A/N: I wanted to try something a little more real me. Normally I'm a dark fantasy/SciFi and Urban Fantasy writer, but you wouldn't know that by reading of my FFN. There is also a lack of... real "romance" in my original works. So... I guess you can say this is what happens when I mix the two. I have also made some very big decisions on my writing style over the past few months I've been inactive from FFN.

For all disclaimers and more info, please visit my profile. This fic also has nothing to do with "Devil May Cry" except for the name usage. I just like to play with words... This also ignores the current Blood War arc but has characters from the arc and randomly created minor ocs. Instead it is a AU of that time frame. Updates are always erratic and unpredictable.

You can now find this fic posted to my deviantArt profile at axelkin dot deviantart dot com. It is also featured in the IchiUri-club on dA which I help run so come join the IchiUri love there as well! Most recently this fic is on the Bleach shipping rec list on tvtropes dot org. I'm quite honored to be worthy of performing Konsou for.

Enjoy.

Gods May Cry

1-Decent to Midnight

Run, Uryu. Fear gripped him. It etched into his breath, ensnaring it in a lump inside his throat. Just run away. But he can't. He dragged his heavy legs to stand next to his sobbing friend who was chanting a name. There was something he must do, something he must stop. It was as powerful as the need to flee. He tried to call out; he wanted to tell him. You can't. You won't forgive yourself if you do this. A monster was taking hold. The white and red masked horns dripped with venomous orange.

Then it was gone, only the overpowering feeling to escape remained. Everything else stayed. Uryu's heart raced until it leapt in a sharp jolt. It pulsated, filling him with a searing, blinding heat. The feeling was familiar. Like the day he drew his arrows, taking in the flames and letting them soar towards their crying release. The sky was too blue, just like the one he can see now. And everything hurt. His fingers stung, chest tightened and legs were heavy as lead. There was an ache, low and deep inside of him, yearning to be touched, caressed, to be plucked out of him as the feeling increased, threatening to overflow inside. Yet there was only one thing he can think of as he stared at the long black blade filling his view. You can't die here. I won't let you.

So the blade rested, erect and buried inside his sternum; it stood out against the sky like ink spilled on pure parchment. There's no clouds. Uryu noted that the days are much too similar. Beyond the howl, footsteps approached. He laid still. The heat already starting to slip away. But Uryu was used to the pain and staved off the feeling to fall asleep. He hadn't lost much blood yet as the sword remained embedded inside him. Slowing his breathing to save energy, he awaited whoever drew near.

He actually expected to see the grinning bone covered face with the long burning orange banner behind it, cackling with madness and joy. Instead, the moon waned in black smoky flames and he looked up into those sharp eyes that remind him of a rainbow made of chocolate, caramel and flecks of mint. Uryu tried to speak. K-Kur-sa- But nothing left his chapped lips that are burnt from the dry air. Again, it wasn't him.

"Ishida Uryu," It was impossible for the man before him to be speaking. He was completely covered in layers of gray carapace. A part of him wanted to reach out and tear it away from the golden skin. Just like the mask, he wanted to watch it crumble away. "What is it that you want?"

His breathing picked up again. He was losing control. You can't die here. I won't let you. The inky fringe swayed behind the man's waist in a breeze Uryu couldn't feel.

"Tell me," Why couldn't he breathe? Didn't anyone notice the sword sticking out of his body? "What do you want?"

Uryu didn't get the chance to answer. And even if he could he wasn't sure what he'd say. The bandaged hand grips the handle, heaving the long black blade out of him. There was nothing but emptiness. The man kneelt beside him, holding the sword as if deciding if he was going to use it again.

"Ishida Uryu," Panic flowed just like his blood. I can't... He needed to stop the bleeding. "Tell me," Why wasn't the Shinigami doing anything? Why couldn't he speak? Why? "What do you want?"

