Chapter Two

The Anxious Professor

"Can you come to the coffee shop?" Ichigo said into the phone as he hurried to his car. "I need t-to talk to you now," he said as he struggled with his keys. His hands were shaking.

"Of course," came the answer. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"N-no, just…well, something happened….and I need to talk."

"Be there in a few," the man on the other end answered.

Ichigo sat in the car and breathed out. His body was still thrumming with energy and he couldn't get Grimmjow's face out of his head. For the first time in his life, it wasn't bothering him, though, and that was why he needed to talk. He swallowed and headed to the small coffee shop in Karakura. He came in, and saw Uryū Ishida sitting in a back booth with two coffees set out. Ichigo knew his would be a black coffee with an expresso shot. Uryū would have ordered him a triple sweet mocha latte with extra milk. He dropped into the seat and looked at him as he pulled off the scarf. The weather had started to turn cool, after all it was heading into November. He took the coffee and sipped it while Uryū waited patiently for him to settle down.

"So, you haven't called in a while," Uryū said as he sipped his own coffee.

"I know, I know. I just…been busy with the new job," he said and sniffed.

Uryū nodded. "How is it? I know you were worried about being perceived as not knowing your job since you're younger than most professors."

"Not bad, I mean, I've had some of the students say things, but I tried to explain before classes started that I had gone through that special professorship program so I got all my degrees together. A lot of them didn't understand, but I figured that. The worst is the girls, though," he muttered as he sipped the drink again.

Uryū nodded. "You're attractive, successful, and young. I don't doubt you'd have some girls trying to attract your attention. Has it?"

"Has what?" he asked, looking up.

"Has anyone attracted your attention?"

Ichigo's blush answered for him. Uryū smiled. "Who is he?"

"Ah, well, he's a student, but he's a non trad. So he's twenty two."

"That's wonderful!" Uryū said, his heart feeling a bit lighter about this encounter. He'd been worried that it had to do with someone else. "Have you gone out?"

Ichigo's face changed and Uryū knew there was a story coming. "What is it? He came back, didn't he?"

Ichigo nodded. "A few weeks ago. I don't know how he found me again. I mean, I…I moved to get away from him, but he's here now."

Uryū sighed. "What happened?"

"He called. I…I tried to ignore him, I did. I know you said I had to just ignore it. And I did for a while, then he just…he showed up at the school. And he was talking with the secretary, and it was like I was…was back there and he smiled. I told him no again, like always, but I ended up going to dinner with him anyway. I'm so weak," he said with a sigh.

"Ichigo, you aren't weak," Uryū said and reached across and put his hand over Ichigo's. "You were in a severely abusive relationship with him for a long time."

"But…I left the first time, then…he came back while I was at school…and it all started again. I knew when he showed up I'd just cave, and…and I was about to. Today. He came and got me. W-we were sitting in the café, and he told me I was…was going to move in this weekend. I was going to agree, Uryū. I had, really. I said no every time he asked this time, I promise I did, but then…he broke me down and I said yes," he said and put his hand to his head.

"You're here, so it didn't work the way he wanted, though," Uryū observed. He knew that if he'd agreed to go back to Tsukishima, like the last time, he wouldn't have called Uryū. In fact, Tsukishima would have taken his phone away altogether.

"The student," Ichigo whispered. "He…he followed us to the café, I guess, I don't know why. And…and I had gotten up to go to the bathroom because he was doing that thing again and I had to get away for a minute, and you know that the only time I could get away from him was in the bathroom…" he paused. "But then Grimmjow…that's his name…he came in the bathroom and…he told me that I was going to go tell him I wasn't interested. He told me I was going to walk away from him because…because he knew that I wasn't interested in him."

"He told you?" Uryū asked, tilting his head to the side. It seemed he'd been right after all. He sighed. He really wished that offering unconventional solutions wasn't so taboo.

Ichigo nodded. "I…he just pushed me into the wall and I…"

"He pushed you into the wall?" Uryū asked, growing a bit concerned.

