Ice cracked and shattered at my command. It wouldn't do to leave this mess for the residents to clean up, the ice might not melt for months. I made quick mental notes of the damages, to be sure no one suffered unduly for this stupidity. Turning to check on the wounded, I noted the healing talent of one unseated soldier for follow up. All of this to compose myself, to give me time to distance my emotions just a little. Otherwise I might just hurt this so-called officer. Finally, I went to face him and the rest of the squad, waiting where I had commanded them to stay.

"How could you be so reckless? If this was an attempt to be noticed, congratulations, you now have my undivided attention."

The nearby squad members did not need to be told that my calm, even tone was much worse than shouting. They all felt my anger, and a few had backed up before steeling their nerves. I knew that the 9th seat was ambitious and disappointed that he didn't get put in charge of a bigger or more experienced squad during the recent restructuring. Evidently, he was too stupid to recognize that having responsibility for training was a compliment, an undeserved one it seemed. Likely, his head was swelled with his perceived importance, the man was a 'secret' informant for Kuchiki. But to go so far as take a small patrol of mostly unseated, unseasoned fighters against a Hollow of unknown strength was unforgivable.

"What were your orders?" His head was high, neck stiff and he looked more angry than contrite.

"To track down the Hollow responsible for the disappearances in the 32nd district, Hitsugaya-taicho." He did have the sense to flinch when my eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"12th seat Sadow, what were your orders?"

"Hitsugaya-taicho," the young woman stepped forward confidently, "to patrol and gather information on the recent deaths in the 32nd district and to report any findings or unusual occurrences."

The overly proud 9th seat glared at her but she did not back off, meeting his stare levelly. What a contrast.

"We were not ordered not to engage the enemy, taicho. It was just one Hollow."

One step forward and the man lost his nerve, backing up awkwardly. I practically hissed at the fool. "You will not make me quote standing orders. One Hollow? Two of your squad are seriously injured. What exactly do you think would have occurred if I didn't happen to be checking patrols today?

"9th seat Amari, you are suspended until further notice and confined to Division grounds. I strongly suggest you hold your tongue until summoned to explain your actions. Sadow, your squad is relieved. Report to Matsumoto-fukutaicho on your return."

Seriously, being a captain is like being a babysitter. And almost every one of these men and women is older than me.

No matter, Academy graduation was in a few months, and this year I planned to put everything into recruiting the cream of the crop. Perhaps I'd have open try-outs for seated positions like Ichigo had done, the hope of quickly earning a seat would draw top graduates. And it seemed to be working for the 5th. That Division was getting back on its feet quickly. It would be years before the shadow of their former captain stopped looming over them, but with Ichigo in charge they could face down anything.

Just thoughts of how proud I was of my beloved turned my mood back around. My hand went to the gift he had given me. The gorgeous Imperial Jade dragon pendant was now hung on a silver chain around my neck. I caressed the smooth stone as I had caressed his supple skin. It was a good thing the squad had left and the locals were still hiding. The fearsome ice captain was standing in the middle of the street with a silly grin on his face petting a necklace.

"Toshiro?"

The expression 'jump out of one's skin' sounds ridiculous, but describes the feeling quite accurately. My heart was in my throat and my hand on my hilt before I registered his identity.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

I forced myself to relax. It was easy sometimes to forget just how experienced Ukitake was. His disarming mien hid skills one should expect in one of the oldest and longest serving captains. I had distracted myself for mere seconds and hadn't sensed him coming. Here, where I had just fought an admittedly simple skirmish, I had let my guard down. I deserved a scolding worse than the one I had delivered to the foolish officer.

"Ah, not at all. I was just . . . lost in thought. Were you looking for me?"

"No, I suspect I was doing the same as you, checking on the reported issues. I have patrols in the 30th district. But I sensed reiatsu, a fight I thought."

Really. The sickly captain of the 13th who hardly ever went into the field just happened to check up on a routine Hollow hunt on the same day I did. Without any back-up. Okay, I was here without any back-up but I had ulterior motives, and so must he.

"One of my patrols cornered an Adjuchas, I just finished it off. Hopefully that's the end of this particular problem."

"Well, that is good news. I'll let my men know."

"Very good. I'll be on my way then."

"Toshiro, while I've got you, how have you been?"

"Pardon?" Uh-huh, just happened to be 30 districts out, and now asking about my health.

"I don't mean to pry, but, well, I have noticed some major fluctuations in your reiatsu lately. And it seems different, stronger."

