Chapter Text
The cool wind blowing through the window woke him up. He felt so good, in that huge bed, with those soft sheets. The sun was warming his cheek, and the breeze that was blowing through his hair was pleasant, but it had just woken him up.
Ichigo sighed, having inhaled the smell of the clean sheets he was sleeping in. He closed his eyes again, after hearing the door of the room open and close, and footsteps silently approaching the huge bed he was lying in.
"Ichigo? Are you awake? "
Ichigo groaned as he recognized Nell's voice. He rolled over and sat up on his elbows, still filled with sleep.
"Hi, Nell. It's... what time is it? "
Nell sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, setting a tray beside her that contained a teapot, cups, and some fruit.
"Almost nine. You fell like a stump yesterday, after your transformation, so we thought it best to let you sleep in this morning. "
Ichigo straightened up, and sat cross-legged, rubbing his eyes.
"I must be dreaming, huh. "
Nell gave him a soft smile, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"No, Ichi. You're right here with us. This is your home, in Hueco Mundo. Now you're one of us. "
And reality hit Ichigo like a bus. Everything that had happened, the war, the depression, his suicide, Shiro, the emptiness, the cold, and then the sand of Hueco Mundo, the light, and Aizen.
Nell understood immediately how upset Ichigo was, and she came forward to hug him. Ichigo closed his arms around Nell who held him tightly, comforting him. Tears welled up in his eyes and his throat tightened as he slowly understood the situation he was in now.
He let himself go, in the arms of his friend, and after long minutes spent like that, he stepped back, wiping his eyes.
"Come on, have a bite to eat, and then I'll show you around Las Noches. You'll see, you'll love it here.
- I already love being here, you know. "
Ichigo turned his face to the window, savoring the moonbeams that filtered through the large curtains billowing in the breeze. No sound came from outside, the Hueco Mundo remaining dead and silent as always, and yet appearing to him to be the warmest place he had been in for what, months? Years?
He closed his eyes, clutching the cup of tea in his hands, enjoying the warmth of the porcelain against his fingers and palms then took a deep breath before turning to Nell.
"I'm glad I'm here. I know what I did ... and that I almost went down for good. I don't pretend to be better, yet, but I'm glad to be here. I had missed Grimmjow, you and Ulquiorra despite... whatever happened.
- Just the three of us? "
Ichigo gave her a knowing look as his cheeks flushed. He took a sip of tea to put on a brave face and looked away as Nell burst out laughing.
"Well, okay. Maybe not just you three.
- Don't worry, Kurosaki. Your Hollow has already quaffed. "
The door opened on Grimmjow and Ulquiorra who were obviously coming to the news. If Grimmjow's smile wasn't as carnivorous as usual, it was the small, peaceful smile on Ulquiorra's lips that surprised him the most.
Ichigo blushed a little more, if that was possible, while Nell chuckled.
"Oh, that's not true...
- Don't worry, it's not like Aizen doesn't want you here, after all. You're part of the Espada now! "
Ichigo nodded, finishing his bowl of tea dry, and slipping out of bed, determined to have a good day.
"What's the program?"
Renji woke up with a groan, his head in a fog and his heart pounding in his temples. He was lying on a comfortable futon, under a warm comforter, a body warming him gently beside him.
He closed his eyes and turned to the body in question, breathing calmly and with deep satisfaction at the smell of cherry blossoms wafting from the hair under his nose.
The body sighed in its sleep and pressed itself to him a little more, their legs ever more entwined.
Renji opened his eyes suddenly, reality hitting him.
Last night. He had been drinking. With his captain.
In his quarters, in the captain's office. Byakuya had invited him to drink a few cups of sake with him, because even though he seemed distant, he was concerned about Renji's mental state.
They had been drinking, and then it had gotten out of hand. Renji had been in love with his captain for so long now. With his often cold but oh so deep black eyes. His manner, his attitude, his precepts. His voice. His zanpakuto. His soul.
Renji leaned towards his captain as he took off his kenseikan.
"Captain?
- Mmmh?
