I'm so sorry for the little wait… I was without internet for six and a half days! TT^TT

Don't have much to say so I'll go right to it, this will be a rather mellow chapter as bonds need to be built for later on and such.

(P.S.) I don't see Ikkaku being a hard asshole to his friends and loved ones, so pordon if he feels a little out of character.

So here is chapter 12!

Chapter 12: Nobility: Step 2

Bouncing with joy Ganju walked a little ahead of his new older brother. Ichigo gave a safe feeling, he felt so protected around the orange haired man. Guess the name ran true.

He looked back to see Ichigo keeping his eye on him, the man smiled at him when he gave a full blown grin. "Come on Nii-san!" Ganju yelled and ran back to Ichigo to grab his hand and pull him forward faster than he was walking.

Ichigo allowed this as he didn't want to dampen the day. It was like having a little brother again, it was a bittersweet feeling.

They decided to get clothes out of the way first. They walked the market searching for clothes for a while first unaware of the stares they were receiving, word had travelled fast like a wild fire about Ichigo being adopted into a noble family. Soon a store caught the younger one's attention. The store specialised in cloths for toddlers to teens, Ganju ran around and picked all sorts of clothes from casual clothes to formal clothes, yukatas and hakamas as well as odd looking black pants, they were tight near his calf area but loose at his thigh and groin area. Ichigo didn't comment on any of the teen's choices as it was he who would be wearing the clothes.

With a rather large selection Ichigo happily paid and requested that it to be taken to the Shiba manor. The store clerk nodded eagerly all the while staring at Ichigo with wide eyes. It somewhat made Ichigo uneasy, the clerk left to make preparations.

They then walked on to search for clothes that caught Ichigo's eye but yet again they were being watched by many eyes that were wide with awe as if a god was walking amongst them.

In Ichigo's mind he was growling at it, he was so tense he was starting to get an ache in his shoulder and neck, so much for relaxing. "Master?" Hogyoku spoke softly. Ichigo hummed out loud to inform her that she had his attention. He could feel Hogyoku almost fidget in his head.

"The reason you are getting more attention is my fault…" she said softly as if she just killed Zangetsu.

"How?" He asked simply. He heard the female spirit sigh. "My power merged with yours making it more attractive in a sense, more… alluring." Ichigo groaned mentally.

"Great…" He sighed out loud before something or more like a store caught his eye.

Shopping didn't last very long as the man was rather simple in what he would like to wear. They entered the rather large store and were temporarily in awe at all what they saw.

There was such a large array of colours that they simply didn't know where to beginning. Ichigo thought of how they could do this easier. He looked down at Ganju. "Well I don't like bright colours so they're out that cuts down half of the store, I'm on the tall side so I will guess most clothes will be too short for me. So that should make it a bit easier."

They walked though the store Ganju holding the clothes Ichigo picked out like he did for him when he chose clothing. The styles all looked the same as were the types of stares he was receiving, however now that he knew why he ignored them.

It was a casual store so there weren't very fancy things, those they would have to get at another store.

With at least ten new outfits that could be swapped around Ichigo decided he was done. He would in any case be wearing his uniform more than casual clothes. Nodding to himself he and Ganju went to the store clerk to pay and ask for it to be delivered to the manor.

By the time they were done there it was lunch time, looking around he saw food stalls and restaurants all around. "You pick a place to eat." Ichigo said not taking his eyes off his surroundings. Ganju noticed this and wondered why the man always seemed on edge.

Shrugging it off to the man's job Ganju looked around and saw a cosy smaller than the rest restaurant. With a grin he pointed the place out and watched how his choice made Ichigo relax a bit. The man didn't like big places where he was likely to be recognised but they both knew that with his looks and height as well as reputation that suddenly skyrocketed after his fight with Kenpachi it was rather futile.

They were proven right the moment Ichigo ducked his head under the flap over the door. The entire place went deadly quiet. Ichigo looked around slightly confused. Why did it suddenly go quiet?

He heard a laugh more common to a hyena from somewhere in the back, flicking his eyes to the owner. A grin crawled onto his face. "Good after noon, Ikkaku, Yumichika." Ichigo greeted and gently guided Ganju to the table where the other two men sat.

Yumichika was giggling behind his hand. "Do you always have this effect when you go to places?" the feminine male asked glancing around. Ichigo had the whole room's attention. He also saw that the poor man was rather uncomfortable with said attention.

'Well it's not like anyone could help but stare, each time Ichigo is in normal clothes he looks amazing…' the raven thought to himself.

'And the magnetic aura around him doesn't really help.' He thought after seeing that most people looked like they really wanted to talk to the red head but the customary scowl kept them at bay.

Ikkaku looked between Ichigo and Ganju. "So… what are you two doing out and about?" He asked as he took a sip of sake.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace when he felt a nasty knot forming. He looked to Ikkaku then to Yumichika before he got an idea.

