She was his best friend. Anyone that would even dream of hurting her would live to regret it. That was something that kept Shinsou Hitoshi going when it came to his best friend, Ran Ringo. The brunette may as well have crash-landed into his life with her easygoing, pure attitude. That purity was something Shinsou wanted to protect.
He’d watch over her, at how she would smile and greet everyone she met; at how she’d help with her rare healing quirk. Part of him felt jealous of the girl at first. She had a quirk worthy of a hero, even if it was used for support. He was surprised that Ringo expressed that she wanted to be a doctor, not a hero, and in a way, Shinsou could see it. The drive to be a top hero wasn’t in Ringo, not when she would rather watch the future heroes grow and help them along the way.
It was something he loved about her.
Everyone at U.A had constantly thought the two were dating because of how close they were. It was true, Shinsou and Ringo were close enough that the affection between them may have given others the wrong idea. Shinsou loved Ringo, but it wasn’t a romantic love in the slightest. Shinsou was content with their platonic relationship, as long as it meant he could watch over his innocent best friend.
“Hey, Toshi? What’s it like to be in love?”
Shinsou watched over Ringo even when she blossomed from her shyness to interact with other U.A students. He even watched as Ringo grew closer with the class rep of 1-A, Iida Tenya, and the bright girl from 1-B, Asakura Hikari. Shinsou noticed how Iida looked at Ringo the more the two interacted and he couldn’t help but be protective of the brunette. But he couldn’t stop it if Ringo was falling for the class rep too; her happiness mattered to him above anything else.
She asked him for advice often when it came to love and sometimes Shinsou wasn’t sure how to answer some of her questions, but he tried very hard for her. That didn’t mean Shinsou had choice words for Iida, though. He’d often warn the bespectacled young man to watch himself, keep his distance, that if Ringo ever shed just one tear, then there wouldn’t be words. That was how important she was to him. Ringo chided him sometimes, but Shinsou knew his friend better than anyone. Her scolding was half-hearted and she would smile at him afterwards.
“You’re my hero, silly.”
Ringo’s smile was a permanent fixture for Shinsou, an image he had committed to his memory. It was warm, bright like the sun. Shinsou wanted that smile to stay on Ringo’s face, for her to never know what it was like to be hurt. Her smile was what Shinsou wanted to protect with every fiber of his being. He didn’t give a damn that his quirk was Brainwashing; he didn’t give a damn that people would tell him that his quirk is perfect for a villain. To Ringo, he was a hero. He was her hero.
It would destroy him to ever see tears in her eyes, to see a heartbroken expression on her face. She was too delicate for that, too pure and kind. Shinsou could live with people thinking badly of him, so long as they didn’t drag Ringo down. Her thoughts mattered to him far more than anyone else. He could move forward and work harder to getting on the hero track, with her watching his six and supporting him. “Go,” she’d cheer, and he’d feel her hands against his back, pushing him. If she pushed herself so hard to become a doctor, he’d do everything to make it to the hero track. He wouldn’t stop, especially with a friend having that much faith in him.
That was her only thought, the only thing that pulsed with her. Has it always been this cold? Has she always been this cold? Why couldn’t she move? Why did the inside of her mouth taste metallic, as though filled with melted copper? Why couldn’t she open her eyes? She couldn’t feel anything, much less move her limbs. What happened to me?
She tried to remember; yet even shifting through her memories were almost painful--as if exerting too much pressure. Even so, however…
She recalled it.
She recalled her heart racing. She recalled taking the precious jewels and gold from her family’s safe. She recalled fishing her mother’s wedding dress from the budoir, sliding it onto her body with ease.
She recalled a man she was meant to meet under the cover of night, whispered promises of running away together to marry because her father refused to let her marry the love of her life.
The love of her life.
Rage thudded to life, flowing through her veins like blood. She choked on it, her eyes finally opening, for her to finally see.
Her wail howled amidst the wind, high to the full moon hanging above. It was no wonder she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, why everything was so cold! Her hazel eyes barely able to fill with tears of her fury as she took in her own body, beginning to decay in the wee hours. She recalled his face within the split second of darkness overcoming her and betrayal rattled her core. He had done this; he brutally took her life and ran off with the jewels and gold packed in the satchel that he explicitly said she should have on her person when they met in the woods, by the great oak tree.
He killed her for her money.
She pressed a palm against the tree trunk, sinking to her knees. She swore silently before that great oak, vowing that she will not arise from its feet until her love--her true love--arrived to set her free in holy matrimony.
