~FIREFLY KNIGHTS~
Bleach Copyright Tite Kubo
Firefly Knights Copyright Illand Girl
'For those that need a Guardian.'
Chapter 25: Steel Skin
"The parameters are simple. You and Naomi will remain inside this barrier while training. If your hollow appears, I will set a timer. After 10 minutes I will shut it down by any means necessary." Kisuke said, fanning himself as he stood across from us. I looked over at Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu who joined us. "Part of this exercise is to learn to control your hollow, but it is also a chance for Naomi to learn more about hers as well."
I immediately thought of Gin's shikai and how I matched the spiritual pressure to force it back, remembering the sensation of the action. Ichigo's spiritual pressure was a lot heavier than his though, and there was a chance it would be too much for me. However, I wouldn't know it unless I tried. My gaze lifted to Ichigo, who looked less than thrilled. His fists clenched. I could tell he was opposed to this. My hand raised up to touch his bicep, gaining his attention as his honey brown eyes looked down at me with obvious discomfort.
"It's just ten minutes," I assured, then felt a cheeky smirk slip onto my lips. "I think I can last longer than you."
He tsked, a nervous smirk on his lips. I turned back to Kisuke and nodded. Kisuke gave the world to Tessai, who erected a barrier around Ichigo and me. When the barrier rose, making the training grounds look empty. I lost sight of them on the outside and turned to Ichigo. From here on out it would be up to me to help him figure out what to do. I took a deep breath, backing up a couple of paces.
"Alright, I guess we can start with the basics," I pulled out Espejo, watching Ichigo draw his own blade. "I'm guessing you can go into that inner world of yours at will, right?"
"Yeah, that's right." Ichigo sounded rigid, but I ignored it for now. Nodding, I gripped Espejo in front of me.
"Then go to that inner world," my words startled him. "When Kisuke first pushed me from my body, I had to take on Espejo. It might not be the exact same, since I do not possess any soul reaper powers, but I imagine the fundamentals of control are still the same thing. She wasn't quite as strong as she is now, but to tame her I had to gain control. So the logical leap I have here is that you must tame your hollow the same way. Learn his weakness and defeat him with it."
Ichigo's hands clenched on his sword, doubt swimming through his eyes. There was something he wasn't saying out loud, but maybe it was because of the comrades who sat just outside the barrier.
"Talk to me." I urged. A few moments passed, but finally Ichigo relented.
"He's always there, beneath the surface, what if I can't stop him?" Ichigo asked, his voice wavering. He clenched his eyes shut, his hands so tense his blade shook. "What if I do something, if I hurt you... I..."
"Ichigo," I called, voice firm. He opened his eyes, looking directly into mine. I gave him the most confident, proud smirk that I could muster. There wasn't a hope in hell I would let that hollow devour him, Espejo herself growled at the thrill of a fight.
"I'm not afraid." I said with my chest. "You can't cut me."
He swallowed, then nodded, a bit of confidence returned to him. While he may not have been confident, I knew one of the reasons Kisuke was letting me get up close was because Ichigo would never truly hurt me and would do his best to keep himself in check. Ichigo closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. I steadied myself, not sure what may happen. What happened when I was in my inner world? I thought back to how Kisuke reacted when I re-emerged.
A few more moments, I could smell a change in his spiritual pressure, the scent intensified. A tiny chuckle, this wasn't Ichigo anymore. White matter collected on his face at the same time he lunged. An inhuman scream emitted from his throat. The movement took me off guard as he tossed his entire body at me. I dodged but wasn't prepared for him to swing his zanpakutō from the bandage wrap and dodged at the last second, it took tiny strands of my hair from how close it clipped by.
Ichigo collected his blade and in one swift motion swung Zangetsu in a downward arc. I blocked with Espejo, using the rebound to knock him off balance. His mask was still forming, covering half his face as he screeched at me, chucking his body at me again. We parried, clashing in the middle, but Ichigo's raw strength was staggering, sending me sliding back even when I used my Hierro.
Ichigo laughed, and as I looked at him, I could understand why he was afraid to show me this. His eyes were black with yellow irises, his bone mask covered half his face, but the teeth would separate as he opened his mouth to let a long tongue droop out. Paired with it was a smirk that sent shivers down my spine. He didn't look very human, and to the average person he'd seem horrifying, but my experiences with Espejo allowed me to understand him better. My mind wandered back to when I was taming her, and it finally plugged into place why Kisuke looked so injured when I resurfaced.
"While you were fighting the hollow internally somebody had to keep you busy on the out here."
I smirked, using the rebound to knock Ichigo away. Kisuke knew from the start this would happen too. Meaning he expected success.
Well played, Urahara.
I raised my blade horizontally while Ichigo lunged again.
"Reflect, Espejo."
"How long has it been?" Tessai asked, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his head. Kisuke fanned himself, looking down at the timer.
"Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds." He hummed. Tessai held the barrier firmly, though it was clearly difficult with the overwhelming spiritual pressure oozing off the two teens. Kisuke noticed Ururu and Jinta flat on the ground beside him and patted their heads. "I told you both to stay upstairs."
He received a groan of defiance from Jinta, but nothing from Ururu. Even Kisuke had to admit, Naomi might be in over her head with this one. Ichigo's spiritual pressure was massive, so much stronger than the spiritual pressure she was currently exuding. However, there seemed to be more at work here than he initially expected.