"No, not like that. No…" Ichigo knew Uryū would think badly of that statement. "It…he did, but I could get away from him, not like when Tsuki does it. Like, all I had to do was step away from him. And he said…he said what I was going to do. That I was going out there and telling him no. He didn't come with me, he just stayed there, in the bathroom. And Uryū, I walked out there and I told him no for the first time ever, all by myself. Dad wasn't there. The police weren't there. I was alone, and I did it!" he said and Uryū caught the slight smile on his lips.

Uryū nodded. "Then what happened?"

Ichigo licked his lips and Uryū noted the blush creeping up his cheeks. "He…he told me to meet him at his office. Like, he didn't make me follow him or anything, like, just said to meet him there. So I did. I went back, and when he got there, he was surprised. He even said that I listened to him. I just I didn't know what to think. He…he hadn't expected me to do it. I just wanted to fall into him forever at that moment."

"You had an encounter?" Uryū asked. Ichigo had always been shy about sex, especially because of the way Tsukishima had used it for years as a method of punishment and control. His preferred language was to call it an encounter.

Ichigo blushed again. "Yeah. He…he said I was going to give him oral, and I did it for him, but…but I wanted to, not like Tsuki." Ichigo shook his head. "But then…he did it to me."

Uryū smiled. That was progress. "So it was enjoyable for both of you."

Ichigo nodded. "He said…he said that he knew people like me, that liked being told what to do and that it was okay. He said he'd learn everything about what I needed. And that it was okay," he said and Uryū saw he had tears glistening in the corners of his eyes already. Most their meetings ended in tears of some sort but usually not good ones. "He really said it was okay, and that…that he wanted to know what I wanted, and whatever it was, he'd do it. He said…he said that it was fine that I'm older too, and when I t-told him about Tsuki and me when I was a kid, he was mad, but not at me, at him."

"Ichigo, you know I've told you hundreds of times that when someone was a good partner that they wouldn't be angry at you for what happened between you and Tsukishima."

"I know, but to have it be true. Um, but…but I wanted to ask you if you could talk to Grimmjow for me, because you know I can't explain about Tsuki. I just can't do it, you know how hard it is for me," he said and looked at him.

Uryū sighed. "How much do you want me to tell?"

"All of it."

"Ichigo, you know I don't like telling people details…" Uryū started.

"Okay, I know, I know, um, tell him what he needs to know, then?" he said. "Here, here's his number. I…I need to go grade papers tonight, so…ah…here," he said as he pushed the paper over the table at him.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. That's an odd name. Alright, I'll call him once you're gone," he said and smiled at him.

"Thanks, I appreciate you doing this, because…I…ah, I really like him."

Ichigo got up and went to his car. Uryū stared at the number for a minute and pulled his phone out to dial.

"Yo," came the gruff voice on the other end.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez?" Uryū asked.

"Yeah, the fuck you want?" he responded. Uryū wished he could say he was surprised.

"My name is Dr. Uryū Ishida, Ichigo Kurosaki gave me your number and a request that we meet and have a bit of a conversation," he said with a sigh. This was always so awkward.

"Why?" came the curious reply.

"I've been Ichigo's therapist for the last seven years, off and on for a reason or two, and he wants you to understand some things. I'm calling because I agree with him as there are some very important things about him you should know before you embark on a serious relationship in the long term, in particular about his ex, Tsukishima which you saw today," Uryū said, rubbing his forehead. "It will save you headaches, and me a lot of long sessions if we talk."

There was a long pause. "Where and when?"

"If you're available, I'm in Kris's Coffee near the school."

"I'll be there. Order me a large black coffee, something says I'll need it," he muttered and hung up.

Uryū sighed. This guy had no idea. He ordered the coffee and a few moments later, he looked up to see a rather imposing young man come in. Well, that was also not unexpected. The guy was tall, muscular, and had colorful tattoos peeking from under his sleeves and neckline. He also had dyed blue hair. He waved at him and he came over, dropping in the seat before the coffee. He picked it up and sipped it.

"You don't look much older than my prof."

"I'm actually about three years older than Ichigo. I started working with him while I was interning for my father, his original therapist after the police became involved the first time."

"Police?" Grimmjow said, frowning. "So this is more than just controlling ex."

Uryū sighed. "Ichigo said he told you it started when he was fourteen."

Grimmjow nodded. "Seemed to think I was going to be weird over it."

