Reasons

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in posting! I had a serious case of writer’s block on this chapter. Thank you so much for your patience. I hope you enjoy!!

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CHAPTER 9

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My voice was whisper soft. “What did you say?”

The unfortunate messengers stammered. “Kuro..Kurosaki Ich..Ichigo…they couldn’t find him.”

No…..this wasn’t possible. My brief moments of hope had vanished; replaced with the deepest darkest agonies imaginable.

I didn’t care what the Commander would say or do. I was going to the real world. I would find Ichigo, my koibito, and bring him home.

With that resolve firmly entrenched in my mind, I stormed unannounced into Yamamoto’s office. He didn’t appear surprised to see me. “Kuchiki Taicho, I see you have been informed of Kurosaki’s disappearance. The retrieval team is still searching…

I cut him off. “I am going to find him. He’s still alive; if he wasn’t, I would know it.” My frigid gaze locked onto his. “Don’t try to stop me. You’ll have to kill me to prevent me from traveling to the real world to find my koibito.”

His tone was almost amused. “I wouldn’t try to keep you from looking from him; but…you need to take someone who knows the real world, someone who is familiar with Ichigo’s friends, someone who knows where he likes to go.”

He couldn’t mean...no…surely he didn’t intend for me to take Rukia with me. The realization dawned in my eyes as I studied his relaxed countenance. “Commander…”

He raised his hand, effectively ending my argument. “Taicho, even you have to admit that Kuchiki Rukia is the one best suited for this mission. She knows his family and his friends.”

I knew that it would be pointless to continue resisting. “As you wish. I will be waiting at the gate.” Turning, I strode rapidly towards the portal, cursing under my breath at the necessity of having Rukia accompany me. It was all her fault that this happened, I reasoned childishly. If she had just accepted Ichigo and my relationship, none of this would have occurred. I mentally shook myself. Blame was a useless waste of energy. I had to keep a clear mind in order to find Ichigo.

‘And I will find you,’ I promised silently. ‘No matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes. I will spend the rest of eternity searching to find you.’

All of Seireitei seemed to have heard about Ichigo’s disappearance; dozens of shinigami had gathered at the gateway. The brilliant red hair of my fukutaicho captured my attention, as did the exotic, attractive lieutenant standing beside him. Inwardly, I grinned, although my facial expression did not change. “Abarai,” I called.

Immediately, Renji was at my side; Shuuhei watching him closely. It seems that their conversation had gone well…very well, if the possessive glances directed at my fukutaicho were any indication. “Taicho?”

“I’m leaving you in charge of the squad until I return. I don’t know exactly how long I will be gone; I won’t return without him, Renji. I can’t. Life has no meaning without him.”

“I understand, Kuchiki Taicho….better now than I did before. Arigato, for convincing Shuuhei to talk to me. I wouldn’t have ever known about his feelings otherwise.” He paused, dark red staining his cheeks. “I am sorry, Byakuya, for putting you through this. It’s just…well, I thought I was in love with Ichigo…I couldn’t stand to see the two of you together. If anything happens to him, it’s my fault.”

“Allay your fears, Renji. I will find him.”

Rukia’s appearance forestalled any further conversation. I looked coldly at her. “I am allowing you to accompany me only because the Commander has ordered me to do so. I expect your full cooperation. Anything less, and you will not be returning. Do you understand me?”

Her eyes focused on the ground. “Hai,” she whispered, stepping away from me.

Satisfied with her humble response, if not with her company, I anxiously entered the portal. Arriving in the real world, I briefly wondered how human contended with their environment.

The noise was horrendous—a screeching cacophony of noises amplified by the closeness of the buildings. The sound was trapped within the brick walls, echoing endlessly. And the stench. It was worse than the noise. The smell of exhaust from the cars, buses, and trains. The unpleasant mix of scents from various cooking establishments. And worst of all; the malevolent noxious blend which comes from too many people gathering into too small a place.

I longed desperately for the crisp, fresh air of Seireitei; but that would have to wait. Right now, my first priority, my only priority, was to locate my lover and take him back home with me. Existing without him is far worse than anything I will encounter here.

