Chapter Text
Ichigo clenches her watering eyes shut and coughs up a storm when she makes another pepper-ball explode right in her face for the literal 80th time. Or close to the 80th time. Goddamn it, she's still using way too much strength behind her batting.
Her bandaged wrist twinges in agony while she uses it to wipe away her pepper-induced tears. Ichigo rapidly blinks while staring up at the sky before she hits another pepper-ball without even looking at it. Thankfully, it's actually hit with enough force to not make it explode directly in her face.
"Good Ichi! Good Ichi!" Tatsuki cheers from Ichigo's hair, her mouth peeking out to watch her train.
Ichigo hums with a wincing grimace before swinging her bat back when another pepper-ball is shot towards her. She hits it dead center, like all of the others.
"...just hitting pepper-balls over 'n' over..." Ichigo murmurs, glancing over at the Shinigami somewhat forcing her to do this. She deadpans when she spots the manga in Rukia's hands and her mouth quietly following along with whatever trashy shit she was reading.
Ichigo hits another pepper-ball as she sighs. The Shinigami wants her to train, and yet she isn't even paying attention. She's even doing a lot better than either of them expected... if Rukia would pay attention. She actually slept some hours two days ago and she ate almost two days earlier than that.
"I don't even know how this is going to help me..." Ichigo continues to hit the pepper-balls until she's completely finished. She rests the bat on her shoulder while rolling her wrist, ignoring the pain she's causing herself.
"Hey," Ichigo calls out for the Shinigami, only to go unheard. Her eyebrows furrow before she stumbles over.
Ichigo twirls the bat over her hand before suddenly swinging up, batting the manga out of Rukia's hands. Her mouth slightly twitches at Rukia's squeal and jump.
"Ichigo! What the hell are you doing?!" Rukia places a hand over her heart before she glares heatedly up at the ginger. "I was reading that and–and why aren't you practicing?!"
Ichigo huffs with an eye roll and uses her bat to point towards the pitching machine. "Already finished. Hit 100 pepper-balls, right?"
"Hit 100 pepper–no, you foolish girl!" Rukia stands up on top of the bench she was sitting on.
Ichigo's mouth twitches in amusement at the obvious attempt to be taller, even though not many can try and be taller than her. She's almost 5'9" and if her little sister's superstitions about Ichigo's hiccuping the past year is to be believed, she still has at least one more growth spurt in her.
"Fifty of them were pepper-balls. The 'hands'! The ones you were meant to dodge! The other half were the ones you were meant to hit. The 'heads'! How could you not tell?!" Rukia continues as she holds up two of the balls. "I drew pictures on each one! Look!"
Ichigo raises an eyebrow at the passionately drawn scribbles on the balls. "I'm glad you like drawing, but how can you tell the difference?"
Rukia scowls before throwing the pepper-ball directly at Ichigo's forehead. Ichigo coughs loudly and rapidly waves away the pepper surrounding her head like a cloud.
"My drawing skills are amazing! You're simply blind to it!"
Tatsuki gasps in a sound similar to shattering glass and pounces forward. "DON'T ATTACK ICHI WITH PEPPER!"
Rukia screeches in surprised terror, instinctively backing up. Her calves ram into the table and she falls backwards, toppling over the other side. Tatsuki follows her in her liquid-like form with a war screech of her own and surrounds Rukia.
Ichigo huffs out a laugh at the sight and smiles. The cracks in her lips tear and start to bleed from the sudden stretching of skin, but she doesn't notice.
"I-Ichigo! Help! Get–" Rukia holds up a hand into the air before she's pulled back down and choked by Tatsuki "–sorry! Sorry! Get her–"
It's only been almost a week, and while Ichigo still doesn't... trust... the Shinigami, it's definitely been... interesting. Entertaining.
Everyone, Rukia included, is still walking on eggshells around each other with everything, but Tatsuki seems to have let go of her grudge against Rukia for helping Ichigo stab herself with a sword, and Chizuru has only thrown three chairs at her and has only tried to pounce on her four times. And, only one of those times was through a window.
Rukia's somewhat accepted Tatsuki's acceptance too. Ichigo doesn't really know what she thinks of Tatsuki and her... monstrous status, but she doesn't really want to know. She might not be speaking her mind, because Ichigo's helping her... and maybe that's a good thing.
