OMG everyone i am so excited to let you know the lovely fuusunshine has done fanart for this fic. it is the new image for the story, and you can also see it by visiting my author page and clicking on the link. Please check out her deviant art page as she is very very talented.

If you haven't yet I am writing a new story *ideas won't leave me alone* involving a post apocalyptic world *after the winter war* where the 3 races are practically extinct and the arrancars sensing the end of their race begin to imprint on the other 2 races, which of course does nothing but breed chaos. They are also trapped in the living world on purpose. dun dun dunnnn

As always reviews are appreciated as are cookies, favorites and general things that make me want to hug all of you fantastic people.

Regrets collect like old friends

Here to relive your darkest moments

I can see no way, I can see no way

And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh

But I like to keep some things to myself

I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around

All of his questions such a mournful sound

Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground

So I like to keep my issues drawn

But it's always darkest before the dawn

And, I am done with my graceless heart

So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart

Cause I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn

And given half the chance would I take any of it back

It's a fine romance but its left me so undone

It's always darkest before the dawn

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't

So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road

And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope

It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat

Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me

Looking for heaven, found the devil in me

Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back so shake him off

Starrk came to very slowly and cautiously cracked his eyes open hoping the effeminate captain had done his part. Sighing he noticed he was in a comfortable position on a futon and winced as pain lanced through his body, touching his side gingerly he felt a wet bandage and sensed the after effects of a healing kido. Yes, the man had granted his request and for that he would be eternally grateful. He knew the captain, no captains involved had taken a huge risk and could be labeled traitors as could he and Renji both if all were not careful.

"I have no desire to fight you as I had no desire to fight Renji. However after seeing Aizen cut down my comrade Harribel, I have no reason to follow him. I cannot follow a man with no respect for those under him." The captain scratched his chin, taking it as a signal to continue Starrk did so "I wish to be freed of him. Shinigami, I...I wish to be with Renji." He all but finished in a whisper.

The captains eyes looked up, shining happiness at him. "Ah, yes we thought as much from your fight, though Renji will never admit it. Espada there is something I can do for you both, while we talk let us meet swords as otherwise it will look suspicious."

As their swords met they worked out a plan, Starrk would let the captain slice him down the chest, bloody enough to look serious, yet evading any true damage. As Starrk fell he would watch Aizen to see if he suspected anything and the good captain would catch him when he fell down at the same time sending a burst of kido into the ground so it looked as though he landed roughly. Once the captain had him he would be put to sleep so he could not know where they were going or find his way back should he indeed prove to be treacherous. Starrk didn't like that bit, but he knew they were simply protecting themselves so he acquiesced, once that was done the captains would open the senkaimon gate and take them to the real Karakura town that was within soul society, and would wait with them there until Urahara returned so that they could explain matters to him. Urahara the white haired captain had said was incredibly trustworthy, madly eccentric, had a fan fetish, and nothing short of a assured him he would be sympathetic to his cause as his own lover had defied the odds and rules to be with him.

Groaning with movement Starrk got up slowly and made his way out the door and down the hall, he followed the voices of the two captains talking in low tones and as he rounded the corner saw Renji sitting with them listening closely, he felt his face brighten at the sight of the red headed male and smiled a smile that started out small and slowly took over his face. Renji registering his presence immediately stood and walked towards him, before he had time to speak the normally stoic man wrapped him in his strong arms and breathed in his heady scent. Leaning close to him, his head nuzzling the younger mans face he whispered to him

"Are you ok? Why did you drop your sword? Renji I was worried." He felt a low chuckle emanate out from the man's throat

"Starrk" he said sighing and relaxing in his embrace "I knew you wouldn't hurt me, and you are stronger. It makes sense that I would lose to you. I asked Shunsui to step in and not hurt you but subdue you so we could have some privacy."

"I asked him the same thing when we were fighting" Starrk stated, Renji pulled back and looked at him in shock "I guess" Starrk continued "we are more alike than we thought."

"Starrk Coyote" Renji murmured awed "what have you done to me?"

"Nothing you haven't done to me Renji Abarai" he looked into the man's gorgeous crimson eyes and saw wave after wave of emotion wash over them, placing his hand on his would be lover's cheek he slowly drew him in for a kiss. Renji was only slightly taller than Starrk and the two men's mouths met perfectly as if they were made for each other, Starrk gently took Renji's upper lip into his mouth nibbling on it carefully as he felt the younger man melt against him, still cupping his face with one hand he added his other hand as he felt Renji's arms snake around his waist. Slowly and lazily he traced his tongue along the red heads bottom lip asking permission, without hesitation it was granted and he found his way into the moist mouth of his shinigami.

