Chapter Ten

-We Are-

There was a swoosh, a clang of metal, and an affronted yelp as Shinji went flying through the dust into backwards somersaults. The blood poured out of his mouth and his mask was half destroyed while Ichigo's remained intact.

Hiyori came at him with all her fury. When Ichigo moved it was instantaneous but she had already recognized what he was doing, considering he did it to Shinji two seconds ago. She whirled around, sword out to stop the hilt of Ichigo's blade from making contact with her head. Ichigo had a habit of not using his blade but the hilt to knock a person unconscious.

It was why Kensei was sitting up and rubbing his head with a groan and Mashiro was still fast asleep drooling on Hachi's knee.

They'd been fighting for hours on end, one after another. So far, Shinji had held up the longest putting forth every ounce of strength he had with Ichigo.

It wasn't that he was overpowered that made the difference but the skill that he was fighting at, it didn't take a genius to realize who had actually taught him. It was dreadfully obvious and he hadn't even released his resurrection form yet.

"Come at me ya dickhead!" Hiyori growled reapplying her mask for good measure.

Ichigo did a whirlwind around her kicking up the dust and using the land layout to his advantage. Each one of the Vizards watched in awe.

This was the training Aizen Sousuke gave Ichigo? That was about all they could think as their impression rose of Ichigo. From the time they first started training together until now, the difference was immense. Before, Ichigo relied on all his brute strength and determination, charging into a battle without weighing the odds or using a 'cut-till-you-drop' strategy. He still never used Kidou which didn't bother any of them in the slightest, the only ones who used a bunch of Kidou were Rose and Hachi, but Hachi didn't fight.

Ichigo's movements was like a perfected dance, with every turn and slice of his sword seemed to blossom out into something more and it left anyone who was watching absolutely stunned.

Four months of training and this was Aizen's results of his Cero Espada. It wasn't even ten minutes later when Hiyori flew through the air, mask disintegrating. Ichigo however rushed forward and caught her before she could land.

"Dick…head," she managed before completely falling unconscious.

Ichigo snorted as he took her over to Hachi and gently laid her down.

Shinji was grumbling. "Show off."

"That was an accident," Ichigo insisted. "My aim on the Arrow of Zangetsu is terrible."

"Yah, so terrible she lands right in it," Love snorted. "Well at least she'll be silent for a while."

"You might wanna run," Lisa taunted leaning over Ichigo's shoulder with a sassy smile. "She might wanna kill you when she wakes."

Hachi nodded furiously. Ichigo smirked. "I embarrassed her that much?"

"Let's just say Ichi, that the last time Shinji beat her butt, he was sporting a bloody nose for a week," Rose said staring down at the little Vizard.

Shinji groaned. "Don't I remember? The moment it healed she hit me again."

"She's not severely injured, she only used too much reiatsu," Hachi explained. "She'll be asleep for a while."

"So I should get out of here, eh?"

"Well, we have to go back to the living world anyway," Lisa said dully. "Stupid Soul Society, trying to keep tabs on us."

"We left enough reiatsu for a couple of days," Kensei said swinging around and nudging Mashiro off him. The green headed girl was still asleep and when Hachi moved she took up Kensei as her personal pillow. "But we don't want to be gone too long."

"I can't wait until they're done for," Rose said with a frown. "They've really ruined everything."

Love nodded and took Rose's hand. "They screwed us all really bad."

"Aizen-sama may have created us against our will," Shinji said staring far off. "But he made us stronger nonetheless. He gave us a chance while Soul Society wanted to kill us off. That makes all the difference."

"Yeh well, Soul Society thought it was a good idea to kill off twelve year old twin human little girls," Ichigo said darkly.

Lisa placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Least you still have them, we're on your side Ichi," she said smiling.

"Yah," Ichigo agreed. "It just eats me alive still."

"Yoruichi," Kensei said observing Ichigo's stiff expression. "Yeah, I wouldn't have expected it of her either."

"Well, if I know anything about Soul Society's Captains, I know Unohana, Ukitake, and Captain Kyoraku would never have agreed to something like that," Lisa said shaking her head. "They would probably turn their backs on Yamamato if they knew his idea. Yoruichi while she was a decent person, she's been trained in assassination from the time she was a child. The Shihoin House is more ruthless than the Kuchiki House could ever be. She may be laid back and gentle hearted on the outside but she's got an assassin's way about her. She'll never lose that."

