A female soul reaper sighed and shook her head as she stopped to read an article that had been posted on a near by wall. It seems another fight had broken out between the two families that caused chaos in the once peaceful Seireitei. Slightly disgusted at the news, the soul reaper shook her head once more before moving on.

It's been a long while since there had been more than a week's peace between the Kurosaki and the Hisagi. No one knows exactly as to why they fight, but if one hasn't heard about the ancient grudge between the two households then they're obviously not from around here, huh? As a group of three made their way down the streets of the city, the flyer caught one's eye in particular. Ikkaku Madarame studied the piece of paper before laughing raucously.

"A dog of the house of Kurosaki moves me!" He let out another bark of a laugh before ripping the paper off the wall and showing it to his companions. Yumichika smirked after looking at the pictures of the Lord and Lady Kurosaki. Izuru sighed and took the paper out of Ikkaku's hand, receiving a cry of protest. Izuru rolled up the flyer and stuck it inside his uniform. Upon seeing Ikkaku's disappointed face he crossed his arms.

"The quarrel is between our masters," stated the blonde.

"And us their men," Yumichika retaliated. Izuru let out a sound of frustration before turning and stalking off to find a place to dispose of the flyer. The two remaining soul reapers laughed and leaned against the wall to await the return of their friend. As they waited, a group of female soul reapers turned onto the street that Ikkaku and Yumichika were currently residing. Ikkaku smirked at Yumichika who merely rolled his eyes. Such unbeautiful women weren't worth his time. Ikkaku pushed himself off the wall and began walking towards the women slowly.

"Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, and I am a pretty piece of flesh; I am a pretty piece of Flesh!" Ikkaku laughed flexing as they went by. One of the older girls ushered the rest along and they soon disappeared into another street. Ikkaku laughed once again as he watched them go, but when he turned to return to his previous spot he froze upon seeing two men walking down the street. He smirked and glanced over at Yumichika. "Here comes of the house of Kurosaki!"

"Quarrel, I will back thee," Yumichika told him. Ikkaku looked at him from over his shoulder.

"I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it," Ikkaku said quietly so that the approaching Kurosaki boys wouldn't hear. Once the two were close, however, the bald man turned towards them.

Uyruu looked over in the direction of the Hisagi boys' when he heard a strange noise. He was surprised and almost immediately angered when he saw that Ikkaku was biting his thumb and gesturing wildly with his hands. Uryuu stiffly walked over to the bald man, trying to retain some control over his anger, while Chad followed behind quietly. "Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?"

"I do bite my thumb, sir!" Ikkaku replied donning a look as innocent as he could muster. Unfortunately he cannot hold back the smile that begins forcing its way onto his face. Uryuu clenched his fist in a last ditch attempt to keep calm.

"Do you bite your thumb at us?!" Uryuu yelled, but then managed to regain some composure. "…sir." Ikkaku looked back at Yumichika over his shoulder.

"Is the law on our side if I say ay?" Yumichika shook his head.

"No!" Ikkaku let out an aggravated sigh. This kid's attitude was getting old, real fast. b (1) /b

"No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, but I do bite my thumb, sir!" He stated stepping forward, his voice raising a few levels. Yumichika stepped up beside his companion.

"Do you quarrel, sir?" Uryuu took a step forward as well and he felt all composure slip away. How dare these fools accuse him of quarrel when they began this mess themselves!

"Quarrel, sir, no, sir!" said the Quincy, his voice elevating with each word until it was a yell. Ikkaku growled taking yet another step forward in challenge.

"If you do sir, I am for you! I serve as good a man as you!"

"No better!?" Uryuu questioned. Yumichika looked down the street and saw that Izuru had just turned onto the street.

"Here comes our kinsmen, say better!" He urged Ikkaku. Ikkaku nodded before looking back at Uryuu and glaring.

"Yes, better!" he declared before jumping back in time to dodge a blow from Uryuu.

"You lie!" he yelled calling forth his bow and holding it at the ready. "Draw if you be men!" In a matter of seconds, all hell broke loose as Chad whipped out his arms and Yumichika and Ikkaku drew their swords. Soul reapers who happened to be passing by yelled and drew their own blades in the case they should have to defend themselves. Izuru broke through the crowd with Wabisuke in hand. He held it ready, but looked between both groups of men for any sign of movement.

"Part fools! You know not what you do! Put up your swords!" he cried shifting his sword position to be ready to strike either side. The four men looked at Izuru as he slowly moved to the center of the newly formed group of people. Izuru gasped and pointed his sword at Chad who had turned his attention of his right. Izuru slowly followed the others gaze until he saw the crowd beginning to part. His eyes widened slightly as he caught sight of white hair. Shirosaki emerged out of the crowd smirking as his eyes lay on the blonde.