Ichigo terrified of what Soul Society could do to her best friend. If she's truly the only monstrosity of her kind, what would that mean for her? For Ichigo? She doesn't want them to try and kill Tatsuki. If they do that... and she does that again–
"Tats, that's enough. You'll make her pass out," Ichigo calls out quietly, pushing her spiralling thoughts out of her head for the moment.
Tatsuki whines before slinking off of the Shinigami and zooming beneath the picnic table. She slides up Ichigo's covered leg and into her shorts before suddenly popping up on her shoulder.
Rukia gasps for air, laying half of her body over the bench. She glares up at Ichigo before she stumbles up onto her feet, patting at her dress to get rid of the dirt.
Tatsuki laughs in a horrifying mockery of the sound, making Rukia glare at her next. She widely doesn't say anything of the somewhat obvious prank the anomaly pulled on her.
"Next time, tell me what I'm actually meant to do... I don't really understand this training, but I appreciate you going through with it for me," Ichigo says truthfully, moving her gaze to stare at Rukia's ear rather than her actual face.
"It's so you can gain experience dodging needless targets." Rukia crosses her arms with a cold expression. "Shinigami are taught to always attack from behind. You only need to break their masks to defeat a Hollow."
Ichigo frowns at the description of how she's meant to fight before glancing back at the pitching machine. "That's not–"
"ICHIHIMEEEEEE~!" Ichigo blinks at the extremely loud scream before a bright red and pink blur attacks her from above. Ichigo only trips over her feet as she stumbles back, instinctively wrapping an arm around the person that attacked her with a hug.
"Chizuru, we've talked about these hugs of yours," Ichigo states blandly, not really upset by Chizuru's somewhat violent hug attack. If she wasn't so used to them, she'd still be getting bloody noses from the teenager slamming her own head against Ichigo's face.
Chizuru practically hangs off of Ichigo's neck, kicking her feet back and forth behind her in her excitement. "But, Ichihime~! I haven't seen you since Friday! I've missed my beautiful and unstable ginger mess!"
"Ch-Chizuru-chan! Don't do that!" Orihime rushes down from the main street with wide eyes. "You might hurt yourself when Kurosaki-san falls!"
"Oh, Hime~!" Ichigo twitches at the sultry whine in Chizuru's voice, but doesn't say anything; that's a violent and bloody argument she isn't even touching right now. "You know Ichihime's never fallen before! Despite her lack of eating, she's really strong! She'd be able to carry both of us on her shoulders! Oh~♡! That would be fantastic... Ichi–"
"Don't even try to pull me into your gross perversions," Ichigo growls with a small glare. Chizuru pouts before leaning closer, looking up through her eyelashes.
"But, I-chi-hi-me~"
Ichigo stares back at her before rolling her eyes. "Tats."
"W-wait! I was just–eeeek!" Tatsuki slams into Chizuru and forces her onto the ground.
Chizuru starts to cackle uncontrollably when Tatsuki starts to tickle her. "W-wait! S-sto–plea–ha-h-haHaHAHAHAA!"
"What are you and Chizuru doing here, Inoue-san?" Ichigo focuses on the other orange haired teenager. Orihime flinches and holds her hands close to her chest. Ichigo immediately focuses on the flash of white on one of her biceps. Bandages.
"You're hurt," Ichigo points out while stepping forward. Orihime pulls her injured arm closer to herself as she steps back. Ichigo stops walking and clenches her hands hidden inside her sweater.
"O-oh, this? It's nothing you need to worry about!" Orihime laughs nervously with a rapid wave of her hand. Ichigo's expression fades to blank exhaustion when Orihime winces and instinctively grabs her injured arm.
"Chizuru, what happened to Inoue-san?" Ichigo asks, knowing the bubbly teenager won't answer her.
Tatsuki whines, but stops punishing Chizuru so she could answer. Chizuru gags with an arm wrapped around her own stomach. She wheezes for air while holding up one finger.
"Your leg... that looks like it hurts..." Rukia trails off, bringing Ichigo's attention to the second injury Orihime has. Ichigo's fingers twitch as a coldness washes over her. The world grows fuzzy for a moment while she stares at the incredibly dark bruise.
That's not good... that's not meant to be there... what is it? What is it?
Orihime laughs sheepishly and scratches the back of her head. "Yeah! It does! Worse than my arm, too! I didn't realize the car hit my leg as well..."
