The Broken Souls of the Seireitei

A/N: Hello all. Enjoy this chapter. I have some underhanded schemes I'm cooking up. You don't need the tissues and Prozac yet...but in due time. XD


Ichigo looked at his watch, shivering a little. It was colder outside than what he’d expected. As he and Byakuya had reached the Kuchiki estate, he figured it was best to go on ahead and inform Uryuu that Mayuri was in fact dead to give the boy some solace and probably the first night’s sleep he’d had in awhile. Byakuya had smiled and shook his head demurely when Ichigo asked if he wanted to come with, and after a gentle good night kiss, Ichigo headed back to Karakura to visit his friend.

“Hey, what are you doing out here? Why didn’t you just come up?” Chad asked, coming up to Ichigo. The wind was blowing hard, and Chad looked slightly disagreeable from having to leave the warmth of his apartment. Thankfully, Ichigo asked to be met just outside of the apartment complex so comfort wasn’t far away.

“Well hello and how are you back atcha,” Ichigo said smartly. Chad simply frowned and wrapped his jacket around him closer.

“How is Ishida-kun doing?”

Chad shrugged. “He’s been sleeping a lot. He’s said a few times he can hear Nemu crying, and it upsets him because he can’t do anything about it. I don’t wanna give him anymore pills, and he keeps smoking all my good shit. So…has something been done?” Chad wore a hopeful look, and sighed with relief when Ichigo nodded.

“Mayuri is dead. Urahara stabbed him to death.”

Chad looked confused. “Urahara?!!…”

Ichigo shivered and raised his hand. “Don’t ask, it gives me a headache. But that bastard is dead, and that’s all that matters.”

Chad nodded. “Well, we should go inside and tell him.”

“Okay.” Ichigo shivered again and followed Chad upstairs to his apartment.
*******************************

Uryuu looked out of the window at the street, watching Ichigo and Chad speak. Their faces looked stoic, and he leaned back and sighed. To calm his nerves, he grabbed his needlepoint kit, stitching feverishly. He had been working on a baby doll for Nemu; as he had taken her out for a walk downtown once and she had spotted one in a window. She hadn’t said she’d wanted it, probably because she was used to being told no. That doll in the window was inferior though, as Uryuu could easily make a better quality doll for her. So with encouragement from Chad, he decided to make a doll for her as a gift for when things were…better.

He looked up when the bedroom door opened and gave Ichigo and Chad a fake smile. “Hey guys, what’s good?” His voice sounded a bit strained, and Ichigo gave him a soft look.

“I’ve got some good news. Great news. Mayuri is dead.”

Uryuu took a deep breath and held it until his chest burned. He exhaled and giggled. The giggle turned into a laugh, and after a few minutes the laugh turned into a bitter sob.

“Aw man, don’t do that,” Chad pleaded, coming onto the bed and holding Uryuu about the shoulders. Ichigo joined them, and they both rocked and patted Uryuu until he calmed down.

“I-I’m sorry. It’s just…he hurt so many of my kind. Killed them. My grandfather,” Uryuu whispered, fresh tears falling. Chad put his head against Uryuu’s, tears in his own eyes.

“I miss my abuelo also.”

Ichigo smiled and shrugged. “I didn’t even know any of my grandparents. All I ever knew were Mom and Goat-Face.”

Uryuu smirked. “So that’s why you turned into a derelict.”

“Hey!” Ichigo pouted. He put his head against the other side of Uryuu and the three of them sat there quietly for a few moments.

“Ichigo…do you think maybe I can go see her?” Uryuu’s voice was small and hopeful, and Ichigo sighed.

“I don’t know. Even if I could sneak you in, what about your reiatsu?”

“Doesn’t Urahara have something?” Chad offered helpfully. Ichigo gave him a dour expression.

“Urahara has lots,” He said sarcastically. He looked down at Uryuu and sighed, getting off of the bed. “I’ll go ask him if he has any trinkets that can hide reiatsu. If he does, do you want me to come back tonight or tomorrow?”

Chad looked over at his clock. “It practically is ‘tomorrow’. You need to get some sleep, Ichigo.”

Ichigo shrugged. “No rest for the wicked, amigo. Besides, it’s pathetically getting to the point where I can’t sleep unless I’m in Byakushi’s arms.”

Uryuu gave him a shit-eating grin. “Byakushi?”

Ichigo was incensed. “Do you wanna see your broad or not?!!”

Uryuu held up a piece of white cloth wrapped around a pencil. “I come in peace, man! Calm down!”