"What, art though drawn among these heartless hinds?" the hollow asked looking slightly disgusted as he looked between Ikkaku, Yumichika, Uryuu, and Chad. He returned his attention to Izuru, a sadistic grin slowly emerging onto his face. "Turn thee, Izuru, and look upon thy death." Izuru shook his head in disagreement as Zangetsu was slowly removed from the white one's back. He looked around the crowd once, perhaps for some sign of help, before returning his gaze to Shirosaki.

"I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these fools with me." Izuru returned Wabisuke to its original form before slowly beginning to put it back in its sheath so as not to alarm the other.

"Peace. Peace?" Shirosaki hissed as the smile quickly faded. "I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Hisagi's, and thee." He grit his teeth as he felt his loathing for Izuru rise in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't wait for the day when he could rip the soul reaper's throat out.

A cry from the crowd caught Shirosaki's attention and he pivoted on his heel and held his sword to the neck of the man who let out the cry. The soul reaper froze in fear as the hollow began to growl at the man. However, after a moment he pushed the man back and turned in time to block a blow from Izuru who had come in for the strike.

Shirosaki shoved him back with unimaginable strength, sending the blonde through the wall. Ikkaku let out a cry of outrage and charged at Shirosaki, only to be thrown himself. Yumichika engaged with Chad and Uryuu and managed to hold them as Ikkaku stood himself up. The crowd finally decided to join in and swords began to clash in every direction. Shirosaki found Ikkaku and Yumichika several times, but only managed to keep contact for a few moments before the crowd parted them. Izuru clambered through the wall and immediately found him having to defend himself from Shirosaki.

The crowd began to grow and move through the streets of the Seireitei. As they were taking their walk through the city, Lord and Lady Hisagi spotted the brawl from a couple streets down. Lord Kensei immediately began running in the direction of the mass of steel and sparks. "Give me my long sword, ho!"b (2) /b He went to draw his sword, but Lady Kuna ran around the large man's form and placed her hands over his. Lord Kensei jerked his head down and met with determined eyes.

"Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe."

The fight continued and soon became so out of hand that hardly anyone noticed the arrival of the Noble Kuchiki and his brigade. Soul reapers were thrown to the ground one by one and held there until there was only a handful still fighting. Among them were Shirosaki and Izuru. (3) Byakuya Kuchiki jumped atop a rooftop and looked down at the fight in disgust; such worthless fighting among lowly soul reapers. He hardened his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, throw your mistempered weapons to the ground!" he bellowed above the noise. Shirosaki and Izuru, who heard the command, looked at each other in complete loathing before raising their weapons above their heads. "On pain of torture, from those bloody hands, throw your mistempered weapons to the ground!" With the final demand all weapons hit the ground at the feet of their masters.

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Byakuya sat behind his desk, watching the two families before him. On his right sat the Hisagi's with Izuru standing behind them with his back against the wall. On his left sat Lord Shinji and Lady Hiyori Kurosaki with Shirosaki standing behind them against the wall as well. These families were growing too troublesome for him to deal with and he didn't know how much more of this the city could take. Byakuya straightened his already seemingly perfect posture and looked coldly between the two groups.

"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, by thee, Kurosaki and Hisagi, have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets," he started looking at the named in turn. "If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace." No one said a word to this, but the noble did see the two men glare at each other out of the corner of their eyes. He narrowed his own before standing.

"Go." With that said, the two families rose and silently left the office and the building soon after. Lord and Lady Kurosaki climbed into their open carriage and quickly disappeared before anything could be said or done.

The ride home for the Hisagis' was a silent one. Lady Kuna watched off to the side as they went by people and buildings, seemingly worrying over some unknown factor. Lord Kensei just watched Izuru who was fixed on messing with his fingernails. Lady Kuna sighed and shook her head, looking more worried by the second.

"Oh, where is Shuuhei? Saw you him today?" She asked Izuru before looking over at her husband. "Right glad I am he was not at this fray." Lord Kensei said nothing, but from his fidgeting, Izuru could tell he was thinking the same.

"Madam, underneath a grove of Cherry Blossom so early walking did I see your son," Izuru said to his lady. b (4) /b

"Many a morning hath he there been seen with tears augmenting the fresh morning dew," Lord Kensei commented, almost bitterly, as he looked off to the side of the carriage. If possible Lady Kuna looked even more worried.

"Away from the light steals home my heavy son, and private in his chamber pens himself, shuts up his windows, locks far daylight out and makes himself an artificial night," She said as tears welled in her eyes. She looked away in hopes of suppressing them along with her worry. The carriage turned onto a new road not lined with walls, as was in the city, but with a seemingly endless line of Cherry blossom trees.

Amongst these trees sat Shuuhei, staring off into the distance, unaware of anything around him. i'Why then, oh brawling love, oh loving hate, oh anything of nothing first create. Heavy lightness, serious vanity, misshapen chaos of well seeming forms…'/i He was brought out of his thoughts when the sound of a stopping carriage caught his attention. He looked down the road to his left and saw that a ways down, there was indeed a carriage with three passengers inside.

