(no subject)
…help!
That was the only sound in Ichigo’s mind, the only thing that differed from the dark pit of nothing.
…help!
No matter how hard he tried he could not identify the voice, it was high pitched and desperate - he thought he knew it from somewhere.
The voice sounded so helpless, like it was on the brink of a breakdown and Ichigo wanted to make the screams stop, to ease that girl’s despair. But he couldn’t move.
Why couldn’t he move?
There never was a time where Ichigo could ignore a cry for help, aiding the defenseless was second nature. So why wasn’t he doing a damn thing now?
Ichigo was struggling to free himself from the darkness but he couldn’t and to make matters worse, he realized he was as powerless as the poor girl screaming her lungs out.
…help me!
There was the scream again and he was starting to get really angry; the reason he had gone this far was to prevent people from feeling that scared, from being hurt. It wasn’t fair.
I’m going to save her, Ichigo thought with fierce resolve.
“How?”
This time, the voice he heard was not the girl’s; it was similar to his voice but that same similarity was masked due to the edge of slight insanity and ferociousness that tinged it.
“How what?” he asked.
“How do you intend to help her?” the voice said. “You are so close to falling off.”
He could feel the pleasure in the voice as it uttered that last sentence. But most importantly, Ichigo could not think of how to answer it.
The voice knew he wouldn’t be able to even before it asked and it could not help but chuckle. He had won, finally.
“I can help you.” He offered. “It’s the only thing I can do after watching you hold on so stubbornly.”
He knew Ichigo wouldn’t accept but he also knew the thought of accepting would cross Ichigo’s mind even if just for a nanosecond and that was enough to torture him.
…save me, Kurosaki-kun!
His name; that was all it took for him to accept. The undeniable proof that he was needed, that everything was lost and he was the only one that could make it all right again.
It did not matter that he had no power, it did not matter what would happen if Ichigo agreed to let him help. Ichigo needed to protect those who asked; it was as instinctive as breathing and that was what it all came down to at that moment when he found himself lost in his own mind - hearing only the shrill and desperate screams of that girl and the tempting offer he had made.
He chuckled again, rejoicing one more time in his sure victory.
“Will you let me help?”
Ichigo didn’t say yes immediately, he tried to find another way out but he knew he couldn’t. All he could hope was that he would be able to get back in control at one point, hopefully before too much was lost. Ichigo knew it was a slim chance, but he had no choice.
“Yes” Ichigo murmured in defeat.