...
...
I saw you dancing in a crowded room
You look so happy when I'm not with you
But then you saw me, caught you by surprise
A single teardrop falling from your eye..
...
...
...
Months had passed by, like the wind.
That was how it felt to Ichigo, anyway. The end of the quincy war meant that he, once again, was expected to flip a switch and go back to pretending he was a completely teenager who's only worry was making sure he woke up on time for school, and saved enough money to move out once he started college.
Rukia hadn't contacted him.
He didn't know how to feel about it. Of course it hurt. It fucking sucked! After the time they had spent in the Royal Realm together, he had imagined- or hoped?- that he and Rukia would be... would be...
Ugh. He slammed the cover of his science textbook shut in annoyance, trying to fight the heated blush creeping on his face.
He just wanted to be with her, damn it. After all the shit the universe had put him through, all he wanted to do was get to be with her and approach her honestly.
But soul society was a mess- that was what he could chalk it up to. Rukia had lost the captain of her squad, which meant everything was likely going to be on her. It couldn't be that she was ignoring him because of another reason. She had to be be incredibly busy. So Ichigo decided he would give her space, even though it meant that he may not get to see her in summer. Surely she would call him, once she was ready.
That summer was hot, too hot, and Ichigo found himself bored, despite having a lot to do. He drowned himself in extra work, picking up more hours at Unagiya's shop to earn extra money and simply keep himself busy, as any idle time he had meant his mind wandering to things that were too painful to think about. College was only a year away, and he still had no clue what he was going to do- he was sick of hearing about majors and minors, degrees, jobs, fields of work. That was all anyone in his class seemed to talk about. It made sense, considering they were all excited to move forward. He just didn't know how to feel. He had no plans or desires for a typical life. It made him scoff, remembering how he had once longed for a life where he couldn't see ghosts like all of his classmates.
Then Rukia had blown into his life, into all their lives, like a whirl-wind, making him feel like he could live again. She'd given him something he almost hadn't noticed he'd been longing for all along.
For that alone, I'll love her forever.
The doorbell rang, and then Yuzu called from downstairs, "Ichi-nii! Can you help me? The mailman came!"
"Ok, I'm coming!" he called back, standing from his chair, he padded downstairs to see Yuzu wrestling with a giant ball of dough, her apron and face covered in flour.
She simply nodded towards the front door, then continued the pounding of the ball of dough. Meanwhile, Ichigo went to open the door, greeting the mailman and taking the items from him.
"Ah, looks like you got a package," he called out to his sister, who called back, "Just leave it on the table!"
"Ok.." Ichigo shuffled through the rest of the envelopes, mostly finding ads, a bill or two, and the neighborhood newsletter, when he stopped at the last envelope. It was slightly bigger then the average letter envelope, expensive-feeling and clearly had something slightly heavy inside, soft grey in color. What made him pause was that it was the elegant script that wrote out addressed to him, and the lack of a return address.
He put the rest of the mail down before turning the envelope around, finding a wax seal neatly sealing it shut. It wouldn't have phased him if it weren't for the fact that he clearly recognised the Kuchiki clan's intricate emblem stamped into the dark red wax.
He wasn't sure why, but he felt a sudden streak of panic, and he tore the envelope open quickly, turning the shimmery grey piece of cardstock over in his hands, his eyes falling on the pretty script reading out-
WEDDING INVITATION
To a most esteemed guest:
Clan leader Kuchiki Byakuya hereby extends a cordial invitation to attend the wedding of his most beloved and esteemed sister-
KUCHIKI RUKIA
to
ABARAI RENJI
Vice-captain of Gotei 13's most accomplished Sixth Squad-
The eighth of July, located in the Kuchiki manor.
Please RSVP at 777-1383-1396
...What?
He gripped the elegant piece of card in his hand, staring in disbelief as his eyes frantically scanned the invitation over and over and over again-
Kuchiki Rukia.
Abarai Renji.
Kuchiki Rukia.
Abarai Renji.
Kuchiki Rukia.
Abarai Renji.
Kuchiki Rukia.
Abarai Renji.
Was this real? Was this a joke? This had to be a joke, right? Yet the official look of the entire invitation told him otherwise. Rukia liked to tease him, but she wasn't that cruel.
Then what?
He gripped the card tighter in his hand, crushing it in his fist as he snatched the envelope from the table and somehow convinced his legs to move upstairs, not wanting to make a scene in front of his sister. His throat felt tight, the sweater-shirt he was wearing suddenly felt too hot, his stomach was starting to twist in a painful knot-
"Ichigo!"
