Here I am with another portion of ByaIchi goodness! And it's getting hot and heavy again!

All yours,

-s.

The day Karin, Ichigo and Rukia spent in the Academy did not belong to the most fascinating ones. Not for Ichigo, at least as he seemed to be in a foul mood since the incident with Rukia's brother. Rukia proved to be a great help for them to find their way around the place. She showed them all lecture rooms, training fields and introduced Karin to her new instructors.

Although Karin was in the Academy a few days earlier on a 'trip field' with Rukia, never before did she see so many of new adepts, chasing after their guardians or looking around in awe just as she was doing at the moment.

Karin met some of her new colleagues and a roommate. The girl was called Nitsu and she came from Rukongai. Karin wasn't sure but suspected Nitsu was the same age she was.

"So," the girl said when they met in their new room for the first time. She glanced at Karin's companions and her eyes widened as she noticed the Shinigami uniforms. "What's your name?"

"Kurosaki Karin. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Kai Nitsu. Are you from Rukongai?"

"Oi, Karin," Ichigo cut in, clearly not interested in getting to know the girl. "I'll go with Rukia to see the rest of the place. You good here?"

"Sure. Ichi-nii. Just come to say goodbye before you leave for Karakura."

The two girls watched the pair exit. For a moment none of them spoke but finally Nitsu asked with a shy smile.

"Your brother is a Shinigami? Who was that girl? His girlfriend?" the sparkle in her eye reminded Karin of Toshirou's lieutenant, Matsumoto-san. Nitsu loved gossips just like the older Shinigami did.

"Ichi-nii is a Substitute Shinigami. And that was Rukia, his friend. She's the lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division."

Nitsu's eyes widened even more when she heard it. But there was also a hint of something else in her eyes now; Karin realised that Nitsu must've felt bad about being from the Rukongai while she sounded like she was bragging about her important friends. Instantly, Karin regretted her words and quickly waved her hands.

"But I don't know her that much. And I'm kind of new in the Soul Society, so would you like to help me go around the place, please?"

Again, Nitsu's face lit up a bit, but the uncertain look wasn't completely gone.

"So... what would you like to know?"

Karin smiled and began bombarding her new friend with questions.

...

She had no idea how many hours have passed before Ichigo appeared again to say goodbye. Suddenly Karin felt very lonely. Ichi-nii was going to leave her all alone here and even though she knew he'd be back in a couple of days, she also knew that it would be hardly possible that they meet as her classes would be long in progress.

"Now, Karin, be nice to everyone and try not to blow the place up too early, ne?" Ichigo laughed and ruffled her hair for which she punched him hard.

"Tsk, you better go and tell Yuzu not to worry about me too much. Tell her and dad that I love them. And... you better be ready, Ichi-nii, because when I'm finished with the Academy, I'm going to kick your ass."

Ichigo burst into laugh. Karin narrowed her eyes at him but chuckled finally.

"You wish!" Ichigo exclaimed and added with a more serious face: "Although, do try to pick some Kido. It can be quite useful in fight and I almost regret that I never had the chance to learn it."

"You bet I will," Karin smirked.

They grew silent for a moment. Then, Karin suddenly threw herself at her brother and hugged him with tears in her eyes:

"I mean it, Ichi-nii, take care of Yuzu and stop being an ass to her. And don't let goat-face come here even for a minute. It's hard enough without him here. And I... I..."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Karin," Ichigo murmured into his sister hair. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Try to avoid troubles. And if you have any problem, go to Rukia or Byakuya, ok?"

She nodded, unable to say anything.

"I'll visit you as often as I can. I love you."

She nodded and after that, Ichigo took off.

Karin smiled through the tears and headed back to her new room, new roommate and new life.

Ichigo entered Byakuya's office a couple of minutes after his meeting with Karin. His sister was going to be ok, he knew it for sure. Rukia promised to look after her when she had a chance, which improved his mood a bit. Now he was left with only one nagging problem.

He knew the Taicho was still somewhere in Rukongai with Renji and his soldiers. Ichigo didn't want to leave for Karakura without any goodbye so he wrote a short note and decided to leave it on Byakuya's desk. As he looked around the place he grinned to himself at the memory of the hasty kiss they shared on the desk not so long ago, which turned into a full make out session.

Then he also remembered their last encounter few hours earlier and he sighed. Byakuya was never pooling wool over Ichigo's eyes when it came to his work. Byakuya was too responsible to ignore his duties in favour of him and that was all right for Ichigo. Besides, who was he to interfere with the nobility's businesses?

However, his animosity for the Haruna guy was a completely different matter. The guy may be a noble but it didn't give him any right to behave like a rude ass. Especially an ass who insulted his best friend.

Speaking of which, Ichigo noticed a fragment of Rukia's photo, sticking out from under a pile of files on Byakuya's desk. He hesitated but after all reached to grab it and uncover the second half of it. Who would've thought Byakuya would ever be so sentimental to keep his sister's picture on his desk.

