"Do you want to go to the beach?" Ichigo asked out of the blue.
Shuhei stared at Ichigo, slightly taken aback by the sudden question. For a while, the two had been giving each other the silent treatment. They did not dare look at each other, for they would only see pain and discomfort. Then again, Shuhei did not find it all surprising; he had almost kissed Ichigo not too long ago.
"Just the two of us?" Shuhei replied.
"No, Orihime will be joining us." There was that name again. Shuhei could not comprehend why the girl always tagged along. Didn't she have anything else to do?
"I'm afraid I don't have a swimsuit," Shuhei sighed.
"I bought one for you," Ichigo remarked. He went to the closet and pulled out a pair of swimming trunks. Shuhei blushed, taking them out of Ichigo's hands. They were black, a flame design running along the bottom.
"Thank you," Shuhei stammered. "I don't know what to say." Was Ichigo serious? It seemed like he was asking Shuhei out on a date.
"It doesn't matter," Ichigo stiffly noted. His body was rigid, his face betraying the slightest embarrassment. To Shuhei, it was clear that it did matter. This trip would settle whether their feelings for each other were real.
"When do we leave?" Shuhei asked, a lump growing in his throat.
"Right now, actually," Ichigo answered. "I hope you don't mind." He opened the door, waving for Shuhei to follow.
Shuhei snickered. "You never fail to surprise me."
The ocean spray hit against Shuhei's face as he breathed in the fresh air. The beach was nearly deserted, save for a few people scattered here and there. By then, the two had already changed into their swimwear and were waiting to play in the cool water. This was exactly what they needed, a place to rid themselves of their worries.
"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" Ichigo commented.
Shuhei smiled, but could not speak. There was something entrancing about waves washing over sand, seagulls cawing in near unison, and… pectorals glistening in the sun. This is not the time, Shuhei tried forcing into his head. He did not notice it before, but Ichigo was incredibly fit. Though hard to admit, his body rivaled Shuhei's own. He dreamed of roaming his hands up and down those muscles, but he could not let his fantasies get the best of him.
"Where is Orihime?" Shuhei managed to say. He had assumed the girl would already be expecting them, yet she was nowhere to be found.
"About that," Ichigo muttered. "I got a text she'll be running late."
Shuhei snapped his head towards Ichigo. Without Orihime, disaster was certainly imminent. The two were practically alone; anything was possible. "What are we going to do then?" Shuhei squeaked, sweat forming on his brow.
"We can still have fun before she gets here," Ichigo suggested. He ran for the ocean, Shuhei trailing not too far behind.
Soon enough, they had started a short round of volleyball. For a while, Shuhei was able to return Ichigo's lobs, but he fell apart seeing water splash against Ichigo's skin. It highlighted his physique, making him look almost godlike. Ultimately, it merely served as a distraction, and Shuhei tried his best not to drool. He eventually began missing the ball, occasionally letting it hit his head.
"Are you okay?" Ichigo inquired. Shuhei snapped out of his daze, noticing that Ichigo was suddenly in his face.
"I'm fine!" Shuhei retorted, shoving Ichigo square in the chest.
"What's gotten into you?" Ichigo growled, pushing Shuhei back. "Your attitude is starting to piss me off." He tightly balled his fist, the sudden desire to knock Shuhei out showing on his face.
"You going to do something about it?" Shuhei taunted. There was no turning back now; they had finally reached their breaking point. Their innocent game had turned into an absolute brawl, and no one was around to stop them. They tossed punches and kicks, wringing each other by the neck. However, neither could get an advantage, and they would end up locked in a stalemate.
"I gave you a home, and you repay me with this," Ichigo said between clenched teeth. He was finally able to put Shuhei in a chokehold, but it was nevertheless difficult to keep the man still.
"Because I never realized I'd be living with an asshole," Shuhei barked. Jabbing his elbow into Ichigo's stomach, he was freed from his grasp.
Without a moment to spare, Shuhei went for a tackle. Several thoughts were racing through his mind, but one especially seemed to stick out. In the midst of all his anger, Shuhei was enjoying himself. Never before had he done anything more thrilling. Was this who he really was? "I believe your Zanpakuto represents your suppressed self," he remembered Izuru saying. "It's like a caged beast, screaming to be let loose." Perhaps that was why Shuhei avoided using Kazeshini: he feared giving in to the primal being hidden deep within him.
Before he knew it, Shuhei had fallen on top of Ichigo. His hands were pressed against the other man's shoulders, his legs straddling his waist. "Get off of me!" Ichigo gruffly ordered. Shuhei examined his flustered face; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Have you gone insane?"
"Maybe I have," Shuhei whispered, quickly going in for a kiss. It all led up to this, what he needed for so long. Ichigo did little to resist; in fact, he wanted it to last forever. Nevertheless, they had to allow time to breathe.
"Let's return to the apartment," Ichigo panted.
"What about Orihime?" There was no reason for Shuhei to ask. Lust had overcome him, and he already could guess the answer.
"I never invited her in the first place," Ichigo chuckled. "Sorry about that." After kissing once more, the two stood up. They were about to have an exciting night ahead of them.