I want your love and
All your lover's revenge
You and me could write a bad romance - Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

*Juushiro*

The meeting was over fairly quickly. I was glad since my concentration has been a little divided lately. Akon and I were walking out when Shuuhei reminded everyone that Ichigo was having a going away party over at the sixth. These guys wouldn't turn down free food, and there was a chorus of agreement.

"Would you mind walking over to the party?"

Akon nodded, "I wasn't going to go; I don't know Ichigo or Isshin very well, but hey, open bar is open bar."

"Good," I pulled my bangs away from my face, and tucked my top back in against the cool night, "I wanted to ask about hollowfication."

Akon's non-existent brows rose, "Now that's something I didn't think I'd ever hear a taicho ask about. I know the theory behind Aizen's experiments, and I know how the Hogyoku works."

"I was curious if there is a way to use that research to turn a normal human to a spirit person without the dying part."

"I don't think I like where this is going."

"Please, Akon, I'm desperate."

"Get a gigai." He snorted roughly, "I can make you one that'll leave you just as powerful as you are now, and you can be with Orihime as much as you want."

"I don't want her to lose her memories when she dies. It's then that we can truly be together for a very long time."

"You don't want her to be hollowfied, surely!"

I frowned. No. I didn't. "No, but I was thinking about Ichigo, actually. Urahara did something to him to turn him into a Shinigami, even after Byakuya attacked him."

"Look how that turned out. Urahara was playing with a subject that was already a hybrid, Juushiro. Not only that, but as an outside observer, it didn't work. The boy is damaged goods. He's something that is unheard of. He's human, Shinigami and hollow. He's a walking contradiction. The Vizards are the best of both worlds. Come talk to me once we are in possession of the Hogyoku, and all bets are off, though. Honestly, I'm not sure why Aizen didn't try his hand at turning her when he had the chance. He would have gone far in the twelfth." Akon laughed, but I couldn't even muster a smile. I'm right back at square one. Unless I wanted… "Then again, you could break the oldest Shinigami law on the books."

"I don't know which is worse, Akon. Thinking about breaking her like a doll I can glue together when it's all over, or stabbing her in the heart, and hoping for the best."

"Undoubtedly, being turned into a hollow is worse." Akon stopped walking. "You know, I'll help you do right by the girl. I've grown fond of her smile, but I will not condone hollowfication, so I will not help you do that. I want her to stay here with us, but we're the realm of the dead, Juushiro. She belongs in the world of the living for as long as it's plausible."

"I know. I don't want to leave, as I believe I belong here. But, it's less of a tragedy if I go."

"I'll do the research on transfer of Shinigami powers. It's the biggest taboo we have, but I know that Mayuri-sama did some research on it before the old man shut him down. Just so you know, Rukia-chan was the last Shinigami to break that law. Talk to her about it."

I shook my head, there was no way in hell I was going to talk to Rukia about this. In fact, I wasn't going to talk to anyone but Akon about this. If I was worried about treason before, just the rumor I considering this would be enough to get my ass tossed into the Maggot's Nest. No thanks.

"Let's go get some free drinks, eh?"

Akon nodded, "You can trust me, Juushiro. I'll let you know tomorrow if there's even enough information to make it work for you."

I clapped the man on the back, and we walked into the noisy party. I let my eyes rove around the room, looking for my Orihime. There was music playing, and I wanted to dance with her. If the way to a man's heart is though his stomach, then the way to a woman's was the dance floor. I didn't see her right away, but I spotted Shuuhei on the dance floor, Rangiku wrapped around him like a cheap suit. That looked like fun.

Letting my feet take me into the crush, I talked to a few people here and there. Finding the refreshments, I ordered a Mint Julep. An old fashioned drink, the mint and bourbon go down easier than most, and it doesn't smell bad, either. It's a sipping drink, so I nursed it while mingling. That's when I saw her running like Aizen himself were on her tail.

