Main POV

"Uo."

I seemed to be making a habit of storming out of Urahara Shōten angry and half cocked. I stirred up the dirt underfoot as I marched out into the cold, eager to get far from the place.

"Uo," Ichigo called after me again. I sighed and turned around. "You don't know he knew."

"I'm sure Urahara would have told him when he came to see him," I replied bitterly, biting my lip.

"It might have been too late by then, Urahara said I was just a kid back then, if nothing had happened, he might not have even known where he was at first," Ichigo replied. "You don't know he intentionally left you. You remember the bank account, maybe he was going to come and get you, take you with him."

"We also don't know he didn't just throw caution to the wind and left us," I replied lump in my throat.

"Uo, he's your brother," Ichigo said. "Brothers don't hurt their younger siblings. I'm sure he'd never intentionally leave you, never do anything hurt you, to abandon you."

"That's easy for you to say, you're like the perfect older brother. The shining example of everything a brother is supposed to be," I rolled my eyes, tears welling up in the ducts. "You'd never do anything to hurt your sisters, never abandon them when they needed you. You wouldn't. You don't know anything about him. And after today? Neither do I."

"Flattered," Ichigo replied bluntly. "But the brother that made you this," he held up my arms with the wooden bracelet. "The brother that remembered your birthday when everyone else forgot. The brother that you watched Bleach with for four years, he wouldn't just forget you. There's an explanation in all this, and we'll find it. Just like we're going to get you home, I promise. Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded, a few light tears had slid down my face. I held my breath, trying to make the lump in my throat disappear. His large hands brushed the tops of my shoulders.

"We good?" He asked and I nodded, reaching up to wipe away my tears.

"We're good," I half heartedly smiled.

"Good," he replied and pulled me in close for a hug.

"Not sure how I managed to control my emotions before I met you," I laughed softly. "I seem to be making a habit of either throttling Urahara or crying out the front of his shop."

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo smiled as he rested his head on top of mine. "You're going through a lot right now, you're allowed to be pissed or cry. And I'm kind of used to it, I have two sisters. Yuzu cries over everything."

"Yeah, I saw in the anime," I agreed. "So do you wanna..."

I was cut off by the screech of a hollow and before I could even ask what to do Ichigo had pulled Kon out from seemingly nowhere and ripped out the green pill. He left me with him yelling a 'keep her safe' behind him and disappearing off to the sound of the noise.

"So," I said awkwardly next to the not Ichigo currently occupying his body. "Nice to meet you Kon, I'm Uo."

"You know about me?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah, always," I agreed. "Why?"

"Ichigo said you didn't know anything and I should stay far away, talking stuffed animals would freak you out," Kon replied. I chuckled.

"I think I know why," I smiled. The reason I hadn't had any unwanted groping and had to put up with the irritating ranting from our resident stuffy was because Ichigo had convinced, most likely threatened, him to stay away.

"That jerk," Kon said from beside me. "Well, I guess we'd better make up for lost time then," he shrugged and made a dive for me. Thankfully my reaction time for guys was much faster than it was for hollows and I leapt up, pushing off the ground and slammed my knee up into his jaw. I figured even though I was technically hurting Ichigo, he could cope with a knee to the face if it meant keeping Kon at bay.

"Lover's quarrel?" I heard from behind me and spotted Renji and Yumichika behind us.

"Ugh these guys," Kon grumbled.

"It's Kon," I rolled my eyes.

"Fair," Renji nodded. "Ichigo go after that Hollow?" I nodded.

"Have you been crying?" Yumichika asked, leaning in closer.

"Argument with Urahara," I shrugged. Best lies were adaptions of the truth. "Guy can be an asshole." Also true.

"Jees, what'd you argue about?" Renji asked and I shook my head.

"Forget it," I replied. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Yes, I'd imagine if you'd been friends with him this long you would have dealt with a quarrel or two in your time," Yumichika agreed although seeming like he didn't quite believe it.

"Hey guys," Ichigo greeted from behind me. "Hey! What'd you do to my face you little jerk!" He yelled and grabbed Kon by the collar.

"No way Ichigo!" Kon yelled. "You can't blame me for this! It was Uo! I leaned in for a very innocent hug and she flew off the handle and attacked me."

"He went for my boobs and I kneed him in the face," I shrugged.

"You little shit!" Ichigo shook Kon and I tried not to laugh at the hilarity of Ichigo fighting with his own body.

"Just get back in your own body and he's not a problem anymore," I told him and he nodded. I caught the small green pill as it shot out of Ichigo's mouth and put it back in the stuffy on the ground. Before he could leap up and start ranting I used my toe to kick him up off the ground and booted him as far as I could with a scissor kick.

"Hey!" Ichigo pointed at me. "You can't just kick him away like that."

