Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! :D I know I'm a bit late, but ignore that. This was originally supposed to be a Christmas present for my dear friend Kenkai, but things got in the way and I wasn't able to complete it on time. So consider this a going-away present for when you go off to England. :3 I hope you like it, bb! Also, for those of you wondering, I haven't abandoned my other fanfics. The muse hasn't been cooperating lately, but I'll be whipping her into shape here soon. I plan on attempted to write 50,000 words again this year (I was 14,000 words short last year) and one of my goals is to complete at least one of my fanfics. So please be patient with me and look forward to a year full of updates!
A big thank-you goes out to Sweety for looking this over and giving me some tips!
Disclaimer: Bleach and all characters are property of Tite Kubo.
'How...how did this happen?'
Orihime watched numbly from her spot on the sidewalk, her eyes widened in shock and horror. Blurs of black and white raced past her, so quickly she couldn't keep up with the furious battle taking place before her. Her limbs trembled, but refused to obey her thoughts; no matter how much she cried for them to move, they wouldn't. An ear splitting roar had her quickly covering her ears with a wince. Her trance broken, her eyes tried to make out the form of her boyfriend as she wished she could ignore the harsh grating sound of steel clashing against steel. Looking up at the sky, she felt her heart seize in her chest at the sight of her boyfriend in that monstrous form once again. Emotions she thought she had buried long ago after the fight on the dome in Heuco Mundo resurfaced; worry, fear, agony... She had tried so hard to keep those emotions buried, much like when you throw something into a lake, desperate to get rid of it; but now she felt as if she was helplessly watching it float back up to the surface, mocking her. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes as she watched the fight resume, more ferocious than before.
It had seemed like a normal, easy-going day that they had planned to spend together until Ichigo had gotten an urgent call from Hitsugaya, informing him of a stray Espada heading in his direction. Telling Orihime to get somewhere safe, Ichigo pulled out his badge, releasing his shinigami form and leaving his body in the care of Orihime. She had obeyed him, finding a safe place for both herself and his body, but her concern for Ichigo had gotten the better of her. Finding where he was hadn't been hard; his reiatsu was flaring every which way, indicating that it was quite the vicious battle.
However, it seemed as though she should have stayed put.
Just as she had arrived close enough to help him, she saw the Espada drive his sword through Ichigo's abdomen...and twist. His tattered robes did not show the blood stains but she could make out the small stream of blood that dropped down from the torn edges. She watched in horror as Ichigo's body slowly plummeted to Earth, the scene very reminiscent of his battle on the dome as she raced towards him, calling for her shield. However, before she could even reach him, his reiatsu spiked, creating a large cloud of dust from the rubble. Shielding her eyes, Orihime squinted through the dust and gasped when she saw that Ichigo's skin had turned white and his hair had grown into long tresses.
Now, it was all she could do to watch in horror at the fight before her. With her hands clasped before her, she prayed for Ichigo's safe return and with her next breath, wondered if there was any way to hasten the fulfillment of that prayer.
"You're in the way, human."
Orihime's eyes widened in surprise at the cold voice, and her face paled when she realized the Espada was standing right in front of her, his sword pointed directly at her heart. Opening her mouth to call for her shield, she barely got the words out before a blur appeared behind the Espada. A sudden flash of crimson streaked across her vision, centering around the Espada and she reflexively shut her eyes, idly wondering if it was her blood or his that was splattering her face. After a moment, she apprehensively opened her eyes and raised her gaze, finding that a pair of black and gold eyes were staring back at her. Relief rushed through her, mingling with the panic and fear she was experiencing, creating a multitude of emotions to surge through her like an adrenaline rush.
As the blood dripped down her cheeks, she mentally likened it to tears; but she knew that her tears had never been quite so heavy and sticky before. Opening her mouth to say something, she suddenly felt as if someone had wrapped their hand around her throat, restricting her vocal chords and preventing her from speaking. Swallowing thickly, a distinct dripping sound made itself known and as she slowly turned her gaze, a voice in her mind sharply reprimanded, "Don't look!"
