A/N: This is my R x I oneshot that the majority voted for on my poll! I hope you all enjoy! It's something a lot different than what I usually write. It is intended to make you: sympathize, cry, laugh, then cry again, and then finally... laugh/ cry again! Well - hopefully, anyway... enjoy!

Speak

x X x X x X x

Will she ever stop crying? He asked his-self as he sat near the hardened wood doorpost, listening to her constant sobs through the cracks of the door. He crouched low, pressing his weight on his ankles, and leaned his shoulder against the door— which was closed. And of all choice of rooms, she chose mine to crawl up in. He tried overpowering his care and compassion with anger and frustration— but it just didn't seem to work; he was genuinely worried about her. He didn't want to hurt her; he just wanted to comfort her. Was that so bad? In his eyes, yes— but her eyes would never tell… He had had concealed feelings for her—always—and this seemed to be bringing them out in the open for his own eyes to see. It almost killed him inside hearing her cry. He didn't think what he said would ever affect her like it did—he didn't realize that his words could actually cut so deep…

"Ichigo…" he finally spoke to her through the door. Silence befell the surrounding area in a moment of awkwardness… "Ichigo," he said again, hoping for acknowledgement. The room was still tacit after his words. "Ichigo-san!" he tried one last time, hoping the urgency in his voice would help her to respond.

Creak.

He lifted his head as he felt his shoulder lean back a little; the door had been opened a little with light peeping through the crack from the room's window. He stood up to his feet and pushed the door open the rest of the way. He stood there in the doorway before her. She sat there on the floor with her head bowed in a hopeless manner. His eyes comforted her body with their look of pity. He stepped towards her with every step he took making a tap against the hardwood flooring. She never once looked up at him; her eyes were glued to the floor. Wet stains appeared on the floor just a few inches away from her. He sat down next to her with his knees up high and his elbows rested comfortably on them while he fiddled with his hanging hands and fingers.

"I didn't mean to—upset you." He spoke with deep consideration for her feelings. She didn't speak; her eyes still deeply fixated to the floor. "Ichigo-san," he spoke her name hoping for some sort of remark; it could've been mean, or even smart for that matter, he just wanted to hear her voice. "If you don't speak," Ryou snubbed his nose in a playful manner, "I might have to cut your pay for the day…"

He hoped that would anger her into speaking to him. Morosely, she sniffled her nose without any real words falling forth from her mouth. Ryou stared at her bowed head; he spotted tears falling from her eyes and hitting the ground, smoothing over into a puddle. Her hair fell against her moist cheeks and covered her eyes; she sat with her knees held against her chest and her chin resting on top of them. Tightly, her arms were wrapped around them in an embrace for comfort in her behalf… "Or—I may have to give Mint your whole paycheck… just money to add to her collection, right?" he smirked with confidence, knowing that that would make her angry.

Tick, tock…

Tick, tock…

Nothing.

Ryou smoothed his hand through his hair and swallowed the excess saliva in his throat. Just this once I can't make her even angry with me? He thought; why is she being so tough this time—of all times?

"Ichigo-san," he tried sounding empathetic again after his attempt to anger her, "I didn't mean to—hurt you like I did… I was just being ironic, Ichigo…" he waited for her to speak. "Ichigo, just say something—anything… Ichigo." He repeatedly called her name; maybe annoyance would do the trick…

Ryou smiled a bit as he laid his right leg against the floor while his other stayed proped up.

"Ichigo—Ichigo-san? Strawberry? Kitten? Ichi? Ichi-girl?" his continuous attempts for a reaction still bombed. No words came forth from her parted lips. Another tear fell down from her eyes and slipped to her lips, where it dripped to the floor. "Momo-mi-ya-san? Miss Ichigo? Berry-berry? Strawberry shortcake? Princess? Kitty?" he seemed to be getting more annoyed at himself than she was. Nothing seems to be working, he thought, maybe I should try something else… should I try—crying 'with' her? No. That would be stupid and juvenile… plus, I can't 'cry'. I didn't even cry when they took off Sex and the City, and so do you REALLY think I'm going to cry now? He fought with himself mentally as silence was the only thing shared between Ichigo and himself. Maybe… I could scare her? Hm. That may be crazy enough to work… Ryou stood up from the floor and placed his hands in his pockets. He left the room leaving Ichigo to herself…

Several minutes later…

"Ichigo," Ryou stood in the doorway. She didn't look up at him—not even for a moment. "You can sit there as long as you want, I was just going to clear the entire café and warn them of the rats nesting in the building. Think anyone would really care though?" he waited for a reaction of some sort—most likely a scream.

