Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I am making no money from this. Tite Kubo owns all, I'm just playing with them for a while. I also do not own any of the quotes I use at the start of each chapter. They were all found on the internet or in books, and if they have an author I say who it is.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the cliffhanger everyone, especially as it took me longer to get this part out than I wanted it to. (I've actually been trying to post this for almost a week, but kept getting an error message. Grrr.) Although like I said you have to know by now that you'll always get a happy ending out of me. (Ran/Gin not withstanding, but I'm actually working on that at the moment…) Leave it to me to put a Hollow through therapy. Lemon warning again for this part, again a little harsher than normal for me, but not in a bad way. The lemon is the reason this part took so long, I just couldn't get the right mix of Ichigo and his hollow. As such, this is somewhat tamer than I had planned, cause apparently I just can't write too harsh a lemon. Oh well. Enjoy, and please continue to review.


Until the Last Breath

By Lady Callista

Chapter 5 : Touch

OoOoOoOoOoO

"I want you to be the one that is only known by me. All the wonderful things are inside your smile that no one else can touch. The real you is just like a cipher."

-from "Beyond," Chobits soundtrack, Minoru and Yuzuki's theme

OoOoOoOoOoO

"No, I…" Orihime gasped as the hollow currently controlling Ichigo's body licked a line down her own until he knelt at her feet. One hand held her tightly to the wall while the other cupped her calf muscle and slowly pulled her leg up over his shoulder. "I know you love me, but…"

"But?" The voice echoed teasingly as he licked his way up her inner thigh, causing her breath to catch on a sexy moan. "But what, Hime?"

"But I don't want to be with you if I know you're hurting him!" Orihime gasped as his lips closed over her clit, and she knew she would have surrendered, yet to her surprise he pulled away from her as the Hollow mask began to fluctuate again.

Ichigo thought furiously as his Hollow suddenly froze, withdrawing from Orihime while still keeping her pinned to the wall. "I once told Orihime that I would do anything to protect her. Is that what you're talking about?"

"You swore to her! And to yourself!"

"And I meant it, but not the way you understood it!" Ichigo screamed, every instinct in his body screaming at him as he tossed Zangetsu away. "'Anything' has a different meaning to me than it does to you. You don't have a conscience! You have no respect for human life! Even if someone was directly threatening Orihime, I wouldn't kill them unless I didn't have a choice. It's different with Hollows, they're already dead and I'm helping them to move on! But humans…"

"So you want me to value human life?" The hollow taunted. "But I want you buried under your emotions, so that I can be King. So that I can have the Princess."

"You'll only make your princess cry!" Ichigo screamed. "Ask her. Ask her how she would feel if you had killed Ishida to keep her safe!"

Orihime blinked in surprise as half of the hollow mask broke away, leaving him in the more familiar mask she had seen on him for years. The one he had learned to control.

Everything about his body language gentling a little bit, Ichigo rose slowly to his feet and drew her against his chest gently. Yet the voice that came from him was that of his hollow. "He thinks you can explain it better than he can. Why would you have cried if I had killed the Quincy to protect you?"

Orihime stiffened in his embrace. "You know how you would die for me, right? How you would die to keep anything bad from happening to me?"

The hollow nodded into her shoulder.

"How would you feel if I died to keep you safe?"

"That's not your job!"

Orihime chucked despite the situation she was in. "I don't love you any less than you love me. I would die for you, just like you would for me. And you know I would cry if you died for me. But I would cry if anyone else died for me as well. Because as much as you want to keep everyone you love safe, that's what I want too! Just because I'm not as strong as you doesn't mean I can't want the same thing!"

"Hime…"

"I love Ichigo, and you're part of him so I love you. But it's not safe for you to be in control unless you listen to Ichigo. There are so many things you could do that would hurt him, or hurt me. You just don't understand how we think. I'm not sure if you can." Orihime said it softly, gently, but made sure that every word she said would be heard.

"If I promise to listen to him, can you get him to let me out every once and a while? Only with you if you want, and I promise to listen to you as well." The hollow asked softly as he felt her tears wetting his chest. "And can I stay out tonight? I still want…"

Orihime pulled back from him enough to cup his face gently. "Ichigo? I'm okay with it if you are."

