Author's Note: Oh my, I'm actually writing more than I expected I would…I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, hahaha. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Sorry if the plot is cheesy and clichéd. Oh well. That's too bad, I guess?
"So, what will it be, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara mused aloud, "Are you going to keep moping around saying you don't want to affiliate yourself with Soul Society anymore? Are you really going to let Aizen have his way with poor, frightened, lonely Hitsugaya-kun all by himself in big, scary Hueco Mundo? Or are you going to do something about it?"
"I already told you, Urahara-san," Ichigo answered slowly, swallowing hard. "I don't want to have to face him again."
"Who?"
"Toshiro," he answered heatedly, "That's why I don't want anything to do with soul reapers anymore. I'd end up crossing paths with him again. He thinks I'm…He hates me. He can't stand me, he said so himself. Why would I want to go into the trouble of rescuing a brat like that?"
"You should consider an acting career, Kurosaki-kun," the shop owner snorted sarcastically, "I can see right through your words. You visit it him all the time, don't you? I know how you feel about the boy, just by the tone you use when you talk about him. It's softer."
"Shut up, you don't know anything."
"Kurosaki-san, do you love Hitsugaya-kun?"
"If I did, it wouldn't matter," Ichigo answered in a low voice, "He obviously doesn't feel the same way, so what's the point?"
"Don't be stupid, Kurosaki-kun. Weren't you listening?"
"Yeah…?"
"I said the kidnapping incident occurred two nights ago. The previous day would have been when you told Hitsugaya-kun you fancied him."
"Hey, how did you know I said that!?" Ichigo blurted, mortified.
"Oh, I have my sources," Urahara replied smugly, "But that's beyond the point. He received the mission orders the same day you spoke to him…didn't you notice how upset he was? Of course he couldn't tell you how he really felt."
"How would you know? It wasn't like you were there."
"I already told you, I have sources."
"Sources my ass, you're just making stuff up."
"Sources," Urahara insisted, "I have sources. But that's not the point. The point is, are you going to get him out of there…or do you really not love him? Maybe you just like him because he has a pretty face. My, how shallow of you."
"He wouldn't want me to go after him. It'd just be an insult if I did."
"Don't you get it yet?" the shop owner urged, "This is what Aizen wants. He wants you to not come try to rescue him, and he wants Hitsugaya-kun to know as well. The less hope there seems to be, the easier it will be to break him."
There was a long pause before Ichigo finally answered through clenched teeth,
"Then I'll prove that bastard wrong."
"So does that mean you agree to it?"
"Shut up already! I'll do it!" Ichigo snapped angrily, standing up. "Urahara-san, sorry to trouble you, but I'll need to get to Hueco Mundo as soon as you can get me there. So can you do me a favor and open a pathway?"
"I certainly can," Urahara answered cheerily, "Now this sounds more like you, Kurosaki-san! It would have been so much easier if you hadn't tried to put up that little act and just said you'd go save him in the first place."
"…Shut up. Just hurry up and get to it."
Hitsugaya opened his eyes.
He blinked hard. He must have passed out a while ago.
Please, he begged in his mind, please let this all have been a dream.
As his vision slowly cleared, he scanned the room with the slightest hope he'd be safe and warm back in Soul Society. Unfortunately, this was most definitely not the case. The fact that he was far away from the comforts of his office and lying on the cold, stone floor of Las Noches was the reality.
"I see you're awake, Hitsugaya-kun."
The young captain nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing Aizen's voice.
"Did I startle you?" Aizen chuckled, kneeling next to the terrified boy. He reached down to ruffle the white locks, and instinctively upon the unwanted contact, Hitsugaya drew back.
"There's no need to be afraid," Aizen said, "I won't hurt you right now."
"What do you want with me?" Hitsugaya demanded angrily, "If you want me to tell you about Soul Society's plans for the war, you're wasting your time. I'll die before I tell you a word."
"Oh, no, I don't need that petty information," he answered smoothly.
"Then you have no reason to keep me here," Hitsugaya snarled, "I demand you release me."
