Chapter 9: Crossing boundaries

It would've been so helpful had they had a clock. The lack of windows and daylight caused the Shinigami Substitute and Quincy to have no idea what time of day it was. They got so little food, they couldn't go by that either. And so hours crept away, or were they just very long minutes?

Ichigo had calmed down since their last confrontation with Szayelaporro and his outburst against Uryu after getting some rest. He was mostly frustrated, as claiming him, like the Espada had poetically put it, was not on his to-do list. However, the seeds of doubt were blooming in his mind, and made one important question rise: Did Szayelaporro want him to sleep with Uryu because he'd said so? Or had he made Uryu say it?

Ichigo bit his thumb in thought. The Quincy was his only ally in this place, and he could not afford to lose him. Even if he was still upset about what he said, but… they must have tortured those words out of him somehow. Ichigo decided he'd just go with that deduction and try to give the other teen the benefit of the doubt for now.

Suddenly, a hoarse whimper echoed through their cell. The Substitute immediately looked over to Uryu. His face was contorted in pain and he was thrashing about. Realizing he must be having a nightmare, Ichigo watched him for a while. He was not inclined to help, as he was still angry about the whole situation. If the Espada really wanted them to have sex, he was afraid he was going to blame Uryu for it. No matter what he believed right now.

The Quincy made a distressed whimper and violently arched up. Whatever demons were attacking him right now, it seemed like they were winning the battle. Ichigo sighed. However angry he was about this situation, the other boy had already suffered enough. He tried to put his frustration aside for now and went to his side.

Hovering over the archer, Ichigo saw drops of sweat shine on Uryu's brow, while his eyelids trembled. His hands curled into fists and back. He made feral noises and sounded terrified. No wonder, after what that pink-haired freak had put him through. The Substitute decided it was best to rouse him.

"Ishida, Ishida, wake up." Ichigo gently shook him

After a few moments Uryu's eyelids fluttered a few times before he opened them completely. He shrieked at seeing Ichigo above him and quickly wrapped his arms around his head for protection, while his body tried to curl in on itself. Ichigo couldn't blame him, as he'd treated him violently before, but it didn't feel right.

"Aww, come on. It's me, Ichigo." He shook the Quincy a little again. "You were having a nightmare. I had to wake you." Uryu was panting and slowly opened his eyes again, focusing on the Substitute and appraising him. After a few moments he sighed while lowering his arms. The tremors of his body didn't automatically stop and hesitantly he reached out to touch Ichigo's cheek with his fingertips, as if to make sure he was really there. That soft movement startled the Substitute and he flinched, causing the Quincy to immediately retrieve his hand as if burned. He averted his gaze with a sad sigh.

Ichigo just stared at him wide-eyed. Why would Uryu do such a thing after he'd again treated him so roughly? He would never be able to understand the nature of his Quincy friend. Especially now. The suffering in this prison had tamed his snarky attitude for sure, but the way he acted now, most of his defenses down, was something Ichigo couldn't even imagine before.

Uryu placed his hands besides his body and tried to push himself into a sitting position, but considering the wounds in his belly, that proved not an easy task. He shut his eyes and groaned. Not being able to ignore his helpful nature, Ichigo stepped in.

"Do you wanna sit up?" Uryu looked up at him and slowly gave a small nod. The Substitute carefully grasped his shoulders and assisted him. A sharp hiss from the other boy made Ichigo look him over. He was clearly feeling faint and started panting from the effort. When Ichigo'd helped him upright, the Quincy shifted his weight as to find the position which brought him the least pain.

Ichigo sighed again, unsure of what to do. The archer couldn't talk. There was no way they could work this argument out. Growling a little, his eyes fell on the tray. He went to sit down next to Uryu and offered him the remaining bread.

"Here, try to eat this." The Quincy shook his head. "No, I don't need it. You know I only need food to replenish my spiritual pressure, while you on the other hand…" he trailed off. He took Uryu's hand and directly placed the bread into his fingers, so he wouldn't refuse. The raven-haired teen blinked a few times, before giving Ichigo a grateful nod.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, but Uryu just stared into the distance while nibbling on his food. This was the moment where he'd have replied something sarcastic, Ichigo thought, but he kept that to himself. "Can I check on your wounds again?" That made the Quincy look at him. Even though there obviously was tension between them, that didn't mean Ichigo wasn't concerned anymore. Letting his hands fall into his lap, with bread and all, Uryu slowly nodded and braced himself.

Ichigo carefully lifted his tunic and sucked in air between his teeth. His pale skin was marred with large red patches, and bruises were forming around the edges of the gauze, but that wasn't the bad part. The surgical gauzes were saturated with dried blood and sweat. They needed redressing, urgently! He felt Uryu's body tense up under his touch.

"We need to clean these, but…" He trailed off, readjusting the boy's tunic. The Quincy gave him a glum look. He'd probably already figured that one out himself.

Ichigo placed a hand on the other boy's forehead and sighed in relief to feel he didn't have a fever. He must be in a lot of pain, but apparently, the Quincy was good at hiding it, too. Ichigo felt his heart beat faster. Uryu's wounds would get infected, he was sure of it. It was only a matter of time. Szayelaporro wasn't done with them yet, but… how much more would the archer be able to take?

Groaning in frustration, he thought about how to communicate with his friend for a moment and let his face sink into his hands. Then he decided he would ask him yes/no questions. There were a few things he'd be able to answer…

"Ishida, can I ask you something?" The Quincy, who was sitting against the wall with both his hands pressed to his lower abdomen, nodded faintly. He'd stopped eating for now.

"You know I'm still frustrated about that message the pink freak played." Hearing him say it so straightforward made Uryu look away in shame again while making a soft hum. "Was that your voice?" The archer looked at him questioningly before giving a slow nod.

"So it wasn't a fake?" Uryu shrugged.

"Did he torture you to make you say that?" He shrugged again.

"Do you even remember saying something like that?" Uryu, who was still staring everywhere but at Ichigo, shook his head. "So you don't remember?" The Quincy shook his head again. For a moment, Ichigo felt relieved at that, only to realize that he could still have said it while drugged. His frustration began to rise again and he let his head lower into one hand, sighing.

"But… why would you say something like that?" Uryu just stared in front of him and took a deep breath, obviously unable to answer that question. "Say something, dammit." The boy shrugged and Ichigo growled again. This wasn't working. Yes/no questions would only get them so far and Uryu couldn't nuance anything. Nor could he try to give an explanation.

Then Ichigo remembered screaming something at the Quincy while his aggression enhancers were still working. The boy's face when he said it was still fresh in his memory and his curiosity pushed him to know for certain. Uryu would probably get very defensive about it, too, but he really wanted to know.

"Time for a personal question, then." He wanted to choose his next words carefully, but he didn't have the patience for it at the moment and somewhat accusingly blurted out: "Do you… do you like guys?"

He'd anticipated to be sniped down by those sapphire eyes that could be excruciatingly cold sometimes, but… Uryu just gasped and stared at him, obviously not expecting something like this. Startling Ichigo with the look on his face. All his guards were down and Ichigo felt like he was peering straight into the boy's soul for a second. He looked vulnerable and somehow hurt.

Uryu closed his eyes and took a deep, quivering breath before dipping his head down so his hair fell in front of his face, shielding it. For a few very long seconds, their cell was alarmingly silent and Ichigo could feel his heartbeat speed up from anxiety. Slowly, Uryu nodded. Ichigo felt like he was struck by lightning by that revelation.

"What? You really are…" He trailed off again. "Shit… That's… unexpected." He'd almost blurted out weird or heavy or even worse, but thankfully he had the presence of mind to hold his tongue. Uryu's lip started to tremble, and he bit it hard. Afraid to be thoroughly judged, he didn't dare to look up at the Substitute. Ichigo didn't know why, but that answer caused a lot more questions to rise in his mind.

"Have you ever told someone before?" Uryu shook his head.

"So I am the first person to-" He nodded before Ichigo could finish that question and made a throaty sound. He sounded upset, which was no surprise, seeming this subject must've been very hard for him to broach.

"Shit…" Ichigo rubbed the back of his head. "So this is like… your coming out, huh?" Uryu clenched his eyes tight and nodded again. For his part, the Substitute was grateful that he did, as he'd catch him gaping open-mouthily. He still needed to process this delicate information.

