Chapter 02

Endless Retreat

Now –

"Ichigo likes you, but he's keeping quiet…"

Toushirou did not know if he should have walked back to Inoue Orihime's house or stayed to watch that movie with the others, somehow he was wishing for the latter. The words that the redheaded lieutenant had told him was not something that he wanted to think of but it was not something that he could exactly push out of his mind. There was no positive way to ignore someone's feelings—even if they were for him, so now it was burning a hole through his mind by thinking about it. Was it possible for an orange-haired arrogant bastard child having any sort of interest towards an ice-cold, uncaring little white-haired captain?

Something large and soft pressed against both sides of the back of his head, causing him to growl while dodging the hands that were about to cover his eyes. He may have been deep in his thoughts, but that was what made him more acute about his surroundings most of the time, rather than oblivious. It took a moment for their usual conversation of what either of them was doing at the time, but he thought about it.

"Matsumoto," the little captain called stoically. "I have a question to ask you."
"Taichou—if this is about the sake on the top shelf I kept it for—" she was cut short.
"Sake?" Toushirou twitched, but shoved it aside. "No, it has something to do with last night."
"We watched the movie to the end before coming back, and no Hollow interrupted!"
This was not helping him. "An issue appeared last night, I need advice…"

Thinking that it had something to do with Soul Society, she became serious.

"Did a report come in?" Rangiku asked without hesitation. "Do we have a job?"
"I wish, but that's not the case this time around, unfortunately." He sighed angrily.
The orange-haired woman looked confused. "Then what do you need advice for?"
"How do you tell another that you have no interest in them, without being rude…"

"Kurosaki-kun finally came out and confessed to you?" Orihime chimed happily, startling them.

The two Shinigami officers stared at her; both of them were shocked, though, one more than the other, and the high school student paused. It then dawned on her that she might have told them something that neither of them knew, causing her to run away quickly from the scene. Rangiku stared at the spot where their host once was before turning toward her superior to see him look a little uncomfortable about the words. Unfortunately, the large breasted woman was not a complete airhead; if anything, she thought she knew all there was in the love department, which was why he was asking.

"Y-You mean… I-Ichigo actually—" before she could get the wrong idea, he interrupted.
"Abarai told me last night." Toushirou looked at her. "I wanted to find a solution to deny."
"But if Ichigo didn't confess, wait, you're not going to reject him already are you, taichou?"
"I have no interest in anyone." He glared darkly. "Telling him now would settle things."

"That's so mean taichou! Ichigo is a great guy! He's practically the best guy out there—at least try him out first!" Rangiku received a darker stare. "Come on taichou, Renji really broke him down when he cheated on him. He's been cold for the past few months." Her captain still said nothing. "Fine, if you want to go and break him even more, then tell him up front that nothing will ever happen between you." She paused to put a finger to her chin in thought. "But it might be bad if he takes the rejection, I hope he doesn't take it so hard that he turns against Soul Society." The busty woman frowned. "Soutaichou would kill him…"

The doorbell was rang, so Orihime came to get the door—only to cheer happily when saying that it was no other that Kurosaki Ichigo visiting. Both Shinigami officers looked at each other in surprise to the irony of the mysterious visit, but he stated that he came to drop off the study notes for their exams. Rangiku watched the captain who did not even acknowledge that the other male was there, so she called happily.

"Ichigo, taichou has something to say to you!" To make sure he would hear him out, he grabbed the teen by the arm and dragged him into the room to face the little captain. "Go ahead and tell him taichou!"
He mentally tried to choke the woman who clung to the other carrot top, but looked to him. "Kurosaki," he started sternly, but knew he could not say it. "Is there something that you would like to say to my face?"
"No, not that I can think of," Ichigo looked a bit confused, only to see that it made the little one unhappy, so he thought a little more about it and knew what to say. "Ah, yeah, thanks for walking with us last night."

Toushirou scowled at him because that was not what he meant, but he accepted it. "You're welcome."

"Kurosaki-kun! Can I come with you today? Please?" Orihime pleaded with her big eyes.
He looked away, "I don't see why not, just stay out of trouble." She happily clung to his other arm.
"Can Rangiku-san and Toushirou-kun come too?" The orange-haired female student asked curiously.
"Sure, but Toushirou won't come, you know that." He looked at both girls. "Why am I being clung to?"
"I get to go somewhere with Ichigo?" Rangiku cheered happily. "Where are we going to today?"

