Hi, ladies and gents (though I suspect there are any gents here), this is CheesyFreezy with you tonight/day from in an exclusive, first time ever, early update of one of her recent stories, who she claims is on its own accord!

Story: I'm a free spirit~ No leashes tie me to cheesy stuff! Flame not, please C:

see? I wasn't lying! though excuse my rants; i'm juss excited as it is and mom found it a proper time to feed me to the chocolates as well :O

And here I kept my promise ;) A thankyou for the lovely readers who fav-ed/subscribed to my story, with a cherry ontop: this is an image link that i thought goes cutely with the chapter (though it's supposed to be angsty, but i couldnt resist *.*) Just erase the spaces before the dots and it will open (i hope!) ^^

http: / cid-383c15c3545e0b40. photos. live. com/self. aspx/Share/hiyori%20shinji%20gi. png

Usual disclaimer and I, Cheesyfreezy, sign out. Salute!

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo-sama is the rightful owner of Bleach and all its characters. I only ever humbly own this storyline (or at least it was created in my head).

Enjoy! :D

Forgot to forget you.

By: Farah.

II. Wrong Fall

Waking up in winter was never a pleasant experience for Shinji, our favorite blonde Vizard was a wreck for colds; he caught one almost every time a chilly wind hit him. This was partially why he'd been in bed for the past week- sneezing and flooding the room with tissues, the other part being the cozy warmth that seduced his laziness.

A groan escaped the ex-captain as the light hit his eyes, it was almost noon by then but that didn't make a difference anyway, though it made a difference for the girl cuddling his head like a fluffy pillow; she didn't usually sleep in for that long; being a hyper spit-fire creature as it is was a job that required energy. Blinking his eyes to adjust, Shinji considered waking her up –and get his face whacked in the process- but he thought better not to.

Lately Hiyori'd been looking awfully tired and her half-assed slaps weren't just because he was sick. Her eyes seemed to be half lidded whenever he would catch them and she had bags under them- bottom of line: she hadn't had much sleep lately. Whether it was his sickness or something else, though, he wasn't so sure, but he was pretty ready to bet that whatever it is that caused her sleep-loss, it had him included, and it annoyed him more than any high fever or cold shivers he ever had.

'And to think I was the one taking care of you all this time…' his thought was bittersweet, just like how he imagined she would taste like.

Caressing the cascaded locks of pale-yellow off her closed eyes as he looked up at her face he couldn't help the tiny dust of red that hinted across his nose and cheeks; the glorious view of her high chin and soft jaw-lines contrasted beautifully with the fang poking out of her soft-looking lips. But her innocent beauty didn't affect him as much as her own being did, it never had –regardless of its strong effect nonetheless-, and he never appreciated her being before as much as he did ever since after The fateful day.

'Damn!'. He didn't like to go there; that line of thinking always found a way to delve him in self-pity and remorse, but he never escaped it; 'It would be easier protecting her while knowing what it would feel like if I didn't…'

Clutching his arms tighter around Hiyori's hips, Shinji's pained expression eased at the smell of her skin and the warmth of blood flooding lively through her veins, and the sound of her heartbeat quickening erased that look completely, replacing it with a tiny smirk of satisfaction.

"You don't know what pleasure it is that ye're breathing." he whispered into her chest, the motion felt like his words swept in; soothing her heart.

The hot air that hit her slightly exposed skin seemed to wake the light-sleeper from her peaceful slumber, opening her eyes slowly to meet a bunch of golden mess tangled around her fingers.

"Mmnmm…" she moaned sleepily, lifting Shinji's head up to meet her face. Her hand brushed the hair on his forehead back to quickly graze his temple with her warm lips for a couple of seconds, relief washing over her with a sigh, "The fever's gone" she commented in a hoarse voice, smiling slightly at him, before raising an eyebrow at his annoyingly amused expression.

"Are ya sure ya didn't jus' wanna kiss me, Hiyori~n?" he asked in a teasing tone, pulling at one of her buns to further trigger her.

"I really don't wanna start slappin' the hell outta ya the second I open my eyes, don't make me do it, baldy" she was more content from his well-being than to care of her behavior, but that didn't include the surprised look that passed through his eyes for a second before smirking.

"Ya wouldn't hit me now, I can even shut ya up if I wanted to, but I chose to let ya slip 'dis time; as long as you tell me somthin'…" his tone became more serious at the last sentence, drawing her own amused look.

"You're so full of it, blady, what makes ya think I can'-"

"Why do you do this?" he cut her off while sitting up, drawing away from her, his eyes cast down. The air suddenly changed to what it's supposed to have been, he should have faced her about it before; but he thought she might stop it soon. Now he couldn't delay it more, the bags under her swollen eyes are making it more difficult for him to lay in peace.

Hiyori knew very well what he meant, but she didn't want to go through this conversation with him, at least not now- she would gladly delay it as much as she could. But the downcast attitude he too suddenly transformed to made her give in to his queries. 'Why I bother? Does he not want my care?'