"Does… your father know?" The Substitute continued. The Quincy gasped before slowly shaking his head. "Yeah, if what you told me is true, then that bastard is already so cold towards you as it is. I can't even imagine how he'd react if he'd find out about you…" As he heard Uryu taking a wavering breath, he realized too late he shouldn't have said that. This conversation was hard enough on Uryu as it was.

"S-sorry, that's none of my business." He apologized. Ichigo couldn't help but contemplate on the archer's life. They both lost their mothers at the same age, but at least he had a loving father and 2 sisters whom made him happy and offered him support and love. Even if his father was insane or proved to be a real pain in the ass sometimes. He still had a family, while Uryu… had no one.

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. Damn. Suddenly, he could understand the other boy a little better. Why he was defensive most of the time. Why he had so much trouble opening up to other people… The belittling and over-expectant attitude of his father couldn't have done him any good either. Throw his responsibilities as a Quincy and another sexual orientation into that mix and it'd become a lot to bear for anyone.

Meanwhile, Uryu had lowered his head into his hands. This had to be hard on him. Especially now, when he was already badly injured and given the situation they were in. Why would he share something this private and difficult now? Did he think that by sharing something like that, Ichigo would get more sympathy for him and would let the whole thing with the audio message slide? Or was it plain and simple because he'd asked him outright?

"I know that must have been hard on you, sharing something like that." Ichigo said. Uryu, who was still biting his lip, slowly raised his head and looked at him with uncertainty gleaming in his eyes. "But… don't think I can let that whole incident with what you supposedly said slide just because you told me a secret like that. I'm still angry at you."

There. He said it.

Ichigo almost regretted his words as he watched how the Quincy's face fell on a stilted gasp. Uryu closed his eyes and nodded, before letting his head hang again. Yes, it was mean of him to do, but somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that Uryu had something to do with Szayelaporro's perverted experiments.

Feeling this conversation was over, Ichigo passed the bowl of water to Uryu and instructed him to drink as much as he needed. Then he stood up to walk back to the corner he had been brooding in for hours. As he sat down on the opposite wall again, he saw Uryu sigh while his shoulders slumped down in defeat.

The Quincy resumed to eat his bread and didn't look at Ichigo anymore. The Substitute had obviously hurt him and made him feel ashamed, but Ichigo couldn't help the way he was feeling right now either. What had Uryu expected of him anyway? A hug and a kiss, maybe? He'd not insulted him or laughed at him, even if his revelation had been quite a surprise, it didn't change all that much. Ichigo thought he'd handled it well, and at the moment, that was the best he could do.

After they'd sat in silence for a while, the Quincy dozed off again. His body obviously needed to rest. Feeling conflicted as he did, Ichigo still kept a vigilant eye on his injured friend and already dreaded the moment where Szayelaporro would show his smug face again.

Ichigo had let the other boy sleep for some time. He had no idea how much time had passed again, but he went to check on the Quincy regularly to see if he wasn't getting worse. Having nothing to do in their fairly small cell started to make him crazy. He wanted fresh air. He wanted to feel the sun on his skin. He wanted to see his family again, his friends. He'd even be happy to take a lecture of his homeroom teacher… Sighing, he went back to sit in his corner, hugging his knees for a while.

After he'd sat there for who knows how long, the door opened. Ichigo was immediately on guard, but Uryu was still sleeping. Six Fraccionés rushed inside, their zapping rods ready to strike. Ichigo jumped upright and stood proudly before them. His arms ready to attack and his head held up high.

"What do you want?" He sneered.

Three of the guards circled him, while the other 3 went over to Uryu's side.

"We don't have to explain anything to you." One of the guards said, holding his staff in attack mode and shoving it in his direction. "You just have to come with us. Nice and-"

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo was feeling thoroughly fed up with them. "Make me!" Two of the guards watched each other hesitantly before looking over at him again, uncertain of how to proceed.

Suddenly he heard a startled whimper behind him and looked over at Uryu. The guards had obviously woken him up and were trying to get him onto his feet. The Quincy was not fully awake yet and his injured body was protesting heavily.

"Fuck!" Ichigo yelled. "Leave him alone!" Uryu was disoriented from being asleep for a long time. They pulled at him, causing him to gasp and groan, clutching his stomach. Ichigo's defensive instinct got the upper hand. He kicked one of the guards in front of him backwards, then gave a round kick to the other two and rushed over to help his friend.

"Leave him alone! You assholes!" Ichigo grabbed one of the Fraccionés who was manhandling the Quincy and threw him over his shoulder towards the other three.

"We need backup in here!" He heard one of them shout. He knew it was only a matter of time before Szayelaporro would activate the collars, but he was too hyper to stop now.

Meanwhile, Uryu had sunk back onto his knees, but was not surrendering to the guards either. He tried throwing punches at the 2 guards circling him. Protecting his lower abdomen with his right hand. After the Fraccionés backed down a little, he tried standing up. Clenching his jaw and taking a sharp hiss. It obviously was difficult, injured as he was, and he sunk back down onto one knee. Ichigo rushed to his side and offered him a hand. It would be wiser if the Quincy stayed down and let him fight the guards by himself, but knowing him, he knew Uryu wouldn't have any of that.

Uryu threw him a faint smile and pushed himself upright by relying on the help of the Substitute. He was still wobbly on his legs, but it seemed he was giving it everything he got to assist him. Ichigo couldn't help but marvel a little at Uryu's resilience. While he punched one of the guards point-blanc in the face, the sound of an arrow shrieked past his head. He didn't need to look to know the Quincy had conjured his spirit bow Ginrei Kojaku.

As more guards came into their cell, Uryu released more arrows. Aiming carefully to make a lethal strike, albeit while panting and on shaky legs. Uryu was so fast, true to his Quincy speed, and with his powerful weapon, he had managed to take out 3 of the guards already.

"Backup! We need backup!" One of the remaining guards shouted with an arrow lodged into his shoulder. If he hadn't moved on time, he'd be finished as well.

Ichigo watched the Quincy fight with a pleased smirk, while kicking and punching the other Fraccionés around as well as he could without Zangetsu. He was ready to help the other boy out, but allowing him a chance to defend himself, as to not make him feel incapacitated. As Uryu had shot true again, and the guard whom called for backup turned to dust with a high-pitched screech, Ichigo gave the other boy a thumbs up gesture. Uryu nodded and got a little color on his cheeks again, which made Ichigo snicker.

It felt so good beating a few enemies up like this. Fighting together with one of his friends. It almost made him forget they were still prisoners. The adrenaline flowed through Ichigo and his face lit up.

Unfortunately, his happiness was cut short. He'd known this was bound to happen, but it hadn't stopped him in beating up the guards just to spite that pink-haired bastard. The tingle of the collar indicated the end of their fight. He searched for Uryu and when their eyes locked after he'd made another killing shot, and the current shot through them, he saw him sink down to his knees again. Making a soundless cry as Ginrei Kojaku disappeared from his hands.

"Fuck!" Ichigo screamed. The voltage had been set to high again. The Espada must've wanted to end their little brawl instantaneously. And he succeeded at that. Ichigo slumped to the floor and felt the pointy staves of the Fraccionés rain down on him, beating him and adding to the electric shocks. The Quincy was making feral sounds. They were beating him too.

When the current finally stopped, it left Ichigo breathless. A drop of sweat rolled down from his forehead as he tried filling his lungs with air.

"Now," One of the guards screamed at him, "are you coming with us, or shall we beat you some more?" Frankly, Ichigo wanted to tell him to shove it up his ass, but… the attack had been hard on him. He knew if he resisted, Uryu would be zapped as well and… Looking over at the other teen, who obviously tried to act strong in front of him, couldn't hide how he really felt.

Crumpled into a ball on the floor, one hand clutching the wounds in his lower abdomen, Uryu tried regaining his breath. One of the guards had the audacity to kick him in his side, close to his wounds, to get him to stand up. When the Quincy moaned and wrapped his arms around himself, Ichigo felt his blood boil. He lunged forward at the Fraccioné in question and tackled him to the ground. The other guards stepped in, but Ichigo didn't care. Szayelaporro needed him alive anyway.

When the collar's tingle indicated what would follow, he cursed again. He didn't wanted them to zap Uryu with another current in his weakened state, but his anger at how the guards were treating him had gotten the better hand, and now they both would have to pay the price. He screamed and tried to yell something encouraging to his friend. But when the current stopped and he looked over at the Quincy, he felt sorry for his hotheaded actions.

