The Mask We Wear

by Ashesofthefirststar

Five years after the 1000-year Blood War, everyone finally has their lives all together and are moving past the horrors faced. Ichigo and Byakuya are both growing to understand themselves when an outbreak of murders committed by soul reapers intertwines their futures. /Ichigo x Byakuya, slight Ikkaku x Yumichika

10. Melon flavored & chalked covered tension

A/N: Hey guys! First, I want to thank everyone who has been following and/or commenting on this story. You know who you are,and I genuinely appreciate it.Secondly, I'm posting two chapters at the same time this week. I'm doing this because the second chapter is a lead in for what's going to happen in the next chapter, which is going to be much more climactic,and action filled. Lastly, some of the readers might not be to pleased with the direction I'm taking this chapter. Let me clarify, I write happy endings, not tragedies. Everything I'm doing is for a purpose. It's kind of a roller coaster ride, but if you bare with it, the ending will be well worth it.

Thanks again for reading!

Good vibes.

Friday evening, after work, Ichigo did quick rounds with, Uryu, Orihime, and Byakuya. When the question of how he was spending his evening came up, he quickly came up with some feeble lie. Fortunately, they were too spent from work to take much notice in the boy's badly thrown together response. Only Byakuya knew the truth. That should feel validating, but instead, Ichigo felt a certain degree of guilt. His friends wanted nothing more than for him to join their troupe of the happily married or to at least find a girlfriend. Although, considering the romantically dysfunctional mess that Ichigo's life was, he could not envision himself going on triple dates or having dinner parties anytime soon. At times, it almost felt like Ichigo was getting left behind, and even though he did his own thing, it was weird seeing all his friends assimilate, settle, and be so decisive in their heart's wants. That unwavering certainty they feel about their love, so boundless, their willingness to do the most uncertain thing of all: love another person. Perhaps that was why Ichigo hadn't told his friends about being gay or his date with Jasper. It seemed unfathomable that Jasper could ever make him feel that way, not after Byakuya had come into his life and wrecked him. He had swooped in like a bandit and had completely captivated him. He'd claimed his attention, his dirty thoughts, laughter, witticisms, tears, and the most dire thing of all: his love. How could he tell his friends the ongoings of his love life when he could barely grasp them himself. Oh, he could imagine it now. 'Hey guys, just so you know, I'm gay! Woah, wait, but that's not the best part. I'm dating my employee, who I'm not too interested in because I'm in love with someone else. Don't worry though! This is completely normal, right? I got this.'

Yeah, for some reason, Ichigo had a hard time believing that a person's first genuine romantic encounter was supposed to be so complicated. This wasn't what he'd had in mind at all. He'd vaguely thought that maybe he would meet a nice guy while stocking up on paint. Maybe the two of them would talk about the significance of Claude Monet to the impressionism movement, go to a few shows, eat pizza, and fall in love somewhere in between. But no, here he was in this daytime soap opera of a romance. Nothing about it was easy, but seeing as it involved Byakuya, he expected nothing less.

What kept him from calling Jasper and calling off the date altogether was the fact that nothing had changed. Nope, he and Byakuya still shared a warm coziness, snarky repartee, and good humored teasing. Also, his scarcely given touches, vacant glances, unreadable expressions, and resistant nature still remained. Nothing had changed at all, despite the intensely intimate 'date' they had shared. Confiding in each other in such a manner had made Ichigo feel more naked and open than he had ever been, even with the couple of girls who he had been with. After that night, Ichigo felt secure that this was more than a young man coming to terms with his sexuality and being infatuated with an older man. It was something much deeper; of that he was sure. It was nothing that had been said, but instead, it was the way their souls seemed to react to each other.

While Ichigo had never been too good at discerning or understanding a person's reiatsu, there were certain people that, when he was around them, it was as if he could feel their reiryoku binding with his. Rukia and his father, for instance, and of course, his zanpakutou. However, that feeling was always a small tug, a slight reaction to each other's presence. He figured that the only reason he felt those two at all was because their souls had always been tied to his. It was only a theory, but maybe their souls had been linked through recreations, reacting to each other out of instinct. However, with Byakuya, it was much stronger. Ichigo had noticed just barely in the past, for it hadn't been very strong prior to the mission, but as they had become closer, it was as if his soul was yearning for Byakuya's soul. Whining and grasping for his attention, hungry for more, Ichigo could feel his reiatsu searching for Byakuya. Not only that, he could feel its hostility; it was angry at Ichigo for not satisfying its rapaciousness appetite.

When they were together, he could feel reiryoku seep out of him and flood towards the raven-haired man. It was all he could do to control it at times, for their spiritual pressures seemed to act like magnates, completely opposing, yet irresistible to each other. However, that was a pure assumption, made of the fact that Ichigo refused to believe that such an imposing attraction could only be one sided. That tugging of his soul wrapping itself within Byakuya's orbit: he must feel it too, for when he was with Byakuya, just the tiny potency of his energy turned his skin to pins and needles. Perhaps Byakuya had to control his reiryoku too. Although, another option Ichigo had considered was that maybe this was just the nature of their souls. Maybe for dozens of reincarnations, his soul had been destined to chase after Byakuya's soul, one that rejected his.

His affection was making him uncharacteristically cheesy. He couldn't help but want to think of Byakuya and himself as something more poetic. He wanted to compare them to binary stars, pulled together by a common mass, neither able to exist without the other, destined to orbit beside each other until their destruction, only to leave behind a deadly black hole as proof of their love. However, maybe they were more like the Sun and the Earth, with Earth being constantly caught within the blinding attraction of the Sun's gravity, yet never within reach. Well, it was good that the Earth didn't collide with the Sun. Maybe the same could be said for Ichigo and Byakuya. Ichigo was starting to wonder if maybe Byakuya was just a lesson he would have to learn. If he could not have him in that way, then maybe this was just a test, although he was unclear on what that test was.

After rounds, Byakuya was reading, while Ichigo was slugging his way around the apartment. Standing in front of his closet, he let out a long groan as he tried on his fifth ensemble. Nothing screamed, 'I'm really not interested, but I don't want that to be obvious.' Finally, he decided on something casual: a nice pair of jeans and a semi nice t-shirt underneath a button up.

Even though he hadn't expressed his disinterest in this date to Byakuya, he was sure it was obvious. For one, he was dragging his feet, groaning, and making boisterous hand gestures of exasperation. However, Ichigo wasn't willing to admit that he wasn't looking forward to the date. Mainly, because he had no excuse why or why he wouldn't just cancel. Well, he did have reasons, just none he would tell Byakuya. 'Oh, I'm just going in a desperate attempt to get over you.'Yeah, that didn't sound pathetic or anything. At any rate, Byakuya had made no comments about the date other than to tell Ichigo to be careful going out without another part of their team. However, Ichigo was sensing a slight change in the man's attitude. It seemed as if he was slightly annoyed. Throughout the evening, he was shorter, colder, and more distant than usual. Although, it was a slight change and barely perceivable, it was there. Still, Ichigo definitely wouldn't call him readable. Whatever was bothering him, he didn't let even an inkling slide.

