ＤＯＮＴ ＬＥＴ ＧＯ (Byakuya Kuchiki/Ichigo Kurosaki)

ＤＯＮＴ ＬＥＴ ＧＯ (Byakuya Kuchiki/Ichigo Kurosaki)- 23

Ichigo is sitting on the floor next to the bed when Byakuya enters after his bath. The dark-haired shinigami blue eyes watch him carefully, his mind full of concerns about the future. Byakuya has never been the type to share his feelings, or even his thoughts with anyone; mostly due to the fact that he has been alone for a long time. Plus, he is introverted on a grand scale, which doesn't help him have a normal relationship. He just left him standing in that secret place alone without so much as a glance. Byakuya realizes all these factors, and is puzzled to the bone why Ichigo let him touch him again.

During Kurosaki's coma he had convinced himself the feelings they shared were just a fluke; brought on by stress, or repressed sexual desire. Byakuya knows that's bull, and as he walks by the man sitting on his floor, he resists the urge to touch his hair, for fear of surrendering the last bit of self-preservation inside him. Instead he tosses his bath towel over Ichigo's head before sitting on the bed.

"Hey, Byakuya..." Ichigo tugs the damp towel off his head and wipes his face off with it. Ichigo smells Byakuya's strange, floral, sweet fragrance on the towel. Just say it you wuss, and get it over with!

"Hmm?" Byakuya notices Ichigo's eyes tilt to the ground and his right hand snake up into the orange hair he is so famous for. ......Here it comes. The 'it's not you it's me' speech. You are a fool Byakuya, a fool to think someone will accept you for who you really are. You are the cold unfeeling douche everyone believes you to be.

"I-I want to tell you something." Ichigo shifts his weight to lean on the large fluffy futon Byakuya is sitting on with his back so straight it looks painful.

"I understand, Kurosaki. I'll be fine." Byakuya stands up to walking to the door, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Why... are you going? What do you understand?"

"That it's over."

"Whoa! Over!? Wait a minute!" Ichigo reaches out, grabbing Byakuya by the wrist. "Why are you...?" Byakuya pulls back defensively. "Talk to me!"

"What for?" Byakuya looks at Ichigo's blazing eyes, and immediately regrets it, closing his own.

"Don't you dare do that!!!" Ichigo jerks Byakuya back inside the room and shuts the door. "Don't you shut me out without hearing what I have to say."

Byakuya blinks, shocked at Ichigo's outburst.

"That's what you do to everyone when you hear something you don't like. Well, if you are ending this then you will listen to what I have to say. What I was gonna say to you was... I don't care if what Renji said was true!" Ichigo's voice gets louder with every sentence, his heart pounding away the sting of Byakuya's rejection.

"It was true." Byakuya calms himself, struggling to give Ichigo a cool reaction.

"I knew it was true!" Ichigo's hands curl into fists. "You would have flat denied it. I know you, and you have too much pride to allow someone to lie about you."

"Then why would you...?" Byakuya's voice dies away as he makes eye contact with him. "...let me touch you?"

"I told you." Ichigo points his finger at him. "I know you, Kuchiki Byakuya, you spend almost every moment of everyday fulfilling responsibilities for everyone else. Only once did you ever do something for yourself."

"Hisana."

"It didn't matter what anyone said. You wanted her." Ichigo puts his hand on the gold ring to leave. "I've said what I wanted to say."

"Ichigo." Byakuya's words barely escape his lips, the tightness of his chest chokes at his voice.

"I thought you were done with me?" Ichigo's brown eyes look at Byakuya, his hand still on the exit.

"I... want... you."