Hey everyone! I know, I've been gone for so damn long…but I have a good reason! If you don't follow me on DeviantART or Facebook then you wouldn't that my novel, Dehumanized, has been released! Woo! I've been very busy promoting and doing guest posts and interviews, so Fanfiction has fallen to the wayside. I don't like that, since I love Fanfiction and I don't want it to be gone from my life.
There will be a lot less of me here, but I'm still here I promise!
Now, for this story. This will be a three-shot (three chapters) that will be posted throughout the next few days. This is based on a movie that I truly and dearly love, called Wristcutters. It's not a big time movie, more of a cult kind of thing, but it deserves all the attention it can get. I love it so much I decided to write a FF about it with the Bleach characters. It's a lot like with Potentia De Mens, but with a different movie.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo and Shonen Jump Magazine. Nor do I own the plot to Wristcutters or any of the songs used within this Fic. Please support the official release.
Wristcutters: A Love Story – Part 1
Ichigo lied there, shirt stained and eyes red, looking up at the ceiling with an expression of disinterest, listening to the white noise emitting from the old record player that was at the time spinning but not playing any song. He really didn't care today. Today he couldn't have given a shit about the record he was damaging or the empty soda cup that was sticking out from his pillow. He just didn't care, because after today, it wouldn't matter.
Nothing would matter. Ever again.
He turned to his side to face the spinning record; staring at it with that same blank expression he had shown the ceiling. He remembered loving that record growing up, loving it as a child, a teenager, a young adult, and even last week. He used to love a cretin song from that record, but right now he couldn't remember the name of it, just where to place the needle.
He slowly reached out and picked up the needle, stopping the buzzing noise that was playing through the speakers. He positioned the needle in a new spot, one closer to the beginning of the track, and placed the needle down just right. Sound crackled through the accent speaker before a soft melody of a guitar flowed through the room, through him, evolving the space from complete despair to a peaceful melancholy.
He rolled out of bed, using the wall of the closet to pull him up. He took one step away from his bed, walking over piles of clothes and trash. He scanned the room, clothing falling out of drawers and littering every flat surface. The desk in the corner had old bento boxes that he had eaten long ago covering the surface, a few chocolate wrappers on the floor around it.
He grabbed the hem and looked down at his stained shirt, grimacing at the brown stain near the neck. What the hell was that? He let go to scan his room once more for clean clothes. None.
Without much complaint, Ichigo started picking up a pile of pants and other clothes from the floor to wash. He found clothing in the oddest places, in desk drawers, on lamps, and in the tub of the connected bath.
After clearing out his clothes he retrieved a garbage bag that he filled with empty cans and other thrash from around the room. He organized the book shelf and made his bed, wiped down the desk and standing lamp in the middle of the room and even went as far as cleaning the cheap picture he had on the wall for decoration. Watered the dying plants he had never even liked all that much and vacuumed for the first time in months.
Everything was clean, perfectly spotless, and in it's rightful place.
Why? Because it was a need for perfection. It was a need to move around and leave behind something other than waste. Ichigo wanted things to be right for once, even though on inside things still felt so wrong.
He dressed in one of his nicer white button up shirts and a pair of clean jeans. Combing his fingers through his spiky orange hair, Ichigo took a look around the room. He couldn't remember a time when his room was this clean. This spotless. Looking out the blinds of the window he stood next to, Ichigo thought that it looked nice outside. It was done now and he deemed it was time.
He took a few steps back to enter his small bathroom, marveling at the cleanliness of it after so long of the opposite, and took a good look into the mirror. He stared at his reflection for a few good moments, noting the bags under his eyes and how his usually tanned skin seemed so sallow and pale. Without looking at what he was doing, Ichigo started the water and let it fill up in the sink. His hand slid across the surface of the sink until his fingers came in contact with something cold, thin, and metal, and grasped it firmly in his hand. Slowly he slid it over his wrist and lower arm, ignoring the pain he felt. He repeated his actions several times, feeling himself get a little dizzier with every movement. The sound of water dripping and small splashes, accompanied by his heavy breathing and the faint sound of music from the next room was the only sound in the entire apartment.