Superimposing himself between Byakuya and the coffee table, he asked, "So, does this say 'mildly interested?' I'm not trying to give off the vibe that I care too much."

Barely lifting his eyes from the pages of his novel, Byakuya let his eyes skim over the younger man standing in front of him. "Don't worry. You look as you always do. As if you don't care about how you look, at all." His voice was flat, yet Ichigo could tell he was concealing a smirk.

"Good." He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "That's exactly what I was going for." When Byakuya said nothing else, Ichigo continued. "You know, this is my first big date. You could be a little more supportive." Ichigo plopped down beside the raven-haired beauty and slung his arm around him, as if it was a ritual of some sort.

This seemed to just agitate the man further. "If you want to stand around like a lovestruck child and have someone to gossip with or help you prepare, get Rukia." He stood up hastily, knocking Ichigo's arm from around his shoulder with force. "I don't do such silly things."

Not wanting to instigate an argument, Ichigo decided to take the more docile approach. Well, as docile as a man like him could be in this situation. "Geez," he mumbled in frustration. "Someone has a 'tude." Now standing up and reaching for his jacket and keys, he said, "I don't know if you burned your coffee this morning or found another typo in one of the books you've been reading, but you're acting weird. I know nothing gets you more riled up than bad editing. Whatever it is," he addressed the irritable man, who was standing away from him, preparing to make dinner, "if you're not going to talk about it, then deal with your internal shit, preferably before I get back. Just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean you should take it out on me." And with that, Ichigo was out door, leaving Byakuya to feel pretty childish, wallowing in his own frustration.

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Jasper picked Ichigo up in front of his apartment and left from there. Jasper was dressed slightly nicer than Ichigo and looked dashing as per usual. However, Ichigo tried to ignore that. It was starting to occur to Ichigo that maybe he didn't like Jasper simply because he didn't want to. Enamored as he was with Byakuya, maybe he just wasn't making room in his heart for the slight attraction he had for Jasper. Still, he couldn't lie to himself; Jasper was devilishly handsome and was exactly Ichigo's type, at least appearance-wise. Although, if Jasper thought a physical attraction would be enough to wrangle Ichigo's heart and rip down his defenses, he was sorely mistaken.

After a short drive, the couple arrived at a shady unkempt establishment. It was shrouded in darkness and had no real signs around it. The place seemed to be hidden away behind a mess of untrimmed trees.

Clearing his throat and writhing around awkwardly in his seat, Ichigo half-teased, "Have you brought me here to kill me, or something?

Looking at the boy with a wicked grin, he tried to be playful. Jasper bit his lip slightly and responded, "Or something." Making confident and piercing eye contact, he continued, "Besides, if I was going to kill you, I would at least wait until the end of the date." Jasper pursed his lips smugly, his mole twitching in response.

Ichigo couldn't help but feel penetrated by the man's very direc and intended facial expressions. All of his smug smirks, tugging of the lips, and fierce looks were done without a shred of doubt, and all with a purpose. Yes, Jasper was very different than Byakuya in that way. He knew what he wanted and expressed those wants and desires through his body language. There was no apprehension, fronts, or a need to veil his feelings. Instead, he was present and attentive, making every look count. For this reason, Ichigo found it hard to be so utterly dismissive. Even though, he had not been rude or obvious about his disinterest, his heart was nowhere in it. Yet, Ichigo couldn't help but find this man's forwardness and confidence somewhat charming. It was different, a different type of bravado, so Ichigo resigned to attempt being less defensive.

"You sure are a charmer, aren't'cha? Suuure know how to make a guy feel comfortable," Ichigo managed to tease in his awkward way. His tone was still ridged and slightly defensive.

Jasper was not deterred; he kept the same unwavering look of assurance glued to his face. "I'm an acquired taste." He paused for a moment, not even blinking. "I'm confident, you'll grow to enjoy it." His voice was a low and sultrily growl as he unbuckled his seat belt. Turning back to Ichigo once more and nodding towards the door, he offered, "Shall we?"

Ichigo simply nodded and hopped out of the car onto the graveled parking lot. They walked up to the dimly lit doorway, which had a sign that read, 'Cafe' Layla'. Upon entering, a mesh of fruity scents, exotic music, and smokey haze overtook the boy's senses. Looking around him, there were about eight weirdly painted tables low down to the ground, each surrounded by a slew of decorative pillows of all shapes and sizes. A couple of tables were occupied with half-dazed hippies sipping tea's and sucking on hookah hoses. Every inch of the walls was covered in multicolored tapestries and abstracted paintings. Inhaling deeply at the sight, Ichigo was pleasantly surprised. He wasn't sure what this place was, but the atmosphere was something he could totally get down with.

Jasper stood and spoke with a women dressed in traditional Arabian clothing. It seemed as if they had known each other for quite some time, giving off the impression that the silver-haired man went there often.

Once finished, he turned and gestured for Ichigo to follow him. Sitting at a low down table close to the back, Ichigo eyed his date curiously, his eyes still adjusting to the dim glow of the atmosphere, for the only lighting were candles and oil lamps. "What is this place?" Ichigo looked around at his surroundings once more.

"It's a hookah bar. I figured anyone can take you out to dinner, but-" Putting his elbows on the table, he leaned in a little closer. "Something told me, you're the type to not be easily impressed. I wanted to show you something different." He let the words drip from his mouth, each syllable backed with a certain degree of sultriness. His warm and minty breath was close enough to be felt on Ichigo's cheek. Seeing that the young man hadn't pulled away, he took that as a good sign.

"You'd be right," Ichigo said back, twisting his lips into a half grin. Folding his arms across his chest, he raised an eyebrow. "Still, it takes a lot more to win me over," Ichigo snarled slightly, letting his arms relax now.

Jasper just chuckled at the fiery man's temperament, only to aid in Ichigo's agitation, which in turn, only amused Jasper more. Ichigo couldn't win with this guy. He was determined, and no amount of Ichigo showing his bratty side was going to change it. Still, it wasn't as if he was lying. Ichigo was not a man who was easily impressed, especially by suitors. Ichigo had high standards, but more importantly, he had to feel something, and no amount of charm could just make that appear.

"You're cute when you're annoyed, you know?" Jasper leaned back casually on the mound of pillows stacked behind him, wearing a smile of self-satisfaction. "Which means you're cute an awful lot, especially at work."

Slightly flustered, Ichigo ignored the statement and tried to change the subject. "So what exactly is hookah?"

Raising an eyebrow, Jasper looked slightly enthused, as if he really enjoyed explaining this to people. "It's a water pipe that vaporizes Shisa, which is just flavored tobacco. You smoke it out of a hose like. . ." He pointed at the table closes to them. "Like what they're doing."

