Bleach 1. Prologue

**This is my first try at slash so don't flame because if you're not into it don't read it. This is dedicated to on of my very best friends because she's been going through some tough times in her life and I know she absolutely adores this pairing. IchiHitsu al the way she says. –Chae**

~~CxB~~

Wild childish laughter rings through the bright and languid streets of the Seireitei. It wasn't too late in the day that one couldn't find taicho and their subordinates training or simply walking happily through the streets. It also wasn't too late in the day that a small, devilishly quick on his feet and temperamental, orange haired child couldn't be seen flashing about in wild spouts of shunpo followed swiftly by his two female cousins one with deep black hair and the other with equally as orange hair as her elder cousin. They would by pass shinigami in wild races while only stopping because of the darkness settling onto the streets.

"Shun I do believe I saw little Ichigo running about today did he tag along for the day again to see Sensei?" Shunsui Kyoraku turns his vivid grey eyes to his best friend before smiling kindly in Jushiro's general direction. He lounges about languidly with an air of grace and ease around him.

"Hai Juu…he's grown quite a bit lately hasn't he?" The two men share a look before they laugh softly and Jushiro pours them each a cup of steaming tea. Shunsui sips at it in the quiet of the room.

Jushiro turns his eyes to the open doors across the room from them to stare at the sakura trees which were shedding their beautiful blossoms. "He'll grow to be a very handsome man Shun…he'll be flocked by countless people. He'll either be very humble and oblivious like you are or very cocky and prideful like his cousin is turning out." The pair share a small laugh as Shunsui states his desire for the former rather than the latter.

Shunsui Kyoraku was a man of noble upbringing skillfully trained under the man that is now is father-in-law. He was a man of simple tastes and although he acted rather laid back but a sense of being untouable settled around him. He was approachable to some aspect but one would often find themselves swallowing thickly and harshly at the thought of actually speaking to the man. His hair was longer than what it had been when he first met his precious wife, Mai, after being taken in along with Jushiro to be taught under Yamamoto. He kept it tied back at the name of his neck and wore a loose fitting shihakusho and taicho haori. His features were sharp and defined with little softness to them but they somehow gave a rather exaggerated air of attractiveness. While he was very noble and well aquainted with that aspect of his upbringing his only son was much the same as him.

The small boy, although still rather young in appearance and still having time to grow into his appearance, was taller than most his age with sharp features despite the childish pudginess still lingering on his face. He had piercing eyes much like his father but they were an odd honey brown that simmered with such brewing emotion and power. The boy would indeed be a striking man when he aged. Ichigo already carried himself with the same laid-back nature his father did but he also was a very kind and caring boy which were traits his mother carried heavily much like her sister Masaki. He was a good mixture of both Shunsui and his wife which would make for a killer combo when he too enters the Gotei 13. The female and male population would be hanging onto the boys every movement as if he were as god.

"Otou-san…" A vivid flash of orange is all Shunsui see before wrapping his arms around the squirming mass of giggling boy in his arms. He laughs lightly in an easy way that although much deeper in tone is much the same as the young boy laughing in his arms. "Jii-san was too busy too see me today so Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan played tag with me all day after we bugged Isshi-ji. Rangiku-san played with us for a little too until Isshi-ji told her to stop." The orange haired boy pouts cutely at his father before rolling his eyes and standing up to brush his hamaka and haori off in a very familiar way.

"If I didn't know he was your son from the beginning I would have no doubt in my mind every time he did that, Shunsui Kyoraku." Both the man in question and the bright haired boy turn to the door to see a woman dressed in a pristine kimono that held small sakura blossoms floating over it. Her silken orange hair was twisted down her head with a pink blossom tucked behind her left ear and a few strands of curly hair falling across her face and down by her ears.

Mai Kyoraku (nee Yamamoto) was slender in build with womanly curves that were both enticing but still petite and feminine. She was a small motherly type woman with long curling strands of orange hair that hung in loose waves to her hip bones when it wasn't tied back in an elegant twist that she almost always kept her hair in. She wore many kimonos most of them fine in quality but they didn't seem important to her. She didn't carry the same air about her that most noble woman did in fact her sister and her were near copies of one another except Mai was easily angered and very protective. The fire and power the small woman possessed was what initially drew Shunsui to her. Mai could take down any man, woman, or child with her eyes closed if they threatened her loved ones and she wouldn't break of buckle under any circumstances unless doing so would protect the few things she cherished more than herself, Ichigo and Shunsui.

"What can I say but my boy takes after his old man." Shunsui places a proud hand to his sons head and ruffles the hair there as his fukutaicho enter the room as well as Jushiro's.

"Taicho, I'm leaving for the night. Kyoraku-taicho will you be sure to get Ukitake-taicho back to the juusanbantai safely. We know how he gets with his sickness. Goodbye Mai-san and Ichigo-kun." Kaien ruffles the little orange haired boy's hair before leaving with Lisa behind him and a small Nanao clutching to Lisa's hand tightly.

"If Kaien wasn't so in love with his wife I'd say he and Lisa would do well together…" Mai stares thoughtfully after the pair as Jushiro brings up his insightful statement. Her honey brown eyes stare after them with a sad smile before she turns her dazzling gaze to her husband.

"Lisa-chan seems to be getting better after Nanao-chan joined your squad. She's taken quite the motherly role to the young prodigy. It's a shame Natsuhiko-chan passed away so young. He was such a vibrant young boy. Lisa-chan may never be the same, I'm afraid. I couldn't imagine losing a child left along both a child and a lover. I'm glad she's taken in her little sister though. From what I heard the poor girl has had a rather hard life." The trio nod all the while a small Ichigo listens silently with an arm wrapped around his father leg.


	2. Chapter 1

The small white haired taicho if the juubantai stared across the green grass as his vision blurred in and out of focus. For a short moment he thought he saw a lone figure staring at him from a distance but he chalked it up to his own imagination. A hollow had gotten the best of him and nearly killed him. A swarm of them attacked him during his recon mission in Hueco Mundo. He barely had enough time to open his own Senkaimon and jump in left alone make sure his calculations were accurate. So here he laid in some lone part of the forest somewhere in the Seireitei or possibly Rukongai.

As his vision finally turned black a man slithers from the shadows around him to stare down at the small boy he had thought he'd seen once or twice during his own time in the academy. With that passing thought the more caring nature of the young man lifts the white haired boy into his arms and, using shunpo, returns to the large manor hidden in the mountains of Rukongai that he has called home for nearly one hundred years. His father only returned on the weekends meaning he would be there at sunset and likely be able to identify the young man and help him more than Ichigo's basic healing abilities would. Knowing his ji-san thought the goat faced bastard probably knew the boy as judging by the taicho haori, as bloody as it is, the boy is his successor meaning the two likely knew one another. Karin and Yuzu would be unhappy with the new addition to their family.

His steps slow to a long stride as he enter into the walls of the manor and guards fall upon him trying to take the small body from his arms. With a single look from Ichigo the guards fall into light strides behind him with an aura of fear falling around them. Despite the male heir's laid back nature he is most definitely not someone you wanted to get angered as he has a temper to match the former lady of the houses.

Ichigo carried his charge into is quarters and shuts the doors with his reiatsu in the faces of the few guards still following him. Placing the boy on a futon Ichigo sets to healing his more serious wounds as well as cleaning his bloodied body and stripping him down and replacing his bloodied shihakusho with one of Ichigo's older sets of silk clothing that he had grown out of a few years ago. Unlike his cousin who rid himself of his clothing nearly every year to buy himself a new wardrobe Ichigo didn't care what clothing he wore so long as t fit and didn't tend to clean out his closet for long periods of time.

After cleaning the boy's wounds and clothing him again Ichigo presses the sheets around the white haired taicho and leaves the inner chambers of his room to step into the small sitting room filled with books and seating that comforted him and fed his intense love of all things written. He was in a word an avid reader and enjoyed sitting for long periods of time sipping his favorite tea and reading. It was something he and his mother shared. With her passing his family moved from their house in the first district, which Yamamoto had provided for them so both Isshin and his father could visit as often as they liked, to the familial manor of the Kyoraku clan high in the mountains with the forests surrounding Rukongai.

It was so high that the clouds brushed the wide expanses of trees and set for a very relaxing place where time seemed to stand still and was only kept by the blossoming and shedding of the various trees around the manor. The private quarters of the family were founds surrounding a square courtyard near the very back of the manor with it's back to the high back wall of the mountain cliff the manor was built upon. A large pond and water fall were nestled snuggling against the wall right outside to doors of the farthest room while smaller ponds dotted the vividly colored gardens. Within the courtyard of the familial wing as the servants call it is a set of gardens with sakura trees as well as an area for training with countless weapons as well as meditation and conversations with ones inner being. The courtyard could be found through a large hall that lead the entire way through the main house and ended at two shoji screen which were left open in the spring, summer, and fall and closed during the winter. Large porches which could be closed in during the winter for added heating circles the courtyard presenting the shoji screens which allowed entrance into the more public quarters of each person's chambers.

The door on the left of the main entrance belonged to Karin Kurosaki, Ichigo's younger cousin, who was a replica of her father in every way. She was brash, powerful, loud, obnoxious, and always seemed to pick fights with servants and the guards who seemed to always be at the receiving end of her kicks. Despite all of these things she also had a soft side that came out whenever her twin was upset. The door to left of Karin's room belonged to her twin sister Yuzu Kurosaki who was as nice and gentle natured as they come. Yuzu was a replica of her deceased mother in every way possible and was often found in the kitchen humming away as she helped prepare the daily meals with the two elder cooks that were employed there for as long as Ichigo could remember. Ichigo's rooms was the room farthest back mostly because it was the only set of chambers with a small library built in and the only place big enough to hold all of his books as his aged. To the left of his room was his father's chamber which was used on the weekends and on holidays as well as the two weeks a year his father took a vacation and returned home. The final room in the wing was Isshin's room as he often stayed up late into the night and didn't wish to wake anyone while returning to his room even though he always seemed to do so.

The Kyoraku manor was laid out simple with the main hall which held a large ballroom which rarely saw use, a sitting room, where the family often lounged about during the day doing their own activities, and various other rooms such as a tea room for visitors, a large scale library which Ichigo often stayed in due to it beautiful view over the mountain side, a few studies which Isshin worked in for most of the day, a rooms for Karin and Yuzu's various tastes and hobbies. The servant's quarters were in a large building connected to the main house by an enclosed hallway with large windows that mirror the same hallway on the right side of the house that held the quarters for the guards. These quarters were luxurious and well to do with beautifully decorated rooms and a center where the guards and servants congregated and often stayed in late at n night before retiring. The quarters were very much like a house for all those working in the Kyoraku manor and the family has always been known for treating those that work for them very well including housing their families and children until they decided to go out into the world and find themselves.

Ichigo is startled from his own thoughts on the odd book he had picked form his collection by the smooth baritone of a voice that couldn't belong to any other man than his father. "I thought I'd find you here after you weren't in the library. Nariaki said that you went out to train in the forest again today…have you grown used to your new body yet?" Ichigo watches lightly as his father languidly slips into a chair and runs a hand through his shorter hair. The man had cut it only a few short months ago when one of the elder servants who they all looked at as if she were a grandmother nagged at him about the unkempt mess he was becoming.

