Ichigo was tired, achy, and bleeding from various nicks and cuts through his kimono. He looked around for his companions. Orihime was bent over, her hands braced on her knees. She was panting slightly but seemed none the worse for wear. He couldn't see any visible blood, so he took that as a good sign. Ishida wasn't too far past her in his field of vision; he had a trickle of blood down the left side of his face, leading from his temple, but looked cool and collected as he always did. Ichigo huffed at his lack of faze and turned his head in search of his last two comrades. Rukia was already picking her way through the rubble, undoubtedly ready to give her report to the soul society higher-ups. She was all business, even on a good day. He smirked. That left…. Chad.
Ichigo found him on one knee in the middle of a field and moved toward the crouched teen. His shirt had been ripped beyond most recognition, and he looked particularly bruised and battle worn. As Ichigo got close enough to hear him, his friends labored breaths gave him a spike in anxiety, and a burst of energy got him to the man's side in moments.
"Chad!" Ichigo dropped to his knees by the taller man's side, reaching out hastily to grab Chad's bicep, in case he keeled over. A sharp grunt was his reply – he realized he must have inadvertently squeezed an injury. A pained look was tossed his way as confirmation, and he quickly let go in favor of grabbing his own thighs instead. "Sorry," he said hurriedly, trying to gauge the extent of the damage through sight alone.
Chad finally seemed to slump with finality. "M'fine, Ichigo," he rasped out. "Just scratches. Nothing worse than what you went through." Chad met his eyes, and Ichigo could sense the slightest hint of awe behind the expression. He let out a breathy laugh.
"We both took a helluva beating, didn't we?" Ichigo was glad to see the corner of Chad's mouth lift in amusement. "C'mon man. Let's get out of here." Ichigo lurched to his feet and held out an arm for his classmate to hoist himself up. He noticed a strange rush of blood at the contact, and figured it was the 'flight or fight' adrenaline still coursing through his veins. Ichigo cracked his neck as he let go of a now standing Chad and made a mental note to do something to release the pent-up energy later.
Chad began walking towards the others in their group, and before he could register it, had grabbed Ichigo's hand to drag him along. "Yes, let's go home," Chad's rough timbre broke through the momentary disorientation of being pulled from his center of gravity. Ichigo stumbled briefly and Chad dropped his hand after a quick squeeze. Ichigo could hear a buzzing sound in his ears, dissonant against the rushing sound of his own blood pumping though his body. He shook his head to clear the sounds and saw Chad stare at him for a moment as they walked. "Are you sure you're alright, Ichigo? Should I carry you?"
Ichigo began to laugh at the offer, but it got choked off abruptly as the mental image of being slung over Chad's shoulder caused another rush of blood, this one straight to his groin. Ichigo stumbled again, but this time pause to collect himself before moving on.
"Really, Chad. I'm good." But he was going to need a long shower, and the sooner, the better.
The two rejoined their crew and had a fast debriefing with Rukia before heading back to the world of the living. When they reappeared in Urahara's shop, he was there to greet them. "Success, eh?" he chuckled knowingly. "You all look fit to drop." He began to lay out various bandage wraps and tins.
"I am s…s…. o…. o…oooo tired," Inoue yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "I may sleep for the rest of the weekend!" She wobbled a bit as she hesitantly stepped toward the door.
"Do you need someone to walk you home, Orihime-chan?" Ishida asked, ignoring the bustling shopkeeper altogether. "I'm ready to leave now, and these two definitely look like they could use some patching up," he gestured to Chad and Ichigo as he spoke. Ichigo couldn't even muster offense at the implication… he was still desperate for that shower, and excise of the pent-up adrenaline.
"Oh. Yes, please, Ishida-kun!" Inoue exclaimed, looking pleased to not have to negotiate her way alone. She went to stand in front of Ichigo, hands clasped tightly together. "Are you going to be okay, Kurosaki-kun?" She looked worried despite her obvious fatigue.
"Ishida is right, Inoue," he quickly reassured her. "I need to get cleaned up, but I'll be fine. You should get home safe, and get some rest, okay? I'll see you in class on Monday." He reached out to gently brush her cheek. He smiled at her blush, and she returned his smile whole-heartedly. She nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Alright, then, Kurosaki-kun. I'll see you on Monday." She turned to Chad. "You take care of yourself, too, Sado-kun!" He dropped his chin in the affirmative, and they both watched the duo exchange goodbyes with Urahara before they headed out into the evening streets.
Ichigo was starting to feel a tingling in his arms and legs, and an ache in… other places. He shot a quick glance at Chad and noted a fresh bead of sweat dripping down his neck. He was likely suffering as well. The battle had been longer than expected, and though they fought hard, they still had energy to spare.