"The seal, I don't understand. It's broken, and yet it's holding to her body." Tessai mused, watching Naomi raise her hand. The damaged chains on her arm clanged when hit by a white claw of Ichigo's. The chains all along her body, he noticed, were the remnants of the sealing he'd placed on her years ago. He was unaware it had remained intact this entire time, having suspected they broke when he removed her from her body a month ago. Perhaps it was the reason she was able to control her hollow so effortlessly. Naomi had only taken seven minutes and twenty-three seconds to control her hollow, which made Kisuke wonder how long Ichigo would need to tame his own.
"It appears the kidō held better than expected. It's quite possible that Naomi's only operating at a fraction of her total strength, but let's not tell her that quite yet. Knowing her, she'll pull it off and try to do it all herself." Kisuke said, though admittedly, he wondered if the seal was the reason he couldn't sense her spiritual pressure until it was released. Theoretically the seal could be holding it down until she forced some of it out. This would explain the broken chains that wouldn't stop clinging to her.
He observed Naomi and Ichigo's fight, finding it interesting how Naomi used this opportunity to not only help Ichigo, but to also train herself in the process. He noticed her movements changing, her weight adjusting to better control her form, she even managed to catch Ichigo's zanpakutō with her bare hand. He wondered about that mirror following her, it had never been mentioned when they discussed her abilities. Of course, Kisuke assumed there were several things she'd never told him.
Any wounds the teen boy had were sustained by his own reckless abandonment and lack of self-preservation in an attempt to attack, as Naomi was doing as he urged her. Working on improving her defense. It was impressive, he had to admit, how well Naomi was keeping up. The sheer intensity behind Ichigo's spiritual pressure was staggering, several of his attacks sent shockwaves so harsh the barrier rippled, but thanks to Naomi's unique sensory ability she seemed completely unaffected by it.
He glanced at the timer. Five more minutes. Kisuke hummed, noticing while Naomi was holding her own Ichigo had become further covered in the white shell. He had claws and a horn on the left side of his face with a half mask that split as he spoke. Initially Urahara's concerns were on whether Naomi could handle this, but judging by how calm she was taking the battle, he began to think his worries were on the wrong teen.
As he thought this, Ichigo released a cero, surprising the spectators. Naomi didn't bat an eye as she opened her left palm and absorbed it before blocking another swipe of Zangetsu. That was another quirk that she had which Kisuke couldn't quite solve. What was that ability? Then there was the other hand, it was always the side that she defended with, as if the right arm were able to cancel the spiritual pressure of an oncoming attack. Or was her control simply more powerful in the right arm for defense?It was also always the exit portal.
He chuckled when Naomi blocked a slice from Ichigo with her bare right hand, holding the tip of his zanpakutō in her palm. However, the impact still destroyed the ground around them, rumbling up to the edges of the barrier and sending ripples up the sides. Kisuke hid behind his fan, watching as Naomi flinched. Even as strong as she had become, he doubted she could last against Ichigo's strikes for much longer. Which was the point of the time limit. Ichigo screeched, surprising his opponent as he hurled his body past her hold on Zangetsu, ramming his head into hers. Naomi flinched, blood flying from her nose as Ichigo landed on top of her. The blades clattered to the ground at their feet.
"Shit." Kisuke cursed, rising with Benihime beside him. However, before he could get two steps, he realized that the duo weren't attacking each other. Kisuke hesitated, noticing that while Naomi was underneath the hollow, he was not pinning her down.
Naomi was staring up at Ichigo, her eyes wide as she searched his features. His claws sent little pinches of pain through her, blood slowly dripping from where the tips sliced through the shihakushō. She'd dropped her hierro from the shock of the headbutt, not protecting herself at all as she watched the half-transformed Ichigo stare down at her. She was still stunned, seeing a wide grin split his mouth, the teeth of the mask splitting to allow Ichigo to open his mouth wider. Distantly, she felt the pain in her shoulders, and her face. Her first instinct was to force him off her, but the fact that he was just sitting there on top of her made her pause. Ichigo hissed again, staring straight into her eyes, but he didn't move. It was like his only goal had been to pin her, but now that she was down, he had nothing else to do.
'Just what is this guy?'
"This is what happens when your humanity is elsewhere. Nothing holds you back, just raw rage and power." Espejo drawled, surfacing from the depths of Naomi's consciousness. Naomi had never thought of it like that, but of course. This was Ichigo's body, but his mind was elsewhere. Nothing was left to hold back the raw strength he contained. The pressure on her shoulders was almost bruising, and as the haze of the stun wore off, so did the numbing effect that came with it. This was still Ichigo, which was why when she sniffed the air she still smelled nothing but him. No hollow, just him. Because this was still part of him as much as Espejo was part of her. Naomi lifted her head, curious when Ichigo moved his back. He was watching her intently; his hot breath came out as steam. Naomi didn't like that look, like she was literally going to be his dinner.
"Get off of me." She said calmly. The grip on her arms increased, he leaned into the hold more, digging his claws deeper into her shoulder. It hurt. Blood fell freely now as Naomi winced, the claws twitched as if to remove them, but it wasn't fast enough for her. A growl emitted from her throat, one he responded to with a low growl of his own as he lowered his head directly over hers. While he was leaning on her, she wasn't completely pinned down, and with a bit more effort than she'd ever admit to, she headbutted him back just as hard as he had to her. Ichigo hissed, rearing back slightly. It was enough for Naomi to roll them over, her left foot pinning his right forearm to the ground while her right knee pinned his bicep. The hollow beneath her stilled; his eyes somehow becoming darker as something deep growl in his chest. A wicked grin covered his face as the mask fully formed in a slow and meticulous manner.
