A/N: I hope you guys enjoy! Please, Pleaseeee, review. Feedback makes my heart smile. Also, If you're liking this story, I'm also writing another ByakuyaXIchigo fic, it's going to be a lot shorted and a lot less intense than this story, but I still think it's really good. If you want to check it out, the first chapter is on my page!

Good vibes!

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Juushiro retuned his sword to his sheath quickly, "I'll end this in one shot." He put one arm out, palm facing Aiko.

Pursing his lips while nodding in agreement, Aiko looked the opposite of intimidated. "Ah, hado I see. Not what I was expecting, but an admirable choice." The man smiled slyly while he talked casually, as if the two were simply sparing. "But it's to be expected, you won't be easy to beat. But you know, I can out maneuver any Kidou you throw at me." Aiko rose an eye brow, readying him self for Juushiro's attack.

A huge amount of spiritual energy formed around Juushiro's palm, like blue lighting. "Running won't matter If you have no where to go." With that, a magnificent amount of power rushed from Juushiro's palm towards Aiko, who was still looking rather bored. The energy didn't just effect the target, but everything around it, turning the back wall of the warehouse to complete rubble. Knowing that Aiko could truly maneuver around the hado, he predicted his line of movement while using clouds of smoke to shield his own movements. Reading Aiko's movements, he drew his sword, intercepting the rouge. Sword lifted above Aiko's back, he prepared to swing as Aiko turned his head over his shoulder. The man's docile eyes seeming to tell Juushiro it was okay, yet in that moment, he hesitated. Something about seeing his old friend like that, not looking like the murderous man he became, but the gentle idealist he use to be, hindered Juushiro.

Seeing Juushiro's hesitation, Aiko grabbed his swords with an indigent scowl. Juushiro's big green orbs blinked in surprise."I guess you're still just a coward with empty words. How disappointing," the man growled slightly, lifting up a leg and kicking Juushiro back with extreme force. So much force that the man started coughing up blood. Looking down at his old friend, he just shook his head sadly. "You're not even worth killing."

Ichigo rushed to Juushiro's side, kneeling down beside him while he scolded him self inwardly for never learning how to do some basic healing kidou. "Captain, are you okay?"

He shook his head yes while wiping some blood from the creases of his mouth. "Yes, my illness has been pretty bad lately, and I suppose it's catching up to me."

Not missing a beat, Ichigo stood to his feet. "Rest, if you're already weak from sickness, you need to leave this to me." He looked over his shoulder at the man with a warm smile. "Besides, all that truly matters is that he's taken down." Juushiro, though feeling ashamed of his hesitation, decided Ichigo was right. He'd only get in the way as of this moment. Looking back at Aiko, he proclaimed confidently, "Leave it to me. I'll end this."

Before Ichigo could act on his declaration, a flash of blurred lines moved across his line of sight. When the blurred lines became discernible, Ichigo lips curled slightly at the figures in front of him. Byakuya, along with Rukia ,Renji, Uryu, and Orihime, stood in front of him, forming a wall between the man and Aiko. Byakuya's voice came through like rays of sun breaking through the clouds, shifting the atmosphere around him. "You're wrong Ichigo, we're all going to end this."

At the sight of his friends acting as human shields, Ichigo smiled wickedly. It wasn't that he needed protection, they knew that. This was their symbolic way of telling Ichigo that he didn't stand alone, that they would protect him, just as he did for them. Quickly, he flash stepped, adding him self like a brick to the preverbal wall. Taking his place beside Byakuya, he couldn't help but to think it felt right. Despite what had happened between the two of them and the cornucopia of mixed emotions, Ichigo knew he was suppose to be there fighting beside him, and that's exactly what he'd do.

Noticing the younger man beside him, Byakuya smiled gently at Ichigo before jumping into his captain role. "Orihime, I want you to offer long range support from the back and heal any injuries, starting with Jushiro.

"Right!" Orihime agreed, rushing towards the white haired captain.

By now, Ulter, Jessie, and Selim returned. They had vanished momentarily to avoid the hado blast. Aiko snapped his fingers authoritatively, "you all know what to do," he proclaimed, not even facing the three.

Selim jumped up and down in excitement while she blurted out squeals."Master! Master! I wanted to get my hands on-." She pointed towards Uryu and licked her lips seductively, to which he just grimaced. "I just want to infect him."

Aiko scoffed momentarily before swiping his sword through the air. "Enough! You are to do as I said. You're with the Ice queen."

Rukia let out an annoyed huff while poking out her lip, "why do I get the crazy one?"

"I've seen tumors more appealing than her," Uryu scowled, preparing him self.

All of Aiko's dolls moved into action, Rukia, Renji, and Uryu jumping off after them. By this time, a whole wall was missing, giving the soul reapers plenty of open space to battle. Afterwards, it was just Byakuya and Ichigo standing in front of Aiko. "And he's ours," Byakuya stated flatly while looking at Aiko's breezy stature, seeming in no rush to get this battle over with.

Ichigo looked up at Byakuya apologetically."You we're right about Jasper.." He spate out the next words like they were a mouth full of nails, "I'm sorry."

The raven haired man cocked an eyebrow while throwing the man a sideways glance, and giving him a wry curl of the lips."If I was a different man, I may have said, I told you so."