Even from that distance he could distinguish his mother and father before all else. He stared at them for a moment before standing and walking further into the trees towards a small pond that lay sparkling in the sun. Soon, after he disappeared from sight, the carriage began to move again. It didn't go very far, just up to the point where Shuuhei once resided. Lord Kensei looked towards the invisible path his son had taken.

"Black and portentous must this humor prove," the Lord looked at Izuru for a moment before leaning in his direction. "…Unless good counsel may cause the remove."

Izuru got the message and nodded to his lord. "So please you, step aside. I'll know his grievance, or be much denied," he said as he clambered out of the carriage and onto the road. Lord Kensei looked back in the direction that Shuuhei had taken before nodding to Izuru.

"Come Madam, let's away."

Izuru watched the carriage as it went down the road for a moment before turning and walking off to the pond that he knew Shuuhei had fled to. And he was there all right, sitting on the grass with his knees bent to his chest and elbows resting on them. He stared at the water unblinking, lost in thought to whatever Izuru hoped to figure out. Izuru came to a stop beside his cousin.

"Good-marrow, cousin." Shuuhei moved his head a fraction of an inch to glance at the blonde before looking back at the water.

"Is the day so young?" he asked.

"But news struck cuz," Izuru replied looking down at him. Shuuhei sighed and shook his head gently.

"Aye me, sad hours seem long." He turned to Izuru laying one knee flat now with one still bent to his chest and his left hand behind him. "Was that my father that went hence so fast?" Izuru nodded.

"It was," he confirmed as he sat down next to the other. "What sadness lengthens Shuuhei's hours?"

"Not having that, which having, makes them short."

Izuru looked over at his cousin in mild surprise. "In love?"

"Out—"

"-of love?"

"Out of her favor, where I am in love." Shuuhei looked back to the water and rest an elbow on his still bent limb. Izuru let out a small laugh as he did the same.

"Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!"

"Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!" Shuuhei let out a chuckle himself. He shoved Izuru's shoulder playfully. "Where shall we dine?" When he pulled his hand back he saw a small streak of blood on his hand and looked back at Izuru. There was a cut on Izuru's arm that he had yet to notice.

"Oh me, what fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all." Shuuhei turned to his cousin fully, crossing his legs and pointing to the cut. "Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, oh brawling love! Oh loving hate! Oh anything of nothing first create! Oh heavy lightness! Serious vanity! Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead—" Izuru snickered. "Dost thou not laugh?"

"No, cuz, I rather weep," Izuru disagreed as he shook his head. Shuuhei raised his eyebrows in slight surprise.

"Good heart, at what?"

"At thy good heart's oppression," Izuru replied shrugging casually. Shuuhei let out a small laugh before standing himself up and walking out of the tree in the direction he had once come from.

"Farewell, my cuz."

Izuru rolled over onto his knees and stumbled forward to catch up. "Soft! I will go along. As if you leave me so, you do me wrong." Once he came up beside the other he slowed his pace and the two walked out of the trees and onto the road.

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At the Kurosaki Mansion, we find Lord Shinji walking down one of the many garden paths of the home with the beautiful Orihime Inoue. Ms. Orihime has become a very widely known figure in Soul Society for her kindness and beauty as well as her rejection abilities. She is also on good terms with Mr. Kurosaki and had come today to hear about what had happened with the fighting that had broken out earlier that day.

"But Hisagi is bound as well as I, in penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, for men so old as we to keep the peace," He commented to the woman beside him. Orihime nodded and smiled at the man.

"Of honorable reckoning are you both; and 'tis a pity you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?" She asked stepping around to block his path slightly. b (5) /b

Lord Shinji stopped and looked down at the young woman. "But saying over what I have said before: My child is yet a stranger in the world. Let two more summers wither in their pride, ere we may think him, ripe to be a husband." Despite this Orihime continued to smile.

"Younger than he are happy fathers made," She persisted. The lord's eyes hardened slightly and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And too soon married are those so early made." Orihime felt her smile drop slowly. However, Lord Shinji just smiled at her warmly before beckoning her to continue down the path. Once they began walking again he picked where he left off. "This night I hold an old accustomed feast. At my poorhouse look to behold this night, fresh female and male buds that make dark heaven light. Hear all, all see. Come, go with me."

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Izuru lowered his now empty cup of sake from his lips and looked across the table. "Tell me in sadness, who is it that you love?" The two of them were at a bar, eating and drinking their fill together as they discussed whatever came to mind. It was inevitable that this would rise up again. Shuuhei sipped his drink before lowering it as well.

"In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman," he remarked as he refilled Izuru's cup.

"I aimed so near when I supposed you loved," the blonde said grinning. Shuuhei smirked at the remark.

"A right good marks-man! And she's fair I love."

Izuru downed his sake before placing his cup onto the table. "A right fair mark, fair cuz, is the soonest hit." Shuuhei lowered his cup slowly before placing it on the table in front of him.

