Disclaimer: The only kind of Bleach I own is for the laundry.
Story: After the invasion of the ryoka and Aizen's betrayal, Yamamoto decides he should come up with something to ease tensions and let everyone loosen up. Using the concept of the red string of fate, everyone lands themselves "a fated lover" until the game's over. Ukitake is paired with Ichigo, and tries to somehow survive some very jealous people. And there's still the trouble with the three traitors, with plenty of Hollows.
Set after Soul Society.
Spoilers: Soul Society arc, probably Bount arc too.
Pairings: Ukitake/Ichigo
Warnings: My usual crap…crazy writing, some perverseness every now and then, drama, angst, wild humor, drama, romance, yaoi, drama, and that kind of thing…

A/n: Mm, man it's been WAY too long for me and updating this. I'm so sorry! Thank you all for all of your support and reviews! They are much love! This is definitely on hold after this chapter. I haven't had any inspiration for humor for the Lost Chapters, and since I skipped the Bount arc, I haven't caught up to the newer episodes to draw more inspiration for more regular chapters.

The Red String of Fate
Chapter Twenty One: A Broken Disguise

A week had passed and everyone had already forgotten the incident of the Memory Rosary and her sacrifice. Ichigo should've forgotten by then.

Only he hadn't.

Ukitake had confirmation within his own mind, as he remembered the events clearly. Every word, every action.

"I never forgot her," Ichigo had confessed that morning.

Ukitake nodded, "I know. I didn't either…"

'Because our bond. You remember, I remember,' Ukitake added mentally.

"Oh…Jyuushiro…I think some small part of me had loved her."

His day felt ruined.

It was hard to say what he felt about the situation. He was jealous, but Ichigo really cared about Senna. Ukitake could see it clearly that this girl had impacted Ichigo so very extraordinarily in the short amount of time the two had known each other. It didn't seem fair that he'd been with Ichigo longer, and yet his impact on Ichigo had seemed less. In fact, what he felt was stronger. Ichigo didn't know it, but Ukitake was sure of it. He loved Ichigo with all his heart.

Retreating to Soul Society, even though Ichigo had accompanied him to talk with the other shinigami, Ukitake fled to his office and used a hell butterfly to send Kyouraku over.

He told his friend everything. He recounted the incident, Kyouraku not remembering, and then told him about his feelings towards Ichigo.

Ukitake swallowed down his bitterness. He should've figured Ichigo had loved Senna. He saved her in a way that was too alike and yet not quite so of Rukia's rescue. It had also been quite obvious Senna had loved Ichigo.

"Yare, yare. Jyuushiro, are you brooding?" Kyouraku swigged his bottle of sake into his mouth, not knowing what else he could say or do.

"No," Ukitake frowned, staring at his work.

"You know, Ichigo's off running away from Zaraki. You wanna go save him?"

Ukitake closed his eyes and threaded his fingers through his hair, clutching at his head.

"Jyuushiro, you could always talk to him."

"And say what? Give a declaration of love?" Ukitake scowled.

"You, uh…really have been hanging around me too much," Ichigo's confused voice interrupted their conversation.

Both captains' heads snapped his way sharply.

"Ichigo…" Ukitake breathed out harshly.

"Um, I'll just leave," Ichigo backtracked, and then fled.

"I think now is as good as ever," Kyouraku hinted as Ichigo left.

Ukitake nodded and hurried to follow the teen. It would've been harder if Ichigo had used shunpo, but since the orange haired teen didn't, Ukitake easily caught up.

"Ichigo, I think we need to talk," Ukitake said firmly, grasping the wrist he had caught.

Those brown eyes of the representative shinigami gazed at him warily. "I guess we do."

Relived that at least Ichigo hadn't completely run off and was willing to hear him out, Ukitake decided to just come out with it.

"Ichigo, I love you."

Ichigo's eyes comically widened and then his mouth opened and closed a few times, leaving Ukitake to nervously wait for a response for a couple minutes. Finally, Ichigo opened his mouth and began to speak.

"You know, Jyuushiro, this is rather a lot to take in. But, uh, I'm not going to hate you, just for your information. But I'm not sure I feel the same way!" interjected Ichigo when he saw hope light up Ukitake's face.

"Oh, I see." But Ukitake didn't really. He felt hope and despair war within himself, but he couldn't exactly force this on Ichigo too. It was new information, and Ichigo was still getting over Senna's death. What was Ukitake going to do? Hold Ichigo down and force a real marriage on him?

The idea did hold merit.

"We're still friends, right Jyuushiro? I mean, who knows? Maybe, maybe I do like you in that way. I don't know. I'm not sure of anything right now."

"I know, Ichigo. I understand. I just…for so long. I've felt this way for so long, and I've kept quiet, taking what I can get. I don't know what else I can do. I just don't want you to hate me," Ukitake admitted frustrated.

Ichigo hesitantly touched his hand that had been holding his right one.

"Let's just go back home for now, okay? We'll work it out along the way."

Ukitake gave a tentative smile, receiving one just as tentative in return.

Better than he'd hoped for.

"Group picnic. You assaulted us for a group picnic," Ichigo deadpanned, glaring at Tatsuki.

She grinned impishly at him, discreetly winking at Ukitake too.

"Fine!" Ichigo gave in in exasperation.

Ukitake smirked at his reaction, though inwardly he was a little worried about the group picnic Tatsuki wanted to drag everyone to.

And so, they were all at the local park with everyone there, exempting Mizuiro and Keigo.

"So this is the group that went to Soul Society," Tatsuki observed, saying suddenly.

The reactions were all extreme.