Ichigo gave a breathy chuckle as he rolled his eyes."Because it's so unlike you to be arrogant."

Byakuya quipped sardonically, "I would never."

Huffing, Ichigo threw the man a twisted look. "How about you use that smart mouth of yours to come up with a plan."

Just being able to talk with Ichigo in this simple manner refreshed and filled Byakuya with resolve, reminding him just what he was fighting for. Withdrawing his sword as he addressed Ichigo, "I already have one."

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Uryu stood behind a large piece of broken rubble. He crouched down on the cold dead grass, breathing lightly to not give away his position. Peeking over the rubble, he saw the girl standing among the debris, just waiting. She wasn't hiding or trying to be strategic, it was as if she wanted to lose. Unless it was a trap to lure him out or reveal his position. Falling back on his analytical nature, he decided to leave nothing to chance. He needed to access her for a while. Drawing his Heilg Bogen, Uryu shot arrows at her with five second intervals in-between, using his Hirenkyaku to change positions quickly. Ulter easily deflected with her blood spears, yet made no attempt to counter. She must have some clue on the Quincy's pattern of movement. Why hadn't she retaliated? Especially when her spears were close combat weapons. So, keeping distance made little sense.

Deciding to up the difficulty on his little test, Uryu flashed even faster, now sending arrows at an almost unmeasurable amount of time. Just as he though, the girl had already predicted his movements. She'd move her spears to deflect before the man even sent an arrow. She really was a genius. Although, that still didn't answer his question. Forming a theory, Uryu tried one more thing. This time, instead of aiming his arrow at Ulter, he aimed his arrow at Jessie, who was battling Renji no more than twenty years away. At the sight of Uryu's arrow, Ulter dawned a look of of concern before propelling her blades through the air, not needing to move to knock the arrow off course.

"Huh, I was right." Uryu spoke to himself, adjusted his glasses slightly before walking out from behind his shield.

Uryu walked out, still yielding his Bogen, yet keeping it lowered. At the sight of the man's defenseless manner, Ulter jumped back with uneasy. "What are you doing?" Ulter asked cautiously.

He spoke flatly while still holding his bow in a non threatening manner. "I'm doing what you're doing. If you don't want to fight, than neither do I."

Her seemingly put off face slipped into her normal blank glare. "How did you know?"

"I may not be a genius but I'm pretty smart. It didn't take me long to realize that you had ample opportunity to attack me. I only verified it when I saw just how long those spears could shoot." Raising an eye brow, he smirking slightly."You could of attacked me without ever leaving that spot."

Scrunching her nose, she looked at the boy like a mystical creature. "It only took you five minuets to figure that out, maybe you're more genius than you think. Still, it's pretty stupid to lower your weapon during a fight." She grimaced at the man once more, still holding her own spears somewhat defensively.

"Lowered, but still out." A pause."Besides, that just shows how confident I am in my assessment ."

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"First Dance, White Moon" Rukia commanded as Selim was within the scope of her attack. Slashing the air, an ice circle encompassed the young girl. Entering within the grasp of frozen pillars, Selim slashed her scythe into the wall of the ice pillar, melting the ice around her instantly.

Rukia fell back at the impact of her attack crumbling around her. Gathering her self quickly, she wondered how Selim destroyed her attack with a mere scythe.

"She must be using some kind of poison," Rukia guessed while summoning her third dace: White Sword. Charging at the girl, she attacked, only to be blocked by Selim's scythe. Her Ice sword completely melted away at the impact, much to Rukia's surprise. Quickly, she flash stepped away before a counter could be made. "How is she stopping all of my attacks so easily?" Rukia muttered.

"I don't have time for a chemistry lesson in the middle of battle, dear," Selim quipped smugly. "But if you're any kind of intelligent, you know what happens to water when it comes in contact with a ton of sulfuric acid."

The light switch tuned on as Rukia let out a grimace of realization. Sulfuric acid was like a sponge to water, heating it at rapid rates until the water completely dissipates, but such a large completely pure amount would be needed to deflected water in a frozen state. "I thought you dealt in poisons?"

Twisting her hair with a grin, she began bragging."The reviser of chemicals in my arsenal goes past what you can imagine," she sighed pleasantly. "Besides, what is poison anyway, when you reallyyyy get down to it? It debilities, hurts…kills." She drew out her words with murderous intent. "And what happens when you put Sulfuric acid on someones skin?" Readying her self for another attack, she held out her scythe, "Let's find out."

Rukia couldn't use her Ice and she certainly couldn't use her Bankai. Thought it probably be more than enough to stop Selim in her tracts, it would effect all of her comrades in the process, as it froze everything in the vicinity. Returning her sword back to her sealed form, she prepared to fight.

'I'm going to have to fight this girl's in ways she wouldn't expect. I won't be beaten by this doll.'

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The vertebrae portion of Renji's Bankai unfurled from around his waist, sending the tail like blade flying at Jessie. Both men were surging throughout the air at full speeds. Jessie was now in his bird-huminod form, arms morphed into gigantic wings, golden with black tips, which allowed him to gather large amounts of wind, and use the element as a defensive measure against Renji's attack. He retained most of his features, except for a hooked beak, able to emit crushing amounts of sound waves into a condensed ray.