"Time's up Naomi! Better get a move on and try to contain him!" Kisuke called, knowing she could hear just faintly. As if becoming aware of the others for the first time, Ichigo frantically looked left and right. Naomi grabbed a corner of his mask and forced him to look at her. She grinned.
"Eyes on me." She said, showing an incisor. He growled, bucking her off him. Naomi bailed, leaping away and holding Espejo. She took a breath, remembering the feeling when she blocked Gin's shikai. Ichigo leapt up, grabbing the bandage of Zangetsu and yanking him to swing above his head. When she didn't react he grab the hilt and reared his arm back as he lunged for her. With a final exhale, Naomi put all she had into that reversal and clashed swords with Ichigo. The ground shivered, dust flew, the entire barrier was engulfed. The onlookers were hesitant to move from their positions, but Kisuke was curious about the immense drop in spiritual pressure that occurred from both teens simultaneously. Kisuke and Tessai hesitated, waiting for movement.
Someone banged on the barrier.
"Urahara, let me out!" It was Naomi, but she didn't sound frantic. Tessai opened the barrier, letting her out as she coughed. She'd returned to normal, licking her hands to drag over her wounds between each cough. "He can't see me like this, or I'll never hear the end of it."
Kisuke hid a smirk behind his fan, looking inside the barrier. On the ground lay a completely normal looking Ichigo. It looked like he passed out from the impact, but there was no trace of the hollow energy at all. Upon seeing this too, Tessai dropped the barrier completely, wiping his brow. The large man muttered about getting a workout as he hoisted the wobbly children under his arms before excusing himself from the grounds.
Kisuke could hear sizzling behind him and turned to see what the sound was. Watching Naomi lick her wounds was not exactly what he had been expecting to find. Yoruichi's report didn't include much information on Naomi's abilities, but she had mentioned a healing ability. Apparently it wasn't a joke when Yoruichi said "she licked Tōshirō Hitsugaya to save his life."
He looked back at Ichigo and gave her privacy, but noticed the subtle rise of her spiritual pressure when she used this ability. Her control had reached far beyond what it used to be; and it concerned him that they wouldn't be the only ones to notice.
"Good work Naomi." Kisuke grinned as he turned to look at the girl. Naomi narrowed her eyes at him. Ever the suspicious one. "What? That was real praise! You did better than I expected. How do you feel?"
Naomi huffed, looking at her healed shoulders. Blood was still on the bandages, but the wounds were gone.
"He's... about as strong as I expected." She admitted, though it sounded like an admonishment more than a brag. Kisuke hummed, observing her. "I think for now we can try it this way. We'll have to see what Ichigo managed to accomplish though."
"I think this training is good for you as well," Kisuke assured, closing his fan. "As I said before, you're a defensive type. What better way to practice defense than against someone who is all attack force?"
He had a point, she had to admit. As long as she could stop the session this could be a good training style for both of them. A groan alerted the duo to Ichigo's revival. He sat up, rubbing his neck. There was blood on his face, cuts all over his skin. His eyes were unfocused until he zeroed in on Naomi. Kisuke hid a smirk, looking away. Honestly, the least they could do was try to be more subtle about it if they weren't telling people. Even Yoruichi was able to cotton on to what was going on just by looking at them return from training every day in the Seireitei.
"Well, I think that wraps up our lesson for today! Why don't you two scamper off now?" Urahara cheered.
Ichigo was dead silent on the way back to my place. He hardly allowed me to bandage him or mend his wounds. Mostly he assured me that he'd take care of them later, but I'd never seen him so eager to get out of the shop before. Tentatively, I reached for his hand, digging in his pocket to fit mine into his palm. Ichigo startled, looking down at me. I was patient, knowing he had a lot of trouble whenever he struggled physically with something. Well, as patient as I could be.
As if remembering himself, his hand clasped mine. He didn't smile, but I didn't want him to fake one for me. Though I gave him a confident smile back.
"I think today was good." I admitted, noticing the corners of his mouth tug down. He looked away, a sad look crossing his face.
"I hurt you," he said softly, "and I didn't get anywhere with the hollow."
Although I had been able to hide how bad the damage was, I couldn't hide the rips in my clothing or the blood stains. I insisted it was just a scratch, but even that sent him into a spiral. I didn't want to admit it to him, but that display of power had turned me on, which was probably the last thing he'd want to hear. I mean, it was one thing to know your boyfriend could pin you down and manhandle you, but an actual display of his strength was so damn hot. But I decided that, all things considered, I would not mention any of this to save Ichigo's sanity. As for the training, my guess was we'd know when he got through, and unless that happened it would be the same result.
"I disagree," I squeezed his hand, not at all bothered by his sombre mood. "I like to think I learned a lot. Like how to manage my hierro better. If I concentrate, I don't have to wear it all the time, I just need to focus my spiritual pressure against my skin when I'm attacked or I'm exposed. Oh, and your hollow..."
Ichigo flinched, but I refused to allow him to let go of my hand as I tugged it gently. I gave him a sly smirk.
