Aggression

He didn't know what had prompted him to go. Perhaps it was the gnawing feeling in his stomach like guilt, or the unease he felt about the situation over all. Either way Kisuke found himself passing through Hachi's barrier with the same ease he had walking through the air about him smelling of machine oil. This was their sanctuary in all it's humble, shack-like glory and he was familiar with it. Not that he had been here in some time for a few reasons.

Yet he was still greeted with nods, and in Mashiro's case a strange sort of half hug and skip before she was off to bother Kensei once more, as was her habit. With his destination in mind he was already working his way down to the underground space that he had crafted for them. It was the least he could do. Hachi could maintain it on his own easily so his presence for repairs was not really required.

Descending the stairs it was becoming more difficult to ignore the conflicting feelings this place brought to him, or its inhabitants. Fatigue and a sense of alertness, anxiety and mild relief. The trip to get here was over and no one knew where he'd gone. Somehow he still felt he had to keep silent about the details, then again given his state of exile and the resentment still had for them it was perhaps his own personal choice to skip over those wounds than necessity.

When he caught sight of the red head he was off to the side trying to catch his breath. The familiar, unrestrained reiatsu that drifted over his skin made hairs rise. It was different not that was a sign of progress, and a mark of fear to the older man because he knew what it mean. It was different when it came to Ichigo, because unlike Shinji he feared what that particular demon he put there would whisper and taunt. This one he was to blame for and his regret for that would not dwindle just as the hollows presence would not someday fade. Over all though Ichigo seemed fine, sweaty and breathless but unharmed. Something uncoiled at the sight. Hiyori wasn't even lingering around to smack the boy and call him lazy or drag him right back into the fray to keep working. He mused that he ought to likely thank the former captain of the fifth for that, since Shinji was one of the few that would keep the tiny storm that was Hiyori at bay.

Approaching he must have surprised the boy because those brown eyes looked up at him slightly wide. The tenseness faded and Ichigo was hauling himself to his feet, hands bracing on his thighs to push himself up. Kisuke kept a few feet between them and waited for his student, or former student now, to greet him. That was what he was expecting.

Instead gray eyes watched the teen come far closer than he normally dared when there was the space to spare, so much so he could scent the sweat and dirt on tan skin. It was then the hair on the back of his neck stood at attention, somehow that was very clear to him. It was only a second later that the lanky, solid body of the teen was brushing against his side, almost like a cat greeting someone familiar. Ichigo's face was tilted down making it hard to see his face through the mass of bright hair but he watch closely anyhow, eyes slightly wide at the odd behavior.

It was not until he felt Zangetsu against his back that he realized he had failed to bring Benihime with him in his earlier anxiousness. Kisuke regretted not thinking ahead, but also noted it was not the bite of metal he felt in his back but the blunt back to the long blade. It wasn't intended to harm but it was a gentle urging, a trapping really to say he was going no where. If that hadn't been enough the arm around his waist and the hand coasting up along his side in a far too casual manner was enough.

No longer surprised, gray eyes were narrowed in suspicion looking at the boy, reaching up without fear in him to tilt the face to look at him. Instead of the customary scowl in place there was an almost maniacal grin, baring teeth in a less than human way. No longer brown eyes trailing over his shadowed face. The now gold eyes regarded him with a sense of amusement and an odd hint of pleasure. No question in his mind that this was Ichigo's inner hollow.

"Yo."

The greeting surprised him, the tone warped but still reminiscent of the teen as was this thing in all physical sense, even if the way he moved was different.

"Not nice to glare at me so much, haven't done anything to you have I?"

While that was true he hardly found it agreeable. Kisuke was surprised to find he was actually angry about this being taking control of Ichigo's body. He'd become far more fond of the teen than he'd ever wanted to permit himself to be, but it was not the time to muse on that. Particularly with the strange way this thing was familiarizing itself with him.

A tan cheek pressed against his stubbled one, dragging against it much like he had against his side. Again it brought a feline marking its property to mind. That hand on his side was now digging nails into him through only the layer of green her wore, arm fully inside his black haori. It was unsettling but when he moved to remove it, the hollow growled at him though not entirely aggressive.

"Shouldn't be so unfriendly to the things you create. Grateful for that by the way." Those gold eyes showing mirth when the man shuddered at the reminder of who was to blame. "First time we met properly."

"I hardly call this properly." Yet he didn't use force to pry it off, feeling an odd and guilty sort of affection for this creature if only for the fact it shared Ichigo's body. Something about his posture or expression must have given something away because the arm around him tightened and Zangetsu shifted against his back to knock his hat away, exposing his face.

"Shouldn't wear that retarded thing. Stop being pissy at me because I'm out here and King's stuck inside his own head for a change. Not like it hurts him." Shifting the hollow pressed his borrowed body against the warmth of the other man, amused at how it made the other twitch and eye him. "He can put up with it for long as it takes him to drag his ass back out here."

Zangetsu was shifted easily again, now the sharp tip moving up along Kisuke's pale throat forcing him to tilt his head back.

"This is not submission, do not make that mistake." The words were sharp but pale hands still did not take action.