I look at Rukia. “Where to?” I asked, allowing her to lead us…for now. Yamamoto was correct in his assessment of the situation. Ichigo’s human friends know and trust Rukia. If they are aware of his whereabouts, they will most likely tell her. Me? They are more likely to kill me. After all, that’s what I once intended to do to the one I’m now desperate to find; the one I cannot bear to live without.

“Urahara’s. We need to have him create a gigai for you.” She cut off the rejection before I could voice it. “Kuchiki Taicho. Your reiatsu is too powerful. The Espada will notice it and most likely send some of the Arrancar to either kill you or take you back to Hueco Mundo. Neither of those is acceptable.” Her words were laced with sadness. “I realize that you no longer care what I think or feel, but I don’t want you to die—I never wanted that.” She played her trump card. “Please, do it for Ichigo.”

That plea pushed me into a silent acceptance. I would do absolutely anything to find him and take him back with me. Anything. I followed her, internally flinching as the former taicho measured me, his eyes studying me closely.

“Relax, Byakuya-kun. I have to make sure that your gigai is flawless. After all, it has to be able to completely suppress your spirit energy. If any of it leaks out, you will become a target for Hollows.” Instructing us to make ourselves comfortable, he left to create a body for me.

Silence dominated the room; I was in no mood for conversation. All I wanted to do was to start searching for my missing orange-haired soulmate. I focused on the people who would most likely have had contact with Ichigo when he was exiled. Isshin. Urahara. The Quincy…what was his name? Oh yes…Ishida. Chad. Inoue. Those were the ones I had met. If there were others, hopefully Rukia knew them.

And was he still in his shinigami form or was he using his gigai? If he had remained a shinigami, then where was he? How could he hide his powerful reiatsu? If he were using his gigai, then I can accept not being able to locate him. But…Urahara should have some idea as to where he is staying. Shouldn’t he? After all, this entire disaster is his fault. He created the Hougyokou which Aizen recovered from Rukia’s spirit before fleeing to Hueco Mundo. If it wasn’t for that, then Ichigo would be safe and I would be home in Seireitei holding my koibito in my arms. But instead, I’m here in the real world frantically searching for him. If anything has happened to Ichigo, I swear I will unleash Senbonzakura on that annoying ex-taicho.

“Okay! I’ve finished with it; all you need to do is enter the gigai with your spirit.” He smiled, fluttering his fan in front of his face. “Follow me, Byakuya-kun.”

Reluctantly, I trailed after him, vainly attempting to ignore Rukia as she walked behind me. Passing through another locked door, I stopped, staring in horror at my gigai. Hot color flooded my face as I studied the barely clothed body. Never in my worst nightmares did I ever imagine myself wearing anything remotely resembling this atrocity. The pants were extremely revealing black leather which laced up each side from the ankle to the top of the garment. The pants were cut indecently low, snugly fitting around my hips. And I was lacking a shirt. The only covering across my chest was an open leather vest which ended at the bottom of my ribcage. There were several inches of exposed flesh between the two garments. My eyes widened further. Tattoos. There were tattoos on both arms. A wide black leather choker encircled my slender neck. I was appalled. “Absolutely not. I refuse to be seen dressed like that.”

“Ne, Byakuya-kun, what is wrong with it? The idea is to disguise yourself, to not draw attention to who you are.” The creator of the atrocity was grinning, apparently enjoying my reaction.

Rukia pushed in behind me, her laughter causing my irritation to spike. “Nii-sama…I think your gigai looks great!” She didn’t catch her familial reference; I, however, did not miss the casual address. “Think of it as an experiment.” Her laughter continued, growing in intensity as she continued to stare at my physical form. My leather clad physical form. Never.

I spoke carefully and clearly. “Urahara. You will dress me appropriately. A suit or even a pair of dress slacks and a nice shirt. I will not wear that-- I refuse to be seen looking like a man whore.” I was adamant. If going out into the human world dressed in that repulsive attire was necessary, then I would stay in my shinigami form and take my chances with the Hollows.

