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The Heart in My Hand	By : chayron Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 10028 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. It belongs to its respective owners. This fan fiction is not a commercial project, and I am not making any money from writing it.

Chapter List
- 1-Part 1
- 2-Part 2
- 3-Part 3
- 4-Part 4
- 5-Part 5
- 6-Part 6
- 7-Part 7
- 8-Part 8
- 9-Part 9
- 10-Part 10
- 11-Part 11
- 12-Part 12
- 13-Part 13
- 14-Part 14
- 15-Part 15
- 16-Part 16
- 17-Part 17
- 18-Part 18
- 19-Part 19
- 20-Part 20
- 21-Part 21
- 22-Part 22
- 23-Part 23
- 24-Part 24
- 25-Part 25
- 26-Part 26
- 27-Part 27
- 20
- 21
- 22
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach – it belongs to its respective owners. This fan fiction is not a commercial project, and I am not making any money from writing it.
Warnings:
1. Yaoi (male x male). Ulquiorra x Ichigo and vice versa. Other pairings?
2. Ichigo – 20 years old; Ulquiorra – probably a few hundred as a Hollow and about a decade or so as an Arrancar?
3. Post anime (haven’t read the manga).
4. Alternate Universe.
5. I’m not a native speaker, thus expect various language oddities.
6. I’m not very familiar with all the details in the anime, and I am also new to Bleach fandom, so I will be straying away from the canon quite frequently. I do my research but Bleach is a vast universe that is not so easy to grasp. I must admit, though, that there are also things in the anime that don’t make sense to me and I take the liberty of recreating certain parts of this universe as I see fit.
The Heart in My Hand
by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Ash
Part 21
Unlike Ichigo expected, no one from Soul Society had come to question him. Ulquiorra had left to Hueco Mundo, everyone forgot about him, and their lives moved on. Soon even Ichigo pushed him to the back of his mind. He attended university, sat in lectures, chatted with his friends. He would have also frequented karaoke booths except that Timothy and Akio now had more interesting things to do with their girlfriends. They had also stopped inquiring about Kana, and Ichigo figured that she had slipped out of their memories.
Patients came to the Kurosaki Clinic, were treated, or sent to the hospital. Even Rukia’s visits stopped – Isshin had probably convinced everyone involved that, at the moment, returning to Seireitei wasn’t in his plans. Karin and Yuzu attended school as per usual, but now it was Ichigo’s responsibility to see them safely to and from it. If he had other plans, he would ask Kisuke or Jinta. Even if there was hardly anyone who believed that Excution would interfere with them anymore, letting their guard down, until they were completely certain, was unwise.
Ichigo had studied for his exams, successfully passed them and had a holiday break. He and his sisters had also visited Chad in MEOW a few times. Nori was growing fast and turning into a full-fledged cat that was uninterested in chasing balls or her usual toys. They would spend about an hour choosing new food and toys and just hanging about in the shop, watching the animals for sale. Ichigo and Chad had also arranged to meet at the Kurosaki house to celebrate Ichigo’s twentieth birthday.
The birthday party turned out to be a success. Eleven people – family members and closest friends – attended, and Ichigo couldn’t remember ever laughing or eating so much. A few days later, Ichigo had a repeat party with Kisuke, Jinta, Ururu, and Tessai. Even Yoruichi and Rukia joined in. Ururu’s skill in baking cakes was unrivaled while Jinta won every game they played.
Life couldn’t be better, and yet Ichigo had a vague feeling that something was amiss. There was a tiny voice in the back of his head that kept nagging at him to go and see how things were in Hueco Mundo.
oOo_Two months later_oOo
It was Tuesday, about eleven in the morning. Karin and Yuzu were at school. Ichigo and Kon were in the kitchen, arguing about the coffee that the red-head had spilt.
“It was an accident, I swear,” Ichigo repeated for the third time.
“No, I know you did that intentionally,” Kon said, glaring at him as he tried to wring the coffee out of his plushy head.
With unconcealed wonderment, Ichigo watched Kon try to twist his own head off. “You know, if you hadn’t gotten in my way, I wouldn’t have tripped and spilled the coffee. Just a thought.”
