Is it just me, or can I not write slow paced stories? Damn my impatience to hell.

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EVICTION NOTICE:

Dear Mr. Ayasegawa, Yumichika

This is a letter to inform you immediately of your failure to pay appropriate dues in order to keep your apartment. As a courtesy, the owner of this complex grants you 48 hours to gather your things and please be out, or pay all outstanding fees, for a total of four months neglected payments.

Thank you for your previous business and please do not become enraged due to our policy.

It was a week since Ikkaku and he talked. He was just getting ready to invite the man over again in hopes that they could maybe be friends.

"Eviction notice? I'm going to be evicted in two days?" Yumichika, although he rarely if ever paid any notice to the bills for his shabby place, never considered that he would be thrown out.

He wasn't the type suited to the streets. He didn't want to do anything hasty to earn enough money or convince the landlord to keep him. His reputation was already horrible and for him to go all out to earn the money he was short would make him the least popular person in the entire district.

Yumichika found bouts of anger to be such an ugly thing, but he couldn't help it. He torn the heartless letter in two and kicked his fragile dining table across the room. None of the furniture in this room was of any value at all. It was all found at local landfills and thrown out by families who had moved on to better things. He had to piece together most of it by himself. He'd be lucky to get a pile of worm infested fruit for everything in the room.

The table he'd kicked, even though he wasn't terribly strong, broke into several pieces and wouldn't be able to be repaired again. He decided to get a small piece of the broken mirror on his vanity (just big enough for him to see his face of he held it half an arms length away from him), his comb and one spare shirt. It had several holes in it, and although it was at one point black, it was worn and rained on so many times that it was gray and washed up now. The sleeves were especially in tatters, and the cloth was incredibly itchy and uncomfortable.

He got all of his food that he had (enough for a week, longer if he cut back on meals to only one a day) gathered in the burlap sack and looked around for anything that he would want.

He decided to grab his blanket to wrap the glass mirror and comb to ensure they wouldn't break as he walked and put everything into the half-filled sack. There was a forest rather close to the town he was in, and he was sure he could avoid the ruffians who lived there, seeing as they were all incredibly stupid.

But, as he turned to see one last time if there was anything else that he left, he saw his face in the broken mirror. Yumichika, the most beautiful person in all of Rukongai. Of everyone in the entire Soul Society, actually. That kind of beauty shouldn't have to run away and live in the woods. He started to cry silently. It couldn't be right.

How could they kick him out?

For a brief moment, as he wiped a tear away, he thought of going to Ikkaku. Surely if he has enough money to get drunk each and every night, he could help him make a small payment just to convince the building owner to let him stay.

"Don't be stupid, you hardly even know that guy," Yumichika scolded himself. It was ugly to ask for help, and even more so to ask a stranger. Not a complete stranger, but certainly Ikkaku wasn't someone Yumichika would even consider an acquaintance at this point. He didn't even know the man's whole name (although, somehow he acquired Yumichika's full name).

It was midday by the time Yumichika had stopped crying and his face became normal again. He refused to go outside with a red face, or else he might as well invite people to laugh at his femininity.

He hated how beautiful the day was. The sun's light was liquid and every part of the streets were vivid and lit beautifully. Even those places he normally thought to be ugly were somewhat attractive in the flattering light of the sun today. If he weren't so upset, he'd want to find a window to admire his beauty on such a great day.

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The forest right outside the district, he thought, would be at least a little more beautiful. Thugs made their home deep in the woodland, though, and therefore there was only a small region that was full of creeks and streams which made gaining any stable footing impossible. Yumichika found it to be contaminated with bothersome insects and too much work to navigate, but it was the only place he thought would be safe from discovery.

Fighting ugly people, after all, isn't an occupation Yumichika would excel or enjoy in the least.

Ikkaku loved fighting though. He'd be so suited to a place like this, he could build a shack for himself and kill any of the ruffians who should get the idea to kick him out. Maybe, Yumichika thought, Ikkaku could teach him how to fight so well. But if he were to do that, he'd also have to explain his eviction and then suffer through pity.

It was twilight now, when all the definitive lines begin to blur to gray. It was an ugly time.

