Ch. 17
Caught


   Cold fingers were touching his neck softly, moving slowly to his chest. He hummed satisfied against the touch. Soft kisses were covering his bare stomach. It tickled.
   A harsh cold breeze hit his body and the gentle touches vanished. He shivered both in disappointment and pleasure. Mocha eyes opened and searched around curiously.
   Ichigo ran his hand through his spiky hair and sighed. He had had another dream of…him. When was this going to stop, anyway?
   He looked through the window, his eyes half opened. The sky was blue, as it is supposed to be in a fine summer day. There were a few white clouds wandering lazily on the azure sea, sometimes.
   The orangette sighed again and stood up to close the window. He stopped in front of it, resting his right part of the body on the glass.
   A golden leaf was floating in front of him. He reached out for it and grabbed it carefully. Brown pools admired it for a second then he crushed it in his hand. That damned color!
   How long has it been since then? Since he had last tried to talk to him? Ichigo tried to remember, but it didn’t take him too long. A week has past since then, but it felt like ages to Ichigo.
   Opening his fist he let go of the crushed leaf and closed the window. He took one deep breath and, then, practiced a smile. It was useless sulking, anyway. That guy only considered him as a toy, right? That must have been the truth, right? He couldn’t possibly feel something for him.
   His smile was replaced by a bitter one. That’s how things should be, of course. he thought and went downstairs for breakfast.
   After he had his tummy full he returned to his room. It was another Saturday morning and he, again, finished all his homework.
   His friends were still in Soul Society, training hard. Oh, how he missed them! Yet he had no choice but wait for them to come back.
   His old man was gone in the town with some business, while his sister left the house, too. Karin was probably playing football with the boys again and Yuzu surely was spending her time in a park.
   Maybe he should train too. He thought about it countless times, yet he still couldn’t bring himself to do it. Ichigo knew that, if he tried to train the other might come out as well. He didn’t want to face him. Not until that bastard made the first move.
   The substitute shinigami had talked to Zangetsu to help him keep away his thought from the albino. The Zanpakuto agreed shaking his head in disapproval. Zangetsu knew what Shiro had done to the orangette and he couldn’t blame him. Yet he still thought that Ichigo should open his eyes and see the whole truth.
   The teen threw himself in bed once again. He replayed that day once again in his mind. The way Hichigo kissed him was harsh, without a doubt, but still…it felt weird, almost as if the hollow actually cared about him, which was not the case, according to the orangette.
   How far were things going to go if sensei hadn’t woken him up that time? Ichigo shook his head in disapproval trying not to think about it. Still he could imagine Shirosaki’s seductive face while he attacked him. That mischievous grin of his, those odd yet beautiful eyes and…
   His face went bright red and he covered his mouth his hand. Did he just think that guy had beautiful eyes? Did the thought of that wild grin actually turn him on? He sure was nuts. Even so, something inside him didn’t stop to nudge him. Ichigo was half aware that he might, actually, feel attracted to the albino. Not that he was going to admit that. Not in a thousand years. No way. Never. How foolish of him.

*Meanwhile in Mashiro*


  Shirosaki sat down on the rooftop of his white palace. The sky was black, just like always and the moon was piercing through the thick darkness. It’s silver light did not feel warm, nor did the wind. The white sand dunes were always the same. What an empty world, King. he thought calmly.
   His white figure was standing tall on the top of that monotone, colorless world. He wore no expression as he watched emotionless the sand dunes. Why should he rule such an empty rule when he could have Ichigo’s?
   Pale lips curled in a bitter smile and he puffed. Ichigo had forbid him to enter his world. He had probably asked Zangetsu to lock him in Mashiro. Maybe I shouldn’t have done tha’. Now he hates meh, dammit! He scratched his head as if it helped him to find a proper answer, yet nothing came out. Bullshit. It’s not like I could’ve avoided him ferever. I only wished he could…He could what? Love someone like meh? Am I an idiot or what? There’s no way fer him ta love someone like meh, a hollow. Yet…Kuso! he layed on his back and roll on a side.