Folding the corner of the page he was reading Ichigo places the book in his hand back onto the shelf. "It wasn't as hard to deal with these changes as it was when I grew rather quickly after…we moved…" The two men share a somber look, both knowing that the boy still didn't enjoy speaking of his mother's death. "How has things been in the Seireitei with Sosuke being put in the maggots nest after trying to rise up against Yama-jii?"

The older of the two males heaves a hearty laugh before rolling his eyes lightly. "Things have been settling back nicely although settling the turmoil in Hueco Mundo hasn't been easy. Let's not forget that the fukutaicho or the sanbantai, gobantai, and kyuubantai haven't been coping well with the loss of their taicho. Rangiku-san is both relieved and extremely upset with Ichimaru for doing something so stupid and he is currently awaiting his trial before Chuo Shijuroku. Honestly none of us really blame the man. Aizen threatened to kill his wife. I think it's because she's the only thing important to him anymore. I've talked to him you know…he said he loved all of the shinigami under his command but none of them meant as much to him as protecting Rangiku-san did. She really is his world and had been since they were young children." Shunsui seems to deflate under his son's tender gaze before sighing softly and continuing with his tale of the happenings within the Gotei 13. "Hinamori-chan, you remember her she went to school with you, she's still in the yonbantai with Retsu. Her injuries are severe both mentally and physically so Jushiro and I have been dividing the gobantai's paperwork until Yama-jii can find a replacement taicho. He's been looking at Abarai-san and Madarame-san but neither wishes to leave their current positions as they aren't ready for the position of taicho. Byakuya has been helping Kira-fukutaicho and Hisagi-fukutaicho with their paperwork at least until Ichimaru's trial. The Seireitei is in an uproar though since Hitsugaya-taicho didn't return on time from his recon mission in Hueco Mundo."

Recognition flashes through Ichigo's eyes like a lightning storm before he's short from his chair and is pulling his father into his room with a strong grip. The orange haired man stops and move to the side so his father can see the small unconscious white haired man lying before the two of them. "I found him during my training I've healed the major injuries the best I can and cleaned the blood from him as well as had one of the servant clean his shihakusho and haori. He still hasn't awakened though." Shunsui breathes deeply through his nose and places a calming hand on Ichigo's shoulder before pressing a soft kiss to his son's temple. A look of irritation passes his son's features as he scowls and takes a step away from his father.

"I'll contact Yama-jii and have him call of the search parties well done Ichigo. When he wakes bring him down to the kitchens for some food I'll be in my study if you need me alright?" Ichigo nods and watches as his father leaves the room. Turning to his white haired charge, Ichigo begins studying him. His face was smooth and older than what he had remembered it being when they were in the academy together. Ichigo graduated a year before him despite having only enters a few short months before the boy. Both were known as prodigies but only the white haired boy had become a shinigami. Ichigo decided to return home and thankfully he did because a few short months later he became painfully sick and suffered a sever growth spurt due to having to mature so rapidly.

Toshiro Hitsugaya wasn't overly tall, he most likely came to Ichigo's chest and he had white hair which stuck up in every direction. It was slightly longer than what he recalled it to be but the boy appeared somewhat older. Ichigo somewhat recalled his father saying that with Hinamori's mental instability Hitsugaya had gone through a small bit of a growth spurt after having his childhood friend ripped away form him.

Ichigo finds himself leaning against the open door frame and watching the sakura blossoms fall into the cloudy waters of the large pond that was sat outside of his chambers. He enjoy the light fragrance the blossoms held but it also almost always brought a sad smile to his face because he remembered watching the petals fall as a child while seated in the loving embrace of his mother. "I know you're awake…"

A sharp intake of breath can be heard in the room before Ichigo turns to the wide eyed taicho lying in his room. Ichigo is a bit startled by the beautiful teal eyes staring back at him and how that contract nicely with his pale skin and even paler hair which nose lies perfectly over one side of his face **( Went with Toshiro's newer looks during the Xcution arc except he's a bit taller. (; )**.

"How would you know something like that?" At the young taicho's harsh and chilly statement Ichigo offers a warm smile and a gentle shrug of his shoulders. Hard teal eyes glare into his before Toshiro is looking around the room and his eyes land on three swords. All three were lined up but judging by the four small hooks Toshiro knew two of them were to be hung on the wall for organization.

Upon seeing his charged unease Ichigo allowing a calming dose of his reiatsu to sweep the room. "I heard your breathing become different…that's how I knew you were awake. I'm Ichigo by the way and from what my Tou-san told me you're Toshiro Hitsugaya. Man the Gotei 13 have been going crazy looking for your little ass." Ichigo watches in mild amusement as a twitch begins forming at the corner of the white haired man's forehead.

"Who're you calling small strawberry?!" His icy reiatsu covers the room and Ichigo glares right back at the white haired boy before rolling his eyes and straightening from where he's leaning against the frame of the door.

"Come on Toshiro…Tou-san said I needed to take you down to the kitchens for some food when you woke up. You should be fully recovered and able to leave by the end of the weekend and then Tou-san can take to back to the Seireitei with him. It's really hard to find your way out of these clouds." Ichigo offers the man a hand which he grudgingly takes after grumbling for Ichigo to use his proper title which Ichigo promptly ignores.

"Ichigo-sama so nice to see your bright and cheery face in my kitchens again today I was wondering when you'd come and visit me for some food. We all know you can't go a day without eating with that appetite of yours…you get it from your Tou-san." A petite grey haired woman with narrow yet angular features pinches at the orangette's cheeks before looking behind him and allowing her azure eyes to widen a fraction. "Gomen nasai Ichigo-sama I did not see that you had company with you please both of you take a seat and let me get something cooking for you both."

As the grey haired woman turns her back another voice pops up behind the pair of young men. "Make that for three people please, Shiori-san." Toshiro whirls to be fact to face with Shunsui Kyoraku the taicho of the hachibantai. He looked different now that he wasn't dressed in his shihakusho. He wore a pair of silken white hamaka and a loose fitting blue haori with no socks on his feet or shoes. He seemed more relaxed and laid back which was odd considering the man was one of the laziest taicho in the Gotei 13. "I'm glad to see you're awake Hitsugaya-taicho. My son had been taken good care of you since he found you…"

Toshiro turns his eyes to the orange haired man at his side and studies him for a few seconds before recognition dawns in his wide teal eyes. "You're Kyoraku Ichigo…you graduated with Momo." Ichigo nods slowly watching as the pieces slowly click into place in the young prodigies mind. "You're the boy who stopped Nosuke from killing me that day in my first month at the academy…he didn't like my attitude and you threatened him and made him piss himself."

Ichigo nods slowly and ignores the raised eyebrow his father is giving him. Shunsui was never made aware of Ichigo protecting anyone during the few months before he graduated and after his mother's disappearance from their lives. Ichigo had also promised both his mother and his father that he wouldn't get in any fights while in the academy.

"Yeah I graduated from the academy and returned home a few months later after…" the orange haired man trails off and turns his eyes to the cook before replacing the harsh scowl on his face with a much softer and serene looks that was obviously forced. "So…um…Shiori-san what are you cooking for us today?"

"We are having sumashijiru with your favorite desert Ichigo-san…amanatto." The little woman with grey hair laughs softly before pinching lightly at Ichigo's cheek and he smiles brightly in her direction.

"If I'm not mistaken Hitsugaya-taicho favorite food in Amanatto as well Ichigo…" the two younger men share a look of shock at having something in common before Ichigo shrugs and plucks a piece of higashi from a small tray which holds quite a few. From Toshiro's vantage point the higashi appears to be citrus flavored goshikiito.

"Iie Ichigo-san, don't you dare spoil your appetite with junk…" The second of the two older women who is slightly younger than Shiori-san with less grey hair and brighter green eyes taps Ichigo's hand with a small wooden spoon while giving him a mock glare only to groan in exasperation as Shiori slips Ichigo another piece of higashi form the plate that one is also citrus flavored goshikiito.

"Gomen nasai Tsubasa-san…" The orange haired man winks at Shiori before taking his seat at a table where his father is settled. "Nee…where is Yuzu Shiori-san usually she's in here with you?"

"I'm right here Ichi-nii." A head of slightly paler orange hair pops out from a screen door holding ingredients in dainty little arms. There are plenty there to the point that they nearly cover her soft feminine face. Her brown eyes narrow slightly as she takes to settling them on the counters. "Shun-ji, why are you and Ichi-nii pestering Shiori-san and Tsubasa-san with your chatter? Go into the dining room please and leave us to our work or I'm telling Yama-jii that Ichi-nii needs to work on his manners again." Toshiro watches as both father and son stand quickly and duck out of the room each grabbing one of his arms and tugging him away. "Nice to meet you Hitsugaya-taicho!"

The two men finally relax and let go of the bewildered taicho of the juubantai when they reach a beautifully decorated dinning room with a large table big enough to fit at least twenty people comfortably. The windows around the room were opened and the walls were a light cream color with bamboo stalks rushing up them. It looked comfortable. "Why must she always be so mean?" The orange haired man rolls his eyes at his father's lazy whine before offering Toshiro a seat at his left before settling down beside Toshiro as his father settles in at the end of the table. "Ichigo I'm still surprised Isshin hasn't broken her of the habit of calling you her brother and not her cousin. Has Karin stopped completely yet?"

"Not really…they both still do as they wish and we both know goat-face won't really stop them from doing it because he's a big push over." Ichigo ducks down quickly confusing the white haired taicho before a man flies over top of his head with a kicking motion that barely missed the orange haired man. "Honestly goat-face will you ever learn to stop doing that?"

The irritated orange haired man glares daggers at the black haired man who is grinning sheepishly from ear to ear. Toshiro isn't however worried about the orange haired boy sitting to his right anymore. Instead his focus has shifted to the grey eyed man sitting across from him that had once worn the same numbered taicho haori as he does now. The very same man that had inducted him into the juubantai before leaving only a few short months later due to familial issues he had to deal with.

"Kurosaki-taicho…why are you…how are you..." All three men near him turn to look at him before Isshin grins broadly and begins laughing loudly. A cold chill sweeps the room as Toshiro becomes angered by his laughter.

"You haven't grown very much have you kid…you were shorter than my Yuzu when I got my hands on you out of the academy and now you only a little taller than her I'm guessing. Man how's it going in the Juubantai? Who is the new taicho? Rangiku-san? I always did like her she was always so jovial and sweet to everyone but man did she have a temper when she didn't get her way especially with that Ichimaru creep…" Toshiro begins speaking in a deadly voice that is cold and frozen beyond belief while cutting off the rambling man.

"As you seem to be interested in Rangiku she's currently the fukutaicho of the juubantai and married to 'that creep' Ichimaru. As for who the taicho is you are currently looking at him." The dead end look in the white haired taicho's eyes could tell anyone in the room how much he disliked the former taicho of the juubantai. "As for the happenings in the juubantai I assure you that everything is running much smoother than it ever has under my control."

Shunsui and Ichigo silently sip their tea as the room grows tenser as the white haired man glares at his former taicho. Suddenly out of the blue a fist slams down on Isshin Kurosaki's head pushing his head into the table and causing his nose to bleed rapidly. Behind him is standing a slender and stick straight young woman with shoulder length black hair and large grey eyes that are narrowed in disgust. "How many fucking times has Yuzu told you to be polite to our guests? There's a reason people don't visit us you asshole!" The black haired girl continues to punch the man in the head while her face becomes redder with each blow. "You're lucky we're not outside of I'd through you down the mountain side again and make you trudge your ass back up it!"

