Ikkaku was glad when lunch rolled around the next day. It had been a rough one with the recruits pestering him with inane questions about Yumichika and Ichigo. Currently, he was not permitted to answer those questions. By the end of the week, Yumichika planned to have him practicing again. Today, though, Ichigo had still been completely passed out when he woke to leave, and Yumichika had said that they'd leave him be after such an intense day before. Not to mention, they were nowhere near ready to head into public yet. Going in front of the rest of the eleventh would be interesting, to say the least. He honestly wasn't sure how that scene would play out, but it would be what it was. He headed toward the place he was meeting Izuru, Renji, and Shuhei for lunch. He was dying for a good meal that he didn't cook himself.

He entered and found the other three lieutenants already seated around a table to the back. He waved and headed over after ordering his meal. He flopped down beside Renji and sighed with a pleased smile.

"You look happy today," Renji commented. "How's it going with Ichigo?" he asked, looking up at his friend. Ikkaku paused a little too long, though because everyone at the table was looking at him now.

"Ikkaku…" Renji said, arching a brow at him. "What's going on?"

Ikkaku frowned. "How much do you guys know about his…peculiar situation?"

The other three lieutenants exchanged glances. "That's not ominous or anything, Ikkaku," Shuhei remarked, sipping his water.

Renji shot the dark haired lieutenant a glare. "I know that Kuchiki-taichou said there was a meeting today with the other captains about him, I figured it was something about that incident where he lost control the other day."

Ikkaku nodded and thanked the girl that brought him his noodles. "Yeah, well, that's part of it. See, what they didn't really tell everyone is that none of them are expecting him to recover, and even the head captain felt it was only a matter of time before he was consumed from the inside by the hollow."

All three of the others stared at him. "Wait," Izuru said quietly. "You're telling me, that the head captain was fine with this? Letting him out around everyone in that condition?"

"He had hopes that he would maintain control, but Renji and Rukia saw what happened when he tried, and failed miserably. The hollow consumed arrancar and shinigami inside Ichigo's body then absorbed the hogyuku to keep him from dying. The fact that he hasn't already turned into a hollow is a miracle. And the bad part is, even his father agreed with the plan to wait and see. All they could hope was he would retain control of it somehow," Ikkaku said, pausing to eat his noodles. "But the captains know this already. The meeting today is about…um…the plan Yumichika came up with to try and help Ichigo."

"Yumichika?" Renji said, arching a brow. "He came up with a plan? I mean, I know you and Yumichika are close friends and all, but he's not really the first person I think of when it comes to solving something of this magnitude…"

Ikkaku smirked. "Well, turns out that this is exactly in Yumichika's purview. See, I guess you guys at least should know, otherwise the next few weeks are going to be shocking, and we really don't need bad, especially since the sou-taichou, Urahara-san and Kurosaki-san have already agreed to it being the only course of action we can see."

Renji glanced nervously at the other two. "I don't understand, Ikkaku."

Shuhei's eyes went wide. "Fuck me, Ikkaku, you mean you really are doing that?"

Izuru and Renji turned to stare at the dark haired lieutenant. "Well, unless you have another way to try and help the poor bastard, it was the last option. And we're talking all the way, so…"

Shuuhei sat back and stared at him. "He agreed? I mean, he seriously agreed? I know Yumichika had mentioned it a time or two that it would be the ultimate goal for him, but to find someone…he never thought that it would happen…"

"Okay, what are you two talking about?" Renji said, his cheeks beginning to color with his frustration.

Shuuhei looked at Renji. "Yumichika's a Dom."

Renji opened his mouth and closed it. "What? You mean, like a Dom Dom?"

Ikkaku nodded. Renji turned to him. "That means you're…"

"Yup," Ikkaku said with a bright grin as he finished off his lunch.

Izuru still looked confused. "I don't understand."

"Holy crap, and you convinced Ichigo to be his…" Renji said, sitting back.

"Pet. Totally," Ikkaku said with a smirk. "No control over anything in his life anymore, Yumichika is his master in every aspect. And there wasn't much convincing to it. He was coming apart at the seams rapidly, when Yumichika brought it up, he took it like a drowning man grabbing a hand. He said that's what he felt like, like he was drowning."

Izuru's eyes went wide now. "Wait, you mean like that bondage play that you and Yumichika used to do?"

