Chapter 3: Working for the Weekend


So, yeah…it's definitely been a while hasn't it?

I apologize for the extended period I have spent away from this story, but between my focus on "Bloodstained Souls" and the writer's block I've been feeling, I have only now just found the time to come back. I would have updated earlier this week, but I had a test to study for, and that obviously takes priority.

But I'm back now, and hopefully I won't be gone for as long after this chapter.

On a side note, if any of you are IchiYoru fans, then feel free to check out my newest story: "The Song of Our Nature."

I hope you all enjoy!

AlucardsBro OUT!


The walk from the Kurosaki household to Unagiya Shop was typically boring and dull beyond belief. However, thanks to the addition of his newest acquaintance, Ichigo found the short little trip to be considerably more interesting.

"I cannot wait to see the woman who has managed to tame my Little Master…" Desiree teased, flying upside down in the air next to her orange-haired comrade.

Ever since Ichigo had told her how much of a spitfire his boss was, the green genie had become all but convinced that Ikumi must have possessed some kind of supernatural allure that allowed her to command someone as stubborn as he. He had tried to dispel such assumptions before his charge's imagination could run too wild, but it seemed as though he was already far too late to stop that from happening.

"For the last time…she hasn't tamed me," the orange-head groaned, running a palm down his face. "She's just my boss; I have to do what she says or I won't get paid."

"Oh hush," Desiree scoffed. "If this woman is truly as strong-willed as you claim, then she will undoubtedly possess some kind of a charm, even if you are completely unaware of it yourself."

Ichigo raised a brow. "Why are you so damn interested in my love life anyway?"

His companion giggled. "Frankly, Little Master, you need all of the help that you can get when it comes to anything remotely romantic."

Grumbling under his breath, the young man went silent, which only served to amuse the genie ever further. The rest or their trek went by relatively quickly, and soon enough they came to a stop directly in front of the building that served as both Ikumi's home and business headquarters.

"So…yeah, I feel like I should warn you at least one more time," Ichigo groaned. "Ikumi really is a good woman at heart, but she can get a little…intense…"

Desiree gave him an extremely flat look. "Young Master, I was alive in a time where random assassinations and wars were commonplace; believe me when I say that I can more than handle a fiery woman. In more ways than one, I might add."

Blushing slightly, the orange-head shook his head and ascended the stairs leading to his boss' front door. Raising his hand in preparation to knock, Ichigo was nearly sent tumbling over the railing when the wooden door was flung open from within. A hand shot out of the doorway and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and the young man was forcefully pulled forward once more until he was only a scarce few inches from his irate employer's face.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Ikumi shouted, not caring in the slightest of the odd looks their display was receiving from passersby. "Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

Regaining his bearings quickly, Ichigo met the dark-haired woman's intensity with his own. "Of course I do! It's barely past nine o'clock! My shift doesn't even start until nine-ten!"

Blinking owlishly, Ikumi subtly glanced down at her watch.

Well, would you look at that…the kid was right…

"T-that doesn't matter!" she shouted, easily reigniting her inner fire. "Let this be a lesson! Don't show up late ever again, or I'll come and get you myself!"

Letting out a huff, the older woman finally let him go and turned on her heel, walking back into the house. Smoothing out the stretched fabric of his shirt, Ichigo growled under his breath, while Desiree herself recovered from a side-splitting fit of laughter.

"Oh, I like her!" the green spirit proclaimed, grinning widely. "You two would be absolutely perfect for each other!"

Ichigo wanted to scream. Instead, he simply straightened his shirt and followed his boss inside, with Desiree lazily bringing up the rear. Following the sound of clinking silverware, the orange-head made his way to the kitchen. No sooner did he cross the threshold into the room, before a steaming bean bun was delicately placed into his hands.

He gave Ikumi an odd look.

The older woman merely raised a brow and shrugged her shoulders. "What? I can't have my only employee doing his job poorly because he has an empty stomach."

"I already had a bowl of cereal…" he replied.

"And that's supposed to count as a decent breakfast? I don't think so; now eat."

Hesitantly, Ichigo sunk into the nearest chair and did as he was told.

Ikumi smirked and reached out to gently pat his cheek. "Good boy."

Seemingly satisfied for the moment, the dark-haired woman turned and left the kitchen to go over their requested job list for the day. Ichigo continued to nibble on his snack, all the while attempting to ignore the absolutely shit-eating grin of Desiree's face.

