Aizen stepped out of his car, walking to the sidewalk to where his former friends were standing. Byakuya glared at him with iciness in his cool grey eyes that didn't look like was going to let up anytime soon. He leaned against the car with his arms crossed, watching as Urahara took out his camera and started muttering as he taped the building owner who stared at posters of woman who was going to put on a show in a few days for the homeless.

The brown haired man looked to the glaring raven head. "Ah Byakuya, you're looking well for someone who was going through a hard time since our last encounter."

Byakuya wasn't going to be bought with the thought that the building owner was actually concerned for his well being. He turned his head away for a moment to the moon shining above them before shifting his gaze back. "What do you want, Sosuke?" He asked coldly.

"Like I said before, I came here for the rent everyone owes me." Aizen replied while pulling a few posters down.

Urahara then stopped his camera. "What rent?" He asked curiously.

"What do you mean "what rent?"?" The building owner muttered. "This past year's rent, of course."

Urahara raised a brow. "You said we didn't have to pay rent when you bought the building."

"Don't you remember you used to live here as well?" Byakuya added.

Aizen nodded. "Of course I remember. How could I forget?" He said. "You, me, Ikkaku…and Yoruichi… how is she?" he asked and pulling down more of the fliers from the wall. Byakuya said nothing but watched the others with icy cool grey eyes.

"She's fine and getting ready for her performance." Urahara answered quietly and clutched the camera strap with the camera gently in his arms.

"I see, so are you still her production manager?"

The blonde pursed his lips slightly before he spoke. "Not exactly..." He looked to the songwriter next to him. Their eyes connected for a moment before both looked to the other man again.

"Are you still in a relationship with her?" Aizen asked still looking at the countless posters down the wall.

The blonde cameraman sighed. "She left me." He said in a slightly annoyed tone.

Aizen turned then while crumpling up the paper in his hands more. "Is she seeing another man?"

"Well…no." The cameraman replied reluctantly.

Raising a brow, he didn't really believe the blonde's words. "What is his name, Kisuke?"

Byakuya and Kisuke both spoke that time. "Soi Fong." They said in unison then looked at each other again.

The building owner quirked a brow out of confusion before his lips curved upward into an amused smile before chuckling.

Not amused by the man in front, Urahara just sighed once more. He figured he should just let the man get his laugh and leave it at that.

Byakuya saw this and he closed his eyes for a moment. "You should not expect sympathy from the man who turned off our power on Christmas Eve." He told his roommate.

The building owner sobered some then. "It must certainly have gotten your attention."

Byakuya opened his eyes and walked towards the other with his arms still crossed. "What happened to you?" He asked looking into the brown eyes. "Have you been so blinded by money that you don't have the slightest care for anything else?" He was certain this wasn't the man who he had known a few years ago. The man used to be generous and caring. He was not self-centered and only cared about money or his own well being. But ever since he had married, he had become a different person.

"I have the right to do what I wish with the lot next door." Aizen commented suddenly.

Byakuya turned away from the brown haired man and put his hands in the pocket of his old wool coat. He should have known that Aizen would say something like that.

Throwing the crumbled up ball of paper at the raven head, as Byakuya turned back around, while Aizen spoke to the two. "What of the rent?"

"As if you haven't noticed," The raven haired man said dryly while catching the paper. "I may point out that we are broke." It wasn't a question; it was a fact that was known to all three of them.

"Don't waste your breath or time by breaking your word, Sosuke." The cameraman said dully.

"This is absurd." Byakuya hissed as he put the ball onto the hood of the car then stuffing his hands in his pockets again. "I refuse to stand here a listen to this any longer." He began to walk back to the building's main door only to be stopped by Aizen's next words.

"There is one way that you can stay here…with no charge."

Byakuya blinked slowly and sighed before turning his head to look over his shoulder. "I thought you might say so."

"What?" Urahara asked skeptically.

"Convince Yoruichi to cancel her protest performance." Aizen answered.

"Ha…" Urahara huffed in a half chuckle.

"I think not, you would have much more luck having the authorities getting involved." The raven haired man commented from the beginning of the concrete stairs.

"I have already called them and they are on standby." He replied and looked away to see other posters around the area. "But my investor would rather I handle this in a quiet manner."

Turning fully around Byakuya glared hard at the man then walked back so he was standing right in front of him. "You cannot quietly wipeout an entire lot full of homeless then go to your home and say everything is absolutely fine. It does not work that way." He insisted.

"Don't you remember our dream of a studio, a place where you could write your songs and for Kisuke to produce his films? You might think twice before you throw my offer away." Aizen remarked.

The raven haired songwriter shook his head and backed away from the other man with iciness still in his eyes. Neither of them said anything for the longest time.

