Ichigo was tired by the time he and Adel finished a lesson, but he was learning the signs quickly. Adel praised him several times. That made Ichigo pleased beyond words because he was doing well. He knew that he was just keeping himself busy, though. If he was concentrating on learning signs from Adel, he didn't have to deal with anything else, especially what had happened to him and Uryū. He knew he was avoiding everything, but he honestly couldn't focus on the things that had gone on recently.

"Ichigo!" he heard and looked up to see Uryū. He looked a little disheveled from getting up from his sleep. "There you are! I didn't know where you'd gone when I woke up!"

Ichigo gestured to Adel, then signed I was learning.

"Sign language?" Uryū said.

Adel nodded, picking up the tablet. "It is going to be my only way to communicate once this tablet's battery runs out since I can't really charge it here."

Uryū nodded and sat down beside Ichigo. "Then you should teach me, too."

Adel smiled and nodded at him. He tapped into the tablet, "Ichigo, you can help teach him what you've learned."

Ichigo nodded and before long, he was instructing Uryū with what Adel had just taught him. Adel watched with a bemused grin on his face, only interrupting when Ichigo struggled to remember the sign he was looking for. Before too long, it became late, and Chad came out to see what they were doing. He quietly watched them for a while.

"I think that's all I can do for tonight," Adel said, putting down the tablet and stretching his arms over his head. He looked thoughtful for a second, then picked up the tablet again. "I think I'll explore a bit before bed," he tapped in and stood up.

"Alright, don't go too far, you might get lost," Uryū said, looking up to him.

Adel nodded and headed out of the room into the Seireitei. He took a deep breath and looked around. He was utterly fascinated by this place, and he was happy that he'd been able to come to it. He tucked his hands behind his back and wandered around for a couple hours until it became dark enough that he figured that he should go back.

As he headed back, he saw a Shinigami walking ahead of him in one of the white haori. He turned around and tilted his head to the side and stared at Adel. He had long white hair.

"You came with Ichigo," he said as Adel got close.

Adel pulled out his tablet and tapped into it. "Yes, I did. I was heading back to the building we're staying in."

"I'm Ukitake-taichou. I'm the captain of the thirteenth division, Rukia's division. She told me about the unfortunate incident when she tried to visit, so I was heading over to see how things were," he explained, nodding his head toward him.

"Ah, well, we can walk back together. I still have some charge in my tablet, so I can still communicate," Adel nodded.

"Perhaps Kurotsuchi-taichou can come up with something that you can use while you're here," Ukitake said softly as they walked toward the fourth.

When they got to the house, it was busy. Renji had returned, and it looked like Ichigo had decided to try his hand at cooking something. Uryū was hovering around him while Renji and Chad sat on the sofa. Renji and Chad both stood up as Ukitake came in with Adel.

"Ukitake-taichou!" Renji came over and bowed to him slightly. "It is good to see you."

"Yes, I came to see how everyone was doing." He glanced over as Ichigo came out of the kitchen with Uryū trailing behind him.

He looked a bit surprised to see Ukitake but came over and smiled at him. He signed something with his hands, then looked at Adel. Adel grinned and tapped into his tablet. "I've been teaching him sign language to help until he figures out his special speech he's learning. He said hello to you."

Ukitake smiled in return. "I'm glad to see you are well, Ichigo. And you as well, Uryū. Have you settled in?"

Uryū nodded. "It's a nice place. I didn't know there was anything like this in Soul Society."

"They aren't used very often," Ukitake told him. "I actually don't think I've seen them used since I became a captain."

Ichigo took a breath and without moving his lips formed the words, "I'm glad…you came."

Ukitake looked at him curiously. "That is a really fascinating way to use your spiritual energy. Unohana told us that she believed with some practice you could begin to converse normally using it."

Ichigo nodded. "It is…exhausting…right…now."

"It will get easier. You've never had a lack of reiatsu, so I imagine once you get some practice in, it will come very naturally to you. How have you been since you arrived?"

Ichigo looked at Adel who nodded and handed over his tablet. "I am trying to learn how to cook."

"Cooking is a good pastime too. Do you think you'll want to do any training with the divisions?" Ukitake asked.

Ichigo hesitated, fingers over the tablet. "I might. I do not know, though." He handed Adel the tablet back.

"Adel here has been helping a lot with Ichigo not being able to speak," Uryū said, gesturing to him.

Ukitake nodded again. "Do you intend to stay long?"

Adel tapped again. "I will stay as long as I am needed."