"Ah just shopping for some things I need to settle in, speaking of shopping Yumichika can you help me with something?" He asked lowering his hand back down to his lap. The raven haired male sat up more straight at the idea of helping Ichigo, who was now looking around for a waiter.

Once said waiter came and took Ganju and his order he looked back at the feminine male. "I need to get formal clothes but I don't know what to get or even where. I was hoping you could help me out?"

The whole room jumped hell even Ikkaku jumped when Yumichika gave a manly squeal while nodding his head up and down. "So I get to choose?" He asked excitedly.

Ichigo chuckled and looked into the violet eyes of one of his friends. "Just nothing girly or bright." He said leaning to the side so the server could place his food down. Yumichika nodded his head slowly while he thought.

"Yes bright colours wouldn't suit you at all and you my dear friend… there is no way you would pull of a girly look, you're just too manly like Ikkaku." He said jabbing a thumb at the bald head next to him. Ikkaku nodded his head, he too couldn't imagine the other male dressed as a woman and pull it off.

Scoffing with a smirk Ichigo started to eat his lunch with Ganju doing the same, he was curious to the two men before him, they seemed nice. The only shinigami he knew was Kaien-nii and his wife as well as Ichigo-nii now.

Yumichika was in heaven… pure sweet heaven.

THE Ichigo Ku- oh um Shiba wanted his help choosing clothes, this was something he wanted to do since the moment he saw the taller man. Ichigo was so striking that pretty much everything he had the man try on looked good.

Almost too good but the man was simply put beautiful.

Right now Ichigo was looking at himself in a mirror wearing a long male kimono that was a deep near black with a blue shine in it. The material was silk and matched his peachy skin beautifully, the obi he wore was a pure black one and the yukata he wore underneath was a shade or two paler than the kimono. Ichigo was testing how much he could move in it. It was a little snug around his shoulders but loose everywhere else. It showed off his wide shoulders and hard chest.

Hogyoku piped up that he looked dashing while Zangetsu yapped in agreement before agreeing vocally.

Looking down at himself Ichigo twist and turned to look behind him, the back of the kimono trailed a bit behind him but not too much. Looking back he nodded, looking at the nervous shop owner. "I'll take this one as well."

The shop owner was happy, this one his biggest sale this month. The man could probably wear anything in this shop and make it look good but he seemed to have certain rules to what clothes he would wear. There were to be no bright clothes, no over fancy prints or designs as well as not too loose or too tight.

They were now on outfit three where only the first and now third one was chosen.

Yumichika clapped his hands while Ikkaku and Ganju sat and watched.

The flamboyant male scurried off to find another outfit. Ichigo walked back into the changing area, he stripped of the clothes and folded them up, he waited only a short time before two thin arms held out a new bundle of clothes.

This time it was green, a pretty deep forest green yukata that was paired with a pale green hakama that wasn't as flowing or puffy.

He shrugged and got dressed, the obi for this one was a paler green, he had a haori for this outfit and it was black. He slipped it on and stood outside, he didn't take off his shoes or socks so the outfit could be seen finished. Ichigo looked back at the mirror.

The hakama showed off that he had narrow hips, most thought that he was bulky as his shoulders suggested but his hips were narrower compared to his shoulders which were wide.

He got nods from everyone in the room.

"This one as well." Ichigo said and walked back to the dressing room.

Yumichika walked more slowly now through all the silk kimonos looking for one that he had in mind, it was an idea he had since he first saw Ichigo in his long yukata while fighting his captain. The kimonos were all just not what he was looking for, he was about to give up when he spotted something similar to what he was looking for. With a grin he quickly grabbed the silk garment and sought out the rest of the outfit he needed.

Ichigo was getting a little impatient but held his tongue. Yumichika was probably looking for something, just as the thought passed through his mind a bundle was thrust into his arms. He looked down and arched a brow.

The kimono was rather… beautiful he had to admit. It was black at the top but faded to a luscious blood red with what looked like white stripes crisscrossing near the very end. It was rather long as well so it would trail behind him. Getting up and looking though the rest he saw that there was a white yukata underneath similar to those the patients wore in the infirmary.

The obi was nearly the same colour red at the bottom of the kimono. He stepped out making Yumichika gasped. Ikkaku raised a brow while the owner and Ganju's jaws were dropped.

Ichigo looked so regal it was nearly painful. The white yukata was just to cover his chest as the kimono was wide in the area and Ichigo would have shown off most of his chest, Yumichika wished a little that he didn't give the white yukata to the man.

Ichigo ignoring those around him, he looked at himself. The kimono had long sleeves that hid his hands till the second knuckle. Just the end at the floor changed to red, the sleeves remained black. The kimono did in fact trail behind him, more so than the previous one.