But it was too late; her curiosity had gotten the better of her and she found herself staring directly into the eyes of the slain Espada, his decapitated head clutched tightly in Ichigo's fist. As blood trickled down, creating a pool of crimson that quickly spread towards her feet, Orihime felt sick to her stomach as she stared in horror at the smirk that still played on the Espada's face. The uneasiness and nausea that was churning in her gut continued as Ichigo carelessly tossed the Espada's head over his shoulder, as if he were tired of a toy.
Shakily rising to her feet, trying not to vomit as her gaze focused on the blood drenching her clothing, she redirected her gaze onto Ichigo. Maybe...just maybe, if she could find her voice, he'd return to normal. Hesitantly, she raised her hand to his mask, shivering as her fingertips brushed against the cold bone of his mask. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, her breathing shallow as she waited for him to turn his sword on her.
But he didn't.
Finding a miniscule amount of courage, she swallowed thickly as a tentative smile curved her lips upwards. "K... K-Kurosaki-kun, it...i-it's okay. You won," she murmured, hoping that somewhere, deep within that mask, her lover would hear her and return to her. Orihime swore that his gaze softened at her words, but she could have been mistaken. Maybe she was just imagining it.
Holding on to her newfound courage, she hesitantly reached up, fingers outstretched to touch his mask. She froze when a growl rumbled in Ichigo's chest, but upon seeing that he wasn't intending on harming her, she shakily brushed her fingertips against the cool bone of his mask, leaving streaks of crimson against the pure white. Her eyes widened in mortification when his hand suddenly encircled her wrist. She stared at him dumbstruck and her blood ran cold as fear and panic tore through her like a summer storm.
Before she could make sense of her situation and wrest herself from his grip, he pulled her flush against his chest and sonido'd into the distance.
Peeking through her lashes, Orihime warily took in her new surroundings. They were no longer near the park on the edge of town, but in the warehouse district near where the Vaizard's hideout used to be. Her fingers had reflexively curled into his shoulders for balance as he transported them across town, but she now loosened her grip as she glanced up with trepidation. A pair of gold and black eyes stared back at her and the terror she felt earlier rose and clawed at her chest, causing a pained whimper to escape her lips. She scrambled away from him, but stumbled, landing on her bottom with a gasp. Ignoring the pain, she scooted back as quickly as she could, hoping that if she put distance between them, he wouldn't do anything to her. Surprisingly, he let her slip from his grasp easily, continuing to follow her with his fierce gaze as she backed away from him.
She seemed to be unable to break their locked gazes, so she settled for shakily rising to her feet and cautiously taking a step backwards. Licking her dry lips, she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Closing her mouth to swallow against the dryness of her throat, she tried again.
"K-Kurosaki-kun..." she whispered hoarsely, "Can you hear me?" When he said nothing nor made any movement towards her, she tried again, this time feeling a bit more confident with her words. "Kurosaki-kun, please. It's me, Orihime. You won! Y-you don't need to stay like that anymore..."
Just as she began to think that her words had fallen on deaf ears, Ichigo took a step towards her, slow and cautious, as if he was trying not to scare her. Orihime took another step backwards, her instincts screaming at her to run while her brain and heart told her that it was Ichigo underneath that horrifying mask and she had no reason to be afraid. She gasped in mild surprise when her back bumped into cold steel, halting her progress and effectively leaving her like a cornered mouse. Refusing to give in to her overwhelming urge to bolt, Orihime stood her ground and tried to remain calm, despite the tremors wracking her body.
After what seemed like an eternity, Orihime watched with bated breath as Ichigo took another step towards her...and another...and another, until he was mere inches away from her. Shivering under his gaze, she licked her lips before cracking a small, strained smile.
"It's me, Kurosaki-kun. Orihime," she whispered, her large brown eyes pleading silently with him as she gazed up at him, hoping that her words would penetrate the mask. A low growl thundered through Ichigo's chest in response and Orihime's eyes widened as he raised his hand, clawed fingers extended.
Surely he wouldn't kill her. This was Ichigo we're talking about!