The former taicho protested. “But Byakuya-kun! I’m afraid I can’t do that. These are the only clothes I have that will fit your gigai. Everything else is either too small or too large.” He paused, hiding his face behind that damned fan. “If I have to go to the mall to buy some new clothes, it will delay your search for Ichigo. And that is why you are here, is it not?” He waited giving me time to respond. When I remained silent, he shrugged. “Fine. I’ll go get you some ‘proper clothing’ but if anything happens to your lover, it will be your responsibility. Is that a burden you are sure you can bear? Is that a risk you are willing to take?”

Damn him! He was putting me in an untenable situation. Of course I didn’t want to waste one single moment in searching for Ichigo, but…could I bear the humiliation of exposing myself in public in that revealing outfit he had dressed my gigai in? I shook my head in disgust. Was maintaining my pride more important than my koibito? The answer was simple.

No. Ichigo is everything to me; without him, I would be nothing. Swallowing my pride, I surrendered to the inevitable. I had no choice. Hiding my reiatsu was absolutely imperative, and it was obvious that Urahara was not going to aid me in changing the clothing. Giving in, I sighed, walking slowly towards the scantily clad gigai, shuddering as I slipped my spirit into the physical body.

The first sensation I recognized was the stiffness, the tightness. My movements were restricted, slow, awkward. I turned to face the other people in the room, struggling to maintain my innate dignity while wearing these uncomfortable clothes. “Rukia, let’s go,” I commanded. “The first place we need to go is Ichigo’s house.” I mentally and physically cringed at the idea of facing Isshin in this ridiculous garb. Not only was he a former taicho, but also my lover’s father. Was he aware of our relationship or was my showing up unannounced going to be a complete and total shock to him?

Rukia grabbed my arm and pulled me along with her. “Come on, Kuchiki Taicho. We have to hurry! Isshin is probably having dinner with Yuzu and Karin. You can meet Ichigo’s adorable twin sisters.”

Sisters? She expected me to meet my lover’s little sisters in this clothing? I protested. “Rukia, I hardly think my attire is appropriate for meeting Ichigo’s family. I will speak with Isshin because it is absolutely necessary. Once I have recovered Ichigo, he and I will arrange a meeting with his sisters. Not before,” I warned, my tone making it crystal clear that any further argument would be futile.

She pouted, but wisely refrained from any attempt to persuade me to change my mind. At least she remembered that once my mind was set, nothing anyone did or said could change it. That is, no one except for Ichigo. I would do anything, even wear these embarrassingly revealing garments, to locate my missing koibito.

I followed her as she walked swiftly down the crowded sidewalks, ignoring the leers and whistles that were tossed my way. Exerting extreme self-discipline, I managed to control my temper when several people, both male and female, boldly dared to either pinch or caress my leather encased posterior.

Enduring the humiliating torture, we finally arrived at the Kurosaki house. I ordered Rukia to visit with the sisters while I interrogated Isshin. She glared, but did as ordered. Perhaps she remembered that failing to obey my commands would result in her unfortunate demise. “Fine, Kuchiki Taicho. But only so we can find Ichigo and bring him back home where he belongs.”

The double entendre didn’t slip past me. “Which home are you talking about? The one here, or his true home in Seireitei? That is where he belongs, Rukia. Ichigo doesn’t belong here in the real world.”

“I’m referring to Seireitei. Ichigo is a shinigami—he doesn’t belong here in the real world. I want him to come home, back to your house. I want you both to be happy again. I want to see you smile. I am so sorry for all the trouble I caused. I just wanted Ichigo to be with Renji. I thought he would be happier.” She glanced at me. “I was wrong. You and Ichigo are soulmates, bonded together for eternity. Neither of you are complete without the other.” She reached out and touched my hand lightly. “I am truly sorry, Kuchiki Taicho.”

The heartfelt sincerity of her words touched me, penetrating the invisible barrier I had erected to keep her at a distance. But now…after that observation, after her apology, could I maintain my anger towards her? How would Ichigo react if he were aware of the breakdown in our familial relationship?

