Shinji

"The place is huge as ya can see. Too big if ya ask me."

Four floors, expensive artwork that hung from eerie blood red walls, furnishin's that would have been more at home behind a velvet rope and a Do Not Touch sign, and ceilin′s detailed enough to rival Strahov Monastery. My first visit, I was in awe. It was the biggest house I'd ever been in, not includin′ Himeji Castle.

Borin′est class trip ever.

The kid didn't seem too impressed. Though I did see 'm give the grand piano in the sittin' room a look-see. "There's a shitload'a empty rooms so ya can kinda take yer pick."

Still nothing. I was talkin′ to myself. The kid hadn't said a word since we'd left the boss' office. I wasn't sure if it was because he was bein′ rebellious or cuz Kisuke'd scared 'm shitless. I took in the boy's far-away expression. "I'd pay attention if I was you. I ain't too big on repeatin' myself."

He blinked stupidly. "Oh, yea. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Listen."

Not even a nod. This was going great.

I took 'm up the freshly polished wooden stairs ta the second floor. No gaudy red up here, just black and white, and clean lines, real modern. Completely opposite the boss' somewhat rustic taste. This floor was Z and Noi's domain. The latter's obnoxious voice came from their rec room ta the left. We hung a right.

Despite the several invitations I'd received from the boss and Kisuke ta move in I could never bring myself ta accept, even knowin' it would be a whole lot more convenient.

"The more the merrier," the boss had said. I hadn't been around long, but it became clear pretty early on he loved takin' in strays, only problem was, I wasn't one. "Everyone needs family." He'd smile and sip his expensive cognac.

Bossman drank too much, and he spent too much time tryin' ta be a father ta every Tom, Dick, and Harry. The last thing he needed was another person he felt like he had ta take care of. Sure I thought of Kyoraku and the rest as my family now, but unlike everyone else I grew up normally. My mom and old man were average, hard-working middle class folks. Pops drove the station wagon to his secret fishing spot on as many weekends as he could. My fifteen year old brat of a little sister did what any normal little sister does to her older brother….get on my nerves, but we all loved each other.

Bottom line, I didn't need saving. However, Kurosaki Ichigo did.

I glanced at the kid. His hopeless expression made me feel a little sorry fer 'm. No kid should have ta go through what he had.

"Don't look so depressed. Kisuke was just foolin' wit ya. You'll get used to 'm." I smirked tryin' ta lighten the mood. "If ya wanna worry about someone, worry about Nnoitra. Now that's a crazy mutha fucker," I laughed, but hoped he didn't think I was jokin'. "Z keeps 'm in check most of the time, but he ain't always there, ya know?" No response. "Z's cool though and if ya don't bother Noi, he won't fuck with ya…usually. Won't be able ta avoid em' though, since you'll be working with em'…and Grimm. The one with the blue hair."

That got a reaction.

"What do you mean, working?" His alarm was written all over his face.

"Ya thought ya were just gonna stay here and take up space? Won't get no free ride here kid. Everyone's got a job ta do."

I ain't see no need ta coddle 'm. He'd made his decision and now it was time ta man up. The kid had made it abundantly clear that he wasn't a child, but a man. I seriously doubted that, though I was a firm believer that bein' a man had nothin' ta do wit' age and everything ta do wit' where yer head was at. I'd been around the world and could count the real men I'd met on one hand. Except my father and the kid's, they were all in this house. I took in the kid's sheepish expression with a sigh. He had a hell of a lot ta learn, but with Zaraki teachin' em, he'd learn fast.

In the silence that followed he broke his neck ta gawk at the chandelier hangin' from the 30 foot ceilin', then looked over the rail down at the piano again. He shoved his free hand in his pocket. "So which one's Nnoitra?"

Curiosity was finally getting the better of 'em. "The taller one, but Z's older."

"What happened to their eyes?" His pace picked up ta match mine.

"Why don't ya ask 'em?" I grinned.

His eyes rolled. "Right. So what do you guys do exactly?"

The inevitable question had finally been asked. Shame I wasn't at liberty ta answer it…not in detail anyway. "A little 'a everythin'," I shrugged. "Just worry about yerself. Zaraki'll explain things ta ya t'morra." It wasn't the answer he'd wanted, but Kisuke didn't want 'm knowin' too much just yet. I agreed. He'd find out eventually, maybe, if the boss thought it necessary.

We followed the seemin'ly never endin' hall around ta the last room. He'd be as far from Z and Noi as he could get and he'd have his own bathroom.

"So what will I be doing?" He didn't hide his irritation about bein' kept in the dark. Too bad i didn't care.

"I just told ya. Workin′ wit′ Z."

He sighed. Loud. "Doin′ what?"

"Ya know. Drops...pick-ups."

The kid's eyebrows shot up. "Like...drugs?"

