@crichigo ( from here )
( ... )
“why would i dream about you?” it comes off like his regular snark at first, though his tone is much softer. and then, even more unusual, a faint, calm smile appears on his lips as he tilts his head slightly. “i only dream of being with mother...”
malcolm doesn’t know what he expects. doesn’t know what he’s looking for from ichigo. most days, malcolm’s content with acknowledgement: knowing that ichigo remembers he exists, knowing that if there’s one constant in his life he can rely on, it’s ichigo’s biting hatred (and even that is better than nothing). maybe it’s stupid—no, it’s definitely stupid to find some kind of comfort in your nemesis—but malcolm likes knowing that he means something to someone he car—uh, has a complicated relationship with. sure.
scratching the tips of his ears, malcolm waits for the retort to hit him. gimmie something that’ll make me cry, ichigo, he thinks, the corners of his mouth lifting in glee. but something is off about his rival almost from the moment he turns—something missing in his eyes. not ire, not frustration, not even exhaustion at having to deal with malcolm’s bullshit. ichigo looks almost at peace; it’s an expression he’s never seen on the slytherin’s face before. and as if that isn’t strange enough, a smile appears on his lips slowly.
for a moment, malcolm forgets how to breathe. how long has it been since—how long has he seen ichigo smile, much less at him? and not when he’s in pain either, but—
malcolm force-restarts his heart. “you, uh.” genuinely rendered speechless by ichigo’s tone and expression, malcolm flounders for what to say next. “you feeling homesick or something, sonoda?” it comes off as more of a question of concern than he intended it to. “do you… miss your mom?” maybe this is like a breakthrough of some kind. maybe ichigo finally remembers they aren’t supposed to hate each other.
