Hiya peeps!

Oh god has it been a long time! I'm so sorry! But I won't keep you any longer; here's the next chap!

Disclaimer: Bleach is not now, and never shall be, mine.

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The world froze.

Lightning fizzled to a stop, bright streaks lighting the sky vividly, painting the picture stark white and deep black.

Rain drops slowed and stopped, hanging in the air like the purest of diamonds; uncut and untainted.

Only two things continued in the lonely world.

One a dark, desolate soul, damned to feel the ache and pull of others beyond his means. The other a sad, weary being, with nothing left in the world to love.

Shirosaki shrieked and cried, crumpled to the ground he led in a pool of freezing water, fingers clawing at the concrete and glass as though he could dig his way through it; could find his love beneath the solid layers.

Feeling his breath course through his lungs in slow pulls, and his heart beat deeply in his chest, Ichigo looked down at him.

His heartbeat was slow, and steady, but he felt like it was beating out of his chest. Every pulse sent a deep thrum through his body; a boom of life he wasn't sure he wanted. It echoed in his ears, pulsed down his veins, and returned to continue its course, slowly reminding him that he was standing on the side of a building, and not falling from the edge of it.

Why?

Kneeling slowly Ichigo curled his fingers, reaching out to place them under the other man's chin, and turn his face up.

Shirosaki's eyes widened dramatically, and he froze, looking deeply into dark brown pools of liquid fire.

Ichigo watched as slow tears welled and fell from the orbs in front of him, and followed their trail down ivory cheeks with hungry eyes. Swiping his thumb over a dripping cheek, he brought it to his lips, tasting the salty tang the tear brought with it.

"Why?" he asked quietly, moving to hold the other's eyes with his own.

Shirosaki shuddered, eyes falling away from Ichigo's to look down at the puddle he was curled in, black shadow mirroring his crumpled form. A heavy shiver wracked his slight form, and he couldn't hold back a soft sob. Bringing a hand up to hold the one tilting his chin, he curled his fingers around the slim wrist, and pulled the hand closer to his lips.

"Oh god…" he shuddered quietly, "god... I thought you had left me."

Ichigo pulled his hand away, "I almost had. Why did you stop me?" he voice was steely, his eyes hard. "Why?"

Shirosaki couldn't meet his eyes, instead he lowered his own to the ground, watching his fingers as they played idly with the water.

When no answer was forthcoming, Ichigo spoke again, though this time his voice was soft.

"You called me Ichigo."

Shirosaki looked up sharply, his eyes once again welling with tears. "I did…god, I did." He sat up a little straighter, his eyes locking with Ichigo's, "I didn't want you to go." His voice was so soft as to be almost inaudible, but Ichigo heard it none the less.

"Why?" he asked again quietly, "I was about to give you what you wanted. This body cannot be yours with me still in it, you know that."

Shirosaki shook his head, "god, I never wanted your body! I wanted you!"

Ichigo shook his head, standing smoothly he walked back over to the edge of the building, looking out at the great drop.

A small cry startled him, and he looked back to see Shirosaki staring at him with wide eyes, mouth open in horror and arm outstretched towards him, "please god don't do it again King! I couldn't live through your death another time!"

Ichigo turned and walked back to the crumpled form, reaching down he gripped an ivory arm, and pulled the other man to his feet.

Shirosaki stood boneless in his arms, breath shuddering through his lungs as he tried to force down the tears once more. Ichigo brought a hand up to wipe away a rain-drenched bang, and tilt Shirosaki's face towards him, "is that true?"

Shirosaki took a deep breath and sobbed quietly, arms suddenly clamping around Ichigo as he hugged him tightly. Giving way to the emotions weighing down his body Shirosaki finally burst into tears, his head pressed into the crook of Ichigo's neck, arms wound tightly around him as he held on strongly, fingers scrabbling in the sodden black material, trying to get a firm hold on the man so he couldn't slip away again.

Shocked Ichigo raised his arms hesitantly, and petted the white haired man softly, one hand stroking his hair, the other pulling him in at the waist and holding him firmly.

"You-you're the…the only thing…I have!" Shirosaki sobbed in his ear, fingers tugging tightly, "I di-did all of this f-for you!"

He pulled away and wiped at his tears angrily, looking up at Ichigo, "right from the start, I meant to save you!" he shouted, arms thrown wide, "I hated, hated what they did to you!"

He sobbed again and slowly lost his rigid stance, "I live inside of you Ichigo…I feel everything…" he pointed to his chest, "and it hurts my heart."

He sighed heavily, "I tried to help you, to make you mad, make you fight back, and you did. But even I didn't realise how hurt you were; you hide your feelings so well, I don't think you even knew of them until I started to break down your walls."

He took a step back, "all I wanted was to help you, to make things better, to free you. I'm sorry, god, I'm so sorry…"

Crumpling to the ground again he sobbed deeply, "god, I'm sorry…so sorry…so sorry…" he chanted quietly, before stopping and gripping his chest, rocking slightly.

Looking up with a sad smile, pained ochre eyes seeking out Ichigo's, he whispered quietly into the other's mind.

I fell in love with you King…

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Well, there you go! I'm happy that their relationship is starting to be fleshed out a little bit XD More questions will be answered in the next chap XD

Did you like it?! Well please tell me what you think by pushing the button…it's right there….go on…XD