Aaaaand here's the FINAL chapter, just as promised! On a related note, when I killed a couple of hollows this morning, the gates of Hell appeared... and I think they were frozen shut. Somehow, I don't think this was Shirayuki's fault...
In order to get this chapter out in time, I was forced to enlist my little sister by telling her "Hey, I need your help writing near smut!"
...That sounds sooo wrong. She's only 18 months younger than me, I swear!
(And while I usually have my professional-writer mother critique my stories, I didn't ask her to look over this chapter. I'm sure you'll see why soon...)
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His movements so swift she can barely track them, he releases her, then grabs her hands from where they are still resting on his shoulders and pins them above her head with one of Ichigo's hands. The other traces down her face, coming to rest on her neck; his thumb swipes across the shallow cut, smearing blood across her skin, then pushes hard against her windpipe. Rukia chokes, gasping for air, and the hollow's smile reasserts itself as he-it--leans closer, its expression promising something that she doesn't even want to think about.
"But first, I think I'm going to enjoy myself a little, Rukia-chan. After all, I am a hollow, and I've always wondered exactly how good a shinigami tastes..."
xx
The hollow raises his thumb to his mouth and slowly licks Rukia's blood from it, smirking as he feels her shift beneath him. She's trying to gain enough leverage to force him off, but they're both aware it's a losing battle; between the blood loss and all the reiatsu she's used, she's no longer strong enough to defeat him. They also know that she'll never stop trying, but to him, this just makes his victory taste all the sweeter.
Bracing himself against the concrete and leaning in, he traces his nose gently against her collarbone, feeling the soft fabric of her kosode against his cheek. He then moves his head upward along her skin, gently teasing her neck with warm breaths until he reaches her ear, trailing his tongue across the lobe. She flinches, hissing something under her breath that he ignores, then shifts her leg again in an attempt to force him off to the side. Rolling his eyes, the hollow shifts his own weight, pinning her more securely beneath him and smirking at her indignant exclamation, then brushes his lips softly against her cheek, drawing circles on her neck with a lazy finger.
He thinks that he'll take things slow, for now. After all, he has plenty of time.
xx
Rukia bites her lip, trying as hard as she can to stop focusing on the sensation of the hollow pressing Ichigo's body against her own. She's finding it harder now to keep the two of them separate. Up until now, the hollow has been rough, forceful, intent on causing her pain... but now his hand on her neck is soft and gentle, his movements almost hesitant. It's just how she imagines Ichigo would be, cautious and careful and quiet, and she's having a hard time associating this sensation with the creature who tried to kill her tonight.
She feels his breath against her skin and bites harder, desperate to ignore the warmth he's generating. Gritting her teeth, she attempts to twist her body to the side, but only succeeds in moving her hips against him. He makes an appreciative sound at this; her cheeks begin to burn and she glares, hearing him chuckle softly at her response. Unlike the warped laughter from earlier, it sounds almost exactly like Ichigo himself, and Rukia can feel her determination begin to waver.
Her breath hitches slightly as he leans in again, his lips barely brushing her forehead, then her eyelids. Why is he doing this! She expected violence, pain, harsh words and harsher actions, not this... intimacy. She feels like she missed a step going down a flight of stairs and is now suspended in midair, dreading the moment when she comes crashing down to earth again, breaking bones and spilling blood.
His lips press lightly against her own now and she flinches, opening her eyes in shock. Ichi-no, the hollow--lingers for a moment, then raises his head, eyes closed and mouth curved in a wry smile. She is breathless for a moment; he looks so like Ichigo at this moment that if she didn't know better, she would swear he had regained control. But as she gazes up at his face, his eyes open slightly, and she sees the telltale glitter of yellow under the lids, jolting her back to reality. Panic rising in her, she tenses her arms, then jerks them upward in an attempt to break free from his hand. His grip loosens slightly, but he leans forward farther and brings his weight onto her wrists. Rukia gasps in pain as her thin bones grind against the pavement, threatening to crack beneath him. The hollow is still smiling at her, still looking far too much like Ichigo, but his eyes burn into her own.