"She liiiiiiiiiiikes you!"

The orange-head's eyebrow twitched, but he didn't dignify her teasing with a response. Unfortunately, it seemed as though his companion was content to continue speaking without his input.

"An older woman, and a younger man! Modern society deems such a relationship as unnatural, yet they continue to meet in secret. She cares for him, feeds him, and comforts him when he needs a shoulder to cry on. Then one day, as the rain falls outside, he finally has enough with concealing his true feelings! Sneaking up behind her as she prepares a meal, he places a kiss against her smooth neck…she lets out a gasp, but doesn't stop him as his hand trails between her thighs…so romantic!" the genie squealed, dancing around in midair like a woman possessed.

Ichigo's forehead simply slammed against the table. Ikumi was like the big sister he'd never had, but now he had the image of doings certain…things…with her seared directly into his brain. Admittedly, those images weren't necessarily unpleasant, but he respected her too much to not feel guilty about having them.

First Miss Ochi, and now this…

Seemingly sensing her Master's internal distress, Desiree ceased her teasing and floated over to gently lay a hand on his shoulder. She idly noted that this was the first time she'd allowed a man to come in physical contact with her for several centuries. "Worry not Ichigo, I was only jesting," she assured him soothingly. "But even so, you must admit that your employer is quite beautiful."

The orange-head smiled in appreciation at the gesture, before glancing up and catching a glimpse of Ikumi as she passed by the kitchen door.

"Yeah…she really is…" he admitted quietly.

Desiree smiled. "Well done, the first step to acceptance is admission."

Ichigo snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up."

His companion merely chuckled good-naturedly.


"Thank you for choosing the Unagiya Shipping Service; we greatly appreciate your business."

Reciting the phrase that his boss had imprinted into his memory, Ichigo smiled pleasantly as he handed his last package's recipient their purchase. When the middle-aged woman closed her door, he allowed his smile to morph back into his signature scowl. Usually, his typical workday consisted of a variety of different tasks that depended on the type of person who requested them. Today, however, all he'd been doing was delivering packages.

Stretching out a kink in his spine, the former Substitute turned away from his last customer's home and prepared for the long walk back to Unagiya Shop. Desiree floated along silently by his side, and the duo made their way through the bustling streets of Karakura Town. Eventually, they were forced to take a shortcut through the park, and Ichigo decided to take a minute to rest his legs. Sitting on a bench, he closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh.

"When you described your occupation, I didn't realize it would be this dull," the ruby-eyed spirit mused, crossing her arms underneath her breasts.

The orange-head merely chuckled. "Welcome to the world of business…"

The human and genie fell into another lapse of comfortable silence, with Desiree inspecting their surroundings while Ichigo continued to rest. Karakura Park was the hotspot for multiple couples both young and old, and there was a large playground closer to the center to entertain children while their parents could take a break from walking. When they were younger, the Kurosaki siblings had spent many an hour climbing all over the jungle gym and pushing one another on the swings.

Unfortunately for the park's numerous patrons, the current weather seemed intent on ruining their fun.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and Ichigo heard several children cry out for their parents. Opening his eyes, the former Substitute looked skyward. Clouds were beginning to gather overhead, and he even noticed a few flashes of lightning off in the distance.

Letting out a sigh, the young man rose to his feet and looked to his companion. "Come on, I need to check back in with Ikumi before heading home."

"Very well, but the weather does not bother me," Desiree shrugged.

"Lucky you," Ichigo snorted.

It didn't take extremely long to reach their destination, but by the time they arrived there was already a light shower of rain falling. By the look of things, it would most likely be pouring by the time they were actually able to head home. His spiritual friend might not mind walking through a storm, but Ichigo himself wasn't exactly keen on doing so.

Knocking on the door, the orange-head waited a few minutes for any form of a response. When he didn't receive any, he sighed and bent down to uncover the key he knew his employer kept under her doormat.

Upon entering the house, he detected the distinct sound of running water. Ikumi must be showering…

"I'm back!" he shouted, wanting to avoid an embarrassing incident if at all possible.

"I'll be out in a minute!" she hollered back in reply. "Make yourself comfortable!"

"Now's your chance to sneak a peek if you so desire," Desiree chuckled.

Ignoring the genie's teasing remark, Ichigo walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Reaching out to grab the remote off of the coffee table, he turned on the television and started flipping through the various channels Ikumi received.