   Love is a painful emotion, so then why feel it? Why bother with it? Fate can be really unfair, right? No one had heard of a hollow to fall for a shinigami. Everyone knew that beings like him had no feelings. Why was he different?
   Being different is not simple. In fact, it only hurts you. Others can’t really understand your feelings, your behavior, to put it simply, you. They can’t understand you. Not because they don’t want to, but because they’ve never been through what you’ve been. It’s only natural for them, right?
   And after all what was the porpoise of having such feelings if he could not share them? If he couldn’t even reach the teen? Did Ichigo hate him that much? Or was it something else?
     “Are you sulking again, Hichigo?” a baritone voice echoed in his world.
     “Don’t call me tha’, Old Man. My name’s Shiro.” he answered annoyed refusing to look at the sky.
     “You didn’t answer my question.” the zanpakuto replied simply. Black and gold eyes looked up to the sky. Zangetsu stood in the air fixing him with a firm gaze. The wind was blowing making his curly hair ruffle at the touch. Beside him the moon was shining pretty bright making his expression hard to read.
     “I don’t have a choice. King locked meh ‘ere. ‘N’ don’t act like ya care. Ya helped him ta do it, didn’t ya?” the hollow answered full of anger standing up. He sonidoed to the zanpakuto, so he could see the old man better.
     “He asked me to help him. It’s not like I can refuse and it’s not like you did not deserve it.” The man explained gripping his sword self.
     “Then why are ya here? Ta make fun of meh? Well, I don’t feel like ‘t, so drop ‘t.” the albino said and turned to leave when Zangetsu stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.
      “I’m not done. Of course, I don’t agree with your…methods, yet I know your feelings are pure. He has to find out about it too. So I’m letting you enter his mind.” He stated and before Shirosaki could do anything he drew out his sword self and planted it in the hollow’s chest.
   Shirosaki entered the young shinigami’s world. Heavy water droplets hit his body as he looked around. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the King’s world. His tall skyscrapers were no longer blue, but grey. Shirosaki was staying horizontally on a building just how he was supposed to in the orangette’s world. The only thing that really bothered him was the amount of water under him. How long has it been raining in his world? What made Ichigo upset? Was it him?
     “It has been raining all week. Day and night, night and day, and so on. You have to fix him or else we are going to sink.” Zangetsu stated staying on a pole, just like usual. “You must calm him down, Shiro. I tried to do it, but he won’t listen to me. Maybe, you…” Zangetsu’s words died in the rain.
   The albino nodded and looked around once more. Beside the rain the could feel Ichigo’s reiatsu falling with the water droplets.
That idiot. First, he locks me up then he sulks. Hafta teach him a lesson.
   He sonidoed through the heavy rain, trying to reach the dark grey sky. He was going to escape his mind and teach that bastard a lesson.
   Shirosaki didn’t need to force himself too much to get out of his mind and come to the real world.
   The albino stood next to the sleeping shinigami. Shirosaki had to admit that Ichigo looked softer when he was sleeping. His usual scowl was nowhere to be found and the hollow found that really cute.
   Ichigo moved in his sleep, turning his face to the albino. Shiro jumped out of the bed, even though the orangette was still asleep. Then, an idea stroke him. He should hide himself for a while and spy on Ichigo. Who knows what he may discover. So he hid in the dresser hoping that the midget wouldn’t come by that day. Oh, how he hated that Rukia chick. And he would have been ok if she didn’t have a thing for Ichigo.
   After an hour the orangette woke up from an extremely weird dream. Or should we say his usual extremely weird dream, because he had had that dream for over and week already.
     “Gah. It’s only his damn fault!” he cursed and stood up. He was heading to the bathroom urgently to take care of his…ahem, problem. Yes, Ichigo had another wet dream of a certain someone.
   Shirosaki almost stopped breathing trying to hear some more details. But Ichigo didn’t say anything. In fact he seemed pretty desperate, but Shirosaki couldn’t see him since he locked himself in the dresser. He heard the room’s door close and the albino knew that Ichigo left the room.
