'Tis my first fanfic, so don't be too harsh! This is set right after the Soul Society arc. Note: I don't own Bleach or anything. Enjoy!
If there was ever a time when everything Ichigo had done, all the battles he'd won—and some he almost hadn't—seemed unreal to him, it was now. The room was completely dark except for the soft starlight streaming in through his window, and the house was completely silent. His clock told him it was nine minutes to midnight.
He really needed to get to sleep. He had school tomorrow. Now that was unfair. He had defeated captains, saved Rukia, and nearly died more times than he wanted to think about. Yet he still had to go to school like any other normal kid his age. That seemed impossible.
He sighed. Considering how much school he had missed doing various shinigami things, he was probably going to have to repeat this grade. And then there was the issue of what he was going to do after he graduated from school. He had no idea what he could do as a job. He was too busy fighting hollows. Maybe he could get someone at Soul Society to pay him for the whole substitute shinigami thing. Another sigh. That'd be the day.
He wondered if Aizen would pay him if he defected. Or maybe he could work for Urahara. He shuddered, just thinking of possible tortures—er, jobs the creeper would come up with. Oh well, thinking of possible careers would accomplish nothing, he'd getsuga that bridge when he came to it.
For now, he had to concentrate on passing this grade, and keeping all of his friends alive. Two different goals for his two different worlds. And both were equally hard. But he would succeed in both, he knew, because he wouldn't allow himself to fail. That was all there was to it. However, that knowledge didn't make it an easier path to walk.
His closet door made a slight creaking noise. Its doors were half open, and the inside was dark and empty. There was no Rukia in it anymore. Ichigo half smiled to himself. If she was here now, she'd probably tell him that he was being a moron, overthinking things… or she'd hit him. Ichigo wasn't quite sure which.
And she'd probably be right, too. Thinking like this wasn't really his style, but now he couldn't help it. It was one minute to midnight. And he was still awake. School, he reminded himself, plus most likely a hollow or two. No one else had to deal with this. Then again, he was glad he was a shinigami. He was able to protect his friends and his family now. Plus, anyone who had an issue with his hair could tell it to Zangetsu. Though that was probably considered an abuse of power in Soul Society. Wait, what about that time when Rukia kidou'd him? And then tortured him with her drawings? Shouldn't she have gotten in trouble for that? Oh, right, they tried to execute her. Which led him to the conclusion that the human world and the shinigami world weren't supposed to meet. Which was what made him such an oddity.
And then the Shinigami badge on his night stand started screeching "Hollow! Hollow!"
A hollow. At midnight. Fun.
Ichigo leaned over to slap the badge, and noticed that beside it sat several sheets of homework. Oops. He had forgotten to complete them.
Great. A hollow to fight, and homework to do.
Lucky him.