- Can I give you a hug? "
Byakuya had looked up at him, detailing his face, then his lips, calmly. He had breathed out his answer, a small yes, a bit shaky because of fear and apprehension, because he had so much to lose in this story, and then Renji had awkwardly slipped a hand into the black raven-winged hair, and kissed Byakuya.
After the first surprise, Renji had stepped back, realizing the lack of reaction of his captain. And when he had opened his eyes again, when he had realized that Byakuya had also closed his eyes and was gently licking his lips, as if to savor the mixture of alcohol and Renji's taste, he had leaned in again and kissed him.
Byakuya had responded this time, and Renji had muffled his captain's satisfied moan with his lips, putting an arm around his waist, pulling him closer, settling him astride his thighs.
The rest had been a series of increasingly hot kisses, moans and grunts, fabrics crumpling as they fell and skin caressing.
He could never forget the beauty of Byakuya's body, the softness of the arch of his back as he came, his breathless breaths, his hair scattered on the futon, the touch of his legs knotted around his waist as he took him.
Renji looked at his sleeping captain. Byakuya looked so... serene. Soothed. Leaning on one elbow, he moved his hand forward to gently touch his captain's cheek, who rested his cheek in the palm of his hand, emphasizing the contact. His fingers slid along a beautiful, soft black lock of hair and Byakuya opened his eyes slowly.
Renji froze, worried about his captain's reaction. His hand was still in his hair, and his eyes were deeply distressed. Byakuya looked up at him, his eyes still blurry with sleep.
"Good morning, Renji. "
The vice-captain cracked a fond smile before leaning in to kiss his captain, who raised a hand to slip it into the red's neck. Renji continued to smile through the kiss, tender and oh so soothing that he shared with this man he had been in love with for so long.
If this was a dream then he wanted to make the most of it before he woke up. If Byakuya decided that it was a mistake and that he would never again be able to experience the happiness he was living, with Byakuya gently running his fingers through his red hair, then so be it. But as long as Byakuya let him be with him as he was now, then Renji had to savor the moment.
Byakuya stepped back to catch his breath, and gently ran his fingers over Renji's face, who closed his eyes.
"Hello, Captain.
- Byakuya. Call me Byakuya."
Renji opened his eyes again, as Byakuya straightened up to kiss him again, taking the opportunity to tip them over, landing on Renji's pelvis.
Neither of them had seen the door of the captain's room open, and close almost immediately on Rukia's face.
This whole horrible crisis had brought at least something positive to someone. Rukia had noticed the attraction between her brother and her best friend for ages. She closed the door softly as she heard small laughter from the other side.
Rukia smiled softly before heading back to her own division. She had been worried when Byakuya hadn't returned to the Kuchiki estate the night before, but obviously he was in good hands, and there was no need for her to stay.
She just hoped that she too would find someone who could love her like Renji and Byakuya loved each other.
"Well. It's huge your castle here. I'm going to need a map to find my way around, actually.
- But noooo! You'll see, you'll get used to it, it'll come by itself! "
Ichigo sighed as Nell, Grimmjow, and Ulquiorra gave him a tour of Las Noches Palace for like, the third time. The first time, he had visited it by himself when he came to look for Orihime. The second time, it was Aizen who made the visit to Shiro when this last one had arrived at the Hueco Mundo a few days earlier. And the last one was the one he was doing with Nelliel, Grimmjow, and Ulquiorra.
He had realized that the palace of Las Noches was huge when he had come to get Orihime, but not at this point! It was incredible this quantity of rooms, corridors, doors, and hall for not much, finally.
Especially since Ichigo had already found his favorite room.
The greenhouse.
Szayel had found a way to build and maintain a greenhouse, with plants that he would regularly fetch from the ground. It was a beautiful place, a jewel box of life and beauty in an empty, dead world.
Ichigo was already enjoying himself in Las Noches. It was strange, but he felt much more comfortable here than he had ever felt at Soul Society, as stuffy as it was in its rules and principles. Living in the Hueco Mundo was simpler, more intuitive.
It was more like him.