A few minutes went by, and Desiree made herself comfortable at her Master's side, resting her head against his shoulder. She found it incredibly odd that she was actually able to physically interact with the citizens of Karakura Town, even if the majority of them couldn't see her. There was most definitely a higher concentration of spiritual energy in the city, so perhaps that had something to do with it…

She hadn't really meant to actually grope Ichigo's teacher the previous day; she had simply been teasing him. She had been just as shocked as he when her hands were able to make physical contact with the attractive woman's backside. Perhaps she was only able to touch people if she wanted them to feel her in return?

Eh, she didn't really care either way.

It was simply nice to sit with a man who treated her with respect. She was still a bit hesitant about completely opening up to her current Master, but those reservations were slowly melting away the longer she spent time with him.

She smiled softly when she felt a strong arm carefully wrap around her shoulders.

Ichigo idly rubbed his thumb against her exposed skin, and after another few minutes he heard the shower in Ikumi's room finally stop. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly at the mental image of his boss slowly stepping out of the shower and drying herself off…

Oh fuck it all, he did have a thing for older women didn't he…?

Something poked his cheek, and he looked down to his Desiree smiling smugly up at him.

"I was right, wasn't I?" she grinned.

"Oh, hush," he sighed in defeat, while the green-skinned spirit chuckled in amusement.

"I have said it before, yet I shall say it again. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being attracted to more mature women," she assured him.

The orange-head grumbled and looked back at the television. However, almost at the exact same time, Ikumi walked back into the room, and Ichigo literally felt his jaw drop.

Desiree purred in appreciation.

His boss was barefoot, and wore a light grey pair of sweatpants that clung to her body just enough to tease him with a view of her wide hips and long legs, while at the same time loose enough to deny him too much of an experience. A slightly darker grey sweatshirt covered her upper half, and a small white fifteen was embroidered over her left breast.

Wait a minute…

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

"Get what?" she raised a brow in confusion.

"That sweatshirt."

"Oh, this thing? I'm not entirely sure, but I've had it for at least a few months."

"Does it have a small hole in the hem at the bottom?" the former Substitute questioned.

"Uh, yeah it does," the dark-haired woman responded, blinking in surprise at the accuracy of his statement.

"I've been looking for that thing for a while," Ichigo chuckled. "I must have accidentally left it here that time you let me take a shower."

Ikumi looked down at herself, and laughed along with him. "Ya know, I always thought that it was several sizes too big for me. I've just been using it as the top half of my pajamas…but you can have it back after I wash it."

"Nah, you can keep it," the orange-head shrugged. "I bought another one to replace it when I realized it was missing." He heard Desiree squeal from her spot next to him, but he ignored her.

Ikumi looked surprised for a moment, but her expression quickly turned thankful. "Thanks Ichigo, it's been my most comfortable thing to wear…" Crossing the distance between the doorway and the couch, the older woman plopped down next to her employee while letting out a sigh of content. "You delivered all of those packages, right?"

"Yep," he replied.

The dark-haired woman nodded appreciatively and leaned her head against the back cushion of the couch. A slightly awkward silence followed, and Ichigo shifted a bit uncomfortably in his seat. It was a bit suffocating to be squashed directly between two insanely beautiful women, even if one of them was invisible to everyone else but him.

"So," he coughed awkwardly. "Where's Kaoru?"

His boss lazily rolled her head in his direction to appropriately face him. "He's at a friend's house. Apparently, some new video game came out a few days ago, and everyone in his class is obsessed with it."

Ichigo nodded.

Another awkward silence quickly fell. Desiree groaned and propped her chin up with her hand.

Finally, the orange-head stood up and wrung his hands awkwardly. "I guess I should probably be heading home now…it's getting pretty late."

Thunder boomed outside, and Ikumi fixed him with an exceptionably stern glare. "Like hell you are; there's no way I'm letting you walk all the way back through a damn storm. You can sleep on the couch tonight and head back in the morning."

"I only live a few blocks away…" Ichigo argued weakly.

His boss' frown deepened, and she pointed back down at the seat he had previously occupied. "Sit. Now."

Knowing better than to argue with a strong-willed woman, the former Substitute reluctantly lowered himself back down into the couch. Seemingly satisfied, Ikumi nodded once before standing up herself. "I'll go make us something to eat; don't go anywhere."

