Of Angels and Demons

Will Work For Food

...Chapter Two: Will Work For Food...

Ichigo was a little taken aback by the foreign custom, but gladly shook Vera's outstretched hand, bowing slightly when he did. His surprise came back when she did the same.

"I'll take these inside to the kitchen. Andre, explain to them have things are gonna work?" She clearly already knew the answer, as it was asked over her shoulder as she walked back in the gate. Her long hair was pulled into a ponytail and swung freely across her back. When she disappeared into the house, Andre turned back to them.

"Okay, so we need to move the furniture first. That's in those three trucks over there." He pointed in their general direction. "You three," motioning to Renji, Ichigo, and Chad, "mind helping me with that?"

"Sure, why not?" said Renji.

"I guess..." Why am I agreeing to this? Ichigo wondered. Chad simply shrugged.

Andre quirked an eyebrow, "Well, alright then." He turned his head to look behind him. When he found who he was looking for he shouted, "Hey, Taewon, get over here!"

A man of average height, with black hair and brown eyes, and wearing a shirt that resembled Vera's and orange skinny jeans, said something to the two women he'd been talking to, then jogged over.

"Geulae?" Was that Korean? thought Ichigo.

"Dangsin-i doum-i pil-yohan daleun salam ege idonghabnida.*"

The shorter man shrugged, then said to Yoruichi with a noticeable accent, "Do you mind helping look for the boxes that have 'kitchen' on the side?"

"Nope! Let's get started!" Yoruichi, Urahara, Tessai, Karin, and the Soul Reapers stood by the big moving truck while Taewon unlatched the back, revealing a mountain of boxes. Ichigo, Renji, and Chad followed Andre to the first truck, which had what looked to be an entire living room and dining set stuffed into the bed, all tied down with bright blue ropes.

"Mind tellin' me your names?" asked Andre as he untied the first rope.

Renji was the first to answer, "I'm Renji Abarai, I'm staying with that Hat-and-Clogs guy."

"I'm Ichigo, that's Chad." Chad nodded, predictably not saying anything.

Andre loosened the last rope, "He, uh, doesn't talk much, huh?"

"Not really." Chad's bass resonated in the still morning air. Andre gave him an odd, confused look, then shrugged and grabbed a tall back-less stool and handed it to Renji.

"Well, that aside," he handed a second stool to Ichigo, then a third and forth to Chad before grabbing the last and hopping off the back of the truck, "These go around the kitchen island, we'll bring in the table and chairs next."

He led them into the spacious entry of the home. Renji froze in the doorway, "Uh, don't we have to take off our shoes first?"

Andre opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Vera, who was walking down the staircase, holding a black sweatshirt. "Not today."

"I'll let it slide just this once." I said, "It'd get pretty annoying to take off your shoes every time you came in just to put them back on to grab a new box." I scuffed the dirty hardwood with my left boot, "Besides, the last people who lived here didn't clean very well before we bought the place, so it needs a good cleaning."

"If you're okay with it, then," said the carrot-top, "Where's the kitchen?"

"Just around the corner." I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb. "I'll show you. Oh, B-T-dubs, I think this is yours?" I hooked the hood of the sweatshirt in my hand on one finger, holding it out to Carrot-top. The pineapple haired one snorted while the curly haired one silently followed Andre to the kitchen to put the stools down.