Flying through the air, he countered, letting out a high pitch vibration that shook the foundation. A ray of pure sound wave missed Renji by an almost ridiculous amount. Renji was starting to come to the same conclusion Uryu did, this could go on forever because this guy wasn't even trying. He put all his efforts into avoiding Renji's attacks, which he did flawlessly. Considering Rejin didn't get pleasure out of having to kill people, he found it hard to keep a resolve to cut this man down when he wasn't even trying to attack him. Each of his attacks were so obviously off course and completely random, yet his complete focus on defense left him with no openings.

Both men were floating mid air standing a distance apart, yet face to face. Renji prepared another attack with his vertebrae sword. Only to put on a confused scowl and lower his weapon slightly at the sight of Jessie only half paying attention to him. He was giving a side way glance to where Ichigo and Byakuya were. At this, Renji gave a sigh of disbelief."Oh come on,dude!" Renji boomed out, to which Jessie snapped out of it. Jessie gave Renji a look like he had forgotten what he was doing, but then suddenly remembered. "You're not even looking at me!" Renji whined out. "If we're going to fight, at least do me the respect of trying."

Jessie's form transformed back into his normal self. Placing a hand behind his head, he rubbed it awkwardly while giving a slightly apologetic look."Oh yeah," He smiled slightly. "If you need to try to kill me, then I understand." He yawned slightly while stretching. "Although, all this fighting is really a drag, doesn't really interest me."

Renji ran his strong fingers throughout his crimson hair out of frustration and disbelief. "You're suppose to be the one who wants to kill me!" He threw his hands up in defeat, "What kind of bad guys are you?"

Chuckling slightly, he shook his head and his equally flaming locks tussled through the wind. After giving a side way's glance to Ichigo, he looked down pensively. "I've been asking my self the same thing. All I know are two things." He spoke while still glancing towards Ichigo. "I'm a bad guy who's trying to do the right thing…and," He looked back at Renji playfully while smoothing his florid hair with palm of his hand. "I'm a bad guy who rocks the red hair much better than you."

Being the total sensitive dope he was about his hair, Renji pointed his sword at the man with resentment. "Hey! Don't compare this masterpiece to that shag carpet glued to your dome!" He blurted out venomously. "I change my mind, I'm going to kick your ass."

Smiling in amusement, Jessie rose an eye brow at the man."Okay, I'll try to make it more interesting for you this time around."

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"Let's hear it," Ichigo urged Byakuya, already wielding his swords in anticipation.

He spoke seriously while never taking his eyes off of Aiko. "Getting to close to him is out of the question. Just one touch and all of our efforts are lost. You can do long distance attacks but while you can do two at a time, I can do thousands of attacks within one attack. He's fast but theres no way he can evade my Senkei."

Ichigo grabbed Byakuya fiercely by the bicep, ready to object. "Are you crazy? That'll leave you completely defenseless. You'll be trapped with him."

Pulling him self out of Ichigo's grip, he gave a look that flexed his authority, "It's the best chance we have of no one getting touched by his zonpakuto. Besides, he'll have no chance to touch me." He spoke confidently.

Ichigo growled at the man,still visibly at odds with the idea. "You're just always so fucking cocky, it's going to kill you one day."

"You're one to talk," Byakuya quipped before sighing deeply. He looked vehemently at the younger man, to which Ichigo felt an warm intensity run through him,"Don't you trust me?"

The answer left his lips before his mind even had time to register it. "Yes." He scowled at his own answer before looking at the man with pitiful eyes. "Fine, just don't go getting your self killed."

Ichigo started backing out of Byakuya's attack radius. "Look who you're talking to, child. I won't be taken down be the likes of him." Byakuya spoke smugly, giving Ichigo an odd sense of encouragement. He knew this was Byakuya's way of comforting him. "Stand out side the perimeter of my attack, if he somehow managed to escape, I want you to be watching my back."

To this Ichigo smiled, now observing from a safe distance. "I'll always be watching your back," He muttered to him self, watching Byakuya prepare his Zopakuto.

Aiko, who had been standing patiently, held his sword out while laughing like a lunatic. Surely losing the last screw he had in tact, complete under the possession of hysterical giddiness. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to destroy all your love." He stammered through rapid breathing and booming laughs. "Especially yours,Byakuya, with all your fake resolve. You're the weakest of all, such a victim to your love, such a glutton for pain, just like I was." He finally caught his breath, masking him self with a murderous glare and a lick of the lips. "I was going to keep Ichigo as a doll, but I think I much rather just kill him, all so I can watch it destroy you." He egged the man on, anticipating the attack.

Aiko's words made every cell in his body burst with a lethal rage. Yet, he stayed completely composed, like the calm before a storm. Drawing his sword, Byakuya cut his palm, and let the blood drop on Senbonzakura. Holding the blade upside down, he called upon it's power. "Senbonzakura, Annihilate." As the words left his mouth, his sword vanished into a rippling translucent pool. Around the two soul reapers four rows of luminous swords, each filled with the sheer power of the deathly petals, floated in a magnificent display. The blades combusted into a spectacle of vivvd aerial Sakura blossoms, soaring towards Aiko. Such a grand display it was that Byakuya could barely see Aiko's movements himself, as he fought against the entrapment, finding little space to maneuver. For a few moments Byakuya lost Aiko. He was moving at such a speed that he'd never experienced before, other that from Ichigo. His eyes tried to track him, but it proved impossible. Still, he knew it was only a matter of time before the petals hit Aiko.