Kon pointed his wet, accusing paw at him. “I know you did it intentionally!”
Trying to ignore him, Ichigo sat down on the sofa and started drinking his coffee. He was half-way through his mug when he felt Rukia’s reiatsu appear in town. Wondering what news she might be bringing, Ichigo continued to sip his coffee. Next to him, Kon kept complaining about his wet head.
“Don’t worry,” Ichigo told him, “now you smell better than before.”
“Damn you,” Kon cursed him but had to agree that, very likely, Ichigo was right. It had been quite a long time since he had been unfortunate enough to get a spin in the washing machine. Even his yellowish-orange color was turning into a musty gray. Coffee stains were not going to improve the picture.
Rukia actually rang the doorbell. Impressed by her unusual politeness, Ichigo went to answer the door.
“Long time no see,” Ichigo greeted, letting her in.
“Not long enough,” Rukia said, huffing. She followed Ichigo, who lead the way through the corridor and to the living room.
“Have you got time?” she asked once they sat down on the sofa. Kon rubbed his wet head against her leg and she kicked him aside mercilessly.
Ichigo looked at the clock above the kitchen door; today his lectures started at two. “Sure. Did something happen?”
Rukia shrugged uneasily. “I was ordered to bring you to Soul Society.”
The red-head gave her a worried look. “Why? What happened?”
She shrugged again. “Recently, large groups of Hollows have been attacking Seireitei.”
Ichigo sniggered. “Have they completely lost their minds?”
“No,” Rukia shook her head. “You don’t understand. These are not your usual Hollows, they’re much stronger. Of course, they were easily disposed of, but there’s a cause for concern since they seem to be getting more powerful with every new wave of attack. Something’s up.”
“Alright,” Ichigo said after a pause. “And what do they want me to do about it?”
“I wasn’t told, but they probably want to instruct you in case some of them appear in the Living World.”
Ichigo thought that there might be another reason – with the increased attacks, they probably needed another captain. “Ukitake,” he said. “Has a new captain been chosen?”
The Shinigami gave him an openmouthed stare. “Are you serious? You? You are a hundred years too young to be a captain! Literally. Forget it.”
His ego a little hurt, Ichigo scratched his head. “We’ll see,” he muttered.
ooOoOoOoo
He should have listened to Rukia.
“Can you repeat that?” Ichigo asked Renji, leaning forward. They were in the Sixth Division’s headquarters. Renji was in his chair behind his desk while Ichigo was standing in front of him.
Renji pointed at himself then at Ichigo. “Me. You. Hueco Mundo.” He raised his hand in front of Ichigo’s face with his fingers down and moved them as if walking. “Go now. Kapish?”
Ichigo straightened away from the desk. “Drop dead.”
“I’m already dead.”
“Die again. Why me? Why you?”
Renji rose from behind the desk and walked to the wall where his Zanpakuto was resting. He picked it up. “Go and ask Byakuya if you want. Personally, I don’t.”
Ichigo had to agree that he wasn’t burning with desire to bother the captain either. He was still grateful yet suspicious about the fact that Byakuya had let go of him and Ulquiorra so easily.
“So we go and check where those powerful Hollows come from?” Ichigo wanted to make sure he understood their mission.
Renji turned to him with a grin. “Yeah. Me. You. Hueco Mundo. Check. Return. Report. Got it?”
“Screw you sideways. Isn’t it dangerous with those powerful Hollows around?”
Pushing his Zanpakuto behind his belt, Renji sniggered. “We’ve fought Arrancars, and now you’re worried about a few measly Hollows?”
Ichigo glared at him. “You can laugh, but all of this smells fishy, and it never hurts to be careful.”
“Yeah, right. If you ask me, I think they’re sending one too many.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re being unexpectedly bitchy today.”
“Go to hell.”
ooOoOoOoo
Ichigo upturned his head to stare at the endless gray sky. A few stray clouds were slithering past the crescent moon. The lifeless atmosphere was strangely soothing. He and Renji had stopped talking about two hours ago when Renji had unwittingly turned the topic towards sake. The subject had made Renji’s mouth dry up, and his eyes water in need. Now Ichigo was convinced that his friend was a budding alcoholic and had taken it upon himself to try and put some sense into him. That had caused a bout of denial and anger from Renji.
