Response to reviews~!

Wow, so many love this! Fair warning; there may not be any true smut, if I haven't said so already. XD I'm still uncertain on it but I am debating still. Gimme a reason to change my mind. XD Anyways, shall we keep this ball rolling?


Chapter 4

Orihime began humming as she rummaged around the small kitchen for food. Lemme see...he's not well, so maybe soup? Does Ichigo even have any? She wondered as she looked around. She heard a loud thump and quickly rushed to the living room. Once again, the Hollow was on the floor, looking frustrated. "Umm..."

"Y...yo...u..." He looked up and sighed. "Ori...hi-hime?"

"Umm...yes that's my name." She said quietly. She couldn't help but feel uneasy around the Hollow, no matter how child like and quiet he was, images of the Hollow fighting Ulquiorra constantly flashed in her mind. But...he doesn't remember that, right? "Do you need help?" He looked at her and blinked once. "Ok...gimme your arm." She knelt down next to him and took one of his pale arms and slung it over her shoulders. As she lifted him, surprisingly with ease, she watched as he attempted to put weight on his feet. "Gently now...that's it!"

"H...hurts a...b-b-bit..." He whimpered.

"We'll take baby steps to the kitchen ok?" He nodded slowly and smiled, and she turned away as they slowly made their way to the kitchen. "Why were you trying to walk again? You know you're not strong enough right now."

"Al...Alo-ne...don...t..." She feklt him shiver and she pieced his broken talk together.

"You didn't want to be alone in there?" She asked. Although the Hollow remained silent, she felt him tense. "It's ok, everyone hates being alone. It's...human." She whispered the last part, feeling uneasy using the word to describe the Hollow. But he feels...he was afraid in there. When they made it to the kitchen, she helped Shiro place his hands on the counter and he steadied himself, looking greatful.

"Th...thanks...Ori...hi-hime..." He said quietly, looking out the small window and at the sun, just peaking out from grey clouds.

"Hey...I was wondering...did Ichigo mention anything to you about what that...thing was last night?" Orihime watched as his lavander eyes filled with a bit of fear and he blinked twice. "No? Well...you saw it right? It's called a Hollow..."


Ichigo picked up the bags of clothes from the store counter and walked out of the small store. He wasn't exactly sure what to buy for his Hollow. Well, since he looks like me, I figure anything I normally wear will look ok... He thought and sighed. Am I going to have to help him dress too? He can't walk, hardly stand as it is... He groaned as he crossed the street, his forehead creasing to show his annoyance.

He didn't like the situation that his Inner Hollow had now placed him in. He knew full well that if the Soul Society ever found out about his Hollow, they would both be arrested, and his Hollow, as helpless as he was, or seemed, would be executed, if not on sight at first. He stopped briefly and grumbled. "I really need to think of something else to call him...Kisuke was right." He sighed. As he walked into his apartmeant, he heard Orihime gasp in the kitchen and when he didn't see his Hollow on the bed, he dropped the bags and rushed into the kitchen. "Orihime!"

"I-Ichigo!" He rushed in to see his Hollow staring blankly at his hand, cut open and bleeding, while Orihime held a small cutting knife, red blood dripping from it. She dropped the knife and Ichigo ran in, gripping the Hollow's shoulders.

"Did you hurt her? !"

"Ichigo he-"

"Answer me!" The Hollow looked at him and slowly shook his head, his eyes watering up as the pain seemed to register.

"N...n...o..." He said quietly, looking at his sliced hand.

"He didn't hurt me, I'm fine, see?" Orihime tapped Ichigo's shoulder and spun in a small circle and smiled. "See?"

"Then why-"

"He...he wanted to try and slice up the vegtables while I was making soup and he...he cut himself." Orihime said, sighing. "I took it from him when you walked in." The albino gave her a funny look, yet nodded slowly as well. Ichigo asighed and released the Hollow's shoulders, noting the slight fear in the lavander eyes staring at him.

"Sorry then..." He mumbled. He was also a bit surprised to see his Hollow standing on his feet, but now they were shaking annd just before he fell, Ichigo bent down and caught him. "C'mon...let's get you patched up ok? I...have something I want to ask you anyways." As he lead him to the bathroom, Orihime looked at the bloody knife and sighed.

This whole situation is so weird...yet, just now...I felt bad for him. She thought. Hmmm oh well for now! Better finish making the soup!


Ichigo sat the Hollow down on the toilet seat as he yanked out some gauze bandages and disinfectent. "I need to make sure it doesn't get infected. Luckily it isn't deep enough for stitches, but we can't take the risk of it getting worse, ok?" The Hollow tilted his head slightly and blinked once. "This may sting a bit." He dabbed a cottonball with the liquid and began slowly cleaning the cut, along with the blood still flowing from the wound. The Hollow closed his eyes and hissed lowly.

