Author's Note: Because of the quick response to the last chapter, I decided to whip up another chapter as fast as I could for you guys! Thanks for all the positive reviews. But I still need more opinions on whether or not you think I should include more "M-Rated" content, if you know what I mean. A fic like this would probably call for some, but I'm not sure if I should yet. So please, if you haven't already, give me your input on this! So then I won't suffer from as much writer's block in the future and be able to update faster!


Having already been to Hueco Mundo on one previous occasion, Ichigo already knew what he had to do to get through the portal that led from Urahara's basement to Hueco Mundo itself. He had to admit it was a lot easier than it had been last time, but the real job was going to be a lot tougher.

For one thing, he only had a day to do what he needed to get done.

That wasn't really a lot of time for something so dangerous.

And in Hueco Mundo, it was pretty hard to tell the time. He had constraints on this time, and the less he was able to keep track of it, the more stressed and more panicked he knew he would get.

Not to mention, who knew if he'd even live to use all that time.

"No way am I getting myself killed," Ichigo muttered to himself, as if he was giving himself a quick motivational pep talk, "If I get killed, then who's gonna save Toshiro? Wouldn't that be so awesome if I saved him?"

He blinked.

"No!" he snarled at himself furiously, "There's no if, I'm definetely gonna get him out of this place. And if I do save him, maybe he'll..."

What was he expecting from the boy in exchange for rescuing him?

It wasn't like Hitsugaya had asked him to come.

And it wasn't like he was going to be all Kurosaki, thank you for saving me, you're my hero. No, he wasn't that kind of person.

"Let's be realistic, Kurosaki Ichigo," the strawberry told himself as he continued to run, taking care to pace himself so he wouldn't overexert and waste energy. Then, he'd be too tired to do anything later, when it mattered the most. "It's not like I'll save him and he'll start swooning over me for being a hero or something. It's not like just because I came for him, he's going to fall in love with me...or something cheesy like that..." He then added as an afterthought, "Although, that wouldn't be a bad thing, either."

To be honest with himself, Ichigo was preparing to go unrewarded for this little rescue mission. He wasn't expecting to get anything out of this. As long as Hitsugaya was safe and sound, he'd be satisfied. That would be his reward.


With a soft groan of pain, Hitsugaya forced himself to open his eyes.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he had last seen Aizen.

All he remembered was the traitor grabbing him by the front of his kimono and saying something to him. Then, he had panicked, and in a desperate attempt to free himself from the vicelike grip, had latched his teeth right on to Aizen's hand. Hard enough so that it bled. Of course, this didn't sit well with Aizen at all. The last thing he recalled happening was being hit, hard, and then everything had gone black.

With another whimper, Hitsugaya slowly sat up, blinking hard. His head ached badly and his vision was blurry.

He looked around him, noticing that he had apparently been placed in a small room that was sparsely furnished. He was guessing that Aizen had decided to put him in a room that was at least mediocre to keep him alive. If what he had said to him was true, then it would be in the traitor's interests to treat him at least well enough so that he wouldn't die. The thought of "loving" this man was so revolting, that Hitsugaya wanted to kill himself for even just thinking about it as a possibility.

Aside from a small, barred window, there wasn't much to see. And the window was practically pointless anyway because it was at least a hundred feet above the floor.

How the hell did he end up in this mess?

Hyourinmaru, he pleaded silently, Hyourinmaru, help me...

He rarely asked his zanpaku-to for aid when not in battle. But since his katana had been taken away from him, the icy dragon's presence felt frighteningly faint, and it scared him and made him sick with fear to be so far away from it for so long.

He recieved no response, only a weak chill to let him know the dragon was still there.

Slowly, Hitsugaya got to his feet to get a closer look at his surroundings. He crossed the room to the wall, placing a hand on the cold stone.

No wonder he felt so faint and weak. Not only was his zanpakuto gone, but he could feel that the wall was made of some unknown material, although one not different from what Seireitei's wall was constructed of.

In other words, Aizen had also taken care to seal his reiatsu tightly, lest he attempt to escape with kido.

With a eerie creak, the door suddenly opened, and startled, Hitsugaya moved back.

He wasn't suprised, although very displeased, to see Aizen there in the open doorway with the usual smile.

Slowly, Hitsugaya backed away. Trying to run through the now open door past the wretched man was a hopeless, and quite stupid plan. He knew there wasn't anywhere to go by moving backwards, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be as far away from this sickening man as possible.

"I've put in all this effort to make you comfortable, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen spoke, "The least you could do is at least pretend to be grateful."

"I'm not grateful," the snow-haired captain retorted, "And I'm not a liar, either."

Aizen acted like he hadn't said anything at all. "It's a shame, really," he continued, "You could have so much more. Do you plan on allowing yourself to keep living like this, in this small, pitiful little room? No, Hitsugaya-kun, I know you have much more dignity than that...You have the air of an empress. And not just any empress at that, my empress. All you need to do, Hitsugaya-kun...is to love me."

"You don't give a shit about me," Hitsugaya spat, backing up even more as Aizen approached. "You don't care if I live or die, or what kind of a life I live. All you care about is my power."

He hit the wall, his hands pressed fearfully against the cold stone behind his back. There was no more distance that he could put between himself and the ex-captain of the fifth division.

"Why would I not care for you, Hitsugaya-kun?" Aizen smiled, "You're young, you're beautiful, and you're intelligent. What's there not to love?"

"The fact that I have no intention on letting you have me."

"Oh?"

Aizen was so close by now that Hitsugaya could feel his the warmth of his body. With an uncomfortable whimper, he tried to shrink back, turning his head away to avoid his maddeningly satisfied stare. But having the wall right behind him, needless to say, he didn't get very far.

With sickening, mock affection that made the terrified boy want to choke, Aizen slowly and deliberately reached out with one hand, turning the young captain's face forward before slowly sealing the gap between them, pressing his lips against his.

As much as he wanted to jerk away, Hitsugaya found that he could not. Aizen was not holding him in place or anything of the sort, but his presence alone was enough to render the boy immobile. All he could do was let out a muffled sob.

No, he begged in his mind, No, this can't be happening. Please, make it stop.

He then found his mind drifting to one name.

Please, don't let this man touch me anymore...Please help me...Kurosaki...

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Aizen pulled away.

With a mixture of relief and fear, slowly, Hitsugaya weakly sank to the floor, his back still pressed against the cold, stone wall.

He couldn't look at Aizen anymore. It scared him too much how his stare could invoke every feeling in his body that was related to fear. With another choked sob, he averted his gaze downwards, tears streaming down his cheeks.

How he hated this man, how he hated this wretched place, how he hated the way he had suddenly become so weak and helpless.

"I know why you don't want to love me, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen spoke, looking down at the quietly crying boy. "There's someone else, isn't there? Someone else on your mind."

Hitsugaya did not answer.

"Don't worry," he chuckled, "I'll find out who he is. And let me assure you, whoever he is...He won't live to see you again."

With those words, he turned and left, closing the door noiselessly behind him.