Ichigo wiggled his noes slightly and grimaced. "I don't get it. What's so fascinating about this that you'd pay money to sit here and smoke?" Ichigo knew he was being overly critical; he actually truly enjoyed the atmosphere, but he just couldn't stop himself.

Not missing a beat, Jasper cajoled the man. "Trust me, it's great. Conversation here is way easier than at a crowded restaurant. Plus, Shisa is different than tobacco; much more potent. Still, because it tastes so good, you can sit here and smoke on it for hours without a problem. Even so, I've seen people try it for the first time and pass out when they go to stand up. It's pretty euphoric." He smiled smugly at the boy.

"So, you're trying to get me high? Geez, I see how little you think of me." This time Ichigo was genuinely teasing, allowing himself a little comfort.

Jasper actually snorted and shook his head back and forth. "I wouldn't dare try to taint your purity," he bit back sarcastically and rolled his eyes violently. "But the real reason I brought you here is that hookah has kind of had my heart ever since I came back from Nepal."

Seeing Ichigo's curious face, he continued. "Now over there, the Shisa really will get you high. For them, it's ingrained in their everyday life. It's amazing. A lot of the locals smoked regularly and were willing to share. It was quite the experience, learning about Middle Eastern culture form a group of natives while trying not to slump out of my chair."

Ichigo was interested in Jasper's rant. Even though he knew soul reapers and thought of himself as so experienced, he had never really even left Japan. "Why were you in Nepal?"

"Oh, I've been all around the world. My parents are scientist that help in the conservation of wild life, so I've been hopping from continent to continent as long as I can remember."

"It must've been hard, never having a home like that."

Jasper casually shook his head back and forth. "Nah, not really. My parents gave me something way more worthwhile than stability. They gave me experience. That's what life is about: creating yourself. Through traveling, I even found my passion. I started doing wild life photography at fifteen, and I've only just now been on a hiatus, for-urm- about a year."

Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Ichigo asked, "So why come work for me? Somehow, I doubt filling out paper work and doing schedules can fill your sense of adventure."

"Ha." The man let out a breathy laugh. "I just needed to settle down for a little. I have a couple of different degrees, and I just happen to get lucky; I found a job with the most unorganized man in the world."

Smirking slightly, Ichigo was finally able to become genuinely relaxed. The simple friendly conversation seemed to put him at ease. "Yeah, but it sounds like you don't usually stay in one place to long."

Turning his head to the side slightly, Jasper looked away pensively. "True, I don't." Then, giving Ichigo the most sultry gaze to ever be bestowed upon him, Jasper continued. "Not unless I find something that," he paused for emphasis, "piques my interest." Jasper let his tongue graze over his bottom lip slightly as a heart-melting grin tugged at his lips.

Ichigo actually blushed. Without even saying it, Ichigo could read every inch of the man's intentions. He could see the smitten determination behind the teal orbs, the complete confidence on the lips that had spoken such flirtatious words, a body aura that seemed to yearn for him. So yes, he blushed.

'Stop this shit, Ichigo. You're not going to give this dude the satisfaction. He's already dangerously confident.'

Jasper seemed to notice the flash of heat rise in the young man, as he averted his eyes nervously. This only lead to a bigger, more self-satisfied grin, an expression that read victorious. Both were so caught up, they barely noticed the waitress bring the hookah and the coals. As soon as he noticed the hose, Ichigo picked it up and started sucking, as if he did this all the time. It was an attempt to calm his nerves, and it sure did work. A melon-esque flavored vapor burst into his lungs, instantly sending a calm tingling sensation throughout his body. Beside him, Jasper had the other hose and was nonchalantly blowing smoke rings into the air. Ichigo grimaced and cursed under his breath. Jasper made it look so effortless to be cool. Perhaps, because that was just who he was: a cool and confident guy.

Taking note of Ichigo's return state of agitation, Jasper decided to try a more honest approach. With his head still leaning back, he released one last smoke ring before giving Ichigo a serious look. "Is this because of Byakuya?"

'What?!'

At first, Ichigo thought that he'd merely heard wrong. All of his features went on full alert. "What the hell did you just say?" His honey eyes brimmed with anticipation, every muscle in his body tensing.

"Your feelings for Byakuya. Is that why you're so on edge?" This time, Jasper left no room for interpretation about what he meant. His face was seemingly neutral, the smug smile he usually donned no longer present, as if to say he was trying to be more sincere.

Turning bright red, Ichigo's alertness became frantic embarrassment. Not knowing what to say, he began to stutter, "I-um-I-I-but-it's-um." The man tried to articulate, much to his failure.

Moving a little closer to the young man, Jasper used one hand to hold his face and the other to hold the hose. "With a reaction like that, there really is no place for denial, huh?" His voice was surprisingly sympathetic and lacking its normal playfulness. Still, he looked at Ichigo in a matter of fact way that was signature to Jasper's personality, "I see the way you look at him, Ichigo. You may be good at keeping a secret, but your eyes are not." Taking in the soul reaper's apprehensive body language, he let out a breathy chuckle. "As bad as you are with expressing yourself, I have a feeling Mr. Glacier-face is ten times worse." When Ichigo swallowed nervously and looked away, Jasper took that as a sign that he was right. "This whole night, you've been intent on not liking me, as if it's wrong to have a good time."

Seemingly offended, Ichigo folded his arms across his chest and set his jaw. Grimacing, he gave the man a distasteful glare. "Maybe I just don't like you. You do have a pretty big mouth."

Like everything, the high-strung words of Ichigo just bounced off of Jasper. Shaking his head back and forth in protest, he clarified, "No-no-no, I'm honest. And the worst part, for you that is, that's your favorite part of me." He leaned in extremely close to Ichigo, too close for comfort. The man's face was mere inches away from Ichigo, who was still huffing and snarling at the teal orbs. In a whispered tone, he continued, "You know what I think? I think you wish Byakuya would be more open and upfront about what he feels. You want that so badly that you can't stand it when I'm that way." He paused, licking his lips. "I think, you're scared that if you let yourself enjoy me too much, you'll like me back. You're scared that it really never will happen with Byakuya."

Ichigo was at a loss for words. Never had someone read him so effortlessly; it was almost rattling. He was utterly without any excuse or scapegoats. There could be no denial or argument to the contrary. Every word Jasper said was the truth. Ichigo was terrified. He wanted Byakuya, and the fact that he would never be his was utterly terrifying, so frightening that he held on to a little hope and knew that if he gave Jasper a chance, he'd have to let go of that hope.

"Ichigo," the man said with an unusually deep voice. "I just want you to know that it doesn't bother me. We both had people in our lives before we met, I can't expect you to just cut off your emotional attachments for some guy you barely know." For the first time, Jasper actually struggled to find his words, as if he was finally embarrassed. "I just would really like a chance. I don't expect anything. We can go slow, like old-lady-crossing-the-road slow, or you-without-your-coffee slow." That actually got a slight smirk out of the boy. Jasper looked upon him with adoration, although something about it made Ichigo feel a little more unnerved than his usual looks, maybe because they came attached to an honest confession. "I find you absolutely fascinating, more so than a lot of people or things I've seen across the world. It'd be an honor just getting to know you." Jasper let his fingertips slightly brush Ichigo's. Taking notice that he didn't pull away, he let his fingers mingle with Ichigo's, not holding his hand but merely letting their fingers explore the other's.