That was simple. He would be furious…at both of us. Most likely, he would force us to sit down in a room and talk; yelling the whole time about the importance of family and the fact that as the older brother, it is my responsibility to take care of Rukia. And he would yell at her for interfering in our relationship and that next time, she should ask him first before making decisions for him.

The time for punishment was over. Rukia is my little sister, and I should be taking care of her, not exiling her from her home and her family. “Nii-sama,” I corrected her gently.

Her large blue eyes widened. “What?” Those sapphire depth sparkled and shimmered, wetness clinging to her thick dark lashes. “Nii-sama?” she repeated softly, as if afraid I would change my mind if she spoke loudly or forcefully.

“Hai.”

A gentle smile graced her face. “Arigato,” she replied. “I promise to never interfere in your relationship again…unless you hurt him. He is my best friend and I cannot bear to see him unhappy. I realize I owe him an apology…I hope that he will be able to forgive me.”

Knowing my lover’s propensity for caring about other people, forgiving Rukia will be easily accomplished. I kept this observation to myself; that situation will have to be worked out between the two of them.

“Let’s talk to his family.”

I waited outside while Rukia walked in unannounced. She must be more familiar with them than I realized, my astute hearing catching the greetings being exuberantly exchanged within. Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn’t detect the muffled footsteps approaching the door. I stiffened as the portal slowly opened.

I squirmed under the intense scrutiny, but refused to lower my gaze. “Kuchiki Byakuya?” The amusement in that voice was unmistakable, as was the slow visual observation of my attire. “I certainly never imagined seeing you again, and most definitely not dressed like that.” He laughed at my discomfiture. “It is a good look for you; makes you less regal. The rest of the shinigami would love to see you dressed like this.”

I refused to be baited. “Kurosaki, are you going to invite me in? I have a very serious matter to discuss and I prefer not to have this conversation standing on your porch.”

He sobered instantly, leading me into his office. “What is it, Kuchiki? Rukia only told me that it concerned Ichigo. Is he okay? Is he in trouble?”

“When was the last time you saw him, Isshin?” I struggled to present a calm mien as I anxiously awaited his answer.

He didn’t reply immediately. “It’s been about a week; normally he comes by about every two weeks to see his sisters.” His penetrating gaze settled back on me. “He refuses to tell me what happened or where he is staying. Perhaps you will be able to fill in the blanks, Kuchiki. Tell me why my son is so upset and hurt. Why is he refusing to stay here with his family? And what does this have to do with you?”

“You are aware of his decision to become a permanent shinigami, are you not?” I waited for his affirmation. “There were several false rumors circulating regarding his assignment as fukutaicho to Ukitake Taicho. It seems that several shinigami speculated that he didn’t earn his position based on his proven fighting capability but because of his relationship with another shinigami. This created a division within Soul Society. Yamamoto got involved and he made the decision to exile Ichigo to the real world.”

“Ichigo is a fukutaicho? He didn’t tell me.” Isshin mused on that for a moment before demanding answers on the rest of my simple explanation. “So this relationship created a rift within the ranks. Who was my son involved with? It would have to be a powerful shinigami if some believed that he became a lieutenant because of it.”

I met his gaze squarely. “Me. Our relationship created friction with some of the shinigami and in order to restore the peace, he was exiled. However, the reasons for these malicious lies were revealed and Yamamoto reversed his decision. That is why I have come to find him and take him home where he belongs.”

He was speechless, merely staring at me attempting to discern the truth of our relationship. “When you say relationship, just what do you mean?”

“Ichigo and I are lovers. We fell in love when he was still a human. That is one of the reasons he chose to become a soul reaper.” I decided to be absolutely honest with the man; I didn’t want him to think that this was merely an affair. He had to understand the depth of my feelings, my commitment to his son. “Once, many years ago, I feel in love and married. After five years, she died and I have been alone since. I never imagined feeling that way again. And then I met your son and I fell in love with him. Truthfully, I love Ichigo more than I ever have anyone, even Hisana. Ichigo and I are true soulmates. Without him, I will slowly fade away. I have no will or desire to live without him beside me.”

