A/N: I'm so sorry you guys. It's been… 2 months! 2 months? Really, Kas. You suck at updating. Since it's been so damn long, forget the author's note! Let's just get on with the story already, huh? Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Ichigo peaked his head into Urahara's shop after receiving no answer at the door. "Where the hell is everyone?" he wondered aloud. "Hey! Hat and Clogs!" he called as he walked through the seemingly empty room, swinging the plastic bag he carried back and forth like a pendulum.
"Back here…" a gruff, sleepy voice answered from the hallway.
Ichigo made his way back and stood behind Urahara who was looking out the window with a somber expression. "Where's everyone at?" he asked. He studied the man in front of him. His shoulders were slumped, his hands rested limply at his sides, and in one he held his ever present green and white hat. He looked tired and defeated. It wasn't a look Ichigo could recall ever seeing on the Ex-Captain.
"They went back…" Kisuke sighed out, like speaking took more energy than he had.
Ichigo visibly flinched. "Kay-Lynn's gone?" He asked before he could stop himself.
The older Soul Reaper's shoulder slouched even further than before as he looked back meeting Ichigo's eyes with his own. "You too, huh?" he mumbled. He shook his head at the boys confused face. "She's right out there." He waved his hat toward the window. Ichigo started to turn away so he could go and see her but Kisuke grabbed his wrist. "Ichigo…"
Ichigo studied the man's stern face, raising his eyebrows in question before shaking his hand free.
Kisuke knew he couldn't exactly reveal the truth to Ichigo just yet. The kid barely understood what was happening to himself. He certainly wouldn't be able to grasp what was going on with Kay-Lynn. And, no matter how much Kisuke tried to suppress it, the scientist in him wanted to see what would happen. He needed a way to test his theory about the girl and that test was presenting itself so easily. He sighed and shook his head again. "Just… be careful."
Listening to Ichigo's retreating footsteps, he turned and stared out the window again. He saw Kay-Lynn tense then look over her shoulder. A small smile appeared and she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. She'd sensed Ichigo. Kisuke lowered his head. He was ashamed of himself for allowing this but he needed proof.
*…*
There it was. That dark, dangerously magnetic aura Kay-Lynn had come to know as Ichigo's spiritual pressure. She smiled, wiping away the tears she'd been shedding because of Kisuke's unexpected reaction. As the substitute soul reaper came into view from around the corner, her smile grew.
"Hey." Ichigo said, screwing his face into a frown and wishing he'd said something better than that when he saw her puffy, red eyes.
Kay-Lynn laughed. "Hey yourself."
"I… uh… I brought you something." He said, holding up the plastic bag like a peace offering.
"Yeah?" She asked. "What is it?"
"Just some candy and sodas. Not much really." He admitted. He felt the blush heating his cheeks already and sighed. "But first, tell me what happened." Ichigo sat down next to her and laid the bag behind them on the table.
Kay-Lynn shrugged. "What makes you think something happened?"
"Well, I'm not that great at reading people, but the huge rain cloud floating over your head kinda gave it away." He teased. "Not to mention Hat and Clogs is acting weird and everyone else is gone."
Kay-Lynn huffed out a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Okay. It's a little crazy but… you sure you want to hear it?"
"Yeah… absolutely. I'm pretty good with crazy, you know."
Ichigo, as it turned out, was really good with crazy. He listened to everything she had to say. After explaining her dream about Aizen, his face had gone stark. Then when she explained why she'd chosen to stay, it hardened and he nodded. Kay-Lynn knew without asking that he hadn't doubted the dream as reality and he hadn't thought her staying was stupid. They talked about the possibility that it was a trap to get to her and what Aizen could want but neither of them really came up with any answers. Soon, their conversation fell into a comfortable silence just as the afternoon sun began to slip behind the horizon.
*…*
Kisuke had long since abandoned his post at the window. The two teens seemed perfectly comfortable with each other and nothing out of the ordinary was happening, so he'd retreated to his study. Now, he was surrounded by research that Yoruichi had sneaked to him for the Soul Society. Old archived files full of things he'd read but wish he hadn't, were strung about his desk.
Opening one such file, he examined the perfect calligraphy and grimaced. Not his writing. Aizen's. He'd recognize the elegant pen strokes anywhere. They'd went through more than he'd like to admit to get his hands on some of Aizen's more "delicate" research. The contents of the file sickened him, but it was what he'd been looking for.
"Subject #38
Male, Human Soul
Approximate age: 14
Found just outside Seretai
Aberrant brain patterns and reiatsu levels observed, unstable.
Degradation of self, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, eventual comatose stasis.
As consciousness waned, separate personalities presented themselves. Split psyche from trauma.