And so did her body become one with the trees roots, keeping her promise and being buried beneath the earth upon which her blood was spilt.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
So I decided to move my whole Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction to my ao3.
Some context before you dive in, because I tagged it as well as I could: This story is not a happy ending with angst being the train here. I started writing this about a year or two ago and it’s mostly on the darker aspects of Kaneki, while shipping him with an OC.
This story does center around the aspects of a dangerous co-dependency between Kaneki and my OC, to where they mirror each other. This is their twisted love story.
There she was, standing in front of the convenience store. The loveliest thing Kaneki had ever laid eyes on ever since he became a half-ghoul.
The pink fabric of her dress accented the red irises that had often caught his eye, while the very garment itself fit his date nicely. Light brown strands fell past her waist, a few locks over her shoulder with a picturesque gracefulness. If Kaneki were a photographer, he'd have likely taken a photo of his date right then of how she looked now and it would be a physical, everlasting memory in his hands.
It was ironic, really. She caught his attention in Anteiku, just as Rize had, but Kaneki sensed that this girl-a human customer-was different from the binge eater ghoul. The aura around the brunette was calming, gentle, enough to pull him in. She entered Anteiku and smiled at everyone as she strode to her preferred table, a stool by the window. Watching her from behind the counter, Kaneki would notice how she would sometimes stare out of the window, the sunlight hitting the strands of her hair just right to make them appear luminous. Other times, she would be reading. During her "reading days", as Kaneki dubbed internally, the girl would be reading something different each time: romance, horror, even comedy.
Kaneki was unsure of the burst of courage that caused him to approach this quiet, radiant girl with the gentle smile and rose red eyes who had finished off her caramel macchiato while reading another novel. Her gaze flickered up to his face when he reached for the empty cup and she smiled.
"That looks like an interesting book," Kaneki found himself saying, the words leaving him easily much to his surprise. Those red eyes widened slightly before she looked down at the pages she was currently on. "It's a little light reading. It's a book on medical science," she replied.
"Medical science this time? I always see you reading something different when you come in."
"Oh, you were watching me?"
Kaneki recoiled slightly, but paused at the sight of the smile on the girl's pale pink lips. She lifted a hand from the pristine page. "I'm Hanami," she said. It took him a moment before Kaneki's hand found hers and he shook it. "I'm Kaneki," he replied.
"It's nice to meet you, Kaneki." Hanami stood up and her hand slipped softly from his as though it were a ribbon sliding between his fingers. She left some change on the table, closing the book and lifting it toward her chest. "Maybe I'll see you again?" she suggested, beaming one more smile before she made her way to the door.
Kaneki had no idea what he was thinking before he realized he was stopping her, boldly, in front of everyone in the café. "Miss Hanami!"
Hanami stopped, turning around to look at him. "Yes?"
"Would you like to go out some time?"
It felt like an eternity before she nodded. "Sure."
And here we are, thought Kaneki, his hands sliding into the pockets of his dark jeans before he approached the waiting Hanami. As if she sensed him, she turned her gaze toward him and smiled that pretty smile. "Hi, Kaneki," she greeted.
Kaneki smiled shyly. "Hi, Hanami. Were you waiting long?"
She shook her head. "No, not at all. Shall we get going then?"
Nodding, Kaneki reached for Hanami's hand, hesitated. Hanami must have noticed; the next minute, her fingers wrapped around his. Heat rushed to Kaneki's cheeks as he led the way, averting his eyes.
"Have you ever been on a date before, Kaneki?" Hanami's voice drew Kaneki's attention toward her. The heat burned hotter in his cheeks before he stared at the ground. "I did once. It was, um, my first date," he stammered. "W-What about you?"
A soft giggle left Hanami's lips. "This would be my first date," she answered, without a hint of embarrassment.
"I'm surprised."
"Why?"
"A pretty girl like you...you probably had lots of guys asking you out."
When Kaneki managed to turn his eyes toward Hanami, he was happily surprised at the soft shade of pink dusting her cheeks. Another laugh, much softer, left her. "Well, let's say that they weren't interesting to me to consider saying yes."
"And I was?" asked Kaneki curiously, aware of the sudden warmth in his chest.
Hanami smiled. "You are."
It was a strange sort of pleasure; not high-flying to where someone would be walking on clouds. This pleasure permeated softly through Kaneki, much like drinking a cup of coffee on a cold day. Hanami was a pretty girl-a beautiful girl-that Hide would say she was out of Kaneki's league.
She probably is, was his thought. Hanami could likely snag anyone she wanted and here she was, on a date with him, a half-ghoul unbeknownst to her.
