Road sat up abruptly startling Allen making him fall of the bed. "Ow...Road? What's wrong?" he asked noticing her.
"Allen? Allen!" Road jumped off the bed and clung to Allen, "Allen, I...thought you really were dead!" Tears were starting to make their way down Road's cheeks.
"Dead? ...Road don't worry, it was just a nightmare, I'm not going anywhere. Question is, how do you feel?" Allen asked as he noticed that her fever subsided.
"Better now." She replied squeezing Allen.
"What happened?" Ichigo asked as he walked in with Ruikia.
"Road had a nightmare." Allen replied.
"How's your fever?" Rukia asked placing a hand on Road's head causing her to flinch. "Did I hurt you?"
"No..." Road replied, "Its just...it seemed so real..."
"Don't worry Road, it wasn't real. Come on, lets get you something to eat, its morning you know." Allen picked her up and carried her downstairs, placing her on the couch.
"Hey Allen," Ichigo called out, "can you get the morning paper before the neighbor steals it?"
"Sure." Allen replied.
"Why?" Rukia asked, "You don't read it."
"I don't like the neighbors getting the paper for free," Ichigo responded while taking the milk out of the fridge, "If we pay so should they."
Allen was about to open the door when it flew open and slammed into his face. A voice came from the other side of the door, "What the hell? Hey! What are you doing in there that you had to barricade the door?"
"Karin?" Ichigo asked as Allen opened the door while rubbing his face, revealing Karin at the door with her stuff. "What are you doing here? I though you and Yuzu were going to stay at a friends house for another week."
"Got bored, the girl talks more to Yuzu anyway, I know when I'm not needed." Karin replied. Everyone got to the table as Ichigo placed bowels for each of them to get cereal. Karin sat be side Road, "Hey, think you can do me a favor?" Road looked at her confused.
"What kind of favor?" she asked.
"A...revenge type of favor." Karin replied as her face grew dark.
"Oh...I might have some spare time." Road replied with a smirk, "Who's the victim?"
"A girl at my school that just 'happened' to 'accidentally' spill all her food on me." Karin replied with deep hatred.
Road thought for a second and then turned back to Karin, "Meet me in Rukia's room before we go to sleep." Road replied. Karin looked gave her a questioning look. "You'll want to be there personally wont you? To see that girls face twist in agony and pain?" Road shivered out of pleasure at the thought of how much fun she was going to have.
Allen noticed Road talking to Karin quietly, "Road? What where you to talking about?" he asked with curiosity.
"Nothing that might hurt anyone here..." Road answered innocently, "but I don't guarantee the safety of someone's dreams, who we don't know."
Allen was surprised at her unsubtle confession. 'I guess I can ignore this,' he thought to himself, 'what's the harm in letting her have a little fun on her terms for a bit?' Allen turned to Road and whispered, "Ok, but no killing or permanent damage."
"Uhh..how about no horrifying permanent damage?" Road pleaded.
Allen caved, "Fine." Road sheered out loud and hugged Allen while everyone stared at them in confusion.
"Hey Tatsuki." Ichigo greeted. Tatsuki spun around to find Ichigo standing behind her with paper bags full of food.
"Oh, hi Ichigo," Tatsuki replied then turned her attention to the bags, "Why all the food?"
"Well, remember Allen and Road?"
"Yeah."
"They'll...be staying with us a while since they don't really have a home." A bag slipped out of Ichigo's grasp and Tatsuki quickly caught it.
"Looks like you need help." she commented.
"Yeah, no shit." Ichigo responded, "Rukia didn't want to go because she thought it would rain again, Road is...what seems to be...plotting something with Karin (who, I might add, came home early), and Allen is making sure they don't go killing someone."
Tatsuki laughed at his explanation, "Well, no wonder your out of your cave!" Ichigo regained his usual scowl and began to walk while Tatsuki followed him.
"Says the girl who spends most of her time around Orihime." Ichigo replied, "No offense, but I expected some of her constant happiness to rub off on you and make you her twin."
"Sorry, but there's no way I'm going to ever go as soft as her," Tatsuki replied, "Hell, I bet even Rukia hasn't gone that soft."
Ichigo thought for a minute, "Actually, she kinda did...but I'm sure she'll be back to arguing with me constantly after the beginning of our relationship ends."
"Ends?"
"Yeah, when it moves to our two week anniversary, if it gets that far...I have no intentions on breaking up with her and I don't think she does either but I feel shouldn't expect any certain outcome yet." Ichigo replied.