"He always does," Uryū said with a sigh. "I mentioned that I've been working with him on and off. The reason is that Tsukishima shows up now and then and he goes back for a while. If he's with him, he detaches from everyone around him, and it undoes every bit of work I've done with him. He's just now getting back on his feet after the last incident about six months ago. I'm sure you've noticed his anxiety levels are high."

"The guy seems like a live wire most the time."

Uryū sipped his coffee, third one today. He was going to be awake late into the night… He sighed. "Alright, he says he wants you to know everything, but I'm not comfortable with that, so I'll give you the basics, and if Ichigo ever gets to the point he can talk more about it, then he can fill in the gaps. Ichigo met Tsukishima when he was in high school. He was a freshman, Tsukishima was a senior that had been held back a year. For whatever reason, Tsukishima decided that Ichigo was his from the moment he set eyes on him. He snuck around Ichigo's father and the teachers, and pulled him into a relationship that depended on him controlling everything about Ichigo's life. He abused him terribly in the first phase, but it was all emotional. He pulled him into a sexual relationship unwillingly, but Ichigo still believes he consented because he was dating him, therefore it was expected that he have sex with him."

Grimmjow's brows meshed. "That's messed up. What the hell does an eighteen year old want with a kid that age?"

"Ichigo lost his mother to a mugger when he was nine. Ichigo watched her die. After that he was a very angry child, constantly fighting and getting into trouble. In particular, he would step between kids who were being bullied and their bullies. That was actually how he encountered Tsukishima. Tsukishima was hassling…" Uryū sighed. "Me, because I was in his grade, but Ichigo stepped in. Instead of going after him, though, Tsukishima became obsessed with him. It seemed he found his temper engaging. At the time, I only knew Ichigo vaguely because he was the son of Isshin Kurosaki. My father was friends with his father, which was how he knew me and why he said he got between me and Tsukishima." Uryū paused and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"He became calmer, more reserved, then pulled away from everyone over the next three years. By the point that anyone realized what was happening, Ichigo had graduated and moved out, moving in with Tsukishima. He was nineteen when Tsukishima hurt him enough to put him in the hospital. The police were involved because it had been a public assault, and that's when I started working with him professionally."

"Like, don't therapists have some rule about working with people they know?" Grimmjow asked, waving the waitress over for another coffee.

"Yes, however, in this case, Ichigo refused to work with anyone he didn't know already. My father tried, but they did not get along with each other, so he brought me in under supervision to work with him. It worked out, and I've been working with him since," he said with a sigh.

"You said on and off?" Grimmjow asked, blowing on the coffee as he watched him.

"Ichigo was in a long program to get his bachelors and masters at the same time in Illinois. He had been doing well, but then he stopped calling. Tsukishima had found him again, and the restraining order he had was valid only here in Missouri. He made him drop out and it took almost a year before he ended up in the hospital again, but this time he was begging to have someone help him get away because he'd almost killed him." Uryū sighed. "I got him back here in Missouri, then he finished up his program remotely last year. Then he disappeared again right after he graduated."

"This guy again?" Grimmjow said.

"Yeah, took us a while to find him, but again, he lost control and we got a call from a hospital in Nevada. They'd found a contact number for me in his wallet. It was about seven months ago when we brought him back to St. Louis. He'd had a severe concussion, and part of his anxiety comes from the brain injury he suffered because of it. He lost the ability to speak for a few weeks right afterward. Between that and the PTSD he suffers from, he had a very hard time even leaving the house. His father and I finally got him to move here, to Karakura, and got him to pick up a teaching job. We hoped that being in public, and doing something, would help. I was curious as to why over the last three months I hadn't received panicked phone calls, but it seems he was occupied…" Uryū said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I was helping him with his office and work. I was just looking to fuck him, at first," Grimmjow muttered and looked away. "I mean, he's cute as hell, but I got to like him a bit more as I hung around him, you know?"

Uryū nodded. "I understand. I think his worry is that Tsukishima will try something against you, though. He tends to worry more for others than himself. Every time he's been with him, he's avoided anyone he cares about, saying he doesn't want them to get hurt."

Grimmjow shook his head. "Fucker doesn't want to mess with me," he said.