Screwing her eyes shut, Orihime held her breath as she waited for what would surely be her last moment of life. What she wasn't expecting was the gentle caress she felt on her cheek followed by a slight chill. Opening her eyes, her lips parted in surprise when she realized that Ichigo – despite being in his hollowfied form – was trying to be as gentle with her as he could. This realization brought tears to her eyes, which she didn't bother brushing away. To think, that even in the state he was in, Ichigo continued to protect her... The fact that his very primal, instinctual self was in control made the notion all the more touching to her.
Closing her eyes, she leaned into his hand as he cradled her face, feeling her cheeks warm and her heart flutter at the gentleness he was bestowing upon her. She gasped as he pulled her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. Orihime didn't even mind that her face was nearly right next to the massive hole in his chest.
'I'm...not as scared as I should be,' she thought idly as she eyed the gaping hole in his chest.
Unfortunately, this rare intimacy was short lived.
Before she knew it, Orihime was pinned against the wall behind her, one clawed hand covering her mouth, muffling the startled scream that escaped her and the other roughly grasping one of her breasts. Her eyes widened in mortification and fear at the situation she now found herself in; not only was the inner beast of her boyfriend molesting her in a dirty alley, but what if someone saw her? Trying to ignore the embarrassment she felt, she instead focused her attention in trying to get out of this situation all together.
She struggled against his grip, but the realization that it was futile to break his grip caused her will to fight to dwindle.
Tears stung at the corner of her eyes as his claws dug into the tender skin of her breast, though not enough to break the skin, and a shiver raced down her spine at the chill she felt. Unlike the numerous other times she and Ichigo had gotten intimate, she had never felt such a chill emanating from him like she was experiencing now.
'Then again, this is Ichigo's hollow. Of course his skin wouldn't be as warm as Ichigo's,' she thought. Somehow, despite her predicament, she wasn't panicking or terrified like she thought she should have been.
As she relaxed into his touch, continuously reminding herself that Ichigo was still there – somewhere – and he wouldn't let anything happen to her, his hand slid from her mouth now that he knew she wouldn't scream. Her cheeks flushed in acute embarrassment as he turned his attention to other breast, his free hand now running down her side to her hip. Apprehensively, she laid her hand on his upper arm, pausing to see his reaction. When he made no move to remove her hand, she ran her hands up the hard muscles to his shoulder and then down to trace the lines extending from the large hole in his chest. She quickly gained confidence and hooked her other arm around his neck, pulling him closer so that she could place a kiss on the side of his neck.
His chest rumbled in what Orihime assumed was appreciation, so she trailed down his chorded neck leaving kisses and nipping gently every now and then. His tightened grip on her hip didn't go unnoticed, but seeing as he wasn't particularly hurting her, she didn't mind. As he continued palming her breasts and twisting her pert nipples between his clawed fingers, Orihime felt an all-too familiar heat settling in her belly. It seemed like Ichigo was experiencing the same problem as her; her eyes drifted down for a split second and she blushed as she noticed the bulge in his hakama.
Before she could form a coherent thought, Ichigo gripped the front of her shirt, ripping it clean in two and exposing her heaving chest and lacy bra. She gasped and tried grabbing the remnants of her shirt to cover herself, but just as quickly as her shirt had been torn, she found her wrists pinned above her head. Biting her lower lip, she resigned herself to the fact that this wouldn't be gentle or loving like every other time; Ichigo's hollow was all instinct and it was clear what he wanted. Swallowing past the dryness of her throat, she bit back a moan when he ground against her. Her blood pounded loudly in her ears and she hated the way her body responded to how rough he was being, but hollow or not, this was Ichigo and she wouldn't push him away.
Orihime flushed darkly when he roughly tweaked and pulled on her hardened nipples through the thin fabric of her bra. Glancing up at him, those fierce gold and black eyes had darkened, indicating the bestial lust pulsing through him as he gazed at her.
Her heart skipped a beat and she adverted her gaze shyly.
