Together

By: Hitokiri Musei

Rated: T

Summary: Inspired by a piece of fanart. Hints at HichiIchi. In the final moments of the war with Aizen, Shiro gives everything to protect his King, but it's not enough to save him…

Warnings: I saw this fanart, (I can't even tell you who it's by, I found it on Photobucket, but it's quite lovely) and this is what came to mind. That picture is what inspired this, so I give some credit to that unknown artist, whoever they are. I came up with this on a whim, so there's probably plot holes and junk, but it's only a one-shot, so it works. Hints of yaoi, of course, HichiIchi goodness.

I do not own Bleach. I cry.

No… No, this can't be happening… damnit! Move! Move!

Ichigo couldn't move. He tried to make his limbs shift, tried everything he could to lift Zangetsu higher to block the descending blade, but he just couldn't do it. He panted, blinking against the blood that was obscuring his vision. His entire body felt leaden, as though the blood pouring out of him was being replaced with weights.

He tried once more, his chocolate eyes staring in horror at the blade that was falling towards him, trying to move…

Che.

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as he heard this sound, and then a white figure appeared in front of him, raising a white Zangetsu to block the attack. The orange-head stared at this person, frightened and yet relived all at the same time.

"S-Shiro!"

His Hollow turned around, his lips in their never-changing grin as he met his King's gaze. "Hey King. Looks like ya need a lil' help here."

Ichigo glared faintly at the other, but didn't deny this fact. He knew that there was no way he could move on, here on the sands of Hueco Mundo. Surrounded by Arrancar and fighting shinigami, the orange-head knew that he was almost to the end of his power. He could barely feel his limbs, and he was shaking badly. He'd lost way too much blood, and pain was radiating from every part of his body.

The boy shifted, drawing his broken left hand closer to his abdomen in an attempt to shield it as he moved. This fight had been going on for what seemed like forever, and he was just waiting for it to end. The war was at its climax; he could sense several of the taichous as well as the soutaichou not far away, battling with Aizen.

Having already done his part by defeating several of the Espada as well as Tousen Kaname, Ichigo knew that he had more than helped out. However, he continued to fight as well as he could with the remaining Arrancar to give time to the ones who were fighting Aizen. As much as he would have liked to go help them, he knew that he didn't have the strength.

Ichigo moved backwards as Shiro leapt forward, brandishing his pale sword and locking blades with the Arrancar that had been attacking him. While Ichigo bloody, shaking, and broken, Shiro was still whole and healthy, ready to fight. Ichigo had discovered sometime during the war that because of the spirit particles filling the air in Hueco Mundo, Shiro could manifest himself if need be.

The Hollow, who had become Ichigo's friend over the long years they had spent together, only came out when Ichigo absolutely needed him, and the orange-head had to admit, this was one of those times. If Shiro hadn't shown up, Ichigo had little doubts that he would have been dead.

Shiro darted away from the panting Arrancar, moving back to check on Ichigo and wrench the boy to his feet. "C'mon King, we need ta get outta here!" he said sharply, blinking away the blood that was falling from a slash on his forehead.

Ichigo nodded, stumbling after his Hollow as the other led him away with an iron grip on his wrist, both breathing heavily. Even though Shiro was unmarked, that didn't mean that Ichigo's exhaustion wasn't affecting him. They were part of the same body after all.

They ran for a while, Shiro desperately searching for somewhere that they could stop and rest if only for a moment, slashing at Hollows as they attacked, his hand still wrapped tightly around Ichigo's wrist. The orange-head was following as best he could, but blood loss was beginning to take hold, and after some time his vision tipped dangerously and he fell hard, nearly taking Shiro down with him.

The white Hollow knelt beside his other half, concern flashing in his black/gold eyes. "C'mon King, yer stronger than this. Get up."

Ichigo shook his head wearily, his vision blurred. He couldn't think, he could barely see. He had been fighting for so long, all he wanted to do now was lay down and rest for a bit. He was so tired… "I can't… Can't hardly see straight…"

Shiro growled. "Get up! Stop yer whinin' and get up! I know that yer stronger than this, an' yer more stubborn! Get up!"

Ichigo groaned faintly, but with Shiro's help managed to get to his feet, following the white form as best he could over the dead-strewn ground. His vision kept washing out, his feet tripping over air as Shiro finally pulled him closer, slinging an arm around Ichigo's ribcage and yanking him along as his feet dragged. Ichigo's head lolled, his eyes rolling slightly as he began to lose consciousness.

"Damnit! Stay awake, King!"

Shiro pulled harder on Ichigo's limp body, glancing back behind him where he heard a Hollow's roar. His black/gold eyes widened, and then he turned, frantically dropping Ichigo to the ground in an effort to protect him.

Ichigo gasped in pain as he landed on his broken shoulder, a few tears squeezing out of his eyes. A moment later there was a thud as a body landed in front of him, and Ichigo opened his eyes to see something that he had never thought he would see.

Shiro lay in front of him, blood gushing from a wound in his chest. The Hollow gasped in pain, his hands weakly covering the spot in an attempt to slow the blood flow. The attacker grinned viciously, but before he could do anything, Ichigo's hand wrapped around the hilt of Shiro's white Zangetsu, thrusting the thin blade through the Hollow's mask.

Ichigo, panting around the stinging pain in his shoulder and chest, crawled back to Shiro's side. The Hollow was panting heavily, his hands clutching at the wound in his chest. Ichigo carefully pulled the ruins of the shihakshou away from it, trying to see it clearly, even though his vision was still blurry and shaky.