He shoves down again on her wrists for a moment, then releases the pressure as she looks away from him, tears rising in the corners of her eyes from pain and fury. She blinks them back, refusing to show weakness. His smile twists, and he leans in and brushes his lips across hers again, light and teasing. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath, trying to regain her center, but her concentration is shattered as she feels his hand move from its resting place on her neck, trailing down the collar of her kosode and pushing the cloth aside. Horrified, her eyes fly open, but all she can see is a close-up of his face as he kisses her again, pressing a little harder this time, and his hand is brushing her chest wrap and she just can't stand it any more. She closes her eyes, takes a deep, shuddering breath, twists her head to the side and screams.
xx
Ichigo is sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror, eyes closed. He has no idea how long he's been here, trying to gather and focus his reiatsu, but he knows it's taking too long; every minute he's stuck in here is another minute his hollow is free to do as it pleases.
Breathing deeply, he tries to remember everything Rukia ever told him about reiatsu control, but thinking of her only increases his anxiety. He hasn't dared to check on the outside scene, knowing that the hollow is using Rukia to get to him. Checking on her is just what the hollow expects him to do, so it stands to reason that the hollow is currently doing something to disturb Ichigo and make him lose his concentration out of fear for Rukia.
The implications of this thought are sickening.
Biting his lip, Ichigo tries desperately not to think of Rukia. Searching through his memories, he finally comes across something that might be useful; Ganju's advice, when they had been trying to create cannonballs to break into Seireitei and save Rukia-
Don't think of her!
He breathes out slowly, trying to envision a heavy black circle, gathering his reiatsu into it and compressing it. To his surprise, it seems to be working; he can sense the energy flowing into him, making him stronger. Heartened by this, he begins shaping it, trying to create a weapon strong enough to break free of the hollow's control. He can feel the reiatsu forming into a katana, thin and black, and smiles grimly. Of course I would use Tensa Zangetsu.
Growing more confident, he opens his eyes to inspect the blade he's created; it's a perfect replica of Zangetsu. Concentrating, he turns and slashes downward, calling out "Getsuga Tenshou!", and is pleased to see the familiar crescent-shaped attack shoot across his mental landscape. Anticipation growing in him, he turns back toward the mirror, closing his eyes again...
A flash of some undefinable emotion sears across his senses for a moment. He gasps, nearly dropping his sword, and falls to his knees. The feeling comes again, stronger this time, and Ichigo feels a growing sense of dread as the sensation becomes clearer.
Desire.
Before he can stop himself, Ichigo opens his eyes and looks up at the reflection in the pool, horrified at what he sees there.
The sword slips from his unfeeling fingers, dissolving before it hits the ground.
xx
The hollow moans softly, a wide grin spreading across his face as the girl beneath him screams, the sound reverberating through his body and leaving him nearly breathless. He licks his lips slowly, savoring the taste of her skin that lingers on them. He's beginning to think that normal hollows do have a point; this shinigami is indeed the best thing he's ever tasted.
He can feel her beneath him, fear and anger making her breathing ragged, and closes his eyes for a moment to savor the sensation of her chest moving against his. Idly, he wonders why he's finding so much pleasure in this; is it just his hollow instinct that's driving him now, or is it something left over from Ichigo that makes him more human than the rest?
In the back of his mind, he senses the King's feeble attempt to gather his reiatsu; his smile twists, and he leans toward the King's girl again, determined to break his concentration. There's no way either one of them can fight against him any longer.
He grasps the collar of her kosode again, tugging it gently until the gap of her neckline widens. Her eyes are closed and she seems to be trying to block him out, but she still flinches away from his touch as rough fingers brush against her skin. He slides his hand across her bound chest and down her side, pushing the fabric aside, then reaches up and grasps her chin, turning her face back toward him. Leaning in closer, he presses his lips against hers again, tracing them with his tongue. Her mouth remains closed tight, but her breath hitches slightly. Smirking against her mouth, he pushes almost hard enough to bruise for a moment, then starts to trail light kisses down to her collarbone. He pauses for a moment, then bites her skin, sucking on it to leave a bruise. She gasps, outraged, and her eyes fly open; pulling back, he gives her a wicked smile, then dips his head suddenly and licks the cut across her throat, enjoying the warmth of her blood on his tongue.
He thinks he's had enough playtime. Now, finally, she's going to learn what it feels like to have someone else be in control.
xx
Rukia tries desperately to ignore the hollow's movements, knowing that her only chance is to catch him off-guard while he's... preoccupied. She shivers at the touch of fingers on her bare waist, then forces herself to ignore that as well. She knows her options are limited, but she can't just give up; it's in her nature to keep fighting for those she cares about, no matter what happens to her.