"I want to tell you a story, Hitsugaya-kun. I suggest you listen," Aizen replied calmly. "It's said by many soul reapers that there exists a guardian of winter who possesses an enormous amount of power. This guardian reincarnates to Soul Society every few centuries, in the form of a child with icy eyes and snow-colored hair…"
He reached out, gently stroking the side of Hitsugaya's face in mock affection. Repulsed, Hitsugaya instantly shrank away from his touch.
"…And with unrivaled beauty."
"So? What are you telling me this for?"
"Oh, don't tell me you haven't figured it out already," Aizen chuckled, "Why else do you think I brought you here, Hitsugaya-kun? You are that very guardian and you are the one who has the power I need and want. It's only a matter of time before you give it to me."
"What are you saying?" Hitsugaya demanded not sounding the least bit convinced, "I don't have any special powers, aside from within my zanpakuto, which you took and I want back."
"Don't be so hasty," the ex-captain of the tenth division replied, "There's no need to be in any hurry. Like I said, it's only a matter of time before you'll be willing to give me your power. All the guardian needs…" he smirked, "…Is a kiss on the lips from their supposed 'true love,' or so they say."
Hitsugaya opened and closed his mouth, too horrified to speak.
Before he knew it, Aizen had seized his chin in one hand, jerking him forward and pressing his lips roughly against his.
With a disgusted yelp, Hitsugaya managed to wrench away. The nerve of this perverted bastard, stealing my first kiss like that! he screamed in his mind. Who the hell does he think he is?
"Nothing?" Aizen mused with a raised eyebrow. "I guess you're not that into me right now, are you? No need to worry; that can be changed soon."
"That will be never!" Hitsugaya retorted, his voice cracking with disgust and fear. "What makes you think you can go around doing whatever you please to me!? I am not that 'guardian' or whatever you speak of in your childish fairytales, and even if I was, I will never love someone, no – something like you!"
"Don't be naive, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen answered in a colder voice, grasping the white-haired boy's wrist. "You have no choice. Sojiro-kun is dead. Soul Society can't afford to send anyone to rescue you…except for that pathetic, shinigami-wannabe, Kurosaki Ichigo. They can only afford for trash like him to come here to try to save you and die a pitiful death."
"Don't you dare talk about Kurosaki like that!" Hitsugaya all but screamed, furious. "He's stronger than you'll ever be!"
"Getting touchy, are we? Are you fond of the boy?"
"Why do you care?"
"He's not going to come for you," Aizen chuckled, his grasp on the boy's wrist tightening, "So don't be counting on him to. Kurosaki Ichigo doesn't really have any feelings for you. How could such an uncultured oaf know how to truly appreciate an exquisite little beauty such as yourself?"
"Let go of me!" the prodigy snarled, trying in vain to jerk free from Aizen's grasp. "What right do you have to touch me with your filthy, traitorous hands!?"
"There's really nothing special about that Kurosaki Ichigo," the ex-captain of the fifth division went on, completely ignoring the infuriated demands of the boy within his grasp. "So what if he has a little more reiatsu than the average shinigami? Like I said, he's not going to come for you. No one is. You may as well be a good boy and do as I ask."
"I'd rather die."
"There's no way you can return to Soul Society. They've given up on rescuing you long ago, and you were so quick to break our little strawberry's heart that he won't even consider trying to save you. You have no other options."
"Then you may as well just kill me now."
"Oh, no," Aizen beamed, "I wouldn't do such a thing. You see, Hitsugaya-kun, people like that Kurosaki Ichigo are low, insignificant creatures. They don't deserve the attention of such a rare beauty as yourself. I, on the other hand, am a king…the king of Hueco Mundo. Agree to become my queen and you will have anything you could ever want. Las Noches will be your home. My Espada will attend to your every need. Anything you desire will be yours."
"I refuse," Hitsugaya snarled, "All you want is not me, but my power. Fine then, I wish you the best of luck trying to get it, because I assure you, I will never, ever, willingly let you have it."
"We shall see about that, Hitsugaya-kun."
