Chapter 56: Strawberry Meets Death

I have a fever of 102.4 F, literally as I am typing this AN and about to being editing. So... things might be a bit weird. That and I had angry music, mixed with a bit of the most depressing songs ever. So yes, this might be weird.

Songs I remember listening to for the active scenes: "The Red" by Chevelle, "You're Going Down" by Breaking Benjamin, "By_Myslf" and "No More Sorrow" by Linkin Park, "Du Hast" by Rammstein, and for the scenes aside from that, I used "Hearing Damage" by Thom Yorke. Yeah, used it every time.

By the way, there is a one-shot posted. Go read, and make me smile or go "Motherfucker- ahhh, but he/she is right on that..." I could really use it. Fuckin' hell it's hot.

I do not own. Enjoy- PLEASE enjoy. This could easily be making sense to my drugged up mind at the moment, but could be a bunch of crack scenes for all I know. I think it's okay... if not, delete the bitch and wait to be in the right mind! I should since now, but I am itching to do something so please bear with me...

I'm sweating bullets. It comforts me to know Ichigo is, too.


Ichigo's blood dripped from Benihime, Urahara standing before Ichigo, the younger male panting heavily, supporting himself on Zangetsu, blood pouring from his temple.

Tearing Zangetsu out from the dirt, gripping the tang tightly, Ichigo began circling the older male, Urahara moving with him, both their gazes locked; coming to a stop, they stood in stance, Urahara's eyes hidden from sight.

"Again, Ichigo…."

Furrowing his brows, his narrowed gaze set on Urahara, Ichigo stepped into shunpo.

He made for Urahara's side, the older male immediately blocking him without effort, both moving in fast, sudden and hard clashes, sparks flying between them as their blades met over and over again; pushing Ichigo off Benihime, Urahara slashed at Ichigo's leg, tearing into his robes- Ichigo saving himself from another wound with shunpo.

Ichigo distanced himself, Urahara simply stepping forth, immediately at Ichigo's side, striking him down; Ichigo plummeted into the ground, dirt exploding about him, Urahara landing before the small crater Ichigo's body formed, waiting for the young male to stand.

Looking up at the exiled shinigami, Ichigo spit out blood, wiping his bloodied brow, moving to his feet; brown locked with grey eyes, Urahara raised Benhime before him, in a defending stance, his eyes still hidden from Ichigo; "Come at me once more!"

Ichigo set his jaw with determination, gripping Zangetsu's tang tightly, slowly raising it to his side; stepping forth, Ichigo moved with incredible speed towards Urahara, striking against Benihime, pushing Urahara back from his raw strength, the older male holding his ground a second later, pushing Ichigo off his blade.

With skilled steps, Urahara moved behind Ichigo, raising Benihime to strike down onto the male, brown eyes looking over Ichigo's shoulder up at him; switching Zangetsu to his right hand, Ichigo raised his left arm to take the blow, Urahara's eyes wide with shock- Zangetsu brought about for a direct aim into Urahara's stomach.

Kurosaki!


Tatsuki climbed the familiar steps to Inoue's apartment, her busty friend ahead of her, both wrapped warmly in scarves and jackets, the cold November air stinging their cheeks; "Hey, Orihime! Is that movie on tonight, the one you told me about?"

They reached the landing, Inoue nodding as she pulled out her keys, unlocking her door; "Yeah, it's on at nine, in about two hours."

Tatsuki followed Inoue into the apartment, quickly shutting the door behind them.

"Well, I have nothing to do tomorrow, so I can stay and watch it then."

They took their jackets off as Tatsuki flipped the lights on, Inoue moving for the television set, turning it on; her slim friend dropped herself onto the couch, settling in as Inoue joined her, remote in hand.

Tatsuki watched the screen, images flickering as Inoue searched for the correct channel; "Some night that was, huh Orihime?"

"Oh, yes! The way Sado-kun and Ishida-kun won against 'The Claw' and got me those bunnies-!"

"I meant our run-in with Ichigo, 'Hime..."

"Ah…." Inoue found the channel, the television set on mute; frowning, Inoue placed the remote down, leaning back into the cushions, thinking back to the park and the defeated look to Ichigo's whole being, his eyes strained with such an emotion that she couldn't easily describe.

