A new short story for you all... I've been tossing this idea around for a while and then decided to go with it after reading the recent manga arc. No spoilers though so don't worry everyone! A certain part of the arc just gave me the idea...

UPDATE: Did you know this story has had almost 500 unique visitors since I uploaded it? I'm pleased people like it but so few people actually leave a review or send me a message to say thank you for writing it. I think I speak for all writers on this site when I say it's lovely to get feedback - positive feedback or constructive comments - in response to our work. Please take this into account and do leave a review or send a PM. You can do it anonymously if you don't have an account. Thank you! *big smiley face*

Uryu never asked Ichigo for anything.

It didn't annoy Ichigo as such; he knew that was part of who Uryu was so he accepted it. But there was a limit to how far Ichigo was willing to pander to that pride, so he'd taken Uryu aside (because Uryu didn't tend to respond honestly if other people were in earshot) and made it quite clear that if ever Uryu really needed anything, he knew where to go.

"And, Ishida," he'd added, "I swear if you die because you didn't ask for help then I will find you in the afterlife and I will beat the living daylights out of you."

"As if you could even find me, Kurosaki. You have trouble sensing Hollows let alone a dead Quincy. And even if you did, you'd have a job 'beating the living daylights of me'. Though seeing you try would give me some amusement."

Coming from Uryu, it was a mild insult. And probably one of the closest things you'd ever get to a thank you.

That day when Ichigo's phone rang as he was lying on his bed doing his homework, he didn't expect it to be Uryu. Because Uryu had never called him before.

"Ishida? What's up?"

Silence.

With anybody else, this would have been a prank, but it was Uryu and silence like this was meaningful. And if Ichigo swore at him or told him to hurry the hell up then Uryu would hang up and Ichigo would never know why he had even called in the first place. Which would drive him insane. And (though he'd never admit it to anyone else) worry him. Because Uryu would not be calling unless he needed something.

"Seriously. What's up?" Ichigo said quietly.

"I have a ...favour... to ask."

"You're not hurt are you?"

"No."

And that was an odd response. Because usually Uryu would take offence. Why do you immediately think I'm hurt? What? You think I can't look after myself, Kurosaki?

"What is it? If I can help then I will."

He fought the urge to add 'idiot' to the end of the sentence. Uryu sounded so quiet and Ichigo could imagine him staring at the ground the way Uryu did when he didn't want to look someone in the eye. Not wanting to ask anyone for anything; almost afraid to ask.

Do you really think I'd ever say no to you?

Even if Ichigo couldn't help him, he'd die trying anyway.

"Kurosaki..." The tentative voice on the phone was so quiet that Ichigo could only just hear it.

Ichigo closed his eyes. You better not be hurt. It's just like you to say you're not hurt when you're actually be bleeding to death.

"Kurosaki..."

It would be quicker if I just ran over to your house. But you won't tell me where you live and even if I did find it you'd never let me in anyway.

Ichigo wasn't an idiot. After all this time, he knew how to handle Uryu. You needed patience. Lots and lots of patience. Ichigo didn't have much patience and that was probably why Uryu never came to him for anything.

"I..."

Ichigo put his fist in his mouth to stop himself from yelling down the phone. Out with it, Uryu!

"I... will you...?"

Yes?

A silence so long that Ichigo thought he'd say nothing at all. And if Uryu bottled it and hung up now then Ichigo swore he'd find him and wring his neck.

"Will you help me break into a house?"

Eh?

Of all the things Ichigo had expected, he hadn't seen this one coming. And since Uryu never asked for anything it must be really, really important to him for some reason.

"When and where?"

"What the hell is this?!"

"I said no questions asked, Kurosaki."

"This isn't a house!"

"No questions asked!"

"It's a damn mansion!"

Ichigo stared at the gated entrance, framed by the fading light of the evening. It was a western-style building, surrounded by overgrown gardens and a stone, ivy-covered wall topped with black railings. The central building was rectangular in shape with large, high windows on both floors, but either side there were taller structures that put Ichigo in mind of the towers of a palace.

He'd come here as a kid before to gawp through the gates. People said it was haunted, but Ichigo had never seen any ghosts around (and maybe that should have set alarm bells ringing because usually there were ghosts everywhere). Either way, everyone in town was pretty much in agreement that it was the creepiest building around. It had probably been beautiful in the past, but now the windows looked dusty and years' of dead leaves had piled up in the untamed garden.

He stared at Uryu, who was staring at his feet. Refusing to look at Ichigo. And refusing to look at the house.

It had been a silent journey as Uryu led the way, taking Ichigo about half a mile out of town and up the empty road running through the hilly countryside. Uryu had stared at the ground and Ichigo had tried not to stare at Uryu. Because Uryu looked a little different to usual. Thoughtful, as always, and yet glazed. He'd barely even greeted Ichigo when they'd met up in town at six thirty pm. It seemed Uryu was unable to admit that he'd asked for help.

And Ichigo was smug that he had asked, though if he dared to revel in that feeling then Uryu would scuttle away.

