Chapter 2

Ikkaku was on patrol, the only job he accepted anymore since it gave him an excuse to look for Yumichika, and as the long days without him turned to months Ikkaku began to feel more and more sure that Yumichika was either dead or changed beyond recognition because surly Ikkaku would have sensed something otherwise. He was searching the rukongai with the hopes that maybe Yumichika would return to the familiar but only because Ikkaku was running out of places to look, and when a body went flying ahead of him Ikkaku frowned and looked at the corpse when he got closer and his eyes widened when he saw claw marks

'It's either a hollow or Yumichika, either way I have to go see,' he rushed in the direction the body had flown from but when Ikkaku saw it was only a hollow he felt more than a bit disappointed, he quickly killed it and resumed his search in the more heavily forested areas where he saw what he first thought was another hollow from the feel of it but he realized what it had in the belt of its outfit was the adornments Yumichika had been fond of using on his face. Ikkaku rushed forward and knelt in front of him and his eyes went wide when he took in Yumichika's changed appearance; his eyes were golden and vacant with catlike pupils and his hair which had grown down to his lower back was dotted with slightly lighter colored spots. His claws and fangs were fully extended and his wrists were covered in layers of dried blood, speaking of a pain beyond what Ikkaku had realized, and when he reached out and urged Yumichika to look up the 5th seat's eyes cleared a little and he hissed with a weakness that was just as alarming as his apparently fractured mental state. Ikkaku quickly picked him up, feeling the extreme weight loss the other man had suffered, and he began to flash step towards the squad 4 barracks, the entire time trying to evade Yumichika's weak attempts to bite him, and when he burst through the door he saw relief flood Unohana's face

"You found him, I knew you would," she said but her happiness clearly faded as she moved closer and took in just how bad he was "quickly, we need to check him for injuries," she said and guided him to a free room, but when Ikkaku tried to help Unohana undress him Yumichika roared and found whatever strength he had left to lash out. Ikkaku caught his wrists and held him as Unohana parted his robe and Ikkaku winced when he realized just how thin he'd gotten; thankfully he didn't appear to be injured but he was covered in dried blood and dirt, practically unheard of before, and Ikkaku pulled him close and ignored Unohana's pleas to let squad 4 handle him

"He's dirty, hungry, and scared and I'm taking him home to feed him and put him to bed," he said in a voice that brooked no arguments and though Unohana protested one more time she decided to let him go though she did send him home with a few things she thought might be easier on Yumichika's stomach, and Ikkaku flash stepped the entire way back to keep anyone from seeing Yumichika which Ikkaku knew would only make the other man's mental state worse. He entered his room since Yumichika's room was probably a mess after two months of absence and he took the other man to the bathroom with the intent of washing him but it seemed the harder he tried to get rid of Yumichika's filthy clothes the harder the weakened man fought to keep them; finally in sheer frustration Ikkaku bound his wrists behind his back and his ankles before cutting his clothes away with a pair of scissors.

Yumichika snarled and fought all the way up until Ikkaku got some hot water in a small bowl and began to wet his hair then he surprised Ikkaku by going still, when Ikkaku repeated the process a bit warily he watched Yumichika slowly melt into the warm floor and that was the end of the fighting. Ikkaku washed his hair, a bit surprised that he seemed to be accepting this part, and when he was done with it he soaped a cloth and began to remove the grim from Yumichika's back which the other man also didn't seem to mind

'He must've thought I wanted sex,' Ikkaku realized with a pang in his chest and he carefully washed Yumichika's wrists, a bit relieved that he hadn't scarred himself at least, and when he washed Yumichika's lower back he felt the other man squirm as if he wasn't so sure about this part "Lay still, Yumichika," he said "I need to wash you off before I can feed you," Yumichika stilled obediently and when Ikkaku finished washing his back and ass he moved on to his legs before he realized Yumichika had just relaxed; he'd been willing to be still but he'd still instinctively stiffened up. Ikkaku finished washing the rest of his back then he moved to his front and marveled anew at the light dusking of freckles he could barely see beneath the grime on Yumichika's face. Ikkaku washed his cheeks and forehead and when he was finished washing Yumichika's face he smiled and began to wash his neck "There's the beautiful man I remember," he said without thinking and Yumichika blinked a few times before closing his eyes again and nuzzling Ikkaku's forearm, giving Ikkaku hope that he was beginning to understand what was going on around him.

Ikkaku moved on to Yumichika's chest and stomach and hesitated when he got to his groin, a bit worried this was going to provoke a reaction of either fear or a fight, but when he finally clenched his jaw and began to wash him Yumichika started making a soft noise that was almost a purring sound. Ikkaku finished as quickly as he could, not wanting to linger and give Yumichika the wrong idea, but he realized that the brief attention had affected his own body anyway. He sighed and moved on to Yumichika's legs but he could feel the 5th seat beginning to squirm which made him glance up and he frowned when he saw that Yumichika's attention was focused on Ikkaku's lap "It's ok, Yumichika, I'm not gonna force you," he said, unaware that the way he said it opened up all sorts of doors if Yumichika was willing, and Yumichika continued to squirm which worried Ikkaku enough that he moved back up Yumichika's body and cupped his cheek to urge him to look up at Ikkaku's face "It's ok," he repeated and Yumichika nuzzled his hand then squirmed until he was closer and when his lips found Ikkaku's the 3rd seat went still in surprise before pulling his head back "Th-that's not why I brought you here," he said a bit breathlessly, in disbelief that something so quick could go to his head the way it had, and Yumichika tried to kiss him again and Ikkaku was tempted to let him but he pulled away to finish rinsing him off then he moved behind Yumichika to untie him since it seemed he wasn't going to fight anymore.