"Well, I know, but Ichigo will do anything to protect someone from him, so just be aware of it. He used a lot of things against him. He struggles with his self-worth after Tsukishima continually tore him down, telling him he was stupid, worthless, weak, all of these things. He's a vile man. Aside from the physical abuse, there are things that Ichigo refuses to even to speak of in therapy. Sex is a weird subject for him, as well. So, for his mental health, I would ask that you take care with him. Aside from a therapist relationship, I see him as a friend."

"I know that he's submissive," Grimmjow said, looking up at him. "He needs it. He's stronger than he things, I saw it. When I was able to tell him, he could do it. He stood up and told this asshole they weren't doing this again. I think he just needs to have someone support him in that way, to give him time to be able to not think, to just do and to just be without worry. I mean, the guy spent years being told what to do and how to do it by this jackass. That's a lot. Then he's out in the real world where he has to make all these choices on his own, and it's confusing. He doesn't know what the fuck is going on. So when he comes back and gives him a chance to just give up and stop thinking, he takes it," Grimmjow mused. "I mean, when I was in St. Louis, I know a few folks into that D/s stuff. They were happy. I never understood it, though. Not until I saw the look on his face when I told him to go tell that asshole mother fucker to fuck off." Grimmjow sipped the coffee for a moment. "It was like…he could finally do it, like he felt like there was a way to get out of it. An alternative to giving up to him was giving up to me. But the difference is I'm not that fucking asshole bastard."

Uryū looked at the man across from him for a long moment. "Interesting. Please, keep my number. If you need me for anything, don't hesitate to call."

Uryū stood and left, pausing at the door to see the man finishing his coffee looking pensive. Maybe this would work. He hoped that Grimmjow could help Ichigo resist Tsukishima this time. He'd tried and failed twice already.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

When Ichigo came to work the next morning, he found Grimmjow was already in his office on the sofa. He looked up as Ichigo came in.

"H-hi."

"Your friend called me, the doctor," he said casually.

Ichigo nodded. "Um, yeah, I asked him to do that. Ah, I understand if you don't…"

"Nah, I'm good, baby boy," Grimmjow said, not moving. "But I have a couple friends coming up here in a few minutes to talk to us."

Ichigo froze and looked at him. "A…a couple friends?"

"Um hmm." He picked up his phone. "Wait here, I'm going down to get them."

Ichigo froze and watched him leave. He had no idea what it meant but he said to wait here. He said he wasn't bothered by the things Uryū had told him. So he just stood there and stared at the door until it opened again. Grimmjow smirked as he entered and flopped, spread out, on the sofa. Behind him two women came in. One was tall with dark skin and long purple hair in a pony tail. With her was a petite looking woman in a pleated skirt and a crop top. She had on a choker that looked like it was lacy and black ribbon, but there was a little bell in the front of it that tinkled when she walked.

"Ichigo, this is my friend, Yoruichi Shihoin, and her wife Soi Fon. Ladies, this is Ichigo Kurosaki, my baby boy I told you about," Grimmjow said without moving.

Yoruichi walked over to him and looked him up and down while Soi Fon went and sat down on the sofa opposite Grimmjow. "So, you want to do this?"

"Do what?" Ichigo asked, staring wide eyed at this powerful feeling woman. Her eyes were rich golden brown.

She turned and looked at Grimmjow. "I thought you said he knew what was going on here."

"Sort of, that's why I wanted you to come here, I don't' do a good job with the technical," he said with a shrug. "'Sides, not like I've done this official like before. This ain't like down at the club."

"Alright, so Grimm here tells me you have had an abusive boyfriend."

"He wasn't abusive, I mean, he did bad things, but he wasn't really abusive, he just…you know, got mad sometimes, and then…" he started.

"Hush," Yoruichi said with a sigh. "So he was abusive."

Ichigo stared at her then nodded. "Um, yeah…"

"I see what you meant, Grimm," she muttered. "You're going to have to be careful," she said and looked at Grimmjow. "He's primed hardcore to submit to someone."

"What's that mean?" Grimmjow said as he stood up and walked over where Ichigo was just staring at her. "He's also had some effects from a concussion a while back. His therapist said it made his anxiety worse."

Ichigo nodded quickly, looking between them. "How old were you when this guy started in with you?"