"He's not that bad."
He scoffed, looking down at me with a doubtful look. Perhaps what he saw made him second guess his perspective as Ichigo hesitated; his eyes drifted away from me almost sheepishly.
"Not that bad..." He gave a humourless laugh. "Now I've heard everything."
We stopped in front of my building. Ichigo sighed as he let go of my hand. I let him, looking up as he stared down at me. There wasn't anything said for a while, but then I reached up and touched his face gently. There was a cut just under his left eye; I fought the urge to lick his face for a plethora of reasons. Mostly because we were out in public if I was completely honest. Ichigo leaned into my touch, spurring me on.
"Come upstairs for a bit?" I asked, taking him by surprise. He'd never been in my apartment with me alone before. Ichigo's cheek felt hot under my palm, a pink tint on them, but he nodded. I grinned, pulling back to tug on his hand and lead him into the building. He clicked his tongue, following quickly behind me despite his grumpy facade.
"Jeez, so impatient." He teased as we stepped into my apartment. I tossed my shoes off as Ichigo shut the door before he followed suit.
"Did you want some tea? Yuzu gave me this delicious oolong tea a while ago." I said as I scampered to the kitchen. I filled the electric kettle and turned it on by the time Ichigo caught up. He leaned against my fridge, looking sombre still, but a small gleam was in his eyes.
"Nah, I'll pass." He looked around, not having to go far to walk the entire apartment. It was very small, studio, with an open concept. The bathroom and the exit were the only doors in the entire flat. Ichigo scratched the back of his head when he glanced at some old photos of us. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. My head rested between his shoulder blades; I could feel them shake as he chuckled.
"You always get so touchy feely after a spar." Ichigo teased, though his hands gently caressed my forearms resting across his abdomen. I chuckled, squeezing him a bit tighter.
"Can't help it," I murmured into his shirt. It was hard being so aggressive in a battle but not really touching. It got my blood pumping and made me crave the feeling of his body against mine. So warm and solid. Ichigo turned around, still in my embrace. I rested my head against his chest. Ichigo sighed as though I was giving him an impossible task, then wrapped his arms around me as well. One arm cradled the back of my head while the other wrapped around my waist.
"I don't want you getting hurt." Ichigo confessed. "And I hate that I did that to you."
I hummed, surprised he wasn't shutting down like he normally did. Maybe he'd finally figured out ' Nao's always right' wasn't just a slogan. I rested my chin on his chest while I looked up at him. He was still sad. I smiled though, leaning up to kiss him. He met me halfway, but there was significantly less fire in these kisses than the times before. There was no charge, no energy. The kettle cried out, I pulled back, our lips separated with a subtle pop. Ichigo let me go as I moved to turn off the kettle and make my tea, giving me a chance to consider how I should approach this. I heard him flop down onto my tiny loveseat shoved into the corner of the room.
I had known battling the hollow was a dangerous thing, I had understood we could be playing with fire, I had also considered Ichigo getting upset by any wounds I might get. Though, admittedly, I was a bit mad at myself for getting any wounds at all. At some point during our time in the Seireitei I adjusted to the idea of battle, of wounds. It was a given that it would happen, especially with how strong he was.
I put my prepared cup of tea on the counter, staring into the liquid.
"Do you know what the weirdest thing about that hollow was?" I blurted out. Ichigo shifted, scratching the back of his neck.
"What?" He asked, not sure what I was getting at. I turned to look at him, remembering the hollow mask and the black sclera, the gold eyes. I stepped closer to him, staring into his warm honey brown eyes. I swallowed once, my mouth feeling dry. There was fear in those eyes, like I was about to say something against him. He looked down at my feet as I stood in front of him, so I put my hand under his chin to gently lift his head to look at me. A soft smile slipped onto my lips, admiring his beautiful face as I spoke.
"He didn't try to hurt me. Not really. Well, he headbutted me, but once he was on top of me, he just sort of... Stared." I explained before running a thumb along his cheek, my fingers curling around his jaw. Ichigo shivered, a low hum in his throat. "And I think it's because he's part of you. And I know, you'd never truly hurt me."
Ichigo sucked in a breath, using his hair to hide his eyes. I felt him swallow before his hands reached out for me, tugging me forwards. My eyes widened but Ichigo kept pulling me until I straddled his lap, our chests inches apart. He pulled me closer, resting his head in the crook of my neck. I hugged him tightly, one arm around his shoulders while my other hand tangled in his hair.
"I don't want to hurt you. I..." He began but didn't finish. He just held me tighter, his arms coiled around me. I kissed the side of his temple, shushing him softly as my fingers grazed through his scalp.
"These are superficial wounds Ichigo, they're nothing. Barely scratches. Trust me, that spiritual pressure of yours, I can tell how strong you are." I assured him, kissing the side of his head. This was the part of Ichigo that broke me sometimes, the part that thought his suffering was less important than others. He'd hide it to the point of breaking himself. I kept thinking back to when Masaki died, how lost he was, how he refused to ask for help. How he rejected my help. I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing his hair again.
"You're so strong, and brave, and so good to me, to everybody. You want to protect all of us, but who's protecting you huh?" I felt him tense against me. "Let me help you, let me do this for you. I'm not exactly a frontline fighter, but I am stellar at defense. So let me be your shield."