Tatsuki sighed, running a hand through her hair; "He looked awful, and he had never snapped at me before…."

"He looked... defeated…." Inoue's soft voice pulled Tatsuki's eyes over to her, listening, Inoue's grey eyes focused on their graduation photo, Ichigo scowling at the camera; "He felt so similar to that awful sensation I had felt before, that I told you, and Ishida-kun about…."

"Again with that, Orihime? It's the second time you've told me Ichigo feels a certain way… just what are you picking up on?"

Looking at Tatsuki, Inoue shrugged, biting her lip; "Do you think Kuchiki left him again?"

"I…." Frowning, Tatsuki shook her head, remembering the entire year Ichigo spent without the short, raven-haired beauty, doubt filling her mind despite her words; "She couldn't have; he said she was sick- I'm sure he was telling the truth…."

Both eyes turned to the television screen,both staring blankly, their thoughts elsewhere-

He lost her again.


Zangetsu came at Urahara's open stomach, Ichigo's hand holding onto Benihime's blade to keep him in place, brown eyes determined to end this- Yoruichi suddenly appearing beside them, shoving a tall, white doll between Urahara and Zangetsu's tip.

"Yorui-!" An intense light was emitted before exploding out seconds later between them all, Ichigo thrown back into the air; landing roughly on the ground, rolling, his wounds and arm stinging from the dirt and pressure, Ichigo came to a still, choking on the dust burning into his lungs.

"Yoruichi-!" He choked again, crawling to his hands and knees; "Damn it- Yoruichi-san! Urahara!"

Ichigo was met with silence, moving to his feet, searching the ground for his fallen blade; there's no way I could have let go of him! I can't-!

Growling, Ichigo clenched his fists, bringing his reiatsu down onto the air about him, the dust clearing under the pressure as it was pushed down and out away from Ichigo, his brown eyes widening at the sight about him.

Surrounding him in the seemingly endless cave of a basement, his breath taken away, stood hundreds of blades with their tips buried into the ground, all distorted shapes of his beloved blade Zangetsu; "What-?"

A voice came from behind him, a voice he could only know as Zangetsu's.

"Ichigo."


Shuuhei's fingers held the tomato halves in place, his other hand handling the sharp knife along the cutting board, Yuzu beside him, dicing the onion; grey eyes tearing from the stinging scent every cut she made released into the air, Shuuhei rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, careful of the knife he held, Yuzu laughing from her place.

Glancing at her, Shuuhei pouted dramatically, nudging her with his elbow; "Oi, stop laughing!"

Her laughter only grew, tears now rolling down her cheeks- certainly not from the onions.

"Oh, Shuuhei!" "I said stop! Oi!"

Wiping the stray tears from her eyes, her cheeks red from her laughter, Yuzu bit her lips as she nodded, breathing deeply before setting her knife down, turning her hips to look at the male with a serious front-

"I apologize, Shuuhei, for my rude expression upon your worthy attempt to ignore the painful stinging in your eyes, as I have expertly done; this will certainly not happen again."

Silence holding between Shuuhei and Yuzu, his glare soon set in as she continued holding her innocent, calm expression, the male stabbing the knife into the cutting board, the younger female completely still.

"I bet that's how you get out of trouble, isn't it!"

Smirking, Yuzu cocked her chin at him; "Oh, Shuuhei, you have no idea!"

Laughing again, Shuuhei pulling out his knife as he grumbled at her, Yuzu watched the male return to his tomatoes, violently stabbing into them to cut, her smile growing as he continued grumbling.

"Stupid vegetable… or fruit, whatever the hell it is…."

"Don't hurt yourself there, trying to figure that one out…." Yuzu grinned deviously, Shuuhei gaping at her; recovering from his shock, Shuuhei glared at the young female, pointing his knife at her menacingly, Yuzu only laughing harder; "You, are an evil woman! Stop laughing at me already!"

"Woman?" Yuzu shook her head, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, knife in hand; "Shuuhei, you aging, silly man- I'm barely going to be turning sixteen! I hardly think I could be called that yet!"

The young female cut into the onion again, hardly fazed by its stinging scent, Shuuhei looking back to his own board, a furious blush across his cheeks; "Whatever, Midget."