A vicious fiery look swept across Ichigo's sharp features. "She'll lose it once I slice her throat," he hissed venomously. "I will never forgive her or Soi Fon for what they did. I will kill them with my own hands." He unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword so tight that if he had human skin it would have tore and bled.

Each one of the Vizards felt his anger and vengeful reiatsu that leaked out of his controlled frame, even Mashiro woke up and stared at him with bleary concern.

"That's what happens when you fuck with someone's family," Hiyori murmured sleepily. "I'm going to kick your ass later too, orange."

Ichigo smirked losing his anger as quick as it formed. "Bring it on piggy."

-0-0-0-

Aizen was sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room. Gin was in the corner, his grin wide like a fox and he had his arms crossed while Tousen gave a concerned hm. The rest of the Espada were quiet but their eyes were staring at the two vacant chairs in avid curiosity. Where were their occupants?

"Shall I do a search for them, Aizen-sama?" Tousen asked formally.

Aizen didn't quite know how to feel about this. A big part of him was a little bothered by it while the other part of his mind insisted that it was no big deal. Ichigo and Stark had been missing for the last half hour. A meeting had been scheduled and everyone but them arrived.

"Wonder what they're doing together?" Grimmjow taunted causing a vein to bubble slightly in Aizen's neck.

"They're always hangin' around one another," Nnoitra sneered. "Figures, Cero and Primera."

"Not a very bad match," Harribel spoke up as she tapped her nails against the table. "They would be cute together."

Aizen tried to tune those words out, keeping in mind his subordinates have no idea that he and Ichigo were involved.

"Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra stood. "Yes, Aizen-sama?"

"Would you kindly locate Ichigo and Stark and remind them of the meeting scheduled, please?"

"Yes of course, Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra said bowing respectfully. "I know just where to find them." He swept out of the room in brisk movements.

"I can see Stark missing, he's always falling asleep. But that kiddo has never missed," Barragan grunted.

"Seems as though Stark is rubbing off on Ichigo, literally," Szayel said adjusting his glasses and smirking.

It wasn't more than five minutes later when Ulquiorra brushed back through a solemn expression on his face. "It seems, Aizen-sama that Karin-san has informed me that Ichigo and Stark are off sleeping together," he said emotionlessly.

Everything inside of Aizen froze as the entire room erupted into laughter.

Vroom! The entire palace shook as Aizen's entire frame glowed white, his reiatsu rushing through the room causing each Espada to practically sink into their chairs clutching themselves.

Ulquiorra wound up on his knees, eyes wide. "Ai- Aizen-sama, have I displeased you?" he asked desperately.

But their powerful Master said not a word as he rose from the chair, reiatsu leaking around him in a violent tandem. He walked right out of the room, leaving everyone sweating and gasping for air.

"Ichi-chan in twouble," Gin sang in a baby voice, his grin more sinister than Nnoitra's could ever be. "I should get him a toy for afterwards."

Tousen sighed. "Ichigo is not a child, Gin."

"I didn't mean a toy for children," Gin said factually.

Through the thick mist of reiatsu nearly all of the Espada snorted and snickered, leave it to Gin's humor.

-0-0-0-

"Er- Ichigo?" Stark grumbled sleepily as he lay on his side facing away from his equally sleeping friend. He wiped the drool from his mouth. "Weren't we 'spose to do somethin' today?"

"Hn?" Ichigo barely understood. He was so tired from fighting with all the Vizards. He hadn't realized how much reiatsu he had used. He was almost too weak to move, but he knew that Karin, Yuzu, and Nel wanted to play with Lilynette and he wasn't going to be so mean as to forget about them because of some sleep. Ichigo and Stark were lying under a fake maple tree a little ways away from the field in which Karin and them were laughing and playing. The only one who likely knew they were here was Ulquiorra, Gin, Tousen, and of course Aizen and none of them would ever hurt the girls. "Nnnn."

There was a massive shaking and thick reiatsu flooded them causing Stark to grunt and shrug his shoulders before falling back asleep.

