A/N: More people! This time we look a little more into Ishida, and let me tell you, this was fun to write. Byakuya's occupation was very spur of the moment but I love it as it is. Chad isn't here, because then I would have to write lines for Chad, and I don't think I could get his personality right, even though it seems easy.

Ishida liked having a few close friends to make him feel a little more human, but he could tell Szayel Aporro did not find this to be true. As cold as he'd been to Szayel (as he usually is to people he'd never met) Szayel was bordering on rude to him. Which is why Ishida decided that since he was obviously so unhappy about the newest test scores, Ishida would act very friendly, much friendlier than normal, towards the other man in hopes that he would show him the same level of courtesy. He was probably very interesting.

He was on his way to the computer lab to finish a paper when a blur of orange hair threw its arms around his neck and hugged him.

'Good afternoon Ishida-kun!' His only female friend, Orihime Inoue, enjoyed sneaking up on him when he was vulnerable, even if she didn't admit it. Because they went to school together, they were very close. He chuckled and masterfully shook her limbs off his shoulders.

'Hello Inoue. How's Kurosaki-kun?' Ichigo Kurosaki had already graduated and was currently training in the police academy. The job was very suited for him, but Orihime was against it. She was afraid he would get hurt, and even though she was studying to be a nurse and he was notorious for being hit in the head repeatedly and being perfectly fine, she thought he was the most fragile thing on earth. Her affection was slightly one-sided, though, because Ichigo's friend, whom Ishida did not know well but seemed to be a nice person, Rukia Kuchiki, the adopted sister of his own physics teacher, Byakuya Kuchiki, seemed to attract all of his attention.

She also attracted the attention of Ishida's roommate, Renji Abarai, who droned on and on to the other man constantly. Ishida felt mildly sorry for Orihime, but it was clear that since she wasn't going to get Ichigo, and Renji wasn't going to get Rukia anytime soon, they could form a bond, and the fact that they hadn't done so yet was irritating.

'Ishida-kun, I found a new recipe, I was wondering if you and Abarai-kun would like to come over and try it?'

'Oh, but Orihime, I already promised Renji that we could have tacos, which is his favorite meal, and he'll be angry if I don't keep my word,' Ishida chuckled regretfully and tried to look something other than relieved. Orihime was a horrible cook, but she cooked a lot, out of cheap ingredients, so she was a wise buyer, she just wasn't good at preparing food.

Renji's favorite food was tacos, but they weren't having them tonight, because if they had tacos, Renji would want fifteen for himself, and it completely exhausted Ishida's small weekly food budget when they went out to eat. Renji liked eating, but his completely physical lifestyle called for it. He was exceptionally good at fencing, soccer and swimming, and was the star of all three teams. In reality, though, he was a pleasant roommate, and Ishida knew he could've been worse off. Speaking of which, as he was talking to Orihime, he spotted the distinctive vibrant red hair coming towards him.

'Hey, Uryuu. Hi there, Inoue.'

'Hello Abarai-kun! Have you seen Kurosaki-kun anywhere? I haven't seen him all day.'

'Ah, he's with Rukia. They're going shopping for a present for Kuchiki's birthday.'

'Ah, I heard he's very strict. It's a good thing we're not in his class, but poor Ishida-kun!'

It was true; Byakuya did not like failure in his class, and was cold towards his students. However, that didn't mean he was a cold person, it was just the way he was raised. They'd seen him smile a little and crack a joke once, and Renji hadn't believed it. Ishida still remembered his face when he told him. Priceless.

'No, he's not that bad once you get used to it. He just expects a little more from his students.'

'No, I heard he was very mean. Emotionless as a board,' Renji stated, as if this was a grave, serious matter. They didn't take his word on things like that often. They asked him for help and were friendly, but they really didn't listen to his opinion.

'Ishida-kun? My blue dress has a tear in it; can you fix it for me sometime soon? It's my favorite one,' Orihime said, looking hopefully at Ishida. He was the captain of the college handicraft's club, and was a marvelous sewer. But, save for the few members and Renji, nobody really knew about this. Occasionally a girl would come up to him and offer him an object with a tear in it, and sometimes they'd pay him a little for his services, but other than that, it wasn't a well-known fact about the quiet man.

'That would be fine Inoue-san. I was wondering when that dress would tear, you wear it often.'

'Thank you Ishida-kun! Ah, it's 5:00 already! I have to get to the library to check out a book, and make dinner. See you tomorrow Ishida-kun, Abarai-kun!' the two roommates waved at her retreating figure.

'You gonna make dinner or what, Uryuu?'

'No, I have to finish this paper, it's due Wednesday-'

'Nonsense, it's only Monday. You can do it tomorrow, I'm starved now.' Ishida sighed and let Renji pull him along. He would have to rush through it now, and he probably couldn't remember all the information he wanted to add. But he would get it done, and it would still probably be the best paper in the class.

After a quickly prepared dinner of rice, Ishida still hungry since Renji had wolfed the entire pot down, Ishida looked for his book but remembered that he had loaned it to Szayel. Ah yes, Szayel Aporro Granz. He had a lot in store for him.

'Renji?'

'Unn?'

'Finish what's in your mouth, moron, and then I'll ask you.' Ishida waited politely for Renji to swallow the mouthful of rice and turn to Ishida.

'Yeah?'

'Do you know a Szayel Aporro Granz?'

'Is he the one with the hair like little Yachiru?' Yachiru was Renji's smaller cousin, who visited often. She was annoying, but when Renji upset his uncle-in-law (his mum had remarried) Yachiru would pay a visit soon after words, unannounced. Her distinguishing feature was her short pink hair, which, now that Ishida thought about it, was similar to Szayel's.

'That's the one.'

'Freak.'

'How do you know that, Abarai?'

'Woah. No need to use that tone, Ishida. He is. Never talks to anyone, has those gay-ass glasses, and his gay-ass hair. Why?'

'He seems intelligent.'

'Well, yeah, but he's the wrong kind of smart. He was friends with Kurotsuchi, you know.'

'I'm aware of that.' Ishida didn't know that. However, he'd be killed before he admitted that to Renji, who was in his "spiteful for no reason" mood. Ishida hated Mayuri. It was a deep-set hatred. He tried to say it was because of what he did to those people, and that did bother him, but it was a natural dislike for the man when he'd heard about it on the news and such that made him so angry with him.

'Huh. Also, he's not nice to people. He looks down on them all the time. He actually purposefully moves a few steps away from people so he has to physically look down on them sometimes.' So that's why he came over when Ishida was sitting down.

'That's not a big thing. Have you ever held a decent conversation with him?'

'Would I want to? From what I hear, if you get on his good, or even his neutral side, he'll just ramble on about science crap. Have you?'

'No, not yet. But he's very smart. He might be able to help you with your D in all your math classes.'

'Nah, I got you.'

'Sure. You have me.'

A/N: End of chapter two. I'm going to start to make Szayel more into his talkative self in the next few chapters. He really doesn't feel like Szayel without the useless conversation. If you have an idea or something to add to the story, tell me about it in the review, and I might add it in! I like having build-up before we actually start the yaoi (yes, I sometimes refer to myself as we when I'm writing, does that make me crazy? Yes, I think it does, actually)

Revieeeeew!