"That is good," Ukitake said as he looked around. "I just came by to check in on everyone, so I'll let you all settle in for the night. I know coming to Soul Society and everything has been an event for everyone. I bid you good night."

Ukitake bowed and turned and left. Ichigo sighed, then sniffed the air. He gasped and ran back into the kitchen, followed by Uryū closely. He came back out a few minutes later bearing a pan of brownies he'd baked, with the edges a bit crispy. Everyone took one, though, not minding the burnt bits.

"Kuchiki-taichou has assigned me to you all while you're here," Renji said as he looked at Ichigo and Uryū. "So, I don't have to do my regular duties at the sixth for now."

"That's good," Chad said.

Everyone was quiet for a time, no one sure what to say. Then Uryū stood up and looked at Ichigo. "We should get some rest. It was a trying day."

"Didn't you already sleep, though?" Renji asked, frowning.

Uryū glared at him a bit. "I did, but Ichigo didn't. So, we'll go to sleep for a while."

Ichigo stood up and nodded. He signed something with his hands and then turned and walked back toward the bedroom. Renji glanced at Adel.

"He said 'good night'," Adel tapped into the tablet.

Renji dropped into the sofa next to Chad and sighed. "How difficult is this going to get?"

Chad looked at him. "I think Uryū is taking this harder. He seems very angry most the time."

Renji nodded. "Ichigo is just plain ignoring everything."

Adel sighed and tapped into his tablet. "You will have to be patient with both of them. They are both hurting a great deal."

"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier knowing that," Renji looked at Chad. "Do you have any ideas?"

Chad shook his head. "I don't know. I think they both need some time."

"It's so frustrating to see them like this and not be able to do anything to help," Renji expressed.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ichigo wasn't sure what to make of the way Uryū was acting. He really didn't seem to want to let him go anywhere else alone after Renji had told him what happened with the two Shinigami when he left the house. Uryū closed the door and pressed his head against it for a few minutes before he turned around looked at Ichigo.

"You should sleep," he told him.

Ichigo nodded, going to the futon and lying down under the covers. Uryū slipped in beside him. Ichigo thought he couldn't possibly be that tired after he slept earlier, but maybe he was. Uryū laid there for a little bit then turned over on his side to face Ichigo.

"Are you okay?"

Ichigo looked at him and then nodded. I'm fine he mouthed to him. Uryū sighed and reached a tentative hand out and took Ichigo's. Ichigo smiled a little, gripping his hand in return. He pulled Uryū's hand up and kissed the knuckles lightly, surprising him a little. Uryū stared for a few seconds, then he flushed red. Ichigo smiled, opening his arms a bit and nodding at him.

"You want me to come over there?" Uryū asked.

Ichigo nodded again. Uryū swallowed and moved closer, putting his head against Ichigo's shoulder and relaxing a bit against him. Ichigo put his arms around him and squeezed him a little.

"Thank you. I know it must be hard after everything that's happened to let me be this close to you," Uryū said and Ichigo heard the choked sound to his voice.

Ichigo swallowed, willing the words to come into existence. "I didn't mind it. When it was…you."

He felt Uryū take in a breath and then he moved to stare into Ichigo's face. "You mean that?"

Ichigo nodded and snuggled his face into Uryū's hair a little. "Always loved."

"What about Renji and Chad? There's more there than they're letting on about," Uryū said, narrowing his eyes at Ichigo.

Now, it was Ichigo's turn to blush a bit. He turned away a little. "Still loved."

Uryū reached up and cupped Ichigo's cheek and sighed. "You missed Renji, didn't you?"

Ichigo nodded slowly. "And Chad. And you."

"But we didn't go anywhere?" Uryū frowned.

Ichigo sighed and shrugged. "We grew…apart."

"I suppose that is true. We didn't want to hurt you because we still had these powers and could do what you no longer could," Uryū admitted. "But I guess we hurt you anyway. I'm so sorry that I didn't see what was happening."

Ichigo pulled him close again, squeezing him tightly for a moment. He hoped he was conveying his feelings like this. It was hard without the capability of really being able to talk a lot at a time. He supposed it was good reason to practice more at it. He would be able to communicate again. He just knew he could get himself to learn how to make this speech thing work. He was still a little afraid of it after the incident with Rukia, but he had to get past that. Just because there was one negative incident, he couldn't give up on it.

"I should have been there," Uryū said as he ducked his head under Ichigo's chin.

Ichigo ran a hand through Uryū's hair and shook his head. "No. Don't."

