A/N WOW, has it been a long ass time. How is everyone? I am saddened to say that I had actually had to put this story on the very, very, very far back burner as I had to focus on Senior stuff and college blah blah blah. But, I am indeed in college and lemme tell you, it's a bitch. Classes are just, no words. Anyways, enough about me! Back to the story!
Oh, and important details! I'm planning to go back and change some minor things, just like the subject/theme for the project as the main. Also, cleaning up some events and polishing it. I'll post any changes in update notes so that everyone knows!
ALSO, fair warning. In Shiro's POV 'Tensa' and 'Ichigo' are repeated a LOT, but I can't exactly find a way around it, so I apologize .
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Ichigo's POV
I've always laughed at cliché terms and overly used phrases, although I do use them in some of my songs. I just never fully understood how so many people could relate to one simple phrase. Well, that's until I literally feel my blood run cold as I lock eyes with Shiro. Before I can fully formulate an excuse, lie, or, hell, even an explanation he's taken off like a bat out of hell. Cursing, I don't even look at Urahara who shouts at me to 'stop' and 'wait' as I turn the corner and see a flash of white sprinting down the hall. Against my better judgment, I begin yelling at the top of my lungs.
"Shirosaki! Damn it, Shiro, just wait a fucking minute!" I scream as I turn a corner after him and vaguely realize that he's heading for the stairs, but I push the thought to the back of my mind. "I can explain, but you have to stop first!"
The idiot doesn't even look over his shoulder as we continue barreling through the hallways and I stop shouting at the top of my lungs. Hell, he has no intention of listening to me and I realize that I would do the exact same thing in his situation. Instead, I apologize to the people we pass, mumbles of "Sorry" and "Excuse me" never cease as I try to weave through the halls. Damn, has Shiro always been this fast? I'm starting to lose my breath as I chase after the idiot.
I hear the door to the stairs burst open before I see it, and I curse again, pushing myself faster than I ever have before. Reaching the stairs in record time, the door not even closed yet which means I'm mere seconds behind, I shove the door open the rest of the way with my shoulder. Wincing at the impact, I notice Shiro's only one flight below and register that I have about twenty floors to catch up to him. Taking the steps at least three at a time, I beg him to slow down.
It's around halfway down that I catch up, managing to grab his wrist and yanking him back. He flinches at the sudden pressure, but he recovers quickly. Shiro's chest is heaving, mine is too to be honest, as he attempts to force his hand out of my grip and accidently loses his balance on the top step. His eyes go wide and a sense of dread and pure fear washes over me as I use all of my strength to pull him back up.
I manage to pull him up and he regains his balance, pulling his arm free of my hand and that's when I notice that I'm still moving. Cursing to myself, or at least I think I do, I flail about trying to grab the railing. I've always been told that I'm a klutz and clumsy as hell, but I've never truly grasped the meaning of that until this very moment when a solid, fucking wooden railing manages to slip through my fingers and I go crashing down a flight of stairs.
It takes me about five seconds, at least that's my best guess, to actually reach a standstill at the bottom of the stairs. My head is pounding as I hit it who knows how many times on the way down, and I can hear someone yelling at me in my right ear. Huge red numbers are the first thing I actually process, the numbers '15' mocking me as I attempt to gather my bearings, sit up, and shut out the awful noise that just refuses to be silenced.
"-chigo… Ich- Damn it, a-ser me! Fuck, wh- I do?" The voice fades in and out and can't seem to make a full sentence that actually makes sense.
"Will you shut the hell up?" Mumbling, I try to push myself up and manage to sit up against the wall. "Give me a few minutes, just please shut up."
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Shiro's POV
Releasing a sigh of relief, I slump against the wall, closing my eyes and resting my head back against the bricks. I place a hand over my heart, trying to calm my breathing and my racing pulse, and although I manage the former my heart just won't calm down. Although I tell myself it's from Ichigo's fall, I know that's not entirely the source. I sneak a glance at Ichigo, but all it does is remind me that the person on the ground with his eyes squinted shut and head lolling to almost touch his chest is not Ichigo, but Tensa. Or is it the opposite?
Since his eyes are still shut tight, I stare for a few seconds trying to discern whether it's Ichigo disguised as Tensa, or Tensa who happens to have the guise of Ichigo. It feels wrong to assume that Tensa would have some completely fake, alter ego thing that allows him to leave a normal life since Tensa is well, Tensa. I've met the guy with the mask a few times, and he's nothing if not cocky, proud, and an attention whore at the best of times and Ichigo is nothing like that. Ichigo would never boast about an accomplishment or shove it in someone's face, and that's when I realize why my heart's racing and a cold sweat has settled on my skin.
