Jūshirō wasn't sure what to do. Everything seemed to have been set back to the beginning after Ichigo had to go to the World of the Living. He was practically silent again, and he would catch him sitting on his knees, just staring at the floor.

"I don't know what to do," Jūshirō said to Shunsui as they both sat at the kotatsu. Ichigo was sleeping in the next room already. "He's quit talking again, and he just sits and stares."

"Perhaps we should get his other friends to help," Shunsui said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Jūshirō wondered, looking over at the dark-haired man.

"I mean, perhaps it is time for him to realize that he has people that care about him, and that they want to see him as he is, not as he was," Shunsui nodded, and glanced back to the door to the bedroom. "We have to show him more than just us."

Jūshirō thought about it for a minute. "You think we should summon Rukia, Renji, and those from the World of the Living?"

"I do." Shunsui reached over the kotatsu to take Jūshirō's hand. "You are trying to shoulder this burden alone. Let us share it among those that care the most for him."

So, the next day, Jūshirō requested those from the World of the Living come to Soul Society to see Ichigo. It took a couple days to arrange, but they were all able to come, and Renji and Rukia brought them. Jūshirō met them outside before they came into the house.

"Ukitake-taichou," Rukia said. "You said it was important for us to come. Has something happened?"

"Nothing has happened beyond what we were fearing. After Ichigo's trip to the World of the Living, he's regressed and stopped talking once again. I think reliving the events was traumatic for him, and he's decided to close himself off once more. I was hoping that seeing everyone would help show him that he is loved by others, and that he can once again reach out for help." Jūshirō sighed. "I am afraid I alone cannot do this. So, that is why I ask for your help."

"Of course," Orihime said, smiling. She had a hand intertwined with Uryū, and he nodded as well.

Chad had also come, and he stoically nodded his head to Jūshirō. Renji took Rukia's hand, and Jūshirō led them all to the room with the kotatsu where Ichigo and Shunsui were sitting. Ichigo was sitting quietly with his hands under the cover and his eyes closed. When they entered, he lifted his head and looked around. His eyes widened, the strange color standing out against his face in the light of the room.

"Ichigo, your friends have come," Jūshirō said. "Here, sit down around the kotatsu."

Ichigo watched as everyone seated themselves around the table. Shunsui moved to sit right beside him and Jūshirō came and sat on the other side. Each of them reached under the table and found one of Ichigo's hands and took them in a tight hold. They could feel him trembling through their touch.

"Ah, Ichigo, I have missed you lately. I'm sorry we haven't really come by, things have been busy," Rukia began. "I know you've had to adjust to having your sight back, but I'm glad you can see again."

Ichigo merely nodded, barely looking at her. Renji tried next. "We really look forward to you training again."

Now Ichigo did look at him. "Training?" he said quietly.

"Yeah, you can train with the sixth anytime you want. Or I'm sure you can train with Ukitake-taichou or Kyōraku-taichou's people as well. When you got your powers back, you got your Zanpakutō back, too, right?"

He stared a moment. "I have Zangetsu," he said finally.

No one said anything for a moment. Then Uryū spoke up. "I'm glad to see you doing better, Ichigo. You look better than when you came into the hospital. Have you adjusted to Soul Society?"

Ichigo raised his head and looked at him for a minute. "Yeah," he said quietly then dropped his head again.

"Ichigo, why don't you tell them about the koi pond?" Jūshirō said gently, squeezing his hand as he did so.

Ichigo glanced at him, then at the others. "I like the koi. They're friendly and they like to be hand fed," he finally managed, though his voice stalled a bit as he spoke.

"Do you want to do anything else here?" Rukia asked. "We can take you to the ramen place, or to a play in the Rukongai, whatever you want to try."

"I just want to stay with Shujin and Omo," Ichigo said without looking at her.

Rukia glanced at the others. "Oh, Chad's learning to be a boxing trainer," Orihime said after a few moments. "And you know I'm a nurse at the hospital with Uryū. Tatsuki got married and had a baby, you know."

Ichigo did look up at that, and Jūshirō saw his face change. "I guess it has been six years, hasn't it?" he whispered.

"It's okay, though, you can be with us now." Rukia smiled and looked like she wanted to say more.

Ichigo looked up and stared at her, strange colored eyes glistening with tears all of a sudden. "Why now? Am I useful again?"

Rukia and Renji looked taken aback, but Uryū just adjusted his glasses while Chad and Orihime just stared on. "What do you mean?" Rukia asked.

"No one came to me when I was powerless. No one bothered because I was useless then."

"That's not true, we just had other things with Soul Society, and you couldn't see us anyway," Renji said, starting to look uncomfortable.

"He said, if I was useless, I would be thrown away," Ichigo said hollowly. "And he was right. When I had no power, when I was useless, I was thrown away."

