Hello, my wonderful readers! I'm just getting the last things ready for the next convention =) It's like 4 days away T^T Anyhow, I hope you're all enjoying the fic. I saw that a couple people wanted me to continue with Asylum. I'll try and convert a few chapters today, okay? Soooo... enjoy the update! XD

Chapter 10

Shiro is sitting in the yard when Ichigo finds him, the orange head carrying his lunch out there. This time he doesn't walk the other way, he makes his way to Shiro and sits beside him. The other seems a bit surprised at the action, still praying Grimmjow was lying and he wouldn't owe him yet another favor. Ichigo sighs and picks around at his salad, sending a side glance to the vampire.

"I wanted to talk with you, is that okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"I've been thinking about what everyone's been telling me," Ichigo informs. "I've decided repeating my past, which has ended on a bad note each time because I never did anything different, has to end."

"... What?"

"I'm not saying we can't be together," he states quickly. "I'm just saying that maybe me being marked as claimed is a problem. Maybe that's why I'm always getting murdered, because that mark says I'm your weakest point and no one else can help you protect me..."

"I don' fuckin' need help protectin' ya!"

Ichigo glares at the other in warning, shutting Shiro up quickly. He only just managed to get the other talking to him again... well... Grimmjow did. The last thing he needs is to piss him off again. With a pout, he props his head up on his fist and waits. He's never really gotten used to having to listen to the other. Normally, if something is important enough, Ichigo punches him in the face and demands attention.

The orange head breathes in and tries to relax his temper. Maybe in past lifetimes relationships were seen differently than now, maybe then he was thought of as the 'woman' and depended on Shiro for everything. Perhaps he didn't have the backbone he does now. It's not like that anymore. Now he can take care of himself, he has the training to take out the worst of Nightmares and he's not about to let Shiro set him up on a fucking pedestal like a china vase!

"Things are going to be different this time," he states. "I don't need you to take care of me, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself now. I don't plan on dying again, so things have to change. Shuuhei told me that eternal Nightmares like us take secondary mates, I want Grimmjow as mine. You can fuck whoever you want."

"Whoa, wait a minute," Shiro glares. "Ya never needed one before! Why now? What the fuck did he tell ya?"

"Shut... up!" Ichigo snaps. "If this is going to work, you're going to fucking listen to me! I refuse to be claimed! No one is going to claim me. Not you, not Grimmjow, not Shuuhei... no one! If you don't like that, screw you! Back up and find someone else to dote over! Don't think I forgot the club, you were a possessive prick then and we aren't even dating! I'm not going to delude myself into thinking you'll get better with time or you won't be worse when you claim me, I'm not fucking stupid! We're doing things my way this time, or you can fucking walk!"

"Why do ya gotta bring that pussy cat inta all this? We always been good tagether, no one else needed. Why ain't I 'nough fer ya?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know... maybe because in all my other lifetimes, I was murdered on your fucking watch!" he shouts. "We did things your way, Shiro! Apparently, we never did things any other way but yours! And look where that's gotten me! This is the modern day now, women don't sit home barefoot and pregnant anymore! I'm in charge this time around! You got a problem with that? Or do you love me enough to try changing things up for the sake of my future?"

"That ain't fair, Ichi, ya can' say shit like that. I ain't never thought a anythin' but yer future," Shiro says quietly. "Everythin' I ever did was ta make that enevitable end stop repeatin' itself. Don' ever say I don't love ya, Ichi, I love ya more than anythin' in this fuckin' evil world. Just 'cause I ain't happy 'bout ya wantin' me ta share ya with that fuck don' mean I don' love ya."

"Then I suggest you get your head out of your ass and, for once in my many lifetimes, just fucking listen to me!"

This time, Shiro listens. He listens as Ichigo tells him all his worries, relays all he's learned, mentions all his troubles. He's shocked at what Grimmjow told him, yet knows it's far from false. Though it bothers him that the werecat would see Ichigo's death as a desired escape, he had noticed the other pulling away from him right before each end. Ichigo had started getting depressed, his socializing times were cut short little by little until they finally stopped, and those amber eyes lost the light they began with.

Perhaps this is the way it should be, perhaps this time he can keep from sucking the life out of his soul mate and little brother. With a heavy heart, Shiro concedes to Ichigo's demands. It'll be difficult, but at least he's only asking from Grimmjow... he's always been able to tempt Ichigo away from Grimmjow.

At the end of the day, Ichigo is feeling pretty damn good about himself. He's come to an understanding with Shiro and he still gets to fuck around with Grimmjow... life is beginning to look pretty damn good. As he turns the corner to head down the main street, he's surprised to see Aizen standing in his way. He had thought he set that ass straight before.