Ichigo sighed, someone made Sousuke mad, he thought feeling heavily drunken with sleep. The reiatsu seemed to however get closer causing Stark's eyes to flick open in wonderment.

"What is it that we're missing?" Stark asked and he would have been too lazy to sit up had it not been for the sudden appearance of Aizen. Uh oh. "That's what we're missing, shit! Aizen-sama," Stark gasped as he sat up.

Aizen had his hands in his pockets to keep the casual façade but the reiatsu that poured out was another matter. The little girls on the field had sunken down to their knees, Lilynette covering all three of them, her visible eye wide in fear.

He was about to speak when his eyes fell on the sleeping form of Ichigo. He was lying on his side facing away from Stark and in a slightly curled position, one arm up and his cheek lying against it while the other was curled in against his stomach. To Aizen he looked like an angel and some of the angry reiatsu died down instantly.

"What is going on?" Aizen said never taking his eyes off Ichigo.

"It was my fault, Aizen-sama," Stark said glancing briefly at Ichigo. "I was the one who should have remembered the meeting. Ichigo was fighting with the Vizards all day and his reiatsu has yet to fully recover. I suggested that we sleep. Nothing more or less was ever intended."

"Why was your reiatsu masked?" Aizen asked evenly.

"Ichigo's suggestion," Stark said calmly, knowing exactly what was going through Aizen's mind. "He was afraid an Espada like Nnoitra or Szayel would find us with Ichigo's girls by tracing our reiatsu. So we cut them off."

That made too much sense, Aizen thought stepping over Stark to Ichigo.

"I know you're there Sousuke," Ichigo mumbled feeling the man's reiatsu practically molesting him. "I'm up, meeting? Aah, I forgot." Ichigo rolled over bumping into Stark's body. "Eh-?" he hadn't meant to be that close.

Aizen cleared his throat. "Ichigo-"

"I'm up, I'm up!" Ichigo grumbled. "Don't get so angry."

"Stark go on to the meeting, now."

"Yes, Aizen-sama," Stark said scrambling up instantly. "May I at least walk the girls back to Ichigo's father?" he asked wincing slightly at the question.

"Yes," Aizen said still not looking at Stark.

"Thank you, Aizen-sama," he bowed and rushed off but not before glancing back not for the first time with concern.

"What's wrong, Sousuke?"

"What's wrong?" he asked sharply. "What do you think is wrong Ichigo? I send Ulquiorra to find you, to find out you are sleeping together."

Ichigo frowned and rubbed his eyes. "And you immediately assume the complete opposite of what the actual meaning of sleeping together is?"

"Ichigo-"

Ichigo glowered at him and staggered up, stumbling as he did but when Aizen reached out to steady him, he jerked away. "God, you of all people should damn well know me by now. For hell's sake, you can be pissed at me for missing a meeting I will understand that but for God sake's to assume that I would go behind your back?"

"My Espada didn't exactly help, some of their words bothered me," he confessed honestly.

Ichigo sighed in frustration. "What do they know?" he asked darkly. "I rarely ever speak to anyone but Stark. Also, I was in the room with my sisters and a three year old little girl. That's kind of disgusting."

"Ulquiorra said you were nowhere around and his specific words were you were off sleeping together. How was I supposed to take that?" he asked calmly.

"I was here!" Ichigo stressed. "I was so tired, I could hardly hold Nel but I didn't want them to be put out because I didn't let them play. So I came over here to sleep next to someone that I trust to keep me protected considering my reiatsu is so low that pinkie could have a go at me and I wouldn't be able to fight back." He grumbled and waved his hand in frustration. "Forget it; I'll head to the meeting."

"Wait Ichigo, we're not through." Aizen snagged him by the elbow and pulled him close into his chest. "I did not like the image I received when Ulquiorra told me this," he reasoned gliding his fingers down Ichigo's cheek.

Ichigo's frown deepened. "You should know, I would never do something that I worried about you doing in the first place," he said coldly. "Not to mention you did take my first kiss, why would I suddenly go and have sex with someone else?"

