Chapter Two
The two bedrooms at the top of the stairs looked so empty to him as he gazed up from the front door. Yumichika let out a sigh as he looked at their bare walls, brushing his hair out of his face, he smiled gently. This was the house he had lived in with Ikkaku and his uncle for the last year, though in honesty, his uncle was always so busy working abroad it had seemed more like their house.
And now, their rooms, Ikkaku's full of weaponry and dirty clothes, and Yumichika's, where everything had a particular place, were as bare as if nobody had ever slept in them, laughed in them, or made love in them.
"Yumi – hey, come on – this guy is being a really asshole about waiting for you to finish being nostalgic," Ikkaku chuckled, wrapping an arm around his lover's shoulder, nuzzling into the back of his neck, "We've gotta post the front door key through the letter box… you have it right?"
He laughed and brandished it from his jeans pocket, "Right here, right here…" with his other hand he jerked his one remaining suitcase up into Ikkaku's hand, "I'll lock up, you take this out to the taxi."
Ikkaku growled a little, but did as he was told, heading out to the red-faced and rather over-worked looking taxi driver.
Yumichika smiled at him for a moment, before taking another glance up at the two empty bedrooms, he closed the door, locking it up and posting the key through key-hole, giving his stressing boyfriend a cheerful wave, "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
*
It was going to be a four hour drive, but only Izuru had saved his money enough for a train or bus ride… So it had been decided that the only option left was to drive.
Technically it was a joint car; last summer had given rise to the three of them (Renji, Momo and Izuru) getting part time jobs (they were mocked by Shuuhei, but it was sort of ironic considering he never had any money and therefore even less social life than the three job-goers), it had been a long and hard period of their lives, but they'd saved for driving lessons. Izuru who wasn't particularly interested in learning to drive spent out his money over the next year, Momo and Renji learnt to drive and continued to work hard for a car, which they bought together.
As much as they all loved him, asking Renji to drive the whole way was a ridiculous notion; he suffered from road-rage to the degree he'd sometimes hurl objects with some momentum at whatever was holding him up, not to mention his impatience, and the fact he'd scarcely past his test. Momo was probably the best driver out of the two of them, but she would probably be bullied into backing down by Renji, or in today's case, Shuuhei, who'd just learnt to drive while he was at college last year.
This was where the problem started.
"I can't find my driver's licence!"
"Ha, sucks to be you," Renji cat-called as he dumped his bag at the bottom of the stairs, "Has anyone seen my sneakers?"
"They're under your bed, I'm surprised you didn't see them when you changed the mattress," Izuru was laughing a little, brushing his hair out of his eyes, he was polishing the large dining room table with a cloth… last night Renji and Shuuhei had come in late and eaten Chinese food off it, leaving vague greasy stains, which Izuru was determined to get rid of.
"This is balls – Renji, Izuru – help me find my licence!"
"You probably left it somewhere stupid," Renji laughed, "Oh well; I guess Momo will have to drive in your place. What a shame," he added sarcastically.
"Helpful, bastard, helpful," he rolled his eyes, gritting his teeth a little, "You'll help me, right, Izuru?"
"I'm kinda busy right now, senpai. But it's important for us to find it, you can become a victim of identity fraud if someone else finds it," he called from the dining room, realizing how unhelpful his statement had been as it felt his lips.
"Shit," Shuuhei yelled and grabbed onto one of the jackets hanging limply from his bag, violently going through the pockets, "I need to find it! Renji – when did you last see it?"
Renji glanced down at the licence in the breast pocket of his jacket, he smirked as he saw the printed name: SHUUHEI HISAGI, on it, his smirk widened… "Urm, I dunno."
Shuuhei groaned in frustration, "Hinamori is gonna drive us unless you guys help me find it!" he declared warningly.
There was a pause, and then Renji shrugged his shoulders, "I'd be fine with that."
"What do you mean 'fine with that', she drives really slowly!"
"That was just after she passed her test," Izuru piped up, he was disposing of the cloth he'd used now, and was washing his hands, "She drives me a lot now, she's very good."
"Izuru, Izuru, Izuru, that's because you drive slowly too," Shuuhei said as kindly as it was possible, walking behind the slimmer male and wrapping his arms around his waist in a mock gentle hug, "It's okay, you can get over it, I promise."
Izuru elbowed him, "Not funny! And I do not drive slowly, senpai, you just drive too fast, I imagine!"
