I was listening to the oddest of music while writing to this. That is to say, they were far from romantic. Hope it turned out well.

There seems to be a malfunction with my brain (probably from the essays I'm writing) because what I write is not what I'm thinking. Anyone know how to solve this?

X X X X X X X X X X X

Ichigo laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he recalled the day's events. After being bitten, which brought a sour look to his face at the memory; they had gone back to their picnic only to find that Saizou had trampled all over their food. They had been dismayed, more so Ichigo since he was actually hungry and couldn't just feast on someone else's blood. They made the best of it however, and had ended up simply lying on the spread while listening to waves lapping against the cliff, their low rumbling echoing against the vast sky.

Ichigo had tried closing his eyes, pretending that he was beneath a warm sun and a clear blue sky. Reality was a real bitch when he opened his eyes to find out that was not the case. The sky was still its ugly gray color and the temperature was tepid at best, with a slight chill coming from the wind.

Moka's happy demeanor had been a positive thing though. She had suggested that they explore the school campus, earning a questioning look from Ichigo. She simply told him to trust her and go with her, which he did.

They had arrived at the relatively empty grounds, which had a few students milling about. Moka had given him a personal tour of the grounds, which made Ichigo realize how big the school really was. Without Shunpo, it seemed to take hours to explore each and every building. They even had their own hospital! He was thankful that no one he knew had needed it, which is probably why he had never seen it before. That and he probably ignored it during his patrols.

The day had finally reached an end, and Ichigo was tired, though the same could be said for Moka. She was still her bubbly, energetic self as she leaned into his shoulder as they returned to the dorms. Still, this brought a little smile Ichigo's face. Aside from the fact that he had gotten into a fight, gotten bitten, gotten lost, and then nearly bitten a second time… it had been a good date.

Ichigo felt his face flush as he remembered how she had expected a goodnight kiss from him. He clasped a hand over his face, the heat in his cheeks rising as he recalled how she had leaned in towards him. Now make no mistake, he had not been embarrassed that she had wanted a kiss. No, he had been embarrassed because he had reflexively pushed her away for fear of her biting him. She had given him a questioning, hurt look as she mouthed the words, 'why' to him.

"Sorry… I thought you were going to bite me…" Had been his lame excuse, which somehow had been acceptable to Moka much to his relief.

She still wanted the kiss though.

"So are you doing to make up for it?" She had asked, a twinkle in her eye as Ichigo gulped.

"W-Well…" He had stammered, not really knowing what to do, but he didn't have to. With a blush painted on her face, Moka had leaned in and stolen a kiss from him. Of course, she had been nervous as well and so her aim had been off, instead only kissing Ichigo on the corner of his lips.

Ichigo blinked as a finger rose up to touch the spot. It had been… strange to be kissed. Kurumu had kissed him a few times, as he recalled, but they had all been on the cheek. This one had almost reached his lips. He felt a strange, tantalizing sensation tingle where Moka's soft lips had been before he shook his head. He took in a lungful of air before releasing it as a long sigh, his head leaning deeply into his pillow. He continued staring blindly at the ceiling, thinking about nothing as he felt sleep pull at the corners of his mind.

He opened bleary eyes as he looked around. He quickly jolted up as dragged his eyes across the room, searching for any telltale sign of the time. His eyes finally stopped at the clock next to his bed as he sighed at not looking there in the first place. It was close to midnight, and he hadn't eaten anything yet. Even worse… he hadn't actually thought of anything to do with Kurumu tomorrow…

Crap…

He sighed again as he threw himself off the bed haphazardly before going to the kitchen and turning the light on. He stifled a yawn as he searched through his cupboards, looking for anything edible. He grimaced in dismay when he realized that he would have to do his own cooking. Begrudgingly, he set out for the task at hand as he pulled on his apron, cookbook, and all the necessary ingredients. With a flick of the switch, the stove ignited and he got to work.

---

'I think I'm dying…' Ichigo groaned as he crawled to bed. That had not ended well. Something had been off with the food, which was weird since it had tasted alright. He chalked it up to some part of it not being thoroughly cooked.

Burp.

Ichigo quickly covered his mouth as he felt bile rise up in his mouth, threatening to spill. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the turmoil in his stomach to cease. The feeling abated slowly before disappearing after a few short minutes. For a moment he wondered if he should even take a shower before he decided he should. Gathering what strength he had left, he pulled himself to the shower, his feet dragging against the wood before he closed the door behind him.

