It's Only Love
By Ryukansen
Chapter One: Thank You
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Author's Note: My first ONESHOT ever. I think…for right now, I guess. Maybe it'll be a story. I don't know. Right now, I'm focusing on more of the tragic couple-like theme. I'm afraid I haven't given Ishida and Chad in this chapter a big role, but maybe later. Right now I'm going to be temporarily ignoring my two unfinished projects The Rainbow's Connection and Everything and Nothing. Simply because I'm in a huge writer's block, I have too much homework, and I have new ideas for new stories.
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He stared remorsefully at her torn and battered figure. His amber eyes shimmered with regret, and he clutch tightly onto her cold pale hands. If only. If only he was there, everything would've been fine. Right? Tears strolled down, for once, for once after those many years. "Nn, Rukia you'll be fine." He whispered reassuringly, placing his shaking hands on her forehead. He silently caressed it with little enjoyment. This is not how he wanted to show his affections to her.
After that long, tiring war. He remembered his reaction. Seeing her limp form carelessly stretched alongside the rubble, he was outraged and in guilt. The blood was dry at that time, and he understood that she had been gone a long time ago.
His hands shook and he could feel himself going crazy. He wanted someone to blame, he wanted something to ease his fault; and it was him. He knew it. For the following years ahead, he would blame himself and live a miserable life. That's what he thought, as he gazed at her with unknown emotion.
"Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime replied. She had been staring at him for a while, and she knew the pain that was engulfing his heart. To lose someone important, was disturbing to him, especially since it was Rukia who was taken away from his life. "Kurosaki-kun." She murmured trying to reach him, yet he paid no attention and continued to stare at Rukia's corpse.
In some ways, Ichigo seemed much more lifeless than Rukia. Orihime could see the shine in his eyes slowly fade away. A sigh escaped her lips, and she lightly hovered her hand above Rukia. A yellow light covered the worn woman's body.
"It's okay, Inoue." The orange-haired Shinigami finally coughed out. "She's gone…there's nothing you can do about it." He managed to spit those painful words out, but yet she continued.
"Watch…and see…" The woman murmured. She could have cried at this point, she would have complained and gone crazy after performing her healing arts on her. However, this girl, Rukia, was the only one who could heal him. She knew not even her powers or neither she could perfectly amend his broken heart. She just wasn't enough. Besides…Rukia was her friend, either way she'd still be happy. Right?
Ichigo just gazed at Rukia, and closed his eyes with frustration. "I told you!" He shouted. "You can't bring her back!" He murmured with anger. Orihime was taken aback by his peculiar mood. He had never acted so….offensive towards her. This made her heart tear. "No one can…" The substitute Shinigami replied. "Unless if you were god, than…."
The orange shield had finally completed it's task, and Orihime looked away to find Rukia breathing quietly and staring at her with a look of gratitude and shame. During her revival, she could hear those words escape from that idiot's mouth. How she wanted to tear it off, and smack him. Yet her power was still a little sturdy, and she seemed to be in the same weak state as she was in back during those days in Soul Society.
"Are you alright?" Orihime cried quietly. Yet Rukia knew that she was not the reason why the usually happy-toned girl was sobbing. It was his stupidity that made Orihime cry, and Rukia knew that that said girl was in love with him. In fact, everyone knew. Maybe even Ichigo.
"Y-Yes…." Rukia quietly murmured.
He heard her voice, and he thought he had lost it. His eyes widened in shock and he turned around to face the raven-haired girl. His heart sped quickly, and a small worried scowl cut through his face when he gazed at the miniature woman.
"R-Rukia…." He grumbled, and he received a hard-earned slap. The warmth that he thought was gone, was there. And that stinging sensation, how he was happy that he was able to feel her skin against his.
"You idiot…" Rukia moaned quietly, while staring at him from above. She was still lying down, and was too weak to get up. "I never asked you to behave this way, I don't want you to be all remorseful when I die." She gasped with pain. "You understand?" She huffed and tried getting up. Ichigo reached for her hand, but another hand took hers.
"Oi. Are you alright?" Another voice asked in a serious-gruff manner. Rukia stared at Renji with an all-knowing smile.
"Better than dead." She answered childishly, and got up perfectly fine. Her eyes twinkled with an old shine, something that Ichigo could never understand. She seemed to always be playful around Renji, and even though she was the same with Ichigo, there was an invisible wall that was made only for Renji and herself. Ichigo knew it. They were friends, good, old friends, after all. Right?
"How about you?" Rukia asked padding the dirt off of her cape and kimono. Renji grunted in response and looked away. "Eh, so you were worried for me too, weren't you?" Rukia teased him and poked his ribs with fondness. Renji tensed up. Her feeling…her poke. It made him remember so many things in a flash.
"Of course not!" He turned bright red and Rukia laughed.
"Seriously, you and Ichigo are the same." She sighed and closed her eyes. She fell backwards, and Ichigo caught her. She knew he would be behind her. It was always the same anyways. She felt his eyes roam on her for most of the time after her resurrection, and she could feel the uneasiness of his reiatsu flare and waver as she and Renji continued playing there childhood games.
"Just the same." She sighed with a small smile and closed her eyes.
Orihime watched as Ichigo stared at Rukia with a small soft smile. Nothing he's ever done in front of so many people. If only he could look that way towards her, just a smile, a real loving one, that would make her happy for the rest of her life.
"Sorry…Inoue." She heard Ichigo's voice resonate with deep apology. "And… Thank you…" Ichigo whispered, turning around to face her. She stared straight at Ichigo. He gave her a smile, soft and serene, just for her. Orihime flushed and hid her eyes, this was the only closest thing she could ever get from him, and she was thankful that she was useful for him.
Renji stared at the sleeping Rukia, his heart had leapt with joy once he found her back and bouncing. Though he felt his childhood tear away from him slowly, as she was being cradled by another man. He wanted to be the one to hold her, yet all those wasted years of neglect, caused their bond to slowly wither. Even if they were the best of friends, he could not remake that broken bond.
"Hey." A voice disturbed Ichigo and Rukia's silent peace. "Let's go home." Renji and the others faced Ishida and Chad whom have been analyzing the whole thing with silence. "There's still a lot more things to accomplish once we go back." He whispered with a small chuckle. Chad nodded in silence, but smiled, happy to see Rukia in a better state. Ichigo got up still holding onto Rukia, and Orihime stood up and padded the dirt from her clothes, and smiled her brightest.
"Feeling better?" The Quincy asked as he gazed at the broken-hearted girl. She nodded quietly, and knocked her head with her fist lightly.
"There's nothing wrong with me!" She laughed cheerfully. "I'm just glad you guys came." She sighed with relief and managed to clutch onto Ichigo's sleeve.
The orange-haired Shinigami stared at her silently, but let her hold onto him. Just once…He owed her. He owed her for saving Rukia…and he always was aware of her feelings for him. Yet he couldn't…reciprocate. However, just once…He could pass his warmth to her.
"Thank you." Orihime replied quietly and tears shone, sliding down her eyes with beauty. Ichigo made a curt nod, and gave a rejuvenated grin.
"No problem."