Shuuhei had discovered the joy that was teasing Izuru. It was too much fun not to do, the blonde was usually prim and quiet, and so to make him squirm and thrash about was what Shuuhei delighted in doing. In his first year of college, he had discovered that there was no shame in messing around with members of the same sex if he found them attractive… like Izuru for example. Rest assured, his mind would always return to Matsuomoto's pretty heavenly breasts at night.
"Hey, Momo's here," Renji called from the living room, coming in and snatching Izuru to his chest, grinning at Hisagi, "And she'll be driving!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it," he frowned, choosing now to turn on the charm, he could charmingly bully Momo into letting him drive. The girl was too nice for her own good.
Renji rolled his eyes, heading towards the front door, waving at the girl as she parked up, "Hey, Momo," he called, watching her climb out of the car.
They were a funny pair, the three of them. Renji, tall, strong and brash, Izuru was more delicate and pale; then stood between them was Momo Hinamori, complaining about her slender figure and a china doll like face.
"Hi, Renji," she had her hair in a ponytail; she always got embarrassed when he told her she looked cute like that. "Are you ready to go?"
"Just about," he shrugged, stretching, "Can you open the boot so we can get our bags in the back?"
"Sure," she walked around the back to open it, "Oh, and I hope you won't mind, but Shiro-chan came to wave me off…" she gestured to the little boy sat in the back seat of the car.
Ah… bugger… Toshiro Hitsuguya was the little boy who lived with Momo, his grandmother took Momo in after her parents passed away. Renji had spoken to him a few times; the kid was a real little smart ass.
"Hello, Renji, I hear you got into college," he said smirking, keeping his eyes on the red-head. Toshiro was incredibly over-protective of Momo, and surveyed her male friends, treating each and every one with extreme dislike.
"Yeah, well I hear you're still eleven," Renji said in a cocky tone, one suitcase thrown over his back, the other one tucked under his arm.
Toshiro rolled his eyes and climbed out of the car, "Here, Momo, let me help you with that," he said, noticing the girl was trying to pull one of her cases out to make room for the others.
"I got it, Shiro-chan," she reassured him, but he was quite stubborn.
"Hey, good morning, Hinamori-san, are you ready for the BIG college experience?" Shuuhei called as he left the house, he still looked edgy; he was totally paranoid about loosing his licence.
"Who's that guy?" Toshiro whispered to Renji.
"Hisagi-senpai, he lives with me and Izuru," he shrugged, his lips forming into an evil smirk, "He's a bit of a deviant."
Toshiro's eyes widened, and he made it his business to stand infront of Momo a little bit. She didn't seem to notice, as usual.
"Yeah, I'm all ready. I hear I'm driving," she laughed nervously, "Well, I was thinking me and Renji could split halves?"
"Momo, that's a really cool idea," Renji interrupted before Hisagi could make any comments.
"Actually, Hinamori-san," he cut in politely, walking closer to her, "I passed my test during the last semester? If you wanted, I could drive."
"Really, you could? I mean, that wouldn't be a problem, it's only I didn't know you had your licence. Well done, Hisagi-san."
"For someone with a licence you sure look edgy, is it fake, or do you not even have one?" piped up a voice. Hisagi blinked, looking down to see a white-haired boy scowling at him.
He laughed a little, "Urm, cute kid, your brother, Hinamori-san?"
"No, this is–"
"Toshiro Hitsuguya," the boy interrupted, "So if you've passed, would you mind showing me some proof? I'd rather this idiot returned to us in one piece," he said jerking one thumb to Momo.
"Hey, Toshiro, don't be so rude!"
"Be quiet, you bed-wetter."
Renji laughed behind his hand, Momo's red face kind of gave her away, and she snatched one of Renji's cases and tossed it into the boot.
"I urm… can't find my licence," Hisagi grumbled.
Toshiro just smirked and folded his arms, "Then I'm afraid we'll have to go with Plan A."
As much as he couldn't stand that kid, Toshiro Hitsuguya was a natural leader, despite the fact he more over came across as a bossy little shit. He ruffled the boy's hair as he went back for Izuru, who'd probably been roped into looking for Shuuhei's licence some how.
"Hey, Izuru, bring your monster bag, we're going!"
*
"Ya wanted to see me, Sosuke?"
Sosuke Aizen sat back on the leather sofa, briefly inspecting his nails, "Do I need a reason to drop by on you, Gin?"
"Ah guess not," he smirked, he was making coffee for the both of them, and his back turned to the older man. He could see those intense dark eyes on his back, boring into him. There was nothing more unnerving than this man's company, he felt as though he was stripped completely bare.
