Balam wasn't expecting that the second that he started around the corner, after leaving the study, was to come up on the last bit of a conversation between Opera and Rukia.

He froze up for a few moments when he heard as well as saw the woman wheel on her superior as a Security Demon and snarl at Opera. And automatically flattened his back against the wall, just out of sight.

"Ichigo will not die."

Balam's eyes widened a bit in realization that she and Opera had been speaking about their lady's grounding and he felt a strange thrum of foreign emotion in the vicinity of his chest at knowing that the smaller of the two Security demon's felt so fiercely about their lady's wellbeing.

Especially given how Rukia behaved in a less than professional manner towards her lady.

But well, he supposed that he could let her behavior slide for now since it wasn't any of his business at the moment.

Shifting his attention, he peeked around the corner at Opera and could vaguely make out the smallest upward curl of his lips as his tail flicked gently behind him. Both were the only indications that his longtime ally was pleased with how Rukia had responded to their talk.

Things fell silent between them for a heartbeat or so after that, allowing Balam to clear his throat to let the pair know that he was there as he stepped out into view.

"Ah, Balam, have you finished speaking with Lord Sullivan?" Opera asked as he barely turned his head to look at him.

"Yes, I have. Now I need to track down Lady Ichigo and speak with her about our...situation."

"Of course," Opera said with a slight nod of his head. "Luckily, I had already asked Rukia to be of help in finding our Lady." Turning his attention back to Rukia, Opera arched a brow at the woman and got an annoyed growl from her in response to his expectant look.

"Just so we're clear, I'm not a circus animal. I don't jump through hoops for anyone. Especially you." She hissed at Opera, fearlessly.

Obviously not having learned yet that he could do her a lot of bodily harm if he wished to.

Opera merely gave her an unimpressed look while his tail flicked behind him in annoyance. And Balam could tell that he was a hairsbreadth from doing something utterly terrible to the woman if she continued to talk back to him. Especially given the fact that he outranked her not only as a security devil but as someone who had served the Sullivan house for many, many years.

Clearing his throat again, more out of genuine concern for the smaller security devil's wellbeing, he decided to intervene before Opera threw all manners and protocol out the window and pounced.

"Uh, Rukia-" Balam started, and watched as the woman zeroed in on him in one of the most terrifying ways imaginable to a male. Chills skittered down his spine and he started sweating bullets as she stared at him for several moments before finally sighing and letting her shoulders droop a little bit in defeat.

"Yeah okay," She muttered before her eyes flashed an icy white color for a second and then went back to normal as she deadpanned. "Ichigo is in the kitchen."

Balam's buzzer ability went off as soon as she said the words. Indicating that she was lying.

But Opera reacted as if her words were the absolute truth. His tail fluffed up a little bit from startled surprise and then fluffed up even more in horror at the thought of his lady trying to cook something in his immaculate kitchen. Unsupervised.

And as soon as he finished thinking that he then took off running down the hallway with every intention of going to save his precious kitchen from any damage that his Lady would probably cause.

Leaving Balam alone with a huffy Rukia who waited until Opera was well out of sight as well as earshot before giggling in amusement and then saying, "Ichigo is probably already waiting for you in her room. I'll show you the way."

"You just lied to Opera." Balam said nervously. He was so appalled by the woman's total lack of self-preservation that he wasn't exactly sure what else to say at the moment. All he knew was that he was internally freaking out about the possibility of the hell cat returning specifically to harm her. Sooner rather than later.

Rukia merely smirked at him from over her shoulder as they started walking. "So? I did say that I wasn't a circus animal, didn't I?"

He merely nodded his head, mutely.

"Then what makes you think that I would be honest to someone that decides to treat me like one?" Rukia asked him. Balam merely looked at her in disbelief.

Opera was going to kill her later. She did know that, right. He wondered as she led him down the hallway, further into the house until they were both standing outside of a room with large, ornate, wooden doors that he couldn't help but notice was bespelled with layers of protective spells.

It was Sullivan's work, he knew.

Mainly because he had seen the elderly demon layer many, many spells just like this into the walls of Babyls school- where they worked- to prevent the ancient castle from taking so much damage at the hands of the young and rambunctious demons that they taught there.

So, it wasn't exactly surprising to him that the elderly demon had bespelled his daughter's room as protective measure to prevent assassins and kidnappers from getting their hands on her.

Rukia knocked on the door, uncaring about the fact that she could trigger any of the spells and a second or so later she pushed it open and poked her head into the room.