Ichigo was disgusted by the heat rising within him. He felt like he was cheating. It was ridiculous, considering he was as single as a nun. Even so, it felt like he was cheating on his feelings for Byakuya, like he was betraying them, those feelings that couldn't be shaken or rivaled. None of his feelings for Byakuya had dissipated at all, yet he was just a man, a man with needed to be loved, cared for, and spoken to with honesty and certainty. There were certain appealing things about Jasper that Ichigo couldn't ignore. He was spontaneous, lived to the fullest, and was always honest with himself. These were attributes that Byakuya just didn't have, at least not now. Admittedly, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone be so upfront with him, to have someone as passionate and adventurous as Jasper want him and be willing to fight for his affection. Yes, Ichigo was undoubtedly in love with Byakuya, but as much as he hated to admit it, he did like Jasper. How much or in what way exactly, he wasn't sure, but it wouldn't be fair to either of them if they didn't give this a chance.

Finding a little more courage, Ichigo went from passively letting Jasper touch his hand, to grasping it tightly in his own. "Um-look, man." He paused uncertainly. "You're right, I want to see where this could lead…slowly." Shaking his head, as if to belittle himself, he said, "Urm- can we just start this date over, and this time I'll be less of a bratty asshole?"

Smiling in satisfaction, Jasper winked at the man. "Okay, but don't be too nice. I like your bratty side."

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Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Yumichika did his usual nighttime beauty routine. If Ikkaku were there, he would snarl and make some comment about how souls age so slowly that Yumichika was wasting him time putting all that 'crap' on his face. Yumichika would just retort with his usual vain response,'We'll see in another fifty years, when I look like the picture of youthful perfection, and you look like a raggedy potato sack.'

The hypothetical banter made Yumichika smile to himself. It was nice to have such comforting thoughts about Ikkaku. Since the meeting at Urahara's, the two had barely spoken. Ikkaku had been more irritable and short than usual. That was typical Ikkaku-behavior with everyone else, but never with Yumi. He was lucky enough to get the likable parts of Ikkaku, like his caring nature, his deadpan sense of humor, how silly and charming he could be when he wanted to be, and his unwavering loyalty. Still, Yumichika had to deal with the short fuse, vulgarity, and Ikkaku's aversion to silverware, but to him, it was all a part of the lovable package that was Ikkaku, which was why the feather-clad man found Ikkaku's shortness odd and unbecoming.

Perhaps, Ikkaku had been contemplating Urahara's words too. His message was straightforward, realize what you love and be prepared to fight for it, because this big bad didn't play fair. Any inkling of affection in a person's heart was a weapon against them, their biggest enemy, but only if they let it be. Because of his secret, Yumichika knew the answers weren't all too clear. On the surface, it was obvious: he loved Ikkaku and was willing to protect him at any cost, yet that raised more questions. What if he had to use Ruri'iro Kujaku to protect that love? What if he was effected by Aiko's zanpakutou, therefore attacking Ikkaku with his true shikai? If that happened, would everyone blame him for withholding this information? This must've been what Urahara meant about realizing what was important. Maybe he was being selfish and was only thinking about himself. If he was honest, his secret had always been to protect his position in Ikkaku's life, but this was different; his secret could end Ikkaku's life. Still, after all this time, how could he just expose himself for something that may not even happen? If anything, he would just fall on his own sword before it came to that, but then again, he may not have the chance. Yumichika had no clue what to do. It seemed like no matter what decision he made, someone would end up hurt.

What about Ikkaku? Yumichika wondered if he was considering him at all in all this. Even though, Ikkaku wouldn't admit it, the person he loved most in the world was Yumichika. Perhaps he too was considering the complexities of their relationship, evaluating whether or not his affection could be used against him somehow. The enemy was watching, and they had no way of knowing what means they would use. Because of that, everyone was on edge. Everyone had their own things to protect. Although, it seemed as long as they were honest with themselvs and each other, it would be harder for this love to be used against them. This was problematic, seeing as Ikkaku and Yumichika's relationship was one third deception and one third denial.

Of course, earlier he'd seen Ikkaku downing sake like it was a race, so there was no doubt about what was on his mind. For that reason, Yumichika had decided to make it an early night once again. This wasn't out of the ordinary for him. He was always an early to bed, early to rise type person. With all that had been going on, the fair-skinned beauty just couldn't take the feeling of Ikkaku's body on his. It came with too many stipulations, it invoked all these bad feelings, and unanswered questions. It was as if life was taunting him, dangling Ikkaku, the man he could never truly have, in front of his face and rubbing it in. He felt like life was threatening to expose his secret at any moment, and it loomed over him like a hostile apparition. Being with Ikkaku in that way only made it worse.

Now standing in his bedroom in front of a full-length mirror, he prepared for bed. He was trying to push the frustration out of his head, but when he looked in the mirror to see Ikkaku standing in the doorway, anguish swelled up inside of him.

Turning around swiftly, he put on a slight scowl. Without thinking, he began to undress, until he was stark naked in front of Ikkaku. "Well." Yumichika spread his arms out, as if he was offering himself as a prize. "This is what you're here for. Come on then, let's get this over with so we can hurry up and pretend it never happened." The aggressive nature of his words even surprised himself. It was like Yumichika to be honest and cheeky, but never in this way.

Ikkaku was a boulder, feet planted on the floor and leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. Neither the outburst nor the sight of the naked man seemed to yield any response. Ikkaku's eyebrow twitched slightly, which Yumichika knew he only did when he was thinking about something. He also knew that Ikkaku didn't really think about things when he was drunk, and from the mans composed disposition, it seemed he wasn't drunk at all. Upon realizing this, Yumichika grew horribly embarrassed. Ikkaku hadn't come in for that reason. Yumichika's ass wasn't the only thing showing now; so were his insecurities. Falling back on his default, he mustered all the snark he could. "Psh." He started gathering the clothes he'd just thrown across the floor. "It would seem you're not ugly-drunk yet. I don't have time to wait for that." Putting his sweatpants back on, he turned away, feeling defeated. "Goodnight, Ikkaku," Yumichika groaned, despair apparent in his voice.

This seemed to strike a chord in Ikkaku; he no longer needed time to think. Standing behind Yumichika, he stunned him by wrapping his arms around him from the back and pulling him in a tight embrace. Placing his chin on his bare shoulder, he let his warm breath roll down Yumichika's neck. "Chika, I'm sorry." The pet name seemed to make Yumichika lose his resolve. Ikkaku only called him that when he was being his upmost sincere. Ikkaku's voice was more gentle and sweet than usual, seeing as his normal was passive interest or a manic smile of blood lust.