He looked at himself in the mirror, skin even paler than before. His eyes were hazed; the once soulful brown now a dulling gray. He looked down into the sink for the first time, seeing the over flowing blood that filled it. He felt dizzy at both the sight and fact that he was still losing blood. He was unable to keep his footing and was unable to keep himself from falling over.
Lying there on the cold tile floor, his blood spilling quickly and gathering around his abused arms, he thought about how much this hurt. It felt like there was fire igniting under the skin of his arms. But it didn't matter, he told himself, because it would soon be over.
And then he saw it. A little ball of dust gathered in the corner of the room.
He had wanted the house to be clean on this day.
Damn.
[–]
I think she cried at my funeral. It's not like I'm conceited or anything, but I'm pretty sure.
Sometimes I can picture her, talking about me to some guy she fills really close to. Talking about me dying. About how they lowered me into the grave all pathetic and shriveled up, like a melted chocolate bar or something. About how we never actually got a chance, and then the guy fucks her real nice, a fuck that's all about making her feel better.
[–]
Ichigo pulled the chain to flush the toilet. He readjusted his pants and the apron he had to wear, and stared at the broken mirror that disfigured his reflection that was taped to the wall. Ichigo stared at the waving image of himself for only a second longer before turning on the old faucet to the dingy sink and began cleaning his hands as thoroughly as he could.
He adjusted the white rag headband around his forehead, red words scrolled around the center, and made sure it didn't fall in his eyes.
[–]
Soon after I died I got a job here at the Kamikaze Pizza. It's not a great job, but it will do for a while. The manager was cool enough to hook me up with a place to live too. With this guy, Omaeda.
[–]
"Did it again Ichigo." Omaeda, a rather portly and tall guy said as he stormed out of the bathroom and into Ichigo's room, staring at Ichigo who was lying on his cheap bed, reading an old book he had read one too many times before.
"Did what?" He asked while turning away from his boring book to give Omaeda a blank stare.
"Don't play dumb," Omaeda said angrily. "You promised. If you're going to live in this apartment, you have to sit while you piss." He explained with all seriousness.
Ichigo had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I forgot."
"How in the world do you forget something like that? Huh?"
Ichigo just shrugged, wanting to go back to his book but knowing the large man's confronting him wouldn't let him do so any time soon. He ignored Omaeda's marathon of 'sit, sit, sit' until the man had finally sighed, realizing he wouldn't get his point across, what ever his point may have been, and left the room sulking.
[–]
Who could think of a better punishment really?
Everything's the same here, it's just…a little worse.
I've though about suicide again, but I haven't tried it. I don't want to end up in a bigger shit hole than this one.
Yeah, I was missing Orihime. I even had a feeling that this whole suicide thing just made me miss her and love her even more. But, who knows?
[–]
"Maybe you just need a drink." The older bartender suggested while placing a beer bottle on the bar Ichigo was sitting at. He took it without a word and right away began drinking. Loud music that he didn't care for was playing and there was an echo of pool balls being hit. He looked around the bar, not knowing what to expect. He never really had gone out before now.
Everything was dull with colors of faded brown and gray, depressing. The people sitting around looked just as sullen. It was all very depressing. But Ichigo figured the bars in the living world actually weren't that different, so this place was the closest to home he could find.
"Hi," A soft feminine voice said from beside him. He whipped around to the second person to talk to that night and was met with a young strawberry blond woman with enormous breasts. "Listen, my friend Nel and I," She said gesturing to a green haired girl with equally enormous tits sitting at a small table. "We play this game where we try and guess how people off'd themselves. We were just guessing about you. How you do it?" she finally asked and stared Ichigo down, waiting for an answer.
Ichigo was surprised by this woman's boldness. Most people here kept to themselves, so it was a shock to see someone so determined in a place like this. He took a quick gulp of his drink before placing it down and pulling his sleeves up a little to show Rangiku his wrist. She attempted to smile bitterly and turned back to her friend and called out.
"Three points for me." She said. Nel gave her an un-amused look.
"That's an extremely rude question to ask." Ichigo stated and gained Rangiku's attention once again. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he had been lonely since he arrived here and a conversation, be it with a stranger, was what he really needed.