"He'll catch up," I shrugged. "It's not like after all this time he doesn't know the way home. I thought you'd relish in the time away."

"So what's up with this thing Rangiku's been saying about you two?" Renji asked.

"Don't pretend like you don't know anything," I rolled my eyes.

"I knew you knew, from the moment Rangiku opened her big fat mouth," Yumichika glared at his friend.

"He's known the whole time," I told him.

"I'm going to tell her," Yumichika smirked.

"Don't you dare," Renji warned and I laughed.

"Come on," Ichigo took my hand and pulled me away. "Let's head home."

"Only if you wanna do what I think you wanna do," I replied.

"Is that all you ever think about?" He laughed and I grinned at him.

"Are you saying it's not what you're always thinking about?" I countered as we walked down the familiar cobbled road.

"Not always," he shook his head. "Sometimes I'm asleep."

I laughed out hard. I wasn't expecting that from him, this Ichigo certainly was different to the awkward 15 year old boy from the start of Bleach, but I loved him all the same.

"You wanna get bubble tea?" I asked as we got closer to the place we had our first date.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I think it's my turn this time," he said as he pulled out his wallet. "You want the usual?"

"Yeah," I nodded and sat at a table while he ordered.

"It's nice getting to hang out with just you," he said when he sat down.

"We always hang out with just us," I laughed. "I'm starting to think I'm isolating you from your friends. I mean, when was the last time you hung out with Chad and everybody?"

"I mean I see him every day at school," he replied.

"Well yeah but outside of school," I replied.

"The soccer match a month or two ago," he responded. "I suppose you're right. I don't want them to think I've abandoned them for you. Well, Chad would never, but everyone else. Chad's just that kind of guy, he's pretty understanding."

"And he's always got your back, no matter what," I added.

"You otaku," Ichigo laughed. "I forgot you'd seen everything."

"Sometimes I feel guilty, having seen everything and not been able to share everything with you. Although every moment we get closer to each other I find there's so much more I don't know about you," I told him.

"Don't worry about it," he told me. "i know one day I'll know everything about you and you'll know everything about me. But I've accepted you're from another world where all this is an anime. Plus, I think it makes it easier, you already knowing all the complicated bits like I'm a shinigami and hollows and my mom dying when I was a kid. It's nice to have someone to talk to about all that, who understands but not because you've ever had to get involved in that. You've seen i all but you're still pure. Still untouched by the danger of that world."

"I didn't know you saw me like that," I replied.

"Karin knows," Ichigo continued. "She's always known I think, at least since she was 11. I tried to protect her from all that but she does know and she's jaded. No matter how much I tried to protect her it didn't work. I was a fool to think I could keep it from her, she's been able to see spirits for as long as either of us can remember. I just wanted to keep that world away from her, so she could live a normal, safe life. I mean they both know now but at least Yuzu is mostly unscarred by it."

"I mean I thought I was but my brother turned out to be a shinigami too and is out there being a giant dick, so I'm sorry I've made your already very complicated life more complicated," I told him.

"I don't mind," he told me. "I think I could use some family drama over world ending drama. It's been a while."

"Come on," I reached for his hand. "Let's go home."

"Yeah," he agreed and we threw our empty cups in the bin. The air was it's usual icy and sharp, a constant for this time of year. Spring had ended so quickly and winter had hit so hard and so fast I barely had time to think about how much time I'd spent here. Even if I did miss my siblings every day. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do now, since I'd gotten this close with Ichigo.

On one hand, I knew I had to get back at all costs and when the opportunity came I would without a second thought. But on the other, I knew it was going to hurt. Probably for the rest of my life. I loved Ichigo, I loved him a lot and I wondered what it was going to be like without him, when I eventually went back. I'd go back to spending the night alone in my apartment. I'd never wake up with fingers trailing through my hair. I'd have to start a business again. I wouldn't have a scary boyfriend to spook partners into submission. And I'd probably never see my older brother again either. I wondered if I'd see him before I go.

It wasn't long before we got to the house and he leaned down to kiss me before his dad got the chance to ruin it by running out the door and tackling him. I felt his warm breath hitting my face as his hovered in front of mine for a moment. He reached up a hand to tuck some of my hair behind my ear.

"You wanna hang out with Yuzu and Karin for a bit?" He asked as he leaned against the door.

"Yeah, you know I'm always up to hang with your sisters, why, what's up?" I asked, looking up at him.

"I just need to go and talk to Rukia for a bit," he shrugged.

"Fair enough," I nodded. "Although you having shinigami stuff to do doesn't mean I need to be baby sat," I laughed. "Contrary to popular belief I can survive for 5 minutes without you Ichigo Kurosaki."

"I know," he kissed my forehead. "But you never need to."

"I know," I replied. "I'll offer to help Yuzu with dinner or something."