I don't want you to run away. Because it's about time you asked for something.

It wasn't actually as awkward as it may have looked from the outside. Ichigo didn't feel unwelcome by the quiet. Uryu hadn't told him to go away and it was fine for him to act like this. Because it meant something that Uryu had, after all these years, asked him for something. Especially when Ichigo knew how proud Uryu was and that it must have taken a lot for him to make that phonecall.

"This is the place? Seriously?" said Ichigo.

"Yes, Kurosaki. This is the place."

And with that, Uryu walked around to the side of the walled fortifications and then placed the wooden ladder he'd been carrying up against the wall.

Ishida's gone crazy!

Ichigo looked up and down the empty road quickly. There was no one around but the quiet emptiness seemed to accentuate the loudness of his heart. It had been a bit exciting when Uryu had said it on the phone, but they were going to get caught. A place like this would have security cameras, burglar alarms... the works. Ichigo hadn't really realised how little thought he gave to things like that. In Shinigami form, nothing in the real world could really bother him. But this evening, he'd come in his own body dressed in a brown tracksuit and a dark green beanie hat to cover his distinct hair.

"You can't come as a Shinigami," Uryu had said on the phone.

"Why not?"

"Trust me. You'll die."

Typical Uryu had come in white jeans and a white hoodie.

"Why the heck did you come in white?" Ichigo hissed.

Uryu looked around, feigning sarcastic, intent interest as he pressed his hand above his eyes to glance up and down the very empty road that ran past the mansion. "Could it be that I can wear what I want because there is nobody here?"

"That's not the point! You don't wear white when you're breaking into a house!"

"If you've changed your mind then feel free to leave," snapped Uryu. "I can manage by myself."

Ichigo frowned. He didn't usually think about things too much but a sudden thought had popped into his head. Giving me the option to leave, but not telling me to leave. Which means I'm not actually needed but you don't want me to leave?

Which just made the situation even more curious.

"Let me hold that ladder," said Ichigo, gripping the wooden frame tightly as he checked to make sure it was secure. "OK, get your ass moving."

No angry rebuttal telling Ichigo not to order him around. Ichigo thought he might have been able to get used to this docile behaviour if it wasn't so weird.

Uryu climbed the ladder carefully. Reaching the top, he swung one leg after another over the railings, dropping down to the edge of the wall and then tying a rope to one of the metal poles to slide down into the garden. He made it look so easy, but when Ichigo got to the top he had to grit his teeth to avoid screaming as he almost stabbed himself in the groin while climbing over the pointed metal.

"It's an acquired skill," Uryu called from below. Ichigo swore he could hear a laugh in the archer's voice. And since he hadn't castrated himself he supposed he could let Uryu get away with it, since it was nice to hear some of the tension breaking away from Uryu's voice.

"Ishida, just how many houses have you broken into? Is this your secret hobby or something?"

"Never you mind. Hurry up and pass the ladder, Kurosaki."

This was crazy. Completely crazy, but Ichigo did as he was told and then used the rope to lower himself. He looked around the darkening garden. He considered himself lucky that his family had a yard. It had seemed immense when he was younger and other kids had always been asking if they could come round and play.

This garden was bigger than Ichigo's entire house; probably even bigger than the school yard. And now he was inside the walls he could appreciate how far back into the countryside it stretched. There were fully grown trees rustling a light tune across the wind, greening berry bushes spiralling out of control in the summer heat, climbing shrubs tumbling over an arched lattice and somewhere in the gloom the quiet clatter of a wooden wind chime.

But the grass was up to his knees and what once could have been flowerbeds were long-buried by weeds. The untamed wildness only made it look all the more amazing. Yuzu and Karin would have been chasing each other in seconds, even though they insisted they weren't kids anymore. "This is so cool," said Ichigo. "It would have been the best place in the world to play in as a kid. OW!"

Uryu had suddenly dropped the ladder on his foot. "Sorry. I've got it now," Uryu said acidly. Lifting the ladder up again, he rested it on his shoulder as he started forward.

"Did you do that on purpose?" said Ichigo. Because Uryu had a look that said he had done it on purpose.

"Why would I do that unless you were saying something completely pointless? Now hurry up and follow my steps exactly, Kurosaki. If you put one foot out of line you'll regret it."

"Eh?"

"Exactly, Kurosaki!"

Uryu moved carefully through the grass, sometimes sidestepping, sometimes going back the way they'd come. He led them around a rotting bench, between some weather-worn statues of archers and towards a giant pond criss-crossed by wooden bridges.

This place has a damn lake!

They went over one bridge and then back over another. Uryu leapt over an old flowerbed.

"Ishida! I didn't come here to play follow the leader! Walk properly, you idiot!"

"I'm trying not to get us killed! Your senses are useless! Deviate if you want, but don't blame me if you get fried by reishi. Now jump over here.

"Fried by reishi? Who's house is this?!"

"Get over here now. I didn't think it would take this long. It should be empty until morning but I'd rather not be here longer than I have to."

