Ichigo startled awake. There was no reason someone would be knocking at the door at this hour. His mind immediately jumped to the worst. Had they found him? Was it the Shinigami or the Espada? Were they even looking for him after all this time? His stomach tide in knots thinking of what was about to come.

Another knock came. This time louder. More stern. He reached under the cushion where his head lay and felt for the gun he hid there. He had multiple hidden around the apartment in fear this moment would come.

Slowly making his way to the door, weapon in hand, he looked threw the peep hole. Ichigo had fired guns countless times before but only once on a real person. He had been 21, shopping with his mother and sisters when a man had casually grap Masaki's ass. Ichigo had emptied the barrel into the mans knee cap in the underground parking that was conveniently closed for an hour. It paid to own the city.

A man with slightly long black hair stood facing the door. A good looking man, was Ichigo's first thought, although he didn't recognise him at all. Hooking the chain on the door ichigo cracked it open a few inches the chain lid allow.

"Can I help you?" He asked in a weary voice, trying to hide the fading panic. Ichigo made a point to know all Shinigami and Espida and this tall man was not one of them.

" Sorry to bug you so late but I'm your neighbour, across the hall." He said in a smooth, friendly voice. "I heard some banging and wanted to make sure everything was alright." Ichigo eyes the man. He was relieved to say the least his nerves had calmed but his guard was still up.

" You new to the building?" He asked.

" Yeah. Just moved in yesterday." The taller man ran a hand threw his hair.

" Well the banging comes from 307. Guy likes to beat on his wife. You'll get used to it."

" He beats on his wife? Has anyone said anything?" Ah. A good semaritan.

" Why would they? It's none of anyone's business." Ichigo let the handle of his gun slip out of his hand and let it settle into the hem of his pants. Sensing no danger he went to close the door.

" Wait. " the stranger said. "I'm Kugo Ginjo. Its nice to meet you."

" Yeah." was Ichigos only reply and closed the door in the mans face.

He made his way back to the couch. He had a bed but it was somehow more uncomfortable then the old Ikea sectional. It must have been handed down from at least two people before Ichigo came to have it.

The next few weeks flew by in routine. Ichigo bumped into Kugo nearly every day. He thought it was weird. He had lived in the four story building for a couple years and only saw the other tenants a handful of times. Some not at all.

"Ichigo!" The man called one day after Ichigo had ignored him in passing.

"How do you know my name?" He turned around sharply.

" It's on your name plate." Damn it. He kept telling the landlord he didn't want his name on the door.

" What do you need…."

" Kugo" The other was quick to remind him. Ichigo remembered the mans name but as a defence mecognism, pretended it wasn't import enough to take note. " I was wondering if you'd like to get coffee sometime? I've just moved into town and haven't met any friends yet.

Ichigo glared at the man. He hoped the look made him seem like the type Kugo would have even wanted to be friends with. " I don't make friends. " he said. He unlocked the door and shut it upbruptley behind him. Fuck that guy. He thought.

Ichigo walked down the long and dimly lit road road to home. Tall, over grown trees lined each side, making the street lights nearly invisible.

He had had to stay late for a staff meeting and it was nearly 9 o'clock. The sun was setting earlier and earlier each passing day along with the weather growing colder and colder. I should think about getting a car. He thought. He had barley made it threw the last winter without one and now had a little money saved from his teaching job, though it didn't pay well, and with the winter growing nearer it may be worth the investment.

He could tell there was a car slowly approaching from behind as he watched his shadow slowly move over the pavement. Ichigo had lost a lot of weight and was now thin with little muscle. He wasn't sure he could protect himself. He hadn't kept up his athletic build with no real place to practice kendo and he really hadn't had an appetite since his last night in the city.

He cursed himself for not bringing any kind of weapon with him to school. He thought it better to keep that kind of thing away from his students. In short, Ichigo had no real way of pretecting himself if this car had creeps in it.

" Hey fine ass!" A male voice hollered. Yep. Creep. "How much for an hour?" He called again.

The car was right beside Ichigo now so he could see the man's face. The man had a overgrown mustache with his eyes like thin slits. Even sitting down Ichigo knew this man was tall. He looked like a giant in the VW Beetle.

"I'm not a prostitution you twat." Ichigo barked back.

"I didn't ask if you were a prostitute. I asked you how much." Unable to hold his temper Ichigo spat on the hood of the small car instead of replying.

At first the Ichigo thought the man was going to drive away when he heard the engine rev, but the car only pulled up a few meters before the engine shut off and the tall man emerged from the vehicle. The man was larger than Ichigo had originally thought. He must have been pushing seven feet.

"Fuck off. I'm not for sale." Ichigo hoped his signature scowl was enough to warn the man off but before he knew what was happening he could feel the mans vice grip around his wrist. "I said fuck off!" Ichigo tried to pull his hand free to no luck. The man was built like a giant after all.

"I think he means for you to leave him alone." A new, masculine, yet familiar voice said from behind Ichigo.

" And who the fuck might you be?" The creep said. The grip on his wrist slacked for a moment and Ichigo ripped it away, taking a few steps back at the same time. A new, equally unwelcome, arm wrapped around his waist.

" I'm his boyfriend. He's a crazy thing, so impatient. He can never wait for me to pick him up. Come on baby. You shouldn't walk alone." Ichigo looked up to see Kugo, just a few inches taller. He gave in as the man pulled him further from the giant and guided him to his car which was parked just a few meters down the street.

As Ichigo got in the passenger side,he watched Creep speed away in his rusty old beater. "Thanks for that." He turned to Kugo. The taller man gave him a sly grin.

"Guess you owe me that coffee now."