The Fallen Series: Part I - Victory Falls

by Seth's Kiss

Canon Divergent: 'They made the biggest mistake of their lives. They forgot Aizen always had a back-up plan, with it usually being far worse than the first'. DARK Fic. Rated M (violence, horror, torture, non-con), also has MxM, MxF, FxF and many unstable pairings (for now). Warnings in each chapter for safety. Proceed with caution. BEING EDITED: Chapters may vanish till completion.

14. Part One: Chapter 9

The Fallen Series (a Bleach Fanfiction) by Seth's Kiss:

A/N: Hello! So sorry it took this long. It's just that recent times have taken a nasty toll on my health. As I'm of a very fragile constitution, I spend most of my time (if not life) in and out of hospitals (grimaces)...but not to worry, not to worry! Like I said, whenever updates are three to more months late, that means I'm dead, which is not yet the case. Leaving these very gloomy words aside and moving on, please do enjoy the update! I honestly look forward to your feedback on this! Have a nice read!

To Guest 1: Hello and thank you for your review! Gosh, was it that good? I'm very flattered! Thank you so much! And so very sorry for the cliff-hanger! It just seemed right to put it there, so...yeah. I'm going to need all the luck I can get, so thanks for that too! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter also! See you next time!

To Guest 2: Hi there and thank you for your review! Yes, Aizen = Evil, the only worthwhile I ever faced in the world of Manga and Anime, with his manipulations and all. I simply took it a little further than what it already was, making him far more fixated with flaunting his power over others, along with a hint of an insidious vendetta that goes with the past I came up with. I'm so glad you enjoyed the previous chapter and hope you'll like this one too! See you soon!

To Orion13: Hello and thank you very much for your review! I'm so glad to hear that you've been following for this long (which is like 13 chapters or so by now, prologue, parts and all), and it makes me feel so happy and grateful that you reviewed to say so: I truly appreciate it, so thanks for that. Now for the fic in itself, it's just like you said, Byakuya's involvement was pretty much hinted to ever since the very beginning. And yeah, Aizen has an odd but ominous and very powerful obsession with utterly destroying the Kuchiki, Byakuya in particular. So definitely creepy... I would have used a more direct approach for Aizen, however, as he is more of the 'voyeur type' (in my own biased opinion, given the sneaky spying he likes to do and also due to the fact that he gets involved in battles only at the very last minute, preferring to observe instead), he'll watch but he won't do anything this time around (not directly that is). Besides, my true intent is to bring Ichigo, Grimmjow and Byakuya closer, one way or another: there's already a bond of loyalty and trust respectively between Grimmjow and Ichigo; so only Byakuya's left, and he's quite a challenge (grimaces). Also, I fully get your dislike for Ginrei: I never liked him and always believed that Byakuya's fixation with pride and nobility (ugh) came from his grandfather. As for what to call me, you can go with Seth if you want - I don't mind at all - or Seth's Kiss or even Kiss, which I prefer the most ('cause my penname points out that I'm a kiss belonging to Seth: it has a story behind it...suspense). Also, I adored your review, no need for apologies (winks). I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and I very much wish to hear from you again this time too! Thanks again! Bye!

Rating for this chapter: Non-con, non-con and...Wait for it: NON-CON. And no, the chapter isn't all about that, it'll be just continuing where we previously left off. And besides, I say 'non-con' because none of the three are actually willing to participate in that threesome but it's not quite 'rape' either: you'll see what I mean when you read it (it's the very first part and it's all MxMxM, as in Yaoi/BL; if you don't like it or feel awkward about it, jump that part).

Part One: Victory Falls:

Chapter 9: Taking It In:

Not daring to move a muscle, the orange-haired teenager stayed stock still, with double-sized eyes staring dead ahead and not really seeing the blue-haired feline's own half-lidded ones, the latter not moving either, as he was focusing on any sign of discomfort that would appear.

When the former Arrancar saw none amidst mostly stunned surprise, Grimmjow placed his fingers tenderly beneath Ichigo's chin and tipped his head slightly to the side, as to have better access, before he started to move his mouth against the other, his soft lips touching, moulding gently as he went.

Brown eyes fluttering closed before he realized it, Ichigo tried to relax into the foreign first-time feeling, completely trusting that the other wouldn't hurt him...however, the hammering of his heart thumping loudly throughout his entire being was making it hard for him to feel at ease, a deafening drumming reverberation pounding in his ears, drowning out everything else.

All of a sudden, he felt a strong wave of dizziness, and found it was because he had forgotten to breathe, promptly doing so through his nose as Grimmjow continued to kiss him, the oddity of it all weighing down on the teen and happening too fast for him to grip at it. And so, he had this abrupt need to hold on - to anything, it didn't matter what - hence his hands reached up on their own accord and, hesitantly, he set his shaky fingers upon the warm skin of the former Arrancar's exposed chest.

The feline - wearing nothing but a pair of white hakama pants - responded by softly taking hold of those trembling hands, within one of his own, and place them flat against his torso, a gesture acknowledging and encouraging the teenager's first attempt at contact, when a sudden rather annoying noise attacked the blue-haired's ears, oddly enough following the movement their connected hands had just made.

Blue eyes shifting downwards, Grimmjow glared furiously at the shackles that still bound the orange-haired's wrists, before letting out a low angered growl without realizing it.

Startled by the sound, the teenager's eyes flew open, worriedly taking in the sudden ire upon the other's taut features and wondering if he had done anything wrong, before he shifted his gaze the source of the blue-haired's irritation.

"Ah" voiced Ichigo slowly, having totally forgotten all about them "He didn't take them off."

"Tch. Kinky fuckin' bastard" muttered the other heatedly, glaring daggers at the offending cuffs, before his collar then went off yet again "SHIT! OH, FUCK YOU, AIZEN!"

"Grimmjow" whispered the orange-haired anxiously, with a tone that was caught between pleading and reprimanding "S-Should you really be talking to him like that?"

"He can't take it the way he wants, I very much don't fuckin' care" the blue-haired feline spat bitterly, before glancing at the other and adding as an afterthought "But I don't recommend trying it. Least I don't have anyone paying for my fuckin' tongue."

"Oh? Oh. Yeah, I get it" nodded the teenager with lowered eyes, recalling that Grimmjow had once told him, since those of his herd were ready to endure absolutely everything and that he would not even flinch for anything, the immortal had long forgone trying to make use of them as blackmail means against him "Lucky you."

"Uh, no, not so fuckin' much" admitted the former Arrancar, before he bent his head a little, seeking to catch the other's gaze with his own, without touching the teen more than the latter was comfortable with "Hey."

Brown eyes slowly met blue, and for a moment, the teen thought that he caught the rare sight of sadness deep within the feline's eyes as the latter spoke softly, attempting to evade prying ears: "If there's something you don't want me to do, tell me now, while I can still avoid it."

Blinking at what he saw, the Shinigami Substitute remained quiet for a minute or two, before glancing sideways with an uneasy, wobbly smile and whispered: "The whole thing in itself?"

At that, the blue-haired's features turned even further strained: "I'm so fuckin' sorry..." his face then shifted towards a more controlled expression "If I ever end up doing anything you hate, anything at all, you can fuckin' yell or hit me all you want after this...Got it?"

Taking in a long deep breath, Ichigo worded his consent, voice quiet but steady, determined: "Okay. Go ahead, Grimmjow."

And that was precisely what the feline had been waiting for before he dared go any further: the orange-haired teen's own assent allowing it.

When Grimmjow swiftly caught his lips again, Ichigo instantaneously sensed the difference: the kiss, less cautious, was rougher and more dominating, burning, searing, and the orange-haired teen easily managed to associate it with the battling aggression weaved somewhere within the feline's intricate persona, a startling far-cry compared to the former consideration.

Tanned hands then tugged at the collar of the teenager's uniform, prying it open, parting it until it slipped off Ichigo's shoulders, before languidly running his dexterous fingers along the orange-haired's lean yet well-built chest, eliciting shivers from the Shinigami Substitute as the latter shyly began to return the feline's kisses, trying to follow the trail led by the other's lips.

Grimmjow's mouth held a particularly strong tang that Ichigo could not name or place, but it was addictive, and the orange-haired found himself deepening the kiss on his own, doing so inquisitively, innocuously, fully losing himself in it, whilst the feline managed to completely get rid of the uniform's top, tearing its sleeves and letting it fall to the ground, before setting his hands upon teenager's hips and drawing him closer so that they were chest to chest.

After a moment, they parted slightly at the same time to take a breather, wordlessly staring at each other through near closed eyes, before Ichigo suddenly flushed furiously, his now fully widened eyes darting away in obvious embarrassment, bringing a brief and faint quirk to the former Arrancar's lips.

Vivid blue eyes then flitted over to the tense noble beside them, whose eyes were steadfastly glued to the ground as he tried to drown out the intimate scene unfolding in front of him.

Still holding the teen against him, the feline slowly reached out a hand towards the other, only for the latter to promptly pull out of reach, evading Grimmjow's touch with widened eyes, a hand swiftly held up in defence and ready to strike if necessary.

Halting in his movement and raising an eyebrow at the other's reaction, the blue-haired stated steadily: "I'm not going to fuckin' bite you."

"Given the size of your teeth, I beg to differ" retorted Byakuya edgily in all his seriousness, which somehow managed to draw a snort of amusement from the former Arrancar.

"Oh? So you're capable of humour?" teased the feline lightly with a smirk as he resumed his former action, stretching his arm out to take hold of the other and this time, the 6th Division's captain let him, though mostly with high reluctance.

Wrapping his fingers solidly around the wrist of the dark-haired's still raised hand, Grimmjow firmly tugged Byakuya towards him, causing the noble to collide - with his other hand held out as to steady himself - against the other's broad and sturdy chest.

The young clan's leader remained silently still against the former Arrancar whilst the latter, still holding onto the Kuchiki's hand, guided it to rest on the teenager's bare shoulder, before doing the same with Ichigo's hand, setting it upon the hand the noble had on his arm, causing the orange-haired to startle slightly, locking wide eyes with Byakuya's reticent own.

The Shinigami Substitute knew very little of the other's likes and dislikes, but there was one thing that he was pretty sure of and that was that the 6th Division's captain was not at all the touchy-feely type. And he had learnt that awhile back from Rukia. So now, doing this was...

"You ok?" inquired Grimmjow all of a sudden, breaking the teenager out of his thoughts and leading the latter to realize that he had been, absentmindedly though rather intently, actually staring at the Kuchiki who by now had raised an eyebrow at him.

"Um, yeah" murmured Ichigo quickly with a curt nod, blushing as he sweat-dropped "Fine."

"Very convincing" drawled out the feline, his tone of voice dripping with heavy scepticism.

"Sh-Shut up" stammered the Shinigami Substitute awkwardly along with a half-hearted scowl "I'm fine."

"Kurosaki, once I start, I will not be allowed to fuckin' stop" mentioned Grimmjow firmly to which the teenager nodded, before the former Arrancar's eyes flickered over to the other who was even further tenser than before, despite his expression being mostly kept impassive "You, however, I don't even need to bloody ask. You're not at all fuckin' comfortable with this."

"I-I'm not used to being touched" admitted the 6th Division's captain uneasily, not seeing the need in hiding it: not only his Clan refrained from contact, but given the recent attention he had been received from not one, but three Aizen, he was now downright disinclined to it.

"Ain't that fuckin' obvious?" uttered the blue-haired mordantly as he leisurely parted the V-opening of the Kuchiki's uniform with the back of his hand before deftly running his fingers over the exposed pale skin and heading on upwards, tracing the collarbone, then the neck, before reaching the noble's long hair, mutely marvelling at how smooth and silky it felt.

Pulling away slightly all while glaring irritably at the blue-haired, the pureblood rationalized his former statement forcefully: "Physical and personal contact, apart for a married couple - and even so, they're generally more prone to it when alone and behind closed doors - isn't exactly something flaunted in my clan. And usually, noble couples are of opposite genders."

"Ah. That makes more fuckin' sense" stated the former Arrancar with a laconic smirk whilst leaning in again within the other's personal space, and nestling his face in the crook of the noble's neck.

"Does it?" inquired the 6th Division's captain inaudibly, rigid under the other's proximity.

"Mmm-hm" hummed the blue-haired noncommittally with his lips upon the young captain's pale taut exposed skin "Look. Don't think, just feel."

"Easy for you to say" muttered Byakuya, his breath hitching apprehensively when the feline suddenly nibbled at the noble's neck with his sharp fangs.

There was a brief pause in Grimmjow's ministrations, before he carried on and spoke up in a hard and vacant voice: "Actually, given my past, it is. My sexual experience wasn't based on emotions, but rather the sense of feel, of touch."

"Which sexual experience?" inquired Ichigo, his fingers intertwined with the noble's own fingers from the hand still upon his shoulder, as he watched the other two with doubled-sized eyes: experiencing it and seeing it were definitely two whole different worlds all together.

"Fuckin' figure it out on your own" whispered the former Arrancar in a stiff and definite tone that clearly demanded no further questions on the topic.