Uryu was lying on his back, heaving. His head was tilted back towards him, staring at him with glossy eyes. Ichigo tried to reach him with his hand, but he was too far away.

"H-hang in there, Ishida." He panted. "They need us alive…" Somehow that wasn't comforting at all, but Uryu gave him a soft nod either way. Some of the Fraccionés laughed at that.

"Obey this time." One of them sneered.

Neither of the boys had much resistance left in them after that. Ichigo didn't dare for Uryu's sake. The guards snarled at them to get up on their feet and follow them. The Substitute managed to stand up by pushing himself off the floor, but the Quincy was having more difficulties. Ichigo watched how the other boy rolled onto his side and tried to do what he did, but it was taking too long. When he was on one knee and tried standing up, one of the Fraccionés got impatient.

"Come on, stupid human. We don't have all day." He smacked and backhanded Uryu, who countered with a lethal glare. "Still willing to fight, eh?" The guard smirked and threw him a punch. Uryu swiftly, caught his fist, but it was putting a lot of pressure on his wounds and he grunted, body straining from the pressure.

"Don't, Ishida!" Ichigo shouted, even though he knew Uryu had only tried to defend himself. He couldn't help but marvel at his fighting spirit. They couldn't risk opening the Quincy's wounds over this… Struggling would only leave the other boy exhausted.

One of the Fraccionés' buddies came to join him and threw a wild punch at Uryu from the other side. The boy staggered and fell back on all-fours, panting. The 2 guards started beating him with their rods again, while Uryu could do nothing but stay in that same position and try to protect himself with his arms.

"Stop! Leave him alone! You assholes!" Ichigo shouted, but they just laughed at their expense. The Substitute was ready to jump at them, to help the other boy out, when he felt the tingle of the collar again. "Fuck!"

Both boys screamed as they were zapped once more. Ichigo sank to his knees, while the Quincy curled up on the floor. Thankfully, the electricity stopped after only a few moments. It must've been a warning for more to come if they kept up their disobedience…

Taking elaborate breaths, Uryu locked eyes with Ichigo. Sweat was dripping from his face and made his glasses tumble to the floor. One of the Fraccionés assaulting him promptly kicked his specs away and with a loud swish of his staff, he hit Uryu in the middle of his injured abdomen.

"Fuck!" Yelled Ichigo in response to the loud, distressed sound his friend made, before he collapsed onto the floor. The Substitute rushed to his side and when the Fraccionés were ready to strike again, he jumped down before the Quincy and screamed: "Wait! Let me help him! We'll do what you want!" The guards had apparently not expected such a selfless request. They stared at each other for a second before the leader announced:

"Make it quick." Ichigo sighed in relief and shifted his gaze to Uryu who lay trembling at his feet, looking up at him with uncertainty gleaming in his eyes. The Substitute took a fast look at his belly for fresh bleedings, and felt some tension slip off his shoulders when he didn't see any.

Uryu's eyes darted around the room, as he could no longer see clearly without his glasses. The Substitute tried to reach for them, but one of the guards smacked his hand with his rod.

"Leave it!" He ordered. "Get moving!"

Ichigo growled at him, but complied. He slid an arm under the Quincy's shoulders, while one snaked around his waist. As he slowly stood up, he lifted the other boy along with him. Uryu groaned and was taking ragged breaths. He nodded softly when their eyes met. It only lasted a few seconds before he turned his gaze down again. Ichigo knew he'd hurt him with their last conversation, but the dread that Szayelaporro wanted him to do those things clouded his empathy and made him feel selfish where he normally wouldn't feel that way.

Doubt was a terrible thing…

Without further ado, the Fraccionés gestured for them to follow. A few of them walked behind them, their pointy staves ready to strike. Uryu was panting, and every few meters his legs gave way, but Ichigo held onto him firmly. Softly whispering encouragements.

After a few minutes, they entered a room. It looked a lot like the room where Ichigo had been interrogated before, but the surgical table in the middle had a different shape as its headboard angled up from the lower part so a patient lying on top would not be down flat. Besides that, there was a desk in one of the corners, with some unknown tech. And a few devices next to the table that resembled things he'd seen in his father's clinic. The Fraccionés pushed them towards the table and went to stand around them with their staves ready to strike.

The door opened again and Szayelaporro leisurely walked in. A toothy grin adorned his smug face. Ichigo immediately felt his blood boil at the sight of him. His hands curling into fists, he let Uryu grab hold of the table for support, while he went to stand in front of him.

"Welcome, Kurosaki Ichigo." The Espada crooned, while his guards moved out of the way to accommodate him. "Welcome to this very special room."

"What's so special about it?" Ichigo sneered at him, but he felt his heartbeat pick up in anxiety already.

"What do you think, you ignorant fool? It's showtime, boys! This is the room where you will take your girlfriend and claim him like I asked you to." The Espada laughed mirthfully and Ichigo immediately felt his heart sink, even though he'd known it'd come to this. He heard Uryu make a throaty sound behind him. "Last time, you were disobedient and so I had to punish the Quincy thoroughly. So this time, I hope you'll… cooperate. Or I won't be held accountable for my actions later." He showed his teeth before licking his gloved fingers again.

Ichigo knew it was pointless to argue with the pink-haired freak, but still, he had to try.

"Why do you want us to do such a thing? What can you-"

"Why, you ask. Dear boy, my plan is much too big for your brain to handle." He clapped his hands together. "Now, without further delay, I want you both to undress so we can start."

"W-what?" Ichigo thought he hadn't heard correctly. "You want us to… in front of you?"

The Espada laughed. "Well, not in front of all of us. I'll send some of my Fraccionés outside, as it'll get too crowded in here." He gave the order and only 4 guards remained in the room. Each taking up a position in a corner to stand in.

"Fuck…" Ichigo exhaled in exasperation. He felt his head spinning at the thought of what the freak wanted him to do. Anger and frustration mixed in his gut and when he turned around to face Uryu, it didn't get any better. The Quincy was looking at him with a shocked face, while he tried to keep himself from sinking down by holding the table. He had no intention at all to do those things in front of other people. Besides that he wasn't interested in guys, he was sure the pink-freak would make it horrendous. This was neither the time, nor the place, and he didn't want to cooperate. "Screw you, stupid Espada. I won't-"

The collars buzzed and Szayelaporro showed them his widest grin. Ichigo grabbed the collar and sank to his knees. Electricity overrunning every sensation in his body. Uryu made feral noises again and collapsed onto the floor, writhing. The crackling electricity took longer than before, as a point had to be proven, clearly. When the current finally stopped, it left both teens breathless and gasping for air.

"What do you think about your assignment now, Substitute Shinigami?" The 8th Espada scoffed. When Ichigo opened his eyes, he was staring right into that maniacal face, looming above him.

"I-I refuse…" Ichigo gasped. The amber eyes above him gleamed darkly, but Ichigo didn't give up. The collars buzzed a second time and he heard the Quincy make a sharp groan. He knew it wasn't fair of him to subject the other boy to all that pain while he made the decision, but… he just didn't have another option. Doing what the creep wanted was going to hurt Uryu also.

Szayelaporro left Ichigo writhing on the floor and marched over towards Uryu whom lay huddled underneath the table, trembling. When the crackling stopped and left both friends heaving, Uryu looked up with a startled expression to find the Espada hovering over him.

"Dear Quincy, be a good boy and do as I say." Szayelaporro said with a sultry voice while dipping down and running a hand through Uryu's raven-black hair. He started whispering into Uryu's ear and the Substitute saw his friend's eyes widen in shock while his lower lip started to tremble. After the Espada stopped whispering, they both stared at Ichigo. The Espada with a maniacal grin, while Uryu got as white as a sheet, looking horrified. Szayelaporro slipped his fingers into the archer's collar and started unbuttoning his short, white cape.

"So," purred the Espada, while he turned the Quincy's face towards him with his other hand, "do we have a deal?"

Ichigo watched how Uryu closed his eyes for a moment on a quivering breath. Then, slowly, he nodded to the Espada in understanding. He rolled over to his side and tried to push himself in a sitting position while groaning. Under enthusiastic clapping of Szayelaporro.

Ichigo was shocked!

"You… Why are you complying with what he wants so easily, you idiot? Where is your Quincy pride?" The archer, who let out an exasperated sigh, looked at him sadly before averting his eyes. He was exhausted, that much Ichigo understood, but to just give in like that…

Before the Quincy had the chance to do anything else, Ichigo crawled over to him and grabbed him by the collar, eliciting a surprised gasp from the other boy. All the while the Espada was still playing with the Quincy's hair, while flashing the remote for their collars in front of Ichigo from time to time as a warning.

