~FIREFLY KNIGHTS~

Bleach Copyright Tite Kubo

Firefly Knights Copyright Illand Girl

'For those that need a Guardian.'


Chapter 23: Mine


If I thought Ichigo looked nervous before, his face as he led me away from the Manor was far worse.

"There's a place where Yoruichi trained me to reach bankai. We can go there." Was the only thing he would tell me before marching off. I didn't have a clue what was going through that head of his but seeing my zanpakutō seemed to have made it far worse. I walked silently beside him, just enjoying the quiet as much as I could considering the boy beside me was so far in his head that he nearly forgot where we were going twice. I didn't worry about it though, knowing that he was going to tell me, which was more surprising than his behaviour. For once he wasn't going to keep me at arm's length, so why the distance right now? It took a while to get to this training ground, even moving quickly through the Seireitei it took a few hours. Upon arrival, the place Ichigo showed me looked quite familiar. It immediately reminded me of the underground facility at Urahara's shop.

"Apparently Mr. Hat and Clogs and Yoruichi grew up together and built this training ground to play in," Ichigo explained, walking in further. I stood at the entrance for a moment, peeking around the grounds. "It's made of some kind of special rock, so our spiritual pressure will be almost impossible to sense from the outside unless you really look for it."

That got my attention. I looked at Ichigo, noticing that he wouldn't normally tell me something like that unless it was important. I followed him in further, until we came to the centre of the training grounds. He paused for a moment, his back to me. It was like he was deep in thought. Then he turned to face me, his jumbled thoughts clear as day on his face. We stood across from each other, with Ichigo staring at my feet instead of my face. I gave him a moment to think, figuring he needed to gather himself up.

"I know I... I've been acting weird. Since you woke up." Ichigo began, sounding nervous still. "I'm sorry, but I promise it's nothing to do with you. Well- maybe a little."

"It's alright," I soothed, walking closer. The distance felt too big between us like this. I stopped an arm's length away, waiting patiently for him to continue. Ichigo looked down at me, eyes squinting in concentration. Another emotion crossed his eyes, but he looked away from me before I could register what it was. He swallowed, eyes growing distant.

"I wanted to ask you, about your hollow." Ichigo began. I perked up, eyebrows raising. "Does it ever give you... any trouble?"

I could literally hear Espejo scoff at the insinuation. It made the corners of my lips turn up slightly.

"Eh, nothing I can't handle." Then I paused. "Why do you ask?"

Ichigo took a breath, half-turning away from me to stare at the rocks to the left of us.

"Something happened during my fight with Byakuya. For a moment, I wasn't me, I was just watching as my body moved. I think it was- it was my hollow." His eyes snapped to mine, as if waiting for a reaction. I didn't react at first, digesting his words. He stared holes into me, as if this was the most important thing he was ever going to tell me. I looked into his warm brown eyes, seeing how important my reaction was to him. I nodded.

"Okay," I said, urging him to continue. His eyes widened slightly; why was he surprised? "What? Did you think I was going to be spooked or something?"

He looked away pointedly. I felt insulted, crossing my arms and frowning. Was that why he had been so nervous earlier? Because he was afraid I would reject him? Judge him? I wasn't exactly in the right regardless, having my own hollow to deal with. In fact... It weirdly made me feel... closer to Ichigo. We had something in common.

"Ichigo," I stared holes into the side of his head. He didn't look at me, at first, but eventually he turned his head to look directly into my eyes. I pinned him with my gaze, not letting him look away. "Let me ask you, what did you think when I told you about my hollow?"

He frowned, his brow furrowing as he tilted his head slightly. How was this a confusing question? Ichigo looked up in thought.

"I dunno, I just- it's part of you, right? So I didn't think about it." He said, eyes travelling back to mine. I raised a single brow.

"So why would I think any differently about you?" I asked. He flinched, looking away. My brows furrowed. "I'm not scared of you, if that's what you're worried about."

My words did have an effect, no matter how much he tried to hide his reaction. I saw, for the briefest of moments, a look of relief cross over his face. Ichigo was always funny like that. So open to everyone else's shortcomings but never expecting the same treatment in return.

"It's not- I don't know how to describe it. But he was- wild." He looked down at me, but whatever he saw made another emotion cloud his features, he looked off into the distance before I could comprehend the emotion. "I didn't like the feeling of not being in control. And since then, I can hear him, threatening to break through. Always there. Always waiting."

I hummed, understanding that sentiment a bit more. The feeling of being a passenger rather than the pilot. But Espejo had never done anything that could compromise me, and I had no idea what Ichigo went through with his own hollow, but Espejo- she felt loyal to me. I could feel her scoffing at it, but she never denied the sentiment. Espejo was mine, no matter what.

"I can understand that. Espejo can be in my ear sometimes too." I admitted. Ichigo raised a brow as my hollow rumbled beneath the surface. There was something about the way she seemed pleased that made my heart feel fuller.

You're mine.

"Espejo?" He asked. A smirk slipped onto my lips. I unsheathed my zanpakutō. Espejo glimmered in the lighting of the training grounds as I marvelled at her. She was a beautiful sword, practically glowing with energy.