"Karin please stop hitting Tou-san…please forgive Karin and Tou-san they aren't very volatile." The demure young girl blushes softly before dipping her head and setting plates on the table along with the two cooks from the kitchen. Over all Toshiro got the impression that this meal would be a very odd one if nothing else.


	3. Chapter 2

**Okay so I know this is pretty crappy but I'm working through major writers block (2 months |ToT| oh my goodness) so please stick with me I'm hoping this little fic gets better.**

**~~CxB~~**

Toshiro stared out the open shoji screens and back at the lake with mild frustration before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. His former taicho had always been so good at making his blood boil. "Ano…Hitsugaya-taicho…please don't worry about Isshin-ji. He's really nice but he can say stupid things I guess." Toshiro turns to watch as the orange haired man ran a hand through his hair before nudging the edge of a second futon with his foot. He turns sharply obviously a bit nervous before grabbing the two swords off the far wall in a quick and fluid movement that shows years of having done so. "I'm going out for a while…gomen nasai…for not having any guest rooms prepared. The last time we had a guest was last fall when Juu-san visited us for a month due to his sickness."

With a short bow the orange haired man brushes past the white haired taicho and moves in a rapid shunpo into the forest. Picking up Hyourinmaru Toshiro follows his residual reiatsu through the weaving forest while concealing his spiritual pressure. He watches through the trees as the young man moves gracefully through a short series of motions that were elegant and easily well practiced but also held a power and certainty that came with years of handling a weapon. Toshiro hears a silent command brush through his lip which sounds almost like 'Chisei Zangetsu'. The two twin blade glow rapidly with bright blue light which twirls with strands of deep ebony black almost as if it was the moon light filtering through the darkness. The blue was pure and you could feel it despite having been swarmed with the black essence of seeping power.

The two swords were truly a masterpiece perhaps two of the most fear instilling and yet oddly glorious blades ever seen in the Seireitei. They were long and thin with sharp edges. The top was thicker than the center with a curved shape filing down into a point that flashed white in the lightly of the blue reiatsu rolling across them. Over all two indents separated the blade itself into three oval shaped parts that were smoothed into one unbreakable looking blade. One each edge of the handles hung three chain links with azure blue stones hung from them in the shape of two crescent moons surrounded by black rings on either blade. The very tip of the hilt held a full circle of azure stone that had three cracks in it and was also surrounded by the same black rings. The blades were deadly edges and smooth curves which promised to slice through any skin as if it were butter.

"Amazing…" The soft breath of a word was all Toshiro could mutter as he watched how the man's speed and agility increased the longer he trained. His strength as his fingers flexed and quickly adjusted rapidly as if he were battling an actual opponent. It was likely he was training with his zanpakuto since that was a tool Toshiro often used on his own. Slowly the man comes to a stop and wipes a drop of sweat form his forehead before tearing his haori off and tossing it to the ground before resuming again. Toshiro leaned back onto his heels and then slid to his bottom in awe as his eyes constantly traced and retraced the beautiful curve of each muscle as they rapidly moves and tensed in a beautiful ripple of movement with each swing and block. Ichigo's arms were well built and toned as was his chest and abdomen. His hamaka were hung low on his hips showing off the very pronounced 'v' of his hips. Ichigo was beautiful…no more so than that in Toshiro's awestruck eyes.

Then slowly the man come to a stop barely breathing harshly after such a quick workout. "Bankai…Tensa Zangetsu…" Toshiro gasp as wind whips wildly through his hair carrying the deep black and azure reiatsu that somehow had become darker black. When the wind died away Toshiro stares amazed at the new man before him. He held two black blades with three sickening points on each slightly curving blade. The handle was thick and curved around his fingers before a long chain hung down and nearly touched the ground with the same azure crystal hung in the same black rings but this one wasn't cracked and glowed with it's own blinding light. Out of the side of each hilt were two twisting reptilian bodies that curved upon themselves and ended in two dragon mouths curved around one another and biting around Ichigo's middle fingers. He wore what appeared to be a shihakusho just slightly different as the top layer was only white and he wore a long black cloak that exposed his white top through three crisscrossing sets of fabric. Just below the white Toshiro could make out a brown red tattoo that looked to be some type of creature on his body. Blue pieces of crystal wrapped up his arms in crisscrossing patterns to match the fabric of his outfit. Ichigo Kyoraku had a full body Bankai that was one of the smallest Toshiro had every seen. That could only mean one thing…Ichigo Kyoraku was one of the fastest and probably most destructive wielder of a zanpakuto in the Seireitei and he wasn't even a taicho. Judging by the look in the orange haired man's eyes Toshiro knew that his guess was most likely correct which meant he might just be able to help the Sotaicho fill at least one of the open taicho positions if not the open Fukutaicho positions since Hinamori is still mentally incapable to being a fukutaicho.

With a short sigh Toshiro watches as the man moves faster than Toshiro had ever thought possible. Slowly the white haired taicho slinks back into the forest and returns to his shared room only to leave it and return to the large library everyone deemed as Ichigo despite him having one in his own chambers.

"You've seen his Bankai haven't you?" Toshiro jumps and spins around to stare at the grey eyed girl from earlier that evening. She couldn't have been much younger than him but she appeared older when you looked into her eyes. "All of us have them you know...bankai that is. Yuzu's isn't very strong but she has it and she one of the best leaders around as long as she has someone to rely on above her…know what I mean. None of us share a lot but my Tou-san and Shun-ji like to gossip I guess its something they picked up after Mai-ba and Kaa-san disappeared." She flicks her black hair to the side and then tucks a few strands behind her ear before settling into the chair she was sitting in more comfortably.

"How did you know I didn't just go out for a walk?" The woman, Karin was her name, stares at him for a long moment before a sick twisted sort of grin passes across her lips and she pulls two hidden fans from her kimono sleeves. They appeared to be folded and placed like knives but when she unfolded them they sparkled with blazing red stones that made the fans appear to be on fire.

She flutters them for a few moments before snapping them shut so that Toshiro can see a low fire blazing in her eyes. "My zanpakuto, Entenka, has a very keen ability to follow the flexing of reiatsu to those close to it when unsealed. It's part of Entenka's abilities that I am then skilled in tracking reiatsu and reading into it. You had the same feel to your reiatsu as Jii-sama and Shun-ji did when they first saw Ichi-nii's bankai for themselves. You were in awe…shocked…and sucked in by the raw beauty, power, and destructiveness that his bankai and shikai seem to create. It's part of Ichi-nii's ability." I watch as the fan shimmer brightly and flash before returning to two sealed knives.

"Karin…stop trying to frighten our guest you won't achieve anything by doing so. Return to your room or go train. Isshin would no like it if he knew you were in here bothering our guest." The young woman stiffens quickly at the angered command given by the older Kyoraku male. She turns her hard grey eyes on him and stands quickly before leaving the room. Shunsui settles into a chair across from Toshiro and offers him a small smile which Toshiro returns. "So you've seen it haven't you? Truly an amazing thing to watch isn't it?"

Shunsui's eyes tell the smaller taicho exactly what he's thinking. "Yes…I…his blade is so frightening and deadly looking that it is rather beautiful even when only in shikai. It gives off such horror and fear but some how you can't look away because it's so amazing." The two share a long sort of silence before Toshiro speaks again. "Why didn't he become a shinigami he's talented for sure and would have excelled probably faster than I have?"

Shunsui turns his gaze to the windows of the agree library where the moonlight trails in. "Time seems to move much slower up here as if the sun and moon share more time in the sky then usual." Toshiro tilts his head to the side as Shunsui sighs softly as if the story is both old and hard to tell. "A very long time ago, I've lost count of the years as they seem to blur together without her, we were all a happy family living in the first district of Rukongai the closest manor to the Seireitei to be exact. Ichigo's mother Mai was a very vibrant person and was as loving and tender as women came but she had a temper that could rival ever yours Hitsugaya-taicho. She was all fire a flame when I first met her but somehow she was also the most amazing women I had ever laid my eyes on. Ichigo is a lot like her except he's a lot more laid-back like me in most matters. Mai was the center of Ichigo's world when he was younger and continued to be as he grew up and enter into the academy. No matter how angry she would get with him after every fight he participated in she's still clean all his wounds and kiss his forehead tenders before telling him she loved him. When Ichigo was a few months from graduating and his sisters were preparing to enter the academy Mai and Masaki were kidnapped from out home. After seeing the destruction and blood they pronounced the pair dead and never to be seen again. That one loss shatter Ichigo's entire world more so then even mine. He didn't want to do anything so we left the house and moved here and tried to get our family back together." Toshiro nods slowly and notices the far away look on Shunsui's face. He sighs softly and stands to look out the window.

Deciding that he should get the older males mind of his late wife Toshiro begins speaking of his findings during his recon mission in Hueco Mundo. "During my mission I found something odd about the palace Aizen was having created. It already had a jail build. From what I could tell it was made of reiatsu stopping stone much like some parts of the Seireitei and it had prisoners. I'm guessing if we went there to rescue the prisoners we'd find men and women within our own ranks if not a few other strong reiatsu wielding men and women who would have been a risk to Aizen's plots." At this statement Shunsui raises his eyebrow to the young taicho's back before sighing softly and nodding.

"Perhaps we will tell this all to the sotaicho when we return. He will know what to do. For now we should retire I believe Ichigo just returned as well from his training. If I were you I wouldn't bring up having seen his zanpakuto. Oyasumi nasai Hitsugaya-taicho…" With those parting words Shunsui silently leaves the room and a bewildered Toshiro. Heaving a sigh Toshiro returns to the quarters he is sharing with the orange haired male and slips into his futon quietly already hearing the even breathing of the other male in the room.

**~~CxB~~**

It felt odd to sleep in his own bed the night before after everything was done and over with and everyone was over their shock at having seen the supposedly missing juubantai taicho walking into the Seireitei with Kyoraku-taicho who usually didn't get off his lazy ass for anything much less a search party unless they were searching for sake. It wasn't that Toshiro didn't like sleeping in his own bed but somehow within the three short nights he spent at the Kyoraku manner he had grown used to the calming presence Ichigo gaze him at all times and his room not only felt larger than usual but it also felt empty and rather lonely to the ice wielder. Even deep in his soul Hyourinmaru gave off a pitiful sigh of loneliness. It was as if somehow Hyourinmaru had connected with the soul of Ichigo's zanpakuto in a sort of companionship after having sat with the other's zanpakuto every night.

The meeting of the taicho was supposed to be longer today and it certainly was however after presenting his idea Toshiro wasn't happy about the outcome of the sotaicho's decision. The sotaicho decided that in order to stage a rescue mission they would need to fill the open spots since Ichimaru was not allowed to return to his position as taicho and would remain the fukutaicho of the Ichibantai after the former Fukutaicho resigned due to old age and wanting to spent time with his wife in the Rukongai. When he asked if anyone had any suggestions for the taicho positions as well as a fukutaicho position for the gobantai only four names swam through Toshiro's mind one of them being the most obvious one in the world. The name of the same man that seemed to occupy his every waking thought.

