Ichigo took the cup form Byakuya's thin pale fingers, focusing on the flowery design showing between the white fingers and putting it down he stared into the murky green depths.

"So how did this happen to you?" Ichigo asked, the cup.

"I was unfortunate to pick something up in Mayuri's lab." Byakuya answered, pouring himself a cup.

"Mayuri?" Ichigo repeated, looking up at the long black hair falling across the white features.

"I think he's talking about the Taicho with the paint and the white teeth." Ishida answered, taking the up from Byakuya.

"I don't think I ever met him..." Ichigo muttered.

"He's a bit of a mad scientist." Byakuya explained.

"Like hat and clogs?" Ichigo interjected.

"Actually he was my assistant before I left the Sereitei!" Uraharra chimed, fanning happily, his eyes never leaving Byakuya. The black haired noble glowered at the blonde man and took a cautious sip from his cup.

"Really, maybe I should meet him some time." Ichigo remarked, adding some sugar to his tea.

"That's be a swell idea, he might find out where all that damn power is coming from on you." Ishida answered.

"So you picked up a necklace and you're a teenager-" Ichigo summarized.

"A human teenager." Byakuya emphasized.

"So then old man Yammamoto kicks you out- wait what? Did you just say you were human?" Ichigo leaned forward to get a closer look at the teen aged specimen.

"Did you honestly think I would leave my abode if it were out of my power?" Byakuya asked darkly, leaning back and away from the boy who was studying him even more carefully now.

"So what are you doing here? Aren't they supposed to be looking for some kind of cure for you?"

"That is why I am here," Byakuya sat upright and put down his tea, sensing his seriousness, Ichigo did the same, "Kurosaki Ichigo, it has come to my attention that you are my only hope at becoming Shinigami and I have come here to request that you allow me to stay at your abode until I have become normal." Ichigo stared back at him and then blinked his brown eyes twice.

"Okay." He answered simply, now it was Byakuya to blink.

"Okay?" Byakuya repeated. Ichigo stood up, dusting his pants.

"Yeah, you can stay, I mean what's wrong with another Kuchiki hanging around eh?" Ichigo grinned down at him, Byakuya stared up at the orange head teen.

"That was the last reaction I was expecting." He let the corner of his mouth curl, tilting his head, "thank you for allowing me." He answered and getting up, bowed slightly to Ichigo.

"Uhh.. you're welcome." Ichigo answered and returned the bow. "hey, old man, stop staring at him like that." Byakuya looked up to see Ichigo glaring daggers at Uraharra who had put up his fan to his face but was not looking at Byakuya anymore, thankfully.

"All right, now that business is done, how about we let the eavesdroppers in!" ?Uraharra sang and yanked open the door, revealing almost everyone with their ears pressed against the door except Hitsugaya.

"Nii-sama." Rukia blushed and scuttled into the room.

"I'll go find Toshiro." Matsumoto sang and ran off.

"I think we should go THERE." Ikkaku said, shuddering Yumichika grinned and followed.

"I'll go with Matsumoto-san, bye!" She sang and ran out. Rukia shyly sat down beside Ichigo who filled her a cup of tea. Byakuya picked up his tea and sipped it slowly and his eyes widened with realization.

"Where is Yoruichi?" He asked suddenly. Uraharra looked up at him with a poker face.

"No idea," He answered, "for some reason Soifun Taicho came in here four hours ago and told Yoruichi that they should go on an adventure, she was quite happy to do it." Byakuya looked down at his tea and smiled slightly, he had to get Soifun a black stuffed cat when he got back home.

"So what is your alibi?" Byakuya looked up at Ichigo.

"Alibi?"

"Yeah, you know, the reason why you stay with me." Ichigo answered, he was on his feet again and walking over to where his bag was resting against the wall. "Rukia's some pathetic story about her house burning down, although I don't think my family members it anymore. But now it's the two of you and I don't think you both could fit in a cupboard." Byakuya stared at the back of the orange head, confused, where did a cupboard come in all of this, he wondered.

"I suppose I could say-" Byakuya began.

"Here ,these should fit." Ichigo said, dropping the bundle unto his lap. Ichigo had turned around with a tee shirt in hands hands and a pair of jeans. "We we re going to paint the classroom today but it got canceled, I guess you can wear them." Ichigo sighed.

"You can change right over there, Kuchiki." Uraharra said, pointing his fan over to the door on one side. Byakuya picked up the tee shirt, on the front was a large number six and the jeans were a pair of long legged things that looked uncomfortable. Swallowing comments, Byakuya took up the clothes and went over to the gestured space.

"I guess you could say something like I found you on the street, I mean that is what I usually do, but then again they're usually girls." Byakuya shivered out of his robes and pulled them over his head.

"Popular with them Kurosaki-"

"As if," Renji scoffed just then, Byakuya had been wondering where he had run off to, "and even if he were, he won't be with you around now." Renji laughed.

"You trying to say I can't get girls?" Ichigo ground out.

"I' m saying you never had a girl." Renji answered. Byakuya slipped on the jeans that felt every bit as rough and uncomfortable on his skin as they looked.

"Oh shut up, at least I'm not an apron wearing moocher." Ichigo snapped.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Renji yelled.

"Will you two shut up!" Rukia snapped.

"YOU HEARD ME!" Ichigo yelled back.

"Abarai." Byakuya spoke and Renji fell silent, as did Ichigo and the pair stared at him with wide eyes. In the mirror behind them, he could see his youthful features with the dark, cold eyes fixed in them from between black bangs, a black tee shirt and skinny navy blue pants and wooden slippers; he did look good.

"Man, you're thin." Ichigo finally said.

"And pale." Renji added.

"Don't talk to nii-sama like that." Rukia blushed.

"It' s quite all right, Rukia." He answered, "this form is lacking compared to my previous appearance." He remarked and let is eyes glide over his subordinate dressed in a vest and a pair of jeans, his hair braided and his tattoos covered in a white rag tied over but the highlight was his blue apron with a big white panda holding a heart and smiling back at him.

"Shall we go now Kurosaki Ichigo?" He asked, Renji's face flushed.

"Yeah, we're going now, hat and clogs!" Ichigo called t the back and stepped out into the night air, Rukia following in a a poufy purple dress and a long sleeved yellow jacket. He walked along behind them in the cool night air, watching the tall and short silhouettes quarrel and moved in violence and he could say honestly that for once he felt free.

"All right, we're here." Ichigo sighed and pulled oven the door.

"Hey, I'm home!" Ichigo called.

"Think fast my wonderful son!" Came a loud yell and Byakuya's hair was blown across his face ans a grown man tackled Ichigo who was standing mere inches in front of him.

"Behave yourself old man, can't you see we have visitors?" Ichigo demanded angrily, throwing man halfway across the room. He jumped up and Byakuya was sure Ichigo would get it, but the adult man only laughed unashamedly.

"Why hello there, who do we have here?"

"This is Byakuya ans his sister, can they stay for a while til things cool down at their house?" Ichigo asked calmly.

AN- I could write more, but my head hurts and it;'s been a long week, I just want to sleep... I think people make Ichigo overreact at times, but he's actually just stuck between Byakuya and Renji in behavior... well that's that I think... I'm going to sleep now so yeah...what ever... bye...