Notes: Erhmagerd I be giving you guys quick updatessss... Enjoy and review!

Waking up on a bed was uncommon but definitely not unwelcomed. He was on his own bed, woken up by a text.

Inoue: Sorry I left Ichigo. I was sad and angry. See you soon, okay! Love you forever.

9.04am

Kurosaki_Ichigo: I'm sorry too Hime for a lot of things. Hey, is Shinji still living at the same address?

Hime: yep :)

Ichigo came back from yesterday, a different man. The truth hurt. But it was the truth nonetheless. Maybe leaving was not the best idea. The six years he spent alone was an experience. He knew he had made mistakes. Mistakes that he cannot take back, but he could try to make it right. Six years he had left, and his friends still recognised him. Still loved him. Maybe it was just Orihime, it was still someone. It was a start.

He laid on the bed, thinking. He checked his phone again and it was already 10.43am. Waking up, he took a bath and ate the leftovers from yesterday's meal, takeaway from before he had met Hime.

Shit, I'm short on cash.

Running back to his room and he rummaged all his drawers. Trying to find some loose change. Come on. Wait. What's this?

As he predicted, it was a spare 20. Someone up there must be showing some sympathy. He grinned wildly and quickly grabbed a hoodie and some jeans. He went straight to the liquor store, picking up a box of chocolate coated rum raisins. It was nasty as fuck but Shinji liked that fancy shit.

Today he felt so peppy. He just felt so calm and collected. Life may be looking to brighten up for him. I hope.

A few hours later…

Ichigo felt so out of place in this area. He was in Roppongi district, which was full of fancy looking businessmen in sharp suits and women with heels clacking around. Everything was so modern and grey. Ichigo had to take an hour bus ride but it was worth it. He couldn't afford to take the express bus so he climbed on the cheaper one. He was good as long as he was able to reach the place.

He always felt so out of place in the district but Shinji would have fit in fine. Shinji was born in wealth, his parents were from the Netherlands or something and were some business corporates. And stereotypically, they never had time for Shinji. Leaving him with the comforts of a snazzy home, money but never a comfort of a family. So Shinji because he's Shinji, went to look for one. Signed up to a local high school because he couldn't stand private institutions. And met Ichigo and Ichigo met Shinji. They clashed but they fit.

Ichigo had been to Shinji's place a couple of times but not a lot. Their high school was a distance away and Shinji always had a driver. His house as he recalled was an apartment. All grey, modern and pointy like the district. Truthfully, he didn't really like the place, he didn't fit in and what not. He finally found the address and headed up to the apartment. He was lucky that the building security didn't find him suspicious.

He was staring at the door. He ringed the doorbell 3 times. He could hear loud noises from inside the house and he smirked as he heard Shinji's shouting in his obnoxious loud voice.

"What?" Shinji ripped open the door, not caring to look through the peephole. In his heart boxers and white singlet. He honestly looked like he was a hooligan but he had the most creative mind Ichigo had ever seen. They stared for a solid minute.

"Motherfuck!" Shinji had just kicked him in the balls. In his family jewels. And not in a girly weak kind of kick, it was a solid, put his weight on it kick. As of he was really trying to bruise it.

And then Shinji slammed the door immediately. Which was unfortunately right in Ichigo's face. And now he has a potentially broken nose. He was originally crouching down, slowly he tried not to slump on the floor. Holding on the box of chocolates tightly.

"Hey man. Open up. I brought those shitty booze raisins chocolate things you like."

Ichigo knocked again. Saying it aloud and not really caring if the neighbours heard. He said it through the door, leaning up and on the piece of wood, trying to stretch out the pain in his nether region.

"5% alcohol?"

"Even better, it's 12." Ichigo answered, in a grunt.

The door didn't even open. Ichigo was livid and in so much pain.

"Shinji, if you don't open this door, I am going to shit in front of your fucking house and you of all people know, I will do that shit, literally."

Suddenly the door opened. And Ichigo met wooden ground. Like solid ground. He fell face first on his cheek. Because his somewhat fighting instinct that he still might have, prevented him from landing on his already, or possibly, broken nose. As he laid on the floor groaning in pain, someone grabbed the box of chocolates that was tucked under his armpit and began tearing it open. And that someone didn't even bother helping him up. Ichigo looked up at Shinji, super annoyed at the fact that he was shoving like half the box in his mouth like it was popcorn while watching movie. He was even smiling.

"Could use some help here."

"Aw I missed you too Ichigo. Want a drink?" Shinji walked to the kitchen like he didn't hear what Ichi had said.

That idiot. He had now just remembered what an ass Shinji could be. Oh how could he conveniently forget? But, he loved him to the core.