"This is fruitless, you'll never escape the clutches of my Sakura b-" Byakuya's words were cut off at the unexpected sight of Aiko's presence right before him. It happened so quickly that he had no time to prepare. One instant there was a flash of green hair and the next, Byakuya felt the brush of a cold tip on his chest, merely floating above his heart. Within an instance, Byakuya's Bankai dissipated, and he was left standing, sword in hand, with Aiko's sword pressed against his chest. All Byakuya did was stand there as Aiko gave him the most diabolic smile of victory.

The grand display had caught everyones attention. Uryu, and Renji, who were no longer fighting, came flying towards the scene. Selim had also been preoccupied by the fight, leaving Rukia an opening to punch the girl hard, sending her flying back. With that, Rukia raced towards her brother.

'The person Byakuya loves most in the world is Rukia.' Ichigo thought frantically, now concerned with the safety of his long time friend, fearing Byakuya may attack her. "Orihime," Ichigo turned around and yelled urgently. "Put a barrier around Rukia, ke-" Ichgio heard the loud screams of his friends and the warmness of blood before his body fully felt the steel blade of Senbozakura sticking through his stomach. Almost as soon as it pierced his skin, he felt it exist with a force. Ichigo stumbled a few feet forward before falling, only to be caught by Orihime's Santen Kesshun and quickly teleported back to where she was stationed with Juushiro. She took no time time in healing the man while Juushiro used a kidou to place a barrier over the two.

As Byakuya pulled the sword from Ichigo's stomach, his eyes widened with terror. His body filled with a bloodcurdling sickness, only aided by the feeling of Ichigo's blood on his skin. He grunted loudly out of pure force. Completely willing every muscle and cell in his body to turn away from the man, and drop to one knee. Out of pure resolve, he forced his hand to let go of his sword, fighting the pure instinct to murder the man he loved. Aiko just laughed at the sight, as if it was cute. Thinking it no more than a pathetic attempt to fight against his powers.

By now, Renji, Rukia, and Uryu were standing behind Byakuya, faces mixed with terror and resentment. Ichigo was still completely conscious, more so than ever, watching from a far. Orihime's comforting words telling him he'd be healed soon.

Aiko batted his eyes at Rukia like an innocent child and poked out a lip. "Don't feel bad, Rukia, It's not that your brother loves Ichigo more than you, just-" He picked up his sword, running a finger over it, examining the blade with admiration. "In a different way. She affects a very specific type of love. A love that infects every part of your begin, shatters your life, and can cause you just as much pain as happiness. A love where, if you could, you'd give that person your whole existence…my victims rarely go after family members."

"If you think that's whats bothering me about this than your more sick that I though," Rukia spat back, grimacing at the man.

He only dignified the words with a slight chuckle before bringing his maniacal gaze back to Byakuya, who was still fighting with every ounce of power to stay down. All of his veins were bulging as a red fire filled him. "I see you're still trying to fight against my power. I wont lie, no one's ever been able to for so long, impressive, but let's see how long you can keep it up," He curled his lips challengingly.

Straining against a force much stronger than gravity, Byakuya grabbed his sword slowly and with caution. Grasping the hilt between his two hand, both trembling fiercely, he pointed his blade at his own chest.

Rukia, now filled with dread, started towards her brother. "What do you think you're doing!?" She yelled.

Grunting out, his words were straining just as much as the rest of his body. "No, stay back Rukia!" He demanded in a voice that yielded no argument. At this, Rukia hesitantly stepped back, deciding to honor her brothers wishes.

Aiko seemed a little throw off, not expecting these actions from the man. His shock quickly melted into amusement. "You're going to kill yourself?" He mocked the man. "Oh, this is better than I thought. Either way, I win. If you die, all the love that boy feels for you will turn into hate and resentment!" He boomed out, his words almost like a challenge, as if he was trying to call Byakuya's bluff.

Yet, Byakuya didn't falter. He continued to hold the tip of the sword to his heavy chest, struggling with every breath. His voice was constrained and uneasy as he addressed the man with his whole body aquiver. "You're wrong. So wrong.," he grunted out, to which Aiko threw him a quizzical look. "I've spent so much time running from my memories, ignoring all of what Hisana taught me. I shamed her memory by letting all this time go to waste, I.." He struggled with his words, still fighting the urge to get up."I was a fool, but Ichigo, he's never been like me." Now looking at man more intensely, the treble of his voice shaking the air around him. "If I die here today, If we all fell by your hands, he would never let our memories go to waste. He would use that as a driving force to protect others. Do you know why, Aiko?" He asked rhetorically, not giving the man time to respond. "Because you can't kill love, no matter what happens to the people you care about, those people stay with you forever. It's just your choice of what to do with that love…I understand that now." He held the hilt of his sword tighter as Aiko gave him an indigent glare. Yet, instead of driving it into his chest, he turned the sword upside down facing the ground. "I know Ichigo, and I know the light inside of him can't be so easily extinguished," he boomed out before driving his blade through his foot. Despite the extreme pain of steel piercing layers of muscle and bone, Byakuya merely winced.