Ikkaku turned Yumichika so he was facing him and then led him to sit on the edge of the bed. Like a parent giving their child bad news, he got down on one knee in front of him. Only slightly below his eye level, he looked up at Yumichika with pained eyes. Ikkaku always had pain in his eyes, only it took the form of intensity and seriousness. This look, this was pain in its purest form, a pain caused by latent sadness.

He seemed to muster up the resolve to talk, yet he couldn't find it in himself to keep his eyes on Yumichika. He wanted more than anything to let him know how sincere he was, but looking at that beautiful face, painted with sadness, it was all he could do to keep composed. It was too much when he knew he was about to have to break Yumichika's heart.

Trying to make eye contact with Yumichika, he started to explain, "I've been thinking about what happened at Urahara's…" His gruff voice trailed off into a whisper.

"You too, huh?" Yumichika asked, eyes studying every inch of Ikkaku's face.

"Yeah…" His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to find his words. Finally, he just settled on looking away completely. "I don't think it's any secret that you're the only person I really love."

This seemed to melt Yumichika's somewhat ridged disposition. It shocked him to say the least. It wasn't as if Ikkaku had never said those words, he had just never said them sober or without the friction of their bodies rubbing together. When he'd said those words before, they seemed more like a memory from a dream, but now those words shot him right back to reality. Seeing Ikkaku's averted eyes, he understood that this confession was too much for the usually tough man. Cupping Ikkaku's cheek with his silky hand, he tried to comfort the man. "I've never doubted that."

Yumichika's touch seemed to agitate the man even more. Grabbing Yumichika's wrist, he pulled his hand off of his face. "Don't." He spoke loudly enough to show he was serious, but not loud enough to come off as aggressive. Being a tad more gentle, he held the dainty hand inbetween his. "Look, I'm going to be one hundred percent straight forward with you. So listen up, because I can't do this again." Yumichika sat up in attention, signaling Ikkaku to continue. "I've been selfish, Yumichika. I know that. You've always loved me unconditionally, no matter how hard I am to handle." He cringed slightly, as if remembering something sad. "You've given up so much for me. I remember how you were before you became a soul reaper, so beautiful and full of hope. Sure, you were vain as shit and prissy, but still, you didn't have to put up this facade just to stay with me. You didn't have to harden your heart…" His voice trailed off as he still found it difficult to look Yumichika in the face.

Seemingly confused, Yumichika scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you saying, Ikkaku?"

Sighing in exasperation, he focused his eyes on Yumichika's. "I'm saying that our whole relationship has been you sacrificing yourself. You've sacrificed so many aspects of your life just to stay with an underserving asshole like me. You know what, that might not even be too bad if I was willing to do the same for you." His voice became more serious and ridged. Now he was finding it easier to look Yumichika directly in the eyes. "When have I ever sacrificed anything for you, Yumichika?" The question was rhetorical, still he could see the wheels turning in Yumi's head, as if he was trying to figure it out himself. Yet he couldn't, because Ikkaku's love wasn't the self-sacrificing type.

"I haven't. I come and I take parts of you when it's convenient for me, not thinking about how it may affect you. I've been reckless with your emotions for so long now." Scoffing, he looked away with a self-loathing look in his eyes. "You don't deserve that. I'm a sorry excuse for a friend and an even sorrier excuse for a lover."

This seemed to jolt Yumichika out of shock. "Everything that's happened, I let happen. It was my decisionn," Yumichika urged, desperation clear in his voice.

Smiling slightly, he brought Yumichika's hand up to his and placed a gentle kiss on it. "Of course you let it happen, because that's how deep your love goes, but sacrificing all of yourself in the name of love isn't love at all. If I loved you, I wouldn't let you pick apart pieces of yourself like that. . ." He paused for a moment. "And I do love you…It's just time that I sacrifice something too." Seeing dark eyes brimming with tears, he knew this would be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do. "I can't be with you, Yumichika. It's true that you've gotten under my skin, but that doesn't change who I am. I know myself, and if I tried to make something happen between us, it would just be you constantly sacrificing for my insensitive behavior. I'm incapable of loving anyone right. . ." Swallowing down any sadness or remorse in his voice, he spoke coldly, "I don't want to love you, Yumichika. I just can't. Since I can't give you all of me like you want, it's not okay for me to be with you in that way anymore. It's not okay for me to sparingly kiss you or cuddle you or show you affection when it fits my needs." Squeezing the man's hands tighter, he said, "I can't do that to you anymore. I can't let you keep sacrificing for a piece of shit like me. You deserve all or nothing, so from now on, I'll give you nothing. I'll still be your friend, but whatever romantic links we have between us, they stop here." At this point, Ikkaku was back to not being able to look at Yumichika. He didn't want to see the pain he was causing; he didn't want to see the man he loved break down, yet he still wasn't done. "After this mission, I think we should room separately and spend less time together. You need to start being you again, the you without me."

Finding the strength to look up at the pale face, he saw a vacant look. Eyes fixed downwards and lips slightly parted, Yumichika's expression was unreadable. Finally, he spoke up. "There is no me without you, Ikkaku. The last two centuries of my life have been for you. I fight for you, I strive for you. Please…don't do this." Even though his voice was calm, the desperation behind his pleads were not lost on Ikkaku.

"I know, that's the problem. I don't fight for you."

Those words stoked the fire within the beautiful man. Yes, Ikkaku had never shown his love through self-sacrifice, yet he showed it in a more important way: his constant protection of Yumichika. Ikkaku was always there, watching, looking out. Any fight he thought Yumichika couldn't handle, he stepped in. Any time Yumichika was injured, he'd stop what he was doing and had personally taken him to the healers. When Yumichika was sick, Ikkaku would causally take care of him, pretending it was no big deal. If anyone questioned Yumichika's skills as a warrior because of his flamboyant nature, Ikkaku had been the first to knock some skulls. Even though Ikkaku didn't realize it, he was sacrificing, sacrificing some of his hateful, indifferent, cool-guy attitude. It just didn't seem like a sacrifice, because caring for Yumichika was as natural as breathing. For this reason, Yumichika saw all the sacrifices he made as insignificant. To him, nothing mattered as long as he could spend his life protecting Ikkaku back. So when Ikkaku claimed he never fought for Yumichika, he'd had enough. Yanking his hand away violently, he stood up and paced across the room. "Fine!" he scolded. "You can do whatever you want, but don't pretend this is for me. No, this is only you thinking of yourself again."

The short fuse was lit and blown. Ikkaku had to stop himself from waking up the whole house. "Don't you dare fucking say that. Don't you understand just how-" His voice seemed to quiver at his words, "Just how hard this is for me? You're everything I know and everything that matters. You're my best friend. I always want you by my side."

Still unconvinced and hurt, Yumichika just lifted his nose in the air and scoffed. "Not enough to just be with me, like that wouldn't be simpler."