Uryu was off through the long grass again. Grimacing (and thankful that no one was watching him because it was utterly embarrassing), Ichigo leapt over the flowerbed and then followed the trail Uryu had left. Finally, they reached some moss-covered steps leading to a black door at the back of the house. Uryu wrapped his hand around the rusted door handle and pushed. "It's locked," he muttered. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a set of keys. Something blue and faded dangled. Black beady eyes stared at Ichigo.

Ishida, why do you have an elephant keyring?

It wasn't the most appropriate question considering the situation but it was the one Ichigo wanted to ask because it was the type of thing that looked as if it belonged to a child. And for the smallest of seconds Uryu's fingers seemed to press against it for longer than they needed to as he flipped through the keys. He pushed one of them into the lock.

"Keys? You have keys?" said Ichigo. "You stole them? Why didn't you get one for the front gates while you were at it?"

Uryu stared at him with that look. The one that said Ichigo was an idiot. He tried to turn the key and then tutted. "The lock's changed."

"You've been here before?"

"No questions."

"How can I not ask questions when this is the most bizarre situation I've ever been in? And that, Ishida, is saying something! Are you possessed?"

"No, I am not possessed. It's you who always gets possessed by weird things. Come on. We'll try the front."

Back into the grass on a zigzag, erratic journey around the garden with Ichigo glaring at Uryu's back until they reached the front. Uryu had a key for that too, but again it wouldn't turn. He kicked the door. "Fuck it."

Had Ichigo just heard that correctly? "Ishida, you just swore?"

Uryu pushed his glasses up his nose as he folded his arms.

"You actually swore!"

"Shut up! I'm thinking!"

Ichigo looked up at the dark house and then at the expression on Uryu's face. He was very familiar with Uryu's thoughtful look. But in the darkening glow of the sunset, it seemed different to normal. The same glazed eyes that Ichigo had noted when they'd met up. And now he felt as if he knew what it meant. Uryu looked… sad.

And that did it. No matter what it took, they were getting inside this house.

Ichigo looked between the house and the garden. The front was less grassy and more leafy, covered in dead leaves from previous seasons, and there was a narrow path of patterned stone running around the side of the house. "Is it safe for me to look round the side?" said Ichigo. "Maybe there's another way we can get in."

Uryu seemed to concentrate for a moment. "Stay to the very right-hand edge of the path. And don't go too far. I'll check the other side. There's a sloping roof outside of the bathroom on the second floor. There might be a window open, though there isn't usually."

Usually...?

Ichigo didn't ask. Instead, he kept to the right of the path as instructed, passing the main part of the building and heading round to the side. He looked up at the stone annex. It easily had three floors, probably a fourth too. Wouldn't have surprised Ichigo if there was a basement area too. There were lots of different sloping parts of the roof at various heights and, on the far left on the second floor, there was an open window.

"Ishida, there's a window. You can get up there if you use your hir..." What was it called again? "Quincy thing."

"I can't use it here. I'll bring the ladder."

"Why can't you use it?"

"I could. I just don't think it's a good idea in case we get caught. Or fried by reishi."

It took ages to work out how to get up there. First, they used the ladder to reach a gutter. From there they pulled the ladder up after them and then crawled along, positing the ladder in another part of the gutter to reach the window. How they didn't fall and break their necks Ichigo would never know. By now the sky was dark and they had to trust to luck to get the ladder in the correct place.

To make matters worse, the open window was one of those high kinds where only the top part opened. Uryu, a little shorter than Ichigo, couldn't reach so Ichigo ended up with Uryu on his shoulders to push him through the window. Awkwardly Ichigo clambered up after him, his fingers clutching the oh-so-close opening while his legs scrambled ungracefully against the dirty glass as he strained to cling onto crevices that didn't exist.

Falling… Ishida, I'm going to die and it's all your fault!

And the annoying thing was that if he died now he'd never find out what the hell was going on.

Uryu suddenly grabbed his hands, helping him up and into the building. He seemed to have found a chair to stand on to get the extra height he needed. Unfortunately, Ichigo ended up falling on him as he made it through the window and both boys landed in the darkness in a heap of chair and tangled arms and legs. Ichigo was winded as some part of Uryu thumped his stomach.

"Kurosaki! Move your hands now!"

And because it was human nature, Ichigo automatically felt around to see where his hands had ended up.

Uryu smacked him in the face. And Ichigo didn't blame him as he realised what he had ended up groping.

Quickly they untangled themselves. Uryu crawled away to the left while Ichigo backed to the right to make sure there was absolutely no other possibility at all of falling into one another and ending up grabbing bits that shouldn't be grabbed.

Leaning with his back against the wall, Ichigo straightened his clothes and tried to will away the sudden heat that had flushed his face. For a long moment, both boys were quiet.

"Let's make a pact to never, ever, ever mention this to anyone," said Ichigo finally.

"I've already erased it from my mind."

Ichigo heard Uryu standing so he did the same. "Now what?" asked Ichigo. "Are you going to fill me in on why we're doing this?"