"Well, in that hit you miss. She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow, nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, nor open her lap to saint-seducing gold," he said. Izuru tilted his head ever so slightly in confusion.

"Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?" he asked almost unable to believe that this was the reason. Shuuhei nodded.

"She hath, and in that spring makes huge waste," he answered as he picked up his cup again to refill.

"Be ruled by me, forget to think of her," Izuru said as he leaned forward on his elbows. Shuuhei grunted and peered at Izuru from over the rim of his cup.

"Teach me how I should forget to think."

"By giving liberty unto thine eyes, examine other beauties," Izuru suggested. Shuuhei glared down at the cup in his hands before slamming it down on the table. Izuru looked at him in alarm. "Why, Shuuhei, art thou mad?"

Shuuhei huffed and turned to angrily stare out the window that lay to his left. "Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is; shut up in prison, kept without my food, whipped and tormented. Good day, good fellow." Izuru wondered whom Shuuhei was talking to until he saw that a man had stopped at the table to drop off the bill. Izuru sighed and looked off to his right. His eyes rested upon an announcement on the wall near the entrance. He tapped Shuuhei on the arm and pointed it out when the tapped looked at him in question.

The flyer was rather large and looked more like an invitation than anything. Izuru scanned the words. iNow I'll tell you without asking, the great rich Kurosaki holds an old accustomed feast--a fair assembly. Lord and his lovely daughters, the lady widow of Aizen and her lovely niece Rangiku./i Izuru broke off from his reading and turned to Shuuhei.

"At this same ancient feast of Kurosaki's sups the fair Rangiku, whom thou so loves, with all the admired beauties of Soul Society," he said to the taller male, who didn't stop in his reading. Izuru snickered and continued as well. iIf you be not of the house of Hisagi, come and crush a cup of wine. /i Ok, so it was an invitation…huh. Izuru smiled as a plan formed in his head. Shuuhei finished reading and turned back to the table. Izuru leaned on his left elbow and grinned at his heart-broken cousin. Deciding that it was time to leave, they both stood and left the bar.

"Go thither. And, with untainted eye, compare her face with some that I shall show, and I will make thee think thy swan a crow," Izuru told Shuuhei as they walked down the street. Shuuhei looked over at the short male and smiled.

"I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendor of my own." That was all Izuru needed and a grin broke out onto his face. He laughed and shoved Shuuhei playfully before letting it go.

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"ICHIGO!"

Just about everybody in the Kurosaki household heard Lady Hiyori as she called for her son. When the lady received no reply she began running through the Mansion in search of the berry head. "Ichigo, Ichigo!?" One poor servant was unfortunately run over by the lady since he wasn't able to move out of the way in time. And did she notice this? No, not really no. Lady Hiyori cut off mid-yell when she caught sight of Rukia, Ichigo's nurse.

"Nurse, nurse, where's my son? Call him forth to me," the lady ordered. Rukia, who was still in slight shock of the lady coming up to her so suddenly, finally managed to shake herself awake.

"I bade him come, god forbid!" Rukia replied and gave the woman an annoyed look when she just quickly ran away to continue looking for her son herself. Rukia sighed and turned in the opposite direction that Lady Hiyori had taken. "Ichigo! Ichigo! Ichigo!"

Ichigo tilted his head slightly from his position underwater. Did he hear screaming? Standing up in the water, Ichigo looked around from his spot in the large swimming pond behind the house. He blinked a couple times before shaking his head harshly to rid his hair of some of the water. He looked up to the balcony to his right and saw Rukia standing there; looking at him in utter annoyance. He was about to ask her what it was that she wanted, but he paused when he heard the familiar voice of his mother screaming in the house. Rukia didn't say a word, she just pointed in the direction of the screaming. Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair before nodding to his nurse and climbing out of the pond.

Ichigo found his mother near the entrance of the mansion, still screaming her lungs out. He rolled his eyes as she failed to notice his arrival. What an idiot…

"Madam, I am here. What is your will?" he asked. Lady Hiyori froze mid-step and pivoted on her heel to face Ichigo. Just as she roughly grabbed his arm, Rukia showed up and together the two women dragged the young man to his bedroom. Lady Hiyori pushed Ichigo inside before turning to Rukia, who stood outside the door.

"Nurse, give leave awhile, we must talk in secret," she said closing the door on the girl. She turned and looked at Ichigo, who gave her an impatient look from his spot on his bed, for only a moment before opening the door once more. "Nurse, come back again. I have remembered me, thou hear our counsel. Nurse, thou know my son's of a handsome age." Rukia nodded to her lady before smiling at Ichigo.

"Thou wast the handsomest babe that ever I raised."

"By my count, I was your mother much upon these years, you are now a gentleman." Rukia rolled her eyes to her lady's words before setting herself to cleaning whatever needed to be cleaned in the boy's room. Lady Hiyori gasped as she remembered what she originally wanted to say. "Thus in brief: the beautiful Orihime Inoue seeks you for her love."

