Elixir

A/N: Nope, I haven't abandoned this! Sorry for having such a long delay.

"Ulquiorra, is there any way that someone's blood can affect another person?" Ichigo asked as he blocked an attack.

"If you bite someone then your venom affects them," Ulquiorra answered, not stopping his advance on Ichigo. He dipped blade slightly but then quickly moved to Ichigo's unprotected back. "Still too slow."

"But getting better," Ichigo stated, turning with a grin and pointing at the rip in fabric on Ulquiorra's right arm.

"Better yes, but that wouldn't have been a killing blow," Ulquiorra chided his student.

"I know that I have venom," Ichigo turned back to the subject he was asking about. "What I'm asking if that if someone bites me and drinks me, does that change them?"

"No," Ulquiorra answered.

"Never?"

"It's never happened before," Ulquiorra replied.

I could swear though that it's happened with me though, Ichigo thought to himself. I mean with Nel, she changed in her attitude towards me before I bit her, right? Or am I remembering it wrong? Starrk of course, but he's different.

Ichigo was a little relieved to see the note that Aizen left just inside their living quarters, saying that he'd be gone for a couple of days. Ichigo wasn't relishing the upcoming confrontation between the two of them. He frowned at the note below the one that Aizen had left, from Szayel. He read the contents angrily and threw the note in the trash, not that it would change anything.

Sleeping wasn't a problem though. He had worked out a lot of energy practicing with Ulquiorra so he drifted off as soon as his head hit the feather down pillow.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo heard his name being called, even in his sleep. He could feel it in his mind.

"ICHIGO!" came a panicked call.

Ichigo bolted up. Starrk. What was wrong with Starrk?

Ichigo didn't even bother to get dressed, running through the long hallways of Las Noches in his boxers, his bare feet hitting the cold white tiles that lined the ground, feeling the adrenaline pump through him as he tried to remain calm.

"Ichigo...please..." he heard as he got to the door. It wasn't locked and Ichigo entered quickly.

Starrk was on the bed, writhing around as if in pain.

"Ichigo..."

Starrk wasn't speaking out loud. Is he...dreaming? Ichigo thought. Well, having a nightmare at least.

"Starrk," Ichigo said, putting a hand to Starrk's shoulder. "Wake up..." he shook him slightly.

Starrk's eyes opened widely and he quickly grabbed onto Ichigo, pulling him onto the bed, wrapping around him. It took a moment for him to realize that he was awake.

"You're here?" Starrk asked, confused, but not releasing Ichigo from his grip.

"I...heard you. You were calling to me. I thought that you were in trouble," Ichigo said.

Starrk still clung to Ichigo and buried his head into that bright orange hair, more mussed than usual from sleeping.

He smells entirely too good, Starrk thought to himself as he began to fully wake up.

"You were having a nightmare," Ichigo stated after awhile, when it was obvious that Starrk wasn't going to say anything.

"Yes," Starrk said simply.

"You should probably let me..." Ichigo was silenced by Starrk's lips on his.

I can't resist him now, Starrk said. It's hard enough during the day, but now when there's a full moon shining down on me, I don't even have a chance.

It was so different than when Aizen kisses me, Ichigo thought. It might just be whatever lingering thoughts and pieces of dream that remained in Starrk's head, but the kiss was desperate, passionate, consuming. Ichigo felt himself immediately give in to the kiss without thinking about it, his hands clutching at Starrk's back. He moaned as Starrk continued to move on his lips, began to caress his tongue with his own, as he felt Starrk's hips move forward and press into him.

Ichigo was now very aware that both of them were barely dressed and laying together in a bed. The danger of being found in their passionate embrace finally woke him up enough to stop. He put his hand between him and Starrk, pressing at the man's bare chest to get Starrk's lips off of his own.

Breathing deeply, Starrk looked into his eyes with such longing that Ichigo felt guilty for pushing him away.

"S-sorry," Ichigo stuttered.

"I should be apologizing, but I won't," Starrk said in a voice deep with lust. "I've never wanted anything more than I do in this moment."

"I...need to go," Ichigo said, still unable to look away from Starrk's face, from his expressive eyes.

"I know...it's just hard to...let go," Starrk said.

There was a moment when Ichigo really thought that Starrk wouldn't let him go, but then the man sighed and relaxed his grip on Ichigo. Ichigo crawled out of the bed and stood in the dark for several seconds. "Are you ok now?" he asked.

"No," Starrk answered.

"I mean, about the dream."

"No," Starrk replied.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Ichigo asked.

"Not now. You should go before I change my mind and do something dangerous," Starrk said, his voice holding an edge to it, his eyes sparking with intensity.

So Ichigo left him.

Starrk stared at his ceiling for hours. Eventually Lilynette climbed into bed with him and he wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep with his head on her side, listening to the gentle rhythm of her breathing.

Ichigo didn't have as much trouble getting to sleep, but he had a hard time staying asleep, constantly waking up to half remembered dreams, all featuring steely blue eyes watching him with hidden pain and not so hidden desire. He woke up repetitively, covered in sweat, calling out Starrk's name and reaching for someone that wasn't there.

