"Are you sure you don't want my help, Kitty?"
"I'm QUITE sure, actually." I responded bluntly, gathering the fallen logs and branches for firewood.
"You look pretty pale, worn out even. Just let me help you, Kitty!" half of my problem with him came from his insistent cockiness. The other half, you ask? That's the part of Kish that just doesn't know when to quit.
Then there was him being just plain out annoying, which usually ended in my smacking him upside the head.
He was persistent, cocky, rude, and almost sadistic at times, which quite frightened me, considering the fact that every male hiker we've met so far has run in fear of his protectiveness.
"Listen to my words, Kish! Read my lips! I. Do. Not. Need. Any. Help! Do you understand me now?!"
"That doesn't mean I'm just going to leave you alone, Kitty! If I have to tie you to a tree for you to rest, then I will."
"Whatever…" I muttered blankly, gathering some more logs.
The very next thing that happened, well, I suppose I should have seen it coming! Because, the next thing I knew, I'd dropped the logs and was being pulled backwards by Kish.
"You're an idiot, aren't you?" I grumbled to him, struggling against his grip on my waist.
"No, you just said 'whatever', so I thought that meant I could do 'whatever' I wanted! Now, you can sit~" he paused, glancing side to side, in search of something. "Ah! Come, my Kitty, you can sit here, by the river!"
"Like hell I will, Kish!" I stated irritably, shrugging him off finally.
"Have it your way then, Kitty. Just sit where you'd like then, I suppose."
As soon as I'd turned, I gasped in shock. There he stood; golden eyes glowing, lips in a firm straight line as he stared me down, sending shivers through my body.
"I can get this, so just butt out-"
"Sit. Down." His voice was low, his words dark, and it seemed as though he were a different person than the previously happy go lucky idiot I'd woken up to.
"Y-yes, sir…" I muttered, leaving my log pile as I ventured over to the riverside, finding a comfy rock to perch upon.
"Good kitty." His voice was almost mocking as he reverted back to his previously cocky attitude, retrieving my fallen logs before finally dropping them by the fire pit I'd made.
Growl!
Clutching my stomach helplessly, I sighed, unwilling to let Kish hear its desperate grumblings. I needed food, and fast.
It was then that a shiny scaled fish caught my attention. There it was, large and delicious, just hovering there in the water, picking at some river grass by the bank.
"Aha! My problem is solved!" I stated happily, leaning forward to grasp at the long, sharp spear I'd created as I had sat, watching Kish work.
"Drop it."
I froze, my arm partially extended, my back curved down, my eyes as wide as saucers. Why oh why did he have to finish working already?!
"I don't want my precious kitty to fall in, now do I?!" I could already hear the sound of his jaw breaking. I could already feel the impact of my fist to his nose, and it made me smile.
"Don't patronize me, Kish. Besides, I've fished many times before with only a spear, so this is no different." No sooner had the words left my mouth, did Kish have a firm grasp of my wrist, pulling me backwards, away from the river.
"You'll likely faint before then, Ichigo. Besides, if you fall in, you'll be whisked away by the swift, deep river water." He argued, dragging me over to the roaring fire pit, in order to wait for my food.
"Grrr…" I grumbled, curling up in front of the fire, my knees tucked into my chest, my arms around them, my head resting there as well. I was warm, yeah, but still uncomfortable as I sat there, my vision blurry.
"Sleep, Ichigo, so you'll have enough energy to make it till morning." The voice was soft, soothing as it called me.
"Sister… Were you the one? Was it you that awoke me earlier?" lifting my weary eyes, I gasped, taking in the sight before me.
"Yes, I was. I just came to wish you the best of luck, dear. I've brought Kish to you, so that he may protect you. He'll be your family from now on, alright, so don't cry dear."
"Why though, Agatha, did you leave?" I sobbed quietly, meeting my sister's eyes from across the fire.
Where mine were a soft chocolate brown, hers were a magnificent navy blue, her hair an almost white/silver baby blue, curling down to her back.
She was as beautiful as ever, in her white sundress, her eyes shining bright with emotion.
"It was my time to die, Ichigo. I just came back to thank you for what you've done, and how loyal you've been. Kish is a sweet boy, and will protect you, if only you would let him dear. I must go now, so rest, alright?" leaning forward, unharmed as her arm extended through the fire, she began to wipe away my freshly drawn tears.
Her smile had been all I'd seen before I'd blacked out for the night, a feeling of lightheadedness engulfing me.
…
"Agatha, why me?!" was all I could say as I finally approached her, having previously watched Ichigo fall asleep.
"Because, Kish, I know that you will be able to protect her and love her. It might take a while, but I've chosen you for a reason. She needs someone to care about her, so don't joke too much, ok?"
My heart ached as I met eyes with my previous Nana, Ichigo's sister. It was quite a surprise when I'd found out she, being in her thirties, would have such a younger sister, of only sixteen, to my seventeen.
She'd not aged at all since the time she'd been with my family. She'd been like an elder sister to me then, so responsible and strong. I suppose she's the one who Ichigo got her strong will from then.
"Please, Kish?"
"Fine, alright, I'll take her in, but only because it's you that asked! You don't know how much work I've put into being cheery around her!" I argued, eyes narrow, fists balled.
"Kish, she's still young, and in need of affection, whether she likes it, or not. Please don't hate her though, because she refuses your help."
"I'm not angry with her, just annoyed." I sighed wearily, beginning to cook the fish over the fire pit.
"You'll come to love her, Kish, I'm sure of it." With this, she disappeared, leaving me sitting beside this strange girl she'd drug me over to meet earlier.
"Even if she says that, it'd be nice if you'd just let me help you some." Leaning over, I placed my coat across her tiny body, lifting her head to rest on my knee.
"Ngh… Papa, please don't leave me! What have I done wrong, that you would throw me out like you have?" it was almost unbearable to watch her desperate cries into the night. My heart truly ached for her.
"Don't worry, Ichigo, I promise I'll be your family, and I won't abandon you." I spoke softly, caressing her icy cheek with my free hand as I watched her sleep.
"Agatha, she was only trying to bring about fair justice. You understand that, yeah, but your family doesn't want her anymore. Can I really protect her like you think I can?!"
…
Ok, for those of you who are confused!
Agatha was thirty six when she was raped and murdered in cold blood. She was also Kish's Nanny.
Ichigo, Agatha's sister, is sixteen, having been disowned by her family because she killed the man who killed her sister.
Kish has found himself caught up in all of this because he and Agatha were so close and she thinks he'd be a good family for her. Later he'll come to really like Ichigo.
For now though, she's just a willful, burdenous child who Agatha lead him to.
RxR! God Bless!