"Idiot! You could've lived if you'd stayed down!" the arrancar taunted, driving his sword through Hiyori's gut. She leaned against the telephone pole, waiting for an opportunity to escape.
"Grimmjow" another arrancar called, surprising the first arrancar.
"Damn you're lucky" Grimmjow said, kicking her once more before leaving.
She stumbled back into the warehouse, a trail of steadily increasing blood behind her. When she got inside she was surprised and relieved to find that no one seemed to be there.
With trembling hands she began to carefully remove her bloodstained t-shirt, wincing as the material brushed against the wound.
"You got beat, eh?" Shinji asked, leaning against the wall.
"Shinji!" she shrieked, covering herself with her shirt.
"Yeah yeah, I've seen it all before" he said nonchalantly.
"What?!" she shouted.
"Relax, I was just kidding! Now lets see it" he said, kneeling in front of her.
"I'm fine" she spat.
"You got a bra on behind that shirt?" he asked.
"So what if I do?!" she snapped. Much to her objection, he ripped the shirt from her hands, examining the wound.
"Damn" he muttered, picking her up.
"Where are you taking me?!" she asked, weakly struggling in his arms.
"The hospital, dumbass" he answered, "now quit fidgeting so much."
It had begun to rain outside, the cold water washing away the blood from the ground. He began hurriedly walking to the hospital, soon picking up into a run. He burst through the hospital door panting, soaking wet, and holding a half dead girl in his arms. A group of nurses rushed over and took her out of his arms and told him to stay in the waiting room.
A few hours (and a few boring old magazines) later, a surgeon came out.
"Hey doc, how is she?" he asked, somewhat anxiously.
"I think you'd better see her for yourself. She's been asking for you the whole time" the doctor said. He lead Shinji to her room, which she shared with a rough looking gang kid. He pulled up a chair and waited for her to come to. Her eyes began to slowly open half an hour later.
"Hey Shinji..." she began.
"Yeah?" he asked, sounding somewhat concerned.
"If you tell anyone about this...I'll kill you..." she growled.
"Whatever" he sighed, "You really are a dumbass."
"Why's that?!" she snapped.
"You fought an arrancar all by yourself...why didn't you get me?!" he asked, raising his voice.
"I don't need your help" she said.
"Bullshit! If it weren't for me you wouldn't be here! You'd be dead!" he yelled, his last words echoing into silence. She looked up at him, surprised and frightened.
"Sorry..." he began.
"You think I don't know that?! You think I don't know that I could've died?! You think I don't know that it's all my fault?! I know! Don't you think this is enough without you yelling at me?!" she shouted, pointing at her bandaged stomach.
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have yelled at you" he said, taking her hand. She pulled it away, glaring at him.
"Just forget it" she ordered. He rolled his eyes, his gaze returning to the window.
"So...what did the doctor say?" she asked, somewhat nervous.
"Eh, nothing" he sighed.
"I don't need to be sheltered! Is it that bad?" she inquired.
"Nah, you'll be outta here by tomorrow" he assured.
"No! I'm not going to going to stay here overnight! Get me out of here!" she ordered, trying to sit up.
"Not a chance in hell! Ain't no way I'm stealing you from the hospital!" he exclaimed.
"Do it" she ordered, "or I'll get myself out."
"You just try to leave and I call the doc" he threatened.
"Is that so?" she asked, shakily standing. She fell crumbled to the ground, yelping in pain.
"Damn you're persistent" he complained, picking her up. Right before the nurse came in, they were out the window, running along the rooftops.
"Much better" she said, smirking.
"Shaddup. If your wound bursts open I ain't bringing you back" he snapped.
"No one asked you to" she retorted.
"Just warning ya" he said, shrugging. That was the last thing they said until they got to the warehouse. The other vaizard still hadn't returned and Shinji was beginning to wonder if they ever would.
"You should rest" he said, placing her on a long refrigerator crate.
"I'm fine" she insisted, trying to sit up again.
"Nice try" he said, pulling up a crate and sitting next to her.
"So what, you're just gonna sit there?" she asked, annoyed.
"Yep" he answered, taking out a manga.
He yawned, looking over at the now sleeping Hiyori. Deciding that she was in a deep slumber, too deep to wake up soon, he leaned against the makeshift bed and fell asleep.
He woke up when he heard someone else enter the warehouse.
"Where's Hiyori?" Lily asked, looking around.
"Wha? She's right...Damn!" he exclaimed, realizing that she wasn't there. He ran outside, looking around for her.
"Hiyori!" he shouted, "Where the hell are you?!"
There was no response, his voice echoing down the empty street.
"Shit" he muttered, running up the street. A few blocks away he found Hiyori, collapsed on the ground.