Ichigo humped. “Yeah…well don’t be talkin about my Kuchiki. Either of them,” He said with a grin. He stretched and walked into the kitchen, rummaging in the fridge. He came back with 3 sodas, tossing one to each of his friends.

“To Nemu,” He toasted, popping the tab on his Coke. “May her life, health, and happiness be infinitely increased.”

Chad raised his can. “Salud!”

Uryuu raised his can also. “To my Nemu,” He said softly. They clinked their cans together, drinking their sodas and taking turns at seeing who could burp the loudest.
***********************

Shuuhei stared at the ceiling. It was odd, sleeping in Tousen’s old room, wearing his old uniform, and doing his old duties. Sleeping in Tousen’s bed was a little strange, but only because Tousen wasn’t there. At least tonight he was alone, and he was grateful for that. On a good day Ikkaku would be snoring beside him, and on a bad day he would be verbally and maybe even physically taking his aggressions out on the bald headed man. He sighed and rolled over, letting his thoughts briefly stray to his vice-captain.

Poor Ikkaku. He had legitimately strong feelings for the man, and to be plainly fair, he had butted in to Rukia and Ikkaku’s relationship, offering Ikkaku ‘something that Rukia couldn’t’. Of course Ikkaku accepted, and for some odd reason Rukia accepted also. They had even had a few threesomes, but Rukia understandably wanted her own alone time with Ikkaku, and truthfully Shuuhei felt the same about his alone time also. More and more as he heard things about the former 9th division captain Muguruma Kensei, he remembered being that dirty faced little boy staring up at the face of perfection. The thought of that face of perfection added to Shuuhei’s hand fisting his cock equaled several nights of pleasure. It was almost more fun than fucking Ikkaku. Although to be fair, had Shuuhei not been so crazy about Kensei, he and Ikkaku could have had a good chance.

Shuuhei sighed and turned again, sleep eluding him yet another night. He got out of the bed and winced when his feet touched the cold wooden floors. For some reason, Tousen wanted all wood floors in his house. Shuuhei had always wondered why-it wasn’t like the man could see the floors. He chuckled at the unkind but true thought and shuffled over to one of the terrace windows and opened it. The moon was out and bright, bathing him in pure white light. He looked down at his hand, remembering earlier when he had reached for Kensei, only barely touching the man’s jersey. Not being able to help himself, he sniffed his fingers, his eyes fluttering. He could smell the woodsy, airy reiatsu of Kensei, and it made his eyes water.

“Why didn’t you notice me?” Shuuhei whispered, his voice bitter. He noticed a figure pass by, but paid whomever it was no attention. He rubbed his forehead in annoyance and heaved a sigh before shutting the windows. He ambled back to bed, holding a pillow against his body. His mind could dream easy enough that it was Kensei, and that was enough to will him to go to sleep.
**************************

Urahara stared at the glass of liquor in his hand. He had been standing by the sink taking shots of whatever alcohol he could find and staring into space. He stared for so long, Tessai had even asked him if he was ok, but received nothing but a grunt as a response. Yoruichi walked over to him and gently took the glass from his hand, placing it quietly in the sink. She waved her hand in front of her face, grimacing at his smell.

“If I had known he was gonna show up, I wouldn’t have gone.” Urahara’s voice was solemn, and Yoruichi sighed.

“I know, Kisuke.”

“He said those things to hurt me.”

“I know, Kisuke.”

“He did.” Urahara scrubbed his face with his hand and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He placed his head in his hand and sniffled.

Yoruichi looked at him disapprovingly. “I thought you said you weren’t going to let Shinji make you cry anymore.”

Urahara raised his hands in disgust. “God! Do you have to make me sound like such a freakin baby?!!”

Yoruichi grimaced and placed her hands on her hips. “I call it like I see it. You are acting like a baby. Both you and Sousuke need to go on somewhere with your bullshit.”

Urahara opened his mouth in protest. “Me and my bullshit? Are you serious? How many times did you come running to me over something that Kukakku did? At least Sousuke and I cleared the air and are in a relationship!”

“You call getting drunk over the sink a relationship?!”

“Well all you do is sneak off to the Seireitei to ‘train’ Ichigo, but really you’re muff diving at the Shiba house!”

“SHUT UP!!”

“YOU SHUT UP!!!”

Yoruichi paused and held up her hands. “You’re drunk, Kisuke. Really drunk. You’ve been drinking Hennessy ever since you came back and you’ve also been drinking…” She picked up the cup in the sink and sniffed, coughing. “It smells like rubbing alcohol.”