"A woman, young man!" Rukia said to Ichigo, but then looked to Lady Hiyori in exasperation. "Lady, such as a woman as all the world—why, she's a woman of wax!"

"Soul Society's summer hath not such a flower," said Lady Hiyori as she sat down beside Ichigo.

"Nay, she's a flower; in faith, a very flower," Rukia commented.

Lady Hiyori faced Ichigo. "This night you shall behold her at our feast. Read over the volume of young Orihime's face and find delight writ there with beauty's pen. This precious book of love, this unbound lover; to beautify her, only lacks a cover: So shall you share all that she doth possess, by having her, making yourself no less." Lady Hiyori stood and began walking around the room in excitement of what was to come. Rukia sat down next to Ichigo and leaned closer so that his mother wouldn't hear.

"Nay, bigger; men grow by women." Ichigo grinned at the comment. Rukia smiled at him before gesturing for him to pay attention to his mother. Lady Hiyori stopped walking and turned to Ichigo.

"Speak briefly, can you like of Orihime's love?" she asked him. Ichigo placed his left arm behind him and leaned back casually.

"I'll look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent to give strength to make it fly," he replied. Lady Hiyori narrowed her eyes slightly and was about to respond back when a servant knocked on the door.

"Madam, the guests are come," he announced. Lady Hiyori nodded.

"Go, we follow thee," she said and followed the servant to the door. However, before she left Ichigo alone with the nurse, she turned back to him. "Ichigo, blah!" She threw up her hands in emphasis before finally leaving the two alone.

Ichigo let out a sigh of disbelief and shook his head. Rukia smiled.

"Go, man, seek happy nights to happy days," she whispered. Ichigo smiled and watched her with fond affection as she left him to change. As he sat there alone, he began to think about what his mother had said. Should he try to get with Orihime? He shook his head no. He didn't think he could.

His head shot up at the sound of a loud boom. He saw smoke and sparks of blue. The fireworks had been light. So, it has begun.

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Shuuhei watched from his position against a cherry blossom tree as the fireworks exploded in the sky. Across from him in the road were Izuru and many of his other friends. They were all dressed in costumes that they had traveled to the human world to get. Apparently, the theme for this shebang was something like a "Human Halloween" party or something. Izuru was dressed up as a…as a Viking? Or at least that's what he thought it was called. Shuuhei himself was dressed up. He was going as a knight in shining armor, minus the helmet. A yell to his right caught his attention.

Renji sauntered up to the group swinging his hips to accent his outfit. Shuuhei blinked a couple times before laughing at the red head. He was wearing a very short silver skirt that sparkled every time he moved along with a tight fitting V-neck tank top that cut off right above his stomach. The silver pumps were a nice touch too. From behind Izuru came a catcall and Renji blew a kiss earning himself a roar of laughter.

He walked up to the closest guy and produced an invitation to the party. Izuru laughed and thanked Renji as he received one as well. Renji turned to Shuuhei last and walked over as seductively as he could before pulling an invitation out from under the skirt. Shuuhei felt laughter tumble from his chest as he bent forward slightly. Renji handed Shuuhei the invitation before standing beside him.

"Nay, gentle Shuuhei, we must have you dance!" Renji reached for the other's arm but Shuuhei pulled back and took a couple steps away from his friend.

"Not I, not I believe me. You have dancing shoes with nimble soles. I have a soul of lead," he said. Renji held his arms out to his sides and looked at Shuuhei with a smile.

"You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common board." He laughed slightly after saying this but Shuuhei just leaned against another tree sadly.

"Under love's heavy burden do I sink."

Renji stepped towards Shuuhei. "Too great oppression for a tender thing." Renji couldn't help the grin back for any longer so he let it spread across his lips. Shuuhei rolled his eyes before looking back at the man in front of him.

"Is love a tender thing?" It was Renji's turn to roll his eyes. "It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn."

"If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down," he told Shuuhei. Neither of them could keep from smiling after the comment was made. Shuuhei grinned and shoved Renji back a little before joining the rest of the guys on the road.

"Every man betake him to his legs," Izuru called over the laughter. Everyone cheered and began to head off towards the Kurosaki Mansion. Renji pushed Shuuhei along, but he just pushed Renji back.

"But 'tis no wit to go!" he cried. Renji huffed and placed his hands on his waist.

"Why, may one ask?" he demanded of the man. Shuuhei sighed and turned away from him slightly.

"I dreamed a dream tonight."

"And so did I."

"Well, what was yours?"

"That dreamers often lie."

"In bed asleep while they do dream things true," Shuuhei pointed at Renji. Renji held his hands to his face for a moment for dramatics.

