I must hold them in my arms and never let go.
If they stray too far, I will pull them back.
If they walk away, my arms will be forever waiting.
If they rest with me, I am not afraid to fall saving them.
That is my resolve.
---------------
"Wait... wait wait wait..." Rukia muttered, tips of her fingers rubbing her temples. "If you're a hollow... then why don't you have a mask?"
Yellow eyes looked up, surprised. "Uh, I...I don't really know." He grinned in Ichigo's face.
It was obvious he was lying.
No matter. I'll address it again later.
"Then... do you have a name?" Rukia was beginning to feel the cold. Her drenched clothes and the ever-pouring rain were taking its toll.
The hollow looked taken aback. "Er..." He scratched his face using his index finger. "Never really thought about it."
He lifted a pasty hand to his chin, eyes squeezed shut in deep thought.
For a second, he looked just like Ichimaru.
Rukia shuddered, and her hands clasped her elbows.
Suddenly, she was freezing.
The hollow seemed to have come to a conclusion, because his eyes were bright and he was grinning again.
"Well, since I like the metaphor of Ichi-chan being King, and me as Horse... Call me Horse." He looked... proud of himself.
Ichi-chan? Are he and Ichigo close? I'll have to use that one next time I see him.
Rukia held back a snicker, then sobered, remembering her previous conversation with Renji.
If I ever see him.
Horse-san, meanwhile, was looking rather annoyed.
"Oi! You listening?" He waved a pasty hand in front of her face.
Rukia snapped back to reality, and, out of pure reflex, grabbed the hand before it went into a second wave.
They stood frozen there for a second, Rukia, frozen in shock, holding a hollow's hand, and the hollow's expression of blank surprise on Ichigo's face.
Slowly, a grin made its way to the corners of his mouth.
His pasty fingers slowly bent, and closed around Rukia's own, engulfing it.
He leaned forward, black teeth shimmering, hair sticking to his face from the pouring rain.
Quietly, he whispered in her ear.
"Didn't know you were into hollows like that."
Rukia jumped ten feet in the air, screaming.
When she fell to the floor, she vaulted backwards, hands grasping at her hip, grasping at empty air.
Horse-san scratched the side of his head, frowning. "This seems... repetitive...ish..."
Rukia looked down to her side, saw the lack of a sword, and jumped ten more feet back, landing in a crouch, shuddering.
------------------
Ichigo suddenly had a pounding headache.
It started a few hours ago, just after he had left the park.
This sucks.
He grabbed a book, and tried to read, but his head wouldn't cooperate.
He growled, and stomped down the stairs.
I need some Tylonel...
-----------------
She had the revulsion in her eyes again.
Horse-kun sighed.
Was my name really that bad? I tried really hard...
Maybe she just has bad taste?
Nah, not Rukia-chan. Dang. I wish she'd hurry up and kick me. Kicking is fun.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, Rukia-chan." The hollow said, frowning. "It was just a joke."
"It was not!" The woman's bright eyes flashed. "That was disgusting!" She spat. "A hollow and a shinigami?! You're sick!" She remained in her defensive position, right arm hefted, ready to shoot out a spell at any given time.
Horse-kun delved into Ichigo's memories for a moment, then sighed again.
Oh. Right. I forgot she doesn't have a sense of humor.
"Annnn... Rukia-chan... Stop being all hissy pissy... It isn't much fun." He waved a pasty hand, shrugging.
"Fun?" She spat. "You consider disgusting flirtations... fun?"
The hollow recoiled at the venom in her voice. "C-c'mon, Rukia-chan, try-"
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!!" In her eyes, there was nothing but pure fury now.
Horse-kun looked a little lost. "Call you what, Rukia-chan? I... I'm..."
She was already muttering an incantation.
Confused, the hollow shunpoed forward, and grabbed her wrists.
Rukia stared in shock at his speed, and half-pulled her arm away, but his grip was too strong.
Angrily, she kicked his shin.
Useless.
She jumped unto his knees, easily balancing.
I should've noticed the gap between us from the start.
He frowned. "Rukia-chan. Stop. It's not worth it."
He's... strong.
Rukia glared defiantly, and jumped. But her wrists had a steel vice grip, and her legs ended up flying while her arms remained in the same exact position.
Too strong.
He sighed. "C'mon. I told you. I just want to talk."
Far too strong.
Rukia stared up at him. Her arms were high above her head where he gripped her, and her legs were sprawled out onto the floor.
She stood slowly, pulling herself up by the arms.
The hollow remained still.
"You better now, Rukia-chan?"
Great. Now he thinks I'm PMSing...
"Fine, Horse-san. Fine." She muttered, turning her head to glare up at him.
He let go.
She glanced at his face, keeping hers as cool as ice, but inside, she was still smoldering over his treatment.
He looked wounded.
She turned away, and walked a few paces before saying, "What is it?"
There doesn't look to be any exits out of this place.
"W-well..." He scratched his head, looking a bit melancholy, like a child whose lollipop was taken from him. "Why... san?"
She couldn't help it. She spun around, a look of pure confusion plastered on her face. "What?!"
"Uhm..." He scuffed his foot against the cement floor. "Couldn't you call me... Horse-kun? Why so formal?"
She flushed, surprised and embarrassed by this remark. "Horse..kun?!" She spluttered.
She had never called anyone -kun in all her life.
"Yes." He looked decided. "Horse-kun. Call me that."
"NO!"
A/N:
siiiighhhhh...
this is sure being drawn out...
half the ppl here seem to be hichiruki fans... (not that that pairing is bad or anything, i jus prefer ichiruki)
yeah, this is prolly gonna end in about two chappys or more, tho. Four at most. I'll try not to draw it out too much...
WHOOO... two chappies in one day...
i is so awesome
oh yeah... and last chappy, no one guessed who it was...
whoever guesses right on the top parts (who it is saying it), i will give them a bag of snickers.
thanks for reading!