After that, the three went on and stood there in silence, close against each other, exploring one other, one of them doing so with assertive confident caresses, whilst the others did so with heavy hesitance touches, though the younger of the two was only barely bolder, curiosity slightly muffling his embarrassment towards this immensely invasive intimacy, whereas the eldest of the two cautiously let the other two steer him into the progressive flow of things.

Occasional kisses were delivered, mostly acting as a soothing if not comforting agent, but they were mainly provided by Grimmjow, the other two not daring to initiate that one gesture on their own. And even so, the blue-haired feline wasn't at all invading with them, giving fervent ones to Ichigo, who candidly responded further than the prior with each one, whereas Byakuya's lips remained untouched, as the former Arrancar had not asked nor received permission, hence aiming for the other's neck and jaw line instead.

A moment later, upon judging that both Ichigo and Byakuya were less awkward and a tad calmer about their predicament, Grimmjow eventually pulled back, giving them a little space and allowing them to collect themselves, before commanding gently: "Get on the bed."

"The bed?" echoed together the other two with openly baffled expressions, not at all expecting those words, with the teen throwing a glance at their surroundings: it was all white and void. What the heck was he talking about?

"Yeah, the bed" confirmed the blue-haired with a slightly amused smirk, before he then abruptly shoved Ichigo firmly who, too stunned to react accordingly, stumbled backwards, his bound arms flailing in the air.

Also taken aback, the Kuchiki noble looked on shocked, waiting worriedly for the moment the teen would fall to the ground, only for the Shinigami Substitute's body to collide on the whiteness aboveground and bounce upon it, and it took a minute for the two to grasp that there really was an actual bed in the emptiness, and Ichigo was now sprawled on the mattress.

Blinking in steep bewilderment, their wide eyes darted over towards the feline who snickered quietly at their expressions, before he gestured towards the bed with his chin, an eyebrow raised: "Told you there was a bed."

"It...There wasn't one when we got here" breathed out the orange-haired teen, uncertainly patting at the colourless sheets beneath him just to make sure he wasn't in fact hovering mid-air.

"There was" insisted Grimmjow with a sigh, as he slowly made his way over to where Ichigo now was "Just couldn't see it with all the fuckin' white."

Recovering from the unexpectedness of what had just occurred, the 6th Division's captain frowned: "I really do not understand what is with that man and this colour."

"I do. It's because white can easily be tainted, by anything really. Though, paradoxically, he himself values being fuckin' pristine clean, he likes the concept...apparently."

"That's...kind of creepy. He is creepy" whispered Ichigo with a shiver, secretly glad that he didn't harbour a collar, with which the immortal could have certainly used to reprimand him for his remark.

"What else is fuckin' new?" muttered the blue-haired feline as he knelt upon the bed, right beside the now stiffened teen, before his serious blue eyes went over to the noble "Need a bloody invitation?"

"I..." began Byakuya warily, eyeing the other two with an edgily guarded expression, before he frowned wordlessly and looked away in exasperation, his entire being screeching against this situation: he just couldn't do this. No way was this happening. It was simply impossible.

Utterly understanding of the other's reluctance, Grimmjow and Ichigo then both jumped when an unexpected scream tore itself from the Kuchiki's throat as the collar around his neck went off, his hands flying up to grip at it as he swayed where he stood, appearing quite close to crashing face first to the floor: he felt as if someone had tactlessly tore out his soul in choking relentless hold by the throat before brutally shoving it back in.

"Byakuya!" cried out the Shinigami Substitute frantically, about to rush to the other's side but he instantly stilled in his movements when the young clan's leader, while breathing out with difficulty and more pallid than usual, mutely shook his head at the teen.

"I'm fine" gritted out the 6th Division's captain in a tight whisper, as he steadied himself.

"Of fuckin' course you are" muttered the former Arrancar sardonically under his breath, adding a snort for good measure and drawing the Kuchiki's flabbergasted gaze upon doing so.

He truly had to wonder how the feline managed to handle the hurt, notably given the fact that the blue-haired had endured more than just a shock. A single one had Byakuya's insides burning, his neck throbbing, his head aching, his legs all wobbly, his vision mainly a black blur, and his breath on a brief but forced hiatus. Just what the hell were these collars exactly?

And how on earth could the other stand them? A terrible thought then followed that question: what did the other have to endure to able to withstand such raw pain?

"Get your fuckin' ass on the bed, pretty boy" commanded Grimmjow assertively all of a sudden, beckoning the other with a finger, tone of voice and gesture both violently breaking Byakuya's thoughts.

Though he was still suffering the cruel after-effects of the shock, the noble glared at the other with his entire expression immediately turning hostile: "Do not order me around so vulgarly."

"Does that mean I can fuckin' order you around normally?" smirked Grimmjow mirthlessly, though his expression did hold a certain teasing trace to it, whereas the young captain's mood seemed to worsen and he appeared like he really wanted to make use of his kido for murder.

Brown eyes darting nervously between the two staring defiantly at each other, Ichigo spoke up with a hint of annoyance to his tone: "Uh, guys? Can you, like, stop?" he then looked over in the Kuchiki's direction and held out a hand "Seriously, Byakuya, just... Just come over."

The young clan's leader slowly glanced at the teen, taking in the outstretched chained hand mutely for a moment, before reluctantly relenting and making his way over without a word. But he didn't take the Shinigami Substitute's hand, ignoring it as he sat on the bed, a short but noticeable distance away from the two other males.

"Oh, so you let him boss you around?" jabbed the former Arrancar tauntingly, earning an irate glare from the 6th Division's captain and a reprimanding scowl from the other.

"Grimmjow, that's enough" whispered the teenager vehemently as he jabbed the blue-haired lightly in the ribs with his elbow "Don't you two rather we get this over with? Letting it go on and linger is just making me nervier by the minute."

Both Byakuya and Grimmjow then turned their focus to Ichigo and noticed that, true enough, anxious apprehension was etched deep within the orange-haired's tense features, a faint tremble to his frame that was only visible if one paid close attention to it.

Sensitive sympathy for the youngest one amongst them gnawed at them, the Kuchiki noble being the first to offer the other his consideration: "Apologies."

"Yeah, same" whispered the former Arrancar with a grimace as he turned his head away, his narrowed eyes directing a venomous glare in what he hoped to be the direction from wherever it was that immoral incarnation of iniquity was watching.

"It's ok" accepted the teen with a wave of his hand, before he found himself apologizing in turn "Sorry, I'm...I'm just a little jumpy, that's all. I mean, who wouldn't?"

After whispering the last part mostly to himself, Ichigo glanced towards Grimmjow, who was still looking away, and asked cautiously: "So...what now?"

"You really need to stop asking fuckin' questions like that" the feline sighed half-heartedly as he shifted off the bed and sank down onto the tiled floor, before inching forward a little until he was kneeling right in front of the Shinigami Substitute, now gone rigid.

Ignoring those wide gullible brown eyes staring uneasily at him as he moved, Grimmjow firmly parted the teenager's clothed legs, giving him better access to move further forward, his face now directly to level with Ichigo's crotch, a feat which led the latter to burn blazing red as he caught on to the other's intentions, before he breathed out quite shakily: "You've got to be kidding me. Grimmjow, don't-"

The rest of whatever the orange-haired was going to utter ended up curtly cut off as the feline gave a swift and powerful push against the teen's bare chest, sending him straight back first to the sheets, leaving a slightly stunned Ichigo staring at the ceiling.

"Hush" whispered the former Arrancar soothingly, whilst his hands worked niftily on untying the white sash holding up the Shinigami Substitute's black hakama pants "I fuckin' warned you before. If I start, I can't fuckin' go back."

Hurriedly propping himself up upon his elbows, the orange-haired's horrified features were now as white as the sheets, his nervousness heightening up a flying notch and the tone in his voice dead urgent: "Gri-!"

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up" stressed out the feline inflexibly in a tone that demanded compliance as he fixed the other with a cautionary glare, which managed to quieten the stressed-out teen, but it did nothing to quell his anxiety that only intensified as Grimmjow fully undid the sash.

In an attempt to distract the other as he was acutely aware of the teenager's nerves, the former Arrancar straightened up on his knees until he was face to face with the Shinigami Substitute, before he gently wrapped his fingers around the latter's chin and drew him into an ardent kiss.

Ichigo's eyes widened a slight fraction before they fluttered closed, giving into the feeling as he kissed back, with less hesitance and even more fervour since the beginning of this ordeal, his raging nerves gradually dowsed down with each step, every depth their locked lips took.

The noble found himself looking away from Grimmjow and Ichigo again, intimate act - which brought a hint of red to his cheeks - aside. There was a blatant bond, a certain closeness, a faint familiarity, between the two that easily noticeable, though when precisely had that been brought to life, Byakuya could not tell. Nor could he fathom why it was there in the first place.

After a short moment, the former Arrancar slowly, near reluctantly, pulled away from the simple kiss turned sensual, as it had escalated to open mouths and all tongue, before he aimed for the teen's jaw and languidly trailed his way downwards, alternating between bites, licks and kisses.

Eyes still closed and hands fisting the white bed-sheets, the orange-haired teenager breathed out raggedly with flushed features as he felt the other leisurely lavish his body with attention, Grimmjow's meticulous ministrations stirring up a surge of mixed feelings from deep within.

Reaching the bottom of the path he had made, the feline moved from the teen's stomach to scrape his teeth slightly over the other's hipbone, eliciting a series of shivers from the latter, whereas the blue-haired's hands discreetly shifted to the hem of the hakama pants and deftly began dragging it down.

Upon the feel of his lower clothing slipping away, the Shinigami Substitute's eyes flew open in panic, about ready to protest vehemently against what he knew the other was intending to do, but the feline was faster, swiftly diving in and taking in Ichigo's member - now that it was uncovered - halfway past his parted lips, causing the teen to let out a strident strangled sound.

Mortified by the entire situation and overwhelmed by the foreign sensation, the orange-haired clenched his eyes and jaw shut, face burrowed in his shoulder and hence hiding his face from the surrounding world of white, as he felt himself burning hotly with embarrassment, and yet, not once did he push other away. Not that he didn't think of doing it, but rather, he also thought of where the consequences might lead. Given how Byakuya reacted, the shocks were painful, and he really believed that Grimmjow had received more than enough. Another thing was that he somehow had an inkling that if he rejected this, Aizen would fully take it out on the former Arrancar.

So he endured it, the sensation of having another male engulfing his length within his warm wet mouth, sucking ardently and gradually drawing him towards an intense building pleasure.

What genuinely shocked him the most, was how swiftly the blue-haired was getting him hard, for until this very moment, the teenager hadn't been aroused. Grimmjow had made things enjoyable and that wasn't to be denied, but he rather considerately hadn't overstepped that. But now, with the former Arrancar putting his skills in full play, the teen was losing his mind.

Ichigo considered himself as a generally healthy young teenager - as long as one removed all the hectic experiences he had as a Shinigami Substitute - and as such, like any other his age, had experimented with masturbation a couple of times or more.

But this was so different. This was far too extreme, way too mind-blowing for him to handle.

The young Clan's leader, who had since long looked away, attempted to drown out what was occurring right next to him, but their sounds made it impossible for him to fully disconnect.

Between the Shinigami Substitute's breathless pants and muffled moans caused by the former Arrancar's unabashed slurps, Byakuya was tempted to render himself deaf whilst he felt his insides churn with firm revulsion towards the act as well as the act in itself, for his currently formed opinion of male on male sex was that it was highly unhygienic and utterly demeaning. And with every fleeting second, the noble increasingly wished absolutely no part in it. A most horrifying thought then suddenly came to him: would he...would he have to this, with Aizen?

Though his mind refused to picture that possibility, the fact that it was a probability most likely to happen, the idea simply wouldn't leave him now that the seed was planted.

Swallowing down a lump that had formed within his throat, the Kuchiki reluctantly returned his focus upon the others, forcing himself to watch much to his dismay and disgust, for he knew that going through with scarce preparation would be undoubtedly to Aizen's advantage.

Inwardly giving himself a curt shake, the 6th Division's captain shakily gathered his bearings, reminding himself that, if he was here, it was because he had those he cherished to protect, and that he wasn't the only one in this morbid mess.

By now, Ichigo, still with his eyes tightly closed and his features now feverishly crimson, had thrown himself back against the mattress, his bound hands searching aimlessly, though quite desperately, for support, anything at all to keep him grounded.

He had tried twisting them in the bed-sheets, but he had ended up fisting them tightly at least twice through Grimmjow's blue hair, and had hurt him both times, judging by the way he had grunted and glared vividly at the teenager, who in turn had been quick to stammer apologies.

Currently, he was shifting between pulling at his own hair and trying to bite his knuckles, both in order to use the pain as a distraction, in vain. The pleasure was just too overwhelming.

Drawn in pity towards the youngest amongst them, the noble silently moved towards the pair under the former Arrancar's watchful stare - which the Kuchiki forcefully ignored and did not dare return - and, reaching out carefully, gingerly took hold of the teen's balled-up fists before slipping his fingers through the other's own, finally giving Ichigo something to cling on to.

