A/N: If you want to know what Szayel did for forty-five minutes in the rain, you are out of luck, because I have no clue. I'm sure he owns some kind of puzzle that he carries around for such an occasion. Moar Ilforte, which is nice for me. I love writing him in and yes, do not fear, there WILL be Ilforte/Tesla. I know some of you were terribly disappointed, but now you don't have to worry! The crack pairings continue XD

For as long as Szayel could remember, Ilforte's house smelled like pumpkin. Well, Szayel had only moved in with him when he started high school, so who knows what the place smelled like before then. It wasn't a pleasant, mild hint of pumpkin either. Every room reeked of the smell, especially the bedroom. That is probably why Szayel put off asking until his senior year, only three months before he graduated. When Szayel finally asked him, Ilforte merely smiled and launched into a huge story about how the smell of pumpkin arouses men and all sorts of other things he didn't want to know. He would have been traumatized if Ilforte hadn't moved into The Business, as Szayel preferred to call it in polite company.

So when he had braced himself to experience a wave of pumpkin-esque delight emanating from Ilforte's beautiful home, he was surprised to find that overbearing pumpkin had been replaced with a light peppermint scent. It was refreshing, and Szayel liked it a lot more. He suspected it was not Ilforte's doing, but that of his new boyfriend. Their parents, if they had known what Szayel and Ilforte had made of their lives, would probably be in parent-hell at the notion that their only sons were homosexual. Szayel had only brought his necessities, which was still a lot for only one week, and inhaled again, a happy man. Until he heard the ungodly screeching that could be defined as Ilforte's voice. He dropped his bags, sensing a collision with the tan blonde. When he felt long arms wrap around his waist and topple him over, he merely sighed and tried not to land on his head.

'Brother! You made it!' Ilforte was helping Szayel up at this point, taking his bags and smiling.

'Where's Ishida?'

'It's just me,' Szayel replied a little too coldly. Ilforte frowned and wagged his finger in Szayel's face.

'Now, what happened to the lovebirds that I dropped in on a few months ago? You will be calling him, and apologizing for whatever stupid thing you've done in a few days. Let him have time to settle.' Szayel nodded, not paying attention.

'Where should I put my bags?'

'In your old room, of course! Although, I might've changed it around a little. It still has a bed and everything you need,' he assured Szayel, taking his suitcase and flitting up the stairs. Szayel was halfway up the aforementioned stairs when he heard Ilforte talking to someone. Szayel rolled his eyes, expecting the other person dressed in something that should be hidden from virginal eyes. He was surprised when he saw a dirty blond figure, not too tall and on the skinny side. Ilforte noticed his pink-haired sibling and brightened up, turning to the other man.

'Szayel, come meet Tesla!' Szayel, for once, was interested in meeting one of Ilforte's men. His sandy hair was tousled, and his features were actually very boyish if it wasn't for the eyepatch adorning his left eye. He smiled at Szayel without showing his teeth, which made him look timid.

'Hello,' he said, holding his hand out. It was a simple greeting, something Szayel wasn't expecting. He shook the extended hand, looking at the beaming Ilforte.

'Szayel, do you want tea?'

'No, I'm going to read.'

'You always read! Don't mope about in your room because you hit a rough patch with Ishida-kun.'

'I did not hit a rough patch! I just wanted to be away, alone, for a while.'

'Without him.'

'Traditionally, that would mean alone, brother,' Szayel snapped, crossing his arms across his chest. He felt terrible about the whole thing, but he did not want Ilforte's help, if you could call it help.

'Hmph. That's it. This is worse than I thought! I'm going to get you something.'

'If it happens to be a co-worker, Ishida, an ex-boyfriend or some man you found on the street in a dress, I will leave and stay in a hotel.'

'You are no fun, Szayel,' Ilforte pouted, grabbing his car keys, 'if you don't want your beloved, I'll just get you something to drown your sorrows in: chocolate.'

'You're like the sister I never had, Ilforte, thank you. Now leave,' Szayel huffed, pushing Ilforte out the door. Ilforte grabbed Tesla's arm before he could shut the door. It occurred to our pink-haired hero that he was alone in the luxurious, peppermint-scented house. The wood felt cool and relaxing under his feet as he stepped into his room to grab a book and his cell phone. He didn't expect a call, since Ishida was still pissed at him, but habits are hard to break. On Fridays, Ishida usually called to say he wouldn't be home for another hour because of the crafts club he was currently joined in.

'I miss Ishida,' Szayel mused aloud, feeling an unknown, itchy feeling in his chest. It was unpleasant, and he wanted to see Ishida. However, after what Szayel had said, and how their relationship had been going, he didn't want to move back into his old pattern. After a week, if he still felt this alone, he would go back. Otherwise, he could move back into his old room, and ignore Ishida during chemistry. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a demanding knock on the door. Szayel set his book on the table, listening. It was still pouring outside, and he knew firsthand that it was a cold, hard rain. Ilforte had a key, so it wasn't him. Szayel swaggered to the door, expecting it to be a cold salesperson, trying to get him to convert to their religion or buy a vacuum. Either way, the answer was no. He opened the door, excuse already formulated in his mind, to find a very angry Ishida staring him in the face, soaking wet, and holding a suitcase.

'Ishida?'

'Alone time is over,' he said evenly before pressing his lips against Szayel's, ignoring Szayel's tensed body and uncertain movements. He tilted Szayel's chin up and glowered.

'Aren't you going to let me in?' Szayel opened his mouth, but Ishida just smirked and used the unusually quiet response to move his way into the house. Szayel swallowed, taking Ishida's suitcase. The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow.

'Ishida…'

'What?' He looked into amber eyes expectantly.

'You're sexy when you're mad.'

A/N: Yay!! You know I couldn't keep them separated. We'll see why Ishida came over in the next chapter, as well as my second attempt at moar mansmex. This chapter was short, but it's filler anyway, so I think it's okay.