Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach. Hear this loud and clear ‘cause I won’t say it again!
“Normal speech”
‘Thoughts’
Flashback/Dream
#9#
“So, what do you have to say for yourselves?”
The three in question were staying silent in fear of what would happen next. The captain commander was wearing a frightening expression, which made them want to flee.
Ichigo, though, just really wanted to sleep. He had barely come out from a tiresome meeting and now comes another. He sometimes couldn’t help but wonder why trouble followed him like a magnet, even if he had reluctantly accepted this was how it would always be long ago. Problems following him everywhere he went –including the past.
It was becoming exhausting to keep up his mask in the middle of this new dilemma. Ichigo was also very aware of the fact that he was scowling and visibly annoyed. It seemed as if he wasn’t even bothered by the presence of the Eighth and Thirteenth Squad captains in the room, who were Shunsui’s and Jūshirō’s fathers respectively.
“I asked a question and am expect answers, boys.”
Yamamoto was being depleted of his patience, Ichigo noted. It was a miracle the not-so-old man hadn’t snapped yet to say the truth, and the orange head couldn’t help but hope he didn’t. The best way to avoid getting a good dressing down was to give the guy his answers, but nobody seemed inclined to take the initiative. Something, Ichigo was barely willing to do.
“I don’t know enough to fully answer your questions, but I’ll explain what I know seeing as no one else will. I’m kinda tired and would like to end this quickly.”
“Very well young’un. I believe this should be better than nothing.”
Ichigo dipped his head in response before jumping ever so slightly at being grasped by the shoulder. He turned to look at who had brought his attention only to raise a curious eyebrow as his eyes landed on Kyoraku Shunsui. It didn’t look as if the future Eighth squad captain was trying to stop him from speaking. It’s more like he decided to overcome the problem himself, and that, all in all, was quite astonishing.
“Wait. It’s kinda unfair to make Ichigo explain, so I’ll do it.”
Something seemed to seep its way onto Yamamoto’s features as he stared at the brave brunette. Something that eerily resembled pride, but Ichigo could only guess. It had only crossed his expression for half a second, and the captain commander was even more deceptive than in his own time line.
“Ju-chan and I… we didn’t want this. We wanted a little bit of peace before having to face our duties; finish the academy properly, goof around and hang out with Ichigo… We were being selfish considering Ichigo actually has more duties than us. We just yearned for more time to be kids and not having to worry about tackling our duties. We were cowards. We tweaked with that hard-ass barrier in Ichigo’s room and hid without his permission.”
By the time Shunsui had finished, both Jūshirō and Shunsui held their head low and looked ashamed. It was obvious they were embarrassed by what they had done; and more so, because they had involved Ichigo –unintentionally.
“Then, Ichigo-kun wasn’t involved after all.”
Shunsui was merely taken aback by his father’s statement and could only nod in response. He really had nothing to say and Jūshirō wasn’t faring any better.
YOU ARE READING
Memories of a Broken Soul
FanfictionTime is a weird thing; it can sometimes bring relief and hope, but there are times that it only brings dread. For him, time was as much of a curse as it was a blessing; he had time to grow strong and protect, but the memories of those times could be...