"O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes in shape no bigger than an agate-stone. On the forefinger of an alderman, drawn with a team of little atomies, over men's noses as they lie asleep; her chariot is an empty hazelnut, her Wagoner a small grey-coated gnat. And in this state she gallops night by night through lovers' brains and then they dream of? Love! Over lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees." Renji paused for a moment and in that moment his tone turned almost panicked and his face-hardened. "Sometime she driveth over a soldier's neck and then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, and being thus frighten swears a prayer or two and sleeps again." Renji chuckled hysterically and turned his back on the others and walked a short distance down the road. "This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs that presses them and learns them first to bear, making them women of good carriage. This is she--This is she!"

Renji stood there panting for a moment as silence met his ears. Everybody stood watching him in shocked silence until Shuuhei walked up behind him. Shuuhei gently placed his hand on Renji's shoulder, but Renji jumped and stepped back frantically as he faced Shuuhei. Shuuhei stepped closer to Renji before resting his hand on the tattooed neck, intending to comfort.

"Peace, Renji, peace. Thou talks of nothing. " Shuuhei lowered his hand and took a step back to give the man some room. Renji stared at Shuuhei for a moment before nodding slightly.

"True, I talk of dreams. Which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy, which is as thin of substance as the air and more inconstant than the wind; who woos. Even now the frozen bosom of the north, and, being angered, puffs away from thence, turning his face to the dew-dropping south," Renji whispered. Izuru looked between the two before walking up and looking back and forth once he stopped.

"This wind you talk of blows us from ourselves. Supper is done and we shall come too late." Izuru turned from the two and started down the road towards the Mansion. Shuuhei watched as the rest of the guys went on with Izuru.

"I fear, too early." Shuuhei glanced at Renji before turning around and looking up at the now quiet sky. "For my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date. With this night's revels and expire the term of a despised life, closed within my breast by some vile forfeit of untimely death. But he, that hath the steerage of my course, directs my sail."

He turned back to Renji who was staring up at the sky along side him. He watched his friend for a moment longer before shook his friend out of his senses and heading off to the party.

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When they arrived at the party, they found that the Kurosaki mansion was already packed with soul reapers in many different costumes. Shuuhei looked around in wonder and was surprised when his vision was suddenly narrowed. He took the obtrusion off his face to see that it was a silver masquerade mask. Renji walked past and laughed at his face before walking up to the guard and showing his invitation. Shuuhei shrugged before putting the mask back on and walking past the guard with his invitation. He was instantly hit with a wave of pounding music and body heat as he entered the main room. He let out a long sigh before stepping into the crowd in hopes of find Izuru or Renji.

He didn't have to search long for the red head. Renji was standing on a table dancing and giving off a little show for all those who gathered around to see. The red head caught sight of Shuuhei and gestured to him, but Shuuhei shook his head and disappeared back into the crowd.

Shuuhei held his head in one hand as he made his way through the crowd. He was starting to get sick from all this. Deciding that the mask wasn't helping him much either way, he lifted it and let it rest on the top of his head and wiped his face to get rid of any sweat that had gathered there. Gods, why did he come here? He knew that he shouldn't have let Izuru sucker him into this. Shuuhei grabbed his head again as a wave of pain cascaded over him. He shook his head to ease the pain before quickly walking off to the bathroom.

To his relief, it was almost completely empty and the pounding music barely reached his ears through the walls. When he looked around, he spotted a tub of water against the wall with a mirror above it. He made an immediate beeline for it before quickly dunking his head in. He stayed there for a couple moments, relishing in the cool feeling that washed over the rest of his body. He pulled his head out and shook his head a little to get rid of some of the water. When he was finished he looked up into the mirror and stared at his reflection before scowling at the sight. He sighed in frustration before pulling the mask off the top of his head and dropping it into the water. He looked back into the mirror once again and sighed before running his hands through his hair in hopes of putting it back to the way it was.

He froze with his hand midway through his hair when he saw something move behind him in the mirror. He stared at it curiously before realizing that it was a face. He quickly turned around to see an extravagant fish tank filled with some of the most beautiful coy he had ever seen, but no face. Through the water he could see that it was the other side of the men's bathroom. Wow…talk about a huge bathroom…He began to examine the tank carefully, looking at all the little accessories that had been placed to make the tank even more beautiful. But more importantly, he was searching for the face he had seen only moments ago. He tilted his head curiously when he saw a hole in between two of the miniature homes in the tank and slowly bent down to look through. He blinked in surprise when he saw chocolate eyes staring back at him.

Shuuhei shot back up and was surprised when the other male did the same. They just stood there, staring at each other through the glass, unable to do much else. He was…very handsome. He had short orange hair that seemed a little strange, but beautiful at the same time. His brown eyes were widened in momentary shock, as Shuuhei was sure his were as well. He was dressed up in a white shirt and white pants that hugged his frame just enough to see the firm muscles hat lay beneath. A pair of white wings was also attached to his back to complete the angel look that he was obviously going for.

