A/N: yet another chapter. This story has just passed 100 favorites! Thank you all so freaking much! I really do appreciate the love, and hope you all continue to enjoy. In this chapter, you'll get a bit better view of my take on the relationship between Ichigo and Shiro. As always, please enjoy, read and review (separate a/n at the end)!
I don't own bleach. Really wish I did though.
Previously, on 'Coming Back To Life':
Thankfully, Byakuya and Shunsui appeared behind him, clasping his shoulders. "Ichigo Kurosaki, put him down," Byakuya said.
I am so glad he was watching for this.' "Ichigo, let him go," Yoruichi managed to get out. 'Don't you dare get in trouble over that bastard!'
As soon as Shunsui spoke to Kaito, he turned to Ichigo, "how about we go grab a drink to settle down? We will be back in a little while, Lady Yoruichi," he finished with a wink.
As the three shinigami men turned to go, Yoruichi caught a glimpse of Ichigo's eyes. They were slowly returning to normal, allowing her to breathe a bit easier.
That was close! The bastard deserved it, but Ichigo could have gotten into serious trouble if he'd actually hurt him'.
Sending everyone away, she turned to look off of the balcony, a small smile crossing her lips. 'Berry-boy protecting my honor, he has to feel something.'
Present time...
Ichigo stared at the small cup of sake that Kyroaku had handed him. "You can drink one, Ichigo. We're not going to get you drunk, just have one to take the edge off of your nerves," he said calmly. Ichigo tipped the cup up, sipping the drink. It helped... a little.
'Im sure I embarrassed Yoruichi. Dammit, I just couldn't let something like that go! He called her a traitorous whore! He's lucky to still be breathing.'
"I see that my warnings on your temper did little good," Byakuya started, "however, I cannot help but to feel that you were justified."
"Still," Kyroaku interjected, "A little dark for your nature, eh Ichigo? Not a death threat, but instead a promise of ripping out his tongue. You're not one of Kaito's bigger fans, I see," he finished with a chuckle.
"Questioning Yoruichi's loyalties or her integrity as a woman are things I will never accept, no matter who says them. He's lucky you two were there," Ichigo muttered darkly.
"Do not forget yourself, Kurosaki. Yoruichi would never want you to deviate from who you are over an insult. We all think more of you than that," Byakuya said in a low tone.
Ichigo sighed, "I know. I wasn't really going to hurt him..." He paused as the two captains with him raised an eyebrow. "Well...ok, I wouldn't have hurt him...too badly," he said, making both captains chuckle.
"You are always full of surprises, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya said. "Perhaps now would be a good time to take a drink to Lady Shihoin with an apology?"
Ichigo opened his mouth, but the Kuchiki leader cut him off, "not for defending her honor, but for the...less than discrete manner in which it was done." That shut the orange haired shinigami up.
"Yeah, I should probably do that. Thanks, to both of you," ichigo sighed as he stood up. Both captains nodded to him, and he turned to go, grabbing a cup of sake to take to the woman he was supposed to be protecting.
"You should have ripped his tongue out, instead of just threatening," Shiro grumbled as Ichigo moved towards the balcony where he had left Yoruichi.
'Since when are you so protective of Yoruichi? You're usually the one that's insulting or threatening her!'
"Ehhh, kitty keeps it dry in here. It gets so annoying having to listen to the old man bitch about the rain."
"I do NOT 'bitch' about the rain. However, she has kept it quite comfortable in here."
"Whatever, gramps. Now, lets go find our favorite feline and make the night real interesting. Hell, with the stunt you pulled, you might not even have to ask to get some tonight!"
'Shut up! I am not some pervert, and she is not actually interested in me. She just likes to tease me. She could never feel the same as me.' Ichigo refused to let himself think otherwise. When had anything ever turned out the way he hoped? Better to play it safe and just assume the worst.
"And what is it that you do feel, Ichigo?", Zangetsu asked. "What is Yoruichi to you? Can you admit it? Do you even know?"
