[Bleach | Ichigo/Rukia, PG] Memories In the Rain

[Leia Avenrose]

<center>Disclaimer: I don?t own Bleach. I?m just borrowing for my own sick purpose. Nor do I own Kurosaki Ichigo, or Kuchiki Rukia. I also don?t, uh, own the song that Ichigo and Rukia did a duet on (which is the title of the story); such a gorgeous song? listening to that on Repeat for a good long time is great inspiration! Enjoy.
Dedication: To mellie, and every other Ichigo/Rukia fangirl out there.

Memories In the Rain
By: Leia Avenrose
Rating: PG
Warning: angst, blood


Rain,
It was raining the day before,
And before that;
Slow motion,
Love suddenly broke before my eyes

One, just one,
I wasn?t able to protect;
The battle continues for pride

No time to cry,
Cry later;
I swear again at the June rain

But the warm rain wets my cheeks;
Slow motion,
At the cool warmth,
It guides me strongly

?Memories? are not that luke warm;
Even if I don?t know,
Now, I can only run</center>



Her words echoed over in his mind, over and over, like a club beating the leather top of a drum. He felt hollow inside, so void and so cold. His chin trembled. The rain had been falling for two days; it was the day it arrived. Two days ago was the day she came back, came ? home. And that?s when it had all started, and had gone horribly wrong.

?I ? loved you,? the young woman gasped out, the wound in her torso gaping and dark red. She was covered in all red, those short locks of ebony matted to what appeared now as porcelain skin. Violet eyes had lost their light; the fight inside her had died within a matter of seconds after she had been struck.

Hopeless, useless, numb ? that?s how he felt at that very moment. And the only thing he could do was sit there, with his knees under him, her dying body pulled up in his lap.

?Why,? he whispered in a low, pained voice. She had closed her eyes.

Her lips twitched while her body shook hard against the cold onslaught of rain and numbed pain; she was slowly beginning to go into shock. He wanted nothing more then to reach into her and take away her pain and make everything better for her, like he always did, always had done. Why had it come down to this? Why had this happened?

So many questions raced through his mind as he could only sit there and stare down into the ashen face of the one person closest to him, the one person he cherished more then life itself.

?Rukia,? he hissed out through clenched teeth, his hands tightening their grip on her. He was afraid to let her go. ?Why? What did you think you?d accomplish??

?Your ? safe?ty.?

At those words, lightning flashed overhead, lighting the dark skies for miles on a long stretch. The rain fell harder. He tried to not look down at the ghastly wound, or the blood that flowed out like a wild river onto the pavement, painting it a watery crimson. His pants were soaked through to his skin, but he couldn?t tell if that was because of the blood or the rain. Rukia kept one arm flung over her chest, while the other was hanging down on the ground.

Ichigo wanted nothing more then to shake her and shake some common sense into that thick head of hers; she had always been a difficult woman.

?Dumbass,? he swore under his breath, feeling it bubble in his chest, the dread of what was inevitable at this point.

Rukia shuddered in his arms, sucking in a breath sharply. Her eyes snapped open and she stared up at him. The once deep violet hue was now faded. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. Ichigo shook his head in disbelief; everything was breaking, he could feel it inside, he could feel it in his arms, her, her body, her soul; her life was weeping out of her and onto him and the pavement. And there was nothing he could do to stop it, nothing!

It was happening all over again, and he was at fault yet again. This wasn?t happening, it just couldn?t be happening, why was this happening, why, why?

?Don?t,? he pleaded, his voice thick with emotion, ?please, don?t. Rukia ? you can?t.?

He closed his eyes against the sharp prick of tears. They fell down his cheeks, merged with the rain. He felt a false sense of security and hope if he begged her, maybe if he pleaded, prayed hard enough, loud enough, she wouldn?t leave, and she?d let him take care of her. Maybe? maybe if?

?maybe?

Through the pain that numbed her entire torso, she felt her heart shatter at the sight of him; he was so torn, his eyes so full of hurt, the look of being lost etched in his face. He looked ten years older, maybe more, the worry, the fear; the distraught was all there. He has such a beautiful face, Rukia faintly thought, using the last bit of strength to lift her arms. She watched as his shoulders heaved and how his face fell; he finally gave in to the feeling of loss that tormented him, taunted him at the edge of his mind, driving him to the brink of losing what was left of his sanity.

The rain was cold, but his tears were warm as they fell on her face.

A sob of her own broke past her lips; this was it, this was her finally goodbye, this was the last page ever to be written in her story. This was the end of the road for her; they both had come to realize that as they now clung to one another.

Her fingers clutched the sides of his face, pushing his hair out of his face, pulling him down to her. She watched as his eyes widened, and began to slowly fill further with tears. Her heart broke some more. She could hear his whispered pleas, the ?please ? please, don?t, you can?t?. All she could do was give a weak shake of her head. Her fingers trembled as they traced out the sharp angle of his cheekbone; his shoulders heaved again, and he didn?t bother with hiding the loud sob that escaped him.

He had nothing to hide.

He was losing the most precious person to him.

Ichigo moaned her name, weeping openly in the downpour, his arms going around her, holding her up to him as she kept her hands framing his face.

?Always remember,? Rukia whispered tenderly in a voice broken with tears. And crushed her lips to his.

Ichigo felt her breathe her last breath into him and broke down even harder, sobbing out louder, his lips sliding off hers, then down her cheek as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, his arms wrapped firmly around her body, crushing her to him. Her hands went slack against his face, and as he began to rock his body to and fro, saying her name like a prayer under his breath, they slid down to rest limply against his shoulders. She was limp in his arms, like a rag doll. He didn?t dare lift his face from her shoulder.

Over the sickening stench of blood and sweat, her scent filled him; open fields, flowers, and fruit. His fingers dug into her torso, but then gradually loosened their grip and Ichigo brought a hand up to the back of her neck, threading his fingers through her hair. That was when he lifted his face, eyes closed against the sight, against the tears the stung him, and lifted her higher up, holding her face to his shoulder.

?Always remember,? he murmured softly into her ear, nuzzling his face into her hair. The tears continued to fall, as the rainstorm grew heavier. ??and I loved you ? Kuchiki Rukia.?

[Kuroi Ruy]

The fuck wrong with ppl?! This shit is so awesome! I love this pairing, and was kinda struck down with Rukia's death scene. So vivid! *Yeesh* This fic should be swarming with comments! Girl u can write, keep at it!!

[Leia Avenrose]

Thank you~!

Not a lot of people check this forum, I guess, to tell you the truth, hehe, but I am happy that at least SOMEONE decided to read this; YAY~

[Sissi]

Beautiful. I love this pairing as well, and I thought you have done an amazing job here. My heart hurt as I read Rukia's dying scene.

Keep it up!