"Precisely," Rangiku said sadly. Her eye was squinted slightly, as if she wanted to cry, but didn't. She shook her head quickly and gave a snap of her tongue. "That's what the game is all about."
As she started to walk away, Ichigo began to mutter to himself, not realizing what he had said out loud.
"What about you?"
Rangiku stopped, spun around, making her hair fly with the movement, and in a sweet voice replied, "Me?"
[–]
In a nice kitchen were sweet wooden carved cherry cabinets, stainless and free of food. Light shone through the small window above the stove, leading a path downwards to a sight that would be found later that day. The stove was running, door opened, and a young strawberry blond girl lay there, not moving an inch. On the small kitchen table was a note:
Are you sorry now?
[–]
"No, no, no, no." Ichigo said quickly, putting down his beer and pointing at man sitting at the bar. He was now seated with the two blondes' and as much as he hated to admit it, their little sick game was kind of fun. "Look at him, his skin is all saggy. It was defiantly drowning."
"No, I'm telling you," Rangiku shook her head quickly and pointed to her cheek. "Look at the blue-ish face. It has to be gas."
As both Rangiku and Ichigo shook their heads at one another's ideas, Nel leaned over the table. "Go over their and ask him." She said towards Ichigo. He started to get up until he saw the man staring at him darkly, and retook his seat.
"I don't know about this one, he seems…ill-humored."
Suddenly there was a grunt and a light whack on Ichigo's arm and he turned around to see a male around his age with long red hair tied in a spiky pony-tail behind his head and a white bandage tied around his forehead.
"Why don't you try guessing me?" He offered, a little drunken. When the girls didn't answer, the guy picked up his chair and moved to sit at the table with them. "I bet you girls a beer you won't guess." He said cockily as he eyed both of the girls' chests.
Nel gave him a look before turning to the door, "Oh, Rangiku, look who's here." She said pointing with her beer to a man who had just walked in. Rangiku made an excited noise before getting up with Nel, murmuring that she would be back before leaving.
"I'll tell you something," The guy across from Ichigo said as he lit a hand rolled cigarette. "When a girl says she'll be right back, write her off right then." Ichigo quirked a brow at the guy for his assumptions. He wasn't attempting to get laid, if that's what he was assuming. "They always end up leaving with some retarded dumb guy."
Ichigo agreed with the statement and agreed even more when he saw Rangiku wave to him as she and Nel left with a few guys. It wasn't easy to find a good girl anymore, even less now that he was here.
He took another swig of his beer as the guy across from him began packing a few papers with tobacco from a zip lock bag.
"So, what was it?"
"What was what?"
"How did you, you know…" He paused, trying to remember how Rangiku had put it. "Off yourself?"
"Aw, well…"
[–]
He stood in the front of a stage, sweat beading down his face from the lights above him. Behind him a band was playing a heavy melody as he sang into the mic. When the song was over, he was met with criticism from his small audience.
"You suck."
"Really suck."
"Get off the stage."
He looked out at the small pathetic crowd he had and thought about his life. Pathetic it was too.
"Fuck it all." He held his beer bottle out in a non-cheer and gulped down half of it before pouring the rest onto the electric guitar he had strapped to his body.
[–]
"You off'ed with a guitar." Ichigo repeated a little skeptically.
"Hell yeah. On stage and everything. Iggy Pop, he almost came to see that gig."
[–]
Ichigo washed his hands, glaring at the wannabe mirror and bright yellow sign that was always there to remind him to wash. He dried his hands and bunched up the soiled paper towels and threw them away.
Exiting the bathroom with a sigh, he immediately went back to the pizza that was waiting to be cut. He was distracted with his own thoughts, and when he placed the cutter to the pizza he pressed a little too hard and the whole thing tipped over and fell to the ground. He looked around to see if anyone had seen and when he deemed it safe he quickly gathered the pizza off the floor and put it back on the tray. He took a cut slice and placed it on a paper plate. He didn't see big deal; it wasn't like it could kill someone to eat it.
[–]
A few weeks passed, weeks of going out with Renji, his new and only friend, and getting drunk. Weeks of late nights with rolled cigarettes and dirty bars. And worst of all, weeks of thinking of his old life with Orihime.