As Ichigo made his way back to Yoruichi, he instantly scowled as he saw that more suitors had come to fawn over her. 'Sure, I know what my feelings are...irrelevant. One of these noble pieces of shit are destined for her, not some commoner.'
"I apologize for not being back sooner, Yoruichi-sama. Byakuya-sama and Kyroaku-taichou were simply helping me regain myself," he muttered as he handed her a drink and took his place behind her.
...
Yoruichi was starting to get annoyed again. 'Ichigo has been gone for a while. They better not get him drunk! Ugh. I can't wait to get all of these jackasses out of here and relax. Still, it was so sweet of him to stand up for me like that.'
"Where is your handsome young bodyguard, daughter?", Yoruichi's mother, who had witnessed the earlier...interaction involving Ichigo, said. "Seeing his...vigor...I may just have to hire him on as my bodyguard after tonight," she added with a purr.
"Mother!", Yoruichi quietly exclaimed. "You are not going to corrupt my Ich..my student!" 'Woah, that was close. Still, if anybody gets to corrupt the berry, you can bet your ass it will be me!'
"My my, we are a selfish one aren't we? Why do you want to keep him all to yourself? With all of the attention you've been giving to these suitors, he might get lonely. Myself or that nice blonde lieutenant, or any number of the young ladies here would be more than happy to keep him...entertained," Amaya said with a giggle.
Yoruichi's teeth ground together. 'Over my dead body, and plenty of theirs first.' "Ichigo needs to focus on his training. We meet with the Soutaichou tomorrow to determine his future in Soul Society," she finished, giving a sad sigh.
'What if he doesn't want to stay? What if he wants to go back and stay a substitute?' Yoruichi did not like this idea. With her involvement in the clan now, she couldn't visit the world of the living much. Before she and Kisuke were pardoned, she had all the time in the world there, but now she could rarely escape her duties.
"I see," Amaya began, glancing at the saddened face of her daughter. 'At what point did you think you could ever fool your mother? I see your feelings as plain as the sun in the sky. If you want him, you better act quickly. Hero of the Winter War? Protective, moral, loyal, selfless, and very good looking? If even half of the things you've told me of him and that I've heard are true, he's going to be the hottest commodity for women in any dimension.
Deciding that her daughter needed a little push, Amaya said, "Well maybe he'll find a nice human wife to keep him happy. Or there are plenty of ladies here who would be more than happy to bring home the Great Hero if he chooses to stay. Not to mention how much they'd love to have all those muscles to themselves," she giggled again.
Amaya loved teasing her daughter. To be perfectly honest, she was quite tired of all of the suitors who kept clambering after her. Yoruichi had closed herself off so long ago, that no man had ever stood a chance as her heart was locked behind decades of repressed emotions and memories. Now, this shinigami wunderkind seems to have found the key to Yoruichi's heart, and Amaya was not going to let a chance at happiness for her daughter simply pass by because they were both too dumb and stubborn to admit their feelings to each other.
Sure, Yoruichi had to entertain the suitors to keep the council off of her back, but that didn't mean that she couldn't choose Soul Society's greatest hero! 'Come on, Yoruichi, he has fought for all of us time and again. It's time for someone to fight for him.'
Yoruichi had gone from sadly thinking about Ichigo's choice to pissed off in almost no time at all, thanks to her mothers prodding and the flock of women who kept openly staring at her ich...at Ichigo. 'No. I am not about to watch him go settle for someone like Inoue who just grovels at his feet, or that cow Matsumoto, who is trying to get what's mine!'
She paused. 'Mine? Easy kitty...no...you know what? He could be mine. If he could just pull his head out of his ass for two seconds, he could realize that he feels...something. Dammit! Why are you so dense!'
Yoruichi's mother smirked at the now pissed look on Yoruichi's face. Amaya Shihoin knew her daughter. She was just like her. When other girls had tried to get Takuyas attention all those years ago, Amaya had almost clawed their eyes out! She saw that same look on her daughters face, and she'd be damed if a Shihoin woman gave up without a fight!