Aiko's parted lips and glassy eyes dawned a look of surprise, which quickly melted into a mixture of rage and amusement."You think you're so cleaver, dotcha?" Aiko boomed out, deliriously pulling at his hair. "Causing your self extreme pain to negate the effects of my Kidou, oh, how smart of you." Now entering an offensive stance, he prepared to bombarded the man. "But let's see you run from my attacks with a sword through your foot!" The rabid man raged before starting towards Byakuya. Only, he didn't take a step before his movements were cut short. Looking down blankly, he saw the blades of two swords sticking through his abdomen, crossing each other as they existed the ripped flesh. In such awe he was, he barely felt the pain as his eyes floated over his shoulder.

He saw the troubled, yet resolved faces of Ulter and Jessie as they pulled their swords from him simultaneously and he fell to his knees. Ulter looked over to Jessie somewhat apologetically. "I know you didn't want to do this with Selim around, but we were running out of time."

Jessie simply nodded, never taking his silver orbs off of Aiko's frantic features, both starring at each other with an honest intensity. "I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't know that."

Hands holding his wound, Aiko looked down at his bloodied hands with astonishment before turning his shaky features back to Jessie."You did this…" He struggled on his words as he chocked on the blood filling his mouth."Because of him…because you love him?"

Jessie's face was like stone, showing no emotion other than an intense seriousness. "No," he replied while shaking his head. "That's not why I did it, it's just how I gained the courage to do it."

He smirked slightly, even in his near death state. "He doesn't love you, you know that, right?"

"That's never what matter." Jessie spoke frankly. "When you gave me the mission of watching him all that time ago, I realized something. Ichigo was so steadfast and determined, warm and filled with light. I realized what it was like to love a person with pure intent, to give up anything for that individual." He paused momentarily, looking at the trembling man in front of him before continuing. "Aiko, the love we feel for you is like the love a victim feels for their captor. You stomped us down, twisted our minds, and completely ripped apart our Identities. You were all we knew…,the only love we knew… We never felt as if we had a choice, like there was no life without you, but when I started to fall in love with Ichigo, I finally understood.." He paused, rubbing the sole of his thumb across Aiko's cheek while still looking blankly. "That was the love I chose, I have choices. So, no, I didn't do this because of my love for him, I did this because that love gave me the strength to set you free, to realize I can exist without you."

"It's okay, Aiko, you're free from all your pain. You can go now." Ulter added on, just as somberly.

As if he finally realized the ineludible doom of his situation, a look of shock, mixed with relief came over him as a few tears sprinkled his face. "Thank you," he mumbled before falling backwards from exasperation. Falling into a comforting lap, he looked up to see the warm gentle eyes of Juushiro. "Old friend," he whispered, his lungs shuttering and stalling.

Juushiro fixed his warm gaze on his friends fading eyes, seeing glimpses of the Aiko he use to be."Yes, I'm here with you."

Noticing the wretched looked veiled by a tender smile, Aiko grabbed the man's hand. "You know…I was wrong, you're not a coward." He blinked his dimming eye repetitively, letting the saline from the left over tears sting his face. "Not being able to kill someone who you care about…doesn't make you a coward, it just means you have a heart. I always knew your heart was the biggest part about you, I'm just glad… you know it too."

He grabbed the hand of his friend tightly. "If only I had known it sooner, maybe.."

"It's okay, Juushiro.." His words faded in and out. "I think I always wanted it to play out this way. I wanted to be proved wrong. Besides..you don't need me..you're a true man. Plus, you have that drunk fool, Shunsui. Though I don't know if that gives me any comfort." He spoke softly as his body felt lighter, and all of his pain dissipated.

Jushiro gave a breathy chuckle."He's the Captain-Commander of the Gotie 13 now, he's grown so much."

"Hopefully he won't run the place to the ground."

Shaking his head back and forth with a smile, a few tears squeezed from the corner of his dewy green eyes."You haven't changed at all."

"I give him a hard time… but I always knew he'd do great things." As his weak eyes turned into deep pools of murky wisteria, he spoke his last few words through shuttered breaths while reaching his fingers tips to caress Juushiro's pale face."..but..you always were my fav..ri.."His word's slipped away along with his last bit of consciousness. As his hand went limp, Juushiro held it to his face momentary, squeezing his eyes shut, and taking in the last moment he'd have with his old friend. After a few brief moments of composing him self, he lied down Aiko's lifeless hands and stood up.

Throughout the whole scene, Selim had been in such utter shock that she didn't move, not once. Not when Aiko was stabbed or as he lied dying. It was as if her mind couldn't fully accept what was playing out. Instead, she stood there with cracked lips parted, and her hands shaking around the hilt of her sword. It wasn't until Juushiro stood up from Aiko's corpse that something snapped. It was as if every emotional reaction that had evaded her came crashing in like a tsunami. Tears came flowing down her cheeks as she raised her sword over her head, running towards Ulter and Jessie in a crazed fashion. In one singular motion, Jessie moved past Ulter and caught Selim by the wrist. For a moment, she stood there with an indigent glare, just staring at Jessie with hate in her eyes. Then, that hate turned into anguish in the forms of sobs. She clutched her teeth and cried hysterically while she dropped her sword and resulted to pitifully beating Jessie's chest. The man stood there with pitiful eyes, letting the girl pound on his chest, to subdued by wails to do any type of damage. "How could you do that to master? How could you Jessie, how could you?" She just repeated her cry of anguish over and over until her arms gave out and her throat started burning. "Why why why…" Her words fell off as she fell into Jessie's arms and down to her knees, sadness now taking over.