Achieved a small connection with Hollow and Shinigami DNA alike but both caused a violent reaction in subject.
Interesting but a failure none the less. Will I ever be able to imitate the natural and enhanced abilities of Subject #1?
Subject Terminated
Subject #39
Female
Approximate age: 16, Human Soul
Found in Human World
Brain wave activity and reiatsu levels diminished but connection achieved.
Subject experienced shared consciousness with Hollow for 32 sec. Emotions unlike bloodlust observed.
Shinigami experiment more productive. Obsession and a false sense of loyalty to subject encountered.
Failure again but closer to desired results.
Subject Terminated.
I have failed too many times to continue. I cannot reproduce the results of Subject #1. She had exhibited the ideal abilities to build on from the beginning. The ability to read and influence another's emotion! And a Shinigami no less! With just the preliminary trials, the influence toward Hollows in particular was immediate and grew to nearly complete control. Just short of perfection. There were of course, unexpected developments but I believe the drive and hormones of youth may be the cause. I will continue to watch her closely under the guise of mentor and friend."
*…*
Kay-Lynn laughed as she opened the package of candy Ichigo had picked out for her. It looked like some kind of powder in a little packet and it came with a tiny plastic mixing bowl and a stirring stick. "Now, what is… Ichigo, how do I eat this?"
He swallowed down the rest of his sweets and pointed to the powder packet. "You're supposed to mix it with water and it turns into a gummy candy but uh… I forgot to grab some water. I guess we can use this." He said, picking up his soda can and taking the little bowl from Kay-Lynn.
"If somebody wanted gummy candies, couldn't they just buy… ya know… gummy candies?" She teased as she moved to stand in front of him. She emptied the contents of the packet into the bowl and frowned slightly at the colored powder. It's bright, nearly neon, shade of blue made her unexplainably nervous. She looked up and caught Ichigo's amused grin.
"Go ahead, it'll be good. I promise." He assured her and handed her the soda. She sighed and focused back on the powdered candy and started pouring.
All at once, the contents of the bowl began to bubble and foam.
"Oh shit…" Ichigo quickly held it at arm's length, wincing at the cold frothy mixture running onto his hands from over the sides of the container. All he could do was watch as it foamed and spurted until it finally fizzled down. He looked into the now empty bowl and set it behind him on the table, sighing in defeat.
Kay-Lynn looked from the foamy puddle on the ground at her feet to the sulking boy in front of her. His hands were streaked with blueish brown goo. As she watched him peer into the container with a dejected sigh, she couldn't help the laugh that erupted. His eyes snapped up to her and a smile tugged at the left side of his lips.
"Oh, you think that's funny, huh?" he smirked, grabbing an unopened can of soda from the bag left on the table. He shook it vigorously and gave Kay-Lynn a devious grin.
"No! Ichigo! Don't you dare!" She squealed taking several steps back.
"Aren't you hot in that sweatshirt? I think you need to cool off a little." He teased as he advanced on her. He popped the lid on the can and the liquid inside erupted out in an arc and the fizzy, cold cola sprayed wildly… right back on Ichigo.
Kay-Lynn howled with laughter. Soon he was laughing, too, while surveying the damage to his school uniform. "I guess soda was a bad idea all around, huh?" He joked, sitting back on the table top. He pulled off his button up then tossed it behind him while untucking the t-shirt he'd had underneath. It was wet as well but it couldn't be helped. He looked back up at Kay-Lynn when he realized she'd fallen silent. She just stood there, a few steps away from him, chewing at her bottom lip. She seemed to be in some kind of daze.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah… I'm fine." Kay-Lynn managed to force the words out somehow. It was a total lie, of course.
No, no, no. I'm definitely not alright! Not at all!
She could nearly see straight through the thin material of Ichigo's damp white t-shirt and it was clinging obscenely to his perfectly toned skin. Her gaze traveled upward taking in the width of his shoulders, the long line of his neck, the strong angle of his jaw, the curve of his lips, the sharp slant of his nose, and finally the depths of his eyes. She remembered the moment in her dream where she'd seen something dark and dangerous behind those eyes. Even now that she was wide awake, she felt it. Whatever it was pulled at her like a moth to a flame.
I need to stop this shit! I was practically screwing him with my eyes just now! What the hell is wrong with my brain? I may need professional help after this.
"You sure you're okay?" Ichigo gave her a curious look and playfully kicked his foot out, nudging her leg with it.
She laughed nervously. "Sorry… I was… uh… I don't know. I'm a little off today." She admitted.