She couldn't press the issue, as the subject of their discussion was walking towards them. Amaya laughed to herself as she saw his reaction to the suitors who had just approached Yoruichi. His scowl was so cute, it was obvious that he felt something too. She might just have to nudge both sides of this "relationship-waiting-to-happen" along.
"I apologize for not being back sooner, Yoruichi-sama. Byakuya-sama and Kyroaku-taichou were simply helping me regain myself," he muttered as he took his place behind Yoruichi.
"No need to worry, dear," Amaya interjected, cutting Yoruichi's response off as she put an arm through his, dragging him a few feet to the side. Yoruichi's eyes narrowed at the contact, but she said nothing as she was forced to entertain the gaggle of peacocks in front of her.
"Amaya-sama, I truly apologize for my behavior earlier. While I do not apologize for straightening out that..." Ichigo rolled his neck, calming himself,"man, I did not mean to cause a commotion, nor to embarrass your family or Yoruichi-sama," he finished, bowing his head slightly. Getting on Yoruichi's parents bad side would not help his situation at all.
"Do not fret about that, young Kurosaki. I must admit I was quite pleased to see my daughters honor so...vigorously upheld," she purred. "Now Kurosaki-san, if i may ask, what do you see yourself doing here in Soul Society? Maybe taking a position in the Gotei 13? Maybe finding a wife and settling down? There are quite a few lovely ladies here."
Ichigo blushed, scratching the back of his head, "Please, call me ichigo. To be honest, I am not quite sure, Amaya-sama. Lady Yoruichi's training has gotten me back into battle condition, however I really don't know what I am going to do." 'I know where I'd love to be, but if you knew you'd probably have a heart attack,' he grumbled internally.
Amaya wanted to laugh at the situation. From all of his adoring glances at Yoruichi when he thought no one was looking, to his deep scowls at the crowd of men trying to catch her attention, she found it hilarious that Ichigo thought everyone was ignorant to his situation. 'Oh Ichigo, I am not as blind as my daughter. You'll have to do better than that!'
Deciding to be a bit more direct, she said (loud enough for Yoruichi to hear)"I see you're quite shy, maybe I should introduce you to some of the young ladies here in the Seireitei! Of course, I see a blonde fukutaichou over there who has quite the smile for you. Or what about Rukia Kuchiki? You created quite the stir when you charged in here to rescue her. Quite the romantic tale, I must admit. Or is there someone in the human realm that has captured the Great Hero's heart? Maybe the girl you saved in Hueco Mundo?", she asked with a sly smile.
"N-no, nothing like that," Ichigo quickly said, trying to return to the main question he was asked. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to return to my human body due to...circumstances, but even if I can, if I have a good enough reason to stay here, I might." He didn't know if she knew the story of his powers returning, so he wouldn't risk getting Yoruichi in trouble for seeing him in a gigai.
'Now we are getting somewhere,' she thought, grinning deviously. 'Time to really get this thing going
Seeing that Yoruichi was still mingling, but obviously listening-due to the frequent scowls-she continued, "what do you consider to be a good reason to stay, Kurosaki-san? Fame? Searching for that special someone? Maybe we should go talk to the young woman who keeps smiling at you over there."
As she began to pull his arm to lead him over to where a group of women were gathered, Ichigo tried to object, when Yoruichi appeared in their path, plastering a fake smile on her face, yet her eyes screamed murder.
"Mother, thank you for keeping Ichigo company, however I think it's time I retire for the evening," she said in a poorly contained growl. Grabbing Ichigo's arm, she said," come on, bodyguard."
Leading him up the corridor to their rooms, Yoruichi pushed him inside of his room. "Get changed and get Zangetsu. We're going to the training grounds, now," she said in a voice that left no room for debate.
Yoruichi was pissed. As she stalked next door to her room, her thoughts were less than pleasant. 'What the hell were you thinking, mom!? I don't want him thinking of all these other women! Still, if he does, i want to know if I am just wasting my time. UGH! Why does he always have to make me feel so frustrated?! He better pull his head out of his ass, tonight! Kami, he doesn't have to be in love with me, just...anything! I mean, can't he even act like he's attracted to me?'