Ichigo took the photo form underneath the documents and smiled when he recognised it. It was taken during one of their get-togethers in Karakura Town; Rukia was smiling widely while hugging Ichigo from behind with her arms around his neck. He remembered how she had to stand on a stool to even reach that high.

So Byakuya was keeping not only his little sister's photo in his office but Ichigo's as well? That was something he would never suspect him of. He felt his lips pull into a wide grin.

"What are you doing?"

Ichigo jumped hearing Byakuya's question. Damn his inability to sense reiatsu.

"Byakuya! Weren't you supposed to be in Rukongai for another few hours?"

"I was but I let Renji finish the training up. I didn't want you to leave without proper goodbye after the morning incident."

The Kuchiki heir approached him and looked at the photo Ichigo was still holding. He took it carefully from his hands and put down on the wooden surface.

"Rukia was looking for this picture for weeks," Ichigo said. "How did you get it?"

"I took it from her desk. Is it a crime to have a picture of my sister and lover?"

"What? No, I was just surprised that you had it at all." The boy took a closer look at Byakuya's face and he noticed awful bruises on his left cheek. "Hard training? Who did that to you, anyway? Come, sit, let me look at it closely."

Before Byakuya had even chance to protest, Ichigo fetched a servant who brought him water and clean cloth. The two men sat facing each other and Ichigo began to cleanse the Kuchiki heir's wounds. There were a number of tiny scratches all across Byakuya's face which made him look horribly. For a moment they were silent, before Ichigo sighed heavily:

"Honestly, did Kenpachi attack you in the middle of the training, or what?" he asked.

It was impossible for any unseated Shinigami to even touch the Sixth Division's Taicho.

Byakuya seemed almost embarrassed when he finally admitted:

"Abarai tried to use Kido."

"Huh?"

"We were sparring, when I surrounded him with Senbonzakura. That idiot tried to escape and used Kido. Senbonzakura scattered and some of the petals were thrown straight into my face before I could even react."

Ichigo chuckled much to Byakuya's displeasure. The younger man put the piece of cloth into the water and pulled Byakuya's face closer to plant a delicate kiss on his cheek. Byakuya moved his head and captured Ichigo's lips. The boy moaned quietly into his mouth.

"I'm pretty sure I feel a lot better now," Byakuya smiled. "Arigatou."

"No problem," Ichigo said plainly staring into Byakuya's eyes. His pulse quickened rapidly and he swallowed heavily. "I hate to say it, but I really must be going."

"A shame."

"Yeah..."

Who was he kidding? Ichigo grinned widely when he grabbed Byakuya's priceless scarf and threw it bluntly on the floor beside them. He then pulled Byakuya onto his lap and the noble complied gladly.

"An hour won't make a difference," Ichigo murmured in between kisses.

It took them just a couple of seconds to get rid of all their clothes. Ichigo moved his hands to remove the kenseikan from Byakuya's hair and being quite skilful at that already, it was gone after a short moment. Ichigo gasped when he felt Byakuya's lips first on his neck and then lower on his chest. He arched his back and clenched his fists when his lover's mouth finally made its way to his member.

A full of pleasure groans escaped Ichigo's throat one after another, as Byakuya worked on him . "Skilfully" didn't even capture the way Byakuya's tongue licked and sucked him. It took all of Ichigo's strength and self-preservation not to scream in ecstasy.

His hands tangled themselves in Byakuya's long hair. He knew that it was something Byakuya would never admit to but he secretly loved the way Ichigo's hands guided his moves when he took him in the mouth. And vice versa.

"Oh... Ngh... Byakuya..."

Ichigo's moans grew louder and louder with every lick of Byakuya's tongue. Just when he thought it could never be better, he felt his lover's fingers pushing onto his lips. Eagerly, he started to suck them wet. As soon as they were wet enough, Byakuya pushed one finger into him. His lips left Ichigo's throbbing member and locked on his swollen lips, effectively suppressing his groan.

"Oh, fuck...!" Ichigo gasped when the first finger was joined by the other one. It didn't take long for Byakuya to finally slam into him.

"Ohh, yes!"

With every move their breaths got more and more rapid. Ichigo closed his eyes and his hands began to touch Byakuya's body. His lover groaned in pleasure.

"Ichigo!"

The boy only chuckled.

"Byakuya... I'm..."

Ichigo's pent up ecstasy finally found its escape as his orgasm hit. Byakuya followed him right after.

"So, you were saying... "

"Shut the fuck up."

"Ichigo, about this morning..."

"What morning?" the boy murmured. "Stop being difficult, Byakuya, and give me some time to come round, before you start talking nonsense."

Byakuya only laughed.

Ok, so the scene between Karin and Ichigo turned out a lot more depressing than I had planned. But well... it's not always that you leave your dead sister in an unfamiliar place... or something.

Please, do review! and 'see' you in the next chapter!

-s.