"Where are we going?" asked Hanami brightly, tilting her head in such an innocent way. Kaneki smiled as they wove their way through the crowd. "I thought that a bookstore would be a nice place to start," he answered.
It was almost strange; the bookstore was exactly where Kaneki took Rize for their date, before his life changed forever. Visiting it now, with someone else, felt like he was trying to rewrite that memory. Yet Hanami didn't object; in fact, she seemed to glow at the idea of going to the bookstore, her hand squeezing his gently.
It was like a homing signal guiding Kaneki toward the bookstore. As soon as they entered, Hanami's hand relinquished his own. The aura around her was calm as she moved toward a stack of novels to the side, the ends of her long hair fluttering behind. Kaneki followed her as Hanami lingered over the horror novels. She lifted a few of the books, looking over the brief summaries. Kaneki noted a few of the books Hanami held in her arm. "Have you read Takatsuki's novels before, Hanami?" he asked.
"Oh." Hanami looked at the few novels written by Takatsuki in her arms, locks of her light brown hair falling over her shoulder. "I've read a few of her novels when I can. Is she a favorite of yours?" she asked with a soft smile.
Kaneki couldn't help but return it with a shy one of his own. "Am I that easy to figure out?"
Hanami giggled. "You do wear your heart on your sleeve, Kaneki."
My heart on my sleeve? Kaneki's eyes widened. Had Hanami been observing him, watching his behavior the same way Rize had? He thought he had been more careful about that sort of thing in misplacing his trust after what he had been through.
But Hanami is human. She isn't like Rize. Hanami was different. Kaneki could sense that much. However, a surge of guilt bloomed deep within Kaneki's chest. Hanami had no idea that he was a half-ghoul. If she were to find out by being in danger because of him, she wouldn't ever want to see him again-or worse, not living to tell the tale.
This was a bad idea. What on earth was he thinking?
"Kaneki?" Hanami's hand rested on his shoulder, drawing his attention to the concern glimmering in her eyes. Whatever she saw in the depths of his own eyes cemented something in hers; Hanami put the books in her arms back into their proper places before she gently took hold of Kaneki's hand to pull him out of the bookstore.
Once they were outside with the night air hitting them, Kaneki allowed Hanami to pull him as far as the alley where he life changed irrevocably before he stopped, feeling the tug on his hand before Hanami didn't move another step and dropped his hand. She turned around to look at him, her eyes curious. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, twining her fingers together in front of her. "You looked like you were remembering something very unpleasant and I...I didn't..."
"I-It wasn't your fault!" Kaneki blurted out, his cheeks burning with embarrassment and shame. "I-I just...I should have..." He faltered, unsure of what to say for himself. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone of what he was, and now, out on a date with a girl that could read him just as easily as she read her books. He swallowed thickly, trying to will his embarrassment away but to no avail.
Soft hands took hold of his own and the chaos inside of Kaneki halted. Grey eyes clashed with rose red and there was a gentleness in Hanami's eyes that sent a wave of calm through Kaneki. His fingers curled loosely around her hands as Hanami kept her gaze on him. "Kaneki, it's okay. Just tell me what's on your mind," she told him soothingly, her thumbs gently rubbing against the back of his hands.
Could he fully trust her? Could he reveal what he really is and she wouldn't run screaming for the Doves? Kaneki didn't know, wasn't sure how the scenario would play out. Hanami was giving him an opening; he was going to have to bold to take it.
Kaneki took in a deep breath in attempt to calm his nerves as he glanced around to see if they were alone even though it was just as isolated as the last time he was in this alley, the words tumbling from his lips before he could even find a chance to chicken out. "Hanami, I...you deserve to know the truth about me."
Hanami nodded. "Okay."
"Remember when you asked me if this was my first date?"
"Yes."
"Well." Kaneki averted his eyes. "My first date was a little bit like you. She liked to read. On our date, we went to the bookstore and went to eat. What I didn't know was that she was...she was a ghoul."
"A...ghoul?" Hanami whispered and Kaneki forced his eyes back to her. She swallowed, the concern in her eyes becoming brighter. "Kaneki, did she hurt you?"
She wanted to know, Kaneki could see it in her eyes. "There was an accident. Her organs were transplanted into me."
Hanami's eyes wavered, her expression screaming with pity that it twisted Kaneki's stomach. It was strange, but he didn't want that pretty face to be twisted with such a negative emotion. "Hanami--"
Her name barely escaped his lips when she squeezed his hands. Her expression was different now, tender and kind, that Kaneki's heart skipped a beat. "Thank you for telling me," replied Hanami.
