#bleach self insert | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hanatoumahi · 20 days ago

Text

Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Paper Cranes

Synopsis: Movie watching was a tradition that you and Jushiro have every Saturday. It was your turn that week, and your pick was The Notebook. “Will you be a bird with me?” Warning: Fluff, Angst, Modern AU, Spoilers for The Notebook, Ukitake is not terminally ill until later in his life, Established Relationship (Married), Death A/N: I watched The Notebook before writing this fic (it's been, like, two weeks since I've started). I'm sorry if it feels a little weird in some parts, December was a busy month for me and I kind of rushed this. This wasn't for Ukitake Week '24 originally, but I'll post it anyway since it does fit the theme (Day 7: Birthday)

WC: 6.5k (roughly, give or take a few)

August

“Say that I’m a bird!” Allie squealed, excitedly flapping her arms up and down. You had convinced Jushiro to watch The Notebook with you, a movie that he had avoided after hearing the “horror stories” about it. It was a warm Saturday night in August. You and Jushiro had a tradition of watching movies together; it was your turn tonight.You watch as Noah profusely says no until finally giving in,

“You are a bird.”

“Now say that you’re a bird, too.”

“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird,” he smiled before Allie pulled him close, kissing him with all the love in the world. You peek up at Jushiro who had his eyes laser-focused on the endearing scene before him. His arms were wrapped around your body, your back pressed against his chest and your head resting on the crook of his neck. You turn around, facing him with a cheeky grin on your face. He raises his brow, “What is it, love?”

Your grin grew wider, the corners of your lips reaching your eyes. Wriggling out of his arms, you face him, “Say that I’m a bird, Jushiro.”

Amused, he thoughtfully puts a finger on his chin, contemplating if he should play along, “What if I say no?”

“Say it!”

“No.” You gave him a look, earning you a chuckle from your lover, “You’re a bird,” he relents.

“Will you be a bird with me?”

“Of course, my love, why wouldn’t I be?” he replied, pressing a tender kiss on your forehead. You close your eyes and lean your forehead closer, relishing the comforting feeling. Satisfied, you wrapped his arms and continued to watch

By the time The Notebook end, both you and Jushiro were in tears. Him more than you, however.

“Never again! That was too sad, even for me!” Jushiro exclaimed, wiping his bleary eyes with his sleeves. You giggled, this wasn’t the first time you had watched The Notebook, but it was Jushiro’s so you came prepared with tissues. Unraveling yourself from the tangle of limbs you two were in, you sat on his lap facing him. Gently grasping his chin, you told him to close his eyes. They flutter shut as you softly padded the tissue over his damp face, you admired him quietly. His long white hair had been tied back in a low ponytail, and his bangs stuck on his face because of his tears but he looked beautiful all the same. “I’m done,” you say, throwing the crumpled tissue on the coffee table. He opens his eyes, looking up at you through his long lashes, “Thank you.”

You look at him for a moment, admiring him for a little longer before whispering, “I hope that we can grow old together like that, too,” as you cradle his face in your palms. The warmth of your hands against his cold face made him melt into your touch. He buried his face into your hand. Kissing your palm, he replied:

“I as well, my love.”

You stared at each other, smiling stupidly. He twitched, an indicator that a fit was about to occur. Jushiro readied his elbow; violent, dry coughing soon followed, shaking your husband’s body. Climbing out of his lap, you walk into the kitchen to fetch him a glass. Casting a concerned glance his way, you brush his white hair out of his face and give him the water. At first, you both thought that it was just a cough, but now it had been weeks and the cough only turn nastier. He call off from work for a few weeks, and yet, he still wasn’t getting any better, “We should get this checked out.”

“Mmm, I’m sure it’s nothing. It’s just a cough, I’ll be better soon,” he smiled reassuringly, sipping his water before reaching over to set it down on the table.

“Still, I’m worried.”

“If it sets your mind at ease, we can schedule an appointment tomorrow.”

Satisfied with his answer, you bury yourself under his arms once more. Just as you reach for the remote, Jushiro’s hand snatches it away from your grasp.

“Hey!”

“This time I’m choosing!”

That following Sunday, you had driven him to his doctor’s office, not trusting the state your husband was in to drive. You remember that day clearly. It was sunny, but not too hot. The birds chirp and tweet in delight–there was a sweetness to the air. The kind that, when you take a deep breath and exhale, leaves you a giddy feeling knowing that summer is here.

“You fret too much, love. I can drive just fine,” Jushiro said as you two walked into the clinic.

You looked at him incredulously, “With how you’re coughing, you’re lucky I haven’t wrapped you in bubble wrap!”

He shook his head while smiling, “You worry too much.”

November

That was August. It was November now, and months had gone by without incident. The doctors weren’t able to decisively diagnose him, they noted that it was most likely some fibrosis-related issue. However, since Jushiro seemed fine, aside from the coughing, they couldn’t do much besides prescribe some antibiotics and puff medicine. At the very least, the medicine was working effectively, so life moved on as usual.