With Uryu wearing white, he was visible in the darkness as he headed across the landing to the opposite wall. He flicked a light switch and Ichigo blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sudden artificial glare. They'd fallen onto a wide landing with white walls interspersed with ornate wooden panels. On the right, the landing ended several metres ahead in a closed white door that someone had painted blue flowers on. To the left, the corridor continued, slowly curving away.

It reminded Ichigo of an old western-style palace that he'd visited on a school trip. Beautiful and amazing to the eyes of a child dwarfed by the high ceilings and sheer size. A place you felt as if you could run around in.

And yet instead you'd tiptoe. And shiver a little because the high walls made it feel so cold. And the ornate magnificence told you not to touch anything. So many bare spaces that it was impossible to call home. Homes were made and shaped by the objects in them. This place was just too big to be shaped by anything. Ichigo felt lost and unwelcome and Uryu, standing opposite him by an enormous empty picture frame and staring at his feet, looked tiny and even thinner than usual.

"This way," Uryu murmured. "And don't touch anything."

His voice was quiet. But not the type of quiet someone used when they were trying not to be heard. Ichigo got the impression that Uryu wasn't even aware of the fact that he was barely audible. He had that glassy look to his eyes again as he stared at the blue carpet.

Ichigo nodded. "Lead the way. You know where you're going, right?"

Uryu nodded.

Ichigo followed him to the left, along the curving corridor and then up a wide flight of steps to the third floor.

"In here." Uryu opened a wooden door on the left and Ichigo noted the way his hand automatically reached for the lightswitch on the right. He didn't even have to look to check where it was.

The room, apparently like everything else in the building, was huge. Probably around four times the size of Ichigo's living room. There was an arched window opposite them but every other wall was filled with bookcases.

"Is this a library?" said Ichigo.

"No. It's a kitchen. Of course it's a library!"

"There's no need to say it like that!"

Uryu frowned as he looked between the bookcases. "I don't know where they'll be..."

"Are you going to tell me what we're looking for?"

Uryu paused, his eyes closing for a brief moment. "Books. Five scrapbooks. They have card covers. One is blue with pink ribbons, three have paintings of flowers on them, and the other has red scribble on it drawn by a child. They're sewing books."

"And you'd find them in the library?"

"It's the best place I can think of. Over here."

Uryu moved to the left of the room where there was a niche in the wall that Ichigo hadn't noticed. The books on the shelves were different; notebooks rather than bound books. Ichigo picked one from the shelf and opened it. It was handwritten in a language he couldn't understand.

"Stop. Put it back," said Uryu.

"I'm just looking. What language is this?"

"It's German." Uryu snatched the book back and slotted it back into its allocated space. "I told you what the covers look like. Don't go snooping through anything else!"

"You're so pedantic."

"I'm impressed you know what that means."

"It means you're a nitpicking arse!"

Ignoring him, Uryu ran his finger along one shelf and then bent down to examine the next. Quickly he pulled one of the books out. It had pink flowers on the front but Ichigo couldn't read the contents. There was a diagram though of someone holding a bow and arrow.

"She wrote this," Uryu muttered. Slipping the book back, he quickly started pulling out the others

Sitting on the carpet beside him, Ichigo began pulling out books too. Most had plain covers but one or two had birds or flowers or other wildlife drawings. Uryu briefly checked inside all of them (oh, so he was allowed to nose but Ichigo wasn't?), but each time he'd frown and put them back.

"They're all the same!" Uryu slammed the cover shut as he rammed a book back onto the shelf. He pressed a hand to his forehead. "What have you done with them? There were loads of them. Some sewing, some painting… there were so many…"

Ichigo wanted to press a hand against Uryu's shoulder to remind him he wasn't alone, but he hesitated because maybe it wasn't a good idea to remind him of that fact. Uryu was being Uryu. The person he really was when nobody else was around. No calm pretence or arrogant I'm-better-than-you-stupid-Kurosaki. Just plain Uryu who had more emotions than he let on.

Uryu wasn't someone to be pitied; pity was demeaning to someone who was so proud. But every now and then when he showed Ichigo a hint of who he really was, like crying over his grandfather after they'd fought the menos grande together, Ichigo would feel completely empty inside.

He looked again at the shelves. Standing, he moved around to glance at the others.

It didn't seem like the place for sewing books. Even without being able to read the contents, the notebooks they'd been looking at felt more scholarly than sewing-y. And every other shelf seemed to be full of proper books.

"This is a big building. There has to be somewhere else to keep sewing books," said Ichigo.

"There was a sewing room, but it was cleared away when mo…" Uryu shut his mouth quickly and hunched his shoulders. His hands tensed against his knees as he clutched his jeans tightly enough to wrinkle them.

Ichigo slotted all the books Uryu had pulled out back into place, checking meticulously to ensure they went back in their correct position because Uryu was fussy about things like that. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched Uryu staring at his hands with that glazed look; eyes that looked somewhere so deep that Ichigo knew he'd never be able to reach it. Uryu didn't seem particularly convinced the books would be here. Which meant they probably weren't.

