Long Goodbye

if they had said it before, they weren't about to repeat it. They weren't about to start anything new when they had no time. Ichigo would have said it was the time for quiet reminiscing. A time to look at regrets and old blood stains that darkened his non-existent innocence.

"Good while it lasted, eh king?" the hollow asked quietly with a chuckle, pulling himself on a bloody arm to come closer to Ichigo. The red head felt the hollow lay on his chest, curled like an old dog very ready for what was about to happen. "Very good."

"Shut up." he hissed. Every breath he took stung his lungs, burned his eyes, made him feel a little closer to passing out. He knew it was the hollow's energy that was keeping them alive. He was, technically, already dead.

His hollow giggled, not moving. his fingers went up to trace Ichigo's lips, his face. He was blinded, just as ichigo was paralyzed. His fingers traced a circle around Ichigo's chest, where his heart was. Ichigo barely suppressed a shiver at the cool touch, memories of very long hot nights filing slowly into his brain like a worn out slide show. "Eat it out." The hollow told him. "We could live if you ate it out."

Ichigo would have slapped his hollow, if he had the ability. He settled instead for growling. The albino sighed, pushing himself up a little farther, half draped over Ichigo. He kissed him. He forced the red head's mouth open, twined their tongues around. It almost reminded Ichigo of their first night.

Only this was far more painful. This had the bitter taste of something missing. Ichigo forced his heavy arms to wrap around the hollow's neck, brought them closer together, long happy sighs dragged from his throat. Their lips tasted like blood, and their skin was slicked with the red liquid.

"How 'bout it?" The hollow grunted, pulling off the tattered jacket from Ichigo's shoulders. "Should we fuck?"

"It'll hurt too much. Can't you just lay here?" Ichigo pulled the hollow back down to his side, feeling as though the luke warm weight of him was crushing his limbs. But they were already crushed so it didn't matter.

If for some reason, they felt as though something was going unsaid, they didn't comment. It didn't really matter. He just wanted peace and quiet. He wanted to sleep, he was tired, but his hollow refused to let him close his eyes. If there was anything the albino was afraid of, it was being alone. So they cuddled together, ignoring the searing pain of death as they kissed.

"Was it good while it lasted, King?" the hollow asked, his expression slightly fearful, a show of what he was truly feeling. Ichigo nodded. He'd died before. It was a torturous experience, and he almost wished the waiting would be over. He felt hot all over, and he wasn't sure if it was the hollow's hands, or just his own dying brain playing tricks on him.

The hollow buried his face in the crook of his neck. "You're going to leave me, aren't you, King?"

Ichigo desperately wanted to avoid that question. If he could have shrugged, he would have. But instead he was forced to answer. "Maybe..." he whispered hoarsely. Something warm and wet dripped onto his neck, and trailed down before it was licked up by the hollow's tongue.

H slowly maneuvered his body until he was holding the hollow to him, feeling like he wanted to cry as well. He didn't know what it was about the hollow's tears that made him feel so depressed but. He wished that for just a little longer.

"Shiro..." he said at last. The hollow looked up, face dry and smile mysteriously gone. He smiled himself, kissing alabaster lips that tasted only like blood. "Let me go." the hollow shook his head, arms wrapping tightly around his waist. "You know I'm already dead, Shiro. You can wake up now.

"But..." the hollow whispered, his grasp loosening. Ichigo slipped from it and kissed him. He stood up, and disappeared in a small glow of light. "I didn't even get to say goodbye..." he never got to say good bye.

OWARI

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