I just adore Noba. And Ichigo just seems like the guy I could pair him with. Not my absolutely favorite Bleach pairing but it so works for the idea. I think the hardest part was keeping everything straight detail wise yet at the same time nothing too specific. Hope you all like it. My first Bleach work...

Remember?

Breaking away from my physical form, I appear in the form of Death. Kon, now in my body, sits up from the floor, "Rukia said that the Hollow is moving real fast and for you both to cut it off or cut it down."

Nodding, I heft my large blade onto my shoulder and turn my orange mane toward the small plushie controlled by a mod soul. In place of the suited green turtle is my favorite lanky figure. Before I can drink that beautiful face in he pulls up the hood and mask so that I can only see his luscious green eyes. Those eyes...rimmed in a dark forest green and filled with the color of the leaves of a freshly bloomed flower.

Jumping out the window and onto the ground, he puts his hand on his leg to support himself from the landing. "I'll stop it Ichigo."

The navy blue attire disappears into the distance as I smile to myself. I begin running to the area Rukia had mentioned with a grin spread on my face.

I suppose its wrong that I feel this overjoyed when around a simple mod soul, but I can't help it. I thought he and his two friends were odd at first. However, his intelligence stopped me in my tracks. Personality and his looks could only stun me further. I had never felt this way before for anyone except my Mother. This intense connection and drive to protect them. No one compares to the feelings I have for Noba.

I stop dead as Noba appears from the warp hole beside me. The towering Hollow before us roars up into the sky. From Noba's slightly hunched position, I realize that he's already been smacked around. Putting my hand on his arm I catch the blush lighting his revealed cheeks. "Stay back," I say before leaping into the air. I slice at the evasive beast.

A blade, thing and sharp, emerges from the Hollow's palm.

I can beat it...I know it.

Noba does not believe that I can. He appears beside me and warps us out of harm's way at the nick of time. The power it must have sapped from him causes him to collapse to his knees. The whole covering over his head has fallen away as he looks up at me, "I'm alright."

Not even thinking, I take his word and propel myself at the tortured soul. My blade slices straight through it and it begins to dissolve. Grinning triumphantly I bound back over to Noba. At the angle he's at, I can only see him.

As I get closer I immediately speed up. The Hollow's blade and stricken Noba in the dead center of his body.

I kneel down beside the red head, "I'll take you straight to Kishke to get your Gigai fixed." I yank the weapon out and cradle him into my arms as I stand.

"Ichigo..."

Oh how my name sounds so sweet on his lips.

"Yeah Noba?"

"I'm dying. That attack...shattered the orb keeping me alive as you could say. I'll be gone by the time you get me there."

I halt and gaze down at him through golden brown eyes.

How could this happen? How did that damned creature know where to hit...unless something is after him?

Tears prick at my 3yes but I force them away. "I'm sorry I didn't protect."

"Don't be...we were made to help you and I did just that."

"I love you Noba," I say as I frown at his weakening figure.

Color stains his cheeks for the last time with a shinning smile on his lips, "I love you Ichigo." Letting the tears drip freely down my cheeks, I fast step over to Kisuke's shop.

Plowing through the door I locate Kisuke automatically. Standing to greet me, he wears a deep frown on his lips. "Ichigo?"

"Fix him Kisuke!"

Kisuke shakes his head, "If you don't try you won't know!"

Sighing in defeat, the flaxen haired man leads me into a back room. I lie Noba down and exit the room.

This can't be happening. There's got to be a way to get him back.

I lean against the wall waiting for the outcome. Kisuke exits the room and turns his eyes to me, "I'm not sure how but when I must have created Noba's mod, I used a part of his true soul from his human body. It seems that he wasn't dead when I took it. The Hollow was random, but it has caused this piece of Noba to go back to his human." My confused face strikes him to explain. "He remembers nothing of us. Just another student going to high school."

He's forgotten? But...He loved me...

After I had left Kisuke's, I went straight home so that I can go to class in the morning.

!_!_!_!_!_!

As all my friends chatter to each other around me, I simply stay in a zoned out state. Sometimes I miss my life before I became death, but the feeling had never seemed to stay when I'd see Noba. But...now he's gone.

I'm sure Kisuke told them to let me grieve...he saw how much I cared even though the others did not. They probably think I'm taking it so hard because I want to protect all my friends from harm and I had failed this time.

I vaguely listen to the voice of the teacher until I hear Rukia gasp. I pull my eyes up from the desk and its as though my heart skips a beat.

A faint blush highlights his cheeks as the teacher urges him to introducing himself. Finally, she succeeds and he speaks softly but strongly, "My name is Noba and I just moved here from Japan."

