What About Now? Chapter 11, a bleach fanfic

A/N: The spelling checker is kinda full with spite with me right now for some reason, so there are still errors, but you guys have been great waiting on me. I thank you.

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'I'm here without you baby But you're still on my lonely mind I think about you baby And I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you baby But you're still with me in my dreams And tonight girl it's only you and me'
-'Here Without You' 3 Doors Down

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"Oh, Tessai! You're ok!"

"Who says I'm ok?" the man grumbled back. "My glasses have been severely damaged."

"I meant you have no wounds. You're like a monster."

Toushiro was inclined to agree. All that power from the teen and not a scratch that wasn't on said glasses.

"Well, anyway," Jinta continued. "Even if they're broken, you should still wear them. Urahara's fighting Carrottop; it's your loss if you miss it."

"Fighting?" the tensai remarked. "It looks more like Urahara's chasing Kurosaki."

"Ah! Urahara just drew blood!" the boy said excitably.

"Did you think I 'Oh, because he's not a shinigami, there's no way that's a zanpakuto?" Kisuke was asking his oppoent now. "You really are too innocent. Wake up, Benehime." The sword showed her true from, unmistakeable as a bonfide zanpakuto.

Something seemed to come together in Ichigo's head. "Zanpakuto's... name..."

Aw, shit. He didn't even know something that simple? What kind of crap had that curropted store owner been stuffing into his ears until now?

"That's right," the blonde was continuing now. "Every zanpakuto; mine, yours, Hitsugaya-san's, has a name. And this is her name. Go, Benehime." The rock by the two was smashed to pieces while the other four took cover to not to get hit by the blast. Toushiro did his best to stay in view of the fight; Urahara had a clear lead at this point; making the tensai think of a few past battles with the man- he liked to think he'd done a bit better than Ichigo was at the moment.

"Oooh, blocking with a stump instead of running away- I feel I should compliment you," Urahara was heard as the smoke cleared. "However, that will not save you from my Hime," he warned the teen, and thier crossed swords gained pressure; so much more that Benihime began to cut what was left of the other sword. Ichigo noticibly panicked and began to high-tail it in the opposite direction. Kisuke continued to chase him though, gradually hacking away at what was left of the other's sword as the teen continued to try and block with it. It was still in the shape of Sode No Shirayuki's hilt- it hurt Toushiro a bit to see the man slice through it.

"Your sword's gone now. Are you going to slice my hat off with that? What happened to all that talk earlier? I feel I should tell you: If you're going to continue to fight me with that toy, I will be forced to kill you."

Even Toushiro couldn't quite tell if he was serious, so Ichigo was stone-cold panicked. The look on his face clearly portrayed how terrified he was, as did turning on his heels and running again. The white haired male sighed; this was going nowhere. Damn Urahara's difficult way of doing things. Couldn't he just be trained a more normal way? Ichigo had better figure out what was going on soon, or Rukia's rescue was going to contain one less member. Did he even feel any shame running like that?

Suddenly, he skidded to stop. Everything seemed to stop with him; a still silence sat heavy in the air. It seemed instinctive; he made as if he were drawing a sword, facing Urahara without any of the fear he'd judt been exibiting. Reiatstu blazed from him as he pulled the sword, yelling, "ZANGETSU!"

Once the reiatsu and smoke clouds cleared, Ichigo was poised on one knee, leaning against a new blade, one that resembled a long knife- no hilt. What kind of zanpakuto was that supposed to be?

"Excellent!" Kisuke said. "Now that-"

"Sorry," Ichigo said. "I hope you can block this."

"What?" the man asked.

"I don't think I can control this yet," he said, raising his arm to attack.

For the first time, panic was on the blonde's face. "Scream, Benihime!" he called out, and her blood shield appeared, effectively guarding him from the blast of energy that came forth from the teen. "Ah... I would have lost an arm if not for that."

Toushiro couldn't believe his eyes. What kind of power did this kid have, to fracture Benihime's shield with his very first attack? Then he noticed the man's hat, laying on the ground beside him, sliced nearly in two. Urahara seemed to notice it then too, and bent to pick it up. "Well... I do believe you killed my hat," he said, though it didn't stop him from putting it back on. "Kurosaki-san... you're kinda scary... But you have passed Test Three!"

Ichigo didn't take much note. He was back leaning against his sword- sound asleep.

And drooling.

"Classy," Toushiro mumbled. "Now what do we do with him?"

"Tessai's going to take him back upstairs to sleep, and then you get your chance to beat him as bloody as you like."

"Promises, promises."

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Ichigo slept through dinner and beyond. Toushiro was certain he wouldn't see the teen until the morning hours- until he heard someone walking around. It was late, almost one am, everyone was asleep, hell, the tensai himself was thinking about bed. The only one who'd be awake was the one who'd slept all afternoon. Though he had had a rather chaotic 72 hours...