Blinking up at the other through the intense haziness of what he was experiencing, the orange-haired teenager gazed uncertainly at the other who merely responded with a curt nod, before Byakuya realized something that caused him to look away with unease: he had been acting quite a lot as of late on sheer impulse, and he had yet to decide if that was a good thing or not.

Now that he was pinned down, hands holding on to Byakuya's, legs secured by Grimmjow, the teen somehow felt the pleasure increasing tenfold, now that his focus was not elsewhere, and, much to his panic, he bucked himself forward even deeper with the blue-haired's mouth. Horrified, his initial thought was that he must have sent the feline choking, but when the other didn't at change his pace nor stopped, instead shifting to restrain his hips, he relaxed slightly.

Sooner than he realized, Ichigo's breath quickened as the pleasure spiked, feeling close, but the words didn't make it past his lips when he tried to warn the other, a low breathy moan escaping instead as his climax came hard, spilling in spurts which were swiftly swallowed down by the blue-haired feline.

Licking the orange-haired's length clean as the latter remained in a daze, Grimmjow pulled away and slowly ran the back of his hand over his mouth whilst staring at the still panting teen through half-lidded unreadable eyes, which were slightly covered by stray bangs, having come loose from his usual hairstyle when the Shinigami Substitute had grabbed his locks... And the Kuchiki noble was so mesmerized by how striking the former Arrancar currently appeared that he found himself unable to look away. Byakuya had no need to question his sexuality, but he knew attractive when he saw it, despite the other's blatant feral appeal. Realizing where his thoughts were going, much to his disapproval, he rapidly redirected them, both turning and moving away a little distance.

The blue-haired feline seemed to know what he was doing, and that was sort of a good thing considering the other two's considerable lack of experience: one had no sexual experience at all and the other had never gone any further than a passionate kiss...with a woman. Being with a man - a male - was all-new first-time experience for the both of them. And so far, apart from the unease and awkwardness, it seemed to be going...well, for lack of a more accurate word. Besides, they could have had to deal with worse, far worse, given within whose hands they were now in, his undivided attention following their every move from wherever it was that he could see them. It was hard to forget about the fact that Aizen was watching them do this, and yet, the former Arrancar, through astutely adroit actions and his pertinent presence, was able to get them to overlook it, at least in the orange-haired teenager's case.

The sudden touch of hand upon his knee brought Byakuya back to reality, his wide grey eyes locking down with calm blue since Grimmjow was already kneeling in front of the Kuchiki.

Neither of them spoke, but the former Arrancar did not move an inch until the 6th Division's captain nodded once at him, reluctantly giving consent to carry out was intended. It wasn't like he really had a choice, yet he did appreciate the fact that the other sought permission first.

Upon receiving it, the feline didn't waste time to start, ridding the noble of his black hakama pants halfway before taking hold of the Kuchiki's flaccid member and bringing his lips to it without delay, causing the dark-haired shinigami's breath to hitch loudly prior to letting out a shuddering gasp and then going dead quiet.

The sensation of the act was odd and foreign, and it took the young captain's entire willpower to keep quiet as to not speak against it, but the building pleasure was undeniable, so crushing, that he was momentarily mad at the former Arrancar to being so talented, getting him hard in no time at all, despite his strong determination to not derive enjoyment from this experience.

Compared to the teen who had tossed and turned, the noble remained as still as a statue, his hands clutching tightly at the bed-sheets turned just as white as them, all whilst keeping his eyes firmly closed and biting his lip until it bled badly, as the blue-haired worked ardently on him.

Bobbing his head and sucking at a rhythmic pace, Grimmjow attempted to get this done as promptly as he could, hoping to spare the other faster from the humiliation he knew he was feeling, when suddenly, a pair of shaking hands took a gentle yet firm hold of his head.

Before he could react, Grimmjow had hurriedly been hoisted upwards, his mouth freeing the other's length with a noisily wet pop, before finding the noble's soft trembling lips pressed directly against his. It wasn't invasive or anything, it was just...there.

Blinking in surprise at the other's tightly closed eyes, the former Arrancar let the other keep him that way, with the dark-haired himself being staunchly unmoving and yet utterly refusing to relinquish his hold on the feline, pale fingers threaded deep within bright blue hair, whereas the latter tried to figure out the reason for this sudden, truly unanticipated contact: the Kuchiki had expressed an evident and adamant reluctance at being touched and seemed even less inclined to initiate any touching on his own part. So, why?

And then it came to him. The message was subtle but desperate: 'I don't want to be heard.'

So Grimmjow indulged the other, responding to the other's hushed plea and - according to the former Arrancar - misplaced pride by steadily returning the impromptu kiss, moving his lips against the noble's as they both deepened it, whilst the feline's hand returned to its previously halted mission.

Fastened in a heated lip-lock, the blue-haired sped up the pace, determined to get this over with, and every soft sound Byakuya accidently made, Grimmjow was quick to swallow down.

Though he had told himself that he wouldn't look, Ichigo watched the two with fascination. He never thought that any sexual act between males would be this hot, and he was admitting this as someone who was straight. Well, at least he believed he was. He wasn't so sure about that at the moment.

A soft muffled sound then finally escaped the 6th Division's captain as he was brought to his peak, the thick white liquid dribbling over and down the blue-haired's hand.

When the two slowly parted, a thin string of saliva found itself connecting their parted, panting mouths, causing the noble to stare at it with slight mortification, which only deepened further, under the form of a faint blush, when the former Arrancar swiftly sucked it into his own mouth, before throwing a blunt grin at the Kuchiki's blatantly embarrassed expression.

Chuckling, the feline neatly licked away at the remnants of cum from his hand, causing the other two to flush awkwardly and quickly look away from him, before Grimmjow, sobering, asked them after a moment: "Holding up ok?"

"Fine" muttered Byakuya bitterly, though he was forthrightly feeling all but that, undeniable pleasure aside, whereas Ichigo just nodded mutely, blushing furiously as he fixedly looked elsewhere.

Nodding in turn at their responses, the feline heaved a deep sigh as his eyes clouded up with a rather dark dye of disinclination: "Fuckin' moving on then."

Grey eyes went wide in utter astonishment: "Wait a moment. You mean...there's more?"

If the noble was genuinely surprised, the teenager was left completely dumbfounded by the former's query: "You...What does that question even mean?"

"That was foreplay. I wasn't gonna fuck either of you raw. I'm originally a Hollow, true, but I ain't hollow, damn it" informed the former Arrancar tetchily, before he raised both eyebrows at the dark-haired shinigami "You do realize that we didn't yet get to the 'fucking' part?"

"Oh" uttered the Kuchiki slowly with a faint frown, as he was honestly taken aback and naively puzzled, before he inquired carefully "So... How exactly is...is this to be done then?"

"By a dick going up the ass" answered Grimmjow flagrantly, smirking slightly when he saw the other two gradually shift between red and white repetitively, as if not being able to fully opt whether they should be embarrassed or horrified by the former Arrancar's bluntness on such a delicate and rather touchy subject.

Byakuya, in particular, was very uncomfortable, his glare upon the blue-haired coming out far more endearing than threatening: "Must you be so crude?"

"It is sex, nothing prissy polite about it" shrugged the blue-haired indifferently, smirk still in place as he slowly moved up and further onto the bed, sitting himself between the other two males "It's all about wild fuckin' abandon of reason, control and meaning, completely giving in and surrendering to the feeling."

"I'd rather it wasn't" the Kuchiki frowned with an air of high disapproval, the sound of losing self-control something that he wasn't pleased to hear: he had been having enough unexplained and unexpected lapses in his restraint recently and he didn't need more.

A sudden image depicting his bound father writhing under Aizen's insidious hands flashed within his mind, followed by the vile pledge the child of chaos had made to have him undergo and eventually grow to be the same. Now that was something Byakuya utterly refused to be or ever become.

"Yeah, well, beggars ain't ever choosers" stated the feline knowingly with a laconic shrug, his words eerily coinciding with noble's thoughts, before his already sombre features dimmed further "Which fuckin' leads me to this: I'll be the one topping, with the both of you. I'm sorry, but it's not really my fuckin' choice."

Whereas the 6th Division's captain wore a baffled expression, the Shinigami Substitute froze slightly before he gave the former Arrancar a small but soft smile: "But it's better this way, isn't it? Given that you know more about s...ahem...this, than us."

Features impassive, the blue-haired stared at nowhere in particular with an inscrutable glint within his eyes, before he nodded inattentively and relented in a whisper: "Let's fuckin' put it like that, yeah."

The truth was, Aizen's ominous orders aside, he could deal with the culpability that came with taking another in such an unwilling and forced situation, but he really, truly didn't think that they could: they'd only get hurt in the end, given their values and mindsets, the teenager's especially. And, given the circumstances, Grimmjow rather it'd be him, for it's not like more hurt could destroy him further than he already was...

Blinking, Ichigo looked on as the feline seemed lost far away in his thoughts and, biting his lip in concern, he hesitantly reached out to brush the former Arrancar's stray strands out of his unfocused eyes before the latter calmly, slowly, wordlessly raised them towards the teenager.

Instantly stilling with the other's gaze upon him, the orange-haired fully lost himself within Grimmjow's eyes, only breaking free from the trance when the former Arrancar closed them and leaned in to gently nuzzle against Ichigo's hand, as if encouraging the other to touch him.

The Shinigami Substitute easily complied but did so with heavy hesitancy, still shaking as he went, exploring, running his rickety hands over the other, though inwardly marvelling at how soft Grimmjow's hair and skin were, a fact the latter was despite all the muscle the feline had.

Tentatively tracing the other's features and upper body contours, the teenager came to the conclusion that Grimmjow looked very different without the jaw fragment and Hollow hole: he seemed almost...human.

As if following the other's train of thought, the former Arrancar growled in faint warning as he firmly grabbed hold of Ichigo's bound hands with both of his own, flashing eyes snapping open: "I get that you no longer think of me as an Arrancar with what happened, but I still was one, Kurosaki. Don't you ever fuckin' forget that."

Instead of recoiling under his harsh words as he had hoped, the orange-haired only sighed in aggravation: "You give me the impression that you want me to fear you."

"That's exactly what I want, because you keep fuckin' failing to remember."

"I'm not afraid of you" confessed Ichigo unwaveringly, his features steadfastly set firm with a commendable trust for the other, making the one concerned regard him with bewildered eyes.

Once again, Grimmjow considered that the other's belief in him was completely misplaced. He was undeserving of it. If he was truly worthy of it, they wouldn't be here in the first place.

"Tch. Stubborn bastard. Fine, suit yourself" the former Arrancar muttered under his breath, fully and finally giving up on attempting to convince the obdurate teen of otherwise, before his blue eyes shifted from Ichigo to Byakuya as he asked "So, should I start with you, or...?"

Blood draining from his face at an alarming rate, the Kuchiki noble stiffened as he spoke up in a tense, rigid voice, his eyes doubled in size: "Forgive me for saying this, Kurosaki Ichigo, but I'd rather delay this...inevitability as long as possible."

Always putting others before his own wants despite his own apprehensions, the Shinigami Substitute stated generously: "It's fine, Byakuya. No need to apologize. I don't mind."

"Pussy" snarled out slowly the blue-haired feline in furious retaliation at the noble's reaction whilst being highly miffed by the teen's easy assent "He's fuckin years younger than you, do you realize that? Sure you're not a fuckin' woman? Was one somewhere in your bloody past life or something?"

Offended but determined not to show it, the 6th Division's captain settled for narrowing his eyes and turning his head away, before he declared haughtily: "I won't even dignify that with an answer."

"Speaking's an answer in itself, Kuchiki" retorted the former Arrancar, actually glad inwardly that he didn't have to deal with the noble yet, before he locked gazes with the teen "Ready?"

Vivid blue eyes boring right into him, as if piercing deep through his very soul, the teenager felt that, no matter the falsehood he'd tell, it wouldn't be believed, so he breathed out shakily: "Can I lie?"

"I won't fuckin' hold it against you" promised the feline sincerely, while gently setting his hands upon the teenager's shoulders in hopes of conveying the authenticity within his words.

"Then yes" said Ichigo in a quiet choked voice, uttering pretence past quivering lips, whilst his frame trembled faintly, mirroring the trepidation in his eyes.

"Shit" whispered Grimmjow in a tight voice, the sight before him chipping at something in his being, stabbing right at it from the inside, before he murmured near inaudibly "I'm sorry."

The orange-haired wanted to tell him not to be, that this wasn't his fault, that he was more uneasy of the act than the actor in their play, that this would have definitely been worse if it hadn't been him, but he lost his voice as the blue-haired gradually guided him to lay against the mattress and then towered over him, the realization of what had been upcoming, was now happening, and it robbed him of his breath.

Leaning in and kissing the teenager's jaw then neck, the former Arrancar carefully yet swiftly worked on ridding the other of the remainder of his clothes, leaving him now bare under him.

Any discomfort the Shinigami Substitute thought he might experience at being fully exposed quickly dissipated when the other kept his main attention upon his neck, his hands caressing his body without looking, leading the orange-haired teen to close his eyes with a soft shaky breath, surrendering to the blue-haired's nimble-fingered ministrations.