Now she was getting pissed at how needy Ichigo was making her feel. If he didn't have some type of response tonight, he had better get ready to meet reality courtesy of the ass-kicking of his life. Yoruichi was not of the mind to force him into a decision, but the uncertainty and dancing around the issue was over.
As he was changing, ichigo began to think. When it came down to it, Ichigo was...well, he was confused. Yoruichi had gone from pleasantly talking to her gaggle of idiots, to pissed as hell and wanting to go spar in a second. A pissed Yoruichi was not someone he looked forward to as an opponent, however, he couldn't be entirely unhappy with the shift because at least it got her away from all of those peacock assholes.
And what was with her mom trying to play match-maker? She'd probably have kittens'-Ichigo chuckled at his little joke-'if she knew that it was her daughter that would be my greatest reason to stay. I don't care that way about anyone else. Irony is a bitch. I only want the one who is out of my reach, wonderful.'
He stepped out of his room in his shinigami garb, with Zangetsu resting on his back. Yoruichi was waiting in the hallway just outside, wearing her black leggings and orange shirt, tapping her foot impatiently. "Lets go," she said, turning sharply and leading them to their training grounds.
Trying to diffuse whatever the situation was before he got himself beaten, Ichigo asked, "Everything ok, Yoruichi?"
She turned to him, answering with something between a sigh and a growl, "just a little frustrated, Ichigo. That party was way too long." 'And my mother trying to set you up with some other woman, and you acting as dense as a damn rock...need I go on?'
He smirked, trying to lighten the mood, "Parties, the seedy underbelly of noble life! Being roommates is fun and all, but I think ill let you keep the galas." As he chuckled, he didn't notice Yoruichi's eyes narrow at his words.
...
Two frustrating hours later, Yoruichi paced along the dirt floor of the cave while Ichigo picked himself up out of the outline made when she had driven him into the ground with a bit more...zest...than usual.
'How the hell can he be so dense!?' she screamed internally. 'I spend most of, if not ALL my time with him, I'm constantly trying to flirt and gain his attention and he still treats me like I'm a damn roommate. I know he feels something! He fucking DIED for me! I know he's at least attracted to me. Why won't he accept or show it? How can he not see how much I care about him? Why won't he ever respond to me? I'm sick of this shit! If he's going to be stubborn and oblivious, then I'm going to bring reality crashing down on him!'
As she steeled her resolve, she turned to Ichigo, her lips pursed to introduce him to reality when she looked up and froze- her eyes widening as she saw a solid white shell forming over his face and body, black and gold eyes with black and red lines growing over his body as well as long horns protruding from his now fully grown mane of flaming orange hair.
Yoruichi knew of this form, yet had never directly encountered it. She gasped as she heard him speak in that strange double timbre that made her hair stand on end.
"What's new, pussy cat?" Shiro asked.
'Oh shit,' she thought, backing away a few steps 'this can't be good.'
"Calm down, kitten, daddy's just here to talk," Shiro said with his crazed killer tone. "So what was that all about? Hormones getting you frustrated because your chew toy is about as observant as a rock?", he asked, cackling maniacally.
Yoruichi bristled at Shiro calling her 'pet' names, yet ignored his questions.
"Why the hell are you here!? What did you do to Ichigo?" She was tensing up, readying herself for the inevitable strike. The stories she had heard about Shiro, especially in this form, had her prepping for the worst.
Sensing Yoruichi's discomfort, Shiro scoffed, "Whoo, you must have it really bad for kingy! I just took over before you put the lip lock of death on my dumber side."
This stunned Yoruichi. What did Ichigo's inner hollow have to do with it? Why did he care? Yet, "...why?" was all she could get out.
Shiro sighed, but muttered sarcastically, "because I've been trying to make a point to his highness and you taking charge and sucking his face really fucks up what I'm trying to get across."