With a deep breath Toshiro cuts off Kuchiki-taicho as he's about to speak. "I suggest Kyoraku Ichigo for a taicho position as well as Kurosaki Isshin, Kurosaki Karin, and Kurosaki Yuzu for the fukutaicho position. All are more then capable of the position and I've seen for my self Kyoraku's bankai…it's…the most amazing feat of utter strength and speed I have ever witness Yamamoto-sotaicho." All eye turn on the white haired prodigy and he catches a small smile grace the features of the hachibantai taicho with the thought of his son becoming a taicho.

"I am very aware of my grandson's abilities Hitsugaya-taicho I am however shocked that you are aware of them. Perhaps your stay with Shunsui was more informative than I had originally been brought to believe. As for Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin I must ask why you have stated their names." Yamamoto's eyes stare searchingly at the wide eyed gaze of the shocked taicho. Ichigo was Yamamoto's grandson. Why hadn't he put the pieces together before it makes sense why he was so powerful?

"Yamamoto-sotaicho…although I do this grudgingly I must agree with Hitsugaya-taicho that my younger cousin's abilities are great enough to be giving this position as for his twin cousins and idiotic Uncle…they are also very talented." Toshiro's eyes widen farther with the reveal that Byakuya was actually Ichigo's cousin. God lord have mercy he was in the middle of a familial hierarchy that was controlling the Seireitei even thought they deserved it.

"Yama-jii it is entirely my fault that Toshiro found out about Karin and Yuzu and he served under Isshin for a few months when he first arrived. I agree with him that they are more than qualified for these positions and for the sake of the other taicho in the room we could test them for the position before the seated shinigami as you did with Juu, Isshin, and myself." With a short sigh the Sotaicho turns his gaze on his son-in-law and his shoulders sag in defeat.

"Hai we shall test them but I shall not go easy on them just because of their status as my late daughters' children and Masaki's husband am I clear Shunsui?" The taicho in question nods quickly and straight faced before the sotaicho sighs once more. "Contact them and have them come here…tell Ichigo that it is a direct order and that if I do not see him here at sunset I will set his library ablaze…meeting adjourned." The sotaicho taps his cane twice and leaves the room full of shocked shinigami in his wake.

"Did he just threaten that boke's books to get him to come here?" At Byakuya's shocked question Shunsui nods silently and shakes his head. "I am guessing that it will work though won't it and the brat with come barreling through here spewing curses the entire way won't he Oji-sama?" Shunsui frowns softly and bonks his nephew on the head.

"If Sojun was still alive he'd kick your ass for saying such things about your family Bya-kun. Be more respectful of Ichigo he enjoys his books. Now Juu-chan what do you say we go out for some lunch and send my delightful family their letter?" Ukitake-taicho nods ecstatically and begins rambling about the reactions of Shunsui's family and the pair leave the hall of taicho still confused as hell and desperately waiting for a reply.

**~~CxB~~**

Two days later a small group of two men and two girls walked into the Gotei 13 with blank faces that were calm, worry free and oddly airy and light which neatly displayed their nobility. Toshiro for some reason couldn't take his eyes off the orange haired male not unlike the many other shinigami surrounding them. However a sense of relief flowed through him and the tightness deep in his soul seemed to end and stop. The loneliness that had once settled in the pits of his stomach seemed to end when his eyes found that top of orange hair and even Hyourinmaru's saddening cry in his inner planes slowed and then was nonexistent.

Warn honey brown eyes scan the crowd and meet with his teal eyes where he stands beside his fukutaicho as well as Abarai-fukutaicho who was searching lightly for his taicho. "Ohaiyo Toshiro…I'm glad to see a friendly face." Toshiro watches as a small yet oddly affectionate smile crosses the orange haired man's face as his brown eyes close lightly before opening to stare into his own teal eyes.

"Ohaiyo Ichigo…It's good to know you have at least that coming here…" Rangiku watches as her small taicho walks side by side with the orange haired man with a gentle look to his gaze that she had never seen before. Her stuffy little taicho was actually giving the man a half smile that seemed to shock most of the crowd except Shunsui and Byakuya, who had just arrived together and moved to greet the group.

"Itoko…it is a pleasure to see you again." The orange haired man looks up a bit startled before a wide grin stretches across his features. He was unbelievably handsome when he smiled at her Nii-sama Rukia Kuchiki decided. His orange hair fell just right over his brown eyes which were wrinkled just a bit and his lips were perfectly pouty and smooth. His skin was tan and flawless and he was very obviously well built and muscular.

"Yes of course because it's been so very long since the great and powerful Kuchiki lord came to visit his poor heir of a cousin…" They heavy sarcasm lacing the younger man's comment and sly grin plastered across his face gave all those there the knowledge that he enjoyed pushing his cousin's boundaries and by the Kuchiki lord's reaction they knew that the young man knew all the right buttons to push in order to do just that.

A small twitch formed at the corner of the lord's eyes before his lips curve in a small frown and he grits his teeth. However his words are what shock the shinigami the most. "For once I was trying to be polite you boke and you ruin it with your snide ass remarks!" His fist connects with the orange haired man's head causing him to begin laughing and punch the black haired man back just lighter before tossing an arm around his slightly taller shoulders and begin whispering to him before pulling away right as the Kuchiki lord swings to hit him again.

"Boys…" The pair turn at the soft and controlling voice behind them which shocks the positively weirded out shinigami farther because it was none other than Shunsui Kyoraku, the most laid-back man here, who gave such a simple worded command and stopped the two in their tracks.

Both men look at one another debating how much trouble they would get in before sighing and reining in their composure. It was in the short moments beside the two noble cousins that Toshiro saw the vast friendship spaced between the two. They shared such elegance and control in their nature but there was a freedom Ichigo emitted that even melted the cold walls of the Seireitei's most rule abiding taicho.

The small group is brought into the Ichibantai with the Sotaicho standing before them. Toshiro watches as the two youngest members of the party grin brightly and shunpo toward the older man before wrapping their arms around him and shockingly the old man returns the gesture proudly. "Ohaiyo Karin and Yuzu…you are both so very lovely now…too much like Masaki for your own good." The sotaicho places a small kiss on each of their temples before releasing them and turning his gaze to Ichigo. "Ohaiyo Ichigo…you've grown again yet you still look like Mai…are you all prepared for your testing? Yes Isshin, you will have to be tested again."

Toshiro turns his gaze to his former taicho only to see a serious face portrayed. Toshiro watches as Isshin nods and offers his father-in-law a small smile. The white haired taicho nearly jumps out of his skin when warm breath ghosts across the skin of his ear. "Wish me luck Toshiro…I hope you're in the front row watching as you seemed to find my Zangetsu so very captivating when you first saw it." Toshiro spins on Ichigo only to see how utterly close the orange haired male is. Their noses brush lightly before Ichigo winks slyly and turns walking away with his hands laced behind his head of orange hair. "You wouldn't want to get stupid sitting beside Byakuya now would you Toshiro?"

That simple phrase snaps him out of his daze only to find that most of the other shinigami are filing into the seats around the area set up outside for the testing to take place. Byakuya is frown in the direction of his cousin while sulking slightly. "I do believe my itoko is enamored by you Hitsugaya-taicho and judging by your reactions to him the same could be said for you." With that Byakuya joins the crowd with his fukutaicho whom he offers a gentle smile. Frowning to himself Toshiro quickly run through the crowd and sit with his own fukutaicho in the very front row with the rest of the taicho and their fukutaicho.

While everyone was filling in Ichigo was standing beside his Uncle and tugging his loose fitting Haori from his pants. "Ichi-nii must you always train without a shirt on?" Ichigo pokes his tongue out at Karin before tossing his haori to the side and placing his twin blades properly on his sides. Karin frowns softly before removing the outer kimono she had worn to reveal her own train outfit which consisted of loose fitting pants and a sleeveless haori top which was wrapped around the waist in white fabric. Her sealed zanpakuto, two knives, were tucked into the wrapping and hidden away perfectly.

Ichigo rolls his eyes as Yuzu pulls off her own kimono to reveal skin tight training pant, much the same style as Yoruichi, which were tucked into slim black boots and a baggy haori tucked into the pants and the excess fabric hung over the edge of her pants. The sleeves of the haori were short and just met the elbow length black gloves she wore on her hands. Her own two short knives were attached to her upper arms and you could just barely make out the tips with her movements. "Kar…it wouldn't be a proper spar if I wore a shirt plus it just gets in the way and that's always back don't you think?"

"Stop arguing both of you we've got some serious shit coming at us so stay on your feet and good luck…to all three of you." The three youngest watch as Isshin walks away from them and out onto the field before the shinigami to take on his own tasks. In their mind each one of them, past their own nerves, wish Isshin Kurosaki good luck in his own testing for a taicho position.


	4. Chapter 3

Isshin Kurosaki was decidedly a very graceless fighter. Yes he was skilled and he had years under his belt but it did not change the fact that unlike his children and his nephew, who were raised as nobles and carried that grace with them, Isshin Kurosaki had very little grace. Isshin was agile, precise, and strong however his moves were not as fluid as most. His moves convey the sheer power and authority held within his body. He was a man that would get along very well with Zaraki. Toshiro's teal eyes took in each move and saw the raw calculations that powered the older shinigami's movements. Isshin had already proved once before that he would undoubtedly make a good taicho as he had already been one the only problem would be where to place the old man. He was wild, off track too often, and tended to need a controlling fukutaicho just like Shunsui. It would not be unlikely that he would be placed in the gobantai with Yuzu as a his fukutaicho because the little girl had complete control over her father plus when Momo returned the man would be a stable fatherly figure that could help her heal and grow as a shinigami. Engetsu was a curios blade to Toshiro because the name was like that of Ichigo blade, Zangetsu.

Karin and Yuzu we fairly different from their father and in the minds of the shinigami they were guessing the two shared more traits with their mother than their wild and uncontrolled father. Toshiro decided that they were the image of a serpent prepared and ready to strike despite Yuzu having been less vicious compared to her twin. Their bodies flowed nearly as gracefully as Ichigo's but something was missing that only Ichigo had in Toshiro's eyes. They were strong and their bankais were powerful and obviously well trained. Karin had been correct in her assessment that Yuzu's bankai was not as powerful as the others but it was effective. They were both well trained and had agility Toshiro had never seen before from two female warriors. The two were great in their testing and obviously passed but sadly Toshiro found that he did not find them as interesting and that nerves were forming in his stomach the closer it got to Ichigo's turn to show off his abilities to the world.

It wasn't just that Toshiro was excited to witness such a zanpakuto again and see if the others saw it the same way he did but it was also because he sincerely hoped that Ichigo could remain in the Seireitei as a taicho so that the aching loneliness didn't return to his soul as it had before the orange haired man returned to him. He sounded selfish even to himself in admitting this but he could not ignore the fact that it was all unmistakably true.

As the crowds cheering died down Toshiro snaps his gaze to the bare field nearly bouncing in his seat with anticipation for the arrival of the orange haired man that was sure to enthrall those around him with his talent. When Ichigo finally walks onto the field the mouths of countless shinigami drop open in awe at the fine specimen of man on display before them. His tanned and toned chest was on display for the crowd as he had decided to go shirtless for easier movement. Toshiro was beginning to think the man despised shirts or anything covering his arms and chest as every time he trained he wore only pants and shoes, boots to be exact not tabi and sandals. Toshiro watched, captivated, as Ichigo faced his opponent, his own father, and put both of his twin blades on display in a smooth motion.