Uryu tried making gestures to explain something, all the while he was making nervous gasps and short, throaty sounds. Sometimes his eyes went back over to Szayelaporro, who had removed his cape off his shoulders and was flirting with the zipper on the back of his tunic. Uryu slapped his hands away, but the Espada didn't let up and just laughed tauntingly. Uryu's attention snapped back to Ichigo as he raised his voice.

"Have you lost your mind, Ishida? Stand up to this freak! You've fought 2 days against that poison, where's that attitude now? Didn't you tell me not to give in to his demands?" ichigo was furious and raised his fist. The other boy flinched and tried protecting his head with his arms. That held Ichigo back. All the while the Espada laughed mockingly at their display.

"It doesn't matter what he promised you! Come on! You're not stupid enough to trust him, right? He'll torture us anyway!"

The pink-haired man laughed again. "Ah yes, but your girlfriend remembers it very well, the horrors I subjected him to." Szayelaporro said wearing a dark grin. "He knows he shouldn't take my demands lightly, as the reprimands will be severe. Are you up to that, Shinigami? Do you want to sacrifice him again for your own selfish desires? I'm sure I could do wonderful things to him."

Uryu made a distressed sound and shook his head. He was afraid, Ichigo could tell. But the frustration he'd been feeling for hours was suddenly heightened by the thought that the Quincy would give in to that freak at the merest promise, and it pushed him to the point of throwing some of the anger out.

"He knows about you, doesn't' he?" Ichigo asked angrily. Uryu blinked at him in confusion.

"He knows you're gay, right! You must have given him these perverted idea's somehow! Why else would he ask this of me? Aren't you gay people all obsessed with sex and screwing around? Or maybe you're just tired of being a virgin and decided this would be a good moment to get laid. But I'm not like that! I don't want this!" He heard Syzelaporro's amused laugh, but kept his attention focused on the boy in front of him, throwing him a piercing glare.

Uryu had a shocked expression on his face and was just gaping at him open-mouthedly for a long, painful moment. As Szayelaporro started sliding his hands up and down the boy's torso, he snapped out of it. The Quincy tried to say something and shook his head, but it was futile. Ichigo was all worked up and he still couldn't put that message that Uryu supposedly said out of his mind. Not even if the other boy had been tortured for it…

In his heart, he knew it wasn't fair, treating the Quincy like this. Spouting all this venom at him wasn't going to help either of them, but… he was so, so very angry, so frustrated with the idea of being forced to having sex like this… It was overwhelming and it terrified him…

Taking out his anger on Uryu was all he managed at this point to keep his sanity.

Suddenly, Uryu grabbed Ichigo's hands into his own, making a desperate sound and looking at the Substitute with sorrowful eyes. Feeling his frustration peak, he slapped Uryu hard across the cheek, while trying to reign in most of his anger or he would've outright punched him in the face.

"Don't you understand, Ishida? He wants me to do those sickening, perverted things. In front of these people. Because of what you are. I won't forgive you for this." His voice was cold and merciless.

Uryu just stared at him with eyes full of misery, taking wavering breaths. He looked over at Szayelaporro who laughed again and gave the boy a shrug. Ichigo released the Quincy's collar and he sank back into a sitting position. However, Uryu didn't let up. He grabbed one of Ichigo's wrists and made fast, panicked sounds while his lip still trembled. He pointed towards the table before enclosing Ichigo's palm with both his hands and putting it on his chest. Ichigo didn't understand what he wanted and coldly said:

"Let go of me, Ishida." The other boy didn't stop and grabbed hold of his shoulder with his other hand, trying to convey a message the Substitute didn't get, and at the moment he was too upset to care. He slapped Uryu again, whom let go. His hands trembling heavily.

"Oh, marvelous boys. You never cease to impress." Szayelaporro crooned and stood up again. "Now, are you both ready?"

"I won't do it!" Ichigo said, steadfastly. Eliciting a plaintive whimper from the Quincy whom looked at him with pleading eyes. That made Ichigo's fury explode and he sneered: "What the hell, Ishida? I didn't know you'd wanted to get fucked by me so badly!" Ichigo saw Uryu's eyes fill with tears, doing all in his power to hold them back, while turning his gaze down. A pang of guilt shot through his heart as he realized he might have taken this too far.

"Have it your way, Kurosaki Ichigo, but your girlfriend won't like it." He gave a command to his guards whom swiftly stepped forward and pulled the Quincy upright by his limbs. The 4 Fraccionés positioned themselves on each corner of the prepared table. One of them pushed Uryu's torso down, while the 2 at the back proceeded to haul his feet off the floor and thrusted him upwards so his whole body was laying down. Uryu made shrieking sounds of protest, but the Fraccionés continued, as per their orders.

"Good." Szayelaporro inspected their work. "Now, strip him."

Uryu howled out of frustration and panic as he felt cold fingers dip underneath his tunic and fumble around the waistband of his slacks, opening the buttons and ruthlessly pulling them down. Meanwhile, the 2 guards in the front were shrugging him out of his tunic, while deftly confining the Quincy's wrists into 2 shackles aligned at shoulder height. He was left in only his boxers on the cold table, trapped and helpless.

Uryu screamed a soundless scream, arching upwards, testing his now bound wrists. His breathing became ragged and his eyes darted around between his attackers. All the while the Espada laughed.

"Now, Kurosaki Ichigo, sit back and relax." He went over to the Quincy and started sticking electrodes onto his chest, abdomen and forehead. "You see, your girlfriend and I made a wager, and I won of course." He tousled Uryu's hair again, who was panting hard, still trying to break free. Then he turned around and looked Ichigo in the eyes with a cold smirk. "I told him that if he couldn't succeed in convincing you to fuck him, you could watch how all of my Fraccionés have their way with him. Not just these four, but every willing guard here. Fucking him one after the other. As many times as they want. After which I'll… play my trump card." The Espada purred. "He still remembers from last time, but… we'll talk about that final step later." The man turned back around towards the table, starting up some devices that measured Uryu's heartrate among other things.

"Now you, make him shut up!" Szayelaporro yelled at his Fraccionés.

Ichigo felt his jaw drop. This wasn't at all what he'd imagined the Espada to have whispered to Uryu. He'd thought that the pink bastard had promised him special treatment or something. Like more food and water. Maybe a bath. Or the redressing of his wounds even. He had not expected something like this…

Again, he had hurt the Quincy, for his own reasons while the other boy was trying to survive. He felt stupid, but didn't get time to dwell on this as a high-pitched sound from Uryu immediately got his attention.

Ichigo watched in horror as the two guards in front alternately slapped Uryu hard across the face, while the boy's evident panic rose. He was thrashing about, lashing out with his legs, fighting them with everything he had left. Trying to get the Fraccioné that tried to tear his boxers away from him. When their eyes locked, he saw Uryu imploring his help without making a sound. The Quincy looked absolutely terrified. The sounds he made then pierced Ichigo's heart. He had never seen Uryu like this. He'd seen him injured or faint during battles, but completely taken over by panic… never! He still didn't know the extent of how they'd tortured him, but given what he witnessed right now… It must have been even worse than he'd imagined.

"S-stop this…" muttered Ichigo. The Espada swiftly turned towards him and crooned:

"You've had your chance with him, Kurosaki Ichigo. Two times already. And now he's going to pay for your foolishness." He turned back towards his Fraccionés and ordered: "Get on with it!"

One of the Fraccionés at the back of the table got hold of one of Uryu's slender legs and firmly grasped it before catching the other one. Uryu made a desperate sound and tried kicking some more, but the guard firmly held his legs down. Uryu bucked and thrashed and… had to surrender as a crippling fear was paralyzing him. All his strength exploited, he could only muster ragged breaths. Fast, short beeps echoed in the chamber as the Quincy's heartbeat was shooting through the roof.

Ichigo was still sitting on the floor, watching the events unfold in awe. Completely dumbstruck and paralyzed. Both by what he was witnessing and by how he had treated the Quincy. He wanted to move, but his legs had turned to jelly by all the emotions running through him.

