𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒚 (𝑲𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒊) 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 »« 𝙱𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷/ᴋɴʏ

xiii.

    Ichigo stares up at the night sky with a twitching eyebrow and a purposely ignorance to the pain in his stomach. "Why is it always me that deals with people like this? Am I a magnet? I just want to sleep."

  "–not allow a Shinigami to reside in West Rukongai!" The man, Gandhi or something, shouts loudly while pointing accusingly towards Ichigo.

  Ichigo clenches his jaw before pushing up against the ground. His feet fly forward and slam into the man's face, making him fly back through a tree. Ichigo corrects his stance before his feet silently land on the ground, barely even bending his knees to balance.

  "Ara, ara. You should hear people out before you go hitting them! Besides, I don't think you'll be a good opponent against me. I'm not known to hold back!" Ichigo states with a tight smile, hiding his hands in his haori.

  "Punk! That was twice in a row... that you've punched my handsome face!" Gandhi exclaims with wide eyes and a hand covering his nose.

  Ichigo smiles wider with his eyes closed. "Ara, ara. Did I give you a concussion? I kicked you the second time."

  "Oi! Stop it, Ichigo! Don't waste your energy on a useless fight!" Yoruichi scolds loudly, slinking up with a glare.

  "I didn't even want to fight tonight, Neko-kun. You should tell Gandhi-san not to go picking fights with random people," Ichigo retorts in a dry tone despite his smile still plastered on his face. He sharply turns away and starts to walk back towards the home the elder had graciously allowed for Ichigo and his group to stay in for the night.

  "Hey! Where the hell are you going? You don't get to walk away after kicking me like that!" Gandhi shouts angrily. "And my name is Ganju! Are ya deaf?"

  Ichigo stops walking to give the man a smile over his shoulder. "No, I'm not deaf. I just have a hard time remembering names and faces. And I'm walking away because I want to get some sleep. If you want to fight then wait until morning."

  "Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime trails off as her fellow ginger walks past. Tatsuki sighs heavily and follows after, not before giving her best friend a small look.

  Ichigo's smile disappears the moment he steps into the house. His fists were clenched tightly inside his haori as he walked towards the futon farthest from the entrance, but closest to the window.

  Gandhi–Ganju looked unnervingly similar to Goat Face. Not completely... but his fiery personality and prone to impulsive fighting made Ichigo too paranoid. It wasn't like Goat Face's behavior, nothing like it at all... but it hit too close to home at the moment.

  Ichigo almost forcefully tugs his butterfly clip out of his hair, sliding off his haori and dropping it next to his two swords so he could put the clip on top. He doesn't even fold it like he usually does as he crawls into the futon.

  Ichigo pulls the blanket over his head and curls into a ball, staring at his trembling hands. Ganju hit way too close to home.

  He doesn't even twitch when he hears someone sitting behind him. The person sighs quietly and carefully pulls back the blanket. Eternally burning flames and honeysuckle incense lick at his back and surround him in familiar comfort.

  Tatsuki slides behind Ichigo and covers them back up. She adjusts herself before wrapping her arms around Ichigo's waist, curling over him.

  Ichigo curls further into a ball, grabbing one of Tatsuki's hands with a trembling hand. "When we get back, I'm going to read the journals. He knows about Soul Society."

  Tatsuki tenses at the statement before sighing. She presses her forehead in between Ichigo's shoulder blades.

  "I'm here. I'll help you. After we save Kuchiki-san, I'll help you," Tatsuki says calmly. Ichigo's breath hitches in his throat before he laughs quietly. He brings Tatsuki's hand up to his mouth and presses a kiss against her knuckles.