"Used to? Izuru, we never stopped," Ikkaku said with a smirk. "We just got more experienced at it."

Renji sat back. "Okay, I know this stuff goes on, but I had no idea that you and Yumichika…I mean, Yumichika is so…um…you know…"

"Girly?" Ikkaku said with a smirk. "Yup, you know how he is. He wears kimonos and flowers and anything pretty when he gets the chance. You should see him shopping in the world of the living!"

"But you let him…um, you know…" Renji said, his cheeks coloring.

"Oh hell no," Ikkaku said, shaking his head. "Not even close. I do not bottom."

Renji shook his head. "Wait, but you said he's the Dom, so that makes you the sub?"

"Yup, but that doesn't mean I bottom," he said. "That's in our contract, I don't do that. Besides, I don't think Yumichika could go without being fucked for more than a week."

"Contract?" Izuru said, leaning forward. "That sounds so formal."

Ikkaku nodded to them. He then flagged down the serving girl for another bowl of noodles. "It has to be, to keep everyone safe, you know, and happy. But we are only like that in the bedroom. We keep things separate between our shinigami lives and our personal relationship. However, that might change with this addition…"

"Wait, so how does this work, I thought it was you and Yumichika, but Yumichika's got a thing with Ichigo? So, like cheating on you?" Renji asked, trying to wrap his head around it.

Ikkaku sighed. "No, we've decided on a group dynamic. Yumichika gets to have Ichigo however he wants him, but if he wants me to, I take on the role as his master too. It was the way Yumichika was trained. He was a sub before he became a Dom, and so I've learned the same way. So I will get a chance to Dom some, but only as Yumichika wants me to."

"I don't get how kinky sex makes Ichigo control his hollow, though," Shuuhei said, arching a brow at Ikkaku.

Ikkaku stared at him a moment then sighed, dropping his head to the table in frustration. He mumbled under his breath for a moment before he lifted his head back up. "Sex doesn't even have to be a part of it. We gave Ichigo the option to skip that part of the relationship. He chose not to.

Renji's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean, he's like that? I thought him Inoue were, you know, after the way he went off to Hueco Mundo after her…"

Ikkaku shook his head. "Nope. Not even once. He has no interest in girls, apparently, never has, just never had a chance to do anything. I mean, hell, the boy was drug into shinigami duties at fifteen, then goes to Hueco Mundo, spends almost a year in a half in a coma, and wakes up with more than a little dose of hollow."

Renji leaned back. "I never thought of it that way…I mean, he's not like us, he's human…"

"He was. We're not really sure how much of his human self is left after the hollow got done with him," Ikkaku said with a sigh.

"I still don't get how you can do this without sex, isn't that like a huge part of it?" Renji said, frowning and leaning forward.

Ikkaku sighed. "Look, think of it this way, you have control over yourself, right? Well, when there is too much stuff to control, you start losing it. Like say you're running a sparring match between two recruits. Then you have a second match, then two more, and you keep running these matches, and they all need help with something, and you're running between them all. You can help them all, briefly, but you can't do it properly because your attention is split between too many tasks. So things start breaking down and no one receives enough of your attention and you've lost control of the entire thing. Now, if you had someone step in and take over a few of the matches, your attention would be more focused, and the less you had to focus on, the more intent the focus. This is the same way. By giving up some control to someone else, it offers clarity in other areas. Ichigo is so lost in himself, he can barely function for trying to control the powers inside him. This way, Yumichika asserts control over everything, so he doesn't have to think about anything except doing what he's told, but this allows him the internal focus he needs. Does that make sense?"

The other three nodded. "I guess. Okay," Renji said. "Tell me what to expect so Rukia doesn't flip. You know how fond she is of him, and if he's different, she's going to go off, and you know that."

Ikkaku smiled. "I don't know. He wears Yumichika's collar, a thin white leather thing right now for the consideration period," he paused, seeing the frowns. "Two weeks, after that, Yumichika sits down with him and he decides if he wants to continue or not. Anyway, at first there won't be much, just a few things, and to be honest, Yumichika won't let him out much until he has the protocols down. I guess, well, he'll have to say things that Yumichika's trained him to say, kinda automatic responses. He'll defer to Yumichika for all decisions…um…when they're together Ichigo will be required to walk somewhere, I don't know, he hasn't said what that protocol is going to be, when they sit, Ichigo probably will defer to sitting by his leg, that's generally the protocol used for a sub in his position…"

"He's going to make him sit on the floor?" Renji asked.