   Slowly he opened the dresser’s door and got out of there. He searched around and indeed Ichigo left the room. Curious, just like always, he went to the door and put his pale hand on the door knob. He silently opened it and exited the room. Dark eyes searched around, but no one was there. His family seemed to be away and Ichigo…well, he didn’t actually know where he was, but the albino knew he hadn’t left the house.
   He thought he should try his luck by searching at the floor he was. So he slowly walked around as if he were on a very important mission, which was actually true. When he decided he should go and check downstairs he heard it, a rather loud scream coming from a room.
   Shirosaki got closer to the door and listened carefully. Another scream. His pale hand grabbed the door knob almost ready to enter the room when…
     “SHIROSAKI!” Ichigo screamed in the other and the albino froze. No, he could not believe it. Ichigo didn’t know that he could actually get out of his mind. Then…OH.MY.GOD. His lips curled in a rather wide grin and he returned to Ichigo’s room.
   Meanwhile, Ichigo was covering himself with a white towel. He checked his appearance in the mirror. Mocha eyes were half opened, glowing in lust while his cheeks were pinkish. What a mess.
   He left the bathroom rather relaxed now that he had taken care of his little problem. Tanned fingers pushed his room’s door and he made a step just to go back two. Chocolate pools widened in shock and his body refused to actually move.
   On his bed, there was laying a pale male with a wild grin. He only wore black skinny jeans and no shirt. His grin grew wider while his black and gold eyes fixed the teen.
     “What’s up, Ichig?” the albino said standing up and walking to the frozen orangette. “Surprised ta see meh, heh?” he said stopping in front of Ichigo who was in a total shock. “Nice view, Ichi.” He added sweetly in the orangette’s ear breathing cold air in his neck.
   The orangette’s face went all red and his heart started to shake madly in his chest. He felt his legs go numb as well his head.
     “Shiro.” he mumbled and closed his eyes. Ichigo was sure he was hallucinating. The albino could not be there. Right?
      “Yes, sweetheart?” the other replied in a husky voice.
      “How? Why? When?” he managed to say still not believing that the albino was actually there.
      “Well, Ichi. Ya locked me up, right? Ya thought tha’ was goin’ ta actually work, but guess what. It didn’t. Do I need ta mention tha’ yer world’s a total mess? Are ye tryin’ ta kill Zangetsu or what?” the hollow said looking at him intensely.
      “So it was Old Man Zangetsu who did it. Kuso! Then it means that you really are here and I’m not imagining things again.” Ichigo talked more to himself but Shiro couldn’t ignore that. For a second he was surprised. Then he smirked.
     “Again? Does tha’ mean ya missed meh, Ichi? But, Ichi, ya only had ta call my name ‘n’ I would’ve come. Ya know tha’.” Shirosaki taunted Ichigo who thought his face couldn’t get redder.
     “Why would I do that, idiot! If-if you didn’t want to see me I shouldn’t be forcing you.” Ichigo snapped. He had lost all his rationality, mind you.
      “Ha?” Hichigo jumped a step back surprised. “Ya were the one who locked meh up in the first place, dummy.” He replied rather angry.
      “If you really wanted to, you would have escaped. I know you. You always do it.” Ichigo fought back frowning dangerously.
      “I thought you were mad at me and didn’t want to see me so I waited for you to let me free.” Shirosaki mumbled obviously embarrassed.
      “Wait, wait, wait. Does that mean you actually care? Is this a joke, Shirosaki, cuz if it is…” but he didn’t finish his phrase. Shirosaki was averting his gaze from Ichigo and reality struck him. “You sure are full of secrets.”
      “I can say tha’ about ya, too. After all, what were ya doin’ a while ago, huh, Ichigo? Did ya actually lock yerself in the bathroom ta…?” he didn’t get the chance to finish his phrase. He licked his lips and grabbed Ichigo’s hand.
   Shirosaki was going to teach the orangette a lesson.