"I don't know about that, you two look like you'll actually stay together." Tatsuki reassured.
"But, she's being very nice...I don't want to think the worst." Ichigo nearly dropped the bags.
"Or maybe she's being nice because you haven't done anything stupid lately, idiot." Tatsuki replied with a smile.
"FIne, I'll admit it, you're right." Ichigo replied laughing.
"Damn right I am!"
"Hey Tatsuki, what are you going to do now?" Ichigo asked. Tatsuki looked at him with a questioning look. "Well, as far as I know, you spent most of the time with Inoue but from what I hear you haven't hung out with her since Friday because she's been spending her time with Ishida."
"I'll admit, I'm kinda lonely without her," Tatsuki replied, "but I'm happy for Orihime, being able to be with someone who isn't oblivious to her feelings."
"Ow, thats harsh Tatsuki." Ichigo replied hurt.
"You know it's true, you were just too thick headed." Tatsuki snapped, "I'll never understand how you could be so stupid in not noticing what Orihime felt about you."
"Maybe if you find yourself a guy then you'll understand...or girl if thats what your into." Ichigo mentally slaped himself and waited for a punch in the gut of face, but it never came. He looked over at Tatsuki who was actually thinking about what Ichigo said, "Aren't you going to hit me?"
"Why?" Tatsuki asked.
Ichigo stopped dead and stunned, "You are?" he asked.
"I'm...not really sure..." Tatsuki replied looking away, "I was sure I only liked guys cause I..." There was a long intense pause, "...I...kinda had...a...crush on...you." Tatsuki looked back at Ichigo. To say he was surprised and stunned was an understatement. Ichigo was going haywire on the inside.
'HOLY SHIT! SHE HAD A CRUSH ON ME!?' Ichigo thought to himself, 'Orihime never even stopped to talk though this with me when she found out I was with Rukia,what am I supposed to do here!? Don't get me wrong I'm not about to abandon Rukia anytime soon, I love her, but I don't want to hurt Tatsuki's feelings. What would Rukia do if I told her? Actually, I'd like to see them spare sometime...I wonder who would win...I'm spacing out! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY!? SORRY? MAYBE NEXT TIME? WHAT DO I SAY!?'
"Hey, earth to Ichigo!" Tatsuki snapped her fingers in front of Ichigo's face, pulling him out of his thoughts, "Don't feark out on me, I'm happy that you and Rukia are going out, its no big deal. Besides, its just a crush, I'm sure I'll get over it. Oh and Rukia knows about my crush on you."
Ichigo nodded still unsure what to say. "Well..still...I'm..sorry?" Tatsuki laughed at him. Ichigo scrowled then smirked as an idea came to his head, "Well since we're on this subject, why don't we pair you up? How about Chad? He could take you on and get out unfazed!"
"Very funny, but I'm not really into the strong quiet types." Tatsuki replied playing along, "It's like interrogating a prisoner when you try to talk to him."
"True, how about the guy in the class next to ours...that spiky haired guy?"
"Pfft, no way! He's all talk and no bite."
"How about Keigo?" They both stopped and a long pause took over. After what seemed like and hour the two burst out laughing uncontrollably. Somewhere in the city, Keigo shed a tear.
Ichigo and Tatsuki couldn't stop laughing, tears began to roll down their cheeks and their sides began to ache.
After what seemed like and hour they finally began to calm down noticing that they were in front of Ichigo's home and Rukia standing infront of them confused, "What was so funny?" she asked.
"Oh, just what it would look and be like if Tatsuki were to go out with Kaigo." Ichigo responded beginning to laugh again. Rukia kept a stern look that began to turn forceful. She couldn't hold it in and dropped to the ground laughing.
Allen came out confused, "Uhh...why is...nevermind." he quickly grabbed the bags that Ichigo and Tatsuki were carrying allowing them to fall to the floor still laughing.
"Ichigo, where is Tatsuki going to sleep?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah Ichigo, I don't want to be rude or anything but I feel that I've been here long enough." Tatsuki commented.
"Don't worry you can share my bed with Rukia and I'll take the couch," Ichigo replied, "besides, its already late."
"Yeah, what kind of friend would Ichigo be if he let you walk home at night?" Allen chimed.
"Fine, I'll stay, but I expect breakfast early in the morning." Tatsuki joked.
Road and Karin were in Rukia's bedroom preparing for Karin's revenge. "You sure you want to go though with this?" Road asked, "I can be pretty rough."
"I'm sure." Karin replied.
