Sleep. It is an act required by all creatures with a brain. Not only did it grant a period in which one could come to rest and recover, but it was also the only moment the mind had the chance to progress the day's events without being disturbed by new information. The consciousness would descend into an abyss, one detached from time and reality; occasionally rising to the surface to check for danger before submerging into oblivion once more.

It was during such a trip to the near-surface that Ichigo found his consciousness being caught by phantom hands and pulled from the pleasant nothingness he so desperately needed. He resisted. Not willing to succumb to awareness without a fight. The hands were equally persistent but much more effective, dragging him along to a place that wasn't high enough to be "up" but neither was it low enough to be "down".

Brought into this space, his consciousness shaped itself. Forming an image identical to his physical appearance that currently laid alone in bed. Gradually, the hardness of asphalt registered in his drowsy mind. Ichigo groaned, rolling over on his back in the hope that the position would be comfortable enough to continue sleeping. It was a fool's hope. For even if the street suddenly had become soft like his mattress was, there was still the presence of the one who brought him here.

'Oi, Aibō. Wake up'.

A foot nudged his defenceless side. Not hard, mind you. There was no intention to injure or inflict harm. Nevertheless, a jab in the side would spur any war veteran awake, no matter how gentle it had been.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up. Rolling away from the offending limb he got into a crouch, hand going for the empty space at his hip where his sword would be. His eyes blinked, wide but clouded with sleep.

'Easy there, Aibō. It's just me'.

'Huh'. Ichigo looked at the white blur that stood across from him. He squinted at them, the fuzzy image sharpening into the unique appearance of his Hollow Zanpakutō. 'Getsu?' His body slowly uncoiled now his "attacker" had been identified. 'Wazzit?'

'Didn't ya hear that?'

'Hear what?' Ichigo asked, rubbing an eye free of sand and sleep. 'Kazui?'

'No, not yer heir', Getsu dismissed, ignoring his wielder's objection to how he referred to his son. 'There was a voice just now, like, a grown man's voice'.

With the adrenaline fading from his system, Ichigo finally sat down. His mind was waking up but remained a bit slow. 'Zan?'

Getsu's Pressure lashed out. 'Ya think I don't know the difference between the voice of a stranger and my other half?!' he hissed.

'That's not—' Ichigo rubbed his face a bit. 'You said "grown man" and Zan was the first who came to mind. Didn't mean anything by it'.

'It was a voice I don't know. Never heard it before and it called to me by name', Getsu stressed, speaking slowly to make sure his wielder understood. 'Ya sure ya didn't hear it?'

'Yes! I was sleeping until you dragged me here', Ichigo said. He sighed, nursing his temples with his index and middle fingers. 'Give me a minute to get my mind straight, okay?'

Getsu growled but didn't argue. Instead, he crossed his arms and turned his head away, grumbling various insults under his breath that Ichigo pretended not to catch.

'So… you heard a voice you've never heard before', Ichigo said. 'But that's not possible, right?'

'That's why I brought you here, dipshit!'

'Fuck you, I just woke up', Ichigo bit back weakly. 'I'm trying to make sense of this'.

'That's the fucking problem, it doesn't make sense!' Getsu yelled. 'How can you not have heard it?'

'Because I was sleeping', Ichigo repeated.

'So was I! It's no excuse!'

The scowl that had been gradually forming on Ichigo's face could now be identified as thoroughly irate. While his Zanpakutō and he have come a long way from where they had started - relationship-wise - that didn't mean he liked being yelled at upon awakening.

'Just— calm down a sec', Ichigo said, simultaneously raising his finger in a bid for silence before Getsu could retort. 'And, yeah, I know that is shit advice, no need to tell me'.

His request was met with a snarl which Ichigo decided to take as agreement.

It appeared his Zanpakutō had no patience for him today. Which was rare. Getsu was quite hard to get truly upset, Ichigo had found. It had taken weeks before the spirit had reached his breaking point during Ichigo's attempt at earning Bankai again. On top of that, Getsu had been in a relatively good mood last night. For him to already be at his limit before Ichigo had even woken up…told him all he needed to know.