"That, and why am I not allowed to participate in whatever activities that you plan on accomplishing?"

Ichigo looked to the little captain who seemed a little colder than usual with his words. "A-Ah… it's not like that, it's just… I was going to go surfing at the beach and Tatsuki said she wanted to keep me company because I was going to go alone." He smiled weakly as he apologized. "Sorry if I made it sound like you can't come, I know you don't like the heat, so I figured you'd rather stay here. But if you want to come…"

"Of course he will! He doesn't trust me to go anywhere by myself!" Rangiku cheered as she took the offer for her superior. "What about Renji and the others, are you going to be inviting them to the beach too?"

"No… I need some space from Rukia and Renji, that's why she's staying at the shop." Ichigo took his arms back as he used a hand to scratch the back of his head. "Besides, I was going to go alone, but Tatsuki offered to come. She would beat me senselessly if I didn't agree, and at least Inoue can keep her company. If you guys are there, then I won't have to worry about Tatsuki and Inoue being bored."

'The beach…' The last thing the captain wanted was to go to the beach. 'Damn it…'

It came all but too soon…

Toushirou decided to go to the beach since Rangiku bribed him.

She would do all of her paper work for the day if he agreed to come with them to the beach for some fun.

They were already there on the beach, staring at the scenery of the empty public beach due to it being a bit cloudy, but it went ignored by the orange-haired male. He set his bag down about a hundred feet away from the sea before he unbuttoned his shirt to lay across the bag before going over to a shack to rent a board. Rangiku was in awe about how muscular Ichigo had become over the two years—he already had a good body before, but apparently, it just became better. Tatsuki sighed while announcing that Ichigo's job kept him in tip-top shape, which made it almost impossible for him to turn into a slouch again. His form left the shack and went into the ocean without looking over to the group that stood there without a clue. All of them decided that he really did want to be alone, so they shrugged it off and started to unpack and get ready, and the sun slowly began to shine in bits of pieces through the clouds.

Tatsuki called loudly. "Ichigo! The sun is coming out! Put on some sunscreen so you don't get burned!"

The three others looked at her once Ichigo started to come back from the ocean to obey her demands.

Ichigo set the board down. "Can I at least catch a wave." He watched her pat the blanket, so he sat with a grumble in order for her to place the lotion on his back. "There's not even that much sunlight out, Tatsuki."
"Oh shut up already, it's better than having sunburns. Or do you a want to stay until it rains now?" She forced him to turn around so she could do his chest. "Why did you want to come today? It's freezing!"
"I've been frozen once or twice before, a little rain wouldn't bother me." The male smiled sheepishly at his angry friend. "I knew there was a chance of rain, but you insisted on coming along with me, remember?"
"What do you mean you've been frozen before—did Hitsugaya-taichou attack you?" Rangiku suddenly turned to her captain, pointing a finger at him. "You shouldn't be attacking Ichigo like that, apologize—"

"Rangiku-san, it wasn't him that attacked me." Ichigo explained sheepishly. "It was… someone else."
'Kusaka…' The captain thought and looked at him unhappily. "But it was Hyourinmaru, wasn't it?"
His attention went to the ground as he obviously lied, "I can't remember, it was a few years ago."

Tatsuki glared and slapped his head, "what are you sulking about now you idiot?"
"Gah! That hurt damn it!" He roared, grasping his head. "What did I do this time?"
"Why are you so depressed about, you're supposed to be able to trust me!"
"I'm not depressed about anything! I'm sore from another fight!"
"Why were you fighting again Ichigo?" She smacked once more.

"I didn't have a choice, the bastards found out where I lived, so I didn't hold back this time." Ichigo replied in a cranky tone. "All of them are in the hospital, so I won't have to deal with them for a little while." He then looked away as he grumbled. "I sprained my wrist when punching one of the guys, so… yeah…"

"If you sprained your wrist, why did you bother coming?"

"Because you and the others were going," he answered quietly. "I was coming back from Inoue's this morning, and they jumped me again. Since I only got a sprained wrist from the fight, I decided to ignore it because you were going to go, and they were sort of Hell-bent on coming along, too." His head was hit…

Again…

"Stop making us worry all the time!" Tatsuki sighed. "That creep really did a number on you for cheating."