"It's her name. She's fused with this zanpakutō. I don't entirely understand what's going on, but that's who she is." I explained, then looked up to him. "Your hollow might've fused with your zanpakutō as well?"

Ichigo looked down at Espejo, gently touching the blade as he stared in deep thought. He hummed, drawing Zangetsu. He stared at the sword, frowning.

"Zangetsu was different, he looked like an old man while that hollow looked like- like me." He said, frowning. I watched him, noticing the crease in his brow. He looked lost, likely doubting himself. It wasn't a surprise; we were both in way over our heads with this whole afterlife thing. While Ichigo might've had more battle experience than I did, neither of us had held a sword prior to Kisuke's training montage. This was- it was beyond what anyone would ask of a normal teenager.

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked, wondering if there was a select purpose to him wanting to tell me all of this here. Ichigo looked at me, a frown creasing his face as his brown eyes looked between me and my sword. There were a lot of things behind those eyes, but he voiced none of them. In the end, he looked away, lowering his sword. A sad smile slipped onto his lips. He looked almost embarrassed.

"Honestly, I just thought you should know. Since you constantly chuck yourself in the way of danger, at the very least you should be aware of what might happen." He said it as if trying to self-deprecate. Aware of what might happen? What did he- oh. Oh . He was afraid. He was afraid of losing control, of the hollow consuming him. I swallowed, thinking of how hard Espejo could be to control sometimes, but even then, I had never been afraid of her. Sure, I had to overpower her and force her back on more than one occasion, but I had been able to suppress her each time. This was completely new territory for Ichigo though, who had never experienced that in his life.

For once, I could do something for him. I could step up and be there, be the person who took care of him. Slowly, I reached for his sleeve, giving it a small tug. Ichigo's eyes locked with mine, a question behind them.

"It's alright Ichigo," I smirked, stepping even closer to him. "I can teach you how to tame your hollow."

Ichigo's eyes searched mine, licking his lips as a short laugh escaped them. A softness eased his face some, likely relieved at my reaction, or lack thereof. A small part of me was hurt that he would doubt me, but then again, would I openly show Ichigo my released form?

"You sound confident." He teased. I did a one arm shrug, not breaking eye contact.

"I know this is scary, because you never had to deal with it. Urahara didn't even fully explain everything to me before tossing me to the wolves, so I understand that the first time is scary." I tilted my head, my gaze travelling to his lowered sword. "But it does get easier, at least it did for me. Besides..."

I looked back up at him, craning my neck back to look into his eyes from how close I was standing next to him. Ichigo stood stock still, eyes unguarded as they flitted all over my face.

"You're safe with me." I said it, with my chest, noticing the way two emotions rippled through his whole body. Ichigo shuddered, his lips parting as a breath left them. His eyes widened ever so slightly, staring at me as if I had told him a massive revelation. He stared at me, almost looking in awe, then his brow furrowed as a frown formed on his lips. He swallowed again, his eyes not leaving mine. Ichigo turned his body to stand squarely with me. I could feel his robes brush mine with every breath we took. The closeness without actually touching- it was dizzying. I felt my heart thrumming, urging me to lean closer. His smell, his true natural smell, rushed into my nose. A scent I could only describe as a man, soap, and maybe something spicy? It smelled good though, it was intoxicating, and I shifted minutely closer to take it in.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm the one protecting you." Ichigo said, his voice sounding strained. I grinned, licking my lips as I felt him shift closer as well. My eyes were half-lidded, my breaths deeper.

"That's how we work, hm?" I swallowed; his eyes snapped down then up again to meet my gaze. "You protect me, and I protect you. Together."

I heard him stab his zanpakutō into the ground as I watched his adam's apple bob once. When my gaze went back up to him, I did the same with my zanpakutō, leaving her standing in the ground. Ichigo's beautiful eyes stared down at me. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes growing softer as he reached up. He hesitated; I stayed completely still. A soft smile broke onto my lips, I waited, patient, inviting.

"You scare me sometimes." He said quietly, barely a whisper, eyes widening at his own words. Ichigo spoke like it was some sort of revelation he had come to. Something he never wanted to admit but it had come out of his mouth anyway.

"Scare you?" I asked, not entirely aware of my surroundings. The heat radiating off his body was very distracting. Ichigo didn't answer me though. He reached up, laying his hand on my cheek and neck. Ichigo swallowed once more, eyes dilating, running his thumb along my cheek. I shuddered, finally feeling his warm hand for the first time in too long. When I looked at him through my lashes, he almost pulled back, like he had so many times today, but I grabbed his forearm and held him there. His whole hand twitched, but he didn't fight me. I pressed my cheek into his palm, an ache spreading through me at his rejection. Ichigo's frown softened, he looked sad, but his eyes still held that awe from before and the look of them did something to my little heart. He was so much closer, barely any space between us. When had we gotten closer?

"Please don't," I whispered, our breaths mingling. "Don't hide from me."