"Alright then, take the seat beside Ichigo and we'll begin today's lesson."

He brushes the hair from his view and ignores my lingering eyes. As his surprisingly elegant script fills the paper, I can't seem to concentrate on the words and numbers being wrote on the board.

Heading to lunch, I spot Noba and rush to catch up with him. "Noba, do you have the notes?"

"Yes."

"Can I borrow them?"

"You wouldn't have to if you didn't spend your time drooling over me. I don't know you."

"Ichigo Kurosaki and I was not drooling."

"Ask one of your friends."

Before I can retort, he's gone.

Gladly out of school, I throw my bag over my shoulder. As I slowly begin the walk home, Rukia tries to make sure that I'm okay. Her books collide with me, "Are you listening? There's a hollow so go." Pulling the crimson glove on, she slams her palm against me. Now in my shinigami form, I jump onto the roof of a house and catch sight of Noba walking up behind Rukia and my empty shell of a body.

Getting to the place, I slice it down and hurry home where I'm sure Rukia's taken me. I slide the window open and step straight into my body. Yawning, I rub my eyes as I sit up. I turn to my side expecting Rukia and find him instead.

Those eyes tell me that he cares. That he does know me. That he trusts me. But his body language tells a whole other story.

"Rukia asked me to take you home because she had an errand to run. You're family isn't home so I figured I should wait for you to wake up."

"Thank you Noba."

"I brought those notes too." he admits with a soft blush dusting his cheeks. Reaching into his bag he pulls out a notebook and sets it on my table. Towering above me, he avoids my eyes, "I should get going."

"No please don't." I lace my fingers around his wrist and rise to my feet.

"Ichigo I can't...I don't know-"

"Then remember me..."

Pulling Noba into my arms I press my lips against his. Separating from him I stare into his eyes. A grimace crosses his countenance before his head falls back.

What did I do?

I lay him down on my bed, "You have to remember Noba...I can't live without you."

A soft knock resounds off my door before Rukia enters. "What did you do Ichigo?" Even if the phone hadn't started beeping, I wouldn't have answered anyway. Sliding it back into her pocket she sighs, "A horde of hollows is coming. I'm not sure why or what they're after but you'd better leave Noba here and go." Rukia jumps out the window after pushing me into death.

Something is telling me that I'd better take him with me...

I hoist him over my shoulder and rush out as well. Just as I land in the road I'm surrounded by Hollows. They growl and sneer at me as I hold my sword out towards them.

"Ichigo! Run they're after Noba!"

How the hell did she figure that out?

I cut one down and sprint through the opening. An explosion sounds behind me and I can tell that Rukia's taking care of herself. I skid around a corner and drive the blade into yet another monster.

Hands grip the fabric on my back and a worried voice whispers into my ear, "I-Ichigo what's going on?"

"Just hold on."

"Why are those Hollows after us?"

"Wait does that mean that you remember everything?"

"Yeah," he admits bashfully, "Go to Kisuke, he'll know what to do."

I nod even though he can't tell. As I pick up my speed I come to realize taht I've finally lost them or Rukia killed them.

I push the paper and wood door open and set Noba on his feet. "Hey Hat and Clogs we need some help here!"

Kisuke appears beside me, "I see that by releasing his memories, you let out a blast of spirit energy and have a bunch of Hollows trying to find you."

"Well how the hell are we supposed to stop it?"

"We would have to kill Noba."

"There is absolutely no-"

"I'll do it. But only if you put me back as a mod soul."

I turn to Noba with a raised eyebrow, "But what about your life?"

"I was in a coma...almost all my family is dead. What life is there?"

Kisuke grins wide, "Good, now I had better get started."

Before I can blink, Kisuke un-sheaths his blade, stabs Noba, and has it back in its holder. I catch my red head just as his body buckles. The blonde ex-reaper grabs Noba's arm and sticks him with a syringe. As he pulls the top back, it fills with a glimmering purple liquid. The slim frame in my arms slumps as Kisuke finally pulls away.

"I have to put it in his Gigai and we're done. Now go get rid of those Hollows."

I lie down the now empty shell and rush back outside the shop.

We're going to have to plant the body or just make it go missing...something...

"Hado 33!"

I ignore Rukia's magic as she battles her own group. I cut the rest down with ease and place my sword on my back. As I stretch my arms to the sky to pull out the kinks in my muscles, I don't notice the black and red hole till I'm pulled inside.

I tumble out and onto a bed. As I sit up I realize that I'm in my own body once more. Turning around I come face to face with the Noba I know and love. When I reach out and push his hood back, the blood rises to his cheeks. "I love you Noba."

A smile lines his countenance as I pull my lanky lover onto my lap. "I love you too."