A/N: Here's the companion piece to Secrets! Only two people voted for the poll: the results that I should make a companion piece, so here it is. You guys who voted are awesome, and whoever reviewed for Secrets, also very awesome.

Super Emphasis

Emphasis/thought

Line breaks: Authors thoughts

Secrets. The Soul Society is full of them. And I mean a lot. And the where there aren't secrets there's mystery. The mystery of how Rukia feels about Renji, it's not a secret but still, no one knows. It's driving Renji crazy. Poor bastard. There's also the mystery of Hisagi Shuuhei's tattoo. Why, why, would he get a tattoo of a 69 on his face? That's just plain stupid, and guaranteed to register him as a sex offender, pedophile, pervert, or rapist in any educated adults mind.

No wonder his love life completely sucked.

Then there were the little mysteries. Mysteries that no one really cared about, but thought back on if it was a warm sunny day and they were bored, so they had nothing else to do but think about it. Or if they were reeeeaaaallllly drunk. Like the mystery of Kuchiki Byakuya. He's totally shrouded in mystery, but it's been like that for so long that no one really cares that much. Or why Gin smiled. And how Gin managed to score someone as hot as Rangiku. We, the readers, know this is because of the whole childhood love thing. On the subject, the author would prefer for non-believers to shush about the Love and how it's probably not gonna happen. It's going to happen. We outnumber you, and even if it doesn't happen…we still outnumber you. Anyway, the author continues.

But yeah; the rest of Soul Society? Didn't get it. At all. Whatsoever.

Another mystery….well, there's why Unohana is damn scary. I mean, how does she do it? Seriously, learning how to do that would be really cool. He He….

Ahem. Sorry about that. Moving on.

Some people pondered over these mysteries often, constantly wondering what the hell was going on with these people.

Madarame Ikkaku never thought he'd be one of them.

But lately, Ikkaku was pondering the mysteries of his life.

Or rather, the mysteries of Yumichika's life. And it's sudden connection with Hisagi.

Just a few weeks ago, he and Yumi were tighter then tight. But is felt like Hisagi edging his way in and was taking his place. At first he considered the most logical conclusion for this occurance; Hisagi and Yumi were gay for each other. I mean, it's Yumi and Hisagi's tattoos were, you know, and that the last time he had a girlfriend was….

Was…uh, well never. So, it was the most logical conclusion (to him), and for about a week, Ikkaku stuck to it, faithfully believing that nothing was wrong and he wasn't being replaced. Then, Iba invited him to go drinking with him and Hisagi and that theory was blown out of the water. Well, to be blunt, Hisagi got wasted. Really wasted. And went into this drunken lovesick rant about Isane. Yeah, that really shy tall chick who's the Vice-Captain of Squad 4. And Ikkaku, who was the designated dude (What? They can't have a designated driver, they don't have cars), had to listen to him blab about the sweet silver of her soft hair, and the dazzling soft smile.

And don't get him started on when he started drunkenly lusting for her body. That was just disturbing. Really disturbing.

So, after that night (Ikkaku really wished he'd been drunk so he could've forgotten it), the theory that Hisagi was gay was shot down, massacred and killed. After tortured and castrated.

So, Ikkaku was back to wondering the mystery that had been haunting him. He didn't think Yumi was gay…but….GAH!

He moodily slouched, walking alongside Yumi in the crowded streets of Karakura, pondering the odd occurrences. He and Yumi were patrolling in Karakura to prepare for the oncoming Arrancar attack, waiting and preparing for Aizen (bastard) to make his move. Ikkaku was glad he and Yumi went, maybe if Yumi was isolated long enough from Hisagi, he'd realize that nothing was going on and that he was just crazy, worrying about nothing. Unfortunately…

"OH! That top is so Shuuhei! Do you think I should get it for him?" Yeah. He wouldn't stop talking about him.

Ikkaku shrugged. "I dunno, I'm not good at this stuff." Yumichika twittered. "Hmmm…nah. While Shuuhei would look simply lovely with that, it seems a little intimidating. He's trying to impress a girl, and she's rather shy."

