[The moment they dart up his arm, Ichigo's left eye suddenly flares - turning the hollow coloration he may have seen during missions before, along with a sudden burst of reiatsu to force the shadows down as he yanks his arm away.]
Shit!
[That was - unexpected, but once he's out of the reach of the shadows, he just shakes his head, feeling -
feeling...
...He doesn't know how he feels.]
...This didn't just happen because of the trial, did it? Has - Has this been happening since you've been in here?
Gabe is going to go ahead and pull down his hoodie and shirt, so that Ichigo can see the beginnings of a hollow hole on his chest. It's in that weird flappy form that they tend to stay in when a human soul slowly hollowifies, but it's definitely there. Looking at the progress, he probably has a few months left until he's completely gone, going at this rate.]
I gotta admit, I thought this kinda thing only happened to souls, not living people. But here we are.
[For a moment, the world stills around him as he just - stares at the progress of Gabe's hollow hole, his mind racing.
What the fuck did they do? A Human hollowfying like this shouldn't be possible, and yet there was the evidence of it right there, like some kind of fucked up beacon -
Ichigo's face shows his shock and horror clearly, his mouth moving a little before -]
Do you - fuck, Gabe.
[He just - puts a hand on his forehead, running his fingers through his hair as he tries to think.
He's not someone who knows a lot about this.]
...I don't know what to do for you. I - I've never seen anything like this.
He'll let go of his shirt, letting it cover his chest again.]
Right about the time everyone else showed up, I started to notice a tiny crack on my chest. I thought it was just a scratch or something. But then it got longer, and longer, and then at the most recent trial it did this.
Moira will know what to do. She's the one who did this to me, she'll know how to fix it.
[He yells that out, practically whirling around on Gabe.]
I don't think she knows how to fix Hollowfication, Gabe! Not while you're in a human body! You don't even - you're not even a Shinigami, so I have no idea what's going to happen -
[He pauses, as if he remembers something - and then:]
Szayel. Szayel would know how to temporarily stop this, at least - Come on. Let's get you out of here, Gabe.
[He goes to grab Gabe's good arm, intent on making him stand.]
No, but he's an arrancar! He's studied hollows and hollowfication - he's the only option we've got to save you!
[Ah. Here it was again - their old pattern, of Ichigo saying something at Gabe not believing him. This, over and over again, and it had lead to his death -
But he doesn't care about that, not when this is in front of him.]
Come the hell on, Gabe! We can end all of this, right now - help the Resort, and save everyone! Just - come with me!
[He tries reaching for Gabe's arm again, faster this time.]
[It is indeed falling into their old patterns, and Gabe is so tempted to rise to the bait and keep yelling back. The weird sensation at the back of his neck, the one that's made his normally-better temper so much short, it's telling him to argue. To fight.
But he's so tired and hungry, and honestly? This fight with Ichigo has been going on too long. He misses the good times they had sometimes, in-between the fights. They're very volatile around each other, but it isn't always bad.
The tiredness extends to his eyes as he finally, finally reaches out a hand, ready to give in and just listen to Ichigo for once.
But then he explodes into a flurry of shadows, lashing out in all directions, trying to force Ichigo away. And it's a raspy voice, one that is decidedly not Gabe's voice, that speaks:]
[In that moment, as gabe reaches out? He actually relaxes, a small smile spreading on his face. Even if things had gone sour between them, there was still time to make it right - still time to repair the rift. He remembered the good times right along with Gabe, and -
Then the world explodes into shadow, and he feels sharp claws tearing into his chest and arms, along with that raspy voice - and he stumbles backwards, panting and bleeding, unconsciously grabbing onto a bit of the control panel to keep himself from falling.
Ichigo just - stares, for a long, long moment.
And then...he just looks away, giving a horrible, empty smile.]
....I see. So, that's....
[He lapses into silence, unable to finish saying it, but -
[As soon as those shadowy claws connect, Gabe knows he's fucked up.
He doesn't know why he lashed out. He didn't want to. He honestly does want to trust Ichigo. But that voice, those shadows, it just takes him over.
Gabe doesn't even see that smile at first, because he's fallen to his hands and knees and is coughing up smoke. Any words he could have said are lost to the shadows, as he tries to get them under control.]
Kid-
[He barely manages to squeak that one out before he starts coughing again. But when he looks up, he sees that look on Ichigo's face, and any hope he had for maybe fixing all of this just shatters.
If Ichigo could see it, the hole in his chest just got a little bit bigger.]
[There's nothing he can do, is there? He watches Gabe cough with a sick sinking in his stomach, and even though he knows it hurts Gabe, he can't stop that smile, because -
It was useless to try, wasn't it? He knows the shadow has some hollow in it - the shadows being the shadows of gabe's heart - and he know that this means that...