"Car?!" Ichigo snaps back into reality before clearing her throat to ease the sharp pains from her sudden shout. "Inoue-san, what the hell are you doing walking around? You got hit by a car?"
"O-oh, well–"
"They drove off without even bothering to check on her! Hime didn't even bother to go to the police!" Chizuru shouts indignantly, standing back up now that the tickle attack was over.
"Orihime! Hurt?! Where are they? Which way did they go?!" Tatsuki growls as she slinks up Chizuru's body to rest around her neck.
Orihime whimpers and takes another step back at Tatsuki's sudden appearance before she rapidly shakes her head. Ichigo sighs quietly and pinches the bridge of her nose with her nails.
"Tatsuki, no. As long as Inoue-san is fine, you will do nothing... Did you at least go to the doctor?" Ichigo asks gently while Tatsuki leaps off of Chizuru to attach to her neck.
"Hm? Kuchiki-san, why do you look so serious?" Orihime ignores Ichigo's well-meaning question to bend down where Rukia was crouched, inspecting her leg injury.
Rukia jumps slightly before smiling. "O-oh, it's nothing! You're right, though! The bruise must hurt a lot worse than your arm."
Ichigo glances back at the injury one more time. It's not a bruise. What is it?
She has no idea what it is, but her mind is screaming at her. She has to do something–protectfightkill–but she doesn't know what... What is that injury?
"Just... be careful okay? You and Chizuru are going somewhere, right?" Ichigo says, only to be ignored by Orihime, again.
Chizuru gasps dramatically and grabs Orihime's–thankfully uninjured–arm. "Hime~! Your show! We're gonna be late!"
"Oh! Ah–it's good seeing you Kuchiki-san! T-Tatsuki-chan! We'll see you later!" Orihime calls over her shoulder as she grabs Chizuru's wrist and starts to run back towards the main street.
"Wait! Wait! Ichi–" Ichigo is already nodding her head to allow Tatsuki to go with the two girls "–coming with! I'm coming with, Orihime!"
Orihime almost trips over the steps in her fear, but no one mentions it. She turns around and stares at the monstrosity in complete terror and longing.
Chizuru smiles brightly and nods her head. "Come on then, Tatsuki! We're gonna miss it!"
"W-wait, Chizuru-chan–" Orihime cuts herself off when Tatsuki shoots over to them. Chizuru lowers her free hand and lets her anomalous friend use it as a stepping stone to her shoulders.
"Bye, Ichihime, Rukia-chan! Don't be out too late~!"
Ichigo shakes her head at the flirtatious remark with a slight twitch of her mouth. "That fucking idiot."
Ichigo turns towards the Shinigami and blinks at how grim she looked. She frowns and glances back at where Orihime, Chizuru, and Tatsuki went.
That mark... It–it almost looked like a mark for prey... like what demons can do.
"What is it? Is that mark really that bad?" Ichigo asks without any thought, snapping Rukia out of her stupor.
"What? Oh. No, it's noth–" Rukia blinks before she looks up at the tall teenager. Ichigo starts picking at the skin around her fingernails as she stares back.
"What?"
"...you called it a mark. Do you... know what that is?" Rukia asks, making Ichigo blink.
"I didn't say anything." Ichigo frowns and tilts her head. "So, it's bad then? The injury on Inoue-san's leg?"
"Yes... but we can deal with it later. It's getting late and I have things to do," Rukia states vaguely before she starts to walk away.
Ichigo scowls with a huff. "I've agreed to help you, because I owe you. Don't go pushing things off expecting I'll accept it. What is that mark and why does Inoue-san have it?"
Rukia turns around as the wind blows past. Her eyes were dark and she glared at Ichigo. She sighs heavily after a few moments of staring at Ichigo. Was she trying to find something?
"When I explained the basic knowledge of Hollows... I left out some information," Rukia relents before she walks back towards Ichigo.
Ichigo scowls even deeper, but doesn't speak. They didn't have a lot of time to go into any deeper detail, and neither of them expected to almost die that night.
"The reason why Shinigami defeat Hollows by attacking from behind... is because we are not allowed to see the face without their masks on. Because, Hollows... they were once normal souls," The Shinigami continues solemnly, but with a morbid casualness.
Ichigo's twitches as her eyes grow wide and a soft gasp leaves her mouth. Hollows were once... they were once normal plus souls?