After a moment, upon judging that the teenager was less of an emotional wreck, Grimmjow raised a hand to his lips and, splaying his fingers out before him, languidly ran his tongue over it, coating the digits with as much saliva as he could, before he lowered that hand, swiftly directing it past his own hakama pants, lubricating his length to the fullest and getting it hard.

Once he deemed himself slick enough, the blue-haired freed himself from his pants, tossing them aside, and, lowering himself to lie flush against the other chest to chest, directed his member between the teen's legs, its tip prodding at the other's entrance, before he gradually started to push his way in.

"Don't tense" advised the former Arrancar firmly when the Shinigami Substitute immediately stiffened at the alien intrusion, breathing turning erratic, features becoming strained "If you start fuckin' tensing like this now, it'll only be a pain on your ass later on."

"'In' rather than 'on'" observed the Shinigami Substitute tightly through gritted teeth whilst frowning with eyes clenched closed, his hands gripping at the other's broad shoulders, the cuffs' chains wrapping around the beck of the feline's neck "I entirely reserve the right to be nervous. This is my first time, damn it."

Grimacing with a deep sigh because the other couldn't be more right, the feline swiftly shifted a little further, making it midway, but couldn't go deeper as the other's inner walls clamping down hard on Grimmjow's length, causing him to hiss in pain: "Damn it... Ease up. You're fuckin' hurting us both like this."

"How the hell can this be hurting you?" gasped out Ichigo breathlessly, head thrown back, tears pricking at the corners of his widened eyes.

"Believe me, it is" stressed out the former Arrancar with a strained tone of voice before he let out quietly, gently near the teen's ear "Look, just... Breathe. And try to relax."

"The hell-?!"

"Relax."

Deciding to trust the other's guidance, Ichigo let out a shuddering breath as he tried to slacken his entire body, which managed to loosen himself a little more for the former Arrancar who then moved even further deeper, but it only served to draw a small pained cry from Ichigo. He felt as though he was being ripped apart down there.

"Gri..." started the Shinigami Substitute chokingly, only to have the blue-haired swiftly cut him off with a rough searing kiss, causing the teenager to let out a muffled sound of surprise at the abruptness of it.

"Don't" Grimmjow articulated softly against the other's lips once he had pulled back, blue eyes earnestly rueful "Don't fuckin' say my name while we're doing this."

The rest of the sentence hung in the silence: because it was intimate, way too intimate for this.

Biting his lip, the teen nodded meekly, reflexively, apology in his eyes, which the feline was swift to accept by placing another kiss to the orange-haired's lips, a simple soft peck this time, before he buried his face in the crook of the teenager's neck and moved forward within the other some more, just a little further, until he managed to finally find his way deep inside the other, being completely sheathed in, groaning quietly at the tight feeling.

As for the orange-haired teen, he couldn't decide what to feel or to make out of it just yet. It didn't hurt, for Grimmjow had been exceedingly gentle and slow, nor was pleasant, but the latter didn't surprise him. He was aware that the first steps to any penetration lacked pleasure.

Aware that the teen had gone totally rigid even in respiration, the former Arrancar whispered: "Breathe."

"I-I'm...I'm trying... It hurts."

"You've been through worse" chided the blue-haired lightly, frowning down at the other, but one sole look told him that the Shinigami Substitute wasn't exaggerating. He was in pain.

"H-Hell no" uttered the teen with great difficulty, his nails digging deep within the other's tanned skin "Beat and batter me any day, kill me whenever, but this... This is just too much."

"Your talking is too much" snarled Grimmjow edgily, drenched with guilt, before whispering directly within the teen's ear again "You're making me feel fuckin' terrible. Quit it."

"S-Sorry" murmured the orange-haired miserably, still trying to adjust to the entire sensation.

The Shinigami Substitute's whole demeanour simply served to ignite another stinging feeling within the former Arrancar, but he forced himself not to dwell on it. They needed to move on.

"Look, the quicker we get this over with, the better" pointed out the blue-haired feline tautly, before he moved to have better leverage "I'm going to move now, so fuckin' brace yourself."

Ichigo instantly blanched at that, for he was not yet ready: "W-Wait-!"

"AAAAARGH!"

Both blue and brown eyes, startled, darted over towards the one beside them who had just screamed, and they saw the Kuchiki noble panting heavily, features twisted with agony as his hands held at the collar resentfully.

"C-Carry on" breathed out Byakuya inaudibly with lowered eyes, whilst appearing slightly flushed and yet looking quite faint at the same time "Don't mind me."

While the orange-haired, aghast, didn't get why the collar went off yet again, the blue-haired rapidly figured it out: "He wants you to fuckin' watch."

The feline's words only managed to draw a rather nasty and ill-omened glare from the noble who steadfastly directed it at the sheets, but it was quite clear who it was meant for.

"V-Voyeur much?" muttered Ichigo weakly, so much to Grimmjow's utter amusement that he laughed. Leave it to the kid to crack a joke while he was being screwed with. And literally so.

Rewarding the Shinigami Substitute with a soft kiss for the jest, the former Arrancar smirked: "You have no fuckin' idea. Ready now?"

Merely locking eyes with the other for a moment, the orange-haired then wordlessly gave the blue-haired one single nod, leading the latter to set himself in motion by carefully pulling out of the other before pushing back in, before repeating the process again at a slow, steady pace.

At first, it still hurt and it felt incredibly strange to the orange-haired teen, but then, with each thrust, going deeper than the previous one, it started to feel undeniably good. He had no other word to describe it.

Clutching tightly at the blue-haired, Ichigo's soft grunts of pain were slowly beginning to turn into pants and strangled moans of pleasure: "Ah...Nnngh! Ha... Gri-AH! HEY!"

"Don't fuckin' say my name. I'm not warning you a third time."

"Damn it, you didn't have to bite me for that!" seethed the Shinigami Substitute crossly, the throbbing dull pain upon his shoulder a dead giveaway to the other's deed, the latter who just smirked brazenly with sweat deliciously dripping down his brow.

"Fuckin' penalty."

"Go to h-HAAAA!" cried out the teenager before he could restrain himself, arching against the other upon the sudden spike in the sensations he was undergoing, right after the feline had swiftly thrust back in during their banter turned brief "Sh-Shit, what just...? Was that...?"

"Yep" confirmed the blue-haired, glad that he had finally found it, hence dampening down the orange-haired's pain, before he readjusted himself so he could strike it directly from then on "Hang on."

"H-Hold on, I... AAH!"

"Won't you ever fuckin' zip it? Holy hell, what's with you?" inquired the feline whilst not skipping a beat in his movements, yet stayed fairly stunned by the other's sudden loquacity "You're not this fuckin' talkative usually. Fact is, you not even that chatty at all."

Embarrassed beyond belief, mostly because he couldn't keep his enjoyment of the experience quiet, Ichigo scowled sideways with a darkened blush: "S-Shut up."

"Shut up?! I'm not the one fuckin' talking!" retorted Grimmjow incredulously, before a sly expression suddenly crossed his features "Or maybe...I'm not doing it quite right, hm?"

The former Arrancar's next thrust, sharp and hitting his sweet spot dead on, had the teen crying out in ecstasy, no longer able to feel anything else but overwhelming, endless pleasure.

Quickening the cadence, Grimmjow ran a hand through the teenager's orange locks, threading his fingers through them, whilst his other hand drifted down to the other's aroused member, enclosing his warm, clammy digits around it, pumping it in tandem to each thrust, sending Ichigo into a writhing mess, panting and moaning wildly, stifling them in embarrassment when he got too loud.

The building pressure pooling little by little within his lower abdomen heightened, escalated, soared, and then, with a sharp shuddering breath, he came hard, his cum bursting out and fully coating the former Arrancar's hand, who had the insight to cover the teen's length in order to not get his chest dirty as well.

Gasping breathily with wide brown blown eyes staring straight ahead at the ceiling, Ichigo tried to calm himself from his high, this truly amazing feeling he never before experienced and would have cherished had circumstances been different. But not once did the thought of it being done with Grimmjow, of all people, trouble him. Actually, it did, but it was only a faint bother. Or maybe it was just the aftermath muddling his perception of things. He didn't know.

Steadying his breathing, Grimmjow raised his head and pulled it away from the teenager's shoulder, about to address the latter, but just as he was about to, bound hands now woven in his hair tugged him back downwards, bringing him directly in contact with the teen's lips.

The kiss was so unexpected - especially given the fact that Ichigo had yet to initiate any on his own - that Grimmjow was far too stunned to resist, not even reacting at first, before he closed his eyes and indulged the other by returning it, deepening it hotly.

Though he had initially been forced as he was fully certain that he could not take yet another shock, the Kuchiki had somehow found himself watching the other two with intense curiosity and slight amazement, amidst his pre-existing and growing discomfort.

What stunned Byakuya the most was that the former Arrancar was surprisingly tender, almost considerate, gentle even, which was truly unexpected considering what the noble knew of the other: according to Rukia - who had been always been exceedingly on edge around the blue-haired in question - Grimmjow was an extremely violent and brutal individual, with a raging temper and of a cold-blooded personality. But now that he thought about, perhaps it had all been a disguise to go through with Aizen's doings unscathed, or at least close enough to that.

After a moment, the former Arrancar fully retrieved himself from the other, doing so as gently as he could, but his movements still earned a wince from the Shinigami Substitute, prompting the feline to ask: "Kurosaki? Are you ok?"

"I-I don't know yet" admitted Ichigo vaguely whilst blinking owlishly with a dark blush upon realizing what he had just impulsively done, making Grimmjow chuckle softly and shake his head at the other.

Slightly flustered, the orange-haired was about to snappily chew out the blue-haired, when he paused seeing that the former Arrancar was still rock hard. The teen's eyes widened: wasn't Grimmjow supposed reach his climax also? Why didn't he? Had he forgotten or something?

"You didn't..." began the Shinigami Substitute with a confused and concerned frown, before he abruptly cut himself off, realizing he wouldn't know how to put it without sounding lame.

Smirking slightly at the other's discomfort, the blue-haired then sobered and shook his head: "I can't."

For a moment, the orange-haired thought he hadn't heard right, before he was then downright staggered: "What?"

"Aizen's fuckin' orders, so I fuckin' can't" repeated the feline crossly, before acting quick to grab one of the teenager's hands which sought to come to his aid "Don't. Just don't."

"You speak as if you're still a solider of his" interjected the Kuchiki noble suddenly, causing the other two to jump, having forgotten all about him being present.

Turning his attention to the dark-haired shinigami's guarded features, Grimmjow spoke up in an eerily void voice, his face just as blank: "I'm no soldier, but I am his. That won't fuckin' change anytime soon."

"But you can't stay like this!" persisted the Shinigami Substitute frantically, oblivious to the palpable tension that had just come and gone with the former exchange the other two just had.

Sighing, the blue-haired feline smoothed his expression and quirked an eyebrow at the teen: "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not your fuckin' problem?"

"But..." protested Ichigo, only to have the former Arrancar swiftly cut him off with one last kiss, while gently pushing the teen back flat against the bed-sheets and wrapping him in them.

"Go to sleep, Kurosaki. You'll be fuckin' needing it."

"But I'm not tired" countered the orange-haired teenager with a long unrestrained yawn and a slow fluttering of his eyelids, which made him look even younger than he initially was.

"Sure" the blue-haired snickered derisively, along with yet another shake of his head "You're convincing the whole fuckin' world like that."

"Jerk" muttered the Shinigami Substitute half-heartedly with a sleepy smile before he closed his heavy eyelids. And it didn't take long for the teen to eventually nod off, falling into a deep afterglow slumber, along with an accumulation of strain of various degrees added to that.

Absentmindedly smoothing out the teenager's wild orange locks, the former Arrancar slowly withdrew his hand once he was certain that the other had fallen asleep, before he vividly glanced at the noble with unreadable features, which somehow strongly unnerved the latter.

Why Grimmjow was so intent and insistent on having the Shinigami Substitute sleep now, was because he truly didn't want the teen to see what he was going to have to do currently.

Byakuya gasped out in surprise as the blue-haired feline violently took a hold of him by his shoulders in an unrelenting grip and threw him off the bed, following him and slamming him hard against the white tiled floor, momentarily knocking out the air from the noble's lungs.

Towering over the restrained Kuchiki, the former Arrancar neared his stern face to the other's, uttering quietly: "Sorry, pretty boy, but Aizen doesn't want me to go fuckin' easy on you."

There was something undeniably dangerous within Grimmjow's demeanour all of a sudden, and it immediately set the Kuchiki into a defensive panic, wrenching an arm free and aiming straight for the feline's jaw.

The blue-haired, however, apparently foresaw it, for he swiftly caught the noble's fist before it made impact, and then pinned it down to the ground beside the other's splayed black locks, holding it firmly just like he had done with Byakuya's other hand.

Struggling fiercely in an attempt to break, the young clan's leader hissed when he saw that it was in vain under the other's greater strength, so he glared indignantly at the ceiling beyond feline's towering features, refusing to look at him: "Stop it this instant and get off of me."

Clenching his jaw, the former Arrancar spoke up in a quiet, harshly impassive tone: "I can't."

Dark grey eyes narrowed further, becoming menacing: "That was not a request. Get. Off."

