Request made by Kyouko Hori, previously known as Lilynette Gingerbuck! When the made the request, I had a dream…sorta…about this and wrote it, so I hope you like it!

Chapter 1

'Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart'

Haruki Murakami

Ichigo sighed as he felt cool fingers run through his orange hair.

"Will you always be there for me, nii-chan?" The person to whom the fingers belonged chuckled.

"Of course, Ichigo."

The boy quickly stepped forward and wrapped his short arms around this 'nii-chan' and squeezed. He felt cool arms envelope him.

"Always."

***X***

Kurosaki Ichigo, a young boy of 16, jolted upright, quickly looking around to assess his surroundings. Pale blue walls, open closet doors, and blue sheets. A few items of clothing were scattered on the floor and the window was slightly open, making the white curtains flutter in the breeze. He was in his apartment bedroom. The teen sighed and fell back against the bed, hands askew above his head and his eyes distant. He had no time to dwell on the dream that he could almost remember when the phone rang. Grumbling, he covered his head with his pillow and waited for the answering machine. The phone rang annoyingly for a minute or so before beeping. Ichigo winced as her heard his own voice mail and waited.

"Iiiichhhhiiigoooo-kuuuuuunnnnn~" the boy jumped up at the voice, brows immediately turning scrunching together. In frustration, the orange haired boy threw his pillow at the phone in hopes that it would upset the connection. "I know you're home~!"

The orangette sighed and reluctantly picked up the offensive machine. He set the phone to his ear and immediately spoke.

"What do you want, hat and clogs?"

Ichigo groaned as he could hear the triumphant grin in the other's voice as he answered.

"You should really wake up earlier than," a slight pause, "4pm on a Saturday."

Ichigo just kept silent, forcing the other to talk.

"Ne- you know I've made many changes to the Academy while you were away!" The person's annoyingly sing-song tone made Ichigo once again, sigh. The man continued.

"Well, I'd really like it if you came back!" Silence. Ichigo didn't say a word, causing the man on the line to babble.

"You'd of course get your scholarship back, take whatever classes, and you know how good the food is~"

"Why?" The teen interrupted. He'd been alone here for almost two years now, and he wanted the other to tell him why he suddenly wanted Ichigo back. Especially in the middle of the school year. The man's voice was suddenly serious. "You know why, Ichigo. Please, I really do want you safe."

"I'll think about it, Urahara-san."

He placed the phone back before the other could argue. The orangette heaved another sigh slumped back again, this time covering his chocolate orbs tiredly.

Urahara Kisuke was his only known relative, an uncle, but more of a god-parent than anything else. He had practically raised Ichigo, who had never known his parents, and his guardian hadn't ever spoken of them. Actually, Ichigo couldn't remember much of anything before Urahara had adopted him. His memories were oddly missing from the time before he was 6.

Ichigo had already been to this academy, a project of some sorts Urahara had created, and studied there for several years when he lived with the man. He'd gotten a rather…well rounded and extensive education from Urahara himself, making classes boring and dull. It was part of the reason why he'd left when we was 14 to have a year or two in a normal setting…well, as normal as possible.

He was now 16 years old, tall, muscular, yet lithe. His orange hair stuck everywhere in messy spikes and piercing brown eyes burned with a. fiery light. He'd wanted to experience "the outside world" – something he'd never truly experienced living on academy grounds for his life.

Ichigo got up and shuffled into the kitchen of his apartment, quickly downing a bowl of cereal. He washed up and dressed for his job as a pianist at a club. Walking there, he sat at the piano bench and surveyed the customers. A few people started to fill in the seats, but most came at night. His fingers tapped lightly, a lazy jazz tune filling the air.

He hadn't intended to play music here, but after a man - now his boss - had heard him play on one of the dingy pianos along the streets, Ichigo played in turns with the usual band.

"Hey, baby. Love that tune."

Ichigo didn't have to turn to know that it was Renji, one of his best friends teasing him. He did however, roll his eyes.

"What kind of greeting is that after you haven't been here in weeks?" Ichigo shook his head. "Whatever. You're earlier than usual."

The redhead just sighed, "I'm sorry, Ichigo. I've been busy the last few weeks. New classes, new people, and some unexpected…changes."

The last bit was mumbled, but Ichigo caught it just barely. He thought it over for a little bit before deciding to respond.

"Really?" The orangette looked back a little, chocolate brown orbs observing Renji out the corner of his eyes as tan digits still fluidly played a piece. He studied his friend, noting that it seemed as if he'd grown a bit taller, maybe more muscular – two things Ichigo was secretly jealous about as his swimmer's build prevented him from bulking up – and his eyes were a deeper shade than before.

"You look different."

The other laughed nervously, a large hand coming up to rub at the back of his head. It was something Renji would always do when he was lying. Or trying to hide something.

"I always thought it was creepy how you could multi-task like that…ahaha. You're nearly ambidextrous and you've always had good sensory skills. It must really help in playing the piano…"

As Renji trailed off, Ichigo raised a fine orange brow. The orangette decided to just shrug off whatever Renji was trying to hide – the other would tell him when he was ready. They talked, occasionally exchanging playful banter. Ichigo still playing until the band set up and he moved towards the bar. By then, many people had filed in.

Though the city, or more like town, Ichigo had decided to stay in was a hike from the academy, it was the closest one. Hence, Ichigo would often see familiar faces, such as his friends come to visit, or some of his teachers looking to unwind after a particularly trying week of teaching. One regular of the bar happened to be both teacher and friend.