Ichigo groaned while trying to get up and just decided to crawl to the nearby kitchen.

"I need a pack of ice for my balls and my face," Ichigo touched his nose, trying to see if it was broken or bleeding. Thankfully, it was not. It still hurt like a bitch though.

"Nope. Don't have ice. But I do have frozen peas though." Which was a complete lie because he was holding a cup of wine with fricking ice in it.

"Wow, you are such an ass."

Shinji was standing in front of him, looking at the downed Ichigo on the ground. He was holding out two sacks of frozen vegetables and peas.

"Gimme that, you shit."

"Ew, fine."

Ichigo grabbed the bags and stood up. Firmly pressing the bags down on his face and balls. Loving the cold sensation way too much. Processed vegetables shouldn't feel so good.

"So, you look good. In a starving actor kind of way" Shinji said while leaned on the kitchen counter. It was those fancy grey marble tables that stood in the middle of the kitchen where people can sit around. Ichigo was sitting across him on the bar stool, pressing the bags on his parts.

Putting a handful of the chocolates in his mouth,

"Though you look like shit since the last time I saw you."

Ichigo regarded him quietly, just taking in Shinji's appearance. Everything was same about him, his Egyptian shaped blond hair, his wide smile and those beady eyes.

"Yeah, I guess. Hadn't been eating much."

He faced down at his arms, they were thin, thinner than what he had in high school. His muscle mass greatly reduced due to his unhealthy habits. He had to admit that he expected much worse.

There was no such thing as tension when he was with Shinji. The man didn't just understand the concept of awkward and Ichigo loved that. Shinji invited him for dinner, they ordered in and hung out on his couch in front of the telly. Ichigo just spilled out every part of his soul. Every single detail from the past six years: addiction, booze, Yoruichi, Grimmjow, Hime. And Shinji just listened, occasionally grunting in response. As Ichi let out more and more, there was like a weight lifted off his shoulders. Four hours in, he finally finished. Their empty food packets ignored and the T.V on mute.

"Well, damn. You had a shitty life like for real." Shinji said to break the silence.

"You do realise that your dad never blamed you. For your mums death. No one did. I always came by to, you know, play with the twins. And he always tried to stay strong. He had it hard, man. She was gone, then you were gone. He should have had fallen apart but he didn't because he still had the twins. He continued the clinic and all. Always knew where you were though."

"We could understand why you left but you didn't come back. We can't just wait for six years Ichi." Shinji just continued talking with a straight face. His grinning expression gone since the past four hours. Shinji, apparently, had left for fashion school in Paris and came back last year to build his fashion business. Chad never came back. Rukia and Renji was getting engaged next year. That was expected.

"Hime's dating Tatsuki-"

"They're dating?!"

"Uh yeahh, didn't you meet her like yesterday?"

"Yeah, but she didn't tell me that they were dating. I didn't even know she liked girls." Then, Shinji started to laugh his ass off like he just told him the funniest shit in the world.

"Hime liked you for years man. Since junior high. I thought you were dense but this, this is just classic."

Shinji just continued laughing and Ichigo felt infinitely bad. The girls been his best friend for so long and now he realised that those looks she gave him were just longing. Like those puppy dog eyes. Great, now he felt like a loser and a douche.

He sighed and leaned his head back on the couch. He smiled when Shinji tried to throw a piece of popcorn into his open mouth.

After spending the whole day at Shinji's, Ichigo set his mind on changing and for the better. It was a given that he asked Shinji to help. In which he elegantly answered,

"You look like a homeless man. You need clothes, the gym and a tan" Shinji threw a gym pass at his butt that was facing him. Ichigo was lying face down on the piece of fancy furniture. It was just a lumpy couch covered in some black leather.

"Well, you need to fuck yourself because I'm poor and not like Oh, I'm gonna have to eat ramen poor, I'm the-I-should-be-homeless poor."

"Sheesh, someone needs a dose of Prozac. Don't worry I got you covered. I have a friend who owns an art gallery and they need a new waiter. You know, to feed the booze to the masses and get them drunk enough to buy dumb art pieces."

Shinji always had a fine reasoning ability. And now the man is going to give him a new source of employment. This was his lucky day.

Ichigo had stayed the night because he couldn't afford to go back on any bus at all and he can't walk back past midnight. Shinji offered to let him stay at the apartment for the mean time until his first day of work where he was promised to get immediate payment.

So here Ichi laid, in a pair of tight grey sweatpants and white t-shirt because he was a size Medium and Shinji was a damn Xtra-Small. It was comfortable still. They shared their breakfast and the heavy sentiments Ichigo had just disappeared for that moment. The sun was already up and since he was already awake, Shinji was also planning to go to his office, he decided to go to the gym where Shinji had given his pass to. According to the blonde, the building was a ten minute walk away. Thus, Ichi went to borrow some exercise clothes from his closet.