As he lied in bed, he could practically hear their old conversations. About living together, being together, and the amount of fun they had with each other. How much they loved each other…
It had also been these weeks that built his and Renji's friendship. He had told Renji all about Orihime, and in return Renji attempted to get him laid.
As they reached Renji's shitty old car he started again. "Tonight when we go out, you need to promise me-"
"No. Renji I'm not going out tonight, or any other night." Ichigo said quickly.
Renji stopped unlocking the car. "Why?"
"It makes me depressed to go out."
Ichigo stared at his friend and he stared back at Ichigo. "So what you gonna do. Kill yourself?"
"…I don't know. Maybe."
"As if anything could make you happy."
Orihime had made him happy, because she loved him. More so than any of the women Ichigo had ever been with before. But Renji was right. What was he going to do? Killing himself again, that wouldn't make him happy. That wouldn't take him back.
[–]
Without a knock or warning, his bedroom door opened and Omaeda stomped into the room as he always does. "You ate the last of my cottage cheese!" Ichigo didn't answer, making Omaeda madder. "Ichigo, did you eat my cottage cheese?"
"Calm down Omaeda. I'll buy you some cottage cheese." Ichigo said, resisting the urge to sigh.
"That's not the point! I was planning to have some right now!"
Ichigo lost the fight and sighed; he was not in the mood for this. "Don't you have a plan B or something-?"
"You do this all the time!" Omaeda threw the empty container of cheese at Ichigo's head. "You stupid, selfish, ignorant-"
"Alright! Alright!" Ichigo yelled back as he rolled out of his bed. "I'll go get some more cottage cheese."
[–]
Ichigo opened the freezer and picked a random container from the bunch, checked the date, and threw it uncaringly into the little basket he had. Closing the freezer door, Ichigo was ready to leave when he heard a familiar voice calling his name.
"Holy crap, Ichigo!"
The orange haired man turned, and his eyes widened slightly. "Keigo?" He asked the mostly familiar face with a large, new scar running up the side. Keigo held his hand out and Ichigo didn't hesitate to shake it.
"I was hoping we'd run into each other soon." Keigo said.
"What…what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked as they separated.
Keigo shrugged. "The same as everyone else. Only it's got a little something to do with you."
"Oh yeah? You come all the way here to get the two-hundred dollars I owe you?" Ichigo dryly quipped.
"Haha, you always were a joker." He said non-amusedly. He pointed at Ichigo to get his point across. "You know how people say suicides happen in three? Well, there's something to that. Hey is this cheese any good?" He said grabbing the container from Ichigo basket and looking it over.
"Um, my roommate likes it but-"
"You know, when people start offing themselves around you, you start asking yourself 'what makes you so different?', 'what's keeping me alive?' And then it hit me," He hit himself with the cheese before tossing it back at Ichigo's basket. "Like a mallet. I don't have the answer…too much sodium. But I think it was Orihime's suicide that really hit me."
Ichigo froze. Orihime…was here?
"Orihime's what?"
"Yeah, Orihime. She off herself about a month after you. I thought you would have known that."
"No," Ichigo's mind was racing. Orihime, Orihime, Orihime, Orihime! She died. She off'd herself. She was here!
Before he really knew it, Ichigo was running out the store, basket forgotten on the ground as he ran through the doors.
"Hey, I still want that two-hundred you owe me!"
[–]
"So, I'm saying I got a pretty good idea she's not in the city." Ichigo said while packing a duffle bag. Renji was sitting on a fold out chair while drinking a beer watching as Ichigo paced back and forth. "Call it intuition, or whatever. Worst cause scenario, we just take a ride right?"
Renji almost choked on his beer. "We?"
The two friends stared each other down until Ichigo sighed. "Alright then."
As Ichigo tried to finish packing Renji shot up and stopped him. "Let me get this straight. Since you got here how many times have you gotten laid?"
"Why?"
"Just a question."
Ichigo sighed, averting his eyes and hoping that Renji would step down. "Like really got laid, for real? Renji nodded, giving him a 'duh' look. "None, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, your sperm count is so fucking high you think you're having an out of body experience that nobody in the fucking universe knows."