And your informant in the 10th perhaps noticed the periodic use of strong barriers? Maybe witnessed a discussion or two between me and Ichigo?

Hang on, this was Ukitake. If reading him was this easy, there was only one reason for it. He was showing his hand deliberately. What then? Was this a show of support, honest concern for a friend, sounding out another captain's power? Or was this a warning? He was telling me what he noticed, which means he was telling me what others noticed. My thoughts only took an instant, but I deliberately hesitated before answering. It was an acknowledgment, letting him know the message was received even if I wasn't entirely sure the exact purpose.

"I have been training extensively. A strong opponent like Ichigo does allow for more advanced training than was possible before."

"It would, at that! I'm glad nothing is wrong."

Hmm, might as well further my own agenda rather than let him have every advantage.

"And while I have you, Ukitake, Matsumoto and I have been training, as well. I will soon be seeking a new second. Is there any particular reason Kuchiki Rukia is an unseated?"

Ukitake was probably doing me a great favor, and I felt a little guilty at his look of discomfort and surprise. But the issue needed addressed, and dammit, he had seriously pissed me off.

"Well, if you must know, I am aware that she could achieve a decent rank. However, there is the matter of her brother."

"I would have thought the Kuchiki clan would expect rank."

"As would I. Yet I was asked to give the younger Kuchiki some time, perhaps just in light of the dangers she recently faced. Oh, I almost forgot. Happy New Year, Shiro-chan! We really must catch up over tea soon."

And just as suddenly as he'd appeared he was gone, leaving me holding a thin package wrapped in gold foil with far too many delicate ribbons. How did he do that? His hands had been empty. Did he have a hidden dimension in a pocket where he stashed gifts and candy just in case he ran into me?

I had intended to continue through Rukongai to the furthest edges of the city. 2000 years is a long time, there would be no trace of the manor house. But based on the surrounding landscape I had some ideas of its location and a nagging desire to see if I could find it. I also planned on having it out with Hyorinmaru somewhere far from Seireitei. But those plans were discarded and I headed back at a fast pace.

Ukitake had traveled far out to deliver that message, so it had to be a warning. I had been noticed. He was right, huge power gains were hard to hide. And even if I could explain that and reiatsu surges with training, there were other signs. Hell, a couple of unexpected blizzards were enough to raise an eyebrow or two. Yamamoto had watched the wielders of Hyorinmaru gain power, then turn on the Gotei or on Heaven itself. He had put them down one after the other. Unohana had been one of his original captains, the very same who had thirsted to fight the King's Tatsu, the very same who had wielded the chain that strangled a long, white neck. Kyoraku and Ukitake were the old man's first students and longest standing captains after Unohana. All of them must be watching, getting more nervous as my power grew.

Fuck! I know what I would conclude if I were on the other side of this. When I first gained my haori I might have been the weakest captain along with being the youngest. Ten years in, I doubt anyone but Zaraki would have easily dismissed me as weak. Twenty years in and I could hold my own against all but the strongest. But now everything was changing quickly. Not only was it obvious that I was gaining power, I had Ichigo. There was no one in Seireitei more potentially dangerous than my beloved. If I were the one watching, I would be very nervous indeed. I would assume that the enemy was getting ready to make a move, stockpiling power while acting normal.

Why they waited to imprison or kill me is the only thing I couldn't quite get a grasp on. Could they just be hoping that this time would be different, after so many of my past selves turned traitor? Why would Ukitake tip me off? Sentimentality?

Suddenly it was not at all surprising that the child prodigy had quickly become close to the senior captains. I felt a flash of hurt, which I quickly suppressed. Then I chided myself for falling for it in the first place. I thought I was so clever, working to gain the favor of Kyoraku and Ukitake. They probably laughed that the job of keeping an eye on the new Heavenly Guardian was so easy. Just some naive kid, sitting down to dine with the cannibals.

Skidding to a halt on a shoddy, high peaked roof I calmed myself, letting the cold catch up with me. My mind worked more quickly when I was upset, but conclusions reached in anger could not be trusted. I focused on the snow, the way it made even this slum clean and beautiful, lining the rundown shacks and untended weed patches with pristine white and colored crystal. At least until it was trampled and dirtied underfoot by the self-important, filthy masses of humanity, as all things of beauty must eventually be.

How bleak. This is why you don't trust enraged thoughts.

First, see Ichigo. Just see him and you will regain your control.

