Author's Note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU.

Matchmaker Matchmaker

Kisuke Urahara propped his feet up on his desk, leaned back in his chair, and sighed. He was bored. As much as he enjoyed being head of research for ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Seireitei University, right now he had nothing to do. Well, nothing interesting. His position was largely administrative now, and he got very little time actually conducting research. Kisuke knew that was in part because of the tendency of his research projects to either cause problems or cost far more money than was in the budget or both. It just wasn't the same when he didn't have a project to work on.

He was not surprised when the Dean of Student Affairs came and perched on his desk. Yoruichi Shihoin had been his best friend for years, and she had the same problem with boredom that he did. The dark haired woman smiled mischievously at him.

"Are you as bored as I am?"

Kisuke perked up at her tone. "You have an idea?"

Yoruichi smirked. "A project actually. I saw Isshin's son the other day. He's in the pre-med program you know. He doesn't seemed to have changed much except for growing taller and perhaps more stubborn."

Their mutual friend, Isshin Kurosaki, had lost his wife a number of years ago. It had affected almost everyone in the family, but it had turned Ichigo from a smiling happy child into a brooding storm cloud that tried not to let anyone close. They had been hoping he would grow out of it.

"Anyway, he's moved into that new dorm building, the one that keeps needing repairs. And I happened to notice that Rukia Kuchiki is his next door neighbor."

He could see where she was going with this. If there was anyone who could break through Ichigo's wall of bad humor and solitude it would be Rukia. She was brash and rude at times, but the girl genuinely cared about those around her. It would also do Rukia some good to have someone like Ichigo around. Oh, she had her older brother and a number of friends, but most of them didn't always see past the masks she sometimes wore. No, she and Ichigo would be a good match for one another, especially when it came to sheer stubbornness.

"So, what exactly did you have in mind for those two?" Kisuke grinned.

Yoruichi produced a file folder and matched his grin. They had work to do.