Pairing: Shuuhei Hisagi x Ichigo Kurosaki

Music: Airship Pirates, by Abney Park

Word count: ~ 2800

Rating: M

A/N: I've found a new band to worship. This happens periodically, but this one…oh. Oh. If you like great vocals, amazing lyrics, gorgeous music, and/or steampunk, you must try Abney Park. They're incredible. And so…steampunk. Yeah.

Prompt 56: The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning

White sand stretches out as far as the eye can see, broken only by the rusty skeletons reaching for the sky, remnants of some great empire no one but the most learned scholars can name. It doesn't matter, not here and not now. Only survival is left.

The airship's shadow glides over the earth, dark and predatory. Ichigo hooks an elbow through the netting on the balloon and leans out as far as possible, only a long drop between him and the ground. It's thrilling, this feeling that normally only a bird would know, completely divorced from the ground in every way that counts.

It's a beautiful day, the sky a brilliant blue, and Ichigo has to squint to make out anything through the spyglass, even with his goggles down. The ship isn't exactly swift, compared to stories of what used to be, but it's far faster than anything on the ground, and that's all the advantage they'll need.

There. In the sand dunes ahead, a glint of metal that's far from natural.

"Captain!" He lets go of the netting, a controlled slide the fastest—and most dangerous—way down to the deck to which the balloon is secured. There's a drop of more than two meters, and then his boots hit the wooden planking with a solid thud, making him stagger a step towards the woman emerging from the main cabin. "Captain, twelve wagons on the horizon! They're using Hollow colors!"

"Ah!" Yoruichi looks delighted, giving him a wide, toothy grin. "Perfect, Mr. Kurosaki, well spotted. I'm ready for a touch of action, what about you?"

It's a rhetorical question, and she turns away, raising her voice to shout, "All right, boys and girls, we've got Hollows! Goggles down and cannons up! Let's welcome 'em to our territory!"

A brief cheer runs through the twelve remaining members of the normally fifteen-body crew, over the sound of Yoruichi's orders. They're redundant, as everyone's already leaping for their places, Ichigo among them. He's one of the lightest in the crew, swift and agile but strong enough to work the propellers and rudders as they go in for a strike. Sometimes he misses being in the ground crew, being one of the invaders, but this, controlling the entire massive, beautiful bulk of an airship, is even better.

Yoruichi shouts after them anyway, and none of them mind. Captain's prerogative, after all, and Yoruichi Shihoin is one of the best captains this side of the Poison Sea. She's kept them all alive for years now. A little yelling is the least they can withstand in return for that.

Her voice rings over the eternal thud-thud-thud of the propellers. "Kurosaki, take us in low and fast, hard to their port side! Urahara, seed 'em with blasting oil as soon as we're close enough. Yasutora, Arisawa, starboard cannons! Ishida, Kojima, port cannons! Inoue, you're on aft guns! Jinta, keep the guns stocked! Ururu, with Kurosaki! Tessai, Asano, forward guns! Keep them off of us!" She whirls to a stop next to Ichigo, belting on her second sword and pistol as she turns to look at him. "Ichigo, get us in, we'll drop down. Have Ururu watch the ladders, but take the ship out of the way—just stay in range so that Asano and Inoue can keep giving cover fire, got it?"

Ichigo shoots her a dark look and barely manages not to roll his eyes. Like he hasn't been doing this since she first took him in when his parents died. Yoruichi reads the thought in his face and laughs, reaching out to pinch one of his cheeks. "I know, I know. You're infallible. Still, got it?"

She's an amazing woman, if a bit overbearing—but again, that's Captain's prerogative. Ichigo tosses her a salute and turns his attention back to the rudders and gauges. "Going in!" he shouts in warning. "Hard to port! Brace yourselves for a bit of wind!"

In a motion that's almost simultaneous, eight pairs of hands reach up to drag down the dark, protective goggles that every aeronaut wears and then grab onto the nearest solid object as Ichigo kicks the appropriate lever down and forces the rudder into position. The airship lists hard to one side, turning sharply as it bears down on the caravan bolting across the sand. Yoruichi leans over the metal railing and laughs at the attempt to get away.

"Cowards!" she shouts. "Stand and face us like men!"

With a sharp gesture, she signals the gunmen, and the port cannons fire a deafening round. Ishida's a perfect shot, as always, and sand sprays up in a wild arc, cutting off the lead wagon. The Hollows turn, wagons colliding in their panic, and the caravan lurches to a dead halt. Inoue whoops as her guns come into alignment and lets out a hail of bullets towards the ammunitions wagon. It goes up in a cloud of flame, sending the Hollows spilling away from it in panic, and Yoruichi shouts with glee. They're all riding the adrenaline, the high of combat, and she only adds to it as she kicks a bundled rope ladder over the side. "Kurosaki! Down! Ground crew, let's go kick some Hollow ass!"