Second, find the one move that none of them will predict. Turn the board in your favor. I will not lose this time, tyrant.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

The morning had dragged a bit. I knew that this was necessary work, and productive. But squad training was already tedious; I far preferred the one-on-one sessions. I was sincerely thankful that I was an exception to the norm. Training through the Academy and years of this to climb through the ranks, I would have ended up crazier than Hat-and-Clogs. But the afternoon held promise. I had laughed when Hinamori pointed out Renji's name, scrawled across two of schedule slots for a personal training session with yours truly.

I would skip out on kido. That would give me an hour before lunch to myself. Catch up on paperwork, or sprawl on the couch and think about Toshiro and all that we had learned, time would tell. Hinamori was far better at teaching kido, anyway. She had been shocked and flattered when I signed myself up for individual training sessions with her. Then I had been shocked by how much I still had to learn. Toshiro was right, she was the best I had worked with since Yoruichi.

Yanking my attention back to my job, I sent Hinamori to help the older Date. His younger brother had a knack for leadership, but the elder wasn't as quick to catch the small errors that could quickly build up in a squad. That was the point of this. The officers trained the squad, and I trained the officers. The fact that I had never been trained this way didn't seem to stop me from seeing and understanding the strengths and weaknesses. Toshiro had said it was a gift, a natural talent, whatever you preferred to call it. I wondered if perhaps my soul remembered a little more than it should, like Toshiro.

It was delightful to think for a moment that I'd conjured him out of thin air just by thinking about him. There he was, standing on top of the dojo near the training grounds, staring at me. And good god was he pissed off. I panicked for a second, mind scrambling to figure out what I'd done wrong. But I didn't sense that he was mad at me, he was just mad. Steaming mad. I cocked my head to the side in inquiry, and my eyes went wide when he reached for the hilt over his shoulder. He tossed his head in a quick upward gesture and I grinned, an electric thrill waking every bored-to-death nerve.

"Clear the training grounds!" I bellowed in a clear, joyful shout. "Hinamori-fukutaicho, gather any officers with kido skills. We're going to need some very strong barriers. Division 5, feel free to witness, at your own risk."

Some paused to follow my gaze to the roof, and saw the tightly controlled but menacing nimbus of reiatsu glowing white around the formidable angel drawing his sword. Shinigami scattered in all directions as Toshiro vanished and reappeared at one end of the long rectangle of the arena, sword drawn and crouched with a feral grin widening. I took a moment just to soak in the vision of my glorious love, then started moving to square off, drawing my blades as I walked.

No words were spoken as we waited, sensing layers of power building between us and the rest of the world. Toshiro was like a cat tensing and shifting weight one leg to the other in anticipation. I knew my eyes must be glowing, Zangetsu was tensed and drooling, his unearthly laughter stretching my nerves even tighter.

At last a singularly powerful barrier snapped into place within layers of supporting strength. With no particular art, no flash steps or kido or any trickery, we sprang at each other like two predators intent on tearing apart their rival with no regard for what damage they might take. The fact that we could truly kill each other was pushed aside.

Toshiro could take me if we obeyed the rules in a polite, skilled swordfight. Add hakuda and I had slightly better odds. Add kido and he would annihilate me. Add Bankai and I would annihilate him. But this . . . Toshiro had stepped onto my playground and kicked dirt in my face.

Never had I fought quite like this. Grimmjow with his obsessive destruction and lack of restraint came close. But Toshiro was far beyond the big cat in skill and cunning. My duel with Toshiro had been a measured contest, a battle of techniques and strategy. Compared to that beautiful ballad, this was a discordant mess of noise and fury.

He was pouring reiatsu into his blows, and I matched it. Sparks and blinding flashes of energy followed every clash of blades. Lightning fast flurries until one of us managed to get through an opening, the other countered, a moment locked together and growling face to face, a sudden push and back to trying to hack each other to death.

I landed the first purely physical hit. As I broke away from him, spinning to the left, my elbow slammed into the side of his face. He staggered a step with a pained gasp and I faltered. My longer blade that had been coming around to cut at his back stopped as he lifted his hand to his reddening cheek and looked at me, eyes wide and shocked. Automatically I prepared to apologize and console.

His wounded expression didn't change as he swept my legs out from underneath me. Sneaky fucking bastard smiled as the bright edge of Hyorinmaru's blade stabbed toward my exposed stomach. I took the cut on my thigh instead as I kicked him ten feet back and leapt to my feet.