Looking down at his hands with guilty eyes, Ikkaku hesitated for a long time. "Yumi, you know that's not some simple thing. I just can't…"

With one hand on his hip and one hand pinching the bridge of his nose, Yumichika let out an exasperated sigh. More than anything, he wanted time to stand still. He didn't know what to do or what to say; all of his emotions were shaken up. He wanted to panic and freak out at the prospect of losing Ikkaku, but for some reason, the anguish and pain just left him feeling defeated, as if he already knewthat no amount of freaking out or begging would change his friend's mind. Now all that was left was to wallow in his own sorrow. Moving towards the door, he held it open. Not even looking Ikkaku in the eyes, he addressed him once more, "Goodnight, Ikkaku."

At first, Ikkaku didn't move; he looked on desperately, hoping Yumichika would look at him. He didn't care if it was a look of hatred and pain. He just wanted to see Yumichika's true face once more, for after tonight, if he knew Yumichika, he'd hide his sadness behind fake smiles and indifferent scowls. No more real smiles, no more cheeky comments or arrogant banter. No more of Yumichika's cooking, no more of him being put in his place by Yumichika's brutal honesty. No more anything. He was exiling himself from the only heaven he'd ever known. After tonight, he knew he'd wrecked everything. There was no room for 'just friends' between the two of them, not after Ikkaku had tainted it with his selfishness and lust. After a while of Yumichika actively ignoring Ikkaku's glare, Ikkaku walked towards the door. Stopping by Yumichika, he pressed his lips onto his turned cheek, tasting salt from burning tears. What a bittersweet taste it was. He could feel Yumi's face tighten beneath his lips, as he let out a slight whimper.

"Goodbye, Yumichika." With that, Ikkaku was gone, and both were left feeling more empty than they ever imagined they could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three days had passed since Ichigo's date with Jasper, and today the couple worked outside of the office to set up Ichigo's gallery. The rest of the employees were told to work outside of the office today, which was code for take the day off. How Ichigo got away with these things, Byakuya would never understand. He supposed it was that rough-around-the-edges charm the boy had that drew people in. Since the noble had the day off, he spent time with his sister and Renji, at her insistence. Of course, though it took some goading, he really did miss her. They did rounds and ate some lunch at Uraraha's shop before Byakuya went back to the loft. Since Ichigo wasn't around, he took the time to indulge in the blank pages of his journal, something he rarely did. Afterwards, he went for a run at the park. Upon returning home, he found himself somewhat disappointed that Ichigo hadn't returned, but despite that, he pushed it to the back of his mind, pretending that Ichigo's new 'friend' occupying his time didn't bother him. As always, those thoughts couldn't be kept away with all the stubborn pride in the world.

Byakuya decided to take a shower once he arrived home, hoping the warm water would help sooth his nerves. Water droplets rolled down the silky bare skin, alleviating his sore muscles. Being in that gigai was not all that comfortable. He found his mind wondering back to thoughts of Ichigo and when he might get home, if he should make him dinner. It made the noble sick to his stomach, the thought that he was becoming so doting, like some house wife. HA. The thought gave the man a mixed feeling of disgust and amusement. Even more disturbing, he and Ichigo had fallen into this ritual that Byakuya found way to natural and comforting. When Ichigo had come home from his date three days prior, Byakuya had felt guilty about being rude, so he'd inquired about how it had gone. Ichigo had simply stated that it was "meh", but he was going to see him again, whatever that meant. Since then, Byakuya had to share his time with the soul reaper. However, it wasn't too much of it, since Ichigo spent time with Jasper daily, outside of the office. The couple had gone to the gym, grabbed dinner, and now today, had spent the whole day working on the gallery, and god knows what else. 'Ugh.' That thought actually earned a tactless groan. Leaning his head under the water, Byakuya ran his fingers through his raven hair, trying to soothe his pounding head. The only thing that didn't make this whole situation revolting was the fact that Ichigo never brought up Jasper when he was around the noble. In fact, until today, the time the two spent together was minimal. This whole thing was bringing out a side of Byakuya that he'd rather deny existed: his possessive side. Of course, everyone knew Byakuya was possessive of his material items and family, but never when it came to matters of the heart. Even worse, his possessive side gave way to rather unattractive jealousy that Byakuya had to keep in check. Luckily, his pride outweighed his jealousy - for now. Though he hated to admit it, he missed the little punk. It pained him that he was out giving his sassy lip, warm smile, and intelligent mind, masked by a rough exterior, to someone else. Byakuya was not selfish with Ichigo's time or anything; it was just different when it was with Jasper, Jasper, a man who looked like he would rope the moon or sucker punch a dragon if it was for Ichigo, a man who was willing to openly give Ichigo all the things he couldn't, or wouldn't. That was the true definition of pain. Watching a man he wanted to hate so badly, but couldn't, be everything Ichigo needed.

It felt like the world was taunting him, telling him to feel ashamed at his shortcomings, flaunting everything he couldn't have right in front of his face. It made him wonder, if he could, would he be capable of giving Ichigo the things he deserved? If this were a different lifetime, could he be a big enough man to love with all his heart? Maybe, but this was this lifetime, and despite Byakuya and Ichigo's closeness, they might as well of been eons away from each other.

After the shower, Byakuya put on some jeans and a plain black v-neck. Downstairs, he went into Ichigo's workspace to put on an album the younger man had shown him. He found the album labeled, 'Sigur Ros,' took the record from its casing, and carefully placed it in the record player. This was the first time he'd been in Ichigo's workspace alone. It felt oddly intimate, being around all of these extensions of Ichigo's emotions, each piece telling a story. Byakuya couldn't help himself; he took the opportunity to take a peek into the mind he found so beautiful. He went through a stack of pieces that hadn't yet been brought to the gallery. Though all the pictures were done in different mediums and genres, there was a particular style in Ichigo's work. The composition, the colors, range of values, and flow gave way to an extremely expressive array of work. Each piece told a story, even the abstracts. Each piece was filled with a latent pain and yearning, yet an optimistic hope; each bared a piece of Ichigo's soul. Byakuya found that the boy was more talented than most artists he had encounter, and Byakuya never gave compliments for flattery. It was just another thing about Ichigo for the noble to be enamored by. Over the past few days, the situation had become more dire. Byakuya could feel Ichigo's gaze on him at times. He wasn't oblivious; he saw him watching. Still, a part of Byakuya thought that it may just be his wishful mind playing tricks on him. Whatever it was, it just furthered the noble's confusion. Surely Ichigo didn't see him in that way or want him romantically. He was seeing Jasper and had made no attempts to further his relationship with Byakuya other than a few glances. There was no proof of romantic intentions. And if he was looking at Byakuya, so what? Who wasn't looking at Byakuya? Though he wasn't always as sure of himself as he gave off, one thing he was certain of was that he was an extremely handsome man. The blushing faces of women singing his praises as he walked the street made it pretty obvious. Sultry glares from men were in full supply also. It only made sense since Ichigo was gay that he'd find him attractive, at least physically. Byakuya admittedly indulged in it, especially since Ichigo had been spending time with Jasper. Perhaps it was childish and out of line, but when Byakuya would notice Ichigo glaring at him, he would lick his bottom lip slowly or arch his neck in a certain way. This display would always result in a spike of sensual spiritual pressure from Ichigo. It was pretty direct, almost feeling like a rush of electricity running through the noble. If Ichigo was going for discretion, he was failing.

