The Aftermath of War

Title: The Aftermath of War
Author: jadelioness
Word Count: ~4800
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Kurosaki Ichigo/Ishida Uryuu
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Hollow!Ichigo makes an appearance, angst
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor make any profit from this fanfic.
Notes: Written for evilkat_meow in the New Years Exchange at the livejournal community IshiIchi.

The Aftermath of War

Ishida slammed the door to his room and leaned against it, sinking to his knees. He knew it. He knew Ichigo was lying to him, knew he was seeing that Vizard behind his back. He just didn’t want to believe it. He pressed his forehead to his knees, taking deep breathes.

“Shit,” Ishida whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs and sobbing into his jeans.

It had been bad for awhile. Things had changed after Hueco Mundo, and Ishida was becoming more and more worried that Ichigo didn’t love him anymore. He didn’t even understand how it had started. Well, he knew it had started when Ichigo’s hollow had stabbed him atop Los Noches, but he didn’t really know why that had turned into Ichigo away from him.

****

He had awoken in a makeshift hospital back in Karakura Town. His hand had been restored and the ugly wound in his stomach was reduced to an angry red line. He tried to get up, tried to find the others, but fourth division healers had politely shove him back on his futon, telling him he needed to rest, and when he refused, sedating him.

It was three days. Three horrible days that Ishida was forced to stay in the hospital without a word from anyone about his friends. If they were okay, if they were injured, if they were even alive. He tried several times to ask about Ichigo, but the motherly woman tending to him just pushed him back to the futon and told him not to worry. But he did. He worried so much he made himself sick on the second day and spent several hours vomiting in the toilet and fearing that Ichigo was dead.

It was the third day when he was staring fretfully out the tiny window when Ichigo finally came to see him. Ishida turned around at the sound of the door unlocking and froze at the sight of Ichigo standing uncomfortably, but all in one piece, just inside the door.

They stood in silence for several moments, Ishida’s heart pounding in his chest as relief washed over him.

“Oh thank god,” he whispered and walked quickly to Ichigo, wrapping his arms around his neck and burying his face in the reassuring warmth of his chest.

“They wouldn’t tell me what happened to you!” he said, realizing he was crying, and clung tighter to Ichigo. “I thought you might be...”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Ichigo assured him, wrapping his arms tightly around Ishida’s body and pulling him closer. “I’m so sorry, Uryuu. So sorry.”

Ishida wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but he didn’t really care because Ichigo was safe, and that was all that mattered.

****
It was three weeks after the death of Aizen before Ichigo would sleep with him again. It was awkward and unsatisfactory, like Ichigo didn’t really want to touch him. He wouldn’t let Ishida take his shirt off and didn’t once look him in the eye.

Ishida lay in bed afterwards while Ichigo showered and tried so hard not to cry. What had changed? Of course they had gone through a lot in Hueco Mundo together, but they had talked about Ichigo’s hollow. They had come to terms with it. Ishida didn’t even blame him. He knew it wasn’t Ichigo who had stabbed him, and he had told him that, so why didn’t he want to touch him anymore?

They didn’t talk about it afterward. Ichigo resolutely ignored that they had any sort of problem, and Ishida wasn’t sure how to bring it up and ever time he tried to broach the subject, Ichigo suddenly had to be somewhere else.

Ishida was hurt and confused. He didn’t know what he had done, and he didn’t know why he was being punished. He was afraid to mention it to Ichigo, especially after he so readily avoided any discussion about their relationship. He was afraid he may lose Ichigo, but he had a horrible twisting feeling in his stomach that if he brought up his uncertainties, he would lose him, and he couldn’t bear that.

After returning from Hueco Mundo, Ishida’s father had promptly disowned him for breaking his promise, and Ishida hadn’t seen him since. He had been used to being alone before, until Ichigo came into his life. And now he found himself longing for his company and hating to be alone. He had gotten so used to Ichigo always being there with his easy smile and obnoxious affection. Ishida just couldn’t imagine being without him anymore. He didn’t want to.

Unknowing of Ishida’s silent fears, Ichigo had been avoiding him more and more often and it was one day after school that Ishida realized why. It was that blonde Vizard with the stupid grin and the confident swagger. Ichigo was leaving school with him, chatting animatedly as if nothing was wrong. As if he was talking to Ishida. To a lover.

