InsaneJournal

First-Attempt-At-Angst Fic, "Goodbye"
Sorry I’m going out of order with these requests, I’m just writing as the inspiration hits me. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish all of them soon, though.

Title: Goodbye
Author: haruomi
Rating: PG-13
Character(s)/Paring(s): Ichigo/Orihime, mentions of others
Disclaimer: Kubo Tite owns my soul Bleach and its characters. I just borrow them for fun.
Warnings: DEATH FIC. Blood. Spoilers (kind of). The works.
Notes and dedication: For fly_ylf on LJ, at her request. I hope I actually pulled this off! …See any mistakes?

It hurts to speak around the pain in her chest and a mouthful of blood, but Orihime somehow manages it anyway.

“…Ku-…Kurosaki-kun.”

“Don’t say anything, Inoue,” he tells her quickly, trying to stop the bleeding with his bare hands. “Save your strength.”

She tries to blink back the tears that are blurring her vision, but she can’t seem to get a clear view of his face. It only makes her cry harder.

“…Sorry…” she says between sobs, “…I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry I got in the way.

I’m sorry for being a burden, even at the end.

“Don’t apologize,” Kurosaki-kun says immediately. He pushes down harder on her wound, but she can feel her blood seep through his fingers, and knows that her time is running out. “Just hang on, Inoue. Don’t leave me.”

I want to stay with you forever, Kurosaki-kun, Orihime thinks.

All things considered, she really doesn’t want to die, but at least she won’t be leaving this world with any regrets. She destroyed the Hougyoku and protected the boy she loved from his enemies. Even if this is in the end for her, she can say that her life wasn’t completely worthless.

“…-ue! Inoue! Damn it, Inoue. Don’t die on me!”

Orihime blinks into consciousness, trying to focus on Kurosaki-kun’s voice. She could just be imagining it, but it sounds like he’s crying. And that scares her.

She’s never heard him so frightened before, so vulnerable.

Reaching out with trembling hands, she holds his face and wipes his tears away with her cold fingers. She wants to say something to comfort him -wants to make false promises that everything will be okay- but Kurosaki-kun is suddenly pressing his lips against hers, and she never gets the chance to.

If things had turned out differently, Orihime would be happy that they’re sharing their first kiss with each other, but it actually just makes her sob into his mouth. Because she can’t taste him.

She can’t taste Kurosaki-kun past the blood and the pain and the tears.

“I love you, Inoue,” he tells her when they part. She feels his tears fall on her face and clumsily wipes at his eyes. “I know I should have told you sooner, but I love you.”

“…I love you…” Orihime replies gently, smiling. Even though it hurts. Even though her entire body feels numb. Even though everything is so cold. She’ll keep on smiling. For him.

Goodbye, everyone, she thinks as the darkness overtakes her, Thank you for coming to rescue me.

Thank you for sacrificing so much to save me, Kurosaki-kun.

I love you.

…Goodbye.