He really liked this one for some reason. He twisted again to look behind him, it wasn't too tight as well. He turned to Yumichika and smiled making said man blush a bit. Ikkaku noticed this and felt a jab of jealously but when he saw that Ichigo's smile as purely friendly and filled with gratitude he held in his anger.

He liked Yumichika, more than a friend should but he couldn't help it… Yumichika was just so… fucking beautiful and smart as well. He wanted the male more than just for a quick fuck.

Ichigo saw him from the corner of his eye and he couldn't help the grin that slid onto his lips, Yumichika was now talking to the owner. Ichigo moved closer allowing the train of the kimono to slide behind him, he took the seat next to Ikkaku.

"How long?" Ichigo asked in a hushed tone, Ikkaku threw him a confused stare when he saw Ichigo was smiling at him like he knew something. He got suspicious.

"How long what?" He asked back in the same hushed tone. Ichigo's grin softened to a smile. "How long have you been in love with Yumi?"

Ikkaku's eyes went wide and an actual blush crept onto his cheeks. He looked to the raven haired male and sighed in relief when he saw that he was still talking to the owner. He looked back at Ichigo, Ichigo had an unreadable expression one as he waited for an answer.

Brown eyes met with golden amber. Rubbing the back of his neck Ikkaku sighed. "Before we joined the academy, we knew one another before that. So around twenty five years…" he said and watched Ichigo's eyes go wide.

"So long… why haven't you done anything?" Ichigo asked confused. Ikkaku gave him a dry look. "Look at Yumichika, he's so… out of reach for someone like me." The man grumbled. Ichigo frowned harder making Ikkaku a little scared of the man as the look was directed at him.

"Don't be so fucking foolish." Ichigo said and rose to get dressed back in his normal clothes.

Ikkaku was shocked and a little confused.

Ichigo thought he was being foolish?

Looking back to Yumichika who was now carrying clothes that were to be bought to the counter while Ichigo got dressed. Coming out and handing the last outfit to Yumichika Ichigo said he'd be right there, Yumichika looked between Ichigo and Ikkaku to Ganju, he motioned the boy to follow.

He heard everything but knew saying something to the pretty man would be a bad idea, he still got up and followed after Yumichika.

The red head took a seat next to the bald headed man. With a sigh Ichigo suddenly whacked Ikkaku on his head with a sheathed Zangetsu. Ikkaku yelped in slight pain more shock and looked at Ichigo with wide eyes while holding the tender spot.

"What was that for?" he yelled.

Ichigo gave him a sideward glance. "For being an idiot, a blind idiot." When Ichigo saw the confused face on his friend he shook his head. "He likes you too; you don't see the glances he steals from you when you're not looking. Throughout the entire day he had been looking at you now and again."

Ikkaku scoffed not believing it one bit, Ichigo didn't say more as he got up and mentioned the other to come.

They paid and had it delivered as well. Now walking through the streets back to the rural road back to Shiba manor followed but the other two shinigamis.

Once they got close to where the road made a slight uphill did Ichigo turn and say that it was far enough he couldn't make his friends walk such a long distance back and forth. Ikkaku turned while Yumichika spoke. Ichigo saw this as a chance to prove to his stubborn friend.

He nudged Ikkaku hard but not too hard, it sent his friend straight into Yumichika. The two fell to the ground Ikkaku on top of Yumichika with a thud and connection of lips.

Ichigo smiled while both men were frozen stiff on the ground, Ganju snickered softly behind Ichigo as they watch Yumichika relax into kiss.

Nodding Ichigo turned and started to walk back to the manor. Ikkaku snapped out of his daze and sat up pulling the raven with him, he looked back to see Ichigo already walking away.

"That bastard…" Ikkaku grumbled with a smile. Yumichika blushed once he realised what Ichigo just did.

He started to play with the other man's collar of his uniform near his chest keeping his head down and against the chest of his secret love. Yumichika's head snapped up when he felt the arms holding him up tighten. Ikkaku was looking at him with a small smile he only wore when it was the two of them.

"So… um… can I kiss you again?" he asked softly. Yumichika laughed while nodding. The kiss now actually initiated was sweet but short.

Pulling away they touched foreheads. "That Ichigo is sharper than we give him credit for huh?" Ikkaku mumbled. Yumichika nodded while he rested his head on Ikkaku's shoulder.

They both stood up and started to walk back to the barracks. Only this time it was hand in hand, nobody gave them a second look, it was unknown to them but most thought they were a couple already. The barracks were in a mellow time where everyone was either drinking or sleeping as well. Captain Kenpachi was also doing his paperwork, he only did it once a week as his division as the all muscle group made it so that not a lot of paperwork was needed to be done.

So without any delay the two men walked to their shared room, nobody but Yumichika would bunk with Ikkaku, looking at that was about to happen they couldn't be any happier.

The door was slid shut and locked.