•••
This is complete bullshit. She never should have agreed to help, even with a debt over her fucking head.
"Ichigo! Ichigo, come back here this instant!" Rukia chases after the irate teenager.
Ichigo sighs deeply through her nose as she pushes and shoves her way through the crowded streets. Most people were avoiding her path, but some weren't paying any fucking attention.
Hollows; they were once normal souls. Not only that, they were once human. This is all a load of–
"–fucking bullshit!" Ichigo hisses with a snarl, her hands terribly shaking. She trips over her feet and uses the momentum to easily turn the corner, falling forward to avoid being hit by someone's arm.
She swallows the burning in her throat and wraps her arms around her stomach. She breathes deeply, walking just a bit faster. She needs to stay calm. Everything–everything isn't really okay, but she can ignore it. It will be okay...
"Ichigo!" Rukia yells out before grabbing Ichigo's elbow.
Ichigo rips her arm out of Rukia's hold, twisting her ankle and stumbling back. "Don't fucking touch me!"
Quiet wheezes leave Ichigo's mouth, gripping her injured wrist much too tight. Rukia stares at her with wide eyes, her hand still outstretched. Ichigo swallows loudly and gazes down at the cracked street.
All of the city noise; the cars; the people, it all fades into nothingness. Ichigo breathes deeply, taking in the smell of gasoline, dirt and garbage. She tastes blood, death, and ice across her tongue as she slowly releases her breath.
"Tatsuki. She–" Ichigo viciously bites her raw lip and blood flows down her chin "–she died. She died a-and... became–became that..."
Ichigo curls into herself and tightens her grip around her wrist even more. Her eyes well up with painful tears at how agonizing her wrist throbbed.
Tatsuki died. Tatsuki died and did not become a ghost. Tatsuki died and became a monster.
Tatsuki is not a Hollow, but she became a monster in such an eerily similar way; it makes Ichigo violently ill at the thought. Is she making the Hollows she defeats into monsters? Is there a chance? Are they even being cleansed? Is she just simply damning them? Just like Mom? Just like Tatsuki?
Ichigo releases a stuttering breath and tilts her head up. "You–you have to tell me things like–like this... from... from now on... I don't–I don't want to... I..."
"I don't want to sentence someone to the same hell as Tats... please... please..." Ichigo can't find the willpower to voice her plea.
She stares right at the Shinigami, whom she owes, and begs. She begs the Shinigami for the reassurance that she isn't making anyone or anything else a monster. She begs for the Shinigami to not judge her monstrous best friend.
"I-Ichigo..." Rukia whispers, taking a step forward. She hesitates as she glances between dull, dead eyes. She breathes in and steps closer with squared shoulders.
"Foolish girl," Rukia continues with a grim smile. "For better and for worse, your monster is a complete and utter anomaly. One that I am determined to help you figure out."
Ichigo releases a broken laugh and places a hand over her eyes. That's not what she wants... no one can help her with Tatsuki. She caused Tatsuki's damning, so it's on her shoulders to help her. Will others be damned if they try and help? Is Rukia the next victim of her curse?
"...okay..." Ichigo whispers brokenly, still hiding her eyes in the dying daylight. She accepts the help the Shinigami, whom she owes, is offering.
She doesn't know what to do anymore. "....okay...."
•••
Chizuru repetitively taps two fingers against the mug Hime had given her. She doesn't shiver when Tatsuki slides across her exposed shoulders, but the still numbing cold sinks deep into her bones.
"So. What do you think of the Shinigami harlot?" Chizuru breaks the somewhat stifling silence. She doesn't even twitch when Hime flinches heavily at the sudden noise.
Hime stares at Chizuru with wide eyes before forcing a smile. "Kuchiki-chan is–is really nice! A-and really patient."
Chizuru sips her tea instead of agreeing, or disagreeing, with her lovely Hime. She'd rather kiss a man than admit, out loud, Rukia is somewhat growing on her... like some kind of parasite.
"She's helping Ichi, too!" Tatsuki exclaims brightly, making Hime flinch and snap her head down towards her own tea. Chizuru tightens her hold on her mug for only a moment before she goes back to tapping against the ceramic.
"Yeah... unfortunately, the harlot is helping," Chizuru reluctantly voices her agreement on Tatsuki's comment. How can she not?