Silence hung between them that Kaneki was sure his pounding heart would be heard before a soft smile graced his lips, the warmth of relief spreading inside of him as his trek down memory lane brought to mind what Hide had told him when Kaneki first asked out Rize. "You know, I always thought most people would find my bookstore date idea lame," he said softly, despite that they both had left the store without buying anything. "Thanks for having fun with me...or at least, being really talented at acting."
Hanami shook her head, returning his smile. "I'm a terrible actress, Kaneki, of that I can assure you. I should be thanking you, for asking me out on this date."
A laugh escaped the dark-haired half-breed as Hanami's hands left his shoulder, a giggle bubbling forth from her lips. When the laughter subsided, Kaneki found his entire body relaxed. His hand reached for Hanami's, boldly, twining their fingers. "The last time I tried anything like this, well, it didn't really work out. So, thank you," he said.
"How many times are you going to say that, silly?" asked Hanami, crimson irises twinkling in amusement.
"Probably all night if you let me get away with it.
"Silly!"
When another, exuberant laugh left Hanami, Kaneki felt warmth deep inside. I want to hear her laugh more, he thought, watching as Hanami calmed down from calling him silly. Dare he hope that it was used as a pet name already?
"This might not make a lot of sense," murmured Kaneki, squeezing Hanami's hand gently, "but, I needed this. I needed to know that maybe if things were different, I could've...been happy."
The sentiment brought forth a feeling of sorrow that Kaneki kept inside. His life had changed since he encountered Rize, seemingly for the worst. It was a turmoil of unhappiness and a rather abrupt change of view about the ghouls he had come to know, a family of sorts that he wouldn't part with now. Yet he still wondered, always wondered if maybe, if things were different...
When Hanami didn't reply, Kaneki looked at her carefully, at the wonder in her eyes. Heat rushed to his cheeks again. "Uh, sorry! I don't mean to be weird!" he blurted.
"I don't think it's weird at all," replied Hanami, rather graciously unless Kaneki was imagining it. He relaxed, finding himself stroking the back of her hand with his thumb like Hanami had done earlier. "I want to thank you for the wonderful date, Hanami. I don't know if I'll be able to do this again, but..." Kaneki paused, hesitating for a moment before he continued his train of thought. "I want to remember tonight. I want to remember you, so..."
"Kaneki." Hanami's voice gave him pause before--
It was instant and Kaneki hadn't expected it to happen quite that suddenly. A soft sound of surprise was muffled when Hanami's lips met his. The shock of the contact had Kaneki release Hanami's hand, yet...
So soft.
It felt like an eternity that he didn't want to end, but when Hanami pulled away, her cheeks were flushed a sweetly pink. Kaneki was sure her heart was racing as fast as his right now. "I-I'm sorry. I...I didn't know what came over me," she stammered, lifting a hand to her flushed cheek. His fingers ached with a maddened longing to touch her.
"O-Oh." The word left Kaneki's throat hoarsely as he lifted a finger to his lips. They felt warm from the kiss and his tongue ghosted along his lower lip, catching the essence of a sweetness on his flesh. His mind reeled as Kaneki found himself in a flustered state. "Be careful, Hanami. Having your taste on my lips could be...dangerous," he murmured lowly, a warning for her.
The energy brimming inside of him was dangerous. It was reckless, exhilarating, and he wanted to kiss her again.
Whatever Hanami saw in his eyes was enough for her to move closer to him, their bodies barely touching and Kaneki, in a fit of boldness, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. The heat between them felt so wonderful that he couldn't seem to get enough. Hanami's hands rested against his chest, her fingers splayed, as she looked up at him. Her rose red eyes darkened into a hazy ruby as she bit onto her lower lip. "Maybe...maybe, I don't mind that," she murmured, tilting her head toward his.
The kiss was slightly clumsy, but smoldering this time that Kaneki vaguely wondered if this form of burning ecstasy was what lovers feel when they steal kisses in public. It felt as though it were a prelude of more to come and he wanted more. He deepened the kiss slightly, hungrily, and pleasure seared him clean when Hanami responded, her fingers gliding up to press against the back of his neck. His own hands roamed, one rising to cradle the back of Hanami's head and the other against the small of her back.
"Kaneki..." Hanami whispered against his lips, sending a tidal wave of chills down his spine. Kaneki curled his fingers against Hanami's back, wanting to keep her there. There was a plea in her saying his name; there was no way he was mistaken. Even in his inexperience, Kaneki read enough to recognize the sound in Hanami's voice: desire.
