Lmao! You can really tell when people are busy, there's a serious lack of reviews... or maybe it's because I don't answer them anymore. It makes me sad not to answer them all, but I need those hours to write T^T I really do love them! I appreciate every single one! XD Anyway, people have reviewed interest in the princess fic... I just might post that once I finish off Jail Bird, but no promises. As I stated before, I have three unposted fics I'm working on. That one is just one of them =)

Shiro: I know 'em all! *jumps around excitedly*

Ichi: Shut the fuck up, Shiro, you've already said enough! D=

Grimm: Oh, but, Ichi... don't you want everyone knowing the gist of the other two?

Ichi: No! DX

Grimm: But they've waited for so long to get a crossdressing Ichigo back. =3

Ichi: Son of a bitch! I told you to shut the fuck up! DX

Shiro: Techincally, ya told me ta shut up. =)

Vae: ... I love my boys ;p *wishes she owned them, but sadly doesn't*


Chapter 3

Ichigo sighs as he lies in bed, his amber eyes staring at the ceiling as he worries himself to death. Ichigo hasn't had the best childhood, especially growing up in the rough district surrounded by crime and death. At the age of three, his parents were killed by a mugger during a late night walk through the park. Not knowing any other family or what else to do, Ichigo stayed on the streets for a year before meeting Rukia.

She was out with her older brother, the fourteen year old at the time having taken her shopping. They were from a rich family, their parents leaving them well-off before packing up and moving to a Caribbean island. Byakuya took raising Rukia upon his own shoulders while still pushing himself through school and then college. Rukia found Ichigo sleeping in the alleyway of the shop they were exiting, drawn by the sound of a kitten mewling nearby. The older Kuchiki took Ichigo in as well, knowing it would be best for Rukia if she had someone around her age to play with… she didn't get along with other rich kids and they snubbed her for being left by her parents. It was three years later Byakuya came across Kisuke Urahara, Ichigo's uncle. By then, Ichigo had become accustomed to his new family and Kisuke wasn't ready to have children of his own… he was far too happy sleeping around, but took on the role of uncle quickly. Needless to say, Ichigo isn't very surprised he's so messed up.

"Why me?" he sighs out. "Why does it always have to be me? I did nothing to deserve this! I'm a good person, yet shit keeps piling up on me!"

*I like 'im, * Shiro chides in. *He's good fer us. *

"That only goes to show it's a bad idea!" Ichigo snaps. "You never have any good ideas; you're just sadistic and evil!"

*I told ya ta dump that douche when ya first started seein' 'im, I think that was a damn good idea. And 'parently I was right anyway, 'cause ya dumped him last night! *

Ichigo stops at that, a blush heating his face before he scowls. In the privacy of his room, Ichigo speaks aloud to his Id without the fear of mental evaluation… but sometimes he just wants Shiro to stay quiet for good. Especially when he has a point, as Ichigo doesn't like hearing his baser side was right about something when Ichigo wasn't.

"I loved him," he mumbles in excuse.

*I'm yer base instincts, I know love, * Shiro scoffs. *Ya lusted after 'im, nothin' more. If ya listened ta me more often, ya might just find that damn emotion yer so deluded 'bout in the first place! *

"Leave me alone!"

*Ya need ta sleep! *

"You talking to me isn't helping to get me what I need!" Ichigo shouts infuriated.

*Oh… but I know how ta get ya sleep! *

Ichigo opens his mouth to question the other, yet finds his vision blurring. He gasps in panic, moving to sit up and finding the room has started spinning. Shiro cackles in joy within the orange haired male's head, the last sound Ichigo hears before his head hits the pillow.

Rukia is on a mission as she slams open Ichigo's door and storms in, determined to do exactly as her Nii-sama told her! Ichigo is startled awake when she grabs the blankets he's cocooned in and pulls him off the bed, his body hitting the wood floor with a thump.

"Fuck!" he shouts. "That hurt!"

"Yeah, I figured it would," she grins. "I'm here to get you ready for your celebration tonight!"

"… What time is it?"