"Renji," Ichigo pushed past him to grab his coat off the wall. "Sperm count, outer body experiences, I mean really? Listen man just let me borrow the car; you won't have to do anything."
"Why are you so touchy all of a sudden? All I said was that it not good enough reason for me to go." Renji defended himself.
Ichigo sighed, zipping up his bag. "You know what? Forget Orihime, I have another reason for you to go."
Renji gave him an unbelievable look before shrugging. "Give it shot."
"You got anything better to do?"
[–]
Driving down a nearly empty highway road, tires squealing, they drove out of town and into a nearly disserted landscape. As they drove out of town, Ichigo leaned out the window to look at his surroundings properly. It was his first time out of the city, and seeing as how Renji was hanging his head out the window, despite the fact that he was driving, it must have been his first time as well.
They drove towards the mountains, having to pass high drops and dark tunnels on the way. When they passed through the tunnels, Ichigo noticed something peculiar.
"So, what's the big deal?" Ichigo said as they exited the dark tunnel. "The headlights don't work."
Renji shook his head and took a long drag of his cigarette. "You won't believe how many times I've tried to get them fixed."
Ichigo stared at his friend's profile, a little peeved. "You tell me this now? This means we can't drive at night; at all." He said sighing. "Well just stop somewhere for the night and get it fixed then. It's on me, I'll pay for it."
"If you insist," Renji said as Ichigo took a gulp of his beer. Seeing so Renji spoke up again. "But I bet you a beer it can't be fixed."
"Let's get music." Putting down his beer Ichigo grabbed a small plastic box of cassette tapes. The car had no radio of it's own but there was an old radio seated between the two front seats. Ichigo looked at the old cassette tapes and scanned the names, not knowing a single one. Who even had cassette tapes? "What are these, they work right?" he was about to take out a tape when he lost his grip on the box and the tapes fell to the floor. He leaned down as far as he could, his hands blindly searching and coming up empty. The tapes must have fallen under the seat.
"Oh shit." Renji muttered beside him. Ichigo looked to him curiously.
"What?"
"Anything that falls under that seat is gone forever."
"Is there a hole or something?" He asked, feeling his hand around the bottom of his seat trying to find it.
"Yeah." Renji said before shaking his head. "No…well kinda. More like, I guess you could say black hole. Or, a – a Bermuda Triangle. You know, things just, uh, disappear."
Ichigo stared at him like he was crazy before attempting to look under his seat again. He couldn't see a 'black hole' as Renji had put it, but he did find one tape that had survived. He held it up to Renji questioningly; only receiving a disgusted look and small head shake.
"It's not very good."
"What is it?" Before even getting an answer, Ichigo started putting the tape in the player.
"It's my old band. Had it in my pocket when I off'd." Renji unzipped his coat, deciding it was too hot outside for one and instructed Ichigo to hold the wheel while he stripped. The music started and Renji retook the wheel, scrunching his nose. "Even worse than I remembered."
"What are you talking about? I like it."
When there's a trap set up for you,
The day went by rather fast.
In every corner of this town
They replayed the song through their drive, seeing as how they both agreed it could be listened to.
And so you learn the only way to go is underground
Had a few beers and stopped for burgers.
When there's a trap set up for you
Night was quickly on its way.
In every corner of your room
Lucky, during the evening a mechanic shop was spotted up ahead.
And so you learn the only way to go is through the roof'
"Ganju's car shop." Renji read aloud as they drove past a piece of wood with the name taped to it.
"Perfect timing, huh?"
"I bet you a beer they can't fix it."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You're on, man."
[–]
A young boy in his late teens or early twenties leaned over the engine of the car. He had long dark hair and deep bags under his eyes. The hood was popped open and he was careful not to hit his head as he pulled a piece out of the car.
"Ok, um, it's broken. B-but I'm not sure what it is that's wrong." He stuttered as he held the piece he had just removed. "But Ganju… Ganju is my boss. And he's an absolute genius, and he'll get this fixed for you." He pushed the car part into Ichigo's hand before awkwardly running off to the door.
Renji snorted loudly once the boy was gone. "I'm telling you, they aren't going to be able to fix it."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You're just a pessimist." He said.