"It's none of your business! What point could you possibly want to make!? All you've ever done is torture him and try to kill him and take over his body! Why are you even in his head?", she spat, infuriated at the interference. Regardless of Shiro's power, he had no business in Ichigo's personal affairs. However, she was soon silenced by the tidal wave of reiatsu that flooded out from him.
"I AM PART OF HIS SOUL, you ignorant bitch! Torture him? Kill him!?" Shiro shouted, fury emanating from him. "Who saved him against the noble prick and the Bounts? Who brought him back from the dead when that piece of shit Espada put a hole through his chest? How did he survive that damn hollow claw through his chest? I've saved his ass more times than you'd ever believe. Get your facts straight, woman!"
"I-Ichigo died before?" Yoruichi gasped. She knew he had gotten into some bad situations in Hueco Mundo, but actually dying? She would definitely be asking ichigo about that later.
"What about all the times you tried to take over? He said you had tried to consume him and take over his body," she asked, much more softly this time. Maybe if she calmed him down he'd keep providing information.
Shiro sighed, removing the horned mask to reveal a stark white version of Ichigo with black and gold eyes. " Yeah, me and kingy didn't get along so well at first. Lets just say we understand each other a little better after all this time. Plus, he learns best when his life is on the line. Anyways, you of all people should understand where I'm trying to get him. What is the one thing the boss never trusts or unleashes until he is, or is about dead?"
"Instinct," Yoruichi replied. She couldn't deny it. Ichigo was a fearsome warrior, a fiercely loyal friend, and had determination that could move mountains, however he seemed to almost need to be forced into following his instincts, rather than his usual over thinking -no matter the situation.
"Bingo, sweetheart. Do you want to know why? It's because of me. He won't admit it to himself, but I am his instinct. While the shattered shaft may have introduced the hollow part of me into Ichigo, I was manifested out of his instinctive desires. The desire for battle, to protect, to get stronger. I am the most raw, basic form of his desires. Yet, because of our history-or my teaching style, as I like to think-well, I'm sure you understand why he is hesitant to accept me. This is what I'm working on. An understanding between us, if you will. Our current...system has worked well enough before now, but he needs to accept and trust himself. All of him. As he is. Yeah, I know you wanna have the king's scepter," Shiro grinned lecherously while wagging his eyebrows, "but it needs to wait. Don't get me wrong, kingy needs to get laid pretty damn badly, but when it comes to you...I need to sort things out with him first."
"I get that this is important, but what does that have to do with us? And I'm not just trying to sleep with him! I...well, I..." she trailed off. She didn't want Shiro to be the first one to hear her true feelings, whatever they happened to be. Pausing, she frowned and asked, "And what do you mean, when it comes to me?"
Shiro frowned, sounding a little annoyed. "Don't tell me you're as dense as he is. I'm not going to say, as it would be completely counter-productive, but I'll leave you with this: do you remember the day Ichigo got his powers back?" Yoruichi nodded.
"Him diving in front of you was not exactly a conscious decision. It was pure instinct. It's actually what weakened the seal on me. King saw your outline. Not even you clearly, just a fuzzy, almost invisible outline that he thought was you and he put himself between you and certain death. I can say this: though he'd risk his soul for his friends, he never could have responded to his instinct like that for anyone aside from you. You are what stops the rain."
Sliding the mask back on, shiro leaned forward, "But, once we've talked, if you hurt him, if you make it rain...well, i might just come back out to play. Now, kingy and I have some business to take care of. You might want to step out of the cave and seal it for a few minutes, it's likely to get a bit interesting around here."
"What are you going to do to him?", she asked, not wanting to let Ichigo's body out of her sight.
"Me and the old man are gonna wake his ass up, now get out of here. You should feel when we're done."
Yoruichi decided to take his advice, standing outside the entrance of the cave as she sealed it. 'Come back to me Ichigo, please.'
Inside the cave, Ichigo came to when his hollow shell shattered around him. 'What the hell? What happened...wait...oh shit...' "Yoruichi!" He began to shout.
Ichigo's attention was gotten by Shiro snapping, "Shut up, she's waiting outside. Get your ass in here, we need to talk."
