Chapter Ninety Nine:

Ichigo surrendered his dual blades at the entrance to the Central Great Underground Prison, it felt so nostalgic of the night before the Winter War. At least now he knew that the guards were genuine, real. Urahara had confirmed on the way over that Izanshi's remaining clones had perished when the main body had been destroyed. It was at least one weight off his mind.

He accepted a single Muken key into his left arm, giving him the power to silence Aizen if he wished. It was a heady feeling to know that he could not only allow him to talk, but also quieten him again if he desired.

It had taken half an hour for Ichigo to assure Byakuya that it was a journey he needed to make at that exact moment in time, as much as he wanted to remain with his fiancé and go back to the Kuchiki Estate and celebrate both the return of his Shinigami powers and his pending promotion ceremony. It was something he had to do.

He was nervous. The feeling was far smaller and less noticeable than it would have been once upon a time. So many things had changed. He had changed. He wasn't a scared child with no where to go, he wasn't a damaged teenager needing guidance, he wasn't a toy for Aizen to satisfy himself with. Ichigo was strong, physically and mentally. He'd dealt with his past. Forgiven himself. He had a future that he could shape for himself.

"You may enter when you are ready, Kurosaki-san." The Muken guard announced as she stepped away from the door, "Be sure to maintain a fair distance from the prisoner, even within his seals he is powerful and his reiatsu deadly."

"But so is Kurosaki-san's." Urahara smirked as he leaned against the wall, "I will wait for you."

"My thanks." He offered a nod before turning to face Muken.

Vast black doors held at bay the pocket dimension in which Muken was suspended, Ichigo rested both hands on the cool metal and pushed hard. The low groan of Kidō enforced steel bending to his touch sent a shiver through his body, the gush of cool air which escaped and blew against his face tousled his hair. The darkness beyond was foreboding, isolating, and deep.

He could feel the world change beneath his feet as he entered the separate dimension, the doors slamming shut behind him. Ichigo held his head high as he took a few cautious yet certain steps forwards. He could barely see through the darkness. But sure enough Shiro's instincts had him staring just off to his left. He knew Aizen was within those nearby shadows.

Lifting his left arm, Ichigo activated the key he had been granted, "Kyōraku lead me to believe that people who have had their mouths sealed for almost nine months would be rendered impossible to speak immediately. But somehow I imagine that won't be the case for you."

"You are quite correct, of course." Aizen's voice was back within the confines of his usual calm behaviour, far different to the shrieking fury Ichigo had last heard.

The subtle clacking of his heels against the floor was echoing around them, a pale light filtering from above to illuminate the area around Ichigo. His eyes quickly settled on the prisoner and he was proud that he managed to maintain a neutral expression. Aizen was clad from his head to his feet in black bonds. One of his eyes were covered, and the last segments of the seal over his mouth was crumbling by his feet.

A single chocolate brown eye scanned Ichigo up and down, lingering on the unique kenseikan in his hair before settling on his haori, "I expected the Royal Guard to invite you to their ranks. This is unexpected."

"They made an offer," Ichigo stated calmly, "I refused it. This was the alternative."

"The haori suits you." Aizen chuckled, "I must confess I'm surprised you came, I didn't expect Kisuke Urahara to keep his word."

"I didn't come to enjoy small talk with you, I want to know why you wanted to see me after everything... What could you possibly have left to say?" Scowling, Ichigo folded his arms over his chest.

"Is it so hard to believe I merely wished to see you in all your glory, restored and completed by the awakening of your Quincy powers?"

"You knew all along, didn't you? About mum." Ichigo clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"Naturally. We had the pleasure of meeting once before the night you and I met. Isshin had stumbled upon one of my experiments, in the World of the Living, a powerful Arrancar with the ability to infect other life forms with Hollowfication. I had intended to use that Arrancar to infect Isshin, he was a strong Shinigami, and would have been a powerful asset. However, during the attack a young Quincy woman intervened and together they successfully destroyed the Arrancar." Aizen's smile put Ichigo on edge, "After it infected her."

"My... My mum went through Hollowfication?" He breathed.

"Not in its entirety. Isshin enlisted Urahara's help and with the use of a specially designed Gigai the Hollowfication was limited, internalised and put into hibernation. Like having a sleeping child within her Soul at all times. It spared her life." The brunet shrugged slightly, "I do believe Isshin fell in love with her the moment he saw her."