“Oh, look! It’s snowing outside!”

“Wow, the snow’s come early this year. Do you think I could go outside?”

“I don’t know, Jushiro. You might catch a cold,” you reply, biting your lip. You knew he dearly loved the snow, and depriving him of it made you feel bad.

“I think I can weather a cold just fine,” he jokes.

“Oka–Hey!” you yelp, a snowball narrowly missing your cheek.

“Sorry!” he laughed, readying another snowball before aiming.

“That’s not fair! You had a headstart!” you scream, dashing behind the car for protection. You crouch and start packing snow into a tight ball, you peer around the corner to get a better view. But to your surprise, he wasn’t where you thought he was. Confused, you stand up and carefully round the corner slowly. Hoping to keep your element of surprise.

A loud cough cracks through the quiet air like a whip, causing you to snap your head up.

“Jushiro!” spotting him kneeling in the snow, “Let’s get you inside.” You shoulder his weight, he leans onto your smaller frame for support causing you to stagger. His thin arms dug into the side of your ribs, causing you to cringe in pain.

“S-sorry,” he wheezes, stabilizing his footing as the two of you trudge through the snow.

“We need to get you out of those clothes now.”

Hurrying into your house, you lead Jushiro into your living room, “Stay here, I’ll get you new clothing,” you yell, dashing out of the room. Throwing your closet doors open, you grab an armful of thick sweaters and a change of pants.

“No more snow for you, Mister,” you jest, attempting to lighten the mood. Lifting the hem of his sweater, you wipe his back with a hand towel.

“Oh,” he rasps, “I’ll be fine, love—A little snow can’t hurt.”

“Lay with me?”

Without saying a word, you crawl into bed and curl up next to him.

A loud, crackling cough startled you awake the following morning. You sit up and whip your head towards Jushiro, who lay beside you. His complexion was paler, and beads of sweat ran down his cheek.

“I don’t… feel too good…” Jushiro croak weakly, his voice gravelly and low. Your stomach dropp, Did he have a fever? Putting the back of your hand against his temple, He was burning. jumping out of b you grabb the thermometer in your nightstand’s drawer. You brush his bangs to the side and hover the thermometer gun over his forehead.

Beep. Beep.

You stare at the screen, waiting for the results to load.

… It read 40° C.

Fuck.

“We need to get you to the hospital,” sitting Jushiro up. His back was drenched with sweat, leaving a large, dark stain on the b.

You help him into another change of clothes, careful to layer him.

Locking the front door, you shuffle Jushiro to your car.

“Pneumonia.”

You watch as the assistant nurse clicks-clack away at the doctor’s diagnosis.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Ukitake. He’ll need to stay in the hospital so we can monitor his condition. He’ll be transferred to one of our private rooms as soon as possible.”

Though you nod, you can feel your heart break a little. You didn’t want to be away from him no matter what.

“Should his condition worsen,” the doctor began slowly, “He’ll need assisted breathing, that is one of your options if you want it.”

Jushiro squeezes your hand, you were met with his smile when you turn to him, “Thank you, I’ll talk to my wife about it.”

”I’ll leave you two to talk then,” the doctor replies, making eye contact with the nurse as he nods to the door. She reciprocates his nod and finishes up the last of her documentation.

You turn to Jushiro as soon as the two leave, your hands becoming clammy with anxiety at the thought of him alone in a hospital room, “Will you be okay?”

“I’ll manage, darling. Don’t worry, okay? I’ll be out soon.”

“I’ll visit as often as I can, okay?”

Squeezing your hand once more, he replies, “I’ll look forward to them.”

Ding!

The elevator door slides open. You make your way down the hall, holding a box of ohagi in one hand and a bag of clothes in the other. It was the following day, and you had requested time off work to spend the first few nights at the hospital with Jushiro. You had wanted to stay last night, but it was too late to call in.

Knock, knock.

“Come in!” you hear a familiar voice call out beyond the door.

Pushing down the handle with your elbow, you enter Jushiro’s room. It was quaint, his bed was off to the left and parallel to the large windows that overlook the garden. Various monitors and medical equipment were mounted at one side and on the other were two comfortable-looking blue chairs. Apart from the stained wood wall behind Jushiro’s bed that matched the floors, the walls were painted white. A T.V. was mounted on the far corner of the wall.

He was looking out the window when you entered. You follow his gaze, and you find that he’s staring at a bird’s nest. Shifting his position in bed, he turns his head to you, “Hi, darling.”

“Hey! Bird watching?”

He blushes, a little embarrassed he had been caught, “Yeah, I think there’s a family up there.”

Setting your things down, you walk up to the window, “Oh, yeah. I think there is a family up there.”“What kind of birds do you think they are?” “I don’t know, I can’t see well enough,” you squint, tiptoeing to get a better view. “They reminded me of The Notebook.” Turning around, you smile at him, “Because of the birds?” “Because of the birds,” he nods. “You know, it’s Saturday and it’s my turn to pick…” you trail off, a Cheshire-like grin gracing your features.

