Shunsui sat beside Jūshirō at the pond near his house. Jūshirō had been sick and today was the first day he was really out. There was a meeting in the next hour, and both planned to attend.
"What will your recommendation be?" Jūshirō asked, arms wrapped around his knees as he looked over the pond.
"About Ichigo?" Shunsui asked with a sigh. "I hate to leave the situation as Abarai-fukutaichou reported it. We do not know their intentions. And it would be irresponsible of us to leave him there when it is not his fault he has become this."
"Abarai-fukutaichou said that he wanted to be left alone. And the Espada you thought you killed was protecting him. Would it really hurt to leave him be? You've already proven you can defeat that particular Espada, so Ichigo would be the only variable that is unknown." Jūshirō looked over to him.
"We should go, the meeting will be soon," Shunsui said, getting to his feet.
Jūshirō got up and followed Shunsui, pausing in an out of the way location to embrace each other. Shunsui gripped Jūshirō's body close, having been unable to hold him for the last few weeks while he was ill. Of course, their relationship was the best-known secret in the Seireitei even though they didn't realize it. They parted and walked toward the meeting.
When they arrived, all the others were waiting for the Sou-Taichou. Jūshirō and Shunsui took their places and were quiet until the Sou-Taichou arrived. He took his place at the head of the group and looked around.
"This meeting is to determine our course of action with the problem of Kurosaki Ichigo." The head captain looked around at everyone. "Central 46 has expressed a desire to not lose control of Kurosaki Ichigo. They have left it to us to decide how to proceed."
The room was silent for a moment. "They have agreed that whatever we decide together will be the route we take." The Sou-Taichou looked around. "Thoughts on the situation?"
Shinji looked up. "Can't we leave him alone? We've done enough already."
"How can we just leave such a wealth of research uninvestigated?" Kurotsuchi commented, glaring at Shinji.
"You're the reason he escaped to start with, whatever you were doing to him," Jūshirō pointed out, coughing lightly and clearing his throat.
"I was doing nothing beyond what I was instructed. I was trying to determine the extent the hollow Zanpakutō had taken over control and seeing if there was a way to dampen the hollow parts of him." Kurotsuchi looked around. "No one here was arguing with my methods before."
"What did you discover?" Soi Fon asked, looking over at him.
"I was unable to separate the hollow signatures from him. They were fully integrated as a Zanpakutō spirit is, and like those spirits, they're interwoven with the very soul. Of course, I cannot compare him to the other Vizard because none of them have allowed me to research their physiology after Aizen's meddling…"
"And you won't 'research' on any of us," Shinji snapped, glaring at him. "Just like you shouldn't have been allowed to 'research' on Ichigo."
Kurotsuchi looked toward the Sou-Taichou. "I did nothing beyond your instructions."
"We had to intercede," Toshiro stated. "The hollow murdered three humans in the World of the Living who attacked Ichigo." Toshiro, in the last few years, had matured greatly and grown quite a bit.
"Was it ever determined what exactly triggered such an extreme reaction? Ichigo has fought many times, and he has never had the hollow take over," Shunsui asked, looking around. "There must be more to the situation than simply an attack."
Jūshirō glanced over at him. "Are you suggesting we don't have the whole story?"
"That's exactly what I'm suggesting," Shunsui nodded. "Ichigo has only lost control of the hollow when faced with dire circumstances after he learned from Hirako-taichou and the other Vizard how to control it. The one time he wholly lost control, he was dying, perhaps dead for a short time. It stands to reason that there was something more to the story than a mere attack."
Things went silent for a few moments. "But something that would draw the hollow to the surface would have to be severe, life threatening, and Ichigo didn't indicate his life was endangered," Rose said from his position.
"Does it matter?" Kurotsuchi waved it off. "What matters is that he caused the death of three humans, and for that alone, he deserved to have his powers cut off."
"That was what you were going to do, wasn't it?" Shinji turned to look sharply at the head captain.
