wrote this at 1am for @deathberryprompts / the prompt is ‘wait’ / 853 words (much longer than i intended)
He feels the slow burn of ice before he sees her, a lightening storm—a hurricane (it’s consuming, it’s coming…it won’t wait for him to catch his breath) of panic sends his thoughts spiraling into a single phrase—I’m too late, I’m too late, I’m…
Renji grabs his arm, stilling his storm for a single second. There is something that Ichigo recognizes burning at temperatures beyond celsius in his friend’s eyes. Renji has never looked so serious in his entire life, Ichigo decides with dread curling around his throat, nor has he ever looked so terribly sad.
“Wait a minute Ichigo” Renji says, voice low in timber, his tan skin looks usually pale and his mouth is pinched unfamiliar tight line, “There’s something you need to know”
Rukia’s bankai is a marvelous thing, there isn’t anything that quite compares to the enchanting destruction that it brings in a single inhale. Ichigo remembers the first time he had the opportunity to witness it, remembers the rush of adrenaline that barreled through his veins when he saw her transform into something that words could not quite describe, remembers the pride that overtook him in that moment—watching his mentor (his Rukia) look so fearsome. He’s never seen someone look so formidable before.
“The hollow” Renji begins on a shaky exhale—he sounds so exhausted (Renji—the annoyingly valiant, determined little prick that Ichigo has known for ages it seems—sounds weak, Ichigo can’t decide was it more disturbing…the sound of his voice or the look in his eyes) “It got her, she was trying to protect Ichika and it got her right before she unleashed her bankai”
“What are you saying Renji?” Ichigo didn't mean to sound so cruel but he was so unbelievably angry, Renji was supposed to protect her—he promised he’d protect her
“Once her bankai melts…” Renji looks like he can’t bear to finish the sentence, not when tears are stinging his eyes, not when reality threatens to finally settle in, “She’ll be gone”
Rukia’s bankai is a terrible thing…
Ichigo doesn’t ask how long he has, he can’t know the numbers—can’t know the minutes or the second. He doesn’t want to wait for Rukia to die.
He walks over to her, feet slick against remnants of ice as he approaches her cautiously and with his heart in his throat.
She looks beautiful, Ichigo thinks, she is unfrozen down to her shoulders (Ichigo tries not to see the pool of crimson that bleeds through her chest—glaring at him through her layer of ice) and she still looks so alive—she looks like she can make it.
Rukia smiles at him, why is she smiling? Ichigo wonders as his heart clenches at the mere sight at it. Why is she smiling when she is only minutes away from breathing her last breath?
“Long time no see Ichigo” Rukia greets him conversationally, as if her life isn’t slowly slipping away
“Rukia” Ichigo feels the pain rear inside, can already feel himself begin to drown
“How foolish am I?” Rukia speculates with a puff of air, “A captain of the Gotei 13, taken down by a mere hollow”
“Rukia” Ichigo repeats, reaching for her with outstretched palms and his fingers brush against her cheek, “You idiot”
She doesn’t look offended, which is a first and Ichigo can’t seem to find amusement in the situation. Instead, she looks so unspeakably sad that Ichigo is left searching for the words he can say to comfort her.
The ice recedes past her collarbone…
“I’m glad to see you” Rukia admits, “I was afraid that…
“You don’t have to say it” Ichigo stops her, “I’m here aren’t I?”
A part of Ichigo knows he is being selfish, keeping Rukia’s last moments for himself instead of sharing them with her family but he can’t bring himself to care—not when she’s slipping farther out of reach.
She chuckles, “You always come right on time, you have a knack for it I think”
“Not this time” Ichigo shakes his head, “I was too late” (Just like he was too late for his mother, he never imagined he’d be too late for Rukia too)
Rukia looks a him with tired eyes—she must be exhausted, she has to be, “You’ve saved me plenty of times Ichigo, but you cannot save me from death. No matter how adamant you are”
“I know” Ichigo chokes, it’s getting harder to speak, to think, to breath, “I just…”
He can’t finish his sentence, not when he’s running out of time—not when the ice is nearly melted past her heart…
Ichigo only has seconds now
“Rukia” He’s frantic, never did he think he would have to say something to her one last time, “I…I…
“You don’t have to say it” Rukia repeats his earlier words, she smiles reassuringly, “I know”
“Wait” He begs her, as she closes her eyes, blood is dripping from her now—marring her snow with the veins of crimson, “Rukia…
Next time, I promise I’ll save you….
gummygunk
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