A Promise Of Protection
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever,
I'll be there for you through it all,
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.
Ichigo climbed through the bedroom window, collapsing on his bed without even returning to his body. Rukia landed silently on the bedroom floor after him, stealing a glance at her partner.
He was exhausted.
They had been fighting Hollows all night, non-stop, Hollow after Hollow, for the past nine hours. By the time they had finished dawn was illuminating Karakura town. It was now around seven in the morning and Ichigo had his face buried in his pillow, sleeping soundly.
Kon appeared at the door, disguised in Ichigo's body. He was dressed, ready for school. He made a face at the snoozing Ichigo before turning to Rukia, "Nee-san!" he called, but was quickly silenced by Rukia's shushing. He explained that Isshin had awoken him earlier than usual, when he saw Rukia's curious look. The mod-soul glanced at Ichigo's sleeping form, "Yeesh... how many?" Kon sounded serious, a surprising change.
Rukia sighed, "Over three hundred, easy. They weren't too tough," she watched Ichigo snoring with a smile, "But lets just say it's been a long night."
Kon nodded, "Is he going to be able to attend school?"
She shook her head, "I doubt it. He's exhausted. Could you...?" she trailed off at the smile appearing on Kon's face.
"Of course Nee-san! Anything for you! I would simply be honoured, no, delighted to venture into the domain of luscious bosoms that is Karakura High! Ladies! I, Ichigo Kurosaki, am at your disposal!" he made his way to the window, still proclaiming his love of breasts when Rukia stopped him.
"Kon! If we have to alter our friends' memories again tonight, so help me God, I'll—"
Ichigo began to stir, causing Rukia to wince, lowering her voice from a near yell to a threatening whisper. She sighed, "Just... don't cause and trouble. At least, not today."
Kon groaned, but agreed, hopping out the window and off to Karakura High. Rukia watched until he was out of sight. She smiled faintly. Kon may be a perv, but he was good at taking notes while in class.
She looked to Ichigo again. Since stirring earlier, he had returned to his deep sleep. His usual scowl was replaced by a peaceful look as he slept. She shook her head, smiling at the sight.
He really does look like a child.
Since meeting him, that night, she had to admit she had been distracted by his overwhelming reiatsu, his incredible strength...
She had forgotten...
...He's just a kid.
Not alive long enough yet to say he has lived. But he has a heart, warm and big enough to have survived the longest of time— although, he does well to hide it with his prominent scowl and brush-off attitude— but that's just a front. An image...
It was times like these...
...He made her feel old.
She laughed quietly to herself, I must be going mad. She slipped out of the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
Karin and Yuzu had gone off to school, and Isshin was probably working in the clinic as the kitchen was empty except for herself. She grabbed a bowl of cereal, eating it savouringly before making her way back upstairs, hoping to get some sleep of her own in, as she was beginning to envy Ichigo.
Half way up, it happened.
Beep beep beep!
She moaned, "What now?!" she pulled the soul pager from her pocket. An order flashed on the screen. A Hollow was to appear in Karakura in five minutes. She and Ichigo had been ordered to take care of it. The orders were a little uncertain, but they stated that the Hollow would be no higher than level 3.
Rukia heaved a sigh, there was no preventing it. She slumped towards Ichigo's room, squeaking open the door and waling over to where Ichigo still slept soundly.
She reached out to nudge him, but stopped.
He had fought his ass off earlier. He needed some rest. From the sounds of it this Hollow wasn't too tough anyway. She quickly hopped out the window, landing on the pavement and heading west. Ichigo would undoubtedly be mad if she was gone when he woke up, but she expected to be back long before he found out where she had been.
She would finish it quickly, and get to finally relax.
Once out of her gigai, she used shunpo to arrive at the location given in the orders. She wound up in a secluded woods.
And just in time.
She witnessed the Hollow appear out of the sky, landing on the ground heavily. The sheer force uprooted many long standing trees, sending branches and earth flying in all directions. Rukia watched as it's snake like body coiled around itself as it sat, curled up, glaring at her.
The first thing Rukia noticed were the two sharp claws it possessed, and she made a mental note to try to avoid those. She also noticed...
That this Hollow was no mere level 3...
It quickly tunnelled underground, snatching her immediate attention. It popped out under her feet, thrusting her into the air as one of its fangs cut across her leg. She let out a pained cry as she fell towards the ground. Rukia landed awkwardly, but a safe distance from the monster. She inspected the wound which had already begun to bleed steadily, Dammit!