"Hey. Look at me" snarled Grimmjow firmly as he brought his face directly before the noble's own now stunned one, their noses touching "Does it fuckin' look like I bloody want this? Like you, like him, I don't have a fuckin' choice."

The other's words sounded almost like a caution, but the Kuchiki, from that moment onwards, was simply far too lost in a world of drowning pain and impossible pleasure to pay any notice.

000000000000000000000000000000000000

In his personal quarters somewhere deep within the Las Noches fortress, Aizen, with rapt dark brown eyes riveted on a screen before him, leaned his head languidly upon an arm which rested on the edge of a luxuriant bathtub of steaming hot soap bubbled water, all while he was musing upon what he had just viewed. It had all been quite eventful...and rather unexpected.

He had first initiated the episode as a humiliation specifically dedicated to Kuchiki Byakuya, picking Jeagerjaques Grimmjow to enact the whole thing given his experience and objectivity, throwing young and inexperienced Kurosaki Ichigo in the mix out of malignant amusement.

Upon further consideration though, as he reviewed it all, scene by scene, Aizen found the three particularly alluring together: the contrast each one had, on various levels, served only to heighten that perception further. And not once had tedium claimed him.

Grimmjow had, unsurprisingly, carried out his roles perfectly in both instances, being genially gentle with the teen - which was the feline's own choice - and being beastly brutal with the noble, whilst retaining his own climax during the two intercourses. However, it was the other two's reactions to the whole event in itself that took him aback: Ichigo had been amazingly compliant - but then again, it was maybe out of naivety due to it being his first time - and Byakuya had valiantly fought back until the very end, holding out beyond expectations, not making a sound, apart from the screams the collar drew from him.

Sliding deeper in the warm waters, the immortal kept his half-lidded relaxed eyes riveted on the screen, whilst letting his dark thoughts roam further in tandem to what he was viewing for the umpteenth time by now, though it was long over. And he found himself lusting for more.

"Rather than you being with your bride-to-be, here I find you, avid eyes glued to three fine men fornicating away and fulfilling your perverse lustful fantasies. I do not know whether I should be disenchanted or proud that you embody Lust in such a ghastly manner."

Chuckling at the witch's teasing dramatics, the child of chaos greeted her with a lazy smile as she gracefully made her way over, emerging out from nowhere: "Hello to you also, Manter."

Witch Manter had always had an eye for eccentricity, whether it was within her appearance or within her behaviour, and she always made sure to flaunt it as much as she was able to. And despite it being overbearingly ominous to a few, the ethereal eccentricity she wore so proudly held onto a certain lustful appeal that called upon others to stare at her, not able to look away.

Although, right as this very moment, she couldn't have been dressed any simpler: with her dark brown hair running long and loose down her back, she was clad in a knee-long gown of cherry-coloured silk and a white shawl decorated with dark pink motives wrapped around her shoulders, accompanied by a faint peach eye-shadow and fuchsia painted lips for make-up.

Gracefully sinking down to the floor beside the bathtub, the Witch of Lust smiled widely as she locked gazes with the child of chaos: "Hinamori-sama is dying for you to deflower her, she who has so dutifully reserved herself for you ever since she has witnessed you as captain of the Gotei 13, not even recalling of her origins then. Lovely of her, truth to be told."

"Quite so" agreed Aizen indolently as he closed his eyes, and leaned his head backwards until it rested against the edge of the bathtub, which allowed the dark brown-haired woman to easily run her fingers gently through his damp hair.

Reaching for a nearby bottle of shampoo, she emptied a generous amount of its contents upon her hands and then proceeded to lather clean her beloved protégé's hair.

The child of chaos was in fact more than capable of doing this on his own, but as he knew his mother-figure had a fondness for this routine she could simply not grow out of, he indulged her to the fullest. Besides, she had the relaxing touch, the gentleness and the know-how of a first class masseuse, so why deny them both the pleasure? It was hard though, in situations such as these, to recall that this woman had used these very same hands to cast the darkest and most vicious of spells, to kill coldly and to torture with delight. But all that didn't bother him in the least, for whatever she was, he was worse.

"She is to be your wife, is she not?" inquired Manter gently out of the blue, causing Aizen to languorously blink his eyes open, not remembering when he had closed them.

But he was still on track, understanding her question and answering it effortlessly: "For the sake of the Aizen name, yes, she is."

"Do you agree to this?"

"Why would I have a problem with it?" shrugged the immortal nonchalantly, whilst smirking for he knew where this was going "Hinamori is devoted enough both to the clan as well as to me. I have no issues on the matter."

"But she does not know of this, does she?" she taunted jestingly as she pointed at the screen.

Laughing lightly since he had been spot-on, Aizen declared unswervingly: "I'll tell her of my tendencies eventually, but in no way will I stop them. What I do in my free and personal time is of no concern to her."

"Oh dear, take care to not express that to her so bluntly" she snickered softly, highly amused, before asking flippantly as she rinsed his hair "So...you shall cheat on her with men then?"

"There will be no cheating done. My involvement with the same gender is not in any way adultery to my commitment to her as a husband" reasoned Aizen simply, calmly closing his eyes again "She will be the only woman for me and she'll have to content herself with that."

A sly look crossed the dark brown-haired woman's features as she drawled out knowingly, her voice dripping with sarcastic scepticism: "The only woman? Really now, Aizen-sama?"

The immortal's eyes flew open at that and it actually took a moment for him to reply, and he did, his tone was quite clipped, nearly strained: "My past is distances apart from my present, Manter."

"Oh? I somehow doubt that, at least, not if you ever see her again. You were quite taken with that one as I recall, despite the fact that you do not love" commented Manter gently, before her attention flitted over to the screen, contemplatively regarding the replay of images with an arched eyebrow "That aside, I am surprised however that you did not choose to join those three. Knowing you, you would not have let the occasion slide, especially when it comes to tainting the innocence of another."

Aizen slowly stared up at the witch with a dimly embarrassed expression: "Hearing you speak so at ease about my sexual tendencies is a little disconcerting, Manter."

A rather broad brazen smile touched her brightly painted lips as her mismatched eyes flitted down to meet his: "Everything about me is disconcerting, Aizen-sama, as you should know by now."

"That I do" he sighed leniently, leaning his head within her hands as she tenderly combed his hair with her slender fingers under the guise of a comb, as they fell into a comfortable silence.

Her eyes then shifted back towards the screen again, stating appreciatively as she regarded the males engaged in their forced encounter: "But they are quite an attractive trio, are they not?"

"They are" asserted Aizen with a smirk, which only widened upon hearing her long cerise-dyed nails of her free hand clattering rhythmically upon the bathtub's rim, something she typically did when an idea came to her "I can literally hear the gears clinking in your head, Manter. What's going on in that beautifully dark mind of yours?"

The clicking sound continued for a minute or so, before it came to a stop: "Have you planned anything for them?"

"Nothing specific yet. Any suggestions?"

Eyes widened with glee at the opportunity she had just been magnanimously proffered, she eagerly gazed at the child of chaos as she slowly started to speak, her words a lethal poison of temptation to anyone's ears but his: "Though you are the victor of this war and the entitled head of the Aizen name, you chose not to rule the Soul Society directly - despite now owning it - bequeathing that privilege to your father, also meaning that your presence is not constantly required. Am I getting this correctly so far?"

"You are. Do go on."

"Would you not be interested in returning to your old ways?" she breathed out in a whisper with wide excited childlike eyes, hoping her ingenious idea would thrill him "Back there?"

She was rather taken aback to see that Aizen was only barely surprised by her suggestion, although he quite fully welcomed it, a pleased sinister smirk playing upon his lips as he said: "Funny you should say that because I thought about that place only quite recently."

She seemed temporarily stunned by that, before she mirrored his expression, adding an arched eyebrow: "Great minds think alike."

"I deeply approve" he concurred before he thought deeper about it, his mind wandering back to the place mentioned, taking it in "It has been awhile. I trust you have taken good care of it."

"Always" she assured softly "It has flourished even further since you last saw it. As for the dolls, they're still in full function and in perfect shape. They are...well taken care of."

"That I don't doubt" he chuckled darkly as he fondly reminisced on how things ran back there, before asking "When's the last you've been there? And who's directing things now?"

"I was there, till you summoned me. As for the managing, if not you or me, who do you think? No need to concern yourself."

"No, not with you I don't. So, you're suggesting I go back there, and initiate those three to my world?" Aizen paused meditatively to reflect on it, and then his expression darkened with chilling amusement and anticipation "I agree that it is an enticing proposition. Not only it is demeaning enough, but it is also ideal for what I have in mind for our dear Byakuya. And the other two would only need to follow. Coming to think of it, they'd all fit there quite nicely."

"They would, with the right training" she smirked sinisterly, before her demeanour shifted as she added quietly, seriously "That, and if you go there, I just might be able to prevent your upcoming and untimely demise, rather than us being apart."

"Ah, so this is what this is about" he stated with a shake of his head before murmuring gently "Manter, I already told you not to worry."

"And I told you that it was impossible for me not to" pouted the witch before looking away and setting her jaw forward obstinately, both making her seem unfittingly like a child despite her age.

Amused but careful not show it, the immortal inquired inquisitively: "Can't you at least give a hint so I know what I'm supposed to avoid?"

Biting her lip, Manter buried her face in the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around him, holding herself close to him, whispering wistfully: "I would do anything for you, Aizen-sama, even if it means laying down my life for you, but alas there are some things that are truly beyond me. These words you wish to hear, I cannot utter them."

The child of chaos let her lean upon him as they stayed in still silence, her words hanging in the air as he rested in her embrace, her hold feeling as if she was far too afraid of what may happen if she ever let go, before his next words utterly destroyed the solemn atmosphere: "Write them then."

"Aizen-sama" groaned the witch miserably against the moist skin of the immortal's shoulder "Please do not make this anymore difficult for me than it already is. I can only hint, warn, nothing more. As such, I can only let you know this: it shall be a result of your own actions, whether past, current or future, that will lead to your undoing."

'You cannot possibly aspire to control or tame a tempestuous soul' was something she desperately wished to add but she couldn't. She could not risk it: not being there to guard him.

"Well, I suppose that will have to suffice. Though, Manter, the more I think about it, the more your suggestion appeals to me."

Inwardly sighing at how casually the other pushed the caveat aside, the witch brought a smile to her lips and pulled up slightly with a raised eyebrow: "I thought it would."

"However, Manter, I'm afraid I'll have to amend one of my former statements. My loyalties to Hinamori are going to vacillate" confessed the child of chaos softly, his features becoming oddly tense once more "For it is as you said: I was and still am quite taken with that one."

"I can only imagine" the dark brown-haired woman agreed entirely, seeing no need to feel triumphant and not wanting distress her protégé's spirit any further than it already was given the matter spoken of "She is one of a kind, heritage aside, so her uniqueness is bound to attract, even you. Her allure, though poles far apart, sort of reminds me of Kujaku-sama."

Though the name he heard but recently from Manter herself, Aizen honestly had no clue who said person was, having been too busy on the battlefield to pay attention: "Who?"

"The one always by Madarame-kun's side" she clarified for him, while spitting out Ikkaku's name as if it was poison, and it didn't go unnoticed to the immortal, though he chose, for now, not to point out on it.

"Oh, I see. Ayasegawa Yumichika, the 11th Division's 5th Seat. You seem to know him quite well, even if it's under another name."

"I do. It was not long after we parted ways, you returning to the Seireitei and me dwelling in the 78th District. Long story short, I used to own his soul."

"Used to?" echoed Aizen with a raised eyebrow, more taken aback by the current lack of ownership rather than the latter in itself "It's not like you to relinquish your hold on someone. Is it no longer as such?"

"It can still be the case" she said, before her features darkened with intense and utter hatred "But Madarame-kun is an oppressively obnoxious obstacle preventing it from happening."

There was one thing that the child of chaos knew undoubtedly well about the witch that raised him: whenever she used the suffix 'sama' for a name, it either pointed out to the respect or to the fondness she held for that particular person. If, however, she were to ever add 'kun' or 'chan' to anyone's name, it was because she harboured a dark, bitter loathing towards them.

In short, whilst she apparently held this 'Kujaku' to her heart for some reason, Manter did not like the 11th Division's 3rd Seat one bit.

"Then get rid of him" recommended the immortal openly, not a lilt to his tone of voice as if what he was saying was obvious and ordinary.

Upon hearing the consent given to her already fixed decision, a terrifyingly lethal expression of elation contorted her striking features to an alarming degree, as a now eerie serpentine-like voice emanated from past her parted lips: "Oh, but I plan to. In the worst of ways."

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Long black eyelashes fluttered open and dark grey eyes hazily took in their surroundings, before Byakuya let out a soft groan caught midway between aggravation and pain: the first aimed at the vivid white, the second dedicated to the ache plaguing every corner of his body.

Frown marring his exhausted and pallid features, the 6th Division's captain closed back his eyes, attempting to overcome the agony by occupying his mind...and keeping still of course.