He idly wondered why he was putting so much effort into this.

---

Ichigo groaned as he rolled off his bed, hitting his head against the floor before clutching it. The first thought of his waking mind was that he would never cook again. He'd rather ask Kurumu, Moka, or even Yukari to cook something for him instead. Hell, he would even go to Tsukune if need be.

He sighed as he straightened up into a sitting position, his eyes foggy as he blinked to clear his vision. He looked at his clock, noting it was 9 o'clock in the morning. Quietly getting up to his feet, he went to get a quick breakfast. Not knowing if he could actually stomach any food, he opted to drink some orange juice. At least the Vitamin C would help settle his stomach, or so he figured.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he looked at his closet. There really wasn't anything to wear. He growled as he found nothing before deciding to go for the first thing he saw. He grabbed a white undershirt before throwing on a casual, button-down checkered shirt that he really didn't like. It just wasn't his style.

Needless to say, after he brushed his teeth and washed his face, he'd be ready to go. He just hoped this date wasn't as fighting-oriented as the last one, granted it had been a very brief fight. Regardless, he didn't want to fight anyone today. He just wanted to relax.

---

Kurumu hummed a tune only she knew as she pulled the cookies out of the oven. Their steaming goodness filled the room with a sweet scent that made her giggle in delight. Ichigo was going to love this… and hopefully by the end of the date, her. She blushed at the thought of him wrapping his strong, masculine arms around her, pulling her close as he whispered those three words into her ear.

A tingle of delight ran its way down her spine as a tint of red touched her cheeks. She shook her head, letting her thoughts rest in the back of her mind as she turned her attention back to the cookies. She quickly waved a mitted hand, blowing away the steam and cooling them off. Tentatively she reached for one before letting it hop between her hands. Once it was cool enough, she took a quick bite and let the flavor seep into her taste buds. The flavor and texture were absolutely perfect! The sweet taste it held was only enhanced by its soft, yet crisp texture. The perfect cookie, if she had to call it something.

She hoped Ichigo liked them. She didn't really doubt he wouldn't, since he had liked her last batch. This time however, she had poured all of her love and affection for him into her cooking. There was no way he wouldn't be touched!

Again she fought off a blush as a wayward thought entered her mind, one being of Ichigo thanking her as he took her lips passionately, claiming them for himself. It was an ideal scenario, one which may or may not happen. But she had high hopes it would. Her mind trailed off, momentarily ignoring the cookies as she opted to feed her daydream a little while longer. She sighed blissfully before she became aware of a knock on her door. Snapping out of her thoughts, she quickly took off the mittens and dashed towards the door. She momentarily stopped behind the door, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear and making sure she was presentable before opening the door.

She opened to the door to find Yukari standing there, a sort of grimace on her face.

"What it is Yukari?" She asked politely, trying to hide the dismay in her voice that it had not been her Destined One.

"Moka's going to win!" Yukari said, surprising the bluenette.

"Huh?" She asked incredulously as Yukari repeated the same phrase.

"You're an okay friend Kurumu… but I really want Ichigo to be with Moka!" Her little friend replied. Kurumu's lips curled downwards in a frown as she looked at the young witch with a contemplative look.

"Well, that's not for me to decide," She stated truthfully, "Ichigo chooses whoever he wants."

Then a smug grin crossed her lips before adding, "Which I'm sure is going to be ME little miss flat-chest!"

Yukari gasped as a frustrated blush stained her cheeks. "W-We'll see! Moka has more grace and she'll surely win!"

Kurumu scoffed before spinning the little witch the other direction, "Whatever you say. Now if you'll excuse me, Ichigo will be here soon and I want to greet him with a happy face!"

She gave a victorious smile as Yukari huffed away in defeat. Besides, she was really doing Yukari a favor. There was no way Ichigo and Moka would let her have a threesome with them if they hooked up.

And that's a big if… a mighty big if. She knew she was going to win his heart. After all, he had already claimed hers.

Closing the door behind her, she went to get ready.

---

'Another picnic?' Ichigo arched his brow when he saw Kurumu walk out the door with a basket in hand.

"What's the matter?" Kurumu asked, noticing his inquisitive look.

He shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I tried a picnic with Mok—"

He was stopped as a slender finger pressed against his lips, silencing him. A bewildered look crossed his expression at her touch, turning the tips of his ears red.

"You don't tell a girl about your other dates Ichigo. That'll ruin the mood…" She trailed off with a pause when she realized that she was touching Ichigo's warm lips. A rippling sensation ran along her nerves before trailing down pleasurably along her spine as she suppressed a shudder.

"S-Sorry." He stuttered out, not really paying attention as he became entranced by the distant look in her eye. It was filled with… something. Whatever it was, it made his heart beat against his chest.

Kurumu finally snapped back into the real world as she took a step back. She had to take a breath to calm her nerves. She couldn't figure out why that had happened. She had been around Ichigo so many times before… why was she feeling so breathless now?

"Um… should we go?" Ichigo asked as he reached for the back of his neck and massaged it; a sign of his nervousness.

Getting over her nervousness, she finally relaxed as she gave him a smile which seemed to ease him as well. "Alright, let's get going. I have surprise that I just know you're going to like!"

---

They had trekked into the forest in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. While Kurumu was thinking about her plan, Ichigo was thinking on what to talk about. He wasn't exactly talkative, even less so when speaking with a beautiful girl like Kurumu.

The tips of his ears turned fiery as he heard himself refer to Kurumu as beautiful. She was indeed a beautiful girl, both inside and out.

'Awww... aren't we feeling awfully sappy?'His Hollow jeered at him from the depths of his mind. He could just picture that insidious smile on his face. But Instead of being goaded into frustration, he actually returned a smirk to his Hollow.

'You're just jealous you can't be with her.' He retorted, earning a malicious chuckle from his Hollow.

'I'll give you that kingy. If I was in your position, I'd already be fucking her brains out.' The Hollow grinned malevolently as he heard Ichigo sputter out choked words.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Kurumu looked up in concern when she heard Ichigo suddenly cough violently.

"I-I'm alright." He replied in a placating manner, trying to assure her that nothing was wrong. She still held that worried look, but it subsided after a while as she opted to focus on the date which brought a smile to her face.

They finally arrived to their destination… and much to Ichigo's dismay it was still within the forest. Only difference was that there was a clearing where he imagined it would've been a nice spot if there had been any sun... grass… animals… really anything that wasn't dead.

"Hey Ichigo," Kurumu called out to him, earning his attention, "you know that us Succubi have the ability of illusions right?"

That question set him ill at ease for some reason, but he nodded for the moment.

"Good! Then close your eyes." She smiled sweetly at him as she clasped her hands in front of her, unintentionally pushing up her assets.

"U-Uh… sure… I guess." Ichigo stated unsurely as he felt the tips of his ears turn red at the unintentional sight. Damn…

"Oh, and don't peek! Otherwise it will ruin the surprise!"

"I got it, I got it." He waved offhandedly, his eyes shut tight. He still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

So he stayed there for about a minute. He crossed his arms patiently as he waited for whatever she was doing to finish. Suddenly, he felt a sudden warmth cover his entire body that seemed so very familiar, and… what was that smell? It reminded him of the grass he used to sit on back in Karakura town near the river. Still, he didn't open his eyes even though curiosity was starting to get the better of him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!" Kurumu's excited tone reached his ears as he prepared for whatever surprise she had.

Slowly his eyes opened as a blinding light greeted his eyes. He blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the unusual light. After everything finally cleared up, his jaw slackened.

"What do you think?" Kurumu asked gently as she scooted next to him, noticing his bewildered expression. She took the look on his face as a sign that he was very pleased since.

Of course, he had not heard her question. He was too engrossed in the scene before him. He was looking at the sun. He could feel the rays shine down on him, bathing him in a warm glow that he knew very well from his few lazy summer days. Directly in front of him was a wide expanse of tall, green grass that swayed in the cool wind.

Wind?

Now that he thought about it, yes, he could clearly feel a cool brisk wind which contrasted nicely with the warm sun. Finally, he heard a faint murmur, a slight whisper that could only be caused by one thing.

Even more green met his eyes as he looked over his shoulder and noticed that all the trees in the once desolate forest now held leaves which rustled quietly in the soothing wind, making a cacophony of music along with wind-swept grass.