Ichigo smiled lightly at her. "It's just that I don't know what's worse, a boyfriend cheating on me with a girl, or that two of my best friends decided to rip my heart out by betraying me." Not in the mood to surf, he lied down with his back turned to them. "Shinigami are so bothersome, I hate being some half-breed!"

His mother's side… Human.

His father's side… Shinigami.

A third human, a third death, and a third monster…

None of them were completely sure if he had meant hating being a half-breed due to either three of his sides, but it was most likely the last two that drove him insane. Suddenly they heard him give a deep growl before sitting up to glare at three guys approaching, and they were strangers with beers. He got up on his feet and stood in front of the three females and the captain who sat there, watching as Ichigo was turning very defensive. Tatsuki got up to stand by his side in case he wanted her to help even though she knew that he would want to do it all by himself without her.

"What are you so uptight about, punk?" The middleman spoke. "We were just going to ask to join ya."
Much to the group's surprise, Ichigo did not bother saying a word to them, making most of them nervous.
One looked to Toushirou and laughed at his hair color, reaching out to touch. "Hey kid, is this a wig—"

His wrist was grabbed by a powerful grasp, only a little more pressure just to break his bones.

"H-Hey man, we were only fooling around!" The guy on the right announced.
The one on the left, laughed. "Speak for yourself, I wanna a shot with the two—"
Ichigo kicked him in the worse place possible before breaking the mid guy's wrist.
"Ow! Oh my god, you're breaking my wrist! Stop it! Let go! I'm sorry!" He cried in pain.
He released him, but only to kick him in the stomach to knock him over the other person.
"Y-You freakin' monster!" The last one standing pointed at him. "Y-You're just a killer!"

Ichigo looked at him with an unfazed expression on his face. "Shall I prove it?"

Just as he shifted on his feet to make an easy swipe at the fool, Toushirou stood on his feet. "Stop this!"
He was taken aback by the sudden demand. "Toushirou?" His guard was down and punched in the face.
"Bastard!" Tatsuki knocked the attacker unconscious before turning to her friend. "Are you alright Ichigo?"
The male carrot top wiped his bloody lip, "more or less." Though his attention went to Toushirou, unhappily.
Toushirou slightly flinched; it was his fault for distracting the male like that. "Kurosaki, you can't fight w—"
"With normal humans?" He glared, knowing what he was actually going to say. "I knew it was pointless."

With this said beneath his breath, he placed his shirt on, grabbed his bag, returned the surfboard to the shack, and left without a word. Rangiku scolded the captain, telling him that it was wrong to stop him from fighting those drunks when he was trying to protect them. Toushirou could care less about this fact as he announced that nothing would have happened to them—earning a slap on the face. Tatsuki was furious at the white-haired male, yelling at him freely as she demanded for him to apologize to their friend or else suffer the consequences. Orihime also asked for him to apologize since Ichigo was their friend who was having a really bad time recently, what with his mother's anniversary, the break up with Renji, and the never ending list that could go on forever. It was annoying to think that he, Hitsugaya Toushirou—Captain of the Tenth Squad, would have to apologize to that arrogant orange-haired bastard…

Who had saved them all…

'Damn…'

Toushirou wanted to kick himself for coming to the Kurosaki Clinic at midnight, but it was his only chance to apologize without having his lieutenant know about it. He knocked on the window quietly to stir the tall carrot up inside the room that eventually sat up and unlocked the window for him. His hand opened the window before gliding down to the floor to look at the teenager; he would have stayed in the window as he usually would, but he would not be able to make a hasty retreat if things went bad. The little captain watched as the other rubbed his eyes tiredly—obviously not caring about the presence in front of him.

"I came here to apologize for causing a distraction when those fools came towards us. Though I know that you were protecting us, you should not vent at everyone that opposes a threat to you." Toushirou did not once look at him since it was already hard enough on his pride to do this. "Also, though he is not a subordinate of mine, he is temporarily under my command, so I apologize for Abarai betraying you." He did not know how he should continue with the other being so silent. Normally he would stop him from damaging his pride like this. Then again, now was the time to reject his feelings. "Kurosaki, I—"

"Welcome back, Ichigo." It was Kon's voice coming from Ichigo's body.
Toushirou's eyes widened and turned to see the Shinigami Substitute, "Kurosaki…"
"What are you doing in my room?" Ichigo asked with an unpleasant tone and unhappy gaze.
"He thought I was you and was apologizing." Kon yawned tiredly. "He sounded like a lost little boy."
"Bastard," the captain called under his breath, mainly by accident, but he would support his name-calling.