"That's only going to work once, you fucking brat."

He spat blood and glared at me. "Greater men than you have fallen for it." His tone changed, high and pleading, "Oh, please don't hurt me! I'm just a kid and you're so big and strong . . ."

Zangetsu howled with laughter as I snarled and launched myself at the whiny little punk. From there things really got dirty.

Absently I noticed the growing crowd, heard the shouts, gasps and cheers. I felt the strong innermost barrier waver but hold when it knocked the breath out of me after a particularly brutal kick sent me crashing into it. I thought I had him for one second as I caught Hyorinmaru in the slot of my blade, but glee turned to dismay when he turned and stepped into me instead of yanking back like expected, sending me over his shoulder and hard into the ground. His foot came down on my left wrist, breaking it at least once, probably several times. I tried to keep my grip, but he kicked the short, thick blade out of my reach. The time and balance that move took cost him, and he probably did not expect me to use my shattered hand to grab the offending foot and fling him a good 30 feet, sending another shockwave through the barrier.

I didn't go after the second sword, and the flash of reiatsu as my blade crashed into his a few inches from his chest was enough to make us both break apart to circle one another and catch our breath.

"How's the hand, Kurosaki?" He asked sweetly.

"Don't worry, I'll still be able to jerk you off, lover."

His deep growl sent shivers of lust down my spine as the violence was renewed. Unfortunately for Toshiro, I was still more comfortable with one sword in two hands and he started to lose. He tried again to spin closer to me, which I had learned meant a body blow that might be followed by a sword to the stomach or the legs. So, I spun with him and wrapped my free arm around him, already healed hand pulling him off the ground by the neck, his back to my front. He choked and when his sword arm swung back into my ribs I trapped it with my right arm, ignoring the harsh kicks at my shins though I could feel the massive damage.

Turquoise eyes squeezed shut as he gasped for air, and his empty hand stopped clawing at mine and in fact gave my hand a little caress. My brain told me not to let up, but I heard a faint, strangled whimper and my hand opened involuntarily. When his feet touched the ground, he threw himself back into me, turning to add a savage blow to the ribs before leaping back to avoid my sword.

"Twice? You fell for the same trick twice? You must feel like such an ass."

His voice was slightly raw from the chokehold. My voice was slightly distorted as Zangetsu and I both fought not to completely lose our temper.

"Toooshirooo, resorting to such methods is beneath you. Now come here, sweetness. A good spanking will teach you some manners."

I could see the tremor run through him and both hands tightened around Hyorinmaru's hilt. "We'll see who's getting spanked tonight, Hollow."

Insane. We were both completely out of our minds as we slashed and kicked and flung one another into the barrier. At some point, he bit a chunk out of my arm before breaking away when I had him pinned in the dirt. At some point, he paused to wrench his dislocated shoulder back into place after he had punched me hard enough to break my jaw. And still we fought in a horrid, wonderful, filthy brawl until even my reiatsu was wearing thin.

Gasping at the sky, I lay on my back in the dirt with no idea how I had gotten there. Drained to the point where regeneration couldn't quite keep up, I was sore and bleeding from a dozen or more places inside and out. Even Zangetsu was panting between curses and bouts of hysterical laughter. My blade was still clutched tightly in my right hand, I saw, though I could not feel it.

Struggling onto one elbow, I looked for my enemy, only 10 feet away. The pristine haori was tattered and an ugly mix of brown and red. His beautiful hair was even worse, matted with blood and dirt. Head bowed, he was trying to climb up his sword but couldn't seem to get his feet under him and sagged on one knee, the other leg stretched awkwardly behind him.

"Babe . . . truce . . . kay?"

"Nnnn . . . no."

Seriously?

An explosion of breath as his leg gave up and he collapsed, rolling onto his back.

"Fine . . . dammit."

Hinamori wisely waited another minute before letting the barriers come down and rushing to us, Kotetsu and several members of the fourth with her. I closed my eyes and chuckled as she scolded her Shiro-chan for being a suicidal moron. Rangiku's voice joined in the scolding. When had she gotten here? And was that Rukia providing a similar lecture for yours truly?

I wished I had the energy to wave the healers away and let myself drift in the dark waters of complete exhaustion. I could just see Toshiro's face turned toward me in short glimpses between the milling feet. He didn't smile, he rarely did in public, but his eyes told me how completely satisfied he was and I could not stop grinning until one of the healers knocked me out.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Totally worth it.