Aizen sighed, deciding to break the silence. "You'll see that I'm correct."

The other two said nothing. Bykuya turned his body completely around and walked back to the main down and grasped the handle.

"If you do this then we'll be able to build the studio, work, and get paid. Then you wouldn't have to worry about money." The building owner added coolly.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes and turned his head to look directly into his former friend's eyes. "But what of the many lives that have built somewhat of a home there? That would be wrong of us to push them out just to see that this… dream comes to be. Go find someone else to do your bidding." With that said he pulled the door open and went inside letting the door slam behind him.

Urahara clutched his camera strap tighter in his hands as he breathed in deeply, his green-grey eyes looking into the distance for a moment before looking into the other man's brown eyes.

"Are you also going to let Yoruichi do what she wants? Or are you going to be different and do what you feel you need to do to keep your home?" Aizen asked.

Urahara tilted his head to the side and let a smirk come to play along his features. "I'm going to do what I feel is the right thing to do." He replied vaguely.

"Which is?"

The blonde turned to the main door, not saying anything. He grasped the handle of the door. The brown haired man narrowed his eyes at the other. "You'll either see to my offer or you will pack and leave."

The blonde shrugged slightly before pulling the door open walking in the building leaving the other out in the cold.

He hadn't realized he was holding his breath and let it out with heavy sigh. He was startled once he saw a shadow next to him and didn't see his housemate until he spoke. "So what shall we do now?" Byakuya was leaning against the wall with his hands still in his pockets. His pale green scarf wrapped around his pale throat loosely with his eyes closed.

"I'm not sure about the rent. But I'm not going to have Yoruichi cancel her show just for him just for our place." Urahara replied quietly, he looked out the window of the door and saw Aizen drive away down the street.

"Shall we start packing then?" Byakuya asked while opening one grey eye.

The blonde looked back to the songwriter and shook his head. "No, we'll figure out some way to pay our rent." He declared.

"Very well," The raven head said then softly pushed off of the wall with his back and started to climb the stairs. "But don't ask me to ask for the money from my grandfather. He may own his own firm and be wealthy but I left that house long ago and I'm not going back nor am I going to ask anything from him."

"I know, Byakuya, I know. I won't have you asking him for money. We'll figure things out." The cameraman told him.

Byakuya nodded and continued up the stairs with his housemate a few steps behind him. They were silent on the way up and as they got in. Urahara took his camera and switched out the film and looked at some other things. Byakuya took a seat on the couch and picked up his guitar softly playing the melodies in his head.

Ikkaku was in the alley still, holding his midsection and wiping the blood from his mouth and nose onto his sleeve. His body ached from the beating he took. "Ahh, dammit…" He muttered before coughing up more blood. He heard someone walking down the alley. His brows furrowed and he frowned.

"What an unbeautiful sight." The man walking towards him said. "Hey, are you okay?" The man asked and handing him a cloth as he crouched down next to the professor.

Ikkaku just stared at the person before him. The young man had medium length black hair with a braid on the right side and large violet eyes. He was certainly a beautiful young man and obviously bit of a girly one. The bald man chuckled inwardly at the thought. "I'm fine." He answered quietly and refused the white cloth. "I'm fine…" He repeated and wiped his mouth again gently also refusing to look at the other man directly in the eyes.

The man looked back down the alley for minute then turned back to the bald bleeding man. "I'm Yumichika."

Ikkaku nodded and shifted his eyes to the other. "I'm Ikkaku…Madarame." The bald man replied.

Yumichika smiled sympathetically at the man before him. "Come on, we should get you cleaned up." He straightened his back pack before taking Ikkaku's arm.

"Ack…" The bald man winced in pain while they both stood up. His body aching and his nose and mouth were still bleeding.

Yumichika offered the cloth again and this time Ikkaku accepted it and held it to his nose. "Thanks." He mumbled behind the cloth.

"We'll sort of have to hurry though. I have to go to a life support meeting later." Yumichika told the bald man and nodding.

Ikkaku raised a brow. "Life support?"

"Yeah, for people with AIDS and problems similar to that…" He mumbled with a faint blush. "Like me…"

The professor turned his head to the other and nodded. "Me too."

The brunette's blush faded slightly as he smiled. "Would you like to come?"

Ikkaku grinned behind the cloth. "Sure."

They walked, or in Ikkaku's case, limped, down the street for a few blocks to another apartment building. It was equally run down as Ikkaku's but it also seemed just as sturdy and had power surprisingly. He noticed that his complex didn't and he knew how Aizen was so it wasn't going to be on until the morning.