Glaring, Ichigo allowed himself to roam the small illuminated space around them, careful to keep a minimum distance away from the brunet, "So you've had a hand in my life since before I was born. You kept track of them, learned that they'd had a child and you wanted to see what became of it. Of me."

"You are quite correct, I also thought I'd take the opportunity to complete the experiment on Isshin and Masaki, however... As you recall, you got in the way." The prisoner sighed softly, "Although I dare say your interference was the best outcome of the experiment. Look at you, look at what you have become."

"What I am... Is not a product of what you did. I've brought myself to this point! Not you!" Ichigo clenched his fist, teeth grinding as he halted his movement, "That's why I came. That's why I chose to accept your invitation. To tell you that we're done. Everything I have now, everything I will create from here on out is me, it's mine and none of it will bare your darkness."

Aizen tilted his head to one side, lone visible eye narrowing either in amusement or curiosity as he approached. Ichigo immediately thought to put some distance between them, feeling the scorch of the other man's reiatsu buffering against his own. He didn't move though, no longer willing to run. Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he looked up at Aizen, feeling the man's hand come to rest on his chest.

"Everything you ever do will reflect upon me in some way or another. No one will forget that you were once part of my treachery, no matter how deeply you bury it." The brunet's voice was soft as he leaned closer, his fingers sliding up Ichigo's throat slowly.

"You're wrong," the strawberry hissed, "20,000 years is a long time, long enough for people to forget all about you. That's the biggest punishment, everything you tried to do and everything you managed will be forgotten. By the time 20,000 years rolls around society will believe that we always worked side by side with Arrancar. They will believe that there was always a Division Fourteen. You'll be forgotten."

"But not by you." Aizen whispered.

Ichigo didn't like how true that was. And it was... True. He would never forget. He'd never forget his touch, his mind, his reiatsu. And yet...

"No, not by me." Ichigo agreed, "I will never forget what we did, what we planned to do... Or what we had. But I won't live my life in the past any longer, I spent years standing at your side thinking it would help me recover what I'd lost, but... It was only when I stepped out of your shadow that I gained something better. I can't forget, but I can move on."

"Hmm." The brunet let out a small sigh, looking away for a moment, "All of my plans, everything I predicted... None of it ended like this. It's a shame."

"Things worked out how they were always meant to, I believe that more than ever."

"Oh... You've become wise, so much more than I expected." Aizen chuckled humourlessly and allowed his fingers to brush through bright orange hair, "I believed that I could hate you, loath you for your betrayal, for your part in my defeat but... Damn you, Ichigo Kurosaki, you are a hard man to forgive, but an even harder man to forget."

Holding his head just a little higher, he refused to shiver at the pleasant feeling of soft touches tracing against his scalp, "You said once, 'like a moth to a flame... I have never been able to drag my gaze away from you. I find myself drawn closer and closer. Even at the risk of getting burnt. And I have been burnt by you.' That is what you said in the fake Karakura..."

"What of it?" One perfect brown eyebrow lifted.

"I knew what you meant, I understood." Ichigo scanned his one visible eye, "That was your way of telling me that you love me. Except... You don't try to kill or destroy someone you love."

Aizen's eye widened momentarily before it narrowed, "You assume a great deal."

"No. I see, just as I've always seen, more than you are comfortable with." He made a tsking noise, "You made Shiro believe you loved him too... I don't think you're even capable of it."

The sigh that escaped the brunet was surprisingly, "I felt the burn of your fire, your flame. I found it irresistible. Delightful. I have tolerated emotional connections to people all my life. My parents. My subordinates. My colleagues. But love? No..." Aizen's voice turned pensive, "Not until you. Not until Shiro."

Ichigo tensed, staring at him in astonishment at the open confession, "Whatever we had, it wasn't love. It was monstrous."

"Love... Comes in many shapes and forms, that is something you taught me. And sometimes... The things we do for love are... Ugly... Insane and... Full of blood... And regret..." Lips dragged along Ichigo's cheek slowly as he spoke, "It is a love which burns... Scolds... Scorches and hurts you... It turns your insides outward and flips every perspective on its own head. It is a monstrous love... For we have both been monsters."

Breath catching as he felt lips brushing over his own, Ichigo tried to pull away, but was held in place by a hand in his hair, its grip tight but not painful. His eyes wide, full of confusion and anger and discomfort as he was forced to remain still. His heart was thundering in his chest. He was sure they could both hear it. Both feel it.