The truth is that I don't particularly mind Ichigo being Tensa, but the opposite isn't true. Ichigo is everything I've grown to appreciate- a loyal friend, an honest companion, someone who I can trust, and Tensa isn't any of those things. Tensa is conniving, manipulating, cold and calculating, where Ichigo is warmth, and although he can be rude and can sometimes, most of the time, be a downright asshole he's not a bad person. And then it occurs to me that is the reason why I ran.
I fled because I was afraid that Ichigo wouldn't exist, that it would only be Tensa and the Ichigo I know would disappear. But that's not true at all. The longer I stare at Ichigo and contemplate, I acknowledge that the stunt he just pulled is something Tensa would never do. Ichigo would. He would be the idiot selfless enough to risk falling down some fucking stairs to save me, or anyone, from falling down mentioned fucking stairs.
Hearing a groan, I notice that Ichigo's eyes are open and he's attempting to push himself up using the wall, refusing to ask for help. Rolling my eyes, I jump to my feet and hold out my hand, ignoring the glare I receive for my efforts.
"I don't need your help," he hisses as he swats my offered hand out of the way, and glares at me when I offer it again.
"Ya just fell down a flight a stairs, now isn't tha' time fer yer stubbornness. Take mah hand," I shove it closer to his face, raising an eyebrow as he huffs and falls back to the floor.
"I'll be fine in a minute, but since you've oh so graciously decided to stop now, maybe you'll listen to my explanation. You know," he does a mini half shrug, leaving his arms out and palms open as he shakes his head in exasperation, "the thing that would have saved me from falling down a flight of stairs," he lets his arms fall down with a frown, rubbing his right shoulder lightly.
"Hey, are ya alright?" I ask as he continues to rub his shoulder but he waves my question off. "Fine, if it'll get ya ta cooperate, I'll listen ta yer explanation." The faster he gets his part out, the faster he can get his injuries examined.
"What? You don't have any questions for me?" He looks at me as though I've lost my mind. "No 'How dare you not tell me!' or 'Now you have to bend to my every wish and whim!' or, maybe what I was expecting, 'Were you ever gonna fucking tell me?!'" He mimics, although his impression of my lilt is horrible.
"No, I mean, I understand," looking up, I scratch the side of my mouth mockingly. "I mean, I have a few questions, but I get tha' whole secret identity thing. Ya don't want attention goin' through school, even I'll admit tha' paparazzi is annoyin'."
"Are you fucking serious?" He leans his head back and frowns. "You took this much better than my other friends did, and you've known me for less than a year and found out on your own. Unbelievable."
"Always happy ta exceed expectations," he groans as I blink at him, our playful bantering resurfacing like this was any other normal day or meeting. "Now, can I help ya up an' check ta make sure yer not seriously hurt?"
"I told you, I'm fine, honestly. You worry too much," he actually manages to stand up for a few seconds, and then winces with a curse and leans on the wall. "Or maybe not completely fine. Shit, shit, shit."
I can feel his eyes on my face, and I know that I must have a very odd expression, but I don't particularly mind. All I notice is his left foot, and the way it's bent at an angle it should definitely not be bent at. Even without some fancy doctor degree or extensive previous medical history, I can definitely identify a broken bone when I've seen one. Well, shit. Houston, we have a problem.
"Shiro? Shiro. Damn it Shiro, eyes up here," he mutters, punching me in the arm to get my attention. "Good, ok, we have two options here. One, you carry me up those steps," the fuck does he mean 'up', don't you want to go down so you can get to the hospital, "or you go and get Urahara and explain to him what the fuck is happening."
"Plan C, I carry ya down tha' stairs," I go to pick him up, but he goes to punch me in the face. "Hey! Wha's tha' fer?"
"Are you a complete idiot? If you carry me down to the first floor, everyone will see you with me and then they'll question 'Oh, how is Shirosaki so familiar with Tensa?' and look into it. The only reason why my identity as Ichigo hasn't been discovered is because I stay out of the public eye, but if they are looking into you and find out about me, I'm screwed. So, I'll ask again," he holds up his hand, counting out my options, "step one or step two."
It takes me only one second to make my decision.
"Step one."
This time when I go to pick him up, he just sighs in irritation, but allows me to haul him up on my back. Originally I had planned to pick him up bridal style, but after his already shitting day I didn't need to add to it by embarrassing him or accidently hitting his foot on the wall or railing on the way up. He's surprisingly light, which I mention and earn a pull on my ear for.
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Ichigo's POV
I huff after pulling his ear for his unnecessary comment, squeezing around his neck extra tightly to add to his discomfort. I try to ignore the intense pain in my foot that manages to grow with every second my adrenaline burst wears off, but even I can admit when I fail miserably. Fortunately, or unfortunately, enough this isn't my first broken bone, nor is it my worst injury to date, so I don't cry like a wimp, but suck it up as Shiro pushes the door to my floor open.