"Nao," he leaned his forehead on mine, our noses bumping. Something about how he said my name made my heart soar. The emotions that went through his voice with only my name hit something deep inside of me. I pressed myself closer to him. Our chests bumped, he shuddered. Neither of us moved away. Our lips a breath away from each other, Ichigo hadn't moved since I spoke. I wanted to stay calm, be patient, but he was making it so damn hard to resist. I let out a sound of impatience that brought a smile to his lips. His eyes were so warm, inviting, I nudged my nose against his, trying to make him give in. He was almost there.

"Always so impatient." He teased, his lips scraping mine. I felt something snap as I used my free hand to grab the back of his head and pulled him in for a kiss. A groan vibrated through his chest, his hand on my cheek slipping to the nape of my neck and tangling into my hair. One kiss turned into two, then three. They just didn't stop. I didn't want it to stop. Soft, tender, they felt like magic against my skin. It felt like I was touch starved, like I hadn't touched him in a lifetime. Ichigo and I had always touched each other, whether it was in a teasing way, a hug, holding hands. And now I understood why those little touches meant the world to me. Because it brought me closer to him, made me feel seen. Made me feel wanted.

Made me feel loved.

A moan broke from my mouth when I realized this. Ichigo ripped away, hovering above me as he stared through blown out pupils, his breath mingling with mine as our chests bumped together with every inhale. He darted back down to kiss me again, his kisses changing. They weren't forceful or bruising, but stronger, more certain. His second hand found my hip, pulling me flush against him. A gentle tug on my hair made more soft noises escape me. I felt like I was in a sauna, my skin felt like it was on fire. Ichigo bit my bottom lip, I didn't immediately react, unsure about the new feeling. But after a few more kisses I licked his upper lip. His tongue darted out to meet mine, surprising us both. He pulled back again, eyes unsure. I didn't hold the same uncertainty and yanked him forward. I needed more .

"Ichigo." I whispered, voice crumbling at the end of his name. He hummed in response, but I licked his lips again and this time he opened his mouth. My tongue danced inside his mouth, feeling and exploring, waiting for his reactions. It took a moment to figure out what felt right and what wasn't, I tried licking his teeth only to find that felt weird for both of us, but then I used my tongue to lick the top of his mouth. I felt proud when another groan vibrated through his chest. His tongue pressed into my mouth; a shiver ran through me as he massaged my tongue with his. I didn't have the brain cells left to be embarrassed by the sounds coming from me, the whimpers and moans. It encouraged Ichigo, he leaned further into the kiss at my praises. A little trail of drool worked its way down the side of my chin. I felt dizzy, like I wasn't part of my body anymore, and yet I was hyper-aware of how Ichigo felt. How every inch of him touched me and lit me on fire.

This was heavenly .

It took a moment for me to realize Ichigo was walking me backwards. His hand on my hip held me to him, not letting me fall. My back hit a rock; Ichigo's hips pressed into mine. A groove in the rock hit the small of my back, along the wound, and I yanked my mouth away to hiss in pain. A string of saliva fell on my shirt as we separated, our breaths mingling. Ichigo yanked himself backwards, making space to inspect what happened. He looked like he was in daze when I opened my eyes.

"Sorry!" Ichigo said, eyes immediately filled with concern despite being half-lidded with blown pupils. "I didn't mean to be so- Nao are you okay?"

"Shhh!" I kissed him once, feeling how bruised his lips had become, not able to find the words in my haze. "Back wound."

Those two words made him realize what was wrong, and tentatively he started to pull away from me. His hand gently ran up and down my hip in a soothing manner. My breathing wouldn't slow down as I felt him draw his body back. He looked as dazed as I felt, bracing one hand on the rock behind me to push himself away. As he stood at his full height, he took a step back. His breathing hadn't settled though, and neither had mine.

"We should-" I grabbed the sash around his hips and pulled him back, enjoying the feeling of his hips pressing into me. He hissed, but not from pain.

"Please," I whimpered, standing on my tippy toes to try and reach him. When he stood up straight, I could barely reach his jaw. It felt like I was in some sort of fog, the only thing I wanted at that point was Ichigo pressed against me. "I want you."

It was the right thing to say, as Ichigo brought his lips to mine again with another groan. My name left his lips between kisses, eliciting another whimper from me. Both his hands grabbed my hips. The feeling of his hands holding me in place made my skin hot. I felt something warm pooling in my belly. His hands reached lower, down the sides of my hips, then snaked to the back of my thighs. I pressed into him, submitting immediately at the sensation. I squealed when he lifted me up to sit on the rock. My new position put me at eye level with Ichigo, allowed him to come even closer to me as he stood between my legs. His one hand stayed on my thigh, gripping the plushness that laid underneath my robes. His other hand found my hip again and used it to pin me down. More kisses, Ichigo pulled away briefly. The little bit of drool that slipped from his mouth was nothing after he began to give me wet kisses along the side of my jaw. This new position gave him perfect access as I struggled to catch my breath. I wanted more, wrapping my arms around him, dragging my nails at the small bit of flesh below his neck that his robes didn't cover, receiving a moan in response. His teeth grazing against the bottom of my ear lobe. I jolted, hips pressing to him as I wrapped my legs around him. I felt a heat pool inside me, a new level of want filled me. I moaned when he bit down on a spot on my neck, feeling like a cat in heat as I rolled my hips against his. Ichigo let out a grunt, his hand on my thigh gripping so hard it probably made a bruise as he yanked me closer. His kisses trailed over my neck and collar, anywhere my uniform and bandages weren't covering. When he kissed my collarbone, I kissed his forehead and the side of his temple, smelling the sweat and dirt from earlier in the day. For some reason it made me feel even hotter. I rolled my hips forward into his and Ichigo shuddered, biting down suddenly on my shoulder. I squeaked, feeling a dampness in my panties as he licked the spot.