"You still don't understand what he wants." Ichigo whispered, voice not as certain as it had been the first time he spoke those words to her. He had seen how she reacted to the hollow's passions, and wondered if the hollow hadn't been right when he said she had passions to match even his deepest desires.

Orihime smiled softly. "I love you, and I love making love with you. But I'm not made out of glass. I want you tonight. I want whatever you want."

His hand clenched on her hips, squeezing harshly as he shifted until his own hips again pinned her against the wall. "I can't say I don't want this too, but I was always afraid it would scare you. Hurt you. I…"

Orihime shuddered in his arms as he kissed her deeply, pushing hard enough that she had to open her lips to not have his teeth rip into them. "Kurosaki-kun." She whispered raggedly when he finally drew back so that she could breath.

"Oi?" His eyes already shifting from brown back to gold, but it was Ichigo's confused voice that answered her.

"If I call you Kurosaki-kun, it means I want my human Ichigo back. If I call you Kurosaki-kun, it means you're doing something I don't like."

"And what are you going to call me?"

"You're Ichigo, too. Can't I call you that?"

"Hime." His lips crushed down on hers again, and this time when he lowered himself to his knees and lifted her leg over his shoulder, closing his lips over her clit once again, her only response was to arch her back and moan.

Orihime's hands flew to his shoulders for balance as he sucked on her firmly, his tongue constantly flicking back and forth at the same time. Gasping, she was about to call out his name when she remembered they were not alone in the house. A focused flash of her reiatsu, when she managed to focus for a second, activated the kido net that had long ago been cast around Ichigo's room.

The original idea had been for the net to keep her safe at night when he was gone. It completely hid from sight, sound, and reiatsu detection anyone who was within it. If no one knew she was there, no one would be able to find her and hurt her. It was similar to the spell Isshin had used that night to hide Yuzu from detection while the fight was going on. While still used for the original idea behind it, the teens had discovered it was wonderful for when they wanted to make love there. Isshin, and likely Karin, would have sensed that the spell was there, but both had likely realized it was probably a good thing.

Ichigo tensed for a second as the kido flared, but obviously recognized what she had done when she moaned his name loudly a moment later. "I should have thought of that, but it's not even keyed to my reiatsu the way it is now. But this means I'm free now to make you scream my name as loudly as I want you to."

Orihime blushed, wondering if she had been telling the truth earlier. She did sometimes wish that Ichigo would be more passionate with her, but she had always been too embarrassed to say anything. She had always told herself she was embarrassed because she didn't want him to think she was a slut or something if he didn't want the same thing. But as his hands grabbed hers from his shoulders and pinned them against the wall at her sides before his head dove back between her legs, Orihime wondered if she could really do this. Did she really want this brash, forceful lover instead of her sweet, tender one? Could she really handle what he wanted? A harsh bite at her inner thigh had her gasping and looking down at him.

The instant her eyes met his Ichigo sucked hard on her most sensitive part as he shoved two fingers up deep inside of her.

Orihime exploded, screaming his name as her vision went white and her legs turned to jelly.

Ichigo caught her weight as she fell, allowing her barely a minute to recover before he got them both to their feet and abruptly spun her around until she faced the wall. He braced her forearms against it, then one hand fell to her breast, squeezing the nipple so tightly it hurt. Orihime was about to tell him to stop when his other hand gripped her hip brusingly and he slammed the full length of himself into her.

She was wet, oh so wet, but still incredibly tight. Ichigo and his hollow both groaned at the feeling, for he had never done this before. His first thrust had never been so fast, or so deep. And he had never shoved his way into her when she was so tight, when her inner walls were still fluttering from a previous orgasm. He had always worried about hurting her, because he wasn't exactly small.

But although she trembled, what fell from her lips was not a sound of pain or protest, but the most arousing moan he had ever heard.

He began pounding into her, not stopping till both of them slid to the floor in a spent heap.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. The word kept spinning around in Orihime's mind as she lay collapsed on the ground, still connected to the lover she lay on top off. How had she thought she couldn't do this? Why had she found in embarrassing to ask to be taken like this? Why had she worried about showing him the part of her that wanted to be possessed, craved, and overpowered?

She barely registered it when he picked her up and laid her on the bed, but she immediately turned on her side and curled up into a ball, sighing when he curled up behind her and pulled her into his arms.

"I promise I'll try to get you let out more often." Orihime whispered, and he could feel her reiatsu change as she began to drift off to sleep.