Ichigo swallowed hard. "F-fourteen."

"And this guy was the only guy you've been with?"

"Kinda," he muttered. "I…well, there were some others but it didn't work for long b-because…um…just didn't work," he said and looked down.

"Why?" Yoruichi asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared down her nose at him.

"I picked bad people," he said, looking up. "They did bad stuff."

"Alright, well, you picked someone good this time, at least," she said and glanced at Soi Fon. "Kitten, come here."

Soi Fon got up and came to her. She dropped to her knees beside her and put both hands on her knees. Ichigo watched her. Yoruichi reached over and began stroking her head as she spoke again. "Alright, so…you guys talk about limits yet?"

"Not really. Just had him do things yesterday, like tell that abusive bastard to take a hike," Grimmjow said with a nod at him.

"Good start," she said as she looked thoughtful. As she stroked Soi Fon's head, though, she noticed that Ichigo was watching intently. She continued. "Tell me what this ex of yours did, boy."

Ichigo swallowed and bit his lip at first. "Um, he lliked to tell me I was…was nothing without him, and that I wouldn't be able to live alone. Um, used to call me things I didn't like and he forced encounters."

"Encounters?" Grimmjow asked with a frown.

Ichigo blushed deeply. "Like our encounter yesterday," he whispered finally.

"Sex?" Yoruichi said with a glance at Grimmjow. "Awful fast, isn't that, Grimm?"

"Hey we've been flirting since the beginning of semester. It's almost over so don't gimme a look like I just started this yesterday," Grimmjow said. "I just wasn't sure how to approach him until yesterday. I've been hanging here in his office for like four months already."

Just then, there was a knock on the door to the office. Ichigo looked at the computer on the desk. "Oh no! I forgot about meeting with Dr. Urahara this morning!"

Yoruichi looked at him. "Dr. Kisuke Urahara?" she asked.

Ichigo nodded. She smirked and strode over to the door and threw it open to see a shocked looking man standing there. "Yoruichi!" Kisuke said with a gasp as she reached out and snatched him by the tie and hauled him into the room. She shut the door and pulled him stumbling after her. "Down, pup," she muttered and shoved him toward Soi Fon. He dropped to his knees with a look of shock for a second before he locked eyes with Ichigo who was staring at him.

"So, I see you know my pup," she said and narrowed her eyes at Kisuke, daring him to say something. He just stared at her for a long moment. "Shut up, pup. Don't say a damn word, you know why I'm here quite well if you know this boy at all."

Kisuke nodded and without even consciously doing it had assumed an identical position on his knees to Soi Fon. Ichigo was a little shocked, to say the least as he looked at her.

"Alright, so here's the deal. You," she said and pointed to Kisuke. "You are going to have to cover for this boy until end of term since he obviously can't be in the middle of a relationship with one of his students, and you're going to fucking figure out how to help him make it work. And you," she said and pointed to Ichigo. "You are going to outline to me what you want. You. Not that fucking asshole that spent years abusing and manipulating you so much that you can't think straight."

Ichigo nodded quickly, ignoring the fact his boss was kneeling on the floor next to his desk.

"And you, you're going to bring him down to the club this weekend and we're going to have a long training session. You said he's a baby boy?" she said and glanced at Ichigo.

"I think so, he seems to like it. I don't wanna humiliate him or anything," Grimmjow said with a sigh.

"What do you think, boy? You like being told what to do? Do you like being degraded and called names? Do you get hard when he pushes you around and gets rough?" she asked as she watched him.

"I don't know," he squeaked. "B-but I don't like being called bad names. Not a lot, I mean, like Tsuki did…what he did yesterday…I liked…"

"What was that?" she asked and looked at him.

"Just told him what to do, to tell that ass to fuck off, come back here and suck me off. Well, called him a slut once and a baby boy the rest of it. Seemed to get a reaction to being pushed into the wall too," he said with a shrug.

Ichigo's face had gone several shades of red. "Hmm, mixed. But seems like he likes being cared for. He was watching me pet my kitten. Alright, this weekend, come to the club, until then, slow. If you are going to fuck, don't take it too far. Nothing major until I can work with you both down there. Now, up," she said and both Kisuke and Soi Fon stood up. Kisuke was slightly red faced. She walked around and put a hand on his face. "Old habits die hard, huh, pup? Didn't think you'd still fall into old routines that easily. You doing well?"

