Can't Stop Running

Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.

Wow! Ten reviews in the first fourteen hours of a story's life? This has got to be rewarded.

To ain'tgotnone I would love to finish Everyone's Dead and then be posting these other stories, however that doesn't seem to be happening, so since this story is one chapter away from being finished I thought I'd start posting. Besides I started this in July or maybe it was June.

Chapter Two

July 17th Ichigo

Ichigo was deeply asleep when something hit his side, his first half formed thought was that it was his dad, but the next half a second that thought was gone because of the scream Demon woke him up the rest of the way. His eyes open he brought his hands up and caught Kagome's grandfather before he managed to stick the sutra to his forehead. He realized the man had tripped over him on his way to the kitchen. Hearing the feet running down the stairs he held in a groan, first Kagome appeared at the bottom of the stairs, she held an arrow, kinda a random weapon but if that's all she had... Then he noted she had on shorts, short shorts at that and a slightly over large shirt but he was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. That sunk in and he looked away, no ogling the only person who might be able to help. Besides it's not like he was anything to look at, as pretty as she was she was sure to have choice of boys. But with legs like hers it's no wonder she had run him down.

Souta appeared behind Kagome and their mother a step behind that, realizing he was about all that was holding the old man up he set him to the side on his own two feet. The awkward silence was broken by Kagome laughing. After a few seconds she had stopped but her brother and mother were still laughing, embarrassed he was glad for his freakishness because for all he felt like blushing his new skin wouldn't allow it.

"I think you need your own room so we don't wake up this way again." Kagome stated kindly.

Her mother and brother nodded, the old man nodded, "This was not what I wanted to wake up too, tea was more like it."

Ichigo scoffed, "Like I want to wake up to being attacked." Inside he had to admit he was angry with himself, he had let his guard down- last time that happened he woke up having died again. Of course getting out of there he had died two more times and when he finally stopped to sleep he had slept a whole day away, but he hadn't slept so deeply since that first time. Nothing like waking to watch your arm finished attaching it's self.

Of course he had run himself out yesterday trying to get away from Kagome, but he should have known better. Standing he started folding, grandpa, no one would tell him his name or what to call him and he wasn't even sure the name was Higurashi considering Kagome's mom called him father. So he was just calling him grandfather too, walked the rest of the ten feet to the kitchen. Kagome and her brother went upstairs to get dressed, Kagome's mother who he thus far called Higurashi-san paused on the stairs, "Kurosaki-kun when you've dressed and we've all had breakfast Kagome will help you clean out the office, her hands are likely bad enough she can't do much more then eat without bleeding, so don't let her help you lift anything please?"

He nodded, a tinge of guilt taking over, her hands were his fault...

"Don't worry about it."

He blinked stymied for a moment, then he realized some how the woman had realized he was feeling guilty, that was weird it wasn't like his face had the normal human markers, like eyebrows. Nodding he went back to work folding the bed things, when he finished he went to the down stairs bathroom to change, the pants from the night before on and then one of his stolen but now clean shirts. Pulling the hoody on he sighed, being too hot sucked but he was worried that someone who came over would see him if he wasn't wearing it ready to pull it up at any moment. Kagome and her family didn't care but he was betting that anyone who came over would. Walking into the kitchen he found Mrs. Higurashi had come down while he was changing and was cooking breakfast, grandpa was sipping tea calm as could be. Looking at the man he noted he had to be old, one didn't get hands that wrinkled without it, and his gray hair and old fashion way of talking agreed with that assessment. But he had seen him move fast, not inhumanly fast but far too fast for someone as old as his body said, it had him wondering if the old man had powers of an internal sort, augmented speed and strength. Kagome walked in the kitchen and in silence she carefully pulled out dishes and set them on the table, he felt bad when he saw her wince, he stepped closer, "Kagome let me help you with that."

She let him take the dishes and helped him lay them out on the table for breakfast. That done she made him sit while she help her mother moving the finished things to the table, Souta walked in and sat dow with him and grandpa at the table. Ichigo felt strange, not left out but once again amazed, these people just let him join them, no questions, no demands just acceptance. Grandpa was drinking his tea and reading the newspaper he hadn't finished the night before, Souta was making a list, this was so much calmer then his family mornings, maybe it had been like this when his mom was alive but the twins had been babies and had all those crying moments... No his life hadn't ever been this calm, it felt strange, he hadn't changed but for this moment everything around him had.