"We didn't throw you away, Ichigo! We thought we'd hurt you," Orihime said, her eyes starting to glisten with tears as well.

Ichigo shook his head. "Two years. I was alone. Useless. And then Owner came and found me, and I was useful to him. Then I was alone, did I become useless again?" he turned to Jūshirō.

Jūshirō sighed. "You were never useless, Ichigo."

"I must have been!" Ichigo said strongly. Jūshirō was impressed, actually, because he was talking. More than that, he was talking about what happened and sharing his feelings.

"I'm always thrown away when I'm useless. People only want me for what I can do, and that's the only thing I know," he said and wriggled his way out from between Jūshirō and Shunsui, headed to the door to the pond.

Jūshirō went to go after him, but Shunsui stopped him. "Let him go."

"No, I'll go," Uryū said and stood up, leaving the others and going out to the pond.

Ichigo was sitting on his knees beside the pond, staring into the middle of it where the fish played. Uryū didn't know what he was supposed to say, but he had to figure out something. He cleared his throat and Ichigo looked up at him.

"Ichigo, I know you're hurting right now. I think the others are starting to understand how badly. The trip to talk to the police must have been bad for you," Uryū said, coming closer to him. He didn't want to intrude on his space, but he had to talk to him.

"They all want to know what happened," Ichigo said, sighing. "Then everyone wants me to get better and be me again."

"And you can't be the same as you were. It's impossible, and it's unfair of anyone to expect that out of you. But you can be healed through the hurt you've endured."

Ichigo turned his strangely colored eyes on Uryū. "What do I do?" he whispered.

Uryū moved up and knelt beside him. "You tell us what you need, and we help you heal."

"Shocks are for dogs that bark," Ichigo said with a tremble to his voice. He looked at Uryū again. "Can I get over it?"

"Ichigo, I don't think you can ever get over what happened to you. That man tortured you for six years. He treated you like a dog in every way and took advantage of you in every way he could. Ichigo, you aren't going to just get over that. But I think you can heal."

Ichigo rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm not weak anymore."

"You were never weak, Ichigo," Uryū said, reaching a hand out and taking one of Ichigo's. "You were stronger than anyone I know to survive what you did."

Ichigo looked where his hand was in Uryū's. "Will they accept me? This me?"

"I know they will. They just need time, that's all. I know you feel like we abandoned you, and I guess, in a way we did. It was out of fear we'd hurt you, though, and in that way we ended up hurting you more than we realized," Uryū said softly.

"I'll have to go back again, won't I?" he said with a sigh.

"You'll have to go to the trails. They'll want you to testify to keep these creeps locked up for good for what they did to you," Uryū nodded.

"I feel like I need to be useful." Ichigo looked out over the pond again. "I don't know if it started before Owner or after him, but I feel that way."

"You felt like we didn't want you because you weren't a Shinigami anymore, and it felt like you were no longer useful to any of us. We should have done a better job showing you that we cared about you no matter your condition." Uryū licked his lips thoughtfully. "You don't seem bothered by being touched."

Ichigo turned to him and tilted his head to the side. "No. I like it. I don't want to be alone."

"I guess, after what you went through, I was expecting the opposite to happen. I really should have paid more attention in class about trauma responses," he said with a slight smile.

"Is it wrong?" Ichigo asked, suddenly tensing.

"No!" Uryū assured. "There's no wrong way to respond. Just, some people don't like to be touched after something like you went through. But some people seek it out, and I'm guessing you're one of those people."

"So, other people act like me?" Ichigo said, frowning a bit.

"Yeah, there are other people who have gone through things like this. Not exactly the same, but something like it. I would like you to consider seeing a therapist in the World of the Living. I know being in Soul Society is better because you have your eyes, but they're not used to dealing with the kind of thing you've gone through. There are people in the World of the Living that are trained to deal with the trauma you've been through," Uryū still held his hand and Ichigo didn't seem to want to move it.

Ichigo nodded. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask," Uryū said. "And I'm sure your sisters will want to see you soon. They came to visit you in the hospital and were around while you were with your father, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I guess I have to go back for them."

It was a little sudden, but Ichigo let go of Uryū's hand and leaned over and embraced him. Uryū's eyes went wide, and he didn't know what to do for a moment. Then he just put his arms around him and hugged him back. He felt Ichigo's breath heaving a bit, but he squeezed tightly, and Uryū let him. Uryū knew he needed this. Instead of avoiding touch, he'd become touch starved, and now was seeking contact with those around him. Uryū held him for a while until he let go and sat back, looking at him.

"Is it okay if I love them?" he whispered after a quiet moment.

Uryū blinked. "Love who?"

"Shujin and Omo."

"Jūshirō and Shunsui?" Uryū said, glancing back up to the house. He could see them through the open door. "Why of course you can love them."