"No." I should have lied. "But if it was, you'd do it." He gave me a look and I gave it right back. "You asked fer this kid."

Nobody really wanted the kid here, the boss and Kisuke most of all. Fer once, I was of a different mind. Now of course I didn't think we should let him in on anything, but just livin′ here wouldn't hurt. Stability was exactly what he needed. And besides, spendin′ time wit′ the boss, Z and Kisuke, he could learn about his old man. About the side of 'm he never knew. Just thinkin' of the goofy doctor gave me an idea.

"Ya loved yer family right…yer mom and sisters?"

The abrupt change'a topic made the kid stop dead in his tracks, narrowin' his eyes. Exactly the reaction I'd been hoping fer. I followed suit, leanin' casually against the wall, unaffected by the menacin' glare he was throwin' me. I'd gotten scarier looks from day old kittens.

"Ya should think of us as yer family now," I continued. "Not a replacement, more like an extension. Yer pops did." He didn't like that. "We all loved Kurosaki. Still do. He's like a father ta us…even the boss." He liked that even less. "He kept us in line, ya know. We all wanna get the bastards who did this. Ya just gotta trust us."

The kid stayed quiet. His eyes stayed hard, but after a moment the tenseness in his jaw disappeared. What do ya know?

"When someone insults yer family…disrespects em' in any way. Wadda ya do?"

"I knock their fucking teeth out."

No hesitation. I couldn't help but smirk. Ta him, family was the most important thing…the only thing. In that, he and his father were the same. Isshin saw his friends as a extension of that family. We were precious to 'm. Of course the kid didn't want ta hear that. He'd get over it. I'd see ta that. Angry, headstrong teenagers did stupid things, and that wasn't something we couldn't afford. So no matter how much the boss would have liked to send him home, fact was

"That's all ya need ta do here kid. Protect yer family. By any means necessary." Silence followed, but it wasn't uncomfortable. I could see the kid mullin′ over what I'd told 'm. There were too many emotions written on his face to read just one, but that was ta be expected.

I imagined it would be hard fer 'm, maybe even impossible ta accept us. In a lot'a ways, his mother and sisters deaths were at least partly our fault. Of course Isshin never blamed us, he was too busy blamin' 'mself. I imagined it was kinda like findin' out yer dad had another family you never knew about. It was my job ta make 'm believe that we were on his side and worthy of bein' called his family. It wouldn't be too hard, because we were.

"I wish Dad was here."

And just like that, the silence was broken. It didn't seem he wasn't talkin' ta me so I kept quiet. I don't even think he realized he'd said anythin'. He reached up and scratched the back of his head. Third time i'd seen him do it. Habit I guess...or lice, but suddenly he didn't seem anythin' like the determined kid with a chip the size of Asia on his shoulder. He was a scared and lonely boy who just wanted his dad. And I decided right then that he was alright wit' me.

"You're not my family," the teen said warily, "But Dad trusted you, so I guess I will too."

He was lying.

"I still think you're all just a bunch of shady thugs."

"Then yer a smart kid." I smiled and pushed away from the wall. I hadn't expected the boy ta embrace me and call me brother. I'd only wanted ta plant a seed, an idea. It would take time fer 'm ta accept us. Ta accept what his life would be like now, but eventually he would. There wasn't really no other option if he really wanted ta achieve that goal of his.

We finally came ta the end of the hall, last room on the left. I pushed the door open. "Yer pretty far from everyone, so ya've got plenty a' privacy."

He walked into the room and looked around in awe. I shook my head. The kid really had no idea what he'd gotten himself involved in. He was naive…pure even. That perpetual scowl didn't fool me anymore than it had anyone else. He was just a scared, albeit angry, kid.

I checked the time and leaned against the doorframe. "The Prodigy don't stay in the main house, but the lab is across the yard, in case ya ever need 'm. And you will. We all do eventually."

"The Prodigy?"

"Kisuke. He hates when we call ′m that." Which was the only reason we did. He got accepted ta some big deal college in America when he was eleven or twelve. Anyway, he left and never looked back. Got his first degree at fifteen, er somethin' like that. Not bad for an orphan, huh?"

The kid's jaw dropped. Orphan? Are you serious?"

"Would I lie?" Yes.

"Probably," he snorted, ploppin' down on the plush queen bed and droppin' his helmet ta the floor.

"Yer right, I would…but I ain't this time."

"So he has a lab here? What is he, some kind of scientist?" He failed miserably at tryin′ ta seem uninterested, but I gave 'em points fer the effort.

"It ain't a real lab. That's just what he calls it. He's got all kinds'a crazy shit in there. I know he comes off as a little strange, and he is, don't get me wrong. But once ya get ta know 'm he's the coolest person you'll ever meet." The kid looked unconvinced.