Vulgarity was not his forte nor was it at all his cup of tea, but damn it to hell, he felt like shit. In the figurative sense obviously, for the imagery didn't quiet sit well with him. Truth to be told, a certain spiky-haired eye-patched barbarian would be quite pleased if he ever heard the noble talk like this... Now that he thought about it, neither Kenpachi nor Yachiru were part of the survivors at the end of the mostly one-sided war. It made him wonder. Had they fallen? He didn't care much about the brute - or maybe he did, barely - but he did feel sorry for that child. Then again, maybe it was best for her rather than be forced into lasting imprisonment.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Byakuya went back to the reason he was in such a dreadful state. True to his word, Grimmjow hadn't been gentle at all, his every action as he handled - or rather mishandled him - holding a brutal roughness that left nothing but bruises in its wake. For they had fought, violently, fists flying, struggling vehemently in silence, him refusing to back down and the other denying any relent, the feline eventually getting the upper hand after littering the noble's skin with dyes of black and blue of various sizes. He had then pinned him firmly, powerfully stomach to the ground before proceeding to enact the final performance for their audience, a hand fisted tightly in his hair, another grasping roughly at his hip, whilst pounding relentlessly within him, pace erratic, excruciating, exhausting.

And yet, the whole time, as he kept himself as silent as tomb, his mind and body had been at war. The conflict had been blistering. It had been just as stifling as the vivid sensations raking both over and beneath his skin. Worse, the Kuchiki had found that his senses were further heightened more than usual and it left him rather unsettled and mortified, especially given the fact that, despite the brutality of it, he had been brought to his climax before passing out with fatigue. Remains of the previously administered drugs from the battlefield still taking effect during the act? He hadn't been able to tell, for his thoughts had been far too jumbled for any accurate analysis at that moment.

What he did know however was, at that very moment that he reached his peak, he would have rather had it that he had died on the battlefield along with the other fallen. Obloquy wasn't something he dealt well with, not from anyone, especially not in such a situation in addition of it coming from his enemies. He wouldn't blame the feline - and honestly couldn't find in himself to do so as the other too was just another victim in these hellish circumstances, for it seemed that the child of chaos, regardless of the choice the young clan's leader made, had already set his mind to have him lose his innocence under the guise of rape nevertheless - but the current loathing he felt wasn't even fully directed at the immortal. Right now, Byakuya mostly hated himself, because for the first time in forever, he felt weak, weaker than even his father had seemed mere moments ago. And God, did he hate it.

An abrupt yet gentle touch of a strong hand to his nude shoulder startled him, causing his eyes to open before he swiftly glanced over his shoulder, mindful to keep the rest of his body still.

It was Grimmjow, regarding him with wide surprised and faintly cautious eyes upon rather taut features.

After the whole ordeal, the former Arrancar had carried the noble to the bed, setting the latter beside Ichigo and covering them both with the sheets, before he then retreated to sit alone in a corner, his mind racing. He felt unconditionally ill, for many reasons, one of them being that, for once, he couldn't tell where Aizen's actions were leading.

The immortal was set on destroying the Kuchiki name from amidst the purebloods that much he knew. But if it was really the sole reason, Aizen would have taken it out on all of them, why merely focus on their Clan's leader only, with such a firm, near fixated, yet quite warped enthralment? Even if the point was to cause the others pain by denigrating Kuchiki Byakuya to the core, there was still something amiss. Something else was at play, but Grimmjow had no idea what it could be, and that bothered him to no end. Not because he cared, but because both he and - worse - Ichigo were being involved right in the midst of this mess, and would probably be just responsible as the child of chaos if Aizen had his way in the fullness of time.

Another thing that concerned the blue-haired feline was the rather disconcerting leniency with which the immortal accepted the condition Grimmjow put out forward upon opting for one of the two alternatives given to him. With what happened, Aizen shouldn't have to indulge him at all, and yet he did. Grimmjow thoroughly understood that he was one of the immortal's 'priceless possessions' or whatever and that the latter would not accept forsaking him, but the feline's rebellious and riotous personality didn't give him the opportunity of effortlessly obtaining his master's favour just like that out of the blue. So...Just what was the other up to?

The former Arrancar's focus was then brought back to the bed when he heard a change in the noble's breathing: it had become further strained, more laborious, as if he was deeply in pain. So, given that he was to be partly held responsible for the other's state, the feline took it upon himself to check on him, only he didn't really expect to find the 6th Division's captain awake.

And so he found himself wording it, as he sat upon the very edge of the bed, careful not to worsen the Kuchiki's sufferings: "Given how things fuckin' went down, I didn't think you'd be the first to come round."

Features utterly impassive, the noble looked away and remained silent, leading the former Arrancar to assume that the other wished to be left alone, and was actually about to comply, when the Kuchiki spoke up, voice quite hoarse: "I get exceedingly restless when in enemy's hands...uncommon circumstances aside."

"Been captured before?" inquired the blue-haired curiously, reminding himself that he didn't know much in depth about the Shinigami Captain, and what he was unwillingly aware of - such as his heritage - wasn't even known to the Kuchiki himself.

"Quite a few times when I was younger, yes. It even occurred this one time for ransom and..." Byakuya then abruptly cut himself off with a frown "And I honestly don't see why I'm telling you this."

"Don't beat yourself up over it" said the former Arrancar coolly, with a wave of his hand "It happens a lot, with others just going on and fuckin' confiding in me. No idea why though. It's not like I have a face that fuckin' screams 'I'm nice, so let me hear you out'."

"Indeed."

Smoothly ignoring the other's embittered sarcasm, the blue-haired feline carried on talking: "Happened with too many to count, my kind and out: Aizen, Hime, Kurosaki and so on...Even your sister."

That instantly caught the young captain's full undivided attention: "Rukia? Is she al-Argh!"

"Easy" chided the former Arrancar as the noble forgot himself and abruptly pivoted in the former's direction, rekindling the pain tenfold "You'll gonna be fuckin' sore for awhile."

Breathing hard, Byakuya levelled the other with a rather pointed glare: "And who do I have to thank for that?"

"Cute" drawled out Grimmjow slowly with a rather ticked-off smirk as he leisurely cocked an eyebrow upwards "But I think you're blaming the wrong fuckin' person, pretty boy."

Lowering his eyes, the Clan's leader had the decency to appear somewhat rueful, before he inquired carefully: "H-How is she?"

"Better than you last saw her, no fuckin' doubt."

Closing his eyes guiltily as he recalled how hurt she had been when he last saw her, the noble sighed dejectedly: "I broke her heart."

Shaking his head in disagreement at the Kuchiki's words, the former Arrancar pointed out: "You did what you had to under the fuckin' circumstances. She won't fault you for that."

The Kuchiki noble stared silently at the other with widened eyes, dumbfounded by the other's demeanour, which was laced with a hint of veiled empathy, not something he was expecting given what had happened before.

"Why are you...?" trailed off the clan's leader with a puzzled frown, not comprehending why the other was bothering to, seemingly, comfort him.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" guessed the other accurately, both on what was being asked and on the Kuchiki's feelings for his adoptive sibling, before the feline shrugged "Felt fair to remind you that's the fuckin' same on her part."

The Kuchiki decided there and then that Grimmjow was a cryptic and complicated enigma, but he figured it was best not to mull too much over it, and so he spoke up softly, articulating two words he wasn't used to saying aloud: "Thank you."

"No problem" returned the former Arrancar with a nod, before the two fell silent once more, both lost in their own contemplations, the 6th Division's captain suddenly going quite pale.

The abrupt realization of what had previously transpired weighed down heavily on the noble, making him wonder how he could have given in and, even worse, actually allowed it to occur.

Though he had fought as he could, Byakuya had been helpless to stop it and ended up swept up in the heat of the moment, reluctantly indulging both in the pain and the pleasure derived from the incident in itself, along with the scarring shame that came burning in the aftermath.

However, given that the perpetrator was Grimmjow and not Aizen, the cruel impact of it all was distinctly lessened, and the Kuchiki noble decided that he could eventually somehow find a way to live on with it, so long as it was but a onetime thing.

After all, he remained rather much grateful that it happened to him and not to Rukia. He honestly couldn't live with himself if their prior predicament had involved her in any way...

"Fuckin' figured so" admitted the former Arrancar abruptly which made the Kuchiki noble realize, much to his horror, that he actually went on and worded that last thought aloud.

After Byakuya berated himself for being careless, he carefully glanced at the other, curiosity upon his tongue: "I have a question, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead" offered the other indifferently with a shrug, inwardly curious as to what the noble wanted to know.

"What does Aizen Sosuke hold against you?" inquired Byakuya, before he clarified his query when Grimmjow's response was to merely raise an eyebrow questioningly "Both Kurosaki Ichigo and I have pronounced oaths to him, giving ourselves up to him in exchange of those dear to us - which is a lot harder than I had initially thought. But you...Prior to presently, you said that you were his. Does that entail you making an oath to him?"

When the former Arrancar mutely shook his head once, it confirmed what the young noble had guessed, given how loosely respectful the other was towards the immortal: "I thought so. Then I reiterate my former question: what does he hold against you? The others who chose to abscond Aizen Sosuke?"

Grimmjow shook his head again: "No. It doesn't work like that between us. We essentially work as a herd, but when things get ugly, it's everyone for themselves."

"Then...?" trailed off the young Clan's leader expectantly, awaiting the blue-haired feline's reply, though he had a feeling that the other didn't want to answer.

All of a sudden, Ichigo let out a quiet whimper in his sleep, earning the other two's attention just as the teen huddled deeper within the sheets, a troubled frown to his distressed features.

The Kuchiki watched attentively as the former Arrancar neared the Shinigami Substitute to check on him, asking with mild concern: "Is he alright?"

"Yeah" confirmed Grimmjow quietly as he peered at the orange-haired, careful not to disturb him as the latter had calmed down, his expression relaxing "Just another fuckin' nightmare. He's been having a lot of those since that fuckin' coma of his. He's too freakin' young for this, any of this. It's just...I can't fuckin' see him reduced to be just another one of Aizen's pathetic playthings" vivid blue eyes then snapped over to the Kuchiki to glare daggers at the latter "Why the hell did you shinigami drag him along for the bloody ride?"

"Oh, please not you too" sighed the young Clan's leader exasperatedly as he closed his eyes "Inoue Orihime already gave me her piece of mind on the subject, and like I told her, it was he who chose to involve himself. We never asked anything of him. We - I - even repeatedly told him to stay out of our affaires."

"Then I guess he has a fuckin' listening problem" fumed the blue-haired quietly with an annoyed click of his tongue, as he tapped a finger against the sleeping teen's forehead, careful not to wake him but still adamantly conveying his irritation.

"That I can agree to" concurred Byakuya with nod, faintly amused by the sight, before his eyes then went wide when the feline, with a somewhat pained expression, abruptly leaned in, resting his forehead against Ichigo's own, the nose touching and their lips a breath apart.

"Damn it, kid. Do you even fuckin' realize what shit you got yourself into?"

There is it was again: That connection that shouldn't be there, because it couldn't make any sense. And if it did, in some bizarre and outlandish way, it just didn't make sense to Byakuya.

"Why would someone like you express so much concern for him?" asked the 6th Division's captain, his tone of voice somewhere between awe and apprehension: the latter because he wasn't quite sure that the former Arrancar was to be trusted, and the former because...it was just far too surreal, if the worry expressed was truly genuine given who it was coming from.

Slowly pulling away from the Shinigami Substitute, Grimmjow narrowed his eyes warningly at the noble through his light blue bangs: "Mind your fuckin' business."

Once again, it was easier for the former Arrancar to give out such a blunt answer rather than search for a reply even he couldn't piece together.

The feline's answer had the noble halt for a moment, with a rather stunned look, before he then eventually let it go, concluding that it was indeed none of his concern. And then Byakuya tensely inquired upon something that was: "What will become of us? Do you have any idea?"

The blue-haired's response was to narrow his exhausted eyes as a glaring gleam of loaded loathing shone within them: "Whatever it is, it won't be a fuckin' joyride for any of us. With fuckin' Aizen pulling the strings he's got us wrapped up in, I can freakin' guarantee you that."

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Curling the long dark locks of one of her pigtails around a finger in a rather repetitive motion, Loly lounged upon a couch within one of Las Noches' countless rooms, glaring at the eternal moonlit darkness seeping through the window, the only glow lighting up the place she was in.

She was there on her own, locked-up alone in a self-accomplished seclusion where her thoughts could be utterly undisturbed, as they were heavily coated with thick layers of venomous loathing and sick jealousy. If anyone else was there with her, she'd be sure to commit a brutal and bloody murder simply in order to lull her toxic emotions, emotions which were suffocating her, and yet, comforting her at the same time.

The face of a young woman, with brown eyes and hair, flashed before her fuchsia eyes, making her sneer, wishing nothing more than to crush the living daylights out of that person.

She then raised her other hand to her face, before she stared intently, contemplatively at the centre of her palm, which was glistening with the remnants of a dark purplish viscous fluid.

Just a drop of poison. Just one sole, single drop. It'd be more than enough. And no one would know. Ah. The temptation was so great, so sweet, so inviting. But...

The ruthless hatred within her hardened eyes lessened a hint when her mind wandered off to her treasured master, Aizen-sama.