The warm feelings Kurumu was feeling couldn't even explain how happy she was. She was absolutely thrilled that Ichigo seemed to be so absorbed with her creation. Heck, he wasn't even blinking! She was glad that she had paid attention to him always complaining about there not being a blue sky or sun. Because of this she had practiced in mastering her ability over illusions. Eventually she had grown skilled enough to cover a wide expanse… but even then there was a limit. She could already feel her energy being drained from her. She wasn't complaining though, the pleasant look on Ichigo's face and the warm feelings it brought to her heart were more than enough to keep her going.

"This is amazing." Ichigo whispered as he began walking forward, towards the grass. He walked down the small slope before feeling the tall grass brush against his jeans. Reaching down, he plucked a solitary blade and rubbed it between his fingers. It felt real. Dropping it, he did something Kurumu hadn't been expecting him to do.

He dropped backwards onto the grassy slope, an actual smile on his lips which made her heart melt. A giggle escaped her lips when she saw Ichigo seemingly try to make a snow angel in the grass. In reality he had been trying to get the memory stuck in his mind. If he was going to be in this dreary school for another few years, he wanted to be able to remember and enjoy this as much as possible. He paused from his behavior to simply soak up the sun's rays. It was so warm, like a blanket covering him. It didn't get too hot either because the wind continuously brushed over him. It was an ideal temperature. Before he knew it, the exhaustion from last night had hit him full force as he was lulled into a peaceful sleep.

Curious as to why he had suddenly gone still, she walked down the slope to get a better look at him. She placed the basket off to the right as she lay down next to Ichigo. Turning her head, she noticed with a bit of surprise that he had fallen asleep. She huffed a bit, thinking that her cookies would go to waste. Any negative feelings she had of wasted cookies were soon erased by the sight of Ichigo's non-scowling face. A small blush crept onto her cheeks as she noticed how adorable he looked like that, especially with his mouth slightly open. It wasn't the face of a strong, powerful man, yet it had its own appeal. Curiosity got the better of her as she reached a hand out and traced a finger along his jaw, surprised when her body shuddered pleasantly.

She retracted her hand as she started feeling a bit lightheaded. Damn, she was already losing her grip on the illusion. It couldn't be helped since she was covering such a large area. She figured she could only hold the illusion for five more minutes at most. She hated the idea of Ichigo not waking up with the illusion still in place. She should've practiced harder.

Now was not the time to ponder over trivialities though. Instead, she decided to snuggle up to the man of her heart, wondering if she should wrap an arm around him. Throwing caution to the wind, she did so and felt immensely glad she had. Her heart fluttered as she inhaled his rich, masculine scent which sent an array of sensations through her. Cuddling herself closer to him, she could feel his body radiating heat like a furnace. It covered her in a warmth that made her feel secure and protected. She smiled softly as she rested her head on his wide chest, hearing the steady thump of his heart.

She wanted to stay like this… forever. Soon, sleep tugged her in as well. With her falling asleep the illusion lost its hold as it melted away, revealing the dull, dismal gray of reality.

It also revealed the imminent danger as a man stood behind a tree, looking at the couple slumbering peacefully in each other's arms. Quietly walking over to them, he looked at their facial features, noting the peaceful expressions on them. He grinned, knowing their peace was going to be destroyed.

Pulling out a needle, the man injected it into Kurumu's neck as she winced slightly, but continued sleeping. The figure kicked Kurumu in the head, making sure the concoction had worked, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it did when Kurumu did not wake up. Moving with agility, he quickly and quietly plucked Kurumu off Ichigo and threw over his shoulders.

He grinned as he walked back to his base. He knew that Ichigo boy was in for a rude awakening. That should teach him for looking down on the Outcast Ayashi.

---

Ichigo suddenly felt cold.

Really cold.

His eyes opened, automatically shielding them with his hand as he prepared for the bright sun. There was no sun though as Ichigo sat up, pressing his elbows against the slope. He looked around only to find the same dreary scene that he had come to associate with the school. One thing was missing however, and as he looked around, he noticed that Kurumu wasn't with him.

"Kurumu?" He called out, a bad feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Your lover isn't here Kurosaki Ichigo. Don't worry, she's being taken care of by our guys."

Ichigo whipped his head around to see a man standing there, an indifferent look plastered on his face. "Who are you?" Ichigo demanded as he quickly got up.

"Kusabi Midou." He stated plainly before turning around, "Follow me Kurosaki Ichigo."