It hurt much more than Ishida had expected to find out Ichigo was cheating on him. He’d wondered for awhile, but to actually see him with someone else, so happy and carefree. It was like something was tearing a hole in his chest and it was becoming harder to breath.

It was Ichigo’s fault. Ishida hadn’t even realized he had fallen in love with him until it was too late. It was Ichigo who insisted on hanging around school while Ishida was at a club meeting, on walking him home, on stopping somewhere for coffee. Ishida was nothing but annoyed at first, but he slowly became used to Ichigo’s company, to his mischievous smile and soft touches that he didn’t think anything of until they started making him hard and yearning. Ishida never knew Ichigo could be so subtle until it hit him as Ichigo was kissing him feverishly with their hands down each other’s pants that he really and truly was completely and ridiculously in love with Kurosaki Ichigo.

****

He had barely made it to his apartment before he couldn’t stop the tears any longer. And now he was crying pathetically on the floor while Ichigo was off having fun with his new boyfriend.

He stood up, bracing himself against the door before going to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face that didn’t really help and toss his wrinkled t-shirt into the dirty clothes hamper. He just...he wish he knew why. He thought they were happy together. He thought Ichigo loved him, but every time he wondered, his heart clenched terribly, and he doubted if it was ever true.

He ran his fingers through his hair and went back to his room. He stopped when he caught sight of himself in the mirror next to his door. He looked miserable. His eyes were red and bloodshot and his hair was messy and sticking to his face. He stared at himself, wondering what Ichigo even saw in him in the first place, a skinny, geeky kid that was more interested in school and sewing than dating. He lifted up his shirt and looked at the ugly ragged line down his chest. Did this have something to do with it? Of course it did, but why?

He touched it gingerly with his fingers, running them down the length. It was so thin and pale, barely there unless you really looked, but it had to mean something if it kept Ichigo from touching him.

“Reminiscing?” a voice cackled as Ichigo materialized behind him in the mirror, eyes glinting and smile too wide to be friendly.

“I-Ichigo,” Ishida gasped as he pressed against him from behind, running cold fingers down the scar on his stomach. It was then that he noticed the cruel yellow eyes in place of Ichigo’s usual warm brown ones, and his blood turned to ice.

“What do you want?” Ishida demanded, trying discreetly to wiggle out of the hollow’s grasp.

“What do you think?” the hollow purred, running his hand up Ishida’s chest and pinching one of his nipples. Ishida flinched and tried to bolt, but the hollow gripped his arm painfully and threw him onto the bed. It was immediately on him, straddling his legs and pinning his arms above his head.

“Let me go!” Ishida gasped, struggling as the hollow ran his tongue along the line of the scar. “Please,” he whimpered, suddenly terrified and helpless.

“Are you scared little Quincy?” he whispered, running his tongue along Ishida’s jaw.

“Stop it,” Ishida said, trying to force his voice to sound stronger.

“Or what?” the hollow asked. “You’ll scream while I slit open your stomach and watch you bleed to death?”

Ishida gasped and the hollow bit down gently on his shoulder, leaving a mark but not making him bleed. He rubbed his thumb over his teeth marks and grinned. “Ichigo’s going to be pissed about that.”

“W-what?” Ishida asked, his voice trembling.

“Mm,” the hollow said, cocking his head as he peered at Ishida. “But not as pissed as he’s going to be about this.”

He ran his hand down Ishida’s chest again, tracing the scar almost lovingly. Then he gave Ishida a toothy grin and squeezed Ishida’s crotch, making him flinch and try to curl in on himself.

“Don’t touch me!” he yelled, twisting in the hollow’s grip.

“Aw, don’t be shy,” the hollow laughed. “I won’t hurt you much.”

He leaned down and kissed Ishida, startling him so much that the hollow was able to slip his tongue into his mouth to deepen the kiss. Ishida was still, but the lips moving against his were so familiar and reassuring that he didn’t even realize he was kissing back until the lips wrenched away, and he was staring up into angry brown eyes.

“I-Ichigo?” he asked in a shaky voice, wiping his mouth as Ichigo released his wrists.

“What the hell were you doing?!” the shinigami shouted, throwing him a disgusted look.

“I—I was just—he just appeared—he kissed me,” Ishida stuttered, more than a little unnerved by the fierce look in his boyfriend’s eyes.

