I'm back with another one! So, I read an IchiTatsu fic not too long ago, and I realized how rare they are. Sad, isn't it? IchiTatsu fics are something I have always enjoyed, so I'm uploading' another one!

Jealousy

"You really can't keep doing this, Ichigo," Tatsuki said as she dabbed Ichigo's forehead with disinfectant. Ichigo flinched when he felt the stinging substance come in contact with his cuts.

"I'll do it as many times as it happens," Ichigo replied, scowling.

Tatsuki chuckled. He just never changed, did he? Tatsuki was now cleaning Ichigo's cuts and bruises because he had gotten into another gang fight. Not just any gang fight, though. This time he had started it when some of the gang members whistled at her. This wasn't the first time it had happened, not by a long shot, and it probably wasn't anywhere near the last. To be perfectly honest, Tatsuki couldn't help but find it sort of cute, how Ichigo got so riled up over her. But she could never forget that first incident, a couple of years ago.

XXX

It was back before Ichigo and Tatsuki had started dating. It was around their freshman year of attending Karakura University, and Ichigo had finally given in to Tatsuki's constant nagging and rejoined the dojo he had gone to when they were kids. Naturally, with years of street fighting and beating up local thugs behind him, Ichigo quickly became as feared an icon as Tatsuki in the dojo. The two always trained together from that point. One reason was that they were the only two who dared to spar with each other. Secondly, they had basically created their own new level of skill. Ichigo got help from Tatsuki in retraining his technique, and Tatsuki got help from Ichigo in raising raw power. They had their own way of staying in sync when they fought, as well.

One night, when training was over, Ichigo asked Tatsuki to wait up after they got out of the showers. When they were both clean and fresh, they met up in front of the dojo. Tatsuki asked what was up. Ichigo invited her to a movie, saying that it had way too long since the two of them had hung out together. Tatsuki gladly accepted, agreeing with him fully. They went to see some violent, loud action movie: it was the perfect flick for both of them.

They walked out after the movie laughing, talking some of the more epic scenes, and then laughing some more. Ichigo, however, stopped laughing when some gangsters that he knew walked up. Ichigo instinctively put his arm out in front of Tatsuki, as if he was shielding her. Tatsuki normally would have elbowed him in the gut, but to be perfectly honest with herself, she liked that Ichigo felt the need to protect her.

"Hey, baby, why not ditch the strawberry and hang out with some real men?" One of them asked.

"Sorry," Ichigo said, in low rough voice, obviously threatening them to back off, "but she's spoken for, for tonight."

"I wasn't talkin' to you, ginger."

"Well I am talking to you."

The thug spat on the ground as he and his cronies began to walk towards a smirking Ichigo. Ichigo cracked his knuckles.

XXX

Tatsuki remembered that night like it was yesterday. Five out of six of those idiots had been put into the hospital for over two weeks, and that last one had gotten a broken leg as a souvenir. Although, Ichigo hadn't come out of that fight completely unharmed. That was another memory Tatsuki couldn't bring herself to forget.

XXX

Ichigo was officially putting the beat down on who he thought was the last man standing at this point. Unfortunately, one guy had regained consciousness. He pulled out a pocketknife, and caught Ichigo by surprise, stabbing him in the side. Tatsuki, who had been proudly watching from the sidelines until now, rushed in to help her best friend. She punched the lowdown piece of trash straight in the jaw, breaking it instantly. Ichigo laughed as the guy went down, but quickly began to loose his balance as blood poured from his wound. Before he fell, Tatsuki caught him under the shoulders, and eased him to the ground. As soon as he was lying down semi-comfortably, she called Ichigo' father on her cell phone. She had the number because Ishiin was a family friend, and also because he was a trustworthy doctor who lived close by and could get anywhere fast. As soon as he picked up, Tatsuki frantically explained everything. Ishiin told her to calm down, and that he would be there as soon as he could.

Tatsuki bent over Ichigo, smiling nervously. Rain had started to lightly fall, sprinkling his face with water droplets. His eyes were half-squinted, and he was probably slightly delirious. Ichigo coughed, and the hoarsely spoke.

"Hey, Tats," he said naturally. Tatsuki chuckled at the use of her old nickname.

"Hey there, Ichigo."

"…" There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"You're an idiot, you that right?" Tatsuki said, suddenly.

"What?"

"Five of them; one of you, not a smart man's fight."

"One: I fought harder fights; maybe twenty to one. Two: I'm not a smart man. Three: they were pissing me off."

"I should have been the one who got mad," Ichigo smirked at her comment. "What?"

"Sorry, I guess I just got a little jealous."

"Jealous?" Tatsuki asked, slightly surprised.

"Yea. I just don't like it when other guys make moves on you. Which reminds me," Ichigo was interrupted by a violent cough. "Which… reminds m, I wanted to ask you if would like, uh, to me… my girlfriend?" Ichigo looked at her with a smile on his face. It was the type of smile that she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Of course I will, dummy. But are you going to start fights like this often?"

"… Probably."

Tatsuki laughed as she bent further over Ichigo, planting her lips on his in an upside kiss. Her wet hair stuck to his face as they held against one another. Ichigo was able to lift up his hand, and place it on the back of Tatsuki's head.

XXX

Tatsuki smiled as she remembered that night. She looked to the side, unknowingly. Ichigo looked at her confused.

"Hey," Ichigo said, pulling her face towards him. "You know, it still makes me incredibly jealous when stuff like this happens, right?"

Tatsuki didn't get to respond. Instead, she cut off by a kiss.