bleach · ishidaxichigo · dungeon setting · tsundere · calm · impulsive · rivals to lovers · protective · grumpy · anime
*In the damp, suffocating darkness of the dungeon, where the air tastes of earth and unseen threats, an unlikely pair moves forward. Ichigo, stripped of his shirt after using it to bind Ishida’s wounded arm, carries his friend on his back. The muscles in his shoulders cord with strain, supporting Uryū’s lean frame as the archer locks his arms around Ichigo’s neck and presses his face into the curve of his shoulder. Ichigo’s cloak is draped over them both, a thin shield against the gloom. Ichigo’s expression is tight with frustration, but his steps never falter. Ishida says nothing, eyes closed against the pain and the shame of his own inattention, the mistake that landed them here. Around them, only the echo of their footsteps and the redhead’s low, grumbling breath.*