"It had been decided to send Kurosaki Ichigo to the Tower of Penitence until such time as it could be determined if he could be saved," the Sou-Taichou nodded.
"Saved?" Jūshirō echoed. "You didn't think it was possible, did you?"
"It was doubtful after Kurotsuchi-taichou's tests." The Sou-taichou, as always, was inscrutable.
"That doesn't matter right now. Right now, we have the problem of him being protected by the Primera Espada," Soi Fon said, looking around.
Byakuya, who had not said anything until then, spoke up. "We should send a team comprised of captain-level at the very least," he said. "If we overwhelm them, it will be the most effective way to deal with it."
"Wait, we're not yet decided that we are going after him," Kensei said looking around. "I mean, I'm all for a good fight, but why can't we just let him be in Hueco Mundo?"
"We don't know their intentions," Byakuya stated. "And letting go of someone of Kurosaki's power is a grave mistake on our part."
"He's not a tool!" Shinji looked around at the others. "He's one of us, at least he was. He was born the way he is due to Aizen's meddling. Can we really just absolve ourselves of responsibility so easily?"
Zaraki snorted. "Just let me know if we're going to be fighting. I don't care who it is, but I'm for wading in and fighting these Arrancar and see if any measure up."
"Of course, you would only care about fighting," Komamura grumbled, glancing over at him.
"Is there nothing we can do to aid Ichigo?" Unohana said quietly, commanding everyone's attention in the room immediately.
Kurotsuchi sighed. "I already tried to remove the hollow. It was impossible."
"But can we not aid him as he is now? Abarai-fukutaichou stated he had been transformed into an Arrancar, evidenced by his ability to use a sonido. He is no longer a Shinigami, and we should remember that," Unohana pointed out.
"Bringing him back is a priority," Byakuya said firmly. "He is an unknown variable to the safety of Soul Society and the World of the Living, especially given he has the capability to open a garganta now. We cannot be sure that he will stay in Hueco Mundo."
"I still think the fact we are missing information is a problem," Shunsui said now, scratching thoughtfully at his chin.
Jūshirō nodded in agreement. "There's more to the story of what happened that we do not know."
"It doesn't matter what happened, he still murdered three humans. Something must be done," Soi Fon looked around again. "How can we let him be knowing this?"
An uncomfortable silence descended on the group. After a few moments, the Sou-Taichou spoke. "We will send a retrieval team to Hueco Mundo, this time comprised of those who have attained Bankai only. The priority is to get Kurosaki Ichigo back to Soul Society alive, however, if that is impossible, and it is deemed necessary, termination is permitted. Kyōraku-taichou, you will lead the team and make the call in the field of the necessity of ending Kurosaki's life should that become necessary. Take as many in your team as you need. Dismissed."
-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-
Ichigo sat in the dining room as the various Arrancar came and went, and he wondered what kind of life he would have in this place. He would have never imagined that he would end up like this, on the wrong end of Soul Society's radar, and filled with overwhelming desires that he'd never known. He sighed, resting his chin on his fist and stared into space, not sure what to do.
"You are alone," he heard and turned to see Starrk had snuck up on him. For a being with such massive reiatsu, he certainly had tight control over it.
"Oh, yeah, I was just thinking," he said, smiling a little. He could feel the blush on his face already, and desire already stirred within him just at his near proximity.
"Do you wish to be left to yourself? I can leave," Starrk said, nodding toward the doorway.
"No, you don't have to go," Ichigo said quickly.
Starrk smiled slightly. "Come, I neglected to show you the garden in our tour last night. I think you will like what we have grown for pleasure."
Ichigo swallowed hard and nodded, standing up. "Okay," he hoarsely whispered.
Starrk reached for his hand again, and Ichigo took it, feeling that same electricity. He was nervous and excited to be alone with him again. Starrk led him further into Las Noches, going through several doorways until they came to a room lit up with the sun lamps, only this time, it had flowering plants.
"Oh, these are lovely," Ichigo said, stepping into the room and looking around at the various things growing there. "You have so many different flowers!"