She flexes her wrists gently, trying not to attract the hollow's attention as she tests her range of movement. If she can just immobilize him for a moment, she thinks she might be able to escape. What she'll do then, she isn't sure, but she has to try.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, she begins quietly gathering reiatsu into her hands. The hollow doesn't seem to notice; it kisses her again, harder than before, and she flinches for a moment before regaining control of herself. She feels her hands beginning to grow cooler as her reiatsu solidifies, and the sensation calms her. A sudden sharp pain on her neck nearly shatters her concentration; her eyes fly open, but she forces her reiatsu to remain steady. She sees the hollow above her, smirking; he no longer looks so much like Ichigo, and this knowledge helps harden her resolve. His head dips toward her throat and she feels another jolt of pain, but ignores it. It's almost time to strike...
She opens her mouth slightly and begins to mouth the words for a binding spell, but before she can finish, the hollow's mouth is on hers again, his tongue slipping between her parted lips. Her mouth fills with the heavy, metallic taste of her own blood and she gasps, almost losing her hold on the reiatsu she has gathered. Narrowing her eyes, she tries to bite him, but he pulls away just in time. His eyes staring into her own, he begins to speak for the first time since the assault began.
"Still fighting back, eh, Rukia-chan? I'm glad, this wouldn't be nearly as much fun otherwise..."
Now!
Rukia twists her wrists so she is pointing directly at the hollow and yells the incantation. "Bakudou no ichi: sai!"
The hand that has been holding her down is whipped behind his back; the other is forced off her face, and the hollow, unbalanced, falls to the side. Forcing her tired body to work, Rukia twists away from him and pushes herself to a standing position.
She considers going for her sword but decides against it; in her current state, she's unsure whether she would even be able to raise Shirayuki. She knows no one will be coming to help her, or they would have been here long ago. Her only hope is for Ichigo to regain control, but all her attempts to help him have come to naught. For a moment, she even considers giving up, but she's incapable of doing so. Even though the odds against her seem insurmountable, she'll keep fighting until everything is over.
Until Ichigo regains control, or until she dies.
She refuses to think of which possibility is more likely.
She turns back toward Ichigo's body, staggering slightly as she calls up more reiatsu from her depleted reserves. The hollow is on his knees, fighting against her bonds, and she feels the spell starting to break. Quickly, before he can free himself, she calls a burst of power into her outstretched hands and yells, "Bakudou no yon: hainawa!" The new spell takes effect, wrapping around him in sizzling yellow lines, and he topples back onto his side. Her breathing rough and unsteady, Rukia walks over to him and crouches down, placing one hand on his shoulder and looking into his eyes. She pauses for a moment, then begins to speak, hoping with all her heart that Ichigo can hear her.
"Ichigo, no matter what happens to me, you have to win this! It's my fault this is happening, I can't let him destroy you... I know you can win this, I believe in you!" She drops to her knees, hesitating for a moment, then leans in and gently presses her lips against his.
"I love you..."
The hollow's eyes flash dangerously and, with a surge of dark, tainted power, he snaps the ropes holding him immobile and backhands her across the pavement. She lands hard, unable to break her fall, and gasps for air as the hollow comes for her again, a twisted smile across his face. Grabbing her arms, he turns and pins her against the side of a building, sliding the fabric of her kosode from her shoulders and pressing his body against hers. His mouth sears over hers, hard and bruising. One hand slides around her neck, holding her against the rough bricks, while the other slips under her chest wrap and kneads the soft flesh beneath...
xx
Ichigo lunges at the mirror, pounding on it as though he could break through if he tried hard enough. "You bastard!" he yells, sickened by what the hollow has been doing. The barrier stings his hands as he pushes against it, frantically trying to regain control of his own body. Malicious laughter echoes around him; he punches the mirror once more, then sinks to his knees, trying not to look at the scene before him.
This is my fault, he thinks. I'm not strong enough, and now she's suffering because of me.
Closing his eyes, Ichigo takes a deep, calming breath. His only hope now-Rukia's only hope-is to defeat the hollow before it destroys them both. He concentrates on his reiatsu again, but the feeling eludes him as his mind keeps returning to what he saw in the mirror. Reopening his eyes, he yells "Dammit!" and punches the barrier again, ignoring the pain in his knuckles.