"Ichigo-"

"You're supposed to be smarter than that Sousuke, of all people I never thought you were the one to jump to conclusions. That's so out of character." He pulled away from Aizen's slack grip. "I'll be at the meeting, get yourself together or your Espada will be wondering what the hell's going on."

He rushed away using Sonido.

Aizen breathed in softly and reeled in his overbearing reiatsu; had he really jumped to conclusions too soon? He was not a rash man, he did not make mistakes. He always planned everything out so carefully, constructing it from the ground up and making sure it was flawless.

That was Aizen Sousuke, Ichigo was right, his conclusions had been way out of character. It had been jealousy. Only a fool would lie to himself and Aizen was no fool. He had been jealous and maybe deep down Aizen knew that Ichigo would never do such a thing, perhaps it had been more than the idea of Ichigo being with Stark. The fact that Stark was able to see Ichigo do something as intimate as sleeping. Aizen had never felt jealousy so he was unsure of what it bestowed but he was starting to get a pretty good feeling.

Aizen had also never cared about anyone before, not to the extent that he did with Ichigo. In the past the lovers Aizen had taken meant next to nothing. They were mostly a means to an end. They were pointless endeavors for pointless satisfaction that didn't last long. Ichigo was different and Aizen would have to actually teach himself something new and that was to not jump to irrational conclusions.

Instantly, he returned to the meeting hall, calm and serene as though nothing had happened but deep inside he knew that his quarrel with Ichigo wasn't over with. He tried not to let it bother him when he saw Ichigo sitting next to a hunched over Stark.

Ichigo looked positively exhausted.

Gin was poking fun at Ichigo. "Ichi-chan what kind of naughty things were you and Primera-san up too?" he cooed slinging his arm around Ichigo's shoulder.

"That's what we want to know." Grimmjow smirked.

"Nah, it's called sleeping," Stark said with a roll of his eyes. "Literally, sleeping."

"Yah," Ichigo grumbled shrugging Gin off. "I prefer sleeping next to someone I trust in case of an attack," he said not for the first time.

"I can sleep with you," Gin teased.

"Gin," Aizen said coolly, "that is enough."

Gin practically giggled as he shrugged his shoulders. "Sure thing Aizen-sama."

Tousen frowned heavily at them. "You should always remember the meetings, Aizen-sama doesn't appreciate hunting you down," he said grimly.

"I apologize," Stark said formally.

Ichigo grunted. "Yeh, what he said."

"They've already apologized, what's done is done. Let's begin shall we?" Aizen said bringing his pleasant demeanor back.

Ichigo had to be nudged randomly by Stark to keep from falling asleep. He knew that his fight with Sousuke wasn't over with yet and he suppose he could understand. Ulquiorra had the emotional depth of a teaspoon. But damn, Sousuke should know, Ichigo didn't 'sleep' with anyone. That idea made him want to shudder.

Sure, Stark could easily get his attention had it not been consumed already. Perhaps he should lay it out for Sousuke to understand a little better. They really hadn't talked much about themselves. Ichigo wasn't used to a relationship. He didn't know what it truly entailed but he had a feeling that perhaps the two of them should speak together without pride or ego's and get on a better sort of common ground.

The only thing Ichigo understood was that Kisuke had gotten everything ready for next week; they were to get Chad and Inoue.

"Uh," Ichigo said aloud getting everyone's attention. "Why not Ishida? I mean to be honest, he is the most powerful of the three."

Aizen smiled, pleased to see Ichigo was somewhat listening to the conversation. "Several reasons; Soul Society are already on dark terms with the Quincy and vice versa. They won't be too bothered if the last Quincy turned up missing, they would however be upset if the last Quincy decided to steal the glory out from under them. Soul Society will fear that girl's power; it is a strange sort of time reversal. It defies the very essence of God itself. They will fear what I could do with it."

"Hm," Ichigo hummed. "So you're saying that you're going to use Ishida as a driving force? As if he were me?"

"Exactly."

"Ah, gotchya."

When the meeting was over, Ichigo remained where he was sitting and nodded once to Stark who smirked and ruffled his head before leaving the room.

Aizen and Ichigo looked at one another. "Kaname, Gin why don't you two go on."

Tousen frowned but nodded. "Of course Aizen-sama."

