The Long Way Home

Part Four

Ichigo had stayed behind Byakuya all the way up to the Spirit gate, both men riding their horses in silence.  Which suited Ichigo just fine.  His mind was a mess.  He couldn’t focus on any one single thought but jumped from one wild notion to the next and then dismissing it on the fact he must be crazy; locked up somewhere for his own safety.

All which meant that he wasn’t paying attention when Byakuya stopped his horse.

Ichigo was about to ride on pass Byakuya when the other man reached out and grabbed the reigns of the horse.  “Jiro.  I will not tell you again to pay attention.”

“Huh?”  Ichigo was jolted to a stop and finally paid attention to his surroundings.  They were at the North of spirit gate.  He realised he had been called Jiro and figured that someone somewhere was watching.  He bowed his head, as if embarrassed.  “My apologies, Lord Byakuya.”  He looked over at his ‘cousin’.  “I will try harder.”

“See that you do.” Byakuya softened his expression.  “If this is going to be your life, if you wish to enrol in the Soul Reaper Academy, you must learn to focus; pay attention to your surroundings.”

Ichigo nodded, accepting the kind tone as an apology of sorts for the pretence of the harsh words spoken to maintain their act.  “I will.”

Byakuya spurred his horse on.  Ichigo followed.

“Welcome back, Captain Kuchki.”  Ichigo pulled a little too hard on his reigns and the horse showed it’s displeasure by stamping it’s foot.  The guard on the gate almost laughed until he turned back to the Captain.

“You may pass, sir.”

Byakuya turned to face forward and spurred his horse on.  “Thank you, guard.  Come Jiro.”

Ichigo couldn’t help smirking at the guards as they rode past.

He could tell this entrance was used frequently; people seemed to be more relaxed here.  There was even a cafe where people were sitting with their family; two small children were running around laughing playing chase.

“It’s so different...”
 
He hadn’t meant to be over heard but Byakuya replied as if asked a question.  “Souls that come here from the world of the living, they died content and in peace.  I will admit we do not fully understand why some come here and some are lost to each other.  But there is time for all to come to know peace.”  He turned his head to briefly look at Ichigo.  “Time is the healer of many wounds.”

Ichigo frowned and continued riding in silence.

Inside however, he was still trying to come to grips with what he knew.  Well, what he thought he knew.  Did Byakuya really have feelings for him?  It was a difficult thought.  The man had always seemed so cold; heartless; cruel even.  Yet Ichigo was imagining that such a man could have feelings.  Feelings for him!  Every Time he thought of it, he thought of what had happened, Ichigo thought it was possible.  But when he thought of the man he knew all he could picture was the emotionless robot who had been willing to let his sister die: who would have executed her himself as a lesson to others.

Ok then.  How do you feel about him?

Another little treacherous thought, but this time he had no clue as to were it had come from.  Ichigo turned away from looking at the streets to stare at the back of the man in front of him.

Ok.  Right then.  Ichigo thought of that moment back in Byakuya's bed room.  That swirl of exhilaration that he hadn’t been able to pin down at the time.  He thought of that moment going in a different direction.

Byakuya's hand on his chest, his body tight against Ichigo's back and instead of that hand pulling away, this time it slid slowly down to cover his heart, Byakuya never taking his eyes off Ichigo's in the mirror. 

Ichigo closed his eyes...

He turned slowly, Byakuya letting his hand slide over Ichigo's body until the younger man was flush against him.  He looked up into those dark eyes and their mouths slowly moved towards one another, slowly; an ache to touch him sweet and desperate at the same time.  Almost...

“I will not ask again, Jiro!  Bring our bags and follow me into my quarter’s!”

Ichigo, his mind elsewhere was already flustered and at the sound of Byakuya's voice, hadn’t realised they had stopped or even realising that they had reached the Seireitei.