Chapter 7: Origins

Ichigo registered the strangest feeling of floating, of leaving his body and being lifted into the air and suspended. He sensed a radiant soul and it seemed to hold his own carefully, as though it was a treasured thing.

"There now, it is done," a warm male voice intoned.

"And perfectly balanced," added a female voice.

"This brings back such memories," the male voice said affectionately.

"For me as well."

"Shall we let them touch?"

"Yes."

Ichigo felt another presence brought close to his, then heard soft sounds of surprise.

"This is a very strong resonance," murmured the male voice.

Ichigo felt it then, the touch of that other soul on his, and the blossoming of a deep connection. There was just enough time so that he felt that other consciousness register his.

"You!" it whispered into his dizzied mind, "You are...!"

The air around them suddenly seemed to darken and the warm presences emitted sounds of dismay, then Ichigo felt them begin to fade.

"You won't get away with this!" the male voice cried, and Ichigo felt himself being lifted again.

"Put that down! What are you doing?" snapped a voice that seemed to swirl with something that felt like poison.

Ichigo gasped, but couldn't register the sensation as the soul that had touched his before was violently torn away, and then all he could feel was a sensation of falling.

"You bastard!" screamed the wicked voice.

Ichigo heard the male voice emit a sound of agony, then felt his presence faded away entirely. The last thing he heard as he fell was the sound of a woman screaming. Fear blossomed inside him and it quickly became panic. But there was nothing he could do as the light became brighter around him and he continued to fall. Just once in that awful, horrifying drop, that other soul brushed against his again, and Ichigo heard a few brief words.

"Don't be afraid. I will find you."

"Are you finally waking?"

Ichigo's eyes flew open and he sat up and backed away from the other man in the bed he laid in.

"Don't touch me, you bastard!" he yelled, pressing his back against the wall as Aizen sat up in the bed and ran his fingers through his tumbled brown hair.

He's beautiful.

Ichigo recoiled as the rogue thought struck, and he pushed it away forcefully as he met Sousuke Aizen's eyes furiously.

Then, just as he was about to yell something else at the other man, a shock jolted him.

The voice in that dream...the one that promised to find me. It was him!

But...that can't be.

It has to be some kind of a trick. That's right. Kyouka Suigetsu hypnotized me before. Now, I'm susceptible to his illusions. He's playing games with me!

"Ichigo?" Aizen said, reaching out to touch his cheek, only to have his hand viciously repelled.

"I said, don't TOUCH ME!" Ichigo howled, throwing himself against Aizen and trying to force his way past him, "Get out of my way!"

"No."

Ichigo's eyes widened as Aizen's hands captured him and held him in place.

"What are you doing? I told you to let me go!"

"Don't you understand that it doesn't matter if I let you go?" Aizen asked quietly, "Ichigo, I know you saw it too...that dream that came to us as we slept alongside each other."

"It was a LIE!" Ichigo cried, trying to pull away, "You and that bastard, Kyouka Suigetsu, you are trying to trick me into helping you. But I'm not going to do that, so let me go! I'm not doing a damned thing but making sure you go back to that hole you belong in!"

Aizen was silent for a moment, just holding him in place and looking into his glaring, hateful eyes.

"Maybe you're right," he mused, "Maybe I do belong there. I have done a lot of horrible things, and in truth, I do not regret them."

"You..."

"I can't regret them," Aizen went on, "I can't regret them, because I saw them as my only path. Are you paying attention, Ichigo? Do you realize what that dream was?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Ichigo exclaimed, "It was just a dream you made me have! It's not real. not any more real than that crap you're trying to hand me about us being soul bonded. You're just trying to manipulate me. You want me to help you. Well, I told you before and I'll tell you again, I'm not doing it! I...!"

His words stopped as Aizen surged forward suddenly, crashing their lips together forcefully.

"St-stop!" Ichigo objected, trying to turn his head away, "Stop it! J-just stop!"

But as much as he tried to escape, the other man's strong hands held him down, and Aizen's lips enslaved his, kissing him harder and forcing his mouth open. Ichigo felt a heavy jolt of reaction in his loins, a deep throb of desire that radiated throughout his resisting body. And suddenly, he wasn't trying to escape. His body went still beneath Aizen's, and his lips parted. Aizen's hot, wanton tongue thrust into his mouth, scorching his tongue as it slid along the length, then curling around and stroking hungrily.

It feels good...so damned good!