Shuuhei titled his head slightly and the other looked down for a moment before looking back up and smiling softly. Shuuhei blinked a couple times before chuckling and smiling back. He was surprised when the boy moved slowly towards the other end of the glass and followed the movement, unwilling to look break the gaze. At the same time they turned the heads to get a better view of the other before going back to the original position. Shuuhei smiled when he began to laugh silently through the glass. Gods that smile…

Shuuhei felt with heart throb and he leaned forward to rest his forehead on the glass. The other chuckled again and Shuuhei thought for the briefest of moments that it was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. The moment was ruined though when a small black haired woman appeared beside his beautiful stranger.

"Ichigo, your mother calls. Come, lets away," Rukia told him with some urgency, which told him that she'd been looking for him for a while. Ichigo blinked and struggled lightly as Rukia began to pull him away and out of the restroom. Somehow, it never bothered Rukia to get him from places like the men's room, which made him wonder half the time, but that's beside the point. He looked back through the glass to the dark haired man on the other side and gave him a smile before he was dragged away.

As he was pulled along by his nurse, Ichigo continued to look back over his shoulder in hopes of seeing that man again. To his delight, the dark haired man hurried out the other door to the men's room and began to look around frantically.

Shuuhei ran out of the bathroom and looked around for his angel clad stranger and managed to catch a glimpse of him as he was dragged through the crowd. Desperate to keep him in sight, he followed them as quickly as he could.

Rukia pulled Ichigo forward and into the waiting arms of Orihime Inoue. She smiled up at Ichigo warmly before taking his hands and holding them at the ready. "Will you now deny to dance?" Lady Hiyori popped out of nowhere and smiled sweetly at Orihime.

"A lady young man, such a lady."

Orihime smiled at Lady Hiyori before doing the same to Ichigo and sweeping him off into the sea of costumes. She pulled him around to the edge where there were less people, giving them more room to dance together. Ichigo, completely oblivious to Orihime's charms, went about looking for his dark haired stranger with every turn they made. He finally spotted his as the knight-clad stranger as he came to a halt at the edge of the crowd. Ichigo couldn't help the smile that soon graced his lips.

But Ichigo wasn't the only one who had seen Shuuhei on the edge of the crowd. Shirosaki lowered his cigarette as the anger began to rise up in him. "What? Dare that slave come hither, to fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, to strike him dead, I hold it not a sin." Shiro began to make his way through the crowd, ready to rip the head off Shuuhei's body, when Lord Shinji came in between him and his target.

"Why, how now, kinsman! Wherefore storm you so?" Shiro glared up at his lord who looked so merry at an obvious time to fight.

"Uncle, this is that villain Shuuhei, a Hisagi, our foe," Shiro hissed as he pointed Shuuhei out in the crowd. Lord Shinji turned to glance at Shuuhei before looking back at Shiro and throwing an arm around the albino's shoulders.

"Young Shuuhei is it?"

"'Tis he."

"Content thee, gentle cuz, content thee. Let him alone. I would not for the wealth of all the town, here in my house do him disparagement. Therefore be patient, take no note of him," Lord Shinji suggested with a smile on his face. Shiro shrugged the arm off his shoulders harshly and took a step away from his uncle.

"I'll not endure him."

Lord Shinji's merry expression quickly changed to that of anger and impatience. "He shall be endured." His tone added to his expression even more so than Shiro thought possible. Shiro glared at his uncle. Lord Shinji wasted no time in raising his hand and giving Shirosaki a moderate slap to the face.

"Go to! What, Goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to!"

"Uncle, 'tis a shame,"

"Make a mutiny among my guests?!" Lord Shinji asked taking a threatening step forward. Shiro balled his fists before looking away and complying with his lord's wishes.

Shuuhei watched as his angel continued to dance with some unknown beauty and felt a stream of happiness shoot through him every time he saw the other look back to make sure that he was still there. Shuuhei glanced down at his chest only for the briefest of moments before looking back towards his stranger.

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I never saw true beauty till this night." He'd never felt so strongly for someone before, for another iman/i, not even Rangiku. He just couldn't get enough of the other and he longed to reach out and snatch him away from the clutches of that strange woman. He was snapped out of his thoughts when the dancing stopped and applause rose from the crowd. Shuuhei looked back towards his angel and saw that he and the woman had stopped a bit of a ways to his left. He panicked for a moment before running over to get back to him.

Once he came up behind him, Shuuhei watched as the woman looked back to smile at his angel before looking off again. Shuuhei glanced around before slowly reaching down and taking hold of his angel's hand.

Ichigo jumped as he felt someone grab his hand, but when he turned to see who it was, his heart almost leapt out of his chest when he saw it was his dark haired knight. He allowed himself to be pulled a little farther back so that he was standing with his back to a beam and next to his knight. He couldn't hold back the smile that crept onto his lips and his heart began to pound against his ribs. Why is he feeling this way? He's never felt such a strong feeling for someone, much less another man. He shook his head gently to rid himself of the thought. He didn't care. For some reason this stranger made him feel…so…so happy by just being there. Was this love?