"It's okay? I can love?" Ichigo asked.

Uryū smiled gently. "Oh, Ichigo. You can love whoever you want. We all love you."

Ichigo shifted and looked uncomfortable, though. "Not like that."

"Wait, you mean love?" Uryū said, realizing he wasn't talking platonic love. He was talking romantic love.

"I shouldn't," he said, ducking his head.

"No!" Uryū said, reaching for his hands. "Don't think that! Love is good, and when it is healthy and reciprocated it is beautiful. Why shouldn't you love someone?"

"The things he did to me and made me do. Why would I want to do them again? I shouldn't, right?" Ichigo looked like he was growing tearful.

"You mean, you have sexual feelings for them," Uryū said, realizing what was happening.

Ichigo was having trouble with the idea that he was feeling something sexual after being so horribly abused. He was thinking that he shouldn't want to have such feelings after what had been done to him, and Uryū had to make sure he understood that it was okay to have feelings like that.

"Ichigo, you're going to have sexual feelings. What happened to you isn't going to stop that, though I guess in some it might. In you, it hasn't. And that's okay, and perfectly fine. If you feel this kind of way, though, you need to let them know."

"What if they think it's bad," he said softly. "Shujin got mad when Omo talked about it before."

"They talked about it?" Uryū said. He didn't know what Jūshirō and Shunsui thought, but if they'd talked about it, obviously, they weren't opposed to that sort of relationship with Ichigo. "That's okay. Jūshirō probably didn't want to make you feel forced."

"So, I can love them?" he said, looking at Uryū with wide eyes.

"Oh, I think they should be very happy if you loved them," he said, not imagining that the two older Shinigami would ever do anything to hurt Ichigo.

Ichigo looked back at the house. Renji and Rukia had come out and were standing outside now. Uryū stood up slowly and reached a hand out for him. "Come on, let's go back. I think the others want to say something."

Ichigo stood up with Uryū's help and walked back to the house clutching his hand still. Renji and Rukia came closer as he neared. Uryū saw Orihime and Chad coming outside as well. Jūshirō and Shunsui stood just inside the door.

"Sorry," Ichigo said, looking down.

"Ichigo, don't be sorry," Rukia said, stepping forward. "We should have realized what losing your power would do to you. We should have realized that it was going to hurt you not to see us as well."

"We tried, but you seemed distant," Chad said. And Ichigo looked up at him.

"I was. And I shouldn't have been where I was when I ran into Owner. It was all my fault." Ichigo turned and looked away.

"Ichigo! None of this is your fault!" Orihime said and came forward to take his other hand. He let her.

"Please, tell us what you need from us," Renji said. "We didn't ask before. But we're asking now."

Ichigo swallowed and looked around. "I don't know yet. I need to think."

Jūshirō stepped out. "It may have been enough for today," he said. "Why don't we continue this later and let him rest for now."

"Yeah," Ichigo said, stepping forward and past the others to stand up beside Jūshirō. He reached out and took Jūshirō's hand in his, though. "I'm tired."

"Alright, come then," Jūshirō said and led him back inside.

Shunsui came out. "I think you made an impact. At least he's talking now. He's been utterly silent nearly the whole week since he came back from the World of the Living."

"Kyōraku-taichou, you should know he said he loves you and Jūshirō." Uryū saw the look the others gave him.

Shunsui, though, didn't look surprised. "I've sensed as much. I'll talk with Jūshirō about how to proceed."

"Kyōraku-taichou, do you and Ukitake-taichou really feel something for him?" Rukia asked. "Or is he simply attaching to you since you're helping him?"

"We'd never bring it up, and we'd never approach him with it, but Jūshirō and I love and care deeply for him. If he wants to be a part of our relationship, he will be welcomed, I can assure you. But we have to be sure it is more than just a bit of attachment." Shunsui looked over at the doorway and back. "He's been here with us for a while now, and we could not imagine life without him."

Rukia nodded. "I trust you, taichou. But please be careful with him."

"Of course, Rukia-chan. Of course," he said, nodding.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Shunsui came into the bedroom to find Jūshirō seated on the futon with Ichigo's head in his lap. He was carefully stroking his fingers through the long hair and humming to him. Ichigo appeared to have fallen into a deep sleep like that. Shunsui knew this conversation was going to be hard, but it had to happen.

"He told Uryū he loves us. And not like the others, he was speaking romantically and sexually," Shunsui said quietly so as not to wake Ichigo up.

Jūshirō looked at him and sighed. "There's no avoiding it any longer."

"It is as I said before, he has to know that these feelings are okay to have, and that he shouldn't feel like he isn't allowed to have them." Shunsui reached a hand out and stroked it through Ichigo's hair as well.