“No, not again!” he cried.

You made it a point to visit Jushiro every Saturday to uphold your traditions.

Shunsui was, of course, the first to visit aside from you. The first time he visited, he barrelled into the room while Jushiro was asleep and startled him awake. He frequented Jushiro’s room, barreling in with an armful of snacks, and was often accompanied by his other colleagues. Today was no different, he came barging in with yours and Jushiro’s favorite chips. Which earns a glare from you, nodding towards your sleeping husband. He flashes an apologetic smile, mouthing, “Rukia’s here too.”

As if on cue, she steps into the room, “Hi, Y/N-san, I hope we aren’t intruding.”

“Nonsense, Rukia, you two aren’t a bother at all,” you

“Hm? What were you two watching?” asks Rukia, peering over your shoulder.

“Oh, we were watching The Notebook,” you reply, casting a glance at your laptop's screen. It was paused on the boat scene where Noah was rowing Allie through the lake, “Well, I am. He doesn’t like it all that much because of its ending.”

Shunsui put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. He stares intently at the birds on your screen, and you raise a brow, but before you can ask what was the matter, he suddenly exclaims, a lightbulb in his head shining brightly: “Senbazuru!”

“Bless you.”

“No, senbazuru!”

Blinking owlishly, you look at Rukia who, much to your dismay, also mirrors your confusion, “What?”

“You know, fold 1,000 paper cranes?” he continues as if he were stating the obvious.

Perplex, you question him again, “Paper cranes? Why?”

“You don’t know what senbazuru is? It’s this old legend that, if you fold 1,000 paper cranes, your wish will be granted! But you only have one, so be careful what you wish for,” he clarifies, giving you his signature smile.

Finally understanding what he was hinting at, you look at Jushiro who was sleeping, “Yeah, maybe…” you trail off.

“I’ll bring origami paper next time I visit then,” Shunsui said brightly. Smiling at his antics, you look at Jushiro once more, your smile fading slightly. An action that didn’t go unnoticed by your husband’s assistant.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, Y/N-san,” Rukia smiles kindly, putting a hand on your shoulder.

“Yeah! He’s much stronger than you think–trust me, I know,” Shunsui chimes in, flexing his muscles, causing you to laugh. But you knew better.

“I’d appreciate it, thank you.”

“I’ll come back tomorrow with the paper, okay? I just swung by to check up on you two,” Shunsui nodding towards the door. He carefully placed the snacks at the foot of Jushiro’s bed and gestured for Rukia to go first.

“See you soon, Y/N-san!” Rukia waves, beaming brightly.

“See you, you two!”

Jushiro stirs in his sleep before slowly opening his eyes, “Mm… Was Shunsui here?” he asks.

“Ah, yeah he was; he came here to drop by some snacks but didn’t want to wake you, so he left.”

“Shame, I would’ve loved to go talk to him,” he smiles sadly as he props himself up. You’ve noticed that he’s become more tired as of late, which causes your heart to ache.

“He said we should make paper cranes,” you blurt out.

“Paper cranes? What for?”

Biting your lip, you were sure you sounded stupid for what you were about to say, “To make a wish come true.”

What you were referencing dawn on Jushiro. He chuckles–He would’ve asked what you would’ve wished for but he knew the answer.

“Do you know how to fold a crane?”

“No…” you reply sheepishly.

“Come here, I’ll teach you,” Jushiro says, beckoning you to come closer.

“We don’t have paper, though. Shunsui said he’d bring some origami paper tomorrow,” you grimace, not wanting to leave him alone to ask a nurse for paper.

“That’s alright, we’ll…” he trails off, looking for something–anything remotely foldable, “Aha! This’ll do,” Jushiro exclaims as he picks up a candy wrapper. Smoothing out the crinkled plastic, he carefully walks you through each step of making a crane.

“I know it’s a little hard to see, but bear with me a little,” he chuckles, folding the wrapper corner to corner. You lean over his bed, crossing your arms to lay your head in them. You watch intently as he skillfully folds the paper into a crane.

“Ta-da!” cheering as he displays the small papercraft in his palms. Taking the crane from his hand, you marvel at his dexterity to be able to create something so small.

“There, now we have crane number one!” he said triumphantly.

“Knock-knock!” came a muffled, yet familiar, voice.

“Come in!”

Shunsui, in his usual splendor, struts in with a large paper bag with what you assume to be the origami paper. His eyes lit up when he saw his best friend “Jushiro! You’re awake!” he pauses and look at the two of you, a boyish smile resting on his features. You sat on the edge of Jushiro’s bed, braiding his long white hair, “Am I interrupting?”

“You aren’t, don’t worry,” Jushiro laughs weakly, “She’s helping me with my hair since it keeps getting caught in the wires.”

“What’s in there?” you ask, nodding towards the bag, wondering what its contents could be. Surely a stack of colorful paper didn’t warrant a bag of that size.