His eyes locked onto mine, detecting the truth within them. “Byakuya, I will help you. But first, you need to eat. You are too pale, too thin.” He directed me to have a seat. “I will return shortly.”

Returning with a tray with sake and onigri, he sat down across from me. “I don’t know where he is staying. He visits, but refuses to spend the night. When he comes, he pretends to be happy for his sisters, but I can see that he is in a lot of emotional pain. Like you, he is too thin and pale.” He sipped his sake. “At least now I know why.”

I nibbled on the onigri and sipped at the sake, my stomach rebelling at the strong drink. “Isshin, I have to find him. I haven’t seen him in over three months.” I closed my eyes, forcing back the threatening tears. I couldn’t cry…not in front of Ichigo’s father; not in front of anyone.

“Stay here, Byakuya. As I said, he comes around every two weeks. If he continues that routine, he will be here in about a week. That is a better option than running around searching and possibly missing him.” Amusement filled his eyes and colored his voice. “Besides, I doubt that you want to continue running around the streets in those clothes.” Laughter erupted from his throat. “Kisuke has a wicked sense of humor.”

“Urahara has deplorable taste in clothing,” I commented, blushing profusely at the amount of skin revealed by these ill-fitting garments.

“I accept your kind offer, Isshin. I assume that Rukia is welcome, also.”

The easily excited former Taicho clapped his hands. “Of course! She is like my third daughter. I had hoped that Ichigo and Rukia would get together and give me grandchildren, but…as long as he’s happy, that’s all that matters.” He sobered. “If you ever hurt him, you will have to answer to me.”

I bowed my head respectfully. “Do not worry. I will never willingly harm him; not again.” My mind touched the memory of our first meeting and also our first true battle in Seireitei. I shuddered internally as I realized that I could have killed him either time and never known love again.

He stood. “So, it’s settled. You can sleep in Ichigo’s room and Rukia will bunk with my daughters.” He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Do not worry, Byakuya. Ichigo will come and then you can talk. If he wants to return to Seireitei, he will go with my blessing.”

“Arigato.”

Following him up the stairs, I paused outside Ichigo’s bedroom. “What are you waiting for?” Isshin reached around me and opened the door.

I stepped inside, the subtle traces of reiatsu lingering within the room. I lowered my eyelids, feeling Ichigo’s spirit here. Opening my eyes, I looked around, studying the lay of the room. The desk, the bookcase, the twin bed where he slept. Walking towards the bed, I traced the duvet with a shaking hand. Closing my eyes, I could see him lying there, his body relaxed in slumber. Much as he had during the short time we were together. Hot tears pricked my eyes, escaping to slowly slide down my cheeks. “Ichigo,” I murmured.

I barely detected the sound of the door closing gently behind me. Grateful to Isshin for leaving me alone, I sank down onto the bed and wrapped my arms around his pillow, inhaling the lingering scent of him. My tears fall harder, faster, absorbing into the softness of the pillow. Exhausted, I surrendered to Morpheus, slipping into a thankfully dreamless slumber.

It was late the next afternoon before I was awakened by Rukia. She stealthily entered Ichigo’s room, waking me instantly as she lightly touched my arm. “Nii-sama. I brought you some food.”

Stretching, I sat up in the bed and ran my fingers through my tangled tresses. “What time is it?”

“It’s nearly 2:00 in the afternoon. You’ve been asleep for almost 24 hours,” she replied, placing the food tray on the desk before sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the bed. “If you’d like to shower, now is a good time. Yuzu and Karin are still at school and Isshin is working in the clinic.”

The idea of a hot shower was very appealing. “Arigato, Rukia.”

She pointed at the door across the hallway. “That is the bathroom. I’ll leave you some clean clothes on the bed.” She shrugged at my quizzical look. “I went to the mall this morning. I didn’t think you would want to wear those leather pants all week.”

I smiled, grateful for her concern. “You are correct. I assume you chose clothing that I will not be embarrassed to wear. I would like to meet Ichigo’s sisters but only if I have appropriate clothing. I refuse to meet my lover’s family wearing those revealing pants.”

