A/N: hi there, my lovelies, I'm finally back. I'm sorry that was so lazy and irresponsible. But let me make it up to you! I now present the latest and final chapter. Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
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Chapter 14
Of Relief and Apologies
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The Candy Shop, Shinjuku
June 17th, 11: 47am
Kisuke Urahara never felt exhausted as he felt now. Starrk just left, leaving him with an unpleasant taste in his mouth. He immediately went upstairs to Ichigo's room. He was somewhat relieved that the young man was still sleeping soundly, curled up on his side. The blond man bent down on one knee by the bedside, cupping his sleeping nephew's cheek before placing a kiss on his hair.
"Don't worry Ichigo, oji-chan will think of something." He whispered. He stood up then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him carefully.
The blond man proceeded to his office, not quite surprised to find his best friend Yoruichi waiting there. The dark skinned woman was sitting in a plush armchair, looking at a photo. It was of the Kurosaki family with Kisuke shortly after Ichigo's twin sisters' third birthday. Isshin was sitting, holding a scowling Karin on his lap. Masaki stood to her husband's right side, one arm around his shoulder, her other hand resting on Ichigo's shoulder who was clutching her skirt, a big smile on his face. Kisuke stood smiling behind Isshin, carrying a very shy Yuzu.
It was one of those rare times the blond man was not wearing his trademark green and white striped hat, neither was he wearing his usual smirk.
The dark skinned woman looked at him curiously. "What was that all about, Ki-chan?"
Urahara sighed. All of a sudden, he looked so much older than his forty years. "Ichigo."
Yoruichi knew that the boy was a tender spot for her friend. She knew that he was secretly grateful Ichigo did not blame him in the slightest for his family's demise. She also knew that Kisuke didn't want him to join the family "business". He didn't want his nephew's hands stained with blood, but Ichigo went and did it anyway. Kisuke feared most of all to lose Ichigo, when he vowed to protect him at his sister's grave.
She put the photo back on the table carefully. She then approached the blond man and cupped his cheek with one hand. "Ki-chan, cheer up. You'll find a way. You always do."
9:05pm
Ichigo woke up to his oji-chan sitting on the armchair beside his bed, his feet propped on an ottoman, and a book lay open on his lap. He seemed to be in deep thought.
The berry looked curiously at his uncle who was looking at him like it was the first time he saw him. "Oji-chan?"
Urahara smiled at him warmly. "Did you have a good rest?"
"Uh, yeah." Again, it was that warm smile, though his eyes had the ghost of sadness in them. The blond man then put the book away. He then stood up and sat beside the berry on his bed. He breathed deeply, having a tiny mental debate on how to proceed.
The berry was still muddled with sleep, but he could tell something was up.
The blond man gently cupped his cheek. "Starrk went here and wanted to see you, but I didn't let him… I said you were resting…" his uncle said, voice soft and faltering.
What little traces of sleep were suddenly rid of when Ichigo heard whet his uncle said. He felt his heart thunder in his chest. "How? He shouldn't have… oji-chan, I'm sorry… I didn't know he was following, I didn't know…" he panicked thinking he compromised his uncle, making the older man wrap his arms around him comfortingly.
Urahara waited until Ichigo calmed down. "Do you love him Ichigo?" he asked then, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"Y-yes…"
He looked the younger man in the eye. "I will help you get out of this mess Ichigo, you and Starrk."
"How?" the berry asked, fear and longing evident in his eyes.
"You would have to disappear first. Everyone would think that your target would've gotten to you first. Then Starrk would be next. Nobody would suspect a thing."
"No, they'll know… we can't…"
Urahara cupped his nephew's jaw with both hands. "Listen, Ichigo, we will make it work. Trust me, please." He said, a tiny hint of desperation making its way out of his voice. "Have I let you down?"
The berry slowly shook his head.
Urahara wrapped his arms around Ichigo once more, the berry's head resting on his chest. "We will make it work."
Unknown Location
July 4th, 7:47pm
The orange haired man sat alone in a rattan armchair, waiting. He had been waiting for the past few days in this house, with no one to talk to. He was forbidden to make any contact with his remaining family. Reading had lost its appeal. The beach had been underappreciated; he had no one to enjoy it with. To say he was worried was an understatement. But his uncle asked him to trust him and he did. The man had never let him down, not once, and he was sure he wouldn't start now.
A sharp knocking startled Ichigo out of his reverie. The sun had set beautifully in the horizon, but today was even more made significant by the arrival of someone very special. And he was hoping that he would be the person knocking on his door.