The vast white sand filled Renji’s vision, and he shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. Despite what he had told Ichigo, he felt uneasy in Hueco Mundo. Few and far between quartz-like trees had eerie shapes that, from afar, reminded him of humanoid forms. It was unnaturally quiet, the stillness making his fine hair rise all over his body.
“Maybe we should go to the Forest of Menos,” Ichigo suggested, disappointed by the lack of activity in the desert. All they had been able to feel were tiny specs of energy not even worth checking out; if they wanted information, they had to find at least one Hollow.
“We’ve just gotten here,” Renji muttered.
“We’ve been walking for eternity.”
“No more than for three or five hours,” Renji said with a snigger. “You know, this would be much easier if you just found your boyfriend and asked him.”
“Piss off,” Ichigo told him, face red with anger. He wanted to add something about Renji’s drinking problem in retaliation, but then his eyes caught movement further in the distance and he quieted. “Look,” he said, pointing. “I think there’s a Hollow over there.”
To prevent the Hollow from escaping, they rushed forward to catch it unaware. They needn’t have worried since, already half-way, they saw that not only did the Hollow not intend to escape, it was moving towards them.
“I guess he thinks we’re an easy lunch,” Ichigo surmised, watching the Hollow approach. “He’s in for a surprise.” The male Hollow was covered in tufts of dark hair but was small in size, with a goat-like face and horse-like legs. He was grinning widely, his large black teeth glinting in the moonlight.
Ichigo slowed down and watched Renji and the Hollow collide in a blur of kicks and punches. In seconds, the Hollow whooshed past Ichigo and hit the sand with a painful shriek. He somehow managed to get to his hooves and was about to make his escape when Ichigo’s hand settled on his dark-haired shoulder.
“Now, now,” Ichigo said in a calming voice. “We just have a few questions.”
The Hollow tried to shake off Ichigo’s hand. When that didn’t work, he struck out with his fist. Ichigo whacked the Hollow over his left ear, sending him sprawling into the sand again. “Stop it. We just need some information.”
“What information?” the Hollow rasped out, losing hope. He stood up again. His shoulders hunched and his eyes darting around, he was ready to bolt away at any time.
“There’s been some kind of disturbance in Soul Society,” Ichigo explained. “We want to know where the Hollows are coming from. And why.”
“What Hollows?” the hairy Hollow asked. “How do they reach Soul Society?”
“You’re supposed to interrogate him,” Renji noted Ichigo drily. “Instead, you’re feeding him information.”
Ichigo unsheathed his Zanpakuto to threaten the Hollow. “Where do those Hollows come from?”
The unfortunate Hollow gave him a bewildered look. “From here?”
Renji rolled his eyes. “Do you know where Ulquiorra is?” he asked. He could understand that Ichigo was reluctant to pose the question, but this was ridiculous.
The Hollow seemed taken aback. “Do you mean King Cifer?”
Ichigo sputtered. “King Cifer? Who died and made him king?”
“Well…” the Hollow drawled uncertainly, “the previous lord has…”
With a groan, Ichigo sheathed Zangetsu. Figures. So this was the reason he had been asked to come here. Byakuya knew that he and Ulquiorra got along well and… Who could know what was going on in Hueco Mundo better than its king? Byakuya should have told him, though. Ichigo glared at Renji, who wasn’t even hiding his amusement.
“Where can I find him?” Ichigo asked. “He does live somewhere, right? A palace maybe?”
“Ah, yes, he has that,” the Hollow confirmed, and Ichigo couldn’t help but feel that Ulquiorra’s hurried ascension to kingship was somewhat unfair. “It’s in Las Noches, though.”
“That’s not a problem,” Ichigo said. “We’ve got time. Lead the way.”
It appeared to be a long way. They walked for nearly four hours straight, and Ichigo’s legs were about to fall off. They were also attacked a few times by random Hollows, but Renji enjoyed scaring and chasing them away.
