Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Cessation ❯ Chapter 4

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to upload, but here is Chapter Four of Cessation! Short Authors Note today because I have a ton of study to do while I'm wagging school, but I'll try post the rest of Cessation over the next few days or so - so that you are all caught up.

Here it is! Standard Disclaimer applies - this belong to Tite Kubo - well Bleach does...this idea however, is my squishy and shall remain my squishy.



“You want me to what?”

“It’s simple, Rukia-san. You end this foolishness with the boy, and the clan’s honour will be restored. Surely that is not too much to ask.” Kuchiki Hideyoshi raised a hand and circled it slowly. “The entire New Charter is in agreement, as well as the Elders Council.”

“What about Byakuya? Is he in agreement? I don‘t see him here.”

“He is in full agreement. The decision has been made. You must end your relationship with the boy.”

“He’s not just some thing that I can toss away like garbage!”

“You can, and you will. End of discussion.” Hideyoshi walked past her and opened the door, motioning for her to leave. “You are no longer required here, Kuchiki Rukia. Thank you for your time.”

“Don’t you dare dismiss me. My opinion counts for as much as everyone else’s in here, and I intend to fight this. It is unacceptable that a decision like this is made by the clan without my presence, or my brother’s. I want an explanation, now.” She reached past him and grabbed the door handle, slamming it shut to emphasise her point. “I’m not leaving until you can give me a good reason as to why I should have to commit an act based on a New Charter suggestion.”

“The New Charter may have suggested this action, but everyone bar you is in agreement. Seeing as you are the subject of the vote, your opinion is not to be considered. Surely you know the laws of the clan.”

Rukia clenched a fist and stepped forward. “That law is ancient. Over the last few years it hasn’t even been looked at, let alone used in a vote. What happened to each member of the clan having equal rights?”

“The day that you and your brother stop lording it over us, will be the day where we all have equal rights. Don’t be so stupid, Kuchiki Rukia. There can‘t be equal rights if there is someone who has more power.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it. We don’t lord it over you. I should be given the chance to voice my opinion on this!” She turned and faced the rest of the clan. “I demand the chance to voice my opinion!”

“Your opinion is rejected Rukia-san, regardless of your power. You will stop interacting with the boy, and you will do it straight away. Consider yourself disowned if you do not.”

“I’d rather be disowned than have to leave him! You can’t make me do this!”

“So you are willing to betray your own family? Your own brother? For the sake of a relationship that may not even make it a year? You have a duty to uphold our honour, Kuchiki Rukia, and we expect you to do so. Without us, you would be nothing. You owe this family. Am I understood?”

She sighed, looking down at the ground. “Yes.”

“Then end it.”

“Yes.”
------------------------------

“Ichi-nii?”

Ichigo looked up from the small bag he was filling with clothes and smiled slightly at his youngest sister who was standing in the doorway, twisting her hands together nervously. “You okay, Yuzu?”

“Is what Karin said true? Are you just leaving to be with Rukia?” Yuzu looked down at the floor and scraped the carpet with one toe. “I need to know the truth, Ichi-nii.”

“Come here.” He held out his arms and grunted when she ran into them, sending him stumbling back against his desk. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Yuzu.”

“Karin thinks you would.”

He sighed and reached into his back pocket for that over read piece of paper, taking one of her hands in his and sliding it into her palm. “Karin isn’t always right, Yuzu.”

Yuzu looked down at the paper. “What’s this, Ichi-nii?”

He looked at the floor. “I think you should read it. It’s … it’s the results from my last tests.”

She pulled away for a few seconds to scan the paper, eyes brimming with more tears the further she advanced down the page. “Ichi-nii.” She let out a sob and buried her head in his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I don’t want you to leave, Ichi-nii.”

He felt his heart breaking. “I wish I could stay Yuzu. But a legal gigai only lasts so long and once you’re dead you age real slowly. It wouldn’t be right, looking twenty-one when I’m forty.” He let go with one hand and pulled her chin up so he could look at her properly. “Besides, Rukia would be too busy keeping all the ladies off me.”

Yuzu gave a watery smile at his effort to brighten the mood a bit and twisted out of his grip on her chin to rest her head on his chest again. “I think she would hit you, Ichi-nii.”

“Probably.” He ran his free hand through her hair and pulled her closer. “It’ll be all right, Yuzu. I’ll be able to visit you here, just not as often as when I was alive. And knowing Urahara, in an impossibly expensive, legal yet shoddy gigai, okay? I promise.”

----------------------


“Isshin .”

“Kisuke.”

“And I’m Yoruichi. Now, are we done with introductions?”

Urahara let go of his sake bottle and yanked on Yoruichi’s tail, then recoiled as she launched herself at his face, raking her claws down his cheeks.

“Pig.”

“Cow.”

&# 8220;Asshole.”

“Mutt.”

She sniffed disdainfully, dropping to the ground. “I am not a dog Kisuke, nor a cow. You need to stay off the sake.”

“She has a point, Kisuke.” Isshin reached out and grabbed the sake bottle, shaking it experimentally. “Here, let me look after that for you.”

He ducked as Urahara swung Benihime at him. “Give me back my sake, Kurosaki.”

Isshin uncorked the bottle, took a swig and ducked again. “I need to ask you something first.”

“You can ask me while I’m drinking. Give me my sake.”

Benihime flew through the air again, this time not attached to Urahara’s hand.

“Kisuke! You almost hit me!”

“I don’t care. I want my sake.”

“No. Answer his question first.”

“Shut-up, Yoruichi. Isshin, my sake, now. Before I come and get it.”

“Your threats mean nothing Kisuke. You don’t have Benihime anymore. You are not getting the sake from Isshin.”

“Watch me.”

Urahara tried to stand, and fell.

“I agree with the lady, Kisuke. You can have the sake when I get a straight answer from you. Which isn‘t going to happen if you keep drinking.”

“The man has a point.” Yoruichi rested a paw on Urahara’s thigh. “Are you going to answer his question, Kisuke?”

“Depends on the question.” She dug her claws in and he yelped. “Okay! I‘ll answer it!”

“Good.” Isshin took another swig of sake and leant forward. “Kisuke, I need to know how long.”

“How long what?”

“Be serious, Kisuke.” This time, the claws went a bit deeper. “Go on, Isshin.”

Isshin took a deep breath. “How long does my son have before he dies?”


---------------------------

“Hey. ”

She jerked awake as he slid under the sheets, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. Twisting out of his hold she put space between them, pulling herself across the futon in a desperate attempt to stop him from making her change her mind.

“What are you doing here, Ichigo?”

Her voice was colder than it had been when she was practicing. Albeit it was a different sentence, but she could feel him tense behind her all the same.

“I needed to see you. Things…didn‘t go so well. Karin thinks I‘m making everything up to be with you. Yuzu is okay about it, I guess.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t be here.”

“I want to be here.”

It must end.

“Ichigo.” She couldn’t face him. “I think we should finish this.”

“Eh?” He reached out and rested a hand on her waist, wincing as she flinched away. He ignored it and flipped her over so that she was lying on her back beside him. “What the fuck do you mean by that, Rukia?”

“I want to end this. End… end us.”

He stared at her. "What the hell, Rukia? I..." He ran a hand through his hair, a habit she‘d noticed he'd picked up recently. "What the hell?"

She avoided his gaze. “It’s the best thing to do.”

“Bullshit! I need you, Rukia.” He reached across and grabbed her chin, moving her to face him and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I need you.”

“It’s over, Ichigo. Go back to your family.” She reached up and pushed his hand away. “I don’t need you.”


There it is! Hope you have time to review!