Ichigo kicks the port rudder back upright, then reaches up and drags down the lever that controls the vertical movement. The ships tilts sharply again, this time in a dive, and Yoruichi laughs wildly as she dives over the edge with only one hand on the rope, all but throwing herself at the ground. Chad and Tatsuki follow her, and Urahara drops another ladder for himself and Tessai. The bigger man goes first, while Urahara tosses the satchel with the remaining blasting oil to Jinta.

"Aim for the guns," the blond orders with a wide grin, then disappears over the side.

On a bad day, it takes twelve seconds to get all the way down the ladders. This is a good day, so Ichigo gives them seven before releasing the lever and kicking another rudder switch down to bring them back around. Safely out of range, their position covered by Orihime's beloved "Tsubaki," he sets a course back that will take them right over the top of the Hollows camp.

"All right back there, Orihime?" he calls over the beating of the propellers. A wild laugh and another spray of gunfire is his answer, and he rolls his eyes. Typical. When they're grounded, she spends entirely too much time with her lover Tatsuki, whose violent nature is infecting her. Giving up that line of questioning, he turns to the forward guns and shouts, "Keigo! All good?"

"Hah!" Keigo fires off a single shot, going for sniper-style hits rather than Orihime's hail-of-bullets, and tosses Ichigo a quick thumbs up. "Got their water conversion unit! Now they'll have to turn around! No more kidnapping in our territory!"

He and Ichigo share a vicious grin. They know what the Hollows—whose leaders call themselves Espada, which is really fucking pretentious—do to those they capture. There's still a hope that the remaining three members of Yoruichi's crew, captured a week ago, are alive, but it's a slim one.

"Mr. Ichigo, hard to starboard!" Ururu calls softly from her position by the ladders. "The captain is signaling for a pickup!"

With a low curse, Ichigo releases the port switch and throws himself at the starboard one even as he drags down the vertical balance again. The ship swoops right as it descends, leaving his stomach somewhere back on their original course, but Ururu gives him an affirming nod. They're in the right position.

A moment later, Ichigo feels another slight dip as bodies begin to clamber up the ropes, more than originally went down. He and Keigo exchange silent looks of relief, and then turn back to their tasks as fast as they can. The mission is accomplished. They've rescued the kidnapped crew, given the Hollows a reason to clear out of Karakura territory, and haven't had to spend much ammunition to do it, while taking out the Hollows' ammunition wagon and their water convertor, without which they're doomed.

It's not just a good day, it's damned gorgeous.

"Ururu, are they halfway?" he shouts, and the younger girl gives him a sharp nod. With a grunt, he pulls down the starboard rudder control and calls, "Jinta, can you drop the rest of that blasting oil on them as we pass over, without hitting the crew?"

"Of course," Jinta scoffs disbelievingly, and leans over to do just that. Ichigo grins and leaves him to it, concentrating on bring the airship around now that the Hollows will be distracted. The fastest way back to base is right straight over top of them, and damn, but that's a nice feeling, to see all those Hollows scurrying in fear. Another wild, tilting turn and they're regaining altitude, the propellers humming steadily as they climb. The ship is out of range now, nearly home free, and Ishida, Orihime, and Keigo abandon their guns to help the ground crew onto the deck.

Urahara's the first up, immediately heading for the hold where all of the weapons are stockpiled. Ichigo doesn't blame him. He's seen that everyone's all right, and though Keigo and Orihime did a good job covering, a few Hollows managed to return fire. The scientist just wants to be certain that no black powder or blasting oil is going to tear the ship apart.

Tessai is next, on the other ladder, and dragging an unhappy Tatsuki with him. She's got bloodlust in her eyes, so Ichigo's pretty sure she's physically fine and just wanted to stay and fight. Chad looks tolerant and indestructible as ever, and—

Ichigo's heart skips a beat as the next dark head clears the edge, and Shuuhei drags himself onto the planking with a tired groan. He's battered and bloody, but still one of the most beautiful things Ichigo's ever seen. Ichigo wants to run to him, to go and drag him down to their bunk and never let him go, but he stays by the nav controls. He has to, because he won't even make it across the deck to Shuuhei without his knees giving way from the sheer relief singing through his blood.

Chad climbs over the railing and then offers Rukia a hand over. She's also the worse for wear, sporting a massive black eye and a scowl that says clearly that she is not happy. Behind her is Byakuya, also bruised and cradling his left arm to his side, though he looks otherwise whole. Ichigo breathes out a rush of full-body relief at the sight of all three crewmembers safely rescued.