"Not all the time, only when it is appropriate for him to show that sort of submission. But it also depends on him. The details will be fixed when we sit down with the training contract," Ikkaku said with a shrug.

"But what if he wants out in the middle? You're talking like he's signed himself into slavery to Yumichika," Izuru said quietly.

Ikkaku smiled. "That's where I come in. I'm…Ichigo's safe person. If there's something outside of the relationship, something he needs to talk about, I'm safe because I can go to Yumichika on his behalf. That way, their dynamic doesn't break, but he retains the ability to change things if something happens. But other than that, he doesn't have a choice in what happens between them."

Renji nodded. "This is a lot to take in, Ikkaku. I just…wow."

"We just need you to make sure others don't take this wrong. Ichigo needs support, not to be put down for his choice to do this. Some people won't understand. We just need to be sure his friends at least accept what it is," Ikkaku said with a nod.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Yumichika sat and watched him sleep. He really wanted to take him, dress him in a pretty little outfit and parade him around the Seireitei to show off his ownership of perhaps the loveliest creature in all three realms. He smiled at the thought. That would be such a turn on… He sighed, but he wasn't ready, nowhere near ready, for something like that. But he would be one day, he bet. Ichigo was showing the sort of reactions that Yumichka though might turn into him being very proud of being owned. No, by the time he was done, he had a feeling Ichigo would ask to be shown off like that to everyone. Yumichika crawled onto the bed with him and settled down beside him and began stroking his hair gently. He was amazed by how soft it was, and how long it had gotten, now well below his neckline. Yes, he'd have him keep it like this, and possibly braid it down his back. Yes, that would be lovely. He frowned as he thought. He really needed to go to the world of the living; he needed a few things for him. He smiled to himself and slid off the bed again, an idea coming to him immediately.

Moments later he'd cuffed his hands and ankles with the soft leather and wool cuffs. He made sure there was a finger's space under each, just in case. Ichigo stirred a bit in his sleep but Yumichika kept working. He took a chain and snapped the ankle cuffs together, then ran it up behind him and looped it through the wrist cuffs, and with a tug, pulled his ankles back up behind him to meet his wrists. His eyes opened then and he gasped out loud from the sudden motion.

"Yumichika!" he gasped and Yumichika smiled. Definitely not the proper response, just as he expected. Ichigo was nowhere near conditioned enough to respond properly when he was caught off guard. But that was the purpose of this, to help him understand what was expected.

"Pet, what was that?" he said, yanking harder on the chain, pulling the muscles in his shoulders taunt, but not enough to strain the them too much. Granted, considering the fortitude of the shinigami, he didn't have a whole lot to worry about when it came to injuring the young one under his command.

"Ow, oh, sorry, Yumi-sama," he panted, his neck arched backward in a futile attempt to see Yumichika, also not an appropriate reaction.

"No, no, do not say you are sorry. Sumimasen is the response I expect when you have broken our protocols from now on, Pet," he said softly, running a hand down his back gently. "I will not punish you for that, because I did not warn you ahead of time, and I did not give a direct order. Do you understand this? Always obey a direct order, or there will be immediate punishment as there was last night when you refused to obey me. There is the matter of calling me by the wrong name. That you were told very clearly already. Should I punish you, my pet?"

Ichigo swallowed the automatic response of "no" and knew what he needed to say but he couldn't seem to make the words come yet. He heard a sigh behind him and there was a quick flash of pain on his still sore rear from Yumichika's open palm. He gasped and his eyes watered a little. He really didn't want to be paddled again at the moment, especially since it seemed to arouse him.

"Answers need to be given immediately, pet, remember. Should I punish you?" he said, his hand rubbing circles gently against the small of his back.

"Y-yes, Yumi-s-sama…" he said finally, biting his lip at the stretch of the odd position with his hands and feet behind him.

Yumichika smiled and released the tight hold he had. There was a four inch chain between his wrists and ankles, leaving him a slight amount of play. Yumichika took another length and snapped it into the ring in the collar and ran it to a ring at the headboard. Ichigo's eyes followed him as he worked. He then reached under the bed and retrieved a box and dug around for a moment before Ichigo felt the bed dip and Yumichika's hands were on the hip that was up.