Ichigo ate twice last week. Twice. She even slept for more than an hour. Straight. That's a fucking miracle.
"Kurosaki-chan just needs to motivate herself. She doesn't really need the help," Hime states softly, making Chizuru's face twitch.
The red-haired teenager sighs and gives her crush a small look. "Ichihime is incapable of taking care of herself, even when she isn't taking care of others. You know that, Hime."
Hime winces and turns her head to the left with a slight frown. Chizuru sighs again and finishes the rest of her tea.
"I will... admit," Chizuru sneers through her teeth, "the harlot is quite cute. For a bitchy midget. I might have given her a chance if she was ginger. Just like you~!"
"Chi..." Tatsuki rumbles in warning, making Chizuru pout while crossing her arms.
"You and Ichihime never let me have any fun with Hime!" Chizuru whines dramatically before resting her head on her crossed arms on top of the table.
Hime giggles, a bit forcibly, and smiles with a slight blush. "Maybe you should call for a duel? Ooh! Or a spaceship race with a sumo chef!"
Chizuru smiles back with a bright laugh. Hime's imagination is always so beautiful even if it sometimes... makes her believe the wrong things.
•••
Everything was... fuzzy. One foot stumbled in front of the other, stepping through the fuzziness and fading into nothing.
She could see blurs, but she could see nothing. It slipped through the cracks like fine sand. Nothing is all around her, and yet she could still feel.
But, there is nothing, and it makes Ichigo terrified. Why is she terrified of nothing?
Ichigo almost vaults over herself when something grabs her elbow. She slowly blinks, or she thinks she does; the blurs and the fuzziness are all the same either way.
Are
You
Okay?
There's a buzzing in her ears. It raises an octave, yet she hears nothing. It's all stilted. Delayed. Is it all in her head?
Ichigo?
The words sound like static, but nothing is heard. There is pressure still gripping her elbow, and yet she almost feels the pressure go through it. She's a cloud; or some kind of ghost, maybe?
But, she hasn't needed to fight any Hollows. So, what is she? Is she nothing as well?
Ichigo.
You
Need to–
Everything is fuzzy. Why is everything fuzzy? Even Rukia is fuzzy. She can't even see Rukia, or sense her–or maybe she can? She tastes snow and ice, frigid and merciless. Why can't she see Rukia if Rukia is here with her?
"–back? Ichigo. Ichigo, can you hear me?" There's a voice–the ice and snow are speaking. It feels nice, yet harsh on Ichigo's already freezing body. "Can–can you grab this? It's soft, is it not?"
Something is placed in Ichigo's limp hand. She blinks slowly at the blurry image of something... red...? In her hand? Her hand twitches when she suddenly feels the silky texture catch onto her peeling skin. Her fingers are slow, but they finally curl around the thing in her hand.
Warm. And soft. It still caught on her peeling skin.
Ichigo presses her thumbnail against one of her other fingers, over the fabric. She blinks and the ground is suddenly very, very green compared to the red fabric. Why is the ground green? Are they standing on grass?
"Can you tell me what you hear?" The question feels too loud and Ichigo almost feels her face twitch. Maybe it does. She still feels like a cloud; like nothing.
Ichigo makes some kind of noise from the back of her throat. Ah, did she not open her mouth? No, it's just taking too long.
Ichigo blinks slowly as she takes a deep breath. "You. Talk."
"That's good. Can you hear anything else? Can you list four more things you can hear?" Rukia sounds like she's whispering, but Ichigo still feels like wincing. Why is her head pounding?
She blinks again and focuses on trying to hear anything past the dying buzz in her ears. Rukia is still talking. A car passes by? Maybe? There's a cat somewhere. And there's faint laughter. Kids doing stupid things, maybe. And...
"Car. Cat." Ichigo licks her lips, twitching at the sudden taste of iron. "Laugh–laughter... cicadas."
"Good–you're doing great, Ichigo. Now, can you tell me four things you can feel?"
Feel? She can feel nothing–wait. The red fabric.
Ichigo presses her thumbnail even deeper and feels something akin to a shock bolt up from her finger. The red fabric and her thumbnail. And the pressure on her elbow...
"C-cloth... nail a-and elbow... and–and the... ground?" Ichigo shuffles her foot and flinches at the sudden weight against the bottom of her feet. The ground. The ground isn't like a cloud anymore; or is she not like a cloud anymore?
