Chapter 7

Ichigo lay on his back with his eyes closed against the bright light that always flooded the basement training room. He could hear the soft murmuring of voices to his left, but couldn't scrounge up any curiosity to listen in. He felt…content. And upon coming to this realization, noticed the one of the reasons was his hollow was also feeling content. Seems their emotions were a bit more entangled then he had imagined.

Ichigo stretched his arms over his head and thought back to the training session…more like play session. It had turned into a game of tag, with Rukia jumping in and helping out one of them, than the other. He had been surprised at first at how his reaction time had quickened. But then he realized his hollow was partly responsible, especially when his arm would come up to block an attack before he thought about it.

However, Ichigo didn't feel a lack of control. It felt more like when he fought hand in hand with Zangetsu. But he wasn't going to be lulled into a sense of security just yet. He heard a sigh to his right that brought him out of his thoughts.

Turning his head, he cracked open one eye to look at the body stretched out much in the same manner as his own. Renji's eyes were closed as well, and Ichigo thought he might even be asleep. It was a strange friend that he found in the redhead, considering their first meetings had them out for each other's throats.

But even if he was an annoying ass the majority of the time, he was a good friend. Even if Ichigo's head still ached a bit from the way Renji had tried to cheer him up the night before, he was grateful that he had people that would come after him.

His thoughts then drifted to the midget leaning against one of the boulders behind them. Ichigo wasn't completely sure what she was to him, or what he was to her, but he knew that he needed her in his life. The soft kiss they shared in that tree flashed in his mind every once in awhile, but neither one of them mentioned it after that day. And then he thought about falling asleep with his arms wrapped protectively around her the night before, and he knew he wanted to repeat the experience.

He was jerked from these musings when he heard raised voices coming from his left. Leaning up on one elbow, he looked towards Urahara and Isshin.

"Are you insane or just an idiot?" Isshin was shaking his head at Urahara, who was sitting causally on top of a low boulder.

"Ah, insanity. Such a noble trait." Urahara's eyes were hidden beneath his hair and hat.

"Noble, my ass. You are gonna get yourself killed…" His eyes drifted towards Ichigo and he noticed he was listening. His eyes widened in shock as he realized something and he turned back towards Urahara. "No." he said firmly.

Urahara raise his hat an inch and looked intently at him. "No, what?" he asked innocently enough.

Isshin just growled and turned his back on him and started up the stairs. "I am going to get my children. This discussion is not over, Kisuke."

Urahara shrugged one shoulder and flipped his fan open. "When is it ever over?" He muttered.

Ichigo sat all the way up and stared at the man hiding behind his fan. "What was he talking about?"

"Hm?" he tilted his head towards the reclining teen. "Ah, nothing to be concerned about." He flipped his fan shut and stood from the boulder he was on. Barely glancing at the glaring Ichigo he started up the stairs. Drifting over his shoulders and back to the three, his words filled them with trepidation. "Get the rest while you can."

Rukia broke the silence. "What do you think he meant?"

Ichigo turned back towards the other two with a confused frown on his face. "He's always up to something…"

Renji stretched and yawned. "And that usually means trouble for us."

"But what could it be? Usually it has to do with some enemy breathing down our necks, but…" Rukia thrummed her fingers against the dirt.

Ichigo finished her sentence. "But we're supposed to be in a time of peace? When does peace ever last?"

Renji gathered his feet under him. "Too true. Anyways, I'm gonna go see if they got any food in this place." He ambled towards the stairs and slowly climbed them, leaving Ichigo and Rukia with their thoughts.

"Ichigo?" Rukia's soft voice caused him to turn his head in her direction.

"Hm?"

"What happened? Earlier, you know, when you kinda went out of it."

Ichigo scratched his head and tried to figure out exactly how he wanted to phrase what he was going to say. Eventually he decided to just tell her the truth. "My hollow wanted a truce."

"A truce?" there was a definite hint of disbelief in her voice.

He shrugged. "Yeah, said he was tired of fighting, and was bored."

She stood up and moved so that she could kneel in front of him and could look him directly in the eyes. "You can't let him win. You have to fight." Her eyes drilled into his with intensity and he couldn't meet them for long.

With downcast eyes he murmured. "I'm tired of fighting myself, Rukia. He offered a truce, Zangetsu agreed… I plan on keeping him on a short leash, but…compromise is going to keep my sanity."

Rukia's small hand covered Ichigo's larger one and she squeezed lightly. "I can't say that I understand, but…just remember I'm here if you need me, you don't have to face this on your own."

Without thinking about it, Ichigo wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders and buried his head against her neck. Rukia's arms came up around him and rubbed soothing circles against his back.

"Thank you." He breathed in her ear.

AN: hmmmmmmm…I think now Rukia is OOC…grrr…just a little disclaimer, I am practically making this up as I go, I have something that resembles a plot, but…Also I'm rather new to the bleach world, so if I screw up on some of the cannon shit, let me know…until next time