Author's Note: I think that at the rate that I'm going, this fic will be only 15 chapters long. I have an idea for a new one, too, but I won't tell you about it yet.


What seemed to be a challenge over two hot-headed gang leaders was actually much deeper than just that. To be precise, it was more like a fight over pride; for their own pride, but, in the case of Ichigo, most of all, it was for Hitsugaya's pride.

"Toshiro," Ichigo murmured, releasing the smaller boy. "Things are gonna get messy. Maybe you should leave, too…"

"The hell are you talking about?" Renji snorted. "That kid's not going anywhere. I'll deal with him after I'm done beating the shit out of you."

"Fine," the orange-haired teen retorted, stiffening. "If that's how you want to do it, then that's fine by me. Toshiro and I'll just have to kick your ass together, right, hime?"

"Don't put me in the same class as you, idiot" Hitsugaya huffed, but Ichigo took this as a general agreement.

"What the hell? Did you just call him hime?" Renji scoffed. "What is he now, Kurosaki, your little whore or something?"

"You freaking son of a bitch!" Ichigo shouted, lunging at Renji without warning. "Call Toshiro a whore one more time and I'll rip off your fucking ponytail!"

He grabbed the front of Renji's shirt, slamming him into a nearby headstone, hard. In retaliation, the redhead slammed his fist into the strawberry's face. Unfazed, Ichigo spat in Renji's face (a mixture of both blood and saliva) before giving him a vicious kick to the abdominals.

The scuffle continued for quite a while like such. Each gang leader threw punches and kicks at each other, taking every opportunity to toss in a vulgar insult as well.

Ducking under a punch directed at the side of his head, Ichigo took a moment to wipe the blood off the corner of his mouth with the back of his sleeve. He darted forward again, dealing his opponent two heavy blows to the face before recieiving and equal vicious series of attacks to his own.

"Stop it!" Hitsugaya protested, but as expected, he was ignored by the other two males who were to busy trying to tear each other into pieces to listen to him. "Stop it, both of you! You think an immature fist-fight like this is going to solve anything!?"

"Shut up and stand back, Toshiro!" Ichigo snarled back, staggering to his feet after being shoved over by Renji. "I already said I'd kick his sorry ass, so I will!"

"Kurosaki, Abarai! You're going to end up killing each other!"

"That's the point, brat!" Renji snapped angrily as he sent another blow at Ichigo's face. "A kid like you should stay out of your superior's business!"

"You're not his fucking superior!" the orange-haired teen shouted, his anger flaring dangerously as he made another lunge at the red-headed leader of the Shinigami. "You think you're better than him, huh!?

"Damn straight, strawberry!" he retorted "He's mine, so I'll say whatever I want to him!"

"What the hell!? Toshiro's not your property!"

"Yes, he is! Who was the one who took him into the Shinigami!? Who was the one who taught him how to survive on the streets!? Who was the one who's been feeding him and putting clothes on his back this whole time, huh!? I'll tell you who – me! He owes me his life, and he chooses to rat us out instead!"

"I don't care what he did, he's still not 'yours,' got it!?" Ichigo retorted angrily, slamming his fist into the side of Renji's face with all his strength.

"You piece of shit," Renji growled, spitting a bloody wad of spit onto the ground. "Who do you think you are? I'm going to fuck you up so bad, they undertaker's not even going to be able to distinguish your face from the rest of your body!"

The redhead's hand plunged into his pocket as he jerked out a gun, pointing it at Ichigo. The strawberry cursed loudly upon remembering that he had dropped his own gun a few minutes before when he had taken Hitsugaya in his arms.

"Abarai, you've got to stop it!" Hitsugaya screamed, grabbing Renji's arm and trying to pull the gun from his hand as he aimed it at his adversary. Renji pulled the trigger, and frantically, Hitsugaya jerked his arm to the side, the gun firing off about five feet to the left of its target.

"You fucking whore!" Renji snarled. "I told you to stay out of this! Who do you think you are, huh, making me miss like that!?" He raised his hand, slapping Hitsugaya viciously across the face, knocking him to the floor.

With a yelp of pain, the boy fell to the floor, and not giving him a chance to catch the breath that seemed to have been knocked out of him, Renji brought his foot down on his throat, cutting off his breathing. The redhead shifted his weight forward, cruelly crushing the helpless boy's windpipe.

Hitsugaya choked, trying feebly to push Renji's foot away, but found himself being easily overpowered by the larger and stronger male.

"T-Toshiro!" Ichigo spluttered in horror. "Hang in there, I'm coming!"

He started forward, cursing and dashing to the side as Renji fired a shot at him. He dodged the bullet successfully, but found himself having to duck as another shot was aimed at him.

He scrambled for his gun, which was lying on the grass, a bullet whizzing by his face and grazing his cheek. Gritting his teeth in pain, he stumbled forward, snatching the firearm off of the ground and bringing it upwards, his finger flying to the trigger as he aimed at Renji's heart.

In response, Renji shifted the direction of the gun's aim, instead, removing his foot and seizing Hitsugaya by the hair, jerking him to his feet. He clapped one hand over the boy's mouth, preventing him from speaking. With his free hand, Renji held the gun to Hitsugaya's head, pressing the muzzle into his temple threateningly.

"You shoot, and I'll kill him," Renji growled. "One funny move and I'll send your precious little 'hime' on an express train to the afterlife."

"Why, you dirty son of a bitch," Ichigo hissed, clenching his teeth. "Let him go."

"I refuse."

"Then I'll force you to!"

Ichigo raised the gun again, and provoked, Renji pulled the trigger.

"No!"

What happened next was a blur.

As Renji pulled the trigger, Ichigo had come to the realization that there was no way he could dodge at such a close range.

With a frantic, pleading scream for Renji to lower his weapon, Hitsugaya wrenched free from his captor's grip, throwing himself between the two at the last moment. A fraction of a second later, the bullet struck him directly in the chest.

Ichigo's eyes widened in horror as Hitsugaya's small body hit the floor.

"Toshiro!"

His eyes wide with shock, the strawberry threw himself onto the ground next to Hitsugaya, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy's body, his hand desperately pressed to the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Hime!" he screamed, "Hime, you freaking idiot! What was that for!?"

He turned to Renji, overcome with sheer hatred as he raised the gun faster than the redhead could blink, firing a shot at his head. He knew he had hit his mark due to Renji's scream of pain. The leader of the Shinigami crumpled to the floor, clutching his face, blood seeping through his fingers.

Taking his chance, Ichigo stood up, holding Hitsugaya bridal-style in his arms, turning away as he dashed off, running as quickly as his feet would carry him. He knew he had to get him to a hospital, and he had to do it fast.

"Hang in there, hime!" he pleaded through ragged breaths as he ran along, flinging the cemetery gates open and charging down the sidewalk. "Please, you've got to hang in there…"

"K-Kurosaki…" Hitsugaya stammered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his eyelids fluttering as he fought to maintain conciousness. "I…I'm sorry…"

"I-It's alright!" Ichigo answered, "It's going to be okay. I'm not going to let you die!"

He felt the boy go limp in his arms as conciousness finally slipped from his frail grasp, his head lolling sideways against his chest. Ichigo ran even faster, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

He couldn't afford to take his time.

He had to get to a hospital within three minutes, otherwise the boy who had just saved his life would be dead for sure.