I reached out to grab the girl, and she tried to jerk out of my grasp. Pulling her harder, I gave her a small shake, "Orihime! What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." She was sobbing. "I have to go, I feel sick."

"You're not sick." I forced her to face me, and lowered my voice, "Tell me, Orihime, let me help you." I walked her the rest of the way out of the party.

"Ichigo…" She paused between breath stealing sobs, "Ichigo, he's a little drunk, and he…" she covered her face, but I saw the blush rising though her hair and fingers.

"He what?" My eyes narrowed as I looked back toward the room. I gently tugged her hands out of the way, "You can tell me."

"Don't hurt him, please? It's over, he'll never touch me again, please, Juu, can you take me home?"

"Touch you?" I made my voice light, "I just want to talk to him, tell me what he did, Orihime."

"Kissed me," She tried to turn away.

"I'll be right back." I wiped her tears, "I'm not mad at you, I just want to talk to him for a minute, no one makes you cry on my watch."

I left her there in the hallway, and that made me feel like a bag of crap, but Ichigo needed to be taken down a peg or six right now. I cottoned onto his spiritual pressure right away, glad for once that the boy couldn't control it. Following the scent, as it were, I found him slumped over a railing, dry heaving. A smile finally pulled my lips up, and I spent time silently laughing at the child. Orihime was right, it seems, and Ichigo couldn't hold his liquor.

"Oh god," he moaned, and looked up sensing my presence, since I was in no way hiding from him, "Oh, god."

"Nope. Not him." I leaned back, he must have imbibed vodka in 'not really' punch. That'll teach him. "You'd better have a damn good reason for doing what you did to Orihime."

"Juu…" he coughed into the water below, and I winced, Byakuya would kill him if he found out he had barfed in his pond. "Ukitake-san, look, no disrespect, but can we talk about this never?"

"Then I will let you off with a warning, boy. I don't care if you drank enough vodka to float the populace of St Petersburg. You touch Inoue in such a way again, and I will personally turn you inside out. Are you hearing me?"

"Shitsurei," He stood, "I am truly sorry, Ukitake-sama. I just lost it, and Orihime, she's special, you know?"

"Yes, I do, but she's not yours to touch that way, Kurosaki. I think she'll live without an apology until she gets home, about a week from now. Think about it."

I left him with that, shivering and looking like a kicked pup. He should be glad I didn't break his teeth. I shook myself, and bid good night to the friends I encountered on my way back to Orihime. I had to make this up to her, somehow. That was the question, wasn't it? How do you make up for something you didn't do?

"Come on," I held my hands out to hers, "You shouldn't be alone tonight. I know it's a little forward of me, but will you stay with me in the thirteenth?" apparently, I was going to completely wing it, "Taicho have two rooms in our quarters."

She gave me her watery, red eyes and a miserable attempt at a smile, "I don't have any clothes."

I smiled back, "It's ok, Orihime. I've got sleeping yukata, and Kyoraku has left more than one pink kimono there over the years." Or you don't have to wear anything at all… Rein it in, cowboy. I cupped her chin, and tilted her face up, "Please?"

When she nodded, I felt so good. Not just, oh, yeah, baby, I'm bringing a girl home tonight good, but the heartwarming kind you can tell your mom about. I briefly wrapped my hands around hers and then dovetailed our fingers for the walk home. She was a little spacey, we didn't talk and we didn't need to.

Getting back to the thirteenth, I opened the sally gate, and led the way back to my personal quarters. I let her hand go when we got inside, and she sagged into the same chair she'd fallen asleep in just this morning. "Thanks Juushiro. I'm just getting so emotionally tired. It's been a non-stop roller coaster ever since I got here. Before that, even."

"Did you want to talk about it tonight?"

She put her finger to her lips, a gesture I'd thought was cute when she was here training, now looked sexy as hell. Damn, she's got me twisted around those fingers already. I was actually feeling sorry for Kurosaki now. What an absolute idiot to let this one get away. "I just want to sleep. I don't even know what time it is."