"Oh, princess." He chuckled darkly as he slid into her from behind, the arms he had wrapped around her suddenly tightening on her breasts. "The night's just getting started."

OoO The next morning, in Seireitei OoO

"What in the world is going on?" Ichigo asked as soon as they got within a few blocks of the juubantai barracks, which they assumed was the most likely place to find Karin.

"I have no idea." Orihime said as another wave of applause and shouts of congratulations washed over them.

Both increased their pace unconsciously, just as they were unconscious of the fact that the huge group gathered around the practice field shifted to allow them to move up to the front, until they stood right behind Karin.

Hitsugaya Toshiro stood in the middle of the field. Matsumoto Rangiku knelt at his feet, looking exhausted, and holding the hand of a proud looking and smiling Byakuya…

Wait… WHAT?

Not noticing that her boyfriend's brain had apparently short-circuited, Orihime simply smiled as she joined in the applause. She remembered Rangiku's comments to her, years ago, about liking a guy who was even more emotionless and uptight than her own taicho, and Orihime couldn't think of anyone who fit that description better than Kuchiki Byakuya.

Right as Ichigo was going to attempt to say something, although his jaw was still hanging open, Rangiku and Byakuya got to their feet just as Toshiro spoke.

"I'm fairly certain there will be a party tonight, so I'm just going to give the whole division tomorrow off."

The applause roared up again, and this time Ichigo found his voice. Leaning over, and surprising the hell out of his sister, he asked, "Just what the hell is going on up here?"

"Ichi-nii!" Karin's squeal of surprise was mostly swallowed by the crowd around them, but neither brother or sister paid them any attention as, contrary to their normal personalities, they hugged tightly.

"Karin-chan." Orihime's gentle voice caused another uncharacteristic squeal, and soon the hug became three-sided.

None of them noticed when Rangiku and Byakuya walked off the field hand in hand after speaking with Toshiro for a moment, and none of them could say how long he had been standing behind them before he spoke softly.

"Kurosaki-san. Orihime-san." Toshiro said softly after he had watched them hold Karin for a moment. "I can't say I'm surprised to see you here today."

The three drew apart at his voice, although Ichigo kept an arm around Karin's shoulder. "Toshiro."

"That was fun to watch." Renji commented as he and Rukia made their way up to the small group. "Might have been more fun to see Kuchiki really get his ass kicked, but…"

"What's going on?" The frustration was obvious in Ichigo's voice.

"Ran-chan just achieved bankai." Rukia said with a smirk. "Which is something to celebrate, and is awesome, but that might almost be secondary to her at this point. Because unless I'm mistaken, which I really don't think I am or I wouldn't say this, her relationship with my brother just became public knowledge, which must mean that somehow he got the family to agree, which means there should be another wedding up here soon, and…"

"Wait, WHAT?"

Rukia laughed at the incredulous look on Ichigo's face. "Let's go have lunch. We can explain everything then."

"Lunch is waiting at my rooms in the barracks." Toshiro said softly. "I assumed we would have company today. There is enough for all six of us."

Renji and Rukia nodded, following him back towards his rooms. Orihime and Karin, each leading a still dazed Ichigo by the hand, followed a few steps behind.

OoO

Nearly an hour later, after an excellent lunch, Orihime sat on the edge of the juubantai practice field. Karin sat on one side of her, and Rukia on the other. The practice field was empty except for Ichigo and Renji, as no one else wanted to be near them when they were fighting, even if they were only practicing. Toshiro had returned to his office to catch up on some work, promising them that he would only be an hour or so.

Karin happily fingered the charm bracelet Orihime had brought her, her mind drifting at first as the older girls chatted.

"I just can't get over how happy I am for Rangiku-chan." Orihime smiled happily as she munched on a red-bean paste mochi. "You really think they'll get married soon?"

Rukia caught the wistful tone in her friend's voice, but wasn't sure how much she would be comfortable discussing in front of Karin. "I'm sure they will. There's no way he would have dared to hold her hand in public, or look at her with love, unless he had gotten the family to approve."

Orihime's smile turned more dreamy as she imagined the last of her friends finally being given to the man she loved, which brought a sudden frown to her face. "But who'll give her away?"

"Give her… huh?" Rukia cocked her head in confusion.

