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Sometimes if you are powerful enough, your zanpakuto can appear in the real world. It is not unheard of that they choose to appear as something small, which matches their aspect as well.
They can appear, but not many use that opportunity. They prefer to stay inside their inner world.
To appear outside of their inner world is rare and slightly frowned upon as it tells everyone that not everything is okay with the pair. Most shinigami avoid those people, but their comrades will do what they can to help the shinigami and its partner, their zanpakuto.
No one was surprised when Ichigo one day appeared with a little dragon in his hair.
It happened weeks after the whole Ginjo situation, where he regained his power.
And while no one was shocked, many of them were mortified.
Because it was their fault that Kurosaki lost his power, his soul and that's a terrifying experience. Most shinigami wouldn't be able to survive that, and yet here is a teenager who experienced it and he is still alive, he is still here. Yes, his zanpakuto chose to appear outside, but can anybody blame them?
Yet most shinigami tried to not notice the dragon, they tried to forget what happened to Ichigo-san. Because if they forget it, they don't need to share the blame, they don't need to help him. If they sweep it under the rug, it's not their responsibility.
Ichigo noticed their shifting eyes when they tried to avoid looking at his hair. He noticed and noted it to himself. Knowing that he can't lean on their shoulders. Luckily not everybody acted like that. Unohana, Isane, Nanao, Rukia, Byakuya, Renji, Hanataro, Ukitake, and Shunsui never avoided Shiro. Nor did Shinji, Kisuke, Yoruichi and Tessai. Even though they felt guilty about it, they still stood with him and tried to help him
Ichigo treasured the moment when Kisuke, who started to flirt with him via regular sparring rounds after he received his power back, noticed Shiro. It was the best reaction.
"Ichigo-san, did you know that there is a tiny, glaring dragon in your hair?" Kisuke asks after they sit down to drink tea. He sounded mesmerized by the dragon, it was rare for a zanpakuto to appear outside. Benihime allowed him to use her fan, but only at the beginning of their exile. However, it was only her fan and not herself.
He would have never thought that Ichigo would once openly show that not everything is okay. It was an honest surprise, and he would do anything to help him.
"You mean, Shiro? Yes. He refuses to go back into my inner world, saying that he will go crazy if he can't touch me constantly, at least a little bit. But to be honest, I am calmer too since he is there. He’s helping me too. " Ichigo replied with an almost invisible, small, fond smile.
"Shiro?" Kisuke asked back. 'Ichigo's zanpakuto wasn't Zangetsu?' asked himself in his mind.
"Yeh, he is Zangetsu's hollowfied part, or I could say that he is the real Zangetsu.
Before Ossan disappeared into nothingness, I thought he was Zangetsu and Shiro was just my hollow. But he is Zangetsu and Ossan is my Quincy power...I just don't know why he is hiding," answered Ichigo honestly.
He never liked to lie to anybody, especially not to Kisuke. If he needed to lie to him, why would he want a relationship with him? He would never lie to his loved ones, it just destroys everything. Omitting something is okay, for a point. But only for a point.
"Did Isshin finally tell you?" Kisuke asked curiously, hoping that Isshin finally grew up, but feared it wouldn't happen.
"Nah, you know him. Shiro told me because he never liked that they lied to me. After he returned, he told me everything after he was sure that I understood not to go through another losing episode again. But, honestly, it was amazing to feel somebody else’s touch. He gives the best snuggles."
"Wait..." pleaded Kisuke to stop Ichigo. His fan landed loudly on the table when he turned fully towards Ichigo, his tea long forgotten. His gaze locked onto Ichigo's searching for the truth. But when he found it, he closed his eyes, with a dejected sigh.
'Well then... We messed this up,' thought Kisuke. He was blind to not notice it.
"I'm so..." started Kisuke, but Ichigo quickly muted him with one glare.
"No. Don't you dare to say sorry. You were the only one who tried to help me by giving back my power. You kneeled before the Gotei 13 to ask for help for me, you don't need to ask my forgiveness. Even after my soul returned you invited me to spar. You flirted with me, by showing more flesh every time."
"Is it working?" asked Kisuke quickly. Concentrating on the flirting part.
"Yes, you impossible man. It's working."
"Good. I can and I will say sorry. It wasn't your duty to fight in our war, to defeat Aizen. Yet you did. It was our responsibility as trained shinigami to make sure that teenagers did not have to fight in wars. Yet we failed. We failed you, and after you paid the price of helping us, we turned our back on you. When you needed us the most..."
