Tears of the Clueless

Choice

Yumichika put an arm around me and let me cry into his shoulder and Ikkaku rubbed small circles in my back.

"M-Maybe I s-shouldn't have c-come here," I hiccuped. "M-Maybe I s-should just g-go b-back to that alley. T-That's where t-trash belongs anyways!"

"Don't say that Ali," Yumichika whispered soothingly in my ear. "He's trash, for making you cry."

"Yeah," Ikkaku agreed. "That idiot doesn't deserve you."

"It's my fault! No wonder he killed me! I wouldn't want a daughter like me either!" I sobbed, shaking my head.

I heard footsteps, then a comforting voice. "Oh, Ali."

I looked up from Yumichika's shoulder and saw Jushiro. "D-Dad..."

He stood there with a sad expression, Shunsui at his side with a knowing look across his face.

"Ukitake-taicho, Kyoraku-taicho," Yumichika and Ikkaku said, bowing their heads.

I rubbed my eyes feverishly, sniffling pathetically and feeling even more pathetic by the second. 

"Oh, Ali," Jushiro repeated with another sigh. He stepped forward and gently took my hands, making them release their vise like grip on Yumichika's hakama top. When I had release my friend, Jushiro pulled me into his own warm, comforting hug. "You can't possibly believe that..."

I sniffed, hugging him back as I buried my face in his chest. "I can't d-do anything right..."

"That's not true," he said softly, stroking my hair with one hand as his other arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders. "Ali..."

"I ruined everything," I said quietly. "You were right. I hurt everyone, even Byakuya-taicho. But he... He said..."

His hug tightened and he spoke in a somewhat angry voice. "What did he say?"

"He said..." I hiccuped, turning my head so my ear was pressed against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "He said to take my time, and whoever I chose, it didn't matter. He said that as long as I was happy, he would be too..."

As I remembered his kindness, his understanding, I was able to calm down.

"I see," Jushiro said softly, his hold relaxing.

"I think I know what I need to do," I said quietly, pulling from the security of his hold reluctantly.

He smiled down at me softly, and placed a gentle kiss on my crown. "Then do it."

"I will," I sniffed, rubbing at my eyes again as determination filled me. I then threw him a weak smile. "Wish me luck."

I knew he knew what I meant and he chuckled. "From what I just heard, I don't think you'll need it."

"Go on, Ali," Yumichika encouraged.

"I'm rootin' for ya, Kid," Shunsui chuckled softly.

"I'm so lost," Ikkaku said, looking at the four of us weirdly.

"I'll tell you how it goes," I said before turning and running to find him.

Byakuya.