As Shiro finished speaking, Ichigo felt himself being dragged into his inner world. As he landed on a sideways skyscraper, he turned and saw Shiro, with a sword in hand, standing next to Zangetsu.
"Okay, kingy, time to sort some shit out. The old man is staying out of this, it's just you and me." With that, Shiro launched himself at Ichigo, cleaving down with his sword,
"What the hell is your problem?!", Ichigo shouted as he blocked with his own blade. "You and Yoruichi are going all out on me tonight. Mind answering why?"
"Because we're both sick of you! All you do is push us away and ignore us. Now were both going to kick your ass until we feel better about it!"
"That's insane! I don't ignore her! I only ignore you when you spout your usual bullshit," Ichigo said as he traded blows with Shiro. This was ridiculous. Yoruichi was the center of his world, and Shiro always made himself heard, so Ichigo was having a hard time understanding what was going on.
Determined to enlighten the dense orange haired shinigami, Shiro countered, "Oh yeah? Then why is it that you have to nearly die every time you fight, yet once I take over you always win? Why is it that you only think clearly when I threaten to take over, or when I attack you here? Why do you think I always prod you where I know you'll react? HOW DO YOU THINK I KNOW YOU INSIDE AND OUT?", Shiro was shouting at this point, slamming his white sword into Ichigo's relentlessly.
"And as far as kitty goes, you ignore her even more! She's constantly stripping for you, flirting with you and all sorts of shit to get your attention. Hell, why would a noble princess train your ass? Why would she feed you, give you somewhere to stay, spend every damn waking minute with you? GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS! You'll never get anywhere until you finally accept, trust, and unleash your instinct!"
Ichigo froze. "My instinct? I use it all the time! How else could I fight?"
Ichigo's temper was starting to flare. What more could he possibly do? He had fought and beaten Shiro, thereby gaining control over his powers. Was Shiro mad that he wasn't going to unleash a homicidal hollow on the world?
And Yoruichi...he was lost. He was more aware of Yoruichi and the amazing kindness she showed him than his own reiatsu. 'Dammit! Why won't anyone just say what the hell their problem actually is!?'
Shiro's face continued to show fury. Responding to Ichigo's question, he shouted, "Half-assed! That's my point! Think, Ichigo, for once in your life, think. Are you mad at me, or have you finally realized that the only one who ever gets in your way is you?"
Noticing Ichigo's pause, Shiro decided that he needed to spell it out and asked, "How did you gain the highest of your powers?"
"By merging myself with you and Zangetsu. By sacrificing my powers when I activated the Final Getsuga Tensho," he replied, not sure where this was going.
"Exactly, but did you ever think about what merging with us meant?"
"Sure, it meant that I accepted you both into one soul."
"You accepted us. US. For one moment, your soul was about 66%, the highest you've ever achieved. Now that you've accepted your own power, you can go higher, but you never will until you accept and trust your instinct!"
"But you've always said that you were my...", Ichigo trailed off, looking at Shiro. Realization struck him like lightning.
"Yeah, I am," Shiro finished.
"Do you understand now, Ichigo? We are a part of you. A part of you. How can your soul be complete when all the parts are not accepted? Can you call yourself whole, yet deny innate parts?, Zangetsu said, bringing himself into the conversation.
Turning to Shiro, Ichigo said, "So all those times you tried to take over?"
"It was the best way to motivate you," he shrugged. "I knew it would make you work harder, train longer, and strive higher. That can only take you so far though. Do you really want every tough battle to end with me saving your ass?."
Shiro wanted this to settle in Ichigo's head. 'I can't do this part for you, king. Come on,' he thought. He wanted to be part of a completed soul. Though he had despised the end result, the feeling that Shiro had felt when Ichigo had activated the final Getsuga Tensho was something beyond compare. The power, the acceptance, the...sense of completion that all parts had felt was something he wanted to feel again.
