Title: Midnight Shift
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Ichigo/Rukia.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 475
Summary/Description: Ichigo and Rukia, working the midnight shift.
Warning/Spoilers: Err. None? …I think.
A/N: Something a little silly and a little funny that I've had in mind for some time.
Dedication: For Goldberry-chan. :-) Hope this cheers you up, honey, and brings a pleasant close to the Week from Hell.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Ichigo gained the corner and came to a skidding halt, Zangetsu clasped in his hand. His amber eyes perused his surroundings, and when he came up with nothing, he deflated considerably, brows furrowed.
"Shit! We lost it."
Moments later, Kuchiki Rukia came to stand next to him, chest still heaving lightly from the exertion of running. The pale midnight moon cast its pallid light upon the two forms, giving them an ethereal glow that juxtaposed their ghostly nature.
"Where is it?" she asked sharply.
"We lost it," the other Shinigami replied shortly, already turning around.
"What do you mean, we lost it?" Rukia demanded, hurrying after him. She poked him in the back. "The Hollow was right in front of us!"
Ichigo threw her a deadpanned look.
"Yeah, but you don't see it any more, do you?" He got a scowl in return, which he ignored. Hefting his zanpakutou onto his shoulder, he began to walk faster, eyes coursing over the streets in search.
"Damn it," he growled. "I can't believe it got away." It had been a long, long night, full of slayings and soul burials, and both Death Gods wanted nothing more than to head home at long last. This Hollow had been the last one that they had been assigned.
"It had a puny little reiatsu too," he continued to grouse, "And was about yea high." He levelled his hand off at his waist to demonstrate.
Rukia, struggling to keep up with his long strides, made a disbelieving noise.
"Don't exaggerate. If the Hollow was that short, how short would you say I am?"
Ichigo stopped walking abruptly, stared down at her, and blinked. After a moment or two of consideration, he lifted his right foot fifteen inches or so off the ground.
…And got a fist in the gut for his trouble.
"Bitch!" he snarled, doubled over, clasping his stomach.
She threw him a haughty glare.
"Serves you right. Come on, let's hurry up and find this thing."
He grunted in agreement, still giving her a dirty look.
"Yeah, let's."
He stooped, hands braced on the pavement, and glanced briefly at the girl behind him.
"Get on."
"What?"
"You're walking too slowly. Hurry up and get on."
"Humph," the pint-sized Death Goddess sniffed as she clambered onto his back, grasped his shoulders and locked her legs around his waist. "Just so you know, I'm perfectly capable of keeping up with you myself."
Ichigo snorted as he leapt to the rooftops.
"Yeah. Right."
Rukia frowned, and jabbed him in the stomach with her heel. Before he could retaliate, or snarl a comeback, she tapped him on the head, and pointed east.
"I sense something in that direction. Get a move on, idiot."
"Shut up."
They began moving east over Karakura, hopefully towards the last Hollow, and the end of the midnight shift.
A/N: Ho hum. :-)
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