To him it was seriously unsightly that he was wearing a pair of track pants, which really were just yoga pants that had the words sassy on his ass and a tank top. It was either that or going naked because the housekeeper had taken all his clothes for laundry and Shinji said he had no other workout clothes. In any case, Shinji said his ass looked really good and he was starting to believe it because damn, look at those buns. Okay no.

It was a freaking Tuesday and there were so many people in the gym. Don't people have work on Tuesdays? He plugged his earphones and tuned the noise out. People were staring, specifically his ass, but he didn't care. He's planning to get fit.

He went for the treadmill first, stamina was key for everything. He ran for a solid 25 minutes before his body started to make strange sounds. He slowed down to a walk for another 10 minutes, trying to slow down his breathing. It was an embarrassment, he was wheezing his lungs out like old men decades older than him. He was soaked from sweating continuously which was a good sign. Sweat is good. He then moved to the machines and worked on his muscles for a solid 20 minutes before he decided it was enough for one day.

The gym was huge, it was a separate building on its own with glass walls and a whole lot of mirrors so everyone can see whatever you do. It was kind of narcissistic and off-putting. He can't complain because he got in free. He was on the second floor where the equipment were. So were the classes. As he went to the locker room, he passed a class. The students looked very athletic, Ichigo figured it must have been an intermediate class. He entered out of curiosity.

They were doing all kinds of exercises. Some were on the pull-up bars, on the ground doing some ab exercises and those steps where you had to jump on and off from. There were a lot of people so Ichigo didn't really stand out. He went to the pull-up bar, listening in to one of the teacher's demonstration.

"So holding yourself up, you lift your legs until your feet kick the bar, near your hands."

When the fitness coach did it, it honestly looked easy. The three students who were listening attempted, all passed to some extent but not at a speed like the coach. So Ichigo tried, he jumped for the bar, grasping it. Immediately, he groaned inwardly. But he still held on, he lifted himself up and kicked the bar. Surprisingly, the coach said he had good form and he continued another five sets before he met ground.

Everyone were suddenly shocked and there was a woman even shrieked. He fell not because his arms gave out. Someone had just tackled him to the mat like he was on fucking fire. The offender practically threw him on the ground with their shoulder, from his back. Ichigo couldn't see anything so when he got tackled, he immediately turned over to counter.

He shoved the offender off to realise that it was a she and she had a face all too familiar. She had a built of a man but stood petite and curvy at the hips. Her signature short black hair made it all too significant that the woman before him was Tatsuki. His best friend even before they knew how to speak properly.

Suddenly, she was laying on him and he was hugging her with all his four sweaty limbs. He looked like a koala hugging his mother but he don't give a shit. People were crowding around them in various degrees of shock and confusion. They were both sweaty and disgusting but they were still hugging.

"Get a room, freaks."

Then they parted, and quickly stood up

"Who the fuck said that?!" Both of them said it simultaneously, which was hilarious because both had the same angry expression. They looked at each other and laughed, even the witnesses snorted in laughter. Then the circle dispersed and the classes continued. Tatsuki signalled to a group that class has ended before grabbing Ichigo by the hips and leading him to the staff lounge. It would have looked so weird like Ichigo was being picked up by Tatsuki. Gender reversal much. Though both of them were homosexual so he can't really comment much. They talked all the way there.

Apparently she was dating Inoue since last year. Then they were hugging again in the lounge, a real and solid one, conveying their longing and sadness through the physical contact. Both of them never really talked to each other because they preferred to express themselves bodily.

They strolled to the juice bar that was in the gym and continued their conversation. They were catching up with each other and not intending to leave until they had all the important news. Without realising, it was already 3pm and Tatsuki said she had to leave for another class. They parted and Ichigo headed for the showers, planning to make full use of the gym full-access card Shinji had given him. He even got access to the VIP showers which had a snack bar for god's sake. Ichigo, of course, none to subtly shoved the 5 boxes of granola bars and kale chips into his gym bag before leaving. He justified his actions by repeating that they were free anyway. It was a good way to start the day.

For lunch he headed back to Shinji's place. He got the key from Shinji when they left the house. Shinji fully understood that Ichigo had not a single penny. And for his best friend he opened his house to him and Ichigo would also have done the same.

Looking through Shinji's kitchen, it was stocked to the brim. Why does he need so much food when all he eats are takeouts? Despite being out of practice, Ichigo knew how to cook well. The way he cooked was like how his mother had taught him. The spices were a waft of memories. And it warmed him up from the depths of his soul.