"Okay. Now, three things you can see," Rukia continues to speak quietly. The air felt sticky, but Ichigo was still shivering. The ground was hard and it was getting darker around them. The sun was setting.
"G-green–the grass..." Ichigo stares at her own shoes, breathing in shakily, "a-and my–my beat up shoes and–and red. Red fabric."
"You're doing great. Two things you can smell?"
Ichigo breathes again, starting to take in faster breaths. "Food–rice and–and is that fish?"
"Alright... now one thing you can taste." Ichigo finally looks up, eyes wide as she tries to make sense of everything around her. She blinks and stares into Rukia's violet eyes, shining brightly in immense concern.
Ichigo opens her mouth and breathes deeply. She tastes snow and ice, frigid and merciless.
"Sn-snow... Snow an' ice," Ichigo answers quietly. Rukia smiles up at her, making Ichigo breathe in sharply.
"You did great, Ichigo," She says softly, making Ichigo swallow the sudden lump in her throat.
Her eyebrows furrow before she looks back down at her trembling hand and the red fabric clenched inside of it. "Wh-what... What did I–what did I do? Why–"
"You brought yourself back."
"Back? What did–what do–" Ichigo clenches her eyes shut with a shake of her head "–don't know what–what you mean. I don't–I don't understand."
"You don't..." Rukia's unfinished sentence makes Ichigo open her eyes. She stares in disconnected confusion at Rukia's shocked and disbelieving expression.
Rukia swallows and her cold mask is slid back on. "You... dissociated from reality... in a way. Did you not feel... disconnected? Like everything around you was a dream?"
Ichigo opens and closes her mouth, trying to figure out what to say. There had been more than a few times she had similar sensations–or the lack thereof–and it had a name this entire time?
"...I..." Ichigo hisses and opens her clenched fist. She stares down at the red fabric, blinking when she spots a much darker spot bleeding through.
"Oh!" Rukia gasps and grabs Ichigo's hand with both of hers, only for the ginger to practically leap back at the touch.
"Don't–don't–don't touch... me... please..." Ichigo trails off quietly with her bleeding hand held close to her chest and her eyes staring, haunted, at the Shinigami. She tries to swallow back the searing burn in the back of her throat before turning her head.
"We–we look like–we look like idiots, s-standing–let's go," Ichigo stumbles over her words in her attempt to actually speak verbally.
She briskly walks towards the front door and opens it without another word. Her breathing comes out in silent pants as she stumbles in, barely giving it a thought to take off her shoes.
"Ichi-nē?! Is that you?" Yuzu shouts from the kitchen. The smell of fish and rice was absolutely nauseating. Ichigo swallows back a gag.
Ichigo opens her mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. She curls her toes and knocks loudly on the wooden floor thrice. She doesn't wait for a response before she's already racing up the stairs towards her room.
"I-Ichigo?!" Rukia calls out worriedly, but Ichigo ignores her.
It's too bright. It's too loud. It–it's all too much. There was a name for what she, more often than not, feels?
Did Chizuru know? Mizuiro? Why didn't they tell her? No, they didn't know... right? They would have told her... right? It-it–is Rukia just making things up?
Ichigo hits her forehead and forces the thoughts out of her head. Don't think like that! Don't do it! They–they're her friends! Stop it, stop it, stop it!
Ichigo trips into her bedroom door, easily opening it before her head slams against it. She falls to the floor and yelps when her injured wrist slams against the floor in an instinctual attempt to brace herself.
POP!
She whimpers loudly, gripping her wrist and curling onto her side. Ichigo curls up into a ball as small as she could get.
How did she not know about its name? How does Rukia know it? Is she stupid? Does everyone know what it is? She must be stupid. She's so stupid...
•••
There was pressure all around her. It crushed her bones and squished her lungs. It comforts something deep in her soul. She cannot go anywhere, but no one can get to her. She is safe.
Ice trails over her cheek before running through her hair, scratching across her scalp. A sigh leaves Ichigo's mouth as she leans into the hand. There is a soft hum and warmth pressed up against the back of her head. She is safe.
No words are spoken; no words need to be spoken. Because, Ichigo is safe.
Scorching down her gaunt cheeks, Ichigo cries silently at the feeling she hasn't felt in years.