“I’m glad you asked,” Shunsui grins mischievously as he reaches in and grabs a large, white box, “Voila!”

You gasp as he pulls out a home projector, “Shunsui, you shouldn’t have!”“I figured that watching on your laptop was a little cramped–don’t worry! It wasn’t just from me, everyone pitched in a little, too.” “Tell everyone that they have my thanks, this is very kind of you all,” Jushiro smiles sweetly as Shunsui places the box in his lap.

“And, of course, here’s the origami paper!” he exclaims, plopping a stack of brightly patterned paper still in its plastic onto your husband’s lap.

You took the box from his lap, running your nail through the tape. You study the projector, eyeing its buttons

“It works!”

“Woo!”

“What should we watch?”

The sun slowly eases down the horizon, and bright gradients of blues and pinks fill the sky. Jushiro had fallen asleep hours ago, leaving you and Shunsui to fold the paper cranes in his stead. Shunsui looks out the window and down at his phone’s clock.

“I should go soon.”

“How many cranes did we make today?”

“Counting today…” you point at each crane, quietly iterating each number under his breath, “We made 28 today!”“28 down, 972 more to go!”

Shunsui pauses before exiting the door, he turns and glances at Jushiro one last time before turning to you. He smiles, the kind of smile that telepathically tells the receiver, “It’ll be alright, don’t worry.” You try to muster the strength to return it, but when you do, it isn’t the kind that is comforting, no. It was a defeated type of smile. You saw his eyes soften, was it pity? Comfort? You didn’t know. He motioned for you to follow him, and you shook your head, nodding towards Jushiro.

“It’ll be quick,” he mouths. Biting your lip, you quietly trail after Shunsui. Looking back at your husband, you let out a small sigh and shut the door gently.

Shunsui leans against the wall opposite to the door, “How’ve you been, Y/N?” he asks almost immediately.

“Good–I’ve been… good, you?”

He raises a brow but thankfully doesn’t probe you further, “Same old, same old. Busy as always.”

You hum, staring at your shoes.

“Everyone misses him.”“Mm…”

“How bad has he gotten?”

You let that question hang in the air for a little while, the silence becoming suffocating. You hadn’t verbalized your troubles to anyone, so it felt foreign to you to be so forward with how you felt about it all, “He’s…” you suck in a cold, sharp breath, “He’s been… better.”

“As in?”

“The… doctors tell me he doesn’t have much time left until his condition worsens,” you start slowly, feeling the tears well up, “Maybe, like, a year left? Something like that. And that’s if we’re lucky,” you hiss bitterly.

Suddenly, you felt warmth engulf you, a large hand rubbing your back gently. Knowing the hospital has thin walls, you sob quietly into Shunsui’s chest. You shook violently as he held you steady, letting you soak his shirt with your tears.

“I’m s-sorry,” you hiccup, your hands rubbing your puffy eyes furiously. You realize how stupid you must look to passersby, wailing in the middle of the hallway like that.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. There’s no need to apologize,” he says as he rubs circles on your back, “It’s not anyone’s fault.” He gingerly separates himself from you, patting you gently on the shoulder, “Let’s get you a drink, yeah?”

You trail after him, each footstep that you take feeling heavier than the last. He leads you to a vending machine, asking you what you would like and that it would be on him.

“Water’s fine.”

He punches in the numbers and slides a wrinkly bill into the slot–cursing when the machine refuses to accept it. Eventually, it does and the bottle tumbles down and he reaches into the door to grab it. Giving you the bottle, Shunsui sits next to you. You thank him and sip the water slowly.

“Do you think he’ll get better?” you murmur. Shunsui didn’t look at you for a while, wondering if you meant to say that out loud or not before finally settling on, “I… don’t know.”

A thick, uncomfortable silence settles on your shoulders. You felt small sitting on that bench as you sip quietly on your juice, like a kid who was just sent to the principal’s office and was now waiting for their name to be called.

He turns to you once more, “I should go, I shouldn’t leave Rukia alone for too long.”

“Take care, Y/N.”

“You as well, Shunsui.”

He walks you back to Jushiro’s room, patting your back one last time before he turns to leave. You watch his figure turn the corner, disappearing from your sight. Unlocking the door slowly, you enter the room.

Snow was always a sight that you and Jushiro looked forward to. The stiff winter wind knocks on the hospital's windows as if they were asking the two of you to come out and play. It pains you to look at the snow; it bore as a reminder of when the two of you sought refuge in the thick, warm duvet of your shared bed. Now, there was a different kind of cold that you had not gotten us to.

It reminded you that you were the reason that he was in the hospital.

“I hope the blizzard dies down soon. My joints ache too much in the cold and it’s hard to walk,” Jushiro sighs. You hum in agreement, as much as you both love the snow, the cold was becoming unbearable even with heating. The icy weather seeped through the window cracks, sending chills every once in a while if the wind blew hard enough.

“Yeah, I do, too. It’s hard to drive in this weather.”