It always gave him a little twinge of satisfaction. Though he was seeing Jasper, it was obvious Byakuya got under his skin. In what way or how much, Byakuya wasn't sure, but he knew it would do him no good to find out. He didn't need even the slightest sliver of hope that Ichigo would return his feeling, because it wouldn't change who he was and who Ichigo was; he'd still be a Kuchiki. Still, he couldn't help but bask in the newly founded sexual tension. Most of the time, it was pure comfort between the two, but other times the tension felt like a humid wetness that stuck to the skin.

Still looking through Ichigo's pieces, he felt Ichigo's spiritual pressure through the doorway. Then a spike of the same electrically euphoric pressure rushed through him. It didn't take long to click. Jasper was the one to cause of it. 'Oh, dear soul king, why now?' Byakuya hated to think what was going on on the other side of that door. Although they were standing out in the hallway, and it was Ichigo. Ichigo wasn't what he'd call a prude; he could actually be pretty vulgar with his jokes, but anyone could tell most sexual things eluded him. Ichigo was the type of person that sexual things happened to, not the person who went out looking for them. Basically, he was pretty tame and passive, some would say aloof. More than anything, he was innocent when it came to his own sex life. He didn't like to talk about it and would never be caught doing grandiose displays of public affection.

However, this didn't make Byakuya feel all that much better. That same unattractive jealousy was rearing to go. It was all the prideful part of him could do to keep his jealous side from kicking down the door and attacking Jasper with the full force of his bankai. Luckily, he didn't get the chance. Ichigo's keys rattled in the doorway before he moved across the living room in his graceless manner. He didn't seem all too shocked to see Byakuya in his workspace, fawning over his artwork.

Setting his coat down, he walked over to Byakuya, standing a little too close to him. He looked over Byakuya's shoulder down at the piece he was looking at. With a smirk, he looked down at the piece and then back up at the fair-skinned man. "Let me guess, you don't know much about art, but you know what you like?"

Looking over his shoulders slightly, he saw a pair of sultry honey eyes. He was unsure what had transpired between him and Jasper, but it had left Ichigo's spiritual pressure in shambles. It was all mixed up, discombobulated, and very hungry. Perhaps it was childish, but Byakuya hated knowing that someone other than him made Ichigo feel that way. True, he wanted Ichigo to be happy, but the idea of anyone else's hands warming him up felt oh-so-wrong. It seemed jealousy was taking over slightly, for Byakuya was yearning for some of Ichigo's attention, and he had a plan to get it. Yes, he'd picked up on some of Ichigo's playfulness, but Byakuya had ways to satisfy his need of Ichigo's attention without sparing his pride. He wanted to remind Ichigo who really set his skin on fire.

"I know enough." He smirked slightly down at the honey eyes, feeling Ichigo's warm breath on his neck, "to know that you're extremely talented. How much are you charging for these?" the noble asked, now turning to face the shorter man.

Taking a step back and shrugging humbl, he said, "It varies. About thirty-thousand yen is the average. That's probably too much, eh?"

Scoffing and crossing his arms with an air of superiority, Byakuya asserted, "Fool, you really know nothing sometimes. You could get twice as much. You're selling yourself short."

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo moved pass Byakuya and started organizing his work area. "If I'm a fool, what does that say about you? Huh?

Leaning against the work desk, arms folded, and watching Ichigo, Byakuya responded indifferently, "That I have a soft spot for hopeless cases."

"Ha! You? Pitying anyone? Next you're going to tell me Zaraki dropped out of the Gotei to become a fucking ballerina." Scoffing at the ridiculousness of his own joke, he continued, "Instead of complaining, why don't you come to my show and buy a piece?"

Smirking, Ichigo gave Byakuya the perfect opening for his little plan. "I have something even better in mind." He looked down at Ichigo playfully. This got the younger man's attention. He stopped and looked up curiously. "I am an extremely specific client with very specific taste. I'll expect something tailored to me." Byakuya put on airs and gave a look of regal arrogance. This earned him a twisted smile and Ichigo shaking his head in playful defeat.

Scoffing slightly while smiling brilliantly, Ichigo put a hand on the back of his head. "Pffsh-If specific is a euphemism for a difficult pain in the ass, then totally." Ichigo ate that stuff up; that was one of the many things he loved about Byakuya. When he would put on this song and dance, throwing around his nobility playfully, Ichigo just loved the smug banter that would be yielded from it. They loved teasing each other and giving each other shit, neither ever sensitive or offended by it. Pretty much anything was fair game between the two when they would really get going.

Byakuya easily fell into the tit for tat. "Difficult? Coming from the man who takes an hour to find his keys, daily? Don't get me started on the abhorrent singing you do on the way to the office. Really Ichigo, you should stick to your day j-"

Ichigo interrupted the man by punching him in the shoulder roughly. "Blah blah blah- anyway, what kind of piece do you want?"

Licking his lips slightly, Byakuya glared down at Ichigo with his usual look of stoicism. "I want something that shows the true me. Something that's-" A pause."More intimate." The coy way Byakuya let the sentence fall out of his lips was more than enough to grab Ichigo's attention. "A portrait of me. I'll pay you well." To Byakuya, this was the way he justified his means to get Ichigo's eyes on him. Though it was for his pleasure, was it really so wrong when it helped Ichigo out?

Letting a pleased, yet surprised look come over his face, Ichigo let out a deep chuckle. "I can imagine you want something fancy, showing off your-" Ichigo imitated a stuffy, arrogant voice, "clan and position and how cool you think you are."

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "You should know I'm not so simple. I was thinking of something more," He hesitated to find the right word, "Bare."

Looking up to Byakuya, Ichigo gave a face that told him to explain. "Do you have time to do it now?"

Now a little more confused, he thought to himself for a moment. Figuring that it was a rarity for Byakuya to do anything spontaneous or out of the ordinary, he didn't want to miss this. Shrugging his shoulders, Ichigo explained, "I don't have anything better to do."

"Good, get your supplies and met me in the living room." Smiling slightly before letting his face return to its usual glacier-like manner, he warned, "And you better take this seriously. I'm a paying costumer. "

Mockingly, Ichigo saluted the man, "Sir, yes Sir." At the sight of Byakuya rolling his eyes, he turned away to gather his supplies.

After a few minutes of contemplating how he was going to portray Byakuya, he grabbed his mediums, sketch pad, and walked into the living room.

Much to his surprise, he found Byakuya standing by the couch with only a pair of jeans on. His perfectly sculpted abs took up way to much of Ichigo's attention. The bend of his neck, the definition of his collar bone, and the ivory of his skin: it was all so intoxicating. His arms looked like valleys of muscle falling over one another, tight and crafted to perfection, yet not bulging or massive. Arms that looked as in charge as Byakuya did, arms that made things happen. Ichigo stopped, wide-eyed and mouth opened slightly. He had to remind himself not to stare, though he wasn't listening to his own warnings.

