Short Stories and Oneshots

Hold

Author: Drown Me In Blue

Platform: Fanfiction.net

Type: Bleach

~

Wondering if this is some new kind of ghost he'll have to deal with, Ichigo nods and glances back towards where the little girl's flowers sit. "Yeah, I can see you. What are you?" Because "a Shinigami lieutenant" doesn't tell him anything.

~

The first time they meet it is a Tuesday.

Ichigo is carrying flowers, headed for the spot where the little girl died. His schoolbag bumps heavily against his leg, loaded with books, and Ichigo already knows that he won't get home in time to keep his dad from going postal – or more postal, as the case may be. It doesn't matter.

Isshin has family, friends.

This little ghost-girl has nothing.

But when he reaches the street where she died, she isn't alone. There's man with her, crouching down in front of her the way Ichigo does. He's no one Ichigo knows, tattooed and sporting hair just as spiky and unmanageable as Ichigo's, and wearing a strange Shihakusho with the sleeves ripped off. There's a katana in his hand, held reversed so that the blade points away from the girl, and it's obvious from his body language that he's offering her a choice.

As Ichigo watches, the ghost-girl nods emphatically and smiles, and the stranger smiles back. He reaches out and presses the hilt of the sword to her forehead, and there's a brief flare of light. Ichigo looks away to save his night vision, and when he looks back, the girl is gone. The man stands alone in the street, and he's watching Ichigo with narrowed eyes.

He takes one step forward, and Ichigo tenses a little, shifting so that his weight is balanced for a fight.

Strangely, this makes the man relax. He nods to Ichigo, as though asking him to wait a moment, and sheathes his sword. One long-fingered hand removes what looks like a cell phone from his robe, and he checks it briefly before striding towards Ichigo, hands loose at his sides to show he meant no harm.

"You can see me?" he asks, stopping far enough away not to be a threat, but close enough that Ichigo can see his eyes are grey and a little wary.

Wondering if this is some new kind of ghost he'll have to deal with, Ichigo nods and glances back towards where the little girl's vase of flowers sits. "Yeah, I can. What did you do with her?"

The stranger's eyes soften a little at that, and he glances down at the flowers Ichigo's carrying. "I sent her on to Soul Society. Are you family?"

Ichigo scoffs and steps past the man – the ghost? It's clear he doesn't mean any harm at the moment. "What, I have to be family to leave something for her?" He sets them down carefully, out of the direct line of sight of any more punks with skateboards, and then looks back at the other man. "What's Soul Society? Like heaven?"

The man crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head. "It's not heaven. All good souls go there, waiting to be reincarnated. Who are you? A Shinigami?"

"Just human." Ichigo sighs and looks towards the horizon, where only a silver of sun remains. "A dead human, if I don't get back home before my dad's stupid curfew. Later." With a half-hearted wave, he shoulders his bag again and heads back down the street, not waiting for an answer.

Unexpectedly, the stranger keeps pace with him, one hand resting on his sword. "You cant just be human if you can see ghosts. Only a Shinigami should have enough reiatsu for that. Have you ever-"

Ichigo cuts him off quickly, turning to face him in the middle of the deserted street. "Hey, look. I have no idea what you're talking about. Yes, I've always been able to see ghosts. Yes, I'm just human. No, I've never seen anyone like you or anything like what you just did with that girl. Any more questions?"