Kagome's mother brought the last dish to the table and quickly everyone dug in, Ichigo had almost forgotten his speculations about grandpa when the man knocked his tea over, with a swiftness that belied his age, he leapt to his feet and avoided getting splashed with tea. Kagome's mother helped him clean it up and when he had a new thing of tea and was back at the table Ichigo couldn't help but ask. "Okay so what are you? I know how old people move and even if you're fit you shouldn't have been able to do that."

The old man looked at him perfectly calmly while his family merely looked confused, Kagome opened her mouth about to say something but the old man answered, "I'm the grandson of a Shinigami."

Ichigo blinked slowly, his father wasn't the first one to break away from Soul Society and have children?

"Grandpa Shinigami aren't real." Kagome said this but even as she said it she was looking at him suspiciously. She had noticed he'd reacted to that answer, but why was she taking that into consideration? You had to see souls for it to matter.

Breakfast was finished quickly after that and then Ichigo followed Kagome back up to the office, looking in he saw the box of clothes Souta had opened for the pants he was wearing. Kagome went over to the only open wall and leaned against it, she had been annoyed when her mother told her not to over do it, it was already a little late her bandages were speckled with blood, but Ichigo wasn't going to tell her to stop. Not with his own history for over doing it.

With her directions he started moving stuff out into the hall or piling it against a wall like stack, on the far wall opposite where she was leaning. While working he noticed between telling him what to do Kagome seemed annoyed, watching her flex her hand he realized she was unhappy she couldn't help him. She didn't like stand idol.

"Sorry about your hands."

She froze and then blinked at him, then to his surprise she smiled sheepishly. "Don't feel bad. I could tell right away the sutra wasn't strong enough, but I didn't give up. It's totally my fault my hands are wrecked. Of course it's not the first time they been like this."

Against his better judgement he asked, "What do you mean?"

She chewed her lip before answering much the way he probably had the night before in the hall, "I had an accident with acid one time and I am an archer, and I don't wear gloves, that can wreck your finger tips if you're in a hurry or are firing lots of arrows at once."

Ichigo nodded, "I've seen what that can do, I have a friend who's an archer."

She looked at him, and he was struck again by how easily she looked at his face, it wasn't like she'd had time to get use to this face of his, she just was. There wasn't even a half second of hesitation or a flinch, it was like she didn't see the grinning sharp teeth, or the evil cast to his features.

"What is he like?"

"He's a smug asshole. He loves rubbing things he knows but I don't in my face, he..." Ichigo remembered see Ishida laying on the ground in Hueco Mundo bleeding from where he was sure his hollow form had stabbed him. Trying to stop him.

"He's someone you would die for."

The calm way she stated it, the fact she had read it in his face or body or whatever, it was eerie. But he wasn't going to lie. "Yeah."

Kagome tilted her head back a soft and slightly sad look on her face, "You must miss him."

Ichigo nodded, the terrible grief, and fear he tried to ignore rising against his bidding at her words. He missed everyone, and it hurt him so damn much to know if he could see any of his friends for just a moment the only thing he would see on their faces would be pain and grief, things he put there. And if they saw him it would hatred.

Kagome spoke her voice breaking the grip his pain had on him, he caught the wistfulness in hers along with longing and and aching pain he related to all too well.

"I had friends I would die for, they would have done the same."

He frowned, it sounded like they were dead. "What happened to them?"

She twitched and her gaze was back to meeting his eyes and there was certain sharpness to them that made him think her answer was leaving a lot out.

"They have moved and are gone from my reach."

That still sounded like they had died, but if that was the case why didn't she just say it? The ache in her face made him ache in return, that pain looked like his, and he couldn't handle his, adding hers wasn't in the cards. "Where do I put this box?"

She smirked, and he said nothing else, waiting. "What's in it?" her tone implied if he was going to change the subject he could have done better. Opening the box he saw papers and reading the first one he answered, "Shrine records."

"Along the wall then."

He nodded and added it to the line of boxes piling up, turning back to the unsorted pile of boxes his eyes caught on a calender, this years lying open on the desk, if the Xed out days were days that had passed today was the seventeenth of July, his birthday had been two days ago. "I've been sixteen for two days."