Suddenly, the commotion in the room was pierced by a sharp sob which instantly brought the Substitute back to reality. The guard that wasn't holding the Quincy down had taken off the last layer of clothing protecting him, his boxers. Leaving the boy naked. He tried to keep his thighs together, in a desperate attempt to protect himself, but the Fraccionés ruthlessly flung his legs open. Mocking him. One of the guards started fondling the boy roughly, while the others laughed at him.

Uryu's gaze fell on Ichigo again and the latter was shocked to see tears streak his pale face. He had never seen him reduced to tears… Uryu was crying while sobbing softly. Silenced by the indignity of this all.

A hero like him couldn't let this happen! He felt anger burn from his gut up. Uryu had tried to reason with him, but he'd been too stubborn to see and unwilling to listen to his pleas. Given the choice to have sex with a friend or god knows how many perverted Fraccionés of that maniac, of course the Quincy had chosen him over this. It had been Uryu's only option. He felt his heart drop at that realization. The Quincy wasn't at fault for any of this… Even if he still didn't know the truth behind the message Szayelaporro had played. For the moment, helping his friend was all that mattered…

When Ichigo looked up again and saw one of the guards at the end of the table unzipping his pants, fury flared throughout his body. His Hollow mask appeared over his features while black flames danced around him. In the blink of an eye, he'd jumped forward and knocked the first two guards down. Punching them, screaming loudly, and throwing them against the wall.

"Behave!" Shouted the Espada while leering darkly and pushed the button. Electricity shot through him, but he didn't stop. He knew Uryu was getting zapped too, but he didn't have another choice. He could only hope the injured boy would be able to take it… as this wretched day was far from over.

Adrenaline shot through him, as he tried taking down the other 2 guards, while the pain in his body augmented. He cursed loudly and went down on one knee, but didn't give up. The remaining guards attacked him with their staves, but he blasted them to the wall with his Hollow powers, . As he tried to get up again, he was hit from behind by a Fraccioné that had managed to get back up. The electricity became unbearable and he screamed, his Hollow powers dissipating. Szayelaporro had his eyes glued on him, smiling.

"I'll do it! I'll claim him!" He shouted. "Please!" He saw the Espada's interest pique while he smiled at him darkly.

"Off course you will, Kurosaki Ichigo. You're so easy to bait. You just needed a little… persuasion." Szayelaporro mocked. The electricity stopped and Ichigo tried to regain his breath. Standing up after a few moments, he shot the Espada an ice-cold glare and said:

"Give me a minute. I have to talk to him."

"Talk to him? No, that won't do, Shinigami. You'll have to fuck him."

"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled. "I'll do it! I just need to tell him something first."

"This is getting really interesting. You boys are just so entertaining. But if you make one wrong move, I'll take you down myself. I'm sure your girlfriend has told you about my capabilities." While he was saying that, the remaining guards were circling around them, ready to go at it again.

"I can't afford to get zapped again." Ichigo said coldly. "For his sake." The Espada clapped his hands and made a mocking bow.

"Ah, love. It's such a wonderful thing." He taunted.

Still panting, Ichigo walked over to the table. Uryu was heaving from their latest attack. His head was lolled to the side and he'd closed his eyes. His lower lip trembled softly. The moment the guards had released his legs, he'd pulled them up and crossed them to cover himself.

"I-Ishida…" Ichigo tried, but the archer remained unresponsive, apart for his involuntary trembling. He went to stand sideways from his torso and hovered over him. "Uryu…" He tried again, while softly caressing his cheek. "Uryu, look at me." That got the Quincy's attention and slowly, he moved his head and stared up at him, still trying to get some air into his lungs. While looking into his eyes, Ichigo saw how shaken his friend was by all this and couldn't help but wonder again: what on earth have they done to you?

Ichigo laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I… I'm sorry." He whispered and watched how Uryu's pupils widened. "I was stupid and selfish and mean, but I didn't know it would come to this… You didn't have a choice and I'm sorry for hurting you like I did." He gently wiped the boy's plastered hair out of his face, earning a startled gasp from the Quincy. "I'm not confident in doing this, but I'll do it. I'll sleep with you, so they'll leave us alone for now." At least, if that bastard keeps his word, he finished in his mind. As to not upset his friend further.

When Ichigo saw tears of relief spill from Uryu's eyes, accompanied by soft sobs and gurgling sounds, he felt his heart break. The other teen was trying to tell him something again and Ichigo understood this time. "I'm sorry" and "thank you"

Without further ado, Ichigo started shrugging out of his black shihakusho, starting with the obi. Throwing his top kosode off, as to reveal his white under garments. Uryu was watching him a little stunned, as if he only now realized they were really going to do this. Ichigo gave him a soft, reassuring smile, before dropping his black Hakama pants onto the floor.

"Wonderful, Shinigami Substitute." Was Szayelaporro's verdict. He touched Ichigo's chest and started making circles on it, while giving him a toothy grin.

"Don't touch me, you-" The Espada pretended to push the button and made Ichigo instantly shut up, laughing maniacally when the latter noticed he hadn't actually done it. Szayelaporro started sticking electrodes to the Substitute's chest, forehead and abdomen, opening the white undergarment he wore over his fundonshi loincloth. Without another word, he gave Ichigo an injection in his arm. The Shinigami Substitute flinched in surprise.

"What did you- It's not those aggression enhancing stuff, is it?"

The Espada scoffed. "No, that would be too easy this time. And I'm not sure he'd survive right now. I want you both to struggle." He grinned widely. "I'm suspecting you'll have difficulties to get hard if your girlfriend's unwilling, and with an audience watching, so… ta-dah! I've solved that problem for you." He sang. The Espada then pushed Ichigo towards the table. "He's all yours. Don't let me down." He grinned.

Ichigo hesitated for a moment, before asking: "If we do this, can you give him something to fight off infection?" Szayelaporro's smile disappeared. He was clearly not pleased with that request. "Or at least give me material to redress his wounds?"

"That's not for you to decide. I'm not done with him yet is all I will say about this matter. I'll see how he comes out of this experiment. Now, proceed." Ichigo cursed inwardly. If the bastard still needed Uryu, he would have to do something…

Slowly, he walked over to the table and took his position at the back, where Uryu was still firmly keeping his legs together. The guards reclaimed their positions in the corners on Szayelaporro's demand and the room got eerily quiet. The machines produced blips and told everybody the teen's heartrates. Uryu's heartbeat had been racing ever since the Fraccionés had managed to bind him to the table. And now that the reality of what was about to happen set in, Ichigo's heartbeat started picking up, too. The injection he'd been given was probably something potent, as he already started feeling a weird, tingly feeling in his gut.

Standing in front of the archer, he let his gaze slide over him. Uryu's raven-black hair was splayed out over the silvery surface of the table. Heart racing, body trembling and breath hitching. The poor guy was already freaked out and he hadn't even touched him yet…

Ichigo sighed and tried to keep on top of his own nerves. He'd never imagined doing this with another boy, with Uryu, and this whole situation was confusing, but he had to put his own uncertainties aside for now. His preferences didn't matter right now. They just needed to make it through this.

He bent forward so he could talk to the Quincy somewhat in private, placing his hands on either side of the boy's bound wrists.

"Ishida…" He whispered, so only Uryu could hear. "I've never done this before… So I probably won't be very good at it and I'm just as nervous as you are." The Quincy gasped at that intimate revelation and kept his eyes on him intently. "I'll do my best not to hurt you. So please bear with me." Then he hesitated for a moment and gave the other boy a soft smile. "With what we're about to do, isn't it time you started calling me Ichigo and finally leave those formalities behind?" Uryu's cheeks got a little color and he nodded shyly. "Can I call you Uryu?" The boy nodded again. "I'll try to go as slow as that freak allows me, Uryu. For now, I'll just try to make you feel a bit more relaxed, alright? For both our sakes."

That being said, he tentatively placed both hands on the Quincy's chest and made them slide in circles over his slender form. From his chest, to his shoulders and over his well-trained, archer arms. Being this close to the other boy and gazing at his bare torso, he noticed the 5-pointed Quincy star in pink lines next to his heart. Without thinking, he let his fingertips trace the shape, only realizing then that it was a scar. All those times they went to the beach or pool, he never paid attention to the fact that the Quincy always wore something to cover his upper body. He couldn't keep from wondering how many battle stories Uryu would be able to tell him, or what other things he'd kept a secret. The scar proved to be a sensitive place, as Uryu's reaction to his gliding fingers confirmed. So he tried sliding his palms over his smooth chest again instead. Uryu was watching him with a faint blush still on his cheeks. As for Ichigo, he was relieved to feel the boy's trembling subsiding. If he couldn't persuade Uryu into doing this, they were never going to make it…

The Substitute dipped down again and saw Uryu's blush deepen as he got close to his face to whisper:

"I know I'm not the guy of your dreams, but… right now, pretend I'm your b-boyfriend a-and this is our first time together." He felt his heart pound in his chest, and he needed to convince himself more than the Quincy. He watched Uryu's eyes go wide while he let out a quivering breath. His expression held sadness and a few fresh tears fell from his shocked eyes, before he averted his gaze. Ichigo caressed his cheek again in sympathy.