"It's not even eight, yet." I checked the tall grandfather clock ticking away against the wall.

She laid her head back, her neck a taut line of white that was making my brain short circuit. It wasn't helping that the fingers so lately from her lips were now languidly itching from chin to collarbone. She let out a breathy sigh, "I'm sorry, Juu. I just can't seem to make anything easy these days."

Hell, no, you're making things entirely too easy. "We can't always be our best, and you have a lot on your mind. This week's been tough, no doubt about it. If you want to sleep, though, I'd better go make up the futon."

"Where's the bath?" She stood, and swiped at imaginary dirt on herself, "I'd like to clean up a little, and get dressed."

She wasn't blushing, but I was almost positive I was. "Here, let's pick out something for tonight and then I'll show you the bath." I led her back to my bedroom, and for once I was glad it was dark. I honestly haven't felt like this with a woman for a very long time. I bit the inside of my lip hard, and swung open the armoire. She walked to it with her curious mincing steps. I hope she never grew out of them.

"They're huge, Juu." She pulled the arm of a yukata out before turning back on me, "I can't wear these at all. Do you have a tee shirt or something? We could flash step to the tenth, I won't keel over."

Of course the yukata were too big. I honestly didn't know what I was thinking. That's not honest. I certainly DO know what I'm thinking. I want her bare skin on me. If it's vicariously, I can live with that. There's no stopping the smile that I can feel creeping up on my face. "A tee shirt? Last time I went to the Living World for more than a couple of hours, gigai technology wasn't perfected."

She smiled, "How long ago was that?"

"Well, Urahara-san made the first gigai about 100 years ago."

"You're a dirty old man."

"I'm not dirty."

Her eyes sparkled with girlish mischief, "Then what am I doing unescorted in your bedroom?"

"Besides thinking about taking your clothes off? Sounds like you're the one with the perversion, young lady."

She blushed hard, but didn't avert her eyes like she would have earlier, "Have you seen yourself?" she reached out a hand to pull on my hair, "You're probably right, but that doesn't solve what I'm wearing to bed."

She had me there. And everywhere else. I can only thank whomever watches over me that I had enough years on me not to throw her to the bed and ravage her right now. I ran my hand along the ruffles on her shirt, and she gasped though I didn't even touch the softness of her body. "I suppose it doesn't."

"Juu, I-I It's.." she was looking away, now.

"I am a dirty old man." I smiled at her look of surprise, "It's ok, I'll call Hitsuguya. He'll let me into your room to get some clothes. Why don't you get cleaned up. There's food in the kitchen if you're hungry, tea's in the cupboard above the range. I even have hot chocolate. I meant to give it to Rukia, since she's the one who introduced me to the drink, but it's yours, if you want it." I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand, "I am not going to force you, Orihime, and believe me, it's too soon for both of us. Don't worry, we have time."

She threw her arms around me and I held her tightly. "Thank you," she mumbled into my chest. She increased the pressure, and I hummed into her hair. "You don't have to take care of me, Juushiro."

"Yes, I do." She pulled back, "Not because I think you're weak, but because I think you won't let me unless I force you to." I laughed at the wonder engraved on her features. "See? I hit the truth of it on the first try. Come on, the bath's this way. I'll get some clothes for tonight, do you need anything else?"

She looked in my bathroom, and shook her head, "Clothes will be fine. The box at the foot of the futon has jeans and tops. If you could get me…" she looked at me from under her lashes, "underwear, too?"

Yes, yes I could. "No problem."

AN/ Shitsurei is sorry, formal as to someone you respect or has authority over you. I hope I used it correctly. English just isn't as nuanced as other languages. They've only had one kinda date, peeps. They'll get there. Heck, I've still gotta make 'em tongue kiss. Pants on, everyone. Yay for SS, my beta, I owe you! As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to drop a review!