Ichigo knelt behind him. There were specific ways of dealing with Uryu. Talking to him when people weren't around. And talking to him in such a way that Uryu didn't have to look at you. Because Uryu bottled up if he had to meet someone else's gaze.

"Where did you seem them last?" said Ichigo softly. "Where were they the last time you were here?"

Because I know you've been here...

Uryu stared at his knees, tilting his head away from Ichigo. His lips parted for a moment but then he seemed to change his mind and close them firmly. The glassy look becoming even glassier.

"How long do you reckon we have before anyone comes home?" said Ichigo. "We can check every room. And if we can't find them, we'll just have to come back."

"They've probably been thrown away." Uryu stood rigidly and Ichigo noted the typical Uryuness returning as he pushed his glasses up his nose, preparing to forget all about this and simply walk away, pretending that it hadn't happened.

Ichigo grabbed his arm. "We're not leaving without them. Where did you see them last?"

Uryu's arm tensed. And through his hair Ichigo saw the look in his eyes. That glare; the one that could almost turn you to stone; the one that always made Ichigo walk away because it was the look Uryu gave when he wanted to be alone. But he kept hold of Uryu's arm anyway because this time it felt as if he shouldn't back down or let Uryu scuttle away into the darkness. Finally Uryu turned his gaze on the carpet instead with an expression that Ichigo couldn't understand, but which looked so painful.

You've seen them somewhere, Ichigo realised. And for whatever reason Uryu just didn't want to go back there. In fact, Ichigo was becoming aware that Uryu didn't want to be in this house at all.

Is this why you wanted someone with you?

No, not just anyone. He'd wanted Ichigo. Uryu was far more likely to call Orihime or Chad. In fact, Ichigo knew he had done on some occasions. But never Ichigo. Maybe he'd tried and they were busy, but Uryu wasn't the kind to settle for second choices. He'd chosen Ichigo and he was letting him see a little part of him that he'd kept hidden from everyone.

Don't back out now, Ishida, after coming this far. It's taken us years to get to this.

"Where did you seem them?" Ichigo repeated.

Uryu slowly led Ichigo out of the library and back the way they had come. Back past the open window to the painted door that had been at the end of the landing. Now he was closer, Ichigo realised that it wasn't just flowers patterning the wood. There were blue elephants too nestled among the leaves and petals.

And something in Ichigo's mind started to click. The memory of Uryu's finger carefully stroking the furry elephant keyring…

No way... this house...? Ishida...?

Surely not…

Uryu's breathing was audible. Faint, deep breaths as he pressed his hand against the door.

Ichigo didn't think he was going to open it because Uryu wasn't the type to let people into his past. He'd hang out with Orihime, Ichigo and Chad and they'd go shopping together, or do homework… Sometimes it would be just Ichigo and the others and, rarely, it would be just him and Uryu. However, in all those times they'd spent together Uryu had never told them about himself.

I don't know where your apartment is. I don't know where you grew up. I don't know why you live alone. I don't know anything...

And Ichigo had never asked because it had been clear that Uryu didn't want anyone to talk about it.

Ichigo didn't want him to open that door. Uryu's hand was trembling a little and Ichigo was almost angry. Uryu could reveal any number of things about himself to start the process of getting to know one another better. But of all the things, Uryu had dragged him here. To a house full of pain and awkwardness. And Ichigo didn't have a clue how to help him.

I could help you open that door but would you appreciate that? Or would you hate me? My dad would slap me on the shoulder. But would you like that? You wanted me to come. What did you want me to do? Why did you bring me here when you knew it would have this effect on you?

Uryu's hand was poised motionless against the wood. Ichigo didn't know if he was waiting for Ichigo to do something or not, but finally he took the door handle and opened it. The light from the landing spilled across the blue carpet.

The inside of the house wasn't as unkept as the garden, but neither was it immaculate. Thin layers of dust had coated cabinets on the landing and there had been cobwebs in the library. This room didn't smell of dust at all. In fact, it had that freshly vacuumed scent. In the light falling from the doorway, Ichigo saw a blue scrapbook with pink ribbons lying on the carpet.

"Oh, here's one of them." Ichigo leant down to pick it up.

Uryu slowly raised his hand, his fingers knowing exactly where to find the lightswitch. It was a bedroom. There was an amazing four-poster bed in the centre. The covers had been thrown back, unmade by whoever had got up this morning. There were clothes on the floor beside the wardrobe. Books on the desk. A railway set in the corner of the room. Some old teddy bears on a shelf.

Ichigo frowned. He'd had suspicions about this room, but now he was thrown because it seemed lived in. He'd expected something empty. "Ishida..." He stared around them and then at the book he'd picked up. "Is there a kid living here? I don't think we should take anything..."

"You idiot," Uryu muttered. His gripped the doorframe so hard that Ichigo could see the bones through the skin of his hands

"Eh?"

"You stupid idiot!"

Uryu bit his lip hard as he lowered his head. The raven hair fell across the side of his face, hiding it from Ichigo. "I don't even know why I asked you to come..."