"Doubt if ya like," I told 'm. "He's the boss' right hand fer a reason, but you'll find out soon enough."

I checked my watch again.

"So what do you do?" He asked, leanin' back on his elbows.

I barked out a laugh. "I've been tryin' ta figure that out myself. Do me a favor. Let me know if you figure it out." He gave me a look that said he thought I was just as crazy as Kisuke. Maybe I was. "Anyway, you'll be goin on the rounds with Zaraki and the others t'morra, so go see Kis in the mornin'." The kids face twisted up and he started ta object, but I stopped 'm with a simple raise of my hand. "He'll set ya up with a phone and whatever else he thinks ya might need."

"I already got a phone."

"Well you'll have two. Oh, and at some point ya might wanna go past yer house ta get whatever ya might need."

"Oh, so I'm allowed to leave?" There was that sarcasm again. Cheeky.

"Yer not a prisoner. Come and go as ya please…stay with yer dad sometimes, nobody cares. All we ask is that ya don't throw yer work in his face. Don't talk about anythin' ya do here and don't let 'm see ya doin' it." The chime of my phone interrupted me. I snatched it from my pocket, read the text and returned it to its place. The kid was starin' off into space. "From what Kisuke's told me, ya were barely there anyway. So what's the big deal?" He scowled, and I sighed. "He can take care of himself can't he?"

I honestly didn't know. I hadn't seen the old man in weeks, but accordin' ta Kis, Kurosaki was dealin' wit depression. Major depression with psychosis, is what I think he called it. I didn't know if someone like that could be left alone or not and judgin' by the shrug he gave me neither did he.

"How bout this? I'll talk ta the boss…see if we can get 'm a nurse er somthin. Somebody ta check up on 'm if one of us can't. If worse comes ta worst he can just move in here, even though that kinda defeats the whole purpose of you stayin' here."

"He'll never leave that house." He looked worried and maybe a bit angry, as well he probably should be. We all were.

"Just get some sleep. Ya got a big day t'morra, and I got business ta take care of." I backed out of the room, pullin' the door in front of me.

"Wait!" The kid called out, jumpin' up and grabbin' the handle right before it clicked shut. "What's the boss' name?"

"Boss."

I left 'm and his frown behind and made my way back downstairs, out the back door and across the yard ta the guest house. I could hear the music before I even got there. Kisuke loved classical music. I didn't mind it, but I preferred jazz.

Yankin' the door open, I let myself in like always.

"Took you long enough," Urahara yelled over the music as I walked to the back and inta his reptile room.

"Quit yer complainin'." I looked on as he dropped a live mouse in ta one of his snakes. As many times as I'd seen 'm feed those damn things, I never got sick'a seein it. It was really a fascinatin' thing ta watch.

"So, how'd it go?" He moved away from the terrestrial rack and toward me.

"It went."

He pulled his pipe from the pocket of his lab coat and I followed 'm out the room and down the cluttered hall. "What did you tell 'm?"

I made myself comfortable on the couch in front of the flat screen that I'd never seen Kisuke actually watch. "What he needed ta hear." Kisuke took a seat on the chair opposite me. "He's scared of you ya know."

"Good," he muttered, pulling the coffee table closer to 'm and reaching in his pocket again. This time, when his hand reappeared, there was a small plastic container in it. The plastic container. My eyes widened. I hadn't seen that thing in months.

When I was a kid, my old man gambled. Once a month he would go ta the track and bet on a horse that usually lost, but occasionally he would win, and when he did he came home wit' gifts. Good ones, fer me, my mom and my sis. Me and Hiyori lived fer those days. The excitement I felt watchin' Kisuke stuff that pipe reminded me of those carefree days. It was surreal. He pulled out his lighter and put the flickerin' flame ta the bowl. The faint citrus smell of the AK mixed with somethin' I didn't quite recognize, almost makin' my mouth water.

After takin' a couple of puffs, he stood and passed it ta me. "Tell me what you think?"

"What is it?" I asked, unable ta stop myself from grinnin'. It'd been almost a year since Kisuke'd even attempted a new strain. He'd been busy with so many other things I figured he hadn't had the time. Takin' a strong pull on the pipe, I savored the flavor of the herb. It was so damn good.

"AK and a couple others. Haven't named it yet though."

I nodded in low-eyed approval, and stood ta pass the pipe back ta Kisuke. "He'll be comin' ta see ya t'morra mornin′, so be on yer best behavior."

Kisuke smiled innocently, which usually always meant trouble. He opened his mouth ta talk, but snapped it shut at the sound of Edda Moser's mesmerizin' soprano voice. The grandiose, Der hölle Rache, was one of his favorites. I had ta admit, even I liked that one. I sat back in my seat, watchin' as he closed his eyes and enjoyed two of his favorite things. He wouldn't continue 'til the song was over.