Father and son circle around one another in a way no one could possibly describe in words. It was almost like a dace filled with undeniable elegance and pride. The air around the two was laid-back but held a well maintained air of fire that crackled and jumped toward the crowd before vaguely finding some sort of control and settling back down only to repeat the process a few moments later. "Shall we spar first musuko…or would you rather bring out our beloved shikai and begin to dance?" The growl words were fierce yet taunting and playful a side many shinigami had never witnessed from the hachibantai taicho much less a student of Yamamoto-sotaicho. Brown eyes narrowed on blue before a grin slithers onto the face of the orange haired man and he twirls his blade sin his hands dangerously before pointing them both down to the ground. "Chisei Zangetsu…" the command was simple, dangerous, and emotionless which sent a chill down the spine of Toshiro but not in an entirely bad way as it did most others in the crowd. Toshiro loved the fact that the man doing battle was confident in his abilities and carried that with him so blatantly. His power resonated in his cold gaze as the skies darkened and black clouds hung dangerously over the field with sparks of blue shining down in certain areas like beams of moonlight. Toshiro was once more amazed by the twin blades that screamed with a demonic presence which promised both death and beauty in one blow.

"One cannot simple look away from a blade like that can they Hitsugaya-taicho…it is perhaps the most beautiful and deadly looking blade in all of the Seireitei and has been for quite some time. While Sode no Shiraiyuki is lovely and pure Zangetsu is deadly and frightful a true demon's blade and it breathes the soul of the demonic black dragon residing in Ichigo's soul so effortlessly that it is seen as a beautiful darkness that one cannot look away from." Byakuya's comment was long yet it spoke of exactly what Toshiro had thought long after his first encounter with the blades.

Father and son flashed back and forth through the air clashing blades ruthlessly and yet still gracefully in a dance that was powerful and kicked up wind currents and blasts of power which blew back hair and stung the eyes but never made them close for closing ones eyes would be a sin when looking at such a man and such a zanpakuto in Toshiro's opinion. The two skid to a stop, wild grins controlling their face as the utter enjoyment of such a fight washes over them allowing them to block out the rest of the shinigami present.

"Bankai…Tense Zangetsu…" At his call Shunsui brings out his own bankai and Ichigo begins moving faster and faster creating multiple illusions of himself before his father. "Akuma no Sakebi…" Ichigo stops moving as the darkness parts to reveal a blue moon hung above the utterly black sky. Then, appearing before the moon casting its demonic shadow along the ground was the form of a black dragon summoned from the pits of hell and beyond. Its breath created tendrils of smoke which formed clouds which flowed into the previously created ones ominously. Toshiro watches wide eyed as Ichigo's form wavers before sinking into the shadows as a cry of rage and destruction rings through the sky. The sky flashes as cracks form on the blue moon as the cry intensifies. Suddenly the moon shatters and reveals Ichigo standing as if he had been the one to cut it. With one swoop of his blade the shatter pieces fly toward Shunsui growing faster and more intense in their light the closer they get to the man. Shinigami gasp and stand ready to scream but the blades suddenly stop in front of Shunsui's blade as he prepared to block them as if he's done it a thousand times before. Toshiro turns his gaze once more to Ichigo to see his left hand free of a blade. His left blade is balanced in front of him as he glides to the ground and settles. In a quick motion he bring his left hand beneath the blade gripping the hilt and then begins twirling it and the blue streaks crack and shatter before the black clears. As the light come back to the training ground Ichigo is pushing his sealed Zanpakuto into their sheaths and patting his father's shoulder and Shunsui talks quietly yet excitedly to his son.

"Why did you stop battling?" At the Sotaicho's calm question father and son turn and Ichigo bows lowly to his grandfather who appraises him with a delicate yet oddly amused eye.

Ichigo rises from his bow and a serious look is plastered on his face. "all other techniques of my bankai are not under my ability to stop therefore I would kill my father no matter what as they do not allow my opponent to live whether I wish it or not. You and I both are aware that a demonic dragon barters with no one not even his master on certain subjects. I suppose such is the price when your grandfather controls one of four most powerful dragons in existence and your grandmother was the same, Yama-jii." Gasp roll through the crowd at the thought of a demonic zanpakuto but the small amused smile toying at Yamamoto's lips calms many who were frightened at the young man's words.

"Ah yes I suppose that is quite a price to pay my boy…you would not be the first taicho to wield a zanpakuto with a demonic dragon for a soul. To be precise, there are two of us currently doing so at this precise moment. Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan, Isshin please return to the field. Gotei 13taicho would you please come forward to pass judgment." At the sotaicho's command the taicho stand and shunpo to the field to stand in line as they would in the meeting hall. "As it was your recommendation Hitsugaya-taicho please step forward and state your conclusion of placement or disapproval."

Toshiro meets the sotaicho's gaze and bows his head lightly before stepping forward and speaking using his taicho authority. "As it appears to me Kurosaki Isshin would be best suited for gobantai taicho as he would be most beneficial for the future return of Hinamori. That being said Kurosaki Yuzu should be placed as the fukutaicho of the gobantai as she is the only one that frightens Kurosaki Isshin enough to control his outrageous behavior as you would well be aware, Yamamoto-sotaicho. Kurosaki Karin would be well suited for the sanbantai as she could be beneficial to Kira-fukutaicho as well as be a solid support for the members after such unstable times. As for Kyoraku Ichigo…" At Toshiro's pause Ichigo meets his gaze and offer shim a sad smile. In his eyes Toshiro could see the understanding that some were turned off by the origin of his zanpakuto and the fear it created. Toshiro knew first hand what that was like. "As for Ichigo I believe he would be well suited for the kyuubantai. As my division soared with a dragon wielder as taicho I believe the same to be true for the kyuubantai. It is under high regard that I state this Kyoraku Ichigo."

Stepping back in line Toshiro holds Ichigo's gaze lightly as the rest of the taicho state their piece some agreeing and some disagreeing. Somehow his mind blanks out the exact words they're saying in favor of deciphering the emotions ranging across Ichigo face and eyes. When they land on him his eyes hold a softness and wonder that Toshiro is sure his own eyes hold when landing on Ichigo but when he heard something he doesn't like his honey brown eyes harden and his lips form a thin line as his eyebrows furrow in annoyance. When something good is said his entire face relaxes into an easy grin that just barely touched the edges of his lips. If Toshiro hadn't been so sure the man was of noble breeding before he would be now. After having studied Byakuya for the three years they were together he saw the small movements the noble lord made judging by the actions around him and although Ichigo is more laid-back in his own movements the subtle hints at emotions ranging across his face, which no one else would notice, gave Toshiro the very clear knowledge that he was raised with noble manner most likely with the same strict teacher Byakuya was.

Two strikes of the Sotaicho's cane brought Toshiro from his musings and his teal eyes snap away from Ichigo's to stare at the Sotaicho. " Kurosaki Karin is now appointed sanbantai taicho…Kurosaki Isshin is gobantai taicho and his fukutaicho will be Kurosaki Yuzu…kyuubantai taicho with be Kyoraku Ichigo…you are all dismissed newly appointed taicho come with me as well as Shunsui." People file out and Ichigo brushed past Toshiro runs his reiatsu along Toshiro's body causing the white haired boy to shiver lightly.

**~~CxB~~**

In the coming days Toshiro once more felts the loneliness creep upon his soul as the orange haired male was put through rigorous training with his cousins in order to learn how to properly run a division and be a fukutaicho for Yuzu. They were trained in the rokubantai with Byakuya as he was their closest relative at least for Ichigo and could handle them relatively well after having grown up with them.

Toshiro found himself with slightly less paperwork than usual and often spent his free time in the gardens of the juubantai as well as moving around the Seireitei in a restless bout of shunpo. It was during one of these ventures that he caught a private conversation between the two cousins beneath one of the many sakura trees lining the Rokubantai.

"I'm afraid, itoko…last time I was this close to someone they disappeared when I was unable to protect them. This…whatever it is…it's different then my mother...it's stronger somehow and that frightens me. It's been very little time and yet what I feel is such a strong connection that it physically hurts to be separate for a long time. I'm afraid that Yama-jii was correct when he stated that Zangetsu was bonded to another's zanpakuto." Warm brown eyes flicker to meet grey ones before flicking back to the pages of a book settled in his hands. He's lounging against the rokubantai taicho's raised knee as the taicho is settled against a tree scribbling lightly across paperwork for his division. Toshiro finds the small lightweight reading glasses settled in the bridge of Ichigo's nose cute in a way that he had never seen glasses before. His own had always annoyed him drastically so he opted for contacts and only took them out when he was prepared to sleep.

Toshiro's teal eyes flick to the black haired male that Ichigo is leaning against as he places his paper work on a small table where a tea pot and two cups are sitting. "Ichigo is it not unheard of for such a thing to happen. We are all aware that our zanpakuto only join us when we are born so in order to remain a part of their own lovers they forge bonds that on the rare occasion carry over to our soul thus bonding us with our own soul mates. As for us it is more likely as our zanpakuto are of the strongest in the history of the Seireitei we are not dragons for nothing. Even Senbonzakura often speaks of his own mate." The pair of taicho share a short look before Byakuya runs his fingers through Ichigo's orange hair thus ruffling it. "Now if you would please remove yourself from my person so I may return to my work, I will be most pleased itoko…" Snorting Ichigo raises and flips his book closed before removing his glasses from his face and tucking them into his haori sleeves. Turning his brown eyes to his companion Ichigo offers the man a small smile.

With a short yawn Ichigo scratches lightly at his ear which Toshiro finds slightly odd. "If you don't find it too disrespectful itoko I do believe I will find a nice patch of sunlight somewhere and curl up to nap…Karin will be here in an hour. "With that said Toshiro watches as Ichigo walks off toward the Kyuubantai where his taicho quarters are being repaired. As curious of a person as Toshiro was he follows silently and stealthily behind the orange haired man feeling just a bit like a stalker. Ichigo returns his book and glasses to his room before removing his taicho haori and placing it on a hanger in his room. Silently he creeps into the deserted courtyard of the kyuubantai, as most of the shinigami were in training in the dojos, and Toshiro watches in awe as his skin darkens and his body morphs into a sleek black cat. Toshiro freezes as the cat's brown eyes turn to stare at him and he swear it winks before disappearing in a quick and consistent shunpo.

~~CxB~~

A soft content purr leaves the light lips of the black cat being absently stroked by the hachibantai taicho as he works on his paperwork for the day. The cat curled under his palm was most likely his son who although looked the same as the Shihoin heiress he was much different in his overall attitude as a feline. Ichigo was content to curl up in a ball in a spot of warm sunlight for a few hours before returning to his work. It wasn't an unusual thing for the father and son to do such a thing as Ichigo, after learning the art, often felt the need to curl up in that form and nap in the sunlight. Shunsui would often find himself running his fingers through the odd colored fur, as his son had natural orange hair, as he sat and read in their library in their home.

Shunsui's eyes dart to his son for a moment before he smiles to himself and lifts his hand away from his son for a moment to sip at his drink. The purring stops short and Shunsui turns to see his son stretched out before him on the floor with his hands behind his head humming contently under his breath. "We've got a Taicho meeting this afternoon if you weren't already made aware by Byakuya." Shunsui laughs has Ichigo opens one eyes to stare at him before closing it and sighing softly.