"I-chigo..." I couldn't even feel embarrassed by my own whiny voice, enjoying the feeling as Ichigo pressed his body onto mine. Suddenly he yanked himself back from my neck. Ichigo's breathing was laboured, his hands shaking where they held me. Our hips were still pressed together thanks to my legs, stopping his escape, but there was a look of concentration on his face that I could barely comprehend.

"I need to stop." He sounded strained; his body felt like a wound-up coil against me. I didn't want to stop though, enjoying the feelings coursing through me. I whimpered like a petulant child and leaned in to kiss him some more. He kissed me back, but then Ichigo pulled back with a hiss. He hung his head between us, taking shuddering breaths.

"Nao," he said, his voice sounded as if his patience was shattering. "Not right now, please ."

He looked at me then. His face, the look in his eye, I felt like I was soaking my undergarments just looking at him . His bruised lips, blown pupils, and oh God that look. Like he wanted to-

"Okay," I whispered, kissing him once, realizing my own thoughts were part of the fog. Part of me knew if we kept going, we might not be ready for the repercussions, but part of me was also certain that anything involving Ichigo I could never regret. But sadly, Ichigo was right, we should stop now before getting too far. Whatever that might be, especially since we hadn't even discussed what 'this' was. All I knew, is I wanted more of this in the future. I loosened my legs from around his hips, but he remained close. Ichigo laid his head into the crook of my neck, making me laugh through a breath. "You always do this huh?"

"It feels nice." He said, his words hot on my skin. His arms snaked around me as he slowly relaxed, I settled my head on top of his, enjoying the feeling of his weight sagging into me as the minutes ticked by. I held him, scraping my fingers through his hair. Part of me was marvelling at the intensity of that moment. It felt natural, instinctual, it felt right. I remembered every other time I had wanted to kiss Ichigo and wondered if this was always building beneath the surface. The look on his face before finally made sense to me. It was a look of awe, and a look of trust. Real trust, the kind you gave someone who you trusted with your life. I turned my head, kissing his forehead. He sighed, still coming down from that fog on his own time.

"So I'm a plush pillow, huh?" I teased, but as if to add effect, Ichigo made a short motion as if snuggling into me. I didn't mind, giggling as he did it. "That's fine, I like this too."

A few more minutes passed, the height of the moment settling down as I wandered from the fog. My breathing settled, my surroundings coming back to me. Ichigo still rested against me, showing no signs of moving. As much as I wanted to stay here, three things became apparent. The first was that I was getting hungry once more. How long had we been in the training grounds? The second was that we would need to properly address that hollow of his. Preferably we could hold off until we got out of the Seireitei, so that nobody might accidentally stumble upon us. The third was that we needed to describe what this was between us. I swallowed, nervous about the last one. Honestly, I'd prefer to fight a hollow with my bare hands that deal with that. What if we weren't on the same page? What if I was the only one feeling like this had to be something more than just what it was? What even was it then? Mind-blowing attraction? Just physical attraction? I felt like I connected on a new level than just physical during that, did Ichigo feel the same? What if it wasn't as great for him? Did I do any of that right? I shouldn't have licked his teeth, oh maybe I-

"What's the matter?" Ichigo asked, waking me from my thoughts. "Your pulse quickened."

His nose was resting against the skin of my neck, leaving no room for me to lie and say it was nothing. I bit my lip, not sure how to lead this off. Should I just jump in? Should I segway myself into it?

"I-We need to clear a few things." I said, feeling nervous. Ichigo hummed, holding me tighter. I frowned at his lack of reaction, and was about to get upset, but then he began to gently stroke my back with his hand. So gentle that even over the wound it didn't sting. It felt grounding, reminding me he I was here. The feeling had a calming effect, and I was almost embarrassed at how well it worked on me. I felt boneless as his arms held me up.

"Shhh," he soothed, pulling back. Ichigo rested either hand beside my thighs, leaning on them as he looked into my eyes. "I think I know what you're worried about. You think this is going to change things, right?"

"Of course it changes things." I said, frowning, not understanding his nonchalant attitude. If it didn't change anything, did that mean this was a onetime thing? Or was I right that he felt differently? Ichigo smiled, looking way calmer than I expected.

"I thought it would too, but then I realized, it doesn't have to," he brushed a hand on my thigh, his thumb stroking over the fabric of my robes. "I mean, I'd call you my girlfriend, but you're still my best friend."