Kisuke nodded, seeming to come out of whatever headspace he'd been in. "Ah, yeah, just…busy with work."

"Come see me down at the club, pup. I miss you sometimes. Kitten takes up most my time, but I don't think I ever had a pup with a tongue as fine as yours before or since." Kisuke nodded.

"I don't know, I haven't…it's been years, Miss…"

"You haven't forgotten the positions, so it doesn't' matter. Maybe you can play with Grimmjow's baby boy while you're there, you always preferred the boys," she said with a half grin. When Kisuke's face turned slightly red she smiled. "I think you'd like that, huh?"

"Hah," Kisuke breathed. "Maybe."

"You know Shunsui and Nanao still have Jūshirō," she said and smirked again. "You always loved being allowed to fuck him. I'll have them come down too, that way this baby boy can get to know some other subs around here. You know it makes things easier when you know a few people."

Kisuke nodded and smiled a bit. "Okay, I guess…I could use the stress relief."

"Hmmm, you always loved getting strapped on the bench and flogged after a hard week," she murmured close to his ear. "Maybe you could eat my kitty out. She's never had a pup tongue her before. Especially not one that likes to eat pussy and ass," she said and winked at him. Kisuke almost choked at that. "Alright, let's go, Kitten. I have things to do."

Soi Fon bowed. "It was pleasant to meet Mistress's friends." She turned and followed, her bell jingling at her throat.

Kisuke stood there silent for a moment before he turned to Ichigo. "Ah, so, I didn't expect that to come out in quite that fashion," he said. "On that note…I have paperwork, but Ichigo, I'll cover for you this week, and finals, just…um, work out things here," he said and disappeared out the door.

Grimmjow smirked at Ichigo. "So, tell me about your toy collection."

Ichigo took a breath and turned red.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Nnoitra Gilga sighed as he looked around the room. It was empty other than his bed and a small desk. Efficiency apartments were another word for one room bedrooms for rent. He fell into the bed and dug in his pocket for the phone. He glanced at the side table. He frowned and turned over and pulled the phone out from under the top and turned it on. He should warn him about what was coming. He opened it, an old style clamshell that barely had texting capability, and sent the message.

Know location on the singing bird. Keep open eyes. Storm's coming no stopping now.

He turned it off and returned it to the hiding spot. Fucking Grimmjow, why the fuck did you have to stay in the goddamned state?

It had been a botched robbery. Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Shawlong, and Di Roy had been knocking over a jewelry store with a fresh shipment of uncut diamonds for their boss, Aizen. Aizen was a Japanese import, as he put it. He was actually running from old Yakuza affiliations and hiding out in St. Louis. He needed income, so he'd gathered a bunch of raunchy street urchins to sell drugs and pull small robberies for him. He was trying to start up a Yakuza level gang and so far, it was going pretty well. At least, until the botched heist.

It had been mostly Di Roy's fault. He'd shot off his mouth, then shot off his gun, killing the guy behind the counter. When he did, though, a customer with a concealed weapon had pulled it and started shooting. Nnoitra had gotten away, but both Di Roy and Shawlong had gone down. Grimmjow had shoved Nnoitra into the van just as he took a bullet to the back. Nnoitra had gotten back to Aizen, but Grimmjow had survived and been caught. He'd flipped on Aizen in order to stay out of jail, because not only Di Roy, Shawlong, and the guy that worked there had died. The "good Samaritan" had ended up killing two other customers in trying to shoot the robbers. Of course, this meant that Nnoitra had been identified and picked up. Nnoitra had flipped too, but he'd also been convinced to become a criminal informant in exchange for amnesty. The others thought Nnoitra had been released on a technicality.

Now, the rest of them had found Grimmjow again, and he had to play along. He ground his teeth together. If anyone had to "kill" the fucking bastard, Nnoitra needed to make sure it was him. Mostly because he could shoot him and not kill him if it came to that. He knew Yammy would just shoot him in the head, and Ulquiorra was a knife man. The others, he didn't worry so much about. But as it was, he needed to be the one sent to kill him. Otherwise, his best friend would be dead for sure this time.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Captain Shunsui Kyōraku picked up the phone and sighed. "Well, that is inconvenient," he muttered.