The teal eyed male breathed heavily, debating leaving the office. 'This is stupid,' he finally decided. 'I'm tired, I'm going to bed.' But right after exiting to room, he smashed into something- someone. Ichigo, if the surprised 'Oof' was any indication. "Oh, sorry, Toushiro- my eyes are still adjusting to the light. Lack of, really."

"Whatever, and it's 'Hitsugaya-san,'" the shorter replied, walking by him.

"You're still angry, aren't you?"

"As if you wouldn't be. The only reason you aren't dead is because I promised Urahara I wouldn't."

"I could take you."

The tensai felt his jaw clentch. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." That fucking cocky-ass grin...

"Basement. Now."

Ichigo chuckled, and Toushiro, who had been exhausted until now (blind fury would do that), stormed to his room, got Hyorinmaru and soul pills (he didn't need them but figured the moron probably would), and jumped down into the underground training area.

Sure enough, Ichigo was still in his body. "Gonna fight me like that?" the tensai asked.

"You guys seem to know how to get me out."

With a roll of his eyes, the other threw the pills at him. "I know you're familiar with those."

"These aren't defective too, are they?"

"Just take one before I decide bushido is overrated."

"Damn, Urahara wasn't lying; you are dying to beat the hell out to me," the teen said, taking one.

"Why would you doubt that?" Hitsugaya asked, unsheathing his sword.

"I didn't say I did."

Teal eyes rolled and feet moved- fast. Ichigo barely ducked out of the way of the shorter's blade after the his shunpo, his own hazel eyes widening in surprise. "Something wrong, Kurosaki? I thought you could take me."

"Just getting warmed up, Toushiro."

The other's blade swung up to the teen's neck. "Hitsugaya-san," he corrected in a dark tone. "You haven't even drawn your sword- how are you supposed to beat me?"

"I... shit... I guess you won." An understanding of sorts seemed to settle on him- surely he hadn't thought this would be the same as fighting a hollow?

"And if you let me, you're in for a world of hurt."

"Now, now, Hitsugaya-san," Urahara's voice came. "Kurosaki-san has almost no experience fighting with swords, and you have centuries; do you really think he let you win?"

"He did an awful lot of talking before we came down here- all of which was unprovoked."

"As he did before our fight- I'd watch that, Kurosaki-san."

"Hey-"

"Now, shall we return to sleep? Save all this agression for when we're properly rested?" Urahara asked, ignoring that Ichigo had even tried to speak. Without anything further, he walked away from the other two and back up the ladder.

Toushiro glowered at the taller male, but his fatigue from the day was returning, and went back up himself.

"Tch. I am properly rested," he heard the teen mumble behind him.

"Not all of us slept all afternoon," he informed him.

"So you're gonna be 'properly rested' when I'm fucking tired. That's fair, really."

"I didn't make you pass out; therefore I have no pity."

"Not your problem, so yoou don't care, huh?" Ichigo asked, now following him up the ladder.

"Precisely."

"Then how is Rukia's problem yours?"

Toushiro froze. He'd bet any amount of money Kurosaki was baiting him again, but instead of challenging him back, the tensai merely stomped his hands off the ladder, causing him to crash back down to the ground- from ten feet up.

"What the hell, Toushiro?"

The tensai didn't respond or even glace over his shoulder at the teen; he didn't feel the other was worth the effort and continued on his way.

"Oh, Hitusgaya-san, that was mean," Uruhara told him at the surface.

"So was his question," the teal eyed male growled, storming off to his room. Wasn't it obvious? Rukia was the center of his universe; of course he was going to save her. Moron.

Too tired to shower, he just curled up into bed, passing out almost immediately from exhaustion.

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The sun in his window woke him bright and early. He almost cussed, then smelled breakfeast wafting in from the kitchen. Everything Tessai made was good, and he himself could really go for a good meal after the night he'd had.

But going out to the dining room meant seeing him. And that prick was doing a wonderful job of working his every nerve just by looking at him.

'Maybe I can eat in the kitchen; then I don't have to put up with anyone.' It didn't seem likely, though; Urhara usually insisted everyone eat in at the table.

"I do hope you were able to get back to sleep, Kurosaki-san," Urahara was saying to the teen. "I know I wouldn't want to fight Hitsugaya-san while drowsy, especially if I was on his bad side."

"You're always on my bad side," the tensai muttered, sitting between the man and Ururu. Ah, breakfest looked better than it smelled. Tea! Toushiro did his best not to seem to overanxious for the drink, but he was sure the blonde noticed, if the smirk was any indication. But then-

"How come Toushiro's the only one you call by their last name?" Ichigo abruptly asked.

"It's called manners, Moron; I suggest you do the same and he does as well for you."