Both knives came to a still, Shuuhei's eyes suddenly empty again, Yuzu looking up hesitantly at him, biting her lip.

Shuuhei dropped the knife, stepping back from the counter, running a hand through his hair; "I… I should just head upstairs. Need to shower anyways…."

Before she could even move to place her knife down, before Yuzu could say anything, Shuuhei tore from the kitchen, making his way upstairs.

Brown eyes saddened, looking at his place beside her where he had stood, now empty.

Shuuhei….


Ichigo turned to find his zanpaktou's spirit before him, his black coat laced with red billowing in the absent wind, his eyes hidden by the reflective gleam of his lenses, expressionless, motionless; "O-Oji-san Zangetsu!"

Fixed on Zangetsu standing before him, Ichigo was open for Yoruichi sauntering up behind him, her slender arm circling his neck in surprise, Ichigo growling with irritation as she successfully held him place, leaning his tall body back towards her; "The hell, Yoruichi-san-!"

"Now, now, Ichigo- play nice before you have to play rough."

"What-!"

Kicking the back of his knee, she brought the young male to his knees, her hold around his neck keeping strong, an elegant hand grabbing a fistful of his orange hair; "Your three days have begun, Ichigo."

His gaze forced upon his zanpaktou's spirit, Ichigo stared in confusion as Zangetsu grabbed the clothed tang of a blade beside him, pulling it out from the dirt, its tip dragged along the ground as he walked closer towards Ichigo, stopping some feet in front of him.

Yoruichi tugged on Ichigo's hair, her eyes set on Zangetsu before them; "What I forced between you and Urahara was the Tenshintai. It forcibly materializes your zanpaktou's spirit."

Letting go of his hair, Yoruichi moved her open hand in front of his face, a metal chain wrapped tightly around her palm.

"I'll be keeping him materialized at most, three days, for as long as I can at one time."

Ichigo remained silent and still in her rough hold, Yoruichi moving her chained hand to his shoulder, gripping it tightly.

"To achieve bankai, you need your zanpaktou's submission."

Zangetsu then raised his blade with its tip pointing towards Ichigo, brown eyes moving to meet reflecting lenses of his kneeling form; Zangetsu's voice echoed in the large, open space about them-

"Only one true blade stands amongst them all; to obtain my submission, you must find that blade-!"

And defeat me before I kill you myself!"


Steam suffocated the tight bathroom, the shower head dripping hot water, a hand reaching out to wipe the fogged mirror, Shuuhei's grey eyes appearing within it to stare back at the same empty eyes.


"That's not very noble-like, much less lady-like, Kuchiki Rukia."

Shuuhei fell to the floor, Rukia's throw of the book beside her a blur to everyone's eyes; "How's that for nobility, Hisagi?"


A smile ghosted across his lips at the memory before they became heavy with a frown, his chest aching at all the times she lovingly broke his nose, aching at all the times they laughed together at Ichigo's expense, aching at all the jabs he took at her height, her threatening yell of his name echoing in his mind.


"I'd take a swing at you, Rukia, but with your height, I'd just keep missing-"

"HISAGI!"


A small, pathetic laugh left him, Shuuhei shaking his head at the look of her irritated front flashing before him, the mirror fogging up again.


"Oh, shut it, Shuuhei!" Grabbing a cup, Rukia chucked it at the male, frowning when he quickly caught it just before it hit his nose.

"Don't think you'll always get me, Kuchiki."

Shuuhei grabbed his sandwich, taking a large bite from it; grinning, Rukia stretched her arms above her as she stood, walking to her bedroom.

"You know, Shuuhei…." She looked over her shoulder; "Right there where you're eating? Ichigo and I had one hell of a time!"


"Fuckin' hell…." He could remember the violent choking and coughing he suffered that morning, remembering the victorious skip Rukia had to her step as she left him at the table, her eyes a devious hue of rich purple.

Shuuhei also remembered the desperate look in her eyes when she looked up at him the night he almost left them behind for good, Ichigo and Tessai supporting his exhausted body, a conflict of anger and relief swimming within her purple orbs.

He remembered.

"Midget… Rukia…."