"Nee…do you thing Yama-jii would be upset if I skipped? I wanted to jump through Rukongai tonight with the rest of the Kyuubantai so they can learn to respect me but I can't do that if I can't get any sleep…" Ichigo hears a soft chuckle before his father scoffs and shakes his head. Ichigo glares shortly at his father before rolling his eyes and tossing a pillow from the couch at him. Shunsui watches as said pillow falls short and both are too lazy to get up and retrieve it.

Once more Shunsui's eyes flick to his son before he offers a lazy grin. "Are you sure you don't just wanted to look good because the Juubantai and their taicho will be joining your rounds and you know you'll be in close quarters with the Juubantai taicho?" Brown eyes widen slightly before falling closed with a soft grin stretching across tanned lips. A short chuckle leaves the lips as they part before Ichigo climbs to his feet and head toward the door.

"Perhaps I am not as concealed as I would prefer…in any case it's odd that he hasn't seen my utter fascination with him for what it is." Touching the edge of the shoji screen the orange haired male bows his head and sighs softly. "Its danger…that's what I am to anyone I am near as we both know it…I am dangerous…"

With those soft words Ichigo departs leaving his father to stare after him with an expression that very well represents his age and exactly how many times he's been through a battle such as this with his son. Deciding against following him Shunsui returns to his paper work keeping the arguments in the back of his head along with the silent worry his own zanpakuto is instilling in him.

Ichigo returns to his quarters only to stand in the doorway of his office staring at the desk which now bore his name in neat kanji. His office was neat not over the top as most would think. The desk was modest one which he had brought from his own study in his home. As he had two or three within the large manor his favorite, the one in his quarters, was brought here and another was made to sit in his quarters at the manor. His chair was comfortable and sturdy with large arms and a warm red color which matched the dark wood of the newly laid floors and the beautiful cream color of the walls which he had just had painted only two days ago. The windows gave a nice breeze to the room but also allowing in the natural light which he enjoyed all too much. The back most wall surrounding the doorway was covered in book shelves which framed the shoji screens leading into his personal office. Those were already covered in books and scrolls all of which were bought as parting gifts from his family and the servants of the manor. They consisted of many of his favorite books, in many different languages, as well as a very history scrolls as well as priceless pieces of poetry and short literature which he would read on the rare occasion. A simple couch was in the middle which was rather comfortable and also came from the sprawling library of their manor where Shunsui would find him on many afternoons curled up asleep with a book lying open on his chest. Ichigo finally felt at home in their small office where he knew he'd be spending most of his time. The kitchen of his quarters were housed within the apartment above the office which was only accessible through the actual office itself.

"Taicho are you…" Shuhei lets out a low whistle while his grey eyes glance about the room appraisingly. "You've done…a lot with the taicho quarters Kyoraku-taicho." Ichigo could see in his eyes that Shuhei was not used to seeing the room different from what the previous taicho had kept it.

Ichigo places a light hand on his shoulder. "I thought that perhaps a change of scenery would do the entire division well Hisagi-san." Shuhei turns his gaze to Ichigo with a hint of awe shining brightly in his grey eyes. Ichigo offers a boyish grin before reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "Shouldn't we be going then? We wouldn't want to keep Toshiro-san waiting would we?"

Ichigo offers his fukutaicho a calming smile before walking out of his quarters with his taicho haori hanging lightly in his fingers. Shuhei found himself watching the man walk away with a small flicker of adoration licking at the sides of his heart. For how young he seemed to be when he laughed or smiled he was wise beyond his years. Shuhei had gone into such an arrangement thinking the boy would be too much like his father to do any good for the Kyuubantai but in the few moments that he spoke with the newly appointed taicho his entire vision of the powerful and cocky boy changed until he found himself begins to look up to the man as he did his previous taicho. "Hai Kyoraku-taicho, Hitsugaya-taicho never appreciated being kept waiting…"

With his short low phrase Shuhei takes chase after his taicho to begin vehemently explaining the groups and how he had set them up for patrols while listening intently to the minor changes his new taicho was suggesting in an attempt to better conform with the juubantai and their own rankings which he had gone over with Byakuya the previous day for a few hours.

~~CxB~~

**Alright there is the end of chapter three. I'm not quite sure how long this one is going to be because it was originally a short inspiration I got from an odd bleach induced slumber. At the end of this chapter I just wanted to show you a little of Ichigo and Shuhei's relationship as I don't personally think Shuhei will really respect Ichigo because he's a bit younger and he, of course, not Shuhei's former taicho who he absolutely adored it's a little odd thought. In any case I want Shuhei to slowly realize that Ichigo isn't exactly what he originally thought when he watched him test. I also want Shuhei to look up to Ichigo and learn from him like I believe a fukutaicho should from their taicho. Okay well enough with my blabbering and I promise you'll get some Hitsugaya and Ichigo fluff in the next chapter so stick with me. **

**Ja ne \^o^/**

**Chaenne **


	5. Chapter 4

Darkness settled slowly over the Seireitei as the Kyuubantai shuffled through the trees in a slow and easy shunpo with the juubantai following equally as silently behind them. They were all starting in a centrally located area where they could all meet and regroup before completing their shifts. Ichigo was silently moving along the back of the group listening to the sounds of the night with keen ears. His brown eyes flicked lightly from spot to spot and anyone that looked at the newly appointed Kyuubantai taicho would assume that he was alert and prepared for any type of situation. They could see him as a powerful protector of their own flanks as well as his.

Shuhei and Rangiku took up the middle section of the recruits while Toshiro took the lead commanding both groups to the meeting spot. Rangiku and Shuhei were moving in an awkward silence which was only started by the male half of the pair who seemed oddly thoughtful. "Nee, Shuhei did Kyoraku-taicho upset you already?" Rangiku smiles sincerely at her long time friends before tucking a stray curl behind her ear. Rangiku had known for quite some time that her close friend was a closet gay and that he was afraid to come out to his former taicho and risk being scorned by his own friends perhaps by having Ichigo as a taicho Shuhei would become more open about his preferences.

"No its just that Rangiku…he's done so many thing that I thought I would hate him for doing and yet in the end I wind up respecting him more and more for doing so. He's changed our barracks added things that I thought would change the integrity of the kyuubantai but somehow it's made it so much better and now I can't help but feel that I'm falling into the same hopeless trap that I was in before with him. I'll respect him too much and become too loyal until it's a fault of mine." His eyes turn to Rangiku who is looking at him in a way that only a mother could. Sure the busty fukutaicho was lazy to a fault and enjoyed drinking way too much for normal people but she cared so very deeply for everyone she considered her friends and they looked to her for advice.

"You're supposed to look up to your taicho for guidance. The relationship you had with Tosen was wrong Shuhei…Ichigo-kun is an amazing kid and has been since he was younger and would run rampant through these very streets. He's talented and skilled and probably could have run a division when he was in the academy. Sure he comes off as brash and bratty but he's been through tough times and had been forced to grow up quicker than most of us were. I at least had Gin to keep me safe sure he had his cousins had their father but Ichigo didn't even have Kyoraku-taicho after Mai-san's disappearance. There is no doubt that he felt like an outsider most of the time. He's a good man to look up to Shuhei. You would do well to show him the same respect you should have shown to your former taicho and to also talk to him about your fears."

Shuhei dips his head in silent acceptance before the pair fall quietly into step with one another and merge in with the tree line to begin their scouting areas as Ichigo enters the clearing with the stragglers.

~~CxB~~

The moon light spilled onto the grass painting it with the dull white light that it so breathlessly gave off in the most endearing of ways. The shadows seemed to swim around the clearing in a way that would have frightened small children but only seemed to calm the orange haired taicho more than he already was. He enjoyed the darkness and the protection is brought to him. The shadows and the darkness stood for Zangetsu in all his glory when they had first met after his mother's disappearance. He had been so close to achieving his shikai before he had gotten the news and then when he had gone through his first growth spurt his zanpakuto had curled around him murmuring anything it could think of to take away what little pain it could from Ichigo's inner self.

"Toshiro-kun do you enjoy the darkness or the light?" Brown eyes flick to the left to glance at the white haired Taicho leaning with his back against the same tree that Ichigo's back was pressed against. "I never did until I met Zangetsu for the first time."

Toshiro's teal eyes dart to Ichigo before dropping to stare at his fingers which are tossed messily into his lap. The pale digits twine and twist around one another for a short while before he begins to speak. "When I was younger the only time I would see Hyourinmaru was when it was dark and I had fallen asleep. It was always so cold and yet so dark and Hyourinmaru was the only light I had in my inner plane. I would become frightened while standing on the thin ice ledge that I always wound up on and he would twist around me in a protective embrace and nuzzle my tear stained cheeks with his snout. That was quite a bit ago thought…now I don't mind the darkness so much because…." The white haired taicho bites his lips and his sudden pause causes his counter part to tilt his head to the side slightly. "Now it reminds me of you…and Zangetsu because you're both so dark and secretive yet so open and amazingly beautiful…"

A dark blush blooms on the smaller males cheeks and Ichigo chuckles softly. He gently begins tugging the white haired taicho toward him or at least trying to as Toshiro had tightened his body up and was resisting Ichigo's gentle pull. With a short sigh Ichigo tugs hard forcing the man to fall backward with a small squeak into Ichigo's lap. Brown eyes stare down into wide teal ones with a gentle brush of emotion that seems to draw Toshiro in so thoroughly that he felt like he was about to drown. "See I enjoy the night because of Zangetsu but you're the reason I enjoy the day…" Ichigo pauses and his eyes search Toshiro's own for something that the white haired taicho wasn't entirely sure off. When Ichigo speaks again his voice is softer somehow and holds an emotion that Toshiro didn't understand. "Toshiro-kun, may I kiss you?"

Toshiro's eyes widen quickly and he can feel a small shy smile lingering on his lips as he meet Ichigo's fiery gaze that is filled with more emotions than he was sure he knew of. "H-Hai…" Cursing himself for stuttering like a small child, Toshiro is shocked from his own self hatred by the feel or warm strong lips pressing gently against his own nudging them into a dance that he wasn't sure how move in.

"Relax Toshiro-kun…let yourself go…" Toshiro feels his wide eyelids close as his lips begin to move with the warm and soft lips presented to him. Ichigo's lips weren't like his cousin's lips which were slim and masculine with a hard edge that made them entirely dominating and entirely too possessive. Ichigo's lips were warm, soft to the touch and gentle yet oddly mature in the fact that they claimed Toshiro's own mouth as Ichigo's but did it in a way that didn't make the white haired taicho feel like a possession to be had. Toshiro felt, through just one kiss, utterly loved and cared for. When Ichigo pulls away Toshiro's lips still feel the lingering warmth that Ichigo's touch had left. He was half tempted to reach up and touch his lips but thought better of it as soon as the violet eyes of his one time lover flash through his mind.

Ichigo is shocked when the body of the white haired taicho scrambles up from his hold and away from him. Toshiro used shunpo to reach the other side of the clearing and his head is bowed as silent tears work down his cheeks. "I should go do my rounds." Ichigo stands quickly about to scramble toward him in confusion but a quick bout of shunpo makes the white haired man disappear entirely.

Rejection licks at Ichigo's heart as the pieces of it crumble and fall away leaving in their place a cool darkness that he has not felt in much longer than he would have liked to admit. "Perhaps I should do the same…" With a soft sigh Ichigo moves in the opposite direction. An air of darkness filters around him urging all others to separate themselves from their taicho.