At his words I turned beet red, and time seemed to come to a screeching halt. Girlfriend . That made him my boyfriend . The idea seemed obvious, but at the same time it really took me by surprise. Seeing my reaction, Ichigo lost some of his confidence. His nonchalant attitude turned into stuttering at my wide-eyed shock.

"I mean- if that's not what you thought- I- we can see where this goes..." He looked down to where his hand had frozen on my thigh. It trembled against my skin. Was it nerves? I couldn't unfreeze myself enough to think about it. "I guess my point is, I don't think it's that big of a change. You're still my best friend. You're still the person who knows me best, who I want to tell things to. I just- I like kissing you too. So I guess I don't see it changing anything between us. There'll just be more. If-If you want that."

He kept his gaze down, his spiky orange hair mesmerizing to me as I finally digested all of his words.

"You're my boyfriend." I said out loud, my neck flushing. Ichigo's eyes snapped to mine, red danced across his cheeks as he made eye contact. I felt a toothy grin slip onto my lips. Slowly I reached up and held his cheeks, kissing him again, then leaned my forehead against his. "You're mine."

Something low and deep, like a deep resounding hum, vibrated in his chest at my words. Tension released from his body as he leaned in to kiss me. I had to actively remind myself not to return to the fog.

"So damn cocky." He muttered against my lips, but I could feel him smile in the kiss. We separated, and I had never felt goofier than in that moment as I giggled. Ichigo scoffed playfully. "Jeez, you'd think you won the lottery or something."

"Close enough," I joked. Ichigo looked embarrassed. I laughed, brushing his hair from his face. "Expect me to give you praise more often. Especially if you keep kissing me like that."

"Oh it's that easy huh?" He smirked, pulling back a bit to look me in the eye. "You sound like a depraved soul."

I stuck my tongue out, still smirking.

"Oh please, the only one depraved here is you," I grinned. "Otherwise you wouldn't need to stop. And I can only think of one reason you'd need a breather."

"Oh shut up!" He turned red, pulling away entirely. I couldn't stop laughing though. Ichigo turned his back to me, muttering under his breath. Realizing he thought I was making fun of him and not just joking, I slid off the rock, stepping closer to him.

"It's okay," he looked down at me as I turned a little pink. "You're not the only one."

He stared for a moment, his pupils dilating, then he sighed and wrapped one hand around my back, gently rubbing soft patterns between my shoulder blades. I sighed, happy with the feeling. Ichigo looked down at me with a warm smile on his face. A moment passed between us, I leaned my head onto his bicep and sighed again, feeling on cloud nine. Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end.

"We really should do something about that hollow." I said, looking back up to him. Ichigo made a noise of discomfort, but then sighed.

"Y'know what? Fine," my eyes widened as I looked up at him. "Honestly, you probably have better insight than anyone else around here. And keeping you out of this would be impossible now."

"Awwww you're learning so fast." I pinched his cheek. He pulled his hand from my back and swatted mine away from his face. I snickered. "We'll figure this out Ichigo, trust me."

"I do," he said softly, scratching the back of his neck as he looked away. His cheeks were still a bit red from earlier. My stomach did flip flops just remembering that make out session. I bit my lip, doing everything I could to keep from pouncing on him.

"Maybe before we head back..." I walked to Espejo, pulling her from the ground. "We should have a little play time."

I expected Ichigo to get annoyed, or to say that he thought it was a bad idea. He did neither. To my surprise, he walked towards me, grabbed Zangetsu, and smirked at me.

"I never did get to show you my bankai." He mused. "And I keep hearing about this scary form of yours. Ganju said it literally knocked him on his ass."

It was my turn to feel nervous. I looked down at Espejo, worry filling me at the thought of Ichigo seeing me like that. I knew I was okay with anything that was happening with Ichigo, but there was still this tiny bit of doubt of us seeing each other in the same light. My carrot top seemed to sense my discomfort, stepping closer to me.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked. I paused, then took a deep breath.

"I don't want you to see that." I admitted, surprising him. My gaze went back to Espejo, my nerves getting to me. "It's a horrible feeling. It...It feels... like I'm dying. It feels like I'm sucking the life out of the world around me to stay alive. And that's how I feel. Ganju nearly passed out standing next to me."

"Heh," Ichigo rested Zangetsu on his shoulder. "That's Ganju. But I like to think I'm a little bit sturdier."

I bit my lip; Ichigo gave a confident smirk.

"Trust me." He urged. I huffed.

"I do." I said begrudgingly. Ichigo's spiritual pressure rose steeply as he leapt back.

"Then I'll go first. Bankai!"

His scent of summer and chocolate filled the air, climbing to new levels as he vanished from my vision, emerging from a dense cloud of spiritual pressure. His blade was smaller, similar in size to mine, but entirely black. His shihakushō had changed as well, being torn at the edges. I could vaguely remember it back when I was at Sōkyoku hill, but never got the chance to appreciate it.

"Tensa Zangetsu." Ichigo said, his voice carrying more weight. He looked... handsome. And his smell was intoxicating as I took a step closer to him.