The Hollow shook his head, reaching up to bat away the other's hand. "Leave it be, King, this is nothin'."

Ichigo shook his head. "It isn't…" His arm gave out on him at that moment, and he fell down onto Shiro's shoulder, panting roughly. "You know… we're going to die here…"

Shiro scoffed harshly. "Maybe. Probably."

The orange-head sighed, closing his eyes and turning his head towards Shiro's white throat. "But… at least I know that we won the war…"

Shiro nodded as the two felt the waves of Aizen's reiatsu vanish, leaving them almost lighter in the wake of it. The Hollow closed his eyes slowly, and then opened them to turn his head and look at his King.

"I… I'm sorry. I couldn't protect ya." Shiro mumbled.

Ichigo shook his head. "No. I should be saying sorry. I wasn't strong enough."

A white hand slowly rose, touching the blood-stained orange locks. "I'm jus' glad that I could be 'ere with you, King." He grinned, not the normal large, insane one, but a rather soft one that made his eyes shimmer. "My pretty little King."

Ichigo smiled dimly, and Shiro felt a pang of what he thought was hurt as he noticed that Ichigo's eyes were dazed and barely aware, his face pale. Silently, the Hollow watched him, his fingers stroking the orange hair. Ichigo spoke softly. "Yea… with you… Shiro…."

Shiro watched as the light left Ichigo's eyes, and his heart finally stuttered to an end, the loss of blood too much for his heart to maintain. The Hollow let the smile slip off his face, reaching to close his King's open eyes and then take the limp hand that rested on his chest. He carefully intertwined their fingers, laying their hands on his chest where Ichigo had had his own a moment before.

The Hollow tiredly closed his eyes, his arm tightening where it was curled around Ichigo's shoulders. Sleep sounds good…

Rukia Kuchiki wiped the sweat and blood from her forehead, finally daring to lower her stained zanpaktou. The battle was over, the last of the Hollows were being struck down, and Aizen had finally been defeated by the soutaichou and a few other taichous working together. It was an amazing achievement, especially after the 4 years that the war had been going on.

She quickly started locating her friends, making sure that they were alright. Renji was nearby, the large skeletal form of Hihou Zabimaru curled protectively around his body. There was blood on his shihakshou and fifth division's taichou haori, but he was standing fine and didn't appear to be seriously harmed.

Sado was close by as well, standing with Ishida, Orihime, and Tatsuki. Surprisingly the short haired girl had been a rather useful asset to the group; her near constant exposure to Ichigo's overflowing reiatsu had awakened her own powers, and after training, she proved to be rather powerful. Orihime was healing them all quickly, so Rukia knew she didn't have to worry about any of them.

She saw many of her other friends and comrades walking around, looking over the battlefield, or getting healed by the arriving 4th squad members. The only person that she didn't see was the familiar orange head of Ichigo.

Where is he?

She released her zanpaktou's shikai, sheathing it and moving through the desolation of the field, searching for Ichigo. She didn't see him standing, and she couldn't sense his reiatsu, which terrified her. Ichigo was always easy to spot; his huge and brimming reiatsu was like a red beacon for anyone with any sort of sensing abilities.

So where was it now?

Rukia felt more panic flow through her, and she broke into a light jog, wincing faintly as it jostled her injured arm and sent a few stabs of pain through her wounds. She pushed it out of her mind though, her violet eyes scanning the field frantically in an attempt to locate one of her closest friends.

A spot of white in all the red attracted her attention, and she ran forward to see if it was what she thought it was. Sure enough, it was the paleness of Shiro, Ichigo's Hollow, whom she had met several times over the course of the war. Lying against his side was Ichigo, the orange head resting against Shiro's shoulder.

Rukia's heart skipped a beat as she moved closer. Ichigo's eyes were closed and his face was smooth and relaxed, as was Shiro's. Both were completely still, and Rukia knelt beside them as she came to them, her heart finally coming to the realization of what she saw before her.

Shiro's arm was wrapped around Ichigo's shoulders and under his arm, his fingers barely holding onto Ichigo's right wrist, which was beneath his body and wrapped up over his waist. Ichigo was on his side, his cheek resting against Shiro's collarbone, his nose near the Hollow's throat. Blood soaked them both, and Rukia was horrified to find a stab wound in Shiro's heart, another through Ichigo's back.

But what broke the dam was the sight of their hands lying on Shiro's chest, fingers intertwined loosely. Their faces were calm and smooth, and Rukia knew without checking that they were both dead.

Oh Ichigo…

She looked away, closing her eyes in sorrow. She knew that no doubt Shiro had come out to protect Ichigo when the orange-head had been close to passing out. Ichigo had a knack for getting himself into the worst battles and then getting hurt at the worst times. Shiro would have wanted to keep him safe; she knew that the Hollow would never have let the orange-head die.

I just wish I could have been here to help them… During the whole fight I never noticed he was struggling. I wish he would ask for help once and a while…

The black haired girl smiled bitterly, but she knew that Ichigo was content, and so was Shiro. They had died fighting, and that was what they both did best. And at least they were together in the end.

"Hey Ichigo?"

"Yea? What is it, Shiro?"

"Let's be together again, in the next life."

A smile. "Yea. I'll be waiting."

Yea, I got that last quote from Kingdom Hearts… I've been on a kick for that lately, do forgive me, it just fit there really well in my mind. I don't own Kingdom Hearts either. And I cry over that too.