unspoken. This is Unheard, and the next will be . . . told when it comes out.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the Characters.
Unheard
He knows that she didn't hear him. And as he stands over her and watches her chest move in and out with each breath she takes, he wishes that she had heard him. But then again, he's glad she didn't, too.
She has fallen asleep on his bed, her pajama clad legs pulled up to her chest and her black hair spread out around her. Her eyes are closed and her hands are sprawled open, fingering the wrinkles that her small body has made on top of the quilt. He smiles as he watches her.
"Sometimes . . ." he stops speaking for a second, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her and leaning against the wall, his eyes wandering out into the night sky filled with stars. He continues, "Sometimes, I wake up in the morning, and you've already left for school . . . I worry that everything was a dream, that none of it was real and that you never existed."
When the daylight's gone and you're on your own
And you need a friend just to be around
I will comfort you, I will take your hand
And I'll pull you through, I will understand
Ichigo sighs, and reaches his hand down to lightly grasp one of her own. He smiles as her small, soft hand seems to clench his scarred one as he gently runs his fingers over her knuckles.
"When I first saw you . . . I thought you were an angel. But when you came through my window late the next afternoon and yelled at me and drew on my face . . . I was sure I was mistaken. There was no way you could be an angel. But when your brother and Renji came to take you away, I was scared. And I was worried. And I wanted nothing more than to save you."
He pauses again, the emotions washing over him like rain. He smiles as he looks out the window again, his hand gripping Rukia's tighter. She smiles in her sleep, drawing her legs up tighter to her chest.
And you know that
I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side
"You know, I never thought anyone could do that. Be in that position, I mean. Geez, you look like a cat."
Ichigo laughs softly at himself. Yes, Rukia does seem like a cat sometimes.
"When I began training with Urahara so I could save you, I didn't have any idea what I was getting myself into. That guy's a real nutjob, I'm tellin' ya. First, he had a little girl fight me, and nearly kill me, then he stuffed me in a deep, dark hole and told me to climb out. Those three days that I was stuck down there . . . I kept thinking . . . what if something had already happened to you? Where were you? Were you OK?"
"But then, I told myself that I had to do it. I had to do it for you. And when the Hollow inside of me broke lose, it felt as though I was being pushed into a deep, dark room that I could never come out of again. And I knew that if I let it happen, there would be no way that I could still save you."
If life's standing still and your soul's confused
And you cannot find what road to choose
If you make mistakes
You can't let me down
I will still believe
I will turn around
"So I fought it. I fought it until I was able to break through the clutches of that damned Hollow."
Ichigo frowns as Rukia whimpers in her sleep. Her face is usually calm when she's sleeping; he knows this because he likes to watch her sleep, and he does it often. But now she looks scared. He turns his head and looks out the open window again, dislodging his hand from hers and softly rubbing her back. She quites down and hugs his pillow tighter.
"Ichigo . . . "
He smiles again as he hears her whisper his name in her sleep.
And you know that
I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side
"And then we got inside Soul Society. I was injured several times, but every time, I kept on moving because I knew that if I didn't help you, no one would. So I fought Renji, I fought Zakari, I fought Ikkaku, I fought a lot of people. I even fought your brother. We talked a lot while we fought. And as he spoke, I could feel anger welling up inside of me. I don't know how he could so easily mention killing his own little sister. Then the Hollow inside me came out. And I fought him, too."
Ichigo stops talking again. He laughs softly as he remembers everything he has done in the past few months.
"And then, when you told me you were staying behind, I felt as though something inside me was breaking. Something was being crushed to bits and trampled on. But I knew that, if that was what you wanted, that I should let you have it. So I said I was happy for you."
"But I couldn't be. I felt so empty inside when I returned and you weren't her with me. I was lonely and I wanted you back."
I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,
'Cos I'm right there
"And you came . . ."
Ichigo's voice drifts off as he looks down at Rukia again. She is still sleeping peacefully, her black hair falling down over her eyes. He reaches over and gently brushes the hair out of her eyes, but it falls back again.
"I've always hated the rain. I hate it because it reminds me of all the terrible things that have happened in my life. I hate it because it seems to carry sadness and hate in its beautiful raindrops. I hate it because it seems that every time it rains, pain and sadness come with it."
"But then you came along. You are my ray of sunshine in a dark world."
I'll be at your side, I'll be right there for you
(Together we'll survive) through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,
'Cos I'm at your side
Ichigo smiles as he lays down beside her, pulling her into his strong arms. She sighs happily as she rests her head on his chest.
"I love you, Rukia."
"Love you, too, Ichigo . . ."
He is surprised when he hears her utter the words, and he looks down at her. She's still sleeping.
So, he smiles as he falls to sleep with her.
I'll be right there for you
I'll be right there for you, yeah
I'm right at your side
She is all he ever needs. And she's all he ever wants.
He just wishes that everything he had said wasn't unheard.
The song is At Your Side by The Corrs. I do NOT own it!!!!
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