"Why... Why did you ask me here?" Ichigo breathed.

Aizen's gaze roamed his face, there was no joy but also no malice, just contemplation, "20,000 years is a very long time, longer for someone who's heart will not stop. I will not age, I will not change, my powers will not lessen with time. I will be trapped within this place, with only scraps of information to assess how the world is changing outside. Before residing myself to that fate, I wished to see you one last time. I wished to ask you once again, if you ever felt anything for me."

"You..." He shook his head in disbelief, "You asked me here because you still have hope? Still have some... Twisted hope that I might what? Turn my back on everyone to be with you?"

"No... I know that your heart belongs to Byakuya Kuchiki now." Aizen's jaw set in a hard line, "I know I can never do anything to change that. The downfall was mine, sending to you Division Six as a spy when I knew how he felt about you... Call me a fool, if you wish Ichigo. But I want to know... If I had done things differently, if I had been different..."

"Yes." Ichigo forced the word out through clenched teeth, "The truth is yes... Once I recovered my emotions, I knew I had loved you. I knew that my feelings were not solely because of Shiro's influence. The blind commitment I made, the willingness to do anything to make you happy... I knew what it meant. And so did Shiro."

"I see." There was a faint frown, "You surprise me. I didn't expect you to be honest."

"You've been honest with me. So I'll give the same back." He swallowed hard, feeling the grip in his hair tighten for a moment before it loosened, "But you are right, whatever I felt in the past is gone. It will never... Ever return. I love Byakuya. Nothing you say or do now will change that."

"I know. But... It brings me comfort to know that once, there may have been a chance."

The sunrise haired Shinigami felt a small scowl tugging at his features as he watched Aizen give an almost-smile. The fingers in his hair were gone and there was distance between them again. It felt strangely good to have finally said it out loud. That single buzzing thought that had brought him confusion and heartache in the past.

"And what about me?"

Ichigo flinched, sucking in a surprised gasp as Shiro's voice came from just behind him, he turned to look at his pale counterpart. He hadn't even felt him leave his mind this time. He could see anger in his eyes, deep anger, and... Pain.

"Shiro." Aizen turned, raising an eyebrow at the sight of him, "You look well."

"Cut the shit, Sōsuke." The white Hollow's voice was strong, stronger than it had been the last time the pair had been face to face, "I knew all along ya never wanted me... I don't know why I let myself fall for the lies, the stupid... Stupid lies. Wantin' me around, wantin' me at yer side, wantin' me in yer bed. I was never enough."

The brunet was silent for a long moment, seemingly considering his words, "Your bond has changed. Interesting. Somehow you've found balance, synchronisation without subjugation. I'd never have considered it possible."

"STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I'M A TEST TUBE!" Shiro's anger became more pronounced, "Did ya ever feel anythin' for me? Or was it all lies?"

"Shiro..." Ichigo whispered, reaching out to comfort him, only to be brushed aside.

"I want to know! I dealt with it at the time... Spent days... Weeks realisin' the mistakes I made. Listenin' to the lies... Betrayin' my Aibou for ya. I want to know!"

"You were created from Ichigo, everything about you came from him. We've had this discussion before, I'm sure the two of you have as well." Aizen paused, "To me, at least, you were always two halves of the same Soul. Two sides of the same coin. One could never exist without the other. At first, my plan was to placate you, see if Ichigo could surface... But as time passed..."

Shiro blinked, "As time passed... What?"

"My answer has not changed." The brunet looked away with a small sigh, "You feared me distancing myself from you because of your feelings. I asked you why I would do that when I share them. My answer has not changed."

"But ya-"

"I what?" Aizen fixed him with a hard look, single eye pinched as if in some kind of very genuine pain, "I watched as Ichigo emerged from his Inner World to take back what was his, and I saw you struggle to defeat him. I saw the pain you were in, the pain caused by knowing that you couldn't win the fight. If you didn't bow willingly, you would have been forced. And it would have been all the more painful, all the more horrific... All the more shame for you to bare."

Golden eyes seemed to wince, Shiro's lips fixed in a downturned expression, "Ya... Ya made out I didn't matter to ya... So that I'd bow willingly... So that I wouldn't be in pain anymore?"