"Hush now, Ichigo," A solemn voice speaks in a warm timbre. "Hush now, and rest. I will be here."
Her breath stutters and the tears continue to fall, even when ice-cold fingers brush them away. Lifeless eyes open and aimlessly stare up at the man letting her rest her head in his lap.
It was the man with dark hair and hidden eyes; where shadows flowed around him like ink and where the shadows were currently surrounding Ichigo like a blanket. A man familiar to Ichigo, but not known to her.
Ichigo opens her mouth and nothing comes out. No words, no sounds. The crimson ocean around them warps and speaks for her.
"...you." Disjointed and soft, a crack in the silence. "You are... back..."
"I never left," The man corrects with an incline of his head. Ichigo can physically feel her heart wail at the statement. Everyone always leaves. Willingly or not, everyone always leaves... so why did he stay?
"...don't... please..." She pleads. Those who stay, always die.
A smile, soft and solemn, and oh so loving, forms on the man's face. It makes Ichigo want to wail.
Don't look at her like that. Don't smile at her like that. She doesn't deserve to be loved. She doesn't deserve such softness. Not when she's at fault for killing so many people. Not when she's killed her own best friend; her own mother.
"I will stay, Ichigo. We are one soul. Trust in me, and I will trust in you," The man speaks softly, undeterred by Ichigo's pleas.
Ichigo weeps, the ocean around them becoming near crushing in her despair. The man–her zanpakutō. She doesn't know how she knows, but she knows–simply continues to run his hand through Ichigo's hair, just like her mother once done.
•••
Something scorching gently touches Ichigo's arm and shakes her. "Ichi-nē? Ichi-nē... wake up... please?"
Ichigo cracks her eyes open, mentally wincing at how crusty they felt. Everything was blurry, but she immediately spots a familiar red dot in pale hair. Yuzu.
"...Mm...?" Ichigo's voice comes out in a hoarse croak, not yet ready for verbal communication.
As her vision clears, she sees her little sister smile softly. "Dinner's ready... and you're on the floor."
Ichigo blinks slowly. The words suddenly snap in place in her mind and she sits up onto her elbow. She looks around and blinks again, realizing Yuzu was right. She probably passed out and took a nap on the floor in her panic.
"D–" Ichigo moves around her jaw, trying to make words come out. She sighs softly when only she only makes small noises before she nods.
"Alright! I made your favorites," Yuzu continues to speak quietly while she helps her big sister stand up from the floor. "Rukia-chan even helped set the table and Karin-chan went to get you strawberry milk tea!"
Ichigo attempts to smile in silent thanks, making Yuzu beam. She taps her shoulder twice before pointing towards her wrist.
Pink slowly crawls up Yuzu's neck before she turns her head away. "You were... sleeping. So, I decided we're having a late dinner."
Ichigo tries to smile again before they both start walking out of the bedroom. She stops suddenly when something zings down her spine and looks over her shoulder. There was nothing there... but she felt something. She knows she did.
"Ichi-nē? Where's Tatsuki-chan?" Yuzu's question brings Ichigo back to focus. Ichigo starts walking again, mimicking hairpins by tapping both of her temples. She doesn't see Yuzu's slight scowl at the mention.
Inoue Orihime. The girl that can't seem capable of realizing Tatsuki is different now and can't be changed back... and who doesn't treat Ichigo well.
"...is Chizuru-chan with her?"
Ichigo nods her head, still not focused on her sister. If she did, she would have seen the dark scowl and the silent anger.
"Hi, Ichi-nē. Did you have a nice nap?" Karin asks as Ichigo and Yuzu walk down the stairs. The orange-haired teenager nods her head with an attempted smile. She winces and presses her fingers against her cracked lip, feeling the blood start to well up.
Has she had water in the past couple days? Her lips only crack this much when she hasn't had water in a while.
"Here." Ichigo blinks when something cold is pressed into her other hand. She blinks again when she sees Rukia standing in front of her with a small, and concerned, smile. Ichigo looks down and lifts the glass of water, taking a sip.
"Come on! Come on! I made plenty for everyone!" Yuzu exclaims as she grabs Ichigo's wrapped wrist and Rukia's hand before walking forward. Ichigo stumbles over her feet, not a single drop of water spilling from her glass.
Ichigo turns towards the Shinigami while she is forced to sit at the front of the table. She instinctively pulls up her feet to place her head on her knees before she waves her hand to get Rukia's attention.