He slowly made his way to the door, hoping against hope that all went according to the plan.
He took a deep breath before finally opening the door.
Starrk stood before the door, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. The door slowly opened to reveal the one he had been craving to see, the one person he would want to be with.
"Ichigo?"
Brown eyes stared at him wildly, for a moment disbelieving, the next relieved. Slender arms threw themselves around his neck. Warmth spread all over his person.
"I missed you."
`Words could not express how Starrk felt, now that everything was over and they would be starting anew. He kept raining butterfly kisses all over Ichigo, over his face, his neck… his neck…
Horror enveloped Stark all over again as he saw the last vestiges of the bruise brought about by what he did. He tenderly ran his thumb over it. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he said, as his forehead rested against his lover's.
"I don't care. I'm just too damn happy you're finally here." A relieved smile broke over the older man's face.
It was a desperate kiss; there was a sort of hunger even. Both men lost all sense of their surroundings; it was just the two of them. It had been too long since they were deprived of each other's warmth. They held on to each other, never fearing the intense fire threatening to engulf them.
Clothes had been haphazardly shed, in the haste to feel each other. Their hands reacquainted themselves with their bodies, mapping those secret spots that would only exist for the both of them.
"More…" the berry moaned, particularly loudly, when his lover engulfed his erection, hips bucking wildly.
Starrk bobbed his head up and down, savoring Ichigo's sweet taste. He pulled the berry's erection out of his mouth with a vulgar pop. He then proceeded to kiss him again, making the berry taste himself as he wrapped his long lithe legs around his waist.
He gently lay the berry on the bed. "I'm going to make love to you all night long Ichigo, so you better prepare yourself."
The berry smirked in response as he tightened his legs around his lover's waist, their erections rubbing together in the process. Starrk half grunted, half moaned in surprise. "Fuck, Ichigo."
"Yes, fuck me Starrk, until I forget my name." he said as he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him once again, tongues engaging in a familiar dance.
The berry handed him the jar of lube resting innocently on the nightstand. Starrk then removed the lid, dipping his fingers in the cold emulsion. He proceeded to massage his lover's entrance with his slick fingers.
Ichigo bit his lip, trying to stem the moan that threatened to burst from his mouth. "No… don't do that, I wanna hear you." His lover gently pried his abused lip from his teeth with one hand, while the other still busied itself with the berry's entrance.
He thrust those fingers in his lover, enjoying the look of pleasure on his face and the way he moaned his name as he arched his back. "Y-yes, Starrk!"
The goateed man spread and crooked his fingers, knowing where to hit. He was rewarded with another loud wanton moan from the berry. He pulled his fingers out, only to spread lube on his rock hard cock. He thrust himself to the hilt. He wanted to thrust madly into his heat but he restrained himself, allowing the berry to adjust. It may have been just several days when they last made love but to him it felt like weeks, or months, years even.
Starrk began a slow pace, thrusting himself hard and deep into his lover. Every sensation felt magnified tenfold, as they clung to each other tightly. Broken strings of "I love you's" and promises to be stay by each other's side could be heard over the sound of skin slapping on skin.
Once again their lips met, to convey everything and nothing at once, its intensity nearly enough to burn them. "More, oh gods, please more!" Ichigo moaned into his lover's mouth, his nails digging into his back, creating tiny crescent shaped marks. Starrk could do nothing but comply, snapping his hips even faster, hitting Ichigo's sweet spot at every turn.
The pleasure was just maddening, making Ichigo reach for his cock to stroke it furiously. He could feel it, he was close and he knew his lover was too. He tightened his legs around Starrk's waist as he came, splashing his cum on both of their stomachs. Starrk came after a few more thrusts, filling the berry with his seed as he did so.
They remained entwined for the next few minutes, just cuddling and kissing. The berry then flipped their positions over, so that he was resting on his lover's hips, cock still inside him. The berry gave him a naughty smile. "I wanna be on top."
"Just like this?" the older man asked as he snapped his hips upward, hitting the berry's prostate head on. Ichigo's eyes widened as he let out a moan. Starrk just smirked in response. As the night wore on, the lovers made love furiously as if it was their last.
Morning came all too soon, and Ichigo woke up with a sort of pleasant soreness from his waist down. His head rested on Starrk's chest, while his arm rested his stomach. The berry looked up at his lover's sleeping face, noting how untroubled and relaxed he looked for the first time since they got together. It made him smile, and really grateful that he would be seeing this more often starting today.