"Damn," I muttered. Ichigo heard me, smirking smugly. Before I could get too close though, he raised his blade between us.

"You're forgetting something." He said, reminding me that I had yet to release my own zanpakutō. I swallowed, moving back slightly again. Ichigo held eye contact with me, his eyes bright and confident. It ignited something in my chest as I held my blade out, swallowed my fear, and let her free.

"Reflect, Espejo."

It felt like rain, pouring down over top everything and blocking out the lights for a moment. I felt the bone mask form on my head, the black flames of spiritual pressure creating my cloak. My mirror appeared in front of my chest and gleamed brightly. Then came the immense weight, which made my bones creak and groan. The breath I let out was long and hot, steam leaving my mouth. I swallowed thickly, looking at Ichigo. He stared, unmoving, for a long time. His eyes were the only part of him to shift around, taking in my form. I waited patiently, hoping he would say something. He shuddered, smirking.

"Damn, I had a feeling you had a lot of spiritual pressure, but this- damn." His praise was the last thing I had been expecting, but a bit of pride swelled inside of me as he said this. A tiny smile lifted the corners of my mouth as he walked closer to me. My breath still came out hot, but I shuddered as he approached. Despite the density of my spiritual pressure, I could feel Ichigo's slicing through my own. He wasn't affected the same way as the others. It reminded me of Aizen, of how he was able to brush it off like it wasn't there.

"How do you feel?" I asked, my voice strained. Ichigo stopped in front of me, brows raised.

"Feel? Uh, fine, I guess? What about you?" he asked, staring at the mask, then my face. His fingers brushed over the markings I knew to be on my cheeks. I leaned into his touch. "You're so cold."

"It's... heavy." I said, reaching to touch his chest. He felt hot under my fingertips. "But... easier than last time."

Ichigo grinned, looking cheeky.

"So, you think you can still keep up with me?" He teased. The challenge was a welcome diversion. I licked my lips, grinning.

"Mmm, I'll wager you couldn't even put a scratch on me." I teased. Ichigo snorted, shifting his grip on Zangetsu before leaping back. I smirked, reaching to the front of my mirror and pulling Espejo's reflection from it. The mirror itself was my zanpakutō, the sword I drew from her was just a reflection of her, a weapon for me to use. Part of me was curious about what Aizen had gleaned from my abilities. Did he read every one of them? I hoped not.

"Hope you're ready, Nao." Ichigo's spiritual pressure changed, his scent leaping to my right side. I blocked; eyes bright as I leaned into the lock.

"Bring it on, Kurosaki."


For the majority of his life, Ichigo had only ever known strong women.

His mother was the first of course. Loving, warm, and fierce. While she had always been doting, others had defined her as a Mamma Bear type of woman, unphased and focused when it came to protecting her children. Tatsuki was the first girl his age he'd ever met, and he was terrified of her for the first few years. She could take on anyone in her weight class and even those above it. His sisters were unafraid to be themselves. Karin was so bold for having such a tiny body. She was a tomboy, rough around the edges. Yuzu may have been feminine, but she wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place when they tried to bully her. She took care of them and cooked for the entire family from a young age and never once complained. Orihime may have been timid in nature, but her bravery and willingness to act was admirable, especially considering how fearless she had been coming to the Soul Society with them.

Any time Ichigo heard men calling women the ' weaker sex ' he rolled his eyes. Maybe in raw strength, sure, but women had been the backbone of his upbringing. So much so that his own father had told him on more than one occasion that " if it weren't for the women of the Kurosaki family, us men would be long extinct ". He didn't think he was completely useless, but yes, the women around him were strong and independent. That was particularly obvious in Naomi Sakurai.

Nao was- well, Nao could be a bit much sometimes. He remembered the first time he met her, how terrifying she had been. He'd once read the book " Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" and felt that it must've been written with Naomi in mind. She was such a goofball one minute, then ready to bite off a hand the next. Naomi was unafraid to show her opinions. Sometimes it freaked him out how easily she jumped to his defense, especially as a child. Which was why Ichigo had conflicted feelings when he first decided to tell Naomi about his hollow. There was part of him that didn't want to burden her with this. The other part had been concerned that she would misunderstand, or worse, she would fear him. Of course it was an unfounded fear. Part of him knew that the reason Naomi was the first person, the only person he wanted to share this with, was because she wouldn't turn away from him. Her ever-thinking eyes digested his words and didn't falter even once.

"You're safe with me."

His mind rolled over those words, practically melted into them. He believed her, completely and without an ounce of doubt. But he wanted to be the one to protect her. He remembered the times he woke on the riverbank as a child. Constantly wandered around where his mother had died. He couldn't even really recall why he did it. But there was Naomi, his Nao, always there for him. Handing him water, dressing him in a raincoat. She didn't stop him, didn't make him go home. She just watched, sometimes she walked with him.

"You're safe with me."

