Main POV
"You ready to get your butt kicked, Ichigo?" Ikkaku taunted.
"Oh, you that confident are you?" Ichigo pointed at him triumphantly.
"I still don't see why I had to come," I grumbled in the background.
"What," Renji said beside me grinning. "Not gonna cheer your boyfriend on?"
"Like he needs it," I replied. "The guy can take on Kenpachi Zaraki, he can snuff out anyone he wants to, when he wants to. As if me being here would change that."
"Well," he shrugged. "Do you wanna fight?"
"Oh yeah, you can run at me with zabimaru and I'll just stand screaming and when you get close enough I'll use my secret attack of throwing sand in your face and sobbing until Ichigo shows up."
"I meant hand to hand," he rolled his eyes. "What, too delicate to throw a punch, princess?" He teased, leaning down to grin right in my face.
"I uh.." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Like it's not like I've never thrown a punch before it's just.."
"You can't fight, can you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Jees." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright, make a fist."
I held my hand up, thumb tucked under my knuckles so that my fist closed flatly and neatly. I hummed, at least a little impressed he didn't have to start at the beginning. My brother taught me something at least.
"Hikaru, what the hell are you doing!? You could break your thumb fighting like that, or worse, your hand," Haru scolded as he stormed over between me and the 4th grader I was about to clock. "Here," he pulled my thumb out from behind my fingers, where I had wrapped it for safe keeping. "Like this, and mean it. If you're gonna do it, really mean it."
I remember the mother of that boy getting really angry that my brother hadn't gone over to intervene or scold me, instead he'd gone over to make sure I could defeat my foe. He'd bought me bubble tea on the way home and we'd talked about it, why I'd wanted to hit the other kid. He was always pretty good at talking sense into me, but he also always supported my choices, even if he thought I was making a dumb one. I missed Haru, even if he did leave me for here. Whatever choices he made, I still missed him.
"So you can use spiritual pressure to punch harder right?" I asked. Renji nodded. "Is there a way to use it to like, cushion the blow of something. Like I throw my hand up to block, but it's still gonna hurt, right? Can I put spiritual pressure in my blocking arm to stop it from hurting?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Works just the same, it's just how you use it."
"Right," I nodded, thinking. "So how do I use it?"
"What?" He asked, scoffing. "You can't use it? Your spiritual pressure? At all?"
"Nope," I shook my head.
"You're just like Ichigo," he sighed. I remembered, suddenly, the conversation Ganju had had with Ichigo at Kukaku's house about imagine techniques to get in touch with your spiritual pressure. I thought about putting it in my fist the same way, instead of using the cannon ball.
"Hang on," I said thinking. "Put your hand up for me to punch." He raised a tattooed brow. He still did it though. I pictured a hole, as black as I could and then I watched myself jump into it, pulling my fist back and swinging it forward into Renji's hand. I heard a startled choke and opened my eyes to see him stumble back a few paces.
"What the hell?!" He threw his hands up. "I thought you said you didn't know how?"
"I didn't," I shrugged. "I just tried something, and it worked. But, like, is there a way to do that quicker, because there's no way some enemy is just going to hang around and wait till I figure out how to attack them."
"Practice," he shrugged and ran at me.
"HOLY SHIT NO!" I screamed and turned in the sand, high tailing it away.
"Well that was a fun day," Ichigo said from beside Renji and Ikkaku as they sipped some tea in shinigami form.
"Maybe for you," I grumbled. I was sitting beside him with my arms folded over my chest. A dry track of blood down the side of my face while dirt covered the rest of it. The rest of me.
"What happened to you anyway?" He asked as he seemed to just noticed I looked like I'd been rolling around in the training room sand for fun.
"Renji decided to teach me some hand to hand," I grumbled some more.
"You mean you couldn't fight?" I shook my head. "Like at all?"
"I can make a fist," I said holding my hand up.
"What kind of guy was your brother, he didn't teach you how to defend yourself at least a little?" Ichigo scoffed.
"No, he left when I was 10," I replied and I could see the look of regret on Ichigo's face as he felt guilty about what he'd said. "It's fine. So long as wherever he went he's happy."
"We'll find him," Ichigo assured me, patting my knee.
"I don't know if I want to anymore," I sighed. "He won't be my brother, not now. There's that missing 10 years, and even if when we find him he's excited to see me, he'll be different, he'll have changed. I've changed. What's the point? My brother died when he left 10 years ago. That guy now is someone else."
"You're being dramatic," Renji told me. "I didn't speak to Rukia for 40 years and look how we turned out."
"I'm not going to fuck my brother," I replied bluntly and Ikkaku choked on his tea, spurting it out everywhere. He let out a roar of laughter only to be slapped by Renji. "Look, you and Rukia were friends for like, a 100 and something years before that. You grew up together. He's been missing half my life. He missed all the important things, all the stuff he promised he'd be there for. And I don't even know why."
"If you were really that done with him, you wouldn't still be wearing that bracelet," Ichigo pointed out the wooden bangle around my wrist.
"I can't get this off," I played it off. "My hand grew around it. I'd have to saw it off."
"You don't have to," Renji replied nonchalantly.
"I'm sure I could get it off with my Hōzukimaru," Ikkaku offered and I felt the two closing in on me.
"No way am I letting you near my arm with that thing," I scowled. "I could lose my whole hand. No way I trust you."