"Right here?" Kaneki asked curiously, pulling back slightly to look into Hanami's eyes. There was a curiosity burning in them, a hunger that he was positive she shared with him in this very moment. It felt innocent and carnal all at once. "That's a little bit ironic, but...I'm okay with it," he added softly.
"What's ironic?" asked Hanami, just as softly, and Kaneki pressed his body against hers curiously. She moved backwards and, like a magnet, Kaneki followed until Hanami was pressed against the wall. The feeling coursing through him was so strange, so new, but Kaneki couldn't find the strength to resist. He could feel it in the way of how Hanami pulled him closer that she couldn't resist either.
"Wanting to kiss you here, where everything changed for me," he murmured his answer to her question before leaning in to kiss Hanami again and again and again, each kiss deeper and needier than the last. He could forget, even for a moment, about that memory; he could rewrite it, right here, with someone who wanted him just as much as he wanted her without fate being cruel. Let me have this...just let me have this...
Hanami's arms were around his neck now and Kaneki shivered at her matching his fervor, breaking the kiss for a moment, breathing slightly ragged, as he took in Hanami's flushed cheeks, glazed eyes, and swollen lips. He needed more.
She tilted her head slightly, her soft palm against his cheek. "Kaneki?"
He turned his head slightly, his lips brushing against her palm. "You're so cute," he breathed against her flesh. "I could just eat you up..."
Hanami's hand trailed from his face, her fingers brushing against his lips. She leaned close to him, their lips barely centimeters apart. All she murmured were two words, two little words, to push them both into a passion that they could not take back.
|| If Heaven was a place, it is only to be assumed that you would no longer know suffering.
It is where your soul is finally at peace.
If Heaven was a person, would it still be the same...? ||
The girl was set to rule an empire she was not born by blood to. Through blood, through conspiracies, through territories; it was how that empire always moved, a bloodthirsty beast to devour everything within its path and the corpses of those who opposed it.
And yet the girl did not belong.
It expressed itself in her tenderness, it rang in her gentle voice, danced in the space between her fingers, and shimmered in her eyes, raced in her veins. A weakness, surely, and one that was not subtle; yet that girl, the outlier, can still command with the force of a queen. She never asked for the title given to her by way of “daughter”, “young mistress”, or other such frivolities, yet she wore them well and bore the weight they carried.
There was never a moment where she was allowed to show her weakness within the halls of her palace, of her cage, lest she be accosted. Yet she could never help it, no matter how much she locked it away.
The girl had compassion unmatched by those before her and any after.
How rare and precious was the smile that touched her lips, how bright were eyes that remain reminiscent of the sun and earth being one. She was raised to rule and yet even her presence soothed the beasts that were charged to ensure her growth and safety. Rabid animals protecting a lone phoenix. Even now, she exposed the rarity her kind could only be in this world.
Out in the gardens, surrounded by various, vivacious growth with their bursting colors, only painted a vision who now shed the armor she wore in attempt to protect herself and her heart. The black she’d don, bleak as a starless night sky, was replaced with a startling lily white kimono tied with an azure sash. A flute was brought to her lips, her eyes closed as the music she created swirled about the air. Despite that the ends of her dark locks brushed against her shoulders, she had the strands pinned back with a pearl hairpin. Among those flowers was where her soul flew free, unrestrained, belonging only to the sky. In this place, she bore no titles. She belonged to no one but herself. Her heart was free and she could only be her true self. She allowed very few into this sanctuary, in this peace of her own heaven; it was as sacred as the intimacy of a lover’s touch to her body.
And yet…
The gust of spring wind took hold of the cherry blossom petals high in their tree that she sat under, swirling about her form as though in a spellbinding dance. That alone caused her to open her eyes, to lower the flute from her lips and to rest on her lap as she watched the petals fly. A quick laugh, full of joy, left her lips as her hand reached out, fingers stretching to catch a petal between them. Those fleeting petals, gone so soon, elude her fingers and yet there is still only joy in her eyes. Those flowers she attempted to grasp were also etched onto her skin, on the expanse of her back that held her own convictions, her reality. Would she be gone so soon, just like those delicate blossoms?
No one knew, not for sure. Only she considered life as fleeting as the cherry blossoms, to be gone so soon before you even realize.