That was everything. What I want? I want- I want-

Uryu gasped. Flinging himself upright, he franticly pawed at his shirt to get to his stomach. There was nothing but the lone bump of flesh over an old wound and the memory of dark and sticky liquid seeping from his body. The archer sighed, falling back into the folds of his bed. He's had this dream far too often. The one where the fierce hollow stabed him. His fingers and toes tingled slightly at the memory. It always feelt the same. Every time he was touched by Kurosaki Ichigo's reitsu it burned inside of him. The Menos, Zangetsu's blade... All of it ignited the darkest of nights. There was a desire that ached for release. Uryu blinked even though he was blind without his glasses and it wasn't morning yet, the sun still sunk bellow the hem of nightfall.

"Fuck," He cursed quietly, although he wouldn't ever do so in front of anyone else. Especially after he realized the ache was very much real and very much between his thighs. A flare of energy sparked nearby. It was untamable and wild, bright in the slow hours of darkness. Uryu closed his eyes tightly and attempted to ignore it all, laying very still in bed. Stupid fucking Shinigami. Why couldn't the latter learn to control his reitsu? Actually, Ichigo knew how to tame his energy. The idiot just didn't try to keep his hold on the reigns. It made things... difficult for Uryu. It was nerve wracking and downright annoying. And he was sure that he was the only one who suffered from it too. He didn't know why though.

He was used to the pain now. It no longer bothered him as it did before. But he waited for Ichigo's flaring reitsu to die down, taking his unwarranted body's reaction with it. Uryu sighed in relief. Granted he will be a little sore, but it was better than relieving himself while thinking... of him. Rolling over on his side, he tried to fall asleep again. But like most nights, once he started thinking about Ichigo, he couldn't stop. His brow knited deeply into a scowl very much like the person he tried very hard not to think about. Damn it. I hate you, Kurosaki! Yes, he hated him, every little detail about him. And what he hated most was how he couldn't seem to let go of it all.

The river played a quite song over the low rocky bed accompanied by the soft gurgle of a tiny fall. This place had always been a comfort for him. Here Uryu learned so much about himself. Once as a child he had ran from home. His father's grinding words of distrait about his mother teaching him to sew and how detrimental of a skill it was for a young man to have. It was a woman's task. He needed not to indulge in such a famine hobby that a wife would later bring into his life. The words were cold and static and his mother no longer there to be the voice of reason. "It steadies the hand. His bow will fly straighter and his grip will be stronger." Of course Uryu didn't understand those words then. Even when his grandfather started tutoring him in archery, which later turned into using his Quincy abilities, he hadn't fully understood.

But in the tiny serene grove, Uryu learned more than he ever thought possible. He learned how to pull his bow with the least resistance but produce a fast, strong and dependable arrow. It was full of memories. Many memories he wouldn't share with just anyone.

There Uryu stood, barefoot in the middle of the stream, practicing. It felt good to gather about the frazzled reitsu and release his pent up energy peacefully and at his own pace. There he had no need to worry. He could feel the cool water running through his toes and the soft earth bellow them coupled with the last warm breeze of the year playing on his face and pulling his hair back was intoxicating. He could close his eyes and let everything flow out of him like his arrows, speeding away, fast, strong and gracefully.

"I thought you might be here."

Uryu opened his eyes quickly. Slowly he lowered his bow and turning with a scowl. Of course Kurosaki Ichigo knew how to control his reitsu. Otherwise he would have noticed the Shinigami approaching and had left before he could be found. Now he stood barefoot and caught off guard quite a distance from his shoes.

Ichigo's eyes followed his gaze to his pair of sneakers by the bank. Just my luck... Uryu sighed and let his bow dematerialize. The elegant white and blue creation lifted away leaving his hand empty and cold. He contemplated on using Hirenkyaku; after all, Ichigo was in his human body and probably couldn't keep up. Instead he watched Ichigo walk up to his shoes and pick them up. "You're gonna get a cold if you keep standing there, Ishida."