She laughed, the sounds echoing around the room. “Perhaps you will wear them for Ichigo,” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

I merely arched an eyebrow. “Perhaps,” I replied, disappearing through the doorway closing the wooden portal, anticipating the luxury of a long steaming hot shower.

Wearing the long-sleeved silk silver-grey shirt and loose fitting charcoal grey slacks, I felt much more at ease. I silently moved down the staircase to the kitchen where Rukia and two younger girls were busy fixing dinner. “Hello,” I greeted them, startling the three of them.

The dark-haired girl eyed me suspiciously. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“Karin, Yuzu,” Rukia responded. “This is my nii-sama, Kuchiki Byakuya. He came with me here yesterday.”

“Yesterday? But we didn’t see him,” Karin retorted. “Where was he?”

“Karin! You are being rude to our guest. He’s Rukia’s nii-sama and that means he’s welcome here.” She smiled at me. “Are you going to join us for dinner?”

It was obvious that Yuzu was more trusting than her twin sister. “Hai. Your father was gracious enough to allow me to stay here for a few days.”

That raised Karin’s suspicions. “Why? And where are you sleeping? The couch was unoccupied this morning and I know that you weren’t in dad’s room when I woke him up this morning.”

Rukia stepped in and answered for me. “Actually, Nii-sama is staying in Ichigo’s room. Your dad told him that it was okay.” She exchanged glances with me waiting for my approval before continuing. I nodded slightly, giving her permission. “Byakuya needs to talk with your brother and he’s waiting here for him to return.”

“What do you want with Ichi-ni? Ever since he came back from Soul Society, he has been depressed. He won’t stay here with us—he just comes by and visits.” Yuzu’s eyes filled with tears. “He used to talk to me, but now he doesn’t have anything to say. He goes to his room and lays on the bed staring at the ceiling or staring out the window. He barely eats; he’s gotten so thin.” She turned her glistening eyes towards me. “Are you here to help him?”

I touched her lightly on the shoulder. “I will if he lets me.” A hesitant smile touched her face.

“Arigato, Kuchiki Byakuya.”

Any further questioning was delayed by Isshin’s arrival. He smirked when he spied me.
“What happened to your other outfit, Byakuya?”

I glared at him. “Rukia was kind enough to go to the mall and but me some more appropriate clothing.” I smiled gratefully at my grinning sister. “Do you think after dinner we can go to the mall so I can pick up a few more outfits, Rukia?”

She nodded. “Of course, Nii-sama. I only bought what you are wearing. I believed that you would like to pick out your own wardrobe.”

I ran my fingers along the soft material. “Actually, I’m very impressed with your choice of colors and material.”

She blushed. “You can thank Uryu for that. He helped me with the fabrics and the sizes.”

“Uryu?” That was a name I didn’t recognize. I didn’t want my sister hanging around people that I haven’t met.

“Ishida. The Quincy,” she hastened to explain.

I wasn’t thrilled with her fraternizing with a Quincy; they hated the Shinigami. Still, Ichigo considers him a friend, so I will accept him.

The mall was deafening. I couldn’t wait to get out of that extremely noisy building and back to the quietness of my koibito’s room. Locating the men’s department, I hastily selected several shirts and matching pants, stopping by the shoe department to pick up a pair of casual dress shoes.

I hung my new garments in the closet, surprised to see the makeshift bed still in place on the shelf. I shook my head, thinking of the quirkiness of fate. My sister had spent two months living in this room with a teenage boy, yet it was me that fell in love with him. Life was truly unpredictable. Undressing, I crawled beneath the covers, praying that he will return soon.

The next eight days passed slowly; I made it a point to get up and have breakfast with Yuzu and Karin each morning before they went to school. They seemed to enjoy my company; treating me as a surrogate brother. Especially Yuzu. She was more receptive, more open with me. She questioned me about the shinigami and Seireitei. She is trying to understand why Ichigo chose to leave the real world to live as a shinigami. I didn’t clarify my true relationship with her brother; I was waiting for him to return—we would explain it together.