Kagome made a noise half tripping over a box, "What?"

Ichigo turned towards her feeling a bit numb and a little annoyed he had known he'd missed the anniversary of his mother's death but to know he'd missed his birthday too? Had he been so absorbed in running? The answer was yes, the day of his birthday it had been an encounter with the second squad lieutenant. He'd been lucky that day and managed to hitch a ride on the roof of a train to Tokyo while loosing the idiot of a man. "My birthday was two days ago, I had lost track."

"Oh." Kagome silent for a moment before she added, "My birthday is in September."

"What day?"

"The twenty fourth."

"How old will you be?" Ichigo was curious he knew she was within a year or two of his age because she had talked about school over dinner last night since it was starting up in a month, but he didn't know exactly, just looking at her he would have put her older, the way she moved, the way she talked, everything spoke of experience. She sorta made him think of his Shinigami friends, the weight of time, sometimes could bee seen on them too.

"I turn seventeen."

He nodded, "What grade?"

"I should be in Senior but I'm a Junior the year my father died I did badly and was held back a grade, I don't really mind because it makes me one of the oldest in class."

He ignored the small surge of something in his veins, his feelings towards this girl took third place, first he was a monster and second she was the only thing that could give him a chance to go home. "So we'd be in the same grade."

Then he remembered he hadn't been in school almost all of the last year, and he'd already missed the start of this year. He was smart and with bit of studying he'd have no trouble catching up... he hoped. Kagome however amazed him again.

"Worrying about your grades hun? Sucks to miss school, you never know if everyone will have suddenly surpassed you, and you can't help but wonder if you'll ever catch up."

"Sounds like you've missed some school your own."

She grinned, again it was wistful. "You better bet on it. Adventures are hell on school work. That first jewel was just as nasty as the one in your chest. Not to mention the man who'd been after it for so long. That was one evil bastard." The angry look faded and she laughed, "His bad habits have rubbed off."

"Who's?"

She shrugged and answered vaguely, "One of my friends had a potty mouth. I find I swear more then I used to."

He nodded and spent the next three hours working, but when he was done and together with Kagome behind him, heading down for lunch he was pleased; he now had his own room to sleep in, and he'd sorted out clothes that might fit him from the old boxes. He had worked hard, and he had managed to keep from letting Kagome help too much.

Kagome

Kagome tried to keep from fiddling, she was surprised by the depth of her desire to help Ichigo. She wanted to help him before, she liked him before she had done more then learn his name, but now... She really liked him and she wanted to make it all better for him. He'd sounded so sad in the office, it almost made her ache for him, she knew how some of it felt but to face it all at once. He was so so very brave.

He deserved better.

She took a deep breath blew it out watching as her grandfather took Ichigo out to show him more of the shrine. Her mother turned to her, having noticed her impatience. "What?"

Kagome grinned and then let it fade, "His birthday was two days ago, can I take him out to hold the bags for me and to get him a few new things?"

Her mother smiled, "Yes you can, I wanted him to go with you any way so you can let your hands rest."

Kagome nodded, and stood planning to head to her room to grab a different set of shorts and her purse, her mother's voice stopped her. "He's very gentle."

Kagome thought over her interactions with him, he was but it wasn't kindness that dictated his actions, "No mom he's very careful." It was fear. Heading to her room she found herself thinking over the boy out in the yard hiding under a hood. He was afraid, resigned, and hopeful. And sad, very sad. The only thing that stop his mixed emotions from being so like Inuyasha was there was no anger, or bitterness to add heat to mix. It was a cold mix.

Which was strange, with his hair, his eyes and that strange fur, all bright burning colors... Maybe that was what drew her in, she wanted to see him burn. She had a feeling he was passionate person, but the events in his life were dragging him down and killing his zest for life. Wearing clothes that weren't cleaning clothes, a couple hundred from the safe for Ichigo's clothes and Souta's presents, she struggled into her shoes and walking out heading back where she could hear her grandfather talking to Ichigo and Souta.

"...and that is how we came by the legendary bowl of Demon's Blood."

Kagome stifled a smirk that was probably the only artifact she could honestly say it was true in the whole shrine, she after all had her own encounter with it, meaning she knew it's providence. Walking into the storage room she spoke up, "Grandpa when are you going to put it out for display so you can stop dragging people back here to brag about it?"