He sighed. Carefully he waded through the little pebbles and soft clay. Ichigo followed his path along the bank to a pile of rocks where Uryu lifted himself up to sit. Silence followed even when Uryu took his shoes from Ichigo. As he replaced them over his feet, the Shinigami shifted his weight and looked as though he was chewing on the inside of his lip.

"What do you want, Kurosaki?" He couldn't help but feel like he was quoting his own nightmares to the young man who spoke those same words. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

Azure shifted over the silver frames before he reached up and adjusted them. "I have no reason to spend time with you."

Ichigo frowned. How every characteristic... "That's not what I meant."

"What do you mean then?" Uryu's voice strained at the sarcasm and he pinched his eyes closed from a moment. His patience was wearing thin.

"I don't even see you Hollow hunting anymore."

"You suck at sensing reitsu." He commented. "Don't think you always get them all."

"Stop dodging my question!" Uryu glanced over the agitated Shinigami. Jaw clenched, pulling the taut muscles along Ichigo's neck, hazel-nut eyes narrowed and piercing, and most of all, the broad shoulders restricted in a shirt that he was going to grow out of soon. It was all too close and Ichigo was losing control over his reitsu again. "You ignore me during class, you don't even eat lunch with us anymore, and you will deliberately walk the other way if I'm nearby when a hollow appears. You, are, ignoring, me! Hell, you're not even paying attention to what I'm saying now!"

He blinked. The flare of reitsu was heavy, dense like a storm cloud ready to burst. Uryu could hardly breathe and when he did, it went places he didn't want it to. "I hate you, Kurosaki." He exhaled out. Pushing off the rock he managed to slide away from the form looming over him.

"What the hell, Ishida!" There was a low growl in Ichigo's voice. "Don't just walk away from me!"

Something warm and rough grabbed his upper arm, keeping him from moving away. "Let go of me!"

Uryu pulled, attempting to turn around and use Hirenkyaku at the same time to get away. It turned out to be a bad choice as halfway through the step he noticed that Ichigo hadn't let go. The Shinigami's footing was thrown off balance and they staggered, falling over each other several feet away in a heap of limbs. The breath was knocked out of Uryu as his head hit the grass and a heavy body impacted with his chest. It took several seconds before he regained control over his body again and he attempted to shove the other off of him.

"Get off me you moron!"

His elbow landed a hit into Ichigo's side. "Ow!"

The Shinigami lifted himself up and Uryu scrambled to get up. Again he judged too quickly and as he lifted his leg to push himself out from under the other he brushed up against Ichigo's thigh and felt something firm poking into him. The both froze. Uryu was quite sure he was breathing way too hard along with his racing mind and heart at the way the reitsu wavered uncertainly around them. Ichigo looked paled from worry and started to open his mouth to say something. Then his leg started vibrating. Or to be more precise, the stiff object resting on his thigh started vibrating followed by a distinct chime. They both moved quickly away from each other, Ichigo cleared his throat as he pulled out his phone and Uryu adjusted his glasses back into place. He saw the confused look on Ichigo's face just before answering.

"Ah, hello? Inoue?" The Shinigami's voice sounded a little awkward. As if he was a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Ichigo cringed at the loud, upset, high-pitched voice shrilling over the tiny phone speaker. Uryu couldn't help but grin slightly at the way Ichigo pulled away from the phone for a moment. "Oi! Slow down, I can't understand you." The sound died away and Uryu could no longer hear the young woman's voice. He sighed as Ichigo seemed silent except for a few acknowledgement sounds in answer to whatever it was being said. Probably forgot to meet her somewhere. A frown pulled his lips down. Why should he even care? It wasn't like everyone didn't know about Orihime's affection for the said orange haired Shinigami. "You're sure?" A small pause, "Okay, okay! Huh? Oh, ah, Ishida? Um..." Attention returned to Uryu and the archer suddenly realized that he was still there, much to the surprise of both of them. Uryu turned his gaze away but not before he saw what looked like the stain of embarrassment painting its way onto the other's cheeks. "Yeah, how did you know?" Another sharp shrill rang out from the speaker. "Alright! I'll ask! Ishida,"

Uryu jumped a little, palms pressing hard against the grass. He could feel the tiny blades leaving impressions in his skin. "W-what?" He was fairly sure his voice cracked a little.