Holding his sister tentatively on the cold warehouse floor with his chin resting on her lowered head, he tried to comfort the women. "Selim, listen to me. I know how much this hurts you, but please understand, what Aiko gave you wasn't real love. I remember you before Aiko, before the soul society, you had so much life in you. Aiko manipulated you, no, both of us. Stripped us of every possibility we had in life." Garbing his sister by the forearms and shaking her slightly, she looked up with her red drenched eyes mixed with shock and pain."Now we have choices, we can do anything we want and we will, Selim." Seeing his sisters face settling into something more calm, he continued. "We're in this together, we'll make a brand new life."

To Selim's surprise, Ulter knelt down beside the siblings, cupping Selim's hands with her own. "And me too, I know I haven't know you two long but you're like family to me." Ulter gave the girl a docile smile. "We're all in this together." Ulter's calm face dawned a twinge of shock as she grabbed her chest. "Do you guys feel that?" She looked over to Aiko's corps. "It's gone, his curse is really gone, just like that. Do you two feel it too?"

For the first time, Jessie allowed him self to cry. They weren't the ugly sobs one expected at moments like these, but a constant flow of tears down a completely blank face. He scowled slightly while shaking his head and placing his hand to his chest. "You were only here with us for a month." Looking up to Selim, she gave him a knowing frown, completely understanding what he meant. "We were with him for over five hundred years. The love we feel for him…" His sentence trailed off slightly, trying to force the words out of his tight throat. "It started off forced…but after all that time, it became real.

Sitting back on her heels with hands pressed down on her tights, Selim wiped tears away that were quickly replenished. Her cracked voice finally found its was out of her mouth. "I still feel it too..I still feel it too."

Setting his jaw, he pulled his sister head back into his chest while holding both Ulter's and Selim's hands. "Damn-it you fucker," he growled, trying not to lose composer. "I really fucking hate you, you know that?" Jessie cursed, obviously talking of Aiko.

Finally, Ulter stood up, holding out a gentle hand for her comrades. Both took the hand with apprehension, yet hope, standing to compose them selves. Juushiro approached the group with a tender smile. "If you'd like, there is a place for all of you in the Gotie 13. I can make sure of it. Especially with your help in stopping Aiko, the Seritie is grateful to you three."

All three looked at each other, as if trying to verify the legitimacy of the offer or if it was what the others wanted. Jessie was the first to speak up. "I think that's a great idea."

"Yeah." Ulter added, "after everything with Aiko, I think I'd like to spend time helping people."

A newly healed Ichigo, who had observed the whole affair from a distance, was now finding his footing. With the help of Orihime, he got his shaky legs to support him. Still in pain from the attack, he grimaced while holding his abdomen. "Gz, how many times can a guy get stabbed through the liver and live?"

Orihime chuckled slightly. "If it was anyone else, zero times."

"I believe you have much more to do with that than he does." Byakuya's placid voice shocked the girl slightly, lifting to see the noble giving her a slight smile.

Seeing the not-so-discrete glances being exchanged between the two, the girl blushed slightly. "Oh, look at the time," she said, looking down at a wristwatch that wasn't actually there. "I have to be…" She stared rushing away quickly. "Anywhere but here."

Ichigo had heard every syllable of Byakuya's heart tugging speech, yet he still didn't know where that left the two. The ball was completely in Byakuya's court, Ichigo had already met his cheesy quota for the night. Byakuya knew how he felt, so it was up to him to decide what to do with that. Placing a hand behind his head, he rubbed it awkwardly. "Um, so, now that the mission is over you can return home." Ichigo spat out, not to sure why those were the words he chose to say at a moment like this.

Pursing his lips for a moment, he gave Ichigo a look that was somewhere in-between his normal stoicism and a coy smile. "Actually, I have some unfinished business to attend to first"

Raising an skeptical eyebrow at the man, he asked, "what business would that be?"

A slight blush painted the older man's face, Though he approached the situation with such confidence that Ichigo couldn't even tell."I have to make up for wasted time." To Ichigo's surprise, he took his hand and pulled the boy closer. Byakuya was usually so private, and didn't abide open displays off affection. However, in this moment, he wanted Ichigo to be left with no doubts about how he felt towards him. He wanted to tell Ichigo that he was his without having to say it.

"Byakuya.." He managed to mumble out before his mouth met Byakuya's for a brief yet passionate kiss. He pulled away quickly while blushing horribly and dawning a scowl to veil his embarrassment. "Hey! Just because you stabbed your self for me doesn't mean I forgot how much of an ass hole you were, and what's with this kissing me in front of our friends like that? You know-"

Byakuya interrupted the man by grabbing the nape of his neck, and touching their foreheads together. "For once, would it kill you to shut up, you foolish, foolish, child," he spoke before bringing Ichigo's lips back to his, his strong hands cupping Ichigo's face. This time, Ichigo didn't dare move away. His world melted into that moment.

From a distance, Uryu, Orihime, Renji, and Rukia, stood practicing their voyeurism. With arms crossed and widened eyes, Renji let out a slight gasp, "Is that really Captain?"