So when you called her name and she followed your voice, you could see her smiling that precious, beautiful smile. You remember she gives that smile only to those she sees worthy of her tenderness, her compassion. That here, surrounded by bursting life, she was not a queen prepared to be dyed in blood anymore; that here, she is merely “herself” and you are merely “yourself”.
And you wonder if Heaven could just be...a person.
Those two words, soft in their utterance, were enough to shake his resolve further than it already had. Ichigo gripped the handle of his zanpakuto, feeling Zangetsu pulse through him from the core to the very tip of the blade. Chocolate brown eyes narrowed, his teeth grinding together, Ichigo couldn't refrain the scowl at his opponent.
If he could even call her that.
Kazuya Minako, a classmate of his; a girl with so much mystery surrounding her, a girl who was so introverted that Ichigo barely even noticed her before, a girl with a power that he would have thought completely impossible if he hadn't heard her murmur things that lay locked away so deeply in his psyche.
However, it wasn't his psyche Minako was reading, though she was becoming completely adept at that.
Minako met his gaze with the strangest glimmer of superiority. Her eyes were unusual—they were so blue that when sunlight hit them, the irises shone in a violet hue. Whenever she looked at him, Ichigo could feel her gaze pierce through him with the surgical precision of a blade threading through his organs.
Kazuya Minako had a strong reiatsu, something Ichigo couldn't believe he missed it the first time. He beat himself up, wondering if he was becoming complacent in noticing these things; but Minako was unusual in her own right. She was barely aware of how strong her reiatsu was, but was acutely aware of what her abilities were.
Ichigo, though, wasn't afraid. He couldn't find it in himself to raise a hand to Minako, even if this was just training her to find the full extent of her power. Urahara considered the possibility of Minako drawing attention from the enemy by being able to see into people's souls, but the strangest occurrence of all was her remembrance of Rukia when Aizen intricately planned her execution for the Hogyoku. No one should have remembered, save for Ichigo; Chad, Uryu, and Orihime didn't even remember Rukia during that time. Urahara had no explanation for that.
"Ichigo." Minako's soft voice broke through his thoughts, bringing the orange-haired teen back into reality. Her expression, usually stoic, was twisted into soft concern. "You're not here, aren't you?"
"What are you talking about? I'm right here," replied Ichigo, keeping his voice strong.
Minako shook her head, strands of her black hair becoming loose from her ponytail. "That isn't what I mean."
Ichigo blinked in surprise. What other way could she mean?
"You're not here. Your head is somewhere else. You're trying to find a way to not raise your blade to me."
He should have known. Even without using her ability, she could read him like a book.
"You're afraid, Ichigo," added Minako softly, her eyes watching him for his reaction.
A rush of anger flooded Ichigo and he gripped the handle of his zanpakuto tighter, the ache shooting from his fingers. "I'm not afraid," he bit out.
"Then why aren't you attacking me?" Minako's inquiry, its soft register, stopped Ichigo cold. Her gaze was steady as always as she folded her arms over her chest. "You know we are doing this to find out what I can do. Why are you scared to raise your blade to me?"
When Ichigo didn't reply, Minako continued. "White would. Without a doubt, he would attack me."
The flash of anger tightened around Ichigo, a vice crushing him at the very mention of his inner Hollow. Minako knew of that other presence by sheer accident, but Ichigo was aware of how dangerous the interaction between "White" and Minako was. "White" had a sickening fascination with Minako—enough to want to see how quickly he could rip her apart before she even retaliated. It was against Ichigo's code to put anyone in danger. Hell, the last thing he wanted was to involve Minako in the dangerous world of Soul Reapers and Hollows.
Minako exhaled, moving toward the teen. Her steps were silent, as if she were a ghost, but she moved as seamlessly as water. "Kurosaki Ichigo, the last thing I want you to worry about is me," she declared. Deep blue eyes narrowed in what Ichigo could barely perceive as annoyance. Maybe irritability. Minako continued forward, her tone sharper than any blade. "You want so badly to keep me out danger because it isn't my fight to start with, but the world doesn't work like that. It won't ever work like that. You need to stop treating me like some little damsel in over her head."
Ichigo loosened his grip on the handle of Zangetsu, his eyes widening as Minako stopped just within reach of him. Hastily, he composed himself, rearing for an argument. "You are in over your head, Kazuya-san. You don't get how dangerous this is. You don't even get how dangerous White is even though you interact with him almost every day when you're asleep!" he retorted. "The last thing any of us would want is to put someone in danger who doesn't need to be!"
Minako was silent, as if considering Ichigo's words.