"Kagome you are the one that told me the dirty bowl in the auction was a really demon artifact!"

"And it is so it should be on display and not in the dirty storage shed."

Her grandfather pouted at her before a gleam came to his eyes, "I had said only needed someone to built it for me..." He turned to Ichigo with intent so she stepped in, "He can do it tomorrow because he has to come with me so he can carry bags."

Ichigo looked at her a little alarmed, "Shopping?"

Seeing he was worried about crowds and a curious, noisy people who might try to look under his hood, she did her best to sooth him, "Ichigo it's not going to be a big deal, people are a lot more curious about loners in dark clothing at shopping centers then a girl and her goth friend. Besides I don't want to have to carry those bags alone."

The slumped to his shoulders told her she had won. She could be gracious in victory though, "Anything you need to grab?"

His hood nodded. "It won't take more then a minute," his duel tone told her he wasn't happy he sounded mostly normal while talking other wise, only a little gravelly. She watched him disappear into the house and he quickly came back out a much slimmer backpack then yesterday on his back. He reached her side quickly and she lead the way down the stairs, they would get his clothes first, then Souta's stuff and then the little extra her mom needed for dinner tonight. It was probably half a block from the shrine stairs where she dared to give voice to the question bothering her at the back of her mind. "Why did you need your backpack?"

The opening that hid his face glanced her way, "I needed my sword."

Kagome frowned, "Why?"

"They seem to find me after a week or two the smaller the city the faster it happens, but there have been times where I was just too close and the jewel couldn't resist drawing them in."

"So the jewel is... broadcasting your location?"

"Yeah. That sounds about right. So not bother you but you have two weeks before I leave."

She nodded, "Smart to grab your sword I can't remember the number of times I forgot my bow and was forced to hang around helplessly."

They reached the store Kagome thought Ichigo would like, it was a specialty store they sold punk, rocker and goth clothes, she figured this was Ichigo's type of store. Her brother was sporty, relaxed, jeans and any old t-shirt but Ichigo... Kagome ignore the small voice inside her head that sounded like Miroku telling her she just wanted him in better fitting pants and sexier tees then her dad's old stuff. She also ignored the sense of If Miroku was here he might just slap her on the back and tell her she did him proud.

Ichigo slouched and grumbled out, "What are you getting your brother from here?"

"We're not getting him anything here. I heard your birthday was two days ago and me and mom were already planning on getting you a few things. So grab two pairs of jeans, three or four shirts, and anything else you need."

The dark hole that had swallowed Ichigo's striped face whipped around towards her and his odd duel tone came back in a low hiss. "What are you talking about?! You don't need to buy me clothes!"

Kagome smiled, she was going to get her way in this. "I want to, and you're going to try on things for me. If you don't pick things out I will. If you ask my brother me playing dress up with you is the worst thing to suffer through."

Ichigo as staring at her from under the hood, she could feel his eyes on her, duel tone still in his voice he growled out, "You could have taken me to a second hand store and I would be just as happy."

She grinned brightly, he had such a cute temper, no this boy in front of her had no pride, it was nothing like that. "Tough, besides as the owner is personal friend we happen to have permission to get things, everything at twenty percent off."

Ichigo was still staring but his shoulders were relaxing, he wasn't looming over her the way he had before, he knew he was taller then her and clearly was used to using his body to intimidate people into getting his way. "That's an awfully good friend."

Kagome shrugged, "First of all he's really a third cousin and second if you believe him I saved his life last year."

Now Ichigo's body screamed taken aback. "How did you do that?"

A voice from behind them spoke up, "First by modeling for me for an in store show and then that very same day she stopped me twice from dying, first from falling in traffic after dinner, and second she treated my head wound on sight when I fell down stairs trying to get to my apartment."

"Eito-kun, it wasn't that hard you were drunk and second I'm your cousin the odd shopping bonus would have been cool but the lifetime thing was weird.

"You really did save my life every doctor, nurse, and EMT said if not for you knowing what to do I would have died."

Kagome rolled her eyes, of course she knew what to do, she had read medical school books from the library and had a chance to practice a time or two. "Ichigo needs some clothes I'm paying as a late present."

