Him and Her

Him and Her

Author: foxmagic07

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Cool, I get to put up warnings for this chapter. Lol. Nothing special, just some Ichigo angst and the like. Oh, and though this is based on the manga’s soul society arc, I added some things which come from and revolve around my story line. Spoilers for a bit of the manga 7 and up.

Italics: thoughts, emphasis, and any other random crap I decide doesn’t belong in regular text.

Disclaimer: I doth not owneth bleach…eth.

Thank you to my reviewers!

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NOTE: Okay… (deep breath). So I have finally reached that point in my fic that I’ve been dreading. Yes, that’s right…it’s soul society arc time. ARG! What I really want is to skip straight to post soul society, but…that would seem kinda weird. So here I am, writing a story to bridge that ever present gap from past to future. And it is on this note that I humbly ask you to bear with me while I struggle with Ichigo and Rukia and their feelings. There are just so many fics in this category focusing on the inner thoughts of Rukia and Ichigo during the soul society arc. But alas, I have found no way around it, so here I am. I hope despite everything, I find a way to make this unique! Please do enjoy.

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Story Four: His strength and Her memories

It was unusually cold that night. Even the stars seemed to feel it, for they had long since faded into the blackened sky. Turning his face from the window, Ichigo shifted gazes to stare down at his hands. It was at times like these when the cold truth of everything could be felt.

She was gone.

They had taken her…no…he had let them take her. It was as simple as that. He had thought himself to be strong; he thought his power would be enough. But in the end, it all boiled down to one thing –

He was weak.

He realized this and had gone through hell in order to become stronger. Trapped under ground in that damned training room, Ichigo had fought and fought and fought some more, with the aide of Urahara, of course. And despite feeling ten times more powerful than he had before…that voice in the back of his mind didn’t seem to want to go away. It was the voice that was constantly there, constantly asking the same thing…

Was it all enough?

Sure, he had regained his shinigami powers, finally learned the name of his Zanpakutou, and overcame battle after battle with the sandal-hat guy, but…was it enough? Would it prove sufficient once they arrived at soul society?

“Damn, I must be losing it.” The boy mumbled. “Since when have I started sounding like such a wuss?” The answer was plain and simple in his mind, though saying it out loud was another thing all together.

Rukia…

Instinctively, his hands closed tight. “Why?” He gritted his teeth, pounding the bed with his fist. “I should have known you were leaving! I should have been able to protect you!”

It was confusing to say the least. The short, annoying shinigami had just been there with him…it was just the other day that they had seen each other. It wasn’t too long ago that he and Rukia had been bickering over the stupidest of subjects.

Ichigo was tempted to laugh. Tempted, but refused to.

She was such a moron sometimes. Constantly getting in the way, never knowing when to quit, and…always putting others before herself. It was every man for himself in this world. What kind of idiot would place a stranger’s life above their own? But that didn’t really apply to her anyways. She wasn’t from this world.

What kind of things did they actually do over there in soul society? Was fighting all they lived for?

Well…he would soon get to see for himself.

Thinking back on the night after their little talk at school, Ichigo reluctantly felt an odd sensation of déjà vu hit him.

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--flashback--
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“Did you see the way those people were looking at us? I told you to be less conspicuous.”

Rukia cast him a fierce look. “YOU’RE the one who said the word sex really loud. It’s not my fault.”

“Like hell it is! If you weren’t so stupid, I wouldn’t have had to explain it to you!”

“Sh…shut up!” A flush of embarrassment appeared. “I knew what they were talking about!”

“Liar.”

“You’re just mad cause your friend took a picture of me punching you and used it in your class project.” She smirked in her usual smart-ass manner. “Now the whole school knows that you get your ass beaten by a girl.”

“…yeah, very funny.” He growled.

They continued on with their walk home, letting the silence of dusk settle in on them. Then Rukia suddenly paused, allowing Ichigo to pass her.

He stopped soon after, looking back over his shoulder. “Oi, what is it now?”

She let her hands drop limply to her side, face turning away. “Ichigo…”

“What?”

“…no, its nothing.”

He crossed his arms and frowned. “…moron.”

She smiled.

“Heh…yeah.”

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--end flashback--
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At that time, he hadn’t thought anything of her bizarre actions. But now…he wondered what that smile had really meant.

“What am I suppose to do?” He spat. “What happens after this?” He had no idea what time would soon open up for them. Say he was able to drag the girl’s sorry ass back from soul society. What then? What would happen after that? Was she just supposed to live in his closet for the rest of her life? Was all of this really necessary?


‘We are going to bring her back to soul society…and there she will be executed.’


Could her life ever be the same as it was then?


‘If you try and come after me…I will never forgive you!’


What if something like that wasn’t possible?


‘I know another way to get to soul society…’


What if she had never been meant to abide in this world?


‘Do you truly desire from the bottom of your heart to save Rukia?’


She is death. She is not human.


‘You are the only one, Ichigo…’


The world was never meant to know her face…never meant to hear her voice.


‘Only you can save her now…only you…’


She never existed.


‘Save her…’


Everything had pointed against going. Everything had said that it was not right. It was only fair that she return to the place from where she came. And yet…


‘Good-bye…’

‘Good-bye…Ichigo.’


Yet…when had he ever been one to follow the rules? Not him. Not ever. And he didn’t plan on starting anytime soon. The decision was already made…it was a decision made by him alone.

For the first time that night, he let a grin cover his face. Who the hell cared what the world thought. Who’s to say what’s right and what is wrong. Even if she had never been meant to abide in the world of the living, it didn’t matter. There would always be a place for Rukia in his closet. There would always be a place for her in this world…he would make one for her. Simple as that.

“Ichigo…”

“What?”

“…no, it’s nothing.”

As the sun rose that morning, Ichigo lay on his bed. Sleep would come easier now.

Ichigo…

…thank you.

--END--

(A/N) Alrighty. That’s that. I apologize for the shortness. And I took so long with it too! (cries). I was just…so unmotivated and worried about making this different than all the other bleach fics out there. I’m so sorry! But I’m on a role, so a new chapter is promised soon! Come on…you can trust me.

Please review!

-foxmagic07