"I hear you met with Rangiku-san the other day. Did you have fun, Gin?"
"Yer not mad at me?" he joked, looking back at him for a moment, Aizen was smiling, which always made him difficult to read.
"Did I say that?" he laughed, the sound sending uncertain ripples around the room, Gin sighed and kept his eyes on him, turning back and leaning against the counter-top, "Should I be mad, beautiful Gin?" he asked, rising from the sofa, and walking towards the silver haired man. A firm hand reached up and lifted up the slender male's chin so his dark eyes met Gin's half opened ones.
"O' course not. It's not like you gave me time to give you anything to be really upset about it."
Aizen laughed a little, "Of course, I know my Gin wouldn't hurt my feelings," he leant in and kissed him softly on the mouth. The softness of the kiss caught him off-guard; based on pure instinct, long fingered hands raised and layed themselves on Aizen's shoulders, returning the kiss.
Breaking the kiss, the older man reached down, and ripped open Gin's shirt, the buttons scattered across the cold floor. Gin's eyes closed again, remaining calm, if Aizen wanted to take him here, he would have acted differently. Instead of stroking the sucking on the skin, he traced a hand across the scar that ran across the younger's man's chest.
"Afterall, if you and Rangiku-san hurt my feelings again… those bad things I had to do… might happen again…" he whispered the words into his ear, each word cutting in deep. His tone was like that of a lover tempting his partner to bed, but to Gin, his words chilled him to the bone.
"I'd never hurt you, Sosuke," he purred into his ear, his tongue flicking across the lobe, eliciting a little moan from the dark haired man. A pair of strong, powerful arms wrapped around his waist; but there was no comfort in this embrace, it was more like the bars of a cage trapping him in the darkness.
*
"That taxi driver was the rudest man I've ever met!" Ikkaku snapped as he flashed his ticket to the ticket inspector.
Yumichika rolled his eyes and laughed, "You're really not going to let this go, are you? He apologized."
"He called me bald," Ikkaku pouted a little. The beautiful man couldn't help but laugh; there was something… undeniably cute about his lover sulking like a child.
"I'm sure he didn't mean too," he hooked his hand in his and gave him a warm smile. Ikkaku grinned back, raising his spare hand to stroke Yumichika's hair.
Suddenly his gaze travelled across the station and he let go of him.
"I'll be right back," he called, "Yumi, would you keep an eye on my bag?" he handed it to his confused boyfriend, and sprinted off towards a far corner.
Yumichika's eyes narrowed as he saw Ikkaku heading towards a girl with rather a lot of cleavage. He kept his eyes on him for a minute, Ikkaku with his stupid flirting techniques… they were crap; yet the idea of the bald man inflicting them on anyone else, made Yumichika's blood boil.
"Hey, would you like a hand with your bag?" the bald man offered, "Can't have a pretty girl like you hurting herself, can we?"
Luckily, the girl appeared to be some sort of feminist, who accused the bald man of oppressing her, before barging away. Yumichika sniggered; maybe fate was on his side afterall.
**
"Hinamori-san, you can pick up speed now," Shuuhei groaned as he noticed the girl was glancing nervously at the speed dial. She laughed nervously, admitting she'd never really driven so far away before.
Before he could make a comment about how he had, Renji spoke for him; "Yeah, its okay, none of us have before."
The car had been organised carefully, Momo driving, Izuru in the passenger seat, just to check through the map (that and he had an embarrassing habit of getting car-sick on long journeys), Shuuhei and Renji in the back, cramped between the extra cases and bags. There had been no major episodes so far, apart from just before they'd left.
Shuuhei had dropped his pack, and a load of things had fallen out, Momo had gotten down on her knees to help pick them up, only to lift up a rather… sticky porn magazine. She had, whilst being very flustered, handed it back to him. Toshiro had reacted to this by constantly standing beside Momo if Shuuhei was around, and giving the older boy nasty evils. Renji had been teasing his senpai about it the whole way.
"So, Hisagi-san, I've been meaning to ask, do you know Aizen-Sensei well?" Momo asked suddenly after a moment's pause. There was a happy flush on her face as she thought about the man who'd saved her life nearly a year ago.
To be perfectly honest, Shuuhei despised Aizen-Sensei; he gave him the creeps in every sense of the word.
"Urm, I don't take any classes with him, so I only really see him round the campus every now and then. So not really, I guess," he mumbled, looking out of the window. It was Aizen-Sensei who'd adopted Rangiku Matsumoto-Sensei when she was a child, along with the equally terrifying Gin Ichimaru-Sensei.