"We have collected man seeds over the years, and now we can cultivate them easily. The sun lamps, I did not tell you about before. They're specially created by a team of Arrancar engineers here in Las Noches who pride themselves on taking World of the Living technology and adapting it to Hueco Mundo," Starrk explained, gesturing to the huge lamps that arched over the garden. They had been similarly set up in the fields used for growing food.
Ichigo kneeled and gently cradled a purple flower in his hand. "Wow, to see something so beautiful in such a barren land…"
Starrk was quiet a moment. "You are such."
Ichigo blinked and turned to look at him, breath catching a little. Strangely, that comment was endearing rather than patronizing. He swallowed and stood up, turning toward him.
"Uh, how are they doing with the hollows? You know, the ones that I draw to me?" Ichigo managed, turning and walking down the row.
"Grimmjow is enjoying culling them," Starrk said. "They are no problem for us."
"I still feel bad that I'm causing you problems, though," Ichigo said, kneeling again and examining a blue colored flower.
Starrk moved quicker than Ichigo expected, and he found himself standing and staring at him, both hands in Starrk's. Ichigo's breath came faster and he felt his heart speed up.
"I am having difficulty hiding my desire," Starrk said, staring lazily at Ichigo's eyes.
"So am I," Ichigo admitted.
"You and I are meant to be, I feel. I sense this when I look at you. Will you not accept me?" Starrk looked him over, hands squeezing Ichigo's.
"Is this why you brought me here?" Ichigo asked, breath still coming quickly.
"I thought it was a good place for us to answer the desires we both feel," Starrk said and reached out to run a hand over Ichigo's head.
Ichigo swallowed. "I don't know if I can."
"I would like to try," Starrk said, leaning forward slowly.
For a second, Ichigo completely forgot what to do. He was there in front of him, and then it just seemed natural, he leaned up to meet his lips. Again, the electrifying touch set him ablaze. Starrk's hands moved to his arms and squeezed slightly. He couldn't help but lean into him, not wanting to lose contact with his lips, and found his own tongue snaking out to lick at his mouth. Starrk answered the move, allowing his tongue to meet Ichigo's, then twining them together in a touch that was far gentler than anything Ichigo expected from him. His hands slipped around his back, pulling his body closer to him, and Ichigo let it happen easily, wanted it even.
Let go, King.
Could he do it? Could he let go of everything that was holding him back? What was holding him back? Orihime? No, she was gone, and while her betrayal hurt deeply, he had to wonder if they were ever truly meant to be. Soul Society? No, that was a place he couldn't return to again, and those ways were not his anymore. His humanity? No, that, too, was gone, if it was ever truly there to begin with. Perhaps this is just what he had always been and never knew it.
It was like a lightning flash that went through his mind, and his hands were entangled in Starrk's hair, his body filled with desire like he'd never felt in his life. He was going to let go. He was going to let go of it all. Those men, they were nothing. They were in the past, and that past was gone now. No, he was going to reach for what he wanted, no matter how he had to move past these things, these blockades.
That's it, King.
Starrk's hands slid down his back to his ass and squeezed him, pulling his hips to grind against him. Ichigo felt his hardness against his belly, and he himself was no better, grinding his own arousal into Starrk's leg. His heart felt like it was overflowing with something he couldn't name, and though he couldn't see it, black reiatsu was beginning to flash around him, while now and then Starrk's own blue reiatsu reacted to it.
"Ah," Ichigo breathed as Starrk's lips found their way to his throat above the bone fragment that was attached there.
"You seem to be enjoying this," Starrk mumbled against his skin.
"Yeah," Ichigo wound his hands around his back and pulled him tight to him.
"Shall we continue?" Starrk asked, fingers sliding down and beginning to loosen Ichigo's obi.
"Oh, yeah, don't stop," Ichigo responded, leaning back and looking at Starrk with hooded eyes. "Off with it."