“You know, you don’t have to visit me so often, I don’t mind,” you gaped at him, which he quickly waved his hands around and followed up with, “Of course, I love your company but I don’t want me to start affecting your work life!”

“Of course not! You are so much more important than my job Jushiro!”

“I know but,” he looks down, “You’re tired, and you do so much for me already. And I don’t want you to get even more tired.”

“Jushiro, you are the light and love of my life, there is nothing more that I want than to be with you always,” you say, pressing your forehead against his. You could feel his body relax under your touch, making you feel warm inside, “It’s your turn this week, what movie do you want to watch?”

Like the snow that swirled furiously outside, Jushiro’s health took a nosedive in mid-November. He was moved from the Medicine Unit to the Intensive Care Unit as a result. New tubes and wires were hooked onto him; his lungs had begun to deteriorate at a faster rate than you nor the doctors anticipated so he was given an oxygen tank for assisted breathing.

It broke your heart to see Jushiro so frail. Some days he would be wide awake, watching the movies you put on intently and laughing with Shunsui while folding cranes. Other days he was quiet, moving sluggishly, if at all. There were times when you sat in his room for hours just watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful then. His coughing only worsened as well, his once dry hacking turned into a croaking, wet cough that wracked his whole body.

“Y/N.”

Startled you put a hand on your heart, “Ah! You’re awake!” He had slept most of the day away, only waking up when the nurse brought in his lunch. It was evening now, and you, much to your dismay, couldn’t stay the night so you were gathering your things.

“D-do you remember when we first met?” he asks hoarsely.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I? Shunsui wouldn’t leave us alone until we went on a date!” you chuckle fondly, vividly remembering a young Shunsui hounding you and Jushiro until you two became official.

“You were so beautiful, and you’ve only grown more radiant since then,” he chuckles dryly.

You groan, “Absolutely not! I looked so bad!”

The two of you were sophomores in college when you had met, at a party hosted by Shunsui no less. By some miracle, you had befriended Shunsui–a dynamic that you still find funny because you still aren’t exactly sure how the two of you became friends. Jushiro, who still had short hair back then, was introduced to you that night by him. You remember thinking he was so handsome and feeling embarrassed because your hair had refused to cooperate before you came to the party, leaving one side with more volume than the other. Shunsui roared with laughter when you struggled to introduce yourself (you elbowed him later for that).

And then?

Then, the rest was history.

“It’s been so long.”

“It has…”

“Why do you ask?”

“I had a dream of when we were young again. It felt like time had gone backward and I was there again,” he spoke softly, reaching his hand out to the ceiling as if the dream was tangible. But a memory, at the end of the day, is just a memory. You grasp his hand, lacing your fingers between his. He looks at you adoringly, “In sickness and in health, until death do us part,” he breathes quietly.

Your eyes widen. It pains you to hear those words from him again. Squeezing his hands tightly, you reply:

“Until death do us part.”

December

Each time that Shunsui visited, he always brought something. Whether it was snacks, a new CD to watch on the projector, or a bagful of paper cranes from everyone at the workplace, his arms were never empty.

Today, though, he visited empty-handed. Something that didn’t go unnoticed by you.

“I would’ve come sooner, but traffic was giving me hell!”

Giggling, you reply, “It’s okay, Shunsui. No gifts today?”

He dramatically sits on the chair next to you, “No, not today. I had no time, plus! It’s his birthday soon!”

You look over to Jushiro who was sleeping soundly, “What’re you going to get Jushiro for his birthday?”

Shunsui reclined in his chair and folded his arms, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling, “I’m not sure yet. When you’ve been friends for so long, you kind of just forget about the gifts and celebrate together.”

You nodded, "I get that, yeah."

"I'm sure I'll think of something, though," his gaze shifting to the movie in front of him. It was Jushiro's turn this week, he had chosen to watch Kimba: The White Lion, a favorite of his. However, no more than half an hour into the movie he was out cold. It was like this often; him falling asleep mid-movie, meaning that paper crane-making was left to you and Shunsui. Nevertheless, your movie-watching tradition held strong. Even if he was asleep for most of it.

The movie ends soon, and Shunsui rises from his seat, "Same time next week?" "Of course, where else would I be?" you mused. He grinned, tipping his hat and out the door he went, turning the knob and letting go when the door shut to not make noise.

“Oh, look, the snow’s calmed down some.”

He was right, the snow had slowed to a near stop. Beyond the glass and its frosty vignette, the courtyard looks like a winter wonderland.

Knock, knock.

“Come in!”

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Ukitake, I’m just here to check in,” the nurse bow before entering the room.

The nurse studies Ukitake’s vitals, jotting down notes about his health that you couldn’t see.

“Excuse me, do you think I could go out in the snow?” Jushiro ask while turning over his arm so that she could check his IV.

She smiles apologetically, “No, I’m sorry. We don’t allow patients to go outside for safety reasons.”

“Ah, not even if it’s my birthday?”