Her cousin waved his hands, "And you thought of me!"

"Yes I did, now just let us shop and..."

"Kagome I'm not so busy as to ignore my own cousin! Come with me!" He grabbed Ichigo's jacket and pulled them deeper in the store. Ichigo quickly broke free but followed the man any way, Eito quickly started pulling things t-shirts, a scull tee, a sarcastic shirt with the quote seemingly written in fake blood, then stopping by the pants her cousin stared at what he was wearing.

"Those aren't your pants are they?"

Ichigo shook his head, "Had to barrow them because my others are dirty."

Eito nodded, "You like your pants tight right?" Ichigo nodded so he pulled some straight leg black jeans in a couple of fits and sizes, along with some dark indigo ones that Kagome found the idea of them on Ichigo's body appealing. No she admitted it to herself, she was drooling. Miroku was possessing her, that was the only way she was drooling over a boy who needed her help.

Ichigo quickly took the clothes and disappeared off to the fitting rooms, Eito turned on her, "Who is he, where did you meet him, and has he asked you out yet?"

Kagome blinked and then blushed furiously, "He's Ichigo Kurosaki, he's staying at the shrine to help out and no he hasn't because he needs help, he's in a bit of trouble."

Her cousin stared at her, she hadn't remembered him very well when Grandpa and mom started talking about him coming back to Tokyo and opening his store. But the last year after she saved his life they'd become friends. Not that he had a clue how strange she really was, but considering he was thirty-one and she was turning seventeen their friendship was a bit strange as well. Eito looked at her a bit longer, "Why were you almost drooling? I've never seen you like that about a boy, and I know you've met models and famous people. You've met some of them here..."

Kagome shifted and admitted it out loud for the first time, "He reminds me of Inuyasha but without some of the negatives."

"Ahh, the famous Inuyasha who I've never met much less seen a picture of."

Kagome shrugged and ignored the speculative gaze, looking at the clothes about them.

"What's his hair color?"

Kagome blinked at the change in topic, "Orange."

Other then a raised eyebrow her cousin shrugged, and went back to the shirts. She couldn't help herself but went to look at the girls stuff, she had a thing for lacy dresses but they were hard to find in anything other then white. Which was not a color she liked. Seeing a vivid purple one she couldn't help herself she grabbed it in her size and slipped into a changing room pulling it over her head she grinned in the mirror, tugging it straight she loved the way it felt against her skin, soft cotton lace, with a silky lining, it felt light and airy, the deep vi showed her figure off to the best advantage and the just above the knee hemline was flattering without being revealing. The way it was just lace sleeves in a flutter sleeve was something else she liked. Then she heard her cousin knock on Ichigo's changing room next to her, "Kurosaki I have some more for you." then she heard to door open.

Gasping she flung her door open and seeing her cousin standing in the doorway looking dumbfounded she rushed forward and shoved him in, her hand covering his mouth. Only then did she look to see what he had seen. Ichigo was shirtless he'd been fighting with his hoody but hadn't made it. Ignoring the warmth in her stomach at the sight she turned back to her cousin who was staring at her stunned, he was a little afraid but he wasn't going to scream. Probably.

"Eito, like I said he needs a little bit of help and I'm the only one who can help him. Now you won't scream or shout or anything will you?"

He shook his head slowly under her hand, so she removed her hand. Eito looked from her to Ichigo and back again, "Dare I ask?"

She smiled, that was her cousin, calm and cool under pressure. This was just a new kind. "Ichigo for lack of a better word is under a spell, he was put under it by an enemy, I am pretty much the last practicing priestess for fifty years or more. I am probably the only one who can help him."

Eito nodded slowly and looked back to Ichigo, he opened his mouth to ask but decided to stop, "I don't want to know. So which jeans do you like best?"

Ichigo relaxed, almost seeming to slump against the wall. "I haven't finished, I have to be careful." He flexed his now bare hands, his gloves having come off, revealing the sharp claws.

Her cousin nodded, "Okay I have a few more shirts, and another type of jeans for you."

Ichigo nodded, "Leave them I'll try them on."

Her cousin nodded and placed them on the bench, "I'll get you a new hoody or two as well."

