Hello, and welcome to chapter 2! I got a much better response for this chapter than I had expected, and I want to sincerely thank all of my reviewers! You make me want to update faster, and that's good food for my muses! Hope you enjoy this next chapter, and once again, if you have any questions, please ASK!

UPDATE: I had to repost this chapter because I made a big boo boo!! I would like to thank Yuujirou for telling me! Please, if you are reading this story for the first time (or the second as Yuujirou was! (feels loved)) then please bring it to my attention so I can correct it! I didn't have a beta for this story, so it only went under my own eyes, and I tend to mess up just like everyone else. Please please let me know if you see anything big! Thank you!

I don't own Bleach. I cry.

Chapter 2

Again the urge hit him. He wanted a family, and he didn't know why.

Ichigo let out a frustrated growl, running a brash hand through his bright orange hair. Toshiro, who was sitting at his desk doing paperwork, looked up.

"Ichigo?"

The sound of his name falling from those exquisite lips never ceased to make him shudder. It wasn't often that Toshiro called him by his given name, so he treasured it.

By this time the captain had risen from his chair, moving to where Ichigo sat on the couch. He brushed a hand over the taller's bright hair, one of his few gestures of affection. "Are you okay?"

Ichigo sighed, wrapping an arm around Toshiro's waist and pulling the tiny shinigami closer, putting his ear against the boy's stomach. Toshiro blinked, a little shocked and uncomfortable with the position, but he didn't move.

"I've just had this weird urge lately, and it won't go away," the orange-head murmured, his hand clenching in the fabric of Toshiro's white captain's haori.

Small hands settled in the bright hair, stroking gently. Ichigo smiled; glad that after five years Toshiro had begun to drop his touch barriers. "What kind of urge?"

Ichigo nibbled on his lower lip, a little worried about revealing this to Toshiro. Will it hurt his feelings, I wonder? I don't want to make him think that I don't love him anymore…

"You can tell me, Ichigo, I'm not going to get mad at you."

The orange-head sighed again, and then spoke softly. "Kids. I want to know what it's like to be a father."

Ichigo winced slightly as Toshiro's breathing paused, and then continued shakily. Toshiro was quiet for a long time, and then the shinigami spoke softly. "It's not as odd as you'd think. You're the right age to want children, and you have, despite your thoughts, a fatherly instinct."

Brown eyes traveled up to meet ice teal eyes. "But I shouldn't have that! I love you, no one else! And you certainly can't give me children! I shouldn't be tempted by this at all…"

More quiet, and then Toshiro spoke, his voice a mere whisper. "I can…"

Ichigo blinked. "What?"

"I can, Ichigo, I can give you children!" Toshiro said, closing his eyes.

"You… you can?" Ichigo stuttered out, leaning away from where he was against Toshiro's body. "But how?"

"Long ago there was a couple who wanted a child. Pregnancies are rare in shinigami, so the soutaichou approved research for a drug which would allow men to carry children. Unohana-taichou and Urahara-san worked together and created one." Toshiro finished, his eyes opening to look down at Ichigo.

"R-Really? You would do that? … For me?" Ichigo whispered, his eyes warm and loving.

Toshiro rolled his eyes. "I suppose I could, although it would be- mmf!"

He was cut off as Ichigo pulled him down, locking his lips over the small captain's mouth. Toshiro surrendered to the powerful touch, his arms looping over Ichigo's neck and his form relaxing.

Ichigo drew back slowly, nuzzling at the slender throat. "I love you, Toshiro. My yuki hime."

Toshiro smiled, stroking the orange hair just under his nose. "I know Ichigo. I will go see Unohana-taichou tomorrow."

"Thank you… Thank you…"

Ichigo woke to quiet. He sighed as he rolled over, his hand brushing where Toshiro was lying only to find the spot empty.

He opened his eyes, sadness flitting through him briefly before he remembered that the small captain had gone home early this morning. He rose, moving to where his body was laid out on the floor. Toshiro had come to him last night, nothing more than a spirit, and so he had left his body to join his small lover.

His body was stiff after lying still all night, and he stretched to relieve the ache. He went through his day routine, readying himself for a day at college.

He left the house in record time, walking briskly through the city toward the college. Not a mile from his flat he looked up sharply, senses triggered.

A Hollow!

Ichigo ran off the walk, finding a place in the trees that seemed safe enough, and quickly left his body, leaving it on its side in the cover of the trees.