Luckily for us, Urahara is standing right outside the stairwell, keeping anyone who dares to investigate at a distance. As soon as the door opens, he's at our side with his phone to his ear making a call to Kenpachi to pick us up around back and calling my dad to let him know there has been some unforeseen issues. I hear my old man yelling on the other line, trying to convince Urahara to spill, but he hangs up on him mid-sentence and looks at me with a grin.
"Well~ Seems that amends have been made and all is well! This makes things so much easier when you consider the joint album! Now there are no obstacles in the way to prevent smooth sailing for the entire recording~" Urahara is practically singing his glee, and if at all possible I would almost say that he planned the whole fucking thing.
Wait a minute.
My head turns so fast, I'm afraid I might just have two broken bones by the time I actually reach the hospital. That's when I see it. The thousand watt smile, his beaming face, glittering eyes.
That motherfucker.
"I'm gonna kill you!" I screech as I attempt to jump from Shiro's back onto to Urahara to keep my word.
Luckily for him, there are three things currently working in his favor. The first would be the most obvious, my foot. The pain halters my leap significantly as I clench my teeth together so hard I'm almost sure one or two might be chipped. Secondly, Shirosaki holding onto my legs stops my movements almost immedietly although he's in shock at my sudden movement, no doubt. And last, but certainly not least, is the fact that Urahara still has two fully functional feet and legs and, anticipating my reaction, is already far out of harm's reach.
"You just wait," I swear at him as he hums contently, "when you least expect it, I'll strike and you'll regret this. You'll regret all of it!" In the back of my mind I can tell the pain is making me delirious as I curse and rage at Hat' N' Clogs.
"My, my! That is no way to speak to your manager, Tensa-kun~ Besides, I have not a clue what you are accusing me of!" He chirps merrily and I see realization dawn on Shiro's face.
"I don't know whether ta be appreciative, angry, or wary," he whispers under his breathe too low for anyone to hear except for me.
I lean forward and whisper back. "Wary, definitely. He's capable of untold things," a shiver runs through Shiro, but I ignore it to continue glaring at Hat' N' Clogs while he laughs at my suffering.
"Now you don't mean that! Now, Kenpachi will be outside in about a minute, so we best get you down there," at this he releases a sigh, "but how to do that without everyone discovering your injury will be troublesome indeed."
And then he smiles his million dollar smile, causing me to groan.
"But I think I have a solution to that."
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Normal POV
"You call this a full proof plan?!" Ichigo nearly wails as all his makeup and hair dye is removed. "This is crazy, and it will never work."
Shiro sits in a white chair, a fact that he had not missed when Urahara had it brought up for him, watching the events unfold. Ichigo is complaining while every trace of Tensa is removed from his being, while Shiro sits and waits for his turn. It hadn't escaped Urahara that the two looked eerily similar, to the point where one could pass for the other with the right makeup, and that's what they were betting on.
Shiro would be dressed as Tensa- contacts, makeup, hair dye, the whole shebang while Ichigo would be snuck out the back by a trusted employee, a kind girl with pink hair who was somehow related to Ichigo's driver, Kenpachi. Shiro originally questioned the capability of a girl who didn't look older than ten years old, but was rebuffed by a quick kick to the groin and a declaration that she was eighteen and would be turning nineteen soon.
She would be escorting Ichigo out the back to where an unmarked car, one Kenpachi swears he obtained legally on such short notice, where he would be escorted to the hospital where Shiro would later visit to see his injured classmate and to check on his condition. It all seemed like a fine idea; as long as you took into account the fact that Shiro would have to successfully imitate Tensa.
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A/N Happy New Year!
Please, don't hurt me!
Ok, I know it's been over a YEAR since I last updated and I'm so so so sorry. I'm more sorry than any of you will ever know! But, like mentioned, college is just horrible, but I love it, and family issues have created problems that I simply couldn't ignore. I would love to promise you that updates will be more frequent, but until the 20th of January when I get my classes, I have no idea whether they'll be super easy or time consuming, but I'll keep you updated!
Also, my friend and I have started to write our own stories. Yes, original novels. We've been talking about it for about two or three years now, and finally we are working on them! She already has a few chapters, but I'm still working out the characters, plot, timeline, blah blah blah. It'll be good though! I'll probably release it on Fanfictions other site for original works, but only if you guys request so let me know!
Sorry for the long ass author's note. Next time it hopefully won't be this long.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I wish a Happy New Year to every single one of you! Appreciate and love you all!