"Yeah, but you've been living here awhile, right?" the other continued dissmissively. "He just met me."

"That's what you think," the shorter mumbled, just loud enough for Kisuke to hear.

"What was-"

"Kurosaki-san!" the storeowner said merrily. "You really shouldn't try his patience so early in the morning; there will be plenty of time for that later, don't you think?"

"I... guess," the orange haired male replied.

"Idiot couldn't wait to fight me last night," Toushiro remark off handedly.

"Well, let's get through breakfest at least, shall we?"

He took another sip of tea, not really caring either way.

"Why wait?" another voice suddenly spoke up.

The tensai nearly spat out his drink. Jinta? Why did he care? He had said he liked having Rukia around; she had a special charm everyone loved.

"What's it to you, Brat?" Apparently, Ichigo thought the same.

"Rukia-san's our friend; you've caused nothin' but trouble for her since she met you!"

"Not like I was doing it on purpose!"

"Doesn't change-!"

"Jinta," Toushiro intereceeded. "Mindlessly yelling at him will change nothing." The boy narrowed his eyes with a frown, but sat silently as he began to eat again. Toushiro's own eyes began to narrow out as well; that idiot was looking at him. "What the fuck are you gawking at?" he snapped.

Ichigo started snickering.

Toushiro stood. "I'll be in the office," he said, taking his tea with him.

Once alone in the room, he slumped back against the door, and was horrified to find a tear rolling down his cheek. 'Why am I crying?' he thought, but still couldn't stop a sniffle. More and more tears fell, and he knew why; he missed Rukia. His perfect angel that acted a demon more than half the time. 'Crying's not going to help,' he scolded himself, but could not stop a natural reaction to a state of events- he'd been holding it in too long.

Knock, knock. "Toushiro?"

Ichigo. The white haired male reached up and locked the door.

"Guess I deserved that."

'Damn straight.'

"Look, I was only laughing cus Rukia said that was the first thing you said to her; the look on your face was probably the same it was then too, and I just... it was funny. Sorry if I offended you."

...Had Rukia told him so much? What elsse had she told him?

Just how close had they gotten?

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The house left Toushiro alone for the next couple hours (which gave him plenty of time to overanalyze a situation he wasn't sure even existed), and when Urahara did knock, he had good news. "Hitsugaya-san, would you like your shot at Kurosaki-san?"

Did he? "I'll be right out."

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"Fuck, you're dumb."

With a loud growl, Ichigo charged the tensai again. Toushiro effortlessly blocked and threw the teen off balance and back to the ground- for now less than eighty times now.

"Didn't Urahara teach you anything?"

"I'm going with the 'sink or swim' method, Hitsugaya-san!" the store owner called merrily to them.

"That explains a lot." He took a calculated glance at the teen as he pushed himself up for the eighty-first time. He was pissed. But not a Toushiro. At himself. He had no experience with a sword and was throwing himself in the middle of professionals who had been training for centuries. As much as the tensai hated to admit it, even to himself, he respected that. "Shorter swings Kurosaki," he sighed. "Especially with the... hieght differance between us. You'll be harder to read."

Suprise briefly flickered on the other's face, then the determination was back. "Got it."

Toushiro sighed inwardly this time. Even when he was supposed to be getting a chance to kick this idiot's ass, he wasn't. He didn't want to beat him while he was at this measely level anyway.

Bankai level.

Now that would be interesting.

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Twelve days later, Toushiro arched an eyebrow at the pie in his hand with Urahara's stupid mug on it. Normally, he avoided sweets at all costs, but according to Urahara, this was not for eating. This was for the middle of the night, on top of a rooftop, in the eyeline of Ichigo's bedroom window. He watched from his vantage point as Ichigo checked his watch, then opened his window. The pie was supposed to go through that window. That was supposed to tell the idiot he was supposed to go back to the shop and leave for Soul Society. Whatever. Urahara was maintaining his status as 'World's Biggest Moron.' Toushiro raised it in the air, took aim for the open window, and heaved it as hard as he could.

He could hear Ichigo screaming from where he was.

Curious, he flash-stepped to the window. "Wow, that is a creepy message."

The teen spun around. "Toushiro? did you do that?"

"Only because I was promised your reaction would be entertaining. For once, Urahara didn't lie."

"You bastard..."

"I suggest you hurry; despite his demeanor, Urahara is actually quite impatient." With that, he was back out the window and on the ground just out of sight of the house. He didn't have to wait long.

As soon as Ichigo was out the door, he saw a figure running off the roof. Instinctively, his hand went for his sword, until he identified who it was. "Goood Morniiiinnngggg Ichigo!" The orange haired male was out of the way of his crashing father in no time. "You noticed my attack right off! Well done, my son!"

"What the hell are you doing?"

Wow. Isshin was on crack.