Ichigo heaved a sigh, silently wishing his chances of a good night's rest goodbye. 'Alright', he said before leaving the Mindscape. His abrupt departure sparked both confusion and anger in his spirit, both emotions following him to full awareness. Ichigo ignored them and opened his eyes.

It had been a while since he had woken up alone in bed. The mattress at his right side was cold, the room unusually quiet without the soft and even breaths of his wife sleeping next to him.

Orihime was gone for the week. Currently enjoying life on a short but luxurious, well-earned vacation with friends and family. It was the first time since they've had Kazui that one of them went out of town and, honestly, Ichigo had been a little nervous. It would be just his luck that something would happen with their son while she was gone, causing her to return early.

But two days in and nothing had happened yet.

Well, with their son, anyway. There was definitely something was going on with his Zanpakutō but Ichigo was certain he could figure that out.

Dragging his ass out of bed, Ichigo silently made his way over to his son's room. The door opened up without a sound thanks to his regular use of WD-40 on the hinges. No need to wake the little one when one of the parents came to look, right?

Kazui was still asleep, as he should be. At his side rested a plush lion toy that had seen better days and lots of repairs.

Ichigo nudged Kon, keeping a finger to his lips.

The ModSoul woke silently. Once his eyes found Ichigo he gave a drowsy nod. Ichigo picked Kon up and left the room.

'What's wrong?' Kon asked after Ichigo closed the door behind him. With one of his soft paws, he rubbed his beady eyes free from imaginary sleep sand. 'Is there a Hollow?'

Ichigo shook his head, making sure to skip the squeaking step on his way downstairs. He should probably fix that someday. 'I need to check something real quick. It shouldn't take long'. Reaching the ground level, Ichigo moved to the living room. 'Can you hold down the fort while I'm out?'

Kon gave a nod and Ichigo quickly popped the pill from the plush's mouth and into his own. His soul was immediately ejected from his body, the ire Getsu had been radiating swiftly fading now the Zanpakutō understood what his wielder was going to do.

Kon groaned, shifting to lay comfortably on the sofa. 'Can I watch Netflix?'

'So long you don't watch anything inappropriate or wake Kazui up', Ichigo said, passing the remote to the Modsoul. 'Knock yourself out'.

With Kon to watch over his son, Ichigo could head out knowing that - should trouble arise - no harm would befall his little man. He walked through the television, phasing through the wall to stand outside in the alley.

The night was growing old, the moon having past its zenith and heading to the horizon. The weather was nice enough for the time of year, though a little windy. A few clouds obscured the otherwise starry sky, a few of their darker brethren drifting by in the distance.

Wrapping his Spiritual Pressure close around him, Ichigo drew upon his Quincy heritage. Jumping up, he set off in a steady Hirenkyaku, making slow and thorough rounds through town. He kept his eyes open in search of anything out of the ordinary, like a foreign energy signature or a disturbance in the Spiritual Particles.

After half an hour of Hirenkyaku, Ichigo came up empty-handed. He let his hand rest on his zanpakutō, noticing it was still rather cold to his touch.

Whoever or whatever it was that called out to you, they're gone.

Getsu's displeasure resonated through the blade and made his fingers tingle. Though, Ichigo could feel the appreciation towards him for taking the spirit seriously.

Do you want me to go by Urahara? Ichigo offered. If they've set foot in Karakurachō, his machines will have picked up on it.

Getsu rose forward, coming close enough to speak. It can wait.

You sure?

If they fled, they won't be coming back tonight, Getsu reasoned. Sides, you need the sleep more.

Ichigo let his thumb caress the red bindings of the tsuba, feeling his zanpakutō grow warm once more at his touch. I will pay Urahara a visit when I take Kazui for a walk.

The gratitude he felt wasn't tainted by coldness this time. It seemed whatever he had done wrong in the eyes of his Zanpakutō, had been forgiven.

Just get yer ass back in bed, Getsu waved off. Before ya fall asleep and to yer death.

Ichigo couldn't help the fond smile that crept on his face. Yeah, yeah. I'm going, I'm going. He turned around, facing the direction of his house and prepared to set off when Getsu spoke up.

Hey, Ichigo.

Hm?

…Thanks.

No problem.

#

To Be Continued

BLEACH - Tite Kubo