"Noon," she waves off. "You've been out all morning and didn't come when we called you for lunch… Nii-sama was worried. You know how he is, he immediately thought you were ill and called the doctor. I told him you just not sleeping well, which is the only thing that saved you from endless exams and tests. Be thankful, damn it!"

"I'm thankful, I'm thankful," Ichigo says quickly as she advances on him. "But you're still here way earlier, I'm not supposed to meet Grimmjow until tonight and the club doesn't even open until ten."

"Look at you!" she scolds. "You look like the living dead, you're in your boxers from yesterday, you haven't showered yet, you haven't had a haircut in… how long now? Never mind, it doesn't matter. The point is I have my work cut out for me. Please tell me you kept your clubbing clothes when you got with your latest douche bag."

Ichigo looks away sheepishly, unable to tell his sister than Troy made him throw out his clubbing clothes. They were in a committed relationship and the other pointed out that he wouldn't need to go clubbing anymore. With a heavy sigh, he allows Rukia to drag him out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen. Standing there happily is Unohana, a woman that's been dating Byakuya off and on since Ichigo joined the family. She loved having a family, but she and Byakuya were always too ambitious… school, college, work; it was always getting in the way of their relationship. Six months ago, however, she showed up at the mansion ready to settle down. Their educations were taken care of, both their jobs were at a high point, and she just wanted to be with the man she loved.

"My, my, Ichigo," she chuckles. "You certainly have let yourself go. Any longer and you would've looked like a girl."

"I know, I know," he mutters. "My latest ex wanted me to grow it out."

"Well, I think we can cut it down now," she comments. "Come have a seat and I'll give you a trim."

Ichigo nods and does as told, sitting down and waiting as Unohana wets down his vibrant locks before cutting them. She's always done his and Rukia's hair, even when she was too busy to date Byakuya she made time for the kids, so this isn't unusual for the orange haired male. Once she's cut the lengthy strands into a slightly long and windblown spike, she steps back to admire her work.

"Much better. Practical and stylish!" she grins. "I hear you're meeting a new client tonight! Good for you, not letting that horrid man bring you down!"

"Yeah," Ichigo smiles minutely. "I'm a little iffy about this new client, but Byakuya's right… the man would make a shit load of money for us."

"You can catch up later!" Rukia states impatiently. "We need to go shopping for a new clubbing wardrobe!"

"What?" Ichigo gapes.

"Now! Hurry up!"

The small raven grabs Ichigo's hand and pulls him back upstairs, shoving him in the shower and turning on the cold water. Smirking deviously at Ichigo's yelp, she turns away to begin getting his clothes ready. She's unbothered by sharing a bathroom with the other, as she's extremely rude about his privacy at times. If she needs to talk she doesn't care what he's doing… she even stormed into his bedroom when he was about to lose his virginity to speak to him about something troubling her. Needless to say, he didn't become a man that night.

"Rukia, I'm really tired," Ichigo whines. "Can't we just rest a bit before going shopping? You're like a rabid dog when you get started and this is a whole wardrobe!"

"Shopping!" she shouts.

After getting dressed… throughout the house, as Rukia couldn't wait for him to finish… and driving to town, Ichigo and Rukia are staring at piles of bags and boxes. This is the third store and Rukia spares no expense when it comes to dressing good, so the amount of supplies has grown considerably.

"Next!"

"Seriously? This isn't enough?"

"Of course not! It's never enough when you're shopping for clothes and shoes!"

Ichigo sighs and follows her into the next place, hoping his feet don't break out in blisters before tonight. The orange haired male loves to dance, but that might be difficult if his feet are bleeding from this excursion.

"Try this on," Rukia remarks as she starts piling clothes into his arms. "And this… and this one… and this, too!"

Grumbling the whole way, Ichigo heads to the changing room. His arms hold skin tight jeans, leather pants, graphic tees, vests, dress shirts, and so much more. It takes him another hour to finish trying stuff on for his sister, especially since she keeps tossing more stuff over the top of the door. As he told Rukia before, once she gets shopping she could be gone a week without noticing the time.

"Perfect!" she grins when he walks out. "I love it! The blue sets off your hair perfectly!"