"I can't help it. I should have gone with Chad and Renji when they didn't believe you'd run away. Maybe if I had, we could have found you sooner. Then, there wouldn't have been so…so…"

Ichigo sighed silently. He knew nothing he said was going to make a difference to how Uryū was feeling. No amount of assurance would change the decisions that Uryū had made in the past that he now regretted. Ichigo understood how that felt. He knew if he could go back and change things, he would. But it didn't matter. He couldn't go back and change anything, so he just had to put it behind him. He had to learn to be who he was now, not who he used to be.

"I'm sorry," Uryū said again, putting his arms around Ichigo's body.

What more was there to say?

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Rukia was determined to visit Ichigo without having him panic. All she could do was try again, she thought as she made her way to the fourth. She hoped that after having a rest, he would feel a bit better and be willing to see her. She got to the gate and went up to the door and knocked. A few seconds later, Renji opened it.

"Trying again?" Renji asked.

"I thought maybe a good night's sleep would help." She sighed and looked at him hopefully.

"Alright, he's in the kitchen. I think he's trying to keep busy so he's teaching himself how to cook different things. Uryū's in there, of course. He's not far from Ichigo for any reason since they got here," Renji explained as he let her in.

"Have you had a chance to talk to him about things yet?" Rukia looked at him and saw the answer plainly on his face. "I see," she said.

"I haven't been able to get him alone. I mean, really things have been just busy since we got here, and with him trying to stay busy like he is, it's been hard. But I promise I'll talk to him. And Uryū, because he needs it too. Of course, Uryū might hit me again."

"Interesting the way they're both reacting to things," Rukia said as they came into the kitchen.

Ichigo was at the stove and Uryū was standing against the counter. They both looked up when they came in. Ichigo's eyes widened a second, then he smiled. Rukia let out a breath she'd been holding because he hadn't panicked this time. That was a good sign at least.

"Hi, Rukia. Ichigo was just making breakfast. Omelets, I think…" Uryū said as he glanced over Ichigo's shoulder.

Ichigo reached up and smacked him lightly in the face and shook a finger at him to make him move back. He shuffled around and proudly handed Rukia a plate with a somewhat oddly shaped omelet on it. She smiled at him and took it. He then proceeded to make another one. Rukia took her plate to the small table and sat down near Renji who it looked like had already been given one of Ichigo's omelets.

"He's really taken to this cooking thing," Renji said as he watched her sit down. "But I think it's just a way of keeping busy. He had everything out to make more sweets tonight. I think he's trying to cheer Uryū up."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Rukia said as she ate the omelet that he'd made. It tasted fine, so he obviously was doing pretty well with his cooking.

After a bit, Uryū and Ichigo came out of the kitchen with a plate. Chad and Adel had both moved to the living area so there was room for them at the table. Ichigo sat down with a very self-satisfied smile on his face. It was obvious he was proud of his cooking attempts.

"You did a good job, Ichi," Uryū said.

Renji and Rukia both looked up, noting the shortening of Ichigo's name. Everyone at quietly for a few moments to let Ichigo and Uryū both eat their breakfast. When he was done, he stood up and grabbed all the empty plates and returned them to the kitchen. Uryū stood up and followed him, and then they emerged a few minutes later. Ichigo came over and grabbed Rukia by the hand and tugged her to stand.

"You want me to come with you?" she asked as she stood up.

Ichigo nodded and Uryū went to follow them. Ichigo put a hand up and pointed to Uryū then the chair. Uryū looked a bit annoyed but sat down, crossing his arms in a bit of a huff. Ichigo pulled Rukia toward the door to outside and led her into the yard. Once outside he dropped her hand and sighed then turned around.

"I'm sorry. About yesterday."

"There's no need to be sorry, Ichigo," Rukia assured. "You couldn't help it. I should have waited until you had a chance to rest before I came to see you anyway."

Ichigo smiled and walked to the edge of the lot where the fence was and leaned on it. He looked around, then turned back to her. "Nice to be…back," he managed.

Rukia smiled. "It's nice to have you back. I wish I'd listened to Renji sooner, maybe we could have found out what was going on faster, I don't know." She frowned and looked away from him.

"Don't." Ichigo came forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm fine."

"Ichigo, you're not fine, and you know it, so stop pretending you are!" she looked at him with a stern look. He licked his lips and sighed, looking away from her. "See, you don't want to face it. All of this that you're doing is just to keep yourself busy. And it won't work forever!"

Ichigo turned back to her, eyes downcast. "I know. It's hard."

"Have you talked to Renji?" she asked suddenly.

"Renji?" Ichigo looked at her.