"This coming from you?" Renji raised a brow at the orange haired man, who just shrugged left Renji at the door, walking back to the car to wait for the mechanics. Renji shook his head one last time before entering the shop again, being met with the young boy from earlier pushing a wheel chair that held an older man with long unruly hair with a green bandana wrapped around his head.
"Oh shit, looks like we'll gonna be sleeping here tonight." Renji muttered.
"What do we got here?" The man asked as he was pushed up to the car. "Hey Hanataro, why don't you go start this thing up?" He instructed and the teen was already on his way to the seat. As the boy started the car up, the man set his hand on the hood, feeling the vibration of the engine.
The man sucked in a slow, calm breath, and then spoke, "You need an exhaust system, vale got to be august, and listen to the fuel pipe in there…" He trailed off as he closed his eyes.
"No, no, no, no. We just wanted to get our headlights fixed." Ichigo started, but was quieted by Hanataro as the young boy waved his arms at him.
[–]
The bubbling hot tub was red with blood. On one end was an older dark haired man, his usual green bandanna long gone, the other a younger dark haired boy with sunken eyes. Their hands met in the middle, grasping each other tightly.
The sound of the door opening could be heard a little ways off, a woman's voice calling out into the background.
"Honey? Are you home? Honey?"
Just as the back door was opening, the two hands slipped apart, just like they had done so many times before.
[–]
Hanataro stood there with the closest thing to a smile he could muster. He wanted to laugh and at the same time he wanted to cry as he looked at Ganju, sound a sleep and looking peaceful.
"He hasn't slept a wink since we got here." He felt the need to inform the two about his joy. He breathed loudly, a happy, relieved sound and clapped his hands softly. "We'll fix the headlights by tomorrow."
[–]
Ichigo threw his head back on the hard seat of the car, squinting when the bright light of the sun shone through his closed eyes. He was more uncomfortable than he had been in weeks.
Deciding that there was no possible way he would be able to sleep any longer, Ichigo sat up, ripped away the coat he had been using as a blanket, and went for Renji's glove box. He opened the box to pull out Renji's sunglasses. He was sure the other wouldn't mind. He unfolded the vintage glasses and attempted to put them on as the sun blinded him. He felt the glasses slip from his fingers and he knew that they were gone the second they hit the ground. They had fallen into the black hole to never be seen again.
He let out a frustrated sigh and a muted curse as he fell back against his seat. Damn. Renji stirred next to him. He sat up, stretching slightly before pulling a cigarette out and placing it between his lips, lighting it.
"Damn shift stick," Renji muttered grumpily as he readjusted himself in his seat. "This is the last time I sleep in the car." Ichigo groaned in agreement and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sun. Renji released a stream of smoke. "Where's my shades?"
Ichigo sat up to give Renji an apologetic look. "I, uh, I dropped them."
Renji let out a frustrated noise and rested back in his seat. "Man, I told you to be careful 'bout that. Goddamn it."
"I know, sorry. I didn't mean to drop them but it's bright as shit Renji."
Renji let his head fall to the steering wheel as he fumed. Ichigo shook his head and opened the door to the car. "I gotta' take a piss." He said, moving to step out of the car. It was too late by the time he realized his feet touched nothing but thin air before he found himself falling hard four feet down to the ground. Renji raised a brow and crawled over the seats to see Ichigo lying on the dirt and his car suspended in the air by a fork lift.
"The hell?!" Ichigo growled, getting up to nurse the throbbing bump on the side of his head. Ganju had parts of the headlights in his hands as Hanataro too moved pieces apart.
"Mornin' boys." The mechanic said while looking over the parts. "Nothin' like a good night sleep." Ichigo stared in horror at the man as he jumbled the items in his arms. "Well, not fixed yet, but give me a few days and I'll get it working. Once and for all and forever."
"That's how he does it." The teen piped in. "Once and for all and forever."
Ichigo frowned at the two, turning back to the car to gape.
"Looks like you owe me first beer of the day." Renji said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.
[–]
"I told you man, no one can fix the headlights in this car."