With a clatter of heavy boots, Yoruichi vaults over the railing and onto the deck right next to him, settling her weapons. She grins at Ichigo, who just rolls his eyes at her, and claps him on the shoulder. "Good flying," she comments. "You've gotten even better." Then she's gone, calling praises towards Orihime, Ishida, and Keigo.

Tessai joins him as she retreats, taking the wheel and levers in hand with a nod. "Go," he orders, and Ichigo's only too happy to obey. It's all he can do not to bolt across the deck, even with his legs threatening mutiny, but he manages to walk. If he collapses next to Shuuhei, well… No one's going to say anything, not when they're all just as relieved to see the rest of the crew back safe.

Shuuhei cracks open one eye and grins up at Ichigo, just a quick flash of teeth and long-suffering good humor. "Hey," he huffs out. "That was some fancy flying. Hollows all panicked. Good strategy for dealing with them, the blasting oil at the end. Really had 'em running scared."

That's enough to make Ichigo return the grin. If Shuuhei can talk about tactics, he'll be fine. "Can you move?" he asks. "Or are you just going to lie there on your lazy ass all day?"

"Help me up, then," Shuuhei orders, flipping a hand at him. Ichigo manages to get an arm around his shoulders, and they both stagger to their feet, heading for the hold and the tiny room they've claimed near the fore. It's only enough space for a narrow bed and their collection of weapons, but it's enough because it's private. Not much on an airship this size can be.

With a groan, Shuuhei topples onto the thin mattress and drags Ichigo down with him into the circle of his arms. "Sand, I'm glad to be home."

Ichigo buries his smile in Shuuhei's shoulder. They're airship pirates, landless and with few meaningful possessions to call their own. But it's still a home, among the best Ichigo's ever seen. They have a big family and plenty of adventure and even more bad luck, and they're as free as the birds that Ichigo loves to watch from the top of the balloon sometimes.

"Yeah," he agrees. "I'm glad you're home, too."

There's a pause. They're both thinking the same thing—adrenaline + time off + everyone else on deck at the moment + both of them here and interested—and coming up with the same answer.

"Too sore?" Ichigo asks warily, lifting his head and hoping that the answer won't be affirmative.

"For this? Sands, no." Shuuhei hooks a knee over Ichigo's and rolls them over so he's on the top, grinning down at the redhead. "Ready, Ichigo?"

It takes a lot to refrain from rolling his eyes at the other man, but Ichigo manages it—if only barely. "Sir, yes, sir," he snaps out instead, because there isn't enough room in here to toss off a salute, and then promptly sticks his hands down Shuuhei's pants. Shuuhei hisses, but not in pain, and scrabbles for Ichigo's belt as Ichigo does the same for him. They're in great danger of rolling off the bed, thrashing and wriggling as they are, but neither cares. There's a voice in Ichigo's head chanting skin skin skin and he doesn't stop until they've both been stripped bare, clothes and knives falling over the side of the bed like rain.

"Damn it!" he hisses as Shuuhei reaches down to run his fingers over his suddenly bare erection, thumb teasing the slit, and hauls the taller man down into a kiss full of teeth and bruised lips. Shuuhei growls against his mouth, giving his bottom lip a possessive nip, even as he fumbles with the jar of slick he's pulled from under the pillows. With a snarl of impatience, Ichigo hauls him even closer, spreading his legs and wrapping one around Shuuhei's hip as he takes another kiss. They're both desperate, separated for far too long with far too much uncertainty between them.

One cool finger traces down Ichigo's side, then between his legs, and he can't help the moan that tears from his throat. "Shuuhei," he growls, a plea that the other man will understand.

Shuuhei smirks against his collarbone and—finally—slides the first finger in. "That what you wanted?" he murmurs, nipping at Ichigo's collarbone. A wordless groan is his answer, but Ichigo's hips lift as he pushes in a second finger, and buck when he introduces a third. When Shuuhei withdraws his fingers and slides in, Ichigo whispers his name like a prayer.

For all their desperation, it's slow. Easy. Their bodies rock together and apart, sliding forward, rising up, drawing back, pushing down. Ichigo grits his teeth against another groan and wraps his arms around Shuuhei, pulling him close enough to kiss.

"Missed you," he breathes against Shuuhei's mouth, something he wouldn't—couldn't—say to anyone else, but to Shuuhei it's natural.

"Same," Shuuhei breathes back, and it's everything they've never said—never needed too—and more. Ichigo sucks in a breath and comes silently, body arching into a bow, eyes falling closed as his cry gets trapped in his throat. Shuuhei feels the flutter and clamp of internal muscles and swallows his own shout, sinking his teeth into the tensed and tempting throat so close to him as he comes.

They collapse together, a trembling mass of limbs and working lungs, eyes closed.

They don't need to open them to see what they have.

Here, at the beginning of this new time of airships and pirates, after the end of the old world, they have found their own beginning.