I can't breathe.

Ichigo's eyes closed and his mouth opened wider. His own tongue moved, sluggishly at first, then more heatedly as Aizen's continued to tease it.

You feel it, Ichigo, don't you? the elder man's voice whispered into his mind, You feel the truth, even though you don't want to believe it. Take your time. Whatever time you need to understand. Whatever we have done, whatever we do from this point, this is the truth we can't deny.

I don't believe you, Ichigo's mind whispered back, How will I ever know if you are telling me the truth?

Aizen's lips smiled as they continued to feed voraciously on his.

There is one way.

Ichigo sucked in a surprised breath as his hand was captured and brought to rest on something made of cold, hard metal.

While touching my zanpakutou, Kyouka Suigetsu can't affect your senses. Feel the truth in my kiss now, Ichigo.

Ichigo groaned at the slight pain Aizen's mouth brought as it kissed his even harder and struggling only made him aware all at once that their swollen members were touching through their clothes. Melting heat flooded his reeling body all over and he wanted more than anything to have that last barrier between them disappear so that they could join completely.

What am I thinking? I can't let Aizen make love to me! It's a lie...a deception...isn't it?

His head turned slightly to allow him to observe where his hand rested on Kyouka Suigetsu's bared blade.

But I know how Aizen's power works now. He can't deceive me while I'm touching his sword.

But then...

That means that...!

He didn't want to believe it, but there was no denying the truth anymore. Aizen's dark eyes gazed down at him, still filled with strength, but burning also with raging passion that threatened to swallow him whole. He could barely draw a breath anymore and it seemed like the air had gone hazy around them.

Ichigo closed his eyes.

Ah, Aizen's deep, lusty voice sighed, You finally accept it, then?

Ichigo couldn't think of an answer, but his body was already answering for him. He let go of Kyouka Suigetsu and grabbed onto Aizen's muscular shoulders, kissing him forcefully and rearing up against him. Wicked throbs of desire echoed in his belly and loins, and his thighs parted easily at the touch of Aizen's guiding hands. Those same hands seemed to register his unspoken need, and tore away his clothes, loosing and blending their masculine scents, making Ichigo's eyes glaze over even more as he gave himself over to whatever fate, just so long as the pleasure wouldn't end.

He forgot for a moment that the man who laid on top of him was evil...that he had plotted and betrayed, deceived and heartlessly killed. He was tired of trying to understand the reasons, and was forced to conclude that he would understand them later, when the whole of their story was revealed. For the moment, he decided to just trust.

He made a sound of pain as Aizen's wetted fingers began to prepare him.

"W-wait! I haven't...I've never...!"

His insides melted and his body went weak at the answer breathed in his ear.

"I will be gentle with you."

He clenched his teeth, stiffening at the feeling of invasion. Aizen's lips touched his earlobe and warm tickles went through Ichigo's loins.

"Relax please, Ichigo."

Sweat broke out on his skin and he panted harshly, but managed to relax enough that the other man made a sound of approval and the fingers preparing him moved again. He started to stiffen again, but was soothed by Aizen's deep voice and gentle touches of his lips against the flushed skin of his face and throat. Then, Ichigo gasped as something touched him in a place no one had ever reached inside him. He made a hard, guttural sound of surrender and blushed furiously as his body shuddered under Aizen's hands and his release spilled out in warm spurts onto his heaving chest and belly. Ichigo's fevered eyes cracked open and he reeled at the sight of Aizen's rakishly handsome form, leaning over him and feeding luxuriantly on his yielded essence. He wondered if that sinfully erotic mouth might just begin to feed on his soul, to devour everything while he laid, unresisting.

I can't believe this is happening...but...I do feel like it was somehow meant to be.

Yes, I feel fate working here.

His eyes slid shut again and he sank into a calmer, more peaceful state, his heart continuing its fast, steady throbbing and feeling a shiver of foreboding as Aizen's blazing member burned along the top of one naked thigh. A breathy moan escaped him and his eyes cracked open again as Aizen's fingers slowly retreated, then his thighs were pushed open wider and his hips lifted. Ichigo arched his back reflexively as he felt the first warning touch, then he panted and shut his eyes tightly as Aizen began to enter him.

"Ichigo," Aizen moaned in a lower, deliciously thick tone that made the younger man's thighs quiver in reaction and his loins tingle with renewed arousal, "It won't hurt if you are relaxed."