“You were kissing him back!” Ichigo shouted. “You were kissing a hollow! My hollow!”

Ishida sat up and tucked his hair nervously behind his ear. “I didn’t mean too! He attacked me, and it felt...it felt like you,” he finished quietly.

Something flashed in Ichigo’s eyes. “So if he tried to rape you, that would be okay too since it feels like me?”

Ishida flinched and stared at his hands clenched in his lap. “I didn’t mean-” Ishida stopped and swallowed, trying to hold back more threatening tears.

“Don’t mean what?” Ichigo demanded. “Don’t mean to make out with the hollow that nearly killed you?”

“Ichigo, please,” Ishida whispered, steadying his voice. “It’s been two weeks since you’ve kissed me so much as looked at me, it was a momentary lapse in judgment, and it will never happen again.”

Ichigo looked like he was ready to say something, but stopped, glancing at Ishida.

“Why didn’t you just tell me,” Ishida asked finally, voice breaking.

“Tell you what?” Ichigo asked, his voice losing its venom.

“That you don’t love me anymore.”

“What?!” Ichhigo asked incredulously. “Where did you-”

“Don’t lie to me!” Ishida shouted, suddenly filled with unexpected anger. “You are always gone. I barely see you. You won’t have sex with me anymore, you won’t even touch me.” Ishida looked up. “I saw you with him.”

“With who?” Ichigo asked.

“Hirako Shinji,” Ishida said with a pained look, his voice raw with repressed emotion. “You didn’t have to cheat. You didn’t have to stay with me out of guilt.”

“You think I’ve been cheating on you?” Ichigo asks in disbelief. “With Shinji?”

Ishida looks away and Ichigo pushes him on the bed, hovering over him and forcing Ishida to look at him.

“I would never cheat on you,” he hisses. “It’s because of you I have to go see him every day. I’ve been trying to protect you, you idiot! My hollow will not leave you alone! Ever since I—he stabbed you, it’s ignited some sort of blood lust, and he’s been getting harder to control! If it wasn’t for Shinji, I wouldn’t have the slight control I have now, and you would probably be dead! So why don’t you think it through before you decide I’m being disloyal!”

Ichigo sat up, perching on the side of the bed with his arms resting on his knees.

“You told me it was under control,” Ishida said, startled and confused by Ichigo’s declaration. “You said it was all fine and taken care of. I couldn’t even sense its riatsu!”

“Shinji taught me how to block it,” Ichigo replied shortly, clearly not wanting to discuss it anymore.

“That doesn’t make it okay for you not to tell me!” Ishida said, his voice rising. “Were you just going to wait until it attacked me again?”

“The whole point was to keep it from doing that!” Ichigo replied harshly.

Ishida stared at him, his posture tense, and eyes angry. “You really don’t anymore, do you?” he asked, the anger melting once again, his voice soft and hurt. “I’m just an inconvenience to you.”

“If you were such an inconvenience, why would I try so hard to protect you?” Ichigo asked, sounding annoyed.

“Because that’s what you do,” Ishida replied, his eyes shining with tears. “You protect people, you protect everyone.”

“My hollow isn’t trying to kill everyone,” Ichigo said pointedly.

“But you won’t even look at me!” Ishida replied, his voice rising. “You’ve avoided me ever since we’ve gotten back.”

“Because you entice him,” Ichigo said nastily. “Being around you makes him harder to control. I’m helping you by staying away.”

“You don’t even want to be here now!”

“Of course I don’t want to be here,” Ichigo replied. “Why would I want to be arguing over this with you when you clearly don’t appreciate what I’m doing for you?”

“I do,” Ishida said quietly, “I really do Ichigo, but I don’t want you to resent me for it.”

They were quiet for several minutes, sitting side by side on Ishida’s bed, Ichigo’s silence breaking Ishida’s heart as he realized it was true.

“Do you know how painful it was to just sit there and wait without knowing what had happened to you, if you were even alive? And when I finally see you, to feel like you don’t want to be there? Do you know how much it hurts to know that you had to force yourself to be with me?” he whispered, tears sliding down his cheeks and his voice cracking. “To know the person I love more than anyone can’t stand to be around me anymore?”

“That’s not-” Ichigo began, looking perplexed. “Shit, Uryuu, it’s not like that.”

