A/N: This chapter was heavily inspired by The Pretenders' hit "I'll Stand By You."

Yeah I like Eighties Music. Anyway, onto the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

Clang!

Ikkaku barely dodged a blow from Ichigo's zanpakutō as they battled high above the Karakura Town Public Park.

"What's the matter, Ikkaku? Don't tell me that you're afraid of Zangetsu?" Ichigo teased as he raised Zangetsu high in the air to bring it down in a powerful attack. Ikkaku blocked but the force of the blow did send him back flying. He was thrilled by it and that maniacal grin that often accompanied him in a battle was just beginning to peep out. It was nice to spar with someone different, he thought. Lately he had been sparring with Yumichika, which was always fun since despite knowing the Fifth Seat for years, Ikkaku was always surprised by Yumichika's fighting style. The man was always full of surprises. Che. He was damn full of surprises, Ikkaku thought murderously. His reiatsu blazed as he brought Hōzukimaru down to Ichigo with renewed strength.

Ichigo tumbled backwards by the force of the attack.

'What's gotten into him', Ichigo thought, 'He isn't even wearing that stupid blood-thirsty grin of his. He must be really upset about something.'

Ichigo got up to charge again, but was not allowed an opening as Hōzukimaru relentlessly crashed down on him. He was forced to take up a defensive position as he wondered whether Ikkaku was really trying to kill him.

Over two hundred years, Ikkaku growled in his mind. That was how long he knew Yumichika and the man dared to disrespect him like that.

With every blow Ikkaku's force grew and Ichigo was slowly being overwhelmed. This was supposed to be a friendly spar. Ichigo had no intention of letting loose Getsuga Tenshou but it seemed that he had no choice. It was either that or risk a painful death by a very angry Shinigami.

With a massive effort Ichigo summoned most of his reiatsu (not all, he didn't want to kill the man) as he released Getsuga Tenshou upon Ikkaku. Being preoccupied with chopping to death the Yumichika stand-in that was Ichigo, Ikkaku barely had time to dodge the attack and as such was hit head on with the massive concentrated spirit particles. He tumbled backwards and down to earth landing in an undignified heap a few yards back. Ichigo hurried to his side. Ichigo reached just in time to hear him muttering, 'Great, now the stupid man is affecting my fighting.'

"Umm, Ikkaku...are you okay?"

"Don't insult me Ichigo. A blow like that could never do anything to me." Ikkaku said as he righted himself, wincing all the way. "Let's go again!"

Ikkaku's slight stagger did not go unnoticed to Ichigo. In Ikkaku's current state of mind, Ichigo thought, he won't last long with me. But of course Ichigo wouldn't hurt the man's pride like that, so he said,

"Nah, I think I need a rest Ikkaku. That one took a lot outta me." And he jumped down to the grass next to Ikkaku.

Silence fell between the two men, but suddenly Ikkaku broke it with a strange question, according to Ichigo.

"What would you do if you found out that Rukia's been lying to you for years?"

Ichigo paused to carefully consider the question. So we finally get to the bottom of the stink reiatsu mystery, Ichigo mused.

"Well, initially, I think I'd be pretty pissed, but I would want to know why she did that. Knowing Rukia it would probably be some stupid reason like she wanted to protect me or didn't want me to get hurt. Did Yumichika lie to you?"

"Who said anything about Yumichika?"

"Right,"

"Hmmm..."

"It depends, but most likely. Rukia and I share a strong bond. I can't and I won't just let her go like that without a fight, even if she was lying to me for years."

"But it's a really monumental lie."

"Well then Yumichika was probably lying for a really monumental reason."

"We're not talking about Yumichika."

"Uh huh,"

"So, you'd definitely forgive her? You've shared everything with her for over two hundred years, find out that she's been keeping a great secret from you, you give her the chance to confess, she doesn't and when you confront her, she doesn't even apologize. You'd still forgive her?"

"Well firstly, I haven't known Rukia for two hundred years like how you've known Yumichika."

"We're not talking about me and Yumichika."

"Of course, I was only making a reference. But yes, I would probably still forgive her. I guess nothing she did could make me love her less."

"Hmmm..." A memory suddenly clouded his mind and he shut his eyes and shook his head in attempt to clear it.

"I gotta go, Ikkaku. Think about what I said. I think that maybe you and Yumichika need to eat some humble pie."

Ikkaku looked up at him quizzically.

"Yeah I know, it's like the pot calling the kettle black."

"No, I just wanted to know why you think that this is about me and Yumichika. You're really fixated on that, aren't ya?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, see ya later, Ikkaku. I hope that the next time you don't let your reiatsu smell so bad."

"What did you say!?"

Yumichika stood atop the veranda of the Eleventh Division constantly replaying Hisagi's mysterious words. Why should he apologize? If anything, he should be the one to be slamming down Soul Phones on Ikkaku! Wasn't Ikkaku who said that he would never desert him? But look at the situation now. The events of three weeks ago began to plague him.

It was another relatively boring day in the Eleventh Division barracks with the Captain and Vice-Captain out for the day doing Kami alone knew what. Yet despite the lack of commotion that usually followed those two whenever they were around, Yumichika found himself feeling immensely tired. He supposed that it had a lot to do with the ton of paperwork that he had to finish mainly because Ikkaku bailed on him. That of course led to the real reason he was tired. He was spending most of his mental energy on trying to figure out what was eating Ikkaku recently.