“Wrong! Everclear,” He corrected, his eyes bloodshot. Yoruichi eyes widened as she reached underneath the sink for the bottle. She sighed upon pulling it out; it was nearly empty.

“So is this what we do? We drink ourselves to death?” She tapped the bottle against her hand, itching to break it over Kisuke’s head.

He hiccupped and smiled at her. “We wouldn’t have been the first or the last Shinigami to do it.” He picked his cup out of the sink and raised it high. “To the ones that have gone before me,” He toasted, raising the cup to his lips. Yoruichi smacked the cup from his hand, and he whirled around violently.

“Don’t touch me!” He screamed, snatching away from her. She just stared at him and shook her head.

“Kisuke…never mind.” She turned to leave, but was pulled back into the kitchen by her waist.

“No, you don’t get to walk away. You don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” The angry tone was gone, and a small, sad voice replaced it. Yoruichi sighed and turned around to hug him.

“I wish I’d never met either of them. Sousuke or Shinji. Why can’t I be happy? Why?” He was crying again, and floating to the floor. Yoruichi sank with him and just held him, stroking his blond hair. The crying soon enough gave way to snoring, and once she was sure he was asleep, she gently shifted his weight to make him easier to carry to his room.

“Here, let me.” She looked up into Tessai’s worried eyes and handed him over to the former kido master. She followed them into his room and tucked the drunken man in his bed, kissing him on the forehead.

“He’s getting worse,” Tessai remarked quietly. Yoruichi nodded.

“It isn’t fair that all of us to suffer for his brilliant plan. He’s changed his ideas so much over the past three years, I barely even trust him now!” Tessai furiously polished his glasses, nearly breaking them in half.

Yoruichi looked at him and ushered him out of the room. “I have a bad feeling that Souske’s plans are going to come to fruition sooner than expected. But something really bad is gonna have to happen in the Seireitei. I worry for them, Tessai. All of them.” She closed the door behind her and walked back to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. She sat at the table and gave a wavering sigh of fatigue and grief and lay her head down. Tessai stroked one of her hands lovingly and gave her a small smile. Yoruichi returned the smile, but then frowned as there was a knock on the front door.

“Who the fuck is that?” Tessai snapped, making Yoruichi chuckle. He blinked and then blushed. The leaking reiatsu, it was obvious who it was. Yoruichi allowed him to save face and stood to answer the door.

“Ichigo! What brings you to our humble abode?”

Ichigo frowned when he saw Tessai. “I heard you ask who the fuck it was. Did I come at a bad time?”

Tessai shrugged. “Urahara has been drinking.”

Ichigo nodded. “So I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll leave then, sorry to have troubled you all.” He turned to leave, but was halted by a brown hand on his shoulder.

“No, wait. You came here for something, yeah? What is it?” Yoruichi was anxious to help someone since she couldn’t help her friend.

Ichigo turned back around and suddenly looked shy. “Well, Uryuu wants to go see Nemu in the Seireitei. Thing is, we need something to maybe block or reduce his reiatsu so that he can be undetected. Do you guys have anything like that?”

Yoruichi tapped her finger against her chin and thought. “Yes. Hold on a minute, ok?” She disappeared from the door for a few moments and came back with a gold bracelet.

“This should hide his reiatsu, but it’s only good for about 2 hours. There is a line in the middle of the bracelet that changes colors as time progresses. It will go from gold, to green, to red, to black and when it turns black his own natural reiatsu will start to break through. The bracelet will not be activated until he enters the Seireitei, but once he does, the 2 hour countdown begins.” She handed Ichigo the bracelet and he examined it carefully.

“Ok, I’ll tell him the mechanics. Tell Urahara I said thanks. Um…are you ok?” Ichigo had noticed Yoruichi red eyes and didn’t want to pry, but also didn’t want to come off as uncaring.

“It’s just Kisuke and I had a heated exchange. Some words were said. Sticks and stones can break bones, but words can break your heart, you know?”

Ichigo nodded. “Sister, you’ve never lied. Listen, I gotta go. I’ve got a rich man and a warm bed waiting for me.”

Yoruichi smiled. “Tell Bya-kun I said hello. You be careful out there, Ichigo.”