"Give her away." Orihime repeated. "Um, the way your brother did for you. Walk you down the aisle, give your hand to your husband…"

"That's normal in the human world?" Rukia questioned, leaning to see around Orihime just in time to see Karin and her both nod in unison.

"Well, yeah." Karin responded slowly. "It's not here?"

"No, only the nobles do it up here." Rukia responded. "It shows that your family supports your marriage. I will do the same for my brother, although in that case I will lead his bride down the aisle to him."

"You?" Karin asked.

Rukia nodded. "None of the elders in the family are from the main branch. Only nii-sama, and me by blood adoption, are. Renji is only married in. Although he would become the Kuchiki prince if something were to happen to my brother, unless that happens I still outrank him by blood. And the ranking member of the family, or the second-ranking if the highest is the one being married, always escorts the bride to her groom."

Had Ichigo been listening to the conversation, he likely would have commented on how he would pay money to see Renji give Byakuya away. But at the moment he was busy trying to pound Renji's face into the dirt.

"Yo, Ichigo, you been slacking on practice or what?" Renji shouted as he appeared behind Ichigo, almost succeeding in landing a hit on him before a quick shunpo had Ichigo standing two meters away.

"It's not like there are many people on Earth to spar with!" Ichigo returned heatedly even as he struck out and nearly hit the red-head. Both of them were in Shikai, and planned on staying that way.

Their swords crossed a moment later, putting their faces within inches of each other as they both pressed for the advantage. "I bet you spar with your girl plenty."

Ichigo growled at the lecherous tone of voice even as Renji jumped back with a laugh.

Unable to hear what Renji had said, Orihime let out a giggle when Ichigo let of a growl and charged. "At least he can let his emotions out this way. Although I'm kinda worried about him attracting attention."

"Are you kidding?" Karin laughed out loud. "No one wants to be anywhere near this. If it wasn't for the kido Toshiro put around us before he left, none of us could be sitting here watching calmly."

"One person will want to come here."

This time it was Rukia who laughed. "Don't worry about it, Orihime-chan. Renji and I anticipated you two showing up today, so we bribed Ikkaku to set up a treasure hunt for Yachiru-fukutaicho. And you know she'll want her Ken-chan with her."

Orihime giggled as Karin cocked her head in confusion, and she managed to say that someone would explain soon, or that Karin would get to see it for herself.

"So who's gonna give you away?" Rukia asked suddenly as she thought about Orihime's earlier comments. When her friends eyes grew sad, she immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I…"

"It's okay, Rukia-chan." Orihime said softly. "I've thought about it, and I don't really know. The closest thing I've had to a dad has been these past few years, but it would be weird to have the groom's father give me away…"

"Oh, dad would love it." Karin chimed in. "I can just hear it now. 'You mean I get to escort this lovely vision to my son? But I want to run away with her myself…'"

All three girls laughed this time, although Orihime's was brief as she said softly, "That's if Ichigo ever asks me…"

"You ever gonna ask that girl to marry you?" Renji taunted as he nearly landed a hit on Ichigo as the boy's attention was drawn to Orihime's laughter.

"I could wait twenty years and still have twice the balls you do." Ichigo shot back as Zangetsu shot out as well.

"You ain't gonna live as long as us." Renji retorted as he blocked and then tried to shunpo in behind Ichigo.

Ichigo spun to face Renji as he reappeared. "Sure we will. We'll both be Shinigami eventually."

Outwardly brash and confident, Ichigo managed to let none of his fears show in his voice. Eventually, he thought with a sigh, he just might manage to get up the courage to ask her.

"That's stupid. You know she'll say yes."

"Ah, shut up." Ichigo told his inner hollow as him and Renji continued to fight. The Hollow had been gloating all morning about how many times he had made Orihime come, and now he was calling him stupid for being nervous about asking the most important question a man could ask a woman. "It's just not the right time."

TBC…


AN2: It was asked of me after chapter 4 how Orihime could kiss Ichigo with his full Hollow mask. Umm… Anime physics? He can speak, after all, so the mouth has to move somewhat, and he has to have lips and a tongue… Well I guess I proved that… Uh, yeah. Anime physics.

And sorry if the jump from the lemon to the next morning seemed odd to anyone, my friend who beta'd for me said it was a bit odd, but since both of them had agreed to what was going on I didn't think there needed to be a discussion about it or anything. If enough people dislike how it flowed I may do a bit of a rewrite