Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

A/N: I'm not completely happy with this fic, hence the absurdly long time its been sitting on my computer gathering dust. Any suggestions as to improving it are more than welcome. :) I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: This fic contains SLASH of the Kisuke Urahara/Ichigo Kurosaki type.

Silent Dreams

His body was heavy and relaxed, practically melting into the soft sheets below him. His thoughts were still fuzzy and deep within the realm of sleep, though the outside world was starting to creep in. Outside the window a car went past, whirring softly through the morning. The flock of sparrows that lived in the tree opposite his apartment called obnoxiously, but he couldn't bring himself to mind.

Ichigo allowed himself to drift, unaware, not yet willing to awake and leave his warm bed.

Behind him, he could feel the warm weight of his lover, and hear his calm breathing as it slipped past his lips.

Kisuke's arm was wrapped around his stomach; a warm, possessive gesture that made his heart beat just a little bit faster, and for his cheeks to flush pleasantly. His back was warm, pulled firmly into the hard chest of his lover, and the hairs on his neck were raised from where Kisuke's breath would brush over them with every exhale.

Ichigo knew that his companion was awake; he had a habit of absent-mindedly rubbing his feet into the sheets, as if to warm them, and Ichigo could feel them moving beside his own.

He smiled, and reached up to link his fingers with Kisuke's.

The feet stopped moving for a moment, and a soft kiss was pressed to the spot just behind his ear that Kisuke favoured. His lover's stubble rasped over the sensitive skin, causing a shiver to creep down his spine.

"Ichigo..." Kisuke's voice was hoarse; a raspy croak that did funny things to his insides. A soft pressure was put on his stomach from the arm that grasped him possessively, and Ichigo's smile widened as he allowed himself to be coaxed over.

The smile that stretched Ichigo's lips was still half hidden by slowly disappearing dreams – but that didn't stop it from fading abruptly.

The bed before him was empty, and the sheets were cold.

Ice tightened his chest and closed his throat until his body was bowed by gasping coughs that seemed to wrench something far too heavy from deep within his gut.

His room – sparsely furnished and too big for just him – lay untouched and silenced, holding a musty, dingy feel that had nothing to do with the thin layer of dust coating the shelves that held memorabilia from a past life.

Opposite him, resting on a shelf, Kisuke smirked at him.

His lover's mouth was hidden by that damnable fan, and his eyes were shadowed by his bucket hat; but the barely noticeable crease in the corner of his eyes gave him away, along with the tense shoulders that Ichigo knew had been shaking with suppressed laughter at the time of the photo.

Kisuke stared at him, eternally happy and immortalised in a plain wooden frame.

Ichigo turned his back, burrowing into his cold sheets.

Outside the window the world was silent, even as the sparrows sang.

Fin

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Thanks for reading!