"I know… This wasn't how I imagined my first time to be either, but… I got you." He whispered. Even as he felt his heart pound in his chest from anxiety, he needed to somehow reassure the Quincy. "I'll try to stay close to you. It'll give us a feeling of i-intimacy instead of... just sex." Uryu let out a soft sob before biting his trembling lip.

Ichigo let his hands glide over the boys tightly closed knees in the hopes to get him to relax a little. Suddenly they heard Szayelaporro chuckle, while adjusting some of his tech, which was probably the reason he hadn't urged them on yet. Uryu froze, but the Substitute reacted immediately. Grabbing the archer's chin in one hand, he gently turned his face towards him and whispered:

"Look only at me, Uryu. Just try to shut everything else out." The Quincy's eyes locked with his and he softly nodded in consent.

Ichigo wiped Uryu's hair out of his face again while the boy stared at him intently. Yes, he was forced to have intercourse with him, as Szayelaporro commanded. But god be dammed, this was his first time too! And he might be a novice, but he wanted to at least try to make it somewhat enjoyable instead of a nightmare.

Suddenly, Ichigo felt a hand snaking from behind him and cupping his groin firmly. He made a startled shriek and didn't have to turn around to see the Espada standing there.

"Good!" Szayelaporro said cheerfully. "The potion is working fine. You're getting nice and hard."

Ichigo couldn't choose between punching the creep in the face or turning beet red. So he went for option 2 while attempting option 1. Laughing, Szayelaporro caught his fist before his grinning teeth. His other hand was still fondling Ichigo and gripped down hard. Ichigo gasped in surprise as the Espada pushed his torso onto the table, over Uryu as there wasn't enough space. His anger flared.

"Back off, you freak!" He snarled and pushed the man off of him. "Thought you said I needed to fuck him, not you!" The Espada only laughed tauntingly. Suddenly, Ichigo felt weird and grabbed his head. "Dammit! What does that injection do?"

"I already told you twice, didn't I. It gives you an erection. You don't want to take him, so this is my insurance that'll get you to finish. Even if a moron like you will only last a minute or so when you start fucking him." He mocked before bursting into laughter.

Ichigo just stared at him wide-eyed. This was not what he needed right now, as he was nervous and insecure enough as it was… He'd already warned Uryu that he would probably be no good at this, but they didn't have another choice. Besides, the sooner this was over, the better. Right?

"Get moving, Kurosaki Ichigo." Szayelaporro said coldly. "I haven't got all day."

Ichigo growled. "At least give us a minute, dammit! I can't just ram my dick inside him, you know!" Judging from the look on Szayelaporro's face, he knew he'd better kept that to himself and swallowed.

"I don't see why not." The Espada gave him a toothy smile. "I gave you another chance, again, as my research on you demands this. But my orders were to fuck him, not make loooove to him. If you don't comply… I'll just…" He trailed of and bent over behind Uryu, whispering in his ear again.

The frequency of the bleeping sound of the heart monitor shot up and he looked at Uryu. His anxiety was shooting through the roof again. His eyes frantically locking on Ichigo while he made short, panicked sounds.

"Fuck! You just love doing this, don'tcha?" Yelled Ichigo. "Just what the hell are you telling him this time?"

The Espada laughed and licked his gloved fingers. "Wouldn't you like to know, Shinigami." He hovered over Uryu and whispered. "Why don't you ask your pretty girlfriend?" He then ran his tongue down Uryu's neck, drawing a startled whimper from him. "Now, get on with it." That being said, and his equipment apparently in order, he went to sit down at the nearby desk, watching them with great interest.

Ichigo turned his attention to Uryu again and could hear through the blips he was still shaken.

"Try to calm down, Uryu. I wanted to take this slow, but… he won't let me. Again." When he touched the other boy's legs, he could see panic in his eyes. Whatever the Espada had told him, it was bad… He'd probably threatened him with similar things as before. Pain and misery.

Ichigo couldn't keep stalling, so he placed one of his hands on top of Uryu's closed knee's. He was still keeping them together with everything he had, but… that would get them nowhere. The Substitute bent over and leaned on his elbows on either side of Uryu's chest, so their faces were not very far apart.

"Please open your legs a little." He asked, hushed. "If I can stand in between them, I can keep up this position and I'll be the only thing you'll have to focus on. Right now, I'm your boyfriend, remember?" Slowly, he let his hand slide down his thighs. Uryu made a gurgling sound and looked up at Ichigo while a shiver ran through him. Hesitantly, he did as he was told. Although he didn't open his legs in invitation, but out of necessity, Ichigo grasped the momentum and moved his lower body to stand in between, before either of them had a change of heart. He didn't look down and kept his position as promised.

He felt the Quincy tremble beneath him, but there was no other way out of this… Dammit, as tense and shaken the other boy was, it wouldn't get them anywhere. Ichigo had thought about it for a moment, and thought he had found a solution. He got a healthy blush on his cheeks when he whispered:

"Uryu, I'm gonna make you come before I do anything else. You'll be a lot less tense afterwards and it will be easier for me to… to…" He trailed off. Uryu swallowed before averting his gaze, looking pained. He'd probably come to that conclusion himself. Dammit, hadn't he told him he didn't want this to be just sex? The Quincy had to think he was his boyfriend, so… This couldn't be all that different than with a girl. Not that he had much experience in that field, but he wasn't stupid either! Besides, that freak Espada was right. They were both at an age where their hormones ruled everything and instead of putting up a show of an hour, he suspected a few minutes would be all it'd take…

He could just imagine a pretty girl lying before him and just take it from there. Tentatively and careful, Ichigo moved a little forward and pressed a few light kisses to the other boy's neck. Uryu made a startled gasp and a shiver ran up his spine. This was probably something he hadn't been expecting. Blushing, he tried to hide his head in the crook of his shoulder. Maybe the Quincy had feared this was going to be all mechanical after all. Even though Ichigo had said he was going to try to play his boyfriend.

Feeling his heart beat hard in his chest, while the beeping sounds increased from both of them, slowly the Substitute put his lips on Uryu's neck again and started a trail of soft, tingling kisses towards his collar bone. Moving his weight onto his elbows, as not to lean on the teen's wounded abdominal region.

Ichigo let his hands roam alongside his flanks, while repeating the kisses, throwing a few licks in between. It seemed to do the trick for now. As he didn't have a lot of time, he started circling and kneading Uryu's inner thighs, and his lower abdomen, being extra careful around his wounds. He started kissing the other side of Uryu's neck and saw his face contort by the new sensations.

Uryu's breathing picked up and he'd closed his eyes. His wrists rattled in their shackles, and he probably wanted to hide his face like at the time he'd used his hand, but couldn't. These sensations were all new, and even though Ichigo was imagining girls in his mind, he couldn't deny that Uryu's soft skin wasn't unpleasant to touch.

Feeling emboldened by the way the Quincy reacted to these soft caresses, Ichigo let his hand sneak between them and carefully grabbed the other teen's still flaccid member. Uryu made a soft whimper and immediately bit his lip. Okay, so for now Uryu wasn't as responsive as he'd hoped. Being a hormone-crazed teenager himself, he'd anticipated the other to become aroused quickly. Even if they were just pretending to be someone else right now. But unlike himself, Uryu liked guys, so why wasn't he getting an erection? Ichigo had to pick up the pace a little…

Trying to make the archer feel good, even for just a moment, Ichigo moved a little down and started licking his chest. Gently sucking on the twin buds that hardened under his touch. Uryu got a deep blush, and couldn't contain a startled moan. Meanwhile, the Substitute had tried stroking him gently, then roughly, but he still didn't get hard. They weren't getting anywhere like this! He must have made a sound of frustration as Uryu looked at him with sad eyes.

