He was in big trouble.

Kurosaki Shin'ichi felt that he was typically a good kid. Although he was convinced he was not his Byakuya oji-sama's absolute favorite- that was his oldest sister- in the least, his grandfather adored him. As the only son, mama's boy, and the baby of the family, he prided himself on knowing he could get his way if he really wished it. Still, there were just some things that he could not get out of… and this was one of them.

He knew that Byakuya-ojisama was coming today, so his mother had completely cleaned out the entire house- especially the living room- in preparation for it. Since she was finished, everybody had been absolutely banned from entering there. Shin had been trying to finish his homework…. But to no avail. There was a problem.

He opened the door to his oldest sister's room, poking his head in the doorway, "Reira-nee, do you know where my textbook is?"

His two older sisters, Reira and Sakura, sat on the floor in the room, Sakura's textbook and lots of papers spread out on the floor. Reira was the oldest, with violet eyes and dirty blond hair that spiraled and curled all the way down her back. The only straight piece of hair on her head was that stray bang that teased her nose. She was a graduate shinigami, an unseated member of the 13th division, beautiful, gentle, striking and smart with her own zanpakuto and shikai. She had graduated the academy early, was head of her class, and carried Ichigo's special gene of having a monster-like reiatsu.

Though she could control it far, far better.

Sakura was the second child, two years younger then her sister. Her hair was black, waist length-length with thick bangs on her forehead- she was the only child with their father's eye color. Still a student at the academy, she found her homework easily done with Reira around.

Both of them looked up at him. Reira shook her head, "Nope."

"Sakura-nee?"

"Uhuh."

Shin bit his lip, mentally cursing, "Dang it." He closed the door, returning slowly and dreadfully back down stairs.

Now, there was no way it could be any place but the forbidden area. He had looked everywhere… except the living room.

He stood with baited breath as he stared into the dining room from the entrance. Violet eyes scanned the room; he ran a hand through disheveled orange hair, looking around worriedly.

The living room looked amazing, free of its usual horrendous condition, sparkling and brand new as if nobody had ever set foot in it- and, oddly enough, there was yellow warning tape tied across the entrance.

Shin looked around him for any signs of his mom, before looking back at the living room. Curling and uncurling his hands, he slowly got down on his knees, beginning to slide himself under the tape-

"STOOOOOOOOP."

He jolted at the deep, feminine voiced that suddenly boomed from behind him, immediately he bolted back up to standing, his arms to his sides, eyes wide as he knew he had been caught. He swallowed hard, a bead of sweat rolled slowly on his forehead.

Kurosaki Rukia stood in front of him, a squinting, scrutinizing glare on her face, sipping tea from a cup as if she had been standing there watching him the whole time. From her attire it was obvious she had come from the 13th division- since she was vice-captain, after all- but still...

"Mama…." His voice was a breathless, horrified whisper, "I-I…. I'm sorry…I would never wanna disrespect you- it's just…."

Rukia's angry face only seemed to deepen, a hand on her hip, "Shin, are you- are you stupid?" she held out her cup as if to point at him with it, "If a single piece of dust gets in there, it is on you! That's it! You're dead!"

Shin almost groaned, "But Mamaaaaa, you don't even have any friends! Nobody goes in there!"

"Everybody goes in there, what do you mean I have no friends!" Rukia ranted loudly at her 14 year old brat, eyes angry- she knew this behavior could only be Ichigo's genes- "Just last week-..." she paused, not wanting to admit defeat, "...-Orihime was about to come over!"

When Shin made a "are-you-serious" face at her, Rukia tilted her nose up in annoyance and decided, "You're so stupid, you're grounded."

"What!" Shin's jaw dropped, his hands on his hips, as his voice held surprise, "But you've never grounded me!"

"There's a first for everything!"

"Fine, how long am I grounded for?"

Rukia waved her hand, her face impassive, "Until you are married, and that's what I've decided so you have no say in it!"

"What!" Shin's face was shocked, and it was then Rukia thought he looked a lot like Ichigo as he threw his arm out to point dramatically upstairs, "How am I supposed to get married if you lock me in my-" his violet eyes widened in realization and he began to shake his head in dread, "Oh, no…"

Rukia, meanwhile, shrugged, stating as if it was no big deal, "I will get you married to Yachiru Kusajishi, and she will come over here and we will have the entire wedding in the living room... but you are not allowed to enter. Because you're so stupid!"

The sudden mental image of that insane pink haired girl in a wedding dress chasing him as he ran desperately away popped into Shin's mind, and he folded his hands in front of him, changing his demeanor and looking at his mom in awe and wonder, "…Mama, did anyone tell you how beautiful you look today…?"

Rukia raised an eyebrow, suddenly surprised, "….Really?"

"Yes…" Shin blinked innocently at her, "It's… it's your hair, isn't it?"

Rukia bit her lip, fingering a lock of the fine dark hair that fell over her shoulder, "…Perhaps…"

"Oh Mama, it's so bea-"

"DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT ON ME, I'LL STILL CALL YOUR FATHER NOW!" Rukia screamed suddenly, stepped to the sidetable at the right and grabbing the phone and dialing.

"No!" Shin wailed, eyes wide, "Don't call dad I'll do anything but don't call dad PLEASE don't call dad!" he began to jump up and down now in terror. Rukia only shook her head, watching her son with narrowed, wicked eyes and slowly and dramatically raising the phone up as she said in a menacing, low tone, "You're in big trouble…"

She dialed, waiting a moment. "…Hello?...Hello, Ichigo?... Ichigo, come home right now! Your son's hands are really red, I caught him- he was sneaking into the living room!...Oh…uhuh…..you are?…..ok, yeah, because I…yes…..Reira and Sakura….and for Shin…"

She hung up, glaring at him then, "Shin, I have eyes on the back of my FEET, I'm not stupid!"

"I'm sorry!"

"How dare you try to sneak in there! After I cleaned it spotless and put the tape up and everything!"

"My history book is in there!"

"I already moved all of your stuff to your room, you stupid! Go check if you don't believe!"

Shin stormed upstairs then, wrenching the door to his room open, where his eyes scanned for his chemistry book as he bit his lip. He shuffled through the stack of books on his desk, annoyed, "Yo, ma!"

Silence.

"Mama! Mama, where is it?"

"Ooof!" He heard Rukia's angry storming up the steps, "Baka, if I- I see it in front of your eyes, if I find it, you are dead meat, baloney!"

She came in, shuffling through the pile of books he had previously looked through. She did not notice him sneak out of the room as she pulled his chemistry book from the pile and hold it up in front of her, "Kono baka Shin, you are stupid, you didn't see it says right here, 'History.' 'History of Seireitei-"

She turned then, stopping as she looked around to find her son long gone.

Rukia stood there for a moment, pausing, before her face went stony as she slammed the textbook down on his desk and stormed out of the room after her son.