The next day

Hichigo had managed to change his promise of 'we talk with Yoshio to 'you Talk with Yoshio' by sneaking out of their billet and hiding somewhere early in the morning.

Anyway Ichigo cared less about it, since he thought that it would be better if his counterpart wasn't around.

The Captain found his assistant outside, doing the laundry.

He waited until the man was finished and then walked to him.

"Ohayō, Yoshio."

The Shinigami smiled at him and greeted back, completely instinctive, but when he noticed who was standing next to him, he blushed and tried to get away.

"Excuse me, Taicho. I...have a lot of business to do."

Ichigo grabbed him on his right arm, when he tried to pass by and held him back.

"What ever it is, it can wait. I want to talk with you."

"Gomen na, Taicho. But it is really important. Please let go!"

Yoshio struggled against Ichigos strong grip.

"Refused!"

Ichigo shouted and Yoshio stopped his struggles and stared in shock at his Captain.

Mentioned ones look changed from angered to soft and friendly.

He put on an inviting smile and said.

"Now would you come with me and have a talk? I think you have a special weight loaded on your shoulders, you'd like to put off."

Yoshio gave in, nodding and followed Ichigo to the vacant Vice-Captain billet, which got to be kind of a place to relax for the Squad members lately.

Luckily it was empty now.

The two took seats on some cushions lying around in the room.

"Now, how are you doing?"

Yoshio looked confused at his Captain.

"What kind of way is this, to start a serious talking, Taicho?"

"My bad. I hardly can imagine how to talk with you about...yesterday."

Ichigo smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head, while Yoshio deeply blushed and grabbed into his Hakama.

"Really, I could care less about what you two are doing. I mean you had Sou-taicho scold you several times already, because of doing these things in public."

"What should he...? Ahh, doesn't matter. I guess, despite you act like you care less, it still bothers you in some way. Your reaction yesterday...I think anyone else would have simply got into the water and told us to get a room or have madly yelled at us."

Ichigos look wandered through the room, finding the ceiling to be very interesting, but forced himself to look back at Yoshio again.

"So do you want to tell me what bothers you?"

Yoshio kept silent for some moments and than told below his breath.

"I can't stand it to see you two together. I feel like someone crushes my heart. Fuku-taicho helped me to erase the pain with the year of vacation and I am grateful for this. But after I caught you, getting fucked by him, the pain came back, even worse."

Yoshio clenched his eyed shut like he was in pain even in this moment.

"I will find a solution, to ease the pain of yours."

When the Shinigami heard those words, images of the past hit him.

"You already promised me this once."

He whispered and with every next word his voice rose.

"You said it five years ago already. So where's your solution? You have none, right?

You just pushed this minor problem aside to deal with the real problems!"

Finally he yelled at Ichigo.

"You stomped on my feelings with treating me like nothing happened!"

Ichigo waited until Yoshio calmed down and answered his outburst.

"Maybe it will be the best for you to resign you to your old Squad. I will take care of this."

He moved to stand up and leave, but Yoshio stopped him.

"NO!"

The 5th Squads Captain took a deep breath and took his seat again.

"Than tell me what I should do. You can't stand to be around Shirosaki and me, but you don't want to be put off of our side either, even if it pains you. Am I right with that? So give me any other choice I could make."

Yoshio nodded and Ichigo looked aside trying to figure out some other way to solve the problem.

Meanwhile Yoshio crawled from his place over to the Captain, when he was just inches away from him he told.

"I have one."

Ichigo looked confused at him, first for the sudden closeness and second for the pleading look in the others eyes.

He only had enough time to shout a small refuse at him, before Yoshio grabbed the Haori and pressed his lips on his Captains.

"No! Yosh-!"

It was the second time the Shinigami kissed him, but this time it wasn't short and shy but long and demanding.

Ichigo tried to shove the man off of him, instead he got thrown over by him.

Where did this strength of Yoshio suddenly come from?

The orange haired gasped in surprise, giving Yoshio the chance to slip his tongue into his mouth.

When the Shinigami slipped a hand under his Captains clothing and let it wander across the well build chest and abdomen, he caused a switch in mentioned Captains head to turn.

Ichigo memorized the violation he had gone through, years ago and fear of this happening again gave him the strength to push his arms between Yoshio and him and throw the man off of him.

Yoshio landed in a pile of cushions, startled about his as well as Ichigos actions.

"You...Stay in your barrack. I arrest you and let you be guarded until I say otherwise!"

Ichigo rearranged his clothes and stormed out.

Yoshio mumbled a "Sorry." before the orange haired left.

'Sorry?'

Ichigo thought.

'Yeah he better should be. Shouldn't he?'

Ichigo was confused about himself.

On one side he could understand the mans feelings and why he acted like that.

On the other side, he wondered why the anger he had felt mere moments ago, already vanished.

It was wrong what Yoshio did, but right now it didn't feel like it.

Should he question his feelings for the man?

'No.'

He was his subordinate, a friend almost a brother.

Nothing more.

Chapter 10

End