Finally, they reached the palace, or what was left of it. Ichigo whistled at the sight of the bare pillars. Rooms and halls were no more. Not even the throne room. Where the dome should have been standing was only a massive hole. The ground around it was scattered with broken blocks of stone and other debris. To the left of the crater there was a working fountain. Amazed, Ichigo stared at five mangy Hollows that were pumping water, making sure the shimmering cascade never ceased. It looked to be an absolutely pointless task – there was no one around.
“What are they doing? What happened here?”
“King Cifer happened,” the Hollow answered with a snigger. “Whoosh,” he said, imitating a Cero’s distorted sound. He threw his hands into the air. “Baam!”
“Interesting,” Ichigo muttered. “So where is he?”
“King Cifer? I don’t know. He can be anywhere.”
“It’s obvious he doesn’t live here! You led us on!” Renji sputtered. “Give me a minute, then I’ll kill you.” He waved at the Hollows by the fountain. “Hey, you lot! Come here!” The Hollows chattered fearfully amongst themselves, but instead of coming closer, continued to pump water.
The hairy Hollow frowned at Renji. “You wanted to see the palace, didn’t you?”
“No, you idiot, we wanted to see Ulquiorra! And the faster, the better! Take us to him already!” the red-head demanded.
“He lives south of here, in a little house his subordinates have made for him.”
“Awesome,” Ichigo grunted mockingly. “So all this walking was for nothing!” He met the Hollow’s red eyes. “You know, if you make us walk around needlessly again, I’ll really let him kill you. No, I’ll kill you myself.”
They travelled another three hours, and Ichigo had the irksome feeling that they were walking back to where they had come from. His feet were swelling and he started cursing in his head with every step. Finally, the Hollow stopped.
“There it is,” the Hollow said, pointing at a silhouette from afar. “His Majesty’s cottage.”
Excited, Ichigo squinted to look at the building further amongst the dunes. When Ichigo and Renji came closer, Ichigo decided that it looked more like an outhouse than a cottage. Near the pathetic structure there was a big tree. Normally, he wouldn’t have noticed it, but the wastelands of Hueco Mundo didn’t boast of many trees. It was a miracle it had managed to survive at all and grow this big. Ichigo suddenly realized why Ulquiorra had chosen this place to live. It had to be the same tree he had converged with years ago.
The house was small with tiny, lopsided windows. There were cracks between the boards in a few places. A shape could be seen moving inside. The red-heads approached the shabby cottage and Ichigo knocked on the wobbly door. They waited a little but no one answered, and they couldn’t hear any movement inside. Ichigo knocked again.
“Go away!”
Confused, Ichigo stared at the door, trying to remember who the voice belonged to. He knocked again. This time he heard steps coming closer to the door and it flew open, nearly hitting Ichigo in the face.
“I told you to go screw yourself! What d-? You…” Grimmjow hissed at the sight of Ichigo. “I’ll kill you!” he threatened, grabbing at his Zanpakuto. “This time for sure! I’ll kill y-!”
A pale palm appeared from the shadows in the doorway and slammed Grimmjow’s head against the doorframe.
“He says long time no see,” Ulquiorra translated for Ichigo. Staring at both red-heads, he removed his hand, letting Grimmjow’s unconscious body slide against the wall. “Well, come on in,” he motioned for Renji and Ichigo, moving aside to let them pass.
“Umm…” Ichigo hummed uncertainly, stepping over the Arrancar. “You seem well,” he said while following Ulquiorra. “You’ve regained your normal body weight.”
“Yes,” Ulquiorra agreed. “You don’t seem too bad yourself. Your hair is longer.”
Renji sniggered, and Ichigo gave him the finger.
The royal cottage seemed to be bigger inside than Ichigo had initially thought. Ulquiorra led them to what appeared to be a bedroom with two crude beds, one chair and a crooked table. There was also one tiny window covered with cellophane that was fluttering slightly. Poor and shabby, but Ichigo was certain Ulquiorra couldn’t care less. Ulquiorra motioned for them to sit, and Ichigo and Renji chose the floor, which Ichigo regretted at once as it was strewn with sand.