Yoruichi quickly distanced herself from the reiatsu suddenly weighing down, any blades within their reach shuddering under the pressure, pebbles shaking along the dirt; both Ichigo and Zangetsu disappearing from sight, they moved with a speed worthy of a good chase for the Goddess of Flash watching them, Yoruichi clutching the Tenshintai's chain tightly, a strong clash of blades throwing sparks into the air- Zangetsu's blade cutting through Ichigo's.

Blood spilled onto the dirt, Ichigo pushed back roughly from the strike, crashing against the boulder behind him; he could barely wipe the blood from his brow, Ichigo cursing as he pushed off the boulder in time, Zangetsu's blade cutting into the place he had stood seconds before.

"F-fuck-!"

"Another, unless you wish death!" Zangetsu coming at him again, Ichigo distanced himself with shunpo, grabbing the tang of a blade close to him, barely raising it in time to block Zangetsu; the blade tore into Ichigo's left arm, his shattered blade falling to the dirt below them.

Crashing to the ground, groaning at the pain nearly paralyzing his arm injured even further, Ichigo rolled over to dodge Zangetsu's blade coming down at him, its edge cutting into ground, his zanpaktou's spirit immediately tearing it out to go at him again.

"Is that all you have, Ichigo!"

Blades met again, Ichigo's breaking again, Zangetsu coming at him again; speeding through the basement's cave-like features, boulders and cliffs covered with blades, Ichigo moved to place distance between them, desperate for a second to wrap his arm searing with pain-

"Not fast enough, Ichigo!"

A sharp edge tore into his side before Ichigo could even see Zangetsu move beside him, his weakened body hurled down to the ground, Ichigo's hand already grasping a tang before he recovered to his feet, Zangetsu moving in with his blade.

Side-stepping the blade lunged straight at him, Ichigo brought his fist up, connecting violently with Zangetsu's jaw, the split-second's worth of shock in Zangetsu's force allowing Ichigo to raise his blade in defense, Zangetsu slashing at it; surprise overtook Zangetsu along with yellow eyes watching over them, Ichigo's blade holding through, brown eyes fierce with determination.

"One of us is going down, right!" Both blades pulled back, Ichigo pushed his reiatsu into his grip, thrusting his blade toward Zangetsu's chest.


Debris exploded out into the air, Yoruichi's yellow eyes wide and bright, fixed on the cloud of dust surrounding the two males, her grip on the chain tightening.

Just now, in the instant their blades came in contact, Ichigo spun his blade to nullify the attack, and immediately launched a counter attack….

The air cleared to reveal Zangetsu distanced from Ichigo, unharmed, but in a definite stance of defensive intent, Ichigo coming at the older male, side-stepping at the last second to bring his blade up from below towards Zangetsu's ribs, easily blocked and cut through.

Compared to his previous fighting style with Zangetsu, he would just charge forward, never relying on sudden movements or working his blade to post-pone a fatal hit….

"You've clearly grown, Ichigo…."

Hand burning as her reiatsu poured into the chain, Yoruichi smirked as Ichigo grabbed another blade, bravely taking on Zangetsu without hesitance.


A gasp rang out within Inoue's dark living room as grey eyes suddenly opened, the television still on, Tatsuki asleep beside her, both still on the couch.

Sitting up, groaning at her cramped muscles from the awkward position she had while sleeping, Inoue grabbed the remote, turning the television off; glancing around her, Inoue caught sight of the digital face of her clock flashing 12:00am.

Why did I wake up so suddenly-?

An heavy weight pushed down upon her, Inoue catching the pained feel beneath it all, the pressure quickly disappearing; "There it is again…."

Standing from the couch, Inoue made for the bathroom, running hot water in the sink.

Pain, sorrow, fury… now determination, yet some confusion, sadness….

Looking at the steam pouring down into the sink, pushing off the white ceramic to fill the air, Inoue furrowed her brows, her hair framing her face.

"What are you? What have they done to you?"


"Fuck me…." Blood poured from his wounds to mix disgustingly with his sweat, Ichigo hot and exhausted, panting; hours have surely passed, Zangetsu standing before the kneeling boy, Ichigo's blood on the blade Zangetsu had chosen from the very beginning.

"Ichigo…."

Brown eyes looked up at him, Ichigo panting heavily, his eyes narrowed beneath his bangs teasing his eyes.