She sighed. "That dumb man won't come out and say it, but you know why he came after you, right? Him and Chad?"

Ichigo shook his head, looking rather confused.

"He loves you. They both do, you idiot," Rukia said with exasperation lacing her voice.

Ichigo's face immediately pinked a little and he turned to look out across the Seireitei. "No."

"Oh yes, now don't you give me 'no' because you have some idea in your head that someone can't love you because they do. They've been nonstop looking for you since you left and have done everything possible to find you because they cared so much."

"How?" Ichigo turned back toward her.

"What do you mean, how?"

Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his longer hair. "How can they…love me…after."

"After? Why would that matter?" Rukia put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "You're going to really pull that? How can they love you after what happened? The two things have nothing to do with each other, other than the fact that your disappearance gave them the guts to finally admit it to themselves. Then Uryū pulls that dumbass move and runs off to try and find you when he knew it might get him killed."

Ichigo chewed his lip for a second then nodded. "What…do I do?"

"Well, how do you feel about them?" She swore sometimes boys were the dumbest creatures in existence. No, she knew they were.

Again, Ichigo's face reddened and he covered his mouth with his hand. "How can I love three?"

"Is that what you're worried about now? You think you have to choose?" Rukia shook her head. "No one is asking you to choose between them, you know. None of them will make you choose, because they all care so much about you. And, even though they didn't realize it, Chad and Renji both have some feelings toward Uryū as well."

"How?" he wondered, hand still covering his mouth.

Rukia thought it would take some getting used to since Ichigo's mouth didn't move when he talked anymore, but she was quickly acclimating to it. She put an arm around his waist. "I have no idea, but I think things will get interesting once you idiotic boys figure out you are all in this together."

"You?" he asked, gesturing toward her.

"Me? What about me?" she asked.

"You and Renji?"

"Oh, no, not ever. Renji is, and always has been, my brother in all things. No, he's had his eye on you for a long time, he just didn't want to say anything because you were human and things in the World of the Living would interfere with his attention." Rukia paused and smiled. "I have talked about it with him a couple times, especially after you gave up your power. I tried to convince him to go visit you in Giagai."

"Missed him," Ichigo swallowed and nodded.

"I know you did. And I know we were wrong to stay away, because we hurt you more by doing that than anything else. You needed us, and we weren't there," she reached up and wiped tears from her large, violet eyes and smiled despite the tears. "But we're all here now for you. And we're not going to let you ignore things just because you want to."

Ichigo gave her a crooked smile and shook his head. "But I'm really…fine."

"Ichigo, you can't be fine after what happened. Not only did you lose your voice, you almost lost yourself in there."

Ichigo nodded. "I was Azami."

"That's the name he gave you, right?" Rukia asked.

"Yes," he shrugged and hugged his arms around himself. "It happened…to Azami. Not me."

"Ichigo, don't do that. You're trying to ignore it by making Azami a different person. He's you, just the same."

Ichigo frowned and turned his back on her. She imagined him growling if he'd had the voice to do so. She gave him a few moments, then walked up and put her hands on his back.

"It's okay that it happened to you, Ichigo. You don't have to hide from it," she said softly.

He turned back around, and she saw that his eyes were damp. "But the things I did…"

"You did what you had to do to survive, Ichigo. Nothing more. You would have been killed if you hadn't listened to what they said to do. You were caught by a criminal organization with power beyond what normal humans hold. They had weapons, and they had control. You survived it, though. Ichigo, please, you have to remember that part of it. You survived." She laid her head against his back and put her arms around his waist. "And now, you are here, restored, and you're learning to talk again, and everyone wants to see you happy."

"How?" he said without moving.

"That's something you have to figure out on your own, Ichigo. No one can tell you that. You are the one that determines what makes you happy now," she squeezed him from behind and felt him put his hands of hers.

"Let's go in," he said and Rukia let go of him, stepping back to take his hand again.

They walked back in and Uryū stood up and came over to them. He looked a bit annoyed but didn't say anything, just seemed to hover near Ichigo. Renji and Chad were sitting in the living area with Adel, who was reading again. He looked up at their entrance. Ichigo let go of Rukia's hand and turned to Uryū. He took him by the wrist and pulled him into the living area. Rukia got the idea.

"Adel, would you like a little bit of a tour?" she asked, walking over to him.

Adel looked at her for a second, then it seemed to dawn on him that Ichigo wanted privacy. "Oh, oh yes, that would be lovely," he tapped into his tablet.

He got up and nodded to Ichigo, signing something to him and then following Rukia out of the room. She led him outside.