Nothing.

"Okay then…" he shrugged and walked off.

After several minutes later…

Ryou walked back in and sat down in the same spot he had before. Ichigo still sat there in the same position as last time. It was like she hadn't even blinked… however he couldn't tell anyway because her hair was in the way… (XD) He crossed his legs in a Kindergarten manner and glued his palms to his knees as he stared at her. If I can't scare her, maybe I can make her laugh… but how? Hm. Ryou actually might've been stumped. He never actually had wanted to make anyone laugh before, or has ever really had a reason. It seemed so different for him. It was almost as if his compassion was taking over his every thought; it was killing him inside just knowing he had hurt her so bad. At this point, he was willing to try anything. His emotions and concealed feelings seemed to be pushing it out of him… I can make her laugh. He grew arrogant within himself.

"Ichigo—why'd the chicken cross the road?" He asked. She'll have to laugh at this. Maybe. If not, I'll act like I was being sarcastic and like I wasn't trying to make her laugh and be silly… but rather, like I was trying to insult her in some weird way. He smiled inside at his genius-ness.

No answer. She just sniffled her nose once more and the embrace around her legs grew tighter.

"To get to the other side. Get it?" he asked with a slightly silly voice, which grew serious when he noticed she wasn't laughing or smiling at all. "Well—why was six afraid of seven?" he asked, almost rhetorically, basically coming to the conclusion in his thoughts that she wasn't going to reply. "Because: 7, 8, 9. Get it?"

Silence befell them once more, but with even greater awkwardness…

"Either you have a low IQ or you just really don't want to talk to me Strawberry." He stated; he sighed returning to his normal, speaking self. He listened, as more sobs seemed to come from her. Why can't I make her laugh? He asked himself. Nothing seems to be working… maybe I should try to talk to her again, if that doesn't work—I leave her to herself. She may need time to think…

Ryou turned his body until his pools of sapphires fixated on her. He narrowed his eyebrows to show he was being serious and not funny—or sarcastic—or annoying—or scary—or mean.

"Ichigo," his voice had a calm, serene touch to it that made it the center of attention; Ichigo felt like ignoring it so badly, and her body language showed it—but her ears were wide open. "I didn't mean to call you stupid, or to even think of it in that way for that matter, Ichigo," he said, "Ichigo—I would never…"

Her grip around her knees loosened and her arms' embrace fell around her ankles. "Please—Ichigo… I'm begging you—just say something… speak… just—speak, Ichigo." No matter how arduously he tried, or how much he tried holding it back, one tiny tear droplet made its way from his eye and streamed down his face. He stared at Ichigo's lifeless position, and then—her head began to look up. He hair fell back against her ears and her arms dropped back by her sides. She sat straight up as she stared at him in the eyes. They were red with sadness, which were embedded with dark chocolate orbs. Ichigo placed her palms on the floor and began to slide her knees, dragging them, as she seemed to be—crawling? Ryou tilted his head at her a little. Ichigo stopped on the floor with her head bowed just inches away from him…

"BOO! Nya!" Ichigo popped up in his face with a smile.

"Nando? … !" ("What? … !") Ryou exclaimed with major confusion.

"I tricked ya'!" Ichigo smiled at her accomplishment, "Do you really think that calling me a 'dumb-strawberry' would make me actually cry?"

Ryou's expression dropped until his face was expressionless, staring back at her. They sat there with a moment of silence… Ryou's expressionless face, turned into a smile as he stared at her…

"The best part is—I've got it all on tape!" Ichigo smiled big.

"WHAT!"

"Wait until this gets out on YouTube!" Ichigo smiled…

The End...

... or is it?

A/N: Did you like it? I sure hope so! It's been a while since I've actually written something... it kinda feels good. (:-3) Anyway, please review!