"The things we are willing to do for those who matter the most... Can seem strange and foreign. Monstrous, even." The prisoner let out a long breath, "I meant what I said, when I told you that you'd proved yourself to me. I'd given up all thoughts of Ichigo returning, until I saw him with my own two eyes. Do you wish to know what I felt, upon seeing his return?"

The strawberry faltered, seeing how Shiro's hands shook at his sides, teeth clenched. He felt pity for his Hollow, but he didn't dare speak up. This was their time. Not his. He looked away, keeping his mouth shut.

"I felt grief." Aizen said quietly, "Because I knew, the moment he appeared, I had lost you."

"I loved ya... With everythin' I had." Shiro's voice was soft, barely above a whisper, "From the moment I was created... To the moment I faded when Aibou used Mugetsu... I never stopped..."

"And now?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it? Yer trapped here... and I'm trapped in there." The albino wrapped his arms around himself as his head jutting towards Ichigo, "No matter how much it hurts... There's nothin' I can do."

Aizen's head tilted to one side, "One day, my sentence will be done. And I will set foot outside of this cell again. I am willing to wait."

Golden eyes met chocolate ones, Shiro's very aura seemed filled with turmoil and an inevitable struggle over what he wanted verses what he knew was right, "I... I... I-I can't... I can't deal with this now... I need... I wanna leave." He turned to Ichigo, expression almost pleading.

"Alright." He touched the Hollow's shoulder and addressed Aizen a final time, "We're done. Urahara's debt is paid. Consider this our business... Concluded."

Ichigo lifted his arm, activating the Muken key. He watched long enough to see Aizen's mouth seal again before he turned on his heel, striding side by side with Shiro. Ichigo sucked in a deep breath as the doors ground shut behind him, closing his eyes as he adjusted to the feeling of Seireitei swirling around him again. He felt like the weight of a thousand worlds had lifted from his shoulders as he took his swords from the guard and surrendered the Muken key from his body.

"Thank you for your patience." He murmured to the guard, smiling at her comfortingly.

"Did you conclude everything, Kurosaki-san?" She asked, eyeing Shiro curiously.

Pausing to consider her question, his smile widened, "Yeah, yeah I did. Good evening."

One sword on his back, and one on his hip, he left Division One in a leisurely burst of Shunpo, Shiro never left his side. He felt content. Like everything had somehow fallen into place. Ichigo gasped, coming to a sudden stop as he perched on the edge of one of the rooftops, casting his gaze skywards as he watched the moon beginning to rise over Sôkyoku Hill.

"Are you alright, Shiro?" He asked, gazing skyward.

"No." Came an honest answer, "I don't know what to think... I... I want to hate him, I don't wanna believe a word he said but..."

"But what?" Chestnut eyes turned to gold ones curiously.

A long moment of hesitation, "I'm not ready to talk about it."

"I understand."

And he did. He knew better than most how much turmoil Aizen could bring. He just wished he could spare Shiro from some of it.

"Ya alright, Aibou?" Shiro asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answered softly, "I just... I still can't quite believe I'm back. I spent so long hoping... But I never thought... I... There didn't seem to be a way..."

"Ya friends would never abandon ya. They love ya."

"I know." Ichigo smiled faintly, "I'm grateful to them, all of them. Renji and Rukia... Byakuya... Ukitake and Kyōraku, and Unohana too! Hisagi... Iba and Ikkaku, Yumichika... Kira... Matsumoto and Hitsugaya... The Espada... The Visored... I... I don't deserve them. After everything I did... Everything I was going to do..."

"The fact is that you didn't do it, Kurosaki-san." Urahara said as he rested a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Shit, sorry Urahara-san... I forgot you were waiting for me." He rubbed the back of his head, "You heard me huh?"

The blond smiled, "It's natural for you to still question things. A year is barely enough time to come to terms with everything you've been through, but you're doing well."

"I guess so." Ichigo sighed, looking skywards again.

Urahara was silent for a moment, folding his arms inside his green jacket, "How was your meeting with Aizen-san?"

"It was fine." He whispered.

"Just fine? I know it isn't my place to ask but-"

"It is private." Ichigo interrupted without hesitation as he felt Shiro's unease, "Don't worry though, he hasn't seduced me back to the dark side. We simply... Cleared up some lingering questions, put to bed some problems and at the end... Cut our ties."

