A/N: Disclaimer on the obvious.

Bleach: Gifts of our Fathers

Chapter 1: Want Any?

Ichigo fumbled with his bag as he continued down an alley in high hopes that his day wouldn't completely disappoint. He had just wanted to forget the events of Soul Society. Just the notion of it all exhausted his mind and all he wanted was to live out his normal life. He continued down the alley but his thoughts hit a speed bump once he felt a sudden change around him. There's another reiastu close by, he thought. He closed his eyes and stood still for a moment trying to concentrate his mind on the slightest disturbance within the area. Chad had taken a different route to school as so did Inoue and Ishida had already made it clear he was not attending school anytime soon. Who could it be? He opened his eyes.

"Yo!"

Ichigo blinked as he stood staring at a much smaller girl. Her wide eyes accompanied with a single blade of hair that cut through between them. She stared as she took a sip of a juice box she clutched childishly within her palm and a backpack slung loosely over her shoulder. Ichigo's gaze went from alert to sarcastic as he beamed at Rukia with an annoyed glare. "Where the hell have you been?" he questioned. Rukia peered down at the juice box she held and simply said, "You were out of these things so I went and got some." He gave her a nod and continued walking.

"You want any?" she asked.

"No."

"You sure? I have more."

"No."

Orihime leaned her head within her palm in boredom as her only hobby within school involved looking out the window and occasionally gazing at... forget it. He wasn't interested in her and even if he was it would never work out. He went to save Rukia and that was his main priority. She hardly helped herself. Was it because she was limited in ability or did she purposely not try? She shook her head. She couldn't think of it that way. She is Rukia's friend too. She turned her head noticing Ichigo was merely staring out into nowhere whilst Rukia sat behind him seemingly bored as well. How the two of them looked so similar and shared traits. She sighed mentally as she assumed her stare out the window.

I can help you...

She propped up. Her heart quickened slightly as if she had missed a step on the stairwell or went down a roller coaster drop with her feet still planted within it. It was so sudden she had no choice but to dismiss it and calm herself. She convinced herself it was nothing to be alarmed about and went on to doing nothing.

You are no match for her without my help...

She definitely heard something there was no mistaking it. She shifted her gaze around the room noticing that no one else seemed to be intrigued by the voice that now seemed to be cackling under its breath. Within her mind she tried to answer, "What are you talking about?"

Dumb girl. You want him and yet you have nothing to offer. It's like watching a warrior go into battle without a weapon. I can make that change but under a few conditions...

"What are you?" she mentally questioned. The voice cackled again.

I'm a Demi-Hollow...

Ichigo walked briskly holding his stare towards the sky that seemed to blend into a bluish orange color. No doubt it was past five. He had taken a detour just for the hell of it. He continued on slowly walking past the aqueduct he had walked past for years. But something caught his eye, something he hadn't expected. It was Orihime sitting alone with her body lying on the grass and her demeanor quiet. Her reiastu was strong so she couldn't have been injured. Why was she just lying there?

Several minutes later he found himself opening the door to his home. He checked his watch and his brows rocketed upward. It was nearly eight. Did it really take him three hours to get home? He knew he had been walking rather slow but he hadn't expected such a jump in time. He shrugged. Nothing he could do about it now. He entered feeling around for the light switch. He could only imagine everyone else went to bed early. Good. He wouldn't have to think of some lame ass story. He went up the stairs and into his bedroom and for the first time he noticed it was quiet. He took a step in but once he did the door behind him shut. Spinning around he found Rukia staring rather annoyed at him. Her arms were crossed and her eyes felt lethal. Before Ichigo could mutter a word she said slowly, "Where. Have. You. Been?"

"What's it matter to you?" he retorted dropping his bag. She continued to stare at him with even more anger being amplified in his direction. "Did you check your calender?" she asked as sat back on his bed.

"What for?" he asked.

"Do you know what today is?" she questioned.

"No?"

"It was my turn to cook today. I told you that yesterday and you know how hard I've been trying at it to get it right?" she said, every word seemed like poison as a vein near her forehead pulsated. Ichigo merely shrugged as he rested his head on his pillow. She could get rather moody sometimes, he thought. He noticed he hadn't said anything for a moment and quickly added, "And? You think I'm gonna teach you how to cook?" He closed his eyes only to open them again but with tears of pain erupted from them. She had hit him with a rice bowl she kept concealed and for some odd reason it really did hurt more than usual.

"I know you humans are dim witted but I didn't expect you to be so cold-hearted. You could at least have told me before you left but no, you always want to go away from everyone. What happened to the Ichigo that wanted to protect me huh? Ever since what happened you've been ignoring me and shunning me away!"

Ichigo realized she was shouting. For some reason her words felt hurt which wasn't something he heard from Rukia before. He stared at her and even through the darkness he could see a glimmer of shivering tears at the base of her eyes. She had really put a lot of effort to learn human customs. She had tried her best at everything just to impress him but the reasoning behind it all confused even her. She assumed she wanted to repay him for what he had done but she had already stated she wasn't going to say "thank you" so their really wasn't any other way to do so. She thought by cooking he would like it. She thought by giving him something he would love it but apparently all he could do was stare at her with a blank look on his face. She darted for the closet but Ichigo's agility had been neglected and he was at the door much faster than she was. He stood over her, his eyes piercing into hers.

"What's up with you? You don't normally get upset at something as cooking." he said. She stared at him crossly. She couldn't explain. He had been ignoring her for days. Just staring into the abyss like an idiot.

"Forget it. You're right it's not important." she whispered.

The floor shook as a massive surge of reiastu awoken Ichigo's senses violently. Rukia too turned towards the window, her eyes wide with confusion as the mere strength of what she was detecting. She turned to him and said, "let's go." She tore the window open and with a quick but vicious swipe of her hand she rocketed Ichigo's spirit form from his body. The two of them landed squarely at the base of the house and ran into the darkness to find the mysterious outburst of power.