"Kisuke. Stop. Yes, I needed you, but at that time you were my mentor. Not my friend, not my sister, or heck, even my father. I know that you were busy, but everybody else? My first friendly touch in a long time was weeks ago when Shiro appeared. Every other touch I received in those two years wasn't what I call a friendly touch. When you started to invite me over to spar, that was one of the best things that happened to me. Because you were never afraid that I would break if you touched me. You acted the same, you were the same. You didn't see me as a weak kid. When Shiro returned and our fighting became snuggling, when he was growling, when I needed to get back, when he decided to appear outside, that was the other best thing that happened to me.”
Ichigo continued. “When I visited Seireitei, only some shinigami looked at him, the dragon in my hair. He growled whenever somebody stepped close to me. Like a dragon hoarding his treasure and I'm okay with that. I need him close because his touch pulled me back from the abyss, and he needs me as he almost went crazy in his loneliness.”
“But we both need somebody who accepts us. Who enjoys being with us, who will try to never lie, who will never fear that he will break us. And that's you. You always intrigued me, and I want to know you more." Ichigo finished his confession almost soundlessly. He feared rejection, but he believed that Kisuke wouldn't reject him. It was terrifying to come clean about his feelings. He never liked to speak about himself, but he felt it was necessary this time. Only for Kisuke.
"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" asked Kisuke tentatively, shyly.
"It depends on what you think I'm saying. But yes, I would like to date you, to become your lover, your partner," answered Ichigo with a small smile. Shiro still glared at Kisuke.
"That was the thing I was thinking. I would be honored. Although I need to ask, will Shiro bite me if I kiss you?"
"You need to ask him. He is a bit possessive of me. Even when it's raining he doesn't go back to our inner world, he will just hide under my shirt. I grew out my hair because of him."
"Lies and slander, King. I'm just your innocent Shiro. I would never do anything like that.
You grew out your hair because you didn't want anybody to touch you. Although I like this better, it’s true." answered Shiro for the first time since speaking with Kisuke. Kisuke looked like he wanted to say the dragon spoke, but he knew better than to say it out loud. Instead, he asked a question.
"And will you bite me, Shiro-san?"
"Hurt my King without consent, and not even he will be able to save ya. He trusts ya, and I trust in yer Crimson Princess." Shiro threatened Kisuke with a menacing glare in his eyes.
Ichigo wanted to laugh and say that there is no need for that, but...he felt warm. His face felt warm like he was blushing, and he wanted to hide. He was embarrassed by his flush, but he liked this feeling. This happiness, to know that somebody is looking after him. Since his mother died, he was the protector and never the protected. It felt nice. After the last two years, he needed it.
"Without consent? What do you mean, Shiro-chan?" Kisuke asked curiously. Although he had a hunch, he just wanted to hear from him. This allowed him to watch Ichigo's blushing face, and it was kinda cute. He loved seeing Ichigo's softer side, and he promised himself that he would do anything to bring out more of that side.
"Kingsy loves it a little rough..."
"SHIRO!!" yelled Ichigo with a red face.
"Why, it's true. Soo shopkeeper, if you ever hurt my King without his consent, I will bury your soul where no one will find you. This is not a threat, blondie. It's a promise." Shiro promised with a nasty smirk, forgetting to mention that he will probably be there too, as a spectator.
Kisuke just sent an amused smirk towards Shiro, but he was looking at Ichigo, who was still flushed.
"I would never want to harm Ichigo. I want to do anything to make him, to make us happy.
I don't care anymore about the traitors in the Seireitei. For a long time I only cared about paying back Aizen, for making us run from our home. However, as I slowly got to know you, I wanted to make sure that you live. I started to care about you, Ichigo. For years I stopped myself while waiting for you to fully grow up. The fights, the war... Your losses made you grow up. I knew this, but the laws never accepted personal experience. I waited, and I would wait for more if you need it,” confessed Kisuke softly.
"I want to be angry that you made me wait. That you let me suffer, but I know you are right. I might need to start out slowly, Shiro helped me in the last few weeks, but ..."
"We will go as slow as we need. May I hug you? My dear Ichigo?"
"Y...Yes. Thank you." replied Ichigo with blush and in the next moment he was hugged and felt himself melting against Kisuke. It was a good, very good feeling, and it made him forget everything. He faintly heard Shiro's slight purring noise as Shiro felt his happiness in their bond.
They will have problems in the future, but that's still in the future. They had time for themselves before anything bad happened. He didn't care about the future problems sitting on the border of their happiness, just waiting for the perfect time to interrupt. They will deal with those problems when the time comes, but for now, the present is more important.
He is now happy and that's all that matters.