Fanfic Contest: Cycle 1, Round 1
Title: Casualty
Author: utahimelorelei
Characters: Chad/Ichigo (one-sided)
General: Tragedy/Introspective
Rating: PG
Word Count: 751
Summary: Taken from the first pages of chapter 201. Chad reflects on his relationship with Ichigo--the battles they'd fought together, and the silent war he fought alone--and the end of it all. Hopefully it isn't too horrible, as I'm not too good at writing Chad imho.
He ran.
Like the blood that poured freely from his chest, he ran.
Like the sweat that now dripped from his every pore, he ran.
Like the breath that fell raggedly from his lips, he ran.
Away from his shame, he ran.
Take Cover.
Leave this up to me.
The words echoed in him, like a hot July rain upon a tin roof--uncomfortable, and unescapable, the atmosphere so stifiling that it makes everything harder to breathe. He wanted to escape them, like a bird wishes to escape the storm, flying unabashedly through the flashes of lightning and the echoes of thunder until it finally finds its place to rest--or is tossed about at the mercy of the winds, until it is finally knocked from the sky.
He wondered when the storm gales had really begun to shear him off-course, and send him on his trip to the ground.
They had always fought side by side, back to back--one protecting the other. It had always been that way, ever since they'd really met, ever since Ichigo'd saved him that first time. After that, it was a mutual bond, the two watching over each other like a pair of war-born brothers, meeting whatever challenge or difficulty deemed to rear its ugly head at them.
There had been only one challenge he'd had to face alone; and it was something that Ichigo could never help with.
It was also something that only Ichigo could solve.
But, that was before the days of the Shinigami. The days before they'd had to fight anything more than just other people--who, while they had the chance to be lethal--had no candle to hold against even the weakest of the creatures that had since become commonplace in their lives. The days before her.
He'd passed by the black haired girl in his flight--the girl who'd truly begun the cycle of events that had spurred them all on the path they were on now--and given Ichigo more strength than anyone ever could have, in body as well as in heart. She'd been the one that he had relied on, the one that he'd listened to--even over those he'd known for years. She'd been the one who'd pulled him from his depression after the first arrancar attack, and set him back on his feet.
Her very presence, and the thought of what he'd done for her had been what had spurred him to run into Soul Society--into what could have been certain death just to save her life. And, to support Ichigo, he himself had followed him into that unknown. For, if she was important to Ichigo, she was important to him.
But, he couldn't deny that it was the involvement they all now had with her world had been what had set the day's events in motion, at least to some degree.
He also couldn't deny that unwittingly it was she that had made the solitary war he was fighting become all the more taxing.
He knew Ichigo's feelings for her, and he knew she reciprocated, even if both of them were loathe to show it.
He also knew own feelings for Ichigo couldn't compare--even he'd known for a while they'd not be returned, at least in the manner he'd wished. He'd decided long ago he would fight the war silently inside, while fighting alongside Ichigo on the outside--it was the best thing he could do; he'd keep his promise to his friend and beloved--and protect him, as the token of his emotion and loyalty.
And now, even that was taken--as Ichigo'd saved him one more time from the arrancar Di Roy, stopping a strike that given only one second more would have ended his life. He'd wanted to fight alongside Ichigo--as they always had done, and vowed they would do; ever since that day under the bridge when they fought back to back for their lives.
But Ichigo had refused him.
His feet came to a crashing halt against the street as he turned to look back toward the grounds of the fight--still feeling the presences laying heavily upon the air like a miasma, making the whole world feel ill at ease. He shook his head, letting his gaze fall to the ground with a sigh.
When did I fall so far behind that I can no longer stand at your back, Ichigo?
Bringing his head up, he looked toward the fight once more; one thought standing alone in his mind--the last thoughts of the bird tossed by the winds, laying forgotten in the grass staring toward where he once belonged.
The war was over---and he was the only casualty.
Author: utahimelorelei
Characters: Chad/Ichigo (one-sided)
General: Tragedy/Introspective
Rating: PG
Word Count: 751
Summary: Taken from the first pages of chapter 201. Chad reflects on his relationship with Ichigo--the battles they'd fought together, and the silent war he fought alone--and the end of it all. Hopefully it isn't too horrible, as I'm not too good at writing Chad imho.
He ran.
Like the blood that poured freely from his chest, he ran.
Like the sweat that now dripped from his every pore, he ran.
Like the breath that fell raggedly from his lips, he ran.
Away from his shame, he ran.
Take Cover.
Leave this up to me.
The words echoed in him, like a hot July rain upon a tin roof--uncomfortable, and unescapable, the atmosphere so stifiling that it makes everything harder to breathe. He wanted to escape them, like a bird wishes to escape the storm, flying unabashedly through the flashes of lightning and the echoes of thunder until it finally finds its place to rest--or is tossed about at the mercy of the winds, until it is finally knocked from the sky.
He wondered when the storm gales had really begun to shear him off-course, and send him on his trip to the ground.
They had always fought side by side, back to back--one protecting the other. It had always been that way, ever since they'd really met, ever since Ichigo'd saved him that first time. After that, it was a mutual bond, the two watching over each other like a pair of war-born brothers, meeting whatever challenge or difficulty deemed to rear its ugly head at them.
There had been only one challenge he'd had to face alone; and it was something that Ichigo could never help with.
It was also something that only Ichigo could solve.
But, that was before the days of the Shinigami. The days before they'd had to fight anything more than just other people--who, while they had the chance to be lethal--had no candle to hold against even the weakest of the creatures that had since become commonplace in their lives. The days before her.
He'd passed by the black haired girl in his flight--the girl who'd truly begun the cycle of events that had spurred them all on the path they were on now--and given Ichigo more strength than anyone ever could have, in body as well as in heart. She'd been the one that he had relied on, the one that he'd listened to--even over those he'd known for years. She'd been the one who'd pulled him from his depression after the first arrancar attack, and set him back on his feet.
Her very presence, and the thought of what he'd done for her had been what had spurred him to run into Soul Society--into what could have been certain death just to save her life. And, to support Ichigo, he himself had followed him into that unknown. For, if she was important to Ichigo, she was important to him.
But, he couldn't deny that it was the involvement they all now had with her world had been what had set the day's events in motion, at least to some degree.
He also couldn't deny that unwittingly it was she that had made the solitary war he was fighting become all the more taxing.
He knew Ichigo's feelings for her, and he knew she reciprocated, even if both of them were loathe to show it.
He also knew own feelings for Ichigo couldn't compare--even he'd known for a while they'd not be returned, at least in the manner he'd wished. He'd decided long ago he would fight the war silently inside, while fighting alongside Ichigo on the outside--it was the best thing he could do; he'd keep his promise to his friend and beloved--and protect him, as the token of his emotion and loyalty.
And now, even that was taken--as Ichigo'd saved him one more time from the arrancar Di Roy, stopping a strike that given only one second more would have ended his life. He'd wanted to fight alongside Ichigo--as they always had done, and vowed they would do; ever since that day under the bridge when they fought back to back for their lives.
But Ichigo had refused him.
His feet came to a crashing halt against the street as he turned to look back toward the grounds of the fight--still feeling the presences laying heavily upon the air like a miasma, making the whole world feel ill at ease. He shook his head, letting his gaze fall to the ground with a sigh.
When did I fall so far behind that I can no longer stand at your back, Ichigo?
Bringing his head up, he looked toward the fight once more; one thought standing alone in his mind--the last thoughts of the bird tossed by the winds, laying forgotten in the grass staring toward where he once belonged.
The war was over---and he was the only casualty.