Ichigo quickly picked Toushirou up and literally carried him up the stairs.

"W-wait, Ichigo, I'll get b-blood" he protested weakly, Ichigo ignored him. Once he reached the bathroom the strawberry set the boy down on the edge of the bathtub, then he headed over to the cabinets located under the sink.

"What are you..." Toushirou began as Ichigo returned to his side carrying a first aid kit and a wet cloth.

"Take your shirt off."

Toushirou's eyes went wide at Ichigo's firm but gentle command.

"W-why?" he whispered.

"So I can clean you up."

The small boy shook his head frantically "I-I'm f-fine" he stuttered, a frighted look on his face.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou, you are bleeding all over the place and clearly not fine! Now take off your damn shirt so I can help you!" said Ichigo trying not to shout.

Toushirou flinched at his tone but slowly and shakily he slip off the bloody rage of a shirt. An involuntary snarl came from deep within Ichigo's throat. Toushirou's chest was covered in numerous bruise, cuts, and burns. His arms were sporting several hand shaped bruises.

Shaking with rage Ichigo carefully looked at the boy's back to find it also swollen with bruises and welts that most likely had came from being hit with something heavy such as a belt buckle. But worst of all was how how thin he was, Ichigo could clearly see Toushirou's ribs.

Struggling to control his rage Ichigo was about to start cleaning him up when there came a soft knock at the bathroom door before his father walked into the room.

"Whats going on?" Isshin asked in a soft voice at the sight of the small boy with his son.

"Dad, this is Hitsugaya Toushirou, he's going to be staying with us for a while" Ichigo told him, looking his father straight in the eye.

Isshin walked over and knelt in front of the small boy. Gently he ran his hand over the bruised chest talking in a calm and light tone as he did so.

"Your name's Toushirou right?"

"Yes" the frightened boy whispered

"well Toushirou, I'll go get some disinfectant from the clinic and we'll get you fixed up."

Without waiting for a response the usually playful man left the room somberly.

Ichigo quickly took his place kneeling in front of Toushirou.

"Who did this to you?" He asked in an urgent but gentle voice.

"N-no one, I-I fell down the stairs" Toushirou couldn't seem to meet the strawberries eyes when he spoke, cupping the smaller males face in his hands Ichigo pulled him up to face him.

"That's a lie and you know it. Who's hurting you Toushirou? Please, I just want to help."

Tears began to fall from the small boy's eyes as he choked out a single word.

"Dad."

Then Toushirou began to sob uncontrollably and Ichigo pulled him up against his chest, wrapping his arm around the prodigy stroking his hair comfortingly.

Ichigo's own father came up a few minutes later and Ichigo reluctantly moved aside to let him clean and banged Toushirou's wounds. All the while tears fell like rain drops from the small boy's eyes. Finally Isshin gave Toushirou a glass of water and told Ichigo to get him to bed.

Once Toushirou had finished the glass of water Ichigo carefully picked him up and carried him to his room.

Setting the smaller boy on the bed Ichigo dug around in his closet and eventually came up with a pair of pajamas that were too small for him.

"They're gonna be huge on you but they'll have to do for now."

Ichigo helped Toushirou into them and as he suspected the pajamas were like a tent on the tiny boy. Having solved that problem Ichigo turned to the next issue, sleeping arrangements.

"I don't have an extra futons do you mind if we sleep in the same...Toushirou!Ichigo yelped as he reflexively caught Toushirou as he crumpled to his knees.

"'m okay," Toushirou muttered almost incoherently and Ichigo let out a laugh of relief.

"I guess that means its okay if we sleep in the same bed!"

Picking Toushirou up again he laid him in his bed before climbing in after him. Much to his surprise the prodigy curled up against him and the two quickly fell into the bliss of sleep.


Karin's note:

My brother is an idiot, I can't believe he is still denying his feelings, so I guess I will have to beat some sense into him...Hey Zx! Are you even paying attention?

Zx14ninja: Snore...

Karin: guess not, oh well, I guess I will have to take over the story (smiles evilly and leaves to make trouble)

Zx14ninja: (wakes up) Huh? Whats going on?

To be continued