wrote this at 1am for @deathberryprompts / the prompt is āwaitā /Ā 853 words (much longer than i intended)Ā
He feels the slow burn of ice before he sees her, a lightening stormāa hurricane (itās consuming, itās comingā¦it wonāt wait for him to catch his breath) of panic sends his thoughts spiraling into a single phraseāIām too late, Iām too late, Iāmā¦
Renji grabs his arm, stilling his storm for a single second. There is something that Ichigo recognizes burning at temperatures beyond celsius in his friendās 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.
āWait a minute Ichigoā Renji says, voice low in timber, his tan skin looks usually pale and his mouth is pinched unfamiliar tight line, āThereās something you need to knowā
Rukiaās bankai is a marvelous thing, there isnāt 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 momentāwatching his mentor (his Rukia) look so fearsome. Heās never seen someone look so formidable before.
āThe hollowā Renji begins on a shaky exhaleāhe sounds so exhausted Ā (Renjiāthe annoyingly valiant, determined little prick that Ichigo has known for ages it seemsāsounds weak, Ichigo canāt decide was it more disturbingā¦the sound of his voice or the look in his eyes) āIt got her, she was trying to protect Ichika and it got her right before she unleashed her bankaiā
āWhat are you saying Renji?ā Ichigo didn't mean to sound so cruel but he was so unbelievably angry, Renji was supposed to protect herāhe promised heād protect her
āOnce her bankai meltsā¦ā Renji looks like he canāt bear to finish the sentence, not when tears are stinging his eyes, not when reality threatens to finally settle in, āSheāll be goneā
Rukiaās bankai is a terrible thingā¦
Ichigo doesnāt ask how long he has, he canāt know the numbersācanāt know the minutes Ā or the second. He doesnāt 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 chestāglaring at him through her layer of ice) and she still looks so aliveāshe looks like she can make it.Ā
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?
āLong time no see Ichigoā Rukia greets him conversationally, as if her life isnāt slowly slipping away
āRukiaā Ichigo feels the pain rear inside, can already feel himself begin to drown
āHow foolish am I?ā Rukia speculates with a puff of air, āA captain of the Gotei 13, taken down by a mere hollowā
āRukiaā Ichigo repeats, reaching for her with outstretched palms and his fingers brush against her cheek, āYou idiotā
She doesnāt look offended, which is a first and Ichigo canāt 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 collarboneā¦
āIām glad to see youā Rukia admits, āI was afraid thatā¦
āYou donāt have to say itā Ichigo stops her, āIām here arenāt I?ā
A part of Ichigo knows he is being selfish, keeping Rukiaās last moments for himself instead of sharing them with her family but he canāt bring himself to careānot when sheās slipping farther out of reach.
She chuckles, āYou always come right on time, you have a knack for it I thinkā
āNot this timeā Ichigo shakes his head, āI was too lateā (Just like he was too late for his mother, he never imagined heād be too late for Rukia too)
Rukia looks a him with tired eyesāshe must be exhausted, she has to be, āYouāve saved me plenty of times Ichigo, but you cannot save me from death. No matter how adamant you areā
āI knowā Ichigo chokes, itās getting harder to speak, to think, to breath, āI justā¦ā
He canāt finish his sentence, not when heās running out of timeānot when the ice is nearly melted past her heartā¦
Ichigo only has seconds now
āRukiaā Heās frantic, never did he think he would have to say something to her one last time, āIā¦Iā¦
āYou donāt have to say itā Rukia repeats his earlier words, she smiles reassuringly, āI knowā
āWaitā He begs her, as she closes her eyes, blood is dripping from her nowāmarring her snow with the veins of crimson, āRukiaā¦
Next time, I promise Iāll save youā¦.
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