"Inoue says there's some strange Hollows appearing in town. You don't sense anything do you?" Ichigo lowered his phone, the light died showing the end of the call. "I do still have some problems sensing if I don't know what I'm looking for."

"Uh, hold on." Closing his eyes, Uryu tried to concentrate on any sort of Hollow presence. "No, I don't." He frowned.

"Hmm," Ichigo stood, brushing off his clothes. "Maybe we should check it out anyways."

For a moment Uryu thought of declining the passive request. Just make something. But he couldn't think of anything. There was no reason for him not to go. Ichigo was staring at his soul badge by the time he got up off the ground. "What's wrong?"

"It's not working."

Uryu shook his head in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean 'not working'?"

"See?" Ichigo pressed the wooden Shinigami skull against his chest. "Nothing." He continued to frown.

"Maybe it's broken?" After a moment of inspection, Uryu shrugged and Ichigo sighed heavily.

"I don't have Kon with me either."

Uryu adjusted his glasses. "It can't be helped then. I'll go myself."

"Hey! Ishida, no wait! Let me- Why are you just standing there?" The archer stood there firmly planted in the same spot as before. Uryu expected that the Shinigami would say such a thing and prepared to use Hirenkyaku to get away quickly. But for some reason, he just ended up just standing there. Ichigo crossed his arms and looked him up and down. "Did you just try to use Hiakaryaki?"

"Hirenkyaku, and shut up, Kurosaki." He glared at the same time he felt his face flare with heat. Clearing his throat, he pushed his glasses up. "Get it right anyways. It's your heritage too."

"Hey, I don't even know German. Give me some credit."

"You didn't even get the first syllable right."

Ichigo tossed his head back and grabbed his head in frustration. "Why do you always have to be so technical? German is completely different from Japanese! I mean the way you speak isn't even remotely close! Are they always spitting or some shit?"

It was not normal for Uryu to be quite in such an argument. But he was distracted by the strange white object crawling along the cliff that ran along the grove. "Uh, Kurosaki."

"I know, I know, 'German is in your blood, Kurosaki. Get used to it.'" Ichigo attempted to use the same tone of voice Uryu usually used during their arguments making him sound almost childish. "Hey, are you even listening? What're you looking at?"

Uryu shook his head and shrugged. "Whatever the hell that is." He pointed up at the object skittering along the rocky wall. They both stood looking at the thing curiously, previous conversation forgotten. Uryu squinted, trying to see it better. Just as he thought that it looked a little too humanoid to be moving like that, he got a bad feeling. "Kurosaki, watch out!"

He reached out and grabbed the Shinigami's arm, pulling them both away from where they had been standing. They landed only a foot away just in time as a strange energy ripped through the air and scorched the ground. The grass sparked and died away. "Oi!" Ichigo said through his coughing. They picked themselves up; Uryu no longer caring that the Shinigami had fell partially on top of his legs in their mild escape. "Was that a cero?"

It couldn't be. It doesn't look like a typical Hollow or an Arrancar. Nor was it in a beam. All of the sudden a loud screeching noise that sounded like a mix between a yowl and a cry echoed through the valley. It scratched at the inside of Uryu's head, making his ears itch and his throat dry. Oh my god, make it stop! Beside him, Ichigo was pressing his palms over his ears and cringing. Lifting his arm, he concentrated on the energy around him. He felt it gather around into a warmth that filled the pit of his stomach. It grew as Uryu pulled at the surrounding reishi to summon his bow. Light was about bend and the elegant piece of physical energy grace his long fingers that flowed like lace over silk. But nothing came. Instead, the world stayed exactly the same and the creature howled it strange cry.