"I'm sorry, but they have some things to discuss, I think," she said as they walked.

"It is understandable. They are all sorting through their emotions." Adel smiled and tucked the tablet in his pocket so he could put his hands behind his back as they walked.

"I'm taking you to the twelfth division to see Kurotsuchi-taichou. I want to see if he's come up with anything like your tablet yet. I know Ukitake-taichou said he was going to go talk to him," Rukia explained as they headed that direction. Adel nodded and walked with her.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"What's going on, Ichigo?" Renji asked as he dragged Uryū behind him into the living area as Adel and Rukia left. "Is everything alright?"

Ichigo nodded, pushing Uryū to sit down. "We just…need to…talk."

Uryū looked up at him and frowned. "What is it that we need to talk about?"

"This," Ichigo said, gesturing around to each of them.

Renji and Chad exchanged a glance. Ichigo knew that this was confusing for them, since it had never been brought up before. It was sudden, he supposed, but he needed to sort this out sooner rather than later because this was going to drive him mad if he let it. He knew how he felt, how he'd always felt, but now the idea that those feelings could be returned had been presented to him and he wanted to know for sure.

"What do you mean, 'this'?" Renji asked, and Ichigo thought he looked a little nervous.

Ichigo sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. In for a little, in for a lot, he figured. "I have feelings. For each of you."

The utter silence that descended was deafening. Ichigo twisted his hands together and didn't know what to do when no one said anything at first. He bit down on his lip and thought that maybe Rukia had been wrong. Maybe this was all a mistake, and they would laugh at him for such a declaration. He didn't think Rukia was wrong, but now doubt was beginning to creep in.

Chad nodded, though. "I have had feelings for you and Uryū for some time as well."

Uryū looked at him sharply. "You what?"

Chad looked at him. "I am often not transparent with my feelings. I simply held those feelings and did not expect them to be returned."

Now Renji nodded. "I've felt those feelings for a while, a long while, and I suppose now is as good of a time as any. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want it to seem I was saying something out of pity after all that's happened."

Ichigo's heart was hammering in his chest. He looked at Uryū, who looked thoroughly confused by the admissions that he was included in this beyond his connection to Ichigo.

"What now?" Renji said, looking up to Ichigo.

Ichigo looked between them and smiled a little. "We let things. Happen as they will."

"Do you want things to happen?" Renji asked, standing and coming over to Ichigo now, taking both his hands. "I don't want anything to happen that you aren't ready for."

Ichigo ducked his head a bit but squeezed Renji's hands. "I want you. All of you."

Renji leaned in closer, then. "Then can I kiss you?" he said.

Ichigo looked a little surprised but nodded a little bit. He hadn't expected something quite so forward, but he supposed he should have from someone like Renji. Renji was a direct person, after all. The idea that he would be the first to do something like this was not so farfetched. Ichigo leaned toward him and he moved to put his arms around him, pulling him in close as he leaned down to meet his lips. Ichigo closed his eyes, feeling the softness of Renji's lips against his own, and then the slight surprise as his tongue flicked out and pressed at the seam of his mouth. Ichigo opened a little, and Renji's tongue slipped into his mouth, immediately dominating the kiss as he deepened it. Ichigo clung to him, realizing that he could still say something if he wanted to even while his mouth was occupied. It was a strange realization to have at that moment, but there it was.

After a few moments, Renji pulled back, leaving Ichigo feeling emptier as he did so. He looked at him, face flushed red now.

"Ah, you like that?" Renji asked softly, still holding him in his arms.

Ichigo nodded, a little speechless after the encounter. He couldn't have spoken if he wanted to, he supposed, but now he was being moved toward Chad, who was still sitting down. Renji turned him toward Chad who reached out for him. Ichigo didn't know what else to do, he reached for him, sliding onto his broad lap into his strong arms. He nuzzled into his chest, breath coming in rough pants, and he could feel Chad's reaction to his closeness. It was true; he really did feel something for him.

He sat like that for a few minutes until he felt hands on his shoulders. He turned to see Uryū had come to stand behind him. He was smiling slightly at him. He adjusted his glasses, then leaned down and kissed the top of Ichigo's head. Ichigo already knew how Uryū felt from their night together the day before.

Was it all real, though? A part of him wanted to say that no, it wasn't real. It was a deep part that still ached and hurt, and Ichigo didn't know what to do about that. He knew that he wanted to be loved by these people. He knew that his heart hurt when he thought of them not being around, and he knew that while he was Azami, thoughts of them kept him sane.