Clapping her hands slightly while bouncing on here heels, Rukia let out a bubbly giggle. "Look how happy brother is."

Uryu made a look of slight disgust while giving her a side ways glance. "How can you tell with his mouth unhinged like that?l" Rolling his eyes slightly. "Gross."

Orihime joined in Rukia's cheering, tearing up slightly, "I think it''s adorable."

"I'm not sure if their kissing or trying to digest each others faces," Uryu quipped.

Renji boomed out, while smiling widely, and shoving his friend playfully. "I'm all for it, get it captain."

Orihime laughed hard while Rukia just shook her head and put an arm around her husband. "I'm pretty sure you shipped Byakuya and Ichigo more than we did."

Shrugging his shoulderes, he replied. "Hey, I'm down for anything that will mellow the captain out. You didn't have to deal with him like I did."

At this, Uraraha and Yourichi flash stepped into the warehouse, and behind the group. "I guess we're late to the party," Uraraha said, taking in the surroundings.

"You think?" Uryu spate out with his usual snark.

Yourichi smiled playfully. "Oh stop whining, it looks like you guys didn't even need our help. Besides-" She cut her self off at the sight of Byakuya and Ichigo still lip locking, gasping slightly in response and pointing to the two men. "HOLY SOUL KING." She boomed out.

"Now Yourichi, you know it's rude to point," Urahara reminded, giving her a playful smile.

"Screw rudeness, this is like seeing a unicorn or a dragon or something. Of course, I'm going to point!" She shimmied in her spot, doing a slight victory dance. "Especially with this being all my doing." She put her nose up in the air and smiled smugly.

Urahara scoffed slightly "You really didn't have that much to do with this, ya know-"

"Nonsense!" She balled up her fist and held it up victoriously. "When it comes to feelings, those two baboons are like a rowboat without oars, completely useless." To this, Urahara just shrugged his shoulders in agreement.

"We'll, as heartwarming of a sight this is, we really need to leave before any police show up. Someone is bound to call after all the destruction." Uryu interrupted the groups spying.

Sighing deeply, Rukia lifted her hand to volunteer. "I guess I'll be the one too break up the love fest." At this, she flash stepped to the two, and cleared her throat awkwardly. Both dawned a look of slight surprise, mixed with embarrassment, as if they forgotten where they were. Neither of the men were particularly fawned of public displays of affection, but considering the situation, they just couldn't help them self. Though Rukia giving them the biggest smile, mixed with a bright redness, only made their embarrassment worse.

Clearing his throat, Byakuya gave Rukia a stern look. "Rukia, I demand you to stop looking at us like that at this instant." Byakuya demanded, trying to compose him self.

Holding her hands up defensively, she tried to contain her smile by pursing her lips, much to her failure. "Hey, I'm just here to tell you we have to get going." She turned to walk away, but turned to add on quickly, "Anddd that you two are adorable. Okay, thats all." She ran away like a child in trouble.

Giving Ichigo a side ways glance, he put out his hand. "Come on, lets go." He said, smiling lovingly at the man.

Ichigo returned the gesture, grabbing the man's hand, and walking back over to the group.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Upon returning to Ichigo's apartment, the two stood passively giving each other glances. Byakuya had his back leaned up against the couch with his palms firmly on the cushions. He was giving Ichigo a serious look, who was tussling his hair awkwardly, sheepishly adverting his eyes and trying to find something to say. This nervousness was something he'd never felt before, not to such high levels. Usually, he could say anything to his raven haired companion, conversation was breezy and flowed as naturally as the ocean tide. Yet, now he was tongue tied, paralyzed by a racing heart, and flooded by doubts. This was new territory for the man. What was he to say or do, where did they go from here, and how would a relationship between the two work? So many questions came to mind, but each one seemed dumber than the last, never seeming like the right thing to say. Ichigo was rash by nature, never really giving much thoughts to things before they happened, but with this, it was to important for such audacious behavior. Falling into the flow, head first, of their progressing relationship could be easy, but Ichigo could tell this relationship would be anything but. They literally came from two separate worlds, and each had responsibilities they couldn't simply give up.

The distance wasn't the issues, seeing as a wave of their swords could transport them to one another, it wasn't what one would consider a long distance relationship. However, it was the rules on such matters. How would the elders of his clan feel about their relationship, about their constant travel between worlds, what was the legality of this relationship? Most importantly, in the face of opposition, what would Byakuya, a man who has always been so ruled bond, choose to do? Ichigo wasn't ready to ask these questions, perhaps because he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers. After all this time, he was done playing games, so he understood that these were topics they'd have to discuss, yet he couldn't at that moment. In this brief epoch of time, he wanted nothing more than to indulge in Byakuya, fall into him and forget about all the complications their relationship will cause. For the moment, he wanted to just enjoy each other without the stress of the impending future, he felt as if they deserved that much.

Still, all this was new to him, he felt utterly embarrassed. He had no previous relationship experience to fall back on. Though, he wanted to condemn him self for not dating around more in college, getting some experience, he knew that wasn't the man he was. When he was with someone, he really wanted to be with them. This wasn't about passing time, or gaining experience, it especially was more than a physical connection, it was the the real deal. His feelings towards Byakuya were authentic love that Ichigo knew people felt so rarely, he himself had never experienced anything even close to this.