"Hey, your hubby wants a word or two. Or maybe even a million?"

Balam blinked at the back of Rukia's head, silently wondering if he was even capable of saying a million words. Was she speaking about 'technical' language or nerd babble?

Cause he could maybe manage one of those more than the other.

But then one was far easier for him to understand. And the other...well, you had to be close to blackout drunk to even comprehend it. But he could give it a try if he had to, he supposed. He just hoped that Ichigo could understand him if he had to go that route.

He didn't hear Ichigo say enter, but she must have at least given a sign of some sort because before he even knew what was happening, Rukia had tossed him into the room and grinned as she said in a sing-song tone. "Don't you crazy kids do anything that Rangiku wouldn't do." And then closed the door as she disappeared.

It literally took Balam two seconds to realize that he could hear the small woman laughing hysterically as she walked down the hall away from them.

Up until he had been thrown into the room, Ichigo must have been lying down in an effort to rest. So, after the door closed, she sat up and looked at him and muttered a quiet. "Hi."

He started to greet her back awkwardly when he noticed her eyes. They were red rimmed as if she had been crying and quickly blurted out, "Are you alright?"

"Hn? Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

His buzzer went off, but he understood that being questioned earlier had probably upset her quite a bit. So, he let it slide and instead shifted so that he could move to the bed. He didn't ask, though, which in hindsight was not a very good thing.

But once he was settled on the bed, he grabbed her around the waist and set her in his lap, with her back pressed against his front and his arms wrapped around her tiny body, holding her close to him as if he were worried that she might disappear if he didn't.

"I know that being asked those questions earlier must have upset you...you don't have to talk about whatever you don't want to talk about. But we do need to speak about our situation. If it's okay with you, that is." Balam said as he rested his cheek on the top of her head, absently thinking of just how soft her hair was against his skin.

It felt just like silk.

It was nice.

"O-Oh. Sure." Ichigo said almost meekly before asking. "Where would you like to begin?"

"Well to begin with, are we married? Yes, or no?"

Ichigo was quiet for several seconds and he felt her take a big breath before replying, "Yes. I believe so." Balam was silent as he waited for his buzzer to go off. But simply took a shuddering breath when it didn't.

"Has Rukia confirmed it?"

"Yes and no."

"Oh? What does that mean?"

"She's...not typically someone who would 'marry' a couple of people to one another just for fun or because she simply can. That goes especially so for strangers. Yet she did and now she's trying to push us together."

"I see. So, this isn't typical behavior for her then?"

"No. Something is bothering her, and she doesn't want to be obvious about it. But I think maybe she feels that marrying us would sort of...fix the issue. Or at least, I think it's something like that."

Balam hummed, uncertain of what to think himself but still understood.

"I see. And what are your expectations?" He asked, though he knew that he had very little that he could offer her as a husband. I mean, she didn't even know about his disfigurement. Nor about his eccentricities that seemed to frighten so many.

What could a lowly demon like him even begin to offer her? He wondered almost resigned to the fact that this may be his only chance at settling down and beginning a family of his own. And it would also likely go to waste.

"Don't think about things too hard." He heard her say, her voice suddenly cutting through his depressing thoughts like a knife. "I've never been married before so I'm not really sure what my expectations even should be. To be honest, I never thought that I would even settle down to begin with. I always thought that I would be dead in a ditch somewhere before this point in my life. So...all I can really think to say to your question is- Just be my friend for now. And let things happen as they should once we know each other a bit more."

He blinked at nothing. Uncertain about whether or not he'd actually heard her right as she let out a soft chuckle before saying.

"I actually get the feeling that you're a lot like me. You're just a bit more...restrained. And if that's true then once you love someone, you love them very, very deeply. It's actually not a bad way to live. But there just aren't many people who understand the depths of your feelings or the incredible lengths that you will go to just to keep someone you care about close to you."

Balam exhaled a small puff of air as he mulled over her words.

He wasn't really sure just how similar the two of them were. Personality wise, that is. But she wasn't wrong about how deep his love ran. She also wasn't wrong about just how much he'd do, the utter lengths he'd go, just to keep those that he viewed as his close to him.

And she was his now.

If he could offer her nothing else, he could at least offer her his protection.

After all, he was a Chet ranked demon. And there were very few who would dare to cross him purely because of his rank. While others- mostly the young and foolhardy- learned firsthand just how dangerous he could be.

