Confrontation: Part 1

Ichigo lay on top of his bed hands jammed under his pillow below his head staring at the shadows formed by the street light outside his window. He was finally, mercifully, alone. Yuzu had taken Kon, she and Karin were staying at Urahara's shop for a friendly sleep over with Jinta and Ururu. It was good for the girls to hang out with other kids. As for Isshin he was in bed, not exactly sleeping, but more or less unconscious.

Ichigo smirked to himself, his poor fool of a father had the worst timing and manners. Living with Isshin was exactly like living with a super hyperactive child...well in this case man/child. Ichigo reminded himself to thank Hanataro for teaching him a method to subdue hysterical patients using a mild form of Kido. It came in handy when his father attacked without provocation out of nowhere. Now finally, he had some peace and quiet all to himself, with nothing to do but stare at the ceiling. Stare and think which was what he had been doing ever since he got home from Urahara's.

The evening had started off with training. Yoruichi was driving him like a work horse. He hated to admit but the kitty had claws and she didn't care if she used them. He worked on shunpo and hakuda with the master of flash.

During the training sessions with her he marveled at her deadly speed and hard-ass work ethic. He didn't know which was worse being trained by her or being teased by her. It was hard not to notice her body and the way it moved, she made him focus on her every movement while in training.

During the exercises he was of one mind, with complete and utter focus. The weight of the world on his shoulders, he rose to meet all challenges she put forth on him. Yet she'd bring him crashing back to reality if she sensed him becoming too wrapped up in the massive responsibilities he imposed on himself because of the one rule he lived by, save all others above saving himself.

Yoruichi would sense a change in his reiatsu and test his weakness by throwing him under the bus. "Ichigo, do you still blush when you see a naked woman?" She'd ask innocently enough, out of left field. Causing him to stop whatever motion he was in making him sputter, bringing a flush to his face.

He couldn't help it, he wanted to play everything off so cool and smooth but his innocence betrayed him. She'd flash him a gleeful smile. "Didn't think so Kurosaki," she said. "Man, you need to lighten up kid, at this rate you won't make it to twenty." And in the next moment he'd find himself under relentless attacks for up to an hour.

This evening had been no different. They had worked hard and late into the night Yoruichi riding him harder than ever. He could sense she had some frustration against him. It didn't really faze him, the harder she drove him the better he responded. Urahara had made sure they stopped before either got killed.

Ichigo realized his temper had been on edge most of the training. They had been bickering more than usual. Her frustrations were rubbing off on him. One would think that after working off so much energy, the tension might ease between them, but the electric current seemed to be getting stronger, it seemed very clear that if a confrontation didn't happen soon all hell was going to break loose. Each had stormed off after their standoff was called by the green and white bucket hat and clog wearing former taicho.

Ichigo was working to regain control over his uncharacteristic loss of temper with Yoruichi. After subduing Isshin, who naturally engaged him the moment he came through the door, and eating a bento prepared for him by Yuzu. He had dragged himself to his shower.

Although his training took place in Shinigami form he felt it in his body, and today more precisely he felt it in his heart. He pulled his shirt over his head and stared at himself in the mirror although it was his shinigami form that was bruised, cut up and bandaged he could see the shadows of his many battle scars on his body. He surveyed his tired form and vaguely wondered what Yoruichi stared at and why she was so irritated lately.

That woman, she always played it off so cool. His skin tingled whenever he caught her lingering stare which was usually followed by pain from her next move since she took advantage of his lapse in thought. He visualized her as she flew through the air at him, eyes focused on him, purple hair streaming behind her naked form… His pants had started to become uncomfortably restricted and he hurried to take off his socks, pants and remaining clothing, trying to shake away the perverted thoughts about his instructor.

Why the hell would it matter if he fantasized about her, he wondered. He was clearly the only one seriously crushing in this situation and his teenage hormones were clearly responding to his unfulfilled fantasies of his sensei.

He stepped into the powerful stream of the hot shower and felt the heat beginning to relax his muscular tension, Yorui-san...the hot water and steam washed over his body and he thought of her naked body. It was Yoruichi's own fault for transforming to human form in front of him with no little sense of modesty.

Actually modesty had nothing to do with it, she was so confident in any situation and demanded so much respect that even the possibility of her fighting naked didn't hinder her abilities, man it sure threw off the enemies though...he thought wryly. He was sure even Byakuya would be thrown for a loop if she were to engage him like that…maybe she had in the past…

He thumped his forehead against the shower wall, hoping the water could wash away his shame. God he'd been so stupid, and immature, about her being naked in front of him, in the cave under the Sokyoku Hill and the hot springs there. He'd been so caught off guard and the embarrassment of having gotten such a huge erection at the mere sight of her incredible body, no wonder why she teased him so much. He was sure she hadn't caught on to the fact that her naked presence had made him so hard so fast, no but she loved to poke fun at his complete innocence, and the fact that he'd turned the color of strawberries in summer.

He felt so damned betrayed. It wasn't as if he'd never seen a girl's body before, he'd caught a few peeks of Inoue and Tatsuki over the years and he had seen other bodies but they had only been bodies. Yoruichi caused him massive anxiety because of the way he felt about her and his complete idea that such an incredibly sexy woman would ever be attracted to someone like him, was next to impossible. Coupled with the fact that he had so many other things worrying him, he put everyone else ahead of his own desires. It was easier than trying to figure out if she felt the same way about him.

He turned the dial to a shocking cold and subdued himself enough to get out of the shower. He pulled on an old pair of sweatpants, finally a night he didn't have to throw on a shirt. There was no need to worry about Isshin or Karin making fun of him, Yuzu who was most like his mom would just let him be. He walked barefoot back to his room and stretched out on top of the bed.

Back in his room Ichigo thought on how the real reason Yoruichi's naked body bothered him so much was completely due to his upbringing. If there was one thing that Isshin had passed along to his only son it was the Kurosaki love for one woman.

To his knowledge his father had never once felt the need to look for comfort outside of Masaki, even though his mother was no longer with them. At times like this Ichigo desperately wished he could have had Masaki around to ask her opinions about these things, instead of what he imagined she would say. Ichigo understood in his heart his father would never feel the same about another woman.

Ichigo was sure he felt the same way about Yoruichi. For now he was determined to focus on the task at hand, training and saving the world. He would settle for making the most of his shared moments with the flash goddess who had worked herself into the most secret part of his soul.

He thought about her eyes, her hair, the shape of her mouth and vaguely wondered how she'd react if he ever shared any of this with her. Except for just recently they had normally gotten along really well… He'd gone through more with her in the past few months than with anyone. Plus he thought back on those moments alone with her...

He groaned as he had to readjust himself yet again to the way his body reacted. The way his heart reacted when he wasn't around her. At times he thought it was better to have her friendship than nothing at all, but he couldn't keep that up forever. He had no idea where to begin and the fear of rejection was keeping him from messing things up for now but his resolve wasn't going to last forever. He wasn't one to back down from anything.

a/n: I decided to split up my original story into a three part release. Hardly anyone reviews! I appreciate the favorites. So I'm going to drag this out. Enjoy!