“Please don’t lie to me anymore, Ichigo,” Ishida murmured through his tears, moving away from Ichigo. “If you don’t want to be with me anymore then-”

“I do!” Ichigo shouted, wrapping his arms around the other boy and pulling him into an embrace. “Of course I do. I love you so much,” he whispers, carding his fingers through Ishida’s hair as the other boy cried into his shoulder.

“I just-” Ichigo began, his own voice breaking. “I almost killed you. He almost killed you. If Inoue hadn’t been there...”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Ishida choked through his tears, gripping Ichigo tightly. “I told you it wasn’t your fault. You had no control, and I got in the way, and it was all just an unfortunate accident.”

“That’s the point! I let him take control,” Ichigo said bitterly, pulling Ishida away so he could see his face. “He was too strong for me, and I couldn’t get him back under control. What if it happens again? What if next time Inoue isn’t there? What if I lose you because I can’t control my stupid hollow?”

“Ichigo,” Ishida says, his voice soft, reaching out to touch his face, but Ichigo catches the hand, pressing it to his lips and kissing the fingertips.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” Ichigo whispered, pulling Ishida forward until their foreheads were pressed together. “I didn’t mean for you to think that I don’t love you anymore. But watching...being trapped in my own mind and watching my own hand run you through...I can’t let that happen again Uryuu, I can’t.”

“You won’t,” Ishida promised, kissing Ichigo lightly. “I know you won’t.”

“Fuck,” Ichigo moans, pulling Ishida closer on his lap and kissing him. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” Ishida whispered, resting his arms on Ichigo’s shoulders and peering down at him. “Promise you won’t keep things like that from me anymore.”

“I promise,” Ichigo replied, kissing the tip of Ishida’s nose playfully before ducking down to his mouth, kissing him slowly and deeply, savoring the moment as Ishida moaned into his touch.

“Promise me you won’t avoid me like that, you won’t-” Ishida’s voice cut off in a moan as Ichigo nibbled below his ear.

“I promise,” Ichigo whispered. “I’m so sorry Uryuu, I promise. I love you.”

He kissed down the quincy’s neck, running his tongue over the bite mark left by his hollow, like he was trying to erase it. Ishida moaned again, his fingers tightening in Ichigo’s hair as his boyfriend’s tongue ran down his neck in hot, wet paths.

Ishida arched forward, pressing against Ichigo and was startled and pleased to feel the rigid bulge rubbing against his thigh.

Ichigo’s tongue lapped at his collar bone as nimble fingers deftly explored smooth milky skin.

“Ichigo!” Ishida gasped as he suckled at a particularly sensitive area on his neck, his fingers running up his sides. Ishida shuddered, and he winced as Ichigo pulled back to stare at Ishida’s bare torso, at his scar.

Ishida opened his mouth to say something, to break the awkward silence, but Ichigo pressed his warm hand to Ishida’s stomach, stroking softly with the tips of his fingers.

“Ichigo?” Ishida asked quietly, fingers curling into the sheets at his sides.

“Hmm?” Ichigo looked up, realizing he has been staring at the thin pale scar running the length of Ishida’s stomach. “Sorry, baby,” he murmured, kissing Ishida softly and cupping his face. The words sounded so heartfelt and genuine that Ishida knew he wasn’t talking about his momentary distraction. The kiss slowly deepened, and Ishida was left breathless as Ichigo ravaged his mouth and pulled him closer until they were pressed tightly together.

“I love you,” Ichigo murmured, stroking back Ishida’s hair. He flipped them over and Ishida’s back hit the mattress, Ichigo looming over him. “Don’t ever doubt that, okay?”

Ishida couldn’t answer over the moan rising in his throat as Ichigo’s mouth ran along his skin, down his throat, teasing licks at his collarbone, and sucking one nipple into his mouth and biting down gently with his teeth. Ishida gasped, arching into the moist warmth of Ichigo’s mouth and running his fingers through spiky orange hair. Ichigo’s hands were underneath him, pulling him closer and stroking the bumps of his spine as his tongue traced the line of his scar down his stomach.

“I-Ichigo, please!” Ishida mewled, pulling weakly at Ichigo’s shirt. “Stop teasing!”

Ichigo glanced up, resting his chin on Ishida’s stomach and rubbing his thumbs over the bumps of Ishida’s ribs.

“Teasing?” Ichigo asked, dipping his tongue into Ishida’s navel. “Maybe I just like the way you taste.”