Ichigo was...not surprised. He knew. Somehow, he'd always known. Shiro was part of him. He got that, but he never understood it. Shiro was not some other entity, a homicidal hollow that took up space in his soul out of pure coincidence, rather he was part of a whole.
Looking back, ichigo was able to see all of the hollows attempts to take over in a different light. Shiro was striving for survival, for acceptance. He was not one entity trying to assume control, but an asshole part who knew how to get the job done when needed.
"Screw you! You're the asshole!", Shiro said, hearing Ichigo's thoughts. "Do you get it now?"
"I do. You're me," he said, then turned to Zangetsu, "as are you." The realization brought an enormous sense of peace to Ichigo. For so long he had been fighting what he did not understand, yet now the answer seemed so simple.
"Then do what needs to be done to bring us closer to completion, Ichigo," Zangetsu said.
Ichigo simply nodded, somehow knowing what to do. Raising his sword to Shiro's heart, Shiro mirrored his actions. Zangetsu began to dissolve from his perch, flowing equally into both swords.
When he had fully disappeared, Ichigo's sword glowed bright blue, the spiritual pressure of the sword crackling. Ichigo then added his own power, feeling the now familiar surge through his body and into his sword.
Shiro's sword was blindingly white, with black wisps of reiatsu flaming off of the edges. He added his power, drawing back up into his Resurrecion form.
Ichigo looked Shiro in the eye, then exclaimed, "Shiro, Zangetsu: from now on, though separate, we are one!" When he finished, both he and Shiro pierced each others hearts, creating a massive reiatsu explosion.
As Ichigo held onto his sword, he could not break eye contact with Shiro. Yet, as he held on, a massive surge of pressure seemed to be invading and straining every fiber of his being. He felt as if his bones were going to shatter under the pressure.
After a few moments, Ichigo felt a particularly vicious heat pass through his body. While it was intense, Ichigo felt no more pain. Trying to hold onto consciousness, he felt as if his entirety was being filled. He felt his reiatsu climb higher and higher, until suddenly it vanished. The last thought to register in his mind as he lost consciousness was Zangetsus voice saying, "Well done, Ichigo."
Yoruichi was having a hard time tonight. She had a dense Ichigo to deal with, and now he, his sword and his hollow were having some sort of come-together meeting. She normally wouldn't worry too badly. Ichigo's track record against his hollow was in his favor, however, with the reiatsu bursts she was feeling, she was nervous.
She tried to focus on one problem at a time. 'What exactly do I want from Ichigo?' This was a question she hadn't really thought through. Did she just want a reaction? Acknowledgement of attraction?
She wanted him physically, that much was obvious. He was gorgeous. 'Even his...no, especially his scars.' Ichigo's scars were like a map of his life. So many battles fought, adversaries overcome, deaths escaped.
Even when he did die, he still escaped. Which reminds me, I will have to ask about his other death.' The thought of ichigo dead...it haunted her. She still choked up whenever she remembered the claw protruding from his chest.
She knew that she had been falling for him, however, as she thought of what she wanted from Ichigo, it dawned on her: 'I love him. I am in love with Ichigo. I don't just want his body, I want his mind, his soul. I want him to have mine, too. Dammit! Why did I have to fall in love with the man with the romantic awareness of a brick?
Yoruichi continued to ponder Ichigo's emotional density until she felt an enormous wave of reiatsu. It's enormity could be recognized through the barrier. "Ichigo!", she screamed, removing the seal and entering once the wave died down.
As she entered, she felt his reiatsu rise again, however this time it didn't stop. It climbed higher and higher, making her knees buckle and her breath come shallow until the reiatsu completely disappeared. She could feel no trace of it.
Her heart clenched as she saw his body fall to the ground. Racing over to it, she cradled him in her arms as she started to get slightly hysterical, crying out, "no, Ichigo. Don't you dare do this to me. Ichigo, come back. Come back! Ichigo!"
"He is ok, Yoruichi. He is not dead," she heard a voice behind her say. Whipping her head around, she saw an old man with long black hair, slightly tinted sunglasses and a jacket that looked like Ichigo's when in bankai walking towards her.