The nurse chuckles, “No, I’m sorry. Not even for your birthday,” she replies, finishing up the rest of her routine check-up. Putting her clipboard aside, she clicks her pen closed, “Have a good day!”

“Thank you!”

You could tell Jushiro was saddened that he couldn’t go outside, and that’s when an idea hit you.

“I have an idea,” you tell him as you take a plate from the stack.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back!”

He looks at you, perplexed at what you were planning. Marching out of the room and down the hallway, paper plate in hand, you press the elevator button. You wait a couple of seconds before it dings and it opens.

You shivered as you stepped into the courtyard, the biting wind lashing at your face. Crouching down, you scoop up handfuls of snow onto the plate.

“You brought back snow for me?” he laughed, taking the plate from your hand and putting it on his lap.

“Surprise…!”

He smiles and looks at his lap. Jushiro carefully sits up and pokes the soft snow, tracing shapes and circles on it. You lean down, folding your arms and resting your head on them. You watched him quietly as he drew a smiley face in the snow. You giggled; he’s so beautiful.

The longer you stared, the more your brows furrowed. White. The walls, his complexion, the world outside, the snow. It was all white. The longer you stared at him, the more your eyes unfocused until his figure became blurry. white gown he donned and his pale features did little to aid his camouflage. He blends into the snow seamlessly. As if he wasn’t there anymore like the wind had carried him away—as if, he too, was just another one of the snowflakes whisked away by the biting gales of winter.

This pungent, vile feeling of pure, unadulterated hate fester in you. It filled your heart to the brim with guilt knowing that if only you had insisted more, maybe he would’ve gotten a diagnosis faster and that he could’ve had a better chance to live longer. Jushiro reassures you that you were not to blame, that it was his stubbornness that prevented him from getting help, but it did not aid the anxiety that weighed on your shoulders. You hate that Jushiro was ill and that there wasn’t a cure, but most of all, you hate that you were at his illness’ mercy.

“Love? Why’re you crying?”

Your head snaps to Jushiro, his cold hand wiping tears from your cheeks.

“Ah! I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was—” You shied away from him, furiously wiping away your tears with your sleeve. You could feel his stare, and you could practically imagine his face. That look of utter heartbreak.

“Y/N, hey, look at me,” Jushiro says softly, gently cradling your face in his hands. You cast your gaze aside, unable to look him in the eyes, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just…”

“Scared?”

“Yeah, just a little.”Jushiro goes quiet for a little while, unsure of what to say. Finally, his hands let go of your face, and instead, leading your hands to the plate full of snow that had already begun to melt, “Do you see this?”

Curious, you straighten your back a little to see what he has done. On the plate, he drew a stick figure drawing, of what you could only assume to be you two, encapsulated within a heart with v-shaped birds dotting the surrounding area in the snow.

“Remember when I asked you if you would be a bird with me?” you hum, indicating that you remembered, “In our next life, Y/N, I think we should be swans. I hope that we’re swans. Will you be a swan with me in our next life?”

“I will be whatever you want, so long as I’m by your side,” you reply shakily, wiping stray tears, “But why swans?”

“Well, they’re a symbol of love, aren’t they?” he says, nodding to the little birds he drew, “We’ll find each other in our next lives as swans, I’m sure.”

“We should’ve made paper swans instead of cranes then!” you reply cheekily, feeling a little better.

Jushiro beamed, “We should’ve,” His features painfully contort, a vicious cough wracking his body. Rising from your seat, you swiftly reach for the glass of water on his stand and sit on the edge of his bed, handing it to him. Jushiro thanked you for the water and chugged it down like a man dying of thirst.

You rub his back while he sits still, “You should rest so you’ll have energy for the party.”

“Mmm.”

Taking the plate from his lap and putting it on the table, you grab the remote to recline his bed and kiss him softly.

“Here’s to another!” booms Shunsui. Your friends and family were packed into his small hospital room.

“Happy birthday, darling,” you coo, gently kissing his cheek. Even after years of marriage, his face flushed pink, which everyone found endearing. Shunsui, especially, laughed heartily next to him.

“Here comes the cake!” Rukia excitedly took the chocolate dessert from its box. It was beautifully decorated with the right cake-to-frosting ratio. “Yachiru helped us bake it!”

“Hehe!” Yachiru giggled, proudly folding her arms.

“3… 2… 1…” you counted down. Together you blew the cake; a chorus of claps and “Woos!” resounded in the small room.

“Happy Birthday!” everyone cheered in unison.

“Thank you for coming everyone!” you wave as the last of your friends and family leave the room, closing the door gently.

“Eventful day, huh?”

“Yeah, it was nice seeing everyone again though.”

“Darling, if it’s not too much to ask, can we watch The Notebook?”

“The Notebook? But it’s getting late,” you said with a questioning lilt in your voice. Night had fallen, and though you couldn’t see, you knew the moon was nearing the apex of the sky.

“Please?” he begs, pressing hands together and bowing his head–praying you would answer his pleas. You giggle, after all, who were you to refuse?