What he saw in Gabe's heart was true. All he is - it's just an annoyance. Someone small, someone to not listen to or take seriously.
It hurts. It hurts, and - he quickly wipes his face, not wanting to show the tears that are starting to well up in his eyes.]
...It's - alright.
[He manages to force that out, through the choking in the back of his throat.]
I'm just - not who you're waiting for, I guess. Ha.
[No. It's not alright, this isn't alright at all. This needs to change. He can't keep doing this, this isn't fair, he's trying to reach out-
He holds up a hand, reaching for Ichigo once more. He can't speak, the smoke is still spilling out of his mouth, but hie eyes are pleading with Ichigo. 'Please, don't do this, just listen!'
Except he can't control the shadows so well, and instead of taking Ichigo's hand, a large, shadowy, clawed hand shoots out of the smoke, going right for Ichigo's neck. The shadows won't be able to actually kill him, but he'll feel the pressure around his neck.
He might also be able to see the panic in Gabe's eyes as he sees his own powers betraying him like this.]
[He's helpless, in his staggered state - and he's easily grabbed, struggling even as the shadow chokes him. He's fighting back - digging his fingers into the shadows, as his Zanpakuto are still on his back - but the pressure is harsh and cuts off a good portion of his breathing.]
Hkk-!
[This is - familiar, this sense of being unable to breathe while staring Gabe in the face. He can see the panic in the older man's eyes, and he knows that he's not doing it on purpose, but -
'Go home, Mijo.'
His eyes glaze over in the same way they did six months earlier, pain and hurt inside of them, like an echo of that moment. Tears fall - the tears he'd tried to hard to hide - as he just chokes out one word.]
Gabe grits his teeth as he tries to force the shadowy hand to let go. It's so hard to do, mainly because the hand just won't listen, and the panic keeps rising in him as he sees that look on Ichigo's face.
He's a hardass, he likes doing things his own way, but he never meant to hurt Ichigo. Not like this. Never.
He's screaming from the effort, trying to get the shadows to listen to him, but they won't budge. Not an inch.]
Damnit! God fucking damnit! Let go!
[The words are not clear, there's still smoke muffling them, but it might be possible to understand them. Maybe.
And finally, with one last shout, he pulls the shadow away from Ichigo's neck.
[His consciousness is starting to go hazy as the shadow cuts off his air - He can't even speak, and his struggles slowly start to get weaker, his fingers not digging in as hard as they once did.
Gabe - while frantic - might notice Ichigo's eyes fading from even that look to a glassy blankness, as the lack of oxygen takes it's toll.
He's only barely aware of Gabe screaming under the smoke to stop this when his consciousness finally cuts out, and his body goes limp - arms and legs hanging like a puppet's when the strings are cut.
With the shout, Ichigo collapses onto the floor, too - and while he's still breathing, he's definitely unconscious, face still streaked with tears and saliva from being choked.
[It takes - an hour, maybe two. He'd been fighting for a while, and he came in a little tired - so when he finally wakes up, it's with a cough and a hushed hiss of pain as his earlier wounds complain at the movement.
When he focuses enough to sit back up - shakily, fresh new bruising on his throat - he sees Gabe in his ball, and just...looks at him.
He knows Gabe didn't want to do that - he saw the panic and the pleading, as clear as day. But at the same time - the shadows reacted because of Ichigo.
Maybe - maybe the living would have a better time of helping Gabe.
Maybe Owain would be better here, than him.]
....Sorry. I'll - I'll leave you alone.
[His own voice is scratchy and quiet as he gets to his feet.
He feels - like he should say something, but - what can he say without hurting Gabe? Without getting the shadows involved again?]
...They're going to save you, Gabe. ....Even if I can't.
[He can't speak anymore. his voice is gone, and it's taking too much effort to stay solid, much less talk.
But when he hears Ichigo speak, he lifts his head slightly to glance at him. Then he takes his tablet and slides it over to Ichigo's side of the room before resting his head on his knees again.
If Ichigo looks at the tablet, a message has been typed out on it:]
I never wanted to hurt you. Things got fucked up too quickly, and I can't control it anymore.
It's not your fault. It's me.
[It's still not quite an apology, but admitting fault is a big, BIG step for Mr. 'I'm right so the rest of you can suck it.']
it's like something breaks inside of him. He's broken before - at Camp, in the long period of isolation he had - but that was enough to break even his hurt and his stubborn assumption that he never meant anything to Gabe, that he was just a burden.
Shadows be damned, he doesn't care what happens to him anymore - with quick steps, he comes over to where Gabe is sitting, kneels down -
And just hugs him, eyes squeezed shut as he presses himself close.]
I'm - I never wanted to hurt you, either -
[He knows the shadows will most likely not like him being so close, but - screw them.]
Just - hang on, alright? Hang on. Don't - give in.