~~CxB~~

The next week finds Ichigo buried in the work that had piled up in his division and the depression settled around him was palpable to any who entered into his office but none dared to ask him of it. His cousins knew that asking would cause him to draw into himself more and that without a doubt the only man he would speak with was Byakuya who was set to return from a mission in the world of the living in a few hours. Shunsui was at a loss and could only guess that it had something to do with of white haired taicho who was more detached than ever.

"Taicho…" Ichigo's brown eyes rise to stare questioningly at his fukutaicho before he offers the male a small smile. Shuhei takes that as an offer to come into his office and slides the shoji screens shut behind him as he enters. "If you would I'd like to speak with you privately." Ichigo stills his pen and stands slowly.

Shuhei watches in apprehension as Ichigo walks around his desk and toward Shuhei. His heart sinks when he realizes that his taicho is heading toward the door to open it and kick him out. He nearly gasps in surprise when Ichigo merely flicks the lock in place and then guides him toward a bookshelf.

Nimble fingers run across the many books and pull a hidden lever. After he pushes the book back into place a few clicks can be heard before the shelf swings out and exposes an entrance way. They both step through and the shelf closes behind them but Shuhei hardly sees it since he's getting a good look at the quarters of his new taicho. "Please make yourself comfortable Shuhei…I'll be back in a few moments."

"Hai Kyoraku-taicho…" Ichigo offers him a small smile before disappearing for a few moments.

These moments allowed Shuhei to really get a look at the interior of the rooms he had spent countless hours in with his own taicho doing paper work. They truly were different. It was surprising how well the Kyoraku servants worked. The space appeared much large that what he had thought mostly because Tosen did not use the second floor and preferred to remain on one floor. The first room, which had been a simple white tea room when Tosen was here, was now a large open sitting room that could easily sit Ichigo's entire family as well as a few friends. A cream colored sofa, love seat, and arm chair were paired with a dark orange lounge and all set in a square around a dark wood table. Multicolored pillows made of silk line the sitting areas. The wall holding the entrance was covered in bookshelves from the floor to the ceiling hiding the door once again. The wall to the right of the entrance held three windows which were open to the warm breeze of the day while the wall opposite it was covered in large dividers set onto a platform behind the sofa. At the back of the room was a circular entrance into a formal dining room with a dark stained wood table and light colored chairs. The plates and bowls were already set just waiting for someone to use them. From where he was he could see the thousands of pictures lining the tables of Ichigo and his family and friends growing up. There was an odd one of him on his graduation day hugging none other than Kaien Shiba and Shuhei realized that they looked a lot alike.

A flash of orange causes Shuhei to turn and watch as Ichigo walks forward out of a hallway at the back of the room. His eyes dart to the picture in front of him and a sad smile plays at his lips. "Kaien was my favorite cousin. Tou-san's younger sister was his mother. She passed away when she was young. She got really sick. It was a devastating blow to our family when Kaien passed away." Ichigo offers Shuhei a small smile before motioning for him to sit down on one of the many chairs. Shuhei chooses the sofa and Ichigo sits across from him in the arm chair. The orange haired taicho leans forward on his elbows and waits patiently for Shuhei to begin.

"When you first were tested to become a taicho I was more than skeptical. I knew of you everyone did. Your abilities with a zanpakuto are legendary. No one knew why you never became a shinigami and then you waltz into the Seireitei and take a position without ever having been a shinigami. I was afraid that I'd become so attached to you that I wouldn't be able to see the wrongs that you've committed just like what happened with Tosen. Slowly in little more than a week you've taken every one of my beliefs about you and proved them false. I respect you and I can now admit that I was afraid of rejection by Tosen. He hated what I am…he hated how dark my soul was. Kazeshini…that is the name of my blade and I feared it for so long because that's what Tosen has told me to do. Yet here you stand so proudly of a blade that screams evil and death and rage." Shuhei shakes his head and places it in his hands for a moment. "I'm asking you to help me to learn how to no longer be afraid of my blade Kyoraku-taicho."

Ichigo raises his amber eyes to his fukutaicho in shock. Byakuya has told him of the boy's reluctance to acknowledge the abilities of his zanpakuto. He studies the defiant expression lining his eyes and it reminds him of the words his grandfather told him when he asked for help in controlling his raging zanpakuto. "Shuhei…" Ichigo stands and moves to sit on the table in front of him like his fukutaicho was a small boy and not a grown man. "A very wise man once told me that in order to refuse fear when it stands before you one must first acknowledge a reason to fight. They must accept that the blade held in their hand is the part of their soul given to them in order to protect those that they love and a piece of yourself that needs to be accepted no matter the darkness and destruction it causes. I will train you but most of your training will be in becoming one with yourself. Tonight I want you to go home and write something for me…see it as a homework assignment. I want you to write a list of what you think you are and a list of what you think your zanpakuto is. Then write how you are not a part of the things your zanpakuto represents. I expect to see it tomorrow evening when we meet at sunset to train."

~~CxB~~

A cup of once warm tea sat forgotten and cold at his side as his eyes traveled over the tops of the buildings in the Seireitei. His fingers play at the pages of the book that lay forgotten in his lap. Never once has a book not appealed to him in any sort of way but somehow he couldn't bring himself to actually read any longer. "Itoko…surely you're not so far lost in your own depression that you hadn't realized I have been standing here for a few minutes…" He whirls to stare into the grey eyes of his cousin who stood perfectly still with a single brow raised in his direction. Ichigo could feel himself begin to shake softly because he knew that Byakuya knew and that his father had told the older boy bout exactly what was going on with him. "He rejected you…"

It wasn't a question but Ichigo felt compelled to nod anyway and he knew by the burn at the back of his eyes that he had begun to cry at some point. Slowly Byakuya moves toward him only to stop and kneel before him just low enough that he was looking up at his younger cousin and could easily make eye contact even if Ichigo tried to drop his eyes away so as to not look at him. "I can't understand it! Everything was so perfect and going so well. He kissed me back and told me that he liked the night because of me…I swear he was flirting right back with me but I just can't fathom why he suddenly gets up and runs away! Then he doesn't speak with me for an entire week and literally ignores me." A hard sound, which sounded to Byakuya like a mixture between a sob and a sigh, leaves the mouth of his cousin who falls into himself finally crying after what Byakuya could only guess was years of pain and fear.

Byakuya knew that Ichigo hated being rejected and losing those he cared for. He also knew when Ichigo made his intentions for the little white haired taicho known that he would undoubtedly have his heart broken the same way Byakuya's heart had been broken all those years ago. "Itoko I think that perhaps it is time you and I had a serious conversation about Hitsugaya-taicho." Warm brown eyes linger on Byakuya for a long few moments before Ichigo nods slowly. They stand before Ichigo leads his cousin into his own quarters as the bookshelf locks into place behind them. "It has to have been five years now…I had been dealing with my own sexuality for years as you are well aware and came to the conclusion, like you, that I do not care what gender my lover may be. After this realization I discovered unacknowledged feelings toward Hitsugaya-taicho and in a journey to uncover them we began seeing one another. Of course we got much farther than the two of you but soon he began pulling away from me and I was confused. I hadn't done anything to anger him or insult him. I had loved the small man dearly more so than I ever loved Hisana since our marriage was arranged. Then one night he asked me to meet with him and he told me that what we had was nothing. It meant nothing to him. He said it was just a distraction for him to get his mind of his deceased lover, Kusaka. I late found out that he didn care for me but certain memories kept him from putting himself out there…I don't want you to feel the same pain that I myself felt…I should have told you sooner." Byakuya could see pain quickly begin to well in his eyes before the man stands and begins pacing his hands rapidly clenching and unclenching at his sides.

Worry licks at Byakuya's heart as he sees wild emotions playing across his cousin's face. He's shocked into silence when ice seems to creep over his cousin's face just like when they were younger and taught how to hold their masks into place. Every emotion except for cold disdain was wiped clean from his face leaving behind hard, chilly, and calculating eyes that seemed to freeze him where he sat. Was that what his own face looked like before he admitted his feelings for Renji? "I…" His cousin stops pacing and drops his head to stare at the ground with closed fists before beginning slowly. "I swear that I will never forgive him for this…I'm not sad if that's what you're think. I'm pissed beyond all belief! How dare he play with my feelings so blatantly and then crush what little I had left to give. That stupid bastard! How dare he do something like that to me…does he not know who I am?! Does he not know here it is that I stand in any ranking around here?! I swear that if he thinks that I'll forgive him he is sadly mistaken!"


	6. Chapter 5

Shuhei hesitantly opened the shoji leading into his taicho's quarters. Ichigo sat at his desk leisurely and was scribbling away furiously at the few documents left for him to attend to today. "Hisagi-san would you please take these files to the Jubantai before we begin our training for this evening? Oh and Hisagi-san…please leave your assignment from last night on my desk." Shuhei quickly scoops the files from his taicho's desk and places the paper on the corner where Ichigo is pointing. He retreats and moves quickly to the Jubantai leaving Ichigo to visibly melt when he is alone again. His emotions were wreaking havoc on his inner planes and Zangetsu was unhappy with him at this moment. Sighing to himself he picks up the paper filled with neat handwriting occasionally slashed out and rewritten. Ink was all over the page and countless traits and pieces are strewn into two columns. Finally at the end of the page there is a small short paragraph.

_'Kyoraku-taicho…I understand now why you have given me this assignment. Through writing this down I learned that I cannot exile myself from my zanpakuto and disregard my own trait if I deem them dark or of evil intent. Kazeshini is a creature made of all the dark things in myself but somehow he also personifies all the good ones as well. Kazeshini is my drive, my cunning, my determination, my strength, my tactical side, and many other traits that would take days to list…you were right when you said that a zanpakuto is part of us for a reason. I've decided tonight that I have something worth fight for. I fight for myself. I fight to make myself better and build a better relationship with part of me that I disregarded due to the traitorously wrong words of a man that lived far longer than you have and yet had very little knowledge that could even live up to what little you have already taught me.'_

Ichigo sat stunned staring down that the paper. When he had said find something to fight for he meant something of importance to Shuhei himself. Ichigo had fought to protect those he cared for. He began fighting now because he would not sit back and let anyone else become hurt because of men like Aizen. Shaking his head he sighs softly once more and stands to retrieve his zanpakuto before leaving his quarters all together.

~~CxB~~

Hitsugaya-taicho begrudgingly walked toward the Kyubantai barracks because his fukutaicho had decided to meddle and made Hisagi-fukutaicho return with files that were needed stating that she didn't know exactly what her taicho wanted them for. Meddling woman that Matsumoto was she didn't even have the ability to feel an ounce of guilt for her actions when he got upset with her. So in an attempt to make the time until he saw Kyoraku-taicho longer he walked slowly through the streets toward the Kyubantai.

Finally he reached the gates only to hear the sound of clashing blades. For the most part the grounds were empty due to most people having gone out or eating in the canteen, save for the two men battling fiercely with one another. Two blades sickeningly sharp blades land on two seal katana and a fierce looks crosses Ichigo's eyes as he stares down into the eyes of his fukutaicho. "Release your blade! You will never defeat me without it Hisagi-fukutaicho! If you wish to stop fear you must not give in to the fear of using your blade!" His voice was harsh and sweat was rolling down his forehead and over his cheeks as his muscles flexed and suddenly he pushes Hisagi-fukutaicho away from him causing the man to stumble under the pure strength that Ichigo possesses.