"Ichi-chan!" Gin squeezed Ichigo's neck before leaving causing the boy to shake his head with a smirk.

The door was closed and Ichigo rose from his chair. "Ichigo-"

"Wait before you start," Ichigo interrupted stretching and walked over to Aizen and sat down on the arm of his chair. "I'm sorry, I guess I didn't completely look at it from your point of view," he said scratching the back of his head. He felt Aizen's arm slid around him and grumbled when he was pulled into the man's lap. But he didn't argue aloud and instead pressed his back to Aizen's chest. He was soon locked in.

"I apologize to, Ichigo."

"That's good enough then," Ichigo said closing his eyes.

"Can I request something?"

"If you ask me to stay away from Stark, that's a hell no. I don't like him like that. True, it could be easy to do if you didn't exist. But you do and it's you that I'm sitting on."

Aizen grinned. "That's right you are sitting on me. But no, my request wasn't that. I wouldn't be that cruel to you Ichigo and I know I couldn't stop you without making you angry or upsetting you."

"What is it then?"

"Sleep with me."

Ichigo opened his eyes, surprised. "Sleep?"

"Exactly what I said," Aizen said kissing Ichigo's ear, "come to my bed and sleep with me."

Ichigo smiled and breathed in. "If that's what you wanted Sousuke you could have just asked instead of getting all jealous."

Aizen bit down on his neck getting a shocked gasp. He chuckled softly against Ichigo's ear and squeezed him. "Shall I take you to bed then?'

Ichigo paused; the way that sounded it was as if he was a princess or something, but he decided not to argue over it. He would need to learn when to pick and choose his battles. Man, this relationship stuff was hard, he thought shaking himself inwardly.

Ichigo didn't get a chance to examine the bedroom, the only thing he recognized was a massive white and royal purple down feather bed. Sousuke wordlessly took the top part of Ichigo's hakama off, leaving him with the black snug shirt he always wore under it. Each chance the powerful leader had he kissed Ichigo whether it was the cheek, lips, or even the neck in a manner that Ichigo recognized as possessiveness even through the cloud of his exhaustion.

Gently, Sousuke pinned Ichigo's body to him and nibbled on his bottom lip. "My corridors are free to you, Ichigo. I want you to always sleep here, in my bed."

Ichigo kissed him in response.

It was really strange when Ichigo awoke next, his body fully recovered from the loss of reiatsu and he was very much aware that he was in a different bed considering he had strong arms wrapped around his body.

He thought about what happened before he fell asleep. All that misunderstanding and then Sousuke's request which may have been awkward had Ichigo not been so tired.

"I was wondering when you would wake," his words trailed huskily down his neck. Ichigo couldn't stop the shiver as the heated breath assaulted him. "You've been asleep for five hours."

"You've been lying here the entire time?" Ichigo asked shocked. "Weren't you bored?"

Sousuke chuckled roughly and pressed a kiss underneath Ichigo's ear. "Why would I get bored when I get to touch and watch you sleeping in my bed?"

Ichigo felt his cheeks heat up. He thought that the possessive way Sousuke kept kissing him last night was a part of his imagination but now, Ichigo knew that he hadn't been imagining it.

Did Aizen Sousuke want him that badly? Ichigo wondered inwardly. If that was the case, Ichigo didn't know what to think. But he couldn't help but feel a little warm hearted and perhaps a little bit guilty for the way he had thrown Sousuke's feelings back at him a few weeks ago. Ichigo was never a guy who played with anyone else's feelings except maybe those who tried to hurt his family but that was something completely different.

He shifted from his side that was facing away from Sousuke until he was on his back. He brought his hand back and stared into the man's alight brown eyes while brushing his fingers across his chiseled cheek.

It seemed to Ichigo that the more he learned about this man behind the layers of reiatsu and power the more consumed he would become and he would do nothing to stop it. Ichigo leaned in and kissed him softly with those thoughts lingering in his mind.

Aizen tightened his grip, enjoying the muscled flesh in his arms. He couldn't help but wonder as Ichigo stared at him, caressing his cheek what he was thinking. The boy's face was completely devoid of his usual trademark scowl and instead it was completely relaxed, yet thoughtful. His eyes shining brightly with some sort of fond knowledge that fuelled Aizen to learn more and when he was kissed, so willingly with deep affection Aizen's need for all things Ichigo intensified.