"What is it?" his lieutenant and wife, Nanao said with a sigh.

"Nnoitra. They've found out where Grimmjow went," he muttered with a sigh. "Better tell the head captain," he said as he spun around in the chair. "This could get messy." He glanced around. "Where's our boy?" he said with a frown, realizing he'd been gone for longer than necessary for his task.

Nanao looked over to Jūshirō's desk. "I bet he had another attack without telling us. You should check on him," she said and started pulling the files for the Aizen case from the cabinet.

"Naughty boy to not even tell me if that's the case," Shunsui muttered with a frown as he got up and went to find his errant boyfriend. He heard the coughing before he got to the restroom.

"Jūshirō Ukitake," he said and heard the hitch in the other man's coughing.

Shunsui opened the door and found him sitting on the bathroom floor by the sinks, heaving heavy breaths. He was red faced and had his inhaler clutched tightly in his right hand. His gray suit jacket was open, and his white dress shirt was unbuttoned down to the fourth button. Shunsui knelt and brushed errant strands of his white hair out of his face where it had come loose from his pony tail. He had a look very much like a child caught misbehaving. Of course, that's exactly what he was to Shunsui despite him being almost six years his elder.

"My, you know to tell me when you have a bad attack," he said to him with a stern look.

"I know," he wheezed. "I didn't think it was bad…but I…" he stopped to cough a few times. "I couldn't find my inhaler…and it got worse…"

Shunsui leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Ah, what am I going to do with such a bratty boy…" he said and helped him to his feet. Jūshirō wobbled a bit as he led him back to the office they shared with Nanao.

"Now you sit yourself down," Nanao said as soon as Jūshirō entered. He nodded sheepishly and sat down behind his desk. "You know you have to take better care."

"I know," Jūshirō said with a sigh.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"He couldn't find his inhaler and then it got worse. He was sitting on the floor in the restroom. I would assume he nearly passed out by the blue pallor of his lips and fingernails when I got to him," he said with a sigh.

Nanao glared at him and Jūshirō seemed to be avoiding her glance at all costs. As harsh as Shunsui could be Nanao was worse. "Jūshirō Ukitake, you know that if you feel an attack you need to get someone in case it does get worse!" she exclaimed, her stance widening and arms crossing. "You know that you need to keep an inhaler in your pocket so there is no excuse for not being able to find one. You also know that with your reduced lung capacity it is very dangerous for you to let something like this happen! You know better, Jūshirō!"

Jūshirō had been staring at a spot on the floor through her entire tirade, mostly because he did know all those things. Shunsui sighed. "I think someone needs some time to think on it. Go have a seat in your chair for a few minutes."

Ukitake looked up, eyes widening. "But…I didn't mean to…"

"Ah!" Nanao said and came around and pulled the much taller man up by the arm. "No arguments."

Ukitake looked like a very petulant child at the moment as he was sat down in the red colored wooden rocking chair that sat facing the windows. It wasn't like it was a terrible seeming punishment, but Jūshirō hated it more than anything. Shunsui watched as he sat down and crossed his arms. He'd never seen a man turn into a petulant child so fast in his life when he was chided for not taking care of his health. With his condition, though, it was a serious matter, and Shunsui brokered no arguments when it came to it.

"You are far too lenient with him lately," Nanao said as she returned, glaring at her husband.

"My dear, I have not been lenient…" he said, turning away a bit.

"Don't say that. All he has to do is give you a properly placed please and you're wrapped around his little finger. Now, off with you. I'll handle this," she said and made a shooing motion as she walked around the desk. "Here, take this and get to work, captain. I'll deal with the brat."

"I'm not a brat," they both heard from the other side of the room. Nanao's head whipped around and Shunsui smirked. He was going to regret that…

"Ah, yes, my dear. I will return soon…" he said as he left their office, hearing the rapid clicking of her heels as she went over to give Jūshirō a bit of a tongue thrashing for his cheek. He hoped she didn't do anything else. How sad he'd be if he didn't get to help give him a spanking…