He sank into the voice, blushing harder at the beautiful, desirous sound that erupted from between his lips as he was finally taken.

The truth is clear...no more deceptions. We were meant to be one.

He wasn't sure anymore whether the thought was his or Aizen's, or maybe some kind of mingling of both, but it made the remaining hesitation in his body give way, and with an aching moan, he gave himself over, moving his hips to meet Aizen's heavy, grinding thrusts, biting at the elder man's mouth and reeling in the mind-numbing sensations that had their way with him while they made love.

I can't stop it anymore. I can't fight it. It feels so good! If he kills me now, I won't even hate him for it. But it feels like there's more. I want more.

I want more!

He gasped as Aizen's hips responded to his errant thoughts, thrusting harder and faster, bringing him to the edges of reason.

I can't...b-breathe!

I can't...

I can't!

He expelled a hard scream of completion, then another as Aizen's seething heat flooded his still undulating body inside.

Oh gods, I think I'm dying!

Gripping hands held his hips tightly against Aizen's and flashes of intense heat licked at his skin as the heady pulses of climax shook them both soundly, then brought them down in a sweaty, naked tangle onto the bed.

Ichigo's head rang like firebells and his body went numb and senseless. He floated for a time on the humming echoes of complete bliss. He returned again to find himself still warmly anchored in Aizen's strong arms.

"Are you all right? I didn't hurt you?" Aizen asked, seeing he had regained his senses somewhat.

He felt the icy weight of guilt descending, but it was forced off again as Aizen's lips caressed the side of his neck and the man's warm breath tickled his ear.

"Ichigo?"

"I-I'm fine," he managed gruffly, turning his head away and swallowing hard.

What the hell did I just do?

He felt Aizen's smile, even with his head turned away.

"You recognized me," Aizen whispered.

"What?" Ichigo asked unsteadily.

"I was that other soul that fell from the heavens with you that day. The dream we had wasn't a dream, Ichigo. It was a memory."

"But...you're older," Ichigo objected, "If we fell together, then why...?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that your soul completes mine. Without you, there was chaos inside me. Now, all I feel is peace."

Ichigo let out a short, piqued breath and sat up too quickly, making his head spin wickedly. He felt himself caught up and laid down again and soft kisses tickled his lips as the clouds around his mind whirled and turned, then slowly subsided. He found himself lying, splayed out in a scandalous pose, across Aizen's naked body, with the elder man's arm curled around him and his face rested on a muscular shoulder. Aizen's fingers lazily teased the short ends of his ginger hair and his chest rose and fell calmly.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I'm okay," Ichigo answered sleepily, carefully avoiding looking into the other man's eyes.

I don't understand.

Is it really like he said? Like it was in that dream? Were we made to be together and something separated us? We fell? We fell apart? But that day when we were falling, he promised to find me. But he didn't just find me, did he? It's like, with his manipulations, Aizen brought me to life. He was evil, yeah. But he helped me to grow strong. He's no angel and he's done some unforgivable things. But, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel anything for him. I feel plenty.

But what does it all mean?

"You don't look like you are all right," Aizen commented, "but maybe you just need something to eat. You were unconscious for quite some time."

He gave Ichigo a sly smirk.

"Forgive me if I overwhelmed you. I was...quite in the moment."

He started to say more, then paused, looking down at his exposed chest, where the hougyoku had begun to flicker strangely.

"What is that?" Ichigo whispered, reaching out with a hand and touching the artifact with his fingertips.

He flinched as light flared around it suddenly, making Aizen's body glow brightly.

"What's happening?"

"The hougyoku," Aizen breathed incredulously, "It seems it is...fading."

"But why?"

Aizen went quiet for a time, considering, then loosed a soft sigh.

"I am not sure, but I wonder if perhaps, given that I have my heart's desire, it understood that I no longer needed it."

"You...?"

Ichigo's mind spun backwards to the moments just following his battle with the former Gotei captain.

"Kisuke, when I reached his level, I began to feel the emotion within his sword. And all that I felt emanating from Kyouka Suigetsu...was loneliness. It must have been lonely, having such great power that no one around him was like him...that no one could understand what he was experiencing. And maybe in the end, it became too much of a burden. Maybe what happened wasn't that the hougyoku rejected him. Just maybe...he let go of his power because he didn't want to be different. He didn't want to be alone."

"I don't know," Kisuke answered, averting his eyes.