Giving her employee one last stern look, the dark-haired woman turned and relocated to the kitchen.

Once she was out of sight, Ichigo let out a resigned sigh. Desiree, on the other hand, grinned and floated back up into the air. "Now is your chance," she purred.

"What are you talking about?" her Master asked cautiously.

The ghostly genie huffed and rolled her crimson eyes. "I held myself back from encouraging you to approach your academic instructor, but that was an entirely different scenario. What you have now, though, is the perfect chance to take action!"

"Please stop…"

"Oh, quiet you! If I still possessed a purely physical body, I would certainly have the courage to at least approach such a beautiful woman. Her child is away for the evening, the two of you are all alone, a storm is raging outside…need I say more?!"

"Why are you so insistent on meddling in my romantic life?" Ichigo growled. "I thought you hated it when men acted like pigs…"

Desiree nodded. "Indeed, I do despise men who treat women as nothing more than objects and playthings, but you are not that kind of man now are you? Despite your…pitiful…interactions thus far with the members of the fairer sex, I can still tell that you would be a tender and considerate lover."

The orange-head flushed a brilliant shade of red.

"Furthermore," the spirit continued, "I don't think that I have to remind you that polygamy was quite common back when I was still alive, so if you think I will be bothered by the idea of taking multiple partners, then you are very much mistaken."

"I get that…" Ichigo admitted. "But, things have changed in the past few centuries. It's considered inappropriate and shameful to knowingly sleep with more than one person. Besides…the whole idea just seems kind of uncomfortable…"

Desiree's expression softened. "Sweet naive child…do you truly think that love can be bound by the rules society has set?"

The former Substitute's eyes widened. "But I'm not-"

The genie held up a hand to silence him. "I never meant to insinuate that you are genuinely in love with either your employer or your teacher; I am simply attempting to illustrate a point. Allow me to tell you a story; during the first few months I spent in the Sultan's palace, I was happier than I can ever remember being. I was fed well, clothed in exquisite dressings, and showered with praise for my beauty. At the time, I truly did love the Sultan…and I firmly believed that he was the only being that would ever occupy a space in my heart…"

Ichigo remained silent, listening intently to the tale.

"Such a fool I was," Desiree chuckled. "One day, during one of my trips to the bazaar, I happened upon one of my darling's handmaidens. We recognized one another from passing glances around the palace, but we had never actually spoken. Her name was Ahmanet…"

The utter affection that laced his companion's tone was nearly palpable, and the orange-head found him taken slightly aback by the tenderness that graced her features.

"Over the course of several days, we became the most steadfast of friends. However, as time passed, that friendship became something far more beautiful that I will treasure forever. One night, under the light of the moon, we made love. True, genuine, indescribable love. Of course, at the time, romantic relationships between women were forbidden unless by request for the Sultan's entertainment, so we were forced to keep our escapades hidden. It worked for a while…but I suppose it's true what they say about no good thing lasting forever…"

Ichigo swallowed thickly, already knowing what the outcome had been. "What happened?"

Desiree's breath hitched, and ectoplasmic tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. "The Sultan found out, of course. I was spared his wrath due to being his favorite concubine, but he still forced me to watch as my beloved was put to death. 'No one shall touch what is mine alone,' he said as she was beheaded."

The genie's lower lip quivered, and it was quite obvious that she was attempting to hold her emotions in check for the sake of her pride.

Well, screw that.

Opening his arms, Ichigo offered her a sympathetic look. "Come here."

Although she initially hesitated, Desiree slowly floated into her Master's soothing embrace. The emotions he held that she could feel through their bond were apparently too much for her to bear, and she finally let out her anguish. Once again, she was incredibly thankful that she was able to physically interact with the citizens of Karakura Town of her choosing. Despite being one of the most powerful beings of the Phantom Realm, right now all she wanted was to be held.

Ironic, considering she'd shared her story with the intent of comforting her Master.

Now it was he who was comforting her…

"I'm sorry," she laughed pitifully.

Ichigo shook his head and ran his hands through her raven hair. "Don't be; I know what it's like to lose someone you love. Granted, the type of love was different, but I still understand how it feels."

The duo remained silent for a while, simply content with their positions. The former Substitute was grateful that Ikumi was taking so long in the kitchen, otherwise she'd see him tenderly embracing nothing but thin air.