"Your girlfriend has already figured it out, but you obviously haven't." Interrupted the voice of Szayelaporro. Ichigo moved a little as to look at him. "You can work him all you want, but it'll take weeks or even months before he can get a decent erection again." He laughed amusedly.

"W-what? What have you done to him, you freak?"

"That was part of his punishment." The 8th Espada crooned and whipped some pink strands of hair behind his ear. "Last time you didn't claim him, like I ordered, so… we performed a prostatectomy on him. It was so much fun, too." Ichigo gave him a blank expression as he didn't know what he meant. Szayelaporro rolled his eyes. "Are all Shinigami's so stupid or is it just you? We cut out his prostate."

Ichigo felt like the floor had just dropped out from under him. That, he did understand.

"What?" He asked, shocked, and straitened his back. Losing contact with the Quincy before him.

"We cut out his prostate, you fool." Repeated Szayelaporro. "Don't be so gloomy about it, dear Quincy. Given time, it will heal and you'll be able to get hard again. The only problem is… you won't live that long." He threw his head back and laughed. "It's also not advisable to have sex mere days after your surgery, dear Quincy," The Espada continued. "But I thought, what the hell. Where's the fun in that?" He laughed again.

Ichigo was disgusted to the core and slowly turned around again to face Uryu whom looked at him wearily.

"Y-you maniac…" He balled his fists. "W-why would you do such a thing." He saw Uryu avert his gaze. He couldn't even begin to understand what the archer had been through since they had been trapped in this awful place. Having his prostate cut out of his belly without sedation. Being brought to every time he lost consciousness during that procedure. It was a freaking nightmare! Who could withstand such horrors? And then it hit him. Uryu had known they'd taken his prostate. The archer was too smart not to have figured this out, and still… still he'd agreed to do this. Whatever that freak had whispered into his ear to threaten him must've been something horrendous.

"That's why you want me to do this, isn't it? So he would suffer even more by doing this with me. So you'll torture me by inflicting pain. You douchebag!"

Szayelaporro laughed and gave him a dark smile. "You should always take my demands seriously, Kurosaki Ichigo." He said coldly. "Now proceed, and finish the job! And who knows. In the unlikely case that you can give him an orgasm in this state, I'll be so generous as to leave him alone for now. But do know that it will be very difficult so soon after the procedure, and getting him to ejaculate would be a freaking miracle." Smiling darkly, he gestured with his fingers to continue.

Ichigo felt rage spread through him again, but he had to reign it in. Right now, all that mattered was surviving, and that meant sleeping with Uryu. He tried to put his reservations aside and continue where he'd left of. Maybe the Quincy couldn't get an erection because of that freak, but what he was doing so far definitely had drawn the good kind of responses from him. Maybe this wasn't that difficult after all. He could still imagine girls in his head, but being a guy himself made it easier to figure out what was enjoyable.

After giving the other boy a meaningful look, he started his previous ministrations again. Picking up his pace, like his life depended on it. Licking and sucking Uryu's chest, while his hand did a maneuver he liked himself. Alternating between gentle tugs and rough strokes. Uryu made a surprised moan before he bit his lip, reservations still holding him back. He tried to hide his face again, but couldn't. So he closed his eyes and let his head loll sideways.

"Just concentrate on the feeling, Uryu." Ichigo whispered. "Stop holding back. And don't be ashamed. We have no choice in this." That made Uryu open his eyes and look at him for a second. He was clearly doing something right, as he got the Quincy panting, while a crimson blush adorned his pale face. But Ichigo knew this was only foreplay to get him warmed up. The real feat would be more challenging, and that asshole of an Espada made sure he was going to inflict pain on his forced partner.

While Ichigo moved upward to leave kisses and licks on Uryu's neck and eliciting a strong shiver from him, accompanied by a throaty sound. He tried fondling him with one hand, while the other caressed his inner thighs. Uryu had closed his eyes again, trying to focus only on the sensations, as he'd instructed. Ichigo found he wasn't put off by the Quincy so far and he was amazed at his own body for getting aroused by his reactions. It was Szayelaporro's potion, he gingerly told himself. It had to be the potion.

"Fuck him already! For the love of god!" Szayelaporro shouted. "Or I'll activate the collars!"

While Uryu hadn't been in pain yet, he kept up his speed and wanted to take advantage of the momentum. He tried not to think as his he sucked his own index finger and then hesitantly and slowly, tried to insert it into its designated location. Uryu froze and made a surprised hiss. His eyes flew open, searching for Ichigo. But the latter didn't back down. They didn't have time for that. There was a lot of resistance, but Ichigo kept going until his digit was fully inserted. Dammit, he thought, this part is going to be more difficult than sleeping with a girl… Uryu made a soundless scream, his torso arched up and the machine's bleeps told him his heartbeat was going up like crazy.

"It's okay. You're doing so well, Uryu." Ichigo murmured. With one hand he kept his balance hovering over the other teen, while he brought his forehead down to rest onto the Quincy's. That movement made Uryu gasp and he couldn't seem to tear himself away from Ichigo's eyes anymore. Blushing fiercely and giving him a look that Ichigo couldn't describe. "That's good. Just focus on me and nothing else. I'll get you through this." He tried to say convincingly, as he felt his own heart throb loudly in his chest. As the Substitute made rotating movements with his finger, he kept his attention on the boy in front of him and vice versa. When he thought it was alright, he inserted a 2nd finger, and after a while a 3rd one. He didn't really know what he was doing at this point, but instinct had taken over.

Uryu was panting hard and obviously tried not to focus on the pain, but on Ichigo. The Shinigami Substitute felt his gasps and muffled groans go straight to his gut. His body was responding fiercely and his arousal was becoming overwhelming. Goddamit, that stupid potion! When he finally pulled his fingers out, he tried not to cringe on the pained sound the Quincy made. Ichigo let out a shocked gasp to see them covered in blood.

"F-fuck…" Ichigo muttered. How the hell was he supposed to go about this now? Uryu, who was taking ragged breaths, must've seen him trembling and made a soft gurgling sound, trying to get his attention. His wrists rattled in the shackles as he wanted to free his arms. Trying to tell the Substitute something, he could see tears well up in his eyes again while he made soft sounds.

"Do you… do you want me to… proceed?" Ichigo asked a bit taken aback. Uryu nodded in consent. He knew there was no other way. Shaking, the Substitute wiped his hand on his white undergarments, leaving scarlet stains. He cursed aloud and tried to ignore the honing laughter of the Espada. The Quincy was bleeding from his rectum again, and he… he had to… He clenched his jaw hard and closed his eyes. Of course he'd know he would bring him pain, but he hadn't expected him to bleed this much. With the wounds from his abdominal surgery still fresh, this was really going to hurt.

"Dammit…" Ichigo muttered, while straightening up. Uryu made a soft sound again, encouraging him to take that final step, to see this through. The heart monitor shot up, as they both were very nervous. Ichigo gave him a meaningful look again, before slowly nodding. This was where the injection of that bastard came in handy. Given these circumstances, with a partner that was going to suffer and was bleeding, he'd deflate again in a moment, but the potion made that impossible, and he was still aroused. Especially as he had not imagined sex this way, where his partner couldn't do anything in return. But then again, neither had the Quincy.

Ichigo finally let his white fundoshi loincloth fall to the floor, but kept his white top on. He carefully pulled Uryu's hips a little towards the end of the table, making it easier to comply. Uryu's head was now resting a little under his bound wrists. Under loud cheering of Szayelaporro. Heat rose to his cheeks as he spit a few times into his hand and then coating his length with it. Gasping, in tandem with Uryu. He hoped this would be enough, but he knew it wouldn't be…

The Substitute felt his heart beat loudly in his chest, while blood drummed in his ears as he positioned himself. Uryu was trembling while Ichigo pulled up his knees and the Quincy averted his gaze, still ashamed. While he could understand the way the other boy felt, there was no way back now. Gasping, he very slowly tried to enter him. The archer's face contorted in pain and he made a silent scream before burying his head in the crook of his shoulder again. The only thing that kept Ichigo sane at this point was the knowledge that Uryu's blood and his saliva would provide at least a little bit of lubrication. And that his friend had given his permission to do this. When the Substitute was halfway in, he stopped as Uryu arched up violently and made a high-pitched sound. The problem was not his passageway itself, but the wounds in his abdomen where his prostate had been located before…

He took pity on the Quincy and knew he had to do something. Not having another method to distract him, he softly caressed his cheek with his palm, then dipped forward and pressed his lips against his. Uryu froze and made muffled sounds, while Ichigo pushed forward, very slowly. As the other boy opened his mouth to cry out in protest, the Substitute silenced him by sneaking his tongue inside. The Quincy was completely taken aback by that bold move, but it seemed to be working. Ichigo cupped his face with both hands and kissed him feverishly until he started to relax a little beneath him. When he rubbed his thumbs over Uryu's cheeks and felt the wetness of his tears, his heart broke, but he kept going, as was expected of a hero like him. Distracting the boy, while inching closer little by little.