When he woke up in the morning with a headache, he was deeply glad that Aizen didn't come home that night.

So, I guess this is when I figure out if my theory is right or not, Ichigo thought to himself, eyeballing the pink haired man in front of him. "You don't have to be so cliché," Ichigo said out loud.

"What?" Szayel asked him.

"You're practically cackling like a mad scientist. Can't you at least pretend that you're not going to try and dissect me?"

"I wouldn't do that! Lord Aizen wouldn't let me for one thing," Szayel said.

"I have a theory I'd like to ask you about before you do anything to me," Ichigo stated.

"Like I care what some idiot like you thinks about science," Szayel laughed.

"Let me just say that I'm curious about my blood. Aizen said that it was extremely potent. Can you test it?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, well I would do that anyways," Szayel explained.

"It's just that...I think that it works differently on different people," Ichigo said. "At least in my experience."

"Your blood shouldn't affect anyone, really," Szayel responded. "Aside from incurring blood lust, that is."

"Oh, maybe it's just that then," Ichigo pretended to consider it. "But it seems odd that it would also do different things for Starrk and Aizen, they aren't really emotional or lust driven like someone like Grimmjow is."

"Hm," Szayel said, pursing his lips as he tapped a pen to a piece of paper.

"I was thinking maybe you could have a couple of different people here and they could bite me and we could see if there was a difference or not."

"I suppose so," Szayel thought out loud.

"And you'd want to do it before you put any poison or anything in to me to get accurate results," Ichigo said.

Szayel nodded. "Alright, I'll bring a couple of my assistants in and we'll try it."

"So, how do you feel, Lumina? Feeling anything odd, Verona?" Szayel asked. "Your blood work shows no difference before and after partaking of Ichigo Kurosaki's blood."

"I feel...odd," Lumina admitted.

"Can't describe it," Verona said.

"USELESS!" Szayel yelled at them, hitting them over the head with his clipboard.

"Well, if there's no change, there's no change," Ichigo stated.

"No, there is a change, obviously, you dolt. I'm just not reading it. How aggravating!" Szayel complained.

"You could always try yourself," Ichigo shrugged.

"I suppose so."

"I'm sure Aizen would have said something if he didn't want you to do certain things," Ichigo said.

"Oh yes, he did outline specifics of things I couldn't do to you and drinking your blood wasn't on the list."

Ichigo was now very curious about the list but held off on asking just yet. Instead he tried to look as innocent and naive as possible. "I guess some scientists don't like getting closely involved with their experiments, but I imagine someone like you is able to remain objective at all times," he said.

"Of course I can," Szayel said. "I strive for ultimate perfection and won't be rattled by whatever in the world is running about in your blood."

"Well then?" Ichigo moved his head, providing access to his neck.

Szayel paused and then approached, gently laying a hand on Ichigo's jaw to hold him steady as he expertly pressed his fangs into Ichigo's artery. Ichigo pretended to absently put his arms around the scientist, but in truth he wanted to make sure the the glasses wearing man drunk as much as possible. He felt a tug as the man tried to pull away, but ignored it. Finally Szayel pulled back for real, pressing a clean white glove to his lips and dying it slightly crimson.

His eyes were slightly glazed and Ichigo noted that Szayel's hands were trembling slightly as he pulled off his now soiled gloves.

"Well? Any idea?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm...having a hard time quantifying it," Szayel admitted. "Let me run some vitals and then we'll see."

Ichigo smiled as Szayel check his own blood and took tissue samples, frowning over the results.

"Did you want something?" Lumina asked Ichigo. "You just got drained by three people. Did you want some water or something?"

"Milk is better, if you want some," Verona offered.

Ichigo felt a slight surge of defiance in him. Ha, I can do it, he thought to himself. Maybe this will help me with Aizen somehow. Can I control it? Or is it just that people who drink from me are bound to me somehow?

"I don't mind doing tests for you," Ichigo said to Szayel, deciding to test his luck. "But I want to know what they are before you do them, and I want to approve of them."

Szayel nodded absently. "There's nothing too odd or painful today, you'll be fine," he assured his patient. "Verona, hand him the list so he can look over it."

Here's hoping that whatever is affecting them works for multiple days, Ichigo thought, because no way am I submitting to anything I don't want to do.

Aizen flipped through the findings that Szayel had handed him. "I gave you a lot of leeway, I'm surprised that you didn't push that to the fullest extent," he said as he finished the last page.

"Well, some of things seemed like they might be too strenuous for Ichigo, so I decided to not do them," Szayel said.

So it's just "Ichigo", is it? And somehow Ichigo convinced him to not do any of the tests that I was sure he was going to do. Pretty impressive for a newbie, Aizen thought to himself with a smirk. He might be more valuable to me than I had thought before if he can somehow convert Szayel into, if not a friend, at least an amicable acquaintance.

I wonder how capable he really is? Aizen wondered. I should put him in the presence of someone who really isn't friendly.