Of course he was. Naomi had been a shield for every bad thing in his life. Held him when he cried, protected him from fights. Even as he grew, as he learned to use his fists and defend himself, she would jump in the way. Always holding his head above water and stopping him from drowning. The night she left town, it was raining. The rain just wouldn't stop. He felt betrayed, alone, like he didn't matter anymore. He wanted to reach out to her, to yell and scream 'don't leave' but he didn't.

And when she came back? It was like no time had passed. Like three years alone hadn't happened. Naomi just fit back into his life and made him realize that the entire time without her he had been drowning. She always said the right thing, was there at the right time. He remembered the words she said at his mother's grave, they were exactly what he needed to hear. What he needed to move forward. He remembered the feeling of holding her again, of how much smaller she was than him now. So small, yet so fierce.

"I've got you, Ichigo."

And he believed her then. He wanted to tell her everything, to lean on her, to trust her, to believe that they could do this together. He wanted to, so badly. But then the memories of that first night would come back. Naomi covered in blood; she bled all over him that night. He had thought he was going to lose her. The image of her blood soaking his shirt was ingrained in his mind. Every time he looked at her, he remembered the blood. Yet she was there that morning, alive and so much like herself. It felt like a dream, one he was afraid to wake from.

He wanted to kiss her, just to be sure it was real.

Ichigo lost count of the number of times he wanted to kiss her since that day. Before she left, there was a confusion in his mind. He couldn't understand what he felt when he looked at her. He would miss her anytime she was away for more than a few days. Miss that goofy laugh of hers, or the sleazy grin she gave when she teased him. Her warm hugs when he cried into her shoulder. The way her fingers brushed through his hair. Nao had seen him at his worst. Ichigo couldn't always place the emotions he was feeling towards her. But the moment she returned; clarity struck him as to what he was feeling.

He wanted her. But it didn't work like that. They didn't work like that. How the hell was a guy like him ever going to get a girl like her ? Nao was pretty, beautiful even. She was cute even as a chubby kid, but in losing her baby fat she'd become even better looking. She had indigo eyes that held so much mischief; always looked like she knew something you didn't. Always thinking, always plotting. He'd be lying if he said he never thought about her other... assets. She didn't have a large chest, modest at best really, but her hips- his hands fit perfectly on them, he'd recently discovered.

But Nao was out of his league, or so Keigo and Mizuiro liked to remind him every god damn day of school. He didn't doubt it, he'd been told he had a mean face and a nasty disposition for a while now, and Ichigo supposed that had been because the three years Nao was gone made him meaner. Even when Nao was there, he thought she saw him as a brother figure, and he was content with that. More or less. Sometimes he felt strange, the cracks in their friendship shined through a lot more when she returned. Ichigo realized how much he depended on her as a child. How little he gave Nao in return. She lived in subpar conditions, without heat or electricity and was nearly starving, and she never once thought to ask him for help. Hell as a child he'd sniffle, and she was there with a damn tissue. Ichigo felt terrible when he heard from his father what she was dealing with. He hadn't even known, and he called himself her best friend? What kind of man was he? The worst part was he realized that night that she didn't trust him. He couldn't really blame her. After all, how could you put your trust in a guy if you were the one constantly taking care of them?

So, his newest goal was to prove to her that she could lean on him, that he wasn't her best friend for only his own benefit. Easier said than done. Because Nao leaned on no one, and whatever happened in those three years had made her even less trusting than she used to be. Nao had always been suspicious of people, but now she straight up rejected support if she didn't want it. He wanted to protect her, for her to acknowledge him. Even if she didn't see him as anything more than a friend, Nao deserved to feel safe. Yet the more secrets he kept from her, the more he felt like he was losing her.

Then there was the looming fear. A fear that, like his mother, Naomi would be taken too. He couldn't handle that. No, that was non-negotiable. He'd rather her hate him than anything happening to her, but damn, try and tell Naomi what to do. It was damn near impossible. He was going to lose his mind one day trying to keep her safe. It was practically a full-time job. Nao never listened, and Nao did as she pleased. She would stop at nothing to get answers and would get into any trouble she could to help him out.

So he gave up fighting her. Gave up trying to keep her at arm's length. After all, "Nao's always right" . He needed to keep her closer then, right beside him even. Which was easier said than done, especially when she was so touchy feely all the damn time. Even playing around in Urahara's training grounds, he remembered her stealing the bentos, he sat right behind her, pressing his whole front into her back. Thank god she hadn't looked at him. Thank god she left when she did, or he would've pounced on her and died of embarrassment for it. He didn't think Nao would ever feel angry at him for his feelings, but he didn't know if she'd return them.

He'd had a few friends urge him to ask Nao out, Tatsuki even dropping a hint that Nao had tried to ask him out before ( when the hell was this?! ), he even thought to try and kiss her before going to the Soul Society. Ichigo chickened out on that. Twice. The turning point for him, however, was when he realized Nao was stuck on the other side of the Seireitei wall. The devastation was palpable, and he didn't even try to hide his panic. Not even five minutes there and he lost her. The one person Ichigo said he couldn't lose, and he lost her because of his overconfidence. Ichigo told himself, the next time he saw Nao again, if he ever got to see her again, he was going to tell her. He promised he would, and he did... sort of.