Momo nodded, she was blushing a little, keeping her hands on the steering wheel; though it was clear she was day-dreaming a little. Renji sniggered and elbowed Shuuhei, gesturing to the girl's expression.
Izuru noticed their giggling and turned around to throw a magazine at them, shushing them before Momo worked out they were laughing at her. "Quiet down back there, you're acting like children!" he teased the two larger boys.
**
Ikkaku sighed; this morning had not gone exactly according to his plan. Although the train trip had been a success (they were on the right train at least), he'd had no luck whatsoever chatting anyone else up. He could be a superstitious man when he wanted to be, and he was beginning to think this was a really bad omen.
But he and Yumichika had agreed – he couldn't go back on what he'd said before, he'd end up looking like a dateless wonder that couldn't be with anyone but the same person: a loser.
He glanced over at his boyfriend now, the slighter male was asleep, his head on Ikkaku's shoulder. It was sort of a cute habit, but Yumichika always ended up migrating towards the bald man when he was asleep. He chuckled to himself, raising a hand to stroke the soft violet hair, entwining his fingers in the delicate strands. For the slightest moment Ikkaku took in his smell, the sweet fragrance he was so addicted too.
The sound of the compartment door opening made him instantly retract his hand, and he smiled at the young girl standing with the trolley full of snacks and drinks.
She instantly looked apologetic when she saw Yumichika was asleep, and gave him an awkward little smile, which he returned casually, patting his friend on the head gently.
"So, urm, what're ya selling there?" he whispered, placing a finger over his lips.
The girl giggled behind her hand, and leant over a little to whisper the items on the trolley to him. He got a quick glance down the half-buttoned up shirt, and a glimpse of a blue lacy bra.
"Hmm, you've got a lot of things I like," he smirked, returning his gaze to her face. Even he had to admit; it wasn't as appealing. In some ways he had to curse Yumichika for looking the way he did; everyone else, who may have seemed good looking by other standards, all seemed plain to Ikkaku now.
"Oh, is that right?" she raised an eyebrow, resting a hand beside his on the arm rest.
He blinked as he felt Yumichika tense a little, his hand slipping behind Ikkaku's back, and brushing a finger against the base of his spine, a place which always made his shiver.
"A-Actually, I'd just like some water," he quickly reached for his wallet, paying her hastily. The girl looked disappointed, but handed over the water and headed out of the compartment.
Ikkaku shot the other a look, "Don't pretend to be asleep, Yumichika."
The beautiful man gave him a wistful smirk, opening his eyes, "What do you mean 'pretend'?"
"I mean don't pretend to be asleep," he scowled, tickling his side roughly; "I was talking to someone!"
"You need me to be asleep so you can talk to someone?"
"Oh, c'mon, you know what I was trying to – Ah!" he gasped a little, as Yumichika's hand slipped down into the front of his cargo pants. Ikkaku gasped, and looked at the others face. Yumichika was giving him the devious smile he'd so adored, looking away for a moment, before releasing a deep moan, as he felt those slender fingers massaging the head of his cock.
"Yumi," he moaned warningly into his ear, "s-someone could see…" to be honest, that was just a sentence, both of them knew Ikkaku couldn't give a flying fuck if anyone saw, when he had that beautiful hand taking him to heaven.
"Well, boo-hoo," Yumichika sneered, beginning to slide his hand up and down his erection, leaning up to nibble on his ear, going lower, and letting his fingers slightly caress his balls, before moving up fast to the head. Ikkaku groaned, leaning back his hips, rocking them forward, panting; just wanting to be deep in that grip. His spare hand reached up to grip onto the front of the others chest, gasping into his ear, as his beautiful lover kept the pace of his hand going – it was almost too much for him to bear –
The bald man's gasps were loud and lingering as Yumichika's hand brought him to a steady and intense climax. His boyfriend leant up and kissed him gently on the cheek as Ikkaku caught his breath.
"D-Damnit, Yumi," he panted, nuzzling his head into the crook of his neck. Yumichika smiled contently, stroking the others head, wrapping his arms around him; knowing Ikkaku wouldn't argue when they were like this. He knew he couldn't keep his boyfriend away from the opposite sex forever… but he was going to prolong being the only one to touch Ikkaku for as long as possible.
*
"What the heck are you guys doing?" Momo demanded. The bathroom break stop had turned into Hisagi and Renji getting into the queue at McDonalds. It was a pretty big queue as well, mostly parents with screaming two-year olds.