"I think that's a wonderful response," He said after a couple of minutes of thought filled silence. It might not have been a normal answer to his question, but for someone who didn't know him- it was certainly one that held a certain wisdom. "I just have one question. What's a friend?"

"Huh?!" She squeaked in startled shock, the fur on her tail fluffing up just like Opera's as she twisted herself around in his lap and quickly told him what a friend was.

"A friend is someone that you hang out with and share bonds with. You laugh together during the good times. And you cry together during the bad times. And most importantly of all, if your friend is ever in trouble- you do your damnedest to help them."

"If they need a place to go, even if it's just because they don't want to go home, they should be able to come to you. If they need someone to hear them talk about something important, they should be able to speak to you regardless of the topic. If they have a problem in need of solving, two heads are better than one. And if they need someone to protect them...then they should be able to rely on you to have their back. Always."

"Ah. I think I understand now." He said as he realized that that was actually a good place to start building a relationship of some kind with her.

It was something easy and uncomplicated where the two of them could take the chance to relax and get comfortable with one another.

How very interesting. He thought with a slight smile curving his mouth. Ichigo isn't like other demon's, is she? He thought as she leaned back a bit and then lifted an arm so that she could hold one hand up so that her index finger tapped him on the tip of his mask. He squeaked, startled by the small action as she suddenly said, "I have one more thing to tell you. Mostly because I don't want to bother trying to lie about it. Lying is bad, ya know?"

He focused on her face, wondering what it was that she was going to say when there was a loud banging sound outside of the room. Which was immediately followed by a few high-pitched screams. One of which was obviously Sullivan.

"What the-" Ichigo started as she turned her head towards the sound of the ruckus just in time to hear Opera shout.

"No! Don't!" Only to be cut off by a loud crashing sound akin to something being smashed with great force.

"Calm down Mizuiro!" The next voice, who was obviously Rukia, screamed in a panic.

Ichigo heaved a great sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose as she said. "I have a son. His name is Mizuiro and you're about to meet him."

Balam took two seconds to try and understand what she'd just said to him, his mind black screened and then crashed. As the large door to her room suddenly slammed open hard enough to bang into the wall and leave a mark while a slight, dark-haired man stepped through the opening and pinned him with the most utterly malicious look of displeasure that he had ever witnessed before.

"Hey mom. Got something to tell me?" He made a hand gesture towards her and the giant demon holding her. "What's this shit about you being married? Aren't I supposed to approve of things like that first before they happen?"

"It was Rukia's fault. She married us against our wills." Ichigo said automatically. Feeling absolutely no loyalty to Rukia at the moment. Much less any regret about the fact that she'd just basically signed her best friend's death warrant. As far as she was concerned Rukia was going to die. If not by her hand, then it would certainly be her sons.

And her boy had absolutely no mercy in him at the moment.

Mizuiro tilted his head to the side a little bit as he considered her words as Rukia snarled an absolutely foul curse from somewhere behind him in the hallway.

As he then said, "Take care of dad. I'll handle this." And with that, he turned, and Rukia let out a loud shriek before he went tearing out of the room to grab her before she could escape.

A while later, his mind finally started working again. And once that happened Balam was immediately aware of the fact that everyone- including Sullivan, Opera, Rukia and Ichigo's son were all present in the bedroom. Where they were all sitting over by the closed door, being chastised for the earlier chaos.

The fact that Opera and Sullivan were being chastised as well as Rukia and...what was his name again? Misio? Mikau? No, wait! It was Mizuiro wasn't it?

Whatever. He'd ask in a few minutes once his wife finished with everyone.

Still...it was beyond shocking to him that Ichigo would so much as dare to chastise everyone, including those of higher rank than she was. And at the same time- it was also strangely impressive too. Even more so because everyone was allowing it.

But more than that, Balam could tell that each of them was nervous. Very nervous. Which was...strange to him as well.

Ichigo paced back and forth before them, her eyes never leaving their still figures while Balam took the time to look each of them over.

Sullivan, was sweating bullets for some reason. Opera, was visibly shaking where he sat, his eyes wide yet his ears weren't flattened back against his head or drooping which meant that though he was nervous, he trusted his lady not to do anything irreparably harmful to him despite her current mood.

Rukia's head was down and she looked to be close to tears. And the last of them...had no remorse whatsoever for his part in the earlier fiasco.

Finally, Ichigo spoke. "To begin with, I'm upset about earlier- but I'm not so upset that I would do something too terrible to any of you."