An hour later Kagome walked out of the store, Ichigo a few steps behind her all his new clothes, the black jeans and the dark ones along with some almost white ones her cousin pulled because he was having a buy two get one sixty precent off sale, and then he had four more shirts, the sarcastic one, a deep blue one, one white one, and last but not least a gray one that looked like it had been splattered with paint. The two hoodies had been pulled from the clearance area so they were pretty cheap, one white one so he wouldn't have to bake in the black one he already had and the other new one was dark gray with a scull on it. Ichigo had insisted on pitching his money in since he was getting so much, he had tried to hide the packages of boxers, and the socks, but she had seen. But since it was more then she'd been planing on getting him she didn't fight. He'd have clothes that fit the way he wanted and that was good enough for her. She found herself very glad he had to carry it all, her hands, the little bit she had used them today, were very tender, she was worried she wouldn't heal good enough or fast enough to do the demonstration like she had planned for a show.

Walking to the next store Kagome found herself smiling, she liked feeling him walking next to her. It was nice to find something, someone that felt like an equal.

Ichigo

He was dead tired, it was only five and the sun wouldn't set for... hell if he knew, a couple hours? But considering his day started at six and as hard as he'd run the day before he wasn't surprised. He hated to say it but having Kagome fight with him over getting him clothes had felt nice, it was companionship, something he'd missed horribly. It amused him went he'd tried to talk her out of getting him clothes she had fought tooth and nail, but when he just insisted he should pay for part of it she didn't say more then if he was sure.

He knew pretty much no one, not even his nakama could read him this well. This family knew what to say, when to say it, and when to back the hell off. It impressed him, Rukia probably the closest thing to girlfriend he had, Tatsuki didn't count, couldn't pick her battles so well. He didn't kid himself, he wasn't the easiest person to get on with, hell he was down right argumentative, but just because he enjoyed a fight didn't mean he want to about everything, but that was what happened with Rukia it seemed. If there wasn't a fight before hand she'd punish him later it seemed.

They had reached the shrine steps and started up them when Kagome stopped dead in front of him hearing a low groan, he looked up. Her body was tense and angry?

"Hojo." Her voice rang with false brightness.

When had he started picking out her feelings with just a tone? The boy she was greeting was a normal, perfectly normal and handsome- boy.

Finding himself annoyed he reminded himself of his own thoughts earlier, she was pretty enough she could have any guy she wanted.

"Kagome! I thought I missed you."

Unless he was wrong, she wished he had, her fists wouldn't be clenched other wise, no matter her polite tone, she didn't talk to this boy like he was a friend.

"Oh sorry I was running about some shops for my mom."

The boy focused on him clearly trying to see past the shadow his hood created, "And who's your friend?"

Kagome glanced at him, her expression a mix of annoyed and hopeful. If she hoped he'd save her she was out of luck, he wasn't going to say much, not if she wanted this boy to ever talk to her again. "His name's Kurosaki Ichigo, he's going to help out with the festival."

Hojo nodded slowly, Ichigo could see the boy was trying to access if he was a threat to the wimpy boy's claim. He stepped down to the same step as Kagome brushing by her, he wasn't blind, he noted the brief flicker down to Kagome's chest, but then the boy was back to looking at him and offering his hand. "Hojo Kazuhiko."

Ichigo took the offered hand and felt the boy start squeezing, realizing what the boy was testing he didn't hold back, he squeezed back harder, seeing the pain on the other boy's face he then gave the hand two quick pumps before letting go, glad his hood hid his face so he could grin freely, not to quote Byakuya but this boy couldn't try to out muscle him in a thousand years.

Kagome grinned brightly having seen what just took place, "Sorry to run Hojo but I have to get the food in Ichigo's backpack to mom, so see you some other time."

Then grabbing his arm she pulled him up the stairs as fast as she could get him to run.

Reaching the top they both stopped to pant, Ichigo couldn't help but snicker between breaths, Kagome had just run from Hojo just like Orihime had been known to run from Chizuru. Kagome shoved at his shoulder, "Shut up."

Ichigo snickered louder.

"Come on it's not that funny, I've been putting him off for two years now, why can't he get a clue?!"

"Really two years? He's serious about dating you then."

Kagome bobbed her head, "Yeah it's his last year of high school, so he's been getting worse."