It was late evening on the eighth day when he finally made an appearance. The family and I had already retired for the night; I was lying awake in his bed when I detected the soft tread of footsteps on the stairs. Curious, I walked to the top of the stairwell and peered down. My breath caught in my throat as I saw him. It was Ichigo. My koibito. At last, he had returned to his family’s house.

“Ichigo,” I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear me.

That beloved spiky orange-haired head jerked up. “Byakuya?” A blinding smile crossed his face, tears spilled down his cheeks as he stopped and stared at me.

Answering wetness rolled down my face as I reached for him, unsure which of us covered the remaining few steps separating us. I wrapped my arms tightly around him, holding him close to me.

Our bodies entwined, we stumbled back to his room, somehow managing not to disturb anyone else. I was grateful for this; I didn’t want to share him with his family right now. It had been over three months, endless days and nights, since I had seen or touched my koibito.

Cupping his thin, wan face within my hands, I placed a gentle, loving kiss on his trembling lips. “I missed you, Ichigo. So much,” I murmured against his mouth. “I’ve come to take you home.”

“Nani? But how?” He was confused. “Yamamoto exiled me. I can’t go back, koi.”

I smiled, tracing his features, moving my fingers over his face, his neck, down his arms. “Things have changed. Reasons were discovered and explained to the Commander. He reversed his decision and sent a recovery team to the real world, but they were unable to locate you. Your reiatsu had disappeared.”

“I volunteered…no, that’s incorrect. I informed Yamamoto that I was coming to the real world to find you and I would not be returning until I achieved my mission.” I studied him carefully. “Kisuke did an excellent job on repressing your spirit energy. I cannot detect any of it, even holding you in my arms.”

He kissed me, his tongue tracing my lips, begging for entrance. I obliged, my own wet muscle seeking his, battling within the warm recesses of my mouth. “I love you, Byakuya.”

Those were the words I had longed to hear. “I love you, Ichigo.” I wrapped my arms tighter. “Are you ready to come home with me?”

“Hai,” he breathed. “More than ready.” He pulled away slightly. “But can we wait until tomorrow? I want to visit my family.”

“Of course, koi. I understand. I’ve been here for eight days; your little sisters are very endearing. Yuzu is more trusting, she seems to truly like me. Karin-well, she tolerates me, but she is more suspicious of my real reasons for being here waiting for you.” I smiled, pulling him down to sit on the bed with me. “I haven’t told them about our relationship; I think that is something that they need to hear from both of us.”

“Arigato, Bya.” His eyes roamed over my body, clad only in a pair of his pajama bottoms. “You’ve lost weight,” he observed, sliding his fingers along my chest. “And when did you get tattoos?” His fingers moved over the dark ink marking on my biceps.

I grimaced. “Kisuke has a twisted sense of humor. It was his way of humbling me. You should see the clothing he garbed my gigai in. They were horribly revealing and embarrassing.”

He was intrigued. “Will you show me tomorrow, Bya?”

I nodded, before I unbuttoned the loose fitting shirt, pushing the material off his thin shoulders. “You are thinner than before,” tracing my fingers over the ribs that were too defined, each clearly visible. My hands moved to the zipper on his jeans. Sliding it down, he lifted his lean hips, giving me the freedom to remove them from him. He stood, the pants falling to pool around his ankles. Stepping free, he once again sat down.

“Koi, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you like this.” I pulled him down to lay beside me. I was content to just embrace him, to feel his body next to mine, our hearts beating in synchronicity. “Ichigo, do you mind if I just hold you tonight?”

His arms gripped me tighter, his head resting against my beating heart. “That’s fine with me, Bya. We’ve waited this long, I suppose we can wait until we return home.” He leaned up and kissed me softly. “I want to spend our first day back home at our secluded pool.”

I laughed softly. “You read my mind, koibito.”

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Okay—one more chapter done. I apologize again for the delay; I had a serious case of writers block. Thankfully, my muse has returned and the next Chapter will be up shortly.

Thanks to everyone who has bothered to read; I hope you have enjoyed it so far. And extra special thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review!!