Chuckling low and dark the hollow nodded letting Zangetsu slide further up to rest more of the sharp blade against the man's throat, watching the muscles work to swallow in that position. There was something thrilling about making the normally powerful man force himself to his will, his creator essentially having to relent himself to his curiosity for the moment. The look in his eyes, gray like steel in every way, pleased him. There was the urge to see the man awash in his hearts blood but he resisted, something in him protesting violently to the idea, if only that it would kill Urahara. Bothered him a bit that his protests were not solely based on the King screaming in his head to let him go.

Raising enough and eying the veins in the pale throat he watched his heart beat, baring those white teeth in a grin to see how quick it was. "Nervous there, Kisuke?"

His given name spoken like that surprised him and he even frowned. "It's adrenaline, I'm not frightened of you."

"Ah I know." Was no doubt in Ichigo's face, though his hollow's expression, to show he doubted the words or was even bothered by them. "Why should you be? Not like I'm really going to hurt you. I'm not an ungrateful bastard. Course you wouldn't go and hurt me either because it's his body, right?" Gold eyes peering back up that throat to those gray eyes that almost looked silver from his current angle.

"That is right.." The shop keeper admitted reluctantly.

Kisuke was surprised at how relaxed he really was, even if he could feel his hands tingle in the urge to move from the adrenaline in his system. Or he was relaxed until he felt teeth against his neck. Gray eyes widening greatly, forced to tilt his head back further to accommodate the head nudging at his jaw. Those teeth bit down and he stiffened, eyes still wide. Holding himself still until he felt them release his neck, no doubt having left an impression again his pale skin. A flicker of anger passed over his reiatsu to realize what this was.

"Just don't think you can fuck with me, just because you can." Lifting his head the hollow looked back at the man smirking in triumph. "Doesn't look bad."

Not moving his head just yet Kisuke was certain he was glaring severely enough that Byakuya Kuchiki would be impressed, making a low impatient sound in his throat. It was a mark, a reminder. "You wouldn't think as much."

The thing had the gall to grin and chuckle at him like a child pleased with the mischief it had caused. Having had enough of this game Urahara's hand was pushing away Zangetsu without even giving the other a moment to blink before his hand was around the tan throat, pulse fluttering erratically under his palm. That chuckling had stopped and gold eyes looked up and the hand tightened, nails biting into flesh in a mimicry of the other's more primal action to actually bite him. While it was silent between them, that smirk didn't leave.

"Pissed huh?" The words were a bit soft, breathless or breathy one might say.

"You have no claim over myself or over Ichigo." His words firm.

The hollow didn't argue that and let the over-sized blade fall from his grasp, instead slipping his other arm up around the slightly larger frame of the man holding the King's throat with an ease that indicated he could crush it if the thought fancied him. But at the same time he could feel the fingers brush over skin in an almost apologetic sense.

"Awful protective of him aren't you?"

Kisuke didn't reply to that, keeping his grip firm and eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Or are you possessive?"

Again he didn't raise to the bait and reply, though he did note the black was giving way to white and the gold bleeding away from henna, that grin to him held until the end though. The unspoken words there, hanging in the air brushing over the dampness of the bite on Urahara's throat. And he knew just what it meant and how true it was. This wasn't something he could save Ichigo from, wasn't a wound he could heal. He was powerless.

It wasn't until he felt the throat in his hand swallow several time he came back to himself to realize brown eyes were looking at him in an almost frightened manner. Ichigo was concerned, maybe even scared.

Releasing him the man wasn't sure why but his thumb brushed over the skin in a silent apology, not surprised when the teen took a large step back when he was able.

"D-did I hurt you?" Ichigo had to admit it was disconcerting at the least to have come back into control of his body to see Urahara looking at him like he wanted to kill him. The hand around his throat was just the added delight his hollow decided to throw his way. Bastard had been feeling generous though since he'd been nearly hugging the man, and feeling disturbingly aware of just how warm Urahara was.

"I'm fine. Are you alright, Ichigo?"

Wasn't that often the other used his given name but he nodded even if he wasn't feeling so hot at the moment. Looking around himself he noted Zangetsu lying in the dirt behind Urahara, no blood along the length of it which made him heave a sigh of relief. Good he hadn't attacked. Well his hollow hadn't but it was his body so he always did feel responsible. It wasn't until he was looking over the man himself despite his claims to be fine that he saw it. How he'd missed it when he was still close to Urahara was a mystery to him, maybe he'd just been too embarrassed, but he saw it now. A clear outline of teeth, even what looked like blood beading in some of the impressions against the shop keeper's throat, stood out easily for his pale skin and made his stomach twist.

"Did I...bite you?"

There was hesitation in an answer. "You did not."

Ichigo may have imagined it but when he swallowed again he could have sworn he tasted copper. It made him lick his teeth, even if he didn't want to.

"I'm alright Kurosaki-kun, do not worry about me. Takes more than that to put me down." Kisuke was turning away to recover his hat where it had dropped, oddly only then making the teen realize he hadn't been wearing it. Settling it back on his head, once more shadowing his eyes, the shop keeper felt more secure. "Keep working alright? It takes time and persistence." Even lifting up the weight of Zangetsu to offer it to the boy.

Not knowing what else to do he took it, noticing that Zangetsu seemed to hum when passed back to his palm. "Yeah, got it."

After that he was watching Urahara go, walking easily and looking a bit more graceful than he was accustomed to seeing, as if mindful of each step he was taking. All he knew for certain as the blond ascended those steps was that something had happened and it bred a strange awkwardness between them. One he was concerned about.