"Takes more than that to kill the king, kitty," a solid white version of Ichigo said, walking up alongside the old man.
"Who...who are you?", she sniffed.
"I guess you wouldn't remember me, kitty, though we did just talk a little while ago," Shiro said.
"Shiro?! How are you outside? Wait, I remember you," she said as she looked to Zangetsu. Memories flashed across her mind from Ichigo's bankai training.
"Indeed. We were able to manifest ourselves due to our recent...agreement," Zangetsu said.
"Then why isn't he waking up? Did he accept you?", Yoruichi asked, looking to Shiro.
"Yeah, we finally agreed to behave," he smirked. "His powers just got a pretty big boost though, so give him a few to adjust, wouldja! Geez, you really can't wait for that scepter, huh?", Shiro asked, cackling maniacally.
Yoruichi's eyes narrowed, but there was no way she was letting Ichigo go until he woke up.
"Yoruichi," Zangetsu began, eyeing her holding his wielder "I would like to ask you a question. This may seem unfriendly, but as I am part of his soul, it is my duty and my right. I will only require a yes or no. Is Ichigo more to you than just a student or a target for your teasing?"
She blinked, clearly not expecting that question, "y-yes," she answered. She was unable to do anything else as Zangetsus eyes seemed to be boring into her very soul. He nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer.
"Very well. I would recommend taking him to get some sleep. He may regain consciousness shortly, but he needs to rest. I understand he has quite an important day tomorrow, concerning his future."
"Yeah, we wore him out. You should know, the old man's even more protective of the king than I am. You better be a good kitty to the king, or else the old boogey man is gonna get you!", Shiro cackled, rolling at his joke.
Yoruichi could only nod, understanding the warning. Zangetsu had still not taken his eyes off of her holding Ichigo. "I promise, if he lets me, I will take care of him. Thank you for helping him. He missed you both quite a bit. Even you," she said, raising an eyebrow at Shiro.
"Yeah yeah, just get him to bed. We're gonna go back now. Talk soon, kitty." With that, both figures began to fade, seeming to just disappear into Ichigo.
Looking down at him, she noticed that his form was different. While his body was the same, his clothes were exactly like they were when he had his final confrontation with Aizen, even though Zangetsu was still the massive cleaver it had always been. His black jacket that he wore while in bankai was now missing the right sleeve, leaving his muscular arm visible. 'Very nice,' she thought as his scarred chest was also visible in the long v the jacket made.
Assuming he would not be able to walk immediately, Yoruichi picked him up, carrying him bridal style out of the cave. As she arrived back at the Shihoin estate, Ichigo began to stir. When she arrived at his room, his eyes opened slightly.
"Yoruichi?", he said, his voice thick with exhaustion.
"It's me, Ichigo. I'm just putting you in bed," she said as she laid him down. She turned to go, knowing she should probably give him his space after all that had happened tonight.
However, before she could take a step, a large hand weakly grabbed her wrist, "please, Yoruichi...stay. Don't go, please," Ichigo sighed. She turned, expecting him to have fallen into one of his nightmares, but she saw his eyes slightly open. He weakly pulled on her arm, and she laid next to him. He used his remaining strength to pull her closer to him.
She slightly blushed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He had never done this consciously before, and the gravity of that fact was not lost on Yoruichi. She couldn't stop her mind from going into overdrive as he passed out on her shoulder. Sighing, she ran her fingers through his hair, smiling at him. '
I hope this means you're coming around, berry. Please tell me you love me like I love you.' She continued her hopeful thinking as sleep eventually overtook her.
a/n: ok, my incredibly amazing readers, another "poll" of sorts. This time, I want to ask for suggestions of a really nasty zanpakuto. Not as in gross, but as in hardcore, VERY tough to fight. I may be needing it later on in this story... If you have suggestions, PLEASE PM ME INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN A REVIEW! I will most likely want to message back and forth and PM is by far the best way. Things I'm looking for are name and meaning, shikai and bankai. Thanks to all who offer ideas, you all are awesome!