Taking your laptop out of its sleeve, you boot up your projector to connect. You pull up a chair next to Jushiro’s bed, but before you can sit down, he sits up and scoots over on the small bed, patting the empty spot next to him.

“Are you sure?” you query, wanting to double-check. It had been months since you had shared a bed with him and as much as you wanted to lay beside him, you were scared to lie next to him because of the intricate wires that draped along the mattress. Not wanting to accidentally tug on them and cause an accident.

“Of course, what better way to end my birthday than cuddling with my wife?” he teases, picking up another piece of paper. You felt tears well in your eyes, threatening to spill. Your heart squeezes as you lift the thin blanket, brush the tubes and wires to the side, and climb in. You were careful not to lift too much of the blanket and not to send the cranes at the end of the bed flying.

“How many cranes are we at?” eyeing the colorful origami that lay at your feet.

“976 cranes now, I think,” he responds, looking at his tally.

“We’re so close!”

He smiles knowingly. You both knew the inevitable but turned a blind eye to it. Ignorance is bliss, after all. Even if your wish didn’t come to fruition, passing the time by folding these cranes had become a welcome distraction from what was to come. Laying your head on his shoulder, you carefully link your arm around his so you can both fold more cranes. He reaches to the bedside table and grabs more paper, giving you some. Closing your eyes, you relish this moment. You had not known peace until Jushiro came into your life and swept you off your feet.

“I love you, Jushiro.”“I love you more, Y/N.”

He felt so warm, so very, very warm. The heavy feeling in your chest dissipates as you snuggle your head into his shoulder. Blinking slowly, you watch as the… Amidst your dreams, you felt a hand graze yours, taking the slip of paper between your fingers. Soft, cold lips press a ghostly kiss on your temple, sending a chill down your spine. Causing you to bury yourself more in Jushiro’s warmth. You thought you heard a deep, familiar chuckle–followed by a deep rumble and muffled coughing.

When you woke up, the first thing you notice was the blinding light of the sun that flood the room and stung your eyes; it had stopped snowing. The second was a long, flat beep that rang in your ears. That cold, clammy feeling grips your heart tightly as it pounds loudly in your chest. You kept your eyes shut, squeezing them tightly, taking comfort in the void you saw until colorful shapes and patterns circled round and round. You couldn’t move, his head resting on yours. You didn’t want to move, but you knew you had to. Shifting slightly to face him, you peer through Jushiro’s veil of white hair. His eyes were closed and his tender smile was ever present. Though he felt warm, you were sure it wasn’t his own. You felt like you needed to vomit—to cry out, yet, strangely, no tears came. You swallow thickly, staring at his face; he looks serene, the most you have seen in months.

The third was the cranes that were scatter on his and your lap. Counting each carefully, and double-checking to make sure you were correct, you count 23 colorful cranes.

999…

Clenching your fist, you inhale sharply as you feel a dull pain poking the inside of your sweaty palm. His hands clasp yours, your fingers laced in his tightly. You look down, your eyebrows knitting together in confusion; what was in your hand? You open your hand carefully, not wanting to let Jushiro’s hands just yet. You see a flash of green and white pattern paper in the crevice of your hands. Your lips parted, but no words came out–your throat feeling dry.

In your hand, the 1000th paper crane, one fold from completion.

A/N: I'll remaster this someday, probably. Sorry again if there are grammatical mistakes, I tried proof-reading it but I'm super tired lol.

Thank you for reading, as always!

#ukitakeweek2024 #ukitake jushiro #ukitake jushiro x reader #bleach ukitake #bleach fanfiction #bleach #shunsui kyoraku #bleach thousand year blood war #angst #bleach angst #fanfiction #fanfic #bleach shunsui #kyoraku shunsui #self insert #kyoraku shunsui x reader #tw death

26 notes · View notes

tearawayy · 1 month ago

Text

Caught in your smile. 𝜗𝜚 -

wlw orihime fic .ᐟ.ᐟ

It’s not often you feel this way towards a person, especially not a girl. And it’s not often that same girl shares the same feelings. Was there a reason she drew you in so much? her smile. The way she lit up the room, the way her laugh rang in your head, like an angel sent from above ready to bless everyone around her.

Orihime inoue, was not your average girl, she stood out like a sore thumb, with her bright orange hair and her big brown doe eyes. But that didn’t make her any less beautiful, she adds color to the ocean of brown hair in school. I’ve known her since we were 10, though we talk and hang out a lot, I still feel as if i still have so much to learn about her. Something about her, just makes me wanna hold her close, nobody has ever given me that level of comfort.

It’s early 6:30 am, and I start getting ready for school, lately I’ve been getting all dolled up, just for her, the last time i put pins in my hair and did my hair slightly different, she complimented me, and I felt my face turn beet red. It was so embarrassing but my heart jumped out of my chest. The woman you are orihime.

I finish, going to the front door and slipping on my shoes, bag in hand, I put my headphones in and start walking to school. It’s a nice bright, chilly day outside, and I realize it was a mistake not to where my longer socks and my sweater. In the distance I see orihime, my orihime, her long orange hair blowing in the breeze, and I stand there to admire. She’s a goddess, or that’s at least how I would describe her.