Her shyness was quickly replaced with dread when she spotted the gleam of his sword out of the corner of her eye. How could she have forgotten about his sword? Turning her gaze back up to him, fear evident in her large brown eyes, she stilled when he raised his sword to her. Screwing her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to witness her own death, a shiver wracked her body as the cold steel of Tensa Zangetsu was slid under her bra and between her breasts. Holding her breath, Orihime remained as still as she could as she frantically hoped that if she stayed still, he wouldn't hurt her.
With a quick movement of his hand, Tensa Zangetsu freed itself from her cleavage, slicing through the band of her bra that lay between her breasts. Staring in disbelief as the remnants of her favorite bra hung loosely from her shoulders, her breath whooshed out in a sigh of relief, her heart continuing to pound painfully in her chest. She had honestly thought he was going to kill her; it wasn't a pleasant thought, but considering her situation...
Shaking her head, she tried to remove the negative thoughts from her head before eying his sword warily. It was still clutched in his hand, almost as if he was contemplating whether or not to turn it's blade on her. After a brief moment in which a tense fog of fear and uncertainty flooded Orihime's senses, Tensa Zangetsu dropped to the ground, clanging loudly against the concrete. Before Orihime could thank whoever was watching over her, she gasped as he ripped a shred of her shirt away and used it to tie her wrists together.
Mortified, Orihime struggled against the restraints, but stilled when she realized her efforts were useless. Biting her lower lip, she bit back her cries as he savagely shredded her skirt, revealing the pristine white panties beneath. Instinctively, she squeezed her thighs together, trying to hide her sex from him as her cheeks burned with shame. Ichigo effortlessly parted her legs and honed in on the small bundle of nerves, wrenching a cry from Orihime's lips as he scraped one of his claws against it through her panties.
Shaking, Orihime gasped for air as he continued his onslaught on her clit. She thrashed against her bindings, moans spilling from her lips unbidden as he pushed her closer to the edge. Vaguely, she heard fabric tearing, but it took her a moment to register that he had torn her panties off. Shivering as the cold air hit her exposed body, she averted her gaze, cheeks blazing as his gaze hungrily took her in. Licking her lips, she opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead, as he leaned closer, likely to continue where he left off, she pushed herself away from the wall just far enough so that she could brush her lips against his mask.
Ichigo pulled away from her and her eyes widened in shock as a large crack appeared on his mask, creating a spiderweb of smaller cracks as it spread across the bone structure. He clutched at his mask, almost as if he was in pain, but his form froze as the mask crumbled, revealing his face.
Orihime watched in wonder as his long tresses receded into his scalp until they were the short spikes she was accustomed to and within a swirl of energy, the hole in his chest seemed to fill itself out until nothing was left. Within a few moments, Ichigo was back to himself, his eyes wide in surprise as he took in his surroundings. His gaze quickly settled on Orihime, who cracked a shy smile.
"K-Kurosaki-kun... You're back," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the blood pounding in her ears.
"Inoue..." he murmured, his voice cracking slightly as he took in her current condition. "What... Did he hurt you?" Orihime swallowed thickly at the fury in his eyes as he approached her.
"N-no! Of course not. I'm fine," she said brightly, hoping to reassure him.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed, his mouth forming a grim scowl at her. "Inoue, you're tied up to a God damned wall and your clothes... What the fuck happened to your clothes?"
"I... He..." Orihime averted her gaze and hung her head in shame. How could she possibly explain what happened while Ichigo's hollow was in control without seeming like a pervert? "He didn't take advantage of me, if that's what you're thinking," she whispered.
She flinched as Ichigo slammed his fist against the wall, his breathing becoming labored as he attempted to control his temper. Orihime knew that Ichigo would be angry, but was his anger directed towards her or his hollow? Her heart ached at the possibility that his anger was directed towards her, but at the same time she secretly acknowledged that she deserved it. It's not like she really tried to stop his hollow...
