Title: Hollowfication

Author: Tuliharja

Summary: In front of Tomoyo's eyes, Byakuya goes through hollowfication. Can the beast within Byakuya be tamed or is the man fully lost? What if?-AU. One-shot. Crossover pairing.

Disclaimer: BLEACH belongs to Tite Kubo while Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle belongs to CLAMP. I'm merely just writing fan fiction about those two fandoms.

Author's note: Thank you Chinsangan for betaing this.

.::Hollowfication::.

A ragged breath escaped from her lips as she looked shocked manner monster that was front of her. No, not a monster, but a man that had been forced into one. Kuchiki Byakuya had become a victim of hollowfication. Tomoyo wasn't sure how this had happened, but it had. Terrified, she looked on as a white substance kept coming from out of Byakuya's mouth while he let out something between a shout and a cry as the substance wrapped itself around his face and neck.

She felt like she was frozen in place as fear consumed her. The small flicker of fear that she felt was slowly growing inside of her as she recalled the stories about hollowfication, and how the person that once had been would become nothing more than a monster. But Tomoyo knew that, despite these changes within the person, that same person was still there; that Kuchiki Byakuya was still there, despite his looks morphing into white beast-like. She felt the icy claws of terror scrapping her skin, making her feel hopeless. As the man let out another howl of pain, she felt a wave of shudders went through her, brushing away the icy claws. Gone was the flicker of fear and feeling hopeless.

Eyes determined, she took a step towards Byakuya, extending her hand to him. She now knew she would do everything in her power to help him. But before she could reach toward the man she had grown fond of over the past few months, she was stopped. Instead of seeing the terrifying display, she was met by a brilliant pair of golden eyes that hold worry.

"Tomoyo-hime, you can't-…!" The person holding her, Shihoin Yoruichi, practically pleaded her as Tomoyo shook her head. "It's not safe!"

Tomoyo shook her head once again, knowing even though it would be dangerous, but mostly stupid, she had to go. So pulling her hand away from Yoruichi's, she gave her an apologizing look.

"I've to. I'm sorry," came the breathy answer before she moved to the side, seeing once again the terrible scene yet now it had become even more gruesome. Around Byakuya were Shinigami, trying to bring him down while he let out roars. But these roars sounded like painful screams in Tomoyo's ears.

She knew she should just let the Shinigami handle this and stay away, yet the voice inside of her mind demanded –begged– her to go. So sending a last glance toward Yoruichi, who looked pained, she rushed forward. Wind picking up her long hair, she cut the short distance between herself and Byakuya whose hollowfication had already stopped. The proud Shinigami captain now had hollow-mask within his face. His neck and shoulders were covered with the white substance just like his back. It seemed almost like he was now holding some kind of cape, top of his captain's haori yet it was obvious it wasn't one.

"Tomoyo-hime! Stand back!" One of the Shinigami that tried to hold Byakuya back shouted to her in a desperate manner, as Tomoyo could see the power within Byakuya.

She knew he was strong, but it seemed his power had only become greater now that he had gotten the face of a monster. That still didn't mean the pain that Byakuya felt was gone. Somehow, somewhere deep within her, she knew he was in pain. She wasn't sure what gave that impression upon herself or if she was just imagining it, but she knew. Lifting her hand toward him once again, her look pleading and hushing, she touches his white mask.

Everything stilled. For a moment it seemed like time itself stopped as yellow eyes, once slate grey, focused fully into Tomoyo's own purple ones. The moment was filled with tension and raw emotions: anger, fear and a cry for help. That moment was enough to convince Byakuya was as scared as everybody else around them as the beast within him had got the best of him. Somewhere inside of that body were Byakuya and hollow, battling against each other for control.

"It's alright," she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it was enough to make the beastly man front of her put down their clawed hand that had been lifted into an attack. Slowly, Byakuya turned toward her fully, now bending toward her.

Eyes never leaving from him, Tomoyo lifted her other hand to touch his face, caressing it lovingly. Over these months when she had been visiting Soul Society, she had fallen for this man in front of her. She knew there wasn't any way to turn back anymore, but she didn't care. She had chosen this path, this man who was now half man and half monster.

Bringing his masked face now closer to herself, she kissed his forehead while breathing quietly: "It's alright. I won't leave, I promise."

The first crack that appeared into the mask didn't hold any sound, before more and more cracks appeared, before it shattered fully. Shutting eyes tightly, Tomoyo didn't let go, despite the mask shattering underneath her hands. Holding from Byakuya's face, despite feeling a small tingle in her hands, telling her some shards had cut her smooth skin, she didn't let go. She had made a promise and she would keep that promise.

As she felt much larger hands covering her tiny ones, she opened her eyes once again, meeting slate grey ones that she had learned to love. This made her let go. Yet despite this, she intertwined her fingers with Byakuya's while gazing into his eyes that hold gratefulness. The battle between man and beast had ceased and had been won. The man that she was scared to lose had come back to her.