"…You don't want me to?" her tone was too soft for her lips, making him wonder if she felt the same way as he did.

"No, I don't." he said firmly, a sudden serge of strength he found enabled him to let him face her with determination. She avoided his gaze too quickly. 'She's hiding.'

"I don't want ya wreckin' yer sleeping habits and shuttin' yer system down to zero; I don't want ya erratically and mindlessly drowning yer health into havoc just to think of unimportant matters-"

"They're not unimportant-" her fast anger brought her glare to meet his proud stare,

"Why not? What's so precious fer you to ache yer heart for?" he clenched his teeth a little at that, and a bit harder when all that met him was the view of the top of her head as she looked downcast, and pure silence.

Did she think he was asleep all that time? Right, the sickness took the better of him most of the night which he slept in, but in the part which he had control over- he couldn't blink a lid. He could hear her silent tears scratching sharply at the glass of his heart- not that he wanted her to know, though; he wouldn't hear the end of it. Her silence now was starting to eat at him.

"Hiyori!" he called firmly, the tone in its nature demanding for a reply.

A slight shake of her shoulders made him snap into instant dread, 'Is she cryin-'

"Hahahahahaha!" a beautiful snort broke through his ears as she lifted her head up high in laughter. His confusion taking the best of him; he didn't see the small trail of tears meeting at the bottom of her chin.

"B-Baka-mondo," she breathed out, her giggles subsiding as she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. The laughter still present in the corner of her eyes; her irises never held more sorrow. 'How can she manage such a look?'

"What do ya think ya're doin'; going all high an' mighty on me? Did ya even listen t' yerself?" the muse left the lines around her lashes, leaving pure sorrow that broke a hole through his soul.

"It's none of yer damn business." she retorted with power, but her voice was dripping with fear; as if she was re-living her nightmares while talking.

"If ya think ya're so worried about me sleeping less, then try going on yer time not knowing if you'll still have a reason to live the next day…" she ended weakly, shoulders dropping.

If a boulder had dropped onto Shinji, he wouldn't have looked as shocked. 'So it's me, after all…' but that conclusion wasn't half of the surprise, it was the intensity of her words that widened his eyes for a full minute.

"W-what the hell are ya talking about?" he whispered out, eyes dropping to her figure, seizing her up for a hint of discomposure.

"…you…" she choked out, her voice strangled and damp. His senses perked up.

"'The fuck d'ya think it feels like, Shinji? The damn way yer chest stops the rise fer what feels like an eternity? The stupid light shut off yer eyes- they whisper death slowly and venomously into the dead night, it's all of death, Shinji, I look for the place I need to go to hide from that cold; but I find I'm more scared to go there; to find cold stillness where it's supposed to be warmth, breath, and life." she looked him in the eye, the trail of hot tears colliding at her chin to trail down her throat, and burning through his chest, "I need that, dumbass, I need to find home…"

"…ye're one hell of an eyesore, y'know that?" he sighed, enveloping the small figure in an intimate embrace in less than a second, and just like birds cuddle in their nests expectant of the warmth it provides; she nested into his half-bared chest- seeking a heartbeat to erase the sleeplessness.

"Ya need to let loose a bit." He whispered soothingly right into her ear, "I can make a promise to live forever, for you, but I can't promise to keep it- it's not my choice if I have to stop my life for yours if need be." such unnerving words didn't fit his cooing tone.

Shivering involuntarily, Hiyori lifted up her tear-strained face to gaze numbly at him. It wasn't like she didn't know that; but he didn't need to voice it out loud. She was paranoid enough as it was, she didn't need him to remind her of what could happen, so she'd regret ever letting him fall for her. 'What have I done to be love-worthy?' she always tried to drive him away; kicking his ass, bleeding his nose, spitting biting comebacks at his face; none of which seemed so attractive. Then why…?

"Shinji, I don- I don't care…" she whispered urgently to his throat, holding his neck to her face in both hands; asking the air of life –or as much of a life a former shinigami could get- that relished his lungs to keep providing her the strength she needed to go on.

"I don't care what the hell happens to me, if ye're not here; then nothing's worth it. It's not as fuckin' sentimental as it sounds- it's more of a fact; as much as your heart is always buried between your ribs and ya don't go wandering without them –even to your second death, it's a given, ya can't change that- so grow a pair and look me in the eye and promise a deal you can keep" she demanded, lifting her head to level his.

The solemn look on his face was a telltale of his thoughts; the story of his life: 'I shouldn't have fallen for you…'

つづく

A/N: I hope it wasn't a very short chappie ^^; And again: your feedbacks feed my soul, do not greed on me xp

Oh, and thank you for teh heartwarming reviews, it always makes my day, also makes flesh grow on my groom -who has two legs now! :D- and will soon have a torso if you keep reviewing! ;)

Tell me if the link does't work, and if it did, what you think of the picture ;p (so basically she just wants you to 'tell' her either way. .) Will update soon ;)

Until next time, Ja~