Dabbling with Drabbles - Bleach

Darker Days

Title: Darker Days

Pairings: ShunUki

Words: 922

Warnings: Light Shounen-ai and Angst.

Dedication: To SingBenihime, who suggested this prompt: "Darker Days". Thanks so much!

The sun felt warm against his skin, the breeze cool and inviting as it danced through his long ivory hair, the soft tresses brushing against his cheeks. It was a dawning of a beautiful day...yet, Ukitake could not fully appreciate such a morning. The sights and wonders that had for centuries brought a smile to his face he will no longer see.

He now only saw darkness; no light, no colour. Just complete blackness. Fate had delivered a finally blow to a man who was once filled with eternal hope. He was now cursed to live in darker days.

Now, he was blind.

The day that he was thrown into eternal darkness was a day that he could only remember through fragments of memories. It happened so fast; full 20-20 vision to sudden darkness. A hoard of Hollows, an innocent child lost and surrounded, an Espada he didn't notice, a powerful liquid substance purposely poured upon him. It was a trap, he was certain of it. He was used by the enemy to leave a mark, to make a statement to the rest of the Seireitei and Gotei 13.

And it worked.

They were down one more captain.

He was utterly useless now. While it was true there was a possibility that he could re-train himself to become a fighter by relying on his other senses, it was not to be. For the poison also affected his body, his illness ravaging him with for more potency than usual. He was bedridden.

And utterly worthless.

He couldn't even comfort his Division, all of them devastated by what had happen to their captain. There were no words he could say to them other than to say he was dying; slowly and without a hint of honour.

Clutching at the blanket that was folded across his lap as he sat upon his futon, the doors to his room open for the sounds of nature to try to offer a small sense of comfort, Ukitake bit his lips together. He could feel tears once again begin to well in his eyes, which were hidden by thick white bandages, placed there for comfort, as well as to keep the true extent of the painful burn marks away from his already traumatised Division.

Don't cry, he ordered himself as a small sob threatened to pass his lips, his hands now trembling in his lap.

That sob, however, was released when a familiar reiatsu curled around him like a soft blanket, the scent of flowers and Sake making the need to cry harder to withstand. He couldn't...he couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't keep doing this to Shunsui.

That man had been through so much because of him already, he didn't deserve anymore pain. He had been by his side for so long, taking care of him, watching over him.

No more.

"Juushiro?"

"This will be the last day you'll have to do this for me, Shunsui," Ukitake said abruptly as he trembled, the bandages around his eyes already becoming soaked with tears. "I'm sorry for everything."

"What do you mean?" Shunsui immediately asked, his presence moving closer to Ukitake on the futon. The concern was evident in his voice; Ukitake didn't need to see the fear and weariness within those magnificent silver eyes.

"Juushiro?"

"I'm...letting you go," Ukitake managed to say, as painful as it was; he knew this was for the best. "You don't have to be trapped with me anymore, Shunsui. You...you deserve to be free. I will only bring you down."

"Juushiro..."

Lifting his head, Ukitake turned in the direction he sensed Shunsui was in and tried to smile, although he was certain he wasn't successful after hearing a sharp intake of air coming from Shunsui. "You're free now."

Shunsui's reiatsu shifted and Ukitake felt his heart break, but then, he felt something warm curl around his arm and he knew immediately that it was Shunsui's hand. Then, a sharp tug and he felt himself be suddenly enveloped in a familiar warmth, a somewhat furry sensation brushing against his cheek as two powerful arms wrapped so tightly around him that he couldn't move.

"I'm not going anyway, Juushiro," Shunsui told him bluntly, firmly, his chin resting on the top of his head. "And I am most certainly not going to let you go without a fight."

Ukitake tried to push against him, but he was too weak, too frail to do anything other than bury his face against Shunsui's chest, a sob escaping his lips. "Shunsui, please..."

"Listen to me, Juushiro," Shunsui commanded gently. "I love you; I have since the day we've met. My freedom is with you, I can only be free when I'm with you."

Ukitake ruefully shook his head as it was the only thing he could really do. "B-but...I can't see you, anymore!" he blurted out, his eyes now and truly stinging from the torrent of tears that could not be stopped. "I want to see you again!"

"You can see me with your fingertips," Shunsui whispered to him as he ran his fingers through his long white hair. "Stay strong, Juu-chan. There may be a chance for your sight to return. Keep hope alive."

"Hope," Ukitake repeated as he pushed himself deeper into Shunsui's arms and clung to him with desperation. "You are the only one who has given me hope all of these years, Shun. Please, don't leave me now."

"I told you, dearest Juushiro," Shunsui whispered and kissed the top of his head. "I'm not going anywhere."