Yumichika suddenly found himself picked up bridal style and carried to the bald man's futon. A bright red blush covered his cheeks as he hid his face in the other man's neck.

Ikkaku was grinning like the cat that got the canary, in some regards he did catch a beautiful creature and he was going to devour it right now.

The soft futon making contact with his back made Yumichika look around to find Ikkaku over him, looking down at him with an unreadable look on his face. "Do you want this, do you want me?" He asked still not believing that this beautiful soul wanted him back.

Yumichika smiled and wrapped his arms around the other male's neck pulling him closer, when Ikkaku's weight was fully on top of him he spread his legs enough for the other to settle there. It was there in that position that Yumichika started a passionate kiss all the while grinding his hips upward into Ikkaku's fast growing member.

Said man groaned into the kiss and grinded his hips in return, the two broke apart for air not stopping their bodies' movements in the slightest. In fact Ikkaku grinded harder when he heard Yumichika's hitching breath near his ear. He pulled back getting a low sultry whine from the violet eyed man.

Smiling down at Yumichika again Ikkaku gave the man a quick peck on the lips before slowly undressing the male beneath him, Yumichika was not built feminine, he wasn't built like Ikkaku either. Instead he was long lean and toned with soft skin that was so pale. Each new piece of skin made Ikkaku harder than before. He never would have imagined that he would be able to hold the love of his life in his arms like he was now.

It was mindboggling to him. It set his nerves on fire.

He undid the obi holding the man's uniform together, slowly the top and bottoms the man wore were slid off. Yumichika undid his hair making the black hair come loose. He now looked up at Ikkaku with half lidded eyes.

Ikkaku was far more built than him with hard muscles bunching together and shifted under his skin as he undid his own uniform. Yumichika sat up while Ikkaku was still between his knees and ran both hands down the ridges of his stomach getting a shiver from the bald headed man.

Ikkaku undressed quicker and soon both were just in their underwear panting already. The need was shown in both men's eyes, the lust mixed with love was strong between the two. So much so that the atmosphere was so thick one could cut it with a knife. Ikkaku pushed Yumichika down till he was lying down again, with a grin he started to trail kissed down the pale skin, the hitch in his soon to be lover's throat made his confidence grow. Starting to add nips with the kisses, Ikkaku lowered his mouth slowly making love bites as he went to claim the man as his.

Yumichika arched and mewled softly aware of the thin walls.

*Yaoi scene removed due to rights and regulations of the site. Sorry.*

A sudden weight on top of him made him wrap both his arms and legs around Ikkaku to keep him on and in him for a few more moments. He relaxed his hold after a few minutes, Ikkaku rolled off resulting in him pulling out.

Too tired to care about the cum running out of him and onto Ikkaku's futon Yumichika laid boneless in his aftermath.

Ikkaku sat up and took his discarded yukata and cleaned them off as best he could before picking up the now slowly falling asleep Yumichika. He laid him down onto his futon and got in next to him. He smiled when Yumichika snuggled into his side in his sleep mumbling something under his breath.

"Yeah… I owe Ichigo a lot…" he said and observed his lover while stroking his black hair which was soft as silk.

Laying there with his loved one in his arms Ikkaku thought of all the possible ways to thank Ichigo but he came up with nothing, he frowned at the ceiling while softly running his hand up and down the other's back. It was like this how Yumichika found Ikkaku when he woke up an hour afterwards.

"What's wrong?" He asked sleepily. Ikkaku looked down at him and smiled, he ran a thumb over the full bottom lip of his lover. "I'm just thinking of a way to thank Ichigo but I can't think of anything. I have never seen the man want something." Ikkaku answered.

Yumichika scooted closer resting his head on Ikkaku's shoulder while his other hand trailed patterns only he could see on the other's chest. He thought about what the other man said, only to find he was right. "I also have never seen Ichigo look at something or even someone… I can't think that he's not lonely… he always looks so lonely when he's on his own. Yachiru told me once that one time in the lieutenants' meeting he was standing at the one corner looking out the window. She said the he had such a solemn look on his face. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders." Ikkaku watched Yumichika as he spoke.

The man looked worried.

"I'm worried about him Ikkaku… he needs someone…" Yumichika locked eyes with Ikkaku. "Maybe we should try and see if we can find him somebody. I think that would be the ultimate payback."

Ikkaku hummed.

He also saw the loneliness when Ichigo though he wasn't looking but it wasn't just that. Ichigo was always so… strict with himself. He acted like the perfect soldier sometimes, so much so that it actually scared him. He knew that nobody had yet to see what the man was truly was capable of.

No Ichigo was hiding more than his loneliness.

It made him think not for the first time of what went on inside the mind of the sixth division's lieutenant.

I am soooooooooooo sorry for the wait but heh our landline got all fucked up and I had no internet connection… TT^TT

I'm so sorry!