This is so stupid that I have to even say this i don't own bleach (Kubo) nor do I the song How Strong Are You Now (Rascal flatts)

This is the first thing I've ever written for Bleach. It is a short SongFic about how Ichigo feels when Rukia decided to stay in the soul society. Nothin too deep for my first work invoving Bleach.

Hollow - Normal speech

Hollow - thoughts/flashbacks

Hollow - Lyrics

I give you my SongFic "How strong is Ichigo Now" Please Read Enjoy and Review Thank you


How Strong is Ichigo Now

They've made it back to the living world. Every one seems happy to be back. Chad, Uryu, and Orihime all head to their houses and prepare to carry on their lives. But Ichigo can't let go that easily. Something gnaws at his heart.

When she told you goodbye

You didn't flinch

She looked back you didn't even

Budge an inch

He remembers her words very clearly. 'I've decided to stay in the Soul Society.' The words strike his heart just as strong as they did on the day she uttered them. He remembers just standing there as his heart fell. As the doors to the living world slid shut, he just watched her, with his thanks unsaid. He lies there on his bed wishing that he had actually thanked her.

You stood there like a stone

But now that she's gone

How could he just stand there? How could he let them be separated? I want her to be here. She belongs here…with me. He walks by his closet and his heart breaks again. She's not in there. He shuts off the light and lies in his bed, gazing up at the ceiling.

How strong are you now?

Without her around

I should be stronger than this. He defiantly tells himself. She is just some rude, midget shinigami. She's caused me nothing but trouble. But he couldn't fight it.

You can't even keep one

Little bitty tear from

Fallin' down

The pain of realizing that he would wake up the next morning and go to school as if nothing changed just weighs down on him. He doesn't cry though. He can't cry. He's Ichigo Kurosaki, the protector. Protectors can't cry.

Tell me how strong

Are you now?

I can make it through this…Right?

Before she left you told yourself

It can't hurt that much

Now you're doubled over like

You took a punch

On his way to school, He thinks back to that day. 'If that's what you've decided for yourself then I'm ok with that.' He should have told her then that he needed her and that he wanted her to come back. Now that she's gone he has no zeal. He has no energy and he is depressed again. He's always down.

No she ain't comin' back

Tell me how much can you take of that.

As the days go on she still hasn't returned. He gets home and looks at his closet with a forlorn expression. She made no promise to return but all of the hope that he had left went towards the dream that she would come back and stay with him. I can't take much more of this. He thinks as he lies on his bed.

How strong are you now?

Without her around

This is ridiculous. He can't believe the way he's acting. Rukia wouldn't allow me to be this weak. Perhaps, that's what I need her for.

You can't even keep one

Little bitty tear from

Fallin' down

His heart falls at the thought of disappointing Rukia. But he doesn't cry. If he cries he would just be disappointing her further. If she were to come back and see him crying she would beat the crap out of him for being weak. He cannot look weak in front of her. That would be absolutely unacceptable.

Tell me how strong

Are you now?

I can stand on my own…Right?

What's that rule that you live by?

A tough guy never cries.

I can't cry. That makes me look weak. I'm not weak and I refuse to let that midget return and see me in any state of weakness. He looks around his room and realizes that she's not coming back. He starts to realize that he will have to get her out of his system…somehow.

How strong are you now?

Without her around

He slumps down against the wall. He looks around the room and his heart breaks. She's not comin' back.

You can't even keep one

Little bitty tear from

Fallin' down

He puts his head in his hands and sighs in frustration. He feels a tear slide down his cheek.

Tell me how strong

I need her back. I need her here…with me.

Tell me how strong

Are you now?

More tears start to from in his eyes. He doesn't notice the bedroom window slide open.

"Ichigo!" He hears his name as if it was spat out at him. The voice was tiny yet authoritative, "Are you crying?" the voice asks. He doesn't look up but the voice is familiar to him. "How pathetic." came the voice in disgust.

He looks up and sees her standing on the window sill. Before he can process anything she hits him on the forehead and takes out his soul. They're off to fight a hollow and slowly he feels his strength starting to return.


There it is my simple little fic. Please review Ichigo may have seemed OOC but that was intentional for the purposes of the story. Thank you guys for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until my next post, Deuces!