He then looked over his shoulder at Ichigo before saying with barely concealed threat, "If you want to see your girlfriend that is."

Ichigo growled, his heart racing with fury at the thought of Kurumu being hurt. He couldn't do anything now though, and with a resentful silence, he followed Midou to wherever they were going.

---

Ichigo was lead to an abandoned building in a remote area, far away from the main campus. It looked like an old school building that had stopped being used for some time.

Ichigo looked around, seeing the various faces of the Outcast Ayashi. They all grinned at him, as if they knew something he didn't. He sent them a scowl which made a few of them turn away, though, he wasn't really worried about them. His eyes were too busy searching for a particular person, hoping she would be okay.

"Let go! Once Ichigo gets here he'll kick your ass!" Ichigo immediately whipped his head around, relief flooding into him as he found out that Kurumu was alive and literally kicking.

"Dammit! You bitch! Quit kicking me!" The person holding her captive yelled as he tried avoiding her kicks in vain. He yelped when her heel connected solidly with his shin.

Kurumu simply ignored the man's complaints and continued kicking him until she heard a familiar voice.

"Kurumu!" Ichigo called out as Kurumu raised her eyes to meet his. She smiled as she felt a slight blush heat her face when she took in the look of concern on Ichigo's face. He was concerned… for her. This made all sorts of feelings bubble within her, despite the situation.

Ichigo took a step forward, intent on freeing her before he was knocked back by a blow from Midou. It hadn't been much to Ichigo, but whoever this Midou person was definitely was stronger than Saizou.

"Sorry, but I can't give her back to you easily Kurosaki Ichigo. You're going to pay for demeaning us. Fight me if you want her back." He said before he released a powerful aura that swept over the area. Ichigo mentally cursed. He hadn't brought Zangetsu because he had thought he wouldn't get into a fight today. He should've known better.

The aura Midou was releasing was powerful, but even so he felt like it wasn't something he couldn't handle. Kurumu seemed to agree with his thoughts as she yelled at Midou, "Is that all? Ichigo could beat you with his pinky!"

Said person turned around, a sudden wild look burning in his eyes. "Are you looking down on us?" Midou spoke with a threat, which Kurumu seemed to be ignorant of.

"Of course I am! You took me for hostage just to have an advantage over Ichigo! What kind of being does that? It's not really fair if you ask me." She taunted before she felt Midou's aura increase in power as he partially released his transformation. His arm was now muscled with sickly looking claws at the end. His fist seemed to be encased in an armor that looked like it could deal a great amount of blunt damage. The person holding her captive had suddenly let go of her, running away as fast as he could. Kurumu didn't know why until it hit her…

Literally. Kurumu raised her arms to block the incoming blow.

'Shit!' Ichigo cursed when he saw Midou run at Kurumu. Just as he was about to leap in between them, he was firmly held by four Ayashi that managed to sneak behind him. Their monstrous forms had barely managed to hold him down, but it had been enough for Midou to follow through with his action.

When Midou's fist connected, a cold fear swept through Ichigo. It was a fear that was totally and wholly consuming, shaking him to the very core as his legs trembled where he stood. Smoke kicked up, blocking his view, but Ichigo clearly saw the wall behind Kurumu become reduced to rubble.

Then he felt it. That voice that was always demanding to be let free. The jeering sound of his Hollow's voice. It reasoned with him, telling that this guy needed to be taught a lesson

He messed with our Queen.

Its words were laced with venom, and Ichigo could hear cold anger evident in its voice. Or did that cold anger belong to him?

He needs to be taken care of.

A darkness began creeping up inside of him, boiling away his sanity as revenge began consuming him.

Let me out, and I'll make him pay.

Ichigo fought back, despite the anger clawing at him. His Hollow would slaughter everyone. He couldn't let that happen…

Then he saw it, that smug grin that Midou was sending him. Yet still he fought. He fought to keep a grip on his sanity as his dark reiatsu began flaring out.

Look behind him. Look at our Queen.

Not of his own will, his eyes looked up, past the looming form of Midou who stepped closer towards him. All the feelings the filled him soon disappeared as his sole focus was on the girl that lay unmoving, bruised and bleeding, on hard concrete floor, her body twisted at an unnatural angle. All noise was blocked out except for a lone, solitary whisper within his mind.

Let me out…

…Alright.