The black haired man led the other into the door behind him and up the stairs to his apartment. The professor looked around and he was impressed that the place looked neat and clean. He also noticed the sewing machine and then a set of drums to the side. It seemed old and something that needed to be repaired quite a bit.

Yumichika noticed that the other was looking around and saw the impressed look in his eye. He smirked and set his pack down on the floor. "Follow me." He told the man and led the way down the hall to the bathroom. When they walked in he turned on the shower and grabbed a towel. "Take your clothes off. I'll go put them in the wash while you shower and get yourself cleaned up."

"You don—" Ikkaku was interrupted by the other.

"You're clothes are bloody and damp from sweat." The brunette said firmly. "Take them off so I can clean them." Yumichika ordered softly but more firmly while crossing his arms over his chest.

The bald man just nodded and started to strip his aching body. Yumichika turned and adjusted the water temperature and made sure everything was easy to find and reach. "There's a seat in the corner if you want to sit down while you shower." He told the other then turned back to the other again, careful not to look lower while he finished undressing with an occasional wince. The brunette took his clothes and then walked out of the bathroom then turned his head to look at Ikkaku from the corner of his eye. "When you're done, we'll treat your injuries."

Ikkaku nodded again then after the door closed he stepped into the warm shower carefully. He carefully washed the blood away from his face and rinsed his mouth out. He watched the redness go down the drain. He shook his head as he sat down carefully on the seat, letting the warm water spray down on his aching back.

How can I be so weak? No…not weak, unlucky. I was unlucky tonight…again. He thought to himself and winced when he reached for the soap again. He groaned quietly at the thought of seeming weak in front of a stranger. I should have just beaten the shit out of them before they beat the shit out of me. I wouldn't in this situation then and I wouldn't be in this guy's house.

He heard a soft knock on the door. "I have some food out here for when you get done." He called through the door.

"Thanks…" Ikkaku muttered and stood to rinse his body under the hot spray. After a few minutes he turned the shower off. "You know…you don't have to do any of this." He commented as he stepped out of the shower and dried off. He tied the towel around his waist before he opened the door to find his host leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Hmm.." The brunette hummed. "I'm sure if I left you there in that alley then you'd probably still be there in the morning since you were really in no shape to move by yourself. So I think it's better for you to just be happy I was there when I was." He grinned. He nodded for the other to follow him.

The bald man didn't say anything, but he did scowl at Yumichika when he turned around. He walked slowly, following the other to the main room.

"Sit on the sofa and eat." The brunette ordered gently. "I'll put your clothes in the dryer and then get some things to treat your injuries. When the professor nodded and sat down is when the brunette disappeared into another room and several minutes later reappeared with rubbing alcohol and cotton pads. By then the bald man was done with his food. "Well, that was fast." Yumichika commented and sat down next to the other, setting his findings on the table in front of them.

Ikkaku licked his lips to moisten them and found that he had cuts on them. He could taste a tang of blood on the cuts. "Why are you helping me?" He asked.

The brunette chuckled and unscrewed the cap of the alcohol bottle. "I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do. Besides you were not looking so beautiful on the pavement back there." He took a pad and tipped the bottle on it for a quick second then turned to the bald man. "This will sting." He commented then cleaned the spot under Ikkaku's nose carefully. He took another pad and did the same with Ikkaku's lips.

The bald man winced slightly as his injuries were cleaned. He was surprised when Yumichika was looking at the bruises on his stomach and took more pads and wiped the alcohol on them. His violet eyes trailed up to Ikkaku's confused black ones. "This will take the sting out of them and make the color go away faster." He explained to his confused guest.

"Oh…" The professor mumbled.

"Did the ones that did this to you get anything?" The brunette asked quietly. When he was finished he set the pads in a pile and capped the alcohol.

The bald man sighed. "Well, I didn't have much but I had gifts for my roommates. One's a songwriter and the other is sort of like a cameraman. I bought some things for them to use and I had some of my clothes."

The brunette nodded his understanding. "I see, so you have others waiting for you."

Ikkaku nodded. "Yeah, I should probably check in soon."

Yumichika shook his head. "They should be fine. You need your rest, get some and I'll wake you in a few hours then you can go home."

The bald man nodded knowing that it was useless to argue now and that he did need rest. He laid down on the couch after Yumichika stood and draped a blanket over him. He closed his eyes and soon when Yumichika was done he disappeared into the same room he had gone in before he surrendered to sleep.

Yumichika watched the bald man sleep soundly for a few minutes when he came back with Ikkaku's dry clothes. He folded them and set them on the table. His lips curved upwards into a soft smile at the sight of the peaceful look on the bald man's face as he slept. That sight was certainly beautiful and he wouldn't mind seeing it again.