Ichigo looked between Uryu and the room, desperately trying to piece it all together. Because all the pieces were there and he felt that they were in place and yet he still couldn't see what it all meant. Until the noticed that the manga calendar hanging on the wall was dated several years ago.

No, this room isn't lived in...

Someone had left in a hurry. The unmade bed... clothes hurriedly grabbed from the open wardrobe with many being abandoned on the floor... empty bookshelves... every drawer and closet opened with the contents having been rummaged through.

But it was clean. Somebody vacuumed around the chaos and dusted the abandoned books without changing anything. It was cleaned more often than the landing or the library.

In case whoever ran away all those years ago ever comes back.

In case Uryu ever came home.

"I hate him. I hate him more than anyone," Uryu murmured. he wiped his eyes, but dark spots from the tears had already formed by the carpet at his feet.

Ichigo didn't say anything because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know whether he should be here or look away because this was definitely something Uryu wouldn't want him to see. But Uryu wasn't telling him to go away either.

You and I have been through so much together, Ishida, and I still don't know anything about you. And now you bring me here to something so personal to you? You absolute bastard. You wanted me here but I don't know what you wanted me to do. And I don't think you do either. And you're the smart one so if you don't understand something then how am I ever supposed to figure it out?

Uryu liked to be alone, so maybe Ichigo should wait further down the landing and leave him be. But maybe this was one time that he didn't want to be alone. Because he could have gotten into this house by himself.

But you wanted someone with you. I'm just sorry I don't know what to do...

Uryu looked so small in this huge room, even though he wasn't a child anymore. He'd still be lost in that enormous bed. Or sitting and doing his homework at the ornate writing desk by the window. Moving his hand from the doorframe, Uryu wrapped his arms around himself, his fingers digging deep into his skin.

"Why did you run away?" Ichigo found himself asking.

"Because I look like my mother... and he hated me for it... he said he hated me... I had the eyes of the dead..." Uryu lowered himself to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest and hiding his head against them. A quiet sob.

Ichigo stood staring for a moment, his hands clenching into fists. He still didn't know what to do so he'd have to go by one of the few things he did know about Uryu. Uryu wouldn't want to be seen like this so Ichigo turned off the light and then closed the door a little to shrink the glow from the landing. The only other thing he had to go by was what he knew about himself and other people.

That even though we don't like to be seen like this we don't like to be alone.

In the darkness, he sat behind Uryu, resting his back against his lightly. It was back to back that they'd become friends so it seemed like a good idea. Ichigo knew he wasn't very good at thinking of things like this so he hoped it would be enough. Maybe if it was Chad he would have hugged him. But physical contact like that would probably make Uryu feel uncomfortable.

Uryu didn't push him away or tell him to get lost. In fact, Ichigo swore he felt Uryu leaning against him a little, though only a little. And slowly Uryu quietened until the room was almost completely silent apart from the occasional breath or sniff. After a long moment in the darkness, Ichigo heard Uryu wiping his face.

"Sorry," said Uryu. "For bringing you here."

Ichigo wanted to call him an idiot but instead he leaned a little more against Uryu's back. "Where are the rest of the books you wanted?"

"On the chest of drawers just over there."

Ichigo got the books for him, handing them to Uryu so that he could check they were the correct ones. He looked shaky as he tried to stand. Ichigo grabbed his hand to help pull him up.

"These are the books," said Uryu, holding them close to his chest. "They're sewing notebooks. My mother made her own patterns and things like that. I couldn't fit them in my bag at the time."

On the front of one of the books, Ichigo could see a flower pattern Uryu that was similar to the one on the door. Ichigo couldn't bring himself to ask if Uryu's mother had painted it. Because it was the world's dumbest question right now.

"You sure there's nothing else you want?" he said instead.

"No."

"Well, if you change your mind just say and we'll bust in with some suitcases to take as many books as you want."

Uryu didn't reply. But that was OK because he was biting his lip and Ichigo could tell he wanted to say thank you. Even though Uryu couldn't because it wasn't in his nature to thank Ichigo for anything. And right now if he spoke he'd probably cry again. For someone so cold most of the time, Uryu could cry a lot. No wonder Ichigo felt empty sometimes when he looked at him.

"We can let ourselves out the front door," said Uryu as Ichigo closed the door behind them. "There's a panel for the gate too so we should be able to open it from here."

Silently they walked down the corridor and then down a central staircase that seemed to bring them out into a white panelled lobby. Uryu flicked on the light so that they could see where they were going. For the first time, there were vague remnants that someone actually lived here; coats on a coat stand and a black umbrella beside that; a shoe rack of polished shoes; a mirror with a man's hair brush and electric grooming kit.

By the front door, on a table so that it was the first thing a person would see as they entered, was a photograph of a lady with a face identical to Uryu's.

"It's my mother," Uryu said, apparently seeing Ichigo's eyes gazing over the photo. "There are photos of her everywhere." Uryu picked up the photo and gently rubbed the thin film of dust from the glass frame. "I look like her."

