I really like the idea that Ichigo has always done some strange stuff, even before any of them had any idea about soul society.
Chad, Orihime, and Uryu (as well as Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro) very much take the approach of don't say a fucking thing, leave him alone to anyone who looks like they may say something about it.
Ichigo makes a strange noise? They've figured out which noises are good ones and which ones are bad ones.
He's a little colder, distant, and sometimes a little cruel? Give him a little bit and he'll be fine again.
He gets a little too bright eyed during fights? Licks blood off his lips and sometimes off a wound? His nails look a little sharp and his teeth a little meaner? All good. He'll beat the shit out of someone, pace around a bit and be fine again.
Eats an unbelievable amount of food and still stays on the lean side of skinny? It's a metabolism thing.
Runs a little colder? He's great to sit by in the hot summer!
Gets a little distracted, looks at things and listen to noises that aren't there? That's normal, he's been able to see weird stuff his whole life!
Even after they all gain the ability see ghosts and that's obviously not what Ichigo is doing, they just tell people he's listening to and seeing ghosts.
Everyone else is a little confused by that but it's clear they're not going to get a real answer and tbh they're not sure they want one.
It's also important that they don't call too much attention to it. Ichigo doesn't seem to realize he does some of those things.
Like when someone pointed out the blood thing and he spent 20 minutes gagging and throwing up, tongue still stained rusty from the blood.
Or when someone mentioned the noises and he doesn't speak for days, quiet and withdrawn. And even now he cuts the noises off, biting them back and swallowing them down.
Or when people called him cruel, a thug, someone who wants to see others hurt, because he got into fight. He didn't fight back the next few times he got jumped, letting the hits land and taking it because the fear that he was all those things people said was stronger than any pain.
All the times he kept his mouth shut because someone joked about wolf teeth.
Or when he ripped his nails down until they bled so they weren't sharp enough to hurt anyone on accident.
Or when he kept his eyes down so no one could say he wore colored contacts to go with his "dyed" hair.
Orihime being so upset after the cookies she had given to someone, who made fun of a noise Ichigo made, had ended up bad! Oh no, oh gosh, how terrible that they got food poisoning! She's so sorry about that but there's a gleam to her eyes that has everyone backing off.
Chad disappearing and coming back with busted knuckles that go unnoticed, Ichigo focused on keeping his fingers curled into his palms and his mouth firmly shut.
Uryu ripping into some of the people who started rumors about Ichigo, channeling every cold and cruel part of him until several people are crying and no one dares say Ichigo's name for awhile.
Tatsuki throwing punches and Keigo attempting too, Mizuiro making things happen that no one can directly link back to him but everyone knows it's him.
Ichigo doesn't ask for a lot, but he gives a lot. Too much.
So, they can give him this. They will give him this. Let him do his odd, little quirks and they'll deal with anyone who tries to say anything.
💀
Shinigami are strange, strange enough that Ichigo blends in with them well, even though he's still sometimes a little strange for a shinigami.
Chad, Orihime, and Uryu are pleased that Ichigo fits in so well with all these new people, especially as they get to know them more.
Renji and Ikkaku are animalistic with too sharp teeth and a wild air to them.
Kenpachi is a monster wearing human skin.
Rukia, and her brother, have moments of cruelty and distance.
Unohana is something old and dangerous.
Kisuke is... unsettling, raises the hair on the back of their necks a little bit but Ichigo likes him. And as unnerving as he is, he's been very helpful.
Yoruichi has a mean streak in her that is very much like a cat batting around a dying mouse.
The visored are even worse.
The humans don't meet them until Ichigo after has already firmly included them in his ever growing group of important people.
The visored are unsettling in a way similar to Kisuke, but heavier. Something about them makes the little animal part of their brains sit up and take notice, the hairs on the backs of their necks standing up and they have to fight the urge to run.
But the visored are strange in the same way Ichigo is strange.
And they'll gives some bonus points to Kisuke and his, because they've never so much as batted an eyelash at Ichigo's more bizarre quirks.
The visored show off too sharp teeth in proud smiles and angry snarls.
They make odd noises between themselves and understand them.
They force people to look them in the eyes, black and gold occasionally making an appearance.
They lick at their wounds absent-mindedly and on purpose.
They make no apologies for who they are or how uncomfortable they make anyone.
More than anything though, they let Ichigo do those things. There a fondness to all of them when Ichigo does something strange front of them. Something that's normal to them.
💀
Ichigo doesn't seem to realize that everyone is actually charmed by his little quirks.
He's saved most of them enough times that there isn't much he could do that would make them anything less then incredibly fond.
It's fun and interesting to see all the things Ichigo does when he's happy and comfortable.
He does a little head tilt, exposed throat move to certain people. The humans don't even think he notices it, it took them awhile to notice it.
He does it to most of the captains, excluding a few like Mayuri and Soi Fon. Particularly to Unohana, Kenpachi, Byakuya and Toshiro for the captains. He does it to Kisuke and the visored.
They notice it and they just roll with it. Kisuke and Shinji (and most of the visored to be completely honest) touch his neck and shoulders a lot.
Unohana makes the smallest nod to him and never acknowledges it again.
It took Ichigo a long time to be comfortable enough with them to touch as much as he wants to. After they saved Rukia and returned home, he was constantly touching them. Grabbing at hands, throwing arms around them, sitting close enough to touch, etc. He even includes Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro in the new, open affection.
He's comfortable enough to be that way with a lot of people now.
Shinigami, and the visored, are actually a pretty tactile and intimate bunch. Living as long as they do and having such dangerous and traumatic lives, makes touch and comfort very important.
So it's not uncommon for Ichigo to disappear, finding someone to nap with or someone finding him. People are already drawn to Ichigo, getting to know him and all his quirks just makes them love him more.
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*holds up photo of Ichigo*
Karin, Yuzu, Chad, Orihime, Uryu, Tasuki, Keigo, Mazuri: he is baby
*hold up photo of Ichigo after fighting Aizen*
His sisters, the humans, Kisuke, Yoruichi, Kukaku, Ganju, most of soul society, all the visored, Nel: baby
*holds up photo of Ichigo fighting yhwach*
His sisters, the humans, Kisuke, Yoruichi, Kukaku, Ganju, all of soul society, all the visored, Nel, Grimmjow, Dondochakka, Pesche, Bawabawa : ba~by
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