It was already evening when Shinji came back. More like he busted through the door. Ichigo was watching the television when Shinji shouted.

"Ichigo! You're a saviour! I need you to go to this address and serve there ASAP!"

"Remember the art gallery owner whom I said you're gonna work for, it's the same guy and I kind of forgot that his showcase was today," Shinji panted.

Before he could even react, he had been pushed and shoved out of the house with his phone and a coat. The door closed in his face again. Ichigo stood there for a full minute before gathering his thoughts. He looked at the paper in his hand and immediately went on his way. With no money, he had to run his way there and he heaved a sigh a relief when he realised that it was just across the street. The place was closed but Ichigo went to the back just to make sure. Thankfully, the back door was open and that was when he saw the weirdo in the liquor store.

"IT'S YOU!"

"What a wonderful coincidence! I believe we have met multiple times. I own this art gallery as well as that hole in the wall liquor store you like to visit much."

The man greeted Ichigo, bowing his head and held his hat. Poised like such a gentlemen, Ichigo's jaw dropped. He didn't imagine that the weirdo even knew what art was.

'I am Urahara Kisuke. You must be the waiter Shinji promised me. Well, we have to make haste. The guests are coming!"

Ichigo, in his state of shock, was manoeuvred again into the changing room. He was forced to wear a waiter's suit and a mid-apron. While he was changing, some person and the weird-hat guy was briefing him through the curtain.

"So Ichigo you will be serving the guests. Really simple. Martinis for the ladies and the scotch for the men. If they want anything else, kindly ask them to head for the bar. Simple as that."

He finally changed and he was immediately given a tray full of drinks. And then they left him to start working. He took that moment alone to grab his chest and slow down his pulse. The last few minutes were to exhilarating for him to handle. As he took his final calming breath, he headed for the group of guests that just entered.

With the biggest smile he had, it's show time.

He was exhausted. He literally couldn't feel his body waist down. He collapsed atop Shinji's couch which was his temporary bed. He went to the gym in the morning and worked for a straight six hours. He was officially his own hero because doing that without fainting was impossible for his own standards. After the evening shift at the gallery, he was paid handsomely. He earned 300 bucks to serve some people in a fancy gallery. That was a good deal. To be fair, he was the only waiter and he still managed to serve the whole guest list.

He had another shift on Friday which was in another two days. He decided it was time to go back. Yoruichi might get worried he thought to himself and the image of Grimmjow flashed in his mind.

Maybe tomorrow.

Ichigo didn't even take off his clothes when he fell asleep on the couch till the next morning. He woke up with a jolt when Shinji spilled some cereal on his face.

"You know when you sleep, your nose and lips do this twitchy thing like a rabbit. It's kinda weirdly cute if you ignore the stubble."

Shinji legitimately took the bar stool and sat directly across him to watch him sleep. Ichigo should have been creeped out but the man uses his toothbrush to comb his fringe, he wasn't too surprised.

It was already in the midday when he decided to head back. With his newfound money, he left Shinji's place and headed back. He was forced to use Shinji's tanning bed before he could take a proper bath. It was something about being too pale. Ichigo refused aggressively but the argument died down when he realised he had no choice. It was either that or going home in a waiters outfit. He would have chosen going home like that but Shinji would have put laxative in his water or something.

He took a super long bathe afterwards, using Shinji's plethora of shampoos and soaps. Then, he got into the clothes he came there in which had been laundered by the housekeeper. He bade goodbye to Shinji who was waxing his evebrows in the toilet and went on his way. He grabbed lunch at the same time where Orihime worked since it was near the area. Seeing her serving food, his heart felt calm. She squealed when she saw him which irritated her manager. That man needs to calm his tits down. After serving the guest, she went for him.

"Ichigooooo, what would your order be?"

"I'll have the tacos and chili takeaway."

She went to the kitchen and gave the order before joining Ichigo in his booth.

"Isn't this like super unprofessional?"

"Don't worry It's my lunch time!"

"It's like 5.30pm."

"Yeah. Whateverrrrr..."

She continued the conversation without pause. She was infinitely excited when she heard from Tatsuki yesterday. Truthfully, everything excites her. He smirked to himself. She was like those tiny Chihuahuas. When his food came in, they had just finished their conversation. After which, he paid and made his way to Grimmjow's place.

The man saved him twice, there was no way a single favour could have repaid that favour. I hope he's home.

It was chilly out and his breath came out in vapors. The hoodie had on was sufficient for him to withstand the normal cold environment but today it was especially harsh. He hugged the leftovers to his chest.

Please reviewww! Let's hope Grimmjow won't be grim to find ichigo. Ba dum tsst.