chapter title: the dawn of a new day
summary: —they both wake up and they realize that nothing will ever be the same again.
note: wow. i am late. feel free to throw insults and slap me around. writers block and real life though, am i right? /hysterical laughter... /gross sobbing
note2: where were we? oh yes.
There had been so much pain, so much screaming, so much agony, so much crying, so much blood, so much rotting flesh, and so much death in the air that day. Things had been irrevocably changed. The day the world started to burn. That day, that goddamned day, had ripped everyone's world apart. It had ripped his world apart—it had torn it into unrecognizable pieces.
.
"RUN!"
.
"ICHIGO, RUN!"
A scream, pierced the air, like a banshee. Had it been mother's or child's? Or had it been neither?
.
"MOTHER!"
And the child ran, because he was an obedient child, because he was afraid. There wasn't a person in the world that hadn't been afraid. He was ten when his mother died. He was ten when he killed her.
.
.
He wakes up, shouting in panic. His breathing is heavy. He is gasping for air. He holds a hand to his chest, trying to calm the erratic pace of his heartbeat.
"Ugh, what was I dreaming about?" he groans, burying his face into his hands.
He tries desperately to remember. It hadn't felt like a dream...it had felt like a memory.
He spares a glance to the digital clock resting on his nightstand. He swears when he see the time, 3:00 AM. He throws his bed covers off deciding that he won't be getting much sleep. Besides, he has to get up in two hours anyway. He shuffles around in his drawers; selecting a black turtleneck, jeans, a pair of brightly colored socks, and briefs. He heads to the bathroom to take a shower.
He flicks the lights on, setting his clothes down besides the sink.
He goes to the shower, turning the knob for hot water, and growls when no water comes out of the shower head —why did it have to do this every damn time? He thought the old man had fixed it. He fiddles with the knob, wiggling it every which way until the shower head finally lets out spurts of water.
He undresses, folding his sleep clothes neatly and setting them besides his day clothes. He stretches out a hand to feel the temperature of the water. When it is warm enough, he takes his last remaining piece of clothing off and throws it into the dirty laundry basket.
Ichigo steps inside the shower. He closes his eyes, letting the warm water hit his body soothingly. This is the time of day he likes the most. It doesn't require thinking or analyzing, and it definitely doesn't require any action. It's just him taking a shower. He can forget for awhile what is waiting for him outside. It is fifteen minutes of nothing. But, like all good things, it is only momentary.
He shampoos. He scrubs. He washes and cleans himself. He steps out. He dries himself. He changes into his clothes. And he steps out of the bathroom.
It's time to start the day.
She wakes up. She feels tired...lethargic. She opens her eyes blearily and sees the same sight as last time. This time though, she doesn't freak out. She is too tired to freak out. At least she's alive. She almost feels relieved. Except, she remembers exactly what kind of world she's woken up to.
She tries to lift her arm but she can't. She is left to wonder what type of drug that doctor, that Ryūken, administered. She lets out a shuddering sigh. She tries sitting up but finds that she can't.
What...? Her eyes widen.
She looks down at her body. She's tied down. They tied her down to the bed. Her breathing quickens as she continues to struggle against the restraints.
The heart monitor begins to beep louder. Quicker. Frenzied.
Her altered vitals will alert the nurses. They'll drug her again. She has to get out before that. She can already hear the footsteps making their way to her room. She continues to struggle. She has to get out. Why can't she get out?
The footsteps are approaching faster. The door to the room is slid open in a hurry. Someone is at her side.
"H-hey, calm down!" And that's when she recognizes the voice. Kurosaki.
He tries to hold her shoulder to stop her from struggling, "Don't. Touch. Me." Her words seems to do what she wants. He steps back from her.
"I'll go get Ryūken," his voice indifferent. And then he's gone.
She tries to calm down because she doesn't want to be drugged again. This is her second outburst, like a temperamental child, and he must be getting tired of her. She tries to slow her breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Inhale, exhale, just calm down. I need to calm down.
She quits struggling when Kurosaki and another man, one who looks like a younger Ryūken, come into her room. Kurosaki looks annoyed.
"I asked for Ryūken not you."
"My father left. Some of us need rest, we aren't monsters like you, Kurosaki." The man adjusts his glasses.
"Shut your goddamn mouth, Ishida." Kurosaki growls.
Orihime feels the need to intervene. She can see the way both their shoulders are tense, prepared to fight. She doesn't think she can handle any more bloodshed.
"Um..."
"If you're just going to be causing problems for me then I suggest you leave, Kurosaki."
She is being completely ignored.
"You're my problem. So, why don't we just take this outside?"
"I have no desire to go anywhere with you."
She tries again, "Excuse me?"
"Ha! You scared, prissy bastard? Heh, never mind, you always have been a little p—Ugh!"
Orihime gasps and shuts her eyes when she sees Ishida strike out at Kurosaki. She opens her eyes hesitantly and feels relieved that Kurosaki caught the other man's fist.
The man, Ishida, is quick to pull his hand back. "You never did learn when to shut your trap Kurosaki!"
They both look very angry now. Orihime just wants to get out of her restrains not witness a bloodbath.