The sound of skin cracking against skin pierced the air and pain throbbed through Ichigo's cheek. Minako punched him with enough force to make him stumble, despite her petite figure, and the blooming flush of red on her knuckles was enough to prove it. "You listen to me, Kurosaki," she rasped, brows drawn over her eyes in the rarest form of irritation that Ichigo had ever seen. "I didn't ask to be born with special powers. I didn't ask to be able to slink into your soul to find out about White. I didn't ask to be attacked by a Hollow either. Guess what? It happened. It all happened. Whether you like it or not, Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm involved in this. Now pull up your goddamn big boy pants and point your blade at me."
Ichigo stared at the ravenette girl incredulously. Kazuya Minako hardly cursed; it was a testament to how annoyed with him she was.
Hesitation, however, lodged itself into his limbs. He couldn't lift his sword to Minako; it went against everything in him. Minako's only weapon was a power that grew stronger by the day, but she had no physical weapon to protect herself from him. He couldn't just attack an unarmed girl.
"A fight isn't always going to be fair, Ichigo," Minako interjected sharply, her hand shooting out to grasp at his that held Zangetsu. "Not everyone is going to be like you. It just so happens that you, as my opponent, want to play fair. It would be idiotic for me to believe that the enemy would be considerate of the fact that I am unarmed, wouldn't you agree?"
As her words sunk in, as her hand fell away from his and taking its warmth with it, Ichigo nodded. "You're right. I'm being an idiot."
"You're being you. That hardly qualifies as a moment of idiocy."
"...You're either way too nice or way too sharp."
"I like to think that I'm a bit of both."
Silence hung between them, but it was a rather warm silence. Minako shook her head again, the reason to do so unclear. "Maybe we should leave it at this. The only way you'd raise your blade to me is if I was actually an enemy," she mused.
It was Ichigo's turn to shake his head now. "I don't think you would choose to join the enemy. You're too good for that," he replied.
A faint smile crossed Minako's features as a laugh bubbled forth. "You're something else," she commented, stepping around Ichigo to walk toward the stairs leading out of Urahara's training basement beneath his shop. Ichigo frowned. "Want me to walk you home, Kazuya-san?" he called.
Minako looked at him from over her shoulder, a more noticeable smile on her lips. "I'll be fine. See you tomorrow," she replied, before making her way out, her hair fluttering behind her until she disappeared from view.
That was three days ago. It was the last time Ichigo saw Kazuya Minako again.
The last time anyone in Karakura saw her.
No one else knew what Ichigo knew deep down.
No one knew the fact that Kazuya Minako, the girl who could see into the souls of others, had been taken.
"Gray, wait!" The little girl huffed after the raven-haired boy, his dark eyes focused only to take down the demon that stole everything from him in Brago. "It's too dangerous! Master said you weren't ready!" she gasped.
"I have to!" Gray yelled back, stopping so suddenly that the little girl nearly crashed into his back. He turned around to glare into bright blue eyes that trembled. His teeth ground together, his fingers curled into his palms. "If you had a family that was killed by that monster, you'd understand!"
The girl recoiled, pain and hurt twisting her expression. Regret built inside of Gray's small body, but he wasn't going to take back what was true! Her eyes lowered from his, cast onto the snow-covered ground, loose, dirty blonde strands of her hair obscuring her eyes as her small, delicate fists clenched the hem of the jacket Ur had given her. Her entire body trembled beneath Gray's glare. "I don't have time for this. Just go back, you'll only get in my way!" he snarled, turning away from the girl.
He gasped, feeling a weight on his jacket and his head spun back.
Her hands were grasping the end of his jacket, her fingers digging into the white fabric. "Don't go, Gray," she whispered shakily. When she lifted her head, Gray nearly recoiled. Her eyes trembled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please. D-Don't do this. Just come back home."
Gray averted his eyes, his throat constricting. "Let go."
"Please."
"Let go!"
He jerked his jacket free from her grip. She brought her hands up to her eyes, hiccupping, unrestrained sobs leaving her frozen lips. "G-Gray, you...you are my family. I don't want to lose you."
He froze.
"Please...Please come home with me."
He gritted his teeth. "Just go back. I have to do this. Deliora took my mom and my dad away--"
"It'll take you away too!" She lunged at him, her delicate arms banding around his torso, sobbing against his chest. Gray nearly bit his tongue before shoving her away, watching her stumble back, before he turned around and ran away, pushing his small body as far as he could go.
"Gray!" Her voice echoed in the blustering winds, but it still pierced his ears and straight down to his heart.
Echoing...over and over...
And over...
"GRAY!!"