Ikkaku stared at Yumichika. He knew?! It had taken him 20 years to figure out why Hisagi never had a girlfriend, and that was because Hisagi got drunk. The Hell?!

Ikkaku decided to play it casual. Maybe Yumichika was only making assumptions, and didn't really know. "Oh? She in the Gotei 13?"

"Yup!"

"What division?"

"Oh, she's in U-" Yumichika cut short, pursing his lips, before grinning mischievously. "Ah! Nice try Ikkaku! But my lips are sealed." And with that, he pinched his thumb and index finger together and made a zipping motion near his mouth. Ikkaku scowled. Damn. So close.

"So." Ikkaku decided to go for a more direct approach. "You guys hang out a lot."

"Mhmmm."

"…You guys didn't use to. Hang out, that is."

"Yes, well, we have much more in common then we thought."

"Oh?"

"Yes. We have…similar fighting styles." Yumichika paused to look in a boutique window and squealed before dragging Ikkaku into the shop. Ikkaku's head was reeling. Similar fighting styles? Let's see…Hisagi uses kidou a lot…nah…Yumichika always releases his shikai…no…they…taunt their opponents... about... beauty? Ikkaku blinked. Phfffttt, yeah, and Ichigo's crazy dad is actually a Shinigami.

Ummmm...

"Similar fighting styles eh?" Ikkaku inquired, leaning against a display case full of necklaces and bracelets. "How so?"

Ikkaku immediately noticed the change in Yumichika's demeanor. He became stiff and laughed lightly and replied, "Oh, that's between me and Shuuhei, Ikakku." His laugh had a nervous trill to it. Ikkaku's eyes narrowed. What was Yumichika hiding about his shikai?

To be honest and despite Shuuhei's belief, Ikkaku had noticed Yumichika's shikai's…abnormality. Now, he didn't know that he had a kidou Zanpaktou and that he was constantly hiding his real shikai. No, he genuinely thought that Fuji Kujaku was Yumichika's true blade. But…

He noticed things sometimes. Every time he saw Yumichika reveal his shikai…he almost looked disappointed. And he never left his battles truly satisfied like he and the captain did, except for a few occasional times. And that was when he returned from solo missions in the real world.

It was the only time he could remember Yumichika looking so…thrilled. Exhilarated.

Plus there was The Shift.

Ah, The Shift. Every time Yumi released his shikai, his spiritual pressure changed. It would falter for a split second, before hardening and become stiff and fixed.

…Like it was angry, or something. It wasn't the smooth transition that other Shinigami went through when they released their blades. It was different. It was The Shift.

Ikkaku was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed Yumi clicking his fingers together irritably in front of his face.

"Hello? Earth to Ikkaku?" Ikkaku blinked.

"Uh, yeah sorry. You say something?" Yumichika sighed. "Yes, I'm ready to go now."

"Oh…Uh, okay." The two walked out of the store in silence, before Yumichika turned to Ikkaku.

"You know you're like my brother, right?"

Ikkaku blinked at the sudden (and random) question. "Huh?"

"You're like my brother." Yumichika continued patiently. "I'll always be there, you know that right?"

Ikkaku grinned. "Che. Well, duh. And right back at'cha Yumi." He grinned and slung his arm casually over the slighter mans shoulders.

"Hey, Renji said there's this great place around here. Called an 'arcade'."

"Hmmm…really? Sounds interesting."

As the two walked companionably to the mysterious arcade, which Ikkaku would love and Yumichika would utterly despise, Ikkaku brushed off his concerns about the whole Shuuhei Yumichika thing. So, they were suddenly hanging out more? Who cared really? Yumi was his number one guy and he was Yumi's. They'd stick together no matter what.

And not even Shuuhei could change that.

"Ohhh! Pokey! I wanna get some to take back to Shuuhei!"

…It was still pretty annoying though, and not even meaningful epiphanies could change that. But still.

They would always have each others backs.

Always.

A/N: Yay! Please review, if you do Ikkaku will give you chocolate and saltines! They're actually pretty good together. Don't ask how I know that.

I can picture Yumichika in a arcade, looking absolutely horrified. Arcades are really dirty, and sticky, and crowded. Ikkaku would love it. Yumichika....not so much.