Aizen considered his options.

"Nnoitra will be training Ichigo from now on?" Ulquiorra asked in shock.

"You sound upset. I thought you'd be happy to have him off of your hands," Aizen said. "Or are you fond of him for coming up with a way to save Grimmjow? Perhaps you like having him as a pupil?"

"I...am fond of him yes," Ulquiorra replied. "Also, I've already prepared his training lessons for the next several weeks. He is a very fast learner and I'm happy with his progression now that we are finally getting somewhere."

"You can give your notes to Nnoitra, but I doubt he'll take them into consideration," Aizen said to the smaller man.

"Yes, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra responded, bowing slightly.

He really is...almost mad, Aizen thought to himself. How interesting.

"WHAT DA FUCK!" Nnoitra yelled at Ichigo. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN HERE?"

"Less yelling," Tesla reminded Nnoitra.

"WHAT?"

"You told Lord Aizen that there would be less yelling," Tesla mentioned.

"FUCK AIZEN! Oh wait, that's YER job isn't it?" Nnoitra said, looking over at Ichigo with murderous intent emanating from his gaze.

Ichigo shrugged. "Well, get fucked by Aizen, but you do too, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"I do...I DO WHAT?" Nnoitra screamed.

"Less..." Tesla started.

"I KNOW!" Nnoitra said loudly, but still starting to settle down a little. He took a breath and closed his eye for a second. "Ok...here's da thing..."

"How did you lose your eye?" Ichigo asked.

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME YA SNOTTY BRAT!"

"He never had one," Tesla confessed quietly to Ichigo.

"Never?"

"Well, I don't think anyways," Tesla said.

"And you?" Ichigo was ignoring Nnoitra, who was still screaming in the background.

"Oh well..." Tesla popped up the eye patch and revealed that he had a perfectly normal eye underneath. "I guess you could say it's...a stylistic choice."

"STOP TALKING AND LISTEN TA ME!" Nnoitra yelled at both of them.

"Why? You're too chicken to hurt someone like me anyways. You're probably just like the others, too scared to even bite me because I'm Aizen's newest boy toy," Ichigo scoffed.

"I'm what?" this time Nnoitra was quiet, but the intent of his voice cut through the room. "Did ya just call me a coward?"

"I said "chicken". Do you prefer "coward"?" Ichigo asked. He gasped as he felt himself being slammed into the wall, a small piece of plaster falling down into his hair. The force of the attack had pressed the air from his lungs and he was fighting to keep his composure. Still, he didn't look away from the one angry eyeball that was pinning him to the wall just as much as the rest of Nnoitra's body was.

"How dare you," Nnoitra breathed. He used his own head to press Ichigo's out of the way, biting deeply into Ichigo without warning.

At least I made him angry enough that he'll probably...Ichigo was beginning to lose consciousness. I wonder if it's from the lack of air or from the blood? He thought vaguely as the world began to darken.

"Shit," Nnoitra said from some place in the distance.

Ichigo popped open an eye when he heard that, realizing that Nnoitra was actually crouched over him.

"Finally awake, ya runt?" Nnoitra asked.

"Are you ok?" Tesla asked, leaning down over Ichigo next to Nnoitra. "Please don't complain to Lord Aizen about Master Nnoitra. He just gets angry sometimes, he's not a bad person. Lord Aizen hasn't been in a good mood recently and..."

"Stop yer sniveling, Tesla," Nnoitra warned.

"I don't tell Aizen anything," Ichigo said. "He has enough spies. He can figure out for himself whatever he wants."

For some reason this made Nnoitra laugh.

Ichigo sat up slowly. "I was just teasing, you know. Everyone knows that you're the strongest of the elder council," he said.

"I know that," Nnoitra said. He paused. "Who said that?"

"I heard a couple of the family members from Szayel's family talking about it," Ichigo lied. "They weren't happy being with Szayel and wished that they could be with someone stronger, like you."

Tesla's eyes flashed. "Who said that?"

Jealousy? Ichigo wondered. I guess I should be a little careful. "Don't worry, it was just a couple of random nobodies." Ichigo decided to add it on a little thicker. "Actually, that's why I asked if you could train me instead of Ulquiorra, because I heard you were stronger."

"Than Ulquiorra?" Nnoitra grinned. "Absolutely."

"So, I'm sorry for being a bother to you, but once I mentioned it, Aizen insisted," Ichigo said.

So devious, Aizen thought as he watched the scene. The boy instantly recognized the danger of the situation and the weaknesses of the two men involved. Ichigo knows that it's unlikely that Nnoitra will talk to me about this so he can say whatever he wants about his reasons for being here. Very clever.

Aizen smiled to himself. Perhaps I've found another right hand man, once I get tired of Tosen or Gin. Ichigo can be my wild card.

He's probably here, right now, Ichigo thought to himself. Surely I don't mean so little to him that he'd put me with this psychopath and not be here in case he needed to step in to protect me.

"Well, let's start," Nnoitra said, grabbing an insanely huge weapon from the wall.

Ichigo paled. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.