[The shadows most definitely do not like having Ichigo that close, and as soon as he's there hugging Gabe they whip up and start thrashing about. But Gabe himself is at the center of that mass of shadows, still solid somehow. And he doesn't fight to get away from Ichigo's hug.
He is giving in, but not to despair. He'll let you kids handle things, this time.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
foundationmods) wrote2018-12-30 11:41 pm
no subject
Shit!
[That was - unexpected, but once he's out of the reach of the shadows, he just shakes his head, feeling -
feeling...
...He doesn't know how he feels.]
...This didn't just happen because of the trial, did it? Has - Has this been happening since you've been in here?
no subject
She can probably fix this, she's the one who did it to me in the first place, but I need to actually get to her.
[Which he. Clearly doubts will be happening right now.]
no subject
[Obviously, he thinks it wasn't voluntary - because why in god's name would it be?]
If that's the case, then as long as she didn't touch your soul, I might be able to get you in a new body, and you'll be fine.
no subject
[It was 100% voluntary.
But then he hears the next part, and.]
...
I've got some bad news for you, kid.
no subject
....Tell me.
[He has to know.]
no subject
Gabe is going to go ahead and pull down his hoodie and shirt, so that Ichigo can see the beginnings of a hollow hole on his chest. It's in that weird flappy form that they tend to stay in when a human soul slowly hollowifies, but it's definitely there. Looking at the progress, he probably has a few months left until he's completely gone, going at this rate.]
I gotta admit, I thought this kinda thing only happened to souls, not living people. But here we are.
no subject
What the fuck did they do? A Human hollowfying like this shouldn't be possible, and yet there was the evidence of it right there, like some kind of fucked up beacon -
Ichigo's face shows his shock and horror clearly, his mouth moving a little before -]
Do you - fuck, Gabe.
[He just - puts a hand on his forehead, running his fingers through his hair as he tries to think.
He's not someone who knows a lot about this.]
...I don't know what to do for you. I - I've never seen anything like this.
no subject
He'll let go of his shirt, letting it cover his chest again.]
Right about the time everyone else showed up, I started to notice a tiny crack on my chest. I thought it was just a scratch or something. But then it got longer, and longer, and then at the most recent trial it did this.
Moira will know what to do. She's the one who did this to me, she'll know how to fix it.
[He has too much faith in a mad scientist.]
no subject
[He yells that out, practically whirling around on Gabe.]
I don't think she knows how to fix Hollowfication, Gabe! Not while you're in a human body! You don't even - you're not even a Shinigami, so I have no idea what's going to happen -
[He pauses, as if he remembers something - and then:]
Szayel. Szayel would know how to temporarily stop this, at least - Come on. Let's get you out of here, Gabe.
[He goes to grab Gabe's good arm, intent on making him stand.]
no subject
I'm not trusting Dr. Needledick with this. Hell, I don't think he's even really a doctor!
no subject
[Ah. Here it was again - their old pattern, of Ichigo saying something at Gabe not believing him. This, over and over again, and it had lead to his death -
But he doesn't care about that, not when this is in front of him.]
Come the hell on, Gabe! We can end all of this, right now - help the Resort, and save everyone! Just - come with me!
[He tries reaching for Gabe's arm again, faster this time.]
no subject
But he's so tired and hungry, and honestly? This fight with Ichigo has been going on too long. He misses the good times they had sometimes, in-between the fights. They're very volatile around each other, but it isn't always bad.
The tiredness extends to his eyes as he finally, finally reaches out a hand, ready to give in and just listen to Ichigo for once.
But then he explodes into a flurry of shadows, lashing out in all directions, trying to force Ichigo away. And it's a raspy voice, one that is decidedly not Gabe's voice, that speaks:]
No.
no subject
Then the world explodes into shadow, and he feels sharp claws tearing into his chest and arms, along with that raspy voice - and he stumbles backwards, panting and bleeding, unconsciously grabbing onto a bit of the control panel to keep himself from falling.
Ichigo just - stares, for a long, long moment.
And then...he just looks away, giving a horrible, empty smile.]
....I see. So, that's....
[He lapses into silence, unable to finish saying it, but -
'that's what you really think of me, huh?'
Just someone to push away and never let in.]
no subject
He doesn't know why he lashed out. He didn't want to. He honestly does want to trust Ichigo. But that voice, those shadows, it just takes him over.
Gabe doesn't even see that smile at first, because he's fallen to his hands and knees and is coughing up smoke. Any words he could have said are lost to the shadows, as he tries to get them under control.]
Kid-
[He barely manages to squeak that one out before he starts coughing again. But when he looks up, he sees that look on Ichigo's face, and any hope he had for maybe fixing all of this just shatters.
If Ichigo could see it, the hole in his chest just got a little bit bigger.]
no subject
It was useless to try, wasn't it? He knows the shadow has some hollow in it - the shadows being the shadows of gabe's heart - and he know that this means that...