Ishida laughed breathily and bucked his hips so Ichigo could feel how aroused he was. “Take your clothes off,” he demanded. “I want to suck you off.”

Ichigo sucked in a breath and didn’t protest as he jumped off Ishida and stripped off his clothes into a pile, tripping over his pant leg and falling onto the bed.

Ishida raised an eyebrow, standing and stepping gracefully out of his pants and folding them, before sinking to his knees in front of Ichigo’s spread legs. “Eager?” he asked.

“Fuck yes,” Ichigo breathed. Ishida was awfully talented with his tongue, and it had been awhile since Ichigo had gotten to enjoy that particular skill.

Ishida laughed again, that soft breathy laugh that he only did when he was really aroused, and placed his hands on Ichigo’s thigh as he swallowed him down in one effortless motion. Ichigo nearly howled as he was engulfed in wet moist suction, his hips thrusting unconsciously into Ishida’s mouth.

Ishida backed off a little, holding Ichigo’s hips down and sucking on the head, laving it with his tongue and lapping at the precum beading at the tip. Ichigo let out a groan and ran his fingers through Ishida’s hair and down his shoulders and back.

“Mm, yes,” Ichigo murmured as Ishida eased his cock down his throat, bobbing his head up and down. He tucked Ishida’s hair back behind his ears with quivering fingers so he could see his face, flushed with arousal and his lips stretched around his cock.

“God, you’re so hot,” Ichigo groaned as Ishida hummed around him, pressing at the underside of his cock with his tongue and tracing the vein there as he pulled back. Ishida’s nimble fingers reached underneath to fondle his testicles, rolling them between his fingers and squeezing lightly. He took the head back in his mouth, sucking hard, and Ichigo’s toes curled against the carpet and he came hard down Ishida’s willing throat.

Ishida’s throat convulsed around him as he swallowed before Ichigo’s cock slid out of his mouth. Ichigo pulled the Quincy onto the bed so he could kiss him, tasting himself as he swept his tongue through Ishida’s mouth.

“On your knees,” Ichigo growls, releasing Ishida’s lips and pushing him onto his hands and knees. Ishida complied, stretching like a cat on the bed so his ass was in the air and Ichigo settled eagerly between his legs, pulling on his ankles to spread them wider.

Ishida made a quiet, startled sound as Ichigo spread him apart, his breath hot ghosting across his exposed hole.

“Don’t tease,” Ishida pleaded as Ichigo ran his hands up and down Ishida’s thighs. Ichigo chuckled and pressed a kiss at the base of Ishida’s spine. His lips slid down, pressing small kisses to Ishida’s skin.

Ishida started at the sudden wet pressure against his entrance and moaned loudly when Ichigo’s tongue slid inside.

Ichigo’s tongue slowly fucked him, pumping in and out as Ichigo slid a finger in next to it, stretching him open. His other hand fell between Ishida’s legs to wrap around his balls, squeezing teasingly and massaging them in his hand as he continued to prepare the quincy.

Ishida pressed his face to the pillow, mewling loudly as he tried not to cum. He had two fingers holding him open now as Ichigo stabbed his tongue as deep as it would go inside him.

“Please,” Ishida whimpered, fisting his hand in the blanket in an effort to hold the pressure of his orgasm at bay. “Just fuck me Ichigo, please!”

Ichigo paused and pulled out his fingers. “Now who is eager?” he asked teasingly.

Ishida made a needy sound and Ichigo wasted no more time pressing into him, groaning as he was surrounded by the tight heat of Ishida’s body. Oh God, he had missed this.

Ichigo’s firm chest slid up Ishida’s back until Ichigo’s mouth hovered at his neck, sprinkling it with little kisses as he waited for Ishida to adjust.

“Come on Kurosaki,” Ishida quipped. “Move.”

Ichigo chuckled and wrapped his arms around the quincy, pulling him up so they were pressed tightly together, one of Ichigo’s hands splayed flat on Ishida’s chest and the other on his hip, holding him steady as he rocked his hips into the other boy.

Ishida moaned low in his throat as Ichigo brushed his prostate, his hand going back to fist in orange hair.