For those reasons, his hands shook and his heated face lit up like a fire cracker. Ichigo bit his lips and looked at the man with such earnestness. Sure his longing was clearly slathered across his face, he adverted his eyes in a panic. This only made him more frustrated, frighten his intricacy made him look like an indecisive child.

In a need to do something, Ichigo pulled Byakuya in closely, and at the sight of Byakuyas smug grin, he gave an embarrassed scowl before he pressed a sloppy kiss on the mans lips. Ichigo could feel the smile on Byakuya's lips as they kissed, which caused him body to melt into the mans arms.

Byakuya found ichigo's blushing face and urgent features to be enchanting. Such a rash man with the heart of a warrior he was, that seeing such an innocent and demur side to Ichigo was a rare and endearing sight. The younger soul reaper was always so confident and steadfast, never doubting his ability to accomplish the impossible. Yet, here he was, shaking with nervousness at this uncharted territory. Byakuya couldn't help to smile at man's chasteness and apprehensiveness. Though, Byakuya had always know Ichigo to have this pure child like side, it wasn't to often he got to indulge in it.

Byakuya felt as if Ichigo had always known him self so well, he lived without doubt because he was always true to his heart. If either of them had doubt it was Byakuya, how could he be without it when he was constantly denying the things he truly wanted? However, being with Ichigo had reminded him of the man he once was and wanted to be, it gave him courage to claim the things he wanted, and Ichigo was something he wanted. Feeling more like the man he had been in his past, a man who confidently went after the things he desired, he knew he would posses Ichigo's heart and merge their lives together. Without a doubt, Byakuya knew what he wanted and just how to posses it. Where Ichigo failed in this category, Byakuya had more experience, and confidence. Now it was his turn to give Ichigo courage and wipe his doubt away.

Of course, he wasn't completely fearless him self. He fully comprehended the adversity their relationship would involve. He also knew his abilities as a lover were somewhat rough and unused. Still, now when he looked at Ichigo, he couldn't help but take such a big leap. Together, he was sure their relationship could endure.

Byakuya once again pulled the man from his lips, but this time, he held him close to let him know that he wasn't walking away from him. Ichigo lip's twitched with lust, only mere millimeters from the raven haired beauty. His crimson creeks huffed and he let out shaky breaths of desire as his honey orbs begged the man for continued contact. "Byakuya.." His voice was faint from passion, straining from his nerves."Why did you stop?"

Byakuya looked down at the longing eyes while holding the man tightly against his broad chest. He spoke confidently, but with a warmth that he usually held back. "I want you, Ichigo. However, I want to do this right. I want to take you on a proper date before we go any further."

If Ichigo didn't feel like he was bursting from the seams, he'd probably find the gesture extremely charming. However, years worth of pent up sexual frustration was bubbling at the surface, threatening to eat him whole. He threw his head back slightly with a roll of the eyes. "Why do you gotta be so old school?" he grimaced at the man.

Clenching the man's forearms tightly, he pulled his face a little closer, making Ichigo burst with nervousness. Byakuya licked his lips slightly before continuing, "if I was as old school as you say, we'd be married before anything happened between the two of us." Ichigos eyes widened at the statement, to which Byakuya loosened his grip slightly and did something he rarely did: Blush. Embarrassment was clear on his face, truly mortified by the implications of his own words. It wasn't as if he him self found the idea off putting, he knew Hisana for merely three days before he proposed. Yet, things work differently in a noble family, theres a different type of culture, with varying traditions. Clan leaders don't usually date, its quite normal for marriages to happen so suddenly, yet Ichigo was a human, and these traditions didn't apply to him. For people of the living world, these things happen much more gracefully, and with a lot of time invested. Also, Ichigo was a virgin to the world of serious relationships, he'd needed time adapt.

Still, Byakuya was sure of one thing, both men seemed to be playing for keeps. Meaning, both loved each other and wanted no one else, they wanted a life with each other, whatever that life entailed. Even though Byakuya knew this, he didn't expect for Ichigo to be ready for such seriousness so quickly, and his statement may have conveyed otherwise. Trying to compose him self, Byakuya back pedaled, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded, um- actually I."

Ichigo sexual desired seemed to dissipate momentarily, switching out for a burst of laughter. He let his hand rest on the small of the mans back, giving him gentle comfort. He looked up at the somewhat comical orbs, which dawned a slight scowl. "I understand what you ment, it was just your usual matter of factness." Ichigo laid his head on the man's chest, noting his increasing heart rate. Byakuya was nervous just like he was. "That's one of my favorite things about you." He closed his tiered eyes, sighing in contentment. "I guess, if I've waited this long, one more night won't kill me," he growled in frustration, pushing his head deeper into the man's chest.

Byakuya lifted the man's chin with the tip of his finger before meeting their lips for a moment. Still holding Ichigo's chin, he looked at the man warmly. "It'll be worth it."

Grimacing slightly, Ichigo pulled his chin away. "Yeah, it better be. Gzz," he unraveled his self from Byakuya's embrace and started walking towards the stairs. "If you need me, I'm going to be drenching my self in cold water, good night." He waved casually, trying to contain his desire for the man.

At the sound of Ichigo stifled complaints as he marched up the stairs, whining and huffing about how horny he was, Byakuya just shook his head in amusement.

'What am I to do with you, Ichigo?'