Starrk gave a crooked smile and unbuttoned the jacket he wore slowly, then let is slide down his arms to drop on the ground. Ichigo's hands went to the button on the pants that Starrk was wearing, undoing them with nimble fingers. He managed to get them undone and the pants slipped down his hips, revealing him in all his glory. Ichigo's eyes widened and he looked up to meet eyes with him.
"Well, that's more than I expected," he said. "Genderless, indeed."
Starrk grinned. "Genderless in fact, but we express our bodies as either male or female, or in some cases both or neither, so we take on the features of that gender outwardly."
Ichigo nodded, slipping one hand around him and stroking him slowly. Starrk grunted a little at the action, and Ichigo thought he was going to be able to do this. He was certainly in the right headspace for it at the moment.
"Here, let's lay in the moss," Starrk said, pulling Ichigo to the side of the path where a thick moss carpeted the ground.
Ichigo nodded, moving with him as Starrk sat down. Ichigo fell to his knees and nearly into Starrk's lap. Both of them giggled a little, and Ichigo had to hope no one decided to come into this particular garden soon because they were about to be quite occupied, he felt.
"Wait!" Ichigo gasped. "Don't we like need something, um, you know, a lubricant?" The glaringly bad memory of how painful such a thing was without it worked its way into his mind.
"You're a beta. Things will work as they should," Starrk promised, reaching out for him again, this time pulling him by the hand forward.
Ichigo nodded, moving forward until he was kneeling in front of him. He was still shocked at his size. It was more than anyone he'd ever seen aside from guys in porn. He supposed someone of such a great power would be well endowed…
"Here, let's undress you now," Starrk said, yanking on the obi, letting it fall. The hakama, no longer held up, just slid down Ichigo's slender hips to pool at his knees.
Ichigo swallowed, shrugging slowly out of the jacket he was wearing. He managed to crawl out of the hakama and Starrk pulled at the fundonshi until it came loose. Ichigo blushed immediately, naked in front of him, and completely embarrassed. He'd never felt this exposed when he was with Orihime. Starrk gave that subtle smile again then cupped his face and pulled him forward to kiss his lips again. Before long, Ichigo had climbed into his lap and was grinding against him as they kissed each other as deeply and as long as they could. Starrk slipped a hand between them and began stroking his hand up and down them both together.
"Oh, don't, I'm going to come," Ichigo whined.
"We can't let that happen yet," Starrk said, stopping his hand and moving it to his waist.
Ichigo nodded. "I've never been with another guy. I've only been with Orihime."
"And you never explored before?" Starrk said, rubbing his hands up and down his back.
"You mean, there?" Ichigo croaked. "With her?"
"Of course, you can do that sort of thing, even with a woman. It requires some external equipment, I'm told, but it can be done," he smirked as he stared at Ichigo.
"What? How do you even know about that?" Ichigo was abashed, surprised that Starrk, an Arrancar who had barely spent any time in the World of the Living, would know such things.
Starrk still had the smirk on his face. "Gin was rather useful when it came to such information."
"Gin?" Ichigo gasped, looked at Starrk with wide eyes. "Ichimaru Gin?"
"Yes, he was rather forthcoming with information. But of course, you knew that he and Aizen were involved with each other." Starrk tilted his head to the side and looked at him almost innocently.
"Wait, what? Gin and Aizen? Really?" Ichigo had all but forgotten that he was nude and sitting in another man's lap with a raging hard on that was throbbing with need.
"I will tell you more of it later. Let us continue what we were doing," Starrk said, leaning forward and nibbling at Ichigo's neck.
"Ooh, yeah," Ichigo nodded, leaning back to give him better access.
Starrk slid his hands down Ichigo's back to rest on the swell of his ass, then he reached one hand around and began to lightly tease his hardness as he began sucking and kissing his neck and shoulders around the bone fragment. He then moved, dropping Ichigo to his back smoothly with barely a thump because of the strength in his arms. He used his leg to spread Ichigo's apart, then slid his knee up between his legs, pressing against him hard. Ichigo moaned in response as he moved against everything that was sensitive.
