STOP ME WHEN YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH

Hm, Well Then

Ichigo makes it back to his quarters with his things. The group waiting for him sit up upon his arrival in unease. When he basically bursts through the door, Rukia is the first one on him. She has her hands on her hips, trying to read him and find out why he showed up later than intended. He takes this time to study her state of being as well.

Even after her well deserved shower, she still looks like shit. Beautiful but worn. Her lip is cut, her eye is black, her face is bruised, and she's still wearing his bloody t-shirt for some reason. Aside from that, the rest of her outfit is a variance of everyone else's uniform: white and loose. At least the t-shirt compliments her figure more.

"You should get out of that shirt. It's gross," he recommends, ignoring the elephant in the room.

"After you tell me what happened," Rukia more or less demands.

He sighs. "Captain Ukitake turned up out of no where. I stalled him as long as I could, but he knew from the beginning that I had come from Las Noches."

"You didn't-"

"Don't worry, he's fine. I simply created enough chaos to escape."

Rukia let's out a breath of relief. She really does care for her Division - even when the Gotei 13 turned their backs on her for an entire month. They're lucky to have Rukia. Hell, so am I, Ichigo thinks somberly.

"What's in the bag?" Keigo asks.

"I'll show you."

He takes the bag off his shoulder and grabs the heaviest thing in there. He drops it into Keigo's hands, to which he struggles with for a moment.

"What is this?" He exclaims.

"A textbook."

"Why do you have a textbook?"

"Whoa!" Uryū gasps, snatching it out of Keigo's hands. "You have a copy of this?"

"It's my mother's - why?"

"My father said they don't make these anymore. The only ones left are the ones that make it to the family successor."

Ichigo sighs. "I guess that's me."

Uryū perks up from the book. "Do you not want to be the successor?"

"No but I'm the oldest and strongest. Giving it to Karin and Yuzu would be dumb when they're inexperienced."

"Have you talked to them?" Rukia questions. Ah, so she has a soft side for the twins still?

"Yeah we talked before all of us left. They know most - if not all - of what's happening. They wanted to come with, but I couldn't let them. I don't know what I would do if something happened to them," the ginger chuckles sadly.

"Probably something stupid," she offers.

He snorts. "Probably."

"Hey guys!" Mizuiro calls from one of the two bedrooms. "You better come here!"

They give each other looks. He didn't sound happy. Uryū gives Ichigo the textbook back, and the ginger's stows it in his bag. He puts his bag on the couch, and joins the rest of them. There's some weird noises coming from the other side of the bedroom door.

They open door and enter the "girls" room to see everyone freaking the fuck out. Chad and Mizuiro are covering their faces in embarrassment. Inoue is trying very hard to calm down Tatsuki, and Tatsuki is gawking at her metal hands in horror. Oh, and let's not forget how completely naked Tatsuki is.

Uryū spins around quickly, giving a surprised shout. Keigo stares openly before realizing he shouldn't be and turns his happy ass around. Rukia and Ichigo gape at the metal hands in a mixture of concern and surprise.