Bleach FanFic: Cry For You

"To face the truth, you have to leave the past..."

Blood. Corpses. Death. Defeated. Written reports by Shinigamis involved in the last war.

It is not the Shinigami who had lost, though, but Aizen's.

Finally, the bastard had enough.

The battle fruited. The Gotei won.

However, the ones who outlived death never knew what life beyond every war.

Including the Sixth Squad captain Byakuya Kuchiki.

The noble's immaculate facade and elegant grace did not change even once. He is one extreme example of a void man, a soldier who followed orders, an aristocrat setting rules to oblige with silent chain chaining his voice, chaining his arm and life, never did he choose what's good for him, nor ever did he choose what's best for him. That is what he lives for, the real meaning of his name. Obedience. Half of his life was nothing but discipline, a mere figurehead. Now the war was over, he must return to where they needed him most, and thus of all reasons, Byakuya wished he was dead.

Whoever Gods watching him right now, they do not intend to give him the opportunity.

Not yet, at least.

Now, with his torn, bloodstained haori and Senbozakura by his hand, he looked beyond the emptiness of the horizon as lifeless Arancars and unnamed bodies scattered across the dull white sand...

Of which now pooled in red.

He closed his eyes and perceived what was there...

Red.

Crimson.

The war was over and he should rejoice it, but how, if all he sees was...

The Sixth Squad Fukitaicho was not at his side right now. Of the entire mission, this has been the strangest battle Byakuya ever engaged in. No one is guarding his back, no one is complaining about how arrogant the noble really was. He disregards the guarding of course, since Byakuya was powerful enough to defend himself, but Renji...

Byakuya sighed. Renji is Renji. His insights and annoying outburst made him an emblem of all prodigies, of which, and surprisingly, Byakuya was so proud of it.

However, Renji Abarai was gone, dead for almost two years after the Karakura town incident. Abarai was infected by a disease, which lately turned him into a killer, a remote creature of Aizen. He killed most of the Shinigamis, innocent people and the likes. This was a huge impact for the Gotei, let alone for Byakuya as the captain Renji used to work with. Sotaicho demands the incarceration of the lieutenant of Squad Six immediately, disregarding the pleas and beseech of each and everyone closest to Abarai, for the reason soldiers of the Gotei must have no exception for such sympathy, so the protector of Sereitei must obey, including and especially Byakuya. Renji's previous glory would never save him from his existing ill. He turned into a killer and, if the opportunity arises, thus accountable to die. All eyes on the noble when Central 46 bid them the task, and they knew behind those egotistical steel-gray eyes were pain. Abarai-fukitaicho and Kuchiki-taicho developed more than kin relationship, and Byakuya prayed someone would stab him in the chest the time he heard the command. Sotaicho said it was the best of all. If Renji was gone, the disease will die with him. If not, then the plague continues. Byakuya must choose between his duty and his heart. It was hard for him as for everyone else, but he must choose what was necessary.

And when Renji attacked Kurakura Town, that is when Byakuya's choose what he thought was best for all.

All was hazed, blurred. The only thing Byakuya remembered that time was Senbonzakura, his own sword, plunged into the tattooed monster's possessed body, and the words "thank you" splits Renji's blooded lips before closing his eyes. It took days before Byakuya to peel away from the lifeless form of the comrade. His reatsu flared each time a Shinigami is somewhere near the proximity of Renji.