"Can I touch you?" Starrk asked, biting gently at Ichigo's ear.
"Please," Ichigo answered, wriggling against him as he tried to get any amount of friction against his arousal.
Starrk moved one hand down between Ichigo's legs, pausing to cradle and squeeze his balls gently before he began rubbing two fingers against the outside. Ichigo took a deep breath, his brain fighting with bad memories as he tried to remain as calm as possible. Starrk was watching him closely, though. He didn't want him to stop though, and as those two fingers pressed into him, it was all he could do not to come like he had when he'd touched himself like that.
"See, the beta has the ability to take the alpha, no matter if they are female bodied or male bodied. It is as it should be," Starrk told him, twisting his fingers in him before he began plunging them back and forth.
"Oh, yes, more," Ichigo managed, widening his legs even further.
"Needy, aren't we, beta?" Starrk mumbled, removing his fingers. "Don't come yet. Wait until I claim you. It will be worth the wait."
Ichigo swallowed, watching him as he got to his knees between his legs. His pumped himself a couple times, then leaned over him. He held himself up easily with one hand, while he guided himself with the other. Ichigo could feel him pressing against his entrance and his heart was still pounding. But he was excited, and concentrating on not coming, as hard as that was in the moment. Starrk looked up and locked eyes with him again, pressing forward slowly. At first, Ichigo wasn't sure how he felt. It was a few seconds, and he could feel him inside him, filling him up more than he'd ever imagined possible. It was sort of painful at first, stretching him open like that, but at the same time it felt incredibly good.
"Ah, relax," Starrk told him. "Almost there."
"Almost?" Ichigo said, eyes widening a little. He felt like he was overfull already, and he was almost there?
"Yes, just a little more," he said and Ichigo felt him slide forward a couple more inches.
"You…you are so big, it's all so full," he moaned.
"Yes, but it's all in you. Are you alright?" Starrk asked, leaning forward and grasping Ichigo close to his chest.
Ichigo swallowed, squirming a little under him. "Yeah, I am, I'm good. You can move now."
Starrk pulled back and slid forward with a little more force, and Ichigo was having even more trouble holding onto control. He slid right against something that sent shivers up his spine and filled him with feelings he had never experienced during sex before. Like with Orihime, it had been nice, but nothing like this.
"Can you hold on until I come close and can claim you?" Starrk asked, thrusting slowly back and forth.
"I can try. What does this 'claiming' entail exactly?" Ichigo asked, moaning deeply at the end.
"It is a bit archaic, as it includes a claiming bite mark on the neck, but when I do it, my reiatsu mixes with yours, and if you are receptive, the soul or souls implant themselves, blending with our reiatsu." Starrk continued thrusting, speeding up slightly as he talked.
Ichigo arched back, then looked at him. "Soul or souls? What, there can be more than one?"
Starrk chuckled. "Of course, we're like animals after all. Having more than one would be natural, especially as rare as betas are in our world. More so now." He began thrusting faster and faster, not giving Ichigo a chance to answer that.
"I can't last," Ichigo moaned. "I'm gonna come."
Starrk nodded, pulling Ichigo up so he was sitting on his lap straddling him. He easily held him up despite Ichigo's body being significantly weakened at the moment. He clung to Starrk, bouncing on his own to keep the pace with Starrk's motions.
"Alright, just let go when the time feels right," Starrk told him, and Ichigo felt him nuzzle into his neck above the bone fragment.
Ichigo couldn't stand it almost, his body was on fire, and he wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. It felt like his whole being was being caressed, not just his body. He realized his reiatsu was flaring around him, and so was Starrk's. He leaned his head back with a sigh, watching as the two colors of reiatsu blended and meshed with each other in some kind of ethereal dance. He was so enraptured by that scene that when Starrk's teeth sunk into his flesh, he actually did scream out. Immediately, he was flooded with sensation like no other as he felt Starrk's reiatsu wrap and penetrate his body.
And then, he let go.