Yumichika sat up when Ikkaku was done but before Ikkaku could straighten again he found himself flat on the ground underneath Yumichika who used his now free hands to capture his head before he lowered his lips and kissed him passionately making Ikkaku groan. Ikkaku brought his hands up to capture Yumichika's squirming hips, a bit scared to let him have too much control of this situation for fear he'd try and take it further and further harm himself, and when Yumichika pulled back to nibble on Ikkaku's throat both men were panting as Ikkaku tried to sit up and gain some space between them

"Come on Yumichika, you need to get some food and rest not maul me," Ikkaku pushed a hand against his chest and Yumichika sat up and looked down at him with heated eyes that made Ikkaku's body throb and ache "How you can be this strong and this starved is beyond me," Ikkaku said a bit breathlessly and sat up before standing with Yumichika held easily to his body, and Yumichika nuzzled him as if he very much enjoyed being right where he was. Ikkaku left the bathroom, snatching a few towels on his way out, and he set Yumichika on the bed and knelt on the ground to begin drying his legs when his gaze strayed to Yumichika's erection which throbbed under his gaze and made his mouth go dry. Yumichika reached a hand down to caress Ikkaku's head and the 3rd seat closed his eyes for a moment to try and control his impulses, but when he opened his eyes again and saw Yumichika using his free hand to touch himself Ikkaku felt his resistance breaking

'I've wanted this for a long time, it couldn't hurt for me to taste him surely? I'm sure he'll sleep better if he's not hard,' he knew his excuses for indulging his own desire were weak at best, but when he leaned forward and inhaled the soft musk of Yumichika's groin he knew he was going to do this anyway. Yumichika mewed when he licked his cock from root to tip, the sound more animal than man, but Ikkaku was so lost in the heat of his body that he hardly noticed and when he took Yumichika's cock between his lips to lave and suck Yumichika gripped his shoulders and trembled as his cock throbbed hard. Ikkaku moved with purpose and when he tasted the beads of precum that were his reward he groaned and reached a hand up to caress Yumichika's chest which made the other man throb harder in his mouth and give him more of what he sought. Ikkaku relished Yumichika's pants, his soft sounds of pleasure that gave Ikkaku a feeling of power he hadn't expected, and as Yumichika shuddered with delight and when Ikkaku growled his own pleasure he felt Yumichika beginning to stiffen. Ikkaku pulled his lips away and replaced them with his hand just long enough to pant hotly

"That's right baby, cum for me and let me see that beautiful face of yours," he took him deep again and Yumichika dug his claws into Ikkaku's shoulders and groaned as he came, but the slight pain only made Ikkaku revel in the taste of him that much more; to know he'd completely lost himself in the moment he gave Ikkaku his seed was enough to make Ikkaku feel close to orgasm himself. He sucked until Yumichika stopped shuddering a long time later then he licked his lips when he pulled back and looked up at Yumichika's flushed face, the 5th seat was panting and looking down at him with soft eyes and Ikkaku smiled and brushed his fingers over Yumichika's jaw before standing and turning to go and get some food from the table.

Yumichika's hand on his hip stopped him and he looked down at the other man who seemed intent on returning the favor, his fingers working quickly on Ikkaku's belt, but Ikkaku put his hands over Yumichika's stilling him "Don't worry about it, Yumichika, I didn't do that because I wanted the same from you," Yumichika's hands clutched his belt when he tried to move away again and Ikkaku blinked in surprise before his eyes softened and he lowered his head to gently kiss the trembling 5th seat "I'm just going over to the table, I'll be right back; I'm not leaving," Yumichika relaxed slowly and released him but Ikkaku could feel his gaze on him the entire time Ikkaku was opening a few bland looking emergency rations; there was enough here for both of them to last at least a few days and Ikkaku hoped that he could convince Yumichika to let him go pick up some other food by then because after a few days of this stuff Ikkaku had a feeling they'd both be ready for some real meat.

He brought them back to the bed and sat in the middle, urging Yumichika closer, and when he sat across from Ikkaku the 3rd seat handed him a chicken flavored packet of a soup of sorts that he recalled Yumichika had preferred before. Yumichika took it and watched Ikkaku squeeze out some of his own before mimicking him and nibbling on a noodle, his eyes widened then closed for a moment before he began to eat in earnest and Ikkaku sighed with relief

'Well at least he remembers how to eat,' Ikkaku thought and when they were finished Ikkaku rose and threw the trash away before returning to the bed and urging Yumichika beneath the covers, Yumichika snuggled into the pillows and relaxed with a happy sigh that turned into a growl when Ikkaku moved away and started looking through his closet for a pallet for himself. Ikkaku glanced back over his shoulder "Well I'm not just gonna sleep on the floor," he said and Yumichika pulled the covers back and scooted back a little in a clear invitation that made Ikkaku laugh "No Yumichika, you need to rest and we won't be sleeping if I get in that bed with you again," Yumichika scooted forward again but instead of closing the invitation Ikkaku realized that he was going to try and get up, he rushed forward in time to catch Yumichika who's legs had buckled and Ikkaku held him close for a little while before setting him back into the bed but Yumichika wouldn't release him. Ikkaku sighed and nuzzled his head before muttering "Don't blame me if things are awkward in the morning," he moved them both under the covers and settled on his side and he felt Yumichika snuggle up close to him, lying his head on Ikkaku's upper arm and wrapping an arm around Ikkaku's chest; both of them sighed and relaxed and Ikkaku felt a smile curve his lips and he wrapped an arm around Yumichika's hips as he began to drift off.