I DONT' OWN BLEACH
Thirteen
"Here dead lie we because we did not choose to live and shame the land from which we sprung. Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose; but young men think it is, and we were young." ~A. E. Housman
Chapter 4; Music Box
"I can't believe this is under Tokyo." Ichigo gasps in utter surprise as the low glow of lights begin to click on throughout the vast underground complex. "My parents lived here?"
"Your mother had a fondness for flowers." Juushiro says leading her along the cobblestone path towards the large glass dome. "Of course, for a vampire, that is a tricky hobby to have." Stepping just in front of Ichigo his long white clothing brightens with each light that flickers on. "So he built her a private garden, fully lit with solar energy."
"Wow..." She scans the area surprised as a dense forest appears literally growing around the large manor house in the middle of the vaulted space. "It's alive."
"Yes." he says watching her happy expression widen like a child discovering a gift. "Like you." Juushiro stands near the gate to the compound gazing at Ichigo's reaction. "She has an amazing smile, Kaien. And she is strong. I'm going to take care of her."
"Juushiro-san! Look at this!" Pointing her arms up in the air her fingers spread out over the ceiling as stars twinkle to life creating a false skyline. "He gave her stars." she whispers, her body trembling from the coldness of the deep chamber. "For my mother... he loved her that much." Curling her hands around her arms she watches the stars filling the darkness with tears pooling in her eyes. Maybe it's fate that makes people reach for each other, and maybe that is alright with Ichigo. "It's like a treasure." she ponders out loud as Juushiro walks up behind her. Suddenly a cool wind blows past, making her hair lift up, faintly feeling fingers tug lightly through it she turns towards his pale face. "Are you alright?"
"Yes."
"You look... sic-" before she can get the words out he drops to his knees. "Juushiro-san!" Moving quickly she catches his shoulders keeping him from hitting the ground. "What's wrong? Are you-" The words come out like air as her throat closes up, her body lurching forward. Dropping to one knee she is careful to hold him. Fire hot pain streaks through her veins, pushing her blood through her heart faster.
"Com'on I've got to get you inside." She grunted, dragging him along the dimly lit path towards the large glass doors of the main house, she fights the scorching heat in her chest. "Juushiro... ugh"
"I'm sorry." he mumbles shaking off the terrible wretching sensation filling his stomach. "You should-" and his world goes dark.
Images fold his mind, almost quicker than he can process them. Kaien's warm smile as he waves goodbye, his friends hiding tears.
Two coffins begin lowered into the ground, the hard earth turning to mud.
The crying of an infant during a rainy funeral, the cries changing into older sounding tears of a young girl.
The scene shifts into a crack of light and dull blue eyes of a young man with shoulder length black hair reaching out a hand. "What are you doing in here?" he sighs quietly his eyes tilting to see the tiny music box in her palm tinkling out a fragile tune.
"They talk about me when they think I'm not there... they say I'm different from everyone." Ichigo says winding the delicate crank on the piano shaped glass music music.
"I see." There is a pause, "Live with me, Ichigo?"
"I just want to be like everyone else..."she sniffs lifting a shy hand up from the darkness of the closet. "Can I call you, Byakuya?"
"No."
"It might be fun."
"No."
"You'll grow to like it."
"Not likely."
"Byakuya, Byakuya, Byakuya~."
We sleep and dream as vampires. Blood, bold and crimson travels in our bodies, carrying the knowledge of our existence stirring up need to have more, and more. However, as Juushiro Ukitake wakes to the memories of Ichigo's past he can't help but feel an uneasiness about seeing it without permission. Denied the act of earning her trust, to hear of her past from her own lips, Juushiro shuts his eyes and exhales a deep breath. Reading people through blood has always troubled him. Especially human's memories, but another vampires blood is a powerful force, and a pureblood at that. "She is full of such incredible emotions."
His powers dormant for so long, used in protecting Ichigo, and then giving her his blood directly have put a strain on him. Tilting his head in the pillow his left hand is strangely warm. Turning to look he finds Ichigo laying over the bed, her fingers curled around his open palm. Is this another premonition?
"I was so worried." Ichigo says, lifting her head up to look at him. He is still so pale it makes her chew at her bottom lip.
No, this is happening. "Ichigo, are you alright?"
"A-Am I alright?" Her upper lip curling into a scowl. "You! You are overdoing it!" Slanting her eyes to the right she keeps grumbling at him. "Going all pale. Well, paler than normal. Acting all cool and not telling me you are in pain. Who do you think you-"
"I love you." he says with a wide smile, his hand tightening around her fingers.