"Get up."

A scoff left Ichigo, the male struggling to push off the floor, immediately falling back onto his knees, panting still, sweating and bleeding; I… have to move… Move, damn it….

Time's ticking awayy, King….

Shut it. Zangetsu began walking slowly towards Ichigo, his blade dripping with blood; "Get up!"

Zangetsu's arm swung up in a wide arc, the blade gleaming with the light, blood dripping down onto Ichigo before the blade curved over, down towards him- move!

Pushing off into shunpo, Ichigo felt the blade cut part of his robes, distancing himself from Zangetsu, using short flash-steps several times while he suddenly found the energy and will to move; his eyes scanned the blades about him, trying to feel for anything at all to lead him towards that one blade, looking for any-

There!

Wedged between two large boulders, its unraveled cloth around the tang hanging loosely down to the ground, Ichigo found his trusted blade, his large cleaver-like blade- Zangetsu!

Feeling his zanpaktou's spirit coming for him again, Ichigo quickly moved for his blade, adrenaline rushing through his veins to numb his wounds, his hand wrapping around the tang tightly; Ichigo nearly smiled, moving into stance with the blade as Zangetsu came at him ready to strike, Ichigo raising his blade with determination.

He never expected the opposing blade to cut clean through his own, its tip aimed for his heart.

The scar by Rukia's white blade burned.


Yoruichi stood in silence within the shadows cast by the large boulders, debris exploding out again from Zangetsu's last strike, her hand smoking around the chain, her reiatsu still pouring in.

Just a few more hours before I need a rest, Ichigo….

Crawling out from the rocks piled up on him, the blade he had believed as his trusted Zangetsu broken in hand, tossed aside with a growl, Ichigo struggled up to his feet, looking up at Zangetsu with only an eye, his right eye closed, covered in blood flowing from his brow.

Zangetsu lowered his blade; "Every blade here represents a fragment of your soul. All, but the true blade, represent your weaknesses."

Ichigo's attention still held, Zangetsu continued; "The last blade you held was your reliance on me."

Ichigo frowned, shaking his head; "Then why were you saying I didn't trust you! That I had lost faith in you, if I depend on you!"

"Depending on someone is not the same as trusting them. You must find the blade holding your will to fight!"

Now, Ichigo- find it before I end this all and simply kill you!" Ichigo quickly moved for another blade, grabbing hold of it by the tang.

Both disappearing in a single step, they collided with blades mid air, Ichigo's blade breaking again, Zangetsu throwing him aside; rolling on the ground, Ichigo turning onto his feet, he slid to a stop as he grabbed onto another hilt, ripping the blade out before he jumped up to come at Zangetsu.

The long, black tattered coat billowing behind him, Zangetsu moved with an intense speed, striking against Ichigo's blade- eyes wide as Ichigo's blade somehow held against his without spinning it again, pulled back immediately to strike in its close range.

Moving with shunpo, Zangetsu dodged the blade now cutting into a boulder with a blast, Ichigo looking up to find the older male come down, his blade following.


Shuuhei's bare back was defined by the moonlight playing along his sculpted muscles, gray sweats covering his lower body, the male resting on his stomach, his arms propping up the pillow under his head.

Grey eyes were set on the blank face of the digital clock, the unplugged device silent and useless on the desk, dust covering it and the wooden grain of the desk, untouched without Ichigo living there.

A long sigh escaped him, his body shifting on the bed hardly of use lately, his muscles groaning with any little movement; he could hear Yuzu and the loud clanging of the pots piled up on each other on the rack to dry downstairs, her laughter from his defeat against the onions ringing in his head.

Minutes passed before the house grew quiet again, Yuzu's soft footsteps eventually climbing the stairs, her door opened in the hallway; his eyes still fixed on the clock, Shuuhei heard her footsteps make for Ichigo's door seconds later.

Yuzu gently knocked at Ichigo's door before she turned the door handle hesitantly, walking in with a blanket in hand, the door softly kicked closed, not enough to shut completely; Shuuhei remained motionless, feeling the bed lightly dip beside him, Yuzu's warm hand moving into his hair, massaging his scalp.

