Title: Jump

Summary: For the first time in a long time, she took a chance and jumped. (KxI, one-shot.)

Clutching her lightweight jacket tightly around her, she raced down the street. Her hair whipped behind her, blowing violently against the wind, and she shivered slightly.

She was going to be late, not that that was new news.

Sighing, she saw her breath in the air. It was abnormally cold for a September day.

Feeling her body lacking heat, Ichigo glanced around at other walkers. Today everyone was walking in a quick pace, trying to escape from the harsh zephyrs blowing around.

And then she saw him, in an area where the two were the only ones to be found. His face was easily recognized to her: who else did she know who had amber eyes and green hair?

Their eyes locked: chocolate brown and burning gold. They remained gazing at each other for a moment, Ichigo's expression of shock and surprise and his of excitement and longing.

He saw her as well, bathing in her presence, smirking slightly. "Hey, Kitten. Care to take a swim with me?" He chuckled quietly, almost as if recalling a hidden joke.

Below, the water was churning. Waves splashed heavily against the wooden pier.

"You'll catch a cold!"

He laughed again, the sound full and rising in volume. "Aw, gee, honey, I didn't know you cared about me that much."

She smacked him.

"Ow! Ow! Hey, let me at least climb down here..."

She rolled her eyes. "Get down, Kish. You really will get a cold! Or you'll get hurt."

He hopped down, fondling her red hair. "Don't worry, Kitten, I don't get colds. And I don't get hurt." He paused, acting arrogant. "Besides, I'm invincible!"

"You're not invincible," Ichigo said, ignoring the impulse to smile, "you're just insane."

He stared at her. "Don't you want to jump with me?"

"The water is freezing," she said simply, turning away from him, but sitting next to him on the ramp. "You're crazy. Besides, don't you have other stuff to do than freeze to death?"

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know, trying to destroy the world?"

He continued to laugh, holding his arm out to her and her skin tingled from its warmth. His arm touched hers, and she jerked away.

"Come on, jump with me."

"N-no," she stuttered, beginning to slide off the railing before he held her in place. "I'm going to be late..."

"You're always late to work." He slid an arm around her.

"Stalker," she muttered, shaking his arm off. "Don't you have any other hobbies?"

He ignored her question. "Let's jump, honey. It'll be fun. I think you'll like it."

"No, it'll be cold! I already told you that, you idiot!"

"Oh, Kitten, that hurt..." He frowned. "And how do you know if you haven't felt it?"

She paused, looking at his hand outstretched to hers.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," she replied, teetering from side to side as she sat on the railing.

"Please," he grasped her arm. "Please. Just once."

"I can't, I can't..."

How was she supposed to tell him? How was she supposed to tell anyone? She hadn't done anything like that for so long and she couldn't, she just couldn't...

"... Take a chance."

He merely looked at her, forest green hair moving back and forth around his face.

"It's about time you did."

His hand reached out to her one last time, eyes imploring hers. "It's now or never."

She gazed at it, eyes taking in each curve, imagining her hand in his.

"You'll never know if you never try," he told her, hand moving back to the side of his body.

Suddenly, she grabbed it tightly, his hand squeezing hers in an attempt to assure her, to make her realize that she was doing the right thing. He entwined his fingers with her, taking in her startled look. He smiled. She smiled weakly back

And for the first time in a long time, she took a chance with him.

Together.

They jumped.

A/N: Hey there!

So, the plot behind this is pretty much that Ichigo feels she hasn't taken a chance in a long time, especially with someone else other than Masaya. It's kind of an abstract idea, in general. It's mostly about her, metaphorically, breaking free from all restraints and taking a chance with someone else and the conflict she feels to do so.

With the jumping at the end, you can take it either way that they jumped together into the ocean or they decided to actually try out a relationship together. Take your pick! :)

~ Bunny,

Fireflies Glow