For the past few days Ikkaku was acting...different. Yeah, that's the word he'll use. It wasn't anything drastic, but little quirks that Yumichika would obviously notice since he had been living with that man for years. A good example might be what happened earlier this morning.

"What a beautiful morning." Yumichika commented as he sat on the back veranda admiring the bluebells that started to creep up in the small garden that he tended to. It was such a beautiful flower that Yumichika instantly fell in love with it and had to have it in the garden. " It's a shame that we're going to have to spend it indoors catching up on all the paperwork that Captain left for us. I mean honestly, if I didn't know any better I'd say that he uses the paper to wrap fish or set at the bottom of bird cages."

"Aw fuck!" Ikkaku screamed out.

Yumichika casually turned to see what was bothering his partner this time. Lately Ikkaku was quarrelling about everything and anything.

"What's the matter?"

"I nearly broke my back on your stupid zanpakutō! You can't just leave it lying around like that!" Ikkaku snarled at the slight frame of the man sitting beautifully in a pale blue kimono on the veranda. Yumichika watched Ikkaku take up the sheathed sword and pelt it unceremoniously onto the futon with great disgust.

Yumichika took in a deep breath. Something was obviously bothering Ikkaku. He had to be patient and calm.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Yumichika shouted at him. So much for being patient and calm.

"You can't just have your stupid zanpakutō lying around like that!"

"First of all, I did not have it 'lying around'. I always keep my zanpakutō in the same place – right next to the futon. The only way you could have tripped on it was if you moved it because it sure as hell didn't walk over onto your path just to trip you!"

"Why would I move that stupid thing?"

"Well that's the million koban question, now isn't it?" Yumichika looked at Ikkaku suspiciously. This was the third time this week that Yumichika's zanpakutō had been mysteriously 'misplaced' and Yumichika had suspected that Ikkaku was to blame. That alone was strange, since Ikkaku never touched or showed any interest in Yumichika's zanpakutō before.

"Secondly," Yumichika continued trying to ignore the unfounded suspicions forming in his head, "Do not call my zanpakutō stupid! You've been doing that all week. What is with you?"

Suddenly Ikkaku's mood changed. He took a deep breath and came to sit beside Yumichika on the veranda. Yumichika looked at Ikkaku. Something was wrong with this man.

A silence settled between them. After a while it was mercifully broken.

"I'm sorry." Ikkaku said looking straight ahead at the drooping blue flowers.

"PMS?" Yumichika asked with a slight smirk.

That earned him a swift kick that he narrowly avoided. After he finally managed to stop snickering he heard Ikkaku mumble,

"I just have a lot of things on my mind lately."

"I've realized. Anything that you want to share?"

"Not yet." Ikkaku turned to look at Yumichika, piercing him with his gaze. "What about you? Do ya have anything ya want to share with me?"

Yumichika's breath snagged in his throat and he thanked Kami that he was not drinking anything for he felt sure that he would have choked on it. Ikkaku's gaze was so intense that he felt like he was burning him down with his stare. He forced himself to avert his gaze as he answered as casually as possible,

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything at all..."

Yumichika grew silent. What was Ikkaku getting at?

"Nothing you confess could make me love you less. You know that right?"

He knew. He knew about Ruri'iro Kujaku, Yumichika thought. But he could never react like this if he knew, Yumichika reasoned. No, if it was one thing he knew about Ikkaku was that the man was impulsive. He would never quietly sit here on the veranda casually asking whether his lover had been lying to him for years. No, it had to be something else that was driving this strange behaviour.

Yumichika's internal denial was interrupted by a soft kiss that Ikkaku planted on his lips. It left him stunned. Ikkaku was rarely gentle with his kisses. He usually kissed Yumichika so hard it would take away his breath.

"So, nothing at all to tell me? You know I'll never desert you no matter what." Ikkaku whispered in Yumichika's ear.

Yumichika sighed. This would be a perfect opportunity to confess. If only he didn't know better. Ikkaku would say those things now but Yumichika knew that Ikkaku would not be as receptive as he claimed to be. His eyes were beginning to water. He cleared his throat and his mind as he looked ahead at the beautiful bluebells.

"I have nothing to confess, Ikkaku, but maybe you do. What's with the strange behaviour?"

Ikkaku shook his head slowly as a wry smile curved on his mouth and he pulled away from Yumichika.

"Che. I think I'm going to get a drink." Ikkaku said in a deeply annoyed tone as he got up and left.

And just like that the mood changed again. Yumichika couldn't help but wonder what Ikkaku was hiding from him as he tried to be patient. He reckoned that he would find out in due time.

'I'll never desert you no matter what.'

The words echoed in Yumichika's head. Yet look at him now. He was sitting alone in an empty and dark bedroom. Why? Because it was exactly as he feared. Ikkaku deserted him and it would not be long before he the rest of the Eleventh Division found out the situation and kicked him out. He could survive without the Eleventh Division, especially if Ikkaku had forgiven him and was on his side. But Ikkaku had not forgiven him. This is over. Well he sure as hell felt like it. He may have kept secrets, but he broke no promises. No, he definitely should not apologize.