Balam could see the immediate shift in everyone. There was such relief among them that Sullivan stopped sweating so much. Rukia was no longer so close to tears. Opera was...still shaking, though it was likely more from happiness than fear. And the last guy- was still displaying no remorse whatsoever.

He tilted his head a bit as his wife went on to say, "Rukia, you and Opera need to tone your mischief down a bit. It's okay to prank people by doing small and subtle things. But try not to get caught anymore."

Rukia muttered, "Okay." While Opera looked as if he were about to jump to his feet and hug Ichigo but was held back by Sullivan grabbing him before he could. Which seemed to annoy the hell cat if the look that he shot his master was any indication at all.

Turning to Mizuiro, Ichigo then growled out. "You, dear, aren't a child and know better than to flip out like you did earlier. Especially when there is company over. You will write a twenty-page apology to both your grandpa and Opera for your bad behavior. You will also write a ten-page apology to Rukia for how you tried to murder her with a nerf baseball bat."

The man sputtered in outrage and argued. "B-But, a nerf bat was all that I could find to kill her slowly!"

"Thirty pages."

"What?!"

"The more you argue with me, the more pages you'll write." Ichigo hissed at her son. Causing the man to sputter for a few seconds longer before finally falling silent with a sullen look on his face.

"And you," Ichigo finally said as she turned to Sullivan who let out an 'eep' sound as she moved over to him and then reached out to frame his face with her hands. "Did Mizuiro hurt you any when he pushed you through the wall before?"

Balam blinked in surprise upon hearing that. But he held his tongue because he wanted to see/hear what happened next without catching his wife's wrath.

"Oh, um no. He just startled me a bit." Sullivan answered as he blinked at her.

Ichigo nodded her head in understanding but still pushed some of her power into his body to heal any potential injuries that he may be lying to her about.

Sullivan let out a shuddering breath at the contact of her power being pushed into him. It wasn't painful to him. In fact, the feel of her power seeping into him was actually quite nice.

It was warm and affectionate.

Just like getting a hug.

The only reason that he had visibly reacted to it was because he'd never had her do such a thing to him before. And it had startled him a bit. The feeling faded shortly after it had begun, and Sullivan had difficulty not asking her to do it again as she said.

"You are one of the Three Greats and with that title comes a certain level of respect from others. Even those who live in this house with you are subject to certain rules. Since Mizuiro broke those rules by disrespecting you and pushing you through a wall, then you get to decide his second punishment. I only ask that you make the lesson stick without driving him into the ground."

"Of course, my darling child." Sullivan said quickly, and without even needing to think as he grasped her hands in his and pressed a kiss to both of their backs reverently.

He already had the perfect punishment in mind for Mizuiro and since his darling child had given him permission to do as he pleased- somewhat, anyway. Then that was exactly what he was going to do.

"Alright, everyone involved in the fiasco earlier will apologize to Balam for upsetting or troubling him."

Opera, Rukia, and Mizuiro all stood up and walked over to the side of the bed, forcing Balam to turn his body so that he was facing all of them as they all bowed and apologized to him.

Balam wasn't sure what to think, much less do right then so he floundered a bit. But then slowly thanked them for apologizing to him.

Once that was done, Ichigo clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and then said, "Now my darling heathens, if everyone is done with their mischief and everyone is finally calm again- what do you say we all sit down for a family breakfast."

Everyone exchanged slightly nervous glances with everyone else as Ichigo then tacked on with a smile. "Balam, we will understand and not be offended if you don't want to join us for a meal this time. But I would still like for you to sit down with us at some point for a family meal or two so that you can get to know me, Rukia, and Mizuiro a bit better. The choice is yours though and we won't push you into anything that you don't want to do. Especially since you already have a lot to process and some time to yourself might be necessary."

Balam mulled things over for a few seconds but finally decided that he would much rather leave for the time being. As his wife said, he needed some time to process everything that had happened to him so far this morning.

However...

"Would it be okay if I came back during the weekend to visit you? If you want, we can sit down for a dinner or something then." He said looking at Ichigo with something akin to a pleading expression on his masked face.

"Of course." She said easily with no hint of displeasure or disappointment in her expression. Balam felt a measure of relief at her understanding as he quickly jumped up off of her bed and bowed to her.

"Thank you. I will return Friday evening then." He said, feeling a bit more confident.

"We'll be waiting for you."