They were on the road again, flying past desert landscape at close to forty miles an hour. Renji was steering with his knees as he rolled a smoke, licked it closed, and put it between his lips to smoke it. Beside him, Ichigo had fallen back asleep.
"Can't believe you lost my shades." Renji said while blowing smoke to the half awake man next to him. Ichigo ignored him and tried going back to sleep. "Holy shit," Renji muttered suddenly, to which Ichigo groaned.
"What?"
"Check it out," Renji said, jutting his chin forward at something.
Ichigo opened his bleary eyes and sat up, peering out the windshield to see a person walking along the edge of the road. The person was short in stature, a head of what appeared to be raven colored hair falling down to her – it was definitely a woman - chin level, a single band between her eyes. She was dressed in a faded purple hoodie, a bag strapped to her back. She looked at their car, watching it come closer to her as she walked backwards along the edge of the road. As they passed the person, she held out their hand with their thumb up. Hitch-hiker.
Renji slammed on the breaks, causing the car to skid to a stop, and Ichigo to fly forward. "What the hell Renji?!" Ichigo barked as he put his hands out to stop him from hitting the dashboard. Renji ignored the orange haired man's protests as he was already throwing the car in reverse.
He stopped next to the young woman, a year younger then him and Ichigo. Now that they were closer Ichigo could see her eyes were an odd shade of violet. She was very attractive, with a slender frame and modest perks. Renji threw her a grin and pointed to the back of the car. "Hop on in,"
The woman bent down to the window, her eyes glancing over Renji and then to Ichigo. "Where are you boys heading?"
"Uh, East-ish?" Ichigo asked Renji while trying to remember which way they were heading.
"East-ish?" The woman repeated. "You guys don't have a clue where you're going do you?"
"You must not have been here very long, have ya?" Renji asked.
"How do you figure?"
"'Cause if anyone here had a clue we wouldn't be here in first place."
She considered this answer for a few seconds, and then shrugged. "True." The woman stood to full height and opened the back door of the car. "I am pretty new. Actually, I've been hitch-hiking ever since I got here." She was now seated in the back with that old backpack in her lap.
"How come?" Ichigo asked, looking the girl down. She definitely was attractive, but was worn down. Her faded hoodie had a few little holes and rips and her pants were dirty with dust and sand. It was hard to say, but she must have been walking all day.
"I'm looking for the people in charge." She replied while rolling the window down and up until she was satisfied.
"People in charge?" Renji repeated. The woman nodded and brushed her hair out of her amethyst eyes. Ichigo stared at her for a moment but was snapped out of it when Renji put the car in drive. "Where do you think you are? Some kind of country club where you can just walk into the main office. Tell me please, when you were still living, did you ever try looking for God?"
"No," The girl in the back seat said while opening a stick of gum. "But I didn't have a reason to back then." Ichigo was watching her as she stuck the gum into her mouth.
"Why? Sorry you off'd yourself, or change your mind?" Renji asked while looking through the rearview mirror at the woman. "'Cause you know if that's the cause then-"
"Renji. Renji, stop it." Ichigo said as he turned away back in his seat. "What's your name?"
"Rukia." The woman replied. "What's your name?" She asked offering the two in the front seats a stick of gum.
"Ichigo," He said, taking the gum and popping it into his mouth. Peppermint. "Nice to meet you. Thanks." Renji didn't offer a name but took the gum. "So why don't you like it here?"
"Are you joking?" Rukia asked skeptically, giving him a look. "Do you guys like it here?" They didn't answer. Ichigo looked away, and Renji shrugged, but that was all the answer Rukia got. "Who the hell likes being in a place where they can't even smile? It's hot as balls, everyone's an asshole, and you can't find a decent clothing store for miles. Na-uh, I just want to go home."
Ichigo didn't have a response for that and so they continued to drive in silence.
So, do you guys like it? This is something I've been working on for quite a while now, on and off again. I'm on the home stretch of finishing it, like literally five more pages, and then I have to edit the rest of it. I figured if I post the first part here then it would help give me incentive to finish.
I really hope you guys like this. I know I've been gone for a while, and I may keep disappearing, but know I'm still here and that I haven't forgotten you guys.
I'll come back with the second part in a few days. Promise!
REVIEW!