Orihime was torn away from her thoughts when he suddenly grasped her shoulders tightly, his gaze boring into hers. She swallowed thickly, unsure of whether she should try to reassure him or just stay quiet. After a moment, she opted for the latter option. Without a word, Ichigo dropped one of his hands and ran his fingertip against the slick folds of her heat, causing Orihime to gasp in shock and pleasure at the sensation. Dropping her gaze, she flushed in shame at how her body has reacted to his hollow; she was sure Ichigo would think she was a pervert and wouldn't want to be with her anymore. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes at the thought, but the sensation of his hot breath fanning against her ear broke her of her thoughts.
"Inoue, did you enjoy it?" he whispered, his voice thick and laced with lust as he continued to probe her slick folds.
Orihime felt as if she had been slapped silly at his sudden question. She scrambled to collect her thoughts, which were now flying every which way, and managed to stammer, "Wh-what?"
Unaffected by her obvious embarrassment caused by his question, Ichigo nipped lightly at the side of her neck before repeating himself, his voice dark and laden with desire. "Did you enjoy it? What my hollow did to you..."
"I... I..." Orihime was sure she looked like a terrified rabbit, but between the shock of what he was asking her and the way he was stoking the fires within her with his seemingly innocent ministrations, she couldn't think clearly.
Taking her silence as a yes, Ichigo crushed his lips onto hers, swallowing her cry of surprise as he slipped his finger into her core. While he was furious with himself for not being able to control his hollow, he secretly admitted that seeing her tied up and hot and bothered like that was kind of sexy. His tongue plundered her mouth as he languorously slipped his finger in and out of her willing core before adding a second finger.
As Orihime slowly began to lose her grip on what was happening, the pleasure and passion she was experiencing taking hold of her, she couldn't help but wonder why Ichigo wasn't furious with her. However, with Ichigo increasing his speed, she found that the pleasure she was experiencing made it hard to concentrate, and so the thought was swept away with the rest of her jumbled thoughts. She moaned into his mouth, her hips bucking instinctively as he continued pushing her towards that alluring edge. 'Just a little more...'
"K-Kurosaki-kun...please," she pleaded thickly between kisses. Her eyes became hooded and her breath came in small pants as her body desperately tried to keep up with the pace he had set.
With a groan, Ichigo withdrew his fingers and tugged at the ties holding his hakama up. After several frustrating minutes, he finally pulled the knot free, letting the loose pants fall to the ground. Without a second thought, he grabbed Orihime's thighs and hooked them around his waist before thrusting his throbbing member into her hot core, burying it to the hilt. Orihime moaned in ecstasy as he filled her, her head lolling against her arms. She didn't even mind that Ichigo hadn't untied her; it actually brought a sense of adventure to their escapades. One she wouldn't be opposed to repeating sometime in the future.
Grasping Orihime's hips firmly, Ichigo slammed into her core, his breath coming in short pants as she urged him on. His pace became frantic as he neared that fateful drop into nothing and he shifted his grip from her hips to her bottom, angling her so that he might be able to thrust even deeper into her silken core. This caused Orihime to cry out, which in turn only encouraged him more. The only sound other than the pounding in their ears was that of their moans and gasps for air as they echoed in the desolate alley.
Orihime breathlessly chanted Ichigo's name, as if it was the only thing keeping her sane as she plummeted off the edge into pure ecstasy. As she convulsed around him, Ichigo groaned and jerkily thrust into her before exploding and joining her in her free-fall.
Breathing heavily, Ichigo rested his head on her shoulder, his hands still supporting her lower half as they came down from their high. Orihime rested her head against his, her chest heaving as she fought for air. After a few minutes, Ichigo straightened and withdrew from her welcoming heat and gently lowered her legs. Pulling his hakama back on and tying them haphazardly, he wrapped and arm around Orihime's waist as he untied her wrists. Once she was free, her legs seemed to turn to jelly and she leaned heavily against him until she was able to regain some sort of stability.
Glancing up at him, she cracked a shy smile, her cheeks still flushed from their excursions. Ichigo smiled softly at her and brushed her bangs out of her eyes before removing his bankai coat and wrapping it around her. Picking her up, Orihime snuggled against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as he slowly made his way out of the alley.
As he glanced down at the woman in his arms, he acknowledged that he would, in fact, have to thank his hollow.