And if not all the Espadas had welcomed him with open arms from the start, it had only taken a few days for them to understand that Ichigo was at home here and that he intended to stay.
Now, the Espadas had become accustomed to his presence, and remained mostly indifferent, as if he had always been there.
And yet, when Ichigo thought about it, the fact that the Arrancars treated him as if he had been practically born with the Las Noches castle made him feel better. He wasn't being stigmatized, not being treated any differently than anyone else.
"Kurosaki-san! "
He heard a running noise behind them and turned around. Menolli was running towards him, out of breath.
"Menolli-chan? Do you need anything?
- Yes, from you, Kurosaki-san! Aizen-sama would like to talk with you, he's in the greenhouse, if you're available I can take you there? "
Ichigo glanced questioningly at Nell, Grimm, and Ulquiorra to see if he could abandon them to go find the master of the place.
Nell nodded vigorously while Grimm smiled teasingly and Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow, a little mockingly.
"Go find him, Ichi. We've got plenty to take care of ourselves, don't worry. "
Ichigo turned back to Menolli and began to follow her, giving her a soft smile that made her blush, causing Nelliel to chuckle.
It was so funny to see how Ichigo's kindness completely confused the Arrancars, who were more used to toothy smiles than tender ones.
Ichigo entered the huge greenhouse room to find Aizen in the tropical part of the indoor garden. He was sitting with one leg resting on the ground and the other folded against him, on which he rested his arm, a cup of tea in his hand. Aizen was not wearing his usual white coat, which he could see folded neatly beside him.
He was visibly looking at the pond in which beautiful koi carp were swimming peacefully, and next to him sat an elegant teapot smoking, along with a second cup. He was sitting in a pile of colorful cushions and looked calm and peaceful.
Ichigo stopped at the entrance to the garden, almost refusing to disturb the stunning serenity of the picture before him. Aizen closed his eyes and let a calm smile spread across his face. It was a beautiful setting, and the plants that fell in garlands from the ceiling seemed to frame Aizen, like a gem in a jewel box.
The beauty of Sosuke Aizen was not to be debated. He was extremely charismatic, velvety, half feline, half reptilian in his attitude, and everything in his complexion gave the impression that he was in fact an ancient sculpture that had been given life. And in this oasis of greenery, where the silence was just lulled by the gurgling of water from the fountain and the rustling of Szayel's humidifiers, Aizen looked at peace, detached from the worries of a complicated daily life and the plots he brought with him, far from the warlord he was and as whom Ichigo had almost always considered him.
"Settle down then, Ichigo. "
Ichigo almost flinched, as if he had suddenly remembered that even though he wasn't making any noise, he wasn't the top of the reiatsu cover-up, and that was probably how Aizen had sensed he was there.
He moved forward, dropping onto the cushions next to Aizen.
"White suits you, Ichigo. "
A pretty rosiness settled on Ichigo's cheeks as he turned his head away, embarrassed.
"Thank you, Aizen-san. Did you want to see me?
- Yes, but I have to correct something first.
- What is it?
- You'll have to call me Sosuke. Simply put. "
Ichigo nodded after a few moments, while Aizen -at last Sosuke- grabbed the teapot to serve him calmly.
Once the tea was poured calmly into the small black porcelain cups that were placed in front of them, Sosuke put the teapot down and watched Ichigo take his cup.
"Ichigo. "
The young man was blowing on his tea to cool it down when he looked up, Aizen was obviously sizing him up. He took a sip of his tea as calmly as he could, savoring the powerful aroma of jasmine and rose wonderfully distilled in the drink.
Aizen's gaze was intense. Everything about Aizen was intense. When Ichigo put down his cup, it was with a hand whose tremors he had to control, refusing to show Aizen the feverishness that seized him every time he was in front of him.
"Sosuke. "
The man in front of him cracked a smile before chuckling soberly.
"You know about my ... differences with the Soul Society, Ichigo.
- It's kinda hard to ignore, don't you think? "
Aizen nodded, taking a sip of tea.
"I understand your reluctance to fight against your former brother in arms, Ichigo. But this war is far from over, and I don't intend to give up. My goals are far from being achieved.