Shuuhei smiled and leaned toward the other slowly so as not to draw attention. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this…" He pulled back and they both turned away from each other as the woman looked back towards his angel again. Once she looked away, Shuuhei leaned back and smiled. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." He slowly brought his angel's hand to his lips and placed upon them a gentle kiss.

Ichigo blushed lightly as his knight kissed his hand gently without breaking eye contact. He looked back to make sure that Orihime wasn't looking before he pulled his knight a little ways away from the beam. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." His dark haired knight smiled slightly.

"Have not saints' lips and holy palmers too?" Shuuhei smiled and leaned forward to kiss his angel, but the angel turned away and smiled.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," Ichigo answered as the two of them began to circle each other slowly.

"Well, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

Shuuhei leaned closer to his angel so that their noses were barely brushing. "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." He went to kiss his angel again, but his angel snapped his head away to his left.

Ichigo panicked as he heard his mother approaching with Orihime. He quickly grabbed his knight's hand and pulled him out of the sight of his mother and into a less crowded room. He looked back and smiled up at the other man for a moment before his knight leaned forward to steal his kiss. He leaned into the kiss, enjoying the warmth and softness of the other's lips. After a long moment they pulled back slowly and gazed silently at the other. Ichigo watched as his knight smiled.

"Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." Ichigo smiled at the response.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." Shuuhei smiled and leaned forward again slowly.

"Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." Their lips met again, but this kiss was shorter and seemed more sweet than passionate.

Ichigo smiled up at his knight. "You kiss by the book." His stranger smiled then let out a little laugh that Ichigo joined. He rested his forehead on his Knight's shoulder as his knight did the same with his head. They both looked up upon hearing the loud laughter of Ichigo's mother. The strawberry reached down and took hold of the other's hand before pulling him back into the other room, away from his mother again.

Once they were again out of the sight of those who his angel was trying to avoid, Shuuhei leaned forward to kiss his angel again. He wrapped his arms around his angel's waist, brining him closer as he felt his angel run his smooth finger over his neck and down his arms. When they pulled away they leaned forward to rest their foreheads together and smile at the other.

"Sir…" Ichigo jumped and turned to see Rukia standing there eyeing the two of them. "Your mother craves a word with you." She looked over at his knight before reaching down and taking hold of her charge's hand. "Come, let's away." With that said she pulled him out of the room and in the direction of his mother. Ichigo looked back for his knight, not wanting to be parted.

Shuuhei smiled and followed after his angel and the nurse all the way until he came to the bottom of a set of stairs where he saw his angel…standing with…Lady Kurosaki and that woman from before…Shuuhei felt his smile fade as he began to fit the pieces together in his mind. His angel stopped at the top of the stairs while his mother and that woman moved on. His angel seemed confused and worried as to why Shuuhei was looking at him so. Shuuhei looked back and forth in between the leaving Lady and his angel.

"Is he a Kurosaki?"

Ichigo stared down at his knight, who was looking back in shocked disbelief, his mouth slightly agape. He heard Rukia sigh in irritation before walking forward and pulling him down so she could whisper in his ear.

"He is Shuuhei, and he's a Hisagi; the only son of your great enemy." Ichigo felt his eyes widen as he stared down at his Knight, who now probably knew that he was of his family. Ichigo couldn't believe it and continued to stare at Shuuhei, his knight, until Rukia pulled him away again. Ichigo shook his head and pulled away from Rukia to run back around to the railing above Shuuhei. Shuuhei stared back up at Ichigo, his angel so called by his nurse. They continued to watch the other until Izuru and his friends along with Renji came up beside him to drag him away. Renji laughed as he walked past.

"Away, be gone; the sport is at the best." Shuuhei stared up at Ichigo still.

"Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest," he said to himself. Renji started to pull him away but he struggled to free himself and to return to Ichigo. Ichigo watched in surprise at the motion and then saw as his knight was pushed from the room. Ichigo raced around to one of the windows to try and see his knight again. Thankfully he managed to catch a glimpse of him as he stood there waiting for his friend to gather his Zanpakutou. Shuuhei looked up and saw Ichigo watching him from the window. He didn't break their gaze until he felt Renji pulling him along to leave. As the moved, Shuuhei watched as Ichigo moved from window to window to keep him in sight.

Eventually, as Shuuhei stood at the gate with his friends he stood transfixed on Ichigo who was watching him from the closest window. They stared at each other for the longest time, wanting to be together, yet unable to believe who the other truly was. Ichigo's expression softened sadly.

"My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy." And he watched as his knight, Shuuhei, a Hisagi, was at last dragged away from his view.

Shirosaki stepped through the gate and watched in hatred as Shuuhei and his companions disappeared into the night. "I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet convert to bitterous gall." The albino sneered at Shuuhei one last time before turning on his heel and storming back into his home.