So before I start with the actual chapter, I made a list of bleach characters that have slackened back hair.

Maybe you'll think otherwise about some of them, regarding their hairstyle, but the list is made by my opinion that they have their hair slackened back.

So to make your guessing who Shiros cousin is a bit more funny and reduce the long list of characters to certain people, here it is:

1. Sousuke Aizen (of course)

2. Zaraki Kenpachi (after the time skip)

3. Ginrei Kuchiki (Byakuyas Grandpa)

4. Aramaki Makizou (Also known as Fuzzy-mustache-kun)

5. Sasakibe Chourirou

6. Hitsugaya Toushiro

7. Shiba Ganju ( under his bandana I believe it looks like that )

8. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques (though he's already out of the game he still has the hair style)

9. Ginjou Kuugo

Now have fun reading the chapter

Ichigo had a hard time falling asleep, to many things kept going back and forth in his mind.
Eventually he tired himself out and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
He had a dream in which he fought formless shadows.
No matter how many he defeated, there just appeared more and more.
He heard a strong but gentle voice talk to him, than his sleep calmed and he began to dream of something else.

…

Dirt. Everywhere. Dirt.
His clothes were dirty as were the streets.
Around every corner there was a new awful, stomach turning stench.
Even the river stank of decay.
He begged the people, dressed in beautiful clothes to share some pennies with him.
He was so hungry.
A man dressed in fine white robes passed by him and he tried it anew.
The man turned around, but he couldn't make out any features.

…

He stood in front of a lovely white horse he was grooming.
"Boy! Come on in. It's lunch time."
He spun around, running toward a great house in whose door a woman with maidservant clothes stood.
On the way inside he came along the man from before and smiled brightly at him.
"Hello, little one. Are you finished in the stables?"
"Yes, Marquis. Lilys fur sparkles like the snow now."
He could see the man smile and ruffle his hair.
"You're such a good boy."

…

"Marquis? Marquis!"
He called for the man, looked for him everywhere, but didn't find him.
The old maid came out to the garden, were he was searching now.
He looked at her and she shook her head sadly.

…

"Come with us young man. You're chosen to be a special soldier."
A middle aged man in armor told him and dragged him away with him.

…

He stood in front of a group of people, they looked like a family.
The woman cowered in the manss arms holding a little bundle close to her chest.
'Why?'
He thought.
He had been ordered to execute them and he knew why, but was that really reason enough?
They hadn't done anything wrong.
The only thing they'd done was being alive.
He apologized to them, than brought his heavy sword down, their blood splattering into his face.

…

Everything was blurry.
He felt week and cold.
Something wet hit him.
He opened his eyes a bit further, seeing someone lean over his face.
Was this rain or was the person crying?
He lifted his hand, but he was to weak to bring it up to the face.
"I'm sorry...that it had...to end...like this...brother."
He forced himself to say and his eyes fell close, breathing began to be difficult.
"Why do you apologize? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone."
Something flowed into his mouth, it tasted strange.
"I'll never let you get hurt again. I promise it Kaien."

...

Ichigo woke with a gasp, dim sunlight hitting his sore eyes and he shut them closed again.
That voice in his dream, sounded like Shiro.
Hadn't he heard the name Kaien somewhere before?
But it had been him who...who...

'It was me who died...in Shiros arms?'

What was this dream about?
Was this even a dream or maybe...
He needed to know what this had been and there was just one way to get the information.
Ichigo dialed a number on his mobile and the line got picked up shortly after.

"Hello?"
"Ishida I need your help."
"Kurosaki?Why should I help you, you sided with the enemy!"

Ichigo sighed.
"Ishida, when have I ever asked you for something?"
He asked, than kept silent, waiting for the young archer to break in.

"Fine. What do you want?"
"I want to know about someone named Kaien."

This time Ishida was the one not saying anything for some time.

"Are you sure?"
"Just bring me everything you got."
Ichigo said and then ended the call.

An hour later his childhood friend brought the information he requested.
What he read, gave his doubts even more nourishment.
He was so engrossed into the documents, that he didn't notice someone enter his room, until the person spoke.
"Ichigo? I got a call from Ulquiorra. That archer boy had been here. What did he want?"

The orangette looked up from his lecture, into black and gold orbs.
"Shiro..."
He sat up on his bed, and the albino took a seat beside him.
"Hm?"
"Do you love me because I am Kaiens reincarnation?"
"What? No!"
Shiro was shocked about that question as well as the doubtful look on Ichigos features.
"Then what's with the promise you gave me? Him! And what you said lately, that you love someone for a long time when you have fallen in love."
The pure blood was at a loss of words and also hadn't an idea what he should do.
Maybe eventually he found the right words to say, so he took Ichigos hands and spoke.
"Ichigo...I love you. I love the you that you are now, not the one you were. I didn't even know you were Kaien when I fell in love with you."
He pulls Ichigo close to him and presses a tender kiss on his lips, when he breaks it again he looks deep into those amber brown eyes.
"You and him have some similarities, yes, but he's nothing like you. He was like a son for me. You are the love of my life, Ichigo."
"Shiro..."

How could he even think for one second that the man didn't love him, but his old self.
He was such an idiot.
"I'm sorry. It's just, I had this dream and suddenly I remember a lot of my past life and there was you and you made this promise and -"
Shiro laid a finger against Ichigos lips, shutting of his rant.
"It's ok Ichi. I understand, you don't need to justify yourself."
"Shiro, I have one question."
"What is it?"
Ichigo looked away from the albinos gentle gaze, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Did you give me - . Kaien. Did you give him anything when he died?"
For a moment the albino Vampire didn't say a word, but than he told in almost a whispering tone.
"Yeah. I gave him a bit of my blood. It's probably my fault, that you didn't remember your past life until now, because I wanted that he'd loose his memories, at least those of me, because they made up a huge part of his life."
Ichigo looked back into Shiros eyes, seeing that he spoke only the truth and something more.

A pull went through him, and he had to steady himself against Shiros chest.
"Ichigo?"
"I'm fine. Just got a bit dizzy."
That alarmed the Vampire, so he asked.
"Have you eaten properly?"
Ichigo sat up straight again, smiling sheepishly.
"Yeah. Dad brings me a bag every night, so the girls won't see it."
Satisfied, Shiro nods, then pulls his love back into his arms.
Ichigo felt a bit uncomfortable in his position, laying with his upper body over Shiros left thigh, so he moved around, until he sat in the albinos lap, his back resting against the others chest.
Shiros chin rested on his head, when the pure blood suddenly snapped it up.

"There's someone out there."
He said, letting go of Ichigo and raising from the bed, the orangette following right after him.
When they reached the front door and just pulled it open they saw a man, staggering toward them.
"Please, help me..."
The man than collapsed on the street.
Shiro and Ichigo ran over to him to examine him, the smell of blood lay heavy in the air and a puddle of it was building under the passed out man.
They carried him inside the clinic, cut off his clothes and sewed some deep cuts and a rather large wound in his stomach, than bandaged him up.
Ichigos father wasn't in the clinic at the moment, but in the Karakura hospital for an advanced education, so they had to rely on the knowledge the young adult had.
They prayed the man would wake up soon so they could ask for his blood type for a transfusion.

An hour later, the man finally opened his eyes, immediately searching the room with them, until they landed on the albino.

"Finally I found you. Kizuki-sama."
He tells with a smile, than looses consciousness again.

Chapter 21
End

Yay and one more unknown person xD
No worries, you'll see who it is in the next chapter.
Also I will reveal the identities of the Spirits of times and Shiros cousins in the later chapters.

Until then

See ya
Shiro Yue