Can I call this a drabble?
Anyway, I wrote this a while ago as I wondered what was going through Ichigo's head before IchiThing came out to play.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
I apologize for any erros and happy reading! ^^
***
…help!
That was the only sound on his mind, the only thing that differed from the dark pit of nothing.
…help!
No matter how hard he tried he could not identify the voice, it was high pitched and desperate – he thought he knew it from somewhere.
The voice sounded so helpless, like it was on the brink of a breakdown and he wanted to make the screams stop, to ease that soul's panic. But he couldn't move.
Why couldn't he move?
There never was a time where he could ignore a cry for help, aiding the defenseless was second nature. So why wasn't he doing a damn thing now?
He was struggling to free himself from the darkness but he couldn't and to make matters worse, he realized he was as powerless as the poor girl screaming her lungs out.
…help me!
There was the scream again and he was starting to get really angry. The reason he had gone this far was to prevent people from feeling that scared. It wasn't fair.
'I'm going to save her.', he thought with fierce resolve.
"How?"
This time, the voice he heard was not the girl's. It had a similarity to his own voice but that was completely lost due to the tone of slight insanity and ferociousness that tinged it.
"What?!", he shot back at the voice.
"How do you intend to help her?" it said. "You are so close to falling."
He could feel the pleasure in the voice as it uttered that last sentence. But most importantly, he could not think of how to answer it.
The voice knew he wouldn't be able to even before it asked and it could not help but chuckle. He had won…finally.
"I can help you." He offered. "It's the only thing I can do after watching you hold on so stubbornly."
He knew he wouldn't accept but he also knew the thought of accepting would cross Ichigo's mind even if just for a nanosecond and that was enough to torture him.
…save me, Kurosaki-kun!
That was all it took for him to accept. His name. The undeniable proof that he was needed, that everything was lost and he was the only one that could make it all right again.
It did not matter that he had no power, it did not matter what would happen if he agreed to let him help. He needed to protect those who asked. It was as simple as breathing and as necessary. It was instinct and that's what it all came down to at that moment when he found himself lost in his own mind hearing only the shrill and desperate screams of that girl and the tempting offer he had made.
He chuckled again, rejoicing one more time in his sure victory.
"Will you let me help?"
Ichigo didn't say yes immediately, he tried to find another way out but he knew he couldn't. All he could hope was that he would be able to get back in control at one point, hopefully before too much was lost. However, he knew it was a slim chance. He had no choice.
'Yes', he murmured in defeat.
***
Good? No good?