Here is chapter three! No yaoi in this chapter but there if some cute fluffiness between Tensa and Shirosaki! Hope you enjoy this chapter and please review! *cries* there haven't been many so far, so I'm hoping for more! ^^
Chapter Three: We Miss You:
Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose and huffed at the situation, hardly believing that lout of a substitute shinigami had allowed himself to be caught and stolen away. He sat down curtly as Rukia finished explaining the state of affairs to Inoue, Chad and himself.
"Kurosaki… What were you thinking…" he sighed.
Byakuya approached from the screen in Inoue's front room and stood in front of them beside his sister, "We are going to Urahara Kisukes' shop so that he may open a Garganta for us." He told them in a rigid tone, "We will leave in ten minutes so should you require anything I suggest you get it now."
As he had told them, after ten minutes they left Inoue's house and flash-stepped to the former captain's shop. Much to the noble captain's surprise, Urahara and Yoruichi were already waiting outside for them to arrive.
"Good afternoon, I'm surprised it took you so long to get here Byakuya-san… We've been expecting you for at least an hour." He greeted, wafting his fan in front of his face calmly.
"Urahara Kisuke." Byakuya said without any change in his expression, "I assume you know why we are here then."
"Of course! Kurosaki-san was kidnapped by Aizen." He replied.
Tensa quickly shuffled his way to the front of the group, half dragged Shirosaki along behind him, "He wasn't just kidnapped." He corrected, "We were thrown out of his body… We can't sense him at all…" he told him.
Urahara seemed dumbstruck for several minutes as he stared at the two before he finally snapped his fan away up his sleeve and ushered them all inside the shop, "Do you remember anything about how you were separated?"
The shinigami and human members of the group shared a look as they seeped into the shop behind them; they followed them into the back room where Ririn, Nova and Cloud were carrying a pot of tea over to the table with cups.
Tensa and Shirosaki sat down together beside Urahara, "Not a lot really… There was a bright light and a pain… and then we both felt like we were being pulled by our stomachs and then… we were here…" Tensa replied to his previous question.
Shirosaki picked up a cup of tea and looked at it sceptically before taking a deep sip, "We gotta get 'im back." He added, "Can ya get us there?"
Byakuya took a sip of tea, looking slightly put out that the pair were already asking what he had to. He sighed inwardly and glanced sideways at his fukutaichou; receiving a smile from the red head he returned it faintly before looking at Urahara again as he answered.
"I can certainly get you there but I'll need a good day to prepare everything so that I can open a Garganta to get you there." He told them all, "You're welcome to stay here until its ready but I'm afraid it won't be any sooner than tomorrow."
"We will take you up on that offer Urahara-san." Byakuya interjected, "I believe everyone is anxious to get to Hueco Mundo so the closer we are the better.
Urahara smiled and pulled his fan back out from his sleeve, "Of course… We can set up a small camp area in the room downstairs for you all to sleep in and such like."
"Thank you Urahara-san." Tensa said quietly and got to his feet with everyone else as they were lead downstairs to the large underground room.
Later on that evening, once the camp had been set up and everyone was settled the group sat around the warming fire that had been lit. No one spoke, just looked at the flames. Tensa looked up slowly and looked around at the group; smiling slightly as he still couldn't quite get over just how many people were willing to go to such lengths to help rescue his Ichigo.
"'E's mine an' all greedy." Shirosaki told him quietly.
Tensa chuckled and smiled faintly, he'd of course forgotten that although they couldn't communicate with Ichigo inside their minds as normal, he and Shirosaki still could, "My apologies." He replied in an equally hushed tone.
"Hmm… S'all right I suppose." He murmured but sighed heavily, "Let's go fer a walk." He offered as he stood up from the hexagon of people seated and stepped out before slowly walking away from the camp. Tensa frowned slightly and followed quickly.
They were quiet for several long minutes, walking side by side; then Shirosaki pulled his hand from the pocket of his white hakama and tugged Tensa's hand free, slowly sliding his hand into place with his and linked their fingers.
"Wha' do ya thinks' happenin' to 'im?" he asked after another long silence, his hand tightening in the Zanpakto's for comfort.
Tensa rubbed his thumb over the back of the albino's hand soothingly and sighed quietly, "I don't know Shiro…" he murmured, happily reverting to his favourite pet name, "… We can only hope that he'll be alright without us for now… and until we can figure out how to get back to him properly as Zanpakto and inner hollow…"
Shirosaki pouted slightly and sighed heavily, "I miss the King… It just ain't the same without 'im 'ere…"
Tensa pulled him to a stop and reeled him in close, sliding his free hand around his waist and holding him against him. He rested his head on the albino's shoulder and squeezed his hand softly, "We will get him back Shiro. And before you know it… everything will be back to how it used to be."
Slightly surprised by the abrupt tenderness of the Zanpakto soul he melted against him, resting his arm around his waist and resting his head down as well.
Urahara approached the pair quietly and smiled widely at them, "You shouldn't worry so much Tensa-san, Shirosaki-san. Kurosaki-san will be fine I'm sure… he's a strong lad."
Tensa looked up at the former captain, "You think so? Really? I mean… What do you think Aizen will do to him?"
Urahara looked at the couple for a moment before smiling again, "Whatever Aizen Sousuke plans… I am certain Kurosaki-san will be able to cope with it." He replied, slyly dodging the question before he brandished his fan in front of his face.
Back at the camp Byakuya glanced over to where the pair had walked off to, he raised an eyebrow at their closeness and glanced over at his fukutaichou again who was sat talking to Rukia. He sighed inwardly but kept a straight face. He stood, "I will turn in for the night." He told them and headed into one of the tents that Urahara had set up.
Shortly after Byakuya's departure the rest of the group dispersed until only Inoue, Chad, Renji and Ishida remained. Renji and Ishida stood up suddenly and at the same time as they both sensed a rumble of hollow reiatsu from outside.
"I'll deal with this."
"I'll go." They said together and looked at each other in surprise.
"Why don't you both go?" Yoruichi told them from her cat form as she strolled over and took a seat beside Inoue.
"Y… Yeah I guess it wouldn't hurt." Renji agreed with a nod and the duo hastily flash-stepped, or in Ishida's case Hirenkyaku-ed, outside to fight the hollow.