"What is it?" Rukia asks in confusion. Ichigo mimics a sword motion before mimicking a mouth talking. She frowns at Rukia's increasing confusion and opens her mouth.
No words come out, of course.
Rukia's eyes suddenly widen and she reaches a hand out, only for Ichigo to reel back at the sudden movement. She winces and casually moves her hand to rest on the table.
"She's wondering about... someone talking about a sword?" Karin attempts to decipher Ichigo's nonverbal question. Ichigo sighs quietly and shakes her head before waving her hand. She'll ask later.
"Ichi-nē's right. Let's all eat and we can ask all the questions we want after," Yuzu agrees quickly, already sliding an overflowing plate of food towards the teenager.
Ichigo refrains from wincing at the sight of food and stabs her fork into the steak on her plate. She's about to lift it to her mouth when something zings across her back again.
"Ichi-nē?!"
"Ichigo? What's wrong?"
Ichigo whirls around to glare at the sliding door behind her. There is something here. There definitely is and it definitely isn't Tatsuki.
A loud ringing makes her snap her head towards Rukia and she watches as the Shinigami takes out her weird soul phone. Rukia stands up, staring at the map before her eyes widen.
"Ichigo! It's a Hollow–"
CRASH! SNAP!
"Ichi-nē!" Both of her younger sisters are terrified and it makes Ichigo's blood freeze. Protect. She has to protect them.
Ichigo leaps forward and rolls, barely dodging the attack from behind. Yuzu screams and Karin jumps back while Ichigo's chair is completely turned into wood chips. Rukia slaps her glove covered hand across Ichigo's back before grabbing the limp body and jumping back when the Hollow attacks again.
Ichigo unsheathes her large sword and blocks the claws, snarling up at the Hollow. This fucking bitch.
"Ichigo–" Rukia steps forward, only for the orange-haired teenager to force the Hollow away with a slash to its mask and jumps back with her hand outstretched. Rukia understands the message and stops trying to move forward.
The Hollow screams and it grabs its face, a shard of its mask falling off. Ichigo snarls audibly when she sees identical brown eyes to her fellow ginger. She raises her sword and leaps forward, aiming again for the head.
"Don't! Ichigo! Hit from behind!" Rukia shouts right before the Hollow swipes at the teenager and throws her through the glass sliding door.
"NĒSAN!" Yuzu screams and races forward. She jumps through the broken glass door and stumbles over to where Ichigo had been thrown.
"Yuzu! Watch out!" Karin runs after her twin, wincing when she slices her leg across the broken glass still attached to the door.
Rukia watches with narrowed eyes as the Hollow jumps back and disappears into a Garganta. She curses under her breath and runs after the two girls.
"Nēsan! Ichi-nē, are you alright?! Karin, where is she?! Tell me where she is!" Yuzu tries to look around, trying to find anything amiss. Karin silently runs over to where Ichigo was slowly sitting up from the ground.
She slides to a stop as Ichigo looks up, blood falling down her face. "Nēsan!"
Ichigo sighs heavily and waves a hand to dismiss the worry. She leans back onto her toes and wipes away some blood before it could fall into her eyes.
"Ichigo," Rukia calls out, crouching on the other side of the teenager. Ichigo gives her a small look before standing up.
"Nēsan, don't move! You're bleeding from your head!" Karin scolds with wide eyes. Ichigo shakes her head and points behind her. She opens her mouth and a small noise escapes, making her sigh again.
"We have to deal with the Hollow. I'll make sure she stays safe," Rukia says calmly. Ichigo nods her head before she wraps an arm around her waist.
"What the hell are you doi–iiiinng!" Rukia yelps loudly when Ichigo leaps high into the air, holding her by her arm wrapped around her waist. Rukia wraps her arms around Ichigo's with a scream.
"Nēsan!" Karin calls out as she stands. She begins to run, but stumbles when the slice on her leg rips open.
"Karin!" Yuzu rushes over and helps her sister before she could fall. "Oh no! Karin-chan, you're bleeding badly!"
Karin ignores her twin as she rips off her short sleeved hoodie to wrap it around her leg. Her dark eyes stare at where Ichigo ran, angry and terrified.
Nēsan...
"...you're such a fucking idiot!" Karin hisses to herself.