Chapter Six:

Aizen stood silently at the base of Ichigo's bed, arms folded tightly across his chest as he watched over the sleeping strawberry, still not sure what to make of the rumours he'd been hearing about the youth's visit to the World of the Living.

It had been two days since Kuchiki had stumbled through the Senkaimon, looking distinctly worse for wear, and carrying the badly battered body of Ichigo Kurosaki. The fantastical report of two Arrancar in Karakura town had appeared quite unbelievable in the eyes of most of the Taichou at first, until testing of the pair's Gigai had revealed an extensive record of the entire event, from start to finish.

The Division Five Taichou didn't need to see it to know that Kuchiki had been speaking the truth, however the recording of the fight had been valuable, only certifying his belief in Ichigo's potential. There was mass confusion among the other Taichou, none of them able to understand how a mere Third Seat had managed to overpower two Arrancar and survive the encounter, even Byakuya couldn't comprehend it and he had been present.

What truly impressed Aizen, however, was how fast Ichigo healed. It was a trick even he had been kept in the dark about, and yet, stood before the younger man now he could see the truth of it. Any normal Shinigami would take weeks to recover the kind of wounds he had sustained, and yet Ichigo was mending quickly and efficiently. Thick bandages wound around his chest and back and there was a faint darkness showing through but according to what he'd heard the wounds had gone from being deep to shallow in hours.

His mind was alight with possibilities. Seeing him with his own two eyes confirmed many things already, but there was so much more to learn, to understand. Things which could only be discerned by talking to him, or fighting him.

According to the notes fastened to the end of the bed, Ichigo hadn't woken yet. Slumbering deeply to aid his body in healing.

Taking careful steps, the brunet Taichou approached the side of the bed, tilting his head as he observed the sleeping man, there was something truly captivating about his appearance, something that Aizen had never been able to put his finger on. It had always been there right from the first moment he'd laid eyes on him, and every time after that. Ichigo's time as a Shino student had been an eye opener, even for him.

The nostalgia of the school was weighty against his senses, passing rooms he had once tutored in. Seeing the clamour of the next generation he couldn't help but turn his distaste inwards to prevent it showing on his features. Students. He'd loathed every second of his time as a teacher, lecturing insects who would never amount to anything close to his strength. He'd been unable to see the point. But it had been important to maintain this growing image he portrayed.

He was Sōsuke Aizen: kind, welcoming, always willing to listen, always willing to help.

If only they knew the truth.

His current visit had, blissfully, been a short one. Merely dropping some documents into the offices of the teachers before beating a hasty retreat, offering smiles and small waves to some of the students who recognised him.

Breaking free through one of the back exits, Aizen inhaled deeply, looking up at the setting sun, it was already late. Allowing his muscles to relax slightly, ears pricking as he heard yelling from just around the corner.

Curiosity creeping in, he chose to investigate the source of the noise, silently turning the corner of the academy building and raising an eyebrow at the sight before him.

Five tall, strong looking male students were huddled in a ring, spitting profanities at someone he couldn't see; the language they were using was truly vile, not to mention excessive. He overheard something about 'showing off all the time' before a blade was flourished by one of the gang.

Aizen began walking forwards hurriedly, he couldn't stand by and allow a senseless act of violence like this, someone could get serious hurt, and if it was discovered he had been present and done nothing... Well people would begin to question him. He prepared to raise his reiatsu, to crush them to the floor and reprimand them severely.

A fist shot up from the centre of the huddle of boys, striking one firmly in the jaw before there was a collective gasp as a surprisingly prominent level of reiatsu erupted from the mass.

"If I cared what you bastards thought, I'd have dyed it black by now! Idiots!" A voice hollered.

There was a commotion, it was violent and bloody, and over incredibly fast. From the midst of the gang of boys, sprang an orange haired student, face set like stone as he flipped from left to right, dodging and ducking the hits that were thrown his way, before returning them with his own. Except his always landed on target.

"Tch, is this really the best you can do after two years." The student brushed his hands, clearly disinterested by the entire affair.

The orange haired youth's eyes moved to the gang leader, he was staggering to his feet and still clutching that knife in his hand, he was fast and lunged forwards, aiming the blade for the student's face.

Aizen watched with interest as the orange haired boy's expression refused to change, even as the blade made contact and cut a deep groove into his cheek, those chestnut coloured eyes merely stared down at the attacker, devoid of anything.

Gaze moving to the side as he swiped his cheek, seeing the blood on his fingers he released a long sigh, "You could have killed me with that attack, and instead you opt to try and scar me... Are you really as stupid as you look?"

One palm slam to the chest was all it took and the gang leader was unconscious with the rest of his minions.

The orange haired student looked up suddenly, as if realising Aizen was there, "Thanks for stepping in and helping, I'm so grateful."

Aizen was surprised, the young man seemed completely oblivious to his status, at least if the sarcasm dripping from his tone was anything to go by, "It appeared you had it all in hand, I wouldn't wish to interfere with a matter of one's pride."

He felt chestnut eyes moving over him curiously before some recognition seemed to form in those dead eyes.

"You're... Division Five's Taichou, right? Sōsuke Aizen?" The student asked, walking over slowly.

"You appear to have me at a disadvantage." He smiled.

An eyebrow lifted in response, "I'm Kurosaki. Ichigo Kurosaki."

Aizen chuckled at his own nostalgia, leaning down slowly and brushing his lips against his subordinate's ear, "You had best wake up soon, or else I will be forced to punish you for your laziness."

He allowed himself the privilege of running his lips against Ichigo's, leaving the faintest of kisses in place before standing back up. Aizen sensed the approaching reiatsu of his subordinate's current Taichou and swiftly departed, not wishing to enter a verbal debate with the man at the present moment.