"I know. I just worry it is just because we saved him," Jūshirō said. "What if his feelings aren't real?"

"What if they are?" Shunsui countered. "We cannot discount his feelings so lightly just because he has been through horrors we can't even imagine."

"Do you think he'll ever be able to tell everything that happened?" Jūshirō asked.

"It may happen one day. He may never be able to talk about it. We have to go where he leads," Shunsui said.

"Are we wrong if we reciprocate this love he has for us?" Jūshirō asked softly.

"Is it wrong to love someone, sweet Jūshirō?" Shunsui asked.

They were silent for a while, just listening to the deep breathing of Ichigo laying on the futon. Jūshirō didn't make a move, despite the fact he had to be uncomfortable sitting in such a fashion for so long. Shunsui knew he was thinking about what he said.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

During the next six months, Ichigo spent most of his time in Soul Society. He stayed in the care of Jūshirō and Shunsui, though in that time, he did not indicate he was ready to move forward in their relationship with each other, so the two older Shinigami waited patiently for him to lead them in what was to happen. He did make several trips back to see his sisters, and every time, he came back a little reserved but glad to have seen them.

Isshin came to see him in between the times he visited, and Urahara had managed to bolster his human body with Soul Society technology and had stopped the constant deterioration and pain he suffered while in it. Of course, the scars and marks left from his captivity remained stark on his body, and any who saw them knew something terrible had happened to him. He didn't have to speak to the police again, but a trial was coming up for Iho and his friends who had participated in his torment.

Ichigo had continued to defer Uryū's idea of going to see a human therapist, but he knew it would probably be for the best eventually. He had come a long way in six months, though. He could now leave Jūshirō's estate with Renji and Rukia for short times, and he found himself proud of that fact. But still, he needed his Shujin and Omo. He much preferred to be in their presence. They seemed to know it, though, and they didn't leave him alone.

It was a night around that time that Ichigo finally felt emboldened enough to profess his feelings to the two older Shinigami.

"Shujin? Omo?" he said as he stood in the door to the bedroom.

Both of them looked up. "What is it, Ichigo?" Jūshirō said. "Do you need something?"

He swallowed and nodded. "I want to tell you something."

Jūshirō patted the futon beside him. Shunsui sat down as well. "Come, then."

Ichigo came over and sat down beside him. Shunsui moved beside him and put his arm around him. Ichigo practically melted into him at the motion. He just could not get enough of being touched and held, as strange as it was. Uryū had found out that he was also one of Ichigo's trusted people, because he would hang on him when he came to visit, garnering strange looks from Orihime.

"I just…I wanted to tell you both how I feel." Ichigo twisted his hands together in his lap.

"How is it that you feel, Ichigo?" Jūshirō asked carefully.

"I-I love you," he said barely above a whisper.

"We love you, too, Ichigo," Jūshirō said, smiling at him.

"N-no. I mean love. I don't just mean as friends or family. I mean as lovers." Ichigo managed to get it out.

"Oh," Jūshirō said. "I see."

"See, it's stupid," Ichigo said, hiding his face in Shunsui's chest.

Shunsui patted him. "Ichigo. We love you like that as well," he assured.

Ichigo's head came up and he looked at him. "Omo?" he said.

"Why do you think we care so deeply for you?" Shunsui said. "You mean the world to the two of us."

"Is that true, Shujin?" Ichigo asked, looking at Jūshirō.

Jūshirō nodded. "We were waiting for you to be ready to tell us. We didn't know if you would ever be ready."

"Well, I think I'm ready," Ichigo said, looking at him. "I want to love you."

"Let's take it slow, Ichigo," Jūshirō said softly. "I don't want to rush things."

Shunsui picked him up and pulled him onto his lap. "You are everything to us, Ichigo."

Ichigo looped his arms around Shunsui's neck and leaned up to kiss him without warning. Shunsui was a bit surprised, but responded, letting him have entrance to his mouth and kissing him deeply. Jūshirō watched, making sure everything was okay as they initiated such intimate contact for the first time. Ichigo broke the kiss and leaned back. He then reached for Jūshirō. Jūshirō leaned in, letting him grab onto his neck and pull him down into a kiss. Ichigo led and Jūshirō followed with how he wanted to do it. After a while, he pulled back from him.

"Owner never kissed me," he said, looking between the two of them.

"Well, we are not that Owner," Shunsui said, sliding a hand over his head. "Come, let us lay down together and we can embrace as we like," he said.

They all laid down in the futon and Ichigo took his turns at kissing both of them, finding the action of kissing to be affirming of a way that nothing else was. It was gentle and meant so much to all three of them. Ichigo didn't take things beyond kissing, though. Jūshirō and Shunsui could both feel his excitement, but he didn't try to go further than that. They were fine with that, because they would go just as far as Ichigo wanted them to go and no further.