Finally, Desiree pulled herself away and reached up to wipe her eyes. "Now do you understand my desire to see you take that chance?" she asked, offering her Master a watery smile. "I took a chance hundreds of years ago, and it is one that I shall never regret. Sure, it ended in heartbreak and pain, but the moments that Ahmanet and I spent simply lying in one another's arms are some that I hold most precious."

Ichigo hummed in thought. "That's why you're so invested in trying to convince me to make a move? You don't want me to live with the regret of what might have been?"

The emerald genie laughed softly and gently bopped her Master on the end of his nose. "Nice of you to finally catch on."

The orange-head looked off to the side uncertainly. Desiree smiled gently and shook her head. "Love is not something that occurs spontaneously, Little Master. Of course, there are rare instances when two people who are destined to be together suddenly meet, but more often than not, love is something that needs to be nurtured and tended to over time. But it all starts with a chance…"

"And what if that chance ends in failure?"

"Then you'll know that although it wasn't meant to be, you can still feel content with the fact that you at least tried."

Ichigo let out a low sigh. Ikumi was twenty-nine, and he was almost on the verge of being eighteen; his birthday was in a few weeks, in fact. Still though, twelve years was an awfully big age gap…

"I'm still just a kid," he said.

Desiree adopted such a look of seriousness that he was taken by complete surprise. "If I may be so bold, Little Master, in my eyes you are very much a man…"

The orange-head swallowed. "But I-"

"Ichigo," the genie interrupted.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Get off your ass, walk into that kitchen, and show that woman what she means to you," she all but ordered. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll tell you what to say."

Letting out a shuddering breath, Ichigo shakily rose to his feet. Desiree gave him another firm glare, and so he hesitantly made his way to the doorway of the kitchen. Ikumi was facing away from him, fretting over a large bowl of some kind of soup. She seemed completely unaware of his presence.

Casting another look at his ghostly companion, the orange-head offered her a pleading look.

She merely rolled her eyes and pointed at the woman in the kitchen.

Swallowing his nervousness, the former Substitute entered the room. Ikumi happened to glance over her shoulder, and she offered him a cocky smile. "Smells good doesn't it? This stuff is guaranteed to make even the coldest and rainiest of days melt to the very back of your mind!"

"Y-Yeah…" Ichigo managed to reply, returning her grin with his own.

"Keep stirring this for me, will you? I need to grab something from the pantry really quick," the dark-haired woman asked. He nodded and quickly took her place in front of the bowl. Ikumi quickly crossed the room and retrieved some kind of spice form the cabinet, before moving back over to sprinkle it into the soup.

The orange-head cast a subtle glance in Desiree's direction, but the spirit simply made an ushering motion with her hands.

Turning back to look at his boss out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo couldn't help but be absolutely mesmerized. She was certainly older than he, but there was no denying how incredibly beautiful Ikumi was. She didn't look a day over twenty in his opinion, and the fiery way in which she absolutely refused to take crap from anyone was just one of the things he found so incredible about her.

He couldn't believe it had taken him this long to reach such a realization…

"It sure does look good," he smiled, determination creeping into his voice.

Ikumi smiled proudly. "You're damn right it does!"

"But not as good as you…"

The dark-haired woman's eyes widened briefly, before she snorted incredulously. "Did you seriously just-mmmpph!"

Her words were cut off when her employee's lips melded with her own.

Ikumi froze in absolute shock, her eyes going wide. This was Ichigo! The guy who ran all her errands and who she treated like a little brother! And he was fucking kissing her?! Regaining her motor skills, the owner of Unagiya Shop roughly pushed the younger man away and brought a hand up to her mouth. "What the hell are you doing?!"

The unapologetic bastard merely shrugged. "Something I've wanted to do for a long time now; I just hadn't realized it until recently."

"But…y-you! We…wha?" came her oh-so-elegant reply.

Heeding the words that Desiree whispered into his ear, Ichigo boldly took a step forward and grasped his boss' hands firmly in his own larger ones. She flinched, but didn't pull away. This was most likely due to the shock still flooding her system. He needed to say what needed to be said before she came to her senses and decked him across the face.

"Ikumi, you are undoubtedly one of the most incredible women I have ever been blessed to meet. The way you handle both a fully functioning business, and living as a single mother, is honestly one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed. You are strong, intelligent, unbelievably gorgeous, and I was a fool for not doing this sooner…"

Some of the more sophisticated words that he said didn't really feel right coming out of his mouth, but they appeared to work nonetheless. The orange-head had never imagined that he'd ever see the sass-master Ikumi blush like a schoolgirl. It was honestly one of the most adorable things he had ever seen.