"Now, as your punishment, you will stay here while I make a short trip to the world of the living. Ikkaku will be home in less than an hour's time, and you will tell him that you not to be let up from here until I return. But first," he said, and Ichigo felt his finger slide down from the small of his back to the hidden entrance to his body and he felt the slickness on it. He jerked at the touch, more than a tad sore after his first time. "I know you are sore here, pet, just bear with me. This is your punishment though, so it is not meant to be completely pleasant."

He slid his slender finger inside, moving within him as Ichigo tried desperately to be still, wincing at the slight burning sensation. "There now," Yumichika said, patting him on the hip with his other hand. "You are such a good boy, you really are, Pet."

His finger moved away and Ichigo thought he was done until he felt something harder and blunt pressing up against him, and then sliding inside. His eyes widened and he tried to turn to see what Yumichika was doing but Yumichika put his hand on his head gently, keeping him still, and worked the object the rest of the way in, settling it against his body. Ichigo let out a pained moan and writhed back against him, feeling the stiff material rub against places inside him. He whimpered, wondering what he was doing to him.

"Yumi-sama…." He said with a whine. "What…what is that…what…"

Another swat followed, close enough to the plug that it jostled it against his prostate, and he let out a drawn out moan. "No questions in that format, Pet. If you wish to ask, ask properly. To ask a question, use my name and make the request. The format is important, and it must always be the same. So for this, you would ask permission to ask a question first. Then you will wait for a response, and once given, you will speak your question. So shall we try again?"

Ichigo wasn't sure entirely what he wanted, but he thought he understood. "Yumi-sama, please, I have a question," he finally panted out.

"Yes, pet?" Yumichika said, waiting patiently for him.

"Yumi-sama, what are you doing?" he finally asked, hoping that he was doing it correctly. Yumichika smiled. Vocal training did take a while.

Pet, this is your punishment, but to answer your question, it is a plug. I'm sure you've heard of them, and if I find it has fallen out, or if you ask Ikkaku to remove it, I'll tie you up where you cannot move at all, and secure you with a much larger one all night. Do you understand, pet?"

Ichigo nodded and received a quick swat for it. "Yes, Yumi-sama," he said quickly this time.

"Verbal replies, Pet, always verbal replies that end with 'Yumi-sama', do you understand that?" he asked, caressing the spot he had just slapped moments before, feeling the heat from the flesh.

"Yes, Yumi-sama," came the quicker response. Yumichika smiled. He was a quick learner, that was certain. He hoped that once they progressed past the mild punishments he would continue to be as accepting.

"This is today's lesson, my love, my Pet. Each day of your consideration period, you will receive one simple lesson that has three parts. This is today's lesson. Answer immediately, and ask questions as I've instructed, in proper format," he said, gently probing the end of the plug and making Ichigo's breath hitch repeatedly. "The last thing is distress calls. Now, I'll let Zaraki-taichou know that you bound here so if there is an emergency, he can see to you. Yes, my love, he is aware of this," he said when he saw Ichigo's shoulders tense. "All you need do to get his attention is send a spike of reiatsu, and he will come help you. But I warn you, do not do so falsely, or I will publicly flog you. I will not tolerate abuse of your safety system; it is the one area there will be no, I repeat, no going easy on you. I swear, if you use it falsely, I will strip you naked and drag you on a leash to the middle of the practice field and flog your back until it's bloody with everyone in the eleventh watching if they want. A distress call is just that, for distress only, not discomfort. Do you understand me, Pet?" Yumichika's normally soft voice was hard, and he had no doubt that he would follow that completely.

"Yes, Yumi-sama," he said with a hard swallow, trying not to squirm as he pressed against the plug. The thought of being flogged publicly was horrid…and strangely arousing.

"Alright my pet, be good, and I will return soon. Before I go, tell me the three things you have learned today, and when I get back, you will do so again," he said, pressing harder into the plug and getting a whimper out of the bound sub.

"Yes, Yumi-sama. Answer immediately, Yumi-sama," he said, then panted quickly trying to catch his breath as Yumichika did his best to distract him with the sensations. "Do not question Yumi-sama improperly," he said, and gave another quick pant. "And distress signals are for true distress only, Yumi-sama," he said with an added pant at the end followed by a long drawn out moan again as Yumichika moved the plug in a circular fashion, brushing his prostate several times in the process.