Ichigo stopped suddenly, just a moment before he walked straight into his father. Isshin stood there with a confused look on his face, a rolled-up newspaper tucked under his arm as he regarded his son.
He knew the look on his face had given him away when his father's expression turned from confusion to concern. "Ichigo, what's wrong?"
He couldn't talk. Suddenly his face felt hot, and he knew trying to say anything might make it worse. Instead he shoved the partially crumped letter in Isshin's chest, and immediately walked around him straight to his room. Isshin was quiet behind him for a moment before he called out, "Ichigo, wait-!" and he turned to follow him.
He didn't have the heart to shut the door in his father's face, despite not wanting to see, or speak to, or look at, or interact with any type of person for the foreseeable future. Isshin closed the door behind him, staring at his son in disbelief as Ichigo sank down onto his bed with an unreadable expression.
"Ichigo.. I..." Isshin put the card down on his son's desk, only crossing the room to kneel in front of him to look his son in the face, who could only hold eye contact for a moment, struggling to keep his eyes from welling as he looked away.
Isshin shook his head, his dismayed eyes never leaving his son's face as he reached out and gently placed a hand over Ichigo's balled fists, that rested on his lap.
"I don't even know what to say... I'm so sorry, son."
Life had thrown many curveballs and twists at him, too many tragic. But this was something he never could have imagined.
A single tear fell from the war hero's eye, falling onto the back of his father's hand that held his.
Rukia.
He held disdain for every moment he had to be there. Another awful, painful life experience for him to lock away into the unreachable vault of awful memories. It was almost impossible to act happy or excited, despite how jovial so many of his friends in the Soul Society seemed to be over this occasion. When he heard from Ishida recounting how thoughtful of a gesture it was for Inoue to have helped Rukia with her veil, by embroidering strawberry flowers onto it for her, he didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or reach over and strangle his very kind, sweet-natured friend until she turned blue. It was an awful thing to think, but it was how he felt.
It somehow hurt even more that Rukia had never once called or texted him about it, even though he had. She had either changed her number, blocked him, or was ignoring anything he sent.
And somehow he was expected to face her and act happy. How could he?
Yet somehow the universe was not done making him the clown of the evening, as he ended up with the camera in his hands with a request for him to take the wedding photos- as if they couldn't drive the knife in even deeper than they already had.
Rukia looked beautiful- but it wasn't like he could tell her that. He couldn't even look at her, except through the guise of the camera lenses. She looked almost mournful and beautiful, traditionally dressed, the only exception being the head piece- a small veil, with strawberry flowers stitched in.
That had to be a sick joke.
Things could only get more unfair from there, he supposed, when Renji came up to him, jovially teasing him about going and asking Inoue- Inoue! For a date.
Was he serious? Did he really think he was interested in Inoue? What on earth would make anyone think that? The thought made him want to vomit, coming off of him being heartbroken, Inoue was a kind person and while he did like and appreciate her as a friend... there was already someone he found his soul calling to.
That person of which was now a married woman.
His eyes looked through the corner of his eyes to where Rukia stood, as speaking to her Kiyone-san and Isane-san. But she looked distracted, and it was in that moment her eyes happened to flicker to his, just for a moment-
she looked away.
It was like her way of saying that whatever was between them was done. Ichigo could only stare at her back from across the hall, almost wishing he could be blown away like dust right in that moment, into the air, never to be seen again.
The night was ending. The "happy couple" left in a shower of congratulations and playful teasing from all of their friends.
He remained with Chad and Inoue, watching them leave, before Chad excused himself to speak to someone. Inoue began to walk away, to collect her purse from the table they had all been sitting at. Ichigo watched her leaving with a blank stare, and he didn't know why, but there was something irritating him, biting at his heart and whispering for him to do it- if Renji and Rukia wanted him out of the picture SO badly-
He rushed up to Inoue's side suddnenly, not a thought in his mind, and she had only just looked up at him as he muttered, "Inoue, will you make some time for me sometime?"
She only blinked at him in confusion. "Eh?"
"...Never mind." Ichigo waved his hand in front of his face, "I just had a question about school. I'll ask you later. Bye!" and with that, he all but ran away from her, praying she wouldn't find anything about it weird.
His chest felt tight. He knew taking Renji's shitty advice just to be petty wouldn't make him feel any better.
What do I do now?