The older woman swallowed the lump in her throat. "W-We can't…"

"Says who?" he retorted, arching an eyebrow.

"You're my employee…and you're a hell of a lot younger than I am…"

"Does it seem like I care?"

She sighed. "Look Ichigo, I appreciate this…but we can't…"

The former Substitute smirked and reached up to rub a thumb against her cheek. She flinched slightly, but didn't lean away from his touch. "Are you sure? Then at least let me have one final kiss."

Ikumi opened her mouth to respond, but whatever she had to say was drowned out when Ichigo once again pressed his lips to her own. This time, he did so with far less ferocity. In place of the ravenous desperation that occupied their previous kiss, this one carried all the passion and emotion he felt.

The raven-haired women closed her eyes and let out a muffled sigh.

Oh fuck…

Did she seriously just swoon?

She had to admit that it had been quite some time since she'd been held like this by a man; Kaoru's father had left the minute she had told him she was pregnant. She had thought he loved her, but it turned out she was nothing more than a single good time.

But now, as she felt Ichigo's strong arms wrap around her slender frame, she reluctantly had to admit that it was nice to feel wanted again, and not just on a purely physical level.

Oh, damn it all to hell…

Fumbling around to turn off the stove, Ikumi quickly brought both of her hands back up to tangle in her employee's hair. Screw societal expectations, screw what might come of it, and screw the dwindling reservations in her heart. The one thing she was firmly certain of was that Ichigo was honest in everything he'd said to her.

After a minute, the two pulled apart, taking in deep gulps of much needed air.

"So," Ichigo smirked. "That proof enough for ya?"

Ikumi snorted and fisted the front of his shirt. "Shut up and kiss me, or you're fired."

"Yes ma'am."

The young man and single mother continued with their passionate make out session, and Desiree looked on with a fond smile. However, her smile slowly morphed into a confused frown.

She was genuinely happy that she'd helped Ichigo initiate what looked to be the beginnings of a truly beautiful relationship, so why did she have such an unpleasant feeling building up in her chest…?


And so begins the tale of Ichigo Kurosaki: MILF Master…

Nah, but in all seriousness, when I started this chapter I never intended it to end this way. It just kinda happened…

If anyone is upset or put off by this development, then that is certainly unfortunate, but it will still be happening. The same can also be said for the revelation of Desiree's sexuality; for the purposes of this story only, she will be bisexual. That isn't even my personal headcannon, but it fit the tone that I was trying to make, so I went with it.

And yes, the main pairing will still end up being Ichigo/Desiree, but our dashing hero might have a few…escapades…now and then. However, I don't think I can stress enough that he will have Desiree's full permission. Hell, she might even be able to get in on the fun in the future. The only reason that I even decided to have Ichigo profess his attraction to Ikumi was due to the fact that Desiree is comfortable with the idea of a harem, since she grew up in a time where they were commonplace. And, like I said in the actual chapter, she pushes for Ichigo to actually confront his feelings due to the fact that she believes there is enough compassion and love in his heart for more than one person. Of course, if I do end up paring Ichigo AND Desiree with some additional ladies, then it won't bee very many.

The Sultan had multiple concubines for pure pleasure, and that's what makes him different from Ichigo.

Ichigo isn't a playboy, and I won't be depicting him as such.

That being said, I want to know if you guys would rather skip what follows Ichigo and Ikumi's make-out session, or if you want an actual lemon to begin the next chapter. I would be fine with either choice, and I already have scenarios planned for both options.

Now then, let's talk about my other stories, shall we?

For those of you following "Bloodstained Souls," I am sorry for not updating it in such a long time, but I have been experiencing some very troubling writer's block. Thankfully, I have managed to move past it, and I will be continuing that story next.

The "Professor Kurosaki" rewrite will follow, and then I will continue "The Song of Our Nature."

To be completely honest, I have lost nearly all motivation for "A Trial by Heroism" and "Fibers of the Universe." I was in a Ben 10 mood when I wrote them, but I'm not anymore. I will leave them up on the chance that I fully return to them, but I can't tell you when that might be.

I would rather have the motivation to produce good chapters instead of hot garbage.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

AlucardsBro OUT!