"What?" Taken completely off guard, she falls out of the chair she is sitting in dropping to the floor in a thud.
"I know it's a little sudden." Juushiro says rolling over on one side and peeking his head over the edge of the bed to find her face shocked and flustered. "It doesn't make it any less true though."
"I think you are delirious." Ichigo turns her head away, folding her arms in front of her chest. "Do vampires go mental from lack of blood?"
"I'm very serious." Smiling his best, most irresistible grin he waits for her eyes to glance back at him.
"Juushiro-sa-"
"Juushiro~." He corrects, lifting a finger in the air as her head whirls back around. "Juu-shi-ro." The man exclaims poking her nose three times.
He is cute, adorable really, with his long white hair and sweet smiles, but Ichigo isn't ready to let him know that. Not yet at least. So without giving away how much he is making her toes curl right now from is massive cuteness she replies in a cool manner, "I'm going to take a shower."
"She is tough..." Juushiro moans falling back against the pillows. Instead of being discouraged he is actually relieved. When he finally does silently break down her walls she will be unshakable. That type of woman suits him more than any other, he was right to wait so long for her. Rising from the bed he heads for the bathroom door to bathe.
Meanwhile across the hall Ichigo hangs her clock on a hook before turning the knob and testing the water temperature. "You gotta hand it to well made buildings. Even the hot water is still functioning." Stepping into the shower stall she exhales a soft groan from the hot soothing spray gliding down her back in a curtain. Tilting her head down into the water she shut her eyes to see Juushiro's warm expression.
"I love you."
He has this way with her, so kind and generous, but capable of a strength that is hard to deny. Does he really want her? Lifting her hand up to her lips she recalls that kiss he gave her. Tender, passionate, and just enough force to make her crumble next to him. That was something else, then the blood transfusion... He does.
Opening her eyes, she still sees his face, his dark green eyes, and long white hair. He is beautifully generous to her.
"What should I do?" The memory of Renji is still painful, it wasn't planned. Impulsive and full of heat is sometimes easier. In the morning, he wasn't next to her, he left without a word. She knew it was a mistake only then, his absense told her all she needed to hear. The silence stretched out day after day and she only met guilt when in his eyes connected with hers. His face... it eventually turned to Rukia and that was fine. She told herself it was fine until it really was... fine.
Water chokes at her throat breaking away her thoughts. Ichigo finishes her shower and dries off with a towel hanging on a nearby hook.
Wondering into a bedroom she finds a closet full of clothes. Some elaborate kimono's fit for a princess others modern, a few practical. Pulling down a simpler looking yukata she slides it on curious if it's something her mother wore often.
Thirty minutes later Juushiro slides a hand down a white banister stepping down the large staircase. The faint sounds of music draw him through an open door to the right of the entryway. The sounds grow, he can recognize the light sweet tune of a music box playing a tune. But as his eyes fall on a figure standing near a long narrow table his throat tightens up.
"There you are." he says softly staring at the long wave of orange hair carelessly hanging down her back.
"Hey." Ichigo turns toward him glancing at his pure white cheongsam top and matching pants. "You look nice." she says, giving him a crooked grin. "Figured out the cape already?"
"I've always learned things rather quickly." Juushiro tells her almost oblivious to his words. He is too busy staring at the flattering way the yukata she has on hugs her body. "You're... beautiful." It's a pretty, delicate gown, starting in deep navy blue around her neck that is swept by butterflies flowing down into a bright indigo. What a perfect disguise of gentleness. If he didn't know, never watched her in battle he would think she is made of glass.
"I've had this since I was a baby." Ichigo says, holding up a small crystal violin-shaped music box. She is more than eager to brush past his overwhelming genuine complement. "This is the only thing I've ever had that belonged to my parents." Setting the small treasure into the tiny groove of another music box, this one a rose colored crystal piano, the music that drew Juushiro into the room starts again. "Looks like it came from here."
The melody starts again, he listens attentively but his eyes stay or her face. Her sun-kissed face... washing with happy tears she is fighting not to shed. If only she would spill them. He is aching to be the one to wipe the bitterness away from her cheeks.
Echoing around the two, chiming out a tender tune, the song hovers in dewy fragile sweet tones. The stillness between them lasts. Everything in the house looks as if it's on pause to Ichigo. Shaking her head, it all is so wrong. "I must have listened to that music box a million times, and I never realized it was missing another piece of the song."