She'd found Izuru at the door, holding the door for a massive family, who were all piling past; The father thanking the blonde boy with a lot of bowing.
"I tried to stop them, Momo," Izuru admitted, gesturing to the other two, "But… well; you know what they're like… they'd follow their stomachs off a cliff…"
Momo laughed a little, as Shuuhei made his way through the crowd, carrying two bags full of food, a large Coke tucked under his muscled arm.
"Hey, wait for me, Hisagi!" Renji was yelling over the noise of screaming children. He had about the same, except he'd added two other drinks, the red head grinned at Momo, "I bought you a strawberry milkshake," he said, taking it out and waving it at her, before she took it.
"Thank-you, Renji," she grinned at him.
Izuru gave him a stiff look, as if to say 'where be mine?' Shuuhei quickly wrapped an arm around Izuru's waist, pushing the straw of the Coke against his lips, "Here, you can share mine, little Izuru," he beamed at him.
"Don't call me 'little', senpai," he said coldly, taking a long sip, his eyes narrowed a little at the other man.
"You are little," Momo piped up, a smile on her lips, "Look at your waist," she poked him in the stomach, "It isn't fair, you're so thin!"
"Christ, not this again," Renji groaned, smacking himself in the head, "C'mon, Momo, drive us!" He hooked an arm around her hips, and began to carry her towards the car; with the brown eyed girl screaming for him to put her down.
**
"So, who was it you asked to give us a ride?" Yumichika asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
"I asked Iba," Ikkaku grunted, "I texted him when we got off the train to say we were here… He said he had a sign of some sort…"
Yumichika rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, "I thought you two ended on bad terms?"
"Yumi, don't say it like that – I wasn't fucking dating him," he elbowed the other in the arm.
The beautiful man just laughed, "Oh, defensive, Ikkaku, real defensive. No, I was talking about how his leaving for university party ended," he waggled his eyebrows for effect. But Ikkaku still didn't seem to understand.
"What the heck are you on about? I mean, we weren't even talking when Iba left…"
"Oh I don't know… the fight in the street, the train ride to where we used to live, the arrest, and the tattoo Iba got…"
Ikkaku's eyes widened… that had been the craziest night of his life. It started out in the pub, everyone from high school had been there; but as it got late, everyone went, Ikkaku and Iba had a fight in the street; and then had decided to get on a train to Ikkaku's old high school. There, they'd met up with Shuuhei Hisagi and Renji Abarai, some old friends of Ikkaku. The end result of this… had been a lovely decorated cat tattoo on Iba's back.
The next morning, they'd gotten themselves back onto a train, Iba complaining that his back felt really sore. Ikkaku had kept sniggering to himself as he could see it through his shirt.
Ah – now he remembered! The next day Iba had come to Ikkaku's and punched him in the nose for not telling him about the tattoo! Mystery solved –
"Yumichika, that was years ago. Iba is a mature man, we talk all the time online," he pouted, "Trust me, he'll be here."
He rolled his eyes; Ikkaku was now gazing off into the distance, he'd probably seen some food somewhere. Yumichika's eyes narrowed as he noticed a man stood with a large sign.
Well, it wasn't really a sign. It was a big drawing a light bulb… Blinking, he stepped closer to get a better look. That was a light bulb… no, no… It was more like a drawing of a man's head…
"Urm, Ikkaku," he tugged on his lover's sleeve, and pointed to the sign.
"Damn him!" Ikkaku yelled; Iba had produced a drawing of Ikkaku's head, shinning in the sun. The bald man stomped through the crowd, holding Yumichika's arm to take him with him. Once they reached the older man, Ikkaku kicked the sign hard, to knock it out of his hands.
"Hey, that took me a long time, you little bastard," Iba grunted, jerking up a hand, "See you haven't changed, Ikkaku Madarame."
"Damn right," he took the hand and squeezed it hard; both men grunting as they tightened their grips against each other.
Yumichika rolled his eyes, "Dear God," he mumbled, tossing back his hair, "Ikkaku, I'm going to get the bags…"
"Ah, Yumichika," Iba broke away from Ikkaku fast, sending the other man falling to the ground, "It's nice to see you again."
He smiled sweetly, "The same to you, Iba-san, you're looking well."
The older man grinned broadly, "You still with this useless shit?" he teased, and Ikkaku growled and shoved him hard. Iba just laughed, and Yumichika nodded with a shrug.
"Well, let's get your bags," Iba shrugged, elbowing Ikkaku, who elbowed him back, laughing. Yumichika rolled his eyes again, and followed them towards the baggage area.