Ichigo peered over his shoulder. "Huh. She was way prettier than you."

Uryu tilted his head, looking at Ichigo through the shelter of the dark hair that swept across his face. He looked as if he was smiling a little, though it was difficult to tell with his hair in the way.

Click.

The sound of a key turning in the lock of the front door.

Ichigo froze. But it couldn't be that bad to be caught, could it? This was Uryu's childhood home...

But Uryu's face was white. "We're dead."

Ichigo had never seen him look terrified before. And if calm, rational Uryu was terrified then there was a reason to be terrified.

Ichigo grabbed Uryu's arm and ran for the stairs, dragging him behind him. He managed to shoulder barge a door open just as he heard the final click of the lock downstairs.

"We're dead. We're so dead," Uryu muttered. "And why did you drag me into the study? We should have gone back to that window!"

Ichigo stared at the darkened room blankly. There was a large window at the other end and in front of it there seemed to be the dark shape of an ornate desk. "I thought this was the way back there! Do you Quincies like mazes or something?"

"How can it be the same way we came when we came from the left?"

"Well if you hadn't been busy turning into a white bunny in the headlights then maybe you could have led the way since this is your house!"

"It's not my house! It's his house!"

"Uryu!" Ryuken roared.

And even though the door was shut, Ryuken's shout was loud enough to sound as if it was in the room with them.

Ichigo had met Ryuken only once. He'd seemed very much like Uryu; cold and calm. But the tone to that voice made it quite clear that Ryuken was far from calm and that Ichigo and Uryu were very dead.

Ichigo grabbed Uryu's wrist and ran to the window. "Keep hold of those books of yours," he muttered.

"No. You're joking!" Uryu cried. "KURO-"

Ichigo went feet first through the glass, yanking Uryu with him. People in movies made it look so easy but actually it hurt a lot as the shards tore up his legs and his stomach suddenly seemed to do a backflip as he realised how far below them the ground really was.

Didn't worry about these things as a Shinigami...

"VORCALL!" Uryu screamed.

White reishi streamed from a small silver capsule in Uryu's hand, his other arm keeping a tight hold on the books. A soft platform appeared below them, mushrooming up like a giant sheet to catch their fall. Ichigo stared in dumbfound amazement until the reishi caught them and somehow he seemed to end up tangled with Uryu again.

"HANDS!" Uryu snapped, shoving Ichigo away from him. "Are you insane, Kurosaki? We could have broken our necks!"

"It's fine."

"No, no it's not! You didn't even know I could use-"

A rain of arrows fell from the window above. Both of them leapt to their feet and ran. Ichigo stared at the gates at the end of the drive away. They were closing slowly.

"NOT THAT WAY KUROSAK-"

The moment Ichigo stepped onto the gravel of the drive beside Ryuken's car, white beams seemed to fire from every direction. The hair on his arms stood on end as he sensed the pressure of reishi all around.

What the hell...?!

Uryu's hand was in his, dragging him forward with the air around them blurring and Ichigo's stomach doing backflip after backflip. He couldn't see anything. Even when he tried to focus everything was still a mess of white mingled with the dark of the evening.

Hirenkyaku...?

They didn't make it in time. The gates had finished closing. Uryu let go of Ichigo's hand, instead using it to form and seize hold of his bow. He fired at the gate and the smell of burning metal filled the air. And then Uryu had hold of him again as blue arrows thundered around them, throwing up stone and gravel and filling Ichigo's mouth with dust.

He didn't have a clue what was happening. There seemed to be explosions from every direction and the tightness of the reishi were grating his lungs as he breathed in. Any moment he expected something to pierce to his back.

But then everything stopped. No explosions. No blue and white reishi bursts. Just the pale light of a streetlamp. And Uryu's damp hand releasing his. Ichigo staggered and then fell to his knees. They were back at the edge of Karakura Town, but Ichigo was dizzy and it felt as if the houses were spiralling around him. Groaning, he lay flat on his back to get his breath back.

Beside him, Uryu was out of breath too as he leaned against the lamp post. One sleeve of his hoodie had been torn away leaving a black mark all across his skin, but there was no blood and he seemed to be moving it OK. His other hand held the notebooks, which somehow were still in tact after all the chaos.

"Ishida, your dad is insane," Ichigo muttered. "And so are you for going back there! What the hell happened? What did he shoot us with?"

Uryu cleaned his glasses on the edge of his hoodie and then pushed them onto his nose with one of those superior looks of his. Typical Uryu. Trying so very hard to go back to the usual charade that he paraded in front of Ichigo and the others. "It's a Quincy's house, Kurosaki," he said, every word toned with the extra words 'stupid Kurosaki'. "There were booby traps everywhere to stop people from breaking in. That's why we had to be so careful in the garden. I know he has traps for Shinigami, and probably for anyone else using reishi. You didn't listen to me!"