When the Hollow disappeared again, tunnelling underground as before, Rukia stayed alert. As it appeared in front of her, she believed she had a clear shot at the mask, which she took.
But she was wrong.
The Hollow had anticipated her movements, and its reappearance had been nothing more than a lure. As Rukia went for the mask, she had left herself open for a full on slash from the Hollow's tail.
She smacked into the ground, with a pained groan.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the Hollow advancing.
She was done for.
Ichigo awoke with a start. He couldn't place what exactly had woken him but he didn't feel able to return to sleep. He noticed he was not in his body, Heh, I must've dozed off without looking for Kon...'
He sat up lazily, "Rukia?"
She wasn't there.
He wasn't worried. That was until he went to look in his sister's room to find it too was empty.
He marched downstairs, "Rukia!" he called, "You here?"
Silence met his calls.
Suddenly, he felt a spike in reiatsu. Ichigo could've sworn it had been Rukia's. He cursed to himself, "She didn't..."
He quickly ran out of the house, using shunpo to reach the large mass of reiatsu as quickly as possible; Please... don't have done what I think you did! Please don't have been so stupid!
Another spike in reiatsu," Dammit!"
When he reached his destination, he immediately felt his blood boil. A snake-like Hollow had Rukia curled up in its tail, and was doing its best to crush her in its coil.
"Rukia!"
The Hollow noticed Ichigo. It squeezed Rukia tighter, causing her to cry out in agony. His feet left the ground. Before even the Hollow had noticed Ichigo had snatched Zangetsu, slashing through its enormous tail. The Hollow roared angrily. The grasp on Rukia loosened against its control and she felt herself falling. She was caught in a pair of strong arms, and when she felt able to open her eyes she was met with a pair of furious brown ones, "Ichigo..."
He said nothing. Ichigo felt a mixture of emotions; anger, relief, impatience... but mostly anger. He placed her gently on the ground before lunging at the Hollow. He used flash step to confuse the monster, and when he felt it had worked he put an end to the creature, digging his blade into its mask.
It vanished with an ear piercing cry, but Ichigo didn't notice. He had returned to Rukia's side. He didn't look her in the eye, although he could tell she was trying to grasp his attention with her gaze. He was angry... no furious. Furious that she would risk herself so easily. That she would go off into battle without even telling him.
And now she was hurt.
He picked her up, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees. He used shunpo to quickly return to his house. He hopped through the open window, landing in his bedroom. He lay Rukia down on his bed. Her eyes followed him across the room as he pulled a first aid kit from the desk drawer.
He kneeled at the bedside, getting down to immediately cleaning Rukia's wounds. He still hadn't looked her in the eye. He was afraid that he might explode at her for her stupidity. He began dressing the gash on her leg when she spoke, "Ichigo..."
He didn't look at her, but something in his features told her he was listening, "I'm sorry..."
Ichigo still stayed quiet, and she decided to try again, "I'm sorry for not telling you. I shouldn't have gone off without letting you know. It was foolish... and I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."
He sighed weakly, looking up from her wound and gazing into her eyes. She quietly gasped at the emotions she could see; fear, worry, anger, relief... and something she didn't immediately recognise.
"What possessed you to do something this stupid?" he moved closer, pinning her with his stare, "Why would you even think not to tell me about a Hollow, let alone go off on your own?!"
Rukia bit her lip, tearing her eyes from his gaze, "I... you were asleep... I didn't want to wake you..."
She felt the tension lifting; now they were just in an awkward silence. Rukia struggled to figure out which was worse. Ichigo let out a sigh of desperation, "Rukia..."
She looked back into his eyes. They looked... hurt. She cursed herself for causing Ichigo pain. He then took her hand gently, clasping it in his own. Her eyes widened as he held her gaze carefully, as if he might break her by looking away, "Rukia, don't ever do that again! Even if I'm wounded, exhausted, bloodied... anything! I will always be there to protect you."
"You… you don't have to make promises like that, Ichigo." She assured, trying to hide the pink tinge on her cheeks.
He lifted a hand, brushing away the stray strands of hair that covered her face as he brought her gaze back to his own, "I want to."
A tear slid down her cheek, and Ichigo couldn't hold himself back anymore. He held her in his arms as their lips met in slow, soft kiss that they only wished could have lasted longer. When they pulled away Rukia leaned her head against his chest, "Thank you... Ichigo."
He chuckled softly, "Don't thank me, idiot."
A/N: Thanks to The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' - Guardian Angel for my opening note.
Yet another song I love sharing with y'all!
By the way- I own nothing here (except my fanfic).