There was blood everywhere...
"WHY DID YOU FOLLOW ME?!"
He could taste it...
"You're...You're my family..."
He wouldn't be able to wash it all off...
"You dummy...I told you to go back."
"I...protected you now..."
"Don't die! Please! You can't leave yet!"
She was smiling, even with blood on her face and her clothes ripped. The monster hurt her so badly...
A/N: An old story I wrote when I was on my Fairy Tail kick. Characters are ambiguous on purpose. This is a song-fic oneshot to the song “For You” by Stream of Passion.
Fandom: Fairy Tail
Pairing: Implied
Sitting on a throne of glass,
Watching every season pass.
In your cold, hollow stare the story is told again.
Could it be? Did you see us trying to cut the strings?
Her arms were bound in chains as she sat on the makeshift, sacrificial throne. She was barely conscious, her eyes half lidded, her body leaning more forward, her long, blonde hair falling over her face. Her breaths were barely audible, her body already riddled with bruises and cuts. But then she could hear them. Their voices were so lovely, so familiar, but so far away. She couldn’t even raise her head to gaze at them if she tried. When she heard the one voice she longed to hear again, pain seared her already weakened heart. She couldn’t bear the feeling of pain again, couldn’t endure the feeling of not having the one she loved.
Were they trying to cut her chains? Were they trying to free her? She had no more reasons to be free. She had no reason to wander the earth for more centuries. She’d spent them alone anyway.
She felt an arm around her waist, felt her own arm jerking as if someone was trying to break the chain by physical force. When she felt the arm pull away and the jerking cease, she felt hands on her face, lifting it as though urging her to look at someone. Her eyes struggled to stay open as that familiar voice urged her to stay awake, to not fade away. Fade where? Her mind whispered, I am too far gone already…let me sleep…I want to sleep forever…
The voice was more urgent, sharp like a knife, but her eyes couldn’t stay open. Her body was weakening, her bones no longer hard and protective, her heart beating slower and slower…
Then it all became a vision of the past
And the distance something we could never grasp.
But just know that when we turned our backs and left
There were way too many things left to be said.
Different memories meshed within her subconscious, the distance between then and now gaping, unable to even be breached. She was afraid to cross that bridgeless distance, fearing the moment she attempts to reach the other side she would fall into the abyss. There were words she longed to say, that she wanted to say so that she could get them out and not keep them inside.
Would she feel this way if neither of them turned their backs and walked away from each other? Her answer came in her haze. Yes. Yes, she would always feel this way, even walking away. She clung onto some secret hope that maybe, just maybe, she could just see him one more time.
Not like this, but better than never…
The pain seared her again. Yes, this heartache she would hold onto even when she drifted to the edge of the world. Centuries of wandering, of trying to find a place to belong, when she met him, it was like her colorless existence had completely underwent a transformation. She was happy. Clinging to the memories, she still was happy.
Would she endure being set on this throne, chained and nearly lifeless, if it meant that she would even imagine hearing his voice?
Every thorn, the pain in every wound,
It’s all for you,
It’s all for you.
Yes, her mind murmured, yes I would. For him, I’d endure it all over again. She felt something envelope her and felt her arms drop, the chains finally giving way. Her body moved forward against something else. That something swept her in the air, holding her close, her head now resting against…a shoulder. She could hear the pounding of a pulse beneath the skin. She kept her eyes closed. She wanted to stay in this dream, to stay inside of her head, where no one could reach her.
It’s all for you,
Her ears buzzed from conversations, she knew, but she wasn’t roused. Let me stay dreamless…The buzzing was direction of her, but she felt too fragile to even respond. Take me home…I want to go home…
It’s all for you,
Outside of her lifeless state, the girl was unaware of eyes on her. He held her close to his body, sure that she could survive if he got her home. But she didn’t respond when he called her name, over and over. Why would she endure such pain this way? He wanted to ask her. But she wouldn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her eyes stayed closed, her skin becoming pale.
He wanted to save her, but he couldn’t.
He wanted to protect her, but he lost the right.
He wanted to see her live, but could feel her dying.
He wanted to talk to her, but his voice fell on deaf ears.
But what he didn’t realize inside of her was that she loved him still, but she was no longer allowed to.
What he didn’t realize was that she would run to the edge of the world for him, but she was no longer allowed to.
What he didn’t realize was that every time he called her name, her heart would continue to break deep inside of her, but she would never open her eyes to tell him.
What he didn’t realize was that she remained comatose, but dreamed of him.
Yes, she would bear all of her pain again in silence.