"Before you leave," the bloody man said from the pavement, holding up a small charm. "I want you to have this.."

"A crappy little safety charm?" Ichigo questioned, looking closer at it.

"Crappy? How rude! Your mother gave me that safety charm! It will bring you good luck!"

"What the hell are you doing, giving this to me?"

"What? O-Of course I'm not giving it to you! I'm only letting you borrow it while you're gone! When you come back, you better remember to bring it back to me!"

Ichigo was silent, eyes fixed sorrowfully on the charm.

"HEY!" Isshin yelled. "Why don't you answer me? You have to return it! If you don't, you have to SHAVE MY BEARD!"

"Oh..." Ichigo said with a look that questioned if that was a threat. "Then... thanks, Dad," he said, then took off in a run, Toushiro alongside him. As they ran, they almost literally bumped into someone else out for a night run. "Inoue?"

"Kurosaki-kun?" Ah, the girl from before in the park. "Who's this with you? He's so adorable!"

"Inoue, this guy's older than your grandfather; I'd stop that."

"You know that much about me, do you?"

"Be it fortunate or not, I know more about you than you'd probably like."

"I don't like that you even know my name, but between Rukia and Urahara, I don't doubt it."

Ichigo snickered.

"What?"

"Rukia talked about you a lot."

"Figures."

"Chad?" The teen's attention was stolen again, this time by their arrival to the store and his best friend sitting outside it.

"Wow, you're fast," Inoue told him.

"I couldn't sleep, and was out for a walk. I got the message around here," he told them, pointing to his right. There the gothic message lay on the road. Fuckin Jinta; figures he wouldn't have to go far for his target.

"Hey, is Isida here? I thought he was coming too."

'He is unless Tessai's slacking, and that doesn't seem likely..." Toushiro kept to himself.

"He won't come," the darker male stated.

"Chad!" the girl scolded him, as if he's purposely punctured her rainbow-colored world of gum drops and unicorns.

"It's not a big deal, Inoue, but it's better if he doesn't come. The more complex a person is, the weaker they are, and he's very complex. That's why I think he's the weakest among us, so maybe it's better if he doesn't come..."

"Who did you say won't come?" a new voice asked. It was Ishida... in the dorkiest, most humiliating clothing known to man. "I thought I told you, I can't forgive myself for losing to those shinigami, so I had to train. And since I said that, I won't stop until I win. For that, I'll go wherever I need to."

"Ah, Ishida," Inoue smiled. "Thank you."

"Uh... you've misunderstood," he tried to explain. "This has nothing to do with Kuchiki-san. Can't you understand that?" He turned from her spacey gaze to Ichigo. "And I want you to see, Kurosaki, how strong I have become."

"Ishida..."

"You boys can continue the love scene later," Toushiro drawled. "Right now you all need to follow me."

Without further words (thought both Ishida and Kurosaki were fuming behind him), the group went with the tensai to the underground training area where Urahara waited for them.

"Ok, almost done," the blonde was saying in front of a frame four times his size in length and width- the Senkaimon. Orihime was amazed at the fact there was such a large space underground, but the only one who seemed to care was Tessai. He probably did all the work- Toushiro wouldn't be surprised if those two brats hadn't helped at all. "Everyone! Please! Look over here!"

Urahara continued to play up the theatrics while explaining how to use the Senkaimon; the tensai, bored, just made sure he was telling the truth, but did pay much attention otherwise. Kon made noice about Ichigo's body being his own, Kurosaki tried to rush ahead, and Kisuke somehow managed to be a total buffoon while explaining the seriousness of only haveing four minutes in the Dangai.

"Then... what should be do?" Inoue asked.

"Walk forward," an all-too-familiar tone told her.

"Aww, fuck," Toushiro groaned at the cat. "You're coming?"

"Deal with it. Orihime, the heart and soul are connected. What's important is how your heart thinks. Only those who can do that may follow me."

Follow.. her? The white haired male twitched, ready with a comeback, but Ichigo interuppted, "What are you talking about? Those who chose to gather here have made a decision and are determined to follow it!"

"You know, Kid, if you lose, you will never return," Yoruichi told him.

"Then we just have to win, right?" he replied, deadpan.

Toushiro arched an eyebrow. Maybe this guy was worth the time.

"Well said," the woman agreed.

Tessai and Urahara began a series of hand signs. "Are you ready?" the storeowner asked. "The moment it's opened, you guys jump in there."

"Got it," Ichigo said.

"You better not be all talk," the tensai warned him.

"Kon!" The teen was ignoring him. "Please take care of my family."

The mod soul was tied up, he couldn't answer verbally, but Toushiro swore he saw him nod to the teen.

"All right! Go!" Urahara commanded, and the group ran at top speed into the gate.

'Rukia,' Toushiro thought. 'Please, hold strong, just a little longer..."