"Hello, Kurosaki," Aizen smiles. "You seem happy today... perhaps it's because you found your soul mate? How exciting."

"You're really beginning to piss me off," Ichigo warns.

"I apologize for that, but I find myself in need of your assistance. You see, Shiro is a goldmine of power. He's the only vampire born in all our race... and you are going to get him working for me."

"I don't think so."

"Oh, but I do. You see, I can be very persuasive when I want something bad enough. Either you fall in line and bring Shiro along with you... or you might find your family down a few members."

Ichigo stares at him a long while, the vampire smug at the thought of getting through to the youth. Unfortunately, at the sound of Ichigo's laughter that smugness falls. The orange head can't believe the guy's stupidity! As if he's actually dealing with a typical human, what audacity. He can't help the laughter that escapes him.

The vampire is pissed off at this, stepping forward in a threatening manner. Now that he's aware Ichigo is Shiro's soul mate, he knows exactly how all this will end. He'll get what he wants, or Ichigo will fall just as he has so many times before. If Shiro wants to keep his soul mate, he'll do as he's told. And, thanks to the fact he can tell the other is breaking from this cycle, he knows he'll do anything to keep Ichigo alive. The two Nightmares born to balance the good and evil of the world, will be the ones to destroy that balance.

"I'd love to see how you fair there," Ichigo laughs. "Good luck and all, just... don't go after my aunt, she'll fuck you up and there won't be anything left for me."

"This is not a joke."

"And yet, I can't stop laughing. Perhaps you should go home and rethink your game plan, we can do this again when you're absolutely certain you're ready."

Aizen growls and reaches for Ichigo, the orange head easily grabbing his wrist and twisting it behind his back. It doesn't matter how many times they go through these same motions, they'll always end the same. Ichigo was taught by three different Hunters, all three originals, and each has their own methods of fighting. He's managed to adopt a peculiar method that studies his adversary and adapts to them with ease. He can take out anyone with that method, always adapting to a style that can defeat that of his enemy.

Before he can say anything, he catches the sound of a hum near an alley. Grimmjow is standing there, his eyes glowing in the slight darkness there. It leads to his favored bar where he plays pool on his off days. He always seems do know when Ichigo is near, even more so when he's in trouble, so it's no surprise he wandered out at the perfect time.

"Hey, Grimm!" Ichigo grins. "What's up?"

"I should be asking you that. You need any help, baby?"

"No, I got it. How's the game going?" Ichigo wonders as though talking of the weather. "You win me any money yet?"

"Please, bitch, you know I always win."

"Yeah, unless you're playing against me."

Grimmjow crooks his finger at the young Hunter and Ichigo throws Aizen away to join him. Aizen, though he wants to retrieve Ichigo, knows better than to mess with Grimmjow. He may not have a pack, but he has a fucking load of connections to extremely powerful people. Shiro is only one. Not to mention, the werecat has been alive much longer than the vampire born and his angelic twin. His power is settled in reserves he's never tapped into and the brunette is in no means eager to see what he can do. With a hiss of displeasure, he retreats and Ichigo doesn't even looks his way.

The two head into the bar and the orange head seats himself near the table to watch Grimmjow play. He hasn't yet had the chance to speak with him about how things went earlier, so he'll wait patiently until he's finished. It doesn't take long, as Grimmjow's friends are already tired of getting beaten by the werecat. His opponent is Nnoitra, who was never a really good loser anyway. At the end of the last game, Grimmjow grabs up Ichigo and they head out.

"My place or yours?" Grimmjow asks out of habit. "Wait... I mean... I'm not assuming anything..."

"Chill, Grimm," the orange head laughs. "We can go to your place."

"... You sure?"

"Yeah," he smiles. "Shiro and I discussed it and... we're doing things my way this time around. That means I get to take a secondary and I already promised you the spot. Unless, of course, you don't want it?"

The larger man rolls his eyes with a smirk, grabbing Ichigo around his waist and leading him to his bike. He wonders if he'll have to invite that vampiric ass into his apartment or not. He's not too eager to, as he's not positive Shiro will be able to share the orange headed Hunter. Besides, he and Shiro see Ichigo differently... they always have. Whereas Shiro sees him as his fragile little soul mate, Grimmjow sees him as the Hunter he's grown to be. There's so much more to Ichigo than Shiro lets him be. All these years he's found Ichigo first, he tried to nurture that side of him... that fiery warrior. And then Shiro finds him and ruins all that careful work. This time will be different... it has to be.