I put up with the fussing from Momo and Matsumoto because I had no energy to protest. I endured the gentle scoldings from Unohana because, well, she was Unohana. And I gritted my teeth through the irate lecture from the old man because I wanted to keep my job and not spend any time in a cell. Fortunately, I had the foresight to use kido to hide the scars on my leg and neck before the fight, or a cell would have been the least of my worries.

We had not technically done anything wrong. Ichigo couldn't help using Shikai, but I did not and neither of us used Bankai. His mask never made an appearance, and no dangerous kido was used. Proper barriers were in place, only slight damage to the training grounds. But for some reason no one liked to see two captains do their best to murder each other in the most undignified, dirty way possible. They liked the show well enough, they just couldn't bring themselves to admit it.

More importantly, I had accomplished several things. My mind was clear, I knew the next step forward even if I didn't like it. The public display would assuage some of the fears that Ichigo and I were plotting a coup of some kind. Leaving ourselves open to scrutiny and disciplinary action, both being vulnerable and injured, no one could possibly believe we were about to attack the Gotei after that.

And I had proven to myself that I could hold against Ichigo, at least at the most basic level. I was still shocked that I had lasted until his reiatsu was nearly drained. It helped that he still used far more than necessary, pouring a torrent of energy into attack and healing when only a trickle would accomplish the task. His control was world's better than it had been, but world's away from mine. If he learned to economize, to regulate more finely how much power he used, he might be able to fight like that for days.

Finally, let's face it, I had fun. There was something cathartic about a true, no-holds-barred brawl. It had been a very long time since I had even loosened up in a fight, let alone discarded all rules. I had never liked the feeling before, hating the lack of control and the intimacy of showing my true self to another even in battle. Ichigo might be the only one I could fight like that unless I took on Zaraki or his thugs. Ichigo was certainly the only one I wanted to share that experience with.

My injuries were mostly healed, just a lingering soreness from the worst cuts, dislocated shoulder and a couple of fractures I hadn't even noticed at the time. Recovering my reiatsu beyond what Unohana had been able to achieve would take a little longer. I would only spend one night in the 4th, and that only out of courtesy.

"It's about time. I thought you were going to make me come to you."

Ichigo shut the door behind him and walked up with a smile. He looked perfectly fine, the damned cheater. I scooted as far to the side as I could on the narrow bed and soon we lay on our sides, faces close together and arms twined together between our chests.

"How are you feeling, love?"

"Fantastic. That was exactly what I needed. Thank you."

"I'd say any time, but I don't know if I could keep my word. You nearly killed me; that was the best fight I think I've ever had."

"Masochist."

"Hey, I'm not the one who showed up at your training session with a hard-on for pain."

We had both been leaning in, and his lips were soft only for a moment before becoming insistent. Against my better judgment I let him in and so quickly yielded to the heat of his slick tongue. I wanted him so very badly, still turned on from the events that landed us in the infirmary to begin with. I knew that I had seconds only to stop this before I was too far gone. Regretfully, I pushed against his chest.

"Let me take you home," he almost moaned the words and it was so very tempting. I almost heard myself agreeing, what harm really could it do?

"Calm down, beloved. I need to follow at least some of the rules right now, it's important."

Brown eyes narrowed and studied my face. Not once had I denied him. My desire and regret had to be obvious; did it make it easier for him to accept my rejection? Or did he have to try even harder to overcome his own need when faced with my lust? His expression was a combination of physical discomfort and resignation as he sighed acceptance.

Oh, for crying out loud. It's like kicking a puppy.

"Good lord. Fine, but we're not leaving so try to keep quiet."

His eyes lit up, and immediately he was raining kisses on my face. As they went from playful to needy, lips and tongue moving from my ear down my neck, I put a light barrier on the door, hopefully weak enough to avoid notice but give us a warning and a few seconds if anyone was going to barge in. Then I surrendered, reaching for him and shifting to pull that delectable, warm body on top of mine.

Truly I wanted this as desperately as he did, both of us already hard and straining to finish what we had begun in the arena. Just the thought of that fight, so alive and aware of his every move, every intent, it was almost enough to reach orgasm simply from the memory. Add to that his teeth grazing against my nipple as he pushed the light robe out of his way, and I wiggled under him to eagerly part my legs around him.

I arched my back, pressing closer to him as his tongue teased and his hands ran down my sides. My hands went from his hair to his waist, to untie the robe and grant me access. I reached under the fabric to his back, the best place to feel his skin slide over muscles as he bent over me, tasting and biting like he was preparing to devour me entirely.