He grumbled, making me frown. Gently, I tugged his hair to pull him back. He resisted at first, but eventually pulled away. Ichigo's eyes were frustrated, sad, and warm all at the same time. I smiled though and leaned forward to kiss his lips, then his jaw. Finally, I ran my tongue along his cheek and his skin sizzled while healing. He startled, touching the place the cut was a moment ago.
"What- You just-" I giggled at his reaction.
"I guess I never showed you, this is an ability of mine. I used it a while back, but only really figured it out when I- when I was trying to save Tōshirō." I licked another small cut by his ear. It sizzled. He hummed, feeling the wet skin where his wounds had been, then placed his hands on my waist. "My saliva has healing properties. It's stronger in my released form, but like this I can heal minor wounds."
An idea popped into my head then, as I bit my bottom lip. Ichigo eyed me, noticing the change.
"I know that look," he said, his breath sounding course as his grip on my waist tightened. "You get that same one before something stupid comes out of your mouth."
"Pfft!" I snorted, pressing a hand to his chest. My skin felt hot as I realized this might be going a bit further than last time. "Hardly, I was going to tell you to take your shirt off."
Ichigo immediately lost all his bravado, his eyes widening. I waited, wanting him to decide whether to go through with it or not. He swallowed, not breaking eye contact, then let go of me. His hands pulled his shirt off him in one swift motion. I had initially thought it would make me feel nervous or uncomfortable, but oddly enough, I just felt closer. I had touched Ichigo shirtless before, but holy hell, it was easy to appreciate it now that he was my boyfriend. Sidling in closer, I kissed him again, then eased my kisses to his jaw, then his neck. I found a small cut on his collar bone and swiped it with my tongue. Ichigo shuddered.
"I'm not afraid of you." I said firmly, kissing down to his left peck. Ichigo shuddered when I licked another wound at the top of it. He leaned back to give me more access, one hand reached into my locks and held my hair back for me, the other hand gripped the armrest of the loveseat.
"You sure?" He asked breathily. I ran my teeth over the freshly healed surface and looked up at him through my lashes. His pupils dilated as I smirked.
"Not of you, or the hollow. Not at all." I continued my search for wounds, taking my time to appreciate his skin, watching as it flexed beneath my mouth regardless of what kind of touch I put on it. I listened to him, spending more time in an area if he reacted stronger, sometimes just licking a strip of skin to see what would happen.
His muscle rippled beneath me, the air filled with the sounds of wet kisses, sizzling wounds, and Ichigo's panting. I slowly slid off his lap to get to his abdomen, resting between his legs as my forearms rested on his thighs. I reached the hem of his pants too soon for my pleasure. I nipped once at the waistband to tease him before licking a long strip up one side of his six pack even though there wasn't a wound there. When I looked up at him, Ichigo was staring at me with dark eyes, his chest rising and falling deeper. The hand in my hair tugged at me, urging me back into his lap as his free hand assisted me by yanking one of my thighs around him. I steadied my hands on his shoulders, our breaths mingling. The sight of him sparked the memory of the time he called me his girlfriend, of the look like he wanted to-
"You're mine." I whispered.
He yanked me to his lips. I obeyed, sighing happily, feeling that tension and heat in our kisses again. His hand on my thigh moved to the small of my back, pulling me closer. I moaned, loving the feeling of being manhandled so easily. Something about the simple display of strength made more heat rise inside of me. I whimpered when he licked my lips and pressed his tongue into my mouth. He used his tongue to massage mine. I squirmed, wanting to move and itching to do more. Ichigo's hand on my back pressed me flush to him, heat sprung forward from my core as I dug one hand into his hair and the other clawed at his bare shoulders. So broad, so strong, I felt tiny and loved every second of it. A moan slipped from my lips, and he separated from me with a trail of saliva before diving down to kiss my neck, my collarbone, anywhere he could get at. The damn t-shirt I was wearing was in the way though, preventing him from wandering far. Feeling his free hand working up my back, I realized how badly I wanted those fingers touching my skin instead.
"Here," I said, leaning away for a moment to grab the hem of my shirt. Ichigo grabbed one of my wrists then, stopping me. I froze, making eye-contact with him. His eyes were foggy, but he also looked a little nervous as he swallowed.
"Are you sure? I mean... I... I just want you to know you don't have to." His hand did circles on my stomach as he let go of my wrist. It made me think about how safe and comfortable I always felt with him. I had always been safe, comfortable, and maybe just a little needy for him. Part of me wondered how my affections for him went unnoticed by even me for so long, but part of me also knew I had been blind to a lot of things. I knew there was a deep love between us, one that started as children, and that time away really reset my perspective on Ichigo. He was no longer the scrawny boy that was shorter than me, he was becoming a man before my eyes. And part of me relished the fact that I had been part of both sides to his story. What's more, the idea of my best friend being my first love sent fireworks throughout my entire body.
First love.
I shivered at the realization, then leaned forward and gently kissed him. I settled back to pull my shirt off before I lost my nerve. While Ichigo removing his shirt made me feel closer, removing my own shirt made me nervous, especially when he was staring at me like that. I felt a blush rise on my skin, blooming across my chest.
"I-I know I'm not- um, well-endowed or anything but um..." I wasn't sure what to say, and Ichigo seemed to be completely in his own head while he glanced over my entire body. He swallowed, then leaned forward, kissing my neck again.