"H...hur...ts..." He hissed,trying hard not to pay attention. Ichigo ignored him and quickly wrapped the hand up with the gauze and sighed.

"Alright, for now, it'll be ok. It may take awhile to heal though..." He said. He then felt a cold hand touch his chin and he looked up into curious lavander eyes. "What?"

"S...Soul...Re...r-rea..."

"Soul Reaper?" Ichigo said for him and he nodded, placing a hand on Ichigo's chest, seeming to smile as he touched the area above his heart.

"You...Soul...rea...aper..." Ichigo's eyes widened a bit.

"How do you know that?" The Hollow looked down the hall and at the kitchen. "She told you?" One soft blink. "Ugh, why did she-"

"Hol...low..." He looked up and saw sad eyes staring at him as he took Ichigo's hand and placed it on his pale chest. "I...Hol..." Ichigo shook his head and tried to pull away, but his Hollow refused to release his hand. "Ichigo..."

"Why is my name the only thing you can say clearly?" He grumbled and yanked his hand away. "Look, I can't call you...well albino or anything, so I've come up with a name for you, if you want it." The Hollow cocked his head to the side. "For now, how does Shirosaki sound, hmm?"

"Shi...ros...aki?" The albino closed his head and a soft smile spread on his face, once again making Ichigo's gut twist in funny ways. "Sh...iro..."

"Yeah, sure, that works too." He said. 'Shiro' chuckled lightly and Ichigo stared at him. "What's funny?"

"Th...thank y...you Ichigo..." He then lifted his arms and wrapped them around the Soul Reaper's shoulders, burying his head against his chest. "Thank you Ichigo...s...so m-much..." Ichigo sat there, shellshocked as the hug tightened.

Why...why is he... "Don't touch me." He said quietly and shoved the greatful Hollow aside. Lavander eyes widened and looked at his own hands and sighed.

"S...orry..." He whispered and made a move to stand, and Ichigo watched as he slowly wobbled his way from the bathroom, and as he approached the bed, he collapsed and sighed.

What the hell is happening to him? He wondered.


Why am I so weak? Shiro wondered idly as he watched Ichigo put the cleaning supplies away. I can't...please him at all...why? Did I do wrong? He sighed and looked at his bandaged hand. How did I...get this again? If I could remember how...maybe I... He turned as Orihime walked in with a small bowl and smiled at him.

"Here, you need to eat something, right? And don't worry; I cleaned the knife exceptionally throughly~!" She smiled and handed him the bowl of soup. He took it very slowly, feeling frustrated at how slow every movement was. As he put the spoon in his mouth, he watched as her eyes watched him eagerly. "Well?" He just smiled at the girl next to him and she beamed. "I knew you'd like it!" She said happily and went to hug him, but he flinched away.

"N...no..." He whispered, remembering what had happaned a few minutes ago and placed the bowl on the small desk next to him.

"What's wrong?"

"He...does Ichigo...h...h-ate m...me?" He asked softly, looking at the bathroom.


How am I supposed to answer him? Orihime wondered. "I...I'm not sure, but I don't hate you." She said, and to her surprise, she felt that she was being honest. I don't...not anymore. In fact, I envy you... He smiled and nodded and kept eating quietly.

"Orihime, thanks for your help today." Ichigo said as he walked out of the bathroom. "With school tomorrow, I'm a bit unsure as to what to do with him..." He sighed and looked at Shiro as he ate slowly, yet at an oddly steady pace. "I can't leave him here alone and all..."

"Maybe Kisuke can stay?"

"The shop will be open tomorrow, so no. Uhh...I could call off for tomorrow, but not every day, lest the teacher attempt to kill me." Ichigo decided. "So I'll stay tomorrow, just to make sure he doesn't get into trouble."

"I highly doubt he will Ichigo. He's...changed. He isn't the same anymore."

"And how would you know? You haven't had him try to kill you before, have you?" Ichigo snapped. Instead of flinching however, Orihime stared at him intently.

"No, but I have seen him fight and almost kill Uryu to protect me from him...but that's not what I wanted! So I think I can openly say he's changed." She bit back and it was Ichigo who was taken aback.

"I...sorry about that..." Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, if you want to come back tomorrow, that's fine." Orihime nodded and grabbed her small jacket. Before she left, she turned to look at both of them one more time.

"Ichigo...please don't hate him...he doesn't understand why you do." She said before walking away, the door clicking quetly behind her, leaving Ichigo alone with his amnesiac Hollow.


Chapter 4 end

And I'll end it here for nows~! So what did everyone think neh? To be honest, I hate Orihime, but I will be nice cause she's kinda a main character in this. She's obviously nice where Ichigo is an asshole. XD Totally not how I usually portray him, so this is like a new experience for me. XD Well...review please~!