I DON'T OWN BLEACH;

Chapter two; I've become a moron.

Tossing him a set of his P.J.'s Ichigo falls into bed the damp bath towel covering his head. Byakuya just stands there holding the clothes looking at Ichigo laying there in front of him without a shirt on. Byakuya watches the water from his wet hair dripping slowly down his muscular back. His eyes travel down his spine to the pajama pants snugly outlining the shape of his round bottom.

"Kurosaki..." Byakuya's jaw clenches his dark blue eyes still looking at the pajama's. "I'll return to Urahara's store."

"Nah, it's fine." Ichigo's badge flashes, sighing he lifts it to his chest and separates from his body. "Duty calls," Ichigo's body flops on the bed and his shinigami form turns to Byakuya. "The bath is all yours, and there is a futon in the closet. Make yourself at home." He vanishes in a fierce wind and Byakuya feel the stress of the day creep over him.

After a refreshing bath Byakuya walks into the living room for a drink of water and sees Kurosaki's sisters asleep on the sofa. The two girls curled up against their father sleeping soundly, look happy and without a single worry. Isshin stands up from the sofa and picks up Karin to carry her to bed. Byakuya steps over and lifts Yuzu carefully and follows Isshin into the girls' room. Tucking them in and pulling the covers over them he watches Isshin turn on a small lamp. The red shade with immortal painted on it catches Byakuya's eye. He looks at it and then Kurosaki's father as he walks out the door. Something about his father was unusual but without his powers he couldn't sense spiritual pressure. Dismissing his curiousity he walks into Ichigo's room and sits on his bed. Picking up Ichigo's discarded towel he dries off his hair, before hanging it up in the closet.

Glancing back to the bed with Ichigo's empty body laying half-haphazardly on it. Byakuya reaches out his hand and lightly runs his index finger over a strand of his odd orange hair. His hand grazes Ichigo's shoulder blade and Byakuya yanks it back. He pulls out a blanket from the closet and tugs it over Ichigo's cool body. Then turns around to climb inside the futon on the floor not noticing the shinigami badge on the desk or the intense brown eyes watching him fall asleep.

XXXX

The next morning Byakuya woke to hearing an argument between Ichigo and his father. From what he could glean it was about him kicking Ichigo in the face. Byakuya puts on the gray uniform hanging on a hook behind Ichigo's door and walks into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Byakuya-san." Yuzu smiles at him as he sits down to eat the breakfast she prepared this morning.

"Good morning Yuzu-chan."

"Good news, I talked to my P.E. Teacher and got you in. The rest of them I couldn't change though. The classes are locked down this time of year. Uniform fit alright?" Ichigo sits down at the table and takes large forkful of food then shoves it in his mouth.

"Yes. Thank you, for the trouble."

"Don't worry about it. It must be hard for you being away from your family."

"Yeah." Byakuya replies looking at the Kurosaki's all sitting down and eating together. Being an only child until he adopted Rukia he was used to being alone. It's so foreign watching a real family.

XXX

High School it seems is a flurry of social networking and academics. His first day three girls confess love for him then his math teacher fell out of his seat. Just because he could draw a perfect circle without a protractor. The rest of the day was boring and far below his intelligence level. When he walked into P.E. His world came to a screeching halt, P.E. Is a swimming class. The teacher shows him around the locker room and tells him he can just watch for today.

Stepping outside he walks carefully around the large puddles of water as the warm sun falls on his face. Lifting his head he breathes in deep and opens his eyes to see Ichigo Kurosaki standing on the high dive platform with his arms in front of him. His bright orange hair sticking out is unmistakable. Byakuya watches him closely as he rolls forward on the tips of his toes then lifts off the platform with ease. Tucking his body in he flips around then out just before punching through the surface of the water. Byakuya caught himself holding his breath until Ichigo's head surfaces near the pool ladder. Ichigo notices Byakuya standing near and waves to him as he exits the pool. Water pouring off him in clear ribbons slides down his toned arms and cut chest. The dark haired noble averts his eyes quickly trying to stifle the growing interest inside his mind.

"Yo, Byakuya! How's high school treating you?"

"The female population is easily emotional and the teachers are inferior to me."

"Ah, yeah..well." Ichigo scratches at his hair pondering a reply. "Girls go for your type, and I guess teachers would find you intimidating."

"What is this type?" He asks watching a bird fly across the pool to land on a nearby tree.

"Well, you know. I'm sure in Soul Society girls were all over you. Drooling on their zanpaktou." He laughs expecting a funny response or a complaint from the dark haired shinigami.

"Not really so explain this type that attracts others."

"The tall, dark and handsome type. Plus you have that long soft looking hair that never is out of place." He points at his hair even without his Kenseiken it was still perfectly combed and laying across his face neatly. "Girls like that, in fact I overheard some of them saying you had a nice butt."

In Byakuya's mind the picture of Ichigo laying on his bed last night flashes in his mind.

"What's wrong Byakuya, you don't look happy to hear it." Ichigo looks at Byakuya shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Recently I've been thinking-" Byakuya hears the bell ring and the people fly out of the pool to the locker room. "Becoming human has turned me into a moron!" He snaps and stomps away.

XXXXX

He was quietly reflecting on the days events sitting on Ichigo's bed waiting for a orange head to glide through the window and order him off his bed. Ichigo had been gone since school let out and Byakuya was getting slightly concerned. Shaking his head quickly over the pointlessness for his thoughts, he opens a book and begins to read about diving. Reclining on the blue comforter with a odd white cross on it, a warm earthy smell settles over him.

"Ichigo." He leans over and smells the pillow shutting his eyes. "It's a strong but fiery fragrance, mixed with sunshine. Fits him." Grinding his teeth he sits up and stares out the window his blue eyes searching for a shadow running across the rooftops. "I'm losing my mind here."

Later Ichigo jumps into his bedroom to find Byakuya asleep on his bed with a book draped over his chest. Lifting the book he notices the title: "Swimming and diving for dummies." Putting the book on his desk he yanks out the extra futon and quietly makes it up. He grabs the blankets and pulls one over Byakuya.

"Ichigo." He hears him whisper making him take a step back in surprise. His brown eyes follow the jawline of Byakuya's smooth perfect face. The substitute shinigami was at his wits end trying to figure out why he could sense a softness from the man who once vowed to kill his own sister. Maybe he is just imagining it he thought just before hearing his name drift from those soft slightly parted lips.

"Ichigo."

"I think I'm losing my mind." Ichigo whispers laying down on the futon to sleep off a growing tightness he feels in his chest.

Author's notes; I've never written a Yaoi before, but I love a challenge! Please give me some feedback I want to do a good job with this story! Read and review! Remembering this is rated M okies! Thank you to my alerters and favs and my first few reviewers!

Ramecupmiso

Happygirl24