He cursed under the horrifying sound that made his veins prickle. Running to the river he brought himself closer to the strange creature. He picked up a rock and hurled it, hitting the thing square in the head. It squawked a yelp. Without losing its footing it scampered around in tiny little circles. But it had stopped making the piercing noise. His ears rang slightly. Even Ichigo looked as though he was still affected by the beasts call. But he looked over at Uryu with gratitude.

"You okay?" Uryu asked once he reached Ichigo who was nursing his ears.

"Yeah, you?"

He nodded. It was definitely the strangest thing he had ever came across, and they knew strange. We should leave. But before Uryu could suggest it, the creature made another sound. Almost like a dog greeting a master.

"Good boy. You found them."

The hair on Uryu's body stood up. He turned quickly to see a man with long blonde hair dressed in white petting the creature.

"The fuck do you mean by that?" Ichigo was saying. The man looked down at them from his place in the sky. He looked indifferent, neither upset nor affected by the Shinigami's words, just stared at them.

"Kurosaki..." Every fiber in Uryu's body was alive with fear. He didn't know who the man was or why he wore ancient, Quincy looking garb. All he knew was something was going to happen.

"What?"

"I think we should run."

Ichigo looked dumbstruck at his words. Almost like he was someone else. "W-what?! Why?"

The beast yipped loudly, bringing their attention back to the duo. The man smiled. "Yes, Crucifer. Go, get them." It made a strange sound that was something between a laugh and a sigh before jumping down towards them.

Uryu was already racing for the trees that encircled the other side of grove. He could hear Ichigo beside him, breath heavy and deep like his own. Why didn't it work? Neither of them seemed to have their powers. But it wasn't like when he had completely lost his years ago. It felt suppressed, crushed under a weight of a seal tightly waxed. Uryu tried to form his bow again, but nothing came. He couldn't even feel the reishi around him. It felt like he was inside a bottle, his lungs burning to fill of the reishi that encircled them, never touching, only hovering as if on the other side of a glass film. Wait... that means I won't be able to feel Kurosaki's-

He landed face first into the ground, tripping on an upturned root. "Ishida!" Uryu groaned; he let himself become distracted by something so trivial.

Looking up, he saw Ichigo turning around to come to his aid. A snarl purred over his ears and halfway back up, something hit him in the shoulder blades hard. He landed back on the ground. Strange paw like hands dug into his back and he felt tiny claws cut through his shirt and scrape his skin. Uryu cried out. It stung, making him feel dizzy.

"Get off him!" The Shinigami was holding something in his hand. Uryu thought it might be a branch, it certain looked crooked and brown.

He tried to make eye contact with the fierce hazel. Yet he could barely make out the burnt orange. Did I lose my glasses? Uryu tried to throw the creature off him back. "No!" He gasped when the sharp nails sliced across his skin again. "K-Kurosaki, just-" Was he even speaking? The figure moved closer and his vision blurred more. Colors swirled together as if he was under water. "Just- RUN!"

The world was black, a darkness that was never ending. It encased him like a coffin, the only world he was left to. But he could hear something. Scrapping along in a muffled echo. It hissed and rumbled like a beast searching for its next meal. And all Uyru could do was lie there and become the prey.

"Good job, Hasch-... the more the better."

"... These two... fought... wasn't easy..."

"Hmm... Wait..."

"Yhw- Do you think?... No..."

"... can't be confirmed... but..."

"They... more problems... will find each- ... no matter..."

"You know where to put them."

Then silence enveloped his world of nothingness. He could not even think, as his world seemed to fold in on itself, layering in more emptiness except for the searing cold on his left wrist. It caught him by surprise. He gasped for air, he wanted out, he wanted-

"Ishida!" Someone was shaking him. Uryu groaned as he rolled over onto his back. Pain returned and sparks flecked behind his eyes. "Careful,"

Those same hands pulled him off his back, raising him into a sitting position. Cracking open his eyes, a bright light greeted him. He winced, letting out a grunt of discomfort. "I can't see."