"Permanently?" Urahara raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." He said bluntly, "Now, I have a feeling Byakuya's forgotten I can sense reiatsu now. And I'm fairly certain I can sense almost thirty people hiding in the Kuchiki mansion... You stuck around so you could escort me to a surprise party, didn't you?"

"... My, my Kurosaki-san... Your skills have grown indeed." The blond broke into a broad and goofy smile, "Yes, I'm here to make sure you go home to enjoy an evening of food, drink, music and friendship. Everyone is keen to give you the welcome home you deserve."

"Soul King be damned... If that doesn't sound like a good idea I don't know what does." Smiling brightly, Ichigo sucked in a breath, "Well, best not keep them waiting any longer than they already have."

Shiro gripped Ichigo's wrist suddenly, his expression mired with different emotions, "Aibou, I... I don't feel like celebratin' but I also don't feel like goin' back to yer Inner World yet. Ya mind if I just... Wander for a while?"

Ichigo felt a swell of dull aching pain in his chest and he reached down, clasping Shiro's hand in his own, "Take all the time you need. When you're ready, if you're ready... I'll be here for you."

"Thanks, Aibou."

As Ichigo and Urahara moved together, leaving Shiro to his own adventure for the time being, they began heading towards the Kuchiki Estate, sprinting left and right across the rooftops, darting down into the streets and then prancing back up onto the walls Ichigo felt the first splashes of rain hitting the crown of his head. For once, he found himself not minding the sky's tears as they grew heavier and soaked his clothes and skin. For once, the rain didn't dampen his mood or his spirit and in fact he found himself content with the cleansing sensation.

"You are smiling, Kurosaki-san." Urahara noted.

"I am?" He blinked, realising it was true, he shrugged, "It's been a long time since I enjoyed rainfall."

"I recall Byakuya-san mentioning your loathing for it. As well as Zangetsu and Shiro-san's hatred as well." The blond murmured, "He never said why."

"I didn't know why I hated it, not until..." Ichigo let out a breath, "I realised, when I was trying to protect Kaida in the park... So many negative events have happened under the rainfall, I think my subconsciousness tied the two together, and brought misery whenever I saw the rain."

"But not anymore?"

"No. Not anymore." He found himself smiling as they came to the gates of the Kuchiki Estate, "I'm a different person now, determined to live life facing forwards instead of backwards."

"Isshin and Masaki would be proud of you, Ichigo." Urahara's voice held none of its usual humour, he was serious. Deadly serious, "Proud of both of you." He added as he glanced towards the distant thrum of Shiro's reiatsu in the distance.

"I hope so." He nodded, unable to stop his grin spreading as he watched the front doors into the mansion open as they approached. He could hear the bustle of bodies, the clinking of saké being poured into cups, the hushed whispers and giggles of people trying to pretend they weren't there.

Sighing deeply, Ichigo rolled his eyes at Urahara before he strode up the steps confidently and swept across the threshold, immediately overwhelmed by the yells and cheers which threatened to deafen him from every direction.

A hand found his among the masses and he found himself instantly pulled into the tight embrace of his lover, he couldn't stop smiling as his lips were pecked with a welcoming kiss and a cup of drink was thrust into his empty hand.

"I'm going to kill you for this." He hissed.

"No you won't," Byakuya smirked, "I do recall I said we would gather our friends again to celebrate our victory in the Winter War, and they have been waiting many long months to celebrate with you."

Ichigo laughed softly, he couldn't be mad when he saw the happy beaming faces of the people he cared about so dearly. Amidst the masses he could see the radiant smile on Momoru's face as she waved at him through the crowd, a gesture he returned eagerly.

"Now that the guest of honour has arrived," Kyōraku's voice managed to boom over the bustle of the crowd with ease, "With the generous use of the Kuchiki Estate, let us drink and eat and be merry. For we finally have our victory and our victor! I propose a toast... To Ichigo Kurosaki!"

He was deafened again as everyone shouted his name, including his fiancé and he joined them in downing the shot of alcohol in his hand, watching as it was replaced almost immediately. Watching as his Soul Society friends mingled together, all of them, Shinigami, Visored and Hollow alike he couldn't help but accept the overwhelming feeling that... Everything was going to be just fine. At last.

Ichigo felt a brilliant smile stretch its way across his face, a hearty yet shy laugh finding its way free as he scratched the back of his head, watching as genuine joy seemed to flow through all of them. His friends. His family. His everything.