"Wonderful, are we done?"

She immediately holds up three more outfits, handing them over and ushering her little brother back into the small cubicle. It's four more outfits and twenty pairs of shoes before Ichigo begins to get irritated, Rukia finally pleased enough to pay and leave. After unloading the bags into the limo, she starts for the next store in line. Ichigo is finished, however, and starving to boot. He pulls Rukia into a deli for a sandwich before demanding they head home.

"We just got started!" she protests.

"Rukia, I appreciate you helping me out," he offers. "But if we continue on this, I'll be late to the meeting. It's already four in the afternoon, I have to get back so I can figure out what I'm wearing… you know that's gonna take you another three or four hours and the drive to the club isn't short…"

"… I guess you're right," the petite female murmurs sadly. "Let's go."

Back at home, Byakuya already has the majority of the house staff waiting to unload the limo. He's been avoiding Ichigo since yesterday's meeting; knowing the orange haired male is likely to pester him until the raven finally breaks and tells his baby sibling everything about this contract. The maids and butlers will likely clean and put away Ichigo's new things, though the youth would rather do it himself… one of the reasons he moved out on his own. Rukia stayed within the mansion, as she has her own wing like Ichigo… Ichigo just found the small studio apartment idea appealing and set out to spread his wings.

"I'm running out of time, Rukia!" he huffs. "This makes outfit number fifty! I'm getting tired of changing, please pick something!"

"For a fashion designing uke, you certainly don't have much of an eye for fashion when it's your own clothes," she points out in frustration.

"That not… how could you… I never… You don't know I'm the uke!" Ichigo sputters indignantly.

"Please, it's written all over your face when I ask you about details to your sexual escapades. I'm your sister, remember? I know you better than you know yourself."

Ichigo blushes hotly, grabbing the next outfit and stripping down to his boxers. Rukia has been lying on her stomach on his bed since they started; a pile of magazines beside her and one open in front of her. As she waits for her little brother to get dressed again, the small raven flips the page absently.

"Done," Ichigo mutters.

She looks up to see him in a red fishnet top with a black tank beneath it, a skull earring dangling from his ear, spiked wrist bands, tight black jeans ripped along the front of the legs, and black combat boots with red laces and a bloody skull painted on the side. Rukia cheers happily, getting up to locate the hair gel and styling his hair so it'll behave. He looks like the badass she knew in high school, filling her heart with joy at the sight of the old Ichigo… if only on the surface.

"You're ready! Have fun, baby brother," she chirps happily. "Do everything I'm not allowed to do and everything that might possibly give Nii-sama a heart attack if even mentioned!"

"It's not a date, Rukia!" he shouts a bit flustered.

"Mm-hm… not yet," she laughs. "But play your cards right and you'll get laid before tomorrow morning!"

Ichigo turns away to roll his eyes, as last time Rukia caught him doing it she beat him down mercilessly. With a wave over his shoulder, the orange haired male heads out. When the youth steps outside, a car isn't waiting for. This time it's his bike is. Ichigo gawks in shock, his mouth agape as he takes in the fiery paint job done in blues and whites.

"Holy shit!" Ichigo states. "How… where did… this can't be… what..?"

"Master Kuchiki had me pick it up from Renji's shop this morning," the butler smiles. "He had it moved there after you told Renji and Rukia it had been wrecked… it was supposed to be your birthday present, but Renji hadn't finished it yet. Happy birthday, Master Ichigo."

Ichigo shouts out in happiness, wrapping the older butler in a tight hug and whirling them both around excitedly. The butler laughs at his antics, handing him the matching helmet he had been holding and nudging him on his way. The staff has been employed within the Kuchiki manor for years, starting young and staying until they find a better job or retire. They're a part of this mismatched family and they've watched Ichigo and Rukia… and even Byakuya… grow up. They're all very fond of the family they serve and vise-versa. He waves to the older man joyously as he starts the bike, the machine purring beneath him before jetting forward.