Absently I noticed him push down my underwear and then I blinked when his hand caressed my cheek and stopped at my lips. How lewd. I knew what he wanted, and groaned as I took his fingers into my mouth.

How had I become this insatiable creature? Mere weeks ago, I would have been disgusted by the thought of doing this, lying in a public space sucking on fingers that would soon be in my ass. Now the thought made me dizzy with excitement, and I groaned again as I shoved my hips up to get just a little relief for the delicious tension building in my groin.

Goddamn demon, turning me into a wanton beast.

Ichigo glanced up from sucking and nibbling my red, raw nipples as I bit down none too gently. He smirked at my glare of hatred and deliberately held eye contact as he moved his wet fingers down between my legs.

"Something bothering you, my love?" His fingers circled and teased and I growled in frustration as my traitorous body moved to spread my legs wider.

"God, I hate you."

"Hmm? What was that?" I yelped as his free hand trailed nails down my side, and he pushed two fingers inside of me at the same time.

"Shhh," he chuckled and made me moan again with rapid strokes of his fingers. "Thought you said we needed to be quiet, Toshiro."

"Fuck off and die!" I knew the second I said it that it was a mistake, and expected a terrible quip about fucking me instead.

"Love you, too." Teeth nipping my chest. "Love how strong you are, how you can be so elegant and so brutal." Soft lips and warm tongue soothing the bite. "Love that you can be soft and warm, then hard as ice." Hot breath moving up to my shoulder. "Love that you're scary brilliant, and so very sexy." A trail of kisses up my neck. "Love that you can't keep quiet, that you pant and moan for me, my lovely Toshiro." That marvelous tongue twining with my own.

I fell for it every time, that sappy tone of voice purring mushy words in between hot kisses. It helped that his fingers had been hard at work the entire time, and I was indeed moaning into his mouth to keep from crying out. The need had been urgent to begin with, and I thrust my erection against him, not caring if he got on with fucking me or not as long as I got what I wanted out of this as soon as possible.

Sensing how close I was, or perhaps in just as desperate a situation, Ichigo moved up quickly. His fingers left me empty and wanting, but not for long. My arms and legs tied me to him. Despite all the rush and want, despite how quickly he pushed into me, his mouth was gentle and warm as he smothered my shout of satisfaction.

He did not, could not wait as he usually did, but immediately moved. Still shaking in reaction to that first thrust, adjusting to the discomfort of so little lubrication, I could only cling to him, could only press closer and deliver more cries into his mouth. We were perfect together, Ichigo unerringly reading what I wanted, where to touch, how hard and how fast to move. So good, so right, such a necessary completion to the give and take of our battle.

My head fell back, needing air and an escape from his heat. My ragged panting competed with the creaking protests of the small infirmary bed, completely failing at discretion. The idea of a passing attendant hearing us and rushing in to check on their patient was both mortifying and shamefully erotic, and Ichigo pressed a hand to my lips as I moaned loudly in tribute to the vulgarity of my thoughts.

Shaking my head free angrily, I pulled him even closer, thrusting against him in rhythm. That did it, the next push of his cock hit my prostate hard and a few strokes later I muffled my scream of rapture by biting into the side of his neck. He groaned and slammed into me, stiffening and then rocking more gently. Through the haze of bliss, I felt the world turn as he lifted me to roll us over.

Only once I had pulled my legs out from underneath him and started to relax did I finally let go of his neck. Not contrite in the least, I licked away the blood and saliva and saw that his extraordinary ability already worked on healing the wound. Dismayed at how quickly the mark would vanish, I drew back and glared at his neck. Even worse, there was that damned tattoo, always present, the brand of ownership that was not mine. Fortunately, Ichigo did not know just how depraved and possessive were the notions running through my head, though he saw my angry glare at his neck. I heard a breathless chuckle.

"Sorry to disappoint, love."

"As if you could ever disappoint me," I snorted at the absurdity of that statement.

While he grinned and even blushed a bit, I made a tired and unsuccessful grab for the tissues on the bedside table. Ichigo's long arm reached for them and he took over the task of cleaning us up a bit and adjusting robes so that we wouldn't be too incredibly offensive. But as for anyone seeing me sprawled asleep on top of another captain, there was a time, quite recently, when I would have been appalled at the possibility. Now, I really couldn't care less.