"You're so beautiful." His words were muffled as he pulled me closer. I whimpered, shifting my hips to slot better against his. Ichigo's hand in my hair moved lower, sliding down my bare back. I shivered; one hand returned to his hair while the other steadied myself on his bicep.
"Mine." He whispered, the sound of his voice, so deep and gravelly, doing things to me I didn't entirely understand. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling the skin of my inner thigh and calves touch his bare skin. My skirt rode up, completely getting out of the way for us.
"Yours." I whimpered, feeling Ichigo shudder against me.
He bit the junction between my neck and shoulder, making my hips buck and our chests press together. I tilted my hips so that our stomachs pressed together, feeling like a cat in heat rubbing up against him. The zipper of his pants was pressing against my crotch now, and every shift made a shudder run through me as I tried not to say something. There was something about it, as Ichigo continued to kiss all over my skin, that made it so much hotter. His one hand held on to the back of my neck, leaning me back so he could kiss more without unlocking our hips. It rubbed the zipper to my lips even more, I could feel moisture collecting in my panties.
"Ichigo." I whimpered, gaining a groan in response. He'd worked his way down my chest, stopping at my bra. He kissed the top of my breast, and it was only then that I looked down at him. He was staring at me. The look in his eyes sending moisture to my pussy as I whimpered. God it should be illegal to look that good. My bra strap fell over my shoulder, lowering one side just a little bit more over the globe of my breast. Ichigo took the chance and kissed along the newly exposed flesh, but not a step further.
"Please don't stop." I urged, seeing the honey brown darken to nearly black. Tentatively, Ichigo pawed behind my back, feeling for the band of my bra. He didn't quite get it, his brow furrowing. I didn't have the patience to let him figure it out though and undid it for him. It was added to the discard pile as I captured his lips to mine again. Without waiting, I pulled one of his free hands to my left breast.
"Show me what you like." He urged against my lips. I covered his hand with mine, moving his fingers how I wanted him to. My chest was small, straddling a B and C cup, and his hand could cover one breast completely. If it was an issue Ichigo never said a damn word. Not like I could make out those words between my moans as I made him flick his finger over the nipple, gently pinching it. Feeling confident, Ichigo kissed his way down to my right breast. He licked my nipple, I jolted, rubbing myself against him. Something other than his zipper pressed against me. Ichigo groaned again.
"More." I cried, squeezing the hand in his scalp, possibly scratching him. "Ichigo more ."
Ichigo grunted, his teeth closing around my nipple sharply. Fluid gushed into my panties, I liked it, squeaking as he rolled his tongue over the swollen bud before switching sides. My hand on his bicep dug into his skin as he fiddled and listened to me, changing his moves based on my noises. I rolled my hips, feeling heat building up in me.
"Ichig- o " I said in praise. My poor nipples were tender now, but he made no move to back away. I didn't want him to stop, just the sight of his head ducked down in front of me was sending me into overdrive. I wanted more, a lot more. I wasn't sure what he wanted though, but then I remembered the look he gave me during our last make out session. Ichigo wanted more as well.
Ichigo swapped breasts, licking and sucking. I felt like a wound-up coil, something tensing in my gut as I rolled my hips against his again. I could tell now, the other thing I was pressed against. It was him, his cock. It raised up, his soft pants pliable and allowed his shaft to pushed against my pussy. I rolled my hips against him, feeling how he glided up and down my lips. Ichigo hissed, nipping my breast.
"Nao." He moaned against my skin. I gripped his shoulders with both hands as he explored my body, clawing at him, crying out when his right hand found my hip. With a jerk of his own hips, I felt him glide along my lips again. The fabric of my panties was soaked against me, concaving slightly as he pushed.
"We should stop." He said, sounding like he was forcing the words, but made no move for it. His breathing was rapid panting at this point. I was no better, sweat was clinging to my brow, and I could smell the sweat on him.
"If you want to." I said, feeling the bulge in his pants. "Or..."
I readjusted, pushing my lower half away from him. Ichigo kept kissing my shoulder and neck, nibbling in several spots he knew I liked. With my thighs folded on either side of his, I trailed one hand down his chest, over his six-pack, and down to the waistband of his pants. Ichigo paused, then ducked his head to my neck, shivering.
"We should stop." He repeated. I turned my face to his, kissing the side of his temple, and whispered in his ear.
"I want to make you feel good," I said, fingers playing at the hemline of his boxers. "Please let me."
Ichigo swore into my shoulder, his whole body trembling as he held my thighs in a bruising grip. When he leaned away, he couldn't form words, only nodded for me to keep going. Tentatively, I reached into his boxers, immediately feeling him press into my hand. Ichigo hissed, adjusting himself to let me pull him free. While I had touched myself before, girls seemed to be so much wetter by nature, if the drenched panties were anything to go by. But Ichigo's cock was hot to the touch and smooth yet also dry. A tiny dribble of precum leaked from his tip, and when I swiped my thumb over it, he hissed. I didn't exactly have anything to compare to his size, but fuck this looked huge in my hand. I could barely wrap my fingers around him, and it was quite long by my guess. Despite it being his turn, I was panting just touching him. I leaned my forehead against his, our breaths mingling.
"Show me how to make it feel good." I urged. Ichigo took a moment, then seemed to come out of the haze enough to speak.
"Spit- Need spit. In your hand." He said through hot breaths. I reached my hand up and coated it in a thick layer of saliva, several strings dripping onto my bare chest as I reached for him again. Ichigo grunted, taking one hand off my thigh to close over top of mine. "Your- so small- fuck."