When Ichigo went off later toward his family's floor Aizen went to his office, feeling a true spark of happiness. He hadn't been that happy since the day he retrieved the Hougyoku. Even the mounting stack of paper work on his organized desk couldn't sway his feelings.

Not only did he have the entire world held in the palm of his hands but he had the power and certainty to back it all up. Over a century of long and hard work and most of it was done by himself with a little bit of help from his two loyal subordinates, Gin and Tousen. But Aizen hadn't really given much thought to taking anyone for his own.

It wasn't that he believed a true hearted relationship was beneath him but he didn't believe anyone had the power and strength enough to see him. Contrary to popular belief, Aizen was not interested in a partner who would bow at his feet and crawl across the floors for him. None of that was appealing in the least. That was subordinate reactions not a person that Aizen respected high enough to capture his interest.

Kisuke and Isshin had never crossed his mind. For a long time they were the only two men he truly respected when it came to power and intelligence level but the day he saw Ichigo for the first time, a fascinated sense of curiosity had struck him.

This was, Isshin's only son. Kisuke's student. A teenager born with a determination, power, and resolve. All he needed was to learn to use it. He was level headed and unlike most, he was stubborn, clever, and he was arrogant but not to the point that made a person's skin crawl.

He was arrogant when it came to sheltering his feelings and holding up those thick high walls. That's where he his arrogance belonged; his Hollow and Soul Sword were perfect examples of what lay behind those walls and beyond the arrogance. It was a truly powerful being who never truly saw what they were.

Ichigo also never saw someone with simply power. He always looked beyond, his typical teenage rebellious attitude was actually a statement saying, 'I know you're more than a person of power and strength.' He recognized it through and through but he never allowed it to go to his head.

It was the third person that Aizen respected so highly and it was when he met Ichigo officially that his mind began to play out ideas that had nothing to do with Ichigo's strength and power.

Ichigo wasn't a person who fell to anyone's feet. No God, Goddess, or being anywhere could get Ichigo to react so pathetically. He would rather endure endless hours of physical and mental torture than bow to someone.

It never bothered Aizen, even from the beginning. Ichigo was something different, something more than Isshin's son, something more than Kisuke's student. He was an original being.

And Aizen had been certain that Ichigo would be his, no matter how long it took. Earlier, when Aizen had been furious with what Ulquiorra had informed him of, that he not only wanted Ichigo permanently but he needed him. His heart had filled with that horrible emotion known as jealousy. Definitely something that Aizen never experienced. It was a very humane thing Aizen had deduced while lying in bed and watching Ichigo sleep. But it was definitely one of those things he'd have to take on slowly.

Ichigo hadn't been pleased when Aizen's mind went a little too creative for his own good; although they both apologized Aizen knew that he may have hurt Ichigo a little with the insinuation.

All his thoughts sent him halfway through the paperwork, when a knock came at his door. The reiatsu told him it was Isshin. "It's open to you Isshin," Aizen called kindly.

He watched the door ease open and Isshin sigh. "Kisuke sends word, that Orihime will be transported from the Senkai Gate back to the living world in two day's time. He believes it's the most vulnerable time for her to be caught unawares."

Aizen nodded, that was a good idea actually. "Very well," he said, "if you run into your son, send him here?"

Isshin smirked. "I think you're more likely to find him than me."

Aizen arched an eyebrow. "You seem to know more than you let on?"

Chuckling, Isshin's smirk grew. "Just because I don't talk to my son doesn't mean I don't know what's going on in his life. I may suck as a father but I'm not that obtuse. I think he's good for you," he said mischievously.

"Why is that?" Aizen asked wondering what was going on in Isshin's head. Most fathers would be cantankerous at the idea of a powerful man with their son, especially one that is the same age as the father.

"Oh, no specific reason," Isshin sing-songed in a way that Kisuke would do.

That was a lie.

Aizen's eyes narrowed. "Isshin-"

"Good afternoon, Aizen-san!" Isshin whistled before leaving the office as quickly as he had come.