Disclaimer: I'm way too young to own Bleach.
Chapter 7
And he was halfway to getting busted. Now they know that it's a family member and not the butler who the two raven-haired siblings trust with all their heart, he glared at the small open space the door left and retreated without making a sound on the floor to attract their attention.
He saw the will that his grandfather prepared. It said that should he die, the wealth and the power of the Kuchiki household would go to his uncle and to Byakuya and Rukia with equal share. But if anything happens to them, it goes to him.
Can't anyone believe it? He's the last candidate but he won't accept it. That is why he will kill them, so the riches and the power will go to him.
"He's okay?"
"I'm glad you called early. If I came any later, he would have died. He's okay now, but you should let him rest." The doctor received his thanks and his pay which was more than it should be, but they were grateful so he accepted the money and left after giving them a bottle of strong tonic.
"One drop a day. But I thought he said that Uncle is okay now." Rukia gently waved the bottle back and forth and heard the sploshing of water going at opposite directions.
"It's for caution. And now that Uncle is alright, we have one worry left. Who did this? It's not Ashido, and obviously not us. Aside from us three, there are other three in the house. So who would it be?"
Rukia shook her head. Nobody ever acted fishy, from all what she saw. Byakuya thought the same, but for now they could rest now that their uncle was well and sleeping.
January 3
It was supposed to be a good day, since it was the first month of a brand new year. And yet there was nothing that could make them as happy as a child in his greatest dream. Everything crumbled from there.
Ichigo counted how many days left before they would have to go back to school, and there was only one week left. It also meant one week to try and mask all the emotions she felt to not trouble anyone else, and to look normal outside the house.
Her father tried using every method to keep Masaki alive. And yet he failed, but it was not he to blame at any way. She knew that he did his best, and that he also didn't want her to die. But consumption couldn't be healed, and the only method was just to put up with the sickness until it would finally take the last bit of her life.
Every night, before she would go to her bed, she would sit beside her mother's bed and would sing a few pieces she wrote herself, to lull her grief-stricken father and sisters to sleep.
By my side, I would smile
Every time with you was worthwhile
Then, you start to die
I always ask God why
Can no one heal you?
I'm not the only one that mourns you
We need you here
Your death is something we all fear
Tears flowed down and she quickly wiped them off. For once, her song was full of such emotion. It wasn't like she sang her songs on stage like it was nothing. But now, her voice was full of the deepest anguish.
"Do I really sing good, Mom?"
"Yes you do. It's a talent. And the one thing about talents is that you use it with all the best you've got. God gave you a wonderful voice to share with the outside world and never waste your voice. So, sing with all your heart."
Ichigo did so and for the next eight years she impressed the public with her voice. With her mother by her side she thought it was going to be alright but now she doesn't know if she can sing to please the people anymore.
It was because Masaki why she became famous, and now she had no more desire to shine like the star she became if the cause of all that would die in a matter of time.
Talking to her family about it was difficult, but it was more difficult to keep all the pain to herself. She needed someone to talk to, and there was only one other person who can do that.
When Uryuu returned from yet another trip with his father, she immediately walked to his house despite how swollen her feet had become from walking the whole time and without having to cry, she started to tell him what happened to her family while he was gone. She didn't cry, but she was just as pained as her father or even more pained than them.
"You're joking?" She shook her head, knowing that he didn't want to believe it either. "I wish it was a nightmare. You just open your eyes in your nightmare. If it doesn't work, you pinch your arm or hit your head. But it's all too real to deny."
A pause, then she continued with her voice sounding darker. "It's consumption. Even your father won't be able to heal her. But it's not anyone's fault. God is to blame for it."
"Ichigo..." She clenched her fists that it became white. "Mom had done nothing wrong her whole life. I've been with her since I was a baby and she was a completely good person. Why the hell did it have to be her that would suffer? It should have been me."
The raven head quickly hugged her and held her pale hands, and they loosened before they bled from the pressure. "I never met my mom for she died in her sleep a few days after I was born. I don't know what it's like to have a mom and lose her when I already grew to love her, but it's okay to cry. Your eyes have already gone red from trying to hold back your tears."
There was nothing that came out of her eyes, since they have already dried up. But he was right, and it was perfectly fine for her to grieve out loud while school was not yet back. When she felt his lips peck her forehead for another way to comfort her, something else took over her.
She was half-undressed, and didn't hold back. Uryuu was surprised but he felt uncertain if she was in her right mind and wanted to forget everything. And she was still pure, that he didn't want to ruin it, especially since the moment was completely wrong.
He pushed against her with all the strength he had, and she appeared confused, the short sleeves of her undershirt going off her shoulders. "I know you're just distracting yourself from what's happening to your mother, but this is extremely not a good idea."
Ichigo looked sad for a moment, then she knew she wasn't thinking clearly and he was right again. The one thing to comfort her was that none of them went that far enough.
"Uh... you're right. I'm sorry." she mumbled and held her forehead. "I just really needed to take a break from all this. Sorry." Dressing herself right back up, she gave a chaste kiss on the lips before leaving by, with a sad smile.
He stayed there on the bed and put back his shirt on, and pinched his arm that it even bled one or two drops of blood. "Everything's reality, Ichigo. Whatever happens from now on, is reality. We may not want to accept that, but it's the inevitable truth."
TBC . . .
A/N: This fanfic will be longer than I thought it would be, but I'll update and update. Remember, any questions will be answered soon enough.
Review for me and I'll give you a banana, which Byakuya likes as seen from an old omake in the anime. XD