I couldn't help but grin, never hearing him swear so much outside of a fight. He moved my hand how he wanted, watching the entire time. His hand completely dwarfed mine, twisting and turning it with each stroke. After a couple of strokes he removed his hand, his breathing becoming heavier as he watched mine move. I squeezed a little more at the base, his hips bucked. I smirked, leaning my head forward to kiss his shoulder and trying not to block his view. He liked watching my hand; I could see his body trembling. Tentatively, I moved my hand faster, Ichigo grunted as his hands gripped my bare thighs. Scratch marks were left behind, which made Ichigo try not to grip as tightly but failing.
"Sorry I- oh- Nao !" He leaned forward moving his hips with the motion of my hand, panting in my ear as I stroked him faster, the scratches were forgotten. He bit my shoulder, and while I thought it was supposed to be a light nip, I squeezed his cock at the same time. Ichigo bit down on me hard enough to bruise. I cried, my pussy clenching as I lost focus, yanking on his length a bit too hard.
"Fuck sorry I'm- fuck I'm co m -coming- wait-" I didn't wait, moving my hand faster. I'd never seen porn, and only learned about sex through the school system, but I had read books. Lots and lots of hot romance novels my mother would read and leave around the house. I wasn't at all versed, and when I tried touching myself it took a long time to feel moisture. But just watching the cum splay across my stomach, a small spray hitting my left nipple, made something snap inside of me. I felt like a release happened and my panties were officially ruined.
It took Ichigo a while to come down from his high, my fingers stayed quiet after he finished, his body dropped onto mine, becoming boneless for a long minute. I wrapped my free hand around his neck, cradling his jaw to me. After a few minutes he kissed the underside of my jaw once, then leaned back, looking down at where I still held him. His eyes drifted up my chest.
"Hang on." I let go and got off his lap, searching the kitchen for a small towel. I wiped my chest clean of saliva and semen, then brought it for him to use. Ichigo looked a bit sheepish as he glanced at me as he took the towel.
"Sorry, didn't mean to uh- do that." He ducked his head down while he wiped himself and tucked back into his pants. I giggled, sliding back into his lap, my arms around his neck as I pushed his head up to kiss him.
"I liked it." I admitted, face turning red. His cheeks were pink, but a smirk slipped onto his lips. Our noses bumped.
"See? Depraved soul." He teased. I giggled, feeling his fingers run up and down the sides of my ribs. He paused then, eyes getting a bit more serious. "But I gotta take care of you too."
I shuddered, very aware of my drenched panties. My legs were spread, and the open air was brushing them. I nodded, eagerly, feeling his fingers brush down my collarbone, down the center of my chest, my stomach, only stopping at the hemline of my skirt. Ichigo watched my eyes for any cues.
"Now you need to teach me." He said firmly. I pressed my lower stomach into his hand, his fingers dipping below the waistband. I started panting again as the tips of his fingers began to reach their destination-
RIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!
Ichigo's cellphone blared to life, startling us both. He scoffed, attempting to continue, but I grabbed his wrist.
"Shouldn't you answer that?" I asked, though made no move to pull his hand away. Ichigo paused, listened to the ringing, then waited. It stopped ringing a moment later and he smirked.
"There we go." Not a moment later it rang again. Ichigo reached for the phone sitting on the table next to us and tossed it. It landed on the far side of my bed and stopped ringing moments later. I laughed incredulously as Ichigo pulled me in for another kiss, his tongue licking my bottom lip before sliding into my mouth and massaging my own. I moaned, my stomach going tight as he brushed his hands over my skin, but as he dipped his fingers back into my waistband my cellphone began to ring. He yanked back from me, saliva strands dragging and dropping to our bare chests.
"I swear nobody gives us a moment of peace around here." He grumbled, starting to look genuinely angry. I snickered, pulling away to stand up despite Ichigo's protests.
"Hey, at least they didn't call until after you finished." I teased, earning a grumble as I grabbed my cellphone on the nightstand. "Hell- o !"
That jerk yanked me back to sit between his legs, taking full enjoyment in my shock as he kissed my left ear while the right one was where I held my phone.
"Naomi! So great to hear from my third daughter!" Isshin shouted into my ear. I bit my lip as Ichigo's fingers danced across my stomach.
"O-Oh hello Mr Kurosaki." Ichigo grunted in acknowledgement, hesitated, then continued. He used his left hand to lift my left leg over his knee while the other brushed the hemline again. I swallowed, there's no way he's actually... "What can I do for you?"
"Hm? You alright Naomi? You sound like you just ran a marathon. You're not overworking yourself again, are you?" No no, just fucking your son and suffering the consequences. I swallowed a moan as Ichigo kissed my shoulder, fingers dipping below the hemline. My hand grabbed his wrist. He grumbled.
"Ah I just came back from a run actually. I've been trying to get into shape! What did you need?" I asked again, hoping to get at least one of the Kurosaki men to pay attention. Isshin hummed on the line, if I didn't know any better, he'd seen right through my bullshit.
"I'm looking for Ichigo. He mentioned going to hang with you for the day, but he's not home yet. Was just making sure you weren't getting up to too much trouble." Isshin teased, but I could hear an underlying fatherly tone. I swallowed, feeling Ichigo brush his fingers along my inner thigh with his free hand before brushing the wet spot of my panties. His fingers stopped when he discovered it, pressing curiously against the juices. There was a whole god damn wave pool going on down there, and him massaging it in circles was just being a fucking tease.