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Ikkaku, for some reason, was hardly enjoying his drinking and skirmishes as much as he had been. They'd been passable for so long only because he never had any other way to spend his time. He'd never even had anyone whose company he enjoyed.

He got back to his apartment, and realized he hadn't even seen Yumichika for a few days. He walked a few rooms back and knocked on the door. There was no answer, but he figured Yumichika wouldn't mind if he went inside to wait if he didn't even complain when he found Ikkaku passed out on his bed.

He walked in to the room and was surprised to see it in such disarray. Both times he entered it, the room was spotless. But there was torn paper and the table which he sat at before was shattered against the wall. Several things that were there before were now missing and Ikkaku was somewhat worried that Yumichika was robbed or attacked when he was out drinking.

Even though he was someone with spiritual powers, seeing as he had to eat, his body was so lithe and his abilities weren't trained for battle. He'd said that himself once when they were talking. Ikkaku was concerned whether or not his friend was alive. He went over to the torn piece of paper, and looked at it.

"He didn't have any money? No wonder he only ate that disgusting food," Ikkaku noticed it was an eviction note and was somewhat relieved. At the same time, he was rather sure Yumichika still wasn't totally safe where ever he decided to go.

"Damn moron, what's he gonna do? He's too much of a pretty boy to sleep on the streets."

He wasn't even sure why he cared so much, but the prospect of having a friend in a place like this, where no one trusted anyone, was just such a breath of fresh air. Also, anything to break the routine he dug himself so deep into was something in and of itself enough to make him go.

Where would a pretty boy like Yumichika go? Somewhere he thought was beautiful, right?

"There's not very many places that are pretty around here."

Ikkaku sensed that it would be a pain in the ass mission already.

Or...

That's right! Yumichika's face is known by everyone, and God knows he would've been a drama queen. All there is to do is ask if anyone saw him.

"Ikkaku, you're a genius."

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"Mr. Ayasegawa? Yes, he's always out on days like this. He is too pretty for a man, don't you think?" The first woman Ikkaku asked, known to be a keen observer of all that went on, only so she could gossip to her friends later, answered.

"Where was he going?"

"Why are you so curious?"

Ikkaku narrowed his eyes. "It's not your business."

"Did he steal from you, too?"

Ikkaku wasn't ever stolen from by the effeminate man, but he knew this woman was anything but fond of Yumichika. Saying yes was the quickest way to get an answer from her, so he nodded.

"Oh, my. For someone like you to be after him, no wonder he looked upset." She pointed to the woods just behind her house. "I followed him a bit, I'll admit. He's up in a tree in the muddiest part of the forest I can imagine. I'm sure that won't stop you from teaching him a lesson, though."

Ikkaku sighed. He had no idea where the muddy parts of the forest were, he'd never even went there. All the idiots who had their hideout deep in the forest were poor and uninteresting. The mission to find that stupid pretty boy was getting less appealing.

The woman noticed him sigh. "Would you like me to show you were that is?"

"What?"

"The muddy part. You don't know where it is, do you?"

He'd rather not see Yumichika ever again than put up with the annoying gossip for another two minutes. But he didn't come so far looking for him and get excited over changing his bothersome routine only to stop now. "Just tell me where it is. You'll be in the way if you come."

"That's a rather rude thing to say."

"I don't care."

"Humph. If you act so rudely, I won't tell you."

"Then I won't be able to 'Teach him a lesson', will I?"

"Fine!" She replied. "Go straight that direction, you'll reach a creek and follow it inwards. When all the ground is mushy, you're around the right place. He's up a small tree which is low to the ground and it has a lot of branches."

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"Well, I only lost my shoe six times," Ikkaku grumbled to himself. "This surely can't be the place." He continued sarcastically.

He'd been in the area that the woman described for about ten minutes and was already thinking of turning back. All the trees around were low to the ground and easy to climb. He couldn't find any footprints, either.

Yumichika, on the other hand, had found a large hollow in one of the fat swamp trees. He spent nearly an hour removing bugs and spider webs from it, lining the place with the blanket he brought and was trying to make the it a suitable for him to sleep in. He wished he hadn't made so many enemies, and maybe it wouldn't be so dangerous for him to sleep on the streets until he could buy a new place.