Ichigo shook his head. "No need to apologize. You've had a crazy day. I don't blame you for getting kinda lost in thought." He cocked his head to the side and looked at her then pressed his lips together in an effort not to laugh. "Kay-Lynn… you've got a little…" he said, pointing at her cheek.
"What? What is it?" She said, wiping at her face. "Is it a bug? I don't do bugs!"
He laughed without hesitation now that she'd wiped all around her face in a panic and still missed what he was trying to point out. "Calm down, it's not a bug. You've got some… soda goo… from the candy… Just come here." He finally managed to say, grabbing her hand and pulling her close enough to reach her face. "It's right… here." He rubbed his thumb over the sticky blue brown glob only to smear it across her cheek. "Oops."
"Ichigo!" Kay-Lynn admonished while he continued to rub at the goop and laugh harder when it refused to come off. She grabbed at his hand to stop him from doing any more damage, laughing at the goofy grin on Ichigo's face.
"No, hold on. I got this!" Ichigo announced confidently.
"You most certainly don't 'got this'." When she felt a light touch at her waist, she glanced down to find Ichigo's free hand resting there. She was suddenly very aware of the limited space between them. Sometime during their playful moment, she'd unknowingly moved so close to him that she was standing between Ichigo's legs, he was not sitting quite as far back on the table as he had been before and his thighs lightly pressed against her sides. Her heart pounded against her ribs when she realized that she was only a breath away from being against the same chest she'd admired earlier.
"I… uh… I'll go get a wet cloth or something. I'll be right back." She stammered, taking a step back, but Ichigo did not let the hand on her waist fall. Instead, he used it to pull her closer.
"It can wait." He said in a low whisper.
She opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance. Ichigo's lips suddenly coming against hers not only stole whatever words she had meant to say, but also for a brief moment, her ability to move. She wanted to kiss him back but at the same time she knew that she shouldn't. Despite all of her fantasizing and dreaming, she actually did have feelings for Renji even if she wasn't sure what those feelings were. She cared a lot about him, but in all honesty there was just something about Ichigo she couldn't resist.
Just as she was about to pull away from him, her thoughts were interrupted by a strange heat rising throughout her body. Her skin felt feverish, her pulse raced, and a hazy fog settled over her mind. She couldn't remember what she'd been thinking about. Why had she been trying to think at all when she had those soft entrancing lips so eagerly pressing against hers? She wanted more…
Ichigo hesitantly straightened and pulled away from Kay-Lynn. He hadn't really intended to kiss her, it just kind of happened. He was just as surprised by it as she was but there was something about her that pulled at him. After all the times he had literally dreamed of being with her, it was difficult to keep himself in check when she was near. So when he'd found himself so close to her, he'd just reacted. And now he felt awful about it. It was painfully obvious that she and Renji had something going on so she clearly wouldn't want to kiss someone else. He wouldn't blame her if she punched him in his stupid face for this stunt.
"I'm sorry, Kay-Lynn. I…" he stuttered.
"Don't be sorry." She couldn't figure out why he would apologize for kissing her. Her thoughts were still jumbled and her skin still felt like it was on fire. Especially, in all the places his body was still touching hers.
He closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again he looked at the clouds rolling by in the distance. "I really am sorry. I just… something happens to me when I get around you. I just want to…" Ichigo looked back at Kay-Lynn and was drawn in by her sparkling green eyes. He cupped her face in his palm and growled lightly in frustration. "Do you have any idea what you do to me? I can't help myself. I want to touch you every time I get close to you. I can't stop thinking about it so I just… I'm sorry, I just don't know how much longer I can control myself."
Kay-Lynn stared into his eyes, partially in shock, but more so out of intrigue and… desire. His strange confession made her feel like she actually held some sort of power over him, and that thought alone sent the heat that had built in her into a frenzied boil. Her hands slowly moved to Ichigo's chest. Her mind struggling between the need to push him away and the need to feel the skin just beneath the thin shirt. She hesitated just a second too long to do either as Ichigo closed the distance between them with a hard demanding kiss that once again robbed her of any coherent thought.
Ichigo couldn't believe what he'd done, what he'd said, and what he was doing again, right now. His mouth crashed against Kay-Lynn's soft lips before he'd even registered the thought of kissing her again. He hadn't been able to stop himself. The way he reacted to her was something he'd never experienced before. It was as if she'd opened up a part of him he was only vaguely aware existed; A part of him that acted on instinct, that demanded to have whatever it wanted, a part that was now rising out of control.
A/N: Wow, so two months without an update and I'm giving you guys a super short chapter… You hate me now, don't ya? Soo sorry. The next one will be longer and maybe a little worthy of the M rating on this bad boy! And hopefully up within the next day or two. That's the plan anyway. I love ya'll. Please don't hate me!