"Good, good, pet. Now when I return, if you've been a good boy, and you can tell me all those things again, I'll reward you. Do you understand? And if I have found out you came while I was gone, you will be punished."

"Y-yes, Yumi-sama," he said, his body on fire from the constant stimulation. He wondered if he could hold out without releasing because he could already feel the fire pooling inside his belly and building steadily.

Yumichika moved forward and planted a gentle kiss on his temple and left quickly, closing the door to the bedroom behind him. Ichigo wasn't quite sure which was worse, the stimulation or being left alone and bound in the awkward position. He closed his eyes and tried very hard to ignore the sensations, but found it nearly impossible. Then, after about perhaps an hour, he realized something. He was so focused that he wasn't nervous or anxious, and there were no issues with the hollow at the moment, even under the binding, there was no burning need to suppress him. In fact, he almost felt like he was completely alone in his mind for the first time in a long while.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Yumichika headed out and knocked on the taichou's door. He heard the gruff reply and opened it, Kenpachi looking up at him with a smirk. Yumichika smiled and planted a hand on his hip.

"If I hadn't heard it from the head captain I wouldn't believe it. I knew you got Ikkaku to do what you said, but Ichigo?" he said, shaking his head and the bells on his hair tinkling in the quiet room.

Yumichika shrugged. "He needs a firm hand. I have one, taichou. I need to go to the World of the Living for a few things so need your permission. And I've left him bound in our quarters, with instructions to signal you if he needs help for something serious before Ikkaku gets back. I know you'll sense any surge in his reiatsu immediately."

Kenpachi nodded. Yachiru poked a head over his back and grinned. "Can I come along, peacock?"

"I suppose, fuku-taichou, but you shouldn't wear a gigai, you look too young to be in the place I'm going," he said with a wink at her.

She grinned. "Okay!"

Together, they took off and went through the senkaimon. They emerged near Urahara's shop where Yumichika picked up his gigai and headed to the specialty store. Yachiru followed along, walking on the top of the fences and chattering about everything around them. After a ten minute walk, they came to a storefront that was completely black and written in silver at the top were the words "The Deeps". Yumichika went in, making sure Yachiru went ahead of him. As soon as he did a woman in a black corset and leather pants came up and smiled.

"Dear me, you haven't been here in a while," she said.

"Mistress Keaga. How are you?" Yumichika said.

"Well, well, Master Yumi. Are you in good health?" she asked stepping forward and kissing the air near his cheeks. Yachiru watched with interest from beside him.

"I am," he nodded, kissing her in kind.

"What are you here for today? Do you need replacement whips or flogs?" she asked smiling.

"Actually, Mistress, I have a new sub I'm training," he said with a grin.

She smiled. "Oh, my dear, besides your lovely bald sub?"

Yumichika nodded. "I hope to bring him in when he's a little more trained, of course, but yes, he's a willful thing, wild orange hair and a personality both proud and powerful."

"Oh, quite the challenge," she said with a smile.

"Even more since he's given me total power," Yumichika said, looking away and at the wall where the leather was hung.

The Mistress gasped. "Oh my, that is a something, to be granted a TPE, did you make him your pet or your slave?"

"Pet, dear Mistress. He is quite precious to me already. I need a few things, however. A cage, a sounding set, some pretty clothes, a set of spreader bars…oh, and an assortment of your best penetrative toys, my dear, and some assorted gels and lubes, please," he said.

"Oh, my, he's your bottom?" she said. "I thought you preferred that position?"

"I always have, but this is different…" he said with a smirk.

"Give me a minute, darling. I'll pack everything you might need for an unruly sub to be trained. Is he in consideration or training?" she asked before she moved to the back.

"Consideration, so I'll also need a good training collar. I have little doubt he will wish to continue through full training. He found himself quite aroused after a few swats with a soft leather paddle…" he said with a smug grin.

"Oh my, you have a precious one, then, you think he's a painslut then?" she asked before she went toward the back.

"I think he may be one of those that goes between the two. So please pack things for both," he said with a nod and she disappeared into the backroom.

Yachiru was sitting on the counter looking around at the incredibly plain looking shop. There were leather couches and a counter, but nothing else that would reveal to someone entering that it was anything but a normal meeting place.

"She's nice," Yachiru said with a grin.