Yes, he had missed this. Missed the way Ishida’s body fit so neatly against his, the way it gripped him, hot and eager as he pounded into it. He missed the soft breathy noises Ishida made as he was fucked and the way his hair fell into his face that made him look wild and passionate. He missed the long fingers curled in his hair and the firm body under his hands. He missed the quiet nights when they slept next to each other, Ichigo’s body curled around Ishida’s, or Ishida’s head resting on his chest, rising and falling with his breath. Ichigo finally realized how close he had come to losing that.

“I love you,” Ichigo murmured, biting down on the spot his hollow had marked earlier.

“Ah, me too,” Ishida gasped, rocking back into the shinigami’s thrusts. “I love you too.”

The hand on Ishida’s chest traveled down to his stomach, stroking the twitching muscles before wrapping around his leaking cock.

“Don’t,” Ishida murmured, his voice strained as Ichigo pounded into him. “I want to cum without you touching me.”

“Really?” Ichigo asked, surprised that his voice was just as breathless. “What if I want to touch you?” Ishida shivered at his words, and he ran his hand slowly down the quincy’s length, rubbing his thumb over the head to smear the precum moistening the tip.

Ishida moaned, a low sound of pained pleasure and let his head fall back to Ichigo’s shoulder. “Do that again.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to touch you,” Ichigo teased, slowing down to deep measured thrusts that hit Ishida’s prostate every time.

“Don’t,” Ishida gasped, tightening his grip in Ichigo’s hair, “tease.”

“Sorry,” Ichigo murmured, placing affectionate kisses down Ishida’s shoulder as he sped up again, trying to bring them both to a much needed completion.

He groaned as he felt Ishida’s muscles grip tightly around him, and he tightened his grip on Ishida’s cock in turn, stroking faster.

Ishida cried out as Ichigo squeezed just under the head of his cock and fell heavily against the mattress as he spilled over Ichigo’s hand. The quincy clamped even tighter around him and Ichigo followed him over the edge, one last thrust to release deep inside Ishida.

Ichigo pulled out and flopped down on the mattress, pulling a limp Ishida on top of him.

“That was good,” he murmured into Ishida’s hair as the other boy tucked his head under Ichigo’s chin and laid his cheek against the hollow of his neck.

“Mmm,” Ishida murmured lazily in agreement.

“Hey,” Ichigo said quietly after a few moments. “I really am sorry, Uryuu. I just had to figure shit out, and I couldn’t do that when I was worrying about you. And I thought I had, but he showed up today...”

Ishida propped himself up on an elbow so he could peer down at Ichigo. He looked so beautiful, still flush with orgasm and his hair falling in wisps around his face, eyes filled with uncertainty.

“Don’t,” Ishida whispered. “Don’t do that again. Look, Ichigo, I can take care of myself. Especially now that I know what’s going on. You can’t just ignore me for another month!”

“That’s not what I meant,” Ichigo said, sliding his hand down Ishida’s back to rest at the curve in his spine. “It’s just...I can’t lose you. I didn’t mean those things I said earlier. I just...I don’t know what to do.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Ishida said firmly, settling back down into Ichigo’s arms.

“Shinji thought it might be best if I stayed away from you for awhile,” Ichigo reflected. “He thought I could control it better without distraction.”

“Since when do you listen to shinigami?” Ishida asked, rolling over to glance up at him. “Is that all I am? A distraction?”

Ichigo grinned. “That’s not all you are, but you’re definitely a distraction, baby.”

Ishida snorted and then squeaked in surprise as the hand resting on his back dipped down between the cleft of his ass to smear through the cum coating his thighs.

“A most welcome one,” he murmured, kissing his boyfriend as he worked two fingers into him, slicked with his own cooling cum.

“Ichigo!” Ishida gasped, gripping his arms. Ichigo pulled his hand back, sucking on his soiled fingers before kissing Ishida again.

“He didn’t hurt you did he? My hollow?” Ichigo asked, suddenly looking worried.

“No. He scared me a little though,” Ishida admitted. “He said you would be pissed when he bit me.”

“He’s right,” Ichigo said in a steely voice. “I’m going to kick his ass next training session.”

“You do that,” Ishida murmured back, stretching against Ichigo. He sat up then, straddling Ichigo’s hips and looking down on him, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“We’re okay now, right?” he asked, tracing the lines of muscles on Ichigo’s stomach absently with his fingertips.

“Yeah baby,” Ichigo answered, pulling Ishida down into a deep sultry kiss that made his toes curl and his breath catch in his throat. “Yeah, we’re just fine.”