Feeling embarrassed, the boy lashed out in his irritable way. "What are you doing? Why the hell don't'cha have a shirt on?" Ichigo tried to contort his face to convey disgust, however, he wasn't doing a very good job.

"I want you to draw me like this." The noble fretted his eye brows, as if the answer was obvious.

Scoffing and huffing to himself, Ichigo mocked. "What are you going to say next? Draw me like one of your French girls?"

Not getting the reference, Byakuya just looked more confused. "What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shaking his head in defeat, Ichigo conceded, "Never mind, but why so-um-not dressed?"

"I told you, I want something intimate and bare. Too much clothing will get in the way of that. Also, I don't want anything conveying my wealth or title. I don't want anything that could make implications about me at all. I just want a bare canvas." Though his voice seemed passive, his words gave way to a deeper unknown emotion. Either way, it seemed to pacify the younger man.

Gesturing to the chair sitting beside the couch, he commanded, "Have a seat." Byakuya does as he is told and let Ichigo position him in the way he wanted. Next, Ichigo brought a tall standing lamp next to the man.

"The light helps bring out the natural highlights on you."

Ichigo sat on the edge of the coffee table, a comfortable distance away from the man. It was convenient, because he had plenty of room to lay his supplies out beside him. In his lap, he cradled a sizable sketch pad, one that encompassed well past his lap. Next to him was a box of worn-down used-up chalk pastels, pencils, shading pens, tissues, and putty-erasers. Ichigo was glad he had an excuse to let his eyes shamelessly explore the noble's flesh. And explore he did; he took in every muscle, mole, freckle, indention, and bulging vein. He took in how his body would arch and how it would bend, the way his eye lids fluttered when he inhaled. It seemed he found something different with each passing glance. Yes, he was enjoying this too much.

Byakuya could feel his eyes burrowing, though Ichigo was a true professional. You could tell, the human form wasn't new to him. His eyes intensely flowed across Byakuya's exposed muscles, all of his nooks and crannies, and then back to the paper. Constantly, his attention bounced back between the two, without hesitation. He was in his zone. After a while, Ichigo finally relaxed completely. Earlier, he'd felt like he was going to explode from sexual tension. That's when Byakuya decided to let a little of his spiritual pressure seep out, since he had perfect control over his. Just a tad to stir the pot. Ichigo wasn't the only one that could be playful. And boy, did it work. Ichigo's jaw set and honey brown eyes became alert. All of his muscles tensed, and a flash of red lit up his face.

It was so captivating and sexy. Ichigo writhing in his seat, intense eyes bursting with latent want, face lit up with red hues. The boy was tugging on his lip nervously, taking his charcoal stained hand and running it through his hair, highlighting the orange with chalky red streaks. By now, that wasn't the only stain on him; he had a smudge of orange on his face. Everything about the boy made Byakuya want to hold his messy face and kiss his nervous lips until he could taste Ichigo's very essence. He yearned for those precise hands, covered with chalk, to fumble their way up his body, not caring about the pastels getting everywhere. Even though Ichigo was a great artist, he was sure that, as graceless as Ichigo was, his hand's would fumble and move awkwardly,(but it would be adorable and golden. He would explore Byakuya's body, learn how to touch it, and vise-versa. Such a tantalizing thought it was. So much so, that Byakuya almost wanted to let more of his spiritual pressure seep out. However, poor Ichigo looked at his wits end, and admittedly, Byakuya was also. Any more and he'd have Ichigo on the floor, ready to violate him, and that was the last thing the noble wanted. Besides, nothing could come out of it. All that would do is tease them with what they couldn't have.

Another hour passed and Ichigo worked diligently. Every once in a while, he would put a thumb up and close one eye to check Byakuya's proportions, or blow excess pastel off the picture. When he was done, he held it up from himself, as far as his arms would reach. He squinted an eye and tilted his head sideways. Then he put it back in his lap, grabbed a pen, and signed it. "You should be grateful someone as talented as me did this. It's hard making that ugly mug look attractive." With a smug smile, Ichigo handed the picture to Byakuya, who was now standing.

He was going to quip back with a snarky comment, but got caught up in his portrait. It was oddly realistic, yet the colors and composition gave it a mystical feel. The colors were reds, oranges, and purples, no skin tone or normal colors to be seen. It was striking and whimsical, full of hope and light. Clearing his throat, and looking intensely at the portrait, Byakuya spoke sincerely. "The reason I enjoyed your pieces was for their expressive nature. Each one an extension of yourself and telling a distinct story. Most of them were filled with obvious anguish and pain." He looked over to see Ichigo looking up with a glint of shock in his eyes, giving his full attention. Byakuya returned the gaze with his full intensity, not even attempting indifference. "But this…" His voice trailed off slightly. "This has so much…hope."

Ichigo's eye's widened slightly and lips parted in hesitation. Byakuya half-expected the boy to become flustered and light up again, but instead, he just gave Byakuya a serious unfazed look. His voice was flat, yet sincere. "That's what I see and feel when I look at you." He paused somewhat uncertainly, as if fearing Byakuya's reaction. "Hope and life."

Not negating his intense gaze, he felt the same pull of their bodies, wanting each other so badly. "You truly do see me differently than others, Ichigo Kurosaki." His voice was soft and humble.

Smirking slightly, he replied,"I guess I just pay better attention." Moments seemed to pass in slow motion as they shared an unbreakable glare, each determined not to budge from their spots, yet it seemed impossible, and Byakuya though that he would give in if he stood there a moment longer. That could ruin everything, especially his friendship with Ichigo. Luckily, Ichigo was the first to break the stare and look away nervously. Picking up Byakuya's shirt that was folded neatly on the couch, he extended it out to him. "Here," he said, abnormally meek for his usual self. "You should probably put this back on."

Byakuya simply nodded and got dressed. "I'll definitely pay you."

Shaking his head back and forth, he put up a hand in defense. "No way. Think of it as a gift for all you did for me."

Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Byakuya asked, "What exactly have I done for you?"

Ichigo almost brought up Milly, but bit his tongue. Scoffing, he continued, "Pshff, think of it as a present then, damn. Geez, Byakuya, don't'cha know it's rude to turn down a gift? You're the one always talking about being tactful and polite! Take your own advice, will 'ya?!"

Letting out a sincere chuckle, Byakuya smiled slightly. "I guess you're right. Hell must have frozen over for a punk kid to be telling me the dos and don'ts of etiquette."

Nudging the man in the side, he teased. "Call me Jack Frost." Throwing his hands up in the air diabolically, he let out a maniacal cackle. "Mwahahahaha!" he bellowed as he walked up the stairs.

Shaking his head and pursing his lip slightly at the boy's playful manner that he loved so dearly, Byakuya went back to admiring his new portrait.