"Yeah, Ichigo and I have been working out together. Trying to get in shape and all, hah." My hips jerked when he managed to press against my clit through the fabric, my hand on his loosened and he moved again, pulling the front of my panties down. I coughed to hide any sounds, figuring out the perfect retaliation. "He's still here if you'd like to chat. We're just hanging out until dinner time."
"Oh that's good, keep that boy out of trouble! Give him the phone for me!" Isshin said. I smugly handed Ichigo the phone, smirking.
"Your dad wants to chat." I taunted, expecting him to let me go. Ichigo raised a brow, grabbing the phone and placing it to his left ear. However, when I went to move, he yanked me back down. I bit my lips to stop me from making noises as he re-adjusted me with his one hand, pulling my leg back over his left knee. His fingers dipped into my waistband again, brushing the soft skin of my pubic bone. The gentle caresses brought heat back to my skin, my chest rising and falling, and his fingers danced a little bit lower with every stroke.
Was he actually going to...?
"Hey Dad. Why the hell are you calling me nonstop?" Ichigo grumbled. I couldn't hear what Isshin was saying, but Ichigo moved his fingers lower. I bit my lip, waiting for him to keep going, but he stopped suddenly, pulling his hand up to rest on my hip instead. "Yeah, I've been with her all day, why?"
Ichigo wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I looked up at him, brushing my hands over his forearm that was wrapped around my middle. My back rested against his hot chest as Ichigo's face changed. While Isshin was talking, a frown formed on his lips.
"That's so? Alright, I'll come home then." He paused, listened to something, then he grumbled. "Oh knock it off old man!"
Ichigo hung up, grumbling about privacy, then tossed my phone on the coffee table beside us. Both his arms circled me, pulling me flush to him as he kissed the side of my temple.
"What happened?" I asked, noticing the change in Ichigo. He sighed.
"Some guy, didn't give his name, came by my house today, apparently saying he's friends with me and is 'worried about me getting into trouble' so Dad was making sure it was nothing." He said, resting his head on top of mine. A frown slipped onto my lips. There wasn't anybody who we knew that didn't know how to contact us. Briefly, I thought of that guy and girl from yesterday.
"Could it be those two from the other day?" I asked. Ichigo hummed, tightening his hold on me. He seemed way less concerned than I was.
"Dunno, but I figured if I head home, I might catch them on patrol. Wanna come with me tonight?" I hummed, but a yawn split from my mouth. He chuckled. "Maybe not. You should take a hot shower and rest... or maybe a cold one."
"Ha! Typical. Leave your girlfriend unsatisfied and mock her for i- t !" As the final word left my mouth, I found myself flat on my back. Ichigo hovered over me. I sighed, sinking into the loveseat as he kissed my cheek.
"I would, but it's not enough time to do it right." He said. I laughed.
"You don't know how long it takes!" I joked, but Ichigo's eyes darkened as he kissed me again.
"Not how long you take, but how long until I'm satisfied." He said confidently. My eyes widened, my skin turned red. Ichigo smirked, sitting up and taking in the view. He suddenly turned away, muttering under his breath something I couldn't hear. "I should go. I really am sorry I couldn't- well..."
"I'm teasing you." I assured. Ichigo stood, pulling his shirt back on and handing me mine. I slipped mine over my head, then stood on my tip-toes to kiss him. "Stay safe, let me know if you hear anything about this mystery guy."
"Hmm," he leaned down to kiss me again. "I will. Make sure you lock up after I leave."
I grinned, assured him I would, and watched him leave.
A smile wouldn't wipe off my lips as I went to my cold teacup for a sip, my own fingers ghosted over my stomach and into my hemline. They found where they needed to be, and I imagined Ichigo's fingers hovering over mine as I 'taught' him. I whimpered, legs shaking, then flopped onto my bed to continue. This might be a nice evening after all-
A knock was at my door. Without thinking about it, without using my senses, I used the towel to wipe my fingers before marching over to the entrance. Did Ichigo change his mind? That fast?
"Not that I'm complaining, but it's getting harder to say-"
I froze when I saw who was in the doorway. She looked like a deer in headlights. Her once lustrous brown hair was in a greasy bun, strands flying everywhere from the knot. Her skin looked pale, sallow under her eyes, and very dry. She was also thinner than I remembered, and my heart stuttered when the same indigo eyes to my own looked back at me. Neither of us moved, just stared. Finally, I broke the silence.
"Mom?"
Just an FYI, the more lemon-y content will be separated by line breaks when the steaminess starts, but that's your only warning. If you want to skip those parts you just scroll to the next line break. This one was kinda hard to split but it is what it is. I'll do better in future.
I always imagined Ichigo, once comfortable, being a fucking menace to Naomi. Like he's got other demons he's battling, but his girlfriend who is supportive and clearly loves him wants him to feel good? Damn he's gotta make her feel ten times better. I also think Ichigo's main struggle that never really gets addressed in the show is his inability to ask for help. He never really asks anybody to help him, and he even explicitly says "I wont ask you" to multiple things. Idk, I just always thought it would be a bigger plot point than it was made to be. But it is what it is.
Cheers.
Iland Girl