A wistful smile then touched her lips as she leaned in and licked her palm clean, before she used that now spotless hand to cover her eyes as she snorted quietly to herself: "I really can't do anything that would go against Aizen-sama wishes, can I? What a silly little thing I am."

"Loly?"

The dark-haired female Arrancar freed her eyes so they could meet the concerned ones of her close and only friend in this hellhole, who, upon making her way in and leaving the door open behind her, worded her worry: "I've been looking all over for you. Are you alright?"

"No" seethed out Loly darkly as she threw her glare elsewhere, before going on a rant in one single breath "I mean, who the hell does that fuckin' bitchy witch think she is, acting all high and mighty just because she has some sort of history with Aizen-sama? Fuck her."

Kneeling beside the couch and setting her hands upon her laps, Menoly titled her head to the side in confusion, wondering who was being insulted by her friend: "Manter-sama?"

"No, no, not her, I don't have no problem with her" said the dark-haired Arrancar quickly, going slightly pale at the thought of ever going up against that woman, before she shook her head "I've heard she's like a mother to Aizen-sama or something. I seriously can't compete with that, nor would I want to."

The short-haired blonde's bewilderment deepened at that: "Who do you mean then? Orihime-sama?"

Instead of snarling upon hearing the girl's name like Menoly expected, Loly actually sighed: "I kinda miss that poor princess."

It took a moment for the other to register what her friend had just uttered: "Ha?!"

"D-Don't get me wrong, ok?!" stammered the dark-haired female vehemently, a faint flush to her features poiting out at her embarrassment for having admitted that, before she sobered "I just...I thought that, like us, she was seeking Aizen-sama's approval, that her wish was to replace us, that she wanted to always be by his side as his...but in the end, she was just a scared pathetic little girl, who loved her friends and only wanted to go home. And for that, she did everything she was told. You can't hate someone like that."

"No, I guess you can't" the blonde female agreed softly, before her puzzlement returned again briefly "But then, who...?" green eyes then widened in realization "Oh."

"Yeah. Her" hissed out Loly menacingly, resentful jealousy burning like a wildfire within her eyes "I want to rip out her guts, smash her face and break her in two. And I don't care in which order."

Menoly blinked once or twice and then sighed: "I know that she bothers you, but she's Aizen-sama's relative. There's nothing you can do."

The dark-haired female Arrancar's features hardened to even further a terrifying degree: "If she acted like his relative, then I wouldn't be bothered. She's like some bitch in heat trying to hog all of him. I won't stand for that. Never. I was by his side before her."

There was a beat of silence, before Menoly spoke up attentively: "Technically, that's not true, since she was his lieutenant back when Aizen-sama was part of the Gotei 13, remember?"

A vein throbbed upon the lounged one's forehead at what the blonde had just pointed out: "Menoly."

"Yes?"

"Whose fuckin' side are you on?" spat the dark-haired female furiously as she glared fiercely at the other.

Menoly's shoulders sagged down as she glanced sideways, slightly hurt: "Don't be like that. On yours of course, that's why I don't want you do something that would have me lose you."

Loly stared at the one beside her, regarding the latter wordlessly with a fully blank expression. Not knowing each other until they met whilst both being under Aizen's orders, she had somehow obtained the other female's undivided amity when she didn't return it in full, when she was so undeserving of it. No matter how she treated Menoly, she'd always come back to her. It was close to a rough relationship where the abused would never ever leave the abuser.

"So clingy" muttered Loly with a patronizing expression as she patted the other's head "I don't plan on dying anytime soon" a dangerous smile the crossed her now darkened features "As for Hinamori-sama, if she carries on like that, she just might choke on some poison."

Whilst Menoly laughed uneasily at her friend's words, neither she nor Loly noticed a presence at the door, overhearing their little girl-talk, before making their way down the white corridor.

Veneno, with a highly displeased frown to his features, addressed the one walking beside him: "Heard that?"

"My ears are in full function, so what do you expect?"

"You know, a simple 'yes' would have sufficed, damn it" muttered the Segundo Espada with an aggravated sigh at the other's words "What will you do about it?"

Large dark impassive green eyes rimmed with black and clashing with whitish skin blankly blinked once: "Nothing."

"Nothing?" echoed Veneno disbelievingly as he halted in his steps and stared with wide dark blue eyes at the Cuatro Espada, who stopped walking also.

Closing his eyes, Ulquiorra confirmed his words with a stauncher assertion: "Yes, nothing."

The Segundo Espada was beyond annoyed by the black-haired Espada's indifference: "That fury just threatened to harm Aizen-sama's cousin, Hinamori-sama. And you'll do nothing."

The Cuatro opened back his eyes to stare at the other, pointing out astutely: "My purpose is to serve Aizen-sama and him only, remember?"

Seething with frigid controlled anger, Veneno hissed spitefully: "And of course, you just had to find a loophole."

"If you wish to protect Hinamori-sama from Loly, that's your choice" offered Ulquiorra impassively as he started walking off again, leaving the other behind glaring at his departing back "But I won't get involved, unless Aizen-sama orders me to. Only then would I step in."

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Long hours had passed since their sexual endeavours and Ichigo had yet to wake up, leaving the other two to occupy themselves with an irregular rotation of near rare idle talk, racing thoughts and mute glaring at the white walls.

At some point, Byakuya had eventually stopped speaking all together, so Grimmjow decided to busy himself by doing a few push-ups. Upon reaching the eighty-third one, the feline heard faint rustling from the bed, but it was not the 6th Division's captain, who had dressed himself back in his uniform with great difficulty - curtly brushing away the blue-haired when he had offered to give a hand - to hide his blemished skin, before limping away to sit on the floor, back to a wall, mulling deeply.

Resting upon his knees and wiping away the sweat from his brow, the former Arrancar locked eyes with a bedraggled but rather awake teen, who had quietly started watching Grimmjow since the twenty-fourth push-up, lost in his thoughts along the way.

Quite embarrassed that he had been caught staring, Ichigo cleared his throat - which startled the noble from his deep rooted ruminations - and waved awkwardly: "Um, hi?"

The feline nodded in reply before arching an eyebrow questioningly: "Sleep well, Kurosaki?"

"I did actually, thanks" nodded the Shinigami Substitute in surprise, before he titled his head to the side with a perplexed expression "I'm not suffering of some glorious afterglow, am I?

"Glorious afterglow?" repeated the blue-haired with a dumbfounded expression, right before he barked out in honest laughter whilst Byakuya looked horrified "Well, if you're fuckin' thinking that way, I'd say you're deeply suffering of it. You need serious help, kid."

"Oops?" said the teen sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his neck, a playful glint in his eyes.

Vivid blue eyes softened in amusement, truly grateful that the other was taking this well: "Relax, I'm kidding."

"Yeah, I could tell. I...Whoa!" cried out the teen suddenly as his foot got caught in the sheets upon trying to leave the bed. And he fell, only to drop straight onto the 6th Division's captain.

"ARGH!"

"Byakuya?!" asked Ichigo in a panicked voice, the volume of pain etched within the noble's scream deeply freaking him out, before he checked the other over "I'm so sorry! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine" replied the Kuchiki tightly, speaking rigidly through clenched teeth, as he stayed stock still, stiffly going through the revived throbbing pain roaming within his every muscle.

Sceptically eyeing Byakuya's taut features with his eyes squinted shut and harsh breathing, the Shinigami Substitute drawled out with sheer incredulity: "Right."

"He's a little sore."

Still breathing out heavily, the noble glared in the former Arrancar's direction with profound aggravation, an eyebrow twitching every now and then: "A little?"

"Ok, fine. A lot" corrected the blue-haired with an apologetic grimace, before glancing away guiltily "I didn't really fuckin' go easy on him."

Understanding that he had missed something and swiftly getting what it was, the Shinigami Substitute stared fixedly at the former Arrancar: "Why didn't you?"

Still looking away, the blue-haired feline slowly raised a sole eyebrow: "Why do you think?"

"Aizen" concluded the teen tersely since it was obvious, before he frowned in confusion as he stared at the former Arrancar intently "But then...why did you...with me?"

"He didn't say anything about you" fibbed Grimmjow nonchalantly, adding a shrug for good measure: it wasn't exactly a lie, but when given the two options by Aizen - one which was to obey his every order without question, and the other was to be once again under the influence of the Hogyoku, the latter option being a loud and resounding no - the feline had chosen the former with a solid condition of his own, and it was to be as selflessly considerate as he could be with the Shinigami Substitute whenever facing such situations. He had no room to mull over the Pureblood. The latter just wasn't his problem. Not for now and not directly anyways.

Heavy with self-reproach, Ichigo turned his attention back towards the young Clan's leader with a depressed expression: "Byakuya, I... I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't apologize" reassured the noble softly as he locked eyes with the teenager, hoping to convey to the latter that he meant his words "You're not to blame."

"Maybe, but I feel bad" admitted the orange-haired dejectedly, lowering his eyes and running a hand over his face "It's not fair."

"Of course, it's not" uttered the former Arrancar as he got up, dusted his hakama pants and made his way over to the other two "But what's done is fuckin' done. Nothing you can do to change that."

"I guess..." trailed off Ichigo with a deep frown, his head hurting with all which was churning around within it. He never had these many preoccupations at a time before, and he was having a hard time seeing them through one by one, because when he did try to focus on one single problem, his attention was dragged away by another.

"Kurosaki?"

Blinking and looking to his side where the feline was now sitting next to them, the teenager took in the concrete concern in those bright blue piercing eyes as Grimmjow spoke in a voice that betrayed nothing of that worry: "You kind of went off somewhere. You ok?"

The orange-haired's reply came forth far too quick and in a not all believable tone: "Yeah."

Scepticism was written all over the other's face as he snorted sardonically: "Uh-huh. I really fuckin' believe you."

"Bite me" muttered the Shinigami Substitute tetchily as he looked away, when an abrupt sharp pain to his still bare shoulder made him cry out in start: "Hey!"

Pulling away only slightly from the flesh he had just bit and glancing up into the other's wide brown eyes, the feline warned meaningfully: "Careful what you fuckin' ask for then."

"I'm fine" insisted the orange-haired mulishly with a fierce blush as he unconsciously ran his fingers over his lips, but he knew that he was fooling no one, not even himself "Well, mostly. It's just... I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that...not only I actually, literally lost my virginity to you, but... You took my first kiss too, Grimmjow."

Not missing the way Ichigo had touched his mouth, Grimmjow, aghast, immediately backed away upon hearing that, eyes wide before he closed them and seethed quietly: "Shit. Ah, damn it. Hime said that the 'first kiss' thing was important for you humans. And here I fuckin' screwed it up for you" he opened up his eyes again to regard the stunned teen with honest ruefulness "Sorry. I really fuckin' am. Why didn't you fuckin' say anything?"

"Uh...Because you just went on and kissed me before I could" uttered Ichigo, genuinely taken aback by the former Arrancar's sincere remorse, when something struck him "Wait. Why would Inoue tell you something like that?"

Inwardly cringing that he had actually went and said that out loud, the blue-haired attempted to act as casually as he could, shrugging: "Not fuckin' important."

"Yeah, it is" persisted the teenager with a scowl, which then deepened at a sudden thought "...Did you try kissing her?"

Though the feline kept his features straight as he raised an eyebrow at the other, a faint blush of embarrassment crept over his features, as what truly went down between him and Orihime back in Las Noches - courtesy of the ever-loving fucking Aizen - flashed in his mind: "No."

Smirking furiously and cracking his knuckles as his 'in-the-name-of-my-friends' protective streak kicked in, the Shinigami Substitute gritted out: "I'm terribly convinced."

"Ugh..." groaned Grimmjow in exasperation, knowing that the stubborn teenager wouldn't let this go until he had an answer, one he wasn't really ready to give the other yet "She, uh... You know, fuckin' girl-talk. Romance and stuff."

Whilst Byakuya wordlessly raised his eyebrows in surprise, Ichigo looked like he wanted to burst out laughing and was struggling to contain himself: "She girl-talked...with you?"

"If you so much as snicker, I'm breaking your fuckin' jaw" threatened the blue-haired feline half-heartedly, before he sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck with an uncomfortable expression "So about the kiss, I... Shit, I hate feeling guilty."

"I didn't mind" said the orange-haired teenager quietly, the sudden blankness upon his rigid features doing very little to convince the other two of his words, despite the slight acceptance within his warm brown eyes.

"You sure?" checked the feline cautiously before jabbing his thumb in the Kuchiki's direction "What about if it had been pretty boy instead?"

Steep irritation flashing upon his tightened expression, Byakuya firmly narrowed his eyes at Grimmjow: "You really need to stop calling me that, Arrancar."

"Quit calling me 'Arrancar' and we're good" countered the blue-haired feline dryly as he directed a humourless smirk at the other "I'm no longer one, remember?"

Here, the 6th Division's captain felt a little perturbed by his own tactlessness: "Ah. I, uh..."

Coolly shrugging off the other's attempt to formulate a decent apology, the former Arrancar redirected his attention to the frowning Shinigami Substitute: "So, Kurosaki..."