"Very. Oh, here's her sub, Lucy," Yumichika said as a woman with blonde pigtails wearing a bright pink collar and cuffs came out with a duffel bag and placed it before him and then dropped to her knees. She was wearing a white shirt and a pleated pink plaid skirt.

"Thank you, Lucy," Yumichika said with a smile.

"No, thank you, Master Yumi. It is a pleasure to service Mistress's customers," she said, her eyes trained on Yumichika's feet.

A moment later, the mistress returned with a second bag and handed it to him. "There you are, darling. I'll bill your account, please enjoy, and I cannot wait to meet your lovely pet."

Yumichika thanked her with a bow and left with both bags. He headed outside to return to Urahara's to drop off his gigai. Jinta and Ururu were the only two home at the time and both gave him a strange glance. He took his zanpakuto and opened the senkaimon so they could head back. Yachiru followed along, chatting happily the entire time. He'd been gone about an hour and a half. He left Yachiru along the way so she could pester some of the other seated officers and headed to his quarters. When he opened the door, he saw that Ikkaku wasn't in the living room. He smiled and dropped the bags on the floor.

Yumichika nodded and headed toward their room and opened the door to find that Ichigo was still in the same position, but he could tell it was putting a strain on him. Ikkaku was sitting in one of the chairs near the windows, reading a book. Ichigo's breath was coming in quick pants and he would whimper in such a lovely way every few moments. Yumichika entered and kneeled beside the bed near his face.

"Pet, my sweet?" he said and Ichigo's eyes flew open.

"Yumi-sama!" he exclaimed, eyes starting to water. "Yumi-sama," he said again, less frantically.

"Oh, sweet pet, what's the matter?' Yumichika asked, concerned at such a reaction. Had he underestimated Ichigo's tolerance? He knew he was moving fast by human standards, but Ichigo was far from human.

He stared at him with wide eyes for a moment and Yumichika smiled softly and stroked his head gently. "Shh, you may tell me when I ask, my pet. You will not be punished for answering me when I ask you something."

Ichigo nodded. "Yumi-sama, I…I was…afraid you would…stay away…" he said finally, his eyes dropping as he said it.

"Oh my dear pet, why would you think that? I would not have accepted you if I did not intend to care for you," Yumichika said, softly running hands over his hair. "Come, I would like to show you how I will attend to you. But first, repeat your lessons for me."

Ichigo swallowed, chasing the scattered thoughts and finding them immediately coming together. "Yumi-sama, answer verbally with Yumi-sama, never question Yumi-sama improperly, and always remember that the distress signals are for true distress, Yum-sama," he said with a wide eyed look at him. He was suddenly extremely proud of himself. He'd been able to put all his thoughts together in something that was sensible.

Yumichika smiled. "Very good, my sweet pet, now, do you want to be rewarded for being such a very good boy?"

"Yes, Yumi-sama, please, Yumi-sama," he said.

"And what would you like to be your reward?" he asked, cupping Ichigo's face gently.

Ichigo swallowed. "To come, Yumi-sama, please, Yumi-sama…"

Yumichika smiled and released the chain between his ankles and wrists, helping him out of the position and onto his back. He whined loudly as the plug moved inside him. Yumichika smiled and slid a hand between his legs and stroked his straining member.

"You held on beautifully, and you deserve a reward, my pet," Yumichika said, settling between his legs and licking the head getting a loud gasp from the sub under him.

Yumichika reached under him and slowly removed he plug, making sure the pump it in and out several times before he removed it completely, hearing the groans from his pet. He smiled and placed it on the bed to be cleaned. Yumichika then slid three fingers into the opening, crooking them to strike that sweet bundle of nerves dead on. Ichigo arched, and Yumichika put his other hand on his hip to steady him as he swallowed down his cock in one move.

Ichigo nearly came off the bed as Yumichika swallowed against him, his throat muscles working across the head and his fingers slowly stroking that spot inside him. It didn't take more than a few seconds before the world was exploding in white hot brilliance for Ichigo and he faded out completely, his head full of cicadas and his vision blank. When the world swam back to reality, he was curled against Yumichika, the other man's arms wrapped around his back, stroking up and down his spine and whispering words of comfort and praise to him. Ichigo smiled and buried his head into Yumichika's shoulder, the heady feeling sill taking over his senses, and he didn't really notice that nothing else existed at the moment.