However, such was his struggle. Maybe he'd look back and think that it was all part of something beautiful?

He heard a loud curse as well as the belching sound mud makes when it closes around a foot, and the foot is yanked out. Then a few splashes and a slew of curses again. The voice, although he'd only heard it a few times and only once for any real amount of time, was unmistakable.

Why would Ikkaku be out here?

"Ikkaku?" Yumichika shouted, although he felt as if that was a bad idea. Did Ikkaku know about him being out there? Did he come to throw a fit or pity him? Either wasn't attractive, but he surely didn't have any other reason to be here unless he wanted to challenge those who made their home in this forest to a fight.

"Do you think you could help me out?" Was the unenthusiastic answer.

Yumichika came out of the hollow in the tree to see Ikkaku was waist deep in a muddy creek. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Of course," Yumichika answered, as he began hopping from branch to branch of his tree and gracefully swinging his way to a tree almost directly above Ikkaku's head. I'd be difficult to pull someone as heavy as Ikkaku out by himself, but the poor guy was sunk so far down he couldn't reach a branch that was only about four feet off the ground and no more than five inches short of being right over his head.

"So, that's the way to get around this damn place?"

"I don't know if there's a better way, but surely you would've noticed how much mud there was and thought it stupid to walk?" Yumichika answered. He made it over to the correct tree and was trying to find a sturdy branch close to the ground.

"Hurry up, princess. I'm still sinking," Ikkaku said, half playfully, half serious.

Yumichika found a branch he felt could support both of their weights, although it was hardly close enough for him to just bend over and pull the man up.

He swung down and was holding onto the branch as tightly as he could with both hands. "Grab my ankles, I'll pull you up."

"Are you strong enough for that?

"I'm not sure, but if not, I'll tell you to let go and think of something else." Yumichika looked down at him and smiled. "Unless you'd rather me leave you like this."

"You can't be serious."

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

"I think I forgot it at the bar."

"Got a better idea?"

"Fine," Ikkaku brought his katana to his mouth and bit down on it, and grabbed onto both of Yumichika's ankles.

"Ready?"

Ikkaku tried to say yes, but he wasn't able to keep his katana and speak at the same time, so he just made a muffled sound of agreement.

Yumichika, despite his lithe and weak looking body, was able to pull Ikkaku up a few feet before he got tired and had to rest.

"Can you reach any of the branches yet?"

Ikkaku answered by releasing the ankles and pulling himself up on a sturdy looking branch. Yumichika moved to another branch, instead of putting more stress on the one he used to lift Ikkaku.

"Thanks. This is kind of embarrassing, I came to help you," Ikkaku said once he removed his sword.

"I don't need your sympathy," Yumichika answered curtly.

"I guess not, I mean this looks like a very nice place to live, after all," Ikkaku answered sarcastically.

The raven haired man got up and begun to make his way back to the tree he decided to stay in.

Ikkaku followed. "Yumichika, I don't want you to stay out here. If the thugs find out, they'll kill you. They don't like anyone who's not one of them to be here."

"Then, I just won't let them find out."

"You're obviously great at keeping yourself secret so far. Some old hag showed me the way here," Ikkaku, who actually wasn't sure why he was trying so hard, argued. "Besides, it's not sympathy anymore. I owe you."

"Where would I stay besides here, idiot? I was gone because I was evicted."

"Just stay at my place for awhile, alright?" Ikkaku said. From anyone else, Yumichika would've thought for certain they were perverts, but Ikkaku wasn't beginning to imply anything like that.

"I want to use that favor you owe me on something else, though."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I want to learn to fight," Yumichika looked back at Ikkaku, into his eyes to prove he was serious. "You're the only one whom I could trust to teach me something like that."

"I'll let you stay at my place and teach you how to fight. You did save my life, after all. What if those thugs came while I was stuck?"

"That's sympathy, and sympathy is unbecoming of the beautiful."

Ikkaku thought for a minute. "Then do something else for me."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just come with me and we'll figure something out. It's not sympathy, I'm just helping a friend."

"A friend?"

"We're close enough to call each other that, aren't we?"

Yumichika smiled. "Yeah, okay. Let's go, and make sure not to fall into any more mud. I'm too tired to pull you out again."

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