Ichigo arrives at the club early thanks to his mode of transportation. This is the only thing Ichigo allows Shiro to enjoy as well, the other having a love of speed that Ichigo shares wholeheartedly. It feels so good when both their emotions are in sync, so much better than the usual stress inducing chaos that flows through the orange haired teen, and Ichigo revels in it for the time it's there. It feels right, makes him feel complete instead of dangerously shattered. He steps up to the entrance of the club, glancing on either side to survey the buildings along the strip… and scowls. This is the haughty part of town, a miniature Vegas with chapels and casinos and bright flashing lights all over. Ichigo's never liked this place, it's poison.

"You going in?" a deep voice wonders.

"Um… yes, thank you."

"You on the list?"

"I better be!" Ichigo scowls. "I didn't spend the entire fucking day letting my big sister throw me about like a little doll getting me ready just to be turned away, damn it! If Jaegerjaques didn't put me on the fucking list, I'm gonna kick his dense ass!"

"Ah… you must be the sexy temperamental associate," the bouncer comments. "Go ahead."

Ichigo gapes at the large man a moment, his temper raising that much more as he clenches his fists before walking in. The music pounds in his head, yet it's a pleasurable feeling for the youth. Music has always been a great outlet for his anger, throwing his body around the club in dance-offs and simply letting go to fast paced rhythms… it's heaven. Without thinking, he heads over to the floor and pushes his way into the center of writhing bodies. Ichigo's eyes are half-mast, his head bobbing a moment before his body follows. His hips undulate, torso curving in ecstasy, and then he's caught up in the flow of loud bass and the rhythmic voices of 69 Boyz singing 'Tootsie Roll'. His moves are hip hop, his frustration easing with every stomp of his foot or jerk of his figure. Swirling, crouching, and jerking about, Ichigo preforms an impressive routine that should make professionals reevaluate their choice of careers. Since Rukia and Ichigo were the only friends each other had, they were forced to share extracurricular activities. Rukia dragged Ichigo to dance class until the age of sixteen, and in turn Ichigo dragged her to karate.

"Damn, you can dance."

Ichigo yelps at the voice, spinning around to meet impressed cyan orbs. Grimmjow is leaning against a pillar located near the center of the area, said pillar one of four that hold the raised platform the DJ occupies. He extends a hand to the startled male, Ichigo automatically accepting it. He's led to the bar, Grimmjow ordering a couple fairly strong drinks and handing one to Ichigo.

"Uh… I'm not very good at holding my liquor," Ichigo says sheepishly.

"Don't worry, my buddy's playing the designated driver of sorts. He'll make sure we get to my place okay," the blue haired man waves off. "Celebration dictates an automatic sleepover."

"And the contract?"

"Don't worry about it. You've already agreed to it and everything else will work itself out."

Ichigo warily downs the drink, uncertain about all the details of the contract and trusting the man that raised him. The orangette sits down beside Grimmjow at the bar, glancing at the other's wild grin as he orders a few more shots for them. Ichigo hasn't had a chance to chill out at a club and drink his cares away for over a year, the call of the tempting music and the soothing buzz from the drink allowing him that small reprieve. He smiles at his newest client, taking another shot or two before pulling Grimmjow toward the dance floor. Ichigo doesn't notice the look thrown toward the lanky male on the stool to Grimmjow's other side, nor does he catch the silent toast of assurance given.


I'm so freaking evil ;p I'm happy to announce the other three fics are different from the ones I'm working on! Yea! XD I've been thinking about them since last update, they have their similarities in pairings and such, but they're different in storyline! I was thinking about working on a crossover, but decided against it. Anyway, now that I've had my rambling, the pool still consists of Dream and Life =) It'll continue like that until I say otherwise, but I'll keep repeating it for those that forget ;p

Ichi: *walks in with huge smile on face*

Vae: ... What did you do? =(

Ichi: I have no clue what you're talking about. I'm the good one, remember? ;p

Vae: Where's Grimm and Shiro?

Ichi: Uh... well... they're a bit tied up at the minute. ^^;

Vae: *leaves room to find Shiro and Grimm tied up and gagged* Ichi, you're not allowed to hang around them anymore, they're tainting your innocent mind with their violence! DX