"Here,"

Cool metal slid behind his ears. It made him jump at the sudden realization that someone was putting his glasses on for him. He blinked once, twice, and the world started to come back to him. The room was completely white. A tiny little box that was three times as tall as it was wide. Orange stood out over the pristine clean color. "K-Kurosaki?" He tested his own voice.

The Shinigami cracked a smile; Uryu noted the split lip and the flaking blood dried to the point of losing its color that stuck in his hair and forehead. "You were out a while." He didn't say it, but the archer had a feeling that Ichigo was glad he was awake.

"What happened? Where are we?"

Ichigo frowned. "I- I'm not sure exactly."

Flexing his shoulders, the skin pulled taut signifying the beginning of healing. He mirrored Ichigo's frown. That would have to mean he had been out for quite some time, at least two days. But there was no signs that they were put in the box like room when they were still significantly hurt. "How long was I out?"

"Dunno," Ichigo shrugged, "I woke up about... half an hour ago. It's kinda hard to tell in here."

Uryu sighed; it was not much help at all. But there was no point in dwelling on such things. He stood up. First thing was to figure a way out. His legs must have been bruised in the struggle against the beast and hurt to stand. The room wobbled and his vision wavered and spun slightly.

"Hey! You okay?"

His skin jolted at the callused touch. Hands shaped into wielding a heavy sword had toughened with age and practice. It wasn't so much that Ichigo was touching him per say, but the fact that he shouldn't be able to 'feel' any reitsu from the contact. That was when he realized that it was something else. Something that was inside him that had reacted. He stood straight quickly, raising his hand to push his glasses back in place to hide the surprised look on his face. Then it came into view. "What in the hell is this?!"

'It' was a small silver bracelet. There were no breaks or casting lines, just a smooth piece of rounded metal roughly the width of his thumb. He reached over with his other hand and pulled on it. "I've already tried." Ichigo spoke as he yanked on the offensive bracelet. "They won't come off."

Uryu huffed and let go of the piece of jewelry. He would have to live with it until he could find a way to remove it. "You have one too then?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah." He lifted his left arm for the archer to see. It was exactly the same. Even the size was the same.

When the two pieces came close, the room shook, throwing them off balance. Uryu slid over towards a wall and placed his hands on it to steady himself. Something clicked and a shimmering light appeared, rolling over them as if scanning for something.

"Registering identities." A female spoke in a monotone voice from nowhere. The light stopped and it felt as if they had started to descend. "Categorizing residence."

"Did it just say residence?" Ichigo blurted out.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and Ishida Uryu,"

"Forget that, Kurosaki. How does it know our names?"

"15 Eclipse Lane." The voice continued, oblivious to their conversation. Suddenly the room jolted to a stop and remained still. "Welcome to Midnight."

Whatever 'Midnight' meant did not matter when the wall seemed to lift up without warning, painting what lied beyond the tiny, white box. The night sky waned a bright half-moon, pouring its light over a cityscape. It looked like downtown to a relatively large city but laid out much more like the Seriate in the Soul Society. Uryu started when Ichigo nudge his arm, letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. It was then that he realized that they were still up high, the box resting on a strange black platform that glowed a light blue along the edges. It seemed as though it was waiting for the pair to step forward.

"Well?" Ichigo asked.

Uryu sighed, shrugging in defeat. "It's better than being stuck inside a box." They stepped out onto the waiting platform. It too pulled away with a sharp jerk, causing a still unsteady Uryu to grab onto the Shinigami's arm for support. Ichigo didn't seem to mind and said nothing and allowed him to grip his arm tightly. Uryu sorely wished he had something else to hold on to but was glad for the cover of darkness for once. He looked back to see their box, which looked dark on the outside, seal back up and disappear into the night's sky. Neither spoke, as they descended down into the city of nightfall. Finally, after seeing the majority of the eerily dark, yet lit buildings scattered in a feudal display of familiarity, Uryu spoke. "Kurosaki... I think this is supposed to be Midnight."

Update 6/30/14: More tense and grammar edits.