All of a sudden she turns and spots me, her smile widening and she waves at me from afar, I blush, and smile gently as I wave back. And she starts running towards me.

“Y/NNNNN!!!”

There is was, that smile that twigged at your heart everytime. the smile that made you wanna hold her close and do anything in my power to make her keep it.

“HII!!”

I yell back with a smile as I wave her over. She greets me with a hug and I wrap my arms around her, breathing in her scent. She all of a sudden pulls back but still holding the sides of my arms.

“There’s a new bakery down the street by school! Wanna get some treats for breakfast?!

I giggle and nod before speaking.

“You already know my answer hime.”

She giggles and lets go of me, and we start walking to the bakery, the smell slowly gets stronger as the fumes of fresh bread and cakes leaves the stores door, and my tummy rumbles.

“You hungry?”

She asks as she looks at me with those eyes, and I blush out of embarrassment of my loud stomach.

I chuckle

“Yea I’m pretty hungry I forgot to have dinner last night.”

She’s frowns, and that face makes my breath stop.

“Well that’s no good y/n! I’ll make sure to get a lot of stuff for you at the bakery!”

I love when she shows she cares, her saying this made my heart flip 100 times, I blush pink and look away giggling. And I mess with the hem of my skirt because I’m getting nervous. And then I look back in front.

“Don’t worry about me hime, I’ll be fine, and you also don’t need to pay for my breakfast, I promise you.”

She laughs, and bumps shoulders in a playful manner, we get the small shop, and she opens the door for me, the bell rings as we walk in, the warm lighting and aroma makes me happy. Me and her sit in a booth. And we chatter and bit until we pick up our menus. I analyze the menu and figure out what I want placing it back down on the table.

“Figure out what you want yet.?”

I ask gently looking at her.

“Mmmmmm, I think I’m gonna get the milk bread, and the cinnamon bun!”

I smile and nod.

“Sound yummy, I’m gonna get the chai latte, and the croissant.”

We wait a couple minutes, maybe about 20 minutes, and the time is about 7:10 am, I look outside the window next to us, and relax into the seat underneath me. I feel eyes on me but I’m to caught with my own thoughts to look around. I hear the sound of the waiter bringing our treats, and I turn and see orihime looking at me for a split second, but she suddenly turns to the waiter at the end of our table, and we smile saying thank you.

“Oh wow!!! It looks so good!”

I smile at her and chuckle as I take a sip of my warm coffee and closing my eyes savoring it. As I open my eyes back up I see her digging into her bread, but who can blame her, it smells and look amazing, and I’m sure the taste isn’t any different.

“How is it.?”

I ask her she looks up mouth full of food and gives me a thumbs up, I giggle at her silly demeanor and take a bite of my croissant.

Suddenly she swallows down her food in one big gulp and looks up at me with a smile.

“Wanna try it? It’s really good!”

My eyes widen at her sudden request as I cover my mouth while chewing on my food, I muffle my answer in some sort of form of “sure”

I take a bite of the cloudy, soft, delicate bread and smile as the taste dances on my taste buds. Suddenly a soft finger comes up to the corner of mouth, wiping off whatever was left. My eyes look up to see orihime gently wiping off the crumb left of my face. And I feel myself get hot. She looks into my eyes and for a moment I didn’t look away. My lips part and she pulls back, and I look down at my plate, and my hair frames my face, hiding my red cheeks. I feel myself shaking.

“W-well are you done, wanna get out of here.?”

I ask her quietly.

She smiles and nods at me,we leave our pay on the table and grab our bags we walk out and start heading the school, the silence lingers, and it’s killing me. Did it weird her out when I stared back at her.? I hope not. And just before we got the school zone. She stops in her tracks and holds my arm to stop me. I turn and look at her. She’s looking down at her feet, shuffling in her spot, her face is flushed, and her eyes are lidded as if she’s trying to hide herself.

“Y/n..”

She starts.

“y-yea.?”

I ask gently, as I turn towards her facing her direction. She suddenly pulls me In for a hug, her head resting on my shoulder, and like before I hug her back. But she says something in my ear. And I ask her so repeat.

“I-I really like you.”

My heart stops, I stop breathing for a second. Almost automatically my arms wrap around her tighter bringing her in closer then she already was.

“I like you to. Hime.”

She pulls back from the hug, and she stares at me teary eyed. And she’s looks at me in a way she never has before. She places her head against mine.

And she presses her lips into my cold ones, a tender, soft kiss that I thought I could never experience from her. It’s gentle and so very warm, I feel the tips of our noses touch and she giggles.

“Orihime.”

“Yea..?”

“I love you.”

“I love you more…y/n”

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧｡⋆

#orihime inoue #bleach tybw #anime #wlw post #fanfic #self insert #puppylove #sweet #bakery #cute #soft love

11 notes · View notes