Hopelessly Devoted to You (Gin Ichimaru love story)

Chapter 32

"Shall we take a look around, Neko-chan?" The desolate frozen landscape and the daunting teal sky; Gin knew this place all too well. Only lost hopes and treacherous dreams were left behind. Why here of all places? The silver-haired man looked down at Neko who still refused to answer him. He noticed the subtle twitching of her fingers. "What's wrong Neko-chan? Cat got yer tongue~?"

Neko looked down with a somber gaze. She began to walk ahead when Gin's smile faltered. Judging by her body language alone he assumed there was something out there that she was afraid of. Yet walking out there now, it seemed to him that whatever it was, it was inevitable.

Gin followed after her. He reached out for her hand and took it in his own, intertwining their fingers together. "I promised ta protect ya, remember that? That still hasn't changed. I won't let anything hurt you as long as we're together."

The girl's aquamarine eyes shadowed concern, but a soft smile appeared on her lips. That was all Gin needed to feel reassured.

The two started as the snow fell from the heavens to lightly touch their skin. The scene was rather calming. Neko's company gave Gin a sense of comfort and belonging instead of being left with solitude and loneliness. He liked that about her.

Neko came to an abrupt stop with her eyes focused on something in front of them. Her grip on Gin's hand tightened.

"Neko, what's wrong?" Gin looked in the same direction but only saw the snow.

Suddenly, Neko let go of him and bolted through the white powder without a second thought.

"Neko!" Gin instinctively reached out a hand to pull her back but fell short. He tried to follow after her but she only seemed to be getting farther and farther away. "Neko come back!" He continued to chase her even after she had disappeared from sight. Soon he stopped to catch his breath and noticed there were no footprints in the snow ahead. He turned back to see his own disappearing. "Neko!" he called out once more.

No answer.

Everything looked the same. No buildings, no landmarks, just snow. Red snow? Gin's attention fell to the small dots of red beginning to appear on the ground. He held out his hand to see a red snowflake gently touch and melt against his palm. He opened his ice blue orbs as memories flowed back to him. Yelling, accusations, and blood. "No, it can't be." He looked around once more as he started to come to a realization. In front of him, red letters formed in the snow. 'T...r...u...t...h.'

The truth.

The words he saw in his mind, the nightmare he endured, being here, it wasn't a mistake. Not at all. Gin felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He looked up to the sky with a pained expression. The manifestation of fears. Her fears. "It can't be. It can't be her."

*****

I ran through the snow, finding the familiar wooden house coming into view. I drew my zanpakutou the second I burst through the door. "Show yourself!"

In the middle of the room was a man wearing a black cloak. His face was concealed except for a mocking grin.

"I said show yourself, Aizen!"

The man removed the hood over their head. Black blocker glasses, wavy brown hair, and piercing chocolate eyes. "You caught on quick, Neko. I'm impressed."

"Tch, the hint of spiritual pressure you gave off was enough for me to know. Don't mock me and wipe that smile off your face while you're at it." If anything I was more bothered by his stupid glasses.