Ichigo smiled. “You be careful in there, Yoruichi.” He turned and walked up the alley, back to Chad’s apartment. Yoruichi watched him for a few minutes before going back in the shop. She grabbed the bottle of water and climbed in the bed beside Urahara. She could sense that he needed to be close to someone, and although she wasn’t Aizen, she could still wrap her arms around him and rub his back to calm him down. They were friends, and that is what friends were for.
********************

“Another stroll home,” Matsumoto observed, staring up at the moon. Zaraki smiled.

“Yes, another stroll home. Don’t tell me you are already tired of your escort.”

She snickered. “And what would happen if I was tired of you?”

Zaraki’s smile faded. “Don’t tease me.” His voice was serious, and it made her stop in her tracks.

“Kenpachi.” Her voice held a bit of chiding, a tone of ‘you should know better’. She reached for one of his hands and laced her fingers through it. “Could anyone honestly get bored with you? I don’t think it’s possible. I’d think by the time I was bored with you, I’d be bored with life in general, and that would only be when I was old and out of sake.”

He gave her a gentle smile and sighed at his mistrust. “I’m sorry. It’s just…never mind.”

She gave him a soft look. “Isane would say things like that, huh?” He nodded, frowning. “Well now I know not to kid around with you like that. I’m sorry.”

Zaraki looked frustrated. “Don’t be sorry. Just be you. My heart isn’t that fragile.” He gave a gruff laugh and shrugged.

Matsumoto wrapped her arms around his torso and squeezed. She didn’t say anything, but he felt and understood everything she was trying to convey. He held her and buried his head in her hair, inhaling her scent. She buried her head further into his chest, pressing her soft curves seductively against him. She knew that being so close to him was calming him and reassuring him, and it made her happy to know she had that effect on him.

“I care about you, Kenpachi. I’d never hurt you. Ever.” She snuggled against him, and they stood in the small dusty road, holding each other. He wasn’t quite at the point where he could be really real with himself and set the expectation of never hurting her, but he felt her words were genuine, and wanted to show his own form of commitment. He pulled away and held her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. She gazed at him with a confused look, anxious by his actions.

“Rangiku…I want you to eat dinner with me tomorrow night. Me and Yachiru. I want you to be there when I tell her about us. Will you do that?” He really tried not to sound hopeful or pleading, but also didn’t want to seem like he was putting the responsibility of telling Yachiru on her. He just wanted her to understand that she was important to him, important enough to bring around his ‘daughter’.

Matsumoto smiled. “Of course I’ll come.” And it was as simple as that. He released the breath that was trapped in his chest and visibly relaxed. He took her hand again and walked her up to her house, pausing at the front door. He turned to her and brushed a few strands of hair from her face, staring at her. He wanted to say it, and even licked his lips in preparation, but was halted by a cool finger on his lips.

“Don’t. And don’t get me wrong, I want to hear it. God knows I want you to say it to me, but it’s too early. If you say it, it might change things and not for the better. Just wait. I can be paitent. Can you?” Her eyes sparkled and he laughed.

“For you? I can wait forever.” He bent down and kissed her, bending her romantically. Her hands ran up his arms and planted themselves on the sides of his head and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to drown in the moment. Their tongues touched, and it was like a smoldering fire between them. He kissed her long and slow, tasting her like the finest of sake. She drew away from him, slightly flushed and out of breath.

“You remind me of hoshigaki.”

“Huh? Of all the things I could possibly remind you of, I remind you of a dried persimmon? Should I be offended?” Zaraki crossed his arms, unable to keep from smiling when Matsumoto laughed.

“No, no offense! It’s my favorite food. I limit how much I have, so when I get it, I enjoy it all the more. It’s the same with us. For so long I’ve wanted you, but I limited myself. And now I enjoy you that much more. I don’t know, it sounds silly now that I’ve said it. It sounded better in my head.” She blushed and he chucked her under the chin.

“That’s ok. I’ll be your hoshigaki. But only me, ok?”

She kissed him lightly on the lips. “Yes, Zaraki taicho. Good night.” She opened the door and blew him a kiss before closing it behind her.

“Good night, Matsumoto taicho.” He mouthed the words that he wanted to say and grinned before turning around to go back home. He needed to clean up and buy a new jinbei. He was going to have company tomorrow. He smiled and whistled going down the road, even smiling up at Shuuhei’s open terrace window. The windows slammed shut and Zaraki shrugged. He continued whistling and walking, and upon closer examination, it appeared as if he were strutting. He had reason to, because he was in love, whether he was ready to express it or not.




A/N: I really wanted to show how much some of the characters care about each other and the different relationships within. I may add a tail piece on this one, but possibly not. Hope it was worth the read.