The Taichou paused on the walk way between Division Four and Division Five, tilting his head slightly, "Are you trying to sneak up on me, Gin?"

"Eh! Aizen Taichou, how do ya always know?" The silver haired fox pouted, revealing himself from his hiding place in the shadows.

"It is my job to know." He answered humourlessly, walking along side the other Taichou, "What do you want?"

"I was curious about how Ichi-Berry is doing, he was so beaten up when Kuchiki brought him back..." The Third Division Taichou mused thoughtfully, "Eh, I can't believe Ulquiorra messed up so bad..."

"Silence." Aizen hissed, shooting a stern glare at his comrade, "You should know better than to be so lax, anyone could be listening."

"My, my ya seem cross."

Growling under his breath, the brunet clenched a fist at his side, "As you said... Things did not go according to plan."

The brunet ground his teeth very slightly, maintaining a smile on the outside as they passed his subordinates, oh how he was going to make Yammy and Ulquiorra pay for their mistake.


Ichigo groaned roughly, wincing at the too bright light that was shining indignantly in his face; he tried to turn away from it but was unable to as the light simply followed his movements. Growing frustrated, he cracked his eyes open, squinting at the annoying little ball of illumination.

It took him several seconds to realise it was the light from a torch, which was being held by Retsu Unohana. His eyes widened considerably as he was greeted with her famous smile and he instantly wished the world would swallow him whole to escape that expression on her face.

"U-Unohana Taichou!" He exclaimed, swallowing hard and watching as she stepped back, pocketing the torch she had been using, he blinked a couple of times, glancing around at the sterile room he was in, "This is..."

"Division Four, Kurosaki-san." She finished for him, "Welcome back."

"I... Thank you." He sat up carefully, gasping at the dull ache in his chest, he reached up and touched the bandages wound around his torso gingerly, memories flooding back as to where his injuries had come from, "Kuchiki Taichou! Is he... Was he..."

"He is fine." The healer replied, "You did your duty well, and protected your Taichou at the risk of your own life. Everyone is incredibly impressed."

"They... Are?" He looked up at her, trying to shake off the smallest pang of relief that the nobleman was safe, "I just... Did what anyone would do..."

"Defeating two Arrancar is hardly what anyone would do." Unohana scolded him, walking around the bed and making her way to the door, "You have some visitors, would you like to see them?"

"Visitors?" He raised an eyebrow, that was unexpected, "Sure... Thank you..."

She nodded once and disappeared, leaving him alone in the room. He slumped back against the pillows, hand still resting on his chest. He couldn't believe he'd managed to defeat those Hollows, much less protect his Taichou. It only occurred to him now, when the adrenaline was gone and the situation was over, that it had in fact been his first reaction... To protect the noble. All he could think of, was getting them both out of that... Mess.

Sure, he had considered making a run for it, leaving Byakuya behind to suffer whatever fate was to befall him, but when it had actually come down to it he had realised he couldn't do it. He couldn't abandon him. He hadn't even considered that Byakuya's death would have solved every problem Aizen currently had, it had just been... Instinct, to protect him. He wasn't sure how to react to that. It unsettled him.

Eyes lifted as he heard the door open, and an expression of surprise etched itself onto his face as Rukia, Renji and Byakuya Kuchiki himself entered the room. He was distantly aware of Rukia and Renji talking animatedly to him, wanting to know how he was feeling and if he was going to be released soon, wanting to know all the details about the fight from his perspective to see if it matched with what they were already aware of.

But despite the noise they were making, he found his gaze fixed well and truly on the noble stood at the end of his bed, swallowing thickly as he saw the protective gauze on his right cheek, apparently the only visible injury the man had. He looked fine otherwise, standing tall and proud, silent as he normally was when others were talking. But even then, those steel grey eyes met Ichigo's chestnut ones, and there was an unexpected warmth there, warmth he'd never expected to see from the nobleman.

He knew what it meant, he could almost taste it in the air. That silent word of gratitude. Ichigo could have sworn he saw the smallest of smiles before the noble inclined his head, leaving the room once more, apparently having done what he'd intended.

His eyes followed the noble the entire way, right up until the door slid shut behind his body and sealed him in the room with Rukia and Renji, neither of whom had realised his distracted state.

Ichigo sat back carefully, letting his shoulders slump as a soft sigh escaped him, his lips twitching upwards in a rare hint of a smile, before he finally paid attention to his two friends and began answering their questions.

'You don't need to thank me Taichou,' Ichigo thought to himself, 'You were probably surprised as well, right? Makes two of us... I never thought I'd risk my life for anyone but Aizen, yet somehow... In the midst of all that fighting... My body acted on its own... Scary...'


Byakuya rested his back against the door to Ichigo's room, allowing his head to fall forwards as a breath of relief escaped him. Seeing his Third Seat sitting up and alert had taken a real weight off his shoulders.

For a while there, in Karakura town, he really thought Ichigo might die. Whatever those healing abilities were, he for one was grateful they were within the younger man. He wasn't sure his pride would survive the death of someone he'd sworn to help.

He straightened himself up and brushed his shihakusho down, glancing back at the room one last time before walking away swiftly. He had work to do. And he had to analyse the data he'd found in that library, otherwise the entire mission would have been a reckless waste of time.

Shaking his head at the thought, he knew he was wrong. Even if the data showed nothing the mission had not been a waste of time, he'd seen something in Ichigo, something he hadn't been sure existed. He'd seen compassion.

They still had much to discuss, such as the things Aizen had suggested, his own suspicions, and now whatever this data would reveal. But for the first time since Ichigo had joined his Division, he felt a glimmer of hope.