dear_mun | (no subject)

[ Crap.

The sneaking suspicion that he ought to know the guy's name begins to weigh far too heavily on him. But he just doesn't and he knows he can't lie about it. ]

...No. [ Crap. ] But I will if you tell me.

[ Right back ath'cha there, Ichigo! ] Then why can't you call him Uryuu, huh? It's not hard to pronounce! UR-Y-UUU! See?!

You don't. Know it.

[ Oh. Oh, that's just. ]

[ TYPICAL. Isn't it? YES, IT IS. IT'S TYPICAL! He's not even surprised anymore, except maybe he is. Never mind that he's never even spoken to this particular Ichigo before.

Nope, that doesn't much matter. ]

Yeah, yeah you don't know my name. You might not remember it even if I TOLD YA' YOURE BAD WITH NAMES, RIGHT ICHIGO!?

[ Watch as Naruto shoots from deceptively calm to almost raging. Also there's some flailing here. ]

NAMES DON'T MATTER ALL THAT MUCH ANYWAY, WHY WOULD THEY?! THEY'RE ONLY STUPID NAMES, LIKE PEOPLE ARE JUST STUPID PEOPLE!

[ Taking a moment to breathe! ]

Even if I tell you, you might forget again. YOU DO THAT, AFTERALL! YEAH, YEAH! TELL A GUY YOU LOVE HIM, SURE THING, FORGET HIS NAME A FEW MONTHS LATER! NOOOOO PROBLEM!

IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY FOR KUROSAKI ICHIGO!

[ Wheezing as he pauses. ]

I know how to pronounce it! I'm not stupid, I'm just not --

[ Double crap. It looks like the guy's getting upset.

Way to go, Kurosaki. Make the guy feel like shit. ]

Hey, look...

[ The attempt at being comforting is abruptly derailed by the guy going from sad to furious in less time it takes Ichigo to blink. ]

Wait, what?

[ And then it just stares, flabbergasted, as the guy starts yelling about... Names?! And...

Wait.

What?! He loves me? I love him? WHAT?! ]

Edited 2012-03-01 00:19 (UTC)

[ Confusion makes him more and more agitated until, when silence suddenly falls, Ichigo explodes. ]

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME?!

[ Never mind that shouting back probably isn't helping. ]

I MAY BE SHITTY WITH NAMES BUT I DON'T FORGET FACES! AND I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE, SO HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO REMEMBER YOUR NAME WHEN I'VE NEVER EVEN MET YOU?!?!

HAH! THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID LAST TIME! [ No. it isn't. Not exactly. But he might as well have said it. Right? ] THEN! A MONTH LATER, SUDDENLY YOU REMEMBER! BUT OHHHH .NO! OH NO, THAT'S NOT ALL! YOU TELL ME TO STAY AWAY!

ALL THAT BULLSHIT ABOUT STAYING TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT AND--

[ Naruto splutters, and the volume? It goes. Up. ] YOU GODDAMN LIAR! YOU JUST GAVE ME A DAMN RABBIT! LIKE I'D WANT A DAMN RABBIT! I JUST WANTED YO--

[ No. Not going there. Naruto turns away, he paces a little, silent for all of two heartbeats. ] THEN YOU WENT AND HIT ON SOUSUKE! AGAIN! YOU COULD'A REMEMBERED ME, BUT NO! NO, NO NEED TO REMEMBER THE GUY YOU SAID YOU LOVED, JUST GONNA HIT ON THE HOTTIE!

[ But wait. He ISN'T DONE. ]

HELL YOU DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO FORGET ME TO DO THAT!

[ And just so they're clear. ] I'M SHOUTING AT YOU 'COZ EVEN IF I TELL YOU MY NAME, YOU'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN ME! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT STINKS TO BE FORGOTTEN BY THE PERSON WHO MEANS THE MOST TO YOU?

[ Pauses. Breathe. Stare. ]

Do you, Ichigo? D'you know how much that hurts, that you're not-- that you don't mean that much to them, in the end. 'Coz they can forget you, so damn easily.

[ He doesn't have a damn clue where any of this is coming from. Or what the guy's even talking about.

It pisses him off. And the more he hears, the angrier he gets. He's opening his mouth to fire back something loud and angry when, in the silence, he hears what's really lurking behind all of this.

Loneliness. Sadness.

And the anger fades. ]

Yeah.

[ Almost two years with no word. Almost two years of watching his friends - yes, even Ishida - moving on without him. Not needing him. After he gave up everything to protect them. They didn't need him, and the emptiness and isolation grew, day by day, until just looking at them hurt. ]

Maybe the situation's different, but yeah, I know what it's like to be forgotten.

[ He takes a step forward, frowning. ]

So let me tell you a little something about me. Kurosaki Ichigo. You say you know me? You don't.

Not if you think I'd forget you after I told you I loved you.

I don't forget people. I don't abandon people. I gave up my life twice. I gave up everything I had. I've been to hell so many times, and you think I'm going to forget?

No. Never.

So try it again. Tell me your name. And I'll show you who I am really am.

[ A beat, and the seriousness fades into a look of bewilderment as the rest of that sinks in. ]

Who the hell's Sousuke?

[ You know what it's like to be forgotten?

No, you don't. It's a bitter thought, where once it wouldn't have been. It's bitter because Naruto is sure Ichigo has never had a loved one fail to recognize him as completely as Ichigo once failed to recognize him. It's bitter because he doesn't want any more bullshit.

He's silent until Ichigo is done, almost snorting at the last, barely refraining from it.

Strange that he wants to believe him. Ichigo has that effect on people, and well Naruto knows it. It's why he was drawn to the other young man in the beginning.

But he's not in the habit of repeating his mistakes. ]

You don't forget people. I guess I was just the exception.

[ Just that forgettable. He titls his head, looks almost - nearly - weary for half a second as a jaunty smile passes his lips. ]

Sousuke. Aizen Sousuke. I know you know that name, even if you don't know mine.

What the hell does that mean?

[ The anger comes back in a flash, so strong it carries him forward another step. ]

You're gonna tell me you know me and then you're gonna say shit like that? I don't make exceptions. Never have. Never will.

[ It's a snarl, and he waves a hand at the rest. ]

Yeah. Aizen. I know Aizen. Sent him to Hell after he tried to destroy the world.

[ Three.

Two.

One... ]

Wait, what?!

[ He recoils immediately, blood draining from his face. ]

YOU SAID I DID WHAT?!

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