"Hoy! You shouldn't have been so stingy with the information! And as if we were going to run that insane path around the garden with that maniac chasing us! You-"

Uryu wasn't listening. He was holding the books to his chest with both arms. Very, very tightly. And he was smiling. Only a small smile. In fact, it barely looked like a smile at all and Ichigo only recognised it because it was so unlike Uryu's other expressions.

"It was kinda fun, I guess," Ichigo muttered. "All that work for some little books." It was ridiculous. But he smiled as he closed his eyes. Actually, it had been a little fun. Even though his heart felt as if it was going to pop out of his mouth. You asked me to help you and I succeeded. "Next time though, let's break into an ordinary house."

"Next time? We're not going to become a burglar duo, Kurosaki."

"We'd be awesome burglars. Look at how we manoeuvred that ladder. It was insane. But we did it."

A small sound from Uryu that might have been a laugh, though by the time Ichigo opened his eyes Uryu had already gone back to his typical Uryu expression. But at least his eyes weren't glazed like earlier. He looked a little funny. Uryu was normally really pale, even during Hollow battles. Now his cheeks were a little flushed from their escape and his hair was all over the place.

Uryu tilted his head. "Kurosaki, you should probably stop lying in the road you know. Since you're not wearing a good colour like white, no one will see you and you'll just get flattened."

Ichigo looked up. He was smack bang in the middle of the road. And for some inexplicable reason it was funny to see Uryu looking at him like that with a red face. Ichigo pointed his finger at him. "Heh. You finally asked me for something after all this time. You look different when you're not pretending to be an arrogant Quincy. This is what you're really like isn't it?"

Uryu's cheeks flushed deeper. And then his eyes narrowed into that famous glare. He kicked Ichigo in the ribs. "Get out of the road and stop babbling like an idiot! There's a car coming!" Putting the books down, Uryu suddenly grabbed Ichigo by the back of his collar and started dragging him to the pavement. And that was funny too. So funny that Ichigo burst out of laughing.

"You idiot! Why are you laughing?"

Because I helped you and you look happy because of it. And that makes me happy.

"Sloppy Uryu. Very sloppy," Ryuken muttered, watching from the broken window as Uryu blew a hole in the gate and then pelted it down the road dragging Ichigo Kurosaki with him. Honestly, Ryuken had set the gate to stay open for several minutes (would have been too easy to not close it at all). It was disappointing that Uryu had still had to resort to using his bow.

Though it looked like he had a better bow now. The reishi had a solid appearance rather than the typical blue glow that was so characteristic of an amateur. he was improving. About time.

And as for the gate, well, Ryuken had been thinking of getting a new one anyway. It was probably about time to get all the windows done too.

He watched as the white shape of Uryu vanished into the darkness. Gradually the reishi beams subsided. He could chase them in the car but he supposed he could let them off just this once.

Straightening his jacket, he sat in the leather chair at his desk. The boys had been careless on their way out and some of the picture frames had fallen over. Ryuken carefully returned them all to their rightful places.

In such a big house he didn't frequent many of the rooms. The hallway, kitchen and this study were enough. The couch in the corner folded into a bed and slowly he was accumulating everything else he needed in this room. He picked up one of the frames. He couldn't see the picture in the darkness but he knew every detail. Uryu had looked ridiculous back then with his oversized glasses. Always looking flustered as well because he hadn't been very organised at that tiny age and always seemed to be running and tripping over things because he was in such a rush.

"You haven't changed. Setting off all those traps... unsightly, Uryu."

The reishi burns would smart a lot. And of course Uryu wouldn't bother to stop by the hospital for proper treatment. Never thinking of the important things but occasionally drifting into his office for apparently nothing. Or sometimes for something utterly ridiculous.

"Can you bring me some of my old things?"

As if Ryuken was ever going to look at that room. He kept his eyes firmly on the vacuum cleaner whenever he was in there.

"I don't know where you kept anything. You can come and get them yourself. I'm not in tomorrow evening so stop by at the weekend."

"Being proud over something like this. What a ridiculous son."

It was almost midnight by the time Ichigo and Uryu reached Ichigo's house. Uryu hadn't wanted to come and Ichigo had had to resort to bullying him, insulting him and then manhandling him because actually the burn on that arm looked pretty nasty. In the empty Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo passed Uryu everything he needed to tend to the burn while he sorted his own cuts and bruises out.

"Hey, Ishida, can I ask you something?"

Because after tonight, Ichigo knew he wouldn't be able to talk about any of this, or ask Uryu anything about himself, as it always had been.

"What is it, Kurosaki?"

"What was it like to grow up in a house like that?"

Uryu paused, his hand midway through tying up the bandage.

"It's OK. You don't have to answer," Ichigo said quickly. Because even though he'd learned a lot about Uryu today he was pretty sure it was something that neither of them would ever mention again. "And I promise I won't ask anything else."

"No, it's fine," said Uryu. He fixed the bandage and then passed Ichigo the antiseptic for his cuts. "It was cold. But I did like the elephants."

Pretty long for a short story actually :D Hope you enjoyed it!

For those reading Autumn Moon, update is coming. I'm in Paris for the next week for Japan Expo so I'll finish it up when I get back!