Ichigo stared at him for a moment, "whatever, I'm tired." He came in and removed Kon from his body so he could slip into his human body. "If you're going to stand there and call me names, I'm going to bed."
"I just came out and apologized, and it wasn't even you that was here." His fists tightened angrily.
"Hey, you're the mighty taichou, aren't you? You should have been able to tell that it was Kon and not me. So don't blame me for your mistakes." The carrot top saw him cringe at this, so he sighed. "Toushirou…"

"It's Hitsugaya-taichou—" by accidentally letting his guard down, he was shoved against the closet doors.

"Toushirou," Ichigo started again. "I heard most of your apology, I think. However, nothing was your fault. Hearing you say stop, made me realize I snapped. About Renji… he decided on his own to leave me." He then removed his hands from the captain. "I'm really messed up right now, it's hard to keep a cool head." The teen gave a tired smile. "Tell me something, why can't I call you by your name? Are we not friends?"

"You are an inferior Shinigami, you are not even an official Shinigami." Toushirou glared sternly.

"Neither was Kusaka before he was killed." Ichigo replied instantly, mentally harming the little captain. "Karin can call you Toushirou, Inoue can call you Toushirou-kun, and you have no complaints. Why? My little sister is mostly a half breed too." He watched the captain look away. "I'm not inferior either, I am not even dead and Jii-san pays me twice more than you and the others. I had to defeat Aizen while you, a high and mighty taichou, could not even defeat one of his pawns."

"Don't vent at me because I'm present." The captain replied, getting angrier—

"Careful, you don't want to wake up my family if your reiatsu flares any higher." He watched as the other slowly lowered his temper, and he thought of something. "Since you like to make deals with Rangiku-san, I guess I can make one with you too." Ichigo was exhausted, exhaustion meant crazy. "I will call you by your damn title, if you do something for me in return. In which case, we both get what we want."

He was beginning to hate these bribes. "What is it?"

"Close your eyes." Ichigo demanded quietly.

Of course, the captain did not trust him, but he did as told in hopes of being called by his title because he had known Ichigo not to go back on his word. After two seconds, he felt something against his cheek that caused him to back away and open his eyes to look at the teenager furiously, did he just—? Quickly, he placed a hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutou in order to attack the other, but froze when seeing his gaze.

Anger, confusion, and pain…

Ichigo turned away and lied down on his bed. "Close the window on your way out, Hitsugaya-taichou."

He was not going to obey him, and because he was so angry, he decided now to tell him. "Abarai told me that you have feelings for me, is this true?" Though he watched the other stiffen, there was no response. "If so, get your mind out of your pants because there will never be a day that I would turn to you!"

"Do you think I'm that stupid?" Ichigo asked softly. "Why do you think I never say anything?"

"Yes, I think you're that stupid. No one ever knows what the Hell you're thinking! Therefore, I am warning you, if you so happen to touch me once more, I'll kill you!" Though his threats would probably never be backed up, they at least sounded real. "You're a disaster towards Soul Society, and should disappear!"

Toushirou watched as Ichigo flinched before responding. "Would you regret it? If I truly disappeared?"

"No, I wouldn't." As if to prove this, he dashed out of the room, leaving the window wide open.

Ichigo frowned and looked to Kon, "hey… take care of my family." With that, he swallowed the pill and grabbed a cell phone out of his pocket, dialing the number. "You win… do whatever you want to me."

"Hitsugaya-taichou!" Renji roared furiously, breaking into Orihime's apartment at four in the morning. "Where is he—what did you do!" Ikkaku, Rukia, and Yumichika stood behind him with Kon in Ichigo's body. "Ichigo's reiatsu gone! Four hours ago, it vanished after yours left his place! Tell me where he is!"

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Toushirou glared at him.

"So it's true." Shigekuni's voice spoke as the foreign communicator screen turned on. "We have also lost track of Kurosaki Ichigo on Earth, and cannot be locate him anywhere." The Commanding-General looked at the group sternly. "Until further notice, Hitsugaya-taichou's group will return to Soul Society."

Ichigo… actually disappeared?

A/N: I have a lot of stories to catch up on right now, so I don't know when the next update will be.