"I told you: I don't mind. From either of you really" murmured the orange-haired teen lightly, consent amongst his discomfort, before he shuddered and clenched his eyes shut "Better you than..."

Ichigo didn't need to finish as the other two both instantly caught onto what he was thinking: he didn't want his first kiss to be taken by Aizen of all people. Who in their right mind would?

'Loly would' supplied the blue-haired's mind helpfully, causing the latter to roll his blue eyes. Of course she would, though it was understandable in her case, given she wasn't right in her mind at all. Fact was, not many Hollows were. And neither Tia nor Nel - especially - counted.

"Grimmjow?"

Turning his attention towards the teen as he addressed him, the feline raised his eyebrows: "Hm?"

To the former Arrancar's surprise, whatever it was the Shinigami Substitute wanted to say, he seemed highly uneasy about actually wording it, but, after a moment, he appeared to gather his courage, now staring straight at the blue-haired: "Why?"

Here Grimmjow was confounded, not all catching what the other was getting at: "Why what?"

"I mean, I get you're indebted to me and all, but why...? Why do you care about me?"

The feline fully froze at that question, for the immortal had earlier asked him the very same one, and, like then, he was too taken back and unprepared to answer right away.

He recalled the way he had hesitated when Aizen questioned him on this, for the reply had to be carefully constructed otherwise the other would find a way to twist it to his benefits. It was far from simple to fool a master of manipulations, but he could at least try something close.

"He started out as my rival" he had answered slowly but with a tone of voice steady and staunch "When I found myself in his debt, the rivalry just fuckin' receded with time. That's all there is to it, so no need to make a big fuckin' deal out of it."

And yet, the child of chaos had still found a way to draw something out of his simple and concise response, pointing it out with dangerous accuracy: "What you had with Ichigo was more than a rivalry: it was an obsession, and it still is. You're more and more obsessed with his safety as time goes by and you would do absolutely anything to maintain him protected, which makes you, at last, an easy target for me."

The blue-haired had wanted to contradict him, but the immortal's words were on the mark. Yes, he was obsessed with Ichigo's safety, far more than he had for anyone else he knew, excluding Inoue Orihime. His need to protect the Shinigami Substitute had evolved from a debt, to a sense of loyalty, to something currently he could not name or place. But he refused to associate whatever it is was with the improbable possibility of him 'caring'. 'Concern' he was fully fine with, but caring...

"I don't" stated Grimmjow firmly, resolute to not let the other start deeming otherwise, and then attempt to convince of him of such.

The way the teenager narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him told him that the other did not believe him at all: "Don't deny it. I'm naive, not dumb. You care. I just don't know why."

'Because you fuckin' think that I do?' was what Grimmjow wanted to respond, but he found himself saying these words instead, uttering them without any hesitation: "I'll be by your side to save your soul from Aizen as you've spared mine. That's all you need to know."

"Grimmjow..." whispered the orange-haired teen, just as stunned as the dark-haired noble was, before a grateful smile touched his lips "Thanks, I owe you one and I-"

"I'd say that I owe you more than you could ever owe me" admitted the former Arrancar inexplicably, before tousling tenderly the Shinigami Substitute's hair upon seeing the latter's puzzled expression seeking clarification "Don't try to understand. Just accept it."

"My...Since when have you two been together?" uttered abruptly a voice in complete derision, startling the room's occupants, for none of the them had heard, seen or even sensed the newcomer enter. That unusual, bizarre door hadn't even opened, meaning they had no way to tell how long the one who joined them had actually been here.

Three pairs of double-sized eyes darted over towards the one who had addressed them, only to reveal the child of chaos, looking as awfully sinfully sinister as ever, hands calmly in his pockets and his lips carved into a dark smirk as he stood in the middle of the room, somehow materialized there out of thin air.

What unsettled the three of them greatly, was that Aizen wore a faint air of smug satisfaction upon his features, and it managed to distress Ichigo, to offend Byakuya and to rile Grimmjow.

"A-Aizen-sama?!" stammered out the teen, going pale with steep horror and humiliation: he had completely forgotten about the immortal, totally forgotten that he had been watching them and that he knew all that had transpired. In every single detail.

"The fuckin' hell?!" yelled the former Arrancar vehemently, his voice raised half in surprise at abruptly being caught unawares, and half in horror at what the child of chaos had hinted at.

"Oh? Is that not the case?" the immortal then inquired with feigned innocence, before he chuckled scathingly "My deepest apologies."

Whilst Byakuya wordlessly narrowed his eyes and Ichigo still appeared slightly mortified, Grimmjow saw vivid bleeding red and voiced rather wildly: "Hey! Don't go fuckin' spouting bullshit like that out of the blue and then bloody apologize as if it was nothing, damn it!"

"What he said!" piped in the teenager just as cross, before he realized just how uncouth the other had been, the dread he felt towards the immortal keeping him in order as he added quietly "Uh...A tad more respectfully than that though."

"Again, I apologize. It's just that you two seem...close" drawled out the child of chaos with teasingly raised eyebrows for emphasis, more than convinced by now that his theory, about some mutual sentiment budding between Grimmjow and Ichigo, being correct.

Like the other two beside him, the Shinigami Substitute did not like what he heard implied in the brown-haired's insinuations, so he declared openly: "Grimmjow and I are just friends."

"No, we're fuckin' not" hissed the blue-haired feline fiercely in quick denial as he glared at the teen, whilst panicking on the inside. The last thing any of them needed was the immortal getting the wrong idea, because the word 'friend' in the immortal's vocabulary, did not mean what Ichigo was thinking.

Neither of the two parties concerned seemed to notice his interjection, as the child of chaos focused on the teenager who added something else to his former sentence: "And I'm not gay...I think."

The three males then shivered against their will when an incredibly malignant smile crossed the immortal's lips as his eyes briefly widened at the teen's words: "Oh?"

"You shouldn't have fuckin' said that" murmured Grimmjow tightly to the other, knowing now that the other was aware of this little seemingly insignificant piece of information, he'd draw out even further on Ichigo's reservations, in hopes of misleading him, humiliating him.

"Your sexuality is very minimal importance to me, albeit not at all" smirked Aizen darkly as he suddenly appeared in front of the Shinigami Substitute and took hold of the latter's chin, causing the teen to go right rigid under the other's warm yet chillingly insidious touch "What matters is that you do as I command when I command it, which I've already made myself clear on, haven't I?"

"Y-Yes...Aizen-sama" whispered Ichigo stiffly with lowered eyes, now reflexively making use of the immortal's title imposed on them within his presence, though he did so more out of obligation than deference.

"Why're you here?" snarled the former Arrancar through clenched teeth, attempting to draw the other's attention away from the orange-haired teen, feeling uneasy to see the latter being touched by the child of chaos. For some reason, it unsettled him greatly.

"I came to check on you" said Aizen with such sickly sweet pleasantness that it left the three captives caught somewhere between chilled and nauseated, with Byakuya's rage being at its highest peak compared to the other two. The utter gall after what the immortal had them do.

"We're fuckin' fine, no thanks to you" spat the blue-haired feline, just as livid, before making a shooing motion with his hand "You can fuckin' leave now."

"Don't be so inconsiderate, Grimmjow" chuckled Aizen in amusement, though with a hint of warning within his eyes that stilled his former Espada and made him go silent, blue eyes narrowing defiantly but compliant, before the dark brown-haired focused his attention on the other two "I'm also here to speak of something quite significant to both Ichigo and Byakuya, and it is best if they heard it."

"Why would we have to listen to a vicious, vile varlet such as you?" seethed the Kuchiki noble frigidly, genuinely not wanting to deal with the child of chaos now...if not ever. His query however only succeeded in making the child of chaos chuckle even deeper and louder.

"Such strong resentful words. Because it concerns those dear to you" stated Aizen smoothly, his words successfully snapping the two to full focus, making the immortal smirk "Now that I've got your attention, I'll have you know that I have...let's say some 'business' to attend to in the Human World for an undetermined period of time, and the three of you will accompany me there."

Of everything they were ready to hear, this had not been one of them, and it had them in a rather prolonged moment of silence, before it was Grimmjow who broke it, fury returning tenfold despite having been threatened: "IN WHAT FUCKIN' HONOUR?!"

'I should have fuckin' held my tongue' was what crossed the blue-haired's mind right after his outburst echoed within the room, which led Aizen's expression darkened with malicious intent, an ominous smirk to his lips as he locked eyes with the former Arrancar: "And as such, you won't be seeing any of the others anytime soon."

Stiffening at what he had just instigated, the feline watched guiltily as dismay painted the other two's features, the orange-haired teen spluttering: "What you're saying is...that you're going to separate us? From Rukia, Renji and the others?"

"Exactly. You - both you and Byakuya - will be allowed to visit them whenever I decide so, or whenever you earned the possibility to."

"Earned?" echoed Byakuya in an incredulous tone, wondering what the other was getting at.

Aizen merely smiled enigmatically: "That'll be explained later on. Now-"

"But..." began the orange-haired teenager, protest to his tone, before he bit his lip and glanced sideways with an anxious frown.

"What is it, Ichigo?" inquired the immortal with a slight inclination of his head, curious as to what the Shinigami Substitute had to say.

"I...Uh... What I mean to say, Aizen-sama, is... Taking us away from everyone else just like that..." trailed off the Shinigami Substitute hesitantly, glancing at the Kuchiki noble who in turn raised his eyebrows, wondering what the teen was struggling to say.

'Without getting to say goodbye' completed the orange-haired mentally, feeling down all of a sudden. He had gotten see his sisters one last time, so he truly wished the same for Byakuya. Once again, it wasn't fair on the 6th Division's captain. Aizen wasn't being fair with him.

As the teenager remained quiet, the other two exchanged questioning looks, not understanding what this about, but it seemed to be clear to the immortal, for he drawled out evenly: "Ah. I see. Alright then. I'll consent. With a few conditions, of course, but those will be seen to later on."

Aizen's acceptance lightened Ichigo's heavy heart, causing him to perk up a little, regarding the other incredulously: "S-So, that's an ok, right? You're allowing us to see the others?"

"Why, certainly" smiled the child of chaos with false gentleness, which was then replaced with a sadistic smirk "As long as they don't see you."

Confusion plastering itself on his face, the teenager, frowning, glanced towards the dark-haired noble and whispered: "I don't get it."

"Neither do I" admitted the 6th Division's captain quietly with an equally puzzled expression.

The former Arrancar, on the other hand, paled a little: "Fuckin' unfortunately, I think I do."

Smirking at the blue-haired's words, the child of chaos snapped his fingers, materializing three objects in his hands, simple silvers bracelet which he then held out between his fingers for them to see, before explaining smoothly: "Before coming to my side, Inoue Orihime was given one like these, allowing her to be around those she cherished totally unseen to them, although she was only permitted to see one person before leaving" dark brown eyes flitted over towards the teen whose eyes were going wide "And she actually chose to see you in the end, you know?"

"Oh God..." Ichigo uttered slowly, horrified, finally understanding one of the many things that had long remained a mystery concerning his female friend.

"I'll grant you a full day. Stay beside whomever you wish to see one last time, may it be amongst the captives or those from Karakura...before I drag you three down to depths of hellish hysteria."

And though he spoken those words for the trio, his eyes were trained solely upon one of them.

To be continued…

On a personal note for that one scene, I reread it, very slowly, with a playback on repeat of 'Sweet Dreams', the original song by 'Eurhythmics' as well as two cover versions, one by Emily Browning (which she sung for the movie 'Sucker Punch'), and another one by Marilyn Manson. I don't know why I found them very fitting for that scene but maybe it's just me... But enough of my incessant babble. Question: Any ideas as to what Aizen's up to now? I know (and I'm hoping that what I have in mind will take you aback or be the last thing you expected), but what about you guys, hm? Hope you liked the chapter and that you have lots of questions. See you soon with the final chapter of Part One...whenever that may be! Bye-bye!

Next and Last Chapter of Part One: One Last Time:

A/N: Ah...That first part. I don't even want to begin explaining how that came to me...but, I'll do it anyway: a friend of mine came over for the end of last year, to spend time with me and stuff, reading my fanfics whilst she was at it, and during one of the nights we were asleep (or rather she was, I was reading a couple of updates manga chapters), she became very vocal. See, she has this weird 'capacity' to dream about explicit Yaoi (and I still don't how she does it) and act as a spectator, describing what she sees...whilst sleeping! You know, sleep-talking? And I was just...blushing crimson. But, instead of waking her, leaving or just tuning her out with a pair of earphones (you know, like a normal person?), I actually took out my laptop and began taking notes because damn was her dream fascinating. Oddly enough, it involved Grimmjow, Ichigo and Byakuya, which got my gears working and then I said to myself 'what if?' before writing off for hours on end. So long story short, you have my friend to thank for that if you enjoyed that part. Ta-da! Awkward... Especially given the fact that she never remembers her dreams! She later read the part, saying how 'hot' it was and all (according to her of course: I'm not convinced I wrote it that well as it is not a thing that easy to deal with as I spent ages re-editing it and I'm still not happy with it) and I was like 'girl, this came from you' and she was like 'aw man, not again!' Seriously, someone could make a real living out of her dreams.