- Recovering the Hyogoku, forming the Espada, and attacking the Soul Society are only .... Steps?
- Right."
The china tinkled as Aizen put his cup back in its bowl, Ichigo immediately imitating him as he sensed the importance of this discussion.
"Attacking and destroying the Soul Society is only interesting because it allows me to take revenge on this system, and to put down the injustices that constitute it.
- Revenge.
- What?
- Revenge, Sosuke. "
Oh, Aizen was intense in the beauty of his intelligence, his plotting, and his fighting, but Ichigo could be intense too. His amber eyes glowed with anger and rage that he thought he had lost long ago, and Aizen felt as if he were standing before the Ichigo who had stopped him long ago, on Sokyoku Hill, as he was about to kill Rukia and run away.
"Their system is corrupt and unfair, just like their nobility. Captains have no say and serve as bloodhounds for the commander captain, subject to abusive orders on pain of having their position taken away and given to someone more obedient. And the way they treat souls? Pity. I have seen the Rukongai. How atrocious life is there. While Yamamoto and his henchmen enjoy the power they have, souls are dying by the dozens in the slums. "
Ichigo fell silent, clasping his hands trembling with anger in his lap. His eyes were focused on his hands whose knuckles were white because he was clutching them so tightly. He couldn't look Aizen in the eye, not while memories of the souls of the Rukongai and the conditions in which they lived flashed through his mind.
"Is this really what the afterlife is? Is this really an eternity of poverty and suffering after a lifetime of suffering? I would rather die and be a hollow, and die again once and for all than live this hell. "
He didn't see Aizen get up and sit down next to him, and he didn't realize that the king of the Hueco Mundo had only come closer when his hand landed on his own. Ichigo raised his head in amazement to look at Aizen who was very close to him, so close that he could feel the heat emanating from his body. Aizen's hand on his and the gentle warmth of it brought Ichigo back to reality.
Ichigo withdrew one of his hands, before turning the one that was still under Aizen's and intertwining their fingers. The brunette watched him curiously as Ichigo dodged his gaze, his eyes still riveted on their linked hands. Aizen's skin was soft against his. His hands were not as he had imagined them.
Oh, of course, he had imagined Aizen's hands. He was attracted to the guy more than anything else, of course, he had spent time imagining his fingers, the texture of them, their length, the taste of his skin, the feeling of those hands on him, brushing the skin of his sides or around his neck.
But if he thought back now to what he had done, thinking of Aizen and his hands, Ichigo knew that he was going to find himself in a ... tricky situation.
"If... if your goals involve the destruction of the Soul Society..."
Ichigo looked up at Aizen, to dive into the chocolate brown abyss, with beautiful undertones of warm caramel that were his irises.
"And so it is, Ichigo. "
Their faces were only a few dozen centimeters apart, and Ichigo could feel Aizen's breath hit his cheek and fall into his neck. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding until now, as Aizen stared at him as if seeing him for the first time.
"If destroying the Soul Society is what you desire, Sosuke, then I will fight for you. "
He gently lifted their linked hands to move them, unlacing their fingers to rest Aizen's hand against his stomach, on the still sensitive skin that proudly displayed the gothic zero that made him a member of the Espada.
Ichigo felt taken of courage that he ignored to have and leaned the head slightly on the side, being seductive, his eyes half-lidded.
The touch of Aizen's hand against the soft skin of his belly made him shiver and he let it run through him, his eyes riveted in those of the one who was now his master.
"My blade is yours, Sosuke-san."
Aizen loved power. He liked to be shown the respect that was due to his rank, to be given the deference and submission that was given to a King. Ichigo understood this quickly, and if he was the freest spirit, the most rebellious soul Aizen had met so far, he was at least a quarter as calculating as he was.
Aizen smiled mischievously, giggling softly as his fingers caressed the ultra-sensitive skin of Ichigo's tattoo. The redhead took a gasping breath as he slid his fingers from his tattoo to his ribs, placing his hand on his waist and suddenly squeezing it, bringing him closer, almost straddling his lap.
