CHAPTER 2

The rain poured unwaveringly upon the roof, the pattering being both menacing yet soothing in unison. Ichigo had always loved the sound and smell of rain, surprising and ironic- since she was technically instilled with cat genes.

The rain soothed her, putting her in a state of calmness. Her familiar routine would usually consist of curling up with some book, a blanket, and tea. However, this was not simply a mild splat of light rain; instead, the current weather-like symptoms were shockingly frightful, deliberating on the consideration of becoming an actual hurricane.

Her cat ears were consistently popping out in fright at the thundering and wailing of the storm, irritating her to no end. She scowled, trying to calm her erratic heart beating so the furry little contraptions attached to her head would disappear once more. It was typical that the only part of her power she had retained was that of her useless cat ears, the sole memento of her diminished, fading power.

Damn ears have completely ruined my hair.

She gingerly patted the ruffled pink locks, trying to smooth them, and then gave up with an aggravated huff. It didn't matter if she looked like a pink grizzly bear; she wasn't trying to impress anyone.

It was just Ryou after all.

She peeked at him through the corner of her lashes. The silence had been stifling for the last half hour since neither had breathed a word since their argument.

While it had dawned on Ichigo that Ryou was an overprotective control dictator, she had also realized he had good reason to be. He was a conflicted mess that bottled any emotional expression inside him, through barriers that no one could breach even though she had occasionally poked and prodded at them.

Still the guilt that occasionally proffered inside his ice blue eyes often gave her a glimpse beneath his surface. And today, a half hour ago, it had hit her with a violence.

What kind of person was she? She had wondered. She probably wasn't making his life easier by annoying and pestering him to no end. She was crazy and reckless, and liked the thrill of adventure and danger; things that Ryou most likely feared since so many people around him died.

So a half hour ago, oddly contrite, she had meekly apologized to Ryou. He had looked extremely startled, as though not sure to do with her apology. He had sucked in his breath, swayed on the souls of his feet, and looked at her questioningly.

She had looked away from his penetrating gaze, blushing, and finally mumbled- to quit the silence more than anything- "it was a stupid idea for me to go out in the storm. You're right. I might have got hurt"

Her words were stiff, not because she hadn't been genuine, but because she was not good at giving apologies to the smug faced Shirogane.

"It was a stupid thing to do" He echoed firmly, but there was a glimmer of humor in his eyes as he looked down at her.

And that had been it. End of conversation for the last thirty minutes. While she had fiddled her thumbs awkwardly, he had sat on the couch, opened his book, and read quietly while the storm thundered on, and without an ounce of awkwardness to his name. Apparently she was the only one who found the silence stifling.

An hour later with absolutely no change or movement in the last hour-she was now extremely, deathly, intensely bored.

Ichigo stared at the ceiling, she chewed her lip, and she changed positions every ten seconds with a sigh. She marveled at how still Ryou could stay- practically a statue.

She tried to be a statue but she lost interest after a few minutes.

"Hey Ryou?" She chirruped finally, for her personality was not one of that could remain quiet. Honestly, he should be thanking me for saying quiet as long as I have! Ichigo thought.

"Mm?" He hummed, barely acknowledging her.

She rolled her eyes; it was hard to draw Ryou out of his own world and secluded corner but she was determined to do it. After all, at the moment, she had absolutely nothing better to do. She was going to take him out of his book, talk to him, and understand him. She was going to psychoanalyze him.

Who knew? Maybe they could gossip, have a lovely chat, or something along those lines. The idea sounded better by the second.

She strolled casually over to him, until she was looking at the top of his ruffled blonde head. He didn't look up.

"How's the book?"

"I'll let you know when I finish it" He said, eyes not leaving the page.

"Ryouuuuu" She whined as he remained unresponsive. She stepped closer and suddenly inspiration hit her. Knowing his pet peeve was having people mess with his hair, she ran a hand rakishly through his blonde locks.

That appeared to get his attention. He glared up at her.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting your attention" She smirked.

"And you have it now. So what can I do for you?" He paused and then smirked, giving her appearance the once over. It left her feeling strangely warm but she didn't know why.

"Perhaps I can lend you a hairbrush?" he drawled, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled innocently and replied "I think you're the one in need of a hairbrush"

Before he could respond, she attacked his groomed blonde hair with abandon.

"Hey!" he protested. "You little-"

But she was undeterred. Her hands were in a frenzy as she reduced his hair to that of a haystack. It looked ten times worse than her own now. When she looked at her final product, she burst out laughing.

"You look-, she snorted breathless with laughter, you look-ridiculous-like a, like some-wild animal" She howled.

He slammed his book and she smiled between chortles for she had achieved her goal. Take away the book from Ryou: Check.

She shrieked as he grabbed her around the waist, tugging her down. And then his hands were messing up her already messed up hair. And she was laughing breathlessly. And he was laughing with her. It was such a moment of light hearted fun in the minute of all the doom and gloom, giving sunshine and breath of fresh air into the bleak outlook of their days.

"Okay! Okay, Truce!" She giggled. He had her in a playful headlock and he mockingly pretended to think.

"I don't know. I think I should give you a few more minutes of hell. Let's see if I can transform your cotton candy hair into a bird's nest. I've been told that I'm quite artistic"

"RYOU!"

"ICHIGO!" He countered, but he relinquished her with amusement. She hopped away from the entrapment of his arms, brushing herself off in the process.

"You won this round"

"I win every round"

"Don't be so sure" She warned.

"Oh yeah?" His blue eyes were scorching and she felt like he wasn't talking about their game point in the end when he said "I'll win. I'll get what I want in the end"

The brightness and heat of his eyes was the last thing she saw when the cackling boom of the thunder suddenly cut off the electricity and shrouded the whole café into darkness.