"I said: Excuse me!"
"SHUT UP!" Kurosaki and Ishida both shout at her; perfect synchronization.
She opens her mouth in shock. She feels a little annoyed. It is them that should be quiet, not her. She just wants to get these restrains off of her. At least, they both realize their mistake at having told her to shut up. They both look embarrassed.
Ishida pushes his glasses up from the bridge of his nose, "Don't copy me, Kurosaki."
"Whaaat?!"
Ishida ignores Kurosaki to introduces himself to her, "Inoue-san, my name is Ishida Uryū."
"Nice to meet you...but can I be untied?"
"I'm sorry but my father gave direct orders to—"
Kurosaki interrupts him, "Shut up. Of course you can, Inoue. Give me the key Ishida."
He holds his hand out but Ishida does not give him the key to her restrains. She watches Kurosaki's eye twitch before he takes Ishida by the collar and outside her room. She sighs. They come back after a few minutes. Ishida looks annoyed, a little disheveled, but otherwise alright. Kurosaki is holding a key and wearing a smirk. She can't help but smile.
She squirms as he unlocks and unties her restrains. She can't wait to get out, out, out! She pushes herself up when they are all off. She throws her legs over the side of the bed and wriggles her toes. She gasps when pain shoots through her left lower leg. It's bandaged. She does not pull away when Ishida kneels, takes her leg and starts examine it.
"You came in with a minor concussion and a gash in your leg, which is more superficial than anything. But judging by the swelling you must have torn some of the muscle fibers in your calf. You need to rest this leg. I'll show you how to tape it, that it'll reduce the pain and prevent it from further injury. Gently massaging might help as well...and once the pain has gone away you can begin using it progressively." He releases her leg and stands.
"How long will it take until it's fully healed?"
"At the least, five to eight week, maybe more. It all depends on how your body heals."
"I can't stay here for that long!"
She ignores the strange look from both men.
Kurosaki snorts derisively , "Where did you plan on going? You have someone waiting for you out there?"
She doesn't like his tone. What does he know anyway?
"It's none of your concern," she says, her face forming into a small frown.
His face goes from mocking to indifferent. Orihime doesn't like the way his eyes flash at her. He has no right to be angry with her. They are strangers, not friends or anything close like that.
"I think it is my concern since I risked my life to save your ass."
Ah, so he's the one she saw before falling unconscious. That doesn't mean he has the right to chose what she does though.
"I'm grateful for that but it doesn't mean you have a say in what I do."
"I wasn't saying I did but only a suicidal idiot would go out there on their own. I didn't save you just so you could get yourself killed or turned!"
"I'm not a suicidal idiot! You don't know anything about me to decide whether I'll get myself killed or turned! And why do you even care? We don't know each other enough for you to care!"
Her breathing is heavy. She's never gotten this angry. She rarely gets angry. She doesn't like being underestimated, doesn't like being doubted. She's survived this long without his or anyone else's help for that matter! He is nobody to underestimate her, to think that she'll get killed or turned. She isn't that weak. His help isn't required. She wants to make that clear. She is nobody to him.
But he saved you, a voice in the back of her head says, He saved you and he didn't have to. He saved you.
That doesn't mean he cares. Why would he care about someone like her? She's nobody to him. She is nobody. He has no reason to care. He doesn't care. He must want something in return. Everyone wants something in return. He doesn't care. He definitely doesn't care about her. He can't...can he?
She looks up at him, meets his gaze, and is startled. He is furious. She can see it in his eyes and she can practically feel it in the air.
If he doesn't care then why is he so angry? The little voice says.
Stop it. Stops it. Stop it. Stop it!
She bites the inside of her cheek. She is going to regret this.
"I'm sorry..." she whispers, wrapping her arms around herself protectively, "I'm being unreasonable."
Kurosaki seems to deflate at her words. His anger slowly sizzling away. The room doesn't feel as suffocating.
"I'll...I'll stay but only until my leg is healed and then..." And then she'll see. She'll see if he actually cares or if he wants something in return. Besides, he's right about her not having anyone on the outside. And she doubts she can get very far with her leg.
He clears his throat making her attention go back to him.
"Alright. Well get dressed—"
"I don't have any clothes."
"Uh...I'll go get you some."
She tilts her head at the slight blush on his face before saying, "Thank you."
"Anyway, let's go Ishida! I'm sure there's paperwork for me to sign."
"Of course there's paperwork. I can't just hand her over to you."
"Wait, what?" she says, looking from one man to the other, "Hand me over?!"
Kurosaki throws her a guilty look, scratching the back of his head, "Yeah. As of today you're remanded into my custody."
She crawls back into bed and goes underneath her covers. Ignoring Kurosaki's words of, come on it isn't that bad! it's not like there's a huge selection of people that can take you in. and besides, nobody else would take you. you bit me and attacked the nurses!
She pulls the covers tighter around herself. She has the worst luck.
What a great way to start the day, she thinks glumly.
endnote: i...have nothing to say besides I LOVE YOU THANK YOU FOR READING AND I'M REALLY SORRY /sobbing
review, maybe? no? okay.
unedited: 02182013