"Hey, Urahara-san," Ichigo called for his attention. "Can I grab a quick shower before you cover us in healing goop?" Urahara made a face. He lifted his cane and pointed at the youngsters.
"It's not goop!" he replied, visibly offended. He affected a posture of extreme pain. Chad and Ichigo looked at each other, and back at him. Urahara sighed in resignation. "Yes, you both can. Follow me." The shopkeeper led them through the curtains at the back of the store, and the boys followed him down some steps and through a winding maze of turns, until they arrived at a wide open western-style bathroom. One wall was lined with shower heads, while the other alternated sinks and benches. "You can find towels in the cupboard at the back," Urahara directed. "Come find me when you're done." With a wave, he left the room, pulling the screen door shut behind him.
Before Ichigo could do much more than kick off his shoes, Chad was returning from the cupboard with a stack of towels and robes. He held out one of each for Ichigo to take, then dropped his own on the nearest bench. Chad swiftly began to disrobe, and Ichigo almost forgot how to get out of his shirt from distraction. Chad wasted no time in getting under a tap with a full spray of steaming water.
Ichigo's temperature rose from normal to feverish in short order, and he found himself facing the predicament of being hard inside his pants. He didn't know how to go about getting undressed without his friend noticing his situation and pretended to stretch out a sore muscle while he struggled to think of a solution. After a few moments, he darted a quick glance in Chad's direction and was surprised to catch a glimpse of the older teen's own erection through the steam. Chagrined to have forgotten his earlier observation, Ichigo peeled off the remainder of his clothing and added his own showerhead's steam to the room.
The hot water was a balm against his battered muscles, and he took several minutes to just enjoy the feeling of blood, sweat, and other debris being sluiced off his body by the steady spray. He'd closed his eyes to further appreciate the water, so was only a little startled when he heard Chad's voice.
"Hey, Ichigo?" Chad called out hesitantly.
"Yeah, Chad?"
"Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what?" Ichigo's eyes remained closed while he waited for the request. He nearly jumped out of his skin when it was whispered in his ear.
"Or, actually… could I do you a favor?" Chad's voice sounded gravely, even at a whisper. Ichigo's eyes shot open, and as his eyes connected with Chad's, he felt a large, soap-slicked hand wrap around his still erect member. Ichigo wasn't sure whether to yelp in protest or moan in pleasure, and the resulting strangled sound made Chad chuckle softly. He watched Chad close the distance between their bodies. Ichigo could barely breathe as he began slow, sure strokes up and down his shaft. He breath returned in ragged gasps when Chad slipped a bar of soap into his hand, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Ichigo's brain was hardly functioning, and his baser instincts kicked in with a vengeance. After several turns of the bar in his hand, he let it drop to the shower floor and reached unerringly for the cock he knew was awaiting the same attention. Chad's eyes finally slid closed as Ichigo established a punishing rhythm, one that reflected his own need and desperation. Chad took the hint and sped up his own strokes. The sounds of wet skin on wet skin could just be heard through the splatter of water droplets on the shower tile. Ichigo's brain was beginning to short-circuit, and his timing began to falter as Chad drove him closer and closer to the release he craved.
"Chad… I… I can't…," he managed to sputter out before he could embarrass himself. Chad exhaled sharply and pulled Ichigo's hand away from himself. He braced their bodies fully against each other and took both of their now aligned erections in his coated hand, resuming the furious pumping and gifting Ichigo's ears with a deep, guttural groan of approval. Ichigo could hardly support his own weight. He managed to lift his eyelids, and the sight that greeted him was one of the most mesmerizing he'd ever seen: Chad's eyes were closed tightly in concentration; his lips were parted and his breath was coming in small huffs, in time with each downstroke; his deeply tanned skin was flushed; and water droplets hung from his hair and clung to his eyelashes. Ichigo was drowning in sensation, and the slide of Chad's body along his was making him delirious with need. His hand shot out to grab the back of Chad's head, and as their mouths crashed together, he felt his release overtake him like a runaway train. Chad's startlement lasted only a moment, and within a dozen strokes he followed Ichigo off the precipice.
Gasping for air, Chad carefully let their spent appendages slip out of his hand. Not quite ready to come down from the high, Ichigo kept a hold of the back of Chad's neck, pressing their foreheads together and attempting to center himself. He figured they were going to have a pretty awkward conversation on the way home, so he might as well soak in the moment while it lasted. Chad must've had a similar thought, because Ichigo found his lips once again engaged, this time in a slow, languid dance. He concluded he was all too willing to follow suit, which he figured he'd have to scrutinize later. For now, he just enjoyed the feel of tongue and teeth, and relished the sense of aliveness that came with the afterglow.
-FIN