A blond man with a frightening amount of teeth approached the pair at the bar, brown eyes alight in mischievous glee.

"Ichigo!" The blonde immediately came over and noogied the youngest. Ichigo scowled and attempted to wrestle the other off.

"Shinji get off!"

The vampire merely chuckled and released the orangette. "I haven't seen you in such a long time! I just had to hug you!"

Ichigo glared at the other. "You see me every week and that definitely was not a hug."

Shinji shrugged and his grin fell, his eyes becoming serious. "Kisuke talked to me. I'm sure he contacted you too. I understand that you wanted some time away, but he's doing this for your safety. The number of attacks by rogue vampires are increasing in towns and we'd really like it if you were closer."

The orangette rolled his eyes. He'd heard this all before and didn't understand why it made such a difference now. He had been living alone for almost two years without incident – well many anyways – and he could protect himself. He even had an anti-vampire weapon that Urahara himself had given to Ichigo.

"I can take care of myself just fine, Shinji. You and Urahara both know that."

Renji looked between the two, confused. "Is this about Ichigo coming back the Academy again?"

Ichigo huffed and turned towards the bar again, asking for a glass of water. Shinji nodded solemnly at the redhead.

"You know that vampire attacks have been increasing." He didn't wait for confirmation from the other. "We've all been worried as Ichigo's been living on his own without protection."

At this the orangette turned abruptly and growled at the vampire. "I do have a way to protect myself and I have been living just fine!"

Shinji sighed, sitting down next to the angry human and signaling the bartender for his regular drink. The vampire set a steady hand on Ichigo's shoulder, brown eyes calm and worried.

"There's been a lot of unrest and Kisuke is seriously worried. Along with keeping peace between the Vampire Council, the Hunter Association, and the Academy, his worry for you also adds another element to think about. He's been building up a lot of stress and you being there for him will alleviate some of that. You should've seen him after you first left."

Ichigo's shoulders slumped. He had speculated that something of the sort had been happening, but he hadn't thought that his leaving had affected his uncle so negatively. He'd thought that moving out of his uncle's way would make him stop worrying but here he was, causing Urahara more hardship. Urahara had never shown any sort of tiredness or difference than his usual self when speaking with Ichigo. So, the orangette had assumed that everything was all right.

"Has he really been overworking – more than usual?" Ichigo asked quietly.

The blond vampire thanked the bartender and took a sip of drink. "He's definitely been trying to do more than he should. He hasn't been sleeping and he's a wreck. The Hunter Associations been asking for him and the Vampire Council still opposes the Acdemy."

Ichigo didn't say anything but internally cursed his Uncle for keeping all of this from him. Well, he guessed that that was something they had in common. He smiled ruefully. Both of them despised asking for help, despised not being able to solve a problem on their own. Ichigo looked at Renji, who didn't want to interrupt the conversation but obviously wanted to say something, to Shinji, who watched Ichigo expectantly.

"I'll…I'll think about it. That's the answer I gave Urahara-san and that's all I can say now. Let me think."

Shinji nodded and tipped the rest of the contents of the glass down his throat.

"That's all I could ask for."

The rest of the night consisted of constant teasing from Shinji and light-hearted bickering with Renji during his breaks. By the end of his shift – Shinji and Renji had long left – it was early in the morning and the bouncers were shoving drunken customers out the doors. Ichigo helped clean up the bar before leaving for home.

Ichigo flopped onto his bed after quickly downing a quick breakfast, brushing his teeth and shedding his clothes. Could he really go on like this? Though it was an alright life, it was tiring. He'd already been used to nocturnal life after living with the Headmaster of the Academy for Day and Night. Ichigo knew that he wouldn't have been able to live on his own for very long but had tried anyways. This tiring lifestyle was killing him – and apparently his uncle.

The orangette picked up the phone and pressed his first speed dial. He waited.

"Hello~ Urahara Shoten, how may I help you?" Ichigo groaned. Why exactly he cared for this idiot, he'd never know. "Cut it out. I'm thinking about coming back…only if I get ful access to a piano."

The man quickly agreed and Ichigo fell asleep.

***X***

Ichigo woke to the sound of a fan snapping in his ear. He jumped up immediately, trying to reach the weapon he kept under his pillow when he realized his was in the air. His abrumpt movement caused the man lifting him to drop him. The orangette wildly scanned the room, arm darting out to grab the smooth metal of his anti-vampire weapon and narrowing his eyes at the uninvited people in his room. Urahara was in his apartment, as well as several men dressed in black. Ichigo deadpanned.

"What is this."

Urahara covered the lower half of his face. "You agreed, so I have come to retrieve you!"

"Don't you mean kidnap?" The orangette muttered it under his breath and the blond man smiled. Ichigo glanced up into his Uncle's form and could see the visible circles under his eyes and the slight shallowness of his cheeks indicating that he'd lost weight. Ichigo sighed.

"I'm just making sure you keep your word, my dear nephew."

Ichigo's expression softened, but he didn't let himself be carried.

"I can walk, thank you very much."

The orangette packed, letting his uncle negotiate everything and then he was sent to the gates of an enormous school.

'Academy for Day and Night'

Ichigo looked on over the campus and breathed in.

"I'm back."

I've been editing all my fics and the first chapter is finished! 3/5/18