There was a noise in the corridor and they turned to see Grimmjow rushing into the room. The blow to his head had been strong and he was swaying, holding onto the wall. “Why did you let them in? Kill th-”
“He says he’s overjoyed to see you,” Ulquiorra said, removing the handle of his Zanpakuto into Grimmjow’s stomach. He let the Arrancar drop to the floor in a doubled over and coughing heap.
“Yeah, right,” Renji spat.
“He just might be,” Ulquiorra told the red-head meaningfully. “Maybe he’s just annoyingly shy. Like someone else I know.”
“Uh,” Ichigo grunted uncomfortably, fighting the blush off his cheeks.
Renji grinned. Unexpectedly, he felt that he was starting to like Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra sat down on the chair, which started wobbling sideways. He noticed Ichigo staring at it. “It’s not exactly what you imagined, is it?”
“I don’t think I even tried imagining anything. And it’s not too bad. I’m more interested in how you’ve become the king,” Ichigo said curiously.
With a sigh, Ulquiorra leaned back in the chair. He pointed at Grimmjow, who was picking himself up off the floor. “This self-proclaimed idiot king of Hueco Mundo attacked me as soon as I returned. The rest was the natural course of events.”
Ichigo grinned at Grimmjow. So he had foolishly become Ulquiorra’s lackey. The Arrancar seemed to have finally gotten the hang of the situation and, without voicing anymore protests, wobbled over to one of the beds, dropping his heavy body onto it. From there, he just kept staring at the uninvited guests accusingly.
Ichigo looked around. “I’m surprised you’ve found enough wood to build a house.”
“That wasn’t me. It was Grimmjow. And the house appeared because he kept wishing for it,” Ulquiorra said, pointing at the Arrancar. He sniggered, amusement clear in his voice. “A place where he could live with his lover. So romantic, don’t you think so?”
“His lover?” Ichigo gave Grimmjow and Ulquiorra a suspicious look. “So he built it?”
“No, he wished for it. Sometimes, if you want something very much, it might just happen,” Ulquiorra explained. “Or it might not.”
“Huh,” Ichigo grunted, not having understood. The fact was, however, that Ulquiorra had usurped the house. But maybe it was alright since Grimmjow had tried to kill him.
“Things can appear and disappear in Hueco Mundo,” Renji explained to Ichigo. “The Reishi concentration is so high here that sometimes sheer will is enough to wish things into existence or out of it.”
“Ah so…” Ichigo drawled, trying to wrap his mind around the fact.
“Well, now I have made this my base,” Ulquiorra stated proudly.
A base? Ichigo looked around again. There was a big chance that if the four of them farted simultaneously, this poor excuse of a building would just collapse on them.
“Have you seen any other Arrancars or Espada?” Ichigo asked, having decided to sidestep any further conversations about the house.
“No, only him,” Ulquiorra said. “I haven’t been looking for others, though, if that’s what you wanted to know.”
Ichigo nodded. He knew that Ulquiorra simply didn’t care about the other Arrancars. The only way he would see them would be if they came looking for him. Ichigo was certain that this was what happened with Grimmjow.
“Anyway,” Ulquiorra said, shifting in the chair, trying to balance it and failing. “Is this a friendly or a business visit?”
“A friendly business visit.”
“Oh? Interesting.”
“He missed you terribly,” Renji told Ulquiorra. “He hung that sash over his bed as a proof of his loyal h-”
“I’m going to kill you,” Ichigo hissed, glaring at Renji. “You just wait until we leave.”
“Why wait?” Ulquiorra asked. “Want me to help out?”
“No, I think you’re busy enough with your own ‘Renji’,” Ichigo said, pointing at Grimmjow on the bed.
“True.”
“Have you got any sake?”
“Renji, shut up!”
“No, I told you I don’t drink. By the way, Ichigo, did you really hang it above your b-?”
“Of course not, you idiot!” Ichigo growled at Ulquiorra. “Who would put something like that ov-”
A grin stretched over Ulquiorra’s face. “Then where did you hang it?”
Ichigo threw his hands up into the air. “Argh! I didn’t! Shut up, both of you!”
“High five!” Renji exclaimed, holding his palm out to Ulquiorra. He lowered it as Ulquiorra just stared at his hand, uncomprehending what was expected of him.