I'd met the brilliant blond about three years ago. I was in Amsterdam with an acquaintance of mine fer the Cannibus Cup. Some coffee shop named The Lab was all anyone was talkin' about. I'd never heard of it so of course I had ta see what all the hype was about. I soon found out. When I finally made my way ta The Lab's table, the sea of people surroundin' it was so big I could hardly see ta the front. However, the cloud of transparent white smoke that lingered above the mob of people smelled fantastic.

I ended up waitin' more than thirty minutes, but I finally made it ta the front. That was the first time I saw Kisuke's idiotic smile. He was dressed like a stylish bum, somethin' I soon found out was his trademark. Without sayin' a word, his arm shot out, bag of vapor in hand.

"Japanese Kush," he'd said. It only took one hit ta know he was no ordinary man, and after seein' the purple-haired and one-armed beauties that were with 'm I decided that he was someone I needed ta know.

The next time I saw 'm was at a concert the second ta last night of the festival. He was with the girls and a guy I recognized from the booth, Starrk, a tall guy with brown hair and sleepy blue eyes. He ran the shop for Kisuke and was the true definition of a stoner. We hit it off immediately and I ended up hangin' out with them all night. It was the best night of my, until that day, very ordinary life. Kisuke was willin' ta do almost anything in the name of fun and had the money ta do it. From then on we were almost inseparable. He readily invited me into his twisted world and at the time I remember thinkin′ that a man in his line of work should have exercised a little more caution. Three months later I was meetin' the Boss.

I knew I had nothin' ta offer Kyoraku's organization and after meetin' the rest of the guys I knew it even more. I told the boss as much, but it didn't seem ta make no difference.

"Kisuke wants you," Shunsui had said with that roguish smile of his.

Despite knowin' I should, I couldn't refuse. I couldn't leave Kis because, though I'd only known him a few months, I knew that behind his smiles and genius was someone who had deep rooted issues. Shunsui knew it too, but bein' a father ta so many took its toll I suppose. He was entrustin' his genius ta me. My job was not ta be The Hypnotist, the negotiator, or any of the other titles I'd been given over the past couple years, but ta be Kisuke's stability.

And just like that I went from livin' a normal life workin' a nine ta five, ta' bein' a part of a major crime syndicate. Brilliant career change if I do say so myself. A few months later the bombing happened.

We sat in silence long after the song was over just passing the pipe back and forth. Either he'd forgotten what he'd wanted ta say or it just wasn't that important at the moment.

"Tha boss wants me ta go see Aizen," I finally said, breakin' the silence. Kisuke shrugged, totally indifferent.

Aizen Sosuke, antique book store owner and master forger. He hated Kisuke like Yosemite Sam hated Bugs Bunny and for the exact same reasons. He was the kind'a man who was on no one's side but his own. And that made 'm a threat. I never understood why tha boss never asked anyone ta go see 'm but me, but I didn't mind. I was willin' ta do anything ta help. My days usually consisted of shootin' the shit with Kisuke and lettin' 'm scramble my brain with shit I couldn't even begin ta understand, so goin' ta see Sosuke was always a treat. He made me think in a way that Kisuke didn't and couldn't. Sosuke was a danger. Kis wasn't. Not ta me anyway.

Still, he's smarter than me and he knows it. I ain't dumb er nothin', but I don't pretend to be in the same league as the Kisuke or the Bookkeeper. My only skill, if it could even be called that, was my persuasiveness, but it wasn't hard ta change someone's mind with guys as intimidatin' as Z and Noi at my back. That's how I got this ridiculous nickname. Kisuke made it up jokin' around. I'd hated it at first, but it spread like wildfire and soon there was no gettin' away from it.

"Need ta get some papers done fer Z and Noi. Ya need anythin' fer the kid?" My eyes were low and my stomach was startin' ta talk ta me. Munchies.

My friend shook his head. "Not yet, but when I do, I can make them myself." He wasn't bein' a dick. He was statin' fact. That was just Kisuke. He rarely, and by rarely I mean never, accepted help from anyone. He didn't want ta be a burden, which was kinda funny since he always went outta his way ta help others.

"I know ya can," I said. "But I already gotta go so if ya need somethin' just let me know. It ain't like I got nothin' better ta do." He didn't reply. The subject was not up for debate. It never was, but I tried my luck every time the opportunity presented itself.

He let out a dry cough. "I don't know why Shunsui insists on giving him money for something I could do for free. The man hasn't got a decent bone in his body, to speak nothing of his mental state."

And just like that the subject had returned ta Aizen. I sighed. For a free spirit Kisuke was awfully stuck in his ways. "Me neither," I replied. "Ya'd think he'd know better than ta associate with such an amoral character," I said with a smirk, as Kisuke re-stuffed the pipe and I went ta raid the kitchen.