"Come here." He grabs her as she tries to walk past him, his fingers gently curling at the blue sleeves of her yukata tugging her to his chest.
"I'm fine!" Ichigo mutters, her face burying into the soft silk of his clothing.
"Yes, you are." He answers softly. "Need me."
"It's not a sad song at all. It's actually... warm." Her voice trembles out the words, her knuckles turning white as she clings to him. "I don't even know what they look like."
"They are here," Turning her around to face the room, he holds her back to his chest. "closer than anyone..." His fingers gently slide down her sleeve to her wrist. Touching the soft flesh of her skin his fingertips move along the underside of her arm up to her elbow. "inside you."
"In my blood." Ichigo says, shutting her eyes. He is like a strongly rooted tree towering behind her, even if you tried to cut him, push him, reject him, he is firmly grounded, refusing to budge from this spot. Lifting up a hand her fingertips slip over the arm wrapped around her waist. "Would he leave me in the morning?"
Resting his chin on the top of her head his throat goes painfully dry. Want, longing, and the need to feed force him to struggle inside. This is her, the woman cable of making him feel empty inside. "She would fill the cavity in me. I could be satisfied with only her the rest of my life, if only she faces her own fears." Tilting his head, he smooths his cheek over the top of her rich orange hair and down the side until he can see her bare neck. The tiny spot Ichigo is stroking on his wrist grows more sensitive with each second. Blood, her blood she has no idea how incredible it would be to taste. Cold shivers prickle up his spine, the room suddenly feels too bright. "I-I'll be right back." Get away from her. Don't betray what little trust she has...
"W-What is wrong?" Ichigo suddenly feels his warmth vanish from her back.
"I'm need-." Swiping a hand through his hair he tilts his face away from her in such deep shame he chews his words. "I haven't the control I should! And I'm a little angry at myself!"
"Oh..." Taking a step towards him, she sees him move farther away. "You are upset, that you need blood? Is that all?"
"Is that all?" he replies so annoyed that he bites his lower lip drawing a two drops of blood. "I'll look in your parents vault. They are bound to have some stored for emergencies."
"It'll be all old though." She steps in front of him trying to see his face, only for him to turn away. "Look at me damn it!" Ichigo stomps her foot impatiently, the marble floor under her cracks in a wide jagged line towards him. "Whoa... I broke the floor?" Why? How? Okay, that will just have to wait until later. "Just bite me, already."
"No. But thank you." Juushiro tries to sound serious but kind despite feeling really agitated and hungry. She smells so good right now.
"Oh, don't be so shy about it. You've sucked on humans." Ichigo steps around the crumbling floor and takes his hand.
"You don't understand." he says through a labored breath. Touching him... she is actually holding his hand while his eyes and fangs are-
"Then help me understand? I thought you liked me? Did it just go away? AM I THAT EASY TO JUST CAST ASIDE?" It hurts. Hurts too much to start liking him and now to be shut out. Just like Renji. Is she defective?
"No." He lightly pulls her close, his left hand sliding into her hair. "No. No. I'm not doing that."
"Tell me what the-" her voice stops as his head finally lifts up showing his bloody red eyes and sharp fangs. "Juushiro?" It's then that she realizes why he behaves the way he does. Why he doesn't kill his own kind, why he doesn't have a wife, why he forced himself into deep sleep for all these years. His face is riddled with an agonizing shame and self-loathing. Swallowing a knot of terror trying to choke her she reaches a shaking hand up to his cheek. "I'm willing to deal with my fear. How about you?"
"I swear... I can be better than this." Whispering his feelings is a weight off his shoulders. Juushiro drops to his knees wrapping his arms around her waist as she stands. "I love you."
Her eyes widen in shock from the unexpected words. However, the biggest surprise is what she says next. She didn't plan it or even wanted to, but she finds herself saying, "I love you too." And she listens to the truth coming from her own lips enjoying the pleasant sound. "I love you."
Looking up at her smiling face he finally is granted a warm, genuine smile. "I'm so happy." he whispers just as her lips touch his. Tenderly their mouths hold gently onto the other, feathery sweet the kiss is warm.
"Me too." Ichigo says letting her passion sway her palms press to his face keeping him connected to her a little longer.
The breaking of glass shattering out the large bay window draw both sets of eyes. Lightening fast three figures land a few feet away from the couple dressed in leather and green military clothing.
"We are here for the female."
I think this chapter gave me a gray hair... I really took my time to do my best. I hope you think so too! Please support me with a review~! And remember Fuzzi loves you all~! HUGS YOU!