Renji thought he had never felt anything so sweet, the arrancar was gentle and loving in his kiss, slowly savoring his lips with nips and nibbles, he thought the arrancar tasted of winter, of ice and snow as he granted him permission to deepen the kiss and felt his tongue entwine with his. His breath was a cool blast again Renji's heated mouth and he slowly took his time memorizing the arrancar's mouth, the way his lips felt pressed against his, his body the rock hard delicious body that was the only thing holding him to the earth as he felt as though he were spinning with the force of their lip lock. Renji knew no words needed to be said, that they were communicating in a way they both knew how as he nipped at the brunette's tongue, he felt the man smile against his mouth in response. What they both missed was the loving look Shunsui and Jushiro shared, as they once recalled when that was them.

"My my, this IS interesting" came a sugar coated voice from the door.

"Urahara!" Renji exclaimed alarmed and placed himself in front of Starrk lest the blonde man try to harm his lover.

"Calm down Renji, I realize there is an explanation for this" he said fanning himself lightly "and I can't wait to hear it, especially since Utitake and Shunsui are here, but now is not the time, why don't you tell me what you need and then we can discuss it." He snapped his fan shut and looked pointedly at the four other men in the room, a look that booked no argument.

"Perhaps it best if I explain?" Starrk looked hesitantly at the blonde man, who he sensed was quite powerful and his seemingly nonchalant attitude was frightening, as Starrk knew firsthand the more power one had the more relaxed their attitude. He, the pink kimono wearing captain, the white haired captain, Aizen, Gin and Harribel were all great examples of that. This man, he decided, was not one to be toyed with.

"Yes espada, do tell me what brings you here, and why" his voice was light but held veiled threat, he pointed his fan at Renji "are you making out with one of my favorite vice-captains?"

Starrk cleared his throat "I am Starrk Coyote, primera espada" the man's eyes widened "you have nothing to fear from me." He said quickly to dispel any negative thoughts the blonde may have had, "I do not wish to serve Aizen, before my own eyes he cut down our comrade, the trecera Harribel when he deemed she was of no more use to him. I cannot follow someone like that, and never wanted to fight the shinigami in the first place." He took a deep breath before continuing "when I was fighting Renji I realized I could not hurt him and instead felt the intense desire to protect him at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing myself. "

"When we went to deliver the finishing blow I knew he was aiming low so as to not mortally wound me" Renji cut in "I dropped my sword. That way he could look victorious and Aizen would never suspect him. I asked these two" he gestured at the two captains "to spare his life, but it turns out during their fight Starrk had a plan of his own." He smiled at the brunette, Shunsui cleared his throat.

"I believe this is where I come in, as we are here at my suggestion Urahara. I proposed a plan since obviously we had to make Aizen believe Starrk was defeated. I injured him across the side of his chest, enough to look serious but carefully placed so that it was nothing we couldn't heal. He fell down from the sky and once he was out of Aizen's view I caught him and sent a blast of kido into the ground, faking his impact with the earth." He paused taking a sip of his tea and fixing his gaze on the blonde shop keeper "after that I knocked him out with more kido and Jushiro and I opened a senkaimon gate to bring the two here as their reiatsu was still unchecked it would be easy to detect that they are indeed alive."

"We didn't know where else to go Urahara" Utitake's smooth voice said "it's obvious they want to be together and we do not want to deny them that. However we need to hide them for the time being and there is only one person who can help us do that."

Urahara had taken back to fanning himself, eyebrows raised so they were not visible under the brim of his striped hat "I see, and you thought I would be willing to help? May I ask why?"

Jushiro blushed slightly "because we know of your value in love and the belief in the barriers it can break. If our young friends here feel so strongly shouldn't we let them explore it?"

Urahara snapped his fan closed and pointed at Utitake and Shunsui "you two are deplorable playing on my heart like that!" He walked out of the room with a swirl of his coat, tramping of his clogs and a sway to his hips as he exited leaving the four men looking after him

"Oi, aren't you guys coming or do you not want help?!" He called cherrily from down the hall.

The four men shared an exasperated look and scrambled to follow the blonde shopkeeper in whose hands they had just placed everything.

QOTC: What is one thing you would do to change the world as we know it, for the better?

Me- Besides making sure everyone had access to GOOD education would also make sure the basic physiological needs of food, comfort, shelter and elimination were met for all people.