Ichigo ignored the fact he felt something at the realization it wasn't just guys in her class chasing her, but older guys at that.

Kagome straightened, "Hand me the food."

Ichigo went to hand her the small bag of food from his backpack when he realized her having tugged on his arms the way she had, made her bleed. "Can't you're bleeding."

She glanced at her hands sourly, but nodded and lead the way to the house.

July 18th

Kagome spent the day trying not to seem bored watching everyone else work about the house, Ichigo was building the display for her grandfather, her Mother was working around the shrine and taking calls from vendors for the Festival, Souta doing what needed to be done and checking with his friends to make sure of who was coming and who wasn't. She sat around in the house and thought about how best to protect the shrine if Ichigo's pursuers caught up with him here. And tried not to pay any attention to the fact her eyes jumped to Ichigo every time he entered whatever room she was in.

By the end of the day she was ready to cry victory and surrender.

She surrendered to the fact she was very, very attracted to Ichigo, and who wouldn't be? Super polite no, but his actions spoke louder then his voice, he helped her mother and grandfather, was nice to her brother and did his best to make sure she didn't carry anything and start bleeding again. His actions were considerate and efficient. His words marginally polite. Not out and out rude but not warm. But the moments he paused for a break, a sip of water, lunch, he seemed so sad. He made her ache for for him, that pain that looked so like her own, when you had friends you would die for, and you couldn't see them, couldn't talk to them, it was like someone cut a hole in you.

And he had other problems on top of that, he didn't even have his family to help him through it. He had to be in agony.

She was also ready to cry victory, she had figured out two different sutras that she could use together and probably protect the shrine from any damage that could happen if it came to a fight.

So at the end of the day, laying in her bed, she figured the day had ended in a draw.

July 19th

Ichigo was amazed, he to his surprise, found he really liked living here. He had a roof over his head, clean clothes, food, hot showers. People to talk to who weren't afraid of him. People who didn't ask what he'd had to do to survive till now. He felt safe, welcome, and dare he say it, at home. Who wouldn't? The Higurashi's knew how to make a person at home. But even as all those feelings were there, all the good feelings he hadn't felt in months, he even laughed. It seemed like that was all Kagome could get out of him, laughs, snickers, and smiles. Her pout when she tripped, her sour looks at getting told to put whatever she held down, her unwillingness to admit her hands bothered her...

He was homesick.

Desperately.

He hadn't been homesick the whole time he trained to get Rukia back, the whole time he run through soul society even when he was dying he only thought about Rukia and losing. Maybe it was because he knew he could go back or they weren't worried, or... maybe it was because he didn't have the time, on the move or unconscious, fighting or recovering.

He was a fighter he accepted that, he knew he was independent, stubborn... but of all the words he had thought of when he thought of himself homesick wasn't one of them. He wished he could just call but he wasn't sure the jewel, or as he found himself often thinking 'the damned thing' wouldn't make it sound like Aizen taunting them. That thought was more then he could bare. Not talking to them was a hole, growing, inside him. But the thought of trying to comfort them and hurting them more...

That made him remember Aizen's last words to him.

Suffer.

Ha. He had known pain, guilt, agony. But Aizen was right, this was a different kind of suffering, the kind that wore you down, broke you. His mother's death had been a weight, a chain tying him tight, but this was a pound being added every day. He stole, he lied, he hid, and until Kagome came along he had absolutely no one to talk to and every day he knew his continued existence tortured his friends, his father, Karin. Yuzu.

But worse he felt guilty because for the first time in almost a year, he almost felt like he could sleep without waking two or three times, to check. He didn't look out the windows every half an hour, he was relaxed and it frightened him. He knew so little about this family and this girl who claimed to be his last hope. But somehow it seemed like enough and that... that was even scarier.

"Ichigo dinner!"

He looked away from the display table he was sanding, surprised, had he really spent that much time on this? He looked around, it was dark but for the lamp he had turned on to do some detail work. He really had. Oops. "I'll be a minute I need to wash up!"

Kagome appeared in doorway and smiled at him, her eyes drifted over his mostly assembled table, he'd cut it to match the others, then he'd sanded it down, put it together and sanded it again. He'd paint it tomorrow. Standing he found the thoughts he'd been fighting with drifting away, Kagome was smiling at him, he had hot food waiting on him, and conversation.