"Taicho I can't it's so terrible! It screams death I can't control it!" Hisagi-fukutaicho truly looked frightened in Toshiro's eyes. He was begging and pleading not to be pushed any farther and Toshiro could tell that he was reaching his limits. What on earth was Ichigo doing attacking his own fukutaicho in such a way?!

Toshiro watches with wide eyes as Ichigo darts forward far quicker than he had been moving before and begins rapidly tearing at Shuhei's top nicking him every time he hit him but only deep enough to sting. "Call out your blade! Kazeshini will be able to help or would you perish and prove to yourself that you are just as weak as that man made you! I do not have weak men in my bantai Hisagi-fukutaicho! Will you be a weak man or will you stand up and be a powerful one?!" Ichigo finally raises his voice startling Hisagi as the man is thrown into a walls and hits it slumping to the ground only to look up to see his Taicho framed by the evening sun.

Toshiro doesn't notice the determination filling the eyes of the fukutaicho and is almost moving to stop Ichigo before Shuhei stands and is incased in a vortex of wind that is tinged with his reiatsu. "Kare…Kazeshini…" The command was simple and frightening but upon his words the vortex blew apart revealing him glowing with dark green reiatsu. Toshiro watches as the kusarigama style blades move rapidly at the quickly dodging Taicho as anger fills Shuhei's face. "I am not a weak man Kyoraku-taicho! I will not fall to his words or his insults! I deserve to be in the Kyubantai! Moreover I deserve to be the second strongest man in the Kyubantai and I deserve to strive to be the strongest and one day defeat you! Do not dirty my zanpakuto by calling its wielder weak…for such insolence we will vie for utter dominance!" Toshiro was surprised by the venom and life that took over the fukutaicho's voice as he had never heard him speak so strongly or be so loud and emotional.

Everything quiets down with two solid rings of blades hitting the ground and the dust clears to see Kazeshini's blades pressed into the ground by Zangetsu's blades. A small smirk resides on the face of Ichigo as he meets the gaze of his stunned fukutaicho. Toshiro thinks for a moment that Shuhei would become upset but Ichigo merely releases his blades and watches as a large grin spreads across Shuhei's face. "Do you see what you have done by trusting in both yourself and your zanpakuto, Shuhei? I told you when we began that if you were able to put me on the defense then you would have accomplished what I had wanted you to do." Toshiro could see pride lining the brown eyes of Ichigo and knew exactly what the man was doing. He had become a mentor to his division and most importantly someone that Hisagi-fukutaicho could look up to as a mentor.

Shuhei grins brightly and sheaths his blade as his taicho does the same only to walk forward and bow sharply to Ichigo. "Arigato Kyoraku-taicho…you pushed me to be a better man and a better shinigami. I sincerely hope that you will continue to push me even after I move forward in my rank and become a taicho whenever that happens. You are a very good mentor." Shuhei stiffens slightly as Ichigo pats his shoulder before motioning for him to straighten.

"You did very well today Shuhei…I'm proud of you. Please eat and make sure you get enough sleep tonight alright?" Shuhei nods quickly before using shunpo to move toward the canteen. Finally Ichigo turns and faces Toshiro where he stands in the shadows of a tree. Toshiro watches as his face freezes and a mask of nobility that he knew all too well falls on his face. "Hitsugaya-taicho those files that you requested are in my quarters. If you will follow me I'll retrieve them for you so that you may be on your way."

Ichigo disappears and Toshiro struggles to keep up with his long strides as he moves through the barracks. Finally he reaches Ichigo's quarters and is met with the vision of Ichigo holding out the files with one arm crossed in a very stiff looking gesture of annoyance. Toshiro hesitantly takes the files and watches as Ichigo turns to place his blades on the wall and plucks a book from the book shelf. "Ichigo…I…"

The rooms becomes impossibly still before Ichigo turns to look over his shoulder at the white haired taicho. "If that was all you needed I'd ask that you please leave and stop wasting more of my time Hitsugaya-taicho because we are both aware that you just love to waste my time." Anger begins welling in Toshiro's chest because he was going to apologize to the man and confess everything to him but it appears that he would have none of it.

For the first time since they met one another Toshiro snaps at him. "You know I thought that maybe you might have been different than your ass of a cousin but I guess not!" His shout causes Ichigo to whirl and pin him where he stood with blazing eyes. Ichigo stalks forward like a predator to its prey and Toshiro back tracks having never seen the man so livid before in his life.

"A man who acts as if he cares for another man but only toys with their emotions because he can't let go of a past lover and never has the balls to tell his lovers about the other man is just as perfect as an emotionless man vying desperately to keep his shattered heart pieced together!"  
Toshiro's back hits the wall as Ichigo's figners clench around his upper arms tightly. He knew without a doubt that there would be dark purple bruises on his arms but he couldn't bring himself to care. Ichigo knew his deepest secret but he had gotten it all wrong. He goes to speak but is cut off by Ichigo as he releases him. "Don't try to make excused anymore Toshiro. I thought that maybe Byakuya was wrong and maybe you were just confused but I can see in your eyes that he wasn't. Just please leave…" His head falls as he turns and walks back to his desk to settle into it and begin scribbling away furiously. After a few moments he looks up to see the white haired taicho frozen in the same place he had been before. His body was pressed against the wall and his wide eyes were staring at where Ichigo had been as tears begin to rapidly cloud his vision and his figners grip the files tightly to his chest.

Toshiro robotically straightens and his eyes never once meet Ichigo's as pain licks heavily, like a blazing fire, at his chest. "I...I'm…If…" Ichigo's eyes widen as a tear drops down his cheek and he turns rapidly before running from Ichigo's barracks in messy bouts of shunpo. Horror slowly drowned Ichigo as he stood, knocking over his ink well and staining his perfect desk, and rushing from his quarters and through his barracks to track down the white haired man. Anger, hurt, fear, and guilt hit him so hard that he nearly stumbled but he kept his chase knowing that they were both in the wrong. Zangetsu was wailing in fury at his master and he knew by instinct that Hyourinmaru was wallowing in utter devastation.

Ichigo catches the young white haired man around the waist and stops skidding across the ground. Toshiro lurches forward as sobs falls from his pale lips. Ichigo curls into him embracing him tightly and nuzzling the back of his neck pressing kisses to the skin exposed there. "Please…please don't go. I lied…I…you are never a waste of time. You're the only time I want to have. I could spend forever being rejected by you if it meant seeing you each and every day and being able to see your eyes and the way the stray to me every so often. I don't care if you still love Kusaka because I'll spend every day if I have to trying to show you that I love you too!" Both men freeze at Ichigo's declaration and Toshiro turns in his limp arms to stare wide eyed into Ichigo's shocked eyes. He hadn't meant to admit that to the white haired man.

Toshiro begins laughing and soon falls over himself laughing. Ichigo releases his hold on the smaller man who merely drops to the ground laughing as well. "I can't believe this…M-my g-god I'm s-such an idiot!" Toshiro rolls around and Ichigo raises an eyebrow thinking that perhaps the man he loved was insane. Toshiro finally stops laughing and sits up to stare at Ichigo for a few moments. "I didn't run away from you that night because I still love Kusaka Ichigo…I ran because I was afraid. You see Kusaka…I never loved him. I never knew what love was but I know that I am dangerous and I was afraid I would hurt you. Sit down and let me tell you my story." Ichigo settles in across from Toshiro who reaches over and grips his hand tightly weaving their fingers together in a death grip. Ichigo waits patiently for him to begin. "I met Kusaka when I was in the academy...after you graduated that is…"

~~CxB~~

(Flashback)

Eye dances with unreleased fury as a fist connected heavily with an already bruised cheek causing Toshiro to hiss in pain. His unnamed zanpakuto still lay forgotten on the floor beside Kusaka's as they had once again gotten in a fight over the stupidest thing imaginable. They had been in the throes of passion when Kusaka had gotten pissed off and shoved a half dressed Toshiro away from him and back into the solid rock wall of the cave. The back of his head was pounding as Kusaka threw more and more hits his way before snarling and hitting him again. "How dare you bite me you little bitch?!" Finally, Toshiro knew exactly what set Kusaka off this time. They had been wrestling around for dominance and Toshiro had slipped and accidentally bit into his shoulder. His eyes grow fuzzy as another solid punch lands on his cheek and throws his head back into the stone wall of the cave. Neither men notice the rattling of the blade that belonged to Toshiro Hitsugaya.

Fury wells deeply inside of Toshiro's chest as more and more hits are landed on him. An unbridled wailing fills his mind as a frozen breeze drifts past his body causing the hairs on his arms to prickle. He finds himself in a world of snow with a large creature wrapped around him that looked remotely like a dragon made of ice…the same creature that had invaded his dreams for many years now. "Hitsugaya Toshiro…" The roaring voice makes him shake in fear. "Are you a weak man? Will you soil our soul with your fear of a bastard that knows know better than to treat you like a punching bag when he becomes enraged with you?! Will you allow him to make you a weak man and steal from you your soul?! I hate you for what you've let him make you if you do not fight back you will die and with your death you will never been known as anything other than a weak little boy! I am Hyourinmaru and I will never belong to a weak man so make your decision boy!"

The white haired boy is pulled from his own mind and the air around him grows impossibly chilly. He watches as the enraged violet eyes of Kusaka widen as a thin layer of ice freezes around his fist starting from where Toshiro's hand is clenched around it stopping his punch from landing on him. The ice works its way up his arms as he struggles to get free and away from the possess boy in front of him. Toshiro's eyes glow a deadly blue and the air grew colder and colder with the brighter his eyes became. His sword rattled and flew into his open palm as Kusaka broke free of his hold and lunged for his own blade. He met Toshiro's hit with a block but the force of the young boys swing sent him into a crater. Kusaka found himself rapidly trying to block eat blow and failing miserably as Toshiro hacks away at him in a blind rage. He had thought the boy would boy to him and allow Kusaka to manipulate him but he was mistaken.

When Toshiro came back to himself after releasing his rage he found that his abusive lover was encased in a block of ice that was quickly cracking. He watched in satisfaction as the blood stained ice broken into a thousand crystal pieces and hit the ground of the cave affectively killing the man that had nearly killed him so many times.

~~CxB~~

By the time Toshiro had finished telling Ichigo of exactly what his relationship with Kusaka was like Ichigo had moved to hold him tightly and whisper promises of never treating him that way. "There is no reason for you to fear hurting me Toshiro. You only did that as a way of protecting yourself. Kusaka deserved that and you deserve to be loved the way you are supposed to be. Let me show you what real love is…" Ichigo meets Toshiro's gaze and lowers his lips onto the smaller man's lips. He caresses the small appendages and lures them into opening to his tongue and through this kiss he pours out all his emotions for the man laying everything out and hoping the man returns the favor. He's not disappointed when Toshiro kissed him back with a passion he had never seen from the man before.

They break apart breathing deeply and with Yoshiro staring down at Ichigo from where he sat on the man's waist after having pushed Ichigo onto the ground to straddle him while they were making out. "I said before that I've never known love but that is until I met you. I know love now because I love you." A simple smile graces the white haired man's face and Ichigo finds himself speechless. He sits up rapidly and reconnects their lips before pulling away, picking up the smaller man, and using shunpo to return the Kyubantai where he happily becomes acquainted with the much smaller body of his lover.


End file.