Closing his eyes, Shuuhei sighed quietly, silence holding between them for a few minutes, Yuzu moving her legs up onto the bed, pulling them towards her to rest her head on her knees, her eyes on the steady rise of his back with every breath.

"Shuuhei… you're not a bad friend for not locking yourself up or starving yourself, or crying…."

I was trying to distract you. Wanted you to feel better before you leave and help Rukia-chan…."

Grey eyes opened at her words, Shuuhei's chest tightening, Yuzu's warm hand still slowly massaging his hair; "You promise, Yuzu?"

The young female smiled softly; "I promise, Shuuhei."

Pulling her hand from his hair, Yuzu moved onto her knees, climbing over his tall body to the side of the bed against the wall, dragging her blanket with her; turning his head to watch her, Shuuhei lightly smiled, Yuzu curling up beneath her blanket with his back as her pillow, her slim body clad in his white shirt and shorts settled between him and the wall, seemingly comfortable with her feet propped against it.

Turning back to face the blank digital, Shuuhei closed his eyes.


Rukia leaned on the back of the couch as Yuzu showed the male shinigami her clothes, smiling as a copy of one of the numerous photo strips they took fell out from a bag, Shuuhei grabbing it to look at it.

Yuzu beamed, digging for the other strips; "Rukia had never been in a photo booth! We took so many, I couldn't help it!"

Shaking his head, laughing, Shuuhei passed over the strip, smiling up at Rukia as she took the photos from him.

"Beautiful gals we have there, ne?"


Feeling Yuzu's heart drive her pulse beneath the soft skin of her neck resting against him, Shuuhei lost himself to the darkness, letting her heartbeat fill the empty half of his heart.


I can't keep Zangetsu materialized much longer…. Yoruichi crouched down with exhaustion, the basement suddenly quiet; gripping the chain, Yoruichi frowned, still not a single sound erupting through the cave replica.

"I can't sense either of them… Ichigo, you better not have lost!"


Brown eyes flashed their natural amber for a second, Ichigo staring wide-eyed at his blade above him, blocking Zangetsu's blade, the opposing weapon only halfway through his- I'm… I'm blocking him….

"Very well, Ichigo; you may have not found the blade holding your will to fight yet, but it seems you're growing it within you until then- now, come at me again! Again!"

Pulling back from Ichigo, Zangetsu jumped backwards onto a boulder, pushing off it to come at Ichigo, the young male running forth to meet him halfway- Zangetsu disappearing as their blades were about to meet.

"Zan-!" Ichigo tripped from the shock, rolling over on the ground, coming to a sudden stop with a weight on his chest; finding a foot leading up to a slender leg, brown eyes met with yellow, Ichigo growling with irritation.

"Why did you-!"

"I couldn't keep him materialized much longer, unless you prefer me dead."

Glaring up at her, Ichigo turned his eyes from her, cursing beneath his breath; "Sometimes it would seem better…!"

"Shut it, brat!" Yoruichi stomped her foot on his chest, immediately silencing the male from any further quips.

Moving her foot from his chest, Yoruichi reached down to grab hold of Ichigo's torn robes, tearing off a strip, the male immediately snapping; "Oi! As if they weren't bad enough!"

"Be quiet, before I kill you for Zangetsu." Straightening out, Ichigo mumbling obscenities quietly as he moved to sit up, Yoruichi wrapped the strip tightly around her hand, kicking Ichigo's foot; "We'll start again in a few hours. Go home and rest."

"But I-."

"Go home. I myself need to go check on Shuuhei and your sister."

Ichigo snapped his panicked gaze up at Yoruichi, pale and tense- "Is something wrong! Did someth-!"

"They are fine, Ichigo!" Kicking his foot again, Yoruichi shook her head with a small laugh, Ichigo frowning.

"Ichigo, I'm not lying- but you're not the only one who was deeply hurt by Rukia's leave…."

Guilt slapped Ichigo in the face, the male hanging his head, hiding his eyes from Yoruichi; "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Besides, I'm supposed to be your sister's cat, aren't I?" Grinning, Yoruichi leaned down to ruffle Ichigo's dirty hair, crouching down beside him; "Urahara and Tessai are upstairs. Get healed, rest, and I'll call for you later."