Truth was, I knew what they were doing, trying to get me to admit I wasn't ready to take it off, and I still missed my brother. And I did, but even if I didn't I still wouldn't let Ikkaku swing his sword at me.
"Fuck, I could bleed out and die, do you know how many important veins and arteries are in this arm," I tucked my arm into my chest and covered it with the other. "No way am I letting you near me."
"Sure, that's what you're worried about," Renji teased.
"Alright," Ichigo sighed. "We should probably be getting back before my family sends out a search party."
"How much longer do you have on break?" I asked as I got back up.
"A little longer," he shrugged. "What are you doing for Christmas Eve?"
"Oh you know, I had plans to just sit by myself in my empty apartment with all the lights turned off and a bar of chocolate," I shrugged. Ichigo glared at me. "I don't know, I didn't have any plans I just figured we'd be together anyway. Like we always are."
"Don't you want to do something special? It's supposed to be the most romantic day of the year," he said as we got to the street.
"Do you want to do something?" I asked.
"Well," he started. "It's just that, well, Yuzu was saying.."
"Ahh I see," I nodded. "We can do something if you want, but I'm not really a grand gestures person. I appreciate the small things, you know? Why don't you and I just reserve some us time back at my apartment?"
"Sounds good," he nodded although I could see some worry creeping up on his face. I slid my fingers in-between his and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. I leaned against his arm as we walked back to his place, still unsure why we couldn't have just driven instead of walking in this cold and snow.
"Hey!" I heard and turned with Ichigo to see who was calling. Hisugaya was walking our way, escorting an enthusiastic Karin who was waving at us and calling us over. "Ichinii! Uo! Wait up."
"What are those two doing together?" Ichigo grumbled.
"Are you kidding me? Karin's had a crush on him since she was 11," I nudged him. "He saved her soccer ball once and became friends from there. I told you all this at the soccer game a while back."
"I thought you said she just had a crush on him back then!" He replied shocked.
"I mean how was I supposed to know she still liked him?" I asked.
"Oh don't give me that, you know everything. You had to have known," Ichigo frowned.
"It's nice to here you say that," I giggled. "Why's it such a problem if she does like him?"
"Because she's not a little kid anymore," he grumbled and I laughed.
"Look, if it's any consolation I think he likes her too," I shrugged. "So at least she's not going to get her heart broken."
"That doesn't make me feel any better," he huffed at they got closer.
"Why not?" I raised a brow.
"Because he's my friend for one. And another he's like 100 years old or something! He's too old for her!" He threw his hands up.
"Didn't you have a thing for Rukia a few years ago?" I laughed.
"HOW THE HELL DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT!?" He yelled and blushed at the same time. I burst out laughing.
"Called it! Yes! My ship was correct," I threw my fists up in the air and danced around. "Also, i didn't know until just now. I only suspected."
"Damn you," he crossed his arms and scowled.
"What are you two talking about?" Karin asked as she got closer. "Couple's argument?"
"Ha!" I laughed. "No, I'm just teasing him again. I'll fill you again later. Where have you two been?"
"Soccer," Hitsugaya sighed. "I'm supposed to be working right now."
"Oh come on, you had fun!" Karin argued.
"I think the bigger issue here, Hitsugaya, is that you are actually allowed to take breaks from time to time," I pointed out. "You work really hard, I know you have certain responsibilities as a captain but I'm concerned that the amount you work is unhealthy. You don't have to play soccer, but from time to time you should at least find some leisure activities."
"Why are you concerned?" He raised a brow.
"Because, dummy, you're my friend," I shook my head, like it was obvious.
"Oh.."
"Hey," I turned to Ichigo suddenly. "Why don't we do that!"
"Uhh..." he looked at me. "Do what?"
"On Christmas Eve!" I threw my hands up.
"You're still not making any sense," he told me.
"The four of us should go ice skating!" I told him. "We'll force Hitsugaya to take a holiday."
"No way!" He whispered angry, pulling me forward. "I'm not letting you take my sister on a double date on the most romantic night of the year."
"I'm doing it so you can keep an eye on them, dummy!" I whispered back. "And he'll be so distracted, he'll stop asking us questions about what happened that night months ago."
"Oh.."
"I don't know.." Hitsugaya said out loud. "Who'll take over hollow watch?"
"Um, have you forgotten you came here with like four lieutenants and a third seat?" I pointed out. "Delegate, it's a managers main job."
"Have you ever tried to get Matsumoto to do her job?" He asked as we walked back to the Kurosaki house.
"One sec," I told him and pulled out my phone.
'Hey, do you still think your
Captain and Ichigo's little
sister would make the
perfect couple?
-Uo'
'Yes! They would be so
cute. And my Captain
having a girlfriend would
get him off my back for
sure!
-Rangiku'
'I'm trying to get them to
go on a date together on
December 24th. It's
supposed to be the most
romantic day of the year
but he won't go because
he can't get someone to
cover hollow watch.
-Uo'
'I'm on it! Don't worry Uo,
if we work together we can
definitely get those two
together!
-Rangiku'
"She says she'll do it," I told him.
"How did you manage that?" He scoffed.
"I understand how she works," I shrugged. "Now will you come ice skating with us? Come on, it's amazing and fun and it's cold so you won't get too hot. Plus, if you really want, a hollow is bound to show up and be attracted to Ichigo's spiritual pressure so you can kill that."
"It's not like i want to kill them," he rolled his eyes. "It's my job."
"Well then all the more reason you should have a day off," I shrugged.