Location: The Woods
Object: Lollipop
Dirty Details: IV, RV, Wrestling, C, Friendship
Lemon Level: Tangy

A/N: My apologies to KurukiXV. You were the first to review, but I got mixed up and posted the other story first. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to use the prompt buffet as long as you credit me for the idea :P. Happy reading!

"How do you feel, Ichigo?"

Ichigo tried to open his mouth, but pain stabbed at his jaws, effectively sealing them shut. He made a grunting noise instead.

"Huh? Come again?" Rukia perched at the side of the bed and cupped her hand to her ear. "Do I hear an I'm sorry Rukia, we should have actually strategized before diving at that Hollow?"

Ichigo resisted the urge to strangle her. He felt weak, anyway; his father had pumped him so full of morphine he could barely think straight. Besides, the bandages around his neck and torso limited movement.

Still, he thought. One of these days...

._._._._.

Rukia had kicked off her stiff school shoes in the chase. Barefoot, she skidded through patches of damp moss and springy mounds of pine needles in her pursuit of the Hollow.

He was big. Tall and sinewy like an ape, with arms that hung to his calves and bulging muscle. His head lay somewhere a human's stomach would have probably been, under ten feet of muscled shoulder. Rukia and Ichigo abandoned their gigai and leapt into action.

Well, Ichigo did, anyway.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Rukia demanded. "Have you seen him? He's huge! We need to plan!"

"You kidding?" Ichigo grinned and hefted Zangetsu. "This'll be easy." He sprung at the Hollow, aiming right for the Hollow mask.

In response, the creature wrapped one of its enormous pale hands around his throat and chest and squeezed.

Rukia gasped. "Ichigo!"

"Agh!" Ichigo choked. He pried weakly at the fingers, but each digit was as thick at his arm, and lack of oxygen made him go limp. His vision began to swim as pain took over, and the last thing he saw was a pair of enormous purple eyes before completely blacking out.

._._._._.

The dense canopy of trees blocked all fading sunlight as Rukia charged at the Hollow. She preached about rational thinking and a battle plan, but her mind was blank as she lunged.

The Hollow spotted the small shape darting at him. He raised a fist and knocked her out, mid-flight. Rukia gave a sickening screech as she fell to the ground, head hitting against something hard. She grimaced as she realized she'd whacked her head on a tree trunk.

Pain. Pain. Pain.

Rukia tried to ignore it as she pulled out Shirayukihime. Ichigo didn't seem to be moving. He didn't even seem to be breathing.

Staggering, sword clutched weakly in her hands, she aimed and forced herself to run.

The Hollow was so busy with Ichigo he didn't notice the sword until it was buried in his Hollow mask. With an agonized scream, it dropped the orange-haired shinigami and dissolved.

._._._._.

Rukia didn't know how long she spent lying on the cool grass. Little patches of clover sprung up here and there, dotted with bright wildflower buds. She tried to focus on those small dots of color, tried to put her mind on anything other than the agony.

She'd forced herself to crawl on all fours over to Ichigo, tree trunks swimming around her as she struggled to heal him. He was at least breathing now, chest falling and rising in even movements. She allowed herself a lopsided, victorious grin.

That spiky-haired idiot would live to hear her lecture him again.

She quietly faded out.

._._._._.

Ichigo twitched uncomfortably. The dry plaster from the bandages crackled and itched against his skin. Rukia sat perched at the edge of his bed, staring off into space. She pulled something out of her pocket: a cherry lollipop. He watched enviously as she unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth. In his doped-to-the-gills state, all that registered to him was candy. Want.

"'Ey," he managed. "Lemme have some."

She smirked. "No way. Your dad says I might have a concussion. I deserve this."

"Stupid midget," he growled.

She laughed and gave the lollipop a good suck.

His insides swam with envy. I want that lollipop.

Another part of him watched her lips around the candy and thought, I want to be that lollipop.

Wait–he shook his head. Too many painkillers.

"You should share," he reminded her. She shrugged a shoulder.

"You should strategize."

Okay, that was it. He wanted that lollipop and he was tired of her sass. He tackled her down, reaching for the lollipop stick. His body groaned in protest beneath the stiff plaster bandages, pain stabbing through his back and shoulders.

Rukia turned her head away so he couldn't reach the stick.

He saw the bandages wrapped around her head and knew she hadn't been lying about the concussion. His bruised body, too pummeled by the merciless Hollow and too senseless from morphine, trembled and collapsed, accidentally pinning Rukia down onto the infirmary bed.

"Ow, you stupid..." as soon as her mouth opened to form the words, Ichigo acted instinctively, teeth grabbing the end of the lollipop stick. As he swooped down to claim his prize, their mouths collided, the lollipop, pushed by the sudden movement, flew out of Rukia's mouth and into Ichigo's, the stick flying away and sticking to the cot's headboard.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Finally, Rukia tore her mouth away from Ichigo's and snapped, "You dumb strawberry. That lollipop was cherry flavored! That's my favorite flavor!"

Rukia wriggled out from beneath him and climbed on top of him, grabbing him by the collar and raising one hand to punch him.

She saw how woozy he was and faltered, her arm falling to her side. She leaned down and pressed the tip of her tongue against his upper lip. She tasted the sweet-sour tang of cherry.

Gently, she pressed her whole mouth against his and opened his lips with her tongue. Cherry flavor assaulted her taste buds as she probed the roof of his mouth, his teeth, and his tongue. Ichigo gave a soft series of groans but was otherwise unresponsive.

Unsatisfied, Rukia glared down at him, only to realize that the morphine had taken full effect.

Ichigo was out.

Laughing quietly to herself, she planted one last kiss on his lips and sank down, body settling on top of his to sleep as well.

A/N: I'm sorry for the wait. I was just really busy. I hope you enjoyed! Review plz!