Ichigo didn't have to look long, the Hollow was near enough, and then a young boy ran past him, the chain on his chest revealing him to be a spirit. The Hollow burst from the trees after him, tall and skinny.

Ichigo ran forward, his hand on the hilt of Zangetsu as he attacked the creature. It managed to get out of the way, roaring its fury. "Shinigami scum!"

The orange-head grinned at that. "Scum that's going to take you out!"

Ichigo didn't get a chance; a sword shot through the bone white mask and the creature exploded, revealing the shinigami who had destroyed him.

"Toshiro! He was mine, damnit!" Ichigo growled, heaving Zangetsu onto his shoulders.

The small captain chuckled, sheathing Hyourinmaru and moving towards Ichigo. "I leave for a few moments and this is what happens… Do I have to baby-sit you all the time, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo stuck his tongue out childishly before turning to the boy hiding not far away. "Easy, we're here to help, kid."

"W-What are you going to do with me?"

The tall orange-head knelt, placing a hand on the child's head. "Don't worry; you'll like it in Soul Society. It's a great place."

The boy closed his eyes as Zangetsu's hilt was pressed gently to his forehead. As he faded into white light Ichigo stood, placing Zangetsu at his back again.

He looked over to see Toshiro holding a hand in his direction. "Come on, we'd best get you back to your body."

Ichigo smiled, taking the hand extended to him and lifting it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to Toshiro's knuckles. The tiny captain blushed, his teal eyes glimmering as Ichigo tangled their fingers together.

They walked together toward the stand of trees where Ichigo had left his body, Ichigo gently stroking his thumb over Toshiro's pale skin. As they got closer Ichigo frowned at the sound of sirens.

"Damnit!" Not again! I thought I was well hidden this time!" Ichigo growled, his hand leaving Toshiro's as he broke into a run. The small captain jogged after him, a bit of worry flitting through him.

Ichigo found his body on a stretcher surrounded by paramedics. He rolled his eyes, running forward and settling into his body.

Toshiro saw it, but had no time to stop it. Just as Ichigo entered his body the paramedics administered a shock to try and restart the heart they thought was dead.

It had the opposite effect. Just as Ichigo's soul revived his body the shock coursed through him, shorting out his heart.

"No!" Toshiro cried, diving forward and pushing the medics away. They fell back with shock on their faces, leaving Toshiro to stand beside Ichigo, his teal eyes shocked and afraid.

"K-Kurosaki…"

Ichigo didn't respond. His face was relaxed and still, and Toshiro could barely feel his reiatsu.

"Kurosaki! Wake up, you baka!" Toshiro fell to his knees beside his lover, eyes wide. "Kurosaki! Ichigo!"

He moved away as the medics attempted to revive the orange-head, but Ichigo sat up, leaving his body behind.

Ichigo was dead.

The orange-head looked down at the chain attached to his chest, chuckling half-heartedly. "Funny, I always thought that I would just be a shinigami…" He smiled up at his lover. "Well?"

SMACK.

Ichigo blinked, holding his throbbing cheek and looking up at Toshiro in shock, looking into angry, glimmering teal eyes. "W-What was that for?"

"You idiot! You weren't supposed to die! You're supposed to live!" Toshiro growled at the orange-head, his entire stance anger.

Ichigo was confused. "But… now I get to be with you all the time."

Toshiro's eyes hardened. "That's not the point, Kurosaki. You weren't to die."

"Well, shit happens. Are you gonna perform konso or am I just going to sit here?" Ichigo asked, brown eyes sober.

"I should just let you become a Hollow…" Toshiro growled, but he tapped Hyourinmaru's hilt against Ichigo's forehead, watching as he dissolved into white light.

As he vanished Ichigo chuckled faintly. "Too late for that, yuki hime…"

Yes, I did just kill Ichigo... Honestly though, it's much easier to have him in Soul Society, and for my purposes later on, I want him there. So, please don't get mad at me, but do keep in mind that this is the first in a series of... um... angstyness, I suppose. There will be more 'death' involved expierences.

I will have to say that I do not own the name yuki hime, I got that from Huek Yu's story "Empathy," which if you're a HitsuIchi fan and haven't read that, you've been under a rock or something. Yuki hime means "snow princess" for any who don't know. And yea, I sorta think that Ichigo would end up as a shinigami if he really died, but I wanted that scene in there…