Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Pride in the Face of Death ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

 

Pride in the Face of Death

 

He lay covered in a blanket of blood and he felt his life quickly draining from each pore in his body. `I feel cold.' His pain was overwhelming his senses rendering him blind and speechless. Despite his long life span he knew there was more he wished he had done. Time had never been an issue until this very moment. He wished he had said and done things that he'd always wanted to, but his pride, fear and just outright laziness had always prevented him from doing so. There were people around him, calling his name and yelling for him to hold on. He recognized them and heard their voices, but with each passing second it seemed as though either they or he was moving away. There was so much pain coursing through his body he refused to open his eyes. A sad whisper called him from the darkness. It was her. She was saying his name and he could practically see her sadness from behind his eyelids.

 

It was always her. He'd always meant to tell her that, but there was too much in between them. At least that's what he had always thought. Right now, at this moment everything seemed so trivial. So superficial. The only thing that ever stood between them was himself.

 

He was close to death, that much he could still feel. He had to reveal the truth to her, in these precious moments he had left he wanted to tell her the words he always meant to. Eloquence was not his greatest strong point and he always hoped that she had understood that. Wanting to impress her he had always used brute force to show himself worthy of her, but he was robbed of his strength and all he had were words.

 

Even when they were apart those several decades, she was never far from him thoughts. She haunted him every day they were apart and the fact he could never reveal this to her made life all the more painful to bear. Every step he took in life he had taken in hopes of reaching her. She was a star an unattainable dream and he'd always been and always would be a stray dog. He coughed painfully and could feel the blood pooling in the back of his throat. She was calling his name again, whispering words of encouragement for him to hold on.

 

“ It was always you.” He revealed in a whisper meant only for her ears. He felt her tiny warm hands stroking his hair. If only he had more time he would show her how much she meant to him. It was now or never. “I always meant…to tell you…”

 

“ Renji…” Her voice was sobbing from the darkness.

 

“ I love you.” Her sobbing was getting louder now. “I've always loved you. Tried to protect you.” He was getting weaker and the pain in bearable. “ I love you.” He repeated once more before everything faded into darkness.

 

 

 

The world was warm again, but his body was stiff and immovable. Everything was heavy and he felt as though he was bound. There was pain once again, but it was more dull than before. He refused to open his eyes, where ever he was it didn't matter, she wasn't there. He let out a loud tired sigh, `I don't want to move.'

 

“Renji?” A small soothing voice was calling him, he knew it was her. He had to be in hell, she was there to haunt him for all of eternity. “Renji? Open your eyes.” He was being shaken now and his pain was increasing with each shake.

 

“God dammit Rukia!” His eyes snapped open and he sat up. He was alive. “Ruk--?” He was crushed into her embrace and she was invading all his senses.

 

“I love you Renji! I love you too!” Today was a new day.