What he saw in Gabe's heart was true. All he is - it's just an annoyance. Someone small, someone to not listen to or take seriously.
It hurts. It hurts, and - he quickly wipes his face, not wanting to show the tears that are starting to well up in his eyes.]
...It's - alright.
[He manages to force that out, through the choking in the back of his throat.]
I'm just - not who you're waiting for, I guess. Ha.
no subject
He holds up a hand, reaching for Ichigo once more. He can't speak, the smoke is still spilling out of his mouth, but hie eyes are pleading with Ichigo. 'Please, don't do this, just listen!'
Except he can't control the shadows so well, and instead of taking Ichigo's hand, a large, shadowy, clawed hand shoots out of the smoke, going right for Ichigo's neck. The shadows won't be able to actually kill him, but he'll feel the pressure around his neck.
He might also be able to see the panic in Gabe's eyes as he sees his own powers betraying him like this.]
no subject
Hkk-!
[This is - familiar, this sense of being unable to breathe while staring Gabe in the face. He can see the panic in the older man's eyes, and he knows that he's not doing it on purpose, but -
'Go home, Mijo.'
His eyes glaze over in the same way they did six months earlier, pain and hurt inside of them, like an echo of that moment. Tears fall - the tears he'd tried to hard to hide - as he just chokes out one word.]
...A...gain....?
['Are you going to kill me, again?']
no subject
Nonononono!
Gabe grits his teeth as he tries to force the shadowy hand to let go. It's so hard to do, mainly because the hand just won't listen, and the panic keeps rising in him as he sees that look on Ichigo's face.
He's a hardass, he likes doing things his own way, but he never meant to hurt Ichigo. Not like this. Never.
He's screaming from the effort, trying to get the shadows to listen to him, but they won't budge. Not an inch.]
Damnit! God fucking damnit! Let go!
[The words are not clear, there's still smoke muffling them, but it might be possible to understand them. Maybe.
And finally, with one last shout, he pulls the shadow away from Ichigo's neck.
And he collapses onto the floor.]
no subject
Gabe - while frantic - might notice Ichigo's eyes fading from even that look to a glassy blankness, as the lack of oxygen takes it's toll.
He's only barely aware of Gabe screaming under the smoke to stop this when his consciousness finally cuts out, and his body goes limp - arms and legs hanging like a puppet's when the strings are cut.
With the shout, Ichigo collapses onto the floor, too - and while he's still breathing, he's definitely unconscious, face still streaked with tears and saliva from being choked.
They're both an absolute mess, aren't they?]
no subject
And Gabe sure is going to curl up into a ball of hate and self-loathing for however long it takes for Ichigo to wake up.]
no subject
When he focuses enough to sit back up - shakily, fresh new bruising on his throat - he sees Gabe in his ball, and just...looks at him.
He knows Gabe didn't want to do that - he saw the panic and the pleading, as clear as day. But at the same time - the shadows reacted because of Ichigo.
Maybe - maybe the living would have a better time of helping Gabe.
Maybe Owain would be better here, than him.]
....Sorry. I'll - I'll leave you alone.
[His own voice is scratchy and quiet as he gets to his feet.
He feels - like he should say something, but - what can he say without hurting Gabe? Without getting the shadows involved again?]
...They're going to save you, Gabe. ....Even if I can't.
no subject
But when he hears Ichigo speak, he lifts his head slightly to glance at him. Then he takes his tablet and slides it over to Ichigo's side of the room before resting his head on his knees again.
If Ichigo looks at the tablet, a message has been typed out on it:]
I never wanted to hurt you. Things got fucked up too quickly, and I can't control it anymore.
It's not your fault. It's me.
[It's still not quite an apology, but admitting fault is a big, BIG step for Mr. 'I'm right so the rest of you can suck it.']
no subject
it's like something breaks inside of him. He's broken before - at Camp, in the long period of isolation he had - but that was enough to break even his hurt and his stubborn assumption that he never meant anything to Gabe, that he was just a burden.
Shadows be damned, he doesn't care what happens to him anymore - with quick steps, he comes over to where Gabe is sitting, kneels down -
And just hugs him, eyes squeezed shut as he presses himself close.]
I'm - I never wanted to hurt you, either -
[He knows the shadows will most likely not like him being so close, but - screw them.]
Just - hang on, alright? Hang on. Don't - give in.
no subject
He is giving in, but not to despair. He'll let you kids handle things, this time.]
no subject
After a moment - wanting to get his feelings across - before he lets go, grabbing the tablet and sliding it back over to Gabe.]
Keep - Keep talking to them. Okay? Keep letting everyone know you're still here for as long as you can.
...I'm sorry, Gabe. For everything.
[And then -
he's gone, sliding out through the door.]