Ichigo met her gaze, nodding silently; "Hai, Yoruichi-san…."

Patting his back, Yoruichi stood from her place, walking away from him; some feet later, she stepped into shunpo.


The Kurosaki residence was dark and quiet, Ichigo and Yuzu's father away again, Yoruichi's feline form squeezing through the metal gate; jumping up onto the kitchen's window pane, she dug her claws into the wooden rim of the glass, pulling on it.

Eventually making it slide open enough to push her paw into the gap, Yoruichi forced herself through, fitting through the space she made before the emergency lock kept the glass from sliding open any further; stepping inside, her hind leg shoved the window shut again, jumping down to the floor in the darkness, making her way for the stairs.

Reaching Yuzu's empty room, Yoruichi made for Ichigo's room, pushing it open enough to curl around the door's edge, quietly pawing over the wooden floors, making for the bed under the moon's light pouring in through the window.

Jumping up onto the mattress, Yoruichi stepped onto Shuuhei's long leg, following it up to his lower back, Yuzu sleeping peacefully against him, the male yet to feel her padded paws on him.

Settling into the warm curve of Shuuhei's lower back, Yuzu's beautiful, maturing face beside Yoruichi's choice of place to rest, the feline curled up tightly, yellow eyes disappearing from sight.


Bandages covered Ichigo's body, his left arm resting across his stomach, wrapped tightly in bandages, Ichigo laying in bed within the darkness of their bedroom; brown eyes on the ceiling above him, Ichigo sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

The curtains were drawn and the clock was unplugged, Ichigo having left the window unlocked, ready for Yoruichi to call for him; opening his eyes again, his chest tightened.

Rukia was there before him again, straddling his hips, her skin glistening with sweat, bare and trusting of him, violet eyes heavy, but full of light; "Finish us, Ichigo…."

It can't be… she's not here….

Her tantalizing lips whispered again; "Just finish us."

Ichigo couldn't breathe, her scent overwhelming him, the feel of her skin against him burning his cold body; shaking, biting back a pained cry as he moved his body up onto his uninjured elbow, his wounds threatening to tear back open, Ichigo looked up at her violet eyes, his own wide and yearning; "Rukia…."

He moved his injured arm to touch her, stopping just barely from her skin, pain tearing up through his arm; she grinned slyly at him, her hand moving to meet his instead.

Her warmth engulfed his hand, slender fingers locking with his, Ichigo breathing out a laugh, looking at her with amber eyes; "R-Rukia-!"

"Hush, Ichigo…." She leaned over, gently placing her hand on the scar her blade marked his skin with, pushing him back down onto the mattress, his right arm moving to bury his hand in her black hair; pulling Rukia down to him, their lips met in a hungry kiss, her bare chest pressed against his, Ichigo caring less of his stinging wounds.

Breathing became heavy, Rukia tugging on his orange hair, the male moaning at the taste of her tongue pushing against his, his arm pulling her even closer; she's here… Rukia…!

Rukia pulled back from him for air, trailing her lips along his jaw, nipping at his skin, Ichigo closing his eyes at the shudders she ran through him with every bite; her lips moved to his forehead, a gentle kiss pressed onto it, Rukia resting her forehead against his, violet eyes closing as well; "Ichigo…."

Ichigo, you're going to let me die, aren't you?"


Brown eyes snapped open to the dark room, Ichigo sitting up fast and drenched in sweat, shaking and gasping for air, crying out as the pain of his opened wounds caught up to him, blood seeping into the bandages wrapped around his stomach; "F-fuck-!"

Falling back onto the mattress, sheets clinging to his sweating skin, tangled around his legs, Ichigo looked around the dark room, brown eyes searching for her; "Rukia!"

He was met with silence, his lips dry and untouched, his skin absent of her scent; rage surged through him, Ichigo suddenly turned towards the wall, his left arm punching violently into it, Ichigo screaming at the cracking of his bones.

Panting, grinding his teeth at the pain overwhelming his whole being, tears brimming his eyes, Ichigo lay there defeated, Rukia gone again, his chest aching deep within, nothing like his painful wounds; gripping his broken wrist, a single tear ran down his skin, his eyes on the ceiling above him-

"RUKIA!


Thank you for your time, KurosakiLove