He found her, bleeding, crying, and on the brink of exhaustion. She'd fought like hell, looked like she'd be dragged through it, but damn did she look that beautiful all this time? He kissed her, because it was the only thing going through his mind. He'd tell her the rest, eventually, even if she didn't feel the same. She deserved that, she deserved everything. There wasn't a god damn chance he was ever going to leave this place without her.

He remembered on Sōkyoku Hill, where Aizen was mocking them, pretending to offer Naomi in exchange for Rukia. Ichigo hated how easy that trade was in his head, but his body stayed still. He knew Nao would kill him if he traded Rukia for her. But he couldn't lose her, not when he just found her again.

"It should be an easy trade. Rukia Kuchiki for the woman you love."

He remembered the shock that ran through him, how obvious he must've been to an outside perspective. When he saw Naomi again, when she'd awoken and looked healthier than the last time they'd seen each other, he felt embarrassed. Was it wrong to touch her? What did she think about what Aizen said? It became quite obvious soon after though, that Naomi didn't remember it. That, or she was actively ignoring it. He couldn't decide. It was obvious to him now, that he was head over heels. He'd always been, but he couldn't say that. Ichigo felt like he'd just met Naomi all over again. Terror clutched at his skin, he felt like an idiot anytime he tried to move.

"Why are you so against touching me all of a sudden?"

She didn't have a clue how badly he wanted to touch her then. But would it be alright? What was a normal way to touch Nao? He'd always ruffled her hair, or leaned on her, sometimes they hugged. But what was an acceptable amount of touch? He didn't know what was okay to do. Naomi, for all her boldness, for once she didn't take the lead. So Ichigo was stuck. At the very least he figured getting her alone would be a good option. That way they could talk, or at least figure out what each other was comfortable with.

Talking was... a lot more fun than he expected.

"You're safe with me."

He wanted to jump on her so badly, but he also felt anguish that he was still not seen by her as someone to rely on. She still wouldn't look at him as a man. But then-

"You protect me, and I protect you. Together."

There it was. The thing he'd been looking for. Trust. Equality. Naomi trusted him, saw him as her equal. He had her back, and she had his. It was all consuming in his head, and it terrified him how much her words affected him. How easily his heart was placed in her hands. He found himself wrapped up in her, with the tiny whimpers and moans that did things to him on a new level of intensity than he'd ever experienced. Her skin was so soft, tasted so sweet. For how strong her legs were, they felt plush beneath his palms. For the first time in her life, she listened to him. Her body was pliable, submissive, moving how he asked her to. It was amazing. He felt dizzy, lost, and consumed. He led her, she obeyed. He tugged her and moved her how he wanted, testing what she liked, what he liked. What was spooky was how natural it felt. How right it felt even when it was something they decidedly disliked. It startled him at first, until he saw her face. Blown pupils, bruised lips, the blush on her cheeks and her messy hair from him pawing at her. She looked divine. He wanted more. He nearly keeled over at the eagerness she expressed at calling him her boyfriend.

"You're mine."

It sent a feeling of heat and love through him. He felt happy. Light-headed and light-hearted. He was hers, and she was his. Mine. Suddenly his troubles were far away. Beside her, he felt confident. Like he could face whatever came their way, and he knew, no matter what, he wanted her beside him. Even if this didn't work out between then, he wanted her here. He wanted to stand tall beside her. Show her how far he could go.

'I'm yours.'

And he always would be.


Admittedly, Ichigo's bit was a lot shorter in my head, but it just rolled out surprisingly easy first try. He might seem a bit simpy, I apologize, but I have always seen Ichigo as the type to be very open with his own thoughts but very difficult when it comes to sharing them with others. Naomi is literally the exact opposite 99% of the time haha. She has no idea what she's feeling until it literally hits her. I don't see him as treating her like he's a simp or anything, just very honest with his feelings about the situation. If anything Noa's the god damn simp oml. I suppose you could call it puppy love at this point, because they don't know the depths of love yet. Those were my thoughts when writing this.

Also, this is the first make out session I've written. I've written a handful of cute kiss scenes but definitely nothing like this. i equate their feelings to 'when it's the right person it's always intense' kinda vibes. Plus I think these two had a lot of tension pent up from the stress of SS and almost dying way too many times.

There is one more chapter in SS and then our crew will head home. I'm hoping the next chapter isn't as long. This one... really got away on me...

MesmerizingMermaid: Well, now you know why he wouldn't touch her haha. Yes honestly Shunsui was a lot of fun to write. I understand why you love him, he's awesome. The captains meeting was a great scene to write. It's funny, it wasn't going to be in there, more like it would be mentioned in reference. I wrote part of it for references but then decided it was too good not to include.

Cinnabae: Lol pretty much, though as you can see Ichigo was feeling extra awkward about it thanks to Aizen. Honestly those few quotes of his were the only memorable moments on Sokyoku hill, and Nao only remember's Aizen's 'keep up kid' comment more than anything else. There will be more references but nothing nearly as um... memorable.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers.

Iland Girl