When I Felt Alive

A/N: Just a short IchiRuki thingy cause surprisingly i like this non-yaoi pairing. enjoy?

Today is a good day, and a good day can only be accompanied by music and an early morning jog. Yeah, just what I needed. I put on my jogging gear that consists of grey shorts and a plain white top. I never put on those spandex shorts. They just rub me in all the wrong places. "I'll have a shower when I get back." I said to myself in the mirror. Call me crazy, but I'm sure everyone talks to themselves in the mirror more than thwice a day. So don't judge me.

I walked downstairs sighing when I realized Yuzu was still sleeping. I knew I was early when I didn't smell the sweet scent of fresh pancakes sweeping through my room. I looked at my watch and realised it was only 6am. No one in their right mind would wake up this early on the weekend. Oh well. I grabbed my mp3 and headphones and walked out the door. It's always nice to get an early start anyway. Nature greets you and you just don't want to leave. Okay, whatever. I put my summer playlist on with the first song being Jay Park's 'Joah'. I've really become fascinated with the whole K-pop music. I started jogging.

I remember the first time I started taking up jogging around the town. I could hardly breathe after only 5-6 minutes. But with all the Shinigami missions and saving the world blah blah blah, I've really toned up. I can actually jog topless if I wasn't afraid of break people's necks when they turn to take a good look at me. Ha ha ha. I'm sure even Rukia has had her fair share of looks when she slept in my room. She's gone now though, along with the rest of the shinigami's. I have to admit it's quite lonely. I never really said it but I enjoyed having those losers barge into my room without permission. I missed Rukia's pathetic drawings that she works so hard on. I missed Mastumoto's teasing to get her way. I miss the instant battle's Kenpachi and I would get into when we see each other. Well…I would run away of course.

I sighed. I'm glad that things have slowed down now that the ultimate threat has been removed, but- I mean, it's not like I want Karakura to be on the verge of complete annihilation, but that thrill of being the only one who can save everyone…I really want that back. I want to be relied on again… I want to protect. Right now I can't do anything. Everything that bound me to Rukia and the rest of those guys is now gone. The very means to protect everyone has gone. I'm not sad just kind of angry that I haven't done anything about it. But if my family remains safe because I don't have my powers anymore then that's fine with me. I don't ever want to put them in danger again. No way.

My mind wandered back to the first time I met Rukia. Everything that day happened so fast. That kick I gave her must've hurt like hell. I didn't mean to kick a girl. But when someone floats in through your window dressed in a black dress- robe- and pretends not to hear you…there's nothing you can do but to physically make them hear. I laughed a little to myself gaining weird looks from an old couple walking hand in hand on the other side of the road. I turned up the volume on my Mp3 drowning myself in the upbeat tempo of Krewella's 'Alive'. …"I felt Alive when I was fighting."

I turned a corner and stopped at the shop to purchase water. I gulped the entire contents of the bottle in an instant. Jogging and thinking wears me out quicker. I realised I had ran far when the sign of the road came into view. I would take the bus back but I didn't bring my bus card. I'll just walk back for a bit.

I had begun walking when the song changed to 'Summer time sadness'. I rolled my eyes. "Great, more references to 'feeling alive' again." I don't even know how that got into my upbeat playlist of summer songs. I skipped the song and began again to walk back home. My belly was starting to rumble reminding me that I need to fast pace it home before I end up getting chicken and chips and upsetting Yuzu. "Plus, I don't want to miss those sweet pancakes."

"What the-" I shielded my eyes from the sun as I looked up at one of the electricity poles. A shaded figure stood on top of one quite easily. This can't be happening so early in the morning. People should be enjoying the sun not thinking of darkening their world forever. I walked closer not taking my eyes off the still, black figure. I looked around and sighed when there was no one around to take the responsibility off my hands. "Excuse me!" I started. The face was shaded by the sun, but I knew it was a female. "I think you should get down!" I took out my headphones and tucked them in my pocket before looked around helplessly again when the figure didn't reply.

I stepped back and moved around the pole and almost screamed – in a manlike tone – when something seemed to be coming from out of the girl's body. A sword? "S-sword?" That piece of weaponry had such a big part to play in my life back then. Something inside me wanted to find out who this person is a quick. And if this was a Shinigami, then how can I see her?

"Long time no see."

That voice. The unusually-low-for-a-girl's voice that I have been so accustomed to hear beside me when I'm 'feeling alive'. The voice of reason and stubbornness. I watched as the figure floated down until she was standing right in front of me. "Y-yo…" I didn't know what else to say. I never expected this to happen. "What are you doing here?"

"Gonna make you 'feel alive' once again." She replied mockingly. Had she been following me? But truthfully I wanted that life back with Rukia. I nodded and melted at the smile she casually sent my way. "Well, let's go."

"Gladly. But you're not sleeping in my closet."