“Anyway,” Ichigo hissed, “let’s get down to business.”
- - -
“So what do we do about those Hollows?”
Ulquiorra gave Ichigo a look. “Why are you asking me? I said I have no idea where they come from.”
Renji looked from one to the other. “You know, Ulquiorra, you aren’t making this easier, either.”
“Am I supposed to?”
“Um. Well, that depends on whether you’re interested. You, for example, could take him out for a walk, buy him flowers, or build him a sandcastle or something.”
“The hell are you talking about?” Grimmjow growled from his bed.
“These two…”
“Shut up. Ulquiorra, can’t you just show us around?” Ichigo asked. “Haven’t you got any clues?”
“Show you around where?” Ulquiorra grunted. “It’s a desert out there. It would take hundreds of years to search.”
“I think I know exactly what you’re looking for,” Grimmjow said, sitting up in his bed. He cast a not-too- friendly look at the other three males. “There’s something near the pit.”
“What is?” Ulquiorra asked.
“A pit?” Ichigo wondered.
“Is that the same pit I’m thinking of?” Renji asked.
“I have no idea what pit you’re thinking of,” Grimmjow told him. He turned to Ulquiorra. “For several days in a row I’ve noticed an unusual amount of Hollows gathering around it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ulquiorra demanded.
“I didn’t think it was anything special.”
Ulquiorra gave him a cold, mistrustful look. “Right. Let’s get it checked out.” Standing up from his wobbly chair, he turned to Ichigo. “Be on your guard.”
“What pit are we talking about?” Ichigo asked, getting off the floor. “As far as I know, the Forest of Menos is underneath us.”
“The pit goes beyond it,” Ulquiorra said. He walked into the corridor, motioning for the others to follow him. “No one knows if it has a bottom or what’s there. It goes all the way down past Menos Forest and further. If you fall into it, you’re done for.”
Renji cleared his throat. “Actually, it’s believed that it’s bottomless. But no one knows for certain – no one’s ever returned. All the spirit particles in Hueco Mundo come from that pit. There’s something in there that produces enough power to uphold the whole of Hueco Mundo. Maybe Hueco Mundo came from it. The closer you are to the pit, the higher the probability that your thoughts will materialize.”
“Oh. No wonder Hollows are gathering there.”
“Um,” Renji drawled. He and Ichigo were the last to step into the desert and he closed the door. The vast sands and dark sky made the place between Renji’s shoulder blades itch again; he hated Hueco Mundo. He looked at Ulquiorra’s and Grimmjow’s backs; they had started flash-stepping south. Renji urged Ichigo to follow them.
“Actually,” Renji continued with the topic, “the pit is pretty much useless. Like this house,” he whispered softly, making certain Ulquiorra didn’t hear. “You never know what you’ll get. Most of the time it’s random objects. But the main thing is that it is believed that one needs large amounts of reiatsu for a greater probability.”
“Reiatsu?” Ichigo asked, confused. “How so?”
“Sacrifices.”
Ichigo nearly stopped. “They throw people down there?”
Renji shook his head. “Not normally, I think. It’s mostly a myth, I suppose. I remember that a few kings had tried pushing crowds of Hollows down there, but all they got for their trouble was a few clouds and a fountain.”
“The fountain can be still found near the palace ruins,” Ulquiorra said absentmindedly. “I didn’t want to touch it.”
“Did those Hollows come with the fountain?” Ichigo asked. “Like six for a price of one?”
“What Hollows?” Ulquiorra asked. “Oh, those. No, they were being annoying, so I told them I would kill them if they stopped pumping the water.”
“If we talk about water,” Ichigo said, “it’s the only place I’ve ever seen water in Hueco Mundo.”
Ulquiorra nodded. “Yes, and it never evaporates.”
“Why did you destroy the palace?” Ichigo asked curiously.
Ulquiorra was quiet for some time and it seemed that he wouldn’t answer. “The era of old kings and Aizen has come to an end,” he finally said. “It felt natural to get rid of it.”
“It wasn’t natural at all,” Grimmjow protested. “It had splendid chambers and a magnificent throne room. What a waste!”
Ulquiorra shrugged.
TBC
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The Heart in My Hand