"Do you think," Ichigo said slowly, "that if that if that dream we had was true...the reason that you made the hougyoku...was to find me? To bring me to you?"

"Perhaps," Aizen said, tilting his head slightly, "because I don't feel bad that it is gone, or that I could not stand alone at the top now. All I want is this, Ichigo...just this."

"And if I had to be honest," Ichigo answered, "This is what I want too."

Aizen gave him a surprised look.

"But you were so adamant before," he mused, "You said that..."

"I know what I said," Ichigo sighed, "but my heart said something different. So, if you ask me to stay with you, I will."

"I won't ask you to make any hard decisions just yet," Aizen said, kissing him on the forehead, then on the frowning mouth, "It is enough for me that you have accepted what your heart is telling you...what our hearts are telling us."

"I don't know what it all means yet. I'm gonna need some time to think."

"Take your time, then," Aizen replied approvingly, "We'll save talk about the future until we are sure that there will be one for us."

He slipped out of bed and tied his yukata shut.

"W-wait a minute. Where are you going?"

His frown deepened.

"Where are we, anyway?"

"One of my homes in the living world," Aizen answered, "I thought it was best to have some privacy while we reconnected."

"Oh."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks."

He gazed quietly down at his recently plundered body, shivering slightly at how good it had felt to shed his innocence.

Not just to lose my virginity, but to give it to him.

It's weird.

It's like once I gave in to him, the part of him that resonated that loneliness disappeared. He's so calm and relaxed, but...is this really him I'm seeing now?

"I'll be right back."

He continued to stare blankly, his heart aching with confusion until he registered movement outside the window. Frowning more deeply, he wrapped his yukata around himself and exited the bed, moving over to the sliding glass door and looking out. A strange feeling of uneasiness came over him as a man dressed in some kind of uniform appeared at the door and motioned for him to be quiet. Ichigo opened the sliding glass door and looked up at the man questioningly, his mind suddenly stricken with memory.

"Ichigo..."

It was strange to him how the voice sounded farther away. He turned back and his eyes rounded as he saw something black and pointed pass suddenly through Aizen's naked body from behind. The traitor gasped in surprise and pain, then dropped to his knees, blood leaking from the wound and from his nose and mouth as something huge and out of focus stabbed him repeatedly.

"No, don't!" Ichigo screamed.

He flash stepped forward, only to have a huge hand wrap around his throat and lift him off his feet.

"Don't interfere! Stay out of the way and try not to get hurt! the dark, beastly thing hissed.

"Ichigo!" Aizen howled, writhing as his body was pierced again.

"Stop! Stop it!" the shinigami substitute screamed, taking hold of the weapon that was killing the supposedly immortal Aizen, "I won't let you!"

"What the hell?" he whispered, reeling, "This guy doesn't look like a monster..."

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the man said, looking into his eyes warningly, "you must come with me now."

"Maybe you should tell me who you are before you start making demands," Ichigo said in a low voice.

"I am Hisoka Hiromasa," the man answered, "of the queen's guard. I am here to rescue you!"

"Well, I don't know if that's true or not," Ichigo said, shaking his head, "but the truth is, I don't need rescuing. He isn't holding me against my will. Sousuke Aizen is my soul bonded."

"Is that what he told you?" Hisoka asked, narrowing his eyes, "That is troubling. Come. I will explain when we reach the palace, but we really must go."

He stiffened as the door to the bedroom opened and Aizen returned to the room, carrying tea on a tray. Ichigo gasped as the guard's hand touched him, jolting his body with a shock of kido, so that he collapsed against the man's shoulder and was lifted swiftly off his feet.

"What are you doing?" Aizen demanded, summoning his weapon.

"Sousuke!" Ichigo gasped, unable to move as the binding kido strengthened.

"He belongs to the royal family!" Hisoka shouted, flash stepping a short distance away, where he stopped and gathered his power, "And I am going to send you to the hell you deserve for taking him!"

What is he talking about?

What does it mean?

Ichigo's breath exited his body in a desperate scream of dismay as Hisoka loosed his attack and the house in front of them exploded into flames.

"SOUSUKE!" Ichigo screamed, blackness closing in as Hisoka shocked his body again and held him tightly.

"Poor thing," the guard said in an eerily calm voice, "You have no idea what's going on...do you?"

He took a final look at the burning house, confident that no one had exited, then opened a royal senkaimon and stepped inside.

"Good bye, Sousuke Aizen," he said, smirking, "Good riddance!"