Ichigo's eyes focused on Aizen's lips, so close, and so very tempting. Ichigo's other hand rested on Aizen's arm, excitedly squeezing the fabric and muscle of his arm under his feverish fingers.
Ichigo's breathing was ragged, almost panting in the intensity of the moment. Aizen still hadn't said anything, and if he remained silent he was undoubtedly of the state he was putting Ichigo in.
"I would set the Soul Society on fire for you. We will burn their captaincies and throw their statues and medals to the ground. "
A fond smile settled on Aizen's face as his free hand traveled up Ichigo's neck, stroking the back of his fingers before tucking a wayward red hair lock behind his ear.
"I'd make them beg you to forgive them for what they did to you, Ichigo. "
Aizen's eyes shone with a glint of danger, terribly cold and far more terrifying than Yamamoto's darkest tantrums. Aizen's grip tightened on his waist as Ichigo inhaled sharply, desire coursing through his veins like molten lava.
"I'll bring them to their knees for you, Sosuke. And if I have to cut off their legs for it, so be it. "
Aizen made a throaty sound, a kind of almost possessive growl as his hand slid from Ichigo's waist to rest in the hollow of his loins. He arched at the contact, and the other nestled in his hair, gently pulling his head back and inviting him to discover his neck.
Aizen's lips flew over the skin of his neck before landing at the junction between his ear and his neck. Ichigo let out a moan as he felt Aizen's breath in his neck, intoxicated by the desire for him and the warmth of his strong, powerful body against his own.
He let himself go, lulled by the moment and happy, for the first time in a long time. It was perhaps only carnal, perhaps for Aizen it was nothing more than a one-night stand with one of his soldiers, but Ichigo had the intimate conviction that it was more than that.
That there was more to Aizen's proposal to join him than just the desire to win a powerful soldier.
And what about what he had just said to him?
I would have them beg you to forgive them for what they did to you, Ichigo.
What king would say such a thing to a mere foot soldier, or a common general?
What kind of god?
Ichigo let go and closed his eyes, his fingers gripping Aizen's shoulders, savoring the power of his muscles beneath his skin. Yes, he could tell he was happy here. There was definitely something for him here.
And the thrill of realizing that he could have missed it all, Sosuke's caresses, Nelliel's smiles, or Grimmjow's jokes, because he had given his unconditional loyalty to the wrong people because he had been abandoned, because he had been betrayed and had finally given in under the weight of all the guilt of his war crimes, because he had ended up haunted by the souls he had eternally concealed, all these emotions that swirled inside him and howled like the wind during a violent storm made him suddenly cry.
The first sobs shook him and Sosuke immediately raised his head, worried. The tears beaded at the corners of Ichigo's eyes before running down his cheeks pushed out of his eyes in a strangled sob. Sosuke put his hands on his cheeks, his forehead against his, and wiped the tears away with his fingertips, before pulling Ichigo into his arms, letting him indulge in his grief to his heart's content.
With Ichigo's head cradled against his neck and an arm around his shoulders, Sosuke painfully closed his eyes as Ichigo cried his eyes out, his hiccupping sobs reflecting the psychological pain he was feeling physically.
The brutal realization of the human life he had given up in despair, of how lucky he was that Shirosaki had saved him in extremis, of the hope of a better and fairer life, less painful than his human life.
The realization that he was loved and desired, that he was valuable and precious, and that he was cared about for what he was, with his flaws and faults, in his glory and in his decay.
All these feelings surged through Ichigo as if the dam behind which he had held them had just broken under the pressure, and Ichigo let the tsunami of these suppressed emotions flow into him.
At the entrance to the greenhouse, Nelliel exchanged a sad look with Grimmjow, who took his hand to lead him away. It was a moment that should belong only to Ichigo and Aizen. He felt her trembling, following him. Nelliel had always been sensitive to the emotions of others.
"Don't worry about him, Nel. Aizen is watching over him. He'll get better. He'll be fine, you'll see. "
He put as much conviction into his tone as possible because he wanted to believe it. Ichigo would get better. He would get better.
He was Ichigo Kurosaki, after all.