Bleach Imagines

Jushiro Ukitake / Ichigo Kurosaki (Platonic)- Oneshot

It's hard when someone you trusted stabs you in the back.

Literally.

Ginjo's betrayal was a hard pill to swallow. You were all there. When Ichigo thought he'd been losing his mind. The apologies from his friends came after he'd defeated Ginjo. Ichigo understood. When his powers returned, it was the most you'd seen him smile since Rukia left.

It was all over. Everyone was safe and Ginjo was reprimanded.

You should have been happy but...it was just hard.

"Taicho, we're back!!"

Kiyone basically phased through the door, Sentaro not far behind. Jushiro just laughed it off as they began to fight. You sat with Ichigo and Rukia as they caught him up on all the changes. Holding the cup of tea, you tried your best to wear the biggest smile. If nothing but to hide the fact that you were still in pain.

"We should head back before Kenpachi finds me. It's only a matter of time."

Jushiro laughed at the statement.

"You're right. Your new attainment of power might be a little too enticing for him." Ichigo stood, expecting you to follow, but when you placed your cup down, you just waved your hand.

"I'm going to stay a bit longer. Unohana-san has asked me to help out. There was an attack and a few of the reapers got hurt in the Rukon District." Ichigo nodded.

He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but stopped himself.

"Have fun."

You offer a smile.

Just like that he's gone.

"I'm about to head off as well."

"Would you mind if I accompanied you there?"

Jushiro's request was a bit unexpected, but you didn't mind the company.

"Of course not Jushiro-san."

He follows, and you wave at Rukia as you exit the barracks.

The walk is fairly quiet. Truthfully, this is the first time you've been around him without the others. You're not as close with all the other captains. Unohana and Komamura are the ones you normally flock around. You're gifts in healing and your need for inspirational advice went hand in hand with those two.

"I apologize if I made a surprising request, I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

His words bring your attention back to him.

"I'm fine."

Jushiro stops and so do you.

"I know I have no place saying this, we aren't as acquainted as Rukia and Ichigo, but from your discomfort on our previous topic, it's clear that Ginjo's betrayal has affected you the most."

Your body becomes tense.

"W-What.."

"You had feelings for him."

Your stomach drops and your eyes widen.

"From your reaction, I'm assuming that there are still some residual feelings lingering. You're conflicted. He was a traitor. You should hate him, but he was also your friend. He ran his blade through your chest without remorse. "

Against your will, tears spill. You can't stop them. Because no one knew. Not even Ichigo. You were good about keeping it to yourself. There's a part of you that wants to believe that it's all a lie. That he wasn't some monster. But he'd played with Ichigo when he was at his weakest. You were standing right there when your memories finally returned. Ginjo looked you in the eye and stabbed you without a second thought. He just left you there to bleed out on the ground in the rain.

"I was there when they brought you back to the soul society. You were hurt. But not because of the pain."

You want to swallow, but there's a thickness in your throat that won't even allow the action.

"I didn't bring this up to put you through more pain. I just want you to realize that those feelings aren't a weakness. You're allowed to hurt. Something I've learned from humanity, it's that those emotions, they make you strong. Ichigo is living proof of that. So are you. Give yourself that luxury to embrace. You survived. You're strong. Much stronger than you realize."

He's facing you, and somehow his words bring up all those painful feelings. You really thought that once you finally embraced the truth, it would internally kill you. But as you stood there, bearing everything, it felt like exactly what you needed.

Jushiro took another step to you, and you cried. Right there, in the middle of the squad barracks.

He just placed a hand on your shoulder and pulled you closer.

That was enough.

~~~

"YOU IDIOTS!! WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN BRUISES!!"

Visits to the Soul Society were the new normal.

What you didn't expect is Ichigo and Renji walking into the fourth squad, battered from head to toe.

"He started it." Renji grumbled.

You smacked them both over the head and they yelled.

"Sit down and shut up before I put you both three feet in the ground!!!!"

Nothing else was said.

You healed Renji first because you knew he had a mission tomorrow. All the more reason for him not to go out looking for trouble. After thanking you with a wolfish smile, he was off.

Ichigo didn't even complain. You know it was more out of fear.

"You've gotten better. You mastered those kido's pretty fast."

You grin.

"You sound surprised. I'm a little rusty from all that lack of practice, but I still got it."

The green glow emitting from your hands brought him a strange sense of warmth.

"Thanks for always sticking by me."

His head was lowered, and you raised a brow.

"You say it like I had a choice. If I didn't you'd probably get up to who knows what. Rukia can only do so much, you know."

You expected some kind of retaliation, but he said nothing.

"Is everything okay?"

He looked off to the side.

"Back then, I knew about Ginjo. How you felt."

You stopped abruptly, and Ichigo turned. You looked a bit panicked, and Ichigo shook his head, taking your hand.

"You don't have to defend yourself. I..I've known for a while. I just thought that if I didn't say anything, it would hurt you less. I trusted him, so did you. For us it's different. I'm sorry that I made you go through that."

You shake your head, and when you wrap your hands around his neck and hug him, Ichigo froze. He's a bit stunned for a second, but then his hand slowly lowers, and he smiles, returning the embrace.

"Thanks for always saving us Ichigo."

In a lot of ways, that's the truth.