There is a flash in the mirror, and before he can stop himself, he looks up to see what caused it. His eyes widen in shock; Rukia has used another binding spell on the hollow, and she's now crouching down before him, touching him gently on the shoulder. Ichigo strains his ears, knowing that she is trying to reach through and help him again.
"Ichigo, no matter what happens to me, you have to win this! It's my fault this is happening, I can't let him destroy you... I know you can win this, I believe in you!"
He clenches his fists. Baka! Why does she always have to blame herself!
Once again, she's willing to give herself up to save him.
Except this time, he isn't doomed to lie on the ground, cold and bleeding, while she goes off to her death. This time, he will be strong enough to save her.
His eyes begin to glow an eerie shade of blue as the power builds within him. He begins focusing his reiatsu again, and it comes far more easily than before. He gathers it together, shaping it into the familiar black blade, and strikes.
The blade passes effortlessly through the mirror.
xx
The hollow laughs.
xx
Rukia has long since closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling as the hollow's hands move across her skin, stripping away her clothing and marking her flesh. She doesn't flinch as his mouth trails down her body, leaving bite marks on her shoulders, chest, waist. She knows she's going to die, but this is nothing new to her. After all, she's already dead, isn't she?
She freezes her thoughts, her emotions, refusing to give the hollow what he wants from her. She becomes like a block of ice, cold and unfeeling. Her only regret is that she'll never have a chance to tell Ichigo just what he means to her...
Everything stops.
For a moment, Rukia thinks she must have died. But if so, why does her body still ache? Why can she still feel the blood trickling, warm and wet, from her wounds?
Why can she still feel Ichigo's body pressed against hers?
Her eyes flutter open to see the hollow's face inches from her own, but she doesn't have the strength to pull away. She simply looks into his eyes, fearless and calm. And he laughs.
"Thanks for the fun, Rukia-chan. It's about time for me to go, but don't worry... we'll play again soon, I promise."
Her eyes widen as the golden light fades and a wave of pain flashes through her body.
xx
Ichigo gasps, the blue fading from his eyes as his inner world dissolves around him. He can suddenly feel the chill night air against his skin, and he's having trouble adjusting to the darkness pressing around him.
I... won?
He is exhausted from the effort of breaking free, his body trembling as his muscles protest the sudden strain upon them. Breathing hard, he gathers his remaining strength and looks up toward Rukia, afraid of what he'll see.
And gasps, horrified, as he sees that his blade-the blade he summoned to break free from the hollow's control-is buried deep into her shoulder.
His eyes travel across her battered body, noting dimly that she is half-naked, that her skin is covered in bruises and streaks of blood. Heartsick, he raises his head, looking up at her face.
She smiles gently, her eyes soft and warm, and whispers, "I'm glad you're back... Ichigo."
Gasping, he wrenches the sword from her flesh, tossing it aside and catching her as she begins to fall. He lowers her to the ground, then grabs her kosode and drapes it carefully over her shoulders. "I'll take you to Urahara's," he says, gently lifting her into a bridal carry. She nods, then cries out softly in pain as he jars her injured shoulder. He hisses an apology at her and turns to leave, but is stopped by her whispered "wait."
Her hand clutches at the neck of his kosode as she tries to pull herself closer to him, but her strength gives out and she lets go, arm falling to her side. Grimacing, she begins to speak again; he leans closer, straining to catch her faint voice.
"He said... he said he'll be back, soon. It's not over, Ichigo..."
As the meaning behind her words begins to seep into him like poison, she goes limp in his arms.
xx
AND WE'RE DONE! For now...
I am planning on a sequel, but we all know by now how quickly I write, so I am making no promises as to when you'll get to read it. Just know that it WILL be on here eventually.
And I'm starting to hate Ichigo now. Hichigo and Rukia are perfectly willing to give me ideas, but when it gets to Ichigo, he's just like, "How about you write an entire scene where nothing happens but me sitting on the floor gathering my reiatsu? That sounds perfect to me!" and I have to smack him until he gets back to the story. What a jerk.
Thank you all so much for your encouragement along the way, I love you all! If you'd like to leave a final review for me, I'd appreciate it tons, especially since today's my birthday. ^^ Hope you like your present! (Yes, this is why I set the 30th as my deadline. Lame? Yes. Do I care? No.)
And I'm now off to BleachExile, to keep refreshing until Fade To Black is posted. (Which may take a few days... I'm sure my boss will understand, right?)