How could he ever have thought that Uryu was to blame for all of this? He was terrified under his touch…

It suddenly hit him that he hadn't imagined girls for a while but his body was still very much aroused. He'd been too preoccupied with focusing on Uryu, on trying to make him feel good. Or to cause him as little pain as possible, in the least. Could it be that his body was responding to the Quincy? That was impossible… They were both just trying to get through this trial. It had to be the potion again!

Breaking free of their kiss, Uryu made soft sobs and looked pleadingly into Ichigo's eyes, tears still flowing down his cheeks. Panting hard and trying to keep his heart from exploding, the Substitute held still. His belly was grazing the Quincy's belly, but he shifted most of his weight to his elbows, so he wouldn't crush his wounds under his body. Ichigo couldn't believe they'd really made it this far. He spoke soft encouragements to the other boy, to help him breath through the pain. Even as his body begged him to get it over with, to relish in these new feelings that were flaring through his body, he kept still for Uryu's sake.

When Ichigo felt Uryu had relaxed a little, his loins couldn't take any more. Even if he didn't really know what to do, his hips guided him on their own. Slowly, he started rocking, eliciting a shocked moan from the other boy. Passion roaring throughout his whole being from being this intimate with someone, Ichigo let go of all his restraints and did what his heart told him to do. Keeping his weight on his elbows, he fitted their bodies together. Arms wrapping around Uryu possessively, claiming him, like Szayelaporro wanted.

Uryu made a throaty sound again and Ichigo captured his mouth in a fiery kiss, holding him tight. He was completely lost in the moment. Body and mind surrendering to the sensations. The potion must be making him delusional, as he had never believed doing something with another boy could possible feel this good. He moaned loudly as he felt the urgency in his loins grow. His hips rocked steady of their own accord and as he looked into Uryu's half lidded eyes, with that pink blush and strangely amorous look on his face, he realized the Quincy was just as lost in this as he was. Somehow Uryu'd managed to let the pain and pleasure intertwine and had yielded to him completely.

Their lips collided again and somehow, Ichigo managed to keep the pace of his hips going while his hand snaked down to pleasure his pretense-boyfriend. Uryu arched up into his touch and made a high-pitched sound. Gasping loud and fast, Ichigo reveled in the fact that Uryu had managed to get somewhat semi-erect. That was the last straw and he knew he wasn't going to last.

He could feel Uryu's heartbeat mix with his own. They were but a bunch of limbs, moving in sync right now, and he didn't know how the two of them fitted so nicely together, but he stopped caring. Completely lost in the heat of this passionate moment. The only thing that mattered right now were him and the Quincy. Nothing else. No freak Espada's, no pain, no torture.

As Ichigo placed his forehead on top of Uryu's again, he tried orchestrating his trusts together with the rhythm of his hand. He didn't know if he was doing it right, but looking down into Uryu's half-closed, dark, passion-filled eyes, he knew for sure he was making him feel good right now. That was all that mattered. The Quincy made a litany of soft, high-pitched sounds for him. And as he bent down to claim his mouth again, Uryu started unraveling before his very eyes. Finally letting go of all his inhibitions. His legs came up around Ichigo's hips, and his wrists were testing the hold of his shackles. If he hadn't been bound, Ichigo was certain he'd wrap him tightly in his arms, too. Uryu started making short, urgent noises and arched up.

Watching Uryu lose it and feeling him slicken their bellies between them in a painful bliss was too much for Ichigo's overloaded nerves. He arched his back and let out a series of stilted moans as he felt this deep connection he shared right now with the Quincy push him over the edge and a powerful orgasm rippled through his body. Kissing the archer fiercely one more time as wave after wave of pleasure saturated his every nerve. Together, gasping and moaning in between kisses before they came to a shuddering halt.

Ichigo buried his head in the crook of the archer's neck, and listened to his racing heart. He panted wildly and muttered:

"Dear god…" Although he as good as collapsed on top of the other teen, he was still mindful about his injuries. "We… we made it…."

Right now, heaving was all they both could muster. That, and enjoying the feeling of warmth and accomplishment that enveloped them both. He heard the shackles clanking, and Uryu made a soft, but desperate sound. Ichigo knew for certain that the Quincy wanted to hold him, just like he was doing. He didn't want to get up, he wanted to indulge in this feeling forever. Uryu made a gurgling sound which made him look up. The boy gave him a soft smile, while tears were still spilling from his eyes, but probably for another reason than before. Then he moved his head and pressed his lips against Ichigo's, gently. The Substitute indulged him for a moment, before whispering:

"You did so well… Uryu…"

Ichigo couldn't believe he just came. Hard! He'd thought this to be impossible if he didn't lay with a girl. The image of Uryu beneath him, how he looked right now, with his flushed lips, his features adorned with a deep blush, his sweat slicked-body, was burned onto his retina. They were both still panting heavily and suddenly it hit him. The way the other boy looked at him was not ordinary. He'd never seen this look before this passionate moment, but he was too tired to make much out of it. His heart was still racing and he thought Uryu was kinda beautiful like this. Shit! What was that thought. It was the potion! Had to be the potion…

Suddenly the Substitute heard clapping and he remembered where they were. And with whom…

"That was entertaining, boys." Szayelaporro sang, and gave another round of applause. On his command, the guards in the room followed his lead. He felt Uryu immediately tense up again underneath him.

Growling, Ichigo straightened his back again but before he could make eye contact with the Espada, his gaze fell onto Uryu's abdomen. He'd felt him come right before he did, but he was shocked to see his belly coated with clear fluid mixed with blood. That wasn't normal at all and surely the Espada was to blame! He took a wavering breath and muttered: "Fuck…"

Carefully he pulled out of the Quincy, earning a few low groans from the other teen. He gasped when more blood spilled from his insides again. Uryu shivered and his head fell to the side.

"Ah yes! Thats because of his prostatectomy, of course." He heard suddenly in his ear and looked right into the face of Szayelaporro, who stood next to him. "That Quincy is so hopeless… You actually managed to make him come! Even if it's just a lot of pre-cum mixed in with his blood because of his too recent surgery, but hey, that's better than I expected!" He laughed and slid his fingers through the residue on Uryu's stomach, before rubbing it between his fingers. The archer rattled his chains again and made a gurgling sound. Ichigo could see the anxiety rise in his eyes. "Of course, only you have that power over him, Kurosaki Ichigo. He won't be able to ejaculate normally ever again." He gave Ichigo a toothy smile, while the latter was swiftly putting on his loincloth again. "Not that he's got a long time left, but-"

"Shut up!" shouted Ichigo. He cautiously helped Uryu slide back up the table, so he could close his thighs before the Espada got any weird idea's again. Shrugging out of his white top, he cautiously wiped Uryu's stomach with it, not wanting to get any of that into his wounds. Then he discarded the garment, while Szayelaporro laughed mockingly. "We did what you wanted! Now leave us alone!"

The 8th Espada let out a haughty laugh that got his hair dancing around. "You stupid Shinigami." He cackled. "I said that If you could give him an orgasm, I'll let him off the hook for now, but… maybe I've changed my mind." He laughed darkly, cupping Uryu's face. "Or maybe, I'll just…" He trailed off whispering into the Quincy's ear again and Uryu made a frightened sound. The boy looked horrified and shook his head violently.

"Leave him alone! You fucking douchebag!" Ichigo was almost finished putting his black Shihakusho back on, when he saw Szayelaporro pull out a syringe. Before he could react, he'd already injected it into Uryu's shoulder. The Quincy arched and frantically searched for Ichigo, before he groaned and lost consciousness. "Fuck! You asshole! You were going to leave him alone!"

"Maybe." The Espada laughed. "Or maybe not. Anyway, there's still some tests I need to run on you." Lightning fast, he stuck a needle in Ichigo's shoulder, too.

"Dammit, what are you doing…" The Substitute trailed off. He fell to the floor, wearily, and could do nothing but succumb to the darkness.