Author's Note: We're only on Chapter 9, so sorry, but don't expect Hitsugaya to be getting out of this pickle anytime soon. And yes, your M-Rated stuff is also on its way, you'll see it within the next few chapters. So look forward to that, I guess. And keep the reviews coming, too!
Feeling the terrifyingly familiar reiatsu, Ichigo turned.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath, seeing the very man he had been hoping to avoid standing in the remnants of the doorway
Why now of all times? He was almost out of time, that he could tell. And Aizen's sudden appearance would only serve to take up even more of the last, valuable hour he had. If they didn't get moving now, it would be too late, and everything would have been for nothing.
"I was wondering what all the commotion was," Aizen spoke, his voice low, cold, and dangerous. "I never would have thought this was what was going on..." He glanced at Ichigo, a chuckle rising from his throat. "Kurosaki Ichigo, looks like you're the one to cause trouble again. And after I was sure to let Hitsugaya-kun know that you weren't going to come for him, too. What an interesting turn of events..."
"Not everyone is like you," Ichigo ground out through clenched teeth, "Some of us actually have feelings. Some of us actually care about other people."
"Oh, I do care about Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen answered smoothly, "After all, if I didn't care, how would the boy learn to love me?"
"You can't force Toshiro to love you!" Ichigo retorted, "Are you stupid or something!? And besides, why would he even want to!? No one's going to want to love a sick, twisted, son of a bitch like you! Leave him alone."
Aizen's smile broadened.
"I see now," he spoke calmly, ignoring Ichigo completely, now turning to Hitsugaya.
"Do you still remember the little chat we had earlier today, Hitsugaya-kun?" he asked, "About exactly why you refuse to love me."
The white-haired boy did not answer.
"It's because of this boy, isn't it?"
Hitsugaya remained silent.
"Ah, then I'll take that as a yes," Aizen chuckled, "I also daresay you remember what I told you would happen if I ever found out who it was..."
"What's going on?" Ichigo demanded, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Slowly, Aizen unsheathed his katana, taking a step closer to the pair.
Hitsugaya panicked.
"No!"
He threw himself between the confused Ichigo and the smiling Aizen before he could fully unsheath Kyoka Suigetsu. He knew that Aizen was a man of his word who would stick to every threat he made, no matter what. But he couldn't let that happen, not after Ichigo had come all the way to Hueco Mundo just to save his sorry ass. He was desperate, he would do anything to ensure that Aizen would agree not to hurt the strawberry.
"Don't," he pleaded frantically, his words coming out in a rushed, panicked stream. "I-I'll do anything, I swear, just please let him leave unharmed, I'll do anything you ask, anything, just don't hurt him..."
Ichigo stared at Hitsugaya in disbelief.
"Don't be stupid, Toshiro!" he yelled, "Do you really think I'm gonna sit back and watch you let this man take advantage of you!?"
"Kurosaki, I-"
"Anything?" Aizen interjected.
Hitsugaya turned back to the traitor before hesitantly nodding.
"Anything," he answered before quickly adding, "If you promise to let Kurosaki go unharmed."
Aizen seemed to consider the offer for a moment before his face once again broke into a broad, smug smile.
"Of course, Hitsugaya-kun," he finally said smoothly in a voice saturated with mock affection, "Anything for you."
The air was so thick with tension that it could almost be felt.
"Toshiro," Ichigo cut in, grabbing the boy by the shoulder, "Are you out of your mind!?"
"It's alright, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya answered softly, gently pulling away from the enraged subsitute shinigami. "You came all the way here for my sake, this is the least I can do for you."
"No! You can't do this!"
"Yes, I can."
"Toshiro, please."
"If you don't mind, Kurosaki Ichigo, Hitsugaya-kun and I are having a chat," Aizen interupted again, earning a hateful glare from Ichigo.
The traitor then turned to Hitsugaya.
"Become my queen, Hitsugaya-kun," he spoke in the usual even tone, "And I promise to let the little strawberry go free, unharmed."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
There was a long pause before Hitsugaya finally answered in a soft voice that was barely above a whisper.
"Then I consent."
Ichigo's mouth fell open.
He turned to Aizen, sheer rage blazing in his copper eyes. "Y-You worthless, shitty, son of a bitch!" he roared. He was so angry, that even his reiatsu had begun to flare violently, the hollow dangerously close to emerging. "What do you want with Toshiro, anyway!?"
"That's none of your concern," Aizen answered calmly, "Now, I plan on honoring my promise to Hitsugaya-kun."
The man then stooped downwards, grabbing Hitsugaya by the wrist and pulled him to his feet, completely ignoring the yelp of pain he recieved, seeing as he wasn't bothering to be very gentle at all with the delicate child prodigy.
"Come on, Hitsugaya-kun," he ordered, his voice harder, the smile gone. "Seeing the mess you made out of this room, I'll have to find you another one." He then glanced over his shoulder at Ichigo. "You're free to go, Ichigo-kun," he spoke, "I won't stop you from leaving."
"Like hell I'm just gonna get up and go!" Ichigo shouted, rising to his feet, starting after Aizen.
He moved to follow Aizen, who was dragging a reluctant Hitsugaya behind him. He found, however, that he couldn't move a muscle.
"I put a little kido spell on you," the ex captain of the fifth division explained casually, "It'll wear off in a few moments. By then, it'll be too late to try and follow us."
"What are you going to do to Toshiro!?" Ichigo demanded, his voice rising in anger. "If you hurt him, Aizen, I swear I'll..."
"You'll what?" Aizen cut him off with a laugh. "I just want to have a little fun with my new little queen, is there something wrong with that?"
"Y-You..."
They were getting away.
And Ichigo could do nothing to stop them.
As they got further and further away, he watched as Hitsugaya turned his head to look at him again.
"Kurosaki...I'm sorry."
And then they were gone.
Words could not describe the amount of frustration, hate, and anger that Ichigo felt as finally, the effects of the kido spell began to wear off.
He couldn't feel Hitsugaya's reiatsu anymore.
He knew that his time was almost up, but he had to try again anyway. He started off on the path that Hitsugaya and Aizen had disappeared on, moving as fast as his legs would carry him. It was really a hopeless situation, but he kept going anyway. He knew, deep down, that it was too late. He had screwed up. And there was no way to fix it or to reverse it.
That was when he felt it. A strong series of reiatsu surrounding him.
He stopped abruptly, blinking as several shinigami appeared in a ring around him.
"Who are you guys?" he demanded, "Get out of my way."
That was when he noticed one of the shinigami was the captain of the sixth division, Kuchiki Byakuya.
"What are you doing here?" the strawberry demanded.
"Orders from the sotaichou," droned the stoic captain, "Twenty-four hours have passed since you entered Hueco Mundo. And by the looks of it...you failed to finish what you came for. Nonetheless Soul Society has demanded for your immediate return."
"Like hell I'm going back now!" Ichigo shouted, "I can't...We can't...We can't just leave Toshiro here!"
"It's a shame, really," was the monotone reply, "But orders are orders. Kurosaki Ichigo...you're going back, no matter what you say."