"Ok, close your eyes." Road commanded. Karin closed her eyes and almost immediately she began to feel heavy.
Karin opened her eyes only to see nothing but darkness around her. "Nice isn't it?" Road asked appearing behind Karin, "Nothing but the darkness, surrounding you, keeping you from seeing where your death may come from." Karin shuddered feeling she migh regret this.
A little later, the girl that Karin was plotting against appeared before her. Karin looked at her, she was scared shitless. "Karin?" the girl asked, "What are you doing here? What do you want!?" Karin looked at Road who was holding out a combat knife to her.
"Throat, abdomen, or heart?" Road asked with a smile. She noticed Karin's uneasiness, "She won't be hurt in real life...physically anyway. Just a little harmless traumatization." Karin continued to stare at the knife in Road's hand. "Look, if you want then I'll do it or we leave, but if you grab this knife I won't get you out until you've done it."
Karin stared at the knife a few more seconds then grabbed it. "Throat," she commented, "and this'll just make her scared of me?"
"Depends on how intense you work." Road replied.
Karin ran at her target and the girl screamed as Karin jumped on top of her, "KARIN! NO! I"M SORRY!"
"This'll teach you to mess with me." Karin replied as she grabbed the girl's hair and used it to pull up her head and expose her neck. Karin placed the knife on her neck and paused.
"Are you scared?" Road asked the girl, slowly stepping closer and closer.
"YES! I AM! PLEASE LET ME GO!" the girl cried.
Road was right above the girls head, she leaned in and whispered, "Well...too bad." She signaled Karin and Karin pushed as hard as she could in a sideward motion successfully sliting the girl's throat open causing her blood to squirt onto her shirt. "It's too bad people wake up the instant they feel intense pain." Road commented.
"You mean she's not here anymore?" Karin asked.
"Nope, nothing but a copy of her body since we're here," Road replied, "not bad for your first kill though." Karin's eye's suddenly closed on their own.
When she opened them they were back in Rukia's room.
Allen walked in as she stood up, "Uhh...what are you to up to?"
"Just a little revenge, extreme version." Road replied as she got up and wrapped her arms around Allen's neck.
"Uhh...ok, anyways Ichigo says its time to sleep." Allen commented, "We're going back to school tomorrow." Karin got up and left for her room while Road let her head go limp and fall on Allen's shoulder.
"Aww, I don't want to go," Road whined, "why'd we even agree to that?"
"Because we're staying at his home, so we should at least agree on his terms." Allen replied, "Now come on." Allen scooped up Road in his arms and dropped her on the bed jumping in after her. Road fought playfully but gave up as soon as Allen pinned her arms to her side by hugging her.
"Fine, but just because I love sleeping like this." Road commented as she drifted to sleep.
"Hey...Rukia," Rukia turned to face Tatsuki, "I know Ichigo can be nice when he wants to, but I think he just let me stay here because he feels guilty."
Rukia sat up on the bed, "About what?"
"I told him how I had a crush on him," Tatsuki replied, "he probably thinks he hurt my feelings."
"Well what'd you expect?" Rukia asked laughing, "Of course he would want to somehow make it up to you, your his oldest friend!"
Tatsuki chuckled, "I guess. Hey, you want to pull a prank on Ichigo?"
"I'm in!" Rukia replied.
Both girls quietly made their way downstairs. Rukia poked her head around the corner and saw Ichigo splattered on the couch sleeping with one hand hanging off the end of the couch.
"I got an idea." Rukia whispered as she went into the kitchen and returned with a can of whip cream.
"Ohh...wait let me get something." Tatsuki went back upstairs and returned with a black marker. Both girls approached Ichigo with mischievous grins ready to attack their unsuspecting victim.
Ichigo felt something tickle his skin above his lips and simply twitched his lip to shrug it off. As he started to drift back to sleep he felt it again. He shook his face and the feeling went away.
He was already asleep when he felt it again and he brought up his hand to his face suddenly feeling something cold and soft splatter itself against his face. Ichigo sat up and was met with Rukia and Tatsuki laughing on the floor and whip cream on his hand and face. He scrowled and wiped off the whip cream with his empty hand causing the girls to laugh even harder."What are you laughing at!?"
"Y-your f-face!" Rukia managed speak between her laughter. Ichigo went to the bathroom mirror and stared at his reflection with anger, a mustache had been drawn on his face that stretched from above his lips to the corners and drawn to curl up at the ends as much as they could.
"Real funny you two," he said sarcastically, "Real funny."