Orihime choked on her food, eyes exaggeratedly bulging out. Uryuu fumbled with his utensils and dropped them in surprise, spilling over his drink when trying to retrieve them. Chad actually gaped, while Ichigo looked adorably dumbfounded. Ukitake was calm, though curious as to why Tatsuki would bring this up.

"Y-you know?" Ichigo cried out.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes, "I'm not blind. I see more than you think I do. I told your 'husband' that, and he explained some more in detail to me."

Ichigo glanced at him, with a look that said they were going to talk later.

"Oh, don't be like that, Ichigo. I told him not to say anything because I was waiting for you or Orihime to say something to me. But by the way things seem, that's like never. So I took initiative."

Orihime sputtered hilariously.

"I…have to go take a piss," Ichigo said, still trying to process everything. He stood up abruptly and started to walk in the direction of the bathroom.

"I'll come with you!" Tatsuki announced suddenly, following Ichigo and then propelling him forwards faster, putting everyone further into a state of shock.

"What's the deal, Tatsuki?" Ichigo glared at her.

"I want to talk to you. About Ukitake-san."

Tatsuki was just keeping the surprises coming.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo muttered.

"I know something happened and changed your relationship with him. But what just happened is the question."

Ichigo shrugged, "He told me he loved me. I'm confused about it."

"Confused? Why the hell would you be confused?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't I be confused?"

"Ichigo, have you studied the way you acted with Ukitake-san before whatever happened happened?" she prodded.

"No…not really."

She sighed, "You two were comfortable together. You guys acted like you really were married. But now you guys act awkward around each other."

"Really?" Ichigo asked with wide eyes.

She sighed again, "What happened, Ichigo?"

He winced and reluctantly started talking about Senna.

"Ichigo…I think you were really starting to feel something for Ukitake-san. And then Senna came in. She was your fairytale princess you wanted to save and felt affection for. She was everything you thought you'd want in a person you saw yourself being with. Maybe…maybe you should give him a chance. Like you were unconsciously doing before Senna came along."

"I…I guess," Ichigo's mind was racing.

"Are you going to the Winter Dance?"

"Yeah," Ichigo muttered. "I'm taking Jyuushiro with me."

"Good, good," she looked pleased. "Plan something romantic for him."

"What?"

"You heard me. Do something sweet and nice."

This time, Ichigo was the one to sigh. "Fine, fine. Jeez."

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about, Rukia," Ichigo looked determined.

The short shinigami blinked up at him.

"Hai, Ichigo?"

The teenager was silent before sighing and slumping against the bench he was sitting on next to her.

"Did you know Jyuushiro liked me?" he murmured.

Rukia furrowed her eyebrows.

"Why wouldn't he like you?"

Ichigo grimaced, "No, I mean he likes like me. As in, in that way."

Her eyes widened and she stared at him in shock and disbelief, but she quickly hastened to try to look normal.

"I see. Well, I had no idea, Ichigo. But is that really such a bad thing?" she forced out with a small smile, dying a bit at the words. But Ichigo was her best friend and Ukitake was her beloved captain, and she just wanted them happy.

Ichigo hmmed. He looked thoughtful before he shook his head.

"No. No, it actually isn't such a bad idea. Thanks, Rukia, for the words. I think I'll go see Jyuushiro."

The taller teen walked away from her after another smirk, and she felt herself grow a little smaller as she watched his retreating back with sad eyes.

"Rukia, there is tea set at the table. Would you like some?" Byakuya's voice reached her and she turned around to see her brother. His face was stoic, but there was a look of understanding in his eyes.

"Thank you, Nii-sama. That sounds like a good idea," she offered her brother a thankful smile before she followed him inside to where they could have tea together.

With Ichigo, the substitute shinigami was still deep in thought, but he reached the thirteenth division. He hoped he didn't walk in on another private conversation. Last time was a little too awkward and unsettling, and he didn't want to feel comfortable around Ukitake any longer.

"Ichigo, I was just finishing up," Ukitake stated in surprise at the door of his division. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yeah," he confirmed quietly, still lost in thought. He scrutinized the other before a smirk crossed his face. "You look frazzled. Those two scatterbrains left a lot of work for you to handle?"

Ukitake stared at him hesitantly before cautiously smiling, "More like Kiyone and Sentarou's antics than the work that has me exhausted."

Ichigo nodded. There was a pause before the teen warily moved closer and grasped Ukitake's hand, familiarly caressing the ring on the other man's finger –an action that used to be done so often but had temporarily been forgotten until now.

"Let's go home," he murmured.

Uncertain but happier about this change, Ukitake tighten their grip and they walked hand in hand back to the human plane.

They missed dinner, but there was a note from Yuzu that the leftovers were in the fridge. They heated it up and ate quietly together at the table, not in a rush to go to sleep or anything else. They finished up before cleaning their mess, heading to Ichigo's room still not speaking. By the time they were in his room, they were looking awkwardly at each other, not sure how to break the ice. They were comfortable with each other's presence, instinctively so, but there was still that elephant in the room they had to deal with.

"I'm really okay with it, Jyuushiro," Ichigo spoke first, reassuring the other.

Ukitake flinched, "But I still don't mean to impose, and I definitely don't wish to impose my feelings onto you."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, "Idiot. What did I say? I'm okay. Now let's get to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow for school."

"R-right. Sleep," Ukitake took a deep breath, heading to the bed first and turning to face the wall, closing his eyes immediately.

Ichigo followed straight after and Ukitake was drifting to sleep, still anxious, when he felt Ichigo's lithe arms encircle around him and the teen nuzzled the back of his neck. He was pulled into a spooning position that was a little awkward, but somehow still comfortable and right.

Well, it seemed Ukitake still had a bit of hope in himself after all.

Started 8/9/09 –Completed 7/30/10